Ashes doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Chapter Fifteen
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Kaiba
Mokuba invited me out to a barbeque that one of Yuugi's friends was holding, trying to convince me that it'd be a good time to clear the air between the four of us and 'look for new dating prospects.'
I told him, "Thanks, but no thanks." He didn't press the topic, and even if I did spend the evening alone at Kaiba Corporation, I spent most of it wondering about Mokuba. Not worrying, for the first time I could remember – just wondering. He'd proven he could choose his own company well-enough without my help, and he could out-smart me just as well if he put his mind to it. He didn't need my protection, not anymore – and what less could I have really expected, looking at his role models; dependency wasn't a staple I had taught.
So my evening went quietly – my night, on the other hand, was interrupted by none other than Jounouchi. It seemed as though he didn't understand that to me, truce meant that we not have any more contact than usual.
"Don't shoot the messenger," he said, smiling sheepishly and holding up his hands. "I come in peace. I went to pick up some munchies, and Mokuba sent me here to ask if he can stay overnight with us at Yuugi's." It took a moment to overcome the initial urge to demand that he be home; I'd never been able to stomach letting him stay anywhere but at home for too long – anywhere that I couldn't help him. "Define us."
"Just the guys – extended pizza and movie time."
"Nothing that'd get you arresting for endangering a minor?" I set him with a pointed glare, and he returned one that said clearly he didn't appreciate the implication.
"Nothing. Besides, Shizuka is a lot scarier than you, and she already threatened me. Those two are so sweet, it's gross." I smirked, stretching in my seat. "They're getting long then?"
"Very well." It was Jounouchi's turn to give me the look; he didn't seem to think I'd catch his drift without it.
I did.
"Fine – have him awake by lunch tomorrow. I'll pick him up personally."
"A regular knight in shining armor. I'll pass on the news." Jounouchi turned to leave, but added the over-so-appropriate parting message of, "By the way – go to hell," as the doors shut behind him. As though I cared; I was still caught up in surrealism of regarding Mokuba was more grown up.
One thing was for sure: I'd have to keep an eye on him – and be much more careful about how I got caught.
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Mokuba
It was nice, hanging out with Jounouchi and company without having to play up to the job of being a boyfriend. It didn't like such a big deal when I was dating Shizuka. We hung out, we ate, and for the most part, everyone treated it like nothing was at all weird or wrong.
After all the drama with Niisama and Jou, acting absolutely normal was a great feeling. Plus, I got to cuddle with a cute girl while I was at it. Kinda. If I people started looking at us, it got embarrassing and we'd move, or if I thought we were maybe making Jou uncomfortable, I'd shift away. But I did get a really great vanilla ice-cream flavored kiss behind a tree in Yuugi's backyard – I would never eat vanilla ice cream the same, not now that I knew it was much tastier on someone else's tongue – and sometimes when we were sitting, she'd tug my hand behind my back and twine her fingers with mine. It was sickeningly sweet.
I liked it. For every time I remembered seeing her angry, confused by my brother, I remembered that she was my responsibility now; if she was unhappy or hurt, it was in my hands. I'd promised to be a better boyfriend than Niisama.
I didn't really talk to Jounouchi until after he returned from my brother's office; Shizuka was taking a taxi home, and we were standing alone on step in front of Yuugi's door.
"Is it weird?" I asked, dropped my hand without taking my eyes off the taxi.
"Not really." Jounouchi shrugged. "Kaiba gave me a crash-course on dealing with my sister as someone else's sexual object, so at least I'm kinda used to that."
I snorted, rolling my eyes. "She's more than an object."
"Exactly what I want to hear," he replied, slapping a hand on my shoulder. "You're a good kid. Better at sucking up than Honda and Otogi, anyway. Speaking of them – "
"Already put in their place," I interrupted, smirking at the memory. "Don't even worry about it."
"Great – you might be better at this than I gave you credit for. C'mon; there's food inside with my name on it!" Without further discussion Jounouchi took off inside, shouting incoherently to his friends – I caught about three words of it; something involving pizza and, "You lame bastards!" It was fun to be grouped into that same set of people. The Jounouchi I liked was the one around his friends – even if it made me a 'lame bastard'.
I nodded to myself, and looked up at the night sky. "Things turned out well," I said to nothing in particular, smiling. Now if only I could get my brother out of his office…
"Mokuba! The pizza isn't going to eat itself!"
My smile widened into a grin. "Coming!"
-end-
notes
I have a slew of excuses of why it took four months to finish this story when there were only two chapters left. I really do -- and for the most part, I don't like to share them. But for you, since you somehow made it through the long haul, I'll manage.
First off, these chapters have been done forever. At least since May, because I was still living on Fort Riley (I haven't since June) when I finished the rewrites of fourteen & fifteen. I won't lie -- I've been demotivated about this story for a long time, and the sudden change in plot on my part didn't help in the slightest. I'm really worried I've bullshitted too much and left you guys with a weak ending. If it turned out that way -- I'm sorry, but this is really all I got.
And I had seriously decided that I was done with fanfiction after this story, at least for a little while; I had no motivation for anything else, I was simply done. But that's changed, as I've refound that spark recently. Luckily before I posted this and announced my "retirement." Ah, I'm too young to retire.
And the excuses end with my issues in balancing work, my apartment, the boy, a psuedo-social life, and my livelihood (that being fanfiction) -- this story has taken the beating of everything over the past year. And I'm really sorry you had to read through that -- and all this lame shit.
On that note, I genuinely hope you've enjoyed the ending, and that overall the experience of the story has been good for you (even if the scheduling hasn't). Thanks to Hannah, Elsalhir, and purkle for all beta'ing, and nenya & Kagi and everyone whose helped with this story in the year+ it's taken my to get it done.
Anyway, I've got a pizza in the oven and a movie night to tend to
-- I hope to see you in the future
- Ashes