Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Time on a Chain ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. {Wish I did!}

I'm your what?

"Help yourself to anything you want. I need to look over these papers. It may take a while so why
don't you sit down somewhere?"

"Haven't asked me to." Willow picked a chair where she could keep an eye on everything in the
room and both doors.

Seto gave her an irritated look. "Well, I'm asking you to now. Sit in that chair or any other in the
room. Help yourself, like I said, to anything on the plate and all the tea you want. Is that clear
enough to your tiny little mind?"

"Hhhuuunnn"

Willow let her irritation show. The gold flecks in her eyes grew larger and she seemed to freeze.
Her face went still, not stiff; just still, like she had gone away inside her self a little.

Seto, watching her out of the corner of his eye felt a cold chill. {BRRRRRR! Goose walked on
my grave!}

Seto examined the papers and smiled slyly. He went over them carefully looking for loop holes
or mistakes. After twenty minutes he was satisfied.

"If you have finished eating everything in sight; would you go ask Joey to come in here ?"

Willow nodded and went to the door, looking back she decided that Kaiba-chan looked very
smug about something. It made her a little nervous.

"Sorry about the snacks. I was very hungry."

Seto just nodded and pushed the call button on his desk. " I said you could have all you wanted.
I'll order more, Get Wheeler. And stay close to him."

"Wheeler, Sit down. Willow stay right there if you don't mind."

Willow had followed Joey into the room and was standing behind him like Seto had asked. She
raised an eyebrow but stayed where she was.

Joey twisted in his chair to look at Willow who was how standing behind him.

"What? Why ya want her t' stay there?"

Seto smirked at Joey "Because I don't want you to attack me when I tell you that you are my
ward."

Joey just looked at Seto. His face slowly turning white.

"I'm your what?! What'd ya say? I'M YOUR WARD!!"

Joey started to get up. Willow put her hand on his shoulder and held him down.

"I can't be your ward. I'm too old–I mean–you're to young. SHIT! How did you manage this?"

Joey shrugged Willows hand off

"Get offa me! I'm OK. I'm not gonna do something stupid. Now."

Willow looked at Seto, this was a surprised she hadn't expected.

"I have considerable influence with the judges in Domino. Also I threw some money at it."

Joey looked at Seto appraisingly. "Ok I'm your ward" He rubbed the back of his head. "I'd like t'
pick my own school if ya don't mind. No military school for me, thank you."

"I'll start paying ya back my tuition as soon as I graduate and get a job. I'll try......"

Seto shook his head. "Not so fast, Mutt. You'll stay right here. Stay in the same school..."

Joey interrupted. "Why? Ya hate my guts. The only reason ya even put up with me this long is
because Moki made puppy-dog eyes at ya. Don't get me wrong; I'm grateful for everything
you've done for me and trying to get along with me while I healed up. But I'm in fairly good
shape now and it's time to get on with ........

"Shut up, Mutt! I don't hate you." Seto pinched back the pain between his eyes.

Willow wondered why Joey thought Seto hated him. No one who hated another would look at
them with that kind of sympathy.

"Don't lie to me, Kaiba. All the times you've called me worse that Mutt and told me I'm a waste.
Ya don't like someone and talk to them like that. You've lightened up on me a lot since I got hurt
but I'm sure........."

"Will you let me talk or do I have to gag you to get in a word or two."

Joey sighed "There ya see."

"Joey; you just irritate the shit out of me. I think it's because we're more alike than either one of
us wants to admit. If I seem to be on your case all the time it's because I hate waste and you're
wasting your life. You aren't nearly as stupid as you act. No one who can duel like you can is
stupid. But you never responded like I hoped you would. I called you stupid and all those other
things because I hoped you would rise to the challenge and prove me wrong. I can see now that I
went about it wrong. I apologize."

Joey felt suddenly numb, Seto was apologizing to him. "UUUhhh! Give me minute to absorb
that." Joey shifted to look over his shoulder. "Could you quit hoverin'. You're makin' it hard t'
think. I don't like people behind me."

Willow looked at Seto. When he jerked his head, she went to stand beside his desk. If she played
the obedient body guard for a while maybe he'd quit giving her those cold looks.

Joey hung his head letting his bangs hide his eyes. "It's kinda hard t' do good in school when
you're hungry all the time. Sleep deprivation don't help any either and when it's hard to sit still
sometimes it's easier to just skip all together. I'll never amount t' anything. I don't have the
money t' go t' the kind a' school I want t' and I'm no good at manual arts."

"I hate metal fabrication with an unholy passion. My counselor put me in manual arts because I
tested high in art but....Aaaawwwww, hell; you laugh and I'll punch ya. I really want t' go int'
graphic arts. Maybe commercial or architectural rendering."

" There's some good money there. So ya see why I never bothered much with grades. I stay in
school because it's the law and it keeps me away from pop but I'm never goin' anywhere so what
the hell."

Joey sounded bitter and tired.

Seto grimaced this was going to be hard in one way but easy in another.

"You sit right there and don't start a fight."

"Listen up! You are my ward and my responsibility. You know I take all my responsibilities
seriously."

"I said I would take care of you. If you remember? And that doesn't mean wishing you off on
some school. Moki would make my life pure hell until I brought you back for one thing and for
another; one of the reasons I decided to keep you here is simple. I want you to be Moki's
companion. He has friends but there are times when he can't leave the estate and I can't be here.
Do you know what kind of mess six or seven fifteen year olds can make? Well I do and I can tell
you it isn't pretty. So our arrangement benefits us both. You live here; help me with Mokie and
I'll see to it that you have a good life. I'll be a good fath..............." Seto choked and looked at
Joey.

"Oh....my...God." Joey sputtered and then he started to laugh just as hard as Seto. Willow looked
at them both for a minute then she got it. Seto was Joeys foster father. {Oh, this is going to be
interesting.}

Hearing all the laughter Moki stuck his head in the door. Seeing that no one was bleeding or
unconscious he looked at Willow for an explanation. Neither Seto nor Joey was in any condition
to tell him anything.

"Joey is Seto's ward. They seem to think it is hilarious" Willow couldn't for the life of her see
what was that funny about the arrangement, it was convenient. The fact that Seto was only
perhaps eighteen months older that Joey made things interesting.

At that moment Joey wailed, "Oh, shit!" Seto just doubled over holding his stomach.

"Don't... You.. dare!" Seto gasped

"Don't worry I won't." Joey was curled up in the chair with his arms wrapped around his
stomach.

"Oh. It hurts!"

Mokuba just looked at both teens and then shook his head. "I don't see what is so funny about
this. It's a good thing. Joey, you can stay here and be our companion and.."

Then it hit him too, "Oh, Oh nnnnnooooooooo! I can't stand it. Seto, are you going to make him
call you Daddy?"

Willow had to move quite quickly to catch him before he hit his head.

{Boys are so weird. I just don't understand, I guess I lost my sense of humor along the way}

Willow put Mokie on the couch and helped Seto to his chair. She perched on the straight backed
chair she had chosen and watched as they all struggled to get themselves under control, but it
seemed that whenever one or the other of them would gain some control eyes would meet and it
would start up again.

Finally it wound down of its own accord.

"Well I haven't laughed so much in years."

"Joey-kun, we have to get down to business. You're not going to be happy about this; but I have
your school records. They're awful. I see why now but that's neither here nor there. I can't have
any ward of mine with a record like this"

Seto opened a thick folder and made a face.

Joey shifted uncomfortably, he had seen his record, several times. His counselor had made him
read it.

It was thick; and not good; didn't begin to describe it.

"Ok. So I'm a joke. They hold me up t' the little kids as a bad example. What do we ...I do about
it?"

"First we get you out of manual arts. If you hate it that bad it's gone. I'll have the school change
your counselor. The man is an idiot. We'll get your schedule for next semester changed. That's
not a problem. The problem is you have to retake every class you have a grade below C in. And
that's most of the scholastic classes."

Joey just sat very still as he absorbed that piece of news. He flexed his fingers, then he crossed
his arms. He fidgeted for a while then he looked at Seto.

"Ya saw that record, ya read better than I do. How'm I gonna do that. I haven't gotten a grade
above C since middle school. That's about four years a' studies t' catch up with. Ain't gonna
happen."

"Oh, yes it is. I won't stand for less than perfection. I know how hard it's going to be but if I
could carry the crippling load Gozabora put on me. You can do what I'm going to ask of you. At
least I won't chain you to the desk by the neck and beat you."

Joey eyed Seto for a minute feeling sick.

Moki looked at Seto, how much was he going to tell Joey. He hopped that he would talk to Joey.
Joey had gone through much the same things as Seto, but Seto was so deep in denial that he was
drowning. If Seto didn't get help soon he was in big trouble. Moki watched as his big brother
slowly killed himself and couldn't do anything. If Joey did what Mokuba hoped he would they
would save each other. {Please!}

Willow watched all three boys. She saw the interplay between them, Moki looked hopeful, as did
Joey but Seto looked cold and distant and sad.

"Hey I didn't mean to scare you. I'm not Gozaburo. I do mean that you are going to catch up but
we'll make arrangements for you to do it a little more slowly that I did. It shouldn't take you
more that six months to do it. I'll make sure that you don't take any classes that you don't have
the foundation for."

"Thanks... I think. But I'm so far behind that it'll take more than six months."

Joey got up and began to pace. He thought better when he was moving.

"Look lets forget about school for now. I need t' know what else ya expect a' me. If we're gonna
have a bargain, I need to know what's expected a' me. I'm grateful for this; you know it. So I
want t‘ do good. So start talking."

Mokuba perked up, he had been laying on the couch were Willow had put him kicking his legs in
the air and watching Seto and Joey. Now they were getting somewhere.

"Ok. You've got some sense after all."

"Here's what I expect of you. Moki and I have been getting death threats. Not that unusual a
thing but this guy is above average. He knows things he shouldn't and has sent pictures."

"Moki can't leave the estate except under heavy guard. That makes it hard for him to be around
his friends. I had things to do that made it hard for me to be around when I should have been so I
need help with his friends. They aren't used to me so they have this odd habit of cringing when I
come into a room" Joey snickered" What? I just need you to be around to ease the tension.
You're good at stuff like that and I'm not... What's so funny? Don't let's get started again."

Joey held his hands out in front of him; "Nah, I don't believe it. Ya really don't have any idea
why Moki's friends're scared a' you. Ya dope. Ya keep given' ‘em the death glare from hell and
can't figure out that a cold glare that'd scare a grown man is gonna terrify little kids. You need
therapy!"

Seto went cold and stiff, the look he gave Joey could have frozen a volcano. "I don't need
therapy. Get real."

Joey just grinned and shrugged. {He really froze up there. Wonder why?} "Ok! Ok! I was just
joking! Don't get your shorts in a bunch."

Willow shifted uneasily, she didn't like his reaction to Joey's remark and couldn't understand
why. So he was a little cold; he was the youngest corporate head in the world and his corporation
was the biggest toy and game company. He had good reason. You didn't get good at something
with out being calculating and sometimes cruel. Seto seemed Ok to her.

"There's just a few more things to cover then. I think we could have a break for lunch. If any one
is hungry after all those snacks?"

Seto wasn't hungry, he rarely was. And when he was he didn't eat much; he'd never had much of
an appetite.

"We've got a gym, swimming pool and inside track. Feel free to use them anytime you want. If
there is anything you want to learn I'll hire tutors. Willow that goes for you too. I'm sure you will
want to work out while you're here."

"Here Joey-kun" Joey brightened visibly {Kun? Maybe he does like me; some.}" As your
guardian I'm giving you an allowance. Don't run over it!"

"This is your check book..... you do know how to write a check? OK. Now, you don't get your
shorts in a bunch. I had to make sure. Also here is a credit card. You pay the card out of your
allowance. You buy your own clothes and school books out of it"

"You need a computer but I'll provide that for you. It will be used for school work. Don't fill it
full of games. Clear?"

"You will ride to school with Mokuba and me. You'll have guards just like us and don't try to
evade them. Please! I don't want some fool to try to use you against me. Got it? Ok"

Joey nearly fell off the chair. "Hey! Are you sure this is right. Maybe some clerk misplaced a
decimal or sumthin'. They put four thousand dollars in this account. Even if it's quarterly that's a
lot of dough!"

"Only four thousand? I told that fool to give you eight thousand this time. You ‘ll need clothes
and shoes, nearly everything. Fools; I'm surrounded by fools."; Seto snarled, he punched the call
button so hard it cracked. "Miss Jackson! I am sure you understood my instructions concerning
Mr Wheeler's account. Why isn't the deposit correct? I'm waiting!"

"Mr. Kaiba, I'm so sorry. The Accounting department isn't co-operating with me at all. I've been
on the phone for that last twenty minutes. They don't seem to realize that he is your ward; they
keep giving me the runaround. Please give me a chance to fix this!" The woman sounded
harassed and scared.

"Just fire the ass and get on with it." Seto pinched the bridge of his nose. His headache was
getting worse.

Joey watched Seto casually, he'd pulled another one of his switches. He could be so nice then
suddenly he was like a snake striking out without warning. Something was seriously wrong. He
had always thought it was just the way he was but after being in the house with him for nearly a
week he couldn't get over the feeling that something was going on besides him being an arrogant
prick with too much pride and stubbornness for his own good

"Hey, Seto, I'm hungry" Mokuba pipped up; almost on cue. "Yeah; me too. Why not give the
poor woman a chance to get this fixed while we eat lunch?" Joey looked at Willow hopefully.
{Come on help out here}

"If it's really that aggravating I'll go kill him for you. Just give me a picture and an address and
he's a dead man." Willow curled the corner of her mouth slightly in what passed for a smile
when she wasn't trying to scare someone. Everyone turned and looked at her like she had gone
crazy.

"Yeah! Like ya really would!" Joey laughed.

"Why not? That's my job. If he's unhappy I'm not protecting him properly." Willow wondered
why they were all looking at her that way.

Seto rubbed his temple. He believed she would do exactly what she said she would. He was
going to have to be careful of her. If it wasn't for Mokuba's safety he'd get rid of her right now.
"Let's go to lunch. You don't kill anyone with out my express order. I'll be right out."

Willow just nodded, anyone attacked, they were dead; otherwise she'd let him handle his own
problems. "What's that matter?" She didn't like the way he looked he was too pale and was
starting to sweat slightly.

"I get migraine headaches. One of the reasons I'm on hiatus. I have some medication. I'll take
some and be right out." Seto opened the right hand drawer and took out a bottle, uncapping it he
shook two capsuels out into his palm and swallowed them dry.

{That can't be good. I don't even swallow two capsules that size dry.}

Willow left heading for the kitchen where she heard Joey and Mokuba arguing amicably over
wether they should have cheese burgers or tofu scramble.