Me: Ahem...Kutabare means Fuck you, and Urusei means shut up...just clearing
that up. Enjoy the ninth chapter.
Rivalry of the Heart
Chapter Nine
In the morning, Seto woke up, and found Katsuya, sitting on the floor, staring up at him. Actually, he wasn't looking at him, he was looking at the drawing that hung above the bed.
He never met Seto's eyes as he said, "I'm no so sure about America...I mean, I heard they drink a lot, and smoke pot and coke, and all have gun—"
"—Katsuya. Stop. I know it's going to be hard, but you can't let our relationship stand in the way of your future. You have to go. And I'll be right here, waiting for you, when you come back."
Katsuya stood. He was already ready for school, "I get to have my cast taken off today."
Seto smiled, "Yes."
Katsuya frowned, looking down at the horrid, scribbled mess that use to be a loving message from Seto, "I'm sorry I messed it up..."
"You were angry. I understand."
The brunette stood, and got ready faster then Katsuya had ever seen anyone get ready. Then, he took out a white marker from his school bag and made a little heart in the black mess. Inside the heart he put 'S K.'
Katsuya smiled, then giggled, "Those are your initials."
"Yes, strange, hmm? Come on, let's get going."
Katsuya opened his locker, after the lunch bell rang, and put his books away. He pulled out his sack lunch (because he didn't feel safe carrying around another unstable tray with only one good arm), and closed it again.
He jumped, when, as soon it was closed, he noticed a certain brunette there.
"Ra be damned, Seto, don't do that!"
The brunette smirked, "Sorry, koinu."
He offered him his arm. Katsuya took it, and they went to lunch together.
When Katsuya and Seto walked into the cafeteria, they saw Otogi cheerleaders chasing Honda around the table where the group sat. Katsuya snickered. They walked over to the table.
"Now you know what it feels like, ne Honda?" The blonde said before sitting down. Finally, Honda escaped the girls, and dove into his seat next to Otogi, grasping the boy's uniform jacket, and panting 'Help me, help me!'
Otogi wrapped his arms around the shark headed boy and the girls all groaned, walking away in defeat.
Honda glanced around, then looked up at Otogi, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Katsuya pulled the sushi that he'd packed out of his lunch and looked at Honda. Mito, RayAnn, and Rinnai came over and sat with them.
"Wow, Jou, where'd you get that?" RayAnn asked.
"Yeah, that's top of the line sushi. Very expensive." Mito added.
Katsuya grinned, "I know. It was in Seto's second fridge. You know why he has a second fridge? Because he keeps all the stuff he likes in the first one. The second fridge is mine."
Rinnai flicked him, "You're just rubbing it in now."
Katsuya grinned wider, "Yep...so Honda, how did the cheer dorks find out? Gods, I hate them. Stupid girls who dressed me in a fuckin' dog suit."
"Miho was ranting on about you and Kaiba, and then she remembered I had a crush on her and tried to ask me out, to make Kaiba jealous I guess. Well, her circle off friends happen to be those cheerleaders, and I forgot they were with her, and told her I couldn't, I was dating Ryuuji. They weren't happy, to say the least."
Seto snorted, "From where I was standing, Hiroto, that is the understatement of the year."
"Stuff it, rich boy," Honda snarled.
"Be nice," Katsuya murmured, picking up a piece of sushi with his chopsticks and biting into it.
Yuugi turned to Katsuya, "So, Jou, are you going to America?"
Katsuya put his chopsticks down, and looked at Seto, who smiled at him, and then he turned back to Yuugi, "Hai."
Yuugi smiled, "Congratulations!"
Katsuya smiled, "Yeah, I'm excited."
They group sat in homeroom, when the teacher walked in, "Ahem, hello. As you well know, most of you in here are seniors and will be graduating soon."
"No shit!" Katsuya yelled from the back of the class.
The teacher glared, "We're all so glad your back, Jounouchi."
Katsuya grinned, "I know."
He got up on the table and started to dance
The teacher rolled her eyes, "Enough, enough...Anyway...as I was saying, you will be graduating soon. That is, if you pass your high school exit exam."
"Whaaaaa?!" Honda groaned, "You mean we can't get a stinkin' piece of paper with fancy writing until we pass a friggin' exam?!"
"Yes, Mr. Hiroto," The teacher said, stroking her forehead with her thumb and forefinger, "What I'm trying to say is that you will be taking the test three months from Friday, and if you all pass the test, and have your required credits..."
Her eyes landed on Seto, who was probably the only one in the class who had perfect grades. Wads of paper were chucked at him.
"...then you will graduate."
"Blaaah! Stupid exam," Katsuya said. He was sitting in the game shop with his friends and Seto. They'd just arrived there, after getting Katsuya's cast taken off. His arm had shrunk a little, but Seto said that it would go back to normal in a matter of weeks.
"No kidding," Honda said, reading a comic book.
Seto was shuffling his dueling deck, and Yami eyed him.
"No chance, Yami. You win everything." Seto murmured, not even having to look at the spirit to know what he wanted.
"Oh come on, Kaiba, one duel!" Yami pleaded, "I haven't dueled in so looong!"
Seto kept shuffling his cards, closing his eyes, and ignoring the pharaoh. He flipped one card over, opening his eyes, and grinned, showing the card to Katsuya. It was the Blue Eyes.
Katsuya grinned, "Ao."
Katsuya pulled out his own deck and began to shuffle it. Yami went over to him. He opened his mouth, but Katsuya answered him before he could even ask, "No."
Yami slumped.
Katsuya pulled a card, and showed it to Seto. Red Eyes.
"Akai." Seto replied. They two laughed, and kissed each other.
Yuugi shook his head, and answered the phone when it rang, "Kame Game Shop. Oh, hello Mrs. Jounouchi..."
Katsuya looked up. So did Shizuka, who was there, playing poker with Mokuba and Bakura. They were betting pocky sticks and butterscotch chews.
"Yes, he's here...okay..." Yuugi looked at Katsuya, "It's your mom."
"No shit," Katsuya said.
He took the phone, "Moshi moshi, 'kaa-san."
'Jou, don't talk to Yuugi that way. He's a sweet boy!' His mother scolded.
"Yes, mom..." Katsuya grumbled.
'Shizuka was talking to me yesterday. I called her cell phone, and told her I couldn't get a hold of you at your fathers. She told me it was because you had...moved out? How is that? You're not old enough to live by yourself yet.'
Katsuya glared at his sister, "I...don't live by myself, mom."
Shizuka bit his lip. Seto looked at the blonde.
'Oh, who do you live with, then?'
"A...a friend..."
'A legal adult type of friend.'
"Well, yeah...he's...he's my age." Katsuya mumbled.
'Then he isn't a legal adult yet.'
"Well, he will be in...a few months..." Katsuya replied, "Besides, he's lived all by his lonesome since he was like fifteen."
'Are you deliberately trying to avoid telling me that you live with Kaiba Seto?'
"Mom! How did you..."
'When I see my son's face plastered all over a tabloid, I'm inspired to read it. Why didn't you tell me that you were dating someone?'
"Well, dad's a terrible homophobe. I was afraid you were like that too," Katsuya replied. Seto could tell what they were talking about, now.
'Oh, Jounouchi Katsuya, how could you think that?' he heard his mother sigh, 'I'll tell you what, Shizuka is coming back up to Tokyo for the weekend. You should come with your...boyfriend. I would love to meet him.'
"Mom..."
'Come on, sweetie, it'll be fun,' His mom insisted.
"Oh, all right. But it won't be easy to convince him."
Seto looked up from his cards.
'I'm sure you can do it. See you soon, dear.' His mom hung up.
Katsuya handed the phone back to Yuugi, "Shit."
"What?" Seto asked.
"We just got invited to spend the weekend with Shizuka and my mom," Katsuya replied.
"No fuckin' way in hell," Seto replied.
"Awwww, come on, Seto!"
"No..."
"We'd be able to go to Tokyo!"
"I don't like Tokyo."
"Well you don't have to see Tokyo, you can stay inside."
"Well, I...I don't like parents."
Katsuya harrumphed.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Seto said, as he stared out the train window. They were on their way up to Tokyo for the weekend, "How did you get me to do this again?"
Katsuya grinned, "I have my ways."
Seto remembered, suddenly, and shuddered, smirking at the blonde, "Sure do, mm?"
Shizuka tapped her foot against the ground, "Why wasn't Mokuba allowed to come again?"
"Because only one of us should have to bare the evil of the boyfriend meeting the parents or parent in this case. I'm just glad it's not your dad."
"Mmm, but my mom's boyfriend might be there..." Shizuka murmured.
Seto looked at Shizuka, then at Katsuya, "Boyfriend?"
"Umm...whoops, did I forget to mention that?" Katsuya murmured. Seto began to bang his head against the window. This was going to be a loooong weekend.
Jounouchi Natsumi was a slender woman, with graying hair that was currently up in a bun. She wore a dark blue pants suit with blue pumps. Next to her was a man, probably two a three years younger than her. He had black hair that was also graying, and wore a greeting smile.
"Katsu!" His mother called.
"Katsu?" Seto asked, smirking.
Katsuya flushed, "She always calls me that. You're the only one who actually calls me Katsuya."
Seto was still smirking.
"Prick."
"So I've been told."
Katsuya dragged him over to his mother, "Hi, mom."
Natsumi smiled, "Hello, Katsu. Who's your friend?"
Katsuya's eye twitched, "Mom, this is Seto. Seto this is my mom."
The man next to Natsumi coughed. A very fake cough.
"And this is Yukio, my mother's boyfriend," Katsuya said.
Seto held out his hand, "Pleasure."
Yukio shook his hand, and shook it, squeezing it tighter than it needed to be squeezed. Seto pulled it away. Katsuya looked at him, fiercely.
Natsumi blinked. She and Yukio walked into the house.
Katsuya pulled on Seto's arm, "Why did you do that. That was rude!"
"He squeezed my fuckin' hand."
Katsuya went inside, Seto following suit.
At dinner, Seto explained why he was known as a legal adult, and what he did for a living and how well he took care of his little brother and Katsuya. After dinner, Natsumi led Katsuya to where he and Seto would be staying. Yukio took this moment to pull Seto aside.
"Listen. As you can tell, my name means I usually get what I want," Yukio said, "And what I don't want is my poor Natsumi having any kind of breakdown because her son is a flame. So, I tell ya what, you break up with Jou now, and I won't tell him I saw you kissing Shizuka."
"But you didn't see me kissing Shizuka," Seto said.
"Yeah, but he don't know that. For all he knows, this time we spent talking could have been time you spent swapping saliva with his little sister. Now that'd just break his heart."
Seto glared, "You're sick..."
"Listen, you sound like a good, well-off kid, but Katsuya would be much better off with some nice girl. That's why he's going to stay here with us," Yukio replied.
"He is not."
"Yes, he is."
"No, he's coming home with me, until the end of the school year, and he's spending the summer with me, then he's going to America!"
Katsuya and Natsumi came in, as Seto said this. Natsumi stopped.
She turned to Katsuya, "You are?"
"...Yeah...I got excepted to...to Juliard..." Katsuya said.
"Oh, Katsu!" His mother hugged him, "I always knew that voice of yours would go somewhere!"
Yukio sighed.
Later that night, Katsuya was out of bed, getting a drink of water when he overheard Yukio and his mother talking. He listened in.
"Natsumi, I know you don't want this...you kept telling me how much you wanted him to come home and marry Kimi's daughter..."
"I know, but he's so happy, Yukio...and he's going to Juliard..that's high class."
"How will he afford it?"
"I'm sure Seto will help..."
"Natsumi, love...that boy is with your son for one reason. He's rich. He can have any man or woman he wants. Jou is just something he can play with until he finds something better."
Katsuya's face mirrored horror.
"No, I can tell that he loves my son."
"Natsumi...could you tell that your husband loved you?"
The woman bowed her head.
Katsuya growled, and both heads shot up.
"You fucking bastard," Katsuya snarled.
"Katsu!"
"Using my dad against her like that. And for you're information, Seto does love me!" The blonde spat, "So don't go and say things like that, you idiot!"
"Katsu!"
Katsuya sniffed, and ran back into the room he shared with Seto. He slammed the door and broke down. Now, Seto, being the light sleeper he is, heard the door slam and the poor blonde start to sob. He opened his cerulean eyes and glanced over at Katsuya.
"Katsuya? What's wrong?" He stepped out of the bed and walked over to him, pulling him away from the wall where he sobbed, and pressing him against his chest, "Katsuya?"
Katsuya just sobbed and shook his head. Natsumi peeked her head in the door, and her eyes softened at the sight of her sobbing son, and the man who held him, trying to calm him down. In that moment, Natsumi knew this was the man who would take care of her son, and that Katsuya would, in fact, be all right. She closed the door softly.
Katsuya woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking, and saw a very strange sight. Seto was leaning against the counter, sipping coffee, and talking to the blonde's mom while she cooked. And Yukio was no where in sight.
Katsuya was very confused, but his eyes brightened when he saw his boyfriend smiling at him, and he smiled back, walking over and hugging the brunette.
The brunette hugged him back, and Natsumi smiled at the both of them.
"Mom where's—"
"Don't even say his name. He's rude and obnoxious, and totally wrong about you and Seto."
Katsuya nuzzled the brunette.
A few hours later, Seto was napping, and Jou was on the brunette's laptop (you didn't really think Seto would leave it at home, did you?), looking up information about Juliard.
His mother came up and sat next to him, "Hey, sweetie."
"Hi, ma," Katsuya replied, not taking his eyes from the screen.
"Katsu, how does Seto feel about you going so far away?" Natsumi asked.
"He's all right with it," Katsuya said, hesitantly, "Well, I guess we're both kind of scared. Well, I'm scared, he's just upset. I mean, he acts like he's not. He actually tried to cover up how hurt he was that I was leaving by getting mad that I didn't tell him right away."
Katsuya clicked out of the web site, and typed in his high school web site. His eyes widened, "Oh shit!"
"Katsu!!" his mother scolded.
"Sorry, ma."
He clicked on the link that read 'The Prom.'
"Held June 12th, 2004, in Domino High Gymtorium. Starts at 6:00 pm. Tickets on sale now. $60.00 at door. $50.00 in advance. $40.00 if student has an ASB card," Katsuya read aloud, "That's a little more than three months away. SETO!!!!"
Seto ran out of the room, rubbing his head, where he'd bumped it, "What?! What's wrong?! Did something happen?!"
"Well, no. Nothing is really wrong, except, um...I forgot about the Prom! Are we going?" The blonde asked.
Seto's eyes flashed in annoyance, "Katsuya, love of my life, pain in my ass, I love you, but I work really long days most of the time, and you're waking me up to ask me if we're going to a trivial school dance?"
"It's not just any school dance. It's the Prom!" Katsuya replied.
"It's mediocre, Katsuya. We'll live if we don't show up," before the blonde could say another word, Seto returned to the bedroom to finish his nap.
Katsuya's shoulders sagged, "He doesn't care...I've looked forward to the Prom since High School started. And he doesn't care..."
Katsuya shut off the laptop and closed it, walking over to the couch, and laying down on it. Natsumi frowned.
The next day, the three who visited were on their way home. Seto nuzzled the blonde enxt to him, but Katsuya just scooted closer to the window.
"What's wrong with you? You've been like this since last night. You wouldn't cuddle with me. You kept scooting away when I tried to wrap my arms around you, and now you won't even left me nuzzle you. What is it? Tell me!"
Katsuya squeezed his eyes shut, "I've wanted to go to Prom since the beginning of high school. I really thought I'd be able to go."
He opened his eyes again, and Seto could see them fogged with tears. He sighed, "Katsuya, it's just a stupid dan—"
"It's not stupid to me!" Katsuya snapped. People who sat close to them looked over at them.
"Katsuya, I really don't want to—"
"Then don't! I'll go alone," Katsuya murmured.
Katsuya turned back to the window.
3 months later
"Stupid exam. I'ma freeze up. I'ma freeze up, and I'ma choke, and get not pass, and not get a good job and—"
"Shut up, Honda!" Katsuya snapped. The exit exam sat in front of him. His whole future was right before his eyes. If he didn't pass the exam, Juliard was so out of the question.
"You have 2 hours. You may begin."
And so they did.
"Prom's in three days. Can you believe it?" Yuugi asked, nuzzling Yami, "We're going together, right Yami-chan?"
"Of course."
Katsuya glanced at Seto, but Seto was engrossed in a book. The brunette pushed a pair of small square glasses up his nose.
Ryou smiled, "'Kura?"
Bakura smirked, "Of course I'll take you."
Katsuya sighed. Even Malik and Mariku were making plans to go together. Was he the only one who wouldn't have a date because his boyfriend was so fuckin' anti-social? He got up from the table, slamming his hands into it and knocking over his milk.
The group looked at him. Yuugi blinked, "Daijoubo, Jou-kun?"
"Iie. See ya later." Katsuya murmured, walking away. Seto blinked. He pulled his glasses off, and tucked them away in his school satchel.
He went to follow the blonde, but Yuugi touched his arm, shaking his head.
Three nights later, Katsuya looked at himself in a mirror. He wore a black tuxedo with a green bow tie, and green vest.
"I feel like a penguin."
Seto looked at him, "You look good."
"Not good enough apparently, or you'd come with me."
Seto sighed, "Katsuya..."
"Save it. I'm gonna be late," Katsuya murmured. He adjusted his boy tie again and walked out. Seto sighed again.
Yuugi and Yami were there when Katsuya arrived, as were Bakura and Ryou. Yami and Yuugi wore black tuxedos with red ties and red cumber buns.
Ryou wore a white tuxedo, though Katsuya though he was one in the group who could've pulled off a dress if he had really wanted to wear one. Bakura wore and all black tuxedo.
The other couples spotted Katsuya, "Hey! Over here, Jou!"
Katsuya walked over to them, "Hey, guys."
"Where's--?" Yuugi tried to ask.
"He didn't want to come."
The others looked at him, sympathetically.
"Oh, don't look at me like that! It was his own choice! I wasn't...wasn't gonna...f-force him...I need to get something to drink," Katsuya said, lamely. He really was pretty broken at the fact that he was there alone.
The night progressed and Katsuya sat alone, and watched his friends dance. He sighed, staring at the floor.
"Excuse me," said a soft voice.
'No way...' The blonde thought, 'I must be dreaming.'
"May I have this dance?"
Katsuya looked up, and there stood Seto, clad in a white tuxedo with a purple bow tie and cumber bun(I saw a picture of this! It was Seto and Jou dancin. Jou was actually in the red outfit that I described Yuugi in, but Seto was in that exact tux. He looked wicked fine...anyway.).
"S-Seto!" Katsuya's eyes widened, "B-but...!"
Seto pulled him up, "Don't ask. Just dance with me."
And they danced.
It was nearly midnight, and a slow dance was commencing. Seto held his koinu close, and rest his chin against his shoulder. He, suddenly, pulled something out of his pocket.
"Marry me."
Katsuya stopped, and pulled away from Seto, "What?"
"Marry me..." Seto showed him the box, and opened it, "Marry me. Marry me."
"Seto..."
"Shall I say it once more? Marry me, Jounouchi Katsuya, marry me."
Everyone had stopped, and was looking now.
Katsuya looked at his friends, then back at Seto, "I...of course I will."
He hugged the brunette, "Of course I will!"
A ring was slipped on his left ring finger. An emerald adorned it.
Katsuya kissed the brunette. His fiancé. His dragon.
They spent the rest of the night dancing, wrapped in each other.
Rivalry of the Heart
Chapter Nine
In the morning, Seto woke up, and found Katsuya, sitting on the floor, staring up at him. Actually, he wasn't looking at him, he was looking at the drawing that hung above the bed.
He never met Seto's eyes as he said, "I'm no so sure about America...I mean, I heard they drink a lot, and smoke pot and coke, and all have gun—"
"—Katsuya. Stop. I know it's going to be hard, but you can't let our relationship stand in the way of your future. You have to go. And I'll be right here, waiting for you, when you come back."
Katsuya stood. He was already ready for school, "I get to have my cast taken off today."
Seto smiled, "Yes."
Katsuya frowned, looking down at the horrid, scribbled mess that use to be a loving message from Seto, "I'm sorry I messed it up..."
"You were angry. I understand."
The brunette stood, and got ready faster then Katsuya had ever seen anyone get ready. Then, he took out a white marker from his school bag and made a little heart in the black mess. Inside the heart he put 'S K.'
Katsuya smiled, then giggled, "Those are your initials."
"Yes, strange, hmm? Come on, let's get going."
Katsuya opened his locker, after the lunch bell rang, and put his books away. He pulled out his sack lunch (because he didn't feel safe carrying around another unstable tray with only one good arm), and closed it again.
He jumped, when, as soon it was closed, he noticed a certain brunette there.
"Ra be damned, Seto, don't do that!"
The brunette smirked, "Sorry, koinu."
He offered him his arm. Katsuya took it, and they went to lunch together.
When Katsuya and Seto walked into the cafeteria, they saw Otogi cheerleaders chasing Honda around the table where the group sat. Katsuya snickered. They walked over to the table.
"Now you know what it feels like, ne Honda?" The blonde said before sitting down. Finally, Honda escaped the girls, and dove into his seat next to Otogi, grasping the boy's uniform jacket, and panting 'Help me, help me!'
Otogi wrapped his arms around the shark headed boy and the girls all groaned, walking away in defeat.
Honda glanced around, then looked up at Otogi, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Katsuya pulled the sushi that he'd packed out of his lunch and looked at Honda. Mito, RayAnn, and Rinnai came over and sat with them.
"Wow, Jou, where'd you get that?" RayAnn asked.
"Yeah, that's top of the line sushi. Very expensive." Mito added.
Katsuya grinned, "I know. It was in Seto's second fridge. You know why he has a second fridge? Because he keeps all the stuff he likes in the first one. The second fridge is mine."
Rinnai flicked him, "You're just rubbing it in now."
Katsuya grinned wider, "Yep...so Honda, how did the cheer dorks find out? Gods, I hate them. Stupid girls who dressed me in a fuckin' dog suit."
"Miho was ranting on about you and Kaiba, and then she remembered I had a crush on her and tried to ask me out, to make Kaiba jealous I guess. Well, her circle off friends happen to be those cheerleaders, and I forgot they were with her, and told her I couldn't, I was dating Ryuuji. They weren't happy, to say the least."
Seto snorted, "From where I was standing, Hiroto, that is the understatement of the year."
"Stuff it, rich boy," Honda snarled.
"Be nice," Katsuya murmured, picking up a piece of sushi with his chopsticks and biting into it.
Yuugi turned to Katsuya, "So, Jou, are you going to America?"
Katsuya put his chopsticks down, and looked at Seto, who smiled at him, and then he turned back to Yuugi, "Hai."
Yuugi smiled, "Congratulations!"
Katsuya smiled, "Yeah, I'm excited."
They group sat in homeroom, when the teacher walked in, "Ahem, hello. As you well know, most of you in here are seniors and will be graduating soon."
"No shit!" Katsuya yelled from the back of the class.
The teacher glared, "We're all so glad your back, Jounouchi."
Katsuya grinned, "I know."
He got up on the table and started to dance
The teacher rolled her eyes, "Enough, enough...Anyway...as I was saying, you will be graduating soon. That is, if you pass your high school exit exam."
"Whaaaaa?!" Honda groaned, "You mean we can't get a stinkin' piece of paper with fancy writing until we pass a friggin' exam?!"
"Yes, Mr. Hiroto," The teacher said, stroking her forehead with her thumb and forefinger, "What I'm trying to say is that you will be taking the test three months from Friday, and if you all pass the test, and have your required credits..."
Her eyes landed on Seto, who was probably the only one in the class who had perfect grades. Wads of paper were chucked at him.
"...then you will graduate."
"Blaaah! Stupid exam," Katsuya said. He was sitting in the game shop with his friends and Seto. They'd just arrived there, after getting Katsuya's cast taken off. His arm had shrunk a little, but Seto said that it would go back to normal in a matter of weeks.
"No kidding," Honda said, reading a comic book.
Seto was shuffling his dueling deck, and Yami eyed him.
"No chance, Yami. You win everything." Seto murmured, not even having to look at the spirit to know what he wanted.
"Oh come on, Kaiba, one duel!" Yami pleaded, "I haven't dueled in so looong!"
Seto kept shuffling his cards, closing his eyes, and ignoring the pharaoh. He flipped one card over, opening his eyes, and grinned, showing the card to Katsuya. It was the Blue Eyes.
Katsuya grinned, "Ao."
Katsuya pulled out his own deck and began to shuffle it. Yami went over to him. He opened his mouth, but Katsuya answered him before he could even ask, "No."
Yami slumped.
Katsuya pulled a card, and showed it to Seto. Red Eyes.
"Akai." Seto replied. They two laughed, and kissed each other.
Yuugi shook his head, and answered the phone when it rang, "Kame Game Shop. Oh, hello Mrs. Jounouchi..."
Katsuya looked up. So did Shizuka, who was there, playing poker with Mokuba and Bakura. They were betting pocky sticks and butterscotch chews.
"Yes, he's here...okay..." Yuugi looked at Katsuya, "It's your mom."
"No shit," Katsuya said.
He took the phone, "Moshi moshi, 'kaa-san."
'Jou, don't talk to Yuugi that way. He's a sweet boy!' His mother scolded.
"Yes, mom..." Katsuya grumbled.
'Shizuka was talking to me yesterday. I called her cell phone, and told her I couldn't get a hold of you at your fathers. She told me it was because you had...moved out? How is that? You're not old enough to live by yourself yet.'
Katsuya glared at his sister, "I...don't live by myself, mom."
Shizuka bit his lip. Seto looked at the blonde.
'Oh, who do you live with, then?'
"A...a friend..."
'A legal adult type of friend.'
"Well, yeah...he's...he's my age." Katsuya mumbled.
'Then he isn't a legal adult yet.'
"Well, he will be in...a few months..." Katsuya replied, "Besides, he's lived all by his lonesome since he was like fifteen."
'Are you deliberately trying to avoid telling me that you live with Kaiba Seto?'
"Mom! How did you..."
'When I see my son's face plastered all over a tabloid, I'm inspired to read it. Why didn't you tell me that you were dating someone?'
"Well, dad's a terrible homophobe. I was afraid you were like that too," Katsuya replied. Seto could tell what they were talking about, now.
'Oh, Jounouchi Katsuya, how could you think that?' he heard his mother sigh, 'I'll tell you what, Shizuka is coming back up to Tokyo for the weekend. You should come with your...boyfriend. I would love to meet him.'
"Mom..."
'Come on, sweetie, it'll be fun,' His mom insisted.
"Oh, all right. But it won't be easy to convince him."
Seto looked up from his cards.
'I'm sure you can do it. See you soon, dear.' His mom hung up.
Katsuya handed the phone back to Yuugi, "Shit."
"What?" Seto asked.
"We just got invited to spend the weekend with Shizuka and my mom," Katsuya replied.
"No fuckin' way in hell," Seto replied.
"Awwww, come on, Seto!"
"No..."
"We'd be able to go to Tokyo!"
"I don't like Tokyo."
"Well you don't have to see Tokyo, you can stay inside."
"Well, I...I don't like parents."
Katsuya harrumphed.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Seto said, as he stared out the train window. They were on their way up to Tokyo for the weekend, "How did you get me to do this again?"
Katsuya grinned, "I have my ways."
Seto remembered, suddenly, and shuddered, smirking at the blonde, "Sure do, mm?"
Shizuka tapped her foot against the ground, "Why wasn't Mokuba allowed to come again?"
"Because only one of us should have to bare the evil of the boyfriend meeting the parents or parent in this case. I'm just glad it's not your dad."
"Mmm, but my mom's boyfriend might be there..." Shizuka murmured.
Seto looked at Shizuka, then at Katsuya, "Boyfriend?"
"Umm...whoops, did I forget to mention that?" Katsuya murmured. Seto began to bang his head against the window. This was going to be a loooong weekend.
Jounouchi Natsumi was a slender woman, with graying hair that was currently up in a bun. She wore a dark blue pants suit with blue pumps. Next to her was a man, probably two a three years younger than her. He had black hair that was also graying, and wore a greeting smile.
"Katsu!" His mother called.
"Katsu?" Seto asked, smirking.
Katsuya flushed, "She always calls me that. You're the only one who actually calls me Katsuya."
Seto was still smirking.
"Prick."
"So I've been told."
Katsuya dragged him over to his mother, "Hi, mom."
Natsumi smiled, "Hello, Katsu. Who's your friend?"
Katsuya's eye twitched, "Mom, this is Seto. Seto this is my mom."
The man next to Natsumi coughed. A very fake cough.
"And this is Yukio, my mother's boyfriend," Katsuya said.
Seto held out his hand, "Pleasure."
Yukio shook his hand, and shook it, squeezing it tighter than it needed to be squeezed. Seto pulled it away. Katsuya looked at him, fiercely.
Natsumi blinked. She and Yukio walked into the house.
Katsuya pulled on Seto's arm, "Why did you do that. That was rude!"
"He squeezed my fuckin' hand."
Katsuya went inside, Seto following suit.
At dinner, Seto explained why he was known as a legal adult, and what he did for a living and how well he took care of his little brother and Katsuya. After dinner, Natsumi led Katsuya to where he and Seto would be staying. Yukio took this moment to pull Seto aside.
"Listen. As you can tell, my name means I usually get what I want," Yukio said, "And what I don't want is my poor Natsumi having any kind of breakdown because her son is a flame. So, I tell ya what, you break up with Jou now, and I won't tell him I saw you kissing Shizuka."
"But you didn't see me kissing Shizuka," Seto said.
"Yeah, but he don't know that. For all he knows, this time we spent talking could have been time you spent swapping saliva with his little sister. Now that'd just break his heart."
Seto glared, "You're sick..."
"Listen, you sound like a good, well-off kid, but Katsuya would be much better off with some nice girl. That's why he's going to stay here with us," Yukio replied.
"He is not."
"Yes, he is."
"No, he's coming home with me, until the end of the school year, and he's spending the summer with me, then he's going to America!"
Katsuya and Natsumi came in, as Seto said this. Natsumi stopped.
She turned to Katsuya, "You are?"
"...Yeah...I got excepted to...to Juliard..." Katsuya said.
"Oh, Katsu!" His mother hugged him, "I always knew that voice of yours would go somewhere!"
Yukio sighed.
Later that night, Katsuya was out of bed, getting a drink of water when he overheard Yukio and his mother talking. He listened in.
"Natsumi, I know you don't want this...you kept telling me how much you wanted him to come home and marry Kimi's daughter..."
"I know, but he's so happy, Yukio...and he's going to Juliard..that's high class."
"How will he afford it?"
"I'm sure Seto will help..."
"Natsumi, love...that boy is with your son for one reason. He's rich. He can have any man or woman he wants. Jou is just something he can play with until he finds something better."
Katsuya's face mirrored horror.
"No, I can tell that he loves my son."
"Natsumi...could you tell that your husband loved you?"
The woman bowed her head.
Katsuya growled, and both heads shot up.
"You fucking bastard," Katsuya snarled.
"Katsu!"
"Using my dad against her like that. And for you're information, Seto does love me!" The blonde spat, "So don't go and say things like that, you idiot!"
"Katsu!"
Katsuya sniffed, and ran back into the room he shared with Seto. He slammed the door and broke down. Now, Seto, being the light sleeper he is, heard the door slam and the poor blonde start to sob. He opened his cerulean eyes and glanced over at Katsuya.
"Katsuya? What's wrong?" He stepped out of the bed and walked over to him, pulling him away from the wall where he sobbed, and pressing him against his chest, "Katsuya?"
Katsuya just sobbed and shook his head. Natsumi peeked her head in the door, and her eyes softened at the sight of her sobbing son, and the man who held him, trying to calm him down. In that moment, Natsumi knew this was the man who would take care of her son, and that Katsuya would, in fact, be all right. She closed the door softly.
Katsuya woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking, and saw a very strange sight. Seto was leaning against the counter, sipping coffee, and talking to the blonde's mom while she cooked. And Yukio was no where in sight.
Katsuya was very confused, but his eyes brightened when he saw his boyfriend smiling at him, and he smiled back, walking over and hugging the brunette.
The brunette hugged him back, and Natsumi smiled at the both of them.
"Mom where's—"
"Don't even say his name. He's rude and obnoxious, and totally wrong about you and Seto."
Katsuya nuzzled the brunette.
A few hours later, Seto was napping, and Jou was on the brunette's laptop (you didn't really think Seto would leave it at home, did you?), looking up information about Juliard.
His mother came up and sat next to him, "Hey, sweetie."
"Hi, ma," Katsuya replied, not taking his eyes from the screen.
"Katsu, how does Seto feel about you going so far away?" Natsumi asked.
"He's all right with it," Katsuya said, hesitantly, "Well, I guess we're both kind of scared. Well, I'm scared, he's just upset. I mean, he acts like he's not. He actually tried to cover up how hurt he was that I was leaving by getting mad that I didn't tell him right away."
Katsuya clicked out of the web site, and typed in his high school web site. His eyes widened, "Oh shit!"
"Katsu!!" his mother scolded.
"Sorry, ma."
He clicked on the link that read 'The Prom.'
"Held June 12th, 2004, in Domino High Gymtorium. Starts at 6:00 pm. Tickets on sale now. $60.00 at door. $50.00 in advance. $40.00 if student has an ASB card," Katsuya read aloud, "That's a little more than three months away. SETO!!!!"
Seto ran out of the room, rubbing his head, where he'd bumped it, "What?! What's wrong?! Did something happen?!"
"Well, no. Nothing is really wrong, except, um...I forgot about the Prom! Are we going?" The blonde asked.
Seto's eyes flashed in annoyance, "Katsuya, love of my life, pain in my ass, I love you, but I work really long days most of the time, and you're waking me up to ask me if we're going to a trivial school dance?"
"It's not just any school dance. It's the Prom!" Katsuya replied.
"It's mediocre, Katsuya. We'll live if we don't show up," before the blonde could say another word, Seto returned to the bedroom to finish his nap.
Katsuya's shoulders sagged, "He doesn't care...I've looked forward to the Prom since High School started. And he doesn't care..."
Katsuya shut off the laptop and closed it, walking over to the couch, and laying down on it. Natsumi frowned.
The next day, the three who visited were on their way home. Seto nuzzled the blonde enxt to him, but Katsuya just scooted closer to the window.
"What's wrong with you? You've been like this since last night. You wouldn't cuddle with me. You kept scooting away when I tried to wrap my arms around you, and now you won't even left me nuzzle you. What is it? Tell me!"
Katsuya squeezed his eyes shut, "I've wanted to go to Prom since the beginning of high school. I really thought I'd be able to go."
He opened his eyes again, and Seto could see them fogged with tears. He sighed, "Katsuya, it's just a stupid dan—"
"It's not stupid to me!" Katsuya snapped. People who sat close to them looked over at them.
"Katsuya, I really don't want to—"
"Then don't! I'll go alone," Katsuya murmured.
Katsuya turned back to the window.
3 months later
"Stupid exam. I'ma freeze up. I'ma freeze up, and I'ma choke, and get not pass, and not get a good job and—"
"Shut up, Honda!" Katsuya snapped. The exit exam sat in front of him. His whole future was right before his eyes. If he didn't pass the exam, Juliard was so out of the question.
"You have 2 hours. You may begin."
And so they did.
"Prom's in three days. Can you believe it?" Yuugi asked, nuzzling Yami, "We're going together, right Yami-chan?"
"Of course."
Katsuya glanced at Seto, but Seto was engrossed in a book. The brunette pushed a pair of small square glasses up his nose.
Ryou smiled, "'Kura?"
Bakura smirked, "Of course I'll take you."
Katsuya sighed. Even Malik and Mariku were making plans to go together. Was he the only one who wouldn't have a date because his boyfriend was so fuckin' anti-social? He got up from the table, slamming his hands into it and knocking over his milk.
The group looked at him. Yuugi blinked, "Daijoubo, Jou-kun?"
"Iie. See ya later." Katsuya murmured, walking away. Seto blinked. He pulled his glasses off, and tucked them away in his school satchel.
He went to follow the blonde, but Yuugi touched his arm, shaking his head.
Three nights later, Katsuya looked at himself in a mirror. He wore a black tuxedo with a green bow tie, and green vest.
"I feel like a penguin."
Seto looked at him, "You look good."
"Not good enough apparently, or you'd come with me."
Seto sighed, "Katsuya..."
"Save it. I'm gonna be late," Katsuya murmured. He adjusted his boy tie again and walked out. Seto sighed again.
Yuugi and Yami were there when Katsuya arrived, as were Bakura and Ryou. Yami and Yuugi wore black tuxedos with red ties and red cumber buns.
Ryou wore a white tuxedo, though Katsuya though he was one in the group who could've pulled off a dress if he had really wanted to wear one. Bakura wore and all black tuxedo.
The other couples spotted Katsuya, "Hey! Over here, Jou!"
Katsuya walked over to them, "Hey, guys."
"Where's--?" Yuugi tried to ask.
"He didn't want to come."
The others looked at him, sympathetically.
"Oh, don't look at me like that! It was his own choice! I wasn't...wasn't gonna...f-force him...I need to get something to drink," Katsuya said, lamely. He really was pretty broken at the fact that he was there alone.
The night progressed and Katsuya sat alone, and watched his friends dance. He sighed, staring at the floor.
"Excuse me," said a soft voice.
'No way...' The blonde thought, 'I must be dreaming.'
"May I have this dance?"
Katsuya looked up, and there stood Seto, clad in a white tuxedo with a purple bow tie and cumber bun(I saw a picture of this! It was Seto and Jou dancin. Jou was actually in the red outfit that I described Yuugi in, but Seto was in that exact tux. He looked wicked fine...anyway.).
"S-Seto!" Katsuya's eyes widened, "B-but...!"
Seto pulled him up, "Don't ask. Just dance with me."
And they danced.
It was nearly midnight, and a slow dance was commencing. Seto held his koinu close, and rest his chin against his shoulder. He, suddenly, pulled something out of his pocket.
"Marry me."
Katsuya stopped, and pulled away from Seto, "What?"
"Marry me..." Seto showed him the box, and opened it, "Marry me. Marry me."
"Seto..."
"Shall I say it once more? Marry me, Jounouchi Katsuya, marry me."
Everyone had stopped, and was looking now.
Katsuya looked at his friends, then back at Seto, "I...of course I will."
He hugged the brunette, "Of course I will!"
A ring was slipped on his left ring finger. An emerald adorned it.
Katsuya kissed the brunette. His fiancé. His dragon.
They spent the rest of the night dancing, wrapped in each other.