Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

Manga canon, so no Doom Arc or Seto going into the Memory World.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"No."

"But Seto," Yugi pleaded.

"I said no. You don't want this either." Seto's arms were folded and he looked like the classic immovable object.

Yugi sighed. "I don't want to keep him trapped here, Kaiba. It's not fair. What happens when I die and the Puzzle shatters? I want to see him again in heaven."

"The last time there were Items in that thing, Zorc almost came through and destroyed the world. If the door to the underworld opens, who knows what would come through this time. No. I am not giving you the Millennium Rod."

"But if he isn't defeated in the Ceremonial Battle, he can't go to the afterlife!"

"I'll beat him soon enough. He doesn't need the portal to go. Once he's defeated, he can leave whenever he likes."

"How do you know?"

"I asked Seth."

"Seth? You mean the High Priest?" Yugi looked even more hopeful.

"He appeared last night. Unfortunately I was too busy being taught to catch you before you went into that game. You should have invited me."

"We meant to go alone… I have very good friends." Yugi smiled at the thought of them.

"You should have had us with you instead of the mediocrity." Seto rolled his eyes.

Yugi smiled at something. Seto had no idea what, he should be defending his friend. Really, the term mediocrity was unfair. He'd come in second out of the top four and fourth out of the top eight in two tournaments, and Battle City had been no novice's tournament.

It was fun to taunt him.

"Can I meet him? Ya… I mean Atem really wants to see him," Yugi asked.

Seto focused on the Rod, stuck in his high boot. Get out here. Your king commands your presence.

Very funny. Seth was amused, and appeared beside him.

Yugi smiled up at Seth as Seth bowed. Yami appeared beside Yugi and stepped toward Seth. They embraced.

Seth kept his face expressionless.

Enjoying the view? Seth teased.

I am the head of a company. I cannot afford a public scandal like sleeping with my male rival. Too many people disapprove of Duel Monsters as it is. And they don't even know that there really was an evil being involved with it.

Atem and Seth stepped back from each other but remained holding hands. "I am afraid that I left your self in the Memory World in the same situation I left you in."

"I forgive you, my Pharaoh."

"I should be calling you that." Atem laughed, deep and rich.

Yugi, in his leather and buckles, was visibly enjoying the view. Seto envied him. He was still an innocent, he didn't worry about the world. He hoped he didn't learn the price of fame. Although… he was well used to hiding Atem's secret. How could the world condemn him for a lover it didn't know existed?

"You can call me it when I defeat you and win the title from you."

"You had best do so quickly, or Yugi will defeat me first."

"Or me," Seto added.

Atem laughed again.

A lover the world didn't know existed. Someone who could complete his sentences. Someone who understood living for others. Someone with leadership skills that could reinforce his own.

He'd used his body and mind as barter before, after all. Though this would be a mutual exchange.

Seth was certainly attractive, even more so than Seto himself. The subtle makeup highlighted his eyes. Piercing. He knew Seto better than anyone but Mokuba.

"This is a nice little family reunion, but I have a meeting soon." In another two hours. He'd booked time for a duel if it came up.

Seth and Atem let go of each other. "We must duel soon."

"I'm going to be holding a tournament in America. I will invite the… Jounouchi if you agree to come and duel the winner and myself in exhibition matches," Seto announced.

"Thank you, Kaiba!" Yugi reached out to Atem, who disappeared, obviously rejoining him.

"Don't mention it. Now I invite you to use the door."

When they were gone Seth looked intrigued. "Do you want to duel me to see who will have the honor of facing Atem at that tournament right now?"

"Why do you think that?"

"Well, you must have had a reason for cutting the meeting short and dueling neither of them."

"I want to defeat them in a tournament. I will be facing them at the Kaiba Corp Grand Prix. It's my tournament."

"As you wish." Seth's eyes narrowed in an interrogatory gaze like Kaiba's own.

"You want to sleep with me."

"Be your lover, yes." Seth looked intrigued.

"I'm willing to consider the idea. But I want a sample. I don't accept less than the best."

"Of course not. You're the other me. How do you want to go about it?"

"The couch folds out into a cot. The cleaning staff is reliable." Was there anything else? He tried to think of everything. The windows were already blocked, he hadn't wanted anyone with a long-range camera to see Atem and Seth. The room was of course soundproofed and had just been swept for bugs. He started to shrug off his trenchcoat.

Seth held up a hand for him to stop. "Let me."

"You first." Seto watched him disrobe, his famous self control keeping him from reaching out.

"You can touch me, you know." Seth seemed amused. "Think of this as like any other game."

"Who am I playing against?" But he walked forward and let Seth start to remove his layers of armor.

"Not who. Your previous best 'score.'"

"That was a terrible pun."

"I'm sure a genius like you can think of more productive uses for my mouth." Seth leaned forward.

Seto leaned back a little, by instinct, then closed the gap.

He could indeed. His hands started the process of memorizing the weaknesses of what was his body. He stepped out of his pants, watching Seth's back as he bent down to push them off.

Secret and safe. He could indulge.

Who was safer to love than himself?