Okay. So this is the first chapter of my short Christmas story. The plot will be pretty thin, but it's just a bit of fun and silliness really. So please don't be too critical if there's a few plot flaws. Just enjoy!.
Warnings: There might be a bit of swearing and suggestiveness, but nothing bad.
Disclaimer: I should probably take this opportunity to remind everyone that I do not own Yugioh.
Millennium Christmas Cracker.
Chapter 1.
All I Want For Christmas.
December was a month that Seto Kaiba hated. Not because the days were short and it was usually cold and dank, but because everyone seemed to fall over themselves with excitement over some stupid western tradition called Christmas. And Seto Kaiba hated Christmas. It was just another excuse for everyone to gather together and socialise over way too much food and alcohol.
But if there was one up-side to all this festive stupidity, it was that people spent more money on Kaiba Corporation products to send as gifts; worldwide sales of duel disks, Virtual Reality simulators and other gaming accessories always tripled at this time of year.
Of course, it went without saying that Mokuba absolutely loved Christmas.
He was also pretty sure Yugi and his idiot band of friends loved Christmas as well. Mokuba had even suggested inviting them over for Kentucky Fried Chicken and merriment. If that happened, then Seto would hide in his room until they all left.
An e-mail popped up on his screen, making him scowl.
As usual, the local homeless charity was asking Kaiba Corporation to pay for a huge Christmas tree to be placed in the town square. And as usual, Seto felt obliged to comply – if only to maintain good public reputations. He forwarded the e-mail on to his public relations manager and asked her to deal with it.
Packing up for the evening, he left his office and went home, only to groan when he walked in to find Mokuba and his housekeeper putting up Christmas decorations.
Now twenty two, Mokuba was almost as tall and imposing as he was. But where as Seto had a reputation for being frosty and hated interacting with other people at social events, Mokuba loved it. He was fun loving and popular, and his dark, tousled locks and designer stubble made him a magnet for the ladies – or, gold diggers as Seto called them.
"Seto! Come and see the tree?!" Mokuba grinned like a kid in a candy shop and dragged him into the sitting room to see the large spruce that had been given pride of place in the corner. Seto had to admit that it did look very nice with its sparkly lights, tinsel and baubles, but he kept those thoughts to himself and just grunted, feigning disinterest.
Ordering the housekeeper to tell the chef to serve dinner in thirty minutes, he poured himself a glass of Scotch Whiskey and sat down in his leather armchair to enjoy the rich, amber nectar.
"Where's my whiskey?" Mokuba demanded. Seto opened his mouth to tell him he wasn't old enough, but clamped it shut again when he realised he was. It was hard getting used to the fact that his little brother was a grown man, who did not need his permission.
It made Seto a bit sad: Mokuba had always needed him and idolised him. But Mokuba now had his own life and it made Seto feel a bit redundant and useless. Seto might have his successful company, but his life was void of much else – even Duel Monsters didn't excite him like it used to.
Taking the silence as a 'yes', Mokuba poured himself some whiskey and sat on the armrest of the chair. "So!" He draped himself over his brothers shoulder, just to annoy him. "Seto... Have you thought any more about what I suggested?"
Seto scowled up at him. "Mokuba! Get off me! And get off the arm of the chair?! It's an antique and isn't designed for sitting on."
"You're no fun," Mokuba pouted. "If you're not gonna give an answer, then I will invite them anyway. After all, this is my house too."
Seto rolled his eyes. It seemed that Mokuba had still not given up on his plan to invite Yugi and his cronies on Christmas Day? "Has it not occurred to you that they might prefer to spend Christmas with their own families? Yugi hasn't seen his wife for nearly four months, he might want to spend it with her."
Mokuba chewed his lip. "I already mentioned it to Yugi and he said that they aren't planning to do much. He seemed quite interested when I suggested they all come here."
"You mean you invited them behind my back?" Seto growled.
"Not exactly behind your back. I did show you respect by asking you first."
"And I said no!"
"And that's why I asked them!" Mokuba stood up and glared angrily at his brother. "You're always so moody at Christmas and I hate it!" He ranted. "If you wanna spend it holed up in your room, sulking like the bastard love child of Scrooge and the Grinch, then go ahead. But at least let me invite some friends over, and have fun with people who do want to celebrate!"
Seto stared open mouthed at his younger brother. "Did you just refer to me as the bastard offspring of a Dickens character and a Doctor Seuss creation?"
Mokuba snickered. "So what if I did? It's because you are. In fact, scratch that. Compared to you their offspring would be kind and generous. They would be the life and soul of the party." With that, he gulped his whiskey down in one, turned and stormed out.
"Mokuba! Come back here this instant?!" Seto thumped the arm of the chair with his fist. Great! Now he'd upset Mokuba. And he knew from experience that Mokuba would give him the silent treatment until he relented and let him invite whoever he wanted for Christmas.
But how bad would a Christmas party really be? He could hole himself up in his home laboratory and work on his frustratingly difficult project, with the knowledge that Mokuba had friends to enjoy Christmas with.
Who knows, if he managed to pull it off, he might even be able to bring the Pharaoh back again in time for Christmas Day! And if he was successful, having Yugi here might be good, because if Atem was royally pissed off for being pulled out of the afterlife for a duel, then Yugi would be able to placate him.
::::::::::::
Yugi was lugging boxes from the store room, while his grandfather was sitting behind the counter, minding the store.
He was looking forward to seeing Anzu again. They had been married for twenty months now, but in that time, he had only spent about three months in total with her as she had been touring with the New York Ballet. But she was due to fly home from Los Angeles next week to spend two very much needed weeks with him, before flying back out on the second of January to continue the tour.
When the bell to the door chimed and Mokuba walked in, Sugoroku was surprised. The only time the younger Kaiba brother had ever visited, was to install the security system.
He would never forget the trouble both brothers had caused in the past, but Sugoroku considered Mokuba the nicer of the two. He could forgive Mokuba for his previous behaviour because he had only been a child at the time and had behaved like a brat to get his his brother's attention. It seemed incredible, that somehow, despite having Seto as a role model, Mokuba had actually grown up to be a very likeable and charming young man – unlike his brother.
"Hello Mokuba. To what do we owe this visit?" The old man smiled warmly and Mokuba wondered if he might persuade him to dress up as Santa for the party.
"Hey Mister Mutou! Is Yugi in?"
Sugoroku nodded. "Yes, he is. Shall I call him for you?"
Mokuba felt like rolling his eyes and saying 'duh! Of course!' But instead remained polite. "Yes please."
Before Sugoroku could call out, Yugi appeared from the back of the store carrying a large box full of Christmas decorations. He had heard the voices.
"Hi there Mokuba." He grinned around the side of the box. "Just let me put this down and I'll be with you." Carefully crouching, so as not to injure his back, he put the box down and stood up straight and brushed the dust off the front of his apron. He shook his head and scraped his fingers through his hair, dislodging dust and a few cobwebs. "Damned box was on the top shelf, right at the very back." He sneezed as the dust dislodged from his hair.
At twenty five, Yugi had finished growing a while ago. He had made it to the dizzy height of five feet six and a half (he never forgot the half) and had broadened at she chest and shoulders, giving him a much more powerful appearance, but he was still a good five inches shorter than Mokuba, who had the same 'tall' genes as his brother.
"Hey Yugi!" Mokuba beamed, trying not to laugh too much at the undefeated Duel King with cobwebs in his hair. "Just came to see if you're still okay to come over for my Christmas celebrations? Only I need to finalise numbers for catering."
"Yeah, sure," Yugi nodded. "I mentioned it to Anzu and she would love to come. Honda, Shizuka and Bakura all said yes. Jonouchi said he and Mai would as long as your brother isn't there." That was a polite version of what his pal had actually said, but Yugi felt it best not to repeat Jonouchi's exact words.
Mokuba sighed. "Seto is refusing to join in anyway. Says he's got more important stuff to do, so Jonouchi's safe to come."
"What about Me? And what about your mother and father Yugi?" Said Sugoroku, sounding a bit perturbed.
Yugi scratched his head. " Yeah, I was gonna ask; is it was okay to bring my family? Only, my dad's coming home for a couple of weeks."
Mokuba grinned happily. "Sure! The more the merrier! I was even hoping you would dress up as Father Christmas, Mister Mutou?" He asked cheekily.
Sugoroku chuckled and patted his belly in good humour. "Ho, ho, ho... Are you telling me I look like a bearded, short, fat man, young Mokuba?"
The young man blushed. "Well, you are probably better qualified than the rest of us."
"Then I accept your invitation."
"Great!" Mokuba rubbed his hands together. "Everyone is invited. Tell Anzu to bring her parents as well. It'll be awesome!"
With a week and a half to go, and the number of guests confirmed, Mokuba got on with making all the final catering arrangements.
Chapter two should be up tomorrow.
Please Review.
