IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!! - This is the Yu-Gi-Oh! Yaoi portion of the Shipping List in order. Be forewarned. Some "pairings" will not be fluffy and cute. But they will all, hopefully, be believable. Rating's will vary.
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi
Author's Notes: AGH! I meant to update this on Friday, I really did...but it's not Friday... I found a skin for the SIMS 2 of Marik/Malik's tattoo and well...yea, you can guess what I've been doing lately.
Rating: T (very light)
Yu-Gi-Oh! Shipping List #20 - "Ritual"
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Barriershipping (Seto x Yami no Yuugi x Noa)
"Seto, are you sure you want to do this?"
Is that a trick question? No. "Yes."
Yami nodded, turning back to the transmutation circle and holding up his puzzle in both hands. "Power of darkness. … And blood."
Seto pressed the knife into his hand, gritting his teeth as it's sharp edge sliced easily through his skin. Pulling away the knife, Seto held his hand over the circle and opened his fist, allowing the blood to fall.
The moment the crimson liquid made contact with the chalk of the circle the puzzle activated, shining a blinding golden light in the otherwise dark room. Seto squinted against the light to watch the shadows gather in the center, swirling around in thick wisps until finally they began to resemble a more solid form. It pained his eyes to watch, but he noticed after a quick glance, that Yami too, was watching the ritual unfold.
Seto had felt his energy beginning to drain from the moment he had spilt his own blood, but now, as the figure in the center of the transmutation circle began to resemble something human, he felt a strong wave of nausea overcome him and had to hold back the urge to throw up, followed immediately by a dizzy spell that threatened to knock him out cold.
As the process continued, he could see Yami beginning to fade, his own form taking too much energy to maintain, though he was putting everything he had into doing so.
Yami had explained the entire process to Seto before hand. He would be nauseous and weak for some time after, but it was important to remain conscious until the process was complete or it might fail…or worse. Yami would likely not be able to maintain his own body afterwards and the body they were creating would only fare worse. He would be weak and hyper-sensitive. He would feel every touch, every vibration, intensely and his emotions would likely go haywire.
The ritual performed by the hikaris to grant Bakura, Yami, and Marik their own bodies had been combined and each person involved had been affected in slightly different ways. Bakura had been incredibly sick for a long time after, the first thing Marik had done was scream, he had been in so much pain, and Yami himself had passed out immediately after. Ryou could not handle being touched for three days after the ritual and he had been incredibly sensitive to heat and cold. Malik couldn't think straight; he couldn't even make it through a complete thought for 24 hours. And Yugi had suffered horrible nightmares that had awoken him for several nights in a screaming cold sweat.
Yami couldn't say that he understood exactly Seto's desire to revive the man who's green hair had now grown in at the center of the circle of light, but when Seto had asked for his help, he had not refused.
Yami staggered in his place but held firm, knowing it was nearly over. He could see the figure beginning to gain consciousness. Eyes that Yami knew were now a dark blue (though he couldn't see their color for all the light) were opened wide, mouth slack as if in a silent scream.
Seto couldn't say exactly why he was risking so much - and adopting such forsaken methods to do so - to revive Noa Kaiba into the living world. He had given himself a host of excuses for his behavior: Mokuba wanted it and he loved Noa as their brother - he wanted Mokuba to have the family he deserved; or maybe he was really doing it just to spite Gozaburo - God knows he'd probably cut off a hand if he thought it could prove him better than his former father or if he thought it would piss the old man off, but of course, Gozaburo was long dead now, even Noa believed it so, or maybe he was doing it just to see if he could, Seto (against his better judgment and against his will even, at the start) had been in touch with Noa via e-mail for some time.
He had to admit, he'd begun to think of the other differently. Noa had proved himself and his position useful to Seto in regards to his business and Noa had seemed to want nothing but Seto's approval for his efforts. Seto had found solace in having Noa to confide in, especially when it came to his childhood, a period in his life that he had until then been unable to face or share with anyone. Noa had fared little better than he had at Gozaburo's hands - even as his true son and Seto had allowed that connection to grow into a fondness for Noa, finding that he had needed Noa and so, in looking for some way to repay the other, Seto had decided to grant Noa that which he had so desperately longed for - life.
The scream reached Seto's ears even as the light in the room exploded out from its focal point, leaving the room with nothing but the dim light of candles to illuminate the nude form of Noa Kaiba who fell to his knees, gripping his arms and hyperventilating. The Sennin Puzzle clanged to the floor as Yami lost his ability to remain as flesh and Seto himself stumbled, only regaining his footing at the last moment. He supposed that years of sleepless nights desensitizing him to lack of sleep were the only thing that kept him conscious now and he stumbled forward toward the form huddled in the center of the now-smudged circle.
Seto removed his white trench coat and placed it around Noa's shoulders but when the other moved forward, latching onto Seto, it fell off. "Seto." Noa's voice was weak and near sobbing.
Seto meant to kneel before him, but ended up falling to his knees instead. Noa threw his arms around Seto, gripping his shirt as if his very existence depended on that hold. "Don't leave me. Brother."
Seto did not know what to do so he returned the embrace, tentatively at first but when Noa's grip only tightened, Seto was forced to hold him tighter just to regulate the amount of force Noa was exerting on him.
"Noa." Yami said, kneeling next to them, drawing Noa's attention. "Seto may need to sleep now, for a long time maybe. You must not leave this house until he is aware."
"I will not." Seto ground out firmly, forcing himself to his feet.
Yami watched, surprised, as Seto returned the coat to Noa's shoulders and pulled him to his feet. Stooping over, Seto scooped up his puzzle's chain and then did the same for Noa, bracing himself briefly before he began walking toward the door with Noa in his arms, taking slow, purposeful steps. Yami was amazed.
Noa pressed his face into the side of Seto's neck and gripped his shirt like a child, despite his size. Noa's body was very nearly Seto's height and age, yet Seto carried him up the stairs and to his room, laying him in the bed, before he finally gave out, collapsing at the side of the bed, much to Noa's horror. "Seto? Seto! I did this. I'm sorry!"
"No," Yami replied. "Don't blame yourself." He had. He had felt horrible guilt for the nightmares that Yugi had had to suffer through for his sake. Yami looked to Seto, wondering how the ritual would affect him. "Seto wanted to do this. He wanted to give you life."
Noa dragged Seto forward onto the mattress with some difficulty and huddled next to him. Then, as a second thought, he reached over Seto, taking the Sennin Puzzle the other had dropped and put it between them as a gesture of comfort. Yami smiled and retreated into it to regain his energy.
When Seto awoke, he was wrapped around Yami and from behind Yami, he could see Noa's green hair pressed against Yami's back. Logic told him to move, but his body refused. Behind him, the door opened and Jounouchi entered, carrying a tray with food and water. Seto looked over his shoulder and froze. Jounouchi didn't seem to be too surprised by their situation.
"Mokuba, Yugi and I've been bringing Noa food for the past two days while you and Yami have been out." Jounouchi explained, seeing Seto awake. "He refuses to get out of bed for anything more than the toilet …an' that Yug' had to talk him into… and he won't get dressed." Jounouchi smiled. "I know too many head cases."
"You're a head case too." Seto answered simply and Jounouchi chuckled.
"See if you can get Yami up today, k?" he said, leaving the tray on the end table on his way out.
Seto heard the door close softly behind him and turned his attention to Yami. "Thank you." he whispered.
Yami stirred, snuggling further into his embrace and Noa sat up, blinking sleepily at him. "Seto?"
Seto offered the other a smile he hoped was reassuring, as the gesture did not come easily to him save in Mokuba's presence.
It seemed to snap Noa into wakefulness and he surged forward, over Yami, pressing his lips to Seto's, shocking the brunette into submission.
"I helped too." Yami mumbled against Seto's chest. "Where's my kiss?"
Noa happily retreated from Seto, kissing Yami instead, who looked up at him. "Are you feeling better?" Yami asked, ignoring Seto's incredulous stare.
Noa nodded. "Feeling a little more stable now." he answered seriously.
Yami nodded back and returned to snuggling down into Seto's arms.
"Did I miss something?" Seto asked, looking down at Yami and wondering for the first time why they were all in bed together.
"Not that I know of." Yami mumbled, already falling back to sleep.
"Good morning, brother." Noa whispered and Seto sighed. "Someday," he said, feeling tired himself, too exhausted to worry over whom he was holding or who had - or had not - just kissed him "you'll have to put clothes on."
Noa smiled back. "I was waiting."
"I know." Seto mumbled as sleep overtook him once more. His last thought was that it was really he who was overdressed here.
Post whatevers: Next up: Keith x Jounouchi x Honda x Yugi . As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!
