Title: The Chaos before (and during) Christmas (7/8)
Author: Chibi Wingzero
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Seto/Jou, Yami/Yugi, Bakura/Ryou, Marik/Malik, Honda/Otogi, Mai, one sided Anzu/Yami, one sided Honda/Anzu
Beta: MOFAF (MomOfFluffyAndFluffier).
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: I am merely borrowing the Yu-Gi-Oh cast. They will be returned in one piece…. Hopefully.
Summary: Both Seto and Jou have been wanting each other for a long time. Mokuba and Yugi have decided to do something about it. Together they plan an unforgettable Christmas party.
Chapter Title: Matchmaking for Idiots
The Day before Christmas
Peeking out of his room, Jou cautiously made his way to the bathroom once he was sure the coast was clear. It was the same routine every morning ever since his mother left him with this bastard. Yet he never gave up hope that his father would change for the better one of these days.
Somehow his father would drink himself out cold and then wake up either in the late morning or early afternoon with one hell of a hang over. He then proceeded to blame Jou for this if the kid was at home. Since the law required Jou to attend school, he was gone for most of the week. So his father became angry at Jou for not being there, resulting in harsher injuries.
This morning was different. His father was nowhere to be seen. Most likely he was hitting on some poor woman in attempt to bed her. Jou hated that. He hated the fact his father had so many one night stands, most likely the result of too much alcohol. For all he knew, he could have several half-sisters or brothers. Still he couldn't bring himself to completely hate his father. It was the same way with his mother. At least he had Shizuka on his side. He didn't know what he would do without her encouraging words.
After shoving these depressing thoughts aside, Jou wandered into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and wrinkled his nose. There was nothing good to eat. Actually, there was nothing to eat at all, unless one counted the baking soda in the back. He needed to go the supermarket and pick up something edible. Why couldn't his father get a job and for once pay for his own beer?
Suddenly the phone rang, causing Jou to jump an entire foot off the ground. Who would be calling him at this hour? He knew it couldn't be from the school, since it was vacation, and he was too busy with work to cause any trouble. Shizuka usually called at night, because she knew about their father's drinking problem. Yugi was busy helping his grandfather at the store while Anzu had her dance rehearsal. Honda usually wasn't awake at this hour if he could help it.
Jou picked up the phone and lazily said, "Hello."
"Do you know how long I have been waiting for you to pick up your lazy ass and answer the phone? A familiar but annoyed voice asked. He didn't even wait for an answer. "You should be lucky I'm patient."
"Right," Jou drawled, an amused smile forming on his lips. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your annoying voice?" Ever since they confessed their crushes, they had become closer friends.
"Hardy har har," Otogi said in mock annoyance. He wasn't sure why he called Jou in the first place. Maybe he wanted company for breakfast, or it could be a way to get more information on Honda. He didn't know. "I was wondering if you've eaten breakfast."
Looking at his almost bare kitchen, Jou winced. He barely had enough money to pay the bills let alone food. Plus, he was saving a little each paycheck to buy decent presents for his friends. "No, I woke up about ten minutes ago."
"Great, then would you like to join me for breakfast," Otogi inquired, silently hoping the blond would accept the invitation. Of course, it wasn't a date. It was more like two friends getting together for breakfast.
Jou hesitated. He knew Otogi didn't like to eat at cheap restaurants, but they were all he could afford. "I'm kind of short on cash." There, he'd said it.
"Is that all?" Otogi waved off. He thought the blond had enough money by the way he ate. Jou was like a bottomless pit in his opinion. Then again so was Honda. "I can pay for yours if that's the only thing holding you back."
"Is that a date?" Jou teased the dice master, who blushed and scowled at the same time. He waited awhile for an answer. When he received none, he prodded the black haired young man for one.
Mumbling to himself, Otogi knew the blond was only teasing but still…… He was only being nice. "No, it's a friendly get together between friends. You know the ones you and your friends go on."
Jou chuckled this time. "We usually pay for our own meals." To him, it was a friendly banter. He did it all the time with Honda, and they got along fine. "Hey, I was just teasing."
"I know," Otogi said, stretching out in his chair. Shortly after their confessions, he had to return his shop. His employees were having trouble with a group of people. It seemed the new Kaiba Corp game had been sold out at his shop. Customers were furious. Some were waited for an hour just to buy it. They were told that the stores were accepting preorders. Some of them let it go, since they were going to get the game in the near future, but others were plain unruly.
"Expect Honda to act this way at times," Jou warned. He knew the brunette ever since they became school bullies. They guarded each other's backs and didn't trust others until Yugi entered their lives. "No hurt feelings?"
Otogi scoffed at this. "I was merely taken back." There was no way he would let the mutt get the better of him.
"So we still on for breakfast?" Jou inquired on the hopeful side. His stomach had reminded him a second ago. He needed to eat and who was he to pass up a free meal?
The dice master could practically see Jou grinning from ear to ear in anticipation of a good meal. Maybe that can be his payment for the information on the brunette. "Definitely. I'm sending someone to pick you up. It would take you forever to reach the restaurant."
"Very funny," Jou retorted sarcastically, though glad Otogi was getting the hang of this friendly banter. It wasn't his fault he didn't have enough money to buy a car let alone maintain one. "It's not my fault I can't afford a car. If my pops wasn't so…." His voice trailed off. He almost revealed his family secret. "So when's that person coming?"
"He'll be there in twenty minutes," Otogi replied, not liking how Jou had become suddenly depressed. He knew it involved Jou's father, but he wasn't going to force the blond to tell. If Jou wanted to speak, then it would be him doing it willingly.
Jou glanced over at his clock. He had twenty minutes before his ride arrived, and he was still wearing his pajamas. "I gotta go and change unless you want to see me in my pajamas."
"I'll take a rain check on that."
"So tell me why did you volunteer to buy me breakfast?" Jou asked, eyeing the dice master warily. He knew his companion was up to something.
"Do I need a reason to spend time with my friends?" Otogi returned innocently while resting his chin on his hands. Well, it wasn't like he had enough time between school and running his store. Actually, he had more time than a certain CEO.
Once again, Jou gave him a suspicious look. The dice master had been spending more time with their group lately. "Yes, you always have a reason."
"And if I do?" Otogi inquired, relaxing despite the blond's suspicions. Well, he usually had a motive behind his actions. This time it was no different. If he had to spend a lot of money, it was worth it to find out information on a certain brunette.
Jou sighed in exasperation. He didn't like being kidnapped… Actually, he went willingly, but he didn't like being used. It was a humiliating experience. "Listen if you want something, just spill it. I'll see what I can do, but I can't guarantee anything."
Otogi held his hands up in defeat. "You caught me." He lowered his hands, flexing his fingers into the shape of a triangle. "I wanted to know more about Hiroto." It meant swallowing his pride and asking for help, but it wasn't like he was doing too well on his own anyways.
"Is that all?" Jou inquired. He doubted Otogi's motives, but love can make people do the strangest things. Take Yami for example. Okay, it wasn't that drastic, but still he changed.
"Yes," Otogi confirmed, nodding his head. "I'm not going anywhere with him, and you already know about it. Plus you're his best friend so you must know something about him." He was certain that they would each know what the other liked and didn't like.
Scratching his head, Jou reluctantly agreed. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you a little about Honda. Besides, you're feeding me, and I know I ain't cheap." While waiting for their orders to arrive, he informed the dice master what Honda liked, hated, his hobbies, and a few other things.
Jou ordered the deluxe breakfast, which was enough to feed two people, while Otogi ordered the good morning meal, which was enough to fill an average man. Their waitress almost immediately recognized Otogi from TV and attempted to discretely flirt with him. Unfortunately for her, all of her advances were ignored. The blond scowled at her, and she understood the meaning before leaving with a huff.
"There's something you should know," Jou said, not wanting to bring it up, but he did have a right know. Taking a deep breath, he plunged into the unknown. "In the past, he used to date a girl named Miho, but she broke up with him. He hasn't dated ever since or at least to my knowledge he hasn't. You already know about my sister and Anzu."
Nodding his head, Otogi showed he understood. "It doesn't matter. It's in the past, and I doubt Hiroto would be looking if he hadn't gotten over her." He hoped his theory was correct. One could never be certain when it came to matters of the heart.
"I wouldn't keep your hopes up," Jou warned. They began to dig into their meals as they chatted about their love lives or lack there of and anything else they could think of.
"So Jou, have you always been this way?" Otogi inquired. A confused look was his response. He then mentally hit himself for being so vague. "I meant have you been lacking in the finance department lately."
Damn, why did he have to bring that up? - Jou thought angrily. He wasn't angry at Otogi for pointing it out, but rather himself for letting the other find out. "I've been short in the financial department ever since my pops was laid off." Otogi didn't have to know how long though. His father hadn't been able to get a job for the past two years. During breaks, Jou requested to be assigned to full time status, and they didn't mind since it wasn't long enough to receive any benefits.
"If your father needs a job, I'm sure I can find something for him to do at my shop or maybe a certain brunette can," Otogi said, hinting towards Jou's crush. If Kaiba wouldn't hire the man, he figured he could make a few changes to his employees' schedules to accommodate him.
Shaking his head, Jou sighed gloomily. If that were the only problem, it would make life easier. Unfortunately, his life was never easy. "It's not a matter of getting a job, more like keeping one."
This was becoming interesting. "Does he have any medical problems?" It was the first thing he asked when interviewing potential employees. He needed workers who could carry heavy packages. Also he needed people who could keep up with hyper children.
Once again, Jou shook his head. "No, he has a drinking problem. I've tried to get him to attend alcoholics anonymous, but he refused to go. He said he doesn't have a drinking problem, but everyone else agrees with me." Dropping his head to his arms, he sighed once more. "I can't force him to attend unless he has a court order."
"As much as I would like to help, there's nothing I can do until he admits he has a problem," Otogi said wistfully. He knew alcoholics had a greater tendency to be abusive. If Jou's father couldn't maintain a job, then that would mean Jou was earning the family's main income.
"It's not your problem," the blond assured him. He didn't want any of his friends to become involved in his personal problems. They had enough of their own problems as it was. "What are you giving Honda?"
A sudden change in topic. I understand if he feels uncomfortable, but something has to be done, and I know the right man for the job. - "I bought him a motorcycle, and yes, I know he already has one. However, there is the latest model with all the bells and whistles. What did you buy Seto?"
Blushing Jou replied, "I made him a couple of gifts and bought a plushie for him." Damn, why couldn't he afford a nice present for Seto?
"What did you make for him?" Otogi inquired, curiously. He couldn't help but smirk when Jou's blush became deeper. It must be something personal or very embarrassing, considering the blond's reaction. He wondered if Jou was going to give it in person.
"It's nothing like that," Jou replied hastily and defensively. –I bet Otogi will definitely put the present I'm going to give him to good use. - He squinted his eyes as he tried to find the right words. Thinking was not one of his strengths as quite a few people had told him.
One black brow was raised. "Then what would it be like?"
"It's a memory book and a journal," Jou muttered. He had to repeat this twice since the dice master didn't hear it the first two times. "I'm not sure if he'll accept them, knowing they came from me. And I don't want to even think how'd react to my…. You know."
"You're afraid of being rejected on the basis of your gender?" Otogi asked apprehensively. The nod confirmed his suspicions. "Look, I know what you're going through so you're not alone. If you never tell, then you may lose your chance, and who knows what could have happened?"
"As much as I hate to say this. You're right," Jou reluctantly agreed.
"If it bothers you that much, then give them to him under the guise of a secret admirer," Otogi stepped in, effectively stopping his companion's doubts. "He won't know who sent it, and later you can work up enough courage to tell him you sent them. I'll tell you what. Tonight, I'll help you get your presents to your lover boy."
"Really?" Jou asked, wondering why the dice master had become so friendly and helpful. Maybe Otogi wanted something, or maybe he really was trying to be his friend. In either case, it was nice to get some help.
"Yes." Otogi confirmed. He was a man of honor.
"We'll do it tonight."
"Jou, how did I let you talk me into this?" Honda grumbled, trying to warm his cold hands. They felt like they were going to freeze off at any second. He needed those hands for school…. Yeah right. It was more like for riding his motorcycle and dueling.
Jou gave his best friend a cheeky smile. "You owed me big time, and I'm cashing in." He then went back to looking out for someone.
Honda sighed, "Well then, what are we doing here?" He wondered if the blond's sanity had gone on a permanent vacation. Currently, they were standing outside of Otogi's game shop in the freezing snow when they could have been standing inside the nice and warm store.
"We're waiting for someone," Jou shot back as he held onto the poorly wrapped gifts. He opted to give the memory book and the journal as a secret admirer while giving the plushie in person. The packages were tucked safely under his jacket. "He should be coming out any second now or else he had better have a really good excuse."
An elderly lady stepped out of the shop with an indignant look on her face. It looked like she ate a lemon and really didn't like it at all. Her gray hair appeared very disheveled, and an attempt was made to fix her hair, but she wasn't able to get it back to its original form.
Soon enough, the lights were turned off, causing Honda to look back with curiosity. Jou didn't seem to be disturbed by this. When the brunette asked his best friend, the blond shrugged it off. The brunette was becoming more and more annoyed by the lack of answers and the cold weather wasn't helping matters either.
The door opened and the bell sounded. An irritated dice master stepped out of the shop. Lost in his dark thoughts, he didn't notice a certain brunette standing there; however, he did see a blond patiently waiting for him. "Sorry, I'm late. This one bitch just wouldn't get the hint. I told her we had sold out, but we were accepting preorders. They will arrive within three business days. That is fast, especially considering how many orders they will receive."
"No wonder she looked like she swallowed a lemon," Jou commented. He shifted around after having to stand there in the snow for awhile. In reality, it had been about twelve minutes.
Otogi snorted. "I wished she did and better if she choked on it while she was at it." With his back to the brunette, he didn't even notice Honda until he coughed to get their attention. "Honda, what are you doing here?" There was much blushing and stammering involved.
Of course being dense, Honda blamed the dice master's rosy cheeks on the cold weather. "I don't know what I'm doing here other than Jou dragged me here." He glanced over to Jou for an answer to that. "What are we doing here exactly?"
"We're here to make a house call," Jou announced with a mischievous smile. He then pulled his best friend over to a very flustered Otogi. "What are we waiting for? An invitation?"
"Jou," Honda warned. He had had enough of these elusive answers or, in some cases, no answers at all. "Exactly whose house are we visiting?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Jou replied cheekily. He then turned to the dice master, ignoring the protests from his best friend. "So where's our ride?"
Otogi jabbed his thumb towards the store. "It's in the back. Honda, why don't you go wait there if you're cold? My driver should be there, since I called him before I left the store." He didn't know why the brunette was there and intended to ask a certain blond about it once the person of his affections was out of the way. Besides, he wanted to make Honda feel as comfortable as possible, and he doubted the brunette was comfortable standing in the snow.
"About time someone took my feelings into consideration," Honda stated with an indignant huff, though they knew he was only joking around. "That car had better be warm on the inside." A hot drink would be a nice bonus, but he knew it was pushing his luck. "Don't take too long, I may fall asleep." He then leaned slightly on Otogi's shoulder, causing the raven-haired boy to nearly faint.
Once the man of his affections was out of sight, Otogi whirled on the blond, who was feigning innocence. Sadly, it didn't work on the dice master, as Jou wasn't as cute as two people or his crush. "You just had to call him here, didn't you?"
"Honda and I are best friends," Jou explained as if everyone was supposed to know. It was a known fact amongst their circle. "We cover each other's back." –Please let him buy that lame excuse. I can't think of another one.-
Yes, it would be natural that Jou wanted his best friend to be there. After all, they were technically trespassing, and on Seto's property to boot! Still, he was a bit apprehensive about this.
"Besides, you get to spend more time with him this way," Jou suggestively hinted to the dice master as he nudged him on his way to the car. He was too cold, and he wasn't about to explain his actions either.
Otogi knew what he had to do.
"Would someone care to explain why are we standing in front of Kaiba's estate/" Honda inquired, eying his two secretive companions. This was seriously ticking him off. He hated being out of the loop.
"We're here to drop off something, and NO, it's not a prank," Otogi answered this time as he draped an arm over Honda's shoulder in a friendly manner. He was internally grateful the brunette didn't shove him off or call him any derogatory names. That was a good sign.
Jou's hands were shaking as he gazed upon the Kaiba estate. He was more nervous than when he dueled against Malik… or was it Marik? He could never figure out which one was which until they had their own bodies.
"Let's do this before we're caught," Honda suggested, somewhat panicking. He was confused as hell as to why the dice master had his arm on him, but he figured the stress was getting to him.
Otogi scoffed. "It's late at night. I'm sure Kaiba has to wake up early in the morning so that he can get back to that precious business of his. You know how he loves to work, even on holidays."
"You don't say?" Jou said in a sarcastic tone while rolling his eyes to add to the affect. "If I didn't know better, I would say he was engaged to his work."
"Engaged? More like married," Honda added in his two cents worth. He didn't mind the dice master's arm on him. In fact, it actually felt kind of nice in a strange way. He absently wondered how Otogi felt without his clothing. -………… What am I thinking? I'm straight! ... Or at least I think I am….-
"You can say that again," Jou laughed at his best friend's comment. Good thing, Seto had the front driveway cleared of snow. He had to or he wouldn't have been able to ride his limo to his work or any other place. Plus, Mokuba would be upset since he couldn't visit his friends. "It makes me wonder if he's the hen-pecked husband or the grouchy wife."
"Both I think," Otogi commented. He noticed how the brunette was responding and grinned. His chances were increasing ever so slightly. "Maybe he's a hen-pecked husband on a constant PMS?"
The three laughed as they made their way to Kaiba's mailbox.
On the second floor, Seto was on his way to his bedroom when he noticed a car pull into his driveway. He then headed to where Mokuba had left his camera and picked it up. Turning it on, he noticed it had enough power to last for half an hour, but he didn't need it for that long. He only needed it to catch whoever was out on his property this late at night.
It was then he noticed who they were. Jou was with Honda and Otogi. They were discussing something before they headed off somewhere. He kept the camera trained on them as evidence in case they were up to something. Both Honda and Jou were known for being pranksters at times. He wasn't certain about Otogi. The dice master was a business man much like himself and should know better than to pull pranks, considering the consequences.
Seto made himself comfortable. It looked like they were going to be awhile with the way they were walking and talking. By the looks on their faces, it was obviously something funny. They then paused and were busting up with laughter before continuing on their way. Just then, he noticed a few packages the blond was holding. He wondered what kind of prank Jou was planning, and almost called security, but he decided against it.
The brunette was curious as to what they were going to do and wasn't going to hinder them. Besides, he had evidence should they destroy anything on his property. Even though he didn't need the money for the repairs, it was the principle of the matter. They destroyed his property; why should he have to pay? Okay, so they didn't do anything yet.
The three stopped in front of his mailbox. The blond then tried to push the packages into his mailbox, but they wouldn't fit. He made several attempts and his two friends tried helping at some points. It was obvious they didn't want to damage whatever was in the packages, because they were handling them with great care. Seto swore if that was stink bombs, he would have their asses on a silver platter or better yet one of those pointy spikes.
Back on ground level, the three were still having a hard time getting the packages into the mailbox. "It's no use," Honda announced in exasperation. They had been trying to get the packages into the mailbox without damaging them with hardly any success. Currently, one was stuck and pulling it back out was equally hard. His best friend never did say what was in the packages, but it was important to Jou so it became important to him.
Even though they were standing there looking like idiots, Otogi felt it was worth the humiliation. It allowed him to spend time with Honda and it also let him actually hold the brunette briefly, or maybe luck out with an occasional accidental touch here and there. Well, it was the other way around due their differences in height. A few times, Honda had to catch the dice master before he fell into the snow. Needless to say, Otogi was in heaven for that moment. He wished they would last longer and occur more frequently. A couple of times he fell on purpose, but he knew Honda would catch on if he did it often. Let's just leave it. I'm sure someone will pick them up if they can get them out."
"But," Jou whimpered. He had spent a lot of time making those presents so he wanted Seto to receive them. Who knew what people would do to get back at Seto?
"You worry too much," Otogi assured him before flicking his nose, much to Jou annoyance. He then picked up his cell phone from his pocket and called his driver. As it stood, the driver was going to drop the other two at their homes.
"But what about you?" Honda asked, concerned over the dice master's health. "It's awfully cold out here, and you wouldn't want to miss Mokuba's party?"
Otogi merely waved it off even though his stomach was doing flip flops and some cartwheels too. –He cares. He really does care. Maybe I do have a chance after all. - "I don't live far from here so I'll walk. Besides, it would give me time to think."
"Whatever you say, but promise me you won't stay out for long." Honda requested very seriously but sincerely as well. He felt a hand squeeze his shoulder in a reassuring manner before he was dragged off by an impatient blond.
Looking up at the mansion, Otogi knew what he had to do. –I know you're watching, Kaiba Seto.-
XP There are so many subtle hints at what's to come. Let's see if you can guess them.
