EnsTren: (weirdness of thought: Seto's been protecting Yugi and co from police)
EnsTren: (well, considering all the fsked up crap in the begining of the manga... fingerprints anyone?)
Edmondia: (...don't think they ever actually touched anyone)
EnsTren: (they touched THINGS, which would have placed them at the scene of the crime)
EnsTren: (and from the time Goz went baibai, well there would have been an investigation, obviously it too went baibai)
Edmondia: (but Goz jumped)
EnsTren: (they investigate all suicides)
EnsTren: (and hell, Seto's hurt enough people in self defense...)
EnsTren: (and even if he didn't it's assult)
Edmondia: (self-defense)
EnsTren: (Right, but usually you still have to proove it, and since they had guns... well guns are illegal in Japan if I recall right)
Edmondia: (that they are)
EnsTren: (so he'd still have "Why would this man attack you, Mr. Kaiba?")
Edmondia: (when was this?)
EnsTren: (no I'm just saying he would)
EnsTren: (be questioned that is)
Edmondia: (well yeah - and you have to wonder how he managed to get permission for Battle City from Domino officials, though the revenue boost for the economy would be a good enticement)
EnsTren: (exactly, so I think Seto has most of the Domino gov in his pocket, not because he does a lot of bad stuff but for expediency's sake)
EnsTren: (and so when Death-T rolled around, they stayed out of his business)
Edmondia: (aha - and Kaibaland is a cleaner version of Death-T. Less... um, yeah.)
EnsTren: (and when they were investigating suspicious crazies and murders)
EnsTren: (he said Yugi was his business and they dropped it quick)
Edmondia: (makes sense - although Bakura has the right idea, sending the bodies to the shadow realm)
EnsTren: (still missing persons)
EnsTren: (Bakura is affiliated with Yugi, so also Seto's business)
EnsTren: (so the police sniff around, see Seto pissed all over it and run away with their tail between their legs)
EnsTren: (*considers letting Seth find Yugi's police file*)
Edmondia: (...aiyah.)
EnsTren: (and Jou's and Honda's, they were in a gang together)
Edmondia: (this is true. *sporfle*)
EnsTren: (what does that mean?)
Edmondia: "Hikari! What kind of people do you hang out with?" O_o;;
EnsTren: Seto has a kittyish look of confusion on his face cause he doesn't hang out and comes over to see what his yami is all about.
Edmondia: Seth holds out Yugi's police file, which is approximately the thickness of 'War and Peace'.
EnsTren: "Oh. They're from the police department."
EnsTren: Dismissive gesture, "Just put them back where you found them."
Edmondia: "...whatever happened to his father?"
EnsTren: (what theory you go with? virgin birth, abadonment, death, or rape?)
EnsTren: (I've been convinced of the last by a friend.)
Edmondia: (am still trying to figure that out. was thinking abandonment, but rape is an interesting theory)
EnsTren: (yeah, it would kinda explain why she isn't around much, she may loved him enough to have him born, but for a reminder?)
Edmondia: (well, she IS around, she just doesn't feature much - I mean, she does the worrying-about-his-sanity bit and all, and bonks him on the head with the ladle and all... and if it were the last, she'd have to be Sugoroku's daughter)
EnsTren: (yeah)
EnsTren: (maybe that's it... but it also gives a bit of...)
EnsTren: (well if Yugi is the product of rape, and he was given a chance, and he knows this, and take into consideration of his "give them a second chance"-ness)
Edmondia: (and Ashita is very young-looking, too)
EnsTren: (also, for my theory on jichan being her father: the pharaoh might have been the ruler but the bloodline passed though the mother)
EnsTren: (considering the hair and he found the puzzle... *shrugs*)
Edmondia: (*blinksu* but the throne was inherited from the father)
EnsTren: (but the liniage was traced though the mother.)
EnsTren: (they were matrilinial patriarchs)
Edmondia: (hn. something to consider. Ashita might've been raped as a very young woman, if we're following that theory)
EnsTren: (how young you think?)
Edmondia: (early twenties - she looks younger than Jounouchi's mother, IMHO, and also younger than Atemu's)
Edmondia: (mind, that's just my opinion, if that's even what happened)
EnsTren: (shall we go with it?)
Edmondia: (sure, let's)
EnsTren: He walked over to the filing cabinet where Seth had found the file in a false bottom and reached in, taking out the false back that his Yami hadn't noticed and gave him two files. "Only information there is on him."
EnsTren: "One's a medical file and one is an investigation file, these are duplicates though."
Edmondia: He took them with a frown. "Why did you hide them?"
EnsTren: "Believe it or not I do have some respect for people's privacy, and those espcially shouldn't be out."
Edmondia: "What are they?" He peered curiously at the files.
EnsTren: "Ms. Muotu was raped, that's the report and the hospital record."
Edmondia: He blinked hard, fingers slowly curling into fists. "I see."
EnsTren: "If it makes you feel better I have a private ongoing investigation," he offered, trying to soothe his Yami. Truthfully he had known it for quite a while and it just didn't have the "Beaten-with-an-iron-rod" effect on him anymore.
Edmondia: His lips twisted in disgust. "This time is sick."
EnsTren: "Wait till you find out about serial murderers," he said with black sarcasm.
Edmondia: "What are those?"
EnsTren: "People who kill other people, usually with no set of criteria for their victims, and have a tendency to mutilate the body."
Edmondia: "....such men were not unheard of even in our time."
Edmondia: "I used to kill them."
EnsTren: "Good for you," and he wasn't being sarcastic.
Edmondia: He smiled. It was not a nice smile. "Their souls were sacrificed for the protection and glory of Kemet. Good use for worthless filth."
EnsTren: "There are worse things in the world though."
Edmondia: His eyes were very blue. "...yes."
EnsTren: "...I don't want to tell you of such things though. This time is sick but... It can get worse than you know."
Edmondia: "And how are you so sure I haven't seen it all before?"
EnsTren: "I'm not sure but I do not not think you had "Gang Bangs" back in your day, at least not in Kemet."
Edmondia: He offered him a very tight smile. "Oh, don't you?"
EnsTren: "And you did not have machines to do your dirty work for you to kill thousands of people in one day."
Edmondia: "No, dear love, we had magic."
Edmondia: "Or did you think Exodia was just for show?"
EnsTren: "It was used on me, remember? I liken Exodia to an A-bomb, not the holocaust."
Edmondia: "Massacres took longer in our day, that is true."
EnsTren: Morbidly curious blue eyes peered at him from under messy bangs, "Did you experiment on them?"
Edmondia: He stared back, expressionless. "If they were foreigners. And then when they were on the verge of death, we ripped out their souls."
EnsTren: "Ahn," and he nodded, "And here I was thinking that mankind had gotten better over the years."
Edmondia: "Better at what?"
EnsTren: "Being people, not less than animals."
Edmondia: "In general, I think, they have."
EnsTren: "At killing and hurting each other."
Edmondia: "You are much more humane now than we were, even when it comes to death."
EnsTren: "And much blinder."
Edmondia: "Blinder?"
EnsTren: "Mnnhmn..."
Edmondia: He gave him a puzzled glance. "What does that mean?"
EnsTren: "If it's not happening to us we have a tendency to forget that it does happen."
Edmondia: "That's universal, always has been."
Edmondia: "This world of yours is much bigger than Kemet."
EnsTren: "Did you know some people don't believe the holocaust happened?"
Edmondia: "...fools and idiots," he muttered, eyes dark.
EnsTren: "I wish castration were still a legal punishment."
Edmondia: He stared bitterly at the manila folder on the table. "As do I."
EnsTren: Seto came over, so silent it was surreal, and swept up the folders and replaced them in their hiding places. "You see, I protect them too."
Edmondia: "You are a good friend."
EnsTren: "I'm not their friend."
Edmondia: "Then why do you bother, pretty light?"
EnsTren: "They're my business."
Edmondia: "You do realize that, whether you like it or not, Yugi Motou is part of the family now?"
EnsTren: "Because you're his Yami's cousin?"
Edmondia: "Precisely."
EnsTren: He shrugged, "I've ignored my family except Mokuba since I got this company, so it doesn't make a diffrence."
Edmondia: He snorted. "Then you won't mind when I invite Atemu and he over for the holidays."
EnsTren: "Just keep them out of my way."
Edmondia: "...do you hate them that much?"
EnsTren: "...No. But one of the reasons is the same reason why I don't like you calling me "Little light" sometimes."
Edmondia: "...does Yugi hurt you?"
EnsTren: "I can't be him, does that answer your question?"
Edmondia: "If you were him, you would be the one hurting me, not the other way around."
EnsTren: "He's a good light though, whole and sane and right. And he wins without losing and has a loving family."
Edmondia: "His mother wants to commit him to a mental institution."
EnsTren: He pointed at the filing cabinet with all its secrets, "I know, I'm protecting him."
Edmondia: "Forgive my skepticism, but that doesn't sound very loving to me."
EnsTren: "He has his grandfather."
EnsTren: "And she... doesn't understand and thinks it's best for him."
Edmondia: He blinked. "You really don't want to admit that you have anything in common, do you?"
EnsTren: "Besides related Yamis?"
Edmondia: "Mmmhmm."
EnsTren: "Games. But," he looked over at his cards, still on the floor.
Edmondia: He folded his arms on the table and rested his chin atop them, messy bangs tumbling into his eyes. "Hn."
EnsTren: Seto Kaiba did not respond.
Edmondia: He blew him a kiss.
EnsTren: He rolled his eyes.
Edmondia: He winked.
EnsTren: He shook his head, "Are you sure you're not the hikari?"
Edmondia: "Pretty sure. Those whole three millennia stuck in the pointy gold stick seem to indicate it, at least."
EnsTren: "So? You could be the only hikari in the millennium item. Bad bout of reincarnation or something."
Edmondia: "Nah. Killed too many people in the past life to be a hikari."
EnsTren: "I've killed people."
Edmondia: He raised a fine brow. "Ripped out their immortal souls with your bare hands and twisted it to suit your own purposes?"
EnsTren: "Nope, did that to myself, remember?"
Edmondia: "You should do that to others. Make your magic stronger." He kept his tone deliberately light and airy.
EnsTren: "...I do have magic?"
Edmondia: "All of the hikaris do."
EnsTren: "Really?"
Edmondia: "You sound surprised."
EnsTren: "Is... Magic and predestination... can they be separated?" He sounded a bit hesitant and nervous. Ah yes, his hikari's secret fear and hate, lack of free will.
Edmondia: He blinked at him. "Your magic bends to your own will."
EnsTren: "Isis? Prophecies?"
EnsTren: "The Tauk?"
Edmondia: "Our Items are a focal point for our power. They also possess energy in vast quantities. As for the Tauk, well, I never spoke to Aishizu much. She was... weird."
EnsTren: "So... If I learn to use magic I won't necessarily get sucked into another prophecy?"
Edmondia: "I thought you didn't like magic."
EnsTren: "I like to make things, and I can make more things with magic, and you've told me that prophecy and magic are all interconnected."
EnsTren: "Besides, I refuse to believe that magic doesn't follow rules, just like science."
Edmondia: "Explain the duck-billed platypus."
EnsTren: Seto took a deep breath and launched into an explination of evolution, and the carrying of traits from one generation to another, as well as making comparisons between the platypus and certain marine life. Obviously it had bothered him too when he was younger and so looked it all up.
Edmondia: As things turned out, Seth did, in fact, snore.
EnsTren: And was promptly whacked on the head and forced to listen to all of it.
Edmondia: He pouted through the remainder of the speech.
EnsTren: And Seto gave him a look that telegraphed "You asked for it."
Edmondia: He blew him a raspberry.
EnsTren: He forgot how quick and deft his hikari's hands were--that is until his pretty hikari caught his tongue mid-raspberry.
Edmondia: So he leaned forward and nipped at his fingertips.
EnsTren: His hikari pouted and wrapped up his speach. "Be thankful that I'm not demanding an essay on it. And you will teach me magic. If I learn it then I can know it, understand it, and master it."
Edmondia: "First we have to figure out what you can do, pretty light."
EnsTren: Seto blinked, but took his yami by the wrist and led him over to the couch where he and his brother did their homework. He picked up a notebook and a pen from the spaces in the coffee table and prepared to take notes. "Explain."
Edmondia: He shrugged. "What's to explain? You're like the others, so you'll have one main area of power. It is up to you to manipulate it. Ryou, for example, is a healer. I doubt that he knows it, but his touch can soothe any hurt. Interestingly, he is the most fragile of you all, and the most easily broken."
EnsTren: He nodded and wrote down Seth's words in an odd shorthand, eyes never leaving his Yami, all his attention focused on him, "And Yugi? Malik?"
Edmondia: "Malik is crazy, and so is his power. He has magic enough to manipulate a millennium item, but whatever he could do has been twisted enough that his magic has turned in on itself. He could have been a great protector, had he not abandoned his post."
EnsTren: His eyes flicked, twisted, "Like me?"
Edmondia: His expression was calm. "The only sacred duty you had was to me. I doubt that you have failed in that."
EnsTren: "But... I was insane, and... I'm twisted," he shifted uncomfortably, sapphire seeming to turn to blue glass as he looked away, "I'm failing, aren't I? That's why it hurts."
Edmondia: "I was under the impression that you were getting better."
EnsTren: "Am I? Or am I just getting used to it? Or going mad again so I don't realize it?" He sighed and shook his head, "No, I don't... not again right now, let's go back to the magic."
Edmondia: He eyed him narrowly, but continued. "Your magic depends on yourself - who you are, what you believe in - it's drawn from your soul."
EnsTren: "Which we concluded already isn't all there."
Edmondia: He reached over and tapped the center of his chest. "So your magic may be fragmented. I just don't know yet."
EnsTren: "How do we find out?"
Edmondia: "I have absolutely no idea."
EnsTren: "...Sigh." He tapped his notebook a few times, "Well... how do you know what the others do?"
Edmondia: "Educated guessing, and I've seen Ryou patch up his yami before."
EnsTren: "Ah... well... how many "types" of magic are there?"
EnsTren: "Within what we hikaris should be able to access."
Edmondia: "I dunno. There are only three of you, after all, I guess we'll just find out."
EnsTren: "Well, let's go about this logically, what kind of magic is healing? Does it have any relation to shadow magic?"
Edmondia: "Light magic. It's the opposite of shadow magic - just as we are creatures of the shadowws, you are creatures of the light. The healing is probably in response to the thief's damaged psyche."
EnsTren: "Hmnn..." and he noted that, "So magic as you know it has two types, Light and Shadow, and Healing is a flavor for light. How many flavors does shadow have?"
Edmondia: "Me, Atemu, the theif, and the lunatic."
EnsTren: "And you all can do basically the same things?"
Edmondia: "Not exactly. Atemu can basically do whatever the hell he wants, the rest of us are considerably more limited. My specialty is stealing souls and adding their power to my own. The thief can seal souls. The lunatic has no real power, but can manipulate the Darkness."
EnsTren: "Hmn..." He jotted this all down, a line deviding them, one column marked Darkness and the other Light. Across from sealing souls was healing.
EnsTren: "Do you know what Malik or Yugi can do? There might be corrolations between their powers."
Edmondia: "Malik can influence people - drag on their thoughts and emotions. But he's such an emotional wreck that all he can cause is chaos."
EnsTren: Empathy got jotted down, and next to manipulating darkness he put a slash and then guardian.
Edmondia: "And Yugi... Yugi I don't understand."
EnsTren: "Explain?"
Edmondia: "I don't know if I can. He's... he hurts."
Edmondia: "If you touch him, you'd probably love it - or you'd hate him even more."
EnsTren: "I don't like touching people much."
Edmondia: "Touching Yugi is like touching the sun. It's so pretty - but he's so bright he'll sear your flesh off and you'll thank him for it."
EnsTren: "...You said touching me is like drowning in the sun."
Edmondia: "It is. And you don't hurt me."
EnsTren: "...What's it like touching Atemu then?"
Edmondia: "...a blood-moon at midnight."
EnsTren: "Is that good or bad?"
Edmondia: He smiled, but his eyes were far away. "I don't know."
EnsTren: Seto was quiet.
Edmondia: "...pretty light?" he breathed after a moment, voice soft with inquiry.
EnsTren: His pretty light made a soft sound but did not look up.
Edmondia: "Have I upset you again?" he wondered aloud.
EnsTren: "I'm sad."
Edmondia: "Why are you sad?"
EnsTren: "Reminders."
Edmondia: "Reminders of what?"
EnsTren: "That I'm not right."
Edmondia: "You will be."
EnsTren: "But I'm not now, not enough, not the best, not right."
Edmondia: He chuckled. "Greedy hikari."
EnsTren: His hikari didn't look up.
Edmondia: "Seto... do you love me?"
EnsTren: Very low voice, breathy, almost hissed, "How can you ask me that?"
Edmondia: He leaned forward and tilted his chin up, a soft smile on his lips. "Then you're perfect."
EnsTren: "I'm not."
Edmondia: "Perhaps not," he murmured agreeably, "But let me hold on to my delusion, won't you?"
EnsTren: "...Okay."
Edmondia: "Thank you," he murmured, and pressed a brief kiss to his lips.
EnsTren: His hikari discarded his magic studies and curled up against his chest.
Edmondia: He gathered him close, nuzzling his nose into his hair. "I love you," he mumbled softly, "No matter how sad you are, I love you."
EnsTren: His hikari was quiet and did not cry.
Edmondia: He pressed another kiss against his ear, his neck, his cheeks and his nose. "Love you," he whispered against his skin, "Love you, pretty light."
EnsTren: He blinked very very fast and was very very still. He wouldn't cry, he wouldn't.
Edmondia: He nudged his way into his consciousness in the instant before he closed his mouth over his omote's. "Love you," he breathed, and coaxed his lips to part.
EnsTren: Very few tears ran down his cheeks, pretty soft lips inviting and sweetheadyhot tongue touching the inside of his mouth.
Edmondia: One hand slid down, digging into the base of his omote's spine, dragging him closer. He smiled against his mouth, letting the other drift to tangle into his hair while he turned to pin him against the seat.
EnsTren: His hikari tasted sad, but he could also feel in his mind and body how he wanted him too. So his hikari slipped under him and sank into the soft cushions, lightly reaching up to touch him.
Edmondia: He tucked his head beneath his hikari's chin and let his hands wander.
EnsTren: He was very warm and soft, giving gentle sighs and eyes fluttering closed. He streched out and made a yummy "Mnnn," sound. His hikari was pretty like this.
Edmondia: His hikari was always pretty, but like this, all soft and warm under his hands, all content and lovely, he was beautiful.
EnsTren: And very calm, only crying a little and tears all drying up, they can pretend nothing is wrong and touch and kiss each other and more.
Edmondia: And maybe it's not perfection, but it's something like it, and his hikari tastes like summer light and sadness.
EnsTren: He doesn't like the sadness and wants to make him forget all about it, make it so he's not sad anymore. But his hikari is greedy, but then he's given up so much he wants more, that's only fair, but he'll never have it. So he kisses his hikari and tries to capture his attention, to distract him from the sadness.
Edmondia: Maybe he can make him greedy about something else?
EnsTren: Like sex, sex was a good thing to be greedy about and Seth could give him all he wanted.
Edmondia: So he pushed and rubbed against him, made his breath catch and his pretty mouth slide open, and toyed with the fold where his shirt met his pants.
EnsTren: So he kissed his pretty mouth and nuzzled his thighs, thinking fondly of how pale and soft they were under his hikari's pants and what noises his hikari made when he bit him there.
Edmondia: And there were soft sighs and slim hands drifting through his hair and tugging at his clothes, and he smiled to see his longing.
EnsTren: And he smiled more when the sadness driftdrifted away forgotten for now. And so he kissed his pretty hikari and nibbled on his ears, because it was hard not to bite or nibble on his hikari because he had the best tasting hikari in the world.
Edmondia: And Seto squirmed and laughed when he tickled him, and pulled at him and stole deepwet kisses and his eyes were happy and bright.
EnsTren: And he sighed inside at the pretty eyes at the happy brightness, his hikari was beyond beautiful sometimes.
Edmondia: And Seto pulled him down and kissed him again, and he was happy.
EnsTren: So he cuddled and after a while made his hikari happy. And then admired how he glowed.
Edmondia: And he was soft and pretty and shining in his arms.
EnsTren: So he decided to make him softer and prettier and much more shiny, because it also had the side effect of making his hikari scream out his name at the top of his lungs.
Edmondia: And when they were done and messy and content, he kissed him again, slow and wet and sweet.
EnsTren: And he picked him up in his arms and cuddled him and took him to the bathroom with it's bubbly tub thing to clean him up.
Edmondia: His pretty hikari let him wash his hair.
EnsTren: And oogle his slicksilkyoil body.
Edmondia: And hikari laughed and called him vain.
Edmondia: Well, he had good reason to be, didn't he?
EnsTren: Of course he did!
EnsTren: He asked him if after he dried his hikari off if he could use the body paint and paintable chocolate on him.
Edmondia: But his hikari was falling alseep on his shoulder, so he told him to ask him later. That was okay. He could wait.
EnsTren: So he took him to the bed and tucked him in nice and comfy into the bed and put his stuffed dragon in his arms and curled up next to him, watching pretty hikari sleep.
Edmondia: His pretty hikari was so soft when he slept.
EnsTren: He wanted to hold and smish him like his hikari did with his dragon.
Edmondia: But he didn't think his hikari would like that.
EnsTren: Though he would squeal pretty.
Edmondia: But then he would hit him.
EnsTren: But if he made sure there were many pillows around he might use a pillow and then they could have a happy pillow fight.
Edmondia: And he was getting really sleepy, so he cuddled down into the pillows and let himself doze off.
EnsTren: And they had happy dreams.

EnsTren: (....I think Seth likes Seto sweaty)
EnsTren: (and panting and enjoying himself obviously, and has fantasies/wishes of having him back in Kemet where he would have been whole and been kept safe and they could be together almost all the time)
EnsTren: (and entertains many fantasies which involve Seto in a loincloth and in the Nile)

EnsTren: (*pokes Yugi into... not challenging... but asking Seto if he wants to play duel monsters, very sweet and shy like*)
EnsTren: (*and makes his cards still on the floor at home*)
EnsTren: (Seto would obviously say no)
EnsTren: ("But why, Seto-kun?")
EnsTren: ("Because I don't have my deck with me.")
Edmondia: (A fleeting look of worry crossing his face. "Oh.")
EnsTren: (Seto went back to reading his class book.)

EnsTren: (Seto: *readreadread* *workworkwork* *napnapnap* *workworkwork* *eet* *nap*)
EnsTren: (Yeah, I can see him either sitting in the front or back of class and sleeping just to twit the teacher and other kids)
EnsTren: (well he needs sleep too, but it's also "Nyah, I can sleep in class and you can't.")
EnsTren: (and honestly they are thankful that he's coming to school even if he sleeps though it)
Edmondia: (let's hope he doesn't snore)
EnsTren: (maybe little ones)
EnsTren: (the soft kind, only occasionally that you have to really listen for)
Edmondia: ("...mph....zzzzzzz...Sethgeroffme.... no more ice cream, Mokuba... zzzz.")

EnsTren: Seto glanced up from the text, "You don't have to hover over me, Moutu."
Edmondia: "...I worry about you."
EnsTren: Blue eyes flicked at him, his head and down to his feet. "I don't like being near you, I don't like seeing you, I don't like hearing you. And I'm very close to hating you."
Edmondia: He didn't even blink. "Why?"
EnsTren: "Consider it a puzzle, you're good at those," his eyes flitted to the Millennium Puzzle and then back to his book.
Edmondia: "I don't do it to hurt you, you know. I can't help what I am."
EnsTren: "Go sit next to some mentally and physically retarded people, they can't help it either but I doubt you'll enjoy it either."
Edmondia: His eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry that you feel that way, Kaiba. I'm sorry that you're hurting. I'm sorry that you won't let me help you. I'm sorry that you make him cry. I'm sorry because you deserve better than what you give yourself." He looked away, eyes dark.
EnsTren: Seto reflected that he should have never allowed his Yami to convince him to speak.
EnsTren: "Nice try, Yugi. But I don't play that game anymore," I don't play any games anymore.
Edmondia: "Funny. I wasn't playing a game."
EnsTren: "You were, you just didn't know it."
Edmondia: "And yet you say you've given them up?"
EnsTren: "Haven't killed myself, have I?"
Edmondia: His lip curled. "Did a pretty good job trying."
EnsTren: Seto uncharacteristically, did not rise to the bait. "Again you demonstrate a deplorable lack of knowledge."
Edmondia: "Tell me that when your Yami is sobbing his eyes out on my shoulder."
EnsTren: "Tell me I've made a good attempt when you've contemplated suicide."
Edmondia: "Done and done."
EnsTren: Seto gave him a calculating look and made a mental note to go over Yugi's hospital records again, and to add a suicide note.
Edmondia: The bell rang, signaling the start of class, and Yugi gave him a final calculating glance and turned towards the back of the classroom. He paused for a moment, brushing by, one pale hand grazing his shoulder and sending a shock of warmth down his spine. "By the way, Seto," he murmured lowly, "Your magic smells like the wind." And he continued on his way as if he had never paused.
EnsTren: Seto's back tightened like a coil and he shuddered. He did not like that, did not like that. It was hideous and wrong, like someone taking Mokuba's place in his heart. He didn't like it. After the Noa debacle Mokuba had clung to him at night and cried and whispered what had happened into his ear, how it felt when he realize he betrayed his niisama. It was like that.
EnsTren: He hated it, he didn't want it again. He hated Yugi.
Edmondia: In the back of his mind, Seth made himself conspicuous by his silence.
EnsTren: Seto was too wrapped up in his tumultous feelings of hate and confusion and illness. Unaware of his surroundings he wrapped his arms around himself, eyes sightlessly on the desk.
Edmondia: In the back of the room, Yugi Mutou clung to his puzzle like a lifeline.
EnsTren: He hated him, hated that feeling, the warmth and niceness and wrongness of it. It was just the opposite of when his Yami touched him, darkcoldpain, now lightwarm. Not pleasant though, and he wasn't sure if it was his soul so broken or if it was his mind rebelling against it.
Edmondia: ...was he supposed to be that way?
Edmondia: Warm and light and - no!
EnsTren: It was wrong and bad and aweful.
EnsTren: He hated him for it. Because he couldn't hate his Yami he hated Yugi instead. For having what he always wanted, for having a yami that didn't hurt, for have a pure and whole soul.
Edmondia: For doing nothing wrong and being rewarded for it.
EnsTren: What about him? He did nothing wrong, no, he did something right by standing by his little brother! He did something right by doing his best to get him a good home and keeping it for him! And he wasn't rewarded by anything he didn't do for himself!
EnsTren: In fact... He lost! He lost so much and he lives with it every day.
Edmondia: He shivered when he realized that he was still warm.
EnsTren: His stomach twisted up as if he had just smelled, no, ingested, curdled moldy milk.
EnsTren: He wasn't going to go to the bathroom though, no he had a good breakfast that his Yami and Mokuba had cooked for him and it wouldn't be as tastey coming back up as it had been going down.
EnsTren: And he wasn't going to let that Yugi know he had gotten to him.
Edmondia: //Is it truly so terrible, my light?//
EnsTren: He flinched.
EnsTren: /Yes./
Edmondia: //He just wants to help you,// he whispered softly, //Don't you know...?//
EnsTren: /Obviously he doesn't,/ he replied, not specify if Yugi didn't know or didn't want to help.
Edmondia: //...he would help you if you let him,// he whispered softly.
EnsTren: /...I feel like filth,/ he said and shivered again. /I feel as if I'm covered in filth and disgusting grime and I hate it./ He slid his fingers up his sleeve and started to scratch as if to pry the invisible dirt off, scratch and scratch and scratch.
Edmondia: //Stop it.// The words were a hiss, slow and cold. //Stop that, my light, or I will stop it for you.//
EnsTren: /Stop what,/ his attention drawn away from the thought of filth his fingers stopped their unconscious movement. /Will you rip gag me and silence my soul to make me stop complaining about your precious Atemu's precious Yugi?/
Edmondia: //Why do you hate that I love them?!// he blurted before he could stop himself.
EnsTren: He could feel his hikari flinch, feel another wall unconsciously sliding up in his mind, /Hate that you have to go to them. Not because you want to, but because you need to./
Edmondia: //...lift up your sleeve, beloved.//
EnsTren: /Wha?/
Edmondia: //Your sleeve. Tuck your arm close to your chest and lift up your sleeve.//
EnsTren: /...Okay,/ and he did. He blinked in surprise and there was confusion in his mind, that's not my arm. And his eyes widened, yes it was.
Edmondia: //That is why I told you to stop,// his yami whispered, and there was pain in his words. //That is why I would stop you without your permission, my light.//
EnsTren: His skin was... torn, and when he looked under him fingernails there was skin under them. The scores and lines were sluggishly bleeding, already clotting up. /Didn't... I didn't,/ but he did do it, he just didn't, /Realize./
Edmondia: Ghostly arms wrapped around him from behind, squeezed him tight, and Seth's voice was very soft as he replied, //I know, my light. I know...//
EnsTren: Seto shivered and bent forward slightly, for a short while it was almost wonderful, as his yami's darkness drove away Yugi's light, but then it just hurt more as they clashed inside of him.
EnsTren: /P-please let go,/ he whimpered mentally as he covered his arm up again.
Edmondia: He released him. //...either go to Yugi or Ryou to heal that, beloved.//
EnsTren: /NO./ He became reticent after his outburst, /They'll hurt too. And make me feel filthy./
Edmondia: //Beloved - I could sense what happened just as you did. It didn't hurt you. You may not have liked it, but Yugi did not hurt you.//
EnsTren: /So what if it's all in my head? It still hurts. Makes my insides twist up./ He pouted, /I want to throw up and shower and throw up some more and go to sleep and hope I don't dream./
Edmondia: //What you want isn't what is best for you. Let him touch you again.//
EnsTren: /NO!/
EnsTren: He could feel the tears stinging in his eyes as he just thought about it.
Edmondia: //...beloved, please, please let him heal you. I know you're hurting, but believe me, he can help us. And I know it makes you feel dirty, but we can leave school early and spend the rest of the day in the bath, just you and me, beloved, and you won't be sick.//
EnsTren: He abruptly stood up, his chair skittering on the floor. His wounded arm was clasped across his abdomen and he quickly left the room, leaving his briefcase and bookbag behind. He walked faster, faster, holding it in, feeling it burn, long legs not seeming to propel him fast enough, but he reached the bathroom, locked it behind him and let out the sobs that he had been holding in.
EnsTren: /No! I don't want to! It hurts and I don't want to be reminded, I don't want to be looked down on! I hate it I hate it I hate him!/
EnsTren: He stumbled over to the closest stall, barely able to see and fell to his knees as if in prayer. His stomach heaved and emptied itself, all the good food turned putrid inside of him.
Edmondia: Gentle fingers sifted his bangs away from his flushed face, and the hand that rested on his stomach was pale gold against the dull navy of his school uniform.
EnsTren: /I don't want them to touch me,/ he wailed, hand blindly reaching for the lever. He started sobbing again.
Edmondia: //Beloved...// his voice was soft and crooning as he pulled him back, wrapped his arms and legs around him, cradling him protectively, //My love, my darling, my precious light... shush now, hush...//
EnsTren: He rested his head on his chest and curled his arms to his chest, /Don't want it! I hate it I hate him!/
Edmondia: //Shush, pretty darling, please, love, please trust me - please trust me. I only want the best for you, you know that, don't you? I know you're upset, pretty sweetling, I know, I know, but I can't heal this hurt on my own, and I won't leave you with it. Please, pretty darling, calm yourself...// And he rubbed his stomach like a child.
EnsTren: He only continued to sob against his chest, /Don't want to I hate it I hate it I hate him I don't want to it hurt and--/
Edmondia: //I love you.//
EnsTren: He gasped and sniffled and hiccuped and clung even tighter to him.
Edmondia: //I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you,// he whispered the words like a prayer, and perhaps they were. //I love you, I love you, I love you...//
EnsTren: And his hikari just shuddered against him, listening to him and basking in the attention and love. Lightly touching hands, to feel the thrill of painfulcold gutwrenching dark, but it was his Yami, and he prefered that feeling to Yugi's.
Edmondia: //Pretty beloved, soft beloved, lovely sadeyed hikari, so pretty, so pretty, so pretty,// and soft nuzzling, gentle petting, enough that the tension in his muscles melted a little bit more with each new touch. //Softsadprettybelovedlight...//
EnsTren: His hikari played with the words a little, calm enough to do so. /Belovedlight, B'lovedelight./
Edmondia: //My light. My beloved.//
EnsTren: /Filthy little light./
Edmondia: //Beautiful breathless glorious light.//
EnsTren: /Filthy disgusting little light,/ he scratched.
Edmondia: A quick hand seized his wrist. //Mine. Beautiful light.//
EnsTren: /Tarnished, ugly, hideously deformed. Dark./
EnsTren: /Dim./
Edmondia: //Summer-dream-drowsy-sweet-light.//
EnsTren: /Dream of summer when in the dark of winter. Drowsy in snow to die of cold. Snow looks like sugar./
Edmondia: //Love.//
EnsTren: /Okay./
Edmondia: //..."okay"?//
EnsTren: /Okay./
Edmondia: //What do you mean, pretty light?//
EnsTren: /You love me, I'm not going to argue that./
Edmondia: //Che. I wish that you would acquiesce to me more often, pretty light.//
EnsTren: /Nyah./
Edmondia: He chuckled and squeezed him hard enough to steal his breath away. //I love you.//
EnsTren: His hikari cleaved to him and was, for the moment, content.
Edmondia: //Beloved?//
EnsTren: Tired blue eyes looked up at him and over their link Seto made a sound that could only be described as a "mew?"
Edmondia: //Are we going to sit in the bathroom all day?//
EnsTren: /...They know why I left, I don't want to go back and be embarrassed./
Edmondia: //All they know is that you ran out, presumably because you were feeling ill. That is nothing to be embarrassed about.//
EnsTren: /Yugi will know, his friends will know the real reason./
Edmondia: //Only those with bonded souls know what his touch can do. They will not speak - they long for his presence as much as you recoil from it.//
EnsTren: /They know your touch makes me ill, how big of a jump is it to think Yugi might make me feel ill as well? That I cannot stand the light as well as my own dark?/
Edmondia: //You have nothing to be ashamed of.//
EnsTren: /I'm filthy and fucked up./
Edmondia: //So isn't everyone else.//