Work Text:
It was almost stupid how it started. Mokuba had dragged him into a pet shop, walking down the street. His brother knew he wasn’t allowed animals (Kaiba wouldn’t stand for the dirt and the hair), but he always wanted to look. Kaiba had to follow him around the store as the boy pressed his face and hands against the glass, slowly walking from enclosure to enclosure.
He tapped his foot in agitation, waiting for Mokuba to finish so they could leave.
Then his brother came to a kennel with three golden retriever puppies.
“Seto, can I hold one? Please?” he looked over at Kaiba. His brother sighed and walked over.
“Fine. Just make it quick. And don’t get their fur all over your sweater,” he said. Mokuba grinned and ran to find an employee to unlock the kennel and give him an armful of puppy. Kaiba watched the little balls of fur playing with each other, running and pinning down their siblings. One, the largest, was standing off to the side of his brothers, intently watching over them. He turned and looked at Kaiba, then cocked his head, causing his tiny ears to flap a little.
Kaiba felt like he was being studied. He scoffed at the dog and averted his gaze, finding Mokuba heading towards him with a sickeningly cheery-looking girl. She looked faintly familiar, perhaps a classmate.
“Here, these ones! Please let me hold a puppy!” Mokuba said, pointing at the golden-furred pups. The girl unlocked the cage swiftly and cooed at them. Then she leaned down and picked up the smallest puppy, the runt of the litter, and placed him in Mokuba’s waiting arms. He laughed with delight, cradling the little one and ruffling it’s fur.
Suddenly, Kaiba found himself with an armful of puppy as well. He stared wide-eyed into the large, serious eyes of a heavy pup with its head cocked to one side. The pup hung limply in Kaiba’s outstretched hands, trusting the human, then slowly his mouth opened into a wide goofy grin, and his eyes glazed over in a vacant and adorable way.
It reminded Kaiba of someone he knew. The reminder was strong enough for him to have almost thrown the puppy from himself in disgust, only stopping at the last split second. It wouldn’t do to throw an innocent, trusting creature halfway across the room. He had better control than that.
He slowly brought his arms back to his body, supporting the dog. Damn it, why did the girl have to give him this animal? He had always managed to escape before. Mokuba always held the creatures, and Kaiba had always stood by the wayside, ignoring them both of purpose.
He didn’t know what to do with himself. So he stroked the puppy, first once experimentally, then, seeing the stupid goofy grin again, continuously, over and over. He found the motion soothing, almost therapeutic. The puppy was soft, softer than anything Kaiba had ever felt. Staring into the eyes of the puppy, he felt a small smile cross his face.
He was content, at peace, for the first time in a really long time.
He almost walked out of there with that puppy. The only thing that stopped him was that he wasn’t sure he could see that goofy grin in his house, day in and day out, causing havoc - just like it’s human counterpart. Yet, he still continued stroking the soft fur as the puppy snuggled into his arms.
He steeled his resolve, handed the pup back to the smiling girl, and walked out of the store. He said nothing to anyone, simply knowing that Mokuba would follow immediately.
Kaiba’s mood darkened as he walked out onto the street. He shook his head briefly to disperse any thoughts of the puppy and the person whom the dog reminded him of.
~*~*~
Over the next few weeks, he found himself making detours into that particular store. Every time he’d grudgingly point at the largest puppy in that litter of three, and one of the irritatingly-cheerful staff would hand him the puppy. He’d hold it for a few minutes, relaxed, stroking it, occasionally allowing himself a small smile. The puppy, normally so serious in the pen, would melt in his arms, and flash him that incredibly goofy grin.
He still couldn’t bring himself to walk out of the store with the puppy.
Weeks passed, and one day when he pointed at the puppy he had come to consider as his, the associate told him that unfortunately that puppy was sold just earlier this morning, and the new owner would be coming to pick him up later that day.
“WHAT?!?” Kaiba snapped. The girl smiled apologetically.
“Well, it’s time for them all to go to their forever homes. They can’t stay here forever. I’ve asked you if you wanted to buy this little guy but you always said no, so we sold him to someone else.”
Kaiba narrowed his eyes, but could not deny her logic.
“Let me hold the puppy.”
“Technically I’m not allowed, but you’ve been coming to see him almost daily so I guess we can make an exception for one last time,” the girl smiled. Then she unlocked the cage and handed him the serious pup. Had it really been almost daily? The pup had become a beacon of solace for him, its softness and goofy grin soothing. He still couldn’t shake the human association, but he found that he didn’t really mind it any longer. At least the animal version didn’t speak.
This time, Kaiba didn’t want to leave the dog behind. He stayed there, wrestling with himself. He knew he could simply buy the dog out - hell, he could just buy the entire shop and force them to give him the puppy. He just…
He didn’t think he wanted to have the animal incarnation of Joey Wheeler running around his house. It was bad enough that said incarnation brought him inexplicable comfort in any way, but to welcome it into his own house?
No, he’d have to put the dog away, let it go to whomever had purchased it, and leave it at that. He couldn’t afford weakness, and this pup was making him weak.
He looked at the other two puppies in the cage, sleeping peacefully, and felt nothing. Then he looked at the pup in his arms and felt possessiveness sweep over him.
No, that wouldn’t do.
The doorbell rang, signifying the entry of another customer. Kaiba ignored it.
“Oh, Mr. Kaiba, there is his new owner,” the girl said, reaching to take the pup from him. Kaiba stepped out of her reach and turned towards the door.
And then he almost dropped the puppy before tightening his hold on it. He was looking into the smiling face of Wheeler himself.
No way. Not him.
“Eh Kaiba, didn’t fancy you to be the type to cuddle with puppies,” Joey grinned at him, spitting image of the happy pup in Kaiba’s arms. “Hey, is that my puppy you’re holding?”
“What, mutt, finally found yourself a brother?” Kaiba taunted, making no attempt to let go of the puppy. “He’s better bred than you are. I don’t think you deserve him.”
Joey growled and raised a fist at Kaiba.
“Hey screw off rich boy! I paid for him, fair an' square! He’s mine!”
Kaiba smirked and used one hand to pull out a chequebook from his pocket. Without taking his eyes off Joey, he handed the cheque book to the girl who had been standing quietly, not wanting to get between two boys who obviously had a fight to pick with each other.
“I don’t want Joey Wheeler to have this puppy. Write yourself a cheque for however much you want in order to keep that from happening, and issue a refund to Wheeler.”
The girl ran off, wide-eyed, leaving the teens and puppy alone.
“HOW DARE YOU!” Joey screamed. He looked like he was about to punch Kaiba, but hesitated, not wanting to put the dog in danger. “Why do you have to do this? You don’t even want him for yourself, you just want to prevent ME from getting him! Why, Kaiba?”
“Cause he’s too good for you,” he smirked evilly. “And also just because it’s fun to watch you squirm.” He looked down at the puppy, who was relaxed as ever in his arms, vacant expression and goofy grin plastered on his face. It reminded him so much of Joey. Then he looked back at the other teen, who looked nothing like the puppy in his arms. He looked angry, hurt, and disappointed.
Kaiba found he much preferred the vacant and happy expression on both their faces.
Making up his mind on a whim, he turned and walked out of the store with the puppy, smirking at Joey as he passed him.