A Year With You

To say Seto Kaiba was unhappy would be the biggest understatement of the century. He was down right livid. Here he was going through emotional hell and his lover decided to invite over all of his little friends. Shizuka and Nagi he liked so he didn’t care about those two. He could tolerate Yugi, Otogi, Marik, and Ryou. Yami and Honda he wanted to kill, slowly. Anzu and Mai just bugged him, in fact he had no clue why they were even in his home, and they didn’t like him any more than he liked them. Bakura and Malik were dangerous. It was the last two he was worried about. They had the potential to destroy everything he had worked to build, including his carefully held self control. Normally it wouldn’t be so bad but Jou and his brother had left him. Alone. They left him with a group of people he didn’t like. Jou was in the kitchen helping Kentaro with dinner. He wasn’t allowed in the kitchen on Ken’s orders. Then Mokuba had gone off with Nagi and Shizuka leaving him with no one that he even liked. Well he did have Chisa and she was all social grace and beauty.

Yami watched Kaiba carefully. He didn’t trust the brunet because he knew Kaiba was hiding something. He looked to the lovely lady sitting next to the scowling Kaiba and smiled politely. “So Chisa how do you know our gracious host?” The word gracious must have oozed with sarcasm because Kaiba turned a lethal glare on him. “I’m his personal sectary.” Bakura and Malik snickered. “So how personal is personal?” The lady smiled kindly but there was a sharpness about her smile that quieted the other two. “Personal enough that he was my husband’s best man at our wedding. He gave a young girl just out of college a chance at a high paying job helping one of the most powerful men in the world when no one else would even look at her résumé. I will not tolerate any one speaking poorly of him in my presence.” Yami sat back as the sheer force of the girl’s words slammed into him like a physical blow. Seto Kaiba had some powerful and protective friends.

Jou whistled happily as he helped Kentaro. He loved cooking and the man next to him was a pure genius. He dropped some sweet red peppers into the sauce they were making and inhaled the scent deeply. “You are handy in the kitchen.” His new friend said lightly and he smiled. “I love to cook and to eat. I want to go to school to be a chef. I just don’t know how I’m going to do that.” He sighed softly watching his dreams slowly fade. “You could ask Seto for the money. He wouldn’t mind paying for your school. He believes in higher education and he loves you so I’m sure he would have no problem.” He sighed thinking it over. He knew what Kentaro said was true but he didn’t want Seto to pay for his school. “I know Seto would pay for my school and every thing else I could possibly need or want, but I don’t want him to. I don’t want him to ever think I’m using him and I want to forge my own way in life. I may ask for his help but it will be my school and I want to pay for it on my own.” The man standing next to him grinned. “Good. Jou, I’d like you to come work for me. I mean I will have to start you out as a waiter, but if you go to school and become a chef I’ll reimburse your school costs. I need another chef and I like you and the way you think about food. So think of it as a scholarship.” Jou felt his whole face light up and he hugged the man next to him. “Really? Oh that’s wonderful! I’m so excited. So when do I start?” The man smiled. “I need a new waiter by next Friday so if you could come in Monday for training that would be perfect. We’ll work out school and stuff for you then.” He nodded happily almost bouncing with joy.

~~~
Bakura looked around feeling board. He looked at Kaiba who had absorbed himself in a book. “Kaiba, we are going to go explore.” Blue eyes looked up and he met them with a steady gaze. “Just don’t break anything.” He chuckled darkly just to uphold appearances and skipped off with Malik hot on his heels. He ran up the stairs heading to the third floor. He paused looking right and left then looked to his partner in crime for help. The Millennium rod shuddered and pointed to the left. Both Bakura and Malik stood staring at the magical item they were convinced no longer held magic since their surprising rebirth. “Do you ever get the feeling we forgot something important?” Malik asked softly holding out the glowing object. Bakura nodded silently still staring at the item. They both turned heading down the left hall trying to decide where to go next. Two huge doors at the end of the hall was a good place for them to start.

They opened the doors slowly and the remaining echoes of pain and anguish made Bakura gasp. Every room held memories and the things this room remembered were suffocating and painful. The smell of blood still lingered and clung to the stale air like a gruesome tale murmured through out history. Bakura leaped back as a phantom appeared before him. An innocent boy with wide blue eyes stared at them. “He killed me.” Was all the young boy said. Malik looked at his friend wondering what the hell was happening as the walls started to scream. Bakura turned grabbing Malik and ran. He didn’t know what the hell was going on and he really didn’t want to stay and find out.

~~~

Seto stood to check on the two in the kitchen. He didn’t car what Kentaro said it was his house and his kitchen meaning he could stand in there all he wanted. He gently pushed open the door watching two of the few people he trusted with his life. They were laughing and Jou looked so bright and happy it almost hurt. He could never make Jou that happy. He had too much baggage to give the blond the happiness he deserved. He turned heading to the one place he could really find peace.

Jou turned seeing Seto retreat and blinked. He knew his lover was bound to come in sooner or later. He looked to Kentaro who seemed as troubled by Seto’s sudden disappearance as he was. He sighed gently patting the other man on the back. “I’ll find him.” He walked off checking the living room first but sadly his lover wasn’t there. He then headed to Seto’s office once again not finding his lover. He checked Seto’s room and with Mokuba but his lover was no where to be found.

Seto pulled the violin to his chin and closed his eyes just playing. He had always loved this instrument even as a child. His father had given him his very first violin when he was little. He remembered that day so well. His small hands taking the small instrument as he dragged the bow across the strings. He was good when he was young some saw him as a protégé. Then his parents died and he lost his music for many years. There was no room for music in an orphanage and Gozoburo saw it as an unnecessary weakness. This room was one of the first things he built when his stepfather died. It was sound proof as long as the door was closed but if the door was open music would travel all though the house. He remembered when Mokuba was first learning to play the piano. The music was bad but he enjoyed the noise.

Jou found Seto in the music room and he didn’t have the heart to disturb his lover. Long graceful fingers moved over the strings with the ease of practice and natural talent. Jou wasn’t sure what Seto was playing because he never really liked classical music but he liked this. It was tender and sweet yet heartbreaking all at once. He closed his eyes just listening and he slowly realized that the music was a reflection of Seto and his feelings or his thoughts. The music changed to something joyful and proud and he could see Mokuba in the music. Then it shifted to something sun warmed and breathe taking with the deep undertone of regret. He sighed softly and the music came to a screeching halt. “How long have you all been standing there?” He blinked at his lover then turned slightly where everyone stood in the hall. “Me, a while. I’m not sure about the others. It was beautiful, Seto.” He said softly and Seto grunted. Jou stepped into the room shutting the door behind him.

Seto looked up and sighed slowly setting down his violin. His puppy leaned against the door just staring at him for a long time. “You seem unhappy.” Seto sat with a forced grace he didn’t feel. “So do you.” His puppy blinked at him and leaned heavily against the door. “What?” He looked off staring longingly at his violin. “You don’t smile the way you used to. Well not when you are around me at least. I saw you in the kitchen and you just seemed free.” Jou came over and knelt by Seto’s knees leaning his head against Seto’s legs. “Seto, I love you. I am happy with you I just…” Seto held his breath as Jou trailed off. He didn’t know what his puppy was thinking and he was frightened about what he might hear. “I just owe you so much that I’m worried you’ll wake up one morning and realize that I’m using you and leave me.” He slid his hand though golden hair and sighed softly. “Are you using me?” Golden eyes looked up at him with the deep pleading for understanding. “I’m not trying to. I just some times feel like I am. I know you would do anything for me, Seto, and I’m so scared that I’ll take advantage of that.” He laughed thinly pulling his puppy up into his lap nuzzling him. “Jou, I know all those things as well and that’s why I love you. I think you are the only person in the world that actually worries about taking advantage of me. I would give you anything, Jou. You and Mokuba, both. My brother knows it and he takes advantage of it as well.”

Jou chuckled into Seto’s neck gently nuzzled him in return. “Seto, I love you. Kentaro offered me a job at his restaurant and if I work hard and go to college, he’ll make me a chef and pay me back for school.” Seto looked at him and smiled softly stroking his face. “That’s great, Jou. I think you should take his offer.” Jou flashed a smile and nuzzled his lover stealing a kiss. “So, do you want to tell me what’s making you unhappy?” Seto chuckled pulling him close, inhaling his scent. “The thought of you being unhappy. Jou, you have given me more than you will ever know so all I want is for you to be happy, even if it’s not with me.” Jou grabbed Seto’s face kissing him deeply. “I am happy with you, Seto. So for now I say we hurry and eat dinner then kick every one out including your brother and go take a nice long bath in your tub and maybe fool around a little.” Seto responded by kissing him deeply.

~~~

Bakura ran as far from the room as he could. He sank against the far wall as Malik sank against a statue. The statue shifted and the wall slid open with a hiss. Bakura tumbled backward and blinked at the nearly empty room. Walls were covered in book shelves that held neatly organized tapes organized by date and something else. On one wall was a table with several devices that put something on camera onto tape. Cobwebs and dust covered everything in the room that reeked of years of neglect. “Malik, I think we found it.” Bakura said softly sitting up to get a better look at the room. Malik stood looking into the room and nodding. “Let’s go tell, Kaiba.” Bakura nodded absently still looking around the room at all the tapes that filled it. He lightly touched one of the shelves looking at one tape with several dates. “All of this…” He made a helpless motion. “Its years of recorded pain.” He whispered to himself not looking back at his friend.

Malik paused, thinking things over and sighed deeply. He knew men like this usually had more than one place that they kept things. “We shouldn’t tell Kaiba just yet. At least, not until we find the other one. For this man to have this much you know he has to have more.” Bakura nodded slowly and sighed deeply. “We’ll tell Mokuba. For now, we’ll just let Kaiba think we are still looking.” He nodded and they headed down to go tell Mokuba the news.

~~~
Mokuba nodded slowly thinking things over wondering how Seto and he missed the room all these years. “Fine. Anything you need, I’ll provide. However, you might need to ask Seto for some things. He knew the demon better and I and he will know where else to start looking. But you’re right; don’t let him think you found the one in the house. He’ll flip if he thinks there are more videos. Go ask Seto for blue prints of the house that might give you a place to start convincing him that you are still looking.” The two spirits nodded and he looked to Nagi and Shizuka for help. “We’ll do what ever we need to, so we can help you, Mokuba. We’ll just hold off on telling your brother the big news.” Shizuka said softly. “I guess I’ll hold off on telling Jou as well.” Mokuba nodded softly and flopped down next to his two best friends. “You’re right, Shizu. I just don’t know if I’ll ever be able to tell my brother.” Nagi pulled him close and kissed him as Shizuka nuzzled into the both of them. “I’m sure both our brothers will understand, Mokie. After all, we are lovers and we can’t be split up.” Mokuba nodded, kissing the girl and the boy he loved.

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Oh my god it's an update! Sorry for the long time between updates but truth be told I've kind of gotten sick of this story. It's my longest one thus for and it is so for a reason. The others I all got sick of as well. I'm a bad author. Any way I am trying to finish this sucker up just so I will be done. This is a problem I have a lot. So I will try to keep updating but who knows what will happen. For now I'm just waiting on my beta to give me chapters to give you. Who knows in a few more weeks when school is back in full swing I may feel better about this story. As it is I have gone back to my first love Weiss Kreuz. However since so many of you have been faithful reviewers I will finish this story for you. so bear with me and I'm sorry for the delay.

Thank you thank you to my lovely reviewers! However I really need some encouragement to finish this story so please please please please please please please please review. It will really help me out and encourage me to post more.