Bury It Deeper

 

Jounouchi woke up fighting for air.  Something heavy was pressed tight against his face.  Instantly, he identified the coarse scratch of denim and the hard press of a zipper as it bit into his lips and nose.  Shocked and still fairly groggy, he reached up to grab the suffocation item only to freeze in shock when he encountered the unmistakably rounded contours of a very nice ass – a very nice vibrating ass.



‘Holy shit someone's sittin' on my face!’ Was Jou’s first hysterical thought, followed by a panicked, ‘Holy fuck!  Someone's sitting on my face?  Who the hell...?’



Even as he questioned, realization dawned.  With more strength and considerably more exasperation, Jou grabbed Yugi's hips and pulled sharply, peeling Yugi's crotch away from his nose and mouth.  “Yugi!”  He gasped with his first deep breath. “Calm down!”  When there was no response but for the pelvis he was holding to arch closer and trembling to increase, Jou growled, “Yugi!  Get yer dick outta my face before I get ideas.”



For a second he didn't think he'd gotten through to his friend, but then slowly Yugi slid off his head.  Of course sliding down his body and burying his face in Jou's neck didn't really help a whole lot as Yugi's compact body was still trying to occupy the same place as Jou's, but it was better than it had been.  There was something just creepy about waking up to your best friend's crotch riding your face, at least in Jou's opinion.  Of course the whole 'dad's corpse returning' was creepier. He'd take Yugi's crotch-in-the-face over that any day.  Maybe he shouldn't have made Yugi move quite so soon.



Knowing it had to be done, Jou managed the impossible.  He first sat, then stood, without dislodging his limpet-like friend.  He deliberately kept his gaze away from his sofa.  As soon as he was upright, Yugi scaled him again. This time the smaller duelist stopped at his chest and wrapped his legs around it, compressing the blonde's breathing.



“C'mon Yugi, get down.”  Jou wheezed, trying to catch his breath through the vice of Yugi's legs.  “Dude!  I can't breathe.  Get off!”  Frantically trying not to end up a blue corpse, he shook Yugi off him, dropping the smaller man to the floor.



The blow stunned his friend out of his wide-eyed shock.  “Oh... Jou I'm sorry.  I just...”  Suddenly tears began to roll down Yugi's face.  “Jou he's back!  What are we gonna do now?”  He wailed.



“Calm down Yugi.  I'll think of somethin'.  Just...”  But his words fell on deaf ears.  His little buddy was sobbing hysterically.  Grabbing on to what was left of his nerves, Jounouchi sighed and pulled the younger man into a close hug.  After a moment of comfort, he dragged the other teen into the kitchen.  He had to do something about not only the returned body, but about Yugi too.  If this kept up, his friend would do something stupid like try to turn himself in.  They both needed time.  Yugi to get a break and Jou to figure out what to do next.



Jou carefully eased the hysterical man into a chair and turned to the stove. He pulled down the canister of red tea and without a second's hesitation got down the small jar of Tart Cherry Powder.  He let Yugi cry as he brewed the tea and then carefully added two measured spoonfuls of powder to one of the cups.  When he'd worked multiple jobs to pay the bills and attended school full time, he'd relied on that powder to let him sleep at the odd hours he had off.



Careful not to confuse the cups, Jou placed the tea on the table.  “Drink this Yugi. It'll make ya feel better.”  And hopefully give him some peace and breathing room to figure out what to do.



After some prodding, Yugi sat up and used the paper towel Jou held out to him to mop up his face.  “Jou...”  Yugi's chin wobbled dangerously.  “We have to turn ourselves in.”



Hoping to avert more tears, the blond nodded slightly. “I understand how ya feel Yugi.  Why don't you drink your tea and then we'll talk about it.”  Jou let out a breath of relief when Yugi bolted the tea as if by doing so he'd gain all the answers.



Jou took his time, sipping his own tea, absently refilling Yugi's cup when it was empty.  By the time Jou was finished Yugi's head was drooping and he was leaning heavily on the table.  Holding in his regret, he stood up and carefully pulled Yugi to his feet.  “C'mon little buddy, let's get you into bed.  You're out on your feet.”



“But... your f...”



“Don't worry.  I'll handle it for now.  We'll talk about it when you wake up.”  He lowered his voice to a murmur.  “Sleep now.  A few hours ain't gonna mean nothin'.”



With Yugi snoring lightly in his bed, Jou mentally stiffened his resolve and went back into the living room.  With feet heavy with dread, he crossed to the couch and looked behind it.  Yep the corpse was still there.  Shutting the curtains, he ensured his privacy.



Jounouchi rubbed his hands together and put his back into shoving the couch out of the way. Once he had a clear path, he went and got the area rug he'd used earlier and rolled the body on it.  He couldn't help but notice that most of the coldness from the freezer had disappeared, but that the body was stiffening.  Also a dark bruising was appearing on the back.  Stifling a shudder, Jou deliberately blocked that knowledge out and, grabbing the ends of the rug, dragged his grisly burden back to the kitchen.  With no other options available, he manhandled it into the freezer, noting how very difficult it was to get the body arranged.  They couldn't do this much longer.



Macabre task complete, the blond hurriedly straightened his couch and other furniture. With humor as black as the night sky, he reflected that he wouldn't need to go to the gym to lift weights tomorrow.  He was definitely getting his workout.



A quick look around the room told him everything was back in order.  With a sigh, Jou wandered back into the kitchen and sank down on the nearest chair.  Absently, he picked up the cup of tepid tea and raised it to his lips, only to freeze as he realized it was Yugi's half full cup.  “Well fuck.”  Jou carefully set it down.  “No shut-eye for me.”  Putting temptation behind him, he cleared the dishes, bringing them to the sink.  “Well, might as well get this done, ” he mumbled, filling the sink with hot sudsy water.  He had a dishwasher, but he found it oddly comforting to do the dishes by hand.



As he grasped a cup firmly in one hand and scrubbed with a sponge with the other, Jou let his mind  wander.  It was all such a mess!  And it had started so good.  He'd gotten his house, gotten it decorated exactly the way he wanted, enrolled in college, even gotten a car.  The good stuff in life was finally happening for him.  But like usual his dad had to go and fuck it up.  What the hell did he ever do to deserve a loser like that for a father?  Not that he'd always been bad, but... well fuck... a couple good years when he was a little kid didn't outweigh the neglect and abuse Jounouchi had suffered for over a decade.



The chink of glass made him glance down at the sink.  Fuck, he'd broken the teacup in half.  With a snort of disgust, Jou took the two pieces and tossed them in the trash.  That was the last thing the asshole would ever take from him.  It was time for the good stuff and damned if his asshole father would steal his happiness again.



But to get there Jou had to get rid of what was left of his father.  Sticking his hands back in the water he started to wash the single cup and remaining plates.  He was at a loss for how.  It wasn't like he disposed of bodies every day or anything.  Closing his eyes, he tried to focus.  His friends had always helped him in the past. Maybe he could call them and get ideas or something.



One by one, the teen mentally listed them.  Anzu would squeal and cry, then insist that they do the right thing.  Of course they'd stand by Jou when he went to jail.  Fuck that.



Honda was a cop-in-training.  Jou had no doubt Honda would help him, but it would go against everything he was trying to do with his life.  The guilt would probably eat him alive.  It would be best for Honda if Jou just left him out of it.



Otogi.  Automatically, he shook his head.  No fucking way he was giving Otogi this kind of leverage over him.  Otogi was a freak of the first order and had been trying to get Jou to be his 'bitch' for years.  He suspected the black-haired man was the person who commissioned the pictures of him rolling around on painted silk sheets.  He didn't give a shit if Otogi wanted to whack off to him naked on a Red Eyes.  Let him, just don't tell anyone about it.  Otogi was definitely off the list for friends to call for help.



Shizuka and his mom?  Oh they'd be glad the old bastard was dead, but his mom would be ecstatic to put him in jail for it.  Two birds with one stone.  And no way would he let this mess touch his sister.



That didn't leave anyone else, except maybe Kaiba, but Jou could just see that cold, beautiful face, hauteur and disgust written plainly across it as Jou was dragged away in chains.  Not for killing his father anyways.  Jou knew he'd never get close enough to explain why he'd come.  Seto'd have him dragged off and put in jail just because Jou had dared to breathe the stuck-up jerk's air.  



Ah fuck he was screwed.  His head was aching, his brain swirling, and he had no friends to turn to.  That plus the  dead body in his freezer added up to a major screwing without lube or a rubber.



Cursing, Jou spun away from the sink and paced distractedly.  All his time in a gang and he'd never learned the way to get rid of a body.  Just like Kaiba said, he was an idiot.  How the hell do people learn it?  People got away with murder all the time, at least the gangs and Yakuza did.  How?  Was there a book or something?  Jou didn't have a clue.  Not like he could go to the library and look for that kind of information.  Shit, he could just see himself standing at the librarian's desk asking for books on getting rid of dead bodies.  He could imagine the old lady's expression of shock.  It'd be closely followed by suspicion.  She'd probably keep him at the desk while she called the cops.  Fucking old biddy would have something to tell her mahjong group.



Growling, Jou’s pacing picked up speed as he raced around his small kitchen, his body trying to keep pace with his frenzied thoughts.  Not paying attention, he slammed his toes into the leg of his chair.  The pain froze him in place for a moment then, stifling a howl, he sank down and gripped his injured foot.  “Aw fuck.  Ow ow ow...”  It was bad enough that he had to deal with his own stupidity about getting rid of a dead body, but now he had to do it with a sore, painful neck and throat, and broken toes?  Man the world was out to get him.  He was so totally screwed up.



When the pain died down from shrieking agony to a dull throb, Jounouchi slowly let out a sigh.  The pain had actually helped, strangely enough.  Instead of wasting time and energy angsting and panicking,  he needed to think of a plan.  He needed information to get a plan.  The library was out of the question.  No way was he letting some old tabby turn him over to the cops and then cackle about it at her Tuesday mahjong.  But he had access to the biggest pool of information in the world right here in his house.  The internet had anything and everything on it.  If people could post sites about having sex with hamsters, which Jounouchi knew they did, then there had to be at least one site that dealt with getting rid of dead bodies.



He even knew where to begin his search.  The search engine to the world ~ Google. Limping as fast as his crunched toes would allow, the blond hotfooted it to his laptop case.



He quickly booted up his computer and typed in 'how to get rid of a dead body' once he was logged on. When the search results loaded, Jou could only shake his head in shock, his eyes wide and mouth agape. He expected plenty of hits, but over a million? On his simple question? Still stunned, he clicked on the first link and began to read.



Kaiba Seto watched the screen with concealed amusement.  He may have lost it earlier, but he was back under control.  He completely approved of Jounouchi's handling of Yugi.  The little wimp had been ready set to bolt.  That would have spoiled his fun and he wasn't ready to let his entertainment end yet.  He'd handle the issue when when they finally decided to call him, but until then he'd enjoy turning the screws of their situation.



When the graceless blond slammed his foot, Seto released a small snort of laughter, but for the most part he was maintaining his control.  He was curious when Jou loped off like a three-legged gazelle, but his answer came almost immediately when Jou picked up a laptop.



Smirking, he hit a button on his own screen and instantly Jou's desktop came in to view.  Mentally, he basked in the glow of his own intelligence.  Not only did he have the foresight to have his men put in cameras and rig the television feed, but he had them install a remote desktop function that allowed him the same access as Jou had over his computer. “Google...”  he mumbled thoughtfully before he saw the question the blond was typing.  “Oh shit!”  He hadn't thought of this possibility.  He expected Jou to call his friends for help.  Wasn't that what he and Yugi were always preaching? And he knew that he was likely to be one called, after all he was the one with experience in handling dead bodies.  Of course Jou didn't know that definitively, but... “Shit!”



“Sir, is there something wrong?”  One of his security guards asked respectfully.



With a low snarl, Seto shook his head.  “Something unexpected.”  When his guard continued to look at him, he nodded sharply “Nothing I can't handle.”



He didn't waste time berating himself.  He simply got to work designing a website and hijacking Jou's search page so that all inquiries dumped the idiot into a page he had created.  Idiot obviously didn't realize that there were ways to track everything he viewed on his computer.  Seto would have to handle the evidence that was now on Jou's machine thanks to his stupid 'Google' question.  Honestly, who used Google?  Bloated, commercial, overrated.  He'd have to show the idiot how to run a true boolean search.  He couldn't have his... friend... ignorant of the internet.



A beep caught his attention.  Jounouchi was shutting down?  Was he giving up?  It had only been about twenty minutes.  What had he seen that... Then the page Jou had last accessed loaded on his screen and his breath left him in a whoosh. Disbelief and a kind of macabre humor swept through him.  There was no way... Jou didn't have the stones... he was afraid of fucking amusement park gore, no way he could ever... but it would be hilarious to watch him try.



Unwillingly impressed, Seto watched as Jou moved the table and chairs out of the kitchen, cut open several plastic bags and taped them together like a giant plastic sheet, then draped and taped that giant sheet across the floor, stove, cupboards and walls in his kitchen.  No surface was left uncovered.  Seto’s brows lifted when he saw Jou pull a huge knife set from behind the plastic shrouds and lay it to the side. He left the kitchen for a few moments, only to come back carrying a large rubber mallet.  Good thinking, the sound would be less.  It certainly looked like Jou had all the utensils for his task, but Seto knew there was no way the blond would do... that.



He almost snickered when Jou pulled the body out of the freezer.  The already clumsy Jou found himself pinned by the stiff, cold body as it tumbled out of the freezer, knocking him over.  Jou's expression at that exact moment was priceless. Seto was glad he had the foresight to have a high-end sixty frame per second camera installed. He would look at that expression whenever he wanted a good laugh.



His amusement ended when Jou scrambled out from beneath the corpse and, instead of shrieking or running away, simply knelt to position the stiff body.  Jou put a lot of effort into it, but once it was centered squarely in the room he put the plastic over the refrigerator and then turned to the body.



In the most graceful move Seto had ever seen him make, the blond picked up one of the knives and tested it's sharpness against his thumb.  A crimson bead welled up and slid down the blade and Seto gasped and bit back a curse.  DNA evidence. Didn't the idiot know anything?  Obviously not, because he placed the bloody knife against the corpses skin and took a deep breath, tensing his arm and pressing slightly.



As the knife sank into the waxy flesh Seto found himself standing slowly, unconsciously shaking his head.  This was completely beyond what he thought Jounouchi was capable of.  It opened a whole new side of the blond, one he didn't want to know.  Seto reached out to turn off the monitoring system.  He wasn't going to watch while the blond cut his father into hunks and shattered his own illusions of the good heart of the blond.  If Jounouchi could do this, he wasn't the person Seto thought he was and Seto would have to re-evaluate everything he intended for the blond.



Finger hovering over the button, he glanced once more at the monitor only to freeze as the other man abruptly jerked the knife away from the small cut, dropping it with a loud clatter and ran from the room.  He could clearly hear the choking sobs and violent retching the other man made.  A deep sigh of relief left him.  He should have – had - known Jou couldn't do that.  He'd wanted to, to save them all, but he hadn't had it in him.  Thank the gods.  Sinking back into his chair he watched from another view as his blond puked for what seemed like hours then, obviously exhausted, curled up in a miserable ball on the floor and fell into a deep sleep.



“Well fuck.”  The show had ended for a while.  Abruptly aware of his own exhaustion, Seto nodded to the security guard. “Wake me when someone stirs in that place.”



“Sir...”  The guard hesitated for a moment then asked respectfully “Why did you have us put that body there?  Why... why haven't you reported a murder?”



This could be trouble, and Seto met trouble head on.  “First, there was no murder. If you've looked at the blond you can clearly see he was strangled by the marks on his neck and the way his eyes are bloodshot.  It was most definitely self-defense or something else.  I've seen no signs of injury on the dead body – did you?”  



“Uh, no Sir, but if it's that way why are they trying to hide it?  And why are you involved?”



More trouble.  Damn this was getting to be a pain.  His men should know better than to question him.  “I believe there is an issue with prior convictions.  Also if Jounouchi didn't do it, then Yugi or one of his other friends did.  They are probably trying to help someone out.  They don't deserve to go to jail for helping a friend.”



“But...”



“You get paid a lot of money to follow my orders unquestioningly – do so.  And remember you signed a confidentiality agreement.  Anything you see, hear or experience while in my employ is subject to that agreement.”  His eyes narrowed on the man in a combination of threat and command.



“But... a body in your foundation?  Sir...”



“Just because it was self-defense doesn't mean they can dump a body on my doorstep. They created the mess and they can deal with it.  You have been around enough to know that Justice and the Law are not the same thing.  The victims here are those young men.  To keep from being victims again they need to learn.  I will let them learn and intervene when necessary.”  Seeing more doubt, he sighed. “Just watch them, and if you hear or see anything that says they murdered anyone wake me and we will call the police together.”  Or not.  Seto had no qualms about protecting his...friends... from a self-righteous guard with more social conscience than common sense or loyalty.  Honestly, he thought they were screened better than this.  He didn't need an over-sized Eagle Scout monitoring his every move.



“Y... Yes Sir.” Seeing the doubt still lingering, Seto nodded briskly and strolled casually from the room.  Once the door was closed behind him, he opened his cell phone and dialed his personal security team leader.  A few terse words, Seto closed his phone and continued down the hall.  In less than thirty seconds, he heard the light tread of his security team leader followed by the opening and closing of the door.  Knowing that Jou and Yugi were safe from his wimp-assed guard's cold feet, the CEO settled back on the large, infinitely comfortable recliner and closed his eyes.  He needed a power nap.



Two hours later, Seto adjusted the collar of his casual shirt as he re-entered the security room.  His team leader was making notes in a small notebook, glancing up every second or so to look at the monitor.  “Report?”



“The subjects are still asleep.”  There was a heartbeat of time then the other man said softly, “I am sorry to report I had to terminate Oharu from your personal guard. He breached his confidentiality contract.”



Seto's eyes narrowed “Extent?”



“I stopped it before he could complete the call and I ensured that no such breach could happen again.”



Seto had no doubt of that.  A dose of a readily available drug would wipe the last twelve hours from the spineless man's mind and, if staged right, would explain to everyone exactly why the man had been terminated.  “You interviewed and hired him?”



“Yes.”  He didn't even try to evade responsibility.  He'd seen enough to know that it would do him no good.  If Kaiba wanted him gone, he was gone.



“Don't let it happen again.  I would miss your competency.”  Nodding briskly, Seto turned and left, ordering over his shoulder, “Cut the feed when I call you. I'll inform you when I want it to restart.”



The team leader breathed out a sigh of relief.  He'd kept his job this time.  There wouldn't be a next time.  He would never hire another in-law again because no matter how much he loved his wife, he didn't want to be 'terminated' for her family.  He had a sinking suspicion that his termination would be a lot more permanent than simply losing his job.



Ten minutes from Jounouchi's home, just as he was about to enter a Mister Doughnut, Seto pressed the numbers that would block caller I.D. and dialed Jounouchi's number.  It rang four times before switching to voice mail.  Seto disconnected before the beep for a recording sounded and continued into the bakery. Breakfast pastries and hot coffee sounded great.  He'd get enough for the three of them. Breakfast was the least he could do for his... almost friends.  Uncertain of the type to get, he dialed another number.



Half an hour later, the brunet stood outside the door of Jounouchi's home.  Balancing the box of doughnuts and a coffee carrier, he called the security team leader.  “Turn off the feed now.”  Not waiting for the no doubt groveling response he hung up the phone and knocked on the door.



Not a sound could be heard for what seemed a lifetime, so he knocked again.  This time the door was flung wide by an agitated blond.  “What... Ohmugod!  Kaiba!”



“Jounouchi-kun.”  He greeted firmly, hiding his gleeful laughter at the horrified, stunned, outright terror that covered the younger man's face.  Effecting slight chagrin, he nodded politely “I spoke to Moutou-san and he told me Yugi was here.”  Seeing that the terror hadn't abated he continued in a softer tone. “I wanted to see both of you during my visit to Domino.”  That made the wide, terror-glazed eyes blink.  Great he'd broken through the panic, now for a diversion.  “I hope you don't mind?  I brought doughnuts and coffee as a peace offering.”  He allowed his voice to waver slightly.  True it was due to humor and not uncertainty, but how would the blond know that?  From what Seto could see he barely knew his own name at the moment.



A soft voice from across the room caught his attention.  “K..Kaiba-kun?”  Yugi gasped.



He offered a small nod in the spike-haired man's direction.  “Did I come at a bad time?”



Visibly gathering his composure, Yugi shook his head.  “No, not at all.  We are just waking up is all.”  Yugi forced a yawn, then laughed deprecatingly.  “We had a little too much sake last night celebrating Jounouchi's new place.”



That little lie almost made him smile.  He couldn't imagine Yugi drunk, but he'd pay money to see it. “Oh, I missed the party then,” he said as affably as Yugi – or Jou – had ever heard.



Jounouchi closed his eyes tight, his mind flying in all different directions.  His first thought at finding the sexy brunet at his door was that Kaiba knew everything and was there to torture them before seeing them off to jail.  His second thought was that Kaiba knew everything and was there to torture them before doing away with them in some horrible staged accident.   After that his mind just kept shrieking 'He knows!'



The shrieking in his head was so loud that he was barely aware of what Kaiba and Yugi were saying.  He only came out of his frozen terror when a soft tug at his arm brought his gaze down to his smaller friend.  “Jou go take your shower.  Clear the sake out of your head.  We'll wait for you.”  He didn't resist when Yugi shooed him none-too-gently towards the bathroom, shoved him in, and slammed the door.



The slamming of the door silenced the screaming in his head and he could hear Yugi just outside give a false laugh.  “He is very hung over.  I'm surprised he's able to walk.”



“Hnnn... if he's that bad maybe one of us should stay with him in the shower.” Kaiba's tone was concerned... What the fuck?  Why would Kaiba be concerned if he knew what happened?



Yugi's voice faded as he walked away. “Nah, he'll be okay.  You don't have to worry about it.  I'm sure you don't want to hang out watching a naked Jounouchi when you're hungry for breakfast!  It'd ruin your appetite.  I'll get saucers for the doughnuts.  Have a seat in the front room.”



Jou, just recovering from one Kaiba-induced shock, almost hit the floor when the brunet mumbled just loud enough for him to hear through the door, “You'd be surprised by my appetite.”



“Whaaat?!”  The blond couldn't help the yell that slipped out.  Kaiba couldn't mean what that sounded like.



Seto didn't try to stop his chuckle, but he did keep it soft, just between the two of them.  “Go shower and we'll talk when you get out.  Breakfast is waiting and the coffee is getting cold.  I hate cold coffee so hurry up.”



The intimate sounding laugh had Jou freaking again, but this time he didn't give in to the shrieking in his brain.  Instead, he took a deep breath and, wrinkling his nose at his own smell, decided to do as he'd been told – shower.  If Kaiba knew something or was out to get them, Jou wanted to be clean and... well decent.  It may not give him a mental edge, but being clean always made him feel better.



Five quick, refreshing minutes later, Jounouchi joined them two other teens in the front room wearing a summer kimono that doubled as his robe.  Yugi was nervously chatting about new cards while fiddling with a large Styrofoam cup of coffee.  At his entrance the smaller man looked up with an obviously relieved smile.  “Jou!  We were just talking about the new shipment that came in.”



“I heard.”  He grinned at his friend.  “Why don't you put your coffee in the microwave and shower while I talk to Kaiba.  He didn't know why the brunet was here, but he was determined to protect Yugi.  Deliberately he crossed and pulled the smaller man up, playfully shoving him to towards the bathroom.



“But I...”



“Go on, yer not looking so hot.  You'll feel better after a shower.  I know I do. Sake'll do that to ya.”  He turned his gaze to the brunet when Yugi gave in and went to shower.  “You don't mind do ya?”  The curve of Jou's lips wasn't really a smile, just a polite acknowledgment there should have been one.



“Not at all.  I'm the one intruding.  It was kind of you to invite me in.”  Seto had to grit his back teeth to get it out, because no matter how amusing this was going to be, apologizing did not sit well with him.  He realized he could have saved the effort when Jou's wary expression turned to outright suspicion.



“Cut th' crap Kaiba.  What's goin' on?”  He threw himself angrily on his sofa.



Seto stifled a grin.  He'd never considered Jou stupid.  Not as smart as he was, but not stupid either.  It was good to see the blond was smart enough to be careful.  Time for a little distraction.  



Standing, Seto crossed and sank down next to the blond.  “Going on?  Breakfast with an old friend is all.”  With a deliberately sensual look, he allowed his eyes to track down the other man's body.  “You look good in that red Yukata.  I've never considered it, but red may be your color.”  Smirking at Jou's suddenly flushed face and wide eyes, he teasingly flicked the dangling end of the belt holding the light cotton kimono in place.



That snapped the blond out of his frozen stance. He smacked the playful hand away, snarling, “What th' fuck?  Hands off Kaiba!.”



Seto stifled a chuckle as he folded his hands primly in his lap, attempting to look as innocent and pious as a choirboy.  He failed miserably, but at least he made the effort.  “I'm... I was just trying to be friendly.”  He mumbled, averting his face. It would spoil the game if Jou saw the unholy glee dancing in his eyes.  “I... I didn't expect to miss you... uhm.. I mean all of you... as much as I have.  I hoped that the offer of friendship was still open.”



Suspicious golden eyes watched him warily.  “Kinda hard ta believe that ya know.”



“So there was a time limit on the offer?”  Seto rose to his feet preparing to go. Jou sighed sharply and rose too, reaching out to grab his arm.



“Nah it ain't that.  Of course I... we wanna be your friend it's just kinda hard to... What I mean is, you never... I, well you always...”



Seto stifled a chuckle at the anxious yearning in the other man's voice. It was gratifying to know his... Jounouchi wanted him. "I understand. You don't trust me." He sighed and shook his head slightly. "I'll do whatever I can to make it up to you... all of you."



Jou drew a deep breath, trying to push the disquieting thought that he was being played away. After all what would Kaiba have to gain in this little act? It wasn't like he knew anything - not about his dad or about Jou's own little 'trips' to the Kaiba mansion while he'd been away. If he had he was sure the brunet would be furious and breathing fire.  "Nah it ain't that." He denied, even though it was only half true. "Ya've always been there for us, in yer own way."  Shrugging slightly, Jou forced a smile. "Ya don't gotta do nothin' ta prove it. Just... Just hang with us and let us care about ya."



"Nonetheless, if you need anything, anything at all, just call me." Seto held out his hand in the western way, to shake as if on a deal. "I promise I'll be there for you."



Shoving his hesitation aside, Jou grabbed his hand in a firm grip and pumped it enthusiastically. "Great! That's great!" He grinned widely. Before he could elaborate or open-mouth-insert-foot, Yugi's soft voice observed, "It really is. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I heard what you guys were talking about and had to come tell you how happy that made me." They both turned to the smaller man ready to reassure him, and they both lost their voices and breath. Hair slicked back in a multi-colored sheet down to his shoulders and the sunshine yellow Yukata clinging to all the damp places on Yugi's small, well built body had them both swallowing hard and sucking in their breaths.



Jou, hearing Seto's choked gasp, glanced at the tall brunet sharply. Although there was no expression on Seto's face, the flicker of surprised awareness was clearly visible for several seconds in those blue eyes. His heart cracked slightly when he realized that look had never been directed at him and likely never would be. Kaiba Seto was attracted to Moutou Yugi.



Unable to bear the weight of that realization, unwilling to continue to see the guy he'd been crushing on for years practically drooling on his best bud, Jou gave his sexy friend a very blatant once over and teased, "Geeze Yugi, you look good enough ta eat. Ya know I've gone without for a while now..."



Yugi flushed and shook his head, "Jou, stop teasing. Kaiba's gonna think you're serious." With a small grin that made him look innocently adorable, Yugi explained, "Jou's bi-sexual and I'm... well...Before Atemu left for the afterlife he...we... we were lovers. We tease and flirt a lot.  I hope that doesn't make you uncomfortable or regret wanting to be our friend?"



Seto couldn't stop his brows lifting in surprise. The ancient spirit had been Yugi's lover? He'd always considered them like father and son, or maybe brothers, but lovers? He prided himself on seeing that kind of thing clearly, but he'd completely missed it. "Uncomfortable? Not at all. I'm Bi." Deciding that this forward, bizarre turn of conversation might net him the answer to a question he'd pondered a few times he asked, "What about Mazaki Anzu? Weren't you... together?"



"Yes." Yugi didn't blink or look away even though his cheeks flamed. "Atemu, Anzu and I were together. Once Atemu left, she... she chose to leave me because of my resemblance to him. Too many memories."



Seto’s shock and eyebrows rose higher. "You were in a polyamoury relationship?" He shook his head slightly as his entire view on Yugi and his group of misfits shifted. "I... that is unexpected." And as his eyes roved over the sexy body then back to the blond by his side, he felt the stirring of an idea. "So, you two are together then? Dating?" Tasting the word on his tongue as his idea grew, he asked carefully "Courting?"



Both Yugi and Jou laughed and shook their heads. But it was Yugi who answered, "Jou's hung up on the same person he's liked for years. If he wasn't I'd seduce him in a heartbeat." It was said drolly, like a joke, but Seto saw the seriousness behind the twinkling amethyst eyes.



Obviously uncomfortable with the topic, Jou gave him a mocking leer. "If you keep standin' there all wet an' invitin', I'll jump ya an' there won't be no seduction." He made a playful lunge and grab for the smaller man. Yugi squeaked in pretend fright and spun around, flying into Jou's room to dress.



“You like him.”  Seto observed him carefully, his lightening fast brain filling with possibilities and scenarios.



"Of course I do. He's my best friend." It was said on reflex, but Jou hunched his shoulders and looked down at the floor. Seto shook his head and crossed to him. Resting one hand on the blond’s shoulder, Seto used the other to lift Jou's face up so he could meet the pensive brown gaze. "You are attracted to him sexually. You like him, even love him."



A sigh of defeat came from Jou. "Yeah and no. He's sexy as hell, sweet as candy, and I love him as much as I love Shizuka. But..." He bit lip slightly "But what that asshole pharaoh did to him... took his heart and half his soul and left him alone. I can't forgive him an' I won't do th' same thing. See, Yugi deserves to be loved with someone's whole heart. I can't give dat ta him 'cause I'm in love with someone else with my whole heart. What's left... that ain't enough for Yugi." He gave Seto a direct look. "I won't hurt him like that asshole did."



Feeling his heartbeat quicken slightly, Seto asked, "Who... Who do you love more than Yugi and your sister?" If Jou confessed, maybe they could discuss the idea that had popped into his brain. Because while Jou's love might not be enough for Yugi, the both of them were sure to be enough.



Jou stared at him for a long moment, his eyes a mix of yearning and wariness. In the end the wariness won out and the blond stepped back, laughing lightly. "Dat's fer me ta know an' ya to guess." The golden eyes lit on the box of doughnuts - a handy distraction. “So whatcha get ta eat?"



Stifling his disappointment, Seto mumbled to himself, "Not what I wanted." He wasn't worried the blond would hear. The fleeing blond had already bolted to the table and was opening the box of sweets. Yugi chose that moment to return, ‘safely’ dressed in tight black jeans and a light blue t-shirt. A single assessing glance told him that Yugi regretted his little disclosures because the smaller man kept his eyes averted and his face down. Seto could only see the curve of his cheek - his very flushed cheek. Growling in frustration, he decided a little punishment for stupidity and lack of trust was needed. Coughing slightly, he picked up his cup of coffee. "The kitchen through there?" He gestured to the door he knew led to the kitchen. "I'll get some milk and sugar for the coffee while you guys pick your doughnuts."



Yugi jerked upright, going rigid and freezing in place as his cheeks lost the pretty redness, paling to stark white. Jounouchi was made of sterner stuff. He bolted across the room and blocked the door with his body. With an obviously forced, fake laugh, and in a voice too fast to be anything but a panicked lie, he practically shouted, "No sugar or milk!" Rushing, words tumbling over each other in a fever pitch, he explained, "Just moved in an' ain't done no shopping. Besides you're my guest! I can't let ya serve yerself." Forcing a cheesy grin, he added a desperate solution "Why don'tcha dunk one of th' powdered doughnuts. The powder is sugar and the fillin' is kinda creamy."



It was a solution Yugi pounced on with desperate fervor. He scooped up one of the sugar coated, cream filled doughnuts and leaped across to him, dunking it quickly into his cup. As expected, the sweetbread disintegrated in just a few seconds. Rather than deter Yugi, it spurred him on and he grabbed up another, obviously getting ready to dunk it as well. Seto didn't want to wear or drink emulsified doughnuts and moved his cup up and away, only to have Yugi follow it, desperate to dunk the doughnut.



Consequently, Seto found himself with a lap full of adorably frantic and flustered male. There was something endearing about Yugi's panic, not to mention the way he squirmed so deliciously. Unexpectedly, Seto burst into genuine laughter. It was simply too fun... and funny. Steadying Yugi's precarious perch with his arm, he pulled the smaller man into him, holding him still. "Yugi..." He chuckled. "Yugi stop. It's fine. I don't need any more sweetness." He meant it in more ways than one. Tears were standing in his eyes from the laughter.



Yugi froze for a moment as his position filtered past his panic. He was sitting on Kaiba Seto's lap.... SITTING ON KAIBA'S LAP. Instantly, his panic died as absolute mortification mixed with something undeniably warm curled deep in his belly. Being Yugi, he did the only thing he could think of. He meeped and buried his face in the nearest hidey-hole... namely Kaiba's chest.



Seto put his coffee on the convenient side table and wrapped a second arm around Yugi, hugging him briefly, before shoving him away slightly. His acknowledgment that Yugi was sexy and possibly desirable was too new for him to actually accept any kind of intimacy at the moment. It was still just an idea.  He was not ready to move past that.  But he was still finding the situation hilarious and random chuckles still escaped him. "Thanks for the dough... nut," he deadpanned.



Yugi, his face redder than any tomato ever grown, squeaked and sputtered as he scrambled off Seto's lap.



Seto continued to smile up at Yugi as the smaller man stood trying to control his breathing and a sudden rampaging blush. A sound and movement across the room made them both glance around. Jounouchi was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, his head lowered so his hair hid his eyes.



But Seto, an expert on body language, didn't need to see the fiery golden orbs. The arms folded defensively across his body, the clenched fists and the 'ready to run' pose shouted his feelings as effectively as any word or look could. Abruptly, Seto wasn't amused any longer. "Jounouchi..." He called, but without a word the blond spun on his heel and stalked into the kitchen, door swinging violently closed behind him.



An awkward silence hung in the room for a few minutes, then abruptly Seto put his cup down and rose to his full height.  “Yugi, I'll see you later.  I don't think Jou's quite awake yet.”  Double entendre was deliberate.  Seeing the other man's chagrined look, he hesitated a moment then offered, “I'll take you both to dinner, my treat, at one of my favorite restaurants.”  Without waiting for an answer, because he was quite sure Yugi was too dumbstruck to give one, the brunet strode briskly from the house, deliberately leaving his leather trench.  It would give him an excuse to return if he needed it.  He didn't break stride when as he called and had surveillance resumed.



While Yugi hesitated to go into the kitchen, Jou returned.  The only sign of his upset was the slightly red cheeks and hard glitter in his eyes.  “Hey Yug.  Where did Kaiba go?”  



“He had to leave.  He thought you weren't quite awake yet.”  Yugi looked at him intently.  “Jou, you know I didn't mean to...”



The blond gave a slight shrug.  “Don't matter, Yugi. He was the one who pulled you on to his lap and hugged you.” Shifting his shoulders to shake of the constriction in his chest, Jou turned away.  “I saw how he looked at ya when ya came out of th' shower. He ain't never looked at me like that.  I'd know if he did 'cause I've always wanted him ta.”  Fists clenched and eyes fixed on the distinctive trench coat the other man left folded on the arm of his sofa, he fought the urge to howl and scream.



It was true, at least about the way Kaiba had looked at him.  There had been an edge of something Yugi recognized as lust.  “It doesn't matter.  I... I won't do anything about it.”  He promised loyally.



Jou laughed softly, with an edge of bitterness he couldn't hide.  “Fuck, don't be stupid.  You've always said he was hot.  You even said that if Atemu hadn't stolen yer heart, you woulda fallen for him.  If he wants ta... get ta know ya then go for it.”



“I won't do that to you.  You're my best friend and I don't care about...”



Jou was shaking his head.  “Ya I know, but he don't like me dat way so if ya can be happy and make him happy at th' same time, well I'm all for it.  If he can't be with me, then I'd rather see him with you.  I know you'll love him th' way he needs.”



Yugi stared at him silently for a moment, his gaze deep and pensive.  “You really love him.  It's not some holdover crush or something.  You love him.”



“I always said so.  What makes you think something's changed.”  Jou was caught in those deep amethyst eyes.  Yugi was just as hypnotically compelling as Atemu had been when he got this way.



“I always thought it was a crush, lust and hero worship.”  Yug admitted.  “But when you put his happiness above your own even though it's going to hurt you badly, you prove that love.”  Yugi murmured softly.



Jou grinned and ruffled his best friend's hair.  “Somethin' ya missed there buddy. It wasn't just his happiness that concerned me.”  Dark color rose in the blonde's cheeks again.  “Let's eat doughnuts and talk.  We gotta bigger problem than gettin’ rid of a corpse or both of us wantin' Kaiba.”  He sank down on the couch, unconsciously rubbing the smooth cool leather of Seto's coat.



Yugi blinked, but followed him, sitting next to him.  “Bigger?  How can we have a bigger problem?”



Jou sighed and shuddered slightly as the glaring problem he'd been too traumatized the previous night crashed down on him.  “Unless m' father is a zombie, somebody knows what we did.  Not just th' killin', but th' buryin' too.”  Seeing the thunderstruck look on Yugi's face, Jou nodded.  “How else did th' body get back here?”



To Yugi's credit, the smaller man only hyperventilated for a few seconds before regaining control.  His amethyst eyes narrowed in a way eerily reminiscent of the ancient pharaoh's.  “Kaiba.”



Jou shook his head “Nah.  Hiata.  Think about it.  He was inside th' house – he wanted me ta know?  He tossed me yer present remember?  An' he acted like he knew somethin' -  had somethin' over me.  He ordered us to be at Boozee tonight, right after he mentioned my father and threw that package at me.”  Jou sighed heavily.  “So yeah, I'd say Hiata.  He most likely came with m'dad last night and probably watched what happened through the window.”



“What are we going to do?”  Yugi asked worriedly.



“We're gonna go tonight an' see what he wants, maybe make a deal of some kind.” Jou sighed and shook his head. “It ain't like he cares about killin'.  Some of th' bouncers at th' bar get out of hand sometimes an' he always hides th' bodies.”



Yugi's eyes got enormous at the almost casual way Jou disclosed that.  “Jou, you know about that and you...”



“Yugi, where I'm from it's more dangerous ta get involved.  If he killed customers for whatever reason, whatcha think he'd do to me for squealin'?  I can't help a dead guy, but I can save m'ass an' mind m'own business.”



“But Jou...”  Then Yugi broke off as something occurred to him.  “He might... might... hurt us?  If we don't do what he says?”



“Yeah.”  That part was gnawing at Jou too.  Now that Hiata had some leverage over him there was a huge possibility of getting hurt or killed.  He clenched his fist in the leather coat, unknowingly creasing the leather.



Yugi swallowed hard, but nodded to show he understood.  “Okay then, what are we going to do about your.. the body?”



Jou just shrugged.  “I gotta plan.  It might take care of all our problems, but it's really risky Yugi.”  He frowned slightly and gripped his hands together tighter, crushing the material.  This wasn't going to be easy because no matter what, the man had been his father.  “When we go ta Boozee, we bring the body and when we leave we put it in the dumpster in the back alley.  Nobody will think twice about him being killed in a bar fight and thrown out with the trash.”



“Risky...” Yugi's mind was going over the possible problems.  “The main problem is if we are seen.  If we can avoid that then it should be okay.”



“Yeah.  So we gotta get another car 'cause they know mine in that neighborhood” Jou's mind was going over the angles too.  “Your grandpa got rid of his car. Besides, we really don't wanna use anyone's car who is connected to us.”  He frowned thoughtfully.  “Yeah we don't want a rental either.  Too much paperwork.  Stealing one would work, but if we get caught, 'specially with the body, it would be bad.”



Yugi didn't see how getting caught in a stolen car could make things much worse than getting caught with a dead body, but he figured Jou knew what he was talking about and let his thought go.  Shaking off the horror of what he was doing, he went through the possibilities in his mind.



***  ***