Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Spellbound ❯ Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Yami arrived at my door the next morning with a medium-sized black bag slung over his shoulder. "You pack light," I observed, smiling down at him. His crimson eyes sparkled and I blinked, wiping the expression from my face.

"Well, I do," he smirked and nodded over his shoulder. Yugi-tachi were all behind him, running around in their typical loud, obnoxious way. Much to my amusement, Jounouchi had been saddled with all their suitcases, and he stumbled awkwardly in his attempt to remain upright. "When Mokuba invited them over for the weekend, you'd think they were the ones leaving the country, with the way they were celebrating. They must really like Mokuba," Yami continued, laughing slightly.

"More like they like Mokuba's toys," I replied dryly, but I gave him a little smile, pleased with his praise of my baby brother.

"Yo, Kaiba, when're we gonna get to come inside?" the mutt whined from under the many suitcases.

"I don't let dogs in the house," I snapped. Pulling Yami inside quickly, I slammed the door in Jounouchi's face and locked it.

Yami burst out in surprised laughter and reached for the door, but I grabbed his hand. "Mokuba will let them in later; come on," I said, and pulled him along behind me to the back of the house. We hurried out the back entrance to where I had my private jet parked on a tiny airstrip in the backyard.

"Seto, do you have everything?" Yami gasped breathlessly, still laughing.

I ignored this and climbed the open staircase into the airplane. Yami followed at my heels, handing his bag to an attendant, and settled beside me on one of the soft couches along the interior. He leaned back with a sigh, crossing his arms across his chest and resting his head against the back of the couch, and closed his eyes lazily. He smiled a little to himself, and the dimple above his lip reappeared.

I moved to an armchair.

After a moment he opened his eyes and turned to where I'd been sitting, and let out a little noise of surprise at my sudden absence. "Kaiba, why did you move?" Yami asked, noticing me in the chair.

"I like my space," I replied shortly, glaring at him. Yami sighed and stretched out across the couch, closing his eyes again.

"Fine, then," was all he said. A few minutes later, I thought he'd fallen asleep when he spoke. "Seto, do you really think this trip is worth it? I mean, we're going all the way to Egypt, just to see if one of them is my equal…not to say that I think I'm better than they are…"

Yami cracked open one eye and met my solemn blue gaze. "Don't you want to try?" I asked neutrally. "I never thought of you as the type to give up." I looked away from him, remembering the time I'd found him on his knees, in tears, when he fought against Malik's mind slave for his first god card. I'd said something similar to Yami then.

Apparently he was remembering the same thing. "I almost did, before... But you helped me then, too, even though you were a complete jerk about it," he chuckled.

"I didn't help you. I was just trying to help myself," I growled.

"Sure. Keep telling yourself that, Kaiba," Yami replied, and rolled over onto his side so that his back faced me. He promptly began snoring.

I didn't buy those snores for a second. "I wouldn't worry too much, Yami. If anyone is your equal, it very well could be Isis or Malik Ishtahl."

A limousine picked us up at the airport, and the driver loaded our bags into the spacious trunk, as well as my portable version of the virtual obstacle course. Before we went to confront Isis and Malik, I had the driver take us to our hotel, since I had a serious case of jet lag (not that I'd admit it). Yami, on the other hand, had slept for most of the trip (apparently those snores were real) and fidgeted anxiously throughout the drive. It was beginning to get on my nerves.

When we deposited our things in the hotel suite I dug out my wallet and shoved a handful of bills in Yami's hand. "Here. Go do something; I don't care what, as long as you don't annoy me or try to find Isis and Malik without me," I told him harshly. "I'm going to take a nap."

"Thanks, Seto," Yami said breathlessly, and gave me a quick hug before running out the door to burn off some of his nervous energy.

I couldn't hold back a smile.

A few hours later I woke with a start to a loud thump and a crash from the suite's living room. "Yami," I breathed worriedly, and rushed from the room. I found Yami sitting on the floor rubbing his head, surrounded by shopping bags, which had apparently tripped him.

"Are you alright?" I asked, and helped him stand, hooking my fingers under his arms.

"Yes, I'm fine," Yami replied, glancing at me briefly. Then he eyes widened and he blushed as red as his eyes. Confused, I stared at him for a moment before I remembered my sleeping attire; I wore only my boxers and I'd not even paused to pull on a robe before rushing into the living room. I quickly backed away a respectable distance.

"I bought you something," Yami said cheerfully, forgetting his embarrassment. He leaned over and rummaged through the shopping bags until he found a set of red books, embossed in gold and loosely tied together with a string. "I found these in one of the outdoor markets; they're a history of ancient Egypt, written in hieroglyphics, but with translations. I just thought you might like them." He grinned sheepishly up at me and handed me the books; then he bit his lip anxiously, waiting for my reaction.

I untied the string and reverently opened the first book. The hieroglyphics were depicted in color, with translations directly under them as well as directions on how to read the hieroglyphs. It was absolutely incredible.

"Well, Yami, I suppose you have a little bit of sense," I said dryly. He beamed.

"They made me think of you," he said, and gathered up the rest of the bags and carried them to his room. I stood for a long time, not moving, just staring after him.

Yami clutched my arm apprehensively as we approached Isis Ishtahl's door. When my hand started tingling from the loss of circulation, I gently pried his fingers loose and glared at him. Emotion wavered in his scarlet eyes until he blinked and took a deep breath, and his usual proud confidence returned; then Yami gave me a humorless grin and knocked on the door.

Malik opened it, shirtless, and brushing his teeth. "Oh, hey Ka-bah, hewo Pha-oh," the tanned blonde mumbled behind his toothbrush. He walked away without another word, leaving the door standing open behind him. We blinked in surprise.

Immediately Isis appeared, glaring over her shoulder at her brother. "My Pharaoh, it is wonderful to see you again. How may I assist you?" she asked in her mysterious, proper way, bowing her head slightly at Yami and smiling broadly. I resisted the urge to punch her.

"Hello Isis. May we come in?" Yami said politely. "Seto and I need to ask a favor of you, and maybe your brother." I glared, resenting his inclusion of me. I didn't need a favor from anyone, especially these psychopathic Egyptians.

Yami lightly tugged at my arm and I followed him inside. The Ishtahl home was spacious, but cluttered by the hobbies of its residents. Egyptian artifacts and archaeological magazines littered the shelves and coffee table in the living room, and through the hall I caught a glimpse of motorcycle parts scattered along the floor. I assumed those were Malik's, though one could never tell.

Yami tugged at my arm again and I sat beside him on the couch while he explained his situation to Isis. Pushing aside the magazines carelessly, I noticed an open notebook on the coffee table. I glanced cautiously at Yami and Isis, who were enthralled in their conversation, and peered at the notebook curiously. A doodle of a person wearing a long, flowing trench coat was on the open page. Me!

My eyes widened and I flipped through the notebook; on nearly every page were drawings of me, with nauseating little hearts surrounding my face. Even worse, someone had written things on the page margins, like `Seto is sexy,' or `Kaiba is so tall, I bet his…' I gasped, cheeks flaming in mortification, and slammed the notebook shut. I leaped to my feet and Yami and Isis stared at me. Isis! That stupid Egyptian b…

"Kaiba, what's wrong with you?" Malik asked, suddenly appearing behind me.

"Nothing," I snapped. "Yami, I'm going outside." He gazed at me curiously and opened his mouth to say something, but I whirled around and stalked out the front door. I slammed it behind me and paced angrily back and forth along the Ishtahl's front porch. Finally, I sighed and rested my arm against the wall, and buried my face in my arm, closing my eyes. I knew I didn't like Isis for a reason.

Light footsteps approached me, and someone rested a hand on my back and softly began massaging my shoulders. "Yami, I'm sorry I ran out like that," I muttered. "But Isis has a crush on me; she filled an entire notebook with sick drawings of me! I just couldn't stay in that house with her." The hands stopped massaging and slowly rubbed circles down my spine, and I involuntarily let out a grunt of pleasure. Then splayed fingers slid around my waist to my stomach and arms encircled me seductively from behind.

I stiffened. "Yami, what are you doing?" I choked in shock.

"What if it wasn't Isis who liked you?" a male voice whispered in my ear. Malik! I shoved him backward and heard a satisfying thump as he hit the porch floor.

"Get away from me!" I shouted, whirling to glare down at him. "You and your sister are both sick!"

"Kaiba, I already told you, Isis doesn't like you," Malik grumbled, climbing to his feet and rubbing his bruised rear. "She has a thing for the Pharaoh. I, on the other hand, know how to appreciate a tall, dark, and handsome, not to mention rich, man like yourself…"

But I'd stopped listening to the stupid blonde fruit. Isis liked Yami? And I'd left them alone! Pushing Malik to the floor once more (he'd slipped seductively to my side again, not that he'd have any more of a chance with me than the mutt would have of winning a beauty contest), I rushed to the Ishtahl's living room where I'd left Yami sitting on the couch.

Isis sat beside him, much closer than I (and common decency) would have preferred. "I don't know, Isis. Are you sure this is the right way to test it?" Yami asked doubtfully.

"Absolutely sure," she breathed, and attacked him. Well, kissed him, but it looked the same. I froze, shock momentarily overwhelming my growing fury, as Isis ran her slimy hands through Yami's soft hair and pressed her slutty body against Yami's slender frame. I glared angrily as Isis attempted to slide her tongue inside Yami's mouth, and moved to rip her away from him, but Yami pushed her back gently.

"I-I'm sorry, Isis, but I really don't think this is the right way to…" She interrupted him by throwing herself at him again and clamping her fish lips tightly over his. This time, I growled angrily and stalked across the room, and harshly shoved Isis away from him. I grabbed Yami's arm in a viselike grip and dragged him from the house, all the way to the waiting limousine.

Once inside the car, I told the driver to take us back to the hotel and pushed the button to put up the tinted screen between him and the backseat. I glanced over at Yami, who stared intently out the tinted window, and sighed, resting an apologetic hand on his shoulder. He turned his gaze to me and I pulled my arm away in shock. Tears streamed down his pale cheeks, and bloodshot capillaries streaked through the whites of his eyes, making them seem like two bloody orbs in his stricken face.

"I…I'm sorry, Yami, but she just attacked you; and Malik the fruit tried to hit on me outside… They weren't worth even testing. Neither of them could ever even come close to you," I apologized worriedly.

"She said that was the best way to test it. That if we were really equals, we should be together; and that was the only way I could truly accept my equal- as my partner," Yami told me quietly. Tears flowed down his cheeks faster now, and a choked sob escaped his throat. "I thought…I thought maybe she was right, so I did it. But that was," he paused, glancing up at me guiltily, and reddened. "But that was my first kiss. And it was horrible!" Yami finished quickly. He buried his face in his palms and sobs shook his small body.

This time, I hugged him.

I draped my arms around Yami's shaking form and drew him close to me, trying not to pay attention to the eucalyptus fragrance in his hair as he wrapped his arms around my neck and buried his wet face just under my chin. Yami sniffled and nuzzled my shirt just like a small child, and I smiled indulgently. Gradually his sobs quieted and he looked up, grinning at me through his teary eyes. "Did you say Malik hit on you?" he asked mischievously.

I shoved him back to his side of the car.

"Come on, just tell me what happened!" Yami begged, following me into my room. We'd decided to stay the rest of the night in Egypt, since we already had the hotel room, but I was beginning to regret the decision. Yami was seriously ticking me off.

"I said no! It's none of your business!" I snapped, and stalked into the bathroom and slammed the door. At least Yami wouldn't follow me in there.

"Fine!" he shouted. "You don't have to be such a jerk about it; I was just curious! I guess it's okay for you to see Isis humiliate me, but Seto Kaiba can never let anyone see him as less than perfect!"

"Don't lecture me about being perfect! You're the one who dragged me all over the world just to find someone you weren't better than!" I yelled through the door.

Silence fell.

"Dragged you?" Yami asked weakly, after an excruciatingly long moment. Then I heard thumping footsteps run from the room and a door slam.

I swore under my breath. Kaiba, you just had to open your big mouth, didn't you? "Yami, I'm sorry; I didn't mean that!" I called, yanking open the bathroom door and running after him. Luckily he hadn't left the suite; he'd only run to his room. I knocked loudly on the door, over the sound of swearing and shattering glass.

"Go away, Kaiba! I never want to talk to you again!" Yami shouted. Before I could respond to this, he jerked open the door, fury blazing in his crimson eyes. "Do you want to know something?" he snarled, apparently forgetting his declaration from a moment before. "I thought we were friends. I thought you cared about me. But you were still just trying to work off some imaginary debt. So here," he said, shoving something into my hands. "I think you've repaid it." Yami slammed the door in my face.

I stared down in the object in my hands- a Duel Monsters card, laminated and set in an elaborate frame.

The Devil's Sanctuary.

True to his resolve, Yami kept an unnatural silence throughout the rest of the trip. I apologized once and tried to return his card, but he just shook his head and ignored me. I left him alone after that.

When we arrived back at my house, Yami nodded curtly to me, and I caught the anguish in his blazing eyes; but he quickly strode away before I could say a word. Suddenly, fury swept through me and I lost all control. "You are such a coward!" I snarled. "I can't believe you're walking away from this!"

He paused, tension straining every muscle in his lithe body. "From what, Kaiba? There isn't anything to walk away from. It's over. Even if we ever were friends, it wouldn't matter, because I've run out of options. Soon I'll just be a spirit again, and you can go back to ignoring me like you did for the last two years," Yami replied in a deadly calm, not turning around.

"I never ignored you; I couldn't. Ever since I first met you, I kept trying to push you away, but you wouldn't let me. Now you're running away," I groaned in exasperation. I would never understand him.

Yami finally turned and observed me, a tiny smile gracing his lips- not quite wide enough to make the little dimple appear. "Is that your way of apologizing?" he questioned.

"I already apologized. You wouldn't listen," I sulked. Yami laughed, and I triumphantly noted the dimple's return to his upper lip before he rushed over and hugged me tightly.

"I guess I'll have to forgive you, then; you can't help being a jerk, since it's in your nature," he mumbled into my chest. I scowled and tried to push him away, but he just clung tighter, so I shrugged and wrapped my arms around him. This time, I let myself smell his hair, smiling a little when I caught the scent of eucalyptus shampoo.

I'd worry about myself later.

A long time later, Yami reluctantly slipped from my grasp and the two of us silently entered the house to break the news about Malik and Isis to Mokuba and the rest of Yugi-tachi. Well, most of it. Hopefully Yami wouldn't want to go into much detail.

Mokuba tackled me, cheering happily at my return, as soon as I strode through the door. Yugi and the mutt sat in the floor of the living room playing one of Mokuba's video games, and the pointy-haired guy was cheering loudly for Yugi and making snide remarks about Jounouchi's lack of skill. I smirked. Maybe I should learn his name.

Anzu, the stupid slut with a crush, sidled up to Yami, batting her eyelids, and I stepped between the two of them. Yami sighed gratefully, making me wonder just how much the encounter with Isis had scarred him. Of course, maybe he just had good sense.

Anzu pouted and started to lecture me about `coming between friends' or something along those lines. I wasn't listening. "Okay, you can all GO HOME now," I said loudly. The three boys groaned and Anzu grew teary-eyed, until Yami coughed meaningfully. Then they turned their attention to him and all began chattering at once.

"Yami! How was your trip?"

"What happened? Is Malik still crazy?" ("Yes," I muttered emphatically.)

"Well, did you beat Bakura's spell?" At Yugi's question, everyone grew silent, staring at Yami. He just shook his head and lifted his shirt to reveal the dark lines of the Sennen Puzzle tattooed into his pale skin.

"What are you going to do now, Seto?" Mokuba queried anxiously.

I gazed directly into Yami's dejected face and answered, "There's only one thing we can do. I think it's time to pay a visit to the thief himself." Yami met my eyes and hope spread across his drawn features. A bit of color came into his cheeks as we stared at each other, until the mutt's obnoxious voice cut through the air, breaking the moment.

"Well, at least do it when the rest of us can be there. We're all gettin' kinda tired of bein' left out," Jounouchi grumbled.

"You're an idiot," I replied. "Come on, Yami, I'll take you home." Grabbing Yami's arm, I led him through the house and slammed the door in Jounouchi's face when he tried to follow us.

"Why does he keep doin' that?" I heard the mutt whine from the other side of the door.

I drove Yami home in my blue convertible, but when we stopped in front of the game shop I motioned for him to wait. Slightly red-faced, I reached for his bag and handed it to him. "Open it," I told him. He did as I asked, though he raised an eyebrow, and as soon as he saw what lay inside he gasped.

"Seto, why… how…" he breathed.

I had slipped the Devil's Sanctuary back inside his bag. "I wanted you to keep it, even if you wouldn't forgive me for what I said," I shrugged. "Just in case you ever needed it for anything. It was a gift, after all."

"You're unbelievable," he laughed. Then he impulsively wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. "I'll call you sometime tomorrow so we can go see Bakura," he said and climbed out of the car.

I just sat there for a moment, staring after him in wonder. I had never met anyone more unpredictable than Yami; I just couldn't understand him. Frankly, it ticked me off. "He should really know better than to go around kissing people," I grumbled, rubbing the spot on my cheek. It burned strangely.

All the way home, the spot on my cheek kept burning, so as soon as I entered the house I hurried to the bathroom to wash my face. When I caught a glimpse of my reflection, I started in surprise. I was grinning from ear to ear.

That ticked me off, too.