Chapter 21: Protests
Debating whether or not to call Yami, Kaiba finally decided indecision was getting him nowhere fast. Calling Yami, Kaiba waited for him to pick up the phone. It took four rings before he heard Yami's happy, "Hey!"
"Why do you sound so breathless?" Kaiba asked, concerned by it.
"I ran outside to take the call," Yami explained. "It was too noisy inside."
"Where are you?"
"We just sat down at the Darts in Shinjuku. Why?" Yami wanted to know.
Wondering if he had made the right decision, Kaiba replied, "I finished with my meetings and was considering—"
"Are you going to come meet us?" Yami excitedly asked.
"If you want," Kaiba answered, not addressing the interruption.
Smiling broadly even though Kaiba couldn't see it, Yami told him, "I'd like that very much and so would Mokuba, I think."
After getting directions from Yami, Kaiba said, "I'll call you when I get there."
"Looking forward to it!" Yami happily exclaimed, very surprised by Kaiba's actions. "I'll let them know you're on your way."
"See you soon," Kaiba said before hanging up and going toward his chauffeured car.
Yami resisted the urge to hug Kaiba when he got out of his car that drove off quickly. "You made it!" Yami exclaimed as he drew closer to Kaiba.
"I hit traffic, so I'm a little late," Kaiba explained, hating not being punctual.
"That's okay, I'm just glad you're here," Yami told him. "How were your meetings?"
"Productive," Kaiba answered, although he was glad he was done for the night since it was well after ten. "There's still more meetings tomorrow, though."
"Well, you're here now, that's what's important," Yami said as he once again curbed the urge to reach out and touch Kaiba in some way.
"Yeah. Listen, do you want to come home with me and Mokuba afterward?" Kaiba offered, hoping it would be okay with him.
Nodding eagerly, Yami agreed, "That would make this night perfect."
It warmed Kaiba to hear that, but he said nothing as Yami led the way into the restaurant. Kaiba could see why Yami had decided to take the call outside—it was lively. It was an interesting mix of game center, bar, and restaurant and Kaiba wondered if he'd get to play against Yami again in a challenge. It was thrilling no matter what the competition was.
"Kaiba-kun, I'm so glad you decided to meet with us!" Anzu brightly told him as he approached their table.
Yuugi and Honda echoed the sentiment, but Jounouchi remained silent. Mokuba came over and gave his brother a hug as he exclaimed, "I'm so happy that you're here!"
Ruffling Mokuba's hair before taking a seat next to him and Yami, Kaiba braced himself for the evening. It went better than expected, but that could have been because Yami would tap his knee every once in awhile or brush his hand over Kaiba's. He even found himself having fun when they all played darts against each other. Winning soundly might have had something to do with that, though. Seeing Jounouchi fuming at coming in next to last place was more gratifying than it should have been, but Kaiba didn't care.
When they were all sitting back around their table, Anzu congratulated Kaiba with a toast, "Here's to a successful tournament!"
"It was a lot of fun," Yuugi chime in, surprising Kaiba.
"But you lost," Kaiba said, earning him a hard nudge under the table from Yami at his bluntness.
Smiling at that, Yuugi explained, "I still had fun," and sounded like he meant it, which blew Kaiba's mind. If it had been him, losing his title would have ruined his day.
"I'm just glad it wasn't almost ruined like last year's was," Kaiba commented, having been thoroughly frustrated by the Schroeder brothers' actions the previous Grand Prix.
"Why didn't you compete this year, Kaiba-kun?" Anzu asked conversationally.
"Because he was afraid of losing to me!" Jounouchi interjected with a brash laugh.
Rolling his eyes, Kaiba countered, "Hardly. You came in what, sixth place?"
"Seventh," Jounouchi muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest defensively. "I'm still not convinced that brat didn't cheat somehow."
"He kicked your ass fair and square," Honda told his friend, dodging when a punch was aimed his way for it. "It's the truth!"
"Whose side are you on?" Jounouchi angrily demanded.
It made Anzu speak up, "He's right. You being angry about it changes nothing."
"You fought really well," Yuugi defended his friend.
"It still doesn't change the fact that I lost," Jounouchi sourly protested.
Ever the voice of reason, Yuugi pointed out, "I lost too and I'm not angry or upset about it."
"That's because you're you," Jounouchi shot back, knowing that was just how his friend was.
"There's no need to be nasty," Anzu reprimanded Jounouchi with a warning look that he blanched under a little. "You shouldn't be such a sore loser."
Throwing himself further into his seat, Jounouchi muttered, "Whatever," and continued to look dour.
Letting it go, Mokuba looked to change topics. "Nii-sama, when do you think the next tournament will be?"
"Not for awhile," Kaiba answered, not really having thought that far out yet. "We may try to do a charity tournament to debut the new Duel Disks at Kaiba Land, but nothing is definite yet."
"That would be awesome!" Mokuba exclaimed, excited by the prospect.
"Well, we haven't done a benefit for the orphanage in awhile, so we're about due," Kaiba mused, turning the idea over in his mind.
"I think that's a great idea," Yami said, drawing Kaiba's attention to him.
"I'm glad you think so, because you'll be participating," Kaiba informed him. "It's part of the responsibilities of your new reign."
"You say that like I have a problem with it," Yami said with a laugh.
Yuugi commented, "I've done a few of them before. They're pretty fun."
Grinning wryly, Yami said, "I remember."
It made Yuugi laugh as he realized the error of his statement. "I guess you would," Yuugi replied. "Sorry, I guess I'm so used to thinking of you outside myself now."
The tangent was a weird one and Kaiba didn't want to think about the days when Yami was a spirit. It led him to ask Yuugi, "So what's it like no longer being the King of Card Games?"
Smiling sheepishly, Yuugi confided, "It's kind of a relief, honestly."
"Really?" Kaiba asked in surprise, having expected a different answer.
"Yeah, now I can play just for fun instead of worrying about winning all the time," Yuugi answered.
"I don't understand," Kaiba replied, failing to see the difference.
"I wouldn't expect you to," Yuugi told him, although his tone wasn't unkind. "I just like to play and you like to win, that's the difference."
It was an interesting point and one Kaiba could reflect on later. "I guess that's true," Kaiba finally commented.
"I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing," Yuugi hurriedly clarified. "It's just something that I've noticed."
Waiving it away with a, "That's fine," Kaiba didn't take offense to the truth.
"The two of you could always duel in the charity competition," Yuugi suggested as he pointed at Yami and Kaiba. "That would be a great battle."
"We'll see," Kaiba said, not outright rejecting the idea. He didn't know what it would be like to face off against Yami now that they were dating, but he was curious. "But that's months away."
"I like the idea," Yami added, hoping he could get Kaiba to agree to it. At the very least, he'd enjoy trying to convince him.
"Of course you do," Jounouchi muttered under his breath.
Holding back a sigh, Yami reminded his friend, "Jounouchi-kun, we've talked about this."
"You never said I had to like it," Jounouchi defended himself.
"We don't need your attitude about it," Yami patiently said.
"We," Jounouchi bitterly repeated as he narrowed his eyes at the word.
"Yes, we," Yami repeated. "Eventually you're going to have to accept it," Yami told him, hoping to get through to his friend.
"Fine, you're gay, I don't care," Jounouchi huffily said.
"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it," Yami corrected him.
It was the first time Kaiba had really thought about Yami's sexual orientation and he made a note to ask about it later. Kaiba had never really placed much weight in such labels since sexuality had never interested him before Yami, but he found himself growing curious about it.
"If you have something to say, then say it," Kaiba challenged Jounouchi. "Sulking like a loser dog is pathetic, even by your standards."
Glaring at Kaiba hatefully, Jounouchi spat out, "I don't like you."
"The feeling is mutual, mutt. What's your point?" Kaiba asked in a bored tone of voice.
"Why did it have to be you?" Jounouchi heatedly demanded. "Out of everyone, why you?"
"Would you rather it be you?" Kaiba asked with a cruel laugh that earned him a warning look from Yami.
Cheeks flushing at the prospect, Jounouchi denied, "No! But I'd rather see him with somebody like Keisuke-kun than you."
Drawing himself up to his full height, Kaiba said, "That's never going to happen."
"Besides, Keisuke-kun isn't even my type," Yami told Jounouchi, earning an arched eyebrow from Kaiba who added that to his list of questions to ask later.
"What, he's not enough of a jerk for you or something?" Jounouchi bitterly questioned. "You only fall for arrogant bastards like this asshole?"
"Now you're not being fair," Yami replied. "And I'm not going to put up with either of you insulting each other, so stop it, both of you."
Resisting the childish urge to point out that Jounouchi started it, Kaiba declared, "I'm staying, so you may as well get used to it."
"He's been nothing but good to Yami-kun," Anzu pointed out to Jounouchi, which was most important to her. "Why can't you focus on that instead?"
"Because it's all an act!" Jounouchi protested.
"Like I would be bothered to do such a thing?" Kaiba asked with a snort. "My time is far too valuable to waste in such a way."
It caused Mokuba to add, "Nii-sama's not that kind of person! He would never do that!"
"I don't buy it," Jounouchi stubbornly continued to protest.
"Believe what you want," Kaiba told him, "but it changes nothing."
"I don't want to lose our friendship over this," Yami said with great feeling. "You're both too important to me to—"
"How did that even happen?" Jounouchi wanted to know. "How did he go from your rival to your boyfriend?"
Shrugging, Yami said, "It's not important. It just did."
"Ridiculous," Jounouchi said with a scowl. "Why did you have to pick my enemy?"
"It had nothing to do with that," Yami continued trying to rationalize with his upset friend. "Why can't you see past—"
"Like he's willing to?" Jounouchi scoffed. "Tell him to start treating me with some respect and I'll—"
Crossing his arms over his chest, Kaiba interrupted, "Try earning it and I'll reconsider it."
"Why do you always have to be such a—"
"Jounouchi-kun!" Yami interrupted him to reprimand him for what he was about to say.
Throwing his hands up in frustration, Jounouchi exclaimed, "I don't know what you want from me. I just can't accept this like it's normal."
"It is normal," Yami insisted. "What's not normal is you, as my friend, refusing to—"
"Do you have any idea what you're asking of me?" Jounouchi asked in anguish. "You're asking me to support you being with my enemy! You're asking me to forgive this like it's no big deal. And I'm trying for you, but with him rubbing my face in it—"
Rolling his eyes at that, Yami pointed out, "You act like we're fucking on the table in front of you."
"I did not need that image!" Jounouchi protested as he tried to push it out of his mind.
Realizing how crass he sounded and seeing Mokuba's wide eyed surprise at his comment, Yami felt the need to apologize, "Sorry, but the point still stands. We're not doing anything that would draw attention to ourselves. We can't."
"Oh, because he's so big and powerful," Jounouchi sarcastically said.
Ignoring the tone, Yami confirmed, "Exactly."
"And you're okay with that?" Jounouchi asked in disbelief. "That's hardly a healthy relationship."
"We have an understanding that works for us," Yami informed Jounouchi. "That's all that matters."
"How can you be happy with that?" Jounouchi wanted to know.
"Because I'm happy with him," Yami answered, for it was as simple as that for him. "It should suffice that he makes me happier than I've ever been."
Jounouchi had little to say to that as Kaiba looked over at Yami in surprise at his claim. He had never really considered things from that angle before; he wasn't used to thinking of anyone's happiness other than Mokuba's. But realistically, Kaiba recognized that Yami's suddenly mattered, too. It was a weird realization for him, but now wasn't the time to dwell on such thoughts.
Having stayed silent long enough, Kaiba couldn't resist taunting, "As his so-called friend, shouldn't that be enough for you?"
"I don't want a lecture on friendship from you of all people!" Jounouchi shot back, his ire rising again. "What do you understand about friendship anyway?"
"I know enough to understand that your behavior right now is atrocious," Kaiba retorted.
Jounouchi opened his mouth to say something in return, but quickly shut it when he realized that Kaiba had a point, much as it galled him to admit. "Look, I'm sorry, alright?" Jounouchi gruffly apologized as he looked down at the table. "I'm trying to be okay with it, but it's hard."
His tone softening, Yami said, "And I respect that."
"But it seriously had to be him?" Jounouchi asked one final time.
"There is no one else," Yami confirmed, an answer that pleased Kaiba immensely. "Now can we get back to our pleasant night of celebrating?"
"Only if I get a rematch in darts," Jounouchi conceded.
It would have been easy to make a snide remark about Jounouchi wanting to lose again, but Kaiba wisely refrained from doing so. He didn't particularly feel like engaging Jounouchi in another fight, so Kaiba let it go, figuring it would please Yami. If Jounouchi was willing to make an effort, Kaiba wasn't about to be outdone.
A/N: One of these days I'm going to find a way to write a fic where Jounouchi is totally cool with them, I swear.
NEXT CHAPTER:
"Good thing I know how to deliver," Yami joked with a wink at Kaiba.
The next chapter will go up on Sunday, February 9th, so please look forward to it! I hope you continue to enjoy this story and I look forward to your reviews on it!