Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Seraph ❯ Chapter 8

Warning: Tendershipping with Ryou seme

 

This is AU, seriously so

 

:blah: = hikari to yami telepathy

 

-blah- = yami to hikari telepathy

 

Ryou was careful to show his respect to the gathered tribunal, easy enough with Delphi and the three other alpha enhanced Adepts, but not so easy with Stellar, Solar's Sponsor. At gamma standard Stellar was only just high ranked enough to act as a Sponsor, but Ryou was convinced that his limitations were his own fault due to lack of imagination, and that he'd imposed them on his pupils and Sponsored without realising it. After the presentation they'd made of Shadow's blood work over the three weeks the drugs had been affecting him, and the memory they'd displayed of Solar being the one to drug Shadow even Stellar had to rule in their favour.

 

“What punishment do you request Seraph?” As the Adept of the Children of the Eldest on this tribunal Taltos was the spokesman. Ryou knew how lucky he was that there'd been an alpha enhanced Adept of each branch available for this so soon since they had to be of equal or higher rank than him to make up the tribunal.

 

“That he be made bondservant to my Consort.” Incapable of ever hurting Shadow again, or even of disobeying him, this would make Solar - and all his household - part of Ryou's own household.

 

“I challenge.” Solar sounded remarkably calm about this, Ryou had the feeling he was missing something, and that his rival had some sort of plan.

 

“Then I request that in the unlikely event of his victory Solar be made incapable of harming my Consort by bringing him into our rivalry.” Ryou had to win that much, he didn't want his yami damaged because of Solar's stupidity. The tribunal argued over that for a few moments, behind a privacy shield, strangely, it seemed that only Fiend, of the Children of the Fallen, was objecting, and he was swiftly overruled.

 

“Granted.”

 

“Why do you think my victory's so unlikely Seraph? Shadow's an Adept Consort, so I'm facing him, not you.” Ryou'd forgotten that. Shadow's success in passing testing to become a gamma standard Adept was so recent that it still slipped his mind sometimes.

 

-Seraph-sama, I half expected this. I have a deck ready to fight him with, and after all he's only seen me fight within the limits of testing.-

 

:So he has.: Ryou didn't try to hide the cruel amusement that thought brought him. “Because you don't have the faintest idea of what my Shadow's really capable of, only what the artificial constraints of testing allow. Go ahead, fight my Adept Consort, and lose.” Solar hadn't seemed to expect that response, and it shook his confidence for a moment, but then he smirked and stood, making his way to the arena.

 

“Come on then little Shadow.” Mockery filled the golden beauty's voice as he stood waiting for Shadow to meet him in combat. He was wearing his usual golden brown leathers and silks, more matched to his eyes and hair - similar to Jou's, but more...vibrant - than of any practical value in concealment. Not that he'd dressed Shadow that much better Ryou had to admit, if only to himself. The dark grey leather pants and vest might be better camouflage than even black could be, but the black kitten-heeled boots he wore would probably hinder him in combat, and the red silk shirt beneath the vest would draw anyone's attention.

 

Shadow drew his deck from the holder fastened to his belt as he waited for Fiend to allow them to start; the Adept of the Children of the Fallen would preside over the match, as was standard in a combat trial. Ryou'd never studied the history of The Children of the Eldest, Fairest and Fallen, so he didn't know when or where they'd picked up the tradition of starting a ritual combat by having the overseer drop a piece of brightly coloured cloth, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was the instant way Shadow whipped out and invoked the top card of his deck, too swiftly for Solar to counter it.

 

“Swords of Revealing Light!” And that held Solar helpless long enough for Shadow to seal his soul into the second card in his deck. Shadow waited for Fiend to declare him the winner of the match, and then came over to Seraph, kneeling in front of him.

 

“I'll restore his soul after you've decided how to integrate him and his household into your own Seraph-sama.” He'd thought about that since he'd decided on what to demand as reparation. The humiliation factor of having his `rival' enslaved to a Consort, even an Adept Consort, had been the deciding factor more than anything else. Fiend was smiling at Ryou from the arena, obviously approving of the display of sadism.

 

“And when the arrangements have been made to do so. His concubines are mine now, you can pick one of them to take over the cleaning duties in our house back in Domino, the other can stay here. I want you to forbid him to touch anyone sexually, and he is to be restricted to my quarters here, except when he's performing an assassination with my leave. Half his fee is to go to your account, and half to mine. I think that covers everything.” Now that he'd made his wishes known in the matter Ryou knew that they'd be carried out, that was why Stellar and Delphi were there.

 

--0--

 

Bakura waited in his room for Seraph to come to him. He hoped that his hikari wasn't angry with him for what he'd done today, preparing for a combat trial without informing him. He didn't think Seraph was angry, he'd seemed almost proud as he'd given the commands for bringing Solar's household into his own, but it was always a possibility, that he'd angered Seraph without meaning to. A nervous sounding knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

 

“Come in.” He couldn't think who'd be knocking at his door, but he knew whoever it was had Seraph's permission to be there.

 

“Shadow-dono. We were told to present ourselves to you?” The more confident of the two women one of the servants pushed into the room spoke. She risked looking him in the face for a second, before openly gaping at the room, particularly the two desks, one for him, and one for Seraph. She looked like a Kushite, darker skinned than most Egyptians, with equally dark eyes and hair. The other one was a redhead, with hair like spilled blood, and voluptuous where the darker woman was leanly muscular, but that was all he could tell about her appearance, since she kept her face shadowed by her hair.

 

-Seraph-sama, do you wish the concubine we take with us to be able to cook as well?-

 

:It would give you a break, if you want it.: Bakura wasn't sure he did, but...

 

“What are your names?”

 

“I'm Rukaiya, and this is Antonia.” Bakura mentally dismissed Antonia to focus instead on Rukaiya.

 

“Rukaiya, do you know how to clean and maintain a household?”

 

“Yes Shadow-dono.”

 

“And what about cooking?”

 

“My range is limited to meals traditional to my culture, but I can learn more if you wish it.”

 

“Maybe Seraph-sama will send you to a class on cooking, or just have you learn from the TV. You'll be coming with us when we leave. Antonia will be staying here. Go now.” He dismissed them, picking up his deck and drawing a hand to distract himself as they left.

 

“You did well today Shadow.” And Seraph's praise relaxed a tension he hadn't quite been aware of before. He'd known when he entered of course, but he'd learned that usually Seraph preferred him to pretend not to notice him until the assassin deliberately drew his attention. “We've got a couple of hours until you need to release Solar to be bonded, come here.” Seraph was already lying on the bed, whereas Bakura had sat at his desk, to have a flat surface to deal his cards out onto. Bakura walked over, and paused at the edge of the bed, until Seraph patted the pillows beside him and then he climbed up onto the bed and began the process of crawling over to his lover. Seraph reached up and stroked his hair gently before continuing. “Undress me.” Seraph had dressed in a white gi and white hakama, even going so far as to wear zori, so Bakura started with his white tabi, kissing his skin as it was revealed. When he'd finished he just sat back on his heels and looked at Seraph. He sometimes wished that he was ordered to bathe his hikari on a regular basis the way many other Consorts were, but his master preferred to bathe himself, alone.

 

“I want you to take me.” Bakura's breath caught in his throat at this ultimate expression of trust. He could count the times he'd been seme on one hand, and still have fingers left over. He knew this meant he had to be quick, instead of lingering over pleasing his lover the way he preferred. But he could get something he hadn't been granted when they'd done this before.

 

“W-will you undress me, please, Seraph-sama?” A throaty laugh was his only answer as Seraph set to the task of removing his clothes. Once he was naked he knelt between Seraph's legs, raising the other's hips with a pile of pillows, and bypassed the assassin's half-hard penis to lick between his buttocks, cleaning him inside with the spell so often used on him before breaching the rosebud with his tongue. When he'd prepared him as much as he could that way he crawled away from Seraph to collect the oil from the bedside table and returned to take him into his mouth, bringing him to full arousal as he added the oil to his fingers and slid two into Seraph. His side of their link was totally open in offering and he finally completed stretching his hikari just before he was about to climax, pulling away swiftly enough to halt it. Seraph lifted a leg and somehow flipped over onto his hands and knees without touching Bakura.

 

“In me, now!” So it was to be from behind again. Bakura would have preferred to see Seraph, as he could when Seraph took him, but whatever pleased his master best. He used the oil on his cock and slid inside, his oiled hand going to Seraph's own straining cock, stroking him swiftly to climax. Bakura always finished after only a few thrusts into his master, the unfamiliar (despite Seraph's willingness to share what he felt during sex) sensations overwhelming him.

 

--0--

 

:I still can't believe you agreed that I'd meet Bakura here so early mou hitori no boku. You know Sunday's the only chance we get to sleep in.:

 

-I'm sorry aibou. I truly am, but I didn't get the impression that Seraph was willing to permit me to disagree.- Yami knew that Yugi wasn't really angry about this, he was complaining for the sake of complaining, and Yami didn't need to apologise, just to be an audience for his hikari, but still... -We wouldn't need to get there so early if you were willing to forego the Shadow Magic protections...- He'd only offered them when he realised that Yugi wouldn't feel safe enough to learn without them, sensing the fear Jou's question about Shadow attacking him during the lesson raised.

 

:We're up now!: Yami'd made the suggestion before, but this was the first time Yugi's response had conveyed so much aggressive anger, enough to make Yami quail. :I said I wanted that Shadow Magic trap the last ten times you wanted me to forget it as well! Enough already!:

 

-I...I didn't mean to upset you aibou.- He tried to keep his discomfort from Yugi, but he failed, and that seemed to distract his hikari from complaining as nothing else had.

 

:It's alright mou hitori no boku. I'm not angry with you, it's just that I'd rather not have the whole day taken up by this. I mean I had a hard time finishing my homework yesterday and I didn't have time to do anything fun.:

 

-Seraph did say that it mightn't take all day for your first lesson. I think that he implied it wouldn't take all day for later lessons either. Didn't he say learning to sense your ki would be the first lesson?-

 

:Yes. We're here.: Yugi opened the door with the key that Seraph had given him just before the left school yesterday. :Can you set up the traps now?:

 

-Yes aibou.- Yugi handed over control of their body and Yami busied himself first with setting up the traps he'd promised his hikari, and then, once Yugi granted permission, with stretches to warm up, so they wouldn't hurt themselves during the lesson by trying to do too much.

 

He handed control back to Yugi when Seraph and Shadow arrived, each carrying a backpack. Yami'd handed control back to Yugi before he saw Shadow's face, but he'd have gasped the same way when he saw the red gems that were now inset into his scar.

 

“What happened to your face Bakura?” Shadow didn't reply, instead taking some things from the bags and setting them up while Seraph replied.

 

“We needed to be at the Compound anyway, so I decided to have the garnets added to his scar. Looks good don't you think?”

 

“You decided? He doesn't get a choice in the matter?” Yugi seemed to be as outraged as Yami was by the idea.

 

“What makes you think I'd want a choice.” Shadow straightened, looking at Yugi. “If Seraph-sama like this that is all I need to be concerned about. It isn't as if it really hurt or anything, and I don't really mind drawing the attention - I get it anyway. Anyway, it's time to start training you Yugi. You don't know how to meditate, or I'd consider teaching you to sense your ki that way, but it would take far too much time to first teach you to meditate, then teach you to use that to find your ki. Instead we'll use a faster method.”

 

“What do I need to do?” Yugi's voice trembled a bit at first, but he quickly firmed it up, to Yami's approval.

 

“Have you warmed up already, or do you need to do it now?”

 

“Yami did it for me.”

 

“Good enough.” And them Shadow began putting Yugi through a workout that seemed to be designed to exhaust him. He was given weighted wrist and ankle bands to do the workout in, and they started off with an hour of sit-ups, push-ups and that sort of thing, all fast paced. Then Shadow tossed Yugi an energy drink and gave him a minute to drink it, timing it.

 

“Next we're running. Keep up with me. If you fall too far behind I'll have to summon something to give you a bit of motivation Yugi-dono.” He sounded so casual about it, but Yami noted that he was careful about the pace he set, it was within Yugi's reach, if just barely, at least for the first hour. Again Yugi got a minute to have an energy drink, but then Shadow got him to start running again, faster this time since Seraph had replaced Shadow as his running partner, still with the weights at his wrists and ankles. Eventually Yugi just collapsed, and Yami could tell that he was exhausted.

 

“Get up, just do a bit more, or you'll have wasted all this effort.” Shadow coaxed Yugi back onto his feet, and then into running a few steps further. After he'd collapsed again he coached Yugi through something. Yami didn't understand what it was, but he could feel Yugi's sense of epiphany.

 

“That's all for today. Remember what this feels like, and try to recapture the feeling as often as you can. We'll see you tomorrow...unless you want help getting to the Game Shop?”

 

“No, I can manage.”

 

--0--

 

-Aibou, you need to get up. You slept through your alarm and Jiisan's calling for you.-

 

:I'm still tired mou hitori no boku. You get up instead.:

 

-Aibou...-

 

:I'll take over when we get to school, but I'm still tired because you insisted I find my ki every hour until damn near midnight. It won't be as bad for you.: Yami obeyed, taking over his body to get out of bed at Jiisan's next call.

 

-I'm sorry aibou, it's just...I was so scared that you'd forget how to do that, and have to go through what happened on Sunday again.- Guilt, shame and fear came through their link with the words, along with a sense of self-abasement and submission. Now Yugi felt guilty for complaining about Yami's efforts to protect him, and make him strong enough not to need protection in the same way; he knew that he couldn't have endured something like Sunday again. Especially considering the way he'd reacted to learning how the Puzzle could protect Yugi from him if it ever became necessary; even before that he'd wanted Yugi to accept him and his sense of self-worth had been almost totally wrapped up in his ability to protect Yugi, but now it was even worse.

 

:It's alright. I'm not really angry, and you're right I don't think I could cope with Sunday again. It's just you've got to admit that you're a bit paranoid.:

 

-Yes aibou. Go ahead, get some more rest in your soul room.- Yugi didn't bother to reply, just curled up on his bed in his soul room, and took the opportunity to get some sleep. It wasn't as good as really sleeping would have been, but he would be a bit more alert when he got to school.

 

“Aibou asked me to get him to school, while he got as much rest as he could in his soul room.” Yami's worried, and guilty, voice woke Yugi from his nap just as they were reaching the school gates.

 

:Can you stay in charge until we actually start class, please mou hitori no boku?:

 

-If that's what you want aibou.-

 

“Shit. What got him that wasted?”

 

“Do you remember when Shadow agreed to teach aibou how to defend himself? It was his first lesson yesterday, and I can see why Seraph insisted on the promise not to complain and to obey without question. Seraph help work Yugi to the point of collapse. They said it was the quickest way to teach him to sense his ki. It didn't help that I nagged him into finding his ki on an hourly basis for the rest of the day.” There was a sense of rueful acknowledgement in the last sentence, but not the same sort of guilt Yugi'd heard earlier.

 

:After that I'm glad you asked Bakura to teach me to fight, not Ryou. Ryou doesn't seem to understand the concept of limitations too well.:

 

“Why?” At least Honda didn't sound accusing, that would have damaged Yami even more.

 

“I...Shadow told aibou to try to find his ki as often as he could....and I was scared that if he couldn't he'd have to do what it took to sense his ki the first time again. Aibou tells me I'm paranoid. But I want him to be capable of taking care of himself, not just depending on me for protection. I've already failed him sometimes.”

 

:No. You haven't. Believe me, you've never failed me in any way.: Yugi could tell that Yami wanted to believe him, but he wasn't convinced. :You should warn them about Bakura's scar too.:

 

-Yes aibou. Thank you for reminding me.-

 

“Aibou thought you should hear this before you actually see Shadow. You know his scar? There's garnets set into it now, Seraph said he had it done while they were at the Compound - wherever that is - on Saturday.”

 

“Ryou-kun had it done, not Bakura-kun?” Of course Anzu would be concerned.

 

“Yes, but...Shadow said he didn't mind.” And Yugi could sense Yami's confusion, feeding on and feeding his own. “I should get everything ready for the first lesson.” His attempt to disengage probably wouldn't have worked - obviously the King of Games didn't see this as a game - if it hadn't been for Ryou and Bakura walking in together at that moment and everybody gasping at Bakura's scar.

 

-What will you need aibou?- Yami's question distracted Yugi, as it was clearly intended to.

 

--0--

 

Bakura scowled slightly as he realised that he wouldn't have a chance to check on Yugi's progress until after the first lesson, or possibly lunch if the teen needed guiding through finding his ki again. He'd known there'd be some talk about what Seraph had ordered done to his scar, but he hadn't expected Yami's groupies to virtually mob him. No one else had dared come so close to him since the third time Seraph put people in hospital for touching him and since the story about that tournament two years back had circulated. He'd been there to watch and it had scared the hell out of him, the way Seraph could cripple someone without even meaning to. Ironically it wouldn't have bothered him a bit if Seraph had decided to cripple his opponent, instead of just forgetting how fragile people were. Even so Bakura didn't really want to know what sort of favours Seraph had to call in to keep what happened out of the courts. It was a relief when the lesson actually started, and he didn't have to keep on answering the same question phrased different ways again and again.

 

He went over to Yugi after the first lesson, seeing the signs of exhaustion clear throughout his body.

 

“Are you alright Yugi-dono?”

 

“Yeah...just tired.” The teen dredged up a smile from somewhere, even though he could barely keep his head up. “Mou hitori no boku kept me up until midnight, practising what you taught me.”

 

“Ah.” Bakura returned a smile of his own. “Then I guess it would upset you if I asked you to show me that you can still find your ki?” He wasn't sure whether he should insist, or leave the teen for a bit.

 

“Fine. At least this way all the practice I got isn't wasted.” Bakura watched, observing as Yugi focused and found his ki, frowning when he realised how low it was - far lower than it should have been for even an untrained teen like Yugi, and far lower than it normally was. It had only been a little lower when he first sensed it, but that was because Bakura and Seraph had deliberately depleted it with the exercises, so that Yugi was forced to rely on it.

 

“No, your practice wasn't wasted, keep focusing on how your ki feels, and tell me when it changes, and how.” Bakura lifted his hand and touched Yugi's arm, feeding his own ki into Yugi, enough to just barely double it.

 

“My ki...it just doubled. Did you do that?” Yugi'd lost his awareness of his ki in his surprise, looking at Bakura wide-eyed.

 

“Yes Yugi-dono. You should be fine now.”

 

“Thank you Bakura-san.” Bakura blinked in surprise. He knew the changed form of address, the new use of an honorific meant something, but he had no idea what. Honda and Jounouchi didn't bother with any suffixes, for anyone, and he'd stopped Anzu calling him -chan like she would a girlfriend the one time she tried so she'd reverted back to -kun, Yami of course rarely bothered with the suffixes anymore than he did, because they weren't natural to either of them, but Yugi normally called people -kun, unless they were enemies, or deserved specific respect.

 

“You are welcome Yugi-dono. It is still lower than your ki should be, but...” Bakura looked away and fiddled with one of his bracelets as he tried to work out how to explain. It seemed to be a good distraction technique.

 

“Mou hitori no boku wants me to ask about those. He thinks they aren't the same ones you were wearing the first day you came to school?”

 

“He's very observant then. The only way I can tell is because these weigh less than the other set. The bracelets and anklets I was wearing that first day are made out of platinum, and set with rubies you see. Seraph-sama decided that `cheap silver' set with garnets would be better, less of a temptation to thieves. I could probably deal with a bullet using Shadow Magic if I saw it coming, but he'd rather not take the chance.”

 

“Oh.” Yugi smiled in understanding. “I remember once there was a museum owner who wanted to steal my Millennium Puzzle and sell it to someone else. He died, by Shadi's hand, not Yami's.”

 

“You understand then.” Bakura couldn't say anything else, since the teacher had arrived for their next lesson.

 

--0--