Rhythm of My Heart

By: Wingstar

Disclaimer: Well duh I don't own this.... If I did, Yugi would be a dominatrix and Yami would be his bitch... Don't own song either....

Notes: I decided to do the events before "Adjustments" before I write the sequel to it called "Thesaurus"... Don't ask about the titles. This Arc is set to songs in the Rod Steward called "Vagabond Heats". Thusly, the name of this Arc is called "Vagabond Hearts"... Tell me how you like this so far... Lyrics are in *!!!!*.... I can't write a South Philly/New Yorker accent to save my life so forget it, you guys can just imagine it... If you hate it tell me and I'll improve it or trash it... Your choice. On with the fic!

Rhythm of My Heart

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Across the street, the river runs

Down in the gutter, life is slipping away*

Lynch mobs aren't all that different in this day and age from their Wild Western origins. Unfortunately for Seto Kaiba, he was finding this out first hand.

Glancing back at the angry people that were trying to chase him down, he noted that the only differences between this mob and the ones from the movies was:

1) Better weapons

2) No rope (that he could see)

3) Different clothing

Keen blue eyes also caught sight of something else, a tall blonde with brown eyes. He blinked but the blonde male was gone.

Under normal circumstances he would have wondered at why that hair and those eyes seemed familiar, but at the current moment in time, he was running for his life.

After a few more minutes of mad-dashing to get away from his would-be attackers, the brunette found himself face down in the dust. Again, he caught a flash of blonde and brown. Wriggling out from under the man who have tackled him, he put a name to the grinning maniac... Katsuya Jounochi.

Standing up quickly, the CEO pulled back a fist, figuring if he had to fight, he would start with the smiling jackanapp before him. To add strangeness to his already seriously fucked up day however, Jou pushed Seto towards the aircraft boneyard that seperated the bussiness district from the ghettoes. The elder Kaiba hesitated.

"Get going Kaiba! They're catching up to you!"

"What-"

"Go! I'll explain later." Jou winked and disappeared into the darkened streets as Seto took off running again.

*Love may still exist in another place

Running undercover of a helicopter blade*

After jumping the fence enclosing the boneyard's compound, Seto continued to plunge headlong into the night.

As he ran, he noted how overheated he was starting to become. Instantly greatful for the early Spring heat wave. He was only wearing a white tanktop, faded blue jeans and a pair of ratty old sneakers after all. They had caught him completely unprepared for this situtation. The air rushing by him as he ran helped keep him cooler, a small blessing.

Voices suddenly entered his hearing, located to his right. Thinking fast, he ducked behind a pile of chopper blades and engines, keeping low to the ground.

*The flames are getting higher in effigy

Burning down the bridges of my memory*

Jounochi watched the young brunette as he hid amougst helicopter parts and darkness.

In Jou's eyes, this was not the cold, heartless, egotist he had known. The man that he watched, from atop the gutted out foward section of a C-5 Galaxy, was reckless and afraid.

A reddish-yellow shimmer at his left drew his attention away from Seto. Fire. There was a fire in the area of the Kaiba Estate. Upon closer scrutiny, he paled. It was the Kaiba Estate that was burning. Whatever Seto had done, it certainly pissed these people off... they wanted Kaiba dead.

*Love may still be alive somewhere, someday

Where they're downing deer

A hunderd steel towns away*

The blonde snorted in disgust. People were so cruel to each other.

Not that the city of Domino was a 100% violence-free place. People were robbed, mugged, raped and murdered all the time, but a full-out hunting party seemed just a touch bit overboard to Jou.

'Time to move Jou.' He thought. 'You got to snag Kaiba before anyone else decides to find him first.'

*Oh the rhythm of my heart

Is beating like a drum

With the words "I love you"

Rolling off my tongue*

'Calm down Seto, just breathe deep and stay still...'

Now matter what Seto told himself, he couldn't stop flinching or ducking at every sound. He could almost swear they could track him down just by following the sound of his heart, it was beating so loud.

Finally, his body couldn't stand staying immobile any longer. Sparing a thought for Mokuba, who thankfully was out of the country for a few days, he flung himself back into the open and continued the chase towards the ghettoes.

*No never will I roam

For I know my place is home

Where the ocean meets the sky

I'll be sailing*

Cursing Fate, Karma and any other entity that could be named for such ill- luck, Seto stopped to get his bearings.

He knew he was close to the docks, that fact was evident from the smell of salt in the air. He couldn't read the street signs though, because of his poor vision.

Yes, the great CEO of Kaiba Corp needed glasses to see things at far to medium distances.

*Photographs and kerosene

Light up my darkness (light it up)*

The smell of fire and a flash of light shook him out of his indecision concerning direction. He went right, since it was his instinictual choice and at this point in time, he was /not/ about to argue with instinct.

*I can still feel the touch

Of your thin blue jeans

Running down the alley

I've got my eyes all over you baby*

He didn't get very far.

Hands reached out, grabbing him. They dragged him into the dark recesses of an alleyway, one arm sneaking around his slim waist while the other hand settled over his mouth in a firm but gentle grip.

Seto stood flush against the man behind him... And male he was. Seto's abductor was strong, the arm around his waist was steel cable. He had a strong, muscled stomache and chest under what Seto guessed was a tee-shirt and baggy jeans.

Warm breath tickled the brunette's ear delicately when the being behind him spoke into his neck.

"Shh.... You're safe with me."

Sapphire-blue eyes widened in recognization.

" 'ou...?" A barely audiable whisper.

"Yeah, it's me, Jou. Now stay quiet and still 'til they pass."

Seto breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed into the strong comforting grip that Jou had him in. The irony of the situtation did not escape him however.Here he was, wrapped in the arms of his exact opposite and rival. Also his savior.

" 'ou?" When the young man behind him didn't seem to acknowledge him, Seto tried a different tactic. The brunette languidly ran his tongue over Jou's palm, which was still pressed to his mouth.

"Kaiba. you really shouldn't do that..." Jou's voice was deepened slightly with a faint tinge of lust. "That's one of my weak spots..."

The slender hand disappeared from Seto's lips only to resettle itself across his crest, effectively imprisoning him.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Contrary to popular belief, Kaiba, I don't want you dead, which is obviously what that herd of barbarians intends to do. Not only that, but I don't know you well enough to hate you." It didn't escape Kaiba that Jou was capable of intellent speech. Maybe Jou wasn't the mutt Seto claimed him to be.

Again, that strange sense of irony made itself known.

"How did you know where I was?" Seto winced after he realised the tone he used. It came out more as an accusation than the question he wanted it to be.

"I saw you running from those unevolved humans and decided to give chase." Was the simple reply.

*Oh the rhythm of my heart

Is beating like a drum

With the words "I love you"

Rolling off my tongue*

They stood, locked in that embrace for some time before the feeling of terror and the threat of discovery lessened.

"I need to go." Seto said. Immediately Jou stepped back, letting his arms fall to his sides.

"You can't."

Whirling around, Seto stared at the smaller man and snapped, "And why the hell not?"

"Because, your home was torched. I saw it burn." The audacity of the mutt's bluntness shook Seto. "You can come stay with me, until this whole thing blows over."

"What's the catch?"

"No catch. If nothing else, it gives me the excuse to get to know you better so I can find a proper reason to hate you." That cheeky, idiot grin flashed and Jou motioned for Seto to follow him, which Seto did, assuming the blonde was showing him to his home.

*No never will I roam

For I know my place is home

Where the ocean meets the sky

I'll be sailing*

As the duo made their way through the dark, humid streets, curiousity eventually got the best of Jou.

"Why are they chasing you?"

"Remember the duel disk systems?" At Jou's nod, Seto continued, "Well, it seems that there was a malfunction in one of them and it exploded in a child's face."

"That's terrible! Is the kid alright?"

"No. It sent shrapnel into in head and chest... He died from his injuries. These people assume that it was my personal fault and that is why they are chasing me."

*Oh I've got lightening in my veins

Shifting like the handle of a slot machine

Love may still exist in another place

I'm just yanking back the handle, no expression on my face*

They soon came to a small, seemingly delapidated house. Jou opened the door and let Seto preceed him inside. The interior, as opposed to the exterior, was very neat... Almost like it was untouched.

"This is your home?"

"Yeah, well me and Shizuka's. I'm a neat freak and obsessive-compulsive to boot, so I'm always cleaning." Jou motioned for Seto to sit on the small black couch. "Are you hungry? Cuz I can make you something."

"Yes, please. I'm famished." Seto started to fidgit, not yet over the adrendaline rush caused by the night's events. He also didn't sit, for he didn't want to make the couch dirty. Jou instantly noticed his hesitation.

"One second." Jou disappeared down the hallway and entered the first door on the left. After a few minutes of cursing and shuffling he returned with a white shirt, black shorts and a couple of towels.

As he handed them over to Seto, he said, "Why don't you go shower while I make us dinner. I'm sure that you wouldn't want to eat when you're covered in sweat, blood and mud." Mohogany eyes twinkled in amusement. "Not that I mind though," he added."You look good covered in dirt."

"Huh?" Seto blinked. 'Yeah, very articulate genius!'

"Don't tell me you didn't know I was gay."

One slim, cinnamon colored eyebrow rose in inquiry.

"Yep. Gay. Like Alexander the Great gay." Again, that grin.

"Oh." The eyebrow lowered.

"Yeah. Go shower, first door to the right and I'll bandage up those abrasions on your arms and legs before we eat... k?"

With that, both young men went to their respective tasks.

*oh the rhythm of my heart

Is beating like a drum

With the words "I love you"

Rolling off my tongue*

After a very hot shower, Seto peeked into the kitchen. There was Jou, rolling something into a tortilla, humming a tune that sounded faintly Irish. Whatever the blonde had rolled into those tortillas smelled good and looked even better to his growling stomache.

"Where's your sister?" It hadn't been his intention to scare his host, but he did it seemed.

"Holy fucking hell monkey!" Jou yelped and spun around, a hand pressed to his chest. "Damn near had me jumping out of my skin!"

Seto grinned and had the good grace to look apologetic.

"Oh, hell." Jou handed Seto the plate with the burrito he had finished and gestured for Seto to sit in the living room.

"Shizuka is out with her woman, Isis." Jou had anticipated the questioning blue eyes and nodded. "Yeah, she's a lesbian. Yeah, so is Isis. No, she won't be home 'til tomorrow. Answered all your questions?"

Seto blinked, then blinked again, then opened his mouth, shut it and nodded dumbly.

"Good." Jou pulled out the first-aide kit and set to work bandaging up his guest.

*No never will I roam

For I know my place is home

Where the ocean meets the sky

I'll be sailing*

"I am never, /EVER/ letting you tend anything on any part of my body, /EVER/ again."

"Sorry, but it needed to be done, Kaiba." A sympathetic smile was given before Jou started to systematically demolish his burrito.

Kaiba just shrugged and bit into his own burrito. And also proceeded to scarf down what turned out to be beef with red and green bellpeppers, and onion.

"Mmmmm... that was delicious. I didn't know you could cook."

"Yeah, well I can't sew or work on cars, so I guess it works out. Also, I should tell you the four house rules:

1) No yelling at anything... We hear screaming enough from our Dad... We are civil to each other and that means talking out a problem. And yeah, that applies to everyone.

2)First names are used here. No more of this "Kaiba", "Katsuya" bullshit. Yes?"

Jou held out his hand. Hesitantly, Seto placed his hand in Jou's slightly smaller one. It was calloused with long fingers and indentantions in the knuckles, testimony to being broken many times in fights. Jou's hand wrapped around his in a firm handshake.

"Jou."

"Seto."

They released hands and Jou continued.

"3) No sleeping on the couch. No guest of mine ever slept on the couch. You'll sleep in my bed and I'll sleep on the couch. And finally,

4)Stay as long as you like. Whatever is in this house you can use, but you might want to ask Shizuka before borrowing anything of her's. Not that I think that will be a problem. Any questions?"

"Not that I can think of."

"Good, welcome to my home." Jou's idiotic grin transformed into a broad, heart-warming smile and Seto found himself returning Jou's charming smile with one of his own. His time spent here would definitately be interesting.

In that fleeting moment, Seto saw how much the blond, chocolate-eyed male belonged here...

And it seemed as if he did too.

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TBC! But only if you guys like it. C&C please!