Chapter Six
I hate this chapter. I really do. It's pointless, bad, and ... I dunno. It's kind of necessary, and bloody long, but it sets the stage for my next bout of angst. There's not a whole lot in this chapter, except a bit of Jou-angst in his dying father's hospital room.
This chapter is longer than any previous ones, but I didn't want to split it into two chapters and make you suffer more.
Oh, and there is an OC in this chapter. Not a Mary Sue; I wouldn't do that to you. But I needed a female character aside from Shizuka, since Anzu's in New York, so bear with me. She won't show up again, and she won't have any sort of romantic involvement with anyone, don't worry.
Suki no Hikari: Thank you for reviewing! Always lovely to hear from a new reviewer, if not a new reader. I'm glad you liked Momiji's song ... it was just too cute to not put in! (sings along with you)
Kumori Sakusha: Thanks for the review! Glad you still like it!
mandapandabug: (stares at you) Can you read minds? Must be, 'cause I know I haven't told anyone where this story is going ... don't worry, Jou will have his angst. He's too pretty not to.
setokaibawheeler: Love the name, first of all. Second, thanks for reviewing! Here's the update, and the next chapter will be up sometime tomorrow!
Firey Charizard: Thank you for such a lovely review! I'm glad no one's upset that Seto's starting to open up a bit ... their romance if progressing slowly, but it'll take off pretty soon. Oh, and I like the collar too! XP
Rosalyn Angel: I love the album-scene thing too. I thought it was a little overdramatic, but that's how I wanted it. My Jonouchi-ese is the best you've seen? Wai! You have no idea how happy that makes me! I'm glad you think I'm writing Seto well--he's a bloody arrogant bastard, it's hard to make him all traumatized and keep him in character ... oh, and I'm also glad you moticed the Furuba cameo! Momiji rocks! I have a hat that looks like his bunny-form ... big red eyes and black-tipped ears!
And to my sleepy Cali-baka: thanks, as always, for being a faithful reviewer. Oh, and I'm glad you think I'm a master of comedy ... "Satire" just begged to be written. (hugs you)
Ah, and in case anyone cares ... the winner of this ten review's fanart is Rolasyn Angel ... I just asked my little brother to point to the screen (he can't read) and that's what he picked. Leave me a request in your review, my dear.
!! Scene Change !!
"Welcome to Kame—Seto!" Jonouchi jumped up, swung his long legs over the counter and hurled himself at Seto. "What're you doin' here?"
"Am I early?" Seto asked, patting Jou awkwardly on the back. "Pup, people are staring."
"Screw 'em," Jou said, waving a dismissive hand. Seto shook his head and stepped away from Jonouchi, putting a respectable distance between the two. "Hey now, don' be like dat."
"The last thing we need is media coverage of our relationship," Seto said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Really, mutt, you could be a little more discreet." He had to turn away to pretend he hadn't seen the crushing disappointment on Jou's face.
"Seto, how are we supposed t' date if I can't touch you?"
"I didn't realize physical intimacy was such a necessary part of ... ah ... dating." He sounded reluctant to even vocalize it.
Jou's hurt expression melted quickly into rage. "I didn' realize you were so ashamed a' me."
"No, it's not—" Seto broke off, shaking his head. He grabbed Jonouchi by the waist and pulled him close, kissing him gently. "I'm not ashamed of you."
Jou supposed he was expected to pretend he hadn't noticed Seto glancing around to see if anyone was watching. But he would take what he could get, and he cuddled closer to Seto. "My shift ends in twenty minutes," he said. "Just ... I dunno ... look around da shop or somethin'."
"It's a game shop," Seto muttered. "I make games for a living. Most of the stuff in here is mine." Jou gave him a mock-glare.
"Dere's some stuff in here dat isn' games." He gestured to a wall of anime DVDs and a few bookshelves stacked with manga. "Go read somethin'."
"I ... fine," Seto agreed. Jou waved him away as a customer tapped him on the shoulder.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes, I'm looking for ... "Seto stopped listening, and wandered toward the manga.
He hadn't read much manga. He never had time, and it always seemed so ... childish. Consequently, he had no idea what any of these titles were. "Okane ga Nai?" he questioned out loud, picking up the slim volume. The boy on the cover was pretty, but not as pretty as Jonouchi, he decided. He flipped through the manga. The art wasn't bad. (A/N: Okane ga Nai, for you poor uninformed yaoi fans, is the Japanese name of No Money, possibly the best yaoi manga ever. Go check it out if you haven't read it. Just a warning; it gets pretty hardcore very fast, thus Seto's reaction.)
He settled himself into a chair and began to read.
"Okay, Seto, I'm ready—what the hell're you readin'?" He glanced quizzically at Seto's flushed cheeks, his wide eyes, the look of complete panic and embarrassment on his face. "Seto?"
"I—thought—manga—was—for—kids—" he managed to stammer out.
Jou pried the book from Seto's nerveless fingers and laughed when he read the title. "Not dis one."
"I—noticed—" Seto said, sounding completely traumatized.
Jou arched an eyebrow at him and handed the book back. "You alright?"
"They—they—were—"
"Seto, dis is a yaoi manga. It says 'boy's love' on the front. That didn' clue you in at all?"
"I—I didn't—"
Jou sighed, shaking his head. "Come on, it's not dat bad."
"Not that bad?" Seto asked incredulously. "They should put a warning on that!"
"Dey did," Jonouchi said, flipping the book over. "Read da back."
Seto glanced at it. "Oh."
Jou snorted and ruffled his hair. "C'mon, let's go."
!! Scene Change !!
"Jou? What's the matter?" Yuugi looked up from the book he was reading. His friend had spent the last five minutes wearing a hole in Yuugi's apartment floor, pacing back and forth, and had just collapsed into a chair. "You seem upset." He snapped the book closed.
"It's Seto," Jou intoned at the ceiling, head thrown back against the chair.
"What happened?"
"He freaks out ev'ry time I try t' touch 'im in public," Jou said. "If he wasn' gay, I'd think he was homophobic." Jou sat up. "What should I do?"
"Well, you've only been dating a month," Yuugi said. "Maybe he thinks you're taking things too fast?"
Jou fingered his collar, a nervous habit he'd developed. "I don' mean like makin' out wit' 'im. I mean he won' even let me hug 'im. Says he doesn' want media coverage."
"Oh," Yuugi said, nodding his head. "That makes sense."
"Hunh?"
Yuugi laughed; his friend really was cute when he was confused. "Seto's spent his whole life in the media spotlight," he explained. "It's a rare week when there isn't at least one article in a newspaper somewhere about him. Can you imagine how bad it would be if the press got wind of your relationship?"
"I'd hardly call it a relationship. We've had dinner what, four times?" Jou sighed, running a hand through his already-mussed blonde hair. "You sayin' I'm bad fer business?"
"Not ours," Yuugi assured him with a smile. "By the way, thanks for filling in for ... what was her name?"
"Akani, I think." Jou shrugged. "No problem."
"Anyways, about Seto. I think you should just take things slowly, let him get used to the idea of dating a man—"
"He's gay!"
"—and let him deal with the media aspect," Yuugi continued, ignoring Jou. "He'll be fine.
!! Scene Change !!
It was ironic that that particular conversation sprung into his head at that exact moment. Jou crossed his arms firmly over his chest. "No."
"Mutt, come on."
"No."
"You're acting like a spoiled child."
Jou glared at Seto.
"What do I have to do, beg?"
"Entertaining as dat would be, it's not gonna help."
"Come on, it's not like anything will happen. Nanashi-san's my secretary, for God's sake." Seto wrapped his arms around his puppy's waist, nuzzling his throat. Jou didn't relax into the embrace like he normally did; he remained stiff and immobile.
"Why the hell're you going to dinner wit' her den?"
"Because I need a date for the executive dinner."
This was entirely the wrong thing to say. Jou shoved him roughly away, copper eyes sparking into angry flames. "What, you're not dating me? I'm not good enough?"
Seto winced as Jou turned his back, every pore radiating discontent. "No, that's not what I meant—"
"What did you mean den, Kaiba?"
Shit. He's calling me Kaiba. Very, very bad sign. "I just don't think it would go over too well if it got out that I was dating a ..." He broke off.
"A man?" Jou whirled around. "You think it would be bad for business if the newspapers found out you were dating a man? Is that what you're trying so hard not to say?" Jou was furious, Kaiba noted. His accent was gone again. "Maybe I should solve your problem for you, Kaiba! I'll save you from ever having to date this man again!" He grabbed his jacket and stalked towards the door.
"Jou—"
"Save it, Kaiba! I don't want to hear it!" Jou slammed the door, and Seto could clearly hear his footsteps crunching in the last of the winter snow.
"Fine!" Seto hollered at his retreating back. "I don't need this, mutt! I don't need you!" The brunette collapsed on his couch, burying his hands in his hair. Well, he'd managed to fuck that up pretty thoroughly.
"Moku—" he called, before remembering that Mokuba wasn't here, that he'd gone back to school. He was looking forward to Mokuba graduating; he was sick of being alone in this house.
That was cause for worry. He'd always preferred solitude to company. What was the matter with him?
He picked up the phone and dialed Mokuba's dorm room.
Ring.
Ring.
Come on, I need to talk to you, Seto thought.
Ring.
"Moshi moshi?"
"Who the hell is this?" Seto snapped rudely, not precisely meaning to. That was definitely not his little brother.
"Seto! How nice to hear from you!"
"Otogi? What are you doing in my brother's dorm? And how did you know it was me?"
"I could recognize your dulcet tones anywhere, my darling," Otogi relied in an overly-dramatic tone of voice.
"Mokuba finally got caller ID, huh?"
Otogi laughed. "Yeah. And as for what I'm doing here ... I'll tell you when you're older."
Seto snorted. "Put Mokuba on."
"Sorry love, Mokuba's ... otherwise occupied at the moment. A bit harder, would you?" he asked, obviously not talking to Seto. "Ahn ... yeah, that's it ... mmm ... " he moaned.
Seto glared at the phone, as if it, and not Otogi, was the cause of his sudden nausea.
"Ryuji!" He heard Mokuba in the background, then what sounded like a brief scuffle, then Mokuba picked up the phone. "Hey, nii-chan."
"I don't want to know," Seto said. "If this is a bad time, I'll call back."
"No," Mokuba said, and he could imagine his brother glaring at Otogi. "I was giving Otogi—"
"I said I didn't want to know!"
"—a back massage," Mokuba finished. "What were you thinking?" He was toying with his brother, and Seto knew it.
"Never mind. I need advice."
"Lemme guess. It's about Jou."
"Yes."
"What happened? Hold on—"He held the receiver away from his mouth, although Seto could still hear quite clearly. "Otogi, leave my pants alone. Sorry," he said, returning to the conversation with his brother. "So—"
"I think I fucked up," Seto admitted, leaning back into the couch.
"Not surprising. I'm glad you made it this far without a fight. What happened?"
"I told him I was taking Nanashi-san to the executive dinner with me, and he got mad."
"Well, duh," Mokuba said. "What'd you go and do that for?"
"Because I needed a date?" Seto asked, knowing full well how lame his logic sounded.
"You're dating Jonouchi,"
"I can't take him to a executive dinner."
"Why not?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because it'll be swarming with reporters?"
"You didn't tell him that?" Mokuba asked, aghast.
"Of course I did. Why?"
"Oh, nii-chan ... "
!! Scene Change !!
"Hey, Dad," Jonouchi said, easing into his father's room and closing the door behind him. "How're ya doin'?"
Jonouchi Kakuei made no reply.
He was asleep, Jou hoped, and not dead, lying on a narrow hospital cot, covered in a spiderweb of wires and tubes, running to various machines that were, most likely, all that kept him alive. Jou pulled up an oh-so-comfortable plastic chair and sat in it, taking his father's hand.
It hurt, seeing how much Kakuei had deteriorated in the last few months. Kakuei had always been big, not fat but strong, powerful. A sharp contrast to his skinny, pretty son. Jou's lips twitched in a wry smile. Kakuei had always been ashamed of his son's bishounen-like good looks.
But the hand that Jonouchi clutched to his chest wasn't the heavy fist he remembered slamming into the side of his head so many times as a child. It was pale, fragile, an old man's hand. The skin hung loose and slack, the knobby fingers curled inward, as if his father didn't even have the strength to keep them open.
"I think I get it now," Jou said quietly, perfectly aware that his father couldn't hear him. What he had to say needed to be said, even if Kakuei wasn't aware of it. "Why you used t' drink all da time. Why you hit me."
His father hadn't precisely been the abusive drunk that everyone made him out to be (A/N: coughchokeFANFICAUTHORScough). Sure he had problems with alcohol, and yeah, he roughed Jou up a bit when he was really wasted. But the next morning Jou would always wake up in his own bed, no matter where he'd collapsed the previous night, bandaged and clean, with a bowl of steaming miso soup on his nightstand and a letter of apology from his father.
In short, Kakuei wasn't a terrible father.
But Jou in his teen years, being young and angry, had become bitter, spending more and more time away from home, virtually living with his gang. He remembered countless times Kakuei trying to apologize, only to have Jou slam the door in his face, screaming that he was a horrible father, that he wished Kakuei was dead, and pretending he hadn't seen his father's face fall.
Eventually Jou left, and Kakuei stopped trying.
"I ... think I understand. You really loved Mom, didn' ya? It hurt when she left, and you couldn' handle dat. And then da lawyers, makin' me live wit' you ... I was so angry about dat. But I neva stopped t' think how bad it hurt you to look at me and see Mom's face, Mom's hair, Mom's eyes. Shizuka woulda been better off livin' wit' you ... maybe you wouldn' a' drank so much if it weren' for me." Jonouchi bowed his head. "I'm gonna miss ya, old man."
He wiped away the tears prickling at his eyes with his jacket sleeve, sniffling. "I know what it feels like now," he confessed with a small, nervous smile. "I know what it's like t' love someone so much dat it hurts, righ' here—"he clutched at his heart. "an' dey don't want you around." A tear wound its way down his cheek. "But I think we're gonna work through dis," he said. "I hope.
"I know you were neva comfortable wit' me datin' other guys." That was the understatement of the century; Jou still remembered the beating he'd gotten when Kakuei had caught him making out with his then-boyfriend on the couch. "Guess I shoulda told you. Maybe you wouldn' a' been so shocked. But I was scared, Dad. Maybe you can understand dat? I was afraid dat you would throw me out. Dat you wouldn't love me anymore. I know we neva talked about it again after dat, and I started datin' girls, jus' t make you happy. I wanted you to be proud a' me.
"But now—I can' pretend I'm straight anymore, Dad. I've found someone I maybe wanna spend my life with—and it's a guy.
"You know him. Ev'ryone knows him. I'm datin' Kaiba Seto," he said, rolling the unfamiliar words on his tongue with a juvinile sense of pride. "He's not a bad guy, Dad. I think you'd like 'im. He's so different than I firs' thought, though. I hated 'im when I firs' met 'im. He was cocky, arrogant, cold ... in short, he was a complete asshole.
"But I stayed at his place over Christmas, and I found out a lot about 'im. He was abused when he was a kid. Not like me, his stepfather was much worse den you could eva be. You neva woulda let anyone rape me, but dat's what Seto's stepfather did. He let his employees rape his son." Jonouchi shuddered.
"An' now—Seto's scared, and he doesn' want t' admit it. I think I dragged up a lot a' painful memories dat he'd rather forget. I didn' mean to, but I want him to get better and hidin' everythin' won' help.
"He told me today dat he's goin' to dinner wit' a girl, and he doesn' see anything wrong wit' it. He needs a date for his company's executive dinner. It's not like I really wanted to go or anythin', but it kinda hurts dat he didn' even ask."
Jou jumped when he heard the door click closed behind him. "Shizuka!"
"Onii-chan!" She hugged him tightly around the waist.
"How much a' dat did you—I mean, I wasn'—I didn' think anyone was dere."
"Is it true, onii-chan? You're really dating Kaiba? Mokuba told me, but I didn't believe him!"
"Yeah, it's true. I think." Jou cast a forlorn look at his father's slumberin body. "I wanted to tell Dad, but he's sleepin'."
"I think he heard you," Shizuka said, laying a hand on her brother's shoulder.
"Nah. If he'd a' heard me, he'd be yellin' about how no son a' his is gonna grow up t' be a fag. Little late now," Jou said with a grin, though his heart wasn't in it.
"Oh, onii-chan, he'll be alright. He just wants you to be happy."
"Think so?" Jou asked, clenching his father's hand. "Maybe he does."
"I know so. Now come on, we're going shopping."
Jou blinked. "What?"
Shizuka grinned. "Well, you don't have anything suitable for a formal dinner, now do you? Come on, before the stores close!" She grabbed Jou's hand, pulling her startled brother to his feet.
"But—I'm not goin'."
"Oh, yes you are! Mokuba called me, and he said that Seto felt really bad about your fight, and that he tried to call you but you left your cell at his house." Jou frowned and patted his pockets. She was right.
"Ah, damn," he said. "What if Yuug tries t' call?"
"Look, Yuugi can run the store by himself. He did it before you stated working there. He'll be fine."
"So, Seto seriously said he wants t' take me?"
More or less, Shizuka thought. "Yep!" she replied. It was a good thing her brother was so gullible.
Jou grinned. "What're we waitin' for?" He kissed his father on the forehead. "Bye, Dad. Love ya."
Shizuka ushered him out of the room, pausing to giver her father a wink. "You alright, Dad?"
Kakuei opened his eyes. "Better than I've been in a while."
"Shizuka! What're you waiting for?" Jou was already halfway down the hall.
"You're not angry?"
"He's so happy, it's hard to be upset. I'm not angry."
Shizuka smiled. "Bye, Dad."
"Goodbye, Shizuka."
!! Scene Change !!
"That looks good on you, onii-chan."
"I look like some sorta game show host." Jou winced when he glanced at the price tag. "It's expensive."
"Oh, come on, onii-chan. I know you've got more money that most people will ever see in their lifetimes. Kame isn't exactly a suffering business."
Jou grinned. "Yeah," he agreed. "But I'm so used t' bein' poor that it hurts t' pay dis much for a suit."
"Well, you need one. You're a successful business owner. Start dressing like one." She handed him a green silk tie. "Here, put this on."
He glanced down at the tie in despair. "Shizuka ... I don' know how."
She stifled a laugh. "You've never worn a tie before?"
"Not for years," he answered, looping the material around his neck. "An' even den, I had Anzu or Ryou do it for me."
"That's kind of sad," she said, surveying her brother's near-success at choking himself. "I don't know how to do it either."
He growled and untangled the tie. "I'll jus' have Seto tie it."
"No!" Shizuka yelled without meaning to. He doesn't even know you're coming, if you show up and ask him to tie your tie he'll probably choke you with it! "Here, I'll get a salesperson to do it."
!! Scene Change !!
"Shizuka ... where are we?"
"Nanashi-san's house, of course!" Jou blinked. Seto's secretary? Why were they—oh, shit.
"You and Mokuba planned dis all along, didn' you?"
Shizuka froze, trying to keep her expression blank. "W—why would you think that, onii-chan?"
"Because you're an awful liar?" He shook his head. "Shizuka, are you nuts? Please, tell me dis was all Mokuba's idea."
"Well, sort of," she admitted, avoiding her brother's eyes. "I mean, he did call me, I wasn't lying about that. And Seto did feel bad about your fight."
"But you tol' me—!"
"No, onii-chan," she said, grinning roguishly, in an unconscious imitation of her brother. "I never told you he wanted you to go. Not really. I jut sort of ... let you assume the best."
"...You're lucky I love you," Jou growled, running nervous fingers through his golden hair.
"Stop that, you're messing it up." Shizuka poked and prodded his hair back in place, giving him and admonishing glare.
"Shizuka, I can' ... "Jou blushed. "Look, I can' just show up and expect him t' ... Nanashi-san would probably be pissed at me, makin' her miss her chance to date Seto ... "
"On the contrary, my dear," an unfamiliar voice said, "I'm more than happy to help."
Jou whirled around. A thin, pretty brunette woman lounged in the doorway, hazel eyes sparkling behind fashionable glasses. She was wearing casual clothes, jeans and a sweatshirt, and her hair was unbound, flowing about her shoulders. Jou hadn't been to Seto's office many times, and she looked different without her work clothes and makeup, but he was pretty sure that this was the infamous Nanashi-san. "Pleased to meet you, Jonouchi-kun" she said, bowing politely.
He bowed back. "I apologize for my sister," he said. "She overreacts sometimes ... I should be goin' ... "
"Don't be ridiculous, Jonouchi-kun. Do you prefer Katsuya?"
"Jonouchi's fine, thanks. Or even Jou. Really, Nanashi-san, I appreciate your concern, but—"
"But nothing, dear," she said. "Please, come inside. Who did your hair? Good Lord, we've got some work to do. And not much time. He's picking me up in half an hour." She clapped her hands. "Project!"
Jou had the good sense to be alarmed.
!! Scene Change !!
"No."
"Come on, you need something to accent those gorgeous eyes." Nanashi was having entirely too much fun dressing Jou; she'd already managed to "casually" arrange his suit, the translation being that the pants were too low on his hips to be decent and the shirt was partially unbuttoned ("Got to show off that pretty ... uh ... collar?").
"Onii-chan, she's right."
"I. Am. Not. Wearin'. Eyeliner."
"At least some mascara? Come on, it's waterproof."
Nanashi had just managed to make the top of Jou's hit list. "I said no!"
"And I'm not taking that for an answer." She gestured to Shizkua. "Hold him still."
"Wha? You're fucking kidding me—ow!" His dear, sweet sister hand grabbed double handfuls of his precious hair, effectively stilling him. His eyes watered. "Shizuka, dat hurts ... "
"So let me put the makeup on you, pretty-boy," Nanashi said with a grin.
"You're a sick, sick woman," Jou sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Fine. Shizuka, lay off the hair." She released him. "Do your damndest," he told Nanashi.
"I intend to."
!! Scene Change !!
"Nanashi-san? Why aren't you dressed?" Seto stood awkwardly in the doorway, peering around as if he expected another, fully-dressed Nanashi-clone to appear, perhaps from a closet or something.
"You look lovely, sir," she said, waving him in. "Please. Welcome to my humble abode. Have a seat."
"Nanashi-san, I really don't have time—"
"I said have a seat," she commanded. Seto was strongly reminded of the old adage, "hell hath no fury like a heavenly maiden." Nanashi-san frightened him sometimes.
Needless to say, Seto sat.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to make it tonight, sir," Nanashi-san apologized, looking for all the world the very picture of apology. "I did, however, manage to secure a date for you at the last moment. I hope that won't be a problem?"
"But—"
"I knew you'd understand." She smiled at him. "Shizuka?"
Shi—do I know her? Wait, that's the mutt's sister, isn't it? I can't date his sister!
Shizuka opened the door leading directly to Nanashi's bedroom. "Ta-da!" she exclaimed.
Seto was very, very confused. There were two women in the apartment, neither of which were dressed for a formal dinner, and he was dangerously close to being late. "Is this some sort of joke? Nanashi-san, I expected better of you." Seto got to his feet. "I have to leave."
"Wait," Nanashi protested. "We worked so hard on this, and you haven't even seen your date yet! Jou-kun, come out dear."
Oh, no. Oh hell no.
He couldn't take Jonouchi. There was no way; the press would be all over him. It could destroy his reputation. His life. Everything he'd worked so hard for.
But damn the puppy looked sexy.
The black suit appeared to have been made for him, clinging perfectly to every subtle curve and angle, the black silk shirt unbuttoned just enough to reveal his slim throat and the collar hanging around it. His deep green tie was loosened casually, the jacket hanging nicely on his shoulders. He shuffled his feet nervously, avoiding Seto's gaze as if he was embarrassed.
"Pup ... you ... look ... is that makeup?"
Jou flushed. "It wasn' my idea."
The makeup only accented Jou's clearly non-Japanese looks, making him appear more exotic than he ever had. If he was pretty before, he was gorgeous now. His eyes were lined in black kohl, his golden eyelashes tipped with black mascara. His lips glimmered with a pale pearl sheen, making them that much more tempting.
"You—uh—" Seto was stammering and he knew it.
"I know I look stupid," Jou snapped. "Can we just pretend I don' look like a teenage girl?"
"No, it—uh—looks nice." Seto rubbed the back of his neck, obviously unused to giving compliments.
Jou gave him a bewildered look. "You're a strange one, Kaiba."
"Come on, kids, you're going to be late!" Nanashi chirped, ushering them out the door. "Have fun!"
They exchanged startled looks as she slammed the door on them. "So ... "Jou said, offering Seto his arm. "Shall we?"