[fanfic] WiP: YGO Guard Dog
Dec. 29th, 2004 12:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ickaimpThis was a fic we were working on last year as kinda a way to avoid brain fry on DC/MK ficcage. Just random snippets that formed into a story arc. Didn't get any comments on it and other fics rose up and took our interest, so it was kinda abandon.
Then 2 seprate people during different conversations asked at Y-con when we were going to continue it.
So re-posting a new bit with the old bits, so everyone's caught up. ^^;;
Enjoy.
+++ Guard Dog +++
(Note: takes place about 3 years into the future of where they're at in the anime. The manga end of YGO didn't happen)
"Congratulations, Mokuba." Kaiba Seto looked over the rims of his computer glasses to look at his embarrassed looking younger brother. "You have broken your previous record of scaring away bodyguards within a one weeks time."
"S'not my fault." Mokuba mumbled, crossing his arms and not-quite sulking in a way that only someone on the verge of being a teenager can.
"And what was wrong with this last one?" Seto's tone border lined between annoyed and exasperated, but still held an undercurrent of fondness for his mischievous younger sibling.
"He wouldn't let me go anywhere!" Mokuba exclaimed. "He said it was too 'potentially hazardous' for me to go out and Duel with other players, but he wouldn't let anyone come in and duel with me, and he didn't anything about Duel Monsters!" The last was spat out like it was the most inconceivable thing in the world.
"Uh-huh." Seto sat back in his chair. "And what was wrong with the one that -did- play duel monsters?"
"He treated me like I was some baby!" The long dark haired boy grumbled. "And he tried to put me in footie pyjamas. FOOTIE PYJAMAS!!!"
"The horror." The sarcasm was so thick you could cut it with a spoon.
"I'm NOT a little kid anymore, 'Niisama." Blue-grey eyes glared at dark blue ones. At 13, Mokuba was rapidly catching up to his brother's reputation in the industry. While he may not have shown the same interest in business, he had long surpassed Seto in information gathering and more recently in programming. The two often teamed up on projects for Kaiba Corp, Seto building the hardware while Mokuba created the software.
"I'm well aware of that." His brother assured him. "But I am also aware of the fact that members of Kaiba Security would rather swim in a tank of hungry sharks than to guard you for an hour. In fact, I've gotten several offers to watch them in person as they hang a piece of meat around their necks and jump into the water."
Mokuba's face darkened slightly at that. "They're all lame." He muttered, clenching a fist.
"They're also necessary."
"Feh."
Seto sighed, sliding off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. The threat and risk of the youngest brother being held hostage in exchange for money or power over Kaiba Corp had greatly reduced within the past year. He was practically subdued around his assigned bodyguards in comparison to what he had done the past several attempted kidnappers.
They'd actually made money twice, the would-be ransomers paying him to take the youngest Kaiba back.
But the risk of extortion was still present, no matter what reputation for wildness Mokuba may have had. Hence, the need for bodyguards.
"You've got that look again." Seto slid the glasses back on his face, peering over the rims again to raise an eyebrow at his brother, who had a glint in the stormy eyes. "What have you got on your mind?"
A small smirk curled up in the corner of the younger boy's mouth. "A proposition for you."
"A proposition?" While it wasn't un-heard of for Mokuba to purpose a 'business deal' between the 2 of them, it wasn't common either. "What sort of proposition?"
Gone was the surliness as Mokuba bounced towards the desk. "It's like this, see? I don't need a full time bodyguard, I'm safe enough at school, at home and here-"
"-except for the occasional turncoat." Seto pointed out. While his screening procedures were strict and most of his employees were loyal, there were the few rare dissenters.
Mokuba nodded, taking it all in stride. "And that, I just really need one in transit from home to school, or to here. And when I go out to play-" There was a strong emphasis on his 'going out to play'. There had been a few fights about Mokuba not spending all of his time at Kaiba Corp., instead that he should go out and spend time playing with children of his own age as well. After all, Seto's goal in taking over Kaiba Corp in the first place, to allow Mokuba a normal childhood.
....Or at least as normal of a childhood as one could get while being a Kaiba...
"-so therefore, I'm thinking all I need is one bodyguard, who doesn't look and act like an android and scare everyone away. Someone that has experience with kids and Duel Monsters and will test out our latest improvements on the Duelling Systems and isn't afraid of helicopters and travelling like that one stupid one. And most of all, is willing to have FUN."
Seto leaned forward, resting his elbows in the desk and intertwining his fingers together. "Sounds like you already have someone planned."
He got a not-quite innocent smile in response.
"Alright." He sighed, knowing this was a loosing battle before it even started. "But they have to pass my standards first, otherwise it's back to Kaiba Security Officers for you. And I don't want to hear about any problems."
"Understood, 'Niisama!" Mokuba shot him a cheeky salute, a broad grin on his face. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome." He smiled back, the small curving of his lips a fond expression for his younger brother alone. People may have viewed him as a dragon, cold sleek and cunning, but those same people often failed to look past his brother's innocent appearance to realise that Mokuba was a dragon as well. Granted, a dragon kit still, slowly testing and growing into his wings, but already a force to be reckoned with.
Mokuba dashed around the desk to give Seto a quick hug, despite the fact that he often claimed to be too old for such displays of affection. He returned it, messing up the long black strands as he did so. Mokuba shot him a mock-glare for his troubles, smoothing out his hair with affronted dignity before smiling at him in a silent laugh. With one last wave, he trotted out the door, closing it behind him. "Later, 'Niisama!"
"Don't get into too much trouble!" He shouted back, knowing it wouldn't do any good. It was like his brother had changed dramatically and hadn't changed at all in his minds eye. He was, and probably always would be the snot-nosed brat he had been when they were younger. And yet at the same time, he was growing up.
He spared a moment to marvel at the changes in both of them since their parents had passed away before reluctantly shaking his head and returning to work.
+++
+++
"You're joking."
Mokuba crossed his arms, a stubborn look on his face. "Nope."
"Hey!" The person underneath Kaiba's knee wiggled in a futile attempt to break free. "What the hell is going on?!"
He ignored the person. "Him?!"
"Yes."
"Get off me!"
"Why?"
Mokuba began to count the points off on his fingers. "He's got fighting skills, we already know we can trust him, he likes us-" Both he and the other made a muffled sound of protest in the back of their throats "-and he's proved in the past to be a reliable protector."
"He's brainless."
"It's not nice to talk about others when they CAN HEAR YOU!" The other boy snapped, attempting to hit him. Kaiba shifted his grip, immobilizing the person further.
"He's stubborn and refuses to give up, AND he's the number three duellist in the rankings, right after you and Yuugi." Mokuba crossed his arms. "Plus he's got street smarts, which is something none of the rest of those lame-brains have."
Kaiba looked around at the fallen still groaning bodyguards around them. Mokuba had a point. A very good one at that.
"What's going ON?!" The other boy spat, trying to futility jerk his arms free.
"He'll need additional training." Kaiba pointed out, reviewing the fight scene he'd walked into, leading to their current position. At the time he'd thought he had walked into another attempted kidnapping, which he had. But instead of the sweatshirt hooded ruffian attempting to beat his men to kidnap Mokuba, said ruffian had been preventing the kidnapping at the hands of his supposedly trusted 'security guards'. "I took him down easily."
"Fighting multiple people at once is different than fighting one on one." Mokuba countered. "And I never said he was -perfect-, just that I think he's the perfect person for the job."
"Let go already!"
Kaiba debated for a moment while the teen beneath him continued to futilely struggle. Personal opinions aside, it was the best solution around. Things certainly couldn't continue as they were.
Personal opinions aside...
"Three months training, I approve afterwards." He said.
Mokuba nodded, accepting his terms. "Takes both of us to fire him." That way neither could accuse the other of getting rid of him in a bout of anger.
"Yo! Don't make me kick your butt!"
"Agreed. But until he's on, you behave for the normal guards."
Grey eyes narrowed at that, but his brother nodded. "Anything else, 'Niisama?"
"Hellooooo-?"
"We can decide later, if he passes."
"He will." Mokuba appeared confidant. Kaiba nodded curtly and released the lanky limbed teen beneath him, rising quickly and stepping out of the way.
Mokuba moved forward, a hand extended to help him up as he smiled. "Sorry about that."
"What the hell is going on?!" The other boy growled, brushing himself off.
"Well..." His brother's grin grew wider. "How'd you like to work for me, Jounouchi-kun?" He asked innocently.
The mutt just stared.
+++
+++
The chimes on the front door of the Kame Game shop rang, signalling the arrival of another customer. "Irrasshai!" Yuugi called, not looking up from the poster he was attempting to put on the wall.
Years had come and years had gone, and he had finally accepted the fact that he was never going to be much taller than Jiichan.
"Tadaima." A familiar voice called back, causing him to pause.
"I'm home-?" He echoed turning around to see who was at the door, thus causing the poster to fall over, draping across his head and temporarly obscuring his vision. He grappled with it, attempting to pull it off his head, muttering obsenities to the people who created such paper menaces while his other self not-so helpfully pointed out that the Egyptions technically were the first to create paper with papyrus, thus he really was cursing himself.
The obsticle was removed by a familiar and long missed grinning face. "Yo!"
"Jounouchi-kun!" He smiled back in delight. Jounouchi was back!
"Lemme give ya a hand there..." His taller blond friend offered, reaching over him to press the poster where he had been attempting to wrestle it. Yuugi quickly fastened it to the wall, then poster taken care of and out of the way, launched himself at his best friend, both of his sides happy to see him again. Jounouchi laughed in return and easily caught him, messing up his hair as they play-wrestled like they were still in High School.
"You've gotten stronger." Yuugi noted, from a head lock, using a free arm poking at an arm. "And taller! Where have you been? I've missed you!"
"Yeah, well..." The tall blond dropped him, scratching his the back of his head nervously. "Sorry to worry you. Ya did get my postcards right?"
Yuugi crossed his arms, raising an impatient eyebrow. "Yes I got them. 'I'm alive, see you soon' doesn't quite explain where you've been for three months. My other self was starting to think you had gotten eaten."
"Yeah.. heh heh, not quite..." Unfortunately, when dealing with Yuugi's other self, the 'eaten' comment was literal instead of metaphorical. Jounouchi shrugged. "I was training for a new job. It came up kind of suddenly, so I didn't have time to tell you before I left."
"Jounouchi-kun." An eyebrow was raised, meaning the small boy meant business.
Jounouchi sighed, shoulders slumping as he gave up the veneer of secrecy. "I'm working over at Kaiba Corp." He muttered.
"Kaiba-kun?!" Purple eyes flashed red as both halves jumped at the infromation, each for different reasons. Despite of, or perhaps because of, everything they had gone through Yuugi still considered both Kaiba brothers to be part of his close-knit group of friends.
Yuugi-oh on the other hand, still liked to keep an eye out for his rival. While he enjoyed dueling the elder Kaiba and knew that any challenge put forth would be an honourable one, 'honourable' did not mean 'predictable'.
The narrowed eyes flickered between colours as the halves talked before Yuugi's other self stepped forward, the red winning the war of colours. "Is everything alright?"
"It's not what you think!" The blond hastened to assure both of the smaller boy's sides. "I'm working for Mokuba, not Kaiba. Well, Mokuba's a Kaiba too, but Kaiba... eh, you know what I mean. I'm his bodyguard. Mokuba. That's where I've been, training. Not here, I mean, I was somewhere else, training. Cause I'm a good fighter, but I still can't kick Kaiba's butt, so I was off learning how to wipe the floor with him. Or try to anyway... ...I'm not explaining this too good, am I?"
The other Yuugi frowned. "Jounouchi."
"Yeah?"
"Are you doing this of your own free will or because you had no other choice?"
Jounouchi chuckled, a smile brightening his features. "I'm doing this cause I want to Yuugi."
"Alright then." Red bled back into purple as the millennia old force shrunk back into Jounouchi's familiar friend. Yuugi smiled. "He's just worried about you, you know."
He grinned. "Yeah. I know."
"Good." Yuugi put a hand on Jounouchi's arm and escorted him farther inside. "Come in, come in. I've got some tea in the back and you've got to tell me how you came to work for the Kaibas."
Jounouchi laughed, allowing himself to be pulled deeper into the shop. "Alright. I think I can handle that."
+++
+++
Kaiba looked down at the object that had been placed next to him as if it were a live rodent. "What is this?"
"I would think..." Jounouchi raised an eyebrow. "-that you would be able to recognise a turkey sandwich."
"I know what it is." Kaiba frowned back. "What is it -doing- here?"
Jounouchi resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "It's for you." He explained not-quite so patiently. "To eat. Y'know? Food?"
The executive's frowned deepened. "You were hired to guard Mokuba, not act as my nanny." He said dismissively, turning to go back to work.
"Anything that effects you effects Mokuba." The blonde retorted stubbornly. "If -you- pass out from low blood sugar, -I'm- gonna hafta deal with a panicked little brother. Eat."
Kaiba just raised a disdainful eyebrow at him before resolutely ignoring him and resumed typing on the keyboard.
"Fine." Jounouchi growled. "I'm going to pick Mokuba up from school. We should be back in half an hour. If the sandwich isn't eaten by then, I'm shoving it down your throat."
With that, he turned and stalked off, the suspicious sound of a snicker following.
***
Half an hour later, a suspicious Jounouchi returned. The sandwich remained in it's original position, untouched.
He did exactly what he said he was going to do.
Mokuba helped.
-fin-
+++
+++
Jounouchi hated mornings. It was the worst part of the day.
Here he was, working a stable, steady job, which is more than anyone thought he could ever do, and doing a fairly good job at it too, if he did say so himself, but was he allowed to lie around in the morning, relax and maybe take in a cup of coffee? No.
Mornings were what he was beginning to refer to as 'His Blue Period'. As in 'Black and Blue'.
Because every morning instead of waking up, stumbling around to get dressed and eat breakfast, he was woken up by that obnoxious jerk Kaiba and dragged downstairs into one of the holographic practice rooms for quote 'practice' unquote.
Or, as Kaiba would put it, in dog terms: Being tossed around the room by one stuffed shirt millionaire named Kaiba Seto under the guise of improving his fighting skills. Privately, Jounouchi thought it was Kaiba Stress Relief.
But he couldn't deny that his fighting was improving between the three months under Sensei and these morning 'Sparring Sessions'.
And right about now, from his position eating practice mat, neither could Kaiba.
Funnily enough, the first thought through his head was not victory or triumph at his finally pinning Kaiba, but a faint bit of horror that he was -really- going to pay for this later.
In the background, he could hear some of the early morning techs, who were used to watching him get tossed into the mat on a daily basis talking, making a faint buzzing sound in the background. A few of them had joked with him at various times about placing bets on who was going to win. He'd teased back that it was rigged, no one was going to bet against the boss, to which they had readily agreed. Well, now it seemed like at least some were going to bet against the boss from now on.
Although, new bets were probably going to be placed on his life span after this...
He released Kaiba and quickly backed up, giving the volatile business man plenty of room to get up in. Which Kaiba did quickly, the gleam in his eyes reminding Jounouchi of the Blue Eyes White Dragon just before a big attack.
Then Kaiba did something even scarier than facing down the wrath of one of his dragons.
He smiled.
A smug, self satisfied twitch of the lips that was more terrifying than loud shouts and death threats could have been.
"Good job." Kaiba commented mildly before straightening his clothing in that prim way of his and walking off towards the showers.
Jounouchi stared after him. Good job? Good JOB?! Well, yeah, he supposed that's what Kaiba was training him for, to be able to fight someone and win, but still... Good job?
All things considered he would have preferred a pat on the head and some cryptic comment about him being a well trained mutt.
Less disturbing.
+tbc+
Thinking sketches for the fic can be found here:
http://www.mischif.net/ash/ygoau.jpg
http://www.mischif.net/ash/jonowolf.jpg
Then 2 seprate people during different conversations asked at Y-con when we were going to continue it.
So re-posting a new bit with the old bits, so everyone's caught up. ^^;;
Enjoy.
+++ Guard Dog +++
(Note: takes place about 3 years into the future of where they're at in the anime. The manga end of YGO didn't happen)
"Congratulations, Mokuba." Kaiba Seto looked over the rims of his computer glasses to look at his embarrassed looking younger brother. "You have broken your previous record of scaring away bodyguards within a one weeks time."
"S'not my fault." Mokuba mumbled, crossing his arms and not-quite sulking in a way that only someone on the verge of being a teenager can.
"And what was wrong with this last one?" Seto's tone border lined between annoyed and exasperated, but still held an undercurrent of fondness for his mischievous younger sibling.
"He wouldn't let me go anywhere!" Mokuba exclaimed. "He said it was too 'potentially hazardous' for me to go out and Duel with other players, but he wouldn't let anyone come in and duel with me, and he didn't anything about Duel Monsters!" The last was spat out like it was the most inconceivable thing in the world.
"Uh-huh." Seto sat back in his chair. "And what was wrong with the one that -did- play duel monsters?"
"He treated me like I was some baby!" The long dark haired boy grumbled. "And he tried to put me in footie pyjamas. FOOTIE PYJAMAS!!!"
"The horror." The sarcasm was so thick you could cut it with a spoon.
"I'm NOT a little kid anymore, 'Niisama." Blue-grey eyes glared at dark blue ones. At 13, Mokuba was rapidly catching up to his brother's reputation in the industry. While he may not have shown the same interest in business, he had long surpassed Seto in information gathering and more recently in programming. The two often teamed up on projects for Kaiba Corp, Seto building the hardware while Mokuba created the software.
"I'm well aware of that." His brother assured him. "But I am also aware of the fact that members of Kaiba Security would rather swim in a tank of hungry sharks than to guard you for an hour. In fact, I've gotten several offers to watch them in person as they hang a piece of meat around their necks and jump into the water."
Mokuba's face darkened slightly at that. "They're all lame." He muttered, clenching a fist.
"They're also necessary."
"Feh."
Seto sighed, sliding off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. The threat and risk of the youngest brother being held hostage in exchange for money or power over Kaiba Corp had greatly reduced within the past year. He was practically subdued around his assigned bodyguards in comparison to what he had done the past several attempted kidnappers.
They'd actually made money twice, the would-be ransomers paying him to take the youngest Kaiba back.
But the risk of extortion was still present, no matter what reputation for wildness Mokuba may have had. Hence, the need for bodyguards.
"You've got that look again." Seto slid the glasses back on his face, peering over the rims again to raise an eyebrow at his brother, who had a glint in the stormy eyes. "What have you got on your mind?"
A small smirk curled up in the corner of the younger boy's mouth. "A proposition for you."
"A proposition?" While it wasn't un-heard of for Mokuba to purpose a 'business deal' between the 2 of them, it wasn't common either. "What sort of proposition?"
Gone was the surliness as Mokuba bounced towards the desk. "It's like this, see? I don't need a full time bodyguard, I'm safe enough at school, at home and here-"
"-except for the occasional turncoat." Seto pointed out. While his screening procedures were strict and most of his employees were loyal, there were the few rare dissenters.
Mokuba nodded, taking it all in stride. "And that, I just really need one in transit from home to school, or to here. And when I go out to play-" There was a strong emphasis on his 'going out to play'. There had been a few fights about Mokuba not spending all of his time at Kaiba Corp., instead that he should go out and spend time playing with children of his own age as well. After all, Seto's goal in taking over Kaiba Corp in the first place, to allow Mokuba a normal childhood.
....Or at least as normal of a childhood as one could get while being a Kaiba...
"-so therefore, I'm thinking all I need is one bodyguard, who doesn't look and act like an android and scare everyone away. Someone that has experience with kids and Duel Monsters and will test out our latest improvements on the Duelling Systems and isn't afraid of helicopters and travelling like that one stupid one. And most of all, is willing to have FUN."
Seto leaned forward, resting his elbows in the desk and intertwining his fingers together. "Sounds like you already have someone planned."
He got a not-quite innocent smile in response.
"Alright." He sighed, knowing this was a loosing battle before it even started. "But they have to pass my standards first, otherwise it's back to Kaiba Security Officers for you. And I don't want to hear about any problems."
"Understood, 'Niisama!" Mokuba shot him a cheeky salute, a broad grin on his face. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome." He smiled back, the small curving of his lips a fond expression for his younger brother alone. People may have viewed him as a dragon, cold sleek and cunning, but those same people often failed to look past his brother's innocent appearance to realise that Mokuba was a dragon as well. Granted, a dragon kit still, slowly testing and growing into his wings, but already a force to be reckoned with.
Mokuba dashed around the desk to give Seto a quick hug, despite the fact that he often claimed to be too old for such displays of affection. He returned it, messing up the long black strands as he did so. Mokuba shot him a mock-glare for his troubles, smoothing out his hair with affronted dignity before smiling at him in a silent laugh. With one last wave, he trotted out the door, closing it behind him. "Later, 'Niisama!"
"Don't get into too much trouble!" He shouted back, knowing it wouldn't do any good. It was like his brother had changed dramatically and hadn't changed at all in his minds eye. He was, and probably always would be the snot-nosed brat he had been when they were younger. And yet at the same time, he was growing up.
He spared a moment to marvel at the changes in both of them since their parents had passed away before reluctantly shaking his head and returning to work.
+++
+++
"You're joking."
Mokuba crossed his arms, a stubborn look on his face. "Nope."
"Hey!" The person underneath Kaiba's knee wiggled in a futile attempt to break free. "What the hell is going on?!"
He ignored the person. "Him?!"
"Yes."
"Get off me!"
"Why?"
Mokuba began to count the points off on his fingers. "He's got fighting skills, we already know we can trust him, he likes us-" Both he and the other made a muffled sound of protest in the back of their throats "-and he's proved in the past to be a reliable protector."
"He's brainless."
"It's not nice to talk about others when they CAN HEAR YOU!" The other boy snapped, attempting to hit him. Kaiba shifted his grip, immobilizing the person further.
"He's stubborn and refuses to give up, AND he's the number three duellist in the rankings, right after you and Yuugi." Mokuba crossed his arms. "Plus he's got street smarts, which is something none of the rest of those lame-brains have."
Kaiba looked around at the fallen still groaning bodyguards around them. Mokuba had a point. A very good one at that.
"What's going ON?!" The other boy spat, trying to futility jerk his arms free.
"He'll need additional training." Kaiba pointed out, reviewing the fight scene he'd walked into, leading to their current position. At the time he'd thought he had walked into another attempted kidnapping, which he had. But instead of the sweatshirt hooded ruffian attempting to beat his men to kidnap Mokuba, said ruffian had been preventing the kidnapping at the hands of his supposedly trusted 'security guards'. "I took him down easily."
"Fighting multiple people at once is different than fighting one on one." Mokuba countered. "And I never said he was -perfect-, just that I think he's the perfect person for the job."
"Let go already!"
Kaiba debated for a moment while the teen beneath him continued to futilely struggle. Personal opinions aside, it was the best solution around. Things certainly couldn't continue as they were.
Personal opinions aside...
"Three months training, I approve afterwards." He said.
Mokuba nodded, accepting his terms. "Takes both of us to fire him." That way neither could accuse the other of getting rid of him in a bout of anger.
"Yo! Don't make me kick your butt!"
"Agreed. But until he's on, you behave for the normal guards."
Grey eyes narrowed at that, but his brother nodded. "Anything else, 'Niisama?"
"Hellooooo-?"
"We can decide later, if he passes."
"He will." Mokuba appeared confidant. Kaiba nodded curtly and released the lanky limbed teen beneath him, rising quickly and stepping out of the way.
Mokuba moved forward, a hand extended to help him up as he smiled. "Sorry about that."
"What the hell is going on?!" The other boy growled, brushing himself off.
"Well..." His brother's grin grew wider. "How'd you like to work for me, Jounouchi-kun?" He asked innocently.
The mutt just stared.
+++
+++
The chimes on the front door of the Kame Game shop rang, signalling the arrival of another customer. "Irrasshai!" Yuugi called, not looking up from the poster he was attempting to put on the wall.
Years had come and years had gone, and he had finally accepted the fact that he was never going to be much taller than Jiichan.
"Tadaima." A familiar voice called back, causing him to pause.
"I'm home-?" He echoed turning around to see who was at the door, thus causing the poster to fall over, draping across his head and temporarly obscuring his vision. He grappled with it, attempting to pull it off his head, muttering obsenities to the people who created such paper menaces while his other self not-so helpfully pointed out that the Egyptions technically were the first to create paper with papyrus, thus he really was cursing himself.
The obsticle was removed by a familiar and long missed grinning face. "Yo!"
"Jounouchi-kun!" He smiled back in delight. Jounouchi was back!
"Lemme give ya a hand there..." His taller blond friend offered, reaching over him to press the poster where he had been attempting to wrestle it. Yuugi quickly fastened it to the wall, then poster taken care of and out of the way, launched himself at his best friend, both of his sides happy to see him again. Jounouchi laughed in return and easily caught him, messing up his hair as they play-wrestled like they were still in High School.
"You've gotten stronger." Yuugi noted, from a head lock, using a free arm poking at an arm. "And taller! Where have you been? I've missed you!"
"Yeah, well..." The tall blond dropped him, scratching his the back of his head nervously. "Sorry to worry you. Ya did get my postcards right?"
Yuugi crossed his arms, raising an impatient eyebrow. "Yes I got them. 'I'm alive, see you soon' doesn't quite explain where you've been for three months. My other self was starting to think you had gotten eaten."
"Yeah.. heh heh, not quite..." Unfortunately, when dealing with Yuugi's other self, the 'eaten' comment was literal instead of metaphorical. Jounouchi shrugged. "I was training for a new job. It came up kind of suddenly, so I didn't have time to tell you before I left."
"Jounouchi-kun." An eyebrow was raised, meaning the small boy meant business.
Jounouchi sighed, shoulders slumping as he gave up the veneer of secrecy. "I'm working over at Kaiba Corp." He muttered.
"Kaiba-kun?!" Purple eyes flashed red as both halves jumped at the infromation, each for different reasons. Despite of, or perhaps because of, everything they had gone through Yuugi still considered both Kaiba brothers to be part of his close-knit group of friends.
Yuugi-oh on the other hand, still liked to keep an eye out for his rival. While he enjoyed dueling the elder Kaiba and knew that any challenge put forth would be an honourable one, 'honourable' did not mean 'predictable'.
The narrowed eyes flickered between colours as the halves talked before Yuugi's other self stepped forward, the red winning the war of colours. "Is everything alright?"
"It's not what you think!" The blond hastened to assure both of the smaller boy's sides. "I'm working for Mokuba, not Kaiba. Well, Mokuba's a Kaiba too, but Kaiba... eh, you know what I mean. I'm his bodyguard. Mokuba. That's where I've been, training. Not here, I mean, I was somewhere else, training. Cause I'm a good fighter, but I still can't kick Kaiba's butt, so I was off learning how to wipe the floor with him. Or try to anyway... ...I'm not explaining this too good, am I?"
The other Yuugi frowned. "Jounouchi."
"Yeah?"
"Are you doing this of your own free will or because you had no other choice?"
Jounouchi chuckled, a smile brightening his features. "I'm doing this cause I want to Yuugi."
"Alright then." Red bled back into purple as the millennia old force shrunk back into Jounouchi's familiar friend. Yuugi smiled. "He's just worried about you, you know."
He grinned. "Yeah. I know."
"Good." Yuugi put a hand on Jounouchi's arm and escorted him farther inside. "Come in, come in. I've got some tea in the back and you've got to tell me how you came to work for the Kaibas."
Jounouchi laughed, allowing himself to be pulled deeper into the shop. "Alright. I think I can handle that."
+++
+++
Kaiba looked down at the object that had been placed next to him as if it were a live rodent. "What is this?"
"I would think..." Jounouchi raised an eyebrow. "-that you would be able to recognise a turkey sandwich."
"I know what it is." Kaiba frowned back. "What is it -doing- here?"
Jounouchi resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "It's for you." He explained not-quite so patiently. "To eat. Y'know? Food?"
The executive's frowned deepened. "You were hired to guard Mokuba, not act as my nanny." He said dismissively, turning to go back to work.
"Anything that effects you effects Mokuba." The blonde retorted stubbornly. "If -you- pass out from low blood sugar, -I'm- gonna hafta deal with a panicked little brother. Eat."
Kaiba just raised a disdainful eyebrow at him before resolutely ignoring him and resumed typing on the keyboard.
"Fine." Jounouchi growled. "I'm going to pick Mokuba up from school. We should be back in half an hour. If the sandwich isn't eaten by then, I'm shoving it down your throat."
With that, he turned and stalked off, the suspicious sound of a snicker following.
***
Half an hour later, a suspicious Jounouchi returned. The sandwich remained in it's original position, untouched.
He did exactly what he said he was going to do.
Mokuba helped.
-fin-
+++
+++
Jounouchi hated mornings. It was the worst part of the day.
Here he was, working a stable, steady job, which is more than anyone thought he could ever do, and doing a fairly good job at it too, if he did say so himself, but was he allowed to lie around in the morning, relax and maybe take in a cup of coffee? No.
Mornings were what he was beginning to refer to as 'His Blue Period'. As in 'Black and Blue'.
Because every morning instead of waking up, stumbling around to get dressed and eat breakfast, he was woken up by that obnoxious jerk Kaiba and dragged downstairs into one of the holographic practice rooms for quote 'practice' unquote.
Or, as Kaiba would put it, in dog terms: Being tossed around the room by one stuffed shirt millionaire named Kaiba Seto under the guise of improving his fighting skills. Privately, Jounouchi thought it was Kaiba Stress Relief.
But he couldn't deny that his fighting was improving between the three months under Sensei and these morning 'Sparring Sessions'.
And right about now, from his position eating practice mat, neither could Kaiba.
Funnily enough, the first thought through his head was not victory or triumph at his finally pinning Kaiba, but a faint bit of horror that he was -really- going to pay for this later.
In the background, he could hear some of the early morning techs, who were used to watching him get tossed into the mat on a daily basis talking, making a faint buzzing sound in the background. A few of them had joked with him at various times about placing bets on who was going to win. He'd teased back that it was rigged, no one was going to bet against the boss, to which they had readily agreed. Well, now it seemed like at least some were going to bet against the boss from now on.
Although, new bets were probably going to be placed on his life span after this...
He released Kaiba and quickly backed up, giving the volatile business man plenty of room to get up in. Which Kaiba did quickly, the gleam in his eyes reminding Jounouchi of the Blue Eyes White Dragon just before a big attack.
Then Kaiba did something even scarier than facing down the wrath of one of his dragons.
He smiled.
A smug, self satisfied twitch of the lips that was more terrifying than loud shouts and death threats could have been.
"Good job." Kaiba commented mildly before straightening his clothing in that prim way of his and walking off towards the showers.
Jounouchi stared after him. Good job? Good JOB?! Well, yeah, he supposed that's what Kaiba was training him for, to be able to fight someone and win, but still... Good job?
All things considered he would have preferred a pat on the head and some cryptic comment about him being a well trained mutt.
Less disturbing.
+tbc+
Thinking sketches for the fic can be found here:
http://www.mischif.net/ash/ygoau.jpg
http://www.mischif.net/ash/jonowolf.jpg
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
*snickers madly*
Date: 2004-12-29 07:59 am (UTC)I LOVE the sandwich-stuffing bit.... *snickers*
no subject
Date: 2004-12-29 08:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-29 01:33 pm (UTC)Awesomeness!! ((damn, I really need a new word =_=... Sugeee? Sugoina~? Aw, whatever. I'll stick with Awesomeness =.=))
no subject
Date: 2004-12-29 07:23 pm (UTC)Very cool. ^__^
no subject
Date: 2004-12-30 04:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-30 10:23 am (UTC)...Tho this is evil 'cos now I wanna go back into the YGO fandom. .____.;
no subject
Date: 2005-01-05 03:54 pm (UTC)Also liked the pictures. Puppy!!!!! ^.^
no subject
Date: 2005-01-09 09:22 pm (UTC)