Bows of Promise
Chapter Seven
Yugi called him a few days later to tell him their grandfather passed away.
He had taken the news calmly. The old man had been ill. A chronic liver disease patient and just a year ago he was diagnosed with liver cancer. He had been suffering very badly. He was now in a better place. It didn't stop him from crying a little over it. He had wanted to say goodbye but Yugi had called him right after it happened and while Yami was informing Jonouchi that he was taking a week off to attend the funeral, they were already burying the old man. Yami wanted to be there for it but knew that the flight from Japan to Egypt would take too long. The weather was hot there at that time of the year… Yami couldn't dream of asking them to keep the old man in a morgue's fridge until he got there. They had to lay him to the ground as soon as they could.
Yugi was the one who picked him up from the airport. They hugged, Yugi patting him on the back of his head gently as he sniffled slightly with the tears that ran down his face, which looked tired and ashen from the thirteen hour flight. He knew he was about to look a lot worse because of the hideous effects of jetlag on his sleep and his general energy levels. He tried not to think about that and sank into the passenger's seat, reclining the chair back and got some sleep while Yugi drove to their little hometown an hour away from Cairo.
Once they arrived, Yami had gone up to his old room, changing into a black shirt and a pair of black trousers after washing his face and combing his hair. He descended the stairs, sighing a little to himself in preparation and stepping inside the large reception area.
He and Yugi stood with their father accepting condolences from hundreds of people who came to offer them. Relatives and acquaintances and other public relations that he knew couldn't be bothered with the old man who just died but showed up just to keep good affairs with his father, now promoted to become head of the hospital he was working at.
He didn't want to do it. He didn't want to stand there and greet these strangers. He was sure Yugi didn't either. Not only were they complete strangers… people gave themselves the right to go deeper than the 'I am sorry for your loss' they came to say. They couldn't just say it and ask about their general health, make a comment about the weather or country politics, then just leave. No, they gave themselves the right to ask Yami when he was going to settle down. They commented that he was almost in his mid-thirties now, he needed to start a family. They went as far as suggesting a few… 'candidates'.
It was difficult to try and prevent himself from being outright insulting. To say that it was no one's business. To swear colorfully at the way these men treated their daughters like commodity. It was made even more difficult because he was already upset at his grandfather's departure.
It was impossible, however, to hold back when he heard what was being said to Yugi. They way they made sure to frown at him in mock confusion, feigning bad memory and asking what he was studying. The grimace of fake sympathy when he replied he was a psychology student at their local faculty of arts and humanities, followed by a sideways amazed glance at Yami then the cluck of their tongues and shake of their heads…
It made Yami want to throw them out on their asses.
Luckily, Yugi had grabbed hold of his arm, squeezing it firmly whenever he would almost convulsively move towards whoever idiot stood before them. "Calm down, Yami… don't make a scene. We'll talk later on."
He bit on his lip and endured. He had forgotten these unpleasant aspects of life in Egypt. Where everyone deemed themselves worthy of simply involving themselves in his life. Offering advice that was downright inadequate and ineffective, because simply, people wanted him to do what they wanted him to do. To conform to what was right in their point of view, regardless whether he would be happy about it or not. He wasn't the 'normal' kind. Problematic, unpredictable. He pissed them off even more because he was successful. But not by following the route they wanted him to follow. Graduate, get a higher degree, find some poor unfortunate girl to marry through an arranged liaison between families… have a kid every year and open up a clinic where he would sit sucking money off of people while he got fatter and his pockets heavier and his cars fancier. He didn't fit into that picture and hence they tried harder every time they saw him to persuade him to catch up to what they thought was normal.
Yugi was just as different. He had gotten very high scores in high school. If he had wanted, he too would have gotten into med-school like Yami. Maybe dentistry if he had wanted to be a bit different. Instead, and with their grandfather's encouragement, he had applied for a psychology major. It had been a big fight with their parents who had wanted to place Yugi in med-school as well. Yami remembered that he and their grandfather had stood with Yugi until their parents had backed down. Especially as Yami calmly told them to back off, since their idea of forcing him into something he hadn't wanted to study almost ended in a disaster and what they considered a scandal.
Yami had talked to Yugi though. He told him that people were going to compare between them. He would always be looked down upon and they would consider his major in psychology a failure, when compared to his brother who was studying medicine. He told him to expect stupid comments and frustrating mentalities.
It was funny because now he was the one having trouble dealing with these harassments and Yugi was the one trying to placate him.
"Japan is doing a number on your self control," Yugi jokingly told him as they stepped outside their house at a little past ten in the evening. Yami smiled softly and placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans as they fell into step beside each other. "I'd thought getting away from patients here would make you calmer."
"It rather decreased my tolerance for idiots," Yami mumbled a bit sheepishly and Yugi laughed good-naturedly. "And decreased my tolerance for the heat," he added with a little complaining voice.
"You poor thing. Your head and entire body must be screwed over well and good," Yugi commented and launched into a tirade of how amazing it must be to have winter starting in Japan when it was the start of the summer season in Egypt.
He was smiling and looking ahead at the well-known path they took so many times over the years. Yami stared at him, letting the sight of his younger brother's familiar smile fill the gaps within him at the lack of nostalgic feelings at being back home. It was one of the very few things he missed during his time away, aside from his grandfather's wrinkly hands.
He turned to look at the road, the smile lingering on his own features as they walked in companionable, comfortable silence after Yugi was done chitchatting about unexciting, simple matters that probably didn't require that much of his attention. They were heading to their favorite coffee place. It was a customary outing. Coffee and a walk. So familiar; so effortless.
"I'm going to have to pass on the coffee, though," Yami told him. Yugi raised an eyebrow at him. "I need to sleep. Jetlag is killing me," he explained.
"I think you'll need some coffee, Yami…I need to talk to you about something," Yugi informed him. Yami felt his stomach tying itself in knots. "Seriously relax. It's nothing bad," Yugi quickly told him. His brother knew him too well.
"I don't like the 'we need to talk' statement," Yami told him.
"I know. It's nothing bad, really…"
"Then what is it?" he insisted.
Yugi remained silent for a few more moments. He then sighed, placing his hands in the pockets of his jeans as well in an action that mirrored Yami's. "Grandpa gave me a bit of money right after you left," he started. Yami stared at him in silence. He sighed. "I applied for a transfer in schools."
"Oh…" Yami exclaimed, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't know you didn't like it here…"
"It's not that I don't like it," Yugi shook his head.
They stood at a green light, waiting for the cars to pass them by. Yami noted absentmindedly the way people broke the lights, how cars almost collided and how disasters almost happened right in front of them. He noted that he and Yugi were the only ones actually waiting until the 'Walk' lights turned green. Even when they did turn green, they were almost run over once by a biker who was trying to break the red light.
"I am tired, Yami…" Yugi resumed once they were safely on the other end of the road. "You saw for yourself today and you couldn't control yourself for a moment there and you've only had to deal with people for a few hours. I am tired of always trying to either prove them wrong, or that I love my major. Ignoring them also takes an effort that I thought would be easy but it turned out to be a lot more difficult especially as everyone just thinks I am less than you."
Immediately, Yami's face heated up. He was indignant. "I don't think you're less than me!" he heatedly defended.
"I know that, Yami…" Yugi placated. "Don't get all sensitive about it now. And don't go over thinking matters like you usually do. I know you can be an ass to yourself sometimes so just don't."
Properly admonished over his instinctual reaction, Yami felt his ears turning red slightly. They were almost at the coffee shop when Yami asked, "So where do you want to go now? Are you changing your major or just schools? Do you need me to extend my vacation to help you move?"
Yugi laughed, the sound pleasing and so, so calming, Yami missed it so much. "No need… I've applied to a school in Japan, Yami. I will have to borrow your expression and tell you that Egypt doesn't really hold much for me anymore. It's time to move on."
Yami had stopped in his tracks. It was sudden and someone almost walked face first into him. He was too stunned to really reply to the insult that was thrown at him. Yugi walked back to where he stood stunned and pulled at his arm, forcing him to walk once again, shaking his head and muttering about rude people and throwing insults and a bunch of shit Yami didn't really care about.
"You're coming with me?" he numbly asked, a smile slowly forming on his dumbfounded features.
"Unless you don't want me to, yes, I am," Yugi replied as they stood in front of the cashier.
Yami was distracted by the young man behind the marble counter who welcomed him back to Egypt, asking after his health, his work, the reason he returned. A good kid, a law student in another governorate in Egypt, working part time in this coffee shop. Yami answered politely, amiably. He always liked this young man; his love for peculiar music, the way he religiously collected bohemian styled little trinkets and the loving way with which he grew succulents and cacti. He fondly asked him if he still grew them and the young man enthusiastically launched into an avid description of all the new species he was attempting to nurture.
They ordered two lattes and Yami gracefully accepted the kid's request to take one of the little, cute cacti with him back to Japan. It made him feel a bit happy but also very sad, when he was told it was something to remember this little coffee shop by, after the many good things and bad things it had witnessed. It had been here that he first received Jonouchi's email that approved of his research request and his CV. It had also been here when he received the news that he had graduated with good grades. The same place was witness to a violent breakup that he had chosen its location very carefully, because when things got ugly, this very kid and his coworkers came to his help him without asking too many questions and with nothing but concern on their faces.
They took their drinks and went to the bar by the wall, climbing onto two of the stools and sat sideways so they could face one another while they emptied a bag of brown sugar each into the Styrofoam cups, stirring it in with the drink using the disposable wooden stirrers. Silence predominated for a few moments as they savored the first sip of their coffee.
"If you think I am being too clingy and chasing you around, I promise you won't notice my presence if you like," Yugi broke the quiet that settled between them.
"Don't be an idiot, Yugi," Yami beamed brightly at him. "I don't think you're clingy at all. I am so happy this is happening. I am just surprised. Why Japan?"
"I already know the language," Yugi easily replied. "It's a lot easier that way. Instead of learning a new language from scratch."
Yami nodded softly. "Mom and dad are okay with this?"
Yugi shrugged, "Does it really matter?" Yami pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows just a little bit. "Stop worrying about what they think for a while, Yami. I am just focused on what's good for me right now. I don't have to live the life they want anymore."
Yugi's tone was calm. There was no anger in it but Yami knew he was hiding something beneath that peaceful façade.
"I still think you should ask what they…" he started arguing, only to have Yugi slamming down the Styrofoam cup on the counter with more force than necessary, effectively cutting off the protest he was voicing.
"If I ask what they think, they think it's a very good idea to stay here and drive me into depression the same way they did to you, Yami." Yami blinked and looked away, his face reddening slightly. Yugi wasn't done, however. "The only way you survived is when you got away from them. And even then, I saw for myself the after-effects of all the time you spent around them and what it did to you. Forgive me, but after Grandpa passed away, I don't think I want anything to do with this place any more, Yami. And definitely, it's not their approval that I will seek before making that decision."
Once more, Yami nodded. He could understand, really. He tried to get his embarrassed flush at the mention of his unattractive mental health under control and turned his attention to his coffee as well as the café and its customers. It was a favorite activity of his; watching people come and go, some lingering to sip at their drink languidly, some hurrying out the door once it was ready. He listened to snippets of mindless chatter. Not to eavesdrop, no, but to let his imagination run. It was very relaxing.
Yugi interrupted the activity by tugging on his arm. He looked at him questioningly, noting the apologetic look on his brother's soft, gentle features. "I am sorry… I'm not yelling at you. Or saying that you're crazy," Yami smiled widely at that and the younger man laughed. "Maybe you are." Yami raised one eyebrow. "Hell, Yami, you're bat-shit crazy, alright? You know I adore you anyway," Yugi giggled out.
"You better…" he calmly said. It was an old joke. Weirdly he didn't mind when Yugi called him crazy to his face with a smile. He felt uncomfortable, however, when it was discussed on a more serious note. Even though Yugi was present through a lot of his struggles with his poor psychological wellbeing, but Yami just didn't feel very well discussing the matter unless it was in a joking context.
"How have you been doing, anyway…?"
Yami plastered a big smile on his face, "I've been great…"
"Seriously, don't be an ass," Yugi deadpanned. Yami's smile faltered slightly. "How have things been going over there?" the younger man's voice was suggestive. He shrugged. Yugi swore and Yami adoringly shook his head at his younger brother's colorful vocabulary. "How many times…?"
"Don't worry, Yugi. It was just once and I had help," Yami reassured, reaching over and squeezing his hand. "Things were hectic at work and it was too much. But everything was alright in the end, so don't worry about it."
Yugi narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Had…help? From who?"
"A friend," Yami replied quickly. Too quickly and Yugi was just too damn perceptive for his own good. He noticed the rush in his words and his reddening ears and the avoidance in his eyes.
"Tell me everything!" the childish excitement in his voice had Yami shaking his head.
"There's nothing to tell, so calm down," he hushed, trying to contain the thrilled expression on Yugi's face before it went out of control. "Really, Yugi, it's just a friend, alright, there's no need to get so worked up," he dismissed in a tone of voice that he hoped wouldn't inspire any more questions from Yugi. He then quickly changed the subject, "So when are you moving? And where exactly will you be staying?"
"Well…don't be mad, okay?" Yugi uneasily raised a hand to the back of his head. Yami raised an eyebrow questioningly, so he sighed, "Well, I've gotten into Domino's Arts and Humanities faculty."
"That's wonderful, Yugi!" Yami exclaimed. "Why do you think I'll be angry, idiot?"
"I am staying at the dorms… don't worry I won't crash at your place…" Yugi mumbled out quickly in reply.
Yami blinked, "I have a very large extra room at my place, by the way."
"I know that. I would like to stay at the dorms. I am going to get a part-time job as well… I… I want to be independent from you and from mom and dad. I think it will be a good experience," Yugi explained in a rush. Yami sat back in the stool, crossing one leg over the other and fiddling with the cover of the cup for a while as he waited for Yugi to take a sip out of his own cup, then add, "I wanted Domino because I have missed you a lot. It will be wonderful to be in the same city. We can get together during your days off or for the holidays, but still give each other space. Do you understand me?" He trailed off uncertainly.
Yami nodded quickly, "Yes, yes… of course I understand. Look, you don't have to explain anything to me or apologize for anything. I trust your judgment." Yugi visibly relaxed in front of him. He reached over and held his brother's hand comfortingly. He smiled widely, "I know you want a new experience. I think this will be wonderful for you. I am glad you picked Domino, so that if and when you need help, I will be just minutes away."
Yugi's amethyst eyes brightened. He squeezed Yami's hand back and turned his attention to his drink once again.
There was silence for a few minutes. Then the younger man cast a sideways glance at him.
"I just want you to rest assured that I won't crash at your place…just in case you're entertaining 'friends' or something…"
Yami groaned and rolled his eyes. He shook his head and decided to ignore his brother.
"There's two of you…"
Yami rolled his eyes.
"You've duplicated!"
Yami raised both eyebrows in an 'are you serious?' look as Seto placed a thumb and forefinger under his chin in a mock thoughtful expression as he stared down at Yugi who was standing beside him, a backpack slung on his shoulder while he dragged the rolling suitcase behind him. The brunet was just being silly, Yami knew that, because he had previously informed him that Yugi was coming with him. It was just two days ago when he found Seto calling him, asking for his flight's particulars since he was volunteering out of the goodness of his pure heart to pick him up from the airport. He was just being juvenile now. Not that that was a new feat of his.
His younger brother, however, provided quite an amusing response to the brunet's –feigned?— interest in him. It was very…inattentive, as Yami was pleased and endlessly amused to see. It wasn't deliberate, he knew, as Yugi was eyeing the vigorous rainfall from the airport's windows with a wide-eyed expression of awe, while showing zero interest in the brunet. He wasn't trying to spite him, Yami knew that because their hometown rarely got rainfall this heavy and Yugi was mesmerized by the sheets of water slamming heavily against the windows. It wasn't intentional, the way he was ignoring his childish colleague.
Said colleague smiled mischievously and, without an ounce of self-control or common courtesy, moved his fingers from his own chin to place them underneath Yugi's in a quick move that Yami anticipated but was unable to prevent. Yugi jumped a little, turning his face up to meet Seto's curious blue eyes. Yami was—apart from twitching in annoyance—amused to watch as his brother showed no other outward negative reaction to the unexpected touch. As if it was completely normal for someone to grab him by the chin and force him to look at them.
He smiled instead, meeting Seto's eyes and allowing the hand resting beneath his chin to linger. "Oh hello… you're one of Yami's friends…?"
Yami barely held himself from giggling at Yugi's subtle, almost delicate jab that he, Yami, didn't even bother mentioning Seto to him. Seto frowned and narrowed his eyes a little, letting go of his brother and standing back, "I am your brother's boyfriend…"
Yugi laughed good-naturedly, quickly replying to that claim before Yami could even open his own mouth to reply, "Yami didn't mention getting together with someone. And besides…who uses the expression 'boyfriend' at this age?"
Seto glared at him.
Yami suppressed an evil chuckle with difficulty and stepped between them grabbing Seto by the wrist and pulling him along, "Let's go, kiddies. No need to fight just yet. Seto, please don't go around invading people's personal space; it's very annoying as I have already explained several times. And Yugi, please be nice to my good friend here…"
"You've just been friend-zoned, Dr. Kaiba," Yugi calmly noted, pulling his luggage along and not making the slightest effort not to tease the brunet mercilessly.
It was karma at its finest…
However, being the mature adult that he was, he quickly started talking about the weather and how it was pouring outside. He kept up the inane chatter until he was sure they were not about to murder each other. They stood beside Seto's car, loading their small suitcases into the trunk. Or Yami was trying to put their suitcases into the trunk while Seto and Yugi both, once again, were doing the exact opposite of what Yami told them. Seto was leaning closer to Yugi once again, while his brother had his arms crossed and was looking up at the brunet with a smug grin on his usually innocent features. Both of them had matching expressions of subtle hostility on their faces.
Yami rolled his eyes as he listened in on their conversation while trying to lift his heavy bag into the car.
"Your eyes don't look like Yami's."
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"Yes, I took after my father's eye color. We are not sure where Yami's red eyes came from."
"They're softer than Yami's… less severe. He always looks ready to murder me."
"I can't possibly think of any reason why…"
"I know, right? He always abuses me so badly."
"And yet here you are saying that you're his boyfriend."
"He's not. You can be my boyfriend."
Yami rolled his eyes once again and almost cringed at the repetitive motion. That and the bag was just too heavy.
"What a suggestion… what makes you so special, though?"
Yami laughed, throwing his head back with how amused he was at the ridiculous exchange. He gave up on trying to lift the luggage into the trunk and shook his head in complete amusement at the previously bickering pair who now stood staring at him, Yugi with a fond little smile and Seto with an intense look that he ignored for now.
"Can you just help me put this into the car so we can go home?" he suggested. Yugi moved to help him while Seto stood with his arms crossed, a haughty expression on his features as he watched them, as if what was happening was beneath him. Yami secured their luggage into the spacious trunk then turned to him, smiling brightly. "Let's go," he suggested. His smile turned slightly more evil, as he looked at Yugi while opening the passenger's seat's door and pointing inside to Yugi, "Here, Yugi, get in next to your boyfriend. Don't forget to hold hands…"
Yugi grinned back at him, an equally mischievous look in his amethyst eyes. He quickly got in before Seto could even voice his protest. Yami chuckled and opened the backdoor, sitting comfortably back and preparing to enjoy the show.
"Very funny, Yami…" Seto grunted.
"Stop flirting with my brother. It's very un-boyfriend-like," Yugi happily teased. Seto surprisingly didn't reply. "This is a lovely ride," Yugi commented.
Yami smiled.
"You and Yami are very alike," Seto said with a small grin, his cranky mood gone for the moment.
"We're siblings and all that…" Yugi nodded softly. "He's a bit gay though…"
Yami giggled. He had no idea how much he missed Yugi's sarcasm until this very moment. It was refreshing to see him teasing his insufferable annoying colleague so much.
"Good to know… I was starting to think he is rejecting me because he's straight," Seto grumbled.
"Oh no… he swings both ways, don't worry," Yugi said.
Yami scowled. "Yugi… do shut up," he sing-songed.
"In fact, I will have to break your delicate heart, Dr. Kaiba. I am straight as they come. Your only hope is Yami if you want one of us so badly."
"I'm already contemplating sending your sorry ass back to Egypt, Yugi, so shut up already," Yami grumbled. The little shit didn't know when to stop.
Silence hung over the interior of the car for a few moments.
"I am sorry about your grandfather," Seto broke it. He stopped at a red light, pausing slightly, then added, his voice more serious than before, "I am sure he was a great man, from what I've heard of him."
"He was," Yugi replied.
Yami kept silent, placing his head in the corner of the door and the seat and closing his eyes. He was tired. He wanted to sleep. The week was terrible, full of fake smiles and tiring conversations with his parents, plus trying to deal with the change in time-zones. He knew the coming few days were going to be awful as well, because just two days ago, he had shaken off the jetlag from his first trip. Now he returned back to Japan and it was going to be a nightmare trying to get his body to get used to the time-zone again…
That and Yugi seemed to stop being on his side where Seto was concerned.
He opened his eyes again as Yugi addressed him. "He's not so bad Yami. Why did you make him sound like an ogre?"
"He's jealous of my insanely good looks and innate charm," Seto answered him helpfully. They shared a giggle together like little school kids.
Yami almost groaned. Great, he thought; now even Yugi was against him on this.
They spent the way home taking turns making teasing remarks. He kept his responses limited to telling them to either shut up, or threatening Yugi or threatening Seto. It didn't matter anyway, since their alliance seemed to strengthen with every response he made. Eventually, he kept silent, trying to shut out their chatter by closing his eyes and trying to think peaceful thoughts.
Fortunately, the rain had thinned Domino's traffic at this hour in the early evening. They reached his house in a thankfully shorter duration than the one it usually took him. Once they arrived, he quickly collected their luggage, pushing open his house's door, letting Yugi inside and placing his own luggage in the entrance.
He shut the front door, then turned to Seto who closed the trunk and stood on the tiny covered porch smiling down at him.
Yami smiled back.
"Thank you so much, Seto," he said politely. "I apologize if Yugi upset you or something. He doesn't mean it," he added as an afterthought.
"Oh I like him a lot," Seto dismissed, waving a hand around. "He will make an excellent ally," he added with a wicked glint in his blue eyes.
"Don't corrupt my brother, please," Yami scowled.
"I have zero interest in corrupting your brother, Yami," Seto said with a smile.
Yami blinked up at him and didn't have time to react when the brunet leaned closer, trapping him against the closed front door. Yami's heart somersaulted up to his throat and he swallowed with difficulty, finding it impossible to look away from the familiar blue eyes, whose pupils were blown wide in a way that Yami was all too familiar with. He was about to force himself to do something. Try and wiggle out of the small space he was backed into. Anything at all to leave himself at a less vulnerable position than this.
However, Seto was already making his next move.
He reached for Yami's hand, wrapping his impossibly long, slender fingers around Yami's and raising his hand. Before Yami could react, he had bent down, placing his lips on the top of his hand and laid a gentle, almost nonexistent kiss on it.
The warm, smooth lips felt too warm on the skin of hand. Even warmer was the gentle breath that the brunet released after placing that tender touch on his skin. It felt like a furnace that suddenly opened up, swallowing his entire body in its heat, leaving him flushed and sending flutters down his stomach and making his toes curl in his shoes, almost breaking his self control and making him keen at the delicious sensation that, theoretically, shouldn't feel this good.
"I have missed you," Seto told him, raising his eyes to meet his before he had time to compose himself, get the flush that spread from his ears to his face.
He couldn't reply. The admission was made effortlessly. It should have been more difficult than the way the words easily rolled off Seto's tongue. Yami didn't know what to do. It was the first time he was ever placed in a situation like this. A niggling part of him—an annoying part, to be honest—raged at the action, the words, the ease. Another part of him –this one just as annoying, but less aggressive—whispered to him an explanation to what was happening. Deep down, he knew. He was being courted. As silly and old-fashioned as the expression was, Seto was doing just that and he was doing it artfully. And it was a foreign experience to him, one that he didn't know how to deal with for a very simple reason. He had absolutely no previous experience to build on and deal with the situation based on it.
Hence, it was why he stood dumbly, mouth agape ever-so-slightly as the brunet straightened, pushed a stray blond strand of his hair that came loose from his ponytail, back and away from his eyes.
"Err…" he unintelligently started. His voice, to his mortification, came out hoarse and scratchy. He coughed, trying to clear his voice, stupidly pulling back his hand, placing it behind his back and reaching with his other hand to hold it protectively behind him. His flush deepened when he imagined how childish he must look. He forced himself to release his hold on himself and properly stand and he tried again, "Err… it's good…it's good to be back."
Seto smiled at him. His whole face softened and Yami couldn't stop staring at him.
"Get some rest. I'll see you on Monday's surgery list," he said, turning around and heading for his car without a backward glance.
Yami stayed glued to his place for a very long while later, until Yugi called him from inside. He turned and reentered the house. His moves were automatic as he dragged his suitcase to his bedroom, opening it and depositing his personal items on the nightstand, in the bathroom, into his closet.
He paused. His eyes fell on the plain white cashmere scarf folded innocently and placed right in front of all of his other clothing items.
Seto's scarf.
He had been about to push the closet shut when he changed his mind and his hand reached for the soft, white material. He had forgotten to give it to him that evening that seemed ages ago. He smiled just a little bit, holding the cloth with both hands, acutely aware of the way the back of his right hand burned with the physical memory of soft lips pressed against the skin there. He was also acutely aware of the fact that he was slowly raising the scarf closer to his face. His eyes slid shut and he relished the sensation of the soft cashmere against his skin as his smile widened and he inhaled the musky base note of Seto's perfume that had rubbed off from the skin of his neck onto the fabric.
He hadn't realized how much he had missed it.
tbc...