Seth: Okay someone's prediction/suggestion was right on the mark in this chapter. Next chapter btw, is the 'party'.

Forever Scarred

Chapter 29

There are some things that can't be explained even with time. The unexplained remains forever a naivety the arrogant human souls attempt to crack but repeatedly fail. What is it that drives the fragile souls to instill and immerse themselves in activities and journeys they know are hazardous and unsafe? The answer to this is passion.

"Kaiba."

The brunet halted and turned to face the blushing blond. "Was there something more you wanted to say?" He asked lightly a little confused at Jyonouchi's rush to catch up with him.

The blond smiled faintly and nodded, "Well not really but" He shifted in place a little, "Is it okay if I just hang out in your office with you? I won't bother you or get in your way or anything, I just don't want to be alone in my room thinking about what you are doing and what I can –"

Kaiba rolled his eyes, "All right enough with the rambling explanation. Fine, but you better not bother me while I am doing my work."

Jyonouchi exhaled in relief. An enormous excitement rushed over him for no inexplicable reason other than he'd get to spend time in a room with Kaiba-not that he'd really be spending time with him but still, it was what he wanted as strange as it sounds.

Kaiba led him to his locked up office and pulled out the keys from his pocket. "You really don't like anybody in here without you huh?"

The other shrugged as he opened the door; "There are a lot more valuable things in this room than anywhere else in this entire house. I just take the precautions to ensure they stay valuable and safe." He replied.

"Oh." 'Wow, there must be some important stuff then.' "I suppose most of it deals wit' your company?"

"Most of it." The brunet sat down in his chair at the desk.

Jyonouchi sat down on the small sofa near the door and a stack of books on the coffee table before him. 'Most of them huh? So does that mean Kaiba hasn't read all of these? Well I guess it doesn't matter since they're probably from past things that happened.' The blond sighed and lay down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

Kaiba glanced over at him and mentally sighed. 'Is he honestly going to sit there until I'm done with my work? He is getting stranger and stranger every day. What could possibly be running through that head of his? Obviously he's disturbed by something but it's not about him. He would've told me or started crying if he were hurting- or at least I would have caught it. What made him forget about eating breakfast and lunch, Jyonouchi never misses a meal.'


"So you're the sweet Anzu that Yugi so desperately cares for. Well, I guess I can see why he likes you so much. You're pretty I'll give you that." Her words matched her smirk perfectly.

Anzu stared up at her and glared, "You're that woman I saw in the girl's restroom at the restaurant. Where's is Yugi at you witch?" She fumed pulling at the chains that bound her to the wall.

Lien knelt down to her level and cupped her chin in her hand. "It's okay to be afraid. Personally I enjoy the look of horror in the eyes of beautiful people. As for Yugi, he's pretty good looking in the buff. Have you ever seen him in that way?"

Tears were finding their way to her eyes as she took in the words, "You're sick! How can you do this to people?"

"How can anyone do anything? Your little group seems to be the type that punishes and judges anyone different than them. But I bet you would do anything in the name of love and 'justice'. No one has the right to take a life, do you agree with me? And yet your friend Yami just got through killing some of my men. Are you going to tell me the deaths were justified?"

Anzu wiggled her face out of the woman's hand. "I don't care about your opinion. You better let me go before my friends find me and get me out of here!"

She laughed lightly and brushed the hair out of Anzu's face. "My dear young girl, I wouldn't count on Mr. Honda Hiroto to come and save you for he is in our custody already. And as for Yami, it won't be long until we have him in our grasp as well. So, Yugi, Hiroto, and Yami. You have on one left."

"I'm not listening to you!" She bit back the sobs she wanted to scream, "We're not through with you. You're going down."

"And how will that happen? There is no one left. And soon we will have our sweet beautiful Katsuya back. It's only a matter of time."

"You'll never hurt him again! He's protected by Kaiba and he won't ever give him back to scum like you." She replied still trying to shake the chains.

Lien stood back to her feet. "Foolish girl. How you have been so misguided and naïve I am really disappointed that I couldn't experience you first. But alas you will be happy or I mean miserable to know you will be attending our party this weekend." She turned and opened the door, "Oh and you realize that if we had just been given our Katsuya back youand your friends wouldn't be here in the first place. Ciao."

"He's not yours!" She shouted before being left in the silence of darkness.

Lien put her finger to her lips and furrowed her brows. "She really seemed stunned that everyone was kidnapped. And she said Seto Kaiba was protecting Katsuya. Hm. I wonder what he told them all and why he's acting like their friend and also ours." She smiled and headed on out of the cabin.


Jyonouchi drummed his hands against the sofa arm and sighed. It'd been an hour and admittedly he was starting to get bored. He didn't know why he thought sitting quietly would be so fun but here he was now nonetheless. Sure he still had a chance to leave but he didn't want to. If one thing fascinated him it was Kaiba's ability to remain focused on his given task. If he had to work, he would do so until everything was completed. The only problem the brunet had was managing time.

'He works more and more and doesn't have the time to spend with Mokuba at the end of the day. But I know he hates that fact and yet I don't understand why he doesn't just put down the pen and do it right now. They're both inside, both under a lot of pressure and yet, Mokuba is in his room alone and Kaiba is in his work… alone.'

The thought hadn't really occurred to him until now. There was a reason for the two brother's personalities, why Mokuba was so friendly and accepting and Kaiba's determination to have none. 'How can one hope to make new friends when there is all this stuff going on at home? I have Yugi and the others only because they found me and were nice to me from the start. They made me feel like I wasn't just dirt. But I bet Kaiba never got that chance since he probably wasn't allowed to step outdoors. I don't believe anything physical happened to Mokuba- Kaiba'd never allow that. He is strong and has accomplished so much but he's,' Jyonouchi sat up and straightened, 'He's grown too independent and attached to his work.'

Jyonouchi stood to his feet and slowly walked to the front of Kaiba's desk. The brunet put down his pen and stared up at the determination in Jyonouchi's eyes. "Is something wrong?" He asked a little concerned with the mixed turmoil feeling the air.

The blond had a lot of things to say but he didn't know how to properly express it. "I need to ask, I mean say something to you but it's hard 'cause I know it's personal and none of my business but it keeps coming to me and I know if I don't say somethin' it'll just go on and on and-"

"Would you shut up and spit it out already?" Kaiba cut in growingirritated and curious.

Jyonouchi nodded but turned and walked over to behind the desk and to Kaiba. "It's about what happened to you in your past with Gozaburo."

Kaiba stood up and stared at him thoroughly. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the abuse you went through. The reason you relate and feel it's your personal mission to help me." He replied matter-of-factly.


"You've never heard it?"

Yugi shook his head. "No. I didn't think Jyonouchi cared about writing songs and-"

"In this place Yugi, you can be the stupidest person alive and still come up with some deep chilling story. As for me and Jyonouchi, we were always paired up together mostly because, he kept getting scared and nervous and sometimes would cry."

Yugi was hurt deeply by the images given to him. "What about you?"

"Well, despite the fact that he was here long before I was, I developed a system of uncaring and indifference. I don't cry when it's my turn to bend over and get fucked."

Yugi flinched and grimaced, he wanted to throw up at the emotionless statement. "How can you sit there and say that? How can you feel nothing?"

"How do you still hold hope? That sounds more ridiculous and insane to me. I am not saying I do not feeling anything, I'm saying there is no point in crying tears no one will come to wipe away. Jyonouchi never got that but he had an attachment and time to spend in the world outside this realm of what normalcy sees as disgrace. I for one, have no connection to the people or world outside the one I live in. It's a fantasy that'll drive you mad if you keep pondering and hoping."

"You're wrong to give up." There was nothing more said from Jinoh. Yugi cringed, as the pain hadn't left his side yet. He huddled against his own wall and sighed.


"You've lost it. Jyonouchi I think you are not focusing on the problem at hand. We aren't talking about me and, or about whatever happened to me in my past. This talk of 'abuse' is none of your business and honestly I don't know what you're talking about." He stated clearly, staring him in the eyes.

"How you can you look someone in the eyes like that and tell a lie? I know things happened."

Kaiba was growing very angry with him but he didn't want to fight someone he had grown to care a lot for. He wasn't going to tell the blond anything about himself for there was no reason to. This whole situation was about Jyonouchi and had nothing to do with him. "I don't want to argue but wherever you got this idea from, just forget it. There's nothing to tell of the past. The past is the past and it has no importance to the present or the future. Maybe you should remember that."

Jyonouchi sighed and softened his expression, "But Kaiba."

"Those who wallow in the past Jyonouchi are only doomed to destruction. Now why don't you go do something that interests you and leave me to my work?" He suggested heading for the door. Jyonouchi followed behind him.

"Now," Kaiba opened it up. "Go find Mokuba and try to relax."

Jyonouchi stared at him and then at the door. So many emotions were running through him. Yes he was angry that the brunet didn't trust him enough to admit the truth to him but on the other hand it only proved his theory on how Kaiba just can't express and state his pain to others even if he wanted to. 'Afraid to let others know because then you'd need to admit the realization that people know the truth about you- that you weren't always invincible and you have disgraceful scars. It's the fear of the truth then that scares you?'

Jyonouchi stared at the other for a long while before clenching his fists and grabbing the door from Kaiba's hand and shutting it. "There are so many things but I know now how you feel." He said with a low whisper and a small smile adorned his face. For once Kaiba was without words. "You're just the most amazing person in the world." He further defined as he drew closer to him. And slowly, his hands crept up his chest and wrapped around his neck.

"Jyonouchi." Was the only thing Kaiba could mutter out before the blond pulled him down into a warm soft kiss.