A/N: Thank you reviewers! You keep on postin' I keep on updatin'!
Fieriegirl-Thank you very much! And I'm glad you like the story so far. I like their last names too.
Dark-Phoenix22- I agree, the school system sucks! I'm glad you like the story!
ColeyCarissa- Thanks!
Growing Pain- I try my best to get as close as can be to Seto's reasoning, cool no? Yes, he becomes the cold Seto Kaiba on Christmas Eve. I though it would be more demented that way.
Slushie Blu- Thankies!
Luv-blonde-bunny- Can I have a cookie now, pweez!
Amyrose300- Thanks, I love your chibi!
Markyc58- So true! And wait til chapter 4 to get your bruises, yep yep!
Dragonlady222- I always had this assumption inside in my mind that in the anime, Seto had always protected Jou and worked him to be his best.
Dark Magician of Chaos- Thank you!
Masha-san- Thank you for pointing that out to me! glomps Mokuba plushie
Celdria- Thanks! I'm glad I have so many fans! And I love your name!
SonnyGoten- I always aim for my stories to become the good stuff! Thanks!
Chapter 3: No One Takes You Away From Me...
18 year old Seto Kaiba lounged proudly in his seat, his body leaning back against the chair and his legs crossed. He had grown very much over the years spent on running the corporation and became the youngest billionaire of the turn of the century. His enhanced technological game designs attracted many powerful countries, he even had clone towers of Kaiba Corp in Hong Kong, China, many in Europe, and even in the U.S. (1)
He had turned a pathetic weapon shack that formerly was run by his disgusting stepfather into a gaming technological superpower corporation, and not one company can compare to his.
He remembered Schroeder Corp and his expressionless face turned sour. That bastard had the nerve to try and throw Kaiba Corp of the running, but he got him in the end.
Seto Kaiba always comes on top.
It was then that Katsuya Jounouchi came into class, for once early. Seto set his cold blue eyes into Jou's, challenging him.
Jou glared with a delicious fire that had made Kaiba's fantasies intense over the years. He knew he was close to getting his puppy. For three long years, he was finally getting the payoff.
"What do you want, Kaiba? A fight?" Jou growled.
/You./ "Maybe," Seto mock teased his pup.
Jou glare intensified and cracked his knuckles. "Have it your way, moneybags. How do you want it?"
/You underneath me all hot and naked, finally surrendering your entire being to yours truly in the most ultimate of all submission.../ "Give it up, mutt. You can never beat me."
"No," Jou replied his voice of controlled determination. "I'll never give up. I'll keep coming back until it's you coming back to me for a rematch."
/Good, pup. And I won't give up on you either./ Seto only smirked, and Jou stomped into his seat in front of Seto and after whispering to the geek squad he called his friends, the most boring teacher on the planet walked in and everyone fell quiet.
He loved their brawls, especially the contact ones. It was the closest thing for Seto to trap Jou underneath him without misdirection from others, both taking bruises from their relentless punches.
But he knew that Jou knew he wanted him. Every time he'd glare into Jou's eyes, he proclaimed dominance over the mutt. No one can change that, and every time, Jou would look away from the piercing stare, still harboring his own glare to another direction.
Jou had never gave up on trying to beat Seto, whether in a duel, verbal, or even fist fights. And Seto wasn't planning on giving him the chance either.
It was Jou's drive to come on top that kept him from leaving Seto. And Seto will always keep his position so his pup can keep on coming back.
Jou was getting close into Seto's trap, all he needs is time...
The teacher walked in and announced in his Ben Stein monotonous impression. "We have a new student today, class. Please give a warm welcome and extend your hands of friendship."
"Yes, teacher." They (except Seto) replied in a bored expression.
A young man walked in, his uniform crisp and wrinkle-free, wearing a regal expression in his stride. His long dark pink hair tied in a ponytail and many girls swooned.
"SIEGFRIED SCHROEDER!" Jou exploded in pure shock, standing up at once and pointing at the said student with a deer and the headlights expression.
Many laughed. Seto would have found it amusing as well if it wasn't his rival in the business world. He merely glared.
"Sit down, Jounouchi," the teacher said in boredom, as if Jou's outburst was no surprise at all.
Siegfried smiled at Jou making Seto growl. "I am glad you remember me, Katsuya Jounouchi. And I must say it is a pleasure seeing you and your friends again." he had purred at the 'you' part.
Jou blinked. "Oh, yeah, sure..." he sat dumbfounded in his seat.
Seto caught the hungry expression on Siefried's face as he introduced himself. He wanted HIS PUP!
The teacher told Siegfried to sit next to Jou and he was more than happy to oblige.
Two days later, Siegfried had somehow became from evil villain to a good friend with Jou which in turn made Seto pissed. The pink haired pansy was always talking to Jou about the advancement of his company and to Seto's surprise, Jou had taken in every word of it. He even suggested a few things that made Seto's eyes bug out once or twice. Couldn't that stupid mutt realize that Siegfried was luring him into a false sense of security to seduce him!
It was vile, disgusting, evil, and downright sneaky...
...That was SETO'S plan god dammit!
/My Plan! My chance to seduce MY puppy! The bastard stole my idea/
He needed to switch tactics...
Then, he overheard Siegfried say something about Seto Kaiba to Jou...and he was laughing!
He REALLY needed to switch tactics.
Seto approached Siegfried later that day. He was adamant into stopping his rival from claiming his pup.
"I know what you're doing, Schroeder." Seto returned to his coolness.
Siegfried shrugged nonchalantly, "What do you mean, Seto Kaiba?"
"Stay away from the mutt." he bluntly replied.
Raising an elegant eyebrow at the top CEO he chuckled a bit, "I see now, Seto Kaiba. And all this time, I had thought you hated Katsuya! But it turns out that the saying 'the fine line between love and hate' is true in your predicament. You can't blame me, he's adorable. I had a wonderful time dueling him during your tournament, and I'm sure the victory will be twice as sweet than the last time when I win him indefinitely."
Kaiba's eyes narrowed at the prospect of his rival both in business and love interest having the privilege of saying Jou's first name. But he knew better. "I know what you're up to. You failed in sabotaging my company, so you plan on taking Jou as a constellation prize. You're disgusting."
Siegfried smiled. "Better for me to have Katsuya than you, of course."
Kaiba glared. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that even if you did sway Jou, it would disrupt your image, cold, ruthless Seto Kaiba. I'm sure your people skills are, should we say lightly, 'rusty'? I don't even think your capable of 'wooing' and 'romancing'." Siegfried declared.
"For a flimsy he-she, you should say the same for yourself. Always wrapped up in your insatiable revenge against me. I don't think YOU'RE capable of romance." Kaiba shot back.
"Excuse me?"
"You couldn't romance your way out of a paper bag."
"And you couldn't woo your way out of your own billowing coat."
"Is that a challenge?" Kaiba inquired dangerously. Because no one...no one talks cruelly about his sexy, billowing, white cloak!
"Why, yes." Siegfried declared. "Winner is the one who woos Katsuya."
"This is barbaric." Kaiba finished. "The pup's no trophy. I proceeded to romance him BEFORE you came into the picture."
"Oh?"
"But, if I back out of the challenge, you might weasel your way into his life and I can't have that. I won't allow you to hurt him just because of your pathetic grudge against me. And besides," Seto smirked. "I never back out of a challenge."
Siegfried pulled out his hand. "Then shall we make this a formal announcement among us barons? I, Siegfried Loire Schroeder, challenge the challenger a contest for the heart of Katsuya Jounouchi." (2)
Reluctantly, Seto grasped it. "I, Seto Himura Kaiba, accept the challenge of the contest for the heart of Katsuya Makoto Jounouchi." He had emphasized Jou's middle name to declare how much he already knew about Jou more than Siegfried did. (3)
The rose haired teen merely shrugged.
Katsuya Jounouchi had barely walked into the classroom when his new friend, Siegfried, approached him with a bunch of red roses.
And he had never been so embarrassed, flattered, and terrified in his life. Siegfried even said out loud in front of the entire class of his growing attachment to the young teen.
Jou couldn't help it. It had felt so great to have someone who wanted him. He took the roses, muttered a thank you with a blush on his face, and sat down to take notes. But as he opened his desk, he saw a bunch of small, expensive gifts inside. With a note:
For my mi amour...(4)
He had never blushed so much in his life.
All day, he was paraded with gifts and such. And he didn't find it entirely necessary. He was extremely flattered, of course, but Siegfried didn't know that Jou never found personal wealth or gifts to be a one way ticket into his heart.
It was the little things.
But he did enjoy the attention. And maybe he should give the guy a chance...?
He didn't realize there was another who wanted his affection too, until he opened his locker.
He gasped softly at the single rare blue rose on the bottom of the locker with a note attached. He had first thought it was Siegfried, but he already went out of his way to parade him with gifts today.
And this was just a lone rose...his favorite because it was a family flower...
Who knew about that?
He opened the note:
Jou,
Don't fall for Siegfried Schroeder. He knows nothing about you, and doesn't even want to try. I want you, but I'll never hurt you intentionally.
I know this is your favorite kind of rose, and out of all the red roses the bastard has, this single blue rose outlives them all.
I hate gushy love notes, so I'm sure you get the damn gist of what I'm saying. The rare blue rose never wilts and never dies, just like my want for you.
So don't fall for him, dammit.
Se.Hi.
Jou blinked. Most girls would have said, 'screw this, I'm sticking with the nice guy who has cash.', but he wasn't a girl.
He laughed. It was so blunt! And it sounded like Seto Kaiba!
He blinked in realization. ...Seto? ...Kaiba? He burst into laughter.
Besides, the signature was Se. Hi. And he was sure Seto Kaiba's initials were Se. Ka. Unless he changed his last name which would be freaky! (5)
This guy must know so much about him. So, he's gotta be someone he knew.
He smiled at the affections and attention he was receiving. But he enjoyed this letter a lot! It wasn't girly, or wussy!
And he gave him one of his favorite roses...
Well, he knew who had a point on the scoreboard...
(1): Well, I may be over exaggerating, but Kaiba Corp did have a tower in America...
(2): I really don't know, (because I'm not rich sniff), but rich people in a challenge would make it all formal and stuff. Kind of like a gentleman does.
(3): I like the name Makoto, don't you? I think it sounds good to Jou, even though the Japanese don't bother with middle names. But Jou did come from America and Seto wanted to keep his original last name, and Siegfried? Well, I assumed he comes from another country, like in Europe or something. Like Germany because of his accent.
(4): Don't know if I spelt it right, but it roughly means 'my love'. Don't laugh, but I thought it would fit into Siegfried's accent, though he may be German. sweatdrop
(5): Se. Hi. And Se. Ka. , well, ya know the Japanese characters has to fit into the story.
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