Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Beyond His Body ❯ You Will ( Chapter 5 )

A/N: There is much talking and angst in this chapter... Guhhh

Beyond His Body

Chapter 5

OoO

The eve of morning sprinkled its evanescent pastel hues over the horizon beyond its ascent. A muted warmth of its glow outlined the reflective windows of Seto's seclusive house. A wispy touch of the transient light that did managed to filter through tugged at the edges of the bedsheets and drew its fingers over the couple resting atop them. The rivaling duo still laid side by side on the bed; Seto remained on his back while Yami had shifted slightly. His subdued features were turned in Seto's direction, while one arm rested above his head on the pillows. It could be argued if he actually slept, or was asleep or not. Despite him not needing it, Yūgi's body did. Seto, however, was not one to gain much of any sleep in any sense of the word. The stoic CEO stared blankly at the ceiling. The strained luminescence of the sunrise through the windows dappled in his azure gaze, and revealed a concealed intensity they secretly held. His mind was full of thoughts of his rival that lingered without cease like vengeful and jeering apparitions. The fact that the source of his unsettled thoughts was laying next to him only thickened matters and offered him no solutions.

It wasn't a surprise that Seto didn't get much of any sleep and was even less of a shock that his mind teemed with thoughts of the proud male next to him. He hardly ever slept anyway; his mind was always busy in constant calculating motions. The equation that linked to the source of his troubled collection of discernments equaled to Yami, with recent events as the inner values. The ordeal that occurred the night before still wavered in his mind, but that didn't contribute to the core of his uneasiness. And as a result, his mind had become littered with overlapping unanswered questions and possibilities that he could not solve. And Seto blamed Yami for them.

The two of them met under odd circumstances yet were able to grow and learn from the other throughout their experiences together. Even Seto was surprised from how quickly he found himself wanting to learn more; to become more; to be an irreplaceable core of Yami's life with a yearning that was unanimously labeled as obsession. But to him, that was only part of it. There was more, so much more he kept locked away that he felt towards Yami; physical and sensual attraction aside. Those artifacts only developed later on after his respect for the other male fully flourished to Seto's own liking and acceptance. No one else gave him the thrills that Yami did; no one else made him feel so accomplished while at the same time feel so defeated. And that excited him. He hated to lose, especially when he believed he was the better, but he also accepted being bested at the hands of Yami. And no one else.

With Yami, Seto felt as if he stood at the bellows of his peak more often than any other contradicting figurative revelation. And strangely, he approved that whole heartedly. Only Yami could make him feel this way; pushed to his limits in greatness while proving that power and determination are not everything; to make him question the opinions he saw as facts; and to make him have such disquieted thoughts run rampant through his mind while seeming cool on the outside. In Seto's eyes, Yami was legendary and most importantly, his. Truthfully, the sex wasn't all he wanted. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't even his top main focus, although it had become an important one. Simply put, Seto had realized that fateful night on the balcony that he wanted all of Yami; everything he had to offer and not just sex. Something that Yami had and wore brilliantly in his persona Seto wanted; needed. The best way to obtain what wasn't his was to claim the one who had it. This was his own weird way of showing his admiration, since he wouldn't speak on it. In even simpler understanding, Seto was inspired to not only better himself because of Yami, but to rise to the heights with Yami. However, Seto was not a simplistic man. Complexity was his namesake—and a worthwhile puzzle did him good.

And on the topic of puzzles, when would Yami's own conflicting enigma be put to rest? Seto didn't know all the details. But he was aware of Yami and his geeky friends were on the verge of finding out the traits to Yami's past or something or other that sounded like magical mumbo jumbo to him. But now that he actually began to really think about it, he forced himself to cognitively string together the details he had acquired thus far. It had been said that Yami was the reincarnation of some ancient pharaoh and he himself was the same of some priest.

Seto had just started considering that last thought seriously, and already he was rapidly losing interest and getting bored. But since this mystical crap seemed important to Yami, he may as well entertain the idea—or something. His handsome features shifted to a malcontent expression as he resumed his reminiscing. He remembered Yami was focused on obtaining his true name as well as his memories at some point and needed the God cards to do it. Seto wondered briefly if he could used the same cards to achieve similar results with himself. But last he checked, he didn't have a 3,000 year old spirit of his former self inhabiting his body, nor did he care for his past self. Pause. Wait a minute. Perhaps he was indulging in the possible truth of these insane musings a little too realistically. He considered Yami to be real, but everything else was just some fairy tale mind trick. Yeah, that was it. Much better.

Yet, there was one thing that Seto couldn't just shrug off. Since Yami did not belong in this time, Seto surmised that he would find a way to return to his own, or whatever, in some shape or form. And if that were the case, the time spent between them would be greatly limited. He snorted at the cliché. Life was unpredictable enough as it was, so the urgency of 'time-running-out' dulled just a tad. But Seto wanted more. He always wanted more when Yami was the in focus. And if he wanted to allow Yami fully into his life, he had to be willing to eliminate as many obstacles as he could stand to. His invention was one of them, however, those pods were all they had for now; temporary solution to a much larger problem or not. But even those, like Yami, could not last forever.

In the thought of his partner, Seto's eyes slid over to the form of Yami, watching him from the corners of them. The toasted gold of Yami's bangs caught Seto's attention first; the thickness of them lightly scattered about the pillows as well as across his chiseled face. His eyes were gingerly closed as if any slight movement would rouse him to open them at any given moment. His lips were barely parted in an unspoken whisper, giving the illusion of just being kissed. It didn't occur to Seto that he had turned his head towards Yami in order to take in his brilliant visage until he felt Yami's breath fluttering over his lips. His sharp eyes narrowed in contemplation; an unreadable emotion glinting within their azure degrees. Yami was his and he was not giving him up even if Yami himself did. Mentally, Seto pictured reaching out to take hold of Yami's hand again and give it a firm squeeze. He would have put the motions into existence, but he didn't want to wake Yami. And in addition to that, he wanted to make sure the sight of his dozing face was imprinted in his memory- for better or for worse.

This was a new experience for him. Seto had never shared a bed with anyone other than Mokuba and those times were short lived. Whenever his little brother had constant nightmares or wanted the protective company from the scariness of the booming thunder, he would stand at the edge of Seto's bed and meekly ask if he could climb in bed with him. Soon after, Seto bought Mokuba a night-light and the encounters were less frequent. As Mokuba grew older, the terrors from his youth no longer frightened him, but there were still a few times he wanted to be close to his idolized big brother. Seto had never minded this. He was the only family Mokuba had after all.

But Yami was not Mokuba. Him being so close was tempting enough on its own, not to mention laying on his back in Seto's bed. The sight of the former ruler laying next to him in rest as something both rare and breathtaking all at once. Never before in his life did Seto think another male could look so enticing, fierce and unobtainable all at the same time. Even in "sleep", Yami appeared to be challenging him, daring him to compete with him.

"... ..." Seto had no words to speak, but his spiral of contemplations were quite the contrary. A complex expression was all he could manage to give. Multitudes of possibilities streamed through his head, all containing ideas of what he could do to Yami at this moment. He wanted to claim his lips, he wanted to undress him right here, he wanted to draw carnal sounds from him that no one else would ever be able to do. He wanted Yami; he wanted to unravel him entirely; he wanted to make Yami his so he could discover a new meaning for himself. He wanted to witness his defeat through another's eyes and accept his loss as a significant one at the hands of one he greatly respected and admired. Instead of acting on those urges, Seto sat up on the bed. He gave the embodiment of his lust one more lingering look of speculation before he got out of the bed and left the room.

After taking a quick shower, Seto dressed into something casual, a simple designer cotton undershirt, an aquamarine dress shirt and white slacks. then made a beeline for the kitchen. There he prepared 2 mugs of imported Hacienda La Esmeralda coffee. He wasn't too fond of the citrusy smell, but he wasn't in the mood for a more bitter, blacker coffee either. He usually drank those when he was working. Today, his mood was a lighter burden than usual. Just a bit because he wasn't alone. He managed to put his unanswered thoughts aside and focus more on the positive of Yami being in his presence alone and away from everyone else.

oOo

A bright fruity aroma seeped into Yami's nose and woke him instantly. He pushed himself up from the comfortable sheets, looking around for Seto. But the attractive male was not in the room. Yami's ruby-violet gems shifted to the empty spot on the bed next to him and his lips thinned to a straight line. Although he and Seto only rested side by side in the same bed, having such a large mattress to yourself in the morning was unsettling. "Seto?" he called; his curious eyes scanning the room again with the same results. Although it was absurd, he half expected Seto to pop out of a drawer or from under the rug with one of those ' FUAHAHAHA' guffaws of his from how adamantly Yami's eyes searched for him. Naturally, no such cartoon antics or shenanigans happened. A faint smile touched the corners of his mouth from the thought, then vanished as quickly as it arrived. He truly did want to know of Seto's whereabouts. Occupying Seto's bed without him in it left Yami with a sense of emptiness. And that discomfort made Yami feel guilty for having such feelings. While they didn't engage in any sexual activity, something else was shared between them; something on a much deeper level than just being utterly physical. Or so he thought. Silently, he glanced down to his hands; the same hands that were given a squeeze by Seto the night before. It was sudden and certainly unexpected, but welcomed. He knew that Seto wasn't as harsh as he allowed others to think he was. And now that he had shed more of himself to Yami, it would be that much more difficult to say goodbye to him. Yami paused in his thoughts before shaking them away. He wasn't ready to gain all of his memories yet if it meant leaving Seto behind. Not yet. But, in the same token, he could just be looking too much into this, and absolutely nothing could happen to him after he regained his memories. But he couldn't help but feel that was only wishful thinking. Besides without him around, who knew what Seto would do...or who for that matter.

Yami's alluring eyes became shielded partially behind his lids as they narrowed. Already he was feeling jealous of anyone else Seto may have had an interest in when there was no reason to worry. Supposedly. And speaking of which, just what exactly was Seto doing in that pod without him yesterday? Yami knew less than what he had let on the other day. He was certain that Seto was thinking of him, or rather, imaging the two of them in a surreal virtual setting, but exactly to what extent was it? Yami wasn't too sure, and he felt he should know. He didn't like the idea of Seto gaining any kind of satisfaction from a replicated hologram of him when he wasn't the one to manipulate it, and he certainly did not approve of sexual pleasure from the same.

Yami's need to know had gotten the better of him. Determined, the lithe male slid off the bed and exited the room. He wanted to locate Seto first to determine his whereabouts so Yami could slip into the pod room undetected. Judging by the fresh aroma in the air, Seto was in the kitchen making something. Yami let his nose lead him through the delectable scent in the air to the source of it. Discreetly, Yami peeked around a corner that was just shy of the entrance to the small kitchen. He wasn't surprised to see Seto there standing in front of what looked like to be a coffee pot. Yami's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of Seto's back. A different shirt clung to his broad frame with a silent beckon that demanded to be touched. And then removed. With a half-frown, Yami snorted at the thought, then retreated from the wall down a corridor in the adjacent direction.

Thinking he heard something, Seto whipped his head around behind him, expecting to see a nosy Yami. But instead, his eyes met with nothing but the delicate design etched along the kitchen wall. Silently, he allowed a blink to pass while a multitude of speculations shuffled through his mind. Then a quaint expression marked his lips. He knew Yami was awake and it seemed to him like someone wanted to play games. Seto wasn't in the mood, but then decided to why not humor himself just this once this morning. But instead of going after his mischievous culprit right then and there, Seto remained next to the coffee maker and carried on the facade as if nothing had even happened.

Once Yami was inside the pod room, it took him a little while to figure out how to access the computed data log of every thought Seto had while within the machine. But within minutes, success was bestowed upon him. Once he found out that Seto had been "interacting" with thrice more copies of him than he should have, nearly all the color drained from Yami's face and he stared absently into space. Three of him? Really? What on earth possessed Seto to do that?

"Now you know what I do when you aren't here"

The confession Seto gave yesterday broke over Yami's features with utter shock and irritation. A forced smile crept along his mouth in a crooked curve and he scoffed. So that was what Seto meant! "How could he-! Such foolish-! Nonsense-!" Yami sputtered in disbelief, not sure whether to be amused or disgusted. And despite himself, he started to laugh. It was an uneven bit of strained laughter that teetered the line of unfathomable and sadistic, but a sound of humor nonetheless. He would need to get even with Seto for this. Shaking his head and muttering dubious amusement to himself, Yami closed the log. He then slipped out of the room and stealthily crept down the hall. As soon as he entered the bedroom, his entire body tensed when his eyes met with Seto's.

The dashing businessman sat on the edge of the bed with his legs crossed. The mug of a hot beverage was held in one hand while the other rested in his lap. His frosty blue eyes stared acutely into Yami's; attempting to decipher any hidden secrets that may have been withheld in those warm depths. Yami returned the gaze with a quizzical glare that could melt the ice in Seto's eyes. In a tone of pure contrasting humor that was a terrible attempt at shielding being caught red-handed, Yami crossed his arms over his chest, "What?"

"You're up."

"Yes. That I am," he replied, curling his hands into loose fists. He wasn't too thrilled to look at Seto right now even though he was still darkly amused at his little excursion he engaged in the other day. With artificial politeness, he asked, "Were you waiting long?"

A beat passed before Seto answered. "Define long," he inquired, taking a casual drink of his coffee as if today was just any other day. Yami's expression hardened a bit from this, but its presence only lasted for mere seconds. And if Seto noticed it, he wasn't making a verbal comment about it.

"Longer than five minutes, Seto," Yami surmised; the inflection in the name sounding a bit more stern than he wanted to let on. Seto picked up on this of course, but decided to play along for the heck of it. "I didn't see you in the room, so I thought you may have left," he fibbed, "So, where were you?"

Yami swallowed and the most obvious evidence of a lie tumbled out of his mouth, "The bathroom."

"Oh..." Seto mouthed, raising his brows a tad. A challenging smirk smoothed over his lips, then he nodded towards Yami's hands at his sides, "Your hands are dry. Did you wash them?"

"What are you, my mother? Of course I did!"

"Hmm. Sounding pretty defensive for someone who just used the bathroom, aren't you? What were you doing in there to make you seem so suspicious?"

"Wouldn't you like to know!" Yami shot back, "What do you expect me to say? Is this supposed to be the part where I tell you I spent the short time I was there exalting your name in fornication?"

"Can't you just say masturbate?"

"I wasn't!"

"I didn't say you were, you did."

"Seto-!"

"What"

"This is utterly meaningless!"

"Is it? You're the one still going on about it, so it must be important to you..."

"And it's pointless!"

"So is 'going to the bathroom' for only 3 minutes."

"I wasn't gone from this room that long."

"Thanks for finally telling on yourself. Good job."

"I did nothing of the sort. I'm only telling you what you want to hear, apparently."

"And what exactly do I want to hear? I'm listening..."

"I don't know! Verification, perhaps? Sounds of some sort of stimulation? No, my mistake. Maybe you want them multiplied by 3 instead?"

Seto's eyes narrowed into slits and Yami smirked in a way that made him seem oblivious as well as smug. To change the subject, for now, Yami dared a glance to his left where a second mug rested atop the nightstand near the bed. Assuming it was for him, he walked into the room and joined Seto on the edge of the bed and ignored the seething looks he was being given, hiding his discomfort well. He pointed to the cup, tilting his head to the side which caused his bangs to sweep over one eye, "Is that for me?"

"What do you think," Seto muttered, taking a swig of his own drink and not bothering to keep his eyes on Yami for very long. He was much more distracting than Seto let on. "I'm pretty sure I made two cups of coffee this morning. If one is for me the other has to be for...someone. Or maybe they're both for me."

"Hmph," Yami half-frowned at the sarcasm and cupped the porcelain item in both hands. One hand held the curved handle while the other laced the rim with feathery fingertips. Seto eyed Yami from the corner of his eye, something he was beginning to become fond of, and observed this intricate way of handling such a drink.

New to the appearance of this coffee, Yami brought the mug to his nose and sniffed gently at its fruity scent. He blinked thoughtfully as if doing so would better enhance his senses to understand the beverage. It didn't smell like any coffee he had experienced before and was more tea-like than anything else."What is this, Darjeeling?" he questioned, mainly to himself, and not bothering to look in Kaiba's direction. Yami gave the quaint drink another sniff, then touched his lips to the top of the mug. There, he blew faintly on the liquid and twitched his nose from the change in aroma that tickled his senses. Seto's eyes contracted at this. Yami was behaving so, dare he think it, cute, that he just wanted him to drink the coffee already. Finally, Yami did just that, taking gentle, cautious, slow sips to allow himself to become accustomed to the acquired taste. "Ziada...This is coffee?" he wondered; the fact that he had just spoken in his native tongue completely unnoticed by him. Seto turned to him with an unreadable expression, not knowing what foreign word was just said, "What"

"This. It almost tastes like tea," Yami continued, glancing to Seto, then back towards the coffee.

"It's coffee."

"It's...not like anything I've ever tasted."

"When was the last time you had coffee..."

"Does that really matter?"

"It could help," Seto drawled without much passion. Of course, Yami could easily tell his words were drenched with sarcasm. He chuckled lightly; a gentle, sonorous laugh, "And knowing you, it must have cost a fortune."

"Wrong."

"Oh?"

"It only cost $130 a pound."

The look on Yami's face swiftly prompted Seto's next statement, "And don't you dare spit it out! $130 is not bad for this type of imported quality. So enjoy it!"

"!" Yami clasped a hand over his mouth to keep the expensive beverage in. He should have known. While he knew Seto didn't just throw his money around foolishly, he certainly allowed himself top dollar quality whenever he wanted it for the things he deemed necessary. Yami supposed he would need to get used to that if he continued to frequent Seto at night. Their 'relationship' was almost developing to be more like a couple, these days. Yami started to wonder when they'd go out to pick out curtains. But before they did anything like that, there was something Yami had to get off his chest. ...After he finished his coffee.

Once they had both drained their mugs, Yami took it upon himself to move both of the porcelain items to the nightstand. Then he faced Seto directly; a serious look rippling in his eyes, but a smirk on his lips. Narrowed azure analyzed this familiar expression unpleasantly. Annoyed, Seto sighed and crossed his arms, "Go ahead. Let's hear it."

"Hear what? Do you have something to explain to me, Seto?" Yami jeered in a dark tone that could have been mistaken for playful as well as fiercely serious. Seto didn't care for this little game at all; his annoyance was building rapidly. "Just get to the point," he glowered, to which didn't faze Yami in the least.

"You would like to get to the point, wouldn't you? Or better yet, all three of them."

Seto's eyes narrowed crisply and he nodded slowly as if controlling his anger at Yami for snooping around. Yami always had to find out things, didn't he? "You saw the log files, huh?"

"And if I hadn't, you just told me where to look. Bottom line, I don't like it. I would advise you to not do it again as long as you want to see me."

"First of all, I take order from no one, especially from a guy who believes he was some ancient fossil on a power trip. Secondly, I already told you yesterday what I did was for testing! Nothing else!"

"But 3 of me, Seto? Why would you need to imagine something like that in my likeness?"

"Would you prefer I thought of someone else instead?"

"That is not what I'm saying and you know it!"

"You're speaking nonsense. You have the tendency to do that whenever you open your mouth, you know."

"And I'm being very serious."

"I couldn't tell..."

"Seto!"

"Fine you caught me," he shrugged.

"As long as I am around, I want your attention on me alone. Whenever I'm not here or in your presence, I forbid you from engaging in sexual acts with an image of me. Especially multiple ones."

"Then I better hide the hand lotion..." Seto rolled his eyes.

"Can't you be serious?" Yami seethed.

"Can't you take a joke?"

"Sorry. You'll need a sense of humor for that first, Seto!"

"Look who's talking."

Yami sighed, although he couldn't hide the flicker of a smile from that comment, "Look, Seto, what I am saying is, when I'm available to you Seto, it would be best for us to imagine how we should interact with the other together. In unison. Nothing more and certainly nothing less."

"Hmph"

"I don't care if you need more personal data for your invention," Yami pressed, taking this opportunity to place his hands atop Seto's in a way that mimicked his actions the other night, "What you have now is more than fine. You've given me something that no one else could—something that no one else would have been able to in the grandeur that you have. That was all your doing. So don't throw it away without me around. All right?"

"... Are you finished?"

"Not quite, but I'm getting to it. Even when I'm not here nor in your presence, I want your focus to still be on me, when you'll see me again and not on false replicas."

"Sorry, but having sex twice doesn't give you the right to bark demands. Like I said, I don't take orders."

"And that is where you are wrong. I know how you work, Seto."

"Right," Seto sighed, moving his hands from Yami's grasp and crossing his arms. He shifted his eyes elsewhere, although his full attention was on Yami. And Yami certainly continued on.

"And I know that you pretend not to care, like you're doing right now, but I know you do. Otherwise, you would have probably thrown me out by now."

"Maybe I still will," Seto smirked audaciously, returning his sharp frigid hues to his mouthy rival.

"Here I am," Yami smiled while quirking an inviting brow; his words and entirety radiating challenge as well as allure. Seto eyed the other male studiously. To anyone else, Seto would have appeared utterly devoid and separated completely from the look he gave. But Yami knew better; Yami always seemed to be able to read him clearly. It was a skill he used frequently without much effort, it seemed. It almost baffled Seto why Yami wanted them to know more about the other. They already knew more than they should. Yami was always the one to elaborate on points others would leave alone or avoid. It was very annoying, but Seto wouldn't have his nagging, preachy rival any other way... save for being bound by chains and leather and writhing on his bed. "Hmm? What are you thinking, Seto?"Yami wondered, catching onto the odd train of thought and gave Seto a rather intriguing look, "You're not thinking what I think you are, are you?"

And Seto wished he wasn't looking so intently at Yami at that moment. The light from the window hit his eyes just right that made his visage go from astonishing to absolute must have. In that same instant, he imagined Yami not being there; not on his bed, not in his life, not anywhere with him. He couldn't help but feel the slither of uneasiness creep up his spine as the thoughts of losing Yami sooner than he was ready for seeped into his mind. He wasn't having it. Not now. Yami was his, and no mystical destiny or fickle fate was going to take what belonged to him away.

"Seto..." Yami was keen to the change in his other's eyes and knew exactly what was going to occur between the two of them. Almost immediately, he leaned back while Seto ventured forward. Knowing Seto was after his lips, Yami lifted a hand to his mouth like he did the day before. But that didn't work this time. Seto moved his hand down and away from those lips he desired. In that moment, he didn't care if the body was someone else's. He wanted Yami and that was exactly who, and all, he saw.

"! Seto-!" Yami cautioned, but his airy warning was muffled to silence when Seto pressed his mouth to his. Immediately, Yami's arms rose and he pressed his hands against Seto's chest. But that was all he did and any other efforts that went into pushing Seto away ended right there. He practically gave no struggle against Seto's advances and his hands remained about his chest, marveling over the smooth fabric of Seto's shirts. The inviting warmth of Seto's mouth was much too wonderful for him to repel and he inwardly called for and desired more. Before he knew it, he had given up trying to fight with his morals; his hands lightly curling against Seto's chest in vain and emptiness. Yami silently surrendered himself, becoming both a liar and insatiable unanimously. Seto had been respecting Yami's wishes since he described his dilemma with sharing Yūgi's body, but now he felt compelled to just claim the mouth that was his. It was a bit reckless, but he needed this closeness more than he let on. He needed 'him' and his kisses proved that.

"Mm-" Yami breathed. His eyes were closed gently and his mouth remained slightly open to readily receive more of what Seto had to offer. Their kisses were quiet, a little hesitant, but the powerful emotion behind them was clearly evident. What label that emotion had was up for interpretation, but it was strongly mutual. Seto paused for a moment. He pulled back just enough to obtain a full view of Yami's face. Quite similar to the first night they shared a kiss, Yami held the almost exact same expression. His feathery lashes weightlessly hovered above his cheeks with an intricateness that rivaled the wings of a small bird that could flutter at any moment. His brows were relaxed from being immersed in impassioned candor. His mouth widened and contracted faintly with each breath he drew. The difference was slight, but Seto could identify it easily with lucid eyes. Unlike the surprise and curious need for that type of physical contact of the first night, now that need had grown into something more. There was an understanding, as well as remorse written across his features. That sadness could have been contributed from many things, but Seto condensed them down to being at Yūgi's mercy and the consequences that awaited.

But above all else, in this moment, Yami wanted more. He lifted his lavish lids slowly; an elegant desire dancing in those swirls of amaranth. And within those regal features was a beckon and challenge to Seto that only he could decode. And accept. They had already crossed the line. There was no point in hiding it now. Without a word, they welcomed and embraced another kiss that thrived with lashing tongues and soft breathy moans.

Yami's fingers tugged at the thin fabric of Seto's shirts at his and tilted his head to deepen the kiss. By instinct, Seto coiled his tongue with Yami's and pressed his mouth against his in a way that made Yami lean back. The unique flavor of the coffee still lingered and Seto earnestly suckled on Yami's tongue, finding the rich taste much more enjoyable with the flavor of Yami added to it. A delicate moan slipped from the former ruler and he allowed Seto full control over him in that one little second. Before long, he was on top of Yami with the exotic male on his back in the sheets. Their mouths and tongues continued to battle, while their hands gave an occasional squeeze or roam wherever they pleased.

They were making a mistake, the both of them knew that. They both knew their time together would be temporary, but Yami knew more than Seto of when he wanted his time to be up. He was prolonging it. Although he wasn't sure exactly what would happen to him after he got his memories back, he was almost certain the only thing left for him to do from then was to goto his afterlife. He supposed that was his destiny. But he knew Seto didn't believe in that sort of thing. He was adamant about shaping his own path. And now that Yami had a wonderful sample of what being wanted in such sensual ways with someone he was most fond of, he did not want to let that go. He almost felt as if he never should have gotten involved with Seto so intimately in the first place but he knew his thoughts would have haunted him to no end if he hadn't. No matter what he volition he made, Yami would always clutch tightly to guilt. The more he spent time with Seto, the heavier and tighter the knot that guilt instilled would get. He was being selfish. He was lying to himself. He was lying to Yūgi as well as Seto. But he didn't want to let go.

And because he didn't, Seto had to for him. With a wet sound, their mouths parted and Seto stared at Yami with a complicated expression. Before the other even opened his eyes, his fingers straightened against Seto's chest and he pressed his palms against him. This motion seemed to be more like a reflex than anything meaningful, but Seto allowed it nonetheless. He had expected Yami to stop him a lot sooner, however.

"Stop..." Yami panted, "...Seto... Don't..."

"Now you say it..." he murmured, hardly moving his lips. Then his tone hardened with a truthful understanding, "You know I wouldn't have..." he trailed off, his words carrying the meaning of he wasn't going to have sex with him here although he wanted to. He put too much time, effort and money into making those pods, he wasn't going to nullify their use already. Yami understood this and didn't think otherwise for a second, "I know, but we still..."

"..."

"Why does it have to be this way between us?" Yami griped, his hands tightening into fists at Seto's shirt. Irritated that his significant other always got emotional like this, Seto cupped his chin firmly, "Look at me."

"..." Yami tried to writhe out of the hold, but he reluctantly did as instructed. Gingerly, his dejected lids lifted and the beautiful anguish that shimmered in his jeweled eyes held more pain than he could speak. A sparkle of liquid gave Yami's eyes a thin film of gloss as his frustration continued to churn. Whatever Seto was going to say was stolen right from him.

"What will we do..." Yami spoke; his words emulating that of a stern statement instead of a question, "What will I tell Yūgi?"

"Nothing, and you're not going to have a breakdown. We both contributed to this."

"But I..."

"You're just as guilty as I am so don't try to pretend you're the only victim, here."

"I...I wasn't!" Yami retaliated back with a sharp scowl,"You're placing the blame where it doesn't belong, Seto!"

With a groan, Seto pulled away from his bickering and delusional rival and stood to his feet, "Wake up, would you! And stop hiding things from yourself. How can you preach all that friendship crap when you're contradicting yourself by pointing fingers?"

Silence. Seto had him there.

"If you're afraid, then just say so. Then we could do something about it. I shouldn't have to tell you this, Yami...!"

"... You're right," the troubled ruler nodded, adverting his eyes away from Seto.

"Of course I am," Seto frowned, crossing his arms.

"Hmph. I don't know what's gotten into me..." Yami placed a hand to his forehead. He sat up and pushed himself off the bed. Seto watched him out the corner of his eye with a calculating gaze. Yami shook his head and whisked his bangs out of his face, which of course they fell right back into place. "Not me" is what Seto wanted to answer, but instead he snorted and turned to give Yami his full attention. Already feeling the touch of Seto's shadow on his body, Yami tensed and gave an awkward expression when Seto neared close. The nightstand was directly behind him, so he wasn't going anywhere.

"Don't try that again, Seto." Yami warned with a twinge of finality to his tone. Instead of a protest, Seto grabbed Yami by the arm and yanked him to his chest. The smaller male fell easily into the motion and swore in response from being so light. His brows knit together and he gazed up at Seto with a scolding glare. "And where are we going with this?"

"Do I always need to explain myself?"

"It may help, yes."

Seto's lips thinned faintly at this. Leave it to Yami to start something out of nothing. It was annoying, but not that bad. With a trademark Kaiba sound in the "Hnnnn"registry, Seto led Yami out of the room with the goal of the pods in mind. And while Yami didn't try to worm his way out of this, he still gave his two cents, "Seto, it's nearly the afternoon! I need to get back!"

"Can't you wait 5 minutes?"

"With you? You should give yourself more credit than that!"

"Then an hour or two is fine with you. Good to know."

"Seto! I did not say that!"

"I think someone's lying again..."

Those words hit a soft spot and this time, Yami did free himself from Seto's grasp, "What did you just say?"

"Not again...!" Seto seethed.

"Why did you call me a liar..."

"I said you were lying not a liar! There is a difference!"

"No, there isn't, Seto."

Seto sighed and ran an aggravated hand through his hair. Now he was beginning to get upset. He didn't know what he was going to do with this man and it was driving him up a wall. "Do you want to be with me or not?" Seto blurted out. The question caught Yami completely off guard and he recoiled as if he had gotten hit in the face. "What!"

"Answer me, do you want this to work between us or don't you?"

"You know that I do."

Seto breathed a sigh of relief. Yami gave him an answer. If he had hesitated, then he would have assumed the more negative alternative of the answer being no. But Yami answered right away. That made Seto relax a bit, but he still was not pleased with how things were turning out. "I'm not asking you to be perfect. Can't you lighten up?"

"Says the one who guards his emotions and speaks with almost none of them."

"Okay, mind telling me where all of this is coming from? One kiss could not have promoted all this!"

"... It didn't."

"So?"

"So what will we do?"

"... I don't believe this," Seto sneered with piercing eyes. The two of them just stared at the other, almost appearing in a face-off similar to the hero and villain of some spaghetti western. And the bad guy never won at the end of the movie. Just as one of them was about to draw his verbal weapon, the sudden melody of "If I Ruled the World" by Nas wavered into the hall. Seto's eyes narrowed as he turned his head in the direction of the song and Yami just stood there utterly dumbfounded. After a few seconds of just listening to the lyrics and beat, the two of them exchanged looks. Then Seto muttered something Yami figured was the equivalent of a "Hold on" before briskly entering the bedroom. The sound of a drawer being yanked open shot into the air before the song finally stopped. Seto's serious monotone took place of all else. "Kaiba here. … … What time... … I don't need this now. Reschedule it. … …. Making it earlier won't help! Fine. Tell them I'll be ready for them in an hour."

There was a loud snap, Yami surmised was the closing of a type of cell phone he hadn't yet seen. Given the lyrics of the ringtone, Yami supposed it was for work only. Or something to that effect. Moments later, Seto's scowling form darkened the doorway. He stared harshly at Yami as if he were trying to decide what to do with him. Finally, he found his words, "There's been a last second meeting that I have to attend, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Fine, Seto," Yami nodded and started to exit the hall. As he passed Seto, he completely expected to be grabbed by the arm and didn't retaliate against it when it happened. Although, what he didn't expect was to be pulled close, nor to feel Seto's taunting lips at his ear, "Come see me tonight," his whisper was like stinging ice. Yami shuddered and made a suggestive sound despite himself. He honestly didn't want to see Seto again in the same day with the way he felt right now. In actuality, he wanted to be left alone to think. Seto felt the hesitation and slowly withdrew. His stoic eyes glared daggers at Yami, to which the former ruler acknowledged with an emotionless expression. "I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

Yami sighed.

"I'll call you," Seto decided.

"No! I will call you. I can't risk Yūgi knowing about the phone calls."

"So he doesn't know? Interesting. And here I figured a blabbermouth like you would have told him everything by now. Color me impressed..."

Yami would have believed him if he didn't sound so flat and monotone. And he didn't get a chance to elaborate on that when the phone rang again. Swearing, Seto flew into the room to answer it. This time, it sounded like he ripped the drawer out of its dresser completely before silencing the rap song, "What is it now? … … ... ... The entire week... And then I'll never have to see them again?... ..."

Yami peered into the room. Watching Seto handle a business call was certainly interesting, if not a little amusing. He would have shown more of that amusement if he didn't feel so terrible with his actions earlier. And if Seto was going to be in a series of meetings for an entire week, then he probably wouldn't have much time for the two of them anyway. Then Yami frowned. He knew better. Seto would make time. But Yami needed to leave. He could feel Yūgi starting to stir. If he was going to try to leave, now seemed like a better time than any other. But his shoes were in there.

With a deep sigh, Yami muttered something to himself before he walked into the bedroom, purposely ignoring Seto's following eyes and shuffled into his shoes. He didn't even bother giving Seto anything more than a few glances and headed out of the room.

Once out in the hall, he started to run towards the front door. Needless to say, he couldn't get the door open without Seto being directly behind him. He was still on the phone, but his eyes were completely on Yami.

"I need to go," Yami mouthed. Seto was aware of this. He moved the phone away from his ear to lean down and claim Yami's mouth with his. Yami grunted, but he didn't put up much of a fight either, despite his sounds of irritation and protest. But what Yami didn't want to admit was if Seto kept this up, he was going to get used to it. Fast.

No matter how much Seto only saw Yami and no one else, these lips were still not his to call his own. Just when he was about to push Seto away, Seto let up; an odd but triumphant smirk on his face. "Still leaving?" he asked silently, then gave a verbal response to his phone call. Yami lifted the back of his hand to his mouth, mocking the motion of wiping Seto's kiss off, but not actually doing it. His eyes glistened with an emotion Seto found amusing. Clumsily, Yami gave his answer, "I'll uh... call you later..." he uttered. Satisfied, Seto stepped back to allow Yami to take his leave.

OoO

"3 pm?" Yūgi exclaimed when he saw the bright red numbers on his alarm clock. He sat up in his bed with a start and rubbed his eyes, "Pharaoh, why didn't you wake me up sooner?" he whined. When he didn't receive an answer, Yūgi looked around for his companion, but he was nowhere to be found. Maybe he just wanted some time to himself for some reason. With a sigh, he threw the sheets off his petite body and stood on the carpet. Without realizing, he licked his lips, then he froze. Tasting a flavor he never experienced before, Yūgi licked his lips again, then did a "breath check" into his palm. The fancy and sweet smell of some type of food or drink wafted into his nostrils. His childish features scrunched in confusion and deep thought as he tried to identify the smell and taste by comparing it to other things he had eaten that shared a similarity. The closest he could come up with was some kind of bowl of fruit with cream and a dash of freshly baked dough. The taste was too distant for him to label and he ultimately dismissed the entire ordeal. He padded into the bathroom and brushed his teeth, then took a shower. As he readied himself for the day ahead, Yami's form materialized atop Yūgi's bed. He laid on his back with his arms and legs spread. His eyes were shut and a scowl dappled his features. He couldn't help but feel like the worst being ever to lurk the planet right now.

He had no idea what he was going to tell Yūgi, if he were going to tell him at all. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do. He and Seto both severed the thin line of their limits; anyone could see where that was going to lead. And as much as Yami would have wanted to be in Seto's bed, being freed from his clothing and the worry of the world around him, he could not let that happen with Yūgi's body. He should have expected the two of them to kiss at another time.

Then Yami halted in that train of thought. He was running away again. If Seto could hear his inner turmoil, he probably would have hit him. And Yami would have deserved it. Now, he decided to be honest with himself within this moment. The kiss did cross a border, but that was not the full reason for the way he felt now. It never was. He had slipped in hints to Seto that he wanted to be taken advantage of; he wanted to be claimed; he wanted to feel Seto's mouth against his, regardless of him using Yūgi's body in order to do so. Seto simply hadn't chosen to move in for that reward until today. The real issue was Yūgi. Both Yami and Seto knew they couldn't keep up this charade for too much longer. A goal needed to be met; they needed real touches and while virtual ones allowed them the most freedom, there was only so much realism to it. While Yami appreciated Seto's efforts, it was not enough and the weight of that anguish was suffocating.

"Oh, so this is where you were, Pharaoh?" Yūgi's soft voice fluttered into the room. The draw of his voice caused Yami to sit up and face his partner directly. He crossed one leg over the other as he sat on the edge of the bed and placed his hands atop one knee. He was doing his best to appear casual so Yūgi wouldn't suspect anything out of place. "Yes, I apologize for worrying you of my whereabouts, Yūgi," he answered seamlessly; darting his eyes to the clock in the room before returning his gaze to Yūgi. In roughly 8 more hours, he would be free to contact Seto- if he declared it necessary. He still had a choice in what he would do.

But Yūgi noticed none of this. Relief was inscribed over Yūgi's face from finally locating his friend and he walked over to the bed while brushing his bushy locks. "Sorry if I bothered you! I just didn't see you and got a little worried."

Yami forced a weak smile and lifted his chin slightly to move a section of his bangs out of his face. It was a gesture that Seto was famous for doing in these past few years. It wasn't a surprise that even he had caught onto it. "There is no need for you to be sorry, Yūgi. Are you meeting with everyone today?"

"Mmhmm," Yūgi nodded. With a tired sigh, he plopped down on the bed next to Yami then leaned back on his hands. Thoughtfully, he kicked his legs back and forth while staring innocently at the ceiling. There was a wistful tint in those large violet orbs that Yami recognized as his little one gaining an idea about something. "What is it, Aibou?" he questioned genuinely.

"Just thinking..."

"About?"

"I'm not sure."

"I don't understand."

Instead of answering, Yūgi covered his mouth as a yawn filled his palm. Yami felt a tad guilty about this for utilizing Yūgi's body for periods longer than he had originally planned. Then his eyes contracted; a flicker of envy ghosting over their fiery surface. He felt very jealous of Yūgi right now, but those feelings were wrong of him to have. He placed them aside and gave Yūgi his full attention, "Tired?"

"Yeah... Not sure why! I must have stayed up later on the phone last night with Anzu and Joey than I thought," Yūgi responded dubiously. Then his features brightened and he gave his other half a pleasant smile, "Say, Pharaoh, Anzu and I are going to visit the museum today. You know, the one where you discovered your past as an ancient pharaoh."

Yami was not amused nor enlightened by this bit of information at all. One of his main reoccurring problems was the last thing he wanted to discuss and deal with right now. That discomfort showed on his regal features only for a moment, but it was enough to make Yūgi hold up his hands in caution. "I get it, I get it! You're not ready to gain your memories yet! It's fine, Pharaoh but, when exactly do you plan on going through with it?"

"Whenever I am ready, Yūgi."

"Yeah, I know, but I thought you were ready weeks ago. It wasn't until we started helping Mokuba with his homework that you wanted to postpone it."

"What are you implying, Yūgi?" Yami asked in a low, discreet tone. Yūgi was treading in a place he didn't like, and in addition to that, it seemed deliberate. But he didn't want to point fingers either. Seemingly, he gained something from his and Seto's bouts of arguments a few hours prior. "Pharaoh..." Yūgi began; evidence of authentic concern lacing his child-like features, "I'm just concerned you'll get trapped in something and then you'll never want to find yourself."

"I don't need to be found. I'm right here, I always have been."

"But you could be more"

"Why does and since when has it mattered?"

"I'm just reminding you in case you forgot your reason for being here."

"My reasons for being here are my burden and my concern. Even if you want to share that responsibility, it still falls back on me and still remains my difficulty."

"... You haven't talked about Kaiba lately. Have you cut him off after...you know..." he trailed off, wanting to avoid voicing the terror he experienced being dragged through the mansion and pinned to Kaiba's bed. Yami eyed Yūgi wordlessly, taking in the suggestiveness of the situation. Adverting his eyes, he stood. Apprehensive, he crossed his arms; his back to Yūgi, "Seto and I have...met with a few misunderstandings..."

"And?"

"And what? There is nothing for me to tell you." And that was true. Yūgi didn't specifically ask anything to be directly answered or shared. That was the loophole, there...

"... But you two are...were... you said you've... kissed before, right?"

"... … I did."

"And?"

"I do not wish to speak of it."

And just like that, the conversation ended. Yami's image dissipated from before Yūgi's eyes and the younger immediately went to grab the puzzle. "Pharaoh?" he called, but was given no answer. Thinking he took things a little too far, Yūgi softly apologized to his friend, then hung the puzzle around his neck.

OoO

Later that night after Yūgi was fast asleep, Yami took control of his body and headed downstairs into the living room. Once he reached the sofa, he gave the room a quick scan just to make perfectly certain that n one else would catch him with what he was about to do. The action was completely unnecessary, but in this moment, Yami's guilt outweighed the obvious and added to his imaginary suspicions. After concluding no one could possibly be around to watch him, he lifted one of the sofa cushions and retrieved the cell phone Seto had allowed him to use. Yami had started hiding it there in order to keep its existence away from Yūgi. So far, the little one had no idea of its presence.

The wide device fit perfectly into Yami's palm and he placed his other hand over it, cupping it hesitantly as he cradled his fluctuating thoughts. Should he even bother to call Seto? For all he knew his meeting would still be continuing; not with other bosses and organizations, but within Seto's mind and home office. The thought of Seto overworking himself as usual earned a faint smirk on Yami's lips. That man's diligence was too much for words, but at least he has shown that he can actually have fun. A fact Yami should know rather well.

While he played with the idea of what to do, as well as passing the phone back and forth between his hands, a sudden buzz from it caused him to toss the device into the air with a start and a sound of unexpected surprise. The phone bounced off the cushion and fell onto the floor. It continued to buzz as it shook and vibrated across the carpet. Then it was silenced. Seconds later, it began to vibrate in a semi circle. After 2 rounds of this, it finally stopped for good. Considering things safe again, Yami knelt down and checked the number. Of course, it was Seto, but he didn't call. Instead, he had left 2 text messages:

"I'm waiting." And "I know you have the phone so stop procrastinating and just call me."

Turning red, Yami sputtered a grousing response while snatching up the phone, but following Seto's instruction nonetheless. The call was answered on half of the first ring.

"It's about time."

"Did you miss me..." Yami growled through clenched teeth; his sarcasm at its best, "What were you thinking messaging me like that? Yūgi could have seen!"

"He's been asleep for at least 15 minutes, hasn't he? I'm not sure if you've noticed, but you tend to call me around the exact same time every night. Picking up a pattern wasn't hard."

"Can't you just say 'hello' or is it beneath you?"

"...What are you doing," Seto changed the subject.

"I should be avoiding you."

"Then why aren't you?"

"That's a good question. But don't feel flattered or anything," Yami pointed out, making sure to articulate the word 'flattered' in a velvety fluidity. Seto snorted in response, but the sound of his voice made it obvious he enjoyed Yami's verbal way with the tongue.

"I wasn't. I'm bored. I wanted to talk to you tonight."

"Well?"

"..."

"Seto?"

"I just wanted to hear your voice before I go back to finishing off these reports."

"... I see."

"Is that a problem?"

"No."

"But there is a problem..."

"Yes."

"Do you want to come over?" Seto detoured the "conversation" yet again with an offer Yami found out of the blue. But then again, this was Seto. His whims never ceased to astonish.

"Aren't you at the mansion?"

"Yeah, but Mokuba isn't here. I sent him off with his girlfriend. I don't expect him back for at least another month."

"Oh. That was thoughtful of you."

"So is that a yes or a no?"

"Won't I disturb your work?"

"You already are. A distraction is what I'm looking for," Seto replied coolly.

"But..." Yami trailed off. If he did show up there, they wouldn't be able to do much and he didn't want to risk being so close to Seto now. He knew they would kiss again. He wanted it of course, but he couldn't keep risking Yūgi's trust. A valiant thought even though that promised trust of his was already chipping.

"You're thinking about it, aren't you"

"I don't want what happened today to happen again between us, Seto."

"Is that the least of your worries?"

"No, and you know it."

"Look, to get things straight between us, I am not having sex with you in that runt's body so get that out of your mind."

"Then, what will you do with me there?"

"Who knows..."Seto trailed off in obvious deliberation of what could happen.

Yami shook his head, "You almost sounded wistful there."

"Hey, you were the one who wanted us to spend more time with each other right?"

"Yes. I do recall saying that."

"Then this would be your chance. So what's it going to be?"

"Seto... if I do this, I can't get here late in the afternoon again..."

"So you're coming?"

"I didn't say that..."

"Then what are you saying?"

"..."

"If you don't say anything within the next two seconds starting now, then I'll just-"

"W-what? W-wait! Seto!"

"Too late. I'm sending a ride for you. Be ready in 7 minutes. I'll see you when you get here."

"B-but! Seto! Hold on! That isn't fair!"

Click!

OoO

ARRRGGH! I wanted this chapter to be so so so so SO much longer... but it would have broken 40+ pages and not everyone would willingly read that. Out of the 7 scenes I had planned for this chapter, I only managed to get to number two! And this is 15 pages of story now _ The first part of the next installment to come wasn't even supposed to happen. I didn't think of it until the last second, but I enjoyed writing it.

And to keep you ready for more, here's a snippet of the next chapter:

Their mouths feathered against the other, not stealing any kisses in this moment, but reveling in the closeness and warmth it offered. Nothing else and no one else mattered right now. These two were all that there was. Yami clawed at Seto's suit, panting and drawing his wet lips over Seto's, then dipped to kiss his chin. A faint sound thrived in Seto's throat and Yami felt one of his strong hands cup his face.

Egyptian Arabic: Ziada- "Very sweet"

Oh yeah, and the rap song is a lil joke towards Grace for having Seto like rap music in her story lol

Ooc!

Seto: I am troubled.

Yami: I HAVE ANGST!

Seto: I have coffee

Yami: Let's argue!

Seto: Do we have to?

Yami: YES! Argue with me!

Seto: Argue. Argue. Argue.

Yami: No VR (Trooper) smex without me around! I mean it! I'll have to face my destiny soon! AN ANCIENT FORCE IS AT WORK HERE. THE WHOLE WORLD MAY BE IN DANGER BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH!

Seto: Whatever, I'm going to kiss you now. Again.

Yami: DEJA VU!

Yami: I'm such a liar...

Seto: You're lying

Yami: WHAT? HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME OF SUCH THINGS!

Seto: Hypocrite. But I still find you hot, so call me.

Yami: No! Not even if you kiss me again!

Seto: *kisses*

Yami: Uh... I'll call you tonight.

Yūgi: Wow I am more insignificant than Mokuba! He's mentioned more than I am in a positive light!

To be continued _

-Mel