A/N: I'm so happy that I split this chapter into two parts. Because part II is like a million pages long. Brace yourself readers for the full impact of my 20 paged chapter of nonsense! If you don't like uber long chapters full of flowery details, then TURN BACK NOW. Obsessed fangirls, realization, denial, the horrors of cafeteria food and an amateur attempt of SWAT action, it's all in here. And oh yeah, a touching scene under a cherry tree and the falling of autumn leaves. (DA SAPPINESS! XD You should read that scene while listening to a lovey dovey song...it'll cover up my pathetic attempt at romance and will actually make it sound :gasp: ROMANTIC! ho!) Embrace the FLUFF peoples.
Kudos to my reviewers from last chapter. If any of you peoples have a xanga, I would so prop you a million times. You guys are my saving grace!
And once again be gentle in your criticism and excuse my grammatical errors (I'm only an innocent newbie in the big world of fanfiction :meep: Don't shoot me down—). I redid this chapter so many times that I completely LOATHE it at this moment...
Disclaimer: Kindly do not remind me that I do not own Yugioh. Ah, too late. Reality has settled in.: sob:
Chapter 3: The Art of Escorting
Part II
Yami was in absolute shock. In fact, he was utterly horrified. At upon entering the many intertwining and jumbled hallways of the school, he had been fully impacted; face first, with the complete brunt of Japan's all out "adolescent lifestyle." Yells and screams bubbled up in the narrow hallways, as rowdy troublemakers shouted out dim-witted comments and proceeded to laugh at their own so-called ingenious commentary. Girls had managed to hoist up their skirts to an almost impossible length, flaunting bare legs and knee-length socks as they continued to wink and giggle at passing males. Numerous colored dyes ranging from hot pink to mellow yellow blossomed forth, while bizarre hair fashions peppered the hallway, hair styles that would have put Yami's own unique tri-colored mop to pure shame. And at practically every single corner or dark crevice dwelt an inseparable couple, who seemed to be completely fastened to each other. Lips, faces, and other body parts attached to one another as if the owner's life depended on it, Yami wouldn't have been surprised if he had discovered the sticky remnants of Elmer's handy-dandy super glue upon the many lovebirds "bonding" in Domino High. The Ex-Pharaoah did not understand how any sane being alive in this world could be so…flamboyant in their affections. Ughh, he could even hear them; loud and clear.
He would have never guessed it, but in only a matter of weeks, the Ex-Pharaoh would soon find himself joining the numerous "spit-swappers" that he had previously loathed with all his soul. For as they say, irony is a very fickle thing.
The sharp edge of a binder shoved into Yami's shoulder for the umpteenth time, producing a well-earned wince from the shorter boy. Ughh! That is the last time…! Rubbing his shoulder, the crimson eyed student was about to yell out an inappropriate comment of his own when his clumsy passerby automatically disappeared into the animated crowd of high school teenagers.
He was quite the fortunate student, for you see, Yami did not enjoy being assailed and assaulted by binders and bulky backpacks. If he had remained and loitered around, the careless student would have been faced with the almighty wrath of a 5000 year old Ex-Pharaoh. An extremely pissed off, bruised, and vengeful 5000 year old Ex-Pharaoh to be precise; which would definitely not be the prettiest of all things. Yami, if put to the test, could become quite a scary sight.
But such was not the time for mind-crushing and aggravated Pharaohs, so Yami simply settled with ranting. And if truth be told, he was damn good at it.
"By Ra, the indecency of some of these people in this school! These students should really learn a little something called manners!" frowned Yami furiously, sounding very much like a disapproving grandparent, prude and old-fashioned to the tips of their wizened hairs. As he stared at the solid mass of students his eyes settled on a particular group of females, chatting diligently away in high pitched squeals as they twirled around incessively, the folds of their skirts swaying back and forth.
Once again Yami was shocked.
"Girls these ages shouldn't be wearing such skirts like that!" he chided. "And in the middle of fall for crying out loud! Aren't they the least bit cold? And for goodness sake, just LOOK at that amount of cleavage showing! For shame!"
Seto raised an eyebrow as he surveyed the fiery youth in amusement. "I never knew that such a person like you could be so hypocritical Yami."
The crimson eyed duelist faltered in his brisk steps and raised a defensive look towards the tall brunette. "Me? A hypocrite?" announced Yami accusingly. "Do explain."
Seto's blue eyes coolly flicked up and down Yami's body, unhurried gaze tracing the contours of the slender boy's body. Yami shifted uncomfortably, just the slightest bit unnerved by the prolonged look, which every now and then lingered on a few pin-point sections.
From the moment he had set eyes on his rival in Duelist Kingdom, to the instant he had stepped through the entrance of their classroom, Seto had always been intrigued by the fiery duelist's sense of style. A tanglement of intricate belts and collars lining the silhouette of the leather clad body, he admit that he had never seen anything quite like it before. While some would call the outfit kinky or even remotely gothic, the CEO had only one possible word for the controversial attire: alluring. The supple leather was a perfect accompaniment for his rival. It was tight and close-fitting, hell, if the brunette hadn't known better he would have assumed the material to be the actual skin of the tri-colored hair boy. Combine this absolutely scandalous outfit, with a body commendable of praise, and the result would be devastatingly attractive. Which was such the case with Yami. The Ex-Pharaoah had quite possibly; if not "the" most gorgeous body the billionaire had ever set his eyes on. Lithe and slender, the leather only managed to accentuate the sumptuous curves and taunting flesh that lay underneath the snug material. He had traveled to almost countless numbers of nations and countries around the world, from the exotic lands of the Middle East, to the stylish cities of Paris, Madrid, and Aix-en-Provence. And never…NEVER had he encountered a being as remotely appealing as the young man standing before him.
Seto moistened the tip of his tongue at the overwhelming thought that had arisen from the subconscious part of his mind. How many times had he fantasized about the duelist? He had lost count over the few years, there were simply too many to keep track of.
The young CEO wouldn't necessarily call himself obsessed. He found the word invariably disturbing, one that was often associated with mind-crazed lunatics and rapists; a lower level that he had no wish of comparing himself with. He instead preferred the word infatuated or even the expression of fascination. Though all the words in the end had the same basic meaning, that he was completely fixated with the red-eyed duelist. And it did not help that the Ex-Pharaoh's physical features, along with his superb body, were downright stunning.
But it was, above all things, his eyes, those unfathomable almond-shaped eyes that drew the brunette towards Yami. Such color, such intensity! That enticing shade of crimson constantly beckoned him, drew him in with ferocious passion. He was like a moth, beating its light wings ever so closely to the tantalizing glow of a burning flame. He was helpless to stop the nature of this force and even if he could have halted it, Seto did not think he would've even given the thought of abandonment with the slightest amount of consideration.
Words could not simply begin to describe his exquisite rival. If there was one word that held even the slightest amount of accuracy for the Ex-Pharaoh, it would have been this:
Perfect.
Despite the CEO's fascination with the Ex-Pharaoh, years upon years of dealing with corporate officials within the business world had placed an almost permanent mask of apathy upon his face. Veiling his most inner emotions was a skill that came almost as easily as breathing. A façade of lethargy situated itself onto his face faster than he could even recall.
"Cleavage you say?" repeated Seto amusingly. He gestured towards the tight-fitting uniform endowed upon the crimson-eyed boy. "The uniform you're wearing at this moment is quite possibly even more outrageous than anything those girls will ever wear."
Yami looked puzzled. "Outrageous?"
Seto Kaiba decided to be blunt. "You're uniform." He gesticulated once again. "It's freaking tight as hell."
One could not possibly have made the statement as incredibly direct as that. That's Seto Kaiba for you. No nonsense and straightforward.
How typical.
Yami once again turned a most brilliant shade of red and unintentionally fingered the collar of his shirt. Is it really that noticeable? He felt extremely self-conscious right now. Walking around in an extra tight uniform in a perverse school such as this one was not the smartest of all ideas. Things like that usually spelled out trouble.
"It's not my fault!" blushed Yami as he attempted to explain his unique attire. "Yugi said that the school didn't have my size, so he just got the one closest to it…" He frowned. And his aibou just had to pick the one that was a size too small. He would have been so much happier if his light had chosen an outfit that was bigger. Frightening thoughts of eccentric stalkers and hormonal-driven teenagers raced through his mind. He had enough experience of those type of people already.
Poor, unfortunate, and ill-fated Yami. Doomed to be forever fondled and molested for the rest of his days. That's what you get for being gorgeous; for such a crime it was.
"Ughh! Just fantastic…you know what? Who's in charge of the uniform distribution around here anyway? I'm going to give that bastard a good kick in the you-know-what! It is his sworn job and duty that uniforms of all possible sizes should be at availability at all times! The man should be fired for shirking his duties! Maybe a hundred years as a zucchini in the Shadow Realm might— "
The words trailed off into silence when Yami noticed that Seto was trembling slightly. It took only a moment to realize that the young CEO was…
Laughing.
Seto Kaiba, the Seto Kaiba, the man who was thought to have liquid nitrogen instead of blood within his veins, the cold business man who would've crushed his opponents with a single swipe of his hand, the very same duelist who had repeatedly rejected all possible forms of friendship, was actually laughing. Or something that was perhaps close to it. He had raised a hand to run through his mahogany locks and had stopped; eyes shut and an amused smile apparent upon the smooth features of his face. His entire form was quivering as if the CEO was suddenly besieged by some minor earthquake felt only by him.
Yami was at a total loss for words, and it was for good reason. Seeing the blue-eyed man actually being capable of demonstrating a form of gaiety was like watching the sun explode into countless numbers of miniscule particles. Such a thing never happened in the course of ones life; at least until now. Though let's just hope the sun didn't suddenly change its mind and decide to annihilate all life on Earth with its detonation. Such an action would be best carried out in a million years or so.
The Ex-Pharaoh hesitantly smiled at the unexpected outburst. It was a refreshing change from the usual stony silence that hovered between the two students. The slight laughter served as an imaginary bridge that somehow broke through the tacit barrier that had been erected. Cocking his head slightly to the right, Yami studied the angular face of the young CEO. The unanticipated smile that had emerged did wonders to the billionaire's former cold visage. It almost made him look…innocent.
A thought flicked through the spirit's mind.
You know…when he's smiling, he's actually quite charming.
He could now almost see why Kaiba was nominated as one of Japan's top 10 hottest bachelors. Yes, even an isolated 5000 year old spirit was able to find this little tid-bit of info; it was quite hard to miss, seeing as the billionaire's picture was posted in every-single-possible-published-teen magazine known in the entire world. Yes, the Ex-Pharaoh could almost grasp the reason.
Almost.
If only the young CEO were less arrogant, not quite as sarcastic and more of a sociable person. If only, if only…
If only—what…?
A pause. Then silence.
He would…
I don't know.
It seemed that the outcome of that phrase would forever go unheard, for it appeared that the time was ripe for yet another interesting event. Mischief seemed to follow the young Pharaoh in the most amusing of forms. The lucky spirit.
The crimson-eyed boy started as he felt terribly warm and smooth hands move against the skin of his face. Tremendously warm; he could feel the heat simply radiate off the lithe fingers of its lean owner. By Ra, they burned with an unknown intensity.
Seto Kaiba had leaned in closer and taken advantage of the slender boy's current pre-occupation with his jumbled thoughts. As one of the world's most successful business man, he had learned when to make the best of certain opportune moments. It seemed like this particular instance was one of those times. And Seto Kaiba was not someone about to waste such a precious occasion; an incident, in the CEO's opinion, that was quite possibly as rare as pure gold.
Agile fingers traced the graceful curve of the Ex-Pharaoh's face. Nimbly, delicately and ever so softly, the brunette applied the slightest amount of pressure as he outlined his long sought treasure. He leaned in; his normally harsh and callous voice melding into an almost husky and low tenor, articulation elegantly intertwined within the individual words that breathed forth from his parted lips.
"Yami, I never knew…"
Fingers trailed the contour of delicate cheekbones.
"…that you could be so…"
Lower and lower they fell.
"…goddamn amusing."
They paused at the slight flush of separated lips. The long digits hovered over them in almost longing desperation, lingering and halting briefly for the shortest millisecond. Then the hesitation was over, and the lean brunette pushed a single finger against the entrance of his rival's lips. There was a suspension as the Ex-Pharoah faltered. But then the turbulent zeal of a nameless emotion took over whatever sense Yami had originally possessed and he consented to the intrusion against the entrance of his lips.
They parted.
For a split instant, all Seto could experience was the sheer warmth of his opponent's mouth.
Good god, the wetness.
A possessive gleam arose forth within the depths of his usually stoic eyes. Wrenching his fingers from the red-eyed beauty, Seto forcibly took the soft curve of his rival's chin and tilted it upwards, other hand harshly, yet at the same time tenderly, grasping onto the back of the slender boy's head.
Breath against breath.
Hot, searing, wet—
Just a centimeter away…
They were unbelievably close.
Just a little...further.
There was a slight shuffle.
Crash. Bang. BOOM.
Yami jumped, clouded-mind snapping out of hypnosis and into stark awareness as he tore himself from Seto's arms. Mentally cursing a million obscene comments at the speed of light, Seto whirled around to confront the cause of the unwanted interruption. No, unwanted was an understatement. The billionaire was literally incensed beyond all hell on earth. Pity was to be felt for all the unfortunate souls that happened to be the object of rage in Seto's fury. The CEO's wrath was almost legendary, if you even managed to slightly tick off the lean brunette, his anger would be unbelievably traumatizing. It was a guaranteed promise that you would walk away petrified and completely scarred for life. It was a situation that all would dearly hope to avoid at all possible causes.
And Seto Kaiba was well ready to send whatever insignificant low-life mortal to hell and back again a thousand times. And knowing him, it would be 100 percent possible; the billionaire would definitely carry out the action flawlessly.
For he had been so close.
So. God. Damn. Close.
Seto truly thought that a certain someone "up there" genuinely hated his existence. It was only logical. This was completely UNFAIR. He felt cheated, like a whiny baby that had been partaken of his scrumptious lollipop. Damn it, he wanted his lollipop back.
Two pairs of eyes immediately turned around. One a furious shade of cobalt. Another a scarlet tint misted over with an unspoken sentiment.
One narrowed in well-cloaked disbelief. Another widened in shock.
For there, laying in a neat little pile of arms and legs, were the four figures of Yugi, Jou, Anzu, and Honda.
No WAY.
Rubbing the soles of their feet and the side of their heads, Yugi, Anzu and Honda proceeded to look up at the duo and smile a sheepish grin. Jounouchi simply settled with glaring.
Good heavens, how am I ever supposed to explain this to Yami? thought Yugi blankly. Looking at the chilly gleam of the CEO's eyes he ruminated, Or more importantly, how am I suppose to explain it to him.
"We are SO following them!"
"Dude, like NO we're not."
"Like yes we are!"
"Nah ah ah!"
"Good grief…"
Jounouchi and Honda were in the middle of a heated argument. The golden-haired boy was dead set upon following the rapidly retreating forms of the two rivals. Normally, Jou would've never even thought of attempting to follow the proud CEO. A person could've offered the blonde a million dollars and still it would have been for naught. He hated him and vice versa; it was as simple as that. The feeling was quite mutual, a rare something that the two conflicting students actually shared with one another. To Jou, he would never understand what the majority of the girls in the school found so appealing about the cold brunette. For that was what he was. Cold. A human-shaped ice-cube. THE Icecube in fact.
But the CEO had taken Yami with him and if there was one thing that Jou cared about most in the world, it was his friends. The blonde may be stubborn, clueless or even a tad-bit dense at times but these faults were immediately overshadowed by his undaunting sense of loyalty. It was a streak of chivalry that many found surprising; one never expected to find such a shimmering trait within the dawdling youth. Combine this with Jou's head-strong stubbornness and he was UNSTOPPABLE. This moment just happened to be the perfect time for the blonde to demonstrate his awesomeness. Nothing in the entire world could've prevented him from going after the two opponents, but that didn't stop Honda from trying.
"Dude! I'm telling you to just leave the two of them alone!"
"Are you kidding me Honda? Leave Yami with that self-centered jerk over there? That's like letting a 5000 pound hippo squish you to death!"
"5000 pound hippo? What does that have to do with…Oh scratch that! Jou! Kaiba's just showing Yami around the school. How bad could that be?"
"How bad, how bad?" bellowed Jounouchi as he grabbed Honda by the collar. "Yo, are you telling me that you actually trust Mr. Icecube with Yami? Last time I checked, he wasn't the most trustworthy guy out there. Hell, last time I saw him, he and Yami weren't the best of friends either. Do you know what they are? Huh, huh? They're freaking RIVALS. That's hardcore man! That Kaiba could've drugged and kidnapped Yami for all I know! Dude! He could be trapped in some wooden crate sailing for some puny island off the coast of Cambodia!"
Honda shook his head. "Jou, you are a paranoid FREAK."
Jou wasn't listening. "And what are we doing here? Huh, huh? We're standing here and twiddling our thumbs without a care in the world while Yami is being shipped off to some savage-inhabited island!"
Good grief, thought Anzu as she leaned against a desk. The guy may be dense at times, but no one could say that the blonde had any lack of creativity. Where he comes up with these things I'll never know. The blue-eyed girl sighed and turned her head to sneak a peek at Yugi. Surprisingly, the amethyst-eyed boy was quite docile, chin resting against his hand as he stared off into space. He appeared to be thinking, eyebrow furrowing as it usual did when in deep thought. Then snapping out of his trance-like state, he opened his mouth. What he said would surprise them all.
"I think Jou's right."
Honda dropped his mouth as Jou released him, while Anzu blinked once or twice. What did he just say?
"Well, not the part about Cambodia at least," continued Yugi as he lightly stepped down from his seat. "I just think that it wouldn't hurt if we…you know, made sure that nothing goes wrong."
Honda frowned. "Wrong?"
"Just looking out for him," said Yugi quickly. Better not say too much. "Insure that Kaiba-san and Yami get along."
"Exactly what I was trying to say," nodded Jou furiously. "I totally agree. Couldn't have said it better myself, Yug'!"
Anzu rolled her eyes. "Jou, you were ranting and raving about kidnapping and a one-way trip to Cambodia. What you said was nothing like Yugi's."
"Whoahh there, let's not get this started again," began Honda as he pressed a hand against the blonde's opening mouth, effectively blocking whatever insult that was to come. "Considering that Yugi is probably the most sane out of all of us here, if he says we should, then okay!"
Jou nodded once again. "But uhh…question Yug'. How are we supposed to follow them without them noticing? Last time I checked, I'm not the most…you know, graceful person around here."
Yugi smiled. "Ever sneak into the kitchen for a late midnight snack?"
The blonde grinned. "Hell yeah! I do it every single night!"
Walking towards the door, the tri-colored haired boy replied, "Then you have nothing to worry about."
So the scheming quadruplet did just that. And might it be mentioned that despite Yugi's good-natured belief, it was an absolute miracle theyweren't noticed by Seto and Yami. No matter how many times the individuals had sneaked into their kitchen for a late snack, it didn't seem to help at all. Especially when there was an approximate number of four people trailing behind the CEO and Ex-Pharaoh. With the countless numbers of times the four had tripped over and crashed into various other students, it was a wonder as to how they managed to stay hidden.
"Oh my god! They're turning around! Hide!"
"Jou, you loser! They're just looking at the posters!"
"Oh yeah…so they are."
"Good god that was like what? The tenth time! Stop it with the false alarms!"
Jou craned his head around to scowl at the disgruntled crowd behind him. "Hey, did you or did you not assign moi, Jounouchi Katsuya, to be your official watchman or not?"
The provoking phrase was met by silence.
Flipping his blonde hair, he stated, "Thought sooo!" And with that the satisfied Katsuya proceeded to return to his detailed scrutinizing of the two Ex-rivals. So far, things seemed to going along somewhat decently. Seto and Yami were making their way through the lively bustles of Domino High's energetic crowds, though the Ex-Pharaoh seemed to be making quite a fuss with each trouncing step he took. Every now then the red-eyed boy would throw a series of disgusted looks at the surrounding mass, which were usually accompanied with a string of reprimanding comments. And Kaiba was just…he was just there.
Anzu squinted at the pair. "I don't know about you guys, but those two over there seem to be getting along perfectly fine to me."
Peering through his own Swarovski Leica edition of highly magnified binoculars, Yugi had to concur with the declaration. "I suppose you're right Anzu," he asserted. Though nothing appalling had happened between the two, the purple-eyed boy could not help but be mildly disappointed. Pish. Those two are so boring.
Luckily, the shorter boy had spoken too soon.
"Whoah, whoah, whoah! Danger, danger! Hide you peoples!"
"Ughh Jou, not another false alarm…"
"No! I'm being perfectly serious over here!"
"Ah! Goodness gracious me, he's RIGHT."
"Ahh...ermmm…err…quick quick! Hide in here!"
A second later, Yugi found himself stuffed inside a janitor's closet along with 3 other bodies. He twisted around uncomfortably as he made an effort to move around in his limited space.
This is so not cool.
"Owwww…I think I broke something," moaned a voice from the right.
"Yeah you did, my leg!" retorted another.
"Ohh my poor head!" complained yet another.
"Shhhh!" hissed Yugi as he crawled along the human tangle of arms and legs and towards the shadowy dimness of the indistinct form of the door. Thank goodness for his small body. He pressed an ear against the coolness and lo and behold, he was able to make out the clear voices of Seto Kaiba and his Yami. Seems that the lucky quadruplet had managed to obtain front row seats to witness the upcoming show.
"Awww sweet!" explained Jou as he too pressed an ear against the door. "We're like right in front of them!"
Two more pairs of ears managed to squeeze their way in.
"Oh yeahh. Whose the genius over here now?"
"Shhh!"
Amidst the distant babbling of teenagers, the four managed to pick out a few minor phrases here and there.
"Your uniform," said a sleek voice. "It's freaking tight as hell."
"Ahhh it's that Kaiba, no doubt about it," gritted out Jou. "I'd recognize that cocky tone anywhere I go."
Honda turned with a bemused look onto Yugi. "Tight uniform?"
Yugi innocently stared back. "The school didn't have his size."
Somehow the three didn't quite believe their purple-eyed friend.
But their attention was soon drawn away as the four eavesdroppers picked up an unfamiliar noise.
It was rich, deep and a pure mirth of amusement.
Laughter?
Yugi blinked in skepticism. Was Seto Kaiba actually…
"Laughing?" finished Jou in amazement as if he had read the shorter boy's mind. That cold, egotistical, and selfish jerk was actually capable of laughing? He found it almost too hard to believe. The golden-haired youth tilted his head to steal a look at the violet-eyed boy. Yugi merely pressed himself harder against the door, making out the words—
Yami…
So goddman—
…amusing.
Well now.
Each word that passed seemed to decrease in volume until the last utterance had elapsed into a near distinction of silence. He was whispering, as if the two of them were within a mere centimeter away from one another. The brunette's usual detached tone had been replaced with a new sentimental quality, rich with warmth, desire and—
Hm. Sadness?
That was it. Yugi couldn't take the suspense anymore. He was going to open the door, just enough so he could see what was happening. He wanted to see this with his own eyes. No assumptions, no jumping to conclusions; just cold hard facts.
"Yugi…"
A thin sliver of light.
A slight increase in volume.
Violet-eyes against the creaking opening of the decrepit door.
"What are you doing…?"
Blink. Once. Twice. Make it three.
Oh, wow.
The tips of dark auburn intermingled with the gleam of golden wheat.
Entrancement, engrossment, rapture.
You know—
Dearest heavens. Utterly spellbound.
Here they are, ensnared within their own amber stone. You know…like the ones from Jurassic Park. Embedded within the liquid coolness of frozen ocher. Don't you know? Of course you know.
To experience, to relish in delight. To be trapt in that never-ending time lapse.
You know…don't you know?
Oblivious to the world.
Hm?
Of course you know.
A smile tugged at the corners of Yugi's lips. Awww.
Unfortunately, a certain blonde witnessed the scene too.
"What the hell is Kaiba doing…?" muttered Jou hoarsely. A harsh exhale. A sudden inclination forward. There was too much pressure upon the fragile door.
Oh Joy.
What happened next is quite obvious. Let it be repeated.
Crash. Bang. BOOM.
Two pairs of eyes immediately turned around. One a furious shade of cobalt. Another a scarlet tint misted over with an unspoken sentiment.
One narrowed in well-cloaked disbelief. Another widened in shock.
For there, laying in a neat little pile of arms and legs, were the four figures of Yugi, Jou, Anzu and Honda.
No WAY.
Rubbing the soles of their feet and the side of their heads, Yugi, Anzu and Honda proceeded to look up at the duo and smile a sheepish grin. Jounouchi simply settled with glaring.
Good heavens, how am I ever supposed to explain this to Yami? thought Yugi blankly. Looking at the chilly gleam of the CEO's eyes he ruminated, Or more importantly, how am I suppose to explain it to him.
"Let me repeat."
There was a shift in position. It was unbelievable how awkward a moment like this could really be.
"Again."
Whistle casually. Twiddle your thumbs. Act like you know NOTHING.
It never occurred to them how incredibly tall the young CEO was. He had always surpassed the average human being in height and stature, but at this moment he seemed to transcend above all existing objects. And Seto Kaiba knew that. Thus, he was using it to his full advantage; nothing was as enjoyable as striking fear in the hearts of your opponents.
"What the hell were the four of you doing in a janitor's closest eavesdropping on us?"
Somewhere a bell rang. What is one to say in a precarious situation such as this one?
Anzu frowned. "There's no need to be so blunt about it." She dusted the grime from the flaps of her skirt. She wrinkled her nose. Ew, amazing how much filth resided in a janitor's closet.
But really, what is one to say to such a statement like that?
Anzu looked around. Honda seemed to be unconscious upon the floor. Jou was staring furiously at the tall brunette. Yugi was attempting to catch his Yami's eye.
Something happened. And I totally missed it.
Oh, cruel fate.
Yugi attempted once again to reach his other half's mind through their link. So far, all efforts had gone to waste.
Yami. I know you can hear me.
Silence.
Answer me right now Yami.
More silence.
Yami, I saw what happened.
"What? You did—I mean, what are you talking about?"
Stop acting so innocent Yami, I know what I saw, well at least a small part of it.
"You mean when you were spying on the two of us while hiding out in that janitor's closet over there."
Why yes, that's more or less correct!
Silence. "You have no shame at all. And you do realize that I am NEVER going to talk to you again."
Oh Yami, stop acting like an immature baby!
"I'm going back to class."
EH?
"You heard me."
A shrug. Suit yourself.
"I'm going to class now," managed Yami. The tips of his fingers massaged his forehead. Too many things had happened so far and all he wanted to do right now was to go home and sleep for the next hundred years or so. Maybe this is all just some messed up dream, thought Yami desperately.
Seto Kaiba involuntarily peered at his neighbor, flashing a quick look of mild concern. If it was anyone else other than the spirit that stood besides him, than the detached brunette wouldn't have given the individual a second thought. But this was Yami, so Seto was unable to quell the rising feeling of anxiety that had managed to break through his exterior of chilly indifference. And it was this strange sentiment of care that worried the young CEO.
Was his infatuation only a matter of lust? If it was than he was safe. For lust was a perfectly sane thing, it could be quenched and satisfied in only a matter of mere minutes and left nothing for despair. It was a hollow gesture, an intangible substance that had no actual filling; empty and almost purposeless to its very core. Yes, lust was absolutely fine.
But if that desire managed to trespass beyond the thinning line between false sentiment and authentic emotion—if it managed to change—
He did not want to say that word, that rubbish thing called "it." That thing was best left unmentioned and unthought-of, too dangerous to even glide upon. For love was an erratic emotion, it was too unpredictable, too inconsistent for everyday life.
Damn. He had said it.
Another idea flowed forth. A perturbing thought: Did he love the crimson-eyed boy?
Silence. There was a pause.
Of course not, what are you trying to say.
The words sounded cruel and cold, foreign-like, even to his own mind that had long grown used to the biting frostiness that sprang forth from his mouth.
But as the blue-eyed billionaire turned his head to view his rival, to take in that image of golden bangs framing red-wine eyes, of that lithe and proud body, of one of the few peoplewhowasable to make him laugh, he was suddenly unsure.
Ha, the Seto Kaiba, world renowned duelist, billionaire and prodigy was actually doubtful; now that was rich.
But you didn't answer the question.
Hush now.
Did he?
Silence. There was a pause.
Was he even capable of…?
I don't know.
What are you trying to say?
There was a huff of irritation as blue-eyes once again settled on the shamed group of young delinquents cowering at his feet. Seto Kaiba flipped out his cell phone, calling upon his top-notch security guards to ensure that the little group was to be, at all times, at least 20 feet away from him and Yami.
A curt nod. A sharp bark. Cell phone flipped shut.
If this was a dream, like Yami had woefully hoped, than the dream was FAR from over.
The rest of the day went by quite flawlessly if truth be told. This meaning that no other outrageous events had occurred so far, which Yami was thankful for. The spirit still didn't see the point in which Yugi had insisted in him coming here. Seriously, there were SO many pointless subjects, it was almost laughable. In chemistry, they were learning about a certain something called a mole. Yami had embarrassed himself when he had asked the teacher just why they were taking notes on a blind rodent-like mammal in a field of chemical reactions. The teacher, after bellowing his lungs out in laughter, replied that a "mol" was a particular number used to describe a large quantity. The number 6.02 x 10 to the 23rd. The Ex-Pharaoh had promised never to participate in class ever again.
Next was Literature, where Sensei Tsukiko, a wizened old croon standing at 4 ft. and 2 inches, attempted to teach her class. The old woman was extremely short-sighted and was near death, something that did not aid in her lecturing to the class. Yami had to practically shout his passage to an almost deafening volume before the elderly lady was satisfied. No one could blame the Ex-Pharaoh for refusing to speak for the rest of the period. He wouldn't have been surprised if he had coughed up his voice box, or his lungs for that matter.
Lunch was an absolute horror. Yami had looked in pure disgust at the smoldering piles of chunky beans, burnt hamburgers, and various other nameless "appetizers." He had pressed a cautious napkin against the oily surface of a pasty pizza, questioning its sanitation. It was immediately answered when the papery napkin, when lifted, was completely soaked to the corners. The grease was so abundant that it dripped from the supersaturated napkin and onto Yami's paper plate.
Yami had turned a delicate shade of green and politely pushed the monstrosity away and out of reach. Seto, who knew all too well of the horrors of cafeteria food, took pity upon the queasy duelist and was kind enough to order a freshly picked salad from Japan's top food restaurant.
The crimson-eyed boy momentarily forgot about the previous incident from the morning and had given the CEO a sincere smile before helping himself to the crisp greenery. The brunette had fingered his collar in awkwardness.
But the most noteworthy of all the classes was Health. Today, the lucky class was learning about…
"SEX," firmly stated Sensei Amanzo as he surveyed the many grins and raised eyebrows that had emerged at his mention of the forbidden word.
"Niceee," drawled out a cocky teenager as he leaned back against his chair. "That's totally my field of study!" The class cheered and laughed as the guys jabbed each other in the ribs in special meaning. The girls, along with Yami merely rolled their eyes at the immaturity of their fellow boy students. Seriously.
"Yes Takashi-san, I am sure you are very experienced in the field, considering that you sleep around with approximately 10 girls each week," backfired the teacher in smooth rhythm. The class "Ohhhed" at the comment. The teenager merely raised his two hands as if to say, Hey, it's not my fault all the girls want me!
Seto let out a derisive noise, causing the cocky teenager to whirl around in defense at the lean brunette. "What? You got a problem with what I'm saying?"
His lips curled into a cruel smirk as he directed his ice blue-eyes towards the challenger. The student involuntarily shrank back, repelled by the glacial chill that was being emitted in icy drafts. The boy was completely insignificant, one that was not even worth responding back to. Hell, there was practically no one that was commendable enough to go against him. Except maybe one.
Yami thought he felt the hard stare of an unknown person at that moment.
The CEO was about to inflict some biting comment towards the dim-witted being when his fan club, sensing an insult being directed towards their beloved idol, was inflamed into action. And when they got started, whoah…let's not go there.
"Hey Takashi! Don't you even think of insulting Kaiba-san!"
"Yeah! That's right you low-life worm!"
"He's like a million times better looking than you'll ever be anyway—"
"You like stand no chance against HIM."
"SO. GIVE. IT. UP. LOSER."
All the girls in the class simultaneously raised their fingers in the shape of an "L."
There was a shocked silence.
"Ouch," commented someone as Takashi looked absolutely stupefied at the sudden onslaught of verbal abuse. "Mannn, you got DISSED dude."
A girl with platinum blonde hair flipped her artificially straightened locks. Raising her nose in the air she replied, "May it be a warning that goes to ALL people who even attempt to insult the wonderful Seto Kaiba." She waved her small hand towards the dumbfounded CEO and mouthed the words "Love you!"
The girls cheered their impressive leader to jubilation.
Behold the might of Girl Power, thought Yami in amusement. That was totally priceless.
Seto Kaiba merely edged away from the flamboyant cheers of affection from his overly-excited cult. Girls...why did God have to create such an annoying species?
They irritated him to an almost maddening degree.
Sensei Amanzo, in having lost control of his class, struggled to attain domination over his rowdy students. Cries of "Settle down people" and "Whoahhh there, calm down" echoed through the classroom.
Amidst the babbles of chaos and disorder, Yami smiled at the irritated scowl of the frustrated brunette.
Yami and Seto had both been let out of class early, for their Social Studies teacher had suffered through a mental breakdown. In the middle of teaching their class about the history of World War II, the woman had burst into hysterical tears and had turned to the startled class, in heaving sobs, about the injustice of animal treatment in the Americas. How that pertained to the lesson the class would never know, but the frenzied teacher was soon ushered out. The class was dismissed early by the school's principle, much to the joy and glee of the remaining students.
The duo, quite clueless as to where they should go, managed to end up in one of the school's courtyards. It was a thrilling experience for the Ex-Pharaoh, a startling change to the cramped hallways and claustrophobic sense of closeness with in the narrowed classrooms. Here was a small glimpse of the full impact of nature's true beauty. Cascading leaves of astonishing hues of crimson, yellow and orange graced the area in fluttering sweeps. The wind drifted through the air like intangible liquid, intertwining through the branches as it eventually guided the scattered leaves into a delightful autumn dance. The sun shone with surprising clarity, butter-yellow rays shimmering through the clouds and coating the region with its ever illuminating strength. Yami tilted his head towards the soothing presence of the afternoon light, elucidating the ivory white of his nearly flawless skin. To experience the crisp exhilarance of an autumn day was quite dazzling.
He loved every second of it.
The once isolated spirit stretched his two arms against the softening currents of the wind, fingers tilted upwards towards the heavens as if praising the natural artwork done by Mother Nature. His exotic flare of hair moved with the playful motions of the breeze, his golden bangs trembling in light-hearted charm.Yami's eyes shone like rubies, crimson tint glowing with a sense of childish happiness. Then they closed in a state of relaxation, as he allowed his frame to succumb to the earthly enchantment of the outside world.
Seto had watched the spirit. He stared at him, stared at him as if there was no such thing as the meaning of time. The brunette would've happily spent the rest of his life just trapt in this moment; as long as the slender form of his rival remained basking in the melodious glow of the autumn foliage.
The now dormant cherry blossom tree swayed in the wind. The gleam of golden wheat glinted in the sunlight.
His auburn strands moved along with it.
Scarlet blossomed forth as Yami opened his eyes. Eyes leaning towards the brisk ever-blue of the endless sky, he murmured:
"Kaiba…?"
The billionaire's own blue-eyes were still fastened on the duelist, "Yami."
A smile. Red eyes took in the slanting curves of the dancing leaves.
Seto took a step closer.
"Do you ever notice the falling of the autumn leaves?"
He had made his way to the crimson-eyed boy until he was directly behind him. Yami turned around slowly, accepting the playful encirclement of the wind.
How he wanted to wrap his arms around the fiery boy and embrace him till the end of eternity.
Do you love him?
Both of his hands were on his shoulders. With his right, he raised it to the angelic glow of the shorter boy.
Well?
His fingers lightly caressed the silk-like quality of the Ex-Pharaoh's skin. The ice dwelling within his orbs was melting, becoming one with the liquid feel of the soothing wind.
Do you?
Yami lifted his eyes to meet with the direct intensity of the brunette's. He had never done that before. The once hard cobalt had been replaced with a softer shade, a captivating color of a perfect sapphire.
He had never noticed how blue they really were.
I don't know.
A sad smile tugged at the corner of the billionaire's lips. His brown bangs came into contact with pure gold.
"Now I do."
Now he did. For now he would always take note of the falling autumn leaves. All because of a simple tri-colored hair boy basking in the eternal sunshine of a spotless world.
Nonsense. Of course you know.
Why didn't he move away? Why didn't he move away from the deep blueness of those unknown depths? From that incident before, to the one right now, why didn't he move away? What was this unfamiliar feeling in the base of his heart?
How could you not know?
Yami realized what it was, the very same thing that the CEO had triggered in their previous meeting.
A single crimson leaf wavered over the two.
The thought passed through his head in sudden revelation.
It swayed back and forth.
There was a flush of color.
From the left…than to the right.
Seto Kaiba had made his heart throb.
The summer rain that started to fall
Gently streaked past my tears
Images that resemble memories
Autumn's drama reruns
I want to overcome the ceaseless pain in my chest
And become closer to you
I have wandered about once and returned
Always grasping for the blue sky
Everything, even the cherry tree, swaying in the wind
Softly reaches out toward you
I love you I love you, it can't be helped
That has nothing to do with this
...Sakura Drops by Utada Hikaru...
To Be Continued…
A/N: Pishhh did you really think I'd let the two of them kiss right now? Pwahahaa, of course not, it's too early, only chapter 3. Seto must first mature away from that state of lust and into the beautiful world of undying love, and Yami has to develop his own confusing feelings. Lalaa! Random note...Remember when I mentioned listening to a lovey dovey song while reading the last scene? Try listening to Suteki da Ne by Rikki (yeaa I should've added this in the beginning...oh well... :3 but it totally works! You should try it!)
So that was my crappy attempt to make this chapter sound worthwhile. Congratz to all who made it through! I salute you!Also, all school descriptions are based upon my own "beloved high school," I just hope people won't think that Japanese schools are actually like this (good heavens, I hope not)
I hope you guys didn't flinch at the sappiness of the last line...you gotta admit that Yami sounded like some lovestruck teenage girl :giggle: Yeahh I'm weird...but dats OKAY.
Sakura Drops is such a pretty song. :sigh: You should all go download and listen to it. (Yesss another song) The lyrics were so beautiful (when translated) and it fit so perfectly with my fic that I just had to add it. Go J-Pop singers! I want to type more but I'm too tired. :P I don't know what's up for the next chapter. I'm really lost over here. I might be developing writer's block. (So early? OH NO!)
My eyes hurt A LOT.
Review, review and review! So you can all inspire me to think of a new idea/update sooner for Chapter 4! Even you lurkers out there, (if there are any) suggestions, comments are always welcome :blindingsmile: Okay I'll stop…With all that said, adieu for now my beloved readers :waves: