Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Psyche ❯ Boys ( Chapter 19 )

 

AN: I'm stuck home with the flu so here's a new chapter early. I hope you enjoy!

 

Psyche

Chapter 19: Boys

~*~*~*

OCs

~*~*~*

Ahmose: (Egyptian for: The moon is born) Yami's son back in Egypt.

E'on: Jonouchi's Red Eyes Black Dragon.

Jame: Kaiba's obsessive-compulsively organized secretary who wants to be fired.

Kallon: The Dark Sage and one of the three rulers of the Shadow Realm, though he tries hard not to be.

Kisara: The only female Blue Eyes White Dragon. (Not really an OC)

Koori: (Japanese for: Ice) The largest male Blue Eyes White Dragon.

Ledowr: The Magician of Black Chaos, also one of the three rulers of the Shadow Realm, and is trying even harder not to be. He is also Yuai's husband.

Pepi: Yami's third wife back in Egypt.

Shimo: (Japanese for: Frost) The other male Blue Eyes White Dragon.

Yuai: Yugi's girlfriend, sort of..., one of three rulers of the Shadow Realm. Though she's been slacking lately. She is married to Ledowr.

 

~*~*~*

Yuai

~*~*~*

The mass of leather straps and rings hit the floor with a huge THUNK, causing Yuai to jump and look around to where her darling husband stood glowering over the mess. They had been packing for their extended vacation in the other dimension, and while Yuai vainly dug through her wardrobe looking for something that didn't glitter, float, or make her look vaguely like a Victoria's Secret model stuck on the cover of a bodice ripper, Ledowr had been rummaging through various chests and drawers.

 

“What are you doing with a horse harness?” Yuai shook her head, “And do I even want to know what its doing in our bedroom.”

 

“It's my costume, not a horse harness.” He gave it a disgusted kick, noting that just dropping it two feet had left inch deep dents in the mahogany floor of their room.

 

Yuai came over and gave it and him an awed look. “You can wear that and move?”

 

He just glowered at her for a few moments, then stalked back over to another chest and pulled out a flimsy nightie with a corset. “Here's yours, love.” He tossed it to her then reached back in and pulled out a heavy, jewel laden crown and a glowing orb the size of a soccer ball. “Let's not forget your accessories.”

 

“What the hell do you mean, costume?” She held up the tiny wisp of transparent cloth and the corset that had rather wickedly sharp metal studs along the top. She worried about the fact that some of the sharpest were located under her arms. She eyed her beloved suspiciously. “Is this for some kind of kinky, bondage game?”

 

“I take it you haven't gotten a good look at my card.” He walked over to her and placed the crown on her head.

 

The metal monstrosity instantly gave her a headache, and a neck ache, as she tried to keep her head straight. “No, not really. You never came up.” She thought back to the small statue she had once had of him. It had been covered in a layer of black straps, metal rings and other worrisome fashion accessories. At least worrisome to the one wearing it. She remembered thinking that the statue's clothes were pretty cool, when she first sat down to inspect it after finding it in her things. She looked at the real life counterpart of that outfit and shivered, half in lust and half in horror as she pictured her love in all that leather and metal.

 

“Don't even think it.” He eyed her suspiciously.

 

“Think what?” She tried to lift one strap of his costume, but only managed to shift it a tiny bit.

 

“I'm not putting it on.”

 

She nodded, “Remind me to introduce you to the wonders of latex when we get to our new home.”

 

“What's latex?”

 

~*~*~*

Jonouchi

~*~*~*

 

He was hiding well away from all dragons, both the scaly kind and the brown haired, blue eyed kind. He was well aware that Seth was probably hunting for him through the castle, so he was therefore hiding up on the castle walls, tucked between the gate house and an inner buttress. He had a great view of the gardens, the walls, the main entrance to the gardens, and the courtyard. He also had two great escape routes, just incase Seth managed to locate him. Which, Jo had already decided, he would allow, just as soon as the brunet's attention started to waver.

 

That was the whole point, after all, to keep Seth's attention on him.

 

He stretched out against the tower and watched his friends sitting down by the fountain in the garden below. Yami and Yugi were, from all the gossip he overheard, still sound asleep, and Yuai and Ledowr were probably off tending to court business, but Mokuba, Honda, Mai, Anzu, Ryou, Malik, Bakura, and Marik were out in the garden enjoying the spring weather. He couldn't hear what they were talking about, but he got one message clearly. Actually, he figured it out about three seconds after Seth had disappeared out of the garden after confessing who he really was. The message was simple. He was in trouble.

 

It wasn't that he thought that Seth would hurt him. He figured that part out after a few minutes of thinking about how Seth had treated him since he had stepped in for Kaiba. It was the simple, simple message that was even now being conveyed to him from the group below that frightened him.

 

Ryou was sitting on the rim of the fountain, with Bakura sprawled on the pavement in front of him, leaning back against his hikari's legs. The slender light was talking earnestly to Anzu about something and absently sliding his fingers through Bakura's spiky locks, causing the wild yami to close his eyes in pure, unadulterated pleasure. Jo could almost feel Bakura purring, even across the garden.

 

Nearby, on a heavy blanket that seemed to have a few dozen pillows scattered on it, Malik and Marik were laying watching the sky. Malik's head on his yami's shoulder as they lazily pointed at various clouds, birds, or passing dragons.

 

Jo didn't have to go to Yami's room to know that he and Yugi were curled around each other so tight you would have to look close to figure out whose hand was whose and which leg belonged to which.

 

He even had heard a whisper of the message when he saw Yuai and Ledowr, Yuai glittering like snow and sunshine with Ledowr faithfully lurking at her side with his shadow cast skin and wicked eyes.

 

Light and dark. Yami and hikari. Yin and yang. The light loves the dark and the dark loves the light. But where did that leave him? Now that Seto had his own dark yami who would know his every desire before it was spoken, who would comfort hurts that no other could see, who would love him, know him, protect him and heal him, where did that leave a plain, ordinary high school kid that would probably never graduate, had a stellar future as a short order cook at a greasy spoon to look forward to, and was stupid enough to get caught by a roving loony and be turned into a fuc…

 

Jo shivered, hugging himself. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. He was pulled out of his thoughts as Seth strode into the garden, nodding a slight greeting to the others. Malik waved half heartedly at something, and Ryou shook his head, causing the priest to make an impatient gesture and stride away, deeper into the garden.

 

Jo grinned. Seth didn't know it, but Jo held the winning cards in this little duel. A hand mostly given to him by Seto. After winning an extended battle with Seto's workaholic schedule, masochistic need to sacrifice himself, and surprising lack of self worth, he knew how to handle Seth. He had to get Seth's attention and keep it focused on himself. Seto had also given him a second card he needed to ensure his victory. Jo knew every single way there was to turn Seth into a puddle of panting hormones. The final winning, card Seth had handed Jo himself. The game they were now playing. After weeks of frustration, of having dragons appear just as things were getting interesting, Jo felt he had a handle on the game. All is fair and turn about is fair play and all that…

 

The only worrisome spot in the plan was…what if Seth got too involved too fast? What then? What would happen if the planned interruption didn't interrupt? What if Seth ordered E'on away? What if Seth decided that he'd deal with Seto later and took what Jo meant only to tease with? What if Seth didn't stop? What if Seth forced him to…

 

Stop that. Everything's fine. Just fine. He watched as his friends stood up, brushing themselves off as the noontime bells in the city rang, calling everyone to lunch. Seth stalked irritably out of a woodsy side path and prowled menacingly toward the castle entrance. Jo grinned, stood, and ran down the castle wall, so that he could arrive in the dinning room before Seth. If he ran fast enough, he could probably get his plate and be sitting there innocently when the priest stomped in. See. Fine. I've got it all together.

 

~*~*~*

Yami

~*~*~*

 

Yami and Yugi walked into the dinning room to find Jonouchi sitting placidly at a table eating his lunch. He waved happily as they wove around a band of Bite Shoes that were clomping around searching for unwary feet. Yugi, wrapped sleepily around Yami's waist, blinked owlishly as one tried to take a taste of his shoelace.

 

“Jonouchi.” Yami sat down next to him, settling Yugi on his other side.

 

Yugi gave him a soft smile, just before laying his head on the table and starting to snore in cute little snuffles.

 

Jo nodded, then waved again as Yuai and Ledowr came in and looked around for a seat. She waved back and came over to them, leaving her significant other to trail after her or stay fuming silently at the door. Mokuba was the next in, and stood gawking as Cherubin, the Fire Knight, complete with huge studded mace, lumbered past with the scantily clad Performance of the Sword girl hanging adoringly from his arm.

 

Yuai sat across from Jo and nodded to Yami, “Good morning sleepy head.”

 

Yami blinked, remembering the last time he looked into that face, then dropped his head. “Yuai.”

 

“At least he doesn't have brain damage.” Ledowr stood behind his wife looking like he was contemplating chewing on the table.

 

Mokuba slid into the seat next to Jo. “Hey, where were you? Seth's been looking everywhere for you.”

 

Jo could barely suppress the evil grin that wanted to spread itself across his face, so he took a quick sip of water and coughed.

 

“I'm sure he knows that.” Seth stalked up to the table and glared at the blond, then bowed respectfully to Yami. “My pharaoh.”

 

Yami, still looking fixedly at the plate that a Beaver Warrior had just placed in front of him, nodded and unconsciously cuddled his hikari closer. Aibou? Wake up please. I…uhh…He glanced over to the woman he once murdered and found her poking at Ledowr, trying to get him to sit down next to her. He hesitatingly shot a quick look at his priest, and found him sitting next to Mokuba and glaring accusingly at Jo, who was doing his best to ooze innocence.

 

“Hey, look they have those funny purple tarts.” Mokuba started grabbing for food as miniature furry warriors started brining dishes to the table.

 

Ledowr, poked into submission by his wife, sat grumpily down, just as Ryou, Bakura, Honda, Anzu and Mai strolled into the room. Bakura gleefully kicked a path through the Bite Shoes, then stopped a second to nod at Diabound, who was wrapped in the coils of an overly amorous Electric Lizard.

 

“Hehehe.” Bakura shoved Ryou into the seat next to Yugi, eyeing his monster as it wiggled uncomfortably at the table next to theirs. “See if I forgive you anytime soon. Looser.”

 

Anzu and Mai sat next to Yuai, quietly arguing about fountains, koi and if it was possible to have an inside koi pond. Honda uneasily settled himself next to Ledowr, as Malik and Marik dropped into seats next to Bakura.

 

“He wasn't a bad monster.” Seth glanced over as Diabound yelped and started sucking on an electric burn on his tail. “He just had a bad influence in his life.”

 

“Are you saying something priest?” Bakura leaned to peer around Ryou.

 

“Did I name names?” Seth borrowed a bit of the innocence radiating off Jo. “Does someone have a guilty conscience?”

 

“I got over feeling guilty a long, long time ago.” Bakura snagged a wiggling vegetable that looked like pink broccoli and chomped on it. It shrieked in pain and went limp, leaking startlingly red juice over the tomb robber's fingers.

 

“Oh God, tell me that that isn't lunch.” Ryou looked horrified as Bakura curiously shook the limp, pink stalk. The rest of the bowl of pink broccoli wailed piteously as it flopped lifelessly in the yami's hand.

 

Yuai grabbed the bowl and signaled a passing beaver. “Take these outside and let them loose.”

 

The broccoli gave a half hearted cheer and Bakura looked sick. “Tell me I didn't murder a piece of broccoli.”

 

~*~*~*

Yami, Yugi, Seth, Yuai, Ledowr, and Kallon

~*~*~*

 

So far, Seth thought, Yami seemed to be taking it well. When first informed that he had just been granted the honor of being the ruler of the Shadow Realm for the next five thousand years, he had only nodded and sat down rather quickly, almost squishing his still sleeping hikari. After the first shock had worn off, he had made some masterful arguments about why he wasn't fit to rule. When the arguments had been answered, brushed aside or had be plainly ignored, he had resorted to pacing and frowning, which, while might have been personally satisfying for him, did nothing to win him his freedom.

 

Seth settled back into his comfortable arm chair, and watched his pharaoh wiggle like a fish on a hook. He sipped a frosty glass of white wine and nibbled at a tray of quite ordinary crackers that sat on a small side table at his elbow. After a quiet ceremony to pay homage to the fallen vegetable, and a quick burial in the garden, lunch had been declared a disaster and everyone had bolted off to see if anyone had any candy bars tucked in the pockets of their other clothes. Everyone except Yuai, Ledowr, Kallon, Yami, Yugi, and himself.

 

“Think of it as repaying society for your crimes.” Ledowr, who had been snarling silently at Yami, sneered.

 

“I hardly think making someone into the ruler of an entire realm is a punishment.” Yami had gathered himself together enough to cross his arms and look at least something like his old self. A rather shaken, completely lost version of his old self, but Seth was pleased to see that it was at least a stable, fighting version.

 

“I'd say poor innocent pharaoh, but I don't feel all that much pity for you.” Ledowr turned away and stomped to the window.

 

“I don't…” Yami began, but this time Kallon cut him off.

 

“You'll do a fine job.” He was once again in his chair with his grumbling book. “You do have previous experience.”

 

Seth took a sip of his wine and watched his pharaoh. He could tell that Yami was more then happy to take the position they were offering. He also knew exactly why Yami didn't want the position. It was curled up in a chair with a silly smile on its face, occasionally blinking open half aware eyes to check that Yami was still there.

 

Yuai was sitting in the window seat, smiling happily. “It's only five thousand years Pharaoh. I'm sure the time will fly.”

 

Seth wondered if the smile was genuine. He doubted it. He'd overheard Ledowr and Kallon shortly after he'd woken up to find Seto in trouble, and had heard what the past five thousand years had been like for Yuai. He was just pleased that she wasn't trying to chew Yami's kidneys out with her teeth.

 

“Yuai, I…” Yami looked over to the slender blond girl, then dropped his head looking like he wanted to cringe. “Would it make you happy? Is this what you need from me?”

 

“Yes, it would make me happy.” Yuai nodded, looking dreamily away, “Oh yes, very happy.”

 

Yami sighed. His shoulders rounding in defeat.

 

Seth stepped in. “I'm sure, with a bit of work, you could modify the barrier spell to allow Yugi to step back and forth from this world to the other.”

 

Yami glanced over to him then looked away. Seth frowned. He'd noticed his pharaoh's reluctance to look at him since lunch.

 

“Is that what is bothering you?” Kallon pursed his lips thoughtfully. “Seth is right. It wouldn't take much to modify the barrier.” He looked away, lost in thought. “No, not hard at all.”

 

Yami looked over to Yugi, then to Yuai. “Alright. I will do this. If this is what will make you happy again.”

 

Yuai nodded and stood. She walked over to Yami with a smile and touched his shoulder. “Yes, I will be happy again.” She nodded to Yugi. “We'll all be happy again. You will be happy being a ruler. Yugi will be happy, because you are happy. And we,” she gestured to Kallon and Ledowr, “will be happy without having to deal with the day to day idiocies of the court.” She smiled at Seth. “And Seth will be happy, as soon as he finds a Mouse Trap game.”

 

Seth straighten in his chair. He'd forgotten about that. He felt a wide grin trying to work itself free. Ah, my light, you need to get well soon. We have a game of Mouse Trap to play.

 

~*~*~*

Seto and Seth

~*~*~*

 

Seto was still sleeping in the small room on the cot. The soft blanket that had covered him had twisted around a bit and one slender foot now peeked out from the edge. His skin, while still pale, and a bit pasty, wasn't shadowed as heavily by bruises. The cuts that struck across his still terrifyingly thin form, were healing nicely. He even put on a bit of weight.

 

Seth sat down next to him, feeling satisfied. I should have brought him here in the first place. He is after all me, and I have always felt better in a temple then even in my palace quarters. He ran a hand through Seto's hair, smiling. It's quieter here, isn't it my light? More peaceful to rest in the care of the Gods. He brushed his fingers along Seto's cheek then nudged his other slightly. “Seto, hikari, time to wake up.”

 

The only response he got was a slight shift in his other's breathing, which almost immediately went back to the way it was before. Seth smiled and picked his light up, carrying him out the door and down the long twisting stairs till they came to the main room of his soul, the temple room they had initially passed through. Seth stopped in the center of the room and carefully set Seto down on the floor, then sat down next to him.

 

“My light, you need to wake up. I have coddled you too much, I fear.” He gently arranged Seto on his lap, so that his light was sitting between his crossed legs, with his back against his chest. Seto's head rested against his shoulder. “You need to rebuild your strength, which you will not do sleeping.” He gave Seto a rougher shake. “Now, wake.”

 

Seto blinked slowly back to awareness. “Who…”

 

Seth smiled. “Worry about that later.” He shifted Seto slightly into a more comfortable position.

 

Seto turned his head and looked suspiciously at his doppelganger. “You aren't here. There are no such things as yamis.”

 

“Really?” Seth smiled at him. “And how do you explain Yami, Bakura, and Marik?”

 

“I don't.” Seto tried to summon a glare, but only managed a half focused squint. “I don't have a yami.” His jaws stretched into a wide yawn.

 

“Really?” Seth brushed his hair out of his eyes, pleased that his hikari was showing a bit of fight. He was also pleased when Seto irritably tossed his head, trying to avoid his hand.

 

“You are not my yami.” Seto frowned a bit, but it was ruined by the fact that he swayed slightly when he did it.

 

Seth steadied him. “I guess I have to be someone else's yami then. I wonder how I got here?”

 

“See. I would never have a yami who could get lost like that.” Seto nodded, satisfied with his argument.

 

“I see.” Seth watched him trying to summon a glare. “Then who's yami am I?”

 

Seto looked confused a moment, then gave a semi-decisive nod. “You're not a yami. You're a hallucination.”

 

“Am I your hallucination?” Seth grinned as Seto worked that out. He'd been planning on making his hikari meditate to strengthen his mind, but arguing worked just as well. They could always meditate later.

 

“Since I am the one seeing you, you would have to be mine.” Seto didn't sound happy with his conclusion.

 

“So you're hallucinating that you have a yami?” Seth wrapped his arms around his light, steadying him against his body as Seto swayed again.

 

“Yes, apparently I am.” Seto slumped tiredly against him.

 

“Are you upset that you're hallucinating, or that you're hallucinating about having a yami?” Seth chuckled softly.

 

Seto's voice, however, was sad when he replied. “Having a yami. It always sounded so…”

 

“So what?”

 

Seto curled against him, closing his eyes, and shivering with exhaustion. “Gozaburo… never trust anyone. I trusted Jo, but Duke… Mokuba will leave me… so will you.”

 

“Because I'm a hallucination?” Seth rested his cheek against Seto's hair, gently rocking the fragile figure in his arms. He felt Seto nod. “Well, my light, I have some bad news for you.”

 

Seto tensed.

 

“I'm staying. You'll just have to keep hallucinating me.” He felt Seto relax against him. “You are my light, and you'll just have to get used to it.”

 

He smiled as he heard his stubborn other mutter, “No, I don't.”

 

~*~*~*

The Whole Gang

~*~*~*

 

Ryou paced back and forth in the castle's reception hall, looking worried and glancing occasionally up the stairs. Jo sprawled at the base of one while pillar kept half and eye on him and the other half on Seth who was sitting cross legged next to him, apparently meditating. Yugi and Yami were laying on their stomachs a few feet away playing Gin with Honda, Anzu and Mai, Malik and Marik. Marik was cheating outrageously, but it didn't seem to faze Yami too much, and the others were busy slurping up purple drinks that fizzed small pink and blue sparkles. Surrounding everyone were piles of luggage, one overfed and sleepy Rainbow Flower, and four depressed looking dragons.

 

“Now remember to feed Rainbow every morning, or it'll start singing off key.” E'on stroked Rainbow's leaves and refused to even look at Jo. “And be careful of…well everything. You're not that bright and you'll get hurt.”

 

Thanks E'on. Love you too. Jo leaned back against the pillar and looked up at the ceiling that soared high above them.

 

And remember to get plenty of sleep and food. E'on continued his litany of instructions. You won't get your strength back if you don't eat.

 

Jo just nodded.

 

“Where is he?” Ryou looked worriedly up the curving staircase. “You don't think anything happened to him, do you?”

 

“Gin.” Yami fanned his cards to prove his win, then looked over at the white haired hikari. “I'm sure he would have told you.”

 

Malik sighed as he tossed his cards down in defeat, as his yami snarled and tore his cards up. “He's just up stairs.”

 

“Yes, yes. You're right.” Ryou continued to pace, then stopped as footfalls were heard descending the stairs.

 

Yuai, Kallon and Ledowr came down with Bakura skulking behind them. Kallon looked around at the luggage, the card game, the forlorn dragons, Seth and Jo. “Ready to go?”

 

“Ready!” Yugi bounced to his feet. “I can't wait to get home.”

 

“Food, real food.” Honda clambered to his feet with a grin.

 

Seth opened his evilly glittering eyes and grinned sharkily, “Mousetrap!”

 

Yami pulled himself up and nodded. “We're ready.”

 

Ledowr snarled wordlessly at him, then stalked away, growling over his shoulder. “You only have a few weeks, pharaoh. Wrap everything up and get your ass back here.”

 

“True, you will need to be back in…” Kallon looked away, doing a few mental calculations. “I'd say sixteen days at the most.”

 

“What happens if he isn't.” Yugi came to stand next to his darkness, slipping on hand into his.

 

“Oh, quite a mess really. We're going to have to transfer quite a few bindings to the pharaoh. It'll take us at least fifteen days to complete the initial work. If he isn't her to receive the bindings things will start getting loose.” Kallon didn't look to upset at the thought. He even smiled fondly. “I remember once, Yuai and Ledowr went on an extended honeymoon and…”

Yuai blushed. “Let's just detour around that bit of memory lane, hmmm?” She glared at him out of the corner of her eye and muttered, “That was nine thousand years ago. Can't you let that go yet?”

 

“No dearest, not yet.” Kallon hummed happily.

 

“I will be back in two weeks.” Yami promised.

 

“Let's get going.” Bakura hoisted his and Ryou's packs. “I've got an Eye to hunt and I'm not getting it done here.”

 

 

Everyone started grabbing their luggage. Marik scooped up his things, then helped Malik settle his pack comfortably onto his shoulders. Yami and Yugi only had one pack between them, and they had a quick game of rock, paper, scissors, which Yugi won, to see who would carry the pack.

 

Jo shouldered his pack and hugged his dragon. I'll be back with Yami and Yugi. We can go swimming in that ocean you kept telling me about.

 

The little dragon sniffled. Watch out for wandering crazy people. Wear warm clothes. Look both ways before crossing a street. Don't go swimming after you eat.

 

Seth gracefully stood up and bowed elegantly to Kallon and Yuai. “I'll be returning as soon as I can as well to assist my pharaoh. I hope you…”

 

He was cut off as he was abruptly body slammed to the floor by three weeping Blue Eyes. Don't go! We just got you back and you're leaving us! We love you! Please stay. We'll be good. We'll find you a Mousetrap game! Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!

 

Hush. Seto and I will be back in a couple of weeks. Seth wiggled uncomfortably. You need to stay here and keep an eye on the other Yuai in the Mirror. He managed to free one arm and give one of them, he wasn't sure which, a soothing pat. I won't leave you again.

 

Bakura grinned down at the inelegantly, squished priest. “Time to go.”

 

~*~*~*

Review. Yes you, I'm talking to you. You know you want to… Just do it! Hit the review key and let your voice be heard.

 

Velvetina: Gee, what did happen to Kaiba Corp? hmmm. You'll just have to wait and see. As for Seto, at least he's awake to admit (even if it is to himself, or is it to himselves? double hmmmm.) that he has issues.

 

Sorceress Sarrkh: Don't stress yourself. I still have at least five more chapters and maybe an epilog to go through. Happy moving!