Disclaimer: I still don't own it.
A/N: OMG CHAPTER 21??????? How the Hell did I get so far? Sorry about taking forever. I have a life and other fics I'm working on too... And you know me and taking forever just about go hand in hand. Well Please let me know how I'm doing and all that jazz.
As they arrived at the office the driver smiled subtly as he opened the door to the back of the limo. Upon arriving on the top floor Ms. Suzaki was at the desk, the previous secretary already gone, she stood greeting them. "Welcome Mr. Kaiba, Mr. Wheeler." She bowed politely before spotting Mokuba and Akira behind them, eyeing Akira she said nothing about it but Kaiba caught her gaze.
"This is an easier way to get her home, I do believe." Kaiba said to Ms. Suzaki and she smiled.
"As you wish Mr. Kaiba." She said as she bowed again as they passed her, her daughter and Mokuba lingering at her desk as they went into Kaiba's office and as soon as the door closed Ms. Suzaki glared at her daughter. "I gave you a cell for a reason."
"I know Mom, but I didn't really know I would be coming and we were all talking in the limo so I didn't think about it." Akira smiled happily and her Mother couldn't help but smile back. "Next time I'll let you know first."
"Actually this will probably be a daily occurrence." Mokuba piped up. "Well at least until club season rolls around."
Ms. Suzaki smiled at them. "Well as long as you make friends and keep your grades up a Mother can't complain."
"Thank you." Mokuba and Akira smiled and he pulled her towards his game room. He was chattering idly about what kind of games they could play today. And Akira was smiling as she listened.
Meanwhile in Kaiba's office Kaiba was handing Joey documents in file folders. "I want you to go over these files, I have a meeting coming up and I would like you to accompany me." Kaiba smirked. "If you don't understand something in the files ask me, you will be of no use if you are not prepared."
"Set-Kaiba what kinda meeting is this?" Joey looked away, for some reason he was really wanting to call Kaiba's name.
"Set? Are you trying to address me by my first name Mutt?" Kaiba looked him in the eyes and Joey blushed looking away. He didn't bother to answer the questions about the meeting they would discuss that after he had read the file.
Mumbling under his breath Joey sighed. "It was what we agreed in Tokyo."
'In Tokyo?' Kaiba thought he heard Joey mumble but it didn't quite click with his memories so he dismissed it, while a nagging feeling about it remained. "You may use my first name." Seto said to his own surprise, but was well rewarded with the smile that spread across his new assistants face.
"Thank you Seto!" Joey smiled truly very happy that he wouldn't be slipping up anymore.
"Now get to work Joey." Seto said harshly trying not to look Joey in the eyes as a slight blush covered his cheeks at hearing Joey say his name, not that anyone could ever tell, after all he is THE Seto Kaiba. He also tried not to let Joey know that he was happy about it too.
Going into his own office Joey smiled to himself. 'He said my name.' Looking over the files he took in everything he could understand and wrote down a few questions he had about the rest. 'I wonder where the meeting is? It seems to be about the new product Kaiba Corp will be producing for the up coming year.' Opening his laptop he booted it up and saw that he had more to do. Sighing he was about to start working when there was a knock on the door. "Come in." He said quietly and realized there was no way they could hear him so he repeated it a little louder and the door opened to reveal Ms. Suzaki. "Can I help you?" Joey smiled motioning her farther in.
"I was told to tell you that Mr. Kaiba wishes to see you." She smiled before leaving and closing the door behind her.
'I wonder what he wants to see me about, oh it's probably the files for the meeting.' Joey said closing his laptop grabbing his questions as he stood up. Reaching Seto's door he lifted his hand to knock but he heard Seto tell him to come in before he could. Entering the room he saw Seto was looking at the door a file in his hand but he wasn't really looking at it. "You wanted to see me?" Joey said as he closed the door.
"Have a seat Wheel-Joey" Seto smirked at the way Joey lit up as he said his name. 'I think I rather like his smile.' He thought as Joey took a seat but soon dismissed the thought. "I assume you've read the files already?" Seto said rather slowly.
"Yes. I had just finished them and was about to get my other work." Joey said just as slowly. For some reason talking business was kind of awkward.
"Oh that would be tomorrow's work. Today we need to be getting prepared for the meeting. So did you have any questions?" Kaiba asked looking down at his own copy of the files that were in his hand. "I also need to advise you on how I and other board members will expect you to conduct yourself at the meeting. We have until tomorrow to get the materials read and get you acquainted with the policies of meetings. And do you have a suit?"
"I need a suit?" Joey asked skeptically, of course he was wearing his school uniform now, they had not discussed dress code yet. " Wait…You mean to say the meeting is tomorrow?" Joey asked his eyes bulging a little as he leaned forward in his seat. "Wait when and where is the meeting?" Joey added.
"It will be held here in the conference room I showed you before. It will be after school tomorrow." Seto looked Joey over trying not to let his eyes drag too long over certain places that seemed to make him squirm a bit inside also as the much as the blonde was squirming from the scrutiny of his gaze. "I don't suppose you have any finer clothes do you?" He asked slowly more to himself than to the blonde.
Instead of being completely insulted Joey frowned. "Um actually is there a dress code I should be adhering to while I'm working? I noticed you usually wear something casual but as your employee should I have a uniform or dress code?" The blonde smiled a bit as the brunette's eyes finally landed on his, even though they did not hold the emotion he would have liked they were starting to resemble the Seto Kaiba of Tokyo for a brief second before flashing back to the CEO mode that everyone knew so well.
"We never did discuss that but it was actually in your contract." Seto smiled. "You are allowed to dress casually and are also allowed a budget for buying suits for business meetings. It appears we will be spending that budget shortly." Seto smirked at the way Joey was eyeing him like he had lost his mind. "You didn't really read all of it did you?" When Joey gave him a guilty look a memory of blonde hair on his shoulder and soft snores issuing from the owner as they fell asleep on him while he typed something up. But he did not know to whom the hair belonged nor did he know what he was typing. But it brought up the memory of lunch and it no longer seemed like some Tokyo floozy. 'What's with these puzzle piece memories?' He found himself thinking as picked up his phone. "Do you know your sizes?" He asked.
"Sizes?" Joey thought a moment. "Yeah." He nodded relaying the information back to his boss.
"Alright then I'll order one for you. It will arrive here tomorrow in time for the meeting." Seto dialed a number on the phone and gave Ms. Suzaki orders to get the suit made and delivered. "Now to go over conduct."
It was over three hours later when Joey returned to his office to pack up for the night. They had gone over everything imaginable that could be done wrong. A lot of it being things Joey was well known for doing. Sighing he looked at the time and saw that he had plenty of time to work on his painting and to call Yugi and see how he was doing on his. He had also heard a rumor the little guy was gonna be asking a girl out at school today but had not had time to confirm if it was trure.
Meeting Seto in the lobby area he smiled as he saw him talking to Ms. Suzaki, he was discussing how Akira would be getting home as he walked up he over heard part of it. Lounging on the couch Mokuba was listening to something Akira was going on about a wide smile on his face.
"I will take her home toady." Seto was saying and Ms. Suzaki was nodding. "Since you leave the office an hour after I do…" He continued before being interrupted by Joey.
"Why don't you just let her leave when you do?" Joey eyed him slowly.
"Mr. Wheeler I as the sectary have duties to perform even after Mr. Kaiba has left." Ms. Suzaki smiled. "It would be improper for me to leave at the same time as Mr. Kaiba."
Joey nodded slowly as Seto gave him a somewhat glare for interrupting him. "I see that does make sense." He looked to Seto and blushed realizing that he had indeed stopped him from talking. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt."
"It's quite alright Joey." Seto sighed surprising everyone in the room when he didn't get mad, well except Mokuba. "You will need to learn these things as well." Seto smiled a little. "Though I would prefer you allow me to finish what I'm saying first."
Joey wilted a little at the look he was getting but joined Seto at the desk anyway when he was motioned forward. 'I hope he isn't really mad and waiting for later.'
Instead of giving Joey a look screaming that he would be yelled at later Seto just turned to Ms. Suzaki and continued. "As I was saying it may be easier for Akira to ride home with us and for a driver to deliver her home on school nights."
"…" Joey looked over to Akira and Mokuba and noticed they were no longer talking and he suspected they hadn't been when he had entered the room either.
"That is fine with me if it is fine with you Mr. Kaiba." Ms. Suzaki smiled over at her daughter who smiled back happily.
"Now that's settled we will be taking our leave." Seto turned to Joey and nodded and they left the office followed by the excited duo. As they sat down in the limo Seto looked over the two and smirked at the decision he had made.
The ride had barely started but it was too quiet for Joey's tastes so he turned to his now boss and gave him a quizzical look seeing the smirk. Following his gaze he smiled as well. 'Seto did a good thing.' He thought smiling a bit more before turning back to Seto. "So do you have anything in mind for that show case painting we have to do?" He asked softly so that Mokuba and Akira could go on with their own quiet conversation.
Seto turned to Joey a sudden urge to smile came over him but he held it back by widening his smirk. "Not yet but I think a cute dog will do nicely for the painting." He wasn't quite sure where the image of a blonde puppy came from but it was too cute not to paint it. "What about you? If I recall you like to paint?" He couldn't recall hearing that but he knew he knew it somehow.
"I think I may already have something in the works for it now. I do like to paint." Joey smiled he knew that Seto did not know where he knew that from the look that crossed his eyes.
Akira and Mokuba were watching from their side of the limo with hopeful looks on their faces when an idea struck them and they exchanged looks. 'Are you thinking what I'm thinking?' Is what their eyes asked and they began to scheme.
"What is it?" Seto asked curiously, he had only thought about the project when Joey had asked.
"It's a secret." Joey smirked. "Well this is my stop." He smiled as he caught Akira's gaze, he knew they had an idea and something told him he would hear of it soon. Getting out of the limo he climbed to his apartment.
The limo drove away with a curious Kaiba, a scheming Kaiba and his cohort.
Getting inside he saw that he had two messages. Sighing he went about making his dinner while listening. The first one was Yugi.
"Hey Joey it's Yugi. I was just calling to see how work was. I've got something to tell you too. Call me back when you get this."
The second was a much more surprising voice and not one that he wanted to hear.
"Joey, this is Mai. I….I just wanted…. I'm sorry… Will you please call me back?"
It took all he had not to smash his phone. Instead he deleted his messages and called Yugi as he went about working on the newest painting he had started. It took a few rings before anyone picked up.
"Hello?" Yugi picked up the phone.
"Hey Yug. I got your message." Joey smiled he could feel his friend's excitement through his voice. "So is the rumor true about your date?" He teased before Yugi could say anything.
"That's not fair I wanted to tell you. I wonder who let it slip."
"Don't know but whose the lucky girl?" Joey smiled looking over his work so far he nodded to himself.
"I asked Téa to go on a date…" Yugi was turning bright red and you could hear it in his voice.
"…." Joey burst out laughing everyone had known that they liked each other for so long he was surprised it had taken them so long to go out. "Sorry man it's just it took you long enough you know?"
"I know." Yugi smiled. "So how was work?"
"It was pretty good, I have a meeting to attend tomorrow my suits are being made as we speak I'm sure." Joey sighed he was not ready to go to any kind of meeting but Seto seemed to think he could do it which was a nice change. "But you'll never believe who called…" Joey scowled as he remembered her message.
"Who?" Yugi asked completely surprised that Joey would be shocked to hear from anyone, after all his Father was in jail for about a year now.
"Mai…" Joey growled a bit on. "She wants me to call her."
"Don't." The good natured Yugi did not sound so good natured and it wasn't even his Yami. "She made this mess of you and Kaiba you shouldn't talk to her. She'll most likely make it worse."
"I won't." Joey smiled to hear his friend being macho. "I was just letting you know. I think I ought to keep a look out for her."
"That would be best." Yugi sighed. "I don't like this Joey. I feel like she's going to do something stupid again."
"I don't know Yugi…" Joey frowned. "I will keep on the look out though and I'll let you guys know if anything else happens but for now let's keep it between us. I think if Duke found out he would murder her."
"I think your right." Yugi agreed. "Speaking of Duke he's headed over here to help me with my math homework did you want to join us?"
"…Actually that's okay I was working on the required painting. Maybe next time?'
"Yeah next time well he's here so later."
"Yeah later." Joey smiled hanging up the phone and looking over the painting. "I wonder what he'll think when he sees it?" He thought aloud before putting his things away and heading for bed. He needed his rest if was going to be in top shape for his first meeting.
Be sure to review!! I'm not sure how this will play out anymore so I won't make any more predictions... Even I didn't expect Mai back in the picture.