Right... this is a oneshot... not the first one I've written, but the first I'm publishing. I dunno if it's worth anything, so I'm kinda scared, but... let me know what you think, if you want to.
Recently, on MTV Masters (subject: Die Ärzte, a German Punk/Rock band), I heard this song, and after downloading it and listening to it, I was inspired to write this story. The translations of the lyrics were done by me, and I certainly don't think that everything is a-okay, but I hope it's sufficient for this purpose.
(BTW, you should listen to the song - I think it's actually pretty funny, especially the last part of the last verse!)
Anyway - on with the story...
Wie es geht - How to do it
• lyrics
• 'thoughts'
Joey sighed with frustration as he put down the pencil. It was just no use; he would never understand math. If there was any possibility to travel back in time and kill those mathematicians – like the guy who made the basic equation of trigonometry – yes, he would do exactly that! But right now, those thoughts were the very last things that did him any good. Miserably, he looked down at the problem he had been brooding over for the past twenty minutes; the paper was wrinkled from the constant erasing he did and the numbers had been smudged beneath his hand.
A stern voice awoke him from his musings:
"It's late, mutt. Go now; there's no use in continuing this today anymore, your concentration is too poor."
The blond looked up. On the other end of the couch he was currently sitting on, Seto Kaiba was reading a book while he had occasionally cast scrutinizing looks at the other teen. Now, though, the book lay in his lap with a thumb between the pages as the brunet stared at him with a look that tolerated no objection.
"I was kinda spacing out… let me have another try…" Joey tried to explain.
"I've already let you stay here fifteen minutes longer than the time we agreed on. I repeat: it's late, and since you can't concentrate anymore, we'll continue this tomorrow," Seto insisted coolly.
"Couldn't you just let me try and make out a method of resolution?" Joey asked exasperatedly, looking straight back at the CEO.
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Ich schau dich an (I look at you)
Und du bist unbeschreiblich schön (And you're so incredibly beautiful)
Ich könnte ewig hier sitzen (I could sit here forever)
Und dich einfach nur anseh'n (And simply look at you)
Doch plötzlich stehst du auf (But suddenly you get up)
Und du willst gehen (And you want to leave)
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Seto snorted and put the book on the little table, on which Joey's math papers were spread out, deliberately slamming it a bit to emphasize his impatience. No sooner had he done that when he stood up and said haughtily:
"Fine! If you won't go, then I will! I trust that you'll find the door yourself, though I expect you to be gone within the next five minutes, otherwise…"
The rest of what he said was unheard by Joey, who simply looked at him while only one thought filled his mind: he didn't want him to leave. Not yet…
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Bitte geh noch nicht (Please don't leave quite yet)
Ich weiss, es ist schon spät (I know it's already late)
Ich will dir noch was sagen (I want to tell you something)
Ich weiss nur nicht, wie es geht (I just don't know how to do it)
Bleib noch ein bisschen hier (Please stay a little longer)
Und schau mich nicht so an (And don't look at me like that)
Weil ich sonst ganz bestimmt (Otherwise I surely won't be able)
Überhaupt gar nichts sagen kann (To say anything at all)
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„What's wrong with you, mutt? Stop staring at me like that!" Seto hissed. The anger that laced his gaze only served as a veil for his confusion; he didn't know what had suddenly come over Joey – to suddenly drop out like that was uncommon, even in his case.
Said blond cringed a bit under that piercing glare. Whenever Seto was angry and got that look, nobody could bear to look him in the eye for very long, and Joey had once heard from Mokuba that quite a few people couldn't even speak anymore… and exactly that was happening to him now. He was not the grand exception, although he was rather witty and usually knew what to say.
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Ich weiss selber nicht, was los ist (I don't know what's wrong myself)
Meine Knie werden weich (My knees feel like rubber)
Im Film sieht es so einfach aus (In the movies it always looks so easy)
Jetzt bin ich kreidebleich (Now I'm as white as a sheet)
Ich weiss nicht, was ich sagen soll (I don't know what I should say)
Mein Gott, jetzt gehst du gleich (My God, you're just about to leave)
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"What the hell is wrong with you?" Seto wondered, looking at the other as if he were an alien. Joey just gaped at him, wishing that he would actually know the answer to that question.
'Good question… what is wrong with me? Why can't I just do it?!'
Seto was known to have preciously little patience when it came to the matter of others taking up his time, and now his limit was just about reached. And being goggled at didn't improve his mood, either…
"I shouldn't bother myself with the likes of you! This is ridiculous…!" he muttered and already started to walk away when he heard Joey finally say something:
"No… please don't go…"
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Bitte geh noch nicht (Please don't leave quite yet)
Blieb noch ein bisschen hier (Please stay a little longer)
Ich muss dir noch was sagen (I need to tell you something)
Nur, die Worte fehlen mir (But I lack the words)
Bitte geh noch nicht (Please don't leave quite yet)
Ich weiss, es ist schon spät (I know it's already late)
Ich will dir noch was sagen (I want to tell you something)
Ich weiss nur nicht wie es geht (I just don't know how to do it)
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„…What?" Seto asked and turned back. He had meant to sound foreboding, but instead a baffled tone of voice came out.
"Don't go," Joey repeated. He didn't have a clue exactly how to carry on – of course, that depended on Seto's (unpredictable) reaction – but Joey wouldn't have been Joey if he wouldn't take a chance sometimes.
Seto felt uneasy. Usually, he was very capable of foretelling others' reactions, but this was completely unfamiliar territory to him. That was one thing he didn't exactly fear, but dreaded all the same: occasions on which he was not in full control. At the same time, he just couldn't comprehend why he was unable to simply walk away and leave all this behind.
"Leave. Now," he added, stressing the word with less confidence than he wished to have used, though managing to halfway turn away from the blond teen to the door.
"But… I…" Joey began, almost starting to stammer. He knew what he basically wanted to say – he had ignored it long enough that his mind was practically trying to kill him while urging him to say it – but dear Lord, it was hard, especially since he feared that Seto might just slaughter him if those words would reach his ears…!
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Ich dachte immer (I always thought)
dass es leicht wär' (It would be easy)
Ich dachte immer (I always thought)
das ist doch kein Problem (It wouldn't be a problem)
Jetzt sitz' ich hier wie ein (Now I'm sitting here)
Kaninchen vor der Schlange (Like a deer caught in the headlights)
Und ich fühl' mich (And I feel)
Wie gelähmt (As if I'm paralyzed)
Ich muss es sagen (I must say it)
Ich weiss nur noch nicht, wie (I just don't know how yet)
Ich muss es dir sagen (I must tell you)
Jetzt oder nie (Now or never)
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The moment was profoundly weird; for once, Seto Kaiba and Joey Wheeler were in the same room, but not engaged in an argument. The blond's mouth was slightly open, quite as if he had started to say something, but had forgotten what that was in the meantime. Seto's eyes still bore that "paralyzing look", and his lips were pursed a bit as he waited, having decided to give the other boy roughly thirty seconds to explain himself – after all, whatever he wanted to say, it couldn't be that hard to say, could it?
Little did he know that Joey was frantically trying to make his move, but his brain was providing him with so many different varieties of saying it that he was utterly confused. He needed to focus for this, he was thinking to himself sometime in-between, otherwise he'd definitely screw it up, and life didn't have a rewind button on a remote control…
"Just spit it out already, mutt!" Seto demanded exasperatedly. 'Say something – anything – maybe then I will finally be able to walk from you and keep up the appearance behind which I feel safest…!'
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Bitte geh noch nicht (Please don't leave quite yet)
Am besten gehst du nie (In fact, don't ever leave at all)
Ich hab's dir schon so oft gesagt (I've said it to you so often before)
In meiner Fantasie (In my imagination)
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If he really wanted to slap himself, this would definitely be the moment, Joey thought as he sensed how the CEO's patience was almost gone. How unfair could this be? After all, he had spent (in his opinion) frighteningly much time daydreaming about a boy who insulted him whenever the opportunity was given, and it hadn't been long before his fantasy self had confessed what was real to the other teen, who in the dream would usually reply, saying the same thing. Somehow, the way in which he said it was never quite the same, but what mattered was how often he had imagined it. As usual, reality proved to be a hell of a lot harder to deal with. To chicken out at this point, however, was long since out of question.
Joey let his eyelids drop until his eyes were almost shut and concentrated hard on the words he wanted to say…
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Bleib noch ein bisschen hier (Please stay a little longer)
Bitte geh noch nicht (Please don't leave quite yet)
Was ich versuche dir zu sagen ist: (What I'm trying to tell you is)
Ich liebe dich! (I love you)
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It all sounded so right… wouldn't that be just perfect to say… but it was only when he focused on the three most important words that Joey's lips really moved as his voice returned again – the only problem was that he was unaware of this happening:
"…I love you!"
This time, it was Seto's turn to gape. He had expected… what had he expected, actually? Anything but that, he was quite sure about this point. One of his enemies, the overly loud, totally-the-opposite-of-him blond, had just said that he loved him! This was a cause with many (possible) effects. And then Seto caught himself thinking something, a slightly alternated version of his former description of the other boy:
'He's my enemy… my favorite enemy, nevertheless…'
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Ich weiss nicht, wie es geht (I don't know how to do it)
Wie es geht (How to do it)
Wie es geht… (How to do it)
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„God, I don't know how to say it… give me a moment, Kaiba…!" Yes, Joey was whimpering – he was just too frustrated! He vowed not to forgive himself if he would leave the mansion without getting this over with, otherwise he might get a sudden intuition of doing it sometime wrong and someplace stupid…
Suddenly, he heard Seto's voice ask something, and he could hear that the brunet was very close:
"Care to repeat what you said, pup?"
Joey looked up. Two things seemed to be very wrong, or at least weird, in his opinion: number one, since when did he just say something? He had been thinking, but not talking… hadn't he? And number two, why was Seto suddenly calling him "pup"? On several very rare occasions, Seto had swapped the crude description of "mutt" for the more pet-name-like expression "puppy"; "pup" was something else, though. Pet name all the way.
"What I… said?" Joey repeated faintly and prayed that Seto would have the courtesy of explaining.
Seto smirked, but there was something different in his facial expression, thus making it almost look like a smile. "Must I always repeat everything I say…?"
"I honestly don't know what you mean… I didn't say anything," Joey tried to defend himself. One thing was for sure: if he was wrong, Seto would surely correct him, as he never failed to do.
"Yes, you did," the other teen contradicted and met Joey's gaze unwaveringly, though not with a death glare, "Three words, to be precise. Does that ring a bell?"
Joey couldn't have said if he paled or if he blushed. In any case, he knew that his complexion had changed its color.
'Is he implying what I think he is?! Did I really say it? Damn, I didn't even notice…!'
"You really managed to surprise me, puppy," Seto said, now feeling a real smile tug at his lips, "That you love me is the last thing I would have expected you to say…"
"I… I really said it, then…" Joey paused, but then he suddenly stood up with almost scarlet cheeks – he feared that he had crossed a line. "I'm sorry… Bye, then…!" He wished that he could tell more clearly what the brunet was thinking, but the way he had known it so far, the other's face was mostly an unreadable mask. Before he could start walking away, he felt long, slender fingers wrap themselves firmly around his hand.
"Oh no, you don't," Seto told him, then gave a rather sharp tug, and with a surprised gasp, Joey found himself sitting down again. For a moment, he felt like being X-rayed under the intent stare of the other, but then the scrutiny in the cerulean eyes was replaced with anticipation. "Prove it. Prove to me that you are telling the truth. That's the last thing I'm asking of you for today," Seto demanded.
Well, there surely was no room for arguments there, Joey thought. Besides, his hand was being pinned down between them, so unless he'd struggle physically, he wasn't going anywhere. And now that he had achieved what he had wanted – namely, for Seto to stay – perhaps he should find out whether his fantasies were true, for in his dreams, Seto had always been one hell of a good kisser.
Now that the truth was out, there wasn't much that he could lose, the blond thought to himself, so what the heck. For a second, he prepared himself for the upcoming moment, then he just leaned over and kissed Seto. He hadn't necessarily expected the other to react, so he was surprised when he felt the CEO respond. Just a short moment later, he felt how his hand was released, and a second later, he was being pulled close as the kiss was deepened.
'Definitely a good kisser,' Joey concluded, marveling at the fact that the Seto Kaiba was by now really French-kissing him. This was worth all the psychical torment his brain had put him through…
After some time, Seto finally let off him, and for once his face was as readable as were those of other (normal) people; the pleasure from what had happened right now could just as well have been inscribed in capital letters all over him.
"So you really do mean it, pup…" he murmured. His eyes quickly darted back to the blond's lips, then he whispered: "You'll come over tomorrow again, won't you?"
"Um… sure…" Joey replied dazedly. 'Hell yeah… what else?'
"And about the problem you were brooding over… it's not that easy to solve, but if you'll manage, I might as well reward you for your hard work."
'Cryptic…' Joey thought with a hint of sarcasm. "And if I don't…?" he asked.
Seto pretended to think about it, but then he grinned: "Well, if you'll be a good puppy and pay good attention when I show you how it's done, I'll give it to you anyhow." He was perfectly well aware of the ambiguity in that last little bit and fitfully suppressed a laugh when Joey blushed. "Is that awkwardness I see? From you?" he snickered; after all, Joey wasn't known to be awkward…
"It's just… what you said…"
Seto stood up, pulling the blond right with him. "Now, now, we're not hasty, are we? Patience is the key, I'm sure you know that saying," he said as he began to escort the flustered teen to the door.
"Is it my fault that you're saying vague things?" Joey shot back.
"No, but it is your fault if you jump to rash conclusions."
"When will I ever have the last word?" Joey sighed as they approached the door. Sure enough; usually, Seto was the one who won the verbal arguments. When the door was opened, he stepped outside, paused, then turned back. "Well, see ya tomorrow, Kaiba…"
'Blushing again… who would've thought that he'd be like a schoolgirl?' Seto thought amusedly with a grin as he nodded. Before Joey could really go, though, the CEO lightly caught the teen's chin in his hand, making him stop yet again. "By the way, puppy: it's Seto, not Kaiba."
A split second later, Joey replied: "By the way too, but back at you: it's Joey, not puppy."
Seto slowly shook his head, a mischievous grin gracing his lips. "Puppy," he insisted in a firm voice, then kissed Joey very quickly again before letting him go.
"Fine," Joey mock-pouted, then started walking. He looked back just in time to see the door close. As he left the driveway, he glanced at his wristwatch. He had been at the mansion 45 minutes longer than what he and Seto had agreed on when the teacher had paired them up so he would get private lessons; and tomorrow, he thought as he walked homewards with the trademark grin on his face, he would probably stay there even longer…
END
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