SecretSoul: Thanks for your encouragement! Don't worry, I have loads of ideas for this fic, and thank you for your feedback! I hope you keep reviewing, and enjoy this chappie!
Cherry: Wow, you really think I write well? Thank you so much! Also, thanks for reviewing "Near You Always", I really hope to hear more from you! Hope this chappie satisfies you for a little while; I know it's short, but the next one will be longer, promise!
DaughterofDeath: Thanks for reviewing; I'll do all I can to keep the chapters coming!
Blue Lagoon Loon: LOL, I love your pen name! Thanks for the compliments, and catch you (hopefully) later! glomps
Lizzie: Hey, girl! I'm so happy you reviewed my new story! Yeah, Joey actually makes an appearance next chapter, LOL, so don't freak. I think this story's mostly about Seto, in any case, but I think I might write one like this from Joey's POV.... what do you think? See you later, and thanks again!
Angel-Belle: Thanks! This is my first time writing angst, so... yeah, glad it turned out well! Hope this lives up to your expectations, and I'll talk to you soon!
Ranma Higurashi: Darn right I'm gonna call you cute!!! glomps Kagome Aww, of course I remember you! I'll do the best I can on both stories for great reviewers like you, promise, and I hope you like this chapter!
Tessabug: Thanks for your review, I appreciate it! LOL, don't worry, I'll always be a fluff writer first, this is just an angsty story that came into my head and forced me to write it, so... and plus, S/J is the best!!!! Aw.. I love Ignigena, he's so cute!!! glomps Ignigena I worked really hard on that line; it's good to know it came out well! Hmm.. about where you live, I'm working on it! Wish the weather was better, in any case! The title's from a Holly McNarland song, also called "The Ride", and it doesn't really mean anything yet, but a future chappie'll be a songfic to it, so it'll all come out then! If you really can't stand the suspense (I know I couldn't), then look up the lyrics, and I'm sure you and Ignigena will be able to piece it all together. Anyway, hope you like this chapter, and in case you're wondering, chapter 19 of Near You Always is well underway! Later!
Warnings: No yaoi in this chapter... quite angsty, but that's about it!
Disclaimer: Guard-chan doesn't own YGO! (I HATE these things)
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Chapter 2- A Heart Of Stone
My hand slaps the snooze button on the alarm clock heavily, putting an end to its high-pitched buzzing. The sting of contact jars me just the slightest bit awake, and with a great effort of will, I drag myself to the washroom and turn the shower onto full cold. Staying awake all night might have been a better idea, I reflect as the water chills me to the bone. For one thing, I wouldn't be so damn drowsy.
Shivering slightly, something I would never do in the presence of anyone else, I dry off as quickly as possible before tossing a few papers into my briefcase, along with my laptop and a book to pass the time in that drudgery they call school. Finally, I throw my dark blue trench coat over my shoulders. Despite its weight, I enjoy the feel of it. Although I'd never admit this to anyone, this coat is a tangible reminder of my barriers against the outside world; unnecessarily cumbersome, but all the more functional for it. Somehow, just knowing those walls are in place makes me feel safer, if not any better about my "life".
I grunt a quick greeting to Mokuba as I stride into the dining room and take my place at the head of the table. One of the servants has already placed the newspaper and a mug of black coffee at my place, and I tilt the scalding liquid back into my throat, gulping down half of it before setting the cup back down and flipping to the business section. As I do so, my eyes meet Mokuba's worried gaze.
"Are you all right, big brother?" he asks. "Don't tell me you were up all night again!"
"Of course not, Mokuba." It's not a total lie. After all, I did get a good hour and a half of sleep.
My little brother doesn't seem convinced in the least, but he's lived with me long enough to have learned when to drop what. For a fleeting moment, it saddens me that this child whose development and protection is my responsibility has to censor himself for my benefit. That emotion, however, like all others that I have experienced in the course of my life, is quickly scoured away, this time by the rest of my hot coffee, leaving only the same, hollow emptiness that I have lived with instead of a heart for my entire young life. To feel is to be weak, I remind myself, and the familiar words have the tone of a mantra; recited each day until they lose all meaning. To survive in this world, I must be strong. To weaken is to condemn us both to a hell worse than this. I look at Mokuba, pushing his breakfast around his plate thoughtfully. Perhaps, at least, I can save him in return before I self-destruct.
I rise from the table, tossing the business section on top of the rest of the paper. Right on cue, Mokuba drains the last of his orange juice, and as I pass him his backpack, he wraps his arms around my legs and gives me the tiniest squeeze.
"I love you, Seto," he says innocently, and I yearn to reciprocate. Try as I might, however, the words will not pass my lips. It's as if they refuse to be said unless I believe them absolutely. Instead, I rest a hand in his ebony mane and gently extricate myself from his embrace.
"Let's get going." I call back over my shoulder as I walk out to the car parked in the drive without looking back. A muted sniffle reaches my ears, but I decide to fool myself into thinking it's my imagination, or possibly that Mokuba's just coming down with a cold. I'm getting better and better at this denial thing as time goes on.
"Coming, big brother," I hear him call as I clear the walkway, gliding over the ice gracefully, the same way I do everything. Strange, isn't it, that someone with such a chaotic soul can be so physically buoyant?
I hardly spare the chauffeur, who's holding the limousine door open for us, a glance as I slide into my usual seat. Mokuba climbs into the seat across from me, but says nothing, preferring instead to take out a textbook and pretend to study for a test that I know he doesn't have. I don't blame him, though. After what just happened, I wouldn't want to talk to me either.
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Okay, I know it's really short, but I wanted the school thing to have its own chapter. Please R/R, and I swear, the next chappies will be longer! Ja ne!