Seto walked into his office closer to midnight than dawn. He wasn't there before the members of his staff who worked the nightshift- he had many branches in the western countries and that required monitoring through what was the night in Japan- but they all knew that Kaiba walking in early was never a good thing. It only happened when his mind was too busy working on some complex problem that it couldn't properly shut down for sleep. Such early morning entries often resulted in firings and a frightening quiet anger that told all his employees exactly why he was one of the most feared businessmen in the world. Even Risa, who had gotten a rather rude early morning wake up call, was tiptoeing around him. She normally had a good understanding of why her boss was acting like a modern day Machiavelli, but for once she was stumped. There were no crisis anywhere in the company that could be a possibility, and she knew that the media had relieved a lot of the pressure they had put on him thanks to the interview. She was not surprised when Kaiba demanded his appointment folder before walking into his office and dismissing her. Misery may love company, but Kaiba did not.

Seto had gotten no sleep that night. He had long trained his mind to take any problem and keep coming at it with different angles until it had some kind of solution. The times he had to actually put the training into practice he could count on one hand and mostly consisted of attempts at hostile takeovers, Mokuba's kidnappings, and defeating Yami. His brain came up short at the mention of the name. Yami was the current reason he had been deprived so much as half an hour of sleep. His mind had not been happy with the explanation he had come up with and the fight the two had before bed added to it. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he pushed open the door to his dark office. The second he flicked on the lights he knew something was wrong. He had always had a good instinct for danger, never mind the fact that he often found the danger an acceptable risk to take. He carefully gave no outward indication that he realized that anything was wrong. He put the folder in the middle of his desk and walked around it to climb into his high-backed desk chair. He was unsurprised by the knife at his throat the second he reached for the folder.

"You're pretty good, priest," Bakura's voice sounded from behind him and to the right, "But you stiffened for a second just before turning on the lights. You've got balls to act like nothing is wrong when there is potentially an assassin in your office." He sounded amused. Kaiba didn't even bother looking down at the blade he could feel against his throat.

"How did you get past security?" Seto asked inwardly applauding how calmly his voice came out. He knew that Bakura was certifiably insane and would likely have not trouble giving him an extra permanent bloody grin.

"Your security is people, Kaiba. People have flaws," Bakura said cryptically. Seto had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He was so over dramatic. "But let's get to business. I had the most interesting mark yesterday…" Kaiba couldn't deal with the other when his mind had worked him into a compressed state of rage at his lack of ability to solve just what was going on in his private life. He didn't care if he bled out in his office. At least then his mind would stop working overtime on a problem he was beginning to think he didn't want solved.

"I am not interested in your misdeeds," Seto snarled out. Much to his surprise, Bakura only chuckled at him.

"You will be," he said darkly. "You see, I happened to hear her talking about you. Well, not just you but the baka pharaoh and his mini-me too. Not nice things either. I do believe she has someone following the shrimp." Seto's reaction was immediate. His eyes narrowed into a glare that could've lit ice on fire as a rage that rivaled that of his anger at Pegasus when he found out he had kidnapped Mokuba boiled through his veins. That bitch!

"Yuki," Kaiba snarled out loud. Bakura had been watching for Seto's reaction. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but the look currently on the other's face had given him chills. He looked just like the high priest had when he had found out about the thief's intention to kill the pharaoh. That had not been a pleasant fight by any means. The former thief king removed the knife from the other's throat and moved so he was sitting in the chair opposite Kaiba's twirling the knife between his fingers. He knew that it would be a moment before the rage cooled enough for the other to think. He was getting a perverse kind of joy out of the fact that Seto was still so protective of Yami even now. He had reason to believe that something was up with their 'relationship' which made the protectiveness odd from the other man. Kaiba came to a second later and his glare homed in on Bakura. "I know your not telling me this out of the kindness of your heart. What do you want?"

"You honestly think my amusement at watching you realize what she was doing was not enough?" Bakura asked as he caught the blade of the knife between two fingers and tilted his head. Kaiba merely waited and raised an eyebrow in question. "You'd be right. Amusing as it is, there are things I want to know." Seto folded his hands on the desk top. He was back into familiar territory: negotiations.

"And what would I gain for telling you? What use have I of an insane thief?" Kaiba asked with no emotion in his voice. He was so far beyond anger that there was no word for it and he just wanted the other out of his office as soon as possible. Bakura just grinned wider.

"I know something that you are very much like the dragons you love. You hoard what is precious to you and, at the moment, Yami is very precious. You want her to hurt for even thinking of doing something to Yami through his family. You want her to suffer," Bakura's eyes stared off at the last, his voice almost seductive. "I can make it happen." Seto gave no outward indication of his thoughts as he pondered what Bakura was offering. Bakura was good enough to make it through his security, even the part that would require to be hacked in order for him to open doors. He would be more than capable of getting close enough to Yuki to cause damage. Not that he was contemplating physically hurting her. He wanted to hit her were it would hurt her the most: her pocketbook. It would be so much harder for her to prove that he had anything to do with it that way, and, well, Bakura was a thief.

"Before I agree to anything," Kaiba said and Bakura leaned forward in the chair, "I want to know what topic has you so curious as to offer your services in exchange." The thief touched his lips as he thought about his answer.

"I want to know what is really going on with you and the pharaoh."

Yami was dreaming again. He and Seth had relocated to his private gardens to afford more privacy. Seth hadn't come willingly he knew. He remembered vaguely, like his memory was water rapidly running through his fingers, that the only reason he had convinced him to come was by explaining that if he started yelling in the public gardens he was certain to bring the guard. Yami was sitting on a stone bench in the middle of the garden with Seth pacing between him and a fountain. It was now past dusk and the stars could be seen in the rapidly faded light. Seth was so angry Yami could feel it coming off him in waves, but still the other remained silent. It took Yami a minute to realize that the other was waiting for permission to speak his mind. While so much of Seth and Seto was the same the differences were startling. Seto would have started his tongue lashing the moment he knew that they weren't going to be disturbed.

"You have permission to speak your mind, Seth," Yami said and the other's head snapped up. "Here in this moment I am not your pharaoh. I am your friend who happened to listen to something I was not supposed to be privy to." Seth stopped pacing and looked him in the eyes for a moment before he exploded.

"What were you thinking? You know that if I wanted you to know about my personal life I would tell you. Not that I have much of one," Seth said the last bitterly. "The priesthood watches everything. Even you have more of a private life than I do. No one would dare question your choices of bedroom companion." Seth looked away from him and wrapped his arms around himself. Yami frowned.

"What do you mean about your choice of bedroom partner? The priesthood does not frown on gender or occupation as long as proper social tiers are observed," Yami said as he wondered just what his high priest was talking about. He felt a chill go down his spine at the laugh that Seth gave.

"How can such a divine being be so naïve? My oaths when I took this office were clear: I shall love no other above my country, hold no one higher," he quoted the vow in a mocking tone of voice. Yami's eyes widened in horror. His priests were not allowed to love in order to be impartial in their decisions. A cruel smile lit Seth's face as he noted the way that Yami reacted. "Do you know what the penalty for breaking this vow is? I will die and my soul shall forever be in your service as a monster tablet. So do you realize your freedom now? You are allowed to love."

"Why do you not abdicate, Seth? No one holds you to this position if you do not want it. Leave and be with the one you love," Yami said as he tried to think of some way to eliminate the pain in his childhood friend's eyes. Seth joined him on the bench, a small, sad smile on his face.

"I cannot. I have no rank beyond this. If I were to leave I would give up my ability to see him regardless of the pain it causes. Because, even though it is like someone is punching me in the gut every time I see him, the pain of when I don't is like having a piece of my soul leave me. I am stuck in between a rock and a hard place," Seth explained softly as he stared off at the fountain. Yami felt his heart go out to his priest. The tortured expression on his face was very close to the one Seto had worn when he thought of loosing Mokuba.

"Does he love you?" Yami asked drawing his priest's attention back to him. "Perhaps you would be able to keep such an affair from your fellows. I would not tell and you have the best blank face of all my priests." The look Seth gave him was warm if sad, so very close to the expression Seto had worn as they watched the sunset.

"I do not know his feelings. I…I am afraid to tell him for fear that he would turn from me in disgust and that would hurt me more than not knowing," Seth's voice was so soft as he said it that Yami almost couldn't hear him over the sounded of the water splashing in the fountain. He had never seen his priest afraid of anything. Even as children he had been fearless in their schemes. Yami could not stand the thought of his priest caught in such indecision.

"If they do not return your feelings it is not meant to be. Your feelings for him will fade over time," Yami said leaning so that their shoulders touched, "And no one could turn from you in disgust. I am sure that they would be honored to have your attentions even if they do not return them. Shall I order you to tell him or will you find the courage to do it yourself?" Seth looked surprised at the thought that Yami might force him to confess. It had never occurred to him that he would care enough to do such a thing. He bit his lips as he weighed his options before coming to his decision.

"Do I have to use words?" Seth asked hiding his eyes under his bangs. Yami shook his head. He knew that Seth was often a man of few words. This was the longest conversation the two had had in years.

"You can do it any way you like. Just do it tonight," Yami said firmly. Seth looked at him for one long second, a measuring glance that Yami often caught Seto giving him the few times they were not dueling in the past. Just as he was starting to wonder at why Seth was not leaving to confess to this mystery man, Seth grabbed the back of his head and mashed their lips together in a kiss so different than those of Seto. It was gentle and lingering, the emotion behind it clear and unhurried. Yami could feel his grip on reality slipping away the longer it continued. He whimpered as Seth started to pull away and grabbed the front of his shirt forcing him back to his lips. It was his turn to speak of the spark that had just been lit in him. He had never considered this before, but the second that he did it felt so right he didn't question it.

Seto was looking at the city from the large windows in his office when Risa decided that it was time to find out what was bothering her employer so much. She knew that she was in essence taking her life and limbs into her own hands when he was in such a mood, but she was as close to a friend as Kaiba got. She cleared her throat as he turned around. There were dark circles under his eyes from the lack of sleep, but other than that he looked like his normal functioning self. She had seen him run looking far more bedraggled. He looked amazing in the white and blue suit he was wearing. His eyes zeroed in on the papers she had in her hands, clearly wanting her to leave whatever it was and get the hell out. His meeting with Bakura had left him with a lot to think about on top of his mind's insistence that there was something more going on with him and Yami.

"Sir," Risa said as she put the papers on his desk, "That's everything that the legal department managed to come up with regarding the charity duel as well as the predictions for next quarter's earnings." Seto nodded as he made his way to the desk to at least look like he was interested in what the papers said. He knew very well that he couldn't concentrate on his work in this state. He needed to get to the bottom of what was going on between him and Yami. He was surprised when she stopped him from reaching the papers by putting her hand on his wrist. "I'm aware that this may be way out of line, but, sir, do you want to talk about it?" Risa looked at him with hopeful eyes. She knew that it was not good for him to keep things as bottled up as he did. The potential for an implosion was far too great.

"What are you talking about?" Kaiba asked as he went on to pick up the papers. Risa just sighed and moved to exit the room. She had tried. Kaiba watched her make her way across the room and found himself asking before he could think about it.

"How did you know that you wanted a romantic relationship with your husband?" Seto wanted to take the words back the second he said them. Risa stopped her hand on the doorknob. She turned around to look at him her eyes carefully blank as she considered the question he had asked.

"I'm not going to ask who you are talking about," Risa said slowly, knowing that she was treading in shark infested waters with him, "but the fact you have even asked that question means you want it." She was out the door as fast as her feet could carry her hoping to god that she still had a job. She had read a lot into that question.

Kaiba stared at the spot his personal assistant had been; his mind trying to connect dots faster than any super computer was capable of. This was not a question that he could really answer. He was certain of so very little with Yami at the moment. He was certain that he wanted to win a duel against the other. He was certain that he enjoyed the other's company on occasion. He was certain that he wanted him in his bed. But as far as wanting him fully, wanting him as his significant other, he was no where near sure he wanted that. He never did anything he was unsure of, and all Risa's answer had done was confuse him even more. But, the small part of him that had been wheedling away at him since last night, demanded that he try. It told him that this may be one of those things that you didn't know you wanted until you had it. Seto had no intention of deluding either himself or Yami by even entertaining the thought that there was more than lust involved, but trying couldn't hurt. If things didn't work out they could go their separate ways after this was all over and none would be the wiser to anything having gone on.

Decision at least partly made, he felt some of the tension leave his body. Sighing, he sat in his chair and reached for the phone. If he was going to try to have some kind of romantic relationship with Yami he was going to need advice. As last night had highlighted, he had no experience when it came to these sort of things. Hell, he wasn't even sure what couples did besides spending time together and going to various functions. There was only one person he trusted to go to for advice like this, though it pained him to admit to it: Mokuba. Kaiba may have been an intellectual genius, but Mokuba was an emotional one. Mokuba understood others with an empathy that Seto completely lacked. True, Kaiba was a masterful manipulator of emotions in order to get what he wanted, but when it came to considering someone else's emotions he was at a complete loss. He buzzed his secretary to tell her that short of the building burning down he was not to be disturbed, and dialed his brother's cell phone number. He should be in study hall at this hour so he knew that he would not have to worry about interrupting some teacher's lesson.

Yami sat in the bed, hugging one of the pillows to his chest as he stared at the wall across from the bed. The dream was still fresh in his mind, the imagined touches lingering on his skin. He was hardly embarrassed about how things had progressed in the dream/memory. He was far more concerned with what had happened afterwards. He knew that the events that took place here and now were triggering the memories of what had happened in the past. Did that mean he was currently reliving the past? That the request that Kaiba had made last night was as close as this emotionally stunted version of Seth could get to saying that he loved him? He snorted and shook his head. Please, Yami thought, Kaiba had made it abundantly clear that the only things he could ever love were his company and Mokuba. He bit his lips as he remembered the dream. It had been perfectly wonderful even though he couldn't help comparing Seth to Seto. There was a raw edge to Kaiba that Seth lacked and he would be lying to say that he didn't find the danger it created tightening things low in his stomach. He wanted Seto not Seth. He knew it in his gut. This was not a misplaced bit of affection. He enjoyed the things that were different. He enjoyed Kaiba's arrogance. He enjoyed the sarcasm that was so much a part of him. Yami loved the fact that Kaiba would not back down if he thought that he was in the right. There was nothing subservient about him.

He wanted Seto's affection then. The idea of just sitting together in compatible silence like they had as they watched the sunset was so very attractive. He was not adverse to the idea of the two of them taking a tumble in the sheets either. But how was he going to get either thing? Any doubt about Kaiba not wanting at least one fuck had been obliterated last night. So he was going to have to take that and somehow work it so that he gained the other's affection. Now that he had a goal his mind began creating strategies at an alarming pace just like it did during a duel. He was going to treat this entire situation like one huge duel with Kaiba as both his opponent and his prize. Kaiba was never going to know what hit him.

Risa was amazed at the turn around that Kaiba's mood had taken in the span of about an hour. He was back up to his usual productivity and even being civil with the department heads and the board. It seemed whatever turmoil he had been in had been solved. Which was why she was wondering why she had been called into his office. She had been in process of confirming all his appointments for the week just in case he had decided to fire her when her pager went off. She stood in front of his desk as she waited for him to get off the phone with the IT department, hands clasped together. Seto hung up the phone and turned to her, his face as blank as it ever was.

"Have you confirmed my appointments for tomorrow, Risa?" Seto asked as he watched her fidget in front of him. He wondered what had her so on edge. Surely she didn't think that she was going to be fired because she had dared to care enough to ask after him? Risa nodded and refused to meet his eyes. Kaiba sighed. "Look, I'm not going to fire you so quit acting like that. It's unnerving." He waited until she looked back at him in relief before he continued with the reason he had called her in the first place. "You're going to need to call them back and cancel. I'm taking tomorrow off." Risa stared at her boss in shock. She had to check her need to reach over and touch his forehead to see if he was running a fever. She knew that Kaiba would come to work with anything short of vomiting.

"Sir? You know that you have an appointment with Henderson about the building of the new Kaiba Land in England tomorrow and you're supposed to be making an appearance at the launch of the new Duel Monster's RPG for the Playstation Simulator," Risa reminded him hoping that she would somehow get through to her employer that taking time off in the middle of the week was not the best thing to be doing. Kaiba just raised and eyebrow at her. He knew that the request was odd, but he didn't think he would be getting resistance on something like this. She was always begging him to take more time off after all.

"I'm aware, Risa. I can speak with Henderson at any time. There has been no major delay in the construction that I am aware of and I'm sure that he would've sent a report if there was. Mokuba is more appropriate for the launch anyway. He was the one who wrote the story line after all," Kaiba continued over her as she started to remind him why his publicist had insisted he go in the first place. The only thing that was keeping him from firing her was the knowledge that she had never seen this kind of behavior from him and that she was likely worried about him. That and it was hard to find help like her these days. "I am taking tomorrow off. Make the calls before I get annoyed, Risa."

"Yes sir," Risa said still looking confused at her employer's insistence that he take tomorrow off. Normally she had to fight him to take time off so that he was not sleeping in the office. She bowed and turned to go.

"Risa," Kaiba said as she was moving to shut the door. Risa stuck her head back in hoping that he had somehow seen sense. "Can you tell the Bokujoo Residence to expect me?" Risa nodded and wondered just what was going through her employer's head.

Yami was in the process of putting his finishing touches on the caramel stuffed walnuts he had been making when his cell phone went off. He motioned to the cook, a small grey haired woman who had been happy to share the kitchen with him once she saw that he knew his way around, to start putting them on the wax paper he had set out for them to dry on. He pulled the phone out of the pocket of his loose jeans and frowned at the number. The caller ID placed it somewhere in Tokyo, but the number wasn't one of Kaiba's. He flipped open the phone to answer.

"Moshi Moshi. Yami speaking," Yami said as he wandered out of the kitchen and to the other side of the bar so that the cook could have room to maneuver.

"Yami, darling," Yami frozen at the female voice and his mind immediately started to think the worse. "I do believe you forgot to give me you number. No matter. The phone book is such a wonderful thing."

"What do you want, Yuki?" Yami ground out and the cook looked up briefly from her task at his tone. He had been nothing but charming to her so his change in attitude was startling. Yami almost closed the phone at the sound of her laughter on the other end. He wouldn't put it past her to call him just to try to mess with his mind.

"I want to invite you to lunch. I know this wonderful little seafood place. I figured we could catch up on our families," Yuki said in a high cheerful voice. Yami barely heard the threat in her voice, but it was there. He frowned as he knew that he was going to have to go to lunch with her. He wanted to keep her as far away from his light as possible. It wasn't like she could do anything in a public place after all.

"When shall we meet? I'm assuming you have reservations?" Yami asked sounding just as sweet as she did. Two could play at this game.

"Of course," Yuki said sounding truly amused at the fact that she had gotten Yami to play her game. Yuki had been playing since she was old enough to understand the idea of class. "I'll give you the name and you can meet me there in an hour. Dress casual, dear. It's on the docks." Yami made a sound of acknowledgement as she gave him the name of the restaurant. He closed the phone and nodded to the cook. She was well trained enough that not to ask what the phone call had been about. Kaiba-sama did not pay his staff to gossip.

Bakura leaned against the candy apple red GT mustang at the curb of the airport pick up terminal. He had been there for a good hour and had been getting looks from the security, but the ones he had shot back were lethal enough to keep that at bay. This was a Ryou approved fieldtrip so he had gotten use of the car-a car that he had stolen from an over pompous Yakuza boss who had been encroaching on his territory. He had been pleasantly surprised by the call he had gotten from Malik asking for him to pick them up at the airport. He and Malik had made it a point to keep in touch for business reasons. A lot of the artifacts that Isis thought had gone missing during shipping had actually been diverted by Malik to Bakura who then found buyers for them. It was very lucrative for the two of them. Especially since Malik was using the money to save up for an apartment in Domino. Malik did not particularly enjoy the gypsy life that they were forced into as archeologists.

Bakura waved his hand as he spotted the trio. Isis was ridiculously easy to pick out in a crowd. She was tall and still insisted on wearing traditional Egyptian clothing from the ancient days. Thankfully the dress wasn't white today but a soft muted purple. It looked quite lovely on her. Malik, on the other hand, was looking sullen in his beige cargos and Korn T-shirt. Isis was in the process of giving him a tongue lashing about something. Rashid was following the two looking a lot like a more servant than a member of the group. Especially, since he was the one carrying all the bags. Malik perked up as soon as he saw Bakura and moved towards him as fast as he could without looking like he was running. Bakura just smirked.

"Long time no see, guardian," Bakura said as the two of them touched fists. Malik grinned.

"Too busy keeping precious items out of conniving hands like yours, thief," Malik said with a shrug. Isis rolled her eyes at the two of them murmuring something under her breath about 'boys'. Bakura pushed a button on the keychain and the trunk popped open with a click.

"Have Lurch(1) put your things in the trunk," Bakura said and acted surprised to see Isis. His eyes narrowed at the piece of jewelry around her neck. He was well aware that the necklace no longer let her see the future and was basically a useless hunk of junk since Kaiba had 'broken' it, but it was hard to suppress three thousand years of coveting the thing. He leered at her with a smirk. "Lovely to see you, Isis. I'm sorry to say that you'll be taking the couch same as everyone else. Ryou only lets me make enough to keep a single room apartment." Isis looked down her nose at the white haired man and had to wonder how it was that she had let Malik make their living arrangements for the time they were going to be here.

"It's better than sleeping on a futon in the desert," Isis said flatly and Bakura shrugged. There was a latching thunk as the trunk was closed and Bakura walked around so that he was in the driver's seat. Isis raised an eyebrow and looked at Malik. She was unsure that getting into a vehicle so obviously built for speed with the tomb robber at the wheel was the safest thing to do. Malik rolled his eyes as he took shotgun forcing Isis and Rashid into the back seat. Bakura barely waited until they had their seatbelts on before he pelted out of the terminal flicking off the security as he went. Bakura merged onto the highway without bothering to slow down and proceeded to weave in and out of traffic in a way that had Isis closing her eyes so she wouldn't panic.

"Who the hell gave you a license?" Isis asked her hands gripping the seat. Bakura just cackled.

"Don't have one. Some weird thing about me not having a birth certificate and Ryou was too young for me to use his," he said and Malik started to snicker. Isis made a little moan of horror and leaned on Rashid. She was going to call a taxi next time. The money she was saving was hardly worth the risk to their lives. "So why are you guys here anyway? Don't tell me you've seen some kind of horrible threat to that baka pharaoh or better yet the whole world. I'll puke." Isis said nothing as she concentrated on not thinking about where she was.

"Nah," Malik said kicking his hiking boot clad feet up on the dashboard. Bakura glared at him out of the corner of his eye and they were quickly put back down. "We heard about Yami's engagement and decided that he had to have a proper party. Isis is even going to make Kahk bi Loz," Malik said with a smirk. Bakura snorted in laughter. The dessert was tasty, but it was usually only made on one occasion: the ritual bathing of the bride. It brought forth the image of Yami dressed in a western style wedding gown and now that he knew what was really going on made it even better. There was no way that the two of them could get out of attending the party without blowing their cover. Oh the joy he was getting out of this.

"May I suggest we refrain from talking until we reach the apartment? Bakura-san needs to be able to concentrate," Rashid said calmly as he noticed the way that the car had started to weave side to side a little as Bakura laughed.

"Whatever you say Lurch," Bakura said with a smirk as he cut across three lanes of traffic to take their exit. Even Malik looked a little green.

Yami glared at the staring eyes of the other restaurant patrons. Casual, it seemed, had a different meaning to Yuki than it did to him. He had shown up in a pair of artificially worn jeans and a sleeveless green turtleneck along with one of his various pairs of boots. Yuki was in a skirt suit of deep blue with matching heels. Almost all the other patrons of the restaurant were in some variation of a suit. Yami stuck out like a sore thumb. The only thing that had kept the host from refusing to seat him was the regal air he managed to give off even dressed as he was. It seemed that Yuki may have scored a point on the proper dress, but Yami was far from out of the fight.

"How have you been?" Yuki asked as she reached for the crystal goblet that held water while they waited for their food. Yami had found out quickly that there was no menu. Everyone got whatever the chef had decided to serve for the day. "Oh, I'm sorry, darling. I forgot that you are Kaiba-kun's little house boy. I'm surprised he gave you permission to lunch with me." Her tone was so sickeningly polite it was an effort on Yami's part to keep his temper. He was doing Kaiba a favor-one that had gotten increasingly convoluted, but a favor nonetheless. He didn't need the other's permission to do anything. Yami arranged his face so that it held nothing more than a vaguely interested expression that he had often worn when social events had long run over during his time as the pharaoh and he was bored.

"Ah, but unlike most I have a mind of my own," Yami said in the same polite tone. "I failed to inform him that I was leaving the house." Yami knew that it was useless to argue that he was not some prostitute that Kaiba had hired. The woman was delusional and nothing he said would change what she thought was going on.

"Ah," Yuki said as she brought the glass to her lips. It covered her smile at the knowledge nicely. They were saved from having to try to make further conversation by the arrival of their lunch. Long rectangular white plates were put in front of them with a progression of different sushi rolls on it. A long thin line of wasabi ran the length of the plate with a single piece of freshly sliced ginger in between each roll. The affect was beautiful. They ate in a silence heavy with angry tension. Yami was near ready to scream by the time they finished with the dishes and could no longer use them as an excuse not to talk.

"I'm sure you realize that this is not a social call," Yuki said as she placed a gold card onto the tray that the waiter had brought with the check. Yami nodded and his eyes narrowed. It seemed that they were going to get down to business finally. "If you would care to follow me?" She rose with a practiced grace and led him out a side exit and into an alley between the restaurant and a warehouse. The second they were outside Yami crossed his arms and faced her. She was digging for something in her purse. "Here we are," Yuki said looking up at him with a cruel smile lighting her face. She held a small stack of square papers that Yami couldn't see from where he was. "I do believe you will be most interested in these," she turned the top one around to show him and Yami found himself staring at a picture of Yuugi. It was clear in the photo that Yuugi was unaware that it was even being taken. Yami growled and made to snatch it.

"He has nothing to do with this," Yami snarled as she held the photos out of his reach. Her eyes danced with a dark amusement that made Yami's skin crawl.

"I don't think you realize just what game you are playing, Mutou-san," she stepped back and out of his reach, "Which is why I am willing to give you one more chance to back out of this without anyone being harmed. I want you out of the picture by the hearing or I will have someone come to visit him." Yami was enraged at her threat and was moving to gather the shadows, but was cut off as something hit the back of his head hard. He dropped onto the rough concrete as he was knocked out by a rather large looking thug in a suit. He looked at Yuki for approval and she waved her hand for him to wait. She walked over to Yami's prone body and flipped him onto his back with her high heeled shoe. "This is your last warning, Mutou-san," she whispered as she dropped the pictures onto his body. They fell around him like snowflakes, some showing the pictures of Yuugi and other members of Yuugi-tachi. Yuki walked to the mouth of the alley as two more of her men headed back towards where Yami lay. She stopped one of them and leaned over so it looked like she was speaking into his ear. "Don't bang up his pretty little face too badly. This is a warning not a punishment."

Seto was putting the finishing touches on the proposal for the design of new cards when the phone rang. He sighed and cracked his knuckles before reaching for the phone. He hoped it was Mokuba calling to thank him for allowing him to be the main show with the whole new duel monsters game. His placed the ear piece to his ear.

"Kaiba," he said flatly and leaned back in his chair.

"Is this Seto Kaiba?" a professional male voice asked on the other end of the phone. Kaiba frowned as he confirmed that this was indeed Seto Kaiba. "This is Domino General Hospital," the words caused the bottom to fall out of his stomach. Had something happened to Mokuba while he was at school? Had Yami hurt himself messing around with the prototype duel disk? "You're listed as the insurance holder for one Yami Mutou. We need you to come down to the hospital to sign some papers." Kaiba was moving before he thought about it. He picked up his jacket and shrugged it back on as he headed out the door without bothering to say good-bye.

Yami grimaced as the nurse dabbed rubbing alcohol onto a cut across his ribs. He was bare chested in the small ER room. His torso was littered with bruises and the occasional cut where the cement had cut through the skin as they kicked him about. He knew that he was lucky that they had knocked him out first, though the pounding in his head was setting up a good opposing argument. Yuugi sat in a chair as the nurse worked, his eyes worried. Yuugi had known the second that Yami had passed out. He had gone so far as to skip one of his classes along with Joey, Honda, and Ryou in order to find the former pharaoh. Yuugi thanked god for the ring. It had shown them where Yami was relatively quickly. Yami had been passed out on the concrete and covered in blood by the time they had found him. Yuugi had called an ambulance and rode with Yami to the hospital. Yami had gained consciousness on the ride over.

"Lady Isis sweet mother of Horus," Yami swore as the nurse put the needle through his skin in order to stitch the cut closed. "Is that really necessary?"

"If we don't sew it up it won't heal right and will likely get an infection," the nurse said with a giggle at the odd way he swore. She was a pretty young thing with short blonde hair and rich chocolate eyes. Her figure was the envy of many and it was clear that she was used to being the center of all male attention. Just then there was a knock at the door as the doctor, an older gentleman with no hair and glasses, walked in along with Seto. Seto strode across the room without bothering to greet Yuugi. Yami would've enjoyed the way Seto seemed to be paying close attention to him if it wasn't for the small bit of concern he could see in the other's eyes.

"Do you want to check my teeth too?" Yami asked and winced as the nurse gave a harder tug on the thread in his side. Kaiba's eyes flicked to where the nurse was stitching him up before meeting Yami's eyes again.

"Very funny," Kaiba said as he glared at Yami. "What happened?" Yami adverted his eyes from Kaiba's as he told him that he had gone to meet Yuki for lunch and ended up getting 'jumped'. There was no way he could really tell him what really happened with the doctor and the nurse in the room. Kaiba had gotten madder and madder the more Yami explained. He thought that the other had more sense than to go meet the biggest danger to their farce by himself. What had Yami been thinking? He could infer what had really happened from what Yami said. He was forced to swallow his anger, though.

"He is going to be just fine," the doctor said as Yami finished talking. "He'll be sore for a few days and likely be exhausted as his body heals." Kaiba nodded and Yami dreaded the thought of having to deal with his wounds once the pain meds they had pumped into him before he woke up wore off. "Tylenol should be enough to take care of the pain. If you would come with me, Kaiba-sama? The billing department has some papers that they need you to fill out." Kaiba shot Yami a glare as he followed the doctor out the door. It was clear that Yami was going to be hearing about the stupidity of his decision soon.

Kaiba had the decency to wait until the driver dropped Yuugi off before he set into Yami. He could not understand how the other could be so irresponsible as to willingly meet with a woman he considered a cunning adversary. He had thought that he had made the stakes very clear when they had started this mess.

"What were you thinking? You know she hates your guts," Kaiba said just under a shout. He didn't want his driver to get any ideas from anything he overheard. "What on earth made you decide to go somewhere of her choosing at her request? I thought you were supposed to be some kind of strategic genius. You don't give an adversary an advantage like that." Yami sank low in the seat facing Kaiba and rubbed his temples. The pain medicine was wearing off and he was beginning to feel the real pain of his bump on the back of his head.

"I was stupid," Yami snapped, "I'll admit to that. Now can we do this later? I feel like a have a sumo wrestler doing a ballet in mind brain." Seto snorted. As far as he was concerned Yami deserved to have some pain.

"No, we cannot do this later," Kaiba said crossing his arms and glaring at his companion. "I don't think you understand just how much danger you were in, Yami. She could've killed you and left your body there with none the wiser. She could've kidnapped you and used you as leverage against me." Yami rolled his eyes at Seto's words. Now was not the time for this. He felt too much like shit to deal with the other.

"Please," Yami said, "using me as leverage would be a waste of her time. You wouldn't even likely bother to read her demands if I was in her custody or not." If they hadn't been in a car, Seto would have stood. As it was he settled for his rage surrounding him like a cocoon. He was angry at Yuki for hurting Yami. He was angry with Yami for being so stupid as to fall into her trap. He was angry that he was not able to do anything to protect him; that he would've even known that something had happened to him without the insurance snag at the hospital.

"Is that what you really think?" Seto snarled in a deadly quiet voice he saved only for the most serious of times. "You think that I wouldn't even bother to come after you if she took you? Are you blind? Do you think I get this worked up over everyone? That call…Oh, god…," Kaiba reached forward across the small space between the two and gripped the jacket that the hospital had given Yami in apology for cutting off his shirt in the ambulance, and pulled him practically into his lap. Yami, shocked by the suddenness of the CEO's movement, sat there staring into his eyes in confusion. "This is not the world you're used to, Yami. This is a game with rules you have to grow up with to understand," Seto was calmer now as he spoke, the rage carefully controlled and being channeled into the plot he was hatching with the aid of one psychotic thief. "I want you to have at least two members of the security team with you at all times except when you're at the house. I want you to promise me that you will not do anything like this without consulting me again," the CEO put a finger on the pharaoh's lips to silence the protest forming in his mouth. "Today proved that you need someone to watch your back, and since I can't be there they will do. Now promise me, Yami. Promise me on your honor."

Yami bit his lips as he looked into Kaiba's eyes. He saw the familiar determination that had been present along with all their duels. But more than that, buried so far down that Yami was questioning whether it was really there or not, was a little bit of the fear he had often seen in Seto's eyes when there was a chance that he could loose his brother. It was that that finally made his decision to give into the CEO's demand. Well, that and he knew that Kaiba would run rim shod over his wishes anyway. Seto protected everything he deemed worthy with all that he had. It brought a warmth to Yami's stomach at the thought that he had been deemed worthy of Seto's protection. Perhaps he would not have to work as hard as he thought to gain the CEO.

"I promise," Yami said and Kaiba released his hold on the jacket and leaned back against the seat in relief. He had almost thought that he was going to have to fight more to get what he wanted, but it seemed that Yami was willing to let him take the lead in this. Yami moved off the other's lap and sat next to him on the seat, leaning so their shoulders were touching. Yami was tired and the argument had not helped his headache any. He yawned and rested his head against Seto's shoulder too and was out in seconds. So he completely missed the small smile that made its way onto Kaiba's lips as he went to ask him something only to find Yami sleeping.

(1)Lurch as in Lurch from the Adam's Family. I needed someone to rag on a little bit and decided that Bakura would be more likely to make fun of Rashid than anyone else.

Reviews:

Bluepheonix669: I'm glad you like my characterization so much. Your review made me smile. Thank you so much, and I hope you are still enjoying this.

Kessaris: Kaiba is not very good at expressing his emotions with words so he uses actions. That's why he kept kissing Yami with a passion. I think Yuki has started to sink to a whole new level with this chapter. Thanks for the review.

Barrie18: I'm glad that you understand what I was going for with Kaiba being so confused and Yami refusing him. I was worried that some people would think he was confessing his undying love. Once they both start trying to actively gain the other things are going to get so much more awkward between the two until they figure that they want the same thing.-giggles- I don't hate Anzu and am really not trying to bash her. It's just that I can see her being confused with loosing Yami and then finding out that Kaiba is 'using 'him would totally make her try to help him anyway she could. When she figures out everything she is going to feel like shit.

JewelValentine: I'm glad you enjoy my tightrope walk. –grin- I totally got your metaphor, no worries. I'd like to say that the rope is getting smaller so he's going to have to pick a side soon. I can totally see the two of them's relationship being like a rollercoaster with no real tracks. There is so much potential for combustion. I totally agree that Yami is an arrogant ass through most of the series. I'd like to also add that he is very self-righteous too. For a man with no memories he sure seems to know what's best for everyone. I join you in a giant cheer for all members of all fandoms. Everyone needs some love too help them triumph!

KnotofRibbon: -blushes- I got kissed. Yay! I'm glad you were able to pick up on the atmosphere so well. It's hard to get the mood just right. Thanks.

Snape Goes Commando: I love Kaiba's fucked up ness too. His flaws are just so endearing. –giggle-I think he is really going to have a time once he realizes that he can't control this love. I think he's going to freak more over that than anything else. I'm glad that everyone responded so well to Yami not jumping in bed with him. I was afraid that I would get hate mail about it. –relieved sigh-

Toxic Hathor: I got free Baklawa! –munches- Thanks. I'm glad you like Seto's outburst. He's so bottle up that he just has to explode sometime, and the fireworks when he does. –sigh- So destructively pretty. It almost makes me think that he is manic depressive. I try very hard to make sure that things flow like real life. I do believe that it was David Eddings who said that what makes any work of fantasy believable is remembering that your characters are human and have human needs. I'm glad you find my fanfiction so unique. I try.

Akira Muratake: I'm glad that the hotness sort of made up for the loss of humor. Hopefully, now that the dynamic duo of Marik and Bakura are together the humor should abound.

Kittylove: I'm glad you think that everyone is so in character. I work really hard to do that. I'm glad that you are enjoying my little add in of Anzu. I have such plans for her.

Blue September: Thanks. I'm glad so many people were able to pick up on just how hard it was for Kaiba to ask for that much. We have the potential for so many disasters now that they are going to try to mutually court each other.

Mikkimikka: I'm really not trying to bash Anzu. Her heart is really in the right place. Yuki is just very good at manipulating people via emotions. Hopefully, Anzu will come to her senses. I think Bakura is my favorite psycho of all time. He is just so much fun to write. Which is why I had to bring him back. More will be revealed as just what he is up to soon.

Vuzznut: Thanks for the review and I give you more!