He snuck in as quietly as he could. He had been with Yugi and them ever since they left school and he hadn't realized the time until he was already late. Hopefully his dad was still asleep, or passed out either one would do. As he got to the hallway he exhaled in relief, it seems he was going to get away with this without any 'punishment'.
Plus he could get up early –before his father wakes up- and go to Yugi's. By the afternoon he would forget that he was late this night. He closed his bedroom door behind him softly and then threw his things onto his unmade bed. With a long sigh he headed for the bathroom to take a shower.
He took longer, thirty minutes, this time because he enjoyed the feel of hot water down his skin. Its warm caress helped him forget all his problems, all of his bruises, all his scars… It made him feel, normal.
As he stepped out and dressed in a plain t-shirt and boxers he dropped onto the bed. And he lay there for a while, in the quiet dark. The silence was perfect to him, it meant he wasn't screaming or crying. He rolled over onto his side and shut his eyes.
Several minutes rolled by and he still was awake. He couldn't sleep so he sat up and looked around his room. His eyes settled upon his desk. Even if it wasn't the grandest piece of wood, it was his. Something he bought with his own money, something that was his.
As he got comfortable in his desk chair he smiled. Pulling out a blue folder, he opened it up and took out a few papers. He studied the sheets of paper and looked at his handwriting. It wasn't the greatest of course, but neither was he.
Taking out a blank paper he began writing down some more words. "Joey entered the house and felt strangely energetic. Perhaps it was the unusually fun day he had at his job. His job, which had always sought to work him to death and give him a paycheck totally not up to what he was worth. But this time, he had a great day and he wanted to do something about this built up energy but what?" Jounouchi spoke as he wrote.
Jounouchi was writing a story, as much of a shock it was to some, the blonde loved to write. Starting out writing his anger and fear of his father but then becoming something to help steady him and give him some sort of hope.
"Joey decided to…" He pondered on this. His story was going to be great –of course nobody would ever read this one- he knew it. Something in him clicked, "He decided to go out. He didn't have any friends but that was okay, he could have fun all by himself." He spoke enthused like his character; his story character always brightened his day. Perhaps because 'Joey' was the person he wished he could be.
He was getting more into the story, when he heard the front door open and slam closed. His body froze stiff. So he wasn't here at all…
"Jounouchi! Jounouchi get out here, right now!" He bellowed angrily as always. Jounouchi swallowed hard. 'Not this again…' He thought.
It became oddly quiet; his father didn't yell his name again. 'Maybe he passed out or something.' He thought wishfully, but that thought was shot out the window when there was a loud noise and the door flew open. The man approached him and pulled him out from his chair. Tonight was going to be like all the other nights after all.
/He came in and glared down at the limp form. "Is he still sleeping?" He asked, though it was obvious.
Mokuba smiled, "He stayed up all night watching movies I think." The young one explained.
"Hmph. This dork is nothing but a moocher." He stated with another look focused on the blonde. He couldn't believe he allowed this to happen. To let him stay here, in his house, this dog he barely could stand. He inwardly shuddered, 'Why did I let him stay here again?'
He glanced over at his younger brother, 'Of course, Mokuba stopped by the school as soon as I told him I'd be late and begged me to let him stay here.' He sighed as he shook his head, "Mokuba, I'll be in my office. Once the mutt decides to get up, feed him." He instructed and the younger nodded. With that the brunette left the room.
He stretched and yawned, "Jounouchi you sure are a heavy sleeper…" Mokuba whispered to himself.
"Is he gone?"
"Yeah… Hey, you were awake the whole time?" The raven-haired boy asked a bit startled. The blonde sat up and nodded with a yawn. "So why didn't you say anything to Seto?" He asked.
"Oh, believe me… I wanted to say something but I'd never say them in front of you." He replied sitting up and standing. "Besides, if he knew I was awake he'd make me do something like help his servants take out the trash or clean the floors like he did the other day. No offense Mokuba, but your brother can be a real jerk."
Mokuba frowned, "He's just giving you a hard time because he doesn't really know you. Trust me Jounouchi, stay here long enough and he'll warm up to you and treat you a lot nicer. I know my brother and he will accept you, just you wait and see." He promised.
The other nodded, 'Yeah? Well Mokuba hate to break it to ya but your brother is not just a jerk- he's a selfish asshole.' He didn't dare voice that though for obvious reasons. "Well, I'm not so sure about that but I guess we'll see."
"Oh, brush your teeth and get dressed Jounouchi and we can have breakfast together." Mokuba suggested suddenly and the blonde smiled. "Isono and I went out and bought you some new clothes yesterday so you won't have to wear any more of Seto's."
"Good, because his clothes were just a bit tight on me and I was getting' tired of wearin' black and dark blue shirts and pants."
Mokuba laughed, "Well, I know Seto wasn't all that happy with you wearing his stuff. But I won't tell you his exact words." He said laughing nervously. 'Tell me you're joking. You didn't seriously give that dog some of my clothes. Mokuba, you're letting a dog wear my clothes?!'
"Uh huh, thanks. But I have a pretty clear picture of what he said." He replied with a glare fixed on an invisible Kaiba. "Well, let me get dressed so we can eat- I'm starvin'!"
The other smiled brightly, "Alright I'm gonna run to my room real quick and then meet you back in the hall." He explained and walked out, Jounouchi smiled too and headed for the bathroom.
He was currently on the phone with the CEO of Gamers Choice, a company that sells video games, card games, board games and things of the like. It was going well and ended with a signed contract.
Kaiba stared down at the small pile of paperwork stacked neatly on his desk. It wasn't as much as he was used to and would be finished by the time lunch arrived. As he began to work on them, there was a knock on his door. He looked up and noticed it was Isono, his right-hand man.
"Mr. Kaiba sir, I have retrieved the things you have asked for. It wasn't much but it is all waiting down in the first floor guestroom." He said.
Kaiba nodded, "Good. There won't be anything more, you can go now." The man bowed slightly and left. After finishing a few things he stood and walked out of his office.
Mokuba and Jounouchi were halfway down the stairs when they spotted Kaiba walking by, "Hey Seto!" Mokuba called out stopping the brunette in his tracks. He looked up and let his eyes settle on the blonde for a second before fixating them back on his brother.
"Seto, I was heading to the breakfast table to get something to eat with Jounouchi. Are you gonna join us?" He asked, with no clear emotion showing.
Kaiba frowned, "I can't. There is something I have to check out. You two go and eat, I'll see you later Mokuba." He said and walked off in the other direction.
This saddened Jounouchi, it was just like yesterday and the day before then. In fact ever since he got there, Kaiba never ate with them at breakfast or lunch and not that much at dinner either. He wondered if it was something that happened all the time, or was it because of him.
Mokuba turned to him and smiled, "Well, come on Jounouchi. I thought you said you were hungry." He said and both began walking.
He wanted to ask but it wasn't his business and it was a personal matter that he had no right to butt in to. Though, he knew if he could have dinner with his sister every night he would. He didn't understand why Kaiba couldn't spare time for Mokuba, the kid was a smart, energetic, strong boy and Kaiba was taking him for granted.
Kaiba walked in to the empty room, which wasn't so empty anymore. He looked at all the stuff and quickly scrunched his nose in disgust. How could Jounouchi treasure this heap of garbage? His supposed favorite chair was torn and would be collapsed it it weren't strongly bound in duct tape. His wonderful desk was so plain and pathetic it could sell for under a buck.
The brunette sighed. All of this stuff was junk, but what was he expecting? This is exactly what a dog would live with and call his fortune. He went over to a box full of folders and writing paper. This was curious; he pulled out a journal and studied it carefully. Opening to the first page he noticed there were wrinkled spots, he figured tears caused it by what the words in it said;
My name is Jounouchi Katsuya; I am the pathetic stupid bastard writing in this thing. Soon my whole fucked up life is gonna be written in here and so I'll be able to look at how sick my life is and will probably always be! My dad is a drunk, I guess I should write that down so as if I somehow forget… He's an alcoholic and a jerk that hurts me, beats me into a damn crying baby! I can't get away from him and there is no way I'd ever tell Yugi and the others. Yugi, Honda, Anzu, Ryou are my main friends but I have a few more. I can't tell'em who I really am; I don't want them to know I'm a loser! I'm everything that this other guy named Kaiba says I am… I am a low street dog- he's right!
Kaiba closed the journal. Looking at it still curiously, he exited the room with it in his hands. He headed up the stairs and made it to his office, placing the thing down onto his desk he left. All the way back down, he went the opposite way to the room and entered the breakfast room.
Mokuba and Jounouchi were in the middle of eating as he nodded and instructed the maid to get him a cup of coffee to go. It was silent until he turned and stared at the blonde, "I had some people retrieve your things from your father's home. It's all in the guestroom on the bottom floor, the fourth door on the right. You can check it out after breakfast." He said, and took his coffee in his hands. He nodded once and was soon gone.
Mokuba smiled, "This is so great! I finally get to see what kind of stuff you had in your room."
Jounouchi started to fell embarrassed, "Well, I warn ya my stuff ain't as nice as your stuff. I mean it might look like junk or somethin'… You won't want to see it." He replied but the other shook his head.
"No, I do. Seto and I don't really have anything like what you say you have. You said your things were cringe worthy but they mean something to you because it's yours and it holds some sort of personal value. Seto and I don't really have anything like that, we have our pictures of each other but nothing more. I want to see what is so important to you." Mokuba said and for a second Jounouchi forgot that he was only a twelve-year-old boy.
The way he spoke he seemed older, but he supposed Mokuba and Kaiba both had to grow up fast. He smiled affectionately, "Okay. Come on, let's hurry up and eat so we can check out my stuff." The other smiled too and they ate in a radiant silence.