Ashes doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter Fourteen
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Jounouchi

Knocking.

I was well aware that less than half an hour ago I had promised Mokuba that I would live up to my mistake and face Kaiba's wrath. However, the second I heard that, I knew it was him, and I wanted nothing to do with it. Instead I blared my radio and pretended I couldn't hear him. It worked too… Or at least, I thought it did; after about five minutes the pounding stopped, and I even ventured to turn down my radio; I leaned over, twisted the knob, sat up, coped with the ringing in my ears, and turned to see Kaiba just standing at the foot of my couch.

"What the fuck!" I shouted, scurrying back so that I was barely perched on the opposite arm of the couch. "Are you insane? What if there was a reason I was ignoring you?"

"It couldn't be all that important," he replied haughtily. I sprang to my feet – and learned exactly how unstable couch cushions are. I fell back onto the floor with a loud thunk. It took Kaiba less than a few seconds to stand over me, arms crossed, looking down at me. "Are you done yet?

"Go to hell. I didn't invite you here – "

"Seeing as I've never invited you into my home, you can suffer it for a bit. We need to talk about your sis – "

"No," I said firmly, holding a hand up to him. Mokuba I'd talk about. Him, I'd shout about. Shizuka was off-limits. "You're not allowed to talk about her – you have no right. You don't even really know her."

"Don't I? I bet I know more than you do."

There was an unmistakable note of challenge in his voice, and I sat up, looking him over. He couldn't; he hadn't even liked her. If he wanted to play that game, then the things I'd heard between Mokuba and Shizuka…

"She loves pancakes," he said, apparently taking my silence as a challenge in and of itself.

"So? Everyone knows that. On the other and, Mokuba hates chicken, but eats it with you because it's your favorite." That got him at least a little bit; he made a face, looking off to the side – I was pretty sure he mumbled something about not noticing. "Well?"

His attention turned back to me, and he cracked his knuckles. "Your sister thinks your friends are funny, but gets irritated that they're always around when she visits you."

"Not true – she adores Yuugi and Anzu."

"Maybe so, but that's what she told me." Kaiba smirked, propping his feet up as though he was trying to look cocky. On Kaiba, the effect was creepier than it was irritating. But two could play rough; if he wasn't pulling his punches, then neither was I. "Mokuba doesn't really like Kaiba Corporation – he'll work for it harder than anything, he said, but he doesn't like it."

"Complete bullshit," Kaiba snapped.

"If that's what you gotta say to help you sleep at night."

"Your mother thinks you need higher goals."

"Your brother thinks you need an active sex life."

"Your – what?" It made my day to see him sit up and look at me as though I'd just spouted French.

"No joke – the kid thinks if you were getting some, you'd be a lot more relaxed. It's a prove theory, really."

Kaiba snorted, pulling his feet down and sitting up straight. "He's thirteen; what does he know about sex?"

"Nothing." He looked at me from the corner of his eyes, and I rolled my eyes. "And I swear I didn't teach him anything he didn't already know. I may have said a few things that didn't sound good, but what did I ever do to make you think I'd hurt someone I care about?"

Grudgingly, Kaiba admitted, "Nothing, other than being too low in IQ points to realize you were doing so. He's too young, Jounouchi; you would have hurt him. I wasn't going to stand by and wait for it."

Even if he hadn't really lain off, I couldn't stay angry – because looking back, I could see where he was right. Hindsight's a bitch like that. "Well, it doesn't matter – they got the best of us. Why don't we drop the stupid insults and call it a truce?"

"I hope you realize this'll come up again in tabloids – it's not every day that CEO of a corporation as big as Kaiba Corp gets into a fight in public."

I shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe you'll get fighting game investors out of the deal. Anything else?"

"They're going to date." He was perfectly straightforward, not confused or boggled or anything like that. Just stating a fact. I had to admire him for that.

"Yeah."

"And you're okay with it."

"It's not my decision," I replied. "I think Shizuka just made it loud and clear that it's none of my business where she picks her relationships." Checking my watch, I sighed and said, "Look, if you're worried about some sabotage on my part, don't. I'm not going to do anything stupid to get back at them, and I'm not going to try to break them up. I've really got to get ready for work, so truce?"

"Only where our siblings are involved."

"Close enough." I held my hand out, hoping to seal it with a handshake like civilized men, but Kaiba didn't take to the idea. Instead he stood and left without saying anything else, not even a parting insult.

Good enough for me.

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Shizuka

"I win again!" Mokuba threw his fist in the air in triumph. "Man, Shizuka, didn't you ever play games with Jou?"

I perked up at hearing the way he shortened Oniichan's name. I didn't know why he did it, but I knew it meant something good. "Not really – played dolls with me when we were kids." I looked at him, and set my controller on the floor in front of me; I wasn't looking to be beaten again. "So…"

"I talked to Jou," he volunteered.

"And?"

"We fixed our issues." He coughed slightly and looked at me from under his bangs. "So can I kiss you now? Because I kinda really want to."

I didn't know it was possible to choke on oxygen, but I somehow pulled it off, coughing violently in surprise, my cheeks burning. Mokuba sat beside me, patting my back gently, eyes wide. It wasn't everyday that someone was so blunt with me. I looked at him, smiling, and I guess it was enough; my breath caught just before his lips touched mine. Turned out he was a pretty straightforward kisser too – it wasn't at all like the kiss at the pool; it was more like a tangle of taste and tongues and his hand on my neck, urging me closer – as though there was much space left between us to start with. But there was one issue more pressing than how far down my throat his tongue could go, and I broke the kiss to ask it.

"What does this mean?"

Looking all smug and pleased with himself he said, "That I'll be a better boyfriend than my brother." I laughed, and he silenced me with another kiss.

Until the phone rang, a distinct cell phone ring to be precise. Last I checked, Kaiba's home phone didn't sound like cheesy Nintendo music.

"Ah, shit," Mokuba grumbled, standing up and jumping onto the couch, grabbing the phone off the end table. I had to laugh at his wording; even if I agreed, I knew that Oniichan probably hadn't helped with his swearing… "Yeah?" He stretched back on the couch, staring at the ceiling and nodding absently; I could just barely hear the pitch of the words on the other end of the phone. "Tomorrow night? Haven't you heard of short notice – I might have something more important to do." There was a short pause, a couple of loud noises on the other end of the phone, and then Mokuba laughed, turning to me. "Shizuka, you want to go to Yuugi's tomorrow for dinner? Apparently they're grilling."

I cringed slightly, wondering if that was the best idea – if Honda and Otogi were about ready to give it up yet. I mean, really; they were nice guys, and no one could be that hopeless… I hoped. "Yeah," I nodded. "Sounds wonderful."

Mokuba nodded and focused his attention back to the phone. "We'll see you then." Hanging up, and he dropped the phone onto the couch and put his arms under his head, still smirking.

"What?" I asked, leaning a little closer despite myself; sometimes, he was as mysterious as his brother…

"I'm just looking forward to tomorrow." Sitting up suddenly, he looked at me and added, "I mean, I'll get to lay claim to you properly now. Can't have Otogi and Honda thinking they can still act the same around you now, can I?"

-end ch.14-

notes
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