Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Forgiveness ❯ Bonding ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-gi-oh, there's no way they would have been allowed to make it into a KIDS show. NC-17 all the way!

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"Go to bed, Mokuba. It's getting late."

"Alright." Mokuba said dragging his eyes from the golden object on the tabletop that had occupied their attention since they got back from Duelist Kingdom. "But you'd better get to bed soon too, big brother. If you want to go to school and work tomorrow. Are you sure you won't stay home?" He pleaded, with puppy dog eyes.

"No, Mokuba. I need to get right back to my company and deal with those traitors."

"You could at least skip school…"

"I've missed enough already. Sorry, Mokuba," He sighed. "I shouldn't be so hard on you for looking after me, but I really just want things to get back to normal. Go on, get to bed."

"Night, big brother."

"Night, Mokuba."

As his brother clonked up the stairs, Kaiba took another sip of his coffee and continued staring at the puzzle. Such a strange object. Computers he knew about, but how could pieces of gold contain a mind? How could a piece of jewellery steal souls like Pegasus had? What else could this puzzle do?

He'd felt strange when he took the loop from around Yugi's neck and laid the puzzle next to Mokuba in the back seat. Mokuba hadn't touched it for some reason. Perhaps he wanted to respect Yami's privacy. Kaiba had picked it up in his jacket. For some reason…

He wanted to touch it. He reached out his hand, and then jerked it back. `Come on, Kaiba. You're being superstitious: it's not going to bite you. Of course you want to touch it, you're curious. You want to see if Yami's alright, you haven't heard from him since he let Yugi take control. Just pick it up and lock it in the safe, you don't want to leave this much solid gold around in plain sight. Not that anyone could break into My house.'

He reached over to pick it up, and jerked his hand away as it started to glow. `What the hell?'

The glow took on the form of a figure: and a copy of Yugi appeared on the tabletop. "Yami…?"

The figure opened his eyes. Ruby eyes were dimmed by tiredness and something else. "Kaiba? Where…What is going on? Why am I still alive? Where…" He trailed off helplessly.

"Yami? What…Why do you have a body? If you can make one, why haven't you before?" Kaiba asked, recovering from the shock.

"I felt a presence, and wished to communicate. Since my link is gone," Eyes looked suddenly despairing, and then Yami shook himself, "I needed to physically speak to communicate. Now, Kaiba," Red eyes narrowed, regaining some of their old fire, "Why am I here?"

"Well, Yugi was going to kill you, and I couldn't just let him, so I knocked him out, sent him home, and I brought the puzzle here. What happened to you?"

"You dared interfere with Yugi?! And you touched the puzzle to take it from its master without being harmed? I assume he didn't just hand it over." Yami growled.

"Yes, I took it from around his neck. What about it?" Kaiba was getting annoyed. He saves this guy's life, and he gets twenty questions?

"You nearly died, Kaiba. However, the puzzle seems to have accepted you as its new master, since Yugi rejected it by deciding to take it apart. However, I do not accept you as my Master." Red eyes glared.

"Why, Kaiba? Why did you place your life in grave danger to prevent Yugi from carrying out his punishment of the one who stole his body and will and used them to kill? You had no right to do it."

"What do you mean, I almost died?" Kaiba was getting freaked. He hadn't intended THAT.

"The Millennium Items do not approve of those they have not chosen daring to use them." Yami stood up, and circled around the table, gazing at the puzzle. "It seems to view you as a proper custodian, but it is not willing to let you use its powers. Otherwise, we would be linked."

"Linked?"

"Our souls and minds bound together, as mine and Yugi's were." Yami had seemed almost normal during this exchange. The same confidant rival Kaiba…admired. He could admit that. Now, he gasped.

Yami had dropped to his knees and held his head in his hands.

`What do I do? I can't leave him like this…' Kaiba knelt next to him, and put his hand on Yami's shoulder. "What is it?"

"Yugi…when he decided to break the puzzle, when he rejected me…our link was broken." Yami looked up, and his eyes were despairing. "How do you stand it, Kaiba?"

"Stand what?" Kaiba asked, confused.

"Being alone. I…where there was light, there is only emptiness. I can't go on like this! You shouldn't have interfered Kaiba! You should have let Yugi kill me! Then, perhaps he might eventually have forgiven me. Now…please! Bring me back to him! Let me see him one last time and let him have his revenge! You shouldn't have stopped him, Kaiba. Why did you stop him!" Silent tears fell from blind eyes. It was…scary. To see…his rival, reduced to this.

Kaiba grabbed Yami's chin and forced him to look into his eyes. "I couldn't let him kill you, dammit! You saved me and Mokuba, you saved him! Eventually he'll realize that. What would have happened when he forgave you, Yami? What? Find all the puzzle pieces, at the bottom of the sea? Spending years piecing them together, trying to find the ones still missing? Knowing he killed you?"

Kaiba dropped his eyes, embarrassed. "I owe you, Yami. More than I've ever owed anyone. I couldn't let you die."

"Dammit!" Yami wrenched himself out of Kaiba's grasp, and leapt for the puzzle. He pulled at one of the pieces, as Kaiba watched in stunned horror, but to no avail. "Dammit, dammit, dammit," He wept. "I can't even end it myself. Not that I have the right. Yugi is the one who owns my life, since it is his creation." He sank to the floor. "Please, God, just let me die. I can't live without Yugi."

"Shhh." Half-remembered instincts made Kaiba gather Yami in his arms. "It's alright. It'll be fine…"

"It'll never be fine." Yami whispered into Kaiba's shoulder. But…he felt better. Not so alone. Light…not the light of the sun that was Yugi, but starlight, cold and clear and brilliant. --Light…beautiful. But am I betraying him? I am, to take comfort in anything when he hates me, he hates me, and I'm all alone…--

---But you're not all alone.--- Kaiba should feel awkward, it had been years since he'd held even Mokuba in his arms, and here he was with someone who was practically a total stranger…---But you're not a stranger: you're the one who saved Mokuba…and me. You're sheltering darkness. Hidden in you depths, who could find me? Who could hurt me? Stay. I'm not Yugi, I'm not the one you used to live for, but--- "Stay." He whispered, looking into Yami's shocked eyes.

--Can you hear me?-

---Of course I can. Why?---

--Kaiba…we're not talking.-

---What do you mean?---Kaiba's eyes widened. He jerked his arms from around Yami. "What was that?" He almost yelled, but managed to control himself. He…didn't want to hurt Yami. He couldn't stand the thought. `Why…why do I feel this way?'

"A link." Yami breathed. "We're linked. It's weak, but…"

"How do I break it?" Kaiba snarled. He hated this, he did! Someone else in his mind, it was as bad as Pegasus…

But why, why did he crave it so much? Why did it feel so…right?

Yami smiled, the sad smile Kaiba had seen too often that day. The one he would kill to never see again. "Break the puzzle. Kill me, as I crave, and I will torment neither Yugi nor you any longer."

"No. I refuse. I can't let you die." Kaiba stated, his voice back under control, his usual cutting contempt.

"If you don't Kaiba, you'll be putting Mokuba in danger." Yami looked like he had when he'd played the combo that destroyed Kaiba's Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Assured of victory.

"What…what do you mean?" Kaiba growled.

"Why did you think Pegasus went after Yugi? Stole his Grandfather's soul to compel him to come to his tournament? He wished possession of the Millennium Puzzle. Possession of me. Keep me, and others will come after you. And Mokuba is the key to your heart. Pegasus saw it. Others will as well."

"I can handle it."

"But…"

"No buts, Yami. Quit trying to make me a murderer. You saved Mokuba. I'm not letting you die for some hypothetical future danger. And you're powerful. You could help me look after Mokuba. He was in danger before I saved your worthless hide. I'm not destroying the best weapon I have for his defence."

"Yes," Yami breathed. "I am a weapon. I can do nothing but punish and kill, never truly aid…"

"Shhh…" Kaiba murmured, gathering Yami into his arms again. "You're not like that. You have helped people. You've helped me, you helped Yugi…"

"He was only in danger because of me…" Yami whispered brokenly.

---And you saved him from it. He'll realize that, he has to. If he's worthy of keeping you at all.--- "And even if he doesn't" Kaiba breathed, looking into Yami's eyes, "You'll still be wanted."

"Who would want me?"

"I would. Mokuba would. Anyone who's met you would. You are a person, Yami. Not Yugi's slave. You are a person, Yami. You have the same right to live as anyone else." `Why am I acting like this?! It's not like me! It's like something's controlling me…let it. This is how I should be. How I was when I looked after Mokuba in the orphanage. How I was before Gozaburo broke me.'

"Yami… what did you do to me after we duelled? I felt…free. I could see the mistakes I had made, and knew I had the chance to…to heal myself."

"I shattered you darkness, Kaiba. Broke your habits of cruelty, the armor crushing your heart. Why?"

Kaiba hugged him closer. ---That's twice you've saved me.---

--But I also was willing to kill you.-

---And I was willing to die. You know that. I fought you to save Mokuba, but I didn't need to, did I? You would have saved him. No matter what you planned, what matters is what you did. You saved my life.---

--I killed Pegasus. Didn't he have a right to live?-

Kaiba was annoyed now. ---Have you heard of a little something called self-defence? You, Yugi, Mokuba, Yugi's grandfather…how many souls threatened by one man's life? You saved them. You saved all of them.---

--But…-- Kaiba laid his finger against Yami's lips.

---Hush. Go to sleep. Things will be better in the morning.--- Kaiba started to stand up, only to be pulled back down by Yami with more than human strength.

--Don't leave me! I can't stand to be alone! I've been alone in the puzzle since Yugi…-- The tears returned.

"Shhh." ---I won't leave you alone, and you don't have to go back in the puzzle. Come with me.--- Kaiba stood up, holding Yami by the hand. He walked over to the table and placed the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. Then he led Yami out of the room.

--Where are we going?-

---My room. I know a cure for nightmares.--- Kaiba pushed the sheets out of the way and lay down, pulling Yami with him. He tucked him close, and pulled the sheets back up. ---See? This way if you wake up, you'll know you're not alone. I won't leave you alone. You're safe. I care about you.---

--…Thank you.-Yami sighed and tucked his head under Kaiba's. --You aren't just doing this because you owe me, right? I would never presume…--

---Shhh. I'm doing this because I care about you. And it'll be good practice for when Mokuba has a nightmare. I've been letting him suffer alone too long, I see that now. Because of you. I owe you his life, and you owe me yours. I'd say we're long past the point where things like this can repay our debts.---

--Wise…but this is more than you know. I thank you. Not for saving me, I will still fulfil my pledge to Yugi, but for letting me know someone will mourn my passing. That I did enough good that someone will remember me with kindness.-

---I'm not going to let you die, Yami. Not now, not ever.---

But the spirit was already asleep.

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Yes, Kaiba is way OOC, but there's a good reason for it. An explanation for Yugi's sudden craving for Yami in the last chapter: they're both suffering from the lack of the bond. Yugi's grown used to a loving presence, but Yami has never known anything else. Yugi is his world, and his world is gone. He's got amazing self-control, hasn't he? He should be a complete wreck. The Kaiba bond is helping, it's nowhere anywhere as good as the original, but a, it is a bond, and b, Kaiba needs him and Yami is sort of programmed to be there for people.

As for Kaiba, his whole problem is that he trusts no one. His parents died, his relatives abandoned him, he doesn't seem to have had anyone pay much attention to him at the orphanage, and when he finally gets the person he admired to adopt him, (Yes, Gozaburo was Kaiba's idol, why else would he memorize his chess book? And call him Pops.) the guy abuses him. And Mokuba…Mokuba isn't a source of safety, he's a reason to work himself to exhaustion because Kaiba is responsible for Mokuba's safety. And prior to Death-T, he had basically abandoned him. Mokuba was trying to beat Yugi to get attention, and Kaiba bet Mokuba would lose to Yugi. Kaiba has basically failed as an adult.

Now however, thanks to the link, Kaiba has got someone he knows will and can look after him. So, it's important to get Yami back on an even keel so he can. And Kaiba is grateful. Kaiba is still really a kid, he never had a chance to grow out of it. He's kind of forced to be an adult, but he longs to be a kid. Yami is basically exactly what he was looking for on a silver platter. His instincts are telling his brain to sit down and shut up.

He also has recently had a stellar example that trying to do things on his own doesn't work, that he needs Yami.

Anyone still want to argue? Review!

I'm mostly going too fast to give people time to review. Update 9:00 Spain time tomorrow morning, midnight California time. Kaiba gets some time to actually think, what will go through his mind? At least about six chapters left. My first story I will actually finish! Yay me! And in Spain too! I thought I might not be able to write anything.

Sansi: Thanks!

Swtdreams07: Um…he sort of is, but it's only temporary, I promise! And I am going to finish this soon, so near-constant updates.

Chibi Pharaoh Yami: Coming up! And ta da! Here it is! (My update.)

Tenshi no Haru-Kaze: Yup, but it's not so much mean as vengeful. And again, updates soon! And thanks for the compliment.