Chapter Text
Working at Kaiba Corporation was tough, to say the least.
After hours, bad coffee, tight deadlines and the constant fear of getting fired in the most humiliating way possible.
The air was thick as you made your way to the most disorganized desk in the whole office. Let's be real, probably to the most disorganized desk in the whole company.
The hallway was empty except for you, the sound of your heels echoing from the white naked walls. Fridays always pass quite fast. Most of the work for the week was done and everyone seemed to relax by the thought of spending two days as far away as possbile from this hell.
Standing outside the door labeled "Game Artists" you stopped in your tracks. The glass windows where fogged up, blocking your view, only the sound of muffled voices hit your ears.
Here we go again.
Taking a deep breath you reached for the handle, already knowing what awaits you on the other side. The door swung open.
"I KNEW IT!"
"GIVE ME MY MONEY NOW! COME ON I DONT HAVE TIME ALL DAY!"
"STOP PUSHING OR I WILL TELL YOUR WIFE!"
The room was filled to the brim with people talking over each other. You where busy dodging flying arms as a chair hit you in the stomach. You bent down holding your upper body with gritted teeth, waiting for the pain to ebb away. Why do they always have to regulate this in here?
Stretching your neck you searched the source of revolt, only to find your dear friend and colleague Elena standing offside, enjoying the show.
She waved with two mugs in her hands as she noticed you, resonating in spilling some of their content over random people. They don't seem to notice. Good for them.
"Y/N!! You made it without loosing limbs. Congrats. Here's your coffee", she handed you the mug with force, hot liquid running over your fingers. You cussed, shaking your hand trying to get rid of the burning sensation. Elena didn't take her eyes off the raging mob, smiling in pure bliss, not even noticing your misery.
"Someone got fired again~. And guess what? I was right! Comes in quite handy, my wallet only contains dust and flies...." She nodded towards your hand. "By the way how's the coffee?"
"Tastes like piss, just the way I like it." Gulping down more brown liquid, fighting against the urge to gag, you observed the bulk.
Money got passed around, people where yelling and laughing, one after another scribbling on a wrinkly piece of paper. A young man called Souta sat in the center, cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth, his super trendy pink golf visor shielding his face from greedy hands. This hideous thing holds a big place in his heart since the eye patch incident. What happens in the artists office stays in the artists office. He licked his fingers occasionally while skillfully counting the giant pile of money in his hands. These games were getting out of hand. Hard to believe this all started with a simple 600 Yen bet. Now this company functions as an casino, people placing their belongings until only their boxers are left. Or until they get fired. Whatever occurs first.
"Who's honor is it this time?", you asked absentmindedly, mesmerized by the amount of money shuffling in Soutas hands. Elena shrugged.
"Tom. But it was kinda predictable. Jeff told him the waterbottle was not robust enough. He just laughed." She lifted her mug to her lips, waving money bills in front of your face.
"Who laughs now Thomas!?"
You snorted, slapping her arm away. With your hands on your hips you glared at her, acting shocked by her statement.
"Yelena, thats not funny", cringing at her real name she shot you a warning glare. "Did you forget what company we are working for?“
Crossing your arms in front of your puffed out chest, you forced out with your most serious voice:
"Kaiba Corp's products should not bend that easily!"
Her hand flew to her mouth, trying to stop the coffee spilling through her red lips.
"Stop it!", she coughed while slapping your shoulder furiously. After clearing her throat she pointed at you, squinting her eyes filled with tears.
"Or you are next packing your stuff."
"You wish", you stuck out your tongue, earning a raised brow.
Beginning at Kaiba corp meant selling your soul to this young handsome man and his weird visions. Revolutionary visions of course. Changing the gaming industry completly, providing new oppurtunities to experience games like no one has before. This man is a genius.
But let's be real. A blue eyes white dragon jet? Was that necessary?
Gambling was a normal thing here. A fast and easy way to earn money you had to admit. It's all fun and games until the others start betting on you.
You did the most insignificant thing wrong?
Fired.
You forgot to flush the toilet?
Fired.
You blinked at the wrong moment?
Fired.
Easy game, just don't do anything wrong.
Or don't get caught at least.
After the crowd slowly dissolved you finally sat down at the messy desk and propped your face on your palm, paper crushing under your elbow. Looking out of the window you let out a sigh.
It got already dark outside since it is the beginning of december. Domino was beautiful at night. With all the lights dancing around and the well lit skyscrapers covering the horizon it felt like stepping into another dimension. You moved here 3 years ago with the goal in your mind to get your life together. You made huge progress, getting an apartment, a job, finding new friends... Strangely enough you kinda enjoyed working here, even if you always had to worry about getting fired, ending up loosing everything you achieved so far. This scenario haunted you. Applying for this job was traumatic enough.
You will never forget the feeling after getting the call. The first day. Meeting Elena.... This crazy woman managed to be a goddess and a sloppy mess at the same time. You turned your gaze in her direction. Her red curls framed her pale face perfectly, her grey eyes ready to kill everyone with a single glare. But damn, she gets mad over little things.
Before old memories you managed to supress long ago came back to surface, the little panel at the corner of the monitor tore you out of your little daydream. 17:47PM. Almost weekend. You looked over to the redhead who roughly pushed her fresh made money into her wallet. You hadn't had time to place some bets, starting the weekend empty-handed. Regret spread through your mind. This would have been an easy deal. On the other hand you hadn't planned anything anyway.
As if Elena could read your mind, she sat on the corner of your desk crossed legs, mug enclosed by her small hands, her high heels dangling on her toes.
"What are your plans for the weekend?"
You shrugged. "I don't know yet. I guess watching stupid quizshows with stupid people who give stupid answers."
"Y/N! That's not how you find a man!", she scoffed. "You have to go out, go clubbing! Or if you wish do something more cultured like...", she perked her lips, eyes nearly reaching the back of her head as she tried to find an answer written on the ceiling. "... visit an opera?" She ignored your annoyed look and continued, leaning forward with her hands gripping the side of your desk.
"Mai told me a new club in Domino opened recently. How about joining us? Dancing and stuff. You know? Fun things", emphasizing the last two words she stared at you expecting an answer right away.
"You go girl, do your thing. I am not quite interested", you deadpanned.
"How pathetic", she mumbled loud enoug to be sure you heard it, setting down her mug forcefully on your desk so she could reinforce her speech with wild gestures.
"You are always whining, day-in day-out about having no man to hold you until you fall asleep on your tiny little ass pillow. Girl have you ever seen a man in nature or just in documentations? Do you think your prince knocks at your door telling you his horse lost it's shoe and he needs a place to spend the night? It may sound crazy but you actually have to leave apartment now and then...."
"Stop exaggerating. I am single not stupid."
She exclaimed air through her nose.
"You sure?"
Your hand found a pencil which you threw at her face, leaving a splash of ink on her cheek. Before she could throw the stapler at you someone interruped. Your heads turned in unision.
"Hey! Stop that gossip! Some of us are actually trying to work here! I recommend you two to do the same." Elenas face turned sour in seconds, needles flying aroung as your stapler hit the desk.
"Shut up Dereck we are discussing an important topic here!", she dismissed him and slouched to her desk, sitting down with an audible plump, overlooking the paperwork she pushed aside earlier.
With a shit eating grin he challenged her, changing his position, his arms now resting on the back of his chair, staring directly at the back of her head.
"Well then tell me about it." She spun around in an instant.
"Thats none of your damn business", she spat in his direction grasping the back of her chair until her knuckles turned white. The back bend dangerously, nearly giving in under her weight.
"Who even invited you? Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be on your way to bowl your heart out with your nerd brigade?"
"We are not _ called _ nerd brigade!"
"Oh you actually have a name? Wait I know! You must be the Lackluster Loosers with their itty bitty balls!"
The banter went on and on but you mastered the skill to ignore both of them. All you heard was the soft tapping of the keybord as you answered the last E-Mails for today.
Browsing throw announcements you finished your coffee and set the mug aside, ready for Elena to pick it up in the morning. She insists to bring everyone (except Dereck) coffee, probably to avoid as much work as possible, examining her nails while waiting for the coffee machine to finish. Also it has nothing to do with you breaking the coffee machine. Twice.
You never witnessed so many angry people at once.
The office cleared as more minutes passed. People waved goodbye wishing you a nice weekend. Shutting down the computer at precisely 6 PM you picked up your bag, waiting for Elena to do the same. She lifted her arms and stretched, a cute sound escaping her lips.
"Finally~", she cheered. With a swift movement she yeeted her chair away and started prancing towards the elevator after making sure to close the office door behind her with way too much force than needed.
After pushing the buttons infront of the lift way to often she turned to face you.
"Think about it. You know, about the weekend. You are working way too much, your eye bags won't ever go away if you continue like this. I really miss hanging out with you. Well, beside work", Elena admitted, her sheepish smile warmed your heart. The lift arrived way faster than expected. It's friday after all. Most people are already at home enjoying their spare time, so no one is gonna use the lift except you two. Right?
With a ding the doors opened and your eyes met the icy blue ones of the one and only Kaiba Corp president himself. You flinched, frozen in your tracks. Elena began to step backwards as she continued with her pointless babbling. Shaking off that weird feeling of being caught you tried to stop her but it was to late. She turned and ran face first into Seto Kaibas chest, sending her head flying backwards.
Elena stood there like a deer staring into headlights, waiting to be hit, before she bent down nearly kissing the floor with her forehead. "My apologize Mr. Kaiba. Please excuse my inappropriate behaviour." He ignored her, his gaze focused forward, pacing in your direction. He isn't going to run you over isn't he?
Before his body could hit yours you stepped aside, a breeze of his scent hitting your nose. He sure uses a lot of cologne.
It was not common for him to move on this level, usually you only had the chance to encounter him at the top floors. He rearly left his office. Rumors say he once stayed in this office for a week without leaving even once. Well rumors also say he's secretly married to the blue eyes white dragon, so maybe you shouldn't believe everything you hear.
You reluctantly had to admit that he looks even more handsome than in the pictures you found on google (for research purposes of course). He wore his typical black turtleneck, made out of worlds finnest fabric, and black well fitted pants. His missing coat made him look kinda odd, more likely too normal. You turned a last time to look after him before stepping inside the elevator. This whole situation was a mess so why not gain some looks at his fine ass. This opportunity doesn't occur often. Slowly his tall figure vanished with every step into the darkness of the long hallway.
Your dear friend looked like she saw a ghost. Face red as a tomato she stared at the floor in pure horror. Pushing the button to the ground floor as you entered you tried to hide your gleeful grin.
"Oh how the tables have turned. Seems like I am the one helping you pack now. Be sure that my bets are on you next week."
No reaction.
"Don't worry, I won't tell Dereck. He isn't worthy making money out of your demise." You patted her back lightly but she was not having it.
"Can you not? What if he really fires me!", she screeched, looking furious and desperate at the same time, tears of defeat glistening in her eyes.
Oh no.
"He won't", you assured her. "Now calm down. I mean you literally fell into his arms, isn't that poetic? This could be the start of your long awaited romance."
You tried to squeeze her shoulder to calm her down but instead she hit you with her purse. Startled at how much it actually hurt, you snapped.
"Bitch what's in your purse? Bricks?!"
"None of your damn business traitor!", she screamed, spit flying out of her mouth, landing on your cheeck. "How about you pack this?" She attemped multiple attacks, swinging her bag like a morning star but you managed to dodge most of them.
"Come on calm down! You would tease me too! Don't act innocent Britney!" Your laugh died down as she heaved her purse over her head ready to hit you in the face.
"ELENA STOP!"
She halted, the content of her bag now covering the floor. Glaring at you she huffed and bend down. You joined her.
Deodorant, lipstick, some crushed chocolat bars.... and a screwdriver. You held it up looking at her questioningly. Why is she carrying around a screwdriver? She snatched it brutally out of your hand, leaving red scratch marks with her long fingernails. More silent minutes passed until you picked up the last thing.... which was apparently a tampon. You two rose at the same time, knees cracking. With your arm streched out you held the peace offering right in front of her face. She looked at you, then at the small white thing in your hand, realizing how stupid both of you are. Her melodious laugh filled the room, pointing her perfectly manicured finger at you.
"You know what? You owe me! Tomorrow 9 PM. Don't be late or I will hunt you down."
The elevator finally stopped and you two stepped into the lobby.
"I guess we will see each other more frequently now anyway, since we are roomates from now on. Without a job I can't pay my rent after all." She shrugged, content with herself and the idea of being fired.
"Fine. As long as you get rid of the screwdriver. That's straight up creepy."
"Ever heard of self-defense?"
"Ever heard of pepper spray? A screwdriver? Really? Are you a craftsman?"
"Why not? It is just as efficient!" Not in the mood to continue this stupid conversation you made your way to the entrance in silence. She would win the debate nontheless.
The fresh cold air hit you as you recalled your prior encounter. His bright blue eyes pierced right throw your soul, peeking out underneath his soft brown hair. There is no need to deny how good he looks. Most of your co-workers where lusting after him, not even trying to be discreet about it. He has an own fan club, hello? Guess that says it all. Maybe you should join. Elena always encouraged you to do more group activities. Stalking your boss sounds phenomenal.
Elena gave you a hug before she stalked off in the other direction. She parked far away from the bulding, since she accidentally drove through the barrier in the garage two months ago. Don't use your mobile phone while driving kids. You made your way alone through the dark as well. Turning around the corner, your tiny car came into view, waiting alone in its parking spot.
Fumbling with your keys you finally heard the lock click, sliding onto the drivers seat and buckling up in a swift motion. The steering wheel was cold as ice as your left hand gripped it tightly while your right one turned the key. Please turn on please turn on please turn on. The engine finally roared and you closed your eyes in relieve, exhaling throw your lips.
Time to get home and take a nice bath. You really need to occupy your mind with different things. Or different men. Maybe going out wasn't a bad idea after all.