I'm sorry about the late update, this is a really, really long chapter.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
When Jonouchi woke up, he was facing Kaiba, who had remained lying on his side while he slept. It didn't look like he'd thrown up or anything, which Jonouchi was grateful for. That would have really sucked, since they were both facing each other.
He sat up, stretching his arms above his head before standing. Deciding to get dressed while he waited for Kaiba to wake up, Jonouchi left in case he was going to be immediately kicked out. The thought occurred to him too that it would be useful to get something from the fridge for Kaiba, to help with his inevitable hangover. Getting up quietly, he crept out of the room, grateful that Mokuba wasn't wandering the suite and picking on him first thing.
Jonouchi searched the fridge for some cold water, or maybe some sort of sport's drink. It seemed to be Kaiba's preferred method for rehab. He found a small bottle on a shelf on the refrigerator door and took it back to the bedroom, placing it quietly on the nightstand while Kaiba slept. After that, he wasn't quite sure what to do. Should he wake him up? Probably not. That would probably come off as him being annoying. Jonouchi wasn't quite ready to be kicked out, anyway.
Finding Kaiba's laptop sitting on a desk in the room, Jonouchi decided he may as well surf online. He saw a game station hooked up but he didn't want to risk waking Kaiba first thing with the noise so he settled for the computer. It wasn't as if he had one at home. Not anymore. Since he'd promised he wouldn't disappear in the morning anymore, he couldn't just skip off and wait until later to see Kaiba. No matter. He didn't want to leave, anyway. The quiet was just bothering him.
Jonouchi turned toward the bed a few minutes later when he heard movement, and he smiled when he saw Kaiba starting to sit up, the man rubbing his forehead repeatedly. Wanting to be of some use, Jonouchi approached the bed and handed him a drink.
"I brought this in for you," he stated quietly, "You look like you need it."
Kaiba snorted, taking the bottle and opening the cap before drinking half of it in one sitting. He looked in pain, from where Jonouchi stood. His eyes remained half shut and he appeared completely worn out. When Kaiba immediately laid back down, Jonouchi had an idea that he wasn't going to go to work that morning.
"Thanks for the drink," Kaiba had mumbled.
Jonouchi snorted amusedly in response.
"And for last night," Kaiba added. "You didn't have to, but I appreciate it anyway."
"I wasn't just going to stand there and watch," Jonouchi snorted again. He moved himself so he could sit at the edge of the bed by Kaiba's lower back. He looked so groggy. Jonouchi had seen him hungover before and it had been right back to business after he rehydrated. Maybe he was finally really feeling it. "I know nothing would have happened to you but I couldn't really stop myself. I'm glad I didn't embarrass you or anything."
His fears that Kaiba would be upset had passed. Kaiba seemed as if he was trying to hide his face from the sun. Jonouchi stood and walked to the window to close the curtains, hoping that he'd be less intent on covering his eyes with his hands if the sun wasn't blinding him.
"Better?"
He wondered briefly if they were square now and if Kaiba had stopped being mad at him entirely. There was a possibility that he might still be a little frustrated, which was understandable, but Kaiba wasn't showing it. If he was still angry, Jonouchi was sure he'd know by now.
"Yeah... I'm sorry about him showing up last night," Kaiba mumbled apologetically, "Mokuba wouldn't have invited you along if he'd known. I had no idea he was on the guest list. I don't usually check those things personally..."
"Don't worry about it," Jonouchi sighed, "I knew there was a possibility he might be there. I'll have to deal with running into him a lot, I think. At least until Otogi stops putting up with him."
If that ever happened. He wasn't sure why Otogi still dealt with Kitamura but he probably didn't know any details. Jonouchi wanted badly to tell him what had happened with Kitamura, but on the other hand, he didn't want to say anything about it. Not to Otogi, certainly. Not to anyone, really.
"I wouldn't have cared about him being there if he hadn't had the death-defying nerve to hit on you. That shit burned me up," Jonouchi scowled, feeling his anger from the night before flaring up again. He forced himself to sigh, calming himself with a deep breath. It wasn't important anymore. No need to ruin his morning being pissed.
"Nothing was going to happen. Even if I was drunk, I don't get beer goggles like some people," joked Kaiba. "Maybe if I did get them, I wouldn't still be a virgin."
"Don't give yourself too much credit there, big guy," Jonouchi rolled his eyes, "You came pretty close to dropping your v-card with me while you were drunk before... It's a good thing I have some willpower after all."
He shook his head at himself, lounging properly on the bed since they seemed settled into conversation. Kaiba only appeared to be half-awake at best, but he was obviously content.
"Jonouchi, there's nothing I do drunk that I wouldn't probably do sober," Kaiba admitted. "It's just easier to deal with everything while intoxicated."
Jonouchi stared at Kaiba for a moment, stunned and unsure of what to say. If Kaiba was willing to have sex with him while sober, then why hadn't it come up yet? And why was it that when he was sober Kaiba seemed to think it was a terrible idea?
"Well, good to know, I guess," Jonouchi replied quietly, "It would be nice to know what you're thinking without you getting shitfaced first."
"It's not really that important," mumbled Kaiba.
"It is to me," Jonouchi sighed, "I figured you knew that by now. I'm very interested in what you think. What you really think."
He watched Kaiba, who was still lying tiredly and showed no signs that he'd be perking up anytime soon. It was probably for the best that he was evidently still relaxed. The conversation could get strained very quickly.
"It's not really fair to withhold things or outright lie to me about important shit," Jonouchi complained, "I know you're protecting yourself and all, but honestly I'm not going to bite you or anything. Unless requested, obviously."
Rolling his eyes, Kaiba grumbled before shoving his face into a pillow. "You never asked me directly."
"It's not as if my intentions haven't been obvious," Jonouchi raised an eyebrow, "But if you're going to be like that, then I'll ask you."
He was slightly miffed by Kaiba's unwillingness to take any responsibility for anything. The things he'd said in the past, particularly in response to admittances from Jonouchi, had been anywhere from misinformation to straight-up lies. Jonouchi wasn't going to believe that he hadn't known what he was doing...
"You already know how I feel about you. I know what you've said about it before, but do you think you'd ever consider being with me?"
"Oh, Jonouchi, I don't know."
"I'm sure you do," Jonouchi mumbled, slightly disappointed but he recovered quickly. It was better than getting the old responses that it would never happen. He might have been obligated to give Kaiba a worse headache if that was the case.
"Well, will you at least think about it?"
"It's not like I have a choice, since you won't leave me alone about it..." Kaiba answered in a snarky manner.
"What are you talking about? This is only the second time I've asked," Jonouchi smirked. That was about as much as he was going to get out of Kaiba. He could deal with that. Kaiba would think about it. That was better than a lot of other outcomes.
"Tell you what, how does breakfast sound?"
"Some toast and a grapefruit would be nice," Kaiba mumbled, lifting his head slightly from his pillow, "And coffee. With just a little bit of cream. Anything else, and I might end up puking."
"Then I'll be right back," Jonouchi grinned, standing and heading for the bedroom door, "Try not to miss me too much."
He left the bedroom snickering and crossed the suite to leave. He could get everything Kaiba wanted from the lobby and get himself a plate of food while he was at it. Hopefully the wait wouldn't be too long.
When he got to the lobby, he made his way to the cafe area. The hotel wasn't as upscale as Kaiba's but they still required ordering food rather than serving it at a buffet. Jonouchi was at the bar requesting a breakfast platter when he heard other people entering the fairly empty room. He turned out of habit, having learned over time to take note of strangers, and then immediately turned away. He placed one hand at the side of his face, which he knew was futile since his sunshine blond hair would give him away if nothing else.
"Jonouchi!" Otogi called from across the cafe.
He was with Kitamura. Jonouchi didn't want to deal with either of them and certainly not at the same time. He deliberately ignored Otogi and prayed that the food would be done soon.
Unfortunately, the cooks were taking their sweet time, and Otogi apparently couldn't take a hint. He found himself sitting very uncomfortably close to unwanted company on a bar stool waiting for his order.
"Didn't you hear me calling you?" Otogi sniffed as if he was offended. Jonouchi didn't even care.
"What do you want?" Jonouchi sighed.
"I can't say hello to a friend?" Otogi asked. He seemed insincere from the smirk on his face.
Jonouchi looked around the cafe suspiciously while Otogi talked. He wasn't even pretending not to have a motive. He spotted Kitamura, who was watching attentively from one of the tables out on the main floor but didn't seem as if he intended to approach for the moment. Thank god. Maybe he didn't want to risk Otogi finding out he was more than just a cradle robber.
Kitamura was staring at him. Jonouchi looked away, nowhere near comfortable with the attentive gaze of those black eyes.
"I don't have time for your bullshit at the moment," Jonouchi grumbled, "I doubt you just showed up for the food."
"I'm surprised you're here at all, considering your financial situation," Otogi retorted, and before Jonouchi could interrupt, he continued, "I was supposed to be meeting Kaiba with Kitamura this morning but he stood us up. I was wondering if you knew where he was, since the two of you sound like you're joined at the hip lately."
Jonouchi preoccupied himself with counting all the reasons he had to break Otogi's nose at the moment. First, obviously, would be referring to himself as being "stood up" by Kaiba. Then there was his insinuating tone when he mentioned how much Jonouchi was associating with him lately, those were good grounds alone. And lastly... well, why not? He'd only ever needed half a reason with Otogi anyway, and Honda less than that back in the day. Of course, he'd been fighting with him over a girl at the time...
"I'm not Kaiba's keeper," he replied coolly, "And it isn't your business, to begin with. I'd say he didn't need much reason to forget about his meeting with you and your associate."
"Bitter much?" Otogi quirked an eyebrow, resting his elbow on the bar and propping his head up with his hand. Evidently, he wasn't going to piss off anytime soon. "You can call him by name, Jonouchi. It isn't as if I don't know about you two, and it's not going to invoke his presence or some shit."
"What do you mean, you know about it?" Jonouchi stared at Otogi pointedly, trying to read his amused and mildly smug expression. God, he was infuriating today. "I'm sure you don't, Otogi. If that was true, I doubt you'd be talking to me about it."
"Why wouldn't I? I've heard nothing but glowing remarks about you," he smirked, and Jonouchi caught his breath. What was that supposed to mean? As if he didn't know. He'd grown up around assholes his entire life. Why wouldn't Kitamura be bragging about his conquests? Especially if he was being vindictive.
"I don't even care, none of that means much to me," Jonouchi replied back.
"Maybe, but it seems like it's working out in your favor," Otogi shrugged, flipping his bangs out of his face. Jonouchi's fingers started curling into fists on the bar He saw one of the cooks approaching with his food while her co-worker walked around the bar with a pitcher. He just wanted to grab his food and split as soon as possible.
"I mean, you've obviously convinced Kaiba to pay attention to you. If you're really all that, I guess I can't blame him."
Jonouchi turned, one hand clasped around the handles of his food bag. As his barstool spun toward Otogi, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, and in a fit of rage reached for the pitcher the waitress was carrying, snatching it out of her hands and turning it over above Otogi's head before he'd even closed his stupid mouth.
He had a glorious, victorious second to watch Otogi's face twisting up in rage and scandalization, his mascara running due to the orange juice that was pouring over his head; then Jonouchi hopped off of the stool and stalked toward the lobby, not giving Kitamura so much as a glance on his way out. In all honestly, he wanted to get out of dodge before someone called security, and Kaiba's suite was a good place to evade being apprehended.
It wasn't until he was riding alone in the elevator that he really started to burn up, his breathing ragged and his teeth grinding. He could barely keep his thoughts straight, he was so mad. A part of him wanted to go back to the lobby and pop Otogi right in the mouth, and probably wail on Kitamura for a while too, but he didn't want to go to prison.
After all, he'd promised Kaiba he'd be back with breakfast quickly.
When he got into the suite, he crossed it briskly and entered Kaiba's still-darkened room. He set Kaiba's coffee and "food" on the nightstand before sitting at the edge of his bed with his take-out box and plastic utensils, looking forward to digging into the breakfast he had before him. Hopefully, it would help him quell his anger.
"Did you miss me?" Jonouchi asked Kaiba, smirking briefly at him as he looked over his shoulder. Then he started eating a little fast, stuffing his mouth and letting the warm food settle down his sour mood. He felt the bed shifting and heard Kaiba's fingers on the nightstand as he reached for his toast.
"Pfft," Kaiba responded in a sarcastic manner. "No."
Jonouchi caught him looking up at him questioningly but Kaiba didn't say anything. He just took his coffee and dumped a little creamer into it before stirring, still staring at Jonouchi from the corner of his eyes. His face feeling hot still, Jonouchi knew it was obvious that he was rattled but he wanted to just try playing it off. He didn't want Kaiba asking him questions.
"Did you miss me?" Kaiba asked, moving a bit closer and batting his long eyelashes before taking a sip.
Jonouchi raised an eyebrow at Kaiba's tone and expression, forgetting entirely about his food for a moment and getting lost in the gaze that was turned upon him. Damn him, what was he trying to do, exactly? Flirting now that Jonouchi had done him a favor?
"Of course I did, you asshole," Jonouchi chuckled, nibbling on a bit of pancake he had on the end of his fork, "I didn't know you cared."
He probably didn't. Still, flirting was fun, even if it made Jonouchi more strained than it had before. Now that he knew Kaiba was slightly more serious about him, the context of their flirting felt very different.
Of course, it didn't make him any less giddy when he received it. At least for the moment, he was content with being fooled into thinking Kaiba might want him. Jonouchi went back to his meal, his thoughts no longer lingering on Otogi, and more infuriatingly, Kitamura. He'd rather not think about all that, anyway.
"I find it flattering to know that I have some influence on your thoughts," explained Kaiba, picking up the grapefruit given to him and peeling off the skin with his nails, "And I know you wonder if you're ever in mine... I hear you talk in your sleep sometimes..."
"What good that does me... Everything I say that's worth hearing, you sleep through," Jonouchi snorted, gulping down the food that was in his mouth, "Remind me not to shut my eyes within earshot of you anymore. Can't have you know all my secrets."
He started on the bacon that was in his take out container. It was embarrassing to know Kaiba heard him in his sleep. That was usually the time when he was having very lewd and absurdly needy dreams. He didn't look at Kaiba and fixed his eyes on his food as he continued to eat fairly quickly. He'd wanted to try slowing it down, but he couldn't help himself while he was nervous and trying to distract himself.
"Especially if you're going to sound so self-satisfied about it..."
"I was just saying that sometimes I hear you, it's not like you're coherent. Or I'm that focused on listening while I'm trying to fall asleep myself."
"Oh, I get it," Jonouchi smirked, "You're just mentioning it because you want to get me worked up. Well, forget it. If you heard what I said in my dreams about you, you'd be the one getting embarrassed, smart one."
"Yeah, because I've never heard you say something sexual out of your mouth before," snorted Kaiba, rolling his eyes, "Or fooled around with you."
"It hasn't stopped you from being a prude," Jonouchi teased, "You still get worked up by things I say. Don't think I don't notice."
He topped off his food and stood to place the styrofoam box on the nightstand until he felt like leaving the room. Kaiba was still working through his grapefruit.
How? Just...how? Jonouchi would never be able to eat that slowly. It went beyond etiquette. It was downright unnatural to be so slow.
"But that's fine. You're strangely endearing when you're being uptight, even if it gets on my nerves sometimes."
"I don't know what you mean," Kaiba answered, slowly eating a piece of fruit as Jonouchi watched, "I'm not being uptight. I don't remember getting all weird about anything we've talked about."
Besides the fact we've done more together than just kiss."
"You still get embarrassed by shit I say," Jonouchi argued, watching Kaiba suck on his grapefruit just a tad provocatively, "It doesn't happen as much as it used to, but I've seen it. Like when I told you I was dreaming about you. You looked embarrassed about that one."
It was rare to get much of a reaction out of Kaiba, and Jonouchi was rather proud of himself for getting what little he managed. It was barely noticeable on the surface and passed in the blink of an eye, but it was there. Embarrassment.
"And you don't need to remind me of what we've done. I'm not going to up and forget about the dildo incident anytime soon..."
"It's not an incident if you wanted it."
"It isn't like I knew what you were going to do to me until you did it, asshole," Jonouchi stuck his tongue out at Kaiba stubbornly. He didn't even care. He just wanted to argue with him. They never really talked about what they did together, and certainly not in such a light-hearted fashion. "I guess I should give you props for managing not to impale me even though you were drunk off your ass."
How much of that did Kaiba remember, even? Probably not a lot. That was too bad. Jonouchi wished he had some kind of proof that he wasn't the only instigator between them. Even if Kaiba did remember a lot of what happened that evening, he could easily claim to forget because he'd been so drunk.
"You knew I wasn't planning on using my dick since you so kindly asked me not to," pointed out Kaiba, sticking his tongue out in response, "I'm a gentleman."
"Oh?" Jonouchi grinned. "Well, I'm not on any high ground to say you're wrong. I'll just count myself lucky. I hear a lot about how chivalry is dead."
He lounged on the bed beside Kaiba, crossing his ankles as he watched him eat. Maybe it was just because he was tired but Kaiba was actually being a little playful. Jonouchi didn't expect him to be so friendly after the shit that had happened just a few days before.
"I guess you really are a gentleman," Jonouchi mused, mulling over all the things Kaiba had done for him (however snarkily) over the past few months. "Maybe if you weren't so snappy, people would actually believe the nice stories about you."
There was a stretch of awkward silence that Jonouchi wasn't sure how to break. Siding up to Kaiba, he bumped him with his shoulder to get his attention as he resisted grinning at the why-are-you-annoying-me look on his face.
"I have a question for you though, Mr. Gentleman," Jonouchi's lips started to curve against his wishes, "If you think the same things drunk as you do sober... Do you still think it's hot to see your jizz all over my back?"
"Since you were getting all sweaty for me, yes," Kaiba answered nonchalantly. "I'm a man after all. If you were seeing what I was seeing, you would say the same thing, too."
Jonouchi's eyebrows rose as he stared at Kaiba in confusion and felt heat rising to his face. He'd expected to be brushed off, not addressed with such a frank response. Since when was Kaiba that straightforward about shit like that? Not that Jonouchi was displeased to hear that his opinion hadn't changed. It was the only time he could recall that Kaiba had legitimately referred to him as being hot at all, much less getting shamelessly turned on by something he did.
Except for maybe oral sex. But he probably couldn't help himself with that.
"Well, um," Jonouchi mumbled, rolling over and pulling a pillow to himself as he lay with his back to Kaiba. He was probably red as a beet by now. It was making him wish he wasn't trying to stay on a dry period. "I guess I'll keep that in mind, then."
He covered his face with the pillow to hide it, deciding to just wait there and ignore Kaiba if he teased. At least until his cheeks were the right color again.
"I might be a tad uptight at times, but you're just ridiculous," Kaiba laughed.
He sat up, reaching over to grab his coffee.
"Do you know where Mokuba is?"
"Nah," Jonouchi replied, inhaling deeply as he removed the pillow from his face, "He probably skipped. Or he's still holed up in his room. I don't know."
Jonouchi moved to lay on his back, his hands clasped behind his head. Then he moved them to a more restful position, realizing that his overly tight shirt was revealing his stomach while he raised his arms.
"If you cared about my sanity," Kaiba started, "You'd go find out for me."
"Are you serious?" Jonouchi muttered though he was already standing. "Don't you have a phone? You could always text him..."
He opened the door to Kaiba's bedroom, looking toward Mokuba's bedroom door, which was cracked open. He didn't hear any noise. Kaiba wasn't moving from where he laid, and Jonouchi knew he was going to be the one to look for the kid now.
"I'll see if he's in the suite. If not, I'll try phoning him," Kaiba stated, "If it's not too much trouble for you, feel free to help."
Jonouchi snorted and walked across the way to Mokuba's room. He knocked on the door even though it was slightly open. Mokuba was a teenager and probably funny about his privacy right now. Even if he hadn't shut the door.
"Hey, brat," Jonouchi called, "Are you in there?"
There was shuffling before Mokuba opened, poking his head out and scowling.
"My name's not brat. And yes. I'm in here. Does Nii-sama want me or are you taking roll call now?"
Mokuba was fully dressed, wearing what looked like jeans and a dress shirt with nice shoes. His hair was combed back and he smelled like fresh soap. It was highly probable that he was going to Kaiba Corp, since Kaiba was a useless thing, lying on the bed acting like a dick.
"Is Nii-sama coming with, or is he too hungover to function?"
"He's not himself right now. I'm thinking you're on your own, kid," Jonouchi laughed, "He just wanted me to see where you were."
Jonouchi walked with Mokuba into the living room of the suite, stopping by Kaiba's bedroom doorway and peeking inside.
"Mokuba's about to leave for work," he informed him, "No need to sit there driving yourself mad with worry."
He was being sarcastic, of course.
"I had confidence in your abilities to find him," replied Kaiba with a tad of snark, "He responds better to you looking for him than me anyways. He's always trying to disappear when I go to find him."
"It's probably just because he's turning into a teenager," Jonouchi shrugged. He sat on the bed next to Kaiba, watching him lie there face down. He hadn't actually seen him this messed up after drinking before. "I'm more concerned about you, actually. You've had something to drink, and breakfast, and you're still down for the count. Do you need meds or something? You office buddies are gonna miss you."
There was probably some aspirin around. If not, Jonouchi was willing to run to the nearest pharmacy. Assuming Kaiba wasn't just being overly dramatic. It didn't seem like him, but everyone had their moments, and Jonouchi was hardly peppy after heavy drinking. Always crashing on someone's couch or bed...
"You can let me know if I can get you anything, Kaiba. I still owe you for taking care of me all day when I got retarded drunk at your place."
"It's not a big deal. I'll live."
"Don't you have work anyways?" Jonouchi began to nag. "I bet everyone else showed up today because they thought you'd be there. What a great leader you are, hanging around your hotel room like you don't have something better to do..."
"You're one to talk," Kaiba snorted. "What about your shift to that gift shop?"
"I almost never get work for all seven days of the week," Jonouchi shrugged, "I asked for the weekend off this time so I could go to that party last night and not worry about work the next day. This week I have Wednesday and Friday off. My schedule is pretty random..."
"That's because you need a real job..."
"I've been looking at this repair shop in Central," replied Jonouchi, "But it's hard to get the mechanic's attention. I guess I look too dumb to fix bikes to them. Or my total lack of certifications might have to do with it. I was going to harass them some more after work this week if I can. It's about the only thing I'm really good at that would pay pretty decent money. Maybe even turn into a career for a while."
"What about dueling?" Kaiba asked. "I know you're broke, but I'm sure if you used Mokuba like you should, you'd get at least a few contacts out of him and make something of your old talents..."
"I've thought about it, but I can hardly be a professional unless I can get new cards all the time and put hours of work into it," Jonouchi confessed, "It's not that realistic while I'm trying to hold down two jobs."
It did sound like a good idea to talk to Mokuba, though. Jonouchi thought he'd have to get into the major leagues again before he could be sponsored, but maybe past footage of his gameplay would be enough to get him some financial support. If he had that, time and money for playing wouldn't be an issue.
"Do you really think anyone would sponsor me, though?" asked Jonouchi. "While I tried competing in the professional bracket, no one wanted to sponsor me."
"That's because you had no idea how to promote yourself. Mokuba could get you in contact with everyone who's anyone in the game..." Kaiba began. "I'd help you, but I think since Mokuba took you on, it's his business getting your career underway. I'm not gonna hand hold you through something you should have worked at years ago..."
"Don't talk down at me for not having high hopes over this, Kaiba," Jonouchi frowned, "Unlike you, I wasn't a natural at duel monsters, or very popular with anyone. I guess I could have gone with Yugi, but I would have just been dead weight."
Yugi didn't have a problem acquiring sponsorship, even if it had been meager at first. Professional gaming was a full-time job, and without bringing in some kind of income from that, Jonouchi couldn't sustain the lifestyle. Not enough that being Yugi's roommate in a foreign country would have worked out. He didn't even speak much English...
"There's no point harping on it, especially since I have other opportunities." Jonouchi sighed. "I'd rather focus on what I actually have a chance at getting..."
"-Good to see that you're finally taking advantage of your options."
Snorting, Kaiba picked up his fruit again and began working on peeling off the skin with his fingers.
"Yugi does well because Yugi knows how to win over people. He uses his personality to his best advantage, and you need to do the same. If you tried using yourself and showing the best you have to offer personality-wise, it wouldn't matter if you were the best duelist in the world or not. Just look at Mai. She's barely at the professional level but people still know who she is and I've never seen her out of sponsors... Just use what you have, Jonouchi."
"What I 'have'? To what are you referring, exactly? Because unlike Mai, I'm not some super attractive woman," complained Jonouchi. "And unlike Yugi, I'm not the number one player or charming and adorable like some human version of a baby panda."
Not that he wanted to be. That would be humiliating. It would be nice if he had assets outside of his often-ridiculous levels of luck, though. He was skilled and had an easy smile, but that didn't count for everything.
"Pfft. You're plenty attractive, and like I've said before, you can be charming when you want to be. But sometimes you let that hot head of yours speak more for you than your dueling," scoffed Kaiba, "And that's why you haven't really gotten anywhere."
"It's not like I was ever interviewed or anything... could I really have put people off that much by saying I was going to win?" Jonouchi grumbled. "It certainly never caused you any problems to be the biggest prick you could back then."
But Kaiba could pull it off. He walked his talk and had the cred to back up his arrogance. Jonouchi had never been arrogant, per se, but he'd always tried to seem confident. Usually, that gave people more incentive to cite his failures and deflate him. Maybe his pre-game rage came off as obnoxious. He didn't know.
"At least I can dress the part now, right?" he joked, tugging at his slim-fitting red shirt. Then he stopped, feeling flat and uncomfortable at the mention of his clothes. They were nice. He liked knowing that they made him look good. But honestly, the memories that came with them when he thought too hard about his appearance were better forgotten, in his opinion. If at all possible.
"Hardly. You look like any other twenty-something year old in those clothes. If you want attention, dress the part.
"And your problem before, back when you just started getting good, was how heated you were about every challenger that came to you. You'd talk a bunch of crap, but then make stupid mistakes," Kaiba pointed out. "It didn't matter that you ended up winning at the end, you looked immature and it showed. No one's going to bet their money on a horse who doesn't even know how to run the track straight, Jonouchi..."
"I wasn't that bad after Duelist Kingdom," Jonouchi muttered, feeling slightly insulted, "But I was really childish. I tried to make up for my lack of confidence by talking big. I've outgrown it. Kind of."
Mostly.
"You don't actually think I'm twenty-something, do you?" he asked Kaiba curiously. "I'm only nineteen. I'm younger than you, remember?"
He laughed aloud when Kaiba rolled his eyes, resting his hands behind his head as he looked at Kaiba. He seemed put off, like he was being accused of something. Jonouchi just grinned at him.
"You look older than you really are," Kaiba muttered.
Jonouchi realized that his thing with Kaiba was the closest thing to a normal relationship he'd ever had. Fawning all over Mai and the trail of glamour she left behind, and then Kitamura... his track record was god-awful, in all honesty. What was he doing with all these adults who were several years his senior? Kaiba being only some months ahead of him was no time at all by comparison.
"Well, I haven't heard that one before," Jonouchi snorted. "Whatever makes you feel better, stud."
"I'm still prettier than you are, though," added Kaiba, fluttering his eye flashes as he finally finished his grapefruit and wiped off his hands with a napkin, "But East Asian media love blonds. I think you'd have a very loving fan base if you learned how to use people appropriately."
"Use people?" Jonouchi side-eyed Kaiba, fully noting the way Kaiba batted his eyelashes. Was he trying to prove his point by doing that? "And don't go looking at me like that unless you're planning to do something, big guy."
"And what exactly do you mean by that, pray tell?" Kaiba challenged.
"You're a smart man," Jonouchi leaned into his personal space, looking up at him through his lashes. He could play too, couldn't he? "I'm sure you can figure it out."
"Not while I'm hungover. Maybe you should be a little more clear for me, I can't think much past this headache of mine."
"I'm sure you'll muster up the energy for the sake of satisfying your curiosity," Jonouchi raised an eyebrow. He had a very strong suspicion that Kaiba was just fucking with him. He wasn't naive, nor was he an idiot. He must know what was going on. But for once, Jonouchi wasn't so desperate for Kaiba's attention to make a fool of himself trying to get it.
"Judging by the look on your face, I'd say you already know what I meant, anyway."
"Do you really want me to back it up then, Jonouchi?" Kaiba asked, smirking through his eyes, "Unlike you, I don't just talk the talk. I backup my shit through actions and you know it."
"Yeah? I have yet to see that," Jonouchi smirked, taking the bait before he could stop himself as his eyes sparkled with excitement. Then he held Kaiba's gaze very deliberately. "Maybe I do want you to back it up."
He paused, his expression of amusement and anticipation melting away as he realized what he was doing, and he moved away from Kaiba by a few inches.
"But, then again, it's not a good idea right now."
Jonouchi sighed, rolling onto his back to avoid Kaiba's gaze as he felt his face flushing. This whole not fucking around with Kaiba thing was too difficult for him to keep up with. He hated it.
"You have a habit of not trying hard enough though, too," Kaiba added.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jonouchi turned on Kaiba quickly, his expression defensive. "I'd say I've tried plenty."
"If you say so."
Kaiba got up, not saying another word before going into the bathroom and shutting the door. Jonouchi only got more steamed up when he heard the tap water turn on, pissed off by being disregarded. And left alone. Kaiba was such an emotional coward that it made him infuriated sometimes...
He left the bedroom, figuring there was no point hanging around in there if Kaiba was just going to ditch him and be a mean flirt all morning long. Where did he get off, anyway? Not everyone could be a rich genius, and Jonouchi couldn't help the fact that he used to be a dumb kid with terrible self-esteem. With no fucking money to throw around.
He sat on the living room couch, wondering if Kaiba was going to come out of the bathroom ever, and what he was even planning to do when he did. Maybe he was just taking the world's most epic piss after all that drinking the night before. Maybe he was putting on his makeup and getting ready to face the day. Maybe he was just hiding out and waiting for Jonouchi to get out of his hair.
Jonouchi snorted and got comfortable. When Kaiba emerged, he'd be there. And then he could see where they stood.
Eventually, Kaiba came out. Looking refreshed once more. His hair was clean and had been blown dried, and his face appeared shaved. He was dressed and it made Jonouchi feel slightly apprehensive. Was he going to leave now? Why not just stay? He had his laptop bag over his shoulder, but Jonouchi didn't know what that meant.
He hardly ever took a day for himself.
Staring at the television, Jonouchi didn't say a word. He thought a million things at once but he kept his eyes ahead and tried not to feel funny as he felt Kaiba's eyes on the back of his head.
"Jonouchi... I think you should wear your old clothes again," noted Kaiba.
"What, my oversized, ratty jeans from the mercy bin and the only three shirts I owned?" snorted Jonouchi. "Why would you even say that?"
"Some people would consider it vintage. It looked more natural than whatever you're wearing now."
Jonouchi sat quietly on the couch for a few seconds, watching Kaiba work as he picked idly at the fabric of his jeans.
"You liked me better before, huh?" he snorted, torn between being flattered (and slightly relieved) and almost painfully dry. "My street punk chic wasn't an eyesore? I'm surprised."
He sighed, resting against one of the couch pillows and resting his clasped hands on his stomach. Kaiba's fingers flew over his keyboard. Watching him, and even Honda, made Jonouchi wish he'd had a chance to learn how to really type.
"Well, I'm sure my ratty, faded-out clothes are still in that apartment somewhere."
Assuming I haven't been robbed yet, he added internally. He was almost never home anymore. He was asking for it at this point.
"I just prefer it when you don't look like mom just went out to get you new back to school clothes you didn't even want," teased Kaiba. "You should pick out your own shit next time."
"Next time I have the money to drop, I'll look into it. I don't even know how to shop..." Jonouchi trailed off, finding it slightly amusing that he was pretty damn clueless about clothes. Gay men were supposed to be good at fashion, weren't they? Or at least have some kind of sense of style. Jonouchi hadn't actually shopped since he was a first year in middle school, and even then he'd had his father's help. After that, nothing. Just grabbing whatever he thought would fit and he could get away with stealing. Which he wasn't proud of, but shit. He couldn't exactly run around naked when he outgrew clothes too much.
"I don't even like these clothes," Jonouchi sighed, "I know I look good, but I don't like them."
"Then toss them," snickered Kaiba. "Mokuba will get you something else and say it's for "promotional work. It's easy to write off expenses. You like sneakers, jeans, baggy pants, oversized shirts, and hoodies, right? That's fine. Just as long as they are clean, presentable, and come from a sponsor. That's all that matters, and I'm sure Mokuba will take care of it if you bother to ask."
"Seriously?" Jonouchi's eyebrows rose, his eyes widening. "Shit, I'm not gonna turn that down. The sooner I get rid of this crap, the better."
He tugged off the snug t-shirt he was wearing and tossed it at Kaiba's face, where it softly landed on the crown of his head. Jonouchi snickered and then inhaled deeply, grinning at the scandalized face he was receiving.
"Keep your clothes on until Mokuba gets back," quipped Kaiba as he began pulling the shirt off his head and tossing it back, "What are you going to do, hang around here shirtless for several hours until he returns?"
"Well, if you insist," Jonouchi grinned, clasping his hands behind his neck and stretching to make sure Kaiba got a full view, "I sure as hell wouldn't mind. Besides, there's this cool gadget nowadays called a cell phone. Believe it or not, I could communicate with Mokuba from where I am."
"Yeah, that's not going to do any good for you if he'll not show up until past dark tonight," grumbled Kaiba. "Go ahead and, sit there looking like a hick, see if I care."
"Stop being a drama queen about it already." Jonouchi paused in his teasing long enough to be genuinely concerned, though. He'd never seen Kaiba give up and gripe like that before. His hangover was probably getting to him. It was as if he was a human or something.
He stood and approached Kaiba's seat, shaking his head. Kaiba was definitely done if he couldn't even make himself work. That was the one thing that nothing could keep him from.
"The best cure for a headache is sex, you know," Jonouchi snickered, "If you hadn't called me a hick, I might have considered helping you out."
Kaiba turned his head to look at Jonouchi before rolling his eyes. "I'm trying to work now, stop being a nuisance."
"Oh, you're so cute, trying to sound mad," Jonouchi cooed in a teasing tone, "You should be grateful that you have an exotic and attractive friend around to nurse you back to health. Don't you have any aspirin around here?"
Surely, there must be a medicine cabinet or something of the sort in the suite. Would Kaiba stay somewhere without basic medication? Possibly.
There was a knock at the door of the suite, and Jonouchi went to look through the peep, hoping that Mokuba might have returned early for some reason. Unfortunately, his hopes were dashed. Kitamura and Otogi were outside in the hallway, looking impatient. Jonouchi quietly returned to Kaiba's side and tapped his shoulder. Kaiba grumbled in complaint.
"Sorry to make your headache worse, but you have company standing here outside," Jonouchi frowned, "What will you do if they don't go away?"
"Absolutely nothing."
"Seriously?" Jonouchi glanced at the door as obnoxiously heavy knocking landed on it, "Do you want help getting back to your room? Or are you going to curl up on the couch and wish you weren't such an alcoholic?"
He was only picking at him but his words were slightly true. Kaiba was a bit of an alcoholic, just like Jonouchi himself was. They both abused alcohol from time to time, with getting wasted as an evening well spent and the hangovers were a point of accomplishment. They'd annoyed each other plenty, harassing one another while they were sick with headaches and nausea.
He didn't plan to be as obnoxious with Kaiba, who he figured must be genuinely debilitated if he was acting this way, but he could get his jabs in, couldn't he?
"Jonouchi, just ignore them."
"Then they'll never leave!" Jonouchi complained. "I'm not gonna sit here and listen to them bang on the door all morning long. You could at least get up and show your face for a minute."
Considering what giant sluts Kitamura and Otogi both were, it would probably only give them more of an incentive to stay around. Or they'd be dicks and start talking about why Jonouchi might be shirtless in his suite. What the fuck ever.
"I could try playing bouncer but I can't promise it'll even work," Jonouchi sighed grumpily. Certainly, both of the people outside the door to the suite deserved at least a good smack in the face, and Kitamura more than that, but that wasn't realistic. Jonouchi approached the door as they banged on it again. If only they weren't in the top floor suite. Otherwise, the neighbors around them would complain and get the two escorted away.
"Maybe you should put a shirt on, Jonouchi," suggested Kaiba with a snicker.
"Stop going on about that," Jonouchi muttered, and he opened the door quickly. Otogi had been knocking, and he stood wide-eyed in the hallway with his hand where the door had been. Jonouchi simply glared at him, noticing that he was wearing different clothes, and re-applied his makeup.
"I can't really say I'm surprised to see you here," Otogi stated, his green eyes sparkling as he composed himself. Jonouchi sneered unpleasantly at him. Kitamura seemed miffed, which was good, in his opinion. Let him get pissed off about it. "We figured Kaiba must be holed up still for some reason."
Jonouchi was fully aware of what he was trying to imply, and he snorted. The door wasn't completely open, since Jonouchi was attempting to keep Kaiba and most of the suite out of their view, and he turned an icy glare on Kitamura as he shifted like he was trying to look behind him.
"It couldn't possibly be because you're shit company and he doesn't want to waste his time on you," remarked Jonouchi.
"Well, there's that, but I'm inclined to think that the real reason is you being unwilling to share him," Otogi smirked, evidently oblivious to his business partner seething beside him. He genuinely had no idea how much he was improving Jonouchi's mood right now, even if he was being infuriating to get back at him.
"Now I'm wondering, though," Jonouchi lost his spark of amusement when Otogi continued, his eyes holding familiar intentions and his tone more flirtatious than Jonouchi would have liked, "If he's willing to share you."
"If you know what's good for you," Jonouchi hissed through gritted teeth, "You'll keep on wondering and keep your mouth shut."
"Why's that?"came the quiet question from Kitamura, who was speaking for the first time. Jonouchi turned his gaze on him, confused at first by the questioning look on his face, the seemingly genuine confusion in his eyes. Wasn't that a stupid question to ask? He knew Kitamura wasn't an idiot.
"What-"
"Are you afraid that he'll agree?"
Jonouchi's expression turned very icy, and he decided he'd had enough of the two of them. Otogi was snickering, completely unaware of just how much that statement had meant to the other two people present.
Holding onto the door handle and sticking out his face to see what was going on, Kaiba suddenly appeared by Jonouchi's side. He appeared pissed, like he'd heard most of what was said. Looking over at Otogi, his expression became sharp before he stood entirely in front of Jonouchi, giving Kitamura a steady glare as well.
"Get away from my fucking hotel room before I call security."
And not waiting for a response, he slammed the door after delivering his threat and returned to the bedroom.
Jonouchi stood in front of the door, his fists clenched at his sides hard enough that his knuckles were turning white; he felt almost dizzy with anger, and was only vaguely aware of Kaiba's presence fading as he went back to bed. Jonouchi turned, releasing a growl of pent-up frustration. He wanted to kick something but Kaiba wasn't the enemy and his hotel room's furniture looked expensive. Instead, Jonouchi sat on the couch, his elbows on his thighs and his hands tugging at his hair as he stared at the floor.
He felt his teeth grinding and forced his jaw to relax when his gums got sore but he only ended up doing the same thing again as his mind replayed what had just happened. Why did that shit have to come back over and over again? He honestly wasn't sure if he was more inclined to permanently disable Otogi, or Kitamura.
They'd said that shit with Kaiba in earshot...
That was too fucking much. He shouldn't have to stand for being continually dogged, particularly not about the unsavory situation he'd had with his rapist, and certainly not with an audience. Fuck it all...
He wanted to feel sorry for himself. With his face pressed into the back of the couch, Jonouchi felt agoraphobic and watched in the large living room of the suite. At least when he was shoved into the comfy edge of the couch back and cushions, he didn't have to deal with that.
"Jonouchi?"
He raised his head slightly when he heard his name being called. Kaiba was in the bedroom, and seemed to be addressing him from there. At first, Jonouchi didn't want to say anything. He was busy trying to disappear, and if he responded, then it would be very difficult to manage. Still, he didn't want to ignore Kaiba.
"What is it?" he called back, trying to keep his tone neutral. Right, definitely try to keep Kaiba unaware of his crisis while he was having it in the next fucking room. That was logical.
"I need your assistance."
"For what?" Jonouchi stood, more concentrated on Kaiba's needs than his upset for the moment. "I'm not gonna listen to you gripe and moan all morning long.."
He entered the bedroom, leaning against the doorframe as he looked at Kaiba, who was lying in bed. The sun had left that side of the building, and now it was quite dark thanks to the lack of light and closed curtains.
"I sleep better with some company," Kaiba gently offered.
Jonouchi snorted, unwilling to laugh but unable to stop himself. He approached the bed, kicking the door closed with his heel. Then he lay down next to Kaiba, sighing tiredly. He'd felt fine and active before that little scuffle. Now he just felt like shit. Less than shit, even. He didn't much like it, and knew that a nap would at least make him forget about it. Let him wake up feeling fresh again.
"If that's what you want," he mumbled, lying on his side so he could face Kaiba. Jonouchi again wished that he had a bed so comfortable at home, or at least a better futon. Someday, he supposed. That would be next on the list after getting into Anzu's place.
He watched Kaiba lying beside him with his eyes shut until his breathing slowed down and his face relaxed; then he closed his own eyes, letting his feeling of tiredness wash over him and carry him to sleep. He'd feel better when he woke up, more than likely.
Jonouchi was at his apartment again for the first time in ages. Night had fallen before he arrived, and he felt a wave of relief wash over him as he ascended to the second-story doorway. He was glad he'd be moving away soon. Getting into Anzu's apartment in central, where he wouldn't have to watch his back every time he left the place.
It wasn't until he reached the darkened doorway that he realized the door wasn't closed. He felt a flash of panic, wondering if he'd forgotten to close it on his way out, but that was impossible. He didn't detect any signs of forcing when he felt at the lock and around the latch in the doorframe, and realized with dawning horror that he'd forgotten to lock the door on his way out.
Jonouchi walked inside cautiously, trying to stop himself from panicking. If someone had broken in to rob him, they were either gone already or still inside. The latter seemed unlikely, since there was nothing to steal aside from a junk television and some clothes that wouldn't be worth shit at a pawn shop. He still walked very quietly, navigating in near-total darkness. Only the moonlight entering through the tiny window in his bedroom gave him visibility.
He didn't see or hear anyone in the tiny living room and kitchen, nor did he see anyone in the bedroom. He slipped his shoes off at the door and padded silently toward the bedroom in his socks, walking in the dark parts of the room until he got inside. He pushed the door open further and looked around, half expecting to get jumped or find some homeless addict on his futon, but the room was empty.
Breathing a sigh of relief, he turned around to flip the light on. He withdrew his hand quickly when the bedroom door was suddenly slammed shut. He saw even in the low light that there was someone standing beside the door frame. They'd been hidden behind the door when he walked into the room.
Jonouchi's first impulse was to attack. He could take one man easily. But when he tried, he felt paralyzed, and he lost his voice when he attempted to speak. His heart began to race as the figure approached him, slowly, like a predator closing in on its prey. Jonouchi screamed internally at himself to move, sickened by his own failure to protect himself even as he was terrified. It wasn't until his attacker's hands were gripping his shoulders that he found his voice.
"Get off," he commanded, trying to shove him in the chest, but his arms felt almost like they were boneless. That, or the person attacking him was ridiculously sturdy.
He struggled futilely as he was forced onto the futon, and he began to panic. Screaming hysterically and uncontrollably, flashbacks invading his mind; he was already weak in the arms as they trembled and he pounded on the man who was attempting to mount him.
Jonouchi was frozen in horror, his blood turned to ice when he saw the man's face illuminated in the moonlight. He only increased his struggling then and felt tears stinging his eyes when his pants were tugged away.
"Stop it!" He screamed though it sounded as if he was underwater. Somehow, even though he could feel his vocal chords straining from the effort of his yelling, there was no sound being emitted. He tried to kick Kitamura away when he put his hands on his legs, his fingertips leaving impressions that felt like ice as he grabbed him too hard. The last thing he saw before he was forced onto his stomach, his face against the futon, was the smile on the other man's face.
He tried to escape as he was forcefully penetrated, shouting so vehemently that his voice broke. But Kitamura's hands were on his hips, and Jonouchi simply wasn't strong enough to pull away from his grip.
"Stop!" He yelled again, finally audible and half-sobbing. "Get off me-"
Jonouchi was cut off when his vision cleared and he realized he was looking at the ceiling of Kaiba's hotel room. He'd woken himself up with his own screams.
He sat up and felt Kaiba shifting a bit clumsily beside him, his eyes wide and tired-looking.
Jonouchi felt cold sweat all over his back and forehead, and he trembled violently, tall goose bumps dotting his arms so quickly that it hurt.
He got off of the bed and stumbled to the bathroom, feeling sick and too humiliated to remain in Kaiba's presence. He shut the door behind him, hoping that would be cue enough that he couldn't handle company, and he turned on the shower.
He felt filthy. Not only filthy but used. Used, and weak, and completely helpless. He was so angry it was nearly driving him mad, and yet the majority of it was directed toward himself. His own loathing was enough that he didn't feel like he could stand properly anymore, and he ended up sitting on the floor when he got into the shower.
The water was too hot. It was enough that it made his skin turn red, but he didn't turn down the temperature. He'd learned working at the soba restaurant that the hotter the water was, the cleaner things got.
He wasn't sure how long he stayed under. He just crossed his arms on his knees, his forehead resting on top of them. He couldn't even think. Images of times he'd been with Kitamura ran through his mind, bringing with them all the bad emotions. Rage, mostly, but that was something he could deal with. What made him feel crippled was the regret and feelings of worthlessness, and a deep self-hatred he couldn't seem to shake.
Maybe it was wrong to hate himself for his mistakes, but it wasn't something he could bury when he identified it. It was simply too overwhelming and foreign. He felt vertigo just thinking about what he'd done over the past few months, and the things he'd put himself throughout of desperation, foolishness, ignorance...
And primarily, weakness.
When Jonouchi finally did stand up and turned off the water, he simply felt numb. It was easier to put all those feelings away. It was too difficult trying to deal with all that bullshit. Better to just pack it up and keep drifting, as if it hadn't happened at all. He couldn't spend the rest of his life sulking in a corner, stewing over shit he couldn't solve.
He dried himself, reluctantly pulled on the pants that Kitamura had bought him, and left the bathroom. Jonouchi needed to find his shirt and he vaguely recalled leaving it in the living room. As he made a blindly focused beeline for the bedroom door and turned the handle, he became aware of his name being called rather irritably.
Jonouchi looked toward the source of the sound. Kaiba was lying down, but he was propped up on his elbow, watching him with an expression that was part questioning and part miffed.
He seemed like he was waiting for an answer. At first, Jonouchi simply stared at him dully, unable to speak even though he parted his lips and worked his throat. Then he forced himself to talk, however quietly.
"Kaiba," he mumbled, "I need to go home."
He barely said the words right. He just felt the need to get somewhere that he could hold up, and quickly. It wouldn't be fair to just sit around Kaiba's hotel room being depressed, and Kaiba didn't need to see him like this. Not while he was such a goddamn wreck. He was sick of looking so broken in front of him.
Jonouchi pulled the door open and looked into the living room, spotting his shirt on the floor near the couch. All he had to do was slap that on, get his shoes, and hope he didn't run into Otogi and Kitamura again on his way out of the hotel