Jonouchi couldn't stay at his apartment anymore. It was bad enough living with the constant danger of assault and robbery, but now, contemplating his nightmare, he felt like being there was just asking for trouble. He couldn't move in with Anzu yet, but he'd gotten her permission to crash on the living room couch. She hadn't asked her roommate's opinion since "she was moving out and didn't get to be part of the democracy".
His messages to Honda begging him to go downtown with him and help move his stuff were so urgent that it actually spurred him to action. He got to the metro where they'd agreed to meet ten minutes before Jonouchi showed up, and when they saw each other, he looked as if he was concerned, but he didn't say anything about it. Which was good, in Jonouchi's opinion. They'd been friends long enough for Honda to know that Jonouchi would start talking if he wanted his business known.
Honda had managed to find a duffel bag in his place that was left over from when he moved in. When they got to Jonouchi's apartment, he hung close to his friend, his muscles tense and his eyes darting around the place in search of danger.
"Did something happen?" Asked Honda from the bedroom. He'd entered first, and briskly, no more fond of Jonouchi's neighborhood than Jonouchi was himself. When it was evident that there was no immediate danger in his bedroom, he followed Honda and started digging through his closet for his clothes. His old clothes that he'd stolen all by himself.
"What do you mean?"
"You seem tense, and I'm happy you're leaving this dump, but you've never been that concerned with it before."
Jonouchi shoved his few pairs of ratty jeans and his worn-out t-shirts into the duffel bag before looking for some boxers. After those were tossed in, Jonouchi went to the bathroom and fished his Duel Disk out from under the sink, along with the new one he'd been awarded by Kaiba and Mokuba. He'd kept them both boxed, both so they'd be more unassuming at first glance, and to keep them nice in a volatile environment.
When he went back to the bedroom with the boxes in hand, Honda looked utterly bewildered. Jonouchi shifted uncomfortably, and busied himself with fishing his dueling deck out of its hiding place to avoid Honda's gaze.
"What's that dumb look for?" Jonouchi asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Where did that come from?" Asked Honda, pointing to the new Duel Disk. "Why are you shoving all these clothes into the bag when you've got a bunch of nicer ones hanging in the closet?"
He paused, looking over the clothes in the closet, and then Jonouchi.
"Where did you get them to begin with?"
"Um," Jonouchi realized he hadn't even thought about how he would explain that. He'd forgotten the little detail that Honda had no idea what he'd been doing the past few months, and of course would be surprised by his new wardrobe. "It's a long story. I don't want to bring them along."
"Why not?" Honda pressed, though he didn't ask about where the clothes had come from. For all he knew, they'd been stolen, and that was something best not discussed. "They're nicer, even if they don't fit you right."
Jonouchi cleared his throat. Honda probably didn't approve of the more figure-fitting clothing as compared to what he normally wore.
"Like I said, it's a long story. I prefer my old clothes."
Honda nodded, and Jonouchi changed into a set of his old jeans and a shirt before they left the place. He had everything important with him, since Honda had his clothes and he was carrying the Duel Disks. Now he just had to hope no one attacked them thinking they had money.
"You never did tell me where you got the second Duel Disk," Honda nudged the box with his elbow. Jonouchi shrugged.
"Mokuba hired me on to do promotional work. I won a duel when I demonstrated the new Duel Disk, and got it as a prize," Jonouchi explained. Honda blinked at him looking utterly confused, and they walked quietly as he processed that.
"When did you start talking to Mokuba again?"
Jonouchi groaned. He hadn't really told Honda anything, had he? The last time they'd seen each other, he'd just crashed on his couch until he stopped being hungover.
"A few months back. We ran into each other by chance in a restaurant, and we've been hanging out since then."
"What? How much have I missed? I know I live in a man-cave, but shit."
"It's been crazy," Jonouchi laughed, "I'll have to catch you up a little more later. Right now though, I just want to get to Central before we get jumped or some shit."
It had happened to them before. The television Jonouchi owned had belonged to Honda's parents originally, and the day the two of them had carried it to Jonouchi's apartment, some crack addict in withdrawal had thought it was a great idea to fight them for it. It didn't end very well for him, but Jonouchi didn't feel bad. After all, they did call him an ambulance before running away from the scene.
They got on the metro again and took it to Central Domino. Jonouchi popped Anzu a text message when they were a few blocks away from her place, letting her know they were on their way, and by the time she replied they were at her front door. Jonouchi "knocked" by kicking at the door repeatedly.
"Anzu!" Honda called obnoxiously. It was good to know that he wasn't the only one who still got a kick out of ticking Anzu off. "Come on, lady, we don't got all day!"
"She's probably going to correct your grammar when she gets out here," Jonouchi snickered. Honda grinned at him.
"I hope so."
There was some shuffling behind the door before it busted open, Anzu looking quite irritated while eyeing the both of them. Her face was red, and her hair was wet, and wrapped in a robe, she looked at both Honda and Jonouchi's dumb faces before saying anything.
"Are you two serious?" She snapped, eyeing Jonouchi's duffle bag, "You didn't even bother to call me, I just got done with ballet class and I was taking a shower when you two idiots started banging on my door... What's going on?"
"What do you mean, "what's going on"? We already talked about me bringing my stuff over this morning, remember?"
"You could have said something about you dropping by like this though," she chided, crossing her arms and frowning, "My roommate changed the lease before I could call you back. She's not leaving, apparently. Her boyfriend dumped her, and she needs a place to stay. Sorry, Jonouchi. I'm sure your other friend could help you out..."
Jonouchi blinked at her, and after realizing what she meant, he gave her a warning glare. Maybe she was irritated, but he didn't want her to end up making Honda suspicious.
"Actually, I can," Honda replied, and Jonouchi did a double-take, staring at him. His friend looked thoughtful, his brow creasing.
"What?"
"Yeah, sure," Honda nodded as if he'd come to a conclusion, "I mean, you can't be on the lease yet, but my roommate hasn't even come home in months. I could probably get him kicked off.
Even if not, I'll let you crash until you figure something else out."
"I'm really sorry Jonouchi, but I tried texting you several times this morning, and you didn't answer back," continued Anzu, sighing before shaking her head, "It's not like I don't want you around, but... I can't kick my roommate out. She already paid my landlord, and I can't afford to lose this apartment myself."
"I...well..." Jonouchi looked from one person to the other, not sure what to say at first. "As long as I have a place to stay, I guess it's fine."
"Better than fine," Honda snorted, thumping his hand on Jonouchi's back, "You get to live with your best friend! What's better than that?"
Jonouchi laughed. It was true, it was a pretty sweet deal to be able to live with someone he knew he'd get along with. Especially since Honda was a guy, and far less...cultured than Kaiba was. Jonouchi could be as mannerless and vulgar as he wished.
"Besides, Thai misses you, I think," Honda added, "He comes to the door every time I get home from work. I think he's waiting for you to come back."
"Who's Thai?" Asked Anzu, looking at Honda strangely, "I didn't think you kept pets."
"I wasn't going to, at first," Honda replied, "I didn't want to forget to feed it or something. But Thai kept following me home from work, and he eventually just waltzed right into my place. Now he lives there with me. He feeds himself and doesn't piss in the house, so I don't mind."
"Sounds like you've gotten more soft since high school," snickered Anzu, moving to close the door, "I gotta go guys, but thanks for understanding. And good luck, Jonouchi."
She winked at him before closing the door.
Jonouchi snorted. He knew she was probably wishing him luck with Kaiba rather than his living situation, but he brushed it off. He didn't need to start acting funny around Honda. Especially since the two of them needed to carry his stuff to Honda's place now.
When they got there, Honda opened the door, and Jonouchi heard heavy, rhythmic bounding across the wooden floor. Then Thai the cat came into view, rounding the corner from Honda's bedroom and making a beeline for the door. Jonouchi was going to try setting his boxes down to pet him, but he ended up nearly dropping his cargo when Thai unexpectedly ran up his leg and jumped onto his shoulder.
"What the fuck?" Jonouchi demanded as Honda closed the door behind them, laughing. He couldn't unlatch the cat from his shoulder. His un-tended claws were curved into his loose-fitting shirt so well that he couldn't be removed. Jonouchi stood, scowling, as the cat started nuzzling his neck, purring like a motor.
"I told you he missed you," Honda walked toward his roommate's bedroom with Jonouchi's duffel bag. Jonouchi followed with his Duel Disk boxes and the cat still draped over his shoulder.
"Does he ever treat you this way?" Jonouchi sighed and defeatedly allowed Thai to nibble on his earlobe.
"He misses me sometimes when I leave for a while, but that's about the only time he comes running to me like that. Usually he has an ulterior motive, like being hungry and wanting me to make dinner."
Jonouchi set the boxes on Honda's roommate's bed. Apparently it was okay for him to use it. Hopefully the roommate wouldn't get pissed in the event that he came home.
"I thought he fed himself," Jonouchi raised an eyebrow, following Honda back to the kitchen. Thai suddenly detached himself from Jonouchi's shoulder and started trotting after his friend, his tail raised high like a flag as he meowed demandingly. Apparently he was expecting food. Honda cleared his throat as he opened the fridge.
"Well. Sometimes he's hungry when he comes in. I don't want him to starve or anything."
"Then why don't you get him some cat food?" Jonouchi pressed, watching Honda grab some water bottles. Thai was still at his heels, and eventually tired of looking up and meowing. He leapt lightly onto the kitchen counter, and Honda immediately swiped him off of it, glaring down at him.
"Do you have to ask so many questions?" Honda scowled at him, opening a cabinet beside the fridge and pulling out a small can. Thai got extremely excited as he popped the top off and set it on the floor, and he grabbed Honda's hand with his paws as if trying to pull the food to himself faster. Jonouchi gaped at the scene before laughing at his friend's expense. Figured he'd be so soft and try to hide it...
"Don't tell Anzu," Honda muttered, ignoring Jonouchi and walking across the room to his computer desk. Jonouchi rolled his eyes and sat on the couch, glad to rest his feet. He closed his eyes and relaxed, feeling a little giddy knowing that he'd finally have a decent place to live. Somewhere safe, where he could stay with his best friend and his cat that he'd never admit to liking.
He jumped a little when Thai jumped up and sat on his chest, washing his face attentively. Jonouchi snorted, resigned to having the cat on him for a while. It wasn't like he was moving. He felt content, certainly more so than he had that morning.
Then he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, and pulled it out (far more easily since he was wearing his old, loose-fitting pants). It looked like he'd already missed a couple of messages, probably while he was preoccupied with carrying his luggage across town. It was Kaiba, demanding to know where he was and why he'd left. The most recent message was asking what his problem was. Jonouchi felt a flash of guilt, knowing he'd essentially ditched him that afternoon, and he brushed Thai off of himself so he could get up.
He walked into the roommate's bedroom and shut the door, locking it to ensure Honda wouldn't walk in on him. Then he called Kaiba and waited through the ringing for him to pick up.
Kaiba didn't even wait for Jonouchi to greet him before speaking loudly into the receiver.
"Why would you just take off like that without saying what was going on? If you were having a problem, you could have told me and I would have helped you, I know you get nightmares, stupid. You can talk to me, I thought we were friends."
"Whoa, hey," Jonouchi was holding the phone away from his ear to guard it against Kaiba's shouting.
"You ignored all my text messages, asshole."
"I didn't mean to," Jonouchi sighed, sitting on the bed, "I didn't notice my phone vibrating. I was...well, I was moving out of my apartment. I would have replied if I'd known."
"... Did you just decide to do that today?"
"I was already planning on it," Jonouchi tried awkwardly to explain, "Remember when I told you I was going to move? I was going to wait until I had the money to get on the lease with Anzu, but...I changed my mind. I can't live in that ghetto anymore..."
He paused, grumbling a little when he glanced toward the door and saw a paw sticking under it. Thai was trying to get him to let him in. Like that was going to happen.
"Anzu's roommate ended up staying, though, so I'm living with Honda now. I was busy with all that crap for a while. That's why I missed your messages."
"Oh... I just wish you would have said something much earlier. I'm going to leave my office soon, if you're hungry and want to catch dinner. Mokuba's out with a friend tonight."
"Really?" Jonouchi was surprised he had been forgiven so quickly, but he wasn't going to argue. "That sounds great, actually. My day has turned out better than expected. Dinner with you would be the best way to top it off, in my opinion."
He grinned, feeling light in the chest. Not that Kaiba offering dinner was anything unusual, but normally it was because he happened to be eating and Jonouchi happened to be in his presence, and he was being polite. It felt different in this instance. Jonouchi hoped he wasn't imagining it.
"Then you better get your ass uptown before I leave," teased Kaiba, snickering on the other end of the line, "I'm going to take off in another hour. Don't be late."
"Like I'd miss a minute," Jonouchi snorted, "I'll be there on time."
When the call disconnected, Jonouchi stood and opened the door. Thai was lying down on the other side; he'd had his head pressed against the door, his kitty arm extended under the crack as far as it could go. Thai walked into the room the moment the door was open, probably thinking something special must have happened since the door had been shut. Jonouchi rolled his eyes and walked toward the front door where he'd left his shoes.
"Where are you going?" Asked Honda from his computer desk. He sounded as if he was asking just out of habit, since he didn't appear overly interested. Then again, he might just be putting on an act. That was one thing Jonouchi had never learned to distinguish with Honda. He could be good at seeming like he was aloof when he wasn't.
"I'm going uptown for dinner," Jonouchi replied, slipping his feet into the work shoes. Kitamura had been right about employers liking them better. Hell, his job at KaibaLand required them for safety reasons. But he still knew he was going to buy his own pair the moment he had the spare money. He didn't want to wear things Kitamura had chosen anymore.
"With your girlfriend?"
Jonouchi paused. Honda had probably figured he was talking to someone special since he'd slipped off into a private room to talk on the phone. Well, shit. It wasn't like he could just tell him on his way out that he was a giant fairy.
"Yeah," he agreed, "I might not be back tonight. I probably won't, actually."
"I hope not, because if you come back at some stupid hour I'm not getting out of bed to let you in. Thai learned that a long time ago."
The cat meowed loudly from the bedroom at the sound of its name. Jonouchi chuckled and opened the front door.
"I'm just letting you know," he teased, "I don't want you waiting up all night for me."
"As if you're worth it. Get the fuck out, don't you have a date?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm going. Try not to miss me too much."
He shut the door quickly after slipping out and heard something smack against the other side. Honda had probably thrown a utensil or decoration from his desk at him. It was hardly unusual, since Jonouchi caused this reaction times aplenty in the past. He laughed triumphantly and bounded down the stairs. If he caught the next train to Uptown, he'd be there in about twenty minutes. Plenty of time to meet Kaiba.
When he arrived at Kaiba's office building, he waited in the lobby for him to emerge from the elevator. Then he realized he had a good thirty minutes left to wait, and decided to ride up to his actual office. No one stopped him on his way, so he figured it must be fine. Kaiba was still at his desk when he walked into the spacious room.
"Hey," Jonouchi greeted, approaching Kaiba's desk and standing in front of it. He had his hands in his pockets for the first time in a long time. The thigh-hugging pants Kitamura had bought him didn't allow enough room for his hands to fit into pockets. His old pants were far more comfortable. He was just lucky that he had a full enough figure that they were passably baggy and not homeless baggy.
"I'm not quite ready to leave yet, I need to finish up this report and then we can go..."
He was still typing incessantly on the keyboard, his blue eyes focused on the screen in front of him. Kaiba often contemplated the inevitability that he'd need glasses after enough time staring at computer monitors, but for the time being, he felt fine. It didn't surprise him that Jonouchi ended up coming early, and smirking a little to himself, he decided to speed it up and get the work done sooner rather than later.
"Are you hungry for anything in particular?" He asked, glancing up just briefly, "You don't look dressed for anywhere I usually frequent, but I know some hole in the wall places that serve really good lunch, and I'm sure their dinner menus are just as good if you're at all interested in something less pricey."
He was wearing a black suit, himself. It was good to see Jonouchi in the right clothes again, but he hardly looked right for a night on the more cultured side of town.
"That sounds great," Jonouchi sat at the chair in front of Kaiba's desk, deciding he could wait patiently until he was finished. He didn't feel antsy or impatient for once. "I could have dressed better if you wanted to go somewhere nice. Mokuba let me keep the slacks and button-up he lent me."
They were the only nice clothes he owned now. They were definitely the only clothes he had that could be worn in an upscale setting.
"Where are you planning to take me, then?"
"There's a pho shop near the office. We could walk back after dinner to the parking garage, and it won't be that much of a hassle instead of trying to find street parking in this place..."
That almost never worked. Most people biked, and even for a city of pedestrians, it didn't make driving a car any easier. Everything was always so congested and cramped in the cities, and Kaiba wasn't going to risk having his car towed over a dinner ride.
"I can drop you off home after that if you want."
"Um," Jonouchi averted his eyes, looking at the back of Kaiba's laptop and the glowing KC logo that decorated it, "You don't have to take me back to Honda's place."
He glanced at Kaiba, who had stopped typing for a few short seconds.
"I'd rather go home with you, if that's okay."
"If that's what you want... Just don't wake me up screaming again anytime soon, okay?"
He looked up at Jonouchi before turning off his computer and shutting the top down. Kaiba still wanted an explanation about what was going on, but that could probably wait until another time. When Jonouchi was relaxed, and he didn't feel so tense about being left right after waking up from surviving his hangover.
"Come on, let's go."
Kaiba got up and left the room, waiting for Jonouchi to follow behind before locking the door. Then he waltzed out towards the elevator, briefcase in hand, and went out into the indoor garage and left his case in the back before locking the Ferrari and going back downstairs before they hit street level and were outside amongst the masses.
It was just getting dark. And knowing exactly where he wanted to go, Kaiba stalked off toward the little pho shop, taking long strides and evading traffic like an expert while Jonouchi followed after him until they were both inside. Kaiba got a booth in the corner, somewhere secluded and quiet where they were unlikely to be observed or overheard.
When Jonouchi sat down, he felt a little anxious. Kaiba still seemed as if he had questions about his nightmare, which made sense since Jonouchi had dashed off immediately afterward. Still, he was reluctant to discuss it. It had fortunately left his mind while he was preoccupied with moving, but now that it had been mentioned, he couldn't shake it.
"I'm sorry for running off so suddenly earlier," Jonouchi offered, "I wasn't really myself."
"What was the reason for it?"
A waitress handed them their menus, but Kaiba already knew what he was planning on ordering. He didn't even need to glance at it before setting it down, focusing his eyes on Jonouchi, who seemed to be fidgeting in his seat.
"I had a nightmare, like you said," he replied, "I just didn't feel right afterward. More than that, honestly. I felt downright shitty. I couldn't handle being around you right after that..."
He sighed, tracing patterns in the wooden table. He could feel Kaiba's eyes on him. It was doubtful that would be changing anytime soon.
"It was about that asshole again," he mumbled, resting his head on his hand while he leaned on his elbow, "I dreamed that I came home and he was waiting for me in my place. I guess it was just from running into him all day and knowing he was tracking me for a while...I don't know, it was fucked up. I just hated feeling so weak. The thought of being helpless gets to me, especially when it involves him."
He glared at the table as he picked at it with his short fingernail. He knew Kaiba wasn't going to be upset with him or anything, but he couldn't deal with eye contact while he was discussing such a tender subject. At least they were in a private corner and their conversation wouldn't be overheard.
"It's too hard to explain it. I was a wreck and I didn't want to hang around you while I was like that. And I felt really motivated to move out of my place."
"Are you all right now?"
They were going back to Kaiba Mansion, where Kitamura couldn't show up even if he wanted to. It was the safest place really in all of Domino, compared to the hotels where anyone could stay, and with Mokuba being gone at a friend's house, they wouldn't have to deal with his teasing either. Not that Kaiba really cared too much, since Mokuba wouldn't go too far with him, but still. It was better not dealing with him now that things were changing.
"You need to pick something to eat too, or we'll be stuck here all night while you sit there deciding..."
"Oh," Jonouchi glanced vacantly at the menu, "I'll get the one with onion and pork. It looks good."
He closed his menu and sat quietly for a little while before addressing Kaiba's question. He didn't want to answer, since he didn't want to lie, and the honest answer just wasn't favorable.
"I'm not all right," he replied quietly, "I thought I was doing fine until I ran into him again. Otogi wasn't really helping, either. I was already upset before I had the nightmare. That just ended up being too much, I guess."
"I should have answered the damn door myself..."
"It's not your fault," Jonouchi met Kaiba's eyes, lifting his head. He didn't want Kaiba getting down about it or some shit, since it was hardly his doing. Otogi was a dick and Kitamura was practically inhuman. "I don't think it would have made that much of a difference. I ran into them earlier in the hotel lobby when I was getting your breakfast."
That wasn't what tore it, though, and he knew it. It was how they'd spoken and acted toward him when they appeared that had snapped a nerve somewhere. But that was their doing, and no one else's.
"I just wish I'd at least left someone a black eye instead of standing there stupefied."
"If you had done that, security would have gotten you in trouble. Better that you didn't make a scene, and I'm sure those two asshats will eventually get what's coming to them."
They were already having a hard time, business wise. After Kaiba Corporation brought their new convention out to the public, Dungeon Dice Monsters took a nose dive in stock as everyone started investing more heavily into Duel Monsters instead. It was already popular, more so than Dungeon Dice would probably ever be, but since the playing platforms never improved, it was quickly becoming obsolete.
Mostly because Industrial Illusions had already failed after Pegasus died, and Kaiba wouldn't support their game. They were almost done, and if it wasn't for Mutou Yugi's generosity trying to promote them, Otogi would be done.
Kitamura, not so much. He had money. But he wouldn't be nearly as secure after his business partner failed. It would make people less interested in taking him on as a partner, after seeing something like that.
And Kaiba knew that. He counted on it.
"Don't worry about them so much, Jonouchi. They aren't worth the effort."
"I know that," Jonouchi sighed, "That just makes it worse."
He didn't even care about Otogi. He was annoying and seemed to be trying very hard to get Jonouchi to sleep with him now that he thought he was "relaxed", but that was something that could be easily solved. It was being thought about that way that got under Jonouchi's skin; knowing the kinds of shit Kitamura was telling Otogi about him didn't make the memories of what they'd done any easier.
"Maybe it would all be easier to handle if the situation didn't make me so angry with myself."
"Shit happens. But you learned from it at least, didn't you?"
That was the important part. At least Jonouchi wasn't still fooling himself, dating a man who took advantage of him and didn't see the wrong in that. The whole situation was fucked up, but sometimes bad things had to happen for lessons to be learned. Kaiba knew that from personal experience, and although he never wanted to relive his past situation again, he couldn't say it was something he wished he had never experienced. Without the struggles, he wouldn't have become such a strong individual.
And who knew what would have happened to him if Gozaburo hadn't adopted him.
"That's all that really matters," he said, watching the waitress appear to take their orders, "That whatever happened in the past stays in the past."
Jonouchi didn't reply until they'd ordered their food and the waitress was gone. He faced Kaiba, not sure how to feel about what he'd said. Sure, he'd "learned" plenty from fucking up with Kitamura, but that didn't make it all right. It didn't make it any easier to get over it, either.
"What if the past keeps haunting me?" He queried, meeting Kaiba's eyes. "What if now I'm fucked up forever? I don't think it was worth learning anything if it's just going to mess me up for the rest of my life. I know I needed to learn a lot of shit, at least for myself, but I didn't want it to happen like that."
"Then don't let it happen again. It's as simple as that."
"Is it?" Jonouchi snorted, feeling rather dry. "I guess we'll see. It's not as if I'm planning to go get myself raped again."
As if he was planning to do it in the first place. He still hadn't quite decided how much of a moron he'd been. He was definitely breaking the scales in that regard, but he hardly expected shit like that to happen to him. Who did? Unless they'd been through it already, or had the advantage of being worldly. Or at least had someone to educate them about real life dangers.
Jonouchi had been left to his own resources. Who was going to teach him stranger danger, his friends? A bunch of teenagers running around together didn't think about sharing their safety tips.
"It's such bullshit..." he grumbled, rubbing his eyes, "Most of the time, I'm fine. But I'm going to have a fucking break down if I keep running into that guy. The nightmares are bad enough without having him in my face all the time."
"Well, you won't be seeing him tonight. I can promise you that much."
"I'd hope not," Jonouchi snorted and started chuckling, "It's a nice guarantee, though."
He rested his chin on his hand and smiled at Kaiba, his eyes sparkling again. Remembering that he was having dinner (and for all intents and purposes, was on a date) with Kaiba improved his mood. It didn't fix everything, but Jonouchi could deal as long as he didn't start spiraling into despair.
"I'll stop being such a downer. I promise I wasn't planning to whine all night. I was actually really looking forward to dinner with you."
"It's just pho."
"I wasn't talking about the noodles, moron," Jonouchi snorted, poking the tip of Kaiba's pointy nose before he could be stopped, "I hope you don't actually think food excites me more than you do."
Kaiba narrowed his eyes and rubbed his nose after being touched, but said nothing. Instead of getting snippy, he just snorted and started eating his noodles silently once their bowls arrived, picking at the slices of beef.
"Don't get all mopey," Jonouchi chuckled, amused by Kaiba's response. He picked up his chopsticks and started on his own bowl of noodles. He watched Kaiba eat and attempted to mimic him for the sake of improving his etiquette. No need to annoy Kaiba with his overactive eating habits. Fortunately, he wasn't painfully hungry like he usually was, and didn't feel the familiar, sickening panic of needing to shove food into himself.
"This is actually really good," he noted when he paused between bites. He still couldn't chew as slowly as Kaiba did. How could he? They were noodles, for god's sake. There wasn't all that much chewing to be done. "I've never been here before. How did you find it? It's kind of...out of the way."
"I don't bring my lunch to work, so I walk around a lot..."
It was better than sitting in front of the computer without a break. Kaiba could handle his workload as long as he saw the sun just for a little, at least an hour through his lunch break, which included a walk around the business district and the restaurants that surrounded it. The lunch meetings usually happened at far more fancier eateries, but Kaiba still appreciated smaller, authentic places. Where crowds wouldn't fill up and suffocate him.
"Mokuba liked it the time I brought him here, and Isono enjoys it too."
"I like it, but I like pretty much everything," Jonouchi laughed, "So I guess my opinion doesn't count for as much."
He felt more at a loss for conversation topics than usual. He knew it was because this instance felt particularly like a date, one he hadn't even had to instigate, and somehow that made it harder to just speak casually. Kaiba wasn't acting any differently than usual. To the point as always. He was less easily miffed than usual, though. Jonouchi had expected at least a little snapping for poking his nose.
"Did I ever tell you what I'd decided about dueling?" He asked, realizing that he didn't really keep Kaiba very up-to-date with his activities. That wasn't very boyfriend-like. Not that he was a boyfriend. Officially. He didn't even know what was going on. It sure as hell felt like dating. "I mean, the last time we talked about it I was kind of pissy, and I didn't really say much..."
He paused and slurped up some noodles, trying not to splash broth everywhere. He was a little embarrassed at the memory of getting riled up at the hotel, but he didn't blame himself much for it. Kaiba got under his skin with how uppity he could be. He supposed it was the same for Kaiba when he was being "self-righteous", whether intentionally or not.
"I'm gonna take your advice. I'm still not that confident in my abilities, but...I think I could really make something of myself in the game if I try. I'm older now, and I like to think I'm wiser. Maybe I can get over the things that held me back before."
"I'm not playing anymore either, so you have that to your advantage. The only competition left is Yugi. And he's not playing for two anymore, either..."
"That still seems a little high to shoot," Jonouchi mused, "I mean, Yugi's on his own now, but he's always been good. Even when he barely knew how to play Duel Monsters, his talent was on another level. Now he's just...unattainable, for me. The only person I know is on his level is you. I just can't get that good..."
"Jonouchi, you've made him sweat before. You're not giving yourself enough credit. If you changed up your deck enough and made every single card count, you might stand a chance. Yugi's not some dueling god, and everyone makes mistakes. Just be sure he makes more than you do. It's that easy."
"I do make mistakes a lot," Jonouchi hummed, "I always realize it after I've done it. It's so infuriating. Whenever I make a play, I figure out afterward that I could have dropped another spell or flipped a trap to help myself out."
"You need to play like your life depends on it..."
"I've heard that before," he grinned, remembering the way Kaiba used to talk about gaming. But he couldn't deny that it was true. When he fought Marik, that wasn't a game. That was about life and death, and he'd known it. And he hadn't made mistakes. It hadn't helped much, of course, since Marik had the Sun God Ra card, but Jonouchi had proven himself.
Maybe that was what it took to be a professional. Treating the game like a real battle, and not just something to be done purely for the fun of it. Enjoyable, but not "playing".
"I'll have to really put in a lot of practice. There are hundreds of new cards now, and half of my deck is either useless or banned."
"That can be fixed," Kaiba said, eating his pho slowly so he didn't ruin his suit, "Mokuba knows the game almost as well as I do, and he could easily build up your deck and help you promote yourself to sponsors if that's what you wanted to do. Hell, you could even use my practice dummy instead of playing on the duel network. It was how I prepared during battle city..."
It was the only way to do it and leave his deck a total surprise. The machine was quick to adapt each time Kaiba tried a new strategy to win, but Kaiba was clever enough to adjust and change each time, fighting against it until it went through every single possible combination that could have possibly came up during competition.
And Kaiba was prepared.
But not enough for Yugi. Not against that god card. That was in the past, though.
"I wouldn't over think it right now, though. It's late."
"There will be time for it later," Jonouchi agreed, finishing off his bowl of pho, "I have other things to think about right now."
He set his chopsticks in his bowl and pushed it aside. He'd have to wait for Kaiba to finish his food before they could leave, but that was fine. It gave him a chance to make eyes at him from across the table and see how long it took him to say anything.
"Like what?"
"Like...you," Jonouchi grinned, watching Kaiba intently, "I thought that would be obvious."
"So you're just going to stare at me from across the dinner table then?"
He continued to eat, giving Jonouchi a strange expression, but not stopping. His bowl wasn't quite done, and the food was really good. There was no way he was leaving leftovers, and beef was one of his favorite things to eat anyway. It always filled him and Kaiba could afford to buy it anyway.
"There's a lot to look at," Jonouchi replied, "So why not?"
"Counting my freckles?"
"I can't even see them from here. I'm just enjoying the view and thinking about how much I like being around you."
He was being blatant, but he doubted Kaiba was going to complain. He might ignore him or say something snarky, but it was unlikely that he was going to be angry. If he squirmed a little, Jonouchi would consider it a success.
"That's so gay."
Finishing his dinner, Kaiba waved for the waitress before playing for the meals, waiting until the receipt came back before tipping. Most people weren't accustomed to it, but ever since going overseas, Kaiba didn't feel quite right about not doing so. Even if the Japanese were stingy about it.
"Ready to get going? It's late and I still need to finish some stuff at home on my computer..."
"Sure, let's go," Jonouchi stood as Kaiba did and followed him out the door, "But I don't know what I think about you working all night. Don't you want to hang out?"
He wouldn't get pissy if Kaiba chose to work instead. He had a lot on his plate that needed handling. He couldn't help it if he didn't have time to derp around together.
"I mean, I understand if you're too busy, but if not, then I'd like to steal your time tonight."
"I don't know, I've never really "hung out" before. What exactly does that entail?"
They were walking back towards Kaiba Corporation, and there were still a lot of people on the street, many of which were young and drunk. That was Japanese cities late at night for everyone, and they were used to it, but it never ceased to amuse Kaiba when some foreigner looked surprised to find people stumbling wasted before ten.
"Mokuba says it's the ritual done by mostly teenagers, he didn't tell me young adults of our age did that sort of thing too."
"What?" Jonouchi laughed out loud. "We hang out all the time, Kaiba. We talk and get drunk together and shit. I'm pretty sure that counts."
He knew Kaiba was being funny, but he played along for the hell of it. It was true that they hadn't been in a casual setting very often, and until recently it had only really ended in sexual contact.
"So I was thinking we could spend the night together. If you aren't too preoccupied."
"If that's what you want."
Kaiba wasn't going to argue with that. He had been working hard the last few days, even if he spent a lot more time with Jonouchi, and walking back to Kaiba Corporation, he decided not to turn on his computer once he got home. It could wait until morning, or whenever Jonouchi decided to leave, and it wasn't like he'd end up missing that much anyways.
"Just don't be like Mokuba and force me up all night playing video games..."
It hurt his eyes, and he didn't find them all that interesting compared to more intellectually stimulating activities, like chess or piano. Even though he loved technology, it wasn't quite enough for him to be invested in it, like duel monsters.
"No, that wasn't the first thing on my mind," Jonouchi chuckled, "I know you aren't into that kind of thing, and I'd rather have more direct interaction."
It had been nice the day before being able to just talk, even if they'd had little hissy spats here and there. It was to be expected with them. It certainly wasn't enough to make Jonouchi stop hanging around.
"I just want to spend time with you. I know it sounds gay, so don't give me that look. That's just the way it is."
Kaiba snorted before unlocking his car door, and he got inside, taking the driver's seat. He waited for Jonouchi to get on the other side before locking the doors and getting out of the CEO spot, but instead of speeding down the streets, he actually tried following the speed limits. There were a lot of drunks out that night.
"Thanks for dealing with my shit yesterday when I was hungover," Kaiba was watching the road carefully, but he could clearly hear everything Jonouchi was telling him, "Even if I was being a bitch about it, I appreciated it."
"You weren't that bad," Jonouchi waved his hand dismissively, "I was a pain in the ass that day you had to take care of me. It was kind of funny to see you not charging through your day."
They were getting near the outskirts of town, and Jonouchi felt the car speeding up. Now that they were getting into the boonies, the only danger was hitting animals. Most of them were smart enough not to go bounding across the roads. Jonouchi leaned against the door and sighed, closing his eyes. It had been a tiring day, and he'd spent most of it on his feet. Still, he was far from being spent. He'd had far worse days.
When they arrived at Kaiba mansion, they got upstairs quickly. Jonouchi followed Kaiba to his room, and figured the plan was to hang around in there. Probably talking, since they were doing more of that lately, but that was fine. As long as he could lie down and Kaiba was there. He wasn't quite ready to lose his company.
He flopped down on the bed as soon as they got into the room, sighing. The mattress was super soft. He watched Kaiba wandering toward his closet, raising his eyebrows as he removed his shirt on the way. It seemed that he was getting changed, or at least stripped down. Hopefully the latter.
"What's this?" He asked, teasing. "Are you trying to entertain me, or just feeling like showing off?"
He rolled onto his stomach to look at Kaiba in the closet. He didn't want to miss a minute.
"Pfft, you wish," replied Kaiba, rolling his eyes as he pulled his belt off, "I'm trying to get ready for bed and you just happen to be in here watching. It doesn't matter to me one way or another if you find it entertaining. I'm not ashamed of being good looking, and having an admiring audience doesn't bother me in the least."
"Well, good to know you don't mind," Jonouchi grinned, watching Kaiba strip down to his Calvin Klein's and leave the closet, wandering into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Jonouchi wished he could do the same, but he hadn't thought to pack an overnight bag.
He sat up, watching Kaiba shift around. His blue eyes flashed toward his reflection in the mirror, so Jonouchi knew he could see him, but he didn't seem to pay any mind. Well, he was probably used to it by now.
"Are you going to wear your baggy ass pants and worn out shirt to bed?" Asked Kaiba, after he'd finished with his teeth and washed his face. He was walking towards the bed, but closed the curtains before sitting on his side of the bed, "Most people don't sleep in the clothes they wore during the day."
"I was planning to get undressed," Jonouchi stripped off his shirt, and then worked on his pants fastenings, "I just wanted to wait until you were looking."
That wasn't really true, but it was fun to tease. Even if Kaiba wasn't as flirtatious as he was...
"It's nice not to struggle to get out of my jeans anymore," Jonouchi smiled in self-satisfaction as he lay down, stretching his legs and curling his toes for a moment, "I forgot how comfortable my clothes are."
"Those boxers look like mine, however..."
"Oh," Jonouchi blushed immediately. He'd forgotten he was wearing the boxer briefs he'd taken from Kaiba's closet. "What a coincidence."
He turned to Kaiba, getting a wicked idea and smirking.
"Why do you mention it? Do you want them back?"
"Not until you've washed them, nasty."
He wrinkled his nose and rolled his eyes at Jonouchi before laying on his back, putting his hands behind his head. Staring at the ceiling, he could feel goosebumps on his skin as it was a bit chilly in the room, but not enough to get under the blankets. Feeling cold meant he was still alive, after all.
"Why did you take them, anyway?"
"I needed a change of underwear while I was at your hotel," Jonouchi explained, feeling a little embarrassed again, "And I kind of forgot to tell you I had borrowed them permanently."
"Well," said Kaiba, turning his head to look at Jonouchi, who was lying right next to him, "That's not really "borrowing" then, is it?"
"Nope," Jonouchi grinned, "But I can't help it. They're comfortable and they used to be yours."
He rested his hands behind his head, smiling smugly at Kaiba. He was being a little obnoxious, but he didn't much care. Kaiba shouldn't be surprised at this point.
"If you wanted something of mine, I would have given you a shirt. Instead, you took one of my favorite pairs of underwear. You asshole."
Turning his head away, Kaiba looked back at the ceiling, fighting back a laugh. Wasn't that the kind of shit guys did to girls they liked? Stealing their underwear? Jonouchi was a strange one, but Kaiba would be lying if he didn't admit that he was charmed.
"I bet you that underwear cost me more than our dinners combined."
"Well, I'll pay you back with company," Jonouchi suggested, "I'd offer money, but I kind of need most of that. So...what do you want as payment?"
He rolled onto his side, watching Kaiba and waiting on his response. It was like a challenge getting Kaiba to openly flirt rather than responding to things he said with dry or snarky comments.
"That depends," answered Kaiba back, unsure of how to respond, "What exactly are you willing to give me? Designer isn't cheap, by the way."
"I'm willing to give you a lot, Kaiba," Jonouchi replied, his expression more serious now, "I think a better question is what you're interested in getting."
He felt anxious, staring at Kaiba as his breathing became shallow. His chest felt heavy and constricted, and his gut tingled. He knew he hadn't had an answer from Kaiba. Certainly not any verbal confirmation. But there was no logical way to deny that they were performing some strange parody of dating even when there wasn't any sex involved. And if Kaiba tried to claim that he wasn't attached, Jonouchi would know right off the bat that he was lying. If all other evidence could be argued, the phone call they'd had earlier that day certainly couldn't be.
"How much do you want, Kaiba?" He asked, his voice low as he moved a little closer. In intimate moments like this, the master bedroom always felt even creepier than usual, and closer proximity made it ignorable. And of course he wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to reduce the distance between them.
"I don't know, that seems to be the recurring issue here."
"Well," Jonouchi began hesitantly, "Do you want to find out?"
"It doesn't sound like I have much of a choice but to say yes," teased Kaiba, looking Jonouchi in the eyes as he was gazed at, "You look rather eager to prove yourself."
"Don't act like you aren't just as "eager" to be convinced," Jonouchi stuck his tongue out at him, but his fingers wandered up Kaiba's side lightly anyway. It had been...what, a few weeks since they'd touched each other? He wasn't sure how he'd contained himself for that long, in all honesty. Maybe it had just been knowing it wouldn't get him anywhere, in the end. Because, as Kaiba had said (to his amusement at the time), it didn't mean anything. Certainly not as much as he wanted it to.
He closed his eyes and sighed when he felt Kaiba's hand at the nape of his neck, shifting along the curve to the crook and resting there. Jonouchi wasn't expecting anything tentative, considering how they normally were in the past. He couldn't tell if it was nervousness (on his part, not likely Kaiba's) or simply care that inspired it, but it gave him a familiar swelling feeling in his chest.
"I don't need to be convinced, I just don't want to do anything regrettable for either of us. Not after everything you went through, especially. That wouldn't be fair."
"Oh," Jonouchi blinked his eyes open, rolling them up to look at Kaiba since he was too lazy to tilt his head at the moment. He hadn't expected that to be said out loud. It had certainly been implied by Kaiba's actions, but never stated outright. "I wouldn't call it regrettable unless something was wrong. And there was, before. I didn't want it for the right reasons, and neither did you..."
His fingers pressed against Kaiba's waist, testing the feeling of unexpectedly soft skin over obvious muscle. He'd always known Kaiba must take care of himself, physically, because even in their earlier teens he'd been toned. But it was far more obvious when he was undressed.
"I think that it's a lot different now," he stated, though his tone was cautious, "I know it is on my part, and I hope I'm not mistaking your actions. I don't see how I could, but...you make it hard for me to be sure of things."
He smiled a little when he said that, partly to ensure his words wouldn't be taken as an accusation. Kaiba was a more complex person than he was, and he knew it, but he still had basic human needs and impulses. He wasn't so complex that his actions defying his words would take genius to interpret. To Jonouchi, it looked like a case of lying. Lying to himself, more than anything, and pretty effectively at that.
"It was never my intention to be readable by anyone," stated Kaiba, "And things might have changed, but that doesn't make any of this a good idea. You're far too optimistic about everything. And I like how things are..."
"So do I," Jonouchi replied, "But I'd like it even better without the elephant in the room. Maybe it's a risk, but some things are worth it."
He shifted closer and felt Kaiba's fingers pressing against the side of his neck more firmly, more of a grip than them simply being there. He could smell the minty flavoring from his toothpaste.
"This is one of those things. Stop worrying about it so much when you already know what feels right."
Jonouchi pressed his lips against Kaiba's before he could argue about it anymore. They'd just end up running in circles, or worse, separating entirely out of frustration. The evening didn't need to end like that.
He felt Kaiba's fingers in his hair, anchoring themselves in his blond locks and pulling him closer. The lead was stolen from him, but he was hardly unhappy about it. Kaiba guided his movement, setting the rhythm, and Jonouchi gladly allowed him to do so. It was very different from the usual, where he led until Kaiba was too hot and bothered to be lazy anymore. Kaiba was more patient, as if he was simply savoring the contact rather than acting with an ultimate goal.
It only made Jonouchi more eager, but Kaiba deliberately prevented him from setting a faster pace, which left him forced to be patient while he burned for more. Not that it didn't feel incredible; it had been a while since he'd been touched at all, much less by Kaiba, and the tender way his fingers massaged his scalp while their lips worked against each other slowly nearly made him shudder. It was elating, yet so alien that it was almost alarming.
He felt Kaiba leaning into him, and realized he was being directed to roll onto his back. He allowed it despite being a little surprised. Kaiba leaned over him, moving between his legs and lying pressed against Jonouchi's chest. He wasn't necessarily heavy, but his body felt dense, and Jonouchi had a feeling he wouldn't be able to maintain having that bearing down on him forever, but he didn't want to push him away and lose the contact.
One of Kaiba's hands traveled up his side from his hip as he kissed him again, this time more firmly. Jonouchi was pulling him as close as possible by wrapping his arms around his back. It hardly seemed as if he was about to leave, but he couldn't help feeling a lingering doubt that he might be imagining this somehow. He wondered with horror if he was dreaming again, but it didn't seem like he should be. His dreams were vivid, but never like this.
He felt impatient again and started bucking his hips, trying to press his pelvis against Kaiba's and grind into him. Kaiba's only response was to continue lying heavily on him until pushing up made his muscles start to cramp and he was forced to lie down. He huffed when Kaiba broke the kiss and started trailing his lips over his jawline, his face warm. He settled for bending his knees, drawing them closer and opening his legs more. It was more comfortable, for starters, but it also made him tingle in a way that he was craving.
Jonouchi shuddered when Kaiba's breath tickled his neck, his grip tightening on him in response to the light teasing of his lips. Then he jumped a little when he was nipped (albeit gently), lulled into false security by the more tentative contact. He heard Kaiba chuckle quietly and felt his warm breath against his neck, and he sighed. He was conflicted; he was comfortable and impossibly pleased with the sensations he felt, and was impatient at the same time. He was reminded of the wet dreams that left him with a hollow ache in his chest, dreams that tormented him with the promise of gratification he didn't know he wanted to begin with.
But he was awake, wasn't he? He tried to feel more confident that he was, since he never questioned his state of consciousness when he was in a dream, but he was still suspicious. The last thing he wanted was to go through an experience like that again.
He was pulled from his thoughts by the sensation of Kaiba's hand drawing a trail over his chest, like he was exploring it. Jonouchi released a deep sigh; he hadn't realized that he'd been getting tense. He opened his eyes and looked up, flushing when he saw that Kaiba was watching him intently, but he met his blue eyes regardless. His touch tingled, and his gaze made Jonouchi unduly pleased even while he felt embarrassed by the intensity of his eyes.
Jonouchi hesitantly loosened his grip on Kaiba's back when he felt him lifting his torso further, and let one of his hands ease into his hair when he slid downward. At first, all Jonouchi felt was his warm breath against his chest, and it got him so worked up that he eventually shuddered from the anticipation. It was only after he did that Kaiba made any actual contact, trailing gentle kisses down the middle of his body until he reached his stomach. Jonouchi started to squirm, his hands tugging at the bedsheets as he tried to move away from the touch. It tickled. He wasn't even that ticklish a person, but somehow, the way Kaiba's lips touched his skin made it hard for him not to feel that unbearable tingling.
Eventually, he gave up and started to laugh. It was quiet and restrained at first, but eventually he lost his ability to hold it back.
"What's so funny?"
"You're tickling me," Jonouchi accused, still afflicted with the giggles even though Kaiba had stopped for the moment, "I bet you did it on purpose, too..."
"I didn't know you were ticklish, Jonouchi."
It was getting cold in the room, despite the fact that they were so close to each other, and lifting the covers of the bed, he waited for Jonouchi to take a hint and get under before adjusting over him. Then, smirking a little since Jonouchi apparently couldn't fight past his fit of giggles, he started sucking on his neck, right where his jawline was above his ear. It wasn't that hard to do, and it wasn't until Jonouchi finally hissed from getting a mark that he stopped.
"Done now?"
"Oh, shut up," Jonouchi muttered, grabbing Kaiba's face and pulling him into a kiss. As the initiator, he set the pace at first, and they started off more urgent and impassioned. Then Kaiba broke away briefly, and when they met again he was in control. Jonouchi wanted him to pick up the pace and stop teasing; he felt like a spring that was building up too much pressure, and he was desperate to release it. But Kaiba was unsympathetic to this plight and determined to take his time, so Jonouchi again had to resign himself to waiting.
His hands wandered over Kaiba's back, sliding down his shoulder blades and following the curve of his spine to the base of his tailbone. Then his path was impeded by the waistband of Kaiba's expensive underwear, and Jonouchi decided it was time for it to go. He started tugging at it, trying to pull it down Kaiba's hips. Kaiba took a hint and lifted himself enough that he could slide them off, but before Jonouchi could pull him back down, he started yanking his stolen boxer-briefs off of him. Jonouchi wasn't complaining about getting out of them finally, but he made a mental note to ensure he got them back in the morning.
When Kaiba lay back down on top of him, Jonouchi lifted his knees, pressing his thighs against Kaiba's sides and locking his legs over his back. Kaiba seemed a little surprised by his sudden initiative, but didn't try to stop him. Much as Jonouchi appreciated all the tenderness and undeniably compassionate touching, there was only so long they could be that vanilla and still get anywhere.
He used his legs to pull Kaiba into him and bucked up at the same time, sighing almost in relief at the sensation. He was already half hard as it was, and the only reason he wasn't further along was because of Kaiba's determined teasing. He got a good grip on Kaiba's hair; not too tight, but enough that he wouldn't be able to get away as easily when Jonouchi pressed more heated kisses on him. His more impassioned actions were finally reciprocated; evidently, there was only so much even Kaiba could resist. It wasn't like he hadn't been aroused before now. Jonouchi just used it to his advantage.
Jonouchi felt Kaiba's hands on his hips and let him lead both the kiss and the grinding; from the top, he had a much better vantage point for it, and rolled his hips into him so proficiently that Jonouchi started to arch up and moan breathlessly. His vision got blurry when he opened his eyes, so he squeezed them shut, getting lost in the sensation and trying his best to get more. It was hard to do, since Kaiba had good control over how much he was able to move, and he realized that he was still stuck with whatever pace he set.
He didn't make any moves until they'd reached the point that they were both hard, Jonouchi moaning openly when the sensation was great enough, and Kaiba's hair well mussed by his hands. Then he pressed his hands against Kaiba's chest, indicating that he should stop, and he uncrossed his ankles. Kaiba gave him a questioning look.
"What? Why are we stopping?"
"Because," Jonouchi muttered before taking a deep breath and gathering his nerve. Yes, he'd been turned down in the past, but things had changed significantly since then. "I don't just want to fool around, Kaiba."
He met his eyes, hoping that he could get his point across without being overly blunt. Surely he should, considering the fact that Kaiba was a very bright man. Still, Jonouchi reached up and held his face, gazing up at him with lusty eyes and hoping they were of the same mind.
"All right."
Getting off of Jonouchi's chest, Kaiba lifted himself off enough to reach over and dig into the drawer next to the bed. He still had several items in there: lube, condoms, the dildo, whatever else might come in handy since he didn't like being ill-prepared. Not that he was counting on having sex all the time, but they were useful in case some occasion happened, and he didn't want to go rushing into the bathroom constantly to get what he needed in the moment. That would be a bit of a buzz kill.
He just left a wrapped condom on the side table before uncapping the bottle of lubricant and moisturizing his fingers with it. Hesitating, Kaiba realized that he'd never actually done this to anyone but himself. That one time. It had been a failed experiment as a teenager. He shook the memory from his head and tried to remember clearly what he'd read in books.
Lifting Jonouchi's hips higher, he reached down and started nudging his finger very gently against his entrance while kissing his collar bones. He could reach both, when he was slow about it, and waiting for the sphincter muscles to relax before pushing in more forcefully, he made little circles with his finger and finally felt Jonouchi ease into it.
The whole time he'd been pushing to go harder, faster, but quite frankly, Kaiba didn't feel too comfortable rushing. He'd never done anything that went so far, and he didn't want to screw it up because Jonouchi wanted to rush through all the foreplay. It would only end badly. Holding Jonouchi's hip down against the mattress, he started sliding his finger in and out, thrusting into him as his partner took deep breaths until he could get two fingers inside easily.
Jonouchi found himself unable to press against Kaiba to force him to go faster. Being in missionary meant that he couldn't do much in the way of leading, and he had to lie patiently and deal with Kaiba's gentle prodding. He reciprocated his kisses eagerly, his mind feeling fuzzy from the growing pressure in his lower body; his sphincters were clenching tightly against Kaiba's fingers, and the sensation from that as he slid them slowly in and out made Jonouchi squirm and try to buck up. Kaiba's free hand prevented him from doing so.
"Kaiba, please," Jonouchi begged, hoping he'd give in and at least finger him faster. He felt his muscles easing up, though it happened more slowly than he'd hoped. It had been a while since he'd had anything up there, but he had confidence in his flexibility.
"Relax crazy, you're still tense."
Jonouchi was going to complain, but he ended up releasing an abrupt cry when Kaiba curled his fingers and brushed against his prostate. He fell flat on the bed and felt his fingers trembling, and he ended up clutching the sheets when Kaiba repeated the action. Every time he slid his fingers in, he curled them over and nudged his prostate just enough that sharper sensation shot through him. Jonouchi arched sporadically and involuntarily, his hair getting mussed and wild from his head turning and sliding against the bed. He felt like grabbing something to keep a handle on himself, and settled on Kaiba, holding his shoulders tightly as his breath shortened and sweat started to collect on his forehead.
The pressure in his lower body was easing as his muscles went slack, and Jonouchi clenched occasionally in an attempt to get back the sensation, but it wasn't enough. He opened his eyes, his skin glistening with sweat as he panted, and he met Kaiba's gaze.
"Please," he begged again, his voice more desperate now than it was demanding. The muscles in his legs were trembling due to the penetration, and his arms were too weak for him to hold Kaiba's shoulders anymore.
Jonouchi looked like a mess, lying on his back with hair matted all over his forehead. Kaiba looked at him, brushing his bangs back before turning his attention toward the table again. He grabbed the condom, using his teeth to break the wrapper before using his hands underneath the bed covers to get it on, but he was stopped before he could manage anything besides touching himself briefly.
"What are you doing?"
Jonouchi turned his face away, but he didn't let go of his grip on Kaiba's wrist.
"You don't need to use that," Jonouchi glanced at Kaiba hesitantly, "I mean...if you don't want to."
"Are you absolutely positive there's no need for it?"
"Yeah," Jonouchi smiled a little out of nervousness, mostly because he was embarrassed by the scrutiny, "I don't really want latex between us."
Kaiba smirked before he lifted his hand out from under the sheets and dumped the condom on the table, grabbing the lubricant instead. He squeezed a generous amount onto his hands and covered himself with it before fixing their positions, and looking Jonouchi in the eyes one last time to ensure he was ready for it, Kaiba lined himself up, rotating Jonouchi onto his back more, before pushing slightly into him.
Jonouchi arched his back, holding tightly onto Kaiba's upper arms as he gasped. His vision went black and he closed his eyes when he was spread open, the familiar pressure building up so suddenly that it was dizzying. He lifted his knees, locking his ankles on Kaiba's back to make sure he didn't go anywhere. He tried to pull him in, but Kaiba resisted and continued at a very gradual pace; it was like he was waiting for Jonouchi to open up to him rather than pushing his way in.
He was dissatisfied with the slow pace and was aching for more, but Kaiba didn't oblige, and he was forced to wait while the pressure and coiling sensation in his groin built up to being almost unbearable. Jonouchi had to remind himself again that he was awake, and felt a flash of panic when he wondered if he really was, but he pushed it from his mind. He didn't even care, at this point. He just wanted to have Kaiba, and for the moment, he was getting him.
When he was fully buried, Kaiba stopped moving. His arms were tense, and Jonouchi could hear him breathing heavily as if he was deliberately controlling it. He wondered why, but there wasn't any room for further thought when Kaiba started pulling back out. Jonouchi released a moan that sounded almost frustrated, and his fingers moved from Kaiba's arms to his hair where they could find more purchase. The rate of his breathing continued to escalate, and his anticipation was so much that it made him shudder when it built up more than he could bear.
He opened his eyes as Kaiba started to push in again, the hazel orbs dark and slightly vacant from the sex, but no less concentrated on the man above him. Even though his eyes were half-lidded, Kaiba's gaze was still piercing, and so intense that it made Jonouchi want to shy away even while he wanted it. He tried using the grip he had on Kaiba's hair to pull him into a kiss. Kaiba relented, and even though the contact was sloppy, Jonouchi didn't give up on it. He needed it. He was, for all intents and purposes, getting what he'd wanted for months. He planned to get the full experience.
It was strange to kiss during sex. He'd never really done it, not once the actual penetration started. It had only been in his dreams, and if not for that, it probably wouldn't have occurred to him. He gasped when Kaiba buried himself a second time, and his muscles clenched in response to his cock twitching unexpectedly. Jonouchi had never experienced the feeling of bare skin like that, or being able to detect the texture of the other person rather than the nondescript surface of latex.
Kaiba finally gave in to his desperate pulling and started to slide in and out faster. Not painfully slowly, but still not at the pace Jonouchi wanted. His thighs were starting to shake again from the insane amount of pressure, and it took an effort to keep his legs from falling, but he was determined to hold on to Kaiba as much as possible. The fear that he would slip away still nagged at the back of his mind.
Jonouchi writhed under him, one of his hands holding the back of his neck as they kissed. He had plenty of room to breathe, since neither of them was able to focus very well on the contact, and every time he released a breathless moan, it was uninterrupted. He knew his voice carried to Kaiba's ears as he started begging for him to go faster, and for once he responded positively. Jonouchi cried out more harshly when he picked up the pace, thrusting more than simply sliding and pulling Jonouchi's hips up and into him.
Jonouchi's thighs were squeezing his sides, but he didn't seem perturbed by it. He moaned more audibly, their attempts to make lip contact forgotten in favor of maintaining a faster, harder pace. Jonouchi continued to beg for more when he was able to form coherent words, calling Kaiba's name periodically as his fingernails dragged across his back. He couldn't see when he opened his eyes, his mind was blank, and there was nothing but his acute awareness of the sensations and the vaguely noticeable soundtrack of his own voice and Kaiba's ragged breathing.
He started releasing noises every time Kaiba thrust in, his pace now so aggressive that Jonouchi thought he was actually going to lose his mind. The combination of emotional and physical elation was more than he could handle, but it didn't seem as if it was going to reach a precipice until he hit his climax. He hoped Kaiba was getting as close as he was, but it seemed like he must be when his hands held his hips hard enough that Jonouchi thought he might mark them, and his teeth bit down on his neck.
Jonouchi's hips jumped instinctively as he released, practically screaming Kaiba's name as he did; he knew his nails were digging into his back, leaving red trails as they clawed over his skin, but Kaiba didn't seem to mind. His teeth were digging into the base of his neck as he made a final thrust, pushing in hard enough that he threatened to break the limits of Jonouchi's body. Then he shuddered and sighed, practically collapsing on top of him before gently rocking his hips a few times.
Then they were still, and Jonouchi slowly regained his consciousness. Blood returned to his head so he could think, and he was aware of his body again. He was surprised by the feeling of semen inside of him, and the fact that Kaiba's weight was still bearing down on him. He urgently opened his eyes, thinking for a horrible second that it must be his imagination, and he was waking up from another dream. He couldn't handle that. Not again, and certainly not after the evening they'd had.
Not after everything he'd felt while they did it.
When he looked, though, Kaiba was still on top of him, and Jonouchi simply stared, stunned. His chest hurt, but it was as if it was swelling up more than it could handle rather than experiencing the ache he usually did after his dreams. His breath was shaky, and he felt his eyes stinging at the corners as his vision blurred. He closed them, trying to ward off the tears that were trying to fall, but he couldn't stop them when Kaiba kissed his neck, his lips pressing against the place where he'd left marks in the shape of his teeth.
Jonouchi was grateful that at least he wasn't sobbing, but his eyes were watering like a river, and his nose stung. He sniffed, trying to stop himself from trembling as he wiped at his eyes. He felt ridiculous. It figured that the one time it was real, he started crying like a girl afterward. What could he do to help it? It was all too much. Like finally releasing something that had built up for ages and almost killed him with the pressure.
It had been real. The sheer relief was so much that he felt like he was breathing for the first time in a long time, his chest light and his body tingling. Even with the way his dreams had always played out, he hadn't expected it to be like that. Not really. After everything he'd experienced in the past, he hadn't had any real confidence that he'd feel something like that in real life. Perhaps his desperate dreams intertwined love and sex, but it had been doubtful that it was attainable. He had hoped, but never expected.
Yet here he was. Crying like one of the boys from an eromanga.
He hid his face in his elbow, hoping Kaiba wouldn't notice the tears, but knowing that he did. It was too embarrassing. He shuddered, releasing a silent sob, and he felt Kaiba's fingers in his hair as he rolled off of him and lay at his side. Jonouchi didn't resist when Kaiba pulled him closer, shamelessly snuggling up and nuzzling his neck. He didn't say anything, nor did he seem tense or upset, and Jonouchi sighed in relief. Maybe he understood. Or, maybe he didn't and figured it could wait until morning. Whatever the case, Jonouchi was too overwhelmed to try to explain, and settled for topping things off right by returning Kaiba's embrace and kissing him.
He was exhausted, and the tears were stopping. Kaiba's fingers combing through his hair was like therapy; the repetitive motion relaxed him further until he was on the verge of falling asleep. He was dizzy, and so content that he almost felt high. Just before he drifted off, he spoke in low, slurred tones, his words muffled but still audible. He wasn't even sure if Kaiba was awake anymore to hear him, but he didn't have time to dwell on it before he passed out.
