Chapter Text
I stifle a bored yawn and surreptitiously roll my eyes. There are still twenty minutes left in the period, and my so-called ‘Sensei’ is droning on and on about stock market fluctuations and investment strategies. I feel no compulsion to pay attention – I could show up to write the final exam and still do better than my entire class. She thinks that she knows more about the business world than me? Please. A small smirk creeps across my lips at the thought. Thanks; I needed a laugh. I cross my arms across my chest and close my eyes.
“Mr. Kaiba,” the Sensei shrieks as she stands next to my desk. “Are you sleeping in my class?”
“No, Sensei,” I drawl. “I’m positively riveted to your lecture.” There are a few startled gasps and tittering giggles from my classmates. Morons.
“Then you’ll be happy to share your opinion on Marxist economy.”
I give a small snort of amusement. “Marxism is too utopian. It assumes an abundance of everything, and overlooks one of the most inherent traits of human beings.”
“And what might that be?” she demanded.
“Ambition,” I reply, my eyes still closed. I hear her surprised gasp and then she moves on with her lesson. She is such a waste of my time…so like everyone else. Well, almost everyone else. I feel a pair of eyes staring at me, and instinctively I turn to glance three rows over. I catch Jounouchi’s peering at me, a strange curiosity in his gaze. I frown slightly; this is what, the fifth time today? Quickly, he snaps his head back to his notebook and begins scribbling furiously on a piece of paper, a slight pink tinge to his cheeks. My lips curve upwards in a soft smile. The puppy always looks so cute when he’s flustered.
It’s strange, really. From the moment I met him, I knew there was something different about the energetic blond. It was a given that he was breathtakingly gorgeous, but that had never been of any consequence to me before. Hell, I’ve had stunningly beautiful people, both male and female, throwing themselves at my feet for as long as I can remember; all of them pretentious and fawning. Except for Jou. He’s one of the most genuine, open people I know, and I think that might be one of the reasons for my extreme hostility towards him – when we met, he instilled feelings in me that were strange and alien and, as I had been taught by my stepfather, anything unexpected needed to be beaten down and controlled. I’d been trying to ignore my growing feelings for the past few months, but lately, it had been getting more and more difficult – and the dreams sure as hell weren’t helping any.
The bell finally rings, and I quickly pack my books into my briefcase, hoping to beat the crowd of students pouring out into the hall, eager to get their weekends started. No such luck today. There is a group of girls giggling in front of my locker, staring at me all doe-eyed. Their actions disgust me, and I give them a withering glare. “Move,” I hiss rudely, taking some pleasure in the shocked and disappointed expressions on their faces. As I’m collecting my other homework assignments, I hear a very familiar voice behind me.
“Come on, Honda! You have to come with me!” Jou whines, and I can picture the pleading expression on his face in my mind.
“Sorry, man. It’s my grandmother’s birthday tomorrow, and my parents already committed me to going. I won’t be back until really late. Besides, you know I’m not one for ‘clubbing’. Too many weirdoes.”
I raise an eyebrow. Clubbing? I never would have expected the puppy to be into that… My curiosity getting the better of me, I turn around to study the pair. Instantly, my mind imagines Jou in his club wear, moving his body in a sensual rhythm with the music. Suddenly, my pants feel a size or two too small as I let my eyes flick hungrily over the blond’s body.
“What do you want, Kaiba?” I hear Honda ask me, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“Absolutely nothing from you,” I reply coolly, letting my gaze drift back over to Jou. “Have a good weekend, gentlemen,” I continue, watching the look of amazement flash in those sparkling, amber eyes. I know the puppy is beyond confused, and immediately, I can see his anger starting to flare.
“Fuck you, Kaiba!” he shouts at me in frustration, storming off down the hallway, Honda trailing along after him to keep up. As I turn back to my locker, I smirk to myself. One way or another, I will succeed in taming him. I pack up my things and, as I’m walking out to my limo, my mind conjures up an idea. I grin mischievously; I’d have never been a good Marxist – I have too much ambition.
Later that night, I park my black Miata downtown and slide out from behind the driver’s seat. I head down the street and stare up at the winking, purple neon raven. Nevermore has been open to the public for little over two weeks now, and since then, it has been quickly gaining a reputation as a place for all the local elite to come. One of the most exclusive clubs in town, admission is restricted to those who have the money to buy their way in, or the looks to make them desirable to the richer clientele. Fortunately for me, I have both. Unfortunately, tonight I’m not here as Seto Kaiba. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in a window and I smirk. The pale blonde wig I’m wearing is slightly tousled – a big change from my normal, well-kempt auburn hair, and the emerald green contact lenses I’m wearing mask the normal iciness of my dark, sapphire eyes. If that wasn’t enough to fool everyone who knew me, then my attire certainly would. I’d traded in my trademark trench coats and Armani suits for a black silk shirt, snug fitting black brushed cotton pants and a suede three-quarter length, dark wine flared blazer. I chuckle softly – the best place to hide is in plain sight, ne?
I head inside, walk through the dimly lit hallway and head down the darkened staircase to the cave-like alcove in the basement. When I had been here as an invited guest for the grand opening, I had been ushered right inside. Tonight, I was going to have to wait my turn, just like everyone else. I watch Erik, the bouncer, as he surveys the crowd. He is a large man with a taste for intimidation and an appetite for depravity. If it wasn’t for the fact that he disgusted me with his lewd behaviour, I’d consider hiring him away from this place to work for me. He catches my eye and beckons me over. Hell, I wasn’t planning on having to speak with this behemoth, and I know he knows me well. I’m going to have to disguise my voice – perfect, this will be my first real test.
“Hey Blondie,” Erik purrs, and I feel a wave of revulsion pass through my body. “Don’t think I’ve seen you here before. What’s your name?”
Shit. I hadn’t thought of that yet. Frantically, my mind searches for something plausible, and as an idea comes to me, I smile. “Quinn,” I reply, giving a slight sharpness to my consonants to mimic an accent.
Erik quirks an eyebrow. “What kind of name is that?” he asks.
“Celtic. It means ‘a person of high intelligence’.” So fitting.
Erik laughs and pats me on the ass, and I glare at him. “It’s so cute,” he smirks. “Kinda like you.”
“Keep dreaming,” I snort, crossing my arms across my chest and leaning arrogantly against the doorjamb beside him.
Erik eyes me up and down and whistles lowly. “Hell, I’m on break in twenty minutes. How ‘bout you and me go to my office for a little slap and tickle?” he says lewdly as he trails his fingers up and down my arm.
“I think not,” I sneer. “Touch me again, and I swear to God you’ll be sorry.”
Erik laughs on hearing this. “No offence,” he chuckles, “but you’re a pretty boy – I doubt you could fight your way out of a wet paper bag. Besides, I’m the one who controls who gets in this place. Don’t piss me off.”
I narrow my eyes and hiss dangerously, “You can’t control shit if you’re in a body bag.”
“Really?” Erik scoffs. “I love it when the boys play rough.” He cracks his knuckles and takes a step towards me, raising his huge fist in battle.
I grab his arm by the wrist and, using his own momentum against him, I wrench his arm around and behind his back. Using the pressure points located in his hand, I quickly bring him to his knees, snorting in amusement at his pained whimpers. “No offence,” I reply contemptuously, “but you’re pathetic. You are nothing but a pawn; you control nothing.” I hear surprised gasps from the other patrons around me; apparently, I had not been the favourite to win this little scuffle. Not wanting to overstep my bounds and start a fight, I release my hold and watch as the big man staggers back to his feet, a pained grimace on his face as he rubs at his arm. I smirk as Erik bows his head in submission to me, and then steps aside and mumbles, “Please, go inside, Quinn.”
Nodding in thanks, I step around him, noting with some satisfaction that he keeps his hands rigidly by his side as I pass by. I know that he’ll revert right back to his old ways as soon as I’m out of sight, but I couldn't care less about what he does, as long as it doesn’t affect me. I enter the club, bypassing the dance floor and nestling myself into one of the large, violet armchairs. It’s not that I don’t dance, or can’t dance, but I prefer to watch…you can learn so much through careful observation of people.
After a couple of hours, I’m thoroughly convinced that my disguise is successful. I head home and, as I’m driving, I’m thinking to myself that, while Jounouchi may never harbour any feelings for me, as Quinn, it’ll only be a matter of time until I have the blond in my arms. I sneak into the house and quickly hide my disguise in my personal office. No one – not even my cleaning staff – is permitted in here without me. And I have the only key. Satisfied with everything that had happened tonight, I slip on a robe and head upstairs for some much-needed sleep.
I open the door to my room and instantly I freeze – something doesn’t seem right. I stand perfectly still, listening intently, and I can hear soft breathing coming from inside the room. I’m not alone! Narrowing my eyes, I whisper dangerously, “Whoever you are, show yourself!”
I hear a soft chuckle, and suddenly a match is struck. The glow momentarily blinds me, and when I recover, I see a lit candle sitting on the end table beside my bed. Curious, I walk towards the glow, quirking an eyebrow when I see a hand reach out to beckon me closer. My breath hitches in my throat as I sit on the bed and suddenly, he’s there. In disbelief, I tentatively stroke the soft lines of his face, smiling softly when he closes his gorgeous eyes, his long lashes brushing gently against his cheek. I slide my hand back to fist my fingers in his golden tresses, nearly moaning with desire as I watch the flickering flame cast its light and shadows on him, giving him an almost ethereal glow. “What are you doing here?” I ask, looking down and noticing that he is gloriously naked and obviously aroused. Instantly, my cock springs to life, my heart starting to beat faster in my chest.
“Shh, Seto,” he whispers playfully, pressing one of his cool, slim fingers to my lips. The sound of my name spoken in his sensual alto brings me to full hardness and, despite myself, I let out a soft groan. As much as I love to watch him when he’s angry, it’s nothing compared to how he looks when he’s turned on. He smiles softly and gently pushes me down to lie on the pillows, then trails his fingers down to brush against my penis. “Mmm, I’m glad you’re happy to see me, Seto. I’d have been so disappointed if you didn’t want my special surprise.”
“Special surprise?” I murmur, quirking an eyebrow at him. He says nothing but leans down and places a gentle kiss on my lips – so sweet and so innocent. I moan hungrily and try to press him closer to me, but he pulls away from my grasp and smiles at me in his puppyish way, slowly pulling the tie on my robe and letting it fall open. The next thing I know, he’s planting a series of small, playful kisses down my body. I feel his lips on my chin, my neck, my chest, and my stomach. As he works himself lower, I feel my anticipation rising. When he gets to my belly button, he stops his downward progress, teasing me and nipping wantonly at my skin. Again, I let out a needy moan and, as if he can sense my desire, he resumes his course, stopping when he arrives at my throbbing erection.
He smirks lasciviously and glances up at me, his amber eyes dark with lust. With a wide grin, he slowly trails his tongue across the head of my cock, eagerly lapping up the glistening drop of precome. “God Seto, you taste so good,” he breathes as he licks his lips sensually. With a throaty chuckle, he leans forward and takes my entire length into his mouth, sending a jolt of pleasure rippling through my body.
I can feel his tongue throbbing along my length, teasing me to new levels of excitement. Slowly, he releases me, swirling his tongue around my head like a lollipop before once again engulfing me and sucking forcibly. I can’t hold back any more, and with a growled, “God, Jou,” I come down his throat, my body spasming intently with its release. I close my eyes and wait for my breathing to return to normal. A few moments later, I murmur, “You were awesome, Puppy. Come, cuddle with me.” I wait, but hear no reply, nor do I feel any movement on his part. Confused, I blink my eyes open to find myself lying alone in my darkened room, my hand on my cock, my body covered with my cooled essence. With a frustrated sigh, I wipe myself off with the already soiled sheet and roll over to the other end of the bed, too disillusioned to even bother with changing them. Disappointment washing over me, I fall back into a restless sleep, knowing that I can’t continue like this for much longer.
The next week at school, I decide that it’s time to move forward with my plan. I already know that he’s planning on going out again this weekend – I overheard him talking about it with Honda and Yugi at lunch. It’s funny; it’s not like I have to be discrete about sneaking around and eavesdropping on his conversations. Not only is his voice distinct enough to pick out of a crowd with no effort at all, but I swear that he doesn’t come with a volume switch, especially when he’s excited about something. I look down at my hands and quickly scan the counterfeit advertisement that I’d made up for Nevermore, announcing the arrival of some fabulous new DJ to the scene. I know that I could easily track Jou down and show up wherever he decides to go this weekend, but it’s going to be the puppy who comes running into my arms, and not the other way around. Now I just have to make sure that he sees this.
I know that if my plan is going to work, I’m going to have to get closer to Jounouchi; close enough to slip the paper into his things. I fold up the sheet and slip it into my pocket as I close my locker and head towards his. I see him talking to Yugi and Honda, and I frown slightly. I’d prefer to catch him alone – having the other two around complicates things and increases my chances of getting caught. Suddenly, I see his valise sitting open and unattended about a foot and a half from where he and his group stand, the three of them chatting animatedly about something or other.
I’m not proud of what I’m about to do. I prefer to operate covertly, using subtlety and finesse; besides, the puppy definitely doesn’t deserve this, but sometimes the ends justify the means, ne? I stalk towards the group, deliberately dropping my briefcase between Jou’s things and him. They turn towards me when they hear the sound, but I’ve still got the element of surprise on my side. Making my gaze as cold as possible, I grab Jounouchi by his lapels and back him into the row of lockers, picking him up slightly so that his feet aren’t quite so firmly planted on the ground. “You pathetic mongrel!” I hiss fiercely. “Are you really that stupid that you didn’t think I’d find out?”
Immediately, I see his somewhat startled amber eyes widen in surprise while, at the same time, I feel Yugi tugging vainly on my left forearm, Honda on the right. Yugi is no threat to me, but I’ve seen Honda throw a punch or two, and I really don’t want to be on the receiving end of one. I let Jou regain his footing, setting him down and holding him in place with my left hand while I shove Honda a couple of feet away from me with my right. “Stay out of this, Honda,” I growl when he takes a step in my direction. “I just need a word with the mutt here, and then you can get back to your pathetic conversation.” I narrow my eyes dangerously and glare into Jou’s face. “Well?” I sneer, giving him a small shake.
I can see the wheels in his mind turning, and he’s coming up blank. Finally, Jou finds his voice and, as his eyes sparkle in anger, he shouts, “Kaiba, have you gone fucking insane? I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about!”
I give him a contemptuous snort and say, “Right. So you’re telling me that you know nothing about the delightful ‘message’ that was so thoughtfully left on my locker?”
“Message?” he parrots, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Honest Kaiba, it wasn’t me…I wish I could take the credit, but it looks like someone besides me thinks you’re an asshole.”
I smirk. Only Jou has the nerve to tell me that to my face. That’s another one of the qualities I admire about him. I take a half-step back from him, pretending to ponder his words. I give a small chuckle, then arrogantly state, “Perhaps you’re right, Mutt. After all, whoever wrote that had to have been literate. My mistake.” I turn on my heel, and hear Honda and Yugi grab onto Jou to restrain him from coming at me. With my back to them, I permit myself a smug smile. Their behaviour is so predictable, and it enables me to carefully palm the sheet of paper and casually drop it into his open valise as I reach for my own briefcase. Puppy, you make it too easy for me. I continue to make my way out of the building when I hear a frustrated, “Screw you, Kaiba!” Ignoring him and continuing on my way, my smile widens. Here’s hoping.