NEWTON'S THIRD by Kiraya
This chapter came out pretty long… and this was only supposed to be the first half of it! I wish inspiration didn't come in spurts — my Muse lurches around like a drunken sailor…
"Jounouchi."
"Eh?" The blond turned, his brown eyes narrowing as he saw Kaiba Seto walking toward him. "What do you want?"
"You and I haven't exactly gotten along, as I'm sure you've noticed."
Jounouchi raised an eyebrow. "Don't have to be a genius to figure that out."
Seto resisted the urge to lash out at him. "I wish to propose a truce."
"Whaa—?"
"A truce. If you treat me civilly, I'll treat you civilly." He held out his hand. "What do you say?"
A pause. Jounouchi stared at him doubtfully, then cast a glance at his best friend, who had just come up to stand beside him.
Yuugi nodded emphatically, his urging echoed by the approving Yami.
He turned back to the blue-eyed youth and shrugged, smiling slightly. "Why not? Yuugi's been bothering me to give you a chance since forever — it's about time I got around to it. Who knows? We might even end up friends."
Seto made a face. "I doubt— aggkkh!" Ignoring the proffered hand, the blond had jovially clapped him on the back and sent him staggering forward, making a sharp pain shoot up his spine. "Oww…"
"You okay? What happened?"
::Nothing much — I was just fucked a few times too many this weekend, that's all.::
Yuugi snickered. Poor Kaiba-kun, he said in exaggerated sympathy. Does your widdle bottom hurt?
The billionaire blinked, a bit taken aback by the violet-eyed boy's teasing.
"Uhh… Kaiba?" came Jounouchi's voice.
Be nice, aibou. Folding his arms across his chest, Yami looked at his handsome Blue-Eyes reproachfully. Hunh. You didn't object at the time, koishii.
::I was… busy. But — why did I have to be uke every time? I wish you'd let me be seme every once in a while…::
A sharp spike of interest from his diminutive lover. Mmm… that sounds… intriguing, he purred. Perhaps we can arrange it—
Seto twitched involuntarily, trying not to think about how arousing it would be to play the dominant, to get a piece of the pharaoh's hot, tight little—
—as your reward.
"Kaiba?"
The billionaire's jaw dropped. ::Nani?!? Demo—::
The King of Games grinned evilly. I think you need more experience first. But I'd be quite happy to reveal the secrets of the fine art of seme to you, my beloved. He stood up a bit straighter, adopting the mannerisms of a stern professor. Each demonstration will be proceeded by a brief lecture. Be sure to pay close attention, because the final exam will be quite… rigorous.
Seto smirked.
I recommend we begin as soon as possible. The more time we have for… review, the better. The spiky-haired youth pursed his lush lips. Friday's out, I have a photo shoot early the next morning… how does Saturday night sound to you?
::Mmm… what's wrong with Saturday afternoon?:: the brunet countered.
"Kaiba!"
"What?" he snapped at Yuugi's nagging best friend.
The blond held up his hands defensively. "Geez! I just asked you a question and you completely zoned out." He peered at the brunet, frowning. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I haven't gotten much sleep the past couple days, and put that together with the events of the past week…" He shrugged, deliberately ignoring the second half of the other's initial question.
Jounouchi blinked. "You know… for the first time, I can honestly say that I'm sorry."
Sympathy from the mutt? This was intolerable. "…Shut up."
Seto… his lover warned.
"Sorry," he muttered quickly in the blond's general direction. ::I don't know if I have the patience for this.::
I have faith in you, love.
Me too.
::Thanks. I just wish I did…::
Kaiba Seto let his head fall forward against his locker with a sigh. The past four months had been some of the longest he could remember, as he tried to deal with Jounouchi without biting his head off. It had been difficult, but he'd done his best, and found himself actually starting to soften toward the blond somewhat. ::Cold and ruthless? Blew that whole image a long time ago,:: he thought ruefully, making a face as he entered his combination and opened the door to see…
A bottle of massage oil? He frowned. There was a note attached to it.
My beloved Seto —
I'm proud of you, my Blue-Eyes; you and Jounouchi have been getting along very well. I seem to remember promising you a reward — just name a date, time, and place, and I'll be quite happy to give it to you. Don't forget to bring this.
There was no signature, but such wasn't necessary. The billionaire grinned broadly. ::Finally.:: He took out a pen and paper and scribbled a reply.
Dearest Yami —
This Friday, six, my place. Be early if you can — I am quite looking forward to what you promised me. All my love.
It would be easy enough to slip the note to his koibito. And then…
Friday could not come soon enough, as far as he was concerned.
"I still don't see why you won't introduce us to this mystery girlfriend of yours," Anzu complained as they prepared to leave school that day. "Tell us about her, at least. Is she one of those models you work with?"
"If she is," Jounouchi interjected, "could you ask her to introduce me to some of her friends?"
Anzu glared at him.
"What? I think it's a perfectly reasonable request." He elbowed the dark-eyed youth who walked next to him. "Don't you, Honda?"
"Absolutely," the other replied with a perfectly straight face.
Yuugi hid a smirk that seemed a sharp contrast with his angelic features. The petite teen found the whole situation vastly amusing, much to Yami's vexation.
The King of Games shook his head as he put Seto's note back in his pocket. He had never actually come out and said anything about his involvement with the head of KaibaCorp, letting his aibou's friends come to their own conclusions. How they hadn't even managed by now to at least consider the possibility that his "mystery girlfriend" was not, in fact, female was beyond him. "I told you," he said for the ten millionth time, exasperated, "we both want to keep things relatively quiet for a while."
"How long is a while? You've been together for over four months now, and…"
He sighed to himself. Oh, but it was hard. Despite the fact that they were having a lot of fun tiptoeing around Yuugi's completely clueless friends, things would be so much better if he and Seto could be open about their relationship.
"…Yami?"
"What?"
"I asked you if you wanted to come to the arcade with us," Yuugi said.
"Not today, but thank you, aibou." I'd like to spend a little time with Seto this afternoon, if you don't mind.
His light — gods bless my sweet, understanding little light! — nodded. If you're bringing him home, just try to remember to go to our room and lock the door if you're going to get "a bit carried away." He grinned evilly. You don't want a repetition of that time 'Jii-chan almost walked in on you.
Yami turned scarlet. Please don't remind me.
Yuugi hugged him. "Have fun," he whispered, smirking, and headed off to join his friends.
"Yami's not coming?" the former pharaoh heard Anzu ask Yuugi. She sounded disappointed.
"Not today, no."
"Huh. Probably sneaking off to meet his girlfriend and—" The King of Games didn't quite catch the latter half of the sentence.
"Jounouchi Katsuya!" came a stern voice. "Please refrain from ribald comments while on the school grounds. I don't care if it is after hours, such disgusting language is hardly appropriate."
"Hai, sensei," was the sullen reply.
The spiky-haired youth snickered.
"What's so funny?" came a voice from just behind him.
"Jounouchi," Yami said simply, gesturing as he turned and smiled up at his lover. "Got anything to do this afternoon, koishii?"
"Nothing I can't put off, no. Why?"
"Yuugi's going to the arcade for a few hours with his friends, and his grandfather's quite busy today — the novices' tournament is coming up this weekend, and it's an inventory day, so he has little time between customers."
Kaiba Seto smirked. "And…?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
Yami scowled at him in counterfeit aggravation. "And I want you to come home with me for once, instead of the other way around." He looked at the brunet slyly. I haven't had you in my bed for quite some time…
The billionaire performed an extravagant bow. ::How could I ever refuse such a handsome… mmm… face? Since it's such a nice day, we can take the shortcut through the park…::
His dark koibito's only response was a deep, warm chuckle. "Let's go."
"Konnichi wa, Kaiba," Mutou Sugoroku greeted the billionaire.
"Konnichi wa, Mutou-san."
A courteous nod. "Yami, you're la— Have you been getting into some kind of trouble at school? There's dirt all over your jacket again," he said in disgust, looking at his grandson's dark half. "Getting that thing dry-cleaned twice a week isn't cheap, you know."
"Um. No, 'Jii-san, everything's fine," the crimson-eyed youth assured him, blushing slightly, "and if you want, I'll pay the cleaning bill." He crossed the shop to the door that led to their apartment. "By the way — Yuugi's at the arcade with his friends."
"Thank you for telling me. There are some cookies on the kitchen table — please don't eat them all. And don't forget to do your homework!" the old man called after them.
Seto made a face as they left the shop. "Damn. There goes our afternoon."
"Not if we hurry," Yami murmured, picking a few pieces of grass out of his koi's hair. "Half of it's long-term anyway — and none of that's due for at least a week. No one ever said you had to start a project the day you're assigned it."
The billionaire smiled. "I like the way you think, love…"
"What was that?" Seto wondered suddenly, half sitting up.
"What was what?"
"I thought I heard something."
Yami shrugged. "Don't worry about it," he murmured, giving his willing koi yet another gentle kiss — one that rather quickly escalated into a heated battle of tongues.
And then the door banged open.
::Mmm… hello, Yuugi.::
…
Sensing his aibou's distress and embarrassment, Yami broke the kiss and turned toward the door. Seto attempted to sit up, but, as the King of Games was seated on his hips — oh, the sweet torture — he didn't get very far, and had to be contented with propping himself up on his elbows.
Yuugi was blushing furiously — not for his own sake, but for his friends, who had stopped dead beside him.
The blood drained from Anzu's wide-eyed face; clapping her hands over her mouth, she turned and fled. Yuugi, giving his dark half an apologetic glance, dashed after her. Honda stood there gaping, his mouth opening and closing reflexively, fishlike; he looked like someone had hit him in the back of the head with a two-by-four. And Jounouchi—
THUD.
Kaiba Seto blinked at the unconscious form of Jounouchi Katsuya and, for some inexplicable reason, began to laugh hysterically.
Honda and Yami stared, but the other youth just kept laughing.
Oh, gods. It's going to be one of those days…
16 May 2003.
To be continued.