Seto knew he was wondering rather aimlessly, without any purpose except to flee from the horrific tension that rose so unwelcome,
and to clear his head. He knew he had stormed out rather rudely, and at the moment, he truly didn't give a damn at the moment.
His muscles were quaking with unresolved fury, and while the night itself was unseasonably warm, Seto found himself grateful
for the extra layers of clothing, and the extra energy the anger gave him. How long it would last, he did not know, or care.
He was not foolish enough to believe for one moment that Mokuba or Yami would leave his much craved solitude interrupted
for very long, and he cringed at the demands for an explaination, or another bitch session on how ' he needed to quit pushing himself,
since he was so ill.' Mercifully, he was rarely subjected to such condensending bullshit, now. Mokuba must have bitten his tongue
until it bled, most of the time, any more. Seto winced at the sharp realization of how much Mokuba had danced around his mood
swings now without complaint, and felt unwelcome guilt rise again. He knew that he would apologize to his younger brother, after
he got ahold of himself again. Sadly, but not suprisingly, holding all of himself together was proving to be more and more difficult.
Seto had not gotten very far, maybe a block or so, in one meandering circle, his path lit by the stars and the occasional street light.
This area of town was a bit more rural than most, and Seto felt the refreshing wind blowing up through an open field flanking the
street. Raising his eyes to the bright sky bloated to exploding from the weight of the stars, Seto sighed, drinking in the bueaty and
welcoming the distraction from his earthly struggles. Vaguely, he wondered how the Hands of the Almighty could create such aching
splendor, and yet allow the illness that was slowly claiming him bit by bit. It was a paradox and a tortured one that Seto had mused
over many times in his darker moods. At the moment, though, he was just extremely pissed off and fuming over the fact that a simple
night out to escape all the usual problems had only served to bring them up again.
He was so tired of all the bullshit.
Wearily, Seto drew his long coat over his body, belting it tighter against the growing chill and halting to debate if he should simply
call Mokuba and demand that they go home or stay out here in his attempt to cool off and get his head on straight. Glancing around at
the peaceful night air, and the rare solitude, Seto slid the cell phone back in his pocket, after making sure it was on vibrate in case
Mokuba called. Seto knew that his little brother would either run after him, or fret himself into a frenzy wondering if he was supposed to
disobey Seto's wish, or wait.
Seto's musings were interrupted by the intrusive pounding of two sets of feet coming up from behind. Tensing, Seto warily raised his
chin over his shoulder and scowled deeply to see Wheeler and Yami making their way towards him. Yami seemed guarded and extremely
leery of coming any closer than necessary, halting about six feet away, and standing awkwardly, his eyes narrowed and considering.
Wheeler, for once, seemed to have demonstrated some restraint, after Yami gave him a long, pointed look and subtly jerked his chin backwards.
Wheeler only nodded, jammed his fists in the pockets of his denim jacket, and sighed, shaking his head.
Seto only sighed, crossed his arms and whirled to face them with his eyes already sliding into his characteristically icy glare. "Spare me from the
typical bullshit of condolences, and kindly let me irenterate, in case it wasn't clear enough the first time. Leave me the hell alone."
It was nothing more than a quiet snarl, restrained and bitter, as he forced himself to straighten from the nearly crouched hunch he had allowed his
body to relax into.
Yami only tilted his head to the side, clearly regretting the mad dash after Seto from the restaruant, and Joey only crossed his arms and glared at Seto
from beneith his golden bangs, irritated.
"Look...Mone-" At Seto's withering look that could scrape paint off a car, Joey hastily corrected himself, "Sorry-Seto- I..." Joey's words faltered miserably
when Seto only stared them down, balling both of his fists and tucking them under each shoulder. Seto only raised an eyebrow, and with mocking
patience, waved a flourishing hand into the air.
"Sorry, Wheeler? Why? Is it the fact that I'm dying, or you feeling guilty about being an asshole about this whole situation that's forcing those words out of your
mouth? Is it some pathetic attempt to avoid regrets about being unkind to the bastard Seto Kaiba, or are you both realizing here and now what line you just
crossed when I just asked you both to leave me the hell alone, and you ignored it?!"
Yami inhaled air in shock, and looked as if he had, in fact, swallowed his tongue whole as he turned his bulging eyes to Joey. Joey was flushed with fury, and balling
both hands into instinctive fists.
"And how in the hell am I an asshole, you stuck-up, rich prick?? You're damn lucky that you're dying, you bastard, or else I'd..."
Seto glared sharply at the insult, and his eyes only grew colder. Grinning sadistically, he only shook his head with a bitter chuckle, spread his arms wide in mocking invitation. "Go ahead, mutt. If you really think yourself capable of taking me down and winning, take your best swing, now, or kindly shut the hell
up and leave me alone. My dying just might even up the odds enough to give you a chance at least."
Joey only snarled back, "Get the f-- over yourself, Moneybags. I sure as hell ain't gonna fight ya in your current condition." Seto rolled his eyes heavenward,
and hissed, "How charitable of you. Should I assume it's an act of mercy on my part for not kicking your ass, or an act of mercy on my part for sparing you the embarrassment? " Seto sighed, and shook his head, renewed his sarcasm, as he moved his dirty look to Yami.
" Don't tell me you
wanted to give me your kindly regards and a basket of roses, Yami.
What the hell are you doing here, and why did the mutt follow you out
here?
Did the puppy get lost and you felt bad for him?"
Yami cringed when he heard Joey's grunt of anger, but did not expect the blond to actually lurch forward until he was nearly nose to nose with Seto and trapped against the wall. From the way that Seto's eyes bulged for a brief moment, Yami knew that Seto didn't expect it either.
Joey only stared at Seto, for a long, terse moment, golden brown eyes narrowed and considering as Seto fought the urge to belt him right there for being so violatingly close. He couldn't stand it for much longer.
"Ya wanna kick my ass, rich boy? Go for it. I'll consider it a last request." Joey gave him a mocking smirk before he abruptly stepped back and left Seto heaving, eyeing him with undisguised hatred, chafing from the sick reminder, and the source of it as Joey stood so smug and confident. Seto was nearly shaking with rage, as he snarled and shoved Wheeler away, sending him flying. Yami's eyebrows climbed high to see Joey stagger a sizable distance away, as Seto only looked
smug and gratified for a brief moment, before he resumed his irritated scowl.
"Consider that a taste, Wheeler. I'm relishing the thought of kicking your ass even more than normal, though I must admit that I am disappointed that it would only take a shove to bring you to your knees." Seto watched warily as Joey rose, and brushed the muck from his sleeve, distastefully, bit his lip, and with a smirk of his own, belted Seto flush to the chest. Joey watched at the billionaire grunted and curled an arm to his stomache, nearly doubling over with the suprising pain. Sucking in a breath through his clenched jaw, Seto rose, and hissed, "Do you feel better now, mutt?"
Joey only tilted his head, considering, and noting the white pinched line on Seto's forehead, and shuddered inwardly when he saw Seto's face. Seto looked like he was about to vomit for a tortured second before he resumed his hardened mask, and forced himself to stand straight. The question was mocking and betrayed no
hurt as Seto only stared down at them evenly, before Yami stepped between the two, palms out in defense.
"Enough!! I don't know if it's stupidity, wounded pride or bloated egotism that drives you both to such lengths of hating each other, and I don't care. I-"
Joey waved an irritated hand, and snapped, "Shut it, Yami. I don't think Rich boy here really appreciates your pamperin'. Fact of the madder is, I don't think
Rich Boy hates a good punch near as much as he hates you making his weakness an excuse to interupt our disagreement."
Yami only raised an eyebrow. "Then, please, Joey, enlighten me on how a blow to the stomach of a dying man is supposed to be a good thing?"
Joey jabbed a finger towards Seto. "Yami, would you give a s-- at all if he weren't dying? I don't remember you being so buddy-buddy before all this, so what gives
now?"
"Mutt, you are hardly one to lecture him on giving a shit when you just punched me. But, lest there be any credence to the notion that I need pampering-." Seto let a fist fly and was gratified to see Joey's face crumple from shock to agony as bone and flesh almost snapped. Joey cupped a fist to keep the blood from staining his jacket, and hastily snatched the offered cloth that appeared out of nowhere. Joey warily pinched it over his nose, and was relieved to note that it wasn't broken. He was genuinely suprised to see that the hankerchief was actually one of Seto's that he kept, due to his distaste of tissue paper and the mess it made on his dark suits.
Seto's eyes warily slid up to survey the damage, was rather pleased and disappointed to see that his punch would only result in a bruise, if that. Quietly, he raised an eyebrow, and asked, pointedly, "Are we done exchanging blows, Mutt, or do you want this to continue?"
Seto sincerely hoped that Wheeler would use some good sense for once and just stop. His gut ached from the blow, and he wasn't sure how much more firepower his strained body and already overtaxed nerves could take. Seto, as much as he loathed it, would have to walk away from the fight if it continued. From the exhaustion that was greedily leaching at his energy, to that horrified, stricken look in Yami's eyes, he knew that things had gone too far.
Wearily, he waited for the answer, as Joey eyed the blood with suprise, and wiped it away, carefully, before allowing that odd and easy forgiveness to show, as he
grinned at Seto. "Ya pack one hell of a punch, Moneybags. I ain't exactly itching for another one." It was a gracious exit to a situation that could have turned even more ugly, and Seto noted that Yami exhaled the breath he had been holding. Yami said nothing for a long, long moment, only fisted his hands in the effort to draw some more stable air, and closed his eyes. Joey was suprised to see Seto's troubled frown as he stared at Yami. "What's the problem now, Yami?"
Yami shook his head, muttered, "Nothing another fight is going to improve, or an explanation will solve. I am glad to see that you two...have settled your differences, in however odd a matter. Now however perverse or temporary your truce may be, might I point out that now might be a good time to get back?I can only
imagine what Mokuba is thinking right now, or Yugi for that matter."
Seto only smirked, fondly at Mokuba's name. "I don't know about your cheerleader, Yami, but I know that Mokuba knows me well enough to give me the space I need to sort stuff out and get my head on straight when I ask for it. Unlike some people." He concluded, sourly.
"I don't know if it was touching concern, or idle curiosity that drove you two out here, and I don't give a damn at the moment. I'm not going to just suddenly drop dead, despite your wishes, Wheeler, and I'm not going to drift away after a pretty speech on my deathbed, Yami. And I really don't give a damn at all what anybody
thinks about my dying but me and my brother. Other people's oppinions have never concerned me all that much, and they sure are not a priority now."
At noticing Joey's stunned expression at Seto so bluntly referring to his death, Seto shook his head, tiredly. "Wheeler, I don't have the time to contend with your issues, either. Yes, I'm dying, no, I'm not shy about that fact, and no, I'm not wanting this to be the focal point for the rest of my shot to hell night on the town. You and I have never been fond of each other, but there's no point in continuing the bullshit right now. Are you man enough to be civil, or do I need to give you another incentive?" Seto smirked wickedly, as he popped his knuckles.
Joey curled a lip in disgust. "Fine, ya prick. I'll be civil, and make nice, if only for Yugi's sake. I still think you're a rich bastard, but,Seto?" Joey hesitated, as he
raised his eyes to stare into Seto's.
Seto raised another eyebrow at the searching tone in Joey's trailing words. Gritting his teeth, Seto gave him a grunted acknowledgment. "I never wanted ya dead, and I never hated ya."
Seto hid the look of shock masterfully, but could only nod at Joey. "That's...good to know, Wheeler." He whispered, with a smirk, and Joey could not tell if Seto was being sarcastic, or not. He didn't bother himself to ask as he watched Seto only cross his arms, and straighten his coat, and work up another smirk to be presented
to Mokuba. There was so much left unsaid, as Yami spun on his heel, and trotted back towards the resturaunt. With an understanding shake of his head, Yami only said over his shoulder, "I'll go inside and make your excuses. If you're not back by the end of the meal, I'll have it placed in a box for later."
Joey watched Yami leave, clearly puzzled as Seto grimaced at being left alone. Again. With Wheeler, no less. Apparently, Yami seemed to think that he needed to have another one of those gut-wrenching, boo-hoo fests with Joey as well. Seto wasn't sure if he should have admired Yami's manipulation, or hate him for it.
Eyes narrowed and his mouth screwing up into a puzzled frown, Joey turned to peer at Seto. "Exactly why do ya hate me, anyway? What the hell did I ever do to you?" Seto only grimaced, shoved his hands into his pockets and started to strive resolutely for the food place, only biting out the words, "Not now, Wheeler. Of all the damn times and people to have a discussion about my issues, you have the worst timing of anybody.. Now, if you'll excuse me-or not- even dying people have to eat."
"Oh? And when will that be, Rich boy? Am I going to get an explanation at your funeral, or will you bastard enough to haunt me as a ghost after you finally kick off?"
Seto slid his eyes to Joey's, and snarled, softly, "If I didn't hate you before, I'd like to thank you for giving me a reason to now. It makes your jackass persona that you have shown so masterfully everytime I see you all the more worthy of it. Let's ponder this for a moment, Mutt. Could it possibly that everytime I have the misfortune of being around you, you have the incessant need to call me a rich prick, or might it be the fact that you intruded on what I hoped would be a peaceful
night with my brother? I know it doesn't matter to you, Wheeler, but my time is limited, and I don't want to waste more of it on this damn discussion."
"All the more reason for you to hear me out, Kaiba. You and I ain't fond of each other, I know. But, I wouldn't wish what you're going through on ya. You ...don't deserve it. I just wish...that it wasn't like this for ya, Rich boy. For what it's worth, Kaiba, I'd rather have you alive and being the rich prick than dying like this.
It ain't right, and I'm sorry."
Seto did not look at him, did not acknowledge the words for a long, long moment, and then only nodded, whispered, softly, "As am I, Wheeler."
