Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Insert Cool Yu-Gi-Oh! Related Title ❯ Chapter Twenty-one: From Dog to Puppy ( Chapter 21 )

Disclaimer!
No, I don't own any Yu-Gi-Oh! related mulargh. If I did, YuGiOh! The Movie wouldn't have sucked. And it would have been about Bakura, not all those other people no one really gives a damn about.

//Are the yami mentally speaking to their hikari.//
/Are the hikari mentally speaking to their yami./
And Italics are thoughts.

Chapter Twenty-one: From Dog to Puppy

I'm set. I'm determined. I'm ready. And before the day is out, I will make Kaiba my friend!

Jounouchi gritted his teeth and took a few steps in the said boys direction. He hauled a huge garbage bag behind his back.

Of course this isn't exactly prime real estate to do that in, heh.

The blond sweat dropped as he dumped his load next to the other boy, who looked about ready to kill the very next thing that so much as spoke a word or even looked at him.

"Community service sucks, huh?" Jounouchi grinned and took a few precautionary steps back, placing the large bag of garbage between themselves.

Just in case, you know. Never can be too careful.

Of course, Kaiba glared. "And I have you to thank for it," he basically spat out with venomous sarcasm dripping.

If looks could kill, Jounouchi would have been battling a very large and evil looking "look" to the death, but instead he was grinning like an idiot. "Well, we only have one more area to pick up, then we're done! I mean, it's not to bad, you know… The company's not too bad either."

Kaiba glared again, as he was accustomed to, but the phrase `the company's not too bad either,' suddenly finished filtering through his brain and he furrowed his eyebrows in shock.

What?! He couldn't possibly mean me?

Jounouchi didn't catch the look of surprise or evident confusion that passed through the brunettes face. He had turned away before hand and was busy trying to not draw attention to himself.

Idiot! I shouldn't have said that! He'll get suspicious! I gotta change the topic now! Um, um!

"So, nice weather we're having, huh?"

Kaiba looked even more perplexed.

OK, something suspicious is going on here.

"No."

Jounouchi sighed.

This offhanded crap ain't gonna work with Kaiba. He's to sharp for it. Guess I should just come clean; stop beating around the bush and all. Who knows, it just might work. Wait! So, you're gonna tell him you like him!?! What?! Hell no! I don't feel like dieing today! No! I'm just gonna be more… Well, myself. I mean… Maybe, Kaiba might like me? You know, for who I am?

Kaiba frowned. He had noticed that ever since detention had been let out, the blond had been acting freakishly peculiar around him.

Acting… Nice? And damn weird. What's his problem?! I can't figure it out! Actually, ever since this morning… And yesterday… And… Wait… How long has the mutt been like this? Why the hell am I just noticing this now?

"Hey, Kaiba?"

"What?!" the cold CEO basically growled. Jounouchi flinched and immediately Kaiba regretted his tone of voice. "What?" he asked more calmly.

Jounouchi hesitated and Kaiba noticed, but he spoke anyways. "You don't have lots of friends, Kaiba."

There were no if's, and's or but's about it. It had been a truthful statement, not a question. Still, it made the brown haired boy shift uncomfortably. And he didn't know why.

"Actually, I don't think you really have any. Any at all," the blond continued, still not looking up at the standing boy. He simply pretended to busy himself fiddling with the large bag of trash he had collected from around the school grounds.

"So?" Kaiba asked folding his arms, become rather irate and aggravated.

Who the hell does he think he is, to speak to me so frankly?!

"Well, I was thinking-"

"Oh?" Kaiba suddenly mused. "So you think now? I was unaware that dogs were evolved enough to do so."

Jounouchi swallowed the lump in his throat and looked up at the smirking jerk. His eyes were slanted and he was obviously ticked off. "Yeah, I do think," he defied Kaiba's insult with his own low and steady growl; his voice just above a menacing whisper. "And I was thinking that maybe you might want one."

"Want one?" the CEO asked, a toxic smirk infecting his face. "Why the hell would I want one?! So he can stab me in the back?! Like they always do?!" A flash of unrepressed anger surged through Kaiba's voice. Jounouchi noticed the split second or fear, confusion and anger that came along with it.

"Kaiba..?"

Is that why? Is that why he has no friends?! Does he keep them away from himself because he's been hurt before?! He's afraid of being hurt again?! Is he just afraid!?! The great Kaiba Seto has no friends because he's afraid of being betrayed?!?!

"Kaiba! I'll never betray you!!!" the blond screamed out. As soon as the words left his lips his hands clamped over them as he stared up, his features frozen in a complete state of shock.

Oh, God! I can't believe I just said that!!

Kaiba, as well, shared the same expression of absolute surprise and shock.

What?!

"I mean…" Jounouchi tried to cover. "I mean, I… I'd like to be your friend. Kaiba. If you`d let me, that is."

The brunette blinked the surprise away and turned his head. He snorted. "I told you, I have no need for friends."

Jounouchi suddenly grew more bold. "And I told you I won't betray you."

Kaiba turned back astounded. He glared.

What the hell is up with him?! Why is he-?! After all the crap I've done to-?! He can't seriously-?!

"What the hell is your problem, mutt?! Do you seriously expect me to believe you?! Do you think I'm an idiot!?!"

"Kaiba, I-"

"Shut-up! You can go to hell, for all I care! I don't need friends. I don`t care about anyone. I don't give a damn about anyone! Why the hell would I ever think that anyone will ever give a damn about me?! No one ever has! No one ever will! So-" Kaiba stopped his raving. He was looming over Jounouchi who had scooted away while the other boy had grown closer. The blond now looked up into sorrow filled blue eyes clouded with hate and distrust. If Kaiba wanted to, he could easily kick him in the side, or worse. The boy held all the power right now.

Kaiba looked down at the wide eyed boy beneath him. The small blond was laying on his back, the stench of fear emanating off of his body intoxicating the air with his delicious fragrance. Kaiba sighed. Although he normally relished that smell from his business associates and even more from his rivals and enemies, he simply didn't like that noxious smell coming from Jounouchi. It lingered in his mouth like bad wine, and made him want to spit.

He's not lying. I know he's not.

Years of dealing with the world's greatest business scum had given the brown haired CEO an almost supernatural and uncanny ability to see through people's lies and deceits. But Jounouchi read as clear as an open book with very large text.

So what's he doing? What's his plan? Why is he trying so desperately hard to… Be my friend? God… Why? Heaven knows… I'm not worth it.

Jounouchi saw the taller boy step away and turn his back to him. He walked away.

What..? Why did…?

"Wait!" Jounouchi called out, no longer thinking or planning ahead, simply reacting on gut instinct. Perhaps his greatest flaw, and best attribute.

He never really was good at that.

Kaiba thought.

Always jumping straight into the fire. Never bothering to look where he might land. Never thinking with his head...

A shadow crossed his face.

Always thinking with his heart…

"Kaiba! Wait!" Jounouchi bounded up to the other boy, stopping a few feet away. "I'm serious Kaiba. I'm not joking."

An awkward pause followed. "I know."

The small statement surprised Jounouchi. "Um..? Really? Then… Well, so, then, we can be friends?"

Kaiba turned around to stare into the face of the one that just seconds ago had been cowering in fear of him. Now he was smiling, although the look of determination was saturated into every pore of that smile.

How can he say that with… As though he has no care in the world?

"Why do you want to be my friend?" Kaiba finally asked, completely baffled.

Jounouchi shrugged and grinned. "Well… You look like you could use one."

And for once, Kaiba was left completely speechless.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Oi! Yugi!" Anzu waived at her friend. Yugi smiled and waived back as he made his way towards his group of friends.

It was a delicious crisp morning, which was rather unusual, considering summer had just ended a few weeks ago.

"Ooh!" Anzu shivered. "Guess fall's coming a bit earlier this year, huh?"

"Guess so," Honda agreed.

Students milled around the school's entrance, talking with their respective friends and causing all sorts of random chaos.

"Hi, Anzu, Honda, Ryou, um…" Yugi looked around. "Is Jounouchi-kun not here?"

"Not that I've seen," the brown spike haired boy answered.

Yugi looked worried but Ryou calmed him down. "He showed up to detention late yesterday, but he looked…"

//Are you gonna tell them?// Bakura secretly asked his light.

Ryou debated it. /Not yet./

"He looked fine," the white haired kid finished.

Yugi sighed. "That's good. Then, I wonder were he is."

Honda shrugged, "Just late to school probably. He's always getting up late, you know."

"Sheesh! Thanks for your never ending trust," Jounouchi grinned as he stepped up to the group of gathered students.

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yugi smiled. "You do look better! Had a good night of sleep?"

"Actually, yes," the blond chuckled. "Best I've had in a while!"

"It's good to see you looking so happy, Jounouchi!" Anzu clasped her hands together.

"Hmm.." Honda mock stroked his imaginary beard. "Almost too happy, if you ask me." He squinted his eyes at the blond.

Jounouchi sweat dropped and backed away. "What?"

"OK! Spit it out! Who is it!?" the crew cut boy accused the blond.

"Huh?!"

"Don't act dumb! I know that look!" Honda grinned mischievously. "So fess up. Who's the chick, eh?! Is it some girl in your new class, huh, huh? Is it!?"

"Uh…" Jounouchi sweat dropped again.

Yugi laughed. "Is it true, Jounouchi-kun? Do you like someone?! Is that why you've been acting kinda weird these last few days?"

"Uh, well…"

"Of course it is!" Honda cut in. "Love does crazy stuff to ya'! Doesn't it, Jou-kun?" Honda gave Jounouchi a coquettish wink, which made the blond blush in embarrassment, and made everyone else laugh out loud.

/See, Yami! I told you Jounouchi-kun liked someone!/

//So it seems,// Yami softly chuckled.

"So out with it! Who is it! You can tell us, buddy!" Honda continued, now holding the blond in a restrictive head lock.

"Oh, Jounouchi! This is wonderful! You better treat her right, not like that big oaf friend of yours," Anzu giggled.

"Hey!" Honda quirked up. "You better not be referring to me!"

Everyone laughed. Even Jounouchi, who had managed to escape Honda.

//Oh, gods! I think I'm gonna throw up. Let me tell them he's got the hots for Kaiba already!//

/Bakura!/ Ryou chastised, although he inwardly grinned.

"So? Really, now. Who is it, you ol' dog, you?!" Honda laughed again.

Jounouchi blushed again at the reference to him being a 'dog.'

Kaiba calls me that…

The blond looked up and noticed the expectant looks from all his friends.

Damn! How did they all find out!? Ack! Stupid Honda and his big mouth! Oh! What am I gonna do!? Ah, why am I so worked up?! It's not like I got me a boyfriend or anything!

Jounouchi blushed again.

Hell! I just made a friend! That's it! I swear!

"I, uh… Um… Oh, my God!! What's THAT!?!?!" Jounouchi yelled, pointing wildly behind the group.

"Huh?!" everyone turned around.

"What?" Honda asked.

"I don't see anything," Anzu added.

"What are you referring to Jounouchi-kun?" Yugi scratched his head.

//Oh, gods! They are such idiots!!/ Bakura busted out laughing, as he fell to the floor. //I can't believe they fell for that!//

Ryou smiled as he saw Jounouchi hightail it out of the general vicinity.

//Aibou, Jounouchi is gone,// Yami sweat dropped.

"Huh?" Yugi turned around. "Where'd he go?"

"Eh?" Anzu asked.

"Ha! That just proves it!" Honda declared. "Jounouchi has found himself a little someone! And as his best friend, it is my sworn and rightful duty to snoop around and figure out who it is!"

Yami ignored the squabble that Honda suddenly found himself in as Anzu proclaimed Jounouchi's right to a secret love affair or something along those lines. His attention was instead turned to Bakura, who had manifested himself next to his hikari's side.

//Tomb Robber.//

//Pharaoh.//

Ryou looked at Yugi who looked equally as nervous as himself.

//Any specific reason why you're on the floor with that disgusting smug grin on your face?// Yami asked crossing his arms.

Bakura's grin widened as Ryou's eyes did the same. He chuckled. //Don't worry, hikari. I won't tell.//

Ryou sighed as Yami raised an eyebrow. //Won't tell what?// he asked again.

//Oh, nothing much. Just that I happen to know who Jounouchi's love interest is, that's all,// Bakura said and disappeared.

//What?!// Yami blinked. //Bakura get back here! Bakura!?//

Ryou was left grinning weakly under the intense scrutiny of Yami's eyes. //You know too, don't you?!//

/Uh… Damned it, Bakura!/ "Well, gee! Look at the time! I should go to class now, and all, ja!" Ryou grabbed his book bag and ran.

"Wait! Ryou!" Yugi called after him.

"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Honda walked up to Yugi. "And Jounouchi too? Am I missing something here?" He scratched his head.

Yugi just sighed. /This is confusing./

* * * * * * * * * *

Whew. That was close. Hm… I'm gonna have to come up with something to tell those guys or else they're gonna hound me till I crack. Especially Honda. Agk! What am I gonna do?

"What's your problem?"

"Huh?" Jounouchi looked up to find Kaiba leaning against the school building wall. His trench coat lightly billowing in the cool breeze that also took a few stray hair strands for a wild ride, as he gazed almost menacingly with deep piercing blue eyes.

Wow, he looks cool!

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

Jounouchi smiled. "Actually yeah, I am." He grinned and trotted up to Kaiba. "It's nothing much. Yugi, Honda and Anzu are just… Heh, being pushy, I guess."

Kaiba quirked an eye.

Jounouchi continued. "They're convinced that I got me a secret girlfriend!"

Kaiba didn't physically react to that, but he did ask, "Do you?"

"What?! No! I mean… No. Um. I don't have time for that, you know."

Kaiba didn't say anything.

"So…? What are you doing out here?" Jounouchi asked after an awkward lapse in time. He leaned against the wall next to Kaiba, staring into the sky wondering what Kaiba had been looking at.

"Nothing."

"You're lying," Jounouchi grinned even more.

Kaiba snorted. But found himself smiling anyways. "I guess I am."

* * * * * * * * * *

"I wonder who it could be!" Anzu squealed. "I bet she's pretty!"

"I bet she's not," Honda remarked.

"Honda!" Anzu yelled at him.

"Well, what?! Why else would he keep her a secret?! I bet she's a hideous nerd or something!" the brown haired boy's voice boomed.

Anzu put her hands on her hips and deadpanned. "A hideous nerd? In D-12?"

Honda thought about that. "Hm? You got a point. OK, a hideous moron!"

"Sorry, Honda," Anzu smirked. "But he isn't dating you!"

"What?!" Honda near retched.

Yugi laughed. "Come on now. I'm sure she's a very nice girl."

"I agree," Anzu agreeably agreed. "If Jounouchi likes her then she must be nice!"

"Yeah, I know," Honda laughed, then grew serious. "Still, though. Why would he try and keep her a secret from us?"

"Hm… I don't know," Anzu shrugged as they entered their classroom. "But, eventually he'll have to tell us about her, right?"

"Eventually," Honda sighed and went to his seat.

Yugi turned to look at Ryou who was busy reading his book and pretending not to notice that the others had entered the classroom. //Aibou?//

/I know, Yami. We'll talk to him after class,/ Yugi assured his yami.

//He knows something.//

/Yeah, but what?/

* * * * * * * * * *

Jounouchi sighed and looked at the clock one more time.

Argh… Two minutes?! Only two minutes have passed?! Agh! Stupid time! Go faster! Faster!

"Stop fidgeting so much," Kaiba growled at Jounouchi.

The blonde's head dropped to his desk. "But this is taking forever!"

"What is?"

"Class is!"

Kaiba snorted. "You're not even making an effort to pay attention."

Jounouchi grinned and looked at the boy sitting next to him in the back of D-12's room. "Neither are you."

"That's because I'm a genius that already knows everything. You, on the other hand, are not."

Jounouchi sighed, but kept his grin.

Hey, he didn't insult me! Um… Well, sort of.

"Well, why don't you tutor me!?"

Kaiba almost laughed out loud, drawing the random attention of a few of the other students in the class. He composed himself. "I don't have time to pointlessly waste my valuable afternoons on a hopeless idiot inbred mongrel like yourself."

"Ow. That one almost hurt, Kaiba," the blond laughed.

Kaiba didn't know whether to be aggravated at the lack of effect his insults now had on the other boy, or to be amused at the fact that his insults now seemed to have no effect on the other boy at all except perhaps for a random laugh. He chose to smirk instead, running with the flow of good humor that was now currently shared between the two.

"I'm serious though. I mean, you do nothing except read that stupid black book of yours during lunch, and I do nothing except… Do nothing, so why don't we get together during lunch and you can, like, I don't know, teach me… Stuff. From class. And stuff." Jounouchi swallowed. His heart was pounding.

I can't believe I just asked him this!

Kaiba narrowed his eyes and turned to glare at the blond. His brows were furrowed.

Jounouchi became increasingly nervous. "What?"

"How do you know that I read a `little black book' during lunch?"

Oh, crap!

"Uh… I was guessing?"

Kaiba quirked an eyebrow, obviously not believing him.

No, of course he wouldn't!

"Actually, I happened to see you there, yesterday. Reading. Under that tree. Um, the one near the bleachers."

"I know where I read," Kaiba snapped, then inwardly smirked. "Were you spying on me?" he asked slowly, pronouncing every word.

Yes!

"No! I was…" Jounouchi gulped. He couldn't lie. Kaiba would know. "I was just lying there, `cause I was, you know, tired, and I happened to see you. That's all." Kaiba continued to stare at the blond. Jounouchi bit his lip and grinned, trying to play it off. "Sheesh, Kaiba. You don't have to be so damn paranoid."

Kaiba made his characteristic `humph' sound and looked away. Jounouchi had learnt in his small time with Kaiba that that meant that the subject had been dropped.

Whew! Man, was that close!

Jounouchi almost jumped in his seat as he heard the bell ring. "Alright! Food!" he turned to hear Kaiba laugh a little.

"How easily you're indulged with the most quintessential form of bribery."

Jounouchi scratched his head, and shrugged. "I like food."

Kaiba actually laughed.

He's so… Innocent. Like a dog, almost. Hm.. No, more like a little puppy…

Kaiba smiled. "Alright, puppy. You can follow me to my tree if you want." He got up and walked out of the classroom.

Jounouchi had to sit back down in his chair.

Did… Did he just call me `puppy`?

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