Chapter 2

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When Serenity woke there was a small list on the kitchen counter of things Kaiba didn't like to eat and things he was allergic to. She searched through her cabinet, making sure she had everything she needed for basic meals for the next week, then hopped into the shower. By the time she got out, Kaiba was awake and in the living room. She noticed he was wearing the same clothes as the night before. Come to think of it, he came to them empty handed, not even his famous silver briefcase.

He looked horribly uncomfortable, his clothes wrinkled, his hair unkempt, and his eyes tired. She wondered how long he had been hunted like this. The papers released a few days prior revealed that he had been killed, but she doubted it was the first attempt on his life. She moved to the basement, rustled around a little and returned with a stack of clothes.

"Kaiba, here." She said, offering the bundle out to him. He rose from his spot on the couch and looked at her confusedly. "They're Joey's. You're a little taller than him, but they should still fit. He likes to buy them a bit big, so they should fit with a belt. Oh, and don't worry, they're clean. Joey hadn't brought them up yet." He nodded quietly and took them, moving to his room. When he emerged, he was wearing a white tee shirt and some of Joey's jeans. He used his own belt to hold them up, but it didn't look half bad. "I'll clean your clothes if you want." She offered, but he shook his head.

"They should probably be disposed of. I'll do it later." He said. She looked at him sadly, but he was right. Anything that could identify him as Seto Kaiba should be removed for safety's sake.

"Um... Kaiba?" He had just moved back towards his room, but paused as she called him. " You really have nothing left... do you?" She asked quietly. He sighed, but didn't respond, walking into his room and closing the door. She felt bad for pointing it out, but the words seemed to just fall from her mouth before she could stop them. She turned to the kitchen, grabbing the list he had written and headed out the door.

By the time she returned from the store, she had expected Joey to be up, but the night before had apparently worn on him, so he remained in his room. She placed the heavy bags onto the counter and marched up to the stairs. Joey's room had been their mother's, so it was the master bedroom, having it's own bathroom and floor to itself. The door at the base of the stares was closed and she banged on it loudly. He liked to keep it locked and she expected him to continue the habit. Roused by the banging, Kaiba moved out towards the kitchen, lingering in the hallway as she called.

"Joey get up! Sleeping until noon is not ok. I need help." They both heard thuds up in the floor above and she moved back into the hallway. "Oh, Kaiba... I got something for you too." She said, averting her gaze and moving to a few of the bags on the counter. She didn't take long before returning with a bag of supplies. Reaching inside, she removed a pair of scissors, a comb, some hair gel and a few dyes. "I figured, if you're going to be... not Seto Kaiba, you might want to change your look a little bit. I didn't know what you'd want, but I've got a little of everything if you're interested." She said, putting the things back into the bag and handing it to him.

"I'm not exactly proficient in styling hair." He said looking into the bag.

"It doesn't have to be perfect, in fact, it's probably better if it's not. You wont look so... rich." She said with a smile. He looked confusedly into the supplies, then back to her again. "If... If you want, I'll help. I'm no pro, but I've helped do a few things." She offered. He looked lost standing there with the bag of items he never dreamed he'd have to use. He offered it back to her and she pulled up a chair into the middle of the kitchen. He sat down heavily and thought for a moment. "So, what'll it be?" She asked after a few minutes.

"Something simple... I don't want to color it or anything."

"Really? I think you'd look good in lime green." She joked. He turned, raising an eyebrow, but her attitude and cheerfulness did put him at ease.

"No. Cut it. But... only about an inch or two." He said, looking at the hair dyes and gels. She did as he requested, and though it was a little choppy in a few areas, it wasn't horrible.

"You still look like you." She said, moving around him. He nodded, not finished with his new look and grabbed the hair gel. He scooped out a small amount, just enough to do the job, but not enough to look disgusting and swept his hair back. A single strand fell before his eyes and stubbornly refused to join the others. He tried a few times to pull it back, but to no avail, it remained across his forehead.

"Hey, what's u-... Woah..." Joey said, finally emerging from his room and pausing at Kaiba. " You... Look like a greecer." He said, trying to remove the grin from his face and failing miserably. Kaiba's fists clenched by his side and he turned to the scissors, but Serenity grabbed for his arm.

"No he doesn't. You look fine." She said, trying to stop him from doing something he might regret. She reached up, tugging the strands of hair still in his face, twisted them and tucked them back with the others, successfully removing them as he had attempted to before and smiled. "It actually looks really good." She said happily. A few moments later, the hair did manage to fall back out of place, but he suddenly didn't mind it.

Serenity cleaned the floor while Joey and Seto put away the groceries, and despite not liking each other, didn't argue much. In fact, they got along quite well. Joey was showing him where most of the food went and Kaiba was learning the kitchen. When they were done Serenity made something to eat and they all enjoyed a late breakfast.

"So, what do we call you?" Serenity asked, poking at a home fry with her fork. Kaiba thought for a moment. He never imagined he'd have to create a new name or identity for himself, at least, not for actual life. He had done it hundreds of times on the computer, but... actually responding to a name that wasn't his in an every day situation... it was going to be difficult.

"How about Yutaka?" Joey asked with a glimmer of mischief in his eye. Kaiba fixed him with a glare.

"Wealthy? Really?" He asked as Joey smirked to himself. "Tatsuo" He said finally. Serenity giggled a little and Joey rolled his eyes.

"Of course... Dragon man." Joey sneered. Kaiba continued to glare at him, but sighed defeatedly.

"What would you have me called?" He asked, turning to Serenity. He was done arguing over a name.

"Kei." She said after a moment of thought.

"...Kei..."Kaiba repeated, trying to form the name to himself. "Blessed... wise..."

"Lucky." She added. He looked at her for a moment then nodded. "Now when you go out, you have a new look and name." He nodded. Now all that was left for him was to find the people responsible for the attempts on his life.

Serenity tugged her hair back into a tight high ponytail. She learned the hard way that drunks will grab whatever they had to in a fight. She put on a cute long sleeve pink sweater and some black slacks and let herself out for her shift. She had to be at the bar for five, so after making dinner she had to get ready right away.

Her shift was normal enough and when she got out around eleven, she bid farewell to Tea and made her way to the front of the bar.

"Well, hello." A familiar voice called confidently. Serenity turned to see Jake moving to walk beside her. "I believe my end of the deal is covered. It's time to pay up." She headed out the door and he filed directly behind her. She stopped a good twenty feet from the building, but he remained where she couldn't see him. His hands trailed down her shoulders, barely touching her as he made his way to her hands. A sharp yank pulled them behind her back and he began to walk he towards what she was sure was his car. She didn't know exactly what he had planned, but she was sure she wouldn't like it. It didn't matter though, a little suffering was alright if she could keep Joey from getting shot or stabbed on the streets. It was her turn to sacrifice for him instead of the other way around.

It was past three in the morning when she finally did get home. She felt sick while she entered as quietly as she could. Her stomach churned when she saw the light on and looked up to see Kaiba turning to look at her.

"I thought you get out around ten." He commented quietly, though not sounding like he actually cared. Serenity was actually somewhat relieved. If it was one of their friends staying with them, they would have waited up all night for her worriedly. Kaiba just needed their home. Nothing else.

"Yeah, I got held up with something. You hungry?" He gave her a questioning look then turned to the television he was apparently watching. It was a broadcast about his life. He sneered at the screen before answering. He hated all of the hype. He wasn't really that important. Sure he was the richest guy in town, but It wasn't like he ever effected that many people. The broadcast showed crowds of hundreds holding memorials for him and weeping outside his home and office. All he could think of was how it would slow production. He turned back to Serenity, forced to answer the question she used to deflect the subject he was actually interested in.

"No. Actually I was about to go to bed before you came in." He lied. When the clock hit eleven thirty, he wanted to go to the bar himself and see what was taking so long. The only thing that stopped him was the fact that he had no idea what bar she worked at or her route home. His lack of knowledge of her cell number stopped him from calling at one, and the unfamiliar layout of the area stopped him from searching around two. Not to mention the hits called out against him.

He gave up questioning the girl, believing her as he had no reason not to, but should something like this happen again, he wouldn't let it go so easily. He watched her nod and remove her jacket, placing it on the coat hanger by the door and move stiffly to her room. She was hiding something. He wanted to know what it was, but it just wasn't his place. He moved to his bedroom, shutting the light behind him and laid on the bed.

The next morning he woke to the smell of fresh bread toasting and bacon sizzling from the kitchen. He tossed the covers aside and noticed a lump at the end of his bed. A neat stack of clothes sat at his feet, ready for the day. Serenity must have snuck them in while he was asleep. She was incredibly on top of things. Prompt and tidy, and extremely considerate. If he were in a different situation, he'd consider hiring her for his head of waitstaff at the mansion. But first he'd have to take care of a few loose ends.

He cracked the door open and paused, struck by the full blow of the scents of her cooking. When he finally focused, he froze. She was wearing a white tank top and black fuzzy pajama pants with little grinch faces spotted over it, but what caught his attention were the distinct bruising on her forearm. There was a clear hand mark on each one. He watched as she looked down at the pan that she was stirring, then up at the list he had made. She had it tacked up to the cabinet next to the stove. After browsing the contents of the list she reflexively glanced over at his door, where he was standing.

"I didn't realize when you said you got caught up with something, it meant bruising." He watched a blush flare across her cheeks, but she didn't look away.

"People get handsy at the bar. It happens. It's not the best section of town." She said, chopping at the soon to be scrambled eggs in the pan as they fluffed up. "Do you like cheese on your scrambled eggs?" She asked, deflecting again. She was so natural at it. He wondered how she got to be so comfortable hiding things. He nodded, moving to the breakfast nook towards he edge of the kitchen. "I figured you'd be asleep a little longer, seeing as you were up so late." She commented, turning the conversation on him. Little did she know he was the master at flipping chatter to subjects that interested him.

"I could say the same to you. When did you wake up?" Now that he got a good look at her face, he wasn't sure she even slept. She smiled and was cheerful, seemingly energetic, but beneath that he could tell it was forced. She had slight rings around her eyes and instead of their usual warm state, they seemed empty and cold, like his. It didn't look right on her.

"About twenty minutes ago. I haven't showered yet, or anything. I decided to cook first." Before he could ask another question thumping coming from the staircase silenced him.

"Shit are you always awake?" Joey asked, seeing Kaiba sitting at the breakfast table.

"Yes, I don't sleep, I wait." Kaiba replied sarcastically.

"Your bed head says otherwise." Joey retorted coolly before turning to his sister. He gave her a peck on the cheek then frowned. Serenity knew what was coming. Instead of sleeping, like she had told Kaiba she had done, she practiced. She said the lines over and over until they almost didn't make her want to vomit anymore. She knew what she could and couldn't hide from her brother, so she figured she had some acting to do. "What happened?" he asked, lifting one of her arms then looking to the other.

"One of the guys at the bar got a little physical." She explained. She could see the rage building in her brother. She was twenty three now, and by all rights and adult, but that wouldn't stop her brother from getting defensive. She let the rage build for a moment, hoping it would help the situation a little better. "It's ok Joey. Jake came and bailed me out." Her gut twisted, but nothing came out. Her practice was successful.

"Jake? Like the guy that got me a job, Jake?" He asked curiously. Serenity nodded and Joey shrugged. "Good."

"He... also... asked me out. I said yes. Is that ok?" She asked, playing to her little sister status. He made a face and thought for a second, but looked her over.

"I.. guess your old enough to make that decision. Besides, he sounds like a good guy. Got me a job, saved my baby sister... Alright. But no freaky stuff." Serenity smiled as best she could and nodded. If only he knew...

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So yed, another chapter down and sooner than I thought it would be. I guess I really do just write too fast for my own good. Yes, the lime green hair was in tribute to the first season of the show only aired in Japan. I couldn't help myself. It's my little dork-dom showing. Also, I've uploaded a pic of Kaiba I drew with the pulled back hair on my Deviant account with all the other drawings from my other fics I've done and a few drawings that have no connection to my writing as well. A link to my page is on my profile, or you can just search me on deviant art. My name on that is the same as here, Kehkansklover. Feel free to comment on anything you'd like. I love feedback in my stories and in my art.

Read, Review, Enjoy~ Love Ya!