Not much to say, been busy lately (what else is new?) Oh! I bought four new
mangas! Fushigi Yuugi and Vampire Game. They're pretty cool. Only one
problem with Fushigi Yuugi...I was totally lost at first. I think I got the
gist of it now, though. You see, I bought vol. 5 (it was the lowest number
they had). I'm never gonna do that again. The first I buy will be the
first! Vampire Game is great! I love it!
WARNING: This fic contains YAOI which is BOY/BOY relationships!!! Got a problem with that? Then DO NOT READ THIS!!!
DISCLAIMER: Ha! I wish I owned Yu Gi Oh. There'd be some MAJOR changes! ::snicker::
"spoken"
'Thoughts'
*** character change, time lapse, you get the picture
Chapter Seven
"KATSUYA!! WAKE UP!" Jou's father pounded viciously on his door.
Katsuya rolled over with a grunt and snuggled closer to the blue scarf, taking in Seto's scent. 'How does he always smell like cinnamon? Maybe he has a bodywash...' Jou bit his lip at the mental image of Seto in the shower. The water splashing on his taut body, the soap dripping down his chest leaving small trails in it's wake, his blue eyes closed and lips lightly parted enjoying the sensation of-"
"KATSUYA?! DID YOU HEAR ME?!" His father swung the door open. "IF YOU DON'T HURRY UP YOU'RE GOING TO..." The words died on his lips and his eye brows scrunched together in confusion. "Why are you sleeping with a scarf?"
"I get cold at night." Katsuya explained, rearranging the blankets so his father wouldn't notice his now evident excitement. Seto in a shower was...hot.
"You're not wearing it." His father pointed out, then shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. "Whatever. Just get going." He walked out, but not before snapping around to throw his son one more odd look.
Katsuya growled under his breath but rushed just the same, appeasing himself with the thought of seeing Seto at school. It wouldn't really matter if he was a minute or so late anyway, he could always blame it on the fact it was the first day after a long vacation and that his sleep schedule was out of whack.
"Bye Dad!" Jou yelled as he skidded into the hallway, his heavy bag hanging precariously off his shoulder. He could hear the muffled response from the other side of the door. Katsuya ran down the stairs, nearly tripping over a few toys some of the children left there. He would have to remember to tell them to pick up next time. Of course, he had done the same thing when he was young, but he would ignore that small detail.
Just as he got onto the stoop of the building, a wrinkled hand held him back. He spun around to see Mrs. Shindou staring disapprovingly at him. "Why are you rushing today, Katsuya?"
Jou took in a breath. He really didn't have time for this. "School. First day back." He explained quickly and turned to leave.
Mrs. Shindou held him back again. "Why don't you just have that boyfriend of yours pick you up in that fancy car of his? He goes to school with you, doesn't he?"
"Yeah, he does." Katsuya didn't bother to correct her that Seto wasn't his boyfriend.
"You should tell him to come in the morning," Mrs. Shindou paused thoughtfully. "Or just leave from his house."
"Leave from his house?" Katsuya cocked his head to the side. "Wouldn't I have to sleep ov...oh." He flushed darkly.
"Now, why don't you be good boy and carry these groceries in for me, hmm?" Mrs. Shindou asked striking a pathetic and feeble look, and pointing at the two brown paper bags and two plastic ones on the ground.
"I'm gonna be la-"
"Oh, you can miss one morning make-out session with your boy toy." Mrs. Shindou cut in rolling her eyes.
"I-I wasn't going to say that..." Katsuya stammered and continued weakly with, "And he isn't my toy."
Mrs. Shindou shrugged indifferently. "I really don't care if he's the seme, Katsuya, he can still qualify as a toy. Now pick up these here bags for me before my bread becomes all mol-"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T CARE IF HE'S THE SEME?!" Katsuya screeched as he stared incredulously at the woman. What the hell kind of old lady talks like that?!
"Well I don't." She replied flatly. "The intimate details of your sex life are none of my business...unless you decide to bring him here and you're overly vocal-"
"THERE ARE NO INTIMATE DETAILS!! THERE'S NO SEX LIFE!" He yelled, waving his arms to further drive his point. He didn't even notice the numerous faces in the street windows gawking and pointing at him.
Mrs. Shindou smiled and nodded her head slowly. "Sure there isn't."
His shoulders dropped in defeat. "Really, Mrs. Shindou, we haven't done anything."
"You haven't? Oh that's a shame. He's rather attractive." She patted his arm and gave him a sympathetic look. "Don't worry, Katsuya, I'm sure he'll be ready soon. Some people just need time before they're ready to commit to a physi-"
"I'm going to miss first period, Mrs. Shindou!" Katsuya rushed, blushing horribly. The words, 'I. Have. To. Get. Out. Of. Here!!!' were running full throttle through his mind.
"Then you miss the first period. Not like you'd be able to concentrate with Boy Toy so close anyway. Now quit your jabbering and help me with these." Katsuya sighed, but picked up the groceries nonetheless.
He really couldn't see the point of arguing with the woman anymore. No one was as pigheaded as she. He never stood a chance. The things that woman had said...where had all the nice, sweet old ladies who baked chocolate chip cookies for their neighbors gone to?
Katsuya followed Mrs. Shindou up the stairs, her paper bags cradled in his arms and the plastic ones hanging off his wrists. He had left his bag out on the stoop without worry. There was nothing particularly valuable in it, and he really didn't mind if someone stole his books. As they ascended the stairs, Mrs. Shindou continued to tell him not to worry, and that Kaiba was most likely just a little nervous.
He had considered telling her that she could just stop with the twisted motivational speech and that he and Kaiba weren't a couple, but then she stopped, looked down at him with a smile, and said she felt honored that Katsuya trusted her enough to confide in her like that. She had said it so softly, and her eyes had become a bit moist that he simply didn't have the heart to tell her truth. So he just nodded and smiled back.
She then went back to suggesting that he try to make Kaiba feel more comfortable around him, do romantic things at random times, and that he should never, ever try to pressure him. Of course she never once said Seto's name. The closest she came was the new nickname she assigned to him.
Katsuya hefted a bag farther up onto his waist and let out a small snicker, 'Boy toy Kaiba....'
***
'He isn't here. It's fifteen minutes into the period and he still isn't here.' Seto shot yet another anxious glimpse in the direction of the classroom door. 'Where is he?!'
It was first period math class and Jou hadn't shown up. Kaiba had stealthily eavesdropped on Yuugi's, Ryou's, and Honda's conversation in hopes of finding out what was going on. They didn't seem to know, but had satisfied themselves with the notion that Jou was still out like a log. This did not satisfy Seto, however. In truth, he felt almost insulted, which only confused him.
'Why should I care if the mutt isn't here? It's better that he's not. No more interruptions about not understanding some painfully simple math problem.'
Whenever the teacher asked if anyone had any questions, Katsuya nearly always raised his hand and then would timidly state that he didn't get the last problem.
Seto frowned. 'Now that I think about it, no one else ever raises their hand, but they always seem to nod in agreement when puppy says he doesn't understand it.' Kaiba snorted quietly. 'Cowards. Too afraid to ask a question. I imagine they'll all be lost without puppy to bail them out today...where is he? He couldn't be sick, he was fine yesterday during the movie. A little frightened, perhaps, but not sick. Maybe he's skipping...would he skipping because of me? I didn't say anything to hurt him yesterday, did I?'
Seto mentally reviewed everything he had said and done to Katsuya the day before, trying to see if he had in some way hurt the puppy.
'Why am I doing this to myself? I don't care if I hurt the puppy's feelings, so why should I dawdle on the thought? I shouldn't. He's nothing but a stupid, irritating boy.' When Seto thought the words he knew instantly he was lying. Katsuya may not have the brightest crayon in the box, but he wasn't stupid either. And he wasn't nearly as irritating as Seto had once believed him to be. In fact, he was sort of nice to be around.
Seto's eyes narrowed at his mental reflection. He almost sounded as if he liked the mutt. A picture of Mokuba grinning knowingly flashed through his mind. He didn't like Katsuya. He couldn't. That dream wasn't anything, nor was the one he had Sunday night after Jou left from watching the movie. That dream wasn't a sex dream so that proved that he didn't harbor any hidden feelings for the other boy.
Who cares if all it consisted of was Seto holding Katsuya, petting his hair, and kissing him gently?
Didn't mean a thing.
It also didn't mean a thing that the mere memory of the dream warmed him.
Nope, not one damn thing.
Seto was pulled out of him rationalizing his subconscious and back into reality by the teacher calling his name. He regarded her with his usual icy glare and the young woman took an involuntary step back. "Uh, the answer..." She said slowly. Seto would have felt worse for constantly unnerving her if she wasn't so annoying. "could you tell it to the class?"
"Could you repeat the question?" Seto asked coldly. "I wasn't listening."
The room fell silent as everyone turned around to look at him.
Asking a teacher to repeat something was common for daydream proned students, but Seto had never had to ask a teacher to repeat a question.
Ever.
He was always paying attention, even if he didn't look it. A few of the girls looked tenderly at him while a couple of the boys smirked as if they thought he had finally gotten what was coming to him. If that was their idea of universal justice, they definitely needed to become a bit more vindictive. But for the most part, the students were just plain gaping at him with unattractively wide jaws.
"Kaiba?" The teacher asked very quietly. "Are you ill?"
"No, I feel fine." He replied curtly.
The teacher opened her mouth to speak again but was silenced by the door flinging open and a disheveled, red faced and panting Katsuya standing in it. "Sorry!" He said to her through heavy breaths. "I had to run..."
The students were now so consumed with Katsuya's less than eloquent arrival that they totally forgot Seto, which he was very grateful for. Had they still been looking at him they would have noticed the small smile twitching on the edges his lips as he watched Katsuya try to explain himself.
Seto couldn't help but be glad that Katsuya was there. As much as he hated to admit it, he had actually missed the boy's presence.
***
"I know it's the first day back, Jounouchi, but you really should try to be on time!" The math teacher scolded him as he tried to compose himself in the door frame. "Just think of the negative example you're giving the other students!"
Katsuya frowned. "I'm a role model now? Since when?" He bit the inside of his cheek, he hadn't meant for it to come out so disrespectful.
The young woman pursed her lips together. "Take your seat." She hissed. Katsuya immediately obeyed and sat down. The teacher then continued. "Now where was I? Ah, yes, can anyone tell me the solution set to number nine?"
Jou heard soft chuckling to his left. "What's so funny?" He whispered once the teacher's back was turned.
"You." Replied Seto.
Katsuya made a face at him and in a sarcastic tone stated, "Oh, like you've never been late for anything before."
"I haven't." Seto sneered.
Katsuya leaned in. "That's not normal."
"No," the other boy shook his head. "it's responsible."
"I'm responsible!" Katsuya jutted his thumb at himself proudly. "I have a job now!"
"Oh right, that pizza thing." Seto smirked at him. "Why aren't you wearing your hat today, puppy? You look so cute in it."
The blonde snarled at him. "Shut up!"
"KATSUYA!!" Jou almost fell out of his seat at his teacher's sudden outburst. "THAT'S IT, YOUNG MAN! FIRST YOU COME IN TWENTY MINUTES LATE AND THEN YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO TELL ME TO SHUT UP?!"
"Wha...?" Katsuya's face suddenly paled drastically. "NO!! NO, I wasn't talking to you ma'am!" Katsuya said in a panicked voice, waving his hands in front of himself.
She put her hands on her hips. "Oh really? Then who were you talking to, hm?"
"HIM!" Katsuya shouted and pointed an accusing finger at Seto. "IT'S HIS FAULT!"
Seto arched an eyebrow at him.
"Kaiba? But he didn't say anythi-"
"Yes he did!" Katsuya interrupted her, then dropped his voice in imitation, "He just said it all quiet like."
"Perhaps someone should escort the puppy to the infirmary." Seto suggested nonchalantly. "He's becoming hysterical."
"I believe the principal's office would be a more fitting location." The teacher answered stiffly.
Katsuya started in protest. "But I-"
"And would you please take him down, Kaiba?" Seto glared again at the woman and she gave a nervous smile and added, "I imagine you have this math down anyway, so it won't matter if you miss it."
Seto sighed but stood up anyway. He looked down on Katsuya expectantly. "Well? Aren't you coming mutt? I don't plan on waiting all day."
Katsuya muttered dark things under his breath as Seto lead him out of the room. He tried to ignore the snickers of a few of his classmates. Yuugi and Ryou both looked at him sympathetically, and Honda glanced at Seto then back at Katsuya and mouthed, 'You could take him.'
Katsuya had to catch himself from replying that he would much prefer for it to be the other way around.
The two boys walked down the hallway in silence. Katsuya snuck secret glances at Seto, pleased that if caught he could say he was sizing him up for a fight later. Which would mean that he would have to fight with him, but he could handle it. Providing Seto didn't hit him too hard. He had never seen Seto get into an actual fight, but he had been thrown to the ground a few times by him when their fights had become particularly heated. Despite how thin Seto was, Jou knew he was strong.
Katsuya smiled to himself. If anyone just looked at Seto they wouldn't expect him to be strong at all. The people at school wouldn't expect him to be nice either, but Katsuya knew he could be. Who else but a nice person could hold someone else all night like Seto had? He sighed at the sweet memory.
Jou stared up at Seto. 'He really is gorgeous. God, I love his eyes. And his lips are so soft-'
"OW!" Katsuya rubbed his hip gingerly. He had just run into a water fountain.
"Yeah, watch out for those water fountains, puppy. They're a real killer." Seto said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Katsuya turned his face up to him and was about to stick his tongue out, when he noticed something peculiar about their surroundings. "Kaiba, this isn't the way to the principal's office."
"I realize that. I'll take you there in a few minutes, but I wanted to take you here first." Seto replied calmly.
Katsuya was confused. "You wanted to take me to a water fountain?"
"No, I want to speak with you."
"You had to take me all the way to this part of school?" They were standing in the section that was under heavy construction. Five new classrooms were being built and no student was allowed to be there. Apparently Seto didn't believe this rule extended as far as to him.
"Well...no..."
Seto had looked hesitant when he spoke, and viewing a nervous Kaiba was not something Jou was used to.
"Okay...what about?"
"About...this morning." The last part had been slightly rushed, leading Katsuya to believe that wasn't at all what Seto wanted to discuss. Seto then cleared his throat, obviously in attempt to make Katsuya forget his less than normal behavior. "You came in so late. Did you get into a fight on the way here?" Seto's eyes scanned his body in search of any tell tale bruises.
"Mrs. Shindou stopped me." He explained, enjoying Seto's close scrutiny. "She wanted help with her groceries."
"Shindou?" Seto pulled a face. "That loon who called me a 'sweet boy'?"
"That'd be her." Katsuya snickered. "She has a new nickname for you now."
"What is it?"
Katsuya looked him in the face and blushed. "You don't want to know."
"Sure I do, puppy." He placed his hand leisurely on the blonde's arm. "Tell me."
The blonde glanced at the hand and backed up against the wall the fountain was on. "Umm...wasn't there something else you wanted to talk to me about?" He questioned nervously.
Seto leaned in, their faces were approximately three inches apart. He stared into Katsuya's eyes, and Katsuya could think of nothing else to do but stare right back. His knees began to feel weak and he was grateful Seto had started to hold tightly onto his arm.
"We-well?" Katsuya stammered, fighting an urge to crush their lips together and praying feverishly Seto was fighting similar cravings.
Seto silently regarded Katsuya. His eyes seemed to have softened at some point, but suddenly became cold and hard with a tinge of sadness to them. "It's nothing. It's nothing at all." He whispered, but it seemed as if it was more to himself than the boy pressed against the wall.
***
'What was that? What was I thinking?!'
Seto splashed his face with the cool water running from the boys' bathroom faucet. He shook his head gently to rid himself of excess water droplets.
...Not unlike what a puppy would do.
He inwardly snarled for comparing himself, as indirect as it was, to Katsuya.
He remembered what Katsuya had said at Kaiba Corp.
How the puppy had they were alike in some ways...his eyes had been so soft when he had that. The blonde's face had radiated with tender affection when Seto had said he couldn't help worrying about Mokuba. He had also playfully teased Seto. He had done it a few times since that day, but never before then. Seto had teased him right back in the same manner.
He had been flirting with Katsuya.
And then, for some unknown reason, Seto had decided to bury his face into the nape of the blonde's neck and chuckle.
He could still feel the puppy's skin on his, the golden hair brushing delicately against his cheeks, and the smell of Katsuya and his warmth filling him to the brim.
It had felt so natural and comfortable to him as if he had been doing it every day of his life.
Seto pushed his chestnut hair back and let out a weary sigh. Why did Katsuya have to go and...complicate everything?
Seto was perfectly happy with the way things had been between them. He would insult the puppy, the puppy would get flustered and then shoot off some comment, then Seto would say something back, then the puppy, then Seto, and so on and so forth.
There was no examination as to a reasoning behind the heated words he threw at the puppy. No need to understand why Katsuya was only person who seemed to be able to get beneath his skin and dwell in his thoughts for hours at a time.
Seto didn't know why that all happened. He didn't have to know. All he had to know was the quiet satisfaction he would get when Katsuya's honey eyes flashed passionately at him and only him. The masked exhilaration he would feel when the puppy stepped close to him in a vain attempt at intimidation.
It meant nothing. The mutt meant nothing, too.
That was what he told Katsuya in the hall. What he had told himself in the hall.
He could tell by the look in the puppy's eyes that he didn't comprehend what Seto was talking about, yet on some level he did.
And he disagreed flatly.
Had the puppy remained silent, and had he not reminded Seto with his voice that they were still in the realm of reality, Seto wasn't really sure what he would have done. He had been so close to Katsuya's face...he couldn't even remember moving towards him. His body had done it on its own accord. It had been doing that a lot. He hadn't intended to run his hands down Katsuya's sides in his bedroom when the puppy was putting on his shirt, nor had he meant to clutch onto him so tightly when they were snowed in. It just sorta happened.
...Was that how the kiss had been for Katsuya? Did it just sorta happen?
Could something like that sorta happen to Seto?
Would he mind?
Seto slid down on the floor in the corner of the room beside the heater. He would be in there a while. He wasn't going to leave till he figured out what was going on inside his head.
***
Katsuya swung his feet back and forth across the floor as he sat in the uncomfortable plastic orange chair. He watched as the soles of his sneakers left little black marks on the tiled floor. He was to see the principal soon, or at least that was what the receptionist had said.
Katsuya doubted it.
Apparently there had been some major fight with a few freshmen and that little scuffle seemed to be occupying the minds of everyone there. He had been sitting all alone in the waiting room for over two hours and had only been spoken to twice. The first was by the receptionist with the beak-like nose, telling him that the principal would be with him in three minutes. That had been approximately an hour and a half ago.
The second was by one of the janitors who came in to quickly water the plant beside him. He had told Katsuya to buy a comb. Katsuya had smiled at the bald man and sweetly asked if he had one he could borrow. The old man stormed away muttering curses about today's "insolent youth who'd all benefit from a good back hand 'cross the face" under his breath.
Katsuya glared into the empty space. That was pretty much what he had been doing that entire time, just kicking his feet and glaring.
It was all Seto's fault he was there in the first place. Had the other boy only informed the teacher that he and Katsuya had in fact been talking, Jou wouldn't be sitting in the creepy, silent waiting room. The least Seto could have done was come in with him instead of ducking away when they got in front of the office door.
'Stupid Kaiba.' Katsuya thought, then giggled as he mentally amended himself with, 'Stupid Boy Toy Kaiba.' He became grim again. 'He's such a jerk! I could get in serious trouble for what she thinks I did! He just had to make fun of my hat...I hate that stupid hat.'
In a deep voice Katsuya tried to mimic what Seto had said, "Why aren't you wearing your hat today, puppy? You look so-" His brown eyes widened considerably as his mind replayed what Seto had said.
'He....He called me cute!!' His face burst into a large grin. 'Kaiba Seto said I look cute!!'
Katsuya bit his lip gently. 'Maybe...maybe he doesn't hate me after all!! Maybe he could even,' Katsuya gulped. 'Like me...he thinks I'm cute! YES!!'
"Jounouchi Katsuya? The principal can see you now...Jounouchi?"
The receptionist calling his name didn't even register in his mind.
*
*
*
Hmmm, fairly long, but not as long as chapter six. I didn't really have very much Seto/Katsuya physical action, did I? Heh heh...sorry...
Next update will be...uh, sometime...? It will be out before two weeks pass. I-I hope @.@
Review please! If you don't, I'll add a...complication. *smirk*
Seto- Complication? What do you mean by that?
iti- There will be a different pairing.
Katsuya- Who?
iti- ::drum roll:: Seto/Weevil!!! MUWHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seto- ::falls back in horror:: NO! YOU...YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT TO ME!!
Katsuya- ::flings his arms around seto:: He's MINE! All MINE!!!!! ::glares around:: Got that?!
Seto- ::smirking down at Katsuya:: Possessive much?
Katsuya- ::kisses seto lightly:: Well it's true. That little bug-freak should endure the worst torture for just the thought of being with you!
Weevil- ::Suddenly pops out of no where:: Hey! Where am I?! How did I ge....ANZU?! O.o
Anzu- ::Grabs weevil by the hand and leads him away:: Come on Weevil! I want to talk to you about friendship! Friendship is very important! You can do anything if you have friends...
iti- 0.0 that's just cruel...
Okay, I'm just KIDDING about that!! I would never, ever do that to my...er Katsuya's Seto. But even though I won't follow through with the threat, please review! I'll be happy!
*If anyone has any information of the manga Rash! Love Like Tide PLEASE tell me! So far I've only seen them online and in Japanese. Sob. I wish I could read Japanese. It would make my obsession so much easier ^_~
WARNING: This fic contains YAOI which is BOY/BOY relationships!!! Got a problem with that? Then DO NOT READ THIS!!!
DISCLAIMER: Ha! I wish I owned Yu Gi Oh. There'd be some MAJOR changes! ::snicker::
"spoken"
'Thoughts'
*** character change, time lapse, you get the picture
Chapter Seven
"KATSUYA!! WAKE UP!" Jou's father pounded viciously on his door.
Katsuya rolled over with a grunt and snuggled closer to the blue scarf, taking in Seto's scent. 'How does he always smell like cinnamon? Maybe he has a bodywash...' Jou bit his lip at the mental image of Seto in the shower. The water splashing on his taut body, the soap dripping down his chest leaving small trails in it's wake, his blue eyes closed and lips lightly parted enjoying the sensation of-"
"KATSUYA?! DID YOU HEAR ME?!" His father swung the door open. "IF YOU DON'T HURRY UP YOU'RE GOING TO..." The words died on his lips and his eye brows scrunched together in confusion. "Why are you sleeping with a scarf?"
"I get cold at night." Katsuya explained, rearranging the blankets so his father wouldn't notice his now evident excitement. Seto in a shower was...hot.
"You're not wearing it." His father pointed out, then shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. "Whatever. Just get going." He walked out, but not before snapping around to throw his son one more odd look.
Katsuya growled under his breath but rushed just the same, appeasing himself with the thought of seeing Seto at school. It wouldn't really matter if he was a minute or so late anyway, he could always blame it on the fact it was the first day after a long vacation and that his sleep schedule was out of whack.
"Bye Dad!" Jou yelled as he skidded into the hallway, his heavy bag hanging precariously off his shoulder. He could hear the muffled response from the other side of the door. Katsuya ran down the stairs, nearly tripping over a few toys some of the children left there. He would have to remember to tell them to pick up next time. Of course, he had done the same thing when he was young, but he would ignore that small detail.
Just as he got onto the stoop of the building, a wrinkled hand held him back. He spun around to see Mrs. Shindou staring disapprovingly at him. "Why are you rushing today, Katsuya?"
Jou took in a breath. He really didn't have time for this. "School. First day back." He explained quickly and turned to leave.
Mrs. Shindou held him back again. "Why don't you just have that boyfriend of yours pick you up in that fancy car of his? He goes to school with you, doesn't he?"
"Yeah, he does." Katsuya didn't bother to correct her that Seto wasn't his boyfriend.
"You should tell him to come in the morning," Mrs. Shindou paused thoughtfully. "Or just leave from his house."
"Leave from his house?" Katsuya cocked his head to the side. "Wouldn't I have to sleep ov...oh." He flushed darkly.
"Now, why don't you be good boy and carry these groceries in for me, hmm?" Mrs. Shindou asked striking a pathetic and feeble look, and pointing at the two brown paper bags and two plastic ones on the ground.
"I'm gonna be la-"
"Oh, you can miss one morning make-out session with your boy toy." Mrs. Shindou cut in rolling her eyes.
"I-I wasn't going to say that..." Katsuya stammered and continued weakly with, "And he isn't my toy."
Mrs. Shindou shrugged indifferently. "I really don't care if he's the seme, Katsuya, he can still qualify as a toy. Now pick up these here bags for me before my bread becomes all mol-"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T CARE IF HE'S THE SEME?!" Katsuya screeched as he stared incredulously at the woman. What the hell kind of old lady talks like that?!
"Well I don't." She replied flatly. "The intimate details of your sex life are none of my business...unless you decide to bring him here and you're overly vocal-"
"THERE ARE NO INTIMATE DETAILS!! THERE'S NO SEX LIFE!" He yelled, waving his arms to further drive his point. He didn't even notice the numerous faces in the street windows gawking and pointing at him.
Mrs. Shindou smiled and nodded her head slowly. "Sure there isn't."
His shoulders dropped in defeat. "Really, Mrs. Shindou, we haven't done anything."
"You haven't? Oh that's a shame. He's rather attractive." She patted his arm and gave him a sympathetic look. "Don't worry, Katsuya, I'm sure he'll be ready soon. Some people just need time before they're ready to commit to a physi-"
"I'm going to miss first period, Mrs. Shindou!" Katsuya rushed, blushing horribly. The words, 'I. Have. To. Get. Out. Of. Here!!!' were running full throttle through his mind.
"Then you miss the first period. Not like you'd be able to concentrate with Boy Toy so close anyway. Now quit your jabbering and help me with these." Katsuya sighed, but picked up the groceries nonetheless.
He really couldn't see the point of arguing with the woman anymore. No one was as pigheaded as she. He never stood a chance. The things that woman had said...where had all the nice, sweet old ladies who baked chocolate chip cookies for their neighbors gone to?
Katsuya followed Mrs. Shindou up the stairs, her paper bags cradled in his arms and the plastic ones hanging off his wrists. He had left his bag out on the stoop without worry. There was nothing particularly valuable in it, and he really didn't mind if someone stole his books. As they ascended the stairs, Mrs. Shindou continued to tell him not to worry, and that Kaiba was most likely just a little nervous.
He had considered telling her that she could just stop with the twisted motivational speech and that he and Kaiba weren't a couple, but then she stopped, looked down at him with a smile, and said she felt honored that Katsuya trusted her enough to confide in her like that. She had said it so softly, and her eyes had become a bit moist that he simply didn't have the heart to tell her truth. So he just nodded and smiled back.
She then went back to suggesting that he try to make Kaiba feel more comfortable around him, do romantic things at random times, and that he should never, ever try to pressure him. Of course she never once said Seto's name. The closest she came was the new nickname she assigned to him.
Katsuya hefted a bag farther up onto his waist and let out a small snicker, 'Boy toy Kaiba....'
***
'He isn't here. It's fifteen minutes into the period and he still isn't here.' Seto shot yet another anxious glimpse in the direction of the classroom door. 'Where is he?!'
It was first period math class and Jou hadn't shown up. Kaiba had stealthily eavesdropped on Yuugi's, Ryou's, and Honda's conversation in hopes of finding out what was going on. They didn't seem to know, but had satisfied themselves with the notion that Jou was still out like a log. This did not satisfy Seto, however. In truth, he felt almost insulted, which only confused him.
'Why should I care if the mutt isn't here? It's better that he's not. No more interruptions about not understanding some painfully simple math problem.'
Whenever the teacher asked if anyone had any questions, Katsuya nearly always raised his hand and then would timidly state that he didn't get the last problem.
Seto frowned. 'Now that I think about it, no one else ever raises their hand, but they always seem to nod in agreement when puppy says he doesn't understand it.' Kaiba snorted quietly. 'Cowards. Too afraid to ask a question. I imagine they'll all be lost without puppy to bail them out today...where is he? He couldn't be sick, he was fine yesterday during the movie. A little frightened, perhaps, but not sick. Maybe he's skipping...would he skipping because of me? I didn't say anything to hurt him yesterday, did I?'
Seto mentally reviewed everything he had said and done to Katsuya the day before, trying to see if he had in some way hurt the puppy.
'Why am I doing this to myself? I don't care if I hurt the puppy's feelings, so why should I dawdle on the thought? I shouldn't. He's nothing but a stupid, irritating boy.' When Seto thought the words he knew instantly he was lying. Katsuya may not have the brightest crayon in the box, but he wasn't stupid either. And he wasn't nearly as irritating as Seto had once believed him to be. In fact, he was sort of nice to be around.
Seto's eyes narrowed at his mental reflection. He almost sounded as if he liked the mutt. A picture of Mokuba grinning knowingly flashed through his mind. He didn't like Katsuya. He couldn't. That dream wasn't anything, nor was the one he had Sunday night after Jou left from watching the movie. That dream wasn't a sex dream so that proved that he didn't harbor any hidden feelings for the other boy.
Who cares if all it consisted of was Seto holding Katsuya, petting his hair, and kissing him gently?
Didn't mean a thing.
It also didn't mean a thing that the mere memory of the dream warmed him.
Nope, not one damn thing.
Seto was pulled out of him rationalizing his subconscious and back into reality by the teacher calling his name. He regarded her with his usual icy glare and the young woman took an involuntary step back. "Uh, the answer..." She said slowly. Seto would have felt worse for constantly unnerving her if she wasn't so annoying. "could you tell it to the class?"
"Could you repeat the question?" Seto asked coldly. "I wasn't listening."
The room fell silent as everyone turned around to look at him.
Asking a teacher to repeat something was common for daydream proned students, but Seto had never had to ask a teacher to repeat a question.
Ever.
He was always paying attention, even if he didn't look it. A few of the girls looked tenderly at him while a couple of the boys smirked as if they thought he had finally gotten what was coming to him. If that was their idea of universal justice, they definitely needed to become a bit more vindictive. But for the most part, the students were just plain gaping at him with unattractively wide jaws.
"Kaiba?" The teacher asked very quietly. "Are you ill?"
"No, I feel fine." He replied curtly.
The teacher opened her mouth to speak again but was silenced by the door flinging open and a disheveled, red faced and panting Katsuya standing in it. "Sorry!" He said to her through heavy breaths. "I had to run..."
The students were now so consumed with Katsuya's less than eloquent arrival that they totally forgot Seto, which he was very grateful for. Had they still been looking at him they would have noticed the small smile twitching on the edges his lips as he watched Katsuya try to explain himself.
Seto couldn't help but be glad that Katsuya was there. As much as he hated to admit it, he had actually missed the boy's presence.
***
"I know it's the first day back, Jounouchi, but you really should try to be on time!" The math teacher scolded him as he tried to compose himself in the door frame. "Just think of the negative example you're giving the other students!"
Katsuya frowned. "I'm a role model now? Since when?" He bit the inside of his cheek, he hadn't meant for it to come out so disrespectful.
The young woman pursed her lips together. "Take your seat." She hissed. Katsuya immediately obeyed and sat down. The teacher then continued. "Now where was I? Ah, yes, can anyone tell me the solution set to number nine?"
Jou heard soft chuckling to his left. "What's so funny?" He whispered once the teacher's back was turned.
"You." Replied Seto.
Katsuya made a face at him and in a sarcastic tone stated, "Oh, like you've never been late for anything before."
"I haven't." Seto sneered.
Katsuya leaned in. "That's not normal."
"No," the other boy shook his head. "it's responsible."
"I'm responsible!" Katsuya jutted his thumb at himself proudly. "I have a job now!"
"Oh right, that pizza thing." Seto smirked at him. "Why aren't you wearing your hat today, puppy? You look so cute in it."
The blonde snarled at him. "Shut up!"
"KATSUYA!!" Jou almost fell out of his seat at his teacher's sudden outburst. "THAT'S IT, YOUNG MAN! FIRST YOU COME IN TWENTY MINUTES LATE AND THEN YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO TELL ME TO SHUT UP?!"
"Wha...?" Katsuya's face suddenly paled drastically. "NO!! NO, I wasn't talking to you ma'am!" Katsuya said in a panicked voice, waving his hands in front of himself.
She put her hands on her hips. "Oh really? Then who were you talking to, hm?"
"HIM!" Katsuya shouted and pointed an accusing finger at Seto. "IT'S HIS FAULT!"
Seto arched an eyebrow at him.
"Kaiba? But he didn't say anythi-"
"Yes he did!" Katsuya interrupted her, then dropped his voice in imitation, "He just said it all quiet like."
"Perhaps someone should escort the puppy to the infirmary." Seto suggested nonchalantly. "He's becoming hysterical."
"I believe the principal's office would be a more fitting location." The teacher answered stiffly.
Katsuya started in protest. "But I-"
"And would you please take him down, Kaiba?" Seto glared again at the woman and she gave a nervous smile and added, "I imagine you have this math down anyway, so it won't matter if you miss it."
Seto sighed but stood up anyway. He looked down on Katsuya expectantly. "Well? Aren't you coming mutt? I don't plan on waiting all day."
Katsuya muttered dark things under his breath as Seto lead him out of the room. He tried to ignore the snickers of a few of his classmates. Yuugi and Ryou both looked at him sympathetically, and Honda glanced at Seto then back at Katsuya and mouthed, 'You could take him.'
Katsuya had to catch himself from replying that he would much prefer for it to be the other way around.
The two boys walked down the hallway in silence. Katsuya snuck secret glances at Seto, pleased that if caught he could say he was sizing him up for a fight later. Which would mean that he would have to fight with him, but he could handle it. Providing Seto didn't hit him too hard. He had never seen Seto get into an actual fight, but he had been thrown to the ground a few times by him when their fights had become particularly heated. Despite how thin Seto was, Jou knew he was strong.
Katsuya smiled to himself. If anyone just looked at Seto they wouldn't expect him to be strong at all. The people at school wouldn't expect him to be nice either, but Katsuya knew he could be. Who else but a nice person could hold someone else all night like Seto had? He sighed at the sweet memory.
Jou stared up at Seto. 'He really is gorgeous. God, I love his eyes. And his lips are so soft-'
"OW!" Katsuya rubbed his hip gingerly. He had just run into a water fountain.
"Yeah, watch out for those water fountains, puppy. They're a real killer." Seto said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Katsuya turned his face up to him and was about to stick his tongue out, when he noticed something peculiar about their surroundings. "Kaiba, this isn't the way to the principal's office."
"I realize that. I'll take you there in a few minutes, but I wanted to take you here first." Seto replied calmly.
Katsuya was confused. "You wanted to take me to a water fountain?"
"No, I want to speak with you."
"You had to take me all the way to this part of school?" They were standing in the section that was under heavy construction. Five new classrooms were being built and no student was allowed to be there. Apparently Seto didn't believe this rule extended as far as to him.
"Well...no..."
Seto had looked hesitant when he spoke, and viewing a nervous Kaiba was not something Jou was used to.
"Okay...what about?"
"About...this morning." The last part had been slightly rushed, leading Katsuya to believe that wasn't at all what Seto wanted to discuss. Seto then cleared his throat, obviously in attempt to make Katsuya forget his less than normal behavior. "You came in so late. Did you get into a fight on the way here?" Seto's eyes scanned his body in search of any tell tale bruises.
"Mrs. Shindou stopped me." He explained, enjoying Seto's close scrutiny. "She wanted help with her groceries."
"Shindou?" Seto pulled a face. "That loon who called me a 'sweet boy'?"
"That'd be her." Katsuya snickered. "She has a new nickname for you now."
"What is it?"
Katsuya looked him in the face and blushed. "You don't want to know."
"Sure I do, puppy." He placed his hand leisurely on the blonde's arm. "Tell me."
The blonde glanced at the hand and backed up against the wall the fountain was on. "Umm...wasn't there something else you wanted to talk to me about?" He questioned nervously.
Seto leaned in, their faces were approximately three inches apart. He stared into Katsuya's eyes, and Katsuya could think of nothing else to do but stare right back. His knees began to feel weak and he was grateful Seto had started to hold tightly onto his arm.
"We-well?" Katsuya stammered, fighting an urge to crush their lips together and praying feverishly Seto was fighting similar cravings.
Seto silently regarded Katsuya. His eyes seemed to have softened at some point, but suddenly became cold and hard with a tinge of sadness to them. "It's nothing. It's nothing at all." He whispered, but it seemed as if it was more to himself than the boy pressed against the wall.
***
'What was that? What was I thinking?!'
Seto splashed his face with the cool water running from the boys' bathroom faucet. He shook his head gently to rid himself of excess water droplets.
...Not unlike what a puppy would do.
He inwardly snarled for comparing himself, as indirect as it was, to Katsuya.
He remembered what Katsuya had said at Kaiba Corp.
How the puppy had they were alike in some ways...his eyes had been so soft when he had that. The blonde's face had radiated with tender affection when Seto had said he couldn't help worrying about Mokuba. He had also playfully teased Seto. He had done it a few times since that day, but never before then. Seto had teased him right back in the same manner.
He had been flirting with Katsuya.
And then, for some unknown reason, Seto had decided to bury his face into the nape of the blonde's neck and chuckle.
He could still feel the puppy's skin on his, the golden hair brushing delicately against his cheeks, and the smell of Katsuya and his warmth filling him to the brim.
It had felt so natural and comfortable to him as if he had been doing it every day of his life.
Seto pushed his chestnut hair back and let out a weary sigh. Why did Katsuya have to go and...complicate everything?
Seto was perfectly happy with the way things had been between them. He would insult the puppy, the puppy would get flustered and then shoot off some comment, then Seto would say something back, then the puppy, then Seto, and so on and so forth.
There was no examination as to a reasoning behind the heated words he threw at the puppy. No need to understand why Katsuya was only person who seemed to be able to get beneath his skin and dwell in his thoughts for hours at a time.
Seto didn't know why that all happened. He didn't have to know. All he had to know was the quiet satisfaction he would get when Katsuya's honey eyes flashed passionately at him and only him. The masked exhilaration he would feel when the puppy stepped close to him in a vain attempt at intimidation.
It meant nothing. The mutt meant nothing, too.
That was what he told Katsuya in the hall. What he had told himself in the hall.
He could tell by the look in the puppy's eyes that he didn't comprehend what Seto was talking about, yet on some level he did.
And he disagreed flatly.
Had the puppy remained silent, and had he not reminded Seto with his voice that they were still in the realm of reality, Seto wasn't really sure what he would have done. He had been so close to Katsuya's face...he couldn't even remember moving towards him. His body had done it on its own accord. It had been doing that a lot. He hadn't intended to run his hands down Katsuya's sides in his bedroom when the puppy was putting on his shirt, nor had he meant to clutch onto him so tightly when they were snowed in. It just sorta happened.
...Was that how the kiss had been for Katsuya? Did it just sorta happen?
Could something like that sorta happen to Seto?
Would he mind?
Seto slid down on the floor in the corner of the room beside the heater. He would be in there a while. He wasn't going to leave till he figured out what was going on inside his head.
***
Katsuya swung his feet back and forth across the floor as he sat in the uncomfortable plastic orange chair. He watched as the soles of his sneakers left little black marks on the tiled floor. He was to see the principal soon, or at least that was what the receptionist had said.
Katsuya doubted it.
Apparently there had been some major fight with a few freshmen and that little scuffle seemed to be occupying the minds of everyone there. He had been sitting all alone in the waiting room for over two hours and had only been spoken to twice. The first was by the receptionist with the beak-like nose, telling him that the principal would be with him in three minutes. That had been approximately an hour and a half ago.
The second was by one of the janitors who came in to quickly water the plant beside him. He had told Katsuya to buy a comb. Katsuya had smiled at the bald man and sweetly asked if he had one he could borrow. The old man stormed away muttering curses about today's "insolent youth who'd all benefit from a good back hand 'cross the face" under his breath.
Katsuya glared into the empty space. That was pretty much what he had been doing that entire time, just kicking his feet and glaring.
It was all Seto's fault he was there in the first place. Had the other boy only informed the teacher that he and Katsuya had in fact been talking, Jou wouldn't be sitting in the creepy, silent waiting room. The least Seto could have done was come in with him instead of ducking away when they got in front of the office door.
'Stupid Kaiba.' Katsuya thought, then giggled as he mentally amended himself with, 'Stupid Boy Toy Kaiba.' He became grim again. 'He's such a jerk! I could get in serious trouble for what she thinks I did! He just had to make fun of my hat...I hate that stupid hat.'
In a deep voice Katsuya tried to mimic what Seto had said, "Why aren't you wearing your hat today, puppy? You look so-" His brown eyes widened considerably as his mind replayed what Seto had said.
'He....He called me cute!!' His face burst into a large grin. 'Kaiba Seto said I look cute!!'
Katsuya bit his lip gently. 'Maybe...maybe he doesn't hate me after all!! Maybe he could even,' Katsuya gulped. 'Like me...he thinks I'm cute! YES!!'
"Jounouchi Katsuya? The principal can see you now...Jounouchi?"
The receptionist calling his name didn't even register in his mind.
*
*
*
Hmmm, fairly long, but not as long as chapter six. I didn't really have very much Seto/Katsuya physical action, did I? Heh heh...sorry...
Next update will be...uh, sometime...? It will be out before two weeks pass. I-I hope @.@
Review please! If you don't, I'll add a...complication. *smirk*
Seto- Complication? What do you mean by that?
iti- There will be a different pairing.
Katsuya- Who?
iti- ::drum roll:: Seto/Weevil!!! MUWHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seto- ::falls back in horror:: NO! YOU...YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT TO ME!!
Katsuya- ::flings his arms around seto:: He's MINE! All MINE!!!!! ::glares around:: Got that?!
Seto- ::smirking down at Katsuya:: Possessive much?
Katsuya- ::kisses seto lightly:: Well it's true. That little bug-freak should endure the worst torture for just the thought of being with you!
Weevil- ::Suddenly pops out of no where:: Hey! Where am I?! How did I ge....ANZU?! O.o
Anzu- ::Grabs weevil by the hand and leads him away:: Come on Weevil! I want to talk to you about friendship! Friendship is very important! You can do anything if you have friends...
iti- 0.0 that's just cruel...
Okay, I'm just KIDDING about that!! I would never, ever do that to my...er Katsuya's Seto. But even though I won't follow through with the threat, please review! I'll be happy!
*If anyone has any information of the manga Rash! Love Like Tide PLEASE tell me! So far I've only seen them online and in Japanese. Sob. I wish I could read Japanese. It would make my obsession so much easier ^_~
