by Lethe
Chapter Twenty-three: Denying
--------
::winces:: Ooh, Seto and Jou are pottymouths…
--------
The day before Christmas, and Jonouchi hadn't called yet. Seto glared at the phone as though it were at fault.
I suppose I can call him, he thought. I'd like to know why he was at the Game Shop.
Or better yet, I could stop by his apartment. I could bring food or something.
A thought came to Seto and he groaned. I forgot. I have no cooking abilities.
…I'm sure he would be fine with takeout. After all, he is Jonouchi.
*
Jonouchi sat against a wall of his bedroom. He had barely moved all day. Tears were streaked down his cheeks, and his head was buried in his hands. He couldn't believe that Seto had said what he did. Honda had to be wrong.
But Honda had never lied to him before. Honda was one of his best friends! What would he gain by lying?
Seto was his… his boyfriend, though. He couldn't have said such a thing. Unless… Unless he really thought Jonouchi was a nuisance. That he was just toying with him.
The thought was unbearable. Jonouchi's hands clenched and unclenched as he fought down the tears that were coming once again.
What if it was just a game to Seto? A game that he had won, for he owned the 'puppy' completely; he was the dominating master that he had made himself out to be in the beginning, and now the dog was helpless! Crying!
He was crying again. How pitiful. That's right, Jonouchi, get to the floor. Beg and weep before your owner. Play dead.
He remembered the time that Seto had kissed him. Had that been a game as well?
No, no, God, no. That can't be true. It can't be. No. The thoughts jumbled inside Jonouchi's head and came out as tears. Was that all he could do now?
The kisses, the smiles, the moments when they shared laughter. All false. All lies.
Even the time when Seto cried? He had done that just to get the collar tighter? What a cold-hearted, self-centered, conniving-
No, no, no, no, no! The mantra of denial rang within him. It couldn't be. It wasn't. Honda was wrong. He was wrong. He had to be.
He wasn't.
He wouldn't.
The tears just wouldn't stop.
*
Seto smiled inwardly. He knew that Jonouchi wouldn't be able to resist a good meal, which was now balanced precariously within foam containers cradled in his arm. With his free hand, he rang the doorbell.
There was no answer. Seto, being the fearless CEO that he was, tested the door. It was open. And that was as good an invitation as any, to him.
"What the hell are ya doing?!" snarled a raspy, drunken voice. "Get out!"
He barely managed to dodge the empty wine bottle that followed the man's shout. It crashed against the wall.
"I apologize, sir, I-"
"Get out! This is my house, damn you!" Another bottle, this time of whiskey. And it wasn't empty, either.
"Dad! Stop!" yelled Jonouchi, dashing out of a room – his bedroom, Seto supposed – and slamming the door to the room that the man was in.
"Damn kids…" Seto heard the voice mutter, but that was all. Soon after, there was a loud snore.
"Sorry, he's out of it again," apologized Jonouchi with an embarrassed grin, turning to Seto.
The two stared at each other for a moment.
The reaction was simultaneous.
"Are you all right? Have you been crying? I rang the doorbell, but no one-"
"What are you doing here?! You shouldn't be-"
"I thought you were unwell, so I brought-"
"Shut up, damn it! Honda told me what you said!"
"What?" Seto stared, dumbfounded, at Jonouchi. "What did I do?"
"Don't tell me you don't know…" said Jonouchi in a voice that Seto had never heard him use – and never wanted to hear him use again. "You cold-hearted bastard."
"Wait just a moment!" protested Seto. "I think that I have the right to know just what it is you're accusing me of!"
"You don't care at all, do you? Those girls were right!"
The containers dropped to the floor. "Wh-what…"
"It's all just a game to you, right?" he continued in a low, biting voice. "I'm the dog and you're the master? Is that it?"
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Katsuya," said Kaiba quietly.
"Yes, you do," said Jonouchi. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. 'Damn dog won't leave me alone'?"
Kaiba gasped. "No! Jou, you've got it all wrong! Let me explain-"
"Yeah, so you can play more of your games-"
"Listen to me!"
"No!" cried Jonouchi. "No, I won't listen to you! I trust Honda!" He turned and walked back to his room. Kaiba tried to follow him.
The door closed a centimeter from his face. The lock clicked. Seto's hand, on the doorknob, trembled slightly. He pressed his forehead against the door and spoke in a whisper. "More than you trust me?"
Jonouchi came out of his room a few hours later. The mess on the floor was gone.
And so was Seto.