HowtoLaughOutLoud

Remember My Love
By Misster Cackles
Rating: M
Warnings: Yaoi, profanity, sexual content, abuse, character death, religious hints
Pairings: Kaiba Seto x Jounouchi Katsuya
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and a few OCs

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Chapter Two - Twelve Years

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Honey eyes tipped over the silver frames of the rectangular bifocals to peer more closely at the hardcover book open in his hands. The glasses were scratched slightly, not to mention dirty, his own dysfunctional eyesight better than the prescription was - that is, only if the book was less than a foot and a half from his face. Katsuya didn't feel like cleaning the lenses just yet, he was almost done with the best-selling series, less than a page...two paragraphs...four sentences...one word, done. Jounouchi Katsuya closed the back cover and carefully laid the seventh Harry Potter book to rest on the café table in front of him, taking off his spectacles with scarred hands to wipe them clean on his shirt sleeve.

Nothing about the scars bothered him anymore. He didn't even pay attention when people pointed his way. No one had to know the story. His body was covered with the slightly bumpy surface of discolored skin. It kind of reminded him of a rag doll, almost, with the colors patched up like that.

Twenty-eight years old, Katsuya was just about the same guy twelve years before, bearing the same sandy blonde mop (yet with tamed bangs and shorter back hair) and honey brown eyes. Over the decade, however, the bronze medal duelist had: lost quite a bit of his large appetite (finding his metabolism slowing down quickly with age), a permanent need for glasses (the...incident...ruined his eye-sight), grown at least another seven inches, gotten little metal hoop ear piercings, and a goatee. Small though, a triangle right under his bottom lip with the point of it leading between his hardly noticeable cleft chin, which had developed sometime in his early twenties. The biggest difference besides the facial appearance in Katsuya was that he had finally gotten his act together and become more mature, reading and studying at the top of his list now a days. Even his sloppy style of outer-wear street clothes now consisted of high collars colored sweaters and deep-blue jeans.

Katsuya sighed in mild disappointment, shoving his glasses up the bridge of his nose - he hadn't really enjoyed the seventh book as much as he thought he would. He could see many openings, which were obvious to avoid if he were one of the book characters, especially at the last fight between good and evil. Surely, if he were a dark lord with a wand and scary magic, he'd kill anyone to get the more powerful weapon, and then ask questions later, after his archenemy was dead. Katsuya hadn't liked it either when the author had killed off one of his favorite characters, by falling rocks, nonetheless! Other than that, the book had been tolerable - not one of his favorites, no, but on the read-again-when-bored-enough list. The blonde reached for his caramel-vanilla cappuccino, eyes scanning the pile of books in front of him while sipping through the red straw. Yeah, Barnes & Noble was a terrific place, Katsuya decided long ago.

He pulled out Stephen King's Desperation, looked over the front cover, flipped it and read the summary, then opened the book up to a random page somewhere in the middle and read a few sentences. Katsuya then closed it again and put it on the top of his stack, sure to read it first when he returned home; it seemed disturbing enough... It was this new feature that had many of his friends shocked when he had come to school for the first time in his senior year since the fire incident - walking through the gates, Katsuya had a novel open between his fingers, a few others tucked under his arm. He'd explained on paper that since he couldn't do one of his life's pleasures (talking, obviously) that he'd have to find a new indulgence, which he'd found in reading. And even to this day, it's grown on him. At least Kaiba Seto hadn't been there to question, or rather tease him about it - him reading; not the talking part.

It was all over Domino City news, anyway, that incident...

Sighing, Katsuya leaned back in his cushioned chair, taking his caffeine drink with him, thinking randomly while gripping the silver cross pendent around his neck with the other hand, stroking it absentmindedly, thumb running over the tiny sapphire gem in the center. He hadn't seen the CEO since their last squabble in the boy's bathroom in his junior year, not including that one, half-day for Graduation; but even then everyone was too busy to think about anything else than hoping to get their diplomas - he didn't even get to speak to his own friends that day. Anzu and Yuugi were giving speeches; and Honda, Otogi, Ryou, and he sat in different rows alphabetically. Well, Kaiba had sat right behind him, though; the Ks behind the Js. Katsuya could remember each word he sneered in his ear to this day.

"That dancing bear probably didn't even write this speech down, from what I'm hearing about friendship, peace, and a brighter future..." Kaiba Seto arrogantly pointed out in a whispered voice to the blond in front of him, "Actually, I do believe I've heard this one before if her next words are..." he paused to listen to Anzu's encouraging speech, "'...we will each go into future together, united, to face anything that will come, because we are strong and willing people that can face anything...!'"

"'...that can face anything!'" It was like an echo, hearing first from Kaiba then Anzu.

Katsuya fumed, shoving in his hand in his pocket to retrieve the prescribed bottle of acetaminophen and popped a pill, trying his best not to rise from his seat right then and tackle the brunette, instead he settled with moving his arm backwards to flip him off. The azure-eyed teen seemed to have dismissed it, huffing a little then snickered darkly at the boy in front of him, "Does she even realize that she repeated herself? Is she graduating, even? She shouldn't. The dancing bear talks - no, acts like a child."

Sighing at the slow effects of the drug, he was still trying his hardest to stay glued to his seat. Katsuya snapped his fingers pointedly at the KaibaCorp. executive to gather his attention to his hands, spelling out letters with his fists, "You're the only one acting like the child, moneybags, now shut the fuck up before I make you." Of course, since he’d only just begun his sign language lessons, he hadn't memorized anything beyond the alphabet, so spelling out the sentence was rather long. Not to mention he was spelling upside down.

It had taken a moment before Kaiba had spoken, sounding a little different than his taunting earlier somehow - not as proud as before, Katsuya noted. "I don't understand finger-spell...make-inu - sorry to let you know that it was all wasted." At that moment, the blonde whipped his head around, stared indifferently at the chilly azure eyes and mouthed slowly one word:

"Learn."

The amber-eyed man sighed again; of course nothing would ever go smoothly between the two of them if they ever saw each other again - they'd probably pick up from that last argument, but he didn't want that... Katsuya reached out his arm to place the Styrofoam cup on the circular, wrought iron café table, slouching considerably into a laid back position. He was getting tired, and while turning his wrist to find the time, he decided it was just about time to head on home after he paid for his books. Besides the Harry Potter one. That he left on the table; some young adult would want to read it, he was sure.

At the counter, the cashier girl, a late teenager (blowing pink bubbles from between pink glossed lips, long shiny blonde hair in pig-tails being twirled in one hand by perfectly manicured fingers, the other hand holding a lavender Razor cell phone), gave him a look of annoyance. When she took in his face, she almost recoiled in surprise, or horror, he noted carefully. The gold plated name tag printed with 'Misa' in all caps shined directly over her right breast. Katsuya smirked inwardly and set the books beside the register.

ASL would be perfect for this - so even if she knew limited Japanese sign language (it was now an academic class in high school, being the teacher, he knew), the possibility for her knowing American... He’d just have a little fun, that’s all.

"Good evening; I have a membership here under the name of Jounouchi Katsuya. I also need to pay for my tab when I was last here, for 'The Vanished Man' by Jeffery Deaver and Peter Straub's 'Shadow Land'. Could you ring up those and these books here at the same time for the total?" Katsuya had to bite his lip to keep a straight face; the girl looked at a total loss, several emotions crossed her face: confusion, deep thought, annoyance, and sympathy (which Katsuya rightly ignored), she looked hilarious with all the emotions at once. Misa put down her phone, blinked at the counter a few times in thought, arms waving a little.

She then spelt out poorly and slowly with her fingers, "Can you understand sign in Japanese? Or lip-read?" The man almost laughed - she thought he was deaf? Not exactly lying to the idiotic girl, but not giving the straight truth, he shook his head, staging for sadness, then spelt 'no, I'm sorry, I didn’t understand anything apart from what you had fingered, and yes - I can't lip-read, though I know how, but could you still ring the total?' in Japanese. Misa then looked crestfallen. Right then, Katsuya had to turn around, lean against the counter across from her and shake his head solemnly at her stupidity. She had been spelling in Japanese fingers. And she asked if he understood. He said he had (well, not exactly). And spelt it all in Japanese.

He faced Misa again, with a pitied glance, then motioned that he was going to another register. She seemed panicky, and pointed at him then the counter as if to say "stay". Misa fled to the back room, red heels clacking against the tiles.

Katsuya raised a brow at her behavior, but stayed put, then looked around the register. A few pictures of some men, celebrities most of them, were taped along the sides of the computer monitor (obviously boy crazy); there were two bottles of nail polish beside the green lamp, pink and purple (cared more of beauty than work); and cap-chewed pens (either having been forced to spit out her gum, or something was stressing the young woman) were scattered across most of the desk table. Katsuya stared at the teeth marks on the black caps, knowing all too well about the habit - he himself had been a chewer of pencils, pens, and erasers during high school, usually around sixth and seventh when he had to go home to his father.

May God not rest his soul in peace.

The bastard was probably in Hell anyways, thank God... Katsuya quickly shook his head to banish memories of that day.

Almost annoyed with the waiting, the amber eyed man slid 'Desperation' off the pile and opened to the first page, already into the book at the first line with '"Oh! Oh, Jesus! Gross!"' Katsuya was also nearly as disturbed as the woman, Mary, when he read on to learn that there had been a cat nailed on to the speed limit sign. Stephen King and his horror... Stephen King, Darren Shan, and Anne Rice made good horror stories. Even though they were English authors, he had to admit that his studies from...who ever had tutored him...did not go to waste - he had learned to read and sign the English language quite fluently, both from the same person, and passed everything in with top marks, just like high school (well, top marks for Jounouchi Katsuya standards).

He turned to lean his back on the counter once more, losing himself in the story.

The clacking sound faded into existence again, along with the soft thud of flat shoes, but Katsuya hardly took notice to it, he was on page six, finding out that Mary had "'a nice set of cantaloupes'", as said by her husband Peter. He also took note that the couple (city folks as explained earlier) didn't like wide-open skies; too much "pressing down" on them, Mary said. On it went to the suspicious car from behind, turning out to be a police-car, which turned out to be even more suspicious when he slowed down and was backing up to them. Peter slowed down, too, backing up, Mary alarmed with the situation. Peter had no option but to pull over on to the side, and wait for the police officer. Mary was getting scared, though...

"Holy God, he's the size of a football player!” That had been Mary, but before Peter replied, the sound of a distinctive 'ahem', and the two snaps of fingers, and a whisper of a lady saying, "he won't hear you; I told you already he's deaf", only then did he acknowledge that Misa had returned...

Katsuya turned around, hoping he had a face of annoyance, and nearly let the book slip from his hand, mouth opened slightly in disbelief.

...with a familiar face.

---

There had been many things in his life that had rendered Jounouchi Katsuya speechless. First, it was coming second in Duelist Kingdom and winning the three-hundred-and-two million Yen for his sister's eye operation. He had just begun Duel Monsters earlier that year, but thanks to his fast learning skills (and his lucky streak) he'd become quite the show on the island. Katsuya didn't really care for the title, but the money was of huge importance to him - and most definitely to his sister, Shizuka, God bless her soul.

When the fire that his father started happened, he was literally left speechless. While screaming out for the last time that night, the flames had had a chance to get inside his mouth and down his throat, but his esophagus and trachea tubes had closed in on themselves almost too late to protect the organs, suffocating him. Katsuya woke after only a month, but was sedated again, waking six months later in a hospital feeling horribly like shit (which was one of the biggest understatements he'd ever made). He'd learn that the fire had just singed a few cord fibers, and leaving him mute temporally. Yet he had very high doubts on it - the doctor had told Katsuya that he barely came out with a throat at all, and that he would most likely not be able to speak ever again.

The event of the year had become an even bigger tragedy when he had learned (for the time he first awakened) that not only did his father parish in the fire, but so had Shizuka. Doctors and nurses had to hold him down in restraints to give him a large dose of Haloperidol because he kept thrashing about at the devastating news, throwing any inanimate objects within reach. It had been the most upsetting time of his life to know that his only real family left passed away, and being forced to keep his screams to himself, Katsuya was so sure he wanted to die right then. He couldn't remember how he pulled through, but he knew it had to do with something with large amounts of medical drugs and years of therapy.

The last time he'd been so shocked (because there wasn't much that could top family death) was when the gang had all pitched in together to buy him a house of his own, all mortgage paid. It wasn't as though he was incapable of doing it himself (Katsuya had a steady job at the high school for quite sometime as the JSL teacher - they promised to give him a pay raise for no other applicants would come in to teach such rowdy kids), but it was a kind offer of appreciation to their friend in need of a real home besides an apartment. It was also another way of saying good-bye.

All of his friends had left the country, not all at once, mind you, but just slowly disappearing from his side. Yuugi and Rebecca had traveled straight to Egypt for the ruins, taking after their grandfathers (rest in peace), trying to find if there was some way to bridge the world with the afterlife. Ryou, who had stayed in Great Britain for twelve years after morning his own younger sister's death, went with the duo - both he and Yuugi were very keen to find Pharaoh Atemu and Bakura again.

Anzu started her career life on Broadway in New York City, on the grand stage and having the life she had always wanted from dreaming to become a dancer. She was hard to reach though because she was becoming famous rather quickly, but she tried to say hello once and a while. Honda went with her after completing collage, his own life's work as Anzu's manager in show business (rather popular with the new found celebs) - and husband. Happily married for four years now with two daughters. Katsuya was happy for them both. Otogi had also gone to America, but it was just spread his dice invention worldwide. He became even more desired by fan girls there - Katsuya hadn't seen him in eleven years, but he'd written a couple times.

Speaking of marriage... Mai and Varon? So far six years with three children - one girl and two boys, and two months in the hole for their fourth child on the way. Varon and Mai traveled, a lot, about sixteen times a year (which was where everyone advised it wasn't healthy for the expecting mother but she wouldn't hear any of it). They went wherever there was a dueling tournament, and soon their names were heard all over. Mai came to Japan every once in awhile to visit Katsuya, but that was about it.

Then there were the Kaibas. There was a lot going on about them - rumors, in other words. There were tabloids all around saying that the younger of the two, Mokuba, had sabotaged his older brother Seto's stocks in his favor so that he'd become the President of Kaiba Corporation slowly. Some even led to that something terrible had happened to Seto's mental capability to continue running the industry, and Mokuba was forced to work in the lead to support him. But no matter how many ways you could put it, Mokuba was now President of Kaiba Corp, and Seto was lingering in the shadows, hardly seen near the largest building in Domino. Katsuya had just scoffed at this, not believing anything the blasted media said - if there was a reason why the squirt was president, it had to be strictly between the two brothers.

Katsuya would not admit to anyone that he would pick up any magazine or newspaper that had Seto on the front page.

But now, he looked almost the same as the last time his honey eyes laid on him - Same brunette hair, styled in that almost bowl-cut way; narrowed sapphire pools of eyes; the over-inflated egotistical smirk; and not to mention of course the aura that absolutely screamed 'you're beneath me'. It was Kaiba Seto, in the flesh, at a Barnes & Noble - not on the telly or printed on some tabloid, but standing right before him like he always had twelve years earlier when he was teasing him. He was so happy to see him...!

However, what amazed Katsuya the most was that he had tried opening his mouth to speak for the first time in nine years. Of course nothing came out besides a small groan. He immediately closed his mouth with some embarrassment, and used his hands instead, the first thing on mind waving out. "When did you get glasses?" And the CEO had indeed gotten glasses – black wire framed glasses shaped in ovals. Katsuya's eyes traveled down to see if he could spot any more differences. No gravity-defying trench coat, which was odd to see Seto without, and he wore all black - turtleneck, dress pants and shoes; plain, simple, and appealing to others. The regular accessories were still there though, like the duel monster card locket, buckles strapped around the upper arm, and the silver arm braces.

"A long while ago, when I first came back from my trip after Graduation...koinu." Seto said in a droning manner, voice deeper and smoother than the last time he'd heard it, as if the subject wasn't worth his time, but there was a hidden meaning laced with it; and Katsuya knowing Seto's large ego, noticed it immediately - 'it' being an 'it was hardly even worth the effort' sound - and froze with surprise, his jaw loose again.

"Careful, mutt, you might get drool on the tile," the brunette said, smirking now again at the blonde. The aforementioned blonde shook himself out of it, signing out "You learnt sign language! When did you learn? Did you do it because I told you to?" Misa had made an audible gasp, hand clasping over her glossed lips which made them both remember that she was there with them.

"You're not deaf! You're...er...what do they call people who can't speak again?" Misa said, asking Seto in a sickeningly sweet tune, touching his arm without reason. Seto glanced at her with a look near disgust and shifted a little forward to make indication that he was having a conversation with someone.

"Misa, go see yourself upstairs like I told you to five minutes ago, or you can see yourself packing up this instant." And he meant every word. The blonde woman pouted, but left, though not upstairs - heck, she wasn't even out of earshot. From the closest bookcase she kept sneaking expectant glances to Kaiba, as though waiting for him to say, "Ah, and this is the woman who I'm in love with. See, Misa? You needed to have a dramatic introduction."

Katsuya almost growled at the same time Seto did - stupid eavesdropping wench, but did the blonde sense green monster jealousy poking it's head 'round the edges? He didn't have time to contemplate it. The brunette jerked his head towards the backroom, and Katsuya followed him right that second, coming around the long counter and sure to grab his stack of books to take with him. They strode down a white hall, turning left to go down a smaller corridor, and stopped in front of the second door on the left. Seto twisted the key and held the door open for him.

In the office, Seto locked the doors against further intrusion from the bimbo, and the blonde dropped his books on the desk. The gold name plate on the desk was engraved as Kaiba Seto. A jar of pens, organized papers in small stacks - overall; neat, unlike the cashier's post that Misa worked. There was only one frame, right next to the computer screen that held two pictures - They looked to be of two different people, but Katsuya knew better; it was Mokuba. One photo was of a younger version, probably taken around the last time he saw him personally, which was in Egypt witnessing Pharaoh Atemu's duel with Yuugi. He was so little, but had a brain that would some day rival Seto himself. Katsuya remembered that sometimes he'd call him 'kid' or 'squirt'.

That picture was in the corner, lightly overlapping the main photo of a man dressed in a black suit, standing next to a blonde crystal-eyed woman Katsuya immediately recognized as Rebecca. The man's black mane pulled back in a long, high ponytail, and he was holding her hand. If Katsuya didn't know better, he'd be wondering why Seto kept a picture of Rebecca and a strange man - but it still was Mokuba.

"Not long ago, Mokuba proposed to her on his last trip to Egypt." Seto's voice rang out almost through gritted teeth and called him back, answering Katsuya’s unasked speculations

Katsuya signed without even looking up, "You make it sound like there's more to it."

"More than I'd like to talk about," he grumbled. Katsuya then turned to face the ex-executive of Kaiba Corp to find said man staring right back with strong intensity. For the first time in a long while, he found himself a little embarrassed of his scars.

A little under twelve years it'd been since they last came face-to-face, and from this close, it was easier to see that Seto had really only changed a little: Small difference in the attire, stud earrings, a gold cross pendent overlapping the locket with a small ruby gem in the middle (it looked so familiar for some reason), taller, and...and did his eyes get even bluer? He lost himself briefly in the sapphires, before shaking his head to clear it, making up an excuse - any excuse as to why a small amount of heat made its way on his cheeks. Seto blinked and also looked away before answering Katsuya's earlier inquiry with a small cough, maneuvering himself around the younger to pull out a pen out of the cup and pink slip from the desk drawer. He proceeded to write Misa's name in an almost unreadable scrawl. He set it to the side.

"Heh, do you think that I'd do something just because you told me to? Besides, I learned far before you had." Seto asked with the smirk, sitting down in the office chair and doing a quick once over Katsuya's stack of novels, he stared back at the blonde with a humored expression. "There are people all over the world who have speech and hearing disabilities, Bonkotsu; I'd have to learn sooner or later if I was to become successful in the business world." Katsuya opened his mouth again, and breathed out a small 'oh', nodding in understanding. Seto blinked again, this time more out of surprise. "You can talk?"

Katsuya turned the question over in his head before answering, "Somewhat, I guess. The doctor said a while back that I had a small chance of talking again. So far I’ve only gotten to a point where there's a small hint of vocals, and it's only while breathing out and such. There have been extremely rare and random times lately, however, when I have been able to speak normally, but it'd be quick, and it's usually when I'm asleep. I just stick to the rasp-outs, but it's too hard for anyone to hear me, and it takes too long with some letters, like 'R'. Since I don't have a tune, when I talk...”

"...Some words would be pronounced differently," the brunette finished. Katsuya nodded. "Have you skill in it, though?" The amber-eyed man grinned big, something that hasn't happen in a long while, and inhaled deeply.

"Ye-ahh." Katsuya hissed quietly out hot air. Seto smirked back, almost considered a smile. "Iieh-t'sss ha-rrr-duh thh-oh." He had to make a small groaning sound for the 'R' sound. He thought for a second, letting what the older said dawn on him. He spelled quickly, "But, hold on, you told me you hadn't at Graduation, and what business world, Se-?" Hurriedly, the dirty blonde man re-spelled, "-Kaiba? This is a book store, not Kaiba Corp. Speaking of which, why -"

"Never you mind. That is strictly between me, Mokuba, and...mm, but you must have noticed that the company owns more than half this city now, didn't you? This Barnes & Noble is no different." Katsuya didn't fail to notice the cover up, but Seto glanced at the books again with a new face, switching topics before he could comment, "I'm impressed, inu; these are some difficult books for the average Japanese man - not many know the English language, much less can read it. When did you learn?" Seto anticipated his answer - he had to know - and he watched Katsuya with careful blue eyes.

Katsuya blinked, dumb-founded, actually trying to think back as to when - and who - taught him the English language. There it was again, that feeling of forgotten lyrics, trying to remember it... Shit, it left him again. He sighed in defeat and signed, "Honestly, I don't remember the details, I'm sorry." And he really was - he felt as though it had been very important to Seto, and not to mention him as well.

Seto moved his gaze over to a dark cover, as so Katsuya wouldn't be able to see the flash of hurt pass his eyes, that depicted early nineteenth century wrought iron gates with a weeping angel in between. It was labeled 'The Vertis Conflict' by Shaunti Feldhahn. Seto held back a snort despite himself - had the puppy gone religious? The recognizable silver cross hanging from the younger's neck told him he might be. Seto looked away from the old cross, crushing any signs of hope in his heart, and to the books again. "Personally, one of the few English books I find interesting is Tom Brokaw's Boom! Came out late last year, around Christmas, I believe. Right, you wanted to purchase these?"

Katsuya nodded slowly, pulling out his wallet, opening it to remove a couple paper bills. "I've heard of it; I actually was trying to find that book in the non-Fiction section, but it appears to be sold out."

"Tried the English Text section?"

A nod.

"Foreign section?"

Another nod.

"New releases?"

And another.

"How about New Released English Non-fiction?"

Nod - but paused mid-way; Katsuya hesitated, another blink and a frown at the desk in thought. He then gave that old silly smile with a shake of his head, "Nope, perhaps you could take me?" He moved to where he was hardly sitting on the edge of the wood, arms crossed loosely.

At this, Seto felt warmer, long-ago sensations coming back for his puppy. He grinned back, pushed the rolling office chair back, stood with a slightly smug look as he gripped the pink slip between his fingers, and again motioned Katsuya to follow him, but this time with a small tug at the hand, untangling his arms. Katsuya left his books this time, by-passing the urge to wrap his fingers in Seto's, but the both of them was stopped by the blonde woman waiting on the other side of the door. Misa was back, large pink and white purse under her arm, looking between the two of them with a slightly mean expectant glance. She then gave a false smile to Katsuya, waving a bit.

"Thanks for shopping here," she said in a clipped voice, linking her arms around Seto's, "See you later!" Her tone clearly stated she didn't want to see him at all even in the next life perhaps. Misa then dismissed him completely, even though he hadn't moved from behind the elder man, and tried to plan a date: "You know, over by the magazines, there's a café place, perhaps during lunch we could go there! What do you think, Seto?"

Katsuya was impressed - if any girl were to ask for a date with the “great Kaiba Seto” when they were still in high school he would have automatically cut right in their stuttering, put them down in the worst way, and walked away with a sneer that said 'you disgust me'. This new Seto had gained more control and some respect for other people (that, or he was now polite enough to not budge in when people were talking). Katsuya's eyes widen in realization - could that possibly be why Seto hadn't started any crap with him? He almost coughed awkwardly; even Seto would have know fighting would be an immature thing to do for adults.

Besides, something deeper told him that wasn't the reason, either, and as he tried to think more on that feeling, it left him - like one of those old songs you have trouble remembering the tune to. That freakin' feeling, again... It bothered him too much.

"No, so if you'd please excuse me and my guest -" Katsuya grinned - he'd learned some manners, but he couldn't say the same for the girl. The sound of crumpled paper reached his ears, and the blonde man looked at the elder's hand to see the pink slip being wadded into a ball. He wasn't going to fire her?

"T-then a movie!" The blonde late-teenaged girl interrupted, "T-there's one this Friday I'd love to see, and I-I think you'll like it too, if you liked the two original Death Note movies. I-It's called 'L: Change the WorLd'. It's a spin-off from the original..." Seto was losing his cool, Katsuya could tell - no one ever dared to interrupt Kaiba Seto, not even those older than him. He watched Seto raise his arm with the paper wad, but pull it back as if almost re-thinking; he crossed his arms. The amber eyed man smirked wickedly, having an idea what Seto was about to do.

"No, thank you, Misa. I'm -"

"A-at l-least let me g-give you my num-number if you change y-your mind!" Misa opened her purse and began digging for a pen and paper. "...I know I had some scrap paper somewhere in here... Where'd it -"

Katsuya couldn't help it! He just started laughing, hard; no one could keep a straight face at the surprised, angry face of the girl who’s big mouth was just stuffed with paper. He doubled over to the side to avoid hitting Seto and clutched his stomach, letting out rounds of loud cackles. God, he was about to cry with so much laughter - he hadn't laughed so hard in such a long time - if his throat hadn't closed right then. Katsuya's eyes widen, and he heaved his trachea open again, coughing - no, hacking his head off to bring air back into his lungs. He lowered himself slowly, yet not gracefully, onto the tile floor, gasping for air.

Ah, finally. He inhaled deeply, relaxing his head against the white cement wall, outstretched his legs to prop them against the opposite wall. Katsuya controlled his breathing.

"Jesus, are you okay?" Seto had squatted next to him. Well, 'on top of him' would have been a more accurate description: he was straddling him, knees on either side, hands on his shoulders. Katsuya almost flinched; the last time that they were in a similar position, Seto had made a death threat. One of the hands took a hold of his chin, turning his face this way and that. Finding nothing out of the norm, it settled on his cheek for a moment before Katsuya gave him a look and lazily swatted his hand away, blushing a bit, with embarrassment he swore.

"...N'me's no' Jesus. I’ Jounouchi." Katsuya managed to rasp out before his voice disappeared again. It was one of those random times, like he explained earlier. He coughed heavy into his scarred fist, letting his head fall with a thump on the wall. He moved his lips, "Fuck."

"Like hell I'm going to call you that." Seto retorted. Katsuya rolled his head lazily to give him an odd stare. Too tired to move his arms, the blue-eyed man would have to lip read.

"I'm not going by inu anymore, and I highly doubt that you'll call me Katsuya. Jou is fine."

Seto snorted, "I'll call you anything I damn well please, Katsuya."

The younger growled and nearly tackled him, if the other hadn't used his name. It sounded...nice? No, familiar and warm would have been the right way to describe it. He looked down the hall, towards the store, a blush of something spreading across his cheeks. "Whatever, just get offa me." Seto stood and offered his hand to Katsuya. He ignored it, and stumbled up, dusting off imaginary dirt. Seto backhanded him softly across his temple. Astonished, Katsuya blinked and turned to the brunette with an incredible face. Forget about that manner complement, Katsuya complained to himself, and about being mature.

Seto gave him a glance of indifference, dusting off himself, "What? You were being rude." Katsuya growled again and punched him playfully in the shoulder.

"So the guy's okay?" Misa was still there, though she appeared to have calmed herself after a small panic attack. Seto gave her the same look.

"And what's even worse is when you interrupt your elders." Seto turned to face her fully, stepping between both blondes, and used that deadly calm voice he’d last used on Katsuya in the boys bathroom so many years ago. "Shonoma Misa, I've told you time and time again how to do your job, yet you disobey my orders each and every time. You followed me to each job I shown up most, starting with Kaiba Corporation. Do you really think that if you try hard enough I'll go on a date with you, a Senior in school -" At this, Katsuya glanced her once, but did not recognize her at all from any of his classes. "- not knowing anything of what's out there in the world, and I, a twenty-nine-year-old-man?"

She seemed at a loss, and stuttered horribly, "T-the a-a-age dif-difere-rence all-allowed i-is thirt-thirteen y-years..."

"That's not the point!" he snarled, "Do you really think that if you try hard enough, I’ll go on a date with you?"

"Y-y-yesss...?" Misa looked on the verge of tears. Seto snorted with less humor than when he had been teasing Katsuya.

"And why do you think that, Shonoma-chan? Do you believe you're so beautiful just because eighty-percent of the boys in the school slept with you? I’m curious, after that date, what would have happened; did you honestly think I would find you even remotely pretty enough under that skin of a slut to take you to bed?" He studied her puffy red wet face for a long moment, and asked in such a quiet tone that even Katsuya had a hard time listening, "Do you actually believe that whoring yourself so much will make you forget that you were molested as a child?"

Katsuya had had enough, he gripped Seto's arm tightly, threw him against the wall and pushed him up by his collar. He ignored Misa's wails as he gave Seto a hard mean glare before croaking forced words, "Ba'k off...Se'o. Or I swear...'o God...I'll hur' 'ou." He gave one last shove, just as Seto had done, before stepping away, hacking again. He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand and stomped quickly back into Seto's office, grabbed a pen and wrote on his hand, threw it down, seized his pile of books, and stalked back out and further down the hall to the back exit, flashing his hand just barely to the Barnes & Noble manager while striding pass the sobbing girl.

"Tab them."

He flung open the door open the door and disappeared from sight, obviously missing the triumphant grin etching across the older man's face.

---

There had been many things in his life that had rendered Jounouchi Katsuya into fits of anger. Too many things, in fact, to even begin listing, though top most stood his father, Jounouchi. There were too many problems with his father to even start complaining about, the one being the most obvious: killing Shizuka and his mom. Katsuya couldn't understand how someone could commit such treason, against his own family nonetheless. He was almost positive that he didn't need to say, "I forgive you" this time - how could anyone forgive such an act? How could anyone forgive when they had witnessed the miserable pain on their loved one's face as they died?

God had, Katsuya's inner self reasoned, He watched his son die, and His Word proclaims that He still loves us, that He forgave us.

Yeah, Katsuya argued, but He's not mortal.

The blonde man sighed, unconsciously rubbing his hand on his flawed neck, paying no mind to the slight dips and bumps of his skin any longer. Katsuya wasn't a religious man, but he's found himself curious over things like the gospel and Christianity (no matter how rare in Japan) since he woke up in the hospital with the silver cross around his neck. He got comfortable on the couch, propping his feet on the wooden-frame of the glass table with another tired sigh. Today had been totally unexpected...

But Kaiba had gone too far with her. Katsuya frowned at the recall, but then smirked, letting out a silent laugh. And here I thought he was going to start an argument with me!

He frowned again, thoughtful though, just when his dog - an adult golden retriever called Béni (French for 'Blessed') - jumped on the sofa next to him, laying down lengthwise, he put his head on the human's lap and shifted his eyes to Katsuya's face, tail giving a half-hearted wag. Katsuya smiled softly at his pet and ruffed the thick coat of fur from his head to mid-back before repeating the action a few more times, resting his hand behind the dog's ear. The thoughtful look returned.

Yet, no; Kaiba was acting civil to me, and for some reason, I just knew he was going to be...

Twenty-eight years old, Katsuya was just about the same guy as twelve years before, bearing the same sandy blonde mop (yet with tamed bangs and shorter back hair) and honey brown eyes. Over the past decade, however, the bronze medal duelist had lived more of his time spent on Earth than the average person would have their whole life. And in those years, never had he been so confused by civil conversation. Probably because no one could really expect it from Kaiba of all people...

Katsuya gave another smile to Béni, a relaxed, tired grin before becoming especially warm and starting to drift into a light doze.

He awoke an hour later to turn off all lights and head up stairs to his room. He found Béni already spread across the comforter.

---

The man in the car on the corner block watched the two-story house intently - looking for any movement around the outside walls. He'd been doing this since the home owner entered almost four hours ago. The investigator, still training his eye for any gliding shadows, dug into his coat pocket for the cellular phone, pressing the speed-dial to his boss.

"Kaiba." The voice answered.

"All lights have been turned out. He's gone to bed, sir. No movement on the outside so far." The man said in a hushed tone.

There seemed to be a breath of relief from the other line. "Good. Keep watching though; it's been twelve years, you'd think that they'd attack by now. It's a dangerous time, especially since I've met Katsuya again; he's bound to get at least some memories back, and he even called me 'Seto.'"

"Understandable, sir," he replied, but rolled it over and chose his words carefully to make sense, "It would have been suspicious, if you ask me, to kill all of them in such a short time. He waited two years after Kawai's death to try to go after his daughter. The son intervened in that attack. But what I never understood is why then go at his son when the next to inherit his daughter's fortune would be your brother."

"The bastard was a drunk - he wasn't thinking properly when he went for Katsuya. If the drunkard had lived through the fire, he'd be taking any chances he could to kill him now that Katsuya’s sister has passed."

"Do you think that perhaps that they have found a new target? Twelve years, like you said - they probably have moved on."

"No, Donovano is still giving me reports from the inside. He's not high enough ranked to get actual details of dates, but he says a lot of them have been begging to get the job as the assassin since the hired would get twenty percent of the fortune."

The investigator shuddered lightly, "They're so despicable. Sir, are you sure they wouldn't be using the back door? I never told you, but I can't get go into the backyard without alerting the dog. It's hearing is incredible."

He could almost hear the smirk when his boss answered, "Exactly."

"Er, pardon, sir?" He glanced briefly to the mouthpiece.

"That dog has been specially trained. I trained it myself to be alerted by any unusual sounds that couldn't have been made by his master. Say for example the dog follows his master around the house, watching him make all sorts of noise - bath water, cooking, television, and such. Humans usually attend in simple routines each day without knowing it. So if the dog sees or hears or even senses anything amiss, he'll investigate the source. If it is caused by anything other than his master, he'll warn him," a slight pause, "I trained him for even the littlest of things - overflowing water, lights suddenly going out, things like that is the reason why I can't use cameras in the house anymore; it's not normally a part of Katsuya's lifestyle. You wouldn't know it, but that dog is smarter than most."

"Very good, sir, but how did you know Jounouchi -"

"Don't say that name to me - I never will forgive that son of a bitch, and the worst thing to do is remind me that Katsuya has the same name." Seto warned lightly.

"Er, my apologies, sir. How did you know Katsuya was actually going to adopt that particular dog?"

Again, there was that good kind of smug in his tone, "He's got a soft spot for strays."

"You left the dog on the streets?"

"No, I thought this through, you know... I had also taught it to follow a particular scent, look pathetically cute, whine, beg, and whatever when I released it to be taken by Katsuya. I was almost worried that they would have attacked Katsuya for how long it took to train that retriever."

"How did you get a scent, sir?" He inquired, curiously amused.

"..."

"...Right, then." He coughed into his scarf, and was about to end the conversation before a sudden thought struck him, "Pardon, sir, but what else does Donovano know?"

Another pause, "What do you mean?"

He hesitated a little, "Well, even if he doesn't know the dates, surely he might have been told how they're going to try to kill him, right? You know how they gloat."

"Aizaki," he replied in a patient tone, "If I knew they were going to charge with guns, I'd make sure personally every person in Japan was weaponless. If they were going to hire some gang to take him, I'd be there to arrest each and every one of them. I will protect Katsuya from the Yakuza, Aizaki, no matter what. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sir." He pressed the end button and stuffed it back in the pocket, and resumed watching the house.

Still no shadows moved.

---

TBC

 
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