Memories of Egypt
folder
Yu-Gi-Oh › Yaoi - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
8
Views:
3,319
Reviews:
17
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Yu-Gi-Oh › Yaoi - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
8
Views:
3,319
Reviews:
17
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own YuGiOh!, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 6
Title: Memories of Egypt – 6/8
Author: Telpei
Pairing(s): Seto/Jou, mentions of Priest Seto/Atemu
Beta: Jennie B.
Spoilers: Mentions of plot details from the series, up to the Doom arc.
Summary: Seto has always been bothered by the idea of his Ancient Egyptian past, but what would life be like without it?
OoooooooO
Chapter 6
OoooooooO
Jounouchi had seemed surprised when Seto had suggested that they both head up to his apartment, although the blond had readily agreed that soft couch cushions would be much more comfortable than lying on the ground. However, once they had begun to walk back through the park, the spell connecting them had been broken and the new silence that stretched between them was quickly becoming awkward and uncomfortable. The brunet felt emotionally drained, and he was sure that the shorter male was experiencing the same mental exhaustion.
As they ascended in the elevator, Seto fished his keys out of his pocket, and when they reached the door to his condo, he unlocked it and ushered Jounouchi in first. He motioned towards his couch, and then offered to make tea before heading to the kitchen. While waiting for the water to boil, Seto leaned against the counter with a heavy sigh. He still didn’t know if he could trust Jounouchi, but the shorter male seemed docile enough now that the CEO had broken through his defenses. The brunet was relieved to find that although Jou had initially seemed to be entirely different in this reality, in actuality, he was really the same person; only his background had changed. Seto was glad to find that there was still hope, still a chance that he would be able to rekindle the life and fire in the blond’s amber eyes - eyes that had seemed so dull as of late.
The brunet turned his attention to the kettle as it whistled a high-pitched note, and he unplugged it to cut off the deafening sound. He dropped two round tea bags into the teapot and began to pour the steaming water, cursing softly as his cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket, startling him and causing him to spill the scalding liquid over his left hand. Setting down the kettle, Seto twisted open the cold water tap and stuck his burning skin under the steady flow of water while flipping open his phone with his opposite hand and bringing the cellular device to his ear. “Kaiba speaking,” he greeted, a frown on his lips. Since he hadn’t had time to glance at the caller ID, he had to wonder who could be calling at this hour of the night.
“Ah, good evening, Kaiba-san,” the characteristic voice of Nakamura rasped over the line. Seto cringed, his body going as frigid as the water that was coursing over his burned skin. This man was the greediest member of Kaiba Corp’s board of directors, and he was always making personal trouble for Seto. The man seemed to have some sort of vendetta against the brunet, and several times, he had confronted the CEO in his office and demanded that he resign. Seto wondered now why he hadn’t fired the man earlier, and decided to add it to his mental ‘to do’ list.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, Nakamura-san?” Seto replied in a calm voice, withdrawing his scalded hand from the water and shutting off the tap. He was beginning to get a very bad feeling about this phone call.
“I just felt the need to assure myself of your devotion to Kaiba Corporation,” the snake hissed, an obvious threat in his voice. “Are you certain that you would do anything for the good of the company?”
“Anything within reason,” Seto agreed, his brow furrowing with suspicion. “It’s late, Nakamura, as you well know. Quit beating around the bush and get to your point.”
“Very well,” the man complied, though he paused before speaking further. Seto came close to simply hanging up on the man, but his extensive training and tight hold on his temper stayed his hand. “What I really want to know is how loyal you are to your family.”
Seto’s blood froze in his veins and he sucked in a sharp breath. Nakamura chuckled on the other end of the line, sounding much, much too pleased with himself. “What have you done with my brother?” the brunet growled into the receiver, barely glancing up as Jounouchi appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. “You bastard, tell me what you’ve done!”
“Now, now, Kaiba...You have always had ~such~ a temper. Please try to control yourself. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to this darling sibling of yours.” There was a rustling of cloth in the background, and Seto could hear Mokuba’s voice in the distance, demanding that he be released at once.
“What do you want?” he asked, knowing that he would give anything for Mokuba’s sake. However, he kept a tight rein on his emotions so as not to give away any information. If he showed any sign of weakness, the enemy would be all over it in seconds.
“Well, we asked Mokuba to sell his shares to us at a fair price, but the little brat refused,” Nakamura explained with a wistful sigh. “What a pity, really...we could have spared him so much pain. Since he dared not betray you, Kaiba-san, we now have to do things the hard way. Meet us at warehouse eight in exactly half an hour. I hope you know well enough to come alone, dear boy. It would be a real shame if one of my men lost control of their gun and put a bullet through your brother’s heart. As further insurance, I have other connections in this city, and they’ll be watching you.” In the background, there was the distinct crack of a whip and Seto physically cringed as Mokuba cried out in a high pitched scream that was cut off when the line went dead.
The young CEO slowly shut his phone and set it down on the counter, followed swiftly by his fist and a loud curse that fell from his lips. He caught Jounouchi’s inquisitive look from across the room, and he thought the shorter male may have seemed a little worried, though in retrospect, he rationalized that it was probably just his imagination. Seto gave his head a brief shake to dismiss the subject. In all honesty, he didn’t want to get the blond involved. Nakamura had spoken of other connections, and he may have been referring to the Rintama gang. Seto wasn’t stupid, after all, and he knew that Nakamura was the type of person who would go to any lengths to get what he wanted.
As his thoughts turned to the gang, Seto’s eyes slowly began to narrow. During their earlier argument, the blond had made reference to the gang’s intentions of attacking his company. Furthermore, Jou had never explained exactly why he’d been following Seto in the park. Was Jounouchi keeping tabs on the CEO for Hirutani?
“What’s going on?” the blond demanded, striding into the room and crossing his arms over his chest. “You can’t just brush me off like that, Kaiba. Even I can tell you’re seriously pissed right now. Who was that on the phone?”
“What’s going on?” Seto echoed, turning to face the blond with a scowl on his lips. “I could ask you the same thing. You wouldn’t happen to know anything of my brother’s kidnapping, would you?”
The brunet watched Jounouchi’s expression carefully, gauging his reaction. If the CEO was good at one thing, it was interpreting other people’s emotions. Jou’s eyes were honestly surprised, however, so Seto heaved a deep sigh to calm himself.
“I’m sorry,” he said, running his fingers through his hair. “I suppose I had no right to accuse you of being involved. I jumped to conclusions without the facts.”
“Your brother was kidnapped?” Jounouchi asked with a frown. “Why don’t you fill me in on what facts you do know, Kaiba, and maybe I can help.”
It was Seto’s turn to frown as he regarded the blond, unsure as to whether he could trust the gang member or not. “You want to help? Why on Earth would you want to do that? Half an hour ago, you were threatening my life.”
Jounouchi shrugged and looked away, obviously unwilling to admit to anything. “It’s your little bro,” he explained simply. “I would have done anything for Shizuka, so I know what it’s like. You’re just going to have to take my word on that one. ”
Seto nodded slowly, willing to admit that they were on common ground. He knew from his memories of this life that, shortly after she had had her eye surgery, Shizuka had gone missing – presumably kidnapped by someone with a grudge against Jounouchi. After all, the two had been pictured on the front page of the Domino Herald newspaper as a symbol of sibling love and family togetherness. If Jou had been involved in the Rintama gang even back then, which was obviously the case if Hirutani had supplied the money for the surgery, it was plausible that Jounouchi could have had enemies. Following that reasoning, Seto decided that the blond was trustworthy in this situation.
“All right,” the brunet finally agreed, taking a seat at the kitchen table and motioning for Jou to sit as well. “Kaiba Corp has a board of directors to help make important decisions,” he began to explain, “and apparently one of them was corrupt. His name is Nakamura, and he says he has Mokuba at warehouse eight. I’m to meet him there in half an hour.”
“Alone, presumably?” Jounouchi questioned, raising an eyebrow. “You’re not really that stupid, are you?”
Seto shrugged. “I don’t see that I have much choice. Nakamura wants my company, and if that’s what it takes to save Mokuba...”
“Don’t be an idiot,” Jou cut in, beginning to look angry. “If you go in there alone, Kaiba, you’ll be eaten alive. He won’t be willing to bargain when he has all the pieces. What makes you think Mokuba will be released, even if you give that bastard what he wants?”
The brunet bit back an angry retort and sighed. “You’re right,” he admitted after a moment, and shaking his head dejectedly. “There’s no guarantee. Nakamura has the obvious upper hand...but do you have any better ideas?”
Jounouchi gave a sly grin and pulled his own cell phone out of his pocket. “I know some guys who owe me a favour, so I’ll just give them a call and – ”
“No,” Seto quickly disagreed, shaking his head. “I don’t want to get involved in any kind of gang business. Before I took over Kaiba Corp, Gozaburo had dealings with them, and I promised myself that I would never take that path. Thank you for your offer, Jounouchi, but I’m afraid I’ll have to decline,” he decided, getting to his feet. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get down to that warehouse.”
With a frown, Jou got to his feet as well and followed Seto to the door of the condo. “I really don’t think that’s the smart choice, Kaiba,” he commented as he watched the brunet put on his shoes and coat. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”
Seto shrugged. “I’ll manage somehow,” he argued, reaching for his car keys and checking to make sure he had his cell phone and his wallet. “I’m not completely helpless, you know.”
Jounouchi sighed with frustration. “You’re one stubborn ass, that’s for sure,” he murmured under his breath. Reaching under his jacket and into the waistband of his pants, Jou pulled out his gun and held it out towards the brunet. “I think you should at least have this with you.”
Seto stared at it for several moments, gauging the consequences, before he shook his head. “The last thing I need is someone’s blood on my hands,” he decided, turning away from Jou and the gun. “Thank you for your generous offer, Jounouchi, but again, I’ll have to decline. I trust you can find your own way home,” he said, opening the door to the condo and stepping out into the hall. “I’ll see you around.”
Jounouchi watched with growing apprehension as Kaiba headed down the hall and disappeared into the elevator. With a sigh, he opened his cell phone and hit one of the speed dial buttons. He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to help the brunet so badly, but he knew he had to do something. He wasn’t going to let Seto throw his life away, or risk that of his little brother. The blond knew from his own experience in that exact same situation, he had lost all that was important to him.
Ooo TBC ooO
Author: Telpei
Pairing(s): Seto/Jou, mentions of Priest Seto/Atemu
Beta: Jennie B.
Spoilers: Mentions of plot details from the series, up to the Doom arc.
Summary: Seto has always been bothered by the idea of his Ancient Egyptian past, but what would life be like without it?
OoooooooO
Chapter 6
OoooooooO
Jounouchi had seemed surprised when Seto had suggested that they both head up to his apartment, although the blond had readily agreed that soft couch cushions would be much more comfortable than lying on the ground. However, once they had begun to walk back through the park, the spell connecting them had been broken and the new silence that stretched between them was quickly becoming awkward and uncomfortable. The brunet felt emotionally drained, and he was sure that the shorter male was experiencing the same mental exhaustion.
As they ascended in the elevator, Seto fished his keys out of his pocket, and when they reached the door to his condo, he unlocked it and ushered Jounouchi in first. He motioned towards his couch, and then offered to make tea before heading to the kitchen. While waiting for the water to boil, Seto leaned against the counter with a heavy sigh. He still didn’t know if he could trust Jounouchi, but the shorter male seemed docile enough now that the CEO had broken through his defenses. The brunet was relieved to find that although Jou had initially seemed to be entirely different in this reality, in actuality, he was really the same person; only his background had changed. Seto was glad to find that there was still hope, still a chance that he would be able to rekindle the life and fire in the blond’s amber eyes - eyes that had seemed so dull as of late.
The brunet turned his attention to the kettle as it whistled a high-pitched note, and he unplugged it to cut off the deafening sound. He dropped two round tea bags into the teapot and began to pour the steaming water, cursing softly as his cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket, startling him and causing him to spill the scalding liquid over his left hand. Setting down the kettle, Seto twisted open the cold water tap and stuck his burning skin under the steady flow of water while flipping open his phone with his opposite hand and bringing the cellular device to his ear. “Kaiba speaking,” he greeted, a frown on his lips. Since he hadn’t had time to glance at the caller ID, he had to wonder who could be calling at this hour of the night.
“Ah, good evening, Kaiba-san,” the characteristic voice of Nakamura rasped over the line. Seto cringed, his body going as frigid as the water that was coursing over his burned skin. This man was the greediest member of Kaiba Corp’s board of directors, and he was always making personal trouble for Seto. The man seemed to have some sort of vendetta against the brunet, and several times, he had confronted the CEO in his office and demanded that he resign. Seto wondered now why he hadn’t fired the man earlier, and decided to add it to his mental ‘to do’ list.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, Nakamura-san?” Seto replied in a calm voice, withdrawing his scalded hand from the water and shutting off the tap. He was beginning to get a very bad feeling about this phone call.
“I just felt the need to assure myself of your devotion to Kaiba Corporation,” the snake hissed, an obvious threat in his voice. “Are you certain that you would do anything for the good of the company?”
“Anything within reason,” Seto agreed, his brow furrowing with suspicion. “It’s late, Nakamura, as you well know. Quit beating around the bush and get to your point.”
“Very well,” the man complied, though he paused before speaking further. Seto came close to simply hanging up on the man, but his extensive training and tight hold on his temper stayed his hand. “What I really want to know is how loyal you are to your family.”
Seto’s blood froze in his veins and he sucked in a sharp breath. Nakamura chuckled on the other end of the line, sounding much, much too pleased with himself. “What have you done with my brother?” the brunet growled into the receiver, barely glancing up as Jounouchi appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. “You bastard, tell me what you’ve done!”
“Now, now, Kaiba...You have always had ~such~ a temper. Please try to control yourself. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to this darling sibling of yours.” There was a rustling of cloth in the background, and Seto could hear Mokuba’s voice in the distance, demanding that he be released at once.
“What do you want?” he asked, knowing that he would give anything for Mokuba’s sake. However, he kept a tight rein on his emotions so as not to give away any information. If he showed any sign of weakness, the enemy would be all over it in seconds.
“Well, we asked Mokuba to sell his shares to us at a fair price, but the little brat refused,” Nakamura explained with a wistful sigh. “What a pity, really...we could have spared him so much pain. Since he dared not betray you, Kaiba-san, we now have to do things the hard way. Meet us at warehouse eight in exactly half an hour. I hope you know well enough to come alone, dear boy. It would be a real shame if one of my men lost control of their gun and put a bullet through your brother’s heart. As further insurance, I have other connections in this city, and they’ll be watching you.” In the background, there was the distinct crack of a whip and Seto physically cringed as Mokuba cried out in a high pitched scream that was cut off when the line went dead.
The young CEO slowly shut his phone and set it down on the counter, followed swiftly by his fist and a loud curse that fell from his lips. He caught Jounouchi’s inquisitive look from across the room, and he thought the shorter male may have seemed a little worried, though in retrospect, he rationalized that it was probably just his imagination. Seto gave his head a brief shake to dismiss the subject. In all honesty, he didn’t want to get the blond involved. Nakamura had spoken of other connections, and he may have been referring to the Rintama gang. Seto wasn’t stupid, after all, and he knew that Nakamura was the type of person who would go to any lengths to get what he wanted.
As his thoughts turned to the gang, Seto’s eyes slowly began to narrow. During their earlier argument, the blond had made reference to the gang’s intentions of attacking his company. Furthermore, Jou had never explained exactly why he’d been following Seto in the park. Was Jounouchi keeping tabs on the CEO for Hirutani?
“What’s going on?” the blond demanded, striding into the room and crossing his arms over his chest. “You can’t just brush me off like that, Kaiba. Even I can tell you’re seriously pissed right now. Who was that on the phone?”
“What’s going on?” Seto echoed, turning to face the blond with a scowl on his lips. “I could ask you the same thing. You wouldn’t happen to know anything of my brother’s kidnapping, would you?”
The brunet watched Jounouchi’s expression carefully, gauging his reaction. If the CEO was good at one thing, it was interpreting other people’s emotions. Jou’s eyes were honestly surprised, however, so Seto heaved a deep sigh to calm himself.
“I’m sorry,” he said, running his fingers through his hair. “I suppose I had no right to accuse you of being involved. I jumped to conclusions without the facts.”
“Your brother was kidnapped?” Jounouchi asked with a frown. “Why don’t you fill me in on what facts you do know, Kaiba, and maybe I can help.”
It was Seto’s turn to frown as he regarded the blond, unsure as to whether he could trust the gang member or not. “You want to help? Why on Earth would you want to do that? Half an hour ago, you were threatening my life.”
Jounouchi shrugged and looked away, obviously unwilling to admit to anything. “It’s your little bro,” he explained simply. “I would have done anything for Shizuka, so I know what it’s like. You’re just going to have to take my word on that one. ”
Seto nodded slowly, willing to admit that they were on common ground. He knew from his memories of this life that, shortly after she had had her eye surgery, Shizuka had gone missing – presumably kidnapped by someone with a grudge against Jounouchi. After all, the two had been pictured on the front page of the Domino Herald newspaper as a symbol of sibling love and family togetherness. If Jou had been involved in the Rintama gang even back then, which was obviously the case if Hirutani had supplied the money for the surgery, it was plausible that Jounouchi could have had enemies. Following that reasoning, Seto decided that the blond was trustworthy in this situation.
“All right,” the brunet finally agreed, taking a seat at the kitchen table and motioning for Jou to sit as well. “Kaiba Corp has a board of directors to help make important decisions,” he began to explain, “and apparently one of them was corrupt. His name is Nakamura, and he says he has Mokuba at warehouse eight. I’m to meet him there in half an hour.”
“Alone, presumably?” Jounouchi questioned, raising an eyebrow. “You’re not really that stupid, are you?”
Seto shrugged. “I don’t see that I have much choice. Nakamura wants my company, and if that’s what it takes to save Mokuba...”
“Don’t be an idiot,” Jou cut in, beginning to look angry. “If you go in there alone, Kaiba, you’ll be eaten alive. He won’t be willing to bargain when he has all the pieces. What makes you think Mokuba will be released, even if you give that bastard what he wants?”
The brunet bit back an angry retort and sighed. “You’re right,” he admitted after a moment, and shaking his head dejectedly. “There’s no guarantee. Nakamura has the obvious upper hand...but do you have any better ideas?”
Jounouchi gave a sly grin and pulled his own cell phone out of his pocket. “I know some guys who owe me a favour, so I’ll just give them a call and – ”
“No,” Seto quickly disagreed, shaking his head. “I don’t want to get involved in any kind of gang business. Before I took over Kaiba Corp, Gozaburo had dealings with them, and I promised myself that I would never take that path. Thank you for your offer, Jounouchi, but I’m afraid I’ll have to decline,” he decided, getting to his feet. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get down to that warehouse.”
With a frown, Jou got to his feet as well and followed Seto to the door of the condo. “I really don’t think that’s the smart choice, Kaiba,” he commented as he watched the brunet put on his shoes and coat. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”
Seto shrugged. “I’ll manage somehow,” he argued, reaching for his car keys and checking to make sure he had his cell phone and his wallet. “I’m not completely helpless, you know.”
Jounouchi sighed with frustration. “You’re one stubborn ass, that’s for sure,” he murmured under his breath. Reaching under his jacket and into the waistband of his pants, Jou pulled out his gun and held it out towards the brunet. “I think you should at least have this with you.”
Seto stared at it for several moments, gauging the consequences, before he shook his head. “The last thing I need is someone’s blood on my hands,” he decided, turning away from Jou and the gun. “Thank you for your generous offer, Jounouchi, but again, I’ll have to decline. I trust you can find your own way home,” he said, opening the door to the condo and stepping out into the hall. “I’ll see you around.”
Jounouchi watched with growing apprehension as Kaiba headed down the hall and disappeared into the elevator. With a sigh, he opened his cell phone and hit one of the speed dial buttons. He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to help the brunet so badly, but he knew he had to do something. He wasn’t going to let Seto throw his life away, or risk that of his little brother. The blond knew from his own experience in that exact same situation, he had lost all that was important to him.
Ooo TBC ooO