Hello. I'm back with chapter 2! This chapter isn't as long as I had originally intended, but I reached a good place to stop writing and I wanted to update before Christmas. It's OK…chapter 3 will just have to be longer than I planned!

Thanks to those who have reviewed so far. I appreciate the feedback, especially since this is an unfamiliar fandom for me to be writing in. Happy holidays, everyone!

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or the characters, blah blah. I also issue an "OOC characters" disclaimer. I apologize if they act weird. Feel free to tell me, but try not to flame! I am very sensitive. ::sob!::

Holiday Blues
Chapter 2: You're fired!

"…come on, Kaiba! Please wake up!"

Anzu shook Seto by the shoulder for the fifth time, receiving a now familiar lack of response.

"Kaiba!"

"Rrrgh…"

Well, that was an improvement.

Funny, thought Anzu with a wry smile, I remember him being more articulate than this.

After considering all the options presented by this situation, Anzu had decided that the best plan of action would be to get Kaiba over to her apartment – a little less than 100 yards away – to sleep it off. The only problem with her plan was that she certainly couldn't carry him; she'd need him to be at least awake enough for her to guide him there. She wasn't having much luck so far.

Seems like he's as obstinate asleep as he always was awake…

Anzu sighed, crouching beside the bench and observing the slumbering tycoon. His face was bathed in pale moonlight, and a few errant snowflakes stuck in his hair. His lips were slightly parted, releasing an occasional grumble or snore.

She'd have said he looked innocent – if he hadn't been so deliciously tempting at the same time. No, there was certainly nothing innocent about Seto Kaiba, not even in sleep.

As if to prove her point, the sleeping Kaiba shifted, stretching his slim muscular neck to the side and producing a groan in the back of his throat. He exhaled audibly, and Anzu stared as a cloud of warm breath escaped from between his lips.

I wonder if they're soft, like his hair was…

Anzu stood suddenly, ripping her gaze away from Kaiba's face. She briefly covered her eyes with one hand, trying to regain some measure of sanity.

Geez, this is worse than when I was ogling his picture on the train…when did I develop such a naughty mind?!

This was getting ridiculous. Anzu was tired, and wanted nothing more than to collapse into her delightfully comfortable bed and sleep until she could sleep no more.

Good thing tomorrow is Saturday…

If she was ever going to get to bed, she'd have to take care of Kaiba first. She certainly wasn't going to leave him here to freeze…eyeing him resolutely, she resumed her attempts to rouse him. With one hand she gripped him firmly by his solid muscular shoulder, shaking vigorously. She used the other hand to pepper his cheek with gentle slaps. That was how they did it in the movies, right? His face was alluringly rough. Seems like he didn't bother to shave today…

"Kaiba? Kaiba! Wake up, dammit!"

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'Kaiba!'

Seto growled. Who would have the audacirr—audarsat—the nerve to disrupt his sleep?

'Kaiba, we've got to go now. Come on…'

Go? Ugh…Seto didn't want to go to some stupid meeting. Listen to some idiot selling bad ideas…he cracked one eye open, seeing the hazy outline of a woman. Why is she pulling my arm? I must be late for something…

He pushed at the secretary, scowling. "Tell 'em I'm not 'vailable," he muttered with irritation. He closed his eyes, longing to return to his blissful slumber. He was not so lucky. He felt a sharp slap sting his face. His eyes snapped back open, producing a rather lackluster drunken version of his usually intimidating glare. The secretary was looking at him strangely.

"Kaiba, what are you talking about? God, you really are drunk." She started pulling at his arm again, eyeing him with…concern?

Seto stood suddenly, enduring a short dizzy spell and teetering unsteadily. How did he come to have such insolent employees? He grabbed the secretary's arm, roughly pulling her closer to him so that he could loom over her menacingly. His face mere inches from hers, he saw her invitingly full bottom lip tremble. Well, what did she expect? No one spoke to him that way…

"You're fired!"

The woman was silent for a moment. Seto tried to focus on her eyes, expecting the tears to start falling at any moment. The secretaries usually did cry when he fired them. Blue eyes…why does that seem important?

Before he could think about it further, something rather unexpected happened. She started to laugh. It began as a muffled giggle, growing steadily to the point where she was laughing so hard she was almost doubled over. She had grabbed onto his arm, presumably fearing that she might collapse in hysterics. Seto just stared.

"C—come on, boss. Let's get back to the office." She swallowed a spare giggle. "I need to clean out my desk, and I expect the executives are w—waiting for you—"

At this point the laughter overtook her again. Seto was so utterly confused that he did not protest as she took his arm and began to lead him away from the bench. He caught a brief glimpse of an empty bottle on the ground.

Ugh, his mind cringed in recollection. No wonder I'm so disoriented…

He stumbled slightly, preventing a fall by grabbing onto the woman. Mmm, she smells quite enticing…

Seto felt an arm snake behind his back, steadying him. His alcohol induced haze was making the sidewalk spin in unsettling directions. Fortunately, his mystery saviour seemed solid and centered.

And soft…and rather attractive…

His short circuiting senses zoomed all over the place as the girl guided him.

God, I must really need some sleep…

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Seto Kaiba was rising slowly up from the depths of unconsciousness. He squeezed his eyes even more tightly shut against the bright feeling light he could sense hitting his face.

I thought I told that maid to make sure she shuts the curtains after she cleans in here…

He'd been having an odd dream in which that girl Anzu Mazaki was his secretary and the Kaiba Corp board members had all turned into chimpanzees.

"Hn," he grunted sleepily, throwing one arm across his face to block out the offending sun. It's an insult to chimpanzees everywhere…

Feeling relatively coarse fabric across against the skin of his forehead, he wondered why he was in his clothes instead of his blue silk pyjamas.

Then, he wondered why the blanket that covered him wasn't his luxuriously warm and fluffy down comforter.

All that was left to wonder when he opened his bleary eyes was: Where the hell am I?!

Seto's eyes darted around the room, taking in everything; from the silent TV, to the comfy looking armchair which matched the couch he was apparently reclining on, to the unopened boxes in the corner. Nothing looked even remotely familiar. He sat up rapidly, pointedly ignoring the throbbing headache that assailed him. A photograph on the coffee table caught his eye.

Because Mokuba was in it.

It was a picture of Mokuba with Yugi Mutou and the rest of the nerd herd in Domino Park. He picked it up to examine it more closely.

I remember this, he thought. Mokuba and that infuriating Mazaki had tried to get him to pose for the picture too, but he had stubbornly refused. Look at them, all smiling like idiots. He frowned, replacing the picture.

Chances were good that at least one of them lived here, wherever here was. Shit…please tell me this isn't that dog Jounouchi's house…

Just then, the graceful slim form of Anzu Mazaki emerged from what was presumably the kitchen – she was carrying two cups of coffee.

"Oh good, you're awake. Here…" she glided over to him and handed him a steaming mug. "I imagine you drink it black, right? You might want these, too." She reached into the pocket of her satin pyjama pants, producing a bottle of Tylenol and tossing it to him wordlessly. Seto looked dumbly at the items she had given him.

"Mazaki? What the hell is going on here?" He glared at her with sore eyes as she deposited herself into the armchair, reclining comfortably.

She looked…good, he had to admit. Her hair was the same as he remembered, if slightly longer. Her bright auburn highlights glinted in the sunlight. She was sitting in the armchair with her long legs tucked beneath her, wearing satiny black pyjama pants and a rather…form fitting black cotton tank top. She was definitely in good shape. Her muscles looked perfectly toned, without losing their womanly softness. They accentuated her lean frame, which was a very effective vehicle for her other…assets.

"A sunny good morning to you too, Kaiba." She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Or afternoon if you want to be picky about it." She gestured to a stylish clock mounted on the far wall. It was 12:30pm. She sipped her coffee.

Seto stared at her. She was acting so casual. His eyes widened momentarily. Shit, they hadn't done…that, had they?!

No, he rationalized, otherwise I wouldn't have woken up on the couch… He refused to admit that theconcept made a small thrill run through him. Anzu didn't notice Kaiba's slight flush as he popped open the Tylenol.

"Where am I?"

"You're at my new apartment."

"How did I get here?"

"I found you passed out in the park. I brought you here to sleep it off."

Seto squeezed his brains for information, but he couldn't remember much of anything after his argument with Mokuba and subsequent arrival at the sketchy tavern.

"Why?"

She frowned just slightly. "'Why' what?"

"Why did you bring me here?"

"What did you expect me to do, leave you to freeze? That'd be a nice way to treat an old friend. What the hell were you doing out there anyway?"

Old friend? Seto couldn't believe his ears. After all this time, she was still hung up on the whole friendship line? "That's really none of your business."

She shrugged. "Whatever you say. Just wondering why Domino's richest, most powerful man was stumbling around pickled in whiskey and smelling like a common drunk."

He growled, feeling plush carpet under his feet as he stood up. He looked down at his now wrinkly black button down shirt. He could smell whiskey…

"You really do look like hell, Kaiba."

What?! How dare she insult him!

I don't have to listen to this. I won't impose on your hospitality any longer."

He looked around for his shoes and coat, wanting desperately to get back to his mansion and be alone. And far away from this embarrassing situation…

He spotted his shoes on a mat over by the door. Before he reached them, he felt a gentle hand grab him by the wrist. He snapped around to face Anzu, surprised to see her eyes filled with concern and apology.

"Come on, Kaiba. Don't be upset. I didn't mean to make you mad – I was just stating a fact." She pulled him back into the room, leading him to a large mirror.

He wanted to throw up when he saw himself. His hair was in disarray, sticking out in several directions. His eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles underneath them. Normally immaculate, his clothes were wrinkly and disheveled. Though hard to see against the dark fabric, amysterious spot stained his shirt. He really did look like hell…he touched a hand to his unshaven face.

Anzu emerged from another door. He'd been so busy staring at himself in disgust that he hadn't even seen her leave the room. She handed him a bundle of…laundry?

"Here. Why don't you at least clean up before you go. There's some clothes there that might fit you, and some nice fluffy towels. There should be an extra toothbrush in the medicine cupboard. The bathroom is through there." She motioned to a small hallway leading off the living room.

He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. "Save it, Kaiba. You can insult me and argue with me all you want, after you take a shower." She had the nerve to smile at him before retreating to the kitchen.

I guess I might as well…

Kaiba pondered as he shut the bathroom door and began to strip (A/N: YES!! lol) out of his filthy clothes. Why was she being so nice to him? It's not like he'd ever treated her in such a way. And had she always been so bossy?

Yes, she always had been…it was the kind of bossiness that you hardly even notice, because she orders you around with that stupid, radiant smile on her face…

He almost grinned as he stepped under the hot jets of water.

She'd make a pretty good corporate executive…

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Oh ho! That sneaky Anzu hardly had to lift a finger to get Seto out of his clothes. LoL Did you like it? There will be 2 or 3 more chapters after this. Review and let me know what you think!