Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Then and Now ❯ Misunderstandings ( Chapter 8 )

8: Misunderstandings

The night had been very unsettling for Seto. He couldn’t shake off the feeling that it was his fault that Katsuya had left so long ago. Maybe he had been too persistent. Too demanding, and…then he even told Katsuya he loved him… Maybe he had suffocated the other boy with his feelings…but, does that even make any sense? Katsuya hadn’t in the least looked like he didn’t enjoy the act, and he too had said he loved Seto…

Sighing, Seto rolled out of his bed and started getting ready for school. He quickly glanced at his timetable and groaned: Double lesson Chemistry. That meant he would be stuck sitting next to Katsuya for 90 minutes…God, how should he react in front of him? Yesterday he had been so angry and confused, so he had been unable to face Katsuya with anything but anger. But now? For the first time in a long time Seto felt unsure of himself. He wanted to talk to Katsuya. Why had Katsuya left all those years ago? Why did he tell Mokuba he did something awful? What was it that he thought he did? Why had he reacted so strangely when Seto had called him by his first name?

Question after question, and no answers in sight. But oh, how he longed for the answers. He wanted to understand Katsuya- understand him so that he could eventually forget or even forgive him, but this ambiguity about Katsuya’s motive- it simply drove Seto crazy.

But…to get the answers he so desired, he would have to talk to Katsuya…make the first step…bare his feelings…be vulnerable in front of Katsuya once again…No. Seto couldn’t do that. He was still too wounded. Even after three years. Three years of not letting anyone close. Three years of cutting himself off from any human emotions. Seto knew he was a emotional wreck. And everything was because of him…him alone. The night Katsuya had left, Seto swore to never trust anyone again- to never love again. And he did just that. Even after Gozaburo’s death, he didn’t open up to anyone, and it hadn’t really bothered him before. There simply wasn’t anybody that he thought deserved his attention. There was only one for Seto Kaiba, and it was the one he swore he would hate for the rest of his life. The one who haunted his dreams - the one he had loved- still loved, and would for all his life.


Seto arrived at school- his thoughts still occupied with a certain blond- when said blond walked into his line of sight with his friend the imp. Yesterday he had been so shocked to see his former brother that he hadn’t been able to really look at him, but now, in the bright sunlight, he couldn’t help but stare.

He had definitely changed. The small child Seto remember seemed to have disappeared, and in his place was now a young man. The body which had been once covered with soft baby fat looked now firm and strong. Incredibly long legs were stretching from sneaker clad feet to hips which were swaying sensually with every step the blond took. The chest was hidden beneath the loosely worn school jacket, but Seto could just imagine how firm the muscles covering it were.

When Seto’s eyes landed on Katsuya’s face he almost gasped. How could he have missed that yesterday? Katsuya had always had a cute face, but now- now he looked just stunning. Big brown eyes were framed by long lashes. Cheeks slightly red from the warm weather. Full, sensual lips carried a soft smile as he listened to his small friend, and all that was highlighted by the blond hair almost lovingly caressing Katsuya’s forehead.

Seto was mesmerized and couldn’t tear his eyes off the other boy. He leaned back against his limo (driver still waiting for orders) and enjoyed the sight.

That was when Katsuya realized that he was being starred at. His eye searched around and landed on one Seto Kaiba, leaning casually against a monster of a car. Seto’s eyes almost burning a hole into him.

Katsuya blushed. God, Seto looked so sexy leaning with his shoulders on the car, his hips trusted forward. It took all Katsuya had in himself not to drool at the sight. When had Seto become so drop-dead-sexy?

“Jou?” Yugi asked is friend. The blond had suddenly stopped walking and now just stood there starring. Yugi was surprised when he followed Jou’s gaze and saw Seto Kaiba starring right back at the blond. The way the two looked at each other made Yugi blush. Did they even realize that they were almost stripping each other with their eyes?

“Hey Jou!”

“Mh?”

“Like what you see?”

“Oh yes!”

Yugi’s giggling finally pulled Jou out of his daydream, and, blushing deep red, looked down at his friend. “You are so mean.”

“And you are so transparent. God Jou, why don’t you just talk to him? Its obvious the two of you want to.”

“Yugi I can’t. What can I tell him? I told you yesterday that I could never explain my actions to him.”

“But Jou…” Yugi started, but they were suddenly interrupted by the first warning bell ringing from inside the school.

“Shit, I’ll be late. My classroom is at the far ending and I still have to get my books. See you later Yugi.” And with that Katsuya dashed away. When he looked back over his shoulder to check if Seto was still there he discovered him and the limo gone.



The second Katsuya opened the lab door, the school bell rung. Apologizing, he looked at the sensei, who shock her head disapprovingly but just told him to sit down quickly.

He walked over too his seat. Eyes glued to the floor. He was frightened that when he laid eyes on the brunette again he would start to stare once more.

Seto was not oblivious to the fact that Katsuya was ignoring him. And it annoyed him to no end. Before- in front of the school- Seto thought he had seen something akin to interest in Katsuya’s eyes, and now he was acting like Seto wasn’t even there.

´What? Aren’t I even good enough for him to be acknowledged? ´ Seto thought. ´Am I not even worth a glance? ´

“Sorry sensei, but how am I supposed to work? I still haven’t got my materials.” Seto addressed the teacher.

“You can still share with…Jounouchi-kun what are you doing? Why are you sitting on the edge off your table? I asked you yesterday to share your book and notes with Kaiba-kun and now you are acting like the poor boy has some kind of disease. It’s really not nice of you to treat a new student that way. Please sit properly and share your book or I will have to speak to the principal about your inappropriate behaviour.” The teacher scolded, Jou annoyed, and Seto smirked while Jou swallowed.

Shyly, Jou approached Seto and glanced unsurely up at him. “Sorry.” He murmured.

Seto’s anger melted. Katsuya looked so cute with his head ducked down looking at him through his full eyelashes.

“Alright class, open…What now?” The sensei asked when the classroom door opened and the student advisor walked in.

“Sorry, but the principal asked for you. Please come with me.”

With a curt nod she turned back to her class and ordered them to work silently on page 43, and with that she followed the student advisor.

It was quiet in the classroom and the students were working responsibly…for less than five minutes. Then the whispering started and students were gossiping with each other rather than working on their task.

“So what should I call you if I’m not allowed to call you Katsuya?”

Jou’s eyes shot up. Had Seto just talked to him? Asked for his name…he must have, because Seto was now looking at him expectantly.

“I took on my father’s last name again, so the teachers call me Jounouchi, but…but my friends and classmates call me Jou…” Katsuya said unsurely and swallowed. Would Seto take the bid?

“So how have you been doing…Jou?” Seto held his breath. He had just done it. He had taken the first step. Now it was on Katsuya to take the next.

Jou’s eyes widened. He had hoped Seto would call him by his nickname rather than by his formal last name, but he hadn’t really believed he would. Did that mean Seto wanted to work things out with him? That he wanted to be friends again?

“Seto I…”

Jou was interrupted by the opening classroom door. All students were stopping their talking, some were running back to there seats, and pretended to be deeply into the subject...which page was it again?

The sensei walked in along with a white haired boy. “Students today we got another new student. His name is Ryou Bakura, he just moved here from England. Please help him so that he can feel comfortable here. Mh…there isn’t a free table at the moment, so please join Jounouchi-kun and Kaiba-kun for the moment. Jounouchi-kun, I trust that you will take care of our two new students. So, where were we? Oh yes, page…”

Ryou Bakura joined the two boys and Jounouchi was eager to introduce himself. The new boy looked a bit intimidated and he wanted to ease the boy’s mind. Well, that and he really didn’t know how he should behave in front of Seto right now. He was so happy that the brunette had made the attempt of a friendly conversation that he feared he would fall all over the other boy and cry.

Katsuya was so caught up in his happy thoughts that he didn’t notice Seto’s eyes darkening with every word he exchanged with the new guy.

Seto was angry again. He had just been able to catch Katsuya’s attention when this new guy arrived and Katsuya was all over him.

Why had he even bothered to try? It was obvious that Katsuya had no interest in talking to him, because if he did, his attention would be on him and not that white haired guy. What an idiot he was. He had been fooled by Katsuya once again, and the only one he could blame for it was himself and his own weakness.

When the double lesson was finally over Seto moved out of the classroom as fast as he could, wanting to escape Katsuya’s languorousness and the white haired boy who he was talking to so eagerly. He already hated that guy.

To his dismay, Seto shared another lesson with Katsuya and Ryou just before lunch break. Luckily he didn’t have to sit with him again, as there were a few more free seats. Of course Seto chose the one farthest away from Katsuya. That however didn’t keep him from growling when Ryou Bakura chose to sit next to Katsuya yet again.

When the lesson was over Katsuya quickly jumped off his seat and walked over to Seto, who- he realized, was about to disappear as fast as he had after chemistry. Katsuya had been discouraged at Seto’s quick disappearance and at his choosing not to sit with him, but he had promised himself that he would gather all his courage and ask Seto to eat lunch with him.

“Hey Seto, I…I wondered if you want to…wanted to spend lunch break with me.” Oh god…he had said it. He really did, but why was Seto starring so disbelievingly at him?

Seto was confused. What was Katsuya up to? Had that before just been a misunderstanding? Did Katsuya really want to spend time with him?

Katsuya- who was getting nervous at Seto’s silence and strange look started to babble. “It would be nice of you to accompany us. Ryou is new here too and he doesn’t know anybody and as you just enrolled yesterday too I thought it would be nice for him to be with someone who is as unfamiliar with everything as he is. I also want to introduce you to Yugi. I know you two didn’t start off too well but he really is a very sweet guy…And there is Honda too. We have been best friends for ages and he is really a great guy. I think you would get along greatly…”

“Shut up!” Seto interrupted. With every word Katsuya said his heart had shattered a little more. ´Ryou the new guy´- ´Yugi the sweet one´- ´Honda his best friend for ages´. Seto didn’t give a damn about these people. He had been positively surprised when Katsuya had asked for his company during lunch, but it was all ruined when he realized it was just to do something nice for the other new guy and to introduce him to the guys who had been at Katsuya’s side all his time instead of him. “What makes you think I have any interest of wasting my time with you and your looser friends?”

“Seto…I…I just thought…”

“You thought wrong…and I told you that I am Kaiba to you. Now leave me alone.” Seto pushed forcefully past Katsuya and stormed away.

Katsuya was like petrified. He stared after Seto long after he was gone. What had gone so terribly wrong? Had he read the signs wrong? Could it be that from the very beginning Seto had had no intention in being friends again?

Katsuya felt tears coming up. Quickly, he looked around and realized that people were staring curiously at him. Not wanting anyone to see him crying, he ran out of the classroom and made his way to the nearest restroom as far as he could.

“I wouldn’t go in there if I were you…” Someone said when he was about to enter his sanctuary, but Katsuya ignored him and closed the door firmly behind him.




Seto had finally found a restroom and stormed in. “Get out if you care for your health.” He growled out at the boy occupying one of the stalls. The boy looked up and was met with one Seto Kaiba, who looked about ready to rip someone’s balls off. Quickly, he exited the room.

Once he was alone Seto, hit the tiled wall, making it crack up under the force of his fist. Shit, why was he so fucked up? Why had he been so stupid and had let himself be fooled by Katsuya once again. He should have known that Katsuya just wanted to play with him. Nothing had changed. Katsuya was still the same boy who had stolen his innocence and had then thrown him away like a used tissue. Why…

Suddenly the door opened and a shattered looking Katsuya stepped in. When he caught sight of Seto his eyes widened and tears leaked out of them.

“Seto…”

Angrily Seto flung himself at Katsuya and sock him violently. “Stop that. Stop calling me by my first name. You have no right to address me so familiar. Why do you insist on mocking me?”

“…I’m not mocking you…I don’t understand.” Katsuya cried out. Seto was hurting him with his tight grip.

“If you don’t want to be with me stop playing with me. You have hurt me enough three years ago, don’t you think?”

“I never wanted to, Seto. I never wanted to hurt or leave you. I loved you more that anything. I cared for you more than I did for myself and I still do. I am not playing with you now. I want to be with you. I could never forget about you Seto not for one second in these three years we have been apart and believe me, if I could undo what I did than I would, but it was the only thing I could do then. Please Seto, please believe me I am so sorry for everything.”

The only thing that kept Katsuya standing by now was Seto tight grip on him. Seto was starring at the crying boy.

Seto sighted. “Just tell me why. Why did you leave me just after we made love? After I told you I love you.”

If it was even possible Katsuya looked even more miserably than before. “I can’t… can’t tell you. Please, can’t you just believe me that I am terribly sorry? Please, please I…”

Seto couldn’t help it anymore. Katsuya looked so miserable and so hurt. He loosened his grip on the boy’s shoulders and pulled him into his arms. Slowly they both slipped to the floor and Katsuya ended up in Seto’s lap.


Katsuya fisted his hands into Seto’s shirt, afraid that if he let go Seto would disappear.

Seto had his nose buried into Katsuya’s hair.“Did you mean it?” He asked. “Did you mean it when you said you still wanted to be with me?”

Katsuya moved his head so that he could look into Seto’s eyes. “Yeah, I want to be friends again.”

“Friends?”

They starred into each other’s eyes. Neither of them realizing that they were leaning into each other until their lips met. ´Oh yes, friends indeed.´ Seto thought as he caressed Katsuya’s lips with his own…