When the little bluebird
Who has never said a word
Starts to sing Spring
When the little bluebell
At the bottom of the dell
Starts to ring Ding dong Ding dong

When he woke up in the morning, tiredly blinking away sleep, Seto Kaiba didn't know yet why this day would be different. The only thing different from his usual mornings was a little bird's tune coming from his window. He lay back for a few minutes, enjoying the lingering warmth of the sheets, listening to the simple melody. After some time though, it seemed disturbing to him and started to annoy him. So he got up, going about his usual morning activities.

Entering the kitchen, he found Mokuba already sitting on the table, in front of him a small bunch of blue flowers.
He raised an eyebrow, "What's this?"
Mokuba beamed, "Aren't they beautiful, Nisama? Yuugi brought them, when he came over to ask me to join him and the others in the evening. They are going to the Marine Museum. You know, that giant aquarium where they even have sharks!"
Seto smirked, "Not even a shark is safe from the mutt. Does Yuugi think dogs are allowed in there? Think of all that fragile glass..."
Mokuba ignored that remark. "I would really love to go, but I wanted to ask you first. Yuugi agreed to wait until I phone later."
Patting Mokuba's hair a little, which made the smaller brother glare at him slightly, he answered, "Of course you can go there. I couldn't let you miss the fish."
"Thanks!" Mokuba grinned enthusiastically. "But Yuugi asked me to bring you as well."
Seto nearly choked on the sip of milk he had just taken.
"He wants me to what?"
"He wants you to come, of course. Don't be stubborn, Nisama. You're having a whole week off."
"And what exactly makes you think I'm going to spend that precious time with those morons?", he grumbled.
"Come on, I know you don't really believe your own insults anymore. They're cool. Besides, Yuugi's Yami is coming as well"
Seto decided he certainly should put his milk away until the conversation was finished. He didn't want to die so young after all.
After a round of coughing he managed, "And why would that change my decision?"
"Because you nearly choked on your drink hearing his name. I know you'll never be friends with him, after all he's your rival, but you still can't help being excited when you see him....And I know whose picture you're keeping in that ...."
"That's enough", Seto interrupted, horrified. "I won't come."
Mokuba finally used his last and most effective weapon (skipping a few others, because he didn't have that much time). His eyes got huge and teary and he whined, "But, I'm so lonely all day long. It's so lonely without you. All the others are boring, I want you with me. I'll be sad all the time if you don't come."

Obviously, Seto gave in.
When Mokuba stormed out of the room to phone Yuugi, the gust of air from the slammed door made the little bluebells tremble, resembling those little bells they always had on the Christmas tree.
"Just great" he thought "I actually like those little weeds."


When the little blue clerk
In the middle of his work
Starts a tune to the moon up above
It is nature that is all
Simply telling us to fall in love

In the evening the whole group was standing in the foyer of Kaiba mansion, where they had agreed to meet. Strangely, the moon was already rising, while the sun was still up on the sky. Seto found it gave the whole world a strange twilight-like atmosphere. He liked the twilight.

They were happily greating him and Mokuba, then started to elaborate their plans to them. The Marine Museum, the little restaurant down the street and the park, if it was going to be a warm night.
"Why shouldn't it be warm?" Anzu exclaimed "It's spring after all"
Seto bit his tongue to prevent a snide remark. He didn't want to start the arguments yet, for Mokuba's sake.
Yuugi smiled. "You are right, and it's wonderful. I like how it seems to put people in a good mood."

While the group was turning to go, chatting cheerfully, Seto got a glimpse of what he meant. The employee watching the front doors had stopped in the middle of shuffling his papers, looking up at the moon through the window and whistling a small tune, just like the little bird that morning.

"Seems my aibou is right." The low voice to his left startled him, and he turned to see Yami Yuugi standing next to him, slightly nodding his head in a polite greeting.
He returned the gesture, then looked back at his employee.
"I can't imagine how paperwork could make one happy", he mumbled.
Yami smiled, "What makes you so sure it's his paperwork? I guess he's thinking of a lover."
"One-track mind. He should be working.", Seto grumbled to hide his embarrassment to have this conversation with Yami of all people.
Expecting an insult as a comeback, he was surprised to see the former spirit smirk.
"Thinking about love doesn't equal thinking about making love, you know. He's just happy to have someone he loves. It's natural in spring, I learned that relatively fast."
"No spring in Egypt, huh?", Seto asked.
"No, but lots of lovers. Trust me, there was twice as much gossip at our court."
Seto couldn't help it. He had to grin, at least a little bit. Yami seemed satisfied.
"Come on, let's go, Seto"

Seto stopped in his tracks.
'What did he call me? I...I mean...he's never...he....'
"Seto"
He had said it again, stressing the word, so unfamiliar coming from him.
"That's your name" he reasoned after another second had passed, adding politely, "If you don't mind me calling you by it".
"No" Seto managed, eyes wide.

This day was weird, very weird. And Yami was walking next to him the whole way to the Marine Museum.

And that's why birds do it, bees do it
Even educated fleas do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

The sun was bright, brighter than usual, and Seto gave the light a wary look. He couldn't help but mistrust the cheeriness of spring days. He knew the thunderstorms those impish feathery clouds could produce.
When they passed through a park, things were getting almost too cheery to be real. Bright green grass and leaves, pink and white flowers, and lots of disgustingly lively animals. And all of them seemed preoccupied with the same thing.

Two tiny bees, humming around Mokuba's dark-haired head, paying no notice to humans at all.
The little singing birds presenting their most wonderful duet to the ones listening.
Squirrels, hell, three of them, chasing each other round the trees, two of them trying to win their bride.
Butterflies that the little girls ran after, involved in the delightfully colourful dance.
And, of course, those dogs next to Yami, sniffing each other like maniacs.
"Damn, I bet even their fleas are going at it right now!", Seto thought, somehow feeling very undignified being in the middle of this.

Yami must have noticed, because he smiled and then whistled innocently, staring interested at the squirrels. Seto followed, uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Eventually, though, they got to the museum.
The artificial sea world was almost three times as colourful as the park, but more soothing to his soul. Everything was blue and dark, fish were quiet and smooth, mysterious and graceful, all of those qualities he fancied.

The group was running around, though, disturbing the quiet with shrieks and shouts and giggles and all of it definitely driving him up the wall.
He went up to Mokuba.
"I'll stay a bit behind, I would like to take a closer look at the fish over there. Don't worry, I'll follow you soon", he assured the younger teen.
Mokuba tilted his head, studying his brother. Then he looked in the direction Seto had just pointed in ( - of course he had chosen it randomly - ) and gave a slow smile.
"Alright Nisama, though I quite wonder about your taste in fish, and that you suddenly seem to enjoy watching them together with him"
Seto's head whirled around at the statement, spying the horror.
There was Yuugi's Yami, resting against a pillar in a lazy manner while having a staring contest with a huge clam.
He mentally groaned, but gave Mokuba a weak smile,
"Well, he'll be away soon, trailing after you. And I think the clams are quite beautiful."
What a lie, but, once having voiced them, he didn't back down from his opinions.

Cold Cape Cod clams, 'gainst their wish, do it
Even lazy jellyfish do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

Accepting his fate, he stalked over to the pharao, keeping a safe distance, staring stoically at the clams. There were about four of them in a heap in a corner and Seto got a lurking suspicion...
Yami turned his head, smirking at him.
"Like them?", he asked.
Seto decided to be truthful. "Not one bit. I like them dead when I find them on the beach"
Yami looked a bit like he wanted to roll his eyes at a silly child.
"Yeah, you do. I might have guessed. But, see, they're really cool."
"You mean those in the heap over there, in the middle of the mating season?" he grumbled.
The other just laughed. "Read this" He pointed at the board next to the pillar. "They are filtering semen out of the water. Quite dispassionate, huh?"
Seto, cursing himself, blushed while he remembered the matching biology lesson.

For a moment they were silent. Then Yami suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him to the next window.
"What was that???" Seto hissed, utterly shocked.
Yami smiled innocently, "I just wanted to show you these, I think you'll like them better"
Biting back a comment, Seto turned and found himself looking at extremly large jellyfish. Colourful and soft, yet poisonous and dangerous... he had to admit they were quite beautiful.
"Better?" Yami murmured, the tone of his voice surprising Seto and making him feel something very strange for a moment. Something he couldn't quite explain, but, strange as it was, ...he wished Yuugi's Yami would talk to him more often like this.
"Much better" he managed, forgetting to insult the other.
He was paralyzed suddenly as Yami stepped ever so close, invading his personal space.
"Look, over there. It looks almost as if they're dancing."
It sounded awfully sappy, but they were, beautifully lazily dancing. Smooth movements but full of energy. He definitely liked them.

He found Yami watching him expectantly. Staring down into those eyes there was that strange feeling again, but this time Seto got a distinct impression of what it could be....
And he found that extremely...offputting.
What he found even more offputting was that his mind came up with the reply of, "Just as beautiful as you"
The strangest thing, though, was that their faces seemed to get closer.
"No!" Some voice in the back of Seto's head screamed. "This can't be happening"

Suddenly there was a loud crashing noise. They jumped back, flinching, then gave each other a meaningful look, suspecting the worst. Then they ran off into the same direction.
Naturally their suspicions had proved right. Jonouchi had managed to stumble over a metal barrier and to throw the whole thing down.

I've heard that lizards and frogs do it
Layin' on a rock
They say that roosters do it
With a doodle and cock

They were thrown out of the museum after that, but Seto didn't pay much attention as he was still too shocked by himself. Damn it, what had he thought he was doing? The problem was, he hadn't thought at all...
God damn it he wouldn't be able to look at one cursed jellyfish again in his life!

On the way to the restaurant they passed the park again, and Mokuba discovered a little pond between a few trees. There they sat down, Serenity catching a lizard and shrieking as it simply threw its tail off and ran to its mate.
The frogs were giving them a private concert. Strangely, while it immensely annoyed Anzu, on whose side were most of the small gang, Seto liked it. Well, until he saw two of those little bastards (the frogs, not the gang) crawling over each other, making Seto feel an odd mixture of disgust and embarrassment, especially after that incident with Yami earlier.

And, to hell with him, the pharao knew and stole tiny glances at him.

Fortunately, Anzu then claimed she couldn't stand the frogs any longer and they went on to the restaurant. When they took their seats, Yami sat down next to him.
Seto took a breath and hoped he wouldn't do anything stupid, though he didn't really have any idea what that would be. His mind uttered colourful curses at his hormones, Yami, spring, Yami, the world, Yami,....
Ah, the hell, he was really obsessed.

Just then the gang recognized a familiar face among the other customers.
"Isn't that Bandit Keith?" Mai whispered.
"Oh no" Anzu moaned, "he'll ruin the whole evening"
The unpopular duelist approached them by then. "Hey, girls, you have any plans for tonight? Don't stay with those losers" He winked at a disgusted Mai.
That would certainly be his death, Seto decided, as he watched Jonouchi's face go from green to pale to furiously crimson. Yuugi and Honda had to hold their friend back with united force or the evening would have ended very unpleasantly indeed.
Yami jumped up to his aid, "Our girls don't want boasting roosters for boyfriends and, trust me, any of us could win a duel against you."
Drunken Bandit Keith seemed to remember unpleasant experieces for a moment, judging by his grimace, but alcohol seemed to have clouded his senses.
"No girls, so would you like a go with me? Or maybe that blue-eyed millionaire freak here?"
This time Yami was getting red-faced.
"None of this", he hissed, "If you know what's good for you you better get out of here right now."
His voice was so menancing that even Bandit Keith backed away, heartily taking Yami's advice.

Seto was staring at Yami, his stomach doing a strange jump for a moment. Yami looked back tersely for a moment, then he sat down, mumbling a quiet apology just as Seto grumbled, "I could have defended myself, you know."

The waiter was bringing their pizzas and they started eating. Only, Yami's lingering presence made him feel slightly disoriented and he avoided brushing their arms, which was, due to the narrow space, very, very difficult.

During their meal he noticed Yami wasn't paying much attention, instead staring at the next table where a young couple sat together. They had tanned skin and black hair, looking very beautiful but underdressed for the kind of restaurant they were in. Some people on the other tables were giving them strange looks, but the two of them only had eyes for each other, not caring about anything or anyone else in the world.
Anzu caught Yami staring and told him, "They're from Argentina, I talked to the girl before. They're on their honeymoon, run away from home, because their families don't like them being together. Awww, they're truly in love, aren't they?" That said she gave Yami a meaningful, sweet smile.

Seto narrowed his eyes. She flirted with Yami. That wasn't ok with him, not the slightest bit. She wasn't right for Yami, never.
And he wanted Yami's attention back on him. No wistful stares off into space but mischievious smiles directed at him.

Some Argentines, without means do it
I hear even Boston beans do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love.

When they left the restaurant, Seto was a bit tipsy (though he'd never admit it). Crimson wine was really fine and suited those eyes so well, yeah. And the Argentines were having beans for a midnight snack, which had made him laugh and Yami had laughed too, and then they had drunken and...well, and they were all chasing each other in Seto's mind, no matter how hard he tried to send them off.

Damn Yami for making him drink that wine.

In front of his house he pulled himself together and thanked everyone for taking Mokuba with them. They smiled politely and turned to leave as suddenly Yami stepped forward, right in front of him, saying,
"We were very glad you came as well, you know"
Seto blushed and was at a loss of words, and Yami smirked, leaning closer to whisper in Seto's ear.
"And you're cute when you do that"

Mokuba had to drag Seto into the house, as the other was standing on the doorstep staring into the night long after Yami and the others had left.
Inside Seto seemed to recover, brought him to bed and gave him a goodnight kiss.

Afterwards he felt tired, confused, strangely frustrated and even a tiny bit sad, for no real reason. He went to bed without thinking much about what had happened.

When the little bluebird
Who has never said a word
starts to sing Spring spring spring
When the little bluebell
At the bottom of the dell
Starts to ring Ding ding ding
When the little blue clerk
In the middle of his work
Starts a tune

When Seto woke up the next morning, he had an odd sense of deja vu. Really, if that bird had chosen the tree in front of his window for his daily morning concert, this was going to be an interesting spring.
Then he remembered how interesting exactly spring had got yesterday, and he valiantly managed to fight a blush down. Hah, see, he could do it. Cute, ne? That bastard.

Mokuba was still sleeping, so Seto leaned alone in the kitchen, sipping milk, which brought up memories as well, staring at the innocent bluebells on the table. To get his mind off yesterday's events, he looked into the fridge, only to find that it was nearly empty. So he had to get some groceries.

The employee in the foyer was still in high spirits, especially since he was even singing today. Though it sounded not that bad, Seto practically fled from the place.

Finding what he had avoided thinking about right on his doorstep. Which would be a nervously smiling Yami Yuugi.

"What are you doing here?", he demanded, shocked. He tried to ignore the little jump his stomach made.
"Oh, paying you a visit?", Yami suggested.
"But why?"
"Well....I wanted to see if you were alright again. You were a bit dizzy yesterday, after that wine... And maybe ask you a question."
"Which question?" Seto was inwardly fidgeting.
"You'll see. I don't know if I'll really ask, yet."

That was when Seto realized he had changed. Because, if he had still been the old Seto Kaiba, he just knew he would have said, 'Spit it out or get lost, you're stealing time I could use for my brother and company." Instead he was all nice and confused.
"So what are you going to do now?"
Yami grinned, a little too smugly, "I'm going with you of course."

They got to the grocer eventually, without talking much, Seto especially avoiding they day before.
He had always liked the grocer better than supermarkets, had liked the little female shopkeeper, shuffling around lazily while getting his order, talking about the weather and always giving him a smile when handing over his groceries, and no matter how grim or annoyed he looked at the rest of the day and the world, for this elderly woman he always smiled back.

Yami seemed to like the grocer immediately, starting to talk to the shopkeeper about nothing and everything. He noticed the woman glanced at him ever so often, a subtle smile forming on her lips.
Seto felt his face become hot. 'It's not what you think' he mentally cried out, 'for heaven's sake, he's only giving me some company!"

"...isn't it, Seto?" Yami suddenly tried to involve him in the conversation.
"Huh?" he just said, wanting to kick himself immediately for this answer.
"I just said I was wondering about that fruit over there, it looks pretty exotic, doesn't it?"
"Oh, well, it's a papaya. Never saw a papaya before?" Seto was slightly proud he knew something Yami didn't, then wanted to kick himself even more, because, firstly, he knew thousands of things Yami didn't, and, secondly, what a silly schoolgirly thing to do!

"I could pack one up for you" the woman offered. "They're really good, and it'll be the last time I get them delivered anyway."
"Why's that?" Seto asked, nodding to her offer.
"Well, there are really nasty bugs all around here, all trying to use those fruit as a baby chamber for their maggots. They're reproducing faster than the moths we've normally here."

'Holy Hell' Seto thought.
And Yami looked at him as if he could read every single of his thoughts.
"It's not that bad" he told the woman, still not averting his eyes from Seto. "In less than a month spring'll be over, then this will eventually stop. By that time everyone has found his partner and the mating season is finished."
Seto just knew he was red-faced.
He knew just as well that he was being ridiculous, but he couldn't help it.

The most refined lady bugs do it
When a gentleman calls
Moths in your rugs they do it
What's the use of moth balls

They were awfully silent on their way home. Seto didn't know how to face the other, he thought he couldn't without acting like a complete idiot.
When they reached Seto's house, Yami looked at him, smiling and saying, "Well, seems it's time for me to go"

Before he realized what he was doing he heard himself answer, "And what about the papaya? Don't you want to have a bit?"
Yami had the oddest expression on his face, light confusion mixed with delight and mischief.
"I'd love to", he said.

He followed him into the house, where Seto put his groceries away into the fridge. Yami meanwhile leaned against the kitchen table, watching him.
"Mokuba isn't up yet?" he asked, looking around.
"I guess not. He usually sleeps in long."
"And you?"
"Well...I like early mornings. I get up around seven, most days"
He could almost feel Yami's smile tingle on his back
"I like them too. I know it sounds strange but I love the sunrises. Sundowns here can never be what they were like in Egypt, on the Nile. Sunrises get close."
Seto found he had piqued his interest. "Tell me about the sundowns", he demanded, turning around.
Yami's eyes got a faraway look. "I can't really describe it all. The Nile's gentle waves, stroked by the evening breeze. The normally white sails of the boats and the palmtrees glowering red, everything golden, golden like the tombs of ancient sovereigns...the tunes of pipes and flutes, mingling with a maiden's voice....
But it's far more than that." He seemed to snap out of his daze, smiling at Seto. "Perhaps we'll go there once. It'll never be the same again, but it could at least give you an impression."
Seto returned his smile. "We'll see.

Yami shook his head as if to get rid of his memories. "I came here to ask you something"
Ah, yes, Seto remembered...
He quirked an eyebrow and hoped Yami couldn't see his hand shaking behind his back.
"I just wondered...what's it with you getting always completely red-faced as soon as anyone mentions...well, sex, or love?"

Seto had expected a few things, but not that.
His mouth half opened he just stood there, waiting for the sky to crumble and fall down all around them.
Hell.

Yami suddenly took his eyes off him, studying the floor. Then he took a deep breath,
"I'm sorry, Seto, I shouldn't have asked. There's obviously a problem with that subject....I just..."
Seto noticed he looked very disappointed.
"But" he continued, raising his head again, "Now, since I already have asked... perhaps I could help you...?"

Seto swallowed. "Let's not talk about it" he muttered.
"No, really, you can tell me. What's the problem?"
"There is no problem"
"The hell there is no problem! You won't even talk about it, that makes it a problem!"
Seto felt his only certain self-defense mechanism coming up. Anger.
"Damn it, I just don't want to! No one talks about it like you do! Go back to Egypt if you want to talk to sex maniacs!"

POV change

Seto was really shouting now and Yami didn't know what to do. He hadn't imagined it would end in an argument, in fact he had wanted this morning to turn out completely differently.
What could be Seto's problem?
"Don't make fun of Egypt! I didn't say anything. Some animals were going about their natural activities and you got embarrassed. You must have been to the zoo with Mokuba, he told me once. Didn't you see the animals there? What did you tell Mokuba then?"

The chimpanzees in the zoos do it,
Some courageous kangaroos do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

"I told him it was completely natural, of course! And he's learning about it in school!"
And suddenly something in that sentence rang the bells in Yami's head. Of course, that was the solution!

"No one ever told you, right?" he asked cautiously.
"What?" Seto was taken aback.
"You never had anyone to talk about sex or love. You didn't have a loving mother or father. You don't know what it's like to fall in love because you never had anyone to tell you about it."
He saw the emotions flicker in the other's eyes, deeply buried there. Hurt, longing, loneliness. And he instantly knew he had been right.

"I'm sorry, Seto" he murmured, stepping closer. "Let me heal the wound I've ripped open so carelessly."
The other boy was backing away, his blue eyes narrowed. "Go away" he whispered furiously. "You don't know anything about me" The horror in his voice was obvious.
"Shhh, Seto, it's alright"
"I – I ...don't need your fuss!" Seto hissed, but Yami just shook his head.

"In case you ever wondered, Seto, and I'm sure you did, you can love. You do love. Believe me."

I'm sure sometimes on the sly you do it
Maybe even you and I might do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love

"Love's not difficult to feel. Not necessarily difficult at all. Usually, there's one person, making a start. Trying to seduce the other, give the object of his or her desire tiny hints." He gathered his courage and looked Seto in the eye while saying,"That would be me"

Seto made a strange noise, but stayed where he was.

"When the other person, you, doesn't react, the first person has to get a little more direct..." He bit his lip, searching the ocean-blue eyes for any sign of feeling.
"That means they have to confess"
He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, confidently.

"I care for you, Seto, I did for a long time. And I thought you should know. I tried to get you to react to the world's spring euphoria, but I got the oddest reaction. This was why I turned up this morning.
I like you a lot, and I think I could even love you, if you would give me a chance, would let me close. I guess I've already fallen for you, there's no way back.
When I think about Egyptian sundowns, I think of you there with me, next to me, holding me. But not only that. I wish to see your face when I wake up. I wish to accompany you to the grocer every day, just like today. But, most importantly, I only want those things if you want them too, for love is always two-sided. So the question is, how, Seto, do you feel about this?"

There was silence.

"This is where the other person confesses, right?" Seto then whispered into the tense air between them.
Yami just nodded.

"...I .....want to love you", Seto said.
And suddenly he threw his arms around Yami and pulled him close, pressing his face into the other's neck.

Yami was surprised, not to mention his heart beat speeding up considerably. He then held Seto close for a while, waiting if he would be punched and pushed away or if Seto had really meant what he had said. When nothing of that sort happened, he bent his head a little awkwardly and gently kissed Seto's cheek, murmuring,

"We can do it. Let's fall in love"