Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Psyche ❯ Priorities ( Chapter 24 )

AN: Yes, I'm alive and incredibly late. Some…person…introduced me to Final Fantasy VII and my brain hasn't been the same since. Instead of healthily writing fan fics, I've been obsessing about how to get Yuffie up the tower, how cute Vincent is, and why it's so damn simple to level up in that game. Honestly, it isn't a challenge, it's almost an annoyance to level up. As you're traveling around the map, getting lost and trying to figure out how to get from Cosmo Canyon to the Gold Saucer, you level up amazingly fast. Then if you loose yourself in Gongaga and keep whacking at the monsters around the reactor to get money (to play games at the Gold Saucer), you also level up fast, then of course you have to get turned into a frog a couple times, just to see Cloud-frog, Vincent-frog, and Cid-frog, so more levels….

 

 

And the winner is…..Seth, Seto, Jonouchi. If your wondering I was took votes at Media Miner and Fan Fiction. Net. And the that was the favorite For those of you who wondered, I won't let the dragons be lonely for long.

 

Psyche

Chapter 24: Priorities

~*~*~*

Yamis

~*~*~*

 

“This is getting us nowhere fast.” Bakura grumped as he kicked a Coke can across the sidewalk into the path of a teenage couple who paid more attention to each other's lips then where they were walking. The girl tripped over the can, tripping into her date and sending him crashing into a shiny, chrome plated Harley, whose burly owner, lounging nearby, uttered a girly squawk of protest.

 

Marik yawned as the burly Harley owner stomped past him. “Anyone got any better ideas?”

 

Yami shrugged, “No, not really. We've looked at what was left of the house where Kaiba nearly got blown up. We've looked at the rubble that was Kaiba Corp, we went to the wacko's house, and even had a thrilling morning at the junk pile that was the Kaiba mansion. I'm out of ideas.”

 

“Tracking spells?” Marik tipped his head.

 

“Tried that,” Bakura turned to watch the Harley owner pummel the boyfriend into the ground as the girlfriend shrieked and cussed. He memorized her face. He admired a woman with a good vocabulary.

 

“How about a new twist on the tracking spell,” Marik narrowed his eyes looking thoughtful. “Before we only tried tracking the Eye and Jo, what if we tried something the mystery bomber might not have thought of covering.”

 

Yami looked over at him questioningly. “What do you have in mind?”

“How about tracking the spell that Kallon cast on Yuai to transfer her soul back to the Shadow Realm?” Marik's lips tipped into a small smirk. “I bet the mystery bomber hasn't figured out who Yuai is yet, much less what was done, or compensated for the new body.”

 

Bakura turned back to the conversation, loosing interest in the pummeling, “We could work with that.”

 

Yami nodded. “It might work. If nothing else, we won't have to go home to find out what Yugi is going to do with a hundred dollars worth of SweetTarts and the Indiana Jones collection.”

 

The other two nodded. Though none of them would ever admit it, even under torture, that was the real reason they were now wandering the streets of Domino City. They knew that that much candy, their lights, and a series of movies dealing with an adrenaline fairy of an archeologist wasn't a good mix. When Malik had romped into the living room with an old whip, and Yugi scampered down the stairs in one of his grandfather's old leather jackets, with Ryou on his heels peeking out from under a battered fedora, they'd suddenly decided to go hunt for the mystery bomber. All day, and maybe tonight, and, if possible, well into tomorrow. Shadi and Isis, being the good servants that they are, were left to deal with the carnage and protect the hikaris.

 

“We still need a focus.” Yami mused, absently pouncing on a likely pebble. He'd discovered that good stones for Shadow Curses were rare in Domino. They'd been plenty in Egypt, which he mused, had been an entertaining way for him, Seth, and Mahaado to kill a dull afternoon. It even helped enliven his father's otherwise predictable life, when they'd put their pebbles to use on his cavalry.

 

“That statue might work, if we could find it.” Bakura almost boredly sidled by a passing police officer, his nimble finger's relieving the man of a few possessions.

 

“Maybe it's in the bushes around where the spell was cast.” Marik nodded in the direction of the park.

 

“Yes, the park might be an excellent place to start.” Yami pocketed his pebble with a small nostalgic smile.

 

Bakura, thumbing through the officer's possessions, nodded. “Agreed.”

 

~*~*~*

Game Shop

~*~*~*

 

Jo uneasily sat on the edge of the bed watching Kaiba sleep. At least Yami's…whatever he'd done… had returned the heartbreakingly slender Kaiba to his soul room. Now only one healthy looking Kaiba lay sleeping peacefully next to him. Jo slipped his fingers through Kaiba's hair, brushing a few stray, silky strands away from his eyes.

 

“Is he awake yet?” Yugi poked his head through the door.

 

Jo shook his head, giving his friend a wane smile.

 

“You want me to bring you some lunch? Grandpa and Isis are making something that looks almost edible.”

 

Jo shook his head again, turning his attention back to Kaiba.

 

“Okay, come down if you're hungry.” Yugi disappeared.

 

Jo stroked Kaiba's hair watching him sleep. No matter how he tried, he couldn't get the image of that terrifyingly frail Kaiba out of his head. What did you do to yourself? Jo looked quickly away, wincing slightly as he remembered kicking Kaiba when they were in the Shadow Realm. Seth was right. I really didn't help, did I? Not that Kaiba would ever even think of blaming him. And that was the problem. No matter what happened, Kaiba would twist things around till the blame rested squarely on him. Not this time, love. That was me, not you and soon as you get your self better, we're going to have a long talk…uuuummmm… meeting about that.

 

“Is Big Brother awake yet?” Mokuba, sporting a chocolate milk mustache and sugar bright eyes, darted into the room.

 

Jo shook his head no with a slight feeling of deja-vu.

 

Mokuba nodded, looking slightly relieved and guilty. “You'll get me as soon as he wakes up right?”

 

Warily Jo nodded, eyeing the boy.

 

“Okay, just checking.” Mokuba bounced out the door.

 

Somehow I have a feeling your better off sleeping through whatever that's about. Jo smiled, smoothing Kaiba's hair. Without its normal brushing, and gelling, it was starting to stick up in little, stray cow licks. Somehow, instead of finding them cute, like he normally did, he was slightly offended on Kaiba's behalf that they'd choose now to poke up.

 

A moment later the sounds of half muffled cheering, followed by a whoop of delight drifted up the stairs and into the room. What do you think, video games and candy-fest?

 

Kaiba, not surprisingly, didn't answer, but Jo could hear his voice in his memory. “There are just some things I don't need to think about. What Mokuba actually does in the video room with a tub of gummy worms and Kingdom Hearts is one of those things.”

 

“Ah, come on Kaiba, aren't you worried. He might be laying in there in a sugar coma.” In his memory, he had laughed.

 

“He's making too much noise. If things get quiet, then I'll worry.” In his mind he could remember Kaiba's small wry smile.

 

Jo turned his head away, blinking quickly. Seto, wherever you are, come back to me. I miss you, love.

 

~*~*~*~*

The Park

~*~*~*~*

 

Yami emerged from the underbrush, irritably swatting a leaf out of his hair. His only consolation was that Bakura looked even sillier with the nest of small twigs jutting out of his wild silver mane like exclamation points. He wiped his arm across his forehead, silently cursing the sun and the humidity that lingered in the park.

 

Marik, huddled on a bench in a paranoid, squirrel hating bundle, was muttering to himself. “After we deal with the mad bomber, you're next rodents. Squeak, squeak, squeak, yourself. Let's see how you like a couple pounds of dynamite shoved up where the sun don't shine.”

 

Bakura collapsed onto the bench. “Anyone find it?”

 

“No.” Yami held up a pack of firecrackers. “Found these though.”

 

Marik snatched them from him, grinning. “Ahhh, revenge.”

 

“Anyone got any other great ideas?” Yami took Marik's place on the bench as the blond yami scampered off towards the underbrush with the firecrackers in one hand and a lighter in the other.

 

“Got one.” Bakura tossed Yami a small white object.

 

Yami rolled it over in his hand. “Dice. You mean go see Duke.”

 

“He was mind controlled for awhile. He might have a clue…” Bakura leaned back on the bench, stretching his legs out as a series of small explosions came from the bushes.

 

“Hmmm. Good idea.” Yami settled back, waiting as a small cloud of smoke began to rise from a nearby tree. “He might be at his game shop.”

 

Bakura nodded. A series of high pitched, squirelly squeals came from the smoke and a moment later, Marik appeared with a look of satisfaction on his now dirt smudged face. The older yamis watched patiently as the blond turned and mooned his now defeated enemy.

 

“I don't suppose we could drop him off at the shop?” Bakura yawned.

 

“Remember, Indiana Jones and sugar.” He casually glanced over to Bakura. “Need I say more.”

 

Bakura got to his feet, stretching. “No. Let's get moving.” He grabbed the blond yami and tugged him along as he sauntered down a path leading out of the park. “Come on, precious, we've got other things to blow up.”

~*~*~*

Shadow Realm

~*~*~*

“I don't see what the problem is, it should be a simple enough spell.” Ledowr scanned frantically through another book then tossed it into the small mountain that presently resided in the center of his laboratory. No one had the heart to tell him that they'd already covered this territory when they were trying to get Seto and Jonouchi back into the mortal realm. “We can just banish them all to the mortal realm and have done! No more dragons!” He grabbed another book and started frantically going through it.

 

Yuai watched her beloved worriedly, then shifted closer to where Kallon was watching the younger mage frenziedly grab another book. Covering her mouth with her fingers she whispered, “I think he's finally cracked.”

 

Kallon nodded. “I fear the vacation will not come soon enough.”

 

~*~*~*

Duke's Game Shop

~*~*~*

 

“Bingo.” Marik, now recovered from his moment of squirrel hating, peered at the darkened shop.

 

The feeling of Shadow Magic hung heavy in the air around them, tainting it with a disturbing, electrical feeling. They were standing four blocks away from Duke's shop, standing outside a coffee shop. People rushed past them holding cups of coffee and munching sticky looking pastries. The pedestrians looked nervous, glancing around, frowning, hurrying on their way, uneasy in the fouled atmosphere. Yami grimaced in disgust at the feeling.

 

Bakura, standing to one side just inside the shadows of an alley, looked like he'd been handed a plate of roast camel. “As my light would say, lovely, just fucking lovely.”

 

“Interesting shield spell,” Marik peered at the air around the shop. “It looks like a variation of the protection spell around the Tablet of the Pharaoh's Memories.”

 

“There's a protection spell around that?” Yami looked a bit surprised. “I never noticed it.”

 

Marik shrugged, “You're the pharaoh, you aren't affected by it.” He nodded toward the nearby lurking thief. “He's probably noticed.”

 

Bakura snorted. “I also broke it. You guys need better spells.”

 

Marik shrugged. “Tell Shadi. I'm on the other team. Remember?”

 

Yami leaned back against the wall, listening to the other's bicker, and enjoying a rare moment of relative calm before heading off into the shop. Aibou? Are you well?

 

Yami!... Don't scare me like that! Aaaah… just how many snakes are there in Egypt? Yugi's voice sounded nervous and excited.

 

Yami smiled, happy to hear his light's voice. Oh, the snake pit scene… still watching movies?

 

Yeah. About the snakes…

 

Not that many, love. And definitely not all in the same place. Stupid scene… why would a thousand snakes congregate in an underground pit? Yami gave him a mental hug. I have to go. If something happens, let me know.

 

Yugi gave the impression of kissing him back. Everything's fine so far. Kaiba's still sleeping and Jonouchi is watching him. Shadi went back to the museum to get a rock or something that he says will boost the shields around the shop, and Grandpa and Isis are making gyro sandwiches in the kitchen.

 

With one last hug, Yami pulled himself back to the present.

 

“…and only a priest would be that stupid,” Bakura grumped, “or the descendent of one.”

 

“At least I don't wander around in pink ear muffs.” Marik glared back.

 

How quickly things deteriorate. Yami gave a mental huff and pulled himself away from the wall.

 

What? Yugi sounded confused.

 

Nothing, my light. Go back to your movie. Yami stepped between Marik and Bakura. “Discuss your lack of brain power later, let's get back to dealing with the problem at hand. He nodded toward the shop.

 

“It's got to be a priest.” Bakura eyed the shop for a second, then scanned the area. “It's a priest spell, so it has to be a priest that cast it.”

 

Marik gave a small shrug, letting the argument go. “Possibly. It' isn't a well known spell, but if it's someone from the past, they've had a lot of time to learn it.”

 

“So back to square one.” Yami turned toward the shop. “Let's go introduce ourselves, maybe then we'll get some answers.”

 

Bakura faded out of sight. His voice whispering back. “Meet you there.”

 

Marik and Yami strolled casually toward the shop. Marik watching as the people thinned out as they got closer and closer to their goal. Even the cars seemed a bit too sparse. Duke's shop was in the middle of a usually busy shopping district, but the shops on either side looked dilapidated and abandoned. The few cars that did pass by, sped up, zooming through the area as quickly as the law didn't allow.

 

The door of the shop was dusty, with a few sun faded posters stuck to it and the surrounding windows. The sidewalk was littered with old paper and dirt that had piled up around the edges of the building.

 

“You think they know we're here?” Marik murmured to Yami as they paused outside, pretending to read an old flyer for a dice tournament.

 

“Maybe…probably.” Yami tipped his head back, looking at the setting sun as it sunk over the hills that surrounded Domino on three sides. “But I'd be surprised if they knew where Bakura was. He's been shielding himself. Now let's go. We're the distraction.”

 

“Distraction? I'm a distraction? When was that decided?” Marik looked around as if there were voting booths he hadn't noticed lurking around the corner.

 

“Back there.” Yami noted that no one seemed to be lurking around or above the shop. No look outs? Hmm… either they are careless, or very confident…or the thief is getting faster with assassination…hmmmmm.

 

Marik shifted uneasily, “Do I even get the yami decoder ring and learn the secret yami handshake?”

 

Yami couldn't sense any mystical alarms either. Odd. Just the shield spell. “Maybe later, if you save all your box tops. Ready?”

 

The clerk looked bored, and slightly high, as he leaned against the counter flipping idly through a tattered gaming magazine. “If you need anything, let me know.” He didn't look up as he popped a potato chip into his mouth and flipped a page.

 

Yami glanced around the shop. The shelves were half stocked and dusty. Candy wrappers littered the stained carpet. Duke… you're so proud of your shop… “Is Duke around?”

 

The clerk glanced up and nodded. “Upstairs, I think. You friends of his?”

 

Yami smiled, “Yes, we've been out of town and wanted him to come over tonight. Is he busy?”

 

“Nah. Just hanging out with his girl.” The clerk went back to his magazine.

 

Marik, who'd been looking at a rack of outdated magazines, strolled back to Yami and they headed up the stairs. “Did you notice, once inside, there's no shield spells?” He nodded toward the right. “I can spot them both.”

 

Yami paused, looking toward were Marik indicated. “Good. If I remember, that's storage.”

 

They slipped past Duke's apartment, wrinkling their noses at the scent of rotting garbage that wafted through the half open door. They went up another set of stairs and stopped at the door to the storage. The door was closed, but when Marik tried the handle, the door opened easily.

 

“…that over there.” A voice that almost sounded like the small, mortal Yuai, but harsher, snapped. “It goes over there.”

 

There was the sound of scuffling and something heavy being shifted. Yami and Marik pushed the door all the way open, and saw Duke moving boxes out of the center of the room.

 

A small figure stood off to one side, shifting irritably. “Oh, look. Entertainment.”

 

Duke put the boxes down slowly, then turned and looked over at his friends. His normally bright eyes were dull, dead looking. His hair lay in greasy mats down his back and hung limply around his face. Even his clothes were dirty, torn and stained.

 

“Mind controlled, and a shitty job of it too.” Marik snorted.

 

“Not mind controlled. His soul's gone.” Yami narrowed his eyes, inspecting the small figure that stepped out of the shadows.

 

Yugi's small friend, or rather her body with someone else's soul in it, had changed dramatically. Even seeing her in the foyer where Ryou had be thrown into the Shadow Realm hadn't prepared him for the change. Dirt…no foulness seemed ingrained into her skin. From the top of her grimy head to the acne riddled skin, to the shabby clothes, she reeked of corruption.

 

“Bathing, give it a try.” Marik covered his nose.

 

Yami stepped further into the room. “Who are you?”

 

The figure, he refused to call it Yuai, smiled, a twisted mockery of amusement. “What…I'm hurt. You don't remember me?”

 

Marik, keeping a careful eye on Duke, stepped to Yami's side. The pharaoh could handle the Yuai-wanna be, but the physical attack, if it came, would be from the dice boy.

 

“Tell me. How is Kaiba? Hmmm? Enjoying his holiday?” The figure laughed.

 

Yami shrugged. “Wouldn't you rather know about how Seth is?”

 

“SETH!” The figure tensed angrily. “That traitor! That low life son of an ass. Him and the bitch that dared to bear him are roasting in hell.”

 

Yami smiled, “Last I check he was fine. Taking a nap under a tree by a river. No hell roasting.”

 

“He's dead. You're lying.” The figure snarled, tearing at its own hair in anger. “I watched him die.”

 

“I'm dead too, but I got over it.” Yami, glanced around at the boxes as he slid forward, preparing himself as he felt the inrush of power around him.

 

“Damn you!” The figure gestured and Duke rushed forward, throwing himself at Yami.

 

Marik stepped into his path, blocking him, with a laugh, “What…can't fight for yourself?”

 

At the same time, Yami raised his hand. “Mind Crush!”

 

“Fuck you, pharaoh.” The figure made a cutting motion with one hand, blocking the spell. “I expected you to…”

 

A knife appeared almost magically in her shoulder, as Bakura slipped wraith like from behind a pile of boxes. The white haired yami grinning like an insane cat. “He expected it too loser.”

 

“Low life scum.” She pulled the knife out, throwing it to the side, then narrowed her eyes. “Die!”

 

The spell threw Bakura back into the boxes, as Yami quickly put his hands out in a shielding gesture. Purplish light exploded through the room as the spells clashed. Behind them, running footsteps pounded up the stairs.

 

“Danm, he's a bitch.” Marik punched Duke in the stomach sending him down in a heap, but the brunet just clumsily pulled himself back to his feet.

 

“He can't feel pain, with his soul gone. You'll have to knock him out.” Yami panted, circling around to put himself between the still stunned thief and the enemy.

 

Bakura grunted, wobbling to his feet. “Caught me there.”

 

Yami narrowed his eyes, “Dark magic attack!” A bolt of darkness ran from Yami across the room to the figure.

 

It hurriedly threw up a shield, as the counter clerk from down stairs rushed into the room and leapt at Yami. Yami was knocked back into the boxes that Bakura had just pulled himself out of. Bakura stepped to the side, pulling out another knife, as Marik threw Duke into the enemy.

 

“You're mine.” Bakura darted forward as the figure thrashed free of Duke and tried to stand. This time the thief sunk the knife into her chest. At the same time, he buried his fingers into her eye socket pulling the Eye out.

 

The figure instantly went limp. Duke shrieked and thrashed, then fell to the floor moaning. The counter clerk, who had been pounding Yami's head against the floor fell suddenly and quietly over unconscious.

 

Bakura smiled, stepping back, “Well, that wasn't…”

 

Duke abruptly yanked himself off the floor, like a puppet that's strings had just been jerked, and lunged forward, slamming into Bakura. A second later he was up and running out the door, leaving the thief laying on the ground with the first knife he had thrown now buried in his side.

 

“Bakura!” Yami pulled himself unsteadily to his feet and wobbled over to the thief.

 

 

“D..d..damn.” The thief cautiously touched the knife, distantly hearing his frightened hikari's voice calling worriedly to him.

 

~*~*~*

Seto and Seth

~*~*~*

 

Seto woke up thinking he was in the middle of a rain storm. Glittering silver fell around him in soft torrents, but oddly, he wasn't getting wet. He rubbed his eyes and blinked the sleep out of them. Oh, still in the Shadow Realm. He sat up, brushing a few of the draping willowy branches out of his way. Suddenly he looked around. Seth! Seth! Where are you? He twisted around searching the area. Of to one side a still form lay half concealed in the silvery fall of leaves and branches. Seth! He crawled shakily over to his other and nearly collapsed at Seth's side, panting slightly. Yami! Seth, answer me!

 

Seth lay pale and still, with the makeshift pillow yami had made of his tunic still under his head. Seto couldn't even tell is his other was breathing. He raised one shaking hand to touch Seth's throat, hopping to feel a pulse. The skin beneath his fingers was cold to the touch, and his trembling fingers couldn't feel a pulse. Cursing himself, he dropped his head to Seth's chest, listening frantically, but all he could hear was his own terrified heart beating in his ears. Seth! Seth please… My fault, my fault.

 

Resting his head against Seth's chest, Seto felt as if he was going to shake apart at the seams. I killed him. I killed my own yami. He could feel himself shake, as if each muscle in his body was trying to pull loose and spring away like a pack of over stretched rubber bands. What is wrong with me? Why do I keep messing up like this? I should have listened to him. All he was trying to do was help me, and I kill him with my own idiocy. Stupid, stupid, stupid. First Jo, then Mokie, now Seth. Gozaburo was right, I am worthless.

 

“Shhhh.” A slender hand slid through his hair, as the chest beneath his cheek shifted. “Shhh, my light. He was wrong; you are my most cherished light, and I am proud of you, even now.”

 

“Seth.” Seto raised his head, looking into his yami's now awake eyes. “Seth are you…”

 

Seth's blue eyes closed his hand falling limply to his side. “Tired.”

 

“Seth…I'm… I should never have…” Seto reached out, touching his dark's cheek. “I'll do whatever you say, from now on. I'll even meditate.”

 

A small smile tugged at Seth's lips.

 

“Seth?”

 

“You need to go back, my light. You don't belong here.” Seth opened his eyes again. “Go take care of Jo and your brother. I need rest.”

 

“Seth, I'm not leaving you.” Seto shook his head, gesturing toward the glittering branches that surrounded them. “There might be…five headed leeches, or…slugs…or Bakura, out there.”

 

“I trust my pharaoh wouldn't leave me in such a place.” Seth closed his eyes a moment, raising one hand unsteadily to touch Seto's shoulder. A second later his eyes opened, glowing eerily. “Go.”

 

“NO! Seth!” Seto felt a sudden swoop, as if he'd plunged off the top of the highest rollercoaster in KiabaLand, into freefall. “SETH!”

 

“SETH!” Kaiba shot up panting, nearly falling of the edge of the bed. Only to be caught and steadied by a startled Jonouchi. “Seth, where are you? Seth!” Kaiba thrashed around, still half aware of where he was. “Seth!”

 

Jo held on and pulled him back from the edge of the bed.

 

Kaiba looked around a bit wildly. “Where's Seth?”

 

Jo shook his head, scooting back on the bed, tugging Kaiba with him. The brunet resisted, quivering against his arms.

 

Seth! He felt a slight shifting in the back of his mind, as if someone had sleepily rolled over.

 

“He sent me away. He needs help and he sent me away.” Kaiba looked around the room, startled and confused. The room was small and rather cramped, with a rolled up futon at the end of the bed and a window that looked out over a dusty alley. The sun was starting to dip downward, shadowing a sky filled with dusky reds and hazy yellows. At the window, a sleepy Rainbow Flower was curling its petals around itself with a contented hum. He turned slightly to face Jonouchi. “Jo?”

 

Jonouchi gave him a smile, tightening his hold into a hug.

 

“Are you okay Jo? Where's Mokuba?” Kaiba looked jerkily around, still trying to process where he was.

 

Jo watched him, giving him time to collect himself, but keeping his arms wrapped around his lover. After all they had been through, he was semi-worried that if he let go, Kaiba would disappear, collapse, get attacked, or be sucked into the Shadow Realm. He could feel Kaiba taking deep breaths, deliberately trying to calm himself. With one final shiver, Kaiba seemed to deflate slightly. Jo leaned back, pulling Kaiba with him as he rested his back against the wall. Jo shifted his legs around till Kaiba was cradled between them, his head resting against his chest.

 

“Mokuba?”

 

Jo pointed towards the door with a small grin. He wrapped an arm around Kaiba's shoulders, while the other stroked the rumpled brown hair out of Kaiba' face, carefully watching Kaiba blink sense back into his eyes.

 

“Downstairs?” Kaiba slid his arms around Jonouchi's waist and closed his eyes, listening to the steady heartbeat beneath his ear. The more he relaxed, the more he could sense his yami, sleeping at the edges of his soul. He pressed closer to Jo. It was nice, laying there, warm and safe with his lover. No worries, no stress, just him and Jo. But it wasn't reality. Reality was a messed up relationship, a blown up house, his business in shambles, his yami hurt, and his little brother in danger. He nuzzled against Jo's stomach, allowing himself one more moment before he let reality back in.

 

“You Jo? Are you okay?” Kaiba looked up at Jonouchi, then pushed himself away, trying to put distance between him and his love. “I'm sorry Jo. About… I shouldn't have pushed you. You weren't ready and…”

Jo frowned, shaking his head.

 

Kaiba turned his head, pulling farther away, Jo's frown telling him all he needed to know. “I don't blame you for being angry…”

 

Jo shook his head again, pulling Kaiba forward into a kiss. My fault love, not yours. I was the one that pounced on you.

 

Unhappily, Kaiba couldn't hear him, but he did understand the kiss. For one moment, he resisted, uncertain, then he closed his eyes, sighing softly, letting Jo slip into his mouth. He could feel Jo's fingers lifting to cradle his head, his legs shifting around him, embracing him. He relaxed farther, letting Jonouchi roll them till he was on his back, being sheltered under Jo's weight. The blonde's lips moving to caress along his jaw.

 

“Jo?” He breathed softly, as his ear received a small nip. “Jo are you sure? I …”

 

Jo's lips came back covering his, softly caressing. His hand slid forward stroking down Kaiba's face, one thumb smoothing over his jaw comfortingly. Hesitantly, Kaiba lifted his arms and loosely wrapped them around Jo's waist, half expecting Jo to jump away, but the blonde just settled himself onto him like a warm blanket.

 

Jo smiled to himself as he felt the last bit of tension fade from the body beneath him. That's it love, that's it. Come back to me. Forget for awhile. Just be here with me.. He trailed kisses down Kaiba's throat, as the brunet tipped his head back allowing him to do as he wished.. He reached back and caught Kaiba's hands, winding their fingers together. I love you. Let me show you how much…

 

There was a sudden deep boom from down stairs and the building swayed. Jo jerked up, startled as Kaiba shifted beneath him looking toward the door.

 

“Mokuba!”

 

_________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ____

 

 

DreamwindsofJasmine: I'm alive, honest I'm alive. Here's the update. (Melts under the awesome power of the puppy dog eyes).

 

Dragonmaster TC: Hmmm. That is an interesting pairing, and I've seen it done quite well in other fics, but Jo and Seto won Seth. Maybe, if I ever get may brain back, I'll look into writing a Seto/Serenity fic.

 

dragonlady222: Thanks for the vote. I love the idea of Seth with the dragons, but I think the pairing that won will work just as well, and it does give the story a unity that might otherwise be lacking.

 

Sorceress Sarrkh: Ahhh, Pegasus the drama queen. As you can see, I've gone with the Seto, Seth, Jonouchi pairing. The dragons, while cute, will have to wait.