Story: Puppies and Dragons Don't Mix
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.
Warning: Yaoi (boyxboy). May contain lime and/or lemon.
Pairings: Jou/Kaiba Possibly: Yami/Yugi Ryou/Bakura Otogi/Honda
Summary: Jou finds out that Kaiba is slowly destroying himself and desperately needs help. But why should he care? He's his worst enemy...right?
Symbols: "Talking" 'Thinking' -Scene Change- Chapter Start & End
Chapter 12: Dying bleached butterflies
Jou lay face down on his bed, breathing in its scent one last time and praying that he would live to smell it again. Having gotten over the initial shock of what the project was going to require, they spent the rest of the period bickering about insignificant things until Kaiba, exasperated, told him to be ready by eight. So now Jou had his face buried into his pillow, already missing home.
"Ah, why does the world hate me?" Jou grumbled as he heaved himself off and began packing. Shoes, shirts, and pants were all thrown into a jumble at the bottom of a suitcase and toiletries were gathered from the bathroom.
Jou looked at the measly pile and shook his head. Just wait until Kaiba saw his possessions. He'd never hear the end of it.
Sighing he arranged them into a somewhat neat pile and slammed the lid closed, setting it by his doorway as he passed by. He went into his kitchen; olive patterned tile glaring accusingly up at him in the cheap, yellow light, and began making food. As the steam gathered around him from the cooking rice, Jou's mind began to wander.
He was going to Kaiba's.
It was so surreal he felt like he was watching a movie. A really, really, horrible movie.
After what had happened in the last few days, he was going to be around the one person who he wanted to avoid most. The one person he had confused feelings for lately. The one person who seemed to have he wanted to be close to, but far away from as well.
Why was this happening? Why couldn't fate just be nice? Why?
'Maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe we'll get along.'
Jou hissed in pain as his hand fell against the sweltering pot and lurched towards the sink cursing, cold water offering little relief.
'Yeah. And maybe hell will freeze over and pigs will sprout wings while Kaiba and I skip hand in hand across a flowery meadow. Get real Jou.'
As he nursed himself, griping to nobody about how much it hurt, a certain brunette was making his way across town.
Kaiba was shredding a random paper, scraps fluttering around his feet like dying bleached butterflies, streetlights occasionally revealing his face. His hair lie smooth and unruffled. His frown flat and icy. But his eyes revealed the true emotion that he felt, a rare thing for Kaiba.
They showed that he was nervous and distressed. That his outlook on the blonde had changed, albeit slightly, but still had altered. That he was going to have a hell of a time keeping his bitter exterior and that he couldn't turn away like usual. That he'd have to interact with a person. A talent he had long since given up. He preferred the computer, impassive and calculated like himself and his brother was the only exception.
But Jou…
"Mr. Kaiba, we're here." Came the drawling voice of his driver, cracking his musing and he put his usual manner into place again.
"Fine." He stepped out into the street after ordering the driver to clean up the car and stared up at the filthy apartment building, azure eyes flicking from a passed out drunk to a whore watching him.
'This is where he lives?' Kaiba thought derisively as he walked to the shabby doors, ignoring the whore's passes. The bulb above him buzzed annoyingly as he studied Jou's scrawl from a note he had been given in the flickering light, before heading inside.
'Third floor on the end, number 301.' He took the stairs, an old lady in a fading nightgown glaring at him from her door as he stomped by. The uneasy feelings had settled into the pit of his stomach and Kaiba felt like turning back until he finally reached it. It had a torn sign stating that it was Jonouchi's place and Kaiba took in a deep breath before rapping on the door.
"Uh…wait! Hold on a sec!" A series of crashes ensued this muffled call and Kaiba found himself fighting down a smirk. 'The mutt is so damn clumsy.'
The disheveled blonde wrenched open the door and Kaiba caught a glimpse of the worn out room behind him before Jou slammed it shut.
"Mutt…though I would rather be rotting in hell, I have to come in." Kaiba said through the door, clenching his jaw. Was he that bad?
Jou opened it again, glowering, and mumbled. "Sorry. Natural instinct. When my worst enemy shows up on my doorstep, I tend to get hostile."
Kaiba pushed past him. "Hmmm, just like a dog. So territorial." He watched in satisfaction as Jou bristled.
"Shut up! I don't need your stupid insults. It's already bad enough that I have to go to your damn house." He shut the door and turned to Kaiba, who was examining his living conditions.
"Go ahead, say what you want. I'll be over there getting my stuff." Leaving abruptly, Jou trudged to his room, Kaiba having to abstain from following him. 'I'm not that eager…'
Bored and curious, Kaiba poked around the room, wanting to know how Jou lived. He thumbed through some mail, mostly bills and discarded them without interest, flipped through a book, and avoiding what looked like three-day-old food that rested on the table. It seemed somewhat normal around here, though the place had probably seen better days.
Coming to the TV, Kaiba stopped. Dusty and out of date, photo frames cluttered the top, holding precious memories. He picked one up and brushed off the layer of dust that had settled on the glass.
A little girl with thick auburn hair was beaming out at him, a dripping ice cream cone clutched in her hand. She must have been four or five, the roller coaster in the background revealing that it was taken at some theme park and beside her was a boy with familiar locks of golden hair that spilled all over the place.
'The mutt…' Kaiba picked up another, the girl once again in the picture, though much older and bandages were wrapped around her eyes.
'That must be his sister.' She was smiling softly, cheeks rosy from the cold, since it was snowing. Jou had his hand wrapped around hers and was giving her bunny ears. He was grinning also, eyes full of laughter, hair tangled and covered in powdery snow.
'He looks so happy.' Kaiba felt his stomach lurch and set down the picture. His thoughts were trailing off but one wavered undying in his head.
'He looks cute…'
"What are you doing?"
Kaiba whirled around to meet Jou's caramel colored eyes. 'How long had he been there?'
"Nothing. Let's go." He marched past a baffled Jou and out the door, afraid that he might see the light blush staining his cheeks.
'What's up with him?' Thought Jou as he gripped his bags and headed out after him, struggling to catch up.
Kaiba robotically descended down the steps, hearing Jou clamoring after him and felt an insult pushing its way into his mouth and past his teeth, its acidic taste stinging him. He bit it back.
They silently made their way to the car, the crickets chirping and stars winking in the sky and the cratered moon shone upon them. Jou remembered last night when he had stood by his window like some lovesick fool and nearly dropped his bags.
'Not the time for those thoughts, idiot.'
"Get in." Kaiba stated bluntly, snapping his fingers for the driver to load up Jou's bags. "I don't have all night."
Jou, who hadn't realized they had gotten to the car, grumbled and climbed in, Kaiba following him.
The door shut and they were engulfed in darkness, hearing the muffled grunts of pain as the driver struggled with his bags and Jou became very aware of the teen next to him. His breathing. His fragrance. He fought the urges to reach across to him, though just barely.
Kaiba shifted, uncomfortable, and flicked on a light so they could see. The hush remained though and he tried not to think of Jou and how his tousled hair looked irresistible, lustrous in the illumination.
'Damn hormones.'
Instead he focused on the moon, watching its silver glow warp even the simplest things into gnarled pieces of art. A cat's shadow cast upon the hall looked like a tiger, crouched and ready to spring after its prey. Trees appeared as hunched giants, waving their thick arms in triumph. The floozy, with her jutting hip and pout, even became interesting, like a witch looming, waiting for unsuspecting children to fall into her trap.
The chauffeur started the car up, causing the car to lurch, and Kaiba was thrown against the glass, a dull thud resonating.
He turned towards Jou, who was sneering at him, and scowled. "Stupid mutt."
"Don't call me that!" He snarled, looking as if to leap out of the car. "I'm not a dog."
Kaiba just smirked, causing Jou to become more infuriated. He huffed and faced the other way, determined to avoid that damn leer of his. 'How the hell are we going to survive this?'
End of Chapter 12Author's notes: I must apologize for this being so late but so many things have happened in that space of time. School has become more demanding and so it is really hard for me to write during the week. I would have gotten this out during the last weekend, since it is easier for me to think, but it was my brother's birthday and I had to chaperone five hyperactive boys all weekend long. I was so tired. . Then, this week some issues sprang up between my stepfather and me, which delayed this chapter even further. I must admit, it was extremely hard to write this one and I would have made it both longer plus more interesting, but I have to baby-sit my brother since my parents are out of town. He is probably destroying the house as I speak. And on top this wonderful package of evilness, the computer is being taken away and replaced with a home system and I have the happy task of transferring all my crap from this one to the other. ARRGH! Anyways, I thank you for my reviews (they helped me to write) and I have to go distribute some myself since I've only been on this site like twice in these past few weeks. Thanks so much for waiting also and don't forget to READ AND REVIEW BECAUSE…I DUNNO, JUST BECAUSE! . P.S. Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes. I'm way too tired to check thoroughly right now.