Cutting the Ties

A/N: Konnichiwa, mina-san! I'm back again! This time... with a multi-chapter fiction! Yay? Or... nay? Haha, actually, this was supposed to be a one-shot, but it became too long, just like Another Drink! So I decided to divide it up into chapters! It's not quite done yet eep! but that's okay. I still have two chapters left to post after this one before I run out of writing! Hehe!

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed Night's Caress. It really means a lot to me! : ) Kalinovskaja – you definitely deserved a dedication... for being so dedicated! Haha, thanks for the hug! Thanks to everyone! As for a sequel to Night's Caress... I don't know. I guess we'll see where time takes us. : )

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this fic! You get to see the rougher side of Jounouchi – which is incredibly fun to write (it's also closer to his real character, hehe!)

Pairing: Seto Kaiba x Jounouchi Katsuya

Warnings: Language, gang violence, blood, sexuality, shounen-ai/yaoi... rated 'T' for now, but will probably be up to 'M' for later chapters.

Type: Multi-chapter

Please leave a review and tell me what you think! Constructive criticism is always welcome! I don't know when I'll post the next chapter; hopefully soon! Spring is a busy time of the year for me. : )

Enjoy!

Chapter I: Confrontation

Jounouchi Katsuya leaned casually against the brick wall of the school building, cigarette in hand, as one arm crossed lazily over his stomach. He had the sole of his sneaker also pressed against the wall, while the other sneaker tapped to a very erratic beat.

He lifted the cigarette to his lips and took a long, slow drag, and exhaled just as lazily, just as slowly. The sun was shining down, hitting him in the corner of his eye and causing him to squint. Currently, he was debating whether or not to go to fourth period biology.

The day was warm; the air clean and crisp. It seemed such a phenomenal waste of time to go to class when he could just play hooky and grab a soda and enjoy the beautiful spring day. Besides, what was he going to learn in biology that he didn't already know? Today there would be a guest speaker from the health clinic to talk about the effects of drugs on the body. He smirked at the irony as he took another puff of his cigarette.

He really didn't smoke all that much, but once or twice a week it was nice to just get away from everything and let the nicotine relax his weary body. With homework (which he was actually doing this year), a part-time job (which he wasn't even supposed to have), and various other activities (which he wished he could get out of because they were slightly illegal), his life was kind of stressful. So it was nice to wind down.

Exhaling the last bit of smoke, he threw the cigarette butt down on the ground and crushed it with his foot. He sighed softly as he wiped the ashes from his worn blue school uniform. Crossing both arms over his chest, he leaned further back and closed his eyes, enjoying the quiet of the afternoon.

Unfortunately, the quiet didn't last long because he now heard the sound of approaching footsteps, shoes smacking heavily against the pavement. His eyes popped open and he idly wondered if he should run for it in case it was a teacher. He decided he didn't care; not on this particular afternoon, anyway.

He was surprised when Seto Kaiba rounded the corner sharply, talking into a cell phone. He was even more surprised to see him in casual dress on school property; a tight fitting black t-shirt and equally tight fitting blue jeans. His face was scrunched up in anger (what else was new) and his hair looked slightly dishevelled. He carried in his hand the silver brief case (which Jounouchi guessed was his only friend) and a coat that was slung over his other arm.

He stopped when he saw Jounouchi, saying something into the phone, and then hanging up. "Skipping class?" he smirked as he sauntered forward.

Jounouchi rolled his eyes and stood up straight. "I could be asking you the same question, I suppose. How come you're not wearing your uniform?"

"I have business to attend to," Kaiba replied sharply, as if suddenly remembering why he was, indeed, cutting class. Not that he didn't have special permission from the teachers anyway...and just about every other god damn kiss-ass in the school.

"You don't look very business-like."

"Casual dress only. I'm meeting with a man who's probably just as old as our biology teacher, yet acts like he's the same age as Mokuba. I'll have his company swallowed in no time." Kaiba looked Jounouchi up and down slowly, something that he did when he was sizing up an enemy.

"I see," Jounouchi replied, trying to ignore the obvious disgust in Kaiba's eyes as he noticed the cigarette butt. Why was the asshole giving him the time of day, anyway? It was annoying him; the afternoon had been going perfectly.

"How come you're hanging around here, anyway?" Kaiba sneered. "Waiting for your gang to show up so you can close a drug deal?" He didn't really think Jounouchi was involved in any gang-like activities; from the bits and pieces he'd heard about the blonde, he'd cleansed himself of those kinds of connections.

So Kaiba was rather taken aback when Jounouchi looked him straight in the eye and coldly replied, "Nah, we did that last night." He flicked at some dust that had landed on his leg.

Kaiba smirked. "Ah, so puppy's still following the commands of a drug-deranged leader."

Jounouchi took a threatening step forward. "Some of us aren't handed money on a silver platter," he spat. "I thought you had a meeting to go to? Lord knows it's so important you're actually ditching class for it. Get lost." God, he was irked. It was really none of Kaiba's damn business what he did and didn't do in his free time. He wasn't proud of the things he had done, but somebody had to pay the rent.

"They wait on me, mutt. Everybody waits on me." Now Kaiba was interested; so Jounouchi really was different from the rest of the people he hung around with – namely the friendship-loving Mazaki and "heart of the cards will give you strength" spewing Mutou.

"Look, just leave me alone. I'm not in the mood for you – not that I'm ever in the mood for you. I've had a rough week, so beat it." Jounouchi was definitely on the defensive now – he really hated when Kaiba did that to him. So much for grabbing a soda and just relaxing. Apparently a corporate billionaire had nothing better to do with his time than harass a mere commoner.

Kaiba shrugged his shoulders in that arrogant asshole way of his and studied Jounouchi. He was a little rough around the edges, sure; but he didn't look like he was doing hardcore drugs on a regular basis. That, thought Kaiba, didn't necessarily rule out the possibility that he dealed them.

"What the fuck are you staring at?" Jounouchi snapped. He made a sudden move and stood directly in front of Kaiba, his fists balled up tightly. He was extremely annoyed at this point. "How 'bout we end this little confrontation now?"

"You mean the ending where my fist connects with your face?" Kaiba shot back. He honestly didn't know why he had decided to pick a fight. He guessed it had something to do with amusement on his part. He took great pleasure in seeing Jounouchi all fired up.

"You obviously haven't read the entire book!" Jounouchi pulled his arm back and prepared to right hook Kaiba.

Kaiba, the stealthy bastard, was quick, though. He took a step back just as Jounouchi's fist came flying forward, causing the blonde to miss. "What? They didn't teach you how to aim in that little gang of yours?"

"Just shut up!" Jounouchi exploded. "You don't know a fucking thing about my life!" He was practically shaking from anger. Why did people enjoying toying with him so much? He just didn't understand. A good day ruined in the blink of an eye, and that pissed him off more than anything.

"Hmm," Kaiba clucked, staring down at Jounouchi. He actually looked rather small, despite the fact that only three inches separated them in height. "I didn't realize that you were so quick to anger."

"Just... leave me alone, will you?" The blonde shrunk back against the wall, sighing softly.

Kaiba looked at his watch, and he realized that he should probably get going to the meeting. He chuckled lightly at the exasperated looking blonde and said, "Whatever. See you around, inu."

Jounouchi growled in response as he watched the CEO disappear. "Stupid fucking prick." It took him awhile before he regained the energy to move, and when he finally did, he just decided he might as well go back to class.

What a waste of day.