Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Chrysalis ❯ Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: Yugi-oh is the property of Kazuki Takahashi, who is a genius.

Thanks for the reviews. I really love hearing from you. I'll respond in the next chappie.

Okay folks, this is the chapter where I actually get to make up to Yugi and Yuai for making them cool their heels while Jonouchi and Kaiba took over. I don't claim to know anything about renting apartments in Japan, so I'm basing this part of my own limited experiences, but then, Yuai doesn't know all that much about it either.

Chrysalis

Chapter Seventeen: Every Silver Lining Has a Dark Cloud

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Yugi and Honda

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Snow had finally come to Domino City. At first, it looked like it was only going to be a temporary thing, sort of just renting, but after scuttling around town, drifting into various buildings, and frisking the inhabitants, it had apparently approved of it's new abode and decided to set down permanent roots to stay awhile. Now, it lay about in icy puddles in the streets, piled onto the curbs and ambushed passersby by falling in clumps from overhead wires.

Oak Hill Residential Home was now trimmed dismally for Christmas, with faded paper cut outs, soggy music that wheezed from crackling speakers and grim faced staff wearing Santa hats. The sun room had a wilted plastic Christmas tree stuffed into a corner with paper chains and dreary yellowish lights that blinked dully in the holiday gloom. Honda and Yugi waved goodbye to Anzu as they headed out the door.

"I'll come by tomorrow and see you." Yugi had a huge, happy grin on his face. "It'll be so great. I can't believe you'll finally be going home."

"Okay, see you then." Anzu smiled back, already following the nurse back towards her room. "My parents will be here around four to get me so I'll be home around five."

Honda shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded, "We'll both come by then. Are you sure you don't need any help moving?"

"Nope, I don`t have that much here." Anzu waved one last time, "Thanks guys. Bye. I really appreciate it."

Honda opened the door and Yugi stepped outside, nearly sliding on the ice in the courtyard. Honda grabbed him and steadied him as Yugi yelped.

"Man, I'm glad we don't have to come back to this place." Honda walked carefully, one hand still steadying Yugi.

"It wasn't all that bad, they had a tree." Yugi carefully stepped away from Honda and started trying to skate across the ice instead of walking on it. He loved the winter. He loved the soft, magical snow. The crisp clear air. The Christmas carols. Everyone seemed to love everyone when there was snow. He just wished his yami could appreciate it, but the Egyptian had different ideas of how weather should behave. He'd taken one look out the window, heard Yugi's plans for the day and dove into his bedroom, hiding under the warm blankets and listening to the soft, warm, sleepy sounds of the Nile from outside his balcony.

As they reached the street corner Honda took a deep breath, clearing his nose from the hospital stench. "I bet Anzu will be happy to get out of that hell hole."

Yugi skidded to a halt next to him, having to wrap his arms around a light pole to stop. "Yeah, she's really happy. I can't believe how great she's done."

Honda nodded. He admitted, he was surprised, not just about how Anzu had done, but also by the fact that he actually found himself liking her. She seemed more…. genuine, more real. She didn't sound so irritatingly perky. She hadn't spoken once about the joys of friendship, made a comment about Yami, or said anything about teamwork. She had become easy going, thoughtful and a bit of a mischievous.

"You still going to the dance with her?" Honda started across the walk when the lights changed.

"I suppose." Yugi skated ahead and stopped himself to wait for Honda by grabbing onto another pole. His feet skittered around madly on a exceptionally slippery patch of ice till he managed to find a slightly rougher spot, clinging to the pole madly.

"You're going to need a tux." Honda carefully peeled Yugi away and pulled him after him. "Serenity's already gotten mine."

"Yeah. A tux." Yugi concentrated on his feet. "Uhm, Honda? Why aren't you slipping around?"

Honda laughed and pointed down to his feet. "Winter boots. They have little spikes on the bottom that grip the ice."

Yugi finally got control of his feet and began skating again. "Gotta get some of those. Yami hates slipping."

Honda smiled, picturing the proud pharaoh sprawled in a undignified heap on a sidewalk. Yugi executed a nice twirl on the ice and then crashed into a trash can. "I'll take you out shopping tomorrow."

Yugi nodded, rubbing his stinging bottom, then grinned and skated away, "Might as well enjoy this while I can then."

Honda shoved his hands in his pockets and followed along, mentally running over the plans Serenity had made for the dance. He still had to order the flowers, find a pair of shoes and talk to Yugi about renting a limo. Jonouchi would probably be going with Kaiba, if the brunette was better by then, and they'd use one of Kaiba's limos. As much as he liked Jo, he didn't want to share a limo with Kaiba. He didn't have anything against the guy, he just didn't want to owe him anything.

He opened his mouth to call to Yugi and ask him about sharing the limo, when he saw Yuai. She was across the street, her winter uniform bagging around her tiny form, her hair tangled around her face. She was standing in profile, looking up at a tall, dark man who was looking down at her smiling.

Yugi had stopped skating and was staring across the street, one hand raised as if to wave, frozen in the air, as the dark man leaned over and pulled a unresisting Yuai into a intimate kiss.

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Kaiba

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"I said I was going to the office." Kaiba yelled as Jonouchi tried to pull the business suit jacket out of his hands. He held on gritting his teeth in a snarl at the stubborn blond.

"Well, too bad. Yer stayin' home." Jonouchi gave the suit a yank. He was actually getting the hang of this. Yesterday, he'd had to drag Kaiba back up that friggin' staircase after catching his precious invalid sneaking out the front door, briefcase in hand.

"I'm going." Kaiba yanked back, not noticing Mokuba taking advantage of Jonouchi's distraction by sneaking out of the room with Kaiba's briefcase.

Jonouchi watched the little sneak dart out the door as he gave the coat another yank. Note to self, take Mokuba for ice cream. "Yer goin' back ta bed."

"Make me." Kaiba snarled, then stumbled backward as Jonouchi abruptly let the jacket go.

"Okay."

.

.

Kaiba sat moodily in his bed, glowering at his lap top computer that sat innocently on a bed tray in front of him. He looked up to glower outside the window, where a beautiful day mocked him, then turned to glower at his beloved caretaker who was sprawled across the floor working on a school paper, just to be fair, he glowered at the stack of files that leaned precariously on the bedside table.

Though, he would never admit it, he was secretly happy he didn't have to face Kaiba Corp. today. Just the thought of enduring his secretary's perfume was enough to make his head ache. Still, it was somewhat humiliating to be decked, stripped and hauled to bed by one skinny, blond haired, pain in the ass lover, who then had the nerve to hand him a pair of smiley face boxers to wear for the rest of the day. Then there was that entire matter of Mokuba hiding his briefcase in some far flung corner of the mansion and refusing to give it back till he'd sworn not to go to the office.

Kaiba irritably turned and scrunched the pillows into a different shape then returned to his work. The truth was, he really didn't need to get to the office today. Most of his work was now piled around him, the security chief was going to come by later today to discuss the attack on Mokuba, and the phone at the mansion worked just as well as the one sitting on his desk at Kaiba Corp..

He frowned as he thought of the attack. So far, nothing had come of the investigation. The car that was used had been stolen earlier in the day from the parking lot of a McDougals. The gun was found on the front seat with a pack of ammo, both also stolen. No finger prints, no hair samples, nothing. The attackers had vanished leaving behind nothing more than a vague description the shooter being dark haired, medium build, wearing sunglasses and a dark suit, which described about half the male populace of Domino City. All that could really be told, was that the attack looked professional, which meant that someone, somewhere had put down money to see his little brother dead.

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Yuai

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Yuai carefully tied the bow around her neck and turned to look in the store's dressing room mirror. The uniform was perfect. The pink jacket fit trimly across her shoulders and torso accenting her tiny form, the blue skirt swirled delicately around her thighs, her blouse was both sparkling white and fit perfectly around her throat, she even had new slouchy socks and brand new shoes. She made an experimental little twirl, adoring the cute swish of her skirt. She smiled at her image. Thanks Kaiba. Thank you so much.

She quickly changed back into her jeans, sweater, heavy woolen socks, thick and only slightly tattered jean jacket and scuffed winter boots, smiling happily. For a day that had started out in the dumpster, things were definitely looking up.

Nearly first thing this morning, she'd had to face a pissed off Ekko, who hadn't had his `happy' since the shooting. He'd grabbed her on the street and after trying to bite off her lower lip, had yanked her up to his apartment for a little `fun'. This time, though, she hadn't felt like playing, hadn't felt like submitting. So what if he had those pictures? She had friends. She could go to the school principle and tell him about Ekko, about her parents, about every dirty, nasty thing that made up her life. She had friends, she had, thanks to Kaiba, money and she knew her friends would stand next to her. Hadn't they all rallied around Kaiba when he needed help? Didn't Yugi and Honda go visit Anzu, who had been through the same hell she endured? So instead of taking off her clothes and letting Ekko use her, she'd bolted back out the door and ran, leaving Ekko with his pants around his ankles, with his threats echoing in her ears, as she tore down the emergency stairwells and pelted onto the icy street.

By the time she had skidded to a stop, five blocks away she was laughing with a giddy sense of freedom. Free. Free, free, free. No more Ekko, no more poker parties, no more slobbery, drunken kisses from her father, no more being beaten to the floor, no more mother extinguishing her cigarettes on her arms. Free. She had stood there leaning against the wall of a bakery, giggling, when she decided the first thing she wanted in her new, free life was a new uniform. A new uniform for a new life.

Yuai gave herself one more smile in the dressing room mirror before she picked up her new clothes and walked back out into the store. The clerk smiled at her as she paid.

"Will that be all, miss?"

Yuai smiled, "Yes, but could you tell me, is there a good place around here, where I could get my hair cut?"

"Sure, just go a couple of doors down. Ask for Hayashi. He does my hair all the time." The clerk flicked a soft tendril out of her face. Her hair was cut into a cute bob with a soft fringe of bangs. Yuai loved it.

"Thanks."

The clerk put her clothes into a bag as Yuai counted out the money, handed Yuai back her change and handed the bag across the counter, "Remember, Hayashi is the one you want."

"I'll remember. Thank you so much." Yuai took her clothes and nearly danced out the door and down to Hayashi's place.

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Kaiba

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Mokuba sprawled across Kaiba's legs, gazing up at his brother with huge puppy dog eyes. "It really wasn't my fault you know. Jonouchi promised me a trip to Baskin Robbers."

Betrayed for double fudge ice cream. Kaiba heaved a sigh, half admiring the lengths that his darling jailor undertook to insure his continued recovery and half fantasizing about tossing said jailor off Kaiba Corp.'s tower.

Jonouchi had scampered off to be with his mother and sister having family time shopping, eating out and going to the aquarium to see a new exhibit. He'd left after lunch, with overly dramatic howls of protest, that failed make up for the happy spring in his step as he sauntered out the door calling back that he'd bring Kaiba a treat when he got home. That's right just leave me here. I hope you get attacked by a squid.

"And if I promise a trip to Disney World can I get to work tomorrow?" Kaiba tried to glare into those soft, beseeching eyes, and failed miserably.

"Nope, not a chance. Jonouchi already beat you there, plus I get a few other extra bonuses if you stay in bed on Monday." Mokuba contentedly rolled over to pillow his head on Kaiba's knee.

"Monday!" Kaiba shook his head, "The doctor back in the States said I would be fine on Monday! Why should I stay in bed!"

"Cause you got on the plane, and since you got on the plane you have to stay in bed Monday." Mokuba turned his head to smile condescendingly at his big brother.

"And just how are you going to keep me in bed if you're off at school?" Kaiba asked, keeping his voice neutral.

"Oh, I'm not going to school." Mokuba settled more comfortable against his leg and flipped open a magazine.

"Why not?" Kaiba pretended to be interested in a file he pulled off the stack next to him.

"Cause, you need to stay in bed and Jonouchi's got to get to class to take a test, so I get to stay home." Mokuba buried his nose in his magazine, hiding a grin, waiting for the explosion. By the tension in the leg he was laying against he could bet it would be soon.

"And who came up with that plan?" Kaiba's voice was getting just a tad clipped.

"I did." Mokuba casually flipped a page.

Kaiba considered, his options were; take the challenge and thwack his brother with something, the file would do; or frustrate the kid, who obviously was expecting something in the realm of a thwacking, and pretend not to notice. I wonder how far he's willing to play this game? And just what are the stakes?

"Won't work. You're going to school." Kaiba scanned a page of the file, waiting for Mokuba to return the shot.

Mokuba frowned at the magazine, the tension was leaving his brother's leg. Great, now what? Jonouchi said I had to keep him busy for at least a half hour while Bakura finishes stealing the rest of big brother's clothes. He looked innocently up at his brother, "Are you going to stay in bed?"

"No." Kaiba flipped to the next page in the file.

"Then I get to stay home." Mokuba smiled happily.

"And just how is that going to make me stay in bed?" Kaiba scanned down the page.

"Yami promised to show me a neat spell that can freeze people in their tracks." Mokuba turned back to the magazine with a sense of triumph, feeling the tension return to the leg.

"Excuse me?" Kaiba put down the file. Just what I need, a 5000 year old pharaoh teaching my hyper active kid brother sorcery.

"He said it would only take a few moments to learn." Mokuba shrugged, only a couple more minutes and he'd have earned five pounds of gummy worms.

"And just how are you going to learn that if you're in intensive care." Kaiba lunged for the little imp, who bounced quickly out of range.

"Big brother! How could you….." Mokuba squeaked and ducked as Kaiba grabbed a handy pillow and threw it at him.

~*~*~*

Yugi

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Yugi sat at his desk and watched a few stray snowflakes lazily twirl past his window.

I can't believe she lied to me.

Yami sat on the bed, leaning back against the wall watching his hikari. I'm sorry aibou.

How could she do that? Yugi watched as a gust of wind carried a fine dust of snow across his window. She said…she said she wasn't allowed to… Why did she say that? Did she think…

Did she think what?

Yugi shrugged.

Yugi?

Yugi traced an invisible pattern on his desk. Was going to the dance with me so horrible that she had to lie to get out of it?

No, aibou, I'm sure that's not it. Yami reached over to touch his light's shoulder, but Yugi shrugged his hand away.

She was kissing that man Yami. Not just kissing him, but REALLY kissing him. He looked over at the other half of his soul, Is it me Yami? Did she lie so she'd never have to kiss me like that?

~*~*~*

Yuai

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Yuai couldn't help smiling as the bank clerk handed her a deposit receipt. Her hair swirled in a neat silky bob around her shoulders, her new uniform was sitting in a crisp paper bag at her feet, and she now had money safely tucked away in the bank.

"Have a nice day." The clerk smiled back.

Yuai picked up her bag and laughed, "Yes, thank you. I intend to."

She skipped out the door with the happy grin still in place, then seeing a street vendor selling chestnuts hopped over there. It was a beautiful day with the snow swirling in enchanted clouds of fairy dust, the cold tweaking at her nose. Everything was beautiful. She had even made a few calculations and realized that if she was careful with her money, she might just be able to afford a small efficiency apartment of her own. The money Kaiba had paid her could just cover the move in costs and the money she collected from her jobs would easily pay for rent. No more sleeping in a tent, for her, soon she could have a real home, with real walls and real floors.

The man smiled merrily back as they exchanged money and hot roasted nuts. Yuai giggled happily, her eyes sparkling as she thanked him and scampered down the street, dreaming of curtains, and beds, and kitchen tables.

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Kaiba

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Kaiba eyed the pile of files, wondering if the treat Jonouchi promised him would be a paper shredder, then pushed the lap top away and scooped up the first few files from the stack. Banzai.

Kaiba looked at the file in his hand, wondering why it was here. Kado in security had done a through background check on Yuai. Kaiba frowned hefting the thick file experimentally in his hand, he couldn't remember ordering this file, but then, he couldn't remember not ordering it either. There was really no reason to go digging into Yuai's private life, but the sheer weight and thickness of the file was puzzling. A sixteen year old girl of a poor family should probably have a file that consisted of a couple of neatly typed pages at best, but this file was inches thick.

He flipped it open. On the front page was a note.

You might need this number after reading this file. If you don't want to call. I will. -Kado

It was the number for child protective services.

Kiaba opened the file and started reading. It began with a overview of the previous report, then it started getting….interesting. By the time he got to the fifth page he was angry, by the tenth, he just felt sick and it had nothing to do with his recent illness. He gritted his teeth, suppressed the sick rage that tightened in his stomach and continued reading till the end of the file. He slapped it shut and sat, seething.

His adoptive father had been a sick, twisted bastard, who had delighted in hammering him into some perverted image of the perfect son, but even he hadn't been this sick, or twisted. The file was full of pictures, hospital reports, social service reports, police reports, statements taken from former neighbors, reports of evidence, all documenting the same thing. Yuai's father and mother should be killed. If there was ever any two people presently on the earth more deserving of a slow, lingering, tortuous death, Kaiba hadn't heard of them. He wondered, if he handed Bakura the file and a couple of thousand dollars, if the ancient spirit could come up with some creative way to show the appreciation that turning someone's life into a sixteen year long nightmare deserved.

He reached over to the phone and picked it up, flipping to the note at the beginning of the file. A glimmer of a idea seeping into his head. Yuai could be safe and Mokuba would have someone to keep him in line while he was at work. This could work, but first things first, those parents had to go.

"Hello. I have a report…"

~*~*~*

Review please. I really like hearing what you have to say, unless it's a flame, then I'll ignore it.

I'm still taking votes for the one shot, here's the choices again:

1) Why is Bakura doing Ryou's homework in chapter one?

2) Kaiba gets a new secretary who has…shall we say…attitude to spare?

3) What if Kaiba was the victim…I mean stud for sale…I mean guest on the Bachelor?

4) The Yu-Gi-Oh cast gets put into various other shows, like Xena Warrior Princess, Buffy, Vampire Slayer or Survivor.