Title: Stress Therapy – 6?

Author: Telpei

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Seto/Jou

Beta: Jennie - The best of the best! showers with gifts and confetti :P

Spoilers: None. This is AU.

Disclaimer: It's not mine. The idea's not even mine. But I'm going to use it all the same and have fun with it sticks out tongue So there! Muahahahahaha... (Many thanks, though, to calico1019, for offering up this delicious bunny for feasting! presents pocky)

Summary: Kaiba's work-related stress lands him in the hospital and the good doctor prescribes a month's worth of vacation. The first week doesn't go very well, so Mokie decides to step in and send his brother away so that Seto won't be anywhere near his company. But what kind of 'spa' has Mokuba chosen? Seto's in for quite a sexy surprise...

OoooooooO

Last Time:

Seto watched in amusement as Jounouchi slowly reacted to his explanation, but he didn't allow the blond to get a word in before he spoke again. "However, I was surprised to find that you describe yourself as 'perhaps the most accomplished sex therapist'. Oh yes, and we can't forget how you mention that your bible is the kama sutra. I should really speak to your employer and ask if they were so desperate they had to hire you, or if all of this shit is true."

Jounouchi groaned and dropped his forehead onto the tabletop. Although he was excited and relieved that Seto was going to be his client and not Otogi's, he could tell that it was going to be another one of those days...

Chapter 6 - The Talk

For the next half hour, Seto drank his coffee and read his paper. He sorely missed his laptop, but Mokuba had absolutely forbidden him to bring it. He'd even gone so far as to check Seto's luggage thoroughly, practically packing his older brother's bag himself. At the airport, he'd ensured that no laptop had snuck its way into Seto's bags by bribing the airport security to let him scan all of the baggage. A small smile tugged at Seto's lips as the memory came to him, and as soon as he noticed it, he was instantly self-aware. His eyes shot up and he found that he was safe this time - Jounouchi hadn't been watching.

Holding back a sigh, Seto turned his eyes back to his newspaper and tried to focus on the words, but he just couldn't do it. He realized that the blond's presence made him wary and nervous - emotions that Seto Kaiba did not feel very often. It was unsettling, and a frown creased the brunet's forehead.

As if Jou could sense the brunet's tension, he glanced up with genuine worry in his eyes. Seto was amazed at how easily the blond could show what he was feeling, how freely he let his emotions show. Surely, the other man had to be afraid that someone would use this against him? Deciding to ask Jounouchi about it later, he shut his mouth when the shorter male opened his. "Well, I guess we might as well get th' day started," Jounouchi suggested, pushing himself away from the table and getting to his feet. "No use sittin' around here, since I'm not gonna get anymore sleep. No thanks to you, I might add," he grumbled. Now that the blond knew he could keep Kaiba as a patient, he was anxious to begin. The sooner he started his work, the sooner they could make some progress. "I think yer smart enough ta remember where the Massage Therapy area was?"

Seto nodded, instantly wary. He'd had a massage only once before, at Mokuba's insistence. It hadn't been the least bit relaxing, as the brunet recalled. In fact, lying face down and naked on a padded, white table while someone rubbed at his skin had been a very unsettling experience for the CEO. He wasn't used to having people invade his private space, and in that small, fragrant room filled with enough candles to create a fire hazard, he hadn't felt at ease at all.

Jounouchi, unaware of Seto's internal debate, yawned hugely and stretched his arms up above his head. His client's thoughts were instantly distracted by the teasing glimpse of honeyed skin and well toned abdominal muscles. Seto swallowed thickly and averted his eyes, trying once again to focus on the newspaper in his hands.

"I'll meet ya there in half an hour," Jou suggested, turning toward the door and scratching his lower back as he walked across the room. "Gotta get dressed an' stuff...don't be late, Kaiba," he said as he opened the door to the suite and stepped out into the hall.

Seto slowly set his paper down and sighed, leaning back in his chair. He took off his reading glasses, folded them, and set them down on the table. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed again and rubbed his tired eyes. Maybe...maybe the massage wouldn't be that bad... The young executive scowled and got to his feet, heading for the bedroom. Who was he kidding? It was bound to be a disaster, and he'd likely end up having another attack. So far, this 'vacation' hadn't served to lower his blood pressure at all. In fact, Seto realized as he got dressed in a comfortable pair of navy blue slacks and a white cotton shirt with beige, leather ties crisscrossing over his neckline, his heart was beating so fast at the prospect of being naked in front of Jounouchi Katsuya that he thought he might fracture a rib.

OoooooooO

Jounouchi glanced up as, right on time, Seto waltzed into the massage parlour. His shoulders were straight and defiant, and his eyes cold as he looked around. The blond sucked in a breath as those icy blue eyes landed on him, and he swallowed a little nervously as the brunet strode across the room and came to a stop beside the couch he was sitting in.

The room they were in was a lobby of sorts, with plush, scarlet sofas scattered about the room. The walls were painted a warm yellow, and several paintings of red flowers added to the décor. One entire wall was a huge window that looked out across the mountain side. There was a sparkling, blue lake in the distance and the sun shone on the thick forest that surrounded the resort.

Jounouchi cleared his throat and got to his feet, nodding in greeting to Kaiba. He was wearing a faded pair of jeans and a forest green, three-quarter sleeve, button down shirt – though the great majority of the buttons were undone. Seto took note of the silver chain necklace hanging around the blond's neck, and he reached out to run his fingers over it, brushing the pads of the digits gently against the blond's skin. "Let's get this over with, Mutt," he commented, and Jounouchi instantly noticed that the brunet's voice sounded a little strained, felt that his posture was a little too forced. What was his client nervous about?

There was a large oak desk off to one side of the room and, after he brushed Seto's hand away from his neckline with a scowl, Jounouchi approached it. He motioned for Seto to follow him with a wave of his hand and then, after a brief conversation with the receptionist behind the desk, he booked him into one of the rooms.

Seto watched as Jou casually flirted with the girl, teasing her and even reaching across the desktop to finger the soft strands of her hair. The girl giggled and waved Jounouchi off. Apparently, she was used to such flattery for she passed him a key card and shooed him down the hall. Fighting back the wave of jealousy he was experiencing, the brunet followed Jounouchi down the corridor, the ugly feeling fading when the blond stopped at a door and turned his attention back to his client as they stepped inside.

"Here's where you can leave yer clothes," he suggested, pointing at the rows of lockers. He unlocked a small cabinet with his keycard and passed Kaiba a key for one of them. "There're towels in the basket. When yer ready, I'll be waitin' out here for ya."

The brunet nodded and waited for the blond to leave the room before he stripped out of his clothes and quickly wrapped the fluffy, white towel the resort provided around his waist. There was a white robe made from the same material in his locker, and since it smelled clean and fresh, Seto put it on as well. With a sigh, he locked up his carefully folded clothes, slipped the key into the pocket of his robe, and headed out into the hall where his therapist was waiting for him.

He was a little surprised to find Jounouchi in a heated discussion with Otogi Ryuuji. The raven-haired therapist had Jou backed up against the wall, and they were both talking in angry, low voices. Seto couldn't make out a thing they were saying, but Jounouchi's rigid posture and clenched fists told the brunet the whole story. He cleared his throat and walked up to the two co-workers, his expression stony.

Otogi instantly brightened when he spotted Seto, a winning smile forming on his lips, and his entire expression softened. "Ah, Mr. Kaiba!" he greeted, offering a short bow to the Japanese man. "So good to see you again. Well, Jounouchi, I believe I've made my point," he said to the blond, his eyes narrowing for a split second. If Seto hadn't been watching intently, he would have missed the expression of pure hatred in the emerald green eyes. Without saying anything else, Otogi waltzed off down the hall, shooting a wink at Seto and brushing his long fingers over the back of the brunet's hand before he disappeared around a corner.

Seto frowned and turned to Jounouchi, eyeing the therapist carefully. "I don't know what you did to get on his bad side," he said, stepping up beside the blond, "but I hope it won't affect my progress at this spa. I came here to get better, not to watch you two idiots fighting all the time." The young executive made sure to keep his voice threatening, mostly so that his concern for the blond didn't show through. He could see that Jounouchi was visibly shaken: his brow was creased, his eyes were dulled, and his hands were trembling.

"Mind your own fucking business, Kaiba," the blond snarled in warning, turning on his heel and heading off down the hall. "This way. Everything's all set up for Your Highness's massage."

Jou's voice was sarcastic and angry, and Seto bit back a violent retort. The blond was obviously upset about something, but as he'd clearly pointed out, it was none of Seto's business. He let the subject drop and followed Jounouchi down the hall until they entered a door on the right hand side of the hallway and came to a stop.

The room was small and as candle-cluttered as it had been during Seto's previous experience. The smell of incense was so strong; he found it was almost impossible to breathe. Ignoring the impulse to gag, Seto frowned at the man standing beside the padded table. Jounouchi seemed pleased, however. "Adam!" he greeted, shaking the taller, muscled man's hand. "This is Seto Kaiba, my client for the day. Kaiba, this is Adam Baxter, and man, can his hands work wonders!"

Seto watched as the tension drained from Jounouchi's body, and his expression was once again jovial. It was as if the encounter with Otogi had never happened at all. With a sigh, he allowed the blond to take his robe while he surveyed Adam. The man was almost as tall as Seto himself, though his shoulders and arms were much broader. He was dressed in a white muscle shirt and black jeans, and his darkly tanned skin glistened in the dim lighting of the room. His hair was dark as well as his eyes, both nearly black in colour, but he had a friendly expression. Although he wasn't very intimidating by Seto's standards - the man was smiling after all and conversing easily with Jounouchi - the brunet was ill at ease. He laid himself on the table face down, covered only by the towel around his waist...which Adam deftly removed after draping a larger one over his buttocks.

Seto tried to relax as the man started working on the bunched muscles in his shoulders and neck, and really, the scented candles and warm oil should have been soothing. Yet, the brunet felt helpless, and he screwed his eyes shut as he tried in vain to regulate his breathing. Soon, however, his breaths were coming in short gasps and he could feel wetness building up behind his closed eyelids. How could he be so weak? This man was only doing his job! Seto told himself over and over again to calm down, that there was nothing to worry about. This had happened once before, and he wouldn't let it happen again, damn it! However, he couldn't help but think of all the time he was losing, wasting; time he could have spent working, or with Mokuba. It was pathetic that his situation had come to this!

Seto wasn't aware of Jounouchi softly speaking with Adam, nor was he aware of the taller man's departure. The door closed softly as the dark-haired man left, leaving Jou alone with his client. The blond surveyed Seto for a few moments, worry creasing his forehead as he stepped forward and gently placed a hand on top of the brunet's head. "Seto?" he asked softly, crouching down so that he was at eye level with his client.

The brunet's eyes snapped open and he pushed himself up on his arms, instantly alert and looking very much like a spooked animal that was ready to bolt. "Seto," Jounouchi repeated, his hand now coming to rest on the CEO's shoulder. "It's ok. Calm down," he murmured, and surprisingly, Seto's wild, panicked eyes slipped closed again and his breathing returned to its normal rate. He slumped back down onto the mattress, his hands clenching into angered fists as he let out a single, frustrated sob before falling silent.

"Seto?" Jounouchi tried again, but he received no response. With a sigh, he took up the vial of oil Adam had been using and poured some into his hands. Gently, he pressed both palms to the center of the brunet's back and began rubbing them in slow, easy circles. Seto tensed at first but eventually relaxed, his body too worn out and exhausted from his emotional breakdown. Moments passed in silence, and a full ten minutes later, Seto was the one to speak first. "Could you blow out these blasted candles?" he wondered in a melancholy voice. "I'm getting a headache."

Jounouchi nodded and moved to extinguish the candles. Once they were all out, the room was almost completely dark. The blond opened the blinds on the opposite side of the room a little bit, letting some sunlight filter into the room as he cracked a window open to air out the small space. Seto breathed a sigh of relief as he was assaulted with fresh air, no matter how chilly it was - after all, he wasn't wearing anything, save for the towel draped across his hips.

The therapist returned to his client's side and resumed the small circles he had been tracing along Seto's back. While he wasn't trained in massage therapy, Jounouchi had a hands-on personality, and was a firm believer in the theory that human contact was what most lonely souls wanted and needed. So, he kept his hands on Seto's skin, comforting the other man through touch while he began to speak. "Do you want to talk about what just happened?" he asked, keeping his voice calm, steady, and - most importantly - impartial and non-judgmental.

The question was so stereotypical of a psychologist that Seto barked out a rough laugh and then instantly quieted, ashamed of the way his emotions were acting on their own. Normally, he would have had much better control over his expressions, but this situation was far from normal. After several moments of silence, Seto began to talk. He told Jounouchi about his first encounter with a masseuse, and how his worries always got the best of him in those situations. It was the same when he tried to sleep at night – no matter what effort he had put toward his company during the day, he couldn't get any rest at night because he felt it was never enough and there was always more he could have done. He spoke of how he was frustrated with himself for being so weak, how Mokuba and his company depended on him to be strong, and he just wasn't good enough for either of them.

Jounouchi cut into the brunet's tirade at that point, his hands sliding up Seto's back and coming to rest on his shoulders. "What more can ya do?" he asked, squeezing slightly and pressing a soft kiss to Seto's shoulder blade. "Yer only human, Kaiba," he murmured quietly. "You expect too much of yerself."

Seto immediately tensed in defiance, ready to defend himself against such an accusation, but Jounouchi wouldn't let him speak. "I think that's enough for today," the blond said, removing his hands from Seto's warm skin and turning to a sink in the far corner of the room. "You should go back to yer room and have a nap, Kaiba. Ya look dead tired."

Seto pressed his lips tightly together, holding back a few choice words as he stiffly got to his feet, pulling the towel tightly around his waist and throwing his robe over his shoulders. "Very well," he replied curtly, turning and heading out of the room without another word.

As soon as Seto was gone, Jounouchi sighed and pressed his forehead against the mirror as he continued to rub the oil from his greasy fingers. He knew he'd been hard on Seto today, pushing him almost to his limit. But, casual approaches and slow, gradual methods were not going to work with the strong-headed brunet. Jou knew that he needed to be direct with Seto to get through his thick skull.

Jounouchi's heart lightened, however, as he realized the progress they'd made today. Kaiba had talked to him without too much prodding, though it may have been easier because of his weakened emotional state. The blond sighed again, shutting off the water and drying his hands. Seto was bound to think that the therapist had taken advantage of him in his moment of weakness, and if that was true, then the brunet's weak trust was about to take a step in the backwards direction. It was also likely that Seto would clam up and refuse to divulge any other information...

An idea suddenly hit Jounouchi, and he smiled slightly as he headed from the room. He returned the key to the receptionist, and then went back to his office to gather what he needed. He'd give Seto a little bit of homework, and maybe they'd go for a walk outside tomorrow after lunch. Some good food certainly wouldn't hurt the brunet's thin stature, and a walk in the woods might return a bit of colour to his pale skin.

Ooo TBC ooO