Chapter Eight: Old Friendships Never Die
A/N: Hey ya'll! Guess who? Yep, it's me! Back with yet another chapter for you all to read! Enjoy!
When Yugi and Seto arrived back downstairs, Joey, along with all the others, began bombarding them with questions beyond questions.
"Where were ya Yug? What happened? Are you okay?" Joey asked rather quickly, nearly slurring his words as he spoke. Yugi did not give even a little response.
"Wheeler, don't you get it? He's been going through a harsh time as it is and he doesn't need you asking him a thousand questions," Seto retorted as Joey just clenched his teeth in anger.
"Kaiba!" Joey growled as Serenity tried to hold him back.
"Stop it Joey! He's not worth getting all worked up over!"
"But Kaiba's askin' fer it!"
"Wait a minute! Kaiba, how do you know what Yugi's going through?" Tea asked. There was a moment of stunned silence before Seto could finally reply.
SETO'S P.O.V.
As much as I despised the "geek squad" I couldn't tell them about the dream. Yugi had a difficult time as it was just trying to tell him, his greatest rival, let alone his friends. But, if Yugi entrusted me with his secret, did that mean that he saw me as a friend? No longer a foe? Only time could tell.
END SETO'S P.O.V.
"Hello? Kaiba? Answer me!" Tea's voice than snapped him back to reality.
"Huh? What? Oh...it's you..." Seto replied as if expecting an angel to be talking to him.
"What do you mean, 'Oh it's you'!" Tea shouted in Seto's ear, nearly deafening him.
"Geez woman! Not so loud!" Seto retorted, the arrogance in his voice returning.
Calming down, Tea replied, "Sorry, I'm just so worried about Yugi. What if something happens and we never see him again?" Tea then broke into tears.
Annoyed with Tea's whining and doubts of Yugi's condition, Seto slapped her in an attempt to bring her back to reality.
"Stop whining! You're acting like a two-year-old! Grow up!"
"But Yugi..."
"Stop worrying already! Yugi's going to be fine!"
"How do you know that? Are you Yugi? NO! So stop trying to act like everything's perfect when it's not!" Seto was at a loss for words.
"Woah...remind me neva ta get Tea mad," Joey whispered to Ryou who just nodded.
"Let's just get Yugi upstairs and into bed. I think he needs the rest," Tea suggested.
"I think that's the best idea you've had all day Gardener," Seto responded with a sarcastic smirk.
"Hey! Wait a minute! Where's Mai?" Tea asked unexpectedly.
"Oh...she went...shopping..." Joey replied with an exasperated sigh as Seto became white as a ghost.
"Uh...where's my credit cards?" he asked checking his wallet. "Crap..." was the only word that escaped his mouth.
"Can we just get Yugi upstairs now?" Tea sighed.
"Fine...but this time...we take the elevator. I had to carry Motou down here! Oops, let that slip..."
"Kaiba, I didn't know you cared that much," Tea said.
"Shut it," Seto snapped.
"Okay, okay, Let's just go..." Tea sighed once more.
When they eventually got to Yugi's room, Seto laid him gently on the bed and they quietly exited, trying not to make a sound.
In the dining room...
"Now what are we going to do?" Tea pondered aloud, sitting down and crossing her arms in boredom. "Yugi unconscious and we can't exactly leave him alone," she finished, her head hung depressedly, banges covering her sky blue eyes.
"Don't look so sad Tea. Yug'll be fine. He's pretty tough and can handle himself. Besides, he's got Yami with him," Joey assured, although it still wasn't enough to cheer up the young brunette.
"Thanks Jou, I appreciate you trying to cheer me up and all but I still feel as though Yugi is in great danger no matter what we do," Tea replied in an undertone.
"Why don't we go out for lunch?" I'll...buy..." To everyone's surprise, it was Seto.
"Kaiba? Are you sure? I mean, you never offer to buy anyone, anything, especially us," Tea asked, feeling the slight hint of suspicion.
"Yah, well, let's just say Motou's kind-heartedness is starting to wear off on me. But let's get one thing straight: Don't get used to it," Seto's reply left everyone frozen stiff and stunned for words.
"Was dat Kaiba?" Joey questioned, not expecting an answer. Tea just nodding slightly as Joey scratched his head in frustration. Seto than stood up and motioned for the others to follow him.
"What about Yugi?" Tea piped up.
"He'll be fine. Like Wheeler said, he has the so-called spirit of the Sennen Puzzle protecting him," Seto responded, still in disbelief.
"All...right..." Tea hesitated. She then walked out of the hotel, occasionally look back behind her and pleading with herself that Yugi would be safe from harm. 'Take care Yugi. Yami, please protect him against all odds...please..." Tea then got into the limo followed by Joey, Serenity, and Ryou. Seto ordered the driver to take them to Red Lobster (A/N: Of which I do not own).
Once they arrived at the ever-so-popular seafood restaurant, Seto told, or more or less demanded, Tea and the others to get out of the vehicle.
"Geez Kaiba, ya could be a bit nicer!" Joey exclaimed.
"Wheeler, if you wish for me to pay for your meal, even though I'm probably going to regret it afterwards, I suggest that you shut your mouth and keep your foolish remarks to yourself."
"Er...look who's talkin' rich boy! You ain't no angel yourself!" Joey growled lowly.
"C'mon you guys, let's just go inside and have a peaceful lunch," Tea said placing heavy emphasis on the word peaceful.
With their usual "humph!" Joey and Seto turned their backs toward each other. Tea just let out a low-level sigh and walked into the restaurant followed by a rather irritated blonde and a very annoyed CEO.
When they finally did get inside, Seto, as usual, only had to tell the waiter his name and the fivesome was immediately led to a table near the back.
About five minutes later, the waitress, who looked to be about the age of twenty-five, came to take their orders.
"Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked in an angelic-like voice.
"I'll have a large Coke," was Joey's response.
"Just water please," Tea replied.
"I'll have a large chocolate milk, please," was Serenity's reply.
"Water please," Ryou said.
"And, Mr. Kaiba, I assume you'll have your usual?" the waitress questioned the young CEO.
"Yes Nora, and bring a bottle of Red Wine," Seto added.
"All right. I'll be back to take the rest of your orders." With that, she left the table to go and serve the other customers.
Everyone just stared at Seto as if to say, "Aren't you a little young to be drinking?"
Seto countered their stares by saying, "What are you looking at?"
Tea, being the only one brave enough to speak, said, "Exactly how old are you?"
"What's it to you, Gardener?" Seto retorted.
"I was just asking a question!" By now, Tea was starting to get rather annoyed by his arrogance.
"If you really must know, I'm 18," Seto finally replied as everyone's jaws nearly dropped open in surprise and shock.
"You're 18? You look at least 16!" Tea said amazed.
"So what if I do? What do you care?"
Tea, Joey, Serenity, and Ryou were all stunned stiff when Nora returned to take their orders.
"So, have you all decided on what you're going to get?" Nora asked while handing them all their drinks.
The four friends each opened their menus in unison and quickly skimmed through it to find something that would please their appetite.
The first to speak up was Serenity who said, "I think I'll have the breaded shrimp and Ceasar Salad."
"Excellent choice. And for you?" Nora asked turning towards Tea.
"Umm...I'll have the salmon with french fries."
"Great. And how about you?" She then turned to face Ryou and Joey.
"I'll have the sushi, please," Ryou replied as everyone at the table, with the exception of Seto, made a disgusting face.
Joey then piped up and said, "I'll have the pickeral, breaded shrimp, salmon, and french fries."
"Okay. Seems as though your little friend here has a big appetite," Nora added while giggling.
"Yah, can't stop eating..." Seto retorted.
"Well, I'll be back with your meals in a little while." Nora responded and then left to go serve more customers.
"Geez Wheeler...eat right through my wallet why don't ya..." Seto mocked.
"I'm hungry!" Joey said in protest.
"You're always hungry," Seto replied.
"Not true!"
"Uh...I hate to tell you this Joey but Seto's right. You never stop eating," Tea piped up.
"Great! Now even ma friends, not to mention ma own sista, are on the side of my mortal enemy!"
"Sorry Joey it's just that Seto's right...for a change..." Serenity added.
'For a change? Just what is she getting at?' Seto thought to himself.
"I can't believe dis!"
"I'm really sorry big brother...honest..." The tone in Serenity's voice made it sound as though she saw this whole argument to be her fault.
"It's not yer fault Ren. If it's anyone's fault, it's rich boy's!" Joey embraced his sister while glaring daggers at Kaiba. They didn't even faze him.
Suddenly, when Joey looked over Seto's shoulder, he saw the most beautiful looking girl sittting by the window, all by herself.
'Dat girl. She looks so familiar. But where do I - ?' Joey's thoughts were interrupted by none other than Seto Kaiba himself.
"Wheeler! Stop staring into space and answer me!"
"Huh? What did you say?"
Seto let out a heavy sigh before repeating, "What are you staring at?"
Joey pointed over to where he saw her.
Seto did not look impressed. "That's it? That's what you've been staring at? Pathetic. She's just a regular girl. Nothing that catches my attention."
Joey wanted to reply, "Well she certainly catches my attention," but he knew if he said that out loud, Seto would never let him live it down.
"Uh...I'll be right back. I'm just going to go over at talk to her," Joey then got up from the table and walked over to the girl. Seto just sighed and shook his head.
'She'll never fall for someone like Wheeler...never." If he only knew...
"Hey. Can I sit down?" Joey asked as the girl looked up, her chocolately brown gaze locking with that of the angelic being before her.
"Sure. I don't mind." she replied. "What's your name?"
"Joey Wheeler, and you?"
"Subaru Hitomi." She then saw Joey's eyes widen.
"Hitomi? It can't be..." Subaru was confused about what he was saying when a thought struck her mind. She too remembered him from somewhere.
"Joey? Is it...is it really you?" she managed to ask.
"Yah Subaru...it's me..." he replied as her chocolate brown eyes began to dazzle with delight.
"I can't believe it. It's been so long..."
"I know and I couldn't be more happier to see you," Joey added. "What have you been doing since we last saw each other?" he asked as Subaru shifted her gaze to the floor. Without any hesitation, Joey placed his hands on hers as a method of comfort. She just began to blush a light shade of crimson.
"What's wrong? Is it something I said?" Joey asked.
"No, you didn't say anything wrong Jou. It's just that...my life...began to fall apart when you left..." she faltered.
"What do you mean?" Joey asked as she began to grip his hand tighter.
"I...I can't...I'm afraid you'll..."
"I'll what?"
"Hate me..." she then broke into tears.
"Why would I hate you?" Joey questioned, wiping away her tears with the sleeve of his jacket.
SUBARU'S P.O.V.
Maybe I should tell him. After all, he is my oldest and dearest friend and we promised each other that no matter what we could tell one another anything. What should I do?
END SUBARU'S P.O.V.
"I...I'll tell you..." Joey didn't even budge as he listened intently at what Subaru had to say.
END OF CHAPTER EIGHT
A/N: Ain't I a little stinker? I left you with an evil cliffy! Mwa ha ha! Please don't kill me! I have a family! lol! Anyway, please review and tell me what ya think! Luv ya! Ja ne!