My apologies for the short and tardy update, reasons are explained in the author's note at the end of the chapter along with an announcement. I would be grateful if you kindly take notice of it. Many thanks.
Warnings: None . . . maybe . . . something . . . somebody . . . perhaps . . . Oh, and the usual 'Blah' about grammar, typos and stuff apply. I blame Mel for distracting me through the proofing.
Please enjoy my humble offering~.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
O-o-O-o-O
Yami choked on the realisation, causing others to stare at him. Embarrassed that he was drawing unwanted attention to himself and aware that Amelda was ready to leap out of his seat and pounce on him, Yami stuffed his script and water into his bag and got up. Taking his first step towards the door, he felt someone's tight grip on his arm.
"We need to talk," a quiet voice said. The command was irrefutable.
Yami did not need to turn around to see who spoke; it was a voice he was beginning to love above all others. Closing his eyes, he knew he could not avoid the inevitable—he knew the pace this man of contradictions set was sweeping him along.
"Kaiba . . ." he whispered.
"Let's go," Kaiba ordered, manhandling the smaller man with more force than he intended. He wanted to be away from his ex-lover, he wanted to be away from prying eyes and he wanted . . .
Yami's eyes shot open when he felt himself being propelled towards the door. Much to his chagrin, the treatment was rather rough and he was about to protest when they came to a halt in front of Raphael and Amelda. Yami expected Kaiba to release him, but he didn't. Instead, the grip tightened causing Yami to wince. The seated actors looked up, but did not speak. It enhanced the silence to a degree of awkwardness between them.
Yami watched the silent exchange with growing interest, his curious gaze fluctuating between Raphael, Kaiba and Amelda. At a glance, the former's expression was discernible; his impassive face gave nothing away. Like Kaiba, Raphael looked the stoic type, which was a little daunting for Yami. One Ice Prince was more than he could handle, he seriously didn't need another to add to his woes.
Amelda, on the other hand, looked at them with disgust—well, specifically looked at him with disgust. Those hostile eyes glided from his face to the hand that was gripping his arm and then glided back up to Kaiba where it rested. The granite greys lit up when it locked onto Kaiba, but the latter's focus was on Raphael. A small pout formed on Amelda's lips as he folded his arms over his chest and half-glared at his subject—willing it to pull Kaiba's attention towards himself.
It failed spectacularly.
"Raphael." The curt greeting was accompanied with a brusque nod of the head, the chestnut bangs shifting slightly with the movement.
"Kaiba," came the equally terse reply.
Kaiba studied the blond silently for a little while longer and then smirked, his body relaxing a little, but not his grip on Yami. "I am pleased you could make time from your busy schedule for Broken Bonds," he said, "and I am delighted to have you on board the production. I look forward to working with you again. May our cooperation be a fulfilling and agreeable one."
Yami watched Raphael's lips twitch at the corners and the harsh expression soften. He let out a soft grunt and answered lightly, "The pleasure's all mine, Kaiba. How can I refuse to work on a production with a heavyweight cast such as this . . . especially with Ota-san's direction and the backing of KCC? It'll be foolish of me to let this opportunity pass, right?"
"I am sure owing Ota-san a favour played a large part in persuading you to join us," Kaiba scoffed. "I know he can be quite formidable when he's calling in favours."
A warm, rich laugh erupted around them, startling the occupants in the room. "Yes, one can say Ota-san's worse than a debt collector when it comes to reeling in favours. He is, indeed, merciless in getting what he wants," Raphael admitted amicably, a finger tapping on his upturn lips as his eyes trailed away from Kaiba and onto a timid Yami. "I believe he has a good ear for talent too. I look forward to working with you, Mutou-san. Like Ota-san said, your Osiris is impress—"
An abrupt snort interrupted the sentence, steering all eyes to the redhead, who was scowling at his companion and ready to refute the claim. Kaiba took the opportunity the distraction provided and announced his departure. "Regardless of what others may think, I fully trust and respect Ota-san's decision," he said frostily. "Now if you'll excuse us, there are matters I would like to discuss with Mutou-san in private."
With forceful tug, Yami stumbled away. In an attempt to relay a hasty farewell to the other two, Yami turned his head back to speak, but the sound of scrapping chairs on the floor stopped him. The last thing he noticed before disappearing from the room was Raphael's hand on Amelda's shoulder. The gesture could have denoted many things, however, keeping Amelda seated was the one that stuck most in Yami's mind. He knew he wasn't far wrong when he felt the latter's aggression aimed his way. The fierce look of hate directed at him by the angry man was enough to make Yami shiver with trepidation.
If looks could kill, his captor would be dragging his corpse around the studio about now. In fact, it might be preferable to whatever he was going to face when he's alone with Kaiba.
O-o-O-o-O
The pair weaved through the corridors until they reached the lounge. Kaiba peered through the small glass window to ensure the room was not occupied before entering. Strolling over to the couches, he released Yami and ordered him to "sit".
Yami could only comply and promptly perched his butt on the edge of the couch, watching with fearful eyes as his companion sat on the same couch not far from him, his lean body turned towards him and those cool cerulean eyes bore deep into his. Flustered with the close proximity of the man and nervous of the ensuing silence, Yami blurted out the first thing that came to mind . . .
"I'm not gay!"
Yami slapped a hand over his face and inwardly berated himself for his stupid, stupid outburst.
Real smooth, idiot!
He peeked through his fingers . . . in time to catch something flashed behind Kaiba's eyes, but was gone before Yami could identify it.
Kaiba pulled his mouth into a grimace then, in a sarcastic voice, drawled, "I fail to see how your sexual orientation has anything to do with what I wish to discuss with you, but be thankful that Marik isn't here to hear that declaration or the hentai will take it as a personal challenge to prove you wrong!"
Yami reddened to the tips of his ears at the rebuke. It was justly deserved. Pulling his hand away from his face, he looked down at his lap and mumbled, "Sorry, I . . . erm . . . I . . . we . . ." As he tripped over the words, he wondered what was he apologising for. Was he sorry for not being gay or was he sorry for lying about not being gay? True, he wasn't gay because he didn't like men that way, which makes him not gay . . . yet, he was oddly attracted to Kaiba, which makes him gay . . . right? Knitting his brows together in a frown and gnawing his lower lip, he pondered over his dilemma thus forgetting about his companion. He was reminded of the other's presence when the creak of leather and a long drawn sigh interrupted his thoughts.
Looking up, he saw Kaiba settle further into the couch with his back resting on the armrest of the couch and one arm positioned on the top of the backrest, waiting impatiently for Yami to snap out of his reverie.
"I don't see why you are beating yourself over that incident," he began when he regained Yami's attention. There was a noticeable trace of irritation tinged with ice coating those dismissive words. "I thought we agreed that it was the effects of the alcohol and nothing more. Surely one meaningless, alcohol-induced kiss shared with another of the same sex does not make a person 'gay', does it? Drunk, foolish, reckless, perhaps, but gay?" The humourless chuckle that escaped Kaiba gave Yami the impression of how absurd and fanciful the notion was.
Yami flinched from the callous dismissal and he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Casting his eyes down once more, he balled his clammy hands into tights fists and rubbed it against his thighs, forcing himself to calm down. He did not trust his voice not to break should he speak. A few seconds of silence passed before Yami dare look up and open his mouth again. "What did you wish to discuss with me?" he asked in a tight voice.
Kaiba watched the array of emotions flicker across Yami's face. He picked up on the strain in his voice and it made him rue his harsh words. His fingers itched to reach out and caress the face before him—to erase the tired lines around the mouth and eyes, and remove the dark circles beneath those eyes that looked as if it lost some of its vibrancy. Unlike the usual pools of fire, those eyes glowed with half the intensity—like dying, smouldering embers ready to extinguish from weakness. Before his mind could protest to the actions of his body, Kaiba leaned forward and placed a finger under Yami's chin, lifting his face for closer inspection.
"You look like shit, Mutou," he declared, ignoring the soft gasp from his captive. "Care to tell me why?"
With his face still in Kaiba's possession, Yami looked at Kaiba defensively. As much as he would like to tell the man to "mind his business" like he did previously, he couldn't. He fervently hoped Kaiba would not broach the subject again. He hoped he had forgotten about it. And he hoped he could persuade his boss not to interfere. It was his crap luck that Kaiba didn't forget and now he wished he hadn't pissed him off beforehand. A happier Kaiba was probably an easier man to deal with.
"I haven't quite recovered from my hangover yet," he lied, praying it was enough to satisfy his employer. There was no mistake in assuming it was his boss who was asking after his health and not a colleague.
Cold eyes narrowed marginally to the answer, informing Yami of his failure to convince Kaiba and the fingers pinching his chin warned him against lying again. Yami ceded defeat. "Fine," he huffed, "I worked at the store last night and got very little sleep."
"How much sleep did you get?"
Feeling embarrassed and a little ashamed, Yami tried to turn his head away, but the grip tightened. Instead, he diverted his eyes away from Kaiba's face—away from the look of disappointment he knew was coming. "I had about twenty minutes sleep on the way here," he confessed tiredly. The hand on Yami's chin fell away, which made Yami brave a curious glimpse at Kaiba.
He wished he hadn't.
Kaiba had reclined back and was staring at him with a look of disbelief. "Twenty minutes?" he repeated incredulously. "When the hell did you wake up?"
"About four o' clock yesterday afternoon," came the sheepish reply.
Kaiba shook his head. "With the addition of Raphael to today's schedule, you do realise you are in for some overtime, right?"
Yami stared blankly at Kaiba, which forced a sigh from the latter. "His time with us is limited due to his other commitments, we are fortunate he was free today which is why we will be prioritising his scenes to make the most of his presence. As you know, the majority of his scenes involve you so you'll be staying until most of those scenes are done, are you following?"
As realisation dawned on Yami, the unruly head nodded slowly.
"Tiredness will effect your concentration and exhaustion will kill your stamina." Yami opened his mouth to speak, but Kaiba put a hand up to stop him. "Before you tell me how capable you are of resisting fatigue, I'll remind you that such unpredictable instances will happen regularly. Today's unexpected occurrence is just a taste of what's to come in the future. Can you plan the rota for your other job if you don't know for sure what will happen in this one?"
Yami remained silent.
"In the long run, one of the jobs will have to give. You either commit yourself to one job and do well in it or keep the two jobs and do badly in both. The decision is yours, Mutou, but don't take too long to decide. Ota-san will have your hide if he feels you are not doing your best and if he decides to chew you up and spit you out, not even I, the sponsor, can save you. Do you understand what I am saying?"
The words were cruel, but it spoke the truth and deep in Yami's heart he knew it was sound advice. Kaiba wasn't talking from an employer point of view now—he was talking from experience. If anyone could empathise with how having two jobs sucks . . . it'd be Kaiba. The guy made a very convincing argument and Yami was sorely tempted to pack in the night job there and then, but the thought of Yuugi and Anzu weakened his resolve.
"If I give up the other job, I'll have nothing to fall back on," he croaked. "What will I do if this doesn't work out or nothing comes in after this?"
"It's hard to believe that this will not work out for you—not after the time and effort we've spent promoting you," Kaiba chided, sending him a soft glare. "Nevertheless, if it's security you want, you can always work for KCC if you are in dire need of employment. This offer, however, is only valid if you are no longer on the Broken Bonds project."
Yami gaped at Kaiba, then lashed out angrily. His hurt pride evident in the tone that coated his every word, "I do not need your pity and I am not a charity case for the mighty Kaiba Seto and his mega-loaded company, you know!"
"Who says it's a charity case?" Kaiba retorted. "I am a businessman, not a philanthropist! The decisions I make for KCC is for the good of the company. I work for gains, not for loss!"
"Then why employ a High School leaver who has no academic qualifications whatsoever?" Yami sounded sceptical.
"You have a voice, don't you?"
"My voice?"
"Yes, I am hiring your voice," Kaiba said casually, looking down and flicking a speck of imaginary dust off his pants before looking up at Yami again. "It's beneficial for Telesales or Customer's Services. I highly doubt it can get more prestigious than having the voice of Osiris answering the phone, right?"
'What?" Yami spluttered. "You can't be serious? I know nothing about that kind of job."
Pleased with Yami's show of interest, Kaiba snickered. "Experience is preferred, but not essential," he enticed. "The company will provide you with all the necessary training. So, what do you say, Mutou?"
"You're adamant about this, aren't you? You really want me to quit my night job."
Kaiba was fast losing his patience now. So what if he wanted Yami to work for KCC? In his mind, the offer was justified; it was for the good of his company.
"Listen, this voice acting job will demand all your time," he reasoned. "The schedules are tight, unpredictable and can require very long hours. As I've said before, we need your full commitment for this to work. Anything less will be a disgrace to those who put so much faith in you. You've earned this break, so treat it with respect. As for your predicament, I am offering you an alternative; your utmost devotion is all I ask in return."
"I . . ."
"For heaven's sake, just agree to it already! Or do we fucking need to pinky swear on it as well?"
Yami snorted with mirth, he found Kaiba's droll remark rather funny. "Nah, why don't we seal the deal with a kiss instead!" he chortled. Matching the other's humour, he did not stop to consider the implication of the words that tumbled out of his mouth before it had the chance to be processed by his brain.
Oops!
Kaiba's grin was positively predatory. He leaned forward again and slowly began to close the space between them.
"W-w-what are you doing, Kaiba?" said Yami, leaning back to put some distance from the advancing male. His eyes round with fearful delight.
"I find your suggestion rather agreeable, Mutou," Kaiba answered lazily, watching with concealed amusement as his prey leaned so far back he was almost lying down. "Why don't we agree on it now. You find my offer tempting . . . and I, with yours."
"B-but I was only joking!" Yami squeaked as Kaiba's face loomed directly above his. Long arms placed on either side of his head supported the tall frame that hovered over him. He hid his reddening face as far as possible into the scarf as Kaiba leaned down. Expecting the threat to be carried out, Yami waited for those soft lips to crush onto his. Imagine his surprise when Kaiba dropped his head down to the space next to the right side of his face and inhaled deeply. The warm breath emitted from Kaiba's lips fanned across his cheek and tickled his ear. It made his heart pound so violently in his chest that he was certain the other could feel it.
Releasing a heavy sigh, Kaiba pushed himself up and shifted back to his side of the couch, maintaining his previous position. The playfulness he exhibited before was replaced with an air of frustration. Pursing his lips tightly together, he watched Yami sit up. The small body moved with a stiffness that revealed his edginess. The latter was breathing a little hard, his chest heaved in shallow gulps as he tried to regain his composure.
Unable to meet Kaiba's eyes, Yami nervously pushed his hair back with his hand and stared down at the couch. "That wasn't a very nice stunt you pulled there, Kaiba," he grumbled. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to a pull Marik on me."
"Perhaps, I was . . ." Kaiba taunted evilly, watching Yami look up and squint suspiciously at him. "Perhaps, you miss his antics."
Yami snorted rudely. "Trust me, you've more than made up for the lack of Marik today," he muttered, staring pointedly at the Marik-wannabe.
Kaiba, with his eyes still on Yami, grunted a reply.
The silence dragged on for a short while before a sharp intake of breath broke it. Yami's hand flew to his mouth to suppress the sound, but it was too late. The yawn had dramatically escaped. Removing his hand, he grinned apologetically to Kaiba and rubbed away the teary evidence from his eyes with his fingers.
Kaiba let out an exasperated sigh. "Wait here," he ordered, rising from the couch. "I'll be back in a minute."
Returning a meek nod, Yami watched Kaiba leave the room, wracking his brain for a reason behind Kaiba's sudden departure and coming up with blanks. Shrugging his shoulders, he sunk deeper into the couch and pressed his head into the back cushion.
Contented to stare out of the window, he allowed his mind to stray over the day's events, a small smile ghosting his lips as he recalled their flirtatious behaviour as well as their scene together. The Obelisk and Osiris scene directed his attention to the scarf he still had around his neck. Closing his eyes, he buried his nose into the soft fabric and breathed in deeply, enjoying the scent that's distinctively Kaiba. His mind purred appreciatively as it caressed his senses and his smile grew.
THUMP!
A loud thump on the wall shook Yami out of his musing; it was followed by a dull thud. Getting up, Yami made his way to the door and opened it. A can of energy drink rolled towards him and came to a stop when it struck his shoe. Bemused, he bent down and picked it up, examining the item before cautiously peering out of the room to see who dropped it.
Two figures comprising of a tall one and a shorter one were present in the corridor, the shorter one was pressed against the wall with a hand on the back of the taller one's neck. The latter held the former's upper arms in a tight grip.
Both were men and familiar . . .
Both were oblivious to the observer . . .
Both were kissing each other . . .
Kaiba and Amelda.
All Yami could do was stare at the couple as he backed away down the corridor, his leaden steps hastily picking up as he sought to remove himself from the scene. The hand that held the canned drink loosened its hold and the item fell out of his grasp. It landed on the floor with thud and began to roll in another direction.
The noise effectively broke the moment of intimacy between the pair, but when they turned towards it, only emptiness greeted them. The culprit was no longer present.
Blue eyes spotted the open door of the lounge and immediately deduced the worse.
"Yami . . ."
Despair laced the name Kaiba uttered with a sinking heart. He knew he'd been caught in a compromising position, he knew he'd been had by Amelda. It was foolish of him to be goaded into a confrontation with the man; it was careless of him to allow the man to come near him and catch him unawares. "Fuck!" he cursed.
Pushing away from Amelda, he swiped the back of his hand over his mouth. His disgust was all too evident on his face and in the savagery to which he scrubbed his lips. "Touch me again without my given consent and I'll have a restraining order against you," he snarled, his body bristling with anger.
Amelda, looking coquettishly at his companion, laughed. "Something like could easily be made public therefore exposing our relationship. Would you feel comfortable about people knowing about us?"
"If it means making you see that 'us' is nothing but a delusion of yours, it will be worth it. Perhaps, it would knock your ego down a notch or two."
Amelda sobered slightly at the barbed remark, though he outwardly appeared unperturbed. "Are you angry because your kitten's upset about our kiss, Seto?" he sneered, cruelly reminding the other of their intimacy by running his tongue over his lips to capture the remnants of the kiss. Eyes narrowing, he flippantly added, "Would you like me clear this little misunderstanding with him? I might be able to convince him to forgive and forget this incident given the right incentive. Do you think he's upset now? Would his tears move you since he cried so prettily in the scene? The perfect weeping uke indeed."
"Fuck off, Amelda! Mess with him and I'll ensure you'll have a hard time surviving in this industry. You should know better than to make an enemy out of me!"
"Are you offering to be his knight in shining armour? Do you think you can protect him?" Amelda taunted, ignoring the repressed fury in his companion's voice.
"If I put my mind to it, there is nothing I cannot achieve or accomplish," Kaiba snapped, annoyed with the situation he found himself in. He wanted nothing more than to be rid of the cocky bastard—this fucking stalker of his, but first there were a few things he needed to make clear.
"So I was—"
"Negligible. Expendable. I guess you weren't high on my list of priorities."
Amelda tutted and shook his head disapprovingly. "You were always cruel, Seto. So distrusting. So quick to judge."
"Then you shouldn't have given me a reason to doubt you. The stunt you just pulled confirms my misgivings. Indisputably, you are a conniving bastard."
"Tsk, it takes one to know one, my beloved," Amelda said, pushing himself off the wall and standing in front of Kaiba. Tiptoeing, so he was almost at eye level with his ex-lover, he murmurs, "Aren't you one to talk when it comes to deceiving others, when you hide your emotions behind that stony façade and lie to mask your true feelings? Are you not ruthless when it comes to attaining what you desire? We are more alike than you think. Were we not compatible? Our bodies and mind?"
Repulsed by the closeness, Kaiba took a few steps back and said coolly, "It's obvious the key word is 'were'. I do not waste my time dwelling on something as insignificant as you. To prevent further unwanted disturbances and upsets, you are no longer welcome to the Broken Bonds recording sessions again, please refrain from joining us after the break. I will inform Ota-san of the decision."
Stuffing a hand in the front pocket of his pants, Amelda shrugged a hunched shoulder. "Whatever," he countered nonchalantly. "However, just remember you can't always be there for him. Should I meet him outside of work, he'll be fair game for me." Flashing a disarming smile along with a casual wave of his free hand, Amelda strutted away.
Once Amelda disappeared from sight, Kaiba bent down to retrieve the canned drink. Sensing Yami's fatigue, he bought the drink for him. Hoping the caffeine would keep him awake or, at least, provide him with an energy boost to maintain his level of alertness. Unfortunately, the encounter with Amelda had thrown his well-intended plans awry.
That kiss had cost him a lot!
When Amelda tried to enter the room, Kaiba dropped the can and pushed the bastard against the wall, effectively pinning him there. Whilst he was in the midst of threatening him, the door of the lounge opened. Momentarily distracted, Amelda made his move. To say he was pissed with the outcome was an understatement. Not only had the bastard taken his distraction for granted and caused a misunderstanding, he had also fouled the memory of the kiss he shared with Yami—had tainted what he cherished. Up until that violation, he could still feel Yami's lips pressed so hungrily against his own. But, now . . .
"Shit!" he swore aloud as he held the can in his hands. How the fuck was he going to fix this problem? All the progress he made with Yami had been for naught . . . had been undone in one single moment of carelessness!
Ironically, he thought Yami's outburst would destroy everything they built. He had been hurt by Yami's "I am not gay" comment, but that was obvious said to cover the fear of acknowledging the growing attraction Yami had for him. He relented because he knew the other was confused. It was why Yami refused to talk about the kiss, though it did not stop him thinking about it. Every time those crimson orbs rested on his lips, Kaiba knew what was on Yami's mind. After all, did his gaze not linger on the other's lips too?
Sighing deeply, he began to make his way back to the recording room. The rest of the afternoon would most likely be taken up with Gadius and Osiris scenes. Hopefully it will give him the chance to think up a plan to repair the damage. The last thing he needed was for Marik to take advantage of their estrangement and worm his way into Yami's affection. He would have to fix this before the day is out. With the hindrance that is Amelda out of the way, he hope it would smooth the path out a little—even if it did not make his task any easier. With Yami, nothing was easy. It was the best and the worse thing about him.
Checking his watch, Kaiba saw it was time to return. Cursing under his breath, he hurriedly retraced his steps.
~To be continued~
O-o-O-o-O
Author's Note: Right, here's when my verbosity gets the better of me. Please read the THIRD* part at least. It's important!
First of all, I apologise for the tardy update. For the first two weeks of April, I was dabbling with some of my other fics: Borrowed Existence, Confessions and Enslaved, you know, adding a few lines here and a few lines there . . . and resulting with nothing productive other than a page of text for each fic. Finally, I got my act together and I threw myself into Voices . . . only to be plagued by excruciating headaches brought on by a shoulder and neck ache. I stopped writing due the pain because I could not concentrate. Now, I am taking meds that is strong enough to dissolve my stomach just to ease up the headaches. I will see the doctor tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be cured of my ailment and I'll bounce right back again. So, who wants to see Kaiba steal another kiss from Yami?
Secondly, this is a short chapter because it's originally part of a larger chapter that's running into 11,000 words . . . and counting. That chapter was about 75% done before I realised it was too long and it will take, at least, another week (permitting my health) to complete. So, like my previous two updates, I cut the long chapter into two and plan to post the other part at the end of the month, assuming I am well enough to finish the rest of it. I hope this chapter will tie you over until the next and I have inserted a sneak-peek (since it's written) to whet your appetite. You'll find it at the end of this long-arse author's note.
For those following Enslaved, I hope to have an update in between the Voices updates.
*Thirdly, I asked in the last chapter if anyone had questions they would like to ask Yami, Kaiba and Marik regarding Broken Bonds and so far I got two responses. JBubbles actually had an interesting question for Marik and Chibi thought she was too late to ask. No, my dear Chibi, ask away and if it's a perverted question—I hardly think Marik would mind, but the others may not be inclined to answer you~! *wink*
So, to recap: anyone with questions they would like to ask our three hot stars, please ask away.
The interview with the answers for these questions is likely 2-3 chappies away.
Finally, my thanks to those who read, follow and favourite this fic. Its always uplifting to see readers enjoying Voices. I truly feel honoured. As always, my special thanks to those who left their encouraging thoughts for me:
Squealy Shiroi no Yami, EeveeLover141, Masamune!Caithdean, my lovely AyaSeth, the generous Yami E (yes, I am ecstatic Voices reached 200 reviews! I couldn't have done it without everyone's generosity), Happy, happy Arlownay1991, my cute Ma-chan, CrimsonStrawberry17, Purring Ariana, my wonderful Candyworld, JBubbles (Sneak-peek?), Mom!Princess, Ruby of Raven, Plume Sombre, my SWEET Mel (I wonder what Gadius x Osiris shipping would be? Light blue and red makes . . .? Raphael pressing Yami against the wall and turning him neko? *puuuurrrrrrrr*), Giraffescanfly13, Star-Simple-Dust (Once again, thank you for your inspiring review. Its prompted me to knuckle down and work on this chapter), and CHIBI~!
I love you, guys, I really do~! You are the morphine to my pain and I hope you'll continue with your support! *GLOMPS*
Replies to anonymous reviews:
~Shiroi n Yami: Yay~! I am ecstatic that the fic is able to trigger this happy reaction from you. I know the feeling all too well and have been, more often than not, reading and then writing a lengthy review at 5am when I am *supposed* to be sleeping! Damn the time differences between the UK and the US! So yeah, your actions are all too understandable and no, it's not OTT, I practically STALK the fandoms I am obsessed with! I am flattered that you do that for Voices. *hugs*
Yep, this chappy had a little Prideshipping and Purpleshipping, which I thought was a pleasant diversion amidst the tension and death-glares. One can say Kaiba's opened up a little towards Yami since the party and that the Ice Prince is beginning to thaw. Of course, we can't wait for complete meltdown of his defences, but that will take time and some soul/self searching for them both. The attraction is there, they just need to overcome the obstacles that prevent it from progressing. We can see from that "save me" plea, Kaiba's unintentionally sought Yami out for solace - that in a vulnerable moment, he reached out for Yami. Now, if that isn't saying something, I don't know what is. I am happy it made you squee. I think it's moments like that, makes the waiting worthwhile despite the Pride moments are few and far between and the progress is slow. But believe me, once the ball gets rolling, it's gonna be unstoppable and the momentum's gonna kick ass! *wink*
I know! I thought Obelisk and Osiris is such a cute couple . . . Just as I think Ra and Osiris as a sexy couple! LOL! I am just as torn between these two pairings as much as I am about the elements of Prideshipping and Clashshipping in this fic. I really enjoyed illustrating the 'Tree Tête-à-tête' scene, I wanted to portray a lighter side of Obelisk and Osiris. We all know after Ra's desertion, they were forced to grow up quickly, I wanted to show a little of that innocence and closeness the two shared and how it shapes them in the future.
I love Osiris too! There is so much of Yami in him: pride, wisdom, balls and fierceness - it's no wonder he was chosen for the role. Kaiba saw the potential and it was supported by Ota-san. I love Osiris' childishness too and despite his desire to act mature, that facade slips now and then to reveal that adorable side of him. Ra and Obelisk love to tease him about it, even going so far as to provoke it! They are closet masochists I tell ya, lol~! And yes, Osiris has a sister complex!
*Nods* Yep, Marik fell hard for Amelda as well and yep, he was the only "other person" to get the Marik Discount. You can see why Ishizu was impressed with Yami when he turned it down. He's nothing like "that person" right?
I see Yuugi and Yami only in a platonic way as well - that and Yami screams "UKE!" in my book - it will look odd with a pint-sized Seme!Yuugi topping Yami, methinks~! *cough*
Wow, it seems you've brought out the verbosity in me . . . Again. But I enjoy reading your comments - it always food for thought, hence my ramblings. Thank you so much for your wonderful thoughts. *hearts*
~Yami E: Whoa! How did you get upside-down exclamation and question marks? They're so cool, lol~!
I am delighted you enjoyed the interactions between Yami-chan and Seto-chan (LMAO, I am sure he'll death-glare for that) and I know the flirting might seem a little OoC for our Seto-chan, but I couldn't help myself! Blame it on my inner fangirl! I like to think our cold Ice Prince is coming out of his shell and beginning to warm towards Yami, hence revealing his more 'affectionate' side. Moreover, part of it was to get back at Yami and Amelda so you could say it's part of an act too.
Yay! Another Purpleshipping fan! It'll be interesting to see how many Orangeshipping (spearheaded by Anzu) fans there are compared to Purpleshipping (led by Rebecca) fans. I like both pairings so the decision is going to be tough.
Yep, with the appearance of Amelda, things are definitely going to get messy and ugly. As if the relationships between Kaiba, Yami, Anzu and Marik isn't enough, now with Amelda thrown into the mix invites chaos and disaster! And my plunnies are lovin' it! *headdesk* What if I throw in Raphael for shits and giggles? I may have to flee for my life thereafter. *evil grin*
Really? You like Varon? Yeah, he'll make an appearance at some point when the DOMA boys meets our BB boys in a little friendly competition - or at least, that's what I am hoping will happen in a near future chapter
I love sci-fic and fantasy because it there's no boundaries for the imagination. I can easily lose myself in those universe because the possibilities are limitless - why else would I love fanfiction? *grin*
Once again, thank you so much for you review and I look forward to your thoughts in the next chapter. *hugs* And thank you for your review for 'Admission' - I didn't really think about what Seto-chan did to make Yami mad, but the thought of Seto-chan doing something to Yami's precious chocolates could warrant such a reaction. *wink*
~Ariana: Hahahahahahahaha, I hope this chapter has allayed some of your fears as well as satisfy your curiosity. Amelda is too in love with Kaiba for his (and others) own good - his self delusions makes him dangerous to himself and to others. He is unable to accept Kaiba's moved on and because of that he hurting himself and others. It becomes a vicious circle. Until he is willing to let go, Amelda will be forever trapped in his own web of lies thus making him a menace to Yami.
Thank you for your intense thoughts, it great to know you have Yami's welfare at heart. He is truly well-loved~! *hugs*
The sneak-peek to the next chapter:
Yami closed his eyes, enjoying feeling of relief wash over him. The scene required him to feel angsty towards the end—which wasn't difficult after a while. The more they replayed the scene, the more wretched he felt. Hearing Kaiba's voice and feeling him close was almost too much to bear. It made him miserable. The tremble in Osiris' voice was not an act. It was, in fact, pulled from the depths of his being and dragged out by the force of his despair. He dare not look Kaiba in the eye for fear the other could see it—could see through his indifference and embittered grief and apprehend the reason for it. His anger had long dissipated leaving him tired and transparent.
Giving himself a mental shake, he tried to lift the mood somewhat with some positive thoughts.
I am not angry. I am not bitter. And I am sure as hell not JEALOUS!
. . .Or that's what he told himself. Denial suck balls and so did his attempt to cheer himself up! He would need to take lessons from Yuugi or Anzu if he were ever to survive around Kaiba.
~Your thoughts would be much loved and cherish. I would love to hear from you~.