Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
*Rated M for Mature
Chapter 7 – Sunday
Joey really didn't like how Seto was smirking right now. Who knew that the brunet would get so wild over stroller shopping like someone going nuts over getting a sports car?
"Um…Seto, any stroller will do. Ya don't have to go…overboard," said the blond, interrupting his lover's thoughts.
"Overboard? I'm thinking of the safety of our children!" he exclaimed. Apparently, the sales clerk had really gotten to him; the man had a silver tongue. Joey thought he'd make a perfect addition to Kaiba Corp.
"But—"
"No buts! We are getting the Bumbleride Indie Twin Stroller! It's got the toughness to go over any surface, a five-point adjustable safety harness, the UV mesh viewing window is PVC-free, it has 12-inch air inflated tires, dual locking front swivel wheels, rear suspension—"
"Okay! Okay! I get it already!" Joey knew when to admit he'd lost at something. He might as well let Seto enjoy his stroller shopping. It was just that…the blond couldn't get over the fact that it cost over $700.00. Blame it on his humble—for lack of a better term—upbringing, but he just couldn't get used to not being worried about money.
"So we can get the stroller?" Seto inquired hopefully.
"We can get the stroller," conceded Joey. "Just pick a universal color. It's a twin stroller, after all."
The brunet nodded and fled to find the sales clerk.
After they did some shopping around Tokyo, they went to Hibiya Park just as they'd planned. However, when they got there, Mokuba and Serenity didn't even want to be seen with their older brothers. It was just too embarrassing.
"Seto, stop walkin' so funny," Joey whispered to him awkwardly.
"I'm not walking funny," he retorted. Seto was currently pushing the stroller, which was in black, with Jaden and Blair nestled snuggly inside. The brunet looked so…proud that he'd started walking with a little kick in his step that said "Oh, yeah! Look at me! You wish you were this cool!" Or…something along those lines. And the demeaning smirk he had on his face didn't help either.
Joey wished Seto would just stop and act normally…but then again—in a weird sort of way—it meant the brunet was happy and fulfilled by having a family of his own. His Seto was always sweetest at his quirkiest.
Reaching out, the blond placed his hand over Seto's on the handlebar of the stroller, stroking the other's knuckles contentedly. They continued their way in Hibiya Park that way, observing the large Western-styled theme and rose gardens with a natural interest. But soon, the peaceful reverie was interrupted by a shrill sound coming from Joey's pocket. Groaning in obvious displeasure, the blond pulled out his cell phone while Seto stopped pushing the stroller to attend to a whining Blair.
"Hello?" Joey answered.
"Hi, Joey! It's Yugi! I was just calling to see how everything was going and…when you'd be back," Yugi said, trailing off uneasily from the other line.
"Um, we're fine. And we adopted an adorable little girl. Her name is Blair and she is an absolute sweetheart," the blond praised. "We'll be back sometime tomorrow. Why?"
"Well, the gang and I decided that we wanted to give you guys a 'Welcome Home' party for whomever you'd adopt, which would be Blair, and so we're kind of working on that right now."
Joey narrowed his eyes. "There's somethin' you're not tellin' me, isn't there?"
"Maybe," came Yugi's hesitant reply.
"What…is…it?" the blond ground out.
"We're kind of…at K-Kaiba's place…i-inside?"
"How'd you get in?" That got Seto's attention.
"Pup, what's going on?" the brunet demanded immediately. Joey just put on a smile and shooed him away.
"Um…B-Bakura picked the lock and he and Marik broke inside. We went after them, but…I just want to let you know that I am really, really sorry!"
Trying not to panic, he asked, "What happened? And wait! Are those sirens?"
"Maybe," Yugi repeated. "Bakura and Marik set off fireworks inside Kaiba's living room! We didn't know they had them! Before we knew it, we heard them go off, and the living room was in flames! Please don't kill us when you get back!" Yugi shrieked all in one breath.
Joey let the words sink in so that they could form coherent sentences in his mind. When he finally deciphered Yugi's message he—
"THEY DID WHAT?" he roared through the phone. The signal seemed to crackle from Joey's obvious distress.
"Um…yeah, so, uh…the firemen are already here and taking care of the fire. We'll see you when you get back…o-or not. Bye!" And then Yugi just…hung up.
Closing his phone with a shaky hand, the blond stared at Seto with a blank look plastered on his face.
"Puppy, what happened?" the brunet asked incredulously.
Joey opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He tried a couple more times before he was actually able to say anything. "With whatever I say, don't get mad at me. It's not my fault what happened."
Seto braced himself as he nodded. "Then tell me what happened."
"Yugi called and said that Bakura and Marik broke into the mansion," he started, swallowing hard. "Apparently, they wanted to throw a 'Welcome Home' party for Blair and…"
"And?"
"And…Bakura and Marik set…fireworks off in the living room. It caught on fire. Yugi called when the firemen were just arriving to put it out." Joey paused, watching as Seto's mood suddenly turned sour. But for some reason, he kept his cool.
Walking up to his Puppy, he whispered into his ear, "Don't get me wrong. I am furious right now, but I promise you, I will not blow up in front of them…or you. We'll deal with this tomorrow when we get back."
Joey released an unsteady breath, not realizing he'd been holding it. Suddenly, he felt Seto's arms wrap around him comfortingly as he pulled him into a hug, kissing him briefly on the lips a few times.
"Thank ya," said the blond, holding him close. Deep down, Joey had been worried that if Seto had blown up in front of everyone because of this, Jaden and Blair would think it was directed at them. He knew enough about living in a household filled with yelling to know what kind of effect that would have on their kids.
"I know when to vent my anger and when not to. Now…is not one of those times. I probably will tomorrow at those morons. Just remember that I will never inflict how mad I am on you, our siblings, or our children; both physically and emotionally. That's what you were worried about, was it not?"
"A bit," Joey admitted reluctantly. It amazed him slightly how well Seto was getting to know him. "I was afraid that if ya went off that they'd be afraid of ya. I know better than anyone what it's like to be afraid of your own parent and I never want that to happen to them."
"I understand and completely agree with you," continued the brunet. "If you worry about tomorrow, you can't live today. I don't know about you, but I plan on having the time of my life. It's our first official day as a family. Let's not allow anything to hinder that."
His Puppy smiled and kissed him. "Stuff like that makes me love ya even more. Ya know that, don't ya?"
Seto's lips quirked up into a smile of his own. "It does, does it? Well—"
"I gotta go t' da baffroom!" Blair shouted, struggling in her stroller seat.
"I'm hungry!" Jaden said, putting his two cents in.
"Duty calls," stated Seto, releasing Joey and walking back over to the stroller.
"More like nature calls," corrected the blond, following his lover. Having a family and taking care of them did seem like a duty…but it was one worth doing. And they loved doing it. Nothing was ever going to change that.
End Chapter
