Title: The Twelve Days of Christmas (07)

Author: Kun II Kya

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Twelve days, twelve chances to prove his love.

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

"On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree."

--/--

"How about that?" Mokuba asked in a monotone, pointing the general direction of a jewelry shop. His steps were heavy and his brand new sneakers were dragging on the tiles, as if the mere task of walking was using up all his strength.

"No," Seto snapped irritably, shifting his head from side to side once in a while in a vain attempt to find a good gift for Katsuya.

It was Saturday afternoon and Mokuba had insisted on helping Seto find another gift to aid in his quest to "woo the mutt of his dreams". Let's just say that Seto wasn't pleased with how Mokuba referred to Katsuya. Mokuba was now forbidden to enter his game room for two days.

"Hypocrite," the raven haired boy muttered for the fifth time in two minutes, shooting another dirty look at Seto. Of course, he was talking about the fact that Seto got to call his crush an inu, yet he didn't get to. Hell, he used to call Katsuya "Jounouchi no yarou" and Seto didn't say anything!

"I heard that."

Mokuba shrugged carelessly. Seto decided not to comment, however, since Mokuba was notorious at the Kaiba mansion to have mastered the crying on cue. And the brunette didn't want anyone to think that he was upsetting his younger brother. Think of what the reporters would do if they got a picture of Mokuba crying. And what rumors would eventually circulate around the whole of Domino City.

"Wow!" The younger Kaiba brother exclaimed, pointing at a Duel Monsters shop. It was, from the displays in the window, focused entirely on the monsters in that particular game. "I want to go in there!"

Before Seto could make any protests or comment, he found himself being dragged forcefully by a very hyper Mokuba into the store. Amused looks were cast his way by the passing pedestrians, many loaded with bags full of Christmas presents.

--/--

"Katsuya!"

"What?" Katsuya hollered tiredly through the barrier of his bedroom door. It was locked securely and hadn't been opened since yesterday morning when he had gone out onto the porch and discovered the five heavy fur jackets.

"It's time for lunch, son." Mr. Jounouchi rapped his fingers on the door, hoping that his son would finally come to his senses and perhaps eat, something he hadn't done for several days.

"I don't want to eat, dad."

"Kami-sama!" Katsuya's dad exclaimed in exasperation, throwing his arms into the air. He glared forcefully at the door. "You have got to eat something, Katsuya. You can't stay locked in your room all day. What are you trying to do, starve yourself? Just because Kaiba doesn't like you doesn't mean that's the end of the world. There are plenty more fish in the sea." His voice was now flat and adopted the same tone as Katsuya's was. "You're worrying me, son."

Abruptly, at the end of Mr. Jounouchi's awe inspiring speech, came the sound of something expensive smashing against the inside of the door. Despite his earlier outburst, he found himself rolling his eyes upwards.

"I'll be outside if you want to talk, Katsuya." And, he added as an afterthought, "Or eat."

--/--

"Mr. Kaiba! What a pleasant surprise to see you here!"

Seto's eyes widened almost painfully as the screechy voice of Marie reached his ears. And there she was – in all her horrific glory, dressed in a grey plaid skirt and a crisp white shirt, halfway unbuttoned. Her eyelids were covered with a light magenta mascara and the layer of crimson lipstick that covered her lips did opposite of the desired effect. Seto shuddered involuntarily.

"Yes," he replied, words laced with disgust and disappointment at seeing her here. Of all the places she had to work at! "What a surprise."

"Can I help you with anything, sir?" She questioned, nails raking across her pantyhose as she tried to subtly slip her skirt up. "Anything at all? I'm all yours." She seemed to have forgotten the horrible incident yesterday in which she was thrown out of Kaiba Corp. on her bum.

"No thank you," Mokuba chirped up from his unimpressive position by Seto's elbow, smiling falsely at Marie. "We're just fine. Looking around and all."

"Oh," she replied in a flat tone, casting a (or so she thought) seductive look in Seto's direction. "What a shame. I'll be at the cash register if you need my help."

Speaking of the cash register, there seemed to be a long line, most of the people in it sending unpleasant looks in Marie's direction. Most were tapping their foot impatiently while shuffling their purchases from hand to hand. It didn't look like they were too pleased with Marie's flirtations. It held up the line, for one.

"That's fine with me," Seto said hurriedly. Something red glimmering at the edge of his vision had caught his attention and he was hell bent on getting away from Marie's flirtatious behavior. "See you later, Marie."

And so she left, swaying her hips in what she thought to be a sexy manner. Too bad it made Seto want to regurgitate whatever was left of his lunch.

"I don't like her." Mokuba muttered out of the corner of his mouth to Seto, casting a displeased look in her direction. She sent another smile to Seto, totally disregarding his little brother. "I don't know why you hired her in the first place."

"You know what? I don't know why either."

Mokuba grinned.

"And while you were trying to get away from her, I found the perfect gift for Jounouchi."

--/--

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yuugi yelled over the bustle of the park's occupants, waving a hand in the air. The other was laced with Mokuba's, who was sitting with the group. "Over here!"

Katsuya looked up from the package in his arms, which was wrapped securely in a soothing baby blue colored tissue paper. He cradled in protectively during his stride towards his friends and seemed to have lightened up a bit. A piece of white computer paper was grasped lightly in one gloved hand.

"What's that?" Mokuba asked in an interested tone, pointing at the bundle in Katsuya's arms, although he knew perfectly well what it was. "Is it another gift from your anonymous admirer?"

Katsuya nodded absently. He was too busy laying the gifts into the wooden table they were all gathered around, agile fingers smoothing out the tissue paper before opening them. He took great care not to let anyone save Yuugi touch the bundle, which was now separated into seven different ones.

"Whoa," Yuugi breathed in awe as soon as they were all separated and opened.

For, lying on the wooden surface of the table, was seven necklaces. They all had the same string, a thin black one with a knot that connected everything together. But what made them so special were the images that decorated the normally plain string—a Red Eyes Black Dragon, a Baby Dragon, a Time Wizard, a Thousand Dragon, a Flame Swordsman, four of the Scape Goats, and last of all, an Alligator Sword. They each had a miniscule jewel for eyes that corresponded with the eye color of the monsters on the actual cards.

Anzu reached out to touch one of them, but snarled in annoyance as her hand as pushed away lightly by Katsuya. Said blonde didn't seem to notice and was too busy staring fondly at the necklaces.

"Spoiled brat," the female brunette muttered in a low voice, just enough for the others to hear, but not Katsuya. "Selfish brat."

Honda cast a disapproving look in her direction and the result was immediate – she straightened, pulled down her skirt, and adopted an innocent expression. Unsurprisingly, it didn't fool anyone and gave her the image of someone that had just swallowed something heinous.

"I've got to go," Katsuya murmured distantly, fingering the Red Eyes Black Dragon necklace that was looped around his neck. He had just put it on and was very proud of the gift he received. Although…his good mood was sullied by the fact that someone he probably didn't like was sending them and not Seto.

"O-okay," Honda replied hesitantly, sending a smile in Katsuya's direction. He seemed oblivious to the jealous look Anzu sent the blonde of his affections.

"Oh, and Mokuba?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you give this to Kaiba for me?"

Honda snarled audibly at the mention of Kaiba's name, although he himself spoke it every day. Mostly to mutter death threats to the brunette under his breath.

"Sure!" Mokuba chirped, taking the computer paper from Katsuya's extended hand. "What is it?"

The blonde smiled mistily. "You'll see."

It wasn't until Katsuya left that Mokuba opened the paper and grinned like mad at what was inside – an application for the secretary position at Kaiba Corporations.

to be continued