Duality Chaos, Book Two of The Chaos Saga

Chapter 7: Rest

     "What did you do?"  Yami asked sternly, eyes on Seto, arms folded.  Everyone had gone, leaving Seto, Kisara, Yugi, and Yami alone in Seto's room.

     "I cast no spell, and performed no ritual."  Seto still refused to meet Yami's eyes, just like he refused to answer Yami's question.

     "Atem, it is so good to see you again."  Kisara said tentatively, a shaky smile on her face, as she stepped to the side of Seto.

     Yami grabbed Yugi's arm.  To most, it would look like an act of love, or perhaps a need to touch.  Seto knew, though, it was a vice like grip of restraint.  "Kisara. "  Yami nodded.  Seto could see the tension in Yugi's body.  He didn't need to look at Yugi's face.

     "It is good to see you as well, although how you are here is a mystery to me.  Dartz destroyed you."  Yami raised an eyebrow as Yugi turned, glaring at Yami.

     "Exodia has fallen into someone else's hands.  I...I don't know who or how...all I know is that Dartz finally became trapped in Exodia...I saw him...once...inside.  I never got to speak to him...you can't in Exodia.  All I know is I was floating in blackness, with small glimmers of light at times... and then I woke up...here, outside the door."  Kisara looked down, ashamed.  "I wish I could help more, but I have holes in my memory."  She shrugged helplessly.

     "What is Exodia?" Yugi asked, his voice like ice.

     "A soul stealing dagger, it appears."  Yami stated, looking at Yugi.  "We thought it destroyed the souls, but...apparently not."  He looked pointedly at Kisara.

     Yugi took a step towards Seto, and then was stopped by Yami's grip.  Yugi turned an icy glare on Yami.  "Let. Me. Go."

     "No."  Yami said simply.  "You are overly emotional right now.  I do not want you to do or say something that you...or Joey...may regret."  He never loosened the grip on Yugi's arm.

     "Overly emotional!  Overly emotional!"  Yugi spat, eyes narrowing.  "That....bastard cousin of yours has done something to Joey, and I have a pretty damn good guess of what..."  his eyes caught Seto's, and Seto had the decency to look away, embarrassed.  "it was."

     At that, Yami picked Yugi up effortlessly and strode out of the room in the blink of an eye.  Kisara looked around, confused.  "Seto, what is going on?"

     "Kisara, just sleep.  We will talk more tonight."  He said tiredly, but not unkindly.  With that, he turned and went to a coffin in the corner of the room, stepping in and closing the lid.  Kisara sat on the bed, sighing softly before lying down and resting.

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     "How dare you?"  Yugi spat, twisting out of Yami's grasp and landing on the floor, on all fours.  "I am not a child!"

     Yami sighed, sitting on the bed.  "Then stop acting like one."  He held up his hand as Yugi opened his mouth to yell.  "You were throwing a tantrum in there.  You were angry for your friend.  However, whatever is going on between Joey and Seto is just that...between Joey and Seto.  They need to work it out."

     Yugi turned from Yami, hands crossed defiantly.  "You don't understand." he huffed.

     "Try me."  Yami said tiredly.

     "He just jerked my best friend's heart around, causing a fusion, and now he is going to go trapsing back to his 3,000 year old dead wife?  Fusion is for an eternity.  He has condemned Joey to a life of monogamous, lonely  abstinence, filled with soul crushing despair.  Fusion won't allow Joey to take another mate, nor fall in love with anyone else!"  Yugi's eyes filled with tears of frustration.

     Yami stood, coming over to stand behind Yugi, wrapping his arms around the small boy, resting his head on the top of Yugi's.  "I know more than you think.  I know Seto.  He does not fall in love easily...I have seen it happen twice.  Once to Kisara, and once with Joey.  He is not playing.  He is an ass, this much is true, but he is respectful of love.  He is hurting, confused, and lost right now.  Please, aibou, for me...give him some time.  I swear to you on all I am, Seto is not playing with Joey.  He is warring with himself."

     Yugi slumped in his lover's embrace, eyes sliding closed.  Yami continued.  "I guarantee, as much as you love and care for Joey, I feel the same for Seto."  Yugi sighed, nodding.  He turned around, staring up into crimson.  "Let's sleep, Little One...we are going to need it.

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     "No, Bakura, I will not use the leather belt.  Please, just rest."  Ryo had bags under his eyes, exhaustion rising up in hin.

     Bakura was sitting, chuckling at how cute Ryou was when flustered. He had been egging the cute white haired boy on dor some time.  "Alright, Lil Sexy, I promise I will sleep..."  Ryou smiled "IF you lay with me.  You can use my bloody lap as a pillow."  Bakura smirked as Ryou frowned, sighing.

     "Fine."  Ryou knew when he was defeated.  He lay down on the floor, his head in Bakura's lap.  Quickly, he fell into a deep sleep as exhaustion overtook him.

     Bakura looked down at his hikari.  "I do not know what you did to me, you little fucker," he whispered affectionately, "but I promise this...NO ONE will hurt you."  He leaned down, gently kissing his sleeping angel's forehead before covering him in a blanket.
    
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     Joey sighed, sitting in his bed.  He looked over at the bronze twins laying in bed, cuddled.  Malik's tail wrapped protectively around Marik.  They held each other.  They didn't really say much, they did more touching.  That made sense to Joey.  Leopards are very tactile, and have the mental connection.  Joey refused to listen in, that was rude.

     Joey ached to have Seto with him.  But that wasn't to be.  Seto was in his room, making love to his wife, completely forgetting about Joey.  Joey turned on his side, curled up in the fetal position, tears flowing.  He never felt as alone as he had right then.