Disclaimer: Guess what my name is. I'll give you a hint: it's not Kazuki Takahashi. So any questions about whether I'm the genius who created Yu-Gi-Oh should be answered, though I won't deny being a genius, after all, I discovered fanfiction at one point in my life, and that was pretty smart you have to admit…
Also, I would like to add that the song in this chapter and all the songs in the previous chapters are not mine, they are Michelle Branch's, so the question of whether I'm a musical genius should be answered, though if having something like 60 c.d.'s counts for being a musical genius, then maybe I am after all…
CHAPTER 7: Store it Until the Show
It's been a long, long time since I looked
Into the mirror
Now my reflections getting clearer
Now that you're gone things will never be
The same again
"Hey, Kaiba!" Joey said cheerfully as Seto opened the door to let the guests in. Seto didn't acknowledge him in anyway.
"Hello, Yugi," he said instead. Joey's eyes widened. What was wrong with Seto? Had he done something to offend him? But as Joey racked his brain to think of something his attention was diverted to something else. When Yami and Bakura entered they were carrying something that looked suspiciously like cans of beer…
"Hey, Joey," Ryou said as he and Yugi walked up to the doorway. He was wearing an odd sort of smile, as was Yugi, which seemed to Joey as if he knew something important. Something Joey did not, and was probably to going to end up having a problem with not knowing.
"Hey," Joey replied nonetheless and went in with them, Tea entering after and Marik and Malik appearing behind them with an eerie sort of punctuality for them. Normally they were twenty minutes late, and that was early most for them. At their worst they could be just over an hour behind schedule. Something was going on and Joey knew that everyone was in on it…except maybe Kaiba.
And speaking of him, something was clearly wrong there was well. Damn! What was with everyone today?
There's not a minute that goes by every
Hour of every day
You're such a part of me
But I just pulled away
We'll, I'm not the same boy
You used to know
I wish I said the words I never showed
"Is something wrong, Joey?" Yugi asked as they entered the gaming room, complete with big screen TV and play station 2, pool table, air hockey, and of course, a rack of duel disks. On the table by the TV were bags of chips, a few pizzas, and some empty cups. Everyone plopped down beside it, except the ex-pharaoh and tomb robber.
"We'll get the drinks!" they said far too cheerfully for Joey's comfort, gathering up the cups and bounding up the room. A few seconds later, however, Bakura came back looking rather sheepish.
"Um, where is the kitchen anyway?" Everyone cracked up.
"Two rooms down," Seto said, grinning. Which was really odd, seeing as how he would normally have kept up his mask for something trivial as that.
"Thanks!" Bakura chirped and almost skipped back out. As the laughter subsided an uncomfortable silence filled the room.
I know you had to go away
I died just a little, and I feel it now
You're the one I need
I believe that I would cry just a little
Just to have you back now
Here with me
Here with me
"So, Kaiba," Yugi said, making a brave attempt at conversation. "I hear your company is sponsoring a charity art event for the Tokyo Children's Hospital. Who's entering it besides Joey?"
"Wheeler's entering it?" Seto said, genuinely surprised, causing Yugi to seemed shocked and turns to Joey.
"I thought you said you were," Yugi said, sounding mortally injured as was his way when he thought a friend had lied to him even a little.
"I am," Joey said quietly. Seto snorted.
"Yes, no doubt his little boyfriend convinced him to do so," Seto said coldly. Joey looked at him, startled.
"What?" It was that moment, however, that Yami and Bakura chose to reenter the room, baring drinks for everyone.
"Let's drink!" Bakura said enthusiastically after everyone had been handed one, raising his own. "To, er, something!"
"The almost end of school!" Yami amended.
"I'll drink to dat," Joey agreed.
"To the end of school," everyone chorused and drunk deep. Both Seto and Joey's classes were nearly finished.
"What was that?" Seto asked, looking a bit disoriented. "I didn't recognize the taste."
"You didn't recognize the taste of coke?" Bakura said, deeply appalled. "My God, you really need to get out more, man." Seto let out a bark of laughter.
"You sound like my brother," he said sourly. Joey laughed at that, feeling a bit fuzzy himself. Being an avid drinker of coke himself, Joey knew that was not what the spirits had given them, but he wasn't really in the mood to ask. So he decided to puzzle it out himself.
"Now," Yami said gravely. "Let us eat!"
"Yeah!" everyone cheered and the pizza boxes were opened, chip bags ripped open, and soon the majority of the food was piled on all the plates.
Joey took a bite of his pizza, savoring the taste. Pizza was sooooo good. And before he realized what had happened, it was all gone. He burped contently.
"That was good," he sighed.
you know that silence is loud when all
you hear is your heart
and I wanted so badly just to be a part of
something strong and true
but I was scared and left it all behind
"Let's play a game!" Yugi said brightly. Joey perked up, that sounded good.
"Okay, Yug," he agreed. "What game?"
"Hide and seek," Yugi said delightedly. Joey blinked. Had he heard right? 'Cause he was pretty sure that his best friend had said hide and seek, which he hadn't played since, well since he was nine or ten. Somewhere around there anyway. Joey thought he would see the same disbelief on the face of Seto, but on the contrary the CEO seemed to be just as delighted as Yugi.
"Sounds good," Seto said cheerfully. Joey rubbed his ears hard, it almost sounded like Seto had been slurring his words…like he was drunk. But how could that be? He shook his head, trying to clear the fuzz out of it, but it clung onto his thoughts, refusing to let go. So he dropped it, not wanting to waste time thinking over something so trivial.
"Yami and I'll be it," Yugi said.
"You can't have two its," Ryou protested.
"Well, we're two halve of a whole, so technically we only have one it," Yugi reasoned.
"Oh, all right," Ryou agreed quickly.
"We'll count to a hundred," Yugi said. "And oh, everyone's got to hide in pairs."
"Then I should be it," Tea pointed out. Yugi thought it over. It did make sense.
"All right," he said. "then the pairs are all yamis with their hikaris and, well that leaves Joey and Seto."
"Okay, go hide everyone!" Tea said, closing her eyes. "One…two…three…" the pairs scurried out of the room, leaving only Joey and Seto to stare at each other.
"Oh, come on mutt," Seto said irritably, grabbing Joey's hand. As they walked out of the room, Seto seemed unable to walk in a straight line, but in the end they had a great hiding spot, an obscure closet in the bathroom.
Once inside, it turned out to be quite spacious.
I know you had to go away
I died just a little, and I feel it now
You're the one I need
I believe that I would cry just a little
Just to have you back now
Here with me
Here with me
"You don't really do anything small, do you?" Joey said in wonder.
"So," Seto said sullenly.
"Nothing," Joey said, shrugging. It fell silent in the room, leaving Joey to study his surroundings a little. On the selves were the normal bathroom stuff, towels, toilet bowl cleaner and other things of that nature.
"I saw you," Seto said suddenly, breaking the silence. "In the park, I mean."
"In the park? When?" Joey said confusedly.
"Last Sunday. With Myishi," Seto spat out the last word as if it were something dirty beyond words.
"Oh," Joey said, remembering. "Yeah, we went to go get coffee."
"I know," Seto said coldly. "I heard. And you know, that's when I knew how stupid I really was."
and I'm' asking
and I'm wanting you to come back to me
Please?
"What do you mean, Kaiba?" Joey almost shouted, he didn't understand what was going on. Was him going to get coffee with Myishi why Kaiba had avoided him all week, and ignored him so far this evening? But why would Seto care?
"I mean, Mokuba's always trying to make me get some friends, that's what this whole party was about. Making friends with you. And you know the stupid thing is I don't want to be friends with you, I never have," Seto seemed to grow louder and more hysterical with every word.
"I never liked you, Joey. I never did. Mokuba wants me to express my emotions, listen to my emotions?! Well my emotions can go to hell because they suck! I listened to his advice and you know what happened Joey, do you? I found out that I can love! God dammit, I found I fuckin' loved you! And you like Myishi!" At this point Seto broke down and began to sob.
"Seto," Joey said, unable to say anything else. "I-"
"I d-don't want to hear it," Seto said furiously. "Get the hell out of my house and go screw you little boyfriend."
"He's not-" Joey tried to say.
"Get out!" Seto screamed. Joey backed out and opened the door of the closet, stumbling out. And he ran. He ran out the door, past the rest of the gang who he met on the way, he ran all the way home, ran up to his bedroom, and ran onto his bed where he then proceeded to stare at his pillow, unable to do anything else.
"He's not my boyfriend," he finally managed to whisper brokenly. "And I guess neither will you be."
I never will forgot that look upon
Your face
How you turned away and left
Without a trace
But I understand that you did what you
Had to do
And I thank you
I know you had to go away
I died jus ta little, and I feel it now
You're the one I need
I believe that I would cry just a little
Just to have you back now
Here with me
Here with me
In case anyone didn't get it, Yami and Bakura spiked both Seto and Joey's drinks, but it is my theory that Joey would hold his alcohol better than Seto, hence Seto being more drunk. I do hope I got that across…I don't write that sort of stuff well. sniffle Forgive me!
Next Chapter: Present Your Work
The next few weeks passed slowly for Joey, with an agony beyond anything he could think off, there was no comparison. He avoided his friends, not wanting to answer their questions about what had happened, and making a point to avoid Seto even more. He didn't know what he could say to him.
On the other hand he got his painting done, and it turned out far better than he had expected it too. Probably because of that emotional jolt he had gotten in that closet, he thought sourly…
And now to answer my wonderful, spectacular reviewers who I can't thank enough!
Killian: Poor Seto? cackles Never! After all, if we pity him, there's never any good story, right?
Kumori Sakusha formerly Saelbu: Yay for sequels! And, other fanfics of course, but grins sequels! Yay! Anyway, sigh I feel like I dissapointed everyone. This chapter was absolute crap. Not even worth reading. But, on the other hand, next chapter will be awesome, because it will be mush, sappiness, angst, and relastionship forming. So while I can't do party scenes, I can do that!
BarbedWire23: I know, sad, assuming Seto. Damn. Everyone was waiting for the party. Now I feel really lame, just like this chapter was. shudders But, sorry, Joey DIDN'T get to tell Seto the mistake. Oh well, there's always next chapter, right? (which I hope you're still reading after this chapter. Next chapter will be better, I promise!)
Spider Azrail: Gil Thief-chan: shocked and horrified you don't like Seto? in a daze you…don't…like…SETO?! Ah well, as long as you like the Seto/Jou pairing, that's what matters, right? Glad you liked last chapter, doubt you'll like this chapter (it was awful! sob) but hope you'll continue reading anyway, since next chapter will be much, much, MUCH better. And it is like the second to last chapter. So don't stop now! Please! begging
Pisces071: You have no idea how many people said "aw, poor Seto". Seriously. But hey, it was sappy, and you liked it, that's good, right? Thanks for reviewing! And I hope I updated soon enough for you (even if the chapter completely bites)
SetoKaibaWheeler: sigh the problem with everyone wanting more is I just know they're going to be dissapointed with the next chapter, 'specially this one…but if you liked it so far, you'll really like next chapter! (I hope)
Shin Mao: Awwwww, man, why was everyone so excited about this chapter? Well, at least Seto confessed, that's half-way there, right? And why did seto think jou liked myishi? Simple. He keeps his emotions bottled up so he immediately assumed that jou would never love him and he needed an excuse to convince himself of that…I guess he's afraid of love, to be honest. And I updated, so does that mean I get the Ryou and Bakura plushies? Pweaseeee……
Felidae: grins sheepishly Spellcheck plays dumb what's that? Ah, but thank you, I'm glad you like it. Though I doubt you'll think this chapter is any good, it's kinda, I dunno, rushed. I think I'm gonna go back and do it over once I finish up the story.
Puppy 'Yaoi Queen' Love: yay! You love my fic! You don't know how much I love to hear that. And ah, isn't it two 5,000 year old spirits, not 50? Yay! Chaos! And yes, Seto can! But that only means that in the next chapter Joey had to do something to change his mind. Oops…said to much
Lostlover1: Yes, I used french. Shocking, non? And Japanese is better than French anyday…only used it 'causae it's actually in the song. snorts Patch up things? Hmmm, make them worse…then patch them up next chapter…. grins And thanks for the luck! School today actually wasn't that bad. Not that we did much. But that's okay…
Jim hawking jr. Thanks.
Liz Nezumi: Yay! You were still loving the story last chapter! looks nervous But what about this chapter? Next chapter will be better, however, promise! And speaking of the end, only two more chapters and an epilogue to go!
Psycho Rooster: Why didn't you see that coming? To be honest until the moment I wrote it, I didn't see it coming. Huh, who wouldn't guessed. drools Kaiba plushie…can I get one?
Mandapandabug: Yay! You've got your penname! And I hope you do write me a long review this time…my spirits are bleching out on me. And, I'm on your favorite lists? Thanks you so much! Hope you liked this chapter…I didn't…and bows Thank you, thank you. Not everyone appreciates my sence of humor, or some people might say lack thereof.
Okay! I'm sorry, I feel this chapter was awful, rushed, and just…bad. But I promise next chapter will be better, I'll be more into the writing mood after my first week of school is over, to be followed by a long weekend. Yay! Me love labor day! And I hope you're all still liking this story at least a little, and maybe would please review me! It means a lot! Remo