EnsTren: Mokuba blew like... part of his pay check to have a hole dug in the back yard, and bags of special dirt delivered
EnsTren: and he filled it up, and turned the hose on it
EnsTren: put on goggles, convinced Seth to dress down and use swim shorts and let him in on the plan
EnsTren: gave him goggles too
EnsTren: went to see Seto, smiled at him, and threw a mud ball at him, and goggles then ran
EnsTren: Seth dumped a bucket of it on his head as soon as he came out side (smart boi took off his coat)
EnsTren: and they had a mud fight
EnsTren: Seto squealed like a girl a few times I think
EnsTren: and then they cleaned off running though the house, mud spattered, and armed with super soakers
EnsTren: I'm thinking about throwing the Yugi-tachi in
EnsTren: but am not sure
Edmondia: dunno if Seto's ready to let them run pell-mell through his mansion yet
EnsTren: waiting outside front door armed with super soakers
EnsTren: Jou and Yugi at least
EnsTren: aaaand Jou's being a pervert
EnsTren: wanted Anzu to come and play too
Edmondia: Seth just glomped him O_o
EnsTren: prolly cause he told Seth what's going on in his hikari's soul room
Edmondia: Seto's twitching rather spastically
Edmondia: Jou's expression is... something like... O.<
Edmondia: Seth's all n.n
EnsTren: aaand now Seto going off to sulk
Edmondia: And Seth goes all Pegasquee
Edmondia: "OHNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
EnsTren: And Seto is gone someplace else in the house hugging his plushie and sadness
Edmondia: until he's glomped by Seth
EnsTren: And then he is still sad sulky and hugging his plushie and glomped
Edmondia: And Seth's all cuddly and snuggling and mumbling "I love you" a lot
EnsTren: and Seto continues to be gloom and doomy
Edmondia: and Seth is all cute and snuggling, then drops to his knees in front of Seto and apologizes over his shoes
EnsTren: "Go back to the dog."
Edmondia: "Setoooooooooooooooooooooooo..."
EnsTren: He crossed his arms over his chest, protecting the plushie Blue Eyes there and looked resolutely away.
Edmondia: "Are you mad at me 'cause I hugged him, pretty light?"
EnsTren: "You didn't hug him. You glomped him."
Edmondia: "Is that bad?"
EnsTren: He stared at the wall and then his eyes lowered to the floor. "He's probably a better hikari than me anyways," he muttered. "He's with Yugi."
Edmondia: Seth rocked back on his heels, raking his hand through his hair. "He is not."
EnsTren: "I bet he would be. He never sold his soul."
Edmondia: "He's not you."
EnsTren: "So? He'd be a better hikari. He's already in Yugi's stupid group and he actually wants a yami and he's not fucked up."
Edmondia: He fell back as though he'd been shot, eyes wide and uncertain before narrowing in sudden fury.
EnsTren: "I hit you in the head, I bet he wouldn't." Seto continued on, oblivious.
EnsTren: "He'd treat you better."
EnsTren: "He wouldn't drag you down and act worse than a mood swinging pregnant woman."
EnsTren: "He wouldn't... he'd like it when you were with Atemu, because he's with Yugi the same way."
Edmondia: "I don't care." His voice was ice, and the look in his eyes was the same.
EnsTren: Seto suddenly turned his head to look at him, a confused expression on his face, partially asking "What's your problem?" without saying anything at all.
EnsTren: "You should."
Edmondia: Seth glared at him.
Edmondia: "Might I ask, my dear, dear omote, why you are trying so hard to be rid of me?"
EnsTren: "Because it would be better for you."
Edmondia: Seth rose to his feet and stalked towards his omote, eyes dark and slitted.
EnsTren: Seto lifted his eyes again to him slowly, a sad sad expression on his face. Then his eyes widened and his face paled, his already tight grip on his plush was almost convulsive suddenly as he shrank back from the frightening sight.
Edmondia: Seth stalked after him, still snarling.
EnsTren: And he backed away, shivering and plain terrified of him as soon as he hit the wall--no way to escape.
Edmondia: Seth drew closer, raising his arms to pin him in place, leaning in close, too close, a dark smile lifting the corners of his lips.
Edmondia: "Hikari..." the word was a sultry purr and a threatening invitation all at once.
EnsTren: His eyes seemed only to be white and black, his pupils were so large. He was trembling and warm and smelling beautifully of light and dark and fear.
Edmondia: You are mine. And I will never leave you no matter how much you plead and scream for me to go.
Edmondia: He slid closer, and lifted his fingers lightly to his jawline, stroking his thumb along his neck.
EnsTren: He shivered and cringed, turning so his cheek was pressed against the cool wall. Frightened hikari, he could feel his heartbeat, he was like a little bird held in his hand--it seemed he would break or shake himself apart.
Edmondia: Pretty little light... I'll never let you go.
EnsTren: Even if it kills him?
Edmondia: Mine, he hissed, and it was a threat and a promise all in one.
EnsTren: Even if he gives his pretty, pretty, bird-like hikari a heart attack?
Edmondia: He pressed a soft kiss to his trembling lips. Think on that before you speak such foolishness again, sweet light.
EnsTren: His hikari did not respond physically, too trained and frightened to do so. But he could feel the heat show up briefly in their link before it was repressed.
Edmondia: He bit down gently on yielding flesh. You can't get rid of me, sweet love. No matter how hard you try.
EnsTren: His hikari never said no.
Edmondia: He drew back, peering curiously into his eyes. Well, sweet light? What do you have to say to your unwanted darkness?
EnsTren: Yes.
EnsTren: Because he never said no.
Edmondia: Yes what?
EnsTren: To everything.
Edmondia: He licked his mouth and let his hands fall to encircle his waist. Do I scare you, pretty light?
EnsTren: Yes.
EnsTren: Pretty blue eyes were tightly closed and shielded from his view.
Edmondia: I love you.
EnsTren: ...So?
EnsTren: He knows a hard lesson, that the others do not. It's nice to hear those words, it makes things better. But friendship and love and I'm sorrys don't make it all better. Don't make the bad part not there no matter how much you wish it.
Edmondia: Do you truthfully not wish me to be with you?
EnsTren: You'd be better off with someone else.
Edmondia: Is that a yes or a no?
EnsTren: Very small quiet voice, like a little mouse, I want you...
Edmondia: You have me. Now you need to keep me.
EnsTren: Seto sort of crumpled then, despair in his mind. He wasn't doing a good job and his yami was going to leave him and that would be good because his yami would be free and happy but not his yami any more.
EnsTren: And he was a horrible horrible hikari and he should just lock himself up in a vault somewhere and work and invent until he dies so he'd never hurt anyone everever again.
Edmondia: "Seto."
EnsTren: He didn't hear, only continued on his dark swirling whirlpool. It really is amazing how many ways and reasons a genius can come up with to hate themselves when they put their minds to it.
Edmondia: "Ankh."
EnsTren: Death. He kills people and left Mokuba in the Death simulation and tried to kill Yugi and his friends.
Edmondia: Seth growled audibly. Beloved. Look at me.
EnsTren: He obeyed. His hikari always obeyed like an automaton when like this.
Edmondia: May I touch you?
EnsTren: You always do.
EnsTren: It was a statement of fact, but it was hard to tell if the flat words were chosen to hurt or not.
Edmondia: Do you mind that I always want to touch you?
EnsTren: You don't.
Edmondia: I don't always want to touch you?
EnsTren: Sometimes you want to touch Yugi and Atemu and now Dog. Sometimes you touch Mokuba with me. We hug and are happy then.
EnsTren: You want to touch them because they aren't twisted like me.
Edmondia: ...you think I touch them the way I touch you?
EnsTren: You want to touch the Pharaoh that way. You can if you want. I won't stop you.
Edmondia: Will you forever hold that against me?
EnsTren: I don't hold it against you. He can't. He will forgive anything of those in his heart. And nothing and no one else. Which is why he cannot forgive himself.
Edmondia: I will not touch him. I want to save that for you.
EnsTren: You can, I promise not to get mad or jealous. I keep my promises.
Edmondia: Then promise me you will never doubt that I will be with you forever.
EnsTren: I want you to be with someone better.
Edmondia: I want to be with the one person in this world who was made for me.
EnsTren: But he is broken and twisted and shattered and glued together.
Edmondia: He is still mine. I still want you. I will always want you.
EnsTren: You should get a replacement. I'm a faulty model.
Edmondia: You are the only one that exists. Do you resent that I find you beautiful?
EnsTren: I'm not beautiful.
Edmondia: But you are.
EnsTren: I'm not.
EnsTren: I'm plain outside and dirty inside.
Edmondia: You're lovely and breathtaking everywhere.
EnsTren: Like a broken mirror.
Edmondia: Why do you try and push me away?
EnsTren: I don't want my shards to cut you.
Edmondia: But I do.
EnsTren: You won't cut me back.
Edmondia: I don't want to hurt you. I want to help you save yourself.
EnsTren: I'm beyond that.
Edmondia: I'm very selfish, dear love. I won't believe that.
EnsTren: Go back to the Dog and Yugi and his yami. Go and be happy.
Edmondia: I am happiest with you.
EnsTren: Go be with them and be less happy and hurting less.
Edmondia: I want you.
EnsTren: You want what I could have been. You want what I was. You want what I am not and can never be again.
Edmondia: I want you.
EnsTren: Only because you cannot see what you should have had. Only because you don't hurt when we touch. All you feel is goodness and light and right and perfection while I feel wrong and pain and firecolddarkness.
Edmondia: And yet you still want me.
EnsTren: I want you to have the better more than I am selfish.
Edmondia: I am equally selfish, and I want you.
EnsTren: Go away and be happy with them.
Edmondia: You said you loved me.
EnsTren: So I'm pushing you towards what is for the best.
Edmondia: You are what is best.
EnsTren: You are blind.
Edmondia: I am selfish, and I want you.
EnsTren: Blind. Callous. You cannot perceive how shattered I am.
Edmondia: Is it truly so hard to believe that I want to be with you?
EnsTren: No, because you don't know that there is better. I find it hard to believe that you can't see that.
Edmondia: What if I don't care?
EnsTren: Then how can you love me? If you do not care for the pain caused.
Edmondia: I love you because I do. I don't care how much it hurts. I'm selfish. I want you. I'll keep you no matter how much you push me away.
EnsTren: Even though you torture my soul...?
Edmondia: Do I? Or do you torture yourself?
EnsTren: He shoved him away violently, eyes flashing blue fire. "Do you mean to imply that when you embrace me I am the one that tortures myself with the distinct feeling of commiting seppuku?!"
Edmondia: He dragged him back with a snarl. "You can't say you've never thought of it, sweet light, now can you?"
EnsTren: "Perhaps I should just end the torture I inflict upon both of use and do it to my body and not my soul?!"
Edmondia: "I won't let you!"
EnsTren: "You can't stop me, not if I put my mind to it."
Edmondia: "I can. It would be vastly unpleasant, but I can. And I will if you even dare to try."
EnsTren: "I should have before Malik ever tripped."
Edmondia: "Do you hate me that much?"
EnsTren: "I never had pain this bad before you."
EnsTren: "I could have survived to my death. I wouldn't have been happy, and I wouldn't have enjoyed it. I would have been rickety and my soul ready to fall in on itself."
Edmondia: "I never wanted that. Why don't you believe what I say?"
EnsTren: "Belief has nothing to do with reality."
Edmondia: "Do you want me to stay or do you want me to go?"
EnsTren: "Go."
Edmondia: He staggered at that, choking briefly on the tears that rose to his eyes.
EnsTren: You'll be happier.
Edmondia: I will die without you.
EnsTren: "Then come back when you need a recharge or whatever. Besides I can't block your own soul room to you, and it's right across from mine."
Edmondia: "Why do you hate me?"
EnsTren: "If I hated you I'd keep you all to myself and never ever touch you."
EnsTren: He had planned for this, though he didn't think it would happen like this. He thought his Yami would get fed up and leave him, hoped for it in a way. So he had banned him from a wing of a mansion. No memories there, he could move in today.
Edmondia: "...don't you want me?" It was a child's voice, tiny and uncertain, and the tears began to spill down his cheeks unchecked and unheeded.
EnsTren: It reminded him too much of Mokuba.
EnsTren: "You should have the best and I'm not it."
Edmondia: "...you don't want me?" he whimpered, "You... you don't..."
EnsTren: "Want you to have to deal with a hikari that will never be a hikari."
Edmondia: He let out a soft, pained cry, lurching forward and falling to his knees, arms lifting to hug himself instinctively. "But... but... you don't want me..."
EnsTren: "I want what is best," for you, "And that does not seem to include you and I. Mokuba will miss you."
Edmondia: His yami screamed.
EnsTren: He staggered back, covering his ears with both hands and a plushtoy.
Edmondia: "STOP IT! STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!" he shrieked, burying his face in his shaking hands, sobbing thickly.
EnsTren: He stayed away, did not venture closer. The stitches were coming undone, the invisible cracks were widening and his happy memories could not keep away the voice that told him so, that screamed with Seth when he had the urge to step forward.
Edmondia: He was wailing now, rocking himself like a child, shaking his head frantically. "Nonononononono!"
EnsTren: Seto held himself together, pulled his soul tight, binding it up and locking it down and together. Locking his soul room door. And his light... seemed to go out.
EnsTren: He couldn't afford to care, about anyone.
Edmondia: His yami screamed again, the sound high-pitched and broken, and crumpled to the floor.
EnsTren: Seto winced.
EnsTren: And Seto was surprised when he saw the floor rushing up to meet him right before darkness greeted him.

Edmondia: (we just knocked both of them out. o.o)
EnsTren: (yeah, and Seto's nearly regressed back to a preAtemu state)
Edmondia: (...well crap. 'cause Seth's pretty much regressed to a ten-year-old boy)
EnsTren: (so get Seto to regress more and meet them up there)
Edmondia: so now that they've regressed, what do we do with them?
EnsTren: kick them into their soul corridors?
Edmondia: beat them severely *EG*
EnsTren: well it's mostly Seto's fault, but Seth was pushing him
EnsTren: and Seto usually goes with what Seth pushes
EnsTren: and he was frightening him too
Edmondia: damn those aggressive tendencies *eyes Seth evilly*
EnsTren: what are you plotting?
Edmondia: other than throwing a chair at his head?
Edmondia: v. amusing mental image of Mahaado smacking him upside the head
Edmondia: "I TOLD you you scared people, but did you listen to me? Noooooooo, nobody ever listens to Mahaado!"
Edmondia: at any rate, was considering the fact that regressed-Seth has violent tendencies and trusts no one
Edmondia: oh, right, Mahaado
Edmondia: 'cause no way pharaohboi's taking Seth home with him
Edmondia: but he also knows Seth really can't be trusted in that state
Edmondia: so he leaves Mahaado to watch over him
EnsTren: summons a monster?
Edmondia: someone Seth trusts
EnsTren: and Seto?
Edmondia: Seto's physically attached to Mokuba
Edmondia: and more than a little taken aback by the presence of his uninvited guest
EnsTren: and he's not dangerous like he was when Atemu got to him
EnsTren: just... very very cold, but Mokuba can thaw him eventually
Edmondia: interactions between the four of them... will be very, very stilted, if they happen at all
Edmondia: ...and now that I think of it, Mahaado could help Seto out a bit
EnsTren: Seto: *locks self in office*
Edmondia: Seth is going to be... extremely dangerous
Edmondia: and not quite rational
EnsTren: in what ways?
Edmondia: very, very childish
Edmondia: given to sulking fits... but mostly... not-good things
Edmondia: a little too insane, a little too violent
Edmondia: a little too ready to lash out at anyone who comes too close
EnsTren: Seto and shorter than him Mokuba?
Edmondia: those are allowed
Edmondia: he's very sweet to the ones he trusts
Edmondia: but he's treating Seto extremely delicately
Edmondia: afraid to touch him because he might break
EnsTren: and Seto being as an ice statue, unmoved, un noticing
Edmondia: there's this huge gulf between them and they both have to get back to normal before they start reaching for each other
EnsTren: he just breaks and breaks and falls and brings Seth with him
EnsTren: but really, Seth shouldn't push him so much
EnsTren: I acknowledge it is Seto's fault, but *shrugs*
EnsTren: he'd had been pushed and frightened and cornered like this again and again
Edmondia: you know that and I know that, but Seth is not only not the world's most patient fellow, but he's also very violent and accustomed to getting what he wants
EnsTren: and Seth had just been hugging Jou. JOU of all people
EnsTren: so what's he going to do to Seto?
Edmondia: *sigh* they're not the most stable people to work with
EnsTren: yes, but when he doesn't get what he wants, Seto running into his arms and snogging and spreading his legs and whatnot
Edmondia: he has problems dealing with that
EnsTren: reaction?
EnsTren: weird thought
Edmondia: I think he expects Seto to - hm?
EnsTren: Seto's soul room is kinda... disconnected
EnsTren: so when they do touch... Seto feels no pain
EnsTren: but no pleasure either
EnsTren: it's just an indiffrent touch
Edmondia: and that's even worse
Edmondia: Seth seems to expect Seto to constantly yield to him
EnsTren: and he does
EnsTren: but then he couldn't take it anymore
Edmondia: and they snapped
EnsTren: not "stay" but "go"
Edmondia: oh, and Seth's gonna wind up sobbing all over Seto's shoes again
Edmondia: apologizing for his behavior
EnsTren: but is he doing it to get him back or because he realizes he hasn't been perceiving Seto with a will of his own, laying back and giving in because of his own choice
Edmondia: it's... a bit of both
Edmondia: mostly the second...
Edmondia: and just a lot of...
Edmondia: very slurred wailing
Edmondia: "I'm sorry I can't let you go"
Edmondia: "I'm sorry I can't make you happy"
Edmondia: "I'm sorry I can't give you what you need"
Edmondia: "I'm sorry I keep hurting you"
Edmondia: "I'm sorry but I can't stand to leave you"
Edmondia: "I'm sorry I treat you so badly"
Edmondia: all that and more in a big slurred wail
EnsTren: but would Seto feel anything by that point?
EnsTren: or crush him further?
Edmondia: it would take him a while to get to that point... but I think the apology would help, at least a little
EnsTren: I think that's telling though. The only reason why Seth is able to take care of Seto is because Seto lets him
Edmondia: and... the yami is more dependant on the omote than vice-versa
Edmondia: at least in my observation
EnsTren: in the others or in this one?
EnsTren: or all of them?
Edmondia: in the show itself
Edmondia: you've got Yami no Bakura declaring that he needs Ryou
Edmondia: you've got Yami no Yugi losing his friggin' mind when Yugi is stolen away
EnsTren: I'm looking at Seto, and I see a steel beam, and the song simple gifts is going though my head
EnsTren: tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free, tis a gift to come down where we ought to be, and when true simplity is gained to bow and to bend we shant be ashamed
EnsTren: and this steel Seto beam is bending and twisting and you can see how fucked up he is, but yielding to the wind of Seth's words, letting them pass
EnsTren: Seto was a doll for him
EnsTren: a game for him, enough resistance to be fun, but in the end folding to his every whim
EnsTren: despite the hellish fits
EnsTren: but that was just when Seth dropped the toy and it became a bit mangled until he managed to fix it.
EnsTren: or when he hit a very hard part of the puzzle and he had to stand though the fit and soothe it out to get to the next level
EnsTren: And if you were good at a puzzle you always won.
EnsTren: Seto always said yes, no matter what, in the end
EnsTren: he even got to tie him up and put foreign objects into him
EnsTren: and then he said "Go."
Edmondia: and he panicked
Edmondia: because, at least partly, he didn't think he was doing anything wrong
Edmondia: partially because he simply doesn't understand... what normal relationships are like
EnsTren: like not frightening your partner
Edmondia: but it's the only way he knows how to deal with people
Edmondia: so he's very confused
EnsTren: has Atemu or anyone realized what Seth has been doing?
Edmondia: I think... maybe Yugi and Atemu have their suspicions
Edmondia: Yugi moreso than his yami
Edmondia: it does make sense
Edmondia: Atemu's as equally screwed up in the head as Seth is
EnsTren: he has a semi healthy relationship
Edmondia: same amount of 'normal' interaction
EnsTren: but what does Yugi suspect?
Edmondia: that Seth is unconsciously putting a lot of strain on his omote
EnsTren: asking him things, wanting things from him
EnsTren: too eager to touch him even though he knows, knows, that it hurts Seto
Edmondia: might give him something to talk to Seto about
EnsTren: He shrugged, "I'm fine, he's happy, Mokuba loves him."
Edmondia: "Then tell me why Mahaado's in your house and why my yami is so worried about his cousin."
EnsTren: "Because his touch doesn't hurt me any more. It makes him happy, if it doesn't I don't know why."
EnsTren: He blinked down at the small boy in front of him.
Edmondia: Yugi looked back at him coolly. "Is that all?"
EnsTren: "It doesn't matter and I don't care."
Edmondia: "It does and you do."
EnsTren: "Delude yourself, if you must."
Edmondia: "Funny, shouldn't I be saying that to you?"
EnsTren: Seto ignored him in favor of typing on his laptop.
Edmondia: "Don't make me shut that on your fingers, Seto." Yugi reached out and delicately placed his fingertips atop the monitor.
EnsTren: Seto persisted in ignoring him.
EnsTren: But he did save his work.
Edmondia: Yugi slammed the laptop shut.
EnsTren: Seto didn't even flinch, simply extricated his hand from under it, removed Yugi's hand from on top of it, and pushed open his computer and continued typing.
EnsTren: "I am unimpressed."
Edmondia: "Shall I sit on the damn thing next?"
EnsTren: Seto gave him a peculiar look and then turned away from him and put his laptop on his lap.
Edmondia: "Nice try, but I'm not afraid of sitting there, either."
EnsTren: "Would you be afraid of me standing up after you have sat down?"
Edmondia: "Nope."
EnsTren: Seto attempted to calculate the repercussion probabilities if he kicked Yugi while he was down. Not too hard mind you, but more shoving him off sliding across the linolium.
Edmondia: "And Yami will set you on fire if you hurt me."
EnsTren: "Dying by fire is not the way I wanted to go. Do you think you could persuade him to stab me in the stomach, or cut though most of my neck?"
Edmondia: "It's possible, but he does like fire rather too much for anyone's good. Stop dodging me."
EnsTren: "You forced him to let me live, it can't be that hard to deflect or redirect what he wants."
Edmondia: "No, it really isn't. The trick is to make him realize that he needs you just as much as you need him. Then he'll do anything for you."
EnsTren: "I don't need anything from him."
Edmondia: "Love?"
EnsTren: "I don't need anything like that."
Edmondia: "He does."
Edmondia: "And maybe you can live with him or without him, but either way it's going to hurt like hell."
EnsTren: "So?"
Edmondia: "So does he like kinky sex?"
EnsTren: "Yes."
Edmondia: "I'm not surprised. And you let him?"
EnsTren: "Yes."
Edmondia: "Why?"
EnsTren: "He wants to. Sometimes it's nice. We don't have sex anymore though."
Edmondia: "Why not?"
EnsTren: "Not interested."
Edmondia: "You or him?"
EnsTren: "I know I'm not. I'm too busy with work."
Edmondia: "Forgive my incredulity, but I've found that that rarely stops a horny yami."
EnsTren: Seto blinked at him, showing expression for the first time since this conversation started, mild surprise. "I didn't think Atemu was the type to rape."
Edmondia: "You'd be suprised what happens to him if I neglect him long enough," Yugi said flatly.
EnsTren: Seto lifted his shoulders and let them drop, "Seth is welcome to it, it's not like it's be any diffrent. Maybe I'd enjoy it."
Edmondia: "So you do want to kill him."
EnsTren: "How do you mean? We've done that before, though given I was more interested when we began."
Edmondia: "If that actually happened, he would convince Yami to kill him."
EnsTren: "The sheets are over in that closet, we couldn't get the blood out."
Edmondia: "You said you were interested when it happened, so I'm not going to comment. Do you even know why he's so grabby?"
EnsTren: "He is. And what is is."
Edmondia: "It doesn't have to be."
Edmondia: "What went wrong?"
EnsTren: "I told him to go. I was tired of bending to him."
Edmondia: "Good for you. You let him play for too long. But what's happening right now isn't much better."
EnsTren: "I don't care."
Edmondia: "So you don't love him?"
EnsTren: "Love makes you weak. Look at him."
Edmondia: "He'd be stronger if you let him. But right now he's little better than he was as a little boy who'd just lived through hell only to find that his angel didn't want him."
EnsTren: "Look at what happened to Atemu when you two were split."
Edmondia: "Relapsing into insanity, no matter how much more freely you use your magic, is never a good thing. He was weakened."
Edmondia: "Yes, he was. He needs me. But if he didn't love me, he wouldn't be as strong as he is."
EnsTren: "And you?"
Edmondia: Yugi smirked at him. "What do you think?"
EnsTren: "I think I'm not like you, a bully magnet, able to stand up and take it but too weak to do anything about it. I think I'm strong enough on my own because I didn't need a yami to help me stand and walk and climb. I did that myself."
Edmondia: "Do you know that I can kill everyone in this building without asking my yami for help?"
EnsTren: "Do you know I've killed thousands of innocents when I was shorter than you?"
EnsTren: "Maybe millions, I lost count."
Edmondia: "Maybe you're trying to scare me away."
EnsTren: "I'm only stating a fact."
Edmondia: Yugi laughed.
EnsTren: "And I didn't need yamis or magic to do it."
Edmondia: Yugi clucked his tongue and shook his head, still smiling.
EnsTren: Seto ignored him and thought about that illegal sword he had, it was a set of two. Since this thing had happened he had turned the blade's direction in its resting place so evil spirits could enter it.
Edmondia: "Why won't you let yourself be happy?"
EnsTren: "I don't matter."
Edmondia: "You do to Seth."
EnsTren: "He's blind."
Edmondia: "Is he?"
EnsTren: Suddenly he straightened, stopping his typing. "Yugi, would you consent to a quick experiment?"
Edmondia: Yugi blinked at him. "What for?"
EnsTren: "Curiosity's sake."
Edmondia: "And will it involve physical violence or psychological torture?"
EnsTren: Seto shook his head.
Edmondia: "Okay, I guess..."
EnsTren: Seto reached out suddenly and cupped Yugi's cheek, skin to skin contact, prolonged. Seto gave no reaction. "Are you capable of pulsing your energy, or whatever you wish to call it?"
Edmondia: Yugi stared back evenly. "Yes."
EnsTren: "If you don't mind...?"
Edmondia: "How much?"
EnsTren: "How much did you do when you touched me last time?"
Edmondia: Yugi shrugged. "Very little."
EnsTren: "So do that."
Edmondia: "All right..." and he did.
EnsTren: Within Seto light briefly flooded the corridor between soul rooms, but did not fill in the gap between them, and did not reach past the open portal to the door floating in darkness.
EnsTren: Seto pulled back his hand and minimized the windows on his laptop and opened a document where there were notes.
EnsTren: "How would other "hikaris" react to that? "Yamis?" What about so called normal people?"
Edmondia: "The others...? They'd sense it a little bit, it wasn't very much, and they'd wonder what I was doing, but other than that, not much. Yami no Bakura would cringe, Seth would probably flinch, and Yami would stick his tongue down my throat. Normal people would just feel a bit happier, a bit rejuvenated."
EnsTren: "So I might not have noticed?"
EnsTren: He typed a few phrases, moving the cursor around to type them in specific places. "Could you make it more noticable?"
Edmondia: "Do you want me to specifically focus on you?"
EnsTren: "If that's what it takes." He held out his hand.
Edmondia: "It's not, but the effect is more intense with the same amount of power. Or I could continue with it unfocused and just let go a little more."
EnsTren: Seto considered this. "I'm more interested in the sensation than anything. However, first the same power but directed then an unfocused pulse of greater power."
Edmondia: "All right," Yugi said softly, and took his hand.
EnsTren: And Seto waited dispassionately.
Edmondia: A moment later, he was blinded.
Edmondia: Yugi lightly withdrew his hand, blinking up at him. "Kaiba?"
EnsTren: "I assume the spots behind my eyes indicates I should have felt something?"
Edmondia: Yugi gave a nervous giggle. "Oh shoot, did I fry your eyeballs?"
EnsTren: "I can see fine, the spots are already fading."
Edmondia: "Oh, that's good. Sorry about that."
EnsTren: Seto typed quickly with one hand, "I assume you did both bursts?"
Edmondia: "Just the first, actually."
Edmondia: "You didn't move, so I didn't try the other one."
EnsTren: "Ah, I was supposed to move?"
Edmondia: "I was kinda expecting a reaction of some sort, yeah."
EnsTren: "Would you consent to trying the next?"
Edmondia: "Sure. Now?"
EnsTren: "Please."
Edmondia: Yugi shrugged, and a split-second passed before a tangible wave of warmth swept through the room with force enough to ruffle his hair.
EnsTren: Seto typed.
EnsTren: "I assume that what I was supposed to feel was not the somatic side effects?"
Edmondia: "I keep trying to tune that down... yeah, most of the others would've sensed it and leaned into it."
EnsTren: "Thank you, you may go now, Yugi."
Edmondia: "What was that for?"
EnsTren: "Curisoity, I already went over that with you."
Edmondia: "Are you going to at least try and talk to him?"
EnsTren: "I see no point."
Edmondia: "Do you love him?"
EnsTren: "I have."
Edmondia: "That's not what I asked."
EnsTren: "No more than I love Mokuba."
Edmondia: "Rather differently, I should hope."
EnsTren: "He loved me the same way he loves his games, only I'm an acceptable place to shove his cock into." Despite his harsh and rather crude words he was deadpan.
Edmondia: "He's still in love with you. And he doesn't know any better. I had thought that you would like to keep him human enough that he could realize what he's doing is wrong."
EnsTren: "I made him happy, that was my job."
Edmondia: "He's not happy now."
EnsTren: "I quit."
Edmondia: "Kaiba... loving him isn't supposed to be a job."
EnsTren: "Your point?"
Edmondia: "You're hurting."
EnsTren: "Again, your point?"
Edmondia: "He's hurting too. And both of you are hurting Mokuba."
EnsTren: "Mokuba's strong, he'll get over it."
Edmondia: "But you can stop hurting."
EnsTren: "So I deal with this pain, or stop hurting and deal with worse pain whenever he touches me? I prefer the devil I know and no pain from him, thank you for your concern."
Edmondia: "I don't want to have to kill him."
EnsTren: "I felt nothing when you touched me. I feel nothing when he touches me. The reactions you witnessed before were somatic side-effects. What I experianced was torture of the soul. And I know this pain already, I've sold my soul, this is the same ache."
Edmondia: "I'm sorry to hear that, Kaiba."
EnsTren: "I don't see why."
Edmondia: "Because you can save each other and you're too afraid to try."
EnsTren: "Incorrect, I do not care."
Edmondia: "I don't believe you."
EnsTren: Seto blinked at him impassively, "I don't have a soul room anymore Yugi, so go away."
Edmondia: "You do," Yugi said flatly, "Get better, Kaiba. God knows you need it."
EnsTren: Seto ignored him.
EnsTren: After all, Yugi had not stood in the corridor and looked out into a rectangle of darkness.
Edmondia: Yugi left silently.
EnsTren: Seto worked, it was the only thing he had left.
Edmondia: Something that sounded suspiciously like a sob echoed down the corridors of his mind.
EnsTren: It didn't matter.
Edmondia: ...hikari...
EnsTren: He didn't hear. Only the takataka of his fingers on the keyboard, and only the half imgined whistling of air rushing past the void where his soul room should have been.
Edmondia: "...Seto?"
EnsTren: Seto typed, glancing up briefly to identify the speaker correctly.
Edmondia: Mokuba looked at him uncertainly.
EnsTren: "Yes, Mokuba?"
Edmondia: "...are you mad at me?"
EnsTren: "No."
Edmondia: "...do you love me?"
EnsTren: "You're my little brother, you keep me sane, even with my yami, what do you think?"
Edmondia: "Give me an answer, Seto. I don't mind if you don't." Mokuba bit his lip, staring at him uncertainly. "Seto...?" his voice was tiny.
EnsTren: "I care for you, Mokuba, but I don't think I'm capable of loving anymore, if I ever was."
Edmondia: Mokuba choked a little, hanging his head. "I - o... okay, Seto. I... I just..." he wrapped his arms around himself, sniffling. "I just..."
EnsTren: "Come here Mokuba, please, don't cry, it's not your fault."
Edmondia: "I'm... I'm s-sorry, big brother!" he sniffled, scrubbing furiously at his eyes, but not moving, "I - I'm not doing it on purpose!"
EnsTren: "It's all right Mokuba, please come here, I won't hurt you, I swear it."
Edmondia: "B-but why won't you come here?"
EnsTren: Seto considered it, then stood up and approached, "Better?"
Edmondia: Mokuba snuffled a bit and wiped his nose on his sleeve. "No."
EnsTren: Seto considered it again and picked him up into his arms. "You're still my little brother, no matter what."
Edmondia: Mokuba wrapped his arms around his neck and cried harder.
EnsTren: Seto didn't shush him, just held him, rubbed his back. And perhaps in the darkness within grieved the passing of himself.
Edmondia: "C-can we go to bed, Seto?"
EnsTren: Seto hesitated, he could always sneak out after Mokuba was asleep. "Okay Mokuba, just let me save my work." He debated putting him down versus carrying him and decided to just carry him over.
EnsTren: He finished up quickly and shut down his computer and then carried him to the bedroom.
Edmondia: "And no leaving," Mokuba instructed into his throat, "I'm not letting you leave me again."
EnsTren: "Not even to get a drink or something vital like that?"
Edmondia: "Maybe. But no longer than five minutes."
EnsTren: "Okay."
Edmondia: "Promise me."
EnsTren: "Promise."
Edmondia: Mokuba kicked off his shoes and tossed them into the corner, wriggling down into the blankets.
EnsTren: Seto slipped his off and laid down on top of the blankets.
Edmondia: "In, Seto."
EnsTren: Seto sighed and got under the covers, "Happy?" He reasoned he was already way ahead in work.
Edmondia: "No."
EnsTren: "Sorry."
Edmondia: "Don't say that if you don't mean it."
EnsTren: Seto didn't feel like arguing, so he didn't, "All right, but I don't like you being upset."
Edmondia: Mokuba rolled onto his eyes and stared unnervingly at him. His cheeks were wet. "Do you even know why I'm upset?"
EnsTren: "Because I... I'm being like I was before."
Edmondia: "And?"
EnsTren: "Seth is upset because of me as well?"
Edmondia: "And?"
EnsTren: "You don't think I'm trying hard enough."
Edmondia: "And?"
EnsTren: Seto blinked at him, so very hard to satisfy. "I'm parroting out the answers based upon reasoning, not emotions."
Edmondia: Mokuba reached out and smacked his chest. "You're a stupid idiot!" he cried, and promptly turned over and stuffed his head beneath a pillow.
EnsTren: Seto watched him, did not reach out for him though. "I am sorry."
Edmondia: "No you're not!" Mokuba snapped, words muffled by the pillow. "You are not!"
EnsTren: "As you wish."
Edmondia: Mokuba sat up and smacked him with the pillow. "STOP IT!"
EnsTren: So Seto nodded his head slightly and was still and quiet for his brother, just like he had been for Seth so many times before.
Edmondia: Mokuba was crying again, ugly, jagged sobs, curled up on himself, face buried in his knees, hair spilling over his shoulders to brush over the blankets.
EnsTren: He wanted, quite suddenly, to reach out and soothe him, and whisper comfort. He swore the urge was welling up from the hole inside of him. But Mokuba wanted him to stop it. So he didn't.
Edmondia: "...why don't you love me anymore?"
EnsTren: "Because I can't love anything anymore. I... you've had the soul room and corridor explained to you?"
Edmondia: He sniffled loudly and turned to look at him, not even bothering to swipe at the fresh tearstains. "A... a little..."
EnsTren: "You know the basics right? The room, even the door and the wall it's on shows your soul, your personality?"
Edmondia: "Uh huh..."
EnsTren: "I don't have a room any more. Just a black door shaped hole into a void."
Edmondia: "...maybe you didn't look hard enough."
EnsTren: "There used to be a door and a perfectly suitable room there."
Edmondia: "Maybe you lost it and have to find it again."
EnsTren: "Mokuba, your soul room is your soul."
Edmondia: "It's happened before. You just have to find it again," Mokuba said stubbornly, folding his arms and fixing him with a glare.
EnsTren: "As far as I'm concerned you are all that is left of my soul. And all I ever really needed."
Edmondia: The glare never faltered. "You can do better than that, Seto."
EnsTren: "It's the truth. We were fine until Seth came."
Edmondia: "Don't blame all of this on him. He made you happy, Seto, I saw it."
EnsTren: "I'm not. I'm just stating a fact."
Edmondia: "If we were fine, we would've stayed fine!"
EnsTren: "Perhaps not fine, but you were happy and I could function. And I had my soul."
Edmondia: "You still have it! You have all of it, better than before, I know you did!"
EnsTren: "I had a worse monster under the bed, better good memories, and the sensation of having a part of my soul slowly being cut off along with the other crap that happens whenever he touched me."
Edmondia: "At least you smiled then!"
EnsTren: "So?"
Edmondia: Mokuba bit his lip. "So you smiled."
EnsTren: "I also screamed my head off."
Edmondia: He actually smirked a bit at that. "In a good way or a bad way?"
EnsTren: "Both, we couldn't get the blood out of the sheets."
Edmondia: "Too much information, big brother," Mokuba mumbled.
EnsTren: "Since when? And besides, you asked."
Edmondia: Mokuba scooted closer, looking him over critically. "How long has it been since you ate a decent meal?"
EnsTren: "Define decent."
Edmondia: "One that actually filled you up and had nutrition in it."
EnsTren: "I don't feel hungry much, so therefore everything has filled me up. I also take my vitamins."
Edmondia: Mokuba reached out with a tiny hand and poked him in the ribs. "You're too skinny, Seto," he murmured, eyes downcast.
EnsTren: "I'm always too skinny."
Edmondia: "...I wish you were happy again."
EnsTren: "So do I."
Edmondia: Mokuba scooted closer again, reached up that tiny hand, and brushed his bangs out of his eyes.
EnsTren: Seto tilted his head into it and closed his eyes.
Edmondia: Those tiny fingers, so familiar, drifted lightly over his face, traced the curve of his lips. "How can I make you happy?" Mokuba wondered, voice low and confused.
EnsTren: "I don't deserve to be happy."
Edmondia: Mokuba's eyes narrowed, and he pinched his nose.
EnsTren: Seto waited impassivly for the explosion, if it would come.
Edmondia: "Why don't you react to anything anymore?"
EnsTren: "No soul."
Edmondia: "I don't believe you."
EnsTren: "Believe what you wish."
Edmondia: Mokuba held out his arms.
EnsTren: Seto hugged him.
Edmondia: Mokuba wrapped his arms around his waist and pillowed his head on his shoulder. "What do you feel?"
EnsTren: "Pressure, heat, friction, vibration. In a word, you."
Edmondia: He rubbed his nose into his neck. "Not that, Seto."
EnsTren: "I'm a stupid idiot, what do you expect?"
Edmondia: "Give me a real answer and you'll be less stupid," Mokuba said calmly, with all the superior knowledge of a ten-year-old boy.
EnsTren: "I feel you."
Edmondia: Mokuba tucked his head under his chin. "What's it like?"
EnsTren: "Warm, comfortable."
Edmondia: He reached up and batted lightly at the locket that still dangled from his neck.
Edmondia: "Is that all?"
EnsTren: "I feel you, my heart."
Edmondia: "Is that what I am?"
EnsTren: "Yes."
Edmondia: "But you don't love me anymore." His voice was lost, confused, and very very young.
EnsTren: "I can still care, after a fashion. I can still keep my promises."
Edmondia: "But Seto..." he turned and looked straight into his eyes, "If I'm your heart, and I'm right here, why wouldn't you be able to love?"
EnsTren: "You keep my heart, all that is left. The rest of it is cold, just like how my soul is gone and cold and dark."
Edmondia: "But... that's not true."
EnsTren: "Isn't it?"
Edmondia: "If it were... you wouldn't have hugged me, would you?"
EnsTren: "What do you mean?"
Edmondia: "If... if your soul was all cold, you wouldn't have known to give me a hug, right?"
EnsTren: "It could be seen that way. Or it could be reasoning and memories."
Edmondia: Mokuba stared at him, huge eyes liquid, biting on his lip to keep it from trembling.
EnsTren: Seto watched him, impassively.
Edmondia: "Do something," he almost begged, tugging at his shirt, "Don't just sit there - do something!"
EnsTren: Seto hugged him to his chest, and bowed his head over Mokuba's.
Edmondia: He was crying again, desperately, fisting his little hands in his shirt and clinging to him, his whole body shaking with the force of his sobs.
EnsTren: Seto rubbed his back and kissed the crown of his head.
Edmondia: He was so little, when was he going to run out of tears to cry?
EnsTren: Seto never did, until now, and he was much bigger than his little brother.
Edmondia: Eventually, after forever, the tears finally stopped, but Mokuba was still shaking.
EnsTren: So he continued to hold him, like his yami did with him.
Edmondia: And that tiny, tiny voice, so hoarse with tears and crying, muffled against his chest, whispering, "I wish you loved me..."
EnsTren: "So do I, Otouto." So do I.
Edmondia: Mokuba gave a little hiccupping wail and buried his face in his shoulder.
EnsTren: "I'm sorry I'm so broken and twisted, Otouto."
Edmondia: Mokuba shook his head. "Not."
EnsTren: "I am. I was sorry before I lost my soul, and I am now."
Edmondia: He drew in a shaky breath. "Not... not twisted. Sad. Not twisted."
EnsTren: "I am, Otouto. You just let your love blind you."
Edmondia: "Why do you keep saying that?"
EnsTren: "Because it's the truth."
Edmondia: "...but you loved me and now you don't so now you don't like me anymore?!" his voice was tinging on the hysterical, and he yanked himself away, sprawling back on the bed.
EnsTren: Seto dove after him and pulled him back against his chest. "Just because I can't anymore doesn't mean that I don't wish I could!"
Edmondia: "But you don't like me!" he wailed, "I'm just - just a responsibility to you, that's why you've been away and - and that's why you wouldn't talk to me or hug me or - or anything!"
EnsTren: "Because I don't know how to anymore, not really. And you deserve better than a mockery."
Edmondia: "I don't WANT anything else! I just want you!"
EnsTren: "But I'm not me, I haven't been me for a very long time."
EnsTren: He picked up Mokuba's locket and pressed it into his hand. "I wish it wasn't true, but the brother in here is dead, the hikari is dead."
EnsTren: And though he couldn't feel them, and wouldn't understand them if he did, tears were pouring down his face, for once without him trying to stop them. "I'm just... a happy memory, and I don't want to tarnish that."
Edmondia: "It's not true! It's not! You think it's true but it's wrong, Seto! You're wrong!"
EnsTren: "Then where is he, Mokuba?" A sad smile, cracked as if he didn't quite know how to smile.
EnsTren: "I never saw him in my soul room. I saw him twice, once he yelled at me. Seth... Seth has seen him dead."
Edmondia: He set his tiny jaw and glared up at him. "Seth is dead, too, but that's not stopping him! Or any of the others! I think he's just lost and we have to find him, that's all! We'll always be able to find him!"
EnsTren: "You can't get your innocence back once it's lost."
Edmondia: "It's not innocence that I want!"
EnsTren: "Then what?"
Edmondia: "I want you! I want you to smile at me and love me and hug me and make everything better again!"
EnsTren: He hugged him, "Some wounds never heal. Some wounds kill."
Edmondia: "I won't let you leave me," he snarled, tiny, ineffectual, "You're MY brother and you're NOT going to go anywhere."
EnsTren: "I promise I won't leave, Mokuba."
EnsTren: No more than I have already.
Edmondia: "And you'll look for him?"
EnsTren: "...Okay."
EnsTren: Even though it hurts worse than Seth's and Yugi's touch at the same time would have.
Edmondia: "Promise?"
EnsTren: "Promise."
Edmondia: Mokuba smiled at him. It was strained, wavering, and far too old for someone his age.
Edmondia: "I love you, Seto."
EnsTren: So Seto held him. "If I could I would love you too, Mokuba."
Edmondia: "...my way sounds better."
EnsTren: "Yes."
Edmondia: He pushed lightly at his chest.
EnsTren: Seto pulled back slightly.
Edmondia: He pushed again.
EnsTren: And he pulled back even more.
Edmondia: Mokuba snorted. "Lie down, big brother, not run away."
EnsTren: He laid down.
Edmondia: Mokuba crawled on top of him, curling into his side and resting his head on his chest.
EnsTren: Seto wrapped an arm around him.
Edmondia: Mokuba rubbed his cheek into the softness of his shirt. "'Night, big brother."
EnsTren: "Good night, Otouto."
Edmondia: He closed his eyes. His too-long lashes were brittle with salt.
EnsTren: Seto kissed his head again.
EnsTren: And maybe held him a bit too tight.
Edmondia: But Mokuba didn't protest, just snuggled closer.
EnsTren: And he got a full night's sleep.
Edmondia: For the first time in a very long time.