Chapter Twelve: Mokuba
Joey never got a chance to privately talk with Kaiba that evening. He had hurriedly cleaned the garage – a task which took seven hours in itself – before changing his clothes and rushing off to prepare dinner. When he'd finally reached Kaiba's door, adamant on an explanation for the earlier events, he found the brunet gone. Dismayed, Joey trudged up to his room. There, he ran a bath and submerged himself in the soapy, hot water. He needed to think.
Why had Kaiba kissed him? After pondering hard on the mater during his hours cleaning, Joey had come to two very plausible explanations; one, Kaiba was genuinely curious about the blonde; or two, he was just taking the piss out of him.
He sincerely hoped it was the first option. While at a glance it didn't seem very likely for Kaiba to have an interest in him, when he dug deeper, there were tell-tale signs. The birthday cake incident, the dinner party, his reaction to Joey's Halloween costume…
But, why so sudden? Joey bit down on his lip as the thought crept into his mind. It was the most un-Kaiba-like thing to just ask for a kiss. The Kaiba he once knew would have probably tried to strangle him six months ago at the prospect of a water fight with the blonde turning into them kissing on the ground. It just didn't fit that the cold-hearted CEO would want to kiss Joey, of all people. For starters, he was a guy, and not just any guy: the persistent, (supposedly) annoying blonde from high school, who just so happened to be his housekeeper.
"Arrrggh, it doesn't make any sense!" Joey whined, sitting up and grabbing the nearest towel to him. He proceeded to dress, trying his best to ignore the thoughts that were racing through his mind regarding Kaiba.
As he headed downstairs to continue his search of the Kaiba brothers, he decided that he would let the brunet make the next move. He wasn't going to chase him down, hounding him for explanations. Knowing how temperamental Kaiba could be, he would simply wait and see. If the brunet really was curious, he'd keep coming back for more. If he was trying to make a fool out of Joey, then he would be sorely disappointed…
As the blonde reached the entrance hall, the door swung open and Kaiba entered, flanked by Roland. The brunet ignored him, but his right-hand man, a briefcase in one hand and a stack of documents in the other, nodded briefly at Joey as he passed him. Seeing the serious look on Kaiba's face, Joey guessed this wasn't the right time to bring up earlier. Something obviously happened, and the blonde didn't want to get on Kaiba's bad side.
"Do you want some coffee?" He asked tenderly, keeping his voice balanced and pleasant.
Kaiba, who had shrugged off his jacket and was in the process of removing his tie, simply nodded.
Joey was eager to ask what had happened, but instead hurried to the kitchen to prepare the coffee, the most precious beverage in Kaiba's diet. He brewed it as strong as he could, gathered the nicest biscuits he could find in the kitchen, and went to find the brunet.
His first guess – the office – wasn't wrong. Inside, Kaiba was pouring over one of the sheets of paper. The print was so small that he was almost squinting trying to read it. Roland was no where to be seen. Placing the small tray down before Kaiba, Joey unloaded everything before the brunet. He was ignored as he did this.
Kaiba finished reading the sheet of paper and tossed it aside, instantly grabbing another. Joey felt compelled to ask him about when he was doing. "Kaiba, em, what are you doing?"
The brunet lifted his head, glaring for a split second. Then his expression shifted. "I'm researching," he said, before bringing his gaze back down to the paper.
"Oh." Joey eyed the stacks of paper. "All of them?"
"Yes," Kaiba said, his voice deadpan.
Shifting his stance awkwardly, Joey craned his head to see what they were. "Are these… Legal documents?"
"Look," Kaiba snapped, "If you're so hell-bent on discovering what I'm doing, make yourself useful and start reading." He gestured at the pile of sheets before him.
Sitting down on the chair opposite him, Joey grabbed a small pile. He started reading, before frowning and asking, "Wait, what am I looking for?"
A grim smile plastered Kaiba's face for a second before fading. "Anything to do with legal guardianship, adoption or fostering…" He didn't elaborate any further, just reached for his coffee, swallowed a mouthful and began reading.
Joey knew better than anyone this was about Mokuba. He could feel an air of desperation about Kaiba as they began reading in silence, and knew better than to ask any more questions. The passages were boring, the jargon was confusing and the tension in the room was crippling. By midnight, Joey hadn't found anything relevant. He was beginning to lose concentration, but saw that Kaiba was even more focused than ever.
An hour or two passed, and still nothing of value was discovered. Joey almost fell asleep twice. On the second time, Kaiba ordered him to go to bed.
"You're useless if you sleep here," he spat, tossing aside another stack of paper, "Go away."
Joey gently placed his sheets on the table. "What about you?"
"What about me?" He grunted, reaching over to look up something on his computer. Joey knew he was trying hard not to show it, but the exhaustion was finally showing on the brunet's face. Etched under his eyes, the dark circles showed stress and panic that Joey knew should never be on someone so young.
"You should sleep." The blonde said, stacking the empty cups onto the kitchen tray. "I'm sure you'd help Mokuba more if you weren't so exhausted."
Kaiba shot him a dark look. "Mutt, I'm not in the mood to argue with you, but I suggest you get out before I do get in the mood."
Sighing, Joey put the tray down and crossed his arms. "Can I ask a question?"
Silence greeted him. Joey took it as his cue and continued to asked, "Is this about Mokuba?" He gestured at the various sheets and books around the office.
With a hefty sigh, Kaiba leaned back into his office chair. "Yes," he said eventually, "It is about Mokuba. Though, I fear, it's too late."
Frowning, Joey asked, "What do you mean..?"
This question seemed to make Kaiba mad for some reason. He slammed his fist down onto the table, saying, "Too late is too late, Wheeler. I don't think I'll get guardianship of Mokuba. No, in fact, I won't get guardianship."
Surprised to see Kaiba explode with such a forceful, emotional statement, Joey gently placed a hand on his thin shoulder. "I-I'm sure you will Kaiba, you just-"
"Wheeler, get your hand off me!"
Joey suddenly snapped back his hand. That statement had hurt him, and it wasn't just Kaiba's informal, harsh words; his tone of voice was irritated. Joey could tell by the mere way he glared at him that the brunet was taking his unreleased anger out on him. "What the hell Kaiba? This morning you were begging me for kisses and acting the strangest I had ever seen you, and now you're treating me like a servant." He brought his hands down onto the table and became eye-level with Kaiba. "Answer me this, Kaiba: what was that all about?"
If he was uneasy, Kaiba didn't show it. He met Joey's gaze with every bit of anger that the blond was shooting him. "I don't have time for this, Wheeler, you're dismissed."
"I'm not leaving until you answer my question!"
"Dammit I don't know!" Kaiba shouted, standing up forcefully. His eyes were dead-serious as he stared down Joey. "It doesn't matter what happened this morning."
"Doesn't… Matter- what?! Kaiba, you kissed me. This is a very big deal!"
"Look," Kaiba said, asserting his authority, "What happened between isn't exactly number one on my list, at the moment," he glanced at the papers before him, "Mokuba is." He sat firmly back on in his chair, and Joey knew he could say no more. Sighing, he gathered the tray full of empty coffee mugs and went to leave the room.
"I haven't forgotten about you," Kaiba added in a low voice, as the door shut behind Joey. "When all this blows over, if it does, we'll talk." But he knew Joey had long-gone, not hearing a word of what he said. Sighing, he re-immersed himself back into his work.
xXx
Joey closed the front door behind him with a defiant slam. The storm currently brewing outside was an accurate representation of his mood – angry, dull and gloomy. He was mad because he had pissed Kaiba off so much the night before, and was depressed because he couldn't do anything to help Mokuba.
From the venomous look on Kaiba's face this morning, Joey assumed he had achieved nothing in his sleepless night. As the blonde had begun working that morning, he had walked past Kaiba's office, and could hear Mokuba scolding his brother. Joey didn't like eavesdropping, but that didn't mean he didn't do it. He had stood outside listening, hearing snippets of conversation…
"There is nothing I can do, Mokuba, but I won't let them-"
"Seto, don't do anything rash!"
"When it comes to this, there is nothing too rash."
Sadly for Joey, the footsteps approached the door he was standing at, so he took to his heels and raced downstairs before he was discovered.
It was no secret to Joey about Mokuba's adoption scenario. The blonde never worried about it, because he knew that no matter what happened, Kaiba would fight with all he had to keep Mokuba. He could envision the brunet calling in half the army just to keep legal guardianship of his brother. No doubt he had hired lawyers to work overtime just to find a loophole in their situation.
Joey entered the kitchen, dumping the shopping. He found it the worst part of his job. He never knew what to buy from temperamental, angst-driven Kaiba. Not able to face into the daunting task that was cleaning the Kaiba's kitchen, Joey opted to start with the bedrooms. He hadn't made anyone's beds this morning, and it was high time the sheets were changed…
He worked on Mokuba's first, finding it odd that the young teen wasn't there. Neither, he noticed, was Kaiba as he entered the main office and tided up a bit. There were sheet littered everywhere, but Joey didn't touch them. Though, he had a feeling Kaiba had given up on his research.
It didn't take him long to find Kaiba however. Joey had opened the door to Kaiba's room in a hurry, humming to himself as he walked in. It was then that he then saw the CEO, lying on his unmade bed. The blonde would've thought him sleeping if not for the blank expression on his face as he stared at the ceiling. The sight itself was enough to make Joey's blood to run cold in his veins.
"No…" He said, not moving from his rooted spot.
Kaiba heard the voice and sat up. He looked shattered; his skin was the same pallor as his bed sheets, eyes devoid of emotion. He tried to speak to Joey, but couldn't find the right words. Eventually, he managed to say, "It's over. Mokuba's been taken away."
Joey bit down hard on his lip. No, it wasn't – it couldn't be – true. And even if it was, why was Kaiba just lying here. Where was the fiery brunet he knew? He had always imagined that if this day did come, that if Mokuba was ever taken away by the social workers, that Kaiba would be fighting with all his might to get him back, ordering every lawyer in the country to get his brother back. Not… This.
"When did he go?" Joey swallowed back his surprise and tried to keep his voice normal. When Kaiba, didn't answer, Joey walked closer to inspect him. "Kaiba?"
The brunet shot him a look so murderous that it scared Joey. "Please, mutt. Please, just… go away." His face was passive, but Joey could hear the sorrow in his voice. It would be more natural if the brunet cried, or became angry, but the only hint of distress in his voice was completely controlled. Joey was slightly irked by Kaiba's lack of raw emotion.
Some rational part of him told him to go, leave the brunet to cope on his own, but when did Joey ever listen to his rational side?
"Kaiba," he said, moving to the side of the bed and sitting down, "I-"
"Just fuck off!" The CEO said, suddenly exploding with anger. He threw out his hand, pushing the blonde back. However, Joey stayed where he was. This, seemingly, made Kaiba even more pissed off. He clenched his fists angrily and shouted, "Joey! Go away! I don't want you here; I don't need you or your pity. Just-"
Suddenly, Joey brought a hand up and pressed it to Kaiba's mouth, cutting off everything he was saying. "Shush, Kaiba," he said, gently taking his hand away. "Calm down."
"Calm down?" The brunet hissed, voice growing more and more angry with every word, "Calm down?! My fucking brother has been taken away, and you're telling me to calm down?!" He shot a venomous look at Joey. "Wheeler, I've had it up to here with you messing around in my life! Can you not just leave me the fuck alone and do your damn job?"
Joey, simply ignoring what the CEO was saying, reached up and gently tugged on his arm. With his other hand, he gently patted the space beside him. "Sit."
"I'm not a dog," Kaiba replied, crossing his arms to show he wasn't going to listen to his housekeeper.
Rolling his eyes at his choice of words, Joey said, "Kaiba, I am not your enemy here."
"Yes, but you're bloody annoying."
Exhaling slowly to keep his temper down, Joey reached up again and pulled Kaiba's wrist towards him, more forcefully. Reluctantly, the CEO sat back onto the bed. If was he to be honest with himself, he had to admit – he was pretty impressed with how Joey was coping right now. He just wanted to take out his frustration on anything and everything, but the blonde wanted to talk, something so normal it seemed out of place at such a time.
"What happened?" Joey said simply, trying to keep his voice at a civil volume.
"I told you, idiot. Mokuba's gone. Gone forever and he's not coming back."
"You don't know that!" Joey said, not able to think of anything else to say. "There's still hope! When did they take him?"
"When you left. There was no warning. They came, and took him. Three men in suits."
Joey mentally cursed his timing. If he hadn't been away that morning, he could've at the very least been there for Kaiba. He had promised, hadn't he, to help the brunet. "I'm sorry I wasn't there," he said softly, not catching Kaiba's eye. "I promised I'd help, and I was more than useless."
The brunet shot him a semi-surprised look, "There's nothing you could've done. I-I tried to stop them, but…" He pressed his hand to his stomach. "They were very keen on physical force."
"Shit," Joey exclaimed, as Kaiba lifted up his shirt and revealed a print the size of a shoe on his abdomen. The redness of the impact was rapidly turning into a bruise. "They did that? You must've been pretty distressed."
"Distressed is putting it nicely," Kaiba said, dropping the shirt back down and sighing.
"Do you want some ice?" Joey offered, trying to help Kaiba. His effort at consoling the brunet shocked him; he thought it would be a bit more emotional. Not so… calm.
"No, I think I'll leave this as reminder at how I failed at being a brother."
The comment caught Joey off guard. He could hear the bitterness in Kaiba's voice. Placing a hand on the brunet's shoulder, he said, "Kaiba, I know you're feeling upset, but-"
Suddenly, Kaiba cut him off. "Upset?! How would you know, Wheeler? You can't just console me with empty words. You have no fucking idea what it's like!"
"That's where you're wrong Kaiba!" Joey shouted, finally feeling his temper rising rapidly. "I know exactly how you feel. I have a sister, I know how hard it can be to have someone you love taken away."
"No you-" Then he caught himself, realising that Joey had in fact been through this very same scenario. Wasn't he so cruelly taken away from his little sister, Serenity, all those years ago?
"See? Kaiba, I know I'm not even half the brother you are, but we both love our siblings, and we both were separated from them. It may be too late for me, but you have a chance! I couldn't cope when I was a kid. I did many bad things, and hurt many good people, but the point is, I survived. I had no one, but you, at least have me." He gave a friendly a smile at Kaiba's stunned expression. "I'm not much, but I'm better than nothin'." Holding out his hand, and smiled gently, asking, "Please?"
Kaiba's gave a placid nod, unable to understand what Joey's outstretched hand meant. "What do I…?"
"Oh, c'mere. You're hopeless." Joey placed his hand over Kaiba's, interlocking their fingers. "There. You might be a genius, Kaiba, but I swear, sometimes…"
A small smile plastered Kaiba's mouth, but he let it fade as his rested on their hands. It seemed too surreal, the recent events. He went from exploring his feelings for Joey to his brother being taken away, and back to having odd feelings for his housekeeper.
"Hey Kaiba?"
"Yes?"
"Did you know, last night, that Mokuba was going to be taken away? Is that why you had so many documents?" The blonde found he couldn't bring his eyes to Kaiba's, so he kept them down.
Kaiba nodded in response. "I did. I knew there was a slim chance we'd find a loophole, but some part of me was adamant on finding a solution." He sighed. "All for nothing."
"No, Kaiba, it wasn't for nothing. We will get Mokuba back," Joey said firmly, clenching his hand tightly around Kaiba's. "Do you believe me?"
The CEO glanced down at their joined hands, but didn't say anything for a few seconds. He thought of all Joey had done for his little sister, the hell he put himself through to obtain the money for her operation, and realised that when it came to family, Joey could be nothing but dead-serious. Eventually, he swallowed all his pride and replied, "I do."
"Good," was all Joey said, as he released the pressure on the brunet's hand ever so slightly, "Because you really have no choice. Tomorrow, first thing, we're going to do some background checks on these so-called social workers. It seems to me as they don't know the real Seto Kaiba."
Glancing almost incredulously at the blonde, he commented, "I'm beginning to think I don't know the real Joey Wheeler."
Joey simply gave Kaiba a friendly smile and another squeeze to his hand. "You will one day."
Well this took me a while to write, most of the time trying to figure out how to approach it. It could've gone in a completely different direction if Mokuba hadn't been snapped away. It just felt that it was needed. This were too perfect for my liking.
As a side note, I want to add that while Kaiba may seem OOC, I believe that because there simply isn't anything he can do about Mokuba anymore, and he finally acknowledges that fact, he will give up. It's not a Kaiba-like thing to do, but from his point of view, there is nothing money can do in this situation against the law. Thus his desperation. But never fear, Joey Wheeler is here. :D
Thanks to all those who reviewed. I never though I'd get over 100 reviews. To all those who reviewed/faved/watched the previous chapters, you rock! :3 Oh, and really big thanks to TheGuardianKnux, who gave me the longest review I had ever received. XD Seriously though, it totally made my day reading it. Thank you so much! x3
