With the passing of each hour, the pain in Joey's jaw spread to the rest of his mouth, then his throat, and now his chest was in pain, and it only increased as it spread. Joey was happy to have one of his friends stay with him through the pain. Tristan was always good company for Joey. They had been friends for a long time.
Tristan was becoming worried, as his friend grew weaker. Joey wasn't acting like himself. Instead of putting on a 'tough guy act', he was moving slowly, talking softly, and even openly admitted to being in pain and being afraid. One more hour passed and the pain was in his stomach. Many times, Joey ran to the bathroom to throw up until his body ached from movement. Joey felt as though he were dying, which he was. Exhausted from the pain, Joey fell asleep.
Tristan stayed by his side the whole time. He looked at his watch. It was 8:00, which meant Joey had been infected for six hours. Tristan wanted to do something to help him deal with the pain that didn't involve any kissing. Tristan got up for the first time in hours after Joey became bedridden to make a few phone calls. First, he called the gang to tell them how Joey was doing. Then, he called Kaiba's place and asked Ishizu how far along they were coming to a cure. Trying not to sound discouraged by the answer over the phone, Tristan hung up and called Serenity. He didn't want to frighten her so he just said that Joey was sick and would appreciate company. The last person he called was Mai. Tristan told her that Joey was in a lot of pain and that he would explain the rest later. When Tristan came back to Joey's room, Joey was awake, propped up against the headboard.
"Hey bro! How are ya holdin' up?"
"I've definitely had better days." Joey smiled despite the pain in his mouth. "Who were ya talkin' to?"
"Everybody. Yuugi, Tea, Bakura, Duke, Serenity, Mai, Ishizu…" Tristan named everyone he called.
"Was Serenity alright?"
"I haven't told her everything yet. I don't want her to panic for no reason."
"And Mai?"
"I'll explain it to her when she gets here."
"Gets here?"
"Yeah she's gonna pick up Serenity and drop by for a visit."
"Oh come on Tristan, I can't let her see me like this."
"Does that mean that this would be a bad time to mention that the gang's coming here too?"
"What?" Joey started combing his hair with his fingers wiping any vomit traces from his mouth and tears from his eyes.
"Don't worry about it bro, you don't look bad." Joey looked at his friend skeptically. Fifteen minutes went by agonizingly painfully for Joey. Finally there was a knock at the door. Tristan left Joey to answer it. When Tristan came back, Serenity walked by his side into the room and stood by her brother's side.
"Are you alright big brother?" She asked.
"Nothin' I can't handle for a while, sis." Joey assured her. Mai poked her head inside the room but did not come in. "Hey Mai!"
"Hey back at ya, kiddo." Mai answered with a wink. Tristan approached Mai. He didn't have to say anything; Mai followed him out of the room. She could tell that it obviously was something he didn't want to talk about in front of Serenity. A few more minutes of explaining and reassuring later, the gang walked in. Joey tried to put on an act for them but it wasn't working very well. Despite everyone trying their hardest to keep Joey comfortable, within an hour his condition worsened. Small bruises started to develop around his mouth and on his neck and the pain was now spreading all over his body.
"Joey? Big brother, what's wrong?" Serenity was becoming very scared for her brother.
"Don't sweat it Serenity. I'll be fine." Joey assured her, not knowing how long he could actually keep it up. No sooner had he said that, Joey passed out a second time.
"Joey? Joey!" Serenity became frantic. "Will someone please tell me what's wrong with him?" Mai, Tristan and Duke ran up to Serenity to calm her down. Tea, Yuugi, and Bakura looked over at the unconscious youth on the bed.
"It's okay. Everything is all right." Mai tried to calm Serenity. "You guys, I think we should just tell her."
"Tell me what?" Serenity's voice softened in fear of what they were going to say. There was a short silence before Yuugi approached her. Slowly, he explained the situation that they were in and what was happening to Joey. He then reassured her that Joey's health would return once he transferred it to someone else.
"Oh Joey, you're so brave. Saving Kaiba's life by taking the disease from him." Everyone looked at the naïve young girl, trying hard not to laugh at the thought of Joey bravely and willingly saving Kaiba's life.
"Look Serenity, it's been a hard night for you. You're exhausted. You should get some rest." Duke informed her.
"But I live too far away and I'd rather be close by."
"No problem. You can hang out with me. I don't live too far from here." Duke volunteered.
"I would but I think I'm going to stay here…somewhere."
"Alright. I'll set up the couch so it's nice and comfy." Duke escorted Serenity out of the room. Tristan stared at them throughout their entire conversation. He painfully wanted to follow them to the couch to keep an eye on Duke but, even more painfully, decided to stay by his friend.
Another four hours passed and Duke and Serenity had long past fallen asleep on the couch. Meanwhile, everyone else could only watch helplessly as the now subconscious Joey began to toss and sweat profusely. Glossy eyed, Yuugi looked at the electric clock on the nightstand next to Joey's bed. It was 2:28 am. He was getting worried. Joey had bravely held on to that virus for a little over twelve and a half hours and he looked like death.
There were purple, black, blue and green marks and bruises all over his body. His eyes were watering from the pain and he was breathing harshly as though it were hard for him. Earlier he became feverish and was suffering from more stomach problems, so Bakura took off Joey's shirt and put a cold rag on his head. It worked for a short time but the sweating and tossing returned.
Now, Mai had finally got him to rest easier. There, Mai lay on her side, next to him wiping sweat from his brow or rubbing his stomach. Yuugi couldn't tell if it was Mai who was calming him or if Joey was just too exhausted to feel the pain.
"Guys." Yuugi called to his drifting comrades. "I think we need to decide whose gonna take it from him." With that Yuugi, Bakura, Tea, and Tristan all inconspicuously focused their attention towards Mai.
"Don't worry, you knew I would anyway." Mai assured them. Suddenly, there was a tight grip on Mai's hand.
"No!" Joey commanded in a meek voice. "I wont let ya." Joey gripped Mai's hand harder.
"What are you talking about Wheeler?"
"You don't understand Mai. What I'm goin through…. well?…to say the least, its not pleasant. And I don't want you anywhere near."
"I'm a big girl Joey. I don't need you to protect me. Your life is on the line and I'm gonna kiss you whether you want me to or not." Mai pulled herself closer to him.
"I said no!" Joey tried to fight her off.
"Its for your own good!"
"No means no!"
"Stop acting like an idiot."
"I don't want you to get hurt!"
"You're gonna be dead in a few hours!" Everyone else watched the two argue on. Finally fed up, Tea marched over to them and pushed Mai out of the way.
"It's not that difficult. Here." With that she kissed Joey long and hard.
Two thoughts passed through Joey's mind in that moment. The first being, what the fuck? The second was that this would probably be the last time he could kiss another girl without cheating on Mai in their new 'not exactly a relationship'. That thought in mind, Joey did what most guys would. He kissed her back. The kiss lasted a nervously long time. Everyone else in the room became very silent.
Under his breath, Tristan chanted, "Mai's lookin' right at ya man." Never taking his eyes off his friend. Bakura awkwardly dug his sneakers into the floor and looked at his watch. Poor Yuugi simply watched heartbroken, his mouth ajar. Mai naturally seemed pissed. With folded arms she tapped her foot as a way of counting the seconds while she watched. It was a good twenty seconds before Tea forcefully pulled her head away, catching her breath.
"There, it's done. Now your man is cured," she said looking at Mai "and your girlfriend doesn't have to get sick." She said looking at Joey.
"Uh… thanks….. I guess." Joey rubbed his head trying not to look amused by Mai's annoyed expression. Mai walked over to Joey's nightstand and pulled out a vaccine, needles and swabs. Walking over to the other side of the bed, Mai prepared the injection. Joey's hidden amusion soon turned to fear. Mai looked extremely angry and he didn't know what she was planning to do. Much to everyone's surprise, Mai's face became very loving and happy. With tender fingers, she carefully swabbed a small area of his wrist and smiled. Mai held the needle as though she were holding a butcher's knife, which only made Joey more afraid. Without warning, Mai stabbed Joey's wrist with the needle in the proper vein, with frightening accuracy. Joey almost screamed in a mixture of surprise and pain but thought it best to muffle it.
"I hope this makes you feel better." Mai said with a smile, slowly injecting the vaccine. In an instant, Joey was slowly feeling the healing affects of the drug.
"Thank you Mai." Joey tried to get back on Mai's good side as soon as possible.
"Can you feel it working yet?" Mai seemed to say with genuine concern.
"Yeah, I'm feelin' better already."
"Good." Mai climbed onto the bed again and kissed the side of Joey's face. Lovingly, she ran a hand over his chest, down to his abs, below his navel, and slowed down just as she was approaching his pride and joy. Just when he began to feel a little more relaxed, Mai grabbed the gold and twisted…hard! The pain was more than any man could take. Joey cried and screamed and squirmed in agony but she didn't stop. A million high-pitched screams exploded from his mouth making everyone immediately attentive. Joey desperately tried to pull her hand away but he couldn't release her vice grip. When the noise finally began to die down and Joey was reduced to pitiful whines, Mai spoke.
"Now I never, ever want to see you kiss another girl in front of me. For no reason, do you understand? And you," she looked at Tea " if I ever see you pull another stunt like that with Joey I will rip off your lips and hang you by your vocal cords." Mai released her grip. Immediately, Joey curled into the fetal position, massaging his wounded friend back to life.
"Well I'm sorry to say this man but you had that one comin'." Tristan was back in the joking mood and felt like putting his friend through even more torture. "I mean you kissed another girl when Mai tried to help you and you kissed Kaiba." Grins began to appear across the room.
"Shut up Tristan." Joey said nervous again.
"You kissed Kaiba?" Mai looked at Joey in fake shock. Tristan had explained everything to her earlier but now was her time for even sweeter revenge. "You kissed Kaiba and Tea but you wouldn't kiss me!"
"No it's not like that!" Joey was beginning to panic.
"You should have seen him Mai. They were really going at it. I can't even explain."
"Well then…why don't you show me Tristan?" Mai winked. Tristan caught her drift.
"Okay. Well let's say I'm Kaiba and you're Joey. So you're running out'a the school and I'm just casually leaning against the wall looking sexy."
"WHAT?!" Joey yells from the bed. Tuning him out, Tristan continues.
"And Kaiba says, ' Hey Joey. Come over here and do something for me.'." Tristan licks his lips and sizes up Mai.
"THAT IS NOT HOW IT HAPPENED!!" Joey continued to scream.
"And then what happens?" Mai asked seductively.
"Then Joey comes up real close to him."
"Like this?" Mai flirtatiously walks up to Tristan.
"Yeah. And Kaiba tears at Joey's clothes while Joey feels up on his chest." Mai and Tristan began to mimic the actions getting disturbingly close. "And that's when they start kissing each other." With that they both pull each other into a huge kiss. Joey's face distorts into many disgusted expressions. Appalled, Joey climbs off the bed and limps over to them and breaks them apart.
"THAT IS A LIE!! AND KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY GIRL YOU SICKO!"
"Well, you kissed Tea. So I kissed Tristan and maybe I'll kiss Serenity to make us even." Everyone in the room except Joey and Tea made amused gestures. (What can I say? Guys!) "And all of a sudden I'm YOUR girl?" Mai said crossing her arms.
Joey looked around blushing and nervous. "Alright, I get it. I wont kiss anyone ever again for the rest of my life."
"Good boy. Now, I'll take Tea home so she can get home safe and make sure she's comfortable. You've had a rough night so I want you to get to bed, pronto. The rest of you should head home too."
"You're not our motha'." Joey muttered.
"Shut up!"
"Yes mommy." Joey had muttered out of embarrassment but immediately complied to what Mai said for fear of another dreaded 'Groin Grab'. Joey walked over to the bed, tucked himself in and closed his eyes. In a short period, everyone had left the Wheeler home and did exactly what Mai said. Everyone except for Serenity and Duke that is, who were still asleep on the couch. No one seemed to remember that they were there, which was fine by Duke.
Updates may come a little slower from now on since I have to continue writing the story now. I have a few chapters written already so, it won't be months like some of my other stories where the chapters are longer. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I really liked it! Expect suspense and more crazy kissing ahead. But of course, please remember to Read and Review. Thanks!
