Hi all! I told you I would get something up BEFORE school started! (Be warned, this is part one of two) Why? Well... let's say I was able to correct basically half of it. The other half I haven't been able to finish... but I really wanted to post something up before I go to bed. Don't worry! Part two should be up tomorrow afternoon! Once I return home from wretched school. Ugh.
This idea came to be suddenly and I had to write it. It was perfect to do. And the italic parts are flashbacks, OK? OKAY!
Dedicated to Kohakuhime of Konoha! And to all my reviewers and supporters!!
Please, enjoy.
Oh. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or the characters, OK? Good. (Be warned, some might be OOC)
Moving onward now!
Sweet Nightmares
Part One:
It had to be a nightmare.
It just had to be.
He resisted the urge of banging his forehead against the wall repeatedly and instead he bit the inside of his cheek, not caring how badly it hurt. It didn't hurt as much as this did. His heart was breaking and it wasn't because he was about to lose his baby sister.
It was breaking because of who his little sister was marrying.
If it had been Tristan, or heaven forbid even Duke, he wouldn't have minded as much. Those two proved themselves worthy of having her hand. And although the man she was wedding to today had proved himself times before… he still wasn't worthy. Not by a long shot.
Fate was a funny thing, it was. It laughed at how ironic it put people in.
And sure enough it was laughing at him.
When he had opened the door he wasn't expecting to see the spiky haired brunette standing before him. Nor was he braced to hear the request that he was asking of him that fateful day.
Joey blinked as he stared back into the face of his once nemesis. He seemed just as awkward as he was, if not more. The blond also noticed how he shifted from one foot to the other the longer they stared back at each other.
"She's not here."
"I know."
Silence filled the void again.
"Um, I'm not sure when she'll be back. Rumi said they'd be shopping most of the day."
"She told me yesterday."
Oh.
"Well why are you here then?"
"I, er" He crossed his arms over his chest and let out a huff. "Mind if I come in?"
A careless shrug came from Joey as he retreated back to the living room, plopping down on the couch and full attention focused back at the TV screen. It wasn't anything exciting really considering it wasn't duel monsters, but hey, comedy movies were enjoyable.
However his attention on it was short-lived as he stood in the way, arms still crossed and looking down at Joey with a slight frown. Neither of the two found great joy in being stuck in a room together when it was simply the two of them. Sure, they got passed the 'hatefulness', but that didn't mean they were 'best buds' either. It was more of a 'you-stay-out-of-my-way-and-I-stay-out-of-yours' type of deal.
"Uh, you can take a seat if you want…?"
He did.
Joey stared back at the screen, snickering every now and again as someone did an idiotic move or had a snide, yet extremely funny, remark.
That ended soon too as the screen went black.
"Hey, what the—!"
"I need ta talk ta you, Wheeler."
He snapped his head to the other teen, noticing the remote settled in the palm of his hand. The blood in his veins was surely boiling as he had the nerve to come here into his home and—oh wait, he had let him in. He didn't say 'no'. But still! The nerve of him turning off the movie and—hold on a second, did he just say they needed to talk?
"And what is it we need to discuss?"
It was interesting watching as he fidgeted in his seat, trying to find the right words to say.
"You know, your sister and I 'ave been datin' for nearly two and a 'alf years now."
"So?" Did that really have anything to do with what they needed to talk about? Honestly! Joey shook his head, already beginning to know what was going to take place. The guy should wake up and realize that his little sister had eyes on him and no other. "Look, you know Serenity loves you."
Unfortunately, his mind added silently to the sentence.
"I know."
"No, you don't." He shook his head, a few pieces of his blond hair falling into his eyes in the process. "This happens every single time. You see some chum hanging around my sister and start worrying for nothing—"
"Wait a second, what are you—?"
"—because you think the guy is gonna make her fall in love with him. Wake up! It—"
"That's not what I'm 'ere ta discuss, Wheeler!"
Joey paused and felt his anger rise. "Then why are you here!"
"Ta ask your permission!"
Now the blond was completely baffled. "Ask my permission for wha? Ta take my sister on a date? Well, you've already done that plenty of times – without my permission, may I add!"
"TA MARRY HER!"
That was like a slap to the face.
"Whoa… WHAT?"
He shifted in his seat again as he hadn't meant for so much to be revealed in this fashion. And if he though he was the only one uncomfortable with that sudden outburst of his intention, he had better think again.
His girlfriend's brother was feeling the exact same thing as he was. Not to mention he was feeling murderous. In his heart he felt all types of mixed up emotions: namely those were murderous, shocked, and horrifying.
"I…" the spiky haired teen… no… man was struggling with words again. "I want your approval before I ask her."
Oh how he wanted to tell him there was no way he would let his baby sister marry him.
How he really wished his sister never met him or fallen in love with him.
Every day how he prayed for the two to realize they didn't mean so much to the other and say 'good-bye'.
But it didn't seem to work like that.
If only, the two's bond seemed to only get stronger and stronger as the days, months, years went past without a moment of hesitation.
His gut wrenched as he weighed his options. And he knew what would happen if he said any of those. Which left the one choice; the choice he didn't want to pick.
Letting out a sigh, Joey leaned back into his seat and closed his eyes. His throat seemed to tighten as he struggled to get the word out, to be voiced, and to be heard.
"OK."
The other blinked, not expecting that.
"OK?"
"OK."
"Joey," Serenity gently pulled on his sleeve, smiling gently up at her older brother as he snapped back into the present. "The music is playing." Nodding her head towards the closed doors, he finally realized it was the music.
Meaning: it was the music that played when he had to take his sister down the aisle and then give her away to her soon-to-be husband. It was his responsibility because their father had passed away years ago. And everyone knew, even he, how much it would mean to Serenity if he was the one to walk her there.
No matter how much it was hurting him.
Of all the men out in the world to give her to, it just had to be him!
"Serenity, aren't ya nervous?" Gosh, he was. And it wasn't even his wedding!
Her reply was a wider smile. "A little, I'll admit. But…" she trailed off as she ran a finger over one of the flower petals. Suddenly she gave a small shrug. "It's more that I'm excited and happy than nervous."
"Right,"
"Joey, are you… unhappy with this?"
He hoped his face didn't give it away when she asked, giving the look of a guilty boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Forcing a smile on his lips, he gave a light shake of his head. "Me? Unhappy about this?" Again he shook his head. "I'm just happy that you'll be happy. That you are happy."
Instantly the smile spread across her face and shone in her eyes, too.
"Alright, you ready?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
Holding his arm for her to take, which she did, he stared forward towards the doors and began to escort her to her new life, to her bright and happy future, to her new home.
It had been three days since his giving approval to his sister's boyfriend of asking her… the big question.
He had been in the kitchen at that time, looking for a snack to eat when his sister came in, and tears in her eyes and at first he thought the guy had broken up with her instead.
Until he saw that they were tears of happiness.
Playing dumb, he instantly asked her what was wrong when she shook her head and simply hiccupped.
"He… asked me to marry him!" She sobbed and he wondered if she was really happy with this or not. "I've been wondering for so long when he would pop the question. I can't believe. Oh, Joey, I'm going to get married!"
The blond shifted, placing his hands on the cool counter and leaning back slightly. It was strange, seeing her cry about being asked that question. Would Mai act the same if he 'popped' the question? He pondered on the thought.
Finally he realized that she wouldn't.
"Everything was perfect too! He had gotten a table in the middle of the restaurant and when desert was brought, the icing spelled out 'Serenity Wheeler, will you marry me?' and he got down on his knee and even spoke the question aloud!"
He gave a faint nod, unable to think of a proper sentence to say.
"I was so surprised!" Her hands covered her face as she shook her head lightly, probably thinking this was all a dream and she would soon wake up to find herself un-engaged.
"That's," Joey's eyebrows furrowed.
Great? Fantastic? Wonderful?
Just peachy?
None of those seemed to fit the way he was really feeling.
He sighed. "That's nice."
'That's nice'? Oh come on, Joey Wheeler, you can come up with something better then that!
He kept himself from rolling his eyes and instead headed out towards his room.
"Joey, you OK?"
OK… the word that fated him to allow this event to happen: to exist.
"Yea, I'm fine. Don't you think you should tell mom the good news?" He cringed at the mention of their mother. Although he didn't hold a grudge against her like he used to, he still didn't enjoy the idea of calling her… that.
The one thing that was nice about this was that their mother didn't really want him in the family and had mentioned to him once he hoped this 'thing', as she put it, Serenity had with the fellow wasn't going to be serious.
She did like him and thought he was a kindhearted fellow, but she didn't like how he dressed or how his friends dressed.
"You're right! Mom's going to want to know about this as soon as possible! Ugh," Serenity gave a heavy sigh as she walked over to the phone, glancing once more at her brother's retreating form, before picking up and dialing the number.
Joey hadn't bothered to hear what Serenity's reaction was to their mother's. Instead he closed his bedroom door with a soft 'click' and plopped down at his desk.
Things were going to be a whole lot different now.
And he wasn't sure whether it was for good or bad.
No one made objections when the priest had asked and with that he pronounced them 'Husband and Wife'. People smiled and clapped, while others (cough-their mother, Tea, and Mai-cough) dabbed at their eyes with their tissues or plain out sobbed (in which case was Tristan and Duke, knowing they would never get the chance of dating his sister – or marrying her for the matter).
Unless, of course, they got a divorce or he died.
Somehow the first didn't seem likely and unless he died of reckless driving (cough-driving too freak-en fast on a motorcycle-cough) then nothing would tear them apart.
"Hey, earth to Joey."
"Huh?" His attention was pulled from 'sweet' memory lane to the present as Tea suddenly got in his face, wearing a frown informing him her disappointment.
"Did you hear anything I just said?"
"Uh,"
"Oh forget it."
Yugi gave an uneasy laugh, placing his hand behind his spiky head and simply smiling at his two friends. Tristan and Duke were sighing depressingly and seeming to want to crawl in a hole and die somewhere.
"Look at those two," Tea sighed as she stared at them.
"A sad sight to see, I know."
Her gaze shot back to him, annoyance crossing her features. "'Sad'? Joey Wheeler, just because you aren't so happy having him for a brother-in-law doesn't mean you need to mope about it at the reception! You should be ashamed for frowning a few times at the wedding!"
Confusion rose up to his head. "But…"
"No 'but'!"
"Weren't you talking about them?" He pointed over to the two 'emo' boys and her gaze followed.
"… yeah, that's sad. But I was talking about them!" She pointed at the groom and bride, who were smiling and talking with their guests. "They look so happy. I know their future is going to be bright."
"Hmm,"
Yugi patted his friend on the arm. "C'mon Joey, you know he's changed his ways. And he even told you he's not interested in Mai."
A grumble came from him.
"It's a tragic you two dislike each other. You two are more alike then you both want to admit." Tea took a sip of her water.
Joey rolled his eyes.
"Maybe that's why you two dislike each other. You remind each other of yourselves."
"What!"
Tea laughed and shook her head, bringing a hand up to her face to cover her mouth as if hoping that would muffle her cries.
"You three seem to be enjoying yourselves."
They turned to see Raphael and Alister standing there.
"Yeah," Yugi nodded before asking them how if they were enjoying themselves as well.
Raphael nodded a small smile on his face. "It's just hard to believe how fast time flew by. I still can't believe that those two finally have taken that step." The smile on his face grew a tiny bit more.
"I can't believe Kaiba decided to come." Alister put in, and everyone nodded in agreement.
It was true; Kaiba and his brother had come to the wedding which shocked everyone. Well, everyone but Joey that was.
"Come on Kaiba, I know you annoy the crap out of the guy!" Joey shouted as he struggled against the holds of the security guards, snarling like a wild animal. "Just hear me out, man!"
Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "Fine, you have five seconds."
"Twenty!"
"Five."
"Fifteen!"
"Down to three."
"LOOK I NEED YOU TO COME TO THIS WEDDING! I KNOW YOU AND HIM DON'T GET ALONG EITHER AND I REALLY WANT TO ANNOY THE HECK OUTTA HIM!"
Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out…
"COME ON, KAIBA! I'M DESPERATE HERE!"
"What makes you think I'm willing to help you, mutt?"
Joey scowled at the name, clenching his fists in the process as he tried to struggle his way out. "I won't annoy you for a month!"
Cricket, cricket.
"Take him away."
"FINE! TWO MONTHS!"
The guards were dragging him, trying to at least, to the elevator.
"THREE!"
Closer… closer…. Closer…
"FOUR!"
Almost there…
"SIX!"
Crap, half of his body was now in the elevator…
"A YEAR!"
A sigh came from the brunette CEO as he rubbed his temples in annoyance.
"AND… I'LL… I'LL… Uh… STOP SHOVING 'MAGIC IS REAL' DOWN YOUR THROAT!"
Ice blue eyes locked with his warmer ones.
"Fine,"
Whoo-hoo!
"But you break any of it, Wheeler, and I'll tell your sister and your soon-to-be brother in law about this little deal."
Joey gave a nod.
"Now get out."
"Wait, but—"
"You made a deal, Wheeler, therefore you need to keep it."
"I need to tell you—!"
"Send me the invitation."
And with that he was heading back down to the lobby.
Joey felt a few beads of sweat run down his neck. When Kaiba had showed up he was slightly disappointed when he hadn't gotten the reaction he wanted.
That was when he remembered it was Alister who couldn't really stand Kaiba.
Not his brother-in-law.
And he couldn't really go up and tell Kaiba to go home. Unless he wanted his sister to know what he was trying to do to her husband.
Joey shook his head as he waved to the limo, knowing very well Serenity was waving wildly back at him and everyone else. Her husband was most likely waving too, but not really at him – more to his friends.
"So, Joey, what is it you said to him anyway?" Yugi asked, looking up as his friends as the limo disappeared from sight.
"I told him 'I guess I was proud to call him my brother-in-law'."
"You guess?" Tea asked, eyebrow twitching.
He nodded.
"I bet their kids will be so cute!"
His eyes nearly popped out of his eye-sockets.
"KIDS?"
End of Part One.
Yeah. Serenity got married to Valon (yay)!
Poor Joey hates it. But if he thought this was bad, he better brace himself for the next chapter.
Joey: -groans- Oh no.
AG: *pats Joey on the head* Poor you. Boo-hoo. But HUZZAH for Gentleshipping!
Thank you all for reading! Hoped you enjoyed it.
Feel free to leave a review. Thanks!
