Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Chrysalis ❯ Twisting the Knife ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: Yugi-oh is the property of someone else. I can only humbly worship the artist.

Author's note: Yes, I am perfectly aware that I am using a mix of names from both the manga and the anime. I just happen to like the names Duke, Solomon, and Serenity, so I'm using them ^-^

Chrysalis

Chapter Eleven: Twisting the Knife

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After School: Jonouchi and Kaiba

~*~*

Jonouchi slumped against the side of the school building, watching Duke kiss Roba. He had to admit as far as style, form and duration, the kissing duo was scoring perfect marks. They looked good together, the fit well, and they both, by the soft moans that wafted in his direction, were enjoying the kiss.

Somehow it hurt. He knew that Duke used him to strike at Kaiba. He admitted that he had used Duke for the same reason. It still hurt to see Duke holding Roba so close, so intimately, to see Duke's hands skim across Roba's ass, to see Roba wind his arms around Duke. He wasn't in love with Duke, hell, after the first few rounds in bed, he was slightly bored with the guy, but it still hurt. It made him feel dirty, tired, worthless. A slut.

He had originally brushed Honda's comment off, laughing that he had earned the title, but now it sunk in and it sunk deep. Slut, whore, user, used. Cast off like a old condom, while his lover wrapped a new one around his dick. Jonouchi pushed himself tiredly away from the wall and slipped into a nearby door, not noticing that there was another observer to the little scene.

Kaiba sat quietly on his favorite bench beneath an old maple beside the school yard wall. He had been trying to snatch a few moments of quiet and sunshine before heading off to Kaiba Corp. and had settled on the bench in the nearly deserted school yard, hoping for a moment of peace. Instead he found himself watching Duke and Roba trying to bite each other's faces off. It had been interesting to watch, especially since Duke despised Roba. Kaiba remembered the term he had over heard Duke call the smaller boy, `side-show freak', hardly the way you'd address your soon to be lover. Yet there he was nibbling on Roba's lips and pawing the slighter one's body, looking like he wanted to rip Roba's clothes off and fuck him silly were they stood.

Then he noticed Jonouchi standing against the building watching the two and anger quickly replaced mild interest. He watched as Jonouchi's shoulders slightly rounded forward, his blond head tipped slightly down, his soft gentle lips that seemed to be made to smile, became still, frozen. Most people might have overlooked those small, nearly unnoticeable changes, but Kaiba knew Jonouchi's body too well. He knew how it fit together. The shape of each muscle and bone, how they moved and shifted. It was as much a part of him as his own body and he knew those little changes were all that was going to betray the pain the blond felt.

Kaiba's eyes tracked back to the couple and things clicked into place. A show. It was a show for Jonouchi's benefit, to send an emotional knife between Jonouchi's ribs and into his heart. Duke hadn't just been after him, he wanted to strike at Jonouchi as well. As he watched Jonouchi step away from the wall and walk into the school, he knew that Duke's blade had slammed home into his love's heart.

Kaiba stood up and walked toward the front entrance of the school where his limo was waiting for him. If Duke wanted to play like that, he could accommodate, it would only take a phone call to his acquisitions department. He had gained a controlling interest in Duke's Dungeon Dice Monster company and had planned to quietly yank Duke's chain from behind a screen of holding companies. To do to Duke as he had done to him, never to actually come out and admit his action, just stand on the sideline to gloat at the fall out. However, plans could change. A shift here, a shift there and he could let Duke know exactly what was happening, who was doing it to him and let him know that there was nothing he could do to save himself. Twist the knife in Dukes insides as Duke was doing to Jonouchi.

Kaiba settled back into the limo's plush interior and reached for his phone. It was time to get to work.

~*~*~*

Game Shop

~*~*~*

"Miss. Buttercup in the garage with the inner tube." Yugi proclaimed, grinning happily at Yuai. They were once again sprawled on the floor between the couch and the kitchen playing games. This time it was Clueless, a Game of Mystery and Adventure. A murder mystery game set in a small rural town amongst people that made Cooter on Dukes of Hazard look like a Nobel Prize winning genius.

"That sounds a bit…kinky." Yuai grumbled, unable to dispute the claim.

Yugi grabbed the envelope and dug out the cards. "YES! Ye-ha, I won! You get to do the dishes."

Yuai set her cards down and scrambled to her feat, heading to the kitchen. "Okay, I'm on it."

Gloating is no way to get a date. Yami looked over the back of the couch at his hikari, the world stock market report droning in the background.

Dishes are more important than dating. Yugi smiled back, then started putting the game away.

How are you going to marry her with an attitude like that? Yami slid back to lay on the couch as the New York Stock Exchanged posted the days highs and lows.

Will you cut it out. I am NOT MARRYING YUAI. Yugi slammed the game back into it's box.

Why not? She's nice enough to look at, you like her, you get along well together and she's your size. Yami watched fascinated as the people in New York celebrated by hugging a firefighter and blowing horns. He wondered if it was a tradition to hug public employees at the end of the stock market day. Didn't they give enough without being publicly mauled by sweaty stockbrokers. Believe me, size is important. I had one wife, can't remember her name, who was tall. To say things were awkward is a understatement. I almost had to stand on a chair to kiss the woman.

I'm not interested in marrying anyone. Yugi stood up and walked over to the closet to put the game away. I happen to be happily in love with a rather infuriating yami.

I love you too. Yami closed his eyes trying to block out both the pain and the joy Yugi's words sent needling into his heart.

Good! Then stop nagging, or I won't invest my allowance in stocks and bonds. Yugi came back around the couch and thumped next to Yami.

Aibou…Yami clenched his eyes tighter, then gave a small defeated sigh. All right no more about marriage. Yami opened his eyes and gave his light a slight smile, then looked quickly away.

Yami? Yami, I was only kidding. Yugi felt the spirit withdrawing, his emotions hiding in a veil of shadow. You know I wouldn't… it's just as much yours…I mean…

Yami glanced back at him then returned to the television. I know.

A soft grumbling sound came from the kitchen as Yuai started the dishwasher. She came back into the living room in a moment. "Yugi, you're nearly out of dish powder."

"Oh, thanks. I'll tell grandpa." Yugi looked up at Yuai and took a deep breath. "Yuai, would you go to the dance with me?"

Yuai blinked, then shook her head, "I wish I could Yugi, but my mom and dad don't allow me to go to dances. They think it's immoral for people our age to date, dance or go to parties."

"Then why do they let you come over here?" Yugi almost felt relieved.

"Because you're a friend, we aren't dating, and you're grandpa is right down stairs. Nothing immoral about playing games and doing homework at a classmates house." She then gave a small embarrassed shrug. "I also told them you're a girl."

"What?! I'm a girl?!" Yugi yelped, nearly falling off the couch.

"Well," She looked away. "They might get the wrong idea if I told them I was going over to a boy's house to play."

She's lying about something. Yami commented, watching Yuai.

"What are you lying about?" Yugi frowned.

"Huh?" Yuai looked startled.

"You're lying about something."

"Well, yeah. I've been lying to my parents. Do you think it makes me happy?" Yuai frowned, glaring at Yugi, "But I like you and I don't want to loose my friend, just because my parents can't believe a guy and a girl can be friends without wanting to rip each other's clothes off and stuff."

See if you can get her to elaborate on the `and stuff' part. Yami snickered relaxing back on the couch.

Yami, knock it off. She's already angry and pretty embarrassed too. Yugi held up one hand. "Sorry Yuai, I like you too. I was just curious and you seemed to be really uncomfortable."

Yuai stood up and took a deep breath. "That's okay Yugi." She smiled at him, "I really wish I could go to the dance with you. I'd be fun."

"That's okay. But can we forget about the girl part."

"Sure, no problem." Yuai walked over to where her bag and coat were. "I have to get going. I promised I'd be home early tonight."

"Oh, okay." Yugi got to his feet. "Are you sure you're not mad?"

"I'm not mad." Yuai shrugged into her coat and picked up her bag.

"Well, okay. I'll see you at school tomorrow." Yugi walked over and stood shifting from foot to foot uncertainly.

"I'll meet you at the corner." Yuai smiled as she started walking down the stairs. She waved goodbye to Yugi as she reached the bottom.

"Good night, Yuai." Solomon Motou looked up from tallying the day's receipts and smiled at the girl.

"Good night, Mr. Motou." Yuai slipped out of the shop and onto the street.

It was almost dark out. The fading light made the shadows hang in soft gentle puddles on the ground. Street lights were flickering on and the cars on the street whooshed by with dim headlights. The noises of Domino City were already being hushed by the coming night, as shop windows gleamed in the gathering dark.

Yuai had always loved this time of day, but not tonight. Tonight it filled her with dread. Tonight she had to meet that pervert, Ekko, and let him do whatever sick thing he wanted to her. She wasn't stupid, she knew that no matter what she did, he'd never give her the pictures. They would hang over her head like her own personal tsunami, threatening to wipe out everything she treasured. There was no way out, except to submit.

You're lying about something.

"Yes, Yugi. I'm lying about a lot. I am lie. Didn't you know?"

What are you lying about?

"Everything, Yugi. I lie about everything."

~*~*~*

Kaiba

~*~*~*

Well, that didn't go too badly. Kaiba slumped down on the edge of his bed and cradled his aching head in his hands. Mokuba didn't actually say he'd disown me forever.

He lifted his head and looked out the window over the darkening skyline to where the stars were already peeking through night's curtain. He'd come to hate the night. Before it had been his favorite time of day. The time that he could let go of all the endless variations of problems Kaiba Corp threw at him, could come home to listen to Mokuba tell about the wonders of being a kid, walk in to see Jonouchi grinning at him as he wrapped him into a welcoming hug.

Now it was just a prelude to a long night with no sleep. A long, sweaty, twisting time of laying on a bed and listening to how very quiet the house was. He had never realized just how big the mansion was till he found himself alone in it, the only one awake at three in the morning. It was full of rooms and space and silence so oppressive that it seemed to come alive and try to wrap itself around him like a freezing, smothering blanket.

Kaiba shot to his feet and walked quickly over to the desk. He'd put the time to good use and get some work done. He'd be out of the office for three days and he could start getting ahead of his work now, so when he returned he wouldn't be swamped under.

The file on top was from Kado in security, the file on Yuai. He settled down in his chair and flipped it open. Nothing surprising. The background check came back fine. The Fujimora family had moved to Domino City six months ago. Her mother was working as a manicurist in a small salon, her father, as a mechanic at a garage that specialized in motor homes. No other siblings. Yuai did well in school (GPA: B+) and had a small babysitting business with glowing recommendations that were neatly attached to the back. She had a license for childcare, and was up to date on her first aid and CPR certificates. The only problem is that the family's records for more than six months were unavailable. Kado had left a note that there were a great deal of Fujimoras on record and with the family's poor economic standing, paperwork would probably be scarce. He would, however, continue with a more in-depth check.

Kaiba absently signed off on the file, okaying the check, as he considered how much he would have to dole out to get Yuai to work for him. If she'd been in business for more than a week, she'd probably been warned off from him and Mokuba. It would have to be a lot. The last one had held out for a hundred and that was only for a three hour business dinner he'd had to attend in Tokyo.

He flipped to the recommendations in the back of the file, recognizing not just Tanaka's name, but Mr. Yoshida's and a few names of business associates, teachers and the school's principle. They all said the same things. Yuai was the best: kind, competent, organized, professional, strict but friendly, kept her head under pressure, kids loved her, she could handle any problem that came up easily, and was absolutely dependable. The only thing was, you had to contact her in advance, by mail, or in person, at school.

Keeping secrets are we? Kaiba grinned. Don't want mom and dad to know about your little moonlighting job.

He shrugged, he couldn't blame her. He'd kept his share of things secret as he was growing up, and the school wasn't all that thrilled when they found their students employed. He flipped to the principle, Mr. Bado's, recommendation and laughed. The principle had even a worse time finding a babysitter than he did. Having a reliable babysitter, who was willing to deal with Bado's active triplet sons was worth bending a few school policies and there were a few teachers that were happily following in their leaders foot prints. Apparently, just as long as Yuai kept a low profile, her after school job was not only allowed but highly sought after.

He'd talk to her tomorrow, a couple hundred a night should do the trick. He flipped the file into the out basket and waded into the rest.

~*~*~*

Honda and Serenity

~*~*~*

Serenity gave her brother the look of death and turned her head away, refusing to look at Honda. She couldn't believe it, set up by her own brother. He was supposed to be on her side. She was his little sister. He was supposed to love her and protect her. Not set her up with that asshole Honda.

Honda gave Jonouchi the look of death and turned away, refusing to look at Serenity. Some buddy he was, setting him up to meet her. Okay, he shouldn't have called his best friend a slut. He was sorry. He apologized already. If Jonouchi wanted a pound of flesh, it was his to take. But this! No way, too much , too far. He couldn't believe that his best bud had tricked him into meeting with Serenity.

Jonouchi bravely stood up to both looks and forged ahead. He wasn't going to let his best friend and his sister suffer like he'd been suffering. He knew the two loved each other and if making sure they didn't make the same mistake he made caused them to want his head on a platter, fine. It wasn't doing him any good anyway.

"Okay, I got you both here to clean up the mess you guys made." Jonouchi started.

"I didn't make a mess." Serenity still refused to look at Honda, but apparently hadn't used up her daily quotient of looks of death.

"Don't look at me." Honda glared daggers at Jonouchi.

"Right." Jonouchi wondered if his shirt was singed. "No mess, everything is fine."

"Yep"

"You got it."

"So everything is just wonderful."

"Uh-ha," Honda nodded.

"I'm doing fine." Serenity nodded too.

"So, sis, all that crying and sobbing for the last week was what….hormones?" Jonouchi braced himself for the backlash.

"Hormones!" Serenity almost went up in flames. "Hormones!"

He quickly turned to Honda, "And all that moping and sighing was…hemorrhoids?"

"What!"

"How dare you!"

"What kind of thing is that to say to your best friend."

"I'm your sister, how dare you say I'm overly hormonal."

"I do not have hemorrhoids!"

"Then, what's the all the sadness for?" Jonouchi managed to get in as they paused for breath.

"Who says I'm sad." Serenity looked like the air above her head had little heat waves in it.

"I do." Jonouchi pointed at himself. "And I think it's cause of this idiot." He pointed to Honda.

"Then why are you making me sit in the middle of Burger World with him?"

Jonouchi looked over at Honda, who was scowling at his reflection in the restaurant window, then looked back at his sister. "Because, you two love each other, and I ain't letting you make the same stupid mistake I made with Kaiba. So we're goin' to sit here and you two are going to work it out."

"There is nothing to work out. It's over."

"Ditto."

Jonouchi sighed, this was going to take some doing.

~*~*~*

Kaiba and Yuai

~*~*~*

"You know, at the licensing class the instructor actually made a point of warning us away from you and Mokuba." Yuai had been sitting at her desk, checking her class notes for the test in next periods history class, when Kaiba settled down next to her and asked if she'd baby-sit Mokuba for a few days.

"I don't see why." Kaiba was trying to keep cool. The thought of throwing himself at Yuai's knees and pleading was starting to creep into his head.

"I think it was the incident with the missing fire truck. That really seemed to impress her." She looked up quietly at him. "Did he really park it in the middle of the high school gymnasium?"

Kaiba shook his head. "No, it was actually on the blacktop near the baseball diamond.

"Oh."

"Look, I'll pay you a hundred and fifty a night." Kaiba wrenched the conversation back into his control.

"Hold out for more, Yuai." Honda called back over his shoulder. He had been sitting cradling a picture of Serenity in his hands with a dreamy look on his face when he finally got called out of his glowing happiness by Kaiba trying to shaft Yuai.

"Shut up." Kaiba growled.

Yuai looked uncertainly at Honda and Kaiba. "Mokuba might be bit much for me to handle. You might want someone a bit older. Have you tried Mrs. Hine? She's very good."

Honda laughed, "She has a restraining order against both Mokuba and Seto. She isn't going to help."

Kaiba whacked Honda across the back of his head, "Stay out of this. Two hundred a night."

"A restraining order?" Yuai's hazel eyes widened.

Kaiba shrugged, "A slight misunderstanding about a table saw."

Honda put his head down on his desk gasping with laughter, "A slight misunderstanding."

"A table saw?" Yuai backed up against her seat.

"Two fifty."

"Okay. When do I start."

~*~*~*~*

Please review! Do you like it? Do you hate it? Do you think Jonouchi and Kaiba will ever work out their differences? Let me know.