I hope you guys are ready for this one! Major shit coming ahead!
And thank you all for your lovely reviews! Unfortunately, this is the last chap I've got ready so no more simple uploads a day for me. You'll get your chaps as I write em and type em from now on.
I know exactly where I'm taking this story and how it's gonna end but if any of you want to see a particular scene I can try and add it in. As a fanfic writer I'm trying to cater to you guys which is why I love getting your reviews.
On another note I got this story added to the Kaiba x Jou Yaoi Community! Yay!
Thanks to Sakusha Saelbu for that!
Now lets get to it!
Italics= thoughts
Chapter 12
"Joseph Wheeler what is wrong?"
Shit. When Mai Valentine used his full name he knew that she knew something was up.
And were it any other person he would have automatically deflected the question and changed the subject. But, this was Mai.
"I'm a big mess Mai," he admitted.
The female blonde let out a whistle. She swept her legs up to settle them beneath her on the couch and lightly patted Joey's knee, who was sitting cross-legged next to her.
"Lay it on me sugar. It's best if you let it all out."
The male blonde sighed.
"It's Kaiba…"
'Of course,' the female thought in annoyance.
"… and my father and mother."
Her lips turned down at that.
The male leaned down to place his head in his hands. Mai moved her hand from his knee to rub soothing circles on his back.
"You can tell me," she whispered as she leaned closer.
"It still hurts that he left. He was never good to me, never, if the scars are anythin' to go by… but it was so unexpected. And to lose my home too. The place only holds bad memories but it's the only place I'd ever known. It was always at the back of my mind all throughout Battle City that I became a homeless orphan all in one go. And then my mother… she, ugh!" the male gripped his hair tight. "I had enough Duelist Kingdom money left to pay for Serenity's first year's tuition at Ouran Academy, her operation had used up almost all the rest. But then, when I went to explain to my mother that Serenity was going to go to Ouran Academy now she just begun yellin' at me! About how 'dare I put her daughter in danger and what a worthless ingrate I was like my deadbeat father and how she planned to get a restrainin' order on me in order to keep me away from her and Serenity."
Joey's body started shaking as anger pulsed off of him.
The female felt her own anger spike but she kept it in check, for now. Mai reached out and pulled the male's hands away from his head. He stared at her blankly but she only directed him to rest against her. His head landed on her lap and his body curled into a semi-fetal position.
Mai brushed his golden strands until he relaxed enough to continue.
"Serenity walked in after we stopped yellin' at each other and… I took advantage. I told Serenity that I'd just informed our mother about how she was going to go to Ouran Academy now and how we'd agreed I can pick her up from school every once in a while."
Joey smiled.
"Serenity was so excited that Ma couldn't fight it, especially not after she realized I was paying for Serenity to go to the best school around. But, she did give me the worst glare I've ever seen. Like I was filth."
"Joey, you're not filth."
The male laughed weakly.
"Tell that to Kaiba."
"What did he do?" Mai asked, barely keeping the ice out of her voice.
She felt him tense under her fingers.
"He just never stops. He makes it all worse."
Joey crossed his arms as he was, lying on his side with his head on her lap.
"Back durin' Battle City, when the others were missing and you weren't awake, Kaiba and I sorta talked."
The male blonde shifted so he could look up at her.
"He figured out I was gay and admitted he was too."
Her blond brows rose. 'Interesting.'
"But," Joey's eyes shifted to a random spot on the ceiling. "He kinda ridiculed me for it, like I was something that was wrong and how I wasn't fit to lick his boots. He said it like I was interested in him and he was shooting me down, way down. And it happened again when we got stuck on that project together for school. He reminded me that he was Seto Kaiba and I was just Joey Wheeler."
Honey eyes welled but Joey wouldn't let them overflow.
"Nothing but a worthless, orphan mutt who'd never be good for anythin' or anyone."
Mai's hand stopped running through the golden locks.
She was furious, no, enraged, no!
Her anger couldn't be put into words, they couldn't describe how absolutely pissed she was.
How dare they.
How dare they!
His father, his mother, and Kaiba.
It's bad enough he has to deal with all the shit his parents put him through but Kaiba just has to make it worse doesn't he? That stupid CEO. That idiotic-no good- fucking bastard! With everything that has happened, Joey was already fragile and Kaiba had to go and try to shatter him by chipping away at his self-esteem. And Joey had always had a low self-esteem to begin with due to his fucking parents.
She wanted to throttle every single one of those pieces of shit who'd hurt her Joey. To literally put her hands around their necks!
But one look at the male's face brought her back down.
'Oh Joey.'
"Worthless is it? Well, I suppose I am too."
"What?" Joey blinked. "What are ya talkin' about?"
Mai's violet eyes fixed him with a serious stare.
"You're not the only one that's been called worthless or that's an orphan or that's considered trash."
She placed a finger to his lips.
'Let me explain,' her eyes pleaded.
"You already know that I grew up with riches but very lonely. But, I never really told you about how back then I always listened and followed the rules like a 'good' little girl. My parents always reminded me that I was only as good as my worth."
She sagged her shoulders.
"I naively believed that they'd love me if I listened but when I grew up I saw none of it was real. When they tried to marry me off I left but not before they disowned me and told me I'd be nothing but worthless trash."
Mai bit her lip as she felt her own eyes swell with hot liquid.
"I was scared," she breathed out. "I was terrified that they were right. When I first ventured out into the world I was alone and hurting."
She paused to let a tiny smile tilt her lips.
"But, then I found Duel Monsters and gained my confidence. However," she shook her head. "I went all wrong about it at first. I was so determined to let no one hurt me I built a persona that wasn't real and kept everyone from getting close. And then I met you."
She ran a hand down his jaw.
"You broke down the fake and gave the real me life again. You did that and I'll always be grateful for it."
Her eyes narrowed as she took a hold of his chin.
"So don't you tell me you're worthless Joseph Wheeler. You're parents, my parents; they're the worthless ones, the ones in the wrong!" She gripped his chin tighter. "And Kaiba's just and ego-maniac who takes it out on others because on the inside that's how he feels himself. He's but a scared little brat."
She let his chin go to brush away the stray tears that leaked out of her eyes.
"You're better than them Joey. If you're worthless than so am I," Mai cracked a wavery grin. "And I know my goods are worth something!"
Joey stared up at her as a single tear trickled out of his eye and ran down to disappear into his hair above his ear.
"You're amazing Mai."
"And don't you forget it!" she responded causing them to laugh.
"Thank you," he said rubbing his nose on her thigh to illicit a tickle.
She smacked his head lightly.
"Anytime little brother."
The words tumbled out before she could stop them.
Joey's eyes widened as his eyebrows rose.
"I- I," Mai clamped her mouth shut. She was flustered!
"You're a weird one," Joey said as he let out a genuine smile. "Big sis."
Mai's heart just might have exploded right then.
"You little brat," she chided as she tapped his head.
He laughed a bit. It was cut short as his eyes glazed over and he turned to look up at her nervously.
"There's a little more," he admitted.
Mai only gazed at him expectantly.
Joey rubbed his hands over his face. He could already feel the blush coming on.
"I'm attracted to Kaiba," he blurted.
"You like him?!" Mai shouted.
"What? No!" Joey looked at her as though she grew a third boob. "I just got… a little turned on when he got close, real close."
Mai couldn't help it, she laughed out-right.
"Gee, thanks Mai," Joey drawled. "Laugh it up why don't cha?"
She shook her head, willing her laughs to stop.
"You can't control attraction sweetie," she reached down and gave his hair a tug. "It's like trying to control who you fall in love with. But, unlike love, simple attraction tends to go away. Kaiba may be the world's biggest ass but the boy's got looks and that no one can deny."
Joey instantly brightened at that. His relief was obvious though a wicked grin quickly took over.
"Boy?" he chuckled.
"I'm 25 and he's 17. Yes, he's a boy," she confirmed with a smirk.
Joey laughed freely.
"I'm still 16 what does that make me?"
"My baby!"
They both erupted.
Joey rubbed at his eyes once he calmed down from all their laughter. He could always trust Mai to make him feel better, and vice-versa. He loved his other friends but he wasn't sure he could have this kind of conversation with them, especially considering they knew little of his personal issues and the fact that he was gay.
He glanced at the clock and slyly grinned up at Mai.
"I have work again tonight, you gonna come by?"
"Do you have to ask hon? And here I always thought you were innocent but you proved me wrong!" She winked. "If you weren't gay I would have ravished you toots."
"Mai!" he cried out with a blush as he got up and settled back into a sitting position. "Didn't we just establish a sibling relationship here?"
The female blonde laughed and decided to tease him. She laid out her best 'sultry, come hither gaze' upon him.
"We'll be naughty step-siblings then."
"Mai!"
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Joey shrugged on his school jacket and slipped on his sneakers. He took the red scarf Mai had given to him as an early birthday present (she decided she'd be touring Europe for a while) and wound it around his neck. He winced as the cold air threatened to wrap him in its embrace when he stepped outside. He fixed the scarf to cover the lower half of his face and plunged his hands under his pits to seek warmth.
Normally, he wasn't an early riser but when his bladder had woken him up early this morning he hadn't been able to go back to sleep when he slipped back under the covers. It was a rare occurrence, but occur it did.
With nothing to do the blonde headed out to school. He knew even with the lengthy walk he'd still arrive early. And, although he knew Kaiba tended to show up early he knew Tea would always showed up even earlier (she liked to catch up on study then). He figured he could bother her until all the others showed up.
At least it being that nasty substitute's final day was something to look forward to. Actually, nasty didn't even cover it when it came to describing Mr. Andrews.
The man took every chance he got to piss off Kaiba and Joey, the latter becoming a target after making the remark of "idiot fatheads so clogged up with mass and fat they had no brains."
The teacher was hated by all but most especially by those two. He leered at the females and picked on the males but with Joey and Kaiba he went above and beyond. He sat the two together and forced them to share notebooks all to illicit their fierce shouting matches that gave him the authority to send them to the principal's office. He took every chance he could to humiliate them in front of the other students, something Joey paid for more so than Kaiba.
Unfortunately for Mr. Andrews, this behavior only took the first few days. After that the two teens ignored each other's existence to such a cold degree it spread worry throughout their classmates. That didn't stop Mr. Andrews though. He continued to push each boy separately if he could not do it by bunching them together.
Joey yawned as he neared the classroom door. The past two weeks had felt considerably long. He paused outside the door to adjust his scarf so it no longer covered the lower half of his face. Then he stopped altogether.
Muffled shouting came from the other side of the door. Then came a crash that startled him.
He immediately swung the door open.
"TEA!"
The blonde burst into a run, fist cocked, and eyes blazing.
The last thing he expected to find when he opened that door was desks littered about, Tea held up against a wall, and Mr. Andrews pressed up upon her with a hand covering her mouth.
All Joey could focus on were the tears streaming down his friend's eyes and the unbelievably creepy rape face Mr. Andrews leered at him the moment he yelled.
Unfortunately for the blonde Mr. Andrews was no pushover. The massive man tossed Tea aside, whom screamed until she knocked her head against a desk corner rendering her unconscious. The hulking figure deflected Joey's fist and landed his own. The blonde cried out in pain when the fist connected with his face. The man followed it up by picking him up around the waist and slamming him to the ground with a sickening thud.
The slam thrust Joey's head against the floor causing his world to flash in blinding white pain for a few long seconds.
Mr. Andrews' punch to his gut brought him back before the white fully faded away. Joey instantly gasped and curled in on himself. His good eye flipped open to stare at Mr. Andrews with all the hatred he could muster as his head throbbed and his middle burned.
"Ya fuckin' bastard," Joey growled. "Ya fuckin' rapist bastard."
Mr. Andrews' grin spoke of insanity, and not in the way Marik's had.
He rained blow after blow onto Joey's form.
Beatings were nothing new to the blonde. He bit down on his lip, tasting blood, and choked back painful cries. That the blows hurt said something. He's built up a pretty high pain tolerance over the years.
He was nothing but a hurting mess when Mr. Andrews stopped. Joey blearily came back to once more.
"Wha… wha are ya doin'?"
He blinked through the haze of pain. He could feel his strength returning, but what was the man doing now?
One eye opened fully and the other managed a sliver, as it was already purpling.
The man was… oh shit!
Joey's head cleared as his mind processed what was happening. His hands shot up but Mr. Andrews took a fistful of his hair and smacked his head against the floor once again.
The blonde screamed in agony as he continued to try and fight back, empowered solely by fear and adrenaline. One of his fists lodged itself upon Mr. Andrew's nose giving him enough time to scoot back. His school coat hung on but his shirt had been cut to shreds and his scarf had been discarded.
Mr. Andrews let out a roar as he yanked Joey back to him and ripped the coat off. It was then Joey saw the glint of a knife.
"Well look at you," the man malevolently cackled. "Aren't you a scarred little bitch. I'm not the first to have fun with you am I?"
"Get… off… of… ME!" Joey screamed.
Too strong.
The man was too strong.
And it appeared gender didn't matter to him when it came to having 'fun.'
Joey went into a frenzy when the man started clawing at his pants. He let out another piercing cry when the knife was stabbed into his right thigh.
'No, no! Somebody! Somebody please! No! Stop!'
His mind was trapped in echoes of past cries. Fear, true horrific fear was clouding the blonde.
Tears flowed from Joey's eyes as he punched and kicked, as he fought back with everything he had against the man that just wouldn't STOP! He couldn't make the man go away but he was keeping him from getting what he wanted, barely.
Joey's eyes widened as he saw the cocked fist headed towards his face.
His eyes remained wide as a powerful kick connected with the man's face. The force behind it launched the man backwards causing his skull to crack horrifically against the wall.
The petrified blonde kept his gaze on the man; therefore he missed the newcomer's face, a face contorted in brutal outrage and revulsion.
"Wheeler."
There was no hint of ridicule in Kaiba's voice. His livid expression melted into his eyes.
The blonde's entire form was shaking. The tear tracks on his face were noticeable as his eyes remained fixed in undeniable fear.
Kaiba crouched down and almost mindlessly picked up the stray red scarf. He took in the blonde's state: the torn clothing, the knife embedded in the thigh, the low slung pants, the numerous scratches and signs of bruising to come, and of course- the horrified eyes still focused on the man.
"Wheeler," Kaiba repeated. "Wheeler."
He touched the blonde's shoulder hesitantly.
The shaking teen slowly turned to him.
"Kaiba."
The brunette tensed. The way Wheeler had said his name, he couldn't tell if it was meant in question or as if merely making an observation. Either way the broken quality was something he'd never come across.
Tears sprung free from the honey eyes once more. Joey let out a heart-wrenching wail as he fell back and threw himself at Kaiba, clutching onto the brunette like the terrified child he once was.
Kaiba stared down at the blonde in shock. He didn't know what to say, what to do. Wheeler was clinging to him, sobbing onto his school uniform. His blue eyes took in the unconscious forms of Tea and Mr. Andrews. He didn't have the whole story but he was sure he could accurately guess at what happened.
'Kaiba. Kaiba he knew. Kaiba was safe.'
Joey's hands clenched as his body shook uncontrollably.
'Safe. Seto was safe.'
"Seto."
The brunette's throat instantly knotted. He doubted Wheeler knew he'd said his name. Said it so twisted in pain and anguish… and fear. It was much the same way Mokuba would cry out for him when he'd wake up crying and screaming from a nightmare when he was younger. But, Wheeler wasn't Mokuba, neither was he young.
So why did each wail, each sob tighten a chain around his heart? Why did it spike his anger every time he heard it?
Seto couldn't help it. He wound his arms around his self-proclaimed rival, the one he always thought of with immense annoyance. His head came to a rest atop the golden mop, inwardly pleased as the sobbing quieted and the shakes calmed. Ice blue eyes burned holes into Mr. Andrews. The man would pay dearly, wish for death once he got through with him.
The brunette's arms unconsciously tightened when he gazed down at the blonde's back. He'd seen him shirtless once but didn't really take notice of his back before. He knew Wheeler had scars but the network of slash after slash that marred the blonde's back was phenomenal. He was surprised Wheeler didn't have back problems. They looked absolutely horrific. Who could have…?
This time around, Seto let out a growl. Had anyone been around they may have wet themselves over the sheer promise of pain laced in that growl.
So… did anyone guess that Mr. Andrews would have a large role in this fic than that of a simple substitute? Anyone?
Anyways, I love Mai/ Joey interactions. After Battle City I wrote them off as sibling types because, well, I ship Puppyshipping and the way they interacted from there on served my purposes. I hope now you guys know why he cares for her so much here! Wink!
And sweet, Joey finally experiences Seto as Seto! Though he's not really in the right mind right now, heh.
Some might argue that Kaiba would never act as he did. I'd argue they just don't know Seto has compassion to give, it's not always shown (duh) but it is there.
And yes that was another tidbit I dropped about Joey.
I just love throwing shit at you guys, and I say that with love of course!
Um, review? Yes?
