Well, here is chapter 2! I can't believe how long it turned out! I'm kind of excited about this as it's the longest chapter I've ever written, and I enjoyed writing it, no matter how much it sucks.
Warning: Some limey stuff (oh yes, citrus will be involved!), and squeaky voices plotting against Seto Kaiba! Also, possible suicide and suicide attempts, and angst. Plus m/m relationships and lots of yaoi! So readers be warned. This authoress is slightly crazy.
Kaiba: Slightly?
*Evil Glare that is equivalent to Kaiba's*
Kaiba: *Backs away*
Anyways, please read and review. Cookies for all who do! Now, to the chapter!
Jou was still curled up under his blankets, his body bruised from the events that had taken place the night before. He had slept at least 2 hours past his alarm clock, having turned it off the first time he heard it. He really couldn't be bothered to go to school at the moment, especially considering how crappy he really felt. His head was hurting, as well as his body, and when he sat up, he felt like he was on fire. And of course, on top of it all, he had to deal with the man who had done the deed that had him in for it. He wished that if anything, he could just avoid his father for, say, the rest of his life maybe? The blonde gave a deep sigh, wanting for this to just be bad dream that he would wake up from at any moment. Unfortunately, real life didn't work like that.
He was laying on his stomach, and as much as he would rather be in any other position right now, he was too weak to move. He didn't know why, but the act of sitting up just that once had taken what little strength he had left. It was strange, as he had never experienced these side effects before. He blew out a puff of air and looked out the window. It had been raining for the past few weeks in Domino now, and of course, he had been fine then. But now that he was feeling slightly under the weather, the sun was out, beckoning for one to step outside into the warm summer air. This, of course, was just Jou's luck.
It was irritating that the weather seemed to be against him, as well as just about everything else, though he supposed that things could always get worse. Of course they could, but still, it really sucked. He finally managed to turn over, but his body was physically drained by the act of doing so, and so he found himself sleeping once more. He hoped that this would be one of the mornings when his father wouldn't come to him once more, looking for a repeat of the night before. There were times in the morning when he got really lucky, and times when it seemed that the only thing he could do was close his eyes and imagine somewhere else and/or someone else, even as his father's drunken breath filled his nose.
Soon, the door slowly creaked open, and Jou found himself face to face with the man he had been dreading so very much, but somehow, he was different. The eyes that looked down at him weren't tainted by alcohol that was usually running thick through his veins by this time of day. As a matter of fact, it seemed that the scent had almost completely vanished off the man, and he looked at his son with sorrowful eyes. Jou felt confused at the sympathetic look he was receiving, wondering why his father was so suddenly feeling regret after a full two years. The blonde let out a depressed sigh and looked away, not wanting any reminders of what had happened the night before. However, no matter where he looked, there was always something to remind him of the deed that had been done once again.
His father continued to gaze upon him from the doorway, which was now making Jou uncomfortable. Why couldn't the other man just go away. He didn't care how long for. Maybe he would luck out and it would be forever. But, as if the man had read his thoughts and chosen to defy him completely, he stood rooted in his spot, that sorrowful gaze focusing on Jou's back. The blonde wondered what was going through his old man's mind. Mostly, he wondered if the guilt reflected in those brown eyes was really there, or if Jounouchi Sr. was feigning it. His son wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter. Finally, he turned again to face his father, feeling a ton of energy drain from him directly afterwards.
"Can I help you?"
"Katsuya…" The voice was heavy, as if it was carrying a great burden. "Son, I'm sorry."
"I don't believe that for a minute. Why would you be sorry?"
"Katsuya, do you think I wanted to do those things to you?"
"Well, I'm not convinced otherwise."
They argued back and forth like this for a few minutes before Jou got really flustered and went to get up. He instantly regretted it as a repeat of what sitting up earlier had done ensued. He felt really dizzy now, and very warm. What the hell was wrong with him? He laid back down on his bed, wanting to get out of there, but incapable of doing so. Instead, he chose to glare at his father, wishing that the man would simply take his leave. And if he never came back, that might not be so bad either, though somehow the blonde seriously doubted that he could ever be so lucky.
"Katsuya, one of your friends called earlier. They will be over in the next hour or two to see you. I figured that I would let you know. I am going to be out looking for a job."
"Yeah right, like you even have enough brain cells to fill out an application for a job anymore." Jou never looked up from his blankets, but if he had, he would have seen the pain and regret reflected on his father's face. He might have understood that his father had come to a sudden realization the night before, and that even though it was impossible to change overnight, he needed to get his life back on track. No more alcohol all day long while his son went to school and worked to support them. And no more having his way with the boy. Katsuya already hated him as it was. He couldn't stand the idea of his son loathing his entire being, of not being able to love him because he had been so stupid. With a small sigh, he exited the apartment, hoping that maybe he could find a way to make their life better than what it was now, and Jou was alone, awaiting the arrival of his friends. He couldn't just lay there on the bed like he had been doing for so long now. He needed to get up, shower, and clean up before they got there, as well as hide any traces of what had happened the night before.
With a small sigh, he picked himself up for the third time that morning, this time slowly so that he would not get the same reaction that he had received the previous two times. Once he was on his feet, he made his way to the shower, partially supporting himself on the walls as he went along so that he would not collapse. His knees were weak and kept buckling under the weight that he was putting on them, and his body from his lower back down was extremely sore. This was often how he woke up after a night with that horrid drunken bastard, unable to walk properly, too weak to fully support himself. And if he thought he had been sore while lying in bed, he was sadly mistaken. That was only a preview of what it was going to be like for him to walk for the next week. And on top of it, he was sure that he would be in for another round tonight. If only he could escape from that man… Such thoughts were only wishful thinking, but that didn't mean that he couldn't still pretend that it was possible. After all, false hope was pretty much what Jou had lived his life on thus far.
It took some time, but he finally made it to the shower, reaching in while still leaning against the wall for support, and turning the knob far enough to make the water warm. He put his hand underneath it, waiting to feel the temperature rise, and then he began to strip himself, careful never to lean too far away from the wall, as he still hadn't regained much strength. It looked like it would have to be a bath today, as he didn't want to slip in the shower. So instead, Jou let the tub fill up a slight bit before slowly sitting down and relaxing in the warm liquid. He put his head back for a minute, looking up at the ceiling and thinking about what his life might be like with his father out of the picture.
He saw a carefree and happy young teenager that was able to truly enjoy the years he had left of adolescence before he was to become an adult. He was truly happy, instead of using that fake smile that was often directed towards his friends. He had often wondered if they could actually see through it and just kept quiet, or if the grin was enough to make them oblivious. He dreaded the day when he would finally have to explain what had really gone on behind closed doors, as it was not something that he was yet ready to discuss yet, and probably would not be for a very long time. He would rather pretend to be the carefree Jou that his friends knew him as, even if only for just a little longer.
He sat up now in the water and pulled his knees to his chest, resting his chin upon them as he stared at his reflection. Often times he had wondered why he had not been strong enough to stop that man from assaulting him in such ways, but it seemed like each time he tried to muster up the strength, his body would become even weaker. He had given up the fight about a year ago, when he had turned fifteen, deciding that he needed to reserve his strength for waking up the next day. He was always in bad shape the next morning, but he had learned to clean himself up pretty well, making it easy to escape an interrogation from his friends about what might have happened. And on top of the fact that his might seemed no match against his father's lust, fear always gripped him, compelling him to do his father's bidding. It was mostly because of one time, when he had struggled with all his being against the other man. It was the one time he had almost broken free. And that one time had nearly cost him his life.
-Flashback-
Jou had just walked in the door, and noted that it badly wreaked of alcohol in the apartment. So apparently the elder Jounouchi had been drinking more heavily than usual, as the stench was about ten times stronger than normal. The blonde rolled his eyes, walking up to the drunken heap halfway on the couch and looking down at him in disgust. Why, of all people, did he have to be the one to be cursed with such a cruel person as his parent. He often wished that his mother had taken him, however that had not been the case. Instead, he had to live with this man, who would probably die of alcohol poisoning before Jou's eighteenth birthday. Of that, he was almost positive.
Suddenly, the other person moved, and he could see the somewhat glazed eyes. His father had definitely had a few too many. Jou gave a sigh, grabbing on of the man's arms to help him back up onto the couch properly so that he could at least be comfortable. However, at the realization that his son was home, Jounouchi Sr. had thought of a different activity. He grabbed Jou in a strong grip, and without a single word, brought him to the bedroom, stumbling over himself now and then. It had only been about a year now since Jou had started dealing with the sexual abuse, however, he fought his father with every fiber of his being during every nightly encounter. One of these days the blonde would get it across that he wasn't some toy for his father to mess with, and he planned for it to be sooner, rather than later. He looked over at the other man who was gripping his wrist tightly, and gave him the deadliest glare that he could muster. But his father seemed unaffected by it.
He threw his son on the bed, smiling a drunken smile as he clumsily pulled off his shirt and pants. His eyes were now pregnant with lust, and his mind was clouded with the poison that he had been consuming all day long. It didn't matter if he hurt Jounouchi, not all. All he wanted was his nightly screw, and he could care less where he got it from. And so, the rape ensued, but not without one hell of a fight.
His father had watched him like a hawk while he had stripped, just as always, standing at the side of the bed. Then he had gotten up, commencing with their nightly ritual. However, when he had pushed Jou down onto the bed, the blonde had done his best to crawl away. It was only another moment before he felt strong hands pulling somewhat painfully on his hips. One he was back where his father wanted him, he felt two hands on his inner thighs, pushing them apart from behind,. It happened before Jou had really even realized what he was doing. His elbow suddenly made contact with his father's side, hitting the older man directly in the ribs. He heard the cry of pain and took that as his cue to escape. Jou had quickly crawled out from under the other man and now stood straight up beside the bed, gathering his clothes and getting ready to book it when a strong hand wrapped around his thin right wrist and yanked him back. He let out a pained cry as he landed back down on his bed.
His father now held him down by his wrists, putting so much pressure on them that the circulation was quickly cut off. Jou let out a loud sob, trying to come up quickly with another plan of escape. He couldn't allow this man to get the better of him, not again. So when the drunkard leaned in closer to Jou, he saw his chance and took it. He aimed for the shoulder now above him and bit down hard, drawing blood as he did so. Another pained cry followed, and Jou made a second attempt to escape. His father was faster to recover this time though, and grabbed him by the ankle, dragging his son back underneath him. Before Jou knew what was happening next, a glass bottle hit the side of his head. He didn't even know where the bottle had come from, but one thing was for sure. He had just really pissed his father off. He didn't count how many more blows to the head he took that night, but noted that only some were from the beer bottle, while others were dished out with a fist. It wasn't long before everything had gone black. When he woke up the next morning, he could tell that Jounouchi Sr. had certainly continued with his original intentions. His body was extremely sore.
It was another moment before he realized that he didn't recognize his surroundings. This bed was slightly less comfortable that his own and there was an annoying beeping sound somewhere off at his side. Finally his somewhat hazy vision fully cleared, and the gang came into view. They all looked rather worried, but he noticed relief taking over their features when they finally saw that he was awake. He was wondering how long they had been waiting here, and seeing as he was in a hospital, a fact that the heart monitor had given away, how exactly they had known where to find him. But before he could ask them a single question, they were upon him with questions of their own.
"Jou, what the hell happened," Honda asked, looking concerned in his own way.
"Oh, that's a real nice greeting you idiot," Anzu remarked to Honda, who just gave her a not so effective glare in return. But it was Yugi who's question he answered.
"How are you feeling Jou," the spiky haired teen asked him, eyes even wider than usual, and showing concern.
"Eh, I feel like I just got hit my a stinking semi," was Jou's short reply.
"Your father said you got into a pretty bad fight last night outside the apartment building. You were close to dead when he found you," Honda looked down, his expression now showing more concern than it had before. Jou thought about it for a few moments before the true events that had taken place the night before came back to him. So his father had nearly killed him from the sounds of it. Pity, it would have been a major relief to never have to suffer again as he had at the hands of that man. Then again, no matter how many bad cards life handed him, Jou was strong. It was pretty obvious that he had mixed emotions about the near loss of his life.
"Yeah, there were some thugs looking for money, and of course I didn't have any, so I got the crap kicked out of me… Didn't realize how much damage they did though, well until now anyways."
"Well of course you didn't. You were probably unconscious halfway through the beating," Yami now piped up from behind Yugi, speaking matter-of-factly.
"True, but you know what I mean." They all nodded, and then looked back at him, Honda with the biggest grin ever.
"Well, we ordered pizza, and we saved a couple slices for you." He pulled them out and put them on a plate for Jou, who looked at them hungrily. He was rather thankful that his friends had thought to save him some, as opposed to making him eat the hospital food. This hospital had some of the worst food around, which was a pretty well known fact. And of course, his good for nothing father probably would have gone and got himself something and sat there eating in front of Jou while the teen watched with hungry eyes. He got to chat casually with his friends for a time before his father waltzed through the door, giving them a smile and putting on a show as he always did in front of them.
"All right guys, and girls of course. Katsuya needs to rest now. You can come and see him again tomorrow." They all looked at the elder Jounouchi and nodded, most of them with smiles, however, Yami was another story. He knew what really went on behind closed doors, as he had once decided to enter into Jou's mind and find out for himself. He had never revealed it to Jou or to the others that he knew, as he felt that the story was not his to tell. But sooner or later, something had to be done, especially before such an incident as this occurred again, or possibly even worse, resulting in Jou losing his life. Thugs were a good story for the part of Domino that the pair lived in, however, after finding out the elder Jounouchi's true nature, it was simply a poor excuse for what had really gone on. As much as Yami had wanted to, he hadn't invaded Jou's thoughts this time, already knowing what he would find if he did, yet feeling somewhat fearful to confirm his suspicions.
Yes, that time, Jou had almost lost his life to the drunken lunatic known as his father. The man had acted like nothing had happened between them like that in the hospital in order to cover his own tracks, but when he had come home with his son, it had been back to their 'happy' old routine. Since then, the blonde hadn't dared to defy his father, knowing full well that this time, he might not be so luck y to wake up in a hospital bed. He had simply gone along with orders, even after a full year had passed.
-End Flashback-
He sighed once more, looking again at his reflection. He always felt dirty and disgusting, and no amount of scrubbing ever removed that feeling. On top of that fact, he believed that somehow this was his fault, that he had to have done something to provoke these attacks, although deep down he knew that this wasn't true. His actions always spoke against it, but his father never seemed to care much. Instead he just went about, doing as he pleased, not thinking about how Jou was going to feel when he was done. If it was possible, the blonde felt worse this morning than he had ever before. It was as if the same thing had happened one hundred times over, making him feel like no more than grime that was walked upon every day by the dirtiest shoes in the city. And what made that worse was that he would not be able to wash that feeling away. He was stuck with it, possibly forever.
His reflection spoke wonders about his thoughts. His eyes were outlined with red rims, a mix from him crying last night and his fatigue from not sleeping enough, having to wake up so early. His hair was more disheveled than usual, which he was pretty sure that the bath would fix. On his neck were marks from what most people called "love bites", although he looked at them as the greatest reminder of the unpleasant experience. He put his right index finger up to one, pressing it lightly. A small bit of pain shot through his neck as he did so, and he pulled his hand away from it. He was thankful that his hair was so long and unruly. It did a really good job of hiding all the marks.
From there, he looked down at his lower body, namely his legs. They were covered with bruises, though he really didn't know which part of the night they had come from. That was the beauty of zoning out night after night. As much as you knew what happened, you wouldn't remember a thing. And that was the only reason that Katsuya could live with himself and what had happened. He didn't recall the events, and so it was as if they were no more than a nightmare, however a nightmare that left marks all over his being, reminding him that he let it happen once again. And that mindset never seemed to change, no matter how much he tried to reason with himself that there was nothing he could do about it. The fact always remained that he had let it happen, plain and simple.
After some deep thinking, something that had actually become quite common for Jou, he got to washing himself. By now, the water was only lukewarm, but it would simply have to do. That was what he got for finally discovering his brain. He pulled down the soap and shampoo, and about twenty minutes later, he had finally finished cleaning up. Once he was finished, he stood up and turned on the shower, standing under it for a couple of minutes to wash all the excess crap off of him. After all, it was common knowledge that you should rinse yourself off in the shower after soaking for a while in the bathtub.
He grabbed a towel, covering his lower half with it before heading into his bedroom. He didn't feel as sore as he had when he first woke up, but his body was far from healing fully. And it was almost a guarantee that it would not have the chance to do so, because his father would be back tonight, more than likely having drank away all the money Jou had earned once again, and he would come home, have his way with his son, and then pass out once more. Jou had a hard time believing that his old man had actually gone out to find a job. He was probably at a bar, indulging as much as he wanted without his son there to "control" his intake.
Jou shook the thoughts from his head and went into his room to get ready for school… Then something dawned on him. Today was Saturday, and there was no school on Saturdays. And even if there had been school, he had slept way past his alarm clock. Apparently he hadn't kept track of the days as well as he thought he had. Instead of grabbing his school uniform, he grabbed a pair of blue jeans and a blue and white shirt. It meant that he had a day off, which he could spend with his friends, away from this hell known as his apartment. Maybe they could hang out at the game shop or just wonder aimlessly around Domino until some lunatic popped up that wanted to take over the world. There seemed to be lots of them lately.
Jou was just glad that he would be distracted from what went on here. He wasn't about to let it rule his life, and so he would go and do his best to be the carefree teen that his friends knew him as… Even if he was still kind of sore. Upon thinking about it, he really hoped that Anzu didn't tag along too. He didn't want to deal with her right now, as she had a way of annoying him until he was on his very last nerve. Then again, he was pretty sure that she did that to all of them. Just at that moment, something popped up in his memory. She was studying abroad in America now, which meant that not only was she not available to annoy the hell out of the gang, but she was on the other side of the world, while they were in Domino, Japan. Relief ran through his body, not only from the fact that the brunette was about as far away as she could get, but that he wasn't getting a headache from his brain working overtime.
He heard a knock at the door and yelled that he would be there in just a minute. He had just thrown his underclothes on maybe five seconds ago and was now working on putting on his pants while hopping towards the door on one foot. Finally he had slid them over one leg, and then he did the same with the other leg, however he lost his balance and fell over. From outside you could hear curses that no one even knew existed being muttered in languages Jou didn't even realize that he knew. Finally, once his pants were buttoned and zipped, he threw on his shirt and pulled back the door, greeting his friends with a dorky grin… Or, as his took him less than a second to process, friend. Only Yami stood there, looking rather serious, and Jou could just feel the hairs standing up on his neck. The Pharaoh looked like he meant business, but he also had a gentle expression upon him, so that it would not make Jou even more uncomfortable. Something needed to be done and soon, but there was no one for Jou to talk to, and suddenly Yami had felt the need to at least make himself available to the blonde for a long chat.
"Jou, I thought that we should talk. Just one on one. I… I had a certain subject in mind…" Jou nodded, feeling the color in his face drain. He knew why Yami was here. As much as he had tried to lie to himself, telling himself that it was just a dream, he remembered when the Pharaoh had entered his mind, looking into the deepest and darkest depths and at all of his secrets. He had understood that Yami was just very worried about him, and at the time he had been acting a little different, as the nightly "sessions" had just started, but he couldn't help feeling that his privacy was being invaded.
"All right, but… Can we talk somewhere else?" Jou looked at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact just yet because he was afraid that the Pharaoh would be able to see straight into all the pain, hurt, and anger that was lingering within his soul. Yami was aware of these emotions, which were present in Jou's aura, but he didn't want to pry. He wanted to make sure that they were somewhere that the blonde could feel comfortable, so he nodded, a smile playing it's way onto his lips.
"Sure, we could go out for coffee or lunch. Yugi and Honda are busy at the shop helping Grandpa, so they won't mind if we take a little while." Jou smiled, giving a victory sign. He went and grabbed his coat before heading out the door behind Yami, glad that the Pharaoh was not going to force them to stay here while he and Jou talked about what had going on. After all, Jou couldn't be sure what time his father would stumble into the apartment, and he didn't want Yami to see that, even if he already knew about it. So instead, they decided to go a popular café near Jou's apartment, where they could sit down and relax, and maybe be at least a little more comfortable.
They made their way across the street, walking down a sidewalk to a small place known as Café on the Corner. Here they could sit comfortably and have a private conversation over coffee, or in Jou's case tea, and lunch. Upon entering, the smell of baked sweets hit their nose and Jou couldn't help but smile, until something dawned on him.
"Uh, Yami, who's paying?"
"I've got it Jou. I have some money put aside that I can afford to break into for this," Yami replied with a smile.
"Hey, thanks man. I'll pay next time." Jou gave a bright smile, and then walked up to the counter, looking at the menu, which was rather American. "Uh, I'll take a green tea and a tuna melt please. It's under Jounouchi." Jou waited for Yami to order and then they went and grabbed a seat together. Obviously, it took a few minutes to prepare the food, and while waiting, the boys got all the usual pleasantries aside. They went up to get their orders when their names were called, then sat back down at the table they had chosen. Yami decided to let them eat a bit before pushing the subject of Jou's father.
After about fifteen minutes, both boys were finding it hard to keep their mouths shut, be it food or conversation, and Yami just had to say something. He didn't want to be too straightforward just yet. He preferred to ease his friend into the subject so that the conversation might go a bit more smoothly. He thought about it for a minute, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh. He needed to come up with the right way to approach the subject, but doing so was easier said than done. Another couple of minutes for thought, and the answer might dawn on him. And if this was a cartoon, a light bulb would have just appeared over Yami's head, for he had come up with a rather brilliant way of going about the discussion.
"Well Jou, the reason I brought you here today was to talk about your living situation… Namely, your father." Jou was looking down at his tea and sandwich, not ready to make eye contact with the person that sat across from him. He didn't need to be told twice why the Pharaoh had come alone today, instead of bringing the rest of the gang as usual.
"Let's just straight to the point Yami." So much for the Pharaoh's idea of easing into it. He nodded and cleared his throat, getting ready to delve into a deep and probably painful conversation for Jou.
"Well, a while back, I had gone inside your mind. I know that I did not ask and I had no right, so I apologize in advance Jou. But what I found there has bothered me since. Your father has… He has been raping you pretty much every night since you… turned fourteen… That was what I saw within. After that secret was revealed, I remember walking around a bit, seeing if I could find out just a little bit more information, though it was not my place to do so. However, I remember after wandering for some time, coming across you, squatting, supported by the wall behind you, looking scared and otherwise emotionless. Was that caused by him as well Jou?" Jou gave a slight nod.
"Yeah… I remember seeing you that time, and then, when I saw the way you looked at my old man afterwards, I knew that it had been more than just a dream. I'm sorry…"
"Sorry for what Jou?"
"Well, it's my fault that I let him do all those things… He hurt me, but I let it happen. And I can't help thinking that I probably did something to provoke it… I don't know what, but-" Right then, Jou was cut off by the ancient spirit.
"It is not your fault that your father is a perverted old man that cannot control his lust. Don't ever blame yourself for his wrongdoing. Jou, you've done nothing wrong. It is simply the fact that he is a disgusting person that has committed one of the worst acts against his own child."
"I know Yami… I understand that it's not my fault, but sometimes I just… I just feel like it is. Kind of like when something bad happens to someone you love and you think about all these things you might have done to prevent it from happening. In the back of my mind, I know that I've done nothing wrong, but I just can't help feeling like I have." Yami nodded at that statement, understanding perfectly where Jou was coming from. When Yugi had taken the hit from the Orichalcos seal, the Pharaoh had felt the deepest regret for what he had done. However, the difference between that situation and this one was that losing his hikari had truly been his fault. Though Jou was blaming himself for everything that had happened between him and his father, he was not the responsible party.
"Jou, I've been worrying because you've been changing. Yugi's noticed it a little bit as well, and I promised him that I would come and talk to you a bit about it today. My friends are important to me, especially you, and I want you to know that if you need me, I am always here. And so is Yugi."
"Has Honda noticed too," Jou asked as he stared at the table.
"Honda's as oblivious to everything as the day he was born. He has noticed slightly, but he figures you probably just have a crush or have been love struck, seeing as that's how he gets when that happens to him. So yes, he has noticed, however, he is not aware of the reasoning. Yugi isn't either, but he is definitely suspicious. He noticed some of the bruises on your arm as well as the marks on your neck the other day at school. You do a good job covering him up, but my hikari can be very observant."
"So Yugi suspects it then… I suppose I can't hide the truth from them forever… But I don't think I'm ready to tell them just yet. I wasn't exactly expecting to be talking to you about it so soon either."
"Sorry if it feels like I attacked you Jou, but I've been worried about you."
"I know. I could tell from the way you kept on eying me every time we hung out. But I'm okay."
"I don't believe that for a second Jounouchi. If you had seen yourself the way I saw you that time, you would agree with me. I think that once you are ready to talk about it, it would be good to tell the others. They are also your friends and they would never think any differently of you." Jou nodded, a sad smile now his expression. He knew that Yami was right, but how was he supposed to go about such a sensitive subject with his friends, especially when he could already anticipate Honda's reaction. He wasn't one to take such things lightly. And on top of it, he wasn't sure if he wanted Ryou and Bakura to know just yet, although they had become closer friends since they had been spending much more time with the group. The tomb robber had a way of making things seem… slightly unpleasant. He wondered what Kaiba would say if he could hear the conversation between the two boys right now. Probably something along the lines of 'well, that's what mutts seem to be good for these days'. After all, that man could turn anything into a dog joke. For a moment, Jou wondered why that damned brunet had suddenly popped into his thoughts, but he dismissed it, deciding that it was nothing really of importance to him.
"I know I need to tell them, but I'm just not ready for their reactions. And it really wouldn't be fair if I told one of them and not the others. I think I just need some time to come to terms with what's happened and then I might be more comfortable talking about it."
"Jou, I'm also a bit worried because they plan on confronting you today."
"So then I'll admit that's something's wrong and just let them know that I'm not ready to talk about it yet. I think that they'll understand that and I'm pretty sure they won't pry." The Pharaoh nodded at this, giving a genuine smile to Jou as he did so. He knew that his friend was very strong, and that he was also a proud person, which meant that he had a hard time admitting weakness.
"I think you're right Jou. So, we'll head to the game shop after this then?"
"Yeah, you bet!" Jou was now feeling a bit more relaxed and was able to enjoy the rest of his food. They chatted a bit more, going from subject to subject as they did so, and finishing up their food and drinks. It was nice to be able to have a hot cup of green tea, as it had been so long since the last time he was able to enjoy it. It was very refreshing, refueling his body and making him forget about the exhaustion and fatigue he had suffered from earlier. Herbal green tea was very good for that. Once they were finished, they brought their trash over to the bins and headed out the door, walking towards the shop.
Jou was somewhat nervous about the confrontation that he knew would be coming, but he knew that it was going to happen sooner or later. He hoped that they wouldn't push him for too many answers just yet, as he was not ready to give them. He just wanted a nice, quiet day with his friends before he had to go back to hell that night, that was all. And it looked like he was going to get his wish. On top of it, today was only Saturday, so he didn't have school again for another day and a half. This meant that he still had plenty of time to attempt his homework, and if he had a hard time figuring out what he was doing, like he usually did, then he would just call Yugi and ask. As Jou lost himself in his thoughts, Yami suddenly spoke up.
"So Jou, how are you feeling anyways?" Jou gave a sigh.
"All right I guess. He was pretty hard on me last night from what I can tell anyways.
"What do you mean by that," Yami replied curiously.
"Well, whenever he does it, I zone out and then I have no idea what happened. The only proof that anything happened last night are the soreness and the marks all over me. Otherwise, I really have no clue what went on. I learned to do it about a month after that time I ended up in the hospital. You remember that, right?" To this, Yami nodded. The image of Jou laying in that hospital bed beaten, bruised, and broken was still fresh in the Pharaoh's mind. He would probably never forget that.
"Well, I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that you handle it in such a way, but I suppose that it could be worse… My only worry is that you might start to remember everything and it'll send your mind into a state of shock." Jou just smiled, looking down at the pavement beneath his feet. He knew that it was like Yami to worry often, especially about the people that were close to him. Still, the blonde couldn't help but feel that his personal space was being invaded, if only a little.
He continued on, walking next to the Pharaoh and just chatting lightly until they came to the game shop. He couldn't help but let out a soft sigh as he looked through the doors to see the rest of the gang eagerly awaiting their arrival. So much for a nice relaxing day to help him forget. It looked like he would be explaining himself today whether he liked it or not. He just hoped that they wouldn't ask him too many questions. He really wasn't up for answering them.
Seto Kaiba was currently sitting inside a small café, taking his time on a cappuccino and a bagel. Last night had turned out to be one hell of a night for him, and he just needed something to boost his energy. He was still irritated about the fact that he had taken his attention off the road, only to end up causing an accident. It was his own fault for taking his eyes off the road when he should have been paying attention to where he was driving. Yet instead, he had insisted on looking over his paperwork to see how much more he could get done. After the accident, he had spent most of the night at the station, filling out reports and the like. He had barely enough time to get a decent sleep, and the paperwork was still waiting to be done. After getting an hour's worth of sleep, he had to get up and get to work, although Mokuba had tried to get him to stay home. Instead, Seto was sitting in a small café, laptop out, working twice as hard to try to make up for lost time. It was easier to concentrate here than in his office. As he stared at the screen, scenes from the night before kept popping into his head.
-Flashback-
Seto didn't realize what was going on until it was too late. His vehicle was soon meeting with the other, and upon impact, he was thrown slightly forward. He could tell from the way that they had hit that this was only a minor accident, which meant that more than likely, no one hadn't gotten hurt except for a mild case of whiplash. He looked up at the roof, cursing every god and goddess known to man for this run of bad luck, as he had been hoping to finish up the paperwork tonight so that he might be able to take a day for himself tomorrow. He seriously couldn't remember the last time he had been given a day off.
After taking a moment to think, he got out of the car to make sure that the other person was all right. At the same time, she had gotten out of her car, and other than being a bit shaken, she had seemed fine. Mentally, he had breathed a sigh of relief, though on the outside, he kept his cool air about him. Seto wasn't the type to let anything visibly shake him up… Unless, of course, Mokuba was involved. This situation was definitely no exception.
When she looked over at him, he could see an expression that reflected instant recognition. She knew he was right away, which he had a feeling was inevitable. A lot of bad publicity was going to come from this situation. What was worse, he would probably have to deal with some sort of lawsuit, which meant court dates that he would have to work around. And in the end, he had a feeling that it was all just going to be one big mess. What bothered him the most, however, was that he could have easily avoided this had he been more careful. Suddenly, he was brought back to reality.
"Mr. Kaiba, are you all right?"
"Huh? Oh, yes, I am fine. Are you injured Miss?"
"No, I'm perfectly fine as well," she replied, thinking that it was rather unlike the billionaire to use manners or even care for that matter. It was well known that he had the emotional depth of an ice cube. Usually, he would just take off without any regards to what had happened. Instead, there the brunet stood, looking cold, however showing even the slightest amount of worry for a complete stranger. Perhaps he was changing, but what might cause such a change?
"I've called the police and let them know what happened. They are on their way." Great, the young lady thought at that. That means that I'll probably be taking the blame for getting in Pretty Boy's way… Just what I need.
"All right. How long until they get here?"
"They'll be here in no more than half an hour." He watched as she nodded, smiling only inwardly. Perhaps tonight might go smoothly enough that he would still be able to get all of his paperwork done when he got home. But that was certainly hoping for far too much. After all, luck had been against him for the past week or two, so why would it take a turn for the better now when it could just make the CEO miserable. And besides, misery loves company.
It took an hour and a half for the cops to actually show up, and by then, Seto was thoroughly annoyed. If he hadn't been in such a bad position at the time, he probably would have threatened their job or at least bitched them out for making him and the young lady that he had hit wait for so long. He had work to get back to, as well as a little brother, and even though there were servants at the house, he preferred to be there at night with Mokuba, especially considering all the times the boy had been kidnapped. It had let up a bit, but that didn't mean that someone wouldn't take advantage if they felt that they had a chance.
When they finally arrived, it took the imbeciles another half an hour to pull together all the necessary paperwork for the two. He couldn't help but feel that they were wasting his time on purpose. Kaiba wanted so badly to snap, but he knew that if he did, that would just make matters worse, so he endured, imagining strangling the officers whenever temptation got to be too much. It was the only way he was able to suppress it. And then, once they had gotten the paperwork together, they announced that they wanted to bring the two back to the station and handle it there.
By now, Seto was beyond annoyed, and if he had ever wanted to snap before, that was nothing compared to now. He complied rather reluctantly, wishing that for once these people might make things easy. They arrived at the station 45 minutes later, being delayed 15 minutes due to construction. Seto had been tapping his foot impatiently throughout the slowdown, praying to every god and goddess that he had cursed earlier to forgive him and throw him a bone (which in turn, made him think of Jounouchi).
Finally at the station, they were brought into one of the bigger interview rooms, where they filled out their reports accordingly. Of course, neither of them had consulted each other before filling out the reports, and the young woman he had hit thought she would be stuck taking the blame, so they had two completely different stories. This had caused an issue for the officers, and they had to wonder why, when checking out both reports, these people were saying two completely different things. It wasn't until after the reports were done that a conversation between the two involved ensued. Too bad it hadn't occurred before this little screw up.
"So, you filled out your report…" Seto started off the conversation, something rare for him.
"Yeah… Don't worry. I said I was to blame."
"You… what?" He looked at her a bit wide eyed, trying to figure out her reasoning. Didn't she know that doing something like this could get her into a lot of trouble?
"Well, it's not like the famous Seto Kaiba is going to admit to such an idiotic mistake."
"Um, actually, my report states that I was responsible, as was the case. I caused the accident, therefore I should be the one taking the blame. What are they going to say when they see…"
"Are we interrupting something," an officer asked as he came into the room.
"Yeah," Kaiba replied. "She needs to rewrite her accident report. She was a bit shaken when it first happened, so the events were still a little fuzzy until just a little while ago." The young woman just nodded weakly, acting as if what he said was the truth. It took them some time to get the paperwork together all over again (not to his surprise), and then she quickly filled it out, this time recalling the events exactly the way they had happened, instead of the story that she had created upon arrival that would state Seto Kaiba's innocence.
He was still confused as to why she was about to take the blame for the accident, but he chose not to ask, deciding that he really didn't want to know. Women had always confused him, so he wasn't about to try to understand her thoughts. Instead, he would just make sure that their stories matched this time. Then, hopefully he could be on his merry way. It was a few more minutes of course, while they were checking over the stories and making sure that the events had been recalled correctly this time. Once they verified that everything matched, they walked back into the room, looking at the both of them with satisfied smiles.
"All right, the paperwork is all set. Of course, Mr. Kaiba, you will be scheduled to appear in court so that a judge can decide what is an appropriate punishment for your recklessness. Ms. Watanabe, your presence will be required as well." Seto nodded as he listened, his eyelids heavy because he was so tired from tonight's events, as well as work and school. The girl he had hit had not wanted to sue him, which was a relief, but he had no idea what he was going to be stuck with as a punishment. He had a feeling it would be an award of a small amount of money, which would be no issue for him. All he wanted was to get this over with.
"Your court date will be July 23rd. That is 2 weeks from today. We will see the both of you then."
They both nodded and left the station, both letting out a sigh of relief when fresh air filled their lungs. She gave him a small side smile when she heard the familiar sound, but he returned it with his usual cold glare. She held out her hand for a handshake, and he hesitantly took it, then made his way to the limousine that had been called to come and get him. He hadn't originally wanted to have to call his driver, but he had no choice. The other car had already been brought back to the mansion.
He was glad when he finally arrived, feeling relief flood through him. He still had a little bit of time to sleep before he had to get up for work. It took him some time to get to sleep, and by the time he was able to fall into slumber, he only had an hour. Seto had woken up exhausted, and he had decided that he seriously needed something to wake him up. He had never been a coffee fan, as much as people mistook him for one. Now and then he would drink tea, but he found that he preferred cappuccinos.
-End Flashback-
Now here he was, sitting inside a café eating breakfast and hoping that his wake up call would work. While he ate, he worked with his laptop, hard to make up for what he had not been able to do last night. There were dark circles under his eyes and he looked like hell, but there was too much that needed to get done, so it would be some time before he would have a chance to a sigh, Seto turned his focus strictly to his work, blocking out any events that might possibly distract him from what he was doing. The faster he got this done, the faster he could go home to his brother.
Kaiba was about halfway finished with his work when the door opened and a flash of blonde caught his eye. He looked up to see Jounouchi Katsuya entering the café with the Pharaoh by his side. He was thankful when they didn't notice him. The geek patrol had been bugging him more and more lately, disturbing him from his work quite often. He was quickly tiring of it. However, when he saw the blonde on his own, he felt the need to tease him, poke fun at him, always getting a rise out of Jou. It was interesting to watch.
Although he knew he had work to get done, he couldn't help but watch them a bit curiously. As much as he really didn't care for most of the group, somehow the mutt always seemed to catch his eye, and so it was out of pure curiosity that he eavesdropped on their conversation, feeling a bit surprised (and maybe even disappointed), that he hadn't been found out. One thing he did notice was that Jou seemed slightly down at the moment, as if there was something really wrong. The rest of the geek patrol wasn't there, so they were probably having a pretty serious talk. He pretended that he didn't even notice them as he stood at the coffee machine and listened in.
Apparently he had come in at the wrong time, because he had missed exactly what they were talking about. He heard Jou mention zoning out, as well as marks and soreness. What did that mean? What was it that Seto was missing. He hated not knowing everything, even if it was simply his rival. He felt like he was completely out of the loop, a fact that bothered him greatly. However, at least he would be clued in to what was going on, if not given all the information he was looking for.
As he listened, he noticed that it sounded very much like someone was hurting the mutt in some sort of way. He didn't know exactly how, and he especially wasn't sure of the reason that it bothered him so. All he knew was that hearing the possibility of Jou being hurt by someone sparked a foreign feeling in him, one that he had never known. He didn't really understand it, and so he ignored it, assuming that it was nothing more than some kind of pity for the blonde. Kaiba couldn't see the future, and therefore, he couldn't tell that this feeling that was welling up inside of him would brew much more quickly within the next months, or that it would cause a bond between the two that neither had ever expected.
He let out a soft breath before going back to his seat, still somewhat sulking over the fact that he hadn't actually been noticed by the stupid blonde. He didn't know why he cared so much, or why he wanted Jou's attention, and so he decided to dismiss it without a second thought, and get back to his work before he fell even further behind. This was the life of a CEO. Kaiba pretty much worked even in his sleep, never letting an opportunity to get something done pass him by. The accident that had occurred the night before was a consequence of him not enjoying life while he was still young. And fate had already drawn out a plan to bring him and Jounouchi together.
He barely noticed out of the corner of his eye when the two made their leave, and when they were gone, another strange feeling ensued. He pushed it aside, forcing it to join the others as nothing more than insignificant. If one didn't know better though, they would probably say that Kaiba's emotions were plotting against him. They couldn't remember the last time that their host had actually taken notice of them, and it was starting to piss them off. It was time to make a stand, to make themselves seen. And that blonde boy seemed as good a choice as any.
Kaiba remained unaware of the plot, even though it was his own subconscious mind that had come up with it. He was sure that when he heard the little squeaky voices plotting in his head, it was simply due to the fact that he was lacking sleep. Such a long night, with many others to follow he was sure. The life of a businessman was a difficult one, especially for a teenager who really had no inclination for personal relationships. Sometimes this proved to be a good and admirable quality to his partners, but other times he found it proved to be a handicap, as it made him rather awkward and standoffish.
It was this reason that he needed a decent and personable representative that could help out with the business, making the deals and strengthening partnerships. Of course, Mokuba did not have the ability to do so, as he was young and still in school. Seto wouldn't risk his little brother's education for such a silly reason, even if it was important to the company. None of his employees quite fit the bill for the kind of person he was looking for. And otherwise, there was no one that wanted to work for such a harsh boss, no matter how good the pay. So in the end, he was stuck doing his best to socialize himself with the other businessmen whenever possible, and almost always failing miserably. KaibaCorp's stocks were dropping due to this little setback, though not as far as he had anticipated.
His secretary would have been an excellent candidate for the task, but Keirei was his secretary and she was extremely efficient with her job. He couldn't afford to lose her, even if he did get annoyed with her teasing and the fact that she could read him like a book. She had known that he was shaken up a bit by this whole affair, but she hadn't said a word, much to his relief. He hated feeling so vulnerable around anyone, but especially her. She was like a sister to him. Sometimes she was important to him and other times she annoyed the crap out of him.
Everyone he had thought of just wouldn't seem to do, and so he had put out an ad for a representative, but even then, there hadn't seemed to be anyone quite right for the job. Kaiba had given up looking, deciding that there was no reason to try to looking for something that he probably wasn't going to find. Instead, he would spend countless hours working on himself to try and make himself more likable for other persons. This, however, proved absolutely impossible. No matter what he tried, that cold and cocky air always lingered about him just enough to make others feel uncomfortable.
Even now, as he sat there happily working away, a sneer on his face read 'come near me and you die'. If he could see his reflection right now, even he would probably be slightly confused by it. His emotions were not something that he really put on show, as he had learned from Gozaburo that it made a man vulnerable. But if he had realized how much of a fool his stepfather really was back then, he wouldn't have listened to the man. If anything, such ruthlessness, which had successfully expanded the company, was now hurting it, and he didn't know how to fix this.
The stoic CEO wished that he had an easier time expressing himself, but most of the time, it seemed near impossible. At the same time, he liked not being vulnerable to others, to appear completely unaffected by their words, even if this was not actually the case. So if anything, he had mixed emotions about his attitude. After all, what would people say if the great Seto Kaiba suddenly went soft? He didn't even want to think about that, so instead, he turned his thoughts to a happier note.
In the past 2 months, KaibaCorp had successfully expanded 3 times, and now he was on a fourth takeover. Unfortunately, his work was keeping him even busier than before. Now, twice the workload of what he'd had 3 months ago was the norm, and sleep and food were no more than a luxury. If he did take a break, he worked double time to try and make up for the time lost for that break. The dark circles under his eyes told a story all their own, and occasionally they would shut, though only for a brief second. He couldn't afford to fall asleep now, when he was so very close to finishing his work. He would have time to eat, sleep, and spend with Mokuba later.
Now that the other 2 were gone, his focus could remain strictly on his work, and he could finish up what he had been trying to for weeks now. He would go to the office and situate everything there, and then he would head home for a well earned day to himself that he had been anticipating for quite some time now. A smirk crossed his face as he nodded to himself at his plan, glad that he might be able to finally get some sleep. After all, no matter how strong your endurance, 2 months on barely any sleep never went over well with the human body.
Kaiba was quick in his office, not wanting to be held up because his employees had a tendency to become somewhat incompetent when he was around. It was strange, as they always seemed fine when he had a day off, but as soon as he appeared, the bumbling idiots had forgotten why he had hired them. He was fortunate today, only having to spend 20 minutes in his office. As soon as he was done, he gave a couple of small jobs that he had been given to do to Keirei, knowing that his secretary was capable of handling such petty assignments. She had already finished her work, so it didn't bother her any. Although he would never admit it, he was extremely thankful for her help.
It was another half an hour later when Seto returned home from his work, greeted instantly with open arms by his younger brother. Seto hugged him back, a smile on his lips, then headed into the kitchen to grab something to eat. He had been hungry since about halfway through the ride home, and he was sure that his younger brother would want something as well. He was happy to be done with work for the day, as it gave him some time to spend with Mokuba, which he really needed right now. Seeing Yugi and the mutt at the café had really bothered him, though he had no clue why he even cared.
Seto didn't even notice the food overcooking, burning as he became lost in thought. Mokuba had thought that he smelled something in the kitchen and ran in just in time, as whatever it was that his older brother had been cooking was just starting to catch fire. The younger Kaiba quickly put it out, then turned to face Seto. Since when had his brother become so accident prone? It seemed like lately, his head was always in the clouds. It was beginning to make the ebony haired boy worry and wonder.
After a few moments Seto finally snapped out of his trance, and the burnt smell quickly hit his noise. He let out a groan as he realized that he had forgotten about the food, letting it cook far too long. He saw Mokuba scraping out what was left of their lunch, mostly ashes or extremely burnt crumbs. His little brother gave him a worried smile as he noticed that he was being watched. Perhaps it would be better not to let Seto near anything that could potentially be hazardous to their health for the time being.
"Seto, I'll have our cook make us something. Why don't you go into the living room and relax?"
The elder Kaiba nodded and headed out to the couch, deciding that Mokuba's suggestion was a good one. He seriously needed to rest and to clear his head. He laid down, placing his head on a small pillow at one end of the couch, and pulling a light blanket over his slender frame. Seto flipped through a few channels on the television before deciding that the idiot box was the most boring invention known to mankind, and then turned over and fell asleep. So much for a day dedicated to his brother. Even his dreams were betraying that plan, as instead, two amber eyes and a golden blonde mop appeared in his mind. Instead of the usual dreamless sleep he usually enjoyed, there was now someone his mind's eye pictured, revealing to him a hidden desire that he himself had no idea about.
Seto was slowly getting deeper into the dream, and soon realized that the lightly tanned body that was Jounouchi was laying on his bed, blankets covering him. Seto was standing by the door, pulling his shirt off as he slowly advanced on the boy, and then undoing his pants, careful not to trip over them. Jounouchi could be seen glancing down at his manhood before those beautiful amber eyes met the cold blue ones above him. However, instead of the icy steel that the blonde had so often been met with, he saw eyes with more depth than the deepest of oceans, and more emotion reflected in his irises than was humanly possible.
He topped Jou, looking down at him with a warmth that, to anyone who did not know the cold CEO well, would seem completely foreign. However, Jou had been his lover for some time, and had slowly broken through the icy barrier, working his way into Seto's heart. The brunet placed a hand underneath the other boy's shirt, letting it travel all over, exploring the torso that belonged to the youth beneath him.
He undid Jou's pants and slowly slid his hand down, enjoying the sounds that his blonde emitted. But before Seto could do much else, the boy disappeared from beneath him, suddenly falling deep down into darkness. His calls for Seto to help him became more distant each time, however, and they grew more eerie as they echoed in the depths of Seto's mind. He looked at the bed beneath him, which had suddenly formed into a Blue Eyes White Dragon, and grabbed him by his midsection and raised him up to its face. It was female, he found out, as she let out a cruel laughter that spoke of many sorrows.
Kaiba was officially scared of what was going on. She was opening her mouth and readying an attack that was more than likely to be aimed at him directly. But it was all in a flash that the next part happened. It was less than a second, and yet seemed to last forever. A Red Eyes Black Dragon appeared out of nowhere and wrapped itself around the Blue Eyes, stopping the attack. He could hear them exchanging words in the Draconian language, and soon, she retreated. The Red Eyes bent down and placed his head next to Seto's body. The brunet had no idea what to think, and so he just chose to stand there and allow the dragon to do as it pleased. However, it never advanced on him, but just laid there watching him with what seemed to be knowing eyes. Every now and then it would let out a gentle grunt, and Seto was almost sure that he heard the squeaky voices that were just the product of him being overtired. Damn, he was so confused!
Seto awoke in a cold sweat, and looked down the bed to see a bump right around his midsection that announced his arousal. He let out an annoyed groan, wishing that it had gone away, but could not be so lucky. It looked like a cold shower was up next on his list of things to do, so he made his way to the bathroom, taking off his clothes as he did so. He was reminded of how he had walked towards Jou in that dream, wanting to thoroughly ravish him as he stripped.
Seto shook his head, not wanting to think about the source of his arousal. The last thing he needed was for it to become even worse. He hopped into the shower, instantly shivering when the cold liquid hit his warm skin. He let out a sigh, looking down at the swollen organ and sincerely hoping that it would go down quickly and without him having to aid it. All he really wanted was to spend the day with Mokuba, and he would be damned if such an embarrassing occurrence would keep him from doing that.
It was another few minutes before Seto hopped out of the shower, going into his bedroom and getting dressed quickly. He went to find Mokuba, who was in his room playing video games at the moment. The elder brother couldn't help smiling as he watched Mokuba happily celebrating having just beaten his last high score. They were so much alike, the two brothers, although no one outside their personal lives would have ever guessed. Hell, they probably never would have even realized that the elder Kaiba was remotely close to human. But the servants knew what their elder master was like behind closed doors, especially when it involved Mokuba. He was passionate, something that had been publicly on display so many times before, but the elder brother was also kind and loving, nothing like the demanding and cold bastard he appeared as to others.
He waited for Mokuba to finish up with his game before announcing his presence, giving a happy smile to the boy that he had pretty much raised himself. He loved his little brother more than money or power. But there was something now in the back of his mind that was developing slowly, a different kind of love. By now, Seto had completely forgotten about the dream he'd had of Jounouchi not so long ago. He was focused instead on what he was going to do with Mokuba today. It had been so long since they had had a day together, and he wanted to make this was something truly special. Those squeaky voices in his head couldn't be happier about their host being distracted. It meant that they would have that much more privacy with which to do their plotting.