Hey Long time no see....many many apologies for the late update... just had random crap like exams, work, all this rubbish about choosing a university/career ;
Thank you to everyone whose reviewed, it's you guys that keep me going
His father. The words kept echoing round in his mind, and he closed his eyes, trying hard to keep calm. He could feel Ryou's questioning hand on his arm, and he slowly looked over at him, his heart racing.
(Aibou…..)
"I-I better go then" Yugi began brightly, forcing himself to smile, "Tell Joe I'll try and see him later, okay?"
He ran out of the school entrance just as the burning behind his eyes starting, and his vision filled with tears, began to slowly make his way back to the game shop.
It can't be him he thought to himself desperately, He's dead. He died. He can't be back.
He stopped suddenly as he crashed into someone, and looked up at them tearfully. Yami's kind hearted gaze looked back down at him, before the spirit wrapped his arms around his aibou, holding him close against him.
"I promise you… I won't let him hurt you" he whispered to him gently, "Not again"
"Y-yami" Yugi managed to choke in reply, before burying his face into the spirit's chest, "I don't… I don't want to go home… but… if I don't… then…grandpa…-"
"Maybe you should tell him" Yami replied softly, "It might hurt him…but I think that he would be more hurt if you didn't tell him"
"….but I still have to see….him again…"
"This is what he wants aibou. You're shaking… and you haven't even see him yet. I won't let him touch you… I promise you"
Yugi sighed, before nodding into Yami's chest reluctantly. Yami smiled faintly, reaching down and brushing a stray tear from under Yugi's eye. Yugi blushed slightly, which made Yami smile more.
As they continued walking, Yami draped an arm over Yugi's shoulders, pulling him close to his side. Yugi smiled faintly at this, and closed his eyes briefly.
"I thought he was dead…."
"There must be a reason for him coming back like this" Yami wondered out loud, "It seems very sudden"
Yugi shrugged.
"He did that a lot when I was younger" he explained quietly, "He just used to take off for a week… and then would just come back without any explanation for where he had been or anything"
He sighed again.
"I have to face up to him, Yami" he began softly, looking up at him, "I don't want to be this scared of him… but I am.."
"For a good reason" Yami interrupted gently, "I came as soon as I realised who he was. I wanted to warn you before hand… but I guess I was too late"
"It's okay, Yami" Yugi replied, smiling, "I hope Joe's going to be okay… " he added, changing the subject. Yami nodded, frowning slightly.
"They made a mistake going for Joey. Maybe he can't tell us who it was now, but when he can, he will. He isn't as intimidated as Ryou is"
As they turned the corner, the Kame store came into view. Yugi stiffened, and subconsciously reached for Yami's hand. The taller boy smiled slightly, and gripped Yugi's hand back gently as they carried on walking in silence.
"Yugi!" Solomon exclaimed as his grandson entered the room, Yami close to his side. Slowly, Yugi allowed his gaze to drift past his grandfather to the tall, sturdy man that was sat in the chair behind him. The one with amethyst eyes.
"Can you believe it?" Solomon added excitedly, his gaze travelling from Yugi to his father, "After all these years…"
"…. I thought you were dead" Yugi said quickly. His father smirked slightly, and leant back into his chair.
"It wasn't me in that car" he explained quietly, "I had leant it to someone.. a friend of mine. I was so devastated when I found out what happened... I didn't think I deserved to return" he looked up at Yugi, "Forgive me?"
"I..." Yugi began softly, "I... I don't believe you!" he added suddenly. In the silence that followed, Solomon turned to look at Yugi with a mixture of concern and anger in his eyes.
"Yugi! What's gotten into you?"
"It's okay, dad" his father interrupted smoothly, "I understand. I've left him for so long, and then I just turn up. It must be a shock for him"
He stood up, and made to approach Yugi. Yami frowned at the man, and pulled his light protectively closer to him. The man stopped, and raised an eyebrow.
"And who are you?"
"I am Yami" Yami replied simply. Yugi's father narrowed his eyes, before turning back to Solomon, a forced smile on his face.
"I can see that Yugi obviously needs some time to think" he began pleasantly, "I can go back to my hotel in the meanwhile"
At an obvious loss of what to say, Solomon looked between his grandson and his son, confusion written in his expression. He nodded slowly, watching as his son strode out of the door, glancing briefly at Yugi and Yami as he passed.
Trying to keep himself calm, Solomon turned his attention back to Yugi, who was looking back at him with widened eyes.
"Yugi?" he began softly, stepping towards him, "What's the matter with you?"
To his surprise, the boy burst into tears.
His head pounding, Joey slowly forced his eyes to open. He squinted, trying to make some sense of his blurred surroundings. Some noise slowly started to filter in, and he could hear one voice in particular, a well spoken voice, that spoke pretty quickly and yet still managed to make sense and not stumble over his words.
"....he took quite a beating.... but from examining him, it seems like he gets into fights a lot. He should recover pretty quickly, seeing as his body's used to it. He's going to have quite a few bruises although, and he's broken two ribs. He'll have to take it easy for a while. We'll need to keep him in for a few days"
Jou groaned.
"No way..." he muttered, his voice hoarse. Seconds later Tristan's relieved face appeared over him, shock in his eyes.
"You're awake!" he exclaimed needlessly, before glaring at the blond, "You scared me half to death you idiot!"
"....sorry" Joey slurred, struggling to bring everything back into focus, "I didn't ask ta get beaten up ya know"
"Who was it?" Tristan interrupted darkly, "C'mon Joey.. I can't protect Ryou unless you say who it was"
".....Ushio" he replied hoarsely, before his eyes widened suddenly, his vision clearing, "What ya doin' here then? You get out there an' kick that bastards ass!"
Tristan nodding, rising from his seat. His face paled suddenly.
"Joey... you can't stay with us" he apologised, "My aunt's staying with us and the old man says that we can't have anyone else staying with us. He's sorry, but that's just how it goes-"
"Don't worry Tris, I know I'm not exactly one of his favourite people" the blonde replied casually, "Don't worry 'bout me. I'll be fine an' dandy when I get outta here"
Tristan was silent for a while. Joey shrugged, albeit painfully, and gave him a sharp glare.
"Look, go protect Ryou, awright? I'll be fine here... details can wait til later. Go!" he added, smirking. Tristan just shook his head, laughing slightly.
"Okay, I'm going, I'm going" he protested, heading towards the door, "Besides, I think there's someone else who wants to see you"
As he left, Joey watched the doorway confused. Yugi? No, he would have said.. same for Ryou. He looked up and was taken aback when he saw an all too familiar brunette watching him with ice blue eyes. He gave the blonde a smirk.
The doctor, who was about to speak, looked at the teen with undisguised respect.
"Seeing you have a visitor, I'll come back and check on you later" he told the blond quickly, before slowly sliding past Kaiba's glare, "Don't over exert yourself Mr Wheeler"
Joey shook his head in disbelief as the doctor walked out of the room. Kaiba noticed this, before walking into the room himself, taking the seat that Tristan had just vacated. Joey glanced sideways at him.
"Come ta laugh at my pain?"
Kaiba just glared back at him, before shaking his head.
"Honestly Wheeler, you're forgetting who dragged you out of there in the first place" he replied coolly, "And no, I didn't actually"
Joey sighed, rubbing his eyes. As much as he hated to admit it.. Kaiba was right. He had saved his hide back there. He glanced back over at the other, giving him a lop sided smile.
"Thanks... an' you'd be cranky too if ya jus' had the crap beaten outta ya"
Kaiba's eyes glinted momentarily in brief amusement, before he glanced down at the injuries the blond had sustained. He frowned slightly.
"You didn't just get those injuries from today" he muttered thoughtfully. Jou flinched slightly, before turning away.
"I get inta fights a lot" he replied offhand. He forced himself to sit up, grimacing slightly, "It's nothin'"
Kaiba snorted.
"Yeah it looks like nothing," he repeated sarcastically, "Even a mutt like you can't get into that many fights."
Jou whipped his head back round to glare at him.
"Meanin'?"
"Meaning that you're not telling the truth" he replied simply, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. Joey felt his blood run cold, what if Kaiba actually knew about his old man... but how could he? And why would he care anyway?
"So Ushio's the bastard hurtin' Ryou" he began after a while, eager to change the subject and break the uncomfortable silence at the same time, "But I can't think why he'd want to hurt him"
"Ushio..." Kaiba repeated coldly, "Is a coward. He preys on those weaker than himself as he can't face those equal to him or higher"
He glanced sideways at the blond, his eyes narrowed.
"He attacked you from behind and he goes after someone who can't physically hit back, and is so timid he won't seek help. But that is not what we were discussing"
"An' what was that?"
"You know who I'm talking about"
Joey sighed, his entire body flooded with pain. The last thing he want to do was talk about his old man with Kaiba, if that was what he was getting at anyway. All he wanted to do was sleep, and his ribs were really starting to ache.
He opened his mouth to tell Kaiba to, in a word, get lost, but Kaiba beat him to it.
"...get some rest, pup" he smirked as he rose from the chair, "Remember what the doctor said?"
Joey blinked.
"What do you care anyways?"
Kaiba stopped just before the doorway, turning and pinning the blonde with his icy gaze.
"...no-one hurts my puppy and gets away with it" he replied simply, smirking. As Joey watched open mouthed, he turned and left the room.
