(Misinterpretations)
Yuugi almost didn't get up when his alarm clock went off the next morning at 10. Mokuba wouldn't mind; Yuugi could just call him and tell him that he needed a few more hours of sleep before his brain would be able to function… In the end, his excitement to see Mokuba overran his need for rest and he sat up, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes.
"Isn't it early?" Yami asked.
"Not really."
Yami retorted, "Well it feels early to me. You're tired. Go back to bed."
"If you can feel that I'm tired then you can also tell that I want to see Mokuba. I'll go to bed early tonight."
"Fine, but if I get stuck working your shift at the game shop one more time…"
Yuugi grinned at Yami's empty threats; he knew that if he were too tired, Yami would do it for him… but he didn't intend to do that. Yuugi rolled out of the bed, surprisingly awake. He didn't bother getting dressed; he just put on a t-shirt and left on his pajamas pants. He didn't even intend to put shoes on, since he pair of slippers on the way out of his bedroom. He brushed his hair some, just so it wasn't so unruly. Mokuba really wouldn't care if Yuugi looked like he had just crawled out of bed.
He wasn't at all shocked to see that he was the only one in the apartment awake. Otogi and Honda were still asleep right where they had fallen, and Jounouchi's bedroom door was closed.
The drive to see Mokuba was uneventful; Yuugi listened to the radio and tried to stop from bouncing in his seat with anticipation. But as he drove up, his excitement changed as he noticed something… Mokuba was leaning against a wall that blocked the Kaiba estate off from the rest of the world… and leaning against him was a girl with jet back hair, her lips pressed against his in a kiss. Yuugi stomped on the brakes, the car squealing in protest; he ignored it as he took in the sight for a few seconds.
Oh. That was how the camping trip had been.
"Yuugi…"
"Don't." Yuugi turned the car around, going back the way he had come. He couldn't handle the situation on so little sleep.
He was going back to bed.
"Hey!" Mokuba protested, pushing the girl away and glancing down the road at the source of the loud squealing he had heard just a second before; he could have recognized Yuugi's car from a mile away. "Senko, what the fuck do you think you're doing?"
She giggled. "I'm kissing you, silly. Don't you like it?"
Mokuba watched in horror as the car did a sickening u-turn and sped away. God damn it… "No," he told her vehemently. "I have a boyfriend! I thought you knew that!"
"I figured I could change your mind," she said seductively, leaning closer to Mokuba again. Mokuba shoved her back.
"You can't change that!" he shouted. He had to remind himself that it wasn't right to hit girls, it wasn't right to hit girls, men had no right to hit girls… "I've got to go." He went to the gate, pressing the button on the intercom. "Hey, send the driver out, I need to go see Yuugi."
"Yes sir," came the quick answer over the speaker. Mokuba went back to the sidewalk, alternately looking down the street and towards the manor. A part of him hoped that Yuugi would come back... and the other part of him was very irritated that the driver wasn't instantaneous. Mokuba finally turned back to Senko. "You. Go somewhere. Away from me." He wished he could sound as threatening as Seto did…
"Mokuba, don't be mad. What does your boyfriend have that I don't?"
"A dick to start with," Mokuba retorted. He looked back through the gates again. Why did it seem to be taking so long? "And integrity: he'd never do something like that. And he's got my love. Isn't that enough?" He saw the car coming; the gate was finally starting to open. Mokuba was nearly bouncing with nervousness; Yuugi wouldn't be mad, not once he knew what happened… right?
"Oh, come on, Mokuba," she said impatiently. "Look, everyone knows that being gay is all… you know, just something people do. I have a cousin who was gay, and now he's married with three kids. You just need a push in the right direction."
Mokuba stared at her. "Oh, a push in the 'right' direction? Who are you to define right?"
"It's simple: straight. Come on, Mokuba, your 'boyfriend' already sped off; he must not care THAT much. We can go inside, have some fun…" Leaning close she whispered, "I've been told I can do some unbelievable things with my mouth."
He pushed her back and glared at her. "Senko," he said seriously, "I can probably give head better than you can. Here, lets get together another day, buy a 24-pack of popsicles and I'll show you how it's done." The car was almost within arms reach…
"You're an asshole, Mokuba Kaiba," Senko spat as Mokuba ran to the car door, opening it before the car completely stopped; the driver was protesting. "Fucking idiot!" Mokuba glared at her and flipped her off before jumping into the car, slamming the door behind him.
"Mister Motou's house, right?" the driver asked; he sounded slightly frazzled. Mokuba figured he must have really rattled him by jumping into the car like that.
"Yes," Mokuba answered absently. Now that he didn't have Senko to contend with, he was lost in thought. What had Yuugi thought when he saw her kissing him like that? It wasn't his fault! Yuugi couldn't be angry. Mokuba fidgeted in his seat. Why did the drive seem to be taking so long?
The second the car was stopped Mokuba was out the door, running up the stairs and fumbling to find his wallet for his key. He found the key, but it turned out that the door was unlocked. He entered to find Honda sitting on the floor, looking dazed.
"Is Yuugi here?" Mokuba asked softly.
"Yea," Honda answered groggily. "He came in stomping around, slamming doors. What happened?"
Mokuba paled. That wasn't good. He didn't bother answering Honda's question; he went straight to Yuugi's bedroom door. All the things Seto had taught him about confidence and confrontation slipped out of his mind as he timidly knocked on the door. "Yuugi," he called softly.
"What?" Yuugi's voice was coarse, strained. It sent a chill up Mokuba's spine; he rarely ever heard Yuugi like that, and it had never been because of him before. He opened the door and stood in the doorway, wary to enter the room. Yuugi was sitting on the bed, his back to the entry.
"Yuugi…" Mokuba felt silly; there he was, repeating himself, intimidated, afraid… He didn't know what to say; anything he could think of sounded like a cliché. "She cornered me." That was worse. It sounded like an excuse.
"Are you going to tell me she 'cornered' you for the entire trip?"
"No! She didn't do anything like that until you drove up. I was waiting for you, and she offered to keep me company." Mokuba's voice was impossibly small; he felt like was thirteen again… and he didn't like it.
Yuugi was silent, and Mokuba desperately wanted to go hug him, to cuddle with him, to convince him that everything was all right, everything was fine… "And did you like it?"
Mokuba hadn't expected that, but his answer was immediate none-the-less. "No. Yuugi, she's always been one of my best friends, and she's never been like that. Besides, I'm as queer as they come. Why would I have even a remote interest in her?"
Yuugi sounded distinctly bitter as he answered, "Maybe you went bi-curious on the trip; you never did give girls a chance."
"What?" Did Yuugi honestly believe what he was saying? Mokuba scowled. Apparently, Yuugi was sure that Mokuba had gone willingly into that kiss, that much was obvious. It was enough to make his blood boil. Four years, and Yuugi thought he was going to throw it away for someone else! "Nothing is going to change your mind, is it?" Mokuba said, trying his best to sound calm and aloof, trying to act like his brother. He didn't succeed. His anger - his hurt - was evident.
"Nothing can change what I saw," Yuugi answered.
"Fine," Mokuba retorted sharply. "Fuck you!" He turned around and stormed out the apartment, tears burning his eyes the whole way.
Seto had never seen Mokuba so dedicated to work. The past three days the teen went to bed early, woke up on time, and didn't waste a single second during the day. Seto would have been proud of Mokuba's new work ethic if it weren't for the fact that it was completely out of character. Mokuba didn't talk much, and when he got home from work, he disappeared into his room. When Seto passed by the door he could hear Mokuba either snoring or blaring music. Also, Mokuba hadn't gone to see Yuugi or any of his friends in those three days. That last fact alone was enough to have Seto concerned.
Seto's cell phone rang, and he was quick to answer it. "Kaiba," he said briskly.
There was a moment of silence before, "Kaiba, this is Jounouchi."
Seto made a face. What a waste of his time. And when had Jounouchi gotten his cell phone number? "What?" he snapped; he was tempted to hang up the phone.
"Look, I need your help." Jounouchi sounded as though it killed him to say those words, and Seto was intrigued; anything that made Jounouchi uncomfortable had to be at least moderately interesting. "Yuugi and Mokuba fought, and they're not speaking. I need you to talk to Mokuba, get his side of the story."
"What?" Well, that would explain Mokuba's sudden change in demeanor. Almost dumbly he added, "Yuugi and Mokuba never fight."
"No shit," Jounouchi responded. "Yuugi's been moping around between work and home. He's miserable. I've talked to him some, but I can't convince him to call Mokuba."
"Did he say what they fought about?"
"Nah. He said something about a girl, but that's all. I was… I was thinking we could help them patch this up."
"I'll talk to Mokuba." Seto hesitated before adding a brusque, "Thanks." He hung up his cell phone and dropped it into his pocket. He walked to Mokuba's room, giving the door a quick rap before entering. Mokuba was curled up in bed, so buried in his blankets that only his hair was visible. Seto could tell by his breathing that he wasn't asleep, and he sat on the bed next to the mock-snoozing teen, leaning back against the headboard.
"It's too early to be asleep, so don't insult my intelligence by pretending."
Mokuba sighed. "What is it?" Seto detected a note of melancholy in Mokuba's voice. He might have caught it earlier if he had heard Mokuba talk more.
"What happened with you and Yuugi?"
Mokuba slowly sat up in bed, the blankets pooled around his waist. "How do you know Yuugi and I fought?"
"A little bird told me." No way was Seto going to tell Mokuba that he had a civil conversation with Jounouchi. He'd never hear the end of it. "What happened?"
"Senko kissed me."
Seto didn't move, waiting for Mokuba to continue. When he didn't elaborate, Seto prompted, "And?"
"Yuugi thinks that I was into it, and that the whole camping trip was some sort of orgy! He thinks I would willingly kiss someone else even though I have him!" Mokuba bowed his head and his shoulders sagged in defeat. "Why can't he believe I wouldn't do that?"
Seto scooted closer to Mokuba, wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulders. "Go tell him that."
"But what if he doesn't believe me?" Mokuba asked, his voice shaking with unshed tears. "He wouldn't listened to me when I tried to tell him before. What if he hates me now?"
"He doesn't," Seto assured him. "Besides, if he does, he'll have me to contend with for making you sad."
"Don't say that. I don't want him intimidated into caring." Mokuba's voice was so serious that it made Seto pause.
"I was only kidding. Come on, get up and get dressed. I'll drive."
Mokuba looked at Seto, his eyes brimming with emotion. "Really?"
"Of course." Mokuba hugged Seto before getting out of bed, going to his dresser. Seto stood. "I'll be waiting out front with the car."
Seto did just that. He parked the car out where Mokuba would see it and waited patiently. If Mokuba took an hour getting ready, so be it. He had done too much to see that those two stayed together, and he wasn't going to see them broken up by a misunderstanding. Partially to keep himself busy and partially to make sure his plan would work, he picked up his cell and called Jounouchi.
"Yea?" the boy answered. Seto bit his tongue, saving the comments on his distinct lack of manners for another time.
"Yuugi is there, right?"
"Yea."
"Good. I'm bringing Mokuba over." Seto hung up as Mokuba got into the passenger side, his eyes cast down, looking at his knees. Seto let it slide, letting Mokuba compose his thoughts in peace. The drive was silent, almost uncomfortably so; Seto wanted to say something that would help put Mokuba at ease, but he knew next to nothing about relationships. He couldn't give advice even if someone else wrote it for him. Seto didn't speak until he had parked the car near the apartment building where Yuugi lived.
"Ready?"
"No," Mokuba said and got out of the car, quickly entering the building. Seto followed, a few paces behind. When Mokuba knocked on the apartment door Jounouchi answered so quickly that Seto was sure he had been waiting by it. Before Mokuba could speak Jounouchi pulled him into the apartment and stepped into the hall in one fluid movement, closing the door behind him. Seto stared in confusion.
"Gives them the entire apartment to raise hell in, if they have to… and if I'm here, no one can just leave." Jounouchi sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. Seto found himself wondering how long it was going to take for Yuugi and Mokuba to make up. He didn't want to spend his entire afternoon in the dim hallway with someone he could barely stand. "Look," Jounouchi said abruptly, catching Seto by surprise (though he didn't show it), "you didn't have to thank me earlier."
"Fine. Next time I won't."
Jounouchi glared, his face flushing just slightly. "I mean that it's not like I went out of my way or something. I'd gladly go through hell for Yuugi and Mokuba. They're like brothers."
It was strange to hear Jounouchi proclaim feelings of kinship for his younger brother. In Seto's own twisted sense of humor he wanted to ask if that made him and Jounouchi brothers, if Jounouchi would go through such lengths for him. Seto mentally shook himself. What the hell was he thinking?
"Well calling me was the smartest thing you've ever done," Seto replied smoothly, his tone condescending. "If left to your own devices you surely would have made the situation worse."
Jounouchi shook his head and grumbled, "Man, I try to be nice and you're an asshole. There's just no winning with you."
Seto ignored the statement and stared at the door, wondering what was going on behind it.
"Please don't say you hate me," Mokuba blurted all at once, watching Yuugi carefully. Yuugi was sitting on the couch, looking down at the book he held in his hands.
"What?"
"I couldn't stand it if you hated me," Mokuba continued.
Yuugi looked up from his book. "I don't hate you, Mokuba."
"Then why are you ignoring me like this?" Mokuba shouted; he wasn't nearly as stoic as his brother. He stood in front of Yuugi, plucking the book up and throwing it on the floor. Definitely not like his brother when it came to emotions. "Why can't you believe me when I tell you that it was nothing?"
Yuugi stared up at him, and he was a picture of mixed emotions; Yuugi could never hide his emotions. Mokuba could see hurt, anger, confusion… "Because it seems like everyone wants you; it seems natural that you should want to try a bit of everyone. That's how you are with most things; you dive right in and give it a shot."
Mokuba stared. He impulsively sat on Yuugi's lap. It may not have been a very good stance in an argument, but it had always made Mokuba feel secure. He despaired inwardly when Yuugi sat stiffly, seeming indifferent to Mokuba's closeness. Still, he had to make his point. "Yuugi, what would I want with a 'bit of everyone'?" He kissed Yuugi softly - almost chastely - and let his forehead rest against Yuugi's, eyes falling closed. "I love you, Yuugi, you know that." Against his will, tears escaped him, trickling slowly down his cheeks. He was surprised to feel Yuugi brush one away, and he opened his eyes, so close to Yuugi's. He noticed that one crystalline tear had fallen and landed on Yuugi's face. He was going to open his mouth, to pose another argument when Yuugi's arms wrapped around him, cradling him. Mokuba released the breath he didn't even realize he was holding and curled against Yuugi, letting his head rest on his shoulder as he usually did. It was a common pose for the two.
"I love you too," Yuugi said softly. "And I hate when people so much as look at you. Seeing her plastered against you like that was the worst."
"Well, they can look all they want, but I'm still going home with you." Mokuba saw Yuugi smile, and he was going to add to that when a sudden pain sprung from his belly, and he let out a loud yelp of pain. Yuugi had reached up to brush Mokuba's belly, but the action that would usually reduce Mokuba to cooing instead caused pain.
"What's this?" Yuugi asked, pulling Mokuba's tee shirt up to reveal Mokuba's belly, and the brand new piercing that adorned his bellybutton. "When did you do this?" he asked in shock.
"Last weekend," Mokuba admitted, letting out a nervous laugh.
"On the camping trip?" Yuugi seemed at a loss for words before he practically pleaded, "Please don't tell me that you let one of your friends do this…"
Mokuba rolled his eyes. "I barely trust my friends to make a sandwich, let alone shove a needle through my skin. I had it done by a professional."
"Good… but why?"
Mokuba shrugged. "Something to try. I think it'll be cool once it heals." He wrapped his arms around Yuugi's neck, intending to pull him down into a kiss… and then the moment was interrupted by Jounouchi yelling in the hallway.
"What is he shouting about?" Yuugi wondered aloud, staring at the door as though it would provide him answers. Mokuba snickered.
"Seto is out there with him. I'd better go break them up." Mokuba stood up and went to the door, yanking it open dramatically. He did his best to glare at his brother and Jounouchi. "I hope you know you two are interrupting a sentimental moment in here."
Jounouchi's expression immediately changed from anger to joy. "Great! I'm going to my room." He threw one more glare in Seto's direction before brushing past Mokuba and entering the apartment. Mokuba smiled at Seto.
"Thanks," he said.
"It was nothing. Don't be home late." Seto turned, walking towards the stairs that would lead him out of the apartment building. Mokuba shook his head and blew a kiss towards his brother's back before closing the door and going back to Yuugi.
- author thoughts… -
Okay, chick-bashing is bad, I think there is WAY too much of it in yaoi. Given that, this part isn't designed to chick-bash; ashes *hearts* the girlies just as much as the boys ^_~. All the same, the fact stands that every woman in the world isn't great, wonderful, understanding. We can all be just as underhanded, sneaky, and mean as men. I know. I'm one of them. ^^
Besides, by the time this story is over, we should all be praising Senko and her stubborn move on Mokuba; even though this is the first and last time you see her, in my opinion she's the most pivotal character in the story. She starts a whole chain of events… you'll see. ^^ And if you don't, it'll be pointed out to you. Either way, I only mean to say that I hope I handled that whole scene with Senko in it well. I don't want it to come off as typical female bashing, because that's not at all what it's supposed to be. After all, why would I make up a character just to bash her? Very odd, that.
Wow! This part is super!long. I guess it makes up for the super!short parts… *shrug*
In other news *gags on fluff*. No, I'm kidding, I *heart*ed the fluff. *snicker* I'm not sure why I felt the compulsive urge to create teenager!Mokuba with a pierced bellybutton… but it seemed like fun a the time, so I figured "why the hell not?" Yea, this was another reason I did the sequel: to see Yuugi and Mokuba fight, then make up. It was stuck in my head. That and the image of Mokuba on Yuugi's lap, head bowed. *shrug* Strange mental images I tend to suffer from…
Hehe… Hanachan pointed out that at one point (when Mokuba throws Yuugi's book on the floor) that his comment about not being like his brother in emotion wasn't entirely true. Anyone remember the sandwich-throwing tactics? ^_^