Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, or any other name brand things I might happen to mention. The plot and OCs are mine.
Summary: This is six years after everyone is out of high school, and have started on their lives. Times are rough as the economy has been falling and there are struggles all around as the reality of life hits everyone. Including Seto Kaiba. As a matter of act, things cant get any worse for the famous CEO. Not only is business down, someone wants him dead, and they're almost as good at getting what they want as he is. After all of his safe houses and security has failed, he feels defeated, at least until an idea pops into mind.
Rated for future lemons, violence and dark concepts. do not read if you are uncomfortable with this material. All of the chapters with a lemon in them will have a warning at the top in bold. There will not be many, so please don't demand them.
Also, this has been reposted because the other one was not working correctly or showing up. I dont know what happened to it, it just wasn't. So all the reviews are gone... *sadface* Oh well, hope you enjoy.
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Chapter 1
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Serenity hugged her jacket closer to herself as she stepped out into cold winter air. She turned, waving goodbye to Tea who had to work late. She had always imagined Tea would have her own dance studio by now, but the times were tough. Big businesses blossomed while little ones died out. Joey had been laid off from his job as a line cook just a week prior and no one seemed to be hiring anymore. Serenity had hoped that she would be living on her own by now, but working at the bar with Tea didn't pay well and she was stuck living with her brother for at least another year.
The night sky was jet black with only a few stars poking out above the city. Winter this year was exceedingly cold and it had only just begun. She glanced around the street and watched warily as shady people sunk into the ally ways. People were getting more desperate as the costs of living rose and the job availability sunk. She could see about twice as many people on the streets, begging for change and doing less than legal work just to make ends meet.
Serenity was afraid Joey might consider the same thing, as he'd done in the past. That's why she wasn't headed straight home. She rounded a corner down a well lit street until she got to the condo she had in mind. After a knock on the door a young man answered. He was relatively tall and of a slim build. His auburn locks framed his face gently while his hazel eyes glazed over her. A smirk pulled at his lips as he moved aside to let her enter.
"Actually I really have to get home, but I wanted... to accept your arrangement." She said, keeping her eyes on the ground. She could feel his smirk widen and his eyes crawl over her again.
"Excellent. I'll give him a call tonight."
"Now." Serenity said, eyes finally meeting his. He smirked but nodded. He knew his time for demands was coming up. He would just have to wait for hers to be met first. He slipped his hand into his breast pocket on the brown jacket he was wearing and pulled out a cell phone.
"Hey, Joey. It's Jake. I was just talking with Serenity, she said you got laid off, that sucks. But hey, I have an idea. My dad's business just let go the security guard at their club on Skye street. We need a new guy and I know you're tough as nails. It pays great too. That's awesome. Meet me there on Friday, alright? I'll talk to dad." The phone snapped shut in his hand and he looked back at Serenity. "Happy?" He stroked her cheek with the tips of his fingers and disappeared into the house, closing the door behind him. Serenity slowly moved back and turned, starting towards her section of neighborhood. As she moved down the street, she couldn't help but think 'what have I gotten myself into?'
The entire business had gotten out of hand. The first time, he locked down his entire estate. Made sure his safe houses were secure and had every account traced for all activity including his own. The second time, he moved himself into the safe houses switching randomly between them every week or so, but the third time... he had to move Mokuba. He almost lost him. He paused, driving back from the airport and thought back to the night before.
The door to his office was closed but not locked. He shrugged it off, thinking the maid had closed the door behind her. Once he opened the door, his suspicion of the maid was confirmed, but an entire new one had formed. She laid across the floor unmoving, next to Mokuba who was also unconscious. He rushed into the room, which now that he thought about it, was the dumbest thing to do, but he was panicked.
The second he was fully inside his head began to spin. He paused for a moment, his body reacting before his mind and he slowed his breathing. Nitrogen gas was a common colorless gas used for stealthy hits with no traceable source, unless you knew what you were looking for. Kaiba dragged Mokuba, then the maid out of the room, taking deep breaths from the hall and holding them as he entered. Once they were out, he entered again, opening windows and unblocking vents in the room, and finally, finding the source of the gas. A tube leading out a small vent and down the side of the building.
He slipped back out of the office as the room aired out and knelt besides Mokuba. The boy was still breathing and barely regaining consciousness, but the maid had long passed. It looked as if Mokuba entered to visit the older Kaiba and when he found the maid, tried to help her, getting sucked into the hit unknowingly.
Kaiba shook his head, removing those images from his mind. Whoever wanted him dead had to have something to gain out of it. But what? Mokuba was the only one in direct line of inheritance for him and should anything happen, Mokuba would be the one to split his estate or do whatever he wanted. If both brothers suddenly died, their entire fortune and any material possessions would be auctioned and the total divided into shares for assorted charities and as business investments on Kaiba Corp.
Their wills and fortunes were completely secured. Why would they be after him now? And whoever they had as a hit man was definitely a pro. He slammed his fists against his steering wheel. The cops were of no use. Protective custody was easily broken leading to the last attempt at his life this morning. He couldn't trust them. He couldn't trust anyone. All the people who were close to him... none of them could help him.
Even if he wanted to be able to confide in someone, the only people he could rely on being consistent were the ones who hated him.
Kaiba slammed on the breaks as a thought came to mind. He used the momentum of the swiftly moving vehicle to swerve and turn, starting off in a new direction altogether. It was late, but he was sure they were still up. His car screeched to a halt a few blocks away from where he wanted to be. He wiped it down, left the keys and used the ally ways to travel. He popped out onto the main street in time to collide with someone.
"Ow... Kaiba? The newspapers said you died-" Serenity managed before he grabbed her, pulling her into the ally he had just come out of and covered her mouth.
"I need to talk to your brother." He said quickly. She tried to say something else, but his hand remained over her mouth. "I also need you to pretend I'm not me." Her eyes were filled with confusion and once she stopped trying to make noise he removed his hand.
"Whats going on?" She finally got out. His lips thinned as he clenched his jaw. He didn't have time for this.
"I'll explain it later. Just get me to your brother." She glanced out into the street, then popped back into the darkness where he hid.
"He's with Yugi right now. That's about six blocks down from here." Kaiba sighed frustratedly and scanned the area again before turning back to her.
"Fine. Lead the way." She went towards the street, but he grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Take back roads." He hissed, still searching the streets for shadowy figures. She led him through a series of allies for about a half hour until finally they came to the game shop. It had been two years since Yugi's grandfather had passed away, leaving the 'king of games' his own game shop. Kaiba remembered attending the funeral, as he was invited. He made his first and last silent apology to the old man over his casket that day.
The six years they had been out of school seemed to be rough on the entire group all around. Kaiba didn't keep tabs on Joey, Serenity or Tristan, but Yugi suffered his grandfathers death, then the game shop flooded, leaving him to pay for all of the damages directly after inheriting it. He knew Tea's parents had kicked her out once she turned eighteen, as a get out and grow up exorcize, leaving her on her own at a young age and forcing her to find lodging with Mai, who apparently was cut off from all funding and ended up getting a job selling cars. She was good at it, but she would have preferred to remain rich without responsibility.
No one seemed to be doing well. Or at least, doing what they imagined they would be.
As they approached the door, Kaiba continuously glanced over the streets, trying to look for anything that moved, but at this hour, he was relieved to find everyone else was home. Yugi and Joey exited the door before Serenity could knock. They smiled down at Serenity, then looked at Kaiba and froze.
"What are you doing here?" Joey asked astonished.
"I need to talk to you. But can we do it somewhere more private?" Kaiba asked determined to leave the street. Yugi waved them back inside and everyone filtered into the shop. Kaiba noticed the water damage still present about three inches up on the wall. The bottom racks of merchandise were removed and the floor looked warped and creaked under their feet. Yugi led them up into the house section of the shop and into his living room.
"Well, we're in private now. What's up?" Yugi asked. Kaiba nodded and turned to Joey.
"As you've probably read, the media thinks I'm dead. I've been targeted for a series of hits now and the police are no longer of use to me. I've tried hiring security, but everything has been compromised. Mokuba's been shipped out to a safe location and I'm going to stay in town to monitor my business, but I need to lay low. If they find me, they'll try to kill me again." Kaiba explained. The room was dead silent. Serenity and Joey exchanged worried looks, and Yugi stepped up.
"I... I would let you stay here, but all the damaged items are in Grandpa's old room and I barely have any room here-"
"They know I respect you and you're the closest thing to a friend I've got. They'll check you out." Kaiba said before turning his gaze on Joey. "But they know you would never help me." Joey's eyes widened in shock. It was true, on a normal day in a normal situation, Joey would rather eat dirt than aid Seto Kaiba, but... this was a matter of life and death.
"I... I don't know..." Joey did have the space. His mother had passed away in Serenity's last year of high school, leaving her children the three bedroom house and a few medical bills. He had just gotten a call for a job as well, so they should have been all set with bills, but he didn't like the idea of living with someone he hated. "How long?"
"I don't know. Until I find a safer place to stay?" Kaiba tried. He was trying to hide his desperation, but the simple fact that he was asking Joey was enough to prove this was no joke. Joey looked at the ground for a moment, then at Serenity. Kaiba and Yugi followed suit, now placing all eyes on her. She nervously looked between her brother and his best friend, then her eyes wandered up to the awaiting blue ones of Seto Kaiba. He held her gaze for a moment, but her eyes shot to the ground moving along the floor as she thought. As she glanced up at her brother once more, her mouth opened and closed many times, trying to squeeze out a sound, but failing. Finally she found herself nodding, wishing to keep the privacy in her life, but knowing that this was much bigger than herself.
"Fine... Let go home... Also, Ren, your friend Jake called. He gave me a job." Joey said, moving towards the door. Serenity followed behind him and Kaiba behind her. Yugi waved goodbye, locking the doors and disappearing into his home while Joey continued to talk with Serenity. "I'll be a security guard at the club down the street. Walking distance and good pay. Sounds too good to be true." He said a little deflatedly.
"Joey, that's awesome. I knew he'd call you. Jake's... He's a good guy. If he says he's got a job for you, he means it." She said, hating the way the words tasted in her mouth. They took a secluded path back to their home, as Kaiba instructed, and used the back door to get in. Once inside Kaiba looked to Joey for further instruction as to where to go. He led him through the living room to the hallway just past the kitchen. Kaiba followed until he stopped in front of the first door to the left and Joey turned to him.
"This is gonna be your room. It's no penthouse, so don't get whiny." Joey turned back to the door, opening it before Kaiba could say anything. It was probably a good thing too. Kaiba hated to admit it, but he was indebted to them and probably shouldn't do anything to jeopardize his stay.
"... Thank you." Joey turned fast, not believing his ears. Kaiba couldn't bring his eye's to meet Joey's, but he knew the boys jaw had dropped.
"Shit... this really isn't a joke..." He said, grabbing some fresh sheets out of the closet and putting them on the bed. "Well... just... yeah." Kaiba watched as Joey left the room awkwardly, then raised an eye as he saw Serenity at the door.
"Um... what do you usually eat? I make the meals and get the groceries, so it'll be easier to cook for you if I know what you like and don't like..." She said timidly. She hadn't changed much. He remembered the day she begged him to land his blimp to get medical attention for one of her friends. He was such a child back then. So inconsiderate and stubborn. He felt bad now for denying the medical help they needed for their friend. He almost wanted to apologize. He was twenty four now and much more mature, but still, somehow... stubborn.
"I'll write up a list." He said, moving toward his bed to make it. Suddenly she was next to him.
"You go wash up. I'll take care of this. You've probably had a long day." He hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded and moved to the bathroom. It would be weird living with them, but it was his only chance.
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So, first chapter down. I'm not sure how fast I'll be able to update, as life is really busy right now, but I might be able to manage a chapter per week. I'll let you know the more I work on forget to review.
Read, Review, Enjoy~ Love!
