Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Summoning Death ❯ Chapter Two: Of Leather Pants and Chessmen ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by its creator, Kabuki Takahashi and its respective anime companies. I'm borrowing the characters and ideas for a nonprofit fan fiction written solely for the enjoyment of myself, and hopefully others.

All rights and privileges to Gundam Wing are trademarks and property of Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties. The characters of these works are used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.

Author's Notes: To fully understand this fan fic, which is part of a much larger arc, I highly suggest that you read Animom's "KP Duty" and the first two chapters of the follow up "Coming Clean". This story, which I am blessed that she allowed me to play in her richly written AU arc about what really happened when Seto Kaiba lost his soul to Pegasus. This is a story about recovery and coming to terms with oneself after the unthinkable happens.

Again, I cannot stress how good these stories are and I am unable to find the words to fully convey my feelings on this subject.

Duo was happily pressing buttons, just for the sheer annoyance value it had on Seto. He smirked as he made the windows on each side go up and down in grating sync. Seto, speaking Russian on his cell phone, stiffened. Duo chuckled as he rolled up the windows and then found the button that brought out the wet bar.

He shook the carton of orange juice that he found there and tilted a glass toward Seto's direction. The other boy's blue eyes narrowed in refusal as Duo poured himself a glass of juice. Duo grinned, shrugged, and put the wet bar away.

He settled back in his seat as Seto switched from Russian to Chinese, barking orders about system lines and checks to the poor person on the other line. Duo kicked his legs up on the seat facing him and sipped at his juice, idly listening to the conversation that Seto was having.

That quickly lost its amusement, so he twisted his body to look out the window at Domino City. He saw a group of teens walking together. Normally, that wouldn't have drawn his attention, but one of the teens had the strangest head of hair that he ever saw.

The hair reminded Duo vaguely of a marijuana leaf. It was black for the most part, but the little guy had long, bright blond bangs that fell into his face and the tips were outlined in sharp magenta. Duo pressed himself to the window so he could continue to look at the little guy's hair.

"Seto, look at that kid!" Duo said, reaching over to tug at Seto's sleeve with his left hand.

Duo couldn't see Seto's expression because he kept staring at the kid's hair. He then noticed the obtrusive pyramid pendent he was wearing, glinting gold in the sunlight. Then he was jerked back into his seat.

Seto snapped, "Buckle your seat belt."

Duo ignored the command and continued to stare. He opened his senses and focused on the little guy. He felt the out rush of dark power blocking him from further intrusion, obviously another presence within the boy.

"That's Yugi Mutou, isn't it?" Duo asked as he turned back to look at Seto, who was glaring at him.

Seto nodded and demanded, "Buckle your seat belt."

Duo looked out the window again at the short guy and his friends, but the limo had already passed them. He said, "He's way shorter than I expected and his hair looks like a pot leaf."

Seto grabbed his shoulder, whirled him around, and snapped the seat belt into place. He settled back and re-buckled his own belt and said, "Despite how amusing it would be to see you go flying through the windshield, I don't want to be pulled over because you weren't wearing your belt."

"You weren't wearing your harness," Heero chided tonelessly as he looked at the bright purple bruise that was still clearly visible on Duo's chest before touching the gash running across his nose. "You hit the control console when Deathscythe fell."

Duo absently stroked the scar on the bridge of his nose as he twisted to look at Seto. Seto sighed and grumbled, "Baka." Then he brought out a laptop with the ever present Kaiba Corp. logo on it and began to work.

Duo watched Seto as he typed, noting the focused look in his eyes and the graceful, precise way that his fingers danced around the keyboard. It was almost as if he was playing a piano, coaxing substance from it. Each long finger worked in synch with the other, almost moving in an unreal dance of creation. It wasn't like Heero who used to pound at each key sharply, as if the keyboard offended him. It was like Seto respected and understood the machine sitting on his lap.

As he watched, Duo wondered what it would be like to have those long, graceful, nimble fingers dance along his skin, to clutch his hair as those blue eyes darkened with lust. Duo swallowed and leaned back in the plush seat. He looked back at Seto's tall, slender form with awe.

Seto looked up at him with scorn. He sharply asked, "What?"

"You just remind me of someone, that's all," Duo mused as he looked away.

Seto looked at him for a moment before putting the laptop away. He stated, "I have a company to run and I'm taking you shopping."

"Yes and I am grateful," Duo sighed as he looked out the window.

Seto said, "I take it that you also found out about Yugi Mutou then."

"Yep, Duelist Kingdom champion, and the first person ever to beat you in a Duel Monsters match," Duo replied with a smirk.

A muscle in Seto's jaw clinched as he glowered at Duo. Seto snapped, "I'm working on that."

"What, a rematch?" Duo asked as he plucked at the borrowed pair of black slacks he was wearing that were way too long for his legs. He was also wearing a black T-shirt that had been lying lost in Seto's closet of business suits, school uniforms, and blue dusters.

Duo noted the only thing that suited Seto that he was wearing was that blue duster. It was a beautiful blue color that matched and complemented his eyes. However, the shirt and slacks he was wearing underneath it looked like something that one of the Sweepers crew would have worn while working on Deathscythe.

Seto nodded as his blue eyes glinted predatorily. He said, "Yes, I'll defeat him this time."

"Life's no fun if you're always trying to compete," Duo pointed out cheerfully as he propped his feet back up on the seat facing him.

Seto snapped, "You wouldn't understand. Victory is all I have."

"What makes you think that I wouldn't understand?" Duo volleyed back, sending a glare over to the brunet.

Seto chuckled darkly and shook his head, as if it was beyond Duo's comprehension.

Duo crossed his arms and snapped, "Listen here, my life was probably less easy than yours."

"I doubt that," Seto snorted distastefully.

Duo laughed and said, "I didn't know my parents. I just wandered around colony to colony, jumping ships because that's what I knew."

"Colonies?" Seto asked, blinking in confusion.

Duo smirked and leaned his head back. "Right, you didn't know that I come from another dimension. That's why I know nothing about Duel Monsters. Anyway, where I come from is a lot more advanced. We have colonies in space and the Mars Terraforming Project had already started when you yanked me here. I have enough technology in my world to make your head spin."

He then looked Seto over with a sly grin and added, "Or mess your pants, depending on how close you are to your machines."

Seto's left eyebrow was twitching slightly as he grit his teeth and waited for Duo to continue. Duo was happy to oblige him, "Anyway, by the time I was thirteen I was already the sole survivor of both a plague and a massacre. By fifteen I was labeled a terrorist and had a price on my head."

"What?" Seto asked, looking at him.

Duo continued, "Oh, that's right, I didn't tell you that yet. Well, the Earth and colonies weren't exactly on the best terms with each other. So, the colonies picked five boys and put them in five giant, unstoppable mechs to have their point made and to destroy the Earth Federation."

Seto studied his face for a moment before taking his laptop out again.

Am I going to have to throw rocks at this guy or what? Duo sighed and pounded his head against the cushions in frustration. I've met walls that were more responsive than him!

"Wow, just wow."

Duo frowned at his image in the mirror. He pulled the black leather top away from his fingers. The top and the matching pants clung like a second skin, showing off his toned body to perfection. The top was filled with metal studs and there was a matching belt riding low on his hips. He grimaced as he turned around.

The cute little shop girl had her fingers twined together as her eyes drank in his frame hungrily. She licked her lips as her eyes traveled lower to his butt and fixed there. Duo cleared his throat, causing the girl to look back up at his face.

She grinned and purred, "You have a great body, sir. Few people could pull this off, and I must say, you pull this off nicely."

Duo rolled his eyes and grumbled, "And you'd like to pull it off nicely."

"Oh, yes I would," she sighed.

"Are you done yet?" Seto's annoyed voice bounded out of the dressing room.

Duo opened up the doors and stepped out, the shop girl following just to keep leering at him. Duo put his hands on his hips and stated, "I like leather just as much as the next guy, but this is kinda ridiculous."

Duo rubbed the back of his neck as soon as he noticed every pair of eyes in the store checking him out, following with hungry grins and a few licks of the lips. Seto was watching him too, so Duo decided that the S&M show wasn't that bad. He looked back at the shop girl, who was now checking his front out, especially his crotch, and cleared his throat again.

She straightened to attention as she ravenously met his eyes. She said, "Yes sir?"

"Now, who picked this for me to try on?" Duo asked patently, trying not to lose his temper.

She grinned and answered, "Well, your friend said that you like to show off, and that's the showiest outfit we have here."

Seto was still watching him. Duo walked over to him, the leather furiously creaking as he moved. He grinned up at the taller boy, but it wasn't friendly.

"And what did you mean by that?" Duo hissed as he directed Seto back toward the dressing room.

Seto's answering grin was a bit malicious as he answered, "You draw a lot of attention to yourself. I'd figure that your whole closet is filled with black leather."

"Okay, I have a few pairs of black leather pants and a few black flight jackets, but come on Seto!" Duo pulled at the fabric again, "I like to flirt but I don't wanna be mobbed."

"You wish," Seto snorted.

Duo stepped into the stall with his borrowed clothing in it. He slammed the door shut and retorted, "And this comes from the guy who dresses like a mechanic."

"I do not dress like a mechanic. Do you know how much my jacket costs?" Seto volleyed back as Duo managed to pry himself from the leather pants that were too tight for his taste. He threw them over the door.

Duo replied, "Sure, the duster is cool, but what about the clothes under it? I've worn nicer stuff doing repair work on my Gundam." The metal-studded shirt and a hip hugging belt followed the pants. Duo slid the T-shirt back on and then the slacks.

"Gundam?" Seto echoed, his voice thick with confusion.

Duo tied the laces on his boots as he answered, "My mobile suit, my mech. They were made out of Gundanium alloy. I did repair works on it and I do run a salvage yard. So I know a lot about what mechanics wear."

Duo threw open the door and continued, "Besides, cost doesn't matter. Money's money. You can buy something that costs a thousand dollars and it could look like crap and then you can buy something that's twenty bucks that makes you look dead sexy."

"If you're so confidant, prove it," Seto challenge with a tiny smirk.

Duo plucked the outfit from where it was hanging capaciously. He retorted, "Hey, you can't improve upon perfection. Besides, I have my own style, thank you very much."

The two of them walked out of the dressing rooms. The girl looked disappointed as Duo thrust the outfit into her hands. She asked in a hopeful voice, "Are you going to buy this, sir?"

"Nope, I've got a different plan of attack, baby," Duo replied with a teasing grin, winking one violet eye at her as he passed. She giggled to one of her co-workers as they walked by her.

Seto looked back at her, tittering with her friends, then back at Duo. Then he looked back, the look on his face focused, as if he was concentrating on something, or perhaps pondering. Duo shrugged as they walked into the Men's department and began to look around.

Duo headed straight to the jeans display and plucked a pair of loose-fitting carpenter jeans and a pair of regular, tight fitting jeans. Both were black as were the pair of cargo pants he yanked off the rack. Then he snagged a couple of black T-shirts and a white turtle neck.

He then passed what he was holding to Seto. Seto glared and kept his arms folded across his chest. Hell, even his posture's defensive, Duo realized as he piled the clothing on top of his arms.

Seto glared then looked at the pile of clothing in his arms. He said, "It's all black."

"All I wear is black," Duo replied absently as he headed over to the leather section, trying to find a pair of pants that weren't as tight as the pair the shop girl had brought out to him.

Seto asked, "Why?"

Duo looked up to see Seto studying him. Duo shrugged as he yanked a pair of pants of the rack. He decided to give the simple answer because the real reason was something he wasn't quite ready to share yet.

"I'm Death," Duo answered simply as he started back to the dressing room.

Seto held up the white turtleneck and asked, "What about this?"

"You'll see," Duo answered as he walked back into his stall.

Duo was whistling softly as the unlikely pair strolled through the mall. Apparently, Seto wanted to go to a bookstore, he was just a bit unwilling to admit it. So, the two of them, loaded down with enough clothing to last a while, strolled through the mall.

Duo had even tried to get Seto to try on a blue silk dress shirt. That had ended in failure, that was for damn sure. He even gave Seto the Big Eyes, and when that didn't work, he tried the Sultry Eyes, which had got him another shop girl's phone number, but not the result he desired.

As they walked, Duo's stomach rumbled, subtly reminding him that he didn't eat any breakfast. He bit his lip and threw a bag over his shoulder, trying to ignore it. It rumbled again, loudly enough to alert Seto.

Seto chided, "You should have eaten breakfast this morning with Mokuba."

"The thought of eating at that ungodly hour makes me nauseous even thinking about it," Duo retorted, not wanting to think about how Seto's little brother had managed to drag him out of bed this morning.

Seto bantered back, "Normal people eat breakfast in the morning, not at noon."

"I just happen to be very nocturnal," Duo replied defensively, "Being awake that early is not good on my system."

Seto snorted, "Lazy's more like it. Some living embodiment of Death you turned out to be."

"Hey, the Death thing varies from Death to Death you know," Duo grumbled.

Seto almost grinned at him and shook his head. Duo would have placed his hands on his hips, but he couldn't. So he settled for demanding, "What?"

"Braided Baka," Seto answered, "That's what you are, a Braided Baka."

Duo's eyes widened. The half grin, the blue eyes, the way the hair fell into the angular features. It was all too familiar.

He found himself saying, "Shut up, Heero."

"I'm not a hero," Seto replied defensively, almost wistfully.

Duo automatically replied, "No, Hee-row, not hero. It's the name of a person."

"Who is he?" Seto demanded as Duo realized what he had done.

Damn, damn, damn, damn, FUCK, Duo mentally kicked himself. At least I hadn't groped him like I would have Heero. He tried to plaster a guiltless smile on his face, but he was about as good lying about his expressions as he was lying out right. Which was to say he sucked at it.

Damn you, honest nature! Damn you to HELL!

Duo shrugged and grumbled, "Someone I know, that's all. You remind me of him a little bit."

"Poor guy," Seto replied as they started to walk again.

Duo glared and snapped, "Yeah, emotionally constipated, distant, except Heero wasn't as much of a prick as you are!"

"Then maybe you should go home. I already have one asshole, I don't need another one," Seto retorted with a frosty grin.

Ohh, he's a smart ass. That was actually a pretty good reply. Shit.

Duo didn't resist the bubble of laughter that rose out of this throat and spilled from his mouth. Soon he was laughing outright, unable to stop. Seto gave him a perplexed look at Duo continued to roar.

Seto grumbled, "Great, I've summoned an insane Braided Baka."

Duo threw an arm around Seto's shoulder as soon as he was calm enough to do so. Seto stiffened at the contact. Duo gave him a tiny squeeze as he guided him up the escalator. He saw that a group of teenage girls were looking at them and pointing.

Duo flashed them a flirtatious smile, which sent them tittering like a bunch of Catholic school girls. Then he returned his attention back at Seto, who was still looking at his arm as if it was going to hurt him. Duo leaned in close and chirped, "I'm not insane. I'm manic. There's a difference."

Seto became even stiffer, not relaxing into the contact, but at least he wasn't pushing him away this time. Duo dropped his arm when he noticed the near panicked look that was forming in Seto's blue eyes. As soon as he did that, he leaned back on Seto and said, "Great reply by the way. Spoken like a true smartass."

Then Duo's stomach grumbled again.

Seto looked at him and said, "The bookstore can wait. Your stomach is about to drive me insane. We'll come back after we get something to eat."

"Pal, we're in a mall. There's gotta be a food court somewhere," Duo replied as he grabbed Seto by the wrist and drag him off the escalator.

Duo's tongue poked out of his mouth as he carefully added another straw to the structure he was creating. The base was held up by various plastic utensils with napkins reinforcing the construction. Duo then started geometrically stacking straws to see how high he could make the structure before it fell.

The reason he had started this project was that he ate much faster than Seto did. The instinct to inhale as much as he could still stuck from his days at Maxwell's Church, despite the fact that he knew that he wasn't going to starve. Seto seemed almost defiantly determined to enjoy his food, however.

So, Duo was working on the Straw Tower.

Seto looked up from his rice as Duo continued to build. He asked, "What are you doing?"

"Building a Straw Tower," Duo answered, his voice slightly muffled by the fact that his tongue was still poking out of his mouth.

Seto studied it and asked, "Why?"

"Cuz I like to build things. I also like putting things back together," Duo answered as he added another plastic knife to the base.

Seto replied, "You mentioned owning a salvage yard."

"Yeah, I like tinkering with things, taking something broken and making it work again. Maybe better than it did before," Duo answered as he settled back and studied the Tower, trying to figure out how to make it taller.

Seto's eyes darkened with some emotion that Duo couldn't name. The long fingers reached out and grasped one of the straws at Duo's side. He watched as Seto added a few more straws to the structure, drawing it out even more.

After a moment of puzzling silence, Seto said, "I like to invent things."

"Like the holographic dueling system," Duo replied as Seto began to add more straws, making the tower grow in a way that Duo hadn't contemplated.

Seto nodded and continued, "Yeah, like that. You should see my Duel Disks, they're impressive."

"Duel Disks?" Duo asked as he began adding straws in the pattern that the brunet had created.

Seto explained, "Wrist mounted holographic projectors. They create forms that appear solid and even have smell, sound, and backlash when a monster is destroyed."

"Cool, my Gundam had a thermal weapon that could ignite underwater," Duo retorted smugly, hoping that technological challenge would draw Seto out some more.

Seto actually snorted, "Maxwell's Demon, how apt. Plasma based?"

Duo nodded and answered, "Yeah, sort of experimental too. How did you get the holograms so real?"

"That would be telling," Seto countered back with a tiny grin.

Duo smiled as he noticed that they were getting a bit of an audience and that the Tower was more than two feet tall. In fact, they both had to stand up to continue to add to it. Duo moved so that Seto wouldn't notice the crowd watching them, hoping that the other wouldn't be spooked by so many around him.

"So, you like to invent and I like to build. Maybe we should join forces," Duo suggested playfully, grinning flirtatiously at the brunet.

Seto gave him a superior look and replied, "Then my company will surely go into ruin."

"What are you talking about?" Duo asked as Seto straightened up, looking forlornly at the Tower.

He said, "We can't make it any taller."

Duo added another straw, knowing that if he did anymore the Tower would topple. He smiled and replied, "I just did."

"Come on, I wanna get to the bookstore before it gets any later," Seto demanded, grabbing one of the bags and leaving the table. He stopped as he noticed the people around him, starting to clap.

Duo gave a bow at their audience and shouted, "Thank you all very much! The Amazing Straw Tower! A marvel of math and plastic cutlery!"

There were giggles and outright bursts of laughter as Duo caught up with Seto, playfully leaned closer and whispered, "Wave, they're cheering for us, Genius."

Seto gave him a startled look, almost afraid. So very different from the look of contempt that Heero had given Duo when he had said something very similar to him. Duo frowned and simply lead Seto away from the crowds, occasionally flashing a smile at a pretty girl or guy.

The guy was studying a chess set.

That was the first thing that Mai had noticed about him. That he was actually looking at a chess set when Duel Monsters was the game that everyone played, even herself. No one bothered with such an archaic, blasé game anymore.

The second thing she had noticed was the amazing, burnished chestnut braid that the boy was supporting. It was thick and long, trailing far past his waist, touching his thighs. It was hair that even Mai with her glorious blond mane was jealous of, and for a boy to have it, well, that was a miracle in itself.

He was bent over, giving a couple of ogling girls a good view of a very nice ass. However, he seemed oblivious to it all as he studied the chess set. He was focused on the chess set and nothing else.

Intrigued, Mai walked over to the teen.

"Hi there," Mai said, knowing fully well she could get any male's attention if she put her mind to it.

The boy looked up at her with huge, blue-violet eyes. He straightened up, his eyes flickering over her body thoughtfully, before landing back at her face. He smiled good naturally, lighting up his gamine features.

He replied, "Hello."

Mai placed a hand on her hip and said, "I don't think I've seen you here."

"I'm visiting someone. I'm trying to help them actually," he replied with a wiry grin as he blew his bangs from his eyes.

Mai held out her hand and said, "I'm Mai."

"Duo Maxwell," he replied as he shook her hand with a firm grip. She was pleased to note that he didn't try anything like kiss her fingers or act as if she was made of glass.

Mai tilted her head thoughtfully and said, "Duo, that's an unusual name."

Duo's grin changed from good humored to slightly wicked. He shrugged and retorted, "So, are you from around here?"

"Yeah. I'm actually waiting on a friend," Mai answered, "And you? What about your friend?"

Duo rubbed his forehead and answered, "That's a complicated story, Mai."

I bet it is, she thought, looking at the look on his face. There's something different about him. Something I can't put my finger on. He's a likeable little demon though.

Duo chuckled as he looked past her shoulder at something. He sighed, self-sacrificing, "And there he is now."

Mai looked over her shoulder. Her eyes widened as she spied Seto Kaiba walking toward them. Then she looked at Duo, who was waving gaily at Kaiba, then back at Kaiba, who was scowling like he did around Katsuya.

Wait, he said trying to help him and something about a complicated story. Does Duo know? And how did an American get involved with Kaiba? Mai quickly dug into her purse and grabbed her pad and a pen. She heard the determined foot fall as Kaiba reached them.

"Duo, where the hell did you go?" Kaiba snapped, his blue eyes boring into the braided boy.

Duo rocked back and forth on his heels with a tiny grin. He answered, "Looking at the chess set here."

Kaiba's eyes softened for a moment. To Mai, he actually looked a bit relieved. Then, Kaiba looked at Mai with almost the same look that he had given her in the chopper when she realized what had happened to him.

"Mai," Kaiba stated with a polite nod.

Mai smiled and replied, "Hello, Kaiba."

Duo, kiddo, you've got your work cut out for you here. Let's just hope that my instincts are right about you. She quickly jotted down a location and a time on the paper with a hastily written, Meet me and I'll help you out.

She turned to Duo with a winsome smile so that all Kaiba would have thought was that she was flirting with him. She held out her hand with the paper discreetly folded in it and said, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Duo. It's not often that I get to talk to a cute American."

"Hey, baby, the pleasure was all mine," Duo replied with that same wicked grin as he took the note from her hand.

"Is that all you do?" Seto asked in annoyance as Duo strode to keep up with his quickened pace.

Duo looked up at him innocently. He replied, "What?"

"Flirt. You've flirted seventy-nine times today, total, and that's when I've been around to count," Seto snapped as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Duo's eyes widened as he asked, "You've kept count of all the times I've flirted today?"

"Yes," Seto grumbled, looking away from Duo before turning back to glare.

Duo leaned closer to the taller teen and purred, "Your eyes become this beautiful shade of dark blue when you're angry. Did you know that?"

Seto tensed as he looked at Duo. Duo winked and said, "Oh, come on, Seto, don't tell me that you're jealous."

"Of you? Never," Seto sneered as he continued to walk toward the mall's exit.

Duo sighed and said, "Don't tell me that this is because of Mai." He fiddled with the note in his pocket. It was obvious that the statuesque blond knew the CEO very well. Seto walked even faster.

Seto slowed down and looked at him. He stated, "You're so . . ."

"Annoying? Braided Baka? Stupid?" Duo suggested helpfully.

Seto sighed, defeated. Then he asked, "Why did you go off and look at the chess set?"

"Do I need to explain that to you?" Duo retorted sarcastically. The silver limo was stretched out before them in all of its rich glory. Seto stepped into it first and Duo followed.

Seto looked at him thoughtfully and said, "So, is Death really that good at chess?"

"How about I show you," Duo suggested as he sat down beside Seto.

As soon as Duo realized that he was a living extension of Death, he became a master at chess. He had run circles around both Trowa and Wufei, the two best chess players that he had ever known. He even decided to try out his skills at a few competitions, and every opponent fell quickly under his newly found talent.

Death was unbeatable at chess.

Seto Kaiba actually had the balls to challenge him.

And Seto had lasted longer than any other he had played against. In fact, if Duo didn't get his act together, Seto might actually beat him. He plays chess more ruthlessly than Heero piloted, Duo thought grudgingly as he held his Bishop in his hand, deciding his next move.

Seto had already captured a Rook, four Pawns, and a Knight. Duo looked at the white Rook and piddly two Pawns that he had captured. And Seto's Queen was quickly advancing on his Bishops.

Duo wasn't going to let him take his Bishops. After all, they were his favorite pieces. The Knights were expendable, as were the Pawns, but there was no way in Hell that Seto was going to capture the Bishops.

"Are you going to sit there or move?" Seto asked wearily. He looked bored.

Bastard.

Duo smirked as he put down his Bishop and then proceeded to take out Seto's white Queen with the other Bishop. "And you were saying?" Duo retorted as he twirled the Queen in his fingers.

Seto studied the chessboard and Duo could practically see the wheels turning in the teen's head. He frowned as he looked at the black pieces fanning wildly across the board as Duo played randomly. Duo whistled to himself as Seto's eyes darted to his Bishops, his Knight, Rook, and Queen before lingering on the black King, surrounded by two Pawns.

"Why are you protecting your Bishops?" Seto mused aloud.

Duo replied, "I like my Bishops. They're all black and priest-y."

"You're protecting your Bishops just because you like them?" Seto asked in disbelief.

Duo crossed his arms over his chest, leaned back in his chair, and met Seto's eyes. He lifted an eyebrow and retorted, "Don't you protect your White Blue Eyed Dragons?"

"They're Blue Eyes White Dragons, and they don't need protection," Seto replied defensively.

Duo watched as Seto took his Queen. Seto snatched it up and gave it a little toss before clutching her possessively. "For someone who flirts all the time, you don't protect your women very well," Seto taunted as he placed the Queen next to his other conquests.

Duo leaned on the table and fluttered his eyelashes flirtatiously. He replied in a sultry voice, "I like my Bishops better."

Seto's eyes widened as he frowned. His puzzled expression was as adorable as his angry one was exciting. Duo gave his head a little shake, causing his braid to fly almost recklessly into the chessboard.

"Watch it," Seto warned as he glared at the braid offensively.

There was a moment's quiet as Duo looked at his chess men, since his one chess woman was taken. He strummed his fingers idly as he noted that he could capture Seto's King with his Bishop. He didn't want to do that; he knew that he could make Seto open up if he kept him playing, kept him distracted. Keep your enemy distracted until you find an opening, then you strike.

Not that he considered Seto an enemy. However, the tactics would work just as well on a pain in the ass.

Then Seto asked, "And what are you anyway?"

"A audaciously bisexual living embodiment of Death," Duo answered absently as he moved a Pawn across the board.

Seto nodded and replied, "Well, that makes a lot more sense."

"Me being audaciously bisexual?" Duo asked as Seto studied the board thoughtfully.

Seto answered, "I just thought you were looking for attention."

"I find every person I flirt with attractive in some way, and I like people," Duo explained as Seto's long fingers brushed against his Knight. Seto's eyes widened a bit before he lowered his hand.

Seto asked, "Even that overweight girl at the bookstore?"

"You heard her talk. She had personality and smarts. You only sleep with a person 20 percent of the time, the other eighty percent you talk to them," Duo offered sagely as Seto moved one of his Pawns, mirroring his previous move.

Duo moved his Rook on his next turn. He asked, "Enough about my habits, what about Kaiba Corp.? You said something along the lines of, 'Then my company will surely go into ruin.' What did you mean?"

"Blood thirsty bastards that won't leave me alone. Ever since I gained control over Kaiba Corp., brought it back from ruin, the Big Five have been after my throat," Seto growled as he took a Pawn.

Duo prodded, "Mokuba mentioned something like that. Something about a VR game, right?"

"That was just the latest attempt. I can't get rid of them because they are part of the Board that my stepfather set up. Damn, I work so hard at everything, and they're trying to steal it away from me," Seto continued furiously, "From Mokuba."

"You're doing this for him, aren't you?" Duo asked gently.

Seto nodded and answered, "I promised myself that I'd always take care of him."

"You want me to kill this Big Five for you?" Duo asked seriously, knowing that this was something he could handle. Death was easy, living was hard, and rebuilding your life was even harder. Plus, from what he gathered from both Mokuba and Seto, the world wouldn't mourn their loss too much.

Seto chuckled before he saw the look on Duo's face. "You're serious."

Duo nodded as he moved his Bishop in for the kill. Seto scowled as he realized what Duo had done.

"Checkmate."

"You will not defeat me," Mokuba proclaimed with a giggle as Duo lined up his catapult against Mokuba's glass.

Duo smirked as he raised his fist and said, "Oh, your water's going down, kid."

"Wanna bet?" Mokuba retorted as he took a look at Seto, who was glaring at them both.

Duo removed his spoon from on top of his knife and shoved the bit of mashed potatoes in his mouth. With his mouth full, he grumbled, "Hiding behind your big brother, that's low kid."

Seto glared daggers in Duo's direction. Duo looked down at his plate of rather unappealing food and Mokuba chuckled behind his hand, stopping when Seto directed the glare toward his little brother. Mokuba discreetly pushed some peas onto his spoon before making his own silverware catapult.

Duo whispered, "You wouldn't."

"You shouldn't have shot that spit wad at me," Mokuba retorted with a devious little grin.

Duo grimaced as he replied, "Hey, I did that in good faith. It was too quiet in here."

"It's been quiet lately," Mokuba confessed in a soft voice so that Seto wouldn't hear.

Duo asked, "What do you mean?"

Mokuba stilled, his hands falling to the table, the mischievous look completely erased from his face. He then fiddled with his glass of milk, sitting right next to the water. He avoided eye contact from both teens.

Suddenly, Seto folded his napkin and stood up from the table. He reached over and stroked Mokuba's hair fondly before giving him a disapproving look. He said nothing as he glowered at Duo. Then he turned around to leave the dining room.

Duo stood up and chased him down. He asked, "Aren't you going to help us clean up?"

"I've got help for that," Seto replied absently.

Duo placed his hands on his hips and said, "Dude, it's just washing dishes."

Seto froze. Duo couldn't see the expression on his face, but he was tired of the occasional freezes that the other teen would have. You can't run from everything.

Duo gently nudged, "Come on, all you have to do is put them away."

"I've got work I need to do," Seto stated as he began to walk again.

Duo glared and snapped, "Don't tell me that you're afraid of the kitchen too!"

Mokuba was at his side as Seto paused again, his back stiffening. Mokuba gently tugged on Duo's wrist and he looked down at the little boy. Mokuba slowly shook his head with a grim look on his face.

Mokuba mouthed, "Let him be." Then he piped up to Seto, "It's okay niisama. I'll help Duo with the dishes."

Seto turned around to look at both of them. He said, "I do have help for that sort of thing."

"I don't see anyone," Duo retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

Mokuba brightly smiled and chirped, "They all went home for the night. We just ate later than normal, that's all, but come on, Duo, we can clean up. Then you can teach me how to throw a knife."

Duo looked down at the pleading look in those uncanny, grey eyes. It's almost like he's trying to protect Seto. What the hell happened to him?

Duo sighed, "Fine, you're off the hook. Next time."

Seto sent Mokuba a grateful look without realizing it. Then he said, "I'll be up to read to you later tonight, Mokuba."

"Yeah, I wanna see how Harry beats that dragon!" Mokuba chirped as Seto gave him a fond glance before leaving the dining room.

Duo asked, "Harry?"

"Harry Potter, the best books in the whole wide world," Mokuba explained as he started to gather up glasses.

Duo started stacking plates and asked, "Why did Seto freak when I talked about cleaning up?"

Mokuba chewed on his lip for a moment before answering, "Duo, Seto hasn't gone into the kitchen since we got back from Duelist Kingdom."

"Huna?" Duo asked, looking down at the little boy.

Mokuba went on, "He did go in there once, to cook, but he just froze. And he looked at the spoons and stuff like he was scared of them."

Was he tortured? A kitchen makes a pretty good makeshift torture chamber. Oh, God, Seto. And he wouldn't even know what happened to him if that fucker had his soul.

Duo picked up the plates and followed Mokuba into the huge kitchen. He winced as he saw a meat cleaver hanging from above the counter. All sorts of painful ways that could be used, he thought as he scraped the plates into the disposal and turned it on with a sharp, horrid noise.

Mokuba placed the glasses on a tray and Duo followed suit with the plates. Duo turned off the dish disposal in the sink after everything had been pulverized. Mokuba opened the hatch to the industrial dishwasher and slid the tray in. He slammed the hatch shut and it clamored to life.

Duo absently listened to the sound of the high pressure water hitting the steel walls of the dishwasher, interrupted every few seconds with the rotating sprayer scraping against something. Must have filled it too much, Duo mused as he looked around the kitchen. It lurched to a stop and Mokuba repeated the process, the noise breaking the sudden silence.

Duo looked around the kitchen. The various utensils took on a sudden ominous appearance as he studied them. There were knives, blunt objects, and various mechanics that could do major and minor harm to the human body. He shuddered when he remembered Wufei describing Chinese Water Torture to him as he looked at the stainless steel sink.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Blunt object. Knife. Drip. Drip. Drip. Knife. Blunt object. Drip. Drip. Drip. Stop it Duo!

He shivered, remembering fully well the one time he had been tortured. At least Lady Une hadn't given the sadistic redhead any "tools" to play with. His hand absently ran his fingers over his stomach, feeling the raised scar under the fabric. They still did enough damage, Duo thought angrily as he looked at the kitchen.

He looked at Mokuba and picked up one of the carving knives. The cutting board was still hanging from the wall from yesterday, still bearing the scars he had inflicted. He flung the knife into the board.

Mokuba looked up at him and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Just thinking, kiddo, that's all," Duo answered, plastering his grin on his face.

Mokuba asked, "Is it about Seto? Have you figured out how to help him yet?"

They both protect each other, and Seto doesn't even realize it.

Duo bent down to Mokuba's level and gently squeezed his tiny shoulder. He asked, "Mokuba, I really need to know this. Do you know what happened to your brother at Duelist Kingdom?"

"He got beat up. They hurt his shoulder and his ankle, and he said that he got a lot of cuts and bruises," Mokuba answered helpfully.

Duo licked his lips and replied, "Anything else? Anything at all?"

"Oh, his butt hurt from sitting on the cold stones in the dungeon," Mokuba answered thoughtfully, "But mine wasn't hurting and I had been in the cell longer than he had."

Oh God . . . Duo realized as he fought a wave of nausea. He grabbed another knife and pitched it into the board. He noted that his aim was off. He realized he was shaking.

Maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe he wasn't . . . Duo's train of thought paused, Raped. Maybe I lived on the streets too long. I mean, he's jumped every time I've touched him . . . Maybe I'm overreacting here. I mean, lashes are great torture, especially if the person is on a really sadistic kick, and they don't leave permanent damage.

"Duo, is there something else that happened that you know about?" Mokuba pressed, peering up at him.

Duo absently stroked Mokuba's head and gave him a wan smile. He answered, "No confirmation yet."

And let me pray that I'm wrong once.

It was a full moon tonight and Duo didn't want to have to look at Mokuba's hopeful expression anymore that night. He needed to be alone. So, at first he had went to the observatory and decided that the roof would be a better place to gather his thoughts.

He was lying on the roof as he looked at the moon. It was beautiful from down here, not like the graveyard he figured it was while up in space. He mused that the moon was sort of his own personal tombstone. Not for him, but everyone he had killed. He looked at it when he needed to think, needed to remember, needed to forget, and needed to mourn.

A constant companion who was more interesting than the sun.

He closed his eyes and sighed. He had no proof that he was right. Even though the note from Mai weighed heavily in his pocket.

He sensed Seto before he heard the deep voice say, "You have a bad tendency to wander off."

"Yeah, I do," Duo agreed as he opened his eyes.

Seto was bathed in silver moonlight, darkening his hair and making his skin seem luminescent. His eyes sparkled with a silver sheen as he looked down at Duo, his eyes lingering on Duo's chest. Duo looked down to see his cross gleaming in the wan light.

Duo sat up and gently tucked the cross into his shirt. Seto said, "You don't strike me as a religious person."

"Well, sometimes I surprise even myself," Duo retorted half-heartedly as he continued to look at the moon.

Seto continued, "And you even dress like a priest."

"Excellent motivational skills, my son, would you like to make a confession?" Duo replied in a fairly good Irish accent.

Seto gave a sharp laugh as he looked down at Duo. The cruel mask covering up the fear, a snide voice taunted in Duo's mind. He returned Seto's look with a small smile.

Duo said, "I grew up in a Catholic Church that also acted as an orphanage. I was really close to becoming a priest myself."

"Amusing," Seto retorted icily as he continued to glare down at Duo.

Duo shrugged it off and continued, "Sure, times were hard, there was a water shortage, but they were my family."

"You mean you didn't want to be adopted?" Seto asked in disbelief.

Duo shook his head and answered, "Nope. I was a couple of times, but I did stuff to make my foster families send me back."

"Why?" Seto asked, his face looking puzzled.

Duo smiled sadly and answered, "Because Father Maxwell and Sister Helen were my family."

"What happened, did they adopt you?" Seto asked, curiosity winning out over sarcasm.

Duo looked up at the moon. His tombstone. His graveyard. His place to mourn.

"No, that massacre I was telling you about, the one that I was the only survivor of, that's what happened."

Seto sat down beside him and looked up at the moon as well. Duo noticed that Seto had sat far enough away that they weren't touching. It sent a pang straight to his heart.

"I remember when my dad died. And when they took us to the orphanage," Seto shyly confessed.

Duo looked at him, bathed by moonlight, and wanted to hold him. He wanted to chase the demons away and to protect him, even if it was just for a short time. It wasn't love, just caring, respect, and affection. And the fact that Duo liked to play the hero more than he'd like to admit.

But it wasn't love. A certain perfect soldier had that claim on him, but that was another story for another time involving a six pack, Duo mused as he studied Seto.

Seto stood up and said, "I have to get up for school tomorrow. Don't kill anyone."

"Spoil my fun," Duo groaned.

Seto shook his head as he headed back to the French window that he had gone out of. He gave Duo one last look. He asked, "You were serious when you asked if you could kill the Big Five, weren't you?"

"Yeah," Duo answered.

Seto gave him one last, lingering, puzzled look before going back into the mansion.

Duo looked back up at the moon. Its ivory countenance offered nothing but solace, and Duo needed information and truth. Then he could offer solace or reap vengeance if he needed to.

I think I need to have a little talk Mr. Yugi Mutou and his so-called spirit tomorrow.

Someone noted my Death quip in the prologue. I'm very fond of the character, I just thought it was a funny, Duo-esque joke that he would make. Even though he'd probably hit on her (and Dream in this AU) if he ever met them.

Neil Gaiman's various writings have kept me in awe over the past few months and I'm suddenly seeing his appeal. Plus, Dream just kicks ass. If you haven't read the Sandman comic book series, or any of his novels (Especially American Gods and Neverwhere) I highly recommend it. Especially if you're a mythology buff because Neil knows his stuff and uses it to create a beautiful tapestry.