Round Robin: Seto/Yami Wedding (Chapter 17 – Wedding Reception)
Author: LilPurplFlwr
Rating: PG-13 – R
Pairing: Seto x Yami, and a few random (very random, not even planned) pairings
Warning: … Expect the unexpected – seriously.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh.
Summary: It's the wedding reception, and weird things happen. XD
A/N: This was Chapter Seventeen of a Round Robin from a Yahoo Group called Pharaoh's Palace II, which supports Seto x Yami. Now... the story was Seto and Yami's wedding (I highly recommend everyone to join the group), the Round Robin is very funny and... rather smutty - but hey! XD It's the entertainment factor.
Now... my part was the wedding reception - the party that comes after the wedding itself. Since it doesn't have so much specific stuff (mostly random fun), I decided to post it here because a few friends have told me it's a pleasant/fun read. Hope you like it too!
"Can't you two stop for, at least, a few seconds to greet the guests?"
The shorter of the newly wedded couple took the initiative to pull away after one last closing kiss, which ultimately led to another few minutes of busy mouths. Mokuba groaned to himself, debating whether to manually separate the two – it was as if they had been separated for years instead of days. How they managed to move from the wedding set outside to the ballroom inside was a feat inexplicably accomplished.
As the other guests spread out along the rows of tables in the spacious room, Yuugi scanned the room from where he had settled with the others. The marble floor of the large gallery was a pristine white, though dulled to varying shades of gray by the lighting in some areas. Dark blue curtains lined the glass-paned windows, arching as high as the ceiling. Along with the silver chandeliers that hung in measured distances across the ceiling, each of the catered tables was decorated or separated by a unique ice sculpture.
A grandiose Blue Eyes White Dragon overlooked the dessert table, sparkling within its solid ice form. Looking past the Dark Magician and his ever-smiling female mage apprentice that guarded the array of hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, Yuugi laughed as Jounouchi and Honda scrutinized the strange-looking items. Yuugi's attention was, however, diverted when Mokuba stalked over to their table, looking very peeved.
Otogi grinned, getting up to enclose Mokuba in a sympathetic (no interior motive – really!) hug, "Aw… don't worry about it – just wait until they're plastered."
"Yeah, with all this alcohol…" Yuugi trailed off, as he warily eyed other guests already getting started on becoming inebriated with the help of several champagne fountains and bottles set among the table centerpieces.
Mokuba, relaxing within Otogi's embrace, still frowned, an uncanny resemblance to his older brother's uptight, rigid mannerisms, "But I'd really like this to get started – I want this to be perfect, you know what I mean?" A trace of doubt flitted over the younger teen's face, and he finished quietly, "I'm worried about –"
"Guess who we've got!"
" – everything."
Mokuba's abreaction was cut short with Jounouchi's familiar cheeky tone, mixed with some rather disgruntled protests.
"Jou – get your paws off Yami or I'll – "
"That better not have been a dog joke, Kaiba."
"Or what?"
"Seto, it's okay, really. We really did need to stop."
"You weren't complaining, love. I wasn't complaining. Everyone's happy."
"Since when were you and I accountable for 'everyone'?"
"Since I met you."
A chorus of "Aw"s and other positive comments on the display suddenly filled the momentary silence. Jounouchi sat down next to Yuugi with a complacent grin on his face. Mokuba brightened as he realized they could now proceed with the reception as planned, seeing as the blonde had managed to get the couple apart.
Yami glanced around the room warily, "Was it always this quiet?"
"No, just until you guys stopped making out!"
Seto just managed a wry smile in the vague direction of the ambiguous speaker, "I didn't know our stopping would inhibit everyone's ability to talk… excuse us."
The brunette grabbed his husband by the waist and was about to start what had been interrupted, when a black blur immediately intercepted the two. Seto glared at the offender, but Mokuba matched his brother's threatening stare. Seto, realizing it was Mokuba and assuming the worst, stepped back and distanced himself further from Yami.
"Please, Nii-san," Mokuba said softly, "Please start?"
An equally acquiescent "oh" escaped from the CEO, who had finally grasped the situation at hand. Mokuba nodded as if to ascertain any questions his brother might have and pushed the couple up the side stairs to the stage. Bathed in blue lighting and bordered with delicate sheer white fabric, the stage was highlighted by the expensive karaoke machine and other set-ups for the musical entertainment after dinner. Clearing his throat formally, which halted the light bantering around the room, Seto began to speak, Yami sidling up beside him and interlocking their fingers as Seto began.
"We'd like to welcome everyone to our reception. We sincerely thank you for coming and celebrating our special day with us. We appreciate your good wishes to our future together –"
" – And all your support in the past and present. It wasn't an easy road," Yami interjected with a grin, eliciting chuckles from the audience.
Seto glanced at his spouse, whose comment had been unexpected. Yami, as if sensing Seto's question, squeezed the other's hand reassuringly, hoping to indicate he was not trying to sabotage anything.
"… Our chefs have prepared the finest foods for today's gathering," Seto failed to noticed Yami's gestures beside him. The shorter duelist was holding up three fingers to indicate the number of chefs as he simultaneously mouthed sheepishly that he couldn't choose. The guests held back their amusement, as the CEO continued on with the proper speech. The majority of the guests managed to keep completely straight-faced, though Jounouchi had opted to continually sipping champagne to keep himself from disrupting Seto's oration. Mokuba nodded habitually after each of his older brother's sentences.
" – so, please enjoy yourself tonight," Seto ended, nodding, satisfied with his upheld decorum.
"Don't get too drunk," Yami added with a wink, before contemplating what he had just said, "Who am I kidding? Go for it!"
"Not yet!" Mokuba got up on the stage, taking the steps two at a time childishly, "A few of us would like to help you get started with a few toasts…"
"I'd like to start – just because I'm the little bratty brother of Seto Kaiba – and I've been in the middle of it all since it started. I tried writing down what I would say, but in the back of my head, I knew Nii-san just might kill me for half of what I would say, so I decided just to go with what came to mind. He can't kill me if it wasn't deliberate, right?"
"Mokuba…"
"Anyway… " Mokuba ignored his brother's warning tone behind him, as he took his rightful place before the microphone, "I remember Nii-san would come home seething and muttering about what a 'cocky bastard' someone was being – guess who that was?"
With the audience's laughing at Mokuba's none-too-subtle inference, Yami smirked at his husband, "Hey, speak for yourself, Dragon."
Seto shrugged apathetically and hugged Yami from behind, "You did piss me off a lot. You and your uncalled for "Hi, I'm the ultimate sex god" and "Kaiba, I'm going to seduce you with my great game skills"."
"I so did not!" Yami said, pretending to look scandalized, "You were a teenager with hormones off the charts."
By now, the guests were nearly dying of laughter, but Mokuba smiled placidly and continued, "But, soon enough, through years of work, probably - my Nii-san starts to change. He's not as uptight as he used to be, he was more open to himself, he knew what video game I liked the most each month… that was the weirdest one," the little brother continued aimlessly, his eyes closed as he passed through the time in his mind, "And… when I first saw him and Yami together, being civil to each other, I went up to Nii-san and asked who he was and were my real brother was. Truth be told, I never accepted it."
By now, Yami looked severely alarmed, worried that Mokuba had retracted his blessings on their marriage or something more disastrous.
"But now, as much as I hate to admit it, my feelings have changed. They are perfect for each other, and that's something I can't deny – both are stubborn and hardheaded to a fault. Have you ever heard of them fight? It's like World War III."
"Mokuba."
Anyone could see the chill that ran up the younger sibling's spine at the menacing admonition, and the young teenager finished his speech in a hurry, "And yes, as I was saying: perfect for each other. And I'm glad to see my Nii-san so happy."
Everyone cheered, and the fragile sound of glasses clinking was heard. Mokuba stepped offstage, giving Yuugi a high-five as they switched places. Like a tag-team event, Yuugi dutifully climbed up the stairs and took his place behind the microphone.
"For those who look at this picture-perfect couple, I'm sure you can't help but think it was always like this. On the contrary, they started out as rivals – bitterness, aggravation, scorn, frustration, the works. But among all that, there was respect – the deepest respect for each other. Although the only words passed between them were challenges and insults, along the way, somehow, as difficult as it was, they started to tolerate each other's company. They shared the same aggressive edge, with a common passion and an identical dream.
"There were hard times, but they learned to appreciate the nuances of each other's personalities. And somewhere down that road, they just fell in love. But, as we know, they were too oblivious and stubborn to admit it. I remember Yami dismissed it as 'intimate rivalry'."
Yuugi stopped to shake his head and pivoted to look at his counterpart, "As I've said – I've never seen two rivals so intimate before… " The crowd laughed enthusiastically, and Yuugi continued, "Fortunately, in the end, it turned out great for both of them. They have my heartfelt wishes towards their happiness in the future, and this is just the beginning."
Yuugi bowed slightly to the audience, who sipped their glasses a second time, and turned around to hug Yami. Debating whether to do the same to Seto, Yuugi decided against it and exchanged a firm handshake with the brunette. As he went to sit back down, Yuugi was surprised as Jounouchi stood up and approached the stage. The blonde winked at Yuugi and casually re-arranged the microphone to his taller height. Seto eyed the blonde warily, but said nothing. Yami beamed and leaned closer to Seto, very pleased that Jounouchi had decided to say something about them, despite the previous animosity.
"Kaiba and I never had a good relationship. I believe we disliked each other to the max, but we've moved past that. When I first heard that these two had gotten together, I'm not sure what I did…"
"You threatened to re-wire Yami's mind," Yuugi called out helpfully, chuckling at Jounouchi's annoyed expression.
"… I believe I snapped," Jou said easily, regaining his composure as well as he could, "Years passed and Yami's announcing his wedding to us. Yuugi, do not say anything – people might think I'm violent or something. But, I contradict my past self when I say that this is the ideal match – and nothing's going to change it!"
After slapping Yami on the back cheerfully, which resulted in the other coughing from the force, Jounouchi hopped off the stage jovially, grinning at the thunderous applause.
Once everyone had settled down, the waiters appeared. One after the other, they brought out steaming dishes, placing them down before the hungry guests. First came the appetizers, cold platters, salads, and the likes. Once those had been polished off, the main courses made their eye-catching appearance. Filet mignon to sautéed lobster spread across the tables, and the aromatic scent of their seasonings soon filled the room along with the clatter of cutlery.
The dinner proceeded smoothly and as the guests finished, they wandered over to the karaoke machine. As others continued with their meal, the rest were encouraging their friends to go up and sing. At their table, Seto watched Yami, Yuugi, and the rest try to convince someone to go up to the microphone. Jounouchi, somehow getting the brunt of the exhorting, was adamantly refusing to go up and rap to "Who Let the Dogs Out".
Jou, caught in an inescapable position, looked for a scapegoat and settled on Yami, "Hey, Yami should go first. It's his wedding, after all."
Yami smirked, and stood up, "Fine, Jou. I can do that."
"No sappy love song either."
Yami stopped in his tracks, "That was evil," he finally said, getting onto the stage and running through the list of songs.
Once he had finalized his choice, Yami ran over the familiar lyrics and fiddled with the microphone. He was caught between staying on stage and singing or detaching the cordless mike and interacting with Seto. He decided to stay on stage, just in case he forgot the lyrics in a jitter of nerves, or, more likely, getting hurt by Seto for the song he picked. The music was cued, and the playful melody was introduced through the speakers. Yami tapped the microphone to make sure it was on.
Humming to the music, Yami smiled at Seto before starting to sing to the fast-paced song.
"Well, I saw you with your hands above your head,
Spinning around, trying not to look down, but you did,
And you fell, hard on the ground."
Yami took a quick breath, unable to laugh at the expression on his spouse's face.
"Then you stumbled around for a good ten minutes,
And I said I'd never seen anyone look so dumb before,
And you laughed and said 'I still know how to turn you on, though'."
Yami swayed casually to the upbeat melody, mentally chuckling, but instead got ready for the song's quick chorus of run-on sentences.
"You're the only one who
Drags me kicking and screaming through fast dreams.
You're the only one who
Knows exactly what I mean…"
Though sometimes behind the music, Yami was swiftly getting used to the pace and began to match even the quickest sentences perfectly.
"And I probably forgot to tell you this
Like that time I forgot to tell you about the scar
Remember how uncomfortable that made you feel?
See you're not what I expected
But you're the only one who knows how to handle me
And you're such a great kisser and I know that you agree."
Seto couldn't help but laugh at the last few sentences. As silly as the song was, most of it was true. By now, Yami was singing directly at him, getting so absorbed into his song that he was beginning to gesture parts of the song. Yami sung through the second chorus and prepared for the most dangerous stanza.
"I hope you can forgive me for that time
When I put my hand between your legs
And said it was small
'Cause it's really not at all."
Seto choked on a small sip from his glass, amidst everyone's uproarious laughter.
"I guess there's a part of me that likes to bring you down
Just to keep you around
'Cause the day you realize how amazing you are
You're gonna leave me."
Yami shook his head as he sung, finishing his line urgently. He looked nearly defeated at the prospect of Seto leaving him, but he bounced back for the next line.
"You're the one who
Holds my hair back when I'm drunk and get sick
You're the only one who
Knows exactly what I mean…"
Yami carefully repeated the last chorus, his voice sounding a little tired from the exertion. The song's ending stanza was a repeat of the first, and Yami sang determinedly through it, though he was so breathless by now, the act of singing was becoming very difficult.
" – Spinning around, trying not to look down
But you did, and you fell, hard on the ground."
The song cut off abruptly, as it was meant to do, and Yami replaced the microphone back in its holder, gasping for his normal breathing pattern. He stumbled offstage, nodding his head to thank the comments that were flying left and right, but too tired to vocalize his gratitude. Reaching Seto, Yami gave him a weak smile.
"That was great, Yami!" Jou said, grinning from ear-to-ear. Yuugi agreed, still pink from laughing so much.
Yami looked worriedly at Seto, who took eternity to finally crack a smile.
"I have to admit, love. That was one of the best song's I've ever heard of – especially with you singing it."
Yami smiled and launched himself at the other, hugging and giving a wet kiss on the cheek. Seto easily turned and re-captured Yami's mouth with his own.
"Hey, Nii-san," Mokuba addressed his brother, an evil glint in his eyes, "Why don't you sing something for Yami now?"
"Fine," Seto replied nonchalantly, releasing Yami and getting up.
Seto actually had a good idea for a song if he was called upon for karaoke. In fact, he was banking on being the last one to sing. Most guests had gotten seated, as if sensing an end to the karaoke fun. Trying to stave off the embarrassment he felt as he climbed onto the stage for the microphone, Seto promptly found his song and switched it on. The lyrics appeared almost immediately, but Seto was ready for it. He actually had this song committed to memory.
"Every time our eyes meet,
This feeling inside me,
Is almost more than I can take.
Baby, when you touch me,
I can feel how much you love me,
And it just blows me away."
The melody was slow and rhythmic, emphasizing the lyrics. Seto detached the microphone from the stand and began to walk leisurely down the steps, each footstep measured to the beat of the music.
"I've never been this close to anyone or anything,
I can hear your thoughts,
I can see your dreams – "
Seto knew the truth to these words, as he approached the table. Yami still sat in his chair, the one he had previously occupied, and was flushing a soft pink color. They locked eyes, and Seto held onto this connection as he walked closer. His voice grew stronger for the chorus, which was the most important part of his chosen song.
" - I don't know how you do what you do,
I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better.
I want to spend the rest of my life,
With you by my side,
Forever and ever… "
Seto took a deep breath and sung very softly into the mike, reaching out to brush some blond strands away from his lover's face.
"Every little thing that you do,
Baby, I'm amazed by you."
The brunette knelt down and placed his palm against Yami's face, singing openly to the other.
"The smell of your skin,
The taste of your kiss,
The way you whisper in the dark.
Your hair all around me,
Baby, you surround me,
You touch every place in my heart."
Seto leaned toward Yami, the other inclining his head as well.
"You know it feels like the first time,
Every time,
I want to spend the whole night
In your eyes."
Another set of the chorus came directly after, but Seto had stopped singing. As the karaoke version of the song strummed on, the brunette pulled Yami into a deep kiss, their mouths meeting tenderly. Seto traced the seam of Yami's soft lips with his tongue, and they yielded beneath the gentle pressure. Their tongues met sweetly, stroking against each other in a languid waltz; the touches were light and relaxed, an expression of the love, rather than the need, that they felt for each other. The audience soon faded away into the background of their own, soft instrumentals, insignificant in the face of each other. They parted a few inches, sharing the same breath, until Seto opened his eyes at the warm wetness that ran into his fingers. The saline liquid coincided with Seto's hand on Yami's face. Seto pulled away and tried to wipe away his spouse's tears. Yami shook his head silently, reaching up and grabbing Seto's hand, halting his effort.
"Go on," Yami said with a smile.
Seto squeezed Yami's hand affectionately and finished off the song.
"Every little thing that you do,
I'm so in love with you,
It just keeps getting better…
I wanna spend the rest of my life,
With you by my side,
Forever and ever…
Every little thing that you do,
Oh…
Every little thing that you do,
Baby, I'm amazed by you… "
Seto trailed off with the music, before placing the microphone on the table and grabbing a napkin, wiping off Yami's damp face. Giving the other a short, chaste kiss, Seto placed both hands on Yami's face, looking worriedly into the other's eyes.
"You okay?"
"Never been better," Yami replied, with a watery smile.
Yami dropped to the floor from the chair, kneeling right in front of Seto's lowered self. Giving the other a bone-crushing embrace, which unbalanced Seto enough to fall backwards, Yami leaned in and whispered into Seto's ear, "That was so beautiful. Thank you."
The room erupted in applause, and Yami looked up, surprised into reality. He laughed sheepishly and got off of Seto, offering a hand up as well. With the couple back on their feet again, Mokuba grinned and handed a large knife to his older brother.
"Time to go cut the cake!"
They moved over to the single table that held the five-foot concoction of cake, frosting, and sapphire and crimson flowers. Passing the knife to Yami for the first incision of the beautiful wedding cake, Seto watched Yami memorize every detail of it before starting to divide the pastry into equal sections. As it was passed out, Yuugi leaned forward and whispered something into Yami's ear. Straightening and giving his hikari a strange look, Yami turned to Seto.
"Did you know we feed each other a piece of cake?"
"I've heard of it," Seto replied indifferently, as he sat down on a chair, a piece of cake set on the table beside him, "If we're planning to do that, why can't I just eat it off you? It's just about the same thing – just more fun."
"Seto!" Yami laughed, picking up his own plate, "It can't be so difficult…"
He cut off the tip of his piece with his fork and held it up to Seto's mouth. The other's eyes darkened slightly, his mouth twisting into a childish frown comically. In spite of everything, Seto's mouth closed over the waiting bit of cake. Yami looked expectantly for Seto's reaction as the other chewed and swallowed thoughtfully.
"Are you sure I can't eat it off – "
"How's the cake?" Yami cut in, smiling innocently, as he lifted up another forkful of cake.
"It's fine, but – "
"Good," Yami said with a happy expression, pointedly ignoring Seto's comments, "Do I get some?"
Seto gave up and reached for his own piece that had been set down. In time, the couple was simultaneously feeding each other the cake, although Yami had trouble eating because he found the act of feeding Seto rather humorous. As the brunette placed the empty plate beside him, he licked his lips, catching any stray frosting with a gentle sweep of his tongue.
Studying Yami's face, Seto smiled teasingly, "I think someone needs help cleaning their face."
"You have no aim," came a scowled reply.
"I have perfect aim," Seto replied with a raised eyebrow, "You, for one, should know."
The CEO smirked and used one hand to hold the other steady as he licked a smear of frosting next to the other's mouth. Yami giggled softly, finding himself becoming rather hyper from the sugar. Suddenly, a hand rested heavily on Yami's shoulder and he stifled a gasp. Glancing over his shoulder, Yami followed up the foreign arm and stared blankly at the dark-brown eyes.
A bouquet of flowers was thrust toward Yami, and Seto having to block the incoming flora bunch for Yami. Bakura grinned maniacally, and Yami eyed him cautiously.
"Yes, Bakura?"
The other shrugged, still using Yami's shoulder for support, as he wobbled slightly on his feet, "Nothing. They said you needed this."
Ryou managed to squeeze his way out of the crowd, hurrying next to his intoxicated yami. Looping one arm around Bakura's, the hikari pulled the other away from the couple, despite the protest he gave upon spotting the large cake-cutting knife. Ryou looked apologetically at Seto and Yami.
"Sorry… he's had a little too many," Ryou made a motion of shooting alcohol.
The two disappeared into the crowd, knocking a few people over by accident because Bakura had been fighting his hikari. Taking one look at the bouquet and then Seto, Yami stood up, hand-in-hand with his spouse.
"I'm going to throw the bouquet!" Yami announced, raising his voice to be heard, as he waved the spray of flowers.
They moved to the edge of the vast dance floor, the girls gathering together in a large crowd while Yami turned his back against them and the tables, where the men had seated themselves. Seto tied a handkerchief over Yami's eyes, and turned the other around in a full circle.
"Alright… here goes nothing," Yami muttered, having forgotten the distance between him and the group of females behind him, and threw the bouquet backwards as hard as he could.
A few girls gasped as the flower arrangement flew well above their heads, heading to the general vicinity of the tables. Most of the group ran for it, through at the rate it was going, none of the girls would be able to make it in time.
"You left Bakura with Malik? Ryou – have you gone insa- oh, shit!"
A bouquet of flowers fell from absolutely nowhere, crashing into an empty bottle of champagne at their table. Glasses of water splashed across the white tablecloth, and with a flurry of leaves and petals, the bouquet bounced into Jounouchi's lap.
Ryou looked up and peered around the table at the slightly damp object lying motionless across Jounouchi's legs, stunned and just comprehending that he had been inches from being knocked out by an arrangement of flowers.
The blonde picked up the bouquet gingerly in one hand, "What is this…?"
A dozen girls ran up, panting for breath and cursing because they missed it. A few were actually laughing once they'd spotted who was holding the arrangement of flowers.
Yami tugged at his blindfold, but was unable to get it off without Seto's help (he should have known better than to trust Seto with tying things), "Where'd it go?"
Seto gazed over the dozens of girls, who had gathered around in a circle around…
A voice that sounded suspiciously like Mai Kujaku yelped, "Jounouchi?! Why did you catch the bouquet?"
"Don't tell me… " Yami began, leaning weakly against Seto.
"… That the mutt caught your bouquet?"
Despite the depression that set among the girls and the dumbstruck look on Jounouchi's face, everyone got up and spread along the edge of the dance floor, leaving only Yami and Seto on it. The brunette cast a quick look around, "I guess it's time for… the slow dance… "
"Actually… "
"Yami! Don't forget the – "
Seto followed Yami's blushing gaze over to Yuugi, who was pointing at his leg.
"There's… the garter."
Seto stared impassively at his husband. He failed to register what Yami meant. As expected, most of the females caught on to what Yami meant and began to giggle, while the majority of the males were left confused.
"I'm… wearing one."
"You are?" Seto gaped soundlessly, "… And I'm supposed to take it off, aren't I?"
Yami turned a deeper red, "… Yes."
"… How?"
The crowd chuckled; it wasn't every day Seto Kaiba was this perplexed.
"Just slide it down through my pants?"
Seto knelt down, using both hands to slide down the curve of Yami's thigh, checking for the exact position of the cursed garter. His fingers pressed lightly against his lover's flesh through the stiff material of the tuxedo trousers, searching out for any obstruction.
"Maybe I should have asked you which leg it was on… " Seto said a moment later, having felt no extra material on his partner's leg, as he switched guiltily to Yami's other leg.
Yami laughed lightly, "I probably wouldn't have told you."
"Sneaky little…"
Seto pressed the hollow of his palm against the rise of Yami's thigh above his knee. Slowly, he smoothed his hand along the familiar flesh, enjoying the way the muscle tensed beneath his touch. Finally, he found the location of the garter, a tad higher up from the halfway point of Yami's thigh. He raised an eyebrow at his lover as he traced a finger along the strap of elastic and cloth, his other palm pressed teasingly against the inside of the young man's thigh. The quiet gasp that Yami let out as he slid his hand slightly higher caused him to chuckle softly.
"That's rather high up, love. Now I really regret not making you wear a wedding dress."
Yami pouted, "Whatever – it's not like you mind molesting my legs."
"That's true."
His fingers pressed down on the extra material, inching it down slowly along the curves of Yami's leg. It was tedious work, seeing as the pants proved to hinder quick removal. Eventually he was able to slip a hand beneath the cuff of the trousers, hooking his index finger into the garter and tugging it down past the rise of calf. Planting his hands firmly on Seto's shoulders as to keep balance, Yami lifted his foot from the floor so that his husband could loop the piece of material off his shoe. He let out a private sigh as the teasing hands drifted away from his tormented body, but his relief was short-lived. Once the brunette straightened with the garter in hand, a sharp wolf-whistle made its presence known in the large ballroom, and general laughter and applause then ensued.
"Perhaps I should have gone from the top," Seto murmured teasingly, fingering the cloth in his fingers.
"What good would that have done?"
"I would get to molest another part of you."
Some subdued laughter followed the groom's comment. Yami lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose lightly, cursing the rising heat in his cheeks. "... Just throw the garter."
Seto twirled the circular material around one finger, waiting for the bachelors to gather on the floor. He noticed that Honda had to drag a skittish and obviously unwilling Ryou onto the floor. The pale young man was trying to stay on the outskirts of the crowd, but was unable to do so, seeing as each time he moved away, Honda would tug him back stubbornly. The bouquet incident must have traumatized him more than Seto had initially thought.
"Let's see that great aim of yours, Dragon," Yami purred, securing the dark cloth loosely around Seto's eyes and turning the other around to disorient him.
There was a moment where Seto tested the weight of the garter in his palm, gauging how far it was liable to fly. Then, without a word, he flung it easily behind him, quickly pulling off the blindfold to watch as it sailed neatly towards the middle of the group. Beside him, Yami grumbled incoherently about how garters were easier to throw than imbalanced bouquets of flowers.
"No, no, no!"
Seto and Yami watched in amazement as someone from the center of the group ran in the completely opposite direction of the forthcoming object. There were scuffling footsteps before the muffled smack of colliding bodies could be heard. The smaller of the two involved in the accident tumbled backwards and ended up sprawled on the floor as the rest of the males spread out around the fallen individual. And amidst all the commotion, the garter dropped unnoticed into the middle of the circle.
The room was completely silent except for a soft moan of pain. The couple blinked at each other in shock before Yami grabbed Seto's hand and rushed over, the group of people parting just enough for the two wedded to maneuver to the center.
There, in the middle, sat Ryou, looking rather dazed.
"... Ryou? Are you okay?"
The said boy winced briefly, gingerly getting to his feet, while rubbing his rear in an effort to relieve this sting from the initial impact. "Itai-i... I tried to run, and I just ran into someone, that's all..."
But as Ryou stood up, a light article slipped from the top of his silver-lined hair, having been balancing precariously for the past minute or so. Ryou put his hand to his head to catch it before it toppled off completely, and sudden realization of just what the foreign object was dawned upon the poor boy.
"I had your garter on my head?!"
"Apparently," Yami replied, amused beyond belief. The majority of the guests, having heard the loud exclamation just seconds ago, shared the sentiment. Sounds of incredulous laughing could be heard scattered throughout the room. Honda, who was now clutching at his stomach from where he stood nearby his unfortunate friend, could scarcely stand due to his laughter.
Ryou turned a lovely shade of red, rather becoming in contrast to his pallid complexion, and held the piece of cloth out for Yami. "Here. You can have it back."
The groom merely smirked, replying, "I insist you keep it."
But before any taunting remark could be made in answer to Yami's comment, there was a loud crash. Immediately, attention was drawn to the stage, the source of the sound. Upon it stood Yuugi, looking rather embarrassed and trying to re-erect the mike stand, which he had accidentally toppled.
"Uh, sorry..." He mumbled as he adjusted the height on it, and Yami shook his head briefly.
Once the stand had been properly fixed and set to the young man's height, he tapped it gently to check whether it was on or not. When he was guaranteed that he had everyone's attention, he spoke into the microphone, a wide smile curving his lips and giving his words a cheery lilt. "I do believe it's time for the grooms' first dance..."
Upon the completion of Yuugi's not so subtle hint, the band that was set up on the lavishly decorated stage struck up a wordless ballad. As the violin hummed soothingly, accompanied by the underlying melody of the piano, the dance floor slowly cleared out. Guests and friends alike stepped to the side, either returning to their own seats or merely watching as bystanders. Soon enough, all that stood upon the vacated floor was the happy couple.
"May I have this dance?" Seto asked with a touch of mirth, holding out his hand.
"You can have all the dances you want," Yami answered readily, taking the offered hand and following him to the center of the floor.
Seto wrapped his arms around Yami's waist, pulling his lover against him and closing the distance between their bodies as slender arms looped around his neck. They swayed slowly to the music, their movements slightly offbeat, as if they were dancing to a melody all their own. Yami rested his head against his husband's shoulder, letting his eyes slip shut and breathing in the in the faint cologne that Seto wore. The scent was soft and spicy, a familiar comfort, and he let himself drown in the other's presence as they moved lazily to the music.
"Enjoying this?" The question was breathed against his hair, tickling his scalp mildly with the warm rush of breath.
"Tremendously," Yami replied simply, lifting his head and pressing their mouths together in a quick kiss, "I love you..."
Seto smiled lightly and lowered his head, whispering quietly into the other's ear, "I love you too - always and forever."
One by one, other couples made their way onto the dance floor. The band continued to play soothing ballads, a gentle prelude to the upbeat melodies that would soon make an appearance. But the calming atmosphere was abruptly interrupted.
"Are you nuts?!"
At the nearby tables, Honda was in the process of dragging a protesting Jounouchi onto the dance floor. "You have to dance with him; you caught the bouquet." A sharp giggle interrupted his speech and Jounouchi took the opportunity to struggle away. Unfortunately, Honda was able to grab hold of him again. "It's tradition for the future bride and groom to dance together!"
"I'm not a bride!" Jounouchi protested stubbornly, flushing rather wildly.
Ryou was suffering a similar fate nearby.
"No, no, no! You can't make me!" he whined softly, a pleading tone in his voice. Yuugi, having gotten off the stage early, just smiled sweetly back at him as he pulled the reluctant young man towards the dancing couples by the hem of his tuxedo jacket.
"Oh, yes I can. Watch me."
With that parting comment, Ryou was given a harsh shove. The end result was some surprised stumbling, and Ryou managed to escape nearly crashing into a couple dancing close by. However, he wasn't lucky enough to avoid Jounouchi.
With a quiet "oomph", he fell against the blond's chest.
"Jou! I'm sorry!" Ryou exclaimed, his voice coming out in something disturbingly close to a squeak. Spots of color appeared on his cheekbones before spreading outwards and he made a hasty retreat. But before he could make it far, Jounouchi had reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him back.
"Jou...?" He asked, looking bewildered. "Um..."
"You were about to run into some people," the blond informed, awkwardly running his free hand through his hair, mussing the strands every which way, while still holding the shorter man in place via wrist. With their combined luck, which seemed fairly downtrodden at this point in time, they were marooned on the dance floor. Escape would be impossible without disturbing at least one serene couple. "Ah, shit... they were out for blood, I swear."
Ryou looked past two happily dancing lovers and met Yuugi's eyes, which twinkled mischievously back at him. A faint shiver ran down his spine and he looked away abruptly, training his eyes on Jou's crooked tie instead. He was beginning to doubt Yuugi's supposed innocence.
"Honda did say it was traditional..." Jounouchi started before trailing off uncomfortably. Ryou just concentrated harder on the messily done tie, as if will power alone could fix it. "What do you say, Ryou? It's not like I want to ruin Yami's wedding or anything."
The pale young man bit his lip absently in thought, rolling the flesh between his blunt teeth, "It's not like we're really getting married next - I mean, the flowers rolled onto your lap and the garter fell on my head. That would basically make everything invalid, right?"
Jounouchi couldn't help but laugh and he earned an irritated glare for his outburst, "I cannot believe it actually fell on your head."
"Excuse me, but who's the one who caught the bouquet?"
"Ryou!" Jounouchi spluttered, "You were there - I did not catch those damn flowers!"
"Oh, shut up already and come here," Ryou grumbled softly as he reached out, fingers wrapping around the silk of his friend's crooked tie and using it as a means to pull him closer. Jounouchi tipped forward face first in an effort to avoid choking, effectively evening their heights enough for the shorter man to reach up and wind his arms around the blonde's neck. The faint blush that had appeared on Ryou's cheeks slowly deepened as warm hands found their way to his waist, and he had a moment to wonder how such heat was able to permeate through the layers of clothing before Jounouchi cut off the gap between their bodies.
As Jou started swaying slowly in time to the music, he muttered darkly, "... I'm going to kill them."
"Not before I get to them, you won't," Ryou muttered into Jou's shoulder.
From the sidelines of the dance floor, Yuugi and Honda grinned brightly at each other. "They look cute, don't they?"
"Mmhmm. But you do realize they're going to try to murder us the next chance they get, right?" Honda took a sip from his flute of champagne, observing all the happy couples dancing and feeling immensely proud.
"Of course. I'll just get Yami to deal with them, though."
"Yami looks a little busy."
That comment prompted the shorter of the two to turn his head, eyes glancing across the dance floor to find his yami. The wedded couple had now stopped dancing and stood pressed closely together, whispering in each other's ears amdist all the dancers in the middle of the floor. Again, they seemed lost in their own world, oblivious to the happenings around them.
The remaining measures of the final ballad dwindled off quietly, and amongst the silence, the DJ announced the beginning of faster, upbeat dance music, inviting guests to join in on the fun. Yami, who had been in the process of drawing Seto off of the dance floor, paused in mid-step and turned at the announcement. A Cheshire cat grin made its way onto his face as the DJ inserted a record into the player. A strong, steady bass thudded throughout the room, sending minute vibrations along their limbs as the music quickly struck up.
The desire for privacy was weakened in the face of and opportunity to tease Seto. Swaying fluidly with the beat, Yami pulled Seto closer to him by the collar of his shirt, enough to feel the heat between them but keeping their bodies at a measured distance. Their undulating hips brushed together lightly, the contact brief and limited. Seto knew too well of Yami's dancing patterns; they created tantalizing friction that was never enough to fully satisfy. The brunette let out a quiet breath as Yami twisted his hips swiftly in a particularly distracting pattern.
"You're such a tease," he growled softly into his husband's ear.
"And what of it?" Yami asked nonchalantly, opening his eyes to stare defiantly into deep blue pools. He shifted away minutely, opening enough space between their moving bodies to slip a hand downwards. His fingers wound up at the apex of Seto's legs, brushing against the growing hardness beneath the tuxedo pants teasingly, reveling in the slight gasp his lover made. "Remember what I said about your hormones?"
"Want to make something of it?"
Not too far away from where the married couple was stationed, Ryou and Jou danced.
At the end of the last song, Ryou let out a quiet sigh, either from disappointment or relief, he didn't know. They both came to a stop as the next song struck up, staring at each other awkwardly before the shorter man took the initiative and pulled away from his friend. His hands slipped off of Jou's shoulders and hung lifelessly at his sides as he struggled with what to say.
"Um, thanks for the dance..." he started hesitantly, uncertain of what to do in such a situation.
"Uh, yeah," Jounouchi replied, releasing the other's waist as he spoke.
"... I-I guess I'll see you later," Ryou fought down the blush that seemed all too ready to reclaim a position on his face. He stepped forward awkwardly, staring down somewhere in the general direction of the blond's chest before lifting his face quickly to place a shy kiss on his cheek. Then before Jou could give a reply, he had disppeared into the throng of gyrating bodies.
Jounouchi stood mystified on the dance floor for a good few seconds before he was able to gather his wits, stumbling off in a different direction to the one Ryou had taken. Touching the side of his face, as if trying to wheedle an answer out from the remembered memory of lips, he continued to walk aimlessly until someone grabbed the edge of his blazer.
"Hey, Jou! Where are you going?" Yuugi asked innocently.
"... Nowhere."
Ryou scanned the tables repeatedly, but couldn't find Bakura anywhere. Frustrated, he continued looking around the room before he caught the familiar sight of pale blond hair; the figure whom the hair belonged to was sitting by himself at the bar, downing alcohol like a fish. Hurrying over, Ryou shook Marik's shoulder to catch his attention.
"Marik!" Ryou attempted to raise his voice above the music, but failed rather miserably; instead, he opted to talk into the other's ear, "Where is my yami?"
Swiveling around in his seat, Marik raised an eyebrow as he finished another shot of whatever hard liquor he had ordered. He made a slight face as the alcohol burned down his throat before shaking his head as if to banish a rush. "Excuse... me?" The words were slightly slurred.
"Bakura! Where. Is. Bakura?!"
"Bakura... Bakura..." the other mused, rolling the syllables of the name around on his tongue as he fingered the empty glass, "I think... he went to go dance."
"Dance?!" Marik let out a rather uncharacteristic giggle at the expression on the young man's face.
"With my hikari."
"With Malik?!"
"My, my... Ryou-chan, you sound a little troubled," Marik murmured good-humoredly, "What's wrong with a little dancing between friends?"
The silver-haired man pulled at the other's arm, his actions contradicting his words, "I am not! Come on, I might need you to separate them."
"I don't see what you're so worried about... they're perfectly mature adults and can handle whatever it is they're handling."
Ryou really did not want to think upon just what his yami and the other's hikari might be handling at the moment. "Well, at least show me where they are."
Eyes, hazy with intoxication, scanned the dance floor absently before Marik smiled wickedly. "Over there," he pointed before slamming his shot glass back on the bar, signaling a refill. Warily, Ryou's eyes followed the line of Marik's arm out onto the floor, and what he saw made that accursed blush return in full force.
Bakura and Malik danced together on the edges of the crowd; though it could scarcely even be categorized as dancing whatever it was they were doing. Somehow, they had managed to slide their legs between each other's and were heartily grinding their pelvises together, arms clutching onto each other for support. Bakura's head was wedged somewhere in the crevasse between neck and shoulder on Malik's body, and it was a wonder what he was doing with the way the dark-skinned boy tossed his head back. But if the expression of rapture on his face was any indication, it must have been fairly enjoyable.
Marik chuckled absently as he brought his newly refilled shot glass up to his lips. "Now that's what I call hardcore grinding."
Oblivious to Ryou's current state, Jou and Yuugi stood aside conversing rather stiffly.
"So... Jou, what was that on the dance floor with Ryou, hmm?" Yuugi questioned, his eyes twinkling too much for comfort, "Perhaps there's something you're not telling us?"
Jounouchi narrowed his eyes and took an irritated swig out of a flute of champagne he had snagged, "Nice try, Yuugi. You probably scared the shit out of him."
"He needs to get out more," Yuugi answered easily, brushing the topic aside. Jou just continued his petulant glaring as the champagne slowly drained out of the glass. "So... first time getting kissed by - "
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Mm... right," Yuugi rolled his eyes at his friend before training his vision on the dance floor. His eyes suddenly widened and he blinked for a moment, speaking without turning away. "... Jou... you might want to... to not look behind you."
"I'm not falling for that again," the blond mumbled before whirling around. However, whatever he was expecting to say never made it out of his throat, seeing as his breath caught in his throat. Yuugi had to worry absently whether his eyes would pop out of his head with how wide they had opened. Then - "Oh my fucking god!"
The sight that had shocked the two young men so easily was that of Jou's younger sister in the midst of dancing. Perhaps the act alone would not have aroused such feelings of shock, but it was her choice of partners that had this interesting effect. The girl smiled meekly before shifting closer, pressing her body flush against the other's, hips swaying gently in time to the beat. Mai then took this opportunity to tighten her arms around the other woman's waist, hands sliding suggestively lower down her back as their hips found a matching rhythm.
Jou had quickly lost whatever color the alcohol had brought into his face. He just stared appalled at the scene before him before chugging the rest of the champagne in record time, promptly smacking himself repeatedly on the face with the flat of his palm. "This-" smack "is just-" smack "not-" smack "my fucking day, is it?"
Yuugi chuckled lightly and patted him genially on the back. "I'm sure Ryou'll be happy to cheer you up if you go find him."
Another strangled moan escaped the cowering blonde, who was muttering about how dysfunctional everyone was. Yuugi gave a sympathetic look at his best friend and wandered over to the bar, hoping a little strong alcohol might make Jounouchi loosen up. As he ordered two shots of raw tequila, his eyes came upon a strange sight. Marik, who was sipping a drink, had an arm casually draped across Ryou's waist; the pale boy had a bag of ice held between his eyes.
"Ryou! Are you okay? … The garter couldn't have hit you that hard!" Yuugi blurted, saying the first thing that came to mind.
A muffled groan just came from the other young man, who didn't even bring himself to answer.
"No, just a nosebleed," Marik answered, grinning wickedly, "It stopped a while ago – he just insisted to keep the ice over his face… don't see why. Ryou-chan's got a very pretty face."
"Shut up."
Yuugi laughed and gathered his drinks, not bothering to ask (the reason was probably dirty, knowing Marik) and returning to Jounouchi, who had not moved an inch.
"Hey, I got you something."
"Oh, good – is it a gun?" Jounouchi answered, sounding half-dead.
"No… it's alcohol."
"That'll work."
"I wonder where's Yami – we need to set out the wedding keepsakes… " Yuugi explained, referring to the small golden trinkets custom-made to resemble an arrow-shot heart – replaced by the Sennen Puzzle and Rod piercing through the other object. Yuugi stood up and scanned the dancing couples. As easy as it would be to find his counterpart because of his unique hairstyle, Yuugi swept over the floor twice and still couldn't find the wedded couple. "… I think they just bailed… "
"Wonderful," Jounouchi muttered into his sleeve.
The missing couple was now quietly making their way down the paved path that wound throughout the gardens in the back of the expansive mansion. However, their progress was becoming rather inhibited because of wandering hands.
"Dragon," Yami grumbled as he half-heartedly batted his husband's hand away from his legs; he let the lips linger along the side of his throat, though. "We need to get to the limo."
"Mm, true. Lube," Seto agreed as he nipped gently at the leaping pulse in his lover's neck. Yami stopped in the middle of a step, biting his lip before remembering that they had a destination. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the divided path, trying to remember which one lead to the garage and their private limo.
"Which way's the garage again?"
"Left," the brunette replied before gripping a slender wrist and turning Yami around to face him. Before a protest could leave the shorter man's lips, however, he was hoisted up in strong arms. To avoid falling due to lack of balance, he quickly wrapped his arms around Seto's neck, his legs soon mimicking the motion and crossing around the taller man's waist. The position caused their groins to press together, the sharp friction wringing groans from both men's throats.
Yami dropped his head against Seto's shoulder, letting the other man carry him along the path. The muscles of his thigh trembled faintly as he kept his legs locked tightly around Seto's hips, each step causing their pelvises to press teasingly together. "We're... never going to get to the bridal suite at this rate..."
"At least we'll be entertained."
"... Just walk, already."
TBC (by Shakster and CVE... I highly suggest joining the group if you love Seto/Yami pairings.)
Songs: Maria Mena's "You're the Only One", and LoneStar's "Amazed".
Special Thanks to: Futago no Seishi, whose fantastic writing is found on the website in my bio. She writes fantastic Yu-gi-oh stories (even though it was really because I wanted her to, XD), but she writes many fandoms and a lot of originals. It's good, I tell you. She beta-ed this entire chapter, and added details to bland places. She's an angel.
A/N: Review? ;