Still from Joey's point of view. Starts off with a flashback.
I remember the first time I realised I was in love with Kaiba. It was a school day and for the first time ever, Kaiba had come in late. Luckily the teacher was also a bit late so he was safe.
I can remember Kaiba was in the seat behind me and I can remember that he wasn't feeling to good but still refused to take a day off which is why he was a little late.
I turned around to look at Kaiba, coolly leaning back a bit and putting my hand on the chair.
"Mornin' Kaiba!"
"Good morning Wheeler." He muttered in his gruff voice.
"...Is that it? No Dog insults?"
"I'm not a complete asshole Wheeler. I do have emotions and this morning I'm not in the mood."
"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa!" I say, shaking my hands. "You have emotions?"
"Forget it. A guy like you would never understand."
"Understand what?"
"Love."
"Love?"
"Love."
We didn't speak for a while after that but at the end of the day I could remember he was feeling a lot better. I however had to stay behind to yet again finish some work that I hadn't completed.
Everyone cleared out. Yugi offered to stay behind and help but I told him not to worry and that he shouldn't be wasting time helping me. Y'know just in case the world needed saving again from a camp artist or a gay Egyptian tart. Maybe even a green haired nerd or a giant crazy snake or maybe even a pink haired German or in the worst case scenario: an onion eating fan girl's dream guy in a skirt.
But back to the point, everyone had cleared out. Well, almost everyone. Kaiba still hadn't left but he was about to. He headed for the door at a carefree rich guy pace but then stopped just before he reached the door.
"Hey Joey."
My ears almost pricked up like a dog's when he called me by my first name. Then Kaiba turned around and I swear it was like he was being controlled by a phallic-like rod or a shiny necklace because his face softened into a smile.
That smile made me crumble inside. His eyes were like flowers that had just opened up to me, like I could read his emotions and I did want to read his emotions, because one look at those eyes, one look at that heavenly smile made me prove Kaiba wrong as I realised what love truly was.
"Thanks." He said, smile widening slightly.
I nodded reluctantly to avoid looking like a zombie and I tore my eyes away from his beautiful face and believe me that was no easy task.
I suddenly became very interested in my work and I remember hearing a small smirk as he left the room. Then he called out to me:
"Oh and by the way, just in case you need a little help: one plus one is two."
But Kaiba's insults couldn't bring me down: I was in love.
We finally get out of the club just before the police get in there. We run for a bit until we reach a road. I just want to run across and leave behind this mess but then I realise that Kaiba is still there.
I turn around to look at him- he just stares at me blankly. I feel so mad at him. He seems so blank even after what just happened.
"How can you be so heartless? You were dancing with me last night like we were a couple and then dancing with Mai so passionately tonight! Why are you messing with me like this?" I yell.
He sighs and then looks at me with that emotionless stare.
"Wheeler. How were we dancing like a couple? We were dancing. That's all. Nothing else. I've told you before and I'll tell you again: I-I'm not gay. I never will be..."
I feel like I can't go on for any longer. I've just humiliated myself. He knows I like him now.
I turn around with my head low. I glance back quickly at Kaiba but only for a quick second. Then I put my hands in my pockets and cross the road.
"JOEY LOOK OUT!"
Kaiba's voice. What does-
Then I feel a sharp pain and everything turns to black.
When I wake up, I'm in a bright place and everything looks... Fluffy? Then I see...
"Attention Duelists! My hair is here to help you!"
"Oh no not this guy." I think.
"Where am I?" I say aloud.
"Attention Duelists! My hair says that you were run over by a car!"
My heart skips a beat, that is if I even still have a heart. Or if I do maybe it's just not functioning properly.
"...Do you know who ran me over?"
"Attention Duelists! My hair was the one that ran you over! ... Just kidding it was Bandit Keith. He was drinking while driving."
"What happened to him?"
"Attention-"
"Can you stop that?"
" 'Kay. He was sentenced to a prison in America."
"...So what happens to me now?"
"Atte- Sorry force of habit. Since you have lived a short and selfless life with unfinished business, the Gods have decided to give you a second chance."
"Unfinished business? What do you-"
"Now duellist. You need to make the choice. Do you want to go back? Or do you want to carry on?"
"I..."
What should I do? And what does he mean by 'unfinished' business? Does he mean Kaiba?
No... It can't be Kaiba. Kaiba is Kaiba and nothing but Kaiba. Kaiba... The guy I've liked for so long, admiring his features, sighing to myself about.
Kaiba... There aren't enough words in the world to describe him. I used to say he was nice one day and then a total jerk another. You'd think I'd be talking about two different people, when really it was just one. But not just any old one, the one that I like.
But what am I saying? I don't love Kaiba.
You do.
What? Shut up! I hate that jerk.
You're just saying that to blow off steam. Oh yeah and speaking of blowing off- you're in love with Kaiba.
I am NOT in love with Kaiba!
Sure...
I'm not okay?
You say that now but secretly you want to say yes to that hair guy. To see his neat styled hair, his blue eyes. That's what you want.
...Are you talking about the hair guy?
No you idiot! Kaiba!
...Shut up me.
Something Kaiba would do...
But deep down I know my conscience is right. I know that I want to say yes but I don't think I could put myself through it again. Kaiba will be straight 'till the end of time but... There's something that's telling me that there can only be one person to do that.
And that person is me.
Suddenly orbs of white light start to surround me and I look around frantically.
"What's goin' on?" I ask.
"Attention du-"
Then I punch the hair guy in a burst of rage. Rage that is specifically located in the western most county on long island New York. I forget what it's called.
"Forget I asked!"
Then the whole place becomes even whiter. Heaven disappears before my eyes and I hope that, even though it's a better place, I don't come back soon.
Then my vision becomes black and I begin to hear voices.
"Can't you do something?" A voice that I recognise to be Yugi's says.
"Sorry Yugi. Unless you want a bunch of shiny beads pierced into Joey's skin then I can't help." Says the second voice, belonging to Ryou.
"And what about you? Can't that stupid rod of yours do something useful?"
"Hey!" Yells Malik's voice. "I'll have you know that it was I that stopped those Steves at Club Domino and unless you want Joey to walk around aimlessly like Tristan in a gay bar then I'm sorry but I can't help you."
"See the rod's powers are useless." Yugi sighs.
"That's not true! It can do other stuff!" Malik protests.
"Like what?" Ryou asks curiously.
"Well I could use it to stick it where the sun doesn't-"
Then I quickly sit up.
"NO! NO! NO! That won't be necessary."
Yugi and Ryou gasp and Malik slowly lowers his Millennium Rod.
"Joey you're alive!" Yugi says as he glomps me.
Ryou looks a little shy in his Battle City clothes but he hugs me still in a tight glomp. Malik just looks off into another direction but deep down I know he's a glompy person so I gesture him to come glomp me.
He does as suggested and I smile, knowing I made the right choice in coming back.
"Hey guys..." I whisper. "I just realised. It's all the Hikaris together. Where are your Yamis?"
The Hikaris pull away together, each presenting a different excuse.
"Atem did come but he had to go get in line for some new Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards. He did get you a scarab though, just in case you didn't survive." Yugi explains.
"Appreciated. A gift for the dead, real friendly. What about your psycho boyfriend?" I ask, obviously referring to Marik.
"Well... He didn't do anything. He just doesn't really like you. But I managed to use him to scare off your fangirls outside the hospital." Malik says sheepishly.
"Thanks. That's real nice of him. What about you Ryou? What's you Yami's excuse?"
"He did come. He felt bad, and that's a first believe me, for being the bearer of bad news about Kaiba and everything so he stole you some flowers." Ryou explained.
I look to the bedside table to see a large bunch of colourful flowers.
"Oh well that's just great! You know how much bad karma I can get from stolen goods? I'll come back in the next life as Tristan junior or Téa's lesbian life partner or something!" I complain.
"Since when do you care about your next life?" Yugi asks.
" 'Cuz I almost entered my next life."
"What?"
"Nothing..."