Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Gin no Umi o Wataru ❯ Chapter 2

Joey leaned back into Sef's arms. His head rolled into the crook of Sef's neck. Smiling, he kissed the tanned silky throat. Sef laughed and started singing again. His rich voiced flowed over Joey's skin like the dark honey from the pharaoh's hive. Joey purred and licked Sef's neck. Sef chuckled before continuing.

[Sweet, sweet, sweet as honey in my mouth,
His kisses on my lips, my breast, my hair;
But now my heart is as the sun-scorched South,
Where lie the fields deserted, grey and bare.

Come! Come! Come! And kiss me when I die,
For life, compelling life, is in thy breath;
And at that kiss, though in the tomb I lie,
I will arise and break the bands of Death.]

Would you? Really? Joey asked silently.

"Yes, no matter what happens I will always find you. In Death and beyond." Sef hugged Joey closer, his fingers tracing patterns on Joey's skin.

Joey laughed as the fingers tickled him and squirmed away. Sef smiled at his lover before moving like an asp and wrapping his arm around Joey's waist. Falling to the bed, Sef twisted so Joey would be under him. Leaning over Joey, he pressed his golden sea god under him.

"Beauty, my beautiful sea eyes. Now is the time for love." Sef leaned down, kissing him gently, his hands tracing Joey's shoulders. Traveling down, the unbuckled the thin gold belt and nudged Joey's legs open. "Mine."

* * *

Joey lay in bed, the maid having just left, and stretched until he could hear his joints pop. Yawning, he got up and noticed his uniform, washed and ironed, on the dresser. Along with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Stumbling from bed, he grabbed all of the stuff and headed to the other door in the room. Opening, he found a closet.

"Wha-oh." Joey turned and saw another door on the other wall and headed for it. Finding the bathroom, complete with towel and face cloth, he took a shower.

By six forty-five Joey had managed to find his way to the dining room. Opening the door, he peered around the corner. "Hey Mokuba!"

"Joey? You stayed over?" Mokuba looked up and smiled.

"Yeah, We got here late and soaking wet. Seto insisted that I stay over." Joey walked over and sat down near Mokuba.

"Seto? My oniichan? Wow. It's almost time for breakfast, I better go get him."

"What? Like he's not up?" Joey teased.

"Well that's the problem... he is up. And has been since probably about four." Mokuba sighed.

"Four! But we didn't get to bed until after 11. Idiot, he needs to rest. Where is he?"

"Probably in his office." Mokuba tried not to smirk.

"Office, huh, well me and Seto... I'm gonna talk to him." Joey got up and opened the door. "Ahhh, where's his office?"

"Go down the hall, make a left, the first door on your right."

"Thank, Mokuba." Joey left, closing the door.

Mokuba giggled, trying to hold it in but eventually gave into his laughter.My brother is letting Joey call him Seto?

* * *

Joey knocked, after waiting for a minute he cracked open the door. Seto was sitting in a rich dark blue leather chair, reading the paper and singing softly to himself. Joey looked at him, remembering a time when Sef would be busy at his work, singing softly. A soft smile graced Joey's face as he strained to hear what Seto was singing.

[Kitta! Kitta! Kitta! Soshite, shinu toki kisu wo shinasai!
inochi de wa, setsujitsu na inochi ga ibuki no nake de;
kisu wo suru toki, haka de netemo,
nobotte Shi no obigane wo kowasu!]

Joey stood there, watching the sunlight pass through the slatted blinds and fall on Seto's neck and face. Sighing, he straightened up and opened the door gently. Walking over he leaned against the desk. "You have a sweet voice, sorta warm and furry, Seto."

Seto looked up startled, his face flushing slightly. "Wheeler."

"Hey, Mokuba said you were up since around 4 or so. Not good. You need sleep, probably more than any of us. You got to pass school, take care of Mokuba, and a company. You need to take care of yourself or let someone take care of you."

"Mokuba says that's his job."

"Maybe but he's a kid, he should stay a kid for as long as he can, Seto. But I'm not here to argue, it's time for breakfast."

"Very well... I'll be in shortly." Seto raised the paper only to have Joey take it from his hands.

"Now, if you don't sleep right, we need to make sure you eat right. I don't want you fainting in school." Joey walked out and leaned against the wall. What the hell am I doing?

* * *

Joey stared at the notebook on his desk, sighing. He had hoped that he could remember more before school started, before Yami looked over it. Putting pen to paper he let it flow. Graceful pictures in lines, a marching rhythm of symbols. Disgusted at not being able to remember anything else, he dropped the notebook back onto the desk.

A shadow fell onto the desk. Joey looked up to see his friend Tristan.

"Hey Joey, is everything ok?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah, sorta. Spent the night at Seto's."

"At Kaiba's? What's going on with you two and don't say nothing!" Tristan stared at Joey, eyes wide in amazement. "First you spend almost two weeks watching him, now you're spending the night over at his place? Look if you two are... ummm I won't tell but you shouldn't keep it from me."

"Tristan... wait, no, it's not that. Look I'll tell ya at lunch, promise." Joey stared at his friend. "I mean it."

"Ok, but we're gonna fight if you don't."

"I will. Promise." Joey noticed Yugi come in. "At lunch. Hey Yuge!"

"Joey, how did things go last night?" Yugi picked up the notebook.

"Fine, I wrote down what I could remember. Mostly it was me... looking at a piece of... paper almost with a bunch of them symbols written in short lines. That and hearing music."

"Music?"

"Yeah... real nice music, almost familiar. I get the idea it's a sad song but it makes me feel... warm, happy-like. And Seto's voice just... fits it."

The door to the classroom opened and the teacher entered. "Let's begin."

Yugi sighed and went to his seat. Joey slouched in his chair, humming the song. Tristan watched Joey out of the corner of his eye, wondering.

* * *

Joey got his lunch and wandered over to an empty corner where Yugi and Tristan were sitting. "Hey, guys."

"Hey Joey. So... sit and talk." Tristan pointed to a seat across from him.

Joey sat down. Looking at his lunch, he took a deep breath. "Yeah, hmm. Well it's like this. The shadow realm affected me differently that you or Tea. Now I've been having dreams for a bit. They aren't good. And they are concentrated around Seto. So now Yami is helping me figure out who wants to hurt him and why. Last night I slept at his house cause Yami wanted to know what would happen if I was closer physically to him. And I gave the notes to Yugi. Hey did Seto give you his?"

"Physically closer, eh?" Tristan demanded.

"No, Yami wants to get it from him later. Anything else happen last night?" Yugi piped up.

"What are you insinuating ya jerk?!" Joey pushed Tristan out of his seat. "Nah, nothing much." Joey hummed as Yugi read the story. Suddenly a flash of light appeared and Yami was sitting there.

"Hmmmm."

Joey shrugged and started humming.

Yami's head jerked up, "What is that your humming, Joey?"

"Hmm, nothing much. Seto was singing it this morning."

"Do you remember the words?" Yami laid the notebook down.

"Yeah a bit... ahhh, 'Come and kiss me when I die, for life, something life, is in the breath. And when kissed, though in the grave I lie, I will arise and break the bands of death.' Something like that."

"I see... I need to talk to Kaiba alone, later." Yami stated.

"Hey Joey, why do you keep calling Kaiba 'Seto'? Are you two that close?" Tristan asked mockingly.

"Why you...!" Joey leaned over and grabbed Tristan by his shirt.

"Would it be any of your business if he was?" A cool voice cut it's way through Joey's retort.

* * *

Kaiba stared around the outside eating arena, trying not to shudder. He wanted to ask Yami about something that had happened last night. Also what would be affected by this other life intruding into this one. He had priorities and this interfered with them. Spotting Yugi sitting in the corner with Wheeler and Taylor, he resigned himself to being outside and walked over to them.

"Hey Joey, why do you keep calling Kaiba 'Seto'? Are you two that close?" Taylor asked invasively.

"Why you...!" Wheeler, angry with the not so subtle innuendo that even he could get, reached over and grabbed Taylor by the shirt.

"Would it be any of your business if he was?" Seto replied, his ice-hardened voice cutting through the dispute. "Of course, even if by any means it was, I still don't believe you would understand the explanation, Taylor."

"Seto!" Wheeler smiled up at him. "Stop that. Tris is a friend. He's... watching out for me, like a good friend does."

"He's still not your father, I don't see how it's any of his business."

"He's a friend. He's worries about me. Sorta like how Yami and I worry about you." Joey pointed out. Reaching up he tugged on Kaiba's jacket sleeve. "Now sit down and stop looming over everybody."

Kaiba sat down, opening his briefcase; he pulls out a printed report. Silently he hands it to Yami.

Yami smiled fondly, "This is just a dream journal, not a school report. You didn't have to print it out, but thank you."

"That's Kai-School Report! Joey, did you print out the report due for History today?" Taylor stood up quickly, grabbing his tray.

"It's not due today. It's due in two days. Don't worry about it." Wheeler turned to face Kaiba, "Right?"

Kaiba stared at him.

"Right?" Wheeler asked again.

"No, it's due today."

"No! Tristan, what are ya waiting around for? We gotta print out our report! Move!" Wheeler jumped up and ran off, leaving his lunch behind.

Yami chuckled, "I'm glad my Hikari does his work on time. Unlike those two."

"The idea of Wheeler actually doing his work when assigned doesn't seem possible." Seto smiled slightly.

"Maybe... So how long have you had the dreams, Kaiba?"

"What dreams? Unlike that boy, my mind doesn't stray off into the realm of fancy."

"The dreams of your past life or lives. Today, Joey came upon you singing something, a song I'm quite sure he's never heard before. Then I had an opportunity to look over his dream journal." Yami reached down and pulled out the notebook. Flipping to the last page, he tapped a drawing of a scroll, the scroll had hieroglyphs marching in ordered lines. Around the edges of the scroll were illuminated designs. At the bottom, a small scale was drawn, almost hidden among the other drawings. "Joey told me what you were singing, imagine my surprise when it's this. That is a song, written by Seferet for his beloved. The entire thing is rather romantic but since that time, no one knows it. You were singing it. You've been having dreams.

Now I understand that they may be... personal, especially considering your relationship with Joey in that past time, but I need to know all the details of the dreams. As for the details of your relationship... you never kept such a thing a secret from me, Sef. I always helped you, even when... perhaps that's why you feel the need to insult Joey? Because you don't to admit your feelings for him, then or now. Glad to see you haven't changed too much. You always were like that, brother."

Yami stood and picked up the dream journal as well as Seto's journal and headed towards Yugi's next class.

Kaiba stared after him, his face twisted with rage.

* * *

Tristan leaned against the wall as the printer spit out nicely typed sheets of paper. "So... you're dreaming about Kaiba, huh?"

"Yeah... that's why I had to ask Yami for help." Joey muttered, slamming his hand on the monitor. "Damn machine, just give me my paper!"

"Don't hit it, they don't like that." Tristan reached out and brushed Joey's hand away.

"They aren't alive, Tristan." Joey pointed out.

"Really, they act like it. But yeah, I can see how having to dream about that bastard would tick you off. Hell, I'd beg Yami to get that ass Kaiba out of my mind." Tristan leaned over and started Joey's paper printing

Joey looked up at Tristan. "He's not that bad. He loves his brother, really devoted. And he has a nice singing voice, he's handsome."

"I knew it, you're gone on him! I can see it in your eyes! You know what kind of person he is!" Tristan whispered harshly. "He calls you names, he harasses you and you still like him. He doesn't know how to be a friend, he can't love, and he'll never love anyone as much as himself. Do you honestly think that he would be honest with you? He'd probably keep you as some dirty little secret or beat you. You get enough of that at home. Don't even think about him. Help Yami and run away from Kaiba as fast as you can! He's poison."

"Tristan, you're my friend and that means something. You worry about me and you support me but you are wrong about Seto. In my dreams, not just this one but others and he loved me. That means he's capable of being at the very least my friend now. He's capable of caring, look at Mokuba. And I don't know if I... if I care about him that way. We'll find out. If you're gonna fly off like this, well I just will keep you out of it but I know there's a good and wonderful guy in him. And I'm gonna bring it out. At the very least, he's gonna be my friend, and friends don't abandon each other. You taught me that." Joey stood up, collecting his report. Nodding at his friend, he walked out.

Outside the library he stood for a moment. Noticing that they still had ten minutes, Joey turned and headed for the cafeteria.

* * *

Kaiba stared at the board at the front of the room, a low growling coming from his chest. How dare that... that... parasitic ghost tell me that I... care for the damned dog. And I refuse to believe that he and I could ever have been related. That's repugnant. If I had a brother, it would have been Mokuba. Damn him!

Kaiba reached down and picked up his laptop case, opening it, he set up his laptop on his desk. In a few seconds, he was hard at work reviewing several proposals. Frowning, he didn't hear the teacher call his name. Suddenly the screen of his laptop went down until it locked.

"Yes?"

"Kaiba, is this class disrupting your day?" The teacher asked facetiously, one hand pressed on top of the laptop.

"Actually, yes." Kaiba attempted to lift the screen.

"Well too bad!" The teacher replied flatly. "This is my class, pay attention."

Kaiba stood up and picked up his briefcase, slipping his laptop back in its case. "No. You see this place doesn't do a thing for me. There is nothing you can teach me that I haven't already learned. There is nothing to do. Your lectures are uninspired and insipid. Now, I have better things to do. Goodbye."

Kaiba walked out, noticing Joey staring at him.

* * *

Joey walked down the hallway, darting his eyes around the hall. He really didn't want to see Yugi, Yami, or Tristan right now. Seeing Tristan down the hall, Joey ducked into an empty room. Glancing around, he headed to the window. Making sure his backpack was on tight, he climbed out the window and dropped down. Landing in a crouch, he stood and stretched.

"Even knowing how much you undoubtedly hate school, I see no reason for you to have to climb out through the windows. They haven't started chaining the doors... yet." An amused icy voice said.

Joey whirled around. "Seto! No need to be scaring me like that!"

Seto frowned at Joey from the bench he was sitting on a few feet away. "So why are you climbing out windows. School, I believe, is over."

"Yeah, I'm trying not to run into Yugi or Tristan." Joey walked over to the bench and sat down.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I know Yugi wants to talk to me but eh... So what happened?" Joey asked, moving his backpack from his back. Walking over, he sat down.

"What what happened?" Seto turned back to his laptop, which lay in his lap.

"You walked out of class."

"Yes. I did."

"Why? What did Yami say to you that ups... disturbed you?" Joey asked, watching Seto.

Seto froze for a second then resumed typing. "Why do you think he upset me?"

"Cause after I printed out my report, I headed back to the cafeteria. I saw you leave. You looked furiously cold. Then in class, you lost your temper. You don't lose your temper; you get even. You don't blaze like fire; you get cold as ice. You walked away from a fight; you didn't win it. That's not you."

"And you know me so well, pup?" Seto asked, twitching his lips slightly.

Joey sighed. "Sort of... It's like I've been in your head for weeks, months almost. But why didn't you just leave, why sit here for the past couple hours?"

"Because being disrespectful to a teacher and walking out of class are only worth four days of detention put together. Walking off school grounds is worth at the least a two week suspension."

"Ahh... and?"

"And what?"

"Well you don't care if you miss two weeks of school so why else didn't you leave?"

Seto smirked and turned towards Joey. "Because they expect me to leave the campus but I didn't. They didn't even look for me. So when they try to tell me I'm suspended for two weeks, I can point I never left the campus."

"Now there's the sneaky bastard I knew was in there! Good. So... what did Yami say to you?"

"Persistant."

"Yeah, it's one of my better quantities."

Seto muffled a laugh. "Qualities, one of your better qualities."

"See, you do like me." Joey smiled, "You just gave me a compliment."

"I was correcting your horrible word choice." Seto pointed out, one eyebrow rising.

"Uh huh. So give!"

"What makes you think that I want to tell you?" Seto pointed out, closing his laptop.

"Didn't say you did. I think you need to. You don't have very many people who are close to you. Mokuba and that's all I've see. We were friends and sometimes more lives ago. That's something. You don't forget friends, you don't leave them, you don't ignore them, and you always try to help them. Even when they get stubborn and say they can do everything on their own. You were good to me then; I'm going to be good to you now. If all we remain is friends, then I'll do my best to be one of your best friends." Joey stretched out, turning to face Seto, smiling.

"You are one strange pup. Let's make a deal. You tell me why you are avoiding Yugi and Tristan and I'll tell you what Yami said." Seto replied, raising one knee to his chin, and resting his chin.

Joey stared at Seto. "How about you go first?"

"Why are you avoiding your friends?"

Joey sighed ruefully from being tricked. "When me and Tristan went to print out our reports, he said something that pissed me off. Knowing Yugi, he managed to find out what. Now he probably wants me and Tristan to make up. And we will. Later. Sometimes things get said and they can't be patched over immediately. Yugi thinks if something gets broke he has to fix it that second, if it's not then it'll never be fixed."

"Of course it must be. Every second something is broken is another when it's not useful." Seto blinked owlishly.

Joey stared at him. "Feelings aren't like machines, Seto. Tristan hurt mine, if I talked to him now, we'd yell. We'd yell and scream and make it worse. Right now that best thing is not to see each other. Let our feelings be 'broken'. Once we get past being angry with each other, we'll be generous again. We'll wonder how we hurt each other. That's the time to talk."

"Oh." Seto shook his head.

"Yeah, I don't usually talk like this but hey... you want friends and for some reason, I've been tapped to teach ya. Any other time, I'd hit ya and ask if you're dumb or what but..." Joey shrugged. "You can't do that if you wanna teach someone, now can ya?"

"No, you can't." Seto smiled.

"So what did Yami say?"

A set of piercing shrieks came from Seto's wrist. "Ahh the meeting, come." Seto beckoned Joey, handing him the laptop. Seto picked up his bag and Joey's and headed across the main yard.

"Meeting? What meeting?"

"I have a meeting with my investors about a new project. Not that I couldn't fund the project myself eventually however the best time for the project to debut would be in under a year and a half but if I have to fund it myself, it will take more time." Seto walked over to a limo waiting for him and opened the door. "In, inu."

Joey shook his head and started to get into the car.

"Kaiba! Hold it right there!"

Seto and Joey turned towards the voice. Their History teacher strode over towards them followed by the principal.

Huffing and puffing the principal stopped in front of them. "Mr. Kaiba, I understand that you left school earlier after a confrontation in class with Mr. Takashi."

"I did not." Seto nodded to Joey. "We had a confrontation and I left class but I under no circumstances left the grounds. I have been sitting on that bench for the past three hours. I have spent the last forty-five minutes talking to Joseph. Now I have a meeting to get to."

"I see... I can't let you get away with disrespecting teachers and walking out of class. We have to arrange a week's detention for you. Yes, I know that more than the regulations advise but you of all people, Kaiba, know better." The principal shook his head.

"True. Very well, I'll clear an hour and half after school everyday for a week." Seto nodded.

"Thank you, I don't want to hold you up. You do have other obligations."

"Yes. Goodbye." Seto poked Joey until he got in, then Seto slid in, closing the door. As they pulled away Seto looked at the teacher smirking.

"Great... you love this, doncha?"

"Of course, I love besting any opponent. It's what business is all about." Seto smirked evilly.

"I see... so what did Yami say that upset ya?"

"You're a persistent pup. He said he knew, not suspected but knew, that I am having the dreams as well. Not only that I'm having them but what kind. Then he intimated that my position in my former life was simply because I was related to him."

"I see... well one, could be the pharaoh but didn't they use the pharaoh's brothers and sisters as priests, generals, and governors? If I remember right, most people got some education but not enough to be really high rank. Maybe that's what he meant. I can't see you relying on anyone else to succeed!"

Seto smiled at Joey. "Thank you. So what did Tristan say?"

"Ehh... nothing to worry about."

"Except that you two are now fighting."

"Aww Seto, I didn't know you cared!" Joey leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"INU." Seto reached over and opened his laptop.

Do you honestly think that he would be honest with you? He'd probably keep you as some dirty little secret or beat you. You get enough of that at home. Don't even think about him. Help Yami and run away from Kaiba as fast as you can! Joey remembered Tristan's words.

A few minutes later Joey opened his eyes, turning to face Seto. "He said that you know how to be a friend, you can't love, and you will never love anyone as much as yourself. He said that if we ever did something..." Joey blushed and turned away. He continued, his voice flat, "as more than friends, you would abuse me, be ashamed of me, and treat me like dirt. I should just help you and leave you, never talk to you again." Seto stopped typing, his face pale. His eyes opened wide, the luminous blue staring starkly out of his face. For the first time, he looked so very young, until a darkness shuttered the cerulean sight of his eyes, the limo grew colder.

"I told him no, Seto. If you don't know how to be a friend, then I gotta teach ya. If we become more, that's up to us. You have the... strength, the sheer will to do anything you want. To get anything or anyone you want. I know there's a great guy in you, I've seen him. And maybe you can meet him too." Joey turned slightly, closing his eyes and leaning against the side of the limo.

Slowly his breath evened out. Seto closed his laptop, his mind whirling as the car continued on it way. Once they reached KaibaCorp headquarters, Seto stretched and pulled out a sheet of paper, scribbling a short note on it, he left it on Joey's chest and opened the door by Joey's head. Brushing his hand over Joey's hair, he murmured, "Inu."

He had a meeting to do, and a project to develop.