Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Newton's Third ❯ Reunion ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

NEWTON'S THIRD by Kiraya

~*~*~

The sun was setting again. Yami stared out to sea at it for a long while, then resumed aimlessly wandering the harbor, just as he had every evening for most of the past week.

It was Friday, and there was still no news of Seto. He had heard two or three widely scattered lifeboats holding survivors had been found, but nothing any more specific.

He looked gloomily at the dusky sky again, then turned toward home.

"Yami!"

The King of Games missed a step. He looked over his shoulder, hoping against hope that he wasn't just hearing things...

And there he was, looking a bit worse for the wear, but alive and well, standing at the end of a wharf at which an American military cruiser had just moored under an hour ago.

Yami smiled broadly and began to walk quickly toward the source of the shout. "Seto Kaiba!" he yelled in mock anger. "If you ever pull something like that again, I swear I'll-" He stopped abruptly as the brown-haired youth ran across the intervening space and swept him into a tight hug. The former pharaoh's shoulders shook as he returned the embrace, whether from laughter or tears he knew not. He was a little surprised by the young CEO's exuberant display of friendliness. Something's changed. He used to seem somehow stiff, unyielding, but now he's much more relaxed. "Thank all the gods you're all right," he whispered brokenly.

"No," Seto corrected, pulling away to look at him, "thank you." He laughed as his friend blinked, confused. "Let's get out of here, shall we?"

Neither minded the chilly distance they had to go. They walked close together, not quite touching, saying little, merely enjoying each other's company. It seemed as if hardly any time at all had passed when they reached the game shop and stopped just outside.

"Yami," Seto said after a long pause, "we need to talk."

The spiky-haired youth flashed a nervous smile at his boots. "...I know."

"I... wanted to put flowers on Mokuba's grave tomorrow. Maybe we could... if you wouldn't mind coming with me..."

The King of Games raised an eyebrow at him quizzically.

"We could, um, talk about it over breakfast first," the other rushed on. "Pick you up at eight? If it's okay with you, of course," he added hastily, hoping that the shadows disguised his deep blush.

Yami's own cheeks darkened as well. "Uh, sure."

They stood there and looked at each other for a few long minutes, barely noticing the arrival of the young billionaire's limousine.

The former pharaoh's hand rose involuntarily, stopping abruptly when he realized what he was doing. He let it fall, his blush deepening. "Well... good night," he said, wrenching his gaze from his companion's only with great effort.

Seto started. "Oh. Um... good night. See you tomorrow, I guess."

"Yeah. Okay."

Yami lightly smacked himself on the forehead after he stepped inside. Could you have sounded any more like a moron?

Well, replied the voice lurking in the corner of his mind, now that you mention it...

Shut up, you. "I'm home!" he called.

Yugi came running. Throwing his arms around his darker half's narrow waist, he squeezed tightly.

"What's this for?" the King of Games asked as he returned the hug, a touch of amusement in his voice.

His aibou gave him a look that plainly said, What are you, stupid? and replied, "I could feel your sudden happiness from over a mile away. I knew then you'd found him."

Yami smiled.

From deeper in the house, Yugi's grandpa called for them to come to supper.

~*~*~

To be continued.