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

Warm

Chapter 2: The long way home


"Joey! Earth to Joey!"

Joey blinked as he slowly came back from his thoughts, his best friend's hand waving in front of his face. Yugi smiled. Jealousy panged in Joey's chest. He wished he could be as happy and carefree as Yugi if only for a day.

"Were you up all night playing video games again?" Yugi teased. Joey grinned lazily, he had to play the part he designed for himself.

"You know it! I almost beat level fifty six but my finger slipped!" Joey complained loudly and animatedly. All of his friends laughed, drinking it in. They couldn't know anything was wrong with him because Joey had been feeding them this kind of lie from the beginning- to cover the beatings and to cover the late nights of working just so he could eat the next day. Once again, Joey realized that it was all over. It was only this morning his old man passed, but it felt like it hadn't actually happened.

"Yami and I managed to get to level 61!...er… well Yami did, I kind of fell asleep somewhere around level 40." Yugi admitted with embarrassment. Everyone laughed but Joey missed the cue. "Joey are you ok?" Yugi asked, concern washing over his baby face features. Joey plastered a lazy grin back on.

"Sorry, I'm really out of it. I should've went to sleep around level 30!" Joey laughed and just like that things were neatly taken care of. His friends suspected nothing.

"Isn't that all mutts do? Sleep and play fetch?" A raspy voice broke the imaginary bubble of happiness around Joey. Joey's smile immediately faded and he stood, turning towards Kaiba, puffing out his chest as a threat. Kaiba smirked. Why couldn't moneybags leave him alone for just one stinking day?

"Joey don't let him get to you!" Tea warned. "He's just a big bully!"

"What do you want Kaiba?" Joey asked rolling up his sleeves. "Because if you want a beating today's your lucky day."

"I'm not into dog fights Wheeler but I'll be happy to put you down." Kaiba responded. Joey glared. He wasn't the best at snappy comebacks so he did what he knew best: fight. Joey's fist collided heavily with Kaiba's big head. The brunette scowled and his long leg round kicked out catching Joey's and knocking him back against the desks. Joey ripped himself up barreling forward but Kaiba gracefully stepped aside causing Joey to hit the desks again. "Learn some finesse mutt." Kaiba mocked. Joey practically roared as he landed an uppercut, sending Kaiba flying into Tristan. Tristan stumbled back, his mouth in a 'o' shape. Before Joey could really hand Kaiba's butt to him strong arms gripped him pulling him back.

"Office. Now." The teacher, Mr. Raury said through clenched teeth, steam practically bursting from his ears. Kaiba brushed himself off, smirking triumphantly at Joey. He adjusted his uniform and sat casually at his desk, opening his laptop as though nothing happened. Kaiba never got into trouble. Who would punish a kid with the ability to fire you? Joey sneered at Kaiba but as soon as he was shoved out into the hall his anger melted into empathy. He slouched as he walked, hands in his pockets, looking at the floor as his thoughts drifted. The administrator that came to escort him to the office began scolding him but Joey felt like he was a million miles away and her voice barely reached him.

He reached the front office and separated from the shrilled voiced woman and headed towards the usual place. He saw the principal standing at his door, a look of heavy disappointment with arms crossed as he shook his head. Joey let himself in and the principal closed the door behind him.

"Joseph, I'm very disappointed. I thought we had an agreement last time. You were doing so well." The principal began. "I'll have to call your father… are things still…?" Joey cringed. Ever since the principal interrogated him over a black eye and found out Joey was being abused, he brought it up every chance he got as though Joey hadn't wanted to kick moneybag's gold plated behind. It was irritating and even worse, the principal, surprise surpise, had begun to pity him.

"Nah, he's dead." Joey said flatly. The principal's brows rose. "This is my guardian." He said pulling out a wrinkled business card and tossing it to the principal. "Can't say he'll care too much either way but you can call if you want." Joey shrugged. "You can even call mom to confirm it."

"Joseph, I'm so sorry. When did it happen?" The principal said, clearly feeling guilty.

"Around 2am or so." Joey said. The principal's jaw dropped.

"Today? Joey," The principal said, dropping his formal name, "You didn't need to come today if-"

"Look I'd rather no one know, please don't talk about it. If you could scold me and all that, I'd appreciate the normalcy." Joey said bluntly, leaning back in his chair, hands in his pockets, an impatient stare locked on the principal. The principal hesitated but went on as usual, scolding him while taking the crumpled business card and clipping it into Joey's rather thick file without calling the number on it. Good thing too, because Joey didn't have a chance to tell Tokimasa that he was now Joey's guardian.


Joey wiped the sweat from his brow, leaning against the truck as he watched his co-workers in the bucket truck messing with the powerlines. Today felt long and he was happy it was finally over. He normally liked doing jobs in the bucket truck, but the talk he had to have with Tokimasa soon was weighing on him. Another truck drove up, the second shift. Joey felt a bit unsettled. He was close to his co-workers, they knew almost everything about his crappy life, but he that didn't mean his was comfortable bearing his weaknesses to them. Tokimasa exited the other truck last, tying a towel around his head to keep the sweat from getting in his eyes later. Joey capped his drink and set it on the truck bed. He walked over to Tokimasa, hands in pockets, expression grim.

"Hey can I talk to you about something?" Joey asked.

"Yeah what's up?" Tokimasa asked, a bit surprised. He eyed the boss and the boss shooed him in an 'ok'. Joey led Tokimasa a couple feet away from the others. He didn't want to be the center of attention right now because he didn't want to explain his father's cause of death.

"Remember when you said you'd be my guardian if I ever wanted out?" Joey asked, finding it difficult to meet the older man's eyes.

"Did something happen? I'll kill the guy." Tokimasa growled protectively, punching his palm with his fist. Joey smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"He beat you to the punch. Turns out he went ahead and died." Joey said, shoving his hands in his pockets. Hopefully, Tokimasa wasn't all talk and no walk. He'd be boned if Tokimasa didn't agree to be his guardian. Joey wiped the sweat from his hands.

"Your old man's dead?" Tokimasa asked, lighting a cigarette. "Man." Silence fell between them but it wasn't uncomfortable at all. Tokimasa quietly puffed his cigarette and when he was finished he put it out on his shoe and put the butt back in the pack. Joey watched his co-worker come down from the powerlines. "Well kid, I got a nice pull-out sofa with your name on it. I'm here for you." He said and Joey felt the tears leak from his eyes before he knew they were even coming. Stubbornly he brushed them away and forced himself to get a hold of himself. The relief was real- someone wanted him. "You finished your shift?" Tokimasa asked checking his watch. Joey nodded. "Alright then how about you go get yourself something to eat and I'll drive you back on break. I'll get you a key to the house sometime tomorrow."

"Thanks Tokimasa." Joey said with a relieved grin.

Tokimasa pretended to tip his imaginary cowboy hat and headed off to the machinery. Joey headed down the street to the diner. It was about a twenty minute walk that helped him to kill the time. He ordered himself a hamburger and some fries. It was greasy but everything he needed right now. Tokimasa did him a huge favor not bringing up his dad's cause of death or what he was going to do with his dad's house. Joey felt extremely thankful. What would he do with his dad's house? If he were honest, he didn't want to go back there. At least not yet. Joey took another bite of his burger.


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