This fic has wanted to be written for the better of five months... sweatdrop Well, at least it's here.
Don't own anything.
Dedicated to my hikari, and Brianne Kennedy who committed suicide on the morning of the first day of school. May your soul forever rest in peace.
Bit of Jou/Kaiba, though angsty. Might turn this into something more if I get some inspiration.
Read and review!
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Wish Upon A Falling Star---
Kaiba glared. Not at anything in particular, but at anything that caught his chilling eyes. Everything seemed to be laughing at him, rubbing his loss in his face, making sure he knew that he was the underdog.
The wind even took the time to stir from slumber to gently tease his chestnut tresses and snatch at his Battle City trenchcoat. He raised his idle hand and smoothed back his unruly hair that was only all to eager to play with the breeze that swept across the arena.
His piercing blue eyes took in everything around him, nothing exempt from his intent study. Even the whitecaps riding the roaring waves were taken note of. Yet his eyes continued to return to the moon's pale face reflected on the countless shards of steel surrounding his duel tower.
The CEO had again been defeated by Yuugi. This time the loss had been almost unbearable and had he not crushed his biggest adversary's loyal mongrel he might very well have done something. What 'something' was he had not yet quite figured out, but with the distant ground below winking coyly at him, using the mirror metal to send its message, he was starting to get an idea.
Kaiba closed his eyes, forcing himself to take deep breaths of the nights ebony air and stop the train of thought that was resolutely making its regular stops in his battered mind. It seemed like another life when it had happily been him and Mokuba, before he had met Yuugi and the rivalry between them began.
"How the mighty have fallen," a familiar voice said from behind him.
Kaiba's hand clenched the railing, his knuckles turning white as he struggled not to grind his teeth together in frustration. He waited for the oncoming insulting remark with his metaphorical hackles up, his teeth and claws all too willing to be used as a means to release his stress, which was vibrating erratically along his tightly strung nerves.
The insults never came. The familiar taunts were never spoken. The only sound in the illuminated darkness was the waves continuing their struggle for dominance against the shoreline and his own ragged breathing.
Slowly opening his eyes, he glanced to his left. Silhouetted against the bloated moon was Katsuya Jounouchi, his features shadowed by his mop of blond hair in such a way that Kaiba couldn't tell what was on the mutt's mind. The blonds posture was relaxed; his arms crossed loosely in front of him, his elbows resting on the silver railing and one hip carelessly propped to the side.
If Kaiba didn't know better, he would have thought that the other duelist hadn't noticed him at all.
The two stood side by side in silence for an increasingly extended period of time, the blond keeping his usually loud mouth to himself and the CEO unsure of what to do. He was confused as to why the other teen had arrived if not to take jabs at Kaiba's already bruised ego.
The peace between them lasted a rather long time, considering who they were, before either one spoke. "I'm going to beat you in our next duel."
Kaiba snorted, but said nothing else. The wind trotted up then, its touches tantalizing yet cautious, as if unsure why the two boys didn't want to romp on what was such a beautiful night. A stray star streaked across the sky, gone before either teen had really registered its existence.
Jounouchi glanced at the brunet. "We're going to duel again."
Kaiba closed his eyes. He wasn't so sure that they would. No matter, the outcome would be the same as always; he would win.
"Kaiba."
Opening his eyes at the tone in the others voice, he was unprepared for the scrutinizing amber orbs watching him from behind thick blond tresses. Finally aware of the needles prickling in his hand, he released the metal bar and let his hand drop uselessly by his side.
Once Jounouchi was sure that the other teen's attention was on him, he stood up and looked straight at him. "We are going to duel again, Kaiba." he stated firmly, his arms crossed and his head tilted challengingly, daring Kaiba to say otherwise.
The CEO made a noncommittal noise and leaned against the railing with both arms supporting his weight, head lolling backwards and eyes drifting shut. The wind made another attempt to get him to play; his hair tickling his face as it tried to succumb to the invitation.
He heard Jounouchi sigh heavily, another noise catching his attention shortly afterwards. Cracking one eye open, he looked at the blond, his other eye springing open at the sight before him. Jounouchi had a lit cigarette between two fingers, his other hand returning the lighter Kaiba had heard to his school jacket.
Perhaps sensing the brunet's gaze upon him, Jounouchi lifted the cigarette. "You don't mind?"
Surprised that the mutt had even considered whether he minded or not, he merely allowed his eyes to close again, settling himself against the sturdy bar at his back. A few moments passed where neither one said anything, until Kaiba caught the scent of Jounouchi's cigarette. He allowed his eyes to reveal themselves up until half-mast, their blue depths examining the living contradiction that was standing beside him.
The teen was again leaning against the railing, posture once more loose and relaxed, the brunet by his side forgotten to his own inner musings. Jounouchi took a long drag, lifting his head marginally to blow the smoke out over the ledge of the platform.
It was then, as the moon hit the blond's face, that Kaiba saw Jounouchi with all his masks off, the ones that he wore around his friends to keep them happy. He was struck by how old the other teen looked, from the lines of worry around his eyes to the lack of spark in his eyes that took only a single taunt to ignite into a blazing wildfire.
Kaiba found that he wanted that spark to be there, he wanted to see the living fire within the other teen. The absence of that light, that inner flame, was almost enough to drive him to shake the blond to his senses.
Almost. He was much subtler than that.
"You'll never defeat me in a duel, mutt." he sneered.
It may have been a trick of cigarette when it flared as Jounouchi took another drag, but Kaiba could have sworn he saw that spark flicker to life in the duelists honey brown eyes, and the ghost of a smile tug at the corners of his lips.
Jounouchi shifted his weight to his other leg, sparing himself another drag before he replied. "We'll see." He glanced at Kaiba, exhaling smoke into the crisp night air. "And I'm not a dog."
Kaiba smirked.
Minutes passed and neither breathed a word. Jounouchi had finished his cigarette and flicked it over the edge, only to take out another and light it. At Kaiba's sidelong glance he smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "It's a habit."
"One that's going to kill you someday." Kaiba lectured, pushing away from the railing and crossing his arms. He wasn't deterred by the defensive glare the blond shot up at him.
Jounouchi was first to break away from their silent argument, turning his eyes instead towards the ground. "Long way down."
Kaiba caught the attempt to change topics but let it slide, instead inwardly twitching at the thought of just how long of a ways it was. He couldn't help but wonder what the corpse of a person who had fallen off of the top would look like. After three seconds of pursuing that image he forced himself to stop, busying himself with staring into the moons grinning face instead.
"Kaiba?" Jounouchi paused, then continued. "You okay?"
The hesitance in those words made Kaiba look at the blond, the concern in Jounouchi's eyes making the unbidden image of Mokuba's worried face and anxious tone spring into his mind.
Big brother? Are you okay?
The waves crashed into the rocks, a sharp crack and a loud splash indicating that the sea had one small victory. Kaiba glanced towards the source of the sound, delaying his answer as he pondered it over.
A comforting weight rested on his shoulder, asking for Kaiba's attention. Slowly he turned, greeted by Jounouchi's troubled face, the hand not holding the cigarette placed reassuringly on Kaiba's shoulder.
Kaiba gave a small smile, a slight alteration from the one he gave Mokuba in that no emotions were hidden. Around his brother he had to hide his weaknesses and be a positive example, but around Jounouchi he need not keep up such pretences.
"I think I'll manage," he said softly.
Jounouchi looked at Kaiba seriously, gazing into the brunet's eyes and seeing his true answer. Jounouchi seemed satisfied with his decision because he nodded, his hand tightening on the taller teen's shoulder for a moment before sliding off.
"Good to hear." He glanced at his watch. "Yuugi's going to start wondering where I went. Told him I was going to get some fresh air."
Kaiba looked pointedly at the cigarette in Jounouchi's hands and then back to the blond's mirthful eyes. "You're a lot stupider then I thought. Filling your lungs with that crap is a far fetch from getting fresh air."
Jounouchi shrugged with a small smile gracing his features. He glanced at his watch again and sighed. "I'm heading back in." He looked up at Kaiba. "You coming?"
"In a minute."
Jounouchi flicked the cigarette butt over the duel towers edge. "Later, rich boy." he said, turning away and disappearing through the doorway.
Kaiba gave one last glance at the ground before following Jounouchi.
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I would like to continue this, as it is the first Jou/Kaiba that I've written that I've actually liked, and I already have an idea of a possible short ficlet, but I don't know if there's any point. What do you guys think?
And many thanks to Ocean, the amazing author who gave me the inspiration to try a new style of writing with what I think is a pretty damn good outcome. Her fics are amazing (Jasmine's Scent, Fly Away Home and Dusky Jacinth are just a few) and I suggest you go and check her out... think I have her in my favorites somewhere...
---Jasper Sable