What if I said today was true? Whatever bullshit I told the press, yes that would lovely, to actually live the fantasy that we have created. For Seto to have given me a place stay with no intention besides my safety. I glance over at Seto turning the car on. But it's a stupid question to ask because it would never happen. Seto, selfless, don't make me laugh. Me attracted to him? I think my father would stop drinking before that happen or maybe my mother wouldn't consider me a complete failure of a son.
Two people, one a rich businessman in charge of a massive gaming company, the other a working class teenager that got into a rich high school. The working class teenage caught the eye of the businessman, but they could never actually have the relationship. They fight whenever they see each other. Everyone thinks they hate each other. But when the working class teenager needs help the most, it comes from the most unexpected source. The businessman that he thought hated his guts. The businessman that is always there to protect him, always there to give him a hand. It's a sweet story, romantic and girly. In the god awful universe that I have feelings for him, Seto and I shouldn't even know each other. It was insurmountable bad luck that we ever met, Yugi meet his soul mate, I met my worse enemy.
That faithful tournament, the title "King of Games" was up for grabs and a million dollars, sponsored by "Industrial Illusions". Duel Monsters was just getting big, since duelling stadiums had only come out about three months go. Yugi was invited because he proven himself at regional tournaments, but he was not the favourite. Seto Kaiba was, he had created and patented holographic technology by the time he was 12, and only a year later figure out how to make it economical to create in large scale. So I guess I can see why.
Even going back farther, I still remember the day I met Yugi, we were five at the time. He was playing duel monsters in the park on a nice summer day with Grandpa.
"What are you playing? Can I join?" Back then I seemed to have manners in some way. Grandpa looked over at Yugi, figuring out if he wanted let me into the game. Yugi smiled, and replied, "We're playing Duel Monsters. It's a card game." He looked up at his grandpa, "Did you bring the extra deck?" I took a seat on the grass next to him, and got handed a deck of cards. Grandpa took his off the board, and Yugi reset the game. "Put the deck here and take six cards. Oh, I'm Yugi Moto." I did what I was told. "Joey Wheeler, what do the colours mean?" Yugi was better then me, but I still had fun and he never made fun of me for losing to him. He just smiled, and asked to play again. That may seem simple, but when it was time for dinner, he begged me for my number and to come over soon. I, of course, complied with that request for five days straight, he was as nice and kind as he is now. In that respect, he hasn't changed much. Until I call one day, and Grandpa answered. "Turtle Game Shop." "Joey, Is Yugi there?" There was a pause. "No, he had to go back home with his parents. He is a forgetful kid, I'm sorry. I'll tell him to call you when he's in town again. He did greatly enjoy you coming over." When Grandpa said that line, I didn't think about much. I enjoyed my time too. Grandpa kept his promise, and for four years, whenever Yugi was in town we would hang out. In those days, I thought he was a little shy but a perfectly nice kid. He never talked about his life back home. Not that did either, but I doubted he was in the same situation.
One day, the phone rings. "Wheeler Residents." "Joey, can you come over?" There is something in his voice that doesn't sound right, "Get ready to lose then." I grab the deck that Grandpa lent me, and run as fast as my 9 year old legs can carry me to the Turtle Game Shop. One look at Yugi, I knew that card games were not going to happen. He ran and hugged me, like he always does, this hug was tighter and wasn't some greeting that meant nothing.
"I'm moving in with Grandpa." I smile, but something is amiss in his voice. I was actually really happy at the news, he was, and is, a friend that I could count on to be there.
"Why? I mean, you have parents and stuff, why would you move in with your grandfather?" I was a very eloquent child, just misspeaking and ripping Yugi's heart out. The norm. Tears started to form in his eyes, I quickly continue
"I didn't mean that, I'm happy that you came to live with your grandpa. But it just seems sudden."
"Really?" I nod.
"I gave up, everyone made fun of me for playing duel monsters. Even when I gave it up, I was always known as that short kid who played card games. People used to..." I didn't here what his classmate did to him that day, he just collapsed into a ball of tears after that, and I just didn't have the heart to ask him to tell any more. When I got the story in bits and pieces, people used to rip his cards up, steal puzzle pieces, pretend to be his friend just to make fun of him behind his back. And he never told his parents up until that three days before that. I really don't understand why that happened, when I introduced Yugi to Tristan and Ryou, and he met Tea because she lived down the street from him, everyone became fast friends. Not to mention his house was by far the most fun to hang out in, it is a game shop and it always had the best snacks. Also, as much as I've never told him this, a place to hide when things got a little rough at home. Grandpa was almost always happy to have me, he only told me not eat all the cookies in one sitting. We went to the same elementary and middle school. But two 'tragedies' struck almost the same day, my parents announced their divorce and that Serenity was going to live with my mother. And then, Yugi got a call that his parents died in a horrific car crash caused by a drunk driver. I don't think either of us would be sane today without each other, we knew that the other wouldn't judge, and they would be there, in whatever capacity the other could be. No matter the time of day, or reason. So, when Grandpa couldn't, or wouldn't, go to the first tournament using duelling stadiums, I got the extra ticket. It was in Domino city, no big deal.
When I first walked into the green room, I looked out of place. My ripped jeans and t-shirt didn't baud well with the suits and costumes of the duelists, but I made it straight for the food table without much of a second thought about it. While Yugi went over to talk to some random official. Come on, there was mini cheesecakes and mini cheese sandwiches displayed on a fantasy plate. Who wouldn't go to food table? The entire affair was just screaming pretension, but 13 year old me didn't care about that, I was there for card games and the free food. I ignored the tongs by the mini cheesecakes and stuffed one in to my mouth, and then I heard Seto's delightful voice in my ear.
"Who let the dog in?" I turned to face him, swallowing the creamy cake in one bite; he's obviously pointing at me with his trademark smirk. A kid my age in a ridiculous purple coat, a mullet cut and standing next a bodyguard and thinking he superior to me. Not in my world. Who cares if it is Seto Kaiba?
"I can smell the exploitation from here", his smirk faltered, I still don't think he expected me to rebuttal quite so bluntly. I looked like who I was, a kid that was there because his friend was a duelist, not that he was. Even I will admit, that I don't look intimidating in the least, the only thing going for me is that I am over average in height. My fists were clenched, something about him made me pissed off. His superiority complex, the fact that he underestimated me, or is it the fact he doesn't look good in purple. I still can't tell, white is much better.
"Joey, Kaiba. Stop it, it's really unnecessary." Yugi pipes up. That's Yugi, he never wants violent between people, monsters, perfectly fine.
"Fine I won't punch his face in, but I'm doing you a favour. He deserves it. Please promise me that you'll smear the floor with him" I turned away "But dude I never expected Seto Kaiba to be that much of an asshole".
Yami came over, a small smirk on his face; I didn't know who he was at this point. To me he was just a random duellist that was not as good as Yugi, not the son of the CEO of a massive gaming company that Kaiba corps would one day over take in market percentage.
"I never expected someone to insult Seto quite so, how should I put this, candidly. I can count on my left hand how many people speak to him like that. One, his little brother." I know I was looking at him like he had three heads, Yugi was trying desperately not to blush like mad. "Sorry, Yami Atem, You're Yugi Moto and You're, besides a friend of Moto's."
"Joey Wheeler, you don't need to be so formal, it's sort of weird." I got a smile out him.
"Fair enough. But truthfully, if you weren't Yugi's friend, he wouldn't have been as kind. Yes, you heard correctly, kind. I've known the guy since we were 10."
"He really must be a complete asshole to everyone then, didn't think those people existed. I know, naive of me." I think Seto was listening to me insult the shit out him to Yami that day, and I wonder why he hates me. Oh wait, the last part was a joke.
"I think I might have to shower more often from now on, I don't want to smell." Yugi cheeped in "I doubt it, And Atem Corp's products are made in Japan." His face was a deep red at this point; a 13-year-old crush on Yugi is still the most adorable thing yet. Especially when directed at Yami, not you're average crush now is it. First it's gay, and when I was 13 that wasn't really option on the spectrum and second, it's Yami Atem. He met my eye and begged me to leave them alone, I wasn't about to stop him from embarrassing himself. He knew the pay off, I get to tease him for a week about it. I was such a great friend back then.
"My last mini cheesecake was interrupted by, as I will refer to him as of now, the asshole or bastard. I can't tell you which is more appropriate. Stay tuned." I turn on my heels to the table, and guess who is leaning against the table, the asshole. Anyway, he was blocking my way to the mini cheesecakes.
"Move it asshole, you're not getting an apology out of me, just forget about it." His smirk was back, and punch worthy as ever.
"I guess that is expected out of a mutt, so I can't really complain." The glint in his eyes that day I have yet to see again, like making fun of me was the most fun thing since I don't know, duel monsters. The deep ocean blue glint just lit up his eyes, even when duelling; his eyes never look like that. I didn't know insulting a commoner was that much fun, but I guess whatever floats his boat.
Both of us spent the rest of the day blatantly insulting each other, more often to their face then to anyone else. I was even the first person to congratulate him on his defeat to Yugi. We were, and still are, extremely petty, it doesn't matter what the other does wrong, and it's worth an insult. So, when I realized that I got in the same school, for some ungodly reason, I just went up to him, half expecting him to have forgotten the commoner that wouldn't shut up three years ago.
"I see you forgot your body guard at home or couldn't the company afford the medical bills?" His smirk didn't falter this time, instead "A toy poodle doesn't make a good attack dog, go run along back to your owner. He seems to have forgotten the collar." Ever since, we have just had a surly hate for each other. Every teacher has put us next to each other. Yes, I got the luck of the draw of always having him in my classes. I swear, I think it's rigged or something.
Reviews? =)
I should be updating more often now. Sorry. The next few chapters are extremely important for establishing a few key plot points and I wanted to know if I established them right, so I wrote almost to the end. In my defence, I figured out that I hadn't!