ch.1
Dumb luck
He sat in the small stuffy room with his arms crossed over his chest, his icy glare fixated on the burly cop across the small plastic table in front of him. The room was gray and dimly lit, a small dying yellow bulb dangling from the ceiling casting an eerie glow over his otherwise attractive features.
The cop ahead of him with his jagged features, square jaw, barrel chest and thick strong arms, fidgets under kaibas cold relentless glare.
"Mr. kaiba, you have to answer the questions."
"I already answered it, you are attempting to get an answer that is untrue."
"If that is true what where you doing there?"
" Its a hotel, I was planning on sleeping there."
"You could have chose any hotel, why did you choose that one?"
" I didn't, my secretary booked my hotel."
" why did she choose this hotel?"
" shes new"
0000000000000
He seethes as they remove his suitcase from an evidence locker, all his files and paperwork removed and wrapped in plastic bags with bright yellow lines striped across it. The big bold black letters stamped across the yellow line repeatedly, as if to mock him, to throw the situation in his face again and again.
He snatches his brief case then turns to leave, only to find him self staring down at that same damn cop that had him thrown in the back of a police cruiser. The man looks up at kaiba with a smug little smirk poking out from beneath his scruffy dark mustache, the short man with his short chunky arms folded over his crisp clean blue uniform stares up at him as if he knows something.
" oh don't you miss me too much now mister kaiba, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other real soon."
This one moment requires the most self restraint hes ever exercised in any one moment, he struggles with himself not to snap the man in half over his knee. Instead his cool blue eyes narrow as he speaks.
" I'm sure."
He steps swiftly past the man, moving briskly for the door. As he walks he thinks, they have his phone, the have his contact book they have everything accept his briefcase and wallet. Since he never carries cash and his assets are frozen throughout the duration of their investigation he has no money to get a hotel, call home or anything.
Kaiba isn't walking more than a minute before he feels a firm grip on his shoulder, he whips around to face some one he most certainly did not expect to see. But there again a familiar face at this moment is quite welcomed.
He looks in shock at Jounouchi, who stares at him with worry riddling his face. His mouth is open just slightly, still panting from having rushed after kaiba.
" hey- where(pant) are(pant) you planning(pant) to go?"
After schooling his features he finds himself arcing an eyebrow at Jounouchi, responding with a cool even voice.
" what are you doing here?"
Jounouchi shoves his hands in his pockets and grins widely noting the avoidance of his question.
" Here as in right in front of you?"
" what are you doing here- here as in new york or America at all."
Jounouchis grin turns lopsided, his hands now set on his hips which are sticking out to the left.
" I'm originally from Brooklyn, smart ass- I came back home is all."
kaiba just stares indifferently at Jounouchi unsure of what to say to that. Jous turn to smirk.
" so where where you hurrying off to?"
"..."
Kaiba mulls over the millions of possible ways to answer that without giving himself away. Before he can come to a decision on precisely how to avoid the topic, Jounouchi huffs and crosses his arms over his chest.
" I heard what happened-"
No reaction aside from his eyes slightly widening, an almost impossible to notice action, almost.
"how?"
" I'm the maintenance guy"
" at the police station?"
"yep."
Jou walks past kaiba motioning with one hand for him to follow, reluctantly he does.
" well since it looks like you got no other options, you can crash with me, alright."
Kaiba raises an eyebrow at the offer, having no choice but to accept it. Unaccustomed to the foreign feeling of gratitude, he finds himself unusually quiet- unsure how to force the simple words from his mouth. Jounouchi doesn't seem to care, he just leads kaiba down the block and through a short narrow alley way to a wide and tall parking structure. They walk through the floor level of the structure thankfully under the shade near the elevator door to a faded red civic.
Jou glances over the roof of the car to look at kaiba, pausing when he notices what appears to be an internal struggle, only slightly evident on kaibas face. He presses the small button on his key chain unlocking the vehicle and plops in behind the wheel, kaiba carefully setting himself down in the passenger seat. After setting his empty briefcase on his lap while Jounouchi warms the sluggish engine, kaiba says in no particular direction.
"Thank you."
Jounouchi smirks and peeks at kaiba from the corner of his eye as he backs out of small parking spot. He gives kaiba moment to digest the words that just came out of his mouth, only responding when they pause at the driveway with the little green left arrow on his gauges blinking with a soft 'tink tink tink'
"Its cool, and don't get too excited your gonna have to share my room- I'm letting my dad live with me. I'd let you have the couch but my dad is really weird in the mornings... that could be … weird."
Inwardly kaiba grimaces at the thought, wondering the size of Jous bed...then wondering of what behavior Jonouchi could possibly consider 'weird'. Rather than let these unpleasant thoughts flutter through his head he decides to attempt civil conversation.
"so if you don't mind my asking, why did you leave domino?"
In his head kaiba kicks himself, it could be a very personal reason, how rude!
" my dad, too much trouble there for him. I guess he just owed too many people money. I was trying to pay em for him-"
They slip out of the drive way getting as far as two blocks before catching a red light.
"but I can only have so many jobs, three was pushin it for me and I was barely getting our rent paid. Bills and food and then his debts- he just kept rackin em up."
kaiba stares at Jounouchi bewildered
"you had three jobs and still attended school?"
Green light, they go a few more blocks turn left and get stuck at another red light where a grubby old man steps over and begins washing his window. Jou continues talking as he rolls down his window handing the man a handful of silver change from the console between the seats.
" of course I did, I wanted to graduate with yugi and the rest you know."
"do you attend school here?"
" no time for it, I work full time at the station. Its good cause they pay well enough for me not to need a second job. I mean I don't have much, but I don't starve and I don't worry bout rent."
kaiba strugles not to drum his fingers on the edge of his briefcase as the conversation goes on, he finds himself feeling more and more guilty.
"does your father work?"
" not right now, he was supposed to be out job hunting today. Hes not real healthy so his options are pretty limited."
Green light, they glide into a neighborhood navigating back streets to Jounouchis apartment complex.
Jounouchi sighs.
"I really just wanted to graduate."
kaiba blinks at him, watching Jous rather sentimental expression. His honey colored eyes reflecting his depression about the subject.
"oh well, pipe dreams n all that."
kaiba speaks before he means to.
"high school graduation is a pipe dream?"
Jou smiles at kaiba, as if he'd said a foolish thing. A strange soft smile, as he pulls up to a tall blocky complex with a wide parking lot and a playground in the distance.
" apparently so."
The car slows as he glances from spot to spot looking for an opening the parked gridlock.
"could you not at least take an equivalency test?"
"no time."
Jou grins and pauses as he watches some one back out and slip into the syrupy traffic. He shoots forward wedging the small vehicle into the spot before a neon green beetle can get to it. The driver behind shouts something obscene, Jounouchi smirks flipping the bird out the window at the passing driver.
He plucks up his keys from the ignition and hops out of the car, tossing the door shut and locking it with the little black key chain. Kaiba follows him across the packed parking lot, pausing as he unlocks the gated door and watches Jounouchi stick his head in the office door.
"nanna!"
An old woman lifts her head from a receipt book on a desk in the back of the room, she looks at jou then at kaiba.
" who's he?"
"friend, needs a place to crash so I'm letting him stay with me is that okay."
She mulls the thought over in her head for a minute, shifting her cigarette from one side of her mouth to the other.
" how long?"
"no clue."
"don't blow anything up"
" thank you nanna"
kaiba quirks an eyebrow at Jou curious about why he had to ask permission.
"what was that about?"
They walk past an elevator up the narrow stairwell.
"some people try to let their friends move it with em and not put em on the lease. And then they start trouble and cant get rent out on time – crap like that. I pay my rent on time every month and stay quiet so she don't really care what I do. She just doesn't like people sneaking around."
one flight of stairs, two three...
"why didn't we take the elevator?"
Jounouchi just laughs and glances back to kaiba, whose slightly red in the face.
" only two more floors!"
kaiba lets out a low growl from behind Jounouchi. Finally at their destination, they trot down the hall, conversation dead since kaiba is busy breathing heavily while Jounouchi snickers. They pause at door 67c, kaiba looks at Jou, who glares intensely at the doorknob. A severe frown on his face, he presses a single finger on the door shoving it forward, he notes that it was unlocked and steps in- obviously seething.
Jounouchi steps inside, his fury radiating off him in waves, kaiba stays a few steps back not bothering to examine the apartment. Jounouchi raises a palm to kaiba, silently telling to be still- which he does. Jou flicks on the light, glaring at several empty beer bottles tipped beside the couch, he glares at a closed door across the room. Strange noises can be heard from behind the door, Jou closes his eyes and balls his fists at his sides.
In a moment hes across the room banging on the door. Eventually frustrated with waiting and getting nowhere, he steps back raises one leg and slams his foot heavily into the door. Splintering the frame and slamming the door inward banging loudly against the wall and bouncing back, only to be caught in Jous open hand and pressed back in place.
The room is dark and from kaibas view, all that can be seen is the corner of an unmade bed and a pile of dirty clothes tossed all over the floor. Inwardly he wonders if that man has ever attempted to get a job.
"GET OUT GET OUT NOW!"
Kaiba blinks in shock to find Jou roughly dragging a scantily clad aged looking but obviously young woman out of the room and across the living room to the open door. She tries to pry him off her as he argues.
"but I haven't been paid yet!"
"well that's your own damn fault isn't it!"
Jounouchi bodily shoves her out the door and slams it shut, by the time he finds his way back to his fathers bedroom hes waiting in the doorway fuming. The round burly old man stands there with his boxers exposed by his half removed jeans.
"the hell do you think your doin boy!"
Jounouchi snarls furiously at the old man, narrowing his eyes at him.
"me! What am I doin?"
"who the fuck d'you think you are barging in on me- you need to learn some respect boy!"
By this time the old man has stepped forward, slamming his tightly shut fist across Jous face.
"boy as long as your under my roof you'll do as I -"
Jounouchi visibly seethes, quickly finding his footing and stepping forward heavily smashing both of his open hands into his fathers exposed chest. It sends him tumbling backward, he lands flat on his back and in shock to find Jou glaring down at him.
"I work, I pay rent you don't. The lease is mine. That means what happens under this roof happens because I let it. So guess what old man. Get your shit and get the fuck out, if you cant carry it you cant have it."
Kaiba finds himself shocked at Jounouchis self control, he knows better than almost anyone the way Jou reacts to confrontation- this isn't it. It is visible that Jou wants to snap the man in half and leave him to rot, but no he just shoved him and is letting him go.
Jou seethes glaring down his nose at his father, when he makes no move to get up Jounouchi spins on the ball of his foot and into the open bedroom. It is then that the old man shoves himself into a sitting position and simply looks at the floor in bewilderment.
Kaiba blinks, unsure of how to respond to the completely unexpected situation, he can hear Jou snarling and cursing as he wanders the darker parts of the room that kaiba cant see. When Jounouchi comes out hes holding a large gray duffel bag stuffed to the point the zipper looks about to burst. He looks at his father who has just barely decided to get off the floor and drops the bag into his arms.
"you cant be serious katsuya-"
"get out."
The old man stares at Jou as if he's never seen him before. His expression showing the thought he finds himself victimized.
"You cant do this- I'm you father-"
"pull up your pants you look ridicules"
He rights himself, begging Jou not to do it all the way up to the front door, where his mood flips as he crosses the thresh hold. From begging and pleading his son not to do it to roaring obscenities at the ungrateful waste of flesh he should have had aborted. Jounouchi slams the door shut flips the dead bolt in place and plucks his phone from his pocket.
"nanna, yea its me. I know I was just there. Yes I know about the noise, yes that's why I'm calling. Yes. Can you remove him from my lease? No I wont have trouble, he never paid to begin with. Okay thank you bye bye Nanna."
Jou sags against the back of the door heaving a heavy sigh, and then looking lazily at kaiba.
" sorry bout that."
"um...I'm not sure what I should say right now."
"me neither"
kaiba nervously shifts his weight from one leg to the other, Jou sighs staring at the ceiling before an idea pops in his head, his favorite idea.
"wanna go eat?"
As if hes already made up his mind, Jou smiles and trots of in the direction of his own room calling back to kaiba over his shoulder.
"Im gonna take a shower before we go, I have some clothes that might fit you- I'm sure you don't wanna wear that suit all day."
0000000000000
The pair sits in a small booth in the back of a local restaurant that specializes in very basic meat and potatoes meals. Simple filling food, the smell of stewing meat and spices floods the air keeping their stomachs grumbling while they wait. Jounouchi finally out of his work uniform and wearing a heavily worn in gray Nike t shirt and faded jeans, he leans back comfortably against the padded booth.
Kaiba sits nervously with his hands folded in his lap, he sports Jous long sleeve white shirt with a loose thread on one sleeve that he cant seem to stop fiddling with. A pair of dark blue jeans Jounouchi got for Christmas adorns kaibas crossed legs, he nervously runs his fingers over the one single loose thread hanging from the end of the shirt sleeve. Unsure of what to do or say he simply tries to be still but fails miserably, Jounouchi smiles at the image a broke Seto kaiba makes.
"so I know they froze your accounts and took your stuff, sooo what exactly happened?"
Jou leans forward placing his elbows on the table and resting his chin in his palms, staring completely interestedly at kaiba. Kaiba wishes more than anything to keep that information himself, but surmises that for all he is doing Jounouchi deserves to at least know why hes putting up with him. Jou watches discomfort sneak over kaibas features and feels slightly guilty... it could be rather embarrassing, well from kaibas perspective its already beyond embarrassing.
"er- ya know what you don't have to-"
" my secretary booked my hotel... I usually stay at the same hotel every time I come here but since shes new she didn't know that."
kaiba places his forearms over the table careful to keep his elbows off the surprisingly clean surface.
" as it turns out, this particular hotel has been soliciting some rather unsavory activities for high paying clientele."
" unsavory?"
Jou shifts placing one arm flat against the table, using the other to prop up his chin.
"... underage ...prostitution... drugs among other things..."
" no way-"
"Jou places his other hand down on the table his eyes going wide as he presses his back flat against the back of the booth.
" It would appear anyone who goes to that particular hotel, goes with those things in mind... to be perfectly honest I was confused when I got there. All the room service workers kept being rather...suggestive. I thought they where just flirting... a lot."
"what happened! How did you get arrested?"
Jou says in conservative whisper leaning forward to hear better.
" there was a raid... they barged in all the rooms and arrested all the clients. Although I can understand why they arrested the others... they where mostly caught red handed."
" … "
Jou stares at kaiba with his mouth hanging slightly open just waiting for him to continue.
" since it was a branch location, as in one of many hotels of its nature around the world it was interpol that came. Since it was interpol, they where able to freeze my accounts in japan and here but since I wasn't actually up to anything that's all they could do. They'll keep everything frozen until they complete their investigation, I can only imagine how the media is going to deal with this."
"did they try to detain you?"
"overnight yes"
"wait they froze everything? Even in japan?... what about mokuba."
kaiba heaves a heavy sigh.
" I need to call home soon, but they took my phone and my laptop to search them for any possible evidence... I get the the laptop... but my phone?"
The waitress is a short chunky pleasant looking woman, she trots up happily and places down a plate of roast beef mashed potatoes and vegetables in front of Jounouchi. She then places down a surprisingly thick steak, baked potato and cob of corn in front of kaiba. His blue eyes go wide as the plate makes a slight 'klink' onto the table. She giggles at his expression.
"well boy your all skin and bones, you make sure to eat it all and come back soon. We'll make sure you eat real good okay."
She smiles warmly placing her hand gingerly on kaibas shoulder for a moment before she places the tray under her arm and trots away. Jounouchi picks up his fork and begins to eat, still waiting for kaiba to continue. Kaiba however stares at the plate amazed that they expect any one single person to eat so much.
" … "
Jou watches kaiba just stare at the food in front of him.
" um is there something wrong with your food?"
kaibas head jerks up quickly, he shakes his head lightly left and right.
" There's nothing wrong, there's just so much. Do people actually eat all this?"
Jounouchi snickers as he jabs his fork into the tender meat, running it through the potatoes.
" People that eat here most of the time do manual labor so, they- we're usually hungry all the time. Don't flip if you can't finish it all we'll just get a to go box."
kaiba doesn't answer he just gives a weak attempt at a smile before unwrapping his silverware from its white paper napkin. He cuts the steak expecting it to bleed unpleasantly, instead there is only a thin pink line in the meat. Perfect. He finds himself very occupied with task of consuming the tender meat, almost forgetting the potato.
Jounouchi smirks as he glances across the table, the image kaiba makes here reminds him of the fact that kaiba is actually still just a teenager, a very tall and forcefully matured teenager... but still.
"hey kaibs"
kaiba looks up from his plate, arcing a slender eyebrow at the way Jou called him. He slowly slips his fork from between his lips and looks at Jounouchi since he wont speak with a mouthful.
" I should probably know this , but how old are you?"
kaiba swallows his food, then takes a sip of his peach iced tea before answering.
"I'm nineteen."
Jounouchi cuts his meat by pressing the side of his fork into it, shoving it into his potatoes again before raising it up off the plate.
" really? How come you're still in high school?"
He watches kaiba slice his steak carefully, pausing to answer before lifting it up off the plate.
" did you forget? Yugi put me in a coma... that sort of put me behind in my studies."
The conversation meanders back and forth between the two until Jounouchis plate is clean and kaiba pushes his forward, less than half the steak eaten and only a dent in the potatoes. Although the corn cob is clean, Jou raises his eyebrow at kaiba, who appears to have over eaten.
" are you serious? That's all you can put down?"
He find himself thoroughly embarrassed at Jous prodding comments, his cheeks tinting pink for only a moment before he defends himself.
" I usually only eat once a day... and this is quite a lot."
Jounouchi waves for the waitress to comeback, asking for a to go box. She tuts at kaiba before she scurries into a back door.
"man you eat like a bird."
To the comment kaiba tilts his head ever so slightly to the side.
"I do not. Birds spend almost ninety percent of their life eating or in search of food. Smaller birds can actually consume almost half their body weight in food, so of the two of us- I think it's you that eats like a bird."
Jounouchi wrinkles his nose slightly as the waitress comes back with both a sizable white Styrofoam box and the receipt. Jou reaches over and shoves kaiba steak into the box, then scoots the potatoes off the plate, he then stacks that plate over his own and shuts the box.
" for reals?"
" Indeed. "
0000000000000
Kaiba finds himself sitting on Jounouchis bed wearing only black sweat pants, not for lack of modesty but only because the white tee shirt that was offered was just too small for his broad shoulders. He sits on this bed with Jounouchis phone in one hand pressed to his ear, listening to the idle ringing until finally some one answers.
"he-hello?"
His voice is raspy as if he was yelling for awhile before hand.
" Mokuba?"
"Nii chan! Oh my god you're okay I was so worried!"
" yes I'm alright, mokuba are you alright? What happened there?"
" a bunch of police came and said they had to detain the estate for some investigation, I had to grab a few bags and find somewhere else to go."
" dammit they're fast,where are you?"
" where else would I be? I'm at yugis."
"dammit."
" nii chan where are you? They took all your stuff right? And they froze your accounts and I know you don't carry cash so where are you?"
"... I ran into Jounouchi on my way out of the police station. He has decided to allow me stay with him until the investigation is over with."
" well that's lucky isn't it? Did they take your luggage too?"
"unfortunately yes."
" well I grabbed the bags you keep by your bedroom door, do you want me to ship them over to you?"
" why would you do that? And yes."
" I'm not sure why I grabbed them... I just thought you might need them I guess. Whats Jounouchis address?"
" hold on let me check..."
Kaiba stands up and opens the bedroom door to find Jounouchi holding one of the couch cushions curiously. Before asking for the address kaiba watches as Jounouchi takes a sniff of the couch cushion and glares at it.
" bastard"
"uhh, Jounouchi?"
He glares and waves the cushion violently in kaibas direction.
" THAT BASTARD SPILLED BEER ON MY COUCH!"
"um, I'm sorry?"
Jou tosses the cushion on the floor and kicks it before crossing his arms over his chest and asking.
" sorry, what where you saying?"
" Mokuba has some of my clothes, I'd like to have them shipped over but I need the address."
"toss it here"
kaiba blinks at the strange phrase before overhand pitching the phone at him, Jou catches it one handed and quickly brings it to his ear.
" hey mokie!"
"Jou!"
" you ready? Got a pen?"
"yup! Whats your address?"
"1102 w Bermington, apartment 67 c. you got that?"
kaiba makes a point of memorizing the address himself, and watches as Jou grins into the phone playing a small amount of catch up with Mokuba. He can only hear half the conversation, he doesn't really care up until the very end.
"oh don't worry mokie, I'll take good care of your brother alright- okay then bye bye."
leaning in the bedroom doorway kaiba looks at Jou who tosses his phone onto the coffee table, he says.
" does over feeding me count as proper care?"
"yes"
Jou gives a wide grin and places his hands on his hips.
" hey you're living with me now, by the time your clothes get here you might not fit em anymore you skinny bastard."
" I'm not skinny... I'm just not-"
"a real person?"
Jou trots over and pokes kaiba in his slightly visible ribs.
" you look like skeletor"
kaiba swats Jous hand away from body and crosses his arms over his pale torso as he glares sharply at Jou.
" I don't know who that is but I don't think I like being compared to them."
After short semi playful argument Jou reveals a bed tucked in the couch and tosses a spare pillow and blanket on it.
" you can sleep in my room until I get pops room cleaned out okay."
kaiba watches Jounouchi flop over onto the thin mattress seeming unaware of the thick metal bars that make up the collapsible frame beneath it.
"... thank you Jounouchi."
He watches kaiba retreat into the room that isn't his, obviously embarrassed by his own words. The door shuts with a soft 'click' and Jou is left in the dark staring the direction of the ceiling, he watches the light under his bedroom door go out. After listening to the sound of rustling sheets for just a moment Jounouchi says in a soft voice.
"good night kaibs"
a/n: unlike the other stories i just posted i have every intention to finish this one, but none the less feedback is most appreciated
