Coalescence

20) Revelations

Summary: Yami exps his his discovery about two of the new cards; the meeting in the soul room is rudely interrupted; Yugi talks to Jounouchi on the phone.

"Truly," Yami murmured a few minutes later, his voice still rough with emotion, "the gods are favoring me today. Perhaps I sacrificed my lto sto seal away the Millennium magic all those centuries ago only to find my life's answer today in this room. Perhaps this is finally my reward for that sacrifice..."

As he trailed off, Yugi ventured to speak. "You mean you've found us both and you love us both, Yami?"

Yami smiled, caressing his light's cheek even as he glanced up to meet the eyes of his lover. "Far beyond that. For I have discovered a way to have everything I desire. To be free to love my beloved Seto as I ache to... and at the same time to ensure that our minds will be forever bonded, my Yugi."

The meaning of the words didn't register immediately, but a handful of heartbeats later, Seto breathed, "W...what? What do you mean, 'free to love' me?"

In response, Yami reachedo hio his jacket and pulled out two of his new cards. "I have learned what these are for and how to use them," he murmured quietly, showing the cards to them.

Seto and Yugi looked at the two cards together. Yugi shook his head, not making the connection. Seto paled, a hitch in his breath. "Yami, they've changed! Yugi, see this one - the Bond of the Gods! These figures were not there before..."

"Horus and Osiris, the gods who represent the cycle of death and rebirth... immortality," Yami explained softly. "That's you and me, Yugi."

"N...nani?" Yugi gasped, stunned. "We represent these gods? But what does this mean?"

Yami pressed a kiss to his forehead. "This, my little light, means that despite the magic of this other card, you and I will never be apart in mind and soul. We will be bound by the magic... forever."

Yugi felt a little faint. "Forever..." he echoed, but frowned, indicating the other card. "Then what's this all about?"

"Dark Manifestation," Seto breathed, looking in astonishment at the second card as he read its name. "Does this... Kami-sama, I can't believe it! This means what I think it does?" He felt his heart racing as his wildest dream seemed within reach. [This changes so much! And now the first card makes sense...]

"Yes, Dark Manifestation," Yami murmured, an exultant note in his voice as he smiled lovingly at him. "The magic that will allow me to have my own body separate from Yugi's. Yet I've been strictly informed that to use this without completing the Bonding ritual with the other card is to invite peril."

"You can have your own body?" Yugi exclaimed in shock. "You won't be able to share mine anymore?" He realized he should be relieved,sidesidering what Yami and Seto wanted to, er, share together, but it would mean a loss of the closeness with Yami, wouldn't it? [Or is thaat tat the Bond card is for?]

"Actually, aibou," Yami explained smoothly, "I will be able to do both. Dark Manifestation is Continuous Magic, and because of the strengthened bond between us, sometimes I can share your body like now, and at other times I will also be able to manifest my own in the real world apart from yours."

"How do you know all this?" Seto asked, bewildered and not yet fully believing this could all happen. If Dark Manifestation did not work, it would be a cruel death of his deepest hopes. Of course, they could still be together on occasion like now, but there would be much more stress to Yugi. If separate, they needn't worry about the limitations placed on Yami because of the body-sharing. [I can see him every day... and we'll be able to be much more intimate...] He tingled, thinking about the possible fulfillment of his endless fantasies involving the diminutive Gamesmaster.

Yami smiled, adding a wink to Seto as if he guessed the pattern of his thoughts... and likely his had already gone the same direction. "Basically the Puzzle revealed it through the medium of the Dark Sage card. And as you see, the Bond of the Gods card and the Dark Manifestation card have altered since I first received them. I believe that this will indeed be possible to achieve!"

Yugi missed the sexual subtext passing between the other two above him, his face pressed into Yami's neck. "I won't lose... *this*... will I?" [He'll want to be with Seto every minute he can... maybe even go live with him...]

"Yugi," Yami breathed, placing a finger under his light half's chin to lift his gaze up to him. "Absolutely not. The Bond of the Gods deepens what we have, not lessens. We'll be physically apart more often than not, but I will sense you constantly like now. Maybe even more." Then his tone of voice changed to something more detached. "This is not inevitable, Yugi. We will not do this against your wishes. For one thing, I believe the Bond of the Gods will mean that your mind and mine will be more united in thinking... and I was told our hearts will resonate as well. You understand what that means, don't you?"

[I just want to keep you, love you,] Yugi was thinking without actually sending to his dark half. "Um, no..."

Seto could not hold back a little gasp as he understood what Yami was getting "Yu "Yugi," he breathed, meeting the boy's gaze as it was turned up to his, "it means that as Yami has fallen in love with me... you will, too."

Yugi's eyes widened in shock. "I'll... fall in love with you, Seto-kun?" he asked, feeling faint. [Oh, shit, how the hell could I ever explain THIS to my friends? It's bad enough my Yami is dating Seto Kaiba, but...!]

Seto closed his eyes and turned his head aside, his expression neutral. "As Yami said, the use of these cais nis not inevitable. Isis Ishtahr gave them to us to use as we wished... or not. As they're from the future, it's not certain that we have to use them. Perhaps it's a future that isn't meant to be."

"We are NOT making any decisions about this now," Yami murmured quickly. "For one thing, the conditions aren't quite right. This is Monday night. I think next Saturday is soon enough, if in fact we choose to proceed with this. ALL of us."

[I'm being silly, Iw,] w,] Yugi was thinking, seeing how closed off Seto had become. Yami, too, was trying to be neutral, not willing to pressure him into this, despite his hopes. [It's not like I don't *like* Seto... on the contrary, especially now. I guess I could see myself falling for him... sometime. Maybe nothing has to be done now... or for a long time. Maybe they'll be patient with me longer. After all, this didn't even seem like a possibility a short while ago. Maybe...]

Mentally he kicked himself. [Mutou, you idiot... what IS your problem?] And he wanted to laugh at himself, now that he thought about it. [Seto Kaiba is gorgeous, hot, and he's become kind and gentle toward me... and accepting of my need for Yami, too. What can I possibly complain about here?? And to be bonded like this to Yami *forever*...] He shivered, knowing deep within that he wanted absolutely nothing more. [And if he's separate, there's no need for me to have to be more intimate with either of them than I want... and I know it's just too soon for that for me. I know they'll both respect that...]

There was one last nagging question. He glanced up at Seto again, wondering. "Seto-kun, but are you going to fall in love with me?" [I can't BELIEVE I just said that,] he added to himself with a mental squeak.

//Aibou...!// Yami thought at him, thrilled to hear his light speak in such a manner.

/I can't believe I said that,/ Yugi admitted, turning red again.

Seto made an amused noise. "I think we've forgotten about the other Bond card," he murmured, feeling an interior joy he would not have thought possible for him to feel. [Of course, that's the answer... I, too, can be bonded to him...!]

"Seto's right," Yami murmured, smiling. "I don't know all of the circumstances surrounding the use of the Bond of the Protectors card, but I believe that in time Seto and I will use this in a similar manner. At least I feel strongly that he and I are meant to be these 'Protectors'. I feel certain its effects could be similar to the Bond of the Gods card."

Yugi looked from one to the other, astonished. "You mean Seto-kun will come to love me, just as *I* will come to love him!"

"There's a strong possibility of that, aibou." [Though I believe it won't take the magic of a card for you to love Seto,] Yami thought, smiling. [There's already something between you two...]

"I'm guessing this is Permanent Magic," Seto murmured, glancing at Yami again. "Therefore the three of us must be very certain before we attempt to use any of this magic. We neither want to hurt each other... or any others close to us. We must consider all the consequences of our actions."

"Very true," Yami murmured. "This is extremely powerful magic. Nothing to run into hastily."

Downstairs, the phone rang. Grandpa Mutou answered it, greeted the caller who was Katsuya Jounouchi, and yelled up the stairs for Yugi to pick up on his end.

No answer. Frowning, he told Jounouchi that he'd have Yugi call him in a few minutes, then hung up. Climbing the stairs, he supposed that Yugi and the Kaiba boy must be listening to music or something and didn't hear him.

Listening through the door to Yugi's bedroom, there wasn't a sound. Nothing. [Maybe they have headphones on?] the old man wondered, then carefully opened the door a crack.

He was not at all prepared for what he saw. After a quick moment of shock and anger, he realized it was Yami, not Yugi sitting on the bed, apparently asleep - with Seto Kaiba's head in his lap in a MOST familiar manner! [So THIS is whom that boy is dating!] Grandpa Mutou thought blackly, then cleared his throat loudly. Surely that would wake up the naughty boys!

But... nothing. Frowning, he came over to the bed, thinking to surprise them... before he booted that Kaiba demon out the door and out of his house! Strangely they were breathing normally, not as if sleeping. "Other Yugi!" he called out, touching the young man's shoulder. Nothing. Then he shook the other boy's arm. "Kaiba-san! Wake up, you!"

In the soul room, Seto gasped sharply as the room began to shimmer. "What's happening?"

Yami was already aware. "Yugi's jii-san..." //Aibou, I'll go... it's me who has to explain this.//

/Oh, shit, he'll be pissed.../

//We'll be fine,// he replied, though he grimaced when Seto disappeared.

"Uhnnnn," Seto said aloud, rousing in Yugi's real bedroom. "What's..."

"That's what I'd like to know," Grandpa Mutou retorted, arms crossed over his chest as he regarded the two boys sternly. He glared at Kaiba as the tall boy sat up slowly, and then over at the taller version of his grandson. "You! What's the meaning of this, and where is Yugi?"

Yami opened his eyes, but did not move off the bed as yet. "Mutou-san, I suppose you could say we fell asleep."

"At least! So this is whom you are dating... whatever your name is? Does Yugi know you're dating Kaiba-san?"

Seto moved off the bed smoothly and stood, stepping away from them both. "I should be going," he murmured, turning toward the door. "Gomen ne, Mutou-san..."

"Hold it right there - not until I get some answers," Grandpa snapped. Seto froze but did not look at him or his lover.

Yami spoke up quickly, hoping to defuse what was a very uncomfortable situation... especially for Seto. "Yugi knows and has encouraged me to enjoy Seto Kaiba's company. We were just talking here on the bed, and fell asleep. Sir, we would never insult your hospitality by indulging in any licentious behavior under your roof. If you like, I can get Yugi now."

The smooth, polite manners of the other Yugi mollified the old man, who merely hummed with a bit of irritation. "Well, yes, I would like to talk to him. I want to know what he is thinking, allowing... this!" He glanced in the direction of the taller teenager, not looking at him. "You'd better leave now, I think."

Seto glanced over at Yami, who returned the gaze, hoping something in his eyes could communicate the regret and sympathy he felt. "Yami," he said his lover's name pointedly, since the old man hadn't as much as asked it, "tell Yugi I'll see him at school tomorrow. Oyasumi, Yami-san... Mutou-san." (Oyasumi = Good night) He bowed correctly and left the room.

"Oyasumi, Seto," Yami whispered, then bowed his head. A moment later, Yugi stood holding the puzzle. Immediately the boy looked toward the door with regret, then turned back to his grandfather. "Was all that really necessary, Jii-chan?" he asked crossly. [Just when we were coming to some sort of understanding about what the future might hold,] he thought, irritated.

"Don't start, young man," Grandpa retorted. "Yami, is that his name? What is he, your *dark* side??"

"Yes. Sort of, although I don't think he's very dark."

"So, this Yami-san and Kaiba-san are DATING? And you're encouraging that??" Grandpa didn't know whether to be confused or angry, though he certainly was a little of both.

"They're good for each other," Yugi murmured tensely. "You don't know how Kaiba-kun has changed, Jii-chan. He's really been nice to me, and he cares a lot for Yami-san."

Grandpa frowned, still unhappy. "This 'Yami-san' - what is he, exactly?"

Yugi bowed his head, pausing to consider his own feelings. He couldn't help but feel warmth for them both... his Yami, and Yami's beloved, Seto. "He's the ancient spirit of an Egyptian pharoah trapped in the Millennium Puzzle, Jii-chan. He's the one who teamed up with me to win all those duels... which, I might remind you, helped save you from Pegasus-san."

"I remember," Grandpa said tersely. "You say there's really a spirit in the Puzzle? And you sort of, um, change into this guy?" He wanted to ask the obvious - if this Yami was gay, what about Yugi??

"He shares my body, yes, but don't get all weird on me, Jii-chan," Yugi threw back firmly, hoping to forestall an argument. "He would never do anything to hurt me or anything that I would disapprove of. When he's out with Kaiba-kun, I'm not even there. And they're not..." He blushed fiercely, not sure if he could say it. "They're NOT!"

Grandpa could guess, and he relaxed a little. "So this is where my Yugi tells his old grandpa that he just has to trust him and this spirit..."

"Yeah..." Yugi muttered crossly. "I trust *him* and I trust Kaiba!"

Raising an eyebrow, Grandpa saw that Yugi certainly did. "Well, I don't like them hanging out up in your room if..." He waved his hand indiscriminately. "I just don't."

"Fine, they won't come here together again," Yugi responded, hoping this would be the end of it. "You're not upset because Yami-san is gay, are you? He's very smart and responsible, Jii-chan. Really, you don't have to worry about him."

Impressed that his young grandson - okay, he had to admit the boy was sixteen and therefore not THAT young - would state things so bluntly, he asked, "Are you gay?"

//Aibou...//

/I can handle this,/ Yugi replied firmly to his darker half. "Yes, I probably am, too, Jii-chan. I'm not completely comfortable with that myself yet, but it feels right. Anyway, I really am not interested in dating right now."

Two bushy gray eyebrows hit the ceiling, then recovered. "Well! Um... it's good that you know yourself so well, Yugi," Grandpa murmured. "Yes, well... hmmm! Any of your friends know about all this?"

"You're the first lucky soul," Yugi replied a bit dryly. "Anyway, Yami-san and Kaiba-kun have only had one date, so it's not like it's had time to get out at school. It's not my business to tell the world, so..." He shrugged. [Though I know I will be getting the questions soon, I guess...]

"I suppose not," Grandpa said lamely. "Well. If you're confident that your dark side and that Kaiba-san weren't up to something, er... you know... here in your bedroom..."

"Jii-chan!" Yugi exclaimed, indignant. "Yami would never!" /Er, I had to say that,/ he quickly added to his other self, who was chuckling by now, enjoying his hikari's "handling" of the situation.

"Hmmm..." Grandpa shrugged, sighing. "Well, I'm sorry I was so harsh to that Kaiba boy, then... and I hope he truly has changed and isn't fooling you."

"He has," Yugi murmured, an unconsciously tender note creeping into his voice.

Fortunately, Grandpa Mutou was looking around the room - for incriminating evidence that he didn't find - and missed the undercurrent in his grandson's voice.

//Aibou,// Yami sent with a wave of love.

/I'll let you call Seto later./

//Arigato...//

Seto, his face burning, stepped into the night air to call for a car. [I'll never be able to face Yugi's grandfather again... just great,] he thought morosely, wondering why he hadn't insisted that Yugi come to his place for that "discussion". Location shouldn't matter, should it? Well, now we're gone from that lovely little place were we could be all so cozy together... back to the real world...]

He shrugged a shoulder, wondering blackly how he could let himself believe in the promises of magic represented by Isis's cards. [Magic! I can't waste time on stuff like thahe mhe mused. [I've got Mokuba to raise and a business to run... and school to endure on top of that.] Then he pictured Yami in his mind's eye. [But he's so beautiful and he believes in all that magical stuff...] Sighing, he bowed his head, turned up the collar on his long jacket, and began to walk in the direction of his mansion on the other side of the city.

Yugi, meanwhile, called his best friend after his grandfather went back downstairs. "Oi, Jounouchi-kun, what's up?" he asked when his blond friend answered. Yami, he sensed, had retreated completely.

"Yugi!" Jounouchi greeted him easily. "Eh, nothin', just thought I'd call to chat for a bit. You get that English assignment done okay?"

"Yeah..." Yugi sighed, sitting crosslegged on his bed. "English is *hard*. I don't know how anyone can speak that language. It's funny, though. We use a lot of English when we play Duel Monsters, which I guess makes sense since it was developed by an American. We say 'monster, 'turn', 'draw' and 'direct attack'. Most of the card names are even in English."

They chatted amiably about school for a bit more, then Jounouchi sighed and changed the subject. "Yugi, I called to, um... well, actually, I kinda wanted to apologize for something."

"What's that, Jounouchi-kun?"

"Well, I was really ragging on you today about your little meeting after school with Kaiba," Jounouchi sighed.

"Oh, that's..."

"No, that's not okay," Jounouchi cut him off. "It's none of my business if you want to spend time with Mr. Fancypants and I have no right to give you noise about it."

"Er..."

"Okay, I shouldn't be calling him names like that, even if he does refer to me as a dog every chance he gets..."

"Jounouchi-kun..."

"Not that he seems to have done that lately, I know," the blond went on persistently. "It seems like you think he's changed, right?"

"Yes," Yugi murmured quietly. "He really has, Jounouchi-kun. I... can't explain it, but he isn't interested in treating people like he used to anymore. It's... hard for him to make friends, being who he is, but... he's trying. Maybe he feels a bit more comfortable with me because of our duels. He's had to work so hard to get where he is all his life, and now that he's a success and realizes he needs more out of life, it's not so easy."

"Yeah?" Jounouchi said softly, impressed. Though the thought of Seto Kaiba made him see red, he trusted Yugi's uncanny trust and insight into people more. After all, Yugi had made friends with Katsuya Jounouchi!

[Oh, if I can get just Jounouchi on Kaiba's side, that will be a MAJOR accomplishment!] Yugi thought, relieved, though realistic. Jounouchi and Kaiba did have some bad blood between them from Duelist Kingdom.

"So, the puzzle spirit - Yami? So he's friends with Kaiba, too, eh?" Jounouchi was asking, breaking into his reverie. "That's so weird, after all your duels!"

"Um?" Yugi made a noise, startled. "Oh! Well, they understand each other, I think. You've got to admit, they're both pretty strong personalities. I think they have a lot in common."

"Eh, I suppose so..." Jounouchi trailed off. He'd wanted to call Yugi this evening, but Anzu and Honda had also pressed him into it. They wanted to know more about this "Yami" person inside their friend. "You know, your Yami is our friend, too," he went on, wondering how to get more information without making it sound like he was trying to get more information. "Eh, it's hard to think of him as a separate person! When you were dueling... hey, when *I* dueled you - that was him, wasn't it?"

"That was both of us, Jounouchi-kun," Yugi replied, again thinking that talking about Yami was safer than talking about Kaiba. "Our minds were blended together. He does consider all of you his friends as I do. It was just his personality and his form that was dominant during the duel."

"His form? Oh, right." Jounouchi had to remind himself that Yugi really did look different during a duel. It wasn't just that he was more confident. He even appeared taller, older. "Eh, that's just too... well, anyway, it's because of your magical Puzzle, right?"

"Yes."

Jounouchi felt a pang of compassion for his friend. "You were really scared when the Puzzle came apart, weren't you? You know, when the Puzzle was stolen."

Yugi was startled by the quiet tenderness in his friend's voice. "Yami-san and I are very close. I thought... I'd lost him."

Jounouchi was stunned by Yugi's choice of words: "very close". [Close? How close is very close? What does he mean by that? But he calls him "Yami-san", not "Yami-kun".... I guess out of respect. The guy's thousands of years old, after all...]

But Yugi was still speaking, his voice quiet and hushed, almost reverent. "I haven't explained this to you guys much, but I can feel Yami-san in my mind... most of the times, unless he's retreated to give me privacy... like now. We... talk a lot together, especially at night."

"You mean like voices in your head? You hear him like that?" Jounouchi asked, hoping he didn't sound too freaked out. [I know Yugi's told us about all this, but still, it's pretty weird stuff...]

"Yeah... kinda," Yugi tried to explain, thinking that his friend didn't believe him. "I mean, he's REAL - it's not like I have multiple personality disorder! He's a very real person, Jounouchi! But he shares my soul... and I do feel him and can talk to him in my mind." He paused, then added timidly, "You do believe me, don't you, Jounouchi-kun?"

"Sure, of course, no problem," Jounouchi said quickly, then got an idea. "Hey, could I talk to him? I mean, would you mind?"

"Oh! Um, sure, I suppose so! Hang on, he's not listening and I have to get his attention first."

"Okay, I'm not going anywhere!" [Eh, at last I might get some real info here... heh.]

tbc
Yami Czarina
Peacewind7@yahoo.com