Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Forgiveness ❯ Reason ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-gi-oh, Yugi wouldn't be a shrimp.

Sorry to freak you out, it looks like I am going to update. Early. Sorry.

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Seto and Mokuba sat around the dinner table. Mokuba was the first to break the silence. "So? Where is he?"

"I left him in the card room. Told him he should make a deck fast and get over here. Don't worry; he'll be here soon. He won't let us starve."

Mokuba stared. "You're actually willing to wait for someone to arrive so you can eat with them? What happened to my big brother, mister food-is-fuel grab-a-sandwich-and-get-back-to-work?"

"He just got his little brother's soul stolen because he wasn't paying enough attention to him, that's what." Kaiba reached over and ruffled Mokuba's hair.

`Wow…' Mokuba was wide-eyed. `I think the whole Pegasus thing was worth it. Better not say that in front of Seto though, he'll think I'm nuts.'

Kaiba's eyes widened and he turned. "Hello, Yami."

`What?" Mokuba wondered. "How'd you know he was there? I didn't hear a thing."

"As Kaiba holds the puzzle, we are bonded. Unless we block each other or are separated by distance, we know each other's thoughts and feelings." Yami answered. "We can also speak thus."

"Telepathy? Cool!" Mokuba was enthusiastic.

---So I can shut you out? Thank god.---

--Realizing it's not good to have me in your head, Kaiba? Actually, I can shut you out. You couldn't keep me out if I really wanted to know what was going on. Yugi tried to shut me out. I still took over his body. And I can do the same to yours.---

"Here." Kaiba said, ignoring him. He served Yami one of the steaks that the cook had left to keep warm in the oven. "Eat. And don't scarf it down and leave. We're all staying here until we've all finished. And we are talking."

Mokuba was bug-eyed. "Wow. A real family dinner."

Kaiba smiled. "Get used to it."

Yami's lip twitched upwards. Mokuba saw it. Kaiba felt it. They shared a glance.

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Kaiba had Yami follow him upstairs and into his room. He sat down on the floor and motioned for Yami to join him. "Got your deck?"

"Yes." Yami pulled it out of a holster on his belt.

"Wait a minute." Kaiba said. "Where'd you get a belt?"

"I made it." Yami replied. "Where did you think I got these clothes? The puzzle just made the body. If I hadn't had an image of myself clothed and made them automatically, I would have been naked when I manifested."

Kaiba shut down the link. Fast. And looked away.

Yami, shuffling his cards, didn't notice. He continued, "I usually change Yugi's appearance a little. He pays no attention to clothing, in fact he owns practically nothing but school uniforms, but," Yami blushed. "I seem to be a little vain. I prefer boots to sneakers, and I adjust the jacket a little." Yami laughed. "It's such a silly thing to do."

"I remember noticing the boots when we duelled." Kaiba replied, back under control. "It's okay to pay attention to looks. Why do you think I wear a trench coat? It's good to look good, because it's fun." He smirked. "And it intimidates people."

Yami cocked his head. "Why bother? Anyone weak enough to be swayed by such things can be defeated easily enough without it."

"It's a plus if you can get them not to challenge you in the first place, and waste your time."

Yami seemed even more puzzled. "But I like being challenged. Coming to understand your opponent, realizing what…makes them tick? is very fun, even if they aren't that strong. By understanding them, you understand yourself. And coming to know someone better is always worth it." He turned his head away. "At least, I liked it."

Kaiba shook his head. Just when he thought he understood Yami…he just didn't get how he could care about people that much. Wanting to know them, even the weaklings who didn't deserve his time…

"Whatever. Got your cards shuffled?" At Yami's nod, he said, "Let's duel!"

--I don't understand why I made this deck, Kaiba. I should be making you hate me, not challenge me. But I just can't seem to turn down a challenge. Just like at the castle…--

---And you're a good person and you don't have it in you to be deliberately cruel. Not like me. :smirk: I'm going to beat you into the floor, and I'm going to laugh.---

:laugh: --Dream on.-

Kaiba almost laughed himself. Look at this hand! Two blue-eyes, defence paralysis…he was going to finish Yami fast. He'd given him too much time to plan before. Beat him down… Just like everyone else he duelled. He blocked the link, and felt Yami close his side. Even with feelings walled off, it still felt more natural to talk mind to mind. Why did this feel so right, when he'd known it such a short time?

---I play the blue-eyes in attack mode and lay these two cards face down.--- The Blue Eyes appeared on the field, just like it had the first time he played Yami. He hesitatingly reached out to touch it, and found it as solid as he was. It purred as he stroked it. `So I guess you aren't going to self-destruct on me, are you?'

Yami smiled. `I guess he's finally starting to find the Heart of the Cards. I knew, when he drew the Blue-Eyes against Pegasus…' He shook his head. This was a duel. He owed it to Kaiba to concentrate on it. `But, I could lose deliberately…that would make Kaiba think I'm weak and he wouldn't feel the need to keep me around to challenge me…'

Yami shook his head in negation. `No! What am I thinking! I can't let Kaiba's victory be a lie! I couldn't deny him the chance to prove himself! That would be cruel!'

--I lay this card face down and play the Dark Magician…-- The mage appeared on the field with a flourish, and smiled at Yami. He smiled back.

---Hold it! Activate Defence paralysis!--- Kaiba smirked.

Yami laughed. --Who said I was placing him in defence mode? I call him in attack, and equip him with the Axe of Despair, raising him to 3500 attack points. Dark Magician, attack the Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Despair Spell Attack!-

---Bad move, Yugi! I activate De-Spell!---

--And I activate Mystical Space Typhoon!-The tornado hurled across the field, followed by the Magician's strike. The Blue-Eyes…was it crying…it looked at Kaiba, sorry it had failed him, and disappeared.

--That brings you down to 1500 life points, Kaiba.-Yami smirked. -I'm going to show you that you have no hope against me, so you won't waste my time by challenging me again.-

---Dream on. No matter what, one of these days I'm going to beat you.--- Kaiba drew. `Good, this should buy me some time…' ---I play my second Blue-Eyes, and activate the field card Luminous Spark, increasing it's attack power to 3500, the same as your Magician.--- Field cards were new since Duelist Kingdom. No way Yami'd be able to counter it!

The field was filled with radiant light, and the dragon within it looked like an angel. `I should have it attack, and take Yami's Magician down with it…but I can't just let it die! Yami's soft on his cards, so he won't suicide his Magician either. I just have to have my beauty hold him off until I can draw something good.' He stroked this Blue-Eyes as well. Damn, they were cute.

Yami smirked, and drew. He lay the card down. Mystic Plasma Zone! Playing a new field card deactivated Luminous Spark, lowering his Blue-Eyes back down to 3000. What's more, this one increased Dark monsters by 500, so the Magician was not 4000!

---What the hell!?--- Kaiba was incoherent.

--The people online were talking about the new booster pack's cards, and you had them in advance, so I could find this one in your collection. Dark Magician, attack!-

Kaiba groaned. His life points were down to 500, and Yami had only had two turns! ---You weren't this good at Duelist Kingdom!---

--There, I was playing with Yugi's Grandfather's deck. It was willing to aid me, but one constructed entirely of my allies is much more responsive.-

---Allies?---

--Those monsters that wish to help you. Like the Blue-Eyes is your ally, heaven knows why, after you tore up that card. You don't have many more. Monsters, like people, don't appreciate being just used, Kaiba.-

---That…makes sense.---

--?-

Kaiba laughed. ---Well, after getting my soul stolen, having my Blue-Eyes show up just when I needed her, and having an ancient spirit in my head, I'd be a fool to be a sceptic. So, I need allies to beat you, huh? Just you wait, Yami.-- `He even cares about cards…'

--…I won't be around for long, Kaiba…--

---That's what you think.--- Kaiba drew, and sighed. ---I forfeit. With defence paralysis in play, I can't stall, and I don't have anything to take out that Magician. I'm dead next turn, and no point in pissing off a monster by putting it out just to get slaughtered for no reason.---

--Wise. Do you wish to play again?-

Kaiba smiled. There had been more than politeness in that voice. Yami wanted to continue.

---No. No point, I'd just get creamed again. I want you to help me with something.---

"What?" Yami said, breaking the silence. He let up the walls around his feelings. Kaiba would soon tire of someone else in his head.

Kaiba did the same. "Since the thing you did to me at Death-T took me away from my company, my underlings have been making decisions. I want you to help me find the ones that are just for their own benefit, not mine."

"How would I know what to look for? I don't know these men, and I don't know business."

"You can look at Yugi's memories, right? Copy mine. Just the related ones, mind."

Yami stared. "You're willing to let me…"

"You might as well make yourself useful. Come on, let's get on with it." Kaiba pulled the papers out of his briefcase.

Yami read fast. He just looked at each page, and turned to the next. Kaiba could feel…flickers. Light touches, questioning, getting their answer, and returning their attention to the subject. In the time it took Kaiba to get through three pages of legalese, Yami had finished the stack.

"Well?"

"The lawyer. He is a specialist in hostile takeovers, yet he has retained three experts on transfer and monopoly law, at very high rates and for a limited time. Perhaps to find weaknesses in the regulation that requires a Kaiba heir to sign over the company? And to aid in the merger with Industrial Illusions? The engineer has been making overtures to military designers. The personnel manager has put on notice many of you most loyal employees, you had best nip that in the bud and get back the ones already fired, on very flimsy excuses, I might add. They've also given a bonus to one of your game designers, on the Virtual World project. Tampering? Or investigating its military applications, as your stepfather did?"

Kaiba hadn't wanted Yami to see that.

"That's about all." Yami turned to Kaiba. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing. Dueling, challenges to my mind…you're trying to show me how good life is. To tempt me into staying alive." He shook his head. "Kaiba, I know what you've only now realized, since you almost lost Mokuba. Life, without love, is not worth living. I have betrayed the one I love. Now, he hates me. I reach out, and there is only emptiness where our bond once was. No one cares for me." He sighed.

"Kaiba…you're trying to show me I can help you, that I can be valued for what I can do, for my mind. You…even after what Yugi stopped me from doing to you, you still wish me to live. That is very noble, but…what do I have to live for?" Tears gleamed in his eyes.

---Yami…---Kaiba was stunned. Yami had seen what he was trying to do. He hadn't even known, been aware that that was what he was doing, but, he was. Trying to convince Yami to stay, that he was needed. That Kaiba needed him. `But…I've never needed anybody!' Yet he had. His parents. The father he had imagined Gozaburo to be, one who did what he did to help Kaiba, make him strong, until that day…Mokuba. He'd always needed Mokuba. To need him. To give him a reason. Like Yami needed him, now.

He reached over, and pulled Yami to him. He did not resist. ---You… I do need you. You're…everything I wish I was. Someone I can look up to. Someone who can protect me, and Mokuba, when I can't. Someone who won't abandon us. Can't you live for me, as you did for Yugi?---

--Need is not love.-

Kaiba pulled Yami closer. Held him as tight as he could. He could feel tears trickling down his neck, from where Yami's head rested on his shoulder.

---I don't…it's not just need, Yami. You…you see me. I'm Kaiba to you, the one who defends his brother, the one who needs help, not the cruel millionaire…I don't know what to say. Just…you are what I need. What I've been searching for, without knowing. And now that I've found you, if you left…Out of all the people in this world, I want you by my side. I want to spend time with you. I want to help you, and have you help me. I want to know your every thought, and share mine with you, because I know you would never use them to hurt me…--- His breath caught. He tilted his head down, and kissed Yami on the forehead. ---I want to spend my life with you.--- He said, to the awed silence in his mind. ---If that's not what love, what is?---

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Too ooc? Please reassure me. Should I never try Kaiba fluff again? This is hard! They don't show him like this in the show, so I don't have a model. I'm trying to copy this off the Mokuba reunion scene, he means everything to me, etc. Did I do okay? Remember, this is kind of a pivotal series of events. He's changed a lot, but I think it is changes he would go through, in this situation…whatever.

Hopefully Yaoi next chapter, after a lot of talking. Then the morning after, and then I'll get to Yugi again. Sorry! This is turning out to be a ton longer than I thought.

Chibi Pharaoh Yami: Sorry re delay in Yugi!

Kawaii Chibi Yugi: K/YY/Y. Like I said in the summary. Threesome. Although I'll be ending before too much of that…

LadySaturnGirl: Word!

Y-n-Y: Thanks! I needed to do an OC that would have a good reason for having a blue-eyes, but would be willing to hand it over…also wanted Kaiba to have competition. Don't worry, she won't show up again. I hate Mary-Sues!

SilverWing147: Whoa, calm down! Being that enthusiastic can't be good for you. Thanks, though!

Thanks to the two people from MM.org that reviewed! You're my first from there!