Stinging Beauty
Why should you know?
Yet more Roxette in this- whoa, never seen readers leaving that fast. Yes, I will put in other songs, don’t worry. After all this is but the first part of the novel, and there’s still years ahead of us…
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20. Why should you know?
He was right.
Damn the blond baka, but he was right.
Even though while Duelist Kingdom he hadn’t been too much of an opponent and relied a lot on Yuugi, he had proven to be able to stand against some of the best in the world.
And in Battle City, he had even forced him, Kaiba, to use some of his best moves, something only Yuugi had managed.
But he was not quite right about the feelings residing in the CEO’s chest; it was not only pure jealousy, but also fear.
Fear, that this shin-iri would actually push him off his hard-earned place among the elite.
He was stubborn, smarter than most people gave him credit for and, kami help him, he had talent.
Not the same amount like Yuugi, but it was..frightening.
Very.
In that big big house
There are fifty doors
And one of them leads to your heart.
In the time of spring
I passed your gate
And tried to make a start.
All I knew
Was the scent of sea and dew
But I've been in love before, how about you?
Jou studied Kaiba’s silent form a while, then poked him in the ribs.
“Yo, you still alive in there?”
“N. “
Sighing, Jou embraced Seto in a loose hug.
For a while, they just lay next to each other, silently, then Jou mused:
“You know, your birthday’s in three weeks. Anything you wish for?”
The brunet didn’t answer. Shaking him a little, Jou added:
“Hey, how about a party? I mean, it is your eighteenth, after all!”
This time, the CEO gave a derisive snort.
“Certainly. And whom, oh pray tell, should I invite? Aside of Mokuba, that is?”
Jou shrugged.
“Any friends you might have, the social elite of Domino City, Tennou-sama*, whomever you’d like to come. ”
The blond felt the tensing up of the body next to him, when Seto muttered:
“I don’t have any friends. So there is no point in hosting festivities of any kind. ”
Moments passed, then Jou lay his head on Seto’s shoulder and whispered:
“I..could be your friend. If you let me. ”
In that big big house
There are fifty doors
And one of them leads to your heart
In the time of spring
I passed your gate
And tried to make a start
All I knew
Was the scent of sea and dew
But I've been in love before, how about you?
There's a time for the good in life,
A time to kill the pain in life,
Dream about the sun you queen of rain
He could have sworn, his heart skipped a beat at those words.
It was the first time, someone offered him their friendship in this way.
Usually it was always we can be friends, we should be friends, let’s make friends, why can’t we be friends, and what not more.
Nobody had ever let him choose friendship of his own free will, without giving him the feeling of being talked into it. That’s why he had always resented it. Because it was either friendship, or friendly neutrality.
There was no in-between, no companionship, no test-phase, no accommodation time, no introductory chance.
A chance, Jounouchi willingly offered.
All he had to do, was reach out and take it.
Seto had rarely been so unsure of himself in his whole life.
In that big old house
There are fifty beds
And one of them leads to your soul
It's a bed of fear,
A bed of threats,
Regrets and sheets so cold
All I knew your eyes so velvet blue,
I've been in love before, how about you?
There's a time for the good in life
A time to kill the pain in life,
Dream about the sun you queen of rain
Thoughts whirled through his mind like dried leaves in a thunderstorm; possibilities, problems, responsibilities, inhibitions, sacrifices, bounties, duties, risks, disappointments…
Seto grew more and more uncertain by the minute, and that made him angry. Twisting around, so he came face-to-face with Jou, he opened his mouth for a sharp reproach-
the words died in his throat, when he saw Jou’s serene face, relaxed body and even breathing.
Somewhere while Kaiba’s contemplations, the blond had drifted off to sleep, waiting for Seto’s answer.
Which suited the brunet just fine.
It bought him more time to come to terms with is insecurities.
Not that he had any, mind you.
Time went by
As I wrote your name in the sky,
Fly fly away,
Bye bye.
It's time to place your bets in life,
I've played the loser's game of life,
Dream about the sun you queen of rain.
Dream about the sun you queen of rain.
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I don’t know, if I brought my point across, but I tried to define what Seto’s looking for…future chapters might shed some light onto that particular issue…
* Jou is refering to the Japanese Emperor, His Imperial Majesty Akihito (though I doubt, He would be attending Kaiba’s