Author's Note: You thought I was dead, didn't you? That or you simply forgot I existed to begin with (probably the latter). Anyway, yeah…so this has been the worst semester thus far in my college experience so I hope you'll go a little easy on me. Anyway, I'm still not really back to myself yet, so this chapter might be a little sub-par.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh and I make no profit from this work.

Fair Play

Chapter 17: The Sound

Seto turned a corner and sank into the wall, praying that Joey wouldn't follow.

When only his words did, Seto felt a flush of relief with a pang of regret. He had overestimated Joey, he hadn't cared enough to break the silence and now he didn't care enough to chase after him.

Plastering on his patented fake smile, Joey ascended the stage. He graciously took the mic from Todd and began his now abridged speech.

"I know we just made it through a day of silence and all we want is to scream and start the party, but I need to ask your quiet and attention for a few minutes first. I want to thank you all for being here and for your dedication. We have been silent for far too long and your actions today proved how many people have carried this weight. Though there are many of us who aren't ready to take part, I believe that all of us who did made a difference today. Every year we see less resistance, more support." He took a deep breath. "One day of the year we are silent, for the rest of it we are loud and proud. It is our duty to spread awareness and encourage tolerance. Again, thank you all."

There was another tumult of cheering.

"I also have a few announcements to make. Some of you may have already heard, but the DCPA has received a substantial donation from Hedeiki Sagawa and with that money we will be buying our own space, somewhere to call our own, where people can break doors without risking our security deposit." He grinned down at Bakura while his eyes burned with unshed tears. "We don't have any set plans, just a lot of ideas and hopes. Hopes that Mr. Sagawa and all of you are making real every day. Thank you all again, and enjoy the party!" He smiled again and handed the mic back to Todd, who took over slightly over-zealously as Joey left the stage.

The blonde made his way through the crowd, graciously accepting congratulations, hand shakes and hugs, but all the while his mind was focused on one goal: Make it to the office without crying.

It was a close call, but he didn't break down until he heard the comforting click of the door.

There was a wrench of twisting guilt in his stomach. He'd always though Seto would be the one with skewed priorities.

It was Tahnya that found him there, back against his desk and jaw set.

__________________________________________________________

::Kaiba Mansion::

For the first time in five years, Seto cried.

It wasn't much, a few reluctant tears, some wet snuffling noises and the burning of damp tracks on his cheeks.

He had been hurt worse, broken worse, but never by someone he had come to care about. So in a way this pained him more than when his soul had been shattered on the floor of his mind. Before there had always been the comfort that the trust had been given out of necessity. It stung so much more to be betrayed by someone to who it had been freely given.

Anger still boiled inside him and his nails dug bloody crescent moons into his palms.

He thought bitterly about the kiss and all it had made him feel. In the bath room he bushed his teeth until his gums bled. He stared into the mirror, questioning himself, questioning everything, before giving up in disgust and showering until he was sure there was nothing of Joey left on him. He dried as much has he had the strength to then fell into his bed and a fitful sleep.

________________________________________________________________

::The DCPA::

When Tahnya first found him, Joey was sitting against, rather than at his desk.

His eyes were puffy, red rimmed, bloodshot and he tried desperately (though futilely) to stop his nose from running.

He gave a rattling gasp against the tears and snot (as though air was all he needed to speak). After several tried he managed to say to the shocked Tahnya, "I fucked up."

She stood there a moment longer (having never seen Joey discomposed by anything but embarrassment or lust), before sitting next to him pulling him to her chest. For once he didn't protest the proximity to her breasts, nor did he react when she dialed her phone.

It took a minute but Mokuba, yelling and confused in the dance outside, answered.

Tahnya managed to convey without screaming in Joey's ears, that something was wrong and Mokuba should come to the office.

He dramatically burst through the door within seconds, and was on the floor next to Joey and Tahnya before asking for any explanation.

At Mokuba's comforting hand Joey crying redoubled. "What did Seto do?"

The only response (aside from more tears) was from Tahnya.

"Why do you think Seto did something?"

"Well, aside from not seeing him out there and Joey crying," He said sarcastically, "Seto is a stupid fuck, I expect him to fuck up stupidly."

Tahnya shrugged as though this was reasonable and continued rubbing Joey's back.

"Should I get the others?" He ventured.

At no negative from Joey, he went, first heading outside with his cell.

Seto's voicemail greeted him with it's usual lack of enthusiasm.

"Seto, goddamnit, pick the fuck up. Joey is really upset and while I know it was both of your stupid faults, I need to know what happened and he can't tell me. What happened between you too? Are you ok? I'm going to try and help Joey calm down then come home, I wont be long. Please call me back."

Clicking it shut and pocketing it with a cathartic overuse of force, he went back in to find the others.

Luckily it wasn't difficult. They were all dancing in close proximity (with Ryou and Bakura more in the shadows than the others). He screamed and signed over the din for them to follow, leaving them less prepared than he was upon entering the office.

Yugi was immediately on the floor with Tahnya and Ryou was only a beat after him. Duke looked confused and unsure while Yami, Tristan and Bakura demanded as one to know what was going on.

Without an answer they all seemed to come to the same conclusion as Mokuba. Seto had done something to hurt Joey. To this they added, and now he has to pay.

It would not be unfair to say this was a rather masculine response, looking for a solution rather than analyzing the problem. Sadly their idea of a solution would only injure their fists, sooth their egos and in the end, do even more harm to Joey.

Tahnya, Ryou and Yugi took a more holistic approach. Rather than treating the symptoms they wanted to fix the root cause. They had seen how Seto felt for Joey and knew that he was probably suffering as well, they also knew that the only way to make this better started with calming Joey down enough to talk.

____________________________________________________________________::Kaiba Mansion::

Seto watched his phone dance across the night stand, the front screen lit up with Mokuba's face.

He had no plans to answer (he was unsure of his voice and less sure of his temper) but listened to the message (the third) when it appeared.

Somehow (though he was clearly growing more and more frustrated with each call) Mokuba managed to sound both angry and understanding. Still, his obvious worry overshadowed any other emotions he was harboring.

He stared at the now dark phone with no sense of time until he heard his brother's voice outside the door.

He pleaded.

He goaded.

He threatened.

He whined.

He tried every method that had ever worked on his brother. None of them succeeded.

When silence fell between them, both realized an impasse had been reached.

Seto heard Mokuba settle down on the other side of the door. Clearly the significance of an impasse was lost on Mokuba.

"You can't stay in there forever." He said as though it were a matter of fact.

Seto rolled his eyes, hearing an echo of himself in his brother's voice.

"No, not forever, but the panic room has enough food to last me a while."

Seto could hear the smirk in Mokuba's voice. "I changed the code."

Seto cursed under his breath and opened the door, knowing it was too much effort to start a cyber war with his brother right now.

Mokuba's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "You look like hell."

"Thanks." He said, turning to his dresser to add something to the boxers he was wearing.

"Like, road work in hell." He continued.

"I know."

Mokuba had still not composed himself enough to say anything else by the time Seto was dressed and left the room. He did however, have the presence of mind to follow, while still meditating on the now obvious magnitude of Seto's feelings for Joey.

When Seto had finally sat down in the kitchen to prod at the bowl of oatmeal he just made, Mokuba tried again. "What happened?"

"He wouldn't talk to me. I got angry. I kissed him. He still wouldn't talk to me. I got more angry. I yelled. I left." He said each sentence as though it were just a cold fact, distancing himself from the pain by making himself an observer rather than the injured participant he was.

Mokuba sighed. "I'm sorry. If I'd thought he'd be that stubborn about it I would have warned you, but I never thought about it."

Seto didn't say anything but continued playing with his oatmeal.

"This might not help, but I saw him afterwards. I think not talking to you was one of the hardest things he's ever done."

Seto continued in silence, but drops began rolling down his cheeks from behind his bangs.

When he finally pushed his food away uneaten, and cradled his face in his hands, Mokuba went to the freezer for ice cream. Habit to facilitate conversation and cold to numb the pain.

::End Chapter::