First of all, thank you so much for the lovely comments and reviews! They keep me motivated! And honestly, I wasn't planning on writing/posting another chapter so soon, especially such a long one but yay for motivation. Secondly, don't let the cutesy stuff in this fool you. This fic is about to get real dark in a few more chapters but for now, enjoy the fluff. R&R please! :)

CHAPTER THREE

During Battle City, Kaiba had walked these streets as the high and mighty – daring any duellist to challenge him by his gaze alone. With his faithful Blue Eyes White Dragons and Obelisk in his deck, he'd felt invincible. And now, here he was, meekly wandering through downtown Domino, being sure to keep well to the sides in fear of getting trampled on by peoples' feet.

The entire city seemed different – as though it had been shaken up by some giant and tossed back down. All the little ways he remembered felt as though they'd been altered somehow. He decided it was due to his size. He was a tiny little thing now and looking up at the tall buildings left a dizzying impact on him until he felt like he was going in circles.

But he kept walking regardless. He had to get back as soon as possible – but back to where? His mansion, Kaiba Corp? What could he possibly tell his staff when all he could do was meow pathetically? And how would he even make it all the way there? He hadn't been walking long and already his little legs were beginning to tire. Kaiba snorted in disgust – he couldn't remember the last time his body had ever held him back. It had remained strong and stable even when he'd pushed himself to his limits; late nights, countless deadlines, little food, working long hours – and with only black coffee for sustenance. And here he was now, getting tired after a short walk – it was laughable.

It was no good. There were too many people on the streets and his tail twitched every time someone came close to him. He'd didn't want to get trodden on and trying to think while navigating through the concrete jungle was difficult. Deciding to take a quick break, just so he could get his thoughts together and formulate some sort of plan, he allowed himself to rest in the doorway of an old record store.

Sitting with a bump, Kaiba made sure to keep his tail away from the passing feet, while he studied the area around him. It didn't seem familiar at all, nor did it look like the type of place he'd frequent. Everything seemed so rundown here and he hadn't caught sight of any signs that indicated which area he was in.

Trying to reach either his mansion or Kaiba Corp was all well and good, but what then? How would he get his real body back, especially when he couldn't communicate with people? And last but not least, why?

Why had this happened?

However, he didn't want to spend too long dwelling on that because deep down, he already knew why it had happened and who was behind this little trick – he just didn't want to admit it or even think about it right now. To entertain the idea was to admit that there was some truth to her words after all and right now, he was too damn pissed to do anything of the sort. No. First he would get himself where he needed to go. Then he'd think about what he'd do next.

He needed to take this one step at a time.

Kaiba's nose suddenly twitched. His new heightened sense of smell had almost been too much to handle at first. Upon waking, his little nose had been assaulted with all kinds of different scents but gradually he was able to tell them apart. They were every day smells, so subtle that one would barely even notice – but of course, to Kaiba they were sharper now. Everything had smelled pretty much normal but now … There was a new smell. It had been faint at first; tickling his nose but now it was slowly becoming stronger with each passing moment.

Kaiba blinked, his sharp eyes surveying the city streets and that's when he noticed them. Dogs. He was well aware that if he'd been able to pick up their scent, they probably had detected his too – which was why they were out on the street, evidently hunting. Usually strays kept to the alleyways, scouring for food from rubbish bins alone. Only something as exciting as the scent of a helpless kitten would have them hunting on the streets, especially during the day.

Despite his human self telling him they were just dogs – Kaiba felt his new self quiver when the hungry gaze of the strays fell upon him. Without a second thought, Kaiba bolted, running as fast as he could. He knew the dogs had given chase if the excited cacophony of barks and snarls behind him was any indication.

The laborious process of making his way uptown was cast aside in favour of running in whatever direction he could so he could give the dogs the slip. But they were bigger, had probably spent their entire lives on the street and they were desperate, their hunger and tenacity giving them a huge advantage.

Kaiba wasn't sure how long he ran for or even what direction he was heading in. He slipped through fences, down alleyways, across roads – dodging pedestrians, cars and bicycles. The sheer panic threatening to engulf him and make his legs give out beneath him was something he hadn't felt in years.

Not since Gozaburo had died.

Feeling himself slow down a tad, he yelped in terror when he felt a pair of sharp jaws try and make a snap at his tail. The sudden fright pushed Kaiba on, making him run blindly for cover – any cover, any place, anything that would save him from such a miserable end as the one he'd encounter if he ever found himself surrounded by those three savage dogs. And suddenly, he found himself heading for a collision with a pair of battered sneakers. He tried to stop, tried to change direction but it was too late, he was going too fast to stop.

Thump.

Kaiba had rammed himself up against someone's feet. He wasn't hurt by the impact, just stunned. He could still hear those dogs behind him and he started to panic. However, before he could find a way to escape, a pair of gentle hands came around him and picked him up off the ground.

"Hey, little guy." He couldn't see who the man was but he thought the voice sounded vaguely familiar. He found himself being cradled against a warm chest and thankfully, he burrowed his face in the man's soft clothing, still panting from his run.

"Hey, get the fuck away." The man was talking again and this time his voice was louder, harsher. Kaiba realised he was talking to the dogs.

Jounouchi lazily kicked out at one of the dogs – intentionally missing his target. He didn't want to hurt the damn things but he wanted to show them he meant business. It was obvious the dogs weren't interested in him. They just wanted the kitten and Jounouchi was damned if he was going to walk away and leave the poor thing defenceless and at the mercy of the strays.

Jounouchi began walking briskly, his hands protectively around the kitten. The yapping dogs followed him for a good few blocks before losing interest. What a relief. The last thing he needed was for them to follow him home. The ruckus they caused alone would have been enough to arouse interest from just about every unsavoury asshole that lived in the area and the last thing Jounouchi wanted to do was draw any attention to himself.

The blonde had just finished his long shift at the coffee shop and was dawdling home. He'd been in a good mood since he'd been able to get some free food. His manager was a decent man and aware of Jounouchi's situation therefore every once in a while, he allowed him to take home sandwiches and fruit that hadn't been purchased by a certain time and date. It didn't hurt that Jounouchi was one of his best employees – hard working and reliable. At least now, he'd just about have enough food to last until pay day. That was something.

He'd been wondering what he'd do once he got home – have a shower, eat something, maybe make some tea and listen to some music but then what? His evening had stretched out before him – empty and lonely. The last thing he expected was for a kitten to run into him like that.

He didn't need a damn pet. He could barely look after himself, how would he fare trying to care for another creature? But then, he couldn't bring himself to continue as though it was nothing. Not after seeing what the poor little thing had been running from. He knew dogs, knew how cruel they could be when they were left to run ravage in the street.

Jounouchi had changed since he'd met Yugi. He'd been a bully once, he'd watched people getting hurt without so much as lifting a finger to stop it – he hadn't cared, didn't have a reason to care. Yugi had taught him differently. Being tough and not giving a shit wasn't what made him strong, it was caring about others. And it was Yugi that had crossed his mind when he'd rescued the kitten.

Kaiba's heartbeat had finally slowed to a steady pace. That awful sound of the dogs had died away and he knew he was safe – at least for now. He opened his eyes, trying to look up at the person who had been holding up. Since he was tucked so protectively against the man's chest, he really couldn't see much aside from a strong jawline and blonde hair. Shifting a little, Kaiba tried to take a look at his surroundings, trying to figure how where he was being taken.

Feeling the kitten move in his hands, Jounouchi glanced down. The kitten seemed to have gotten over its scare since it wasn't burrowed against his chest any longer. It seemed more interested in their surroundings as it gazed at everything they passed. Jounouchi found himself laughing softly as he looked down at the kitten.

"You seem to have gotten over your fright."

Kaiba cringed – that voice. Tilting his head up, his gaze finally settled on the face that had been hidden from him due to his position. His body grew tense, the usual irritation creeping in upon him at the sudden revelation. This was ridiculous. As if the joke hadn't been sick enough. Of all the people to have picked him up, it had to be Jounouchi Katsuya. He'd just been saved from a pack of mutts by another mutt!

Somewhere that bitch Ishizu was laughing at him as she stirred her fucking cauldron.

Kaiba began to squirm in Jounouchi's grip. He wanted out. Those dogs were gone and he was quite willing to chance a long walk on the streets in order to get to Kaiba Corp, but Jounouchi wasn't having any of it. The blonde cradled the kitten to his chest again, his hands firm but gentle. There was no way he was letting the kitten back on the street. It was obvious it was a stray for it didn't have a collar or anything. Probably some unwanted birthday gift. Jounouchi shook his head. The little mite wouldn't last a day on the streets of Domino. Hell, humans weren't faring much better – not in this area.

"Calm down, you're safe." Jounouchi stopped and gazed down into the kitten's eyes, marvelling at the unexpected colour. He hadn't seen the kitten's eyes when he'd pick it up because they'd been clenched shut in fright but now, staring deep into their depths, he was struck by how … human they seemed. Not like usual cats' eyes at all. And then there was the other thing …

"You remind me of someone." Jounouchi breathed, dropping his nose to rest on the kitten's head so that its fur tickled him. It was dumb, but for a moment there … it felt as though he'd been looking into Kaiba's eyes. He'd never seen eyes so vividly blue before – especially in Japan and when he'd first locked eyes with the kitten, it had been Kaiba that had come to mind.

Which was stupid because they weren't even friends. Hell, he doubted Kaiba even remembered him anymore.

Kaiba stiffened, ducking his head away from Jounouchi's face before shrinking back. Cat or not, he wasn't about to let anyone get that close to him. Jounouchi seemed to get the idea and laughed, moving his face away.

"So what shall I call you, huh? Need to give you a name if you're going to be stayin' with me …"

What? The mutt wasn't seriously considering taking him home, was he? He was definitely not about to become the mutt's pet! The thought of living with Jounouchi, in his apartment was enough to make Kaiba feel nauseated. He had to get away, somehow … But Jounouchi had begun walking again and Kaiba couldn't move in the blonde's grasp. After squirming fruitlessly for a while, Kaiba soon tired himself out and lay, slumped against Jounouchi's chest.

Jounouchi had kept talking, his voice steady and soft, hoping to calm the kitten down. He knew the kitten wasn't familiar with him yet and therefore didn't feel comfortable. It was probably the reason why it was trying so hard to get away from him by squirming, but he hoped his scent and voice would help make it feel more at ease around him. It was working as the kitten had stopped struggling.

Either that, or it had just tired itself out.

Reaching his apartment building, Jounouchi swiftly climbed the steps, his key already in hand. The last thing you wanted to do in a building like this was stand at your door, fumbling for the key. Especially when you had things like food or cash on you. The term 'sitting duck' came to mind.

Fortunately, they were through the door in a matter of seconds. Jounouchi wasted no time in shutting the door behind him and locking it securely. After placing the bag of food on the counter-top in the kitchen, he carefully placed the kitten on the table before shrugging out of his jacket.

The unmistakable sound of the door being locked felt like a prison cell door slamming shut. He was well and truly trapped. As soon as Jounouchi had put him down, Kaiba surveyed the apartment with interest – trying to find an escape route. To his dismay, there wasn't a single form of escape. The apartment was small; just one room that acted both as a living room and bedroom – since he could see a futon as well as a worn couch in the room, sitting opposite a battered television set. The kitchen was to the left, he'd seen Jounouchi go in there with the bag of food. There must have been a small bathroom tucked away somewhere too – and a window that was securely closed. Other than that … there wasn't much.

Kaiba was a little surprised that the mutt didn't wallow in filth due to his poor upbringing. True, the apartment may have been run down and cramped, but it was spotlessly clean – and clutter free. Aside from the small television set, a portable radio on a shelf, the futon, the couch, a lone chair and the table – which he was standing on now – there wasn't much else. Probably because trying to fit anything else in there would have severely restricted room to move around in, let alone live in.

Jounouchi dragged the chair to the table and sat down, making soft kissing noises to try and encourage the kitten to come closer. Kaiba eyed the blonde with distaste but moved closer – if only to show that he wasn't the least bit afraid or bothered by Jounouchi. Unfortunately though, the blonde took that as a sign that the kitten was getting more comfortable with him. He grinned, moving closer, gently scratching the kitten under its chin.

Kaiba shrugged away Jounouchi's fingers at once, glaring openly at him. However, the glare in his new kitty form had no effect whatsoever on the blonde, who laughed.

"Still tryin' to come up with a name for ya." Jounouchi said, watching the kitten stare at him. The blonde dropped his chin to the table, resting it on his hands so that he was eye level with the kitten.

"I know." Jounouchi snickered softly. "How about Blue Eyes?"

Like the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Kaiba knew it was a dig at him, associating his magnificent dragons with a helpless kitten and all because they both had blue eyes. Jounouchi was trying to be funny and Kaiba wasn't amused in the slightest. Moving closer to the blonde's face, Kaiba extended his paw and batted Jounouchi smartly on the nose. It had been a viscous move on Kaiba's part, putting all his strength into that one hit but Jounouchi merely laughed it off and tickled him behind the ears instead.

Once again, Kaiba tried to fiercely shake Jounouchi's fingers away.

"Alright. That was quite a reaction. The name's stayin.'" Jounouchi teased. "You're hard to please, ain't ya? So you don't like having your chin scratched or your ears tickled. Whaddya want, a belly rub?"

To Kaiba's horror, Jounouchi began to move his hand towards him as though he was going to do just that, but this time Kaiba was quicker. He nipped sharply at the blonde's fingers. Jounouchi hastily withdrew his hand when he felt the sting, flinching a little.

"Damn, you weren't so keen on fightin' when the dogs were chasing you." Muttering, Jounouchi moved to the kitchen to rummage around. Kaiba could hear the sound of water splashing and the clink of dishes as he sat on the table, feeling pleased with himself.

That had made the mutt back off pretty fast.

Soon, the blonde was back with food and water. He sat the plate down first, eyeing the kitten warily, hoping it wouldn't go straight for the sandwich but fortunately the kitten kept its distance, simply content to watch for the time being. Setting his glass of water down, Jounouchi tipped a little bit into a small bowl he'd bought along with him and moved it closer to the kitten.

"Drink up, you must be thirsty." Jounouchi picked up his sandwich. It was one of the half a dozen he'd bought back from work and it certainly looked delicious – not like the pitiful ones he was in the habit of preparing in his kitchen when he had minimal ingredients. Noticing that the kitten hadn't moved to the water bowl, Jounouchi picked out a bit of salmon from his sandwich and offered it to the kitten, once more making soft cooing noises to encourage it to come closer and take the food.

Kaiba sniffed. The fish smelled so tantalizing – especially now. Whether it was due to him being a cat or just plain hungry remained to be seen. But this was Jounouchi of all people, the second rate duellist, the mutt – offering him food. Yeah, right. Kaiba very deliberately turned his nose up at it and when the blonde tried to move the bit of fish in front of the kitten's face, Kaiba stood up and turned his back on him.

"Wow, you sure got some attitude." Jounouchi wasn't sure whether to be impressed or insulted. "Y'know for a cat."

He'd never seen an animal turn down food like that. Unless, it had poison in it or something. Growing a tad suspicious, Jounouchi sniffed at his sandwich – but then, it wasn't possible to always smell the poison, was it? Ah, whatever. He was hungry and the smell of the salmon and cream cheese was making him hungrier still. Taking a huge bite, he proceeded to devour the sandwich.

Kaiba sat with his back to him, glaring at the door, pointedly ignoring the unattractive sounds the mutt was making while he scoffed down his food. True, Kaiba was hungry and thirsty but right now his pride took precedence over his discomforts. He would not take table scraps from the mutt.

The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful. Jounouchi washed a few dishes, took a shower, hung up his work clothes carefully in his little closet, listened to some music on the radio; American rock – Kaiba had thought in distaste – and tried a few more times to make friends with his new feline companion. However, to Jounouchi's amusement, the kitten didn't seem interested in the slightest. For the majority of that evening, it had seemed content to just sit there and sulk.

It momentarily concerned him that the kitten hadn't eaten or drunk anything, but the blonde shrugged it off, figuring that it would when it became hungry enough. He'd made sure to leave a bowl of water and some biscuits in a place where the kitten could reach, if it needed either food or water during the night.

As much as he detested it, Kaiba decided to play the waiting game. Sooner or later, he'd get his chance. Jounouchi would have to open the door to leave for work and then he'd make a run for it and escape. He would never have to see the mutt again after that. His disappearance would go unnoticed for about a week or so. Given the mood he'd been in when his staff had seen him last, they wouldn't go poking around if he suddenly failed to show up at the office. They'd simply assume he was working from home.

As for the staff at Kaiba Mansion? They'd assume he was holed up in his office, working on some new project. He'd certainly spent days without leaving Kaiba Corp before. There was even a bed and a bathroom for him on the top floor for times when he felt he needed to be in the office as much as humanely possible. His sudden absence wouldn't raise any questions.

And neither would he have to worry about Mokuba, who was away at college all the way in the States. Usually, they'd exchange emails but Mokuba knew well enough by now, not to panic if he didn't hear from his big brother for a while. Because that usually meant his geek of an older brother was caught up in some awesome yet geeky new project.

So he had time to figure a way out of this mess before people started asking questions. Kaiba Corp couldn't go too long without needing reports and papers signed by him. A week. Or maybe two, tops.

Then all hell would break loose.

But Kaiba didn't let himself think about that just yet. He'd find a way out. He'd find a way to get his body back and he would most certainly find a way to make Ishizu pay for this stupid prank.

Kaiba flinched when he felt a pair of hands lift him up. He wished the mutt would give him some warning before picking him up like that. Guess you couldn't teach an old dog new tricks, Kaiba thought snidely.

"I know you don't like me and that's okay 'cause we've only just met." Jounouchi's voice was soft, soothing. "I might not have much but I'll take care of you. Just gimmie a chance."

Kaiba didn't respond, even when the blonde gently petted his head. Sighing, Jounouchi put the kitten down on the sofa. Swiftly changing into a pair of sweats ( Kaiba had deliberately looked away ) and an old T-shirt, Jounouchi lay down on his futon for the night.

"Hey," He called softly to the kitten, holding out his hand. "You might want to consider bedding down with me. It gets real draughty and cold at night in here."

Kaiba bristled. There is no way he was going to be sharing a bed with that mutt. He stayed where he was, ignoring the blonde completely. Jounouchi shrugged and turned over onto his side and closed his eyes. Man, it had been a long day and he needed some shut eye.

Kaiba curled up on the couch. There was no point sitting there, fuming and fretting. Nothing could be done until morning anyway. He closed his eyes, feeling strange for attempting to sleep in a place other than his office or home. However, sleep remained elusive for him and as the minutes ticked by and the night became deeper, the apartment became colder. A sudden change in the wind created a very draughty passage from the window to the couch. Glancing over at Jounouchi, Kaiba could see that he was warm as toast – having wrapped himself heavily in blankets – the blonde didn't seem affected by neither the cold nor the frequent draughts.

Kaiba's sharp gaze suddenly picked out a strange shape in the gloom. It was an old radiator, built into the wall in the corner of the room. That might provide some warmth. Scampering over to it, Kaiba placed his paw cautiously on its surface only to pull it hastily back. It was ice cold. Evidently the mutt hadn't paid his bills yet.

Not that Kaiba was surprised.

There was no way he'd be able to sleep with his teeth chattering so violently in the cold. Even his fur didn't seem to provide him with enough warmth and there were no clothes or cushions on the worn couch he could burrow within. He definitely needed to sleep and regain his strength if he wanted a good chance at being able to get to Kaiba Corp the next morning.

A shame that the only source of warmth in the room was Jounouchi Katsuya.

No one would ever have to know, Kaiba reasoned to himself. The mutt would never know he'd been turned into a cat. He would never know that they had shared – the thought alone was enough to turn Kaiba's stomach – a bed together. Tomorrow, he would leave; get himself out of this mess and move on. He would never think about this night again, never think about the mutt again.

It'd be history.

Reluctantly, he crept over towards Jounouchi. He could feel the heat radiating from the blonde's body even though he was still a few inches away. Sighing, Kaiba deftly jumped up, landing softly on the blonde's chest. Feeling dirtier by the second, Kaiba settled down in the warmth, pressing his cold nose in the blonde's chest.

Feeling a weight settle onto his chest, Jounouchi moved his hand towards the little fur-ball, resting it lightly on the kitten's back and smiling sleepily when he felt the kitten finally relax under his touch. And there, they remained all night each taking comfort in the other's presence.