Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.
Chapter 6
Later that afternoon I sat in my office working on my computer (and thinking about Yami's reaction to Otogi) when my cell phone rang. I answered immediately, not bothering to check the caller ID, since usually only Mokuba called this number. "Yes?" I answered briefly.
"Kaiba, we need to talk," growled a low-pitched voice.
"Who is this?" I snapped.
"You lost me my best guard! Not to mention a lot of money," the man snarled.
"What? I don't have time for this," I retorted. "Who is this, and what do you want?"
"It's Bakura, you imbecile! Yami won't come back now- he says he doesn't need the money that badly, but I know he does. Unless you did something; and you know, I'm rather inclined to believe you did," he sneered.
"Well, you're the one who fired him in the first place, so it's your own fault," I spat icily, and hung up on him.
Fuming in anger, I went back to work and ignored the phone when it started ringing obnoxiously once again. Of course that thief would try to get Yami to come back- and probably for less money. He knew Yami was desperate to pay Yugi's tuition, or at least he had been before I took care of it.
Suddenly I felt a strange new emotion bubbling in the pit of my stomach. I can't be sure, but I think I was actually… proud of myself. It was the first time I'd ever felt like that for something besides work.
I kind of liked feeling that way.
A few silent minutes after my "discussion" with Bakura, my cell phone rang again. Finally deciding to shut it off, since I really just didn't want to hear it anymore, I reached for the phone. But as I casually glanced at the ID, I noticed that it wasn't the thief, although I still didn't recognize the number.
"Kaiba," I answered shortly, wondering if I would regret this.
"Seto! Guess where I am!" Yami's excited voice cried.
"Where are you?" I asked, rolling my eyes indulgently.
"Remember that café we went to; the one you said Mokuba liked so much? Well, I decided to go by there this afternoon, since I saw a sign… Anyway, they hired me! Isn't that great?"
"Yes, it's wonderful that you found a job, but couldn't you have found something better than that?" I replied dryly.
"We can't all be millionaires, you know. Plus I think I'll like it here. Maybe you could come eat lunch here sometimes," Yami suggested hopefully. I smiled to myself, thankful he couldn't see me.
"Maybe," I responded noncommittally. "What time do you get off work?"
"Six, today. I'm still in training, though, so I'll have to work late the rest of the week."
I nodded, forgetting he couldn't see me, and briefly muttered a goodbye before I hung up. Another grin spread across my face as I packed my briefcase. Mokuba hadn't been to his favorite restaurant in a while, after all.
At five minutes to six Mokuba and I walked into the café, and he rambled about his day at school while I subtly searched for Yami. We slid into a booth under a wide window that gave us a panoramic view of the darkening streets, and while Mokuba observed the night sky I finally spotted Yami. He stood, holding a tray loaded with dirty dishes, beside a young blonde girl who seemed to be explaining something to him.
Just then our eyes met and Yami beamed in recognition, lifting a hand to wave happily at me. Unfortunately, he needed both hands to carry the tray.
I winced and shut my eyes, waiting for the impending crash, but it never came. After a moment I glanced at Yami again, only to see him balancing the heavy tray with one hand and a knee he had apparently kicked in the air as the tray tipped. Yami carefully pushed all the plates back to their former position, grinning at me sheepishly, and the blonde girl continued with her lecture as if she hadn't noticed the near crisis.
I must say, I was rather impressed.
The girl, noticing the direction of Yami's gaze, glanced over at me and smiled indulgently. "Okay, Yami, I guess you're done for the day," she said loud enough for me to hear, and gave me a flirtatious wink. I made a disgusted face.
Yami beamed again and rushed over to Mokuba and me. He slid into the booth beside me, still grinning happily, and wiped the sweat from his slightly flushed forehead with his sleeve. "Hi Seto, Mokuba," he greeted breathlessly. "Are you eating, or did you just come to see me?"
"Eating!" Mokuba immediately replied, before I could say anything. "Do you want to eat dinner with us?" Mokuba shot me a furtive glance, and I saw a strange expression cross his face before he turned back to Yami.
"Sure, I'm starving. You wouldn't believe how hungry working in a restaurant will make you," Yami laughed. I watched the corners of his ruby eyes crinkle, and his even white teeth flashed as he chuckled happily. Suddenly I realized the dark circles under his eyes had all but disappeared.
"You're definitely looking well," I commented.
Yami and Mokuba stared at me in surprise. "Er…Thanks, Seto," Yami mumbled, reddening. Mokuba cleared his throat, as if covering up a laugh, and I realized how that must have sounded.
"I mean; you look like you've been sleeping," I amended. Mokuba hid a grin, and Yami just mumbled something incomprehensible as his flush deepened. What? That sounded better to me...
I sulkily dropped out of the conversation after that. When the waitress approached our table, nodding cheerfully at Yami, Mokuba ordered for both of us, since we always got the same thing whenever we came here- and apparently Mokuba knew I was still busy sulking. Yami, however, had to make things difficult.
Placing a hand companionably on my arm, Yami leaned over me to examine my menu. "Hmm, I can't decide what I want," he murmured, and his warm breath gusted across my neck. A shock jolted down my spine at the contact, and I yanked my arm from his grasp and scooted away from him.
Yami's brow furrowed in confusion and he glanced at me curiously, but when I just scowled, his face fell and he looked away, staring emotionlessly at the tabletop. The dull expression had crept back into his crimson eyes. I hadn't even realized it was gone until now…
"Seto, don't be so rude!" Mokuba chastised shrilly.
Mokuba's cry brought me back to reality, and I immediately sought to get rid of that look on Yami's face. Ignoring my strange shiver, I hesitantly rested my hand on his shoulder, and when he glanced up at me once more I muttered an awkward apology. "Sorry, you just startled me…"
He nodded slowly, and to my immense relief, that horrible dullness faded from his eyes and a slow smile spread across his thin features. I drew my hand away from his shoulder, but we kept watching each other thoughtfully until Yami blushed softly under my gaze. Before I could wonder (much) about this, the waitress cleared her throat meaningfully.
Oh, right. I'd forgotten about her.
"You still need to order, Yami," she said, smiling patiently.
"Right…" Yami murmured. He glanced at me briefly and his smile widened. "I'll have whatever Seto's having."
I rolled my eyes.
I parked on the curb in front of Yami's apartment, furtively watching the darkened streets. The delinquents had broken the streetlight, no doubt to aid in their illegal activities, and I felt a slight prickle of fear run down my spine as Yami opened the car door. "Wait," I whispered softly, grabbing his arm before he could step onto the curb. "Don't go…Stay with me tonight."
Yami blanched and his eyes widened in shock. He glanced over to where Mokuba lay, fast asleep across the backseat, before two bright red circles appeared on his cheeks and he stuttered awkwardly. "W-what? S-Seto…I…"
My own eyes widened as I realized what he must think, and I hurriedly explained my request. "Something doesn't feel right; and I don't like the fact that that light is out. I don't want you here alone tonight," I told him seriously.
Yami stared at me a moment longer before closing the door gently and settling back in his seat. "Alright, then… I'm sure I'll be fine, but if you're worried about it…" he trailed off, shrugging.
I started the car without another word, watching the street from the corner of my eye as I drove away. Those thugs were definitely congregating in the darkness, though I couldn't see them, and even if I didn't really want to admit that I was worried about Yami, I would rather do that than let him stay here and get hurt.
"Can you take me home early in the morning, or get someone to drive me home, so I can get ready for work?" Yami asked, interrupting my thoughts.
"Sure, I'll do it," I replied, giving him a casual smile. He blinked at my expression before a hesitant answering smile dawned across his face, and I quickly wiped the smile from my own face and turned my attention back to the road.
Kaiba, you're definitely going soft.
When we arrived at my house, I left Yami with the difficult task of waking Mokuba and walked inside alone. I told one of the servants to fix a room for Yami and to find something for him to wear, before I realized that he still hadn't come inside. Mokuba must be putting up quite a fight, then. I smirked evilly to myself before going back outside to help Yami.
I found the two of them in the car, propped against each other, and Mokuba snored while Yami rested lazily against the seat cushion, his eyelids drooping heavily. His blonde bangs mingled with Mokuba's thick, dark hair, and Yami's pale skin glowed faintly in the moonlight. "What are you doing, Yami?" I groaned, but I truthfully wasn't that annoyed. They made an endearing picture, after all.
I didn't even try to deny my thoughts this time.
"Your brother is heavier than he looks," Yami grumbled, yawning widely. He cracked one crimson eye open all the way and observed me sulkily. "He wouldn't wake up, either, so I just gave up."
"And you decided to sleep in the car?" I retorted sarcastically. He grinned, however.
"Maybe I did." Yami suddenly pulled the door shut and locked it, then rested his chin on Mokuba's head and closed his eyes, smirking mischievously.
If he thought I was going to respond to that childishness, he was completely crazy, not to mention immature. "Fine," I snapped, not sure if he could even hear me through the door, and whirled on my heel, stomping angrily to the house.
About two seconds later, I stomped back.
"Yami, open the door! Mokuba has school tomorrow, and we both have to work. This is ridiculous," I grumbled. Yami just ignored me, pretending to snore.
Well, if he wanted to act like a child, so could I. Suddenly I remembered that I had the car keys in my pocket, and cursing myself for not remembering it earlier, I unlocked the door and yanked it open. I grabbed Yami around the waist and dragged him roughly from his seat, and he shrieked shrilly when I hefted him in the air and tossed him over my shoulder.
"Let me down! Seto! Put me down!" Yami cried, laughing hysterically. He pounded weakly on my back as he sniggered helplessly, but I just stalked across the driveway, silently hauling the wriggling load on my shoulder until we reached the doorway. Then I dropped him in a graceless heap on the floor. "Ouch! What was that for?" Yami grumbled, clutching at my arm for support as he climbed to his feet.
Yami glanced up into my face, waiting for my answer, but I just silently observed him. He panted slightly, out of breath from his laughter and his awkward tumble to the floor, but a smile still twitched around the corners of his mouth. Yami's crimson eyes twinkled merrily at me, and I felt a funny twinge in the pit of my stomach as I watched him. Involuntarily I took a step forward and cupped his pale cheek in the palm of my hand.
"S-Seto?" Yami stuttered awkwardly, eyes widening. I could feel the heat of his blush under my fingertips as I slid my hand across his cheek and into his thick, fine hair. It was so soft…
A jolt ran through me and I suddenly noticed what I was doing. "Sorry… Dirt…" I mumbled lamely and pulled my hand away.
"Oh. Right," Yami muttered, still red-faced.
"Well... Good night. The servants will show you to your room and give you something to wear," I told him quickly, and rushed up the stairs to the sanctity of my bedroom as my heart thudded nervously against my ribs.
Mokuba still snored away in the backseat of the car.
A long time later, I cracked open my bedroom door once more and glanced cautiously along the hallway. Since no one was in sight, I quietly stepped across the hallway into Mokuba's room, to make sure he actually made it to bed. Much to my relief, he lay sprawled on his back across the bed, though he had kicked all the covers to the foot of the bed. As I leaned over my brother's sleeping form to adjust them, I heard a soft sound in the doorway and whirled around suspiciously.
"Relax, Seto, it's just me," Yami whispered, rolling his eyes.
I frowned. He was the person I was trying to avoid, though I suddenly couldn't remember why…
Yami padded softly across the carpet, and I noticed he was barefoot. He had put on dark blue pajamas made of some kind of fluffy cotton that made him look almost childlike. Smiling gently at me, Yami reached across Mokuba's bed and tugged the covers back over my baby brother, and suddenly I wondered what Mokuba would say if he knew what we were doing.
I chuckled under my breath and Yami raised an eyebrow at me inquisitively. "What? Is it my pajamas? I didn't pick them out, you know," Yami murmured, plucking at the outfit self-consciously.
I merely shook my head and gestured for him to follow me into the hallway, which he did, and when I shut the door behind us I grinned wickedly. "I was just imagining what Mokuba would think if he knew we were tucking him in like our baby," I explained, chortling. "Since he's thirteen now, he thinks that he… What?" I interrupted myself when I caught Yami's expression. He had reddened again and a strange sort of smile played around his lips.
"Nothing…" Yami mumbled, still wearing that odd smile. "Good night, Seto. I'll see you in the morning- you're still taking me home, right?"
"Of course," I replied, and Yami's smile twisted even more strangely. Then he surprised me by hugging me lightly before he padded away to his room.
I stared after him in wonder.
The next day I woke as usual at the crack of dawn and sat at the kitchen table sipping casually at my steaming black coffee. Soon, however, Yami ambled into the room and sat beside me, stretching his arms out across the table and resting his chin on his sleeve. "Good morning, Seto," he mumbled casually.
"Hn," I grunted shortly, draining my coffee cup.
"It's strange for me to wake up at this hour; usually this is about when I was getting off work," Yami commented and I scowled, remembering Bakura's call from yesterday. "I'm so glad I don't work there anymore," he continued, sighing.
I started to make a rude comment when Mokuba suddenly stomped angrily into the room. I winced inwardly, sensing another temper tantrum, and prayed for it to be about school again.
It wasn't.
"Seto, WHY were you in my room last night? I know you were! I told you I'm too old for you to tuck me in- I'm thirteen now, and if I want to sleep with the covers at the foot of my bed, I can!" Mokuba whined.
"How do you know you didn't just tug them up in your sleep?" I asked tonelessly, and Yami made a choked sound as he tried to suppress a chuckle.
"Because… Seto, I know you did it! It's embarrassing," Mokuba protested, crossing his arms across his chest and scowling fiercely at me.
"Why? Who knows about it?" I smugly retorted. Yami choked again.
"Yami knows!" Mokuba cried.
"Because you just told him about it," I pointed out. At this, Mokuba's scowl deepened and he flushed cherry red, then spun on his heel and stomped out of the room.
"I'll get someone ELSE to drive me to school today," he called sulkily over his shoulder.
As soon as Mokuba was out of earshot, Yami burst into hearty laughter, slim shoulders shaking with merriment. I sighed. "I hate it when he gets like that," I murmured. Yami paused in his chuckles, wiping tears from his eyes, though he kept grinning.
"It's just his age," Yami said, shrugging.
"I never acted like that," I replied imperiously. Yami looked at me and I sighed once more. "Well, I guess you have a point," I muttered.