To Save a Puppy

A Dog Day Afternoon

For the next few weeks, they fell into a pattern of Joey messing with Kaiba's alarm clock, either having him wake up extremely early, or extremely late. Once Kaiba had lain in bed, waiting for him, knowing he would, and caught him in the act. Joey nearly went out a window. Joey would cook all the meals, and occasionally force a day off onto Kaiba and drag him home from work.

That particular morning was different, though. Of course, Kaiba had gotten up late for work again, due to Joey's antics, but Mokuba had forced him to sit down for breakfast that Joey had made.

Kaiba sat at the table, grumbling to himself, something about needing to be at work. Mokuba sat across from him, beaming as always. Joey set the plates down, and not long after that, the food. Joey then did something that not only surprised Kaiba, but Mokuba as well. He sat next to Kaiba, and started eating and laughing as if he didn't just take the biggest risk in the world. He and Mokuba laughed as always, and Kaiba threw in a few demeaning insults to Joey along with some small conversational sentences. After they ate, Mokuba insisted on cleaning up while the other two boys stayed seated. Mokuba finished that, and stood on a chair.

"Attention Kaiba household plus one!" Mokuba shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Attention Kaiba household plus one! Today we're going on a picnic!"

Both Joey and Kaiba opened their mouths in protest, but neither could find words. Mokuba grinned, hopped off the chair, and ran into a closet, and jumped out with a picnic basket. Both boys blinked in confusion.

"As I said, picnic. So Seto, you're skipping work today, and Joey, you're going to fix some sandwiches for us while I get the basket and everything else we need." Mokuba said to them. Knowing arguing with Mokuba was hopeless, Kaiba nodded, and left the room to call his office, informing them he wouldn't be there. Joey got up, and went to make the food. Mokuba scurried around, snatching things and putting them in the basket.

After they all finished what they were doing to prepare for their surprise picnic courtesy of Mokuba, they started to head out. Kaiba flipped open his cellphone to call a limo, but Mokuba snapped it shut.

"No can do big brother. We're walking today." Mokuba wagged his finger in Kaiba's face. Kaiba and Joey groaned in unison.

"Oh stop it! We could all use the exercise!"

They all started their walk to the park. It wasn't that far away, the truth was, Joey's laziness probably rubbed off on Kaiba.

When they reached the park, it was vacant, a relief for the antisocial Seto Kaiba. Mokuba bounded towards a rather large sakura tree off to the side of the park. He reached into the basket and pulled a checkered red and white blanket out, which he then streached it over the grass under the shade near the tree. Since Mokuba looked like he was all set by himself, Joey headed to the tree. He sat under the tree on the warm grass, and leaned against the trunk. He stared at the bright blue skies above, and breathed in the fresh air. Kaiba walked up to Mokuba, and asked if he needed help. Mokuba shooed his brother away with a wave of his hand.

"I'm fine Seto, really, just go sit with Joey or something." Mokuba said, looking at his older brother with wide eyes. Kaiba glanced over to the tree at the blonde, and ran a hand through his hair, and sighed.

"Okay, as long as you're positive you don't need any help?" Kaiba tried.

"Yes!" Mokuba shoved his brother in Joey's direction.

"Okay, okay." Kaiba walked over towards the tree, his tailcoat swooshing in the warm breeze. He sat against the tree as well, a little ways away from Joey, maybe a few feet, but just enough. Joey looked over at the brunette who now sat with him at the tree. Sakura petals floated past the two, the silence completing everything. Joey, who was dazed by the beauty of the perfect daylight and tree itself, smiled. Kaiba looked over at Joey, who seemed to be in his own little world, and realized something. He actually quite enjoyed the mutt's company, but there was no way he was letting Joey find that out. It was made a little too clear to him that Joey did not like Kaiba around. Or so Kaiba thinks, but who knows?