A/N: This would be my second fic. (Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last story. It made me really happy. People actually READ it!) I've written like a million stories but I hate revising them, so I decided to just post one before I get eaten by a rabid squirrel or something ridiculous like that. yeahhh. Anyhoo. I don't really know what to say so here's the completely unnecessary disclaimer and warnings.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. DUH!

Warnings: Shounen- Ai. Seto/Joey. Swearing. Mild child abuse, mostly just verbal abuse. Uhh... weirdness. This first chapter also kinda sucks.

Chapter 1: Heels and Deals

Jou mindlessly head-banged to the music blaring from his headphones as he restocked the shelves. Shoeboxes lined the entire perimeter of the store wall, except for the little corner he was working at. An ominous tower of brightly colored containers strangled his vision, but he was too used to the boring task to care. He had, after all, been working at the shoe store for nearly three months.

Normally he would have refused such a degrading job at the mere suggestion, but at his father's drunken shouts, he reluctantly applied to "Heels and Deals" (as the shop was called), and was accepted as a part-time employee. His only prayer was that none of his friends would find him out, simply for the fact that their inquisitive nature would pull out the real reason he got the job; and that, of course, was that he needed to help out with the rent for his apartment.

More than once Jou's dad had requested him to obtain some sort of income, and did so quite civilly during his more sober moods. However, Jou politely refused, using his age disadvantage as an excuse. Of course, he knew that most of the shops nearby would have no problem dishing out a few bucks to a minor every week, so long as they did their work. Thus, Mr. Jounouchi had finally resorted to screaming at the boy until he complied.

Jou was dragged out of his reminiscing at an impatient tapping on his left shoulder. He whirled his head around to stare at the narrowed eyes of the store manager, Miss Weidsafashion, or Miss Needs-Some-Action as Jou had dubbed her during one of her most memorable tantrums. He saw her thin lips move, forming words that his covered ears could not make out. After at least ten seconds of irritated scolding, she realized Jou still bore a pair of cheap headphones around his head, but resumed her bickering after rolling her eyes and tearing them off.

"Honestly, young man. How do you expect to attract any customers when you're obnoxious rock and roll or whatever is making them deaf! And look, you're not even putting these shoes in the right order. You put the largest sizes at the bottom, not the top. I--"

Miss Weidsafashion continued her lecture, while Jou silently mused that only last week she had told him just the opposite. "The big shoes go up top, Jou," she had gently reminded, or at least as gently as she was capable of.

"--suppose it doesn't matter. You're off for tonight anyway. You'll just have to redo all of this on your next shift. I only wanted to give you the store keys for tomorrow."

At the last statement Jou's attention started. "What? Why?"

She let a sigh escape before shaking her head exhaustedly and massaging her temples, as if to force out the arrival of a new headache. "Jou, I've been telling you all week. I'm going to visit my daughter tomorrow. I won't be back until Wednesday. You already agreed to take charge of the store until then. You should really start paying attention."

Jou vaguely recalled an incident a few days before when she had been talking to him. He hadn't really been listening, but nodded his head and grunted in response every few seconds to keep up the charade that he was.

"I don't want to do that! What if I mess up?"

Her mouth contracted into an expression that slightly resembled a pout, and Jou realized with a sort of grim pride that she must like him more than she let on, as old ladies sometimes do.

Jou took Miss Weidsafashion's silence as an indication that he couldn't avoid the responsibility after he had already agreed. He inwardly groaned before accepting the keys on his way out the door.

"Oh, don't be so grumpy, Jou," she called after him. "You'll get a bonus in your check on Friday."

At this Jou's satisfaction could not be suppressed, and a grin appeared on his face at the prospect of bringing home a few extra dollars. Maybe he could use some towards a new charcoal set for his sketchbook, or some dueling cards. His father didn't mind what he did with his money as long as he received enough for half the rent at the end of the month.

"Bye, Miss Weidsafashion," replied Jou dutifully as he shut the door behind him, listening to the little bell overhead ring lightly to announce his exit.

***

Jou shuddered against the wind, pulling his jacket as close to his body as possible in hopes of evading the cold. It was no use, however, and he eventually gave up all hope of ever warming up. The walk home from Heels and Deals was never completely tolerable, anyway. He busied himself with his surroundings instead, so that at least he might carry his thoughts away from the freezing temperatures.

His amber gaze drifted up towards the sky, and through the dance of golden bangs around his forehead he was able to see the dim twinkle of a few stars. The moon looked dusty under a thin blanket of clouds, but they were slowly whisked away to reveal a gorgeous silvery disc. The lunar phenomenon that occurred every month seemed to capture his breath every time he saw it, and he made a note to draw the full moon when he got home, exactly as it appeared to him then.

Before long, he reached the walkway to his apartment building, and made a final sprint to the door. He clawed deep down into the pocket of his jeans to grab his key, before jamming it in the lock and dashing inside. Jou trudged up the stairs, allowing the warmth to envelope him, until he reached the third floor and opened another door.

"Hey, Dad," he greeted the man on his sofa, as he dropped the keys on the coffee table.

"Hey. How was work?" Jou's father barely looked up from the television. In one hand he held a small beer can, and the other hand grasped firmly to a black remote control. He scanned through the channels and took a few sips of his drink every few seconds while Jou spoke.

"It was okay, I guess. I'm in charge of the store for a few days. That'll be weird but what can you do about it? I'll be getting a few extra bucks, anyway."

Jou's old man perked up at the mention of more money, but then cast his glance downwards as if it suddenly dawned on him that he couldn't take so much from his son. He seemed to berate himself for a few moments before hesitantly looking up to Jou and speaking.

"Look, son. I'm sorry about the other night. You know how I get after a tough day at work. You didn't get hurt too badly, right?"

Jou remembered how his dad had come home from the bar to find he hadn't finished his homework. They argued for a while, loudly enough for the neighbors to hear, before the discussion ended with the drunk's fist crashing into his child's face.

"Nah, it's fine, Dad. Don't worry about it." Those were the last words Jou said to his father before he slipped into his bedroom at the end of the hallway.

As soon as he knew the entrance to his room was safely shut, he walked over to his bed and pulled out a notebook from underneath it. He flipped open to a random page with the intention of finding a blank one to draw the moon on, but got sidetracked with all his other drawings. The sketch his vision was met with was one of Seto Kaiba, a boy who seemed to dominate almost all of his pictures.

Jou lightly traced the outline of Seto's face with his thumb, admiring his work. It was true that he despised every morsel of Kaiba's being, but he was nice to draw. In fact, he seemed to be Jou's favorite subject. Just because he hated Kaiba, didn't mean he had to deny himself the privilege of looking at him. His jaw line was set perfectly to complement his cold, angular features, while his eyes supplied a point of concentration. Kaiba's mysterious blue eyes were what all of his good looks were based around. In all honesty, Seto Kaiba was the most perfect human he had ever seen.

"Too bad he's an asshole," Jou spat while slamming his book shut. He decided not to draw anything that night and instead crept into bed.

After he shut off his light and settled himself into his pillow, Jou allowed himself to speak aloud once more before he drifted off to sleep.

"You are an asshole"

It almost sounded as if he was trying to convince himself.

This first chapter was just to be regarded as an introductory thing. The next chapters will be longer, I promise! The REAL story will start next chapter, and will contain actual Seto/Jou interaction.Please R+R. it makes me happy and more motivated! Sorry if it's OOC or even AU, but aren't all of these stories?

R&R!!!!!!!