Dream Prince
Chapter 17
A Love Worth Fighting For
The difficult training continued on the following day and the early morning found the soldiers on a yet another jog led by their determined leader. The jog was slightly longer than the first one had been and afterwards Yugi was too exhausted to do much else than lie down to gather his strength. He would need it, as both Jono and Bakura were waiting for him to get up so that they could continue the training Yugi had received from Jono before.
"I don't think I can keep going like this, guys", Yugi muttered in a forlorn and exhausted manner. "My body's not strong enough."
"It'll grow strong enough, Rasui", Jono spoke in encouragement. "We won't be doing anything too taxing today so that you can recover."
"Even though that recovery will be wasting time unnecessarily", Bakura commented with a scoff, but did not voice any other complaints after that.
"Let's get going then", Jono said and reached down to drag Yugi to his feet. The blond ended up dragging Yugi all the way to the spot outside the camp where they had previously trained. By the time Yugi caught both his balance and the blond's long strides, the group had already arrived at the intended spot.
"Okay", Jono started when they had all come to a stop, turning Yugi around to face him. "First of all, there's a little something I need to show you." The blond released Yugi and showed the shorter male a piece of string. "It's a way to keep the sword from slipping out of your hand."
Yugi looked at the string for a moment, easily guessing its possible purpose as he queried: "You're going to tie the sword to my hand?"
"Yeah", Jono said with a nod. "That's pretty much it. Pull out your sword and I'll show how to tie it properly."
"Alright", Yugi conceded, offering his hand over to the blond with a resigned sigh. "But is it really necessary to go this far?"
"Yes", came the deadpan response after which Jono shifted, as if just realizing how easily his reply could have been interpreted as offensive. The blond smiled apologetically before adding: "For now at least."
"I definitely agree", Bakura added in as Jono started wrapping a piece of string around Yugi's hand and sword. "Your grip is lousy."
Yugi felt the string tighten momentarily when Jono suddenly turned to the white-haired male to snap: "Akefia!" The string loosened when Jono slackened the contraption at the yelp Yugi released. The blond sighed before mumbling lowly: "Well, it's the truth, I suppose."
Yugi rolled his eyes in exasperation before grumbling with distaste: "Thanks a lot, guys…"
"That's how you recognize your true friends, shorty", Bakura said with a wide, amused grin. "They give you the truth, no matter how painful it is."
"But", Jono pressed, cutting in with a sharp tone. "They also support you and help you fix the things that are wrong." The blond gave the ends of the string a tug to tighten the knot he had tied. "There you go. Try it."
Yugi's first reaction to the command was to open his hand, releasing his grip on the handle of the sword. Indeed, the sword only fell a few inches as it rotated to allow the blade to hang down with gravity's pull. Still, Yugi managed to grab the sword again with reasonable ease and he lifted his face to give Jono a grateful smile.
"This seems like it'll work out great", Yugi admitted. "Thanks guys."
"Anytime, Rasui", Jono said, all the while grinning widely. The brown eyes were looking at Yugi earnestly and Yugi knew that the blond truly meant his words.
A sudden snarl from Bakura caught Yugi and Jono's attention when the albino grumbled: "Heads up boys. Lord Spoilsport is approaching." The two turned to look to the same direction as Bakura's brown gaze and indeed, Lord Odji was walking towards them with purposefulness. Yugi was certain he heard Jono actually growl in anger at the sight.
There was a shift from beside Yugi and the boy glanced at Jono to see the other stand up to face the approaching noble. The blond's body grew tense, like the male was preparing to attack, a moment before he snapped: "I thought I told you to leave Rasui alone!"
"Ah", Odji started while lifting his finger and smiling in a condescending manner. "But I am not here to see little Rasui." The raven-haired man opened his palm to indicate towards Jono. "I came here for you, Jono."
Jono actually laughed at the nobleman's words and Yugi felt a bit uncomfortable as the blond begun to speak: "Don't play games with me. I'm a tough opponent." As the last words left Jono's lips, Yugi felt Bakura's hand wrap itself around his arm, tugging him backwards a couple of steps. Apparently the albino had also noticed the dangerous shift in Jono's mood.
"No game, simply an order", Odji replied and Yugi saw Jono stiffen even further, this time with dread. Odji's smile turned into an actual smirk and the raven-haired male continued: "I'm in charge of restocking our provisions and I need a group of men to accompany me." The face turned slightly more serious, for authority. "You have been chosen for the task."
A displeased sound came from Jono, but the blond did not put up a fight. Instead Jono merely nodded his head and grumbled: "As the lord commands."
Odji was all smiles again with those words and his tone of voice was very pleasant as he said: "Great", and turned to leave. Jono did not watch the other's departure but turned to his two companions with a huff.
"I can't believe the nerve of that guy!" Jono snapped heatedly. "But I know what's he's planning. Oh, I'm so onto him."
"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, his tone a bit uncertain. He was not sure if Jono's flaring temper would not explode from his questioning.
"He's trying to remove me", Jono grumbled and ran a hand through his hair. "He's taking this chance to keep me from training you." The blond released a groan of frustration. "I really should have punched the guy. He would have deserved it."
"I'm actually surprised you didn't", Bakura commented with an amused tone of voice. "I tried to watch out for splatters of blood for nothing."
'Oh', Yugi thought that the albino's words. 'So that is why he wanted to back off.'
"We still need to do something about this new situation we're in", Jono commented with a sigh, apparently finally calming down. "We can't have Rasui's training stop while I'm gone."
"Which would be for at least a week", Bakura added with a thoughtful tone. "I see what you mean. That time could be used better."
"I say that if Odji is going to be going all out, then we should too", Jono said finally and shot a meaningful glance at Bakura that had Yugi out of the loop, especially when Bakura smirked in response.
"What are you talking about?" Yugi finally asked from the two, tired of being left guessing in such a way. Jono gave him a glance, a somewhat regretful one, that told Yugi that he probably would not like what was about to come.
"Rasui", Jono started sternly and Yugi's sense of foreboding grew. "While I'm gone, I need you to do what Akefia says." The blond paused to take in Yugi's expression that obviously gave away his thoughts. "It's for the best. Since I won't be around to coach you in sword fighting, you should work on your endurance."
"Oh, don't look like that, pipsqueak", Bakura's voice came from beside Yugi and a hand landed on the young prince's shoulder. "I'll take good care of you."
"But for now", Jono cut in, before Yugi could release a sound in protest. "Let's get back to sword practise. We should use the time we have left to our advantage." Those words made Yugi wonder if it really was Bakura's training he should be worried about or Jono's.
1.
This was nerve-wracking, seriously grating on what remained of Seto's patience. The brunet was not a patient person to begin with and watching his cousin pace back and forth within his tent was causing his patience to quickly evaporate.
But, if Seto was nearing his limit, Atemu had crossed it a while back. The young prince was a mess, his movements accompanied by an occasional jerk caused by deep aggravation and frustration. The other's dark skin had a greyish sheen to it that told Seto of restlessness and tiredness.
A sigh came from Seto, the brunet finally having had enough of seeing his cousin like this. He rapped his knuckles against the surface of the desk he was sitting by and waited until the pacing prince turned to look at him before speaking: "Stop sulking. This is going to work out, we will make sure of that." Briefly the brunet wondered if Atemu noticed his choice of wording and if the other realized that they really were in this together.
"I can't help it", Atemu uttered before breathing out a sigh of his own. Apparently Seto had gotten through to the prince, as the star-haired youth spoke in a reasonable manner: "So much depends on this. I couldn't stand it if we got stuck here."
Seto frowned in thought at the other and spoke out his thoughts: "You're taking this harder than I had expected. Is there a reason for it?" It really seemed like Atemu's dedication to this army had increased from what the other had started with.
The answer to the question came easily in a deadpan tone as Atemu spoke simply: "Yugi needs me."
"W-what?" Seto burst out in a startled manner, instantly reprimanding himself for the slight stutter. "Excuse me?"
"He's alive, Seto", Atemu said in a desperate tone. "I need to rescue him."
Seto bit back a groan of frustration as he pressed his fingers to his temple and murmured: "Are you sure you should be focusing on that?" They had a war to fight here. Atemu could not afford ton get sidetracked.
Atemu spread his arms out in a helpless manner as he spoke: "I can't help it, Seto. I love him." And the way the prince held himself as he uttered those words really made it seem like the other could not do anything but help his former fiancée. Still, that did not mean that Seto had to like it or accept it.
"It would have been good if you'd told him that while he was still around", the brunet grumbled with distaste and watched as Atemu's expression turned into a mix of anger and disappointment.
"Spare me your remarks", Atemu snapped heatedly. "If you have to be a jerk, go harass some poor underling. I need support, not ridicule."
"But cousin", Seto drawled and smirked as Atemu balked at the condescending tone. "I am being supportive, as supportive as I can without retching." The brunet leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "If you were anything other than family to me, I would have walked out the moment you first mentioned Yugi." There was a scoff from Atemu as response and Seto stood up from his seat. "Do what you think is best", the brunet spoke calmly. "It's not like you value my opinions overly much anyway."
Having said his piece Seto made his way out of his cousin's tent, but not away from the prince's words. Because Atemu's claim of Yugi living reminded Seto of something, something he had seen or sensed. However, as much as the brunet tried to recall what that something was, he could not remember what it had been.
Seto's musings were cut off when a shouting voice reached his ears. At first the priest was not bothered by it; arguments and even full-blown fights were common in a military camp in which men were constantly trying to prove themselves to be the strongest and most skilled. But, as soon as that thought passed through Seto's mind, the brunet recognized the voice. And that voice was the only one that would make Seto care about some petty brawl.
It was Jono who was currently bellowing profanities at some unfortunate soul. Seto had always enjoyed witnessing a good tongue-lashing, and Jono had certainly proven himself skilled in coming up with putdowns. So Seto decided to go and see the fight a bit more closely.
"So you're saying that you've been harassing Rasui just to get closer to me?" Jono snapped angrily and Seto followed the voice until he located the blond between some tents, glaring hatefully at no other than Lord Odji. The blond was visibly upset as he pressed on angrily: "So this is all about you wanting me to warm your bed?"
The words made Seto pause. For some unexplainable reason the very thought of Odji trying to lure Jono in made the brunet see red. His stomach churned with a hot feeling that blurred his thoughts when Odji answered in his typical confident manner: "It's not a very bad scenario, right?"
"If by 'bad' you mean 'I'd rather die', then I'm going to have to disagree with you", Jono shot back with distaste and Seto's angry rush at the raven-haired nobleman was prevented. "I wouldn't sleep with you if my life depended on it."
"How dare you!" Odji snapped while visibly bristling. "I'm the most desirable man in the capitol. I have a secure place in the pharaoh's court! Never in my life has anyone ever refused me!"
Jono snorted at the man's words and Seto felt a small wave of pride for the blond as the soldier drawled: "Well, I wouldn't want to submit to someone who doesn't even look like a man."
"What?" Odji snapped incredulously and Seto made sure he stayed out of the two men's line of sight. The brunet had never heard anyone talking to Odji like that. It was simply too good to pass up.
"Still not simple enough for you?" Jono queried with a condescending tone. "Let's try again. When I first saw you, I thought you were a woman. When you first spoke I figured you just have a really low voice." The tone changed into one of disgust. "Only when you started coming onto me I figured out you were a guy, because no lady would make as crude suggestions as you."
Odji's voice was lowered to a hiss as the raven-haired man growled out: "I could have you executed for those words!"
"Oh?" was the incredulous response Jono gave the statement before lowering his own voice into a threatening whisper. "Listen here, Lord Odji. You're very far away from all of your power and your daddy's money. You could start to call for a guard, but by the time they got here you'd be dead and I'd be gone." The blond paused, possibly for effect. "Even at this moment I have at least one blade on my person. Do you really want to take the risk of crossing me?"
Odji was in such a hurry to leave the scene that he rushed right past Seto and did not notice the brunet. To see the raven-haired man in such distress was very satisfying and so Seto approached Jono with a mood a lot better than his usual one.
"I must say I'm impressed, Jono", Seto spoke out and Jono immediately whirled around to face him. The agitated frown on his face smoothened away when the blond realized he was not Odji coming back with a changed mind and was instead replaced by a raised eyebrow. Seto answered the expression with a smirk and added: "I never knew you could be so bloodthirsty."
"You think highly of me", came Jono's instant suspicious reply. "That isn't what you told me before." Apparently the blond had good memory, Seto mused and his smirk faded away into a carefully schooled expression.
"I lied", the brunet spoke calmly, in control, and watched Jono carefully for a reaction. He noticed the twitch of the blond's lips instantly when it came and got great satisfaction from pleasing Jono, even though he still was not certain why he felt that way.
"Figures", Jono mumbled and there it was. The blond's voice wavered in that certain way only suppressed laughter could make it do. Seto's lips turned back into a smirk and he stepped closer to Jono. The blond allowed this invasion of his personal space and Seto was encouraged to lean in, aiming to kiss those amused lips.
The touch against the smooth skin of Jono's cheek was not a disappointment in itself, but the fact that the blond had turned his face away from him was one. He glowered at the brown eyes looking at him with strange hesitation and made no move to retreat. There was a challenge in the air and so they stayed in that position and Jono spoke quietly: "What do you think you're doing?"
"I was trying to kiss you the way you should be kissed", Seto hissed back and the amusement came back to the blond's eyes.
"And how is that?" Jono queried in a clearly amused tone.
Seto met the other's gaze evenly and spoke the truth for the second time: "By me." He attempted to kiss the other again, only to land his lips on the other's chin that time around. He growled in frustration but was given no chance to retaliate when Jono stepped back, away from him.
"What the hell is wrong with you people?" Jono asked in exasperation. "Since when has everyone and their mother wanted a piece of me?"
"I'd actually like all of you", Seto pointed out, not liking the way the blond banded him together with someone like Odji. But Jono rolled his eyes at the brunet's words before snapping: "What does it matter? I have not come here to grow attached, so you can forget it."
"A very weak argument", Seto commented coldly and Jono's eyes flashed with anger.
"I don't care about your kind!" Jono shouted heatedly, and Seto could not help but see it as a defensive effort. Perhaps a bit more of truth would not hurt, just to show Jono that he was nothing like Odji.
"You're fascinating", Seto spoke quietly and Jono paused to listen to the almost soothing tone. "You have such strength, both within your body and mind, and yet you're capable of great kindness and generosity." The brunet moved closer to Jono and even though the blond still looked at him warily, he let him near. "I don't think you're a fighter, Jono." He searched the other's face for any hint of emotion and saw yearning. Seto knew he was on the right path and he pressed on. "You're a protector and a nurturer, someone I'd like to have by my side." Carefully, experimentally, the brunet lifted his hand to press to Jono's cheek. The blond did not react, choosing to instead stare at him in something akin to wonder.
"Why are you saying these things?" Jono spoke finally, his tone disbelieving. "Before, you've spoken to me so differently." The blond frowned with distaste. "Or were the insults just meant to catch my attention?"
"Definitely not", Seto replied with a scoff. As if he would resort to such roundabout methods. "That's just the way I do things." The brunet looked down at the blond. "Is that the reason you resist? Because-"
"No", Jono cut him off effectively. "If the insults were a problem I would have punched you a few times already." The blond paused in thought and Seto decided to try capturing the other's lips for a third time. Like the two times previously, Jono dodged the attempt, and then stepped away from the brunet, seeming to finally steel himself in his resolve as Seto met his now even gaze. The brunet tried to think of a reason for Jono's resistance; if the blond did not want Seto, the brunet would have received the same treatment as Odji. Since the case was not so, something else was keeping Jono from allowing Seto close.
The two stared at each other in silence for a few moments, one in frustrated anger and the other with an unreadable expression. In the end the silence was broken when Seto released a sigh before speaking: "What is it now?"
"I can't do this", was all Jono said in response before turning around and breaking into a run. Seto took a step to follow him, before he realized how much that went against his personality and froze to contemplate on that matter.
What was he doing? Why was he about to throw his dignity out the window to chase after some commoner? An angry growl erupted from the brunet as he closed his eyes in frustration. What did it matter? Jono was Jono, and Seto wanted Jono. He wanted the blond more than he had ever wanted anything in his life. And nothing would stop him from having the other, not even the fact that the other had some strange idea of not having a relationship. Seto would simply have to find out where that notion came from and then work to change the blond's mind.
To be continued…
Author's Notes: Sorry about the break in updates. I was working on a pretty huge chapter for my other story. But I came through. Here's the new chapter and next time you will be seeing Atemu and Yugi, together, in the same scene. I actually mean it.
And is it just me or do Seto and Odji have some similarities in their possessive and persistent way of chasing Jono?