Small Two of Pieces *Revised*

Small Two of Pieces

A/N: I’ll spare you the long-assed author note this time ^^D So much thanks to Kat_Tales, Smiffle o’Godde, Lyndsay-Marie, Whitney, Pyro_Pixie_13, Angle Of Sex, SydneyKate, and Aynsesa(the only review I remember before the first 4 reviews got lost :/) those are the first 7 reviews on this version of my story, and you all made me really happy ^^ If anyone’s wondering, my anime store is doing rather well, and I’m psyched. Still no spare time, but hey, that’s what insomnia and the Rent soundtrack are for! Bamf!

And yes, I’m changing a lot of the storyline, but I’ll keep the basic plot and prolly the lemons ^.~ For those of you who missed it, the pairings are Yami/Yugi, Seto/Jou, Bakura/Ryou, Marik/Malik(I don’t wanna hear about it, I know about Malik’s past, don’t care ^^) Mai/Anzu(For lack of better explanation, I wanted a lesbian pairing and I think they’re cute.) And in the late future, I will be putting Honda with Mokuba. It’s not going to be a major plot, especially since a lot of people can’t get over the squickyness, but I really like this pairing. I’ll prolly put them in a side-story later, but for their mention here, skip it if you don’t like it :P I do.

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”Yami, are you listening?” Katsuyaa said again. “That boy looks just like you!”

”I’m aware of that,” Yami breathed, seemingly snapping out of it. His crimson eyes watched the boy, who hurriedly averted his eyes and went back to taking orders. By the movements, the way the boy held his arm and limped, those distrusting eyes, he deduced that this was an underage pleasure slave.

That worked to his advantage, a plan already forming. “He’s a pleasure slave, Seth. And he looks too young to be anywhere near legal—we can get this entire tavern shut down without even blowing my cover if the owner doesn’t give that boy to us.”

”Buying a pleasure slave?” Katsuyaa asked with wide eyes.

”Yes,” Yami said. “But not as my pleasure slave—I have to know more about him, and the only way I can do this is if I buy him and take him back to the palace with us.”

”He’s hurt,” Ryouu said softly. “I can heal him on the way back,” the young healer was already trying to pinpoint every injury he could find, using his gift, which was not unlike empathy. “He’s badly hurt.”

”Seth,” Yami said. “You know what to do.”

Seth nodded to his Pharaoh, then went to the front, singling the owner out easily. The man seemed to be very red in the face as their conversation continued—no matter the customer, it was made very clear Yuugi was for rent, not for sale.

”Boy,” Yami said in a very commanding voice, leaving Seth to deal with the unfortunate man—unfortunate because no matter his reason or his will, Yuugi would be leaving the tavern.

Yuugi looked up, his eyes guarded, before he went to Yami obediently, wincing slightly and ducking his shy head. It was the same—every time, there would be a man, disgusting or beautiful, and he’d be sold, spending his life enduring pain he’d never dreamed of as a child.

”What is your name?” Yami asked, touching the soft skin of Yuugi’s face when he was near enough. With scented water and soap, and cloth to compliment his soft curves, the boy would become a thing of true beauty. Even Yami was not blind to this idea, though he tried to push it back and remind himself that this was most likely a child, and a fragile one at that.

It took a moment, and then the boy looked at Yami, not quite meeting his eyes. “Yuugi.”

”Yuug…” Katsuyaa trailed off, sucking in a soft gasp of the sweat-soaked air. The entire tavern had a distinct stench of too much sex and ale, and had Katsuyaa not been distracted, the sudden intake of air so foul would have choked him.

Yami glanced at Katsuyaa sharply. “Later, Katsu. For now, be silent.”

Katsuyaa nodded instantly, swallowing the lump in his throat. Even as Yami appeared to be coldly regarding him, he knew his Pharaoh could tell the lump was not from the nausea most of them were feeling.

”We’re taking this boy,” Yami said, voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “He is underage and the Pharaoh would have your head to hear of your blatant disrespect of his laws.”

”You can’t do that!” Aono, the owner of the tavern said in outrage. “You’ve no proof of his age, and you’ve not the money to buy him!”

Seth chuckled, the sound so frightening that many backed away from Yuugi, afraid they’d be associated with him and looked at by this cold man. At that point, no one in the tavern wanted Seth’s attention on them, and they tried to shrink into small groups that wouldn’t draw his glances. So far that meant away from Aono, and away from Yuugi.

Yami couldn’t help but stare at Yuugi’s soft eyes, as the boy glanced around to try and figure out what was going on. “I see, he does not understand this language?” He asked, and it was not a simple question. It was a statement demanding an immediate answer, and even for a man as proud as Aono, it was not a risk he was willing to take.

”He understands… he does not speak it. He speaks a nonsense language,” Aono said, voice short.

”No matter. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated… I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you…” The Pharaoh’s voice dripped with a hidden tone that just dared Aono to stand against him.

Stand against him, Aono did not. Nobody in the room did, as Yami took his younger looking counterpart by the arm and led him back outside. He took care to be gentle—there were bruises under layers of dirt smudges and sweat handprints.

”Good day,” Seth said, taking up the rear and ushering the rest of his companions out, his eyes frigid and superior.

Yuugi seemed confused, chewing on his soft lower lip in confusion, while trying to keep up. They were heading back out of the city and to the path that led to the palace. As much as Yami would have liked staying away longer, he wanted to help the boy, and he already had enough information to send his guards out to collect the underage slaves in that area.

”You knew his name,” Honda said, breaking the silence and glancing sideways at Katsuyaa, who had lowered his amber eyes in shame.

”Yes… I know his name, and I know his language—well… Some of it. They call it ‘Slave Slang’, but no one knows who started it. Just that most of the slaves spoke it.. Most of the pleasure slaves. Yuugi and I sorta grew up together before I was taken to the palace. Before I met you, Honda.”

Katsuyaa glanced up at the sky, golden hair falling over one eye. The sun was beginning to set, casting shadows on his tanned face. “I thought he was dead, I bet he doesn’t remember me.”

”Let’s stop here,” Seth said abruptly, in a small clearing. “The boy needs healing.”

Surprised by Seth’s tone, Katsuyaa touched his hand, but he pulled it back, with that same guarded expression that he usually dropped for Katsuyaa. In return, Katsuyaa’s eyes became guarded, and he turned away, going to Yuugi instead.

”Gomen nasai,” he spoke softly, his apology shaking.

Yuugi tilted his head, and for the first time since speaking his name, he opened his mouth and spoke in a soft, gentle voice. “Wakarimasu.”

Katsuyaa’s eyes misted up slightly. “I haven’t spoken Slave Slang in years, Yuugi… I’m sorry…”

Yami glanced at Katsuyaa, then knelt in front of Yuugi. “We have a healer. His name is Ryouu, and he’ll help you.”

Ryouu took off his outer cloak, revealing the softest of white robes that seemed to float around his lithe silhouette, and Yuugi stared at him with frightened eyes, like a child who’d been lured into a false sense of security, only to find he’d been tricked.

”Iya…”

Katsuyaa looked at him sharply.

”IYA!” Yuugi jerked backwards, trying to pull away from Yami, who stumbled from shock. Of all the reactions to a healer, this was the last one he’d expected. “Yuugi, calm down!”

”Yuugi, D… Daij… Daijoubu!” Katsuyaa pronounced, putting a hand on Yuugi’s shoulder. “Daijoubu!”

Tears streaking his pale cheeks, Yuugi looked to Katsuyaa. It was his childhood friend, telling him he’d be alright, but he’d been abandoned by the same amber-eyed boy before, how could he trust him now?

”Onegai, Yuugi,” Katsuyaa whispered, closing his eyes for a moment. “Trust me.”

”What—did I do something wrong?” Ryouu asked Anzu quietly, unsure of why Yuugi would have such a strong reaction to his coming near. Yami hadn’t startled him that much—neither had Katsuyaa!

”You removed your cloak,” Seth said, not looking at any of them. “The only thing he’s used to when he sees that is not healing, I assure you.”

”I don’t understand,” Ryouu murmured, while Katsuyaa stiffened.

”He thinks you’re going to rape him,” Katsuyaa whispered, closing his eyes. “How could I be so foolish? Of course that’s what he thinks… Ra, if I’d only stayed with him… If I’d only thought about him…” But the truth was, he’d forgotten Yuugi existed until he’d looked directly into those innocent eyes. He’d been given a home in the palace, with new friends. No more stealing, no more beatings, no more rape or pain—and in his own sense of contentment, he’d forgotten the one he’d left behind, the one he’d promised.

Yami silently guided Yuugi to kneel down in front of Ryouu—holding one of the slender wrists to stop him from trying to remove any more of Ryouu’s clothing. One of Ryouu’s delicate hands moved to Yuugi’s face, and the young boy flinched, closing his eyes tightly.

Only to open his eyes when he felt a warm pulsation on his cheek, a fresh tear splashing onto that pale hand, which seemed to be glowing with an ethereal aura.

Ryouu had his chocolate brown eyes closed, a look of sheer concentration and determination on his face. Through empathy, he located every wound, pouring a special healing spell through his blood and into Yuugi. It was a spell usually reserved for royals or council members, but even though it taxed Ryouu’s strength greatly, he tried to help anyone he could that needed it.

”He’s just a child…”

The voice startled most of them, who turned to look at Anzu. She had her hood down, short brown hair brushing her chin as she looked to the side, head tilted down. “I know it happens every day… I know we can’t save everyone in this world… It’s corrupt and filthy… People are being raped and killed, tortured and hurt by the very people who give them life, the very people who love and cry the same as they do…”

She turned back to them, eyes shining with angry tears. “Why is there such injustice?!”

”I’m sorry, Anzu,” Honda said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “There is no answer. That’s why we do this—even with the strength of the—of Yami, we can’t stop everyone. People have forgotten all about love and family. It’s all about money and power—power can get you near anything, and money can buy you power.”

Anzu’s shoulders shook. “I wouldn’t want to bring a child into this world.”

”Kodomo ja nai,” Yuugi whispered, eyes fluttering open when Ryouu finished, slumping a little.

The pain was gone—his shoulder had been slowly draining every ounce of willpower he had to not scream out and beg for help, but with the simplest of touches from a kind stranger… A kind stranger, did such a thing exist? Not in Yuugi’s world, but this was all different world, a different dream within a confused reality. His body, once weak and trembling, a simple toy for anyone with money, felt strong and comforted now. He didn’t know what trust was, but as he gazed at Seth’s stiff posture, Katsuyaa’s shamed expression, Ryouu’s tired smile, Honda’s sad eyes, and Anzu’s grief…

And at Yami’s calculating crimson eyes… Yuugi felt himself relaxing, just a little, a glimmer of hope in his expression that these were the people who would grant his prayers, these were the people that would rescue him.

”That’s right,” Katsuyaa said suddenly, softly. “You’re not a child anymore, are you? You’re fourteen now. Or, almost.”

Yuugi gave a very slow nod, his eyes flickering with sorrow again. Sometimes it was hard to remember how long he’d been alive, when every day was an endless night of pain. “N..Namae wa… nan desuka?” he asked, his voice hesitant. So far, they hadn’t hurt him or tried to force him, but he was still a slave, and he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to speak.

”What did he say?” Yami asked Katsuyaa, still holding one of Yuugi’s wrists.

”I’m not sure.. I think he’s asking us something,” Katsuyaa said, wracking his mind for any Slave Slang he could remember.

”Watashi no namae wa Yuugi,” Yuugi said, understanding that they didn’t know Slave Slang. They looked too rich to know it, and he wasn’t surprised that Katsuyaa had forgotten it.

”Oh! Our names,” Katsuyaa said. “You know mine, Yuug… This is my lover, Seth,” Katsuyaa said, motioning to the man who still had his back to them. “Anzu’s the only girl, and next to her is Honda. Ryouu is the one who healed you. And-“

”I am Yami,” Yami spoke clearly for himself, his eyes never leaving Yuugi’s, until something silver caught his eye. He glanced quickly at his arm, but perhaps the sun had only glinted off of his arm and caught his attention—nothing was out of the ordinary. “I did not buy you for my own pleasure, Yuugi—rather, I want to help you. I can’t stand seeing the law being broken so casually… You will work in the palace as a slave, but not one a pleasure slave.”

Yuugi’s eyes were on him again, searching Yami for the catch, looking for something that would hurt him, but he sounded so sincere, it was hard to doubt it. He’d been praying for so long… Wishing with every last feeling of hope, that he’d be rescued and loved…

The slightest of smiles touched his soft lips, and he spoke very carefully to Yami, who seemed short of breath at the sight of his lovely expression. “Th…ank,” he paused. “You.”

’His smile… Oh Ra, his smile…’ Yami’s thoughts seemed to re-route so that all he could focus on was the sight of Yuugi, that look on his face, for him. Not any others, but Yami. Only for him… ‘I’ll do anything to make him smile at me like that,’ he heard himself say in his mind, before he could even realize how dangerous his thoughts were becoming.

”It’s time to rest,” he said in a breathless voice, unaware of the look of realization on Katsuyaa’s face. “Now.”

’Forgive me, Yuugi… I’ll make it up to you, I’ll see to it that you’re as happy as I am…’ Katsuyaa vowed, before he went to Seth, wrapping his arms around him from behind and pressing his cheek into the other’s back.

He ignored the others setting up camp, arms slightly chilled from the night air. It was getting darker. “I love you, Seth.”

Seth was silent for several moments, before his arms overlapped Katsuyaa’s, sending a shock of warmth through the shorter boy. “As do I, Katsu.”

Very slowly, Seth turned to look down at the boy, his eyes so much darker without the sun reflecting his fiery expressions. He leaned down and sealed his lips over Katsuyaa’s, in a soft and demanding kiss that left the younger boy anything but cold, gasping softly when their lips parted again. Unable to resist, he tilted his head and claimed those lips again, dipping his tongue past them when they parted for a quick intake of breath before all chances of breathing were cut off.

His strong hands slid down to Katsuyaa’s hips, pulling him closer and pressing their bodies together, before he broke the kiss, his tongue very slowly tracing Katsuyaa’s lower lip. “Perhaps we will only need one blanket for the two of us tonight.”

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A/N: Holy crap I need sleep! Well, this means I gotta put a lemon in the next chapter XD Hopefully I got better at writing those! Kyaaaa! Oh, and for the Japanese I used (one day in RP I started calling it Slave Slang, so I’mma go by that)

Onegai=Please (by itself. In a sentence, please is ‘kudasai’, like, ‘mata kite kudasai’ which means ‘please come again’ (For a store, basically. But when saying ‘please’ without the rest of a sentence, it’s just onegai)

Kodomo=Child (Kodomo Ja nai basically means ‘is not a child’ or ‘I am not a child’)

Namae=Name, generic (Watashi no namae wa, ‘blank’ desu=my name is ‘blank’ and you can leave off the desu. Namae wa nan desuka=what is your name?)

Iya=Very strong ‘no’ or ‘horrible’. Yelling “Iya” is equal to yelling “No don’t” or “I don’t want to” very adamantly.

Daijoubu=I'm alright--can be used for 'it's alright' instead. (As a question, daijoubu?/daijoubu ka? it means 'are you alright' or 'is it alright?')

I think that’s all the Nihongo(Japanese) in this chappy. Anyway, I need to get my ID and go to work soon XD R/R? I could use some love and encouragement, this’ll be the first solo lemon I’ve written in a very |Long Time|.

~C.o.L.