From My Head to My Heart

Author: Serena J

Rating: R

Genre(s): Omegaverse

Pairing(s): Standard Hikari/Yami

Spoilers: none

Beta: Mishiko Shinsei

Disclaimer: Just the words, not the folks

Summary: What secret does Alpha executive Seto Kaiba hide even from the board of directors? What mystery does omega idol Jou keep out of the limelight? I'll tell you yours if you show me mine.


Chapter 12 - Alpha

"I have met your mother." Seto frowned at the mirror. "No, not the right feel. Get me the dark brown herringbone. Your mother assisted in forming the internship, actually."

"My mother?" Katsuya snorted. "Wrong Kawai."

"Kawai Ayuka? She provided office clothes for the underprivileged participants. Surprisingly, many omegas have never worn a suit, much less own one. Ah, yes. Much better. The tan silk, I think."

"Sir, may I suggest the forest green chambray?" Tashi offered. "And, if I may presume, your green sapphire collection?"

Seto considered it.

"How do you have time to dress everyday?" Kat burst. They'd been in the room-sized closet for the better part of an hour. "It's freakin' dinner, not meeting the Emperor!"

"The green, yes. There is a tie with a plaid I believe will match." Tashi moved to gather the items, and Seto turned to his new mate. "Dinner with the Emperor would be easier - I don't need to impress him. This is dinner with your mother's family. A family who has been known as a leader in men's fashion since before either of us was born." Impulsively, the exec kissed Kat's cheek. "Come help me select a watch."

"A watch? Doesn't Tashi-san do all that?"

"No. He maintains my closet, tailors my suits, sees that proper care is taken - special cleaning, repairs, etc. If I need to replace something, he'll shop for it. But foundation garments, accessories, jewelry? I select and purchase those for myself. Let's see. These shoes, belt…."

Katsuya laughed. "You know, the old man doesn't put this much work into it, and he lives with her!"

"He's not asking permission to marry her grandson. I was thinking this one, or is it too ostentatious?"

Kat frowned. "Eh. Kinda overdone. They know you got money. Hey! What's this?"

He pulled out a Timex with a worn leather strap. It had been under the display of watches, and only just barely visible.

Seto smiled at it fondly and took it gently from Kat. "That is the only thing of my father's - my real father - that I have. I was afraid it would be stolen at the orphanage, so I always wore it around my ankle." He laughed softly. "It was too big for me."

Kat took the watch and buckled it around Seto wrist. "Seems to fit now."

Fire seemed to spread from Seto's hand through his entire body. He felt himself trembling as he looked at the face of the man who in one moment stole his mind, heart, body and soul.

"You must have been adorable as a kid." Katsuya snickered. "I'll bet you were one of those fussy kids that always had to have their toys arranged in the same spots."

Seto looked away, trying not to be embarrassed and aroused and in love at the same time. "They were easier to find that way." He cleared his throat and looked back at the jewelry. "But this would not be appropriate -"

"Why not? I got a sweatshirt from my old man I wear all the time. Besides aren't you the 'my way or fuck off' kinda guy?"

"That," Seto grinned at him, "presumes that wearing a watch 20 years out of date suits me."

"Oh, well, excuse me!"

"As it happens, this band does coordinate well with my shoes." He turned, hoping he wasn't actually blushing. "Tashi. I will dress myself. See if Katsuya has anything wearable in his closet."

He shooed the two out, and closed his bedroom door with a happy sigh. If someone had told him years ago how happy being bonded would make him, he would have resigned from KaibaCorp then. As it stood now, it was all he could do to keep his composure when Katsuya was near.

Sex nightly with the beauty had kept the heat issues at bay. How perfect they were for each other - a dominant omega finding an Alpha who wanted to be submissive.

The only irritation in the situation was the damn Board of Directors. Someone had been digging into his past.

Gozaburo, Roland discovered, had made a generous donation of technology to the orphanage. During the upgrade, some data had regrettably been lost. No one had ever found the USB drive Gozaburo obtained during the adoption, so that avenue of inquiry was firmly closed.

Records at the Health Ministry, however, were better preserved, easier to access via bribery, and it was less clear who made improper inquiries.

There was no law stating that omegas were barred from anything. In fact, several laws stipulated that in was illegal to discriminate based on sex or gender. But businesses did have the right to hire based on 'internal criteria and common corporate culture practices.'

And if the company was owned by a family who conveniently only gave birth - or at least only registered - Alpha children, the 'corporate culture' at most companies was Alphas Only for senior management.

Even KaibaCorp had a policy regarding omegas holding C-level positions. That was the real reason Mokuba was the next Head of Kaiba and Seto merely acting head until his brother turned of age. The commonly held belief was that Mokuba inherited Gozaburo's stock and personal assets as a last insult to his elder son. It was not. It was one more challenge, one final opportunity for Seto to finally fail.

'Not in this lifetime. Otou-sama.'

Later, as he, Katsuya and Mokuba rode to the Kawai residence, Seto appraised them both. Mokuba, brilliantly, wore his school uniform, with all honors. Without a word, he showed himself to be intelligent, well-bred, and civic-minded. And humble. Katsuya wore jeans.

"It is a sad state of affairs when even Tashi finds your wardrobe hopeless," Seto sighed.

"I'm telling you, this is not a big deal."

"Do you bring all of your fiancés to meet your mother's family?"

"What all? I'm still not sure about this married thing!"

"Then this would qualify as a big deal, correct?"

"Do you ever listen to what other people say?"

"Nope!" Mokuba answered for his brother. "But he's always right, so it doesn't matter."

"Jeez! Two of you!"

"Mokuba, no confrontations this evening. I wish to leave these people with a positive opinion of us."

"Sure!"

"Does your mother know?" Seto looked at his mate.

It took him a moment to respond. "What - who, me? That is so weird. Does my mother know what?"

"Your determination. I avoid gender specific references, but it -"

"Oh. Yeah, she knows. But not anybody else. I don't think. I don't know - the whole family could be laughing at me. Bitch."

"So that you are aware, aside from my personal physician, the only people who know my determination are in this car. And Tashi. I intend for things to remain that way."

"I ain't tellin'! Hell, I still don't believe it!"

The home they eventually reached was a European mansion. A crowd was waiting in the foyer.

The Designer and the Photographer stepped forward and bowed almost before their visitors were fully through the door.

"We are most honored to have you join us this evening, Kaiba-san," she said. "Thank you."

"The honor is ours, Kawai-san." He bowed as deeply. "Please forgive our intrusion."

"Oh, come on!" Katsuya ruined the formal air of the moment. "It's just dinner!"

"I wanna meet him!" A young voice demanded, before Seto heard an adult reprimand it.

"Ok, her, you should meet." He grabbed Seto's arm more roughly than the executive was used to. "Oh, Mokuba, these old people are my grandparents, those idiots are my uncles." He virtually dragged Seto past Kawai Ayuka and the Russian man beside her. "Wicked Witch, flying monkey." He stopped abruptly in front of a young girl, "and this is my sister, Shizuka."

Seto realized his error immediately. He had dressed to impress the wrong family member. He dropped to one knee, happy that his bowed head hid his ear-to-ear grin. "I am honored to meet you, Shizuka-sama."

Behind him, Mokuba coughed, and Katsuya groaned.

"You don't look like rat."

Mokuba and Katsuya both snickered, and Seto had to look at the young lady. "I don't?"

She shook her head. "Otou-san said you were a blue-eyed rat and you only wanted to H with Kat-niichan."

"Ah. I see." Seto felt the whole family's eyes boring into him. "I had thought we should have this conversation after dinner, but perhaps it would be better to speak now. Tell me, are you allowed to speak for the Kawai Family on the matter of Katsuya?"

The man himself protested, but his mother spoke over him. "She is our spokesperson for the issue. We will consider her recommendation."

The man beside Ayuka bent down to Shizuka. They bore a striking resemblance. "Ask him what his intentions are."

She looked at everyone, puzzled. Then her eyes landed on Seto and narrowed. "You want to take Kat-niichan away and make him your mate, don't you!"

"Well," again he fought not to grin at her, "not quite. You see, I would like to make Katsuya my wife. I won't take him far and I promise I will take very good care of him."

"Kat-niichan's omega. He has to be a mate."

"I want Katsuya to be my mate and my wife."

"You didn't have an omiai. He can't be a wife without a proper omiai! You have to send a picture and everything."

"Oh, yes. I see. I did skip a few traditions. Very well, next week, I will send a proper omiai request. What else?"

She thought about it. "It has to be Western."

"Western?"

"So I can be the flower girl!"

She began describing an elaborate ceremony, largely centered on her rather than the supposed bridal couple, and eventually most of the room was chuckling.

"Hey!" Katsuya finally cut between them. "I'm not wearing a white dress!"

"But you have to! You're the bride!"

The siblings began arguing.

The Photographer laughed. "We can hardly say 'no' now that plans are underway, can we?"

Seto stood up and brushed off his pants. "She's quite efficient. And quite determined."

"Are we going to stand here all night?" One of Katsuya's uncles complained. "Let's go eat!" The man clasped Seto's shoulder. "This way, Kaiba-kun! I'm Ayuhito, this beauty is my omega Kiki. Mom and Dad will stand here and talk for hours if you let them!"

The formal dining hall seated 20, and with the family, their spouses and their four omega mates, the space was needed. And yet, despite the size of the gathering, the evening was extremely informal. There was teasing, name-calling and rude questions. There was yelling and laughing. To Seto, it felt like a family dinner, the kind he hadn't had since Papa died. He found his fingers caressing the watch face again.

"I can't help noticing that old watch, Kaiba-kun." Ayuichi - the eldest son - commented. "Does it chafe?"

"It was my father's. He could not be here with us, but Katsuya reminded me that he should be represented."

"A family heirloom," the Designer smiled. "How lovely. Yes, I think you will suit our Kat-chan quite well."


Chapter 12 - Omega

The date was White Day. The dress was Vera Wang.

Kat looked in the mirror and sighed. The old lady hadn't wanted to risk him not looking perfect on his 'special day', so she called in a favor and had Vera design an omega dream dress.

It wasn't really a dress, just a hakama made of soft, white silk. The blouse-like top exposed his collar bones - and his bite - and had long, flowing sleeves. The silk was decorated with dragons.

It was perfect.

"Gotta admit, son, I'm damn jealous." His father smoothed the shoulder. "You almost look better than me."

"This whole thing is crazy," he sighed again.

"You let your grandmother plan it!" Dad chuckled. "What did you think would happen?"

"Oh. My. God!" Yugi came in the hotel suite. "The Prince is here!"

"Of course your dude's here, goof!"

"Not, my prince, The Prince! Naruhito Hiro-no-miya is sitting across from Atemu."

"Jeez! She invited the freakin' Emperor?"

"Kaiba must have," Yugi clarified. "He was on the groom's side, and Mokuba-kun was talking to him and Princess Masako. Wow, Kat-chan! You look beautiful!"

"Jeez. Thanks."

"Are you embarrassed?" Yugi snickered. "I thought you -"

"Hello?" Kat's mother entered the room abruptly. "Just wanted to see you while you're still my son."

"As if!" he scoffed. He stepped away from the mirror. "I'm busy, y'know?"

"Kat!" His father kissed her cheek. "Stop being an ass. Where's Mikail?"

"Downstairs. He didn't think he'd be welcome."

"Go figure." Dad picked up a camera. "I'm going to see if anyone needs a hand. Mutou-kun, mind coming with?"

"Oh! Sure, of course!"

"I love you, son." Dad kissed Katsuya's cheek. "Kaiba's the lucky one."

"...yeah...Dad...quit it."

His mother waited until the door closed. "So. I know things have never been easy between us."

"Yeah."

"But I want you to know." She paused. "You don't have to do this."

"What?"

"The wedding. The marriage. You don't have to do it."

"We're Bonded," he said before he edited himself.

"Kat, darling, you're both Alphas. You can't bond. But even if you really were omega - even if that bite was more than symbolic - and I don't mean that's not important." She moved her hair off the back of her neck. "Look." There were two small bites right under the neckline of her dress. "One is Ren's, the other's Mikail's. It doesn't matter if they're real or not. It matters that they're there."

She turned to face him again. "Katsuya, if you want this. If you really want to be here, then I am the happiest woman in the world. But, if you want out, if you don't want to marry an Alpha that makes me look humble and shy in comparison, you don't have to."

Katsuya stared at her for a moment.

"So what, I can just walk out?" Which sounded so, so tempting.

"Walk out. I'll take care of everything. I'll be the villain."

Walking out would be easy, if they both were Alpha.

But Kat had heard the sobbing, the throwing up, the anger and frustration and pain his father went through every time he went into heat and his mother wasn't there.

Kaiba would go through it, he thought. Kaiba would be in agony, and I'd be someplace else.

But she doesn't know that, he reminded himself. She doesn't know, and she can't know.

Suddenly the weight of it all hit him. With one thoughtless moment, Katsuya committed himself to protecting Kaiba's secret - or to engineering his fall.

"Kat?" His mother touched him gently. "Sit down before you fall. Here." She pulled out her phone. "I'm calling this off!"

"NO!" He tried to pull the phone from her. "I can't. I - I mean, I don't want to. Call it off, I mean. I - I want to marry him. It's just a lot, right now. It all kinda hit me. Look, he's cool when he's not being all corporate." He looked at her and sighed. "Which, I guess, is kinda true for you, too."

She smiled gently. "A pretty reliable source has it that I'm mostly corporate. I only have two redeeming features." She stroked his face gently. "And I'm about to give one of them away."

Katsuya tried to look away. "Come on," he mumbled, "don't get all sentimental."

"Did I ever tell you why I fell in love with your father?"

"Tsk! No!" He tried to recover some bravado. "What, you lose a bet?"

"He stole my heart the second I saw his face." She kissed his forehead. "Just like you did." She primped in the mirror for a moment, making sure her hair covered the back of her neck again. "If you change your mind about this - any of this - call me."

She left and he sighed heavily again. Mom almost looked teary-eyed. It was a scary thought that the wicked witch might actually have a heart.

No mates, no spouses, no kids. Katsuya had promised himself. No ties, no bonds, no 'have to's'. Marrying anybody was crazy, but Kaiba? An omega passing as a super elite Alpha hooking up with a loser, made-for-H omega wannabe? Just plain stupid.

A message chimed. Are you coming down?

He checked the time. Officially, the ceremony should be starting now.

He typed back. Made that choice when I bit you, right?

Yes. You did, came the quick reply.

Jeez, Kat snickered. Shoe malfunction. On my way.

He checked his appearance, then added the last detail - a traditional veil. He picked up his bouquet of blue roses and headed down to the hotel's main ballroom.

His Dad and Mikail were both waiting at the elevator when he arrived.

"Wow," Mikail gasped. "Stunning!"

Kat tried not to blush. Modeling, he was used to comments like that but from family and Yugi it was just embarrassing.

"I hate to tell you this, Kat, but some of your fans got in. We've got them cordoned off, but short of arresting them, well…."

Katsuya grinned. "That, I can handle! A few photos, a couple autographs? It's all good."

"No photos, no autographs." Mikail shook his head. "We walk through the lobby as briskly as we can." He opened the door into the main lobby.

There were velvet ropes creating a path through a sea of mostly crying girls yelling 'Jou-chan'. Flashes went off continuously. Hotel security stood at the base of the stairs for the ballroom level so they could move unimpeded from that point on.

But on the mezzanine overlooking the lobby, Katsuya stopped. He pulled a single rose out of his bouquet, kissed it, then tossed it toward a girl he saw standing alone. The crowd shrieked.

"You done?" Dad huffed.

"Yeah." Grinning, Kat waved goodbye and the three men hurried to the ballroom, where Shizuka and Yugi were waiting.

As they arrived at the door, they could hear the traditional wedding march beginning. Shizuka proceeded down the aisle immediately. His father and Mikail both offered their arms.

"What the -"

"Not now, boy!" Dad snapped. Yugi took Kat's bouquet, and proceeded behind Shizuka. "Both or neither."

Kat frowned, but took both arms. If he had to admit it, he actually did like Mikail. They proceeded down the aisle. There were gasps and murmurs of appreciation.

But Kat's eyes were captured by the blue flames waiting at the front of the room.

Those flames burned away all doubt, all fear. Issues? Problems? Nothing. Those impossible eyes were all that could possibly matter. Katsuya was sure things were happening, words were being said, but the only thing he could hear was his heart pounding dangerously fast.

Those blue flames looked deeply into his own eyes and promised to love and cherish Katsuya forever. And when prompted, Kat found it impossible not to make the same promise. He is my Alpha. I am his omega. For a long as we both shall live.

"... you may kiss the bride."

The flames seemed to burn even more deeply as Kaiba lifted the veil from Kat's face. The kiss was passionate, but brief. Too brief.

Then Kaiba pulled him, and Katsuya was swept down the aisle before he noticed that classic ending music.

"This way," he heard Tamura snap.

Then, they were just in a dark room and Kat was being pushed against a wall as Kaiba sucked the air from his lungs. It was dizzying. And wonderful.

When someone knocked on the door, Kat thought he might pass out.

"Damn," Kaiba gasped. "We have to return."

Return? The word didn't connect to anything in Kat's mind. "Ok," he agreed and pulled Kaiba back for more kissing. Kissing was good.

It was a short kiss. "Katsuya," the name sent a thrill through Kat's body. "...stop tempting me...we don't have -" There was a loud, heavy thump on the door. "That was Tamura's warning."

"Warning?" Kat sighed.

"Katsuya -"

The way he said it made Kat shiver. "Jeez! How do you say it like that?"

"Say what?"

"My name. It's like you fuck me with my name."

Kaiba arched an eyebrow. Then he smirked. "Kat-su-ya," he purred.

Kat honestly thought he could come from that alone.

"Kat-su-" There was a second thump. "Damn it!" Kaiba shouted over his shoulder. "We heard you the first million times!" He nuzzled Kat's bare shoulder. "This dress is astounding. No wonder it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. We never would have left your room!"

Kat giggled. He felt drunk.

"I promise we'll finish this later."

Kaiba opened what turned out to be a closet door and stepped out. Kat felt the room spin as he tried to step forward. He giggled again.

When he woke, he was looking up at warm, worried blue flames.

"There you are," Kaiba said softly.

"Did we get married?" Kat asked, trying to order his mind. His head was resting on Kaiba's knees.

"Roughly ten minutes ago. Second thoughts?"

"I can't tell if I'm dreaming. Why are we on the floor?"

"You fainted."

"I did?" Kat did remember being kissed dizzy. "Let me breathe next time, dude!"

"Then stop being so kissable."

"Sir!" Tamura snapped. "Your guests are waiting. If Kaiba-chan does not need a sensei, may I assist you?"

Katsuya sat up slowly, and Kaiba helped him stand. They both adjusted their appearance in a nearby mirror. Kat finally actually noticed what his new husband wore - a sapphire blue tux with a black shirt and a white tie and vest.

"Hey! You know it's rude to upstage the bride."

"If I had worn the Imperial palace, they still would only see you. You look enchanting."

"SIR!"

"Tamura is upset because I selected only Roland and Mokuba as my groom's men," Kaiba chuckled.

"Your guests, sir?" Tamura huffed. He moved to the door of the room they were in.

"Where are we, anyway?" Kat asked, suddenly aware of the odd surroundings.

"A conference room, the opposite wing from the reception. I thought we might want a moment to gather ourselves before the reception and the formal press photos."

"Oh. You wanted to make out." Kat couldn't help leering. "Good plan."

"SIR!" Tamura snapped, his patience apparently at an end. "Kaiba-san would like to know if you will be returning, or if they should continue without you?"

"We're coming." Kat answered. "Wait! Kaiba, earlier this morning, I was thinking. I kinda screwed everything up for you when I...that…" He rubbed his own bite mark. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

"Yeah. Y'know, for making you go through all this."

"I see. So, you intend to take responsibility for 'all this'?"

"It's my fault."

"Very well. I will draw up a list of acceptable restitutions. I can tell you the first of many now."

"What's that?"

"Call me Seto."