Okay, so this is my new story that me and NightingaleNightThief collaborated on. I'm am quite happy with how it turned out. This will be set in a different universe and our main pairing will be Seto x Joey along with side pairings of Yugi x Yami, Ryou x Bakura and Malik x Mariku. I would like to give credit again to NightingaleNightThief for helping me make my little idea a typed up story. Thank you so much for being my unofficial beta!
Rating: 'M' for later chapters.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or anything that may appear in this story.
Enjoy!
An ominous silence settled over the sparsely furnished office causing the already high tension to increase with each passing minute. Thirty more men have disappeared, that racks the total up to three hundred and eighty seven. All of them had be innocent hard working men, all within the time frame of a month. They disappeared from all over the world and they all seemed to disappear into thin air.
"What could have done this amount of damage in such a short amount of time?" Seto Kaiba asked his boss incredulously. His deep voice laced with deep seated shock. His boss stood up from his large oak desk and paced over to the window that took up three of the four walls of his office. Seto loathed that this man was his boss, he hated his aloof and lazy attitude toward the innocent people that they protected. How he got to such a high position was beyond him.
"A siren, from what I've been told." His boss gave a frivolous hand gesture that increased Seto's annoyance.
"A siren?" Seto asked, his annoyance creeping into his voice. His boss turned around and grinned at his second in command's ire.
"Yes a siren, I've seen a few in my years and they are quite nasty when provoked. But something of this magnitude hasn't happened since the dark ages and it wasn't a siren."
Ah yes, that reminded Seto of how his dunce of a boss got his job, elders rights. The older you are, the more privileges you got.
"What do you suppose we do about this siren problem? We can't just sit back and hope it blows over. Something needs to be done quick." Seto slammed his open palms onto the oak desk that sat in the middle of Maximillion Pegasus' office. The silver haired man sat back down at his desk, the leather of his seat squelched at the contact of his expensive leather pants.
"I agree Mr. Kaiba, that is why I have called you into my office. I have decided to set you to the task of getting rid of this siren, and now seeing you so passionate, I can see that I have made the right choice. So will you do it?"
Pegasus said this as if Seto had a choice in the matter. The sheer gall of the man irked Seto to no end, but he was never one to back down from a job. Seto did wonder why he, and not someone else of a lower rank, was called to do this particular job.
"Mr. Pegasus, it you don't mind me asking. Why was I called to do this and not some lower ranked officer?"
"Because Seto, you are a 1st order Fae. That makes you the most qualified for the job. Plus your academy scores are off the charts, which explains why you are in such a high position at a very young age. Your smarts will be needed seeing that this siren is a crafty one and leaves hardly any traces." Seto rolled his eyes slightly at his boss' flattery.
"And you could also use some time out, when was the last time you went out and enjoyed yourself? Go out, have some fun, spend some time with people your age. Your starting to look old with all the worry you cause yourself."
"And you think sending me out on an important mission will take the weight off my shoulders?" Seto asked testily, this man was as infuriating as ever. Pegasus grinned at his young employee, still as smug as ever.
"Well when you say it like that, no. You know I wouldn't give you this if I didn't think you could handle it, and this will give you a opportunity to meet new people."
"What do you mean 'meet new people'? I'm going to be dong this alone." Pegasus laughed, he laughed at Seto Kaiba, like he was laughing at a child. How dare he!
"No no my dear Kaiba-boy," Seto grit his teeth at the nickname, "you and several other 1st orders in the hikari realm will defeat this siren and save the innocent people."
"And just who will I be traveling with?" Seto tapped his foot impatiently. Pegasus grinned again.
"You will be accompanied by Bakura Tozokuo of the Angel sector, Yami Sennen of the Ministering Angels, and Mariku Ishtaru of the Deva sector."
"Your having me accompanied by two angels and a forest god? Why not send me away with a couple of pixes and a fucking unicorn while your at it!" Seto was frusterated to say the least, he was tired and he needed to get home before his brother got out of his classes.
"Now now Mr. Kaiba please do calm down, the sooner we get this sorted out the sooner we can leave. I need to be getting home and you need to be taking care of your dear sweet little brother." Pegasus had a leecherous gleam in his eye that Seto was never fond of, Pegasus' 'fancies' have always been in an odd place and Seto would be damned if Pegasus was left to his devices with his 'dear sweet little brother'.
"Yes Mr. Pegasus, I accept the quest. All that I ask is that you give me a couple of days to get my brother sorted out and then I'm free."
"That won't be necessary, I'll watch your sweet little brother for you while your gone." Seto's stomach dropped at his boss' statement, it will be a cold day in hell when he allows his brother to be alone with Pegasus.
"No Mr. Pegasus. You see, Mokuba has a cousin he has been bugging me to visit for a long time and I figured this would be a great opportunity for them to spend some time together."
"Oh, what ever you say Kaiba-boy. I expect to see you in my office again in two days, no more than that."
"Yes, Mr. Pegasus." Seto bowed deeply and rolled his eyes again before straightening back up.
"Have a good rest of the day; don't worry about the rest of your paperwork, I'll have your intern, Gretchen, send it in."
Seto nodded his head briskly and turned stiffly to exit his boss' office. Seto rested his hand on the gold doorknob that was attached to Pegasus' ordinate door. Seto paused at his boss' voice.
"Oh, and tell Mokuba dear I said hello." Seto's fist clench around the doornob, wishing the nob was his boss' throat.
"I'll be sure to Mr. Pegasus." Seto ground out before he opened the door and quickly shut it behind him.
Seto puffed out the air he had been holding in his lungs the entire time he had been in Maximillion Pegasus' office. His boss was a piece of work. A shock of pitch black hair caught his attention. His brother, Mokuba, was sitting at an office chair at the intern's desk watching her type at lightening speed.
"Thank you Nancy for keeping my brother occupied while I was in Mr. Pegasus' office." Seto said to the blond intern.
"No problem Mr. Kaiba, you actually use my name when you greet me, so it is a pleasure. Plus, Mokuba here is such a great little guy, I don't mind him one bit." The perky blond haired assistant cheerily replied.
"Well, I was an intern once so I know how the sentiment feels. Have a good rest of your evening Nancy." Seto said to the cheery intern.
"Goodbye Nancy!" Mokuba called after grabbing his school bag from behind Nancy's desk.
"Bye-bye Mokie, and Goodbye Mr. Kaiba!" She called after them then resumed her fast paced typing.
Seto walked out of the large building with his brother under his arm. Seto allowed Mokuba to get into the car before he entered, he told the driver the address of their modest home and turned back to his little brother.
"So what happened in school today?" Seto asked with genuine interest.
"Nothing much, after Magic and Healing class we were sent home early because the Mortal Studies teacher was called here to your work. What happened in Mr. Pegasus' office, you looked really upset when you walked out?" Mokuba asked curiously.
"Well, I have to go on a classified mission to save some mortals lives. So you are going to be staying with your cousin Noah."
"Yuck, Noah is a jerk," Mokuba upturned his nose in disgust, "and Uncle Gozaburo is only nice because you make lots of money at your job." Mokuba whined. Seto's stone mask slipped as he wiped his face in fatigue.
"I know, but it's either Uncle Gozaburo and Noah, or Mr. Pegasus." Seto grimaced at the last choice.
"Double yuck, fine I'll go to Uncle Gozaburo's but I won't be nice to Noah if he's being a jerk like last time!" Mokuba huffed childishly, Seto grinned at his childish antics. The grin slipped off his face as the driver turned around and announced their arrival. Seto nodded and thanked his driver and opened the door for Mokuba and himself.
"Okay, now go upstairs and pack some cloths. I don't know how long I will be gone so bring some things to keep you occupied." Mokuba gave a mock salute and turned around and ran inside their shared home.
Seto shook his head, he was in for a long journey. Maybe he should try and have some fun like his boss said. Gods, did he need it.
"Noah Kaiba, how may I help you?" A young nasally voice answered. The sounds of glassware clanking told Seto that dinner was being cleaned up.
"Hello Noah, this is Seto. Did I call at a bad time because I can call again?"
Seto winced at the uncertainty in his voice, his cousin was what his uncle liked to call a 'free spirit'; which was a parents way of saying your child is a spoiled brat that has no respect for their elders. Noah was known for being easily upset and temperamental, what parents called a phase and other children called mean.
"No it's just fine just hurry up and tell me what you want!" The nasally voice bit out rudely.
"I was actually calling to speak with your father, may I speak to him?" Seto grumbled out, trying his damnedest to stay civil when on the phone with his ornery cousin.
"Oh is that all? Yeah, I can get him for you." Without any warning, Noah yelled rather loudly on the other end of the line, temporarily deafening Seto.
"DADDY! SETO IS ON THE PHONE FOR YOU!" Seto hissed as his eardrums throbbed at the younger Kaiba's screeching.
"Seto?" Gozaburo's muffled voice came over the line.
"Yes, hello Uncle Gozaburo. It has been quite some time hasn't it." Seto's voice was completely devoid of all emotion. His uncle's, however, sounded just as fake and artificial as he remembered it. He had always known that his Uncle was only remotely nice to him and Mokuba was because Seto paid him handsomely when he watched Mokuba for him.
"Yes it has been quite some time. I'm sorry about Noah's behavior, I've told that boy that answering phones is the maid's work. But you know that boy and his free spirit." Gozaburo gave a plastic laugh on the other end, Seto curled his lip up in disgust. Gozaburo wasn't apologizing for his son behavior, he was just blaming the maid for not getting to the phone fast enough. It sickened Seto how Gozaburo enabled his son's uncouth behavior.
"Yes that's quite alright," Seto bit out unwillingly ",I'm just going to go straight to business. I need you to watch Mokuba for me. No I don't know how long I will be gone, yes he already knows, the pay will be the same, and I will have him there tomorrow around 11 o'clock." Seto listed the details in his 'business voice', as Mokuba dubbed it.
These transactions always went the same. Gozaburo would ask for how many days, If Mokuba knew Seto was leaving (because he really gave two shits what Seto was saying to Mokuba), how much Seto was willing to pay to have his brother at their own flesh and bloods house, and when he could be expecting them. The whole deal seemed so impersonal, but this was how his uncle always was, even when their parents were alive. You never did something for somebody in this family for nothing in return, that is what Seto was taught at a very young age.
"Then I shall see you tomorrow around 11 o'clock. Have a nice rest of the evening Seto." Gozaburo said in his fake 'loving' voice. Seto shivered at the thought of his uncle being anything close to loving.
"Yes, and the same to you as well Uncle Gozaburo." Seto said in his 'business voice'. Seto set down his phone and rubbed his face tiredly. Talking to his distant remaining family always drained the life out of him slowly and painfully.
"Was that Uncle Gozaburo?" Mokuba's boyish voice alerted Seto of his presence.
Seto nodded and allowed his stone mask slip away as the stress from the days events took their toll on him. He glanced at the young boy standing in the doorway of his bedroom. Seto let a little sound leave the back of his throat at Mokuba's choice in pajamas.
"Puppies and kittens?" Seto asked in a teasing tone.
"I like puppies and kittens," Mokuba said matter-of-factly, causing Seto's lips to quirk slightly in a soft smile.
"Yeah, but don't they seem a little childish for somebody your age?" Seto laughed lightly. The low melodious sound of Seto's rare laughter would have been welcome to Mokuba's young ears if it wasn't for the slander of his beloved pajamas.
"I don't think they're childish, lots of people like puppies and kittens. You can be a full functioning adult and still like baby animals. Mr. Pegasus likes bunnies and he's super old."
"Yeah, but Mr. Pegasus is a nut, so that proves your point invalid."
It was true that Seto's boss did like bunnies, he more specifically liked bunny ears on young Fae. But Seto would never tell Mokuba that, he wasn't old enough to know how truly fucked up his boss could be. Mokuba pouted at Seto's previous comment.
"Well, I like these and their isn't anything you can say about them that will make me like them any less." Mokuba crossed his thin arms over his chest ad turned his head away in mock defiance. Seto laughed lightly at Mokuba's feisty attitude.
Seto wouldn't admit it to anyone, but it was precious moments like this that made him love the fucked up life he had. If he didn't have Mokuba he wouldn't have anybody to live for, to provide for, to come home to, to cook for, to bug him abut how his day went until he gave up and told him, to tell his darkest fears, to confide in. Without Mokuba, Seto wouldn't have anybody to love.
Love is a very strong word for Fae, it takes a lot for a Fae to love somebody. Without his little brother, Seto wouldn't know what that warm feeling in his chest was. After taking care of him like a father (and sometimes a mother); it was hard not to feel some sort of love for that bright little boy who still loved puppies and kittens and made Seto laugh after a stressful day of dealing with his boss and a whole building of unfeeling Fae. Seto had to appreciate those puppy and kitten pajamas, they reminded him of what he loved most about his little brother.
"I like it when you laugh, you don't laugh nearly enough anymore." Mokuba said sadly.
"I know," Seto said solemnly. He stood up from the solid cherry wood desk in the corner of his spacious master bedroom. Seto padded lightly across the soft carpet of his bedroom and made his way over to his king sized bed. He settled on the corner of his soft bed and patted the spot to his right. Mokuba hesitated, the previous sentence still left unfinished, his bare feet finally padded soundlessly over the plush navy blue carpet.
"Mokuba, it's hard to laugh when you know how truly horrible the real world is. I try to not let it affect me but it becomes difficult when you see how the real world works." Seto finished his previous thought with a deep sense of regret and pity, for who Mokuba was not sure.
Mokuba settled himself into his older brother's side, curling his bare feet under himself and tucking his hands together and placing them under his chin.
"I don't want to see how painful the real world is." Mokuba's voice was full of fear and unshed tears. Seto turned and glanced down to see Mokuba's young face pressed up against his side full of worry and fear. Seto brushed his thin fingers through his brother's thick, ink black tresses; lovingly untangling the little knots that formed after his bath.
"I wish I could protect you from all the bad things in the world, I wish you could stay this happy and carefree and innocent; but you and I both know that's above my ability. But I will tell you this Mokuba, there is just as much good as bad in this world, and as long as that good is around, the bad will always be put into it's place." Seto continued to brush his long thin fingers through his brother's now untangled hair.
"Is that what you do Big Brother?" Mokuba asked sleepily, lulled by the gentile fingers brushing through his hair.
"I try Mokie, I try." Seto whispered softly.
"Good night Big Brother, I love you." Mokuba snuggled up closer to Seto's body heat and drifted slowly off to sleep. Seto paused his gentile brushing to confirm that Mokuba was completely out. Seto released a soft puff of air through his nostrils and brushed his brother's bangs away from his young cherubic face.
"Good night Mokie... I love you too..."
Yes finally, the first chapter is done. I didn't realize it until this story, but I really like writing Seto being a big softy around his little brother. I know I don't usually write Puppyshipping or anything with Seto or Joey in it but I'm trying my hand at it.
No I did not forget my other story "How to Save a Life", I've actually got a good half of a new chapter and I'm slowly churning it out.
I hoped you enjoyed this first chapter and I would again like to thank NightingaleNightThief for helping me with this story. Go ahead and check her stories out, they're amazing!
Please favorite, review and feel free to message me; I enjoy hearing from my readers! Enjoy the rest of your evening!
TheeWiccaChick