Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Spellbound ❯ Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next person on the list was the only other person who lived in this country, and she just happened to live nearby. Nodding to each other, Yami and I climbed back into the car to pay a quick visit to Mai Kujaku.

We rode for a while in silence, each occupied by our own thoughts, until I felt Yami's gaze on me. "Kaiba, where have you been for the last two years?" he asked quietly.

"What are you talking about? You knew exactly where I was; just outside of town, designing Kaiba Land," I snapped.

"No, I mean… For so long, you and I were really close, you know? And then, after Battle City you just disappeared. I never even got to give you your card back," he mused. I glanced over at Yami to see him staring thoughtfully out the window, running his slim fingers through his long blonde bangs. When, after I moment, I still hadn't responded, he turned to me. I quickly returned my attention to the road.

"Yugi-tachi are starting college in a week or so," he continued. "Yugi was so happy when he found out the high schools start earlier than college; he bragged about it for days. It was so funny." Yami laughed to himself, and I wondered why he was telling me all this. Maybe he just liked to hear himself talk. What disturbed me was I liked to hear it, too.

"I won't go with him, though. I can't. I guess I'll just help Yugi's Jiichan in the game shop; that is, if I even still have my own body then," Yami sighed.

I pulled the car to a screeching halt on the side of the highway, sending dust flying through the air. Some of it settled in my open convertible, but I ignored it, glaring at Yami. "You'll have your body; you always will. I promise you that. And you'll do something more worthwhile with it than working in a second-rate game shop," I growled.

Yami stared at me for a moment. Then he slowly unfastened his seat belt and let it slide away from him. "Where do you think you're going?" I snarled, expecting him to jump from the vehicle.

He threw himself at me instead.

Yami wrapped his arms around my neck and squeezed the air from my lungs in a desperate hug. He buried his face into my shirt, and through my haze of absolute shock I felt it grow damp against my skin. Yami was crying.

"Yami, what in the world?" I gasped, torn from my usual composure by this unbelievable event. Yami Mutou was hugging me. And crying.

"Kaiba, I'm just so scared," he mumbled into my chest. "I don't want to go back to the Puzzle! Being like this, living like this; it's all I ever wanted! I don't want to go back; I can't!" Hesitantly, I let my arms creep around his back and held him as he sobbed. This was one of those surreal moments where I needed to touch something so I could be sure I was awake.

Yami sniffled and scooted closer to me, so that I could feel the heat from his slim form all along my side. Well, I was definitely awake. I suppose it was a good thing, too; if I'd dreamed about this I might have to start worrying about myself.

"Yami, I already told you that I wouldn't let you go back to that Necklace…"

"Puzzle," he interrupted.

"Whatever. Anyway, that's why we're here. If you want to beat Bakura, then stop crying and get back in your seat so we can see Mai," I ordered. He reluctantly slid his arms from my neck and scooted away, grinning weakly at me. I successfully fought down an answering grin and started the car.

"Thank you, Seto. You'll never know how much this means to me," Yami whispered faintly, under his breath. But I heard.

"Hey, Kaiba? How will we know when I beat the spell?" Yami asked thoughtfully, as we climbed the steps to Mai's apartment.

"Call it a hunch," I replied dryly, and tapped his chest.

"Oh…" Yami lifted his shirt, exposing his pale, smooth skin, and stared down at his tattoo.

"What are you doing?" I groaned. "You look like an idiot!"

"I was checking to see if it was still there," Yami snapped, glaring at me. It didn't hold its usual strength, though; perhaps because he was blushing furiously at the same time.

I ignored him and knocked on the door. Mai opened it in her usual half-dressed state, with her thick blonde hair cascading down her smooth shoulders. "Well, hello, boys," she smirked seductively.

Yami and I just stared at her, unimpressed.

A look of confusion briefly crossed her face before she shrugged and stepped aside. "Kaiba, Yugi. It's a surprise to see you; come on in," she said, and gestured into the apartment.

I strode inside quickly, with Yami right on my heels. "Hello, Mai," he said cheerfully. "But you should really call me Yami now; Yugi and I are separate."

"You don't say," she replied, raising an eyebrow.

Yami launched into a long, complicated explanation while I waited impatiently. Tuning out his words, I simply watched him speak; his scarlet eyes sparkled with emotion, and his long blond bangs swept carelessly across his forehead as he gestured emphatically. He raised a slender hand and pointed at me and I snapped from my reverie.

"…so Kaiba printed out the list, and here we are," Yami finished.

Mai blinked in surprise. "Yami, you actually think I could be your equal?" she gasped, and burst into laughter. "You beat me every single time we dueled!" She continued to laugh hysterically while Yami glared.

"That seems to be a common response," he said sulkily. "Maybe we should judge this by something other than Duel Monsters."

I shrugged. "Well, what do you think we should do, then?" I asked.

"I don't know; come up with some sort of test?" Yami replied vaguely. "If we had the Sennen Items, this would be easy…"

"Don't you?" I asked.

"No, Yugi does," he replied distantly, "but I don't know if they even work on me, since the spell." He paused for a moment. "Hey Seto, can I ask you something?"

"What?" I said, watching Mai, who was still laughing. It had become like white noise, of sorts. Except no one would buy a recording of Mai's derisive laughter to fall asleep to.

"Don't you have a virtual obstacle course at Kaiba Land?"

"But you have to let me come, Seto!" Mokuba whined.

Yami and I had convinced Mai to challenge him in the virtual obstacle course. They would each play their own game, separate from the other, and my computer would compare their performance and strategies. It was the perfect way to measure Yami's equal. He'd been brilliant to think of it.

Yami and Mai were coming to the amusement park later this morning, and Mokuba was begging to miss school so he could see it.

"No. I'll tell you what happened this afternoon."

"Aww, but Jou and Yugi and the rest will be here!" he pleaded. Suddenly I felt nauseous.

"I don't care. They don't have school," I snapped. Mokuba stuck out his bottom lip and let his eyes grow big and watery in an adorable pout. I had to look away. "That doesn't work anymore, Mokuba. You're not a little kid now."

"You HATE me! You don't want me to have friends!" he wailed. I wavered. Man, this kid was good.

"No," I said firmly, and pointed to the limousine, where the driver stood waiting beside the door. "Go to school," I ordered. Mokuba scowled at me, muttering under his breath, and once he was out of sight I ran shaking fingers through my thick brown hair and sighed.

"You're tougher than I am. If Yugi pulled something like that, I could never resist," came a laughing voice from behind me.

"Yami!" I greeted him, smiling happily. Then I realized what I was doing and quickly glared.

"It's good to see you, too," he smirked, and I gave him a real scowl. "I know the rest won't be here until later, but I wanted to see you. I'm really nervous," Yami admitted.

"You wanted to see me because you were nervous?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, I don't know… Yes, I suppose," he said. "Yes. I did."

Having his own body must be making him go insane. "Whatever. Go do…whatever it is you do. I have to work," I snapped, and stalked up the stairs to my office. He followed me.

I decided to ignore him and turned on my computer, carefully sorting through all the new issues that had arisen with Kaiba Land. Yami sat in the chair across from my desk and relaxed into it, silently closing his eyes. After a few minutes his head bobbed against his shoulder and he gave a little snore, and I smiled at him (since he wasn't awake to see it) and walked quietly around the desk. Then I pulled off my coat and draped it over him, running my fingers through his soft hair as I straightened. He smiled slightly in his sleep and I suddenly frowned. What was I doing?

Quickly I retreated to my computer and began working furiously, determined not to pay any more attention to Yami. I still noticed when he shifted in his sleep and tugged my coat closer to him, sighing contentedly.

Yugi-tachi stared at the display screens, torn between watching Yami's progress and watching Mai's. I watched Yami, of course, though I pretended to work on my laptop. After several different obstacle courses (during which Yugi-tachi screamed and cheered like a bunch of baboons) Yami and Mai emerged from their virtual pods, yawning and stretching.

"So Kaiba, what's the score?" the stupid mutt asked me.

"Jou, he still has to do his thing with the computer, you know," said the pointy-haired guy (I forget his name), making typing motions in the air with his fingers.

Yugi-tachi bickered amongst themselves, and I ignored them as usual, running the statistics through my computer. When I felt a soft touch on my shoulder I jerked my head up, ready to snap at whichever of the baboons that had dared to touch me; but Yami stood there, resting his hand companionably on my shoulder and watching the computer screen apprehensively. I silently turned back to my laptop.

"How did I do?" he asked quietly.

"Fine. But that doesn't matter; we want to know how much of what Mai did is similar to you, or at least on the same level with you," I explained.

"I know that; this was my idea, remember?" Yami smirked. "I was asking how you thought I did."

"Does the King of Games need reassurance?" I scoffed. "I designed this game, and you could go through it a hundred times and never figure out everything there is to it," I bragged. Yami laughed and squeezed my shoulder before heading over to Yugi-tachi.

Watching him from the corner of my eye, I finished the program commands and leaned back in my chair to wait. Yami was talking to Anzu now, who hung all over him, giggling flirtatiously. I scowled. Much more amusing, however, were the mutt's attempts to flirt with Mai.

"So… Mai. How are things? You know, it's nice to see you; I like having you around. Not that I miss you; I mean… It's cool when you're around, but when you're not, that's okay, too," he stuttered. The pointy-haired guy mocked the mutt behind his back, and Yugi snickered under his breath at the two of them.

Just then we heard a loud beep, and a flashing number appeared on the display screens.

50%.

"I'm sorry, Yami," Yugi sighed. The others patted him on the back consolingly, and Mai shook his hand.

"I'm sorry, too, but I must say I didn't really expect anything different," she sighed. The group of chattering youths clustered together and herded out the door just like a flock of pigeons. I was forever comparing them to animals, wasn't I? They made it too easy.

Slowly I closed down the virtual pods and the statistical program and shut my laptop, waiting. When I heard the soft footsteps I stood and turned expectantly. Yami gazed at me sadly through his crimson eyes, and his proud shoulders drooped dejectedly. He approached me silently and held out a hand. I just stared at it.

"Thank you for everything, Kaiba," Yami said calmly, straightening his shoulders. He finally dropped his hand and sighed. "I guess we both knew it wouldn't work, though. I won't hold you to your promise; I can handle living in the Puzzle as a spirit again. At least I got to experience a life of my own for a little while."

"What are you talking about, Yami?" I snapped. "There are still two more people on that list!"

"Yes, but you saw who they were," he replied. "Plus they live in Egypt, so how would I…"

"I'll take you there tomorrow," I interrupted. He blinked in surprise. Then he threw his arms around my waist in a bone-crushing hug.

"Kaiba, how did I survive the last two years without you?" he laughed. I just smirked and lightly returned the hug.

Mokuba, needless to say, threw the temper tantrum of a lifetime when I informed him of my trip. "But Seto, why can't I go? Tomorrow's Saturday," he whined.

"I already told you, Mokuba, I'll be gone for at least three days, maybe four. You'd end up missing at least two days of school, and this isn't even a pleasure trip. I promise I'll take you somewhere fun one weekend or when you have a vacation from school," I told him impatiently, packing my suitcase. I made sure to pack plenty of extra things for Yami, just in case he needed anything.

A mischievous gleam came into Mokuba's eyes. "Seto, since I can't come with you, can I at least have a friend or two come over this weekend? I really don't want to be alone," he wheedled.

I immediately gave in, since I already felt guilty for not letting him come to see Yami and Mai in the obstacle course, not to mention leaving the country without him. "Fine. Yugi-tachi can come over, but don't let them near my things," I warned.

Mokuba cheered and ran from the room, no doubt to find the nearest telephone and inform the mutt and his friends of my uncharacteristic bout of generosity. I went back to packing, beginning to feel apprehensive about the state of my house when I returned.

I closed the suitcase and slipped off the long coat I'd worn that day, deciding to relax a little, when a folded sheet of paper fell from one of the pockets and drifted to the floor. Frowning curiously, I picked it up and opened it, reading the handwritten note scribbled inside.

Meet me at the pier. 7:00 P.M. You know where.

"Like I'm going to respond to some vague note from someone who can't even ask me to meet him to his face," I snorted. "I don't know who wrote this; it could be someone trying to rob me or kidnap Mokuba."

I held the note a moment longer and glanced at the clock. 6:35. Scrawling a hasty note to my brother, I slipped back into my coat and ran out the door.

I only had twenty-five minutes to meet Yami.

"You're late," he said, swinging his legs as they dangled lazily over the water.

"I had to walk. I can't drive my convertible on the pier, after all," I replied, sitting beside him.

"You could take your helicopter again," he grinned up at me. I shuddered at the memory, glancing around the pier where Yami had almost drowned during his duel with the mutt.

"Why did you pick this place?" I grumbled.

"Why did you come?" he retorted, grinning. Light from the rising moon reflected off his white smile, giving him an almost ghostly appearance in the growing darkness. Yami stood, stretching his small, thin frame, and offered me a hand. I took it, though I really didn't need it. Or want it. Really.

"I wanted to remind you that you saved my life before that last battle at Alcatraz. You saved Anzu, which let me (well, Yugi, but we were pretty much the same then) worry about Jou without putting Anzu in danger," he explained. "So, you see, we've each saved the other's life more than once. We're even. You don't owe me anything, not that you ever did," Yami chuckled to himself.

I shook my head. "No, you're still ahead," I argued.

"Well, who can keep track, anyway?" Yami said, and broke into full peals of laughter. I smiled at the sound but turned my head so he wouldn't see. After a moment he quieted and I felt his hand wrap around my elbow. "I just don't want you to only spend time with me because you think you owe me something. I want us to be friends," he added softly.

I gazed coolly into his crimson eyes. "I don't have friends," I told him levelly. He just rolled his eyes and smirked up at me.

"Yes, I know," he said dryly. Then I felt him lean slightly against my arm before he removed his hand from my elbow. While I adjusted to the sudden loss of body heat, Yami stared into the distance, his eyes lighting on something at the edge of the pier.

"Hey Seto," he asked, "do you know how to hotwire a motorboat?"

We exchanged matching wicked smirks.

I turned the boat back toward the pier after about an hour when its gas light appeared. Yami's hair, by this time, curled all along his face instead of just sticking up everywhere like it normally did. The humid sea air must have taken its toll. He beamed happily, watching the water, as I sped toward the shore; but by now he'd calmed somewhat- he'd been laughing maniacally during my daredevil stunts out on the water. At least he hadn't been screaming.

"This was great, Kaiba," Yami told me as he climbed from the boat, stumbling a little. I easily caught his waist and steadied him while he stepped out onto the pier. Quickly following Yami from the boat, I gave him a brief nod in farewell and stalked away in the direction of my house.

He followed me.

Running his fingers through his hair to remove the curl, Yami ran a few steps until he walked beside me. I raised an eyebrow at him, which he ignored. "So…how is Mokuba?" he asked vaguely. I snorted.

"What are you doing, Yami?"

"Walking with you."

"Why?" I sighed impatiently. Didn't he have to go back to Yugi and the other losers?

"Because I want to," he answered shortly, crossing his arms in defiance. Not having an answer for this, I chose to ignore it. We continued walking in silence until we reached the gate to my house. The guards nodded deferentially at me, and I turned expectantly to Yami, observing him with amusement. He just straightened his proud shoulders and smiled at me.

"Goodbye, Kaiba. I'll see you tomorrow," Yami said. I rolled my eyes at him, fighting down a grin. What was the point in walking with me? Surely he didn't need the exercise that badly.

"Don't be late," I replied curtly. He grinned wider and gave me a little wave before turning to leave, and I watched him walk away- the back of his hair had begun to curl again. When I smiled a little at this observation he suddenly looked back at me and caught my expression. I immediately whirled around and stalked through the gates, but his peals of laughter echoed through the night air and followed me into the house.