Title: How much is a smile worth?
Author: Cincinnatusc6
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Jounouchi/Kaiba
Spoilers: nope
Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the YuGiOh universe. Duh.
Summary: All Jounouchi wants to do is sink into the ground and disappear forever--but he can't let his friends see. He can't let anyone see. He feels useless and somehow life, consciousness, and sanity all seem to spiral away. Kaiba's cruelty doesn't help either. When Yugi & co face a new enemy Jounouchi thinks that he finally understands why he's alive and Kaiba learns that sometimes, you don't realize how important something is to you until it's gone.
CHAPTER TWO: PERIL "Those who go beneath the surface do so at their own peril."
The man stepped into an airplane headed for Domino City. All he had was the suit he was wearing, a fat wallet, and a strange metal plate that was covered with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and adorned by an enormous purple gem at its center.
---
"Katsuya, some friends of yours are here to see you," Jounouchi's father said, leaning his head into his son's room. Jounouchi was still in bed even though it was past noon. "They look worried," his father continued, "and they asked if you were here. Where else would you be?" he chuckled.
Jounouchi blushed and stood up. God damn his ass hurt. He limped down the hallway and out into the kitchen, where Yugi, Anzu, Honda, and Ryou were sitting. Jounouchi heard the back door opening--his father was probably going out to read. Jounouchi avoided looking into his friends' faces and instead poured himself a glass of milk. There was an extremely uncomfortable silence. Finally, unable to take it, Jounouchi said "did you guys have fun?"
"Why are you limping?" Anzu asked. Jounouchi blushed again and didn't answer. His friends looked at eachother.
"Jou, you didn't..." Yugi trailed off. There was more silence.
"You idiot! What the hell did you do?" Honda yelled.
"Yeah, I was--am an idiot! We had sex, ok, completely meanin'less sex wit' no attachments and no future! He fucked me up da ass until I tought I was gonna rip in half and then he kicked me out onto da street and I never even tought dere could be anyting more but I did it anyway! Is dat what you want, guys? Are ya happy now?" he hissed, tears falling down his cheeks. His friends stared at him in shock. "I'm a complete idiot, I know, I just... neveh do anyting right..."
"Jou-" Yugi choked out, tears threatening to leak out of his eyes as well. He touched Jounouchi's shoulder but the blond boy shook his hand off.
"Would you guys get outta here, I wanna be alone."
"But Jou, why?" Ryou asked, completely perplexed.
"GET OUT!" Jou screamed wildly, enraged. His friends took a step back. "GET OUT, JUS' LEAVE ME DA HELL ALONE!" Jou tore off into his room and turned his music up all the way so that he could barely hear his friends furiously knocking on his door and shouting for him to come out. When he left his room an hour later they were gone.
---
Jounouchi took the portable phone into his room and after a moment's hesitation, dialed a number.
"Hello?" he heard at the other end of the line.
"Shizuka?"
"No, Katsuya, this is your mother."
Jounouchi flinched. "Can I talk ta Shizuka?"
"No, Jounouchi, we've already discussed this. You know I'm grateful about the money... although..."
"What?"
"Well, I've been thinking about it, and you really shouldn't think it entitles you to anything. It wasn't your money after all, you didn't win. It was your friend's."
"I--I know, ma, but... I, I jus' wanna talk ta her."
"Katsuya, I'm sorry, but I worry about your influence on her. And it's not just your grades or your blatant disrespect for authority--yes, I know your grades have been improving--but... you make very poor decisions Katsuya. Shizuka has a bright future. I know you care about her and you don't want to ruin that future--she's spent enough time chasing you around and watching your 'duels' as it is."
"Ok, ma," Jounouchi answered sadly. "Bye."
---
Jounouchi really didn't want to go to school. He didn't want to face Kaiba and his friends but more importantly, he was finding it hard to care. If it had just been that he was going to feel uncomfortable with facing them all, he would have sucked it up and gone. He wasn't a coward. He just couldn't think of one reason to go, and he could think of several reasons not to. Jounouchi curled into a little ball, pulled the covers over his head, and went to sleep.
If he dreamed at all, he couldn't remember it later.
---
"Perfect," the man whispered as he glanced at the huge, dusty room of the old factory. Broken machines, long past being recognizable as anything but huge chunks of metal, made an intricate pattern on the floor, almost like a maze. He began writing symbols on the ground in a large empty space towards the center of the large room. He used a thick black dye that seemed to have a hint of red where the light shined on it. As he worked, his laugh rang through the old factory, echoing off the walls.
---
Kaiba felt the urge to look at Jounouchi's empty desk again. He had known the fool would be upset, why was it bothering him now? No, it wasn't bothering him. He didn't care that Jounouchi hadn't come to school. He didn't. That sinking feeling in his stomach must have been something he ate. And the longing to see Jounouchi... he missed the sex. It was just the sex, nothing more. He didn't feel anything for that stupid mutt except sexual desire.
Yugi was looking at him. No, it was the other one. Yami. Anzu and Honda were glaring at him periodically as well. Ryou mostly looked at Jounouchi's chair but occasionally his eyes flickered to where Kaiba sat.
So what if they knew? Jounouchi had chosen to sleep with him, it wasn't Kaiba's fault.
But if it wasn't Kaiba's fault, why did it hurt?
---
"Kaiba."
Kaiba turned around to face the ancient pharaoh. "Yes, Yami?" he asked politely, smirking.
"What you did was unacceptable. I spared you before for Mokuba's sake, he won't save you this time!"
Kaiba laughed. "I had no idea I had gotten under your skin so much, Yami. I suppose I have a thicker hide, I would never bother killing you."
"This isn't a laughing matter! You listen to me-"
"No," Kaiba rasped harshly, a surprising amount of emotion in his voice, "I didn't do anything wrong. I never told him I would consider having a relationship with a piece of trash like him and even the stupidest lout could figure out that I'm not the most likely candidate for such a position. He made the choice. You're going to kill me--kill me--for that?" Yami didn't answer. "What, did he tell you I raped him? No, I know him better than that. Your friend did something stupid and now you want to punish someone and make it go away. Fools." Kaiba walked forward.
As he brushed past Yami, the spirit asked "can it really be that you feel nothing? How is it that you can hurt another so and yet feel nothing?"
Kaiba laughed, but he didn't really find what Yami had said funny. He laughed to chase away that sinking feeling, that hole, that invisible hand gripping his chest. He laughed to chase those pesky "feelings" off into the void where he had always pushed them before.
---
"Jou... your dad let us in. He said you were feeling sick. Jou?" Yugi asked the boy underneath the covers. He didn't answer. Yugi looked at Anzu, Honda, and Ryou questioningly. Ryou stepped up and gently shook Jou. He didn't move. Ryou looked at Yugi and shrugged. Honda grabbed the cover and pulled it down. Jounouchi looked at them.
"Go away."
"No," Honda answered.
"It was worth a try," Jounouchi sighed, turning over until he faced the wall.
Anzu sat down at the foot of his bed. "Jou, you have to talk to us." Jou laughed. "What?" she asked. Jou didn't answer.
"We just want to help you Jou," Ryou said.
After a moment's hesitation, Anzu added "we're--we're not mad at you if that's what you think."
"Don't worry about dat, I know yer not."
"Then why won't you talk to us?" Honda asked. Jounouchi didn't answer.
"Jou, why won't you--we're so worried about you! Please-" Yugi began sobbing. Jounouchi suddenly sat up and turned toward his short friend.
He touched Yugi's face. "It would make ya feel better if I went to school, played duel monsters, lived... normally? Dat would make ya happy?"
"Jou--I--I want you to feel better, feel normal."
"All right," Jou answered softly, smoothly--indifferently. "I'm gonna take a shower, should I meet ya all at da game shop in half an hour?"
"Jou?" Yugi asked, confused by his friend's behavior.
"I'm going ta try, Yug'. Dat's all I can promise ya."
The four friends stood for a moment in silence after Jounouchi left. They heard the shower turn on. "Maybe... we should wait for him?" Ryou hesitantly put forth.
"Yeah, I think we should," Anzu said.
Yugi, deeply troubled, watched the door that his blond friend had walked out of. He didn't understand at all what was going on in Jounouchi's head.
---
Jounouchi turned his face towards the shower head, letting the water drip down his skin. His friends would probably wait for him. He'd have to work hard to convince them that he was really trying to... what? Be happy? Yes, they would want that. Happy and well-adjusted. He'd have to go to school, play games... smile. He could do that. He didn't really care about any of that anymore, but he couldn't let them worry about him. He wasn't worth it. He was completely useless. It wouldn't matter if he were dead--in fact, it would be better because his friends wouldn't have to worry about one more mass of flesh.
---
The man was furious. A damn rat had destroyed hours of work by running across the still wet symbols he had painted on the ground. However, despite his frustration, he had to admit he was enjoying dissecting the thing alive. He had to be very careful not to kill the damned thing. What would be the fun if it couldn't feel pain?
---
Kaiba hated emotions.
Jounouchi had returned to school and was acting fairly normal, perhaps the only change being that he would occasionally become lost in his own thoughts, staring far away with hollow, passionless eyes. It was to be expected that he wouldn't be better immediately, but no doubt Jounouchi would be completely better in a few weeks.
Kaiba should have been feeling better. That horrible, dirty feeling--guilt, he had finally admitted--should have been gone. Well, a fair portion of it was... but now there was something else too. Sadness perhaps, or regret. He had actually enjoyed the fact that Jounouchi had given himself willingly, that it had been his first time--enjoyed it because it made him feel important to Jounouchi. Kaiba hadn't been willing to admit it before, but now that he knew he wasn't really that important to the other boy, he had to acknowledge the loss of this same sense of importance. He liked the idea that Jounouchi genuinely wanted him, maybe even cared about him. He was beginning to understand these feelings. He had actually always had them, but his will had been stronger. He had pushed them away, except those concerning Mokuba. Mokuba was easy, Kaiba's feelings concerning his brother weren't confusing. But these feelings about Jounouchi--they were confusing and too strong to push away, to hide, to ignore.
And something else was bothering him. The happiness he had felt knowing Jounouchi had feelings for him... it was good. He liked it. It didn't make him feel weak, it had made him feel strong. He was starting to wonder if his system of ignoring his own emotions--a system that in many ways defined him as a person--was really necessary.
---
The spells were in place. He had even placed traps around the factory in case anyone decided to sneak in the wrong way. The man took out old fashioned parchment and a calligraphy pen. He wrote four letters, each a lie.
---
"Katsuya, dere's a letter for ya in da mail."
Jou looked at his father curiously, then grabbed the letter. In beautiful, elaborate, elegant letters the name Katsuya Jounouchi was carefully printed across the front. Jounouchi opened it.
Your sister has been taken. If you want her to live, you will come to 612 Arias St. as soon as you get this letter.
Jounouchi took off at the door, ignoring the questions his father yelled at his reatreating form.
---
Jounouchi hesitated for just a moment before opening the door to the old factory. As he stepped inside he heard it slam shut behind him. He strode forward. There were strange markings all over the floor. It was bizarre. "Shizuka?" he called. In a moment, he entered an open space with several figures. He was standing near Yugi, Honda, Anzu, Ryou, and Kaiba. Of course, both Yugi and Ryou seemed to be in their darker forms at the moment. Bakura was wrapped up in something--it looked rather like silly string to Jounouchi. On the farther side of the open space stood a man in a ragged suit. Jounouchi grimaced at the sight of the man's strangely pale skin and towering, emaciated form..
"Where's Shizuka?" Jounouchi yelled after his quick examination of the situation.
"Probably at home having tea with you mother."
"What?" Jounouchi asked, extremely confused.
"Who are you? Where is Yugi's Grandfather?" Yami asked the man.
"Probably at a strip club!" The man laughed insanely. The teenagers glanced at eachother in confusion. A loud bang was heard and suddenly Mokuba was dragged in by a set of chains around his wrists. "Well, it looks like one of my letters was actually true!" The man cackled.
"I-I saw the letter and I was going to tell you that I... wasn't kidnapped..." Mokuba gasped.
Suddenly, Bakura spoke up. "I remember you."
The man sneered. "You would, thief."
"Who is he?" Yami asked.
"I am the son of a noble man and woman whom you mercilessly slaughtered. I have spent the last four thousand years gaining the power to destroy you for what you did to them."
"In Egypt they defiled the temple and according to law, you had to execute them. I knew them--they had no art, no flair. The maggots of the underworld," Bakura added boredly, despite the fact that he was apparently incapacited by whatever the stuff was that was wrapped around him.
"How dare you!" the man hissed, then suddenly smiled. "But you will pay."
Kaiba snarled and pulled out a gun. "None of us will pay for anything, you crazy moron." He fired at the man's head. The bullet seemed to hit something and then floated down to the ground.
"You didn't think I'd be here without protection, did you? Now, to business. You see that Mash-ra-tha?"
"Huh?" Honda asked.
"The plate," Bakura supplied.
"Yes, yes, well it's essentially a bomb. When I say the incantation it will explode, killing you all!"
Yami frowned. "This is between you and me, why-"
"An eye for an eye--an edict older even than you and I!" The man cackled again.
"Who are you, Dr. Seuss?" Anzu asked incredulously.
The man ignored her, still glaring at Yami. "You took away my parents, I shall take your friends!" He screamed, his eyes growing until they seemed ready to pop out of his head. Kaiba, who had looked rather contemplative a moment before, pointed his gun at the stone in the plate. The man laughed again. "I wouldn't do that if I were you! The magical backlash will kill you! Are you prepared to take that risk?" The man's voice spiraled up in pitch, becoming rather ridiculous. Kaiba hesitated.
Jounouchi didn't. In one swift, surprisingly graceful motion he grabbed a large metal part from some machine and ran to the Mash-ra-tha. He raised the makeshift club above his head. There was a moment of shock and the only person who could find a voice was Honda.
"What the hell are you doing Jou?"
Jounouchi smiled and looked up. "Being useful."
He brought the hunk of metal crashing down onto the gem, which shattered into millions of sparkling pieces. They blew out, several slashing Jounouchi's skin, before being pulled back together and drifting softly back onto the plate, where they covered up the Egyptian symbols. A bright light burst forth from where the gem had been, blinding all the onlookers. When they could see again, Jounouchi's body was lying on the floor and the strange man was trying to slink away.
Bakura had somehow freed himself from his binding and ran to catch the insane man. Yugi, who had apparently taken control of the body again, stepped slowly towards Jounouchi but didn't make it. He collapsed onto his knees, shaking and sobbing. Anzu, also trembling with tears gushing down her cheeks, walked over to Yugi and hugged him. He put his arms around her as well. Suddenly, Honda yelled. The sound reverberated through the enormous room. He fell back against the machine behind him and sank to the floor. Mokuba felt hot tears searing his face. He grabbed his brother's hand despite then chains that still bound his own little hands and looked up at Kaiba's face. He stopped cold.
"Big brother... you're crying."
Everyone else in the room turned to stare at Kaiba. He looked at his brother, disbelief written across his face, but brought his hand up to his eyes anyway. He was surprised that he did indeed feel a warm, wet liquid on his skin. He shook his head angrily.
"That bright light just irritated my eyes. Come on Mokuba, we're leaving." He grabbed the boy and pulled him out of the factory. As he walked out they could hear him murmur "damn idiot mutt."
They sat in shocked silence. Then Bakura, who had already restrained the crazy man and then walked over to where Jounouchi lay, lazily said "He's not dead."
"What?" Yugi asked as his head shot up.
"He's breathing and he's got a pulse. Jou's not dead." Bakura walked back to the man, then slowly and deliberately put his foot on his neck. "Explain."
"The man wriggled underneath him, turning red. He hoarsely whispered "I-I lied. I didn't think anyone would risk it, or I thought they'd at least hesitate long enough for me to finish the incantation."
Bakura looked down at him. "He did lie about the hostages. He's a pathetic little lying maggot, just like his parents."
"Jou... Jou's not dead?" Yugi asked, hope almost spilling out of him. They all moved towards Jounouchi's unconscious body. Yugi dashed forward and hugged him.
"I think we should get him to a hospital," Anzu said. The rest nodded in agreement, lifting him up and leaving Bakura to take care of the mess.
--- --- ---
You didn't think I could actually kill Jou, did you? You did? What kind of heartless monsters are you!!! Anyway, commentary on the chapter: I know the "plot" (dare I call it that?) is a little weak, but this is a story about emotions really, not the random obstacle I made up so that the story could move forward. The bad guy himself is rather silly, but the effect I was going for was the point where ridiculousness and tragedy merge. You know how sometimes when you're really sad you laugh instead of crying? Well, that happens to me, and that was what inspired his character. Gosh, y'all must think I'm off my rocker--I'll shut up now.
Author: Cincinnatusc6
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Jounouchi/Kaiba
Spoilers: nope
Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the YuGiOh universe. Duh.
Summary: All Jounouchi wants to do is sink into the ground and disappear forever--but he can't let his friends see. He can't let anyone see. He feels useless and somehow life, consciousness, and sanity all seem to spiral away. Kaiba's cruelty doesn't help either. When Yugi & co face a new enemy Jounouchi thinks that he finally understands why he's alive and Kaiba learns that sometimes, you don't realize how important something is to you until it's gone.
CHAPTER TWO: PERIL "Those who go beneath the surface do so at their own peril."
The man stepped into an airplane headed for Domino City. All he had was the suit he was wearing, a fat wallet, and a strange metal plate that was covered with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and adorned by an enormous purple gem at its center.
---
"Katsuya, some friends of yours are here to see you," Jounouchi's father said, leaning his head into his son's room. Jounouchi was still in bed even though it was past noon. "They look worried," his father continued, "and they asked if you were here. Where else would you be?" he chuckled.
Jounouchi blushed and stood up. God damn his ass hurt. He limped down the hallway and out into the kitchen, where Yugi, Anzu, Honda, and Ryou were sitting. Jounouchi heard the back door opening--his father was probably going out to read. Jounouchi avoided looking into his friends' faces and instead poured himself a glass of milk. There was an extremely uncomfortable silence. Finally, unable to take it, Jounouchi said "did you guys have fun?"
"Why are you limping?" Anzu asked. Jounouchi blushed again and didn't answer. His friends looked at eachother.
"Jou, you didn't..." Yugi trailed off. There was more silence.
"You idiot! What the hell did you do?" Honda yelled.
"Yeah, I was--am an idiot! We had sex, ok, completely meanin'less sex wit' no attachments and no future! He fucked me up da ass until I tought I was gonna rip in half and then he kicked me out onto da street and I never even tought dere could be anyting more but I did it anyway! Is dat what you want, guys? Are ya happy now?" he hissed, tears falling down his cheeks. His friends stared at him in shock. "I'm a complete idiot, I know, I just... neveh do anyting right..."
"Jou-" Yugi choked out, tears threatening to leak out of his eyes as well. He touched Jounouchi's shoulder but the blond boy shook his hand off.
"Would you guys get outta here, I wanna be alone."
"But Jou, why?" Ryou asked, completely perplexed.
"GET OUT!" Jou screamed wildly, enraged. His friends took a step back. "GET OUT, JUS' LEAVE ME DA HELL ALONE!" Jou tore off into his room and turned his music up all the way so that he could barely hear his friends furiously knocking on his door and shouting for him to come out. When he left his room an hour later they were gone.
---
Jounouchi took the portable phone into his room and after a moment's hesitation, dialed a number.
"Hello?" he heard at the other end of the line.
"Shizuka?"
"No, Katsuya, this is your mother."
Jounouchi flinched. "Can I talk ta Shizuka?"
"No, Jounouchi, we've already discussed this. You know I'm grateful about the money... although..."
"What?"
"Well, I've been thinking about it, and you really shouldn't think it entitles you to anything. It wasn't your money after all, you didn't win. It was your friend's."
"I--I know, ma, but... I, I jus' wanna talk ta her."
"Katsuya, I'm sorry, but I worry about your influence on her. And it's not just your grades or your blatant disrespect for authority--yes, I know your grades have been improving--but... you make very poor decisions Katsuya. Shizuka has a bright future. I know you care about her and you don't want to ruin that future--she's spent enough time chasing you around and watching your 'duels' as it is."
"Ok, ma," Jounouchi answered sadly. "Bye."
---
Jounouchi really didn't want to go to school. He didn't want to face Kaiba and his friends but more importantly, he was finding it hard to care. If it had just been that he was going to feel uncomfortable with facing them all, he would have sucked it up and gone. He wasn't a coward. He just couldn't think of one reason to go, and he could think of several reasons not to. Jounouchi curled into a little ball, pulled the covers over his head, and went to sleep.
If he dreamed at all, he couldn't remember it later.
---
"Perfect," the man whispered as he glanced at the huge, dusty room of the old factory. Broken machines, long past being recognizable as anything but huge chunks of metal, made an intricate pattern on the floor, almost like a maze. He began writing symbols on the ground in a large empty space towards the center of the large room. He used a thick black dye that seemed to have a hint of red where the light shined on it. As he worked, his laugh rang through the old factory, echoing off the walls.
---
Kaiba felt the urge to look at Jounouchi's empty desk again. He had known the fool would be upset, why was it bothering him now? No, it wasn't bothering him. He didn't care that Jounouchi hadn't come to school. He didn't. That sinking feeling in his stomach must have been something he ate. And the longing to see Jounouchi... he missed the sex. It was just the sex, nothing more. He didn't feel anything for that stupid mutt except sexual desire.
Yugi was looking at him. No, it was the other one. Yami. Anzu and Honda were glaring at him periodically as well. Ryou mostly looked at Jounouchi's chair but occasionally his eyes flickered to where Kaiba sat.
So what if they knew? Jounouchi had chosen to sleep with him, it wasn't Kaiba's fault.
But if it wasn't Kaiba's fault, why did it hurt?
---
"Kaiba."
Kaiba turned around to face the ancient pharaoh. "Yes, Yami?" he asked politely, smirking.
"What you did was unacceptable. I spared you before for Mokuba's sake, he won't save you this time!"
Kaiba laughed. "I had no idea I had gotten under your skin so much, Yami. I suppose I have a thicker hide, I would never bother killing you."
"This isn't a laughing matter! You listen to me-"
"No," Kaiba rasped harshly, a surprising amount of emotion in his voice, "I didn't do anything wrong. I never told him I would consider having a relationship with a piece of trash like him and even the stupidest lout could figure out that I'm not the most likely candidate for such a position. He made the choice. You're going to kill me--kill me--for that?" Yami didn't answer. "What, did he tell you I raped him? No, I know him better than that. Your friend did something stupid and now you want to punish someone and make it go away. Fools." Kaiba walked forward.
As he brushed past Yami, the spirit asked "can it really be that you feel nothing? How is it that you can hurt another so and yet feel nothing?"
Kaiba laughed, but he didn't really find what Yami had said funny. He laughed to chase away that sinking feeling, that hole, that invisible hand gripping his chest. He laughed to chase those pesky "feelings" off into the void where he had always pushed them before.
---
"Jou... your dad let us in. He said you were feeling sick. Jou?" Yugi asked the boy underneath the covers. He didn't answer. Yugi looked at Anzu, Honda, and Ryou questioningly. Ryou stepped up and gently shook Jou. He didn't move. Ryou looked at Yugi and shrugged. Honda grabbed the cover and pulled it down. Jounouchi looked at them.
"Go away."
"No," Honda answered.
"It was worth a try," Jounouchi sighed, turning over until he faced the wall.
Anzu sat down at the foot of his bed. "Jou, you have to talk to us." Jou laughed. "What?" she asked. Jou didn't answer.
"We just want to help you Jou," Ryou said.
After a moment's hesitation, Anzu added "we're--we're not mad at you if that's what you think."
"Don't worry about dat, I know yer not."
"Then why won't you talk to us?" Honda asked. Jounouchi didn't answer.
"Jou, why won't you--we're so worried about you! Please-" Yugi began sobbing. Jounouchi suddenly sat up and turned toward his short friend.
He touched Yugi's face. "It would make ya feel better if I went to school, played duel monsters, lived... normally? Dat would make ya happy?"
"Jou--I--I want you to feel better, feel normal."
"All right," Jou answered softly, smoothly--indifferently. "I'm gonna take a shower, should I meet ya all at da game shop in half an hour?"
"Jou?" Yugi asked, confused by his friend's behavior.
"I'm going ta try, Yug'. Dat's all I can promise ya."
The four friends stood for a moment in silence after Jounouchi left. They heard the shower turn on. "Maybe... we should wait for him?" Ryou hesitantly put forth.
"Yeah, I think we should," Anzu said.
Yugi, deeply troubled, watched the door that his blond friend had walked out of. He didn't understand at all what was going on in Jounouchi's head.
---
Jounouchi turned his face towards the shower head, letting the water drip down his skin. His friends would probably wait for him. He'd have to work hard to convince them that he was really trying to... what? Be happy? Yes, they would want that. Happy and well-adjusted. He'd have to go to school, play games... smile. He could do that. He didn't really care about any of that anymore, but he couldn't let them worry about him. He wasn't worth it. He was completely useless. It wouldn't matter if he were dead--in fact, it would be better because his friends wouldn't have to worry about one more mass of flesh.
---
The man was furious. A damn rat had destroyed hours of work by running across the still wet symbols he had painted on the ground. However, despite his frustration, he had to admit he was enjoying dissecting the thing alive. He had to be very careful not to kill the damned thing. What would be the fun if it couldn't feel pain?
---
Kaiba hated emotions.
Jounouchi had returned to school and was acting fairly normal, perhaps the only change being that he would occasionally become lost in his own thoughts, staring far away with hollow, passionless eyes. It was to be expected that he wouldn't be better immediately, but no doubt Jounouchi would be completely better in a few weeks.
Kaiba should have been feeling better. That horrible, dirty feeling--guilt, he had finally admitted--should have been gone. Well, a fair portion of it was... but now there was something else too. Sadness perhaps, or regret. He had actually enjoyed the fact that Jounouchi had given himself willingly, that it had been his first time--enjoyed it because it made him feel important to Jounouchi. Kaiba hadn't been willing to admit it before, but now that he knew he wasn't really that important to the other boy, he had to acknowledge the loss of this same sense of importance. He liked the idea that Jounouchi genuinely wanted him, maybe even cared about him. He was beginning to understand these feelings. He had actually always had them, but his will had been stronger. He had pushed them away, except those concerning Mokuba. Mokuba was easy, Kaiba's feelings concerning his brother weren't confusing. But these feelings about Jounouchi--they were confusing and too strong to push away, to hide, to ignore.
And something else was bothering him. The happiness he had felt knowing Jounouchi had feelings for him... it was good. He liked it. It didn't make him feel weak, it had made him feel strong. He was starting to wonder if his system of ignoring his own emotions--a system that in many ways defined him as a person--was really necessary.
---
The spells were in place. He had even placed traps around the factory in case anyone decided to sneak in the wrong way. The man took out old fashioned parchment and a calligraphy pen. He wrote four letters, each a lie.
---
"Katsuya, dere's a letter for ya in da mail."
Jou looked at his father curiously, then grabbed the letter. In beautiful, elaborate, elegant letters the name Katsuya Jounouchi was carefully printed across the front. Jounouchi opened it.
Your sister has been taken. If you want her to live, you will come to 612 Arias St. as soon as you get this letter.
Jounouchi took off at the door, ignoring the questions his father yelled at his reatreating form.
---
Jounouchi hesitated for just a moment before opening the door to the old factory. As he stepped inside he heard it slam shut behind him. He strode forward. There were strange markings all over the floor. It was bizarre. "Shizuka?" he called. In a moment, he entered an open space with several figures. He was standing near Yugi, Honda, Anzu, Ryou, and Kaiba. Of course, both Yugi and Ryou seemed to be in their darker forms at the moment. Bakura was wrapped up in something--it looked rather like silly string to Jounouchi. On the farther side of the open space stood a man in a ragged suit. Jounouchi grimaced at the sight of the man's strangely pale skin and towering, emaciated form..
"Where's Shizuka?" Jounouchi yelled after his quick examination of the situation.
"Probably at home having tea with you mother."
"What?" Jounouchi asked, extremely confused.
"Who are you? Where is Yugi's Grandfather?" Yami asked the man.
"Probably at a strip club!" The man laughed insanely. The teenagers glanced at eachother in confusion. A loud bang was heard and suddenly Mokuba was dragged in by a set of chains around his wrists. "Well, it looks like one of my letters was actually true!" The man cackled.
"I-I saw the letter and I was going to tell you that I... wasn't kidnapped..." Mokuba gasped.
Suddenly, Bakura spoke up. "I remember you."
The man sneered. "You would, thief."
"Who is he?" Yami asked.
"I am the son of a noble man and woman whom you mercilessly slaughtered. I have spent the last four thousand years gaining the power to destroy you for what you did to them."
"In Egypt they defiled the temple and according to law, you had to execute them. I knew them--they had no art, no flair. The maggots of the underworld," Bakura added boredly, despite the fact that he was apparently incapacited by whatever the stuff was that was wrapped around him.
"How dare you!" the man hissed, then suddenly smiled. "But you will pay."
Kaiba snarled and pulled out a gun. "None of us will pay for anything, you crazy moron." He fired at the man's head. The bullet seemed to hit something and then floated down to the ground.
"You didn't think I'd be here without protection, did you? Now, to business. You see that Mash-ra-tha?"
"Huh?" Honda asked.
"The plate," Bakura supplied.
"Yes, yes, well it's essentially a bomb. When I say the incantation it will explode, killing you all!"
Yami frowned. "This is between you and me, why-"
"An eye for an eye--an edict older even than you and I!" The man cackled again.
"Who are you, Dr. Seuss?" Anzu asked incredulously.
The man ignored her, still glaring at Yami. "You took away my parents, I shall take your friends!" He screamed, his eyes growing until they seemed ready to pop out of his head. Kaiba, who had looked rather contemplative a moment before, pointed his gun at the stone in the plate. The man laughed again. "I wouldn't do that if I were you! The magical backlash will kill you! Are you prepared to take that risk?" The man's voice spiraled up in pitch, becoming rather ridiculous. Kaiba hesitated.
Jounouchi didn't. In one swift, surprisingly graceful motion he grabbed a large metal part from some machine and ran to the Mash-ra-tha. He raised the makeshift club above his head. There was a moment of shock and the only person who could find a voice was Honda.
"What the hell are you doing Jou?"
Jounouchi smiled and looked up. "Being useful."
He brought the hunk of metal crashing down onto the gem, which shattered into millions of sparkling pieces. They blew out, several slashing Jounouchi's skin, before being pulled back together and drifting softly back onto the plate, where they covered up the Egyptian symbols. A bright light burst forth from where the gem had been, blinding all the onlookers. When they could see again, Jounouchi's body was lying on the floor and the strange man was trying to slink away.
Bakura had somehow freed himself from his binding and ran to catch the insane man. Yugi, who had apparently taken control of the body again, stepped slowly towards Jounouchi but didn't make it. He collapsed onto his knees, shaking and sobbing. Anzu, also trembling with tears gushing down her cheeks, walked over to Yugi and hugged him. He put his arms around her as well. Suddenly, Honda yelled. The sound reverberated through the enormous room. He fell back against the machine behind him and sank to the floor. Mokuba felt hot tears searing his face. He grabbed his brother's hand despite then chains that still bound his own little hands and looked up at Kaiba's face. He stopped cold.
"Big brother... you're crying."
Everyone else in the room turned to stare at Kaiba. He looked at his brother, disbelief written across his face, but brought his hand up to his eyes anyway. He was surprised that he did indeed feel a warm, wet liquid on his skin. He shook his head angrily.
"That bright light just irritated my eyes. Come on Mokuba, we're leaving." He grabbed the boy and pulled him out of the factory. As he walked out they could hear him murmur "damn idiot mutt."
They sat in shocked silence. Then Bakura, who had already restrained the crazy man and then walked over to where Jounouchi lay, lazily said "He's not dead."
"What?" Yugi asked as his head shot up.
"He's breathing and he's got a pulse. Jou's not dead." Bakura walked back to the man, then slowly and deliberately put his foot on his neck. "Explain."
"The man wriggled underneath him, turning red. He hoarsely whispered "I-I lied. I didn't think anyone would risk it, or I thought they'd at least hesitate long enough for me to finish the incantation."
Bakura looked down at him. "He did lie about the hostages. He's a pathetic little lying maggot, just like his parents."
"Jou... Jou's not dead?" Yugi asked, hope almost spilling out of him. They all moved towards Jounouchi's unconscious body. Yugi dashed forward and hugged him.
"I think we should get him to a hospital," Anzu said. The rest nodded in agreement, lifting him up and leaving Bakura to take care of the mess.
--- --- ---
You didn't think I could actually kill Jou, did you? You did? What kind of heartless monsters are you!!! Anyway, commentary on the chapter: I know the "plot" (dare I call it that?) is a little weak, but this is a story about emotions really, not the random obstacle I made up so that the story could move forward. The bad guy himself is rather silly, but the effect I was going for was the point where ridiculousness and tragedy merge. You know how sometimes when you're really sad you laugh instead of crying? Well, that happens to me, and that was what inspired his character. Gosh, y'all must think I'm off my rocker--I'll shut up now.