Work Text:
Seto Kaiba woke up at 5 am sharp as usual. He looked at the date on the phone. October 25th. This year, he didn’t forget what that date entails — Mokuba made fun of him enough after he wondered why his partners would insist on seeing him in the evening. Even Jules, one of his partners, chastised him at length about how he could forget his own birthday each year. Mokuba woke up early that day to have breakfast with him. Kaiba noted his brother was more awake and less grumpy than he would usually be when he had to wake up in the early morning.
“So you are going to spend the night with Jules? Tadashi will be there too?” Mokuba asked during breakfast.
Kaiba nodded.
“He said he was able to free his schedule and he will fly back to Okinawa tomorrow morning.”
“Huuuh, he still works with Shindo?” Mokuba said in a surprised tone.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t he be?”
“True.” Mokuba laughed
“I just hope Shindo will leave him alone for the night. Or that he won’t comply for once.”
“Hm…. Sounds like He is quite the workaholic kind too… Sometimes I really wonder how Jules bears with both of you.”
Kaiba shrugged.
“He has a thing for this kind of person, I guess. And it’s not like I didn’t try to tell Tadashi to leave some work to his capricious boss.”
“You? Telling someone to work less? I’d love to see that!” Mokuba replied, with a laugh.
Kaiba gave out a snort.
“The list of things he has to do as a secretary is absurd, even to me. I have my limits, you know.”
Mokuba raised an eyebrow.
“You sound like Tadashi has to dress his boss up every morning or something.”
Kaiba sipped from his cup of coffee.
“Hmph.”
Mokuba raised his hands in apology.
“For real?! Nevermind, sorry!”
Kaiba got up from his chair, ignoring Mokuba’s flabbergasted expression.
“Told you. Anyway I have to go, if I want to be out of work for dinner.” Kaiba said while putting on the beige trenchcoat Mokuba gifted him for his birthday. His brother had given the gift — he wanted to give at least one of them knowing Kaiba would be busy today — the day before.
“See ya!” Mokuba waved him.
Kaiba was unusually happy on his birthday — of course no one would notice it unless they knew well enough to break through his facade — and couldn’t focus as well as usual.
“Come in.” He replied as he heard a knock on his door.
His secretary came in right away, bowing in respect.
“I’m apologizing for bothering you, mister Kaiba, but I wanted to make sure you were available on the 25th next month for the sponsoring meeting, since you said you weren’t on the 22nd….”
“The 25th is ok. Just make sure it’s in the afternoon.”
Kaiba was free in the morning of the 25th but he wanted to save some more time to savor the great weekend he planned the days before — as he dreaded that meeting with some obnoxious duellists and artists begging to be sponsored by the Kaiba Corp.
“Very well, mister Kaiba. Also, mister Jonouchi would like to have a word with you.”
“And why?”
“He seemed adamant on having a meeting with you on November 22nd. I tried to tell him you weren’t available on that day but…”
“Whatever. Let him in. I know I won’t hear the end of it until I deal with it myself.”
The secretary bowed and went to tell Jonouchi to come into the office.
“Kaiba!”
“You don’t have to scream, I can hear perfectly well, Jounouchi.”
Jounouchi grumbled. And Kaiba started to feel not so excited about his birthday anymore. And way more tired. If only the day could pass faster so he could get out of work, he thought probably for the first time in his life.
“And what’s your problem? I don’t have the time of the day.” Kaiba asked.
“You said you were busy on the 22nd November.” Jounouchi replied.
“And just why are you so hung up on that? Aren’t you free any other day?”
“I do. I just find it strange for you to be so insistent on having a free day.”
“So you have business with my personal life now?” Kaiba asked with sarcasm.
“I couldn’t care less about your non-existent life outside of work”
“Non-existent?”
“Ok there’s Jules. keep forgetting you somehow got a boyfriend.”
“Your sister’s fault for introducing him to me.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Kaiba was losing his patience, frantically looking at the hour.
“I’m busy, Jonouchi, so, once again, cut it short.”
Jounouchi grinned.
“You have a date tonight? For your birthday?”
“I’m losing patience.”
“So you have a date. But…”
“But what, Jounouchi.”
“Thought Jules’ birthday was back in spring.”
“Why are you so curious about why I’m not available on that date? You aren’t even concerned as your meeting will be during the contract renewal period, which falls in January. ” Kaiba cringed his teeth in annoyance.
“Oh! I didn’t know that. I thought it was just like Anzu.”
“Of course you wouldn’t.”
“Hey-”
“Because we didn’t send out the emails yet. So are you done here?”
“Does Yugi know? What you are doing in November, I mean.”
“No, he doesn’t. Because he would of course spill the beans to you.”
Kaiba really didn’t have the occasion to talk about Tadashi to Yugi, or anyone else besides Mokuba, as Tadashi was the most recent addition to the couple and it only being a few months ago.
“M’ok. I’m done for real now. See ya! And Happy Birthday by the way, jerk.”
“Hmph.”
And Jounouchi finally got out of his office and Kaiba could finally focus on his work. He looked at the hour and he understood he wouldn’t get much done today, before he had to go.
10+ notifications from JuSeTa
I will never get used to that crappy name. Kaiba thought before looking through the conversation.
Jules: Happy Birthday Seto!!! <3
Tadashi: Happy Birthday, Seto.
Kaiba didn’t know why they both sent him birthday messages since he would see them tonight but he shrugged it off. However, the next few messages were impossible to ignore.
Tadashi : I’m afraid master Ainosuke is insisting on dining with me tonight.
Kaiba cringed harder. Today was getting more and more challenging.
Jules: Why?!?!
Tadashi: I don’t know.
Jules: It means to be a date, he can not come!!!!!
Tadashi: The thing is I have yet to tell him about our relationship.
Jules: Hm…. Can’t you try to lie a little bit?
Tadashi: I didn’t think you would ever suggest that.
Jules: ikr. Anyway you don’t have much choice here. Since he doesn’t know.
Tadashi: I don’t like lying to Ainosuke but ok then, I will try that.
There was a gap between Tadashi’s both messages.
Tadashi: He looked perplexed for a moment but it seems like it worked. I told him I had to see a family member.
Jules: Yeeah!!!! \0/
Kaiba started typing.
Reply to: Tadashi
Good grief. You should just have told him to fuck off, though.
Jules and Tadashi are typing….
Seto : I was joking.
Tadashi : Here is the restaurant address.
Il Ristorante Luca Fantin
2-chōme-7-12 Ginza, Chuo City
We are meeting there, if I recall?
Jules: yup!
Seto changed the conversation name to “The CEO, The Nerd and The Politician’s Babysitter”
Jules and Tadashi are typing…
Jules: what with that name?
Seto: I just needed to change that crappy name you put.
Jules: It's just a combination for our names!
Tadashi: May I ask why I’m called the Babysitter?
Seto: *Politician Babysitter. And that’s how you look.
Tadashi: But I am just doing my work.
Seto: You will get it some day. Jonouchi has greatly wasted my time earlier already. Getting a headache from thinking about it.
Jules : What did he say?
Seto: For some reason, he decided to bother me about why I was going to be busy for Tadashi’s birthday.
Jules: Ah…
Seto: The day he knows I have not only one but two boyfriends will give me the worst migraine in my life. Anyway I got to work and both of you too, actually. Patrons won’t be happy to see their librarian on their phone.
Jules: *salute emoji* see you later
Tadashi : I have a meeting soon so I will turn off my phone.
Kaiba put down his phone after reading the two last messages and went back to work, focused on working the best he could before leaving.
That meeting was excessively boring to Tadashi. Not only it was boring but it was a pain to listen to as they were discussing same sex marriage and relationships — in pejorative terms to say the least. Ainosuke Shindo barged in a few times to defend those rights but to no avail. Those old and samewise minded people wouldn’t change their mind and despite Ainosuke’s aura, they were yet to take him fully seriously — deeming him ‘too young to know anything’ He almost sighed in relief once it was over.
“Those old geezers….” Ainosuke cringed.
“They are the way they are, I suppose.” Tadashi tried to calm him down despite his own feelings on the matter.
“You also looked about to explode, Tadashi.” Ainosuke retorked.
“My feelings don’t matter… during work.” Tadashi replied. He remembered Jules’ talk on being more forward about his feelings while he spoke.
Tadashi turned his phone back on and went to the messaging app. He noticed Jules didn’t change their conversation’s name.
Tadashi: I’m done for the day. The meeting with the Diet deputies was excruciating.
Jules: what happened?
Tadashi: They started to discuss same-sex marriage laws even though it wasn’t among the subjects of the day. It is better if I don’t repeat what they have said. And there are the ones who don’t take master Ainosuke seriously, due to his youth.
Jules reacted to Tadashi’s message with *crying emoji*
Jules: that sucks. wish i could hug you rn *crying emoji*
Kaiba reacted to Tadashi’s message with *angry emoji*
Kaiba: Once you reach a certain age, you should just be kicked out of the office.
Jules: You know that includes you, right? You can’t work your whole life either.
Tadashi : You are technically a mayor since you own a city so Jules is right about this.
Kaiba: ….. You may, and only may, have a point.
Tadashi couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Ainosuke asked.
Tadashi blushed in embarrassment and hid his phone back in his pocket. Ainosuke raised an eyebrow and said:
“I hope you will introduce them to me soon, Tadashi.”
“May I ask who you are talking about?” Tadashi questioned, knowing very well Ainosuke was referring to.
“Your partner, or partners whatever it is, the one you are ditching me for tonight.”
“I will not ditch you or anything- And 'Partners"? ”
Tadashi started to panic.
“I already told you many times you didn’t have to justify yourself on the matter. Having several partners have been a thing for a while in America, and everywhere else in fact. I can't judge anyway, love is love. However— Ainosuke put a threatnening emphasis on the word — If they dare to abandon you, I will gladly take care of them, you are my favorite dog after all. ” Ainosuke said.
“Thank you, master Ainosuke.” Tadashi bowed with his words.
“Anyway, drive me back to the hotel and then, I will let you go for the day.”
“Very well, master Ainosuke.”
Tadashi went to retrieve the car from the parking lot and drove Ainosuke back to the hotel they were staying in. They walked together until Ainosuke’s hotel room, which came first and went separate ways as Tadashi walked in his room, beside Ainosuke’s. He took a shower and changed his clothes for more casual clothes: a mid-length sleeve grey shirt — gifted to him by Jules — and black pants. He put a small bag on the hotel bed where he packed pajamas, night necessities and, of course, Kaiba’s present. He looked at the hour and found that he had some time before he had to meet with his partners. He found himself scrolling through their group conversation which still had Seto’s joke name.
Jules: I’m on my way!
Tadashi: I am leaving soon too.
Kaiba: same for me.
The restaurant was not so far from where he was staying and he arrived soon enough in front of the establishment. He noticed Jules — he was wearing a dark coat, a dark shirt with a red flowers pattern and beige pants — was waving at him. Tadashi waved back and walked to him.
“Hello, you are already here? I thought you were living quite far from here.”
“It’s manageable, don’t worry!”
Tadashi smiled.
“That’s great. Did you dye your hair?” Tadashi noticed that Jules’ black short curls — they were falling next to his chin — hair had blue sparkles.
“Yes! I’m glad you noticed it! I did them yesterday. Forgot to send a selfie.”
Jules’ voice cracked slightly with this sentence.
“It looks great on you.”
“Hehe, thank you.” Jules’ voice cracked with his laugh again.
Jules lowered his head, hiding an embarrassed smile.
“Are you wearing my shirt?”
Tadashi blushed.
“Hm yes, it is practical and-
He interrupted himself.
“I like it a lot.” He finished.
Kaiba was arriving soon to the restaurant when his work phone rang.
“I forgot to turn it off.” He grumbled, picking up the call anyway.
“I thought I was clear enough when I said I wasn’t available past work tonight.” He said right away.
Kaiba calmed down once he knew who was on the other side.
“Ah, Yugi. Like I said, if it’s for work, it will have to wait until tomorrow.” He repeated, less harsh.
“Jounouchi? It’s personal so you shouldn’t call on my pro number for that.”
“Sorry I’m not used to having your personal number yet. Anyway I’ll let you be, have a fun night!” Yugi said on the other side.
“Ok, bye.” Kaiba hung up afterwards.
Kaiba’s driver stopped in a parking lot and opened the door for him. The CEO walked to the restaurant and saw his two boyfriends were already there. They were chatting happily.
“It seems like I'm disturbing you two.” Kaiba came out from behind Jules.
“Seto! Were you here?” Jules asked.
“Not at all. I was just joking.”
“Good evening, Seto.” Tadashi greeted Kaiba.
Then Kaiba pointed at Tadashi’s bag.
“Give me that, my driver will bring it back to my house.”
Tadashi gave his bag to Kaiba who gave it to his driver who was now standing beside him.
“Tell the employees they will be two guests tonight.” Kaiba told his employee, who nodded and left. “
“Let’s go.”
“Did you get a new coat?” Tadashi asked Kaiba.
“Mokuba gifted it to me for my birthday.” Kaiba replied.
“It looks nice.”
“It does.”
Kaiba played with Jules’ hair as they waited in the queue. After a few minutes, the throuple was able to enter the restaurant.
“Good evening. Did you have a reservation?” The waiter at the entry asked.
“Good evening. We had a reservation for 3 under the name Kikuchi.” Tadashi replied.
“Yes! Let’s get you to your table.” The waiter confirmed.
The table they were sitting at was next to the window, offering the magnificent view of Tokyo nights to them.
Jules shifted in his seat.
“I will never get used to this kind of restaurant.” He said, as he eats a piece of his meal.
“Then, I will bring you to even more luxury restaurants.” Kaiba replied.
“It’s something you are getting slowly accusmosted to.” Tadashi added.
“By the way, Jules, how was your day? Better than ours, hopefully.” Kaiba asked.
Jules swallowed his food before replying.
“Good. There weren’t many people so not much room for the annoying ones.”
“Great.” Kaiba and Tadashi said.
Jules ranted about one of the older patrons who kept pestering him for being too slow. Tadashi talked about the old deputies’ remark and Seto detailed his conversation with Jounouchi. The conversations were mundane but it felt good to Tadashi to let his heart out, at least a little having someone to talk about his day was soothing.
“How do you find the wine? I went with the suggestions I had from another secretary.” Tadashi asked Kaiba.
“Excellent, I must say.” Kaiba replied with a smirk.
This smirk elicted the thought he would have often. It has been five months since he would have been in this polyamorous relationship but he was still amazed about how he got the romantic attention of two persons, he often thought he would have never dreamed of that if it weren’t for Jules, who introduced him to Kaiba, and Kaiba for paying attention to him. Jules stared at his plate, daydreaming about how amazingly lucky he was to be surrounded by two handsome, elegant and tall men. Kaiba didn’t mind the silence. His boyfriends were the silent type, just like him and preferred it that way. Having a boyfriend, let alone two, understanding his introversion was a blessing.
"Mister Ainosuke knew I was going out with you, or at least a partner, after all." Tadashi voiced out, slightly concerned. The silence had made him go circles.
"And?" Kaiba questionned.
"He said he would like to meet you soon." Tadashi finished.
"He is in for a surprise." Kaiba said.
Tadashi thought about Ainosuke talking about polyamory 'out of nowhere'.
"He mentionned polyamory for some reason. I'm sorry for messing this evening up, I felt like I should be transparent about this, after all." Tadashi explained
"Don't even worry about messing anything up! You have every right to express your feelings. Plus, it's for the better, so we can prepare ourselves properly." Jules said.
"Can I?" Jules asked with his hand over Tadashi's back.
Tadashi nodded.
"There... It will be okay. Or at least we have your back."
Kaiba nodded in approval.
"I think the surprise would be more on me being one of your partners, however. Since Shindo already knows Jules."
Tadashi laughed.
"You aren't wrong."
Jules and Tadashi then ate their desserts and the throuple left the restaurant to go to Kaiba’s mansion after that.
The Kaiba Mansion was silent as the house employees had left the house for the day or went to their quarters for those who lived here.
“Your bags are in my bedroom.”
“And your gifts are in our bags.” Jules said.
“Gifts? I thought the restaurant was a gift.”
Jules scratched his head.
“My present isn’t much but I thought I would get you something else…”
“Same for me.” Tadashi said.
“Hmph.”
Kaiba couldn’t reply much to those expressions of love.
Jules barely resisted the urge to jump on the gigantic baladinquin bed when the throuple entered the room.
“Let’s get changed. I want to jump right into that bed~” Jules whined.
“This is what we were going to do anyway but come back here first.”
Kaiba locked the bedroom with one hand before bringing it back to pull Jules into a hug with one hand, the man then leaned to kiss his boyfriend lovingly for some time.
“Sorry, Tadashi, I didn’t mean to third wheel you. A three-way kiss isn’t exactly the most practical kiss, even less when we have one midget as a partner.” He said, shooting a look at Jules.
“Hey, it’s not my fault!” Jules pouted.
“You are cuter this way so I don’t mind.” Kaiba joked.
“You are in a joking mood, tonight, Seto.” Tadashi said.
Seto pulled Tadashi into a kiss without offering a reply.
“It’s just that I’m in a better mood now that I’m with my boyfriends. Plus, it’s my birthday. I get to do what I want, as someone has said once. ” Kaiba replied after they separated. He shot a look at Jules with his last words.
It was now obvious all of them wanted to do more but couldn’t as it was forbidden to lay in Kaiba’s bed with outside clothes.
“I’m going to get changed.” Kaiba said. The two others nodded in understanding. They knew he had issues changing in front of anyone due to his childhood trauma and the scars he still bore from it. Kaiba went to the bathroom beside the bedroom and locked the door.
Tadashi looked at Jules in expectation. The latter reached to caress his left hand with his thumb.
“We didn’t get to kiss.” Jules stated.
Tadashi didn’t need to hear anything less to take Jules’ chin with between his thumb and other fingers and, in turn, kiss him. Tadashi got his tongue and licked Jules’ lips, who opened their mouths in return. Their tongues danced together for a short time before Tadashi pulled away.
“You missed me, it seems.” Jules taunted.
“I did. Very much so.” Tadashi replied.
Jules was taken back by Tadashi’s emotional reply. He blushed heavily.
“I… am going to get changed right now.” Jules said.
“I’m also going to.” Tadashi said, also blushing, surprised by his own reply.
Tadashi found himself taking a peek of Jules changing and noticed he wore light blue lace panties instead of his usual boxers.
“Oh…”
Jules jumped.
“Hm?”
“Sorry.”
“It’s a surprise, don’t tell him yet.” Jules said, pointing at his panties.
Tadashi nodded. He wondered if he would get this kind of attention for his birthday, too.
Seto went back into the room a few minutes after Jules and Tadashi were done changing.
“Sorry I needed to wash up a little. But it seemed like I interrupted you instead.” Kaiba apologized. He then raised an eyebrow when he saw Jules’s pajamas, a cutesy t-shirt and a purple with white dots pants.
“Somebunny loves you?” Seto read on Jules’ t-shirt, who was now wearing a white t-shirt with a rabbit on it and the writing. Tadashi stared at it without a word.
“What’s you two’s problems with it? It’s cute!”
“I would call it a bit corny. But it does suit you, cutie.”
Jules pouted.
“Anyway let’s give you your gift before I change my mind, meanie.” Jules said. Jules reached into his bag while Tadashi reached into his own.
“Happy Birthday, Seto!” Jules said, handing his birthday gift to Kaiba.
“Happy Birthday, Seto.” Tadashi also said, doing the same as Jules.
Seto started to open Jules’ gift. It was a small Battle Ox plush with big round black eyes, typical of plushies.
“A Battle Ox plush? I forgot this thing even existed.”
“It’s cute, isn’t it?”
“It is. I must admit.” Kaiba gave a peck to Jules’ lips.
Kaiba then opened Tadashi’s present. A soft purple tie.
“I thought purple would suit you pretty well so I bought that one….”
“It looks great, thank you.”
Seto also gave a peck on Tadashi’s lips.
“What are you grinning for?” Kaiba asked Jules.
“I’m just happy to see you being so affectionate to each other.”
Kaiba and Tadashi looked at each other and nodded.
“Then, we will have to show you again how good of a team we can be.” Kaiba said as he lifted Jules in his arms to bring him on the bed. Tadashi followed suit.
Both of the taller men were kissing Jules’ neck and soon enough, clothes flew through the room. Kaiba noticed Jules’ panties, blushed and looked away for a second.
“Sorry, I lost the hairs’ battle.” Jules said, referring to his hairs on his privates.
“Don’t worry about that. I was just… looking. or not.” Kaiba kissed him anyway to reassure them.
The morning after, the three of them woke up in each other’s arms.