Work Text:
There he was, looking trim and statuesque as ever. The digital nightmare himself, Seto Kaiba, striding across the sprawling meadow, his Blue-Eyes White Dragon jet gleaming surreal and magnificent in the sun behind him. Kaiba was, as usual, wearing some new tech. This iteration glowed a royal blue at his left ear and down his shoulder to his wrist. Likely a new dueling system of some sort. Intriguing. The knee pads were a new touch too. Surely he hadn’t come for a fight?
“Pegasus.” It was a declaration. Not a question and there was none of the old righteous fury in that baritone voice, but there was a new tinge of something else. It made the barb Pegasus had prepared die in his throat.
“Kaiba,” he replied, wary. Not Kaiba-boy anymore. The person before him was a powerful mad radiating confidence where once arrogance and buried self-loathing reigned. There was something else about him, but Pegasus no longer had the ability to find out why Kaiba had come all the way to Duelist Kingdom without speaking. “You look dreadful,” he said instead. And it was true. Not tactful or clever, but it was the first thing that came to mind.
Kaiba only huffed, “Thanks.”
That tone reminded Pegasus that he was angry, and so he let his frustration rise to meet Kaiba’s apparent dismissiveness. “Where have you been? People have been asking questions. You didn’t even tell Mokuba this time, and I’m not in the habit of fielding reporters for your little jaunts. And now you just come out of the blue?”
Kaiba just stared a little vacantly for a moment, then seemed to decide something before closing the space between them. Pegasus, no longer in the possession of a mind-reading device, backed away, but Seto closed the gap swiftly. He took Pegasus’ hand and simply held it. The simple gesture set Pegasus’ head spinning. “I … did it,” he said.
A breeze blew in from the sea, lifting Pegasus’ hair. He stared at Seto confused. Then, slowly it dawned on him. Wavering on the decision to stay or seek help for his clearly in shock friend, he clasped Seto’s hand in return. He didn’t know what to say.
Seto continued after a moment’s silence between them, “My invention works.”
Pegasus’ heart was racing. He held Kaiba’s hand tight, feeling the warmth in the other’s skin, the living heat there. “Let me get this straight,” he started. “You time travelled and you didn’t tell anyone you were going?” He could scarcely believe the words as he said them, the whole situation was surreal. “I didn’t think you’d seriously try.”
Kaiba stiffened, a sneer pulling at his lips. “And since when do I make idle promises?” He made to pull away, but Pegasus held his hand anyway.
“No, no you’re right,” he said with a little chuckle, “I forgot who I was dealing with. But, Kaiba, how did you accomplish it? And are you hurt? You seem shaken. What was it like? Did you take pictures?”
Kaiba relaxed a little and, to Pegasus’ utter amazement, chuckled, “No, I didn’t take any pictures.”
Pegasus frowned, “But why are you here instead of in your lab perfecting the device?”
“Because I had to see you. It was too important to wait. I…” he took a moment to gather himself, “I need to make sense of all that’s happened, and I think you’re one of the only ones who can help me. Who … understands.”
“Now Kaiba, if you’re talking about the Pharaoh – and when aren’t you talking about the Pharaoh --- the magic involved is complex. I know how you hate any discussion of magic. I don’t want to – “
“I don’t care. I need to know all of it. Everything you can share with me,” and, to Pegasus’ utter amazement, he retrieved the Millennium Rod as he spoke. He’d had it secured somewhere under his coat, and it glinted in the afternoon light.
Pegasus pulled at their grasped hands, “Kaiba, what are you doing?” The implied threat of the Rod was not lost on him.
Kaiba let him retreat, then pulled the Millennium Eye from his pocket. Pegasus felt the power instantly, his soul calling out to it like a struck tuning fork. He froze, not sure what to do. Kaiba though, merely looked at the Eye thoughtfully, “I think I finally understand why you did it now.”
Pegasus frowned, “Why I attacked you? Why I stole your soul and used my Millennium Eye on you?”
Seto sighed, grabbed Pegasus’ hand roughly, and placed the Millennium Eye in his palm. It was warm, whether from Kaiba’s body heat or the magical energy he didn’t know. The energy though wrapped around him already, grateful to return to it’s owner. Pegasus regarded it curiously, “I don’t understand.”
Kaiba shook his head, “It’s not just about your tournament. It’s about the reason for your tournament. It’s why you sacrificed your honor and our friendship.”
Pegasus flinched, “How did you know about her?”
Kaiba shrugged, “Yugi and his friends told Mokuba, and Mokuba tells me everything.”
“But how did they know?”
Kaiba shook his head, smirking, “It’s true, then.”
“I mean, yes,” Pegasus sighed.
“Good,” Kaiba said, replacing the Millennium Rod beneath his coat, “Because I think I finally know you. And we have a lot to catch up on.”