Take Me Away to Paradise.
A/N: Hooray! Chapter 9! Oh dear, there's quite a fair bit of angst in this chapter. Poor Jou…
This is the second to last chapter! Almost finished!
Disclaimer: I. DON'T. OWN. ANYTHING.
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okami wind: Yay! I love wolves! Lol, sorry I made the happy ice-skating memory angsty! Oh, don't cry! (hugs). I hope you like this chapter! It's chock-full of angst! Thanks for reviewing!
KatrinaKaiba: Man, I really made people sad with this chapter! I hope you like this one! Thanks for reviewing!
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I sent the e-mail! Woo! Thanks for reviewing! Hope you like this one!
Raelyn-Mage: Aw, he'll be okay! Or not…Yay! THE PLUSHIES! (faints). Thanks for reviewing! Hope you like the chapter!
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Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
mooopower: It's cute? Hooray! Aw, thanks for being so sweet! I hope you like this chapter!
astalder27: Lol, it was creepy, huh? It's okay! I'm so glad you like it! Thank you for reviewing! Hope you like this one!
Okay, here's chapter 9! Everyone, check out the URL I sent you!
Chapter 9.
Jou slowly opened his eyes, feeling strangely warm and content. It took him a few moments to register that he wasn't in his own room, and that he was being held lovingly by…
'Seto!'
He gradually began to recall the events of the previous day. Wincing, he put a hand to his ribs as they made themselves known.
'Oh yeah…'
He gently lay back down, once again relaxing in Seto's hold. He sighed happily. He hadn't felt this safe in a long time. Snuggling into his lover's reassuringly firm chest, he closed his eyes, daydreaming.
He was startled out of this relaxed state by voices outside his door.
"Let me in, you stupid bitch!"
He knew that voice, that awful, harsh voice…
"Sir, I can't let you go in here, Katsuya needs his rest, and you'll just upset him!"
"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, bitch! Get out of my way! I'm gonna get that boy! Get out of my way!"
Jou heard a thud, and a female cry of pain. The door opened violently, slamming against the wall. There, in a towering rage, stood his father. Behind him, he saw the kind, red haired nurse that had taken care of him yesterday, sprawled on the floor, her nose bleeding.
And…
In his father's hand…a…
A…gun…
Jou sat up, his heart hammering painfully. Did his father really want to…kill him?
The man in question waved his arm threateningly. "Thought you'd set the cops on me, you little piece of shit? Huh?"
Jou shook his head desperately. "N…no…"
He certainly wasn't stupid enough to call the police about his father again. The last time he'd done that he had been nine, and his father had managed to talk his way out of it, saying that Jou was only kidding around. Then he'd gotten really mad…
Jou was brought back to the present by his father pushing Seto away from his son, the brunette landing on the floor and being woken abruptly.
"Thought you'd lie did ya, boy? And who's this?" he snarled. "Your little boyfriend?"
"Actually, yes." Seto growled, standing and facing the swaying man. He moved in front of Jou in an attempt to protect him. Jou's eyes widened in shock.
"No…Seto…" he moaned. "Don't try to help, please."
Seto turned to his blonde puppy, disbelief reflected in his beautiful eyes. "Are you crazy, Jou? I'm not going to stand back and let him shoot you!"
Jou's father, thankfully stunned by the revelation that his son was with another man, ignored this emotional exchange. He shook himself out of his stupor, and stepped back a little, raising the gun. He was gonna put a stop to this right now!
"Say goodbye to your whore!" he spat at Jounouchi. His son looked horrified, good, he was gonna shoot that brown haired boy, right now…
He was momentarily distracted as the red haired nurse he had punched viciously earlier and to stand in front of the two boys, spreading her arms.
"I've called the police! They'll be here any second now!" she cried, in a valiant attempt to stop the drunken man pointing a gun at the boy behind her. Her voice shaking, she continued to speak. "You wont hurt either of these boys! They'll lock you up for good!"
Perhaps it was because she was so young, or perhaps it was because she cared for the poor boy who's life had been ruined by this terrible man…Either way, she couldn't stop herself from shouting that he was going to jail, even though her training told her that in this situation it was best to try and calm the hostile person down, or just get out. Anger and pity stopped her from doing either of these things, and she paid the price as she insulted him again.
"You evil scum…"
She was cut off as Jou's father, tired of being slandered by this woman, shot her. The force threw her backwards into Seto, and they both fell. Jou gasped in shock. His father…just shot…a person…
That nurse had been trying to help him…and now she was on the ground, bleeding heavily from a hole in her shoulder.
His father, looking a little shocked by what he'd just done, was pulled back roughly by a police officer that had just entered the room. He was cautioned and put in cuffs, kicking and screaming. Jou wasn't paying attention to that. His eyes were drawn to the crimson liquid on the floor, his ears tortured by the cries of the nurse, his nose assaulted by the smell of blood. Seto sat up, coming to his senses after being winded by the heavy fall. His eyes flew to Jou, checking him over, before coming to rest upon the injured woman, who was being helped by two doctors that had just come in. Knowing that there was nothing he could do for the woman that had saved his life, he turned to his puppy, who looked horrified. He went to Jou, and pulled him into a careful embrace.
"It's okay, Jou…" he muttered as he felt tears against his neck. "It'll be alright. I'm here…"
He felt Jou shuddering against him. "He was gonna shoot you…you could have died…"
Seto held the sobbing boy to him. "I know. But he didn't shoot me, Jou, I'm still here, pup."
He kissed the top of Jou's head.
"I'll always be here…"
The hospital moved Jou to a different room. He wasn't bothered where he went, so he didn't pay much attention as he was taken there in a wheelchair.
He sighed. The two doctors had said that the nurse would be fine, and he was glad, but that didn't erase the pain in his heart. His father was going to be locked up, but, once again, that did nothing to quell his sadness.
'Am a really that awful,' he thought to himself, 'that my own father wants me dead? Not that he's the greatest dad in the world, but…it feels horrible to be so hated……'
He slid under the soft covers on his bed, watched by an anxious Seto. The brunette reached out and patted the Jou-shaped lump reassuringly. Jou smiled a little. 'At least Seto loves me. And my friends. And Shizuka. Maybe…maybe one drunken bastard doesn't matter?'
He sighed. Okay, so it did matter, but he wasn't as sad as he had been a moment ago.
He came out of the blankets, and smiled at his lover, who looked relieved. Seto stood up, and kissed Jou, before walking out of the room, promising the blonde that he'd be back in a minute, he just had to make a call.
He walked to the hospital entrance, and dialled Yugi's number on his cell. Quickly reassuring the frightened boy that Jou was alright, he told Yugi what had just happened, urging him to come to the hospital, as Jou needed his friends. Yugi promised that he'd call the others, and be there within an hour. Seto thanked him politely, and went back to Jou. When he got to the room that his koi was in, he hesitated before going in. Would Jou really want to see him right now?
A gentle call from inside answered his question.
"Seto?"
Seto smiled softly and opened the door. "I'm here pup." He noticed that Jou was sitting up with his sketchbook on his lap. Seto grinned. "Do you want to draw, Jou?"
Jou looked embarrassed. "I…sorta…wanna draw you! If that's okay, Set?
Seto chuckled at the nickname. "Sure Jou. You can draw me."
Jou's eyes lit up. "Cool. I've always wanted to draw you when you knew about it."
He asked Seto to sit in the chair next to the bed, and he began to sketch. Ordinarily, Seto would have found just sitting there for half an hour boring, but he was kept amused by the adorable look on Jou's face. His tongue was sticking out a little ('just like a dog,' thought Seto with interest), and he was concentrating fiercely on his page. Every so often, he'd glance up and find Seto staring at him as he drew, and his face would light up with a truly breathtaking smile.
After an hour's frantic sketching, Jou set down his paper. "Finished!" he called, like he had been in an exam.
Seto grinned. "Let me see then," he said, holding out his hand for the book. Jou smiled and passed it over. "I'm proud of this one! Katsuya Jounouchi's goin' straight to the top!" he boasted.
Seto laughed at his lover's antics, and took a good look at the page. He whistled. "Wow, this is great, Jou!"
And it truly was. Jou had drawn Seto sitting in the chair, looking towards him with a rare smile. Barely visible on his back were two large dragon wings. Beneath the picture, Jou had written 'My Blue-Eyes'.
Seto laughed in delight. "You realise we're going to have to frame this." He told Jou, who chuckled happily.
Just then, they heard voices coming from outside the door. (A/N – That's so the second time I've written that this chapter…)
"Honestly, aibou, I don't know why you wont let me carry that!"
"I've got it, Yami! FOR THE LAST TIME BAKURA, STOP EATING THOSE!"
There were muttered curses and threats of the Shadow Realm coming from a mouth that sounded vaguely full.
Seto groaned, and turned to the wall. "And here comes the Geek Squad…" he muttered, secretly pleased that Jou's friends had come to cheer him up.
The door burst open to reveal Yugi carrying a Red-Eyes plushie that was bigger than he was, Yami, Ryou, Honda, Anzu, and Bakura, who had an 'innocent' look on his face but chocolate smeared around his mouth.
"Hi Jou!" Yugi cried, handing the plushie to Yami and running over to his best friend. Jou held out his arms, and Yugi leapt into them. He snuggled into Jou's neck, and Jou was astonished when he felt his best friend's tears fall onto his shoulder.
"I was so worried about you, Jou!"
"Don't be, Yug'! I'm okay." Jou said softly, desperate to reassure the smaller boy. Yugi stepped back, and wiped his eyes. Then, a soft voice came from the doorway.
"You almost weren't."
Jou looked up to see his little sister standing at the door. "Shizuka…"
Shizuka began to cry. "Oh, onii-san! Look at you!" she sobbed. She ran over to her brother and flew into his embrace. Jou wrapped his arms around his beloved sister, shedding a few tears himself. Yugi and the others quietly went out to give the siblings some privacy. Seto went to follow, but Jou caught hold of his sleeve.
"Please stay Seto…" he begged. He gently urged Shizuka to stop crying. Her tears slowed, and she sat up. Jou stroked her hair, and turned to Seto. "Look, Shizuka, you remember Seto, right?"
Shizuka smiled at Seto, and grinned at her brother. "Right!"
"Well, he saved my life, sis. He found me, and saved me."
Shizuka looked at Seto, and slowly walked over to him. "You…you saved my brother's life?"
Seto nodded. Shizuka bit her lip, and wrapped her arms around him. Surprised, Seto didn't know how to react. He eventually smiled, and hugged the small girl back. He looked at Jou, and saw that he was grinning broadly. Grinning back at his lover, he decided that now was the perfect time to make his suggestion.
Gently pushing the younger girl back from him, he led her to Jou's bed and sat her down. Stepping back, he cleared his throat nervously. Jou giggled.
"What's wrong, Set? You look like you're about to make a speech!"
Seto cleared his throat again. "Uh, Jou, Shizuka, erm…I'd be honoured if…well, I…Jou will be getting out of hospital soon, and…"
Jou reached out and patted Seto's arm reassuringly. "Whatever you need to say, love, please say it!"
Seto laughed. "Okay. Jou, and of course you too Shizuka, would you like to come and live with me and Mokuba?"
Jou's mouth dropped open in shock. Seto, thinking that he didn't like the idea, hurriedly tried to persuade him.
"It'd be good for you, I mean, uh, well…you wont have to do any housework…and Shizuka and Mokuba get on really well, and…well, it would be good for me too, Jou. You can keep me in a good mood…"
Jou beamed, feeling an extremely strong rush of love for the stuttering boy in front of him. "Seto, I would love to come and live with you and Mokuba. I'm honoured that you would ask me! What do you think, Shizuka?"
Jou's sister squealed. "I'd love to, Seto! Thank you so much!"
Seto was shocked. "So, you really want to?"
The pair of excited teens leaping into his arms certainly settled that question.
