Appreciating Seto

TITLE: Appreciating Seto
AUTHOR: Fyrbyrd
AUTHOR EMAIL: fyrbyrd074@yahoo.com.au
CATEGORIES: Post series. Romance.
RATING: NC-17
WARNINGS: OOCness, but I don’t care!
SPOILERS: The end of the series
PAIRINGS: S/Y
SUMMARY: Sequel to The Yami Appreciation Society. Yugi returns home to see what could happen.
DISCLAIMER: I don’t own them, they own me. Kazuki Takahashi owns them.

Author’s Note: Sorry it’s been a while. I’ve been ill and otherwise overwought, mainly with work and my own wild child. And trying to get my trip to Brisbane organized. Two more weeks and I’m there! I seem to write in spurts when I get the chance. What I need the most is sleep. Anyway when I’m away I will be internetless, but I hope to have this finished before then. At least Easter gives me some time off, I want to sleep as much as I can if I can. I hate being an owl, but having to work days! So here is the sequel that was requested, Enjoy!

Appreciating Seto
By Fyrbyrd

Yugi sighed heavily, trust Malik to give him a gift that got him held up in customs forever. He dragged his bags out to the taxi ranks only to find none there. He slumped and pulled them into the line of others waiting, wondering when he would get home.

Suddenly all heads turned to the sound of a car horn, only to see a black limousine pulling up. It stopped near Yugi and the door in front of him opened. Yugi’s heart leapt, right there sat Seto Kaiba.

“Are you in need of a lift? There’s been a little trouble with the taxis today.”

“Ah, yeah sure,” answered Yugi watching as Fuguta got out and came to help him put his bags into the door and closed it once Yugi got in facing Kaiba.

Soon they were off. “Home?” asked Kaiba.

“Yeah.”

“I heard you had gone on an overseas trip.”

“You did?” Yugi was surprised, and it must have registered on his face.

“Mokuba told me. Egypt huh?”

“Yeah. I met up with Malik and Ryou.”

“Ah. I heard they were in a relationship.”

Again Yugi was surprised. Kaiba was up on all their lives, “Mokuba.”

“Isono. Let it drop when I asked him if he knew why you would go to Egypt again,”

“Oh.”

“Catching up with them or… other reasons.”

“Both,” said Yugi.

“Still miss him?”

Yugi knew who he meant.

“Did you… love him?”

Yugi heard the extra tone on the word love.

“How do you mean?”

“Like Malik and Ryou, Tristan and Otogi, Isono and Fuguta. I even hear that Pegasus has taken up with some artist he met.”

“You’re not homophobic, are you?” asked Yugi.

“Would I still have Isono and Fuguta working for me if I were?”

Yugi raised his eyebrows, his heart feeling a little lighter. Then he remembered the original question.

“I loved Yami with all my heart.” Did he just notice a slump in Kaiba’s shoulders, “But it was never meant to be… I miss him, and I needed to be with Malik and Ryou because they understood how I feel.”

There was silence between them for a time.

“Are you doing anything on Friday night?”

Yugi’s mouth opened, but nothing came out for a few minutes, then, “Ah, no—nothing as far as I know.”

“I’d like to get your opinion on something.”

“Opinion?”

“Yes. Over dinner, okay?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll send Fuguta for you. 7pm?”

“Fine with me. Should I dress up?”

“If you want to. Black… you look…good…in black. It brings out the colors in your hair.”

Yugi felt his heart leap into his mouth. Kaiba has noticed his hair?

Nothing more was said until they reached the Game Shop. Then Kaiba said, “Friday.” And the car was pulling away.

All that had happened on the Tuesday. For the rest of the week Yugi could not stop thinking about having dinner with Kaiba. Then he couldn’t decide what he was going to wear. Luckily most of his wardrobe was black.

If there was ever going to be a chance it had to be that night. He wanted to impress Kaiba; he wanted him to look at him. Not as his rival, but as a potential… lover.

Butterflies filled him up each time he thought about that. Still he sighed. He was still much shorter than the tall lanky CEO. He sold games at the game shop; occasionally did an exhibition game of Duel Monsters. He didn’t have any other ambitions after helping to save the world!

“I know you’re looking down at me, Yami. I know you would not want me to waste my life. I hope you don’t mind that I like him so much. Maybe there is nothing there, and I’m just making a mistake, but when I’m with him I’m not so lonely anymore. I don’t miss you so much when I see him… I’ll always love you, Yami. Always. But you are gone and I need… I need someone to love me back. Touch me… want me.” Yugi smiled and looked down at the clothes he has set out to wear that night. If this didn’t get Kaiba to look at him, then nothing would.

Yugi was watching for the limo when it pulled up outside the shop. His grandfather was out, so he was glad that he was not going to be seen by him. He came out the door when Fuguta got out of the driver’s seat. The man still wore the dark glasses even though it was dark. Yet Yugi could not help but see the grin on the man’s face. It seemed he had impressed someone.

“Yugi,” he said opening the door for Yugi to get into the limo. “You look very good this evening.”

Yugi could not help but smile shyly. “Thank you.”

The door shut behind him, then Fuguta got back into the car and they headed off. Yugi was more than surprised to find them pulling up at the Kaiba Corp. building. He suddenly felt like his heart had fallen into his feet. So it was not going to be a fancy dinner after all.

Fuguta opened the door and Yugi found Isono waiting there for him. “If you will follow me.”

Yugi nodded and followed the man, his feet feeling like they were carrying lead shoes. He didn’t even notice that Fuguta had joined them as they moved into one of the elevators and started to make their way up. He followed the man out with Fuguta behind him, as they led him to what he knew was one of Kaiba’s private duel arenas. The ones he used to practice in, or to test things out.

Yugi sighed again and squared his shoulders, he should be grateful the man wanted his opinion and was willing to feed him for it. But he didn’t see anything else coming from the evening. Isono stopped at the door and motioned Yugi to enter, then he and Fuguta followed. The place was quiet and Yugi saw Kaiba sitting at a small table along the side of the duel arena. He stood and waited for Yugi to get there. Kaiba smiled at him.

“Will you take a seat so we can start the show?”

“Show?”

Kaiba sat and when Yugi was seated and Isono had poured them both some wine and moved away. Kaiba nodded.

The room went dark, and then some guitars started up…

This time. This place
Misused, mistakes
Too long, too late
Who was I to make you wait
Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there’s just one left
‘Cause you know
You know you know

That I love you
I loved you all along….

Yugi’s eyes were riveted on the band playing on the duel arena. His mouth falling open when he realized that it was in fact THE band standing there singing this song. He turned his head so slowly and looked into the bright blue eyes staring at him.

And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you’ll be with me
And you’ll never go
Stop breathing if
I don’t see you anymore…

Kaiba moved a hand across the table and put it down on Yugi’s hand, and Yugi could see the seriousness there. But he couldn’t help the tear that suddenly escaped his eye. Kaiba smiled then, and reached his other hand up to touch the tear as it rolled down his face. Then he took up the words of the song as he actually moved onto his knees in front of Yugi…

On my knees I’ll ask
Last chance for one last dance
‘Cause with you I’d withstand
All of hell to hold your hand
I’ll give it all
I’ll give for us
Give anything but I won’t give up
‘Cause you know
You know, you know

That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been away for far too long
I keep dreaming you’ll be with me
And you’ll never go
Stop breathing if
I don’t see you anymore

The tears were coming faster now as Yugi saw that the tough cool, usually stuck up man he knew was kneeling there in front of him declaring his love for him, in the most unexpected way ever!

The music went on but Kaiba had leaned up to him and gently took his face in his large hands and touched his lips to Yugi’s. Then he pulled back to let the music say everything he had to say as he caressed that beautiful face between his hands. As the song ended Kaiba moved forward again and took his lips again this time much more fiercely. Vaguely in the background Yugi heard the band continue to play, he thought it was “If Everyone Cared.” He smiled into the kiss. Kaiba again pulled back to look at him, their noses touched and that smile that Yugi rarely saw came back again. He knew he would like to see many more of them. And to think he was trying to get the courage up to tell this man that he liked him, only to have it returned in such a huge way.

The second song ended and Kaiba moved back, “Someday” started to play. Kaiba sat down again and they paid attention to the band that was playing just of them. Only Kaiba could have pulled off something like this. Yugi wondered briefly how much this would have cost to have THEM play, just for them alone. He also thought that when he told his best friends about this, they would never believe him!

The music moved off into “Savin’ Me” and their eyes met again. Yugi shook his head, but had a huge grin on his face. His amethyst eyes were sparkling as they listened to the beautiful music. He lifted the hand that was holding his and kissed it.

The music finished and the lights went out.

“I hope that wasn’t too over the top,” said Kaiba. “But you know me. If I’d have used my own words I would have messed this all up.”

“It told me everything I needed to know. Gods, I was nervous because I wanted to tell you the same thing. I was scared… Until our conversation at the airport, I never thought I had a chance with you ever.”

“When I saw you that day, with the Pharaoh, I knew he had your heart. But you let him go even so. So I kept an eye on you. When you came to see me… you have no idea how happy I was. That you came to me, to see me… I was never interested in girls. I was never interested in anything like friendship until you and that gang of yours’ came into my life. I never thought I’d ever think about anyone else besides Mokuba and myself. Then I started looking forward to seeing you. Wanting you to come and see me. So I sort of realized that I liked you a lot. Then I found out about those too,” his eyes flicked over to where Isono and Fuguta were talking to the band who were enjoying some drinks. “And I realized the possibilities of loving another man. Well, them and the others I mentioned the other day. And then there was my darling little brother, who seemed to know before I did what I wanted. I was worried that you would not come back from Egypt… So when I saw you that day… I hope you like this.”

“Gods, you have no idea how high I’m flying right now. You have literally swept me off my feet,” answered Yugi.

Kaiba smiled again.

“And if you keep doing that, I might just float off somewhere. Thank you Kaiba.”

The smile came again, “Seto. Call me Seto, please.”

Yugi smiled, “Seto.”

“Hmm, I like the sound of that. Are you hungry?”

“Not really.”

“Shall we go?”

“Go where?”

“I have a carriage waiting for us downstairs. The horse drawn type. I wanted to do this right.”

Yugi laughed, “You didn’t have to. I think I’ve figured it all out.”

“Indulge me then. I have never done anything like this before. And if it is unforgettable for you then I have done what I set out to do.”

“Gods, I love you.”

Kaiba gasped, then leaned down top kiss Yugi and pull him out of his seat. “Glad to hear it. Shall we go?”

Yugi nodded. “Ah, can we do one thing before we go?”

“Anything for you.”

Again Yugi laughed. “Then I want a photo of us with the band. I need something to prove this actually happened.”

“What, you think your friends wouldn’t believe you?”

“Exactly, and it’s our friends. Always has been.”

This time Kaiba shook his head, and let Yugi drag him over to where the band were to get his photograph.

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TBC

Bet you weren’t expecting that!
Extra disclaimer: the beautiful music belongs to the wonderful Nickleback.