Zero: Kaiba's coming in soon! I don't think many of you will be mad, considering him and Joey are why you're here In the first place! To start off, I'd like to thank my reviewers.........they keep me in line, and writing! I'm always thinking up stuff, so I'll have more stories for you people to read, how's that sound? Anyway, on to the story itself!
DISCLAIMER: don't own, wish I did.
With Yugi and the Gang
It was nighttime, seriously now. The sun had disappeared long ago, but still Joey wasn't back. The gang had decided to split up and look for him, each vowing to return to Yugi's house when either they got a lead on the blonde's whereabouts or an hour had gone by. Malik and Ryou were in one group, looking to the west side of the town; Tristan and Duke went east; Mai and Tea went south; and Yugi, with his Yami, had gone north. Shouts of, "Joey! JOEY!" could be heard along the deserted streets as the friends split up.
Yugi was looking every which way, trying to think of where Joey might have gone. He wasn't at the park, nor school, or even Yugi's house. Yugi didn't even stop to consider the possibility of Joey having gone back to his own house.
Pulling his jacket closer to his small body, the young teen ran down the street towards his grandfather's card shop. Maybe he'd gone there, though it was past closing hours. As soon as he'd rounded the corner, Yugi knew he wouldn't find his friend there. The lights were off inside of the small building and no one was outside. That Yugi could see, that is. There were shadows everywhere.
Yugi shivered, then turned down another street, always calling Joey's name into the night.
Tristan and Duke were having the same problem. They didn't know where Joey would've gone that would've involved a reason. They'd all been at the arcade just thirty minutes ago, then Joey and Mai had ended their game and chaos had reigned as soon as Bakura and Marik had begun to play. Mai had come back; said Joey was staying outside for some fresh air, only he never came back.
"Mai had something to do with this," Duke said to Tristan as they dashed down a street, turned a corner, and ran some more.
"What?? Mai is just as worried as the rest of us!"
Duke just shrugged.
Ryou and Malik were looking inside each building they came to, asking people that were inside if they're seen a tall blonde with big hair. No one had, but the two boys kept it up.
"Um, excuse me, sir." Malik was tugging on an old man's coat sleeve. He was brushed aside before he could ask anything. Malik glared after him and tried another.
Back at his house, Joey stumbled into his room, collapsing on his bed. A trail of blood was making its way from his temple, where his father had slammed him into the wall and he'd fallen to the floor where a beer bottle just happened to be. Luckily, it had been his arm that had smashed it and not his head. Joey groaned, rolled over, and tried to go to sleep. It was really late now, and Yugi and the rest of his friend's were the last things on his mind.
"Mai........." He murmured, half asleep. His eyes closed finally and granted him well-deserved rest.
There was no sound, only the silence of darkness, which was loud in itself. It seemed to weigh down Joey as he trudged along, his footsteps making no sound. But he knew he was walking; he felt the hard concrete as his right foot landed.........the nothingness as he left it, but set his left down.........reverse, repeat.........
Suddenly, he was aware of a sound like dripping water. Above all that rose a sweet voice, like that of an angel or Celestial being. Joey stopped a few moments to listen, feeling his strength return to his worn-out body. He'd wanted nothing more than to find some place to curl upon and sleep, but now he knew he had to keep going.........find what was making this sound.
Some clouds shifted and a stream of moonlight shot down, lighting a figure ten feet in front of him. It was a female, teenager by the form of her body outlined in white. But it was not Mai, and that disappointed him somehow. He couldn't see her face at all, but she was smaller than Mai in most areas.
"H.........He-?" Joey couldn't get his tongue to form the word 'hello.' His tongue felt swollen, and he tasted blood in his mouth. It was then he remembered his lip was cut, and he moved his arm to wipe off the blood.
"Joey........." The strange voice called his name; that in itself was enchanting. He stumbled, reaching out in the darkness towards her. He fell to his knees and one hand as a coughing fit raked his body. Once that cleared up, the voice had changed. It was harder, meaner, yet still.........beautiful.
"Joey? Joey.........that you?"
He recognized that voice now and stood straight; only to take a few hasty steps backward.
It was Seto Kaiba.
"Joseph! Get over here, you dog!" The voice was heading towards him. The moonlight had gone out when Joey had tripped, and now he couldn't see anything anymore. He felt hands grab his jacket, felt them reach their way up to his face. But they were gentle.........so gentle. Not Kaiba's......... No, couldn't be Kaiba's. But his voice was still there.
"That's it, Joseph. Nothing to fear........."
Joey stiffened as something brushed his lips, feather-light. He found it to be Kaiba's thumb. The music in the background was louder, and the tune was speeding up, until it reached a high-pitch note where it suddenly became dangerous, like a tiger on the prowl, having its eyes set on an unsuspecting deer.
Kaiba's touch also became rougher, more abusive, mocking. Joey turned away from him and started to run, but the other was soon on top of him, pining him to the ground, his hands closing over the blonde's neck.........
"No.........no!" He managed, just before his air supply was cut off. He couldn't breath. His lungs ached, begging for air. His heart was racing in his ears, his pulse pounding. He was going to die.........going to die before-
Joey opened his eyes. He was covered in a cold sweat. His arm hurt like a mad thing, and the skin on his cheek felt tight. Tear stains? No. As he reached a hand up to touch the spot, he felt something hard, crusted. 'Dried blood?' Then it all came back to him. The fight with his father, though Joey had surrendered, the dream, the arcade, Mai.........
He shook his head to clear it, though he regretted it instantly. Dizziness over came him, wiping out his senses. Once he recovered, he rolled over, careful of his wounds, and staggered to his feet. He felt off balance somehow, but he made his way to the door. He had to get out of here, he just had to.........
But when he tried to move his right arm, it wouldn't. At all. Frustrated, he looked over at it. It was oddly shaped, and there was a lump on the side he didn't remember being there before. He swore as he realized it was broken, but used his left arm. Soon, he was out of the house, though he had to limp a great deal. The sun was just coming up, and even that small glare hurt his eyes. He raised his good arm to block out the sun as he made his way down the street.
Joey didn't know where he was going. He didn't think he could make it anywhere too far- he was already stumbling the way it was. A shiny red car came up alongside him. The convertible slowed from its speed of 30 miles per hour to the crawl Joey was going. The blonde felt contempt growing inside of him, for he knew this person before the man spoke, even without looking up.
Seto Kaiba.
"What.........do you want?" he growled.
Kaba gave a short laugh, then it was evident he was smirking as he replied. "What happened to the puppy dog? Did some meanie kick him out?"
"Shut the hell up!"
"Ooh, such a mouth. Ought to wash it out with soap."
Joey sighed heavily. He was in no mood to deal with the snob. He lengthened his stride, but Kaiba sped up as well.
"And where are we going, so fast?"
"I am-"he stumbled as he stepped on some large stones, which shifted and caused his to slip. He swore loudly as his bad arm hit the pavement. As he rose, he kicked the side of the perfect car, annoyed. But, once he was standing straight, his vision became blurred and he blacked out, falling to the ground once more.
Kaiba thought this was some joke of Joey's, so he began to drive off. But the blonde did not rise, even when the rear tire threatened to go over his head. He gave an exasperated sigh, opening his door and stepping around to Joey. Slowly, carefully, he lifted the blonde into the backseat of his car, slipping off his own jacket to form a pillow for the other's bruised head. Then he got back in and drove back to his mansion.
A few hours later, Joey awoke from his slumber. On his head was something cool, and his arm felt stiff. He opened his eyes. His arm was in a sling about his neck, and a cast adorned the arm itself. A cloth fell limply to the ground as he sat up. He regretted the movement the second he did it, and laid back down. His body was stiff and it ached everywhere.
He was just rolling over to try and find sleep again, but a voice stopped him.
"So. You're awake." It was a statement; the voice was cool and hard, though it was gentler than seemed normal for it. Joey glanced over to see Kaiba sitting on a chair near the bed.
Just perfect. The one man Joey wanted to see while he was like this! Out of pride, he kept his mouth shut.
Kaiba seemed to sense Joey's mood, and he too felt the same, though he didn't acknowledge it. He sighed before he spoke again. "Look, I didn't want you in my house. But I couldn't just leave you there, to get run over by someone else."
When Joey looked up, he added, "That's my job." Even Joey had to smirk at that- but he caught himself. Here they were, enemies and talking to each other like friends. He tried his best to ignore Kaiba as he stood up on wobbly legs, but he just fell right back over anyway. Kaiba smirked as Joey swore.
"Don't try that again. You've already broken your arm and sprained your right ankle." It was hard for the brunette to keep the amusement at the blonde's predicament out of his voice.
Joey was dizzy. His head was spinning and there were birds flapping about his skull, trailing stars behind them. He fell back onto the bed, into another deep sleep.