Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Coalescence ❯ The Date, Part 3: The Aftermath ( Chapter 9 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Summary: Yami and Seto, post-lemon; Yami has a brief encounter with Grandpa Mutou; Yami encounters his "internal defense force".



9) The Date, Part III: The Aftermath

"So... I think I won," Seto murmured into his lover's hair after a long while in which they rested. "I wonder what my prize will be? We didn't exactly discuss terms before hand."

Yami, feeling very languid, lifted his head slowly to look into the cerulean eyes. He reached a hand up to touch his lover's face. "What prize do you want, Seto?"

The touch to his cheek felt unbearably intimate, even after what they'd just done. Seto found himself flushing, and had to glance away. "Um..." Then he let his hand slide down to cup the curve of the other's firm bottom.

Abruptly his arms were empty. Seto gaped to see Yami standing a few feet away, turned partially from him, arms crossed over his chest, his head bowed a little. "Y...Yami?"

"I wasn't sure this would come up so soon," Yami murmured. His head bowed a little more as he stared down at the floor. "You see, if you're asking what I think you are, it's the one thing I cannot allow you."

The first emotion to course through one Seto Kaiba was anger, followed almost immediately by bewilderment, then dismay, and finally understanding. Then it settled in his chest as another deep twinge like what he had felt before. "Because of Yugi," he whispered.

"Yes, of course," Yami replied, and Seto thought he heard a hint of anger in the spirit's voice. At Seto? At himself? At Yugi? He had no idea.

Shifting his weight, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the floor, Yami continued. "I can protect his mind from my own hedonistic tendencies - and I have - but I cannot protect his body from them. For surely he would feel..." He paused, wondering for a moment if he should into go detail. But above all, he did not want any misunderstandings right now. "He would feel later that he'd been stretched and there could be some discomfort. I cannot do that to him. I will not."

His voice turned hard at this last, and Seto understood with a sinking feeling that there was no room for negotiation on this point. [Should have known... I should have realized...] "Where is he now?" he asked in a small voice.

"Asleep," Yami replied. "I made sure of it. I feel the satiation of this body, Seto, but he is an innocent and I do not want him to share... that. Or the pleasure. He is not ready. Maybe someday... probably someday, given how close we are. I... I would welcome being able to share my intimacies with him. But this is not the time."

[Then they *are* more than brothers, even now,] Seto realized with a new shock. [Yami's so protective of him... I wonder if that's what Yugi wants, too? He is pretty innocent, but I really think that's just because he looks so young. Damn, I don't even know if Yugi could be gay or not, though Yami infers that. Damn, damn, damn, Yami TOLD me that Yugi was his first consideration. I should have thought that through, realized what he meant by that. They are bonded at the soul!]

"I... have done you a horrible disservice," Yami murmured abruptly, breaking into Seto's thoughts. "I did not mean to lead you on to expect something I could not give you. Please... forgive me."

The twinge in Seto's chest blossomed out into a powerful feeling of tenderness he hadn't known was possible for him to feel. In two steps, he was at the spirit's side, pulling the lean little body back into his arms, bending to press a kiss against the wildly colored hair. "Yami, there's nothing to forgive," he murmured. "I should have already understood. It is I who must beg forgiveness... or else we should set this aside and go back to what I believe we were both feeling a minute ago. I know I felt something... major. Please... please, Yami, tell me you felt something, too."

[I must be right, I have to be,] Seto thought as the slim body in his arms relaxed minutely. [I know what I felt... I must know if he felt what I did... please...]

"Seto..." the deep, honey voice breathed into his ear as the other reached to pull himself up higher against the taller body. Yami's chin brushed against the dangling ankh. "Koibito..."

Seto felt his eyes fill with unexpected tears. He did not cry. He, Seto Kaiba... well, he did cry in his office. But this was different. Then he was fearful. Now he was hopeful. He tightened his arms about the spirit. "Yami... koibito..."

"Yes, I felt it," Yami whispered gently. "Do... do you mean to tell me that you can accept the limitations I must place upon our relationship? Are you really saying that?"

Taking a deep breath, Seto nodded. "How can I refuse you? All I know is that there is something within me screaming at me to keep you firmly in my life. That I... need you..." He had to take another deep breath, marveling that he, Seto Kaiba, could actually say such a thing. "That's not easy for me to admit... needing someone."

Yami tugged him back to the couch where he crawled back into his lover's arms again, fitting their bodies tightly together. "I am unaccustomed to such a need as well... but I am discovering that I need you, too, Seto," he murmured into the other boy's ear. "I may need you as much as I need Yugi. I cannot explain it. I believe there could be some stronger force at work, drawing us together. Destiny... perhaps."

"I don't generally believe in destiny," Seto whispered back, his cheek against the other's hair. "I... don't know about that. I just know I have this strong feeling that we must be together." He sighed deeply, his fingertips playing at the back of his lover's neck. When he found the clasp of the Puzzle's necklace, he fingered it thoughtfully.

[I wonder... just how far does the magic of the Millennium Puzzle extend?] Seto wondered. [I wonder... if he could transform the Puzzle into a new form, maybe that transformational power could work on himself... it would be so much easier if he were separate from Yugi. But I'm dreaming if I rely on that possibility. I have to accept that he won't let me take him that way until Yugi's ready. Possibly not until...]

Yami was also contemplating their situation, especially when he felt Seto's fingers on the chain of his Puzzle. [He doesn't believe in destiny, he says, but I do, very much so,] Yami considered. [I was destined to return through Yugi's completion of the Puzzle, to join with Yugi for a higher purpose, probably relating to the magic sealed inside all the Millennium Items. Now I can well believe that Seto Kaiba is also a part of my destiny. All three of us may be destined to fulfill that purpose together. If Seto can accept Yugi... and wait with me until my little aibou is ready to join us *that* way... then our destiny may be achieved...]

Seto had contemplated... *fantasied*... about sex with the luscious little Egyptian gamesmaster. Of course, he'd fancied himself on top, despite the fact that he knew well that Yami's personality was rather dominant. They both had dominant tendencies, of course; it's what fueled their duels hotter, because both felt the fire of fighting and lusted to win. But this new wrinkle was something Seto would have to be at peace with if he wanted Yami to stay with him. [Could I allow him to top me?] he mused.

He shivered minutely, and immediately calmed as Yami's arms tightened about him instinctively. [He'd never hurt me,] Seto thought, relaxing. [I don't know that I'm ready yet, but... I think I can be. I've seen how protective he is with Yugi. I don't need such protection, but maybe I can allow him a little of that...]

"I, too," Yami spoke up finally, breaking into his thoughts, "believe we must be together, koibito. And we don't have to do anything that either of us is not ready for. What we've shared tonight - I'm very content with that."

Seto relaxed then, glad that that decision at least was deferred. "What... are you going to tell Yugi?" he asked quietly.

"Everything," Yami breathed. When Seto froze, he quickly pressed a kiss against his lover's cheek. "I must. Can't you see that I must, Seto?"

[I won't be able to look Yugi in the eye for weeks,] Seto thought, blushing. "I suppose you must. Yes, I can see that. It just... well, it could be awkward between us at school."

Yami smiled. "You'll manage. You can handle a challenge like that, no problem. Yugi will be fine with what's happened, I'm sure of it. I think you both can handle it."

Slowly they separated enough to look into one another's eyes again. Seto smiled, looking deep into the warm violet gaze waiting for him. "You're right. As long as his friends don't get wind of this."

Yami's eyes narrowed a little. "If they do and if they give you or Yugi any trouble, they'll have to answer to me. But I cannot see them hassling Yugi about it; they're too close. It may go rough for you, however. But we don't need to be making any grand announcements just yet either. If it becomes clear to them for now that you and Yugi are friends, that would just be a good thing."

"You're right." Seto took a deep breath, searching his lover's face. "So... we'll be together now. We really are..."

"Indeed, Seto Kaiba, you and I are now firmly together." Yami's expression melted into a tenderness rarely seen. "Koibito..."

Seto breathed the same. "Koibito..." Then the new lovers kissed long and deeply, sealing their destinies together.






Upon returning to the Game Shop, Yami slipped inside, hoping to steal quietly up to Yugi's room. But Grandpa Mutou was waiting for him.

"You... you're not Yugi," Sugoroku Mutou commented, peering at the boy intently. "You're the other one."

"Yes, Mutou-san." Yami bowed properly. "Since it wasn't a school night, I didn't think it mattered how late I stayed out." It was nearly midnight. "Gomen nasai..."

The little old man tilted his head as he studied the boy who looked so much like his grandson. "Hmmm, out on a date?"

"Yes," Yami replied, ducking his head again.

"Yugi know about this?" The man's voice took on a note of severity.

"Of course," Yami answered firmly. "He encouraged me, in fact."

Mutou cackled. "Did he? Hee hee! Well, was she any good?" He guffawed some more, poking Yami in the ribs knowingly.

[Dirty old man,] Yami thought with a sigh. "Excuse me, I should be getting to bed," he demurred, edging toward the stairwell.

"Ha! Well, if you ever need any advice, just come to ol' 'Jii-chan, ne? Hee hee!"

"Yes, good night," Yami murmured and hastily ducked up the stairs toward Yugi's room, thinking to himself, [Yeah, and HE was very good indeed...]





As Yami had already cleaned up at Kaiba's after a bit more loving play between them, he slipped immediately into Yugi's pajamas. Thankfully the magic of the Millennium Puzzle extended toward clothes; the pajamas would adjust back to fit Yugi's smaller frame as soon as they switched. Yami laid down, then concentrated, allowing the sleeping boy to return to his own body, himself retreating to his soul room.

Immediately he retreated again into the depths of his mind, to his deepest, most secure sanctuary. There he was startled to discover not merely his chief of "internal security" standing guard and waiting for him, but three others as well. "All four of you?" Yami inquired in surprise, nodding at the Celtic Guardian, Gaia, and Neo standing shoulder to shoulder with the solemn Dark Magician.

Dark Magician nodded somberly, holding his master's gaze unblinkingly.

Yami sighed and relaxed. "I should have expected you to guard my thoughts and emotions this well," he murmured. "I truly did not think you would in *that* situation..." He paused, hastily glancing away as he blushed a little, thinking how these powerful defenders protected Yugi from the intensity of Yami's intimacies with Seto. "But I thank you, my loyal friends, nonetheless."

The four monsters, two Warriors and two Spellcasters, bowed deeply to their master. At once, Celtic Guardian, Gaia, and Neo returned to their card forms. Yami glanced up to see Dark Magician lingering, the serene blue eyes still upon him.

"What is it?" Yami asked, then placed a hand on the Millennium Puzzle. The sennen eye upon his forehead glowed gold, as did the eye on the Puzzle. "Speak, my friend."

The power of speech bestowed by the Puzzle's magic, the Dark Magician cleared his throat and murmured in a low voice. "Master, our souls and our loyalties are yours. We will never fail you."

Solemnly Yami placed a hand over his heart. "Dark Magician, I do not even know how your spirit has come to guard me, but I promise I will never betray your loyalty, or the others. I pray I may never fail you, either."

The monster's eyes widened at the response, then the elegant form was bowing again, more deeply than before. "Master..." came the final murmured response before the Eye on the puzzle stopped glowing and the image of Yami's strongest defender fell mute once again. His eyes glowed red briefly, then, he, too, returned to his guardian position on one of the stone tablet cards in the chamber.

"Yugi must be protected above all else," Yami whispered as he sank to his knees, hugging his arms to himself. "Even... from me... from the power of my inmost desires..."