A/N: This fic contains Yaoi, shonen-ai or whatever you call fic, so don't like? Then don't read it! Because I don't want to receive stupid reviews like "This is disgusting!", "Boy with boy? You must be crazy you damn bitch!" etc. Which means, no flames please -with a pair of kawaii puppy eyes- I know I suck at writing, but like any authors out there, I don't like flames. They break my heart easily!-cry- So please, be nice with me -smile- Btw, this is a request fic, and it contains SxJ, so if you don't like, then please leave without a trace, thank you. Also, it's normal that people are acting OCC, because I'm not watching YGO anymore, so it's not easy for me write those characters IC;; And again, you can either consider this as an Alternative Universe or not an AU because…Well, because…I don't know…-"-
Disclaimer: YGO belongs to some rich Japanese people, not mine and will never be…Unless they sell it to me, but that's only in my dreams lol.
Warmth
+ One Shot +
Seto's P.O.V.
I remember the first time I met him, it was a cold, snowy day.
He was alone, sitting on the bench like a lost little puppy, as if he was abandoned by his own master.
He shivered when the wind blew pass his delicate body, his thin coat wasn't able to keep him warm. His stomach groaned ferociously for food, but his master couldn't find anything to satisfy its request.
Yes, he did look pitiful like this, but nobody has felt any compassion for the kid. Everyone was too busy with their own thoughts, and none had given their help for that poor child.
And so was I.
Despite the fact that I'm only a 12 years old boy, I'm still a Kaiba, and a Kaiba should never be sensitive for things as stupid as this.
So I past by without looking at him, wanted to leave the blond kid alone in this cold, winter day.
And, I stopped dead for what I saw with my very own eyes.
They are four; four kids who looked older than two of us were trying to beat him up, to humiliate him in any possible way. No one has tried to stop them, as if what they were doing was the right thing to do.
I don't know what I had in mind that day, maybe it was the cold that made me unable to think properly, maybe it was because he has the same age as me, or maybe because that reminds me of what I was in the orphanage, but whatever the reason is, I gave him my aid.
And that, was the time I begin to be attracted to his pure, amber browned eyes.
2
I've been stopped taking the limousine which takes me back to where I live because the more time it takes me to get home, the less time I stay in that cold, hateful mansion. I never like my stepfather, as he's been such a cold-heart bastard to me and my brother. I was wrong picking him as our guardian back from when we were still living in orphanage because, he's making our life even more miserable than what we had before.
I've always thought that having a normal life would be much greater than what I've been living until now, but he has proved me wrong.
Jou was forced to be separated from his sister since his parents divorced years ago. His father, who lost everything back there, wasn't able to walk out of the shadow and choose to stay at home doing nothing other than drinking. The only thing that he offers to his own son is school fee, other than that he spent most of the money they have into alcohol.
Every time I saw him, I don't know if I should be thankful for what I have now or not. We both have a miserable life, a life without parent's love, although he never hates his father, and I do.
"Hi Seth! Whatcha got there?"
"Your favorite."
Bringing food to him becomes one of my daily duties, and seeing his smile turns out to be my favorite moment. Why? I don't even know myself.
Yes, I'm using a fake name near him, as I don't want him to know my true identify. What if my stepfather finds out what I've been doing? I don't even want to think about it. And yet I'm still taking the risk for some unknown reason, and this is the first time it happens to me.
It's funny that I'm taking this much of risk just for him, for a stranger that's not even related to me. Maybe I pity him, maybe because we have something in common? The answer is unclear to me, but I don't care.
Day by day, he's becoming something important in my life. Not taking Mokuba's place, no, not at all. Mokuba will always be someone that I'll look after, someone that I'll never leave him behind. But, Jou's making my feel something else. I was still young to understand those adults' matters, but slowly I start to realize what kind of feeling is that.
3
"Hey big bro'! You seem so happy those weeks, what happened?" Arriving at home, my little brother runs into me, and looks at me with those incredible big eyes. I didn't know it's that obvious to him, I thought I've hide it well!
This isn't really my style, I've became too soft because of him. Better hide it before my stepfather comes back, or else….
"Big bro'! Are you listening to me?" Mokuba shook me like crazy, making me feel a little bit dizzy. "Are you in love with somebody? My classmates always tell me that when someone's in love, he'll smile and sigh a lot and..."
I sigh; he doesn't know things about Jou yet. "Didn't I tell you not to listen to those girls? They'll only tell you things that aren't even true."
"But, you just sigh…"
"I just have something unsolved, nothing with love." I patted his head to assure him, ignoring his doubtful look. He seems to understand that I don't want to talk about it, so he just drop it, and let it go.
Sometimes, having a little brother like that isn't that bad at all.
"Ok big bro', but don't let Mr. Gozaburo finds out about your secret lover!" Mokuba smiled sweetly at me, which receives a smirk from me.
Gozaburo will never find out about it, never.
Or so I thought.
4
"Well, well Seto, there's something I want to show you." That ugly face again, smiling coldly at me as if something bad is going to happen.
I look up emotionless, not showing any interest in what he'd just say. But still I get up, follow him like an obedient little child should do.
He takes me to a room where I've never been before. I look at him questionably, not knowing why he takes me to some place like that. What's so good to show me in this room?
Gozaburo opens the door, leading me inside the room. And then, I'm shocked by what's in front of me.
It's Jou, being half naked, half beat up death. Scars are everywhere on his fragile little body, and on top of that, blood is slowly draining out from those scars. But it doesn't look like Gozaburo care about it. He never cares about anybody anyway.
Seeing his smirk, I suddenly feel cold on my back. "So what do you think of that, boy?" Gozaburo pats my head, seems to be proud of his master piece. I choose to stay speechless, because I just don't know what I should answer
"Isn't he your little friend?" I didn't say anything, and try to keep my calm so that Gozaburo won't find out anything about our secret. I just can't let him, what will he do to Jou if he knows that I've become friend with him?
"Say something, boy!" He begins to be impatient with me, but since when he's patient when he asks a question to me?
"No." I reply coldly, trying to keep any emotion inside of me. I see Jou's head turns up to look at me, his browned eyes fill with pain, tears and…betray.
"Oh really?" Gozaburo takes a whip next to him, and without a second thought he whips Jou hard, as if he's whipping a stone. Jou whines when the end of the whip reaches him, but he bites his under lip hard, trying not to make any sound.
I know that's what Jou'll do. He's defiant, and Gozaburo likes it.
Not a very good sign.
"You see, he keeps telling me that he's your friend. And I need a confirmation about it." The older man smiles coldly, "If you say he's your friend, then I'll treat him as a guest and apologize for what I just did." His smile begins to annoy me. "I don't want my beloved stepson being kidnap by a stranger, right?"
"I don't know any low class dog like him." I snort uncaringly, "Do whatever you want with him, I don't care."
"Don't you want to punish this little punk yourself?"
"No. It'll only dirty my hands." I turn away without peeking at Jou, leaving him alone with that cruel bastard.
I can hear the sound of the whip from outside the room, but I can't do anything to help him.
If I just admit it, then what Jou'll suffer won't be something as easy as this. It was for the sake for both of us, even it pains me to hear those sounds.
I hate myself for what I am.
5
Today is the day I'm moving to another city, it's also the 20th date that I stop seeing him. After what has happened, I don't even want to try to meet him. Jou must be angry at me, and maybe even erase my existence from his life.
I'm not regretting for what I've decided that day, because even if I feel sorry for it, I can't turn time back.
Even if I'm a Kaiba, I can't buy time, you know?
"Well boy, looks like you have some fans." Gozaburo hands over a small envelop to me, smirking bizarrely at me. I raised an eyebrow questionably, and take a look at it. It's not writing any name or address, kind of like a love letter.
No wonder he said something like that…But why didn't he destroy the letter? I open it curiously, and…
Just can't believe what I read.
It was from Jou, telling me he's not mad at me, well maybe a little, but it doesn't change the fact that he'll still forgive me for what I did back there. It says that he'll wait for me under the biggest tree in the park, waiting until the day I decide to show up and forgive him.
The date shows me that he put this letter at least for one week, and Gozaburo just gave it to me when we are already on the plane? I glare at him angrily, couldn't believe what an evil man he can be!
"He'll wait for you for a long time!" He laughs sarcastically, enjoying watching me like this, enjoying picturing the poor Jou waiting for me like an idiot.
One of those days, I'll kill him for good.
6
Few years later, I come back to Domino city. With Gozaburo gone, I become the next CEO of Kaiba Corp.
Going back to where I and an old friend's promised place, I went to the park searching for him. Even if it's an old promise, I know he'll keep waiting for me, no matter how long the time is.
Seeing his back, I speed up, can't wait to see his face. But to my surprise, just when I'm going to call his name, someone else shows up before me.
It's a kid, with tri-colored hair and a quite unique hair style. He smiles at Jou, and Jou gives him a big smile in return. I've never see him smiling to people other than me before, and I can't believe that he wasn't waiting for me, but for a stranger that I don't even know who he is.
I can feel the anger burning inside of me, the feeling of betray and disappoint is slowly begin to take surface. I just can't believe that Jou forgets about me, he isn't someone like that!
Or is he?
Can I claim to say that I know him a lot with only few months of being friends? I thought I know him, but I just realize that I don't.
Did he give up on waiting, because I keep him waiting too long? Three years is a long period, unless you have will in the other. Normal people would just find someone else to replace that person, and that's what I saw, a new friend.
He doesn't need me anymore; he has someone better than me, someone who's living in the same world as him. But still, that doesn't erase my anger toward him. So each time I see him, I can't stop treating him like a dog, humiliating him, calling him all sort of nicknames.
I can't tolerate something like that, especially from someone as special as him. Maybe I'm acting like a kid, but at least I want him to know that I still exist. I want him to look at me with his pair of amber browned eyes, even if it's filled with hate and defiant.
I thought that he betrays me like anybody else, but I was totally wrong.
7
One year later, when once in a blue moon I went out without my limousine, I pass by the park on walk. Maybe I still want to believe that he's waiting for me, even though I know it's impossible.
I see him again, alone under that promised tree. I approach him, wanting to ask him who's waiting for, but the words that come out from my lips, aren't what I want to express. "What a loyal dog, waiting for your Master on this cold day?"
Usually, he will yell back at me with something like: "I'm not a dog you rich pig!". But today, he's been very quiet. The only thing he has done was looking at me surprisedly; his eyes ask me just what am I doing here.
I smirk, not even try to ask his permission, and stay next to him, watching people pass by boredly. I don't know why he didn't send me away or just walk away, he just stand there and doing nothing.
We have been staying like that forever until he says something weird. "Actually Kaiba, maybe you're right. I'm a loyal little dog."
I raise an eyebrow, and then smirk. "And stupid, on top of that."
"Yeah…" He sighs; his face fills of sorrow and pain. I've never see him like that before, why isn't he smiling?
"You just admit you're a dog." I point out, not knowing what's going on with him today. He's acting weird.
"I'm waiting for someone important, not Yugi." Jou ignores what I just said minutes ago, not afraid of being kill by me. I say nothing as I look at him emotionless, a mask that I put on everyday, 24h/24h.
"It's been years that I'm waiting for him. And even I know he has forgotten about our promise, I'm still here, waiting for him. Don't you think I'm stupid?" He looks at me with his big smile again, but this time with an addition of sadness. "Hey, kind of like some bubble soap sweet love story, right?" And that's when he starts to whimper, but he tries to stop it, since he doesn't want his rival to see his weak part.
I look at him surprisedly, and it took me some second before understand what he just said.
"I didn't forget about the promise." I come face to face with him, not knowing what to do. "I just…I thought you forget about it." I try to sound as soft as possible, not wanted to scare him. I didn't know that Jou's been waiting for me those years, I shouldn't judge by what I saw that day as if Jou forget the promise.
I remember what Mokuba told me before, so I pull him into my arms, letting him cry on me. I never trust about things that girls say to my little brother, but it seems like it works this time.
Should I be thankful?
"Feel better?" After I stop hearing his whimpers, I ask. Seeing his nod, I sigh in relief.
Taking one of his hands without warning, he asks curiously: "Where are you going to take me to?"
"Food." I smile at him, "I need to pay back the four years debt, right?"
He laughs softly, being happy of what I just announce.
"Hey, it's snowing! Just like the day we met!"
"I know."
- END? -
Finally! Finish! -cry out for joy-
It's so darn hard to write English fics now… -sweatdropping-
But at least it's done, yeah!
I know it's kinda weird, especially at the end, but oh well…
Thank you for reading this fic! –smile-
BTW, I hate that FFN's system changes all my arrangement for the text… -sigh-
I was force to arrange it so it won't look too bad on the screen…