Shades of the Past

Shades of the Past.

Chapter Two

~*~

Jou growled at him, but nodded to Isis, who watched the pair leave. 'Don't be hard on him, Seto, or you may lose him yet again...'

Seto helped Jou into the car, then climbed in himself and sat, quietly, a cold, concealed expression on his face.

Jou glared at him, then sniffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared out the window. Like it was his fault that he didn't remember a past life or its memories right off hand. 'Jerk.' he thought to himself, stewing.

Seto looked at him, "Look...I'm sorry...I have alot on my mind and...I usually don't believe in this whole past life stuff, but I've bhavihaving these dreams and feelings for almost two months now...."

Jou snorted lightly, almost pouting. "I can understand that, but does it mean that you have to take it out on me when I don't remember anything of a past life? So sue me if I thought I could have what I thought would pass for a normal life.."

"What is with you, you mutt?! I try and apologize and it blows up in my face! You know what...I bet you were a whole lot more understanding as a woman, you paic dic dog, and I don't care if you ever remember who you were to me...or who I was, because you are nothing to me now." Seto growled, his blue eyes blazing with fury.

Ouch. Jou tried to prevent himself from showing how much that hurt, but the dark eyes took on a hurt sheen before he glanced back out the window. "Whatever." he muttered. "See if I ever think again there might be a human being under that stone you call a body."

Seto's eyes softened. Damn it, why can't I ever keep my big mouth shut. He cursed under his breath, "Gomen..." He whispered before turning and staring out the window, losing his thoughts to the blonde woman again.

Jou sighed and leaned his head back against the top of the seat, still gazing out. 'Why can't I remember? Why's it so important to Kaiba? Except for those few words that...other me said..I have no clue whatsoever what's happening..I feel so lost..' He closed his eyes, a saddened expression overcoming his features as he struggled to figure out everything..and just gave himself a headache instead.

Seto looked at him, "Maybe if I filled you in a bit more, you'd be able to remember better...." Seto began, "Katsu'yaa'ra and I went to see her sister, that is basically where it had started. We...got intimate I suppose, and started seeing each other more frequently. I loved her, and I knew that. One night, she came to me, we were ready and willing to...be...with each other and her brother walked in on us...he tried to kill me but she saved...m-me..." Tears welled up in the blue eyes, but he forced them back. He would NOT let the dog see him weak and vulnerable, "So now you know."

Jou blinked at him, first for sharing with him, which he never would have expected, then for the emotion plainly heard in the voice. He sat there for a few moments, just taking it in, then, with his brow wrinkling thoughtfully, spoke, "So..that meanat yat you and I...I mean, our past life selves.." he colored in embarrassment. "...were lovers..and she died for you..but why are you so eager to remember the past? I mean..no offense, it's the past..you've got a different life now.." he murmured quietly.

Seto blushed, himself, "I miss her...and I thought maybe, she could return..." His blushed even brighter, "...in you..." ‘Baka! You do NOT have feelings for the mutt! Only his past self! No feelings....no feelings...NO FEELINGS.’

Jou blinked, his eyes widening even more till they filled his whole face. "But..." he squeaked, coughed, and tried again. "But what if I don't remember? I mean..Isis didn't say when I would remember..and I'm the *mutt*, right?" he snorted. "Surely you don't wanna put up with me, even if we used to be something...uh..something else in the past.."

"You are right." She--he--I mean...they are always right! Stop being right! Stop it....right NOW! "You're right...we can't let our pasts fog how we really feel about each other...we will remain hated enemies."

"Yeah.." Jou murmured, glancing down. He knew that was right, that was just the way he wanted it, the way Kaiba wanted it..so why was his heart screaming at him that it was so wrong? He glanced out the window, then noted the street they were on. Just a few blocks from the Turtle Game Shop. Maybe he could talk to Yami about this.. "Uh, Kaiba...just let me off hene?\ne?" he murmured quietly.

"Alright." Seto told his driver to pull over. The man got out of the car and opened the door for Jou, "I guess I'll see you at school, mutt." Seto looked at him, his heart screaming, Please stay! But he knew this was right. Nothing could change. Or they both might end of broken hearted. And Seto couldn't take that again.

"Don't call me mutt." Jou replied, but it lacked its usual bite. Jou didn't feel like fighting, he felt like...he didn't know what he felt like, but fighting wasn't one of them. He nodded faintly to Seto's words and slid out, getting to his feet once outside the limo, then glanced back hesitantly at Seto.

Seto wasn't looking at him, and driver had already closed the door. That's when Seto had decided to stare out the window at Jounouchi. iie...I can't start having feelings now...everything MUST remain the same as before! I can't get soft...not just because of some dreams I've been having...for the past...two...months....damn it!

Jou couldn't see his stare for the tinted windows, and his shoulders slumped in disappointment, though he didn't know why. Why am I doing this to myself? Kaiba's an enemy. Always has been, always will be, probably, that's the way he is. Even for some bizarre past life that's so crazy I wouldn't believe it were it not for Yami's experiences..he has to remain my enemy..but why does the tht oht of that...hurt..?


"Home, Fransisco, it's been a long day." The limo sped off. Once it reached the Kaiba Mansion, Seto climbed out and walked up the steps and into his house. He immediately collapsed on the couch.

" 'Nii-sama, your ho--'nii-sama are you okay?" Mokuba looked at his brother, who looked more tired and distressed then usual

"I'm fine, Otouto, did you finish your homework?" Seto asked.

Mokuba nodded.

"Did you chores?"

He nodded again.

"Alright." Seto closed his eyes, "Go do whatever, just don't play on the freeway and don't eat alot of sugar." He was TO tired and distressed to put to many rules on the kid tonight. He just wound up falling asleep.

Jou kicked at a rock as he walked, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets as he trudged to the Game shop. He pushed open the doors, listening to the merry chimes as he glanced around for Yugi..or Yami..or even Jiichan.

Seto's dreamed of her again, of the last night they had together. Of holding her dead body in his arms, and of promising her that they'd meet again. And they did, didn't they? Of course, it wasn't a happy meeting. And it never would be. He'd broken his promise...

"Welcome to Turtle Game shop, how may I..? Oh! Jou-kun, hi!" Yugi chirped as he turned around from stocking things for his grandfather.

Jou smiled faintly. "Hey, Yugi..um..any way I can talk to Yami? I need to ask him a few things.."

Violet eyes blinked in surprise. "Um...sure, let me ask.." His eyes wandered left to center as he focused on the bond that he and Yami had. /Yami, are you there?/

Seto, unbeknownst to himself, had tears streaming his paled cheeks in his sleep. The same image kept playing across his mind. The same words, "I promised you." A promise broken to the only true love he'd ever had. Damn it, it was enough to drive him insane! To the brink of suicide, even! He just wished it hadn't ended so soon, that maybe if she had lived, he might have still had a chance, even in the future, but now every hope of ever having her back was lost to him...

//I’m here, aibou, what do you need?// Yami asked, sleepily, as if he’d just woken up.

/Gomen for awakening you, but Jou wants to talk to you about something..he isn't saying what../

//Hmm...alright, I'll be right out.// Yami answered.

In a flash of light, Yami was standing before Jou.

"Is there something you needed, Jounouchi-kun?" Yami yawned, upon saying this, "I was asleep and having a very good dream, mind you."

"Uh...well..." Jou rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, then took a deep breath and burst out, "In your flashes of the past you've had..do you remember a Katsu'yaa'ra any?"

Yami looked at him, "How do you know about....?" He blinked and scowled as he remembered the day he'd lost his little sister, "It's my fault..."

Yugi blinked back and forth between the two, then hugged Yami around the waist gently. "I'll leave you guys to talk this out.." he murmured, then went back to stocking.

Jou nodded, then glanced back at Yami. "Um..I'm not..quite sure of everything, but I know that your sister's okay.."

Yami's eyes shined with confusion, and his brow furrowed, "I'm not sure I understand you correctly, Jounouchi..."

Jou flushed in embarrassment, then rubbed his neck again. "I'm saying that your sister was reborn, just like the rest of you. You and Kaiba..and all...you didn't lose her..."

Yami laughed dryly, "Well, who is she? Where is she? Give me the proof, Jounouchi, and I'll believe you."

'I could kill Isis for telling me this, this is so embarrassing. But...it does account for that odd voice-thing that happened..' He bit his lip, winced, then closed one eye sheepishly. "Eh...you're looking at her..?"

Yami's eyes widened a considerable amount, considering their shape, and he blinked, "H-how...?! Th-that's impossible! You're....MALE!"

Jou winced again. "I know, I know, yeesh, I've gotten this once already! Look, Isis called me, told me to meet up with Kaiba 'cause he had some stuff I should hear..eventually found out that he's been having dreams about the past, about her, for months. Look, I'm not any happier about this--you think I want to hear that my past life was as a girl and in love with *Kaiba*, of all people? But...well..." He shrugged his shoulders lamely. "It's true..."

"She was in love with Seth..." Yami sighed, "I called him a traitor and told him I was not a fool, but I am a fool..." Yami closed his eyes, "I was blinded by my own anger, I did not see what Seth and my sister truly had...I could not see that they were not lonely anymore..they were happy...and it cost my priest his love...and eventually his life..." Yami opened his eyes and looked at Jou, "You do look alot like her."

" 'S what Kaiba said. I don't remember anything..." Jou sighed. "Not even a glimpse. The only weird thing that happened was when Kaiba was...upset, he was blaming himself for her death, thinking he could have done something to save her. And..I don't know, something just clicked, and I found this voice coming out of me that wasn't mine trying to comfort him.."

"It was her..." Yami murmured, "Fate, indeed, works in mysterious ways...you'll remember soon enough, Jounouchi, if you are really who you say you are..." Yami sat down, "Gods, I miss her..."

Jou hesitated, then knelt down beside him, resting his arms on his knees. "I'm surprised you remember her..I mean with all the holes your head had about the past..what was she like?"

Yami smiled, "I could never forget her..." Yami closed his eyes, "She was quite stubborn...and very beautiful, Seth was a lucky man." Yami opened his eyes and stared at the ground, "She was outgoing most of the time, and didn't have a prolbme expressing her feelings...that and her stubborn-ness weren't a good mix."

Jou grinned and rubbed a finger across his nose. "Sounds kinda like me, if ya think about it. Guess Katsu'yaa'ra's attitude carried over into the next life." he chuckled, then frowned. "It's..kinda strange. In one life, I loved Kaiba..deeply, enough to sacrifice myself for him. And in anot we\ we're rivals. Weird, ne?"

"Again, fate works in mysterious ways..." Yami frowned, "Though, it is sad, if I hadn't of gotten angry, maybe Seth would still have some love in his life..."

"Yeah...maybe he wouldn't be so rotten in this life if he did.." he muttered. Honey-brown eyes glanced down sadly. "I feel...bad for him. I could tell he still cared for her..and his lover's stuck in his rival. I know that he wouldn't want me like Seth wanted Katsu'yaa'ra...but I still wish I could help him."

Yami laughed again, "Now don't jump to conclusions, Jounouchi, you never know, he may care for you the way Seth cared for her and he's just to scared to say anything."

Jou cranked his head up and blinked before snorting. "Eh, where have you been, man, under a rock? The guy hates me. There ain't no maybes about it, I'm the one he calls mutt and puppy and chihuahua and every other dog name under the sun!" All of a sudden, he felt like stamping his foot, though he didn't know why. He sniffed and crossed his arms over his chest, brewing.

Yami laughed again, "Simple, he could be covering his feelings up by acting like he hates you. You must remember, Kaiba isn't the kind of person who'd just come out and say, 'Hey you, yes you, I love you!'...give it time..."

Jou glanced down as he shifted his weight nervously. "Me aside, what am I gonna do if I don't remember this past? I mean..you do..Kaiba does..I feel like the odd man out, like I'm missing something that I need. Kaiba said he was hoping to see her in me again...I don't want to disappoint him, he looked so..hopeful, I guess.."

"I would too, Jounouchi, if I lost someone I loved like that..." he glanced up the stairs, "But, like, I said, give it time...don't worry...if you really want to, you'll remember." He smiled at Jounouchi.

Jou smiled back, feeling cheered by his words, and much more capable to handle this new information that had been dumped in his lap. "Thanks, Yami, you've been a real help." The broad smile was back again, and, impulsively, only half aware that he was doing it, he wrapped his arms around the former Pharaoh, hugging him gladly, just as Katsu'yaa'ra used to do. It was only after that Jou realized what he was doing and blushed sheepishly. "Eh...sorry.."

Yami laughed and hugged him back, "You are just like her...it's quite alright, Jounouchi." Yami smiled, "And you're welcome, I'm glad I could help you."

Jou beamed, then let go, standing up. He was glad he'd came here, he wasn't sure if he could handle all of this news himself. He grinned at Yami, waved at Yugi, then bounced out, full of his usual exuberance once again.

Seto had woken up some time ago, now and was typing away on his laptop, looking up ancient egyptian history. He scrolled down to the 7th dynesty. His eyes scanned the page. Aha! He found it.

It was her.

He read the summary of her.

A portrait of her was next to the summarizing paragraph. He had his printer hooked up to the laptop and he printed the paragraph and the portrait.

Now, all he had to do was talk to Jou.

Jou tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear as he wandered, thinking over things. He'd been Yami's sister. Yami was Pharaoh, so that would make him princess. Kaiba was Yami's High Priest, the next in line to Pharaoh..so why had the relationship been forbidden? The word forbidden bounced around in his head a few times, feeling like he'd heard it a lot of times...

>'You know this is forbidden, majesty.'<

>'Yes. But I don't care.'<

He blinked and halted in his tracks. Voices in his head, now..memories? One sounded like Kaiba..the other..that voice again..her..Katsu'yaa'ra. It was like she was living in his head, taking up residence. Shaking out memories every so often like taking fruit out of a tree.

'Wish you'd shake that tree a little harder, sister..then I could remember more..' he thought to himself, then continued on, no real destination in mind, just walking with his thoughts.

Seto walked down the street toward the Game Shop. He knew Jou should be there(remember Jou is walking away from, and Seto is walking toward..[hint wink wink]). He had to show this to him...maybe it would spark something in his memory. Maybe...

Shoving his handshis his pockets, Jou wondered over the complexities of having this past life, of realizing that his life wasn't just this one..but one a long, long time ago. He shivered lightly at the thought of it and turned a corner--and ran smack face-first into a human brick wall with the chest that felt like one. He yelped slightly and staggered back before losing his footing, falling backwards onto his butt on the ground, and rubbed his nose to make sure it wasn't broken. "Itai..." he mumbled, crossing his eyes slightly.

Seto stumbled a bit when a very familiar blonde head smacked into him....'Itai..." He heard the blonde say, and caught his balance before holding out a hand to him, "Are you alright, pup?"

Massaging his nose, Jou blinked up at Kaiba, then flushed before he took his hand and allowed him to pull him up. "Nothing broken, just my dignity.." he murmured, flushing again as a whole bunch of new revelations regarding him and Kaiba came rushing at him. He ducked his head slightly, feeling like a blond-haired strawberry. "Thought you went on home?"

"I did but I found something you might want to see." He held out the paper. He looked Jou over, at that moment, and realized just how much he looked like Katsu'yaa'ra. And how much of her beauty he had gotten. His eyes shined like they had so many time before when he'd looked at Katsu'yaa'ra. Truly, this boy was her reincarnation and it showed in every possibe way.

Feeling...odd under that gaze..there was something about it that struck a chord in him...Jou flushed again as he got hold of himself and took the paper, his eyes widening as his gaze caught the picture of...well, him. Only a girl. With long hair. His eyes. His looks..only feminized..his hair, only longer. He paled a little as he recognized Katsu'yaa'ra, and before he'd even read the words, images came rushing at him, so fast, it was like on fast forward. Swallowing him. He let a t a little whimper and wavered on his feet, falling forward.

Seto caught him quickly, falling to the ground on his butt, from the others weight. He rested Jou against his chest, "Jounouchi, are you alright?"

Jou trembled, pressing his face against his chest as images assaulted him, so fast, he couldn't grab hold of them. He dearly wished for a pause button, or even a stop, it hurt his head. Eyes squinched shut, he raised his hands to his head, breathing id oud out and struggling to get himself back under control.

Seto rocked him, lightly, "Come on, pup, calm down...it'll be alright...everything will be just fine...I promise..." Promise? Going and making promises that you just intend to break again, Seto. Damn it..."Calm down...it's alright..." He rested his cheek on top of the blonde head, trying to sooth the frightened boy.

Giving a slight whimpering sound, Jou panted, lowering his hands to rest against his chest, giving a shuddering breath as he rested against him. Slowly, surely, the images slowed, ceasing making mincemeat of his head as they faded to the forefront of his mind. "Gods..." he whispered.

Seto helped him up, still holding him, "Are you alright, now?" He knew he should remove his arms, but gods, he didn't want to. It was just like holding her again. He, actually, brought his arms tighter around him, as if on instinct.

Jou appreciated the embrace, he was still shaky on his his feet. He gave a weak nod and rested his head against his shoulder. "Sorry.." he muttered. "Just..that picture...felt like my brain was on painful fast forward with images..."

Seto, hesitantly, brought his hand up, and cupped the back of the blonde head. He nodded, lightly, absentmindedly, stroking the blonde hair, the way he'd done so many times with Katsu'yaa'ra.

: And just as it soothed Katsu'yaa'ra, it also soothed Jou. He relaxed against him, sighing as his hands snaked around the brunette's waist, under the trenchcoat, and nuzzled against him absently, closing his eyes and leaning into the touch.

Seto's other hand was running up and down the smaller boy's back, lightly. Seto gave a small smile, like he'd given Katsu'yaa'ra so many times before. It felt so right to be here like this. Even though, they must have made quite a scene, it felt right, and perfect. Seto breathed in Jounouchi's smell. Like a rose, "My desert rose..." he mumbled.

Jou's eyes fluttered open against the other's shoulder, and he flushed, now able to put the nickname to mind, as that word sensory/memory fluttered through his mind mere moments before. He purred softly at the touch, shivering lightly at the th ath against his hair.

"D-do you remember everything now...?" Seto asked, quietly. He secretly wished and hoped beyond hope that he did.

Jou flushed, reluctantly pulling away from the soothing touch and looking at him shyly before glancing down and nodding.

"Jounouchi, look at me..." Seto brought a finger to his chin, tilting it up to meet his eyes, "Tell me what you saw..."

Honey-brown eyes tilted up to his hesitantly. "A whole bunch of things at once. All blurred together. Yami. My sister. You. Me. Your brother." He turned redder. "L-lovemaking, you holding me in your arms, kissing...making a promise to meet again someday...everything and nothing..all at once."

Seto frowned, "I feel like I broke my promise to her..." His grip tightened on the blonde

Jou bowed his head. "Because I'm not who you remembered...?"

"No..because she loved me....and I called her a dog...I threw her to the ground...I humiliated he fro front of her friends, and I didn't even care..." Seto, of course, was talking about what he'd done to Jounouchi at duelist kingdom and anytime since then, "I was mean and cold and heartless, and I didn't even care..."

Jou shook his head. "It's not your fault. You didn't know, same as me. We just had some lost memories, that's all.." he murmured. "Things change easily."

Seto stroked his cheek with a finger, "Yes...they do...."

Jou squeaked slightly and flushed, gazing up at him as he swallowed. That touch..it felt so familiar, yet so alien at the same time..

Seto looked, deep, into the brown eyes, "I want to know..if I have your permission to...kiss you."

Those dark eyes widened as he reached up a hand to push away blond tendrils of hair trailing on his nose from the breeze. Did he just hear right? Kaiba wanted to..kiss him..? What's more, he was asking permission..as if it mattered..that he mattered...he swallowed hard, curious about if his touch was the same as he remembered in those flashes, then nodded mutely.

Seto dipped his head down and kissed him. It feather light at first, but then Seto pressed his lips harder to Jou's, his arms tightening even more on the blonde. It felt perfect. Like he was with her again. He moved his lips against his.


Jou mewled against his lips, melting as a burst of warmth flowed through him at the touch of the soft lips, resting his hands against his chest as he kissed him back.

Seto scooted Jou into a wall and ran his tongue over his bottom lip.

His hands slid up his chest, over his neck as he made a sound of pleasure and arched his neck, opening his mouth to him as he pressed his body to his.

His tongue swooped into the deep the caverns of his mouth, his hands roaming his back, before they landed on his buttocks, squeezing lightly and grinning into the blonde's mouth.

Jou squeaked in surprise, then moaned, arching his back and pressing tightly into him as emotions from the present and the past swam at him, and he hugged him tighter, giving his all to him as his fingers twined into his hair.

Seto's hand inched up his shirt and the other down his pants. He let one hand brush across one of the blonde's nipples and the other squeezed his buttocks

Jou moaned again and arched his body, shuddering at the touches as his hands slid down his back, drowning in pleasure as his tongue shyly brushed against his.

Seto broke off, "We can't do this..." He remembered Seth saying that to Katsu'yaa'ra,"...out here." He added quickly.

Dazed brown eyes fluttered open, and he blushed as he realized where they were, and nodded sheepishly.

Seto took his hand, "Come on, we'll go back to my man--house..."

Jou was about to open his mouth, when a similiar taunt of "Hey, mutt!" came from behind them. He blinked. Only one other person called him a mutt, even if it was in jest. He turned his head and snorted at a calmly-beaming Ryujii Otogi. "Hey, 'togi. Didn't see you there."

Mischievious blue-green eyes twinkled merrily as Otogi winked. "I bet."

Seto narrowed his eyes at the black haired game inventor, "Ot'ogi..." He said, speaking the boy's past name. He growled a bit in jealousy and tightened his grip on Jounouchi.

Jou gave a startled "Meep!", his eyes widening as Otogi laughed.

"Careful there, Kaiba, might squish the cute little puppy."

Jou blushed.

"Yes...and some people who bug the cute little puppy MIGHT get squished..." His eyes were flaring with anger and jealousy and, his spoke through gritted teeth.

Jou's eyes widened more as he looked between Otogi and Seto, at a loss. He didn't remember quite everything, so he was having a bit of trouble coming up with how Seto was nearly growling at the dice-earringed other.

Otogi smirked. "That a threat, Kaiby, yy, you're awfully possessive of someone that you hate.."

"You should catch up with modern times, Otogi...who says I hate him anymore?" Seto asked, raising one slim eyebrow at the green eyed boy. His grip became even tighter on Jou.

"And perhaps you should let go of the past, hm..?" Otogi rejoined, eyes narrowing.

"Uh...Kaiba..?" Jou murmured. "You're hurting me.."

Seto loosened his grip, "Gomen..." He looked at Otogi, then back at Jou, "I should go."

Jou blinked, rubbing his arm. "But...I thought..." He sighed, then glanced down. "Alright. See ya."

Seto shrugged and walked off. He shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking, glancing back only once then shaking his head, and letting it hang, as a few of the brown hairs fell in front of his blue eyes.

~*~

Kitten: And that’s it for now, please be patient for the next chapter. R/R!!!