Stinging Beauty

Oooh, long chappie ahead-beware!

Btw, please remember to review, arigatou!^^

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7. Have you seen me?

He moaned, before his eyes fluttered open, and let out a stifled yawn.

Letting his gaze drift about, he stretched and tried to sit up.

However, a rod of pain shooting up his spine made him reconsider that act.

“Careful, you’re wounded. I would not be doing any vigorous activity in the next few days, if I were you” advised a calm, familiar voice, even as a palm was placed against his abused rectum and a cool, soothing liquid was massaged in.

Jou relaxed against the soft touch, then gave a wry smile.

“Guess, fucking’s outta the question, ne?”

He could feel Seto stiffen for a second, before agreeing:

“Hai. Still, I want you to come here, tomorrow evening. And bring all your homework with you. ”

The bed shifted as the CEO rose, Jou giving him a puzzled look.

“Nani?”

Kaiba sneered haughtingly.

“I despise having stupid people around or underneath me, be they peers or slaves. ”

“Jou, daijoubu ka#? You look a little..I dunno, flustered?” asked Yuugi, when the blond joined him and his friends in the hall.

“Huh? Oh yeah, that, heh, well, y’ know, clumsy me. I uhm, last night at work, I kinda slipped and fell and hmm… bruisdmtlbne on the concrete. ”

“Mou itte°?” questioned Ryou. Jou shifted uncomfortably, as he mumbled:

“I..let’s just say, my tailbone had a very unpleasant encounter with the pavement. ”

“You-hit your..tailbone?” squealed Anzu, trying to stifle a giggle. Jou glared at her.

“Sheesh, thanks Mazaki, for letting the whole school know-“

“So that’s why you have been limping around all day, ne? Poor puppy, trying to walk on his rear limbs again? You should have learned by now that your preferable mode of transportation should be on all fours. ”

Snarling, Jou shot back:

“In your dreams, moneybags. And if that’s what you’re dreaming about, y’ really should see a therapist. ”

Kaiba glared at him before stating:

“Spoken like one who knows all about it first-hand. Still, if you could give me their number…I would like to know, whom to avoid. ”

With that, the CEO strode towards his next lesson, leaving a seething Jou and his very surprised friends behind. Finally, Yuugi exclaimed:

“Jou, you and Kaiba-you’re talking with each other again! That’s just great!”

“Yes, even if it’s your usual bickering and arguing, it is far better than the silence you shared those past few weeks” agreed Ryou. Anzu nodded in delight.

“Yeah, tell me about it. It was.. scary, I mean, it sent cold shivers up my spine, each time the two of you would stare at each other and.. well, stare. ”

One long arm pulled Jou in a loose headlock, as Hiroto mused aloud:

So desu, yo. Still, it makes one wonder-how did you manage to go back to..status quo?“

Chestnut bore into amber, and Jou gulped.

“Uhmm, I.. followed your advise and spoke to.. with him. Then I let him beat me up, and, well, y’ know, we talked some more. He can be..nice, in a very detached, cold kinda way, but don’t tell him I said that, onegai?”

The others nodded in understanding, even though they secretly sweat dropped.

Honda didn’t, but kept looking at Jou, brown eyes questioning, doubting... suspecting.

Cursing, Jou tried for a wobbly sprint to the mansion’s front door.

His second-well, arrangement, with Kaiba, and thanks to his boss he was almost running late.

He could still make it if-

With a desperate cry, Jou lounged for the doorbell, hitting it just at the same time as he heard the large grandfather clock inside chime ten.

Upon opening the door, Seto found a sweating, panting, cursing Jou lying on the doorstep.

“Well, you obviously mastered the proper greeting. Now to see, if you are indeed the fast learner I assume you to be. ”

Three hours later, Seto found his suspicions confirmed:

Katsuya was neither stupid nor lazy.

He only needed a good motivation.

Which the whip-lash provided in abundance.

So far, Jou had not only done his entire homework from this and last week, but was now also getting a profound look into Japanese law and customs.

Under Seto’s.. tutelage, he got a better look into the way companies the size of Kaiba Corp. were run, and the thousands of judicial booby traps, constantly waiting for the tiniest of slip-ups.

It also made him understand Kaiba better and, strangely enough, pity him.

Somewhat short before two am, Seto gave him a gentle slap, commanding:

“Enough. You did better than expected, slave. Now let’s get some sleep. ”

Giving an exhausted “Hai, Kaiba-sama”, Jou rose and trudged after Seto through the mansion’s basement, eyes already drooping closed.

The whip struck his chin, catching him unaware.

“What have I told you, doreei*? When in my house, proceed with dignity. Shoulders squared, eyes straight, chin up. I want you to walk with pride, knowing whom you belong to. ”

Growling inwardly, Jou did as requested, though he felt tired enough to simply drop on the spot.

Five more nights like this.

Although, when he caught the exited flicker in Kaiba’s blue eyes, he suspected, the CEO wanted more.

Far more.

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I hope, I can spark the same need in you readers for this fic, hehehee…^^

#Jap: are you alright/ok

° Jap: once more/come again

*Jap: slave