Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Beyond His Body ❯ Way To Rapture ( Chapter 3 )

A/N: Thank you, Jolly! Beyond His Body Chapter 3 OoO "You want to send me WHERE?" Mokuba exclaimed excitedly to his brother. Seto glanced up from his the paperwork in front of him to address his brother with a light smile, "Yeah, you heard me right. Europe is where your girlfriend is, isn't it? That's where all your calls have been going to lately." "Aheh... A-actually she's from America, but she's currently visiting in Europe. There's an event there that she wanted to attend," the raven-haired teen grinned sheepishly while nervously pawing at back of his head, " But what's funny is that she did ask if I could show up to support her, but I told her I couldn't. Now, I can surprise her! Thanks, Seto!" Mokuba cheered. He dashed behind Seto's desk and threw his arms around his brother in a thankful hug. Seto chuckled at this, but he didn't return the hug. He just welcomed it, while floating his eyes over the project before him. "Uh huh. You can leave as soon as you like. Just promise me one thing, Mokuba." "What's that?" the younger asked candidly, gazing up at his brother with lucid, tender eyes that caused Seto's to narrow. He wished he could be able to believe the sincerity swimming in his brother's eyes, but because he was a male, Seto knew better. Not only that, but Mokuba had a double negativity against him for being Seto's brother and a male. Seto certainly didn't trust himself when it came to being in Yami's invigorating presence, so he knew Mokuba's hormones had to be more frantic than his own. The sour look on Seto's face made Mokuba's expression soften. He could catch onto his brother's thoughts from the dubious look his azure orbs were giving him, "Uh oh... I think I know what you're gonna say." "Good, then I'll say it again for clarity," Seto began, leaning his face close to Mokuba's like a reprimanding parent to make absolutely certain that he got his points across, "Do not come back here with any babies and do not call me to say that the condom broke." "Aw! C'mon, Seto! I don't wanna be there THAT long!" Mokuba retorted incredulously, matching his brother's glare, "Give me more credit than that, would ya? This is me you're talking about! I haven't even stolen a kiss from this girl yet! Uh- I mean-!" "...You're my brother. I can't trust you any better than I can trust myself. No kids. Keep it in your pants." "Stop talking like that already!" Mokuba shuddered, stepping back to rub his arms as if doing so would remove all of the discomfort he gained from his brother's words. "S-so, when are you getting a girlfriend?" Mokuba stammered, attempting to change the subject. "... I don't need one, Mokuba," Seto returned, his eyes retreating back to the task in front of him. "A boyfriend, then?" the younger shrugged. "Are you leaving to see this girl or not?" Seto retorted, sternly; a curt frown across his lips. It appeared that Mokuba hadn't caught on about him and Yami just yet. And until Seto had completed his "gift" to Yami, he wanted to make sure Mokuba was as far away from that truth as possible. Mokuba sighed, knowing Seto meant business. He casually folded his arms behind his head to mask his failure of trying to pry into his brother's personal life. "So, where's my ticket? Did you buy them already?" "Roland will take you. You can stay there as long as long as you want this month, provided I get to see you every now and then," Seto stated plainly, not looking up from his work. "Gotcha, big bro. And thanks! But what will you be doing while I'm gone?" "Exactly what you see me doing now. But don't worry. I may finish this sooner than I think." "Okay. I guess I'll get ready to go then. Don't work too hard, okay?" Mokuba called over his shoulder as he started to approach the double doors. Seto looked up from his work to give Mokuba one more look before he returned his divided attention to his desk, "And tell Rebecca she's hired if she still wants that I.T. position." "Okay. Sure thing. I'll- Hey! How did you know it was her?" "Who else do you know of that lives in America?" "Ehh good point. All right, I'm going now! See you in a few weeks, Seto!" Mokuba waved, leaving out the door. "Take your time," Seto replied lowly, already focusing on his work. Roughly an hour later, once Seto gained confirmation that Mokuba was safely in the air on his way to see his girlfriend, Seto took a small break and leaned back in his chair. Arms crossed, a heavy sigh proliferated into the room as Seto's eyes skirted over the task in front of him. Scattered papers of ideas and concepts drawn in complex variations that ranged from scribbles to intricate code littered his desk. Seto had worked relentlessly in ways that made any thought of sleep a mortal enemy. But he wanted to create a world for Yami and himself and that was exactly what his field of expertise was going to enable him to do. And from where he stood in comparison to Yami in terms of personal prowess, this was the least he could do. There was something about the former ruler that Seto felt he could never actually reach; tangibly or status-wise. That something made Yami that much more desirable and Seto wanted everything Yami had that made him what he was and who he was. He had felt an attraction to the former ruler several months after their first meeting during the Duelist Kingdom fiasco. Seto wanted to defeat Yami in a duel a great deal, but he wanted even more than that. Perhaps, he wanted to even continue losing to Yami. Only Yami. Him never being able to best his greatest rival, and greatest lust, was becoming the norm. As the years plucked their melodies to the chords of time, Seto found his animosity and urges to best the Pharaoh assimilate into something of more substance. Something, of a more tangible substance. There was obsession of course, but the emotions that surfaced two nights ago had ventured deeper than that. It was something Seto had not bothered to name; he would always feel it when Yami was near or in his direct line of vision. But each time, he forced it aside and his pride surfaced as the more prominent entity. He had only been close to Mokuba. He loved his little brother. He was the world to him. But ever since that kiss with Yami, that world had been torn from under him and a void of uncertainty replaced it. He didn't love Mokuba any less, but that void had made his life larger than anything his only family could fill within him. And now, the closest thing Seto could speculate to fill that gaping void were the ways he felt in regards to Yami as well as Yami himself. Curtly, he swore under his breath while skimming over a list of plans and designs that he had written just minutes ago. All of this was absurd. His emotions were out of control and he hated that he couldn't put a harness on them. He even felt foolish laboring endlessly to bring his idea to life so he and Yami could effectively evolve their relationship. In all honesty, he didn't know what that relationship was. He knew he wanted Yami. The end. The majority of the deeper details didn't matter to him at this point. He only desired what was his. And he wanted to believe that Yami wanted the exact same thing. While thoughts of his rival continuously seeped into his work, occasionally his eyes would slide over to the cell phone atop a corner of his desk. Although it was agreed upon that Yami would call him later that night after Yūgi went to bed, he still did not want to miss a call by any means. He knew such hopeful behavior was nonsensical, but he had no reason to lie to himself about this. That, and his fruitless circle of thoughts was getting him nowhere. Seto then returned to his elaborate brainstorming and construction, while slowly beginning to block out any and all distractions from his mind. oOo For the umpteenth time that day, the former Pharaoh found himself looking at the time on one of the few clocks that littered the game shop. It was foolish and served no eventful purpose, yet he felt obliged to do it anyway. He knew he was only being paranoid. Yūgi wouldn't sleep until after dusk and the morning had only just begun. Speaking of the little one, the spirit's younger counterpart had gotten dressed for school and was waiting for his friends to greet him at the front door. He and Yami had not spoken more than two words of salutation to the other when Yūgi woke up. It was a rather unsettling situation; each of them not fully knowing how the other felt towards the happenings of the night before. However, Yami could tell that Yūgi had been more forgiving than he originally thought he would be. Nothing was spoken in regards to the occurrences of last night. Yūgi wasn't even aware of the cell phone, the call to Seto, nor the name Seto could now address Yami as. The eidolon didn't like to keep things from his younger other, but it seemed that things that dealt with Kaiba and his personal life were the only exceptions to that dislike. Yami wanted to keep Yūgi and Seto as far apart as could be allowed for now. In spite of all of that, he was rather eager to call Seto and 11 pm couldn't come soon enough. "So... are you ready to find out your name, Pharaoh?" "Hmm?" Yami questioned richly; the sudden sound of Yūgi's voice toppling him out of his thoughts. He hoped Yūgi didn't catch on to any behaviors he might have exhibited while daydreaming and did his best to keep a cool expression, "What do you mean, Yūgi?" "Huh? Don't tell me you forgot already about what we all planned on doing next week, Pharaoh!" the little one reminded with a faint smile that was a flicker away from being genuine. His discomfort still lingered, but he was trying his hardest to push it aside to be cheerful for the spirit. He was strong, so Yūgi inwardly declared that he should be as well. Maybe one day he would understand the draw the other him had towards Kaiba. "We talked with Anzu, Tristan and Joey about it. Anzu saved up enough of her money for dancing school in order to do this for you, remember?" he mentioned with a dejected tone that lasted for only a second. It was as if he were comparing such an act of his crush's doing to something she's never done for him instead. Then his features regained their near familiar brightness again; his chipper bangs bouncing about his soft face, "So it would be best for us to help you out as soon as we can." "Yes... I agree..." Yami returned, bemused. It was obvious where his true thoughts lingered despite his attempts to mask them. Yūgi's brows knitted together in mock frustration, "Pharaoh, if you keep thinking about Kaiba, you've never going to be able to leave him behind..." "I am aware of that..." he replied hotly. Then he sighed and placed a hand to his forehead, "I apologize, Yūgi. I should not be thinking of him now. There are other things that require both of our attentions. Firstly, when are we leaving for school?" "...Do you want to see Kaiba?" Yūgi asked directly. His eyes were stern, but his body fidgeted nervously. He didn't want to offend the Pharaoh, but he did want to know where he stood in all of this. And since it would be his body that the spirit was inhabiting, Yūgi had to know. But Yami didn't have a direct answer. He wanted to see Seto, of course, but he also wanted to stay out of his way for at least two weeks. Yami would never be able to forgive himself if he abruptly returned to his afterlife from obtaining his true name and doing so before Kaiba finished the task he asked to be waited on. It would be best for the both of them if he just waited for Seto to achieve completion. "Pharaoh?" "No. No, Yūgi, I am fine without seeing him for now. However, I do not wish to rush into returning to my time now that I know it's within my reach." "Kaiba told you to wait for something, didn't he?" Yami blinked. It always astounded him how his other half could catch on to the things revolving around his existence without even being told. What was even more surprising was that with that ability, Yūgi hadn't been aware of what emotions stirred between Seto and Yami until the night before. The former Pharaoh still was not pleased by Seto's behavior towards Yūgi in order to draw him out, but he was willing to forgive. When Yami didn't answer right away, Yūgi already deduced the answer. "He did, I knew it. Pharaoh, you don't have to feel obligated if you want to return." "I am aware, Yūgi," Yami affirmed, giving the younger a look that told him to stop rushing him, "However, I do wish to remain here a little longer. Besides, our friends deserve to have a great time together before we part our ways, don't you agree?" Now this was something Yūgi wanted to hear. An honest smile basked his composed features with an angel-like innocence. Yūgi was Yūgi again."Yeah! That sounds fantastic, Pharaoh! We can go wherever we want! Classes this semester will be over soon. Oh! I've got to call Anzu and tell her to save her money! I'm gonna go do that right now! Then I have to catch the bus!" Yūgi exclaimed gleefully. Yami watched his other dash out of the main room into the living room in his exhilaration. Gradually, a gentle smile touched Yami's lips and he laughed lightly. He was glad Yūgi had returned to being his old cheerful self again. The spirit was glad to be a part of his Aibou's world for little moments like these. While his decision to delay gaining his true name seemed like a distraction, Yami actually did want to spend time with his and Yūgi's friends. In addition to that, their company would help him take his mind off of the remainder of the day until night descended. OoO Finally, the cloak of night washed over the town, wearing the city lights as its embellishments. After Yūgi was well asleep, in a similar fashion to the night before, Yami crept downstairs to the living room with cell phone in have and called Seto. On the first half ring, the call was answered. "Yami..." Kaiba addressed in a breathy and cautious voice. Perplexed at the reaction, Yami curiously tilted his head to the side, "Seto? Is... something the matter? Did you not expect me to call like we agreed?" "That isn't it. I'm fine, I just...got...caught up in my work, that's all."His skeptical words tumbled out. Yami was keen to the partial lie and made a sound of disbelief. What Seto chose to leave out of his answer was that he had been expecting Yami to call the entire day, hence why he answered so quickly. Yami was about to question this, but he decided otherwise at the last second, "So, how has your progress been going?" "Well enough in the conception department. I'll show you the results when I'm done." "All right... What do you wish to talk about then, Seto?" "Do you really have to ask me that?" "Apparently, since it was you who wanted me to call you." "Fine... Then, I'll start from the beginning. Why did you let me so close to you?" The phone nearly slipped from Yami's fingers from the sudden question. Since Kaiba wasn't entirely specific, Yami dodged the inquiry, "What do you mean?" "Don't pretend with me, Yami. If you're embarrassed, then just say so." "What makes you so sure?" "The fact that you've dodged my question twice." "I-!" Yami trailed off. He couldn't deny that and sighed instead, "Must we really discuss this now? Over the phone?" "What's wrong with it?" "It's not face to face. I would much rather be speaking to you directly for such serious matters." "For something you deem as serious, you sure are taking it lightly. And don't think you can trick me into inviting you over. I still don't want to see you until I'm finished with this project." "Who said I was trying to trick you, Seto?" "The blatant fact that you just told on yourself, Yami. Again. What kind of fool are you taking me for? I'm not those pathetic friends of yours and certainly not that mediocre commoner mutt. In any event, are you going to answer my question or not? Because if you don't, I can stop working on something we'll never use. Then, I'll have to come down there and when I do, I won't hold myself back from doing whatever I feel like doing with you." "Do it, then," Were the words Yami wanted to speak, but instead, in their place, all that was uttered from him was a sound of annoyance. "Oh, so you're thinking about it now, huh?" Seto jeered, "You are seriously disappointing me." "Why do you think I let you?" Yami spoke up, the usual trademark regality resurfacing in his voice, "Do you think that I was luring you in as a trick? A game?" "No. I don't. You didn't try that hard to stop me. I think you wanted me to make a move on you. " "Perhaps I did." "It was obvious. Don't try to act timid now. I know what you want and I'm going to give it to you." Yami chortled softly at this remark. Its timber almost rather deplorable, "You can't give me a body of my own, Seto." "Maybe not in the sense you're thinking about, but I'm going to give you something no one else will be able to." "Seto..." Yami whispered softly. He wanted to believe his rival, he really did, but he couldn't help but feel guilty for imagining otherwise. As if Seto could sense Yami's hesitation through the phone, he snorted, "Don't you trust me?" "Yes," Yami answered immediately. "But?" "But I simply... just seem to want what I cannot have, Seto. But that is fine. You and I will find a way to live our lives. That I do believe." "You make it sound like we're parting our separate ways rather than trying to get in the other's pants." "SETO!" "I'm stating a fact," Seto suggested in a way that indicated he might have been shrugging, "Or were you somehow completely blind to the ways we felt last night?" "Seto..." Yami warned, but they both knew it was half-hearted. So Seto resumed his argument. "Unlike you, I don't want to continue to avoid a subject that deals with the well-being of the both of us. There is obviously something between us we both want to experience for ourselves. So stop running away from it and be honest with yourself. I shouldn't have to tell you this, Yami. Why are you so insecure?" "Because I want you more than you will ever realize, Seto." "That being?" "I want to tear every fabric of clothing from your body and do things to you you never would have ever dreamed of." The breathy sound of a genuine Kaiba smirk fluttered through the receiver,"Try me." "I would much rather show you..." "Then I'll hold you to that." "Don't say I never cautioned you..." "I won't say anything until I get proof. And on that note, I'm getting back to work." Yami was quite relieved to hear that. He was anxious to see what concoction Seto was brewing for the both of them to utilize. And he also wanted to believe in Seto's words. He would believe. He did believe. But he couldn't help but feel those bothersome awkward feelings nip at him again."This... has been quite the odd conversation, Seto." "Blame yourself for that one. Anyway, call me tomorrow. Whenever you get the time to." "All right. Why the change?" "Does it matter? Do I need to give you a reason for everything?" "Maybe..." "Hmph. Just call me tomorrow. Goodnight, Yami." "Goodnight-" Yami trailed off mid sentence from hearing a click on the other line. Supposing Seto hung up, the lithe male sighed. But he still held the phone to his ear; secretly feeling like this was the best he could do to feel physically close to Kaiba right now. Unbeknownst to him, Seto did not hang up, but had placed the phone down atop his desk in such a way that would mimic the call being disconnected. He had paused all his work. His elbows were propped up atop the desk, his fingers knitted together in front of his mouth. Once the sonorous birth of Yami's words blossomed through the phone, Seto gingerly allowed his eyes to close. And intently, he listened to every word. "...Goodnight, Seto. I would say pleasant dreams but you probably will not sleep... In any case, I acknowledge that I have been unfair to you and I apologize. The reason I could not be honest with you was because I am uncertain and afraid of the things I would want to do to you. I am afraid you will dismiss them and me. But these feelings I have towards you are making each choice I have to make more difficult than I imagined. I don't have much time here in this world, in this age. I will need to return to where I belong... However, there may be a chance that I belong instead with... this is foolish," Yami objected, drawing the phone away from his ear and tossing it on the couch. The rest of him soon followed suit. With a heavy sigh, he dragged his hands through his spiked locks and rested his elbows atop his knees, "I am speaking to no one. Kaiba will never know these things unless I tell him directly... … I must tell him... He deserves to know..." "..." Seto listened; his eyes, now opened, fleeted back and forth, focusing on nothing but Yami's voice. His throat was dry. His emotions were wavering. Only Yami seemed to have this type of effect on him. Seto was attracted to Yami because of the way his only rival thrilled him, not only in battle but in everything he did. Only Yami could push him to new heights and because of that, he needed such an influence in his life. All this time, perhaps what was missing all along was Yami directly in front of him. Perhaps, all those times Yami was so close that Seto saw beyond him. His bouts of sexual frustration were the only ways he knew how to show Yami any semblance of affection. He needed Yami to be close. And he was going to make that happen. Seto continued to observe in silence as the former ruler talked to himself, still unaware of Seto still being on the line. Seto was about to mute the phone and go back to working until specific words passed by Yami's lips that he did not expect to hear: "Seto, if you are listening somehow, I wish to know more about you. More than what I already know. I want to know about what can develop between us beyond the dueling, and beyond our prideful egos. Seto, as long as you're in front of me I know we can make that happen. I want to be more to you than I realize myself. I want... I just want...you... There, I've said it. And now... that I have been completely honest with myself, I can stop speaking to myself, return the little one to his bed... and wallow in not seeing you for a while." Kaiba continued to listen until he heard the ruffle of movement from what Yami was sitting on, and his footsteps dimmed in the background. It was only then that he released the breath he didn't even know he had held captive. He shared in Yami's troubled emotions but wasn't sure of the best methods on how to show them. Gozaburo's unique, for lack of a better term, methods of teaching and priming Seto for the world of business and excellence stripped him of having much of a focus on his emotions. He had just accepted them as part of being human and not much of anything more. There were times he contradicted himself and showed those supposedly suppressed emotions to Mokuba without even thinking about it, but other than that he kept a firm harness on them. But now, those unnamed emotions always seemed to conjure themselves when Yami was directly involved. And this time, Seto wasn't certain of how long he could keep them hidden away. His thoughts reeled back to a previous train of thought the day before yesterday. What was Yami to him? How did he fit into his life? There were scars and marks Seto always carried with him that he showed to no one. There was a particular one along his neck that reached his shoulder. The reason he buttoned up his turtleneck last night when Yami emerged was so he wouldn't catch any glimpse of them. Ironically enough, he was willing to risk them being seen by Yūgi, but when Yami emerged, he swiftly hid any hints of it. He did not want Yami to notice them. That is, not until Seto was ready to show them. And that time may be sooner than he would have thought possible. But dealing with what he was planning for the both of them to be able to freely touch, he wanted to start over, in a sense. In the candor of a new beginning, he had no scars. OoO The days passed happily for Yūgi and his friends. He was even happier when he saw that Yami was enjoying himself too. By the middle of the first week, Yami didn't utter a word to him about Kaiba; the majority of his attention remained on their friends and the times they spent together. And every night after Yūgi went to sleep, Yami would call Seto. The two of them never talked for very long, but in just the few minutes that they did, the bond between them strengthened tenfold. At the start of the second week, Yūgi and Anzu had a picnic and Yūgi ate so much of her food, that he had to take a nap to digest it all. Yami took that rare opportunity to call Seto and the CEO answered on the second ring. "Great timing, " Seto announced quickly. His urgent response, had Yami blink a bit as he let the unfamiliar behavior settle in his head. "I.. er.. Hello to you too, Seto." "Yeah. Hi. Whatever. I needed to ask you something." Yami couldn't help but smirk at that all too acquainted remark,"Yes, what would that be?" "Your favorite color. Go." "...What?" "What is your favorite color?" "Uh... Black. But I also prefer gold and violet, as well as a little red. Why?" "You can't just pick one? Whatever. I can use that. Call me back in one hour." "A-all right... Seto, are you well?" "I'm fine. Why. Do I sound crazy to you?" "You always sound crazy to me, but now you sound more like a mad scientist on the verge of his greatest creation. I can count on my fingers the other times I've heard you sound so excited. Excited while not sounding monotone, at that." "Oh, you mean like this..." Seto droned blandly. "Yes. Exactly like that." "Well, you're right about one thing. And now that I have the information I needed, call me back in one hour. Don't forget." "But, Seto, Yūgi is..." "Then put sleeping pills in his juice box, I don't care. I need you... to contact me no sooner and no later than that." Yami held his breath as his lips trembled slightly. 'I need you'. Those words resonated throughout his spiky head and slithered down into his heart. Without thinking, he placed a hand over it as if he could tangibly clutch those syllables in his palm. Hearing those words made Yami want to do anything that would bring him closer to Seto; to touch him; to be with him. In short, Seto won. With a nod and a sigh, he obliged, "All right, Seto. I will return your call." "Good. Bye." Seto hung up quickly and returned all of his attention back to the invention before him. His creation was nearly completed. The heart of it was done and ready for extensive testing. He programmed the preferences Yami had just given him into a small device to be used later. After doing that, he tapped a few buttons along the core of his masterpiece to check its capabilities before placing it inside a more accessible mechanical shell. When its response was satisfactory, he decided it was time to analyze its visual qualities. So Seto named the first individual that came to mind for such a test. "8 x 10 image simulation. Subject: Ishizu." At his command, the compact electrical device lit up and projected a floating hologram image of the elegant archeologist no larger than a sheet of copy paper. She appeared in her casual cream-colored smock; her caramel hands folded in front of her. Her sleek dark hair flowered over her shoulders and spilled down her back. Her turquoise eyes scrutinized Seto with the typical "I know something you don't" look she always wore when she looked his way. "Good..." Seto uttered to himself, pleased with his work's progress thus far. It was no surprise what his project was. He was building a holographic device to later place inside of a pod-like container so that he and Yami could share their thoughts and touches through a sort of fictional reality. An oxymoron, but so far it was becoming quite feasible. Seto had programmed multiple personalities of those he and Yami had interacted with but so far, the only one that was fully tweaked to be tested was Ishizu's. Her personality was one of the more dynamic ones he knew of and if speaking with her crafted hologram was anything like talking to her in person, then all his hard work paid off. Seto wanted to see how accurate the responses would be. This was only one function of his plan. He main focus was to use the holograms in another more effective way. However, Seto would gauge her results against the persona he had programmed for Yami. If her testing went well, then Yami's should pass with flying colors. Continuing with his testing, Kaiba crossed his arms and nodded to the hologram, "Name." "My name is Ishizu Ishtar, Seto," the hologram replied; fluidly making gestures and movements that the real Ishizu would when addressing someone. Not bad. But Seto needed to make sure her program was near perfect to ensure that Yami's would be flawless. His eyes narrowed and he lowered himself to just above the desk; placing his fingertips atop it to hold his weight. He leaned in closer to inspect the miniature of the woman. Her gaze seamlessly locked onto, and followed his movements; her expression placid and nonchalant. Seto almost felt like he was being challenged. With a frown, he just stated the first thing off the top of his head. "I don't believe in destiny." "That is your prerogative, yet surprisingly, you seem to believe in magic." "Technology. You're a hologram." "Is a hologram not like that of magic?" she returned, a small triumphant smirk dashing her lips. "No, it's just technology. Plain and simple." "That is rather subjective, Seto." Hearing this made Seto's jaw clench and his frown deepened. Acknowledging this, the hologram of the exotic woman laughed lightly, then turned her back to him, "I shall take my leave now. Good luck with the Pharaoh..." she commented, then turned to add, "...So you do believe what I said about his past and yours together...?" She wouldn't have said it if it wasn't programmed and since Seto was the culprit behind that... "Terminate," Seto scowled, and at his command, the image of Ishizu fizzled away and nothingness took her place. Great. If her imagery came out that authentically, then Yami's had to be the same, if not better. Preparing for his greatest test, Seto took in a breath. His eyes shut as he released it. "8 x 10 image simulation. Subject: Yami..." No sooner had the name left his lips did the regal form of the Pharaoh emerge. His body was accurately modeled and could be distinctly differed from Yūgi's. The bolts of lightning in his hair were perfect in their location like some sort of decorative art. His eyes were a shock of violet and ruby intermingled between long, kohl-laced lashes. His mouth was in a thin line, causing his overall expression to appear distant. And somewhat dispirited. Seto's eyes opened to this immaculate spectacle and his mouth nearly dropped open in a gape. "Life-sized image simulation," Seto ordered hastily in one breath. With so much of a flicker, the hologram of Yami sextupled in size and stood right in front of Seto's desk. Fully drawn in with how his handiwork had turned out so far, Seto rose out of his chair and swerved around the desk to get a better look. "Yami..." he breathed. Immediately, he gave orders for a copy of himself to be replicated at full size and to stand next to Yami. From this point on, Seto moved his duplicate with his thoughts and desires. His clone grasped Yami by the shoulders and brought him into a raw kiss. After his doppelganger withdrew, Yami did the same. His closed eyes fluttered open and his glossed eyes settled on the hologram. But he said nothing. All he did was stare. And observe. A little disappointed, Seto tried another approach and made his hologram cup Yami's chin in its palm. Yami's expression remained the same deadpan, expressionless void it began as; the only difference were the movement of his eyes. Those bright hues traveled up into the depths of the hologram's, then gradually, they trailed over to meet with Seto's. Kaiba's breath hitched in his throat from the lifeless expression on the hologram's face as it examined him. It didn't smile. It didn't crack a cocky smirk. It just stared at Seto as if it could do nothing else. There were hints of a few times Seto saw glints of an emotion or expression trying to be formed, but nothing new resulted from it. Seto swore under his breath while he deduced the reason for the lack of expression in the replicated Yami. He had no idea how Yami would react in this type of situation, looking at him. He didn't know if Yami would truly smile, or if he would laugh; he didn't know what type of emotion would be shown. Because he didn't know, it couldn't be considered a variable in his programming, so all that occurred was what lay before him now. A blank stare. With a groan, Seto ran his hands through his hair and about-faced. "Terminate." The image of himself dissipated instantly, but the one of Yami lingered a bit longer. It was as if he were attempting to challenge his own coding in order to get through to Seto. But because Seto's back was turned, he saw none of this. Faintly, the utterance of voice exposed itself in the shape of concern and apology, "Kaiba..." Alarmed, the CEO spun around, but the hologram had faded away. Distraught and wrought with other emotions he didn't know yet how to describe, Seto continued to stare into space at the location the pseudo Yami once was. Another swear left him as he plopped down in his swivel chair and furiously returned to work. Seto labored for hours upon hours, with determination as his sole influence. He was so focused on perfecting Yami's hologram properties that he didn't even realize that the genuine article called him back until the morning's sunlight peeled through the windows behind him. Not only had he missed Yami's call earlier, but he missed his usual nightly call as well. A slew of curses left him, and he threw pieces of insignificant metals and items off his desk in his frustration. He needed a break. OoO The remainder of the week crawled by. Yami was hesitant to call Seto back that night as part of his routine calls, but he did so anyway. He didn't get an apology, but he did receive good news that Kaiba's plan had finally been finished. That night, he got a ride to, not the mansion, but a medium-sized 3 story house that lingered on the outskirts of Domino. The darkness of the night shielded and shrouded the house from any kind of decent observation so Yami couldn't tell exactly what kind of place it was, nor really where his exact location was. He only knew he had never seen it before. On the way there, Seto had given Yami direct instructions to enter the house without caution and to ride the elevator to the top floor. Yami had his suspicions, namely about how an elevator could fit into such a modest-sized house, but the thought of being so close and being so near to Seto excited, and worried, him to no end. Once he reached the room, the door opened before him and the form of a wary Seto Kaiba darkened the doorway. The two of them stood motionless, gawking at the other. Both their bodies ached with the need to be touched and to be swept into the other's embrace. Then, in the pounding of a melting instant, the two of them collided. Frantic arms draped over their frames and pulled the other close. Their foreheads bumped together and their mouths opened. No kisses were stolen, as difficult as that was not to do, but their lips brushed and their pants intermingled. "It's been too long, Seto..." Yami mewled; his desperation to be touched and kissed making him sound sultry beyond anything Seto had ever heard. "...Too long..." Seto agreed in echo. His hands roamed Yami's body upon raw instinct; eager to take what he deemed as his. And Yami was currently willing to allow him to do so. But at the last second, their senses were regained and they forced themselves to withdraw from the tempt of the other. But even with that, they still remained connected by both their hands, entwined. "This way," Seto led, breaking the bond one of his hands shared with one of Yami's in order to guide him in the direction of a long hallway. Before long, they reached a room with a single door. There was a keypad there, similar to the one next to Seto's bedroom back at the mansion. Yami eyed the contraption in speculation, then glanced to Kaiba. "Seto? Where are you taking me?" "Wherever I please," he replied a little too hungrily; the double entendre certainly did not go unnoticed. But neither of them thought it necessary to draw that into a conversation, for very good, and soon to be useless, reason. Without a word, raised his fingers to the keypad. "Remember this code, whenever you want to enter this room," Seto stated; his tone jittery. The eagerness in his voice made him sound nervous, but he was far from it. He punched in the code at a simple pace easy enough for someone like Yami to learn it quickly. "かいやみ" The kana instantly corrected itself into the kanji of: "海闇 (Dark Sea)" Yami gave Seto a look that read "that was easy enough to remember", to which Seto answered with a snort, then opened the door. Seto wasted no time getting the two of them settled into the pods. What they looked like didn't matter, the room was so dark to Yami, that he was amazed that Seto could maneuver so well in it. But he did take note of the large horizontal device being very close to the other. Soon, the two of them were situated and within seconds, they were propelled into a world of their own creation. OoO I'm so evil... Jolly, I know I mentioned that I might break this chapter in twos, but I decided against it. So you know what that means for the next chapter...! Also, to clarify any confusion, one function of the VR pods is so Seto can imagine Yami whenever he isn't around, which is why he needed the personality data. The second function is to be used when both subjects are connected to the pods so they can "think up" what they want their holographic selves to act out...like how the pods were used in the Noa story arc. The characters could do things they normally could do, thinking their bodies were really in another place but it was all VR. And now the ooc sum up ooc! Mokuba: My girlfriend is Rebecca? The computer whiz? DO I even KNOW anything about computers? Yūgi: *babbles happily about Anzu and his friends* Yami: Talking on the phone with you is fun. Seto: Nice... Yami: I rather enjoy this! Seto: Whoopee... Yami: Why am I so emotional around you? Seto: Who cares. My plan is ready now. Yami: Yay! No more pretend kisses! We! Are! V! R! Seto: I hated that show... ooc! -Mel