Hello and welcome to the last chapter of Growing Pains. Thank you so much for sharing the journey of my first fic with me.
Chapter Seven:
Seto hung up the phone with a smirk playing around his mouth. Jou watched him warily from the door of his study. It was the first time they'd be able to speak properly in a fortnight. After their fight and make-up they'd – well more Jou'd – been concentrating on finals. Graduation was creeping up. The past year had gone by wicked fast. But right now Jou had an important problem to discuss with his boyfriend. One he'd have to approach with an air of calm and cool.
"Why the fuck have you bought my attic? (The attic will be explained further in the prologue)"
Oh yeah, very calm, very cool.
"The landlord just told me KaibaCorp is turning the entire building into a damn art gallery!" He spat.
Seto merely arched an eyebrow.
"You don't want somewhere to hang your paintings, pup?"
Jou stalked to his boyfriend's desk and leant his fists on it bringing his face close to Seto's. From this distance he could count all the different shades of blue in his lover's eyes.
"I'd prefer somewhere to live, asshole."
"I knew you weren't the brightest of the bunch but I would have thought that would be quite obvious. You'll live here. You practically do anyway, so why continue to maintain a separate place?"
Jou cocked his head to the side eyes narrowed. Sure his boyfriend had just asked him to move in with him. Sort of. Of course he'd say yes. But the way Seto went about it. Goddamn. Did the man think he was God? Note to self – never ask Seto that question, would most likely get an affirmative response. He wasn't going to let Seto get away with it that easily!
"Maybe that 'separate place' has some good memories for me huh? It was the first place that was entirely mine after I got away from my father. Not even any of my friends know about it. It was the first place you and I slept together. It was special!"
Seto stood up and walked around to gently cup Katsuya's face. If possible the blonde's eyes narrowed further. "And this way it will remain special. The other floors will be converted into space for a gallery showcasing promising new talent from the underprivileged – including your paintings – while the attic will remain untouched. A private space for either you or I when we just want to or need to relax for a while." Seto placed a soft kiss on Jou's lips watching the blonde pout slightly. "I have also purchased the buildings on either side with the plan to turn them into counseling centers and youth homes. The refurbishment should do wonders for the economics of the area. Plus you'll have somewhere to practice your psychology degree I didn't know you were going to study. Why didn't you tell me you wanted to be a counselor?"
Jou felt all the anger drain out of him. Damn Seto – going around and surprising him by doing great stuff like this. He was definitely moving in now. But how the hell did he find out about his university plans? He hadn't told anyone but the guidance counselor. It had taken him a while to even accept the fact that with a bit more study he would actually have a chance at a scholarship. Jou was mortified to feel his face blush and looked to one side. His hands started to fidget. "It never came up. And I asked you to stop hacking into my school records."
Seto smirked.
"One must keep an eye on one's investments."
Jou half-heartedly shoved him, rolling his eyes, "well then, one should just ask, you annoying bastard. And beside I'm not doing psychology. I'm doing psychology and arts. So there." For good measure Jou stuck his tongue out at Seto. He was pleasantly surprised when Seto accepted said stuck out tongue into his mouth and began caressing it with his own. Surprise quickly turned to delight and Jou returned the kiss full heartedly.
Breaking away to try to remember how to breathe Jou leaned heavily against the desk. Seto rested his head against Jou's neck, inhaling the unique scent that was all his. "So this means you'll be moving in?"
"Hell yeah! But what about the press andwhy were you looking at my records anyway?" Jou asked breathless.
Setostoppednuzzling Jou's neck and reached over to press a button on his laptop. "The press will be dealt with. I have organised a press conference to announce my sexuality and my belief that there are no shareholders close-minded enough to believemy preferences will in anyway affect the way I do business. As to the school records I was just ensuring that the pointy-haired monkey ended up attending school in another time zone. Now if I have finished justifying myself - which you are very privilaged to experience - we can continue." Seto went back to work on Jou's neck.
Jou wished he could come up with some feeling of pain at the thought of Hondabut all he felt was relief and regret. Everyone had made his or her own choices and he was more than happy with his. "That doesn't explain why you were snooping around my files."
Seto sighed and gave up continuing to seduce. Damn Katsuya was stubborn when he wanted to be. Jou smiled at Seto's reaction and leant against him, concentrating on his boyfriend's pulse. Seto reached up a hand to trace it through Jou's hair. "He was flagged by the guidance counselor – anger issues – I noticed your file marked as well, so I checked it out. I also hacked into the university mainframe to see the scholarship list. You're on it."
Jou felt like his stomach had dropped. Jerking away from Seto he looked him straight in the eye.
"I'm really on it? You didn't change it just so I was on it?"
Seto smirked at him again. Jou'd have to talk to his boyfriend about that. It'd be nice to get a smile once in a while. Buthe guessed a smirk was near a smile – they shared three letters when spelt right? Back on track – Seto was saying something.
"That was the plan pup, but I didn't have to change anything. You were already accepted."
"I was accepted?"
The news didn't seem to be penetrating his blonde boyfriend's head so Seto helped it along by hitting him slightly upside the head.
"Ow!" But it had done the trick. Jou's eyes cleared and with a huge grin he punched a fist into the air. "I'm going to university!"
Seto only had a second to brace himself before he was treated to a full body glomp by one very energetic puppy. Then he only just had time to vocally engage locks before Jou drove everything out of his mind but him.
Jou slouched on the couch at Yugi's while watching Seto on TV with the rest of the gang. Butterflies were flying and crash diving all around his stomach. He knew he didn't have anything to worry about. Seto had promised they'd stay together regardless of the results of the press conference. The gangwaved to Grandpa as he prepared to leave with an attractive nurse he'd met at the hospital. It was so weird when old people went on dates, but the old man was doing much better. Yugi was even starting to relax when he wasn't in the room with them.
Someone turned the television up louder as the press conference got underway. Ryou was sitting next to him wearing a very fetching pair of purple, woman's high-heeled boots that were currently in Jou's way of the TV. "God-dammit Ryou how many time do I have to tell you to move your goddamn boots? I can't see Seto!"
Ryou pouted before reluctantly dropping his feet to the ground grumbling about how they were going to get scuffed. Bakura merely regarded his hikari out of the corner of his eye. Weird. Weird and Strange. That was the twenty-first century. Weird and Strange. But very attractive in high-heeled boots.
"Would everyone just shut-up. I want to know how the reporters act when he tells them he's gay."
Yami leaned over the edge of the armchair he was sharing with Yugi. "Why Otogi? Planning on coming out as well?"
"As a matter of fact yes. Now would everyone just shut up!" Otogi turned back to the television that was only about a foot in front of him, continuously twirling a lock of his hair.
"Hey Jou, how come Seto agreed to keep the relationship secret if you both thought KC would be fine. I mean you had us to worry about but surely Seto had to have some idea how Mokuba would react?" Yugi asked after a moment.
"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!"
"Oh, go watch it in Grandpa's room, 'Togi."
"Fine!" With a glare at everyone the dice master stalked to Gramp's room and slammed the door.
Silence echoed in the room before Anzu giggled. Jou laughed.
"He told me he wanted to be sure we'd pull through something like the media coverage. Really I think he just wanted to know whether we'd make it or not."
"That's so sweet." Anzu smiled around at everyone. Noticing all the couples her smile brightened. "So very very sweet." Her expression changed slightly, "I need a boyfriend, or a girlfriend. I'm so not picky."
The room sweat-dropped at her remark before Jounouchi pulled a scrap piece of paper from his jeans.
"That reminds me, Mai wanted me to give you her new email address. She and Varon ditched each other again and I think she's on the rebound."
Anzu's eyes immediately lit up as she snatched the paper from Jou's hand.
"And speaking of new addresses. Seto asked me to move in so I'm gonna' be living there from now on."
Jou was quite proud of himself - he'd kept his voice even and everything. But he couldn't stop the blush that was staining his cheeks. He saw Yami grin at him and felt relief. He knew Yami knew Seto in a way he didn't. Just as he knew he knew Seto in a way Yami never could. But getting his approval helpt ease the butterflies in his stomach. And as Yugi and Ryou squealed in delighthe shyly grinned.Everything he'd ever wanted - even though he'd never thought this could be what he wanted - was happening. It was way too cool. Just like a movie!
Jou looked around the room watching his friends. They'd been through hell together, to death and back again. But then they'd had Honda with them. It was strange how after being through something like that together, it was something this simple that separated them, as simple as one person loving another. Jou turned back to the television. Watching his boyfriend speak he felt contentment race through him. He'd suffered loss to get to this day – but he knew he'd do it all again in a heartbeat. It was just a matter of growing up. And speaking of growing up…
"Hey Ryou, I heard you were studying fashion design at Uni. Are you sure you won't be to tempted to steal all the clothes?"
Bad jokes were always the best ones Jou thought as he dodged the cushions Ryou was throwing at him and then Bakura when his yami mentioned if anyone was going to be stealing it would be him.
Anzu was begging Yugi to be able to use his computer and Marik and Malik just stared at them all.
The End.
Author note:
Well this is the end of Growing Pains. Sorry short chapter. Please watch for the prequel Growing Up.
I always seem to be making Seto smirk don't I? Oh well he does do it a lot and it looks damn sexy on him too so who's to complain.
Thank you so much for all the reviews.
TTFN Love you all!