Title: For Granted (01)
Author: Kun II Kya
Rating: R
Summary: Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.
--/--
"Hear, hear!" Jounouchi exclaimed heartily, a wolfish grin alighting on his lips as he clinked cups with a bemused Anzu. "Moneybags is finally leaving!"
Anzu clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "Be nice, Jou. You wouldn't want to make Kaiba angry on one of his last days in Japan, now would you?"
Jounouchi stared, wide-eyed at Anzu, and snapped his jaw back together in time to make a comment. "Are you kidding me? Since when do I give Kaiba a break? Moneybags deserves all the insults that's throw his way!"
"Really?" The silky voice of one blue eyed CEO drifted within hearing distance, followed not long after by his imposing height behind Jounouchi. "That's funny, mutt. It seems like you're the only one here that ever tries to insult me in such a mediocre manner."
The blonde whirled around and glared up Kaiba—sometimes, being shorter than him was such a bummer. It gave him a severe disadvantage in the rare occasions that they actually ended up using physical violence. "I don't see why other people don't," he spat out ruthlessly. "You certainly deserve all of that and more."
Seto's eyes flashed menacingly and he took a step back. "Don't pick a fight with me," he hissed, eyes narrowed into mere slits. "And don't think I'll hold back because I'll be leaving soon." A hand shot out, landing on the wall behind Jou, narrowly missing his left ear. "You haven't seen the last of Kaiba Seto."
Jounouchi could only watch as the brunet left in a flurry of trench coats and expensive cologne.
--/--
"Hey, Jou!" Yuugi chirped merrily, bouncing straight to the blonde after he squeezed past the school entrance. "Who're you waiting for?"
"Mai," he responded, a blissful smile appearing on his face at the thought of the curvaceous female. "We've got a date after school and she's coming to pick me up."
Yuugi smiled sympathetically and patted Jounouchi's arm. "You'll get your own car soon enough, Jou. Then you won't have to wait for your girlfriend to pick you up every day."
Jou winked. "I'm counting the days, Yuugi."
The other boy smiled and walked off to where Anzu was waiting—they always walked home together, despite the fact that the Kame Game Shop was in one direction and Anzu's residence was in the other.
Jou smiled at the lovely site and made himself comfortable on the curb. It was where Mai usually drove up to and she would take him to their destination. He checked his watch uncomfortably. Mai was already ten minutes late. Sure, she wasn't always punctual, but she never made him wait this long.
Jou grimaced as a car approached, blaring music from the undoubtedly expensive sound system. His grimace did disappear, however, as the car slid to a stop in front of the curb. His eyes slowly slid up the still revolving spinners to the fresh coat of hideously bright red paint and, finally, to the arm that was wrapped around Mai's shoulders.
"Nice seeing you again, dweeb." The voice was uncomfortably familiar. It hadn't changed a bit since the last time Jou heard it—hollering in surprise as he flew down Pegasus' trap door.
"Bandit Keith." Instantly, he was on his feet, glaring at the other.
"Glad to see that you remembered my name." His lips twisted into a deliberate leer. "You're not the only one who does." For a moment, it seemed as if his arm tightened around Mai.
Mai! Jou had forgotten about her for a moment, but now as his brain finally assessed the situation, it was painfully clear that she didn't intend on picking him up for their date.
"Hello, Katsuya," Mai drawled in her customary tone, flicking a blond bang out of her eyes. "I'm sorry to break the news to you like this, kiddo, but I couldn't keep leading you on."
Jou's brows furrowed and he gestured helplessly, "B-but… we were… you were… how?"
A sharp bark of laughter escaped from Keith. "Mai over here wasn't very concerned about you last night." He guided her head to the side, revealing the dark splotchy bruise on the pale line of her neck. The dark blush on Mai's cheekbones told the truth. "You lost, dweeb. The better man won."
"You're not a man!" Jounouchi yelled over the screech of the convertible's wheels as Keith pressed sharply down on the gas. "I didn't even like her that much, anyways!"
--/--
"I don't get it!" Jou exclaimed in frustration as he slammed his bedroom door closed and tossed his backpack carelessly to the ground. "What has that jerk got that I don't?"
"Looks, intelligence, and male charisma?" A smooth voice suggested from behind him. "I wouldn't know, mutt, there are lots of departments you're lacking in."
Jounouchi whirled around, pressing a shaking hand to his chest, and felt his eyes narrow instantly at the sight of Seto Kaiba in his house, leaning against his doorway. He was wearing a solid black turtleneck and devoid of his usual trench coat.
"I don't have time to deal with your crap, Kaiba," he retorted icily. "I've got better things to do."
Kaiba's eyes darkened and he stood up in one fluid motion, taking several steps forward. "You've got better things to do? Last time I checked, having an agenda doesn't include complaining about why your girlfriend broke up with you."
Jou growled, a sharp remark on the tip of his tongue, and sat down heavily on his bed. He hated for Kaiba, of all people, to see him like this, but it really was painful. He buried his face in his hands and sighed heavily.
"It hurts. It really does."
The brunet sat down on the top of Jou's desk and gestured for him to continue. A thoughtful expression adorned his face.
"I've been chasing after her forever and when we finally got together," he continued dejectedly. "The age difference was too weird." He paused for a moment, and then grinned sheepishly at Kaiba. "But that's not of any matter. What's gone is gone." Jou tilted his head to one side. "Why are you here, anyways?"
Kaiba's lips pursed and he seemed unsure for a moment. Finally, he started speaking slowly, as if debating on what to say as he went along, "I saw what happened after school. And… I came to offer you a job." At Jou's surprised expression, he smirked faintly. "Don't think I'm going soft, mutt."
"A job?" Jou's brows furrowed. "I couldn't possibly keep up with any corporate job here—I know nothing about Kaiba Corp."
"Exactly," Kaiba's clipped tone interrupted, faintly annoyed at being interrupted. "I have a proposition for you—I'm sure you'll find it acceptable. As you know, I'm leaving for America tomorrow, to work on the new branch of Kaiba Corp. established there." His lips twisted into a cynical smile. "And I have yet to hire a new secretary."
Jou gaped at the other, something akin to delight glowing on his face. "Really?" Then the rest of his thoughts seemed to catch up with him and he pouted. "But that means I'll have to go to America with you. Where will I live?"
Kaiba snorted. "Brilliant deduction, mutt. Of course you'll have to. It's a one time offer, take it or leave it. You'll live at my house with me. I'm offering you a chance to start a new life in America—a life away from Mai." Kaiba slid smoothly off the desk and brushed the cuff of his turtleneck. "Call me when you've made a decision."
"But I don't know your—"
Kaiba was gone.
--/--
Seto moaned blearily, rubbing his eyes with one hand while reaching over to slap his alarm clock with the other. The incessant noise did not stop, however, and it took a while for his sleep muddled brain to figure out that it was the phone ringing.
"Kaiba," he snarled into the phone, cracking open an eye to see what time it was. 3:27 AM—he would murder the imbecile who decided to call him at this hour.
"Why, Kaiba," an irritatingly cheerful voice chirped at him from the other line. "Is that the right way to answer the phone? Weren't you taught better?"
"I find that I perform better when I'm not roused from sleep in the middle of the night," he returned haughtily. "What do you want, mutt?"
A pause in the line and Seto could hear Jounouchi's uneasy shifting. "I've decided to… take you up on your offer."
A small smile graced his lips as Seto responded, "That's lovely, mutt. Next time, don't wait until the middle of the night to tell me."
He hung up.
to be continued
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