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Lost and Found	By : lostintheheartland Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 9748 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or anything else nor do I make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
- 19
Title: Lost And Found – Episode 16 - Egress

Author: Maggiemay

Muses and Betas: Jazzy, mofaf1, Lady Laran, Sprinkles

Disclaimer: Don't own YGO or any of it's Characters. Do own my OC's and the work contained within this work.

Summary: Life after the Pharaoh left looked bright. Looks can be deceiving. Jounouchi is a cop who finds missing people. He's found everyone he's ever searched for – except one. This is the 16 episode in the ongoing 'Lost and Found' saga.

Rating: M for Mature just to be safe.

Size:   18 pages and 8927 words.

*****

Jou found that Seto wasn't mad - Seto wasn't sad – the CEO was absolutely untouchable. Pure ice through and through. He'd gone into the bathroom expecting to see the brunet bent over the commode heaving. Instead he'd found his love standing at the marble sink staring into the mirror with a cold concentration that was somehow more frightening than if he'd been raging.

Jou had watched as with robot-like precision Seto brushed his teeth, rinsed his mouth, then turned and left without acknowledging him or his attempts at conversation. He followed as the brunet bypassed the still mussed bed they'd passionately wrecked and went to the room Jou had used before.

Without so much as a glance in Jou's direction, the automaton neatly folded back the covers and slipped into bed. The blond crawled in beside his new lover and after a second of hesitation, turned to touch the hand folded neatly on the blanket. That touch was all it took for the icy facade to shatter, and the brunet dove into Jou's waiting arms with a choked sound that was all the more poignant for its whisper-like tone. It wasn't a sob; it wasn't a furious outburst. It was a sound that encompassed both and a wealth of other emotion Jou couldn't didn't even try to understand. All that mattered was trying give what comfort he could..

There were no tears - he was Kaiba Seto after all. Tight arms clutched Jou in a painful grip as the brunet shook with the emotions raging through him. The other male didn't flinch from the bruising touch; it was part of loving Seto, and he wanted to do what he could for the betrayal he knew the other man was feeling. All the horrified blond could do was hold on equally tight and hope his caring and support helped his lover in some small way. He didn't let go when the rage broke loose, even though his golden skin would show the bruises, and when at last the pain surfaced in harsh, choked cries of desolation, Jou simply held on tighter.

The outpouring of extreme levels of emotion were exhausting mentally and physically, and even though nothing had been assuaged, that level simply couldn't be maintained and after a time they both fell asleep, Seto before Katsuya, but only by a few minutes. Dawn was just touching the sky when Jou woke to a soft whisper of his name. "Ah yeah. I'm awake." Or he was now. "You wanna talk about it?"

"Never. I never want to discuss that-" The too-slim body shuddered "travesty."

"We should. You know what it means? You didn't lose, Seto. He cheated. You don't have to do this portal thing." But even as he said it, Jou had to wonder. Yugi was the king of games, and Atemu was almost as canny. Would they really leave such a gaping loophole?

"The wager wasn't based on sex, Katsuya. It was that I would 'win his heart.' If he couldn't bear my touch for just that few minutes then it's obvious I lost." Seto corrected flatly. "His mind fuck and manipulations aside, I lost."

"Shit. I should have known. Okay now that you know they cheated what are you going to do tomorrow?"

"Nothing's changed has it? Not for them at any rate. Tomorrow I'll go through with my duties like usual - except this time I'll have you." Seto took a deep breath and let it out. "They will know we are lovers, Katsuya, because Kisara and Seth will have told them. Somehow they know everything that goes on here, even when they are not in residence. They are their servants after all, even if they are my friends as well."

"I'm good with that. I wanna tell the world you're mine. You came out a long time ago. I think it's time I joined you." Jou nuzzled into his side. "Still don't want to talk about it? You can tell me anything and besides I saw it all."

"Never." Seto reaffirmed.

"Dunno if that's healthy Seto. You were mind-fucked and raped by someone who has been controlling you. I think that's messing with you - it's gotta." Jou tried reasoning.

"Mind-fucked, ass fucked. Same difference. It doesn't change what I feel now - loathing for Atemu and the need to protect Seth's Ka. It only makes me more determined to stop the bastard." Seto's voice was ice again, and Jou realized that his lover meant every syllable. "I would kill them if they weren't already dead. They touched Mokuba with this - the one thing in my life that was clean and they sullied it."

"Seto, Mokuba is still innocent of this. They are the filthy ones, to use your love for your brother to hurt you." Jou touched his face gently. The rage on the beautiful face was only made more real by the trace of moisture at the corner of blue-green eyes. "I promise, you didn't do anything to Mokuba. It doesn't matter what they did. It wasn't real; it was just a way to fuck with your mind."

Seto growled low in his throat. "I know that. I never would, but they made me feel... And they knew it. I would never have thought Yugi could sink so low."

"Me either. Don't give a fuck it it was Atemu or Yugi, Yugi did the deeds." The adult Katsuya was much different than the teen-Katsuya who believed there were always excuses. Adult Katsuya had learned that being weak and letting others take care of you was just another form of manipulation and avoiding responsibility.

This was Yugi's fault for not standing on his own two feet and being a man about Atemu's death and using Seto's offer to manipulate the man. "They set you up, one hundred percent. Yeah Yugi was crying and shit, but the reality is he still did it." Gently, he brushed back his lover's tumbled mahogany locks. "Seto, Atemu and Yugi took something precious from you. Not just your virginity, but your love. When it comes time to free you, it's gonna be life and death. I'm not going to feel any kind of doubt about where I stand. Yugi was my friend, but I don't know who that was in your apartment. My friend wouldn't have engineered your rape."

Seto's eyes were stark with emotions too deep to contain. "I've only ever hated my adoptive father, but now I hate them both. I was wrong, I didn't love Yugi like a lover, even with the mind-fuck I know that - especially now. The difference between the two of you is indescribable. He should have stayed a friend and rival, perhaps another brother. The feelings I have at our closeness, yours and mine, are richer, deeper, I don't just want to make love, but I like talking to you. I like being with you. I don't think I ever felt that way with him. God knows touching you isn't even on the same scale. Kissing Yugi was really like kissing my brother; very off putting. The only thought I have when kissing you is more."

That brought up a topic the blond had been hesitant to ask about. Now that he had been Seto's lover he didn't want to give up that aspect of their relationship, but if Seto needed space, Jou would give it. "How are you feeling about sex now? I mean, you were great earlier, but now it could be different, because he did that."

"I can't think about it right now. I can say that what we did earlier wasn't even close to what I remember, and doesn't even belong in the same universe as what we saw on that recording. Does it matter to you? That I was used like that?" It was strange, but at the moment it was the only thing on Seto's mind about the moment when Yugi had done that was Jou's reaction. Would his love think less of him for inviting that on himself? How did Jou feel about what they had seen?

"Hell yeah it matters to me. The bastards will be lucky I don't rip their dicks off and jam them down their throats." Jou was glad that Seto was finally asking for the emotion the blond had been suppressing all along. "I'm probably gonna beat their asses into the ground."

"You won't get within a metre of them. Their guards will strike you down before you could." Seto explained quietly. "They are not simply decoration. They are Atemu’s sworn servants who died at his command. Their allegiance is absolute."

"Yeah?" Jou's eyes narrowed in thought. "Guess we will have to hurt them in other ways. Stopping them from getting the Ka he wants is one way. I'll have to think about other stuff I might be able to do." Before he could elaborate, a low chime from the intercom caught his attention. "Eh... what is that."

"Ai is still in privacy mode. She's trying to get our attention." He sighed and reached across to the side table, pressing a button on the phone. "What is it at this time of the morning."

"There is an urgent call for Katsuya from his sister." Ai said softly.

Jou sat up quickly. "Put her through. God, this time of the morning? It could only be bad."

"Not necessarily." Shizuka corrected softly as her image appeared on the wall mounted monitor screen. How the hell did Ai do all this stuff? "I was up greeting the sun. Katsuya, I know you said you and Kaiba were going away for a few days, but could you stop by the office before leaving? I have something I want to give you." She shrugged uncomfortably. "They are our grandparent's rings. I thought you a might like them and to be honest, with Mai hanging around so much I'm not comfortable keeping them in the apartment." A grimace crossed her delicate face. "I guess you don't know she showed up late last night ranting and raving about monsters and ghosts being out to get her." The young woman cradled a side of her face. "Honda threw her out when she got violent. I wouldn't tell where you were, and she tore through the apartment looking for 'clues.' When I tried to stop her she...." The red-haired woman shrugged and caressed her cheek. "I spent the night at the office because Honda had to go out for some family emergency, and I didn't want to risk her coming back and being alone."

Overprotective instincts had the blond jumping out of bed. "She hit you?" Fury and disbelief rushed through him. "The crazy bitch actually hit you?"

"Just a slap. Please come get the rings. I don't want her to take them, and I'm afraid she might come back when Honda isn't here. They are the only things I have of our ancestors. Please?" Her doe brown eyes pleaded.

"Ah," He looked at Seto, who was already nodding. "Sure we'll stop by the office."

"Thanks." She giggled "Now get back to your boyfriend. He looks like I interrupted something interesting." The image disappeared.

"Shit. Going to have to get a restraining order on Mai." Jou growled as he climbed back into bed.

Seto grunted noncommittally, his mind obviously working on some problem. It wasn't but a few seconds before Jou knew what had the brunet's attention. "She said Mai was raving about monsters and ghosts. She mentioned Atemu earlier. I wonder what he's up to."

"Probably doesn't want us together, the asshat." Jou snapped.

"Why use Mai? Why not just have Kisara and Seth disrupt us?" Seto sounded even more thoughtful.

Jou was struck by that. "He doesn't want us to know he doesn't want us together? Why would he hide that information, unless we're a threat together?"

"I think that could be it." Seto said softly. "In all this time, they've never insisted I bring you, yet now they demand you. It's strange."

"They never do shit without a reason. Something, maybe the green? Something made them want me there. Now I just gotta figure out that means."

"No." His lover contradicted softly.

"What?" Jou turned to look at him in shock.

"No, you don't. We do." Seto gave smiled slightly. "Let's shower and dress. I want to greet the sun as well." Seto rolled from the bed left the room.

Jou followed more slowly, wondering if Seto realized that he was still clean from the shower the night before, and more importantly, if the normally lone genius realized he'd just acknowledged that they were a team against Yugi and Atemu.

***

Seto only drank water at breakfast. Jou glared at him, the anger in his eyes not quite masking the concern, until the too-slim brunet explained that his system had to be free of impurities and that meant food and drink. He would go to be purified and his body purged, which included a sweating in a steaming room, purgatives to induce vomiting, bladder and bowel cleansing. It was easier if he consumed only water.

The thought revolted Jou and he shook his head at the brunet. "Dayum, no wonder you practically pass out. You haven't got any reserves, and they flush your system. I'm sticking with you today, no matter what, but uh... you do all this yourself?" He didn't think so, but he wouldn't put it past his very self-controlled lover either.

"No. Kisara and Seth assist." Seto didn't explain that sometimes his body actively resisted their 'purification.' He normally had complete control of his body, but sometimes that control broke during purification and his body acted on pure primal instinct. The resistance had gotten worse in the last year.

Jou didn't need to hear that though. If he thought Seto was in any way unwilling he'd probably hit the roof. The dark haired male wanted to conserve his energy. He knew from experience he would need it. It would be different this time, Jou would be there. Katsuya - his lover. The thought and the memory of the night before, not just the sex, but after, during that terrible time when he'd worked to come to grips with what had happened, when Jou had held him close and refused to let him go as the demons in his mind fought and lost to his iron will. It made him feel weak and out of control when it happened. He didn't want Jou to see him that way.

The blond frowned down at his plate. "Well hell, now I'm not hungry. Let's go see Shizuka." He shoved away from the table and held his hand out for Seto. It wasn't something he'd normally do, but for some reason he felt the urge to touch the brunet. Something in the normally stoic expression told Jou that his lover needed contact more than he needed food or water. At Seto's surprised look, Jou flushed and stammered "Ya know I uh... well..." He felt really stupid, they were together after all, so why was it hard to say something simple.

Seto understood, or seemed to, because he smiled up at Jou and teased. "So I nudged enough?"

The red in Jou's face burned darker. "You know you did." He mumbled. Then as he met Seto's gaze his breath caught. "Your eyes..." He rasped.

"You just noticed? Yours too. Pure green right?" The brunet didn't seem perturbed at all.

"Yeah, not a trace of blue. Mine too? Seto, what the hell is going on?" Jou had a hunch his lover knew more than he was saying.

"While you were in the shower, I did some prayer and meditation. My patron, Wadjet's colors are blue and green. She is the protectors of pharaohs and other gods and goddesses. As her acolyte I am also a protector, the guardian of the replacement for the goddess Ma'at and holder of the priest Seth's Ka in this life."

"Wait, a patron? Wadjet? A goddess? Since when - Wait, never mind. Pharaohs? Doesn't she protect Atemu then?" Jou was wary and confused.

"Atemu left the realm of the dead to exist in an unnatural place between. It upsets the natural balance of creation and by having Yugi in that realm. Their continued presence between realms throw all the realms off-kilter. The gods in all pantheons and throughout all the realms are seriously pissed at Atemu. They are also worried he will succeed in binding Ma'at's replacement to him before ascension. However, they cannot interfere because Atemu has made it impossible for all but a few beings to enter his sphere. No gods of any kind can enter there. Atemu is a demi-god and Yugi is human, as am I." Seto hesitated, then said softly. "I don't believe you are entirely human Katsuya, but I don't believe you are a god either."

Jou did a double take. "What?"

"It was something that Wadjet conveyed to me. Katsuya, she called you the Hero of Renown. She said it as a title. I haven't had a chance to look it up, but I've heard it before." The brunet frowned slightly. "I don't know where, and that troubles me because I have a photographic memory, yet that eludes me."

Jou shook his head slightly. There was a slight buzzing in his ears and he felt a shift, the world slightly out of skew. A soft voice, deep inside told him to get off the subject, it was not for this time. "Uh, hey Seto, uhm, let's worry about this later. I think we've got enough going on without trying to figure out if your patron thinks I'm human or not."

Seto, green eyes searching his, nodded. "Are you alright? You looked out of it for a second." That was putting it mildly. Seto wasn't one to doubt his own eyes, but he would have to look at the recording later to confirm what he'd just seen. Jou had seemed to shimmer golden and fade, almost becoming transparent. Something was decidedly different about his lover, something that was not -quite- human or godly.

"I'm okay, got up too fast and had vertigo is all." The blond was nonchalant about it but Seto wasn't quite so relaxed. He didn't believe that vertigo was the cause but he was determined that if getting up too fast had caused that then Jou was going to take it easy in the future. They were also going to have a long talk about his disappearances because either Jou wasn't human or he'd picked up a patron - or both. They needed to know, but not now because if the patron was sympathetic to Atemu it was best they didn't know so they couldn't give the pharaoh another ally and if the patron was against Atemu it was vital they didn't know so they didn't tip Atemu that he'd summoned a spy or enemy into his stronghold.

Seto pushed the concerns aside and snapped. "Ai have the car brought around."

"It's already waiting, Seto." The computer clipped back smartly.

Jou snickered, and Seto just rolled his eyes. His computer was growing to be more and more like Jou everyday. The CEO actually felt warm at the thought. He could live with that.

The limo was in front of the Kaiba Corp building, only a few feet from the entrance, but it wasn't close enough to stop the train wreck that waylaid them on their way out the door. The only warning they got was an inarticulate, high pitched scream. Then Mai, hair wild and eyes rolling with fear and insanity leapt at them from the side.

Jou, streetfighter and cop, reacted instinctively before he recognized her. He met the oncoming rush with an efficient series of moves designed to put criminals down before they could hurt anyone. She should have hit the ground, immobilized, if not unconscious. She was a slim woman with health issues and some of the hits had taken out full grown men hyped up on drugs. She didn't even falter; she came at him with her nails, scratching and kicking, trying to rip him apart.

When Jou realized it was Mai he stopped his defensive, protective moves and tried to catch her wildly swinging hands. All he got for his trouble was several long scratches on his neck, chest and arms.

Seto, seeing the blood start to flow on his lover's neck, decided enough was enough. The crazy bitch was going down. With a ruthless, harder than necessary, but not quite lethal chop to the neck, he dropped her like a stone. With a flick of his fingers, he summoned his security team. "Take care of it. If she gets within a hundred meters of me or my lover again you'll all be fired, and I'll see to it you do not work as security again." Without another word, he grabbed Katsuya's arm and dragged him into the limo. Security hadn't stopped the bitch, let them deal with the fallout of their failure.

Jou stared at him in complete shock. "I uh... thanks? But uhm... Really I would have talked her down. She looked like she was using again. She gets that way."

Seto stared at his lover incredulously. "You're defending her?"

"Nah, not really, just, you know I am used to it. You saw the scars on my stomach last night? She did that about a year ago. It took me almost two hours to talk her down. She never remembers what she did when she's high." Jou said quietly.

"She tried to rip your throat out, and you're making excuses. I don't believe it." Seto turned away to watch the city go by. When Jou started to speak, he snapped. "Shut it. I don't want to hear it. I know this is some of your baggage, you feel responsible for her, even when you don't want anything to do with her. I get it. Right now I just need to figure out how to accept it, so just shut up okay?"

The ride to the office was silent. Every time he tried went to speak, Seto would shake his head and the blond would subside. They had to talk, they both knew that, but right now simply wasn't the time. Seto alighted from the limo first, walking to the entrance quickly. Jou followed more slowly. Not because he was any less anxious, but because he had caught sight of the old man from the day before. He was standing in the same place, and when Jou met his eyes, the old man smiled and bowed before backing away, into the shadows of the trees.

Jou considered going over and talking to the man, but Shizuka's voice calling for him to come in brought him back to the matter at hand. "Coming Shizuka." With a glance over his shoulder at where the man had disappeared to, Jou turned and hurried into the office. If the man had business with them, he could cross the street.

Shizuka took one look at his condition and sighed. "Mai found you." It was a statement, not a question. "She said if she did she would rip your head off for being stupid and tear out your heart like you were tearing hers out." She grimaced. "She sure tried. Good thing I have a first aid kit here. Come in and I'll patch you up. You have a change of clothes here too I hope. This shirt is ruined."

"Yeah, hey you brought a first aid kit? I thought I had one." Jou looked at the little blue kit she pulled from under her desk.

"You did, but it only has bandaids in it. I have some stuff that will help you heal and protect you from infection from those nasty nails of hers." She smiled and pulled out a small jar of something that smelled kind of like eucalyptus and licorice. "Lose the shirt." She glanced over at Seto. "Come hold his hand, this stuff burns like fire." Her eyes narrowed when Seto hesitated, and her voice was cool with censure. "You're lovers now, aren't you? Don't you want to be there for him? Or is it all one way?" Her gaze turned to her brother. "Dump him now, you'll have less heartache, Big Brother."

Unlike Seto, Jou didn't hesitate. "Shizuka, even if he breaks my heart, it'll be worth it okay? You don't know what I did that hurt him so don't judge."

"I don't have to know about some stupid argument. I know that I just told him you're going to be in pain, and he doesn't even care enough to hold your hand or be there for you despite what you did to hurt him. If it was you in his position, you'd be wrapped around him like some kind packing tape trying to absorb his pain even if you were hurting." She argued back. "I told you, I don't think he's strong enough to be with you. He's too scared to make a real commitment."

"Shizuka you don't - " Jou broke off when Seto stepped behind him, spooning against his back and sliding his hands down the blond’s arms to twine their fingers. "Seto, you don't have to do this. I get that you're mad at me."

"I do have to do it. Not because she says so, but because my heart says so. It's just my head that was hesitating. Your sister is right, I am afraid of being hurt, of you choosing Mai over me. That's my head. In my heart I know you never would." He nuzzled his lips against Jou's ear. "Now let me be your partner in this."

Seto's green eyes challenged Shizuka's appraising stare. "I've got him now."

"For how long is the question." The red-head shot back coldly and began to apply the pungent concoction to his wounds.

As promised it burned like fire, and Jou couldn't stop the pained gasps that came from his lips. Seto did his best to distract him with kisses and soft whispers, but it was like a fly at a bonfire.

When she finished, she sat back and pursed her lips slightly, staring down where Seto's hand held Jou's. When they would have moved away she reached out and took the brunets still-healing hand in her own. "Where did you get these burns, Kaiba?"

There was a pause, then Seto tried to pull his hand away, only to find it held fast. Strangely, despite his superior strength, he was sure that he wouldn't be able to break that grip. "That is none of your business." Seto fell back on his normal icy facade to snub the too-curious red-head..

"It is my business, Kaiba. You are with my brother and that type of burn is very distinct. Does he know where you got it?" Her dark brown eyes were boring into him, trying to see his very soul.

Seto didn't answer, but Katsuya did. "I gave it to him okay? For some reason when we were working the case, sometimes when we touched, we created some kind of static charge and it burned him."

"You didn't do this, Katsuya." Shizuka was positive of that. "Spiritual burns are very specific in their energy patterns. This is a divine spark. You don't possess it, and the only ones that can be burned by it are it's owner and it's conduit. If you and he caused the spark to ignite..." Her gaze turned inward for a moment before brightening. "Then Seto has the spark." Suddenly she smiled broadly. "I never considered that. Who would?" She mused to herself. Suddenly she threw herself into Seto's arms and hugged him tight. "I am so sorry I doubted you. I'm relieved and happy. Of course now I understand everything." She drew back and gave them both a dazzling smile. "Thank the gods. I was so confused, but now it makes perfect sense."

Seto and Jou exchanged equally baffled looks. "Would you care to explain all that?"

"No, not in the slightest. You'll figure it out in time, besides, it'll be more fun for you guys that way." Shizuka's smile faded but the happiness stayed radiant in her eyes. "Let me get the rings for you while you put on your clean shirt, then you two need to get going." She hustled away with a surprisingly light step.

"Why do I get the feeling she knows a hell of alot more than I do?" Jou mumbled, trying to ignore the lingering burn of the stuff she'd put on his wounds.

"Because she does. That is the second time we've heard 'divine spark' in this context. It's curious and one more thing to research. When we return we will sit down and have a long talk with your sister. She may know more about your talent and how it works with me than any other resource." Seto leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss. "I was an ass. Forgive me?"

"I understand. I wasn't defending her you know. It's just that I'm used to trying to understand how people work and it's weird, but there was something wrong about that. She should have made a scene, should have tried crying and begging, or some kind of manipulation. That's more her style. She attacked knowing she had no chance, but it's weird because she should have dropped at the first move and she didn't. Seto, I've dropped men three times her size with that maneuver. If she wasn't high and she was seeing monsters and ghosts and he's manipulated her before, what if he was controlling her? He had to know she'd get hurt. That's what I was trying to say earlier. You cut me off before I could tell you."

"So now not only am I a cold, heartless boyfriend; I jump to conclusions and don't let you explain.." Seto sighed and closed his eyes. "Are you sure you want to put up with me."

Jou chuckled and flicked the end of his nose. "No choice now. You nudged me too far." He gave Seto a warm look. "Seto, we're going to have issues. Just accept it and move on. I don't like repeating myself any more than you do. I will, because I love you that much, but c'mon, cut us some slack. We have so much shit going on with this magic, realm crap, not to mention my sister, your baby, our companies and your brother, plus just us falling in love. We're stretched emotionally, and we will snap at each other. As long as we ricochet back into each other's arms, it'll be fine. Just give us both a break - don't beat yourself up." He went to his desk drawer and pulled out a neatly folded t-shirt and pulled it on, careful of his wounds.

"That brain of yours." Seto shook his head and sighed. "I can't believe I used to think you were stupid."

"You weren't the only one - and that includes Atemu." Jou froze for a second, then looked up at Seto, as slow, wicked smile crossing his lips. "That includes Atemu. He never knew my abilities and neither did Yugi. I was still thinking it was normal so I didn't talk about it.   Seto, we have a major ace up our sleeves. If he thinks I'm stupid, he won't be cautious."

"He will be, but maybe not as much. Yugi knows you're smart. He's never once underestimated you. You're right though, if Atemu thinks you are dumb it could play to our advantage." Seto looked thoughtful for a moment. "Not only that but if he doesn't know about your talent we might be able to use it. We have to try. When we form the portal, I want you to use your talent to see what really happened to Yugi. We know what we saw, but what if there is more?"

Jou gave him a questioning look. "You know if I were the distrusting lover, I'd say you were looking for an excuse for your ex."

"You know that's not-" He broke off with a rueful grimace. "Point taken. Can we put it to bed now?"

"Good thing I trust you." Jou smiled crookedly.

"Yes, trust is always good between lovers." Shizuka interrupted, her voice slightly amused. "If you guys are done with your angsting drama, here." She thrust a plain, wooden box into Jou's hands.

Jou looked down at the box. It was nothing special to look at, very crudely fashioned and not even sanded. He couldn't identify the wood it was made out of. "This box. It's made from what? I don't recognize the grain or anything."

"I don't know. The rings were inside when I got them." She shrugged. "Open it up."

Jou flipped open the box. Nestled on a faded length of what looked like leather, yellowish rings lay side by side. Frowning, he picked one up. "Ox bone?" He examined the intricate design inscribed on the ring.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Thanks for taking them big brother. I'm sure Kaiba has a vault he can store them in until you want them." She gave them a relieved smile. "Now I've taken up enough of your time, go on your way and have fun." She made a shooing gesture with her hands. When they hesitated, she sighed. "Look guys, love you and all that, but I'm fighting morning sickness and want to hurl in private. Get lost."

The blond would have stayed longer, but Seto knew when someone meant business. He grabbed Jou's uninjured arm and tugged him from the office. A glance at his watch told him they had just enough time to drop the rings off at his safety deposit box before they had to leave for P-cubed.

****

Kisara and Seth were in their human forms when they greeted Seto and Katsuya. They didn't show surprise at seeing Katsuya, but there was distinct hesitation in the way they moved around him, as if they weren't quite sure what to do with him.

Jou stuck close to his lover, watching for something, anything that would clue him in as to what to expect. Seto hadn't explained more than the barest essentials and his lover didn't so much as glance at him as they were led down a dark hall, doors locking behind them. They came to a small, dark room with a simple woven straw mat, a bowl of water with strips of cloth soaking in it and a long, narrow trough just about eight inches deep. Beside the mat was a plate of what looked like dry crackers smeared in something that was grey and lumpy with bits of green stuff.

Kisara backed out of the room, leaving Seth, Seto and Jou. Seth turned to his doppelganger and nodded. "I'll take your clothes. You may light the candle once you have finished the purification herbs." He turned to Katsuya. "It is time for you to leave."

Jou wasn't having any of that. This was way too fucking weird. "Like hell. I'm sticking to him like glue. You got a problem with that you can go chase a mouse. I don't give a shit. I'm not budging."

"Then you must be purified as well." The priest turned away. "I'll bring more herbs."

"You can bring 'em all you want Maru, but I won't stick that shit in my body. I've already proven I don't need your disgusting purification herbs." Jou glared in pure challenge. He was amused to see anger flicker in Seth's eyes at being called by a famous cat's name, and for a moment thought the guy would pitch a fit. When the anger became palpable, Jou glanced sideways, expecting Seto to step in, but his lover was silently undressing, as if Jou weren't even in the room. Still silent the brunet handed the fuming Seth his neatly folded clothes.

The ancient priest took them and shrugged, the anger in his eyes drained, leaving them cold and empty.. "As you will. If you can't enter the pyramid or portal it will be your own fault." Silently he walked away, closing the door behind him and shutting out the dim light that had illuminated the room.

"Eh Seto? What..." There was the subtle sounds of crunching and chewing and the not so subtle sounds of stifled gagging. "Seto!" He turned to where he knew his lover had to be.

The retching ended, and the rasp of a match filled the room. A small flame flickered and steadied. The small circle of light showed his love, bare and completely vulnerable sitting cross legged on the straw mat. "Are you okay?" Jou knelt next to him, touching his arm gently.

"Katsuya, I have to concentrate and finish the prayers before my body purges. If I don't finish, I will have to start all over. Please sit quietly and let me do what I must." A hastily stifled heave shook the tall, slim frame.

"Yeah, all right." Jou didn't move away though. He settled in a mirror image position, with their backs touching. Jou figured he'd be a distraction to Seto if he was in front of him, but this way they could touch, his love could feel his support, and the blond wouldn't be a distraction.

He felt Seto take a deep breath and go absolutely still, then, floating on the flickering light, one of the most beautiful sounds he'd ever heard. Seto's voice, chanting in a language Jou didn't recognize began to swirl around him. It was enchanting, hypnotic, and seductive.   Katsuya knew he could listen to the deep rich voice rising and falling forever and never get tired of it. He'd have to get Seto to sing some modern music, because if this was a sample, as brilliant as the CEO was at business, it didn't touch his fantastic talent for singing. Seto had missed his true calling as a singer.

Jou didn't know how long he listened, enthralled. It could have been minutes, because each note sounded fresh and new, or it could have been hours, because the beauty was timeless. Time passed in a blur and colors danced and merged before his eyes, moving in a synchronicity that was timed to the melody Seto was creating.

The dark, horrible room faded around him, the feel of his lover at his back vanished, and he found himself standing in a huge marble hall. Seated directly in front of him was a very familiar woman. "Huh, I'm guessing this isn't a hallucination. I know you don't I?"

"You impress me. You weren't meant to remember that meeting quite yet. Hero, I have a task for you. You have completed the first challenge, to bring the guardian to your side, now you must open a conduit. It is imperative that we know what he plans." She wasn't speaking Japanese, in fact she wasn't speaking any language Katsuya recognized, but he understood her as if it were his native tongue. "The Daughter of Eve has prepared you well, and now I have the only to give you this." She held out her hand. "Give me your hand."

Jou tried to shake his head but found himself unable to deny her. He gave her the hand that had been injured by Mai. The woman's head transformed into a snake, massive fangs protruding ominously. He watched in horror as the fangs sank into his hand. Burning pain shot through him as the venom formed a hard ball under his skin. With a moan of terror, the great hall faded away as he sank into darkness.

Katsuya came back to himself to find he was still back-to-back with his lover in the dark horrible room, and Seto was still singing that deep, hypnotic chant. Swallowing hard, he resisted the urge to jump up and run away. But even as he thought it, he wondered why he would think such a thing. A minute later he could scarcely recall he'd been frightened, much less the vision of the snake woman. He lost himself in the enchantment Seto's voice again.

Eventually the deep voice faded and Jou roused himself when he felt his love move away. His dazed, hypnotized mood was gone with the first sounds of vomiting. "Goddamn it." He dashed across to where he could see Seto hunched over the empty trough, puking his guts up. The nasty crackers and herb shit, the water from breakfast, everything. It didn't end there. Bile, and anything else in his system came up. Jou could swear that the pizza from the night before came up, hell probably everything he'd eaten for a week came back and still it continued in painful, convulsive dry heaves until Seto literally collapsed beside the trough.

That was more than enough for Jou. He reached for one of the cloths in the water only to have Seto grab his wrist and rasp. "Not yet." The beautiful voice was ruined beyond recognition, a hoarse, cracked sound that grated like broken glass.

Jou was shocked and horrified when Seto crawled up on his hands and knees and straddled the trough. What followed was the most debasing thing Jou, who had thought he'd seen everything, had ever witnessed. Seto's body, empty from the navel up, was purging from the navel down. It was heart-wrenching to watch his proud lover unable to control the most basic of his functions, losing bladder and bowel control over and over. So weak he was unable to avoid the splashing of the offal as it sprayed into the trough.

Jou, already furious over the whole situation, went murderous. When he saw Atemu and Yugi he'd damn well take them apart, piece by mother fucking piece. How dare they do this to Seto? How dare they? The bastards were going to pay. While he mentally railed and envisioned ways of murdering the traitorous animals, he kept his eyes on his lover, crooning softly, even though he knew Seto was so lost in his misery that he probably couldn't hear the soft sound.

When the horrible convulsive purging ended, Seto barely had the strength to fall away from the stinking mess he'd made. Jou reached for the for one of the tiny strips of cloth, and completely uncaring for his own state, began to wipe down Seto's face and neck. When the small cloth became too soiled he reached for another, and then another, cleaning Seto's tortured body with all the care of a mother with her newborn infant. He ran out of cloth long before he wanted to and yanked the sleeves off his t-shirt, dipping them into the water and resuming his cleaning.

When Seto was as clean as the blond could make him, Jou boosted him up and carried him back to the mat. Carefully he brought Seto onto his lap and held him close. "You okay? You haven't said a word."

"I didn't want to breath on you. My breath is terrible." Seto mumbled into his neck.

"Yeah? I got some mints." He really did. They were in the pocket of his t-shirt. He'd forgotten he'd put them there, but now he was glad of the oversight.

"If I eat, I have to go through it all again." The longing was clear in his voice.

"How about I eat, and you kiss me. Kisses aren't eating." Jou wanted badly to kiss Seto, vomit breath or not. His love damn well needed it, and fucked if Jou didn't too.

"Nasty." Seto scrunched his face down into the shorter man's neck. Jou popped the mint into his mouth and crunched it deliberately. It was a hard candy, meant to be sucked for a while so crunching it gave an extra strong flavor. He was careful to swallow every tiny piece, then he leaned Seto back, and before the brunet could evade, slid his tongue between Seto's lips and pressed deep. "Mmm...mmmph."   Seto resisted for a second, then relaxed into the kiss, obviously enjoying the warm exploration and the nice minty flavor.

After a few healing minutes, the brunet drew back and rested his forehead against Jou's. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. Wait until I can figure a way to get you out of this hellhole." Katsuya meant it too.

"I can't leave. You know that." Seto was almost laughing with despair.

"Didn't mean right now. Meant permanently in the future. Seto do they do this to you every time?" Jou asked softly, a current of the rage he felt threading through his voice.

"This is only the first stage. From here I go to a sweat room filled with heated rocks. More impurities are sweated out through my skin then they slough me off with buckets if icy water." He shuddered slightly. "As bad as this is, I hate that more. They blindfold me and tell me my faith will guide me through the rocks. They are right, Wadjet has saved me from several nasty burns, but they believe it is my faith in them. "

"Don't think they are that stupid." But they were servants to Atemu so maybe they were.

.

"Seth and Kisara? No they aren't. They've seen my altar and Wadjet. They've felt the presence." He smiled slowly. "They are bound to Atemu, but they are not ciphers and they do not agree with everything that has happened. They exist to do his bidding but if he doesn't ask, they won't tell."

"You trust them?" That blew Jou away.

"Not at all. How can I when they report to the enemy? But I know that they have their own agendas, as does Seth. Remember, Seth was a priest of the God Set. Kisara was an avatar to the Guardian - My Ka. They still are bound to those vows, even as they are bound to their Pharaoh."

"Doesn't Atemu know all of this? Why would he trust them?" He couldn't be that stupid could he?

"His ego outweighs his intelligence. They are loyal to him and that is all they are to him." Seto sighed and hugged him tight before standing up and crossing to the door. He knocked quietly and the door swung open, bring a wave of fresh air.

Seth asked quietly. "Are you ready? Is your faith resolute?"

"Look asshole, faith or not, I'm going with him, and I'll have a cat skin rug if you try to blindfold me." Jou snarled, stepping up to Seto's side.

Seth gazed at him expressionlessly for a moment and then nodded. Without another word, he wrapped a length of linen around Seto's head, closing his vision completely before tucking the ends into the side of the wrapped cloth.

The room was lit by a hundred glowing rocks, some so hot they held active flames. Jou skirted through them, guiding Seto to a small grey bench on the far side of the chamber. It was a squeeze, but they both fit. Jou actually took off his shirt and spread it on the coarse stone so Seto didn't scratch or chafe his sore bottom. It didn't help a lot, but it helped some. He watched as his lover settled back and relaxed. "You okay?"

"I'm not good but I'm not as bad as I usually am. It normally takes me an hour to cross this room. What does it look like? I've never seen it."

"Hmm... It looks like a cave, with burning rocks. The rocks that aren't burning are glowing red hot. A few of them are yellow and one of them is bright blue." Jou shifted closer and wrapped his arm around Seto's waist. "Pretty blue that reminds me of your eyes."

"My eyes are green right now." Seto pointed out dryly.

"Yeah, but that ain't you. You're eyes are bluer than the ocean. Sometimes they look like the dark blue just at sunset. Most beautiful I've ever seen."

"Are you getting romantic? Here? Now? After what just happened?"

"Romantic?" Jou thought about it, then shook his head. "Nah. Just telling the truth. Since you nudged me so hard, I guess my truth about you is kinda romantic."

"What happened earlier didn't nudge you in the opposite direction?" Seto tried to sound calm, but a hint of insecurity showed through.

"Huh? Hell no. Nudged me harder. You're fucking brave and gorgeous and strong. I want to kick the hell out of those two. Fuck that, I want to gut them like fish and leave them for the buzzards."

"Good to know we think alike." Seto's voice held the tiniest hint of a smirk. "I've thought that, and things along that vein for quite a while now.

"Mmm you were probably more blood thirsty." Jou sighed as the heat went to work on his muscles. "This wouldn't be so bad if we weren't afraid to relax against the stones."

"I've never thought that. I just want it over with." Seto mumbled and dropped his head forward.

"You're beat. Lay against me and get some rest. I'll make sure we don't end up charbroiled." Jou promised.

Seto didn't argue. He just settled deeper into Jou's embrace and went boneless. While he held his lover and sweated in the nearly unbearable heat, Jou continued to refine his fantasy about killing Atemu and the monster pretending to be Yugi.

Jou's pants and underwear were plastered to his body. Even his shoes were filled with wetness. No wonder Seto was a wreck when he formed the portal. They drained him of every bit of physical strength. It was all Jou could do to stay upright and keep Seto in his arms. Grimly, he focused his mind and waited.

A cold breeze told him their time in hell was over. Gently he shook Seto awake. The brunet grunted and growled, then sighed. "Time to go?" He called out.

The two men from before, Mahado and Karim, stood in an opening that hadn't been there just seconds before. Silently they lead the way to a small platform where Kisara and Seth stood waiting with several wooden buckets of water standing around them. Katsuya stepped up on the platform then pulled Seto up next to them. Buckets of icy water bombarded them from from all sides, stealing their breath and freezing them to the bone. When the last bucket hit them, Seto stepped down clumsily, Jou followed, not much better. "Let's go." The brunet rasped.

"Of course." They bowed low. "We thank you for your service to our Pharaoh and his beloved." With a deft flick of his hand, the linen over Seto's eyes dropped to the floor.

Jou had enough. "Great, let's get this over with."

Karim gave him a cool look. "You are welcome of course. Please follow us."

Seto took Jou's hand but didn't look at him. They lead the way to the familiar fountain and Seto slowly, laboriously crawled up onto the side of the well. When Jou would have helped him, the brunet shook his head. "No, I've been much worse than this. I must do it alone, it is a sign of my willingness."

"Bet Atemu told you that." Jou muttered under his breath as he watched Seto pull himself, almost crawling, onto the altar and spread out like a fucking sacrifice. It pissed him off all over again. His own body aching, but more responsive, he bounded over the wall of the fountain and shinnied up to the altar. "Scoot a cheek Kaiba, or shift over and I'll wrap behind you. Whatever. The body heat will do us good I need to lay down too."

"Jou you can't open the portal, only I..." But his voice broke off in a choked gasp as pure golden energy began to flow from Jou like a waterfall, spilling off the altar to flow into the well. Seto didn't protest further, he simply spooned back into Jou and reached for the place inside himself that let this all happen.

Darkness didn't take Seto as it normally did, instead a warm, steady pulse lulled him into relaxing as the blue light of his Ka began to flow from him, mixing with the golden light of Jou's. Both were too preoccupied with simply holding each other to notice when unearthly green joined the blue and gold, dancing with the other two colors before spreading out along the floor and walls, forming the portal. Jou, pleasantly relaxed and feeling very safe, ignored the small voice in his head that told him he had a challenge to finish. He successfully ignored it until a burning agony shot from his hand straight into his chest. "Ow fuck! What the hell?" He sat up sharply. Beside him, Seto blinked at him and sat up too.

The pain faded to a memory just as a well remembered voice called. "Jounouchi-kun! I knew you'd come!"

****

Here ends the First Season of Lost and Found. Sixteen episodes plus the pilot since the series debuted. Don't worry there is a Season two planned. :)

Maggiemay..
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