Close Confinement

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh in any way, shape, or form. I also do not own The Pretender series from television. I am just a fan fiction writer who is having fun with a few of the characters. So, don’t sue me. You would only get a few dollars because I am a poor young adult struggling to make ends meet.

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Normal P.O.V.


They stared at each other.

The brunette had a slight shocked look on his face before cooling it back into his impenetrable mask. “Hello, mutt.”

Jou growled, making Seto’s smirk even bigger as he stepped passed the closing doors. “Moneybags.”

“I see you found out the copy machine upstairs is broken. Some incompetent fool broke the glass.”

Huh? How did he know that I was going for a copier? His face took on a look of confusion before slipping back into the professional mask he had developed over the last six years. “If the one on the ground floor is broken, I’m going home.” He turned to look at the CEO. “Where are you going?”

“Late lunch.” He was leaning back against the mirrored wall. He was looking at the blond out of the corner of his eye. Jou’s stomach chose that moment to announcement it was empty. Seto’s eyebrows rose.

Jou laughed nervously. “I missed lunch. I was getting the new proposal finished.”

“You could always have the cafeteria send up some dog food.”

Jou turned slowly to the brunette. “Kaiba…” His fist came up on its own accord.

The car lurched. Jou stumbled, making his fist quickly splay into an open palm to catch himself on the wall. His nose was pressed into the clothed chest in front of him. Augh! Why didn’t I see this happening!? Is the damn thing broken?

“What the hell?” Seto glanced up. The lights flickered. Once. Twice. Then, they went out completely. Emergency lights powered on after twenty seconds. Neither made a sound. “We’re stuck.”

“Thanks for the obvious observation, asshole.” He reached for the phone sitting inside the elevator wall. All he heard was a faint buzz. He slammed it back down. “Doesn’t anything in this damn building work?!” A headache began to form behind his eyes. He rubbed at his forehead. I’m stuck in an elevator with Seto. They glared at each other. We’re going to be stuck here all day.
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Several minutes had passed without a sound between the two males. Jou finally sighed and slid to the floor. He propped his arm on top of his knee. His other hand massaged over his eyes. “Looks like we may be here for a while.”

“It appears so.” Seto sat down more gracefully.

Five more minutes passed to the click of Jou’s wristwatch. Its tiny clicks sounded like gunshots in the small elevator cab. Jou’s curiosity finally won out along with his nerves. He was not used to being quiet for so long. “How have you been, Kaiba?”

“Fine.” After a pause and a growl from Jou he finally conceded to more conversation. “And you?”

“Making ends meet. How’s Mokuba?”

“He left last week to study cybernetics for a few months in the United States. He seems to be enjoying himself.” Seto gave a small barely noticeable smile. “How is your sister…Shizuka, was it?”

“She’s working for Otogi. She’s a sales representative now. She recently gained Otogi an alliance with a popular gaming company in England. She made the connection through Ryou.”

Otogi is the one who beat me out!? I had been working for months on that merger only to lose it in one week! Seto growled.

Jou laughed. “So the rumors were true. You really were the one trying to gain the merger. My little sister beat out the great Seto Kaiba. Oh that is rich.” He continued to snicker softly. At Seto’s glare he brought himself back under control.

After a few minutes of silence, in which Jou started to squirm again, Seto turned fully to look at him. “Why are you not working for him, too?”

Jou shifted uneasily. No way would he react well to the real answer to that question. “Didn’t want to…”

“Really?” Seto gave a curious look at the slightly blushing blond. “Why not?”

Jou sighed. Might as well tell the truth. It’s one way to find out if he still prefers the same lovers as he did before…Or he could just scoff at me even more with the knowledge he would gain about me. Oh please… “Otogi and I…we were on strained terms for a while.”

“Why?”

“You really want to know?” Please. Let this go the way I want.

“Sure, why not? Humor me.” Seto crossed his arms over his chest.

“We were lovers while in college.” The bomb fell from Jou’s lips.

Seto started coughing. His eyes jerked to stare at the blond. “What did you just say?” The puppy is gay…or bi…whichever. Anger started to form. He was furious that someone else besides him was able to touch his puppy. Jealousy is a bitter thing. Then a small feeling fluttered in Seto’s chest. Maybe I do have a chance… Hope.

Jou watched the fast play of emotions on the once rigid face. They went from disbelief to anger, to an emotion he didn’t recognize in the jewel toned eyes. “You heard me. Otogi and I were lovers. But, things didn’t work out between us. I caught him sleeping with someone else. It went downhill from there. I had planned on working for him after graduating college, but I didn’t speak to him again until about a year ago during the Domino Children’s Hospital fundraiser. I introduced him to Red..err…Danielle. She's got the strength to hold him in line, and he seems fascinated with her. But, I needed a job, so I came here. I was qualified…don’t give me that look.”

“You’re qualified, huh? How can a dumb mutt be qualified to work for me.” Let’s see if this gets him to talk about that genius comment from earlier.

Jou growled low in his throat. “Damn you, Kaiba.” He remained quiet. At least he isn’t going after me for being gay.

The silence stretched again until Seto noticed the look on Jou's face. “What?”

A sad sound entered Jou’s voice. “I knew I was pretending…but I didn’t think I was pretending that well. Only a few people take me seriously now. My own plan has backfired on me.” He pulled lightly at his hair before rubbing his forehead again. His head was really starting to hurt, but he wasn’t realizing the cause. It was beginning to pulse lightly, but the pain overshadowed its movement.

“Plan?” Seto was confused.

“Forget it.”

“You can’t just leave me hanging like this, pup. What were you pretending?”

“I said forget it.” Jou snapped. The pain in his forehead increased ten-fold. Images formed behind his eyes. His neck grew scorching hot. He gave out a small moan as the cab whirled. He heard a faint cry as everything dimmed, then went black.

“Jou!”
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Seto saw Jou’s eyes roll into the back of his head. His body slumped sideways with a moan, his head landing with a thump on the floor before Seto could reach him. “Jou!”

He leaned over the blond. His own heart beat raced as he began checking him. He’s breathing. It sounds fine. What happened to him? Is he claustrophobic, or something? Pulse…a little fast. Jou, I have no way of getting any one up here to help. According to you the emergency phone doesn’t work, and I don’t have my cell phone. I’m not even sure which floors we’re between right now. Panic was forming. Jou, what’s wrong!?

“Jou. Jou! Wake up.” The body under him started to thrash around on the floor, almost knocking him down. Flailing legs and arms struck out randomly as if fending off an attack. Jou’s moans grew in volume until his body finally froze in motion.

“No! Let me go! Stop! I won’t do it! No!” His face was twisted into a look of horror.

“Jou!” His hand flew before he could think to stop it. The harsh slap jerked Jou’s head sideways. Sightless amber colored eyes flew open. The look of pure hatred that crossed Jou’s face shocked Seto from asking his questions. He looks ready to kill…

Seto found himself flying backwards, slamming against the opposite wall, after a foot connected with his stomach. He fell in a heap to the ground. His abdomen felt like it was never going to inhale properly again. Air wheezed in and out of his mouth. Ow…

“Seto?” Jou looked down at him with a face of genuine confusion. “Seto! No! Seto, I’m sorry.” Jou was kneeling in front of Seto, his face down to the ground.

Seto was still gasping for breath. “What was that about, mutt?”

“N..No..nothing.” Jou was still shaking. What a time for this stupid thing to activate. “I thought you were someone else for a moment.”

“It appears you hate this person even more than me.” The look on his face…

Jou laughed bitterly. “Yes, I do.” Seto, I don’t really hate you. Can’t you see that?

Seto’s face turned pensive. “I …Jou..um” Seto couldn’t remember the last time he stumbled over his words. He finally managed to stumble out what he was thinking. “Would…you like to talk about…what…just happened?”

Jou stared at him, shocked. “Why would you care?”

Seto actually looked uncomfortable. “Jou…I’ve been watching you. I heard your conversation with Danielle earlier. Does this have something to do with the memories you mentioned?”

Jou jerked back with a start before angrily yelling at the still slightly wheezing figure. “You’ve been spying on me?! What the hell, Kaiba? Are you that afraid that I am going to screw up, or are you looking for more ammo to throw at me? ” Suddenly a look of fear crossed Jou’s face. “No. No. You...you can’t find out.” Jou was shaking violently again.

“Jou, calm down.”

“You just can’t. The things I did…what I could have done.” His eyes were glazed. “What they did…”

“Jou, whatever happened, it is in the past.” Seto was really starting to worry. What could be this bad?

“Shut up, Kaiba.”