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Like This
Mr. Crawford is stunned by the moving van and a sleek black limousine in his driveway as his own limousine pulls to a stop.
At first he panics thinking that his Cyndia would…No, he's given her no reason to do such a thing. Besides, he'd just left her at a tea being given by her best friend.
'Then what are that van and limo doing here?' he frowns to himself.
His question is answered almost immediately as he spots Yami, Seto and several others carting things from Yami's studio out the front door of his home.
"What is the meaning of this?" he yells, jumping from his limo without waiting for his driver and storming toward them.
Placing the easel in his arms on the floor of the truck for the movers to arrange properly, Yami goes to intercept him.
"Y-Yami? What is the meaning of this? What's going on?" he stammers, back in panic mode again. Had his plan backfired? Is his protégé really leaving him?
"Thank you for taking care of me all these years, Mr. Crawford," he bows deeply to the man's shocked face. But it's time I moved on. Seto and I appreciate the use of the loft, but we don't need it anymore. Also, since our new home has enough space for a proper studio, I won't need to impose upon you any more here in your home."
"I-I don't understand, Yami. You know that nothing I've ever done for you is an imposition."
The silver-haired millionaire struggles to maintain his composure. The tri-colored artist is a rare treasure that he wanted to keep by his side. To think that his actions may have chased him completely away…
"Why don't we sit in the parlor and discuss this, Yami?" he stalls. "I'm sure that there has been some misunderstanding."
"I spoke to Mr. Tanaka at the gallery," Yami continues with that same bright smile as if the other hadn't spoken. "He said the show is such a hit that he'd like to send some of the pieces to his larger gallery in Tokyo. He said he'd mentioned it to you about a week ago. Maybe it slipped your mind while you were planning for Katsuya to come to the show."
It's at that moment that Mr. Crawford knows that Seto told Yami everything.
He hadn't mentioned Tanaka's plans because he'd hoped to use the news of the Tokyo show to cheer Yami up once Seto had left him. Pausing a moment to gather his thoughts, he offers Yami a smile of understanding.
"You and I both know that you need the freedom to explore the world and further your growth as an artist, Yami," he prevaricates. "And that includes spending time with people other than Seto. That's why I invited Katsuya here. I only thought to stimulate your muse. After all, muses need all sorts of stimulation, mental as well as physical."
Yami's heart clenches painfully as he realizes Mr. Crawford's true motives.
"You've been living vicariously through me, haven't you? Living a life you only could dream about," He frowns. "That's why you wanted to get me away from Seto. You wanted me to stay what you considered to be a free spirit so that you could direct my life's path wherever you directed. I've only been a plaything for you all along!"
Yami catches himself before he starts yelling, taking a breath and continuing in a more even tone.
"Were you really ever concerned about my career, Mr Crawford? Or were you simply planning to keep me as your personal pet portrait painter and artist?"
Shocked by Yami's accusations and unable to completely deny them, the silver-haired millionaire stalls with, "Why would you say such a thing, Yami? I've only ever wanted the best for you. I thought you knew that."
Seeing the tactic for what it is, Yami nods to himself in acceptance.
"You're not going to admit it, are you?" he sighs. "That's okay because I finally understand that you only care about my talent, not me as a person."
"Yami," Mr. Crawford insists. "You know that isn't true! I've only ever…"
"Wanted what's best for me. I know," the artist interrupts. "I also now know that you only wanted the best in order to show me off and brag about me as an acquisition, not the best for me personally. But it's fine now because I have the best." Yami smiles at Seto who's helping Mokuba lift the last of his large, unfinished pieces into the moving van.
Yami then surprises his now former patron, mentor and friend with a warm hug.
"Good-bye, Mr. Crawford. Thank you for all of your support," he whispers sincerely, before turning swiftly and heading for Noah's limo.
"Yami!" Mr. Crawford calls to him. "I would still like you to do our portraits on a regular basis."
"I'll try to fit you in," the other grins, his eyes suspiciously shiny. "But it'll cost you."
"You know that I'll pay anything," the millionaire forces a smile back.
Yami nods in acknowledgement before climbing into the limo.
About an hour later, Cyndia Crawford comes home from her tea to find her husband sitting in the parlor with a glass of red wine, his eyes glazed as he stares blankly at Yami's last portrait of them.
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Yami trembles with emotion as he snuggles deeper into Seto's embrace. Though he knew that it had to be done, parting with Mr. Crawford had been so much more difficult than he'd expected. As they all ride back to his and Seto's new place, he's extremely grateful for the silence of those around him. It gives him a chance to sort through his feelings and get himself together.
Pulling up to the large, 3-story house that Noah is "renting" to them for less than Seto spends on coffee a month, he's still hard-pressed to believe the other's generosity.
The first floor houses their living room, dining room, kitchen and Seto's library. The second floor houses their bedroom, a guest room and an open entertainment area. The entire third floor is Yami's studio, complete with a side door and freight elevator big enough for his largest works to be brought in and out easily.
The house had originally housed a two-story apartment and a dance studio until Noah bought and converted it a few years ago for Yuuri and Wolfram to use. Incredibly, the two had found that much space overwhelming and moved into an apartment a year later. Noah had kept the place up, but it had stayed vacant since then.
When Seto asked if he and Yami could stay at the mansion for a while until they found a new place once they broke ties with Mr. Crawford, Noah had smiled and said, "I've got a better idea. That is, if you don't mind having me as your landlord.
Yami smiles as he takes a few moments to watch the movers cart the last boxes full of his and Seto's things into their new home. It had taken the six of them, counting Yuuri and Wolfram, all night, but they'd packed all of his and Seto's belongings and had them ready for the movers that Noah had ordered.
At first, Seto had argued that they should leave all the furniture in the loft and buy everything new, but Yami had balked at the idea of leaving everything.
"I love our bed Seto," he'd argued. "I don't want to get a new one. And the dining room table holds too many great memories to be discarded. And I refuse to give up that couch! And the recliner in our room! And of course your desk must go with us…"
They'd bantered back and forth for a few minutes, Seto trying to get Yami to see the value of starting fresh in a new place, but his lover wasn't budging in his decision. Eventually, the brunet had relented on those items, giving in to his love's sentiments.
In the end, Seto had even decided to bring all of his bookshelves with his books to start filling up the library space, which still left the bulk of the house to fill up.
A huge yawn splits Yami's face, echoed by Seto, Mokuba and Noah. They all laugh before setting out to help take the things into Yami's studio.
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"You're feeding me, right?" Noah yawns several hours later from his prone position on Seto and Yami's couch, the broad sectional providing more than enough space for the CEO and Seto's brother to stretch out. "It's the least you can do, considering."
"Of course!" Seto agrees, refreshed from his recent shower. "I'll order in since most of our kitchen necessities are still packed."
"That's your fault for wanting to unpack your library first," Mokuba grumbles.
"And the bedroom!" Yami pipes up, smiling coyly , equally refreshed from his shower with Seto.
"You guys are blinding me with your happiness," Mokuba mumbles, stumbling up from his sprawl on top of Noah and pulling his nearly passed out boyfriend with him. "C'mon, Noe. We're gonna shower too. I'm sure I can find something for us to wear."
"M'kay," Noah murmurs, leaning heavily in his love's arms.
Yami smiles at them as they walk by.
"They make a good couple, don't they, Seto?" he beams.
Seto slides his arms around the shorter man, lightly nuzzling his trademark spikes.
"Are you okay?" he inquires lightly. "I know these last two days have been pretty difficult for you."
Turning in his love's arms, he presses his face into Seto's chest with a sigh.
"I don't know, Seto," he replies honestly. "It's all still so…And we still have to deal with Katsuya's visit…I think I'm too overloaded to think straight right now."
Seto tightens his arms around Yami before tilting his face up and kissing him deeply.
"If it gets to be too much, just remember that I'm here and that I'm never leaving you or ever letting you go again," he whispers.
"Of course you won't," Yami grins mischievously. "The sex is too good."
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Seto can feel Yami's heart pounding even through the hand held in his as they step into the gallery.
Despite the brunet's assurances that there's nothing to be concerned about, the tri-colored artist had barely slept the night before.
"Who knows what Mr. Crawford said to him, Seto?" Yami had fretted. "What if he thinks that I asked for him to come? What if he thinks I want to get back together with him?"
"We'll deal with whatever comes together, Yami." he'd insisted, but the other had remained anxious.
Yami's first glimpse of the blond heightens his fears and he tightens his already strong grip on Seto's hand.
The slim young man is standing alone, intensely studying Yami's acrylic of Seto at his mother's grave. Taking a deep breath, Yami calls out to him.
"Katsuya!"
His former lover turns at the sound of his name, a bright smile gracing his face when he spots Yami.
"Yami!" he calls back. As he moves to greet the artist and his companion, a slim, black-haired male with a pony-tail on the top of his that falls to the middle of his back, wraps himself around the grinning German.
Immediately, Yami's grip on Seto's hand relaxes, relief flooding his tense form.
Seto smiles at the scene before him, completely understanding Yami's feelings.
"Katsuya, it's good to see you again! And I see you brought a friend with you," Yami smiles amiably, Seto in tow.
The brunet bows politely to the pair before him, his scant knowledge of the German language only allowing him to pick up Katsuya's name from Yami's greeting.
At the end of his bow, Katsuya locks eyes with Seto and smiles knowingly, but it's the dark-haired man behind him who voices what the blonde is thinking.
"Man, Kat! No wonder he couldn't forget him. That guy's pretty hot!" the blonde's companion exclaims in fluent Japanese.
While Yami sputters in embarrassment and Katsuya laughs in amusement, Seto extends his hand in greeting to the brash young man.
"Seto Watanabe."
"Ryuuji Otogi," green eyes sparkle at him as they shake. "Thanks for being too hot for Yami to forget. It made it much easier for me to snag blondie here," he nips lightly at Katsuya's neck as he squeezes the other tighter.
"Hey! Stop that!" Katsuya scolds, extending his hand in greeting to Seto. "Nice to meet you. Ryuuji's right, though. You are pretty hot. Yami's sketches and paintings really don't do you justice."
"You-you're not mad?" Yami struggles to understand what's happening. "You don't find this whole thing a bit awkward?"
Katsuya graces Yami with another bright smile.
"Actually, when Mr. Pegasus called me and said that you wanted me to come see the show here, I thought it was a little weird. But then he explained that you just wanted to clear the air since you'd left things so…messed up with me. I thought that was pretty classy of you, so I decided to come. Besides, who'd turn down an all-expense paid trip home?" he grins.
"Wait…you're not German?" Yami stammers.
"Yes and no. I was born here, but I moved there with my dad when I was 15; he's German," the blond explains.
"And I'm pure Japanese," Ryuuji pipes up. "I'm just in Germany for business for a few years."
Yami shakes his head and leans back into Seto's arms. His lover understands that Yami's just about at the end of his rope for rude shocks and squeezes him tight, nuzzling his surprisingly soft spikes.
As the four of them wonder what to say next, Ryuuji slides into action to change the atmosphere.
"Well, I've been here for 20 minutes and have yet to see your photos, Kat. Are you sure that Mr. Crawford wasn't just pulling your leg about them being here?" he smirks.
"Hey!" both Yami and Katsuya protest.
"I was the one who got them framed and mounted for him!" Katsuya snips.
"Sor-ry!" Ryuuji raises his hands in mock surrender. "Let's just go see them, okay?"
"Maybe you don't deserve to see them," Yami grumbles, striding away, in the direction of the photos, trying to hide the smile that is playing across his face. Katsuya shakes his head at his companion and follows Yami.
"Thank you for that," Seto nods to grinning green eyes.
Ryuuji shrugs and follows Yami and Katsuya.
Catching up to them, Seto slips his hand into Yami's as he gives his guests a private tour. At the happiness shining in his love's eyes, he knows that Yami will be okay.
They'll both be okay from now on.
-Fin-
A/N: Stay tuned for a sequel in the very near future!