Family of Dragons

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions.

Chapter 19 The Beginning in the End

White

White signifying strength.

The color that signified the Blue Eyes White Dragon.

Strength that kept him going no matter what happened.

Which was why in his later teens, he tended to wear white suits.

Until reality caught up with him that white was difficult to keep clean and white.

White

Also signifying purity.

The color he often associated with him.

Because he always had this sunshine with him. The bright sunlight that seemed to always surround him, so bright that his eyes sometimes hurt from simply looking at him, as if he had been staring at the sun in a blue cloudless sky.

Kaiba closed his eyes.

A certain hesitant knocking on his door had woken him up. He couldn’t exactly tell what time of the day it was with his curtains drawn up fully, leaving only his bedside lamp’s soft light to illuminate his world. His stomach was giving him no clue either. There was an itching dryness in his throat but he decided it could be ignored.

A certain fatigue charged back at him as his mind blocked off some memories that were threatening to return with his groggy overslept brain attempting to wake up.

Ignoring the soft knockings that eventually gave up, he pulled up his sheets.

And it was back to the world of guilty, angry darkness.

Black was the color of mourning and death.

The color of his most supportive Red Eye Black Dragon.

Jounouchi found himself mulling thoughtfully as he watched the crowd of visitors all adorned in black drift about quietly like fallen leaves in unmoving water around Yugi’s house.

Yet that was not really the truth. White was the true color of mourning and death in the Japanese mind.

White was the color the dead wore since the old days.

White with gold embroidery was what the deceased in his coffin now wore and would wear to his cremation the next day.

And white used to be the color the mourners wore, until dark suits and dresses caught up with them after the Meiji Restoration.

But now was of course not the time to think of history and how westernization affected the Japanese thinking.

It was a period for mourning.

One could only tell how many friends one had after his death from the number of people who mourn for him, Jounouchi found himself brooding over the saying.

And apparently Yugi’s grandfather had many of those. From elderly neighbors to young children from the next street, young otakus in the mid twenties or thirties to foreigners who flew to Domino City just to see him for the last time.

Sitting in the kitchen where he could very well see the family altar and where Yugi, and his older children were kneeling and bowing in appreciation to the visitors, he wondered how life would be now that Grandfather Sugoroku was gone.

The gentle old man had always been a half fatherly and grandfatherly figure to Yugi, and in some ways, to him too when his father was too drunk to be his guide in life.

Did grandfather Sugoroku leave with no regrets? He wondered.

Grandfather Sugoroku was the kind of man who had lived his life without regrets. Of course, Jounouchi didn’t believe that any human could live a life without having one or a few regrets. But Grandfather Sugoroku had always treated his regrets as lessons to be learnt, and he faced them squarely, and thus these regrets became regrets no longer.

Jounouchi sighed and closed his eyes.

There were regrets in his life than he could never muster up the courage to really face. The kids’ mom was one horrible regret he never dared to face. He never went to look for her, never contacted her, and never even tried to think of her.

And now Kaiba.

Was he going to be another regret?

“Jounouchi?” Jounouchi jumped as Anzu’s voice came over his shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Then he smiled sheepishly. “I should be the one asking, shouldn’t it be?”

Anzu gave him a sad little smile. “I’m fine. I’m just sorry that you had to come over late at night. You haven’t gone home since then have you?”

“It’s okay.” Jounouchi returned an assuring smile.

It was more than 36 hours ago when he stepped out of Kaiba Corp Grand Hotel. His car had barely left the hotel’s car park when Anzu called to break the news that grandfather Sugoroku had passed away peacefully. He had then rushed home for a change of clothes before going to Yugi’s place to help in arranging the funeral and the wake.

The wake was extended to two days in order for some of grandfather Sugoroku’s faraway friends to reach in time to pay their last respects. The following day would be the funeral which would be held at the shrine where Shizuka had married.

Jounouchi glanced over at Mahaado and Iris, impatiently kneeling in agony beside their father, seemingly eager to rise from their uncomfortable position, and join their friends Jono and Seth upstairs in the playroom. The children were perhaps still too young to truly understand the reality of great grandfather’s death.

Moreover, the somberness of grandfather Sugoroku’s death had generally only lasted up till the noon of the first day and since then, even Yugi was in a better mood and most of the people and visitors started to give more smiles and make small talk about how the old man had lived a mostly happy and satisfied life.

Though, no doubt there were peaks of grave and tears when everyone started missing the cheerful old man.

Missing.

Another person was missing at the wake too.

Jounouchi had been helping out at the reception table since the first visitors arrived, making it more than convenient for him to take note if a certain person had at the very least, came and paid his last respect to an elderly man he had been disrespectful on the day both parties first met.

Even after being relieved by Honda on the second day, he had purposefully dropped by the reception table every now and then, fingering over the dried black calligraphy ink of the registry book, but yet the particular name never surfaced.

Maybe he won’t come.

He wasn’t that close to the old man after all.

And he never seemed to be the type to be really bothered about last respects to an old man.

Or maybe it was because he was still avoiding him.

A light squeeze on his shoulder pulled him back into reality.

Anzu had moved away to comfort some weeping visitors while Mokuba’s hand rested on his shoulder.

The abnormally tense look of exasperation and worry on the young Kaiba’s face was enough to raise his brows.

“Mokuba.”

“Hi, Jou.” Mokuba answered curtly as screamed welcomes and happy shrieks indicated giddy reunions from the stairs. The old Japanese house creaked under Kisara’s rampage as she stomped up the stairs into the playroom with Mahaado and Iris, finally released from their captivity.

Jounouchi tried not to steal glances at the altar where a queue of new arrivals were waiting to pay their respects.

“He’s not coming.” Mokuba said with a deep breath.

“Oh.”

“Jou, did something happen between the two of you since we last talked over the phone?”

“No,” Jounouchi answered, pausing for a minute. Mokuba’s question was loaded. It meant something.

That something might have happened.

And possibly something bad.

“No, I haven’t seen him, haven’t even called or talked to him…Did something happen?”

Mokuba sighed heavily and checked his watch. “Kisara and I haven’t seen him since about 36 hours ago.”

Jounouchi blinked, “Did he… go missing?”

“No.” Mokuba chuckled nervously. “I meant it literally when I said I haven’t seen him. It’s the first time I’ve seen him behave in such a way. I mean, I’ve never seen him in that state, and he’s never taken a leave longer than twelve hours without detailed explanations and instructions first before. And its’ been like, 36 hours?”

Jounouchi took another deep breath.

“The night I talked to you on the phone.” Mokuba continued. “I don’t know what happened but he came home in a daze. The chauffeur had to walk him in! And then he locked himself into his bedroom and has been in there since then…”

“What happened?” Jounouchi whispered.

Mokuba shook his head. “The chauffeur said he seemed to be in shock when he picked him up from the hotel.”

“Hotel?” Jounouchi repeated, the word echoing meaningfully in his mind.

“Yeah.. he was at our hotel replacing me at a meet-” Mokuba looked up, a sudden possibility having dawn on him. “Jou.. were you at the hotel… with someone?”

Jounouchi felt a cold draft shiver down his back and his throat ran dry.

Malik running over to him wearing only a robe, catching and holding him on the arm, handing him back his clothes.

Katsuya.

“And I haven’t seen Daddy ever since then.” Kisara said mournfully to her two sympathetic listeners while Mahaado poked at her impatiently with his sword.

“The three of you are not concentrating on the game!” The younger boy complained.

Kisara rolled her eyes in exasperation before flopping down onto the floor, throwing aside her toy sword.

“Sorry Mahaado, I would love to play this game, but I’m really not in the mood right now.” Kisara sighed.

“Sorry Mahaado.” Seth apologized too. “We are having some problems right now. I promise we will play with you the next time we come.”

The younger boy nodded, visibly disappointed but understanding enough to take off his Black Magician outfit, sit down beside his three older friends and listen to their strange conversation. He had suggested they play make-believe by pretending to be priests and priestesses of ancient Egypt fighting against the dark evil monsters that held the Pharaoh in captivity. It would have been one great game if it wasn’t that the three older children were simply in no mood to play it.

“Daddy smelt completely of Malik and some strange oil when he came back that day.” Seth explained their side of the story. “He seemed tired but also worried and then he told us that Grandfather Sugoroku had gone to a very faraway place and that he has to help out over here. Then he took a bath, changed into black clothes and came here, I think.”

“Jono, don’t you have anything to add on to what Seth just said?” Kisara turned in annoyance to the other twin who was still self-consciously swinging his sword around pretending to be the Flame Swordsman.

“Huh? Oh.” The other twin stopped his sword in midair and admitted sheepishly. “It was late when Daddy came home. I was asleep.”

“I couldn’t wake him up.” Seth added.

Kisara rolled her eyes again.

Nothing was going according to plan, and honestly, nothing they planned worked and there was nothing for them to plan either. She couldn’t understand what was happening and why they were happening.

Didn’t her daddy like Uncle Jounouchi?

And didn’t Uncle Jounouchi like her Daddy?

Daddy seemed to very well enjoyed Uncle Jounouchi’s company, more than any other person. Well, at least besides her and Uncle Mokuba, or even possibly, more than her and Uncle Mokuba.

Their daddies dated, met each other’s families. Even at her young age, having watched all the junky, romantic, teary dramas that Aunt Rebecca( who hated to be called Aunt) watched daily and had her watch together occasionally, she knew that all those meant something, and that her daddy does like Uncle Jounouchi and wants to marry him.

Plus, most importantly, they hugged and kissed!

A frown found its place on her face.

But Uncle Jounouchi kissed Uncle Malik too!

And oh gosh… Seth said that Uncle Jounouchi smelled of Uncle Malik when he came home… They must have hugged each other for such a long, long time.

That was sooooooooo not good.

“Is there anything I can help?” Mahaado suddenly piped up, obviously tired of the silence and boredom around the room. His sister had tire and fell asleep on one of the green mats representing their grass fields for monster dueling.

Kisara sighed. “Not unless you have something that can make all our wishes come true.”

Mahaado tilted his head to the side. “Something that makes all your wishes come true?”

“Yeah.” Kisara nodded glumly.

“Have you tired praying to the gods?” Mahaado asked, a hopeful and innocent smile on his face. “My daddy used to tell me about the legend of the Creator of Light, Harakhti.”

Kisara’s eyes widened. “Is he a god?”

Mahaado looked thoughtful. “I’m not sure if he is one. But my daddy says that legend says that the three ancient Egyptian Gods combine to become Harakhti. And he will bring light to the world of darkness.”

Kisara sighed and shook her head. “I don’t need a God to bring me light. I’ve got enough lamps and torchlights. I just want my daddy and Uncle Jounouchi to be together, happily, ever after! Just like the Holy Elf and the White Dragon Prince in Dragon Lake!”

Mahaado shrugged. “I think since he is a combination of three gods, he should be really powerful and can do anything!”

“Really?” Kisara frowned in consideration and turned to look at Seth and Jono, who were also now in deep thoughts.

“I think Daddy might have mentioned something like that before, but I’m not so sure.” Seth admitted.

Jono broke into sheepish grin. “I don’t remember.”

Kisara took in a deep breath and declared defiantly. “Well, it is our only means of hope right now, and this means we must do whatever we can to achieve it.”

The twins nodded in agreement.

“Alright.” Kisara finally concluded. “So, what do we have to do?”

The three older children turned to look at their young overwhelmed friend.

Mahaado paused nervously at the three large pair of eyes imploring him to go on.

“I have no idea.”

Sand was in his shoes as he walked. The sun was low but the usual warm orange ball of fire was masked by the low grey clouds that indicated that a storm was rolling in soon. The beach was empty and even the wind seemed still as the musky scent of rain mixed with the salty smell of the seaweeds enveloped him.

Jounouchi was more than happy to have the beach to himself, not being required to return smiles or a friendly wave to kids who might have been playing along the beach. Even the occasional surfers were nowhere to be seen.

After parking his car at one of the empty car parks lining the beach, he had mindlessly scrolled along the shoreline, simply walking further down, leaving long trail of shoe prints behind him until he couldn’t even really see the beginning of them.

And that was when he finally stopped and sat down on the sand dunes, watching the rising tide attack the shore ferociously, as if intent on reaching his position less than a meter away from the shoreline.

This was his haven. It was the fantasy island he had secretly brought Shizuka to when they were young, the solace zone where he came when he was sad when his mother left, the place he came when he was frustrated over his father’s drinking problem. He would keep walking, as far as he could until he found a solution, or somehow gotten over the problem, before he turned to take the same path back. The return trips got longer as he grew older, but hey, that was better than simply locking oneself up in a room, sleeping over it and pretend that the problem would be solved the following morning…

Jounouchi close his eyes and finally allowed the problem that has been tugging at the corner of his heart since his conversation with Mokuba surface.

The memory of what happened over the last four days ago was a blur to him. Not having sufficient sleep and the unremitting events after receiving news of grandfather Sugoroku’s death was just starting to have their impact.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

The funeral had ended just an hour ago with grandfather Sugoroku cremated at Domino City’s crematorium before having his ashes scattered into the sea from the city harbor. It was something grandfather Sugoroku would have appreciated, Yugi had decided. He had felt that his grandfather would enjoy the vastness of the sea which connects all the continents together, allowing him to visit his numerous overseas friends.

Even more hours back he had attempted to save the life of a friend who didn’t really require saving. And then the next memories were the most vivid of the last four days.

“Alright, let’s go.”

His hands found their way up to his head and ran through his hair, as if they could clear the frustrating thoughts from his mind.

His shirt and dark trousers now smelled only of incense and smoke left from the wake and the cremation. But the exotic Egyptian smell of Malik was still deeply etched in his mind. Closing his eyes, he could almost smell the fragrance right below his nose, as if he was back at the hotel and Malik was right beside him.

But it was another fragrance he missed more.

The sweet cinnamon smell.

A smell that was once so closed to him and he had gotten so used to it he had oversaw its existence.

Now he couldn’t really recall how it was. It was sweet but not overwhelmingly sweet. It was gentle but strong enough to attract attention, but he couldn’t recall the exact smell. Neither could he conjure it up like Malik’s fragrant oils.

All there were was the saltish air of the sea.

Kaiba.

Jounouchi stared into the darkening horizon.

Kaiba was at the hotel.

Malik had not mentioned a word to him when he attended the funeral at the shrine for a short while before returning to his exhibition, and he had not felt that it was the proper time and place to ask Malik if he had noticed Kaiba at the hotel.

Jounouchi closed his eyes again, his head heavy with worry, anger and guilt.

“Alright, let’s go.”

He was truly asking for trouble when he agreed to Malik’s invitation. He wasn’t going to blame the alcohol he had drunk for his actions. The alcohol he had drunk prior to his misadventure was not significant to cloud his judgment. He was clear-headed when he agreed to go in the pub. He knew what he was doing.

And he knew why he did it too. But he just couldn’t explain it now.

It was too long, too complicated and too tiring to explain it to anyone, even to himself.

If this was the way he was to part from Kaiba, it was perhaps a good way enough already.

The already moist, salty air mixed with the increasing humidity left a salty taste on his lips.

He opened his eyes to the approaching thunderstorm. Along the horizon, silent lightning were already flashing across the sky even though rain had yet to befall on his part of the land. He allowed his ears to scan across the beach, and only then did he saw it.

The familiar tall and lean build, brown hair and uncharacteristically slow stride denied all of Jounouchi’s wishes that the approaching figure wasn’t Seto Kaiba.

He stood up and contemplated whether to simply walk off in the other direction, while his heart continued to thud heavily in his chest.

“And finally, these colorful and delicate papyrus scrolls come from the infamous Book of the Dead...” Uncle Malik’s voice droned on as Kisara, Seth and Jono trailed behind a group of visitors to The Pharaoh’s Exhibition.

“So just do we combine the three gods?” Jono whispered to his doppelganger, propped against the wall to rest his tired feet. “And how do even get the three gods? We don’t have God cards and dad told me the cards don’t exist any longer….”

“I just wish this tour will end. I wish we never came.” Kisara wailed quietly beside him.

“It’s not that bad.” Seth encouraged, stealing peeks at their guide who has moved on to the next statue but at the same time keeping an eye on them to make sure the three children were following. He had found that the Egyptian was not such a bad guy after all – after the young man had gently diverted his attention from reading and re-reading an exhibition explanation patiently several times during the tour.

Kisara rolled her eyes. “I think he is trying to walk us to death.”

“He’s doing his work.” Seth defended. “He doesn’t even have to entertain us if he doesn’t want to.”

Jono sighed as he picked himself back onto his feet and walked into the next exhibition hall to rejoin the tour group. Their dad had chucked them to Uncle Mokuba after the cremation, looking slightly relieved when they had requested to be left with Kisara for the day, and then had headed off to do as he claimed, some things to attend to. Then, Kisara had requested Uncle Mokuba to take them to the Egypt Exhibition in town. While Uncle Mokuba had seemed surprise at their request, having heard their of their unpleasant encounter with Malik, he was happy to do so, claiming he had a lot of work to do at the office with Kisara’s daddy absent.

“Is this going to end soon?” Kisara complained to Seth. They had been walking around for almost 2 hours.

And that was when she heard the magic words from Malik. “And our tours will hence come to an end here. I’ll be happy to be of help if any of you require further explanations.”

Kisara almost broke into a huge grin watching Malik’s small tour dispersed quickly, obviously even if anyone had questions, they would be too tired for any further questions after such a long walk.

“Well, that was probably one of the longest tour I’ve taken anyone one.” Malik turned to them, grinning.

Seth blinked nervously at Malik’s full attention. The three of them were no doubt slightly fearful of the older man at the moment, unsure whether he would help them at all after how they had tried to kill him.

“Erm, it was a very nice, educative tour.” Seth mumbled.

Malik merely shrugged and headed off towards the next exhibition hall, motioning for them to follow him.

“So is there anything you need to know? Or else I’m alright with just leaving the three of you to wonder around the exhibition hall, despite what Mokuba said about keeping an eye on you, as long as you don’t leave the building.” Malik said pointedly.

“Well.” Kisara said, sucking in a lungful of air as Malik stopped in his track and turned to her. “We want to apologize for what we did the other day.”

Malik chuckled.

“I mean, really. We’re sorry that we tried to kill you.” Kisara explained fervently.

“Alright, I’m sorry I scared the three of you by pretending to be dead too.” Malik answered laughingly.

‘I don’t like him.” Jono moaned quietly beside Seth.

“He’s an okay guy.” Seth whispered back, his voice trembling.

“I’m guessing the three of you have a special request or something, or else you wouldn’t be that kind to suddenly come apologize.” Malik’s voice was suddenly a lot more serious.

The children gulped.

Kisara was the first to calm and probably the bravest of them all to answer.

“Yes, we have actually.” She said, taking a step towards Malik and looking up at him boldly.

“How can I be of service?” Malik looked at the young girl in the eye, truly impressed by her spirit.

“Mahaado told us about the legend of the Three Ancient Gods of Egypt, which when combined, will summon the God of Light.”

Malik raised a brow.

Kisara swallowed hard and looked to the twins for confidence boost. “We want to summon that God.”

Malik raised both brows before cautiously asking, “And may I ask why?”

Before Kisara could answer, Jono blurted out first, “Because we want him to bring our dads together!”

Malik’s face was one of bewilderment, but Seth thought he saw his mouth twitch at a corner.

“So,” Malik repeated with a straight face. “You want to find the three Ancient Gods so as to summon Harakhti, the God of light, and wish to him for your dads to be together.”

“Yes!” Kisara nodded earnestly.

“We thought you might not like it, knowing since you seem to like dad.” Seth piped out nervously. “But...”

Malik laughed out loud.

“Alright, I’ll help.” He grinned.

Three large pairs of eyes starred right back at him, surprised at his willingness to help.

“But you and Uncle Jou…” Kisara began.

“We are good friends.” The Egyptian man answered, waving the issue away with a hand as if swatting a fly.

“How do we know you are not pulling our leg, like last time?” Jono accused.

“Hmm.” Malik turned to the younger of the twin to see him hide behind Seth. “Alright.”

He turned to the three children and addressed them. “Your mission now is to find the three Gods. To prove that I will help and am true to my word, I’ll help you find one of the Gods.”

“Aren’t they already destroyed?” Kisara asked.

“Well, their cards were destroyed, yes.” Malik paused thoughtfully. “But, as we know, Gods can’t be that easily destroyed, can they,”

The kids nodded.

“They can always appear in other forms and shapes, can’t they?” Malik continued, as he started walking briskly towards an exhibition hall.

The three children followed closely while Malik continued his explanation.

“The three of you will find the Fire Dragon of Ra and the Giant God-soldier of Obelisk. I, will find for you the last God, the Sky Dragon of Osiris.”

“How do they look like?” Seth asked as they came to a stop in front of an exhibition table.

“A fire dragon,” Malik replied with a look of amusement. “is of course a fire dragon.”

“Where are we going to find a fire dragon?!” Kisara asked, her brows moving close together.

“That, is your problem. I’m going to have my own problem finding the sky dragon I guess.” The Egyptian man said, his eyes looking towards the sky.

“And the Obelisk?” Seth piped.

“The Obelisk, “Malik pointed to a small stone monument on the exhibition table. “is a stone tower.”

Jono’s eyes widened. “So, you have the Obelisk here?”

“No” Malik replied testily. “This is but a small, fake replication. The real Obelisk is of course in Egypt.”

“But we can’t fly to Egypt to get the Obelisk!” Kisara wailed.

“I wouldn’t encourage you to, either.” Malik answered. “The point it, you don’t have to find the real things, but representations. A huge stone rock, shaped liked an Obelisk, about the height of three of you combined can be assumed to be an Obelisk.”

“Can buildings and towers be Obelisk?” Seth immediately followed up.

Malik looked thoughtful. “I guess so, no, on the other hand no, skyscrapers no, towers maybe.”

Seth looked hopeful.

“But the problem is here again, you’ve got to have all three items in the same place, so that the 3 Gods will be summoned. For example, you get the Obelisk, and when all three items are present, then the God-Soldier will be summoned. And after that, when all three Gods are summoned, you can summon the God of Light.”

The three children’s faces fell.

“Come on.” Malik encouraged. “You are looking for Gods! How can it be easy to look for them. But if you are truly sincere enough, sometimes, they may just appear out of the blue!”

Kisara sighed. “We’ll try our best.”

Watching Jounouchi in the evening sun and approaching storm, Kaiba was reminded of the same day when he had found him along the beach, watching the sun set into the sea.

Jounouchi had been crying that day, more likely out of sadness for his sister’s growing up then happiness for her happiness.

Just when he had decided to leave his old adversary to his emotions, the shorter man had called out to him.

"Se- Kaiba?"

If you haven’t called me then, I imagine nothing would have happened between the two of us.

I wouldn’t have kissed you.

But I did.

And why did you kiss me back?

Why did I kiss Jounouchi?

Jounouchi had smelled and looked so seducing in the sunset...

This was the reason he had given to himself then.

But in deep reflection on the past, he knew, as all people who had truly ever fallen in love before, that he had kissed him because he had unknowingly fallen crazily in love with him that day.

And there was no need for a reason to love someone.

He was head-over-heels and passionately obsessed about Jounouchi, so much that he didn’t want to live without him, and if there was to be risk, he was willing to get hurt.

And if he could, if only he could still kiss Jounouchi, even after all that had happened—

Kaiba stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes.

All that had happened- the image of Malik running to Jounouchi only in his robes, the two of them huddled together intimately—was like a knife to his chest.

It was a wonder how the human body worked. Heartaches were only psychological, yet his heart truly pained.

He inhaled deeply and continued his stroll towards Jounouchi.

Jounouchi was now standing and waiting for his advance, looking grave and uncertain.

And when Kaiba finally reached within arms reach of Jounouchi, he found that he wasn’t sure exactly what to do, and it was evident that Jounouchi was just as a lost as he was, starring gravely back at him.

If Kaiba had to decide what to do, he decided to forget his head and listen to his heart.

He reached out, wound Jounouchi’s loosened black tie from the funeral around his hand and pulled him in. Jounouchi was obviously taken by surprise to follow his pull without pulling back.

And Kaiba pulled the shorter man towards him until his hand holding the tie was touching both of their chests.

They were so close that their faces were almost touching, and Kaiba could see the stunned, confused eyes of Jounouchi just centimeters away.

But when his lips met Jounouchi’s, they didn’t resist either and Kaiba found himself licking Jounouchi’s dry salty lips before they parted to let him enter.

He had so missed him. Missed Jounouchi’s faint sweet vanilla with musky animal scent. The salty smell of the ocean and sand had covered that scent he missed so much, but the taste of him was still the same.

The kiss started slow. With Kaiba planting short and light pecks on Jounouchi’s lips and Jounouchi returning them after a bare hesitation, both taking short light breaths between pecks and licks as the waves started slapping into their shoes and long pants.

Jounouchi was just as persistent and seeking for his lips as he was.

It was when the rain really started falling that Kaiba found his hands gripping Jounouchi’s hair and pulling the other man into a fervent kiss lock, in which Jounouchi returned his advances almost feverishly, two desperately lost man straining to make up for the time they had been apart from each other.

How long had it been since they had last been in each others’ arms? Kaiba found himself unable to remember at all. All he could think was that the morning swim in his mansion after Jounouchi got drunk, the cruise trip where they sat beneath the stars singing, the regrettably short breakfasts every day after dropping off the kids at school, the dates at Kaiba Corp after work in his office, dressing up as high school students and pretending to be Seth and Jono, lying together on Jounouchi’s bed.. all these seemed both like yesterday and years ago…

“Jou and I.”

Malik’s voice rang abruptly in his mind.

“I’m sorry Kaiba…”

Blood gushing to his head, Kaiba found himself pulling away in loath and staring into a pair of dazed eyes.

“…Jou and I went to bed.”

He pulled back a fist and hit Jounouchi for the first time. The pain in the heart was far greater than the one from his punch.

Jounouchi was obviously surprised by the punch, for his punch hit him squarely near his jaw and the blonde fell half sitting into the water. He stared as Jounouchi turned to look at him, face blank as a thin crimson line form at Jounouchi’s lower lip.

He didn’t regret hitting Jounouchi. But why did he feel so tired, so exhausted suddenly?

Jounouchi gave a low animalistic growl and lunged at him.

He barely had time to register the pain near his left eye when a wave swept him off his feet and he fell sideways sitting into the water beside Jounouchi, and only then did he register the stinging cold water in the pacific. But unlike the previous time at Kaiba Corporation, Kaiba was not in the mood to take the punch without retaliation.

Climbing unsteadily on his feet amidst the waves, he lunged over at Jounouchi, giving him a well-aimed punch in the eye and efficiently knocking the shorter man backwards into the sea with himself falling on top of him.

Another wave washed over them and Kaiba found enough seconds to worry for a moment about Jounouchi drowning beneath him before he felt Jounouchi’s shoes kick aggressively at his side and successfully knocking the breath out of him. He coughed but managed to get a grip on Jounouchi’s collar and pulled the blonde upwards to him.

“Fuck you Kaiba!” Jounouchi screamed as he clawed at the taller guy to get out of his grip and Kaiba shut him up with a tight punch squarely at his stomach.

As Jounouchi doubled over, Kaiba found himself panting hard from all the punches from the last few minutes. The waves were still rolling in and it was getting increasingly difficult to stand in the sea without being washed over. The mixture of sea water and rain in his eyes was causing his eyes to tear. And the sky was getting darker by the minute.

A lightning struck nearby and the thunder deafened out Jounouchi’s growl as Kaiba found himself being knocked sitting into the waves again with. He barely had time to register the pain in his torso before Jounouchi continued with his outburst of attacks. Gritted his teeth at the pain, Kaiba gripped the shorter man’s shoulders and lunged forward so that now he was on top of Jounouchi, who was glaring daggers at him.

Even breathing hurt now. But Kaiba wasn’t prepared to lose the fight. Especially one that he had started. But apparently, neither was Jounouchi. With a grunt, his puppy suddenly lunged forward, and knocked their heads together.

The stars were out. Or maybe not. Jounouchi blinked as a searing pain pounded in his head.

So maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea to use a head punch. His head was spinning and he could barely pull himself up, less say avoid Kaiba’s retaliating outburst of punches. But fortunately, his last attack seemed to have a similar effect on Kaiba, who has stopped attacking him, and was nursing his head in a similar manner and swearing in a less than respectable manner.

“Fuck you, mutt.” Kaiba growled as he stood up and Jounouchi would have laughed out loud at the sight of an obvious red bump on the taller guy’s forehead if his own head wasn’t spinning like it was on a roller coaster ride.

“No thanks, Kaiba.”

The wave washed over them again and now, the cuts on his lips and fists were starting to sting from the salted water. Kaiba had meant to hurt him when he punched the air out of him. And though he was sure nothing was broken or cracked, it hurt when he breathed and his head was still pounding so hard a blood vessel could burst.

“You alright?” Kaiba asked testily.

“No!” Jounouchi snapped, “You don’t kiss and punch someone and then go asking if they are alright!”

“You are bleeding.”

“My head hurts so shut up.” Jounouchi felt like simply throwing his head back into the cold water and maybe the cold would wash his burning head away. Kaiba’s exasperated sigh almost made him snap again before he felt a firm hand pull him towards the shallower part of the ocean and then out of the water.

“My car is in the other direction.” Jounouchi muttered, as he tried to stagger to his feet and only succeeded in stumbling over his own legs and dropping back to the sea.

“I’m driving you.” Kaiba scowled, pulling him against his shoulder so that Jounouchi’s weight was mostly on him.

“Where to?”

“Varon.”

“So you find now an extremely appropriate time to visit a SEX therapist?” Jounouchi almost snapped as he tried to pull away, failing terribly. His head was still spinning and one eye hurt just trying to keep it open.

“You and I need a doctor now, and he is the nearest one from here before we freeze to death in our car.” Kaiba snapped and Jounouchi finally brought himself to take a good look at the taller man, who looked as if he had just survived an especially violent Shadow Game, barely. There were cuts on the CEO’s face, with the two at his lip and the nose being the deepest and bleeding, and there were obvious marks near his eye and cheekbone that indicated heavy bruises in the next few days.

He was pushed unceremoniously into Kaiba’s car as the sky finally broke open its dam and the rain started pouring down heavily.

Jounouchi turned away and watched the rain beat down relentlessly on the windshield.

The drive continued for what almost seemed eternity, yet it was only moments.

Some time not long ago, Jounouchi thought, they had similarly sat in this manner in Kaiba’s car, where they would have chatted, talked, had small but fun arguments.

He could almost speculate that one of the conversations might be again of travelling around the world together – Kaiba would comment that the sunset was beautiful, and he, Jounouchi would say he had heard that sunsets are spectacular on the silk road and how he hoped to visit the place someday, and then Kaiba would comment that he could bring him there any day. And Jounouchi would then retort that he could go himself and did not people to bring him around, or he would be the one bringing Kaiba on a frills-free, cheap backpacking trip around China or Europe, something unlike anything the great CEO had done before, and Kaiba would argue that he could survive a frills-free cheap backpacking, that he had backpacked Europe before, which Jounouchi might follow up that Kaiba did it with a wallet full of credit cards and 4 personal guards within 100 meters of him…

A picture of happiness. A full contrary to the anger and silent gloom that filled the car at that moment. He almost wanted to smile at the blissful image he had conjured up, or chuckle bitterly at the irony that it might occur.

Would any of these conversations take place again? In this car? Beside this man? With this man?

Kaiba pulled the car over suddenly, so suddenly that Jounouchi was taken by surprised.

“Where did we go wrong?” Kaiba quietly asked, dropping exhaustedly into his seat, his voice trembling.

Jounouchi felt his throat go dry. He could not look at Kaiba, not at the usually proud and confident Kaiba, looking defeated and lost, and knowing that he was the cause of the pain. Yet neither could he face the painful memories that came flashing across his solitude darkness.

Him, lying in his veterinary office, half delirious with flu, but aware and hearing Kaiba moving around beyond the door in the shop, cleaning up the place, talking softly to the animals, speaking to the occasional customers. And he felt calm, peaceful, knowing that Kaiba could handle the shop and he could rest.

Him, sitting beside Kaiba in Kaiba’s car with a disgusted face while Kaiba cajoled and coerced him into drinking Eucalyptus tea.

Him, half drunk and sluggish, on Kaiba’s back, feeling the warmth of the taller man through the thin shirt material, and the sweet cinnamon smell. Kaiba, patting his back soothingly while he retched so badly till tears flowed over the toilet bowl.

Him, watching Kaiba’s finger gently running over the piano as if it was an alarmed living creature that required extreme care and gentleness in its treatment. A moment of musical eternity where eternity seemed to drowned out the music. A picture painted in time of him, simply watching Kaiba playing, and Kaiba concentrating hard on his playing.

Him, sitting in the school bus beside Kaiba, horribly shaken by the ordeal, his eyes glued on the twins as if they might just vanish from his life. Kaiba’s hand, reassuringly on his, before strengthening its comforting clasp around his.

Him, still smelling of the sea water, pulling Kaiba into a reassuring hug impulsively, because he could see the fright in Kaiba’s eyes, could feel Kaiba’s shock and fear of almost losing him.

Him, watching Kaiba in his car from the window that overlooked the driveway. Kaiba, still amusingly dazed by their kiss, and when Kaiba looked up at his dark unlighted room, he was certain Kaiba couldn’t see him, but they knew the other was there.

Him, watching Kaiba attempt to make conversation with the gang. As misanthropic as the man was, he really tried his best to chat up the gang and break into the gang – something he would probably never had done if it was not for Jounouchi.

Him, squirming and hollering as Kaiba pinned his thumb onto the share transfer contract forcefully but painlessly. If one part of him knew it was part of Kaiba’s ploy to get him to stay, he also knew that it meant Kaiba was nuts about him. Over the moon. Stupidly in love with him.

Him, pretending to be asleep, frustrated with his own lack of confidence in performing sex with a man. Kaiba’s chest rising and falling regularly and reassuring below his head, but the man was probably having just as hard a time falling asleep.

Him, sitting in the waiting room with his face buried in his hands, Mokuba pacing up and down, pausing at the ICU door glass panel every now and then with a grim look on his face, watching the doctors hover inside the room.

Him, watching the orange light of Kaiba Corporation cascade into darkness like a domino effect beside Kaiba. He could feel Kaiba’s pride – Kaiba Corp was all of Kaiba, beside Mokuba and family, and he was the person Kaiba wanted to share his pride with.

Him, fingering the silvery cool ring and feeling the hieroglyphics engraved on the metal. A gift much heavier than it weighed.

Him, standing in shock, as Kaiba stepped passed him avoiding his gaze after their bitter and funny reconciliation and agreement in the toilet.

Him, starring into his mug of beer as Malik grinned patiently at him after offering his one-night-stand deal, his heart pounding at the excitement and the guilt. Him, lying on the hotel bed calmly while Malik cursed him on the hotel room floor. He had kicked Malik off him, out of loyalty and guilt to Kaiba rather than an automatic reflex – a reflex based on his fear of being unable to satisfy Kaiba that had stood between him and Kaiba so many times. Malik had only been too nice to put on his clothes, joke about the incident, and then offer him an Egyptian massage, to ease the pain in his back.

Him, walking of the hotel, getting into his car after knowing of Grandfather Sugoroku’s passing away. Grandfather Sugoroku had been the fatherly figure in his turbulent high school life when his own biological father was getting wasted away in alcohol. He had broke down on the road, pulled over and sobbed uncontrollably on the steering wheel, praying and wishing that he had someone to hold on to in such a time.

Praying and wishing that Kaiba could hold him in such a time.

“I never wanted us to hurt each other like this.” It was a nightmare. He wished it was a nightmare. It was a nightmare. A living nightmare, one he lived in. The ending to the fairytale that he had feared most, punctuated by Kaiba’s trembling voice,

“What did I do wrong?”

“Why did you come to me?” Varon asked as he dabbed at Kaiba’s facial cuts carefully, if not, sadistically.

“You are the only doctor who won’t go around telling reporters why we were beating up each other.” Kaiba scowled, and winced when his scowling only made his face hurt more.

“I’m a sex therapist, not a paramedic.” Varon tilted his head to the side, trying to hide his amusement.

“I’m sure you can play doctor for one day.”

“So, why were you fighting?” Varon asked. When Kaiba did not reply, he looked to Jounouchi who was already attended to and was sitting quietly at the other side of the room.

“That’s none of your business.” Kaiba finally snapped.

Varon frowned, purposely dabbing painfully on Kaiba’s face. “Hey, I’m your therapist. I’m, like your counselor.”

Kaiba almost wanted to laugh out loud. “I think you did more damage than help.”

“He saw me with Malik.” Jounouchi muttered, interrupting them.

Varon raised an eyebrow, amused. “You were with Malik?”

“No, I mean. I was, but not that in that meaning, if you get the meaning.”

“No I don’t.” Varon pointed out as he put away the medication.

Jounouchi paused and then shook his head. “That’s not the point. It’s not about Malik, it is about Se- Kaiba.”

“What about me?” Kaiba snapped, his hands on his waist.

Jounouchi scowled and refrained from snapping back at Kaiba. “You…” He bit his lip.

“So what about me?” Kaiba growled threateningly.

“I.. can’t explain it to you.” Jounouchi threw his hands up in exasperation. “I don’t know how to explain to you. Maybe I don’t even know what is bothering me right now. Maybe everything is bothering me.”

“Alright hold it.” Varon cut in. “I’m the therapist here. I’m here to help, so sit down.”

Jounouchi glared at him, but sat down, followed by Kaiba who sat down grudgingly beside him as Varon dictated.

Varon took his seat opposite them, and observed the two for a significant amount of time. Kaiba was starring to the open space away from them. Jounouchi was focused on his coffee table that stood between them.

“So, the problem we have here is chastity?”

“No!” Jounouchi objected, jumping up onto his feet and glaring at Varon.

“Alright, calm down.” Varon raised a hand, motioning for Jounouchi to sit down. “It is about sex and sexuality, then.”

Jounouchi gave him one last grudging glare before sitting back down on the sofa, his arms crossed.

“We know that Kaiba is bisexual, how about you? Do you think you are bisexual?”

Jounouchi sighed, and then sucked in a long breath of air. “I will say that I’ve never thought I would fall in love with a... man.”

Kaiba scowled, momentarily losing interest in the open space to glare swords into the man beside him. “Is it so embarrassing?”

Jounouchi stared back at him.

“Is it so embarrassing to be with me?” Kaiba growled.

“No.” Jounouchi replied pointedly. “It is okay to love you, Kaiba, but not a man, like any man.”

“So, I’m not a man?” Kaiba retorted.

“Yea, in a way but that is not what I mean.” Jounouchi shook his head looking at Kaiba look back at him in disbelief. “No, you are a man, but you should know what I mean.”

Jounouchi paused, looking at Kaiba in the eye. “You know what I mean right?”

“Alright” Varon interrupted. “Mr. Kaiba, do you know what he means?”

“Yes.” Kaiba hissed.

“Then, my next question is,” Varon continued. “Jou, do you find Kaiba attractive?”

Jounouchi swallowed “I’ve never thought of men as attractive…”

“Hey, we kissed.” Kaiba interrupted, looking at Jounouchi in questioningly. “I turned you on, that is undeniable.”

Jounouchi wanted to shake the man beside him upside down. “You don’t have to declare it to the rest of the world. But that is what I’ve been trying to say: You are odd.”

“Then do you find me attractive?”

Jounouchi scowled. “I guess yes, I’m comfortable with you around.”

“Do you find me attractively sexually?” Kaiba pressed.

Varon interrupted “Have you had sex with each other?”

“No.” Kaiba snapped quickly before resuming his ignoring of Varon. “Do you find me attractively sexually?”

“I…” Jounouchi trailed off.

Varon nodded knowingly. “He’s bi-romantic, not bisexual.”

“Nobody asked your opinion.” Kaiba swore.

“Hey, I’m the therapist- “

“Shut up.” Kaiba hissed before turning back to Jounouchi. “You find me repulsive?”

Jounouchi’s mouth dropped open. “No, of course not. I just…” He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Performance anxiety?” Varon chirped helpfully.

Silence filled the room as realization drawn in. Jounouchi closed his eyes and leaned back into the sofa.

“I gave you too much pressure.” Kaiba said softly.

“I…” Jounouchi started, and then felt the words flow like a burst dam. “I felt trapped. I didn’t know how to live up to your expectations, how to live within the control you have over me. I didn’t know how to cope with this new… sexuality, how to… stay a man.” Jounouchi buried his face into his hands.

Silence filled the room.

Then, he heard Kaiba stand up and walk out of the room, the door swinging close with a quiet click.

To be continued

Finally! One more Chapter to go.

Thank you for your patience. 2 years is a long wait. Welcome back, our old readers. And hello to our new readers.

The story has almost come to an end, one more shorter chapter and possibly, epilogues.

See you at the next chapter very soon!~