Summary: Tragedy strikes. Joey Wheeler is gone forever. Or is he? Joey POV. Post Duelist Kingdom AU. Will eventually be Seto/Joey shounen-ai.
Author's Notes: Well, I thought I'd try writing a YuGiOh fic. And it's still going. And going. And whoa, still going.
Thanks for all the reviews! I hope I can make this story worth the time you guys put in to read it ^_^
JKJ: Tristan will get a paragraph or two eventually, I think…
Kurai chan: Nope, no Shadi or Isis in this story! That's okay, Joey doesn't need them.
Llyxius: Yes, writing every day can be done… but next time I'll wait until all my exams are over before starting :P It's easier to put the story together if I write a chunk of it as often as I can. Otherwise, I forget what I did several chapters ago…
man-o-man: Actually, I don't think the story's going to quite end up that way. However, it's an interesting idea... Go write it! I wouldn't mind reading something like that ^_^
YAMIGIRL: What's a 'yahn himir'? And would he punch you for calling him that?
Warnings: Character death (sort of), language, angst, eventual Seto/Joey.
Disclaimers: I don't own YuGiOh or any other brand names you might come across. No flying pigs were harmed in the making of this fic.
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Being Dead Ain't Easy
Chapter Seventeen: What You Don't Say
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I walk through Kaiba's bedroom door, totally beat. He's sittin' at his computer, typing away. He takes a sip of some black gunk in the cup on his desk. It's either coffee or motor oil. He makes a face and almost spits it out, but ends up swallowing it anyway. I'm guessing motor oil.
"Hey, Kaiba."
He swivels around in his chair. "Hey, dog-boy," he says coolly. There's great big purple bags under his eyes. Kaiba looks like shit, and I'm not just saying that. I check the clock: 2:55AM. I took my time coming back. Did he stay up waiting for me? He drinks some more motor oil.
"Go to sleep, ya freak. It's almost 3AM."
"And miss your undoubtedly riveting tale of ancient dead Egyptians and lost forbidden magic? I think not." He swallows another mouthful of crud. "The anticipation is killing me. I fear my heart may burst."
Har dee har har. "Can the sarcasm, Kaiba. I'm not in the mood."
He puts the cup down. "So what happened?"
I belly-flop on the bed and flip over on my back. "We talked. He knows how to help me, but we didn't see eye to eye, so I left." I close my eyes. "We're back to square one."
Kaiba narrows his eyes. "What do you mean, 'we didn't see eye to eye'?"
Can't a ghost get some shuteye? "His price was way too high. He wanted..." Wait, I better not tell Kaiba; he doesn't like Yuugi. There's no telling what he'll do. "Doesn't matter what he wanted. I said no. End of story."
"Huh." Kaiba looks at me. "What can an Egyptian spirit possibly want?"
"Ya don't need to know." Oh great, that was the wrong thing to say. Now he's gonna be wondering.
"If it's money, I'll consider lending you some."
"It's not money. Drop it."
"No, it wouldn't be money. What would a dead Egyptian want with money?" he agrees. He starts trying to work it out for himself. "Power, perhaps? Prestige? Or something that would give him these things..." Kaiba's too freaking smart for his own good. "Something like-"
"I SAID DROP IT!"
Kaiba looks shocked. Well, as shocked as he ever looks. "What's your problem, Wheeler? If you don't want my help, just say so."
I didn't hurt Kaiba's feelings. He's fine. He's... I run a hand through my hair. "Aw man, Kaiba, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just... tired, okay?" And it's true. But lying down is doing some good.
Kaiba gets off his chair and walks over here. He checks me out slowly, remembering every little detail. I feel like I'm for sale. "Now that you mention it, you do look... less than your best." He comes even closer and stands by the side of the bed. "In fact, you look worse than you did before you left." He scowls at me. "What did you do, you stupid mutt?"
I look worse? I sit up and hold my hands up to my face. Looks the same to me. "How'd I look before?"
"Real. Solid." He grabs my hand and gets up close and personal with it. "But now, I can see through you."
He's right.
I didn't notice before, I didn't want to notice, but yeah, I can see his hand through mine. That's just wrong. I mean, I know I'm dead, but I'm not dead dead, 'cause I'm still here, ya know? The thing is, I don't feel dead. I don't know what it's supposed to feel like, but this can't be it. It can't be. I can't be fading already! It's only been, what, two, maybe three weeks...!
-most ghosts don't last for more than a month, at most!
"I'm just tired. Means nothing."
He narrows his eyes. "Like hell it means nothing." He's getting angry.
"It's totally normal. Nothing to worry about, Kaiba." I'm not convincing him. Or me.
"You were fine when you left!" He's still holding my hand.
"So maybe I overdid it a little!"
"Overdid it a little? Overdid it a little? WHAT HAPPENED, JOEY WHEELER!?" he yells at me. He's squeezing my hand way too hard. It's gonna end up like the phone in his office.
I yank it back. "NOTHING! I HAD A FIGHT WITH BAKURA, OKAY!?" I yell back.
"No, it's not okay!" Kaiba looks... he looks... I don't even know the word. "He did this to you."
"I did it to myself!" And if I get in a fight with Kaiba, I'm gonna make it worse. "I tired myself out, got dizzy, that's all. I just need to... lay down for a while."
"And does this happen every time you overexert yourself?"
"...Maybe." Only happened about twice so far.
He turns his back to me. "I should have gone with you, criminal on the loose or not," he says after a beat.
I don't get him. I really don't. He insults me, he beats me up, and now he's saying he's worried about me. He says he sees me everywhere he goes. "Why do you care, Kaiba? Why do you care?"
"We went over this already, Wheeler."
"So say it again."
He whirls around. "I don't hate you enough to let you die this way, you dumb dog! Is that so hard to understand?" he snarls at me. "Is that so very hard to understand?" He gets on the bed himself and moves up until he's right in my face. "Do I need to use smaller words?" he says in that quiet lethal way of his.
You don't know fear until you've got a rabid Kaiba six inches from your face, so close you can feel his breath. "Yeah, sure, use smaller words!" I say. Pretty bravely, too. "I'm just a dumb mutt, after all."
"Yes, you are. Very well, then. Let me put it this way." Kaiba suddenly grabs me and gets even closer. He's got a death grip on my shoulders. I wince. It hurts. His nails are sinking into me through my jacket. "I. Don't. Want. You. Dead." he hisses. He looks real angry, but his blue eyes, kinda red from no sleep, are filled with some emotion I can't read. He's so hard to get, and I don't think he even does it on purpose. I'm scared to death. I don't know if he wants to tear my throat out or what. He's staring right back at me. What does he see in my eyes? I just don't know. He's way too close. If he moves any closer he'll kiss me by accident.
And then he lets me go.
I sorta fall back stunned on the bed. I can still feel his claws in my shoulders. It's like I was just mauled by a wild animal.
He goes back to his computer and starts working.
Two questions spring to mind. Question one: What the hell was that!? I'm not gonna ask 'cause it might set him off again, but... damn. Maybe it was the coffee.
Question two: How come Kaiba can touch me? He's not a ghost. Unless there's something he's not telling me.
Good questions, great questions... that I can't ask right now. I'm even more tired now than I was before. Another scene like that and I might be in some serious trouble.
The minutes tick by. Tick. Tick. Tick. It's in my head. The clock's digital.
I can't stand it anymore. "What cha doin' now, Kaiba?"
"Work. Kaiba Corp. is... not doing as well as I'd like." Tappity tap. Gulp from the cup. What crazy attack on the bed? "I'm also running a search on every single conceivable way to keep you alive."
A bit too late for that, Kaiba. "I'm already dead, rich boy."
I get the feeling he's rolling his eyes. "Whatever, Wheeler. I'm trying to find a way to keep you from getting any worse, then."
"It's four freakin' thirty in the morning! Go to bed already!" Wait, I take that back. I'm not sleeping with him. Well, I won't actually be sleeping, but still...
"No point. I won't be able to sleep. Just lie there and try not to get any deader, alright?"
"Okay, ya bossy freak, but when I'm feelin' better, you'll be so sorry you ever messed with me."
"Good doggy. Now shut up and rest."
So I just close my eyes and lie there in Kaiba's bed, listening as he types his fingers off, listening as he works 'til morning.
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