This fic has been evil, and continues to plague me with writer's block, but
I'm toughing it out. XP I'll need some heavy-duty inspiration to make this
stuff anything more than trash. Help meee... X_X; Meh, I'll survive, I
guess... But anyhow, Joey has an announcement to make, so I'll let him hop
to it, and you get on to the story.
Joey: Hey! Want to read a great fic with lots of shounen-ai goodness? Then go read Devilkid's fic, Crossing Over! It stars ME, your favorite bishounen! Oh yeah, and I think Seto and Yami show up once or twice in there too, but they're really not as important as I am.
Jounouchi: *Steps through link* YOU'RE the star? No way! It's all ME! You don't even show up for a cameo...
Joey: 0.0 Whaaa?! You've gotta be out of your mind! We're the same person, only with different names and accents, so it's ME!
Jounouchi: If we ARE the same person, then we'd BOTH star. Anyhow, if we're the same person, then how are we arguing?
Joey: 0.o; .Because...Err...We're from different stories?
Jounouchi: ^^; Well, obviously. But more importantly, I'm from an alternate universe. I'm older, go to college, and make good grades, unlike YOU...
Joey: . HEY! At least I'M not the one falling for a rich jerk...
Jounouchi: Talk about the pot calling the kettle black...
Joey: If you even THINK about comparing me to him...
Seto: *Steps through link, grabs Joey's jacket, and keeps him from lunging* Sit! Stay!
Joey: *Snarl*
Seto: *Pats Joey's head* Good boy.
Jounouchi: ^_^ *Snicker*
Seto: *Grabs Jounouchi's jacket, and hauls him back through link* Heel... *Disappears, beckoning the readers to follow him...AFTER they R&R THIS story, of course!*
~*~*~*~
"Do you have a hearing problem? You know perfectly well what I said." Seto rolled his eyes.
"You said that you wanted to help me." Joey repeated.
"In a manner of speaking, yes." Seto nodded, trying his best to be patient. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"You don't help me." Joey shook his head, staring at him. "You just...don't. Not YOU." By the tone of his voice, one could tell he believed anyone who thought otherwise should be committed to the funny farm.
"Don't think I might play turncoat?" Seto smirked. "I have my reasons."
"Which are?" Joey challenged.
"My own." Seto supplied succinctly.
"Why do you have to be damned STUBBORN?!" Joey exploded. "I mean, you just waltz up and listen in on my personal affairs without so much as a by-your- leave, then you drag me away from my friend, then you're suddenly all Mr. Nice Guy, offering to help, and now you won't even tell me WHY you want to?! What if I need to know? I wouldn't be able to pay you back, Kaiba. You should know that, and I know you don't do anything without it benefiting you or Mokuba somehow." His eyes narrowed thoughtfully for a moment. "Is this blackmail? Are you trying to get favors out of me or something?"
"Trust me, you don't want to know my reasons, even if I were inclined to tell you." Seto told him, sighing. "I realize you couldn't pay me back, not with money, at least. I would be satisfied with being able to help, and knowing that I might be able to ask a favor or two of you in return, if need be." He gave Joey an irritated look. "But right now, if you don't stop questioning my motives instead of considering my offer, like any intelligent person would, I might be forced to retract it."
"There must be a catch..." Joey grumbled, still highly dubious of any so- called "charity" coming from the CEO. Yeah, they'd gotten closer; you might even be able to consider them buddies...if you were high as a kite and stoned as a cobble road. Still, Seto would never do something like this without gain...would he? He HAD mentioned something about favors...
Seto took on a patronizing air, and rested a hand on Joey's head, much like a master patting his pet. "Listen up, pup. It's as simple as this: You find out how much money your father needs to be treated. Then, you tell me how much that is, and give me your doctor's phone number. After that, I call your doctor, and work out a plan of payment. That's it. There aren't any strings attached." The taller teen ran his fingers through Joey's long, slightly tousled hair coyly, and twirled a silky strand around his forefinger. "Do you understand? Would you like me to write it down for you, or give you the definitions of some of the harder words? Don't be too embarrassed or afraid to ask."
He wanted to get this over with, and it was rather hard to, when Joey didn't trust him. Granted, Joey was probably wise not to trust him, but...well, couldn't the guy accept that maybe, just once, he WASN'T doing something for selfish reasons? For heaven's sake, he wasn't THAT hard- hearted! ...Was he?
At any rate, he just wanted to help. Well...that, and answer his own questions. Would things have really been different for him if SOMEONE had been willing to help? He would never know, but he did want to see if he could make a difference in Joey's life that way. Love it or loathe it, he was getting rather attached the blond. He was...almost like a brother, in some ways. Not like Mokuba, of course; more like one near his own age; the sort that you could joke around with, and play rough, because you knew that you wouldn't hurt each other. The sort where, even if you did, it didn't matter too much. He didn't want to hurt Mokuba in any way...but hurting Joey was kind of fun, and he knew the teen would always bounce back. Moreover, he tried to give as good as he got. It was a friendly rivalry. If there was one thing Seto thrived on, it was competition.
"Quit it..." Joey squirmed out from under Seto's touch, smoothing back his hair as best he could, not sure whether to be resentful and suspicious, or give in and take the help like he wanted to. "You'll just give him the money? Nothing else?" He prompted, reluctant to trust the person who seemed to delight in tormenting him so much.
"Nothing else." Seto agreed. "You have my word."
"Yeah? What's that worth, $1.50?" Joey quipped.
"It's worth my honor, dignity, and integrity." Seto narrowed his eyes slightly, leveling a serene azure gaze at the blond. "My word is my bond, Joey, and I'm not one to break it. I HAVE scruples, and you don't seem to understand that." The frustration was clear in his voice. He was TIRED of always being the bad guy, the villain. For once, couldn't somebody besides Mokuba trust him? He could be a good person...
Wait a minute...had he actually referred to the mutt by his real name? That was a first... Was he feeling alright? Maybe he was ill...
"Yeah?" Joey seemed to consider this. "Well, I'll take you up on that offer then, I guess. But if you try anything..." He left his threat unsaid, mainly because he couldn't think up a good one on short notice.
"If I try anything beyond the boundaries of what I laid out to you, then I'm fully prepared to take your retribution, and accept any consequences for my actions." Seto rolled his eyes. "Would you like a written contract?"
"No, it's fine. As long you don't try to pull a fast one on me." Joey responded.
"No tricks. I guarantee it." Seto held out his hand, and after staring for a minute, Joey took it.
~*~*~*~
The next afternoon found Joey knocking on the Attendance Office's door. Ms. White opened it. "Yes?"
"You?!" Joey stared, surprised. Hadn't the Attendance Officer been Mr. Black?
"Ah, Joseph." She looked pleased to see him, her sweet smile seeming almost malicious. "Thank you for being so prompt." She shut the door behind her. "Go on and sit." She shepherded him to a chair. "There have been layoffs recently, as you must know. Domino High has found it...economical to put some people in two positions." There was a glitter of fiendish delight in her eyes.
"Right..." Joey agreed, sitting down gingerly. WHY hadn't the school fired this old battle-ax? He had a bad feeling about this...
"My records show that you haven't been to school for the past three days, Joseph." She declared in a decidedly predatory fashion. "Do you have a note for this absence?"
"No..." How could he? They didn't accept self-written notes, and his dad CERTAINLY wasn't in any condition to write one...
"Well, then." She steepled her fingers. "Could you explain why you were unable to attend school?"
"My...my dad was sick." He fidgeted. "I was the only person around to take care of him."
Her voice was syrupy sweet, dripping with false compassion. "I do hope that he's better. What was wrong with him, specifically?"
He looked away from her. "Coma. He's not better yet."
"But soon, surely?" She pressed.
"I don't think so." Joey shook his head, feeling at once a foreboding anxiety gnawing at his gut, and a hot surge of anger and resentment at her probing.
"And you say you were the only one available to take care of him?" She looked through a folder, nodding to herself. "You don't have any siblings or a mother, do you?"
"Not where I can find them. They don't want to have anything to do with me." His lip curled bitterly. It was all his mother's fault; Serenity would've wanted to stay with him, he was sure of it. Or at least, let him come along...
Ms. White nodded, her smile becoming particularly ominous as she wrote something down. "Well then, my dear, it appears that you have nobody to care for you. You are aware that the legal age of adulthood is 18, yes?"
"Yes."
"And you are 16?"
"That's right. What are you getting at?" He demanded.
"That you're too young to lawfully live by yourself. Joseph, I'm going to recommend a good fostering agency to you..." She purred.
"You WHAT?!" He stood up, eyes wide in disbelief. "You can't do that..."
"Need I remind you, deary, that I am older and in a higher position of authority than you? I can and will." The woman asserted.
"That's outrageous! You can't just...just toy with people's lives like this! Who do you think you are?!" Joey exploded, amber eyes blazing gold with rage.
"I think I am Ms. Bianca White, your counselor, attendance officer, and SUPERIOR, who is following the law on your behalf." She informed him sharply, and reached for her phone with a cold look. "You're dismissed, Joseph."
"Fine!" He all but snarled at her, storming out.
She flipped through her Rolodex. Forget a fostering agency; what family in their right mind would tolerate that brat? He'd be better suited to live at an orphanage for a few years... She stopped at one card, picked up the phone, and dialed.
~*~*~*~
Joey tossed his backpack onto the floor, and sprawled out on the couch, still fuming from his little "chat". How DARE she! He wasn't just a pawn to play with! He'd been practically living by himself for years; he could do it now! He could take care of himself just fine, without any bitter old ladies trying to ship him off to some other home... SHE was the one who needed to be shipped off, and to the Funny Farm, at that. "Delusional, whacked out, sadistic witch..."
He flipped on the television, and let his mind wander, knowing he should be doing his homework. He was too stressed now, though; he'd do it later, once he'd relaxed some.
The doorbell rang.
"Wha?" Joey sat up, levering himself to his feet. Almost nobody came to the house, except delivery guys when he ordered out, or people bringing the occasional package from Serenity. Even his friends usually knew better than to come in person, instead just calling him. He cracked open the door. "Yes?"
"Joseph Wheeler?" A deep, masculine voice asked. The door opened a little wider to show him a stocky man in a short-sleeved, collared blue shirt and jeans. He caught a glimpse of a similarly dressed man behind him."What do you want?"
"We're from the Domino City Children's Shelter." He said, pushing the door open all the way. "I'll have to ask you to come with us." The man took Joey's arm into an iron grip.
"WHAT?!" Joey stared at them with wide eyes, almost paralyzed with disbelief. "Like HELL I will!" He snarled, and started to struggle. It was useless, though; he couldn't fight against someone who had the advantage over him in height, weight, and strength!
A definite problem. How could he get around that?
Joey: Hey! Want to read a great fic with lots of shounen-ai goodness? Then go read Devilkid's fic, Crossing Over! It stars ME, your favorite bishounen! Oh yeah, and I think Seto and Yami show up once or twice in there too, but they're really not as important as I am.
Jounouchi: *Steps through link* YOU'RE the star? No way! It's all ME! You don't even show up for a cameo...
Joey: 0.0 Whaaa?! You've gotta be out of your mind! We're the same person, only with different names and accents, so it's ME!
Jounouchi: If we ARE the same person, then we'd BOTH star. Anyhow, if we're the same person, then how are we arguing?
Joey: 0.o; .Because...Err...We're from different stories?
Jounouchi: ^^; Well, obviously. But more importantly, I'm from an alternate universe. I'm older, go to college, and make good grades, unlike YOU...
Joey: . HEY! At least I'M not the one falling for a rich jerk...
Jounouchi: Talk about the pot calling the kettle black...
Joey: If you even THINK about comparing me to him...
Seto: *Steps through link, grabs Joey's jacket, and keeps him from lunging* Sit! Stay!
Joey: *Snarl*
Seto: *Pats Joey's head* Good boy.
Jounouchi: ^_^ *Snicker*
Seto: *Grabs Jounouchi's jacket, and hauls him back through link* Heel... *Disappears, beckoning the readers to follow him...AFTER they R&R THIS story, of course!*
~*~*~*~
"Do you have a hearing problem? You know perfectly well what I said." Seto rolled his eyes.
"You said that you wanted to help me." Joey repeated.
"In a manner of speaking, yes." Seto nodded, trying his best to be patient. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"You don't help me." Joey shook his head, staring at him. "You just...don't. Not YOU." By the tone of his voice, one could tell he believed anyone who thought otherwise should be committed to the funny farm.
"Don't think I might play turncoat?" Seto smirked. "I have my reasons."
"Which are?" Joey challenged.
"My own." Seto supplied succinctly.
"Why do you have to be damned STUBBORN?!" Joey exploded. "I mean, you just waltz up and listen in on my personal affairs without so much as a by-your- leave, then you drag me away from my friend, then you're suddenly all Mr. Nice Guy, offering to help, and now you won't even tell me WHY you want to?! What if I need to know? I wouldn't be able to pay you back, Kaiba. You should know that, and I know you don't do anything without it benefiting you or Mokuba somehow." His eyes narrowed thoughtfully for a moment. "Is this blackmail? Are you trying to get favors out of me or something?"
"Trust me, you don't want to know my reasons, even if I were inclined to tell you." Seto told him, sighing. "I realize you couldn't pay me back, not with money, at least. I would be satisfied with being able to help, and knowing that I might be able to ask a favor or two of you in return, if need be." He gave Joey an irritated look. "But right now, if you don't stop questioning my motives instead of considering my offer, like any intelligent person would, I might be forced to retract it."
"There must be a catch..." Joey grumbled, still highly dubious of any so- called "charity" coming from the CEO. Yeah, they'd gotten closer; you might even be able to consider them buddies...if you were high as a kite and stoned as a cobble road. Still, Seto would never do something like this without gain...would he? He HAD mentioned something about favors...
Seto took on a patronizing air, and rested a hand on Joey's head, much like a master patting his pet. "Listen up, pup. It's as simple as this: You find out how much money your father needs to be treated. Then, you tell me how much that is, and give me your doctor's phone number. After that, I call your doctor, and work out a plan of payment. That's it. There aren't any strings attached." The taller teen ran his fingers through Joey's long, slightly tousled hair coyly, and twirled a silky strand around his forefinger. "Do you understand? Would you like me to write it down for you, or give you the definitions of some of the harder words? Don't be too embarrassed or afraid to ask."
He wanted to get this over with, and it was rather hard to, when Joey didn't trust him. Granted, Joey was probably wise not to trust him, but...well, couldn't the guy accept that maybe, just once, he WASN'T doing something for selfish reasons? For heaven's sake, he wasn't THAT hard- hearted! ...Was he?
At any rate, he just wanted to help. Well...that, and answer his own questions. Would things have really been different for him if SOMEONE had been willing to help? He would never know, but he did want to see if he could make a difference in Joey's life that way. Love it or loathe it, he was getting rather attached the blond. He was...almost like a brother, in some ways. Not like Mokuba, of course; more like one near his own age; the sort that you could joke around with, and play rough, because you knew that you wouldn't hurt each other. The sort where, even if you did, it didn't matter too much. He didn't want to hurt Mokuba in any way...but hurting Joey was kind of fun, and he knew the teen would always bounce back. Moreover, he tried to give as good as he got. It was a friendly rivalry. If there was one thing Seto thrived on, it was competition.
"Quit it..." Joey squirmed out from under Seto's touch, smoothing back his hair as best he could, not sure whether to be resentful and suspicious, or give in and take the help like he wanted to. "You'll just give him the money? Nothing else?" He prompted, reluctant to trust the person who seemed to delight in tormenting him so much.
"Nothing else." Seto agreed. "You have my word."
"Yeah? What's that worth, $1.50?" Joey quipped.
"It's worth my honor, dignity, and integrity." Seto narrowed his eyes slightly, leveling a serene azure gaze at the blond. "My word is my bond, Joey, and I'm not one to break it. I HAVE scruples, and you don't seem to understand that." The frustration was clear in his voice. He was TIRED of always being the bad guy, the villain. For once, couldn't somebody besides Mokuba trust him? He could be a good person...
Wait a minute...had he actually referred to the mutt by his real name? That was a first... Was he feeling alright? Maybe he was ill...
"Yeah?" Joey seemed to consider this. "Well, I'll take you up on that offer then, I guess. But if you try anything..." He left his threat unsaid, mainly because he couldn't think up a good one on short notice.
"If I try anything beyond the boundaries of what I laid out to you, then I'm fully prepared to take your retribution, and accept any consequences for my actions." Seto rolled his eyes. "Would you like a written contract?"
"No, it's fine. As long you don't try to pull a fast one on me." Joey responded.
"No tricks. I guarantee it." Seto held out his hand, and after staring for a minute, Joey took it.
~*~*~*~
The next afternoon found Joey knocking on the Attendance Office's door. Ms. White opened it. "Yes?"
"You?!" Joey stared, surprised. Hadn't the Attendance Officer been Mr. Black?
"Ah, Joseph." She looked pleased to see him, her sweet smile seeming almost malicious. "Thank you for being so prompt." She shut the door behind her. "Go on and sit." She shepherded him to a chair. "There have been layoffs recently, as you must know. Domino High has found it...economical to put some people in two positions." There was a glitter of fiendish delight in her eyes.
"Right..." Joey agreed, sitting down gingerly. WHY hadn't the school fired this old battle-ax? He had a bad feeling about this...
"My records show that you haven't been to school for the past three days, Joseph." She declared in a decidedly predatory fashion. "Do you have a note for this absence?"
"No..." How could he? They didn't accept self-written notes, and his dad CERTAINLY wasn't in any condition to write one...
"Well, then." She steepled her fingers. "Could you explain why you were unable to attend school?"
"My...my dad was sick." He fidgeted. "I was the only person around to take care of him."
Her voice was syrupy sweet, dripping with false compassion. "I do hope that he's better. What was wrong with him, specifically?"
He looked away from her. "Coma. He's not better yet."
"But soon, surely?" She pressed.
"I don't think so." Joey shook his head, feeling at once a foreboding anxiety gnawing at his gut, and a hot surge of anger and resentment at her probing.
"And you say you were the only one available to take care of him?" She looked through a folder, nodding to herself. "You don't have any siblings or a mother, do you?"
"Not where I can find them. They don't want to have anything to do with me." His lip curled bitterly. It was all his mother's fault; Serenity would've wanted to stay with him, he was sure of it. Or at least, let him come along...
Ms. White nodded, her smile becoming particularly ominous as she wrote something down. "Well then, my dear, it appears that you have nobody to care for you. You are aware that the legal age of adulthood is 18, yes?"
"Yes."
"And you are 16?"
"That's right. What are you getting at?" He demanded.
"That you're too young to lawfully live by yourself. Joseph, I'm going to recommend a good fostering agency to you..." She purred.
"You WHAT?!" He stood up, eyes wide in disbelief. "You can't do that..."
"Need I remind you, deary, that I am older and in a higher position of authority than you? I can and will." The woman asserted.
"That's outrageous! You can't just...just toy with people's lives like this! Who do you think you are?!" Joey exploded, amber eyes blazing gold with rage.
"I think I am Ms. Bianca White, your counselor, attendance officer, and SUPERIOR, who is following the law on your behalf." She informed him sharply, and reached for her phone with a cold look. "You're dismissed, Joseph."
"Fine!" He all but snarled at her, storming out.
She flipped through her Rolodex. Forget a fostering agency; what family in their right mind would tolerate that brat? He'd be better suited to live at an orphanage for a few years... She stopped at one card, picked up the phone, and dialed.
~*~*~*~
Joey tossed his backpack onto the floor, and sprawled out on the couch, still fuming from his little "chat". How DARE she! He wasn't just a pawn to play with! He'd been practically living by himself for years; he could do it now! He could take care of himself just fine, without any bitter old ladies trying to ship him off to some other home... SHE was the one who needed to be shipped off, and to the Funny Farm, at that. "Delusional, whacked out, sadistic witch..."
He flipped on the television, and let his mind wander, knowing he should be doing his homework. He was too stressed now, though; he'd do it later, once he'd relaxed some.
The doorbell rang.
"Wha?" Joey sat up, levering himself to his feet. Almost nobody came to the house, except delivery guys when he ordered out, or people bringing the occasional package from Serenity. Even his friends usually knew better than to come in person, instead just calling him. He cracked open the door. "Yes?"
"Joseph Wheeler?" A deep, masculine voice asked. The door opened a little wider to show him a stocky man in a short-sleeved, collared blue shirt and jeans. He caught a glimpse of a similarly dressed man behind him."What do you want?"
"We're from the Domino City Children's Shelter." He said, pushing the door open all the way. "I'll have to ask you to come with us." The man took Joey's arm into an iron grip.
"WHAT?!" Joey stared at them with wide eyes, almost paralyzed with disbelief. "Like HELL I will!" He snarled, and started to struggle. It was useless, though; he couldn't fight against someone who had the advantage over him in height, weight, and strength!
A definite problem. How could he get around that?