Finally, Kaiba sat down at his desk after tucking Mokuba into bed. Sinking into his chair, he felt exhaustion settle heavily on his shoulders. He ran a hand through his hair, lifting it up off his forehead, and suddenly Yami's astonished expression flashed through his mind.
Frowning, Kaiba quickly opened his desk drawer and pulled out Hiro's phone, remembering the missed call from Yami. Kaiba was about to hit redial before pausing and realizing that his voice alone might give him away on the phone.
Yami would definitely be able to recognize his voice over the phone.
Shit! Kaiba cursed angrily, bringing a fist down loudly against his desk, feeling the shock of pain travel up his arm. He stared at the phone for a moment, before throwing caution to the wind and hitting re-dial.
The phone rang once, twice...Kaiba felt himself begin to sweat with anticipation. After the eighth ring, the dial tone rang in his ear and an automated female voice floated coolly through the receiver, "This caller's voice mailbox has not been set up yet..."
Typical, Kaiba growled to himself, remembering Yami's hesitation when he gifted him with the phone. Sighing, Kaiba stood and headed over to his closet. He opened the door and stared at the box of purchases he had yet to unpack. Kaiba started hanging the articles of clothing one by one, inspecting them closely, brushing his hand over the fabrics and enjoying how comfortable they felt.
Kaiba came across the black top with the gold embroidered collar and matching cuffs, which he had purchased with the intent of gifting it to Yami. Kaiba's frown deepened. This was going to be difficult. Kaiba set it aside, laying it out on his king-sized bed, studying it.
Suddenly, his phone rang shrilly, the vibration cut loudly through the room and it buzzed along his desk. Kaiba rushed towards the sound, afraid it would wake Mokuba. He lunged at his desk, his hand curling around the buttons on the side, quickly silencing it.
Kaiba froze, which phone did he just silence?!
He slowly lifted his palm up, dreading his discovery. He had just prematurely rejected a call from Yami. Kaiba mentally slapped himself, feeling an oncoming headache.
Oh...Fuck! he gritted his teeth, pissed. He cursed himself for being an idiot and stormed back over to his closet, staring angrily his clothes, wondering if his actions would result in some unforeseen consequences. Trying not to think about it, Kaiba shook the hair out of his eyes and resumed hanging his purchases in his closet.
Yami opened his eyes slowly as a light buzzing woke him from his nap. Everything was dark except for a faint glow coming in through the window. Silver moonlight cast a wavering shadow through the leaves of the tree outside his window and Yami realized he had fallen asleep. Stretching slightly, Yami palmed his face, touching the corners of his eyes gingerly, feeling their puffiness. Sighing, he reached into his pocket and fished out his phone, wondering what was causing all the buzzing.
To his pleasant surprise, it was a missed call from Hiro! The notification glowed brightly at him in the darkness and Yami quickly slid his finger across the screen excitedly redialing the number. Holding the phone up to his ear and eagerly waited to hear Hiro's gentle voice in his ear.
It rang once, twice, and then a long pause. Yami held his breath, preparing to speak just as an automated message picked up, stating the user had not set up a voicemail box yet.
Was his call just cut off at the second ring?
Frowning slightly, he lowered the phone back down onto his lap.
Anzu's words still weighed heavily on his shoulders and Yami felt as though his mind was covered with a dark veil; he couldn't think clearly.
Swinging his legs over the side of his bed, Yami stood up and exited the room quickly, his stomach growling.
Anzu and Yugi were sitting on the couch watching a show while Joey sat on the table in front of them, shuffling through his duel monsters deck, muttering to himself nonstop.
Yugi heard Yami's footsteps coming down the stairs and he looked up from the TV, smiling gently at his twin. "Hey, how are you feeling?" Yugi asked, trying to keep the guilt out of his voice.
Yami's eyes traveled around the room, taking note of everyone and then nodded at Yugi, "I'm fine Aibou, thank you for asking. I wish to speak with Anzu."
Anzu blinked and nodded, standing slowly, "Let's talk outside."
Yami's eyes followed her silently as Anzu made her way out through the hallway and into the shop. The door slammed loudly and Yugi looked up at Yami through his spiky blonde bangs, "Yami, if at any point you don't feel comfortable...just let me know."
Yami barely nodded and exited the living room, passing through the hallway and into the shop. Tapping his shoes on, he saw Anzu's silhouette standing apprehensively outside the door of the Kame Game Shop. Yami felt strangely heavy as he walked through the store and stepped through the doorway, joining Anzu on the other side, feeling the rush of the cold night air sting his ears.
Anzu had her arms folded, leaning against the wall by the door, her eyes fixed on the street where several cars were stopped at a light.
Yami followed her gaze and they stood together in silence for a long moment, listening to the sounds of traffic pass by. Watching a group of businessmen cross the street, all holding identical briefcases, Anzu finally spoke up first, her voice barely audible over the sound of the wind whistling, "Yami, I'd like to apologize for being so harsh."
"It's really fine." Yami commented, absently rubbing the edges of his phone in his pocket. "I have given my situation some thought and I appreciate your concern."
Anzu nodded, still gazing out towards the street, "If you're really sure about him, I'll leave it alone. Yugi was right, it's none of my business. This is between you and Hiro."
Yami paused, hesitating, but decided to ask anyway, "Actually Anzu, perhaps your perspective could help shed some light on what I've been experiencing."
Anzu turned to face him for the first time, her eyes shining, "Yes, ...Yes! I'm here for you, Yami, please don't ever forget that! Go ahead, I'm listening."
Yami smiled appreciatively at her and contemplated where to start. He gazed up at the sky that was slowly starting to become spotted with stars, and decided to start with the truth.
"I honestly feel like I've known him for a long time," Yami began, "Everything about him feels familiar, his physical presence, his mannerisms..." Yami's voice trailed off lightly and Anzu nodded, encouraging him to continue.
"I'm not sure," Yami said lamely, shrugging, "I know I'm being ridiculous, but every now and then, he reminds me of Kaiba."
Anzu's eyes widened considerably when she heard this, "Go on..." she said, her breath catching in her throat.
"I'm being foolish." Yami said quickly, his gaze still fixed upwards at the sky, his face reddening slightly.
"No, no you're not!" Anzu cried, "Tell me some details, like, how does he remind you of Kaiba?"
Yami blinked, his mind still cloudy from his nap, "It's only the rare occasion, but sometimes he folds his hands together in front of his face, the same way Kaiba does. I am aware that many people may share the same mannerisms, but this.." Yami sighed, "It's all in my head. I am most certain."
Anzu nodded silently, quietly observing Yami, patiently waiting for him to continue speaking.
"Hiro is too kind and warmhearted to be anything like Kaiba." Yami concluded simply. "Any similarities he may share with Kaiba are merely coincidences and my mind is drawing those irrational conclusions based on what I've seen."
"I see," Anzu said simply, nodding. "Well Yami, if you experience anything else suspicious, we can figure it to together. You're not alone in this. Yugi and I, we're both here for you."
Yami said nothing, continuing to stare up into the sky which was completely dark now. The stars stood out brightly, a few wispy grey clouds floated by. What would be considered suspicious behavior? Yami mused, Perhaps I ought to have put more thought into this before coming forward to Anzu.
Yami glanced over quickly at her, "Thank you Anzu, you were right to be worried. The way I'm behaving," Yami shook his head, "I'm scaring myself."
Anzu softened and smiled gently at Yami, "Love makes us do scary things."
Yami laughed softly and gestured towards the door, "We've been out here for a while, let's not worry the others."
Anzu nodded, allowing Yami to hold the door open for her, and they stepped quietly in the game shop, quickly heading back into the living room where Yugi and Joey were waiting.
Kaiba finished hanging all of his new purchases and stepped back to admire his handiwork. Glancing at his watch, Kaiba decided he could squeeze in a bit of work before turning in for the night. He sat down at his desk and flipped open his laptop, wondering how much he had missed throughout the week, the blue glow burning into his eyes as he pulled up his calendar.
His eyelids grew heavy almost immediately and Kaiba reached for his personal phone, texting Isono to put a pot of coffee on to boil. He placed both phones next to him and got down to work, his fingers flitting expertly over his keyboard.
Kaiba would occasionally glance at the phones, thinking he had seen one of their screens light up with a message, but both phones remained silent. There was a soft knock at the door and the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted into the room. Isono pushed the door open slightly and walked in carrying a tray organized neatly with a cup of light cream and a steaming pot of coffee. "Mr. Kaiba, I have brewed a pot of coffee for you, shall I leave this on your desk?"
Kaiba nodded at him in thanks, not looking up from his laptop, his fingers flying diligently across the keyboard. Isono bowed and retreated out of the room, easing the door halfway shut. Kaiba stared intently at the screen, clicking across spreadsheets and reports, not really seeing any of it.
He poured himself a cup and leaned back into his seat, sipping the coffee slowly. Kaiba glanced at the clock and was slightly shocked at how fast time had flown by; it was 3AM. It suddenly hit him that he was doing a week's worth of work in one night.
Leaning forwards once again and setting the cup down, he resumed his position and continued typing. Several hours passed by swiftly, unnoticed.
Kaiba's company phone buzzed lightly. He ignored it.
The phone buzzed again and Kaiba twitched, annoyed. He glanced over at the screen, his hands hovering above the keyboard, still typing out his last thoughts, and he read the preview of a text from Isono, "Mr. Yugi is at the door, should I let..."
Kaiba felt his head swim and he quickly snatched his phone up, almost knocking over his coffee. He opened the text, reading it over twice. "Mr. Yugi is at the door, should I let him in?"
What the hell? Kaiba thought dazedly, What does Yugi want from me at 3 in the fucking morning?
Kaiba snapped out of it and quickly replied to the text, "Yes, let him in." Glancing around his desk frantically, Kaiba shoved Hiro's phone back into his drawer, making sure to turn it off completely. The last thing he wanted was for Yami to call or text him while Yugi was in the room.
He rushed into the bathroom and splashed cold water onto his face, the feeling shocked him fully awake. Kaiba was prepared; he was ready for whatever bullshit Yugi was here to throw at him. Carefully patting his face dry with a towel, Kaiba strode back over to his desk and sat down, staring resolutely at the screen, the text sliding off to the side as his vision blurred. God was he tired.
Kaiba glanced up at the door in anticipation, realizing it was half open. He lowered his gaze again, listening as the footsteps grew louder as Yugi got closer.
There was a soft knock at the door and Kaiba paused, staring at the spiky-haired shadow flooding in through the crack, he could see the tips of his studded boots at the edge of the doorway.
"What do you want Yugi?" Kaiba said tensely, staring at his own fingers suspended hesitantly above his keyboard. There was a long pause and the shadow remained motionless in his peripheral vision.
"Oh just come in," Kaiba snapped, "And close the door behind you."
The shadow moved forwards and Kaiba raised his head up to stare at the figure in the doorway.
His breath hitched in this throat when he realized it was Yami.
"I'm...not Yugi." Yami said awkwardly in his usual deep tones, still standing cautiously in the doorway.
Definitely not Yugi, Kaiba repeated mentally, deeply shocked, unable to think or breathe. He was frozen in his seat and Kaiba forced himself to blink and nod, dimly aware that his chest hurt from the lack of oxygen. Tearing his eyes away from Yami, Kaiba glanced back down at his screen, calculating his next move.
Stand, be polite, Kaiba breathed to himself, If Hiro is who he prefers, then my fucking competition...is myself, dammit.
Kaiba stood smoothly and quickly hit save, clicking the lid of his laptop shut. He made his way over to Yami and pulled the door open wider, attempting a gentle smile. "Come in." Kaiba said, moving to the side, allowing Yami to step in past him.
Yami's heart raced as Kaiba let him in. The light scent of coffee drifted around Yami as the door swung closed behind them. Kaiba strode past Yami and stood by his desk, feeling himself sweat nervously.
Yami's eyes darted around the room, landing on the large pot of coffee resting on a tray next to Kaiba's laptop. Kaiba seemed to be busy... he was definitely intruding again. "I'm bothering you." Yami said slowly, his gaze fixed on the half-empty pot of coffee.
Kaiba folded his arms and spoke truthfully, "You're welcome here anytime."
Yami felt his chest tighten strangely, and he didn't say anything. They stood awkwardly together in the room, occasionally glancing at one another. The silence stretched painfully, neither of them speaking.
Finally, Kaiba couldn't take it anymore, deciding to ask the question that was burning at the tip of his tongue, "What are you doing here? Does Yugi know you're here?"
Yami looked pained and he glanced nervously off to the side, "No one knows I come here."
He didn't answer my first question, Kaiba fumed, rephrasing it, "What can I do for you?"
Yami crossed his arms nervously, "I couldn't sleep," and he shuffled his feet anxiously, "So I went out for a walk and ended up here.." his voice lowering to a mumble.
"Yeah that's not what I asked you." Kaiba said irritably, "Tell me why you're here."
Yami didn't answer, he was lost in thought, his eyes flitting around the room landing on a beautiful dark colored shirt draped over the edge of Kaiba's bed. It looked expensive, with black pearl buttons and subtle gold embroidery lining the collar and cuffs. Yami felt his breath catch in his throat, he couldn't see the shirt clearly in the dark, but he knew it definitely wasn't something Kaiba would wear. It looked way too small...
It's for his...girlfriend! Yami realized, a solid rock of anxiety readily forming in his stomach when he remembered Mokuba's bright smile as he mentioned Kaiba's "new girlfriend".
Kaiba frowned, still waiting for Yami to answer, following his gaze to the shirt laying on his bed.
Perfect, Kaiba thought slyly, and he spoke up, "Yami, you know I hate repeating myself. What are you doing here?"
Yami jumped slightly at the sound of Kaiba's voice. Dragging his gaze away from the shirt, he straightened himself up, trying to appear taller, "I came to ask you a question."
Perhaps he won't answer, Yami thought, his stomach turning uncomfortably, He will dismiss me as usual, saying it's none of my business.
Kaiba felt a laugh bubble up in his chest, "Okay, ask away." He tilted his head at Yami, intrigued.
Yami appeared to struggle with himself for a moment, the moonlight from the window cast a soft glow across his blonde bangs and Kaiba folded his arms across his chest to prevent himself from reaching out and touching Yami.
"Well?" Kaiba prodded. He was getting impatient.
Yami took a deep breath and spoke, "Your girlfriend...is she pretty?"
Kaiba was caught off guard and he stared at Yami. "What."
She is! Yami thought distressingly, That reaction proves it!
Kaiba lowered his arms and stepped closer towards Yami, his voice barely above a whisper, "Where the hell did you get that from?"
Yami felt panic rising in his throat, choking him, "I-I ..heard... from Mokuba."
Kaiba forced himself to remain calm as the situation was becoming less and less amusing. If Mokuba said "girlfriend" that meant he didn't really know anything.
"Mokuba doesn't know anything." Kaiba scoffed, watching Yami's expression as carefully as he could in the dark.
Yami lowered his head, regretting mentioning Mokuba, "Well, that's why I'm asking you."
Wow, fuck this. Kaiba thought angrily. Yami thinks I have a girlfriend? Fine, let him, if he'll feel anything towards me, even if it's jealousy, I'll take it.
Kaiba raised his head up haughtily and looked directly at Yami, "Yes. She is pretty."
I suppose you are pretty, for a man. Kaiba reflected privately, watching Yami blink his large eyes at him.
Yami felt his heart drop to his feet and his head swam unpleasantly as he heard Kaiba's response. "I see." he said blinking slowly, his gaze fixed on Kaiba's shoulder, but then he felt himself begin to grow angrier and angrier as he remembered their previous conversation from the night before. He offered me a chance, didn't he? Yami fumed, and he decided to confront Kaiba about this directly.
"Kaiba," Yami said darkly, glowering at him, "Does your offer still stand?"
Kaiba tensed as he struggled to remember. What offer?...Oh, Kaiba recalled their conversation over the parfait, where he was humiliated when Yami insisted Hiro was "better" than he was.
"What, are you suddenly changing your mind now?" Kaiba spat, his temper rising.
"No." Yami replied indignantly, "I'm just appalled you would do this to your girlfriend. But I suppose you are the type of person to throw away someone's feelings."
Oh look at you preaching about feelings when you're stepping all over mine, Kaiba fumed.
Kaiba gritted his teeth and barely managed to get his words out, "You ought to be flattered, Yami, that I would drop my so-called girlfriend for you in a second."
Yami could not believe his ears, "She's your "so-called" girlfriend now?"
What would become of me if Kaiba suddenly decided he was no longer interested? Yami thought, feeling lightheaded, Perhaps the type of man Anzu was describing is Kaiba!
Kaiba was reeling with resentment and rage. He could feel a massive headache coming on and he couldn't take it anymore, "She doesn't exist." Kaiba growled, curling his fists and hiding them behind his thighs, "Like I said, Mokuba doesn't know anything."
Yami raised his head and met Kaiba's glare for the first time since he had entered the room. Kaiba looked furious as usual, his piercing gaze ran daggers through Yami as he tried to return the look with the same amount of animosity.
"If she doesn't exist," Yami struggled to find the right words as Kaiba stared unblinkingly into his eyes, his face heating up, "Then... what is that shirt doing on your bed?"
And now we're back to the fucking shirt, Kaiba thought maliciously, I'll take it he does like it, otherwise he wouldn't be fixated on asking so much about it.
Smirking, Kaiba crossed his arms and turned to lean the small of his back against the edge of his desk, "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Yes, tell me," Yami insisted, unaware that he was raising his voice, "I would like to know."
Kaiba shrugged nonchalantly, walking swiftly over to the bed and pulled the shirt towards him. Hastily yanking it off it's hanger, he draped it over his arm and made his way back towards Yami, who was watching his every move like a hawk.
Kaiba's smirk turned into a smile as he pinched the shirt up at the shoulders, holding it up for Yami's inspection, "Do you like it?" Kaiba asked softly, his heart pounding loudly in his ears as he watched Yami's eyes widen and he swore he saw Yami's pupils dilate slightly.
A wave of uncertainty washed over Yami, fogging his mind. Was this...another gift?! Yami's gaze was fixed on the delicate gold embroidery which shone invitingly back at him in the moonlight. It was stunning; the material looked like silk...Yami instinctively reached a hand out to touch the fabric before he could stop himself.
Kaiba's smile widened gleefully and he pulled the shirt up out of Yami's reach. "It's yours, on one condition."
Yami's breath hitched in his throat painfully as he withdrew his hand, curling it into a fist. Of course, Kaiba would require something in return.
"Not interested." Yami said roughly, forcing himself to turn around, facing the door. It looked so far, even thought it was only a few paces away.
"You should hear the offer first before declining." Kaiba sniffed, "Just put it on. The least you could do is let me know that it fits."
Yami turned back around slowly to face Kaiba, feeling conflicted, "...That's all?"
Kaiba nodded, lowering the shirt back into Yami's reach, "Go ahead, I'll wait."
Yami's face reddened instantly, "You want me to put it on now?!"
"Yes." Kaiba grinned widely, his teeth flashing in the moonlight. "There's no need to be shy, we're both men. Nothing I haven't seen before." Kaiba swallowed at this lie, recalling the image of Yami lying shirtless on the bed in his apartment with his erection jutting out from underneath his underwear through the fly of his tight leather pants.
Yami stood very still. He could feel that something was off, but he wasn't sure what it was exactly. Was this a trap? A trick? The silk shirt fluttered lightly in the wind coming through the window behind Kaiba, it's buttons gleamed brightly, as if taunting him.
"Fine." Yami agreed hastily, reaching for the shirt with one hand and simultaneously pulling off his blue blazer with the other. Kaiba's grin turned into a triumphant leer as he watched Yami shrug his blazer off casually.
The wind caused goosebumps to run up Yami's arms as he stood in his sleeveless undershirt. He reached for the shirt, but just as his fingers brushed across the silk, Kaiba yanked it out of his grasp once again.
Yami was getting pissed, "Honestly, Kaiba you-"
"You can't see how it fits with something underneath," Kaiba sneered arrogantly, feeling his heart beating loudly with anticipation.
Yami clenched his fists once again and glared at Kaiba, feeling his temper rise. This bastard...
"Fine." Yami growled through clenched teeth, "If you insist."
Yami was too angry to care anymore, and he reached down quickly peeling his undershirt upwards and over his head. He let it slide down his arms and the shirt fell softly to the floor. Yami felt the warmth leave his body and he shivered slightly in the cold as he stood shirtless in the middle of Kaiba's office.
Kaiba held his breath and his eyes widened lustfully as he saw Yami's nipples perk up from the cold. Kaiba tossed the hair out of his eyes and held the shirt out to Yami, nodding slightly.
Scowling, Yami snatched the shirt from Kaiba's grasp and quickly slid his arm through one of the sleeves. Yami felt the cool softness of the silk brush over his skin and immense satisfaction surged up from within as he reveled in the luxurious texture of the fabric.
Kaiba lowered his head and watched Yami button the shirt over his bare abdomen, unable to take his eyes off of Yami's bare skin, which was quickly disappearing with every button. Kaiba's eyes traveled up Yami's slender form. Yami's face was hidden mostly by the his large spiky bangs, but Kaiba could make out a tiny smirk tugging at the corners of Yami's lips.
Kaiba quickly stepped forwards and instinctively reached to brush the hair out of Yami's face. Yami jerked his head back suddenly as Kaiba's knuckles brushed across his forehead and into his hair.
"Glad you like it." Kaiba said simply, trailing his fingertips through Yami's bangs, resisting the urge to snake his hands around Yami's head to pull him into an embrace. Well this would be so much easier if I was Hiro, now wouldn't it, Kaiba thought spitefully. He'd probably kiss me without a second thought.
Yami reached up to swat Kaiba's hand away from his face, annoyed, "Stop that." he said irritably. Kaiba stared fixedly down into Yami's half-buttoned shirt, enjoying the view. His pulse racing, Kaiba reached his other hand up to adjust Yami's collar, brushing his thumb over the fabric, running the curves of the embroidery through this fingers.
Kaiba froze as he realized his manicure looked like a terrible mess, chipped and cracked around the tops and edges. Terrified, Kaiba quickly withdrew his hand, realizing Yami would notice this.
Turning his head aside, Yami tried to look down but Kaiba had rapidly withdrew his hand and clasped them behind his back.
Strange, Yami mused, but paid no mind and continued buttoning up the shirt.
Kaiba quickly turned and paced towards the window, putting distance between them.
Shit, shit! Kaiba cursed, and he berated himself for his carelessness. He heard movement behind him and keeping his arms carefully down at his sides, he turned to face Yami who was adjusting the shirt across his shoulders.
Kaiba nodded, satisfied, noting that Yami had left the top two buttons undone, exposing his slender collar bones. The shirt fell nicely around Yami's slender frame and the thin gold embroidery complimented his skin tone nicely. Kaiba held his breath; Yami looked absolutely princely.
"Well," Yami said, slowly turning his arm over and inspecting the cuff carefully, enjoying the moonlight reflecting off the golden threads, "It fits." He raised his head and met Kaiba's gaze. "Thank you, I suppose." Yami added, picking his undershirt and blazer up off the floor.
Kaiba curled his fingers and hid them in the palms of his hands, nodding stiffly, "You should probably go home before someone notices you're gone."
"Right." Yami said, giving him a strange look. He tucked his blazer and undershirt neatly under his arm and headed for the door.
Kaiba watched Yami's back as he turned to leave, his nails digging painfully into his palm. Yami threw him a cryptic look over his shoulder before closing the door behind himself softly.
Kaiba waited for Yami's footsteps to disappear in the distance as he stared at the door with disdain.
Unbelievable, Kaiba thought bitterly as he sat down at his desk, sliding a glass nail file from his desk drawer. He slid the file underneath his index finger, smoothing over the edges carefully, feeling the file rub roughly underneath his fingertips. He did the same for the other four fingers on his left hand, focusing intently on repairing his nails, trying not to think about his cold exchanges with Yami.
Sighing, Kaiba stood and walked into the bathroom, not bothering to turn on the lights. He turned on the tap, soaking his fingers under the water, and once he was done, pulled out a tiny bottle of rubbing alcohol from the cabinet above him. His fingers brushed across the three bottles of hair dye he had left, which sat innocently on the top shelf.
Kaiba leaned back and stared at them. Three bottles...at the rate I'm using it, that's about eight weeks worth of dye. Kaiba gripped the marble edge of the sink and he leaned towards his dark reflection in the mirror. Two months.
Kaiba drew in a shaking breath. This can't go on. Hiro isn't real. I can't hide behind this identity any longer.
He grabbed the bottle of rubbing alcohol and strode back to his desk. Slamming the alcohol down, Kaiba yanked the drawer open and pulled out Hiro's phone. He switched in on and saw saw a missed call from the bakery's manager, including two text notifications, one from Yami and the other from Jason.
Gritting his teeth, Kaiba read the message, "Hiro, it's Jason. We're up bright and early tomorrow! See you then, let yourself in through the back, I'll keep it unlocked for you... don't be late!"
Swiftly deleting the message, Kaiba swiped across the screen to read the text from Yami, which according to the time stamp, was sent five minutes ago.
"Will I see you tomorrow?"
Kaiba glanced at the clock and realized it was almost 5AM...he had to head to the bakery soon.
Kaiba hesitated, and then replied quickly, his nails tapping across the screen. "Yes I'll be at the bakery," pausing, Kaiba added, "Something wonderful has happened, I'll tell you tomorrow!"
Placing the phone carefully back down on his desk Kaiba racked his brain, trying to come up with a suitable lie he could tell Yami tomorrow. Deep in thought, Kaiba soaked the tips of his fingers in the alcohol as he evaluated his options.
Yami laid wide awake in bed and he watched the ceiling steadily grow brighter as the sun rose, flooding the room with light. He turned over and stared at the black shirt draped over the back of his desk chair, the dark pearl buttons glowed at him from a distance.
Another gift from Kaiba, Yami thought darkly tearing his gaze away from the gold embroidery. I really can't understand him sometimes.
Yami glanced over at Yugi who was rolled up underneath the covers and his phone buzzed lightly beside his pillow. Yami's heart raced as he checked Hiro's response.
Oh he'll be at the bakery early, I suppose if I head out now, I can catch him before he goes in. Yami threw his legs over the edge of the bed and resolved to get up. Sleep was just going to be a waste of time, he'd rather be out with Hiro as much as possible anyway. He quickly grabbed his bag and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind himself.
Kaiba gently squeezed a large drop of black goop into the palm of his hand, wincing as the cold liquid touched his skin. He leaned his head down into the sink and ran the product through his hair methodically. Pulling his hands away from his hair, he stared at the watery black mess coating his fingers, propping his elbows up against the edges of the sink.
Is this all it takes? Kaiba thought bitterly to himself, A few drops of this and some contacts for Yami to lower his guard whenever he's around me?
Kaiba felt terrible as he sighed and rinsed his hands, watching the black dye trail off his fingers and down the drain. He stepped into the shower and stood pensively underneath the rush of water, blinking the drops of water off of his eyelashes. A light headache was coming on and Kaiba rubbed his temples gently, realizing that Yami's nightly visits were severely interfering with his sleep schedule.
He shut the water off and stepped out of the shower. Kaiba reached up into the cabinet. He grabbed the slim bottle of cologne and spritzed himself twice around the neck, attempting to mask the heavy smell of coffee which undoubtedly clung to him persistently. He carefully set the glass bottle back up on the highest shelf and grabbed a towel, drying his hair vigorously. Kaiba looked into the mirror, slowly turning his head left and right, checking for any exposed brown roots. He found none. Satisfied, Kaiba leaned back and glared at his reflection, his blue eyes glowered eerily back at him and he looked away quickly, rummaging around for a pack of brown contacts.
His fingers closed around the small package and he tore the aluminum foil back aggressively, almost spilling the fluid inside. Kaiba cursed and dipped his finger in, holding the contact up to the light, he deftly placed it into his eye and leaned his head back, feeling the contact settle comfortably. Blinking astutely, Kaiba dipped his finger down into the container again, picking up the other contact. He lifted his eyelid gently and tapped the contact into his other eye. He watched the brown rim bubble around his blue corneas before hugging the curve of his eye naturally. Kaiba blinked again, watching and waiting for the contacts to move. Thankfully they stayed in place and he leaned away from his reflection, scrutinizing himself in the mirror.
I guess I'll push my hair up again, Kaiba resolved, briefly recalling how he managed to captivate Yami's attention so easily, and he smiled to himself. He exited the bathroom and slid the closet doors open. He carelessly threw on a black collared shirt and stepped into pair of light grey jeans. Kaiba instinctively reached for a belt but then withdrew his hand as he realized all of his belts were embellished with his initials. Cursing himself for his vanity, Kaiba reached into his leather bag and grabbed the jar of hair wax. He walked back into the bathroom quickly and positioned himself in front of the mirror again.
Taking a deep breath, he swept his fingertips over the product and rubbed his hands together tentatively, feeling the wax grow tacky and sticky against his skin.
Kaiba swiftly brushed his hands upwards through his hair, pulling it up high, exposing his forehead, making sure to carefully twist the ends of his hair across his ears. He ran his palms down the back of his hair, smoothing down the ends neatly. Content with his overall appearance, Kaiba stepped out of the bathroom and grabbed both his phones off his desk.
He heard a soft knock at the door and Mokuba's voice drifted in groggily, "Se..to..?"
Kaiba strode over to the door and pulled it open.
Mokuba, who was leaning against the doorway, stumbled in sleepily, and Seto caught him.
"Whoa, careful kiddo." Kaiba said softly, sweeping Mokuba up in his arms and carrying him over towards his king-sized bed.
Mokuba threw his arms around Seto's neck and pressed his face into Seto's shoulder, rubbing his cheek into the softness of his brother's shirt. Mokuba cracked his eyes open drowsily as a light, fresh scent enveloped him comfortably.
"Are you wearing cologne?" Mokuba asked blearily, leaning his head back to look up at his brother. He pried his eyes open as he was shocked awake when he noticed Seto had once again dyed his hair jet black, and what's more, his hair was pushed upwards stylishly with the tips twisted handsomely across his ears
Mokuba's mouth dropped open with surprise as Seto lowered him down onto the bed and he sat back up forcefully, struggling to keep his eyes open but unable to stop staring.
Kaiba smiled gently down at Mokuba and pulled the comforter out from underneath him, "Get some sleep, I'll be back later today."
Mokuba gaped. Seto looked so incredibly kind when he smiled, so much so that he didn't even look like the same person anymore. Was this...Hiro? Mokuba swallowed and tried to find his voice, "Seto..? Are you...a-are you.." He couldn't finish his question. He was beginning to see why Yami preferred Hiro over Seto.
"Yeah I'm leaving, but I'll be back soon, okay?" Kaiba said gently, realizing this was only the second time Mokuba had seen him look like this. "Here, go back to sleep." He tucked Mokuba's legs neatly underneath the comforter and headed for the door, remembering to grab his brown leather bag off of his desk.
Mokuba gripped the sheets tightly as he stared at Seto's silhouette framed in the doorway. Seto looked like a total stranger!
"When will you be back?!" Mokuba cried, trying to sit up again.
"I'll be back this afternoon, I've got a lot of work to do. If you finish all your homework, we'll go somewhere nice this weekend, how does that sound?" Kaiba said, reaching for the door handle.
"But...go-karting with Yugi!" Mokuba whined, rubbing his eyes heavily.
"We'll see about that." Kaiba said darkly and he swung the door shut quietly. He heard Mokuba shuffling around as he headed down the stairs towards the garage.
He got behind the seat of his car and started the engine. Feeling the car vibrate enthusiastically, Kaiba felt his spirits rise. He backed out of his driveway carefully and he sped off down the street towards the bakery.
Yami marveled at the silence around him as he walked through campus. He'd never been this early before. Most of the buildings were still dark with several stragglers dragging their feet across campus, looking drained.
Yami made his way to the edge of campus and sat down on the bench across the street from the bakery. There was a light inside and Yami could make out a tall male figure wiping the counter. Yami's heart began to race and he stood up quickly, crossing the street, not bothering to obey the walk sign.
He approached the tall glass doors excitedly, but his spirits fell when he realized the tall figure wasn't Hiro, but the other male who was always present. Yami was about to leave when the figure looked up and smiled widely at him.
Unnerved, Yami stayed where he was as the man jogged to the doors and unlocked them, the keys hitting against the glass loudly.
"Welcome, welcome, hi!" The man exclaimed brightly, flashing him a thousand watt smile. "Nice to finally meet you Yugi! I'm Jason, your boyfriend's boss."
Yami's eyes widened and his voice caught in his throat as he tried to process what he was hearing. Yugi? ...Boyfriend?!
"I see." Yami replied simply, staring at the man. He knew he was being rude but he couldn't manage any other expression.
"If you don't mind, I'd like you to sign something for my niece!" Jason said excitedly, propping the door open and rushing back around the counter to grab a pen and a slip of paper.
Outside, Kaiba had parked his car in the employee space behind the bakery. He closed his eyes momentarily, leaning his head forward on the wheel, feeling exhaustion settle uncomfortably around him. He stepped out wearily and slammed the car door, aiming to bake as quickly as possible so he could go home and catch up on some much needed sleep.
He could hear Jason's voice talking excitedly in the distance as he rounded the corner and Kaiba quickly walked up the alley towards the employee entrance. Yanking the door open, Kaiba strode through the kitchen and out to the front.
Kaiba felt his heart skip a beat when he saw Yami standing apprehensively in the doorway of the bakery. Jason was bent over rummaging for something underneath the counter.
What is he doing here so fucking early?! Kaiba fumed internally, He didn't sleep?
Yami saw Hiro step out from the back and his face lit up.
His hair is up again! Yami thought happily and he waved lightly as he felt his pulse quicken.
Kaiba automatically raised his hand up to return the wave halfheartedly. Jason looked up and squinted at him, "Oh hey you! Nice hair!" he commented, his eyes quickly sweeping over Kaiba's head. "I was just about to..aha found it!" Jason cried as he pulled out a pad and pen.
Kaiba stared at the pad of paper and then up at Yami's sullen expression, and his eyes widened when he realized what was happening. He rushed to block Jason's path and loomed threateningly over his manager, trying not to glare.
Jason's smile faltered as Hiro looked murderously down at him from his height. "H-Hey buddy, I'm just asking for his autograph!" Jason said, holding his hands up defensively. He nimbly ducked around Hiro's tall form and waved the pad of paper at Yami. "Please sign this Yugi! My niece will absolutely love me for this!"
Yami stood rooted to the spot as Jason rushed towards him waving the paper, his heart thumping nervously. He opened his mouth to speak but fell silent as Hiro stepped in front of him, blocking Jason from his view. The friendly scent from Hiro's cologne washed over Yami reassuringly as Hiro stood resolutely between him and the manager.
Yami felt a rush of satisfaction as Hiro stepped in to speak for him.
"He's not signing anything." Kaiba said, attempting to keep his voice even, "He's not Yugi."
Yami stared intently at the folds of Hiro's shirt as he heard the manager stutter slightly, "H-Hiro, dude, my man, come on. I thought I told you-"
"No I told you, but you didn't believe me." Kaiba said, cutting across his manager rudely, "If you want Yugi's autograph, he and his friends will be stopping by for our grand opening. Isn't that right?" Kaiba almost spat as he turned around to face Yami.
"Yes..!" Yami said startled, blinking slowly. He couldn't tell if Hiro was angry or not. Yami could see the manager peeking out curiously from behind Hiro.
"He's...but he's.." Jason sputtered, clutching the pad and paper anxiously.
"Look," Kaiba said roughly, stepping aside and standing beside Yami, "Look closely. Look at his eyes, look at the shape of his face. This is Yami."
Jason's eyes darted frantically around Yami's face and Yami felt himself heat up with embarrassment.
Amazing, Yami thought secretly, peering up at Hiro through his blonde spiky bangs, He can really tell us apart. It usually takes strangers up to a few months to recognize our slight physical differences.
"Right, right..I see." Jason repeated mindlessly, his eyes still roaming around Yami's face slowly. "Now that you mention it, I'd say ...Yugi looks friendlier even. No offense." he added, looking apologetically at Yami.
Yami could feel Hiro relax visibly and he smiled gently at Jason, "It's a common mistake."
There was an awkward silence as Jason glanced hesitantly between Hiro and Yami. Finally, he lowered his hand and stowed the pad away in his apron. "Well, I'm gonna get back to work. I'll let you two..." his voice trailed off as he hurried into the kitchen, and as an afterthought, Jason yelled over his shoulder, "Hiro, grab your apron, we're going to get busy!"
Kaiba nodded and he cautiously glanced over at Yami, who was smiling gently up at him. Kaiba felt a lump rise in his throat and he swallowed nervously, "I know you don't enjoy being mistaken for Yugi."
Yami rushed forwards suddenly and threw his arms around Hiro's slender waist, pulling him into a tight embrace.
Kaiba was caught off guard and almost stumbled backwards. He looked down at the spiky mess of hair that was pressed into his chest and felt a bubble of joy swell up inside him.
Yami pressed his nose into the soft cotton fabric of Hiro's shirt and he inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh scent of Hiro's cologne. He could hear Hiro's heart thumping loudly by his ear and Yami smiled to himself.
Hiro's feelings for me are genuine, he thought firmly, he seems to know exactly how I feel and he won't hesitate to stand up for me!
Kaiba paused, his hands hovered reluctantly at his sides until his emotions got the better of him. He pulled Yami flush against his body and wrapped a reassuring arm around Yami's shoulders, enjoying the warmth from Yami's cheek against his chest.
And here, he's touching me freely again. Kaiba thought miserably as a pang of guilt seared through him. Whereas less than two hours ago, he was glaring at me from halfway across the room.
They stayed that way for several long minutes before Yami gently relaxed his grip from around Hiro's waist.
"I'm glad," Yami said, laughing slightly, untangling himself from Hiro's embrace, "It does get really hard when I have to turn people down by telling them I'm not Yugi."
Kaiba nodded stiffly and glanced over Yami's shoulder at the students beginning to appear on campus slowly, one by one. "I'll walk you across the street." he said, motioning towards the stoplight.
Yami shook his head, his eyes twinkling beautifully at Kaiba in the morning sunlight, "I can manage. You have to go back in there." Yami said, pointing at the kitchen entrance.
Kaiba nodded again, unsure of what to say. He couldn't help but gaze deeply into Yami's eyes and Yami smiled back at him lovingly.
This is why every second I spend as Hiro matters. Kaiba thought rigidly, This is what I want. I want this kind of relationship with Yami, minus the bullshit. Why can't it be like this when he sees me as myself?
Yami turned to leave and Kaiba instinctively reached a hand out to brush his knuckles across Yami's cheek, feeling Yami's blonde bangs fall lightly over the tops of his fingers.
Yami reached up to intertwine his fingers through the tops of Hiro's hand which was caressing his face gently.
Kaiba fought with himself for a moment before sliding his hand away, but Yami's grip tightened painfully. Kaiba felt like everything was moving in slow motion as he watched Yami reach his hand up to grab him by the collar, pulling him down into a gentle but deep kiss.
It felt wonderful; It was a welcomed change compared to Yami's behavior towards him last night. Kaiba snaked his other hand around Yami's head and pushing their lips together solidly. He boldly slid his tongue into Yami's mouth, tasting his sweet breath.
Oh shit, I can't do this right now. Kaiba thought stiffly, but it was like Yami was magnetic. He pulled Yami closer still, the edge of Yami's belt bumped painfully into his crotch as he pressed himself harder against Yami.
Yami's grip loosened on Hiro's collar as he felt his knees grow weak. He slid his hand upwards to grip Hiro behind the neck, feeling the tips of his waxed hair graze the pads of his fingers. Yami sighed contentedly into the kiss; every sensation was new and delicious, everything about Hiro was hard to resist.
Jason peered out from behind the flaps of the kitchen door, wondering where his employee went and was met with the sight of Yami and Hiro, shamelessly attempting to climb into each other through their mouths. He set his teeth together firmly and walked out of the kitchen, setting a metal tray noisily down onto the counter.
A loud metallic clang rang out from behind them as Jason slammed the tray onto the marble and they jerked away from each other, blushing furiously.
Jason sniffed and rolled up his sleeves. Picking the tray back up from the counter, he silently disappeared through the kitchen door flaps once again.
"I-I'm going to go." Yami said, still red as a beet, looking away from Hiro quickly, knowing that eye contact was dangerous.
Kaiba brought a hand up to brush against his own cheek, , feeling how heated his skin was with the back of his hand, "Yes. And I'll..." his voice trailed off as they both turned around hastily and Yami hurried away, glancing over his shoulder, watching Hiro swing the glass door shut behind him before making his way into the kitchen.
Yami stood at the edge of the street, waiting for the light to turn green, feeling giddy and excited. He couldn't help but throw another glance behind himself, at the bakery, as he felt another strange rush of delight. He really does like me, Yami reassured himself, Anzu is wrong about him.
The walk sign glowed at him and Yami quickly strode across the street, pulling his phone out to text Yugi about the bakery's manager wanting his autograph.
Kaiba tied the apron around his waist and ducked into the kitchen where Jason was busy mixing two large bowls of batter.
"What can I do for you today?" Kaiba asked calmly glancing around the spacious kitchen.
Jason ignored him and kept mixing vigorously, tapping the whisk heavily along the edge of the glass bowl. Kaiba stood there silently watching him unsure of how to react. The silence stretched on for several long moments as Jason poured the thick mixture out into a cake pan.
He scraped the bowl empty and set it down with a clank on the metal surface. He wiped his brow with the back of a gloved hand and threw Kaiba an exasperated look. "Okay, let's talk boundaries. You can kiss him anywhere you want, middle of the street, at the ends of the earth, you name it, you and..." he gestured at the door mutely, trying to recall Yami's name. "You and him. Just don't do in here, okay buddy?"
Kaiba lowered his head and nodded, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment once again, "I am really sorry."
Jason shook his head sighing, "You two...I get it. Now grab a whisk, we've got to set out some cakes by this afternoon and hang a sign!"
Kaiba blinked at him, "What sign?" he asked numbly.
"The, uh, grand opening sign?" Jason replied, sounding skeptical. "Man, its like you don't even work here. Understandable since I guess you're only here to suck face with your boyfriend."
Kaiba could hear the irritation in Jason's voice and he clenched his fists, aware that he was being lectured by the manager. He now understood he hadn't been given a task because Jason wanted to express his irritation towards his behavior.
Kaiba could appreciate the way Jason amicably handled the situation, but he honestly didn't have the goddamn patience for it. Sucking face with Yami was one of the perks, yes, but he came here to bake, dammit.
Jason spoke again after emptying out the second bowl into a large cake pan, "We open at 11, we've got six hours to get things rolling. My niece will come in around 10 to help out."
He slid the two pans of cake batter into the oven and set the timer, "Honestly, I thought I could get Yugi's autograph before she showed up, it would help motivate her to come in and help out a lot more, y'know?"
"She'll get Yugi's autograph." Kaiba said, trying to speak normally through his clenched teeth. "I'll even ask him myself if she misses the chance."
"I'll hold you to that," Jason said, giving him a stern look, "Now chop chop, recipes are over there," he pointed at a large stack of laminated paper, clipped together in a clear file. "Make as many as you can, the more the better. Do NOT under bake. I'm not about to be sued for any kind of food poisoning here. I will check every single one of your batches to confirm and establish consistency."
Kaiba nodded curtly and made his way over to the stack of recipes, peeling the pages back one by one, he looked for overlapping ingredients in all of the cakes. He quickly pulled out a few that he liked and got to work, hurrying back and forth between the refrigerator and the counter.
The two men worked steadily, Kaiba focused solely on dishing out bowls of cake batter while Jason pushed them into the large ovens and watched them closely. It became a steady rhythm, as bowl after bowl filled with cake batter was emptied into cake pans of various shapes and sizes. All of the ovens in the kitchen were in use, and the temperature was rising in the room.
Before long, thirty thin slabs of cake sat cooling on the racks and Kaiba leaned back against the wall, carefully sipping a bottle of water, admiring his handiwork. The entire counter was lined with rows and rows of cakes, sitting innocently on their cooling racks. They gleamed at Kaiba in the bright kitchen lights and there was a pleasant smell of light vanilla in the air. Jason joined him along the wall, taking a large swig of water noisily.
Kaiba sipped his water again, he could feel Jason's gaze on him as he raised the bottle to his lips. He straightened up and their eyes met. "What?" Kaiba asked, trying not to sound defensive.
"Do you get your nails done?" Jason asked, looking at him curiously, "You've got some princess fingers going on over there."
Kaiba swallowed and lowered his hand down at his side, attempting to hide them. His other hand gripped the bottle of water so hard, the plastic crackled audibly.
Jason laughed loudly and waved his hand casually at Kaiba, "That was a compliment!"
Kaiba opened his mouth to retaliate but Jason hurried away towards the ovens as they began beeping loudly.
Kaiba looked away, willing himself to remain calm. In an attempt to save myself from awkward questioning from Yami, here I am, being awkwardly complimented by the bakery's manager...what the fuck!
His phone buzzed in his pocket and Kaiba pulled it out moodily, checking the message. His spirits lifted slightly when he saw it was from Yami.
"Lunch?" was all it said.
Kaiba tapped the phone against his chin thoughtfully. He was very tempted to grab lunch with Yami, but he had a mountain of work waiting for him back at the office. Jason beckoned for him to fill the piping bags with icing and Kaiba guiltily tapped out a response, "I'm sorry, I can't." and he shoved the phone back in his pocket, hurrying towards Jason to help decorate the cakes.
Yami was trying very hard not to doze off in his seat while the professor lectured slowly at the front. His head was throbbing painfully and he struggled to keep his eyes open.
Perhaps I should stop visiting Kaiba at in the evenings, Yami scolded himself lightly, I should pay him a visit while the sun in still in the sky...I need to thank him properly for the shirt.
He propped his head up on his hands and stared blankly at the board, deep in thought. His phone buzzed in his pocket, startling him out of his daze. It was from Hiro!
"I'm sorry, I can't," he wrote.
Ah, Yami thought disappointed, I suppose I will be paying Kaiba a visit this afternoon. Should I tell Hiro?
Yami swiped his thumb hesitantly over his screen and scrolled absently through his messages. I should ask Anzu...Yami resolved and he quickly tapped Anzu's name in his phone, typing hastily, "Anzu, I'm going to visit Kaiba this afternoon, should I tell Hiro about this?" and he sent it.
He waited a moment, watching as Anzu's response bubbled up onto the screen, "Of course you should tell Hiro! Aren't you guys technically dating? Why are you visiting Kaiba all of a sudden? Did something happen?"
Yami read the message over twice, immediately regretting mentioning any of this to her. His fingers hovered above the screen as he carefully responded, "How do I know if we are dating? I don't really know what that entails..." Yami sent that message and wrote a second one quickly underneath it, "Perhaps I won't visit Kaiba after all..."
There was a long pause and Yami's phone buzzed lightly with Anzu's reply, "You ask if you guys are dating (if that matters to you). And be careful! Call me if you need anything!"
Yami sent her a quick reply thanking her and pulled up his messages with Hiro and nervously typed out a message. "Hiro, are we ..dating?"
Yami frowned at the phone, unsure if he was using the term properly. He sent it anyway and he tried to pay attention for the rest of the class.
Kaiba's phone buzzed again in his pocket just as he finished swirling the last drop of cream onto a medium-sized cake. He glanced at Jason who was leaning against the wall, scrolling absentmindedly through his phone. Kaiba set the piping bag down and reached into his pocket cautiously. It was another text from Yami. "Hiro, are we ...dating?"
Kaiba's heart jumped up into his throat as he read this message and he looked uncertainly around him, as if an answer would come to him out of thin air. What the hell?! Kaiba fumed, Where the fuck did this come from?
Kaiba stared at the text for a long minute before carefully crafting a reply, "Honestly, I'm not sure. Why are you asking all of a sudden?"
He laid the phone down on the counter and pushed the cake off the decorating turntable and onto a gold leafed liner.
"Jason!" Kaiba called loudly, tilting his head down at the cake.
Jason lifted his head to look at the final result, nodding, impressed with Hiro's handiwork. "Nice, a few more of those, and we'll move onto cupcakes! It's almost time for us to open!"
Kaiba nodded and his attention strayed as his phone buzzed loudly on the counter.
Jason jerked his head up and narrowed his eyes at it. "Whatssat?"
Kaiba ducked his head down and tried to look apologetic, "A text from Yami. He..." Kaiba paused, wondering if he should even divulge such sensitive information to a virtual stranger. Fuck it, Kaiba thought, who the fuck else am I going to discuss this with anyway? Definitely not Mokuba.
"He just asked me if we were dating." Kaiba said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.
Jason let out a barking laugh, "What?! Of course you guys are dating, look at you two, can't get enough of each other...are you two exclusive? Is that what he wants to know?"
"We..." Kaiba paused again, remembering Yami's nightly visits to him in his office.
Wow, Kaiba thought darkly, If I wasn't Hiro, and I didn't' know about those visits, I'd be pretty pissed. Actually, I am pissed.
Jason read the expression on Kaiba's face clearly and nodded, "Who's the other guy?"
"What?" Kaiba snapped, turning back to slide another cake onto the turntable. He pinched the decorating pipe viciously and tried to stop his hands from shaking. "Who said there was another guy?"
"Your face did." Jason said, taking a swig from his water bottle. "I mean, you can technically date as many people as you want, I'm not one to judge."
"That's not what he was asking." Kaiba said, growling, carefully dropping a swirl of cream onto the cake.
"Well check the message! He replied didn't he?" Jason said, genuinely interested, "I mean, I thought you guys were exclusive, given the way he looks at you."
Upon hearing this, Kaiba's hand tensed too quickly and a large drop of cream slid off the side of the cake and onto the aluminum table top. Cursing, he set the piping bag down and grabbed his phone, reading the message furiously.
"I'm sorry if that question was in poor taste." Yami had written, "A friend brought it up to me so I decided it was best to ask. I hope I didn't upset you... and I just wanted to let you know that I'll be stopping by Kaiba Corporation later this afternoon."
Kaiba stared and stared at the text until the words burned a green afterimage into his eyes. So, this "friend" I'm assuming, is friendship-girl Anzu. And why is he visiting me later today?! Does he want to establish the fact that he's not dating Hiro, so that he can come solicit Seto Kaiba whenever he fucking wants?
Jason peered around Hiro's arm and read the text from behind and whistled loudly, causing Kaiba to flinch and step back. "What." Kaiba said roughly, clicking his phone shut, resisting the urge to smash it into the half-decorated cake.
"Kaiba Corporation? I tell you, these famous kids, they all know each other one way or another." Jason said gravely, "Seto Kaiba? Man the stories I hear about him...is he the other guy in this? Damn, that's rough."
How perceptive, Kaiba bristled and he couldn't help but ask, "What have you heard?"
Jason's eyes widened at him, "Okay I'm a little worried about you buddy. You don't know the first thing about Yugi Mutou and now you're asking about the richest, most famous guy in this city? Do you actively avoid the news or something? How do you do it? Teach me."
Kaiba inadvertently clenched his fists as he re-worded his question, "I just want to know what you think about him."
"Oh." Jason said as he swirled his finger absently against the counter, "Honestly, I don't really care. I mean you hear things, 'he's an asshole' this, that. But if I ever met the guy, I'd probably shake his hand and get his autograph for my niece." He let out another barking laugh, "His autograph is probably worth something, that guy bleeds money."
Kaiba blinked at him and swallowed thickly, trying to keep his composure.
Jason sobered up and patted Kaiba gently on the shoulder, "I get it. I'm sorry for you pal. If your Yugi-twin is out there meeting up with Seto Kaiba...well," Jason sighed heavily, "Just ...hang in there. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help."
Kaiba's voice caught in his throat as he tried to speak, "Wait. You think, that there's something going on between Yami and..." He couldn't bring himself to say his own name.
Jason threw him a look of deep sympathy, "I know just as much as you do about this, so...I'm sorry. Seto Kaiba can probably easily get his hands on whoever he wants. That man has everything."
Wrong, wrong! Kaiba screamed internally, If I had everything I wouldn't be standing here talking to you now, would I?!
"I see." Kaiba managed, and his phone buzzed again. Jason's expression turned into one of pity and he gestured towards the door, "Hiro, you look like you need a break. Go take one, and tread carefully, alright?"
Kaiba felt Jason grab him strongly by the arm and steer him towards the back door, almost dragging him along. As the door opened, cool afternoon air rushed in around them.
Jason looked carefully into Hiro's scowling face, "Hey, this is just my advice. If this Yami of yours is involved with Seto Kaiba, and Mr. Kaiba finds out about you and him, I don't think our livelihood would be safe. Let's just put it that way."
Kaiba nodded mutely and walked through the door. Jason swung the door shut behind him and Kaiba leaned his weight heavily against the brick wall, feeling the stone poke through his thin shirt.
He stared at the phone in his hand for a long moment before finally deciding to reply with nonchalance, "If you're stopping by Kaiba Corporation, tell Kaiba I said hi!" Kaiba paused and then spitefully added another comment, just to fuck with Yami, "If it's not too much trouble, could you also get his autograph? The bakery manager is a collector! :)" Making sure to add the passive-aggressive smiley face, he sent it and felt his blood boil.
Taking several deep breaths, Kaiba looked up at the clear blue sky, realizing he wasn't going to be getting any sleep today.
Yami looked down as his phone buzzed and he read the text from Hiro, frowning.
Hiro wants Kaiba's autograph? No, the bakery's manager wants Kaiba's autograph?
Yami sighed and leaned back into his seat, wondering how he should go about doing this.
I suppose it makes sense, Yami mused, But...can I ask for such a thing from Kaiba?!
He tapped out his response to Hiro nervously, "I will try...I'm not sure if Kaiba will respond positively to that request, but I will do it, for you Hiro." and he sent it without looking, he couldn't bring himself to read the message again.
Kaiba felt his phone buzz in his hand and he glanced down, reading the text.
Oh you're going to have to try very hard to get that autograph for Hiro, Yami. Kaiba fumed privately as he clicked his phone shut angrily. He closed his eyes and palmed his face lightly; he was so tired. He heard a dog barking in the distance and he furrowed his brow, annoyed.
Suddenly a large, fluffy white dog bounded down the alley and began sniffing around his ankles. Kaiba's eyes shot open as he glared down at the dog, noticing it didn't have a collar or a leash, he backed away from it quickly.
A stray?! He thought frantically, as the dog followed him, continuing to sniff around his shoes, looking up at him with large brown eyes. The dog's fur was pure white, immensely thick and dense; it looked almost like fleece and Kaiba shook his head slightly. No, too clean to be a stray.
The enormous dog sat up on it's hind legs, panting excitedly, leaning it's large paws heavily onto his legs, dragging across Kaiba's jeans. The dog's weight was tremendous and Kaiba swallowed nervously, reaching hand out to slowly pat it's head. It's fur was surprisingly bouncy and soft. Kaiba watched as his fingers sank through the dog's fur pleasantly and he smiled in spite of himself. It was like he was touching a cloud.
"Good..boy?" Kaiba said slowly, desperately looking up and down the empty alleyway, looking for it's owner.
The dog smiled wider, continuing to pant loudly, it's tongue hanging loosely out of it's mouth.
Oh, it must be hot, Kaiba realized and he patted the dog on the head firmly, twice. "Stay here, I'll get you some water."
The dog barked loudly as Kaiba's hand touched the handle of the door. He turned around, looking at it strangely. The dog sat down in front of him, it's tail thumped rhythmically up and down on the pavement.
Strange, Kaiba thought and he slowly turned around again, reaching for the handle. Once more, the dog barked at him the moment his hand came near the door handle.
Kaiba was starting to lose his patience. "Okay what do you want?" he asked angrily, expecting the dog to understand him.
The dog did nothing and looked at him plainly with it's large brown eyes, it's tail still wagging slowly, sweeping across the pavement.
Kaiba sighed as he looked up and down the alleyway again. If it's owner is looking for him, they probably wouldn't come down here. I should put him in plain sight.
He turned and made his way down the alleyway, expecting the dog to follow him. The dog did nothing, still sitting obediently by the employee entrance. Kaiba tensed and waved at the dog, gesturing for it to follow him. The dog stared at him blankly, it's tongue hanging out of it's mouth stupidly.
"Come here!" Kaiba cried exasperated, kneeling down slightly and reaching a hand out. Thankfully, the dog seemed to understand. It got up and walked towards him, wagging it's tail excitedly, nudging its head underneath Kaiba's waiting hand. Kaiba felt it's fur puff delightfully underneath his fingers again and he stood up, keeping a light pressure on the dog's head.
"Okay, follow me." Kaiba said, trailing his fingers over the top of the dog's head. The dog licked his fingers suddenly and pressed it's wet nose into the palm of his hand, looking for a treat. Kaiba took a few long steps away from the dog, still holding out his palm, assuming the scent from the cake batter and sugar on his hands was what the dog wanted.
The dog ducked its head and followed him obediently. Relieved, Kaiba walked out of the alleyway looking around for someone, anyone, and his eyes landed on Yami, sitting on his usual bench across the street.
Is it that time already?! Kaiba thought, stricken, I literally just saw him!
The dog barked loudly at this heels and Kaiba stroked it's head heavily, "Don't do that!" he said hastily, but it was too late. He saw Yami look up and notice them. Yami stood up suddenly, his arm raised in a small wave.
Kaiba gritted his teeth and waved back stiffly, watching apprehensively as Yami crossed the street, hurrying towards him.
"Hey!" Yami said breathlessly. His eyes trailed slowly over Hiro's handsome face and down towards the dog that was panting obediently at his heels. "Such nice fur!" Yami exclaimed happily, bending down to touch it. The dog snapped at Yami loudly, the bark ringing painfully in Kaiba's ears and he winced, pressing a hand down firmly onto the dog's head.
"Don't touch him, I don't know what he'll do. He's not mine!" Kaiba said fearfully, kneeling down by the dog's head and purposefully flattening its ears in attempt to communicate with it through touch.
"Stop that." Kaiba commanded, looking at the dog darkly, and the dog sat down obediently once again.
Yami watched Hiro stroke the dog's ears with his slender fingers and tame the large dog easily. "He's very big..." Yami said uncertainly.
Hiro nodded, looking strained, "I think I'll take him to a lost and found or something. He's obviously trained, just not very well."
Yami stepped away from them, afraid that the dog would bark loudly at him again. "Well, I came to say goodbye." he said slowly, looking at a group of students chattering loudly while crossing the street.
Kaiba felt his heart race uncertainly, "What?!"
Goodbye?! Kaiba thought frantically, What the fuck?
"I'm off to see Kaiba for a bit." Yami said seriously, blinking his large amethyst eyes at Hiro.
Kaiba felt the ground shift violently beneath him. But I'm right here...! he thought deliriously. And I can't be in two places at once, now can I?!
"N-now?" He choked, feeling the dog lick his fingers again.
"Yes, now." Yami said simply, looking at him strangely, "I'll ask for that autograph for you, but I can't promise anything for certain. Kaiba and I are not on the best of terms."
"You're not?" Kaiba repeated stupidly, feeling the numbness spread through his chest.
Yami frowned and shook his head gravely, "We're really not. Please believe me."
"Then why...are you going to see him?!" Kaiba asked, his voice rising with emotion.
"Hiro ...please." Yami said, looking at him sadly, "Kaiba is-"
Yami was cut off by a shrill cry from behind them, as a small girl rushed in-between them suddenly and threw her arms around the large white dog, crying loudly, "Mei! Oh Mei! Don't run away like that!"
Kaiba withdrew his hand from the dog's head and stepped away from the girl and her dog, giving her room to fasten a collar and leash on it. Kaiba looked over at Yami who wore an expression of slight irritation, having been interrupted.
The girl stood up quickly and adjusted her ponytail which was tied high above her head, with waves of long brown hair hanging from it like a waterfall. She reached over and grabbed Kaiba's hand tightly, "Oh, thank you! She's always running away, I can barely hold onto her sometimes! She's a very rare breed, I was afraid someone kidnapped her! Thank you for keeping her safe, let me pay you back!"
Kaiba looked down at her disdainfully. She was very petite, no taller than Yugi. "No thank you." he replied shortly, inching his hand out of her grasp which was growing clammy.
"No please, I insist! I'm the cashier at this bakery! I'll buy you any cake or pastry you want! I'm sure we can work something out!" She cried desperately, and the dog tugged on the leash as it got up to sniff around Kaiba's ankles again.
"What?" Kaiba said as it slowly dawned on him that this girl was Jason's niece, "Well it's nice to meet you..I work here..."
The girl's eyes widened and she grabbed his hand again tightly, "Ohmigosh! You must be Hiro! I'm June!"
"May and June...?" Hiro said, smiling politely, cupping her small hands in his larger ones, "Matching names with your dog?"
"Oh, no!" The girl laughed brightly, "Her name is spelled "M-e-i" but I never thought of it that way, you're so funny!" She laughed fully again, squeezing his hand comfortingly and Hiro smiled widely, laughing along with her.
Yami's eyes widened as he watched their exchange unfold before him.
How is he so charming? Yami wondered, his chest tightening with emotion.
The dog nudged Kaiba's knees with it's nose and Kaiba leaned down to pat it's head again.
"She likes you." June commented, "She's usually barks a lot at strangers, but she's harmless."
Kaiba nodded silently, aware that Yami was watching them carefully.
"Well I'm going to head in, I'll see you inside!" she chirped, and she tugged at the dog's leash, heading towards the entrance of the bakery.
Hiro glanced over at Yami uncertainly, "I hope your visit goes well."
Yami nodded silently, and he turned to leave.
"Wait." Kaiba called, moving towards him steadily. "Finish what you were about to say."
Yami blinked, startled, "Oh, it was nothing." He said hastily, looking away towards the street, his face heating up.
No, it was something! Kaiba thought angrily but all he could do was nod politely and watch Yami slowly make his way up the street. Yami's figure slowly faded in the distance and Kaiba let out a breath tensely, realizing he was in trouble.
If he's on his way to Kaiba Corp...I need to get there before he does! Kaiba turned and rushed in through the employee entrance, barely glancing at the neat rows of beautifully iced cakes. His eyes swept over the room, looking for Jason. He distinctly heard laughter floating in through the entrance and he hurried out of the kitchen, almost tripping over Jason who was laughing and hugging his niece.
"Ah Hiro! Back so soon? I see you met my niece, June! And..fluffy Mei!" Jason leaned down to give the dog a vigorous rub and the dog licked his fingers happily.
"I need to leave." Kaiba said quietly, getting straight to the point.
They stared at him silently for a moment before June spoke up suddenly, "Is everything okay?"
"I've got a...family emergency." Kaiba said darkly, his eyes darting between them readily, aware that this was extremely unprofessional behavior. He still had a few more hours left on his shift.
"Okay, let's head into the back and I want to talk with you." Jason said suddenly, gesturing towards the kitchen doors. "June-bug, you stay here and and get acquainted with the surroundings. Make sure Mei is comfortable outside!"
Kaiba saw June nod and throw them a strange look as she tugged on Mei's leash and led the dog outside slowly. Jason brushed past Kaiba and ducked into the kitchen silently.
A pit of dread was bubbling in Kaiba's stomach as he followed Jason into the kitchen.
"Alright." Jason said quietly, leaning against the counter, looking at him with an expression of deep concern. "Hiro, bud, tell me what this is about."
Kaiba blinked as his voice hitched in his throat, "What do you mean."
"Don't yank me around," Jason said heavily, "I know you're gonna take off to follow your Yugi doppelganger into Kaiba Headquarters. Not wise, if I might add."
"I'm..not.." Kaiba started, but then he stopped, realizing the truth was probably the best way to go about this, "Fine. I am going. And you can't stop me from leaving. Fire me if you want."
Jason opened and shut his mouth as if he couldn't make up his mind about what to say and he crossed his arms firmly across his chest, looking at Kaiba with a strange expression.
Kaiba didn't wait around to hear what Jason had to say. He stormed out of the kitchen and through the back door. As the door began to swing shut, he heard Jason yell at him loudly, "I expect you back here same time tomorrow!"
Kaiba barely registered this as he rushed to his car, yanking the door open, he threw himself into the seat and revved the engine ferociously, glaring at the clock on his dashboard.
Fuck! Kaiba cursed, Yami is probably there already!
He peeled out of the parking lot and sped off down the narrow streets, almost running over a group of students who were slowly crossing the street.
Kaiba saw them yell at him angrily, giving him the finger and running after his car, but they quickly disappeared in his rear view mirror as he turned the corner and pulled out into a main road and onto the freeway. He sped dangerously along the edge of the road, the concrete barriers rushing past his window in a blur. His grip tightened on the wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. Cars honked angrily at him as he cut them off, swerving from lane to lane.
Why is he coming to visit me in the middle of the goddamn day? Kaiba fumed as he shifted down and increased his pressure on the gas pedal. His company phone vibrated in his pocket just as he pulled off the freeway and onto the road nearing his mansion. He could see the tips the rooftop peeking out from behind the tall fir trees surrounding his property. He was so close!
He pulled over onto the sidewalk a few blocks away from his mansion and he dug the phone out from his pocket. It was Mokuba. Kaiba touched the phone to his ear hastily, "What!" he said, trying to keep the frantic desperation from slipping into his voice.
"Um..Seto, Yami is here to see you." Mokuba said softly, and he could hear Isono offering Yami a drink in the background.
Kaiba hit mute on the phone and swore loudly, feeling his head pound heavily with frustration. I'm too damn late! How the hell do I get into the house without him seeing me?!
He could hear Mokuba's voice floating through the phone faintly, "Seto? ...Hello? Are you still there?"
"Yeah I'm still here Mokuba." Kaiba growled, shutting off his engine and stepping carefully out of the car. "Tell him I'll be there soon." And he clicked his phone shut, walking swiftly along the sidewalk, his mind racing.
Author's note:
Cliffhanger?! How will Seto get into the house without being seen?
Please look forward to the next chapter! 3
I usually don't write this much dialogue, let me know what you guys think xD
Eternal love & appreciation for my editor Seket -hugs- who is always helping me improve, always helping me learn!
More reviews = more fics (so be sure to leave a comment validating my existence mmk bbys?)
oxoxo
ugli
