Mysterious Mistress Kura: I'd just like to take this time to thank everyone that has reviewed my story so far. I love you guys so much! You inspire me more than you know! Thanks again! Anyway, onto chapter seventeen of A Dragon's Puppy! Enjoy!
Chapter Seventeen: Concerned For A Friend
Later that evening, Joey came downstairs for supper and noticed Seto sitting at the table, his nose practically glued to his computer screen. He sighed and took a seat opposite the CEO. He didn't bother speaking, knowing only full well that anything he said would get turned against him. He thought it would be best to just let bygones be bygones.
"Hey guys!" Mokuba exclaimed, sitting down in between his brother and Joey. The blonde couldn't understand how the young pre-teen could be so cheerful at a time like this. He guessed that it was probably just in his nature to be so lively.
"Hey Mokuba. What's up?" Joey asked, not once turning his gaze to that of the brunette's. In fact, Seto's eyes never once left that of his laptop screen.
"Nothing much, just hanging out, you?"
"Eh, same old, same old. Although I am wishing that Seto would stop with his damn silent treatment. It's buggin' the hell outta me," the brown-eyed puppy admitted truthfully. Mokuba looked at him and then at his brother. When he turned back to Joey, he simply nodded and then spoke.
"I know what you mean. Ever since we came back from the park, he won't even talk to me. I don't understand what his problem could be. Is it the fact that I caught you two…well…you know…" Joey nodded, a wide blush spreading across his face as he motioned for the raven-haired child to continue. "Why can't he just let it be? I mean, he finally shows his soft side and then two seconds later, it's gone. Sure, he may not like the fact that he's falling in love with you, but he needs to own up to his feelings and accept them…" It was then that Seto stood up from the table and glared at both his brother and Joey.
"Listen, I am not falling in love with Joey! Just because you caught us in the middle of a kiss, doesn't mean that I like him! We're rivals and I plan on staying that way. So if you'll excuse me, I'm heading back upstairs now."
"But Seto, you haven't even had supper yet…"
"I'm not hungry," Seto replied simply, keeping a straight face. Mokuba lowered his head and mumbled a "Fine," under his breath. The CEO didn't take much notice of this and walked out of the room, carrying his laptop with him. Joey looked over to the youngest Kaiba sibling and began rubbing his back as a way of trying to comfort him. Mokuba half-smiled, glad that at least one person cared about how he felt.
"Thanks Joey."
"No problem. I just don't want to see you upset, that's all," was Joey's kind-hearted response. Ever since he had met Yugi, Joey hated to see his friends upset, or anyone for that matter. It would literally break his heart in two every time he saw someone upset or depressed.
"Well I appreciate your sensitivity. I don't know what I would do if you weren't here…"
"Be bored as all hell?"
"Probably. Seto is always working and he never has any time to spend with me. It gets pretty lonely here sometimes. Oh well, at least he lets me have friends over, that way I'm not as bored."
"That is a good thing. I bet it would be even more boring if you couldn't…"
"Definitely," Mokuba admitted without any hesitation.
"So, what do you want to do after supper? Seto's probably going to busy the rest of the night and most likely won't want to spend time with us anyway, what with everything that happened today at the park and all…"
"I know. I just wish he would tell me what's going on in his mind. All I want to know is why he's acting the way he is and the reason for his behaviour towards us…"
"I'm with ya on that one," Joey added.
"How about we watch a movie after supper? We have Underworld and Seto just recently burned Underworld Evolution for me. Do you like those kinds of movies?" Mokuba asked, hoping for a "yes".
"You know it!" the blonde exclaimed joyously. "I loved Underworld! We have so got to watch Evolution!"
Mokuba giggled. "Don't worry, we will."
"YES!" Joey yelled out loud, throwing his arms up into the air. Although, what he didn't realize was that the chef was standing right behind him, holding a platter full of food. He was lucky that his arms had just missed a full force collision with the man's face. If that would of happened, their dinner would have been no more.
"Careful Joey," Mokuba warned cautiously, motioning for Joey to look behind him. The blonde did so and immediately noticed the terrified look on the chef's face. He then turned back to Mokuba.
"What's wrong with him?" he asked, oblivious to the fact that he had caused the whole ordeal.
Mokuba heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head. "Never mind…"
Joey looked confused. "Are you sure? He looks kind of…scared…"
"That's because you almost caused all the food to go flying up into the air. You're lucky it didn't though, otherwise our dinner would have ended up flat on his head, which wouldn't have been a good thing…" the child stated matter-of-factly.
"Oh…now I get it…" For a split second, Mokuba's spirits rose. "But if that happened, wouldn't he just move out of the way?" The mess of raven hair nearly fell over due to Joey's lack of intelligence…or to put it simply, idiocy.
"Why do I even bother?" Mokuba thought aloud, trying to hide the obvious fact that he was indeed giggling.
"What's so funny?" This statement only made the young Kaiba laugh even harder. "C'mon Mokuba, tell me! What's so funny?"
"Nothing…" he managed to reply through numerous fits of laughter.
The blonde raised an eyebrow. "Nothing?"
"Well…" It was then that the incessant ringing of the phone interrupted him. "Whew, saved by the bell…" he sighed thankfully and got up from the table to answer the phone, which was currently located in the living room. When he eventually got a hold of it, he pressed 'Talk' and then spoke into the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Hey, this is Yugi," the voice on the other end replied.
"Oh, hey Yugi. It's Mokuba. What's up?"
"Nothing much. I just called to see how Joey's making out."
"He's doing really well. It seems as though his injuries aren't bothering him that much any more," Mokuba responded truthfully.
"Well that's definitely good news. Do you think he would feel up to going to the mall with a few friends?" the spiky-haired teen inquired.
"I don't know. Hang on a second and I'll ask him."
"Okay." Mokuba then put Yugi on hold while he went to go talk to Joey.
"Hey Joey!" he exclaimed while literally sliding into the kitchen.
"Yah?"
"Yugi is on the phone. He wants to know if you'd be interested in going to the mall with him and a few of your friends."
Joey pondered with that question before eventually coming to a decision. "Can I talk to him?" he asked politely.
"Sure, just come with me." With that, Joey followed Mokuba into the living room where the young pre-teen handed the cordless phone over to his blonde-haired friend.
"Yug?"
"Oh, Joey. What's up?" Yugi did not expect to hear Joey's voice on the other end but was exceptionally glad when he did. It confirmed the fact that Joey was all right.
"Nothing much, just hanging out with Mokuba…"
"Did he tell you?"
"Tell me what?" Joey had almost forgotten the question that Yugi had asked him when realization suddenly dawned on him. "Oh yah! Sorry Yug, I almost forgot."
"That's okay, Joey. So, can you come?"
"Well…I don't know. I was kind of planning on staying here today. Mokuba asked me if I wanted to watch Underworld and Underworld Evolution. I mean, come on! Those are like the best movies ever!"
"But isn't Underworld Evolution still in theatres?" Yugi inquired.
"Yah, but Mokuba convinced Seto to download it for him and since he can't say no to his younger brother, he did it!" Joey exclaimed rather happily. This was probably the happiest he had been in ages.
"I see. So I guess we'll just reschedule the mall for another day then?"
"Yah. Maybe we can go during a week when we have no school. March Break will be coming up soon so we can go then," the blonde suggested.
"Sure thing. Well I guess I'll see you around…" Yugi's voice now held a rather disappointed ring to it. Joey wasn't paying much attention so he didn't really notice a difference.
"Yep. See ya bud!" Both teens than hung up at the same time, each in completely opposite moods.
With Yugi…
"What's wrong aibou?" Yami asked, appearing beside his hikari in transparent form.
"Nothing," Yugi lied.
"Yugi…" Yami was determined to get an answer out of him. He could no longer bare to look at Yugi and almost always get the same facial expression…depressed and lonely…
"It's just…I'm worried about Joey, that's all. I know that he's all right, but he hardly ever spends time with us anymore. He's almost always around Mokuba or Kaiba. Yet the most surprising part is…Joey called Kaiba by his first name. He never does that. The only person that ever calls him Seto is Mokuba and that's only because he's his little brother. Is there something going on that I don't know about? Is Joey actually becoming closer to Kaiba?"
"I wouldn't think so, aibou. Joey and Kaiba are long-term rivals and I doubt that they'd even think of getting close to each other. They're completely different people and nothing will change that."
"You really think that that's how it's going to be?"
"Yes I do. I may not have as much knowledge about this world as you do, but I know rivals when I see them and Joey and Kaiba are definitely classed in that category," Yami stated.
"Well I guess I'll take your word on that," and for the first time in a while, Yugi actually smiled. He knew that Joey was doing well and that's what really mattered. The only thing troubling him was that if staying with Seto was starting to affect him in more ways than one…