Superman and Fairies - The Bottom Line | By : lostintheheartland Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3416 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or make any profit from this story. |
***
To say Seto was livid was an understatement in the same way saying Everest is a mountain. While both statements are true, Mount Everest is the penultimate mountain. The same could be said about Kaiba Seto's anger. Anger true, but with undreamed of heights, killer cold, and bitter winds, so an anger unlike any other. And it was aimed at none other than Jounouchi Katsuya.
"Cheating, lowlife, slut," Seto growled as he sliced the Kobe Beef into wafer thin strips. He completely ignored that there was absolutely no commitment or even a relationship between them. "Damned air-headed, round-heeled pervert." Meat finished, he turned on the vegetables. "Stupid pink-stabber. Ignorant breeder!"
Otogi's voice from the doorway made him freeze. "You forgot a few. Need help coming up with more?"
"Hnn... Thought you went to your father's place." Carefully, Seto put the blade down.
The black-haired man shrugged. "I did. I'll stay there a few more days. I wanted to pick up a few things" He sighed and shook his head. "That's a lie. I came to talk some sense into you. Seto... I don't want you to do this. These guys... they won't just rape you and beat you. They're killers now. Please..." He crossed and laid his head on Seto's shoulder. "Don't do this."
"Ryuugi, I'm not afraid of them. You know I'm protected and tracked twenty-four seven. The police will be there as well. Besides we don't know if they will target me or not. I have to do this, Ryuugi. Please understand."
The smaller man just sighed and nuzzled his shoulder. "I knew you'd say that. But I'm staying at my dad's until this blows over. Seto if you got hurt..." He gulped audibly. "I would break apart. You... You be safe okay?"
"As safe as possible," Seto agreed.
"Best I'm going to get." Ryuugi was resigned. "So you were cursing some straighty. Let me guess: Jounouchi?"
"Fucking asshole, cheating bastard."
That made Otogi's eyes widen and his brows lift. "Cheating? How? Last I heard he wasn't involved with anyone."
Seto didn't even hesitate. "He smiled at me this morning. The way he looked at me said he... we... Fucking bastard should not be holding hands with red-haired bimbos and looking at me like that."
"Oh. You saw Jounouchi with his flavor of the day and you're pissed because you think he's yours because... of a smile?" His ponytail swished as he shook his head. "You're beginning to sound like most of the girls on campus who chase after him, wanting to fly with superman."
"Damn it Ryuugi! I'm not some lovesick slut. I'm also not naive or blinded by his sexuality. I know how to read people. He is starting to like me... He wants sex with me even if he won't admit it yet. I know there's more," Seto gritted out. "He just has to give me a chance. But instead he's out with some bimbo. Probably fucking her right now - while I'm preparing his dinner."
Teasingly sarcastic, Otogi snarked, "Like the good little woman you are."
Seto gave him a mock threatening look. "Ryuugi, do you know what happened to the last guy who tried to tell me I was a female?"
"Nope, what?" Green-eyes danced with challenge. "You put on a dress and dance for him?"
Straight faced and dead serious, Seto answered grimly, "Nobody knows what happened to him... he just disappeared. The body has never been found."
Despite knowing Seto would never hurt him and that the brunet cultivated the menace in his voice as a deliberate intimidation tactic, Ryuugi still felt a small chill. "Man, just for that I shouldn't help you seduce and shanghai Superman's heart."
"Hmmph as if I need your help."
Otogi gave his friend a wry look. Seto had too much ego for his own good sometimes. "Have you ever seduced a bi-curious guy? Or any guy for that matter?" Seeing his friend grow rigid Ryuugi sighed. "I'm not insulting you. Look..." He frowned and held out a hand. "You know I was as much of a player as Jounouchi is before... before the attack. I was good. Too good. I think that's why they started with me. I may not be in practice, but I remember how it goes."
"Oh, you think I can't..."
"I think you'll fuck it up royally. What's your biggest turn on? Seriously Seto, what is? Because I can promise you, it's not his. Gay guys and straight guys approach sex the same way, but with different triggers."
"What are you talking about?"
"Seto, I never asked you if you were top or bottom. I pretty much assumed your role based on what you told me of you and Atemu. What turned you on about that?"
"You expect me to answer that?"
"Yes. Answer honestly."
"Oh hell." Uncharacteristic redness tinged his cheeks. "It was... well Gozoburo always emphasized that I had to be in control of everything. I liked... I liked the loss of that control. Then there was the element of … nasty or forbidden... it always got me. But... but I liked the... closeness as well. Just feeling someone close was incredibly erotic."
Ryuugi nodded and pushed back his bangs. "Yeah thought so. Seto, Jou doesn't see sex like that at all. Forbidden especially with a guy, yeah. But closeness? That's more emotion than sex. And from what I've seen, he runs from girls who try to get close to him. He runs so fast and far that he never goes back for seconds. Your trick is going to keep the edge of newness up without binding him with emotions. You're a guy so you have a leg up on girls. If you can come off as emotionally-independent, you might have a shot at getting past his defenses."
"And that helps me how?" Seto asked facetiously.
"How do you think this little cat-fit you're throwing right now would make him respond? No don't answer, I'll tell you. He'd back off in a heartbeat. You wouldn't get within fifty feet of him ever again."
"Oh so what do you suggest? Let him fucking cheat on me?"
"He's not. There are no promises between you. For all he knows you aren't even interested in him like that. Not like you are the most forthcoming. Okay so now you know - no cat-fits or jealousy, no emotional demands. Bond with him as a guy, watch violent anime with him." A cunning smile crossed Otogi's lips. "But you can make physical demands. Show him you want him. Be honest and give him everything you can - physically. Make him glad you're both men. You've got talent and brains, not to mention creativity. Use them to make him want what you have more than what anyone - man or woman - has."
"Right... like what?"
"You're not a virgin. Atemu had you sucking his cock before you were twelve. You've got a wickedly skilled mouth. Use it. Show him that a guy knows cock better than any woman." He gave him a small glare. "You don't have a shy bone in your body. So show it off... and show off what it can do. You know you have stamina, flexibility and you're strong. Show him that. You know you're hornier than almost anyone I know - except maybe him - so show him that you can match him."
"I can show him, but if he doesn't want..."
"Oh hell, Seto. You know he's curious, probably even more now. Give him an opening. If you don't want to make yourself vulnerable, get in the hot tub with him. Some nice wine or beer, naked bodies, and hot bubbly water. Things will definitely come up." Otogi's green eyes became slightly heavy and suggestive. "And if it comes up... you know what to do with that too. Fuck him like he's never been fucked. You've watched him enough to know what he responds to and what turns him off when fucking. Just use that."
"Hnn..." Seto contemplated that for a moment. "So what you're saying is act like I'm like he is... and get him hooked? Isn't that kind of … girly?"
"Well no offense Seto, but you're a regular bitch when you want to be," Otogi teased. "But really, he does like girls, so if you want to be a 'little' girly - like cooking or even fussy with your looks - 'cause you are you know - then show that. But keep it to a minimum. If he's going to fall for you, it has to be the real you. Don't go all flaming homo on the man."
Seto was indignant at that. "As if I would." A smirk crept onto his lips. "I think I got this. All I have to do is act like a guy who wants to fuck and he'll fall in line."
"Pretty much. No drama or pressure Seto. He'll fly away- cape blowing in the breeze."
"Okay. So... You're not staying for dinner are you? Mokuba is still visiting 'Atemu and Yugi' so the house will be empty once you're gone." Giving Otogi a wry look grinned evilly "He is actually safely locked up and can't get out. So if you're leaving..."
Otogi laughed at that. "Bum's rush huh? I'll leave you guys alone tonight if you agree to tell me how it goes in the morning. Full deets. I may not be able to get it up, but I would enjoy the mental images."
"Pervert." But it was without heat. For Otogi to show any interest in sex was a step forward. "Get out. I've got a lot to do..."
"Yeah, yeah, just turn on that fancy hot tub... and make sure the screens still work in there. Wasn't it glitching..." He dashed out on the run as Seto threw bits of food at him. To so much as hint that an electronic device in Seto's home was defective was tantamount to heresy and he knew it.
****
Jounouchi, buoyant with happiness of seeing his sister again, decided he deserved a day off. He wandered around the Domino shopping district like a tourist, gawking at things he'd never taken the time to see before, scoffing at others. One particular store caught his eye - a game shop. Seto liked games. With the thought of a nice gift for his host of last night - and tonight - he pushed open the door.
Atemu looked up hopefully at the merry tinkle of the bell, just as he had every time it chimed that day. Yugi had disappeared, and Atemu didn't know where to find him. It was as if he had vanished into thin air. None of their friends or family had seen him. He could only partially mask his disappointment at the sight of a tall, muscular blond man. "Good afternoon. How can I help you?" He asked politely.
"Ah lookin' for a host gift. Somethin' for th' guy who has everythin'." The blond responded with a small smile. "But it's gotta say thanks in a nice way."
Atemu was confused. "This is not really a gift shop. Perhaps..."
"Ah no. I noticed he has a ton of games. Not just electronic games, but board games and card games. He likes games so... well I thought I'd get him something like that."
"I see. Well we have some nice hand-carved chess sets. But perhaps that would be too expensive for a simple gift. Perhaps a nice pair of gemstone dice? Or maybe..." He broke off when he saw that his customer was staring at a picture of his beloved hanging on the wall. "His name is Yugi."
"Cute kid. Saw him earlier today outside my house." Jou smiled and turned away. "Your little brother was out and about early this morning."
"He's not my brother. He is my lover. We've been together for five years." Atemu corrected. "We have similar hairstyles, but beyond that we look nothing alike." Then eagerly, "You saw him today? Where?"
The blond was staring at him with something like disgust. "You've got to be over thirty. The kid I saw today couldn't have been twenty."
"He is twenty in a few weeks. Please tell me where you saw him."
"I don't think so. Yer a fuckin' pedo. You were twenty five plus and you started banging a fourteen year old." Without another word Jou spun on his heel and stalked out, leaving a wide-eyed Atemu staring after him in shock. With a squawk of horror, he rushed to the nearest mirror. Why had the other man guessed his age so high?
The blond didn't let the run-in with the freak bring him down. After all the kid had run away. So he had to have his head in the right place. But he did decide to go with a more traditional 'host' gift. Small smile edged back onto his lips when he spied a sakaya. Perfect. So maybe Kaiba didn't care for beer, but Jou had never met anyone who didn't like plum sake.
Two hours later he was showered, neatly dressed, and his two bottles of Fu-Ki Plum Sake were nestled in an artfully arranged fruit and chocolate basket. He knew it was probably inappropriate, but somehow it just felt right. He'd even splurged and gotten a large Yubari melon. Honda wasn't back from where ever he'd gotten to. There had been a message in voicemail, something about a special meeting and not being back until later. Honda could just come over when he got done. A quick look at the clock told him he still had half an hour to kill. With a shrug he scooped up his 'host gift' and made tracks across the street. If asked he'd just offer to help with dinner.
Seto had just stepped out of the shower when he heard the door chime. Remembering that the housekeeper had called out sick that morning he hastily scrubbed a towel over his body and slid into his favorite white and silver yukata. Using the towel to dry his hair, he hurried to the door. With an inward smirk he opened the door to the blond. "Hey, sorry I was in the shower. You're a little early."
The blond had the grace to blush slightly. "Yeah, thought I'd help ya out. Second night in a row ya cooked for us."
"It's no problem, really. Shabu Shabu is just thinly sliced ingredients and boiling dashi. Hardly gourmet." He stepped back and motioned him in. Gesturing to the basket he asked, "Is that for me?" He led the way into the kitchen fully aware of the blonde's gaze roaming over him greedily.
The blush got darker. "Huh, yeah. Since you didn't keep the beer I thought ya might like this better." Awkward now, the blond placed the basket on the table.
"Mmm, the beer was fine. But I like this too. Fu-Ki is delicious with anything. Oh and Yubari! I'll chill it right away and slice it for dessert." Rifling the contents of the basket, Seto couldn't help his small smile. "Oooh and chocolate. Perfect for making a dipping sauce for the fruits."
"Yeah, that's what the lady said when I got it. I don't really know a lot about this kind of stuff so I asked the lady at the gift shop. But I picked out the Sake..." he added hopefully.
Seto, who left most gift purchases up to his personal shopper, just nodded. "Always best to ask the professionals. She did a good job. So did you.” He gestured towards the entertainment room. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll change and be back soon."
"Change? Why?" Jounouchi blurted. In his opinion the brunet looked incredibly hot. The white in his yukata made his skin look incredible and the silver put a sparkle in his blue eyes that was almost hypnotic. When Kaiba looked back with a shocked expression, he explained, "I mean... ya look okay an' if yer comfortable, why bother? I like yukata; they're one of the few things that feel as good to wear as they look. Most clothes can put a squeeze on ya, but yukata don't... well..." He faltered and turned red again.
Taking pity on him, Seto nodded. "If you're sure you don't mind then I'll stay as I am. I enjoy the freedom of yukata as well." A quick turn and Seto was leading Jou back towards the entertainment room. "Honda not with you?"
"He had some kind of meeting and was going ta be late. Don't know if he's gonna make it. Sorry if you made extra for him."
"Just means more for us. Otogi is at his father's tonight as well." He waved at the wall of discs. "Did you want to watch anything particular?"
Jounouchi swallowed hard. Here was his opening. He'd thought long and hard about what his sister said, about how he treated women and he realized just how right she was. When he thought about it he couldn't remember the last time sex had been about liking someone. He couldn't even remember the last time it hadn't been a reflex, but a genuine desire and a wanting to get to know the person. But during his break he realized that the closest he came to that was the night before and again the next morning when he'd spoken with Kaiba Seto. "Yeah... I wanna see yer porn collection."
Stunned, Seto croaked, "My what?"
Keeping his back to the brunet so Seto couldn't see the redness staining his whole face, Jou stood his ground. "Your porn collection. You got one, don'tcha? Every guy does."
Sometimes being a highly-cynical, rigidly self-controlled genius had its up sides. This was one of them as it helped him to control his shock and go on the offensive. "What kind of crap is that? Jounouchi you... I know you want to do research but..." He drew a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "You will be disgusted in five minutes. We both know that! So why..."
"Now who's shovelling crap. You know better. You probably picked up on it before I figured it out. I want to see... I have... ugh..." Jou gripped his hair and tugged sharply, wishing he was more articulate. "You know I like ya. Or at least I think I might... But I need to see if... I dunno if I can do it... I ain't never considered this before so it's... Look can't we just watch the porn and I'll know?"
"Okay no more bullshit." Seto found himself fighting back laughter for some odd reason. "I realized last night you might be interested in me as more than... research. This morning I was more convinced. I decided to let you set the pace and make up your own mind."
"Nice of ya." Slight sarcasm edged Jou’s voice. "So... watching the porn will help me. See I just... I... I don't get it."
"Get what?" Seto was honestly baffled.
"How a guy can enjoy that. I mean... No offense and all. But... Can't we just watch a couple movies to give me the basics ta see if I can... do it?"
"And what if you can?" Seto asked softly, coming to stand directly behind him, close enough that his breath stirred the golden blond hair at the nape of Jou's neck. "What then?"
"Well, I..." He gulped as pleasant chill chased down his spine. "I think we both know right? I mean we're not kids, and if we get all hot and bothered and it's mutual and all?"
"So are you suggesting we have a one night stand?"
"Uhm... Nah, not really. I... I really do want to get to know you. I think we could be friends even if th' sex thing don't work out. If we do then... well... we could be both ya know?"
"Ah, friends. In that case why don't we table the discussion of sex and try to be friends first." Belying his words, Seto ran his hands across Jou's shoulders and began a slow massage. "You're tense and stressed. I'm sure you need some time to adjust to the thought of change." Taking away his touch just as Jou arched into it, he said, "If you're comfortable with your decision then it will help you relax around me. That will make anything else a lot easier and more enjoyable for both of us."
Frowning, Jou turned that over in his head. On the surface it sounded logical. But damn it since when did his little head listen to logic. Frustrated and seeing his chance to get with Seto slipping away he growled, "Ya don't get it. It ain't m'decision I have problems with. It's th' physical act. I just don't understand it is all. If I could see it, like on a porno, I'd know if I could do it. I was goin' ta watch some on the internet, but I... I decided I wanted ta watch with you. I wanted ta see you get all hot and bothered because I think... I think it won't matter ta me what we do 'cause seein' you all ready to blow, watchin' ya come will have me so fucking hot, I won't care about anythin' else." There, he said it. He'd cast his pride to the wind - or laid it at Kaiba Seto's feet - now it was up to the sexy prick to decide.
“I see.” Seto thought about it for a minute. It was probably rushing in where angels fear to tread but... “I have some instructional videos on ‘gay sex’ that my ex insisted I watch and then I have some videos that make me hot. What do you really want to see?”
A slow grin, full of sexual heat crossed Jou’s face. “What I want to see is what’s under that Yukata...”
“Oh?” Seto lifted a single brow. That sounded like an invitation to him. Otogi was right - he didn’t have a shy bone in his body. With a quick tug the belt holding the Yukata fell to the floor, the robe itself following almost instantly after it. Completely unashamed of his nudity, he lifted his arms wide. “So look.”
He didn’t need to say it. Jounouchi was taking in the miles of white skin with its fine dusting of hair, lean, firm muscles and legs that stretched from heaven to earth. He was the most beautiful creature, male or female, Jou had ever seen and his body was having a predictable reaction to that fact. “Damn, I’ve always been a leg man.”
The arched brow raised higher. “And?”
“And I think we can skip the videos if you just want to hang out naked. In fact I’ll get naked too...”
Seto couldn’t stop his laugh, not that he tried. “Why don’t we get in the hot tub and splash around some. It’s too early for dinner and we both might work up an appetite.”
“I’m with you.” Without thinking about where he was, Jou toed off his shoes and socks, and tossed his shirt on the loveseat. Before he could go further Seto’s laughter stopped him. “Uh, huh? What’s so funny?”
“You are such a guy.” The brunet chuckled. “You’re so focused on getting naked you aren’t paying attention to any kind of... romantic refinements.”
“Wha? You want flowers or somethin’? Didn’t think ya were that girly, but... but I brought wine.” The last was said defensively.
“Not what I meant. Leave your pants on until we get to the hot tub. I might have a heart attack if you strip too fast. Let me catch my breath.”
“Eh... What are you...” He looked up at the brunet and faltered slightly. The alabaster skin was flushed pink and his sapphire eyes had lost their icy remoteness. In it’s place gleamed blue-fire. Almost involuntarily Jou’s eyes traced a path down to the auburn-haloed cock. His own jumped in response, hardening to the point of straining his pants when he saw Seto’s body full and hard with arousal... forhim. “Oh...” Tentatively he reached out and traced a fingertip across the tip. “Gotcha. Didn’t think I’d have this kinda effect right away. I mean, ya never really showed anything before so I kinda thought ya were... well ya didn’t care either way. Ya’d take if I offered but ya weren’t gonna go after it.”
“You thought wrong.” Stepping closer, Seto caught the retreating hand and brought it back to his groin. “Why don’t you... figure it out... while I help you with your zipper?”
“Guh...ugh... uhm... wait... hold on...” The blond backed up a couple steps. “I can get m’own zipper. I...”
A bitter smile tipped the corner of Seto’s mouth. “Changed your mind? Wondered how long it would take.” He spun away, taunting, “Guess I found the great superman’s kryptonite.”
He hadn’t gotten more than half a step when he was tackled from behind and pushed to the floor. “That ain’t it ya jerk. I just... it was too... dang it! I got a little nervous. I ain’t ever had a guy touch m’dick before. I’m still learnin’ this. Why ya gotta jump ta conclusions?”
Seto gritted his teeth and resolutely ignored the hard ridge pressing suggestively between his ass cheeks. "Could you get off me? I'm..."
"I'll get off if ya promise ta tell me why yer always so quick ta think I'm rejectin' ya. This is th' second or third time in less than five minutes."
Seto considered his choices give in to his lust and fuck Jou blind now, willing or not, or open up to him and let 'Superman' get a glimpse of his heart. He'd prefer the former, but since the blond was hopefully going to be more than a casual encounter, it was a better long term investment to open up to him. Seto was all about the long-term bottom line, not short-term profits.
"Fine," he agreed shortly. Seto may have decided to open up, but he didn't have to like it. "Now get off before I change my mind and forget the bottom line."
"Bott... Huh?" But now that he had his agreement, Jou pushed himself up and to his feet. "Spill it."
Seto was reminded of Otogi's warning about emotional neediness. With a sigh he stood too as he resigned himself to risking it all just to give Jou the answer he demanded. Ignoring his painful erection, the brunet turned and walked towards the pool room. "I'm going to be comfortable when we talk. But don't blame me if you get spooked. I didn't want to dump my baggage on you - you insisted."
Stepping fast to catch up to the long-legged brunet, Jou looped a casual arm around his waist. "Won't get spooked. And if I gotta deal with you tryin' ta push me away it's best I know what's makin' ya act that way. If I get where yer comin' from, I won't get pissed and say shit I don't mean." The blond hugged him close to his side. "Sometimes when I'm mad I don't think about what I say an' people I care about get in th' way of my mouth."
Snuggling into the shorter man's side, Seto teased, "So you are a thoughtless hot head? Who would have ever guessed." He badly wanted to question the 'care' part of that statement but knew it was too soon. Instead he stepped away and touched the switch, setting it to twilight, turning on the stars and moon in his own personal paradise. Curious to see the blonde's reaction he turned and watched. He wasn't disappointed by the wide eyes and gaping mouth that lasted perhaps two seconds before Jounouchi found his voice.
"Holy fuck," he breathed reverently. Lush, thick tropical plants and flowers circled the entire room, giving it the look and feel of a tropical island. Their perfumes blended and drifted on warm, humid air, making each breath a heavenly delight. In one corner a floor to ceiling waterfall cascaded down and through vine-covered rocks churning a froth in a spreading arc that undulated across the largest private swimming pool Jou had ever seen. On the corner opposite jets sent down plumes of steaming water, caught in huge open vases, only to be bubbled out in a churning hot tub, separated by the pool only by a wall of what looked like a natural rock formation. On the bottom of the pool, through the frothy waves, Jou could see a tile design that took his breath away. "Giant Dragon Seahorse," he gasped. Head of a dragon, body of a seahorse, it was one of the rarest sea creatures ever seen. This representation was dark red rimmed with silver and black and absolutely stunning in it's contrast to the verdant beauty surrounding him. He recognized it only because he had a fetish for seahorses growing up and still loved them.
"You like my pool?" Seto prompted. So he wanted to preen a bit. He'd designed it after all.
"Oh hell yeah." Jou was regaining his senses. "Ya shouldn'ta showed me this though. Yer gonna have ta get th' cops ta kick me out. I could live here forever."
Wryly Seto observed, "Don't think so. All I'll have to do is try to touch your cock again and you'll run off." He was amused when the blond gave him an exasperated look.
"Nervous ain't runnin' off. There ya go again, tryin' ta make it seem like I'm rejectin' you. I'm not. It was too soon for me earlier. Now you can either stand here and watch me get outta my pants or you can go get us towels."
"You really expect me to go get towels when I can watch you unveil superman's super cock?" A small smile edged Seto's lips. "Get real."
"Wish ya wouldn't call me superman." Jou flushed and unfastened the button of his pants then lowered the zipper. "Don't really like it. Sides... I'm told it's disgustin' and demeanin' th' way I treat women." He shoved them and his boxers down and stepped out of them. "I'm gonna try ta mend my ways."
That caught Seto's attention more than the possibility of seeing Jou naked. He jerked his gaze up to look at the red-faced man. "You... mend your ways?"
"Yeah. Seems I mighta hurt some feelin's. Wasn't my intention ever ta hurt no one. Fuckin' is fuckin' ya know? I thought they all knew th' score." The troubled gaze lifted to capture Seto's. "Normally I... I wouldn't talk about this but... but yer a hot guy who knows what's what so ya gotta have a clue. I didn't want no relationships because... well 'cause of a lotta shit comes from my time on th' street. Then well... you and.. last night... I got to thinkin' we could get to be friends and sex and stuff... and well..." He faltered for a moment then picked up, "Ain't that a relationship? Friends and sex?"
"Fuckbuddies?" Seto was baffled. Just what the hell was the idiot trying to say. "Friends with benefits?"
"Nah... not like that. I like bein' with you. I kinda like th' way yer bitchy sometimes and I love the way yer mind is always workin...I don't always know what yer workin' on, but sometimes I figure it out and it's like 'yeah!' God I'm stupid. I just like ta be with ya. That's all."
"Since last night?"
"Yeah and no. We've had a couple classes together. I've always like how smart ya are, even if ya make me feel stupid. But... Geeesh..." He shrugged. "I just think we could be... like... together."
Seto wanted to facepalm. If Jounouchi rode the fence any harder... "Let’s leave relationship talk aside for now. Let's get in the hot tub." He turned away from the luscious view and slid into the hot tub.
Relief and embarrassment fought for dominance. Tongue-tied by both, Jou followed. With a low moan of ecstasy he sank into the hot water. "Oh man this is great."
"Sit down and look up." Seto's paradise still had surprises.
Jounouchi didn't think he could get more impressed. He was wrong. The ceiling or maybe it was the roof? What do you call it when it's one in the same? The three story high ceiling was clear glass. Outside he could see the darkening twilight sky. "Oh a skylight. Beauti..." He shut up when the house-proud - gadget proud - brunet next to him reached back and turned a dial. The glass darkened to an inky black and silver stars glimmered to life.
"Holy... look I'ma run outta words soon. This place is fantastic."
"Thank you." He smiled, unknowing of the proud tilt of his head.
Jou saw it and figured it out. "You designed it didn't ya? I mean, I'm sure ya had workmen come in. Not that I saw 'em, but... yeah, I can see you had yer hand in the design."
The genius saw no point in denying it. Modesty, false or otherwise, was a waste of time. "I designed every rock, tile, and plant. The plants are real and are maintained by a gardener, but I chose each one." He lay back and looked up at his masterpiece. "What you see up there is actually five layers. The outer two layers are insulated glass and perfectly clear. The third and fourth layers sandwich a gas that lightens and darkens based on electrical charge. I increase the charge the glass darkens, I decrease it, it lightens. Take away all charge and it becomes clear. When the fourth layer is completely black it acts as a background for the fifth layer. The fifth layer is a series of lcd panels connected to a data input device. I can surf the web, answer my email, watch movies, watch the stars, or simply let them go clear and look out at the sky."
"Your ceiling is a... computer monitor?"
"More like a multi-paneled large screen television, but the concept is the same." He smiled slightly at the blond's look. "Don't look so shocked. The technology has existed for a few years. I just pushed it beyond it's normal uses is all."
Jou's mind was ticking overtime. "Man! Sports Sundays'll never be th' same. I bet you get a great view of the games. How do you drag yourself to school? Much less work?"
"I enjoy work. The challenge stimulates me... And this would get boring after a while." He ignored Jou's 'no effing way' and settled back into the jets. The hot bubbling water was helping to relieve some of his earlier frustration. "I also enjoy school. I was privately tutored for most of my life. My parents, and later my adopted father, felt that no school could challenge me academically. In one aspect they were right. But in another... When I reached sixteen and realized that while I had three degrees, a multi-national company, and more money than I will ever spend in a hundred lifetimes, I had virtually no social skills and no knowledge on how to acquire them." He shrugged slightly. "I had Atemu, my brother, and the servants for companionship and thought that was enough. I learned I was wrong. I... needed more social interaction. My parents had handled that part of life for me, but they were gone and believe it when they say more deals are sealed outside the boardroom than in it.."
"Hmmm poor little rich boy huh?" Jou nodded thoughtfully. "So ya went ta school ta learn how ta get along with people?"
"Actually I hired Otogi Ryugi to help me. Or I tried to. He was a social butterfly with friends and lovers fawning all over him. I watched him secure a deal for his father in an hour that I'd been working on for weeks with no success. Being the socially inept person I was, I went right up to him and offered to buy his services." A rueful smile edged his lips. "He laughed so hard he fell over. When he got control of himself he told me he didn't do kids, no matter how cute they were."
"Kids... what? I mean you're older than him right?"
"Yes, by a few months. But... I was a late bloomer. I was short and..." He hesitated for a second then shrugged. "Anorexic thin. It made me appear about ten or twelve. Ryuugi always says eight." He blew out a breath. "I dressed him down as if he were a servant. Told him I had a lover who was ten times the man he was and not to get above his station. He just patted me on the head and told me to go back to the nursery. I was so disgusted and angry at his stupidity I stalked off." He stopped talking as the memory of that time, who he used to be, flooded his mind.
A hard poke in the ribs brought his attention back to the here and now. He grimaced at the blond. "Oh sorry, just remembering. Ryuugi showed up the next day. Said he wanted to meet the lover who was ten times what he was. I told him to get out, but my little brother came tearing into the room and demanded an introduction. Ryuugi changed entirely. He laughed and teased Mokuba in a way I had never seen. My brother loved him almost instantly." He didn't repeat the remarks Mokuba had made about him finally getting a boyfriend. "So... he stayed, and somehow he's become my best friend. I've never had to pay him."
"Your brother convinced him you weren't a kid?"
"Since we were almost the same size, I was only an inch taller, and he was twelve at the time... Mokuba was pretty convincing evidence." He gave Jou a shy look. "I was pretty much Mokuba's size for a couple years after that. Then about the time I hit eighteen I had a growth spurt."
Jou whistled through his teeth. "Musta been a hell of a growth spurt."
"About an inch a month for nineteen months. I hit my current height around twenty and have stopped."
"You're what six foot six?"
"Six four. Don't add more than you have to," Seto muttered, still feeling the echo of stings from remarks by Atemu. Defensively he averted his eyes.
"Wha? That was pure jealousy. I'm not six feet tall, just about half an inch under that. I like that you're tall - it's all leg. And I already said: I'ma leg man." Perception darkened Jou's eyes. "Ah, now we get to my original question. Who was it that makes you think I'm always rejecting ya? I'll bet it's th' same person who makes ya self-conscious about yer bein' so damn sexy-tall." A shrug was Jou's only answer so he guessed. "This lover? The one who was ten times Otogi Ryuugi? You mentioned an Atemu... Your lover Atemu?"
"Atemu is my cousin," Seto corrected sharply - too sharply. Jounouchi had lived with a cop a long time and before that his life depended on being able to smell a lie.
"And your lover," Jou said softly. When the body next to him heaved violently he shook his head, spun and pounced, planting his ass on Seto's belly. "Don't even try it. You think I care about that? Man, I've seen brothers doin' their sisters, I've seen moms doin' their sons. I don't think about it in terms of wrong or right unless it's little kids or forced. People do what people do. Judging will get ya killed. Now... I'ma sit my ass right here until ya tell me what he did that makes ya think every second word outta my mouth is rejection."
White to the lips, Seto gritted, "Isn't it obvious? He dumped me."
"Yeah, that's obvious. But most people get over bein' dumped and move on. You... yer still hurtin'. So... tell me or I'll... I'll... well I dunno what I'ma do but it'll be bad. So spill."
For a long moment, the silence was so thick Jou could cut it with a knife then Seto spoke. "We were together since I was small. I don't remember a time when he wasn't there. He watched me when mother went to work and, later, when she had Mokuba. We had a special game we played together: I was his anointed priest, he was my pharaoh. That was the game we played. We... started playing when I was six. For years it was innocent. He would rub me with oils, anointing me. And I would do the same for him in gratitude and pleasure. There was nothing sexual about it. Just harmless pleasure and learning our bodies. It was just our private game. A secret just between us. The first time it turned sexual I was shocked. But after a while it felt right. I may have been small physically but sexually I was... was more than ready. When I was eleven we were doing hand jobs... then he blew me. It was the best thing I'd ever felt. When it was my turn to show him I..."
He hesitated for a second then changed direction. "That was the first time he told me he loved me... not as a cousin. I knew the difference and felt the same way. We promised we'd always be together. And we were. When my parents were killed in a car accident he found some way to always see me at the orphanage. When Kaiba adopted us he found a way to sneak into the gardens to visit. When our adopted father died he was there to help us. After that he moved in and we were together all the time." He broke off and squeezed his eyes closed tight. "We were discreet; he insisted on it. But when we could be, we were lovers. We were going to come out as a couple when I reached majority - nineteen. But..." His voice wobbled to a stop.
Taking a deep breath, Seto continued, "It was wonderful, perfect, a dream. Too perfect I guess. One Wednesday morning, a few weeks before my nineteenth birthday, I woke to find him in my bed... that was unusual because we were so discreet. I called out sick, made sure Mokuba was at school, dismissed the staff, and we made love for most of the day. That evening he went out to get something... I don't even remember what. He didn't return for hours. I was so worried and scared. I thought something awful had happened to him." Hot tears, remnants of that pain, burned behind his eyes.
Clearing his throat he tried to push through it with a light, self mocking tone. "Turns out I was right, something had happened. He'd met someone else - and fallen in love with him. In just that small amount of time - a few hours - he met another man, fell in love, and left me behind. He came back to tell me and to pick up his things. I... He was living with him by Friday." Seto waited for the trite words of comfort or pity to come. He was surprised when Jou slid off him and settled next to him in the heated water.
"Ya still see him? Him bein' yer cousin and all?"
"Only when forced. I was seventeen and as an 'I love you' gift I gave him a percentage of my company. Not a lot, just enough to show I cared and trusted him. But that makes him a member of the board. I have to meet with him to discuss progress and changes. We meet every three months - quarterly." The brunet shifted slightly, scrunching into the water. "He won't attend a regular meeting and insists on private meetings in a place of his choosing. He chose a bar called Ni-Chome" He laughed shortly. "Says he forces me to go there in the hope that I'll see someone else I'm interested in."
"Hmm..." Jou answered non-committal as he settled deeper into the water.
"That’s all you're going to say? After I bared my soul?" Seto didn't know whether to be insulted or amused.
"Yep. Can't say much 'cause it ain't me. If you want an opinion I'll say yer well shot of him. I'm kinda grateful he showed what a bastard he was 'cause if he was here I'm pretty sure we wouldn't be havin' this conversation. I'm bettin' he kept ya on a short leash."
That pissed Seto off, but he let it go. How could he explain to someone who didn't know love that leashes were not involved. It was about trust. "Hnnn..." He contented himself with that non-answer.
For some reason his lack of response fired Jou's. "Ya want me ta say somethin'? Fine. Not only are ya better off without him, I think yer an idiot ta waste pain on someone who deliberately crushed your heart. If I'da been you I'da probably knocked th' shit outta him for playin' his head games."
Okay he couldn't let that go. "He wasn't playing head games. He loved me... He just..."
"Kaiba, yer probably gonna kick me out for sayin' this, but the entire thing was a head game and probably a long term con."
Seto couldn't let that one go. "Con? What the hell? What makes you think that much less say it?"
"'Cause that's what I see. Okay let’s start at th' beginning. How old was he when he started watching you when your mom was busy."
"I... I don't know. I always thought we were the same age, maybe two years older at the most." But that couldn't be right because his mom would never leave two small kids alone. He'd never thought of it, but now that it came up. It was very odd.
"Well think about it. He watched you for your mom. I assume yer mom was as a normal Japanese woman and wouldn't hire a babysitter, but even if he is really your cousin, the youngest he could have been is fifteen because otherwise he would have been in school and couldn't watch you."
"But..." Seto shook his head in denial. "He wasn't... I mean he was barely taller than me and just as slim, I remember because he'd have trouble swinging me around and picking me up."
"Ask him when you see him how old he is. You said you were a late bloomer. He might be too. He's probably shorter than you now - in fact I'll bet you he is. "
"No bet there. ninety-eight percent of the people in the country are."
"Oh not shorter by a couple inches like me, I mean shorter by ten inches or more."
"Hnnn... what do you bet?"
Jou grinned up at the display above him. "Really only one thing I want..."
"Oh?" Wary, but interested Seto hiked a brow. "What would that be?"
"Huh, yer expectin' somethin' like... a kiss or a blow job ain't ya?"
"You think I'd bet those things?" In a heartbeat, but Jou didn't need to know that.
"Dunno. I have before, with girls. But nah. Even though I got a boner, I don't need ta get off. I can go a long time without a nut." He gave Seto a small, naughty grin. "Comes from gettin' it all th' time."
A small tidal wave hit him in the head. "Don't rub it in you... slut."
That made the naughty grin morph into a chuckle. "Hey Kaiba, ya know the difference between a slut and a bitch?"
"I'm sure you'll tell me." He glared at the laughing man. Really he wasn't offended? What kind of man didn't get offended at sexual slurs?
"A slut will give it to anyone... a bitch will give it to anyone but you." Jou deadpanned.
"Hmmm so you're a slut... does that mean you've decided to give it to me?"
"Umm... yeah... I think so. I mean, you get me all hot and you're... you like the idea. We kinda like each other..." He trailed off. "Besides..."
"Besides what?" Not for the world would Seto show that his heart was trying to bounce out of his chest or that his body had jumped to attention, a needing ache, never far away, strumming through him.
"Ah, yanno... Like I said, I'm gonna try to mend my ways. Ta be honest, I ain't met a girl I like half as much as I like you - and I ain't even kissed ya yet. I think... I think we might make it as a couple if... if ya feel th' same way."
"Aren't you moving fast?" Time to put the brakes on. This was too much too soon. Did the blond live on fast forward?
"Ohmmm.. Well been sorta thinkin' about it all day but I was still not sure I could do it with a guy... it's just... I know yer hot and ya make me hot but... well it's just... different." He growled and yanked at his hair in frustration. "Man, I hate talkin' about emotions and crap. I usually ignore 'em."
"Ignore... Never mind I don't want to know - wait I do want to know. Fair is fair. Why do you ignore emotions, and why do you suddenly want to change your ways?"
"Hmmm fair huh? Nuh uh, gotta lose th' bet. C'mon give. He's like ten inches shorter isn't he? Five-six?"
"No. You lose. He's five seven and a half. Eight and a half inches shorter than I am." Seto gave him a demanding look. "Spill - as you so eloquently put it."
"Yeah yeah. Okay guess it's fair that way. I ain't always been like I am now. I mean... I'm literate and gettin' my education. But I'm also... peaceable. See my mom and sister took off when I was about eight or somethin', and my dad dumped me in the streets and took off when I was eleven. I got taken in by one of th' street gangs - Rintama. I lived with th' gang on th' street fer two years. I couldn't read and could barely write m'name. There wasn't much I didn't do. Drugs, sex, weapons, an' all kinda fightin'. I fought fer everything from food ta fuckin'. In a gang ya gotta earn everythin'. Nobody gives anythin' away, at least not until ya make it up th' chain. I was on m'way up. I'd earned a good rep - Katsuya th' fist. Then Honda Hiroto showed up.
Jou chuckled sardonically at the memory. “Man he was a fresh fish. Obviously not from our side of town. But he was game. He was hungry ta learn and th' leader gave me th' job of bringin' him in right. Thing we didn't know is his dad was a cop and he was lookin' fer his boy. Long story short, there was a fight tha' got outta control. Was supposed ta just be a little fist fight. But th' other guys showed up with knives and a couple guns. Four Rintama bought it that night. I got out an' pulled Honda out with me. He was my fish ya know? So yeah, th' cops showed up while I was haulin' Honda out. Bullet missed him by an inch. If I hadn't yanked him Honda'd be dead. I thought we got away clean, but we was still catchin' our breath when his dad stepped out of th' shadows. I thought our number was up. The cop didn't say a word, just stared. I yelled at Honda ta run and stepped up ta protect him while he escaped. Instead Honda pushed me outta th' way and ran to th' cop, crying."
Jou shook his head slightly. "I thought he'd lost his mind. He'd been around enough ta know ta avoid th' cops. They took a lot of pleasure outta beatin' us rats. But... But that big man just scooped Honda up and held him tight. I ain't ever been that surprised by anythin' as when I saw that the cop was cryin' too. I was gonna take off - I got great self-preservation instincts - but Honda musta knew it 'cause he stopped cryin' and reached over and pulled me inta their hug. They never let me go."
He stopped abruptly. "They wanted ta add me to their Koseki - me, th' kid that got thrown away by both parents - they wanted me. I don't know how, but Dad, that's what I call him, Dad, found my birth parents. They was livin' together in a nice old house in the East district. He - We - went ta ask them ta let the Honda’s have custody, Shinken and Kangoken. They refused to grant it. Oh mom and dad could have Kangoken - physical custody - but Shinken, and the right ta change my name, no way in hell. Then they tossed us out of th' house."
He shifted and moved across the hot tub. "I got a lot of mad in me. Sometimes when I think of them an' what they did ta me, first throwin' me away then takin' away my right ta throw them away an' be more, I get so mad I feel like goin' back down to Rintama and breakin' heads, just ta release it." He gazed up at the simulated star field above them unaware that tears were mixing with the sweat beading on his face. "Sometimes I fuck to blow it off, sometimes I drink, sometimes I party, and sometimes I do all three." He ended there. The lump in his throat wouldn't let him go on.
The silence stretched for what seemed like hours, but in reality was probably less than five minutes. Then Jounouchi risked a glance at the brunet across from him. "Ya want me ta leave now don'tcha? I mean, yer this great important guy and I'm just... trash."
"Now who's trying to push whom away? You have nothing to be ashamed of and everything to be proud of. I'm just waiting for you to finish."
"Finish? There ain't no more to tell." Katsuya was genuinely baffled.
"Why are you mending your ways?"
Jounouchi had been so caught up in the past that he'd forgotten that part of the deal. "Bumped into the most special girl on the planet today. I... she got so mad at me and made me so ashamed." His cheeks burned hot enough to dry the sweat and tears. "I... didn't know, didn't think about how I might be hurtin' some of th' girls I party with. She told me some stuff that... that I didn't know."
An image of the red-haired girl flashed through Seto's mind. "Like what?" He asked tautly.
"Like how I treat girls... I always thought it was...okay. But... but she said there was a list of girls... and they had bets on me. I... the highest was for breaking m'heart. They wouldn't do that if they was... if they felt I treated them okay, would they?"
"Girls are strange, but no, I'd say they wouldn't." Seto gave him a hard look. "So this 'special' girl told you that and you decided to change your ways? Just on her say so?"
"Well yeah, of course. I mean, it's up to me ain’t it? Ta make sure I live a good life so she can be proud of me right? I mean, she loves me so I gotta take responsibility right? Gotta take care of her."
Rage, betrayal, pain, and a whole host of emotions too immediate and complex for Seto to understand poured through him like lava, reigniting the monstrous rage he'd thought was gone. He surged to his feet, ignoring the hot water that swirled around him. "If that red-haired slut is so fucking special why the hell are you here? What the fuck are you playing at? Take responsibility for her? What about me and the promises you are making? You think that since you can't play the field with girls any more you can play with guys?" Taking a deep breath that tasted of ashes and pain he yelled, "Get out you bastard."
Jounouchi blinked up at him for a moment, his eyes taking in the nude body trembling with rage, blazing eyes, and clenched fists. "Well hell, I hate ta be wrong. I thought ya couldn't get much sexier," he mused. "And I normally get turned off by jealousy, but... I think I like ya throwin' fits. Makes me wanna calm ya down an' see if I can make ya burn with somethin' else."
Seto literally saw red. How dare this... this... faithless, cruel... In a move as predictable as it was ill-considered, he swung out with a hard fist. Jou caught it easily in a deceptively simple move. "Hmmm at least ya don't hit like a girl." He yanked the off-balance brunet sharply, pulling him onto his lap, pinning his arms. Before Seto could do more than open his mouth to lambaste him, Jou shut him up by covering the snarling lips with his own.
The earth didn’t tilt on its axis and the heavenly angels didn’t sing hosannas, but at the first touch of their lips Jounouchi knew - knew in the way he knew the shades of his own soul - that the deep, rich taste of Kaiba Seto was something he would always crave. Where before he’d considered ‘if’ he could, and a ‘relationship’ and other cerebral, semi-emotional concepts, this was new and on an entirely different level. The sun rose - Seto was his. The sun set - Seto was his. The stars fell from the heavens - Seto was his. Everything changed in that simple kiss - logic and reasoning fell away, and heart and soul took over for Jounouchi Katsuya. What was - was. Nothing would ever change the immutable fact that with this one kiss, Kaiba Seto was his.
Not that the hot brunet in his arms was acknowledging that. It took all of Jounouchi’s considerable skills and strength not to mention emotion and pure determined attitude to kiss his writhing soul-mate into submission. When Seto was finally still except for a fine trembling, Jou lifted his head and smiled gently into the furious blue eyes. "We shoulda kissed sooner. Woulda cleared up a lot of confusion, and I wouldn'ta wasted so much time with them girls."
Reminding Kaiba of the other girls while still infuriated about the 'special' girl was like fire to gasoline. But he was a genius and he'd just had a graphic example of how easily the blond could subdue him - and scramble his brains. Donning his habitual icy facade, he clipped, "Release me and leave of your own will or I will have my security remove you - they have been known to be overzealous."
A slow smile curved Jou's lips and his eyes gleamed with gentle laughter. "It just don't work if yer naked in m'arms yanno. We were talkin' about a special red-haired slut if I remember. Could be wrong since ya just rocked my world, but I don't think so." The smile widened slightly before the mobile lips firmed. The gentle laughter remained. "She is special Kaiba, to me, and in th' future to you too. She's gonna be the one of the only sisters yer ever gonna have."
"Sister?" The brunet scoffed. "What the hell are you talking about. I'll never have a sister. I..."
"Not true. When we're married yer gonna have two sisters and another brother. Don't worry, they won't bite ya."
'Married?" Seto yelped. "What the hell..." He broke off and his icy blue eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Is this your way of trying to say that red-haired slut is your sister?"
"She ain't a slut - and watch yer mouth or I'm gonna hafta be mean... I don't wanna beat ya up, but I will spank ya." The golden eyes took on a slightly thoughtful, totally hentai look. "Think I'd enjoy turnin' that cute ass pink. So yeah, unless ya want ta have trouble sittin' you need ta watch what ya say about our sister."
"You expect me to believe..."
"Yeah I do. But hey, ya been burned an' people probably lie to ya all th' time. Look her up in the school directory or call over to th' girl's dorm and ask for her: First year nursing student Jounouchi Shizuka."
"Let me go," Seto ordered again, but this time quietly, without the ice from before. "I'm going to call. If you're lying to me, get out and don't ever come back. Do you understand me? I mean it."
"Yeah I know ya do. But here's th' thing Kaiba Seto, I ain't ever lied to anyone for sex. I ain't gonna start now." Jou hesitated, looking fierce for a moment. "But I ain't gonna promise to leave an' never come back. Not now and not ever. Yer mine and I don't give up what's mine. I fight ta get it and I fight ta keep it. You ain't gettin' away from me. I said married and I meant it - an' here's th' deal... Marriage is til death do us part. You want out of our marriage yer gonna hafta kill us both." He gave the brunet a bone-crushing hug then released him. "Go make yer call."
Seto, trying to catch his breath from both the hug and the intense statement, staggered up and out of the hot tub. He crossed to the cleverly disguised house phone and after a quick check with information, was patched through to the girl's dormitory. The phone was answered on the second ring. "Moshi Moshi."
"Moshi. This is Kaiba Seto." He ignored the indrawn breath and continued, "I'm looking for a resident, Jounouchi Shizuka. First year nursing student?"
"Ah, yes... yes Kaiba-kun. She lives - I mean lived here. She's just moving out because of her family. Her father apparently followed her here and got violent. The dorm mother says she can't stay here because of the violence. Jounouchi-chan says she is moving in with her brother..."
"Her brother?"
"Jounouchi Katsuya - The Jounouchi Katsuya - Superman. She's his baby sister." The girl actually tittered. "Guess superman's grounded now."
"I see. Is she still there?"
"Yes. She never got to unpack and she's trying to reach her brother. He hasn't answered though. The dorm mother has given her two hours to clear out her room."
"I see. Thank you." He hung up and instead of turning to the expectant blond, he turned and scooped up Jou's hastily discarded jeans and boxers. "Get dressed. We have to go rescue our sister."
"Rescue?" In a flash the blond was out of the hot tub and, ignoring his dripping body, squirming into the clothes. "What the hell?"
"I'll explain after I rinse off and dress." Blue eyes tracked down the dripping chest and wet, clinging pants the blond was struggling to fasten. "Idiot." Without another word, Seto spun on his heel and stalked out. His exit was ruined by a strong arm snaking around his waist and a warm, wet, body falling in step beside him. He contented himself with a trademark "Hnnnn..."
Jou actually accompanied him into his bedroom and would have followed him into the bathroom, but Seto drew the line there. "Go get the rest of your clothes on. I've been bathing and dressing myself for years."
Jou gave him a small grin full of naughtiness. "That's just a damn shame. Ya won't hafta any more though." He shrugged and turned to inspect the huge bedroom. "I'll wait. I can put them on when we go back downstairs."
Seto considered arguing, but in the end just collected fresh clothes and went to shower. He needed a little time to think and didn't believe he'd get much time to do so after this shower. The idiot really did live life on fast forward. They'd barely been civil for twenty four hours and the word 'marriage' had come out of Jou’s mouth. It had probably just been a red herring but it had still set his heart pounding.
It was too soon to even consider a relationship much less something permanent. He would have to set the airhead straight on that fact. The more he considered what the blond said earlier, the more exasperated he became. If Seto were a naive fool he could be seriously hurt by all the 'mine' and 'marriage' talk. He was half tempted to pretend to embrace the plans, even start planning a wedding. That would teach the idiot not to mess around like that.
Jounouchi stood at his window looking out. When he entered, the blond looked at him over his shoulder, a mile wide grin plastered across his face. "Great view."
"Really?" Seto pretended disinterest as he knelt to tie his shoes.
"Yeah, perfect in fact... if ya wanna look in m'bedroom window."
"I never noticed." Seto lied.
"Ohh you are a good liar. But not good enough. So, how long ya been watchin' me, wishin' I'd hurry up and figure it out?"
"I don't know what you mean." He stalled.
"Sure as hell ya do. How long? An' don't try ta distract me 'cause it won't work."
"If you're asking how long I've known my room looks into your room, since before I bought the house. Your bedroom was the view I noticed when I toured." Safely bland and completely without inflection. Jounouchi could make of it what he liked.
"Hell, ya bought this place ta watch me? Man, you shoulda just kissed me stupid. I'da been here in a shot."
"I don't have to kiss you to make you stupid. You are naturally." Petty but the blond was too close to the truth.
"Just because I'm a natural blond it does not make me stupid." He was careful to use the accent-free intonations he'd been working on for the last few weeks. He wasn't perfect at it, not good enough to try it full time, but he thought maybe six months and he would be.
The crisp tones made him look up and frown. "Don't."
"Don't what?" Again Jou used the accent free voice.
"Don't pretend to be something you're not. I.. I like you the way you are."
"Huh? Nah, ain't pretendin'. I am gonna be a lawyer and that means I can't sound like a street tough when I'm talkin' to th' court. I'm practicin' for that."
"Oh." That made sense. He'd done more to achieve his goals. "For a law student you are pretty ignorant of the law." Seto brushed his hands down his legs as he stood.
"Whatcha mean?"
"You mentioned marriage. You should know that gay marriage between Japanese nationals is not legal."
He was surprised when the blond laughed. "Yeah I know that. But see I'm a dual citizen. I kept my citizenship to The Netherlands. M'dad was born there and raised here, so that made me both."
"You should have been made to choose when you reached majority."
"True, but 'cause I didn't live with my 'legal guardians' and they wanted to avoid all contact and official shit it just sorta slipped through. So yeah I'm both. I figure I will be able to afford tickets in about three weeks. We'll have a private ceremony here for our families. I'ma guess you can afford it any time. So... yeah. We'll get married in a month unless you can't get away?" Jou shook his head. "Never mind. If I give ya an out yer gonna panic. We're gettin married in a month. I'll make th' reservations and start th' paperwork."
"Fool! As if I'd marry you."
"Din't give ya a choice, Smartass." They descended the stairs together. "So we're rescuin' our sister?"
"She's homeless and trying to reach you. You are not answering your cell phone." Seto observed dryly, leaving the subject of marriage. Jounouchi was such a goofball he was sure there was nothing serious behind it.
The blond scooped up his shirt and rolled it over his head, automatically reaching for the phone in the pocket. Ignoring his socks he slipped on his shoes. "Yeah she's called seventeen times and texted twice that many. Homeless? Nah, she can stay at my place since I'm movin' in with you."
That checked Seto's stride as he opened his garage. "You're what? When did I invite you?"
"Well I suppose you could move in with me. Gonna be kinda crowded but I guess it'll be okay. You can sleep on top of me. We'll share the floor." A hentai grin split his face. "We'll need the extra room. Them long legs of yours can spread as wide as they want ta."
Choking as his face burned umber, the brunet keyed in the code to the lock box holding the vehicle keys. "I have a Space Van - Kaiba Corp characters, or a Porsche Cayenne that will hopefully hold all of her belongings." He gestured to the vehicles in question. "Which do you think she will appreciate more?"
"Space Van," Jou answered without hesitation. "She's still young and innocent. The Cayenne would impress the girls who want to catch a rich guy."
Seto hiked a disbelieving brow and reached for the Porsche keys. "I find it difficult to fathom anyone related to 'superman' could in any way be innocent. Besides, I've changed my mind. We're taking the Porsche. Our sister is not leaving in the best circumstances. Let’s give the bitches something to feel green over."
That made Jou blink and turn to face him as they slid into the SUV. "So yer gonna make 'em jealous." Then he smirked. "Bet's not all." He leaned back and folded his arms, humming smugly.
Seto didn't ask the obvious question of why the idiot was so smug. He thought Jounouchi might actually have a clue as to why Seto wanted to flaunt his wealth and Jounouchi being with him in the faces of the women of the dorm - several of whom had graced the blonde's bed.
"Tell me about your sister." He asked instead.
"She's eighteen, first year nursing student, was livin' in th' dorms plannin' on gettin' a job ta send money home ta her folks." Jou shrugged. "That's all I know for sure. I ain't seen her in... years." A fond smile lit his face. "I missed her every day though. She's... she's m'kid sis, yanno?" Flinching when Seto revved the engine and pulled out of the driveway with a sharp turn - without brakes. Reflexively he grabbed the chicken stick. "Damn, ya ever do the Indy?"
"Nope, but I've driven Autobahn for years."
"Really? Well hell, I've wanted ta go balls to th' wall but there ain't no place around here. We'll hafta go for our honeymoon when I can afford ta take us."
It amused Seto that Jou was keeping up with the 'marriage' fiction. And it gave him an odd twinge deep inside to hear that he was taking the stereotypical role of breadwinner even though the idiot knew Seto was richer than anyone had a right to be. "Sounds fun," he temporized.
Again Seto held back questioning Jounouchi on his smug look. He just knew he wouldn't like the answer.
Jounouchi Shizuka stood in front of the dorm with her things in a pitifully small pile of cardboard boxes. While the girls around her buzzed with alternating remarks of sympathy and scolding, with a mild dash of scoffing disbelief that she was 'Superman's' sister, she was fretting and watching for her big brother to arrive. He hadn't returned her call nor had he responded to her texts, but she knew that he would be there as soon as he could. According to the rumors he was working on a project with some classmates. He'd probably put his phone away while studying which was why he hadn't responded. At least she hoped so. At this point he was her only hope. She literally had no place to go.
A gorgeous red Porsche SUV drove up, parking in front of her and blocking her view of the street. For a moment she allowed herself to dream then snapped out of it, sighing and moving so she could look past the SUV. A moment later she heard the sound of doors opening and closing and footsteps approaching. Prudently she stepped further away from the van just as a tall, sexy-as-hell brunet came around the side of the vehicle.
"Shi-chan! Get outta th' street. Someone's gonna run ya over." Jounouchi grinned when she jumped at the sound of his voice, “Ya ready to go sis? Yer knights in shinin’ armor are here and yer chariot awaits.”
Shizuka gasped and whirled around. “Jou? But … this is your car? “
"Nah belongs to him." Jou waved to Seto just as the brunet stepped forward.
“Is this everything little sister or is there more we need to bring out for you?” He asked politely, his voice rich and smooth as the finest milk chocolate.
Shizuka, looking stunned, took in the tall, gorgeous brunet and gasped then fluttered her eyelashes a bit flirtatiously before lowering her gaze “I... you ... but you aren’t my brother.” Then she remembered. “Are ... are you Honda Hiroto? Katsuya's brother?” she stammered as her eyes practically undressed him where he stood.
A deeply amused chuckle rumbled from Seto. “No, I’m not Honda Hiroto . But that doesn’t matter.” Just to tease them both, Seto walked over and wrapped his arms around her, pulling Shizuka into a hug and eliciting a soft sigh from her as she rested her head on his broad chest. “My name is Kaiba Seto, and I will be your brother in about a month, won’t I Katsuya?" He shot the blond a megawatt smile. "We’ve been discussing the ceremony all the way here. In fact I called just after Katsuya popped the question just so we could let you be the first to know.” There, that would teach him to throw that kind of thing around casually. Let him get out of it now. Idiot.
That announcement was met by a chorus of gasps and a few soft thuds as a couple of the surrounding girls fainted.
Jou’s eyes widened momentarily as the sight of his sister, a beautiful young woman nestled in Seto's arms, suddenly hit him. His sister was not a little girl any more, she was growing up and she definitely knew how to appreciate a hot male when she saw one.
After a moment of shock Jou realized it was time to step in and set up a perimeter around his sister to keep all the potential Casanova's and Don Juan’s far away from her. She was obviously too innocent to realize that snuggling up to strange guys was asking for trouble. And to make it clear to any watching female, sister or not, that both he and Seto were off the market, he would have to take decisive action.
Jounouchi walked over and wrapped his arm possessively around Seto’s waist, gently dislodging him from his sister’s innocent embrace and pulling him into a possessive and distinctly sensual one of his own before planting a huge kiss on the tall brunet, causing a few more girls to faint. Then he turned, keeping his possessive hold on Seto, “Yeah I'm off th' market for good. I found my Jimmy Olsen - Lois can take a flying leap. He’s right here in my arms.” After a couple more moments of publicly marking his territory, Jou let go and turned to the pitiful stack. Deftly he leaned over and scooped up a couple of boxes. Seto grabbed the remaining few. “Come on, let’s get this loaded up so she can get settled in at my family's house and then we can continue discussin’ our future together.”
"Hnnn... shouldn't take long. We'll help then all go over to our place too and have dinner. Shabu-Shabu is waiting.”
&&&
Thanks for the reviews! Here I say I'll post more chapters and I go and nap my days off away. Sorry about that. I was just very tired I suppose. Mofaf, Bunny, Church and Dragonlady222 Sankyuu so much for your kind encouragement. Gads I love ya for it. Babe I'll call ya Friday NIGHT late or Saturday DAY - let me know when cuz... squee glomp - I now only work...*gasp* 4 days a week with a set of 8 hours sliding around on the tuesdays - friday I DO work. Because yanno I gotta do lazy bitch's work - inventory, pull down, stock, OH and do maintenance on the network. Jill of all trades, that's me... Book keeper, Auditor, inventory control, computer and network support and repair - Heee... Still get my forty just in 4 days instead of 5. I love my job and am NEVER bored.
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