Chapter 5: Kaiba's Follow-Up Text

A few weeks have passed, and Yugi is fucking dying.

His days start at 3:30am, when Yugi drags himself out of bed and into the shower. From there, he catches the train into downtown, meeting Anzu on the way. He checks in with Mai while Anzu gets ready and makes Mr Kaiba’s coffee, which is ready by the time he races to the elevator and gets to the lobby. It’s still hot by the time he makes it back up - or at least, it had better be, otherwise he’s stuck doing the entire thing over again and Kaiba is in a terrible mood for hours. After over a week of experimentation, Yugi has settled on grabbing a fresh croissant for him in the mornings as well. Mr Kaiba seems to appreciate the taste of it, and literally anything else from the café just gets an angry glare and then passed off on Mokuba.

While Kaiba enjoys his breakfast, Yugi devours his own, and they both check emails and tasks for the day. From there, Yugi presents Kaiba with his schedule - confirmed with Mai - and it’s off to the races. Yugi was surprised at first at how much Mr Kaiba travels around the building during his day - R&D is a frequently visited department - and Yugi is even more surprised at how involved the CEO is in the technology development himself. On more than one occasion Kaiba has taken to a tool or keyboard to fix some perceived error, and for the most part he seems to be correct in each of his judgments. Yugi wonders how much of it is due to Seto Kaiba’s infamous force of will and genius intellect, and how much is due to development teams cowed and meekened by his brute force and micromanaging. Either way, Kaiba seems not to trust a living soul, and morale darkens with each room he enters.

He doesn’t treat Yugi much better. Yugi’s desire to protect the Kaiba brothers is still blossoming with hope and sheer force of will, which is a good thing, because Kaiba the Taller has put in as much effort to make himself unlikeable as humanly possible. He shouts, belittles, sneers, and breaks things. Luckily, it’s been nearly three weeks now, Yugi’s only had one more object thrown at him. That had been an odd day anyway.

Mokuba is okay, but something of a brat, and also extremely clingy. He adores Yugi. Mai is also brat. They’re all brats. All rich, spoiled, clearly traumatized brats who are completely unwilling to deal with their own problems, or at the very least are accustomed to passing them off on others. Mai at least seems to have picked the habit up from the Kaibas, and shows a decent amount of empathy outside of that. She’s always ready with a joke, a snack, and the occasional Kaiba Corp Morning Makeover - great for all-nighters and hangovers, as it turns out.

Despite Mai’s insistence on that first day, Yugi has not gotten rid of his personal phone yet. It sits in the bottom of his backpack most days, set to silent or vibrate, and buried far beneath his lunchbox and clipboards and papers. He thinks about what Mai said, about destroying it, and he can’t. It was a gift from Joey, the first real smartphone he ever had, and he can’t bring himself to destroy something so precious. He deletes the incriminating number and text convo instead, vowing to never ever think of it again. This night in particular, his mind is as far away from it as possible. He’s tired, but it’s nearly the end of the week, and he’s still feeling sharp enough to catch the surprise beer can thrown his way as he enters the apartment.

“Jounouchi!!” He calls out, laughing and cracking the drink open. “You’re gonna give me a concussion one of these days!” Joey whoops, arms in the air in celebration of Yugi’s good catch. “You got it this time, didn’t ya??” he hollers, winding up to throw a PlayStation controller next. “Haven’t seen hands like that since high school!” Yugi laughs, hurrying to the couch to head him off from throwing a $60 piece of hard plastic and electronics at his face. He takes it from him gently, resting it on the coffee table and taking a hearty swig of beer.

“Ahh, god that’s good,” he sighs, sinking into the beat-up couch cushions. “I’m surprised you’re still up! Didn’t you have a stream tonight?” Joey nods, chugging his own drink before answering. “Yeah! Over and done with. But I still got the gaming bug. You up for some MK11? Or how about some Mario Kart?” Yugi chuckles, slipping out of his backpack and picking up the controller. “Those are two very different vibes, Joey. Let’s do Mortal Kombat. I could stand to blow off some work steam.”

Joey nods, pulling the game up and peering at Yugi with careful consideration. “All right. Is work still, uhh. As it’s been? That asshole hasn’t thrown any more shit at you, has he? I swear to god had I been there for that, I don’t care if that creep is a billionaire or not –”

He laughs and shakes his head, selecting his character quickly and motioning for Joey to do the same. “I’m fine, Katsuya! I can handle him just fine. And no, he hasn’t. Doesn’t mean a little bit of violent gore won’t still be cathartic.”

Jounouchi chuckles, smiling at him fondly and clearly relaxing. “A’right then. But if you get nightmares from this, don’t come crawlin’ to me in the middle of the night, okay?”

Yugi knocks Joey’s character to the floor the second the match starts, and he takes the chance to throw him a disparaging look. “I’m a grown adult, Joey, I don’t get nightmares.”

“Says you–hey!! No fair, I was just warming up!!” He growls and goes on the attack. Yugi smoothly dodges. “Everybody gets nightmares, Yugi, I remember how you were during high school sleepovers!”

Yugi clicks his tongue dismissively, keeping himself dancing back and forth on the far side of the screen as Joey’s character reaches for him. “Funny, I don’t,” he teases. “I do seem to remember you not being able to sleep for a week after the MK11 Championships, though.”

Jounouchi grumbles, diving in for the attack again as Yugi throws him a taunt. He gets knocked back to the ground immediately. “Yeah well, I seem to also remember coming home with the gold, you know!” Yugi laughs brightly as his roommate comes back with a much more focused, ruthless series of attacks and feints. He’s about to compliment him when he hears his phone jingle from inside his backpack. He looks over curiously. Who would be messaging him this late, if not for Joey? He frowns, setting his controller down and rummaging through the bag.

“Uhh. Hold on. Hang on, Jou, I wanna see who this is.”

“Prolly spam,” Jounouchi says lazily, continuing his attack with one hand as he drinks his beer. “If y’aint gonna pause, I ain’t gonna neither, Yuug.”

Yugi ignores him, staring at the text with a sinking feeling in his gut. It’s an unknown number. But it looks very, very familiar.

 

12:57 - Unknown Contact: How was your date?

 

Yugi looks back at the TV in numb shock, in just enough time to watch his character get brutally eviscerated.

–

Kaiba sits in his office, more errors flashing across his screen. He’s had it. He’s going to fucking lose it . Another failure. But why?? Everything had seemed perfect. It should be perfect - it should be fucking working , at least. This is just the digital model as well, he hasn’t even got it functioning enough to hook up to the real machine yet. Absolutely terrible.

He stares down at the phone laying serenely next to his hand, tapping impatiently against the glass desk. He’s been fighting the urge off for days. Weeks, actually. The urge to text that strange number again. There is no earthly reason why he should - definitely the opposite. And yet. And yet . The few scattered hours of sleep he’s had over the past few weeks have been brimming with dreams of him . That slender and small body, undulating across purple sheets, that flirty little smile so welcoming and calm and sexy . Kaiba had always categorized sex as a filthy pastime, superficially fun and probably worthwhile for others, but a waste of time and commitment once it really came down to it. Besides, people are disgusting. And untrustworthy. Better to forget about the entire concept, when he can.

But those photos…. The easy comfort, the soft, sunny hominess of them, strikes him even now as he thinks of them. Instead of some illicit, dirty act found through hookup apps and perpetrated in dark secluded rooms, this kind of sex seems… relaxing. Instead of wasting away on midnight coffee in a dreary office building, how nice would it be to go home, check Mokuba’s homework and wish him a good night, then walk into his bedroom and have that beautiful body waiting for him, giggling and warm and delicately masculine, biting at painted nails, naughty and playful and ready and willing to do anything , and wouldn’t it be nice if those giggles and gasps sounded a little bit like Yu–

The phone is in his hands before he can stop himself, desperate to turn the thoughts off by any means. The text is composed to sound nonchalant, but in truth is oozing with insomnia-driven rage . He slams the device down, the aggressive clack of glass on glass hurting his ears. He dives back into his testing, growling with anger and disappointment at himself. Minutes pass, and nothing changes. His phone is still silent, his work is still failing, and he is still a failure. He leans back, tugging woefully at his hair, and sighs. He should just give up. Give up on himself, on this project, on the mystery texter, all of it, call it a night – and then his phone dings.

Kaiba drops everything, his chair snarling against the floor as he slides over and scoops the phone into his hands, the tiniest spark of hope eating through his swelling rib cage.

[Suspicious number, do NOT contact]: 1:14 - Who is this?

Infuriating. Absolutely fucking infuriating.

Who do you think?

1:15 - I have texted a lot of guys lately, I’m sorry. I’m off the market.

Jealousy and fury burn through Seto's ribcage, stupidly. He had no reason to feel attached or possessive.

So I take it that means the date went well

The date you meant to sext instead of me

–

Yugi runs a shaky hand through his hair, feeling sweat beginning to prickle on his brow. Oh fuck. Oh shit. Oh fuck oh shit. It is him. Why is he texting him again after so many weeks?? He looks around, stupidly - he’s already retreated to his bedroom. Joey is nowhere to be found.

Who are you actually and why tf are you texting me back

The phone chimes back immediately. Someone is invested.

1:17 - Call me Seto. I’m curious.

Yugi grits his teeth. “Sssttoooopp, please stop, stop it stop it .”

Well don’t be

He called me a slur when i didn’t get him those pictures right away

So i deleted his info

And yours

And have taken myself off the market due to Too Many Bastards

Happy?

–

Seto frowns. “Why would that make me happy?” he murmurs out loud. “Don’t be stupid.”

Is that a typo? Did he call you a slut? Or a slur?

1:17 - …Slur.

I don't understand. Why would he do that.

1:18 - why do you care?

Because I don’t understand 

1:18 - ??

What does that mean, “??”

1:18 - uh

1:18 - it means I’m confused.

That makes two of us. Why did you waste your time on someone who didn’t respect your identity

1:19 - didn’t know he was an asshole until I disappointed him

1:19 - can’t wait to find out what you turn into

You are fully aware I’m an asshole, and you’re already a disappointment. What do you have to lose?

1:19 - what do I have to gain??

Seto gnashes his teeth, furious that it takes him a moment to come up with an answer.

A new perspective. Why did you waste your time on him? I have to know.

–

Yugi is incredulous. What is with this guy?? He tries to suppress the smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “Lotta attitude on this motherfucker,” he mumbles to himself.

Dick. I wanted dick, okay?

Big, thick, juicy cock.

Sometimes assholes are worth it if you’re cock-hungry enough

–

Kaiba blows out a slow, shuddering breath, mind spinning. No one talks to him like this. No one has ever talked to him like this. He wonders… if he can get him to talk like this… some more.

Or if the cock’s good enough, I take it?

1:21 - Yeah, sometimes.

But if you’d known he was an asshole, you wouldn’t have tried to get together with him.

1:22 - No, I knew he was an asshole. I didn’t know how much of an asshole he was, or that he was a chaser

What is a chaser?

1:22- A chaser is someone who fetishizes and ‘chases’ trans bodies. They want to fuck us, not know us. Dunno if you’ve heard of ‘chubby chasers’. These are ‘tr*nny chasers’.

Seto feels something protective stir within him. Are there people who’ll treat Mokuba this way? Have there already been people treating Mokuba this way…? If there were, how would he even know? He puts the phone down for a moment, feeling suddenly clear headed and stupid. What is he doing? He should be home with Mokuba. He looks at the clock. Mokuba will have been asleep for hours. He feels suddenly very sad, and very, very lonely.

1:27 - hello? Did talking about chasers chase you away?

1:27 - Oh god, you’re a fucking chaser aren’t you

1:28 - that’s why you texted me back, you’re tryin to get laid

Fury again. And embarrassment.

Don’t be ridiculous 

These chasers, are there a lot of them?

My younger brother is trans. I didn’t know there were people like that.

He hesitates.

I don’t want them to be in danger. I want to know if I should be concerned. Do people ‘chase’ nonbinary people as well?

–

Yugi’s heartstrings tug, snagging his sympathy like fishing lures. He’s talking about Mokuba… did Kaiba really not know…?

There are enough. How old is your brother? Is he dating?

Not trying to be nosy. But if he is, it might be worth having a conversation with him about it.

Use me as an example of a transmasc with bad judgment lmao

–

Seto can’t help but smirk.

Don’t worry, I will.

What is a ‘transmasc’? My sibling uses that term a lot. I don’t really understand it.

–

Yugi scratches his head. He has an amazing opportunity here to educate a protective brother in need. But at the same time… this is a horrible idea. Absolutely horrible. But Kaiba needs him. Like, actually . He’s asking him for advice . He wouldn’t ask his assistant, not someone he thinks he’s above. But he’ll ask this strange… what, catfish? Oh god. Is Yugi a catfish? Is he going to become a catfish?? He tries not to think about it, even as his head aches with how fast it’s spinning. He settles into his bed, typing out a few simple responses to the oncoming barrage of trans 101 questions.

–

Seto rakes his hand through his hair, contemplating his phone with silent incredulity. This was in no way what he’d expected. How could he have expected this? He’s learned more in ten minutes of talking to a wrong number than he has since Mokuba had come out to him. Something warm and uncomfortable settles into his chest - the same feeling that had been stirred by that wretched Blue Eyes doodle on his coffee cup. As much as it twists his gut to think it, it’s difficult not to picture Yugi’s shining smile on the other side of the conversation. That kind of irrepressible helpfulness is uncommon.

I appreciate the education. I don’t have much time to go looking into this sort of thing by myself. I would honestly not know where to look. I don’t go online.

1:39 - You’re very welcome. Also, don’t go online. The internet is a nightmare and you would only add to it, charming as your threats to destroy my life have been

Seto snorts, a quick laugh that surprises himself. Is this exchange of insults teasing? Honest hatred? Or… flirting? He wouldn’t have any way of knowing.

It feels like flirting, though.

I am sorry your date did not work out. You seem like the type of person who deserves better.

He hesitates for a long moment, fingers tapping with nervous intensity along the edges of his phone.

For what it’s worth, and without dedicating any investment or interest into this statement, you seem like a genuine and helpful person.

–

Yugi smiles warmly, a soft laugh escaping his nostrils. Kaiba is definitely a different person over text. Well, maybe not that different. He’s basically including a non-disclosure clause in with every positive comment. The dots dance at the bottom of the screen again, and he waits patiently for the next odd comment.

And, again, do not read into this - you are, objectively, a very attractive man and take very good photos. You can do better than the dregs of society. Aim higher.

Yugi’s head is suddenly back to spinning. He covers his mouth with one hand. Kaiba thinks he’s attractive. ‘Objectively’. And what’s with the ‘aim higher’ comment, is he implying…? Is he talking about himself??

I would like to continue our conversations some time. If you are comfortable and willing.

Yugi stares, his hands typing out a polite confirmation before he can even stop himself. He’s not comfortable. Not even slightly. But… for whatever reason, he is willing. Oh god. He’ll need to spend some time and think up a persona. Name, backstory, everything. This can’t go on anonymously forever.

He sleeps fitfully, for the three hours he has left. Joey had been right about playing Mortal Kombat before bed. He wakes in a cold sweat, the visual of Kaiba tearing his heart out of his chest still clear in his mind as his alarm blares in his ears.