Seth: Just so everyone doesn't get the wrong idea, I don't plan on making Yami a complete angry psychopath. He'll have a bigger involvement soon. This is a bit longer than my normal chapters, hope you enjoy.
Forever Scarred
Chapter 17
It wasn't real, just a dream. But then, why hadn't either one awaken yet? Why were lips still pressed softly against lips? Jyonouchi didn't move, didn't understand. Confusion was the main emotion running through his shaking, unsure body. One hand remained firmly gripped among the desk from which he leaned against, whilst the other wrapped tightly around a dark blue sweater belonging to his crazy kisser, Kaiba.
Speaking of the brunet, whom of was acting not himself at all. This wasn't in his idea of apologizing, hell; this was not part of any thought or plan he had in his carefully structured mind. This was insane, it was absolutely unacceptable, wrong and yet, there was no turning back, no erasing or taking away. As he kept his lips atop the others, he wasn't thinking at all. Perhaps that was the reason; maybe if he'd paid attention, kept his brain running like usual, this kiss never would've taken place. Who knew emotion could be so reckless or so irresponsible? As it was, ironically Kaiba's emotions that drove him to commit this rather lucrative yet, maybe sincere kiss.
Kaiba pulled back slowly, feeling the blonde's gasping sigh hit his face. He opened his eyes and stared off into widened browns, but his thoughts were nothing short of blank silence. He couldn't think of anything, nor had any kind of explanation to offer, to cite.
Jyonouchi was blushing madly; this was so much more than he could take. He opened his mouth to speak, but damn it all, what could he say? He bit his lower lip and tried to keep his breathing under control while his heart beat like a rabid jackhammer.
Kaiba took a step backwards and tried to clear his mind, attempting to figure what exactly motivated him to do that to the other. He obviously wasn't thinking, so it was emotion then, but why on earth would his emotions urge him to-it's not like he held feelings for the blond, none romantically anyway.
And yet still as he stood there feeling in the wrong, guilty of some sort of crime, he didn't feel disgusted and the kiss itself didn't feel like a mistake. It was the timing and well, the fact that it had been Jyonouchi's lips he touched, he felt, he warmed. And that was the difference. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have, uhm…" He muttered, now looking away. The tension and confusion was thick and high, of course. Neither was exactly prepared for something like this.
So it was a relieved surprise when Mokuba opened the door and came right in. "Jyonouchi, oh Seto. There you are."
Kaiba just about jumped for joy to see the situation so abruptly interrupted. "What is it, Mokuba?" He asked, his voice returning to normal though his face was still a bit pale.
"Yami's here. He said he's supposed to talk to you." The young boy answered.
The brunet rolled his eyes. Thankful for the subject change but not ready to talk to the annoying, overzealous other. He checked his watch and shook his head. "It's about time for dinner." He sighed, "I guess, have the cook set an extra place at the table."
"Uhm, Yugi's here too."
"Just what I need." He grumbled, heading out the door. He took one last quick glance at the blond before walking out into the hallway. "I need to grab some things from my bedroom, I'll be downstairs in a bit."
Mokuba nodded. "Okay, Jyonouchi and I will see you down there." Kaiba left off to his room and the raven-haired child turned back to face the quiet blond. "I bet you're hungry right Jyonouchi." He laughed but the other seemed to be lost in another world. He blinked, "Jyonouchi are you okay? What's wrong? You and Seto didn't get into it did you?"
"Hm? No, uh, no we-everything's fine. I'm just thinking about something." He said, still blushing, still confused.
"Your face is all red. You aren't sick are you?"
He smiled, "I'm fine. I'mma put something up real quick, why don't ya head downstairs without me. I'll be right down."
Mokuba eyed him questionably but refrained from asking anything. "All right." The door closed soon after. Jyonouchi was left alone once again.
He pulled out the desk chair, from which he'd just been pushing into the desk before and he slumped down on it. Sighing once in exasperation, inhaling slowly but deeply trying to come to some sort of understanding of the situation that had now passed. Why had Kaiba kissed him? Was it just a mistake on the brunet's part or did he really mean to? Was it intentional, did the strong, intelligent CEO like him, 'Does he find me' He laughed, "No way." His face must've been redder than a ripe tomato now, "There's no way he'd ever like me like that, not in a million years…" He feinted a smile though inside that truth was aching him.
Still, whether it was an intended lip-lock or not, Jyonouchi's breath was caught in his throat, his heart pounded so heavily and, and his whole body quivered in fear, shock and yes a secret yearning. He'd never been kissed so gently, so softly before and by someone he actually liked, by someone he respected. Because it was Kaiba, made the difference. He grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and hesitantly began writing something. With a gulp he read over it and folded it in half. And then he headed out.
Kaiba put away his just faxed papers. He put together all his documents and placed them in his desk drawer, where he kept all his important papers. He would need to speak to Yami after all he agreed to let the self-righteous one work with him. But not in his bedroom, he didn't trust the other. And because of that distrust, he couldn't tell all he knew, for that'd be foolish.
Give the information he had to someone as hotheaded as Yami, and it'd be the same as lighting a cigarette near gasoline. And yes, he had that reputation as well. However there was a difference. He acted out of knowledge and strategy, Yami was calculative but impatient, and he needed results quickly and didn't pay attention to the little details. In other words, friendly fires were always abound and there were always enemies seething and loathing in the end.
But Kaiba's impatience was formulated and carried out differently. When he planned something, it worked with a hundred percent effectiveness. Friendly fires were not accepted when the victims could become personal. Also, he knew exactly-from taking the time to explore and read the fine print- what he was after, and what he would accomplish. And, when he was through, there were no enemies left standing to even consider revenge.
But everything would be okay. They were both after the same thing and in the final result, a few more weeks' time; they'd have Monuten taken care of. And everything would be back to normal. And to think of what normal was, it was rather questionable. He wondered if Jyonouchi would be comfortable living in that same apartment again. The brunet frowned; it would be painful to live in a place full of bad memories. After all, he was doing just that.
This mansion held such awful 'family' secrets, that Kaiba at times recalled, heard, felt. Though he had his old bedroom and the other rooms filled with sick recollection remodeled or some of them removed and changed into storage closets, the pain lingered. He shook his head, but he'd gotten over them, erased them from inside. Laid to die at the burial of the now powerless and pathetic Gozaburo Kaiba. But he and the blond were so different.
While he could live with it, he could fight back and overcome even through humiliation and torture, Jyonouchi was gentler and emotionally not as stable. He could protest and lie to his friends but not face up against his father. Sure, the blond was weak when it came to courage but, realistically he was just behaving like a normal victim in this situation.
Admittedly, the brunet was a bit jealous. He didn't have the option to play the victim, to be weak. It was always fighting, he had no choice but to keep going, keep thinking, fighting, and standing. To survive and protect his brother, he couldn't cry, couldn't break down. There was no time to feel the slightest bit of weakness, for then things would be worse. Harder still, he had to be smarter than his stepfather at all times, always had to be cautious and wary. There was no moment of rest, not if he wanted to succeed.
Kaiba sighed and lowered his gaze to a picture of himself and Mokuba. It was taken by those infamous paparazzi about two weeks after Gozaburo's funeral. There weren't many recent pictures of him and his little brother and he wasn't too fond of those nosy photographers but this one he loved. It was rare to see him smiling, and in this picture captured at the front gate of the mansion, he and Mokuba were standing there smiling, watching the snowfall from the heavens.
He frowned. "I wonder if Jyonouchi ever gets to see his sister. I wouldn't think so, considering what all I know of his parents' divorce." A small sad sigh escaped his mouth, the only thing that had kept him going through those agonizing times was the promise of giving Mokuba the life he deserved. All the pain was worth it, because it would lead to a better life for his brother. "But Jyonouchi can't even see his sister. According to these documents, and to what I've obtained through… certain means, he hasn't seen her in years."
Maybe he shouldn't be so envious after all. The clock on the wall ticked away and finally he locked the drawers and stood. "Time for dinner." He stated none-too-happily. There was just something he couldn't stand about Jyonouchi's friends.
Jyonouchi hid around the corner, as Kaiba started down the stairs. He didn't want to be seen just yet and really didn't want to face the brunet after what happened. Though, if his mind was right, it wasn't anything of any importance anyway. But he didn't want to completely think that. "Maybe it does mean something. Either case, I hafta know. I-" He snuck across the hall and ran to Kaiba's room.
He opened the door and stepped in guardedly. He hadn't been in Kaiba's bedroom before, well not without the other present. There was a certain cold yet consuming vibe in the air, one of power and prestige. He pulled out the folded paper from his pocket and placed it on the desk. He took a deep breath and headed for the door, but stopped. Staring back at the paper he hesitated, "No. Maybe I shouldn't leave this here. He has so much to think about, he doesn't need another thing." He picked it up but gulped. With a final frustrated exhale, he firmly placed the paper back down and left the room.
A blush formed on his face as he walked down the stairs. 'What if it meant absolutely nothing? I shouldn't have left it. What am I thinking? It's obvious it wasn't a real kiss, the way he backed up and looked so surprised. It was just a freak-accident type of thing, nothing more.'
"What am I thinking?" He stopped in his tracks and turned, gazing up at the top of the stairwell.
"Jyonouchi," He froze and turned back with a plastered on half-smile. The object of his torn affections stood there on the last step. "Jyonouchi, listen," He began, but the blond was not ready for this conversation. Actually, it was doubtful Kaiba was either.
"Um, yeah. C'mon I'm starvin', let's eat." He rushed down and passed the brunet and raced to the dining room. Kaiba blinked but said nothing. He followed suit and entered the room shortly after the other.
They all sat down and exchanged unsettled, strange smiles. This wasn't exactly a favored idea. "So um, how have you been Jyonouchi?" Yugi asked, breaking the silence.
"Good. Yeah, it's not so bad here."
"I'm glad Kaiba has enough sense to keep you safe." Yami quipped in a 'nice' joking manner.
But to the serious brunet, something so quickly remarked was sounded like an insult. "Yes, I'm keeping him safe. Which is more than what certain people did." He replied in the same innocent tone.
"I guess I'm not as obnoxiously smart as you." He responded.
The brunet raised an eyebrow, "No you're just clueless."
He cringed, "I'm doing what I can-it's not my fault I wasn't given luxury and wealth just like that."
Kaiba was really getting angry. "I'd shut my mouth about now, if I were you."
"I'm not afraid of someone like you."
"Yami," Yugi started.
"Seto, please." Mokuba begged.
Kaiba took in his brother's plea and became serious and a little more refined. "Before you leave tonight, I'd suggest having a friend of mine escort you."
Yugi's eyes widened. "Why? You think we're in trouble?"
"Yes. And you can thank Yami for that." The tri-colored other grumbled and rolled his eyes. So he couldn't help but throw in a little cynicism. "Until this matter is settled, I'd also suggest that you learn to contain yourself and stop digging a bigger hole." He responded, facing his attention on Yami.
Jyonouchi furrowed his brows, as did Mokuba, "What's goin' on? What happened?" He asked, glancing over at his two friends whom only looked the other way or feinted ignorance.
"Tell me what y'all are talking about."
Yugi opened his mouth to say something but the other stopped him. "It's nothing. Really, nothing to worry about, Jyonouchi." He tried to assure, but of course his attempt to protect him didn't go over well.
Kaiba shook his head and sighed. "If you really want to know, I'll tell you later. All right." He answered, facing him and nodding.
"I don't think Jyonouchi should be involved any more than he has been. He's been through enough, he shouldn't need to go through this stuff anymore."
Kaiba glared back, "I didn't put you at this table to give me your opinions on this matter. What you think doesn't concern me and frankly your judgment has been off the mark and totally out of touch. It's because of you that this has gone so far, how pathetic that you can't even recognize when your own friend is in pain."
"Hey, don't start with that. I know I was stupid for not noticing sooner. Don't blame me for everything, I'm trying to help."
"Well, lately your attempts have been major failures. Your help isn't needed, why don't you just go home and leave this to me?"
"Oh right. So you can be stupid and get yourself kidnapped and raped again?"
Kaiba clenched his fists and stood from his seat as did Yami. Jyonouchi stood up and huffed, exhaling deeply. "Everybody just shut-up!" He shouted. "God, look what the hell I'm putting everyone through. Fuck, I'm sorry I'm making things so difficult for everybody."
"Jyonouchi," Yami began.
"No. Yami, I appreciate you coming here, and willing to work with Kaiba just to help me but would you and Yugi please leave? Or stay, I don't care. I don't feel like eating anyway. I'm goin' upstairs." He mumbled and pushed in his chair.
"Hey, Jyo-" Yugi called, but the blond shook his head in annoyance.
"Don't follow me. Maybe you guys should go back home and just, call me tomorrow." With that he was gone.
He slammed the door and leaned down against it. He began crying, he hated this. His best friend Yami was turning into a seething angry lunatic, Kaiba was getting hurt and raped, Mokuba was put under a lot of stress too. Poor Yugi was also probably having his hands full with Yami.
"Damn. I really am a mess. There has to be some way I can do something… Anything."
Kaiba watched them leave through the window. Tonight wasn't such a good time and actually turned out worse than what he had initially expected. "I'm sorry Mokuba."
"For what?"
He smiled lightly. "For being so stubborn and hard to keep calm. I didn't mean to chase Jyonouchi to his room and his friends—your friends too- out of the house. It's just a difficult time right now."
Mokuba hugged him, "Seto, you aren't the only one making things hard. And I doubt it's your fault. Thank you so much for everything you've done so far. Really, I'm glad you even considered helping Jyonouchi out. It means a lot to me."
"I know. Now why don't you grab some food and take it up to your room? I have work to do in my room." The raven-haired one nodded and headed back to the empty dining room.
He ran his hand through his hair and walked up the stairs. Turning on the light, he made his way to the bed. Lying against the soft, silk he moaned. "This has turned into quite the day. I don't think I can take much more of this." Kaiba sat up and yawned. This would be another sleepless night as he continued his work on this important 'case' of his. But as he stood and approached, a certain letter caught his attention.