Assassin Massie, I used your idea of doing this chapter in different points of views. Thank you very much for your idea :D.
To everyone else, I've started my long and perilous journey for the treasure of inspiration, and I've think I've found it. This chapter, yes: It's a filler, but I feel like it just ties up a couple of ends with the characters.
Especially Kio and Eiji.
It's like, past 11:30 here, and I stayed up and finished this chapter for you guys! Because I love you all so much! We've hit 101 reviews! Never in my wildest dreams did I see myself getting this far - thank you all very much for taking the time to review (:.
Now then, I'm tired, and I have nothing else to say.
Read & Enjoy. (:
+Save the Innocent: Jou's POV+
"Kaiba…"
"Hm?"
"I want chocolate…"
"Get it yourself, Puppy." My so-called lover just scoffed at me and rolled his eyes. Bastard, I wasn't asking you to get up your lazy ass and grab me some chocolate, I was just trying to fill up the annoying silence!
Growling, I give Kaiba the best glare I could muster in my tired state and rolled on my side. My God, these seats were really hard, and I've been sitting on these things for how long? Yugi better be alright after this or I swear I might just be the reason he gets sent to the hospital again!
Just thinking about Yugi slightly ruins my hyperactive mood. Did I really expect him to want to see me when he woke up? Of course I did, even though I knew his only thoughts would have been on Yami but…
Ugh, slumping in my chair, I mull over my wicked jealously problem some more. Come on, Wheeler! You know for a fact that you and Yugi are closer than brothers and that, due to the fucked up situation we got ourselves into, the first person he'd want to see is Yami.
So I have nothing to be jealous over, right?
Oh fuck, resting my head in my hands I release a shaky and tired sigh from my lips. I haven't even been here for a whole day and I'm completely bored out of my damned mind! Maybe Yami's doing better than I am – no ,wait, scratch that. Yami's doing much worse than Kaiba and I could be doing, at the moment.
God, it looks like he's going through Hell and back over there with the way his eyes keep shifting from the empty chair, to the door where Yugi would be on the other side. He keeps biting on his nails – which Kaiba tells me will give you serious worms – and chewing his bottom lip raw.
I should probably go over there – you know, be a good friend and cheer Yami up a little bit, but… I don't think my blunt words would do much good in this situation; I need some air. Without so much as a word towards the others, I slowly get up from the chair and head out of the waiting room. Sure, I get a questioning look from Kaiba and Kio, but I know Kaiba will follow me sooner or later and Kio will probably just stay there and man the fort.
My stomach started to grumble by the time I passed the cafeteria – and who was I to ignore my tummy's pleas for food? Whistling an almost happy tune, I change my direction towards the lunch room. It wasn't that jammed pack with people, mostly sleepy children and a parent who were also probably stressed out by the fact their loved ones were probably hanging between life and death right now.
Ugh, just thinking about these sad things is getting me even hungrier! No, stop it right now, Wheeler! You have a delicious slice of apple pie right in front of you, begging to be taken – this is not the time to be depressed!
"Time to chow down!" Mmm, this pie was most definitely made by God's hands. The apples and crust ran together in a way that left my tongue tingling in excitement. Kind of like when I give Kaiba blowjobs…
Oh great, now I'm fucking horny.
"Fuuuuccckkkk," my head happily connected to the table with a loud thud. Not only do I have a tent pitched the size of Texas, I still can't get Yugi out of my mind. What if he doesn't make it? Or, what if, somehow the operation messes with his brain and he forgets all about us? Or worse, the doctors find out that he has some disease that's slowly draining his life away!
The possibilities are endless! And the more I think about them… the more tears are prickling my eyes.
"Cry any more and you'll get wrinkles," oh geez, you just had to show up, now, didn't you? Kaiba placed his finger underneath the tip of his chin and lifted my gaze upwards. "Wrinkles don't look attractive on you," he smirked at my scowl that just kept on growing.
"Bite me," I growled, even though I could tell by the smirk on his face that he has every intention to make my remark be turned into something incredibly sexual – not that I would mind…
"If that's what you really want," knew it. With out much disagreement, he should be damn happy that I finished my apple pie in one bite, I let my brunette grab me by the arm and drag me out to the café, only to lead me upstairs to the roof.
The cold air feels so good right now, you don't even know! You would think that, when you're up so high, the wind you literally rip up your face – but it does the exact opposite. It tickles your skin and makes you life. It gives you the feeling that you actually wanna fly!
But, I've tried that once and almost got myself killed – so I'm not really up for the whole flying feeling again.
"Doesn't this feel great?" I'm leaned up against the wired fence that keeps me from falling, but also gives me this kick ass view of everything below me: the little people, the tiny cars, and the other buildings surrounding us. I wonder if I spit, would someone be the poor suck of my attack.
"It does," his arms wrapped around my waist tightly as he snuggled into my neck.
His breath starts to tickle against my skin and it causes the something to crackle alive. Gosh darn it; I'm fucking blushing, aren't I?
"Kaiba…" I relax into his hug, the feeling sending all this warm tingles up and down my spine, along my arms, dancing across my waist, and tickling my insides. "Do you think Yug'll be okay?"
Kaiba looked me dead in the eyes, and for a few seconds I saw something flash between those normally cold, cobalt eyes of his. What was it… fear? Confusion? Hope?
"You're an idiot," or maybe none of the above.
"What the fuck, Kaiba!" I pushed off the scowling bastard and gave him a very nice finger before attempting to stomp off pissed as Hell. Of course, that fucking bastard has other plans and grabs me by the arm, only to pull me into a kiss and a, very long, hug.
"Do not just storm off like that before I'm finished, Puppy." Then give me a damn good reason to stay! He pulled me apart so that our faces were only a few inches away from each other. Our foreheads touch, and for the first time I could actually see what sort of affect this was all having on Kaiba.
He had bags on his eyes, and those cobalt irises lost that smug look to them. His normal smirk was turned upside down to a slight frown. Kaiba's hands shook, only slightly though, but I could still feel the nervousness spreading through his veins, through those nimble fingers that held onto my shirt for dear life.
"Jou, of course Yugi is going to be okay. That's why I called you an idiot for asking me that."
"But, if he really was going to be alright, if things were going to change for the better – why are we so on edge? Why do I feel like, after this, nothing's going to be the same anymore?
'Because, Puppy," he pulled me into another hug, those same trembling, nimble, fingers danced through my hair and massaged my scalp soothingly. My God… I love those fingers. "Things might never be the same again, but we shouldn't be fretting about that. We should be happy that we've found Yugi and that his father could be half-dead by now on that hospital again." Kaiba pulled me apart again just so he could smile down at me. The bastard grew at least three damn inches this year. "We have nothing to worry about, because Yugi's in good hands now. Besides, if anything were to happen, I could always sue the pants off of this hospital," and there's that lovely little smirk of his again.
"I think that's the most uplifting thing you've ever said to me, Seto." I playfully sneer his name, happily bringing out a deep growl from my lovely little CEO.
"You do know you're going to have to pay for that, right?" Kaiba's breath graced my ear – that's my sensitive spot – that sends me into a half-arousal almost immediately. I can tell by that damned look in his eye he's not going to just let me go with one, sweet and simple, make-out on the roof top.
Oh no, the boy's out for some ass today.
Not like I didn't feel the same way either. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I bring us closer so I can run my tongue against his bottom lip. I beg for entrance, probing and prodding the crease where the two lips connect until I receive a heavy moan and entrance into that delicious tasting mouth of his.
It tastes so much better than apple pie, I can tell you that much.
His hands somehow manage to find their way to my hips, and harshly grind against my budding arousal. The moan that escapes my lips and sends shivers down Kaiba's spine – and to all the right places – I can't help to release as our hard-ons keep rubbing against one another.
"Kaiba," the name rolls off my tongue as our lips finally break contact. We're both heaving hard, our hips were still rolling against each other, and we're still feeling very much in the mood to make love.
"You don't have to tell me twice," and before I can stop him he's already got my shirt pulled up above my head while his own naked chest is currently protecting me from the cold.
Is it sad that my snob of a boyfriend and I made love on a hospital roof?
+Save the Innocent: Kio's POV+
I should be happy, right? Right, I should be happy!
Okay, now that I've gone past the repetitive phase of my pep talk…
How long has it been really, a few hours? It seems more like days or months that we've been camped out in this little waiting room with blankets wrapped around our bodies, but our minds too far off in our own little world of thoughts.
Maybe… maybe if I never left in the first place, Yugi wouldn't be lying on that bed being operated on right now. He would have had a stable household with a mother, a father… a safe haven to call his own. If I found a different job, then I wouldn't have been away for so long, I wouldn't have gave Haruhi the opportunity to cheat on me – we would still be the same, perfect family Yugi so rightfully deserves.
Just thinking of the "maybes" or the "should haves" or the "would haves", just kept reminding me that what's been done is done, and I can't change that. The past is written in stone, and I can't surely erase that with my human hands.
I laugh softly to myself, when have I ever been this sentimental about anything? Releasing a shaky sigh, I realize that I've only started to truly ponder and think about these things only after I knew about Yugi's situation. Who knew it would be now that I've finally, actually, get to sit down and think over my life – go over those "maybes", "should haves", and "would haves" – it only took the near death of my son to do that.
"Hey, sweetie, you look pretty tired." Mai squatted down in front of me, with a warm smile on her face and a steaming cup of tea in her hand. "Don't worry; I didn't get you any tea from the café – that alone is enough to send you to the ER." I can't help but laugh as she hands me the cup and I start to drink it.
The warm liquid rushes down my throat and revitalized my senses that sends this warm sense of comfort through out my system. After a few more sips, I rest the cup down and my eyes immediately fall upon Yami. I think he's asleep, since his body looks much more relaxed than it was a few hours ago, but the constant movement of his lips are telling me otherwise.
Whether he's talking in his sleep, or quite possibly having a nightmare – I don't know. What I do know ,however, is that the person who was sitting next to him prior to the surgery is now nowhere to be found.
"Ms. Valentine-,"
"-Call me Mai, sweetie." There's that warm smile again.
"Mai," the warm smile just kept on increases – she's a very beautiful woman, "do you know that man went, the one who brought Yugi here?"
"Oh, you mean that prick with the stick up his ass, Eiji?"
"Um," the slight chuckle that bubbled out of my mouth suddenly escaped at that, very vivid, description of the man who saved my son's life a mere two days ago. "Yes, I think that's who I'm talking about."
"Then he's down the hall and to the right. You can't miss the prick."
"Thank you," she smiles bright me and says it was no problem at all – it's her job to help people anyways. "Before I forget, can you watch over Yami for me? His friends are off somewhere, and I have no idea when they'll be coming back."
"I've got it covered, sweetie." With one, final, nod I excused myself from the room and headed out to literally find my son's savior. It really wasn't that hard, the moment I saw him, his whole state of being screamed of one that was seriously not in the good mood.
Mind you, though, Eiji didn't seem like one of those happy, sunshine-y, type of person that you'd see skipping down hallways with a bright smile on his face: that sort of person would normally be me. However, Eiji seemed like the type of guy whose nerve strings were very thin and were always dangerously close to a lit flame of anger.
Wow, it seemed like heavy stress brings out the inner poet in me – who would have thought?
Clearing my throat slightly – that still didn't seem to faze Eiji – I start slowly on my appreciation towards him. "Um, this may seem out of the blue to you, or whatever, but I'd like to thank you for saving Yugi back there." This time, he actually turns around to give me a very bored look, followed by a scoff, and ending with him turning his back on me.
Okay, yeah, this guy was most definitely a prick.
"You know, the scoff wasn't necessary," leaning casually against the wall, I try, once again, to gain his attention. Shockingly enough – sense my sarcasm? – he doesn't even look my way again. Instead his gaze is directed solely on the Kyouske's lifeless body that's been hooked up to all sorts of wires and machinery – how my father could ever work in a place like this, I'd never know.
There he goes again, giving me that freaking cold stare and cocked eyebrow of his! Although, now that I've actually took the time to look at him closer, I can see bags under his redden eyes and a bit of stubble from a few days without shaving – even though we've only been here for a day.
"I only scoff at the idiotic things I hear during the day."
"There's nothing idiotic about giving someone the gratitude they deserve!"
"Last time I checked, I don't remember doing anything that worthwhile."
This guy really knows how to rouse up one, nasty, headache; doesn't he? Sighing, I try to at least scrap up some piece of sense out of all of this. "You brought Yugi here, when you could have just left him out there to die – I think that deserves a whole platter of thanks, if you ask me."
"No one asked you," Eiji folded his arms and gave started me down right there and then. It was like, he was trying to figure me out – read me, in some strange way. "I'm pretty sure anyone else would have done what I did – so it's really no big deal." After that, he turned away from me to continue his gazing.
"Do you honestly think someone would have found Yugi before it was too late?"
"Do you honestly think I give two flying shits if someone did?"
"You can't be serious!" now I was completely, and utterly enraged. I try to give my thanks to the man who saved my son's life and instead of kindly accepting it, like any normal human being would have, he just shrugs it off like it's no big deal.
"Look, you've obviously confused me for some saint of a man. Well, new flash pal – I'm nowhere near a saint." He gazed at me from the corner of his eye; all emotion was void from his voice. "The only reason I was able to find the brat was because I had to deliver the old bastard's wallet; he left it at the bar a few nights ago and I finally got around to giving it to him. On my way, I found your boy half-dead, half-alive, in the alleyway leading to their house." Eiji smirked, "You're pretty lucky that I was feeling compassionate that day."
My blood, it was boiling to the point where I could see flashes of red at the corners of my eyes. This, this – this absolute bastard! "Are you saying that, if you weren't feeling up to it, you would have just left Yugi there to die?"
He just shrugged, and that mere body movement nearly sent me lunging at him right there and then. "Maybe I would have, maybe I wouldn't have. Like I said, I'm no saint."
"You're a real bastard, do you know that?"
That sad look in his eyes, no matter how much he tried to hide it behind that smirk, I could see it clearly. "Funny, that's the last thing Kyouske said to me before all this shit reared its ugly head." With a, very long sigh – that also seemed to calm me down a little; only a little – Eiji turned his gaze back to the see-through glass. It was kind of like; his mind was off somewhere else. Even though he'd probably never admit it, he must really care for Kyouske.
The last bits of my anger were slowly dissipating as some part of my heart went out to this man. Yes, for lack of better words, he was an ass. But, I don't know his full story, and it seems like he does have some shred of compassion very, deep, down there.
"You and Kyouske, you guys were good friends?"
Eiji just scoffed, "If by, 'good friends', you mean I supplied him alcohol and he gave me good money – then yes, we were the best of friends." Even after my death glare and eye roll, this man still had enough nerve to shrug them off. "You know, it's probably my fault all of this shit happened. I knew what was going on; I just never did anything about it."
"Why would you say – Wait," I spun around and stared him dead in the eye. "You knew this whole time what he was doing to Yugi and you did nothing?" I gripped him by the shirt collar, ready to knock this guy straight to the ground. However, once I saw that, very dim, lost and sad look in his eyes – I couldn't go through with it.
"No matter how much I'll hate to admit it, Kyouske and I were good friends. Would you really sell out your best friend, the man you've known since diapers, for a little boy you barely even know? Sorry if I sound like some stone cold bastard, but it's true." His eyes looked turned downcast, "It's actually a sad story, I've just stood there, for years, watching my best friend lose himself more and more into that fucking addiction… and now look what's happened. He's in a coma, and the doctors say there's a slim chance of survival." Eiji's voice dropped, for now, I could actually see where he was coming from.
Having to watch your best friend destroy his life, along with another, and feel almost some what apart of it in someway. But, it still didn't make sense to me why he felt like it wasn't his business in the first place! That's the one thing I can't wrap my mind around and it's bugging me out! No matter how much I try to search for answers, for any scrap of emotion, all I find is thick ice; hiding from me any forms of emotion.
Before I could say anything though, a doctor arrived giving us both a nod before he turned his gaze towards the see-through glass as well – by then, my grip on Eiji's collar was already gone.
"It's sad, isn't it?" neither one of us replied, however, but the heavy silence was a good enough answer for the both of us. "His only hope right now is life support but, that won't really matter if the person attached to it is in pain." The doctor gave us a sad smile, "Are you two family members or something?"
"Friend," was Eiji's quiet and quick reply.
I, on the other hand, didn't know how to answer him. So, without really voicing my opinion, my head silently moved from side to side; that seemed to be enough to console the doctor.
"Do you know any of his immediate family? I'm sure they'd like to come and visit."
This time, both Eiji and I let out a small scoff, "Already have that covered. His son's being operated on as we speak." Was Eiji's his blunt reply.
"I see," the doctor shifted on both his feet uncomfortably, "then I'm guessing, after his operation is complete and he is fully recovered, I should talk to his son about his options."
We didn't need any details about what he meant – we got the message loud and clear. Kyouske's life was literally in Yugi's hands; he could either keep him or life, or pull the plug. Such a great responsibility was now resting on Yugi's shoulders – would my son ever get a break?
"Sir, I don't think-,"
"Are you seriously going to give that much responsibility to a sixteen year old?" Eiji glared slits towards the doctor, shocking the both of us. I never expected to hear such raw emotion from him – it shook me to the core. "That's absolute bullshit, and you know it! You can't just hand over a life to a child, expecting him to know what to do with it; it would break him to pieces!"
"I can see your point here, Sir, but apparently this boy is Kyouske's only family. It's my job, and the law, that I allow his son to make the choice."
"Screw that – just screw it all to Hell! You can't honestly believe-,"
"-Eiji, that's enough," shaking my head quietly, I lay a calm, yet firm, hand on his shoulder. I can feel the tense muscles underneath my palm and by the few muscle spasms and gritting of teeth – it's obvious that Eiji is fuming mad. "When Yugi wakes up, I'll talk him about it and see what he wants." Turning my attention back to the startled doctor, I give him my most apologetic smile, "You'll have to excuse my friend, he gets very passionate involving things he cares about."
With an understanding nod, and an almost timid nod, the doctor bid us goodbye and left us alone. The silence was deafening, the only sounds were our intakes of breath and random foot scuffles against the floor. Shrugging off my hand, Eiji quickly started to walk away from me – probably childishly enraged by the thought that I called him passionate.
"You do care," I said softly, but it was loud enough to fly through the airwaves and land in Eiji's ears.
Stopping right in front of the door, he turned around glancing at me from the corner of his eye. "You don't know a damn thing," and walked out the door.
In reality, I think I've learned a lot more from this experience than expected.
+Save the Innocent: Remove that Mask+
+Mai's POV+
Cute people should never frown. Frowning causes massive wrinkles, and a boy at his age should not be trying to bite off his lower lip. Poor kid though, his lover's going through surgery and his only way of comfort is by praying that things turn out alright – which they will. I always believe in a happy ending.
"Keep biting on that lip of yours and you won't have any left to kiss Yugi with, dear." I laugh at the semi-shocked look on his face. My, it's like he's not used to my flirtatious dialogue yet. Anyway, I slipped into the chair beside him and offered him a fresh tissue which he gladly accepted. After a few, very loud, blows it seemed like he had calmed down slightly.
"He's going to be okay… right?"
I hate hearing that. Not those words, but the emotions hidden in those words. They were always there, just hiding underneath the surface. Ranging from guilt, to sadness or hate, and love – they'd always be there. The slight crack in his voice when he asked me that question, that crack immediately found its place in my heart and I just couldn't take it anymore.
"C'mon here, dear," when my motherly instincts kick in, there's absolutely no stopping them. I pulled Yami into a hug and tenderly stroked his long and spiky, tri-colored, locks. It wasn't an easy task mind you, seeing that the armrests were in the way, but somehow we managed, and as I rocked the disheveled teen in my arms, the melody to an old lullaby started to reverberate in my throat.
"Don't worry, okay? Worrying causes unnecessary stress that a cute guy like you doesn't need. Listen to me, dear, Yugi will be just fine. And before you know it, you'll be holding him in your arms just like this; whispering those sweet words of love and reassurance." I pulled him back at arm's length and smiled sweetly, "Doesn't that sound good?"
A warm, sort-of bubbly, feeling pooled in my stomach when I saw the top corners of his lips twitch into a small smile. "Yeah… it does."
That smile, those rays of hope that reflect in a person's eyes, the warm feeling that bubbles in my stomach – those are the reasons why I picked my profession in medicine – to give people hope.
And right now, hope's the one thing these people need the most.
Done, done and done, hope you've enjoyed.
Chapter 22, I'll be looking back at my plotlines that I typed up but never followed and see what to do. If you have any ideas, please feel free to share.
I'm heading off to bed, Night everyone (: