Play Your Part, Shizuka

Chapter 13

Take Two

Katsuya did not get any chance to talk with Seto before their date. Every single day the brunet was crowded by his fan girls, who seemed to have made it into their holy duty to keep Katsuya as far away from Seto as possible. The fact that Otogi had joined their lines did not surprise Katsuya all that much, especially since the raven-haired boy seemed to have something to gain from it. He got to talk with 'Shizuka'. Katsuya's responses to Otogi's advances were always equally cold to his first one but still the other teen did not seem to be able to take a hint.

It was hard for Katsuya to watch all those girls, who he personally considered no-good hussies, hang all over his man but the blond made himself feel better by reminding himself that none of them had a date with the handsome brunet next Wednesday. And in addition to that Katsuya was not snapped at every single time he called Seto by his given name, unlike any girl who tried it.

Finding it extremely hard to sit still while he waited for Seto to appear, especially since Keith was eyeing him from the corner of the room, Katsuya shifted his feet from time to time. Ayami was probably standing by the kitchen window where she had a clear view to the driveway. It would be just like the woman to stand on lookout for Seto.

Katsuya had decided to be a bit bolder with his clothing that night. He was wearing a black and purple skirt that reached his knees along with a deep red, sleeveless turtleneck. He also had a long, knee-length coat that was currently lying folded on his lap.

Suddenly there was a squeal, followed by the sound of scurrying steps. Katsuya looked to the living room doorway to see his mother come out of the kitchen and turn towards the door. Then there was silence. Katsuya was certain that he was at least equally impatient with his mother to hear the doorbell ring, so when it finally did the blond jumped out of his seat and hurriedly pulled his coat on. He heard his mother open the door and give a cheerful greeting. Yep, that was Seto alright. Katsuya began closing the buttons of his coat, fully aware of Keith's eyes watching him.

"You seem to be in a horrible hurry to leave", Keith's hoarse tone commented. Katsuya found himself unable to give a verbal response so he merely nodded his head and kept his eyes firmly glued to the doorway. Finally Seto appeared in the doorway, holding a bouquet of pale pink roses. Even though they were not the blue color Katsuya had been hoping for the blond smiled just as brightly when he accepted the flowers.

"Thank you", Katsuya spoke with a gentle smile while he hugged the bouquet close gently. He glanced briefly over Seto's shoulder to see his mother beaming at him. "They're very beautiful", the blond continued for effect before handing the flowers over to his mother. "Will you put these in my room?"

"Of course, Shizuka-chan", Ayami cooed when she took the roses. She then turned to walk out of the living room, grabbing Keith's arm before walking out of the room. The tall man was dragged out with her but he kept looking back. Katsuya saw the man snarl when Seto reached out and grasped Katsuya's hands with his own. Satisfied, Katsuya turned his head to look at Seto again and Keith disappeared into the kitchen.

"You look tired", were Seto's first words to Katsuya after the two of them were left alone, making Katsuya very aware of how little sleep he had gotten the whole week, all because of the Keith-nightmares that had appeared. "Maybe we should do this another time, when you've rested."

"No", Katsuya hurried to insist. "I'm fine. I need to get out of this house, away from him." The last one was muttered under the teen's breath. Seto still caught the words and immediately understood. The hands holding his squeezed a bit tighter for a moment and Katsuya lowered his gaze to their united hands. His own looked so small and frail compared to Seto's own and the blond wondered, not for the first time that week, if he really was as invincible as he had always convinced himself to be.

Katsuya did not get a chance to dwell on the matter for long when Seto released one of his hands and then began leading him out of the house. Katsuya was more than happy to get away from the place and quickly called over his shoulder: "Bye, 'kaasan!"

"Good bye, Shizuka-chan!" Ayami cheered back and waved cheerfully. Keith was standing next to the woman, his eyes trailing Katsuya's revealed legs with open lust in his hazy blue eyes. Katsuya felt very naked in the short skirt he had picked for himself to wear and tugged his long coat a little lower with his free hand. Katsuya had decided for once to make use of his long and slim legs and show them off a bit but he had not counted on Keith inviting himself into the house that same day. Katsuya fought back the urge to flip the man off and turned to Seto to follow the brunet out of the door he had just opened. He briefly noticed that the dark blue eyes had been looking at Keith as well.

Deciding that the brunet was very unlikely to have noticed the way Keith had been ogling at him Katsuya forgot all about Seto's behaviour and focused on closing the door after the two of them. It was so simple to momentarily forget all about his problems, the blond thought to himself. All he had to do was leave the house where those problems resided. If only a final solution could be that easy to grasp. It would be so much easier to simply slam the door into his problems' faces for good.

"Who was that man?" Seto questioned when the two of them were walking away from the Jounouchi household. Katsuya snapped out of his ponderings and frowned at the thought of the person in question before he answered with deep distaste: "He's mom's new boyfriend, Howard Keith. He's nothing but a slimy pervert." Katsuya shivered and subconsciously moved closer to Seto, not really thinking anything of how natural the action felt. The brunet wrapped an arm around his shoulders and Katsuya was able to continue: "He's the reason I can't sleep at night. He keeps ogling at me and it gives me horrible nightmares." The wigged blond allowed the brunet to open the car door for him before climbing inside. He scooted over the length of the bench to allow Seto to enter through the same door. The brunet sat down next to the blond and put his arm back around Katsuya's shoulders. The blond's voice was barely above a whisper as he finished: "I've never been so scared of anyone during my entire life."

"This man must be some beast then", Seto concluded as the car took off. "He certainly looks to be enough of a brute. Do you want me to do something about him?"

Even though touched by the offer Katsuya released a bitter laugh before saying: "No one can do anything about him since he has done nothing wrong. There's no way to prove to anyone that he looks at me lewdly. And that's all he's done so far." Katsuya wrapped his arms around himself. "I'm just so scared that one day I will be left alone with him and he jumps me. He's too large for me to fight off."

"You shouldn't have to worry about being able to fight him off", Seto said sternly. The brunet leaned in closer and Katsuya could feel the other's breaths ghost over his cheek. "I'll do anything I can to keep you safe."

A frown of distaste came across Katsuya's face at the brunet's words. Sure, Seto probably thought he was being sweet, and he was, but still. Katsuya was no defenceless girl, even though he was frightened of the man his mother considered a good companion. Katsuya pursed his lips together before giving Seto a glare.

"Even with lines like that, you still won't be getting any", the teen grumbled. Seto's face gained an interesting red hue that Katsuya had not gotten to see very often. The brunet released a discreet cough before mumbling: "That's not what I was getting at."

"Sure it wasn't", Katsuya muttered with all the sarcasm he could muster. "Then what were you after?"

"I just wanted to make you feel better", Seto grunted. His blue eyes averted Katsuya's brown gaze as the pale cheeks reddened even more.

Slowly a smile spread on Katsuya's lips. Seto was really trying to be nice to him; it was not just an act. He felt his own cheeks heat up as he quickly lifted his head up and planted a quick peck on a burning cheek.

Surprised blue met embarrassed brown for a moment before the shorter teen uttered weakly: "You're really sweet. Thanks."

"Sweet?" Seto repeated incredulously before releasing a huff. "As long as you don't expect me to be that around the clock then fine."

"Have you already decided what movie we are going to go watch?" Katsuya questioned, deciding to change the topic of conversation before he got even more emotional. Seto shook his head in response as he replied: "I thought we should decide together since I made all the plans for our last date."

Katsuya grinned brightly at the brunet. Seto was really trying to be like a regular date tonight, something the shorter boy could never imagine the brunet doing. The taller teen had not attempted to be anything other than himself ever before, and Katsuya had thought there was no person who could make the stoic teen change his views.

"That's great", Katsuya said enthusiastically. He decided that if Seto was willing to try and make this date work out then Katsuya would do the same. He was not any more experienced with dating than the brunet but they had already gone on one successful date. Even though the previous date had had Seto deciding everything and the brunet had stuck to things he knew. There was still no point in panicking so much over it. It could not be much different from going to the movies with Honda. The only difference was that he and Honda were not interested in each other and had never danced together or kissed.

"You know, you don't have to do this for me", Katsuya spoke out loud, getting a curious look from his date. The blond could see that Seto was confused so he hurried to explain: "I mean that you don't have to try and be so courteous with me. I'm not going out with you because I'm expecting some kind of a dream date." Katsuya gave the brunet a stern look. "I'm going out with you because I had a lot of fun last time. You don't have to pretend to be the perfect boyfriend, you already are good enough for me."

"Thank you", Seto replied with a small smile, one that made his deep blue eyes shine in a manner that had Katsuya blushing instantly. The shorter teen quickly lowered his head and directed his attention on his knees, unable to come up with a suitable response. And so the rest of the drive was spent in silence.

&&&&&&&

"I can't see how a sweet girl like you could prefer action movies over romantic chick flics", Seto commented when the cashier in front of the two gave Seto the tickets to the movie the two had chosen. Katsuya had suggested they watch the new action film, much to Seto's surprise.

"That is sexist and you know it", Katsuya shot back with a wide grin. "A teenage girl can like action movies as much as a teenage boy."

"I suppose so", Seto conceded with a nod. "I'll go get us some snacks and drinks. You sit down on one of the benches on the side and wait." Then the brunet started walking towards the stand. Katsuya huffed briefly at being told what to do before calling after the brunet: "I want my own popcorn!" That way Seto had no way of noticing just how quickly Katsuya could consume a giant bowl of popcorn on his own. Seto waved his hand shortly, signalling to Katsuya that he had heard the wigged blond. Katsuya grinned to himself as he made his way to one of the benches stationed in the side of the front hall of the movie theatre. He sat down to wait until Seto came back with their snacks. It might take a while, with the line being as long as it was.

Suddenly Katsuya was grabbed by his arm and pulled out of his seat. His back met with a broad chest a moment before a hand came to cover his mouth. Katsuya struggled against the firm hold the hands had on him but could not get away. The person was larger than him, and stronger too, judging from the way he was able to half carry and half drag the wigged blond into a dimly lit hallway. It was the same hallway where the boy had went to look for a bathroom but only found one that was out of order. That meant there was very little chance of anyone running into the teen and his captor by chance.

"Hello, Shizuka-chan", a low male voice whispered into Katsuya's ear and the boy's eyes widened when he instantly recognized it. It was Keith! The man had actually managed to sneak up on Katsuya and nab him inside a fully populated movie theatre. That was not such a difficult feat to accomplish actually, since no one would expect a kidnapping to take place inside a lively theatre. But here was Katsuya, trapped in the grip of a perverted man who he knew for certain had no good intentions.

"I would stop fighting if I were you, little Shizuka", Keith growled into Katsuya's ear. "I will be forced to hurt you if you don't." The hand gripping his arm slipped away and mover over to his hip and Katsuya tried to pry the hand covering his mouth away with both of his hands, but he was not having much success. Katsuya yanked his body and tried to pull himself free but the hands on his body were strong and unrelenting.

That was when the hand gripping Katsuya's thigh let go for a short while, only to come back up to Katsuya's hands clawing at the appendage keeping him quiet. Katsuya had barely enough time to register that something had been wrapped around his wrists when Keith fastened the belt around his arms. Katsuya yelped but the sound was nothing but a mere whimper with one of Keith's hands still on his mouth. The other hand landed back on the boy's hip.

"Besides…" Keith mumbled as he licked Katsuya's neck. "I can make this very enjoyable to you. I am very skilled in this area I assure you, Shizuka-chan." The hand on Katsuya's hip went lower to caress the blond's bare thigh and Katsuya cursed the decision to wear a short skirt that day. The hand squeezed the thigh tightly, brining a frightened whimper out of the boy.

"I know all about your little secret, Shizuka-chan…" that same low voice said huskily as a hand slipped under Karsuya's skirt to grip his crotch. Katsuya's eyes widened in terror as a tongue licked the shell of his ear before that taunting voice added: "Or should I call you Katsuya-chan?"

At that Keith released his hold on the boy's lower regions and the teen's chest was pushed against a wall with Keith pressing against his body from behind.

"Now I would be a very good boy now, since I can make this very painful for you", Keith said as he lifted Katsuya's skirt from the back. "I must say, though. Not everyone has the figure to pull off dressing like this. And you have one of the nicest asses I've seen." The man then grabbed Katsuya's shoulder forcefully and pushed the boy to the floor, trapping the smaller body between his legs as he kneeled over Katsuya's body. The hands let go of Katsuya's body and the blond tried to crawl away but was unable to do so with Keith squeezing him between his thighs. Katsuya then opened his mouth to scream when he felt Keith lean over his back and block the sound by gagging the boy with his always-present bandanna, tying it to the back of the teen's head.

Usually Katsuya would have become violent with anyone invading his personal space but then again, everyone else had always been out to beat the blond into a bloody pulp. At this moment Katsuya's eyes were wide as his breathing hitched and tears began to burn his eyes. He was scared. He was so scared that he had forgotten everything he had learned about defending himself. The blond had never faced a man like Keith before, a man with such a twisted mind, and it frightened him immobile. He had been unable to react when he was still able to break away and now he had no way of escaping Keith's clutches.

Right when Katsuya felt Keith's hands creep up to pull down his panties, the weight of the man disappeared from his back. The boy's body immediately curled in a weak effort to defend himself as he glanced to the side to see Keith getting his head slammed repeatedly into the floor by no other then Kaiba Seto.

When Keith's body slipped from Seto's grasp motionless, the brunet whipped out his cell phone and immediately engaged into a conversation with someone. Katsuya was too disoriented to make out what the brunet was saying even as the teen in question walked closer to him and pulled him up on his knees while kneeling on the floor himself. Seto was still saying something into the phone in an angered tone of voice as he wrapped his free arm around Katsuya's shoulders and pulled the smaller teen against his body. Katsuya immediately leaned his head against Seto's chest and felt the threat of tears retreat in the safety the brunet provided.

Some minutes passed before there was some more movement from Seto as the boy put his cell phone away and turned his attention fully on Katsuya. The brunet immediately released his hold on Katsuya in order to remove the scarf from Katsuya's mouth before he unfastened the belt around his wrists. Katsuya noticed pale red marks on his skin from where the belt had chafed him. Seto also ran a finger down one of the marks and the shorter boy was already missing the other's arms around him.

"I made a quick call to my bodyguard", Seto spoke to Katsuya when the wigged blond was freed. "He acts as my driver whenever I go somewhere public so that no one really knows he's there. It's not like I'm some movie star that needs constant watching, right? Still, my father insists that I always have at least one bodyguard at hand at all times. This time it is very useful since he can take care of Keith for us." The brunet placed his hand against Katsuya's neck and allowed a worried expression appear on his face. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

The bodyguard Seto had mentioned arrived to where they were and Katsuya turned his gaze back to Seto, not wanting to see any more of Keith, even if the man was unconscious and getting handcuffed. He really did not want Seto hovering over him like a worried mother hen, he may have been frightened out of his wits but he was still a proud teen boy. He forced a wide smile on his face, the same one he had always given Honda when he had been hurting, and spoke out: "Not counting my wrists there isn't a single scratch on me." He released a laugh that even he noticed was weak. "I guess I won't have to bother myself with dealing with Keith anymore. All ends well."

There was now a long, slim finger pressed against Katsuya's lips and the blond looked up at Seto's face to see the brunet looking at him in a disapproving manner. It was more than apparent that Seto had seen through Katsuya's pathetic act, especially when the brunet started to speak: "Stop saying things like that." One of Seto's hands was still pressed against Katsuya's neck but now it gently caressed the blond's chin with a thumb, in an attempt to offer consolation as the brunet continued: "Earlier this evening you told me not to pretend during this date. Now I'm asking you to do the same." The hand pressing a finger against Katsuya's lips moved away as Seto ran the hand through the hair of Katsuya's wig. "How are you feeling?"

Katsuya felt his eyes burn again as he threw himself against Seto's chest, the brunet's arms immediately falling down to wrap themselves around the boy's back.

"I just wish I did not have to experience that…" Katsuya whispered quietly with his cheek resting against the soft fabric of Seto's shirt. Tears started to run down his cheeks as he exclaimed with his agony clear in his voice: "I was so scared and I just want to cry!" A series of sobs shook Katsuya's body and the blond felt Seto's hands move to his shoulders as he was moved away from the brunet. Katsuya's teary eyes met Seto's own unreadable ones as the brunet spoke softly: "Shh… It's alright." The hand holding Katusuya's left shoulder released its hold to wipe away some of the tears pouring down the boy's cheeks. "There's no need for tears. It pains me to see you cry, so no more." The brunet leaned in close and pressed a soft kiss on Katsuya's forehead. "What can I do to make you feel better, Katsuya? How can I put a stop to your sorrow?"

"You really want to know?" Katsuya asked quietly when Seto's eyes met his once more. The trickle of tears on his cheeks had subsided slightly but was not completely gone yet. He gave a sad smile, not able to give a happier expression at that moment, and spoke out: "Kiss me."

Seto did not have to be told twice, it seemed, since as soon as Katsuya had spoken those two words Seto's mouth captured his own in a consuming kiss. They were both still on the cold floor, sitting on their kees, but they both seemed to be perfectly comfortable as Seto's arms once more found their way around Katsuya's back and Katsuya fisted his hands into Seto's shirt. The smaller boy surrendered himself completely to the feelings Seto's touch woke in him and in the process surrendered his body to the brunet as Seto's tongue was pushed into his mouth.

When the two broke apart Katsuya was panting heavily, closing his eyes as he took deep breaths in order to even out his breathing. Seto's breaths were also slightly uneven but the brunet was still able to pull Katsuya up to stand with him as he rose up.

"I think we should cut the date a bit short", Seto said while Katsuya was still trying to regain his breath. "It would probably be the best course of action, don't you think?"

Katsuya nodded his head in reply before speaking out: "I would really want to go home now."

The two boys made their way out of the movie theatre and outside. Katsuya saw two police officers push Keith into a police car and instinctively huddled closer to Seto until the car drove away. Seto did not say anything about the shorter teen clinging to him, merely moved his arm around Katsuya's shoulders as he guided the wigged blond to the car, opening the door for him.

"How did you know I was in trouble?" Katsuya questioned, the thought suddenly popping into his head. A soft flush of red appeared on Seto's cheeks before the brunet replied: "I was looking back at you about every half a minute that passed. When I saw that man nab you I immediately took off after you two. The crowd was so thick that it took me ages to press through." The taller teen touched Katsuya's cheek tenderly. "I'm sorry I took so long in getting to you."

"You saved me", Katsuya said in a final tone. "I really don't think I have any room to complain." At that Katsuya fell silent and allowed Seto to guide him into the car. He scooted across the soft seat and waited for Seto to follow after him.

Once Katsuya and Seto were sitting side by side inside the car Katsuya spoke out again: "It's really bad that the date turned out like this."

"We can try again", Seto offered. Then the brunet frowned a bit. "I wanted to ask you something after the date, but now I'm not sure anymore…"

"Go right ahead", Katsuya said, giving Seto a smile that finally looked more like his normal ones. Seto seemed to be encouraged by this as he asked: "Would you like to be my date for the ball at the end of the course?"

"Of course", Katsuya replied without the slightest bit of hesitation. "I would love to."

The smile on Seto's face may have been pale in comparison to Katsuya's but it was still the widest one the shorter boy had ever seen the brunet give anyone.

To be continued…

Ending Notes: This chapter is almost two times the usual length, so I hope you all enjoyed it and all the effort I put into writing it.