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Joey	By : AlectoPerdita Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2971 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and characters are the intellectual property of Takahashi Kazuki, and is being used in this fanfiction for fan purposes only. No money is made from this fan effort.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Joey
By Alecto Perdita
Track 6 - Life of My Own
Rating: PG-13
Posted: June 14, 2010
Warning(s): Shonen-ai, melodrama, & Kaijou
Email: alecto . perdita (at) gmail . com
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is the intellectual property of Takahashi Kazuki, and is being used in this fanfiction for fan purposes only. All situations, opinions and characters not belonging to Takahashi Kazuki are the intellectual property of Alecto Perdita.
Kiss me while I'm still alive
Kill me while I kiss the sky
Let me die on my own terms,
Let me live and let me learn
Now I'll follow my own way, and I'll
Live on to another damn day
Freedom carries sacrifice,
Remember when this was my life
- "Life of My Own" by 3 Doors Down
I believe in the constants of life. There were just some things that are seemingly eternal. I would be in charge of Kaiba Corporations for as long as I lived (or until such time that Mokuba showed interest in running the company). Mokuba would always be my little brother. The rising sun never failed to wake me at the break of dawn. One of them was, and still is, the more-canine-than-human boy named Jounouchi Katsuya. Even before he started following around Yugi like some stray attention-starved puppy, Jounouchi had been a constant in my life.
I met Jounouchi on my first day of public schooling. Gozaburo previously had me home-schooled, but with his death and my inheritance of the company, there was no longer any need for that. I didn't fancy public schooling much, but it was something necessary to appease the board of trustees. Besides, I could pass any of the classes in my sleep if I chose to.
Jounouchi had run into me in the hallway while trying to escape the wrath of a teacher he had angered. He didn't try to apologize so I wasn't about to let him leave just yet. I had never met someone as disrespectful or as rude as Jounouchi Katsuya before.
I'm Kaiba Seto, and no one gets away with treating me that way.
I delayed him long enough for the teacher to catch up and Jounouchi got in twice the amount of trouble. I had those brainless teachers eating out of the palm of my hand from day one.
Jounouchi absolutely hated it. He hated me.
Needless to say, we didn't have very amiable first impressions of each other.
But Jounouchi had always been there.
And there was no way the blond duelist could have defeated Malik in a duel. While the blond had showed significant improvement through the course of my Battle City tournament and even made it into the top four, he was still nowhere near Malik's level. He certainly wasn't at my or Yugi's level either.
Thus, I still couldn't acknowledge him as a worthy duelist.
I, Yugi, and Malik each had something that automatically placed us above him- above everyone else in fact.
The God Cards.
But Jounouchi had done well against Malik- despite his inherent handicap. He lasted for far longer than I expected him to.
The truth was I wished he hadn't held out against Malik for as long as he did. While I didn't quite understand- no, believe- the mysterious circumstances coming to life around my tournament, I did learn one thing or another about this Malik Ishtar. The longer Jounouchi delayed his inevitable demise, the angrier Malik would become and the more brutal his attacks would become. Even I can't argue against the fact there was something powerful and deadly about the Egyptian.
Jounouchi was only liable to be hurt if this continued for too long.
That was something I absolutely couldn't stand for, no matter how much I tried to tell myself not to care.
I wasn't stupid. I understood the reason that motivated Jounouchi to fight so hard against Malik Ishtar. The reason was currently lying comatose on a bed in the medical bay of my Battle Ship.
I could really learn to hate Kujaku Mai.
In retrospect, I should have known better. I had already calculated the probability sometime this morning after we escaped Gozaburo's twisted virtual world. Without a God Card of his own, Jounouchi only had a 0.09% probability of defeating Malik in a duel.
I had even warned him- told him not to underestimate the power of Malik's God Card. But did he listen to me? Did he ever listen to me? Damn him for being so self-assured for no good reason. Damn him for throwing the four-way duel so he would be the first to face Malik. Damn him for caring so much about that Kujaku woman, and damn her for losing to Malik in the first place.
I looked over at my rival who was watching the duel with intense concentration. And damn you, Yugi. You supported his recklessness- you allowed him to put himself in this position.
"Yugi! Kaiba! You're able to see Ra's final form thanks to Jounouchi!" Malik announced. "Give him a round of applause as a send-off to the grave!"
I could feel the heat of Ra hovering over Malik. The God Phoenix reeled back and dove down to obliterate Jounouchi's remaining monster. Flames and Jounouchi's scream of pain erupted into the air.
"Jounouchi-kun!" The others shouted in one voice.
"Kaiba, you have to stop this. Jounouchi will die!" Yami had turned to him with desperation in his crimson eyes.
I didn't believe in magic then. I didn't buy Malik's rubbish about Games of Darkness. Jounouchi would be fine. He had to be. I wouldn't stop the duel. And Ra's third ability, I needed to see it through for myself in order to defeat Malik.
"How?" Malik screamed. "How are you still alive?"
Jounouchi's once proud posture looked bent but not broken. My chest swelled with pride. He was still standing and all he had to do was attack Malik. He would win. That was the Jounouchi I knew and had fallen for, the one who was too stubborn to give up.
He had survived the onslaught of a God.
But miracles are few and far in between. And there was no more miracle to be found in my Jounouchi's deck.
So as he fell over, smelling of smoke and his skin a burnt red, I felt the world slow around me. The hologram of Gearfried shattered as he hit the ground.
"Jounouchi!" Mokuba was already on the platform checking on the blond duelist. "Jounouchi...he's not breathing!"
"No!" Shizuka wasn't supposed to be here either. She was supposed to be with that Kujaku woman.
"Nii-sama, we have to get the doctors!"
I could tell my little brother was scared out of his mind. The incident with Kujaku had been troubling enough, but my brother had never seen death that up close before. Mokuba had been far too young to remember either their mother or father's death, and even the young boy had welcomed Gozaburo's departure.
"Isono, call it!" I barked, unable to tear my eyes off the prone body lying on the ground.
"Due to Jounouchi Katsuya's inability to continue the duel, the winner is Malik Ishtar." My Master of Ceremonies announced.
I clasped the KC communicator attached to the lapel of my coat as I approached the stage. "Send the doctors to the tower top now! We have a participant that's not breathing. If they're not here within a minute, I'll have all their medical licenses revoked!"
"Kaiba-san! Please save onii-chan!" Shizuka was sobbing.
I cupped Jounouchi's still warm cheek and brushed a thumb underneath the nose. There was no air, no tell-tale rise in the chest of a living breath. And I felt as if my heart had stopped with him.
...
Kaiba tried not to replay the scene over and over in his mind. But he did. Every time his eyes began to stray from the program in front of him, his mind would dig up the imagery from the front balcony of his mansion.
He remembered the sight of Jounouchi's arm limp at his side in surprise and the way the man's amber eyes stared at the proximity of the lashes framing Kujaku's closed eyes. He remembered every detail as if he had been standing right next to them.
How he despised Kujaku Mai. Time and time again, she sought to take what was Kaiba's. Just when he thought he was finally free of the nuisance of both Kujaku and Jounouchi for the past decade or so, both of them came crashing back into his life- more infuriating than ever.
He seethed at the gentle kiss Kujaku had given Jounouchi. He had always known that the woman had felt something for Jounouchi and more times than one, Kaiba had wondered if Jounouchi felt something similar in return.
In his mind, the scene kept playing again and again on a seemingly infinite loop. It changed subtly each time though. First, Kujaku was deepening her kiss, and then Jounouchi was kissing her back. Next, she had him pinned against the wall next to the balcony, hidden from sight by the window drapes blowing in the night breeze. He wound his arm around her neck, weaving his fingers into her long, golden locks.
Kaiba slammed his palms down on the keyboard and the playback stopped abruptly. He stared at the computer screen for a second, fixated on the blinking cursor. He glowered as he started to delete the gibberish his moment of rage had inserted into the program he was working on.
He was just about ready to call it for the day. It was only 1pm, but it was clear he wasn't going to get much done. He glared at the piece of paper that had brought about this trouble. He flipped open the card again to reread its content.
Valentine Boutique cordially invites you to attend the opening of our first franchise store in Domino City on April, x, 20xx.
Kujaku Mai
...
Mokuba stared off into the distance- at nothing in particular really. The stone bleachers under him were cold beneath his palms. The stadium wasn't meant to be comfortable; it was meant to look grand. He could almost see the shadows of the monsters on the platform of the Duel Ring.
Footsteps echoed through the stadium, but he didn't seek their source. He was too busy watching the battle between Yugi and his brother once again. And as his gaze swept to the side of the stage to avoid reliving his brother's defeat at the hands of Exodia, he found himself watching the young Jounouchi of his memory.
That had been the first time Mokuba had laid his eyes on Jounouchi. He was ten at the time, was learning Duel Monsters, and had just experienced his first crush on a female classmate named Hikaru, who was now a popular idol. It was from this battle that "fate" sent them tumbling down the path of extraordinary events afterward.
"Mokuba?" The word rang out impossibly loud.
The ghosts of the past vanished with a blink and Mokuba was once again 24 years old. Someone sat down next to him and he turned. It was Rebecca.
"People have been looking for you." She said.
"My brother?" A lump formed in his throat.
"No."
Mokuba's heart fell. He wanted to understand, but just couldn't. He just couldn't process the notion of his brother and Jounouchi. How far had they gone? How long had this been going on? How was he the only one not to notice?
He felt betrayed.
"Mokuba," she placed his hand over his. "Please talk to me."
He felt angry.
"I respected him," he spat through an ugly sneer. "All my life for as long as I remember and now this. I used to think he was infallible until then," his mind wandered back to that first battle. "I began to understand as I grew older and now I see how wrong I was."
"This doesn't change who your brother is and the fact he loves you."
"No! It changes everything. All my life I thought Nii-sama hated him. They fought over everything. I thought Jounouchi was in love with Mai! They're not supposed to be together!" His body shook with rage. "Why didn't he tell me?"
But Mokuba had known something, he must have. Why else would he now recall the furtive glances between his brother and the other man from years ago? Why else would he remember the feeling of dread from when he first suspected he may no longer to number one in his brother's heart?
"You can be such a selfish brat sometimes." Rebecca muttered as she pulled him into an embrace.
She always did know him better than himself.
...
Jounouchi had quickly settled into a routine after his first four days in Domino, though it mainly consisted of surfing the web and getting reacquainted with Japanese television. It wasn't quite the vacation as he had imagined. It was hard to be among the people when every other teenie bopper knew who you were. He couldn't go eat out at some of his favorite places when he was still a student. He could barely make it out the hotel to catch a ride to one of his friend's house for a visit. The reporters had followed him halfway to Yugi's yesterday before Jounouchi finally gave up on the idea, not wanting to trouble his old friend with crazy onlookers.
"You need to own your newfound fame." Sophie had said.
He rolled his eyes. Of course, it was easy for her to say. She had always acted as if it was her prerogative to do whatever whenever she wanted.
How had Kaiba done it? The brunette was half a celebrity by the time he was sixteen.
Right, he was trying not to think about Kaiba.
He turned his attention to the pile of papers Sophie had dropped off this morning. There were a clippings of some of the interviews he had done since returning to Japan, including the one with Domino Times he did two days ago. He set that aside for later reading. There were also two envelopes in the pile. The first contained a card from Mai, inviting him to the grand opening of her boutique next week. The other... He stared at the giant interlocked "KC" printed on the front of the envelope.
At first he was tempted to throw it in the trash bin. If Kaiba had something to say to him, the man could damn well look him up and say it to his face. But curiosity quickly got the better of him.
It was yet another invitation.
You are cordially invited to join us at the annual Kaiba Corporation Charity Ball benefiting Child's Play (1), a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in a network of over 60 hospitals worldwide.
The event was in two weeks. And scrawled underneath the date was Sophie's tidy handwriting: I've already purchased our tickets. Please make sure you have something appropriate to wear to the party.
His thoughts were fortunately interrupted by the hotel phone next to his bed ringing. He dropped the invitation like hot coal and rushed to answer the call. Anything, even the paparazzi, was a welcome distraction from thinking about Kaiba Seto.
"Hello?"
There was no immediate reply.
"Hello?"
Now he was starting to get annoyed. Even the cliched heavy breathing on the other end would have been better than this oppressive silence.
"Seriously, anyone there?"
A loud click sounded in response, then followed by the dial tone. He slammed the handset back into its cradle. Jounouchi could already tell today was going to be a miserable day.
...
When Sophie got around to doing her job, she was 150% effective.
Jounouchi quickly tucked the stray strand of blond hair under the black wig. He smiled for the first time in hours. Right now the paparazzi were chasing after a look-alike decoy Sophie had hired, a trick she had picked up from her time in Hong Kong she claimed. He swore that he would never complain about the American paparazzi again- for their Japanese counterpart was a hundred times worse.
It was the first time he had been able to leave the hotel by himself since Tuesday. The first thing he intended to do was pick up a copy of the anthology his baby sister's manga was premiering in.
The door gave a cheerful chime as he glided through the door of the local Kinokuniya.
"Welcome, is there anything I can help you with?" The sale clerk by the cashier greeted him.
He shook his head and moved deeper into the store to avoid further interaction with sale associates. The manga section was easy enough to find.
His chest swelled with pride at the sight of Shizuka's name on the cover of Young Magazine. His hand shot forward to lay claim the first copy on top of the pile. Too bad he wasn't the only one that wanted it.
"Hey, watch it-" He snapped at the other person.
He stopped cold under the piercing gaze of Kaiba Seto. "Excuse me." The brunette said dryly.
A lump was forming in Jounouchi's throat. It was the first time he had come face to face with Kaiba since the party at his house. They hadn't even said a word to each other that evening, only sharing that one glance across the balcony and driveway. And for them to meet again now, here of all place...
"Please don't stop on my account." Kaiba nodded in the direction of the magazine they had both been reaching for.
"Uh right, sorry." He snatched the issue up and quickly turned his back the other man. Didn't the CEO have people to run errands like this?
With one last furtive glance back and his heart pounding in his chest, Jounouchi quickly made his escape toward the cashier to pay for his purchase. Kaiba got in line behind him though, with his own copy of Young Magazine and another business magazine. When he ducked into the cafe next door to take a moment to get coffee and flip through the manga, Kaiba followed him through the automatic doors. And when Kaiba chose to seat himself across the table from Jounouchi, he quickly went the full spectrum from anxious to pissed.
"Seriously man, what the hell is your problem? Are you like a stalker or something?" Jounouchi snapped. "I'll call the cops."
There was a moment of silence as the other man flipped open his business magazine. Blue eyes met his in an unflinching gaze. "I really doubt you're going to do that, Jounouchi."
He wasn't surprised that Kaiba was the one to see through his disguise. It made sense in the grand scheme of God fucking with Jounouchi at every opportunity. He just felt resigned and trapped instead. "What do you want, Kaiba?"
...
Kaiba hadn't initially considered the other man also looking at the rack of manga much. But the moment their hands touched- and as cliched and melodramatic as it might seem- he just knew it was Jounouchi. The voice and the slouched shoulders that hastily made retreat toward the cashier's counter confirmed it.
To the question of why he continued to follow the blond afterward, he did not readily have any answer for.
He glanced up from the magazine he wasn't really interested in reading at the moment to study Jounouchi's face. The black hair didn't really suit the man; Kaiba preferred its natural color. If he had seen the face first, those amber eyes would have immediately given away its owner's true identity. Those eyes always gave what Jounouchi was feeling- and right now, that was annoyance.
"Well?" The other man folded his arms across his chest, brows furrowed with impatience.
Kaiba was saved from having to answer by the arrival of the waitress.
"What can I get you gentleman today?"
"Two cups of coffee, extra cream and extra sugar, and two slices of tiramisu. That's all." He ordered without a second thought and gave her a pointed glare for emphasis.
Jounouchi sputtered with anger as the waitress immediately walked away. "You know, there are plenty of other seats." He gestured around the half full cafe.
He held his head higher. "I sit where I damn please." With the implication that he wanted to sit right here.
"Fuck you, Kaiba."
He swallowed the crude remark he wanted to reply with. "I see you're alone today." For all intents and purposes, Jounouchi was alone and unaccompanied by reporters, his manager, or Kujaku. He did his best to swallow the anger that came with thinking about the kiss he had witnessed.
"It is supposed to be my vacation." The blond grumbled.
They lapsed back into silence when the waitress returned with their order, setting a cup of coffee and a slice of cake down for each of them. Even after all these years, Jounouchi's eyes still lit up at the very sight of food.
"Good to see some things haven't changed." Kaiba muttered to himself.
"What'd you say?" Jounouchi asked before shoving the first forkful of cake into his mouth.
He pushed his plate across the length of the table. "Take it. Watching you eat makes me lose my appetite." Never mind the fact he had never planned to eat it in the first place and had ordered it specifically for the blond.
"Your loss!" The other man proclaimed. "And no take-backs!"
Kaiba nursed his cup of coffee as silence fell over them again. Jounouchi appeared to have learned restraint since their teenage years as he didn't immediately inhale both pieces of cake. Whereas their previous conversation had reminded him of the banter they once shared as Jounouchi tried to ignore his intentions and Kaiba tried to move one, he is now painfully aware of the fact they are both now grown men with careers at stake and reputations to maintain. They
both stood to lose so much more now.
That was when he noticed her in the corner of the cafe, unsuccessfully trying to blend in with the rest of the customers. Maybe Jounouchi had not escaped the grasp of the paparazzi or maybe she had just followed Kaiba. It was that Yamato Kimiko woman from Honda's paper. He didn't make it a habit to remember reporters or their names, but she had always been a particularly persistent one. He stood abruptly- the chair scraping against the floor as he forcibly pushed it back. He gathered his things and flung a couple of 1000 yen notes down on the a word of goodbye, he left a confused and hurt Jounouchi behind.
After all, they both had so much more to lose nowadays.
...
Unwilling to return and face an empty hotel room after his encounter with Kaiba, Jounouchi took the twenty-minute bus ride to the Kame Game Shop instead. The little shop was just as he last remembered. A sun faded poster of the Battle City tournament was still hanging in one of the store's window. He had spent many hours with his friends here in the past and the sight of the store made him feel like he was finally home since he first returned to Japan.
"I'm sorry, but we're closing for the night." Yugi had placed down the box he was moving at the sound of the door opening.
Jounouchi pulled off his black wig and offered his friend a wide smile.
Yugi turned to shout up the staircase behind him. "Anzu, Jounouchi-kun is here."
"Tell that idiot he should come up here and help me with dinner if he wants any." Came the response from the house upstairs.
Anzu was waiting for for him at the top of the stairs, dressed in what would have otherwise been an oversized apron. She was bigger than he remembered.
"Gee, Anzu you're as big as a house." He exclaimed.
She whacked his arm with the ladle she was carrying, sending droplets of curry flying through the air. "Good to see you too."
Dinner turned out to be his favorite: curry and rice. Once in a while, he would look to the empty seat at the head where Sugoroku used to sit. He felt a pang of regret at having missed the funeral.
"Jounouchi-kun," Yugi's words were a welcomed interruption. "What are your plans after this?"
"You mean, my trip? Uh, I'm leaving toward the end of the month. The entire cast is going full blast into promotion mode then, so I'm definitely taking part in that." Jounouchi chased a slice of carrot around his plate.
"And afterward?" Anzu continued.
"Sophie and I have been going over some of the projects that have contacted us." His mind was mentally sorting through the list of auditions Sophie had scheduled for him. He needed to keep working if he want money for food and rent. As a small-fry in the industry, he hadn't made that much signing onto the movie as his co-stars had, even if he was one of the male leads. Offers of work, still mostly smaller parts, came pouring in after the movie had wrapped. He had apparently gained a reputation of being brash but pleasant to work with. Not that he had needed Sophie to tell him that, he knew he was a decent and fun guy.
"You'll come back, right?"
He looked up at the two people sitting across from him and the hesitant anticipation etched across both of their faces. Two months ago, he would have never contemplated returning to Japan. But now, he couldn't imagine staying away again. His expression softened, feeling the love of his family and friends envelop him. "Of course. Who else is going to be the kid's cool uncle? Not Honda, he's all grown up and properly employed. He'll be the luckiest kid with a movie star uncle like me." His stuck his chest out proudly as he point at himself.
The tension cracked and conversations turned to the enthusiastic topic of preparing for the arrival of Yugi and Anzu's first child.
...
If someone had asked Kaiba to pinpoint the exact moment he became part of Yugi's circle, he wouldn't be able to say for sure. But somewhere along the way and in the midst of their past battles, he got used to their presence in his life and stopped completely begrudging the way they had so forcibly inserted themselves into said life. At the very least, they were trustworthy comrades- they had never betrayed his trust thus far and had more than enough ammunition to do so.
Growing up had helped for one thing. Though he had felt like anything but, he now recognized he had been a teenager- just not a typical one. Yes, a teenager with a penchant for hanging out of helicopters, dragons, and high-stake card games. Not that he had completely outgrown some of those things.
They had also helped to ease the rejection of Jounouchi's disappearance and the loneliness when Mokuba had gone to college in the states. They had always treated him like one of their own, and despite his scorn, it became the truth eventually.
Yes, growing up did wonders for the soul. Even he, Kaiba Seto, came to accept the idea of other people besides Mokuba and himself. And in time, he came to appreciate and respect each of them for their own merits. Not that he went particularly out of his way to see them either. They just happened to attend many of the same functions in a smaller city like Domino, and often he was glad to have them there to distract him from his even more inept peers.
Except today was not one of those days.
"You're sulking again." Malik pointed out.
Kaiba chose not to comment on how his press agent looked like a condemned prisoner facing the gallows. He suspected that without Yugi's meddling, neither he or the Egyptian would have bothered to accept Kujaku Mai's invitation.
As it turned out, Kujaku was something of a big name in the fashion world and her opening party was almost as star-studded as the red carpet at an award ceremony. A number of starlets had approached him, showering him with comments about his sharp dress and harboring delusions of snagging some exclusive time with the unconventional CEO. More than a few of them walked away just minutes later, offended by his coldness and ignorance of who they were. Kaiba never paid much attention to television or movies- unless he was involved somehow.
"It'll be a wonder if half of Japan doesn't turn against you after some of those comments they making about you." Honda muttered as he approached them. "But I guess that's what keeps you in a job, huh Malik? By the way, I heard the city desk assigned Kimiko to cover the event."
"Ugh," Malik groaned at the mention of his least favorite reporter. "Just my luck. I better make sure you still have a reputation to leave with, Kaiba." The man quickly vanished
Yugi soon found them as well. With a second glance though, Kaiba realized it was Yami in control. He saw his one-time rival less and less over the years, often leading him to wonder if the spirit of the Pharaoh had been some mass hallucination all along until Yami would reappear just to remind him otherwise.
"I just saw Jounouchi arrive with his sister." The shorter man pointed to the line of press crowded outside the storefront.
Both he and Honda froze at the mention of the persons they each were so hesitant and eager to see. This was definitely not what Kaiba Seto at 16 years old would have imagined to be in his future some 12 years later.
...
"Congratulations Mai." Jounouchi gave the blond woman a brief hug.
"I'm so glad you made it, Jounouchi." She smiled in return.
It had been almost two weeks since her confession on the balcony of Kaiba's mansion. She was still waiting for his answer. He tried not to let that thought weigh too heavily on him today, because frankly, he still didn't have a good enough response for her yet.
"Shizuka-chan, it's been such a long time." Mai had pulled his little sister into a tight hug too.
"Ah, Mai-san. I'm happy to see you again too." The younger woman returned the hug with enthusiasm.
The press quickly descended on them like a swarm of locust. Jounouchi plastered on the brightest smile he could manage and place a protective arm around his little sister. In his head, he repeated the mantra Sophie had given him: Own your fame.
"Joey-san, is it true that Jounouchi Shizuka is your sister then?"
A flash of light from someone's almost momentarily blinded him. He looked down at Shizuka, who had reached up to give his hand a reassuring squeeze and an encouraging smile. "It's true." He replied simply.
For the first time since the truth about his identity came out, he felt light and ready to face anything the world threw at him. He was Jounouchi Katsuya whole again. The truth really did set you free.
Sophie stepped in front to intercept the questions that followed, attempting to placate them with promises of a later press conference. The hired help shuffled the siblings past the mob of reporters and safely into the VIP zone behind the red velvet rope. Mai blew the press members a kiss and thanked them for showing up to support the opening, before finally following them into the party inside the store.
It took Jounouchi's eyes a moment to adjust to the dim lighting. Mai's store looked more like a club than a boutique at the moment. A DJ was busy at the turntable set up at the end of the makeshift runway cutting down the center of the store.
"You sure throw one hell of a party." Jounouchi whistled as he scanned the crowd for familiar faces.
With a beaming smile, Mai tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way."
Shizuka suddenly extracted herself from his arms with a murmur of apology. "I'm sorry, Onii-chan. I'll be back later."
He blinked and she had already vanished into a crowd of dancers. "What?" That was when he spotted Honda making a beeline for them. His best friend gave him a nervous smile before pursuing his sister deep into the crowd.
Mai was leaning against him now. The touch was meant to be causal, but he felt himself unable to relax. "I see he's still chasing her after all these years."
"They were engaged actually." He mumbled.
"Were?" She sounded surprised, but didn't prod any further. For that, Jounouchi was grateful. He was so close to feeling like himself again and really didn't want that old bout of guilt to return so quickly.
"Would you like to dance?" It was a slow song now and her smile suddenly seemed tight. "As friends."
"Sure." Jounouchi took the offered hand carefully, as if it might burn him.
As they danced, he couldn't help but reflect on how things would have been so much easier if he had fallen for Mai instead. She had her flaws, as any human did, but she had overcome them. And her personal demons...they were nothing compared to what little he had seen or knew of Kaiba's. In any objective sense, Mai was the better choice of the two. She was strong and faithful, and so much easier to understand.
Kaiba? He was like a puzzle wrapped in an enigma buried at the heart of a labyrinth. Jounouchi gave himself a mental pat on the back for coming up with such a brilliant metaphor.
If only he had met Mai first, maybe then he would have stood a chance. If only she had stayed instead of Kaiba...
"Jounouchi?"
"Hm?"
"Don't look now, but I think Kaiba's staring."
He looked up in surprise. From across the room, Kaiba Seto was indeed watching them closely.
...
Even though it made Kaiba a hypocrite, he firmly believed sentimentality was for people of weaker stock than himself. Yet, he still couldn't tear his gaze away from the couple on the makeshift dance floor.
"It's almost like they picked up right where they left off." Yami commented.
Kaiba growled. Yes, it did look that way.
"I always thought they'd make a cute couple." Yami was glancing at him out of the corner of his crimson eye. "She's certainly a lot better for Jounouchi-kun than some other candidates."
He was gritting his teeth now. The next time he thought he missed his old rival, he would be sure to remember this moment instead. "Leave me alone, Yami. Or Yugi's child may find himself without a father soon."
The other man snorted and walked away. He knew Yami didn't take his threat seriously, but at least he was alone again. He watched as Kujaku leaned in closer to Jounouchi to say something. The two then parted as the blond man moved further into the crowd and the woman headed his way.
He felt his scowl deepen.
"I see you're still doing that creepy stalker bit." She was twirling a strand of hair as she approached.
"Excuse me, Kujaku. I wasn't aware you invited me here for the express purpose of mocking me." He was trying his hardest to burn a hole through her forehead.
"I'm not blind, Kaiba. I noticed it during Battle City. You were always watching him from the background when you thought no one else was paying attention. I eventually figured out why though." She was standing right in front of him now, invading his personal space. A perfectly manicured finger poked him in the chest. "And you still have feelings for him, don't you?"
He lightly swatted away the offending hand. "As delusional as ever."
The smile on her perfect lipsticked lips widened. He suspected she figured she was winning this little game between them. "You always did that too, acting as if you couldn't be bothered to give a shit. It's no wonder Jounouchi never took to you."
He wanted to laugh. Did she really fancy herself a challenger? An equal. The sheer arrogance was so much like Jounouchi's, and perhaps that was why she had been drawn to the other blond to begin with. "What would you know about Jounouchi and me? You were always too busy running off after each tournament or siding with the enemy."
He felt a spark of satisfaction as she visibly winced at the mention of her time with Dartz's men.
"I've played my hand. What about you? Are you planning on making a move or are you just going to be a coward?"
Kaiba finally did laugh. "Don't presume yourself to be at my level. You're not ready to play in my league yet."
"Just don't forget then, all's fair in love, war, and Duel Monsters." She turned around, probably thinking she had gotten the last word in.
He grabbed her forearm and muttered lowly. "I may have stood for your interference years ago, but no longer."
She met his hard gaze with no fear and only determination when he tightened his grip. Kaiba supposed he should not have expected anything less from the woman who had probably fallen for all the same things in Jounouchi as he had.
"That choice is not for you to make, now is it, Kaiba? You alone can't determine the end all and be all in a relationship. You can't control the choices other people make."
That was a fact he had been painfully aware of for a very long while. The world had seemed like such a less complicated place when he only attributed agency to himself and his brother.
...
The headlines and photos were splashed all over the front page the next day- the front page of the Entertainment section, but a front page nonetheless.
Right under the headline were side-by-side photos: one capturing Jounouchi's dance with Mai and the other recording the moment Kaiba himself had grabbed the other woman's arm.
He tore his eyes away from the code on his screen. He didn't need to program anything himself, but he always found the exercise relaxing. He scowled at the name in the byline, Yamato Kimiko.
He would get her fired for good one day.
And he would have happily remained unaware of the gossip if Malik hadn't dropped off the paper earlier this morning.
"At least it's not the truth." His PR manager had shrugged.
But the rest of the world took it as gospel. Within hours, the internet exploded into a storm of speculation. It wasn't long before various Duel Monsters blog began posting old photos from the first Battle City tournament over a decade ago.
How long has this going on?
According to the pictures from Battle City, some would say years. Others would point to Jounouchi's recent return to Japan instead.
Pretty much all of the Duel Monsters world knew about the animosity between Kaiba Seto and Jounouchi Katsuya from way back and now they were so assured they knew the reason why.
But as always, they had no idea what they were talking about. He spread the article over his keyboard and began scanning its content. Even a man like Kaiba Seto could use a good laugh in light of the recent events in his life.
Kaiba Seto and Joey Katsuya Battle It Out Over Fashion Bombshell!
...To Be Continued...
When your education x-ray
Cannot see under my skin.
I won't tell you a damn thing
That I could not tell my friends.
Roaming through this darkness,
I'm alive but I'm alone.
Part of me is fighting this,
But part of me is gone.
- "When I'm Gone" by 3 Doors Down
(1) Child's Play is a real charity organization here in the United States. I lifted the organization's statement of purpose from their website at www . childsplaycharity. org. The charity was founded by the creators of the webcomic, Penny Arcade. It seems like just the type of charity that Kaiba and his company would support.
So I've decided to take a stab at finishing this story. I don't know if anyone out there still has interest in reading the rest of this, but I am currently motivated to finish this for the sake of completing it. I fear, however, that my fiction writing is a bit rusty, having not written fiction regularly in quite a long time now. But I hope it's still enjoyable though!
Reviews are always appreciated!
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