The cheerful tinkle of the bell did nothing to defuse the sudden tension. Slowly and deliberately, Kaiba turned and looked up at the dagger quivering in the wood just above his head.
"That's the second time you've thrown a knife at me," he said. The room seemed to drop ten degrees with every word. Tea could feel her teeth beginning to chatter.
"Dude, that could have been a customer," Tristan whispered. He wasn't sure at this point which of the doubles scared him more.
"It wasn't." Seth met Kaiba's gaze fearlessly.
"Explain yourself." Kaiba snarled.
"I want to earn your respect." Off Kaiba's disdainful look, Seth continued. "You may fear me; you may hate me. But you respect me. You respect power." He smirked at his double. "Besides, it is in our nature to compete."
"We don't have a relationship," Kaiba said. His tone was dismissive, but Yugi thought he detected a hint of acknowledgement underneath.
"On the contrary; we understand each other. I know why you are here," Seth said.
"I don't know myself," Kaiba said, turning to go. But Seth held up a staying hand.
"You were sick last night, weren't you?"
Kaiba froze. "How did…"
Seth continued. "It's not a sickness of the body. It will continue to drain your energy until you are nothing more than a lifeless shell."
Seto sneered. "You have a great bedside manner. I'm very comforted."
The High Priest's face was grave. "It's not meant to be a comfort, but a warning. Unless we remain close to each other, we will both sicken and die. And I for one am not ready to leave this world."
"If you are who you say you are, being dead shouldn't be a new experience for you," Kaiba said. He took a step towards the door and almost winced at the sudden nausea. Soft footsteps sounded behind him and a hand was laid on his shoulder.
"Seto," Seth whispered. "Let me help you."
"I don't need your help." He shoved the hand away.
"At least let me spend the night in your mansion," Seth called after him in desperation. "You need rest. Even that much proximity will do you good."
Kaiba spun round. The sudden movement was enough to make him dizzy. Behind the priest, he could see Yugi and the Geek Squad staring at him.
"Please, Kaiba." Yugi's voice was soft and pleading. "It will at least allow you to do your work in peace." His voice changed to that of the Pharaoh. "Seth will stay out of your way." Or there will be hell to pay. The subtext was so loud that Seth was mildly surprised when nobody commented.
"Yeah moneybags, you look awful," Joey piped up. Tristan hit him.
"Please, Kaiba," Tea said.
Kaiba remembered the nausea and ache and tried not to imagine the relief of a good night's sleep. His face remained blank, but inside, his emotions were roiling.
Stop being a pathetic weakling, he thoughtangrily, you're not going to be brought down by a common cold! His stomach sank. Another night like last night…
Out loud, he snapped, "If it will get you geeks to stop whining, fine! I'll take the priest home with me." It took all his willpower to force the words past his lips. He rounded on Seth, who was a little surprised by his double's surrender. "If you even so much as make one facial expression I don't like, you won't even be able to crawl back to your precious Pharaoh.
Seth remembered the ache of the night before and the crippling exhaustion and steeled himself. Kaiba looked as if he was about to collapse and Seth couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern for his double's health.
"Agreed."
"We leave now." Kaiba turned in a swirl of fabric and strode out the door. Seth had to hurry to avoid it slamming in his face. Halfway across the lawn, he heard Yugi call out to him from the upper story. The window was open and the tiny duelist was leaning out of it. A duffle bag slid down the roof and into Seth's waiting arms.
Thank you, little one, he thought.
Kaiba slid into the backseat of the limousine, but refrained from slamming the door on Seth's fingers long enough for the priest to slide in after his double. He thought he heard Kaiba sigh in relief as he leaned his head back against the seat. Color was flooding his pale cheeks and his bearing was more alert. Then he opened his eyes, and the softness was gone. In its place was steel.
"Ground rules," Kaiba said. "You stay out of my way and don't touch anything without my permission. You do know how to use modern plumbing, right?" Seth, who was currently leeching information about the mansion directly from Kaiba's mind, nodded.
"You do not talk to my brother or to anyone else in the mansion. I only agreed to this because I knew that if I didn't, you would have come anyway."
Seth grinned. "You know me too well."
Kaiba pursed his lips. "And don't presume that you know anything about me."
Seth nodded absentmindedly and stared out the window of the moving car. The buildings streaking past looked strange and he felt a stab of homesickness. He rested his forehead against the window, soaking in as much sunlight as he could. Despite this, he shivered.
"I tend to have that effect on people."
Confused, Seth looked up. "What?"
"You don't have to be scared." Kaiba smirked. "I don't bite."
It took a moment for the meaning to sink in. "Afraid? Of you? I'd sooner be afraid of Kuriboh." Seto's eyes narrowed and his face tightened. Seth could feel his double's anger. "It's just colder here."
"The big tough priest can't handle a little cold?" Kaiba sneered.
"I'm sitting next to you, aren't I?" Seth said matter-of-factly.
"You don't have to be," Seto said. "You're perfectly free to get out and crawl sniveling back to Yugi." He gestured towards the world speeding past outside the window.
Seth seethed. Why does my hikari have to be him?He sent a silent prayer towards whatever gods might be listening. Whatever I've done that displeases you, please accept my humble apologies. There is no need to hammer in the point. Nobody answered.
"We're here."
Seth turned to see the sprawling mansion ahead. He recognized it from his previous visit, but somehow, sitting in a limousine beside Seto Kaiba, it seemed even grander, like the Pharaoh's palace had once been. A boy came running out to greet the pair as they stepped from the car.
"Seto!" Then he caught sight of Seth and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Mokuba." Seto stood stiff and uncomfortable beside the car. "This is Seth. He will be staying with us tonight."
Mokuba was still staring, and Seth decided to break the awkward silence. He swept forward and held out a hand. "A pleasure to meet you." Mokuba shook it reflexively.
"Seto," he whispered. "He looks just like you."
"I am his yami," Seth said and was rewarded with a filthy look from his double, but Mokuba nodded.
"Like Yugi has?"
"Yes," Seth said, surprised at the boy's knowledge.
Kaiba stalked past him and into the mansion. "Stop polluting my younger brother's mind with your ridiculous fantasies." Seth followed, with Mokuba trotting to keep up.
"Do you have magic?"
"Not anymore. The Pharaoh sealed it away 5000 years ago." Mokuba looked stunned. "Has your brother never mentioned any of this to you?"
"My brother doesn't believe in magic," Mokuba said. "He thinks that Yugi is suffering from some kind of grand delusion."
"Why don't you go do your homework, Mokuba?" Seto suggested in a forced voice. Something in his tone warned Mokuba not to argue. The boy disappeared up the stairs, looking back at Seth the whole way. Once he was gone, Kaiba grabbed Seth by the collar and leaned in close. "What did I warn you about talking to my brother?"
"I just answered his questions," Seth said. "He is not as stubborn as you in believing that I don't exist."
Seto released him with a growl. "I wish I were rid of you."
"I can assure you. The feeling is mutual."
For a moment, it looked like Seto was going to hit him. Then he visibly reined in his temper. "Your room is at the top of the landing on your right," Seto breathed. "Now stay out of my way." He stomped off.
Seth climbed the stairs with the heavy duffle and laid it on the bed. The room was spacious, with clean blue sheets and hangings. The floor was marble and there was an open door at the far end that led to the bathroom. Seth was just opening the bag to see what Yugi had packed when he heard soft footsteps in the doorway.
"Your brother wouldn't be happy to find you in here," he said, without turning around.
Mokuba snorted. "He's working. It's not like he'll notice." He gave Seth a sharp look. "Unless you're planning on telling him."
"I don't think he'll be talking to me at all tonight," Seth said, sinking down on the bed. "Why are you here?"
"Curiosity." Mokuba joined him on the bed. "I wanted to know how much Yugi says is true."
"Yugi doesn't seem the sort to lie," Seth replied warily. Just how much does he know?
"I want to know everything," Mokuba said, and Seth could see a hint of his brother's steel. "Everything Seto won't tell me."
Seth snorted. "I imagine that would take quite awhile."
Mokuba folded his arms. ""You best get started then."
Seth smiled despite himself. "Why do I get the feeling I'm not allowed to say no?"
Mokuba settled deeper into the bedspread and rested his chin on his hands. An answering grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"No one ever says no to a Kaiba."
