Just then the door burst open and in waltzed Jarick and Varek. Joey's eyes widened in horror.
"Well, it seems Joey Sr. was right, his son's little friend would come to rescue him," said Jarick smirking evily.
"Go," hissed Joey pushing Kaiba away from him.
"Come with me," whispered Seto.
"No, now go," said Joey. He didn't want Kaiba to suffer the same fate that he was about to.
Seto moved from the bed and rushed to the window, but he found he was trapped. There was another man outside the window, the man he had punched...Joey's father.
Seto found himself tied to a chair and Joey pinned to the couch in front of him. He could care less what the men did to him, but he'd just gotten Joey into more trouble and now they were going to force his to watch.
"So I see your little friend came to save you Joey. I believe that's against the rules is it not?" asked Joey Sr.
Joey nodded a yes, since he'd been gagged and couldn't talk.
"Now you have a choice, you can take twice the punishment or you and your friend can both be punished, nod your head once for the first option and twice for the second," said Joey Sr.
Joey nodded his head once, he wasn't going to let them abuse Kaiba.
"Joey don't let them do that to you," said Kaiba outraged that Joey would take the abuse for both of them.
"It seems Mr. Kaiba doesn't agree with your decision," said Joey Sr. turning on Seto, "Well Mr. Kaiba, there are rules in the household and one of them is, once a decision is made it is final. So now you'll have to watch Joey suffer because of you."
"Don't touch him or I'll kill you," snarled Kaiba.
"And how will you manage that? Oh and by the way, if you threaten me, it's automatic punishment. Majeh, he's all yours," said Joey Sr.
Joey struggled in Jarick's hold, he'd been abused by Majeh and it was painful, it was nothing like Jarick's and Varek's abuse. No! I can't let them hurt him! I won't let them! Joey could do nothing though, he didn't have any strength left to fight.
Majeh cut Kaiba lose and except for the brunette's hands and drug him to a separate room. He had his own methods of punishment. He specialized in manipulation, he forced people to hurt themselves, but he had a feeling he'd have to alter his methods, he knew Kaiba was very strong minded, but he had a plan to break the brunette.
"Have at it boys," said Joey Sr. once again leaving the room.
Joey was locked in his room and his window had been nailed shut from both sides and his father had also had bars installed on the outside of the window. He was I a lot of pain, but he was more worried about Kaiba. He hadn't seen the brunette since Majeh had drug him off last night. He sat on his bed waiting. He hoped against everything that Majeh would finish with Kaiba and 'throw' him into his room.
Joey got his wish about five hours later. Jarick unlocked the door and shoved Kaiba into Joey's room before shutting the door and relocking it. Joey rushed to Kaiba, the brunette didn't look well at all. He was really pale, and burning with a fever.
"Seto..." said Joey holding the brunette close.
"Joey," rasped Seto, eyes flickering open.
"Oh god Seto. Why'd you have to go and entice them, you shouldn't of had to go through that," said Joey, tears trailing down his face.
"Joey, right now I just want to sleep, in your bed, before I break us out of here," said Seto attempting to stand up and just falling back down.
Joey shook his head and used what strength he had left to help Kaiba up and over to the bed. He helped Kaiba under the covers and slid under with the brunette.
"I wish you hadn't of done that though," said Joey, "Because you've just endangered Mokuba."
"Don't worry Mokuba's half way across the country, I sent him and a few of his friends to Ireland for a week or so late last night," said Kaiba as his eyes closed.
In a few minutes Kaiba was sleeping silently while Joey watched over him for awhile before falling asleep himself.
"Yami," said Yugi, "Joey didn't show up today at school. I'm really worried."
"He wasn't the only one," said Yami, "I just called Kaiba and I found out that he never came home last night after sending his brother off with some friends on vacation."
"You don't think they're in trouble do you?" asked Yugi.
"I hope to all the Egyptian Gods they aren't," said Yami.
Joey woke up and turned his head to look at Kaiba, but instead of seeing the blue-eyed boy he saw Majeh. He yelped and jumped backwards, falling out of the bed and getting tangled in the sheets.
"I was wondering when you were going to wake up, I let your little friend out to take a shower. He's quite the actor you know," said Majeh standing up to look at Joey on the floor on the other side of the bed.
"What the hell does that mean you freak?" growled Joey.
"You know I really don't like to manipulate people," said Majeh.
"You manipulated me," said Joey angrily.
"True, but that was because your father was watching," said Majeh, "Did I ever force you to do hurtful things to yourself when I took you into another room?"
"Sometimes," said Joey wondering where Majeh was going with this.
"See, so I didn't always force you to do things to yourself. Normally if you pissed me off I did," said Majeh.
"So what does that have to do with Kaiba?"
"I wasn't able to force him, I did play a few mind games with him but I couldn't get him to hurt himself. He's much more strong minded than you are," said Majeh.
"So are you saying you like him because he's like you?" asked Joey.
"Not really," said Majeh, moving to the door as Kaiba walked in.
"Did I miss something?" asked Kaiba glaring at Majeh.
"Just Joey falling out of bed," said Majeh.
"How about you get out," growled Joey untangling himself from the sheets.
Majeh growled at Joey before leaving the room and locking the door after him. Seto just raised an eyebrow at Joey.
"So you were faking last night," growled Joey glaring at Kaiba.
"Excuse me?" asked Kaiba.
"Majeh said you were a great actor and that he wasn't able to hurt you," said Joey standing up.
"Oh that, no I wasn't exactly faking. He did a lot more damage to me than I would have liked, but I was faking the whole abused thing," said Seto leaning against the door.
"You scared the shit out of me you know that? I was so worried and you pull something like that," Joey said furious.
"Well I was tired, I was up all night, I hadn't expected to be up for almost 48 hours. What would you have done Joey? I don't like to give in to people, I'll fight to the point I die. Would you? Are you capable of fighting them?" asked Seto.
Joey stayed silent for a few moments.
"Look Wheeler, I know you're hurting, I know what they did to you. I talked to Majeh, which was probably the worst mistake of my life because I didn't realize his specialty was manipulation until I had talked to him for four hours. He did hurt me, by making me hurt myself by opening up to him. I almost told him what happened in my childhood, that's when I realized what he was doing. I'm not mad at you Joey, but you have no right to be mad at me," said Seto after Joey didn't answer him.
"So...what did he tell you?"
"What I had already suspected, that some of those idiots out there hurt you," said Seto.
"Oh," said Joey sitting on the bed. He felt like a fool now. He had gotten mad without asking first. I need to start asking questions first and responding later.
"Now if you don't mind, may I borrow some clothes," said Seto since he still had the towel around his waist from his shower.
Joey and Kaiba were still locked in the bedroom and it was Sunday night. Tomorrow they had school and if they didn't go people would start getting suspicious.
Joey punched the window wall over and over again in the same spot. He'd been doing it for about two hours and Kaiba was beginning to think that Wheeler had finally lost his mind being locked in this room for almost three days.
"Joey would you please stop punching the wall," moaned Kaiba as he put his head in his hands.
"Huh?" said Joey, stopping momentarily to turn and look at Kaiba.
"I said would you please stop punching the wall," said Seto, looking up at Joey.
"Why?" asked the blond.
"Because it's annoying and you're denting the wall," said Seto.
"So?" said Joey.
"So...what do I have to do to make you stop," said Seto.
"Dunno," said Joey returning to punching the wall.
Seto stood up and walked over to Joey. He grabbed the blond's fist in mid-punch, forcing Joey to stop.
"What're you doing?" asked Joey.
"I asked you to stop," said Seto.
"Yeah," said Joey.
"Are you acting like this on purpose?"
"No."
"Wheeler I swear you've lost your mind."
"Actually, I haven't. Punching the wall seems to be the only thing I can do in my room to entertain myself when I'm locked in here. So unless you've got a better suggestion, let me punch the wall."
"There's two of us in your room. I'm sure there's something in your room that two people can play," said Seto.
"Not really. The computer doesn't work, neither does the tv. Um...let's see what else. Hmm...I don't know. Unfortunately Seto there is nothing in my room. Absolutely fucking nothing," said Joey.
"Fucking."
"What?"
"We can fuck," said Seto deciding he'd joke around.
"You're not serious are you?"
"Of course I am Joey. No one's in here. I doubt anyone will walk in. So what's the big deal. Let's just fuck and get it over with, at least it will entertain us for a short while," said Seto.
"No," said Joey.
"No?"
"Absolutely not," said Joey, "And besides I can tell you don't mean it and that you're joking."
"I'm not joking," said Seto.
"You are. I can tell. Your eyes get really big when you joke around," said Joey.
"And how the hell would you know?" asked Seto shocked that Joey was that observant.
"I pay attention to people," said Joey, "Especially their eyes. People's eyes reveal a lot. More than people think they do."
"Fine you win," said Seto, "But the joke was fun while it lasted and it kept you from punching the wall."
"Yes and now I'm going back to punching the wall," said Joey pulling his hand away from Kaiba's.
"Joey, if you keep punching that wall I'm going to tackle you to the floor," said Seto.
"And do what after that?" asked Joey punching the wall over and over.
"And...Hell I don't know. Whatever I need to in order to keep you on the ground and away from the wall," said Seto.
Joey punched the wall, he didn't believe Kaiba one bit and that would probably be his worst mistake ever. Seto pulled Joey from the wall and threw him to the floor. Joey winced and made to get up, but Kaiba straddled him quickly before he could get up. Seto pinned Joey's hands to the floor above the blond's head and snickered.
"And what's so funny about this?" asked Joey trying to pull his hands out of Kaiba's grip.
"You, because now I have you pinned and there's nothing you can do."
"You really think so," said Joey as he quickly wrapped his legs around Kaiba's waist and took them into a roll, coming up on top, "What do you think now?"
"I think that was a big mistake," said Seto, he still had a firm hold of Joey's hands and the blond's legs were now under him as well.
"How so?" asked Joey.
"This is how so," said Kaiba as sat up abruptly knocking the blond onto his back. Seto was still on top of Joey's legs and still had a hold on the blond's hands.
"Now tell me Wheeler, how do you expect to get out of this one?" said Kaiba, chuckling.
"Like this," said Joey as he brought Kaiba's arm to his mouth and bit down.
"OUCH!"
Seto instantly let go of Joey. He hadn't been expecting that. He quickly hauled back his fist and hit Joey in the face. Joey was not going to take Kaiba's abuse, he quickly pushed the brunette off of him before tackling Seto. They rolled around on the floor beating the crap out of each other. The noise they made carried into the living room.
"What the hell are they doing?" growled Joey Sr.
"Sounds like they're fighting," said Rayel.
"Someone go break them up, and put them in separate rooms," said Joey Sr.
Jarick, Varek and Majeh all got up from where they were sitting and went to split up the two boys.
Joey and Kaiba knocked over the bedside table, breaking whatever was breakable on it. They broke the bed, they broke the desk chair. Both were bloody, bleeding and sore, but they weren't about to let the other win the fight. They even kept fighting when the three men walked into the room.
Jarick grabbed Seto around the waist and held him tight, keeping him from Joey. Varek and Majeh took hold of Joey and pinned him to the wall.
"SETO NOW!" yelled Joey.
Seto elbowed Jarick in the stomach, stepped down on the man's foot and butted the man in the face with the back of his head all at the same time. Jarick loosened his hold on Seto, letting the brunette get away from him. Seto shot out the door and down the hall. He made it to the front door and outside. He quickly took off, he was headed straight for the police. Jarick quickly recovered and headed after Kaiba.
"You two planned that fight didn't you," growled Varek in Joey's ear.
"No shit sherlock," said Joey, "And there's no way you'll catch Kaiba now."
"Jarick'll catch him," said Joey's father walking into the room, "Jarick was on that boy's heels as they ran down the block. I expect your little friend to be back with Jarick in a few moments."
"You wish," spat Joey.
"Son I suggest you shut up before I let Majeh work his specialty on you," snarled Joey Sr.
"Fuck you dad. You're a worthless piece of shit and your word is worth nothing," snarled Joey.
"And your life is worth nothing," Joey Sr. hissed in his son's ear as he traded places with Majeh.
Joey fell silent. That wasn't true, his life was worth something, Seto had shown him that. Hadn't he?
"Majeh, Varek, leave and lock the door after you leave," said Joey's father as he pinned his son to the wall, letting Varek move.
The two men left the room, they weren't about to disobey an order. They decided to wait by the front door for Jarick.
Joey tensed up, and his heart raced. His father had never asked to be locked in a room with him before. This scared him to no end.
"You think you're real smart don't you. Thinking that little fight would help you. Well let's say Jarick doesn't catch Kaiba. Let's say your friend gets to the police. Well when he gets there, he'll find out no one will help him. Want to know why? Because the only people on shift right now are people who work for me and the second your friend utters my name they'll cuff him and throw him in a cell until I get there to pick him up," said Joey's dad.
That can't be true. Why would police want to help my dad? Why would they work for him? But I know he isn't lying. My father had never lied, at least not to me. Joey didn't know what to do. At least not until he found himself being beaten again.
