Yamis: (stare at author)

Sadistic-neko: what's up with those looks? (squirms as the relentless crimson/violet eyes continue to stare) Stop looking at me! It hasn't been that long since I've updated! Nine days isn't that bad! Especially compare to when I went all last summer without updating!

Yami: (sighs) As much as I hate to agree, you're right.

Marik: You better not do that again! I swear, that was the longest couple of months ever! Do you realize how bitchy the damn priest was? He was almost dying with impatience, waiting for you to get him and the mutt together!

Seto: (uses sneaky advantage of animal DNA to get behind Marik and knocks him out with a club) That'll show the fool.

Bakura: when the hell are you putting the green hair runt in anyway? That Build-A-Whore, Sakura, is really annoying the hell out of me asking when he'll make an appearance constantly!

Sadistic-neko: next chap. Now that that's understood (turns to readers) I do not own Yugioh, but all of the insanity in this story is 100% percent mine. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to R&R!

Jou POV

I had been living with Seto and Mokuba for a good two months and life couldn't be better!

I had everything that I could ever want. Good food, a job that paid damn well and a private tutor that worked a miracle and got me making A's in all of my classes. Most importantly, though, I had a family. People that always greeted me with a smile whenever I walked through the door and that I was happy to be with.

The best part was that I wasn't the only one that felt that way. From the little messages that Seto was sending me, like letting me call him by his first name, and how perfectly adorably open Mokie was his adoration of me, both Kaiba brothers were just as happy as I was. I almost burst into tears when Mokie asked Seto and me to go to some school thing and introduced as the two most amazing older brothers ever.

But enough of that. I bet you all want to know the important stuff, so here it is.

I was laying on the couch in Seto's study, having already finished my homework, incredibly, a long time before. Having nothing better to do since he didn't really need me for anything at the moment, I was reading a book that he had recommended. It was pretty good. In fact, it was so good that I almost didn't even notice the phone ringing.

"Kaiba Speaking," Seto answered in that damn monotone. He was lucky that he only used it around the office and people related to it, or else I would smack him. Mokie was completely with me on the subject of him being way better when he was expressing his emotions. "I understand, I'll be there first thing in the morning."

There was something in voice that alarmed me. It sounded too tight. Almost as if he were trying to hold back a growl. I wasn't sure what that call was about, but I was worried. It wasn't every day that something upset him so much that he almost broke the phone in his hand. I got up and put my hand on his shoulder.

"What was that?" I was careful. He had yet to unleash his rage upon me since I had moved in with him, but that didn't mean that the threat of him doing something accidentally didn't exist. "Was it bad?"

He took a deep breath and began to stare blankly into space. The internal battle that he was having on whether or not to tell me was clear even in the air. Whatever it was, he was having a difficult time with. It was causing him pain.

At last, he sighed and grabbed the hand that I still had on his shoulder.

"That was Dr. Mikawa." We both tightened our grip on each other's hand as he said the name. I had only heard it once or twice, but I knew very well who she was. "She said that you father is taking very well to his treatment and wants to have a conference of sorts. It's going to be tomorrow morning."

I was beyond feeling the surprise that I knew should have been there. To tell the truth, I was beyond feeling anything. The only thing I could feel was the comforting warmth coming from Seto's hand.

"O-oh, he wants to see us. W-well, I guess I should have exp-"

"No puppy," Seto whispered, pulling me into his lap, wrapping his arms around me in a powerful embrace. "He just wants to see me. He's requested that you not come."

"W-why?" Tears were rolling down my face as I heard that my own father didn't even want to see me. Was he angry at me for indirectly putting him in that hospital? Did he hate me?

"I don't know, but I promise to find out. Whatever it is, it probably isn't as bad as what you think it is, okay?" Every word he said was soft, soothing. Spoken in the same way that he did when Mokie had a bad dream or when I was scared during a thunderstorm. Just the sound alone was able to make my body relax against my will. All I could do was nod. "Good puppy. Now no more crying."

Even as he brushed the tears from my face in a tender fashion, the world was becoming a huge blur. The emotional exhaustion I was feeling was seeping into all of my muscles. I was only vaguely aware of Seto standing up with me still in his arms and walking down the familiar set of hallways to his room.

Once he reached his room, he set me down on his bed and took off my shirt and socks. He glanced at the wardrobe on the other side of the room then back on me and just pulled his own shirt off and proceeded to strip down to his boxers. At last he climbed into the bed and pulled me against his chest.

"Go to sleep puppy, you need it," he said, shifting me so my head was on his shoulder and I was securely wrapped up in his arms. "I'll take you to Yugi's place before I head over to the clinic, okay?"

I nodded, barely comprehending what he was saying. I just let my mind wander, sort of focusing on all of the familiar things surrounding me. The blankets and walls. Most of all, though, the feeling of the arms that were wrapped so wonderfully around me. Finally, the black void, otherwise known as unconsciousness, overcame me and I fell into a fitful sleep.

When I awoke the next morning, I was surprised to find that Seto wasn't there. He never woke up before me! At least not since I started living with him. I almost jumped when I heard the door to the bathroom open. He was standing in the doorway, one towel wrapped around his waist and another in his hand drying out his hair. Water droplets were rolling teasingly down his chest only to disappear when they reached the towel.

"I was going to wake you once I got dressed, but since you're up now anyway, you better get ready to go to the game shop." His eyes were hard, and It took me a while to think of what could possibly be the cause. Then it hit me, the meeting with my pops. I began shaking, and Seto, being the ridiculously observant person that he was, noticed immediately. "Don't worry puppy. I promise that, as soon as I can, I'll come back to pick you up. I was even thinking of taking the day off and taking you and Mokie to the zoo to see that litter of tiger cubs that you two have been so excited about."

I perked up a little. Would he really take the day off? He hadn't done that since that day that he took me get those clothes.

"Really?" He smiled.

"Of course. I think that we've all earned it."

"Can Yug and the others come too?"

"I'm not so sure ab-" I gave him the biggest, most adorable puppy dog eyes that I could, having already learned that the squirt wasn't the only one that could make Mr. Iceblock melt with them. "Fine!"

I grinned triumphantly, running up to him and tackling him into my mega glomp. He let out a small sound of surprise and oomphed as he hit the ground.

"You're the best! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"Yours and Mokie's puppy dog eyes are going to be the death of me. You do realize that you two could rule the world armed with just those alone, right?" I shrugged nonchalantly and smiled wider.

"You still love us though."

"Yeah," he said, ruffling my hair. "I must really be a masochist."

That was when he gave me a smile that I just couldn't comprehend. It was happy and sad at the same time, holding the everlasting patience that I knew he possessed, and anxiousness that I couldn't fathom. There seemed to be pride and adoration mixed in too, and something else that I couldn't place. Something that I knew, had seen on a regular basis, not only in his eyes, but also in the eyes of others. Where? I couldn't remember. It was too stunning to think straight. Oh well, I could figure it out later.

"Get off now, please." I blinked a moment before remembering that I was sitting on his chest. Oops. Once I jumped off, I offered him my hand to help him up. "Once you're ready, we'll leave."

Seto POV

Having just dropped Jou and getting silent confirmation from my ancient cousin that he would keep an eye on my puppy, I was on my way to Dr. Mikawa's clinic. I wasn't really sure what to expect, nor could I figure out why Jounochi-san wanted to talk me only.

Brushing it off, I figured that I would find out soon enough as I pulled into the clinic's parking lot. This was going to be a long day.

It took about a half an hour to get through security, and I was now finally sitting at a table across from the very man that hurt my puppy so awfully. I tried to remember that we were trying to help him and forced myself to wait till he spoke before decking him.

"What is it that you wanted to speak too me about?" I kept my voice even and cold. Jou would have smacked me in the back of the head for using that tone, but oh well. It was taking everything in me not to let my raging wolf instincts take over and tear the bastard that hurt my intended mate so badly to shreds.

"I-I," he started, clearly intimidated by my covered hostility. Trying to calm himself a little, he took a breath. "I wanted to thank you, and to ask you a few questions."

I was shocked. From all of the information that I had gotten from my puppy and the various files from police and others on this man, I assumed that he would be more angry than this. I was prepared for the violent reactions typical of an addict taken away from their fix. Especially when faced with people like me. The ones that were, ultimately, responsible for it being taken away from them.

"What kinds of questions?" I asked cautiously. I still wasn't sure of what to expect from that man. He looked at me desperately when he figured out that there was a chance that I answer him.

"H-how is my son? Is he okay? Where is he staying?" everything came out in a worried rush. I stopped it with a glare. After all, hypocritical jackasses like him really pissed me off.

"Why should I tell you?" I asked deathly soft, my rage pouring off of my in waves. I was so tempted to sink my claws into him and watch him bleed. "You haven't seemed to give much of a damn for the past few years. Why start now?"

I could see that my words truly stung him. I took no little satisfaction knowing this. It was what the son of a bitch deserved. He hung his head in shame.

"I understand what you mean," he said so softly that I didn't think that I would have been able to hear it if my hearing wasn't as enhanced as it was. "I've been such a horrible father to him since his mother left. I've hurt him so much, I don't deserve to know how he's doing. He probably hate me now anyway."

I was stunned to see drops of water hit his hand as a salty sent ravaged my nose. As I stood (I had no idea when I got out of my seat) watching the image of a broken man sobbing in front of me, I lost all of my hostility. All I could feel was pity.

"If you want me to answer your questions, then I want you to answer some of mine first," I said, taking my seat again. He looked up at me again, eyes wide and hopeful, and nodded. "Why the change? I was at your house right before you were brought here. You didn't seem like a man that wanted help. Just more booze."

"You're right. It disgusts me to know that I sank that low. Even after being here for a couple of days, I still didn't think it was that bad, but then I saw an interview someone was giving Jou. As I watched him talk about how he used to be in a gang and how he fought his way out and had been believing in his friends and something called 'The heart of the cards'. I realized then that I didn't know anything about my own son. That I was hurting him horribly."

He was shaking, trying to keep himself in check. I sighed, knowing what I had to do.

"I can see that you're determined to right your wrongs, so I guess that I should tell you about your son." His face lit up brighter than a Christmas tree. "He has been staying with my younger brother and me in our mansion. He's been fine, but he was really hurt when I told him that you didn't want to see him. He cried himself to sleep." I gave him a pointed glare, some of my anger returning as a picture of my puppy's tear stained face and the sound of his heart breaking sobs rang through my mind. "That's something else that I want explained, now."

For the second time, his head went down in shame. It wasn't the broken shame that he displayed earlier. Something about it seemed more exasperated.

"I still want to hit the bottle. So much that it feels like it's killing me," he began. "I know that I don't deserve to ask him for forgiveness, especially like this. The next time he sees me, I want him to be able to see me as a man that deserves to call him his son. Please let him know that, I don't want him to be hurt any more because of me."

"I will," I said inwardly smiling, knowing that it would make Jou happy. Then I thought of something. "Once you get out of here, what are you planning on doing?"

"I-I honestly don't know. I haven't really had a decent job in ages and the house has probably been reprocessed by now."

"Then how about I make a deal with you?" I watched amused as he eyed me cautiously. I assumed that he knew that not all deals I made with others were necessarily good.

"What kind of deal?"

"When you get out, I'll take you to see Jou and give you a job and new home." His disbelief seemed to grow more. He knew that something this good was usually too good to be true.

"What's the catch?"

"You work hard and never touch alcohol again." I gave him my coldest look, letting him know how serious I was. "If you take this deal and begin to deviate back to being a man drowning himself in booze again, I can assure you that there will be hell to pay."

"It would be nothing more than what I deserve. Before I accept though, would you tell me what kind of job you were planning on giving me. I imagine that it's with your own company. It would be easier to keep an eye on me that way, right." Wow, he was smarter than he looked. Even recovering from damage done to him constant alcohol abuse, he was able to figure out half of my reason for offering such a deal.

"Yes," I responded, thinking back to what I read on him. "I believe that I remember reading something about you being the head of some kind of construction team in your file. It said that, had you not done what you had in response to your life, the owner was going to give the entire company to you since he was planning on retiring."

"Yeah." His voice turned melancholy, a sad smile spreading itself across his features. "The old man was great. I think that he was one of the most disappointed when I began my downward spiral."

"If you would be willing to, I was hoping that you could be a construction coordinator for my company. It would eliminate a lot of complications. I've been meaning to get someone to do the job, but I haven't found the right person."

"I would love to, it you would except me." I leaned back, smiling for the who knew what number time that day. There was no helping it, since I knew how happy my puppy would be. Not only was I winning some major points and getting closer to being able to confidently confess to him, but I was making sure that his family life was all the better.

"How about you start immediately? I could have the plans for the next Kaiba Land that I plan on having built next year sent to you to look over. Granted that you keep the plans under lock and key. We can't have the competition getting hold of them." He nodded vigorously.

Two hours later found me in my car on my way to pick up Jou and the others. (good thing I invested in that van, huh?) I wasn't even two feet into the game shop before I was tackled by an adorable blonde blur. Imagine my surprise when I randomly found myself on the floor staring up at the ceiling.

"Is everything okay puppy?" I asked as I noticed that he was crying again. I wiped his tears away and waited for him get his bearings.

"H-how'd it go?" He unleashed the biggest, wateriest eyes I had ever seen. Having just figured out that he was crying because he was worried about my meeting with his father.

"It went fine." I gave his head a reassuring pat. "Just so you know, he doesn't hate you. He told me that he doesn't want you to see him again until he knows for sure that he's better. That way you will be able to him as a man worth calling your father."

The tears began to pour out more ferociously, but they were tears of joy. He gave me a grateful smile and then threw his arms around me, burying his head in my chest. In response, I wrapped my arms around him and rubbed soothing circles into his back, letting him release all of the pent up emotions that had been tormenting him since the night before. At last his sobs quieted and the waterworks turned off.

"Feel better now?" He nodded. "Then why don't you go clean up while I round up the rest of the pack so we can go to the zoo like I promised?"

I had never seen a more elated look on anyone's face than the one that Jou wore as he practically shrieked in delight and ran to the nearest bathroom.