Okay already, I don't own it, so what. I will soon though. I shall take over the damned planet and rule with my bird, and my rabbit! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

"Shut up Kaiba!" Jou shouted as he swung his fist towards the older boys face. (Jou is seventeen and Seto's 18, they're in the same class because you know how some people go the school a year late or a year early. Yeah. Jou went a year early.) Seto stepped to the side casually before grabbing Jou by the shirt.

"Do you want a fight?" Seto hissed before pushing Jou backward into a tree. Jou winced as a surge of pain shot through his back. He lunged at Seto who hadn't expected him to keep the fight going. With this Jou managed to grip onto his shoulders and swing him around to push him into the tree like he'd done to Jou. Seto bounced back a lot quicker than expected, and swung his leg around to trip Jou before leaning over him and smirking. Jou squeaked as he remembered the events from the day before. This scene looked fairly familiar. He rolled over onto his back and looked up and a smirking Seto.

"Kaiba, stop being mean!" Anzu snapped as she pushed him slightly and helped Jou up. Honda looked ready to pummel the guy for Jou, and Yugi was worrying about his friend so much he didn't realise Anzu had pushed Seto. Jou let his head drop so his eyes were covered by his hair before turning to walk away.

"Stupid mutt." Seto hissed before turning to get to a different spot. Jou though had stopped by now and was rubbing his eyes.

"Jeez, why'd he have to do that. I was actually in a good mood and he came and ruined it. Damn jerk. I hope he gets hit by his limo." He mumbled before starting to walk away again. Yugi and gang running after him.

"Jou." They called out in attempt to get his attention, but Jou just kept walking. Finally they caught with the blonde. "Jou, are you alright?" Anzu asked curiously.

"Did he hurt you?" Yugi asked his friend.

"Can I pummel him for ya?" Honda asked anxiously. Yugi and Anzu glared at him for even suggesting it. "What?"

"Jou, if there's anything we can do?" Yugi said simply. Jou shook his head.

"It's fine guys." He muttered before sitting down at a bench.

"Jou, we're worried about you. Can't you answer us and actually be serious?" Anzu asked. Jou sighed.

"But I was being serious. Everything's fine." he replied. Anzu went to press on but Yugi's hand stopped her.

"Okay then. Who's up for some food then?" He asked. Jou shook his head slowly.

"Nah. I'm not hungry." He stated bluntly. The three with him took up very worried looks now.

"Jou, have you been to the doctors lately? I think you should go." Honda announced. Jou grinned.

"Nah, I don't think so. I'm not gonna go there if I can help it." He answered before standing again and starting to walk away. "You guys go ahead. I'll be fine by myself. I'll probably bang into one of the other anyway." He told them with one last glance before disappearing around a corner.

"I think we should book him in to the hospital." Anzu exclaimed.

"Why don't we just ask his dad if he's sick. He should know." Honda suggested. The three agreed to this and planned to go back with Jou tonight.

Seto relaxed in his limo, he was on his way to a very important meeting at the time when he noticed something that caught his eye.

"Stop." He told the driver. The man obeyed and pulled over on the side of the road. Seto opened his door and looked back. Jou standing there at one of the houses, just standing there, not doing anything. When he finally moved it was very slowly. He reached for the door handle and peered into the house. A loud roar was heard from inside.

"YOU'RE LATE AGAIN!" came a thundered yell. Jou stepped back slightly before nodding. Seto couldn't hear what Jou said. A hand reached out and gripped Jou's arm roughly and pulled him into the house quickly. Seto quirked an eyebrow before he realised he needed to get to his meeting. So without another thought he stepped back into the car and drove away again.

Jou winced as his father threw his bag to the other side of the room. He instantly knew that today his father would show no mercy. He readied himself for the first blow, and it came swiftly to his left cheek. Absently he threw his hand to his face and rubbed it softly. The second blow sent him back into the door which wasn't shut properly, causing him to fall out the door and down the steps that lead down to the street.

"You little shit! I swear everytime I see you it pisses me off in some way!" Jerry yelled at his son. Jou struggled to stand up again. "Now get up here!" Jou obeyed, but rather slowly, trying to give himself time to prepare for the events about to take place. As he got to the top one thought ran through his mind. But he couldn't comply to it. The only thing he could hear was his mind screaming for him to ran back and to find Yugi or something, but then he'd have to explain to Yugi the whole situation. His fathers voice rang through his ears. "You're useless! You can't do anything right! Everything you do is wrong!" tears were spilling from his eyes as Jerry landed another punch on the same cheek as before. Jou, having nothing else to do now, backed up to the wall and pressed his back to it like he would soon fall through it. The beating that followed was pretty bad, almost the worst he'd had. By the end of it he had to crawl back to his room without even an icepack since his dad had gone into the kitchen after. Then the doorbell rang. Jou refused to answer it knowing it wouldn't be for him, if he only knew how wrong he was. Jerry stalked over to the door and opened it.

"Yes?" He snapped. The stench of alcohol filling the air. Yugi, Anzu, Honda, Ryou and Mai stood there. Yugi smiled.

"Would Jou happen to be home?" He asked politely. Jerry grunted.

"Oh, yeah. In his room sleeping I presume."

"Oh, is he sick or something? He's been acting kinda strange lately."

"Not that I know of." Jerry replied before calling out to Jou. "Jou your friends are here!" Jou, who was in his room, jumped to his feet and scampered to the mirror. He quickly wiped the tears from his face and hissed at the surprise. His cheek was starting to bruise and his lip was bleeding, also, he could have sworn that he had a bump on his head. He opened his door slightly.

"I'll be out in a minute." He called out. Soon he regretted it though and he had to force himself not to fall while walking out. A gasp escaped most f his friends lips.

"Jou, what happened?" They asked hurriedly. Jou grinned as best he could.

"I fell down the damn steps." He said simply. "Why are you guys here?"

"Oh, we wanted to see if you'd come to the mall with us." One of them said before the others could speak. Jou shrugged.

"Sure, but we better not be walking." He added the last part subconsciously.

"Uh, yeah we are. Sorry." Ryou told him. Jou groaned.

"I'll be out in a minute, I gotta get out of this damned thing." He indicated at the school uniform before making his way back to his room. "Shit." He cursed as he fell to the ground. Crawling over to his closet and pulling out some clothes he noticed most of them were all crinkled. "Awe man." Sighing he pulled on one of his shirts and a pair of jeans before staggering back out again.

"Be back by dinner time." Jerry hissed at Jou before slamming the door shut. Jou stared at the gang for a few minutes before starting to get uncomfortable with the silence.

"We goin or not?" he inquired. They shrugged and turned around to leave. 'I'm in deep shit.' Jou thought to himself. He blinked a few times before the pain became to much to bare. He let out a yelp before plunking himself down on the footpath. "I'm hurtin all over." He grumbled.

"Must have been one hell of a fall." Honda said. Jou nodded.

"Yup." He squeaked when Honda backed up and leant over him.

"Alright, tell me what's really going on then." He said threateningly. Jou gave a nervous laugh.

"Um, it was one bloody big staircase?"