Lime Rocker: Chapter 7 is here! Thanks for all the reviews.
I know Kaiba is a bit OOC in this story, but keep in mind he's looking after a 4 year old boy (who reminds him of Mokuba), and a sick Jounouchi who probably doesn't even know what's going on. Also he's 38 now! People change a lot in 20 years. That's why I have Kaiba out of character.
It's similar to Jounouchi. He's 37 and not only gone through college, but has become a lawyer. (This will be put to use more in up coming chapters.)
Pairing: (Puppyshipping) SetoxJou, KaibaxJou. SIDE: ValonxMai, YamixYuugi, OtogixHonda, maybe (at least mentions of) BakuraxRyou
Rating: M for Mature
Chapter Seven: Laughter From the Soul
"Come on!" The little boy whined.
"No."
Kenji pouted, crossing his arms and looking up at the brunet with hurt eyes, "Why not? You said yourself Daddy needs fresh air! You can't get any fresher then the park! Plus it's Saturday!"
Kaiba Seto raised an eyebrow at the blond boy. "Yes, and your point is?"
"We always go to the park on Saturday." The two looked up to see a tall blond walking into the room, "It's just something we do as a family." Jounouchi Katsuya shrugged, sitting down on a black chair in front of the CEO's desk.
"Daddy!" Kenji jumped up and ran to his father. "Did you sleep well, Daddy? Are you feeling okay, Daddy? Oh Daddy, I missed you so much!" He rambled.
Jou smiled, ruffling the other's gold hair, "I sure did!" He grabbed his son, pulling him onto his lap.
Kaiba had gone back to typing, blatantly ignoring the father and son duo.
"Are you coming to the park?"
"I wouldn't miss it." Jounouchi rolled his eyes, and laughed slightly as Kenji stuck his tongue out at the blue eyed man. "Are you ready?"
"Yep I sure am!" Kenji smiled, "Uncle Mokuba is coming too, he's calling the limo man."
Jou shook his head, lifting Kenji off his lap, "You don't have to come, Kaiba. I'm sure you have some company to take over or something." He stood, "Go get your jacket and shoes."
Kenji nodded, and skipped out of the room while chanting "Going to the park! Going to the park!" his father following him a little less enthusiastically.
"I trust you're feeling better?"
Katsuya paused before turning back to the man behind the desk, "I'm alright." He shrugged, "I've been better, but I'm not falling asleep every five minutes."
"Hn." Kaiba didn't look up from his laptop.
"Well, I guess we'll see you when we get back." Jou turned around again.
Seto raised an eyebrow, looking up at the retreating blond, "When did I say I wouldn't be coming?"
"Then hurry up and finish that take over so we can get going." He didn't get to finish his sentence before the other man was next to him, briefcase in hand. Jou blinked for a few minutes, "I'm not even going to ask how you can be that fast."
"I can finish my take over at the park." Kaiba smirked.
"You mean…wait you're actually…" Jounouchi stared and looked at the smirking Kaiba in bewilderment.
"Gosh you two are slow!" Mokuba scolded as the two men made their way down the stairs. "Come on, Ferio's already here!"
--
"Don't ever do that to me again!" Yuugi snapped, hitting his taller twin lightly. "I almost had a heart attack!"
"Sorry Aibou. It was just too irresistible." Yami laughed, "After your little speech on remembering everything, it was just so tempting."
"Tempting maybe, funny no." Yuugi grumbled as he stretched, "Gosh that was a long flight." He winced slightly his hand moving to rub his neck, "And I slept wrong."
Yami chuckled softy, "I'm sorry. You were out like a light though." He patted Yuugi's shoulder. "So, to the game shop?"
Yuugi nodded "Yeah, I want to see Grandpa first." He smiled as the two stepped out of the airport, "Gosh it's good to be home."
"Yes." Yami smiled down at his lighter part, "Yes it is." He looked up and hailed a taxi, "Shall we go Aibou?"
Yuugi jumped into the cap and smiled at their driver, "Kame Game Shop please."
--
"Uncle Mokuba, come play tag with us!" Kenji waved from his perch on top of the slide.
Mokuba laughed, jumping up from his place on the bench. "Okay, but I'm it!"
Jounouchi smiled, as Mokuba started counting, while Kenji, and the group of friends he had made, started running around laughing. They had been at the park for almost and hour and a half now and Kenji had made ten or eleven friends already. Jou shook his head; his son was such a social butterfly.
The person next to him shifted, catching his attention. 'Kaiba…' Jou looked down at his hands, the CEO confused him. Not only had he opened his home and ordered his personal doctor to look at him, but he was being… well, nice.
If someone had told him 20 years a go that the Kaiba Seto would be teaching his son how to play Duel Monsters, and even willingly lose to the boy, he would have laughed in their face, then, after some thought, punched them.
'Not that it's a bad thing.' Jou thought, 'It's sweet that he would even think about doing something like that. Kind of… cute.' He blinked, 'Cute… Kaiba Seto and cute used in the same sentence?' He looked up to the clear sky, 'Nope, no pig's flying…'
He leaned back, his brow furrowed in thought. To put it simply, Jounouchi Katsuya was confused. 'Why?' was the only thing that really made sense, 'Why is he doing all this?' Deciding he wouldn't understand the complex man's motives until he asked, Jou turned to voice his question.
"Hay, Kaiba. Why are-" He stopped and blinked, "you sleeping?" he finished softly.
Sure enough, there was the busy man, eyes closed and slumped over ever so slightly. Katsuya couldn't help the small smile that spread across his lips. 'Okay, so maybe the two do belong in the same sentence… at least when he's asleep.'
Jou was pretty sure the other man wouldn't want to be caught asleep in public. He looked down at his watch, "Damn it's already six o'clock!" he muttered before gathering Kenji and Mokuba's jackets. He stood up, making sure to nudge Kaiba as he stood, "Alright you two. It's time to go."
"Aww! But Daddy-"
"No but's. It's already six!" Jou held out Kenji's jacket, "And I'm sure Mr. Workaholic here wants to get back to work before his head explodes." He gestured to the man behind him.
"Hn." Kaiba growled; mad at himself for daring to fall asleep in front of people, and at the mutt for elbowing him in the ribs.
"Seto," Mokuba smiled shyly, "Can we go out to dinner?"
'Damn it not the puppy-dog-eyes.' Kaiba mentally groaned. "Mokuba, it's only six."
"Yeah, that's the best time to go. It won't be overly crowded, but all the good places will be open." He smiled, "Please Seto. I'm sure Kenji and Jou would like to." He turned to Kenji, "You want to go get something to eat?"
Kenji nodded and bounced up and down, "Can we?"
"Ask Seto-sama!" Mokuba pulled Kenji next to him.
Seto's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly as two sets of pleading eyes were turned on him.
"Kenji, that's rude." Jou scolded, arms crossed, and glaring slightly at his song.
The young Jounouchi pouted slightly, but moved back to his father's side.
"Alright, but we're going someplace that has real food." Kaiba stood, dusting off his black trench coat.
"Thank you 'nii-sama!" Mokuba hugged his brother, before grabbing Kenji's hand and skipping towards the limo, blond father and brunet businessman following soon after.
Jou watched his son get in the limo behind the little raven haired boy Seto called a brother. "You can drop Kenji and me off at our apartment if you want."
"Aren't you hungry?" Kaiba raised an eyebrow at the blond next to him.
Katsuya shrugged, "Well, yes… but I owe you enough as it is. I'm sure wherever we're going is high priced. Plus Kenji and I aren't exactly dressed for a fancy place." He gestured to his jeans, green t-shirt and plain jacket.
"Hn." Was the only reply.
"I also need to check my phone messages, call my friends and let them know I'm alive, feed the fish…"
Kaiba turned an amused look towards the other man, "You have fish?"
"Yeah. Otogi's Christmas present last year… Oh and I have to get the mail, rent's due next week." Jou shot him a sideways glance, "I have a life that I unfortunately have to get back to."
"You're coming to dinner." He left no room to argue, "I'll have Ferio drop you off at your apartment tomorrow after he takes me to Kaiba Corp." He paused allowing the blond to slide in. "However, we'll be picking you back up when I've finished work. Len said a few weeks of rest," he smirked at Jou who had paused to look at him, his body half in and half out of the limo, "And we both know you won't get enough sleep if you're not told to."
Katsuya growled, "I'm not a dog, you rich son of a-"
"Come on Daddy! I'm hungry." Kenji pulled at his father's shirt.
Jou nodded, but continued to glare up at Kaiba and hissed, "We'll talk about this later." before disappearing into the limo.
'I look forward to it puppy.' Kaiba smirked, following the others into the limo.
--
Jounouchi Katsuya inwardly groaned, and sunk back into his chair, "I knew this was a bad idea.' Not only were the prices sky high, but everyone kept giving him those looks. The employee's certainly didn't think he should be here, Jou could tell by their attitude. 'I'm going to have food or some kind of drink spilled on me before the nights out.'
"Jou, are you okay?" Jou turned to his left, where the raven haired Kaiba sat. "You look really pale." Mokuba looked the blond man over worriedly.
Blue eyes looked up from his soup and eyed the blond suspiciously, but said nothing.
Katsuya rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Eh, I'm fine." He smiled at the raven hair, "How's your knee? You took a beating during your little game of Hide-and-Seek."
'Change of subject.' Seto noted and rolled his eyes, as he finished his soup.
"Oh, it's fine." The younger Kaiba smiled.
"Your entrees, Sirs." Their waiter glared slightly at Jou as he set his tray down and served the table. "And did you enjoy your soup, Kaiba-sama?" he turned a smile towards the famous man.
"Hn." Kaiba shrugged.
Mokuba shook his head, "Everything has been very good, thank you." He translated for his brother.
"Very good." He stood, admiring the table, "Can I get you anything else?" the waiter asked, picking up his tray and leaving after four head shook a 'no.'
Dinner went on uneventfully, other than the glares the two blonds were receiving. Jou was thankful his son was oblivious to the negative feelings. Kanji seemed to be enjoying himself very much, and often laughed with Mokuba at some inside joke.
"Seto?" Someone's shrill voice sounded behind the departing group
Mokuba covered his mouth, trying to hide his laughter from his brother's obvious 'Dear God someone kill me' face.
"Gratanya-san." Seto nodded, not bothering to turn around and face the thin brunette.
Maggie's brown eyes shown with pleasure, "It's so good to see you, Seto." Her cheesy smile spreading across her lips, "I do regret how our last date ended."
"Hai, there were many unpleasant things that evening." Kaiba snarled slightly, glaring at his glass of tea.
"Oh it's so good to hear, you feel the same!" She almost cheered, "Then perhaps another date is called for." She slinked around so she was in front of the CEO.
Mokuba was now hiding his gagging behind his hand, as Kenji watched quietly, clearly confused. The older blond kept his back turned from the two, not wanting the woman's attention.
"Nn." Seto shrugged, "Perhaps, but at the moment I need to get my family home." His eyes narrowed slightly. "So if you please."
"I did hope that we could have gotten together sooner." Maggie took a step closer to Kaiba, eyelashes batting.
Kaiba clenched his teeth, his right eye twitching ever so slightly, "Yes, well we will have to deal with that later. I'm busy at the moment."
She smiled, pushing her hip out, "I know. It's just I miss the time we spend together so much." She smiled slyly. "It was so…" she paused either to think of a good word or for dramatic effect, "pleasurable."
"Look lady, you're annoying." A voice spoke from the side lines. "I'm sorry Lady, but could you take the hints, so we can go home. I'm tired." Kenji crossed his arms, and glared the best a 4-year-old could. 'Plus he and my Daddy are going to be in love!' he added silently to himself.
"Kenji!" Katsuya scolded, spinning around to face his son. "You don't talk to people like that, it's rude."
"But it's obvious that Seto-sama doesn't like her. She just doesn't care." Jou's son argued.
"Don't talk back to me." Jounouchi hissed, "No TV for a week, and no sweets." He took hold of Kenji's arm, "Come on. You've said, far past enough." He gently, yet firmly pushed his son towards the door.
Maggie blinked for a moment, before glaring daggers at the blond father, "You! You're the waiter from the other night." She pointed at Jou, who had paused by the door.
"Mokuba, could you make sure Kenji waits in the limo?" Mokuba nodded, slowly ushering the still pouting boy outside. Jounouchi turned, and bowed slightly, "I am sorry for my son's behavior. He had no right." Katsuya turned again, moving to follow the two younger boys.
"Just a minute. If you think I'm putting up with that, you are sorely wrong!" Maggie shrieked, "You have some nerve to treat your betters like that!" She neared Jou. "Never before have a met someone so idiotic and pathetic!" the brunette stopped just in front of him. "And that little piece of filth-"
Jou blinked, looking the thin woman in the eyes, "-Ma'am," he interrupted, "I will take whatever you wish to say about me," Jounouchi smiled sarcastically, "But I will not allow an anorexic and superficial gold-digger to talk about my son like that. He was wrong, and he will be punished, but you have no right."
"You bastard!" Maggie spat, raising her hand to slap him, only to have her wrist grabbed.
"That's enough." Blue eyes narrowed at the woman in front of him. "You will not insult my guests, and I will not stand for any physical harm towards any of them." He brushed past the wide eyed woman, and followed Katsuya through the door.
There was an awkward silence between a pissed off CEO and a guilty waiter.
"I… I'm sorry." Jou sighed, as they made their way towards the other side of the parking lot to the waiting limo. "I didn't mean to ruin the evening."
Seto raised an eyebrow, "Nonsense, the night isn't ruined. It's only-" He glanced at his watch, "-7:30. I still have plenty of time to finish some work when we get home. And Mokuba is undoubtedly going to ask to go some where else next."
"That's…" he paused, "That's not what I meant." Jou glared at his shoes for a moment, before looking back up, head held high. "It seems no matter how grown up we are, one of us ends up ruining things for the other." He shrugged, "So I'm sorry."
"Don't be an idiot." Kaiba rolled his eyes, "You haven't ruined anything. Kenji is correct, the woman is annoying." He smirked, "Actually your son seems to be quite useful in getting rid of annoying women." Seto's lip twitched, remembering the boy's words. "It was…" he tried to hold it back, "Quite… funny…" But the attempt failed. Seto stopped walking, and burst out into a loud roar of laughter.
Jou watched the other in slight amazement. 'What the hell?' He could never understand the blue eyed man. Never in his life would he have thought Kaiba could ever laugh, and here he was, laughing about something his son had done, which Jou thought completely inappropriate.
Katsuya blinked a few times, before shaking his head and smiling at the sight of Kaiba Seto laughing. 'People change a lot in twenty years…'
--
Kenji was still pouting in the limo. 'That lady's going to ruin operation Dragon Man and Daddy!' He was more mad then anything else.
"Kenji… It's okay." Mokuba patted him on the back.
"No it's not! She's going to ruin everything!" Kenji shouted, before covering his mouth.
Mokuba blinked, "Ruin…? Everything…?" He stared at the boy for a moment, "Kenji what are you planning?" He smirked own at the now shocked blond.
"What?" Kenji played innocent, "I'm not planning anything."
The raven haired boy crossed his arms, "I know that look. It's when a plan gets messed up." Mokuba shrugged, "I used to plot things all the time. I had my share of blown up plans. So come on, what's the deal."
The young Jounouchi shook his head, looked down at the car's floor. "No… it's… I don't want you to get mad."
"I won't get mad." Mokuba smiled, "I promise." He ruffled the other's hair, "And hey, maybe I can even help!"
Kenji thought for a moment, staring at his lap. "Well… I…" He shook his head, "I want my daddy and Seto-sama to be in love." He muttered.
There was a silence between the two before the eldest burst out into a fit of laughter. "Oh… Oh Kenji!" He gasped out. "I had the very thought a long time ago. My plan blew up into a million bits. My brother was too stubborn." He smiled at the stunned boy. "But you know… we might be able to make things work now, a lot has changed."
Kenji's eyes grew wide, before a vicious smile crossed his face "Operation Dragon Man and Daddy is still not a failure!"
--
Katsuya learned, when Mokuba said they would spend a little time together, that meant the entire day. They had been out running around since the park early in the morning, dinner, they had just finished a movie, and the kid was now talking about going shopping.
"You can go shopping tomorrow, Mokuba." Kaiba Seto rubbed his temples, a headache pushing its way into the CEO's mind.
Mokuba crossed his arms, "That's not the point, Seto!" he cried, "I want all of us to go shopping!"
The elder Kaiba looked at his watch, "It's almost nine o'clock. Everything will be closing. We can go shopping tomorrow." Seto smiled at the shorter brother, "I promise. I'll leave work early, and the four of us can go out."
The raven haired kid beamed, "Alright! Thank you, Seto." Mokuba hugged his brother for a moment, before turning to the two blonds. "It's going to be so fun. We'll show you how to shop Kaiba style."
Jounouchi shook his head, smiling at the onyx haired boy.
"Hay, Mokuba!" someone behind the two Jounouchi's called, "Hay! You want to come to the club with us?"
Mokuba waved, "Miko!" He turned to his older brother, "Can I go, 'Nii-sama?"
"Alright, have fun." Kaiba called after Mokuba who was currently running towards the group of friends.
"Where to, Sir?" Ferio bowed slightly, holding the door open for the three remaining males.
Seto looked over at his old rival and sleeping chilled, "Home, Ferio." He nodded for Jounouchi to get in the limo first, taking Kanji from his hands before he slid inside.
"Thanks." Jou muttered when Kaiba handed the blond boy back to his father. He looked down at Kenji in thought as the CEO got into his limo, and they started for home. "Ah… thanks."
"For what?" The businessman looked over at Jou with a slender eyebrow raised.
Jounouchi shrugged, "For a lot I guess… standing up for us against that lady, yelling at the pop corn man-"
"-That had nothing to do with you." Kaiba turned back to the window.
"I know, but it was hilarious." The blond man laughed slightly, "Paying for dinner and the movie."
"It's nothing."
"I know… it's just…" Katsuya smiled, "It's kind of ironic."
Seto raised an eyebrow again, turning back towards the other man, "What is?"
Jounouchi shrugged, "I don't think I've said thank you this much to one person in two days… and the fact that it's you." He shrugged again. "It's just different."
"Hn. I suppose."
"I won't be able to repay you for awhile… you know that right?" Jou eyed the man, worried that the businessman would be angered by the fact.
A sly smile came to the owner of Kaiba Corporation, "Mokuba and I have to attend a business party on Saturday. Come with us." Seto shot the caramel eyed teen a side look, a smirk planted firmly on his lips.
"Isn't that tomorrow? And I don't have anything to wear… what about Kenji?" Jou finished looking down at his sleeping son.
"Day after tomorrow and it's a good thing we're shopping tomorrow, nei?" Kaiba shrugged, "As for Kenji, can't you get a babysitter?"
Jou nodded, "I suppose I could call Honda and Otogi…"
"They'll be at the party."
"Oh… yeah with Otogi owning a company as well I guess that makes sense." Jou paused, "Wait, going to some dinner party is going to pay you back? I find that a little hard to believe."
Kaiba shrugged again, "It's a start. And you won't be staying on your own until next week."
Katsuya sighed, "Alright. I'll see… what I can do." He turned to the window, deep in thought. 'I will never understand him.'He missed the satisfied smile on the brunet's lips
--
"What's wrong, Yuugi?"
"Jounouchi-kun, hasn't picked up the phone…" Yuugi sighed, sitting down on his bed.
Yami smiled warmly at his other half, "I'm sure he will call you back. Perhaps he is staying with Honda and Otogi."
Yuugi leaned against the ex-Pharaoh, "But wouldn't they have told me he was over when I called them?"
"I'm sure he is fine, Aibou." He hugged the smaller man, "Come on, it's late. You can call him again tomorrow."
Yuugi nodded, laying down on the bed, he and Yami curling up with one another. He smiled softy, remembering the look on his Grandpa's face when they arrived at the shop, and the yells from Honda and Otogi over the phone.
He had loved Egypt, and Yami and Bakura seemed thrilled to be back in their native land. He and Ryou couldn't have been happier for their darker halves. But he was home in Domino, and he had missed it so much.
For a moment Yuugi wondered what Ryou was up to, and then pushed the thought away. He knew what his friend and Bakura were doing right now, at least if the ex-thief had any say at what they were going to do.
He chuckled slightly, snuggling closer to Yami. He certainly had interesting friends.
Lime Rocker: Hay guys! Sorry this is a shorter chapter, but the next one is going to be a doozy!! What do you have to look forward to you ask? Well… shopping, Yuugi and Jou reunite, Jou gets bad news, and a LOT of drama!! I feel so bad for Jou in the next chapter. =( However in chapter 9 I think Kaiba makes up for some of it heehee.
PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!
