Stay
Enjoying the tingling sensation on his scalp as a playful breeze tossed his sun kissed hair, Katsuya attempted to stretch his aching back muscles, strained from long hours of work. It was the long anticipated term break, with cheerful laughter dancing in the air as students of all ages race out of the stifling school building to embrace their newfound freedom in the cool autumn air. Strolling along a path oh-so-familiar to him, the blonde's mind drifted to how his closest friends were off at Yugi's grandfather's game store enjoying themselves. He felt a stab of envy as he thought of how the bulk of his break would be gradually wasted slaving away in a cafe, earning meagre wages to help alleviate the financial burden of his family; what's left of it at least. Knowing that he ought to be counting his blessings instead of constantly lamenting about his misfortunes, Katsuya brushed the thought from his mind before continuing on his long walk home.
A low boom resonated, accompanied by the first flash of lightning across the darkening skies. Looking up into the foreboding heavens, Katsuya mentally kicked himself for not bringing along an umbrella and contemplated the option of seeking shelter and waiting the rain out. He decided to continue with his journey first, in hopes that Lady Luck would once more be on his side as his pace quickened to that of a steady jog. Wisps of grey lined the fluffs of cotton in the skies as they steadily absorbed the black ink of the coming downpour. A flock of blackbirds darted out from behind the building, manoeuvring skilfully between the dense canopies of trees lining the sidewalk before soaring back up into the heavens, eyes set on an invisible destination.
The dense blanket of dust balls eclipsed the Sun, robbing all those trapped on the ground from the soft caress of its warmth, leaving them vulnerable to the full assault of the impending storm. The drops of precipitation descended, grazing the cheek of our duelist. Amber eyes glanced up north; an involuntary swear escaped before Katsuya broke into a run towards the nearest shelter. The intensity of the rain augmented while the teen frantically searched for a place to take cover. Unfortunately, the nearest structure was quite a distance away and the teen had no choice but to improvise by using his bag as a makeshift umbrella until then. His feet pounded the dirt track, shoes increasingly slicked with mud; vision obscured by the relentless pellets of rain; golden bangs uncomfortably plastered against his face. Eyeing the end of the path, Katsuya felt his spirits lift ever-so-slightly as the view of cold hard concrete greeted his eyes. With luck, he'd be protected from whatever war the gods were raging above soon.
A long raven-haired pre-teen peered out of the tinted glass of the luxury black sedan he was riding in, navy orbs reflecting the raging waves of boredom within. He had been counting the threads of rain for several minutes, but that had little effect in making time pass a little faster. His fingers absent-mindedly traced the transparent pearls dotting the glass, linking them into an imaginary string of patterns. The car slowed as it rounded a bend, just as Mokuba caught sight of a familiar figure on the other side of the glass.
"Wait!" Squinting, he was just able to make out a blonde running in the rain with a blue duffel bag clutched tightly over his head. The chauffeur, caught by surprise by the young master's cry, reduced the car's speed, allowing the car to crawl next to the teen outside.
Katsuya saw an expensive car slow next to him on the road, and instinctively turned towards it without breaking his stride. An almost opaque window inched down, revealing the beaming face of the little brother of his nemesis. He felt his eyes widened in surprise and the slight loss in concentration was almost enough to cause him to trip on an uneven portion of the ground and he was barely able to stop himself from sprawling face-first onto the unforgiving ground.
"Jonouchi! What are you doing out in this weather?" Quizzical eyes glanced at his soaked form before continuing, "Hurry up and get in!" Motioning for the chauffeur to stop the car, Mokuba waited for the glass to inch back up before swinging the heavy door open.
Katsuya stood before the car, his brain unable to fully process what had just happened. He was running home in the middle of a rainstorm, and all of a sudden, a posh ride appears out of nowhere with a Kaiba in it. To make the entire scenario even more surreal, Mokuba had invited him into the car, almost like the feud between the older Kaiba and himself had never existed despite reconciliation between Mokuba and the rest of his gang of friends. As he was pondering about the odd twist the current situation had taken, he heard the whirl of the car's intricate locking mechanism and before he knew it, the door swung open with Mokuba smiling up at him.
"Eh..." Katsuya looked at the younger Kaiba uncertainly. "It's okay, I'm not that far from my destination," before he could continue, he was interrupted by Mokuba, "Just get in the car. It beats standing in the rain right?" Without warning, a smaller hand grabbed his sleeve, yanking him non-too-gently into the car. With a wet 'splosh', he plopped down onto the sleek leather of the seats; water streaming down his face, a mini water puddle forming beneath him and on the floor. The door next to him slammed shut and the car started its gradual acceleration.
"I'll give you a lift to where you need to go," the teen caught the towel sailing towards him and thanked his companion. "Young master..." The chauffeur turned around hesitantly. "Master Kaiba had given me instructions to take you home directly from school. I'm not allowed to make any detours. I'm sorry but I'm unable to go against Master Kaiba's wishes..." Mokuba raised an eyebrow at this new piece of information and Katsuya fidgeted uneasily in his seat. "It's no problem. I can make my way back from here," he replied hurriedly with a small smile. Thanking the pre-teen for the offer and the towel, Katsuya grabbed his bag from the floor and reached out for the door handle, only to hear Mokuba protest, "You can't go back out there! It's pouring like there is no tomorrow! You'll catch a cold!"
The older of the two couldn't help but smile inwardly at the stark contrast between the Kaibas - Mokuba was outwardly good-natured and caring while his older brother was the most aloof snob to walk the Earth. "No really, I don't want to be of any trouble," he started. Mokuba furrowed his brows and grabbed the formers forearm tightly. Sighing, Katsuya gently pried the smaller hand open, freeing his arm before patting the pre-teen on the head fondly, "I'll be fine. Really. Promise." Mustering another smile, he turned away once more, fighting the ambivalence within him as his hand rested on the metal handle, ready to pull the door open.
"At least wait the rain out at my house or something!" Mokuba pressed. "You can come over and play video games with me until the storm blows over. You'll agree to that right?" The blonde felt his hold on the lever loosened. "You know that I don't get many chances to have friends over..." Katsuya turned around to reply, only to see a set of puppy dog eyes glimmering with tears, threatening to spill over in an instant. For an added effect, he could almost hear the subtle wavering in the raven-haired boy's voice. Oh how he hated that unscrupulous tactic! The pre-teen knew that despite the ex-gang member's seemingly tough exterior, he was still unable to resist the often underestimated power of Mokuba's pleading eyes. Grappling with the decision to go along with his rationale self or to succumb to Mokuba's infallible power of persuasion, Katsuya paused, letting his hand fall away from the handle. Knowing that he'll regret this decision later, the now defeated teen let a grin creep to the corners of his mouth and finally replied, "Why not?"
Almost immediately, Mokuba's face broke into a huge smile, his misery long-forgotten. The chauffeur heaved a small sigh of relief before speeding off into the veil of mist and rain, all the while convincing himself that he did not go against his master's wishes. Katsuya proceeded to dry himself further with the previously discarded towel, grimacing at how his dripping clothes clung onto him like a second skin and thankful for the other's foresight in lowering the fan speed and increasing the temperature of the hind seat air-conditioning unit. Half-listening to Mokuba's excited chatter about the games they were going to play; Katsuya settled himself comfortably in the spacious car and made a quick mental note to alert his father to the changes in his plans for the day. Somehow, he was unable to ignore the little voice at the back of the head telling him that it was going to be a long day.
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The ride itself wasn't particularly long and soon a grandiose mansion came into view, barely visible over the still incessant precipitation. "We are here!" Mokuba chirped happily next to the awestruck blonde. Katsuya had never seen a house that grand in his entire life. His imagination did not even bring him close to the splendour splayed before his eyes. Seemingly endless rolling lawns clocked the sides of the meandering driveway which encircled a delicately carved marble fountain. As the car sped along quietly, he felt his eyes drawn towards the centrepiece of the landscape, the mansion itself. Hundreds of details jumped out at him as his view of the mansion sharpened, its regal beauty coyly enchanting him as an array of colours overwhelmed him. The alluring scene unfolding before him had caused him to unconsciously hold his breath as his mind attempted to snapped him out of the alleged daydream. It was almost like he had stepped through a portal to a different world the moment they had driven past the iron gates; a fantasy solace in which the call of reality will never penetrate.
Mokuba noticed the sudden change in character of his friend and quelled their conversation. It wasn't unnatural for first time visitors to be captivated by the sheer magnificence of the Kaiba estate. Even for him, it was at times difficult to resist the spell his home casted. As for today, with the entire estate bathed in a ethereal glow from the storm, it was hard not to picture it as a scene taken out of a fairytale. Katsuya reluctantly stopped his survey of the landscape when he felt the car halt. The pre-teen exited the car first to activate the locking mechanism of the main doors while the astounded duelist remained inside. Stepping out of the vehicle slowly, the blonde took one last look at the painting like scenery before trying to snap himself out of the trance and following the other into the mansion.
As the two polished wooden doors slowly swung open, a whole new sight greeted him. "Come on," the shorter of the duo hurried ahead. Once more, Katsuya felt a wave of admiration as his eyes hungrily devoured the lavishly decorated interior of the mansion. He faintly recalled a voice asking for his bag and coat which he clumsily shrugged off, not noticing the droplets of water gleefully tumbling down into a small pool of water on the ground or the slight look of disapproval the older male shot him. All he remembered was the tasteful selection of exotic antiques from across the globe, woven amidst an ostentatious display of elaborate architecture as his damp sneakers squished nosily on rich lacquer wood. It was obvious that Seto Kaiba had spared no expenses in the creation of such an opulent home. Suddenly the young teen felt inexplicably inferior in the face of such grandeur, almost like he was nothing more than an unsightly blemish on the flawless perfection of this house.
"Jonouchi?" The blonde snapped out of his train of thoughts and blushed slightly when he realised his mouth hung slightly open as he gawked at his surroundings before smiling sheepishly at the impatient youngster. "Ah, coming," he answered as he scaled the marble staircase to the next storey, wincing at the embarrassing sounds his drenched form made.
Eyeing the dripping teen, Mokuba frowned. "Why don't you dry off first? You can use the bathroom on the right," he gestured. "Just use as many towels as you need, I'll go fetch some dry clothes for you." Katsuya thanked him and walked carefully towards the bathroom, almost afraid to deviate from the centre of the walkway for fear of accidentally knocking over one of the expensive decorative pieces lining the walls. Locking the door behind him, he glanced into the mirror and groaned. He looked absolutely dishevelled. His hair was dripping wet, with strands of hair clumped together; his clothes were soaked and streaked with dirt. What a sight he must have been when he walked through the doors earlier.
Peeling his thoroughly soaked clothes off, he draped them across the basin top before grabbing a huge plush towel from a orderly stack nearby and started drying himself. He felt a little chilly as occasional wafts of cold air from the main air-conditioning unit managed to sneak through the gaps of the door, causing tiny goosebumps to form on his still damp skin. Enjoying the lush material of the towel across his bare skin, Katsuya's mind wandered, thinking how it was such a pity that a gorgeous estate like this was owned by a cold-hearted and conceited being. The thought of the older Kaiba soon caused a mild feeling of worry to surface. He would most certainly not look forward to his rival's reaction if he discovered the blonde's presence in his sanctuary.
A knock sounded, "Jonouchi, I'll leave the clothes by the door. Just leave your clothes in the bathtub and if you want to, you can leave your shoes on the floor; a chambermaid will take care of them." The sound of footsteps soon faded and the teen hurriedly dried his locks the best he could. Unlocking the door, he peeked out and saw that a set of clothes had been placed on a small table just by the side of the door. Retrieving them, he retreated back into the bathroom and unfolded them. To his surprise, they looked casual enough. For a moment, he was afraid that the household would not have any clothes other than the ludicrous costumes the head of the house was so fond of wearing. Sniggering at the thought, he wriggled into the jeans and pulled the t-shirt over his head, brows knitting as he found them a tad too form fitting for his comfort. Shrugging it off, he attempted to put his soiled clothes and used towel as neatly as he could in the bathtub before finally exchanging his shoes for a pair of bathroom slippers and exiting to meet his host.
"Hey Mokuba," Katsuya called out. A raven-haired head popped out from one of the rooms down the corridor. "If your brother knew about my visit..." "Don't worry about it!" Mokuba replied almost immediately; a little too confidently for the formers liking. "I got it covered, trust me." He gave one of his mischievous smiles and winked secretively. Despite reassurance from his friend, the teen could not ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, signalling that perhaps the plan would not be as foolproof as Mokuba had believed it to be. Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, he entered the door the latter had appeared from and found himself in a rather cosy room.
It was every gamer's paradise. Huge plasma televisions hung from each wall, linked to different consoles; each drawer was bursting with an uncountable number of games; stacks of cards lay atop cabinets with several KaibaCorp (KC) Duel Disks strewn across the floor; high-tech machines stood in a corner humming. Katsuya let out a soft whistle and walked towards the younger Kaiba nested among a pile of games. "Do you want to start with Assassin's Creed or Halo 3?" The latter held up two disc covers. "I'm fine with either since I've played both before," the former replied as he took a closer look at the massive game collection.
The blonde searched through the various titles and one particular game caught his attention. "Whoa, I didn't know kids like you are allowed to play Resident Evil," he pointed to the NSRB rating for emphasis. "Shhh!" Mokuba jumped up and took the game from the taller gamer's hand. "Nii-sama(1) doesn't know about it," he admitted, a glint of playful defiance in his dark eyes. A smirk found his way to the blonde's mouth as he pretended to tut disapprovingly at the businessman's seemingly obedient little brother. He couldn't help being glad that the the pre-teens suppressive and overbearing old brother did not diminish the spark of adventure in the maturing boy. After all, what was life without excitement from breaking the rules?
"Let's start with the Resident Evil series then!" The younger gamer wasted no time in setting the game up. Katsuya laughed lightly at the other's enthusiasm and mockingly warned his opponent, "You better watch out then! I'm the master of that game!" He sat cross-legged on the floor and took a large pillow from behind him, placing it onto his lap before ruffling Mokuba's thick black mane affectionately. Soon the game started up and Mokuba turned to look at the blonde before he playfully retorted, "Bring it on!" The duo then engaged themselves in an intense battle, oblivious of the raging winds and unyielding rain outside.
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Seto Kaiba closed his tired eyes and rubbed his right temple as the limousine sped through the bullets of rain. It had been a long day at work, with an endless flow of documents to review and meetings scheduled. To make matters worse, a migraine had made its presence known during the earlier part of the day and was slightly successful in hampering his usual efficiency. As soon as the last meeting of the day had concluded, he gathered the remnants of the day's work and headed off for home. Perhaps the peace and quiet and a steaming hot meal were what he needed to coax the forsaken throbbing in his head to dissipate.
The brunette leaned back into the seat of his armoured vehicle, watching the blurred scenery fly by as his destination neared. There were days during which he had wished he did not have to get up at the break of dawn for work. He longed for a more laid back lifestyle; just him and his younger sibling, enjoying their lives as time silently trickled on. As much as he hated to acknowledge it, an abyss of loneliness was expanding deep in his soul, swallowing most of the little happiness he had left. He had once thought that by isolating himself further from the world and immersing himself in an unending flow of work, the gaping hole would one day be filled up, and his emotions numbed from extensive periods of neglect. Instead, the black hole within continued growing, its dark tendrils snaking into the depths of his soul, threatening to one day consume the small glimmer of hope he had fervently protected.
Before his thoughts were allowed to spiral further, the limousine halted and a voice over the intercommunication system announced the arrival at his destination. He did not budge as the door opened, revealing his butler carrying a large umbrella, with the distinctive silver letters 'KC' printed at an edge. "Master Kaiba, welcome home," the elderly man said politely, with a subtle hint of warmth in his voice. Seto exited the limousine carefully, making sure not to let the rain splash on him.
He welcomed the blast of warmer air as he entered the mansion, ignoring the offer from another to take his coat. As he ascended the grand staircase, he glanced at the grandfather clock, noting that it was closing six. "Dinner would be ready in an hour, Master Kaiba," the butler announced, almost as if he had read his master's mind. All he received was an almost inaudible grunt of approval from his employer before the teen disappeared from his view.
Scaling the stairs effortlessly to the third level, Seto proceeded to his suite at the end of the corridor. He entered the darkened room after a mechanical voice verified his identity and flipped the light switch. Placing his briefcase on an imported armchair by his work table, he took his jacket off and hung it carelessly on the coats stand. His hands reached up to loosen the knot of his tie roughly and stretched his aching neck. His phone sounded, echoing loudly in the enclosed room. Irritated, he reached into his jacket, fingers easily gracing the hard plastic of his phone. He pressed a button at the top of his phone, silencing it for now. Sitting down on the edge of his bed, he proceeded to undo the rest of his tie, letting it fall onto the satin covers of his bed. Oh how he relished the silence and tranquillity. Falling back onto the silken covers, the businessman felt himself sink into the soft material and stared blankly at the deep brown of the ceiling. Before long, his eyelids grew heavy and soon slipped into a dreamless sleep.
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Seto awoke with a start from his unplanned nap. He reluctantly rose from bed and suppressed a yawn. He was pleased to find that the bothersome migraine which had plagued him for almost the entire day had evaporated. Illuminated green numbers on the dial of his digital bedside clock told him that he had five more minutes to dinner. His stiff limbs protested as he made his way to his bathroom to freshen up before calling Mokuba downstairs for dinner. The frigid water bit into his skin, instantly dispersing the dense cloud of lethargy hanging over his head. He teased a comb through his well-conditioned chocolate locks, leaving the comfort of solitude to find his brother after he was satisfied with the result.
Knowing what an avid gamer his brother was, the older Kaiba descended to the second level and headed for the gaming room. The thought of having a scrumptious dinner with his brother instantly eased the ache in his heart and lifted his spirits slightly. As he neared the room, his ears picked up the faint sounds of laughter coming from its interior. The voices were slightly muffled but he could make out another individual inside the room with his brother, although he was unable to determine who that person was exactly. Feeling a frown cross his face, his fingers contacted the cool metal of the handle and with a flick of his wrist, twisted the handle and pushed the door open.
Mokuba and Katsuya were utterly engrossed in their battle. Waves after waves of zombies sprung up, attacking both players ceaselessly. They had fought back aggressively, but their efforts were futile in halting the enemy's advances. They had breezed through the first few instalments of the games, both gamers having played them countless times before. Mokuba finally suggested one of the later releases - the fifth instalment of Resident Evil. Although his older companion have not tried it before, he readily agreed to the idea hoping it would dispel his boredom after mindlessly spamming attacks in the previous games. Just as they were nearing the boss, neither heard the soft clicking sounds of the door handle turning, and were caught off guard unpleasantly by a very displeased Seto Kaiba standing at the doorway.
The brunette blinked in disbelief at the sight before him. He did not recall taking any medication before this which had the side effect of hallucination. As much as he wanted to be in denial of the situation, there next to his brother sat the most irksome member of Yugi's little squad, wearing what he vaguely recalled to be his old clothes. However, he could not help but notice how well they fit that nuisance. "What are you doing here?", he asked coldly, trying not to let his fuming core betray him, yet. Before Katsuya had the chance to defend himself, he heard his host answer, "I invited Jonouchi over to play video games with me." Seto felt a twinge of irritance at his brother for standing up for that undeserving lowlife, but continued to keep up his façade, "I am sure that vacuous mind of his will not impede too much of his ability to answer his own questions. What are you doing here?"
Mokuba fell silent upon hearing his brother's words. Katsuya may not know the exact meaning of 'vacuous', but he was definitely sure it could not be too good a thing. "I'm here to play games with Mokuba. Do you have a problem with that?", he snapped. Seto leaned against the frame of the door and folded his arms, a look on contempt on his face. "Of course I do. Once more, you have not failed in appalling me with your sheer bovinity. This is my house and your presence itself is sufficient to stultify one's intellectual capacity." The younger Kaiba could sense the silent anger boiling within his brother and the growing resentment of his friend towards the former. Katsuya felt his cheeks burn at the insult and soon found himself unable to contain his unbridled rage towards the arrogant teen standing in front of him.
Pushing himself off the floor, the blonde stomped up to the taller duelist with teeth tightly clenched. "Don't think just because you are Mokuba's older brother, you can control who his friends are," he taunted the brunette further, "Or perhaps you are jealous that unlike you, he actually has friends?" He smirked and congratulated himself, thinking he had struck a raw nerve. Seto felt himself nearing the precipice of his patience, but refused to allow his opponent any satisfaction from watching him lose his temper. Instead, he simply arched a delicate eyebrow in mock amusement at the frivolous rebuttal. "Unlike you, I do not see the need to invest my valuable time in such worthless activities. Of course, if one was as mediocre as you, it is probably the only possible method of effectively abating one's inferiority complex."
Pulling himself to full height, Katsuya moved in as close as he dared to the obnoxious teen, darkening amber orbs flashing dangerously. "I can't help it if an unfeeling bastard like you can't understand the meaning of friendship!" The businessman laughed at the blonde's outburst. "I am surprised that they would even consider you their 'friend'. The most you really are to them is a faithful companion; like the pathetic dog you are," he sneered. Katsuya balled his fists in fury, his body slightly trembling as the seething hatred he harboured towards the brunette grew with each second. It took all of his willpower to stop himself from wiping the holier-than-thou expression from the older Kaiba's face. Mokuba looked nervously at the two duelists. The tension between them was thick enough to almost physically manifest as it hung in the air perilously.
"Is the little dog angry?", Seto gibed. "Why don't you go back to your little 'friends'?" Katsuya had just about enough of the insolent bastard's ridicules. Not wishing to aggravate the younger Kaiba by throwing a punch at his brother, he roughly shoved past his triumphant nemesis, stopping only to growl, "If it wasn't for Mokuba's sake, I'd have beaten you to pulp." The brunette felt his eyes narrow at the threat, but chose not to press the matter further. As the blonde stormed off, he shifted his gaze to his younger brother, only to catch him hugging his knees with a forlorn look on his face. A mixture of annoyance and regret surfaced. He took a step towards his younger sibling, only to see him shrink away slightly.
"Mokie..." Seto started. He saw his little brother raise his head, eyes brimming with unshed tears. "It's not fair," Mokuba sniffed, choking back a sob. "I never get to invite anyone over. Just when I was able to find someone to accompany me when you are at work, you have to ruin it all with your foul mood and sarcastic remarks!" Tears streamed down the smooth of his face, his nose turning a tad redder than before as his small form shook uncontrollably. "It was my fault, so why blame it on Jonouchi? I'm alone most of the time Nii-sama. Jounouchi was one of the few who would entertain me when you are away even though the relationship between the both of you is strained," he continued bitterly. "I don't wish to lose you as a brother, but I don't want to lose the few friends I have as well," with that, he broke down into more heart wrenching sobs.
Seto felt a pang of remorse at his brother's words. There was indeed some truth in what he had said. He had tried his best to provide his brother with all the material luxuries he longed for, praying that they would distant the youngster's mind from the echo of the empty house. Even so, he was unable to fully shield his brother from the pains of loneliness. Sighing, he knelt down and pulled his brother close. "You know I'll always be here for you Mokie," he comforted, gently stroking the smaller Kaiba's back in attempts to soothe him. "Please...Nii-sama... Call Jonouchi back." Mokuba whispered as he sobbed into his brother's shirt.
The older Kaiba sighed in exasperation inwardly. Why did Mokuba choose that immature brat as his new best friend of all people? "You can call him to come back tomorrow," he shushed his brother, trying to coax him out of his decision. "If you don't get him back now, he will definitely not come back ever again..." Mokuba wept, the thin fabric of his brother's shirt catching the droplets of tears as they fell, leaving short disjointed streaks in their wake. As much as Seto loved his little brother, he treasured his pride too. Losing a duel for his brother's safety was one thing, but going after the person he loathed most and most probably apologising to him, was almost out of the question. He was in a quandary as to how he could win his brother's favour back, yet not completely toss his reputation out of the window.
Deciding it was not worth having his brother upset with him for goodness knows how long, the brunette conceded defeat and agreed to try and persuade his rival to return. Mokuba looked up uncertainly, eyes reddened and puffy from crying, searching the deep pools of his brother's piercing eyes for evidence of deceit. Finding none, he whispered disbelievingly, "Really? Promise?" Seto nodded, "Promise." With that, he gently disentangled himself from the younger Kaiba's grasp and headed downstairs to search for the moron who was the cause of this brawl.
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Katsuya was fuming. The feud between Seto and himself was one thing, but the incongruous behaviour of the haughty duelist was completely uncalled for. He was here on Mokuba's request, not his. No longer concealing his abhorrence towards the brunette, he rapidly exited the corridor, muttering a string of profanities under his breath as he angrily descended the stairs, startling several housemaids by his choice of words. Reaching the ground level, the blonde snatched his backpack up from by the main door, frustrated to find his coat missing from the coats stand. Swearing non-too-elegantly once more, he demanded for the astonished butler to open the door, impatiently tapping his foot as the man fumbled with the Byzantine locking mechanism. As soon as the opening of the door was wide enough for him to pass, he dashed out into the darkness of the enveloping night and the wrath of the storm.
The sky was almost pitch black, with an occasional ominous boom of thunder, coupled with jagged streaks of lightning, temporarily illuminating the otherwise dark grounds of the estate. Icy cold winds lashed out at his unprotected skin mercilessly as he shivered in response. The raindrops felt like needles upon his bare flesh; piercing through the thin layer of skin, digging deeper until they pricked his heart. He ran like never before, hoping that the physical onslaught on the storm would allay the sharp stabs of pains in his heart.
Raindrops intertwined with teardrops of sorrow, forming a diaphanous web of melancholy. He had once upon a time foolishly believed that if he was unable to savour the taste of affection from the one he longed for through direct means, by becoming the person's rival, he may be able to win his trust over. Slowly but surely, and perhaps one day, some day, he would finally be able to understand the true meaning of love. Who knew, his luck had decided to abandon him in this aspect of life, leaving him to grapple blindly in the dark as his dream lay shattered on the ground. Each time he tried to piece the infinite pieces together, they would leave deeper gashes in his wounded heart before breaking into even small ones, forcing him deeper into his abysmal misery.
He had tried to win the approval of the ice prince time and time again; from rising up to be one of the best duelists the world has ever seen, to looking after Mokuba when he was unable to. Each of these actions seem to be counter-productive as they encouraged the other male to develop a stronger sense of aversion towards him. By isolating himself from the sapphire-eyed beauty, he had hoped to subdue his feelings towards him. The harder he tried, the more intense the longing for him became. He would dream of drowning in endless depths of navy and the earnest desire for his touch. He would wake up each time to disappointment as he willed his dream to fade into non-existence.
Katsuya continued running, tears freely flowing down his defined cheekbones as his face contorted in pure agony from the emotional torment the blue-eyed angel had bestowed upon him. It was almost like an addiction. He had promised himself countless times to break free from the power his crush had on him, only to come crawling back several days after, pleading for release, for another dose. He would rather live for the rest of his life dependent on the drug, than to risk the mental torture of rehabilitation.
The blonde felt his pace slow to a jog and inhaled deeply, thankful as he felt his mind clear a little. His feet ached from the little protection the bathroom slippers offered him from the cold hard ground. A dark shape loomed in front of him; a flash of lightning giving him just enough light to see that it was the gorgeous fountain he had admired several hours ago. Distracted, he walked towards the structure and sat on the edge facing away from the mansion, praying that he would finally be able to rid himself of the need to win Seto's affection.
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Leaving Mokuba in the gaming room, the older Kaiba crankily headed for the foyer. He silently cursed as the familiar throbbing in his temple resurfaced. He would have to give the other duelist a piece of his mind later for delaying his dinner too. Scowling, he ordered his butler to open the doors, rushing out into the embrace of the moonless night without accepting the umbrella from the older man. He knew that the short-tempered teen could not have gone far, seeing that even if he did make it to the end of the driveway, the sturdy iron gates guarding the estate would not permit him to leave too easily. Thankful for his daily visits to the gym, he raced past the well manicured lawns, despising how the water caused his working clothes to adhere to his skin.
Seto contemplated his approach, knowing that the hard-headed teen he was chasing would not easily forgive him for his harsh words earlier. He could almost imagine the other's vehement hostility as he tried to, gods forbid, apologise. His mind instantly conjured up the familiar infuriated look on the blonde's handsome features; the flash of crimson in his dark amber eyes which had vexed him often enough during nights in which he lay staring at the mahogany of his ceiling. The hammering in his head intensified. Wrapped in his solitude, he had craved for companionship; his hollowed shell feeding on the air of emptiness as he struggled to slip into the realm of dreams and nightmares; his temporary respite before the dreaded cycle repeats itself.
He had sworn not to become yet another victim of weak human emotions, reduced to yearning for another until the end of time. It was a liability to his promise to Mokuba; he would not allow himself to get ensnared in the vines of temptation and risk losing all that he had fought for. Still, he found himself drawn towards the blonde like a moth towards the source of light, enticed by the siren's song; the tinkle of sweet laughter and the radiance of his smile captivating him.
Seto hated how vulnerable he felt in his presence; perhaps even a little fearful at the belief that someone like him had the power to unravel the cocoon of protection and security he had woven. In the desperate attempt to sever the love-hate relationship, he retreated further into his cover, pulling on his mask of reticence. He thought that perhaps, by detaching himself from the other; pushing him away; disregarding his achievements, he would finally be able to numb his aching heart. Still, the blonde persisted, returning for another dose of venomous verbal assault after recovering from the previous attack. He felt a small part of his soul die each time he shot the other duelist down. He did not know why today he felt exceptionally malicious, but for once he had managed to achieve his objective as the other left the room enraged. However, the sense of accomplishment he had anticipated never came. Confusion washed over him; the void in his heart deepened. What he hadn't realised then was that the heart which was broken was his own.
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Looking around, the brunette was still unable to locate the other teen; the roar of thunder did little to help his migraine. Exasperated, he sat down on the slippery marble, looking at his home in the distance, shrouded by thin wisps of mist and precipitation; the patter of rain onto the hard surface of the marble, a lullaby of woe. Tilting his face to the heavens, Seto closed his eyes, letting the rain wash his pains away.
His ears soon caught the soft sounds of weeping. Opening his eyes; heart pounding rapidly in his chest; he turned around slowly, almost afraid to discover its source. Directly behind him sat the despondent teen, shivering ever-so-slightly; blonde hair a shade duller, swaying in rhythm with the occasional breaths of wind. The taller of the duo got up hesitantly and started soundlessly to the still oblivious blonde. Could Katsuya actually be crying? The usual spirited duelist was hardly ever seen without a brilliant smile on his face, save for the times during which the both of them were engage in yet another round of inane bickering. The sight of him actually crying came as a rude shock, for he had not expected the argument from before to have such an impact on him.
Shoving the little voice in his head telling him to preserve what was left of his ego to the back of his head, Seto called out in a voice which was a little too tense for his liking, "Oi, Jonouchi." Katsuya jumped a little at the voice; blinking back another bucket load of tears; gathering up the remains of the anger he still had locked up inside, he croaked, "What do you want?" The older Kaiba felt his heart tighten at the animosity the other had towards him. Struggling against his better judgement to just walk away now, he continued, "Mokuba wants you to go back." The blonde felt his back stiffen at the statement. The nerve of that impudent imbecile. After the little show he had put on earlier, he still had the audacity to 'invite' him back? Katsuya may not be blessed with exorbitant wealth, but the one thing he was determined not to lose today, especially to someone like him, was his dignity.
"If you think you can trick me into going back to being your verbal punching bag, you are sadly mistaken Kaiba," he spat, feeling a mixture of years of bottled up wrath and frustration spill into every inch of his body. The brunette was taken aback by the response. The one time he tried to be nice, the other duelist had to mistake it as a invitation for further ridicule. Fighting his growing annoyance and the urge to just go over and shake some sense into the delirious teen, Seto tried to keep his voice levelled, "If I had approached you with the intention of ridiculing you further, I would have already done so."
Feeling his heart skip a beat at the possibly equivocal answer, Katsuya forced himself not to get his hopes up. During all the previous times in which he had done so, all he had ended up with was the reward of getting pulled further under the river Styx. Turning around to face the taller duelist, Katsuya glared at the former, "Why, thank you for your generosity. Need I bow down before the Great One to show my deepest gratitude?" Seto's patience was wearing thin; his vein throbbed in anger as the stubborn blonde trod on precariously thin ice. "I don't have time to play little games with you," he growled between gritted teeth. "No one is forcing you to," the blonde retorted. "Besides, the only one playing the game here is you."
"Quite the contrary. You are moronic enough to take the bait," Seto immediately regretted his words after they left his throat in his fit of rage. Seeing the look of accusation materialise on the other's face, he mentally kicked himself for inadvertently letting slip another hurtful comment. Katsuya knew it. He knew that this trap was just another laid by his guileful rival in his insidious plan of making him look like a dunce. Without another word, he turned around, biting his bottom lip to prevent another drop of tear from spilling from his sore eyes and started off towards the end of the driveway.
Seto had finally gotten what he wanted - Katsuya out of his life. Instead of relief, grief flooded through his veins, embittering him further. All he could think of now was holding on to the last fine thread which linked him to his love. The older Kaiba knew it was now or never. The apprehension holding him back ebbed away as the sight before him invoked a sense of understanding within him. Taking several large strides, he reached out and grabbed the blonde's hand firmly. Katsuya felt long fingers encircle his left arm, preventing him from progressing ahead. His head was still fogged with a mosaic of emotions; dubiety caused him to stop, standing unresisting to the other's grip.
"Stay."
"Please... Stay," a soft whisper sounded near his ear as he felt a warm presence behind him.
Seto moved in closer to the shorter teen, the pulsating of his heart quickening as he did. Loosening his grip, he reached for the other's arm before gently twisting the blonde until he was facing him. Katsuya would not meet the businessman's gaze as he felt himself turn around. He could feel the thumping of his heart against his ribcage but was still unable to forgive the other for the earlier events. The older Kaiba never realised how beautiful the man before him really was. A head of dazzling gold framed his slightly tanned porcelain skin; long eyelashes lined his usually vibrant honey coloured orbs; unrestrained crystalline tears slid down the smooth contours of his face. Seto felt his heart contort in agony as his trembling hand moved to tenderly rub away the serpentine trails of tears.
Katsuya flinched at the skin contact, shrinking further away from the duelist before him. Seto felt like someone had just slapped him across the face as the blonde shied away from his touch. "... Katsuya..." The latter felt tears well up in his eyes; teeth biting down harder on his lower lip, almost to the point of drawing blood. Shutting his eyes tightly, he gave in to his sorrow; soundless sobs wrecking through his form. A warm hand protectively wrapped itself around the violently shaking teen, pulling him into a loose embrace. The brunette rested his other hand lightly atop the golden head of hair, absently stroking the damp strands as Katsuya sobbed into his shoulder; the latter's hands held on tightly to the flimsy fabric of the shirt, crumpling it into a loose ball.
As his tears flowed, the blonde felt the burden of his soul lifted; releasing all the unhappiness trapped inside him. The intensity of his sobs abating; pressing himself closer into the muscular chest of his protector, he listened to the palpitation of the other's heart while enjoying the deliberate rubbing motions of the strong hands on the small of his back. The blissfully unaware lovers never noticed the dwindling of the downpour into a mere drizzle, strings of tiny pearls cascading around them; neither did they realise the silver moon peaking bashfully from behind a cloud, bathing them in its lustrous glow.
The familiar flutter in Katsuya's heart returned as he tentatively looked up at his angel's serene face. The taller duelist felt the other teen shift and tilted his head downwards slightly; his sapphire eyes locking with amber ones, feeling himself drawn into their promise of warmth and acceptance. The last of his worries vanishing, Seto brushed several loose strands of hair from the blonde's face; fingers lingering for a moment before tracing the smooth skin of the side of his face down to his chin. Katsuya held his breath as cool fingers stroked his face affectionately; a sigh of contentment escaping his lips. His heart sang with joy; a myriad of emotions erupted from the recesses of his soul.
Moving his hand to his lover's chin, the brunette lifted the seraphic face towards his. Instinctively, both teens leaned closer, eyes closing as their lips contacted the other's softly. Seto felt an indescribable feeling surface from within his soul, healing the self-inflicted wounds of the past, giving him the courage to open his heart to another. A wave of euphoria washed over the couple, relieving them of their previous heartaches; both finally finding the true meaning of love. After what seemed like eternity, the blushing duo pulled away reluctantly. Gazing deep into the blonde's eyes, Seto said something he never thought he would ever say to another - "I love you, Katsuya." Pulling the flabbergasted duelist close once more, he embraced him tightly, almost afraid to let go for fear of losing his love. Katsuya's heart somersaulted at the sincerity of his significant other's words. He locked his arms around the taller teens neck and moved closer to him, nuzzling into the nape of his neck before whispering almost inaudibly, "I love you too, Seto."
Two beings bound by the thread of love, incomplete hearts freed from their shackles of loneliness. Opposites collide; fiery passion melting the the ice encasing the distance between them, paving the way for a new life together. For in the heart of the night, amidst the cover of relentless rain, they had finally found the missing piece of their shattered souls.