Title: Eight point Star chapter 2.2-  Minichapter 2- Jou's morning

Author: Dillon

Pairing: S/J ?

Warnings- GRAPHIC FLASHBACK. Violence, blood, and lots of pain.


Summary- Jonouchi's morning, and a flashback

Disclaimer- I own nothing but a few bootleg CDs, an incomplete set of
Metal Gear action figures (who decline to appear), and $25 Canadian.
If you want to sue me, get in line. The hospital and the insurance
company were here first. No turnips were harmed in the making of this
chapter. However, Jonouchi was. Sorry.

Review Replies- I got reviews?

Luna-Chan3 – I don't know if this is quite what you wanted, but I did continue. See, I am a nice guy. Sometimes.

Kazuki-2 – Dude, you must have been bored to read my crap. I'm glad you did though, and glad you liked it!

Liviana – Heh, I never planned for it to be a one-shot, but I can see why you'd think that

:: does the whole hand-on-neck anime sweatdrop thing :: I've been kinda busy, and it took

awhile to get this one out. Plus it was like tearing an arm off to do this to him, or to write it.

Abbey Ryou – I'm glad you liked it, and I inspired you! A beta is one of the most important things

 you can have, though. ::huggles Jack, who squirms:: They catch your insipid sentences, typos, and

bad characterizations. Couldn't do it without mine.

Ryan-Ookami – Heh, yeah, it was. I'm glad you liked it enough to review!

Random Reader – Heh, you want more, you got more. I just hope you don't hate it.

Rose of Osiris – Lovely name, man. I'm glad you liked it, and it's always cool to find another Classic Rock listener.

I'm also glad you liked my characterizations, and only hope this chapter meets your approval as well.

Misura – Whoa, dude! You read my crap! Cool. Glad you liked the music, and don't hate my stealing your pizza thing.

Actually, that becomes more important soon. Heh, heh. Thank you for your review!

Leaf Zelindor – I made someone's day! Go me! And how could I not use Pink Floyd?

Keishi - :: oofs and flops as is tackled :: Heh, dude? I need to breathe. Seriously.

Eh, was your turn anyway. Thank you for your amazing and very flattering review.

Yeah, I liked the ending too. It shows… all that stuff you said. And pizza.

Black Riku – Thanks, man! I didn't know you read this fandom, but I'm thrilled you liked it enough to review!

Saiko Senshi – Oi, again with the Squeeling! Heh, thanks, man. And see, I did write more! Your wish is granted!

The Chaotic Ones – Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!

Angel of Pure Darkness – Wow, a dual review!

Angel- yep, I had always planned to. Sorry it took so long.

Please don't cause me to be consumed by darkness, living with my dad is punisment enough -.-;

Tala- I'll try to make it worth your while. Or you could be set apon by rabid weasels. Up to you.

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Jonouchi woke up in a good mood. It had rained last night and the sky was a clear, bright blue outside his window. The sun was shining, just getting into his eyes, sparkling off the ends of his hair while birds sang. Yes, it looked to be a beautiful morning. He stretched and yawned, allowing the fuzziness to ebb out of his body and mind. Wait… Sun. Shining. Eyes. That would make it about… oh, crap. In a nearly physically impossible motion he took a full-body leap from the bed to the door, dashing through the kitchen to the bathroom and back in record time, nearly colliding with his dad, who smirked and proffered a glass of orange juice and a couple pieces of toast. "Morning, K. Was just headed up to wake you." Jou mumbled something in what could only be called 'toast-ese' as he bolted for his room, leaving his dad to smirk at the retreating form of the breakfast-enhanced teenager.

Inside his room, Jou was marvelously pulling off a complicated dressing ritual which involved putting on his shoes and jacket simultaneously while attempting to eat his toast and read his file transfers without spilling his juice, left conveniently near the edge of his desk, to the left of the keyboard. He smiled (no easy feat with toast in his mouth) as he saw he had received the Refreshments song he'd been looking for. He'd only recently printed the tab, and wasn't sure how well he played it yet. He was looking forward to hearing the recording. However, as a look at the clock told him, he was still bordering on late. He hurriedly grabbed his backpack, turned to go, dropped his toast, and stepped on it. He sighed, took a moment to mourn the lost toast, and began to remove his shoes. He'd forgotten to take his pajamas off. Again.

A few minutes later, divested of pajamas, dressed properly, and smelling slightly of orange juice, Jou ran from his room to the door, stopping a moment to give his dad a quick kiss and say goodbye. His dad smiled and told him to have a good day, don't get in trouble, which caused Jou to smirk. He caught an extra piece of toast off the table and left. As he walked, he thought how far both he and his dad had come in such a short time. He could clearly remember the day it had started to turn around. Hell, he could still feel the marks from it. He shivered, remembering …

~~~ Dark. He knew it was dark, but it could have been day, he couldn't think couldn't see. What had he done?

"Mr. Jonouchi? Mr. Jonouchi! Wake up, sir. We're going to have to…"

"Jou! Jou, man, wake up! Dude, don't do this to me!"

"Mr. Honda, we will have to ask you to leave"

Where was he? What was this? Why couldn't he see? ~~

That was the day he'd tried to commit suicide. He was still ashamed of that, he was only lucky he'd asked Honda to say goodbye to everyone for him. He must have already been pretty loopy to call Honda for something like that and believe he wouldn't call someone. He'd only thought Honda was someone he could trust. Turned out he could trust him to know when not to keep a promise, too. Well, technically, he had kept it. He'd had someone pick up an extension phone, and they'd called the ambulance. Honda never called. Jou smirked at that. Nobody ever gave Honda the credit he deserved. He could be really clever at times. He frowned again soon, though, remembering his homecoming, after a week spent in the hospital. That had been the day to start the real change.

~~~ His dad had driven him home, silent. He was lost in thought as they climbed the stairs and entered the apartment, throwing his bag inside and flopping down on the couch. They'd talked a little, he didn't remember what about, and it had become a fight, a real knock-down-drag-out fight. He remembered his dad screaming

"If you want to kill yourself, why don't you do it properly?"

"Ha, show me how!"

They'd calmed down, oddly, and sat on the couch while his dad told him a few ways. He couldn't get past his self-preservation instincts to use a blade, and he gagged when he tried to choke himself with his fingers. His dad called him a wimp, and the fight started again, but somehow more serious, more determined. His dad's eyes scared him.

Then he came up behind, and wrapped his hands around Jonouchi's unprotected neck.

Jonouchi never remembered that part clearly, only waking up on the floor. It was dark and cold, and the light came through the window in an eerie glow, illuminating a shadowed figure above him, a red glow Oh gods, he was in hell, the devil had come for him. He heard a long, moaning scream and the figure spoke to him, the voice familiar.

"Shut up, you bastard. Do you want to wake the neighbors?"

He tried to reply, to say no. The woman next door worked nights, she shouldn't be woken. He wanted to say something, but there was only the keening, moaning scream. A hand connected with his face.

"Shut up!"

"Mr. Jonouchi? Katsu? Oh my god!"

A woman's voice, was it, Jennosuke? What was she doing here? The figure was gone, Jou noted, as he sunk into the darkness again. ~~~

Jou quietly touched his neck as he walked, above his collar where the marks had been, now nearly gone.  According to Jen she'd been the only neighbor at home then, being asleep for work. She'd heard him scream -it had been him? - and had been concerned, knocking on the door, then coming in when there was no answer. She'd seen him lying on the floor, eyes glassy, clothes torn and soaked with blood, one shoe gone. His dad –he never called him father after, ever- had been standing over him, the light through the window making his red hair glow, eerily like fire. She'd dragged the elder Jonouchi out the door and whatever she'd told him had caused a reaction Jou had never seen before. His dad had come back in while he was getting to his feet. Something was hurting him, he remembered- his body was numb, but his ear hurt, and when he felt it, the earring he was wearing, a type which circled around and came together in a clasp at the back, was forced back through his ear, and it was bleeding. He'd been staring at the blood on his fingers in fascination when his dad stumbled through the door, tears running down his face. He'd grabbed the stunned boy in a hard embrace.

"I'm so sorry Katsu, I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you!"

"That's ok, dad, I probably deserved it. But one thing?"

"Hn?"

"How long was I out? I'm so cold…."

He never figured out why he said that, but his dad had just looked at him and walked away, and hadn't come out of his room for many hours. Jou still couldn't wear an earring, but he'd kept the mangled, blood crusted one he'd pulled from his ear, as well as his torn Guns'N'Roses shirt. It had been his favorite, and damned if he'd throw it away, even if it had been stuck to his body with blood. The shirt was ruined, the pants bloodstained and torn, but he'd kept them.

Call it a memento.

He was surprised as a hand caught him on the back. He still didn't like being approached from the back, even after so many weeks, almost four months.

"Hey, Jou! Penny for your thoughts?"

"You don't want to know, Honda. You don't want to know."

Honda took a long look at his friend's face, and just gave a sad smile. He handed Jou a can of coffee, and put his arm around his friend's shoulders, sort of his way of saying 'I'm here if you need me, but I won't push it' Jou smiled, as he sipped the coffee.

Honda knew when to speak, when to be silent, and when to simply be.

He was glad to have a friend like that.

He smiled, and started softly humming to the song in his head, an old Depeche Mode song that reminded him of Honda, and of himself.

I'm taking a ride with my best friend

I hope he never lets me down again

He knows where he's taking me

Taking me where I want to be

I'm taking a ride with my best friend

We're flying high

Watching the world pass us by

Never want to come down

Never want to put my feet back down

On the ground

I'm taking a ride with my best friend

I hope he never lets me down again

Promises me I'm safe in his house

As long as I remember who's wearing the trousers

I hope he never lets me down again

See the stars, they're shining bright

Everything's alright tonight

Honda smiled back, possibly recognizing, possibly not, maybe knowing Jou's thoughts, maybe not, but knowing he'd be there, regardless.

Jonouchi smiled. No, he'd never let him down. Never had, and never would. He slung an arm over his friend's shoulders, and walked on.