Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Yugioh! Or even anything associated with it. That's right! I disclaim it!

Df: On with the fic.

Bhakti: Poor Jou-kun…

Baka and Bishounen:

Chapter 9: Duel 2

Joey walked home in the now driving snow. He hoped Kaiba was alright. He was in a dream, high on a feel. Kaiba really actually liked him, there were no jokes or games or hurts. It was real. He was beaming, lost in the game of light and darkness that the snow was playing with the street lights. He was practically dancing back to the game shop. This made him laugh too. He'd missed half of Tristan's birthday for this, but it was a once in a life time opportunity, and everything else had fell through miraculously. He felt like singing, or painting a picture, or watching an old sappy war movie on that historical channel... TV!  He'd forgotten! The rest of the interview! His doubts welled up. But they couldn't overwhelm him. Nothing could now. Kaiba cared about him, but what had he said?

Joey raced into the building, flew up the stairs, glanced in the room where his friends were sprawled out, saw they had left him a bed. They gave him a feeling of warmth, but that feeling just dragged out his other emotions. He quickly dived for the TV, and flicked it on, changed it to the news channel and waited. He checked the clock. 12:07.

He was forced to watch tens of pointless news articles, things he'd already read in the paper, things that didn't affect him. But finally, just before he was about to turn in for the night, the moment he'd been waiting for arrived, the repeat of the interview with the boy behind the BewD.

"Just now Seto Kaiba's younger brother has been reported to have said the following: 'Ew, but big brother, Joey wheeler is a boy. And it's Joey Wheeler. You could do better no matter what. What is wrong with you?' These reports could ruin the young CEO's career, and we'll have him on the screen after these messages. Can he really deny this? Find out when we return."

"Yeah, yeah I heard this" Joey responded to the television. He was running out of patience. He wanted to see Kaiba on TV. He didn't even worry about what Kaiba had to say anymore, it didn't mean anything to him! He knew Kaiba cared!

"Well, usually 'you could do better' refers to relationships, but it just wasn't the case. I was simply going over whom I was inviting to my little get to together, tomorrow in fact, some friends from school, Joseph Wheeler, along with his sister, and other local accomplished duellists, like Yugi Motou". My sister; He couldn't figure out the stunt Kaiba was up to. Wasn't what he said enough?

Kaiba continued on the television screen. "Obviously my little brother thinks I can make better friends then some average kids, but all rich kids, really long to be average I think-" 'A LITTLE OVER DRAMATIC DER KAIBA?!' Joey was screaming in his head. It annoyed him that Kaiba called him average, but it really burned to hear him say that about Yugi.

"And I also think his sister is well above average" Joey was send into shock. The situation was a lot more delicate then he'd admit before. His eyes filled with tears. 'Why'd Kaiba say dat… if he has any concern for Joey at all he would never say that. Joey felt his heart ripping. The loss of the duel in the shadow realm didn't hurt this much. Nothing had. Kaiba really didn't care. It was just a game, there still was pain, and the joke was on him. Kaiba had toyed with him; Kaiba'd known that Joey hadn't seen this yet… and Kaiba had planned out the most hurtful thing possible, it had to be. Kaiba had been drunk, brutal, and had noticed Joey's feelings for him. It was all a lie. Joey blinked. All his doubts had existed for a reason. Never had his trust been so destroyed. How could he have believed a dress wielding drunken… son of a bitch? No. He wouldn't give Kaiba that. Dogs were better. Dogs didn't play mind games; they tried not to break hearts. Kaiba was just a monster. Joey's love for him had been blown out like a flickering candle. He should have known not to trust that sick bastard. Joey couldn't even hear the last part of the interview. He'd been tricked, the worst trick yet. He felt used up and defeated, Once again. Just when he thought they could be friends, in love.

 "and as for "but he's a boy" well-" here there was a perfect movie star laugh, "My little brother seems to think if I have a party it's going to be like a hip hop music video, you know, with girls everywhere, but I'm striving more towards a classic event, maybe I'm part of a dying breed" Another array of charismatic looks, but still instilled with the his coldness.

Joey was storming off. He couldn't stay the night any longer. He needed to be alone. God, He needed to cry. Suddenly his brain tuned into the interview. "Event?" the idea made Joey laughed darkly. Kaiba really wanted him through the ringer, the other boy must want him dead, he was probably passed out from laughing so hard in his big fat mansion right about now, or passed out from too much booze, or both. He picked up his invite that was still lying on the table. "I don't think so you bastard!" He had a hushed raged voice. He tore the letter in two. The hurt ended there.

Joey was mortified, "Serenity!"

"What is it big brother? This is the neatest thing that has ever happened to me! You're not going to ruin it just because you don't get along with Seto Kaiba are you?"

"You do not understand, that guy is practically out for my life! He's just doing this to get to me!"

Serenity's eyes welled with tears. "How dare you big brother! How could you say that! I thought you weren't selfish"

It was finalized. There was no getting through to her. He was only hurting her. There were no options. Just like Kaiba too. Joey's face contorted at the thought. He knew Kaiba knew that he wouldn't let his sister go there alone. Sick ass jerk, yeah, love makes your life perfect alright, perfectly miserable.

"Come on big brother! I'm old enough to judge for myself! I'll be okay!" Serenity was still trying to convince him.

I couldn't even judge… but there still remained the fact that there was no choice. "I'll go. But'cha gotta believe me that he's up t'no good!"

"Hurray! I knew I could count on you bro!" Serenity was just beaming. It sort of reminded him of how he felt just before midnight. It scared him. He was having trouble zoning into what she was saying. "…And he helped Tea out with his card, and he let us all onto battle ship, and he does have an image to keep up you know"

Yesterday he might have believed her. "Let's just go" and with that, they boarded the Northridge Bus. The name riled him because it was named for the very ridge that the Kaiba mansion lay upon, waiting for them at the end of the line. Joey was prepared though. He wouldn't get hurt this time. He might even get revenge.

____

I leave you with this my friends. The weekend is over. I might not update for a week ^_^" 

The next chapter is "Which Jounouchi?" (That's Katsuya and Shizuka's last name in the Japanese series, Joey and Serenity. ^_^")