Pikazoom: Whoooooooo! Happy Birthday Seto! I'm sorry I couldn't finish
the whole story in time! *cries* I'm not worthy...
Yami: *sigh*
Pikazoom: DISCLAIM!
Yami/Yugi: Pikazoom doesn't own Yu-gi-oh (phew).
Summary: The gang wants to have a celebration! The location? Seto's mansion. Seto/Yami/Yugi (also somewhat of a Seto reflection fic)
NOTE!!!!!!! This is set some time after Battle City where Seto feels Jounouchi has proved himself as a worthy duelist, therefore, doesn't call him names.
I Wish...
"You want to have a what at MY house?" I ask in disbelief.
"We wanna have a party!" Jounouchi exclaims excitedly.
I place my fingers on my forehead. Imagining the damage they could cause was enough to give me a headache...which had just built up on the last one. Yugi's gang actually had the nerve to barge into my Kaiba Corp. office and ask for something as dumb as a party?
Still...I am suspicious. Do they know?
"What kind of party?"
"A Halloween party! Duh! What other party could there be at this time of year?" Jounouchi answers. Jounouchi appears to be the spokesperson. I'm a bit relieved at his answer...as well as a bit sad, though I would never admit it.
"Why my house, when are you planning to have this, and who are you inviting?" I say to him, practically drawling.
"Bragging rights man! You've got such a huge house, it'll be the biggest Halloween party!!!" Jounouchi actually has the nerve to come up to me and slap ME on the back like we're good friends. We ARE NOT friends. And why the heck would anyone need bragging rights? "When...we were thinking Saturday, 8:00 pm. And who? Just us and a couple of other dueling buddies. PLEEEEEEEAAAAASSSEEEEEE?!?!?!?!" Jounouchi practically begs...like a dog. He drops down to his knees clasping his hands together like he was praying.
Saturday...Saturday was October 25. They don't know the significance of the that date. It's more than just six days till people can prance around in stupid costumes asking for candy. I don't do that kind of thing. I never did.
October 25 is my birthday. But I suppose it shouldn't mean that much anyway. To me, it's just six more days until some naive little kids come up to my house asking for candy. It's another day to brood. It's another day closer to death. It's another day to reflect on my pitiful existence.
"...No" I tell Jounouchi.
"WHAT?!" he practically screeches into my ear, which does not help my headache.
"I said no. Your reason is stupid, and I'm sure you'd break something if you came to my house," I reply to him calmly. He may be a worthy duelist, but he is nowhere near graceful.
I see him about to retort (probably to tell me he won't break anything when he broke a potted plant on his way in) when the intercom beeps.
"What is it?" I ask in an annoyed voice.
"Tatsuno Takeshi of Tatsuno Technology is here to see you," my receptionist replies.
"Send him in," I tell her, and then turn to face the angered Jounouchi. "We have nothing more to discuss. Leave now."
"No. Not until you agree to our party!" he says, very determined. This is just great. An important businessman is heading for my door, and there's a bunch of immature fools having a sit-in in my office. I hold my head in my palm and groan. Calling security would be very unprofessional to the incoming CEO. Being younger than most businessmen, I have to act just as mature as them. I just know I'll regret this later, but...
"Fine. Just leave now," I wave them away with my left hand. I need some aspirin.
"Yeah! We'll be around at six to set up!" Jounouchi says. I hear a small round of "thanks Kaiba" from the rest of the group as they exit.
"Hey, this here's a good man!" Jounouchi says, and I look up. Jounouchi's patting my fellow businessman on the back! I REALLY need that aspirin.
~~~Saturday 6:00 pm~~~
The doorbell rings. To me, it symbolizes the end of my house. I sigh and open the door.
"We're here!" Jounouchi announces with that huge grin of his. I could strangle him. He steps in, and the first thing he has the nerve to say is, "Man Kaiba, your house is kinda plain."
"I took down everything I thought was humanly possible to break," I reply. He gives me a deep scowl, but I return it with my own.
"I won't break things!" he protests.
"We'll see," I tell him.
I sit down on the couch and watch them set up. I graciously left my sound system out here, so they can blast their ears out as much as they want.
"ALRIGHT!!!! PARTY TIME!!!" Jounouchi exclaims triumphantly after setting up. "Eh, Kaiba. Where's your bathroom?"
"Why?" I ask.
"I need to change into my Halloween costume!" He replies. He didn't tell me this was going to be a costume party...but whatever.
"There's one in every guestroom, as well as mine and Mokuba's rooms," I tell him.
"Cool! I wanna see what's in your room, Kaiba!" Jounouchi says, probably thinking of ways to blackmail me.
"Don't you dare try," I glare at him. I locked our bedroom doors anyway. Just in case someone attempts to spike their drinks or something...Jounouchi shrugs and heads for a guestroom. Soon, everyone followed suit...except Yugi.
"Ne, Kaiba-kun, are you going to party with us?" he asks curiously.
"No. I think not," I look at him. He seems a little sad, but he turns and heads for a guestroom. I stare after him for a few minutes.
"Niisama! (Big brother!)" Mokuba suddenly bounds in, sitting next to me, a poorly wrapped box in his hand.
"What's that?" I ask, but I already know very well what it is.
He hands it to me. "It's a birthday present, duh," he says.
"Thanks Mokuba." I hug him and begin to open the crinkled paper. I smiled at the present inside and lifted it to the light. "You didn't need to spend your money on something so expensive," I tell him. It was a beautiful crystal sculpture of a Blue Eyes White Dragon. Looks like he'll get more Christmas presents this year...
"I wanted to! No one else buys you birthday presents, and you deserve something nice!" he exclaims.
As long as Mokuba was happy, it never really mattered if anyone gave me anything or not. "I think one from you is enough," I ruffle his hair and thank him again. He smiles, hugs me, and runs up to his room (with his room key, mind you).
I smile contently to myself, but then I hear a loud thump behind me. Whirling around, I see Yugi rubbing his head from the fall. When he gets up, I see he's wearing a Black Magician costume...though it's a little too big. I see he's holding the costume's armor. I guess he's having trouble getting it on.
"Uhh...I don't suppose you have clips, huh?" Yugi asks sheepishly. Sighing, I lead him over to the kitchen. Making him stand there like a model, I clip up his costume so that it doesn't make him look like some kind of purple-wearing cross-dresser. Though the whole time, I was wondering if he heard...
"So...when's your birthday Kaiba-kun?" Darn. He does know.
"Today," I tell him.
Yugi frowns at me and says, "I feel guilty having a party at your house on your birthday when the party's not for you."
"I don't care. I've never had a birthday party before," I tell him. My face remains stoic, but I mentally wince. "There, I'm done. And Yugi...don't tell anyone it's my birthday," I say in a dead serious voice. He gives me another sad look but hesitantly nods.
"PARTY!!!!!!!!!" I hear Jounouchi yell. Honda had shown up at the door with all the pizza...I guess that means the party can start.
"I'm going up to my room. Make sure they don't break anything," I tell Yugi before walking away.
~~~Seto's room~~~
Locking my door, I look around. The room has regal navy blue walls with a golden Fleur de Lis design patterning. My floors are also a navy blue, and my bed is black silk with very dark indigo pillows. The right side of the room leads to an elegant balcony, where a wooden bench sits outside. Opening the golden draperies and open the screen door a little, the wind blows in, giving the draperies a haunting sort of flow. The balcony fills my room with a brilliant white light from the full moon, the details of the wall, floor, and furniture being revealed and giving off an ethereal look.
This has been my room since I was adopted by Gozaburo. Looking around, I still have the all the information books I was forced to study during endless hours. I had hated him. I had always hated Gozaburo. He always said games were stupid. But games were never stupid to me. It had always been something to enjoy in the orphanage.
I remember the times with Mother and Father. It's something of a distant dream now. But, I've accepted that they're gone now. It's the past, and I'm in the present. I'm happy with how I turned out...I think. Was there a path that would've given me a different perspective on life? Life...I'm trapped in it. I'm trapped, and there's only one way out. Death.
Have I ever considered suicide? Razors, overdoses, you name it, I've thought of it. I'm not happy. I'd never tell anyone this, but...
I want to be normal. Just once. No normal person has a billion dollar job at 16 yrs. old. No normal person...no normal person doesn't have any friends.
I envy Yugi. Another thing I'd never tell anyone. His glowing personality sucks in people. Mine...well, mine could scare off a pack of bulls. I was raised that way. Trusting people was a weakness. They take advantage of your generosity. That's what I was told.
When I was a child, I used to dream a lot. What it would be like if Gozaburo was gone. What it would be like when I was grown up. I'm only 16, but one can tell I'm different than other teens my age. I'm more...mature.
Sighing, I lay down on my bed. I've slept in this king-sized bed countless times, but only now I feel it's too big...too...empty. Downstairs, I can hear the pulsating J-pop music. Suddenly, my room seems...bigger. I know it's foolish, but I feel lonely...
Shaking it off, I re-open my present, which I snatched up before the party started. Unwrapping it again, I take it out of its box. The lone light of the full moon from my balcony beams in, causing the crystal to shimmer. The rainbow of light sparkles on my navy blue carpet.
"Utsukushii...(beautiful. EEE! You should hear him say it in the show! *swooooooon*)" I whisper softly. It was truly beautiful. The dragon almost seemed like it was about to roar at me, showing off the ferocity of its Burst Stream attack. (Burst Stream=White Lightning)
I hear a knock at my door.
"Who is it?" I ask to the person outside.
"Yugi," came the reply. Sighing, I place the Blue Eyes on my nightstand and walk over to the door.
"Did you need something?" I ask, opening the door.
"Well uh...I think someone spiked the punch, and I kinda...can I stay here for awhile?" Yugi asked. Stepping aside, I let the violet-eyed boy into my dark room. He hesitantly steps in and looks around. "Sugoi! (Wow!) Your room is so nice, Kaiba-kun!" He practically bounced all over my room, examining my bookshelf, my walls, my balcony. He found it positively riveting. Finally he stops in front of the Blue Eyes figurine. "...Is this the present Mokuba gave you?" I could tell that he was entranced by it.
"Yeah...it is," I reply. He stares at it and almost unconsciously leans down to sit on my bed...before stopping himself.
"Oh! I'm sorry...can I?" Yugi asks. I nod coldly. "Wow...your bed is so nice and soft Kaiba-kun..." he says, laying his head on one of my numerous pillows, still gazing at the Blue Eyes. "Mokuba must really adore you, Kaiba-kun. Those figurines are super expensive..."
Yugi's hand trailed down his stomach. Obviously to remind himself of his most valuable treasure...the Sennen Puzzle. His eyes went wide. "Oh no! I must've left the Sennen Puzzle in the bathroom while I was changing! I'll be right back Kaiba-kun!"
Shrugging, I lay down on my bed, just listening to the J-pop music downstairs. Suddenly, I heard a loud crash. Then, "JOUNOUCHI!!! PUT DOWN THE SENNEN PUZZLE!!!" I feel a sweatdrop roll down my cheek. "Wha-NO NO! YAMI DOESN'T NEED A DRINK!!! WAIT! NOT IN THE PUNCH!!!!" A crash...more yelling...and one loud thud. "Yami?!" (A/N: I'm just going to name him Yami for the sake of mou hitori no boku is too looooooooooong...)
From outside my room, there's the sound of clothes being dragged on carpet coming from outside. I opened my door and expected to find Yugi...but it wasn't only Yugi. The panting Sennen item holder dragged Yami in and said, "Sorry. There was a little scuffle downstairs. Yami's out like a light."
Sighing, I take Yami from Yugi and carry him over to my bed. I faintly here the spirit say in a daze, "No, not the punch..." After dumping him on the middle of my bed, Yugi and I lay down on either side of him, occasionally glancing at the unconscious pharaoh.
Yami made a peculiar gargle. "Urgh.........." he said groggily, rubbing his eyes before sitting up. Blinking, he took in his surroundings. "......Where?"
"You're in my room," I tell the confused pharaoh. He jumps slightly, then whirls his head around to see me sitting there.
"K-kaiba? What am I doing here?"
"I brought you up here. Someone spiked the punch downstairs, so we're hiding out," Yugi said, relieved that the spirit was fine.
"Hmmm...okay, so....what are we doing now?" Yami asked, still looking around. Obviously, he was amazed by my room.
"Nothing," I reply, grabbing a book from my nightstand and reading from my previous endpoint.
"Oooh!" Yugi exclaims happily. "Let's throw a small birthday party up here for Kaiba-kun!"
"Birthday?!" Yami shouts, staring at me. "When's your birthday???"
"Today."
"T-today?" Yami repeats. "But...what about downstairs?"
"That would be an out of control Halloween party," I grumble, turning the page of my book.
"Oh. So, what shall we do first?" Yami asked.
"Nothing. I've never had a birthday party before, and I don't need one now," I retort.
Yugi's smile diminishes and turns into a sad pout. "Awwwww...please, Kaiba- kun? It'll help pass the time!"
I notice Yami looking at me pointedly, almost saying, "Better not make my aibou cry or else."
I ignore it. "No." Yugi's face scrunches up into a deep frown. There's a long pause, and then Yugi makes tiny whimpering noises. Yami's eyebrow twitches with anger at me. I glare right back at him. This went on for about, oh, ten minutes.
I sigh, getting bored of the emotional festival. "Let me tell you a nice little story. For the past, oh...eight years up until last year...I was severely beaten by my foster father. Guess what? It doubled on my birthdays. I don't need a party, I need this damn thing called time to move faster, so I can stop thinking about the past!" My voice started steady, but increased to a shout at the last sentence. I have no idea why I just said that. I assume I did it to end the idea of a party, but I've never told anyone except Mokuba that.
I could tell Yugi and Yami were shocked. Sheltered boys. I know Yugi was beaten up before his friends, but the bullies were just classmates. He doesn't know the feeling of coming home to pain. School's only six days a week (in Japan, that's not uncommon), but going home is all seven.
"I....." Yugi trailed off, finally turning away and letting his bangs cover his eyes. Yami looks at my black sheets, at a loss for words.
"You know..." the spirit started, "sometimes it helps to let things out, Kaiba. I can tell you've never told anyone about that until now, not even Mokuba."
To my own surprise, I find myself considering the thought. It's interesting. I've always had a strange relationship with Yugi and Yami. Strange enough to let me tell them that snippet of my tortured life. While we are rivals, we had helped each other out in the past. There had always been a grudging respect between the spirit and me, and with Yugi, a one- sided friendship.
"......Alright, I'll tell you." It's wasn't like I hadn't already started, huh? I take a deep breath.
"I had a perfect family. My mother was elegant. I inherited her blue eyes and brown hair. My father had black hair and black eyes. We weren't rich, but we got by. I wasn't spoiled or anything. The used to tell me they loved me a lot." I pause. I miss hearing them say that. I've never told Mokuba, but there's another part of my locket with our parents' picture inside.
"When I was five, Mother had Mokuba...but something went wrong, and she died a couple hours after his birth. I was still young, but I was a bright child, so I quickly understood what had happened. Father brought us home, and I locked myself in my room. I heard Mokuba crying all through the night. It went on for several days...me cramped into my room, Mokuba crying, and Father trying to get him to stop.
"One night, I wandered out of my room. I remember peering into the baby room. The instant I saw Mokuba, I was filled with anger. This was the child that killed Mother! I hated him. But then...I ventured in closer. Mokuba stopped crying and looked at me. He flashed a smile at me and held out his hands, as if he wanted to be picked up. I followed his wishes, and held him in arms. He was heavy, and he wouldn't stop squirming or giggling.
"It was then I realized that he sort of looked like Mother. Their smile was the same, and the shape of their eyes were quite similar too. It hit me all of sudden. Mokuba wouldn't have a mother to protect him or tell him she loved him. At the same time, my mother was living inside Mokuba. He was the last reminder of her I had. After that moment, I bonded with him.
"Of course, misfortune happened again. When Mokuba was three, and I was eight, my father was hit by a drunk driver. We were shipped off to live with relatives, none of them caring that we were still in pain from the tragedy. We were moved from relative to relative, and finally, one of them took us in. But then, they took our inheritance and dropped us off at an orphanage. 'They'll treat you well here so don't worry,' they told me. They drove away and never came back.
"They didn't treat us well at the orphanage. No one bought new toys or books for the children to read. Within three months, I had read every book available there. In all my time there, I lived only for chess. It was the perfect game for me. It was a game of logic and skill, but the rules were simple enough that everyone at the orphanage could play. I beat everyone there.
"I was the most brilliant child at the orphanage. I was hit up with many adoption offers, but I refused. None of them would take Mokuba, but I wouldn't leave without him. The workers at the orphanage tried to persuade me each time, but I never listened.
"One day, I heard that the rich Gozaburo Kaiba would be visiting the orphanage to adopt a child." I could feel my teeth grinding together as I barked out his name. "I was ten at that time. Realizing this was my chance to give Mokuba a good life, I studied the CEO's chess strategies. He was a champion, and I had a plan in mind to force him to adopt us.
"The day he came, I boldly went up to him and challenged him to a chess game. If I won, he would adopt Mokuba and me without question. He agreed. We played. I won. And just like I asked, he adopted us without a protest.
"But the moment I got to this very mansion, I knew things wouldn't be the same. A few days after we moved in, he quickly told me that I was to be the heir to Kaiba Corp. At the time, it was a huge military weapons business. Gozaburo was always delusioned in the idea that he could take over the world. He told me that I was to be the heir to his business. And with that, I began a ritual of studying.
"Every night he'd come home from Kaiba Corp. and test me on what I learned. Anytime I got a wrong answer, he'd torture me. Not just beatings, but whippings and such." Yugi gasped. Yami clenched the sheets with his fists.
"It went on for five whole years. All that time, I refused to give up. I couldn't risk Mokuba receiving the same treatment. But over the years, my childish self became nothing more than a memory. Everything about me became refined.
"I had always planned revenge. It had been on my mind since the cruelty began. But at the same time, the punishment was slowly warping my mind into some kind of sadistic manic. After five years, I turned the top Kaiba Corp. employees against him and took over. At my confrontation, he admitted defeat and committed suicide by throwing himself out the window.
"At that point, I turned Kaiba Corp. around. I destroyed all the weapons facilities and turned it into a thriving game company. I even opened Kaiba Land so I could make kids happy."
I stopped there. There was a long silence. Finally, Yami says, "I'm sorry Kaiba. I shouldn't have asked you about your past."
"It's fine," I reply, but it's not.
"Thank you for sharing your story," Yami shifts closer to me and puts his hand on my shoulder. "I think I understand you a whole lot better now."
"You think I'm so easy to read?" I snarl at him.
"No...but I understand. At least why you opened Kaiba Land." He left it at that.
Yugi suddenly gave off a big sob and tackled me. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Kaiba-kun!" he bawled.
I blinked. No one but Mokuba had ever tackled me like that. I was...surprised. Awkwardly, I brought an arm around and patted him on the back. I had no idea what to do or say, so I let my shirt be dampened by his tears until he fell asleep.
Sighing, I unwind his arms from my waist and place the sleeping boy on the right side of the bed, me moving to lie in the middle. Yami shifts over and lays down on the left side. He grabs a pillow on my bed and snuggles up to it.
"You're lonely aren't you, Seto-kun?" Yami says uncharacteristically, even using my first name.
"I have Mokuba," I respond.
"But I'm sure you've wanted someone or something else, hm? Something that would make you happy again."
"What makes you say that?" I defend.
He ignored my question. "You built Kaiba Land because you wanted people to be happy, ne? Because you had your happiness stolen from you. You don't want the children to forget that happiness like you were forced to do. But as you watch all the happy children, I'm sure you wish that you could smile again."
"Maybe," I reply coldly. How could he read me so easily?
Yami moves over and puts his head on my shoulder. His tri-colored spikes tickle my face. "Seto-kun...instead of being angry at me, I want you to tell me everything you feel." He places his right hand over my heart. We're close now. The only thing that separates us is the pillow smashed between out bodies. I'm a little intimidated at such....intimate contact from rival.
"Why are you-"
"Invading your space?" he interrupts. "I want to get closer to you." A double meaning...
I find myself considering his invitation. Then accepting it. "...when my father died, I wasn't accustomed to being treated like dirt, but by the time I was adopted by Gozaburo, I was used to it. My relatives and the orphanage held no attachment to us. But Gozaburo treated us lower than dirt. I was always flawed in his eyes...just because I wasn't his real son. I wasn't of his blood, but he would make do with the trash he agreed to adopt.
"It was impossible to please that monster. I think he enjoyed seeing me as flawed, because that was what he always said I was when he beat me. It was an excuse to cause me pain. I don't think I would've lived if it hadn't been for Mokuba. He was the only thing in those five years that showed me affection."
This must've been the first time I've ever talked so much...especially about my feelings. "Why do you care anyway?" I asked suspiciously.
Yami snuggles a little closer. "I'm interested in you. I've been interested in you for a while. You're...different from Yugi's friends. You're more reserved and mature. I always wondered what went on in your head. It became sort of an...obsession for me." I don't know whether to be flattered or horrified. "I got to know you more during Battle City, and that's when I..." he trails off.
"When you what?"
"When I...started to...love you...but...it's not just me...it's Yugi too. We talked about it once. We decided that if you chose one of us, then we agreed that the other should be happy...but I was hoping you'd take both of us, if any at all." Yami was unconsciously gripping me tighter while looking up at me hopefully.
I have to admit, I had considered the thought. Maybe it was more than just respect...I often started to think about getting to know the two boys better, but heaven forbid I actually drop my cool exterior. I once had a dream about them. It was a very...nice dream (A/N: *hentaithoughtshentaithoughts*). After that, I almost extended a hand of friendship, but every time I'd think back to the dream, and I'd be too embarrassed about it to approach them.
Yugi has a nice bubbly personality. He certainly doesn't look like a teen, and his features aren't well defined. Heck, if he were shorter and chubbier, he'd be a tiny cherub. An angel...well, not quite. I've heard he has a fetish for hentai magazines. Surprising, considering Yami just told me he's interested in me. Then again, I don't exactly know what's in those magazines...
Yami's very different from Yugi. He's got sharper features and seems to make any piece of clothing look good on him. Definitely the sexier one (A/N: *insane hentai laughter*). He can make any facial expression look hauntingly inviting, especially smirks and glares. This spirit looking at me right now definitely knows how to be a demon.
I feel a hand grip my unoccupied arm. Looking over, I see Yugi watching me.
"Aibou, how long were you awake?" Yami asks.
"The confessional," Yugi replies, obviously referring to Yami's declaration of love. The smaller boy places his head on my heart and smiles. "What do you think, Kaiba-kun?"
"First of all," I start, "address me as 'Seto' from now on." I pause for suspense. The two have their eyes fixed on me.
"Next.you know what I want for my birthday?" They almost face vault before giving me puzzled looks. It sounded totally irrelevant to the situation, didn't it? "I wish for.an angel." I kiss Yugi on his forehead, watching a cute blush appear on his face. ".and a demon." I duplicate the action on Yami.
"I think we can do that, ne Yugi?" Yami looks devilishly over at his look- alike.
"Yup!" Yugi exclaims. They instantly throw their weight on me as I pull them into a tight hug.
I smile as we exchange kisses. The perfect birthday at last. Maybe it's not too late for a party. (A/N: *insane hentai laughter*)
A/N: I'M FINISHED!!! *is whacked by Animefan-Artemis* Wait, no I'm not. Onto lemon writing! (which will be posted in a different chappie.)
Yugi/Yami muses: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Look what you've done, Animefan- Artemis! Now she's going to make us bed with him! *faints*
Pikazoom: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! ONWARD!
~~~extra random authoress note~~~
Pikazoom: dang, spell check made me realize my typing sucks. I had so many mistakes
Yami: *sigh*
Pikazoom: DISCLAIM!
Yami/Yugi: Pikazoom doesn't own Yu-gi-oh (phew).
Summary: The gang wants to have a celebration! The location? Seto's mansion. Seto/Yami/Yugi (also somewhat of a Seto reflection fic)
NOTE!!!!!!! This is set some time after Battle City where Seto feels Jounouchi has proved himself as a worthy duelist, therefore, doesn't call him names.
I Wish...
"You want to have a what at MY house?" I ask in disbelief.
"We wanna have a party!" Jounouchi exclaims excitedly.
I place my fingers on my forehead. Imagining the damage they could cause was enough to give me a headache...which had just built up on the last one. Yugi's gang actually had the nerve to barge into my Kaiba Corp. office and ask for something as dumb as a party?
Still...I am suspicious. Do they know?
"What kind of party?"
"A Halloween party! Duh! What other party could there be at this time of year?" Jounouchi answers. Jounouchi appears to be the spokesperson. I'm a bit relieved at his answer...as well as a bit sad, though I would never admit it.
"Why my house, when are you planning to have this, and who are you inviting?" I say to him, practically drawling.
"Bragging rights man! You've got such a huge house, it'll be the biggest Halloween party!!!" Jounouchi actually has the nerve to come up to me and slap ME on the back like we're good friends. We ARE NOT friends. And why the heck would anyone need bragging rights? "When...we were thinking Saturday, 8:00 pm. And who? Just us and a couple of other dueling buddies. PLEEEEEEEAAAAASSSEEEEEE?!?!?!?!" Jounouchi practically begs...like a dog. He drops down to his knees clasping his hands together like he was praying.
Saturday...Saturday was October 25. They don't know the significance of the that date. It's more than just six days till people can prance around in stupid costumes asking for candy. I don't do that kind of thing. I never did.
October 25 is my birthday. But I suppose it shouldn't mean that much anyway. To me, it's just six more days until some naive little kids come up to my house asking for candy. It's another day to brood. It's another day closer to death. It's another day to reflect on my pitiful existence.
"...No" I tell Jounouchi.
"WHAT?!" he practically screeches into my ear, which does not help my headache.
"I said no. Your reason is stupid, and I'm sure you'd break something if you came to my house," I reply to him calmly. He may be a worthy duelist, but he is nowhere near graceful.
I see him about to retort (probably to tell me he won't break anything when he broke a potted plant on his way in) when the intercom beeps.
"What is it?" I ask in an annoyed voice.
"Tatsuno Takeshi of Tatsuno Technology is here to see you," my receptionist replies.
"Send him in," I tell her, and then turn to face the angered Jounouchi. "We have nothing more to discuss. Leave now."
"No. Not until you agree to our party!" he says, very determined. This is just great. An important businessman is heading for my door, and there's a bunch of immature fools having a sit-in in my office. I hold my head in my palm and groan. Calling security would be very unprofessional to the incoming CEO. Being younger than most businessmen, I have to act just as mature as them. I just know I'll regret this later, but...
"Fine. Just leave now," I wave them away with my left hand. I need some aspirin.
"Yeah! We'll be around at six to set up!" Jounouchi says. I hear a small round of "thanks Kaiba" from the rest of the group as they exit.
"Hey, this here's a good man!" Jounouchi says, and I look up. Jounouchi's patting my fellow businessman on the back! I REALLY need that aspirin.
~~~Saturday 6:00 pm~~~
The doorbell rings. To me, it symbolizes the end of my house. I sigh and open the door.
"We're here!" Jounouchi announces with that huge grin of his. I could strangle him. He steps in, and the first thing he has the nerve to say is, "Man Kaiba, your house is kinda plain."
"I took down everything I thought was humanly possible to break," I reply. He gives me a deep scowl, but I return it with my own.
"I won't break things!" he protests.
"We'll see," I tell him.
I sit down on the couch and watch them set up. I graciously left my sound system out here, so they can blast their ears out as much as they want.
"ALRIGHT!!!! PARTY TIME!!!" Jounouchi exclaims triumphantly after setting up. "Eh, Kaiba. Where's your bathroom?"
"Why?" I ask.
"I need to change into my Halloween costume!" He replies. He didn't tell me this was going to be a costume party...but whatever.
"There's one in every guestroom, as well as mine and Mokuba's rooms," I tell him.
"Cool! I wanna see what's in your room, Kaiba!" Jounouchi says, probably thinking of ways to blackmail me.
"Don't you dare try," I glare at him. I locked our bedroom doors anyway. Just in case someone attempts to spike their drinks or something...Jounouchi shrugs and heads for a guestroom. Soon, everyone followed suit...except Yugi.
"Ne, Kaiba-kun, are you going to party with us?" he asks curiously.
"No. I think not," I look at him. He seems a little sad, but he turns and heads for a guestroom. I stare after him for a few minutes.
"Niisama! (Big brother!)" Mokuba suddenly bounds in, sitting next to me, a poorly wrapped box in his hand.
"What's that?" I ask, but I already know very well what it is.
He hands it to me. "It's a birthday present, duh," he says.
"Thanks Mokuba." I hug him and begin to open the crinkled paper. I smiled at the present inside and lifted it to the light. "You didn't need to spend your money on something so expensive," I tell him. It was a beautiful crystal sculpture of a Blue Eyes White Dragon. Looks like he'll get more Christmas presents this year...
"I wanted to! No one else buys you birthday presents, and you deserve something nice!" he exclaims.
As long as Mokuba was happy, it never really mattered if anyone gave me anything or not. "I think one from you is enough," I ruffle his hair and thank him again. He smiles, hugs me, and runs up to his room (with his room key, mind you).
I smile contently to myself, but then I hear a loud thump behind me. Whirling around, I see Yugi rubbing his head from the fall. When he gets up, I see he's wearing a Black Magician costume...though it's a little too big. I see he's holding the costume's armor. I guess he's having trouble getting it on.
"Uhh...I don't suppose you have clips, huh?" Yugi asks sheepishly. Sighing, I lead him over to the kitchen. Making him stand there like a model, I clip up his costume so that it doesn't make him look like some kind of purple-wearing cross-dresser. Though the whole time, I was wondering if he heard...
"So...when's your birthday Kaiba-kun?" Darn. He does know.
"Today," I tell him.
Yugi frowns at me and says, "I feel guilty having a party at your house on your birthday when the party's not for you."
"I don't care. I've never had a birthday party before," I tell him. My face remains stoic, but I mentally wince. "There, I'm done. And Yugi...don't tell anyone it's my birthday," I say in a dead serious voice. He gives me another sad look but hesitantly nods.
"PARTY!!!!!!!!!" I hear Jounouchi yell. Honda had shown up at the door with all the pizza...I guess that means the party can start.
"I'm going up to my room. Make sure they don't break anything," I tell Yugi before walking away.
~~~Seto's room~~~
Locking my door, I look around. The room has regal navy blue walls with a golden Fleur de Lis design patterning. My floors are also a navy blue, and my bed is black silk with very dark indigo pillows. The right side of the room leads to an elegant balcony, where a wooden bench sits outside. Opening the golden draperies and open the screen door a little, the wind blows in, giving the draperies a haunting sort of flow. The balcony fills my room with a brilliant white light from the full moon, the details of the wall, floor, and furniture being revealed and giving off an ethereal look.
This has been my room since I was adopted by Gozaburo. Looking around, I still have the all the information books I was forced to study during endless hours. I had hated him. I had always hated Gozaburo. He always said games were stupid. But games were never stupid to me. It had always been something to enjoy in the orphanage.
I remember the times with Mother and Father. It's something of a distant dream now. But, I've accepted that they're gone now. It's the past, and I'm in the present. I'm happy with how I turned out...I think. Was there a path that would've given me a different perspective on life? Life...I'm trapped in it. I'm trapped, and there's only one way out. Death.
Have I ever considered suicide? Razors, overdoses, you name it, I've thought of it. I'm not happy. I'd never tell anyone this, but...
I want to be normal. Just once. No normal person has a billion dollar job at 16 yrs. old. No normal person...no normal person doesn't have any friends.
I envy Yugi. Another thing I'd never tell anyone. His glowing personality sucks in people. Mine...well, mine could scare off a pack of bulls. I was raised that way. Trusting people was a weakness. They take advantage of your generosity. That's what I was told.
When I was a child, I used to dream a lot. What it would be like if Gozaburo was gone. What it would be like when I was grown up. I'm only 16, but one can tell I'm different than other teens my age. I'm more...mature.
Sighing, I lay down on my bed. I've slept in this king-sized bed countless times, but only now I feel it's too big...too...empty. Downstairs, I can hear the pulsating J-pop music. Suddenly, my room seems...bigger. I know it's foolish, but I feel lonely...
Shaking it off, I re-open my present, which I snatched up before the party started. Unwrapping it again, I take it out of its box. The lone light of the full moon from my balcony beams in, causing the crystal to shimmer. The rainbow of light sparkles on my navy blue carpet.
"Utsukushii...(beautiful. EEE! You should hear him say it in the show! *swooooooon*)" I whisper softly. It was truly beautiful. The dragon almost seemed like it was about to roar at me, showing off the ferocity of its Burst Stream attack. (Burst Stream=White Lightning)
I hear a knock at my door.
"Who is it?" I ask to the person outside.
"Yugi," came the reply. Sighing, I place the Blue Eyes on my nightstand and walk over to the door.
"Did you need something?" I ask, opening the door.
"Well uh...I think someone spiked the punch, and I kinda...can I stay here for awhile?" Yugi asked. Stepping aside, I let the violet-eyed boy into my dark room. He hesitantly steps in and looks around. "Sugoi! (Wow!) Your room is so nice, Kaiba-kun!" He practically bounced all over my room, examining my bookshelf, my walls, my balcony. He found it positively riveting. Finally he stops in front of the Blue Eyes figurine. "...Is this the present Mokuba gave you?" I could tell that he was entranced by it.
"Yeah...it is," I reply. He stares at it and almost unconsciously leans down to sit on my bed...before stopping himself.
"Oh! I'm sorry...can I?" Yugi asks. I nod coldly. "Wow...your bed is so nice and soft Kaiba-kun..." he says, laying his head on one of my numerous pillows, still gazing at the Blue Eyes. "Mokuba must really adore you, Kaiba-kun. Those figurines are super expensive..."
Yugi's hand trailed down his stomach. Obviously to remind himself of his most valuable treasure...the Sennen Puzzle. His eyes went wide. "Oh no! I must've left the Sennen Puzzle in the bathroom while I was changing! I'll be right back Kaiba-kun!"
Shrugging, I lay down on my bed, just listening to the J-pop music downstairs. Suddenly, I heard a loud crash. Then, "JOUNOUCHI!!! PUT DOWN THE SENNEN PUZZLE!!!" I feel a sweatdrop roll down my cheek. "Wha-NO NO! YAMI DOESN'T NEED A DRINK!!! WAIT! NOT IN THE PUNCH!!!!" A crash...more yelling...and one loud thud. "Yami?!" (A/N: I'm just going to name him Yami for the sake of mou hitori no boku is too looooooooooong...)
From outside my room, there's the sound of clothes being dragged on carpet coming from outside. I opened my door and expected to find Yugi...but it wasn't only Yugi. The panting Sennen item holder dragged Yami in and said, "Sorry. There was a little scuffle downstairs. Yami's out like a light."
Sighing, I take Yami from Yugi and carry him over to my bed. I faintly here the spirit say in a daze, "No, not the punch..." After dumping him on the middle of my bed, Yugi and I lay down on either side of him, occasionally glancing at the unconscious pharaoh.
Yami made a peculiar gargle. "Urgh.........." he said groggily, rubbing his eyes before sitting up. Blinking, he took in his surroundings. "......Where?"
"You're in my room," I tell the confused pharaoh. He jumps slightly, then whirls his head around to see me sitting there.
"K-kaiba? What am I doing here?"
"I brought you up here. Someone spiked the punch downstairs, so we're hiding out," Yugi said, relieved that the spirit was fine.
"Hmmm...okay, so....what are we doing now?" Yami asked, still looking around. Obviously, he was amazed by my room.
"Nothing," I reply, grabbing a book from my nightstand and reading from my previous endpoint.
"Oooh!" Yugi exclaims happily. "Let's throw a small birthday party up here for Kaiba-kun!"
"Birthday?!" Yami shouts, staring at me. "When's your birthday???"
"Today."
"T-today?" Yami repeats. "But...what about downstairs?"
"That would be an out of control Halloween party," I grumble, turning the page of my book.
"Oh. So, what shall we do first?" Yami asked.
"Nothing. I've never had a birthday party before, and I don't need one now," I retort.
Yugi's smile diminishes and turns into a sad pout. "Awwwww...please, Kaiba- kun? It'll help pass the time!"
I notice Yami looking at me pointedly, almost saying, "Better not make my aibou cry or else."
I ignore it. "No." Yugi's face scrunches up into a deep frown. There's a long pause, and then Yugi makes tiny whimpering noises. Yami's eyebrow twitches with anger at me. I glare right back at him. This went on for about, oh, ten minutes.
I sigh, getting bored of the emotional festival. "Let me tell you a nice little story. For the past, oh...eight years up until last year...I was severely beaten by my foster father. Guess what? It doubled on my birthdays. I don't need a party, I need this damn thing called time to move faster, so I can stop thinking about the past!" My voice started steady, but increased to a shout at the last sentence. I have no idea why I just said that. I assume I did it to end the idea of a party, but I've never told anyone except Mokuba that.
I could tell Yugi and Yami were shocked. Sheltered boys. I know Yugi was beaten up before his friends, but the bullies were just classmates. He doesn't know the feeling of coming home to pain. School's only six days a week (in Japan, that's not uncommon), but going home is all seven.
"I....." Yugi trailed off, finally turning away and letting his bangs cover his eyes. Yami looks at my black sheets, at a loss for words.
"You know..." the spirit started, "sometimes it helps to let things out, Kaiba. I can tell you've never told anyone about that until now, not even Mokuba."
To my own surprise, I find myself considering the thought. It's interesting. I've always had a strange relationship with Yugi and Yami. Strange enough to let me tell them that snippet of my tortured life. While we are rivals, we had helped each other out in the past. There had always been a grudging respect between the spirit and me, and with Yugi, a one- sided friendship.
"......Alright, I'll tell you." It's wasn't like I hadn't already started, huh? I take a deep breath.
"I had a perfect family. My mother was elegant. I inherited her blue eyes and brown hair. My father had black hair and black eyes. We weren't rich, but we got by. I wasn't spoiled or anything. The used to tell me they loved me a lot." I pause. I miss hearing them say that. I've never told Mokuba, but there's another part of my locket with our parents' picture inside.
"When I was five, Mother had Mokuba...but something went wrong, and she died a couple hours after his birth. I was still young, but I was a bright child, so I quickly understood what had happened. Father brought us home, and I locked myself in my room. I heard Mokuba crying all through the night. It went on for several days...me cramped into my room, Mokuba crying, and Father trying to get him to stop.
"One night, I wandered out of my room. I remember peering into the baby room. The instant I saw Mokuba, I was filled with anger. This was the child that killed Mother! I hated him. But then...I ventured in closer. Mokuba stopped crying and looked at me. He flashed a smile at me and held out his hands, as if he wanted to be picked up. I followed his wishes, and held him in arms. He was heavy, and he wouldn't stop squirming or giggling.
"It was then I realized that he sort of looked like Mother. Their smile was the same, and the shape of their eyes were quite similar too. It hit me all of sudden. Mokuba wouldn't have a mother to protect him or tell him she loved him. At the same time, my mother was living inside Mokuba. He was the last reminder of her I had. After that moment, I bonded with him.
"Of course, misfortune happened again. When Mokuba was three, and I was eight, my father was hit by a drunk driver. We were shipped off to live with relatives, none of them caring that we were still in pain from the tragedy. We were moved from relative to relative, and finally, one of them took us in. But then, they took our inheritance and dropped us off at an orphanage. 'They'll treat you well here so don't worry,' they told me. They drove away and never came back.
"They didn't treat us well at the orphanage. No one bought new toys or books for the children to read. Within three months, I had read every book available there. In all my time there, I lived only for chess. It was the perfect game for me. It was a game of logic and skill, but the rules were simple enough that everyone at the orphanage could play. I beat everyone there.
"I was the most brilliant child at the orphanage. I was hit up with many adoption offers, but I refused. None of them would take Mokuba, but I wouldn't leave without him. The workers at the orphanage tried to persuade me each time, but I never listened.
"One day, I heard that the rich Gozaburo Kaiba would be visiting the orphanage to adopt a child." I could feel my teeth grinding together as I barked out his name. "I was ten at that time. Realizing this was my chance to give Mokuba a good life, I studied the CEO's chess strategies. He was a champion, and I had a plan in mind to force him to adopt us.
"The day he came, I boldly went up to him and challenged him to a chess game. If I won, he would adopt Mokuba and me without question. He agreed. We played. I won. And just like I asked, he adopted us without a protest.
"But the moment I got to this very mansion, I knew things wouldn't be the same. A few days after we moved in, he quickly told me that I was to be the heir to Kaiba Corp. At the time, it was a huge military weapons business. Gozaburo was always delusioned in the idea that he could take over the world. He told me that I was to be the heir to his business. And with that, I began a ritual of studying.
"Every night he'd come home from Kaiba Corp. and test me on what I learned. Anytime I got a wrong answer, he'd torture me. Not just beatings, but whippings and such." Yugi gasped. Yami clenched the sheets with his fists.
"It went on for five whole years. All that time, I refused to give up. I couldn't risk Mokuba receiving the same treatment. But over the years, my childish self became nothing more than a memory. Everything about me became refined.
"I had always planned revenge. It had been on my mind since the cruelty began. But at the same time, the punishment was slowly warping my mind into some kind of sadistic manic. After five years, I turned the top Kaiba Corp. employees against him and took over. At my confrontation, he admitted defeat and committed suicide by throwing himself out the window.
"At that point, I turned Kaiba Corp. around. I destroyed all the weapons facilities and turned it into a thriving game company. I even opened Kaiba Land so I could make kids happy."
I stopped there. There was a long silence. Finally, Yami says, "I'm sorry Kaiba. I shouldn't have asked you about your past."
"It's fine," I reply, but it's not.
"Thank you for sharing your story," Yami shifts closer to me and puts his hand on my shoulder. "I think I understand you a whole lot better now."
"You think I'm so easy to read?" I snarl at him.
"No...but I understand. At least why you opened Kaiba Land." He left it at that.
Yugi suddenly gave off a big sob and tackled me. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Kaiba-kun!" he bawled.
I blinked. No one but Mokuba had ever tackled me like that. I was...surprised. Awkwardly, I brought an arm around and patted him on the back. I had no idea what to do or say, so I let my shirt be dampened by his tears until he fell asleep.
Sighing, I unwind his arms from my waist and place the sleeping boy on the right side of the bed, me moving to lie in the middle. Yami shifts over and lays down on the left side. He grabs a pillow on my bed and snuggles up to it.
"You're lonely aren't you, Seto-kun?" Yami says uncharacteristically, even using my first name.
"I have Mokuba," I respond.
"But I'm sure you've wanted someone or something else, hm? Something that would make you happy again."
"What makes you say that?" I defend.
He ignored my question. "You built Kaiba Land because you wanted people to be happy, ne? Because you had your happiness stolen from you. You don't want the children to forget that happiness like you were forced to do. But as you watch all the happy children, I'm sure you wish that you could smile again."
"Maybe," I reply coldly. How could he read me so easily?
Yami moves over and puts his head on my shoulder. His tri-colored spikes tickle my face. "Seto-kun...instead of being angry at me, I want you to tell me everything you feel." He places his right hand over my heart. We're close now. The only thing that separates us is the pillow smashed between out bodies. I'm a little intimidated at such....intimate contact from rival.
"Why are you-"
"Invading your space?" he interrupts. "I want to get closer to you." A double meaning...
I find myself considering his invitation. Then accepting it. "...when my father died, I wasn't accustomed to being treated like dirt, but by the time I was adopted by Gozaburo, I was used to it. My relatives and the orphanage held no attachment to us. But Gozaburo treated us lower than dirt. I was always flawed in his eyes...just because I wasn't his real son. I wasn't of his blood, but he would make do with the trash he agreed to adopt.
"It was impossible to please that monster. I think he enjoyed seeing me as flawed, because that was what he always said I was when he beat me. It was an excuse to cause me pain. I don't think I would've lived if it hadn't been for Mokuba. He was the only thing in those five years that showed me affection."
This must've been the first time I've ever talked so much...especially about my feelings. "Why do you care anyway?" I asked suspiciously.
Yami snuggles a little closer. "I'm interested in you. I've been interested in you for a while. You're...different from Yugi's friends. You're more reserved and mature. I always wondered what went on in your head. It became sort of an...obsession for me." I don't know whether to be flattered or horrified. "I got to know you more during Battle City, and that's when I..." he trails off.
"When you what?"
"When I...started to...love you...but...it's not just me...it's Yugi too. We talked about it once. We decided that if you chose one of us, then we agreed that the other should be happy...but I was hoping you'd take both of us, if any at all." Yami was unconsciously gripping me tighter while looking up at me hopefully.
I have to admit, I had considered the thought. Maybe it was more than just respect...I often started to think about getting to know the two boys better, but heaven forbid I actually drop my cool exterior. I once had a dream about them. It was a very...nice dream (A/N: *hentaithoughtshentaithoughts*). After that, I almost extended a hand of friendship, but every time I'd think back to the dream, and I'd be too embarrassed about it to approach them.
Yugi has a nice bubbly personality. He certainly doesn't look like a teen, and his features aren't well defined. Heck, if he were shorter and chubbier, he'd be a tiny cherub. An angel...well, not quite. I've heard he has a fetish for hentai magazines. Surprising, considering Yami just told me he's interested in me. Then again, I don't exactly know what's in those magazines...
Yami's very different from Yugi. He's got sharper features and seems to make any piece of clothing look good on him. Definitely the sexier one (A/N: *insane hentai laughter*). He can make any facial expression look hauntingly inviting, especially smirks and glares. This spirit looking at me right now definitely knows how to be a demon.
I feel a hand grip my unoccupied arm. Looking over, I see Yugi watching me.
"Aibou, how long were you awake?" Yami asks.
"The confessional," Yugi replies, obviously referring to Yami's declaration of love. The smaller boy places his head on my heart and smiles. "What do you think, Kaiba-kun?"
"First of all," I start, "address me as 'Seto' from now on." I pause for suspense. The two have their eyes fixed on me.
"Next.you know what I want for my birthday?" They almost face vault before giving me puzzled looks. It sounded totally irrelevant to the situation, didn't it? "I wish for.an angel." I kiss Yugi on his forehead, watching a cute blush appear on his face. ".and a demon." I duplicate the action on Yami.
"I think we can do that, ne Yugi?" Yami looks devilishly over at his look- alike.
"Yup!" Yugi exclaims. They instantly throw their weight on me as I pull them into a tight hug.
I smile as we exchange kisses. The perfect birthday at last. Maybe it's not too late for a party. (A/N: *insane hentai laughter*)
A/N: I'M FINISHED!!! *is whacked by Animefan-Artemis* Wait, no I'm not. Onto lemon writing! (which will be posted in a different chappie.)
Yugi/Yami muses: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Look what you've done, Animefan- Artemis! Now she's going to make us bed with him! *faints*
Pikazoom: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! ONWARD!
~~~extra random authoress note~~~
Pikazoom: dang, spell check made me realize my typing sucks. I had so many mistakes