Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Nightmare ❯ NYC ( Chapter 7 )

(I've got it! Since Seto is nine in this, and he's, what, fifteen, sixteen, in the show, and the show take place in, let's say, 2003, then, this storyline takes place before 9-11, which is before all that constant checking of luggage. They'd still have metal detectors, but Goza-baka could, per say, place that knife in his underwear in his suitcase, which is going in the luggage compartment under the plane(...always did hate those things. Feared they wouldn't make the transfer with me... -_-*) and the knife would go unnoticed. Of course, if I have this thing take place after 9-11, I won't know how everything works, as we haven't had the chance to fly since then. Anyway, I've never been inside a Japanese or NYC airport, only DC, CO, and IL, at least, that I can remember, so I have MANY reasons for skipping the plane trip! (Can't wait till me mom's friend take us to Paris!! WOOHOO!!) Okay, off subject... -_-* Ficcy:)

-~^~-

"Oh, wow..." Seto gapes around at us, and Mokuba is speechless. Chichiue and I smile. I've, actually, been to New York City once before, for one of Chichiue's business deals. I was speechless then, too, and Chichiue thought it was funny. Drove me nuts.

"Come on, boys." Chichiue orders as the limo we're taking to our hotel pulls up. We're staying at a fancy place that I can never recall the name of. It's one of the places we always stay at. Good service, connecting bedrooms, nice restaurant downstairs, big pool, and so forth. I wouldn't mind swimming, but I'm still sore, and I don't want my cuts infected or anything.

The limo pulls up outside the hotel and we walk in. Chichiue checks us in and then hands each of us boys a key. "I've gotten three rooms, and one set connects. I'll take the one room, you three can sort out your rooms. Both have the same key, since the connecting door is the same. I'll show you where you are. I'm right across the hall, in case you need me." He explains, then leads us up into an elevator, which goes up about four floors, then stops. We get out and go down the hall. "These two are yours, this one is mine." He says, pointing. "Sort yourselves out and be ready in an hour. Be dressed in something nice, the restaurant downstairs is really nice." Then he turned away.

"You two go on, I'll be right there." I tell them, then hurry over to Chichiue, before he goes into his room. "Chichiue?"

Seto and Mokuba head on in to the rooms as Chichiue turns to me. "What is it, Noa-chan?"

I bite my lip. "I, was, err..."

Chichiue sighs and opens his door. "Come in." We walk in and he closes the door behind him, turning to me as I bounce down on the bed with a giggle. He smiles. "Just come in to check out my bed?"

I shake my head. "I'm not sure I should go swimming..." I confide. I know Seto threw my swim trunks in his suitcase. I saw him. I was hoping I could forget them, so I had a reason not to go.

Chichiue frowns at me. "You can wear a shirt, and the chlorine in the water will clean out your cuts. Why are you worried this time?"

"But, the bandages will get all wet..."

"They'll get wet if you ever plan on taking a shower, too." Chichiue gives me a look. "I've never know you to complain in the past."

I hate it when he acts all logical like this, almost as if he sees no problem in my complaints. "It might help if I could see where I need to put the bandages." I growl, annoyed.

Chichiue shrugs. "So, ask Seto."

"I'm not asking him for help!"

"Why not?"

"He's..." I hang my head. "I don't want to bug him with this."

Chichiue smirks. "You haven't told him you're taking his lessons. You don't want him to know when you've had a lesson, in case you didn't deserve one." I nod quietly. He caught me. "And how is he supposed to know when he's doing anything wrong if he doesn't know about the lessons you're getting?"

I pause. ~Not going according to plan.~ I think. "I already told him not to glare at you anymore. He hasn't glares at you lately." I point out dryly.

"You're hoping you can just tell him to stop, and he will." Chichiue defines. "How long will that work before he decides he's not getting any lessons, so he can do whatever he wants again?"

"I don't know..." I admit.

"Think about it. You're doing this to protect him. If he acts up too much, I will give him what he deserves." Chichiue warns.

I nod and get up from the bed. "Right..."

"Go on." Chichiue opens the door for me and closes it once I'm out.

I open the door to our rooms right across the hall and walk in. Seto smiles at me. "Mokuba-chan is taking the room next door." He notices my depressed look. "What is it? Did he do something?"

"Why did you have to pack my swimming trunks?" I ask dryly. "I left them at home for a reason."

Seto gapes at me. "How do you know?"

"I saw you." I turn to my suitcase and open it, looking for the nice shirt and slacks I'd packed. Seto and Mokuba had both had a nice outfit, but Chichiue said we'd go shopping for them later anyways.

"Noa, what's really got you so down?" Seto asks, coming over to sit on my bed, next to my suitcase.

I sigh. "Nothing."

Seto narrows his eyes. "I'm not stupid."

"Neither am I. What a pair we make!" I say sarcastically, refusing to look at him.

"Noa, will you please tell me what's wrong?" I shake my head. "Should I go ask Gozaburo-sama?"

I snap my head up. "Iie!"

Seto crosses his arms over his chest. "I'm waiting."

"He's right, you are nosey." I grumble, glancing down. "Look, okay, I don't want you yelling at me."

"I won't yell. I promise."

"I got Chichiue to agree to let me take all your `lessons'."

"You what?!" Seto hisses, doing his best to keep his voice down.

"I knew you'd yell." I complain dryly, turning back to my suitcase.

"Are you insane?" Seto gasps. "Do you like pain?"

"Smart people don't ask stupid questions." I grumble. "Aha!" I pull my shirt and slacks out. "I'm gonna go change in the bathroom..."

Seto grabs my shoulder and forces me to look at him. I bite my lip against the pain. "Why are you doing this?" This time, his voice is serious and calm.

I pry his fingers from my shoulder, grimacing. "Chichiue says I'm like Haha. I always stand up for those I care about. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

"I still don't understand why you have to put yourself through so much pain. I'm just another pathetic kid who's spent most of his life in and orphanage or alone in a trashy house with only my ototo-chan for company. I'm not worth this, Noa."

I sigh. "Seto, you're my brother. To me, you are worth this." I tell him, then turn and close the bathroom door behind me.

-~*~-

"So, I don't actually have to do any work until Monday. We have two days to hang out. What do you three want to do?" Chichiue asks over dinner.

"We can go out and buy stuff!" Mokuba says happily.

"And maybe see a movie?" I add, hopefully. I don't think I've ever seen a movie in a theater.

Chichiue look at Seto. "And what way have you come up with to spend money, Seto?" He inquires, almost ironically.

"None. Mokuba-chan and Noa have seemed to cover it all." Seto mumbles, not looking up. He's in a depressed mood. I know it's because of me.

Chichiue raises an eyebrow at me. I shrug. "I'm sure you'll come up with something." Chichiue sighs. "Movies are best seen at night, so we'll go tomorrow night, okay?" I nod. "Shopping we can do tomorrow afternoon, I suppose."

"Can we not take the limo while we're shopping, Chichiue?" I ask.

Chichiue gives me a calculating look. "I don't know. Can you give me a good reason why we shouldn't?"

I roll my eyes. "It's downtown New York City. The traffic is usually a madhouse. Taking the limo will only get in the way. Anyway," I bite my lip. "I hate having people always stare. It would be nice to, for once, go around somewhat inconspicuously."

"Is that so?"

"Well, you're not so well known here. You could actually blend in to the crowd." I know I'm crossing the line here. Sarcasm is not much appreciated when aimed at Chichiue himself, and my voice is a little sarcastic.

Chichiue gives me a warning look, which I frown at. "Noa-chan..." He says warningly.

"Or, we could take the limo and get caught up in traffic. Whatever." I shrug, turning back to my dinner. I hear Seto snicker beside me.

"What's so funny, Seto?" Chichiue inquires.

"Huh? Oh. That waiter over there tripped and almost dumped that plate on some lady's head." Seto says quickly.

~Good save.~ I think, watching Chichiue out of the corner of my eye as he give Seto a look.

"How is that funny?" Chichiue inquires.

"Oh, I dunno. Sick sense of humor, I guess." Seto shrugs.

I sigh in relief as Chichiue rolls his eyes and goes back to his own dinner. Mokuba is watching the waiter Seto had pointed out. I elbow him. "Eat your food. It's rude to gawk." I warn him softly. Mokuba hurries to get back to his food, as if I'd caught him doing something disgusting. But, every once in a while, I see him looking back up again, watching the waiter.

-~*~-

"May I speak with you for a second, Noa-chan?" Chichiue asks softly as we split to go into our rooms.

I nod and lean over, placing my mouth next to Seto's ear. "Make sure Mokuba-chan's asleep." Seto nods in understanding, then pulls Mokuba into his room as I follow Chichiue.

The door closes behind him and he leads against it as I turn around in the center of the room to look at him. "You know you were misbehaving earlier." I nod. "Why?"

"Well, you wore such a silly shirt in that picture with Haha. You've always worn a business suit with me, even if we were just going to have fun, which, by the way, never happens..." I explain, stopping as he walks up to me.

"Is this so? Odd that you've never complained in the past. Is Seto teaching you to be bold?" Chichiue asks, voice chilled.

"Not, really..." I take a step back. "I just had the chance to say something..."

"Don't say something again." Chichiue hisses. "Unless you're dying for a lesson."

I shiver. "Not me. I'm good without one."

Chichiue grabs my upper arms and glares at me. I swallow, afraid. "I think you need one."

"No, really, I'm fine." I mumble, trying my best to get out of his grasp. "Onegai, let me go..."

"No, that's okay." Chichiue smirks. "This is much more fun."

~Shit!~ I struggle again, but he's put a finger out and it pokes one of my newer cuts. I whimper.

"Did that hurt?" Chichiue chuckles. The insane gleam in his eyes warns me that this is going to hurt, and I should have just kept my mouth shut. "Take your shirt off." Then he lets go, walking over to his suitcase.

I glance down. "The carpet will stain..." I point out hopefully.

"Then you'd better not bleed too much." Chichiue suggests. I swallow and take off my shirt. Chichiue walks back over to me. "Since you were so quiet last time, you can keep your mouth shut this time." I nod and bite my lip as he undoes the bottom of the bandages. There, he sinks in the knife. I clench my eyes shut, not wanting to see. "Did that hurt?" He inquires, almost caringly.

"H-hai..." I whisper, keeping my eyes shut.

"Oh, good. Since you're being such a good boy now, and you're right about this damned carpet, I'll let you go. How about that?"

"A-arigatou, Ch-Chichiue..."

"Go on then. Oyasumi nasai." Chichiue says softly.

"Oyasumi nasai..." I glance down. There's blood on my slacks. Oh well. I knew I brought an extra pair for some reason. I grab my shirt and, carefully, walk out into the hall, holding the hanging bandage with my shirt. I open my room door and peek in. Seto looks up at me. The door to Mokuba's room is closed. I walk in and close the door behind me with a sigh.

Seto gets up and hurries over. "Yaro..." He growls, taking my shirt.

"Can you help me wrap this back up?" I whisper.

"Yeah." He tosses my shirt on my bed and takes the bandage from my hand. "Here, put your arms up. I'll do it." He adds as he notices how bad my hands are shaking. I nod and do so. He re-wraps the bandage calmly. "Done."

I hug myself, cold. "Arigatou."

"Who pissed him off?" Seto inquires, walking over to the bathroom.

I follow him. "I did."

"Oh?"

"Being a smartass at dinner." I mumble.

"Ah..." He wets a paper towel, then turns back to wipe away what's left of the blood. "That was slightly entertaining, though."

I grin. "I want to say that I had a wonderful time doing it, but I knew I'd get it later, and that kind of dimmed the fun."

"There." Seto tosses the bloody paper towel in the toilet and flushes it. He sighs at my slacks. "What are you going to do with those?"

"I have an extra pair." I shrug. "I, actually, got off easy."

"Oh? How did you manage that?" Seto asks, leading me back to the room.

I grab my pajamas from my suitcase and start to change. "I pointed out how well carpet stains."

"Good one." Seto frowns. "Isn't there a carpet at the mansion?"

"Not in his office. Well, there are some area carpets in his office, but they're kinda scattered." I sigh. "Looks really untidy. I know he's told the servants to stay out of there."

Seto rolls his eyes. "Of course he would. You know, I can't imagine him cleaning up those messes he makes."

"He doesn't. I clean them up." I admit.

Seto snorts. "Yaro."

"Oh, I dunno. I think I should clean up his desk for him some time. Looks almost as untidy as his floor. Note how he chooses where in the room the `lessons' take place. Therefore, it is still his mess." I grumble.

Seto laughs. "Good one."

"Let's get some sleep." I sigh. "I'm tired..."

"Okay." Seto comes over and helps me move my suitcase. I get in to bed and he walks over to the door to flip off the light switch.

"Seto?" I whisper as the lights go out. I can still see the slightest bit of his form from the light leaking in through the blinds.

"Hum?" He turns to me.

"I'm scared..." I whisper, shivering.

"I'm right here." He says, sitting on the edge of my bed.

I feel tears on my face. "I know..."

"Oh, Noa..." Seto sighs sadly and runs a hand over my left cheek. "Do you want me to sleep with you? I used to do that with ototo-chan all the time."

I nodded and he got under the covers with me. He drew me in to a hug. "Oyasumi nasai."

"Oyasumi nasai, and, arigatou." I whisper, then close my eyes.

-~*~-

Mokuba's hopping on the end of the bed woke me up. "Huh? Mokuba-chan?" I mumble, feeling Seto stir beside me.

"Get up! It's time to get up!" Mokuba giggles.

Seto groans and rolls out of bed. "Right. Let's go get you dressed." He grumbles, leading Mokuba from the room and closing the door behind him

I sigh and pull myself from the bed. "Too damn comfortable..." I complain, walking over to my suitcase and rummaging through it to find some clothes to wear.

Seto comes back over, closing the door behind him, what looks like Mokuba's key in his hand. "He kicked me out." He smiles. "But I did manage to grab his key first."

I giggle. "That was mean of you."

"He has this tendency to barge in on people. I didn't feel like dealing with it this morning." Seto shrugs, putting the key on his bedside table. "Do you want to change those?" He adds, nodding at my chest.

I glance down. Blood has seeped through the bottom of the bandaging. "I should take a shower..."

"Go take a shower. I'll help you fix that when you're done." Seto suggests.

I grab some clean things and stand. "Arigatou." I mumble before hurrying into the bathroom to go take my shower. I set the fresh bandaging I'd grabbed on the counter, started up the shower, and stripped, then, carefully, started unrolling the old bandaging. I threw it in the garbage, then got into the shower.

When I am done, I change into my clean underwear and pants, then knock on the door. "Oi, Seto?"

The door opens and Seto slips in. "Mokuba-chan is downstairs, eating. Gozaburo-sama took him." He grumbles, picking up the bandaging. "Right after he ordered me to give Mokuba-chan back his key, or else."

"He doesn't like practical jokes." I nod, putting my arms up. "Consider this your warning not to let him catch at one again."

"He won't give you a `lesson' for that, will he?" Seto asks. I hear the fear and worry in his voice.

"He shouldn't. You didn't know better. It's the same as the `no food in the bedrooms' rule. Which reminds me, we need to warn Mokuba-chan about that."

"I did. He said he'd expected something like that."

I chuckle. "He's smarter than he comes across as."

"Yes, he is..." Seto sighs. "It seems to run in the kids of the Kaiba family, don't you think?"

"I suppose it does. Let's see, there's me, there's you, and there's Mokuba-chan... We are all a little smarter than we act, aren't we." I sigh. "You do realize that, as a Kaiba, you never have to go to college. You have a job at Kaiba Corp, and not even Chichiue can fire you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Chichiue told me that once. He says it's family policy. I think it's more of a way to assure that Kaiba Corp stays in the family. As long as there's an heir, there will always be a CEO." I explain dryly.

"What if the current CEO dies and the heir is too young to run the company?" Seto asks.

"Chichiue has a close friend within the company that will run Kaiba Corp until I am the legal age, or am considered smart enough by that friend, to run it. If I'm smart enough, but not really viewed as old enough, I will be running Kaiba Corp in that friend's name. To keep things safe, that friend is only known by Chichiue. The person's name is in his will, but not even that person knows who he is, and I know it's changed at least once."

"Interesting." Seto secures the bandage. "Done."

"Arigatou." I watch him as I pull my shirt on. "Are you doing this to kinda make yourself feel better?" I inquire.

Seto blinks, surprised, then smiles. "Yeah. If you insist on taking my `lessons', I insist on making sure you heal. Deal?" He holds out a hand, as if to shake on it.

I take his hand and we shake. "Deal." Then we head downstairs.

-~*~-

At first, Chichiue's clothing surprises me, but then I run over and hug him. "Arigatou, Chichiue!" I cry happily.

Chichiue smiles as me. "Happy?" I nod energetically. "Get something to eat, then we'll walk out to Times Square."

I cheer and hurry over to the breakfast bar, where Seto is already getting his food, smiling. "You sure perk up quickly." He points out.

"I'm used to it." I reply. "Gotta be extra happy in front of the press, incase they suspect something."

Seto gives me a calculating look, then shakes his head. "You're confusing."

I smirk. "I doubt you're the first that's said that, but I do believe you're the first that has said that to my face." Seto laughs.

-~*~-

"Where to?" Chichiue inquires as we get to Times Square.

"I wanna look for a puzzle or something." I look over at Seto.

"Something he can't find in Ojiisan's shop." Seto nods. "He'd like that."

"Who?" Mokuba asks. He's hanging on to Seto's arm.

"Our friend, Yuugi-kun." I shrug.

Chichiue glances at me and Seto. "Yuugi?"

"Mutou." Seto says quickly.

Chichiue narrows his eyes, but Seto has stopped paying attention. I groan and shake my head. I'll have to kill Seto later. "Hey! Toy store! That's it!" I call out.

Seto looks up and grins. "Oh, yeah!"

"Toys!!" Mokuba laughs, pulling away from Seto and running ahead of us. Seto and I run after him, smiling.

As we get inside, I pull Seto off to the side. "I didn't mention it before, but Chichiue doesn't like the Mutous. He didn't look too happy when you mentioned Yuugi-kun's last name."

"Oh... Gomen.." Seto hangs his head, then give me a worried look. "Will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine. I should be able to, as Jako says, weasel my way out of it." I smile. "Come on. Don't only look for Yuugi-kun, either. Get yourself something. You'll never have this chance again. Make use of it." I suggest, then hurry off towards the puzzles.

Seto follows me, a carrying basket over each arm. He hands one to me. "Let's get for Yuugi first, then we can split up." He looks up at points at the line for the indoor ferriswheel. "Look what Mokuba-chan found."

I laugh. "Why am I not surprised. Come on." I look around at all the puzzles. "What might Yuugi-kun like?"

"Something he can play with us, maybe." Seto suggests.

"Does he have a computer?"

"I didn't see one."

"Oh well..." I sigh and shake my head. "If you were a normal nine-year-old who liked puzzles, what would you want?" I asked the games.

"May I suggest this?" Chichiue's voice floats from behind us. He's holding up a large puzzle box with a 3D castle on it.

"What's this?" I inquire, walking over. Seto shadows my movements.

"It's a 3D puzzle. They're quite rare in Domino City." Chichiue explains, handing it to me. "Mutou-san doesn't have any in his shop."

"How would you know that?" Seto growls.

"Seto!" I hiss, then look back at Chichiue.

"Just because I don't like the Mutous now does not mean I didn't in the past, nor does it mean that I have not been by recently. The Kame Game Shop is the only one of it's kind in Domino City, also the cheapest in the area. I am not a spendthrift, Seto." Chichiue's eyes, hard before, turn soft. "And I do not mind you being friends with Yuugi-kun. I have met him. He is a good boy, and I'd rather you spend time with him than with those delinquent friends of yours."

"So, you wouldn't mind if we were at Yuugi's for a couple hours after school?" Seto inquires.

Chichiue shrugs. "We shall see." Then he turns and leaves us to smile at one another.

"I'll see you shortly." Seto smirks, taking the puzzle from me. "Have a good time!" He hurries off, leaving me with only my empty basket.

I sigh and look around. "Where to go. Where to go." I catch sight of a bunch of stuffed animals and smirk. "Sho and Erito will love me." I decide running over.

I find and pick out matching pink and orange bears. Then I catch sight of a soft white bunny with pink eyes.(A/N: *squeals* HUMPY BUNNY!!! lol) "Kawaii!" I decide and huggle it. I hold it in one arm as I walk on, deciding against putting it in my basket. I head over to the electronics area, recalling Fradt's use of a Gameboy. I notice a racing game he does not yet have that he once admitted to wanting. I place it in my basket. I wander over to where they have the toy cars. A motorcycle, the same as Jako's, catches my eye and I place it in my basket for him. I also put in a red one for myself. Chichiue's sick sense of humor has finally dragged me down.

I head over to the books section. Tsuku is a real reader, and he knows English. He's taught me quite a bit, something which I've always been thankful to him for. He's shown me a couple of English books he's finished. They're all so thin. I catch sight of one called There's A Boy In The Girl's Bathroom. Moru once told me that he'd dared Tsuku to go into the girl's bathroom at their high school, and Tsuku had done it, only to get suspended for a week.

"Now, what to get Moru..." I mumble, wandering around in near circles. "He likes, CDs..." I scratch my head. "But, they don't have his sort of music here... Which reminds me, I need to get some for myself... Good stuff..." I sigh. I recall seeing a Virgin Records next door. They'll have CDs. I sit down on a bench next to the ferriswheel with a sigh, setting the basket down on the floor next to me and looking back at the bunny in my arms. "What to name you..."

"How much of that basket is for you?" Chichiue inquires as he sits down next to me.

I hold up the bunny. "What should I name him, Chichiue?"

Chichiue takes the bunny from me and looks him over, then hands him back to me. "Give him an America name, since this is where you got him." He picks up my basket and searches through it. "You don't have a Gameboy, I know pink is one of those colors you dislike and these two look like a pair, I don't think you know much English..."

"You'd be surprised." I mumble in the very language he thinks I know so little of.

Chichiue smirks. "I am." He replies in English, then switches back to the basket and Japanese. "Who is all this for, Noa-chan?"

"My friends." I mumble, looking down at the bunny. "Although, the red motorcycle is for me."

"You like motorcycles?" I nod. "I never would have guessed."

"I've ridden one, too."

"There's one, like this red one, in the garage. My otosan got it for me when I was fifteen." Chichiue tells me, putting my basket back on the ground next to me. I gape up at him. "Surprised?"

"Yeah. I don't remember ever seeing it."

"It's in the back, behind a bunch of junk and covered. I didn't want it scratched when I stopped riding it." He sighs and looks over at me. "I suppose you can have it, when you're old enough."

"My one friend, he says he'll teach me how to drive his motorcycle when my feet can reach the pedal thingies." I say, smiling.

Chichiue chuckles. "I suppose Seto will want one too."

"He might get one."

"Oh?"

"He has an uncle with one."

"Why didn't he and Mokuba move in with this uncle?"

"His uncle's gay." I snort, annoyed at the courts again.

Chichiue sighs. "The world today is the sort of place where people who are different are frowned upon. Which reminds me, why were you and Seto in the same bed this morning?" His gives me a chilled look.

I blink. "I was scared. Seto said he'd stay with me. I did that the first night we were here last time too, remember? You snapped at me for whining."

"That's right. Mokuba thought it was cute, that's all." Chichiue shrugs.

"Why? Worried I might be gay?" I inquire, look up at him curiously. I've always wondered about his outlook on this subject.

"I don't care if you're gay or not, quite seriously. I just don't want you sleeping with anyone until you're older." Chichiue frowns. "And I'd like to know if you are."

"I'll tell you if I am." I promise. "But, if you decide a `lesson' is in order, I'm reminding you what you just said." I warn, shaking my broken finger in his face.

Chichiue holds my hand and gives the finger a close look, then lets it go. "It was broken?" I nod. "And I assume you set it again."

"Well, yeah." I make a face. "You do realize you keep breaking the same finger, don't you?"

Chichiue gives me and innocent look. "I do? I shall have to try for a different one, next time." I snort and he smirks. "When you wouldn't tell me where you were that day, were you at the Kame Game Shop?"

I startle, then nod. "Yeah. Yuugi-kun invited us over. I figured you wouldn't find out, since you hadn't in the past."

Chichiue snickers. "Noa-chan, I'm not stupid. Nine times out of ten, I knew when you got home late. One of the guards would tell me." I give him a disbelieving look. "I wanted to see how long this would last until you finally came home after me. When you dragged Seto with you, though, I'd had enough."

"Worried Seto might be turned corrupt by my `delinquent friends'?" I ask, hiding a smirk.

"Oh, I already knew he was corrupt. He showed me that after mouthing off to me when I caught you two outside."

I decide to take a chance. "Why won't you let us outside? If you're really so worried, why don't you just send a guard or two back there with us? Seto's right. It's hard to miss a kidnaping when it's right outside the kitchen or your office windows."

Chichiue gives me a calculating look. "If I let you out back, would you be running off when I get home to play with your friends?"

I shrug. "It would be less likely. It would be even less likely if I could invite my friends over every once in a while."

"I really don't like those delinquents you hang out with, Noa-chan. You know this." Chichiue sighs.

"Yeah, well, they don't like you either. You may have noticed that." I say dryly, then sigh. "But, if they could come over and keep an eye on me every once in a while, they might not be so mean. And, I think that, if you got to know them better, you might like them some too, or, at least, learn to tolerate them. They really aren't so bad. They're viewed as delinquents, most of them, due to their sexual preferences and , a few of them, due to their hair."

"Their hair?" Chichiue blinks at me.

I smile. "You'd like them, trust me."

Chichiue rolls his eyes. "We'll see. I'm not so sure I want a bunch of odd teenagers running around my house."

"Chichiue, first off, it's a mansion. Second off, we do have a backyard, not like it's ever used. I swear there's seven inches of dust on the ground!" I complain.

Chichiue chuckles. "I'll think about it." He gives my basket one more look. "I will not buy that stuff for your, friends, unless you have at least half as much stuff in there for yourself, and your bunny doesn't count." He smirks. "You'd better go find at least two more things." Then he leaves, chuckling.

I groan and stand, picking up my basket. "He's kidding."

"Noa-san!" Mokuba calls, running over to me.

I smile down at him as he latches himself to my arm. "Hey there, Mokuba-chan. Find anything you want?"

"It's all right here." Seto says, holding up a nearly filled basket as he pulls up to me on my other side. "What all have you got?"

"Mostly stuff for my friends." I shrug. "Chichiue says I have to get two more things before he'll buy this."

Seto chuckles. "At least he'll buy it for them."

I nod. "What should I get?"

"How about games?" Seto suggests. "Do we have any?"

I blink. "Well, nothing electronical."

"Well, let's go then!" Mokuba giggles, tugging my arm to get me to follow him. Seto and I laugh and follow him.

-~*~-

"Where to now?" Chichiue asks, placing our bags in a car he'd called over. It wasn't a limo, so I didn't complain.

"Virgin Records!" I smile.

Chichiue blinks at me. "You have nothing to play music on." He point out.

Seto looks at me. "Fixable?" He inquires. I nod. "Fixable." He tells Chichiue. Mokuba and I try not to laugh.

"And, hence, my reasoning behind the no shopping sprees rule." Chichiue grumbles in annoyance as he leads us to the megastore.

"Oh, wow..." Seto and I gape at the place.

"Moru would die." I tell him.

"I bet any of them would die." Seto replies.

"No..." I smirk. "You haven't seen Tsuku and Moru fight over Moru's music, yet."

Seto glances back at Chichiue. "Why are we mentioning names around him?"

Chichiue gives Seto an annoyed look. "I am here you know."

"I noticed." Seto replies, looking back at me.

I groan. "In hopes Chichiue will allow them over once or twice." Seto gapes at me. I grab his hand with a grin. "Come on. I'll tell you about it later. I still need to get Moru something."

"Wait!" Seto hurries to keep up with me.

We collect something for Moru, then show Chichiue the boombox we want for our room. Then I drag Seto back over to the Heavy Metal section and show him some of the groups I like that I've listened to, due to Moru. Seto then drags me over to some of the older Rock groups. We pick out about ten CDs between us, then Chichiue buys it all.

When we're done in the Virgin Record store, Chichiue forces us to go clothes shopping, mostly for Seto and Mokuba, but the two get me to try some things on as well. We have a good time showing off to one another, and even Chichiue laughs at a few totally ridiculous outfits, which, afterwards, he tells the person wearing it to put back.

Next we go to eat at an Italian place, something Seto and Mokuba admit to never having tried before, and loving it the first time. When we are done with that, Chichiue takes us to a movie.

By the time we head back to the hotel, Mokuba is fast asleep in Seto's arms, and both Seto and I are about to doze off ourselves. "Have fun?" Chichiue inquires from up front, where he is driving.

"Un." Seto nods before yawning.

"It was the best, Chichiue..." I add. "Arigatou."

"Sure."

"Did you have fun?" Seto inquires suddenly.

Chichiue smiles in the mirror. "Maybe."

I smirk at Seto. "That means yes." Seto giggles softly and I catch Chichiue rolling his eyes.

~~~

A/N: KAWAII!!!

Noa: I'm still trying to get over the `Humpy Bunny'...

Seto: What's with making Goza-baka so nice all of a sudden?

KK: De Humpy Bunny has to do with a screenshot of Noa-chan dueling, with a white bunny with pink eyes, hanging on to a pole. One of my friends has dubbed him `Humpy Bunny', and I decided to let you have de Humpy Bunny. *huggles said friend* Tis for you, Haley!! And, seriously, I don't know why Goza-baka decided to be nice all of a sudden. I think Seiji-baka, Kam-kun, or Pugio must have an evil idea...

Noa: I have the worst feeling this involves me.

Seto: Are you going to make Noa-chan call his new bunny `Humpy Bunny'?

KK: I shall see what de readers say. *looks at readers* Tell me in a review or e-mail. I like both.

And I went to amusement park... *glances at clock* 2 days ago. The 28th, if you will. Friend did not come, she was on family vacation and did not get my calls. Evilness... Tis okay. I still won giant Scooby-Doo, which is much better than giant Tweety Bird which I won a few years ago. Oddly enough, I think I won both from the same booth. But, it is good. I finally figured out how to get my new strobe light necklace thingie to work. And I have new Pixy Stix. Green. Never had green in any of my other packages. `Sour' candy too. They say sour, they lie. Tis okay, me likes anyway!!

SR reviewed!! Me's happy!! *huggles SR* Private jet, Hum... Which such thing had been mentioned before this chappie was typed but, yes, that is another, very good, idea!! I have piccy of Noa-chan and puppy. You may have seen it in the Noa-chan album. I'm pretty sure it's in the Kaiba one at the new site... *blinks*

~KK