Summary: Valentine's Day. Love is in the air... and what kind of big brother would Joey be if he didn't keep an eye on his sweet, innocent sister? Of course, he'll need help. Seto/Joey... eventually. Follow-up to "To Seto, From Joey". Post Dungeon Dice Monsters AU in which Serenity recovered her eyesight earlier than expected.
Author's notes: Yes, I got off my lazy butt and did another chapter. It really *is* easier if I don't take over month...
Am now trying to cure a chronic case of unemployment while studying for my math exam at the same time. It would be nice if I got paid for taking the exam, but alas, the world doesn't work that way.
ColeyCarissa: Just wait and see. But not in this chapter :)
darkmus: You read my mind!
ipleasance: I felt that it wouldn't be right for Joey to have warm fuzzies at the restaurant. I remember how it felt when my sister was dating, and I can't see Joey handling it much better than I did. Knowing but not seeing only made it much worse for him. He was sick with worry and not in any mood to play with Kaiba, what with his sister and her boyfriends being *right there*. Maybe my own reaction isn't the standard one between siblings, I dunno.
Shousetsuka1: Sorry about the cliffhangers. I don't know how to stop doing that ^^;;
Vamyric Saiyaness: Thanks! I'm glad you're not expecting a lemon because I wasn't planning one ^^ This will probably cap at 15 chapters at the very most, probably less. And I love Kaiba's dub voice, though it doesn't carry concern very well at times (a little *too* arrogant, I guess)...
Warnings: Occasional language. Occasional shounen-ai.
Disclaimers: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Any movie titles that bear a resemblance to actual movies are purely coincidental. And remember, kids, don't grope people. No feet were harmed in the making of this fic.
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Operation: Valentine
Chapter Six: ...and a Movie
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We wait in Kaiba's car until the Dukemobile's well on its way to wherever it's heading off to (because we don't want to get caught, claims my so-called partner). Then, Kaiba flips on a monitor next to the steering wheel. The thing lights up with a "beep" and a map of Domino City shows up on the screen. After a second, it zooms in on a section, following a little blip labeled "TARGET".
Kaiba taps the blip and an info box opens up with Duke's license plate number, photo, and vital stats.
I hate to say this, but Kaiba's got the neatest toys. He's such a techno-geek, I'm guessing he'd fry if it rained. Hell, he could probably nuke the Dukemobile from here.
Kaiba fires up the engine and we're off. I put on my seatbelt right off the bat this time. I see him smirk outta the corner of my eye. Psycho.
"Hey, Kaiba!" I yell over the engine, "Where do ya think they're goin'?"
He glances at the screen, tracking the blip. "Domino Cine-Movies." He sneers a little as he drives. "They have no taste at all."
Like Kaiba has any. Yeah, yeah, he does, but... "Nothing wrong with watchin' movies, Moneybags."
He hmmphs and keeps driving. "The movies they show there are not worth watching, chihua-" He coughs. "-Wheeler."
I give him a funny look. He glares at the road, his whole attitude screaming, one word, and I will hurt you.
Okay, I've been trying to ignore this 'cause I've had bigger things to worry about, but Kaiba's been, well... weird. Weirder than usual, I mean. Makes me nervous. Something's changed. It's like we're not even on the same book, never mind the same page. It's like he's following my plan because it fits in with his own. The Kaiba I know would not be driving me around the city outta the goodness of his heart. The Kaiba I know would not have some sort of dog insult phobia.
Obvious conclusion: this ain't the Kaiba I know. Maybe the aliens finally came down from outer space and picked up their long-lost spy or something, replacing him with the new and improved Kaiba version 2.5. Freakier things have happened in Domino City. With any luck, they'll keep him.
...I'm being stupid. This is Seto Kaiba, right?
I stare at the guy beside me. His hair's the right shade of brown, the shape of his nose, the slant of his jaw, that almost permanent angry twist to his mouth, it's the same as it's always been.
Not that I only know him by his looks. I'd recognize him even if I couldn't see his face, even if he had his back to me. I spend way too much time watching the guy. Kinda sad how much he gets under my skin.
And the way he sounds. It's the same voice that he's had since I met him. A hard voice. A voice that can cut. Except for those times when it doesn't, when it's softer, when he's not angry at the world, like when he's with Mokuba. The voice is the same. I'd know that voice even if he disappeared for fifty years and then came back just to snark at me when I was old and grey. It's not even the voice itself, when you get right down to it. It's the way he uses it, the way he talks.
He looks at me outta the corner of his eye. Blue eyes. Sometimes a little flat and totally impossible to read, sometimes so alive, like when he's dueling and all fired up, or sometimes when we're fighting. Or that one time we were actually laughing together.
I could ID him in my sleep. This is Seto Kaiba.
And I really should stop staring at him, even though he's just... letting me... and still lookin' at me outta the corner of his eye.
And I think I see him smile right before he goes totally poker face again.
~~~###~~~
Kaiba eventually parks in front of the theatre, behind Duke's convertible. They're already inside, so I hurry up and get in line for tickets.
He does that eyebrow thing at me. "Do you have money?"
I roll my eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I've got some, we're covered. Besides, you bought dinner, right? I'll take care of it." And besides, he'll think I'm cheap if I make him pay for everything. Not that I care what he thinks of me. Better to say that I'll feel cheap if I don't.
Kaiba walks off to check out the movie posters while I stay to buy the tickets. The line's actually moving pretty fast 'cause everybody's buying tickets two at a time. Couples as far as the eye can see. Couples. I hope Serenity's okay.
My turn comes up after about ten minutes. The cashier looks at me with a bored to death expression on her face, waiting for me to buy a ticket so she can get on with her job.
Right. "Two for... uh..." I check my watch. 7:22. Then I check the showtimes posted near the cashier and try not to groan too loud. There's only one movie starting about now, and it sounds really, well... Duke and Tristan have to be watching it with my little sister, though, so I have to watch it, too. No choice. I cough. "Pshinilindertsovdezr."
She blinks. "I'm sorry?"
Don't make me say it again, lady! But maybe I don't have to... I check to make sure nobody's lookin' at me. Of course, that makes everybody look at me. "The 7:15 one," I whisper fast. I dig some cash outta my back pocket while the girl punches in the numbers. I give her the money and she gives me a weird look and two tickets to a movie I don't wanna see.
I rush over to Kaiba and drag him to the ticket checker by the stairs before he has a chance to figure out what we're gonna watch. The ticket guy has just enough time to check the tickets, look at us funny, and call out, "Uh, Cinema 3! Second one on the right!" before I'm past him with a pissy Kaiba in tow.
"Let go," he hisses at me. He yanks his arm outta my grip and stalks off towards Cinema 3, all dramatic even without the swooshy coat.
Shoot, I guess I wounded his dignity or something. Well, too damn bad, it's not my fault he's so uptight I can't even touch his arm in public. I shouldn't feel bad about it. I shouldn't... "Kaiba, wait!" I run after him.
He stops walking and scowls at me, his arms crossed.
Peace offering time. "I'm sorry?"
Glare. "Don't do it again."
I plaster on a grin. "No problem."
He glares at me for a while, then nods. We start walking again.
I follow him until I can make out the movie poster right beside the door. This really ain't my kinda movie. And the poster's... right beside... the door...
SHIT!
I run ahead and stand in front of it so Kaiba can't see. No way will he watch it if he sees the poster for it. Can't have that. If I'm gonna suffer, he's gonna suffer with me. Besides, I already paid for the tickets. The things I do for my sister.
He's giving me a look. Damn, now he's suspicious. I cover by reaching out with one arm and opening the door for him. Poster's still covered. Smile, Joey, smile. "After you."
The look's turned into a flat-out stare.
My face hurts. "Hurry up!" Me, weird? Nah. "My arm's gettin' tired."
After about ten years, Kaiba finally walks through. I go in after him. Disaster neatly averted by one Joey Wheeler. Go me.
The movie trailers are still showing. The place is packed. It takes me a while to see, but after a minute I can just make out the top of Tristan's head in the center aisle. They're probably all sitting together. I point 'em out to Kaiba and we head for the last two empty seats a few rows behind them, Moneybags just stompin' his way through people's feet and me apologizing for him. The other moviegoers are giving us dirty looks. On the bright side, this means that Kaiba's gonna have a helluva time getting back out. Heheheh. We sit down.
I check on my sister's dates. They're just talking. Good. Now that I can finally see them and what they're doing, that awful appetite-wrecking feeling in my gut goes away at last. I can relax now.
The lights dim two minutes later and everybody quiets down. The usual company stuff flashes on the screen, then the opening credits. Then the title of the movie in great big man-sized curly swirly red letters.
Passion Island: Hearts of Desire.
A horrified hiss. "WHEELER! WHAT KIND OF TASTELESS-" I tackle Kaiba and force him back down into his seat before he can run for the exit. I take a quick look a few rows down. Good, Serenity didn't notice us.
Kaiba glares at me and tries to shove me off. "You can't make me watch this!" Whine, whine, whine.
Everybody around us goes "Shhhhhhhh!" And is it just me, or is everyone making a point of sticking their legs out so there's no way Kaiba can leave? I hear him growl.
I stretch out and relax so I can keep an eye on Serenity's dates and be comfy, too. "Suck it up, Kaiba. It's for a good cause."
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TBC...