Queer as Tachi – Chapter 88
“No, seriously…you didn’t miss anything,” Yugi insisted over the phone. “The only really huge surprise announcement of the show was Kaiba’s Legendary Heroes thing, and you already knew about that.”
“I can’t believe that’s all there was,” Duke scoffed at him. One of the first things Yugi had done upon getting home from Tokyo that evening was call around to his friends, after relieving Joey of his mail-getting duties and telling him everything first. Tristan was out working late at the TV station, but Duke was home and ready for the report. Sprawled on the couch to wait for his boyfriend to come home, he tucked an arm under his head and let the phone rest next to his ear. “I kind of figured there wasn’t going to be anything from Industrial Illusions, but seriously? Not a single new, shiny thing anywhere? What about the video game companies?”
“Oh, I’ve got a couple of free demo CDs, but really, nothing I hadn’t already read about,” Yugi said. “I do have some silly free trinkets for everybody, though.”
“Good. We should make plans to get together, so you can pass them out.” Duke propped his feet up on the arm of the couch. “When Tristan gets home, we can compare schedules.”
“It sounds like everybody’s going to be busy for a while,” Yugi mused. He, too, was sprawled out to chat on the phone, on his bed with his socks off and the Puzzle resting next to him, a bag of swag from the game expo spread out on the blanket so he could detail its contents to Duke. “Joey’s in some really tough classes, so a lot of the time I know he’d rather be hanging out with us but he needs to stay home and work on papers or study. And now Tristan’s got enough job experience to work late shifts like this.”
“Yeah, which is good for him in the long run, but it does kind of put a dent in making any kind of plans to be social,” Duke grumbled. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out. We haven’t let real life get in the way of hanging out yet, I’m not about to start now.”
“Yeah,” Yugi agreed with a chuckle. “Well, I just wanted to let you know. We’re back safe and sound, no sidetracks, and you didn’t miss anything amazing.”
“Who was the secret concert last night?”
“Yoko Ishida.” Yugi let his face fall flat onto the bed. His complaint came out as a muffled groan. “Grandpa was in heaven.”
“Your grandpa is weird,” Duke remarked. “No offense.”
“None taken.” Yugi lifted his head again to be able to talk normally. “It made his weekend. I’m glad he had fun.”
“What about you? Fun?”
“I guess,” Yugi shrugged, propping his chin on his hand. “I went to a lot of panels. There were some pretty interesting ones. But it wasn’t all crazy like last year, so…I suppose it was fun in its own way.”
“Well, as long as you got something out of it. Even if that means a good education,” Duke teased. “Some ideas for your store, maybe.”
“Yeah, I think I did. I’m going to let them simmer in my brain for a little while, and then maybe talk to Grandpa about some ideas – before the holiday season gets here.” Yugi closed his eyes and sighed. “After that, it’s going to be too busy around here to think about anything new.”
“Yeah, I know. Well, don’t strain yourself. Everything’s going along at a pretty even keel, right? No sense in overthinking it right now. I’ve got an extension from Industrial Illusions to work on the Dice Monsters expansion, so I’m just going to do that at my own pace over the winter. Except over the holidays.” He, too, sighed. “I know Christmas is still two whole months away, but…people like us have to be thinking about it half the year as it is.”
“I know.” Yugi rolled over onto his back. “Man, I’m tired. I think I’m gonna call it a night. Tell Tristan I said hi, when he gets home.”
“Will do. We’ll talk more later, about making plans to go out.”
“Yeah, sure. Bye!”
Not too long after, Yugi was in his pajamas and turning back the bedcovers, leaving the Puzzle on the pillow where it could rest beside him all night. It was a close enough connection to allow him and his partner to communicate if they needed to, or wanted to. As if overhearing Yugi’s idle thought about the Puzzle’s proximity, Yami purred to him just then. “I did promise you that I would care for you inside the Puzzle when you got home…”
Yugi smiled as he burrowed into the blankets. “Yes, you did, but…I have to be up early to work the first shift tomorrow. Do you think you can handle taking care of me and waking me up in time?”
“If taking care of you involves simply holding you while you sleep soundly,” the pharaoh’s spirit replied smartly. “I know you’re very tired. I wouldn’t ask anything of you that you were not able to give.”
Yugi curled up on his side and nestled down in the blankets, smiling dreamily at the Eye of the Puzzle watching him from just inches away. “Well, the full moon wasn’t all that long ago,” he murmured aloud. “It’s not like I’m feeling particularly neglected in that department. I’d like to just sleep with you – that would be nice.”
The voice inside him sounded warm and tender. “Then, by all means. I’m here for you.” The Eye began to glow with its inner light, drowning out all sight and thought. From that point on, Yugi’s room fell completely silent except for the first patters of an autumn rain on the skylight above.
Because he had managed to get all the way home from Tokyo and to bed that night without being reminded yet again of his birthday, Kaiba was under the impression that he had successfully escaped it. But the worst was still to come. When he arrived at the office the next morning, he sensed something was afoot simply from the unusual activity in the vicinity of his secretary’s desk. At that point in the morning there was usually no activity at all, as he tended to beat all the other executives in and she would just be sitting there, quiet, stationary, having nothing interesting to do just yet. But this morning it was different. There were people standing around her desk, and she was on her feet chattering enthusiastically with them. Kaiba eyed them all in bewilderment as he approached, dressed down in a plain suit with his blackest trenchcoat covering it to protect him from the rain that darkened the skies over Domino. As attention turned his way, his secretary moved aside enough for him to see what they were all fawning over: a large vase of flowers had been delivered to the office. The other secretaries and junior executives who had come to boggle at them saw him coming and scattered quickly, leaving his secretary to explain it. “Oh, Mr. Kaiba!” she said brightly as he came to a stop and frowned at the presence of flowers at her desk. “Good morning! You have a delivery, sir…”
Kaiba’s expression went from confused to terrified. “What? You mean those…”
“Yes, sir. They were just delivered, they’re for you.” She pointed out something nestled between two roses. “There’s a card…”
Kaiba stared at the vase, and then at her. Only she and Roland knew the significance of the day, but the flower delivery must have certainly sent rumors all around the office by now. The gaggle of employees who had just vanished would spread it through the ranks in no time. “You haven’t told anyone what day it is?” he hissed through clenched teeth.
The secretary shook her head firmly, her pretty eyes wide. “No, sir. I wouldn’t. I know you wouldn’t want me to. We didn’t read the card, don’t worry. I just signed for the delivery, that’s all.”
Considering what had happened at the game expo, Kaiba’s first thought went immediately to Pegasus, and he wished he could have refused the flowers. But they were there, and the white envelope bearing the card and the sender’s identity gleamed at him from between the green stems and red blooms. The bouquet was a curious mix of roses and carnations, but all deeply red. Kaiba knew he couldn’t put it off any longer, and reached to pluck the card out of its holder and find out where they came from. To his great relief, there was no signature indicating that Pegasus had sent them, though the message was written in English. It was a short note, handwritten, that made him blush: “You are loved.” At the bottom, it was signed off with only a Roman “A.” Alastair. Kaiba breathed a sigh of relief, and stood for a moment longer staring absently at the card until he was sure he was no longer blushing. His secretary gazed curiously at him as he tucked the card away and straightened himself up. “I don’t know what to do with flowers,” he said curtly. “I’ve never had them before. Can you take care of them?”
“Yes, sir,” she replied with a warm smile. “I will freshen up the water and make sure they last the day for you.” She cocked her head curiously, but decided it was wiser not to ask who sent them.
“Good. Thank you.” Kaiba turned on his heel and resumed the trek to his office, closing himself safely inside. The room seemed brighter contrasted to the very dark skies outside, putting him in the mood to just sit down and work. He had a lot to concentrate on, now that the Tokyo Game Expo was over and the big push for Legendary Heroes would begin. No sooner had he taken off his coat, unpacked his laptop, and settled down to peruse his schedule, and the secretary came in carrying the vase, now unwrapped and freshened up. She set it on the corner of his desk without a word and left it there where he could see them. He eyed them as if they might attack him, but decided after a moment that the splash of red put some much-needed color in the room on such a gray, rainy day, and let them be while he threw himself headlong into his work.
Kaiba expected a call at some point, but it didn’t come in until later in the afternoon. Fortunately, he was merely at his computer in his office with no one around, not even Roland, when his cell phone went off. “Hey,” Alastair said crisply. “I’m kind of in a hurry, but I wanted to give you a call like I promised. Gotta let you know what’s up for tonight, after all.”
“That’s right.” Kaiba leaned back in his chair. “What is this surprise you’re so proud of?”
“You’ll find out later,” Alastair replied, though without much flippancy. From the tone of his voice and the muffled sounds in the background, it did sound like he was busy about something. “I’ll admit that your little brother and I did some plotting together, so he already knows about it. I’m afraid he and I are the only people I could get to come to your party.”
“Party,” Seto snorted. “Right.”
Alastair allowed himself a giggle. “All right, fine. It’s just dinner, nothing special. My treat. You, me, and Mokuba.” He juggled the phone for a brief second, and then huffed a sigh. “You want to meet up?”
“I’ll pick you up,” Kaiba decided, so long as he had the option. “And in that case, I’ll pick the restaurant, too.”
“That’s fine. I was going to let you, since it’s your day.” He then gave an annoyed groan. “I have to go, sorry. I just wanted to call you up and let you know about the plans while I was thinking about them. Pick me up about six. It’ll be great, just you wait.”
“All right.” Kaiba’s eyes went to the flowers on the corner of his desk. “Anything else?”
“Not at the moment. They really need me now, I have to go. I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah.” Kaiba clicked off the phone and then sat gazing at it for a moment, wondering. Dinner wasn’t a big deal after all, and it was rather unexpected that Alastair had thought of inviting Mokuba along. But from the sound of his rushed tone over the line, he must have been in the middle of something at work, necessitating a most platonic conversation. They couldn’t discuss anything more interesting than food when there were ears around to hear. Kaiba pocketed his phone, and then sat for a moment longer with his gaze absently cast on his computer screen, mesmerized by the screen saver. He felt strange, since he was in the middle of something never seen before in his life – he was making celebration plans, thinking about what to do with Alastair after dinner, and staring at a vase of flowers. It was all so surreal, he had to take a moment to savor it before going back to work. Fortunately, his reputation around the company assured him of a cloak of intimidation to insulate himself from prying questions from his subordinates, but he was pretty sure Roland was out there sweating, torn between assuaging the gossip and keeping his boss’s extremely private secret. No one would approach Kaiba himself, for fear of death by blue-eyed glare, but Roland was an easy target. At least they had the game expo to blame it on, Kaiba heard later that Roland claimed some fellow company president had sent them in appreciation for something that had happened at the convention. It made even less sense than an affectionate birthday gesture, but since the president wanted neither “birthday” nor “significant other” let out, it had to do for now.
It was still raining heavily when the car pulled up to the curb outside the block of modest flats, one of those nasty October rains that didn’t stop all day long and left the sidewalks and streets awash in deep puddles. The driver got out and held an umbrella for Alastair as he ducked from the shelter of his building’s awning and got into the open door of the car, sliding in right beside Kaiba. It wasn’t just the towncar today, Kaiba had opted for the limo. The driver shut the door behind him, closing them inside a warm, dry cocoon of quiet privacy. Mokuba sat across from them, grinning maniacally as he tended to do when he anticipated that his big brother was about to be shown some kind of love or affection. For now, Alastair just gave Seto a smug grin. “Can’t do anything small, can you?”
Kaiba gave him a bored look in return. “Are you complaining?”
“Not at all.” Alastair arranged his dark coat neatly around him and then settled in, grinning at Mokuba before turning to give his partner a placid look. “Hi. Happy birthday.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Kaiba muttered. He lifted his head to meet Alastair’s gaze, and remained still as the red-haired young man leaned over and kissed him gently, just a short peck on the cheek. Meanwhile, the car eased away from the curb and off into the stormy night as ordered.
“So,” Alastair began airily, easing comfortably back into the seat. “Did you get the flowers?”
Kaiba nodded. “Thanks – for giving the entire office something to gossip about all day.”
His partner laughed. “Yeah, I thought about that, but that’s why I wrote out the card in English. I figured it was safe that way. I’m sure nobody guessed what it was really all about.”
“Not if I had anything to say about it.” Kaiba looked away awkwardly again. “I didn’t expect it. They’re probably going to die quickly, since I don’t know how to take care of flowers.”
“As long as they did their job – got your attention for today.” Alastair smiled in a soft, enticing manner. “I thought it would be a nice touch. Something unexpected, like you say. I really don’t have any huge surprises planned, you’re looking at it.” He nodded across to Mokuba. “Dinner, just the three of us. And then maybe coffee back at your place.”
“I bet the maids know how to take care of the flowers,” Mokuba offered helpfully. “Just give it to them, they’ll make sure they last as long as possible.”
Alastair smirked at him. “Thanks for dressing up for the occasion, kid.”
Mokuba shrugged idly. He had indeed found something fairly nice, a sweater and some not-so-baggy jeans that were neither dirty nor full of holes. “Yeah, well…it’s all for Seto. We haven’t gone out like this for a while. Last week doesn’t count,” he added dryly to his brother.
“You didn’t bother to dress nicely for it anyway,” Seto shot back, just as dryly.
Alastair glanced back and forth between them. “Fun at the game expo, I take it?”
Mokuba freely told him the story, and from there they chatted casually all the way to the restaurant. Alastair was surprised to see that Kaiba had chosen the same place they had gone to the first time they ever went out, prior to their first night together. Much as he would have liked to consider it a rare bout of sentimentality, he figured it probably had everything to do with the quality of the food instead. Mokuba made a face as they all climbed out of the limo together, into the shelter of the driver’s umbrella. “What kind of a place is this?”
“Come on, live a little,” Alastair teased him. “You’ve never had southeast Asian before? Thai, Vietnamese, anything like that?”
“Not that I can remember.”
“It’s a decent place,” Kaiba said flatly. “The choice was mine, so live with it.”
The quiet, cozy restaurant seemed like the perfect place to hold their three-man private party, as they were seated in a corner booth and allowed to peruse the menu and order up their drinks right away. With Mokuba along, the other two had to keep their conversation fairly low-key, but there was plenty to catch up on between their respective jobs, Mokuba’s classes, and the game expo. The latter in particular was the dominant topic, since the younger Kaiba decided there was lots Alastair needed to know about what he missed. They indulged in a long, unhurried dinner, enjoying the exotic tastes and talking as freely and irreverently as they would at home. Seto was surprised to realize that he was having a good time, finding absolutely nothing to complain about from the food to the company. As they were winding down and getting full, just sitting with their drinks and chatting about nothing in particular, Alastair decided it was time to present Kaiba with his gift. “Of course I got you something,” he sniffed in response to the outraged question. “Why wouldn’t I?”
Kaiba gave him a droll look. “Flowers and dinner weren’t enough?”
Alastair pointed to the younger brother. “Some of that came from Mokuba.”
“So I don’t have to buy you a real gift,” Mokuba added with a cheesy grin. “I don’t know what you want anyway.”
“I don’t want anything.” Kaiba shifted his narrow-eyed gaze to Alastair. “Which goes for you, too.”
“Too late. What’s done is done.” He reached behind him to find his coat and retrieved something from one of the inner pockets. His mood began to soften as he slid a small box across the table, his eyes lowered shyly. “Even though I’m pretty sure you’re not exactly a jewelry kind of guy, it was the only thing I could think of. I found someone in the city who does custom work, and had myself a little brainstorm. I hope you like it.”
Perplexed, Kaiba picked up the box and pried it open, his eyes widening at the piece resting on a velvet cloth inside. It was a silver necklace with a pendant, neither too large and gaudy nor too small to recognize – the artfully rendered head and wings of a Blue Eyes White Dragon with a white crystal set in its open jaws. Kaiba received it in silence, not sure what to say even though he found it stunning. Mokuba leaned over and peered at it. “Ooo…that’s so cool,” he breathed. “It’s a Blue Eyes!”
“Yeah. I gave the guy a couple of reference pictures, and that’s what he came up with.” Alastair gestured modestly to the pendant. “The crystal is supposed to represent the White Lightning attack.”
“Oh, wow,” Mokuba enthused on his brother’s behalf. “That’s so awesome. You totally know Seto, to think up something like that. It’s perfect for him.”
At the moment, Seto was thinking pretty much the same thing, impressed at Alastair’s imagination and thoughtfulness. Alastair merely shook his head. “It’s not hard. Who doesn’t know Kaiba’s obsession with the Blue Eyes?” He shifted his gaze to Kaiba’s stony face. “Well? Is it too much?”
Kaiba blinked for a moment, and then picked the pendant up out of the box. Without saying a word, he fumbled with the clasp and put the necklace on right there, settling it so the silver dragon rested just below the collar of his black sweater, gleaming beautifully. Judging by the soft smile that touched Alastair’s lips, such an action assuaged his worries. “Mokuba is right,” Kaiba murmured. “You know me that well. Where did you have it done?”
“A little custom jeweler across town. I’ll be happy to give you his card if you want something done,” Alastair added with a flippant smirk. “So, I take it you like it?”
Kaiba nodded once, absently reaching up to touch it. The chain was just long enough to allow the pendant to hang comfortably, neither interfering with his card locket nor trumpeting its presence indiscreetly. If he wanted to tuck it under his shirt, it would stay hidden, but for now it looked quite nice against his black sweater. “Thanks,” he murmured.
Alastair nodded his acceptance. “I didn’t know if you’d think it was…I don’t know, inappropriate or something.”
“It’s fine. Stop fretting about it.” Kaiba picked up the bottle in front of him and drained the last of his beer. “That better be it, though.”
“That’s all I’ve got,” Alastair assured. “Mokuba and I conspired a bit, but we’re not out to embarrass you or anything.”
Kaiba shot his younger brother a look. “It’s back at the house,” Mokuba grinned. “So if you hurry up and finish dinner, we can go find out what it is.”
Annoyed, Kaiba merely rolled his eyes and continued where he had left off before the gift, poking at the last bits of his meal and wrapping things up at his own pace. Not too long after, Alastair settled the check and they called for the limo, enjoying a nice, quiet ride home through the rain-slicked streets. Alastair knew better than to instigate any making-out in front of Mokuba, but he was content to have Kaiba’s hand warmly resting over his the entire way, his thumb caressing the back of it. Upon arriving at the Kaiba estate, the conspirators sprang their last treat on the guest of honor, a cake from a ritzy bakery downtown. Mokuba added that he had gotten the idea from Roland, of all people, but the assistant and the house staff sent their well-wishes from a distance, leaving it up to Kaiba’s younger brother and secret partner to actually deliver them. Mokuba took charge of serving it, and the maid who had brewed coffee in advance of their arrival made herself very scarce afterward. The three of them had their dessert in private, growing quiet and content, and then Mokuba faked a yawn and declared that he was going to his room, deliberately leaving Alastair and Seto alone with what was left of the cake and coffee.
Alastair chuckled gently at Mokuba’s complete lack of subtlety. “Well…” He shifted his gray eyes cautiously to his companion. “I hope today hasn’t been completely mortifying for you.”
His mood warmed by a drink with dinner and now hot coffee, Kaiba only smirked. “All things considered, it could have been a lot worse.” He set his cup down and kept his eyes lowered, almost shyly. “You’ve outdone yourself.”
“I know, it’s totally silly,” Alastair admitted. “I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never been able to do this for someone before, I guess I got a little carried away.” He glanced aside to the vase sitting near the center of the dining room table. “Flowers and everything. I’m not usually so sappy.”
Kaiba also let his gaze drift to the red flowers. “What about the note you sent with them?” he asked heavily.
“Oh…” Alastair averted his gaze, clearly beginning to blush. “I don’t know where that came from. I…I almost chickened out, I was going to just write, ‘Thinking about you’ or something, but…that came into my head and I just went with it.” His eyes burned a hole in the table in front of him. “Sorry if I embarrassed you.”
Kaiba shook his head slowly, but said nothing specific about it. They were sitting at the far end of the table where the Kaibas usually had dinner, in their usual seats, Alastair to Seto’s left with his arms folded on the table behind a plate bearing only crumbs left from dessert. After a long, awkward silence, Kaiba’s blue eyes darted to the side to regard his partner. “I’m not put off. It’s fine.”
“You sure?” Alastair lifted his eyes to meet his gaze. “I know you’re not really accustomed to…well, any kind of silly sentiment, but…I was kind of tired of tiptoeing around you. Normally I wouldn’t be so pushy, I’d just let things happen at their own pace, but…” He shook his head and looked away again. “I know I risked turning you off by being so aggressive, but I couldn’t stop myself. It’s like I’m under some kind of spell when I’m around you, and have no control over my actions. I want it all, and I want you most of all.”
“Funny,” Kaiba sniffed with mild amusement, “I was sort of thinking the same thing myself. Knowing how acquainted you are with…” They shared a wry glance. “…that ‘freaky magic stuff.’”
Alastair began to chuckle, and after a moment, Seto joined him. “Right, a love spell,” the former snorted. “Just so you have something to blame, right?”
“How else could I explain going so completely out of my mind?” Something about the smirk on Kaiba’s lips said he was still teasing, but the look faded into seriousness after a moment. “I don’t know what’s come over me. I’m supposed to be concentrating on Legendary Heroes. On the story, coding the game engine, all of that…but my mind keeps turning to something else. Someone…”
His companion smiled demurely. “Am I distracting you from your important work?”
Kaiba gave a derisive snort. “You’re not that distracting.” Yet, he seemed unable to look up from his coffee cup. “So I think about you sometimes. When I should be thinking about other things.”
“That’s nice to hear,” Alastair said quietly. “But what does that mean to me?”
“I don’t know.” Kaiba looked sharply away with a frustrated frown. “Cut me some slack, all right? This is difficult for me. I don’t know how you manage it so easily.”
“Me? Easily?” his partner laughed. “You’ve got to be kidding. Do you have any idea how hard this is for me, too?” He shook his head. “Maybe I just make it look easy.”
“From here, it looks like you didn’t have any problems coming up with lavish ideas for my birthday, or executing them. That’s what I don’t understand.” Kaiba stared hard at him. “You say you and I are no different, that you fumble around with your emotions as much as I do. After today, it’s hard for me to believe that.”
“I told you…I just went with it, I didn’t stop and second-guess myself.” Alastair sighed and rubbed his forehead with his fingertips. “Really, Seto…when I see something I want, I go after it until I get it. It doesn’t matter if that’s a person, an object, money…could be a feeling, too. It’s the way I was taught. If I wanted something, I should just go and get it, and nothing should stand in my way. I wanted revenge, I went after it. I wanted to not be alone anymore…I went after it.” He gave his companion a curious look. “I would have thought that would be your way of operating, too.”
“It is, but…I didn’t think it applied to…”
“Why shouldn’t it?” Alastair shrugged. “You wanted a safe, happy life for Mokuba, and you went after it. That’s not a thing or a person…”
“It’s a goal. An ambition. A perfectly noble one, I might add,” Seto remarked with a cool frown.
“So is not being alone. Or…feeling that crazy little thrill in your chest when someone you consider important to you looks at you in that certain way. If you want it…go after it.” His piercing gaze settled on Kaiba again. “What’s stopping you?”
Kaiba frowned to himself, deciding that the question was rhetorical and required no answer from him. It was giving him too much to think about and have to admit to himself. But Alastair was not done yet. “You’re not the kind of man to let anything scare him,” he went on, “so it shouldn’t be any different when we’re talking about feeling something for someone. I wouldn’t expect you to let timidity stand in the way of reaching his goal.”
“I’m not,” Kaiba grumbled. “It’s not as easy as you make it sound. I’ll take it at my own pace, just because I’m not rushing into anything doesn’t mean I don’t want it.” He glanced at Alastair and heaved a tired sigh, changing his tone. “I do think about you,” he confessed very quietly. “A lot. I would like to spend more time with you if it’s possible, around our schedules. But I’m a very busy man, and even if I do think of you, it’s not something I put at a higher priority than my company’s success.”
“I know,” Alastair said resignedly. “That’s the way you are, and I expect it. Besides, you’ve had a lot to work on. I mean…you wrote a game engine from scratch in under two months,” he exclaimed. “You had a lot to do for the game expo, and I know how important Legendary Heroes is. I wasn’t going to get in the way of that, and I’m not sitting here so I can accuse you of neglecting me in favor of it. I’m glad it all worked out for you, and the game’s going well.”
“Even so…” Kaiba made an awkward little pout and muttered, “I could do better at making time here and there to see you. Even if it’s just to stay in.”
Alastair blinked at him, and then chanced a smile. “That would be nice. I can get too busy, too, I could do better about it myself. Not wait for a special occasion, next time.” They both nodded their agreement over the idea, and fell silent briefly. Alastair fumbled with his empty coffee cup and eventually murmured, “There’s only one thing I’ve ever gotten in my life that I didn’t actually seek out, or even think I wanted.”
Kaiba’s eyebrows lifted. “Hmm?”
“A boyfriend.” He smiled bashfully in a different direction. “You remember, I said I wasn’t looking for one…”
“I had wondered about that…”
“At the time, I meant it. But somehow, what I was pursuing brought me one anyway.” Alastair glanced cautiously toward his companion. “Do you mind if I refer to you that way? I don’t expect you to do the same, and I won’t say it to your face if you don’t want me to.” He lowered his gaze. “I’m sure the word rankles you.”
No answer came for some time. At last, Kaiba took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “If that’s what you want to consider me…fine,” he muttered quietly. “It’s better than having my name spread to people who shouldn’t hear it.”
“You don’t have to worry. I don’t have that many people to talk to about it anyway.” Alastair shrugged. “But, in case it comes up…” Another long silence became the tacit agreement he sought. He slid his hand across the table and let it creep up over Kaiba’s, taking it gently. Seto allowed it, closing his fingers just enough to clasp Alastair’s hand in return. They sat like that for a while, caressing the backs of each other’s fingers, until Kaiba finally roused himself and got up out of his chair. Without a word he stacked the plates and carried them through the door to the kitchen, and returned to find Alastair already on his feet ready to help. Instead, Kaiba took him gently by the shoulders and turned him around, leaning in to give him the first full, deep kiss of the entire evening. His lover melted into him, sliding his arms over Seto’s shoulders and wrapping himself around him to indulge in the delicious kiss. When they broke for breath, he breathed across Kaiba’s wet lips, “Ahh, there’s the taste I’ve been craving for the past week.”
Kaiba eyed him. “What, coffee and chocolate?”
Alastair snickered. “Come on.” Another swift kiss. “You ready to head upstairs?”
“Mhm.” Kaiba decided to leave the rest of the dishes to the maid and led the way, gliding his hand across Alastair’s back to encourage him to follow. Not to be outdone, his partner took him by the arm and climbed the stairs at his side. Kaiba glanced at him, keeping his voice low as they approached the bedrooms and possibly Mokuba’s curious ears. “I want you to spend the night.”
“Okay,” Alastair consented with a sneaky smile. “Though I don’t know what I’m going to wear to work in the morning…”
“Borrow one of my suits,” Seto demanded. “You could stand to improve your wardrobe.”
“I am not borrowing a suit,” Alastair scoffed. “Shirt, maybe, but…” He received a dubious glare in challenge. “Really,” he insisted. “I spend most of my days with my sleeves rolled up, I wouldn’t want to get one of your pretty suits all dirty.”
Kaiba huffed in annoyance, but let it go. They could settle such a matter easily in the morning, all that mattered now was being together and enjoying what time they had. He rapped on Mokuba’s door and said good night, first, as did Alastair, and then they went down the hall to the master bedroom and closed themselves away. It had been some time since they last spent a night in like this, or even part of one, so both were eager and desperate for it. No sooner had the door closed and Alastair pounced, kissing his lover fiercely and slinking hands up under his sweater. Kaiba battled back, sweeping Alastair further into the room and backing him against the bed before letting his fingers slide down the small of his back into his waistband, temptingly pulling him closer. Lips eagerly parted to let him in, and for a long while they abandoned themselves to the molding of their mouths together, each attempting to be the aggressor at the same time. It didn’t take much for them to collapse onto each other on the bed, though they simply continued to make out with each other while lying side by side. They nibbled at each other’s lips, tasting and teasing, descending to breathe more kisses across necks and earlobes. Eventually, Kaiba worked Alastair’s slinky shirt up enough to be able to grope at his chest, eliciting a soft chuckle and a reciprocating caress across his own body. Then, the hand on his chest pressed a little harder, willing him back onto his back. He gave a chuckle of his own and decided to comply, stretching out comfortably as Alastair curled up beside and partially on top of him to touch him and push up his sweater to be able to kiss his broad chest. Feeling rather like a king being indulged by his favorite subordinate, Kaiba crooked an arm and rested his head on it, lying back with a cool smile and combing his fingers through Alastair’s red hair while the young man diligently plied his lips and tongue expertly from one nipple to the other and back again. Purring contentedly, Seto closed his eyes and did his best to control his breathing as moist lips trailed down his stomach and tickled his abdomen before relenting. He glanced up curiously as Alastair raised his head and favored him with a sly smile. “I want to do something for you tonight,” he murmured. “If you’re willing.”
Eyebrows quirked at him. “More birthday presents?”
“You could say that.” First, though, Alastair leaned in and helped him out of his sweater, and the card locket which meant so much to him, leaving him bare to the waist except for his new dragon necklace. He then shed his own shirt, and after tossing it aside on the floor, pushed himself up and settled himself astride Kaiba’s waist to toy with him some more. “Now, before you say ‘no’ without even thinking, hear me out,” he began. “You are an amazing lover and I’ve never been happier. But tonight, I think it’s your turn to receive – and mine to give – so I can give you every last possible pleasure on your birthday.”
A disbelieving frown darkened Kaiba’s face. “What? You want me on the bottom?”
“Don’t think of it in terms of top and bottom, for once,” Alastair argued. “It has nothing to do with who’s more dominant, and it doesn’t make you weak to be the receiver. Or else I wouldn’t consent to the position every single time with you.” He placed his hands on Kaiba’s chest and leaned in with a daring smirk. “It’s not that I’m not enjoying it, but I like a little variety once in a while. Besides, you’ve been on the receiving end of other activities. Taking while I give…it’s not a bad prospect, really.”
The frown eased slightly, but Kaiba still looked displeased with the idea. “It hurts, though.”
“Yeah, if you do it wrong.” Alastair studied him for a moment and then sat back up, giving him an affectionate caress across his stomach. “Have you done it, at all?”
Discomfort drained the heat of passion from his partner’s eyes. “The…first time,” he hesitantly answered.
“Ah…” Alastair nodded understandingly, still caressing back and forth across Kaiba’s bare stomach. “Yeah, if your first time wasn’t any good, it’s going to make you hesitant to try it again.”
Seto peered up at him. “How would you know?”
Alastair merely laughed. “Trust me,” he replied. “I won’t hurt you, I’m not into that – and neither are you.” He slid his hands up the length of Kaiba’s lean body and off his shoulders, so that they came to rest on the bedding on either side of his head and allowed Alastair to lean low over him with a smoldering smile. “If it wasn’t good, do you think I’d let you do it to me all the time? Have a little faith in me, Seto. I know how to do it right, so that you enjoy it fully.” His eyes gleamed sensually. “That’s all I want for you.”
Kaiba’s brow knit concernedly, but he found his lover’s beautiful eyes and seductive smile too tantalizing to resist. His mind may have had some misgiving, but his body was already saying yes. Alastair gazed at him with such sincerity that he found himself absently nodding, his tongue darting out to moisten his lips. “I trust you,” he murmured huskily. “Just don’t make me regret it.”
“Never,” Alastair promised before descending to kiss him deeply.
Things progressed rapidly from there. Kaiba laid back with a low moan as his partner bestowed his entire body with kisses, cupping his hands around his face to tenderly caress his lips with his tongue and hot breath. Hands roamed along his body, stomach to flanks to chest to shoulders and then arms, then hands. Alastair stretched out on top of him and entwined their fingers, taking his time in showing Seto just how much he was adored and appreciated before moving forward, wrestling both of them out of pants and briefs one at a time. Kaiba really couldn’t argue with just sprawling out and being treated to every little pleasurable touch and kiss at Alastair’s discretion, he never minded being the recipient of such lavish attention. In time, he managed to convince himself that his partner was right, and receiving during intercourse was really no different than all the rest. Alastair seemed unable to get enough of him, taking a few minutes to taste and fondle his lover’s erection, to tease him to full hardness and enjoy him in his own way. With his lips fastened over the head, he let his fingertips trail downward and gently brush along the outside of his opening. Kaiba stiffened briefly, sucking in his breath, but the touch was so soft and unhurried that he was able to relax after a moment and accept it. Alastair was doing everything right, little by little, and all of it felt wonderful. At last, he sat back with a deep breath and then flopped onto his back next to his partner, giving himself a moment to catch his breath before curling up beside him and draping an arm over his chest. Kaiba turned his head to meet the inevitable kiss, wrapping his arms around Alastair’s lithe body and pulling him into himself. He didn’t feel the least bit submissive, even with the agreement between them about to be fulfilled. He wanted Alastair regardless, and if he was so intent on pleasuring him, so be it.
Alastair pried himself away and reached to the bedside table, where he knew he would find what he needed. At least Seto never made excuses for it, like wanting to hide blatant evidence of his sexual activity from the maids or anything – it was merely for convenience. Smirking deliciously, Alastair sat back even as Kaiba sat up to meet him, and lounged languidly with the condom packet held between slender fingers like a Duel Monsters card. “Want to help me with this?” he purred to Kaiba, giving it a little twitch.
Matching his smirk, Kaiba took it from him and ripped it open, and then nimbly slid the condom onto Alastair’s waiting erection to his delight. Kaiba gave him an appreciative stroke, then, and leaned forward to kiss him. When their lips parted, Alastair warmly murmured, “There. Now I can give you a night you won’t forget.”
Seto’s hand closed around his protected cock. “Going to give me some of this?” he murmured in turn.
“Mhm…” Alastair ran his fingertips up from Kaiba’s taut abdomen to his chest, following the movement with his eyes. “God, you are so…sexy…” he breathed. “And lucky me, I’m the only one who knows it.”
Kaiba rushed in to kiss him again, more ferociously this time. Torn between impatience and caution, he used his lips to seduce his willing partner into getting on with it, taking charge of the next step. Accordingly, Alastair pushed gently on his chest, imploring him to lie back down. They both took a moment to re-settle amongst the pillows and warm blankets and reposition, Alastair sitting to the side of his reclining partner’s hip. He fiddled with the lube and then reached to guide Seto’s legs apart, until he was satisfied with the position and glided his slick fingers down and in. He expected the brief recoil and hiss of breath, but he glanced to find that Kaiba had turned his head away, his eyes focused somewhere else. Alastair sobered, and when a few gentle caresses didn’t change the situation any, he withdrew and took a deep breath. “Hey, look at me,” he said softly, waiting until Kaiba did so. “I told you, I know what I’m doing. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Seto gave an embarrassed groan. “There’s no problem,” he assured, somewhat unconvincingly. “Don’t stop.”
Alastair stretched himself out alongside him, then, resting on one elbow so that his lubricated hand still had access to the necessary location. From there, he could rest his chin on Kaiba’s chest and look into his eyes, which is exactly what he did. “You’re a little scared,” he noticed.
Blue eyes flashed angrily. “I am not scared…”
“Bothered?” Alastair settled for fondling him affectionately first, rubbing gently at the base of his erection to keep him from losing it. “You have to tell me if it hurts, or you don’t like it. That’s the only way for me to know that I’m pleasing you. Okay?” He raised his eyes in question, and smiled at the nod he got in return. “Good.” He stretched up to kiss his lover, and then rested beside him, letting his fingers wander back downward to find his opening and tease it all he wanted before pushing his fingers, one or two at a time, a fraction inside. All the while, he pressed moist kisses to Kaiba’s chest, so that he might associate one gentle caress with the other and finally relax. It seemed to be working, for not only did the body he lay draped over eventually open to permit him, but Seto’s hand began combing through his hair again, and every time Alastair glanced up from a kiss, he found blue eyes focused on him and him alone. Clearly, it was time. He withdrew his fingers and pushed himself up, shifting to be on top and smiling indulgently at the wary look watching him the whole way. He settled onto his knees, and then stroked his fingertips adoringly up and down Kaiba’s thigh to encourage him. This part, at least, wasn’t new to them – both were more than familiar with the position, even if it was Alastair on the giving end this time. Seto braced his elbows a bit to allow himself to pick up his head and watch, as they eased themselves into place with feet over shoulders and bodies bent to fit each other. There was no hesitation on Alastair’s part, he was ready and not the least bit shy, but he still went slowly as he found his place and leaned in, pushing his way inside. Kaiba fell back, sucking in his breath sharply, but before he could even open his eyes he realized the brief flash of pain was over already. Alastair paused, giving him a moment, and in the meantime turned his head and kissed the knee resting on his shoulder. He began at a patient pace, relishing each thrust as if it were going to be the only one, until his partner’s body gradually relaxed enough to let him plunge in. The whole time, he gazed down at Seto through half-closed eyes, softly vocalizing his pleasure with each breath. By then, Kaiba had stopped focusing on whether or not he was in any pain or discomfort and paid more attention to his own legs, taking a moment during one pause to shift them into a better position. Alastair chuckled quietly, and then thrust suddenly hard, driving his lover down into the bed and making him gasp with surprise and pleasure. A hand gripped his arm, squeezing his biceps, and he snickered to himself before doing it again, faster, more steadily, more deep.
A memory dashed only fleetingly across Seto’s mind as he laid in that position, with the weight of a partner pressing him down into the bed. Instinct wanted to compare, but it wasn’t long before the sensations rippling through his body drove all thoughts out of his head entirely. Alastair was good, enticingly so, and wore a hazy smile as he found his rhythm and abandoned himself to the task of bringing them both to climax. Now and then, he would press significantly harder and lunge down to steal a kiss from Seto, who nipped back. Far from simply lying there receiving while Alastair gave, they were working in tandem, teasing and touching and shifting their bodies just enough to give each partner a little extra twitch of pleasure now and then. At last, Alastair leaned in as much as he could and pressed Kaiba back even further, roughly tilting him to receive his most aggressive thrust. Seto splayed his arms out on the bed to brace himself, and very shortly after, felt the first waves breaking over him. He couldn’t contain the gasping groan that escaped him, which alerted Alastair that he should go even faster. He grabbed for one of Kaiba’s legs and spread him wide, shortening his thrust for the last stage and bringing him to orgasm with an astonished yelp. Alastair followed not long after, feeling hands clutching at his arms or shoulder as if to pull him even closer, to wring every last tingling thrill out of him before it finally passed and left him panting dizzily.
Kaiba rested on his back with an arm flung over his eyes while Alastair got up to clean off. Though his mind was still hazy with the aftereffect of an amazingly potent orgasm, Seto couldn’t help but feel the creeping fingers of shame welling up from some supposedly buried memory. Perhaps if he had not run into Pegasus at the game expo, it might have stayed dead, but all that arguing about forgetting it ever happened had caused the opposite to happen. He heard Alastair return from the bathroom, a mere shuffle of bare feet on the carpet, and lifted his arm to find him smiling contentedly as he clicked off the light and simply crawled into bed with him. A strange new feeling caused Kaiba’s heart to twinge in his chest – gratitude, mingled with wanton desire. He had enjoyed Alastair very much, it was completely different from what he expected or remembered, and even now, found himself rolling over to gather the slender young man into his arms and kiss him hungrily. His lover earnestly returned his affection, slinking arms around him and moaning softly against his mouth. They hadn’t even gotten under the sheets yet, even though both were cooling down and starting to feel the chill of the house as night deepened. After a few minutes, Kaiba broke away with a soft sigh, though Alastair continued to kiss him along the neck and jawline as they laid together on top of the rumpled sheets. His hand groped down along Kaiba’s flank and along his stomach, seeking perhaps to continue their night together by stroking him off again. Seto allowed him, but something was still nagging at him, beginning to grow stronger than the happy feeling down below. He tried to ignore it and drown it out by concentrating on the hand splendidly playing along the length of his cock, but it was no use. Alastair pressed against him, intent on rolling him onto his back so he could have better access, but Kaiba reached down and placed his hand over Alastair’s. “Wait,” he murmured heavily. “Just…stop.”
Alastair blinked wide, gray eyes at him. “Seto…?”
Kaiba heaved a sigh and let go, though his partner heeded his request and eased his hand away, caressing his arm instead. “Sorry,” Kaiba mumbled. “I…I need a minute.”
Alastair gazed worriedly at him as he pushed himself up to a sitting position. “Is everything all right? You…you seemed to enjoy it…”
“I did,” Kaiba immediately said. “You did nothing wrong. You…” He covered his eyes with his hand for a moment, and then ruffled his hair absently. “You were great. Really.”
Alastair sat up beside him, taking a moment to just sit there and gaze at him before being assured that he hadn’t caused the problem. Only then did he brush his hand across his partner’s back. “Then what’s the matter?”
Seto sat with his face turned away, trying to think of the best way to answer the question. For once, he knew he needed to say something, and not keep it hidden. If he had wanted to hide it, he wouldn’t have asked Alastair to stop in the middle of a second round. Instead, he knew nothing could progress until he shared what was bothering him. Blinking absently at the bedcovers beneath him, Kaiba cleared his throat and then muttered, “I have to tell you something.”
Alastair’s hand fell away, but he didn’t back off. “What is it?”
Making up his mind to tell his partner this did not make it any easier to actually do so. Kaiba stared at his knees in silence for a long time before he could muster the courage needed. “I need to tell you who it was that I…that was my first. It was only one time, one stupid, meaningless indiscretion, but…it’s important that you know.” He glanced to find Alastair listening patiently with a completely undisturbed look on his face. It was encouragement enough to continue. “It was…Pegasus,” he confessed in a near-whisper. “Last winter. The world tournament. He…” He winced and shook his head. “No, I can’t pawn off all the blame on him. It was my fault. I chose to go with him, but I regretted it the minute I realized what I was doing. The bastard played me for a fool, and as much as I want to forget that I ever did it, it’s still there.”
He couldn’t look at his companion, inwardly fearing that he had said too much and the shock of the information would drive Alastair away. It was too awful to even consider. But then, he felt the hand alight on his back again, rubbing soothingly. “No wonder you were so hesitant,” Alastair said in a wry tone. “That’s the sort of first time that’ll put anyone off. Damn,” he added in a whisper. “I don’t know what was going through your head to make you even consider it, but…”
“I don’t, either,” Kaiba groaned. “He’s a manipulative bastard, and I’ve always known it, but I still let him manipulate me.”
“It’s okay.” Hearing that, Kaiba looked sharply to him, but Alastair merely nodded at him. “I’m glad you trusted me enough to let me know about it. You didn’t have to.”
Kaiba eyed him, unsure whether to believe his understanding tone. “You’re not disgusted with me?”
“You’re not the first or the last person in the world to have made a bad choice.” Alastair shook his head slowly. “I’m not upset. It was way before me, anyway, not like you cheated on me or anything.” His brow furrowed in a perplexed look. “Damn, you were still a virgin before that? Talk about sheltered.” He gazed at Kaiba for a moment, and then eased his hand over his partner’s where it rested on his knee. “You can relax, Seto. I’m not going to dump you over that little revelation.” He sidled closer and rested his chin on Kaiba’s shoulder. “As long as I’m better than him.”
“Oh,” Kaiba said dryly, “far better. Believe me. It was pathetic. You…” He turned his head to regard Alastair, his eyes softening. “I like you. I like everything you do with me. Even the sappy flowers,” he reluctantly admitted in a very typical Kaiba grumble.
“Good.” Alastair moved in for the pounce, gently putting his arms around Kaiba’s shoulders and easing him back down onto his back on the bed. Kaiba let out a long, relieved sigh and closed his eyes while his lover snuggled up beside him and whispered a kiss across his shoulder. “You want to forget about it,” he murmured observantly. “Now that you’ve told me, consider it forgotten. I won’t let it affect how I treat you.” Yet, he chuckled briefly. “Damn, Pegasus! That’s too weird. Okay, now it’s forgotten. I promise.”
“You sure?” Kaiba muttered dubiously.
“Yes, this time I’m sure. You’re a complex man, Seto,” Alastair added, almost flippantly. “I’m sure that even if this lasts a whole lifetime, I’ll never fully understand you. But at least I can have some fun trying.” He let his hand travel lower and tickle across his partner’s chest. His voice softened to a rather romantic murmur. “What do you think? Are we done for tonight, or do you want more?”
Kaiba sighed again. “I think I’m done.” He turned his head toward Alastair, and then reached across to cradle the arm draped over him, caressing with his thumb. “I wouldn’t want to try to top that all at once. We’ll save that for another night.”
“No arguments here.” Alastair wriggled out of his grasp briefly, just to tug the blankets aside and pull them up to tuck them both in for the night. There would be a lot more touching, and kissing, before either of them fell asleep that night, but they would do it in the warm comfort of thick blankets and soft bedding. The whisper of rain against the windowpanes was the only sound to accompany their time together, soothing them to a dreamy lull and making it possible to finally quiet down and think about sleep. Alastair curled up in the shelter of strong arms, his face beside Seto’s, breathing deeply of his warmth and masculine scent as he began to drift off. Kaiba held him protectively, seeking something in his embrace that nothing else in the world could provide him. He didn’t even have words for it, but whatever it was, Alastair’s presence gave it willingly, making it easy to forget the rest of the world as they laid there like that, undisturbed, together.