I was in a writer's funk. I'd been trying to write a sequel to The CEO and the Artist, since people have asked me about it. I had come up with a few things, but I thought maybe I needed something to take my mind off the sequel. I still may write it, but for now I'd like to try something a little different. With that in mind, I present for you, Butterflies.

Note: From here on out, the titles do have meanings. Check them out.

Summary: With all that's going on in Joey's life, he could stand to learn from the butterflies.

Pairing: Joey W. and Seto K.

Rating: Probably M (a few strong words, some mild hints at child abuse, and a lemon later on.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, Joey, Seto, Yugi, Yami, or anyone else. Yu-Gi-Oh fans would have hunted me down by now. I do own Lucy.

Prologue

Joey had a lot of thoughts, every day as he walked home from school, but today they seemed to flow endlessly.

He was letting the hard edge of being the infamous school tough guy fall from his face. Once the young man was far enough away from the brutish laughter, he slumped a bit. He slowly walked along the street, sighing as the day began to take its toll on him. It wasn't easy hiding the softer side to himself; it was almost as hard as hiding the bruises on his arms. He looked at a particularly larger one with disdain. That one was going to require some creative excuses or cover-up, especially if he wanted to find someone for this year's senior prom.

I don't even want to go all that badly, he thought to himself. Ever since that tragedy with Mai, Joey couldn't bring himself to even want to be with anyone. That bastard's misfire, it had destroyed Joey. Everyone at school saw the darkest side of Joseph Wheeler, and now every person at that high school knew not to cross Joey in a bad mood. Joey's attention had turned to finding the man who had accidently killed his Mai, his ray of sunshine. That had been fruitless, and over the last year, Joey had lightened up considerably.

Unfortunately, his meticulous search had only led to the alienating of all potential dates. Luckily Yugi had offered to set him up with a few girls interested in seeing him. Joey's mouth tugged with a smile as he thought of Yugi. The little tricolored teen was always worried about Joey, and was especially vigilant after Mai's death. Yugi was a good friend to him, and in turn, Joey provided Yugi and his circle with some muscle. Joey couldn't really call the others friends, though. He always drifting, never quite fitting in with anyone. Still, Yugi, and later the star-haired teen's out-of-school, lookalike boyfriend, Yami, welcomed him and Lucy into their arms. They had helped him get back on his feet, and Yami had even offered to look after the little girl.

The smile grew bigger as he thought of sweet Lucy with her big eyes. Joey knew he had to get to his new apartment and home to her. Still, his face darkened as he thought of stopping by his old apartment, where the ghost of his kindhearted father lived, now drunk and angry. For now, he needed to get the last few things.

Joey watched the crumbling building come into his path. He went up the stairs, thinking he'd have to get in and get out and onto the elevator quickly. Today was Thursday, which meant Joey's dad was out cold by now. Joey slipped the emergency key from under the mat, and slid the key in smoothly and quietly. The apartment was littered with bottles. The stench of liquor saturated the whole apartment, and also leaked from the mouth of his sleeping father. As Joey crept past the old man, he shook his head with sad disappointment, knowing he was too far gone for help. He continued to tiptoe until he reached his old room.

Joey quickly shut the door and grabbed as many of his memories as he could, along with the last of his clothes. A few tubes of his best oil paint ended up in the box he found on the floor. The smirk on Joey's face quivered; he couldn't believe his luck. He had just to get the last of his more valuable things when suddenly he heard the sounds of a man stirring.

Joey sighed. Guess I'm not that lucky.

He knew the clock was ticking, so he grabbed a few more things and opened the creaky window, getting to the outside and onto fire escape just as his dad burst through the door and sniffed. "Fuck," he muttered as he began to race down the steps.

His dad was close behind. "Dammit, Joey," he slurred loudly. "I just wanted to talk to you, son!" As he looked out the window, he saw, in double vision, his teenage son nearly at the bottom of the stairs on the last level. He growled. "I'll get you next time, you little punk!" He threw the bottle in his hand with surprising accuracy just as Joey got onto the ground. The bottle barely missed him, but a small shard of glass cut Joey's arm as it flew. Joey snarled back at his father. "See if I ever come back, you dumbass alcoholic!"

Joey's dad crawled back into his little drunk cave and didn't put up a fight like he normally did. Joey sighed, thinking he was awfully lucky for getting out of that bind.

He then promptly cursed his luck when he realized he'd have to go back for the rest of his things.

He hung his head and began the walk to Yugi and Yami's little place, where Lucy was. The thoughts of the day swarmed his head. He thought of school, and of his future; he had to take care of Lucy, she depended on him, which meant no college or advancing himself…at least not now. He thought about Lucy, with just Joey to look after her. He thought about his dad, where everything had gone wrong. He thought of Yugi and Yami, and the girls of his schools; oh, how he envied their carefree lives. He especially thought Mai, the first girl he had ever loved. He even had space to think about himself, and how lonely he was.

Life had become hard for Joey. But as he looked at the bright red and black butterfly above him, a little hope glimmered within him. He stopped and watched it with a little smile, following it as flew onto a bush of peculiar blossoming flowers. His head tilted to the side. He had never quite seen a flower like these before. He saw the butterfly spread its wings onto the blue and white rose.

Joey would later have a lot of thoughts about these unconventional roses, that unconventional butterfly, and the unconventional man who saw both of these beauties grow.