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Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh
Pairings: Joey/Kaiba, TBA

Warm

Chapter 1: One of Those Weeks

The steady beep of the heart monitor woke Joey. Knitting his brows he looked around, his back aching from his slumped posture in the uncomfortable hospital chair. He looked at the clock. It had only been forty minutes since he arrived. He looked at the hospital bed where a man in his late forties lay unconscious. His once blond hair was now streaked with grey, deep wrinkles set into his face from years of abusing alcohol and drugs, a scar under his eye- the man was Joey's father. Joey wished he looked like his mom, but there was no doubt he was the spitting image of the broken man on the bed. He sighed rubbing his face. Should he call mom? He hesitated. She seemed so happy with her new husband and Serenity even more so than ever, why let the man they had run from once again ruin their lives?

Joey stood up stretching. He walked out into the hall, shoving his hands in his pockets going to the vending machine. He pulled out the small bit of change he had and counted it. With a frown, he shoved the coins back into his pocket and grabbed a small paper cup and grabbed some of the free water. He forgot pops robbed him again the night before, the reason they were here in the first place. He sipped the water away quickly lost in thought and refilled his cup.

"Mr. Wheeler?" An older nurse, with brown hair tied back loosely and bright red lipstick, asked in a voice that really cut the silence. She looked concerned and wore that one expression that made Joey immediately dislike her. Pity. Everyone always looked at him as though he were pitiful. Joey refused to accept pity from anyone.

"That's me." He said, crushing the cup in his hand and tossing it into the waste basket.

"We're very sorry, but it seems as though your dad's condition is very critical. We've sedated him and we'll see in 48 hours, however his fever is extremely high and he has developed an infection in his lungs." She said, her face reading pure sympathy.

"Any chance of him making it?" Joey asked, his voice sounding distant. He didn't know how to feel. He hated his dad, the jerk beat him when he drank too much and robbed him frequently for drugs and cheap prostitutes.

"The chance is very low, but keep on praying. Also, keep in mind if he wakes up, he may have brain damage from when he had stopped breathing." She said carefully. "The machine is doing the work for him now, but he may never breathe on his own again. We'll have to consider our options from there okay?"

"Yeah thanks. And how much is all of this?" Joey asked. The nurse smiled weakly.

"I've taken the liberty to sign you up for the 'happy helpers' program. Many large corporations donate money for those who can't afford their bills. You won't have to pay anything, thankfully, you've been selected." She said softly. Joey felt a bit enraged. He wasn't some helpless brat! But he let it go. Once less thing to worry about. "The only thing we ask is that you write a thank you letter, it doesn't have to be anything big, but it's a nice gesture." She requested as she pressed the 'happy helpers' pamphlet in his gruff hands.

"Appreciate it." He replied. She smiled sadly once more and bowed before leaving him alone in the tiny drink room. He looked at the disgustingly cheerful pamphlet in his hand. It had 'happy helpers' written in a kid's handwriting and a pathetic looking crayon smiley face clipart below the words. The inside showed pictures of models smiling over a patient that looked completely unrelated to them, everyone happy. Joey folded it in half and shoved it in his backpack. He looked at the clock again and went back to his dad's room. Joey didn't feel anything as he looked over the man in front of him. Maybe he was just as broken as his old man.

"Hang in there pops. Maybe this will be the wake-up call you've needed." Joey said. He hesitated and took his dad's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm going to work now." He informed the unconscious form. "I'll be here again after school tomorrow." He continued. "Let's head back home together." He said but it felt fake as he said it even though he meant it. He hated his dad but he didn't want him to die. He let out a long breath and turned away. His dad would bounce back, he always did.

Joey's teeth grated as he worked the jackhammer. Construction had been kind to him financially but he felt like he lost brain cells quite often on the job. He got the signpost loose and the guys on standby pulled it out of the hole. Another couple guys brought the new signs, glossy and shiny, putting the post in the same hole. They filled it with concrete as Joey moved away, sitting on the back of the truck sipping a soda an co-worker of his bought for him. The cicadas chirped loudly, and sweat dripped down his back and face despite the moon in the night sky. Summer ended already, where was the cool fall weather Joey loved so much? His cellphone rang and he pulled it out. He checked the number.

"Joey Wheeler." Joey said into the phone.

"Mr. Wheeler," A man's voice replied. Joey didn't say a word. "Your father has passed on. Please come to the hospital." A loud ringing sounded in Joey's ears and his hand shook.

"Yeah, I'm on my way." Joey said, his voice nonchalant but his heart felt like it was cartwheeling. He hung up the phone and hopped off the truck walking over to his boss. "Aye boss man, can I take off early tonight? My dad's dead." He said. His boss looked caught off guard.

"Are you alright? Of course you can go...Call me when you're ready to work again Wheeler." He said stiffly. "Or if you need anything kid." Joey nodded and waved him off. He took off down the street running once his backpack was on him. His heart thudded in his chest mirroring his heavy steps as he ran. Everything seemed so much louder, his breathing, the traffic, and the cicadas. He reached the hospital and went into the dark entrance. Only the reception and back halls were lit.

"Mr. Wheeler?" A nurse asked. Joey nodded, struggling to catch his breath. She knit her brows. "Would you like to say goodbye?" She asked softly. Joey nodded again. She called for someone and a few minutes' later two nurses came to lead him back to his father's room. All of the cords and machines had been removed and his father laid still on the bed, more peaceful than Joey had ever seen in his entire life. Joey walked over and held his dad hand, surprisingly the tears came. He hated the man but glimpses of his childhood memories danced through his mind, before his dad became a drunk and drug addict. Now, that man would never have a chance to resurface. Joey squeezed the cold hand in his and sobbed, his body shaking. The nurses watched on with pity but Joey couldn't see them. After ten minutes or so he leaned down kissing his father's forehead for the first and last time in years.

"See you on the flip side pops." Joey whispered, wiping away his tears. It was time to grow up now, he had no choice.

"We're extremely sorry for your loss Mr. Wheeler. If you'd like, you can do the paper work tomor-"

"I'll do it today." He said coolly. The nurse led him from the room to a nurses' station. She pulled out a clipboard. Joey checked off the questionnaire and decided cremate his dad. The nurse reminded him that 'happy helpers' would cover the costs for a full funeral but Joey couldn't imagine that. Would he be the only one there? He shook his head cremation would be fine.

He decided to call his mom while he waited in the lobby for the death certificate. She didn't seem as distraught by Joey's dad's death but genuinely concerned for Joey.

"Do you want me to come get you honey? You can live here, we always want you." She cooed. Joey new she would be just hugging him tight now if she were here. She would smell of pricey perfume and shampoo.

"If it's alright I'd like to finish high school here ma." Joey said calmly.

"But where will you stay sweetheart?" His mom asked worry heavy in her voice.

"Ma, I've been paying the bills for ages. I'll probably sell the house and get a place somewhere." He said calmly.

"Well honey, it's against the law for a minor to live alone, I can't see you being all alone in an apartment. That's so dangerous." His mom argued. He smiled bitterly. She had no idea what kind of monster he had lived with all these years. "How about I set you up in a school dorm. That way I'll at least know you're eating properly"

"I won't be able to work." Joey responded.

"You don't need to honey, be a kid for all that is good. I know your dad wanted you to learn responsibility but there's a whole lot of time for that. I'll cover your costs, Tim has a great job, and we aren't hurting for money. Live in the school, eat right, get good grades, and make a life for yourself honey." She said. Joey felt bitter and removed. She never cared before, she never wanted him before and sure he had nowhere to go and should be grateful, he didn't like this sudden kind treatment. Flashbacks of begging to go with her surfaced and him watching Serenity cry for him as the car drove away, his mom's face determinedly facing forward. Not once had she looked back at him.

"I'm really alright mom, I don't want to live like a carefree kid anymore. I'll live with one of my co-workers, the old guy with the three kids and wife that left him." Joey grumbled.

"Are you sure?" She sounded relieved. Joey sighed.

"Yeah. I'm sure." Joey replied. His mom said goodbye and that she loved him before hanging up. He really wanted to her Serenity's voice but she was away for a school trip. He plopped back down in the plastic seats of the lobby. Finally a nurse emerged from the white double doors and handed him a paper in a plastic sleeve.

"Make sure you register this within five days." The nurse said softly as she held out the death certificate. Joey accepted the paper, the result of forty years of life. It didn't even look official. "Take care of yourself Mr. Wheeler." She said honestly.

"You too." Joey said absentmindedly. With a final glance at the hospital doors that led to his father, he turned and left. The sun had just begun to rise, birds chirped, the air was warm and Joey felt lost.

Thank you for ready Ladies, Gents and Non-binary Friends

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