Title: Summer of '69
Author: bnomiko
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Yami x Seto, Noa + Mokuba
Spoilers: none
Warnings: swearing
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. Out of the Blue is a film by Tim Murdoch. "Never Tear Us Apart" is performed and recorded by INXS. This is a not-for-profit fanwork and I do not own any of these characters.
Summary: "Two worlds collided, And they could never, ever tear us apart"
Status: 2 / ?
Archived at: http://www.phenixsol.com/Miko/FF/

This is a YAOI fic (male x male sexual situations) and is not appropriate for minors. If you are underage or offended by homosexual relationships, please do not read this. Flames will be disregarded.

* * *

Summer of '69

Prologue 2: Out of the Blue

* * *

I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they could never, ever tear us apart

- "Never Tear Us Apart," INXS

* * *

Yugi had to admit, if nothing else, Seto Kaiba really knew how to travel. They were currently somewhere above the Pacific, flying in Kaiba Corp.'s newest and most luxurious corporate jet, on their way to attend the grand opening of the new KaibaLand California. The plane was decked out like a fancy hotel suite, with a lounge area equipped with state-of-the-art electronics, an amazing kitchenette, and even a small bedroom in the back. And best of all, they didn't have to share it with anyone else; Seto had reserved it for their exclusive use.

Money was no object to the young billionaire - everyone knew that. But for him to fly out the entire gang like that, and also offer to take care of any other travel expenses or needs, in essence buying them a week's vacation... that was more than generosity. It was an act of friendship, regardless if Seto actually thought of them as his friends. Yugi had been impressed and even asked Yami about it, partly because he assumed it was something his other half had suggested to his lover, but Yami had proudly informed him that it was all Seto's idea, that he had nothing to do with it.

Yugi smiled to himself. They had all come a long way since high school, back when life revolved around homework and summer vacation and traveling for Duel Monsters tournaments. And boy, some of the things they had done... sneaking onto ships, Seto's Battle City blimp...

Well, at least this time, we're not going to have to save the world or anything, Yugi thought to himself as he remembered the time they had flown to America at Pegasus' request and ended up dueling Dartz for the fate of humanity. He could certainly do without ever going through an "adventure" like that again!

Let's see... Jou and I are in the tournament, but everyone else can pretty much relax and have fun. And from the looks of things, everyone was having a good time. Jou and Honda were playing Dungeon Dice Monsters, the girls were watching a movie, Sugoroku was snoring away on the sofa next to him, and he could even smell popcorn microwaving in the kitchenette. Yes, everyone seemed to be enjoying the amenities offered... well, everyone except Yami.

Yugi frowned slightly at the former Pharaoh seated across from him. He almost looked like he had fallen asleep again, except his brow was still wrinkled in concentration. He was giving himself one hell of a headache, but still wasn't getting the results he wanted. Yugi was a little worried even though he knew that there wasn't anything physically wrong with the crimson-eyed man. Yami was just missing his boyfriend terribly, and had been trying to strengthen their mind link for hours now. Like everyone else, he had been pretty excited at the start of the flight, but as they began drawing closer to California, he had become more and more withdrawn as he threw himself into his task. It was exhausting him to the point where he would fall asleep for 15 or 30 minutes before waking up to resume working on the link. Yugi had offered his assistance, thinking that perhaps he could help Yami extend his range or something, but Yami had mumbled something about not wanting to drain him, and then had gone right back to what he'd been doing.

Noa wandered over with a glass of water and some aspirin, setting them both on the table within Yami's reach. He'd been fussing over Yami on and off even though Yugi had been sitting there the whole while. The violet-eyed man wondered if something had happened between them that had brought the two of them closer; it had to be more than just Yami's pending guardianship appointment that had done it. Maybe it had something to do with that whole mess with Noa and Mokuba dating, but without knowing the details, he couldn't be sure. When he had asked about it, Yami had told him the problem had been resolved, but that was it. Curiosity made Yugi want to find out more, but he let the matter drop because it wasn't really his business.

To tell the truth, it felt a little weird thinking of Yami as a parent, or more accurately, as someone in a parental role. Especially since Yami had just barely turned 20 and his charges were both in high school already, and taller than him to boot. Yugi shook his head. He supposed he was overreacting a bit; he didn't doubt Yami's ability to parent, and it really wasn't a big deal considering Yami had once been the ruler of an entire nation, but... well, he just couldn't imagine being a dad himself. At least, not yet. But it was in Yami's nature to respond to the needs of those around him, so it really hadn't taken him long to not only embrace his new role, but to develop a genuine affection for the two teens as well. And seeing Noa now draping a blanket over Yami's now sleeping form, Yugi had to believe that the brothers felt the same in return.

Once he was satisfied that he had done his part to see to Yami's well being, Noa walked off again, leaving Yugi alone with his wandering thoughts, as well as two dozing family members. That was fine though. Yugi wasn't sitting there because he wanted to chat... he just wanted to keep an eye on Yami in case he awoke again, though considering how worn out the ex-spirit was, perhaps he would stay asleep a little longer this time, maybe 45 minutes, or an hour. Maybe by the time he awoke, they'd be landing at LAX. But that was probably too much to ask for. They were still four, maybe five hours away from the airport.

* * *

The flight did end up taking a little longer than expected, but much to Yugi's relief, Yami did manage to get some much needed rest. So by the time the plane touched down on the runway, Yami was awake and practically vibrating in his seat in anticipation of reuniting with Seto. And his mood was contagious; everyone began chattering in excitement, eager to disembark and see the sights. They went through customs as quickly as possible, retrieved their luggage, and met up with a few of Seto's security officers who informed them that transportation had been provided and was waiting for them outside.

At first, Yugi was a little surprised that Seto didn't show up in person to greet them. He didn't think the young billionaire could stand being apart from Yami for even a moment more than necessary. But the airport was noisy and crowded. And there seemed to be journalists everywhere, thrusting microphones in their faces and snapping tons of pictures of them. No wonder Seto had chosen to stay outside, away from the prying cameras. He knew that the theme park opening and accompanying tournament were the hot news topic of the week, and he didn't want to get caught in the media frenzy that his company had instigated.

At least Seto had thought of sending in his security team to help them get through the airport. But they could only do so much. And the reporters were getting a lot pushier. So by the time they reached the exit, Yami was about to lose his temper over the constant stream of stupid questions being directed towards him, or more specifically, the questions regarding Seto that were being directed at him. It was getting way out of hand.

Not wanting the irritated former Pharaoh to send dozens of reporters to the Shadow Realm, even if they did deserve it, Yugi latched onto Yami's arm and tried to feed him plenty of reassurance. They were almost outside, he told his other half. Seto was outside. They'd be together again in a matter of minutes. He kept repeating these things, squeezing Yami's arm, reminding him he was there. But Yami seemed distracted and remained tense and upset, and that's when Yugi finally realized that there was a limit to what he could do because it wasn't really Yami's mood that he was dealing with, it was Seto's. Yami was just so deeply intertwined with his lover that Seto's emotional state had saturated his own. And until they were finally together again, neither one of them would feel better. Chagrined, Yugi pulled back from Yami's mind a little. He felt as if he were spying on them.

A sudden bright burst of light and hot summer air greeted the group upon their arrival at the terminal's exit. Tinted glass doors slid open to reveal even more people, and cars of all shapes and sizes as far as the eye could see. The security team lead the gang towards the right, where a silver party bus and a dark blue limousine sat at the curb, awaiting their arrival. Yugi knew that the bus would take him and his friends to the new KaibaLand Hotel since Seto had reserved an entire block of suites for them, so the limo was most likely there to take Yami and the Kaibas to their vacation home. And sitting inside the limousine, he could just make out the faintest outline of a very anxious young CEO as he watched their approach like a hawk.

The tension was almost palpable; while the remainder of the group hustled towards the bus and began boarding it, Yami broke away and eagerly made a beeline for the limo with Noa and Mokuba close behind. Yugi stopped on the sidewalk to watch Isono get out of the driver's seat and meet them at the door, opening it so that the trio could squeeze in and finally find safe haven from the irksome journalists. It was only then that finally, he felt Yami's anxiety melt away, replaced by an overwhelming sense of relief and happiness. Yugi knew some of that relief that he felt was his own... he'd been worried about his other half. But now, he knew things would be okay. Yami would be taken care of. Seto would see to that.

Secure in that knowledge and comforted by the reassurance it brought, Yugi finally hefted his backpack on his shoulder, smiled, and stepped aboard the bus. He was looking forward to this new adventure now that things were as they should be.

* * *

"God, I missed you..." Seto murmured, squeezing his brothers a little tighter than necessary.

They were all in the limo now... his whole family. And from the moment that door shut, all he could think about was grabbing onto them, as if he couldn't believe that they were really there unless he was touching them. Considering how tired he was and the many times he dreamt about seeing his brothers and Yami again, only to wake and find out it was a dream... physical confirmation wasn't a bad idea.

After a long minute, Seto reluctantly let his brothers go. Noa moved to the back seat and sat down, studying him carefully, but Mokuba continued to lean on Seto, not wanting to let go, not yet. The black-haired teen was just so happy to see his big brother, but he was a little worried as well. Seto had lost weight, and he looked pale and a bit disheveled. Mokuba almost wondered if Seto would collapse if he wasn't holding him up. That frightened him.

But then, just as Seto began gently ruffling his hair, Mokuba heard a soft sigh to his left, and he turned just enough to see Yami settling down on the edge of the seat, a patient expression on his face. And he suddenly felt bad for hogging his brother's attention. Yami had to miss Seto so badly, and yet he hadn't made a move towards him and probably wouldn't as long as Mokuba was there in his arms. So a bit reluctantly, the youngest Kaiba gave his brother a final squeeze and ducked out from under his hand to join Noa on the back seat. There'd be plenty of time to talk and catch up later. Besides, Yami would make sure Seto ate and slept and got whatever else he needed, so it was okay to entrust Seto's care to the ex-spirit.

As soon as Mokuba had relocated himself, Seto looked over at Yami, and a hesitant smile slowly spread across his face. Yami gave him a lopsided grin in return, and then... it was as if whatever restraint they had suddenly dissolved. They were on each other like cats on cream, kissing with such heated passion that Mokuba and Noa began wondering if they'd get it on right then and there, clothes be damned.

"Um... Nii-sama?" Mokuba began as Yami pushed Seto down on the seat, awkwardly straddling him. They had their hands all over each other. Yami was already starting to grind down on Seto's thigh, eliciting a soft groan from Seto when he finally managed to suck in a breath of air. "Hi? Yami? Helloooo..."

"I don't want to watch them have sex," Noa whispered with a slight whine. Damn, they had just pulled away from the curb a few seconds ago!

"Well, duh!" Mokuba retorted, then he cleared his throat and raised his voice noticibly. "OR... we can just stay here and get our sex education first hand. Yes, I think that's a GOOD IDEA!"

Seto turned his head away from his boyfriend for a moment. "Huh? What's a good idea?"

"Us not sitting back here," Noa muttered.

Relieved to have gotten his brother's attention, Mokuba nodded and added, "We're going to sit in the front with Isono, okay?"

Seto began to sit up, pushing Yami off. "Why?"

"Um, maybe because you're trying to get laid?" Mokuba returned, already heading towards the control panel to inform Isono of the change in seating arrangements.

"We're not," Seto answered. Yami looked really disappointed upon hearing that, but didn't protest and even helped his lover sit back up, though he kept his hand on the back of the brunette's neck, massaging the strained muscles there.

Mokuba frowned. It wasn't the result he was expecting. He didn't want his brother to think that they were moving to the front because they had to, because despite all their jokes, they really wanted to give Seto and Yami some much needed time together, in private. Well, semi-private. "Nii-sama, it's okay. Really. We don't mind at all."

"Besides, you'll have plenty of time to spend with us later now that we're over here," Noa threw in. As bad as it would've been being stuck in the back while Seto and Yami did the deed, it'd be just as bad if they didn't get laid and got all cranky and frustrated instead.

Seto seemed to be wavering. His heart was telling him one thing, his penis, another. So he turned to Mokuba.

"You guys need some time alone," the youngest Kaiba told him decisively.

Seto bowed his head, silently giving the teens the go ahead. He didn't make a sound while Mokuba spoke to Isono, and when the car stopped at a red light and the younger pair quickly hopped out to get into the front seat, he just leaned back into Yami's hand, and closed his eyes until the vehicle began moving again.

Instead of jumping his boyfriend again, the crimson-eyed man began stroking Seto's cheek with his thumb. He'd noticed it earlier... had seen the signs even during their web conferencing sessions, but to now confirm it with his own hands... Seto was obviously overworked and close to collapse. He had lost weight. He had bags under his eyes, and his pale skin was even whiter than before. Every muscle in his body was knotted from stress.

Yami's audible sigh broke the silence. Baby, I wish you'd take better care of yourself.

I'm fine, Seto automatically answered, but without much conviction.

No, you're not. I didn't want to worry the boys, but... and then he began to push the taller man back down onto the leather seats, though more gently this time, you're absolutely worn out. You need rest. I'm surprised you're still awake.

Blue eyes slid shut. Hn.

A melancholy smile crossed Yami's face as he began unbuttoning Seto's shirt, peeling it back slowly as if he were unwrapping a gift. He bent down to plant a few kisses on the exposed skin while his eyes swept over Seto's body. The brunette had always been thin. On his lanky frame, even a five-pound weight loss would have been noticeable. But it looked like Seto had dropped double that. His ribs were clearly visible, and his waist was positively waspish.

I didn't have a choice. I was busy; I didn't have time to eat, Seto said defensively as he felt Yami lightly trace the contours of his ribcage. He was anticipating an argument.

You could have made time, Yami thought to himself, but he didn't share that with Seto. He didn't want to fight. Besides, it was a stupid thing to fight over... he knew that his lover's last priority was himself. But at least he was on the list now. That in and of itself was already an improvement.

Seto didn't understand why Yami hadn't responded. Not that he expected the former Pharaoh to share his every waking thought, but it seemed as if he were trying to consolidate what he wanted to say. Figuring the best defense was a good offense, he added, It's not a big deal. I've survived it before.

I know. Crimson eyes flicked up to meet uncertain blue ones, then Yami lowered himself down until he was resting on top of Seto, his ear pressed against the older duelist's chest. Let me take care of you, he whispered.

Seto snorted. I'm not a baby.

Yami smiled. You're MY Baby.

Lame, Seto complained, but he wasn't really upset by it. He didn't mind having Yami take care of him. And he liked having Yami's weight pressing against him, and the sensation of his fingers tracing little figure eights on his arm and tickling down his side.

I want to make you feel good.

He was doing a good job of that. Seto closed his eyes again, and sighed. Yami was working on undoing his belt now. It was easy to lie there and just let it happen. He wanted it to happen. If I fall asleep, I'm sorry.

Yami paused. He had his fingers on Seto's zipper. Would you rather sleep?

No. Seto put his hand over Yami's, urging him to unzip his pants. Just promise me that you won't stop, even if do I fall asleep.

... All right.

Satisfied with that answer, the brunette relaxed and let his lover undress him at his leisure. Yami stripped him completely from the waist down and did the same with himself, but left both their shirts on, figuring they weren't in the way. Popping open the ever-ubiquitous briefcase, he fetched a towel and some lube and began prepping himself, slathering the clear substance over his hard-on and several fingers before turning his attention back to Seto.

The young billionaire had rolled over onto his side, head pillowed on his forearms, one leg limply dangling off the edge of the seat, the other drawn up slightly towards his chest. He looked like he had passed out though Yami knew he was still awake, just barely. But at least he had found a position that he was comfortable in that also provided some access.

With Seto's lethargic presence humming pleasantly in the back of his mind, Yami sat himself down and got to work. It turned out to be surprisingly easy to get Seto stretched and ready even though they'd been apart for so long. He was so relaxed that he offered no resistance at all, graduating to three thrusting fingers in less than a minute, moaning softly into the leather the whole while.

Slowly stroking his dick into firm readiness now, Yami kissed his way up from Seto's abdomen to an attention-starved nipple, sucking it into his mouth for some serious tongue action. He lifted his lover's left leg up and onto his shoulder, then leaned his weight forward, opening Seto up a bit more. With a bit of careful positioning, he centered his weight and then gave in to gravity, letting it pull him down, sliding in slowly with incredible restraint.

Seto gave a soft grunt as they locked up, his chest rising and falling a little faster now with the increase in his pulse, his skin flushing the palest pink. But he didn't open his eyes, and he didn't push back against Yami's groin. Wanting more of a reaction, Yami bit down on the nipple in his mouth, then grasped Seto's cock, giving it several firm strokes. Seto made a choked sound and moved his left hand down to take over the task of consoling his twitching member, while Yami let his hand drift down to cup the balls beneath it, massaging and squeezing them ever so lightly for a few moments.

The brunette was panting faintly now, though he still hadn't opened his eyes. Apparently he had every intention of going to sleep, even with Yami's dick buried up his ass. Yami wondered if he should be annoyed, then figured it wasn't Seto's fault. It was enough that he wanted this as well.... that he wasn't letting his depleted state stop them from getting laid. Besides, Yami was planning on pounding him hard enough so that he'd at least feel it once he awoke.

With that decided, the crimson-eyed duelist rose up on one knee while bracing his other leg against the floor, then, making sure he had a good grasp on his boyfriend's upright leg as well as the edge of the seat, began a hard, driving rhythm. Seto groaned, momentarily disoriented by the sensation of his body sliding against leather, and the encroaching and departing feeling of fullness deep inside him. He wanted to stay awake, wanted to feel Yami moving against him, but his body and mind begged him to give in and sleep. So instead, he ended up drifting on the edge of sleep without being able to actually lose consciousness. It was weird. He was aware of the most minute of details, like the wet, squishing sound of lube, the feel of coarse hairs tickling against his skin, and the way Yami's balls brushed against the inside of his thigh before slapping against his buttocks. But he couldn't concentrate on everything at the same time, even with Yami's steadying mental presence. So he let his mind drift, focusing in on whatever happened to pique his attention from moment to moment.

Yami was moving faster now. His cock... so nice and hard and comforting. He wasn't getting it in as deep as he wanted, but that was okay. Yami's body was warm. He smelled of a familiar mix of spice and sweets and sweat. The strangely muffled, streaming sound beneath them... they were in a car, and it was moving. It was taking them home. The cool air streaming over them came from the air conditioning. Yami wanted to come. It was summer. It was hot, and sticky. Yami's body tensed up, freezing up... a split second to let him to focus all his energy south, and then...

Seto let out an involuntary gasp as Yami went over the edge, his fingers tightening against the seat edge hard enough to make the leather creak in protest, a strangled yell caught in his throat. Yami was trying to keep it down, suddenly aware that the car had to be driven by someone and that that someone was accompanied by two teenagers who'd rather not hear about what they were doing in the back. With hips still driving forward, a momentary wave of exhaustion washed over the ex-spirit, and he thought he might just collapse there on top of Seto, still sheathed in his body. But just as quickly the feeling passed, and when Yami opened his eyes again, he realized that his boyfriend had, in fact, finally fallen asleep.

Then another thing occurred to the shorter duelist. From the moment he and Seto finally got a good mental lock on each other, while the plane was still over the ocean, all the way until the moment he came... Seto had been shielding him from the effects of his weariness. That's why when Seto finally passed out, all that exhaustion had hit Yami like a hard blow to the head.

Oh... Seto. Yami could've helped alleviate the worst of it, by allowing Seto access to some of his energy, if he had only asked. Yami wouldn't have minded at all, but the stubborn, self-sacrificing fool... Suddenly feeling very protective of his unconscious, vulnerable lover, the younger man pulled out with a sigh and quickly went to gather the various wipes and towels required to clean up. He just wanted to curl up with his boyfriend and take some of the burden off him by joining him in getting some much-needed rest. But he didn't know how close they were to the condo, and needed to get both himself and Seto dressed again lest he too fall asleep. It'd be embarrassing to arrive at their destination naked when it was so easily prevented.

Once Yami finished putting on his own clothes, he managed to get Seto more or less dressed. Satisfied with the result, Yami curled himself up on the end of the seat, right by the privacy partition, and pulled Seto's head into his lap so that he could pet him like a cat. It felt good to stroke Seto's hair, even if he wasn't awake to enjoy it. He felt content... and complete once again.

With a mighty yawn, Yami let the familiar, repetitive motion and the gentle rocking of the car around him lull him into a light doze.

* * *

"I hate having to wake them, but they can't sleep in here."

That was the first thing Yami heard when he awoke. It sounded like Mokuba's voice. He forced his eyes open to confirm that yes, the voice and the mop of black hair did indeed belong to the teenager, who was now looking at him apologetically.

"Hi," Yami mumbled, forcing his fingers to relax a little. He had knotted them in Seto's hair when Mokuba had startled him, though apparently that wasn't enough to wake the older duelist.

"Hey. So um... now that you're awake, you can help us figure out a way to get Seto inside."

Nodding, Yami fought back a yawn and said, "Well, I can take his shoulders, if you two can manage his legs and feet. He doesn't weigh much you know; he's just... tall."

"Or we can just poke him until he wakes up, and he can walk in on his own," Noa suggested.

"Noa, that's mean! Look at him - he's so tired he's not reacting at all to us talking over him, and you know what a light sleeper Seto normally is," Mokuba protested.

"It'd just be for a minute! He has legs; he can use them."

Mokuba slapped his hand to his forehead. "No!"

"Why not? If he's really that tired, he won't have any problem falling back asleep."

Yami couldn't help but chuckle at the argument. At the rate they were going at, he was tempted to just say "Forget it" and sleep in the limo the rest of the afternoon, but considering how stiff his neck was already, it was probably a bad idea.

"Maybe Isono can help, Yami," Mokuba was now saying. "What do you think?"

"Yeah, great idea! He's already taken in all our luggage, including Yami's 50 pound bag of sex toys, so why not?" Noa snarked. Mokuba just gave him a very odd look.

Yami sighed. "I didn't bring... never mi..."

The sudden sound of footsteps pounding on asphalt cut short Yami's response, and before the crimson-eyed man even had a chance to see who it was, a cheery voice called out, "Hey hey, you're all finally here, mates!"

"Valon?" Yami queried.

"That's me!" A spiky-haired head popped into view in the doorway, along with a frantically waving hand. "Aww... would ya look at that... Kaiba's so cute when he's zonked! Anyways, I would've come out earlier, but Rafael said I couldn't leave the house in the nuddy."

Noa scratched his head. "Uh... in the what?"

"If it means what I think it means, thank God for Rafael," Mokuba muttered under his breath, then something occurred to him. "Speaking of Rafael, is he around?"

"He'll be right out. Why? Need some furniture moved?" the Aussie joked.

Noa suddenly smiled, realizing what Mokuba was getting at. "Maaaybe..."

"Seto is NOT a piece of furniture," Yami protested mildly, but it wasn't a bad idea. Certainly Rafael could handle the task better than any of them could. He knew first hand that those muscles weren't just for show. But... as unreasonable as it sounded, Yami didn't want to let go of Seto, not even for a moment. They'd been apart for so long that every second together mattered, even if Seto wasn't awake to enjoy it.

"Oh come on Yami, Rafael's much less likely to drop him than the three of us," Mokuba pointed out as the burly blonde joined them. "Like, look at him, his arm is the size of my waist!"

"I know," Yami sighed, then, after seeing everyone's expectant eyes on him, including Rafael's, he finally gave in. "Oh, all right. I don't want to sit out here all day anyway."

* * *

After they got Seto settled in the downstairs bedroom, Yami suggested that they all take advantage of the long, lazy afternoon and get some rest. Mokuba and Noa didn't really want to nap, being eager to see all the sights the beach town had to offer, but since they needed to unpack first and get themselves acclimated to the new house, they stayed in the house and ended up settling down for a nap themselves, thanks to a combination of boredom and jet lag.

Several hours later, Noa awoke to the cries of seagulls and the sound of waves crashing on the shore. It was early evening, and after taking a peek out the window, he woke Mokuba up so that together, they could watch the sun setting over the Pacific, bathing the sand and ocean for miles around in gorgeous golds, sparkling azure, and soft purple. No wonder Yami had wanted to buy this particular duplex so badly... the view was truly breathtaking, especially from the rear bedroom on the 3rd floor, which they had agreed to claim as their own.

Wanting more than ever to go out and explore, and maybe grab a bite to eat while they were at it, the teens headed down to Seto and Yami's bedroom on the first floor. Maybe the older couple would be awake by now. But... no luck - they both remained fast asleep, and neither stirred even when Mokuba crept to their bedside and leaned over to check on them. He almost expected Seto to sit up and bark, "What?" and scare the shit out of him, but it didn't happen. And that worried him.

Poor Nii-sama... he's so worn out! Mokuba thought, quickly planting a feather-light kiss on his brother's cheek out of impulse. But at least he was tucked in a proper bed now, with Yami by his side. And Yami would make sure he was taken care of once he awoke. That knowledge put Mokuba's mind at ease. It meant he didn't really need to stay there to watch over Seto.

"Well, what now?" Noa asked as the black-haired teen exited the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

"I don't know."

He was hungry, and knew Mokuba was as well. "We could just leave a note."

"Yeah... but I don't want Nii-sama to worry about us getting lost or whatever."

Noa snorted. "Come on, we're practically adults, and we're literate too. We wouldn't get lost."

"I guess... But we don't even know where to go."

"Hmm. Well, why don't we just take a walk along the beach then? That's romantic, right?"

"You silly! But... that does sound kinda nice," Mokuba said, chuckling. It was a tempting offer. He laced his fingers with Noa's. "I'd still be hungry though."

Noa smiled despite Mokuba's indecision. He was glad that the younger teen wasn't worrying about Seto anymore, since there wasn't much they could do for him until he awoke. And who knew when that would be? Better yet, Mokuba now seemed to be willing to leave the house with him as well. He just needed to sweeten the deal a little more "Well, tell you what... maybe we can bug the guys next door? I'm sure they could recommend a good place to eat that's close by, and that way if Seto and Yami were to wake up, they wouldn't have to worry about us getting lost."

Mokuba laughed and wrapped his arms around Noa's neck, hugging him. "That's a great idea! I'll go write up a note," he announced, bounding back up the stairs. Then he stopped, turned back for a moment, and added, "And after that, are you still up for that walk on the beach?"

Noa grinned, feeling his cheeks heat up slightly. "Of course!" Now they were back on the right track! He was excited. He had a feeling that this was going to be one memorable summer vacation.

* * *

Seto wasn't sure where exactly he was, or... when? From the faint light and the cool, sweet-salty mist wafting into the room, his muddled mind told him it was likely morning. And he was in a bed, on soft sheets, somewhere... by the ocean? But he didn't remember where he'd been the previous night, or the previous day. Or was it days?

He'd been heading to the airport. He had to pick up Yami and Mokuba and Noa. He vaguely remembered doing that... or had it all been a dream?

He rolled over, disoriented, and ended up with a face full of spiky ebony and scarlet hair. Almost in disbelief, he reached out to touch it, relieved to realize that he wasn't hallucinating. Yami...

His lover was really, finally there, lying half tangled in the sheets, his skin bare and golden. They had to be at the condo then. But how long had he been asleep?

As his mind cleared, he realized his bladder felt full. He got up to relieve it and almost immediately felt the telltale signs of a good fucking - a slight soreness, and just an unusual awareness of the muscles between his legs. He recalled being in the limo, and telling Yami to not stop, even if he fell asleep, but everything after that was quite spotty. He must really have passed out, then. Which meant he didn't come. He felt cheated. Well... that's something that needs to be resolved.

If it was morning... provided that it was Thursday and not Friday, well, then he had more than a few hours to spare. Seto smiled. Turnabout was fair play.

* * *

TBC

• LAX is the abbreviation for Los Angeles International Airport.
• Reminder - in my last summer fanfic (The Boys of Summer) Seto ended up purchasing a duplex in Laguna Beach, CA, right next door to the one the Doom boys were living in.
• Re: Aussie slang. "In the nuddy" = in the nude.

November 15, 2006