A/N: Set in Seto and Joey's past.
A BARKING PRESENT
ONE-SHOT
By shinujigoku
- This is my Christmas present to you all, especially tenshi-tsuki who has always brought a ray of happiness to everyone she meets, especially to me who she has been quite supportive of. -
The rich hues of red, golds and oranges of the leaves of the fruit trees gently break from their branch and slowly float with the gentle breeze, whispering serenely as they fall. Through the branches of the trees outlining the path, the bright sunlight shimmers, casting moving shadows against the concrete. The climate was gradually cooling, signalling the end of summer and the onset of the bitter, cold winter, where everything alive hibernates.
A tall boy slowly walks between the fruit trees and down the footpath, his soft footfalls crunching amongst the leaves. He is dressed in the traditional uniform of the Domino Junior School, the blue and white accentuating his soft features, fine brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He tilts his head to the sky and basks in the fractured sunlight, breathing deeply. He loved this place during the autumn, especially when he was with him.
The boy continued walking steadily down the path and turned the corner to be greeted with the sight of his best friend and secret crush, leaning against the school post, waiting for him. A slight smile crossed his passive features, and he hurried his step to the other boy.
The boy in question was blonde, with tints of golden browns and whites in his hair, and he had the most bravura chocolate eyes, that crinkled in mirth when he laughed or smiled. They were like that now as the boy reached him.
'So Seto, for once I'm earlier than you!'
Seto smiled and he swatted his friend playfully on the arm, before he walked into step as they entered the school. 'Good morning Joey!' he replied.
As they walked down the big path leading to the school doors amongst the other cheerful students, Joey talked animatedly about all types of things, ranging from the ever-changing climates to his planned Christmas holiday. Seto was quiet throughout Joey's ranting, relishing in the boy's constant enthusiasm and energy, something he wished he, himself, had. Yet when Joey began talking about the Christmas traditions of the Wheeler household, Seto withdrew his attention, disconcerted. This did not go unnoticed by Joey.
'What's wrong mate? You've suddenly gone all…spooky like.'
Seto smiled at his friend's attempt at lightening the mood, yet he resignedly sighed and began talking of the night before.
00000
- FLASHBACK -
It was nighttime and the mansion was quiet since most of the day servants had retired for the evening. Seto, dressed in his flannelette pyjamas, quietly proceeded towards the big double doors that signified the Kaiba library. He knew his father would be in there, sitting with a scotch in his hand and a big tome on military warfare in the other. It was always the same when he came home. He would always lock himself in the study and refuse to see anyone unless bidden. Tonight Seto needed to see him and he would "disobey" his father's long standard rule.
Seto cautiously knocked on the big oak doors and waited for his father's grunt to enter. Seto's father wasn't his real father, but a stepfather who adopted him for the sake of an heir to carry on the family business. Seto never approved of his father's line of work, and was investigating ways to change it, even at such a young age of six. Recently, a man called Maximillian Pegasus had invented a new strategy game called Duel Monsters, and Seto was hooked. Nevertheless, that was not why he came to see his father tonight.
Seto tentatively walked into the room and looked around. The library was expansive, with rows upon rows of tomes outlining the walls. It was always gloomy in here, with only the fire to bring any warmth and light into the room. In the centre of the room there was a large mahogany desk with rich leather furnishings scattered around it. Seto's father, a majestic man, was sitting in the high-backed chair behind the desk with a scotch glass and bottle on the desk, and a book balanced on his knee.
'Who is it?'
Seto straightened his back and walked towards his father. 'It is I, father.' Seto's father looked up briefly, before turning back to his book.
'What do you want?' He replied, turning the page as he did so.
'Well…' Seto stammered.
'Speak up!'
'I wanted to talk to you about Christmas this year.' Seto mumbled out quickly, losing his composure. His father snorted and Seto waited patiently for his answer
'What about it? Do you have a request?'
'Yes.'
'Well hurry up then. What would you like.'
Seto breathed deeply, trying to regain some decorum. He advanced towards one of the chairs in front of his father and stood beside it. His father, realising his son hadn't spoken and that he had moved from the shadows to the other side of the desk, placed his book on the desk, dog tagging his page, and looked up into Seto's reserved eyes.
'I want a puppy.'
'What's wrong with the dogs in the courtyard?'
'Nothing. It's just I feel lonely here within the house and I wanted a companion to dote on while you're away on your business trips.'
'But the dogs we have now should suffice.'
'No they will not. They have been bred to guard and race in your gambling ventures, and I want something to call my own.'
'Is that your request?' Sighed his father, reclining further into his chair, his fingers drumming the armrest lazily.
'Yes.' Replied Seto, watching with curiosity at his father's relaxed pose.
'Well the answer is no.'
'But…why?'
'I don't want some wishy-washy dog yapping at people's heels and wanting constant attention. That's not a dog. The one's in the courtyard are dogs.'
'But I'll keep the dog away from people, he'll only have to be near me…' Seto anxiously said, hoping to win his father in giving him one for Christmas.
'The answer remains no. You must concentrate on your studies so when you come of age you can take over my business. Now shouldn't you be in bed?'
'Yes, father.' Seto understood his father's dismissals easily and he walked despondently out of the library, and back to his dark and lonely bedroom.
00000
Joey and Seto had gone to their homerooms shortly after the school bell rang to signify the start of lessons. They weren't in the same class this year, not like other years, but despite this they remained close and met at lunchtime. Both of them could never think of being apart from the other, since they've always been together, and once again they met at one of the fruit trees in the orchid, its leaves scattered around its base in a flurry of colour.
'Heya!' Joey called out, bounding towards him in happiness. Seto smiled and moved over a bit so Joey could sit beside him under their favourite cherry tree. 'What do you have today?
Seto opened up his bento box and inside were two rice balls, an apple juice, some finger sticks and chocolate custard. Joey eyed the custard with his big brown eyes, and Seto merely laughed, handing it to him.
'If you want it, you should just ask. Anyway I don't really like sweets.'
Joey smugly smiled and whipped off the cover, dipping his spoon in and gulping a large spoonful. 'Well, I didn't want to ask in case you wanted it.'
Together they began eating their bento boxes silently, watching the movement around them. Children were everywhere, playing all types of games or playing on the playground. Although Joey was a sociable and athletic kid, Joey always decided to lunch with Seto, in which Seto was grateful.
'I have something to tell you.' Joey said out of the blue.
'Hrm…?'
'I'm moving town.'
Seto dropped his juice in surprise and looked at his friend in alarm. Joey's long bangs were covering his face and his head was bowed. With a slight movement of his head, Joey looked away and apologised.
'Don't…don't apologise.' Seto said, tears springing to his eyes. 'When was it decided?'
'Last week. I wanted to tell you but I could never find the right time.' Joey said candidly. 'My sister has taken for the worse and we need to go to Kyoto where they have the doctors and facilities needed to help her. Good…Goodbye…'
Joey looked at Seto briefly, a tear travelling down his cheek before he got up quickly and ran back to the school. Seto merely watched sadly until he could take it no longer and buried his head in his hands and cried.
00000
It had been two months since the day that Joey had disappeared out of Seto's life and from his heart. Seto had received no word from him on his whereabouts or whether he or his sister was doing ok. Seto decided to close those memories away, and just forget. His father had commented on his now new cold exterior and how he was proud of his son maturing so fast. Seto merely acquiesced to his father's fawning, despite how truly lonely and depressed he was inside.
It was Christmas day, and Seto woke up to a gloomy day where dark clouds were hiding the sunlight from his view. The house was quiet since most of the staff had gone home to celebrate Christmas with their families. Only Seto's nanny was in the house, yet Seto suspected that she would be enjoying a long-awaited lie-in today. His father had business in Korea and he wouldn't be back for another month. It was to be a lonely Christmas indeed.
Seto resignedly sighed and began to get dressed. He donned a warm sweater and jeans and walked lazily out of his room and down towards the kitchen where he would get breakfast. Just as he reached the bottom of the stairwell, the doorbell rang and Seto walked towards the front doors.
'What would idiotic Christmas carollers be doing here so early in the blimin' morning? Have they no home?'
Seto wrenched open the doors, ready to throw a tantrum, when he witnessed something he thought he would never see again. More specifically, someone.
Joey stood there shivering slightly in the cold, wearing what appeared to be a golden retriever outfit and tinsel wrapped around his neck in the form of a collar. Joey smiled warmly, his painted black nose, crinkling as he smiled. He raised his puppy paws wide so Seto could truly see his outfit properly.
'Merry Christmas Seto.' Joey whispered shyly, glancing at the astonished face of his best friend and secret crush.
Seto's eyes were watering and his broke out in a smile that hadn't been seen since Joey left for Kyoto. Seto leaped out of the door and nestled into his friend's arms. Joey circled his arms around him and they both stood there just as the snow began to fall.
Seto got his Christmas wish.
A puppy for his very own.
00000
A tall man was reclining behind a desk, his feet up next to the desk lamp and a glass of scotch and a book resting against his body. He was in shadows with only the firelight permeating any form of light and warmth into the room. The city lights were ablaze in colours of gold and red against the night, where snow was gently falling and piling up against his windowsill.
He languidly rose from his seat, still carrying his drink, and headed towards the hearth to keep warm. He allowed a smile to cross his defined face, his startling blue eyes crinkling in mirth as he remembered his childhood with his first, and only, crush. It had been years since that day that he had seen him, standing there in a doggy suit, but it always brought sad memories of the last time they saw each other each Christmas. And it was the same this year.
Until he saw him standing there with that Yugi boy at the last Duel Monsters match.
Seto knew that Joey had forgotten about him, since they were six at the time, and that Seto had changed his persona and appearance altogether from that of a six year old. Seto also noticed that Joey had changed as well a bit, but he saw that he was the same energetic idiot that he once loved, still loved. And so he made a plan to get him back into his life, and into his arms once more.
Providing he would show.
Seto sighed and moved back towards the window. It was getting late and the snow seemed to be getting thicker. He realised that he might not show, and decided to draw down the blinds until he heard a soft knock on his apartment door.
Trying not to look too pleased, Seto straightened out his clothes and strode towards the door, flinging it open. There he stood, shyly looking up at him with his big, brown eyes, curtained by his golden locks and dressed in a doggy suit similar to that day.
'I thought you had forgotten me…' Joey whispered until he was silenced by one of Seto's long fingers.
'Never.' Seto replied, wrapping his hand around Joey's neck and bringing him in close for a passionate kiss.
They were together again for Christmas.
Both Puppy and Master.
A/N: Gosh this story is corny! I was in a rush to finish it. I'd like to apologise if my facts are wrong. It has been years since I've seen the anime and I refuse to research at the moment. If there's anything wrong with it, tell me and I'll consider changing it.
Nevertheless, Please Review
Authors enjoy your comments and the considerate thing to do is review a story whether you like it or not and give your opinion on why you do after you've read the fic.
Anyway, I wish you all a Merry Christmas.