It was a gray day. Not only because of the gray clouds hanging dangerously low threatening to spill their cargo of water, but there was an undefined feeling in the air of gloom. Everybody had left the building it was the end of the school day but there was no feeling of joy. Seto may be known as cold hearted but he did know feelings and he could feel the gray undefined mood that was hanging around that day and that made him want to get out and away as fast as possible. He was not afraid and he is one of the people that don't get influenced easily but he also knew that if you're exposed for to long you might just get sucked into this twilight vertigo of undefined.
His intuition was telling him that something was happening.
He was making long strides down the polished hallway consumed with his thoughts when a whimper caught his attention making him stop abruptly. He didn't care if a girl was whimpering and crying just because of an unrequited love interest but the sound came from the boy's toilet. If it were any other day Seto would have walked on and cures who ever dared to interrupt his thoughts, but it was a gray day that made people act differently.
Seto walked closer to the door and could hear labored breathing like someone hyperventilating or having and asthma attack but not quite, the person was gulping for air. There was a bit of a pause where nothing could be heard but then there was a whimper a painful moan and again the gulping for air began.
Seto soundlessly opened the door and made a step in. Purchased against the opposed wall was Joey. Gulping for air trying to stop himself from crying trying to hold back but tiers had already spilled, his eyes were puffy another labored moan left his lips and another flood of tiers escaped his eyes.
It seemed joey felt someone was there, his head snapped up recognizing Seto. He was taking deep breaths and holding back all the things he did before, that was the only thing he could think of doing the rest of his brain was blank.
Seto could only jump into his usual role "The Mutt crying? Aren't you suppose to be the happy go lucky puppy jumping around your geek squad"
Joey cowered his eyes with his hands breathing hard making his words sound like they were painful to pronounce "I am every day… every night it's this…. I never do this at school, what's wrong with this day" He made a fist with one hand hitting his head a few times then cowering his eyes again "Why am I such .. I'm so.. useless, waist of space, disgusting, …worthless" the last word was whispered.
Seto may have a heart of ice but this display was making it hurt. The happiest person the loudest and the person with the biggest smile was also the one that was hurting the most. The mutt that always put up a fight now couldn't even muster up enough of energy to tell Seto to fuck off.
Joey had put up a good fight against displaying any more vulnerability than was already on display, but he couldn't put it up any more. Worthless, worthless, worthless was repeating in his head. He rally didn't care anymore Seto will humiliate him kick him while on the floor but it wouldn't hurt as much as it would to holed this pain in any longer.
A whimper made it past his lips the breathing became more labored becoming gasps and the tears sung his tender eyes and flash that was rubbed red.
Joey didn't have the energy to pay attention to Seto he was getting exhausted, drained that he couldn't even cry anymore. His hand fell from his face hanging lifeless next to his body. His face was salty burning, flesh heated, painfull.
Joey opened his eyes when something cold touched his cheek.
Seto was kneeing next to him washing his face with a cold wet handkerchief, delicately gliding it over the salty traces. Joey completely surrendered to it and let the smooth motions calm him, making him close his eyes once again and only feel.
It was such a peaceful moment. Not feelings no guilt no yesterday no tomorrow not even today, just drifting, it was a tragedy that it couldn't last forever, but Joey had to come back to the painful reality. When Joey's eyes opened Seto could see panic and fear in them, the confusion of what will happen after this.
"Tomorrow we will come to school we will fight I will call you a mangy mutt and you will call me money bags. It will be another day like so many others and nothing will be different, because nothing happened that could make the flow different, you will have a big mouth and a smile plastered on your face and no one knows that that is not always the case. Do you understand?"
Joey nodded his head, his face reviling nothing, watching Setos face. When the blue eyes shifted from his own he followed them to watch the long fingers that maneuvered the damp material gliding over his own hands.
Seto stood up and left the toilet without a second glance.
Joey didn't understand what happened in the past 20 or so minutes, but it was the right thing. He knew he would go to school the next day and do what was instructed, it was nothing new to him, to cry at night and over the day pretend he was the happiest person alive. But there would be a difference. They may pretend but they will know, Joey will remember that tender touch and the handkerchief that Seto forgot or intentionally left in his hand would always remind him.