Title: Erotic Nightmare Summary: Seto Kaiba is in desperation to rid himself of a dream that has been plaguing him night after night. Finally after asking for help, he determines it is more than just a nightmare; but a premonition for Jounouchi's death.
Author: Dvorak
Rating: NC-17
Pairing(s): Kaiba/Jou
Beta: Jennie B with the help of Rienna Hawkes
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, it title belongs to the great Kazuki Takahashi.
Chapter Twelve – Just be Happy, Seto
Adriana gazed down at the horrid expression on Jounouchi's face, idling as to why the young man would be so troubled by the news of her engagement. Usually, everyone congratulated her, telling her what a great 'accomplishment' it was that she had managed to capture the young billionaire. And that's exactly how she thought of her future husband: an accomplishment with a great body. She basked in the glow, loving the important feeling that was associated with the Kaiba name. To Adriana, everything was about class, importance, and social standings. 'And this low class scum is not going to ruin it for me. Whatever he wants to talk to my fiancé about, it's not good news. Seto's mind will stray from our marriage if I let this 'Jou' person see him.
"Y-you're marrying Se-Kaiba?" Jounouchi questioned, almost letting the CEO's first name slip. He couldn't believe that Seto was marrying a woman, no matter how beautiful she was. It wasn't like Kaiba to rush into things, especially marriage and commitment. For all the blonde knew, those blue eyes only looked at two things in his life: Mokuba and the company. And to top everything off, he was gay! Wasn't he?
"Yes, is it that hard to believe?" Adriana questioned, crossing her arms over her well-developed chest.
"Yes, yes it is!" He couldn't take anymore of the drama with this woman; Katsuya had enough in his life as it was. With his luck, Bakura would storm into the room any minute, and with him in a wheelchair, Jou could do little to protect himself.
"Excuse me? Who the hell do you think you're talking to?"
"No, it's not you!" Jou interrupted, hoping not to piss the brunette off any further. She was his only ticket to see those amazing blue eyes once more. "It's him!" Jou fidgeted in his seat, knowing what he had to say, or he would never see Kaiba again.
"What do you mean by that?" the Medici woman asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jou ushered Adriana closer, and leaning up, he whispered into her right ear, "He's gay."
"Seto Kaiba!" the woman yelled, losing all composure as she stormed into his office using only one of the three keys. She was beyond pissed, but this little setback wouldn't stop the wedding – Adriana would make sure of that.
"What is it?" The CEO looked annoyed, but more confused than anything. His fiancée usually didn't get this way unless the dress she wanted at a store was one size too small. Something was up, and the twist Kaiba felt in his stomach supported his theory. "I told you I would be down for dinner; why do you have to interrupt me when I am working?" he asked, demanding justification.
"I think you owe me an explanation, Honey!" the tall woman said, over-emphasizing the sweet name she used to refer to Seto. "I know nothing about your past, except what the tabloids say – and you can never believe that junk. I think I deserve to know something about you before we are married."
"Ask away, I have nothing to hide," the blue eyed man calmly said, taking off the thin glasses from the bridge of his nose and placing them on the table.
The woman did anything but ask him a question. Instead, Adriana walked over to the double door entry of his office, and ushered Jounouchi into the room. Kaiba barely recognized the sad looking figure that rolled himself into the office. But, as soon as Seto gazed at the golden hair and delicate, brown eyes, his heart sank. Katsuya slowly spun both wheels, entering through the double doors. Adriana kindly shut the door behind him. "Who is this?"
Kaiba still didn't answer as he continued looking at the small figure hunched over, a red tinge on his cheeks. He thought for sure that Jou would never wake up from that coma, and after three months of waiting and checking up on the mutt, Kaiba had severed all connections, intending to get on with his life and repent for the mistakes he had made. Gazing at the figure, blue eyes noted the pale look adorning Jou's features. The thin frame could not be hidden, even with the large t-shirt and jeans. His legs were positioned oddly; Katsuya probably couldn't even feel it. "Oh no, I paralyzed him."
"Kaiba! Who is this?"
Seto couldn't jeopardize this marriage. He had worked so hard to forget everything that had happened six months ago. He didn't deserve Jou's care, anyway. The blonde was probably there just to yell at him, maybe sue him for his money. With those thoughts in his mind, Kaiba took the offensive. "Katsuya Jounouchi," he stated, slipping on the name. Damn his nerves.
"Are you gay? Were you with him?" Adriana yelled, thinking she had every right to interfere, not knowing the history behind the two lovers at all.
"With him? No, I was not. I am not a fag or anything of the kind. If I was, then why would I be marrying you?" It was such a blatant lie, and Kaiba swallowed at he thought.
"You are disgusting," Jou croaked, trying to find his voice. "What you did to me is forgivable, but this is downright cruel."
"I think he is telling the truth, Lover," Adriana pointed out, stepping closer to the blonde. "I remember the few times we did have sex." Jou cringed. "You could barely get it up, and even then, I don't think you finished at all. I am a gorgeous woman; how could any straight man not be attracted to me? Every time we were intimate, you closed your eyes as if you were imagining someone else."
"How dare you!" Kaiba sneered, standing up and knocking his computer chair back. "I give you everything, and yet you don't trust me?"
"It all adds up, Dear. But that does not matter to me." Jou whipped his head to the side as Adriana walked over behind the desk and leaned against the CEO. "We will be married next week, as scheduled. And, if you cancel this wedding," the Italian woman leaned close, "I will make you regret everything by stopping all trade between Italy and your corporation. I only care to change you, Seto. If you do like men, then…we can work on that together." She fiddled with his tie, smiling.
"Seto, don't do this to me," Jounouchi whispered, looking straight at the billionaire. "After all we've been through. All I ask is for ten minutes alone with you to talk. I think I deserve that." Kaiba sighed, nodding his head. At least the blonde looked as uneasy as Seto felt.
"Adriana, please wait for me in the dining room; we will have an early dinner."
"What!" she protested, in disbelief that this trash could persuade her powerful fiancé into talking privately with him. Not even she had that much power over the CEO…yet. "Fine, but I will be waiting." The cold voice cut through Kaiba like a dull knife, and he knew there was going to be hell to pay later on.
He grabbed her hand which was almost out of reach. She turned around with a sad expression, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Thank you," he added sincerely. Quickly, she made her exit, leaving the two Japanese men behind to reminisce.
'They were probably lovers.' Adriana thought, wiping the unshed tears away before heading to the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous meal for their dinner together. When the cook asked what she and Mr. Kaiba would like, the woman deliberated long and hard, and then thought of the perfect course. "How about oysters to get Seto in the mood…"
Kaiba took off his flowing, white coat and seated himself at the front of his desk. He didn't know how this conversation was going to start, but he was not the one who would do it. He would wait until Jounouchi was ready – after all, the blonde was the one who wanted to talk in the first place.
"How have you been?" Jou asked quietly, as he saw the golden band on Kaiba's left ring finger.
"Get to the point; I have no time for this."
"You have had plenty of time, six months even. Did you think I was a lost cause? That I was dead, anyway? Do you even care?"
'No, Jou – I was the lost cause, not you.' Kaiba's saddened thoughts dug up more memories about those months he was with the blonde. Seto had to do what he thought was right, no matter how much he or Jounouchi would be hurt. "I don't have time to wait around for sick dogs. They are usually put to sleep after a few weeks, anyway." Kaiba cringed at his own words, even more so when the blonde mirrored the action.
"Why are you being like this, Kaiba! I know you're not a total prick, you just pretend to be! I don't understand why you are putting up this fucking wall!"
"Just leave; I am to be married soon, and I don't need a stray sitting at the edge of the bed when I make love to my wife!"
Katsuya paled, trying not to think of that image. He didn't know what to do, how to tell Seto it was all right. Jou had already forgiven the CEO for everything he'd done in the past. All he wanted now was to put things behind them and be with Kaiba for their first, uninterrupted time. Things weren't going as planned. "Seto, it wasn't your faul-"
"Who said you could call me by that name? You must have no respect for me, Mutt." Kaiba turned his back to the blonde, crossing his arms against his chest. "Get out."
Jou wanted nothing more than to burst into tears. The butterflies that had previously been in his stomach were now eating away at his heart. Turning his wheelchair, the blonde rolled towards the large door, which conveniently, was shut.
Kaiba, wondering why he hadn't heard Jou leave yet, turned to watch Katsuya's failed attempts at opening his wooden, soundproof door. Without thinking, Seto moved to the rescue, opening the frame with ease. The resulting awkward moment was hell for the CEO; he hadn't meant to help Jou.
"Thanks," Jou said as he turned the large wheels at the side of his chair.
Kaiba said nothing. Instead, blue eyes took notice of Jounouchi's thin legs for the first time. Hell, everything about the blonde was thin. Kaiba, with his privileged information, already knew that the pup would be in a wheelchair, but why would he be so small? The CEO would have to make a little call to the hospital in Japan to check in on the situation.
After entering the large hallway, Jou wanted to say one more thing to Kaiba before he left, but as the blonde turned around, he saw that the door had already been shut in his face. So that was it; all this way to come to America, ignoring the physical therapy he needed, all for nothing. "I don't understand you, Seto. I know you feel horrible for what you did; I can feel it. So why punish yourself for something that wasn't your fault?"
One, long hour had gone by for the CEO as he still sat in his office, doing absolutely nothing. Kaiba had hoped he could bury himself in his work to forget about those honey colored eyes. Jou was truly beautiful, even when he didn't look his best. Seto could have taken him right then and there if given different circumstances. "Damn, I am now wasting my time thinking about that stupid…Jou."
Kaiba's cell rang, and this time he did not ignore it. He needed to keep his mind busy. If it sat idle for too long, his mind would only wander back to that night where he shot the only person, other than Mokuba, that he had loved. "Kaiba," the CEO answered as always.
"Seto, dinner is ready. You said you would be coming down to eat with me," Adriana spoke, gazing at the romantic dinner setting she had been organizing for the past hour. Everything was ready, and the Italian woman was wearing her best, and shortest, dress.
"Yes, I will be right there. I am sorry about everything." As Adriana accepted the apology, Kaiba closed the flap of the cell phone, ending the call.
After today's encounter with his past, Seto did not feel like eating. But the CEO knew he should try to stomach something, or he would hear about it later. With that thought in mind, Kaiba stood and walked from his desk to the door he had shut on Jounouchi what seemed like just five seconds ago. But, the blonde was probably long gone, and out of his life forever. Somehow, that idea didn't sit too well in the back of Seto's mind.
"Where the hell is he?" Adriana pouted as she stared at the small, round table set for two. The wood had been covered with a red, velvet cloth, and when the two golden candles were lit, provided a warm hue. The plates and utensils were rimmed with a gold lining, and were accentuated by the red roses that had been placed as the centerpiece. Now all she needed was her man.
Kaiba, upon seeing the romantic atmosphere, cringed. Tonight was not the night he wanted to get in the 'mood.' But, it seemed that his dear fiancée had other plans in mind. 'Damn it,' Seto cursed inwardly. 'I could always say that there is a lot of work to do, and skip out on dessert.'
"Seto, ahh there you are! I have been waiting." Adriana stood, walked over to the much taller man, and placed a kiss upon his lips. Kaiba didn't respond; he just shrugged off the lips, deciding to compliment he table instead.
"Thank you, I did it myself. Shall we eat?" Adriana pulled at the brunette's hand, leading him to his chair.
But Kaiba, ever the gentleman, led the dark haired woman to her seat while pulling out the wooden chair. "Ladies first," he smiled. Just because he did not feel his best at the moment, it didn't mean he had to ruin his fiancée's night as well. It was his problem, so he would deal with it – alone.
"Thank you," she said, grabbing the golden dinner cloth and placing it on her right thigh.
As Kaiba sat down, two waiters walked into the room, each with one tray in hand. Seto didn't know what Adriana had planned, but knowing her, the food would be exquisite. But when those eyes saw the food that was set in front of him, it stilled his beating heart for a second.
The waiter who had filled the CEO's wine glass took note of Kaiba's reaction and became immediately concerned. "Mr. Kaiba, sir, is the food not to your liking?"
"No, it's fine. Thank you," Seto nodded, dismissing both waiters from the table. Quickly, Kaiba grabbed the wine glass, downing all of its contents in one gulp.
"Seto?"
His mind went back to that night, the night he had served oysters to the one he loved. That food had always been special to him ever since that night. He hadn't touched anything close to the aphrodisiac since. At that moment, Seto realized that his decision to be with Adriana would not only hurt him and Jou, but it would hurt Adriana as well. Was he so selfish as to pretend he loved her, when in his soul he loved another?
Yes, Seto Kaiba had always been known as selfish and material. But that was only what people thought. Only Jou knew the real man inside of him. And, Kaiba knew he could not eat these oysters; even the smell reminded him of that special, and hellish, night when he had poured out his love to Jounouchi, and in the end, had almost killed him. In the end, Kaiba wasn't helping Jou or himself. And this food was all the proof that he needed.
'I am only punishing Katsuya even more by distancing myself. I thought that it was right, but it doesn't help either of us - I know I do not deserve him, but damn it, he deserves me! It's the least I can do for him.'
"Are you all right?" Adriana asked again, worriedly. She tried to grab his hand across the table, but he backed away from her, looking up with deep, blue eyes.
"I am truly sorry for everything, but this isn't real. I can't be with you," Kaiba sighed, pulling off the newly purchased ring and setting it on the table. "I will be in contact with your lawyers, unless you want to deal with this personally?"
"Why? What did I do? Was it the food?"
Kaiba laughed quietly. "Yes, it was the food. And you did nothing. I am in love with some one else, and I will not say that again to anyone." Seto pushed back his chair, standing to make his leave. But before he did, his eyes caught the single tear that dropped from Adriana's eye. Her dark hair covered her eyes as she looked down, but it was obvious that she was in pain. "You can get any man in the world, and you have money. What is it you want from me?"
Adriana didn't answer, just kept silent as her shoulders started to shake. "Is it so hard to believe that I actually cared for you?"
"What?"
"I actually found someone that, for the first time, didn't want me for my money or my looks. Yes, I know you're gay. I have known ever since we had sex for the first time. It does not take that long for a man to get sexually aroused around me. And then, my suspicions were confirmed when I saw that blonde bombshell today. It's him, isn't it?"
Kaiba nodded, about to apologize again, but he was cut off. "It was like we were friends, understand? We had a lot of good times, Seto. I guess when I think about it, we never acted like lovers. More like a single girl and her gay best friend who both happened to be millionaires."
"I wouldn't consider tha-"
"So I understand if you go, but…" She grabbed the cloth from her leg, dabbing at her eyes lightly. "…Just be happy."
TBC
