When The Angels Cry
Chapter 03:
When All Seems Calm And Clear
Kaiba trudged along at a slow speed. It drove him crazy to drive so impeccably slow, since he is used to racing down the roads on normal business days but some things were just a little more important. As he came to a curve in the road he straightened up and began to turn. "I'm not that far now but at this rate it'll be an hour before I reach the game shop." He muttered.
Jounouchi sat down on the curbside and ran his numb fingers through his hair. "This is just terrific."
"Damn it all. I can't believe there's nothing at all. Why'd you have to jinx us for?" He mumbled frustrated. He began pacing back and forth in anger. He shook his head and sighed finally resting his eyes down on his quiet friend.
The unusually silent teen sighed and shook his head, "Whatever man. You're the one that brought the whole thing up about whether there'd be any wood in the first place." He looked back towards the way they had came and ran his hands once more through his blond locks. "I guess we just go back with the bad news. Damn how I feel bad about all of this. I was so hopin' we'd find something, even a stupid single log." He fumed. His hotheaded temper was showing signs of a return. "I can't believe any of this."
Honda gulped, he was angry as hell too but Jounouchi looked far more disappointed and hurt than truly angry. "Hey don't sweat it too much man. Maybe Yugi found some more quilts and blankets and we can always bundle up in a closet full of clothes." He smiled and gently punched his blond friend in the arm; "Granted that Mokuba is probably the only one that can fit into Yugi's clothes."
Jounouchi had to crack a smile at that. It was mean but admittedly funny. He thought on it a little more and nodded. "Yeah, maybe you're right about the clothes. I'm just upset that we're outta food and we couldn't even get somethin' to warm us up for the rest of this damn storm." He stood to his feet and ended up falling back on his rear end against the curb he'd just been sitting on.
"You all right?" Honda asked helping him up to his feet.
"Yeah. I think so." He hissed but seemed to hold back a lot more pain than he led on. The two of them exhaled gently. "I can barely feel my ass anyway. It's not a big deal. Let's just get goin."
"That was a pretty bad fall though."
Jounouchi glared. "I'm fine." He repeated pushing passed him in the direction to the game shop. "Come on before our whole bodies go numb."
Honda stood there watching his friend's form walk on before finally following after. But he quickly turned to the sound of what he couldn't believe to be real. "Jounouchi look, it's a car!"
Jounouchi shook his head and turned. "A car? That's impossible Honda 'cause nobody in their right mind would-" His mouth was left agape as he quickly walked back up to Honda who was waving down the slowly approaching vehicle. "Who in the hell would be out in this weather?"
"Who cares? As long as it's somebody."
Kaiba's face fell to major irritation as he started to make out the two heavily covered guys. "You've got to be kidding me." The urge to keep going came to him in a sinister whisper but to his good 'kind' heart, he stopped and opened his car door.
"Hey man thanks for stopping. Listen I know it's asking a lot but can you, oh K-Kaiba is that you?" Honda asked mid-speech.
Jounouchi's face fell. 'Terrific. I'm about to be saved by Kaiba?' He shuddered but mostly from the cold… Mostly. "What're you doin' out here? You know how crazy driving right now is?" He asked folding his thickly coated arms across his chest.
"Just shut up and get in the car. I don't have time for your pathetic questions." He retorted stepping back in the car. "Now I have to ride the rest of the way with these two idiots." He said bitterly.
"Come on Jounouchi. Let's just be glad he showed up when he did. Honestly, I don't think I could've made it in this cold all the way back to the shop." He picked up his feet and tiptoed onto the icy road. Jounouchi stared at the car for a long time before heading towards it in the same manner.
Pretty soon the two were nice and cozy in the backseat as Kaiba started the car back up and continued his approach to the Turtle game shop. "What's all this stuff here Kaiba?" Honda asked as he felt heat emanating from one of several boxes next to him.
Kaiba glanced at him through the rearview mirror and took a while to reply. He really didn't want to make small talk with them and besides he didn't want to admit that he was not only worried about Mokuba but also a little for them too. "It's nothing. It's just some food I brought since I wasn't too confident in your pal Yugi's preparation for tonight and the next several days." He replied after a short pause.
"Several days? This weather is gonna be here for that long?" Jounouchi asked in shock. "It wasn't s'pposed to last even today."
Kaiba sighed softly. "By the surprise in your voice I assume he doesn't even have a battery powered radio. Honestly you all continue to lower my standards of you." There was more silence to ensue, not even Jounouchi bothered to come back and retaliate. "What were the two of you doing out here anyway. If as you said it's so dangerous out here." He asked not really caring or understanding why he asked it in the first place.
"Well we were uh kinda-"
"To lower your opinion of us a notch or two more, we were hopin the store back there still had some wood stacked up outside since we'd run out over at Yugi's." Jounouchi finished for Honda with a bored and detached tone. He really sounded down and emotionless- tired mainly.
Strangely Kaiba didn't say anything insulting or upsetting. Although in his mind he was fuming with all sorts of thoughts. 'No radio, no electricity and no fire and they're most likely running low on food too. I was wrong to even think that Mokuba was safe at Yugi's place. I should've come by earlier before he had to endure this wintry disaster. I can't believe their stupidity and lack of common sense. You can't trust weather broadcasts, they don't control Mother Nature they only predict it. This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.' He was very much raging.
The silence seemed to numb the spirits even as the heater brought the two passengers in the back their senses and the feeling back into their bodies. Jounouchi though refrained from wincing as the pain from falling down ached him harder. It had hurt despite how numb and cold his body was and now that he could feel again it was worse but he wasn't about to show weakness in front of his 'enemy' and at the moment savior.
Honda remained silent as well. For the first time he wasn't upset or angry with the CEO in the driver's seat. And as many the rumors he'd heard about the guy speeding and racing the roads like a big private racetrack, he actually drove nice and slow, considerately and appropriately for the weather at hand. He sat back and sighed, the warmth was definitely making him sleepy. He wasn't even sure what time the two had left, since he never even remembered to look up at the wall clocks in the game shop.
Mokuba could definitely not get any sleep hearing Yugi pace back and forth against the tile floor. It was driving him crazy but he didn't dare get up to ask him to stop. He didn't want Yugi to know that he knew where Jounouchi and Honda had gone and that they were in fact away from the shop. He was too terrified of what could happen out there. 'They could freeze, they could never come back. They shouldn't have left. They're gonna get hurt out there. Why aren't they back yet?'
Everything kept hitting him in a broken-record kind of way. He wanted to know how long it'd been since he left and yet at the same time dreaded to know. Part of him wished he were with Kaiba safe and warm in the mansion, though the awful thing was knowing the two would still end up out there anyway. He gulped down the lump in his throat and mentally punched himself. 'Get a grip Mokuba. You know there is nothing that can bring those two hardheads down. They'll be fine.'
He clenched his fist, 'Just fine.'
"There's a car." Solomon muttered in surprise through the intense quiet.
"What?" Yugi asked running to the door and opening it. A rush of cold air harshly blew in sending a startling jolt through Yugi and his grandpa. Anzu woke up and Mokuba stood. "Whose car is that's?" Yugi pondered as he ran out there towards it.
Kaiba parked on the side and stopped the engine. "Grab something and bring it inside." He ordered stepping out of his car. Jounouchi and Honda nodded and followed suit.
Yugi halted in his place and blinked, "Jounouchi, Honda, Kaiba. What're, how did, how did you guys get here?" He asked confused. "What are those boxes?"
"An early Christmas blessing you could say." Honda replied, "And it's thanks to Kaiba." He added as they passed the small teen by.
Kaiba opened up the trunk and pulled out some boxes. Mokuba ran out and gasped at the sight before him. Of course he was thrilled to see his brother in the flesh but, 'The car. He actually drove the car here in the middle of the ice and snow? Is he stupid or just plain crazy?'
Kaiba picked up a heavy box and headed inside stopping only to stare at his little brother for a moment. He put it down and studied the small abode. It was cold and dark in the house with no fire or sign of merriment. Mokuba came back inside and stared over at his brother. Yugi and the others brought in the remaining boxes. "Wow, Kaiba you brought a lot of stuff."
"Seto." Mokuba whispered very softly.
Kaiba refrained from speaking. "This really is very thoughtful. You've brought blankets and food and even wood for the fire." Solomon continued.
Jounouchi rolled his eyes, "Yeah it's really pretty cool." He admitted truthfully.
"Seto."
Anzu smiled and stood beside Yugi, "I agree. You risked a lot just helping us out. How on earth could you have known we'd need all these things?" She asked.
Jounouchi raised his hand to her face, "You don't wanna know his answer to that. Trust me." He interjected with a laugh. "It isn't so friendly an answer. Just be it known he ain't so cold-hearted after all." He further went on and wrapped his arm around the stiff and reserved brunet.
Kaiba shut his eyes and shoved the other off. "Get off of me you worthless mutt." The blond only laughed. "I didn't come for any of you pathetic imbeciles." He made clear searching the room for his true reason for risking his life so to speak. "Mokuba, are you all right?" He asked ignoring the stares from the others.
The young one clenched his fists tightly and glared at him, "Seto, why did you come here!" He shouted and ran up the stairs passed him and everyone else. Kaiba stood there unable to turn in the direction of the speeding bullet like the others had. He instead folded his arms across his chest and walked up to one of the boxes.
Anzu stared over at Jounouchi with a stunned look on her face. Yugi approached the older Kaiba and cleared his throat, "You know I think Mokuba was just a little shocked to see you. I'll go up and talk to him if you want. He's probably just shocked that you came all this-"
"Save the pep-talk for one of your friends Yugi. I know exactly what's wrong with my little brother." He retorted in his trademark sharp tone. Kaiba picked up a small food container and headed on up the stairs in a steady slow walk. "I'll take care of my own brother thanks."
Jounouchi winced as he sat down. "What's wrong Jounouchi?" Yugi asked shifting his attention and eyes away from the darkened stairs.
"It's nothing, I just sorta tripped outside."
"That's a flat out lie. He fell completely to the ground- an icy sidewalk hitting his back against the curb and everything. I'm surprised he could actually walk. I knew it hurt you."
The blond twitched an eyebrow as the others huddled around him in concern. "Thanks a lot Honda. It's really nothing too serious. It's just the lower part of my back, that's all. I'll be fine. Honda's just blowing it out of proportion." He explained grabbing a nearby discarded pillow and placing it behind him in the chair.
The wind whispers your name
Even as you've disappeared.
I still think of you,
And wish your soul near.