Rating: K+
#19 Red
"Jounouchi Katsuya, so help me, if you do anything to get me fired…"
Anzu stood over their table, her hands on her hips, her eyes blazing as she glared down at the four of them. Jounouchi knew she hated when they came to Burger World while she was working, but they had the best burgers in town. Besides, he loved the way Yugi's eyes popped out of his head whenever he saw Anzu in her waitress uniform.
Jounouchi gave her his best innocent look. "Who, me?"
"Yes, you," she snapped. "And that goes for all of you," she added, although Jounouchi noticed her gaze really only took in Honda and Otogi, the latter of whom was visiting from America for the first part of his summer break, which started more than a month earlier than theirs in Japan. Yugi, naturally, was beyond reproach, and to prove it, he had his head bowed over the table, not meeting her gaze.
"Yes, ma'am," Otogi said in English, giving her a mock salute.
She gave him a hard look before schooling her features into a professional smile. "Now may I take your order?"
They all ordered burgers and fries and sodas, and Anzu started to walk away when she stopped and turned back. "Oh, Jounouchi, I almost forgot. It's all set for Shizuka to stay with me when she visits this weekend." And then she left.
Simultaneously, Honda's and Otogi's jaws dropped and in unison they said, "Shizuka's coming to visit?"
Jounouchi glowered at them, but before he could open his mouth, Honda turned on Otogi. "You stay away from her!"
"Why should I?" Otogi asked, shrugging. "You stay away from her."
"Both of you stay away from her," Jounouchi growled. "She ain't coming to visit either of you!"
"Sounds like she's coming to visit Anzu," Otogi said pointedly and Honda snickered. Yugi still had his head bowed, keeping well out of the fray.
"No, she's coming to visit me, you nimrods," Jounouchi grumbled. "She's just staying at Anzu's 'cause there's no way in hell she's staying at my dad's."
This seemed to sober them up and even Yugi looked up, giving him a small nod of support that he might've missed if he didn't know Yugi so well.
"What would she like to do while she's here?" Yugi asked. "We should take her somewhere really fun. You said she likes the beach, didn't you?"
"Oh yeah, let's go to the beach!" Hondo enthused.
"Totally," Otogi agreed.
"Bikinis," Honda raved.
"And wet t-shirts," Otogi added.
Jounouchi leaned over the table and clocked them both upside the head. "No beach! I'm not letting my kid sister anywhere near you two pervs, especially not in a bathing suit!"
"How about the museum, then? Girls like that cultural stuff," Otogi suggested.
Yugi looked down again and mumbled something that sounded like "Not ready yet."
Jounouchi put his hand on Yugi's shoulder. "No, not the museum."
"What Shizuka really needs is someone to show her a good time, take her out for a night on the town," Otogi said.
"And I'm just the man for the job," Hondo cut in.
"Yeah, right," Otogi scoffed, "your idea of a night on the town is Burger World and the arcade."
"Hey, I've got plenty of ideas for a good date. And I know Shizuka better than you do anyway," Honda retorted.
"Oh please, you met her like three days before me."
"Yeah, but it was three days at her bedside in the hospital."
"NEITHER OF YOU IS TAKING MY SISTER OUT ON A DATE SO JUST SHUT UP!" Jounouchi screeched, pounding his fists on the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the restaurant.
Anzu scurried over. "Jounouchi, I swear, I'll kill you," she warned through gritted teeth.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he said, holding his hands up. "I'll be good, I promise."
"You'd better!"
"Our burgers ready yet?" Otogi asked. He only got a cold glare as response before she left again.
"Please don't get Anzu in trouble," Yugi whispered urgently when she was gone. "She needs this job to go study dancing in America." He looked at Jounouchi, his eyes pleading. "Remember what she did that one time when we first found out she was working here…."
"Don't tell me, tell them," Jounouchi cocked his thumb at Honda and Otogi.
"What? We're not doing anything," Otogi said innocently. "I don't see what the big deal is about going on one little date with your sister."
"Because I know what you're both thinking, that's why," Jounouchi warned.
"Oh come on, I'm not thinking anything," Honda protested. "Just that I'd like to get to know her. I mean, she's your sister! I wouldn't try anything!"
"Me either," Otogi added as Anzu returned with their food, "even if she is cute."
"Oh yeah, definitely cute," Honda agreed, leaning back in his seat so Anzu could reach across him to hand Otogi his plate.
"With those big hazel eyes…" Otogi said dreamily.
"And that long, red hair…"
"Oh yeah, gotta love the red hair. But still, I wouldn't try anything. Well, a good-night kiss maybe."
"No harm in a little good-night kiss," Honda nodded, closing his eyes with a sigh.
"All right, that's it," Jounouchi seethed. "You two wanna see something red, how 'bout your own blood!"
He lunged across the table at them, knocking aside the burger Anzu had just set in front of him. Anzu was quicker, however. Before he could reach them she grabbed him by the back of the shirt and hauled him back to his seat. With her other hand, she took a bottle of ketchup and squeezed it, spraying its contents down the front of his shirt.
"What did I say?" she hissed, then slammed the ketchup bottle down on the table in front of him. Abruptly her demeanor went back to cool and professional. "Would you care for some mustard, too?"