First off, HAPPY NEW YEARS!! XD Wow, 2004 went by fast. And it still hasn't really SNOWED here yet, dammit.

Second off, I apologize for the extreme lateness! This chapter was a huge massive pain to write. I didn't have as much fun writing it as chapter 6, so thus I'm fairly certain its not nearly as good. The first section is very very boring (at least in my opinion) cuz it's a lot of talk and stuff between characters, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't work my way around it because SOMEthings just HAVE to be explained. -sweatdrop- I apologize if this chapter is a lot worse than the last. I had a few problematic brain freezes in the middle of writing it (another reason why this took so long) and I am just so sick of staring at this thing. I hope its not TOO terrible... The second part was fluff, cuz I figured I needed some more romance to keep you guys satisfied. And plus, you need a calm, sweet chapter before the next one I have planned cuz LOADS of things happen in that one that might not make too many people happy. -GRIN- My my, I do love the power of an authoress...

P.S. I HAVE SIMPLIFIED MY WRITING! Oo I've decided to take Soraki's advice and cut down on the long, run-on sentences with lots of commas. Albeit, I think there's many still in there (I can't write WITHOUT them, mind you) but I tried to change my style a little bit so it wasn't so hard to read. Hopefully shorter sentences without the awkward phrasing will help you guys a lot!

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/.../ mindlink connection (between aibou's and yami's)

'...' personal thoughts

:::...::: translated ancient Egyptian

...thought speak (for gods only; assumed to be Egyptian but understood by all)

"..." spoken dialogue (if in English, assumed to be Japanese)

lots of italics dreams/flashbacks/visions

bold song lyrics

footnotes

AN author's note
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CHAPTER DISCLAIMER: The featured song of this chapter is "Staring You In The Face" by the Eric Stuart Band, which is lead by (you guessed it) Eric Stuart, ironically the talented voice actor of Seto Kaiba (and a ton of other people in all different anime shows) in the English dubbed version of YGO. Isn't that cool?

oooooooooooooooooo

"I'll be here..."

"Why?"

"I'll be waiting here..."

"For what?"

"I'll be waiting for you... so if you come here... you'll find me. I promise..."

(quote from FINAL FANTASY VIII)

oooooooooooooooooo

oooooooooooooooooo

CHAPTER SEVEN: Look At Me

oooooooooooooooooo

"He left his jacket," stated Yami suddenly after Yugi had ushered him in and began to pamper over him.

Yugi gave him a strange look as he took his yami's backpack and jacket, the wetter and smaller of the two that the Pharaoh currently had in his possession. "Well then, you should return it sometime." Though the boy kept his voice even and innocent, Yami caught the hidden message in his words and glared heatedly at him.

"Ah, Yami, you're back!" Sugoroku flashed him a quick smile from behind the counter, stacking some boxes of cards away. "Good. We were getting worried."

Yami grunted a greeting, gulping down some milk. It melted its way down his throat and settled comfortably in his stomach. The sensation made him cough and wrinkle his nose miserably.

His hikari, cradling his stuff like some miniature mother hen, sent the Pharaoh a pitying look. With difficulty, the boy pointed upstairs. "You. Shower. NOW."

oooooooooooooooooo

Freshly dressed and armed with a fresh batch of tissues, Yami gingerly made his way down the hall with a towel on his wet hair and Kaiba's jacket tossed over his shoulder. Though the shower had warmed him considerably, his legs still hurt from overuse and were rather... lagging. Thus, his limp.

Despite this, however, he steadily approached his and Yugi's joint bedroom and was surprised to hear voices coming from inside; one, a bubbling high tenor --Yugi-- followed by a mellow male voice and a soft woman's.

"Ha, I would pay to see the guy's face!" Yugi was saying, laughing. "He must have thought that he was going crazy!"

"On the contrary, actually," sniffled the woman's voice, "He thought that everyone else is going crazy. He's spent the past two days trying to convince everyone that there was a missing mummy when they all know that there was no mummy in the first place. Or so they think."

"Man, I didn't think you would do such a thing!" laughed Yugi. "That's just plain evil, tampering with people's memories!"

"Or leaving them untouched," murmured the woman, her voice dripping with pride.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say she enjoys playing with people's minds," commented the man, chuckling.

"You certainly do!" accused the woman.

Yami frowned, limping his way into the room. He stiffened once he entered. "You." He looked around, eyes widening. "BOTH of you."

Ishizu and Shadi looked up from where they had been talking with Yugi on the bed. Spotting Yami, they both scrambled up and bowed deeply. "Pharaoh..."

Yami waved dismissively for them to stand. "What are you two doing here?" he asked, sighing. He suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired, like some old man that was short of breath. "No wait, scratch that. If you're both here, that means there's some rampaging, man-eating demon on the loose that you want me to catch."

The two Item holders looked at each other sheepishly.

"Actually, we didn't plan to come here together at all," started Ishizu, frowning.

"I came to Yugi's school after I sensed your attack, your majesty." Shadi explained quietly, "I cleansed the minds of the students and teachers and made it so that the whole attack seemed like an accident, but even I do not know the reason behind what happened."

"And I came to the school as fast as I could after I sensed that some source was broadcasting uncontained magic," murmured Ishizu, apologetically. She shook her head, her frown deepening. "My Necklace did not warn me of any of the events that happened today. I admit I did not arrive in time to witness the attack, nor was Shadi or I able to track you down after we met up with Yugi."

Yami's head hurt. He made his way over to the bed and sat, head buried in his hands. He sighed, half-heartedly tossing the towel away as he shrugged Kaiba's jacket back on. He might as well relish in its presence before he suffered a nervous breakdown. "Wait, so let me get this straight," he mumbled after a long moment, looking up with blood-shot eyes, "You two couldn't sense me either? At all?"

Shadi and Ishizu exchanged a glance, then nodded.

Yugi perked up. "That's right! I couldn't contact Yami until nearly a half an hour after the school blew up!"

Wincing at his hikari's word choice, Yami frowned, his head spinning with this new information. So it hadn't been just him... During the attack, he had obviously been cut off from the magic world by some sort of 'bubble'... He hadn't been able to contact anyone outside, and Yugi, Ishizu and Shadi hadn't been able to contact him inside. Now the confusing thing was exactly how one could isolate the most powerful sorcerer in the world from the powers of the Millennium Items themselves. It was no easy task --that was for certain. Yami inwardly shuddered; the strength needed to pull off such a task must be... beyond imagination. That was a scary thought.

"Are you well, your majesty?" asked Ishizu, breaking his thoughts. Her eyes held genuine concern. "I apologize... neither Shadi or I could not sense the source of the danger. But after we couldn't contact you, we hurried here, fearing the worst."

Yami rubbed his pounding temple. "Wait, go back... Ishizu, your Necklace didn't show you any of this? It didn't show the attack beforehand or where I was or anything? And Shadi, you had vision of any of this? No foresight?"

Again, both Item holders shook their head, shame in their eyes.

A tense, dreadful silence settled over them all.

Yami felt his stomach sink. So it must be true... Whatever had isolated him from the rest of the world was apparently quite capable of avoiding the powers of Millennium Items altogether. It had somehow neutralized both the Scale's and the Necklace's powers while, at the same time, rendered him powerless. The Pharaoh's brow furrowed, his heart skipping a beat. As far as he knew, that wasn't possible! Nothing in existence could match his strength or the strength of the Items... Nothing!

"Yami, why don't you tell us what happened," said Yugi gently, watching his yami carefully and feeling a tad bit worried at the sudden paleness of the boy's normally dark cheeks.

Yami's eyes rose quickly, alarmed. Yugi was startled to find a hint of fear in the Pharaoh's usually fiery red eyes. Immediately, the smaller boy meandered over to the bed and sat by his yami, wrapping a reassuring arm around the former spirit. "Tell us, Yami," he whispered.

A visible shudder ran through Yami's thin body and he rubbed his face with shaky hands. "I... I was in the locker room a-and..." His voice shook, then lowered to near inaudible levels. "Bakura attacked me."

Stunned silence.

Ishizu and Shadi exchanged startled, unreadable glances.

Yugi's eyes widened.

Almost embarrassed, Yami continued quickly, "I-I didn't sense him coming, and the next thing I knew he was... he was..." He trailed off, eyes distant.

"He was what, your majesty?" asked Ishizu slowly, voice gentle but deathly quiet.

Yami shuddered, eyes closing tightly as if fighting away the mere memory. :::He was ...molesting me...::: he whispered shakily, in Egyptian so to spare his aibou's ears. :::That was why I attacked. I-I had to, to defend myself. He wouldn't let me go...::: He was so shaken inside he felt ready to cry, though he fought the urge with all his might.

Identical looks of alarm appeared on both Ishizu and Shadi's faces, their bodies stiffening like statues of stone.

The priestess gasped in horror, her eyes wide with disbelief. :::The tomb robber?! He wouldn't...!:::

Shadi's gray eyes flashed with fury and he cursed vehemently in the ancient tongue, his mellow features giving way to pure, protective rage. His Key and the Scale in his belt began to glow, reacting to his anger.

Yami was a bit unnerved by the intensity of his priests' reactions. Ishizu and Shadi were the two most rational people he knew, but right now, they were clearly ready to hunt down and kill the being who dared to commit such an atrocious sin against their king.

In a way, Yami was touched. This was how the two guardians were supposed to react, how they were built to react. After all, they were the flesh and blood manifestations of two of Yami's loyal High Priests from three millennia ago --reborn into this world with the same purpose they had in ancient Egypt: to protect Pharaoh. Even in this life, when their Pharaoh was a somewhat-normal teenager in Japan, Ishizu and Shadi had vowed to be his guardians once more and to save their king from all possible dangers... even at the cost of their own lives.

And despite everything, Yami suddenly felt much better. He wasn't alone in this, he had to remember. He had his hikari, his mortal friends, and more than enough guardians willing to die for him. As selfish as it seemed, the thought was reassuring.

On the other hand, Yugi glanced between the three Egyptians, outraged. "Hey, wait, no WAY you guys are leaving me out on this!"

Glancing at his aibou apologetically, Yami continued quickly. :::I also had a vision.:::

At his words, Ishizu perked up and Shadi's anger gave way to confusion.

:::It was... odd, like none I've ever had. I was with this... this being... and--::: Yami hesitated. Perhaps he should leave out some... things about that vision. Telling Ishizu and Shadi about Bakura was bad enough, but after all, it DID happen. This... vision, or whatever it is, could just be a very untimely wet dream sparked by whatever spell that the demon had cast. Disgusting as the thought was, Yami would have preferred such a simple explanation. Deep inside, however, he knew it was much more complicated. :::This creature...::: He furrowed his eyebrows, struggling to remember that flash of images and sounds. :::He was powerful. Very powerful... and very old...:::

:::What... KIND of being?::: Ishizu asked carefully.

Yami glanced at her, clearly frustrated. :::I don't know! I-It looked like some kind of beast.::: He waved his hands as if to mold an image out of thin air. :::Some animal head with a man's body. Dark skin... Weird ears, almost box-shaped, and with some red hair or some red fur or something... And he had fangs, I think, or really sharp teeth...::: The Pharaoh shuddered. Ra, and what those fangs can do... He shook his head, shakily. :::I'm sorry,::: he mumbled, :::I didn't see him all that clearly.:::

:::He had no name?:::

Yami focused for a second before he sighed. :::None that I called him by.::: He looked at his two guardians. :::What does this mean?:::

He didn't expect an answer, nor did he get one.

The three Egyptians fell silent, deep in thought. Shadi began to pace, brow furrowed over his troubled gray eyes. Ishizu settled her delicate chin on a slender hand as her mind raced. Yami curled up on the bed and hugged his knees, snuggling unconsciously into Kaiba's jacket as he sought its comfort. Yugi, rather upset about being left out, thankfully had enough sense not to interrupt the silence.

After a long moment, Yami closed his eyes and rested his forehead against his knees. He hadn't really analyzed his vision up until now, having been too preoccupied by his escape and Kaiba's er... timely rescue. 'A animal head with a human body... Box-shaped ears... Dark skin... Fangs... Red hair...' He shuddered. The description sounded a lot like one of the ancient gods... One in particular. One terrible, horrible being that no sane Egyptian, not even the Pharaohs, dared to mess with.

Startled scarlet eyes suddenly snapped open. :::He called me Horus...!::: Yami croaked, remembering the deep, lustful voice that dared to whisper such a sacred name. He let out a dry laugh of disbelief. :::'Horus', of all things...!::: he murmured bitterly.

Shadi stopped briefly to look at him, face stolid. :::A common term for Pharaohs, sire. Perhaps he was confused--:::

:::No,::: Yami's voice was clear but shaky. :::No. Just 'Horus'. Not 'Morning Star', not 'Horus-on-Earth', not 'living-Horus'... Just 'Horus'. I am sure of it.:::

Shadi frowned for a minute, then resumed pacing.

:::Let us speak of this outside,::: Ishizu said quietly, suddenly standing and leaving the room without another word.

The two Egyptian men looked at her retreating back silently, startled. Then as one, they got up and followed her without question.

"Wait. Yami! Shadi! You can't just not tell me!" cried Yugi, rushing after them. "What if--?"

Yami turned to stop him, eyes sad and troubled. "Aibou, I swear, I will tell you... but not now."

Yugi's violet eyes were both hurt and furious. "Its something serious, isn't it? Something bad's going to happen to you, and you won't tell me!" His voice was rising an octave, sounding panicked.

Yami winced visibly, his headache now pounding with every rising sound of his hikari's voice.

His gray eyes warm and gentle, Shadi stepped in smoothly. "We need to speak about some things that you will not understand, little one. I'm sure that when we figure something out, His Majesty will tell you." The man glanced over his shoulder at Yami, raising an eyebrow. 'Right?' his gaze was asking.

Yami sent him a tiny nod, looking away. Yes, he would tell Yugi... in time. But until he understood what was going on, it would be a very long time before Yugi would. It did hurt though. The Pharaoh loved his hikari very much, and he would never willingly cause the boy pain.

He sent his aibou one last, apologetic look before turning to go. /I'm sorry, aibou... but now is not the time./ He could feel Yugi's hurt and frustration following him the whole way outside.

oooooooooooooooooo

:::Tell me. Now.::: Yami finally demanded after they had scrambled outside and into a nearby alleyway. The rain had stopped, but the sky was still overcast with a depressing sea of gray clouds. Shivering, Yami brought Kaiba's jacket closer around his shoulders, glad for more than one reason that he had it.

Ishizu turned her ageless blue eyes on to him, tiredly. She took a deep breath. :::You saw a vision of the gods. That much is clear.:::

Gods.

Yami shuddered violently at the mere word. He had thought so, but he didn't dare believe... :::Sweet Nut... Are you serious?::: He glanced at Ishizu's solemn expression and then at Shadi, who avoided eye contact.

It had been three thousand years since any of them, Bakura and Malik included, worshipped the gods. Three millennia since any of them bowed down before statues of the great immortals or offered sacrifices in the name of Egypt. Thirty centuries since they last heard tales of the great deeds in the heavens.

The question hung in the air; HOW...? How and why, in the mist of modern day cities and a worldwide population of monotheists, were their ancient gods popping up once again? Surely the deities must have abandoned this wretched world long ago with the deaths of the last ancient Egyptians. Surely.

Yami snorted. That the gods could be sending him visions was simply so... hard to believe. Impossible, even.

That didn't mean he didn't believe in the gods. Even after three thousand years, he was still their devout follower, just like any good Pharaoh should be. It was just that... well, even in his day, the gods were just figments of the heavens, beings with powers beyond mortal comprehension. Even the Pharaohs were below the gods, unable to see or speak with them beyond 'visions' that didn't come half the time. Whether you were an Egyptian king or an Egyptian tomb robber, you could have tried as hard as you could to reach up to the heavens and would have never made it there. You could have built many monuments or none at all, but the chance of you meeting a god was still next to nil. And the Afterlife... Well, Yami's never been there, so he wouldn't know.

:::Alright. So the vision was about gods. What does that tell me?::: Yami was surprised at how even his voice was.

Ishizu refused to meet his gaze and squirmed in place. :::Well... nothing. It could have been a dream, or perhaps-- :::

:::-- an untimely hallucination,::: finished Shadi, eyes unreadable.

Yami looked at them both for a long moment. He had a feeling that, deep down, they all knew this vision had a lot more importance than what they openly believed. The only problem was that none of them had any idea WHY it was important. The boy sighed. :::So... What do we do?::: he asked finally, feeling extremely awkward to ask such a question.

Both Ishizu and Shadi stared at him, then lowered their gaze again, unable to answer.

Uncomfortable silence settled between them.

Sighing, Yami sank his face into his hands. His fingers rubbed his temples where a headache was quite happily pounding away. Ra, they were doomed. He didn't know what to do. Shadi didn't either. Heck, neither did ISHIZU, who was commonly believed to know everything.

When he finally spoke, the Pharaoh's voice was tired and shaken. :::Look, we can't just stand here. I say we wait. We wait until something else comes up, or until we find some new information... Then maybe we'll talk about it.::: He had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, but ordering around his priests like he used to felt rather... relieving. A familiar feeling in a foreign world that was quickly becoming stranger by the minute.

Ishizu and Shadi, having no ideas of their own, could only nod.

:::But what about you, sire?::: asked Ishizu quietly. :::We cannot leave you unguarded.:::

:::I can take care of myself, thanks,::: Yami sniffled reflexively, but winced as the day's events rolled through his thoughts. He flashed Ishizu a quick smile, :::But I'll be careful.:::

Ishizu nodded innocently.

Yami had no doubt in his mind that she planned to use that Necklace of hers to track his every movement from now on. That was fine. Yami was usually very touchy about his privacy, but he knew Ishizu meant the best. Plus having a pair of eyes watching his back made the Pharaoh feel a little better. Just a little.

:::What about Bakura, sire?::: asked Shadi quietly, eyes twinkling with plenty of things he had in mind for the tomb robber.

Yami visibly shuddered with that name. :::I'll... stay away from him...::: He hesitated, unsure. :::But... leave him for now.::: He seemed suddenly so very tired.

At this, both Ishizu and Shadi protested, alarmed.

:::Sire! You are not safe! We should--:::

:::Bakura may not be a trained High Priest, but he has two Items at his disposal and it is highly doubtful he would refrain from harming either one of you. And he fears no one but me.::: Yami swallowed heavily, :::Now I'm not even sure about that.::: He hung his head, a tightness growing in his throat. :::Believe or not...::: he whispered, :::I don't think whoever attacked me today was him.:::

His guardians stared at him like he had grown two heads.

The Pharaoh hurried on, throwing his theory --now that it was on the table-- out for them to hear, :::I sensed some strange presence in him today, filled with magic I've never felt before. And... and it did not feel like Bakura. It wasn't Bakura.:::

Now both Priests were sending him looks that clearly stated he wasn't in the right mind.

Finally, however, Shadi consented and sighed. :::Then I shall let him be... but I will watch him carefully, your majesty,::: he added quickly, seeing the deadly glare Ishizu shot him. :::Very carefully.:::

:::And I will be on every alert,::: Ishizu said quietly. :::I shall ask my brother of news in Egypt; perhaps there is a new foe that we do not know about.:::

Yami frowned at the mere thought. :::You do that,::: he said absentmindedly, his head pounding now. :::Thank you both...::: he managed, sending a weary but sincere smile toward them as he touched their shoulders gently. It felt, for the briefest shining moment, like old times. Very old times, that is.

No sooner had his words left his lips, however, the Pharaoh heard Yugi calling from the Game Shop about some meal or other.

His companions heard as well, and both heaved a heavy sigh.

Shadi turned toward Yami, bowing deeply and solemnly. :::I will do as I can, sire. Take care... and be careful.::: In a flash of hazy light, he blended into the alley walls.

Ishizu was left with Yami, who was growing increasingly antsy as the woman stood in his only way out. Deep in thought for a long moment, the priestess finally spoke, her eyes twinkling as if she had struck a golden idea. :::There is... another matter I had wished to speak to you about. A favor, if you will.:::

Yami's eyes narrowed in suspicion. :::Another one...? Ishizu, every time I do you a favor, I end up--:::

:::I think you'll find this one quite enjoyable, actually,::: the priestess broke in, grinning. Seeing Yami's wince, she laughed and nodded toward the Game Shop where Yugi was impatiently waiting on the doorsteps. :::Lets go on inside, your majesty. I believe I may have one little part of our 'mystery' solved.:::

ooooooooooooooooooo

"Enjoyable?! ENJOYABLE?! I'm going to get my sorry rear kicked by security, that's what!"

Yugi raised an eyebrow, grinning from ear to ear. "Actually, I think it's a good idea. Its time you and Kaiba-kun got to know each other."

Yami turned on him, eyes flaming. "You are not HELPING, aibou."

Yugi cocked his head and grinned some more. "You know you want to," he sang lightly.

"I do NOT! I WILL not! It is an absurd idea, just like every one of Ishizu's 'favors'! It is a waste of my time and--"

"Would you rather be doing homework?"

ooooooooooooooooooo

Kaiba often watched the stars nowadays, though he had absolutely no idea why. Sometimes, waking up from those strange nightmares he now so often had, the CEO just liked to look up at the sky and wonder, soothed by the murky vastness of the sky and the ever-present twinkling of millions of brilliant stars. Up there, he knew, everything was wild, free and beautiful, untouched by man. And up there, things were eternal. There was no death, no murder, no evil.

The thought always brought him some inner peace. But recently, it also brought something akin to longing, though he did not know why. Something tore at his heart every time he looked up at those stars, as beautiful as they were. Staring up at the sky's eternal beauty, he felt... well... empty. It was an odd and silly feeling and certainly not a welcomed one, but Kaiba quickly found out that the feeling could not be merely shoved aside. And yet, while stargazing, he also found that he could not look away.

Despite his attraction to them, Kaiba did not love the stars. There was something terribly seductive about them, more powerful than any mortal's dream. Many people, young and old alike, have foolishly wasted their precious time wishing upon falling stars and praying to bright constellations. Seto, on the other hand, was not fooled by the sky's beauty. He knew that the stars were nothing but huge spheres of gas. The dark of night was merely the cold, empty vastness of space. The 'falling stars' were nothing but space rocks burning up in the atmosphere. A constellation was nothing but a grouping of stars that had absolutely nothing to do with each other except for the fact that some old guy decided to draw a picture about their placement.

Seto snorted. To him, anyone who believed in the 'mystic power' of the stars was stupid and silly.

Still... he could not help but gaze up at that stunning sky on a clear night, wondering --even briefly-- if some ancient human had gazed upon them millennia ago. Did they speculate, as he did, about the sky's secrets? Not having changed much since ancient times, the stars were eternal, living forever while mortals wasted away on their puny little planet. They awed the little humans of Earth, commanding their fascination and their wonder since the beginning of sentient thought. And despite the fact that he knew it was all folly and childish, Seto could not help but be entranced by the stars' terribly striking beauty.

So here he was, leaning back in his huge chair, staring out the giant windows of his KaibaCorp office. Luckily, being CEO, his personal headquarters was located near the top of the tower where he had a clear view of both a glowing Domino City and the twinkling stars above it. The tower being higher and more distant than most of the other skyscrapers, Seto could shut off his office lights and just stare through the window at the infinite night, silently admiring its depths.

It was moments like these that he relished. Moments where he could, even for just a minute, be a simple boy staring up at the stars and not a CEO overwhelmed with work in a dark office. After all, there was no one with him; no sniveling business man, no annoying secretary, and certainly no uninvited guests. The only thing --person, rather-- that was missing from this rare moment was Mokuba, though Seto doubted his little brother could have suppressed his mountain load of energy enough to sit quietly for more than a few minutes.

The CEO leaned back contently in his chair and exhaled slowly, feeling the tension of the day melt away. Just for a moment, he forgot about the Rod that now laid locked in his briefcase. He forgot about school and the terribly embarrassing incident in gym. He even forgot about the stack of papers by his side that was waiting to be reviewed.

But... but he could not forget about one certain crimson-eyed boy. Lord, he tried, but he simply couldn't.

Seto scanned the sky, finding a brilliant, gold-colored point of light that glowed near the horizon, much brighter than any other stars he could see. The CEO smiled a little, thoughtfully cocking his head.

That star was like Yami. Beautiful, brilliant, and far outshining the others.

RIIIINNNNGGG. RRRRIIINNNNNNNGGGGGGG.

Train of thought violently broken, Seto jumped at the shrill ring. Growling, he glared daggers toward his phone. He sighed after a moment and picked it up. Business rarely was done after dark, so this was either this was Mokuba with an emergency, his secretary with a late guest, or...

"Greetings, Mr. Kaiba."

"Ishizu," spat Kaiba with liquid venom in his voice. He scooted his chair toward his table as his headache suddenly throbbed anew. Laying his elbow across the table, the CEO rested his aching head on his free hand, sighing heavily as if the sky was falling. "I thought I told you to--"

"I have a proposal for you. A favor... of some sort."

This stopped Kaiba in his tracks. The gears in his head race furiously. Was this a trap? Was this some sick trick? Alas, being a top diplomat, he simply could not resist a business proposal. "... About what?" he asked carefully, very slowly.

"About your little incident this morning with the Millennium Rod."

Kaiba blinked, then growled. He had half a mind to ask her how she knew, but this being Ishizu, he decided that it was just a waste of energy to do so. "What about it?" he asked after a moment, voice dangerously soft.

"You have the Item in your possession," continued Ishizu calmly, sensing his defensiveness, "So of course, you need to learn how to wield it."

Kaiba started at this proposition. Quite frankly, the thought never occurred to him. He bit his lip, his mind racing. Frowning to himself, he spat out quickly, "Look, I don't need some hocus-pocus magic trick to get me through life. Without that blasted stick of yours, I have enough things to worr--"

"This isn't just about you, Kaiba," snapped Ishizu, angrily. "If you do not learn how to control that Rod --which, I remind you, is rightfully YOUR responsibility and yours ALONE-- then you are a danger to all of us. Your brother especially."

Kaiba hesitated, very briefly. That had not occurred to him either, and for just a moment, it worried the wits out of him. "A danger?" he hissed indignantly, "Who do you think you are, telling me I can't control--"

"I can help you with your problem," continued Ishizu without missing a beat, ignoring his protest, "I can send someone to teach you how to use the Rod. Someone that knows plenty about the Millennium Items and how to wield them."

"Look, I don't want to wield anything, and I don't need to," stated Kaiba, annoyance and exasperation laced in every one of his words.

"So you're willing to put Mokuba in danger? Is that it?" Ishizu's voice was somewhat frustrated and just a bit teasing.

That struck a nerve. Kaiba's eyes twitched, but again, he hesitated. Was he? The Rod was possibly driving him clinically mad, and if it didn't quit its odd glowing habit, Kaiba wasn't sure what else it could do.

So he was stuck. He could either remain stubborn and proud as he was and refuse to do anything about the situation --of course he could handle it!-- or, Lord forbid, he could listen to Ishizu. He was very hesitant to do the latter, and was very tempted to do the former. Still, Ishizu certainly knew how to press his buttons. By bringing Mokuba into this whole deal, she left Kaiba with no options, whether he opted to believe in the powers of this magical stick thingy or not.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiba steeled himself and rubbed his throbbing temple with tense fingers. "Just... tell me what I need to do," he murmured finally.

ooooooooooooooooooo

"ABSOLUTELYnot."

"Oh, come now, Mr. Kaiba, don't you think your childish rivalry with him has gone far enough?"

"Childish?! Our 'rivalry' includes life-and-death encounters! How DARE you call it 'childish'!"

"YOU, Mr. Kaiba, are the one being childish. Now listen to me carefully. His Majesty will be coming over tomorrow to being teaching you about the Rod, WHICH, as I must always remind you, is a dangerous force if you do not learn to control its powers."

"This is preposterous! Ishizu, as well founded as your intentions are, I have a company to run and a little brother to take care of. I have no time to waste on silly little magic lessons."

"Taking care of that little brother includes taking care of yourself so that you may BE there to TAKE care of him. But if you do not control the Rod, it will destroy you, as it nearly did my brother. Do I make myself clear?"

Stunned silence.

"You have already felt the power of the Rod over you, haven't you, Mr. Kaiba?"

An angry growl.

"Its powers are very strong, but they can be bent to your will if you would only try."

A stubborn scoff.

"Please, Mr. Kaiba, think logically. The Rod is powerful and dangerous unless its powers are contained!"

"You fail to convince me."

A sigh. Ishizu was quiet for a moment. "Tell me... Do you look at the stars, Mr. Kaiba?"

Sudden intake of breath. Another growl. "Wait, what does that--"

"Answer the question, Mr. Kaiba. Do you?"

Kaiba sputtered, choosing his words carefully. "Well ...yes, but many people--"

"Would you like to know why?"

More silence. Confusion, then disbelief.

"The Rod holds many secrets, Mr. Kaiba, all of which are yours to reveal. And while you may not like him, Yami is the best option we have for someone to help you along your way."

Even more silence.

"I hate to ask this, why can't you teach me whatever it is you want me to learn?"

"I am not powerful enough; the Necklace is a passive Item, while the Rod and the Puzzle are used for fighting. I also have my duties as a museum curator, as well as the current overseer of a tomb's excavation. The Pharaoh, on the other, is the most powerful being in existence and he's had more than three thousand years of experience over me. And --just your luck-- he is currently a student of Domino High, LIKE YOU, and thus has just about the same schedule."

"I forget. Where does a multi-billion dollar company fit in to HIS schedule?"

"Your company is thriving, Mr. Kaiba, and it is well made and sturdy. For once, let your staff take care of it. Believe it or not, I believe that is their job."

Silence once again.

Hesitation this time.

"Please, Mr. Kaiba. You must... Otherwise those dreams will never stop."

ooooooooooooooooooo

"Oh, Seto... she's gone! Mama's gone!" Sobs. Anguish.

Stunned silence. An awkward embrace.

Those lovely red eyes looked up, wide, tearful and in pain. "Seto, w-what do I do? What do I do?!"

ooooooooooooooooooo

:::Why isn't she breathing...? Papa, what--?:::

A soft sob. :::She's gone, Seto... By Ra, she's gone...:::

:::... What?! What do you mean, Papa?::: Fear. Denial. Hope. :::I mean, she can't be gone. She was just talking to me last night, telling me a story! She can't be--:::

:::Seto... Your mother's gone.::: The man's voice was tired, filled with grief. :::And she's not coming back...:::

ooooooooooooooooooo

:::I didn't even get to say goodbye...::: A sniffle. :::And she just... LEFT.:::

A slender body pressed against his, warm and soft. :::Shhh, Seto...::: A gentle embrace. A loving whisper. :::Its okay to cry...:::

ooooooooooooooooooo

Kaiba awoke a mess of tears, gasps and pants. He could still feel his angel's body pressed against his... He could still touch that soft hair, that honeyed skin... He could still hear that soft voice bringing love and hope to what had seemed to be a very painful situation.

Ra, he hurt inside. For a moment, Kaiba felt so damn alone in this massive bed and this massive bedroom. So alone it was PAINFUL. Suddenly, more than anything in the world, he wished he had someone by his side. Mokuba maybe. Just someone. Someone warm to hold, someone he could wake up with, someone he could lay beside.

But his memory, like always, began to fail, slowly pulling the precious face of his angel away from him. And the bed, like always, contained only Kaiba. There was no lover's form cuddled by his side and no lover's soft breathing to lull him back to sleep. And his arms, like always, remained empty. There was nothing but air in his embrace.

Ishizu's words came back to him, mournful and sad. "The dreams will never stop..."

Biting back a sob, Kaiba covered his face with shaking hands. Lord, what was wrong with him?

ooooooooooooooooooo

"Yami."

"Kaiba."

The two duelists regarded each other with open suspicion, tension sparkling between them. Dressed in his typical black leather attire, Yami stood uneasily at the doorway, having just been placed there by a secretary. Dressed in a white suit with a blue tie, Kaiba was on the other side of the room, as far as one could be from the door. He was leaning forward in his chair, elbows against his office table and long fingers resting against his pale lips in a contemplating way. His face stolid, the CEO's blue eyes were bloodshot, intense and piercing as they focused on the object of both his desires and far too many problems to count.

Yami shifted awkwardly as he looked about the large room. So clean that it nearly glowed, the massive room was professional and impressive, neat down to the fibers in the carpet. An expansive, immaculate white rug embroidered with a silver dragon adored the middle of the smooth stone floor --which, Yami presumed, was probably real white marble. In blue-white china vases placed in each corner, delicate miniature trees grew in the pose of twisted, frozen dancers, overflowing with the lovely smell of jasmine. Glorious sunlight poured in from one side of the room where, raised a few steps upward like a balcony, one wall had been replaced entirely with tinted glass. Deep blue silk curtains hung limply on either side of the windows, revealing a breath-taking view of downtown Domino. Kaiba himself sat at a magnificent oak table on the far side of the office, his broad frame encased in the intimidating form of a huge leather chair. Behind him on the wall was a wide, blank plasma screen capable of putting every large TV to shame. Slightly off center on his desk was a flat-screen computer, turned slightly toward Kaiba and noticeably away from entering personnel. It was connected to his sleek, ever-present personal laptop by the man's right elbow. There was very little else on the desk save a neat stack of papers on one side, a flat black phone system and a silver penholder. On closer inspection, the rather expensive-looking pen in that holder was engraved with a tiny metallic dragon, no doubt made in real silver.

"...Nice office," the Pharaoh commented casually, keeping his voice even. Receiving nothing but a dark glare from the CEO, the boy frowned and made his way across the plush carpet to massive window. Pressing one hand against the dark glass, he looked down, eyes sparkling. "Wow. Nice view, too."

"Why are you here?" asked Kaiba suddenly, voice gruff. It was a stupid question, they both knew, but it effectively broke Yami's awkward attempts to make small talk.

Yami sent him his own glare, his eyes troubled. "Ishizu said you needed my help..." he whispered, then bit his lip. Apparently he was no more knowledgeable about this whole situation than Kaiba was.

As still as a statue, the CEO looked at him for a long time. Sighing, he finally stood and made his way toward the window, stopping not far from Yami. Like a proud king overlooking his domain, the man then hooked his hands behind his back and stood to his full height, basking in the glowing afternoon sun. His blue eyes flashed eerily in the light.

Yami glanced at him quickly out of the corner of his eyes, unable to resist the temptation. The CEO was a striking sight, tall and handsome in the sparkling sunlight. Blushing a little, the Pharaoh followed Kaiba's gaze and took in the splendid sight of downtown Domino. Slender, elegant skyscrapers broke the city's manmade horizon, sparkling gloriously in the sun. Tiny people at work and cars of all sorts bustled about at the base of these tall buildings; high above them, a distant jet roared past, sleek and tiny.

This was the modern world at its best. Yami felt a pang of wistfulness, wondering if, as Pharaoh, he once had this magnificent of a view to an equally magnificent world... albeit one long dead.

For a long time, the two duelists simply stood there, not talking, touching, or even looking at each other. Kaiba faintly noted that his everlasting headache was suddenly gone, though he quickly shoved this thought to the back of his mind. Instead, he chose to gaze fondly upon the steel empire before him, a kingdom he and KaibaCorp very well built.

Yami finally broke the silence, his voice soft and just a bit hesitant. "Ishizu said you could help me, too."

At this, Kaiba's gaze turned from the city down to the lovely boy by his side. He was speechless. "What?" he croaked finally, coughing to find his voice.

Yami looked up at him briefly and shrugged. "I don't know what she meant, but she said it'll help with... my state of mind. And that by me helping you, it'll help your state of mind, whatever that means." He left it at that.

Kaiba blinked and then turned back to the city. He was rather troubled. He and Yami both knew Ishizu too well to question her actions, for they would get no clear answer unless the time was right. He spoke after a while, quickly and flatly. His tone was no different from the one he used on visiting businessmen. "Fine, then. In that case, I'll help you."

Yami nodded, pleased.

Kaiba reached out to touch the window, reaching not so much for Domino but for that wondrous sky. "Under one condition," he whispered, his expression dazed and dreamy.

Yami looked up at him with wide eyes quite like Yugi's. "What?"

Kaiba hesitated and looked down at him with a dry smile. "You have to tell me why I keep looking at the stars."

ooooooooooooooooooo

"What first?' asked Kaiba finally, looking far weary for his age. He had set both of them in chairs around his table, himself in his large black one behind the desk and Yami facing him in a smaller one fitted for visiting businessmen.

Yami hesitantly bit his lip, eyes darting across the table that now seem far too big between them.

With hands clasped calmly and diplomatically on top of the desk, Kaiba raised a thin eyebrow. "Don't tell me you don't know what you're doing."

"Look," scoffed Yami, a bit irritably, "I'm a duelist, not a teacher. And plus I've had three thousand years to fiddle around with Shadow Powers, while you have no experience and no known magical abilities. And this whole thing was on kind of a short notice, if you know what I mean."

Kaiba frowned, his own anger surging. "So do you know what you're doing or not?" he demanded, "Otherwise, you're wasting my time. I have work to do."

Yami's eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips in vivid annoyance. Ishizu had warned him that Kaiba was quite unwilling to do this, and quite frankly, so was Yami. Rage surged through him. He didn't want to be here! Kaiba didn't want to be here either. And all in all, he had very little idea how to teach anyhow.

Biting his lip, the Pharaoh closed his eyes and counted to ten. Then to twenty. With his temper tenuously in check, he opened his eyes again and met Kaiba's glare. He steadied his voice in the harshest tone he could manage against those deadly, beautiful blue eyes. "Alright then. Fine. I'll go since you obviously don't want me here." He flinched visibly at his own words, but hid it as he stood.

Something flashed in Kaiba's eyes with that statement. Those words stung like a slap to the face. Did Yami truly feel that way...? Was he being that big of a pain in the ass? "No, wait," he started, much too quickly.

Yami was startled but did indeed stop, looking down at Kaiba with a bit of bewilderment.

Kaiba looked at him with unreadable eyes, his throat tightening in awkwardness. He swallowed heavily and cursed himself. "No. Stay," he managed finally, voice gruff and uncomfortable. His tone softened slightly. "...Please."

Open your eyes, see what you're missing.
Open your eyes, see what you're missing.

Now thoroughly confused but inwardly delighted, Yami slowly sank back down in his seat. Again, awkwardness quickly saturated the air between them and the boy looked away uneasily, heat rising up his neck. "Why the sudden change of mind?" he asked quietly, finally.

Kaiba soaked up the question. He felt horror rise from his stomach, threatening to choke him. Lord, what would he say? 'I enjoy your company?' 'You're absolutely gorgeous?' "I--" he started uneasily, then sighed heavily, "I need to know how to control this thing. For Mokuba's sake... and for mine," he added quickly. The CEO winced when he remembered just how much control that bloody gold stick had over him. If Ishizu's words were to be believed, that is.

Head cocking to the side, Yami looked at him strangely but thankfully didn't question him any further. The boy coughed a little, holding out his hand expectantly, "The Rod?"

Frowning deeply, Kaiba swooped down behind his desk and came up with his ever-present silver briefcase. With a futuristic and handy 'ping!', it popped open. Kaiba flinched visibly when he saw the content inside. "You're lucky I didn't melt this thing," he muttered, more to himself than Yami.

Quickly, he dumped the Rod unceremoniously on the table and then put away his briefcase. Turning back to Yami, he dully noted that the boy was staring blankly at the Rod. Kaiba's blue eyes rolled irritably toward the heavens. "Don't tell me you don't know how to use that thing."

Yami looked up at him, glaring. "I received some last minute instructions from Malik yesterday. And I'm a fast learner, so don't you worry." There was that familiar challenge in his flaming eyes that made Kaiba's blood boil, in more ways than one.

"Right," replied the CEO awkwardly, unconvinced but now interested.

They fell into silence, staring first at each other and then at the Rod between them. Finally, cautiously, Yami curled his fingers around the Item and brought it gingerly to himself. His nimble fingertips running lightly over the smooth gold, the Egyptian relished the Rod's heavy weight and its marvelously crafted form. The Items were made well over three thousand years ago, and yet, despite everything, they hadn't aged a bit. The Rod least of all. Effortlessly slipping in tune with the dark magic within him, Yami closed his eyes and let the ancient power of the Rod wash over him, testing it out a little. It was powerful, that much was clear. However, its power was wild, free and untamed, quivering within the Item and just waiting to be released. The sheer force of that energy was impressive, even to Yami. It was little wonder how this innocently-looking object had nearly brought an end to Malik's sanity. Still, one could hardly blame the guy for taking the Item in the first place. Unchecked, the Rod's extraordinary powers were seemingly free for the taking, a temptation not many could let pass.

Kaiba watched the Pharaoh with narrowed eyes, dully fascinated and halfway bored. What the hell was the boy doing?

Yami's hand brushed the Rod's bulbous head, caressing the twin blades fondly. Slowly, very slowly, he activated his powers, feeling the buzzing energy flood through his blood. The Puzzle and his third eye sparkled to life, shining and pulsing with faint life. Warm energy cascaded from Yami's fingers into the Rod, feeding the Item's ravenous appetite carefully and gradually. And slowly, flickering like a sputtering car engine, the Rod slowly began to glow. It seemed timid at first, but soon grew steadily brighter until it matched the gentle glow of the Puzzle and Yami's third Eye.

Fascinated, Kaiba watched intently and uneasily, all too familiar with what damage that little glow can do.

Eyes closed in serene concentration, Yami searched deeper, probing gingerly into the savage power of the Rod. Suddenly, in the dark behind his eyelids, he saw a flash of silver. Startled, the boy stopped instantly, hesitant and alert. The Shadow Realm danced around him, its ancient darkness fluid and graceful.

There! The silver blur came again, faster and closer this time.

Yami sent out a wave of his own magic, bewildered as he tried to analyze this thing. 'What the...'

For a brief second, a huge pair of glowing sapphire eyes focused straight on him. Then, suddenly, a mighty pair of jaws rushed toward him with terrifying speed, an ear-splitting roar engulfing the boy's very senses.

With an alarmed cry, Yami pulled violently back into the real world. The Rod slipped out of his fingers and fell like a dead weight on the desk, making a sharp clang as it collided with the wood. The head bounced once and then laid still upon the table, gleaming and sparkling.

Dazed and visibly shaken, Yami opened his eyes.

"What is it?" Kaiba's handsome face swam into view, his blue eyes showing a surprising amount of concern. "What happened?" he demanded.

Yami shook his head to clear it, frowning to himself. He rubbed his forehead and felt the warm glow of his third eye melt away. "I'm... not sure." He looked up at Kaiba, eyes wide. "But... I think there's something in there."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, his face expressionless. "Really?" he stated rather mockingly. "And just what just what would that be?"

"It looked..." Yami grew distant, his ruby eyes troubled. He looked at Kaiba for a long moment. "Well, it looked like... a dragon."

There was a quick flicker of something in Kaiba's brilliant eyes. 'Blue-Eyes...' The CEO rubbed his temple furiously, eyes tightly shut as his mind went flying to all sorts of directions. How? Why? Was it possible? Could it be? 'No. It was nothing but a dream,' he told himself vehemently, 'Nothing more.'

Yami looked at him quietly for a while, brow furrowed. Finally, he stated softly, "You knew this."

Kaiba looked up sharply. His eyes narrowed. "That's absurd! I barely know what this bloody thing is called!"

Yami's eyes narrowed as well. "But you know what's in there." He was quiet for a moment. "It's your Blue-Eyes, isn't it?"

Kaiba stiffened visibly but said nothing.

"It escaped from my Puzzle a few days ago. I didn't know where it went." Yami met Kaiba's gaze, eyes gentle but questioning. His message was left unspoken but understood.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Kaiba quickly, firmly.

Yami pursed his lips. "You were its master, Kaiba, three thousand years ago," he said slowly, "It's only logical that perhaps it came here... to be with you and the Rod." He nodded to himself, pleased with his own logic.

Kaiba looked away, frowning. "No, that's preposterous," he whispered in half-hearted protest, mind racing. But it made sense... It might be possible. Just what if -- what if-- the dragon was real? Than it must have taken him inside the Rod... which would mean that those weird scenes that kept playing in his head might not be just dreams... which meant his angel might not be just a... a dream... Heavens, what if he was REAL?!

Kaiba felt dizzy. His heart pounded in his ears, his lungs drawing in shallow, shaky breaths. His mind was quickly going into overload. 'Lord. This is too complicated.'

The CEO grabbed the edge of his desk and shook himself back into reality. No. It couldn't be true... This was all a bunch of hocus-pocus. Children's tales.

Sensing denial, Yami wisely held his tongue. After a moment of silence in which he marveled at Kaiba's self-control, the boy sighed, drawing the CEO's attention once more. "This changes my plans drastically. Your dragon won't let me in the Rod without your permission."

Kaiba looked at him for the longest time, mentally debating whether to honestly believe these ludicrous ideas of magic and dragons. His eyes narrowed. "Well then... uh... you... have my permission," he said finally and hesitantly, as if the words felt odd on his tongue. His tone carried his bafflement and his doubts.

"It's not that easy." Yami startled the CEO when he placed the Rod firmly in Kaiba's hands, using his smaller hands to close the man's long fingers over the Item. The touch shot shivers up both their spines, but on their part, neither reacted.

The Pharaoh looked into Kaiba's eyes, making sure he had the man's undivided attention. "Look," he spoke slowly, as if speaking to a child, "I have to talk you through this."

Kaiba eyebrows rose. Wincing, he sent the Pharaoh a withering look.

"Its not that hard," assured Yami gently, thanking Ra that his aibou's patience had rubbed off him, "The Rod will obey your every command, I assure you."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed a little and he remained silence.

Realizing he still held Kaiba's hand, Yami pulled away quickly, flushing a bit as he squirmed in his seat. "Well..." He coughed discreetly to hide the color on his cheeks. "Let's see you activate it."

A blank stare.

"You know... Make it glow," Yami explained gently. He was met with yet another blank stare. The Pharaoh sighed and tapped his own forehead. "It's up here, Kaiba. It's all mental. Think what you want it to do, and the Rod will do it." 'I think...' he added to himself. He was so in tune with his own powers that he no longer needed conscious thought to activate the Puzzle. The case was obviously not so easy with Kaiba.

The CEO stared at him. "It's that easy?" he demanded quickly. He was annoyed that the bloody Rod had driven him insane when he had such potential power over it in the first place.

Yami hesitated. "Well... no," he admitted sheepishly, "but it's nice to think about it that way."

Kaiba looked down at the Rod in his hand skeptically, half pondering exactly how weird his life has gotten. He was being told to make a stick glow. A bloody stick.

Sighing to himself, he held the Rod in his hands and felt it out for the first time. It was smooth, heavy and well balanced, like a good dagger. He traced the eye pattern on the head, then the graceful mini-blades jutting out the sides. Despite their age, both blades were still sharp and showed little wear.

Kaiba cocked his head at the strange object. It was a rather beautiful thing, really...

"That's it," he heard Yami's voice, distant if part of a foggy dream.

Kaiba looked at the Rod some more, suddenly drawn to it... drawn to the way it sparkled, drawn to the tingling feeling he felt in his hand. A sudden warmth washed through him, sparking with crackling energy and making his very blood boil. The odd sensation spread from deep inside him to the extremities of his limbs, making his skin tingle and his senses go hypersensitive.

Startled, Kaiba jerked back into the real world, a painful ringing in his ears. Shaken, he nearly dropped the Rod.

He felt a small hand on his arm and looked up, seeing that Yami had moved to stand beside him. That same hand squeezed reassuringly.

"Its okay." Yami's eyes were warm. "You were doing great. The power you felt might be a little scary at first, but you'll get used to the feeling." Seeing Kaiba's lingering skepticism, the boy flashed him a quick smile. "Trust me."

Kaiba blinked rapidly at him. For a second... Lord, for a perfect, split second... Yami looked like that angel. His angel. The angel that looked at him with such love and warmth in his brilliant eyes, always with a gentle smile on his rosy lips... Looking at Yami's lovely face now, so close and so charming, Kaiba could not help but feel a pang of pain stab at his heart.

So much like his angel...

Gazing to the heavens for a sign from up above.
Waiting for an angel to bring you ever lasting love.
You're searching the skies for a saving grace
When the answer's by your side.

It's staring you in the face.
Open your eyes and look at me.
It's staring you in the face.
You'll be surprised at what you see.

Swallowing back a sudden wave of overwhelming loneliness, Kaiba turned quickly away from Yami. The CEO tried very hard not to blush, embarrassed at his silly behavior and his odd habit of staring. Taking a deep, shaky breath as Yami released his arm, he looked back at the Rod and was startled to find it very warm in his hands, a very dull glow shimmering across its surface. He could only watch, entranced.

'My god...' he thought, feeling his blood boil with strange, buzzing heat from the Rod, 'This is my power...' The thought was strangely frightening.

ooooooooooooooooooo

Meanwhile... Bakura walked quietly, or as quietly as a tomb robber could, alongside the highway. Grumbling to himself, he cursed vividly at cars honking at him to get off the road. But other than that, he was absolutely bored out of his mind. Ryou had needed to do some homework and had kicked him out of the house because he wouldn't stop fiddling with the radio. Of course, the hikari obviously hadn't expected Bakura to simply leave the development all together, but here the tomb robber was, wandering about in a haze of curiosity and boredom through the sleek downtown of Domino City. Being that he didn't know how to operate nor tamper with half the modern objects he came across, Bakura was bored. Bored bored bored.

Abruptly, he shuddered, feeling a strange jolt run up his spine. He looked up, finding the sleek, silver skyscraper of KaibaCorp Headquarters looming up before him. 'How the hell did I--'

A sudden wave of heat consumed him then, tearing painfully through the very core of his being. In an instant, he was tossed, screaming, against the back of his own mind.

Bakura's eyes flashed that eerie dark red as they focused on the top of the building. :::Heh heh... the Pharaoh and his Priest, all alone...::: A feral smirk graced his features.

He was going to have some fun.

ooooooooooooooooooo

Kaiba wasn't sure how magic worked, but he was sure that the strange cackling in the back of his mind wasn't normal. Very suddenly, he felt encaged, suffocating and unable to breath. Fiery heat enveloped his senses, burning at him mercilessly even as he tried to scream. He struggled reflexively against the unseen force but found that his body would not obey him. 'Oh god...'

Suddenly, through his eyelids, Kaiba saw Yami sitting innocently on the edge of his desk, looking down at him intently with his lovely red eyes. Upon seeing the Pharaoh, that strange laughing amplified to a fevered pitch. The CEO suddenly had a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

'No...' Kaiba whispered, pounding at what held him hostage, struggling with his mental bonds, 'No, leave him alone!'

There was an excruciating flash of pain as a wave of energy flooded through his frozen body, congregating in his Rod. The Item suddenly flared with blinding, fiery light. Then, without warning, it suddenly exploded in Kaiba's hands, jerking itself from his fingers.

A shock wave thundered through the room, shattering glass and metal alike.

Kaiba felt Yami jump in surprise and saw the Puzzle flicker to life in a desperate attempt to protect its king. Then, the CEO blacked out, blinded by the Rod's light.

The last thing he heard was Yami's pained scream ringing through the air.

ooooooooooooooooooo

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"How is he...?"

A sigh. "Recovering and resting, for now."

"Does he need more blood?"

"No, he's fine now. He does have a rare blood type though, so it's best if we have a backup bag just in case."

Yami groaned, coming to very slowly. As his eyes fluttered open, his blurred vision revealed a strikingly white room with numerous machines beside his bed. A few hazy figures moved around him, but he could barely make them out.

Yami tried to shake his head, groggy, dizzy and totally numb. He could hardly move, let alone feel his limbs. For a second, he felt panicked, fearing some kind of spinal injury like those always shone on TV. He strained his sight, trying desperately to raise his hand. "Aibou? Aibou?!"

Yugi, along with a man in white that Yami presumed to be some type of doctor, was by his side instantly, eyes wide with tearful joy. "Yeah, I'm here, buddy. Its okay..."

"W-What happened?" Yami demanded, struggling against his covers. He thrashed about, trying to bring some feeling back in his limbs. "Where am I?"

Yugi pushed him down gently, shushing him. His eyes were suddenly solemn. "There was an explosion, Yami..." he whispered, slowly, "...at the KaibaCorp Headquarters two days ago. Do you remember?"

Yami strained his memory, a bit alarmed to realize that no, he didn't remember. He remembered talking to Kaiba AT the headquarters, but... The Pharaoh suddenly went very still. He turned wide, frightened eyes toward Yugi. "Seto? Kaiba...?" he croaked, pale, "...Is he--?"

Yugi shook his head, smiling a bit dryly. "No, you big lug, it'll take more than that to keep him down. He hit his head against something and got kinda beaten up, but other than that, he's okay."

"Hey, enough about Money-bags, Yami, how are you?" demanded Jou, suddenly coming up beside Yugi.

Yami quickly realized that all his friends were here, along with an extremely worried Sugoroku. "I'm fine," he managed, feeling a bit in shock, "But I still don't get what happened."

Yugi frowned and looked at his friends. They were all silent.

It was Anzu that spoke up. "You should ask Kaiba that question," she said quietly, looking away.

Yami frowned. "Why? What--"

"He was there, Yami."

"I know that, but--"

Yugi's eyes sparkled. "Mokuba says he's barely eaten anything or done any work all this time. He kept asking how you were."

"That's right, Yami," chuckled Sugoroku, patting Yami's head affectionately. "He's still in the waiting room with his brother and his laptop. My gosh, that boy is mighty worried about you."

Awkward silence.

Yami looked away, blushing furiously. "Is he now...?" he whispered shyly.

"He offered to pay the medical bill and everything," Yugi said quietly. "I think he feels responsible." The boy gave a brilliant smile. "You should really talk with him."

ooooooooooooooooooo

"Hey..."

Kaiba looked up from where his head rested tiredly on the edge the couch. His vision swam briefly with his movement, but he was able to make out Yami's slender form on the doorway. The boy was dressed in a huge pair of PJ's four sizes too big.

"Jesus, you're out already?" the CEO croaked, sitting up but careful not to disturb Mokuba's sleeping form against his leg.

Yami gave him a small, tired smile. "I heard you were worried about me," he teased lightly.

Kaiba flushed an interesting shade of pink. "Yeah well..." he grunted, wrapping a protective arm around Mokuba. "That doesn't change the fact that you're not suppose to be out of bed."

Yami cocked his head, his eyes twinkling. "You're worried, see?"

Kaiba flushed some more, pointedly looking away.

Yami frowned at the action. This was the welcome he got after all they've just been through? He was hurt.

Open your eyes, see what you're missing.
Open your eyes, see what you're missing.

Digging through devotion for that diamond in the rough.
You push aside the tally of what was never good enough.
Maybe the prize is in a different place.
Can you be so blind?

It's staring you in the face.
Open your eyes and look at me.

The Pharaoh sighed, limping over so he could plop on the far edge of the waiting couch. "They said that as long as I get plenty of rest, I can go home today." He gingerly raised his shirt a little, revealing a mass of bandages wrapped around his slim torso. "I got some stitches last night, but the doctors say the wound wasn't too big. I just shouldn't 'run around' for a while." He looked up and eyed Kaiba curiously. "You don't look so great yourself, Kaiba."

The CEO snorted, pointing to the bandage looped around his head. He felt like a total idiot in the blasted thing. "A minor concussion, that's all. It's nothing I can't heal from in a week."

"Ah..." Yami pointed to Kaiba's face. "What about the bruise?"

Kaiba scowled at him, rubbing awkwardly at the black and blue bruise that had grown on his cheekbone since their little incident. "It's nothing."

"Okay."

Awkward silence settled between them, before Kaiba broke it in a very self-conscious attempt at small talk. "So... where's the rest of your idiotic friends?"

Yami shrugged, curling up on his end of the couch. "They're talking with my doctor and signing stuff. I told them I wanted to talk with you."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "...Me?"

Yami smiled lightly. "Yes, you." He cocked his head again, eyes gentle. "You haven't been too well, I heard."

"You heard wrong," muttered Kaiba, glaring at him.

Yami frowned. "Hey, it's just a question..." he remarked defensively.

Kaiba rolled his eyes, falling silent.

"I know it wasn't you."

The CEO stiffened, turning again toward Yami with surprised blue eyes. "What? Why not? You have every reason to--"

Yami gave a small, shy smile. "... I doubt you would have hurt me on purpose..."

Kaiba blinked, then smiled brilliantly. "Not then, I wouldn't have."

ooooooooooooooooooo

"Why are you here?"

His hand still on the doorknob, Yami blinked in surprise. The secretary behind him promptly fled the scene.

Kaiba stood at the far wall with his hands laced behind his back, his gaze dark and brooding as he looked out at Domino. It hadn't taken long for his office to be rebuilt and to Yami, it looked as good as new.

'I suppose being the richest man in Domino has its perks...' the Pharaoh thought, amused. He quietly closed the door behind him. "... I came to teach you more about the Rod." He tried to keep his gaze and voice even.

Kaiba shifted his weight on to another foot but made no move to turn to Yami. "...And why would you do that?" he asked quietly. His eyes were a stormy midnight blue.

Yami looked at the ground. "Because we never finished our lessons..." he whispered. He winced; even to him, that sounded pathetic.

Kaiba was silent for a long moment. Still facing the city, his expression was bland, his eyes narrowed.

Glancing over to the large window, Yami was curious as to what held the CEO's interest. It was a dark, cloudy day outside, and most of the skyscrapers were shrouded in mist anyways. "Kaiba?"

"How are your wounds?" Kaiba's voice was soft.

Yami squirmed a bit, stepping up to Kaiba beside the window. "Sore, but healing. The stitches are holding, if that's what you mean."

"Well, then--"

RIIIINNNNGGG.

Kaiba looked down and arched an eyebrow. He recognized the rings of every phone he had, and that did not happen to be one of them.

"Sorry," Yami mumbled. He fumbled in his jacket for the cell phone Sugoroku had insisted he carry. After a moment of fiddling around with the damned contraption, he finally got it to open. The boy held it cautiously to his ear. "Uh... Yami here."

Kaiba frowned when he heard Jou's voice on the phone. Yami clearly didn't know how to turn down the volume.

"Oh hi, Jou... Arcade? Now?" Yami looked up at Kaiba, their gazes meeting.

Kaiba pursed his lips and looked away, choosing to ignore Yami's muffled conversation. He felt suddenly and inexplicably sad at the thought of having Yami go.

The closing of Yami's cell phone brought the CEO back into reality. He swallowed heavily but kept his voice even. "Are you leaving then?" he asked quietly.

Silence.

Kaiba jumped when he felt a small, warm hand on his arm. Bewildered, the CEO looked down and found himself lost in a pair of warm, fiery eyes. 'My god, he's so beautiful...'

It's staring you in the face.
You'll be surprised at what you see.

"No, I'm not going." the Pharaoh said with a small shrug. "I told them I didn't want to."

Kaiba was baffled. "Why not?"

Yami gave him a brilliant smile. "I want to stay with you."

Running from lies in an endless race
When the truth ain't far behind.

Open your eyes, see what you're missing.
You're blind, the sign says come and love me.

ooooooooooooooooooo

AN: Arg, I hated writing that chapter. Was this new, simplified writing style easier for you guys or the same? Would you prefer the other one with lots of commas? Anyhow, I know you guys get sick of me whining all the time, but this is very low on my list of favorite chapters. The wording is EXTREMELY awkward, and I was running out of ways to make things flow. Interestingly enough, I found that I was stuck for six months on a spot not a page away from the ending of the chapter. Heh heh...

Anyhow, I would be EXTREMELY happy if you'd let me know what you think. (No flames though!) I'm not sure if all my fans are still loyal to me, considering I was gone for so long... -sniffle- PLEASE COME BACK!!

Oh, and please do me a favor! I noticed that I'm not getting nearly the same amount of reviews for Le Coeur De La Mer as I am for this story, which puzzles me because I'm sure the same people are reading both stories. So, if you haven't already, PLEASE REVIEW LCDLM! I would be so very happy! (Of course, review this story first. XD)