A/N: A slightly quicker update! Isn't everyone so proud of me? No? Aw…I like this chapter!
Reviewer Responses:
astalder27: Thank you! I love you! Yes, I am feeling a little better, but I've got a hell of a time ahead of me! Hurt them? Why ever would I do that? Lol, thanks for your review! Hope you like this chapter!
KatrinaKaiba: Yay! I'm loved! Lol, thanks! I hope you like this chapter!
yukiko angel: I just can't let them be happy yet! Makes for good readin'! Lol, thanks! Here's more! Hope you like it!
sprinkles06: Ha ha, just look at this chapter then! Woo! I'm glad you got the e-mail! Thanks for your review, and I hope you like this chapter!
Erik's Siren: Thanks so much, that's very sweet! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
lilrubydevil: Lol, they SO are accident prone! At least when I'm around! Thanks for your review! Lol, you go get Otogi! He deserves a beating…Hope you like this chapter!
t.lei: I'm carrying on! Here I go! (pant pant)…Here it is! Thanks for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Ding Day Partay: May I say that I LOVE your name? I may? I love it! It's good! Oh, I'm blushing! You guys are too good to me! Thanks for your sweet review! I hope you like this chapter!
dolphinsaturngirl: It's one of your favourites? Yay! Thank you! Hope you like this chapter!
Flame Swordswoman: Lol, so it worked out well I posted late then, huh? I think you'll like this chapter, I certainly liked writing it! You already have an idea in your head? Brillliant! Lol, the more dramatic the better! Thank you so much! I really hope you like this one!
Millennium Girl: Oh, they should be fine…heh heh…oops! I mean, of COURSE they will! Lol, thanks for reviewing! Hope you like this lovely chapter!
On to a very satisfying chapter 6!
Chapter 6.
Seto slowly opened his eyes as pinpricks of light lanced through them. His head hurt. A lot. That was the first odd thing he noticed. The second being Yugi Motou sitting next to him, staring at him with concerned amethyst eyes. Yugi…in his bedroom? That certainly was strange…
Yugi sat up straight. "Seto! How are you feeling?"
Seto just stared at the boy in front of him. Was one of Jou's friends going to lower themselves by talking to him?
"Fine." He muttered. "What are you doing here?"
Yugi looked a little shocked. "I…I came to see if you were okay!"
Seto snorted. "The last time I checked, guilty or not, I wasn't exactly in your good books, Yugi."
Yugi shifted a little, obviously uncomfortable. "Look, Seto, do you want to know what happened or not?"
Seto's breath caught in his throat. All he remembered was a brief flash of silver, then something slamming into him.
"What did happen?"
Yugi looked down. "Do you remember anything that happened?"
"I just remember looking into the trees, and seeing a flash of silver. Then something slammed into me, and I hit my head."
"That was Jou."
Seto frowned in confusion. "That was Jou? Why the hell did he do that?"
Yugi bit his lip. "The silver you saw was a gun, Seto. Jou saved you from getting shot."
Seto's heart stopped momentarily. When he was able to speak again, he asked, "Is he…okay?"
Yugi nodded. "The bullet barely caught his arm. He's just fine."
"Then why do you look so tragic?"
The smaller boy frowned. "Physically, he's fine. Mentally, he's convinced himself that it's over between you two. Now, Seto, I don't care what happened between you and Otogi, but I know that you love Jou! So go tell him so!"
Seto was a little taken aback by the usually soft-spoken Yugi's outburst. He sighed, and hung his sore head.
"I didn't willingly kiss him, Yugi. I would never do that to Jou. He set me up!"
Yugi smiled. "Please, go tell Jou that."
Seto looked up at him, determination burning in his eyes. "I have a much better idea."
He got out of bed, and ran into his bathroom. Ten minutes later, he came out, freshly washed and dressed. He nodded to Yugi, and swept out of the room, pulling on his white trench coat. Then, suddenly thinking something, he raced back.
Yugi looked up, a little startled as Seto ran up to him.
"Yugi…who tried to kill me?"
Yugi gave a little shake of his head. "We're not really sure. Yami and Bakura ran after the guy, but they only caught a glimpse of the back of his head."
"Useful."
Yugi smiled a little. "They did their best. Anyway, he dropped this."
Yugi dug in his pocket, and pulled something out. He handed it to Seto who examined it, then gasped in shock.
It was a photograph of him and Mokuba, taken earlier that year. It featured his little brother giggling and hanging onto his nii-sama's arm, and he himself looking down with his usual cold expression. However, he knew from looking at the photo that his eyes were warm as he looked at his beloved brother.
Their faces now, though, could not be seen at all. Two large black crosses completely covered them. Tiny holes were speckled all over the gleaming paper, as if something sharp had been forcibly pushed into it. Seto felt his heart shudder at the sight, and looked up at Yugi.
"Mokuba. Where is he?"
Yugi smiled reassuringly. "He's safe. He really didn't want to leave you, you know, but the doctor said you shouldn't be moved. Everyone's at my house. He's safe there."
Seto grunted somewhat gratefully. "So we have no idea when or where this guy is gonna strike next?"
Yugi shook his head. Seto rolled his eyes in response, and strode out of the room, Yugi's alarmed voice following him.
"You're not seriously gonna go out now, are you."
Seto paused, a fiery look in his cold eyes. "I have business to take care of."
And with those final words, the brunette swept out, a glare promising death to the person foolish enough to mess with him on his features.
XxX
Otogi Ryuuji swept his black hair back from his face, and sighed deeply. He was feeling vaguely guilty. So used to getting what he wanted, and being ruthless on the path to success, feeling vaguely guilty was a new, and uncomfortable, emotion. He had heard about what happened following his kiss with Seto, and he supposed it might just have had a tiny something to do with him. Oh, alright, a lot to do with him. Hell, he wasn't that dense.
He didn't know what had possessed him to kiss the other boy. Consumed with lust-suffused jealousy, it had seemed like the perfect idea at the time. He had never thought that Jou would be that upset…
He buried his head in his hands.
"It was a horrible plan, and I'm a horrible, horrible person." He moaned to himself.
Just at that moment, there was a knock at his front door. He begrudgingly stood, and answered it. The person he saw there was the last he could ever have expected.
"Seto!"
He stared nervously at the man in front of him. Rage seemed to roll off of the CEO in palpable waves, and the look in those devastating blue eyes was, well, terrifying. Otogi backed up a little, Seto following his every move.
"N…now, Seto…calm down…"
A pale hand shot out and grabbed his shirt collar, twisting it and effectively choking him like a rabbit in a trap.
"You have no right to call me Seto." The brunette said, his calm voice a contrast to his burning eyes.
"O…of course, Kaiba-sama…please…let go…"
To his immense relief (and to be honest, surprise), Seto complied. He pushed Otogi so that he stumbled, and fell onto the couch. Seto glared at him, and began to talk.
"I don't know why you did what you did, and frankly, I don't give a shit. But you will fix it. Do you understand me, Otogi? You will fix it, or I will make your life a living hell."
Otogi nodded. "I'll fix it. I…I don't even know why…"
Seto interrupted him with a snort. "Spare me. There's only one person you need to explain yourself to, and you're lucky. He's a hell of a lot more forgiving than I am. Of course, if you catch him in a bad mood, which is quite likely, there's no telling what you'll look like when he's through with you."
Otogi winced. "Jou?"
Seto nodded. "Jou. Now, go."
Otogi didn't need telling twice.
XxX
Jou sat on Yugi's couch, surrounded by people, and ignoring every one of them. He was in an awful mood (A/N – look out Otogi!), and he didn't care who knew it. At that moment, he was glaring at the wall, his arms crossed. Shizuka sat next to him, occasionally giving her onii-chan a worried glance or two. Mokuba was sitting on his other side, afraid to talk to the blonde when he had such a savage look on his face. Yugi and Yami were talking quietly in the corner. They had been like that ever since Yugi had come back from his "Top Secret Mission", whatever the hell that was supposed to be. Bakura and Ryou were snuggled in the armchair across from him. He couldn't look at them, for obvious reasons. Honda and Anzu were in the kitchen, making something that smelled burnt. Yugi's grandfather was upstairs, napping. All in all, the small house was far too over-crowded.
"But there's safety in numbers!" Yugi had protested when Jou has suggested that he go and stay in a hotel somewhere. "You can't leave us now, Jou-kun!"
Jou rolled his eyes, and settled back on the couch, comfortable wallowing in his own bad mood. Then, as Shizuka sent a concerned look his way again, he decided he couldn't stand it anymore. He got up, and left the room without a word to anyone. He had to get outside, just for a moment, just for some air…
As he opened the front door, he was startled to see Otogi Ryuuji standing there.
"You…"
He was unaware of what he was doing as his fist flew forwards, smashing into the black-haired boy's face. Otogi let out a shocked gasp, and tumbled backwards, landing on his behind.
Jou was breathing heavily, not from exertion, but from pure anger. He heard footsteps behind him, and turned to see the entire household (minus Sugoroku, who was still peacefully napping) staring at him with expressions varying from shock (Yugi) to vindictive satisfaction (everyone else).
Otogi grinned shakily, ignoring the blood running down his chin. "I guess I deserved that, huh?"
Jou felt his famous temper begin to surface. He started yelling, swearing, cursing at the fallen boy in front of his. He pulled his fist back to hit the bastard again, but felt himself being held back by seven separate people (Bakura looking on with a "do it" look in his eyes, practically drooling at the prospect of violence).
"Stop it, onii-chan!" Shizuka cried to her big brother. "He isn't worth it."
Jou felt his temper recede slightly. He looked back at Otogi, and gave a sneer that could easily rival Seto's. "You're right, Shizuka. He isn't."
He turned, and everyone let go. "Come on, back inside everyone." He muttered.
Otogi stood up. "Jounouchi, please, you have to listen to me!"
Jou turned back, his honey-coloured eyes dark with rage. "Why the hell should I? What could you possibly have to say that I'd be interested in?"
Otogi took a deep breath. Here goes…
"I…I tricked Seto into kissing me, Jou…I wanted to break you two up…I'm so sorry…"
He once again found himself on the ground. But it wasn't Jou that had tackled him. No, this little spitfire had black hair, and was currently clawing at him like his life depended on it.
"Mokuba!"
"Mokuba, stop!"
Mokuba continued hitting the older boy underneath him, screaming at him. "You evil, evil bastard! You nearly split them up! All this is your fault! I hate you!"
Jou gaped at the small boy that was defending his honour. He laid a hand on Mokuba's should, and hauled him off of Otogi.
"Mokuba, you have to stop now…this isn't going to help. The important thing is that Set didn't do it. That's what matters." To Otogi, he said, "I wont forget this, you know."
Otogi stood up carefully. "I know. I'm so sorry, Jounouchi."
Jou nodded. "I know you are. But please…leave."
Otogi nodded, and turned. He walked away without looking back, knowing that his mistake had probably cost him the only people that liked him for who he was. (A/N – I feel kind of sorry for him now…)
Jou sighed, and let Mokuba go. "I'm sorry, Mokie, but I couldn't let you do that. You understand, right?"
Instead of answering, the young boy sprinted away, down the street.
"Shit!" Jou cried, and began running after him, hearing shouts from his friend behind him.
"You have to bring him back, Jou! It's too dangerous!"
"Jou!"
"Onii-chan!"
Jou rolled his eyes. Of course it was too dangerous. There was a psycho out to murder the Kaiba brothers. Of course he knew the risk of Mokuba being out here alone. And it was getting dark rapidly…
'Geez, either he's really fast, or I'm getting slow!' Jou thought to himself as he lost sight of the boy he was chasing. Just for a moment though, as he caught sight of Mokuba dodging into an alleyway. Jou sprinted after him, and saw Mokuba desperately looking up at a chain-link fence that was blocking the rest of the alley off.
"Dead end, Mokie?" he asked softly.
His quarry spun around, showing angry tears. "Why did you stop me, Jou? He caused this whole mess!"
Jou shook his head, the rational side of his brain kicking in. For once.
"Well, the psycho part isn't his fault, Mokuba. But I'll agree, he has caused us a lot of trouble."
He looked at the boy in front of him. Mokuba slid down and sat on the filthy ground. He walked over, and sat next to him, wiping the boy's tears.
"I should have hit him harder, huh?" he whispered, making Mokuba giggle.
"Yeah…" he said, surprising Jou by wrapping his arms around him suddenly. "But I think you hit him pretty hard already."
Jou put his arms around Mokuba in return, letting the boy snuggle into his shirt. "I'm sorry, Mokie."
"S'ok."
Jou smiled a little, and ruffled the boy's ebony-coloured hair. By now, the sky had turned a dusky black, and sinister shadows began to creep across the alleyway. He shivered involuntarily, and glanced at Mokuba.
"We should go, it's getting…"
He was interrupted by an unfamiliar cold voice. "Oh, don't go just yet. We were so enjoying the show, weren't we, boys?"
Jou felt Mokuba stiffen as a low growl of agreement swept through God-knows how many men. He stood, and pushed Mokuba behind him, shielding him protectively. "Just stay behind me, Mokie, okay?"
He heard a barely audible "Ok…" coming from behind him, almost drowned out by the raucous laughter coming from in front of them. That same voice spoke again. "Get real. There's no way you can take on all of us, you fool."
Jou swallowed hard. "I can try!" he cried bravely. Having grown up fighting lowlife punks that got on his nerves, he felt that he could defend himself well enough. But he had Mokuba to worry about too…
"Take them out." That voice again…
Jou didn't have time to wonder about a voice. He heard many people rushing at him, but the light was so poor that he could only see vague outlines. He swung a punch, and felt it connect with flesh. Good. He hoped it was serious. He swung his fists again and again, each time hitting a man, and hearing a muffled grunt of pain. Unfortunately, it seemed that his wild punches weren't enough. He felt something hard connect with his head, and tasted blood in his mouth. He fell into darkness, the last thing he heard being Mokuba's terrified screams.
A/N – Damn it Jou, can't you stay conscious for one chapter! Honestly, some people! Heh heh, R & R, please!