Updated 6/5/05

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Yume Genjitsu

Chapter Two: E

Joey

Opening his eyes slowly, Joey was greeted by the sight of the blue sky above him and white fluffy clouds floating past. He blinked in confusion. How did he get here? Wasn't he just stuck inside the school cafeteria's freezer? He pushed himself into a sitting position and looked around. To his right was the school and to his left the entrance into Domino High School's Courtyard. Oh, the courtyard. Of course, why wouldn't he be here? …Wait a minute…

'The school courtyard?' he asked himself. 'How did I get here?' He attempted to get up, but pain shot up from his ankle, and he fell back to the grassy earth with a hiss of pain. Right, his ankle was broken. But, at least it didn't hurt as much as when it had in the freezer. Looking at it, he saw the a makeshift splint had been put on it, to keep it from breaking more(1).

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Came a cool voice from behind him, which sounded laced with concern to Joey's ears. He instantly knew who it was before even looking. He had heard that voice so many times he had memorized it. Even though then it had always been insulting him. Slowly, Joey turned to face Seto. "Your ankle's broken, remember?" Joey only nodded in reply, fighting the heat in his cheeks(2).

After a few minutes of an awkward silence –or so he felt it was- Joey finally asked, "How did I get out here? Weren't we stuck in a freezer?"

"The janitor let us out after he heard me banging on the door." Seto replied. "I used the office phone and called my limo driver. He'll be here in a few minutes to take us to Domino Hospital to fix up your ankle." Joey nodded again. Another few minutes of silence passed, in which Seto sat beside Joey on the soft, green grass and he wondered why his enemy was being so nice to him. Of course, he had no desire to shatter the comfortable air which had settled around them, so he kept quiet.

An exceedingly cold breeze swept over them and he noticed the CEO of Kaiba Corp. shiver slightly. Then he noticed one little fact he had missed before: he was still wearing Seto's blue trench coat. He blushed and quickly took it off, handing it to the older teen beside him, and muttering, "Thanks."

For a moment their hands touched as Joey returned to coat and he turned his head to hide his completely flushed face. That simple contact had caused his heartbeat to skyrocket wildly. 'If only I could feel every curve of his body as he- WHOAH! BAD THOUGHTS! BAD, JOEY! BAD!' he mentally berated himself for the direction his mind was going. 'Joey, you are such a pervert.' Something warm brushed against his arm –knocking him out of his mental beatings- and he found that Seto's trench coat was back on his back. "Why did you-" Joey began.

Seto cut him off, saying, "Keep it, I have a lot more." Joey only nodded… again.

They both got up when Seto's limo pulled to a stop in front of them a few seconds later. The young CEO pulled Joey's arm over his neck, helped him to the limo, and opened the door for him, but before he could get in Joey was pushed up against the side of the limousine. Seto looked down at him, eyes half-lidded, and lips parted slightly.(3)

"W-what are you doing?" Joey stuttered while fighting to control his rising blush at their closeness. He'd been doing a lot of blushing lately. 'Wonder why.' Though he new the reason. He just didn't want to accept it.

"I've wanted to do this for a long time." Seto whispered seductively into his ear. Then, Seto's soft lips were upon his. Joey melted against the kiss and Seto bit his lower lip, asking for entrance. Joey granted it to him and Seto explored it happily. It sent waves of pleasure up and down his spine and found himself pressing closer to Seto's body. He silently wondered, 'Ra, is this a dream?' Then the lips were gone, and he was pushed.

'I'm falling,' Joey looked around him and knew instantly that was the case. All around him was darkness and above him was a receding rectangle of light. Standing in it was his father, Joseph Wheeler, looking down at him menacingly. Joseph Wheeler was far from handsome. That's something everyone notices at first when they look at him. All that drinking and smoking and Ra knows what else does that to you. He had scraggly, gray-streaked brown hair, thick, hairy arms and legs, and a large beer belly. Plus his face looked almost like that of an old, eighty year old man, and he was only forty-four.(4)

His father, as well as the doorway, disappeared, and he suddenly felt himself hit the floor of his apartment, though he felt no pain. Over him loomed his father, once again, and Joey flinched as his father grabbed him by the front of his school shirt and lifted him up.

"Dad, don't. I won't do it again, I swear." Joey apologized weakly, not even sure what he was sorry for. His father punched him in the gut and the air was literally knocked from him. Then he was pushed out the front door of his rundown apartment. As he was about to hit the cracked and dirty sidewalk it faded away, leaving nothing in it's place.

And he fell. And fell. And fell. And screamed.

&-&

Seto

Crimson. That was the current color of his face. Red as a baboon's butt as some say. A compromising situation it was indeed. Joey's arms where wrapped around him and he was asleep. What would Seto do? Why, blush more of course! And that's what he did. He had been stuck like that for two hours already, and time flies when you're having perverted thoughts and mental images.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, though, he finally tried to pry Joey's arms from his waist, but to no avail. The mutt was not budging. He tugged and tugged and tugged on Joey's arms but there was no such luck. After a few more tries he threw his arms up in defeat and went back to inspecting the blonde's wounds and such.

He traced the long scar that went from Joey's shoulder to disappear under the wrappings. It looked kind of recent, and pretty wide; about one and a half inches wide. It also looked as if the weapon –no doubt a knife- was dragged across it several times to make it deeper and wider. He also noted it zigzagged slightly, as if he had struggled when it happened. Seto inwardly winced at that and how painful it must have been when it happened. He wouldn't –no matter how cruel some thought him to be- wish that on anyone. But in his mind a small voice, his conscience, whispered, '-Except for the pup's tormentor/s.-' And his own mind agreed to it without him even realizing it. So, after ogling it for a few more seconds he moved on to look at other gashes and bruises.

When Joey began to stir, though, he replaced the bandages and pulled Joey's shirt back down, also switching off his mini flashlight and putting it back in his pocket. Then Joey's arms released the CEO and hugged himself. Seto heard, with surprise, that Joey was whimpering something, barely audible. He leaned in closer, trying to catch what he was saying, but it was all a jumble. Then Joey screamed as if he were in pain, his eyes snapping open, and he shot up and forward, trying to run. Seto heard a yelp of pain then witnessed in the darkness as Joey fell due to his broken ankle, slid across the icy floor, and hit the opposite wall with a crash and a groan.

Immediately Seto was up and over by his side, ignoring how he had missed the warmth of Joey's body leaning against his. Then he hoisted Joey up by grabbing him under the arms and holding him steady. Barely, he heard Joey mutter, "Damn ice." Finally, Seto helped Joey to sit back down, leaning on the wall, and he sat beside him.

Without even realizing it, the older Kaiba brother thanked whatever god was up there that the pup was okay. Deep within, in that seemingly iced over heart of his, he knew he would have blamed himself if Joey had gotten hurt. With all those gashes and such Seto was surprised and impressed the pup could even stand without keeling over in pain. But Joey was tough, and he knew that his puppy was probably just holding up a front to protect his friends. His friends and family always came first to Joey Wheeler, or so it had always been to Seto's and everyone else's eyes.

Then Seto realized what he had thought. 'MY PUPPY? Where the hell did that come from? It must be stress. And since when have I cared about the mutt?' He was about to bang his head on the wall repeatedly but stopped himself before the actual process of damaging his head could begin. He sighed and held his head, hoping for some miracle to answer all his questions.

"Thank you." Joey said it so suddenly and quickly he was caught off guard. Letting his head go he turned toward the blonde duelist beside him, raising an elegant eyebrow that went unseen in the darkness.

"Huh?" was all he managed to say as he wondered if he heard the blonde correctly. Joey never thanked to him. Never. That always seemed to be rule Numero Uno around them. They never said polite things to each other. Yet here was his enemy, breaking the unwritten rule by thanking him. For what, though, he was unsure.

Then, as if reading his thoughts. "For helping me, twice, and letting me borrow you coat. Thank you."

And hesitantly, the Kaiba nodded. "No problem." And before he could stop himself he blurted out, "Where did all those bruises and cuts come from?"

&-&

Joey

The golden-haired teen tensed at that question. How would he explain this one? 'And how did Kaiba find out?' he asked, feeling anger well up inside him for no reason. 'He's definitely not supposed to know!' But what he said was, "It's nothing, Kaiba." Though it sounded snappier than he had intended.

"Those bruises aren't 'nothing'" Seto snapped back. Joey said nothing; too busy trying to think up an elaborate excuse. He really hated to lie, especially to Seto, though he denied it with every fiber of his being, but when forced to, Joey could be one of the best liars out there. But right then and there he was drawing a blank.

"I-I, uh, t-they're from, and I, uh," All he could do was stutter incomprehensible sentences… Or something like that. So, he opted for half-truth that was only half of the story. "I got into a fight." Sure, he left out the whole 'father' ordeal, but he really did get into a fight.

Recently, the past two weeks, in fact, a gang had taken a liking to the former street punk. Just about everyday they jumped him in some deserted place. That's why Joey sometimes went as far as to tail people randomly so as not to get jumped by the gang. Of course, they could catch him near his apartment, so it didn't matter. He just liked to prolong it and occasionally he would make it. Yesterday had been one such lucky day.

"Uh-huh." Joey could hear the sarcasm dripping from Seto's comment. "Do you get in fights on a daily bases? Some of those look a little old, all leading up to ones more recent, as if they happen every day."

Joey mentally cursed. 'Damn Seto Kaiba and him being so perceptive!' "It's not important, money-bags! They're nothing! And why would you care?" Joey yelled, unsure of why he was angry. Then, a growl reached his ears and he stared over at the brunet. "What the hell was that?" There was another growl and he realized what it was. Instantly his anger dissipated and he giggled. GIGGLED! Though he'd never admit it, even if someone had proof, he giggled! He was pretty sure Seto must be gaping at him.

And it was all because the great Seto Kaiba couldn't control his stomach as it practically growled, "Feed me or you will all be ensured a horrible, painful death involving the spleen and a spatula!"(5) "Stop laughing, mutt!" Seto demanded vehemently.

Of course, his kind –note the sarcasm- request was ignored as Joey continued giggling madly. Finally, he took a few deep gulps of the cold freezer air and calmed down. "Alright, Kaiba, I stopped." Though he still had a large grin on his face. "Here, you can have this if you're so hungry." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the last Twix and the fortune he received earlier today. Or was it yesterday? Time is hard to tell if you have no watch and you're stuck in your school cafeteria's freezer.

He looked at the fortune and scowled. 'Stupid fortune! I bet you caused this!' He stuffed it back into his pocket and held out the Twix to the silhouette of Seto. He felt the candy bar leave his hand and heard Kaiba ask, "What is this?" Joey sighed.

"Haven't you ever eaten a Twix bar before?" Joey asked. He knew Seto usually didn't eat junk food, but he had to have had a Twix before. And how, exactly, did he know that? Well, that's a story for another time. Anyways, back to the matter at hand.

"…" There was silence from Seto before Joey heard him reply: "Mokuba stuffed one in my mouth once, at Halloween." Joey sighed sadly. "What?"

"You poor, depraved child, you." Even though Seto was older than Joey. He shook his head in mock despair. What person didn't like Twix's? It was unheard of! "Eat that and you will see the light!" At that he took on the tone of a priest. "Eat that and you will know the meaning of life!" From beside him he heard Seto snort. "Okay, so you won't, but you don't have to spoil it for me." He muttered, pouting.

The wrapper of the Twix crackled as Seto unwrapped it. Joey could hear the audible crunch as he took a bite of it and his mind began to wander. And it wandered straight over to the cold-hearted CEO sitting next to him. Soon he was thinking of what it would be like if he could see Seto eat the last Twix. In his minds eye he could see it clearly. But, before his fantasies could progress even further Seto interrupted them. "This isn't bad, mutt. It was pretty good." Joey gasped and pretended to faint from shock. He could see Seto looking at him in the gloomy darkness. "What is it now?"

"The great Seto Kaiba likes junk food! I'm so shocked!" Joey acted as if he were in awe of the simple fact, though anyone could see that he didn't mean it.

"The great Seto Kaiba? What's that mean?" Seto asked coolly. Joey's face heated up as he thought about what he had just said and what Kaiba must've meant.

"It didn't mean anything, Seto!" Joey snarled. Silence filled the freezer when the next insult he had prepared to hurl died on his tongue instantly as he realized what he had said. He had said Seto not Kaiba, Seto! And Seto had noticed because the next thing that broke the silence was:

"Did you just say my name?"

&-&-&

&-&-&My dreams and thoughts are of you&-&-&

&-&-&

(1) I don't know much about broken ankles, I've never broken mine.

(2) Not those cheeks! The face! Perverts…

(3) You may say that description is over-used, but I say it's tried and true!

(4) I hate it when people say they look alike, for some reason. Sure, I've never seen him, but I don't think they look alike! Has anyone ever seen him? Will someone show me what he really looks like? How 'bout alink to a place that shows it?

(5) My cat looks at me like that when I forget to feed him, only it's more like: "Feed me or you will soon find yourself dieing a slow and very painful death!" And it's really scary!

A/N: Okay, minna-san, that's a rap… for now, anyways. We still have a whole lot of chapters (9 more) before we're done! I'm sorry to some of you,I promised this to be out sooner but I couldn't get it out when I intended. It's been a whole month! To Apathetic-Vampire-Wolf, I will dedicate a special Tea bashing chapter to you at the end of all this! You just have to be patient, okay? I may be a bit lazy when it comes to updating. AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU, TOO! You unknowingly helped me get over my writer's block with your SetoJou stories! SO EVERYONE THANK HER BECAUSE SHE IS THE ONLY REASON YOU'RE READING THIS NOW! Okay, I took up too much space with my A/N so thanks to all who reviewed and those who added me to their Favorite and Alert Lists and all my readers! Please leave a Review! I accept flames! They actually encourage me! Well, bye!

Insomniac Jaki