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"Get your eyes off my a** Jounouchi, this merchandise is not for sale" Hiroto mocked coyly, twinging with a mixture of shame and delight when he heard Kaiba yell a reprimand about that language in front of his brother, and Mokuba protesting he wasn't a baby and definitely knew that sort of language.

Once they were out of the room he turned to Anzu and Yuugi and asked, "well this certainly proved to be a fun morning, where do you want to go eat?" While the three of them debated he added, "seriously guys, thanks for showing up, I don't know how I would have handled this morning on my own."

- - -

"I don't care, no one should even use that language, it's vile and uncouth," Kaiba berated, unable to suppress a small smile at the hypocrisy of his own admonishment.

Playful banter with his brother aside he glanced up at Jounouchi, still in the room. He meant to ask him what the deal with the plotting was, yet what came out of his mouth, "how is your father?" Seto frowned slightly, wondering why the hell he just asked a personal question, he didn't care about personal matters, especially Jounouchi's personal matters. Especially in regards to a man who had done his best to end Seto's own life today...twice.

((2200 more words to go on the last paper, though I did finish all citations in the others. Hoping to finish by 3am, so I can power nap and then drag my butt up at 8 to claim a computer in the library when it opens and edit until 11. Then print in a mad scramble and run to hand it in. After which I will cry hysterically and pass out. My goal will be to wake up before grocery stores close because I'm starving. Between 11am Sunday - now (11pm Tuesday) I've eaten barely anything because the grocery stores aren't exactly close and I'm too busy procrastinating these papers to go shopping. Me so hungee. sad

And sorry for implied putting filthy words in Mokuba's mouth razz ))

"I don't think we are needed anymore, everybody is fine and Kaiba certainly doesn't want to talk with us. Our time is much better spent feeding me. So burgers then? Burgers sound good," Hiroto announced, not wanting to talk about the dreary anymore.

- - -

"Ahh, well, that's fine," Seto mumbled, really wishing he hadn't asked. "So what have you two been up to then?" he asked suspiciously, changing track from the previously awkward subject matter.

((Well I finished, but ugh totally just fell asleep at 6:30pm...just woke up around 1:30am. That sucks. Still tired enough to go back to bed but also hungry...don't wanna eat in the middle of the night but I haven't eaten since noon yesterday..bah!))

"Aww, but Burger World sounds fantastic!" Hiroto chided Anzu, although to be honest it probably would've hit the spot right then. He didn't particularly care where they went though. So long as he was fed, and fast.

- - -

Seto starred at the pair for a minute, sure he must be suffering some sort of temporary insanity that caused him to mishear what Mokuba just said.

"I'm sorry, I appear to have just had a sudden stroke on top of everything else. Please repeat what you just said, to make sure I'm fully aware of what you are proposing before I inform you that you both must be completely out of your minds," Seto said slowly, with deliberate separation and emphasis on points within. He also wanted to raise objection to the idea of "anyone" - even his beloved kid brother - "running" his company for him while he was still breathing. An elevation of delegated tasks perhaps, but not running. However that clearly was not the most pressing issue currently on hand.

((I can't remember, heh. xd ))

"Why do you get Yuugi? Yuugi suggested it! I think Yuugi would rather go with me," Hiroto proclaimed, making a mock grab for their pint size friend in order to pretend drag him off to Burger World.

- - -

Seto didn't know where to begin, there were just so many things wrong with that entire speech. For the first time in his life he actually wanted to smack his brother. A slight growl escaped from the back of his throat. That actually not a token of anger (he was still quite to shocked to fully comprehend anger at the moment), but of the inability to say ten different things at once. At a complete loss he settled for a sarcastic rant until he could regain enough composure to countermand this attack.

"Oh well of course we couldn't leave me with servants, people who are paid expressly to, what's that word, ah right, serve. They clearly wouldn't know what to do. Yes better set me up with nurse Jounouchi, because I couldn't possibly think of a more sensible plan that that. Say for maybe any other plan. But besides all those options this is most definitely the way to go," Seto snipped, continuing, "although I can't possibly fathom what sick masochistic reasons the mutt must have to agreeing to acquiesce to such a ridiculous proposal - or making such a ridiculous proposal, as I'd almost rather assume the case must be. I'd really hope my own brother couldn't have contrived of such a foolish plan. All that aside if you think this is going to be a one sided punishment you are dead wrong dog," Seto finished with a glare. Not sure who he was angrier with at the moment, half leaning out of the bed, ready to literally beat sense into both of them if they didn't nix this train wreck of an idea immediately.

((Well it was a week ago...a week in which I suffered jet lag AND no sleep as I desperately tried to complete 3 final assessments by deadline. xd ))

Well tomfoolery would be one sure fire way to distract from hunger for the time being. Seriously gripping Yuugi's arm now, Hiroto gave a playful tug and cried, "come on Yuugi, you going to let a woman push you around?"

- - -

"Damn dog," Seto muttered obstinately, attempting to regroup. Mokuba was better prepared than he admits he would have given the kid credit for.

"Just because you are going to waste your savings paying the staff so that I can't fire them doesn't mean I have to bow down to any ridiculous scheming. They can't do anything to me and I can ignore them if I choose, I can handle my own new employment, or I can damn well take care of myself," Seto growled, so disliking being backed into a corner he couldn't help the swears that he protested as uncouth and beneath his station not moments before.

"You're only the vice president Mokuba, and it isn't exactly fleshed out much further than a token position, save for in the event of my death, which clearly has not happened yet, else I wouldn't be so tormented I hope. I'd still have to sign over several aspects of control to give you the authority necessary to even temporarily run my company," he argued further, though unsure where to go from there. His company could function without him. Trying to keep authority from Mokuba would only inhibit progress and new projects, possibly business deals. It would still function at a minimal level, which in the short run wouldn't lead to any damage. Petulantly refusing to allow Mokuba a higher stake in the company, whom in spite of his young age he did trust to be capable of the role (if not quite as adept as himself), would more likely infuriate his own desire for progress than keep Mokuba from any aim of his own. That being making sure Seto rested, recovered, and apparently was made as agitated as possible, in sick retribution for all those late nights (overnights) at the office. He could be a complete a*****e and assign authority to someone else. But there wasn't really anyone he trusted to do a better job, and thus that would just be an immature betrayal to the most important person, the only important person, in his entire world. Mokuba didn't want his company, he wanted Seto to get better, and Seto knew this. Fighting his brother on particulars wouldn't get him what he wanted. Which was to not have to be cooped up with one of his least favorite people when ill and unable to get away. However he wasn't sure exactly how to get around that, so he'd struggle over the only details he knew how to control, and all those pertained to staff and work.

((I thought you were playing 4 immature characters, hahaha. At least I'm only playing one, although the other is haughty enough to make him alone ten times more difficult to puzzle out. Although as Jou complained, I do love his big words. Him and Pegasus are some of my favorite characters to play for that reason, their narcissistic prattle that they know half their listeners can't follow.

btw, when I originally wrote this I had Seto saying "run my country" rather than company. Haha, I was so inclined to leave it.))

"I'm saying he should choose me because we are men. You are a man aren't ya Yuugi?" Hiroto leered, enjoying the flush in his pint size friend.

- - -

Seto glared at his brother for several minutes. The room was silent, nobody even twitched a muscle (including Jounouchi - can't usually stand still for 3 seconds - Katsuya). Seto imagined Jounouchi trying to come up with every insult that could possibly be thrown his way. He'd give the blond some credit, he actually was quicker on his feet then one might expect. However Seto was better, and Jounouchi often ended up the enraged fool when unable to keep up with a Kaiba in the battle of rhetoric. Conversely, Mokuba was probably bracing himself for anything his brother threw at him, convincing himself that it would just be anger and not real feelings. He'd be right of course, and unfortunately Seto realized that if he could consciously perceive that clarification he'd gained the presence of mind to trump anger. Without that justification for violence he couldn't intentionally hurt his brother in the manner necessary to attempt to get out of this situation. He still wasn't happy about it. He still thought it ridiculously unnecessary. For now though he just couldn't be bothered to fight it. With a groan he placed his face in his hands and shook his head, hoping that he'd still get lucky and find himself waking from this nightmare any moment. It was with that comforting thought in mind he mumbled out a defeated, "whatever." If he wasn't so miserable he'd probably chuckle at the anticipated reactions from Mokuba and Jonouchi at his sudden compliance.

((Aww damn it, I had my reply up all day slowly working on it and then my browser closed, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Also I swear I'm not trying to make Hiroto teasing Yuugi sexual and perverted, I swear...this...just kinda happens to me. stressed ))

"I highly doubt that," Seto mumbled in response to the regret sentiment, trying to fake a smile for his brothers sake. He didn't handle illness or weakness well at all, throwing one of his least favorite people into the mix wasn't going to make the situation anymore bearable.

Mokuba started chattering about near future plans and getting Seto checked out and moved back home - at least cooped up at home was going to be better than cooped up in the hospital. Glancing up at Jounouchi, he amended that thought to a maybe. The world's worst jello versus the world's biggest airhead, it would be a close call.

He barely listened as Mokuba and Jounouchi started making their own plans. He was vaguely aware of Jou planning to talk to Honda, then head home to grab a few things and let his dad know where he'd be for awhile. He did get a small kick out of watching the blond try to figure out his brother's smartphone, mumbling all the while about how was it smarter to not feel the buttons. Within moments of the blond running off - sadly for the last time in awhile, as he'd be with them nights as well (he was NOT staying in Seto's own room) - Yamada-sensei came bearing the news that Seto was clear to go.

- - -

"Yuugi why are you letting Anzu talk for you? If I pants you am I going to find a big bold tattoo reading "property of Anzu" where the sun don't shine? Come on Yuugi, what say you. What do you want to do? Speak for yourself!" Hiroto taunted loftily, amused that Anzu really seemed to be irritated.

Their merry banter - which had been going on much longer than Hiroto realized - was interrupted by the Pokemon theme song. Yuugi laughed and Anzu rolled her eyes as Hiroto grinned and whipped out his cell, though frowning a bit when he saw the text was from a number that up until a few hours ago wouldn't have been familiar:

Yo, Jou typin, borrowed Moks celly thing here, touch screen, dont get it. lol. Meet me at Burger World asap? Alone plz, sorry ahead, you wont like this. cya soon!

It couldn't be an emergency, Jou probably wouldn't waste time learning how to text with Mokuba's phone for that. However if he was going to dislike it it probably revolved either around Kaiba or Jou's father. Either way he was at least glad his best friend was taking the initiative to be forthcoming.

Turning to Yuugi and Anzu he said, "ooh, sorry guys, something came up. Guess I'll have to eat later. Yuugi let's hit up Burger World tomorrow instead, be nice and give Anzu at least a small break I suppose. You win this time miss bossy, but we shall meet again," Hiroto mocked, both trying to make sure his friends went anywhere but Burger World while concealing that anything might be amiss. Without waiting for a reply he ran off in the opposite direction of Burger World, he'd cut back after he was out of sight. Just in case.

- - -

Current target and old plaything confined to one household? One beautiful house to be swiftly converted into his own nightmare playpen? Things couldn't have worked out better if he planned them himself.

((I usually do too, but while the first half came to me right away (hence starting) the second half was not, so I just kinda left it there to play with as I go. Shoulda moved it to a works doc...*sigh*...or at least c/p repeatedly.

Once I reread what I posted the word leer just stood out perverting everything before me. It hadn't been intentional! Leer is a dangerous word. 3nodding

I'm always cool with time jumps (unless it's jumping out of something amazing, which hospitals usually aren't razz ). I think I've done a few before myself (note there was no ambulance ride to the hospital) so yea, if you ever want to jump when things seem pretty established feel free, I have no problem catching up. That said I uhh...kinda started the jump for ya then, hope that works for ya. You said tell Honda. xd ))