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In The Name Of Love	By : Rroselavy Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 15410 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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
- 11
- 12
- 13
Title: In The Name Of Love (12/?)

Author: Rroselavy

Rating: NC-17

Pairing(s): Jou/Ryou (briefly), Malik/Ryou, Kaiba/Jou, Mokuba/Shizuka, Yami/Yugi, Honda/Otogi

Beta: Akuchan

Spoilers: None, AU

Disclaimer: I do not own or profit in any way from Yu-gi-oh!

Summary: For eight years he has scrupulously avoided the brunet, but now with the impending marriage of their siblings, Jounouchi Katsuya and Kaiba Seto are forced to come to terms with the feelings they've secreted away since adolescence.
A/N: Thanks to Sammei, Queen of Anime, silver fox, Iluvkenshin, XaloneXalwaysX, kitkattcassy, Muzaki-Goddess, Ivory, and LilyChan for your lovely comments and reviews. I hope to be picking up the pace of updates now ...
CHAPTER 12

Ultimately, Jou reflected as he drank coffee in his courtyard one warm sunny morning, Kaiba had been proven right. After a couple of weeks of intense scrutiny, the media attention had finally dropped off, and now, as summer approached, he was relieved that his name had become a mere footnote--an annotation to the name Kaiba--in the gossip columns and entertainment shows. The fanfare surrounding Mokuba and Shizuka's engagement announcement and the myriad public and private functions that were spawned from Japan's second-most eligible bachelor being officially taken off the market had been more than enough to satisfy the public's voracious appetite, and the parade of downcast starlets and daughters of business giants issuing tearful best wishes to the happy couple had come to dominate both print and the airwaves in the ensuing weeks.

If all the attention given to his brother bothered Kaiba, Jou mused, the CEO had been masterful in hiding it. But then again, he was probably relieved to some extent that he'd for once been relegated to the sidelines of a media feeding frenzy. While Kaiba suffered the media's attention begrudgingly, his younger sibling delighted in the attention lavished on him and his newly announced fianc�e. But Mokuba had always been the light that offset Kaiba's darkness. Where Seto would gruffly answer reporters' questions as monosyllabically as possible, Mokuba seemed to relish the time he spent in front of them, joking with them, asking them about their families, and never hesitating to admonish any of them when he believed their questions were invasive or in bad taste. He never failed to correct reporters who would point out Shizuka's humble origins by reminding them of his own less than stellar childhood. Mokuba was a consummate politician, and Jou wondered idly that if the younger Kaiba brother had so chosen the life of a public servant, he would probably rise through the ranks and become prime minister.

Once the media attention had shifted, Jounouchi and Kaiba had settled into an easy-going if tentative friendship. It had not been without its rocky moments, though, and they were still feeling each other out in that regard. Jou had been more than a little reluctant when Kaiba had asked to read the draft of his dissertation, and after finally relenting, he'd been alarmed when Kaiba had, less than a week later, delivered to him a list of questions and comments about it.

"What the fuck is this?" He'd snarled as he scanned the single-spaced typewritten piece of paper Kaiba held out to him.

"Some questions and comments I had after reading your discussion section." Jou's face had drained of color. He'd already submitted the paper for review, and seeing the length of the list on the page Kaiba held in front of him sent waves of nausea rippling through his body. "It's not as bad as it looks." Kaiba had added.

"Oh yeah, whaddya you know?" Jou had barked, and then he'd become engrossed with the contents of neatly typed page.

Kaiba's grasp of his research had astounded him. Sure he'd talked at length about it, and Kaiba had asked him some rather astute questions about the topic-the affects of Alzheimer's-type dementia on lexical retrieval, but the questions and comments he'd composed had basically covered all the defense points he and Dr. Watanabe had gone over. He squinted hard at the brunet and shook his head.

"Is there a problem?" Kaiba had asked defensively.

"No, I just can't believe how fucking brilliant you are. Everything you've pointed out here, Dr. Watanabe and I have discussed, but we've been combing through this for months, and you just caught it in a couple of days, without really knowing about the subject beforehand."

"It's about time you admitted that." Kaiba smirked.

"Oh, and modest too, I might add." He scrunched up his nose. "Y'know you could have become just about anything ya wanted to-"

Kaiba snorted. "Oh really, Jounouchi. All I ~wanted~ to become was the best duelist in the world. ~That~ never happened." Kaiba added sourly.

Jou was stunned at the tone in Kaiba's voice, and his emphasis on his formal last name clued him in that he'd hit upon a sore spot. "I thought ya'd gotten over that, Seto. You guys are friends now - ya even hired him..."

"I have," Kaiba had replied coolly. "It's just that you throw these phrases around so carelessly. You have no idea what it was like to be me back then." He shook his head in annoyance.

Jou had recognized that Kaiba was spoiling for a fight, and at one time he would have baited the brunet mercilessly. He'd never considered how important being the best duelist had been to Kaiba. Sure he had known that losing to Yugi had bothered the brunet to no end, but Jou had always looked at Kaiba's failure to best his diminutive rival as the one unattainable thing that the rich brat Jou had thought Kaiba to be couldn't buy. But now in hindsight, coupled with the knowledge of the life that Kaiba had endured under his cruel stepfather, Jou had felt guilty in retrospect for the pleasure he had taken in Kaiba's defeats at the hands of his best friend.

"You're right." He had said finally, hoping to diffuse the tension. "And I'm sorry I was so thoughtless." Kaiba had narrowed his eyes as he weighed the sincerity of Jou's apology, considering for a moment he was being facetious. But Jounouchi had only gazed back at him evenly, almost as if he had been willing the brunet to believe that he was being truthful.

There had been other incidents as well, Jou thought, but they were becoming fewer and farther between. And while he was still probing the boundaries of Kaiba's privacy, and still managed to annoy the hell out of the CEO more often than he liked, Jou found that besides the physical attraction he'd always felt toward Kaiba, and the satisfaction that his proximity brought, he was actually enjoying spending time with him as well. It didn't hurt that most of the functions he went to with Kaiba also included Mokuba and Shizuka, and often the Jounouchi siblings would spend the lion's share of the evening together commiserating about life in the fishbowl that was Japanese high society, and marveling that they'd somehow managed to find themselves in the midst of it.

But there were other benefits to being Kaiba Seto's friend and possible love interest. There were the times when it was just the two of them, dining, clubbing, or taking in a show, evenings where he felt more comfortable than he'd ever felt with another person, nights that ended with an indescribable longing for something more as he either left Kaiba's company or watched as the brunet receded from his view.

He wondered idly if Kaiba were still interested in him physically, because since that night they'd first kissed, with one exception, Kaiba had been nothing but a perfect gentleman. He smiled as he remembered fondly their second kiss. It had been the afternoon of the day he'd successfully defended his dissertation and been notified that he'd completed his candidacy for his PhD. Afterwards, in his excitement to share his news, he'd called Kaiba, and the brunet had told him he'd send the car to get Jou and that they would celebrate. When the car had arrived, Jou had been pleasantly surprised to see Kaiba himself inside, in his hands a small box that he'd proffered to the blond.

"Congratulations, Dr. Jounouchi," Kaiba purred. Grinning, Jou sat next to him and gingerly opened the expensive-looking box. Inside was a stunningly beautiful watch--unlike anything he'd ever seen. The shape of its dial was a modified rectangle with sides that bulged out convexly. The face itself was black with fine silver threads scalloping out in concentric patterns from the center of the dial. The whimsical Arabic numerals were painted glow-in-the dark green and were sized to fit in their respective positions around the perimeter, and inside them in a circular motif were the numerals of a perpetual calendar. The manufacturer's name was imprinted in script below the month and day apertures. The strap looked to be of the finest quality black leather. He lifted it out of the box and turned it over to unfasten the buckle and saw that the backside of the watch, instead of being solid, was covered in crystal, revealing the fine mechanisms within. Around the metal case had been engraved: "To Dr. Jounouchi Katsuya on the occasion of the successful completion of his doctoral studies. With great fondness, Kaiba Seto"

Jou stared dumbly from the watch to the brunet and back again. "It's one-of-a-kind, just like you Katsuya." Kaiba said softly.

"I-I don't know what to say..."

Kaiba smiled at him warmly. "Jounouchi Katsuya speechless. That in itself is worth the--"

Jou never allowed Kaiba to finish his statement-instead his lips inexplicably descended upon the brunet's. Jou kissed him soft and tentative, but in a few short seconds the passion that flared between them had threatened to consume them both. Much to his dismay, Kaiba broke off the kiss just before he'd wriggled Jou out of his shirt and pants. "Mmm nnnhh," Kaiba had gasped shaking his head and regarding Jou's flushed cheeks and lust-filled eyes. "Time enough for that later, tell me all about the defense."

They'd spent hours that day talking as the car drove them aimlessly around. Jou had found the courage to tell Kaiba about Aiko and his plans to adopt her, and the brunet had taken him completely by surprise with his reaction.

"She must be a very special little girl to have captured your heart. I'd like to meet her sometime..." Jou's heart had been filled with joy, and he'd noted that Honda had been wrong on this account.

"Really? Ya don't think I'm in over my head with this?" He'd asked tentatively.

Kaiba had shrugged and looked out the car window. "That's not for me to say. What I can say is that anything is better than growing up in an orphanage."

"Anything?" Jou had echoed softly, thinking about the nightmare that he knew had been Kaiba's life after Gozaburo had adopted him and Mokuba. He was taken by surprise with the vehemence of Kaiba's response.

"Yes, ~anything~" He'd snarled.

They drove for several minutes in silence before Jou ventured, "Have you ever thought of adopting someone?"

Kaiba laughed bitterly. "Why, so they could just-" He stopped himself mid-sentence before continuing quietly, "No, I've never given it that much thought." Jou sensed that Kaiba was slamming a lid on some deep-rooted emotion and for a moment considered probing it further.

And then the brunet had surprised him again. "I'm sorry Katsuya," He turned his face toward Jou, and the blond could see he was close to tears. "The stress of the past few weeks has been immense..."

"D'ya wanna talk about it?"

Kaiba looked at him searchingly but then replied dismissively, "No, that's what I pay Dr. Watanabe for. Besides, we're supposed to be celebrating your achievements today, where would you like to eat? My treat, of course."

They'd bickered about dinner--Jou protesting that the watch that now graced his wrist was far more than he'd expected or deserved, and Kaiba refusing to take no for an answer-until they'd compromised and had eaten at a restaurant of Kaiba's choice. Afterwards the sleepless nights that Jou had spent anticipating the defense had caught up with him and he ended up falling asleep in the limo after dinner with his head in Kaiba's lap, and the brunet running his fingers through silk-spun gold as Jounouchi snored softly into the evening.

Since then Jou thought, sometimes he would catch Kaiba in an unguarded expression and he could see pure lust darkening the blue of Kaiba's eyes. That palpable hunger would send shivers of anticipation down the blond's spine. But those moments were fleeting, and were invariably followed by Kaiba's careful mask of neutrality; often Jounouchi was left to speculate if he'd seen anything in the other's eyes at all.

Up to this point he really had no complaints about the lack of a physical dimension to their relationship. His life had been filled with obligations and preparation, but now, with his schooling behind him and his volunteer contract over, he found he had far more time on his hands than he knew what to do with, and far more time to think about one incredibly attractive Kaiba Seto. And while some of his newly-found spare time had been quickly eaten up by Shizuka, who'd insisted that he be a part of her wedding planning down to the most minute, mind-numbing details, he often found his attention drifting to thoughts of the sexy brunet and what he could be doing and possibly thinking at the same moment in time. He recalled the time he'd accompanied Shizuka as she searched for a wedding dress. She'd long given up bringing their mother along, as the two women could not agree on any feature.

"Oni-chan," she pouted as she came out of the dressing room. "Stop mooning over Seto-kun and tell me what you think of this dress." She ignored the blush that colored Jou's cheeks and continued. "Mother absolutely refuses to pay for it, but I love it. I have to figure out a way to afford it." Shizuka rustled the silk taffeta of the skirt as she turned in her place. She looked absolutely stunning in the form-fitting gown and his heart clenched both in pride and protectiveness as he took in the picture she presented. Of course their mother would give her a hard time, Jou fumed. For her, it was always about control, and she was loath to allow Shizuka her moment of happiness without the requisite angst and strife.

"You're right," he sighed. "It's perfect. How much is it?" The price had nearly given him a heart attack. It would be pennies for the Kaibas to afford, but Shizuka had stubbornly insisted that the Jounouchis would pay all those things traditionally taken care of by the bride's family. The only exception being the wedding reception-Mokuba's stature made it all but impossible for anyone but royalty to afford that.

She looked at Jou tearfully. "I have about half of it saved and ~she~ refuses to give me the rest. She thinks Mokuba should pay. She thinks we shouldn't pay for anything since the Kaibas are so wealthy."

Jou grimaced. He couldn't refuse her on this, her wedding dress. He was after all her 'father' for the occasion. He would be giving her away to Mokuba, not their drunken old man. It would decimate the savings that he'd spent years building up, but he knew he could give her this one thing. "Are you sure this is the one?"

"Yes, I've tried on hundreds of dresses, and they all pale in comparison. This is the one I want." He saw that she was near tears.

"Then that does it. It's yours." He shrugged nonchalantly. She stared at him until the meaning of his words sunk in, and then she threw her arms around him.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Jou-kun! You are the best brother ever! You make me so happy!" She cried.

"Aww c'mon 'Zukie," he said affectionately, "It's not that big of a deal. Nothin's too good for my little sister." And it had been too good of an opportunity to pass up rubbing in his mother's face that ~he~ could provide for his sister what she ~wouldn't~.

Jou drained his cup and headed inside. Today he was to spend the day with Aiko at the mall--an excursion for both of them to become acquainted with the roles of parent and child--and tonight was the 'official' engagement party-the one for all of the various business acquaintances and dignitaries that the Kaiba brothers knew. In a couple of weeks, he would be hosting a much smaller gathering for all of Mokuba and Shizuka's friends. At least tonight, Yugi would be there along with Honda, who would attend as Otogi's date. He glanced over at the tuxedo he'd rented and sighed as he imagined how gorgeous Kaiba would look in his.

He frowned then as a feeling of unease settled over him. He was worried that his father would make a scene; he'd not spoken to him since he'd hung up on him weeks ago. And then there was Kaiba himself, who'd successfully deferred any discussion of their siblings' upcoming nuptials. He'd made it clear to Jou that the topic was off limits as conversation, and Jou only hoped that the brunet had at least been working out his misgivings in the therapy sessions he'd been having with Dr. Watanabe. He shrugged off the malaise as best he could, only to be left with the fatalistic view that something bad was going to happen. He only hoped that he would be able to ameliorate any damage that occurred.
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In The Name Of Love