Chapter 2

Joey enjoyed walking through Domino in the early hours of the morning.

Something about its emptiness was calming, and the pleasure of the walk was one of the reasons he'd put up with the ridiculous morning shift time for his job.

As a teenager, silence had set his teeth on edge and isolation had terrified him.

Like sealing a lid on a pot of boiling water, peace and quiet, rather than calming him, used to smother him and spark up his irritation.

While he'd thrived on chaos and speed when he was younger, maturity had made partial to peace, and the last few years had forced him to enjoy his own company. Hell, he couldn't remember the last he time he saw Yugi or Tristan.

He remembered the exact date of the last time he saw Tea though. September 20th, when she boarded a plane, laughing and sobbing as though she couldn't decide whether to be euphoric or terrified, for New York. Her dancing had taken her beyond their limiters. Or at least that's what Joey had thought.

He soon found out that Yugi and Tristan's limiters were very different to his.

After Egypt, Yugi hadn't duelled at all, and Joey had known better than to pester him about it.

Yugi had already been struggling to adapt to life without having the Pharaoh present, and Joey could tell. None of them could mistake the dreamy, distant stare he used to slip into when was consoling with Atem. Even after Egypt, he would sometimes drift into the same gaze, only to suddenly blink into awareness, and every time Joey would watch as Yugi's facade of happiness crumbled a little, and the words of comfort so easily exchanged between them seemed insulting now, so he would swallow them when they rose in his throat because what the hell did he know?

After the result of Yugi's last duel and the absence of his closest companion, pushing him to take up dueling again would have just been cruel.

Months passed after school had finished, and Yugi began to seem genuinely happy again, so he'd attempted to entice him into it again. It was in that moment that he realized just how good of an actor his friend was as he watched Yugi attempt to explain the intensity of his loss. After choking out a few sentences the facade collapsed entirely as did his friend. It seemed that with the rush of the end of the school year he hadn't had the time to grieve, so he did it right there of the living room floor with Joey's arms around his shoulders struggling to contain the sobs that wracked his body like an earthquake.

As convincing as Yugi's brave face was, the Pharaoh's absence had gouged a hole in him, and he told Joey that he felt more alone in that moment then he ever had in his whole life, and Joey had tried as hard as he could to relate.

Only now did he understand what it must have been like.

More months passed, and one day Yugi suddenly challenged Joey to a duel.

It had lasted a while, and they'd both been a little rusty, but it sparked something alight in Yugi again, and just like that he was gone.

He flitting from place to place, going wherever his dueling would take him, and with the title of King of Games it was taking him very far. For all Joey knew, he was in Antarctica by now.

He was as enthusiastic as ever about Yugi's dueling, but he missed him, and so had Tristan before he'd gone too.

Tristan just wasn't around. After high school they'd worked together and even lived together for a while but at some point Joey had seen less and less of him each day until he eventually vanished entirely. It had something to do with a girl, Joey was sure of that. Tristan had gushed about her for weeks on end; so often that Joey had eventually learned to tune it out, and as a result he could barely even remember her name. Miko? Miho? Something like that.

Tristan had always been a hopeless romantic. His tendency to "fall in love" wouldn't get on Joey's nerves if he didn't spend hours chewing through Joey's head schmoozing about it as he tried to work meaning into pathetic lovesick crushes sparked by his furious sex drive.

Now, Joey found himself missing Tristan's mindless chatter. Most days now he was surrounded by silence.

How did he feel about his friends' absences? He missed them of course, but he was as supportive as always. They'd always pushed each other to chase down their dreams, to achieve the very best all through high school, dueling, everything. There was no way Joey could hold true bitterness about his friends making their dreams a reality...

But at the same time...

Hadn't they always said to him they'd have his back no matter what? Be there for him the way his gang buddies never where? The way his parents never were? And here he was wandering the streets, with no word from any of them in months.

Every time these thoughts arose, he always pushed them back with a smile. Reminded himself that they were chasing down their futures, making something of their lives. And their friendship was strong enough that it could never truly be stifled. But as the distance between them grew bigger and bigger, doubt swirled in Joey's mind clouding every memory he shared with them, until everything was tainted by an uncertainty that set him off balance, made him begin to question their loyalty, their commitment.

He told himself he was being stupid, but it didn't help. He was desperate for connection and reaffirmation, but facing the grim realities of adulthood with a level of cynicism he didn't even know he possessed, he had built up a shield against it. And without Yugi at his elbow encouraging him to open up, reaching out to his friends felt like giving up and breathing life into his fears. So he reigned himself in, pulled back and stayed silent.

'Even though it hurts.'

That sordid creature from earlier was back and the unbearable scraping in his stomach was a hell of a lot worse.

His own emotions had always made him uncomfortable, so he usually avoided them. But thanks to this squirming, uneasy sensation rising in his gut, it felt as though his feelings were tugging at him, shouting for acknowledgment, and if he had to interpret this he'd probably call it a mix between loneliness and resentment. Possibly even a little envy.

The last time he could remember feeling like this was when the divorce had torn his family apart and Serenity had been snatched from his reach.

Was that the source of his desperation? Had his friends been snatched away?

No of course they hadn't. They'd just…

Left.

'Oh God…'

He changed his mind. He didn't want to be here. Out here all alone with his emotions and his stupidity and that thing lurking within him tearing him to pieces.

He decided to go back home. It felt childish and stupid, like he was surrendering to an invisible perpetrator, but he couldn't stay out here.

As he was crossing the road he calmed himself. A new destination to work towards made him feel a little better by pushing his thoughts back, but he could feel his emotions whirling around him again, and knew they would sweep him away eventually.

'I'll be alone at home too.'

He paused and contemplated it. Soon the buzz would start in Domino as rush hour came clamoring in. He could get a coffee, maybe something for breakfast, and perhaps the savory grease of whatever cheap crap he was willing to eat would smother his loneliness for a while.

But at the same time, watching so many people rushing to work would wear down on him, and he knew from experience that he never felt lonelier than when he was surrounded by strangers.

But did he really want to lock himself up in his room like some hormonal teenager? Those years had passed (or at least he hoped they had) and the piles of unwashed dishes and rumpled clothes tossed into darkened corners reminded him of his solitude, and even the odor of the apartment now set him on edge, as he'd just recently polluted it with the stench of cigarettes.

A dark, lonely apartment stinking of tobacco. It stirred angry memories within him from a dark place, memories he could do without.

The honk of a car horn shattered the silence and made him jump out of his skin. Heart pounding, it occurred to him that he was still standing in the middle of the road, and he flapped his hand at the car in a gesture that was both irritated and sheepish as he stumbled to the other side.
'What the hell? Who else could be up this earl-'

As he glanced back at the vehicle and watched it glide away it occurred to him just how long the sleek, black car was. He realized it was a limo and turned to march away in the opposite direction as fast as he could, reigning in his urge to sprint and trying to smother the frantic fight or flight response the limo's appearance had ignited in him for the first time in a while. In his somber mood the last thing he needed was a run-in with the great egomaniacal ass, Seto Kaiba.

As he heard the limo continue on behind him, he settled his nerves, reassuring himself he'd missed whatever potential for confrontation that had caused him to panic earlier. He savored the calm for a few seconds before the sound of the limo's breaks screeching tore through him like a bullet and dread pooled in his stomach as he heard a car door open. He was in no way prepared for battle, and in his mood Kaiba's usual snide insults would rip him to pieces.

"Joey! Hey! Hey Joey wait up!"

He braked as well as a high, raspy voice broke the silence. He knew that voice. He had a second to turn before a ball of adolescent muscle slammed into him and sent him stumbling to avoid tumbling over.

"Juh-heesuz Mokuba!" he gasped. The impact had knocked the air out of his lungs, and from the shit-eating grin on Mokuba Kaiba's face that was exactly what the boy had intended.

"Long time no see!" he chirped, backing away after their collision and giving Joey some well-needed space. Having only recently being stunned out of the calm silence of the morning, Joey winced a little Mokuba's voice. The kid always managed to sound like he was shouting.

"Yeah, no kidding."

It had been over a year since he'd seen or spoken to either Mokuba or Kaiba. It was kind of pitifully ironic how he saw his enemy as rarely as he saw his friends.

As scarcely as he'd seen the Kaiba brothers in the flesh, he had witnessed a few of Kaiba Corp's new commercials for upcoming products. From what he'd seen of Kaiba, looking perfect as ever as he smirked out at him from HD television screens across Domino, he hadn't changed at all. He couldn't say the same for the younger Kaiba, however, whose wild hair now tickled his jaw.

His hair had grown since he'd last seen him, but its length did nothing to restrain the wayward spikes. He kept reaching up to wrench his fingers through the blue-black mess and brush his lengthy bangs out of his vision. Joey swore that hair was spring-loaded. Every time Mokuba raked it into some state of neatness, it just bounced back.

His face had matured also, his handsome features beginning to resemble the pixels of his brother's commercials.

"It's been ages, I can't believe we ran into each other!" the boy grinned.

'Quite literally.' Joey smiled back as pleasantly as he could while rubbing his battered and slightly winded torso. How Kaiba managed to keep his footing while Mokuba pounced on him, he'd never know.

"So what are you doing in the middle of the road so early?" Mokuba quirked an eyebrow.

"Ugh-" he scrambled for a response. There was no way in hell he was discussing his money issues or loneliness with a 13-year-old billionaire anytime soon. It was just too humiliating.

"W-well I could ask the same of you."

Mokuba glanced back at the limo and when Joey looked up he caught a glimpse of the chauffeur glaring out at them, angry and confused but not surprised. Mokuba turned back to Joey and flashed his perfect teeth in another wicked smile.

"I was playing video games and I had to go on a food run. Seto's been on another weird diet lately. All he eats now is celery and lentils and crap." Mokuba made a face.

Joey couldn't help but smile at that. "Yuck."

"Tell me about it! I'm totally starved!"

Joey chuckled as Mokuba began wildly detailing the abusive food deprivation his brother was forcing him into. He was just as comical as ever and his enthusiasm was contagious. The blonde had been with him for less than a minute and he was already grinning like an idiot, his previous gloominess abandoned.

The limo was still running in the middle of the road with one of its doors hanging wide open, and the red-faced driver honked impatiently.

Mokuba rolled his eyes, glancing back to flap his hand irritably, then continued.

"So why are you out?"

Joey's gut clenched and he scrambled for a lie. "Uhh…just…taking a walk."

"You heading anywhere?"

"Well I-uh…" Joey rubbed his neck for a few seconds, considering his response. He didn't know if he fully trusted Mokuba, especially with how easily he wore his brother's evil smirk. The kid was a Kaiba after all, and well known to be a mischievous little brat if given the chance. Maybe it would be safer to just continue on his way and head home.

But on the other hand…he wasn't lonely anymore.

It wasn't much of a counterclaim, but it was enough.

"…No, I'm not busy." Joey smiled meekly.

Mokuba broke into a wide grin. Something about his genuine, innocent smile settled Joey's nerves, and he felt compelled to grin back. That was, until he snatched up Joey's wrist and began tugging him along with towards the limo. He was shockingly strong for his size, and even as Joey dragged his heels and attempted to tug away he barely slowed him down. Joey was sure that his hidden strength was something purely hereditary, as he could recall a moment where Kaiba, slender as he was, managed to effortlessly lift Mokuba with one hand and throw him onto a moving blimp. Maybe it was just strength supplied by adrenaline, because Mokuba seemed very excited at the opportunity of having a new companion, maybe even more excited about it than him.

When he thought about it, Mokuba probably lead a pretty lonely life too.

"Awesome! Come on, let's go get pancakes and chocolate parfait for breakfast!" He released Joey's hand, clambered into the limo and motioned for the blonde to follow him.

Glancing around, Joey observed that everything within the limo looked predictably expensive. Every time he'd participated in a duel tournament and had been on the receiving end of privileges reserved for the wealthy, he'd dipped into a lifestyle that was like another world. In that world he always felt out of place, like he was trekking dirt on the expensive carpets or leaving smudges on the silverware. He deserved to be there, of course, earned his place through his dueling. But he could never ignore the nagging feeling that he somehow oozed lower class, and anything expensive he'd touch would be destroyed, anything he'd set his eyes on would shrivel up, as though his mere presence diminished anything of worth.

He'd pushed it back and graciously accepted all he was given, relaxing on the expensive beds and cramming as much of the quality food into his mouth as he could. Because he'd fought his way there, and he'd only give his place up to a worthy challenger, not some stupid nagging compulsion.

And he'd never confided in his friends about his feelings because…

…Well, just because.

But something about seeing all that shiny brown leather now made him nervous. He even considered declining Mokuba's offer for breakfast, company and maybe even a new friend over something as stupid as car seats until the kid reached out and, using his iron grip, practically yanked him inside.

It was all he could do to avoid toppling the Mount Everest of potato chips, soda and sweets piled onto the seats.

"Also I need someone to help me eat all of this before Seto sees it." Mokuba chuckled, and threw a shiny, brown package at him. Joey, still gawking at the sheer amount of junk food Mokuba had managed to buy under his brother's nose and stuff into what now seemed like a tiny limo, fumbled as he caught the bag.

The plastic crinkled in his hands, and, not recognizing the packaging, he turned it over to examine the logo.

"'Burger Rings'?" He read uncertainly.

"Yep, they're chips from Australia. You should try 'em."

Joey blinked and gaped at him. "Australia?"

Mokuba's sweet smile darkened into a smirk again. "I called in some favors. You'd be surprised just how much foreign food you can find in some stores around Domino, and I'm gonna try 'em all!"

Joey snorted at that, scanning the food and locating masses of unfamiliar packages in dozens of languages. "I believe you."

He stabled himself and sat down very tentatively, the image of stained expensive brown leather prominent in his mind, before he split open the package and began savoring the strange taste of foreign food.

Mokuba leaned up to bark orders through the partition at the grouchy driver, who grunted in response and began speeding away before settling himself among the plastic packaging and fishing out a bag of his own, his bearing the Lays logo and some language with strangely square lettering. Joey's best guess was Russian.

Joey watched the city begin to awaken as it floated past through tinted windows, and Mokuba chattered away through a mouthful of chips. "We're headed to a breakfast cafe down near the city square. It serves everything and is open super early too."

Joey raised a brow at that. "Even this early?"

"Hey, I'm Mokuba Kaiba, they'll serve if I tell them to serve."

Joey snorted and rolled his eyes at Mokuba's arrogant tone. It seemed as though he was inheriting his brother's ego as well as his looks. But while Kaiba's condescension grated on every nerve in Joey's body he found Mokuba's bratty nature a little endearing.

They spoke vigorously and easily as they tore through their snacks. Their simple, aimless conversation filled a hole in Joey. He'd forgotten how good it felt to be able to talk about utter bullshit for ages without once slipping into more mature topics like relationships or money. He was relaxing for the first time in days and fully content when Mokuba inadvertently sent it all crashing down.

He caught a glance of Joey's potato chips and suddenly remembered a question he'd forgotten to ask earlier.

"So about Australia, how's Yugi doing? I hear he's pretty huge there now that he's gone pro."

Joey froze on the spot. All of the warmth and happiness in him trickled out, leaving him cold and empty.

"Yugi's in Australia?"

Mokuba glanced up, regretting stuffing his mouth with chips as his reply came thick and garbled, very inappropriate for what suddenly seemed like a tense situation.

"Yeah, he's been there for weeks. It's pretty big news; I'm surprised you didn't know. I thought you two were like-"

"We are!" Joey snapped, and both he and Mobuka blinked at the forcefulness of his reply.

Mokuba stared at him petulantly after that, as though demanding an explanation. He clearly didn't take kindly to being yelled at over such a simple question, and from the look in his eyes Joey could tell Mokuba had taken on quite a few adults who'd been set on ordering him around.

"Well," Joey began sheepishly, rubbing at the nape of his neck again. "We haven't seen each other in a while but...we are."

"Oh." Mokuba's gaze softened. There was something to his simple reply that seemed to radiate understanding.

"And Tea went to NYC, right?" his voice grew quieter. Softer.

Maybe a little too understanding. Joey hesitantly nodded and stuffed potato chips into his mouth. He'd thought that all Mokuba did was shout, something about the way his voice had grown quiet only worked to further unsettle him.

"And Tristan…"

"He's around." Joey grunted a little too violently. He paused, reigning himself in, and smiled apologetically before frowning down at his food.

He couldn't place the source of this sudden aggression. Every time he opened his mouth in response, something strangely defensive came tumbling out. Perhaps it had something to do with the way Mokuba was starting to radiate waves of pity.

He could just tell what he was thinking.

'Poor little Joey Wheeler all alone.'

As though he couldn't fight for himself, as though he didn't have a chance. He'd been facing that pity all his life.

It was one of the reasons his friends had been forced to drag the truth of his living situation out of him in high school. One of the reasons he hadn't even tried to contact Yugi, Tristan or Tea since they'd left.

His desire for independence would always end up alienating him, and he told himself that it was for the best. He'd learned when he was young that if you kept leaning on others, if you couldn't learn to endure, hold your head high and make it on your own, you'd end up paying for it. And despite the years and friends that pulled him out of that lifestyle, he couldn't let it go.

Perhaps because in the end, the very friends who'd tried to prove this thinking wrong ended up doing the very opposite.

Mokuba's expression was kind, concerned, and yet his eyes were burning holes into Joey and he glanced away, finding himself staring at his reflection in the partition.

No wonder Mokuba was worried, he looked like something had opened him up and hollowed him out. He didn't feel like Joey Wheeler anymore.

He angled his jaw slightly and then it happened again, he didn't look like Joey Wheeler anymore. His hair was washed, his face clean, the limo was fully lit and yet it happened again. One second Joey Wheeler stared out at him, the next it was someone else, someone he never wanted to be. The white horse galloped back and forth, back and forth.

"So, Joey..."

Mokuba's oddly soft voice broke him from his thoughts, snapped his attention away from his reflection. He'd been so absorbed in it he'd forgotten where he was.

The kid crinkled plastic as he fidgeted in his nest of sweets and when he smiled at Joey it was laced with the familiar, misplaced kindliness that always made him feel ill.

"…Well recently a position just opened up in Kaiba Corp for a beta tester."

That caught Joey's attention. He swallowed both his deep seated awkwardness at being pitied and his mouthful of food as he asked, "Beta tester?"

"Yeah, they're game testers. They run through the games Kaiba Corp makes after the alpha testers and point out any glitches or software bugs, helping to prepare them for sale. Every Kaiba Corp product gets tested loads of times before we're sure they're ready. When it comes to duel-related stuff, usually Seto does it alone, but on our latest product he wants public input to get it perfect. One of our betas recently dropped out of the program and now we're one short."

Joey's excitement was rising with every word, but he reigned himself in in front of the younger boy. But his stomach could barely contain it, and it leapt and spun uncomfortably, performing aerobatic manoeuvres inside him. "So it's like a job?"

"Yeah, exactly. And I was wondering if…maybe you were interested?"


Updated 29/7/16
Minor changes in sentence structure and spelling.