Sorry it took me so long to get this thing updated, I wrote out the chapter summaries on paper then I left on holidays and my parents surprised me by remaking my room and guess what? The summaries disappeared! I wrote them out again a while ago and tonight I found the original again! -.-'

Thanks to Saiko Senshi, Growing Pain, Jou-Kaiba-Mokie, PyroKittyKai, GothicShadow and scream4more for their reviews!

Saiko Senshi: Thank you my first reviewer! (hugs) I'm glad you think it is!

Growing Pain: Oh my! Sorry to keep you waiting so long! But I'm glad you liked it!

Jou-Kaiba-Mokie: Sorry about that! But I'm still glad you liked it!

PyroKittyKat: O.O' Um... (backs away) Yeah…I do plan on finishing heh heh… But anyway, here it is! Enjoy!

GothicShadow: Thanks so much! Here you go!

scream4more: Ah, much obliged! I'm so happy you think so! (glomp)

Disclaimer: Are Yami and Yugi flirting with each other every episode? Is Seto and Jou's arguing just foreplay? Well...yes... But that's beside the point! I don't own the show! -.-


Chapter 2: Stone Hearts


Never walk away from failure. On the contrary, study it carefully and imaginatively for its hidden assets.

-- Michael Korda quotes


Some people see support in nature. Calm rain to soothe the soul from worry, or gentle breezes to relax the mind after a hard day.

Jou seen support in the beaming sun, sending comforting rays down to play gently across his dusky skin. Usually he wouldn't believe in a lot of those superstitions but seeing as how he had his first session with Seto Kaiba, he try anything to calm his frantic nerves.

It was understandable though, meeting a new person, or patient in this case, was a nerve-wracking experience, but Jou, being the hyperactive person he was, found this to be new to him.

The blonde sighed taking in a deep breath, "Ra help me..."

He inwardly rolled his eyes at the phrase, spending two months in Egypt with his best friends; the "Perfect Couple" Atemu and Yugi had certainly left a bigger impact on his personality as well as his now slightly tanned skin.

Turning his gaze out of the window towards the blazing sun he stifled a yawn, spending the majority of the night going over a patient's file was not good for his health.

Shaking his head, he blinked lazily as he came face to face with a thin black door. Suppressing a sigh, he mumbled, under his breath, "Here we go..."

Raising his bronzed arm, Jou pushed open the door and entered the room. It was specifically designed for his patient's, the walls were painted a light purple and decorated with a few framed paintings, the largest being behind his desk to the left depicting that of a large dark dragon with glowing scarlet eyes. (A/N: Any guesses guys?)

He turned his gaze to the other side of the room towards a few luscious chairs, one of which was occupied by a familiar looking brunet.

Seto didn't pay any regard to him at all, resting his head on his hand and staring out of the window with those calm, stoic azure eyes.

"Hello Kaiba Seto," Jou began in a former manner, "I am your new advisor, Jounouchi Katsuya, but you may call me Jou."

The honey eyed male smiled at him as he finished but it soon turned to a frown when he seen that his patient was ignoring him.

Regarding the blonde's expression out of the corner of unamused cerulean orbs, he gave an almost inaudible sigh, turning his head around and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Drop the formalities, Jou. I've heard them more times than any of those corporate sleazes that sit behind fancy desks, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't undermine my intelligence in that way," his monotonous voice drawled out as he narrowed his eyes at him.

Jou, however, blinked in surprise, not expecting the intelligent outburst from the brunette.

"Phew! I'm glad! That act was killing me!" He replied in relief, plopping down on the other chair and sinking into the soft material.

"Sorry about that! Hope you understand why I did it! Manners go with the job blah blah blah and all that!" Jou mumbled, waving his hand in disinterest, receiving a grunt and a "Whatever" from the other male.

"So... how've the people here been treating you Seto?" He continued, still smiling in a friendly fashion.

The Brunet merely rolled his eyes at this comment and replied with a simple, "Fine."

Jou refrained from wincing at the cold undertone in his voice, remaining calm and trying again, "The weather is nice today, reminds me of when I was in Egypt a while ago."

"Really?" Came the impassive, unmotivated reply, the owner of the voice not bothering to look up.

Resisting the urge to scowl, Jou tried once more, "Yes...I went there a while ago with some friends of mine. You know, we learnt a lot about the new card game, Duel Monsters over there since it was created there or something...Anyway, what about you? Do you like to play it? It's the latest craze over here; everyone seems to love the game! "

"Maybe, but not everyone knows how to play the game," Came the reply, surprising Jou with the new interest.

"So you do like Duel Monsters then?"

"Of course I do. But I'm only allowed to play under supervision," Seto scoffed, a trace of lingering anguish in his tone.

"Really? That must suck...What's your favourite card? Mine is the Red Eyes Black Dragon," Jou stated proudly pointing towards the picture on the wall.

"..."

"Oh come on! Everyone has a favourite card Seto! So what'll it be? Dark Magician? Harpie Lady? Change of Heart? (1)"

Hearing a quiet reply, he leaned in closer as the other male's voice became slightly louder.

"Blue Eyes..." Seto mumbled so quietly

"Blue Eyes? As in, the Legendary Blue Eyes White Dragon! That's a really rare card! Only four in the world, my friend's grandfather owns one and I heard the other two own to these two rich guys, one was in America, one was in... Germany I think? No, it was Hong Kong... I don't know what happened to the last one thou- Wait a minute, do you have the last Blue Eyes?" (2)

The floor suddenly became very interesting to Seto as he trailed his eyes around the intricate design, praying silently that it wasn't the blonde's seemingly warm honey eyes that suddenly burned through his skull.

The startled brunet just settled for a mere nod and continued his staring contest, adamant to be the victor. (3)

Jou's eyes narrowed curiously as he shifted to the edge of his chair and leaned closer to the very uncomfortable patient.

"How did you get such a rare card, Seto?" the blond asked in a calm and soothing voice, but it wasn't soothing to Seto who gritted his teeth in rage.

Raising dangerous, slit azure eyes to the startled honey ones that belonged to Jou, he hissed quietly, "That's none of your business, you damn mutt!"

"What did you call me! Say it again!"

"Normally I would but I'm afraid it might overload that little pea you've dubbed 'a brain'."

"Why you-! I'm only trying to help you Seto,"

"Oh please. Spare me. If your manners weren't the reason for your bank account's sudden soar, then you would have punched me the moment you laid eyes on me. True of false?"

"That's a lie Seto and you know it."

"Sure, whatever...And another thing, stop calling me Seto."

Jou blinked in confusion, momentarily forgetting about the conflict and tilting his head with a "Why?"

Seto snorted and stared away in disgust, "You say it as if we're friends, when we're not even close to that."

"How about close acquaintances then?"

Snarling, Seto gave a death glare to the blond, "You are truly are an incompetent mutt aren't you. Listen closely. We. Are. Not. Friends, nor acquaintances, allies, colleagues or any other variation as such. Now, did I cause your little brain to melt with all the big, strange, new words? Hmm?"

Jou growled in seething anger, causing the Brunet to fall back against he chair, arms crossed over his chest with a satisfied smirk upon his face. "I knew it."

Opening his mouth to reply, the blond was cut off by the annoying drill of a bell piercing his eardrums. He sighed in irritation and stood up. "That'll do for today, Kaiba."

Letting out a deep and pleased sigh, Seto stood up also and gasped out an over-dramatic, "Finally."

Three men stepped through the door. One cloaked in a long and uninteresting ivory coat that failed to tone down his strange and wild ebony hair and glowing lime eyes.

The two burly guards, that both adorned the unique uniform of the hospital, strode over to grab the brunets arms harshly in their tight and unforgiving grip whilst the new doctor stepped beside the twitching Katsuya.

"What's eating you?" The new arrival asked, flicking a strand of his untameable hair behind his ear.

Katsuya gave a somewhat groan and answered by glaring at Seto who was giving a cocky smirk despite being caught in the increasingly painful grasp of the guards.

Blinking at the furious sparks that flew when their eyes collided, the ebony haired man chuckled and whispered in Jou's ear.

"I heard about that one. He's supposed to be a real challenge."

"You're telling me! It took all of my power not to get up and deck him!"

"Ooh! Feisty! If he can tick you off this badly, there must be something good about him heh heh..."

"Shut it Otogi!" (English name: Duke Devlin) He yelled out, forgetting that they were supposed to be talking confidentially only realising it when Seto chuckled darkly.

"And you too Kaiba! Listen Otogi, I'll talk to you at lunchtime, when we have some privacy!" Seto rolled his eyes before shaking his head at Jou's idiocy.

Otogi seemed amused also but he settled for them speaking at lunch and led Seto and the guards out of the room.

Jou, trudging over to his desk, groaned loudly and fell back upon the soft chair with a strange pulsing noise. Rubbing his temples, he mumbled a number of nonsense words under his breath as his dulled eyes roamed across the chocolate desk until they reached a plain file that had been discarded there earlier.

Picking it up between his thin bronzed fingers he tossed it open and flicked through the pages until something caught his eye.

Previous Diagnoses: Initially a quiet patient but upon further inspection, reveals rude, sarcastic and angry qualities. Nothing further than this has been discovered.

Letting out the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, he dropped the file onto the desk and trailed his fingers through his hair.

At least he had taken the first step, the next would have to be taken soon...


(1) Quite Obviously: Yugi's Favourite Card: Dark Magician, Mai's Favourite Card: Harpie Lady and Bakura's Favourite Card: Change of Heart.

(2) In Volume 4 of the manga, Seto says that the four Blue Eyes were in the hands of fanatic collectors, one in America, one in Germany, one in Hong Kong and then Sugoroku had the last one...and then he showed Sugoroku "DEATH BY VIRTUAL REALITY!" No wonder I made this fic... -.-'

(3) Typical Seto, always wants to win -.-'


Took me long enough to update, ne? But me been working on Tainted Innocence a lot lately but since it is nearly finished I have more time to be updating my other fics! Hope you've enjoyed the chapter, please review.