Carved in Stone

Faded Pictures

            Joey’s heart felt as if it were going to leap out of his chest. Tiny beads of sweat pooled up
on his fore head. He hadn’t seen Seto this upset in a long time, and he knew he had to find a way
to calm him down. It wasn’t going to be easy soothing Seto, but Joey had an idea.

“So whwerewere you all night, Wheeler? Care to enlighten me?” Seto glared angrily.

Joey hung his head and sighed.

“I don’t have an excuse, Kaiba. I should have called and let you know I was knocked
unconscious after Bandit Keith and his asshole friends jumped me. I’m sorry Seto, I didn’t mean
to worry you.”

Seto’s harsh glare softened as he tipped Joey’s chin up gently with his hand. He looked over the
blond’s cuts and bruises and quickly turned away. The elevator doors opened and Seto stepped
out. Joey stepped out behind Seto and followed the CEO into his office.

Seto’s desk was cluttered with stacks of contracts that needed to be signed, prototypes for new
gaming devices, and crumpled up papers. He sat down in his cushy blue executive chair and
buried his face in his hands.

Joey found himself feeling rather awkward at the moment. He wasn’t sure whether it was best to
leave Seto alone or try to talk to him. His sixth sense told him to talk to Seto, so Joey cleared his
throat.

“Uh, Kaiba?” he asked in a demure voice.

Seto lifted his eyes and groaned.

“What?” he stated flatly.

Joey scratched his head. He realized he hadn’t thought about what he was even going to say.

“Well, I, uh...I um..”

Seto made a sour face.

“Get to the point already” he snapped sharply.

Joey could feel his skin crawling at the hint of harshness of Seto’s voice. He took a deep breath
and prayed he wouldn’t say something stupid. After a few moments of thinking, Joey took a
deep breath and said what was on his mind.

“I’m really sorry. I want to make it up to you.”

Seto rested his chin in his hand. He looked up at Joey with half attentive glance.

“Don’t even bother. Go lay by your dish and leave me alone.”

Joey bit his bottom lip and swallowed hard. This wasn’t going to be easy.

“I’yingying to be nice here, but you ain’t makin’ it easy! Damn Kaiba, what crawled up your butt
and died?

Seto got up from his comfy executive chair and steadied himself with his hands on his desk. He
glared sharply at Joey.

“I think you better go now” he growled.

Joey slammed his fists down on Seto’s desk and glared back at Seto. His fuse was lit now, and
there was no holding back.

“NO! I’m not gonna go! I know you’re pissed off because I didn’t come home last night, and I
know you’re probably pissed because Mokuba moved out, but I don’t give a flying fuck! You’ve
been a real bitch to live with ever since that shit with Yugi happened six months ago! Why can’t
you just lighten up!”

Seto grabbed Joey’s shirt collar and pulled the blond face to face with him.

“NEVER talk to me like that again. You’ll regret it if you do.”

Joey grabbed Seto’s hands and yanked them away from his neck. He stepped back and snarled.

“You know what Seto? You’re an ASS! If you don’t start being nicer, you’re gonna end up
ALONE-Just like your stepfather! I don’t need this shit, fuck you ya big dickhead!”

Seto clenched his fists tightly and slammed them down onto his desk. Papers flew off and
fluttered to the floor. Seto stared down at his unorganized mess on his desk and took a few deep
breaths. He stared reminiscently at faded picture of him and Mokuba he had sitting on his desk
in a gold frame. After a few moments he looked up at Joey with remorseful blue eyes.

“I’m sorry, Joey. You’re right, I’m being an ass. I don’t know what’s come over me.”

Joey took a brave step in Seto’s direction and held his hand out.

“C̵n Kan Kaiba, I think you just need a break. Let’s go down to the rec room and shoot some
pool.”

Seto looked over his desk and sighed.

“I can’t Joey, I have so much work to do.”

Joey grabbed Seto’s hand and yanked him toward the office door.

“You’re work can wait. You’re only human Kaiba, you can’t work 24 hours a day, seven days a
week and not take a break.”

Seto had to make a quick choice: Go to the rec room and shoot a few games of pool with Joey,
or have his arm ripped off by Joey and work in his office.

Seto made the obvious choice of following Joey.

                                  

****************************

            Malik climbed into the bathtub with Ryou and sat facing his white-haired lover. He
glanced at the book laying on the floor and grinned at Ryou.

Ryou’s eyes filled with curious lust as Malik reached out and ran his long, tan fingers through
Ryou’s wet hair.

“Has anybody ever told you how beautiful you are?” Malik ask in a low voice.

Ryou bit down on his bottom lip and looked into Malik’s dazzling lavender eyes.

“Only my mother” he replied softly.

Malik reached over and picked up the bottle of healing ointment he’d bought and pulled out the
cork. He poured a small amount into his hands and rubbed them together.

“I hope this helps.” he smiled as he gently ran his ointment covered hands over Ryou’s burned
shoulders.

Ryou closed his eyes and tilted his head back. The ointment began to sooth his body the moment
Malik touched him.

“Gods Malik, that feels so good” hehed hed with relief. Malik slowly ran his ointment slicked
hands down Ryou’s arms and massaged the substance into Ryou’s skin. He brought Ryou’s
hands up to his lips and dotted soft kisses on Ryou’s knuckles.

“I love you too much to let you suffer” he purred lovingly as he poured more slippery ointment

 into his hands.

Malik rubbed the lotus scented all over Ryou’s back and chest, taking his time and making sure
to cover every inch of Ryou’s sunburned upper body.

Ryou moaned with pleasure as the special ointment soothed the excruciating pain his sunburn
had caused him. He whimpered lightly as Malik’s hand passed over his left nipple and down his
chest.

“I love when you touch me, Malik.” he sighed lightly.

Malik smiled as straddled Ryou’s hips and pulled him up against his chest. He ran his hands
down and up Ryou’s back and held him close.

“I love how you feel. You’re so perfect in every way.”

Ryou melted in Malik’s arms. He couldn’t believe how quickly the ointment had taken effect.
His lower body still burned, but his upper body was feeling better than ever. He rested his cheek
on Malik’s shoulder and sighed.

Malik kissed Ryou’s shoulder and gently eased them both back into the cool water. Ryou giggled
as Malik cleverly turned them both around so that Malik was now under Ryou.

“What are you up to, Ishtar?” he ask curiously.

Malik looked up at Ryou with a mischievous grin.

“You’ll see.”

Malik quickly grabbed the bottle of ointment and poured t mot more of it into his hand. He
rubbed his hands together and brought them down onto Ryou’s lower back, stimulating Ryou’s
Muladhara chakra.

Ryou quickly figured out what Malik had in mind.

“You’re such a little sneak.” Ryou giggled as Malik massaged the oily substance into his skin.
Ryou reached down and cupped Malik’s cheek with his hand. He slowly lowered his lips to
Malik’s. Malik moaned lightly into Ryou’s kiss. He arched his back and began to rhythmically
press his hips against Ryou’s in up and down movements. He needed to feel closer to Ryou, his
body burned with desire.

He ran his oil slicked hands over Ryou’s rear and brushed them lightly over Ryou’s slender
thighs. Ryou nipped at Malik’s lower lip and moaned as his lover’s warm touch caused his
senses to soar.

“Need you......in me......” he breathed heavily as Malik stroked his thighs.

Malik lightly feathered Ryou’s skin with his fingertips as he brought his hands upward.

“In time” he responded to Ryou with a sparkle in his eyes.

Malik reached up and ran his wet fingers slowly down Ryou’s oiled chest. Ryou closed his eyes
and threw his head back. Tiny droplof wof water dripped from the ends of Ryou’s hair down onto
Malik.

Malik caressed Ryou’s sides as he slowly brought himself up into a sitting position. He wanted
to make love to Ryou, but there was only one problem: the cold water.

Getting hard was next to impossible for Malik at this point. He nipped at Ryou’s shoulder and
kissed his way up to Ryou’s ear.

“Ryou, baby......let’s dry off and take this into the other room.....”

“M’k” Ryou sighed as he and Malik stood up. Malik grabbed two towels off the rack next to the
bathtub and handed one to Ryou.

“Don’t forget the book!” Ryou grinned as he wrapped the fluffy white towel around his waist
and stepped out of the tub.

“Don’t worry, I’ll mbermber.” Malik smiled as he dried off. Once he was completely dried off,
he tossed his towel onto the floor and hurried out by Ryou.

“Ready or not, here I come!” He laughed as he dove onto the bed- Kama Sutra book in hand.

Ryou giggled as Malik pounced on top of him. Malik opened the book and grinned.

“Okay, lets see here....erogenous zones....hmm...”

After reading over the pages for a few moments, Malik kneeled

next to Ryou and brushed Ryou’s hair out of his chocolate brown eyes.

“Tell me how this feels” he ask as he leaned over and began to lightly kiss Ryou’s neck.

“Mmm....good” Ryou moaned.

Malik than began to lick and kiss his way around Ryou’s neck as he stroked Ryou’s thighs with
his fingertips.

Ryou closed his eyes and rested his hand on Malik’s shoulder.

//Hey Stupid!// Bakura yelled through his mind link with Ryou.

//Not now, yami, go away!// Ryou mentally snapped back.

//No! I must show you something immediately!//

“Stop it!!” Ryou growled out loud.

Malik stopped what he was doing and looked at Ryou a little shocked.

“Huh?”

Ryou’s eyes snapped open and he made a sour face.

“I didn’t mean for you to stop! The spirit of the Millennium Ring won’t shut his mouth!”

“Oh” Malik responded as he went back to what he was doing to Ryou.

Ryou closed his eyes again as Malik’s lips worked their way down his chest.

Malik gently nipped at Ryou’s right nipple, eliciting a moan of pleasure from his partner.

//You ungrateful brat! When I’m talking you’ll listen! This is important!// Bakura snarled.

//It can wait. Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something here?//

Malik took the head of Ryou’s manhood into his mouth and teasingly licked at the tip. Ryou
grabbed hold of the bed sheets and sucked in a deep breath through his clenched teeth. He thrust
his hips upward in an attempt to gain more contact.

“Oh gods, Malik!”

Malik giggled playfully and he crawled over Ryou and situated himself between his writhing
lover’s legs.

//Bitch// Bakura snorted through his link with Ryou.

“You are so annoying!” Ryou accidently shouted out loud. Malik stopped what he was doing and
sighed.

“You’d better see what Bakura wants. If he’s anything like Marik, he won’t shut up until you
listen to him.”

Ryou groaned loudly. As much as he wanted to ignore Bakura, he knew it was practically
impossible. He looked at Malik with somber eyes.

“I’m sorry Malik, I promise I’ll be quick.”

Malik shrugged his shoulders and opened up the Kama Sutra book.

“No big deal, I’ll just read”

Ryou kissed Malik on the cheek and smiled.

“You’re the best, Malik.”

                           

*************************************************************

         Yugi laughed until tears streamed down his cheeks. His face was red from laughing so
hard. He gasped for air as he watched Yami tangle himself up for the third time in a roll of
scotch tape.

“You should just let me wrap the present, Yami!” he giggled.

Yami glared at the roll of tape and the gift wrap laying in front of him.

“Curses on the person that invented this! Fine Yugi, you finish wrapping this! I’ll go bang my
head up against the wall.”

Yugi hopped off the sofa and grabbed a pair of scissors off the carpet next to Yami.

“Yami! Don’t do that! Stay here, I’ll show you how it’s done.”

Yami groaned as he laid back on the carpet. He closed his eyes as Yugi went to work.

Yugi had the gift wrapped in almost record time.

He smiled brightly as he handed it to Yami.

“See? It’s easy!”

Yami opened his eyes and looked at the perfectly wrapped present.

“You forgot one thing, aibou.”

Yugi cocked his head.

“What?”

Yami picked up a shiny red bow and peeled the sticker off the back. He took the gold wrd
gd
gift from Yugi and proudly plopped the bow in the center.

Yugi shook his head and laughed.

“Perfect. You do good work, Yami. We’d better finish cleaning the house now, Isis and your son
will be here soon.”

Yami took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he got to his feet. He extended his hand to Yugi
and helped him up.

“Thank you for helping me, aibou.”

Yugi nodded his head and brought Yami into a warm embrace.

“Anytime you need me, I’m here for you.”

Yami patted Yugi’s back and sighed.

“I feel like such a burden to you. No matter how hard I try, I still can’t get used to having my
own body again. It’s just so odd.”

Yugi pressed a light kiss on Yami’s cheek and smiled.

“Don’t sweat it, I’m sure you’ll get used to it. I like you better this way.”

Just as the words left Yugi’s mouth, there was a knock at the back door.

Yami’s eyes got huge and stood still.

“That must be Isis! I can’t wait to see your son! This is so cool!” Yugi smiled brightly as he went
to answer the door.

Yami walked slowly over to the sofa and sat down. His nerves were getting the best of him. He
was shaking like a leaf on a tree as he waited.

Seconds later the sound of a baby crying echoed through the livingroom. Yami bit down on his
bottom lip as he heard the sound of footsteps growing nearer.

Yugi entered the livingroom first, followed by Isis.......who was carrying their crying son.

“Greetings, my pharaoh.” Isis smiled.

Yugi’s eyes were sparkling with excitement as he lead Isis over to Yami.

Yami looked up at Isis and the baby.

“Hello Isis, may I.....hold him?” he ask gingerly.

Isis nodded her head.

“Of course, he’s your son.”

Yami reached up for the boy, who was wrapped in a soft white blanket and crying his little
crimson eyes out. As soon as Yami cradled him in his arms, the boy looked up and ceased to cry.

Yami smiled down at his son proudly.

Yugi poked his head over Yami’s shoulder and giggled.

“He looks just like you! How cute!”

Yami chuckled lightly and looked up at Isis. He patted the on the sofa next to him.

“Have a seat” he smiled.

Isis sat down and folded her hands on her lap.

Yami looked at her curiously.

“What did you name our son?”

Isis reached over Yami’s arm and ran her finger down the baby’s cheek lightly.

“Solon, Solon Atemu Ishtar.” she responded lovingly. (Pronounced So-len/ long “o” ) 

Yami nodded his head and looked back at the now smiling bundle in his arms.

“Solon Atemu Ishtar...... hello, my son.”

************************************************************

            Ba was was extremely keyed-up. Ryou sat across from him completely absorbed. It
wasn’t so much the subject Bakura was yammering on about, it was more the way he was saying
it. Ryou rarely saw Bakura so passionate about something that didn’t have anything to do with
revenge or sex. Ryou took a mental note to mark the day on the calender. He even considered
making it a holiday.

Bakura recited the words to Ryou that he’d read from the book from memory. That was one
advantage to the afterlife- the skill of remembering everything.

“According to the new ensi[1], Malik’s reign was brought to an abrupt end when he never
returned to his country. One can only speculate as to what became of him.” Bakura recited.

Ryou nodded his head.

“M’hmm...very interesting. Now can I go?” He was so absorbed in trying to think of a good
name for a holiday honoring Bakura, he hadn’t heard a single thing Bakura had just said.

Bakura lowered his eyes and smacked Ryou upside the head.

“You haven’t heard a single thing I’ve said, have you? Condescending little shithead!”

Ryou rubbed his cheek and stood up.

“I heard what you said, you think what you found in that book has something to do with those
graves in the desert. You could be right. I have an idea. How about you go into my soul room
and look for more books to read. Maybe there’s some with old pictures or something. Actually,
start with a dictionary. Look up the word “blighter.” While you’re at it, contemplate what it
would mean in the sentence, “My yami is a blighter. I’ve got somewhere else to be now, okay?”

Bakura stood up and crossed his arms.

“Fine. I’ll talk to you later.”

Ryou nodded sharply and left Bakura’s soul room.

            Ryou opened his eyes and looked around the hotel room. He found Malik sound asleep
with the Kama Sutra book laying over his face. Ryou gently took the book off Malik’s head and
looked down at his sleeping angel. He bit his lip and sighed. Malik was out cold.

Ryou sat up and started reading the page Malik had left off at. It was entitled, “The Three Orders
of Men.” He found the title catchy, so he started to read.

            After an hour or so went by, Ryou put the book down when he noticed Malik kicking the
covers. The sleeping Egyptian restlessly tossed and turned. Ryou scooted over to the edge of bed
to avoid getting kicked and turned off the light. He closed his eyes and went to sleep. The Kama
Sutra would have to wait until morning.

[1]ensi: term used to refer to a patron deity or a ruler; Sumerian origin

**************************************************************** 

Since AFF.net’s outage screwed up my schedule, I’ll have respond to reviews when I post on
Monday. What I’m planning is to post updates for this story Monday/Wednesday/Friday.
Monday I’ll also post “My Pet Yami.” (Let’s cross our fingers AFF stays online!) If there’s ever
a problem with AFF in the future, I’ll post updates at my blog site.
(http://theishtargate.blogspot.com/)

Big huge thanks to my totally awesome beta reader, Xeno!!! *hugs n’ kisses*

In the next chapter..........

            Yami goes to Egypt, Ryou and Malik will finally get some alone time to try some Kama
Sutra, and Duke and Tristan do something very naughty on a pin ball game. David Bakura will
explain the history of the ancient stone tablets, and Malik faints afterward.

*****************************************************************

(Very short) My Pet Yami Preview!!

Yami’s crimson eyes burned with anger.

“I will never listen to you!” he growled in a stern voice.

Bakura looked back at Marik and rolled his eyes. He turned back to Yami and grinned evilly.

“Yes you will, my pet. You have no other choice!”

Yami lowered his eyes and clenched his fists tightly.

“Drop dead thief!”

“HA! Already did, pharaoh!” Bakura chuckled.

“Encore!” Yami retorted vindictively