Ryou woke with a start to sunlight. Seto stood in a thick bathrobe near the window with the curtains drawn, staring outside with a thoughtful gaze on his face. When he noticed Ryou, he acknowledged him with a slight nod.
"What time is it?" Ryou asked.
"Half past seven."
"Shit." Ryou scrambled out of his palace of feather down and silk. "I'm going to be late if I don't move my ass. Can I use your shower?"
Seto gestured to a door across from the bed.
"Thanks." Ryou dashed towards the door, a little sore but in a pleasant way.
He felt sort of guilty using Seto's shower. He didn't wash his hair, but the body wash alone looked so luxurious that Ryou felt like he owed Seto just for one use of it. He knew Seto didn't care, five hundred yen and five million yen were about the same to Kaiba, and the damn bodywash was probably something he hadn't even picked out himself. It was more likely that some attendant chose it, ordered it, and had a maid change out the bottles when necessary, but Ryou couldn't help but feel a little guilty using it despite knowing better.
He exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair tied in a knot behind him. Seto stood at the foot of the bed, watching Ryou. A simple, but work appropriate, suit lay against the sheets and Ryou could tell it was meant for him by the size of the clothes.
Seto pointed to a travel case. "Your clothes have been laundered and stored in here. I had my butler procure this for today." Seto gestured to the suit.
Ryou blushed. "I keep an extra suit in my office for emergencies."
"This isn't an emergency."
Ryou shifted his eyes to the window, the light drawing him as he looked for a distraction. "Kaiba ... thankyou, of course, but please don't make this a habit. I'm not a doll; don't dress me."
Seto merely shrugged. "It was practical. You being late for work is bad for Kaiba Corp."
"I hadn't meant to stay," Ryou confessed. "It was my fault. I should have considered the possibility." He walked up to the bed and began to change into the offered suit. "Thank you."
"You weren't going to stay?" Seto asked.
"Not originally. I had work to do." Ryou felt self-conscious dressing in front of Kaiba, but didn't want to waste time going back to the bathroom. Ryou tied his hair back like he always did for work. He turned, facing Seto. "I had a nice night." Ryou smiled. "Sorry, I'd stay longer, but my boss is a real asshole who doesn't accept tardiness."
Seto sniffed at the jab. He lifted up his hand, holding Ryou's cheek so he couldn't leave. "When are we doing this again?"
Ryou felt his face flush from the way Seto held it. "Um ... Saturday? I work a half day and then I'm off Sunday so I'll be less rushed."
"Dinner again."
Ryou blinked, realizing that it wasn't a question. "Sure. I have to go now."
He turned away and rushed out the room, hearing Seto's voice as he left. "Quit using so much overtime, Bakura!"
"Then program your own damn game, Kaiba!" Ryou shouted back. He made it to work with five minutes to spare.
Ryou felt energetic throughout the day. He credited most of his energy to the extra sleep. When Ryou returned to his apartment that evening, however, he couldn't help but sigh at his dinner options. Cupped noodles, microwave suppers, and prepackaged bento were the only things in his kitchen, and after dinner with Seto the night before, none of it looked satisfying.
Ryou settled for a cup of shrimp ramen and a pint of Ice cream. He worked on his laptop as he ate and then went to sleep for the night. Ryou expect to fall straight asleep, but instead he tossed and turned.
Ryou ended up laying on his back and staring sleepless at the ceiling. With the day wound down, little flashes of memory kept assailing his mind. The dance of candlelight against the walls, the feel of a body between his legs, Ryou's breathing grew shallow with each new thought. He closed his eyes and turned his head to the side, as if to shake away his thoughts, but they were embedded into his brain, seared into the memory of his nerves, and he couldn't escape them.
Sexually charged dreams filled Ryou's sleep. Everything was shadows and candlelight in Ryou's mind. The upcoming days flashed quick like the flare of a lit match, but the nights dragged. When the weekend finally arrived, Ryou had to force himself to walk, not run, through Kaiba's mansion and to the dining room. When Ryou entered the room, Seto's blue eyes peeked over the top of his computer.
Ryou sat down in the same chair as his last visit, watching Seto work. Ryou didn't want dinner. He wanted to say something to Seto. He wanted to reach over and suck on Seto's bottom lip. He wanted be thrown on the table and stripped bare. He'd been so wound up since their first night together that Ryou couldn't sleep, and when he did, all he dreamed about was Seto's bedroom. Ryou blamed himself, for shutting himself away from any kind of intimacy for so long. Like a man dying of thirst, Ryou wanted to throw himself into an oasis - even if he drowned.
"I got a report on Scylla and Charybdis today. Apparently everything is going smoothly. Mind telling me your opinion?"
Ryou snorted. "By the release date, everything will be butter, but I won't be catching up on my beauty sleep any time soon."
Seto closed his laptop. "I need to know where Scylla and Charybdis truly stands, Bakura. Extending the release date is inexcusable; however, throwing our first game into the current market full of bugs would be a complete disaster."
Ryou pursed his lips, setting up his laptop. "That's not going to happen. I'm making sure of it."
"Then why am I paying an entire developing team?"
"To write the code while I go behind them and fix all the errors. It's the most efficient way, considering," Ryou said even as he worked.
They ate salad, soup, the main course. Then Seto asked, "What would you have said in your report?"
Ryou didn't think much about it, his attention on endless rows of functions. "I would have started with all the positive aspects to build up my audience, then explain any problems, then explain plans of action to fix said issues along with secondary solutions to handle predictable hiccups that may occur while trying to fix the primary concerns. Finally, I'd end my report by bringing everyone back to the main goal and reminding them about our vision for the finished product."
"You said you'd plan for predictable hiccups, but what about the unforeseen problems?"
"I always have multiple scenarios and possible solutions planned out in my head, but a status meeting doesn't need to hear third and fourth contingency plans. You asked what I would have said in a report, not how prepared I am to make Scylla and Charybdis work."
"Bakura."
"Yes?" Ryou asked as he typed.
"Look at me."
Ryou glanced above his screen, feeling the weight of Seto's attention."
"Do you honestly not see why you need to lead this project?"
Ryou went back to his functions. "I don't want to talk about this, Kaiba."
"I won't promote you until afterward as we agreed upon, but I want you to understand why I want to promote you."
"I'm really not that great."
"On that we disagree."
Ryou looked back up, blushing. "Did you just compliment me?"
"No. This has nothing to do with vanity. This is an assessment of skill."
At that moment dessert arrived, a miniature mountain of creampuffs."
"You bastard," Ryou whispered. "You researched me."
"You said you liked desserts. I wanted to know your favorite."
"Did you ever think to ask me?"
"I wasn't going to see you again until today. "
Ryou stood up, pacing as counting off options on his fingers."
"You have my email, you could text me, or call me." He stopped in front of Seto, crossing his arms and over his chest and frowning. "It's really not fair. I dont have the resources to investigate you on a whim. It's cheating."
Seto's face stayed neutral. He stood up as well, looking down at Ryou because of his height. "You implied this was more business than pleasure. I did not think it appropriate to text message you."
Ryou opened his mouth to argue, but then he realized Seto was right. He tried to think of a retort, but Seto's searing blue eyes made it hard.
He felt himself blushing. "You can . . . If you want. I . . ." Ryou looked away. "Didn't think the term friends with benefits would appeal to you when I made the proposition."
Seto grabbed Ryou's shoulders. "You're right."
Ryou reached up then and grabbed Seto's hair, pulling him down for a harsh, opened-mouthed kiss. Seto moaned, and Ryou shoved his tongue into Seto's mouth. Seto stiffened for a second, and then ran his own tongue against Ryou's. Seto's fingers fumbled with the buttons on Ryou's shirt. They stumbled sideways, hitting the table edge.
Ryou whined through his nose, mouth still locked against Seto's. They were grabbing at each other, trying to rip off clothes and reach the flesh beneath. Ryou broke the kiss, his voice harsh from want as he spoke. "Your room."
Seto nodded, forgetting his laptop and he marched through the door. Ryou thought of his laptop, but at the last second, grabbed the plate of cream puffs instead. Ryou set the plate down on the night stand, rushing towards the laundry shoot and shoving his clothes away. Candlelight bounced off the walls again. The sight made Ryou eager to begin.
"We could have waited until you finished dessert."
"You're dessert," Ryou said, slipping out of his boxers. "Those are post dessert recovery food."
Seto frowned. "You can't eat those in bed."
Ryou laughed, stalking towards Seto. "Why not?"
"Because . . . it's . . . I mean, that's why we have tables. A dining room is for eating and a bed is for sleeping."
"Sleeping is not what we're about to use the bed for." Ryou tilted his head, Seto seemed oddly flustered. Ryou reached Seto, leaning against his chest and rubbing small circles on Seto's lower back. "Are those your rules . . . or Gozaburo's?"
Seto made a pained sound.
Ryou planted three gentle kisses on Seto's chest on either side of the locket Seto always wore. "Kaiba . . ."
"What?" His voice was harsh, pre-defensive.
"Take me," Ryou whispered. He looked up as Seto looked down. Ryou licked his lips, slow and intentional. "Take me right now."
They forgot about the cream puffs as Seto lifted Ryou up into the air and rested him down onto the bed. His clothes ended up in a neat, folded pile on the other nightstand before he slipped between Ryou's legs, grinding as he sucked on Ryou's neck.
Ryou lifted his hips to catch every subtle brush of Seto's body as they ground together. He turned his head to the side, giving Seto free reign over his neck. Seto's kisses traveled down to Ryou's chest. He kissed between each of the five, white scars and down Ryou's sensitive belly. When he reached Ryou's hips, Ryou hitched up in desperation.
"Oh Kaiba," Ryou whispered as his body jerked up in pleasure. "Kaiba."
From the folds of duvet, Seto pulled out the lube and plug he'd used last time. He slipped the toy up Ryou's ass, making Ryou call out, but not nearly as loud as when Seto bent down again and wrapped his mouth around Ryou's cock.
"Ah!" Ryou hitched up again, pressing himself deeper towards the back of Seto's throat.
Between the plug and blowjob Ryou went ferrel with desire. He started bucking hard, reaching out and twisting his long, slender fingers into Seto's chestnut locks.
"Kaiba! Don't stop! Please, don't stop!"
He didn't stop, angling the plug towards Ryou's prostate in order to make Ryou call out louder.
"Yes! Kaiba yes!"
Ryou wrapped his long, willowy legs around Seto's neck, his thighs pressed against Seto's ears."
"Yes! Yes! Kaiba! Kai-ah! Seto! Seto! Seto! I'm gonna cum!"
Ryou only half noticed that he'd switched to Seto's first name. He was too busy trying to warn Seto before his orgasm left him speechless, but Seto didn't stop or pull back. Ryou came into his mouth, shuddering as he felt Seto swallow.
Seto pulled the plug out as Ryou's legs dropped down to the mattress.
Ryou looked away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say your name so informally. I-"
Seto lunged on top of him, shoving his tongue into Ryou's mouth. Ryou grabbed Seto's back, moaning into the kisses and tasting himself on Seto's tongue. When Seto pressed into Ryou's body, Ryou's nails raked across Seto's back.
Ryou closed his eyes, still moaning, still seeing faint yellow candlelight flickering even with his lids shut. Seto moved faster than their first time, harder. Ryou's nails dragged against Seto's skin again and again. Seto growled, going harder each time Ryou mauled him. He bent down, passing his lips against the shell of Ryou's ear.
"Ryou," he said, voice rough and deliberate.
Ryou arched upward as Seto came. Afterward, Ryou smoothed his fingers over the welts on Seto's back. "Does it hurt?"
"I'm fine."
"I should treat it, don't you think?"
Seto chuckled. "Is this my aftercare?"
Ryou snorted. "I'd hardly call myself your dom. I just . . . got a little excited."
Seto's mako-blue eyes glowed in the dark. "I didn't mind. Maybe next time I'll get you very excited."
"Maybe you should handcuff me to the bed so I can't scratch you." Ryou laughed.
Seto propped his head up with his hand. "Would you like me to?"
Ryou blinked. "Would I like you to handcuff me?"
"That was the question, yes."
Ryou's breath caught in his throat. He thought about what it would feel like, to strain against metal while Seto moved inside of him, and Ryou found that he liked the idea. "Yes. I'd let you."
"I don't want you to let me unless you'd like it."
"I've never done it before, honestly, but It sounds interesting."
"Is there anything else you want to try?"
Ryou's dark eyes flashed in the candlelight as he turned to face Seto, his arm also propping up his head. "Well, I always wanted to see what hot candle wax felt like. C-could you do that when you handcuffed me? Maybe blindfolded?"
Seto reached out, tracing Ryou's lips with his fingertips. "When?"
"Next Saturday?" Ryou flushed at the thought of his last week of sultry dreams and cold showers. "But I'd like to see you again before then - if you're not busy."
"Wednesday?"
Ryou nodded, blinking for a moment as he thought. "What do you want to try?"
Seto pulled his fingers away from Ryou's lips. He diverted his eyes to the sheets, drawing designs with the tip of his finger. "Those swings always looked interesting."
"We can try that the Saturday after." Out of nervous habit, Ryou also toyed with the sheets. Their fingers brushed together and Ryou felt himself blushing when the touch made them look up at each other. "We're kind of vanilla as far as kink goes, aren't we?"
Seto shrugged his top shoulder. "No one's ever stuck around long enough for the topic to be broached."
"Why me, then? I mean, why ask me?"
A smile toyed with the corner of Seto's mouth. "You're the kind of person that brings creampuffs to bed and scratches hard . . . and you're the only person that's ever called out my name like I was anyone else and not a rich executive."
"My creampuffs." Ryou rolled over and snatched two from the plate. He shoved one into his own mouth and pressed the other one towards Seto. The CEO shied away, but after a moment succumbed and opened his mouth. Ryou crammed the entire pastry into Seto's mouth.
"That's good. I don't like sweets, but those aren't overbearing."
Ryou licked whiped cream from the side of his finger and stood up. He used the toilet and rummaged through Seto's medicine cabinet until he found an, unopened, tube of neosporin. Ryou stared at it. Seto's cabinet behind the bathroom mirror had a little bit of everything but none of it, like the neosporin, was used. Again, it made Ryou think of some attendant stocking the bathroom based on what they expected Seto to have instead of what he actually needed.
Going back to Seto's enormous bed, they finished off the creampuffs, and the Ryou rubbed neosporin over the deeper scratch marks. "I knew I was scratching . . . but I had no idea I was scratching this hard. You should have said something, Seto."
Ryou held his breath after speaking, wondering why he kept slipping up and using Seto's first name.
Seto glanced over his shoulder. "I took it as an indication that I was performing well."
Ryou laughed, setting the ointment on the nightstand. "Had I known how amazing you were in bed, I would have asked you to sleep with me twenty years ago when we were teenagers."
Seto snorted. "I would have turned you down twenty years ago."
"Oh thanks, that's nice." Ryou laughed.
Seto shrugged again, the sheets bunched up around his lap. "The idea of a physical relationship didn"t appeal to me until much later."
"That makes sense." Ryou laid on his back, staring up at the canopy.
"Does it?" Seto laid beside him. "It never made sense to me."
"You were conditioned to be distant and sterile towards people. Sex is sort of the opposite of that."
Seto made a thoughtful noise, closing his eyes. Ryou stared at him for a moment, smiling at how adorable he looked when his hair was trashed and his eyes were closed, before he also fell asleep.
