by Lethe
Chapter Three: Treading on this Sacred Ground
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I'm sorry… I'm going off on a tangent, aren't I?… But I just had to write this! I could see it in my head!
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"I think it would be a good idea," said Shizuka with a slight pout. She took a bite of her meal and gagged. "What the heck is this?!"
Kaiba coughed embarrassedly. "Well, I've been practicing…"
Mokuba stirred the substance with his spoon. "It looks like… asparagus. And curry. And is that… bubblegum?"
"Oh, so that's where it went…"
Jonouchi spat his own bite over the table, causing Mokuba, Shizuka, and Seto to groan and scoot their chairs back. "Seto-" He coughed and took a deep gulp of water. "As your boyfriend, I am officially banning you from the kitchen."
"Fine with me."
"Don't think you're getting out of this, Katsuya!" said Shizuka stubbornly. "I still think it's a good idea. What do you guys think?"
"Well, it is really messy," said Mokuba.
"Aren't you the one to talk," grumbled Jou. "I like my hair just the way it is, thanks."
"I'm not saying you have to do a major haircut, either!" said Shizuka. "Just trim it! You look like… like…"
"A gangster?" suggested Mokuba, at the same time Shizuka said, "A hoodlum!"
Jonouchi frowned. "Thanks a lot. So what would you call Yugi, huh?"
"At least his hair is tidy," said Shizuka. "You won't even have to pay. I'm pretty good at cutting hair! Seto, tell him!"
"I don't want to get involved," said Seto resolutely. "I would like him however his hair looked."
Shizuka grinned evilly. "How about this, Katsuya: Either you let me cut your hair, or one of two things will happen."
"Yeah?" said Jou.
She held up two fingers. "One, I'll do it by force – which means there's the possibility you'll get a mohawk, or worse – or two, I'll show Seto and Mokuba the picture from that-"
Jonouchi paled. "Fine. Fine."
"Tell you what, though," said Shizuka, amiably now that she had gotten her way. "Seto will even help me. Won't you, Seto?"
"Uh, sure. Although, I have to tell you now, I have a feeling that my hair-cutting skills are on par with my cooking."
Jonouchi's expression, though they had not thought it possible, became even more pallid than it had been before. "Maybe I should just shave my head…" he muttered darkly. "Then I could join those two labyrinth brothers…"
"Let's start right after dinner!" said Shizuka in a happy voice, ignoring Jou's obvious unenthusiasm.
"Yay! This'll be fun!" said Mokuba.
***********
"Stop… squirming!" said Shizuka annoyedly. "Do you really want a mohawk?"
"N-no…" said Jonouchi. He straightened obediently.
"Good."
*
"Water sprayer," ordered Shizuka.
"Yes ma'am," said Seto mildly, handing her the implement.
"Thank you. Scissors. Scissors!"
"Right!" said Mokuba.
"Come on, I haven't got all day! …Good. Now stand by."
Jonouchi sighed and closed his eyes.
"Oops."
"What do you mean, oops?!"
It was going to be a long time before she was done. He just knew it.
*
"Done! You're a masterpiece, Katsuya!" said Shizuka proudly, a half-hour later.
He blinked. "That was it?"
"Yep!" She finished toweling his hair off and took the plastic bag from around his shoulders with a flourish. "Ta-da! What do you think, guys?"
Seto and Mokuba were completely silent.
"A mirror! Which way is the bathroom?!" said Jonouchi, panicking.
"Oh, I have a hand mirror!" chirped Mokuba.
Jonouchi towered over the boy menacingly. "Give it here, please."
*
Jonouchi had been quiet for almost five minutes, staring at himself.
"I think he's gone into shock," whispered Mokuba.
"I think that you're right," agreed Seto.
Then Jonouchi suddenly let out a loud whoop. "Holy crap! I look GOOD!"
Shizuka beamed.
Seto cocked his head to one side thoughtfully. "This will take some getting used to, though. You look different." He chuckled. "The dog has been groomed."
"What's that?!" said Jonouchi, grabbing the water sprayer and pointing it at Seto. "Go ahead, say it! I dare you!"
"So, what picture were you going to show me, Shizuka?" said Seto, grinning.
Jonouchi put down the sprayer quickly. "You wouldn't dare!"
***The next day.,,***
"Hi, Kaiba!" said Honda. "Who's your new friend?"
Yugi started laughing. "Jonouchi! Is that you?!"
Anzu grinned. "Did Shizuka threaten you with that picture?"
"What picture?" said Seto immediately.
"If you tell him, I swear I'm going to-" began Jonouchi.
"You look cute, though!" said Anzu. In a flash, Yugi was in front of her and with his much used I'm-so-adorable-and-innocent expression. Anzu melted. "Don't worry, Yugi, you'll always be the cutest!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.
Honda and Jonouchi rolled their eyes.
"What picture?" demanded Seto. No one replied.