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I Almost Had You	By : Hideki LaShae Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 8329 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh!, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-I Almost Had You
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Four
- 5-Five
- 6-Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Eight
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 12-Twelve
- 13-Thirteen
- 8
- 9
- 10
Disclaimer: All Yu-Gi-Oh! characters and references belong to their respective owners. I do not own the rights to any of the songs used in this story and they were all used with the best of intentions. The songs include Come a Little Bit Closer by Jay and the Americans, Welcome To My Life by Simple Plan, Witch Doctor by David Seville and the Chipmunks, I Can’t Fight This Feeling by Chicago, Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65, Kiss… Rainbow… The Hour (L'Heure)… Ready Steady Go… Tears Among the Thorns… Lover Boy… Heaven’s Drive… by L’Arc~En~Ciel. Story elements © Hideki LaShae. No money was gained in the writing of this story.

I Almost Had You
By
Hideki LaShae

Chapter Nine
All For Love

- - Modern Day - -

“What are you thinking, Aibou?”

“Jou… if he was Jono in the past… who else do I know that was in Ancient Egypt?” asked Yugi still staring out the window at the night sky.

“Would you like me to tell you about the people from my time?” asked the other Yugi who, in his spirit form, sat on the edge of Yugi’s bed.

Yugi turned around with a smile. He jumped onto the bed beside the other Yugi. “Tell me all you can remember about them!”

“Let’s see… Back then I was the Pharaoh. I was known as Atemu. There was my cousin, Seth. He was the High Priest of Ra. We know him today as Seto Kaiba. Trust me, if you know one version, you know them both,” said the other Yugi.

“Since you remember your name, should we be calling you Atemu?”

“In this day and time, Aibou, I much prefer to be known as the other you.”

Yugi smiled and nodded.

“My youngest cousin was Seth’s brother, Mokuto. He looked just the same as Mokuba now,” said the other Yugi, “He was so… devoted… and gifted. Mokuto was something very special but I don’t know if any of us really realized it at the time. Then there was my half-sister, Mai. She was the Priestess of Bastet.”

“Mai? As in Kujaku Mai?” asked Yugi with wide amethyst eyes.

The other Yugi nodded. “The very same. Our healer was Namu, reminiscent of Malik. He was the younger brother of Osiris and Isis. Osiris, Rishid’s past self, was the caretaker of the Temple of Isis, and Isis, the same soul as Isis Ishtar, was the Priestess of Isis.”

“Wow!”

“Hiroto was the Captain of the Guard, and he was close to Otogi, Priest of Anubis,” said the other Yugi. “I was intended to marry a noblewoman named Teana. She was from another land and I didn’t know her. I met her once though, and she looked like Anzu. Acted like her a bit too now I think of it. Jono was the Priest of Osiris and my best friend. He had a little sister who I cared for very much. She was a sister to me as well. Her name was Shizuru. And of course there was also the thief, Bakura.”

Yugi bit his lower lip. “Kaiba, Mokuba, Mai, Malik, Isis, Rishid, Honda, Otogi, Anzu, Jou, Shizuka, Ryou. All my closest friends lived back then.”

“Not so much Ryou, but perhaps a part of Ryou,” said the other Yugi.

“So… if all my friends were in Ancient Egypt, does that mean I was you?” asked Yugi.

“No, Aibou. You were there too.”

“I was? Where?”

“You were someone I met, and loved for a short time, but you died young and left me devastated,” said the other Yugi looking directly into Yugi’s eyes, “You were and still are my soul mate, Aibou.”

“You…?”

“I loved you then just as I love you now.”

Yugi blushed. “I… I…”

“You needn’t say anything.”

“I love you too, my Yami!” exclaimed Yugi.

The other Yugi smiled and moved closer to give Yugi a quick brush of his ghostly lips upon his own lips.

“Nice kiss,” whispered Yugi.

- - 3000 years ago - -

Seth kissed Jou as he lowered him down onto the bed. “You are so beautiful, Jou.”

“Seth,” whispered Jou, completely lost in the sensations of having someone lovingly care for his needs.

“May I pleasure you, Jou?” whispered Seth, “I know you are hard for me. May I touch? May I kiss? I will do no more than you agree to.”

“Osiris, Seth! Just suck me already!” exclaimed Jou with a needy whimper as he pushed Seth’s head down towards his crotch.

Seth moaned with want as he pulled the fabric away from his prize and he quickly engulfed the entire length in his mouth. Inwardly, he smirked over having thought to have filled his bedroom with the sweet scent of one of the more potent aphrodisiacs he could find.

Jou gasped at the wet heat surrounding his sensitive member. His mind shut down and only registered the pleasure inflicted upon his body. His orgasm came with a cry forced from his lips, but he didn’t realize the name he called out.

Seth looked at Jou in bewilderment. “What did you just say?”

“Say? Who can remember at a time like this?” asked Jou covering himself as he sat up. He blushed a pleasant shade of wine-red as he continued, “Would you like me to do you now?”

“Today was about your needs,” said Seth with a small movement of his lips neither a grimace or a smile, “You can attend to my needs another time.”

“Are you sure?” asked Jou wrapping his arms around Seth’s waist.

“I love you, Jou, but I don’t know if you are ready for this,” said Seth gesturing towards his still covered arousal, “I’m afraid I cannot allow you to do this for me.” He kissed Jou’s lips quickly to cut off any complaints the blond might offer. ‘You do not have as much of Jono in you as I thought you did.’

Jou pulled Seth back into the kiss as soon as they broke apart. He pulled away finally to gasp for breath.

“Jou… there is something we must discuss…”

“Oh, no way!” exclaimed Jou, “You are not ditching me that easily!”

Seth blinked in confusion. “What…?”

“Oh, nothing!” Jou scratched his head. “What were you saying?”

“We are getting close to finding a method through which you could travel back to your time,” said Seth.

“Really?” asked Jou happily, “Yeah! Great!”

“I would like to ask you something very important, and I know this will take you some great thought in order to make your decision, so I will not pressure you for an answer,” said Seth, “Jou, will you marry me? Will you remain here with me? Will you stay here and marry me? Please, take your time in answering. Take all the time you need. We are close to finding the way to send you home, but we have not found it yet.”

“Marry? Stay here?” Jou turned his shocked honey-brown eyes away from Seth. “It will take time for me to answer those questions, but I will answer them as soon as I am able.”

“Thank you, Jou,” said Seth, “From the bottom of my heart, I thank you. Please consider my offer.”

“I will. I think I should start now,” said Jou standing up.

“Very well,” said Seth as Jou headed out of the room. He sighed and headed out onto his balcony. Without a moment’s hesitation, he headed into the room once occupied by Jono but had remained untouched since his last visit. He fell onto Jono’s bed and allowed his tears to fall. “Jono! I loved you! I still love you! Why did you have to die? I need you! I need you, Jono!”

Seth’s only comfort as he cried himself to sleep was an unexplainable feeling of warmth that spread throughout his heart.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Everyone dressed in their finest clothing in preparation for the meeting with the delegation that would introduce Atemu to his bride-to-be. Jou locked himself into the study with Shizuru and Mokuto while Seto reviewed some reports given to him by his special investigation team.

Atemu sat in his throne with his group of Priests and advisors around him.

Hiroto entered leading the entourage and he bowed to Atemu. “Great Pharaoh! May I present to you, the diplomats from our sister-city!”

Mai eyed up the people standing before them, and she clenched her fist upon her hidden weapon as she saw them all cloaked and masked.

“Hail, Great Pharaoh!” exclaimed the smallest member of the delegation as they all prostrated themselves before the throne.

“Rise,” said Atemu with a slight wave of his hand.

The smallest person stood first and removed his traveling cloak with a smile. “Great Pharaoh, I am Noa, neophyte of Nephthys, and chief representative.”

Atemu looked over the ten-year old boy with the light aquamarine-colored hair and soft, yet familiar looking blue eyes. “Welcome to the center of the world, Noa. How long have you followed Nephthys and what makes you the chief representative at such a young age?”

“I have followed Nephthys for three years. And I am the chief representative because I am the eldest son of our master and younger brother to your betrothed,” said Noa, “May I now present to you, the lady Teana.”

The remaining members of the delegation removed their traveling cloaks to reveal the small pack of body guards, a few other wizened advisors, and a young woman whose face remained masked behind a thin veil.

The young woman, Teana, raised her light blue eyes to meet Atemu’s crimson ones for a moment before she lowered them again.

“She doesn’t look too impressive,” mumbled Otogi beneath his breath.

“But she has been raised since birth to be able to satisfy Atemu’s needs,” whispered Isis, “and that is the only good thing I can see about her.”

Atemu looked at Teana with little interest. He sighed.

“My half-brother does not care for her,” whispered Mai looking on Atemu with saddened eyes. She took Isis’s hand and squeezed it gently. “He will never love her. This I can guarantee.”

Atemu rose from his throne and bowed slightly to the woman he’d be forced to marry. “Welcome to my domain! Might I have a word with you alone, Teana?”

The woman nodded slightly and followed Atemu out of the room into the narrow hall.

“Do you want to marry me?” asked Atemu.

“I do as commanded, my lord,” said Teana in a voice as quiet and gentle as a whispering wind.

Atemu sighed and rubbed his forehead. “That isn’t what I asked. Now answer my question.”

“I want nothing more than my Pharaoh’s happiness and continued line,” said Teana in the same quiet voice.

“So if I didn’t want to marry you?”

“I would return to my home at your word.”

“Where death or dishonor would sure to befall you,” said Atemu with a sigh, “Then you’d be cast out or killed.”

Teana merely nodded her head, but she still didn’t raise her eyes to look at the young ruler.

“Remove your veil so I might see your face in its entirety,” ordered Atemu.

Teana pulled away the veil and looked up at Atemu’s face, focusing on his teeth as they nibbled his lower lip rather than looking him directly in the eye.

“I would hope that you and your party would join us for dinner this evening so we may discuss this… arrangement,” said Atemu.

“Yes, my lord,” whispered Teana.

Atemu turned and headed back into the room where everyone waited, and Teana followed behind reaffixing her veil.

“Let us all move into the dining room for the evening meal,” said Seth after seeing Atemu’s indiscreet hand signal.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“La, la-la, la-la-la-la,” sang Jou quietly as he lay on his back with his CD player on his stomach.

“How about we actually listen to a song instead of you mumbling?” suggested Seto lying down beside Jou.

“Sure… which one?” asked Jou, “L’Arc~En~Ciel, right?”

“Preferably,” said Seto with a smile.

Jou slipped the CD into his player. “I’m pretty fond of L’Heure myself.”

“That’s because it’s in French,” said Seto watching Jou blush.

“I rather like Lover Boy. It’s like a morbid fantasy. It always reminds me of vampires,” said Jou, “I don’t know why I believe fairy tales like that, but I always have.”

“My favorite is Heaven’s Drive,” whispered Seto.

“Cool,” whispered Jou pushing the button to start the song. He closed his eyes and whispered the lyrics translation under his breath, “Isn’t this getting boring? What do you want next? Your lips get hungry without sinful sensations, eating you down to the bone. Leave me alone!”

“It’s painfully intriguing,” whispered Seto into Jou’s ear, “the way you love the sound of a panting voice. Playing with that lens-wearing snake, you’re a prisoner of your own feelings.”

Jou continued to hum along with the music.

“Your body’s full of poison. Ah… You’re Death’s prisoner. The nightmares are swelling up and spreading until no one can hold on,” whispered Seto.

“Does that remind you of something?” asked Jou snuggling close to the brunet.

“Nothing I want to remember,” said Seto.

“Okay, so change of subject then!” exclaimed Jou, “What do you suppose the others are doing right now?”

“Probably having dinner with the stupid bitch that was betrothed to the Pharaoh,” said Seto as Jou’s stomach growled, “Come on! We should eat as well.”

Jou nodded his head, but he didn’t move. He closed his eyes and cuddled closer to Seto’s warmth.

Seto wrapped his arms around the blond as they both drifted off to sleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jou snapped awake as his body sat bolt upright.

“Ow!” moaned Seto rubbing his stomach where Jou elbowed him in his haste to sit up, “What the hell was that for?”

“I… I… I had a… dream. I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you,” said Jou turning to look at Seto while he panted heavily.

Seto sat up and pulled Jou into his arms. “What was this dream about that got you so riled up?”

Jou sighed. “I was dancing with… someone. I can’t tell if it was you or Seth. But then we stopped, and he said…”

“He said what?”

“He said something I’d never hear you say so it must have been Seth who was talking.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he loved me.”

“I would tell you I loved you, if I actually did and if I thought there was a chance you might feel that way about me,” said Seto.

“Well, for future reference, maybe I do,” said Jou giving Seto a quick kiss, “Let’s go to breakfast! I’m so starving!” He jumped off the bed and hurried out of the room as fast as his feet could carry him.

“Hey, wait a minute! You can’t run out after a confession like that? Did you just say you love me?” asked Seto getting off the bed and running after Jou. With help from his much longer legs, he caught up to Jou and grabbed him, forcing the blond up against a wall. He looked deeply into Jou’s eyes. “Do you love me?”

“It’s entirely possible for me to love you,” said Jou, “and that’s as good an answer as I can give you right now. I think I may be in love with either you or Seth, but I can’t tell which one. My heart is so confused around you both right now. I need time to be able to answer that question with a definite yes or no.”

“And time you’ll get,” said Seto before giving Jou a chaste kiss and a genuine smile. “Let’s go feed that bottomless pit of a stomach you have, pup! I don’t want to have to listen to your stomach growl all day!”

Jou pulled Seto into the dining room. “Hey, is it safe to come out now?”

“The… what would you call her, Isis?”

“Stupid ugly bitch,” said Isis slamming her fists on the table with each word.

“Yes, the stupid ugly bitch left at first light,” said Atemu with a smile. “I won’t have to deal with her again until the marriage ceremony. Yuck!”

“Is she really that bad?” asked Seto.

“Worse,” said Mai walking into the room from behind Seto and Jou, “Don’t step on Cerele.”

“Don’t step on what?” asked Seto and Jou looking at Mai with confusion on their faces.

“Look down,” said Mai.

“Oh, hey! What a cute cat!” exclaimed Jou before scooping the young sable kitten into his arms.

“I’ve decided to name him Cerele,” said Mai, “He has taken to following me everywhere. He seems to recognize I am the Priestess of the Cat Goddess.”

Jou chuckled as the cat licked his cheek. “Cerele is so cute… I’ve never had a pet of my own. My family wouldn’t allow it.”

“How would you ever have fed it?” asked Seto with raised eyebrows.

Jou’s face flushed slightly. “Yeah, well… we can’t all be rich bastards like you!”

“No, of course not. Because then I wouldn’t be rich,” said Seto. He leaned closer to Jou and whispered, “Besides, if you had as much money as I did, I would have no reason to use my money to spoil you.”

Jou hung his head so his golden blond hair hid his blushing face. The kitten in his arms licked his cheek before his stomach growled.

Cerele hissed at Jou’s stomach before jumping down and quickly scaling Mai’s body to her shoulders where he dug his claws into her clothing and glared at Jou.

Mai giggled. “It’s okay, Cerele. Jou is not a dog, and he was not growling at you! He’s merely hungry!”

Atemu laughed. “Come! Sit! Sit and we will dine together!”

Everyone took their usual seats to break their nightly fast while they discussed how inappropriate a wife the lady Teana would make for the Pharaoh.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Jou?” asked Isis approaching the blond in the garden, “You were supposed to meet with Atemu at mid-day. Why did you not appear? Is something troubling you?”

“Isis…”

“Yes, Jou?” Isis sat down on the bench beside him.

Jou looked at the necklace around the dark-haired beauty’s neck. He turned his gaze up into the questioning blue eyes. “Isis, will you use the Millennium Necklace for me? Will you look into the future?”

“You know the powers of my Millennium Tauk?” asked Isis, “Have you encountered it before in your time?”

“I have… wielded by Isis Ishtar, your soul reincarnate,” said Jou, “She used it to show my friend the past so we could all try to prevent the events that happened in this time from reoccurring in our own. She once said the Millennium Necklace could see into the past and into the future. Will you look into the future for me?”

“Do you want to know how your friends are doing?” asked Isis.

“No. I want to know…” Jou stopped to take a deep breath and sighed. “What would the world be like if I didn’t return to my time and I chose to remain here?”

“Are you considering staying with us?”

“It’s an option actually.”

“And would Seto also be joining you here?”

Jou shook his head. “I doubt he would. He has… responsibilities back home. He has his little brother to take care of. He has a very prominent business to attend to. He wouldn’t be able to stay here and live a simple life. He wouldn’t want to.”

“Why… if I may be so bold as to ask… might you want to remain here? Isn’t it correct you have wonderful friends in your own time whom would miss you greatly if you were not to return? Isn’t it also correct you have a younger sister in your time much like Shizuru whom would be lost without you there to guide her? Can you not foresee a future in your own time that might be just as promising as any within this one?”

“Listen, Isis. I’m not saying I want to stay here. I’m just saying maybe I want to stay here. I know my friends would miss me, and my sister would be sad that she wouldn’t be able to see me again,” said Jou, “but she never sees me as it is anyway. She lives with our mother and I live with our father. Our mother refuses to permit me to see her.”

Isis sighed and closed her eyes. A series of images flashed before her eyes. She opened her eyes to look into Jou’s honey colored orbs. “I have seen as you have asked, but I cannot understand these images of your time. You alone will be able to translate them I think.”

“So… tell me what you saw…”

“I can’t!” interrupted Isis, “I will show you, but I will need to put you into sleep to do so. I would normally be able to show you while you were awake, but I would need something from your time upon which to focus the power of the Millennium Tauk. But the music box you brought is not powerful enough for me to be able to do so.”

“Okay, so I need to sleep? I can do that,” said Jou.

Isis wrapped her arms around Jou in a tender embrace and pulled his body onto her own as she lay them down upon the bench. She lightly ran her hand through Jou’s hair, stroking him as she would a kitten or a puppy.

Jou closed his eyes as the soft rising and falling of the woman’s chest lulled him into sleep.

- - Enter Dreamscape - -
- - Jou’s Anxiety - -
I stood as a spirit and watched my friends. They all stood before my gravestone… no, not a gravestone because my body did not rest within. They all stood before my memorial. They’re all crying, every single one of them… even… dare I say it, Malik Ishtar and… Kaiba Seto was even crying.
“Why didn’t you come back to us, Jou?” cried Yugi, “You were my first true friend!”
Seto fell to his knees before my memorial stone. “I’m sorry I never told you, puppy. I’m sorry.”
‘Tell me what?’ I tried to say, but no one heard my voice. Even I could not hear my own voice. ‘Seto! Seto! What did you want to say to me?’
“Jou!” screamed Yugi collapsing onto the grass that would typically cover my coffin should it be buried in the grave. He didn’t move from the spot. It didn’t even appear he breathed.
“Yugi!” cried Ryou turning our small friend over. His eyes teared up even more as he looked upon the wide-open eyes as they seemingly dulled. “No, no, no! Not you too! We can’t lose you, too, Yugi! Come back! Don’t die!”
‘Yugi! Yugi, man, you can’t die! What’s wrong?’ I screamed.
“His heart’s broken,” whispered Otogi.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Suddenly I saw a different scene. Someone I didn’t know stood above all my friends, all except Yugi who apparently did die of a broken heart. This someone… I can’t even tell if it was man or woman, but who oddly enough looked like a cross between Seto and me… held all seven Millennium Items. And from what I could tell by looking around me… it looked like he might have taken over control of the world!
“Thanks to the eighth Millennium Item, you had no hope of ever destroying me!” laughed the person, “Without the King of Games, you are all merely fools! And even the kind-hearted spirit of my Millennium Collar cannot stop me!”
‘Eighth item? Kind-hearted? Millennium Collar? Could he be talking about me?’
- - Exit Dreamscape - -

Jou opened his eyes suddenly. “Is that what would really happen?”

“Maybe yes. Maybe no,” said Isis slowly, “That is a possible future. Your decision to stay or go, and how you act upon that decision, would dictate whether the future would be played out the way you see or not. There was another future I saw, but it didn’t seem as if you had played a part in that world at all. Your absence seemed to have no effect at all, Jou. I wasn’t sure if that was the best future to show you, and I’m sorry if I have upset you.”

“No… no, you haven’t upset me. You just made me realize I really do have a lot of thinking to do if I even want to consider staying here,” said Jou. “Thank you, Isis. Thank you very much.” He got up abruptly, and he headed back towards the palace entrance without a single word or a glance back at the woman lying on the bench.

“Oh, Seth! You are a fool for placing all these troubles on such a fragile heart!” sighed Isis.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“How long is it supposed to be until the wedding ceremony?” asked Bakura.

Namu looked upon the caravan leaving the city. “She’ll be back in two moons to be married to the Pharaoh. We can’t let that happen, Bakura! We just can’t! It would be the biggest mistake of Atemu’s life! I know you hate him, but I can’t let him marry her! Say you’ll help me!”

“Of course I’ll help you!” exclaimed Bakura wrapping his arms around Namu, “So, tell me… Did you have something in mind?”

Namu sighed and pulled a small knife from a sheath hidden in his clothes. He looked at the blade, entranced by the way the sunlight reflected off the metal. “I was considering a test.”

“A test? Hmm… sounds interesting. A test of what exactly?”

“My purity. I want to see if I will be tainted by another’s blood when that blood is spilled for the greater good of all,” said Namu, “I want to kill the woman.”

“But you might lose your ability to heal!” exclaimed Bakura with wide eyes.

“That is a risk I am willing to take. I can heal well enough with herbs and medicines. It would only be my natural ability I would lose,” said Namu, “and I could live without that. This is something I want to do, Bakura! Please, help me!”

Bakura pulled Namu into a kiss. “Go grab my cloak from our room, and grab my spare for yourself. We depart at once to destroy the woman and prevent the future lineage of the stupid Pharaoh!”

“Thank you!” exclaimed Namu running off to do as he was bidden.

- - Modern Day - -

Shizuka sighed as she fell onto the couch beside Yugi. “This has been the longest day of my life!”

“I know what you mean,” said Yugi staring at his hands, “Every time I think I may have the answer, I end up with a hundred more questions!”

“Do you think Jou misses us?” asked Shizuka in a hushed whisper, “I mean, I know I haven’t been around all that much for him, and I’m a lot of work to look after…”

“Hush. Who wouldn’t want to have you in their life?” asked Yugi, “Jou loves you. I’m sure he misses you very much.” He bit his lower lip. He couldn’t help but think, ‘What kind of man would I be if I had to live without you, Jou? I know you can survive without me, but what hope have I without you?’

Shizuka wrapped her arms around Yugi and hugged him gently.

“I’m sure Jou is desperately trying to find a way back to us,” said Yugi, “Just like we’re trying to find a way to get to him or bring him back.”

“He was always here for me when we were growing up and I had a nightmare or I couldn’t even get to sleep,” said Shizuka.

- - 3000 Years Ago - -

~ I can’t fight this feeling any longer. ~
~ Yet, I’m still afraid to let it flow. ~
~ What started out as friendship has grown stronger. ~
~ I only wish I had the strength to let it show. ~

“You’re sure Jou knows you have his music maker, right?” asked Mokuto looking at the box in trepidation as if it would jump up and attack him if it wasn’t borrowed with the owner’s permission.

“Yes, Jou knows I borrowed this. He told me I could listen to it with you and Shizuru,” said Seto with a sigh.

“Oh, great!” exclaimed Shizuru, “Because I love this music!”

~ I tell myself that I can’t hold out forever. ~
~ I say there is no reason for my fear. ~
~ ‘Cause I feel so secure when we’re together. ~
~ You give my life direction; you make everything so clear. ~

“I love him,” whispered Seto, “This song is a reflection of our relationship since we came here to Egypt.”

“What was that, Seto?” asked Mokuto, “I couldn’t hear you. You were talking too quietly.”

“It’s not important,” said Seto turning his head away to hide his light blush.

~ Even as I wander, I’m keeping you in sight. ~
~ You’re a candle in the window on a cold dark winter’s night. ~
~ And I’m getting closer than I ever thought I might. ~

“Seto? Do you think… do you think if I asked him to, Jou would stay here and be my big brother?” asked Shizuru.

‘He can’t!’ Seto’s heart clenched. “Shizuru… Jou has a sister your age back in our time. I know you miss Jono, but how do you think Jou’s sister would feel if she could never see him again?”

“She’d be heartbroken,” said Shizuru, “I know. I just miss Jono.”

~ And I can’t fight this feeling anymore. ~
~ I’ve forgotten what I started fighting for. ~
~ It’s time to bring this ship into the shore. ~
~ And throw away the oars forever. ~

“Seto… do you think Seth is in love with Jou?” asked Mokuto, “I know Seth loved Jono, but do you think he carried his love forward to the reincarnated blond?”

“That would be a very foolish thing to do,” said Seto clenching his fists reflexively.

~ And I can’t fight this feeling anymore. ~
~ I’ve forgotten what I started fighting for. ~
~ And if I have to crawl upon the floor. ~
~ Come crashing through the door. ~
~ Baby I can’t fight this feeling anymore. ~

Shizuru lay down and cuddled up against Seto. She smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. “I think Jou likes you.”

Mokuto lay down against Seto’s other side and yawned. “This song… it sounds familiar… like something I’ve heard before… once upon a dream…”

~ My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you. ~
~ I’ve been running around in circles in my mind. ~
~ And it always seems that I’m following you girl. ~
~ ‘Cause you take me to the places that I thought I’d never find. ~

Seto didn’t move as the two youngsters fell asleep beside him. He resigned himself to just listening to Jou’s mix CD and the song currently playing which so fit how he felt in his heart at this very moment.

~ Even as I wander, I’m keeping you in sight. ~
~ You’re a candle in the window on a cold dark winter’s night. ~
~ And I’m getting closer than I ever thought I might. ~

Seto yawned and closed his eyes.

~ And I can’t fight this feeling anymore. ~
~ I’ve forgotten what I started fighting for. ~
~ It’s time to bring this ship into the shore. ~
~ And throw away the oars forever. ~
~ And I can’t fight this feeling anymore. ~
~ I’ve forgotten what I started fighting for. ~
~ And if I have to crawl upon the floor. ~
~ Come crashing through the door. ~
~ Baby I can’t fight this feeling anymore. ~

Even as the last chords fell and before the CD player had a chance to switch to the next song, three people breathed in rhythm with each other as they slept in peace along with the lullaby of music.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“I will take care of the guards and merchants,” said Bakura as he watched the caravan move closer to his position, “That will leave the woman for you. She will be the one who cowers away from everyone else. Can you handle that, Namu?”

“For my dear cousin, I will do what I can,” said Namu. “I can take care of her.”

“You have your weapon?” asked Bakura revealing his own blades.

Namu pulled his knife from under the folds of his cloak.

“I’ll go in first,” said Bakura, “Be careful when you enter the fray.”

“I will. Thank you, Bakura.”

Bakura tightened the cloak around himself and slipped closer to the caravan. He rushed into the loosely packed group of travelers, and his blades glinted in the sunlight as he slashed the people he passed, littering the golden sand with blood and bodies.

Namu ran into the frantic crowd and dodged the guards who swarmed around Bakura as he made his way to a robe bedecked figure on the back of a camel. With a jumping tackle, he pulled the person down from the camel’s back and forced some of the robe into the mouth to muffle the subsequent scream. He groped the body to make sure he held a woman before he drug her away behind a sand dune. “Are you the woman betrothed to the Pharaoh?”

“What does it matter if you just intend to kill me anyway?” asked Teana as Namu pulled the robe off her so he could see her.

“Tell me the truth!” exclaimed Namu.

“Yes!”

Bakura limped around the dune and collapsed beside Namu. “Everyone else is taken care of!”

“Dorobo Bakudan! You’re hurt!” exclaimed Namu using Bakura’s formal title to scare the woman, which he obviously succeeded at since she curled up into a quivering ball.

“I’ll be fine,” said Bakura, “You have a task to do.”

Namu looked at Teana as he drew out his knife. His hand trembled slightly.

“You can do this, Namu,” whispered Bakura.

With one slash, Namu cut Teana’s throat, and then to make sure she died, he plunged the blade into her heart. He trembled as he fell back into Bakura’s waiting arms.

“You did good, Namu. Now, please, try to heal me. I know you still can. I believe in you,” whispered Bakura.

“I love you,” whispered Namu cuddling into Bakura. He allowed his healing light to encompass them both, and his powers healed the wounds the guards managed to make on his lover. He kissed Bakura’s lips. “How did you know I wouldn’t be tainted? I just killed someone!”

“But you did so for all the right reasons,” said Bakura with a smile, “I believe in you and your abilities.” He winked at Namu. “Now let’s loot the caravan and go home!”

Namu nodded and moved off with Bakura to get the gold loaded up on camels for their return trip to the city.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A young boy of thirteen years entered the Inner Sanctum where Atemu sat with his circle of Priests, Priestesses, Jou, and Seto. He knelt before Atemu. “Forgive the intrusion, Great Pharaoh.”

Atemu raised an eyebrow. “Sephiroh? What is the meaning of this?”

“The Priestess of Seth has passed away. The Priest of Anubis sent me to inform you while he performs the final rites,” said the black haired boy, Sephiroh, the one chosen to be the next Priest of Seth.

“The Priestess of Seth is dead?” asked Jou with shock-filled eyes.

“Yes,” said Sephiroh.

Atemu rubbed his temples to ward off the forming headache. “We were hoping she could hold off her illness long enough for you and Shizuru to be ready for the Trials. Luck is not on our side, I’m afraid.”

“Sephiroh, go fetch Shizuru, and we will discuss the Trials of Ptah’s Children,” said Jou.

Sephiroh looked to Atemu for confirmation before running off to do Jou’s bidding.

“What do we do now about the Trials?” asked Mai, “Seth, do you know what takes place during the Trials so you could oversee them?”

“I’m afraid I do not know,” said Seth, “The only people who truly knew were Jono and Aika, because they went through the Trials together.”

“So I ask again. What do we do about the Trials?” asked Mai.

Jou took a deep breath and sighed.

“Seth? Would you oversee the Trials?” asked Atemu.

“Of cour…”

“Seto will!” exclaimed Jou quickly interrupting Seth.

“I will what?” asked Seto turning to look at Jou, “Are you insane, mutt? I know nothing about these Trials! How am I to oversee them?”

Jou sighed. “Well, you’ll be possessed by a God at the time, so you don’t need to know anything about the Trials!”

“Possessed by a God?” exclaimed Otogi. He burst out laughing. “Jou, you say the funniest things! He could never be possessed by a God!”

“I’m afraid to say he’s right, Jou,” said Isis, “It takes years of dedication and training for anyone to be able to sustain a God within their form.”

Jou rolled his eyes. “Seto can do it.”

The argument got put on hold when Sephiroh and Shizuru entered the Inner Sanctum and knelt before Atemu.

“Has Sephiroh told you the news, Shizuru?” asked Atemu.

“Yes. When will the Trials be held?” asked Shizuru. Even though her body trembled with fear, her voice showed no signs of apprehension. “Who will be overseeing them?”

“Our Lord Osiris and… the Lord Seth… will oversee the Trials,” said Jou.

“How will Lord Osiris and Lord Seth oversee the Trials?” asked Shizuru looking to Jou for guidance.

“I will summon our Lord Osiris into myself, and Sephiroh will need to summon his Lord Seth into Seto’s form,” said Jou. “Easier done than said!”

“Say what you mean; don’t mean what you say,” said Seto, “The phrase is ‘Easier said than done.’”

“I can’t do that!” exclaimed Sephiroh; “I can’t even summon Seth into myself! I’m not an avatar yet!”

“Your training is that far behind?” asked Jou with wide eyes.

“Jou… I can’t summon Lord Osiris either!” exclaimed Shizuru.

“Yes, Shizuru, you can. Your mind just can’t handle the strain of having the Lord within, so you don’t remember what happens!” exclaimed Jou.

“And how would you know!” shouted Shizuru, “You aren’t any better than I am!”

“Sephiroh, Shizuru, what are the stages of Priesthood?” asked Jou with a sigh. He clenched his fist to try to control his anger.

“Initiate, Neophyte, Acolyte, Avatar, Priest, High Priest,” said the two children.

“And where are you both in your training?” asked Jou.

“I am an Acolyte,” said Shizuru, “because I’ve failed to summon Osiris and become an Avatar.”

“As am I, for the same reason,” said Sephiroh.

“Okay, right now, one more try. Summon your Gods!” exclaimed Jou, “And for your information, Shizu, I am an Avatar of Osiris. So I outrank you! The Trials can’t begin until we all witness you summoning the Gods.”

“Jou, do you mean to tell us all you really are an avatar?” asked Otogi, “When we heard you say that in the city, we all thought you were making it up as an excuse!”

“I’m supposed to go through the Trials myself upon my seventeenth birthday,” said Jou smugly, “Now, Shizuru, remember what I told you.”

Shizuru moved to sit down in a comfortable position. She closed her hands over her heart and allowed her eyelids to flutter closed. She whispered quietly, “Osiris, hear my words.”

Jou smiled as Shizuru said a few words in an ancient tongue.

Shizuru’s body went rigid, and her blood red eyes burst open. She stood up and spoke with a deep voice that echoed through the room. “For what have you summoned me here again?”

Jou fell into a submissive position in front of the now God-possessed Shizuru. “Forgive me, my Lord, for my impertinence, but Aika, Priestess of Seth, has passed on to the world of death. You have been without a Priest or Priestess long enough, and the time is now approaching for the Trials of Ptah’s Children for the children Shizuru and Sephiroh.”

“If that is the case, then why did you not summon me yourself, Avatar, so I would be in the vessel required to oversee the Trials?” asked Osiris-Shizuru.

“I needed to speak with you first, and also we needed to prove Shizuru was ready to be your Priestess since she still does not believe she can summon you for any period of time,” said Jou, “And I needed to ask if Seth has been persuaded to partake of Seto’s body or if another vessel is needed.”

“You can ask Seth yourself, since there is none here trained to summon him besides Sephiroh,” said Osiris-Shizuru, “Sephiroh will need to summon Seth, and then Seth can transfer himself into another host. I will depart this body now. Summon me into yourself once Seth has chosen his vessel.”

“Yes, my Lord,” said Jou.

The red eyes closed, and Shizuru fell onto her face on the stone floor. She opened her amber eyes. “Um… what just happened? Did I actually summon Osiris?”

“Yes,” said Seto, “It would appear you did.”

“So… do I try to summon Seth now?” asked Sephiroh.

“Yes,” said Isis.

Sephiroh sighed as he closed his brown eyes. He said a few words in an arcane tongue. After a second of waiting, crimson eyes opened to look around at everyone.

“Lord Seth?” asked Isis kneeling before the boy.

“Yes,” said the deep baritone voice of Seth-Sephiroh.

“Has Sephiroh successfully summoned you before?” asked Mai kneeling beside her lover.

“Many times, but I have not seen fit to allow him to remember. He invited me in willingly, and it is of no concern to him what I do with his body in his absence,” said Seth-Sephiroh, “I take it I am here now for the Trials of Ptah’s Children. Who would be my vessel?”

“Seto,” whispered Jou looking at the brunet with pleading eyes.

“It would appear I have been chosen to be the vessel,” said Seto stepping forward and kneeling before Seth-Sephiroh.

“Just relax,” said Seth-Sephiroh placing one hand on each of Seto’s cheeks. He leaned forward and locked his lips with Seto.

Jou growled deep in his throat over seeing Seto kissing another man.

Seto’s eyes widened to abnormal proportions, but they glazed over after a moment and he closed them slowly.

The two young men pulled away with their mouths still open from their kiss and a faint red light passed between their lips until it vanished completely in Seto’s mouth.

Sephiroh fell away from Seto and opened in eyes in shock. “I just… I just… Seth just made me kiss a man!”

“Do you have a problem with that?” ask Otogi and Seth together.

“Yes! I’m not attracted to them! It’s fine for you to kiss other guys, but not me!” exclaimed Sephiroh glaring at the two older Priests.

“You are such a fool,” came the deep voice of Seth-Seto as crimson eyes opened, and the body stood up, “Hurry up, Osiris! I wish to get this over with nearly as fast as my vessel does.”

“Osiris.” Jou closed his eyes and stood. He whispered in a language long since dead before he opened ruby red eyes and looked at Seth-Seto.

“Come, Sephiroh, Shizuru, take hold of us, and we will transport you to the location of the Trials,” said Seth-Seto.

“Do not be alarmed because no harm will come to you,” said the rich voice of Osiris-Jou. He took the hand of the other god-avatar and smiled at his brother-friend.

Shizuru took Osiris-Jou’s hand with one of hers and Sephiroh’s with her other. “I’m ready.”

Sephiroh clasped Seth-Seto’s hand to complete their circle.

“I hope you are ready,” said Seth-Seto nodding his head as a vortex formed between their world and the Shadow Realm, which quickly sucked them in, “Don’t give up. We believe in you.”

Osiris-Jou nodded his head. “And the Trials… begin now.”

“What do we do?” asked Shizuru releasing both hands in her grasp.

“Do you know what happened between Seth and myself?” asked Osiris-Jou.

“Seth killed Osiris,” said Sephiroh looking at Seth-Seto proudly.

“Exactly! That was my biggest mistake!” exclaimed Seth-Seto; “I killed him out of hate!”

“Now you are here to repair the damage through love,” said Osiris-Jou.

Shizuru’s eyes widened. “Oh, please, no!”

“Ahead of you lies a labyrinth,” said Seth-Seto waving his hand in the direction of the maze behind the two children, “You must work together to get to the center of the labyrinth.”

“Once there by the fountain of Ptah, Sekhmet, and Nut, you must consummate yourselves into the Priesthood,” said Osiris-Jou, “You will know what to do by the time you arrive.”

“I’m ready. Sephiroh, are you?” asked Shizuru.

“Yes, let’s go, Shizuru,” said Sephiroh.

Shizuru and Sephiroh walked towards the labyrinth together.

“We’ll need to sleep together,” said Shizuru, “That’s why we needed to be virgins until after the Trials of Ptah’s Children.”

Sephiroh blushed. “I’m not. I was told I needed to be, but I saw no real need to keep such a frivolous item.”

“I am… just as my brother was until the Trials. He mentioned to me once in passing that he had lost his virginity in the Trials, but since it had not been for true love or by his desire at all, he still considered himself a virgin, even up to his death,” said Shizuru, “I miss my brother.”

“Let’s get this over with,” said Sephiroh as they entered the labyrinth.

- - Pharaoh’s Palace - -

With nothing else to do for a brief moment, Seth clutched the poison close to himself as he headed towards a meeting with Isis’s father and the Grand Vizier to discuss the negotiations for Isis’s hand. He stopped to get a bottle of the finest drink that he poured the poison into before entering the quiet chamber.

An older man, already halfway to his grave, sat in a chair facing the dark haired man Seth recognized in an instant as his uncle.

Seth put on a fake smile. “I’m glad you both could join me today on such short notice. Could I offer you a drink?”

“Of course,” said the Grand Vizier.

Seth pulled out three cups and poured some of the liquid into each. He placed them in front of each of the chairs before taking the last one for himself. “How are the negotiations going?”

“Fair,” said Isis’s father, “we have decided the dowry will be fifteen camels and three skeins of imported silk.” He downed his entire cup in one gulp and set it down empty.

Seth quickly refilled the empty cup.

“Yes, I drive a hard bargain, but even as a Priestess, the woman is practically worthless. She cannot sew or do any other task our women do,” said the Grand Vizier drinking his cup, “but she appears to be fertile enough to bear me many sons and daughters. All that needs doing now is the signing of the contract as well as the ceremony that will ensure her monogamy to me.”

“You know that ceremony will only hurt Isis,” said Seth glaring at them both. He filled the Grand Vizier’s cup again. “How can you do such a thing to her? She would never be able to enjoy her tasks in the bedroom.”

“That is what keeps her faithful to me!” exclaimed the Grand Vizier, “And it makes her more beautiful!”

“She is beautiful enough!” exclaimed Seth pretending to drink from his cup but being careful not to let the liquid touch his lips.

“Oh, but the deal is all but done!” exclaimed the father.

Seth shook his head in disgust. He stood. “Enjoy your drink!”

“Are you upset because I’d be taking her away from you?” asked the Grand Vizier, “Has she been to bed with you?”

‘Maybe if I say yes, he’ll be disgusted by her and think of her as a concubine. Then he wouldn’t want her,’ thought Seth. He smirked evilly. “Whenever I have need, Isis has been more than capable of assisting me.”

“Then I will grant you one night with her after the ceremony takes place. I do assume you would know the proper procedure to stitch her sex closed, am I correct?” asked the Grand Vizier pouring himself and Isis’s father another drink.

“You are too gracious. Of course I know the procedure,” said Seth, “I use it myself on those in the harem. Good day to you.” He turned and headed from the room, feeling for all the world like he just stepped out of a pile of manure. He headed straight to his chambers, called his slave from the small private room, and climbed into the bath. “Wash me!”

The slave obeyed, washing every inch of Seth’s skin with the utmost care.

Isis burst into the room not long after with the happiest grin on her face. “Out of the way!”

The slave moved quickly away from Seth as Isis jumped into the bathing pool with them still fully clothed. He blushed as he saw the dripping wet Priestess kiss her cousin full on the mouth.

Seth pushed Isis away from him. “What is the meaning of this, Isis?”

“The Grand Vizier is dead! He and my father drank themselves to death!” exclaimed Isis, “I am free from the betrothal!” Her eyes gleamed with happiness and knowledge. She whispered, “Thank you, Seth!”

“I barely did a thing,” said Seth hugging Isis close, “Now, go tell your lover the good news! I’m sure Mai will want to celebrate with you!”

Isis kissed Seth again and whispered into his ear, “I’m sorry you couldn’t have Jono. I know you loved him very much, but perhaps in time you might find another to love.”

Seth nodded as Isis climbed from the bathing pool with her clothing sticking to her body to reveal the perfection that is her womanhood.

Isis wrung out what clothing she could before running out of the room once more.

“Prepare yourself, slave,” said Seth.

With a nod, the slave began his work to prepare his channel for Seth to take him. He pressed his chest up against the edge of the bathing pool for Seth to press into him from behind and fuck him wildly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The vortex opened and deposited Sephiroh, Shizuru, Seth-Seto, and Osiris-Jou back in the Inner Sanctum.

“Go forth to your temples, Priest of Seth and Priestess of Osiris,” said Seth-Seto.

“We will seek out the Pharaoh and inform him of your progress,” said Osiris-Jou.

Shizuru nodded and clutched her stomach as she ran away.

Sephiroh headed off to go to the temple as ordered.

“You needn’t come look for me,” said Atemu from behind a curtain.

“We know,” said Osiris-Jou, “They have passed the Trials and are now Priest and Priestess.”

“Good,” said Atemu with a smile.

“But I worry for that young Priestess,” said Seth-Seto, “She was ill-prepared for the pain the Trials would bring. I fear it would have been kinder for her to not have been a virgin when she entered them.”

“And I worry for that young Priest,” said Osiris-Jou, “The Priestess would not be so damaged if he had not been so brutally forceful with her.”

“You and your Priests and Priestesses will need to be careful with them for awhile,” said Seth-Seto.

“Lest they prove to be ill-suited to the roles we have granted them,” said Osiris-Jou, “One of them may turn and betray you and us.”

“We will watch them,” said Atemu, “Now what of the vessels you possess.”

Osiris-Jou smiled. “We will go to sleep, and they will wake up tomorrow, remembering all that we can allow them to.”

“But they will not be keen to speak of the Trials, so kindly do not ask them,” said Seth-Seto.

Atemu nodded and watched as the two god-possessed teenagers headed out of the Inner Sanctum.

Osiris-Jou and Seth-Seto headed into Seto’s room and curled up together on Seto’s bed. Placing a loving kiss to each other’s lips, they fell asleep with their bodies and hearts intertwined.
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I Almost Had You