The entire car ride was absolutely silent. However, when they did arrive at their home Mokuba seemed quite eager to bring Joey inside.
"Here we are!" Mokuba said as he stepped through the door of the large mansion. Joey blinked in question.
"..Where are we?" he asked silently. He felt so stupid in the back of his head.
"This is our house," Mokuba said looking back at the blonde. Joey showed no real emotion at the reply.
/...I can't even really be shocked..I don't know what their house looks like./ Although Joey was sure it was something fancy and flashy. After all Kaiba lived here.
"Here lets go find you a room to stay in." Mokuba said leading the boy to the stairs.
"Mokuba," Seto said causing the boy to stop at the front steps. He looked back at his older brother. "Why don't you find a room on this floor; unless you want to deal with getting him up and down the stairs everyday."
Mokuba's eyes went round, just a few steps were hard. But a whole staircase!
"..Right..good idea." he chuckled nervously.
...
"Alright this should work," Mokuba said opening a door. He looked back at Joey again who had been silent. "Uh..do you want something to eat or anything?" he asked.
"..No..thats alright, I just wanna go ta sleep." he replied. Mokuba led him over to the bed helping him get on it.
"Well...okay then. Just call if you need something." he said awkwardly backing out of the room.
Joey could still hear the child's footsteps; as they grew softer and softer. He finally heard the soft click of the door shutting. He let out a deep sigh.
/Why did this have to happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?/ he wondered hopelessly. Normally Joey was always good at pulling through, and looking at the positives. Having a good attitude. But right now he couldn't bring himself to have one.
He just felt...helpless. He wasn't used to feeling that way either...and he didn't like it. He couldn't find any bright side to the situation.
He let his hand grope around on the bed. Trying to figure out where everything was, but it wasn't like he'd ever seen this room before anyways. He sighed and laid himself down.
He closed his eyes, though he didn't see much difference. It looked the same as when his eyes were open after all. Joey kept them closed though. He could feel a tear fall from his eye, and he couldn't find it in him to stop as another followed.
His bottom lip quivered as his eyes tightened slightly, as one by one the tears fell from his eyes. The small droplets continued to fall relentless of how much Joey wanted them to stop. And soon he could feel them streaming off his cheeks.
A small feeble sob escaped his lips. He attempted to stifle them but found it was all but impossible. A string of silent sobs and whimpers emitted him.
He was trapped, he was trapped in a dark world. And there was nothing he could do.
He was alone and helpless. And all he could do was cry.
Thats all, and thats all Joey did that night. He cried until the night came and he cried all through it. He gasped slightly his breath shaking and his body trembling. His throat felt scratchy and sore he hiccuped a little. He sniffled as he felt his tears drying up on his face.
And sleep consume him at last.
...
Joey opened his eyes and blinked his vision blurred, he blinked a few times until it cleared.
"Huh?" he asked as he lifted his head up. He widened his eyes when he saw his friends standing before him. "Guys?" he asked. As if all of this was too good to be true. Joey felt overfilled with joy at seeing all of their faces again.
"Big brother," Joey looked over seeing Serenity standing there.
"Serenity," he said. Her face, her warm eyes and her kind smile. He could feel his heart fluttering at seeing it all again. "I can see you," he said. Serenity's eyes twinkled as she smiled at him.
"Yes, you can Joey." he said softly.
"You can see all of us again," Yugi said smiling at the blonde.
"But..you..I can't, I'm-" Joey stuttered.
"Not right now," Tea said. "We're all here for you, remember?" she said. Joey looked at all of them seeing the symbol that Tea had once drawn on their hands.
"..I," Joey said reaching out to them.
"Come on Joey, come with us." Tristan said. Joey's brows furrowed as they began growing farther away. He widened his eyes as they filled with despair.
"No wait!" he cried out.
...
"Joey?" Joey opened his eyes and widened them.
Black.
He frowned suddenly. /It was only a dream./ he thought sadly.
"Come on, Yugi and Tea came over to see you." Mokuba said happily. Joey sat up at that.
"..They did?" he asked. Mokuba nodded humming a sound of agreement.
"Yeah." he said helping the boy off the bed. Joey allowed the small raven haired child to help him out of the room.
"Joey!" Joey heard Tea and Yugi say in unison. Joey just wished he knew where they were so he could at least try and face them.
He jumped feeling something wrap around him.
"Oh its good to see you," Tea said. Joey looked forward still.
"You saw me yesterday," he replied feeling the girl release him.
"Yeah but..still." she said. Yugi smiled walking up to the blonde as well.
"Yeah and we got something for you." he said smiling. Joey blinked.
"You did?"
"Yep, so hold out your hands." Joey held out his hands wondering just what they were going to give him. He suddenly felt something placed in his hands. He blinked furrowing his brows in confusion.
He ran his thumb over it. "What is it?" he asked.
"Its your deck," Yugi said. Joey's eyes immediately widened when he heard this.
"My..deck?" he asked.
"Yeah, and your Red eyes too." he said smiling. Joey stared forward for a long time before hesitantly lowering his head. Casting his eyes to where his hands were. He stared at absolutely nothing though.
"Huh?" Yugi and Tea asked seeing the look on the blonde's face. Seto who had just walked into the room raised a brow wondering what they were looking at. Mokuba blinked looking at the blonde in concern.
"Joey?" he asked silently.
/..I...can't...see them./ he thought brokenly. As soon as the thought wandered into his head he could feel his brows knitting together. His eyes stared down at his deck...well what they told him was his deck. They were filled with broken sorrow and despair though.
He could feel his bottom lip quivering involuntarily; tears began to build up in his eyes rapidly. Large droplets fell from his eyes uncontrollably.
"Joey?" Yugi asked worriedly. "W-What is it?" he asked. Joey's expression grew more painful though. His shoulders trembled suddenly his body shaking lightly; his breath coming out shakily.
"I can't even see them anymore!" he cried out shutting his eyes in shame. Dropping the cards on the ground causing them to sprawl out all over the floor. Joey pressed his hands against his eyes unable to stop himself from sobbing into them.
That caused everyone in the room to widen their eyes...especially Kaiba. Yugi widened his eyes at this he'd never seen Joey so upset.
"I-I'm sorry Joey I didn't mean to," Yugi apologized. Kaiba looked over seeing Tea and Yugi trying to comfort the sobbing boy. He looked down at the cards that were spread out on the floor now.
He looked at them pondering something almost. One card caught his eye in particular though, one that had landed by his feet. He leaned down picking it up off the ground. He looked at the card for a few moments.
"I wonder," he muttered under his breath.
"What Seto?" Mokuba asked hearing his brother muttering something. Seto was broken from his thought by the boys voice.
"Nothing Mokuba," he replied putting the card in his pocket and turning around.
"Huh where are you going Seto?" he asked.
"I'm going to work on something," he replied as he walked away. Mokuba raised a brow.
"Wonder what it is," he mumbled curiously. Meanwhile Joey found himself crying hysterically. Finding absolutely no comfort from his friends words. His whole world was crashing down on him all at once.
Duel Monsters had been the one thing that had been able to get him through the day sometimes. Even when his Dad was at his worst and beat him, Joey could always find enjoyment in dueling. Duel Monsters was his life, it was his favorite thing in the world. It had helped him pay for Serenity's operation, it cheered him up on his worst days.
He loved those cards...and he couldn't even see them anymore. He would never be able to see them again. And that killed him.
He could never play Duel Monsters ever again, he would never be able to look at his cards again. He would never see his Red Eyes again.
He would never be able to duel anyone, he would never be able to enter another tournament. It killed him to know that. Knowing that he couldn't even see his most treasured cards. That he couldn't even see what they were. Knowing that he couldn't even see his favorite monster again.
And Joey couldn't stop crying. And he didn't even try to stop because it hurt so much, because he knew it was pointless anyways. This hurt more then anything in the world to him.
...
That day may have been Joey's complete worst. Yugi and Tea stayed for as long as they could, but eventually had to go home when night came. Joey just sat there on the couch where his friends had lead him to. Mokuba had tried to get him back to his room but Joey couldn't find it in him to move.
And Joey didn't sleep, his cries dulled down but the sorrow was still there.
Joey just sat there in silence for what seemed like years.
"J-Joey were you down here all night?" Mokuba asked incredulously.
"I guess so," he said silently. He didn't know what time of day it was anymore, to him it was always night.
"Let me at least help you to your room, so you can get some sleep." Mokuba said helping him off the couch. Joey didn't feel like answering as he was led. Seto meanwhile was walking to the front door to go to his office.
"Hey mutt," he said making Mokuba stop. Joey blinked hearing Seto's voice.
"Huh?" he asked. Seto walked over to him; standing in front of the blonde duelist. Joey felt a hand grab his wrist lifting his hand up and felt something placed in it.
"Here."
Joey blinked in question though. He carefully felt the object that was placed in his hand. "What is it?" he questioned. It was flat and felt...almost familiar.
"It's a card." he replied crossing his arms. Joey blinked in question again. Why would Kaiba give him a card that he couldn't see? Joey carefully brushed his thumb across the surface of the card and then felt something strange.
"..There are bumps on it," he noted. Bumps? /Why would he give me a card with..bumps?/
"Its brail," the brunette replied. Joey made a confused face.
"..I can't read brail." he replied continuing to brush his thumb over the strange bumps on the card. He wondered what card it was though.
"I didn't think you could," he retorted. "I'll give you a hint though, the first letters are R-E-D." he stated. Joey raised a brow looking more confused, r-e-d? Seto looked at the blonde and rolled his eyes. He didn't think the blonde was this stupid. "E-Y-E-S." he continued.
Joey tried to search through his brain, it was like he knew exactly what it was but for some reason his mind was blank. Seto waited for the blonde to piece it together but it was obvious nothing was coming to him.
"B-L-A-C-K D-R-A-G-O-N." he finished. Joey's eyes widened when his brain finally woke back up. The letters all coming at him like a sack of bricks.
"..My..Red eyes?" he asked shocked. Seto looked at him keeping his regular face on.
"Thats what I just spelled isn't it?" he said in a 'your stupid' way. Joey tilted his head down staring at what he held in his hand. Even though he couldn't see anything. He knew what the card was. "I have to go now." the blue eyed boy said turning around preparing to walk out.
Joey kept looking at where the card was. Even though all he could see was darkness; now that he knew what it was...he could picture it in his head again. He could feel his eyes softening slightly feeling a spark of happiness. Because it felt like he could still see the card.
He noticed the sound of the CEO's footsteps; he turned a little.
"Wait!" he said quickly. Taking a leap of faith and stepped forward reaching his hand out. Seto placed his hand on the doorknob ready to walk out. His eyes widened when he felt something grab the back of his jacket
"Huh?" he asked glancing over his shoulder. Almost surprised to see the blonde standing there with the card still in his hand.
"..Thank you.." Joey said silently..but gratefully. Don't get him wrong..he didn't like Kaiba really; he was sure that they were still enemies. However, he was grateful for what he had done for him. Seto looked at him and then looked back at the door.
"Yeah," he said walking out. Joey stood there silently holding the card in his hand, not wanting to let it go.
/I don't understand...Kaiba hates me..so why did he do this for me?/ he wondered. /Why would he do something so...nice../
Joey pondered but couldn't find any answer. His fingers gripped his favorite card.
/For me?/
TBC
YAY! god knows when i'll be able to post this fic because of all the stuff i gotta do with my family, im probably going to wait till after midnight like i did last year i think i've made this a tradition of my own that i apprently always make you guys a christmas present fic. Meaning i update on christmas. YAY! MERRY CHRISTMAS! again like last year
it's a pretty darn good present!...I mades it MYSELF!...SO ENJOY!