Adult-FanFiction.org : Yu-Gi-OH

Winding Road	By : lostintheheartland Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 5139 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or make any profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Jou met the officials in the hall.  He was surprised that Kaiba wasn’t with them.  “Kaiba?”

“He left.  I believe he said he had company at home.”

“Yeah.  I’m guessin’ he’ll meet me at the airport then.”  He nodded to the two.  “This is done?  I’m free to get on with my life?”

“Yes, Mister Jounouchi.  Thank you for coming.”

“No problem.  Bye.  I won’t be back unless ya need me urgently.  I’m going home to Japan too.  We were about to take off when you guys called.”

“Goodbye Mister Jounouchi.”

Jou stepped out and hailed a cab and rode in silence to the airport he knew Kaiba kept his private plane.  Staying out of reach of the cameras he pulled out his Udjat and went home.

Jou stepped into the dark, silent house.  Frowning, he looked around, expecting to see Seto waiting to rip his head off.  Instead Marik sat quietly on the stairs.

“Hey, Kaiba around?”

“He returned about twenty minutes ago.  He’s upstairs in the shower.”  Dark lavender eyes regarded him steadily.  “You said you would do anything in return for what I did for your son.”

“I meant it.”  But he’d never thought the other man would call it in.  “You want something?  Just name it.”

“Yes.”  Marik stood and faced him squarely.  “I want you to become Kaiba Seto’s lover.”

Jou gaped at him, speechless for a second then gasped “Lover?”

“I don’t mean act the part, I mean truly become his lover.  He would see through an act.”  Marik clarified.

“B.. but... he might not want... I uhmm... but...”

“He wants you.  He has since he first met you.  He is homosexual, likes you as a friend, finds you sexually attractive, and he is lonely.  He needs someone.  I want you to become that someone.  We can’t risk losing him.”

“But what about desire.  I can’t fake that.  I...”  He protested.

“You are not a virgin and you know how to please yourself, even if it is mentally until you become used to it.”

“Wh... what about ...  You guys said I have a soul mate I have to get with.”

The healer shrugged.  “That is not a concern.  He will find his before you find yours.  You will offer him succor until you both find your soul mates.”  He gave Jou a hard look.  “Another part of it is that you must never tell Seto about this.  Do we have a bargain?”

“I...”  Jou squared his shoulders and lifted his chin.  He didn’t have a choice.  He owed and if being Kaiba’s bitch for the rest of his life was the payment chosen then he’d do it.  “We have a deal.”

Marik nodded and stepped aside.  “Vic is staying with me tonight.  As I said, Kaiba is in the shower.  I expect a happier, more relaxed Kaiba Seto in the morning.”  He waved Jou past.

***  ***

Seto scrubbed every inch of his body ruthlessly, enjoying the physical pain as it distracted him from the rage and hurt swirling through his heart.  When he was pink and glowing from the force of his scouring, he stepped out of the shower and stared at himself with eyes hot with stinging with frustration.  A sound behind him made him spin around, ready to battle.  Frowning he realized the noise had come from his bedroom.

On guard, and almost willing a confrontation with some shadow monster he flung open the bathroom door.  Jou stood in the center of his room in the process of kicking off a shoe.  The other lay in the middle of the floor.  That must have been what he’d originally heard.

“What do you want?”

“I wanted ta...”  Jou sighed and shrugged.  “Talk to ya.”  He toed off his socks and unbuttoned his shirt.

“You want to talk now?”  Disbelief and ire were mixed evenly in his voice.

“Yeah.  I wanted ta tell ya about Mai.  About what I said to her.  And I want ta tell ya about what I figured out.”  Jou didn’t respond to his tone.

Seto turned his back on the slowly stripping blond.  To hide his body’s potential response he picked up his robe and slid it on.  “It’s not my business.”  He was cutting off his nose to spite his face, but damn it he was hurt.

“Sure as fuck is.  Damn it pull th’ stick outta yer ass for a minute and let me talk to ya.  I din’t mean ta close you out but... I needed ta do dis alone.  You were goin’ ta warn her ta stay away.  I did dat.  But... it was more.”  He slipped his shirt off and laid it carefully across the back of a chair, then reached for his buckle.

That’s when it struck Seto.  Jou was stripping.  In. His. Bedroom.  What the hell did that mean?  It couldn’t be what it seemed like.  “You need to undress to talk to me?”

“Hmmm... seems like a good idea.”  Jou grinned, hoping he didn’t look as nervous has he felt.  “Mai tried to murder Vic.  Remember he talked about mushrooms that she left on the counter when he was so hungry?  Well Mai is a expert at mushrooms.  She never picked or even touched certain types of mushrooms.  While you guys were watchin’ th’ Jounouchi Movie Vic talked about green mushrooms.  Deathcaps.  Mai knew them and avoided them.  She even avoided some that didn’t look like Deathcaps but grew near them.  She always washed and stored mushrooms in the fridge, but she left these on the counter and told Vic not ta touch the ones in the fridge.  Kaiba, any kid who is hungry enough and used ta eatin’ mushrooms is gonna eat the ones left on th’ counter.  Especially since he knew how ta make a simple dish in th’ microwave.”

“She...”  Seto sat down hard on the bed, his robe flaring around him like a voluminous split skirt.  “She did that?”

“Yeah.  She was jealous of Valon’s liking for him I guess.  Anyway, she didn’t count on Vic sharing them with Valon.  That’s what killed him.  Deathcaps make people feel sick like the flu for a couple days, then they get better, or seem to, then their organ’s die.  During that time they can have hallucinations and periods of psychosis.  I think that was what happened when he killed Vic.  If he had lived, he would need organ transplants.  It’s pretty nasty.”  He laid his pants on the chair, and wearing only boxers, crossed to the bed and sat next to Seto.  “I made her admit it to Valon before he died.  He laughed about it then he died.”  He closed his eyes.  “I should feel bad, and maybe somewhere deep down I do, but I can’t get past the fact that he killed Vic.  But at th’ same time, he saved Vic too.  ‘Cause the injuries were so massive Marik had to heal every organ anyway.  So Vic got away without damage from what Mai did.  If... If he hadn’t been that badly hurt I might have waited longer to call Marik, and since I woulda been there he wouldn’t have stayed with his body to say goodbye.”  Jou scratched his neck nervously “So he killed him and saved him.  If you see what I mean.”

“Hnnn... I don’t.  They both are murderers and I don’t feel bad for either.”

“Yeah okay.  So I told Mai to stay the fuck away ‘cause I’d gut her if she came near me or mine.”

“Gut her?”

“Well something like that.  She knows not to come here.”  Taking a chance he leaned over slightly and rested his head on Seto’s shoulder.  “I expected you to be waiting, just to rip my head off.”

“I was too pissed.  I was considering beating your ass.”  Seto stiffened, trying to figure out why Jou was suddenly close, resting against him lightly.  His heart started to beat heavily as hentai thoughts filled his mind.

“Just like old times.”  When he wasn’t outright rejected Jou scooted closer, pressing against Seto’s side.  Daringly he ran his hand along the outside of Seto’s robe covered thigh, his fingers brushing along the opening.

The brunet surged to his feet as if he’d been jabbed with a cattle prod.  “What the fuck is going on?  What are you trying to do?”

Jou flopped back on the bed, arms and legs sprawled in abandon.  “Geez Kaiba I thought you knew this kind of stuff.  I’m trying to seduce you.”

“Seduce...”  That brought everything inside Seto to a screeching, watchful halt.  “Why would you do that?”

“Seems like a good idea.  I like you, you like me.  Hell, we’re parents together and didn’t get to have the fun.  You’re hot, I’m hotter, but still I think you can keep up if you work at it.”  His face lost it’s grin and became serious.  “I need you and I think you need me.  We don’t have to be in love with each other but we can love each other and care about each other honestly.  Everyone needs that.  What do you say?  Want to be my very sexy friend?”

Seto regarded him thoughtfully.  “Moving kind of fast aren’t you?  Why don’t we just take it slow?  Why did you decide to do this tonight?”

Jou worried his lip and tried to come up with a plausible reason.  This had seemed like a good idea at the time.  He’d even been looking forward to it.  Kinda like getting the bad news all at once.  Nothing more to dread.  Jou hunted his brain for something and continued to come up empty.  He could see Seto pulling away from him with each second that ticked by.  Finally, desperate he blurted “I dunno!  I just... I wanted to be held.  I wanted to hold someone.  I ... I’m so confused right now and you’re the only thing that’s keepin’ me grounded.  I just needed you to...”  His voice died away to a whisper, “Touch me.  I can’t stand the thought of touching another woman.  It makes me sick just to think about.  But I need... I need to be touched.”  And as it emerged from his lips Jou realized it was the absolute truth.  He did want this, want to lay with Kaiba and feel his touch, to see if it could wash away the lies and pain of the past.

Assessing eyes stared at him, weighing his words and his honestly.  This was so damn embarrassing.  Even the times he’d tried to convince Mai to sleep with him he’d never been that open with his needs.  Of course his needs had never been this deep, this vital.  With a low moan he closed his eyes and curled into a ball, turning away from the impassive eyes that saw everything and gave nothing away.

Seto was torn.  Half of him, okay more than half if you counted his body and his lusty, hentai brain, wanted to pounce Jou and pound him through the mattress and into the floor.  But the part of his mind that maintained control, hanging on by a slippery thread, warned that it would be moving too fast.  Moving too fast had cost him ten years with Jou.  That reminder was enough to tighten his grip on his control.  Turning from the cringing blond he crossed to his dresser and pulled out a pair of boxers.  He slid them on and crossed to the bed. Kneeling next to the blond he gently stroked the mussed hair back from the bright red face.  “Lets slow things down a little.  We both have been on emotional roller coasters.  We’ll touch and learn tonight and talk tomorrow.  If we both feel like continuing we will.”

Hopeful golden eyes peeked up at him uncertainly.  “You... we?”

“Yes we.  But tonight, tonight we both leave our boxers on and just... touch.”  To emphasize his point he trailed his fingertips across Jou’s cheek to lightly trace the shell of his ear.  He smiled when Jou’s eyes widened and gooseflesh broke out across his body.  “See, touch is good.”

“Yeah, but to quote Bakura, blue ball is not.”  Jou’s answered in a slightly breathless voice.

“Trust me, neither of us will have blue balls.”  A wicked grin made Jou swallow hard and wonder exactly what limits there were to ‘touching.’  Deep inside, in a place just waking up from a long sleep, a part of him eagerly looked forward to learning.

***

Bright light filled the room and a benevolent sun caressed the sleeping men with gentle warmth.  As the beam struck Jou’s eyes he frowned and scrunched them tighter, automatically burrowing his face further into the warm body next to him.  A deep murmur, and tight squeeze  brought him completely awake and aware of exactly where he was and who he was with.  Slowly he lifted his head and looked up to meet the amused  gaze of Kaiba Seto.  “Mornin’.”  He rumbled.

“Yes, it’s morning.”  The amusement faded.  “How are you?”  The blue eyes asked more than the simple question.  They asked the layers behind it.  How are you? How are you feeling?  Disappointed? Any regrets?  Have you changed your mind?  Jou could read them all in that deep look, hear them all in that one question.  Taking his courage in his hand and using his newfound knowledge of the other man he leaned up and skimmed a light kiss across his cheek.  “I’m good... Really good.”  Seto’s morning whiskers on his lips felt odd, but not unpleasant, it kinda sent a tingle through him.  He could get used to it.

It didn’t occur to Seto to ask if Jou were disappointed or uneasy with the boundaries they’d crossed the night before.  He took the blond at his word.  But for Jou, it wasn’t that simple.  He’d considered himself straight, but with a bi slant.  He’d never experienced, at least he didn’t remember experiencing sexual contact with a man, so last night had been a revelation to him.  The way Seto touched him, asked to be touched, in just the ways Jou knew would feel the best, had given Jou so much pleasure that he’d come almost as soon as he’d gotten hard.  It was a disgrace, embarrassing, and a testament to just how lacking his sex life with Mai had been – and how much being with Seto effected him.  Seto had been surprised and a little amused, laughter and a deep warmth lighting his eyes.  But Jou could still feel the lash of Mai’s words and occasional comments.

Taking a deep breath he let it out slowly as his face heated.  They needed to talk about his lack of ability to... control.  If they were going to be honest then Seto should know so they could work out a compromise.  “I... I’m sorry.”  He blurted.  Okay not the best of beginnings, but it would work.

“What for?”  A brow quirked his way as Seto arranged his pillows and sat up, leaning on the headboard.

“Ya know what for.  I... I came too soon.  Ya barely touched me and I just...”  He gestured explicitly.  “And it’s not like it got any better.  I mean, I came all over you, four times in about an hour.  You didn’t come once.”

“Hnnn...  That was one of the points.  First was learning and getting comfortable, but orgasms have their own appeal.  Beside, you missed it.  I did come – once.  With you, the last time.  You were busy at the time so I’ll forgive you for not noticing.”

“You did?”  Jou wondered how he could have missed it.  “Damn, I wanted to see that.”  He sat up and rested his chin on his up drawn knees.  “So, you didn’t mind?  I... that was one of the reasons Mai turned me down so much.  She said I had no cock control.  And when I talked to her earlier she taunted me with it.  Said I was the worst lay.”  He buried his face in the blanket covering his knees.  “I don’t want to disappoint you like I did her.”

His voice was muffled, and Seto could see the dark red color burning the back of Jou’s neck.  On one hand it was charming to see Jou so flustered and uncertain.  It fed his ego.  On the other it was annoying to have to reassure him.  Positive reinforcement was not his forte. If he ever saw the bitch again he’d break her in two.  Knowing his new lover needed something he grumbled “Fuck.  Okay come here.  I want to hold you while I talk to you.”

“I... okay.”  Jou turned into his side, resting his head in the hollow of Seto’s shoulder.  Warm arms surrounded him immediately.  “I’m listening.”

“I’d like to make a rule – no Mai or Kisara in this bed.  But the reality is we need to discuss them.  And when we are together like this it will be easier.  We both come with baggage and we have to deal with it.”

“Yeah, I ... sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.  We just deal.  Okay, so here goes.  From what I know of your relationship you guys got together when you were young.  She was your first and only woman, an older woman used to men who had experience.  You were probably nervous, anxious and unused to sexual situations outside of your mind.  Right so far?”

“Yeah.”

“All teenage guys are like that.  Cock control is not something you are born with, it’s something you develop through experience and experimentation.  From what you’ve told me your experience is limited to pity fucks that, I assume, were over as soon as possible.  She didn’t want more, maybe because it gave her a convenient excuse to avoid sex or maybe she just didn’t care to try, but she chose not to explore and expand your sexuality.”

Humiliation at his own stupidity grew even as hope that he wasn’t a complete sexual failure bloomed.  “I... uh... so I might get better at it?”

“Better?”  Seto chuckled ruefully.  “Not likely.  More skilled and patient yes.  Better implies there was something bad or wrong with last night.  It was wonderful.  Even when you came so soon you recovered in just a few minutes.  You were hotter each time.  You are the most responsive person I’ve ever been with.  I have never experienced someone who could come just by nipple play.  It was arousing to know you got that hot that fast – for me.”

“Oh... it’s not normal?  I... I’m really sensitive there.  Sometimes just laying in the sun bare-chested can make me hard from the heat on my nipples.  And if I stay in the sun long enough...”  He didn’t have to go further.  Seto’s mind supplied the picture.  Jou sprawled naked on the lounger by the pool, sun caressing his golden chest, slowly growing aroused, his cock getting harder and harder until, with a gasping cry, hot seed arced in the air.

“That is...”

“Not normal.”

“Hot.  Incredibly hot.  You don’t even have to touch yourself do you?  Just let the sun do everything.”

“Really?”  Jou leaned up to look at him.  He started to say Mai always told him it was wrong and weird but he bit back his comment.

“I’d like to watch you one day.  I can see it in my mind’s eye clearly.  I can’t wait to see it in real life.” That made Jou gasp and his cock surged to life, poking Seto in the hip.  “And you want me to watch you.”

“Uh guess that’s kinda obvious.”  More color burned up Jou’s face.  “I’m sor...”  He broke off his apology when body he cradled in to shifted and moved, sliding down wards, and he found himself flat on his back.

“Sorry for wanting me?  Are you crazy?”  Seto knelt between Jou’s splayed legs, his fingers ghosting over the waistband of his boxers.  “I think it’s time for a lesson in cock control.  Last night you came immediately the first time and about every twelve minutes after that. Lets see if we can make it last longer now.  Hold back as long as you can.”  Grinning he extended a carrot.  “If you last for fifteen minutes I’ll give you a treat.”

“I... oh...”  Jou’s head fell back in pleasure as Seto freed his aching hardness and traced lightly down the shaft.  Closing his eyes, gave himself up to the increasing pleasure of being touched and stroked.  Almost immediately he could feel his orgasm rising.  With a moan he fought the urge to release.

“You’re fighting now, but you’re losing it.” Seto whispered softly.  “Relax your hips.  You are rocking slightly.  Rocking makes you come faster.”

Jou nodded and tried to concentrate.  The words made no sense.  He wasn’t moving... was he?  Focusing outside the intense pressure in his groin he realized Seto was right, he was moving, pumping slightly into the light caress.  It was harder than expected to stop.  His body seemed to have a mind of it’s own.  Gritting his teeth he forced his body into compliance.  He found concentrating eased his urgency.  His rocking stopped.

“Good.”  Seto hummed his approval and changed his feather-light touch, gripping the dripping column with his hand and squeezing.  Not pumping, just squeezing rhythmically.  He smiled when Jou’s whole body jerked and shuddered, arching up.  Before he could say anything his love had brought it under control.  “Very good.”

“Sadist.”  Jou growled, sweat breaking out all over his body.  But he held perfectly still.  It was good, more than good.  He couldn’t’ remember ever feeling this hot, not even when he’d come the night before.  And he knew he would get hotter.  He only hoped he could last long enough.

“Maybe.”  Seto agreed, bending down to nuzzle against the crisp blond curls at the base of Jou’s cock.  He wondered if Jou realized what his absolute obedience to Seto signified about the roles they would take in their relationship and he wondered how long it would take for Jou to stand up and take an equal role.  Even while he gloried in being control a part of him wanted nothing more to surrender, to feel the strength and heat that he remembered so clearly moving deep inside him again.

Exhaling, through his mouth he ran is tongue in random patterns along the base of the shaft, tugging lightly on blond pubic hair when he inhaled.  On either side of him Jou’s legs began to writhe and kick restlessly, but his hips stayed perfectly still.  The salty tang of sweat mixed with the liquid warmth dripping from the head of Jou’s cock.  “Mmm better than caviar for breakfast.”  He teased, using his tongue in broader strokes that were firmer than the light caress of before.  Stifling a hard moan and panting slightly he stiffened for a few seconds.

“What?”  Jou’s voice was strained and hoarse.

Getting his breath back he rasped.  “Times up.”  He didn’t know or really care about the fifteen minutes limit.  He’d started this only to reassure Jou and drive the bitch Mai from his bed.  “Ready?”  he didn’t wait for an answer, simply surged up and captured the silk-flowing cock between his lips, pressing back down, relaxing his throat muscles to take it as deep as possible.  After that he couldn’t have lifted if he tried.  Jou’s hands had fisted in his hair gripping him in place as his hips hammered upwards, driving deep.

It was over in seconds.  Jou’s body shuddering and arching while Seto relaxed and swallowed thick ribbons of come that pulsed into his throat.  Perfect, exactly what he’d wanted.  Using breath control he’d perfected in years of swimming he continued to swallow every stream, using his tongue and throat to coax out more.  When Jou finally freed his hair he raised his head and slowly released the shrinking flesh.  Playfully he worried the tip before releasing him entirely.

Jou felt like he’d taken an electrical charge directly to his brain.  Shocks were flying throughout his body, he was shaking, and his heart pounded.  Holy fuck, he thought he knew sex, knew coming, that he’d felt the best there was to feel.  But Kaiba just blew that out of the water.  Last night had been good, he’d never been able to come until he was sated, at least not with another person, and the touching had been a dazzling revelation, but the orgasms had been similar, the same.  Good, but not earth shattering.  But this... if waiting did this... he could finally understand why people were nuts about sex.  This orgasm had compared to his others like opening a champagne cork compares to opening bottled water.

“God!  That was...”  He broke off as he met Seto’s wicked eyes.  Knowledge, ego and supremacy danced in those blue eyes.  Instantly he resolved that Seto had too much power and conceit.  “Okay.”  He changed his gushing praise to a faint compliment.

Seto laughed outright.  So his love was going to tease him.  Good, two can play at that game.  He shimmied up the bed, licking his lips.  “Glad to know.”  He rolled onto his back and grabbed Jou’s hand pressing it down to his own cock.  “Your turn.”

Instead of jerking away as Seto expected, Jou’s hand traced over the only half erect member, swirling his finger through the sticky deposit he found staining the boxers.  “Looks like you took care of it yourself.  You sure you can teach me control?”  Jou squeezed then released as he slid out of bed.   He tossed a taunting grin over his shoulder.  “Cause you came before I did.”

Seto slid off the bed in a rush.  Just because he’d climaxed at the flavor of Jou’s pre-come didn’t mean he was through.  Beside’s he wanted to see that smile wrapped around the head of his dick.  “You think I’m happy with two?  You’ve had five.  Time to even the score.” He grinned when Jou laughed back at him from the bathroom, but left the door open in obvious invitation.

***

Vic sighed and glared at the adults in turn as Malik cooked some gunk he called Miso.  Marik was chatting with Atemu and Bakura while Ryou and Yugi talked to Anzu.  Genmi was still asleep.  Typically it was Marik who picked up on his mood.

“What’s eating you?”  The question brought him to the attention of all the adults.

“I want to go wake Dad and Seto up.”  He frowned fiercely.

“No.  We discussed this already.  They got in very late and need to sleep in.”  Marik returned his frown with an admonishing one of his own.

“I want to talk to them.”

“What about?”  Seto’s voice interrupted from the doorway.

Jou’s head popped out from behind the tall brunet.  “Yeah Bud, what did ya need?”

“Dad!  Seto!  You came back!”  Forgetting his ire he leapt from his chair with enough force to send it skittering across the room.  He didn’t even glance around.  He dashed to them, and never doubting they would catch him, threw himself full tilt into their arms.

Seto’s arms caught him first, but only by half a heartbeat, because Jou’s arms were coiling around him too.  Supporting, lifting, loving.

“Hey, hey.  What’s up with this?  We were only gone a few hours.”  Jou was genuinely confused and alarmed.  This reaction seemed extreme.  Had something happened?

“Yeah I know.”  Blue eyes beamed at them with obvious relief.  “But I had a nightmare and you guys didn’t come.  Then I couldn’t see you this morning.  I thought it was like the nightmare.  You guys went away and never came back.”

Realization dawned on everyone.  Seto and Jou were his rocks and he’d dreamed they left him.  And then they weren’t here and nobody would let him see them.  Of course he was scared and panicking.  It was impressive that the boy had controlled it to the extent he had.

Jou, the penultimate parent, took exactly the right path.  “Seto put him down.  He’s fine.”  He swatted the boy’s bottom playfully.  “You know better.  We promised we’d always be here and we will.”  He grinned and noogied the reddish-blond head as Seto put him down. “I got good news Bud.  I don’t have to go back.  That’s why we left.  Last night Valon wanted me to witness while he confessed to what he did.  I don’t have to go back ever again unless I want to.”

“Really?”  Happiness lit Vic’s eyes.

“Yeah really.  And I gotta tell ya somethin’ else.  He died last night.  Remember how he was sick?  Well that sick is what made him hurt you, but it also killed him, so it’s kinda fair.”

“Yeah, except that I’m still here with you and he’s in the warm place.  He wasn’t all bad to me, just when he got sick.  I think he went to the warm place.  I hope they have football there.  He liked to watch it, and soccer.  He was fun when he was watching football and soccer.”  Vic scrunched his nose.  “I’d wanna be with you.”

“I’d want you to be here too.”  He grinned again.  “Do I smell Miso?”

“Yes.”  Malik grinned from where he was stirring a large pot.

Seto looked up at that with a frown.  “There should be more to cook.  I did the cooking yesterday, only a couple of you did the cleanup.  The rest of you get to work on breakfast.  I’m starved.”

The reaction to that was comical.  Almost every head in the room jerked up, and several knowing smiles crossed their faces.  “Starving?”  Marik asked in a carefully bland voice.

“Starving.”  He confirmed before picking up the newspaper someone had brought in and laid on the table, burying his nose in the headlines.

Four people shot into the kitchen, all wearing wide, wide smiles.  Kaiba starving – it had been a year since he’d evinced even a mild interest in food or expressed hunger.  It had been one of the most concerning aspects of his attitude.  They had discussed it, concerned that he simply didn’t want to be around them, until Marik had pointed out that he really had no interest in common things that brought pleasure in life.  Sex, food, alcohol, even games.  He showed no interest at all.  That’s when they had become alarmed that he might not want to live at all and would take the opportunity to leave if given.

Marik shot Jou a questioning look which he met with a blank stare.  He wasn’t going to confirm or deny anything.  Yeah he made a bargain, but how he kept that bargain was his and Kaiba’s business.  Besides, it was working out better than he could have ever expected.

Genmi chose that moment to trail sleepily into the kitchen.  “Mom, where’s the bathroom?”

Breakfast was a large, busy, completely chaotic scene.  Mokuba was amazed not only that his brother allowed it, but contributed to it.  Seto may have been hidden behind his paper, but pithy comments, quick commands for Jou or Vic to eat or drink, and even a few thrown his way, told him that Seto was as much a part of this gathering as everyone else.  It was a complete change from what he’d experienced with his brother.  But it was a very welcome change.  One he was sorry he missed out on, because he could tell by the familiarity of everyone with the kitchen it was a scene they had enjoyed many times.

“Uh... so it’s Friday.  What’s the plan?  Are we heading to work?”

“I planned on taking Jou and Vic to shop for clothes and a decorator.  They need to be dressed appropriately, and they need to choose schemes for their rooms.”  Seto’s paper rustled as he turned the page.

“Dressed?  Kaiba I can dress me and Vic.”

Another rustle, vaguely irritable.  “You are my driver.  You have to get fitted for uniforms.”

“Driver!”  Trust Kaiba to remind him of that.  “I’m not wearing no uniform.”

“Hmmm... all my personal employees wear uniforms.”  He smiled when Jou predictably grabbed a side of the paper from his hand.

“You...”  But the blond sputtered to a stop at the smile.  It was obvious Seto had deliberately provoked him and he’d fallen for it.

Before he could process it he found himself dragged onto Seto’s lap.  “What are you doing?”

“Showing them what they are all so curious about.”  Eyes bright he pulled Jou into a deep kiss.

Genmi squealed “Mom, Mom, they’re kissing just like on the tape.”

Vic stared at them in shock, a trickle of unease skating down his spine.  Dad only kissed Mom.  Guys don’t kiss guys do they?    “Dad?”  He called hesitantly.  A hint of his confusion in his voice.

Seto released Jou and nudged him off his lap.  The blond visibly gathered himself.  “What’s wrong?”

“I know... I mean I know you guys kissed like that at the dance but... that was a long time ago and it wasn’t really real.  But now...”  The boy trailed off.  “Is it okay?  I mean I thought kissing was for moms and dads.”

“Ah...”  Jou’s eyes went wide with distress.  He didn’t know how to explain his new relationship with his son.  He didn’t want to lie but he didn’t know what to say.

Anzu saw his confusion and decided to help.  She’d rehearsed what she would say to her daughter if and when she ever found a lover.  “Vic, I think you’re confused.  Mommies and Daddies do kiss and sleep together even.  They love each other a lot.  But sometimes people can’t choose who they love and they can love people of the same gender.  Sometimes men love men and sometimes women love women.  It’s not limited because hearts aren’t limited.”

Vic looked at her, then at his red faced father.  Then surprisingly he looked at Seto.  “You love my Dad?”

Without missing a beat Seto told the absolute truth.  “Yes.  I have since I met him.”

“Okay.  But you know he loves my Mom.”

“I don’t think that’s an issue.  Your dad has enough love for everyone.”  Seto didn’t correct the boy.  He wasn’t sure what Jou’s feelings were for Mai but he was almost positive they were not love.

“Okay.”  The boy nodded and gave Seto a solemn look.  “But just so ya know, I’m not really gonna call you Mom.  At least not for real of all th’ time.”

“I can live with that.”  Seto smiled crookedly.

Jou cleared his throat.  “Uh... So, we don’t really need a decorator.  We can use what’s there.  No need ta...”

“Don’t be ridiculous.  You are living here.  Your rooms should reflect you, not some nameless guest room.”

Jou closed his mouth.  Seto was right, and in his own way, being very generous.  “Okay, thanks.  So who’s coming with us?”  So it was a cowards way out but he was more than a little nervous that Kaiba might decide to kiss him randomly.  If there were more people around it wasn’t as likely.

Mokuba caught a look from his brother and grinned at the blond and shook his head.  “I think you’re all alone.  This isn’t our holiday.  Besides with Seto gone I need to be at the office and I know everyone else probably has to work as well.”

Even though they could probably take the day off with no problems, Seto’s cool glare warned each of them against that stupidity.  One by one they declined.

Vic was frowning at his bowl of Miso-gunk.  “Can Genmi come?  She knows what everyone wears and stuff.  I...”  he shrugged, mildly embarrassed.  “I was just wondering?”

“I have to work today and Genmi has preschool but...”  Seeing the agonized plea from her daughter’s eyes Anzu nodded “No harm I suppose.  If it’s okay with your Dad and Kaiba its okay with me.”

“I don’t mind.”  Jou was quick to grasp that straw.  “Kaiba?”

“No.”  He smiled ruefully.  He liked Vic.  There was no reason he couldn’t learn to like the little girl as well.  Of course it was Vic’s resemblance to Jou that had originally charmed him, and he found Anzu annoying at best, but the girl seemed tolerable – for a girl.  “I don’t mind.”

“Great, so where we goin’?  An’ what we drivin’?  The Kei again?”

“No, I don’t think that will do.”  With a slight frown he pretended to consider “Either the Audi RS 6 or the BMW M5.”  He gave Jou a quick smile.  “Which do you prefer?”

Lust hit Jou deep in the pit of his belly.  He’d wanted to get either of those cars for himself but because he drove Ford in NASCAR his personal vehicle was beyond his control.  “I... Audi...”

“Me too.  I added the performance package so it moves like a scalded cat.”  Another smile, more intimate, somehow sexy.  “I can’t wait to see how you handle the speed.”

Jou reacted with a slow grin of his own, feeling confident and sexy for the first time...ever.  “I’m all about speed.  But if I go too fast I guess I can learn to slow it down for ya.”

Pink tinged Seto’s cheeks and his eyes lit brilliantly.  “Mmm... I think I can handle it.”  He folded the newspaper neatly and stood.  “Okay kiddies go brush your teeth and wash your hands.  Vic show her the room you chose while I bring the car around.  Jou come with me so I can add your retina and hand prints to the garage security.”  He glanced around at the assembled family and friends.  “See you later.  Your turn to handle dinner.”  With a nod he tugged Jou from the room and out the side door amid calls of ‘later!’ and various chuckles and sniggers.

The car drove like a dream, fast and smooth.  Jou took to it like a duck to water.  “Man this car is great.  Steering is responsive without being too sensitive, it hugs the road like a lover, and accelerates quickly.”

“Mmm... Don’t fall in love just yet.  I have about sixty cars.  I like to use them all, but pick out a favorite as a daily driver.  And pick one out for yourself as well.  That way we aren’t squabbling for the same car.”

“Hmm yeah.  Hey Kaiba...”  Jou hesitated for a moment then sighed.  “I can afford ta buy my own car.  I... I have a lot of money put away.  I... I never really trusted my luck ta hold in driving so I put away every penny I could.  I ain’t as rich as you but I don’t ever hafta worry about money again.”

Seto absorbed that information, processing it.  “So why did you agree to be my driver?”

“Because... Because you are at the heart of it all.  You are safe and inviolate and I figured if I got Vic back I’d need the buffer provided by you.  But more, you... you are close to them all, close to where I used to be.  You have the family and the friends I had.  I wanted... I wanted to come home and feel that again.”  Jou admitted quietly.  Before Seto could make the next logical jump, he cut him off.  “But that would never have made me come to you last night.  I can see your suspicion, and yer right to think it, ‘cause we ain’t known each other long enough for you to trust me that far, but I’m sayin’ it flat out.  I didn’t come to ya last night because of any of that.  I swear on Vic’s life.”  He kept his voice low pitched so the kids couldn’t hear, but made sure Kaiba understood.

There was a long silence, only broken by the sound of the portable DVD player the kids were watching in the back seat.  Then, at length, Seto answered.  “All right.  I’ll believe you but...”

“But?”

“But I’m not sure if I believe you because you are trustworthy or if I want you to be trustworthy.”  He admitted quietly.

Jou stopped at a traffic light.  “Well shit.”

“I know.  I don’t like it any better than you do.”

“No that ain’t it.  I actually kinda like it that you want me enough to take me even when ya don’t know my motives.  Makes me warm inside.  No that isn’t what I was cussing about.  There is a cop behind me with his lights on.”

“Well shit.”  Kaiba said it succinctly.  “Turn in to the parking lot over there.  Do you have your international license?”

“Of course.  Never leave home without it.”

“Then we are good.  What did you do?”

“Nothin’.  I was bein’ careful.”

“Then let’s find out what his problem is.”

The officer approached the car and Jou rolled down the window.  “Problem?”  Then his face split in a wide grin.  “Honda Hiroto?  Man, how are you?  Why haven’t you returned any of my calls or letters?”

Honda’s face shone with happiness for a moment before it faded.  “Jounouchi.” The dark brown gaze flicked to his passenger.  “Kaiba.”

“What’s the problem?”  Seto was used to the brusque attitude of Jou’s old friend.  Nobody had mentioned it the night before and now he was mildly irritated with himself for not warning Jou.

“Unsafe driving.”  It was the best he could come up with.  He couldn’t admit that he’d recognized the car and pulled it over in the hope that it was one of his old friends, hope that maybe they would talk about the people he missed like he missed a limb.  If he admitted it aloud then it would be a betrayal of his heart, a breaking of his word to his lover.  “I will give you a warning.”  He smiled politely.  Almost dying to greet Jou with a man-hug, to tell him how sorry he was about everything that had happened to him.  “Since you’re newly back in the county – and I know you have an international license – I’ll let you off.”

“Nice of you.”  Jou gave him a baffled frown.  “Honda, Man!  Why ya got a stick up yer ass?  It’s me, your old friend Jounouchi.”

“I know who you are.”  Pain and regret flickered before he said on a tortured voice, “I’m sorry for... for your loss.  I read it in the papers.”

“I...”  Jou swallowed hard.  Something was really wrong.  For an instant the old Honda had showed behind the polite façade.  “Thanks.”

Honda gathered his wayward emotions in and nodded, standing up straight.  “Welcome back to Japan.  Please drive carefully.”  It wasn’t much, but it was more than he’d ever hoped to have.

Jou thought fast.  He wanted to talk to his old friend, figure out what the hell was wrong.  He’d seen Honda in pain before and knew the signs.  With a quick “Sorry Seto, yer gonna hafta drive home”  He ignored Seto’s “What?  Don’t be stupid!”, stepped out of the car and called.  “Yo Officer!”

“Yes?”

“I didn’t drive unsafe.”  He challenged directly.

“You swerved twice.”  Honda shot back.  It was true, but they had been mild swerves, well within the lane.

“Screw that.  I didn’t swerve or anything.  I stayed in my lane the entire time.”  He changed his stance, becoming more belligerent.

“Sir, take the warning and drive on.”  Honda maintained his professional dignity, but barely.  This was so like Jou, to challenge him even when a smart man would have driven away.

“I ain’t takin’ it.  Yer admittin’ ya was wrong.  Anzu would kill me if I drove ‘unsafe’ with her daughter in the car.”

“Anzu’s daughter?”  He gasped, his eyes swinging automatically to the two kids who were watching them from a now open window.  The instant his eyes focused on the little girl, with her dark brown eyes and glossy chestnut hair he knew, knew in a way that precluded all doubt.  He knew the curve of her face, the shape of her nose, even the small dimple that would appear when she smiled.  He new that face – the face of his mother – mixed with a hint of Anzu.

“Yeah!  So take it back!  I wasn’t...”  But he was speaking to the deaf.

Honda crossed to the watching kids.  He met the dark eyes of his daughter head on.  “Hi.”

She nodded briefly and recognition flickered in her eyes.  “My mom has a picture of you.  She shows it to me sometimes.  You’re Honda Hiroto my biological male parent.”

“Yes.”  Honda should have known Anzu would tell the girl the truth.  Even if she’d kept it from him, Anzu would tell the girl.  After all she’d done nothing wrong.  It was he who’d walked out on his friends, he who’d demanded she leave him alone and never contact him. Something he’d never been comfortable with but accepted as the price of having Otogi in his life.

She eyed him critically for a moment.  “I don’t really look like you but I sorta do.”  She shrugged.  “Nice to meet you, Sir.”  After a cold, dismissing look she turned and rolled up the window, shutting him out of her mind as easily as she would any random stranger.

Honda paled and put his hand out as if to reach past the barrier she’d erected.  Jou was staring at him in stupefied comprehension.  “Ya knocked Anzu up and dumped her?  Fuck no wonder ya ain’t come around.  Ya knew we’d kick your ass inta th’ next century.”

“Jou wait.”  Honda couldn’t bear the condemnation of his old friend on top of the revelation of a daughter.  “It wasn’t like that.  We weren’t together like that.  And she understood...”

“Yeah, well ya obviously were together ‘like that’ and if ya dumped her what was she gonna do?  Trap ya?  Ya know she was all about doin’ what’s good for her friends.  Ya bastard, I’da never thought you could be so low.”

“Otogi demanded I not see any of you again.  He’s crazy jealous of Anzu.  He didn’t have need to be but I thought he’d get over it and then we could be friends again.”  Honda looked away.  “And it became habit.  I... I...didn’t even think of her for a long time.  It never occurred to me that she was pregnant.”  He reached out and grabbed Jou’s arm urgently, wanting his friend to understand.

Jou didn’t hesitate.  With a low snarl he swung with all of his strength at Honda’s face.  There was a satisfying crunch and then thud as the tall officer hit the ground, completely out cold.  After kicking the unconscious cop to the grassy side of the road beside his car, Jou hopped into the Audi and pealed away in a cloud of burning rubber.

Seto regarded him through narrow eyes, already calculating how best to extricate Jou from the mess he’d just created.  Sighing he opened his cell phone and called Atemu.  They would need more legal assistance.

Vic burst in to speech as soon as his stunned mind could process what his father had done.  “Dad!  You hit that cop!  You left him out cold on the side of the road.  Why?  What happened?”

Jou drove with furious concentration.  “He hurt a couple of very special ladies.”  The fury ratcheted up a notch.  “Ya don’t hurt good women.  And ya especially don’t hurt my friends.”

“Oh.”  That was true, at least as far as Vic remembered.  His dad was really protective of his friends.  “Who?”

“Mom and me.”  Genmi answered for him.  “Honda Hiroto is my biological father.  He’s not my Dad, I don’t have a Dad.  But he helped make me.”

“Oh.”  Vic was nonplussed.  That was weird but he understood some because his mom had explained that Jou was his dad but Valon was his biological father.

The odd part was that the girl actually understood what she was saying and she was younger than him.  She was pretty smart to get it because Vic had trouble understanding sometimes.

Seto closed his cell phone and sighed.  “Okay, head to the KC office.  Atemu will have the legal team waiting.”

Jou sent him a quick glance.  “Sorry for the problems but the ass deserved it.”

“Not arguing, but you struck an officer in uniform.  That will cause a lot of headache.  This isn’t America so our laws are going to be harsher.”  Seto shrugged.  “If he had surveillance on it might go easier on you because he grabbed you first for no apparent reason.  If there was audio on scene then it will become even more of a moot point because it was personal.  We will have to see.”

“You think he’ll press charges?”

“I think that there were enough cars driving past that he will be found unconscious and be put in the position of explaining or pressing charges.  He has been known to take the easy way out before.”  Seto hinted not so subtly at the way he’d dumped Anzu.

“Yeah.”  Jou agreed glumly.  “So we go to the office huh?  Damn, I really wanted some new clothes too.”

Seto grinned and rolled his eyes.  “A fashion diva?  Never would have guessed.”

Jou chuckled but didn’t deny it.  Since he’d made enough money to buy nice clothes he enjoyed wearing them.  “I guess it will have to wait.”

“Price of punching out assholes.”  Seto frowned slight as they rounded the corner to Kaiba Corp.  “Go past and go to the toll parking and pull over.”

“What’s going on?  Why were all those people in front of Kaiba Corp?”

“I’d say the story Kisara planted in the paper this morning has drawn out the press.  Look, park in that space off to the left, the one with the ‘reserved’ sign.  It’s reserved for this kind of thing.  It is completely out of range of cameras and private.  We’ll use the Udjat to go directly to my office.  I’ll take Genmi, you take Vic.”

“What?  But...”

“No buts.  Genmi give me your hand.”  He reached back and grasped the little girl’s wrist.  In a flickering of light and shadow they were gone.

“Dad...?”  Vic’s voice was slightly strained.

“Don’t worry.  We’ll be there as soon as I park the car.”

“Yeah, Okay.”

Parking the car and locking it tight he reached for his son.  “It’s fun, I promise.”  He whispered as the shadows and light bent around him before exploding outward, leaving them both seated on the floor.

“See Genmi, I told you they’ll be along any second.”  Seto drawled from somewhere above Jou’s head.

“Vic!”  The little girl pounced on the boy.  “Wasn’t that the greatest?  Like a big ‘whoosh’ down a slide.”

“Yeah, it was cool.”  But the boy didn’t sound too sure.

Marik, Malik, Bakura, Ryou, Atemu, Yugi, and surprisingly Anzu all stepped into the room.  “Hnnn... so what’s the damage?”

“You saw the story in the paper.  She’s claiming you are mentally unsound.”

“Stupid bitch.  And of course the sheep are listening.”

“Of course.”  Atemu agreed.  “This isn’t a topic for children.  Ryou, Malik, Yugi, could you take the kids to the boardroom and keep them busy?”

“What?  We are not children.”

“No, but neither are you attorneys, physicians, or security experts.”  Kaiba’s voice was dry and a little amused.  “I need to work with them.  I’m sure they will keep you up to date.  There are some markers and stuff in the credenza in the second boardroom.  The kids will love them.”

“Jounouchi isn’t either and...”

“He has another little problem we have to deal with.  We need him here.”

That ended the arguments.  Pouting like children they denied being, the three men herded their two charges from the room.

Seto glanced at Atemu “Is she on the payroll?”

“Yes.”  Atemu agreed.  Something in his expression gave Seto pause, but before he could act on it the man turned away to pick up two newspapers.  “Kisara has been busy.  Two stories from ‘anonymous’ sources stating that you are being manipulated, mind controlled or simply not sane are in the papers.  They never give by-lines so we don’t even know who her pipeline is.”

“Okay angles of shoving this back in her face?”

“We can let it ride, but stock is already showing a minor decrease.”  Mokuba said from the doorway.

“More than normal fluctuations?”

“Hard to say at this point, but I’d say yes.”

“All right.  Then we can’t let it ride.  Ideas?”

“Tell the truth.”  Anzu smiled sweetly, her eyes glinting with intent.

“The truth?”

“Yes, that Kisara is doing this for revenge because you tossed her out for infidelity.”

“And how will that do any good?”

“That alone won’t do it.  But...”  A wicked grin crossed her face.  Seto found himself actually liking this new Anzu.  “Point out, publicly, that if you were insane when you signed the prenup – before the wedding – that your marriage is not legally valid.  Something I’m positive her new attorney hasn’t thought of.”

“So we were never married if I am a fruitcake?”

“Right.”

“Tempting.”  Seto mused.  “But no.  Next possibility.”

“Well since this is anonymous... anonymously release the video and pictures.”  Jou suggested from sidelines.

“No, because that has a chain of custody.  She can prove it came from me.  I’m in breach and would owe her millions.”

“Oh.  Damn.”

“Unless you get her to breach first.”  Bakura suggested.  “Make her come out and break the contract.”

“How do you suggest I do that?”

“Well...”  Bakura smirked.  “She’s a star isn’t she?  Get her on some talk show.  You’ve been rattling her cages for years.  Have the host in your pocket and rattle her.  Shouldn’t be had for you to do.  Get her to discuss your marriage openly.  Breach of contract.”

“That would only show her side of it.”  But Seto was pondering the possibilities.  It could work, if done right.

“Unless you were a guest – or your lawyer.”

“Yeah, hey Kaiba that might work.  ‘Specially if the contract was discussed with emphasis on th’ fidelity part – and how she breached the contract.  Just don’t say which part – the confidentiality or the fidelity.  People will draw their own ideas from it.”

“Hnnn...”  But Seto’s mind was already going over the possibilities.  “I’ll make a few calls later.”  He nodded and set the papers back on the desk.  “Next issue, Jounouchi punched out Honda Hiroto.  He deserved it, but he was in uniform.  We left him out cold on the side of the road.”

Atemu nodded, Bakura gave Jou a high five, Anzu shook her head at the blond, and Jou blushed and ducked his head under Seto’s exasperated look.

Repressively the brunet snapped “We don’t have time to discuss how right or wrong it was.  We have to figure out how we are going to handle it.”

“Witnesses?”

“Several.  Plus the surveillance camera on the car.”  Seto shrugged.  “We need to wait and see what happens.  If it’s pressed we will act, but we need a plan in place just in case.”

Anzu frowned and nodded.  “Good idea.  Why did you hit him?”

“Because he hurt my friend – you.”  Jou growled.  “Why didn’t ya ever tell no one that he was Genmi’s dad?”

“Because he’s not.  Biologically he donated the sperm but he’s not her dad.  He didn’t know she existed.  I’m going to assume that’s changed.  Genmi has always said if she meets him she would tell him who she was and then ignore him the way he ignores her.”

“Yeah, well he knew who she was right off.  Didn’t even question it.”  Jou glared “Why didn’t ya tell no one?  Yugi, Atemu, Bakura, or anyone?”

“Because it’s complicated.  He’s my friend, or he was.  And I love him like a friend.  Sex should never have happened.  Otogi and he were back together and happy.  I didn’t want to mess that up.  Otogi is crazy jealous.  I don’t remember him ever being this way in high school.  It’s like he’s so afraid he’s going to lose Honda that everyone and everything is a threat.  Genmi would have been more than he could take.  I agreed to stay away because I was afraid of what he would do to me – and her.”

“Otogi never used ta be violent.  Has he changed?”

“Not like that.”  Anzu allowed.  “But he has money and power.  He could make life hard for me.”  Her gaze switched to Seto.  “The way you would have if I crossed the line.”

The brunet didn’t deny it.  “So the question is, do you think Otogi will try to harm you two now?”

Anzu shrugged.  She honestly didn’t know.  Atemu stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her waist.  “He won’t.  They are under our protection.  I will handle them if need be.”

“If you insist, but don’t go blowing hot air.”  Seto chuckled.  “We’ll all take care of them.”

Jou blinked at Atemu, his eyes lingering on the arm wrapped around Anzu’s waist.  “Okay now I’m lost.”

“Lost?”  Seto’s brows arched slightly.  “Why?”

“A day ago Yugi was terrified of Anzu, Anzu hated Yugi, and Atemu was completely in love with Yugi.  But now...”  He frowned and shook his head.  “They arrive together and Atemu’s all for protectin’ her.  An’ I know friendly – that arm ain’t just friends.”

Anzu blushed and dropped her head, Atemu’s eyes widened fractionally, Seto regarded him with a frown, but it was Yugi – standing in the doorway – who answered.  “Anzu and I love each other and Atemu.  Atemu is my soul mate and I am his.  Anzu is our heart mate. We love each other.  That is why Anzu was so angry.  She thought I’d betrayed the love we had for Atemu.  She didn’t know he’d come back and she was too angry and distraught to listen.”  Yugi crossed to stand on the other side of the fiery-cheeked woman.  “Pregnant women get that way.”  He teased as he gently took her hand.
“She is my first love, not my soul mate, but a deep part of my heart.  When Atemu shared my body he fell in love with her as well.  It didn’t lessen the love, the bond, we have with each other.  It strengthened it.  She knew and loved us enough to agree to let us love her.” Yugi’s cheeks pinkened.  “She’s agreed to explore the same relationship with the two of us.”

During the explanation Jou’s eyes got wider and wider as his jaw dropped.  “Ya mean yer
a... a... threesome?”

Seto coughed “The correct term is polyamoury.  And I thinks it’s a great solution.  Yugi’s missed her for years, as has Atemu.  They will love and cherish her forever.  Genmi will have not one but two daddies, and eventually little brothers and sisters.”

Now Yugi’s face was brick red to match Anzu’s.  Atemu was perfectly calm.  “Probably three of each.”

Anzu squeaked and smacked his arm lightly.  “One. Only.”

“Mmm... if you say so, Darling.”  Atemu’s eyes danced.  “I’m sounding hen-pecked already.”

Jou was troubled and it showed.  “Ain’t ya worried about bein’ jealous?  I mean, most people would be.”

“What is to be jealous of?  We love each other deeply.  Anzu’s soul mate chose not to be born in this time.  She awaits on the other side.”

“Yeah but...”  Jou waved his hand awkwardly “Sex is... well... how ... someone’s gonna be... put out.”

Atemu and Yugi both looked startled, Anzu meeped and buried her face in her hands.  Seto chuckled and admonished “Too personal.  Not your business.”

“I... yeah sorry.”

Atemu’s face took on a distinctly amused cast.  “You’re concerned for us.  Let me point something out – Gods and Demigods are known for their huge sexual appetites.  I am a demigod.  I can guarantee that nobody will be ‘put out.’”

“Holy crap.”  Jou wanted the floor to swallow him up.  He’d never considered that aspect of things.  Atemu was probably a machine.  Two or ten, he could probably satisfy them all and not falter.  “It just surprised me is all.  Seems kind of fast.  I didn’t think about yer dad bein’ a god.”

“We’re grateful for your concern but we will take it slow.”  The amused look transformed to a grin.  “We have to find a house large enough for our children.”

This time both Anzu and Yugi smacked Atemu.  The man just laughed deeply, obviously happy and well satisfied.

“Enough.  You’re making me ill.”  Seto growled, but his eyes smiled.  “About Kisara.  I don’t want to set her up like that.  Traceable to me.  It would be best to let her trip herself up.  With a small push.”

“Push?”  Mokuba shifted.  “What do you mean?”

“Her new movie is coming out.  She will be making the rounds to advertise it.  If I pull my funding, no advertising budget, no movie.”

“That will piss her off but how will it make her slip?”

“She spends money like rain in the tropics.  She invested all her remaining money in her new film.  I have been giving her an allowance for over a year to meet her needs.  Her quarterly allowance is all she has left.  She didn’t finish the quarter so she should return the remainder to me.”  He shrugged.  “She will need the revenue from the film.”

“Still not followin’ ya here Kaiba.”

“She will need that money and do anything to promote the film – including go on talk shows and discuss topics of their choice.  Guess what she’ll talk about.”

“Gawd.”  Jou was completely surprised.  It was so... so... Kaiba.  He’d forgotten, okay not forgotten, but set aside, just how conniving his new lover was.

Atemu was already on the phone.  In a few short, terse, sentences he’d ended the agreement to finance the funding.  “I’ll call Kisara now.”  His voice was rich with anticipation.  “Mind if I use your phone?  I’m sure she will answer for you.”

Seto handed the plain cell over and then leaned forward, setting elbows on the desk, lacing his fingers together.  With a calm look he  plopped his chin on his laced fingers and waited patiently.  “Speaker please.  We’ll all be quiet.”

She answered before the first ring ended.  “Seto, Darling!”  The tone was just the right mix of concern, happiness and hope.

“This is Kinnou Atemu.”  He corrected briefly.

“Oh... I ... I’m on speaker.  Is Seto there?”  She went from disconcerted to hopeful in a few syllables.

“Not at all.”  He lied smoothly.  “I’m simply having lunch at my desk and want my hands free.”

“But this number’s Seto’s.”  She sounded suspicious.

The lawyer continued to lie.  “He had it switched to me because of privacy issues.  Several people have called him on it and he wanted a little peace.  He has a new number.”

“Oh.”    She huffed a sigh.  It was possible and she knew it.  Seto had changed his number in the past when some annoying person had gotten the number.  “What can I do for you?”  Her voice had lost it’s warmth and concern.

“I am calling regarding a small matter.  Seto’s bank automatically transferred your quarterly payment the day before the dissolution.  As that is paid in advance, we would like it returned. Minus the one day of course.”

“What?”  Her voice lost it’s polish and came out like a shriek.

“The quarterly salary paid to you as his wife.  You were terminated from that position after only one day into the quarter.  The severance package was dealt with in the agreement.  He’d like the return of that money.  I have the figures...”  He went on to detail the exact amounts, down to the smallest fraction.

While she was gasping and breathing hard Atemu ended with the coups de gras.  “Bakura should be arriving there any moment.  Simply write him a check.”  Atemu nodded and the ex-thief smiled and opened his udjat.  In a twinkling of light and shadow he was gone.

“There?  Here?”  She sounded completely stunned and confused.  “How do you know where I am?”

“Remember, you are still carrying the phone from Kaiba Corp.  He’ll take that too.  It has a GPS on it.”

“You can’t do this.  My lawyer... I’ll...”

“Kinnou, this is Kaiba-san’s legal representative.  Horisha Yoshi”  A voice broke in.  “You have no right to do this.”

“I assure you, it is spelled out clearly in the contract she signed.  Have you seen it?”

“We were just going over it.”

“I direct your attention to page six, section seventeen.  It clearly lays out the terms and conditions for the payment of a quarterly salary as well as the terms at time of dissolution.”

“As the legality of this document is in question...”

“No it is not.  It was duly executed by a judge.  Your client was in breach of section two.  We have pictures and film of her having sexual relations with a man not her husband.”

“There is question of whether you client was legally able to enter into this contract.”

“There is no question.”  Atemu smiled, and Jou shuddered at the feral quality.  The ancient pharaoh was enjoying this.  “Kisara, when did Seto supposedly become of unsound mind?”

There was a moment of whispers then “Mokuba told me that his... delusions... started about six years ago.  They have grown progressively worse.”

“I see.  So, he has been insane for six years?”

“I... I... I believe so.”  She said it defiantly.  “He is being controlled and manipulated by you.”

“Slander.  But I’ll let it pass.  If he’s been insane for six years, you were never his wife because he can’t legally enter into any binding contract.”  He went in for the kill.  “Isn’t that right Horisha-san?”

There was the sound of something snapping, perhaps a pencil?  Kisara must have been having a difficult time controlling her temper.  The sound made Seto’s eyebrows arch slightly.  She usually kept a calm demeanor around her lackeys.  The lawyer sounded slightly rattled when he answered “I hadn’t considered that, but if what you say is true then legally you are correct.”  He sounded considering for a moment “Of course a progressive condition can’t be ruled out.”

“It can.  My client has physical and psychological examinations once a year as a stipulation in his contract as CEO of Kaiba Corporation.  He is not insane.  He divorced her for infidelity, a breach of their nuptial contract.  She doesn’t want to give up the luxury of being his wife and is fighting.  She needs to get over it.  Oh, a minor point, but very important to my client.  In the contract she agreed to stop using the name Kaiba Kisara and is to revert back to the name she used before their marriage.  Please ensure she does so.  Also we have placed ads of disclaimer, my client will not be responsible for any debt incurred by her since the date of the dissolution.”

The lawyer made a ‘hmmm’ that nobody took for agreement.  “As to the matter of the child.”

Jou stiffened abruptly.  It was only through Atemu’s instant  shadow-gag that the blond’s exclamation was not heard.  Atemu’s eyes flared briefly before he replied evenly.  “Seto’s ward is not involved in this.”

“Well my client is concerned for the welfare of a vulnerable child.  He is mentally deficient is he not?”

“He is a boy who was injured in the same horrible accident that took his parents from him.”

“So he is an orphan?”

“My client is adopted, but some of his birth family were still alive.  The child is his cousin.  Seto has taken over his care as a dying request.”

“An orphan with issues.  Perhaps not in the child’s best interest to be left with your client as he has issues as well.”  The lawyer said it thoughtfully.

“The child of family.  A child who is grieving for his losses and under daily medical supervision.  Seto understands being left without parents, understands loss and the needs of children.  He raised his own brother after all.  Attempts to use the child in any way by your client, who has never met the child in question will be met with severe legal punitive action.  Their marriage was dissolved before Seto took custodial guardianship.”

“Perhaps if Kaiba-san and the boy would agree to meet with specialists of our choosing.  Just to assure us of their health?”

Jou erupted.  If Atemu hadn’t been expecting it everyone would have gotten an earful.  As it was shadows coiled around the blond, binding him in place.  Seto glared at Atemu and with a flick of his fingers the shadows disappeared and a clear bubbled surrounded the blond. He was undoubtedly yelling, but not a sound was heard.  Rolling his eyes Seto stepped into the bubble with Jou.  He winced at the sheer volume of the yells.  “Shut up.”  He growled.  “We need to hear what they are saying and we can’t.”

“Fuck you.  There is no way in goddamn hell I’m letting them anywhere near Vic.  What the fuck is up with that?  I’ll...”  Seto muffled his yells with his hand.

“They won’t.  They can’t force it but they can influence the public.  They are just looking for weapons to force me to undergo some kind of exam to bolster their case.  Just watch Atemu work.  And for fuck’s sake – shut UP.”

Jou blinked in surprise and closed his mouth.  Seto never yelled.  Icy snarls, cold sarcasm, whispers and hisses but yells?  Since when?  He nodded silently but his eyes continue to rage.

Seto stifled a grin.  Okay shadows and bubbles didn’t shut him up but yelling did.  Good to know.

“... and our concern is for both of them.  Threats will not be tolerated.”  The lawyer was expounding.

“It wasn’t a threat.  It was a promise.  You are overlooking something.  In order to take custody of any child it is standard that the guardians be assessed as fit.  Your accusations have no evidence behind them and can be taken as slanderous.  Be careful of the lines you tread.”

Kisara’s voice, smooth and soft, sorrowful, made the hair on Atemu’s neck stir.  Something was wrong and ringing warning bells.  “I’m allowed to be concerned.  I love children.  I wanted a child badly and this boy would have been my son – our son – had Seto not denied me, kept me from his bed.”

The strategy was cliché.  So now she was a wounded, wannabe mother who’d sought comfort and perhaps a child with another man when her husband denied her.  “You wanted children?”  this was also getting boring.

“Of course I did.”  She affected a sob.

“Even though you had a small elective surgery to stop all possibility of pregnancy over a year ago?”

“I... Seto didn’t want children.”

“Still the surgery was moot because he hadn’t been to your bed in a year.”

“I had hopes.  I wanted to patch things up.  I thought since he didn’t want kids that would be a reassurance.”  Oh a little desperate there.

“Celibacy is the ultimate birth control.  But we know you were not celibate.  We have pictures.”

“It was a slip.”  She sounded agonized.

“It was infidelity and a breach of contract.  This little charade ends now.”  Atemu pressed a button on his Udjat and right on cue a chime sounded in the background.  “That should be Bakura.  Please give him a check for the amount discussed earlier.”

“I won’t do it!  I...”  She broke off at a few urgent whispers.  In the background they could hear the sound of someone clearing their throat and a woman saying apologetically.  “I’m sorry to disturb you both but there is a man here, says he represents Kaiba Seto, he insists on speaking to you.”

“Horisha-san give this up.  Your client can’t win.  We have proof that Kaiba-san is completely sane.  A little eccentric, but sane.  He has had exams every year since he turned twelve as part of his tenure at Kaiba Corporation.  Any further actions will lead to the punitive part of the contract.”

Kisara growled “I won’t give it back.  He can afford...”

“That isn’t a question.  The question is what you are entitled to.”

“Bastard!  You want it all for yourself.  You want to control him and his money.  I’ll fight you!  I know what you’re doing.  You want him as your puppet.”

Atemu didn’t bother to reply to her ravings.  “Any further contact will be in writing.”  With a click he closed the connection.

The bubble disappeared but before Jou could start ranting Seto began his explanation.  “A child can’t just appear out of nowhere.  You were too preoccupied with what was going on with Valon and Mai to bother with these kinds of details.  I manufactured, on paper, a first cousin and his wife that died in a car accident.  I am designated his guardian.”

“He’s my son Kaiba!”  Jou’s fists clenched in rage, his body tense, ready for a fight.

Atemu shifted subtly, putting his body between Jou and Anzu and Yugi.  Marik frowned and stepped forward, “Nobody said he isn’t.  This is just a paperwork chase.  Jou think about it.”

“I am thinkin’ about it.  He’s saying Vic’s his son.”  Rage blazed and shadows gathered, darkening the room subtly.

Marik and Atemu tensed.  “Shut up.  We’ll talk in a minute.”  Seto growled coldly.   “Yugi, you and Anzu go now.  This is not something either of you need to be involved in.”  He commanded softly.  He’d expected this kind of reaction.  Vic was Jou’s heart and he’d almost lost the boy twice.  There was no way he would take a threat of a third time passively.  He was impressed when Jou held on to his rage long enough to wait for the innocent bystanders to leave.

Yugi blinked and Anzu flinched slightly.  The command may have been soft but it carried an implacable will.  They had to leave.  Yugi nodded and hurried Anzu from room leaving behind a frozen tableau.

As soon as they were gone Jou snarled “He’s mine Kaiba.  I don’t care what you or anyone else says.  Vic’s my son and if I gotta go through you ta prove it I will.”

“Jou calm down.”  Marik soothed.  “Seto isn’t going to take him from you.  You are still his father.  You always will be.  He’s just trying to protect Vic.  He’ll probably sign over guardianship as soon as he can.”

That made Jou pause, his anger suspended by a tiny thread.  “That right?”  His golden eyes glared, demanding an answer.

“No, I will be remaining his legal guardian and public father figure.  I have started the paperwork for adoption.”  Seto met him mid-leap, catching his fists as they flew.  With embarrassing ease Seto held him immobile.  “You’re an idiot.  Use your brain.  Your son, Victor Alan Jounouchi is dead.  The boy we are caring for can’t be him.  His new name is Kaiba Van.  You – we – can call him Vic and get away with it.  He was your son but to protect him, forever, he must forever be known as the child of my dead cousin.”

Jou stared for long moments, his body rigid with anger, shadows deepening around the room.  Seto could see his reasoning battling with the anger and fear.  With a sigh he released Jou’s fists and, instead of stepping away, stepped closer, nuzzling into Jou’s neck.  “I trusted you last night.  Trust me now.”

Strong arms closed around his waist tightly.  “Yeah, but do I trust you because you’re trustworthy or because I want you to be trustworthy?”  Atemu and Marik let out twin sighs of relief as the shadows slunk away from the rift caused by Jounouchi’s anger.

“Hnnn... kinda like it that you want me enough to take me even when ya don’t know my motives.  Makes me warm inside.”  Seto whispered, laying a soft kiss on the side of his cheek.

A shrill chirp from the Udjat made everyone jump.  Seto released Jou and moved next to Atemu.  “Where is he?”

“Still at Kisara’s apartment.”  Atemu flicked a button on his Udjat and a golden viewing ball appeared.

“Hey, they’ll see...”

“This is a one way viewer.  Bakura sent an ‘IW.’  One tone, not too bad.”

“Okay... IW?”

“Injured with Witnesses.  One tone means hurt but survivable.  Locals called.”

“Uh... how come I don’t know these codes?”

“Because we haven’t had a chance to explain.”  Atemu’s eyes were focused intently on the viewing globe.  Bakura was leaning against a wall holding his left hand to his stomach.  Blood seeped from the wound and dripped over his fingers.  Scratches, bruises and cuts covered him.  In his right hand he gripped a gleaming dagger.

A man they could only presume was Horisha-san was holding a cell phone, speaking into it rapidly.  A woman wearing a maid’s uniform surprisingly was subduing a wildly thrashing Kisara.

Seto saw Bakura’s look, saw the bright, anticipatory gleam and faint, cruel smile that said “Try it again – you’re dead.”  He wanted to grin.  A dead Kisara wasn’t a bad idea.

“Bakura...”  The lawyer held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.  “The ambulance is on it’s way.  My client – Kisara – is obviously overwrought and emotionally on edge.  I’m sure she didn’t mean to stab you with the pen.  It was just a reaction to all of the events that have happened.”

“Didn’t mean to?”  Bakura’s voice was harsh, mocking the other man.  “She took the pen from your hand and rammed it into my gut.  Looked fucking deliberate to me.”

“It is just a sign of the emotional turmoil your boss, her husband, has put her through.”  He tried to placate and shift the blame from his client.

“Yeah well she can tell it to the police.”  He growled.  “You did call them didn’t you?”

“Of course.  But please, if you would agree that it was an accident the whole incident could be written off as an actress having a drama moment.”

Seto opened his regular cell phone and dialed Bakura’s number.  In the globe the phone rang and Bakura grunted as he answered, “Yeah Boss, got a problem.  Kisara attacked me and I gotta go to the hospital for getting stabbed in the gut with a pen.  She didn’t give me the check... Okay, so you want me to deal on this?”

“No deal.  Let the police and press have their fun.  It will push her farther.  The bitch deserves something for attacking you.  And before you ask, no you can’t sic your pets on her.”  Seto clicked the phone shut and watched in amusement as Bakura glared in frustration before assuming an amused mask.

With a smirk “Boss says no deal, I’m to feed her to the cops and the press.  He also wants his check and the bill for the hospital will be sent to her.”

The wild shrieks from Kisara, which had begun to die down gained in volume again.

Jou looked over at Mokuba.  “You got a friend in the press?”

For a second the black-haired man looked disconcerted then nodded shame-faced.  “Yes.”

“Call them and tell them to get over to Kisara’s hotel fast for a story.”

Seto shook his head “Same hotel as the reunion.  They won’t get past the front doors.”

“There is a back door, through the gate.  Celeb entrance.  Have them hang out there.”

Mokuba nodded and got busy.  In the viewing globe he could see Bakura pocketing his knife, the lawyer standing nonplused, Kisara going into meltdown, and the surprising maid holding her own against slaps, punches, kicks, bites and body blows.

Seto watched the maid with interest.  “Hn... Bakura can always use a good fighter.”

Even as he commented Bakura spoke up.  “Yo!  What’s your name?”

The woman looked up “Hamada Inoue.”

“You want a job?”

“Doing what?  Protecting your ass from crazy bitches?”  She called back as she casually backhanded Kisara, stunning her into stillness.

“I don’t need anyone to protect my ass.  But you’d be protecting the ass of Kaiba Seto and his family.  What do you think?”

“I think you’re full of shit.  Nobody hires a woman for security.  I applied with Kaiba Corporation and got told that my tits would get in the way.”

“Who told you that?”  It sounded like something he would say but he was sure he had never seen the woman before.

“Don’t know his name.  Tall guy with brown hair and blue eyes.”

That made Seto’s brows lift.  He searched his memory for the woman’s face.  It came up immediately.  Shit.  He sighed and shook his head.  “She came in wearing four inch heels, a blouse cut to her navel, and more makeup than Kisara.  Bakura was running late and asked me to do the interview.  I told her we needed a man because the employee would be travelling with an all male entourage and dismissed her.”

Bakura was obviously thinking hard before he shrugged.  “That asshole?  You don’t need to worry about him.  I do all the hiring for Kaiba Corp Security.  Come by the tower and ask for Bakura.  If they don’t call me tell them you have a bomb.  I will come right away.”

“You conning me?  ‘Cause that’s the name of the asshole I was supposed to meet before.”

“I’m the only Bakura.  You met Kaiba Seto.  Probably filling in for me just to be a prick.  Don’t worry about him.  He’s just an asshole.  He doesn’t fuck with my security though.”  A heartbeat of thought.  “Make sure you wear workout clothes.  Everyone I hire has to go through a workout session first.”

“Workout session?  Is that a fancy name for fuck?”

“Hell no.  I’ve got the hottest piece of ass in the world.  I don’t need you for that and if I thought for a second you were interested in my dick I wouldn’t have made the offer.”

“How do you know I’m not?”

“Easy, you used her struggles to cop a few feels.  Don’t blame you because if you are into pussy she is prime, but if you do it while working for me I’ll kick your ass.”

She was saved from replying, except for an unrepentant grin when the emergency crew rushed in.  Atemu flicked his Udjat and the globe disappeared.  “Let’s meet him at he emergency room.”

Marik moved towards the door only to be stopped by Seto’s “No.  They will need to take pictures of the injury.  It’s obviously not life threatening so he can heal on his own.”  His grin was faintly malicious.  “It’s what he should expect from this asshole.”

***
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Winding Road