YUGIOH

MP: Aftermath

Chapter 6.

Kaiba stood and walked off, calling his limo back over, to take him back to work. As they drove back, he felt he might have just hit the perfect plan. He'd take it slow with her, and work it into a date. He'd then leak it out, so Yugi's friends could catch wind of it. Once it reached Joey, he'd become jealous, because he once had an interest in her. Joey would change his attention from him to Mai, and those two would eventually get back together…he'll make sure if it. They'd either get back together by themselves, or he might even cheat on her, to convince her to leave him for Joey. Then everyone would be happy. Joey would have Mai, Kaiba would have gotten some much needed time with the female sex for a change, and Joey would no longer be bothering him. Plus, it would give him the time to find the problem with the machine.

Kaiba was certain that the reason he was having these feelings about Joey was due to a glitch in the machine that chemically messed him up. He simply had to find the error and fix it, so he could be himself again, and stop thinking about that loser!

---------------------

It had been about a week now, and Kaiba's plans were working perfectly. Joey had continued to call, still getting no replies, and Kaiba had been meeting Mai everyday for lunch, finally asking her out on a date. Mai was reluctant, but accepted. He had learned by being around her that Mai's experiences during Battle City Tournament left her feeling more insecure about being alone. It was the reason she went out with him, he knew....which worked to his advantage. After all, Kaiba could careless what she felt about him. He wasn't doing this for her affections, after all.

Kaiba now had a nice late night date planned, but none of the messages from Joey indicated that he knew anything about it. He hoped that maybe Mai had been hanging around Yugi's group, but that didn't seem to be the case. He also decided he really didn't want to leak it to the public either, because it would cause too much press attention. But he still wanted to make sure they knew. So the question was....how to guarantee it?

---------------------

Yugi was at home, hanging out with the rest of the guys. Everyone seemed to be rather happy, except for Joey, who seemed really down in the dumps.

"Hey Joey, you've been really depressed lately....what's up?" Tristan asked.

Yugi knew, but avoided it. Joey looked over, saying, "What? Oh, nutt'n....just summer blues, I guess."

Tea said, "Why don't you play a game of Duel Monsters? That always cheers you up."

"Yeah, I guess you're r-...." Joey began, but froze as the phone rang.

Mr. Motou answered, the phone, saying, "Hello?" And instantly changed is tone. "What do you want?"

"Is it Kaiba? Is it Kaiba??" Joey asked, almost too anxiously, making the others look at him strangely, and Yugi blush.

"Uh....why would you want to hear from Kaiba so badly?" Duke asked, as the others agreed.

"What?" Joey asked, blushing. "Oh, uh....well, I saw a construction sight down the road with KC on it, and was wondering what they were building, is all...."

"Yeah, I've been really anxious to see what that is, too." Tea agreed, not thinking much on Joey's behavior.

"Yeah, me too!" Tristan said. At once, the others all said, "Is it Kaiba, is it Kaiba??"

"Of course Kaiba, I'll put Yugi on." Mr. Motou said, making sure to say the name so they knew, and handed the phone to Yugi.

"He wants to talk to me?" Yugi asked nervously, wondering why Kaiba didn't ask for Joey. "Uh....hello?"

"Hello, Yugi." Kaiba said with that same cold tone. "It's been awhile."

"Yeah, uh....you know, Joey here has been wanting to talk to you." Yugi added, as Joey anxiously hovered over him.

"I didn't call for him, Yugi. If I wanted to talk to the Mutt, don't you think I'd be asking for him, instead of you?" Kaiba snapped, annoyed.

"Oh." Yugi said, as Joey was constantly asking him what he said. "Well, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, since I haven't had the opportunity to challenge you in the tournament, I was hoping to get a chance with you, now....tonight at 6. Don't be late." Kaiba replied, making it more of a demand than a request.

"Kaiba, wait a minute! But I didn't win the last tournament....Joey did. Wouldn't you want to face him, instead?" Yugi asked.

"Face the Mutt in a duel? That's not even worth my time. Just because Joey won the tournament, it does not make him worthy of the title. You can't fool me, Yugi. You let your personal problems get in the way, and tripped up on the victory....either that, or you simply felt sorry for him, which I suppose I can't blame you on. Someone as pathetic as him, you can't really help but feel sorry for, I guess." Kaiba answered.

"What did he say??" Joey whispered.

Yugi stammered, "Uh....he called you pathetic."

"He did WHAT??" Joey snapped.

Kaiba smiled, listening to the background conversation on the phone. 'Thanks Yugi....I needed that.' "Are you talking to me, or that loser??" Kaiba snapped back at Yugi.

"Uh, yeah....I'm here. We'll make sure to be there." Yugi said.

"NO! Come alone, Yugi....I don't need the rest of your so-called friends trampling through my home." Kaiba snapped.

Yugi looked at the others, and hesitated, "Well, I...."

"What's wrong? Can't you handle playing a Duel game without your personal cheer-leading group?" Kaiba asked, taunting him.

"Fine....I'll be there." "Be where?" "Oh, uh....nowhere." "Wait, gimmee the phone." "Joey, wait!" "Gimmee the....Hey Kaiba!" Joey got on, pushing Yugi off for the moment.

Kaiba blushed, feeling a bit uncomfortable, as he rubbed the back of his neck. He had hoped to avoid talking to him. "I believe I was talking to Yugi, Mutt....get off the phone."

"Yeah, well listen....I just wanna a know a time we can meet. There's something I need to talk to you about...." Joey said.

"Who else is there, Wheeler?" Kaiba asked.

"Uh, well....the gang." Joey said.

Kaiba answered, "Precisely....put Yugi back on."

"Yeah, well I tried to call you, but you aint been returning my calls. I need to talk to you about this!"

"Yes, I noticed....you've been clogging up my phone lines with your useless messages. Get the hint, already." Kaiba replied coldly.

"And what's that suppose to mean? So, why haven't you answered any?" Joey asked. He wanted to say so much more to Kaiba, but with the others around listening to every word he said, he couldn't. He didn't want to embarrass Kaiba any, plus he even felt kind of awkward to say something in front of everyone else, himself.

"Listen....we've already talked, and personally I wasn't too keen on our last conversation. I have too many things to do, to waste my time worrying over whatever pathetic problems you're having, right now." Kaiba said.

Joey gave a subtle smile, saying, "Really....well, you seemed pretty keen about it, from my point of view."

Kaiba suddenly felt like the heat was rising in the room, as Joey's words reminded him of that kiss that day. He loosened his tie, and tried to say something, but no words came out. Besides, Kaiba wasn't sure what to say about that, worried he might slip up and say something that would give himself away.

Joey didn't get a response, hearing nothing but dead space, and was worried he was going to lose him. He quickly added, "Kaiba, all right listen....I'm sorry about what happened at the hospital. I know I shouldn't have blown up on you, and I shouldn't have picked a fight with you, and I apologize. Infact, that's one of the main reasons I want to see you. I want to say I'm sorry....and I really feel I should do it in person. So, can ya please stop insulting me, and give me a day and time, so I can get this over with?"

Joey could hear a sigh from Kaiba ex-haling. He finally muttered, "Tell Yugi he better be there, and no other visitors." Then hung up the phone.

Joey looked at the phone, and slammed the phone down, yelling, "Dammit!" Then suddenly, Joey glanced over nervously at the others that were staring at him strangely, and snapped, "What are you looking at? So, I felt bad about picking at fight at him at the hospital....you got a problem with that??"

"Nonono...." The others quickly said, and got back with doing other things.

Joey looked over at Yugi, saying, "Stupid Kaiba said you better make it to his majesty's house. Make sure to mention me....I'm outta here." Joey then left, having enough of dealing with Kaiba, for one day.

--------------------

Back at Kaiba's mansion, Kaiba leaned heavily on the phone, his arm trembled as it still clung to it. He so much had the urge to tell him the truth. But he couldn't, he had been working so hard to break himself of this supposed curse....he was not going to let Joey win. 'I have worked too hard to let it all get destroyed by this petty emotion. I wont let it happen....'

"Big brother?" Came an innocent voice from behind him. Kaiba whirled around in an almost panic, not expecting to have someone behind him. "Seto....are you okay?"

"Mokuba...." He smiled, and brought his hand out, saying, "Come here."

The smile on his brother's face couldn't help but bring a smile to Mokuba's as well, and he moved over to his brother hugging him, which seemed to be what Seto was looking for. Kaiba held his brother, feeling strength from his embrace. "Seto....I'm worried. You haven't been yourself, lately."

"I know I haven't. But don't worry....I will be." Kaiba said, standing from his chair. "Come on, kiddo....let's get out of here. We'll go out for awhile."

"You mean it?? All right!!" Mokuba's eyes just lit up, as Kaiba decided to take this time to spend just with his brother, something he hadn't done in awhile, and probably needed even more than Mokuba did.