Jaden dealt with the grounding pretty well. All it meant was no going outside. Kaiba wasn't so good at grounding kids. He wanted to say no games but, he quickly caved after a few hours of being home. He wanted to play video games with someone and Mokuba was off being anti-social. And taking away toys and other gadgets? Once again, Kaiba just felt too bad to take stuff away from a kid, even if he was a tad disobedient, who already lost so much.
Something about Jaden being around made Kaiba feel all warm and fuzzy. Maybe it was the connection they shared when he was just a small tike entering his art contest. Even if Kaiba did want to be a hard ass, after all that he did to Joey, he swore to himself that he would never treat another human being like that ever again.
After only 3 days, Kaiba told him he can play in the yard. Jaden looked at him funny. "Dude. Being grounded from outside was not that big of a punishment. You need to work on your skillz," he laughed and gave a victory sign.
"Go before I pummel you," Kaiba said almost laughing too; tried to keep his serious gruff voice at the same time. Jaden's laugh was contagious.
"Smell ya later bro!" Jaden hopped over the side of the couch and ran outside.
"I am so, good at grounding..." Kaiba muttered to himself childishly.
Outside, it was so hot, for most others it would have been hard to enjoy being outside. But positivity was Jaden's middle name and he found some joy in it. Air that wasn't filled with Kaiba's ego was nice to breathe in. Jaden decided to take a seat in the grass and chill for a while. He thought of his friends from school as he was picking at the perfect grass. Kind of strange that he couldn't wait to go back already. No moss... Jaden thought.
His abstract thinking was interrupted by a grown woman with long blonde hair hitting the rot iron gates with a stick. A sudden blush went a crossed his face. Her stiletto heels clicked, her legs long and bare. Shorts, a floral blouse that seemed to float just right, long curly blonde hair, nobody could resist her. Even now that she was practically a cougar. But then again, she was always robbing the cradle.
She stopped where the gate opened. Jaden's eyes loyally followed her every move. She moved her finger up and down one of the bars before asking "Is Kaiba home?"
"Yeah, but I think he is busy. Kicked me out of the house to go play," Jaden shouted as he picked himself off the ground. "What's your name?"
"Mai. What is a sweet young thing like you hanging around the Kaiba mansion?"
"Oh, I am just staying here for the summer. So what are you doing here?"
"Here to see the man, but seems like you would be funner to talk to."
"So do you like to play games?" Jaden said, as he put one hand on the bars to lean on.
"Yeah, well, depends." Mai breasts seemed to jiggle with every breath.
"Duel Monsters?" Jaden said trying to sound all cool.
"Among others." Mai flirted.
"You smell very pretty." Jaden's voice squeeked up a bit so he put his hand over his mouth. "Sorry."
"No need. I think it is incredibly cute when a man's voice squeaks up like that." She winked. "Would you like some perfume?"
"Yeah, sure..." Jaden girlishly bit his bottom lip. Mai took out more of the perfume she was already wearing. It was in a tiny glass spay bottle. Small enough to be comfortably kept in a pocket. On it, a little heart. She sprayed it in the open air.
"So," Mai nervously looked around. "You wanna go for a ride?" She pointed over at her purple convertible.
Jaden was speechless but he quickly hopped over the tall fence. "Wait... I gotta go tell..." Mai's face suddenly got really close. He could almost taste the mint on her breath, and then, he could. Her smooth tongue made him feel all light and giggly. But the good mood was ruined. A tall shadow loomed over them.
"Jaden," a stern voice from behind caused a fear to climb up into Jaden's throat. He felt as if he was a puppy being scruffed for bad behavior. But then, something took over him.
"I am in love!" Jaden shouted. "I love her and you can't stop me from being with her!" Jaden spread his arms straight out to guard Mai from any potential harm.
"No you don't!" Kaiba scooped Jaden up into his arms and waved Mai goodbye with the other.
"Let. Me. Go!" Jaden yelled, hitting Kaiba's back to accentuate his anger. Roland opened the door for Kaiba.
"Thank you for telling me that harpy was out there."
He simply bowed his head and went to the kitchen. Kaiba and Roland had this silent communication thing down. They could probably have a whole conversation with just their eyes and an occasional small grunt from Kaiba.
Kaiba dropped Jaden on the couch. Immediately Jaden tried to run out the door. Kaiba grabbed him by the shoulders. "Listen to me! You are not in love. You just got whacked with pheromones." Kaiba paused. He could smell perfume coming off of Jaden. He turned his face away and tried not to breathe so much. His heart started to race and he tried to ignore other signs of attraction. "I will figure this out in my basement k?" Kaiba looked at Jaden to make sure he understood. He didn't.
Jaden's eyes looked to kill. Eyebrows furrowed. "I'll do anything to be with her. You can't stop me."
Just as if Roland knew that Kaiba needed him, Roland showed up. "I need you to take Jaden to his room and stay with him while I work on a cure or this wears off."
Truth is, Kaiba had been hit with this stuff before. He has the cure somewhere written in his notes or stored away; it had just been so long since the last time...