J Is For 'Juggle'

It was amazing; just how fast could one man type while holding a completely different topic in a phone conversation so well? His eyes fixed on the screen of the computer, he spoke eloquently in Mandarin Chinese on the phone, sounding calm and stern with the person on the other side. He was almost finished with the call just as Mokuba opened the door, cracking his head in. Seto raised his hand, waving for Mokuba to come inside while sharing a brief glance with him. He said his farewells to the man on the phone, quietly lowering it back onto the receiver. He lifted his head away from the computer for a moment, "Mokuba, is there something?"

Mokuba paused for a second, then widened his eyes, "Oh, you're in a rush, aren't you? Um… Your shipments have arrived, you have two conference calls scheduled for five-o-clock and six-o-clock, and your secretary says she's going to quit… again." Mokuba listed, almost as if this were the daily routine, which it was.

Seto nodded as he was told his schedule, "Sign the papers for the shipments, confirm the calls, and let Ms. Fujiko quit for all I care." He closed his eyes. Mokuba nodded, turning for the door. He looked back over his shoulder spotting Seto rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"… When's the last time you slept?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

"That… makes no sense. I've heard that before. You've been up all night again, haven't you?" Mokuba turned around, putting his hands on his hips, a tad cross.

Seto opened his eyes and looked at Mokuba, "….. What are you talking about? I'm fine."

"You know, one of these days, your going to kill yourself doing this, I swear."

Seto blinked, face emotionless, "Don't be stupid, Mokuba…"

Mokuba sighed, "Fine, whatever, don't listen, but I'm telling ya…" He spun around, walking out the door. Seto watched him leave, and once the door closed, he let out a sigh, then hung his head. Maybe he was right. Maybe he did need to take a break. Maybe he needed to stop fitting things in so tightly.

Despite his thoughts, he still went through the entire day. He had just confirmed the conferences, he couldn't cancel them. Besides, what's a little bit of idle chatter to Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corp.? These were all little tasks to him. He had handled much worse. He had spent days on end working out deals with big companies, eventually buying them up and taking control of their stock. To the industry, he was a pit bull. He was a force to be reckoned with, so what were a few conferences?

Ryo walked into the building, his hat and hair lightly coated with snow. He waved to the guards at the hall, how simply bowed their heads in return. He smiled nervously. He was still getting used to the fact that he was considered quite powerful to the company. He was the president's spouse, and for all they knew, he could be running the company through suggestion to Seto. Not that he was, he could barely multitask while cooking, and the stress of his job at the café was enough to make him faint dead away. He walked into the elevator, where another guard stood diligently. He glanced over his shoulder to the tall, muscular man as the elevator doors closed. He smiled, "Hello."

The guard snapped to attention, looking at Ryo, "Sir." He nodded stiffly.

Ryo blinked, then pouted, "There's really no need to be so formal to me, you know. I'm not some official here on business."

"Yes, sir. Of course, sir." The guard replied, completely oblivious to what Ryo had suggested, apparently. Ryo let out a small huff of a sigh, then looked ahead again, just as the doors opened. He stepped out, waving goodbye to the guard, then continuing down the hall.

Ms. Fujiko, who Ryo had come to know well, was packing her things in a box, an angry look on her face. He blinked, approaching the desk, "Nene, what's going on? Are you quitting?"

"Yes, I'm quitting!" Fujiko said blatantly, "I'm sick and tired of this place! It's so cold and mean! Look over there." She pointed. Ryo looked in the direction, seeing a large painting of a swan with a decorative ribbon around its neck, "What kind of paintings are they putting up around here? How is that giving off the impression of power and future? But whenever I suggest something, that damn decorator calls me a knowitall!"

Ryo pursed his lips, furrowing his brow he thought, "Well… Seto.. I mean, Mr. Kaiba, has a fondness for swans and eggs. It's very much a part of his culture. You're his secretary, and you haven't gotten to know him yet. Give it a chance. You've only been here for a few weeks, Nene."

Fujiko paused, then crossed her arms, "Well… If you put it that way… Fine! But don't expect me to enjoy the décor!"

Ryo laughed, "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, Nene." He grinned, passing by and heading for Seto's office.

He quietly opened the door, as he always did. He wasn't one for loud noises. He often made it a goal to be rather quiet and out of the way. But he became dead silent when he saw what was in front of him. Seto sat there, his chest slumped forward, and his head in his arms. He was dead asleep, and his reading glasses had been shoved out of place on his face with how he was resting. Ryo stepped forward slowly, trying not to make a peep. He approached the desk, starting to hear Seto's soft breaths. Ryo rarely got to see him like this. Whenever he slept over, Seto was awake much before Ryo. Whether it was for work, or just how early he liked to wake up, he did. Right now, however, there was a resting Seto on the desk, that needed to be dealt with in Ryo's special way. Ryo smiled after watching him for a moment, taking in the sight of his slumber; his chest slowly rising and falling. He turned towards the couch in the corner of the room, Seto's stash spot for his coat. Once he had retrieved it, he walked back over and gently laid it across the other's shoulders, leaning down and kissing the back of his head.

"Sweet dreams…"