** **

Giving In

Jou woke up to find himself sleeping on a plush couch in a rather large living room. He couldn't remember much from last night...

He could remember the distinct feeling of Seto Kaiba holding him close to his body. His strong arms helped him slightly through his "bad trip" but he had passed out before he could do anything else.

Kaiba must have moved him to the couch last night. He sat up slowly and looked around; the house was empty. Kaiba must have--

Jou's thoughts were cut off by the harsh opening and ... slamming of the front door. Kaiba was moving ferociously through the entry way, and quickly up the stairs. Jou wondered what was wrong with him. He got up slowly and padded to the large stairway that led to the upper level of the house.

Walking slowly up the stairs he made his way down the hall and then stopped in front of the closed double-doors that led into Kaiba's room. He reached for the handle slowly and turned.

He found Kaiba sitting on the edge of his bed, hunched over; his hands were gripping the side of his head. Jou walked slowly over to Kaiba, then waited for the taller man to say something to explain his odd behavior.

"... His heart stopped," Kaiba whispered quietly. "They ... they couldn't get it to start again. Mokuba's dead."

Jou stared in silence. He knew this should be shocking him more, but couldn't seem to place the reason why. It was obviously affecting Kaiba; Jou felt obligated to help him. He took a step towards Kaiba, but the crouching man jerked away from him. Not phased, Jou took another step towards him.

This time, Kaiba didn't pull away. Jou placed a gentle hand on top of Kaiba's soft hair. He stroked it lightly and he could feel Kaiba relax slightly. Jou sighed lightly and moved closer to Kaiba. He placed both of his hands on either side of Kaiba's shoulders and pushed the man down on the bed. Jou climbed up on the bed and laid down, pulling Seto with him.

Seto laid silently on top of Jou, quietly thinking about why Jou was doing this. Jou opened his arms slightly, pulling Seto closer to him. Kaiba rested his chin slightly sideways on the crook of Jou's neck.

Kaiba shuddered involuntarily as Jou ran his fingers through Kaiba's hair once more. Seto shifted, trying to get a look at Jou's face. As normal these days, Jou held an emotionless countenance. He looked down to the pillows once more, trying to find comfort in the hands that held no emotion.

Jou shifted, leaning down to look at Kaiba's face. He blinked, then leaned forward. Kaiba jerked back, but Jou placed a caressing hand on top of Seto's face. Jou's face was still blank as he leaned forward once more.

"… Don't," Kaiba said as he tried to move away again. "Jou ... don't k--"

"Shut up Seto," Jou replied and leaned in completely, placing his lips over those of the boy on top of him.

Seto's eyes went as wide as saucers, watching the impassive boy below him kiss him, still with his emotionless face. Seto idly wondered if Jou would ever snap out of it. If he'd show any true emotion again. He knew Jou was just trying to comfort him the way he thought was best, but Seto guessed that he didn't realize that everything Jou did affected Kaiba. It was killing him that Jou wouldn't show any emotion towards him. But he'd never tell him that.

So Seto finally gave into the false comfort and closed his eyes.

Jou stared once again impassively at Kaiba. He brought a hand up to Seto's face, running it over his cheek lightly. His face was soft, without blemishes. Too soft, really.. Jou finally pulled back from his first kiss. He turned his head towards the ceiling once more and pushed Kaiba on top of him again.

Seto's breathing slowed slowly and became even after about ten minutes of silence. Jou realized just how heavy having a body on top of him was. But, he figured, he needed to make up for what Seto did for him the night before. So he closed his eyes, forcing himself to sleep.

***

Seto woke with a start. He had had a nightmare and it had, frankly, scared the fuck out of him. He realized that there was something hard beneath him. He looked down to find Jou sleeping. Jou had really comforted him. Or ... at least he had tried to. Seto hadn't felt too much better, seeing as how his brother died last night, while he was at home, comforting Jou, when he should have been at the hospital.

Seto sighed and rolled to the side, laying next to Jou, flat on the bed. He looked to Jou through his peripheral sight. He felt his eyes narrow in anger. What exactly had he gotten into when he invited Jou into his home? Jou had truly brought his pain and addictions along with him.

Seto had the distinct feeling that he was hurting Jou more than helping him. He should take him to a detox center. Or ... get him a therapist.

Seto sighed heavily, knowing that Jou wouldn't go for that. Jou would continue his self-destructive behavior until it did just that. Destroyed him for good.

He looked to the ceiling. Would he lose Jou along with his brother?

A wave of depression washed over him as he tried not to think of the fact that Jou was never his to begin with.

***

Jou woke up slowly. It was dark outside. His memory slowly came back to him.

He had kissed Seto. ... Mokuba was dead. Jou sighed and shook his head, rubbing his eyes. A low grumble was heard for the first time within; Jou was finally getting hungry again.

He sat up in the bed and took in his surroundings. He always seemed to wake up alone. He stood up and walked to the bathroom in Kaiba's room, aware of the fact that he needed a shower.

About ten minutes later, Jou was dressed in the same raggy jeans and a new t-shirt. He walked slowly down the stairs into the living room, where he spotted Seto sitting on the couch, staring at the drugs that were laid out on the table. Jou hadn't cleaned them up.

Jou sighed and walked passed him, heading toward the kitchen; he opened the rather large fridge to find it fully stocked. Jou blinked. Seto must not have been eating either. He grabbed for two apples and went to the other side of the kitchen, looking for the knife drawer.

Once finally finding it he peeled the apples and cut them into quarters. He grabbed a plate that was sitting on a "drying rack" and placed the apples on it. He walked back into living room, taking a seat next to Seto. He showed it to Seto, and took a piece for himself, before placing the plate on the table next to the drugs.

Seto stared blankly at the plate. He wasn't hungry at all. Too depressed. The death of his brother was seriously hitting him hard now. He looked to Jou and looked to the plate.

"...You need to eat, Kaiba," Jou said at last.

"I don't take orders, mutt."

Jou looked at him wanly before taking a piece of the fruit and popping it in his mouth. He suddenly leaned over and placed his lips atop Seto's. Kaiba's eyes widened as Jou forced the slightly-chewed apple into his mouth.

Jou leaned back, and placed a hand over Seto's mouth, so not to let him spit the fruit out. He could feel Seto's jaw start to move, crunching the rest of the apple, before swallowing. Jou kept his hand over Seto's mouth.

"If you don't want me to do that again, I suggest you start eating, even if you're depressed." Jou's slight annoyance faded, leaving him in his normal, emotionless state.

Seto snarled, and shoved Jou's hand away from him. "You shut the hell up! You have no clue what it's like to lose a sibling."

Jou stood and stared blankly at him before speaking slowly. "… I don't, huh? Guess you didn't hear the news. Shizuka's dead." He paused, the anger growing in him, then said, "She was also hit by a car. But she died slowly, on the street. Not in a nice hospital bed, where people actually cared if she lived or died. Guess we have even more in common now."

Seto stared. Wasn't Shizuka blind? He thought she was supposed to be in the hospital. He had heard Yugi saying she was going to make a full recovery after her surgery.

"Oh sure, someone called an ambulance, but they were at least twenty miles from where we were. I was the one that found her, laying in the street. Bleeding slowly to death. You know what she said on her dying breath? Do you?!" Jou was starting to get hysterical.

"She said, 'Jouno-kun? I hope the person that hit me is okay'. That's what she said!"

Seto sat in shocked silence.

"I know exactly what it's like to lose a sibling." Jou was breathing hard, and made a few sounds of sobbing.

He glared at Seto. Damn him. Kaiba stood up slowly and reached into his pocket, then held up a small bottle and pushed into Jou's chest.

"… Morphine. Have a ball." With that said, Seto turned quietly away from Jou and went to sit on the couch a few feet away.

Jou opened the bottle and poured out the small pills. There were quite a few in the bottle, but he decided that three was enough. So he popped them in and swallowed dry, sitting back on the couch, staring at Seto.

It was half an hour before the effects started kicking in for Jou. Things were hazy, but he couldn't feel anything. He'd felt so much better than he had for years ... it seemed.

Jou tried to stand, but his body seemed like it couldn't handle the weight, so he fell to the floor.

Seto watched him. Jou laid sprawled on the floor, looking up at him. Seto noted his glazed eyes. It looked as though he was going to constantly cry, but the tears didn't come. Jou just stared.

His gaze was unnerving for Kaiba but he watched Jou anyway. He didn't really want another repeat with the acid.

Seto sighed. Reality was hitting him full on. Jou was dead inside; he realized it now. He was a broken mess. All the time he seemed happy, all the time where he showed his seemingly intense emotions, ... they were all false. It was a farce, it seemed. Jou died on the day his sister did.

Jou still laid, staring at him with eyes full of nothingness; Seto stared back. Jou would never be the same again. He wondered if he had ever known the true Jou. How long had this fragile person been broken?

And... Jou just stared.

-_-_-

JI: There we go! Chapter 9! One more left. ^_^

Betty: Wow. That was a sad chapter.

JI: Yeah.. it was, wasn't it?

Betty: Kinda twisted. I wasn't expecting Shizuka to be dead.

JI: Mm ... well. *shrug*

Betty: Please review! Chapter 10 will come out soon! Be sure to look for it!

JI: Yes. Review review review! =D