Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Newton's Third ❯ The Long Dark ( Chapter 5 )

NEWTON'S THIRD by Kiraya

~*~*~

Seto Kaiba lay sprawled across his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. His head throbbed. His eyes burned. Every nerve in his body was painfully taut with agony.

But the one thing that hurt him most of all was his aching heart.

Seto Kaiba lay sprawled across his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Every ounce of his strength went into his struggle to avoid confronting the memories. But somewhere in the haze of exhaustion that fogged his mind, he knew already that his efforts would be in vain.

~*~*~

Yami watched the rain patter gently against the classroom windows, ignoring the droning voice of the history teacher, who was lecturing them on ancient civilizations. I already know all this stuff even better than he does. <<Remind me why I'm here, again?>> he said to Yugi through their link, yawning.

<How should I know? You're the one who decided you wanted to see what modern education was like - or so you said...> This last carried a sly tone, quite unlike what Yami had come to expect from his hikari.

Unbidden, the image of a familiar blue-eyed youth formed in Yami's mind. <<Oh,>> he thought stupidly, flushing slightly. Yugi had found out about his attraction to Kaiba quite some time ago; the boy had a useful - and damned inconvenient - talent for getting information out of people without them fully realizing what he was doing. Where is Seto today, anyway-

"Oh, shit!" he exclaimed suddenly, ruby eyes widening.

Snickering, the entire class turned to look at him. Scowling over the tops of his horn-rimmed glasses, the teacher asked acidly, "Was there something, Mr. Mutou?"

Yami's face reddened, and he sunk down into his seat. "I'm sorry. I just realized I forgot... something important," he finished lamely.

The teacher raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. Well, keep your realizations to yourself henceforth, if you please. Now," he said, turning back to the class, "if we may continue our discussion of Ramses II..."

<A relative of yours, I believe,> Yugi commented, his mindvoice colored with amusement. <Now, what was that->

But then the bell rang, and there was a mad stampede for the door. "Don't forget to work on your culture projects," the teacher called after them. "They're due next Friday. Have a good weekend."

"We should really start ours soon, Yami," Yugi commented as they headed out. "Busy this afternoon?"

"Actually, yes," the former pharaoh admitted, hurriedly stuffing his books into his worn old knapsack. <<That's what I had forgotten, stupid me - it's a year today since Mokuba died,>> he continued in the privacy of their minds. <<I figured Seto might not be here today, and I wanted to stop by his house after school to check up on him. I should be home by ten, at the absolute latest.>>

Yugi nodded.

Yami suddenly knelt and embraced his aibou. "Thank you," he said simply, before turning and sprinting off into the rain.

~*~*~

The Kaiba mansion was dark and silent. Must have given his staff the day off, Yami mused as he wandered through the cold halls, looking for the house's sole occupant.

He wasn't in his lab, or his study. The spacious, well-appointed kitchen, where they had spent so much time the past few months, was also empty. The master suite, then, Yami concluded, and went upstairs.

Even the suite's small parlor was unoccupied. Crossing the room, Yami cautiously opened the bedroom door. "Seto?"

The young billionaire lay on his bed with his back to the door, tightly curled into a fetal position. At the sound of his name, he turned. "Yami?" he asked hoarsely, sitting up. His clothing was all rumpled, the open collar of his shirt revealing a glimpse of his well-muscled-

Stop it! Yami hissed at himself. Now is definitely not the time. "Yeah," he responded aloud, a bit unsteadily.

Disheveled brown hair partially obscured Kaiba's blue eyes, glazed with misery as he gazed mutely at the former pharaoh.

Yami sat down on the edge of the bed. "Talk to me," he said softly.

Kaiba sat back against the head of the bed, resting his elbows on his knees. He sighed. "It all keeps replaying itself in my mind, like a bad movie. And every time I close my eyes..."

Yami moved next to him. "The nightmares?" he asked.

Kaiba nodded. "I thought I was learning to deal with it," he said bitterly. "I thought I was going to be okay, that the dreams and the memories would eventually fade. But here it is, a whole year later, and it's just like no time at all has passed..." He stared at the floor. "Why did it have to happen?" he asked suddenly, his voice angry. "The bastard that did it walked away with only a few scrapes and a mild concussion. Why couldn't he have been the one to die, instead of just rotting in jail for what he did to my little brother?" He buried his face in Yami's shoulder. "Oh, Yami..." he murmured brokenly. "I miss him so much..."

The former pharaoh reassuringly held the brokenhearted youth until he wept himself into an exhausted sleep.

~*~*~

Yami was becoming desperate.

Four agonizingly slow hours had passed, with Seto Kaiba still sleeping against him. Yet his steady breathing as he slumbered peacefully was not at all soothing.

It was driving him absolutely insane.

He held the young billionaire in a gentle embrace and tried to think about something else - anything else.

But damned if it wasn't the most difficult thing he'd ever done. He was acutely aware of the slightest contact between himself and the pleasant warmth of his companion-

Stop it! he told himself fiercely. You have to restrain yourself, for his sake.

You could just go, right now, a voice in the back of his head whispered. Spare yourself the agony of sitting here with him in your arms...

No...! Not until he wakes up, at least. I don't want him to feel like I abandoned him.

No, the voice replied. You just don't want to leave him.

He leaned back and closed his eyes, sighing heavily. Gods help me, he thought. I don't think I could...

~*~*~

Seto Kaiba woke slowly. He looked at the clock, his eyes widening in surprise - he had gotten almost seven hours of real sleep. He sighed - and felt his companion tense up. "Yami...?" he asked tentatively.

"What time is it?"

"Ten thirty."

"I have to go," Yami said huskily, hurriedly rising.

Kaiba felt a sudden irrational surge of panic. "No!" he said loudly, causing the former pharaoh to pause. "The nightmares..." He shivered. I never thought this would happen, but... I need him. I don't think I could stand being alone with the memories, tonight... In a small voice he asked, "Stay with me... please?"

Yami stared at him for a moment, then turned away. Closing his eyes, he swallowed hard. "I... I can't," he moaned, his voice breaking.

Kaiba got up slowly. "Why?"

Yami looked at him helplessly before once more averting his gaze.

"Talk to me," Kaiba said softly, moving closer. "What is it?"

"I..." Yami began, but then shook his head, still refusing to look at his companion.

Kaiba came still nearer. "Tell me... why won't you stay?"

"Seto," Yami said heatedly, "you can't possibly know what you're asking me to-" He broke off suddenly as he met Kaiba's gaze. Hathor, have mercy, he prayed silently, closing his eyes as a tear trickled down his cheek. I can't do this...

Then came a whisper, so low that he wasn't even sure if he'd really heard it.

"Perhaps I can help ease your pain, as you have helped ease mine."

Either he's gone crazy, or I have, Yami thought, opening his eyes to stare incredulously at his friend.

A shy, sad smile appeared on Kaiba's face, so close to his own just then...

The last of Yami's resolve crumbled as the tattered remains of his self-control slipped through his fingers. He kissed the object of his desire fiercely, so caught up in the vortex of his emotions that he took no notice of Kaiba's response-

~*~*~

The moon broke through the clouds above, shining in her solitary glory upon the peacefully sleeping city, flooding the streets with pure silver.

The dreams did not come to Seto Kaiba that night.

~*~*~

To be continued.