Title: I'll take the tears
Author: AoiFurin
Rating: PG-13
Status: Complete
Catergories: angst
Pairings: Seto/Jou
Warnings: Angst...err...weird.
Spoilers: None
Summary: You take the smiles from all of our years...I'll take the tears.
Author's notes: Standard diclaimers applied. Written for the angst challenge. Sorry for any errors.
I'll take the tears
"Jo-Jou!" Mokuba exclaimed as he opened the door revealing their blond friend. Anger rushed through his body, then sadness and lastly pain. Jou's keen eyes saw it but didn't voiced it out.
"Long time no see, Mokie." Jou grinned at now teenage Mokuba, looking much like Seto,just with longer hair. Mokuba just glared at him before signing him to come in. He lead him towards the den before sitting on the master's chair.
"Please have a seat Jounichi." Jou frowned, not liking the younger Kaiba's welcome.
"Glad to see you too, kid." he sat on the opposite couch before looking around. "What's up? I see you've inherited your brother's attitude."
Mokuba's eyes turned into slits. How dare this man mention his brother just like that?
"Sorry but I'm not. In fact, I'm angered by your come back."
"Woah kid! What did I do to you?" Jou raised his hand, showing he won't fight back. He do have a clue but it's not enough reason for a grudge...or so he thinks.
"Nothing...but what you did to him...it's unforgivable. You used to say that he had no heart but what you did to him...that's the work of a heartless man." So it was that reason.
"I didn't mean"
"You didn't mean what? He sacrificed a lot for you! He faced the public with all the pride he have and announced to the whole damn world that he'sin love with you! Many looked down upon him but he strived to make the best so his one flaw would be overlooked. He swallowed all the taunts and insults, never complained. He gambled evrything and what did you do? You left. You left him and worst..on you own wedding day!"
Jou looked away knowing it was a grave mistake to leave that day. But he got cold feet.
"It's funny...you're like everyone else." he whispered but it didn't escape Mokuba's ears.
"What?"
"Everyone's angry at me for what I did five years ago. Heck, my sister hated me..." he ran his hand through his hair before letting out a small laugh. "Everyone would always tell me how Seto's hurt but noone would ask what do I feel...no one asked if I'm hurt just like him? Nobody cared...I was scared shit that day that's why I didn't came. But did someone asked? Hell no! To them, I was the stupid heartless bastard who stood up the poor romantic CEO. Noone...not even Seto asked why..." his eyes misted, feeling the pain he felt all those years. Mokuba frowned. He din't expect this. He expect a fullout banter with him making Jou feel guilty,not the other way around.
"Good one Jounichi. But your pity story would not move me." At that, Mokuba stood up. "Care for a coffee,Jounichi?"
Jou just shook his head. "I do not want your pity Mokuba. Nor your coffee. I'm here for only one thing. Ask forgiveness from Seto." at that,Mokuba laughed. A bitter laugh.
"Forgiveness? Seto can't give you that."
"What? Why?" Jou asked. he cocked his head to the side,confusion evident in his eyes.
'Much like a puppy. Just what Seto used to say...' the hatredfromhis grey-blue eyes change into pain but he quickly hid it behind the mask much like the mask his brother used to wore. The one Jounichi broke.
"Tell me Jounichi,What did happened five years ago." Mokuba sat again,this time beside Katsuya on the couch.
"The night before the wedding,Seto and I had a talk. we talked about our future and then having a family came up. I got scared when he started talking on how we'll a small white house with a beach nearby. We'll adopt a kid or two and be good fathers. A good father? How can I be a good father! Do you know the shame I felt knowing Seto will be disappointed? That night I start asking myself if Seto deserve someone like me.Maybe he's better off with a respectable girl rather than a street punk who does not know how to be a parent. I called him and tried asking but he's too busy with all the wedding plans and Kaiba Corp. That's why I've decided not to show up. That day, I packed my suitcase, left my goodbye letter and boarded the next plane out of the country. I've gone to America where I found a job. For five years, I lived with shame,guilt and pain. "
Mokuba looked at the boy-no! The man beside him and saw someone who's got nothing to lose for he have nothing. He lost everything the minute he walked away. The minute he gave up.
"Follow me." Mokuba stood up and led Jou towards the stair. Jou silently followed, knowing he'll meet Seto. Would he yell at him? tell himto go away? Or just look at him like he never knew him?
His thoughts were interrupted when Mokuba broke the silence.
"To be fair, I'll tell you what happened to my brother the day you stood him up." when Jou nodded, Mokuba continued.
"That day, Niisama was an hour early at the church. He's really excited knowing he'll be with his beloved forever. He's so nervous that he threw up about three times." Mokuba smiled at the memory before turning left. "Hours passed and you're suppose to arrive. Minutes dragged and to lighten up the mood, your friends started teasing. They told you're always late so it's no wonder that you'll be late on your own wedding. Then they joked on how you always got lost and that you're currently in the middle of some park,not knowing your way out. It did lighten up the tense mood for a bit but then Bakura piped in that maybe you stood Seto up." they went up another plight of stairs.Jou frowned, 'wasn't Seto's room on the second floor?'
"Seto blew up and punched Bakura. It almost started a fist fight when suddenly your car arrived. Evryone was relieve. You've arrived and the ceremony could start. But then,Shizuka stepped out, crying her heart out. In her hand, was your letter, saying you're sorry and that you had to say goodbye. Evryone was shocked,but no one could rival the emotion my brother felt that day." Mokuba sighed. He took a deep breath before continuing.
"I never saw niisama devasted like that. The god-like image he have in my mind crumbled. That day, my brother become human." Tears started to well up Mokuba's eyes but he quickly held it back. His niisama doesn't like tears.
"He waited. No one could make him go. He stood firmly on his place beside the altar where he should be waiting for you. He said that you're a stupid mutt who's always late. That you're just lost but no matter what,you'll come.You always did for you never break promises. He believed in you but you never came.On the third day, he collapsed from stress. We rushed him to the hospital and there he stayed for about a month. His body gave up and he was comatosed. With the help of Yugi and the others, I'm able to run Kaiba Corp. while niisama's resting on his hospital bed." Jou nodded. 'So that explains why all of my friends worked on Kaiba Corp. Even Yugi's the vice president.'
"After a month, he woke up. But he's never the same..." Mokuba trailed off as he cameto a stop.
"Huh? Never the same?" Jou asked in confusion. He then noticed the big blue doors in front of him.If he's not mistaken, this is Seto's favorite retreat room. The one where his blue eyes were painted. He didn't know he made it into his new room. He then noticed the small sign on the door. It was written on a way a preschool write.
'Seto's Room'
"You have to see for yourself..." Mokuba opened the large door and led Katsuya in. What he saw made his knees weak that he collapsed on the floor.
Shattered papers littered the room. Plushies consisting of different duel monsters and puppies were scattered. Some drawings were on the once plain walls and there are other drawings on the floor. He noticed that most drawings consist of a blue eyes white dragon and a golden puppy. His eyes watered when he saw a large picture of them when they're together on the table beside the large bed. But what made him cry was the person in the middle of the room, busy drawing on his paper while humming a nursery song.
"Se-Seto..." he called out. Seto looked at him with wide innocent eyes before smiling. He ran towards Seto, before hugging him.
"Heavens! I'm sorry Seto! I'm sorry! I did this to you...I'm sorry!" Jou cry as he hug his boyfriend. How can Seto be this...this lunatic? Seto's Mr.-I-Know-Everything-I'm-Cool-But-I'm-Stuck-Up-Too not this...not like this.
"The doctor said it's his own defense mechanism that did this. He tried repressing the pain combined with the stress, his sanity slowly gave way. He's now in a period where he felt most love, that's when he's five. He's not Seto Kaiba the cold, stuck up CEO now. He's just Seto...Craz" Mokuba started sobbing.
"Mokie! I told you I don't want to see you crying!" Seto protested. He then pushed katsuya. "Who's he Mokie? Your new friend? He looks like my puppy!" he grinned before pointing at the picture. He then crawled towards the corner of the room and started tearing up papers.
"My puppy, I love him...and he loves me too. But...but he didn't came..." this time, Seto started rocking himself. "I waited...Seto-chan waited and waited and waited and waited..." he then laughed before continuing. "And waited and waited and waited...I waited for a long timeyet he didn't came...he didn't...he didn't..." his words died into murmurs while he tears up more paper.
Jou walked towards Seto then kneeled in front of him. "Seto...?"
"Hmm?" his smile was back again. "Yes, that's me...and I have a puppy. You look like my puppy..yes...blonde fur and honey eyes...just like my puppy..." he cupped Jou's face but he quickly took his hands away before tearing up more papers. "but you can't be...my puppy's gone...I waited but he didn't came...I waited and waited and waited and waited and waited" his voice once again died down into murmurs.
"He's like that eversince. He's tearing up papers, murmuring incoherent words, doesn't want to see tears..."Mokuba explained.
Jou's eyes starts to well up as he cupped Seto's hands with his own. Seto looked at him with a frown. "I don't want to see tears so please stop crying." Seto took his hands and started wiping Jou's tears. Jou held Seto's hand as he wipe his cheeks from tears.
"I'm sorry Seto...I'm sorry...I did this to you...I'm sorry...I'm sor" he'scut off when Seto suddenly kissed him. But the kiss ended too soon but enough to shock the two occupants of the room sans the kisser. But what shocked Jou more were the cold blue eyes he'sso familiar with.
"I told you I don't want to see tears." at that Seto let him go, continuing on shredding papers.
"Why...?" Jou silently asked.
"Because I can't cry anymore." Seto answered. Jou and Mokuba looked at him, confusion evident in their eyes.
"When you didn't arrive, I cried. As I waited I cried...after that...I can't cry anymore. Every shattered paper represents my tears. There's plenty of papers so I can cry alot. I can also cry for Mokie...for everyone. They can smile and me...I can cry..."Seto teared another paper before helding it out to Jou.
"Do you want me to cry for you?" Jou clasped his hand before shaking his head.
"No Seto...but I can cry with you...if you want me too..." Seto's face lighten up.
"Really? but then you'll have to wait for my puppy too...my puppy...my puppy..." before Seto's lost again with his thoughts, Katsuya answered him.
"Hai...and while we wait, I could be your puppy."
"Really?"
"Yes...I promise..."
"Yay!" Jou was caught in a bear hug. He then felt something warm trickling down his neck. He pulled a little to take a good look on Seto's face. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. And like he promised...he cried with him.
Mokuba just stood there as the once lovers embraced. It pains him to see his brother this way but if Jou'll be able to keep his promise this time...maybe...just maybe...Seto won't have to take the tears...
owari
A/N part 2: this is plain weird. I planned on killing Seto but it turned out like this...I don't know if there's enough angst but if there's a contest for being plain weird, I'll enter this. I hope you liked it. As weird as it may seem, I enjoyed writing this...:proves that I'm a nutcase: