Kaiba walked down the hallway to Arielle's classroom. Students piled
through the halls, but he couldn't find Arielle. Finally, Kaiba made his
way to the classroom.
"Arielle?" He peeked in. The sun was setting and the room now had a
orange shadowy, hazy look. Several students were still in there, packing up
their stuff and laughing. It didn't take Kaiba's sharp eyes to catch a
small figure slowly stood up from her seat to walk over to her backpack.
"Arielle?" Kaiba advanced into the classroom cautiously. The several
students took notice of him and hurried out of the room. Now there was only
Arielle and Kaiba alone in the room. When Arielle didn't respond to Kaiba's
second call, Kaiba knew something was wrong.
"What's wrong, kid?" He laid a hand gently on the kid's shoulder. He
didn't expect an answer right away, so he gave her time. The two of them
stood silently in the sun warmed classroom until the last rays of the sun
disappeared.
"Kids.are mean to me." Arielle finally said. Kaiba looked down at the
tiny figure. Before he could ask, Arielle blurted out, "A guy named Ushiro
noticed me the first minute I got into class. I suppose he was trying to
show off when he picked me up and swung me around, but I didn't know what
he was doing! So I told him to put me down. I must have embarrassed him
somehow, because at break, he came over and in a threatening voice told me
to go back to where I belong. He told me to go back to having tea parties
with my dolls. And after the break, I found a doll sitting on my desk!"
With an upset yank, Arielle jerked a pretty doll out from her book bag.
Kaiba's first thought when Arielle told him about Ushiro was, the kid
should learn that living on this earth is no party. But looking at the
empty doll face, he grew angry. How DARE they pick on Arielle!
"Don't worry about it, kid." Kaiba swallowed and tried to wave it
off. Then, smoothly, he changed a subject, "Remember last week? When I told
you that I'd get you a surprise if you go take the test for me? I'll bring
it home as soon as I get home from my office, okay?"
"You're going to your office?" Arielle turned to Kaiba and her bottom
lip stuck out to a cute pout.
"Yes, because. " Kaiba thought fast for an answer. The only problem
was that he had no idea of what to get Arielle but would never admit for
his life that he doesn't have the surprise yet. "Because, I have to pick it
up at the office." He finished finally.
"Can I come with you?" Arielle coaxed.
"No, you need to go home." He said hastily. "Mokuba probably misses
you. Don't you want to tell him about your first day at school?"
"Yeah!" The girl agreed eagerly.
"Good, then I'll drop you off at home." Kaiba and Arielle walked out
of the school building. Everything was going smooth. Tomorrow, he'd take
care of that Ushiro.
Now, if he could only thing of what to get Arielle.
Whatever Kaiba was going to get Arielle, it certainly was not what he brought home that afternoon. Kaiba opened the door and closed it behind him cautiously. The huge basket in his hands wobbled and felt like something was rolling from side to side. Kaiba moaned silently in his head as he questioned himself again of how bull-headed he had been. How could he have been so stupid? Whatever possessed him to bring THIS home as a surprise? "Arielle! Mokuba!" He called. "I'm ho--" Before the word could escape from his mouth, a ball of jet-black hair and two mahogany ponytails flew down the stairway. "Big brother!" "Uh, you might want to take it easy here." Kaiba pulled the basket over his head and gave them an uneasy smile. "Is that for me? Is that for me?" Arielle danced around Kaiba's legs. "Uh.yeah!" Kaiba set the large wicker basket down. Before his fingers were even unlaced from the handle, Arielle was on her knees and peered into the hamper. "Oh." She breathed. "Seto!" From the flapping lid of the basket, Arielle drew out a perfect, snow-white kitten. The kitten was a mix breed, but there had never been a more precious and adorable kitten. Not even a purebred could be compared to her. Not one silky long hair was out of place as she peered around curiously with her emerald green eyes. Her furry ears stood alert and pointed forward and she had the grace of a queen. She eyed Arielle prudently and as if knowing that she was a child, the feline gently pushed Arielle's fingers away from her silver whiskers as she settled down comfortably and permanently. The only precise name Kaiba thought would match her was Duchess. "Sugarcookie." Arielle announced as the kitten began purring in her arms. Kaiba blinked and stared at Arielle, not sure what to think. "What?" "Sugarcookie." Arielle repeated. "I'm going to name her Sugarcookie." Kaiba raised an eyebrow so high that it was simply impossible. He pushed a lock of his rich brown hair away from his eyes as his eyebrow came down and he frowned. "Sugarcookie?" He shook his head with disbelief. "You're going to name that cat Sugarcookie?" "Yes." Arielle sniffed. But she shifted the kitten to one arm as she gave Kaiba a hug. "Thank you, Seto. Can you build her a cat castle?" "A what?!" Kaiba asked, exasperated at himself for acting so dumb. "A cat castle. So Sugarcookie could live and play in it. So she can be a princess." Arielle looked up at the tall, slender figure standing in front of her, tapping his shoes impatiently on the floor. "I'll have one shipped in if you like." Kaiba turned around abruptly. There was no way he was going to build a cat castle for this already spoiled cat. Not mentioning the fact that he doesn't even know what a cat castle looked like. He picked up his briefcase and was about to walk out of the room, but Arielle wasn't done yet. "Isn't she pretty, Seto?" She crowed, lifting the kitten as high as she could so that Kaiba turned around and found himself face to face with a pair of forest green eyes. They stared at each other for a full minute, each not knowing what to do and was too fascinated to turn away. Then, the kitten narrowed her eyes and her tiny paw made a swipe at Kaiba's eyes. Kaiba jerked back. "Yes, she's simply too sweet." Kaiba said dryly, straightening. Well, he thought as he glared at the cat from the corner of his eyes. Same to you. I don't like you either. "And every single one of her hair is in place! Isn't she the neatest little thing you've ever seen?" So Arielle had noticed how immaculate Sugarcookie was. At least Kaiba's time wasn't wasted. He hastily pulled his indigo trenchcoat sleeve down a little bit more to cover his hands. If Arielle or Mokuba had seen his arms and wrists, they'd tell that those tiny scratches weren't scratches, but claw and teeth marks. Instead of working the last two hours before he came home, he'd locked himself up in his office and tried to brush Sugarcookie's velvety fluff. One hand, he held the brush, one hand he held the feisty, squirming little creature. During that time, he was thankful that there were no cameras in his office. He had looked so ridiculous, kneeling on the floor, coaxing the kitten to let him work the brush into her hair. Sugarcookie was merciless. She had sprung out of Kaiba's grasp and pranced around the room with Kaiba cursing and scrambling after her. They both had quite an adventure, climbing over sofas, crawling under desks, digging through plants, and tackling any movable objects. But Kaiba had conquered in the end, though it wasn't an easy resignation. Every single one of Sugarcookie's hair was in place, despite of the fact that every single struggle of the battle was written on Kaiba's fine boned hands and slender sensitive fingers. "Yes, she's perfect." Kaiba turned around and walked toward his office. As he left the room, he heard Mokuba complain, "Seto said I couldn't get a dog." A surge a guiltiness flowed through Kaiba. What makes Arielle so special that even his own little brother's request had been pushed aside? No matter, Kaiba decided. He's busy to go deep into psychology right now. He has tons of work to do. It is simply a necessity to go to the office tomorrow. He's probably have to stay there until late into the night. But his hopes vanished as day went on. Kaiba was awaken abruptly at five A.M. after he heard the familiar sniffling beside his bed. He opened his eyes wearily and found himself face to face with a tear-filled Arielle. "What's the matter, kiddo?" Kaiba groaned, rubbing his temple. He had finally been able to go to bed at three A.M. and it seems like he had only closed his eyes when Arielle came in. "There's a thunderstorm going on, Seto." Arielle whimpered, shivering slightly, obviously uncomfortable at standing vulnerably beside Kaiba's bed. Kaiba groaned again as he lifted his sheets apart. Arielle didn't talk, but snuggled down at once. Within what seemed only minutes, she was sleeping deeply and peacefully. Used to this routine, Kaiba tucked the sheets tighter around them and tried going back to sleep. But just as he felt himself began to drift off, he felt another presence in front him that he couldn't ignore. "Seto?" A tiny voice said beside him. "Mokuba?" Kaiba muttered. Then his eyes popped open as he sat up and looked around wildly. "What's wrong, Mokuba? What is it?" "I had a nightmare." Mokuba looked embarrassed and scared at the same time. "Can I." He looked down at his feet, his cheeks turning slightly red. Kaiba knew that it must have taken Mokuba a lot of courage to ask Kaiba for that favor. It must have also been a big, evil nightmare to make Mokuba crawl to Kaiba for comfort. "Sure, climb in, join the crowd." Kaiba said dryly, lifting the sheets up for the second time in ten minutes. Mokuba send Kaiba such a grateful look that Kaiba immediately softened up and was glad that he had made the offer. He lay back against the bed so Mokuba wouldn't think that he and Arielle are turning their back toward him. Arielle stirred as Kaiba shifted and she automatically snuggled closer to Kaiba's body. Soon, Kaiba found that he couldn't move either one of his arms, due to both siblings that were cuddled up against him. He doubt that he could get any sleep now, but through the mists of fatigue and the stress of the coming of tomorrow, for once, Seto Kaiba felt whole. For the first time in his life, Kaiba felt like the richest man on earth, not in material and money, but in his heart, he felt the love coming from both of his siblings. And this time, instead of his heart being filled with more pain and scars, his own heart was filled with love.
Whatever Kaiba was going to get Arielle, it certainly was not what he brought home that afternoon. Kaiba opened the door and closed it behind him cautiously. The huge basket in his hands wobbled and felt like something was rolling from side to side. Kaiba moaned silently in his head as he questioned himself again of how bull-headed he had been. How could he have been so stupid? Whatever possessed him to bring THIS home as a surprise? "Arielle! Mokuba!" He called. "I'm ho--" Before the word could escape from his mouth, a ball of jet-black hair and two mahogany ponytails flew down the stairway. "Big brother!" "Uh, you might want to take it easy here." Kaiba pulled the basket over his head and gave them an uneasy smile. "Is that for me? Is that for me?" Arielle danced around Kaiba's legs. "Uh.yeah!" Kaiba set the large wicker basket down. Before his fingers were even unlaced from the handle, Arielle was on her knees and peered into the hamper. "Oh." She breathed. "Seto!" From the flapping lid of the basket, Arielle drew out a perfect, snow-white kitten. The kitten was a mix breed, but there had never been a more precious and adorable kitten. Not even a purebred could be compared to her. Not one silky long hair was out of place as she peered around curiously with her emerald green eyes. Her furry ears stood alert and pointed forward and she had the grace of a queen. She eyed Arielle prudently and as if knowing that she was a child, the feline gently pushed Arielle's fingers away from her silver whiskers as she settled down comfortably and permanently. The only precise name Kaiba thought would match her was Duchess. "Sugarcookie." Arielle announced as the kitten began purring in her arms. Kaiba blinked and stared at Arielle, not sure what to think. "What?" "Sugarcookie." Arielle repeated. "I'm going to name her Sugarcookie." Kaiba raised an eyebrow so high that it was simply impossible. He pushed a lock of his rich brown hair away from his eyes as his eyebrow came down and he frowned. "Sugarcookie?" He shook his head with disbelief. "You're going to name that cat Sugarcookie?" "Yes." Arielle sniffed. But she shifted the kitten to one arm as she gave Kaiba a hug. "Thank you, Seto. Can you build her a cat castle?" "A what?!" Kaiba asked, exasperated at himself for acting so dumb. "A cat castle. So Sugarcookie could live and play in it. So she can be a princess." Arielle looked up at the tall, slender figure standing in front of her, tapping his shoes impatiently on the floor. "I'll have one shipped in if you like." Kaiba turned around abruptly. There was no way he was going to build a cat castle for this already spoiled cat. Not mentioning the fact that he doesn't even know what a cat castle looked like. He picked up his briefcase and was about to walk out of the room, but Arielle wasn't done yet. "Isn't she pretty, Seto?" She crowed, lifting the kitten as high as she could so that Kaiba turned around and found himself face to face with a pair of forest green eyes. They stared at each other for a full minute, each not knowing what to do and was too fascinated to turn away. Then, the kitten narrowed her eyes and her tiny paw made a swipe at Kaiba's eyes. Kaiba jerked back. "Yes, she's simply too sweet." Kaiba said dryly, straightening. Well, he thought as he glared at the cat from the corner of his eyes. Same to you. I don't like you either. "And every single one of her hair is in place! Isn't she the neatest little thing you've ever seen?" So Arielle had noticed how immaculate Sugarcookie was. At least Kaiba's time wasn't wasted. He hastily pulled his indigo trenchcoat sleeve down a little bit more to cover his hands. If Arielle or Mokuba had seen his arms and wrists, they'd tell that those tiny scratches weren't scratches, but claw and teeth marks. Instead of working the last two hours before he came home, he'd locked himself up in his office and tried to brush Sugarcookie's velvety fluff. One hand, he held the brush, one hand he held the feisty, squirming little creature. During that time, he was thankful that there were no cameras in his office. He had looked so ridiculous, kneeling on the floor, coaxing the kitten to let him work the brush into her hair. Sugarcookie was merciless. She had sprung out of Kaiba's grasp and pranced around the room with Kaiba cursing and scrambling after her. They both had quite an adventure, climbing over sofas, crawling under desks, digging through plants, and tackling any movable objects. But Kaiba had conquered in the end, though it wasn't an easy resignation. Every single one of Sugarcookie's hair was in place, despite of the fact that every single struggle of the battle was written on Kaiba's fine boned hands and slender sensitive fingers. "Yes, she's perfect." Kaiba turned around and walked toward his office. As he left the room, he heard Mokuba complain, "Seto said I couldn't get a dog." A surge a guiltiness flowed through Kaiba. What makes Arielle so special that even his own little brother's request had been pushed aside? No matter, Kaiba decided. He's busy to go deep into psychology right now. He has tons of work to do. It is simply a necessity to go to the office tomorrow. He's probably have to stay there until late into the night. But his hopes vanished as day went on. Kaiba was awaken abruptly at five A.M. after he heard the familiar sniffling beside his bed. He opened his eyes wearily and found himself face to face with a tear-filled Arielle. "What's the matter, kiddo?" Kaiba groaned, rubbing his temple. He had finally been able to go to bed at three A.M. and it seems like he had only closed his eyes when Arielle came in. "There's a thunderstorm going on, Seto." Arielle whimpered, shivering slightly, obviously uncomfortable at standing vulnerably beside Kaiba's bed. Kaiba groaned again as he lifted his sheets apart. Arielle didn't talk, but snuggled down at once. Within what seemed only minutes, she was sleeping deeply and peacefully. Used to this routine, Kaiba tucked the sheets tighter around them and tried going back to sleep. But just as he felt himself began to drift off, he felt another presence in front him that he couldn't ignore. "Seto?" A tiny voice said beside him. "Mokuba?" Kaiba muttered. Then his eyes popped open as he sat up and looked around wildly. "What's wrong, Mokuba? What is it?" "I had a nightmare." Mokuba looked embarrassed and scared at the same time. "Can I." He looked down at his feet, his cheeks turning slightly red. Kaiba knew that it must have taken Mokuba a lot of courage to ask Kaiba for that favor. It must have also been a big, evil nightmare to make Mokuba crawl to Kaiba for comfort. "Sure, climb in, join the crowd." Kaiba said dryly, lifting the sheets up for the second time in ten minutes. Mokuba send Kaiba such a grateful look that Kaiba immediately softened up and was glad that he had made the offer. He lay back against the bed so Mokuba wouldn't think that he and Arielle are turning their back toward him. Arielle stirred as Kaiba shifted and she automatically snuggled closer to Kaiba's body. Soon, Kaiba found that he couldn't move either one of his arms, due to both siblings that were cuddled up against him. He doubt that he could get any sleep now, but through the mists of fatigue and the stress of the coming of tomorrow, for once, Seto Kaiba felt whole. For the first time in his life, Kaiba felt like the richest man on earth, not in material and money, but in his heart, he felt the love coming from both of his siblings. And this time, instead of his heart being filled with more pain and scars, his own heart was filled with love.