Not How It Was Meant To Go

**

"Well," Ruby said, watching with satisfaction through the mortal-viewing window, "I think that went rather nicely. Wouldn't you say so?"

"You made them run away?" Shiroi demanded. "Not only is that completely out of character for thugs like that, but it's highly suspicious. Joey's not that intimidating."

"I told you, I wasn't about to let Joey get hurt," Ruby replied loftily. "Besides, they'd done their jobs, we didn't need them hanging around and causing more of a mess, now did we? You really didn't have to stick around and watch you know."

Shiroi glared at her. "After the way you tried to get me killed that one time, I'm not quite sure I fully trust you."

"Oh, lighten up," she said cheerfully, flashing him a grin full of sharp, pointy dragon teeth. "It was only the one time…" She looked over to where Obelisk was sitting. "You doing alright there?"

Obelisk looked like he'd been pummeled with rocks, but at least he wasn't crying. Yet. "You try blocking the power of a Millennium Item for a while, and we'll see how you fare."  

"And if Joey ever gets a Millennium Item, I'll take you up on that bet. But you know only the Guardian of the holder of the Item can block its power."

Obelisk glared up at Ruby. "You made that up. Just 'cuz you didn't want to be the one to do the job."

"Alright, maybe I did. But you'll never find out, will you?" Ruby looked positively smug in her victory. Shiroi and Obelisk just groaned and rolled their eyes.

**

"Ow!" Marik yelped and slapped Joey's hand away. "Stop it!"

"Would ya quit squirming?" Joey snapped back at him. "If you don't let me put this disinfectant on, you'll be real sorry when that cut gets all green and starts oozing puss."

Marik made a face. "Thanks for the visual."

"No problem. Now will you hold still?" Joey doused another cotton ball with the disinfectant, lightly dabbing it against the cut on Marik's cheek. Marik winced, but didn't try to smack Joey's hand again.

"There," Joey said when he was finished cleaning Marik's cuts. He handed Marik an ice pack wrapped in a towel. "Hold this on your eye; it'll keep the swelling down."

"You've done this before, haven't you?" Marik asked, taking the ice pack and gingerly pressing it over his eye. Again he winced, but this time equally from the cold as from the pain.

"What, the first aid bit?" Joey laughed and nodded. "Yeah, but mostly on myself. Punks always get their butts kicked in the beginning. And then sometimes their friends get their butts kicked, and… well, you can see where the skill would come in handy."

Joey got up, twisting the cap back onto the disinfectant bottle. "Rest awhile, mmkay? That pretty tanned face of yours is gonna be purple with bruises for the next few days, but if you're lucky it won't last much longer after that." He got up, moving toward the door.

Marik sat up a little straighter. "Hey, wait a minute."

Joey paused in the doorway, watching Marik expectantly.

Marik hadn't really ever had the need to use the words that expressed his feelings now. But then, he'd never been in a situation like this, so it was understandable why he'd feel just a little flustered. Still, he wasn't sure he could say it, or if it would turn out right if he did. And in the meantime, Joey just watched him and waited.

Marik took a breath. "Thanks."

Joey grinned at him, shrugging nonchalantly. "No problem." He walked out of the room, closing the door gently behind him.

Marik sighed and lay back, holding the ice pack against one eye and staring up at the ceiling with the other. The Millennium Rod was gone, and he was currently a coerced guest of the Wheeler residence. And he was more confused than he could ever remember being.

And for some reason, he didn't care. Because Joey was here with him.

This was not the way he'd planned for any of this to go.