This chapter is shorter than the last, but I really wanted to get it posted quickly. Here's the 3rd for those that are reading it. Hope you all enjoy it! Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, just the many crazy storylines that I kidnapped the characters for!
Jou took a deep breath and entered the game shop with Yami at his side. His friends greeted them enthusiastically, all smiles until they saw the strained look on the blonde's face. There was definitely something wrong, they could tell, and they wanted to know now. Jou could already see the questioning look in each gaze, and knew that this was all coming way too fast. He wasn't ready for this, and he felt the need to escape quickly. However, he stood rooted to his spot, eyes fixed on the floor of the shop now so that he would not have to meet the curious orbs that belonged to the others.
The others could read him better than Jou realized, and decided to put it off for now. They had plenty of time to discuss what was going on with Jou later. Instead, they headed to the park where it was such a beautiful day and the gang hadn't seen the sun in so long. They laid a blanket down and sat under a tree. Yugi had packed everyone a lunch so that they could have a picnic here, something that they hadn't done for some time.
Jou was currently leaning back, looking at the sky, eyes squinted slightly due to the brightness of the sun. He wasn't really hungry right now, just sore and he wanted to forget what had happened. The only problem was that the subject he was trying to avoid was the reason that he was here in the first place. He let out a soft sigh, gaining everyone's attention. Honda was the first person to notice that Jou wasn't eating, which was definitely unusual for the blonde.
"Hey dude, aren't you hungry?"
"Nah, not really."
"Jou, are you feeling all right," Yugi continued the interrogation.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just… I know why Yami asked me to come with you guys, and I might as well just get to the point. Look, I have feeling that you've all been suspicious about my home life for some time. The truth is… Well… For the past couple of years…" He looked at Yami, his expression a plea for help.
"Jou's father has been raping him." Shocked would not describe the looks on all of his friends' faces. They looked positively horrified, and apparently, they had all been struck speechless by this new bit of information. He had seen this reaction coming, but nothing he did could fully prepare him for it. His gaze was now on the still damp grass before them, gently blowing in the warm breeze. Honda was the first person to recover.
"Dude, are you fucking serious!?" Honda looked as if he was way past angry. If looks could kill, surely, there would be no one left standing on this earth. Next was Yugi.
"Two years Jou!? How come you never told us?" Yami spoke up at that.
"He wanted to Yugi, believe me, but it's just not that simple. You know how Jou is. He's a proud person. To him, this was his burden, and he didn't want any of us to have to carry it." And now Yugi turned on Yami.
"And just how did you know about it?" A look of guilt spread across Yami's face.
"I caught on that something was wrong about a year and a half ago, and so while Jou was resting one time, I decided to take a look into his mind. But I made him a promise not to tell any of you until he was ready.
"Yeah, but if he had told us sooner, we might have been able to do something to stop it then," stated Otogi while Honda and Yugi nodded. Jou looked up.
"I'm sorry you guys, I really am, but I just couldn't tell you. There was no way." And of course, what better time was there than now for a certain brunet billionaire to make his presence known.
"Well, if it isn't the geek patrol and their pet dog. Are you putting him through obedience training?" However, Jou didn't shoot anything back, but just stared at the grass, which confused Kaiba. Seto was used to the blonde arguing back, getting some sort of rise out of the boy, but Jou had never acted like this before.
"Looks like they're training you well too, mutt. You remembered not to bark until addressed by your master." Still nothing. The others were giving him a dirty look, though he was clueless as to why. He felt as if he was seriously missing something here. Why wasn't Jou barking back at him? Why did the others suddenly seem ready to kill him?
"Look Kaiba, this isn't a good time," Yugi piped up. Then Jou finally spoke, though it wasn't quite what the brunet had been expecting.
"Kaiba, I'll argue with you some other time. Please, just leave me alone." Jou let out another sigh, staring at the grass once more. The CEO was very surprised by this, but shrugged.
"Poor puppy's feelings are getting hurt, eh? Until next time Wheeler." He left without another word. The others stared at Kaiba's back with hateful eyes. They wondered why he always seemed to appear at the worst of times, when the situation was already bad enough. At the moment, Jou looked like he would blow his brain out if he was left alone, and for that reason, they weren't letting Jou go home. Instead he was going to stay with his friends, and they were going to save him from his father… somehow.
If Jou had been in a bad mood before, he was now livid. He had just gotten the truth off his chest, facing his friends, which was something he had been dreading. Jou had finally faced his fear, the possibility that his friends would leave him when they found out, blaming him for the goings on at home. He had been proven wrong, something he was very thankful for. Just when he was beginning to think that everything was going to be okay, that bastard had to come and shatter his already broken spirit. Leave it to Seto Kaiba, first class asshole, to appear at the wrong time. The others gave Jou a sympathetic look, and Tristan scooted over to the blonde to rub his back.
"Ignore him Jou, you know how he is. He's just a rich jerk." Jou nodded, but didn't say a word. He didn't want to talk right now. Though he loved being with his friends, right now he would settle for talking a solitary walk and giving himself time to think things over. He needed the support from his friends, and it was much appreciated, but he couldn't allow this to become their burden too. They would want to intervene, and Jou didn't want that. He didn't know what his father was capable of, and he wasn't so sure that he wanted to find out. In the end, it seemed like they were better off not knowing. Why had he told them anyways? He had forgotten the reason.
Jou was beginning to zone out, so he didn't noticed the others all looking at him with worried expressions. Without really even thinking about what he was doing, Jou stood up from the rest of the group, placing his hands in his jacket pockets, and headed off in the direction that Kaiba had gone. He wasn't paying attention at the moment, he was off in a different world, contemplating why Kaiba acted the way he did. He didn't know why he was thinking about the prick, it was just something that had suddenly come to mind.
He had never really thought about it before, as he assumed that Seto Kaiba was just an asshole because he had the money to be. He had never really known what had happened to Seto in the past to make him the way he was now, but now that he took the time to analyze, it seemed like Kaiba was harboring some very deep wounds. In that particular sense, they were very much, even if neither boy really realized it.
The blonde sighed, looking up at the trees above him and thinking about what his past had been like. It was a depressing thought, to tell the truth. Even so, Jou did his best to always look at the bright side of things. In such a negative world, there had to be a few optimists. Jou was definitely one of them, despite all his reasons not to be. Even though it had done some damage to him mentally, he had never allowed his home life to get the better of him. He was always the same happy go lucky boy that his friends knew him to be.
The only time that anything got to him was when he and Kaiba got into one of their infamous arguments. He didn't know why it bothered him in such a way, but the brunet always got him riled up. It made him angry that he would react in such a way to Seto's taunting, but it was almost as if it was automatic and he couldn't turn it off. He hated that cocky grin that Kaiba got when he fought back, hated those snide remarks, and he couldn't figure out why he provoked the jerk to further tease.
Jou looked up, suddenly realizing where he had walked to. He was standing right in front of his apartment building, typically an hour's walk from the park, but he had made it there in no more than 15 minutes. Almost instantly, he got the feeling that something was wrong, though he chose to ignore it. He really didn't want to deal with his father's issues right now when he had his own to sort out. Jou was still lost in thought, though he had become a little more aware of his surroundings. However, had he been even slightly more aware, he might have noticed the yellow police tape that read "Do Not Cross" on his apartment door.
The blonde made his way back to his friends, taking his time along the way. They all looked relieved to see him, especially Yami. He knew why Yami had that expression on his face, though he usually pushed that incident to the back of his mind. It wasn't something he really wanted to think about, so instead he chose to pretend as if it had never happened. It wasn't really a healthy answer to his situation , but it worked.
However, at the moment, these thoughts were passing through his head a mile a minute. He remembered the way Yami had looked at him when he had finally found him, and the reaction to the state that the blonde's soul had been in. Although his body was significantly healthy at the time, his spirit reflected the mental and emotional damage that he had been subjected to. If it had been any worse, Jou would probably be locked up in a mental institute.
-Flashback-
Yami was wondering through the caverns of Jou's mind, which looked very much like the inside of the millennium puzzle. At the same time, as Yami took in his surroundings, he realized how truly dark Jou's thoughts were. There was almost no light inside this place, and there were traps set almost everywhere to help protect the fragile soul of his friend. The tricolor haired boy had almost walked into 3 of them already, though he had caught himself in time.
He had noticed that instead of doors, almost every entrance to the rooms was distinguished by metal bars, making the rooms look more like cells. Within the cells were drawings of different parts of Jou's life. There were good memories, which had a small hint of sunshine lighting up the space in which they had been hung up. Yami quickly noticed that these rooms were far and few between. Then there were many which were bad memories, and darkness covered these rooms. There was moss and fungus in these rooms, growing all over the place. The spirit looked up and saw something he had never expected. Above him was another room, upside down, which he had a feeling represented something Jou wanted that was out of reach.
Yami knew how these places worked, so he pictured himself within the room, and that was precisely where he appeared. Looking around, he was almost certain that he had been right. This room represented a great desire of Jou's mind and heart that he felt was far from his grasp: Seto Kaiba. Yami couldn't have been more shocked by what he was seeing. The place was a shrine, which represented great longing, and the room was very brightly lit. The spirit almost instantly knew why this room seemed so much happier than the others. Even though he was certain that Jou wouldn't admit it, Kaiba represented Jou's happiness. Kaiba made him happy…
Yami had been busy pondering his thoughts, so he was slightly startled when he heard a quiet sob. It didn't take him long to spot Jou in this room. He should have figured that this was where the other boy would be, seeing as he needed to remember what joy felt like. As the spirit looked upon him, he felt a combination of surprise and fear.
Jou was in shackles, chained to the wall. He looked completely miserable. His eyes had red rims from having been crying, his hair was at least twice as messy as usual, he looked far thinner than he had a few days ago, and he had bruises all over his body. Jou was barely wearing anything, just a pair of shorts. He was extremely pale and looked sickly. When Yami laid his eyes upon the boy, he felt that he might cry himself from his friend's current situation. Jou's state was unbelievable.
Yami knelt down in front of him and pulled him into a tight hug, rubbing his back. He felt anger overcome his entire being, but he pushed it aside for now, deciding that comfort was what Jou needed at the moment. Jou had begun crying again as soon as the spirit had touched him. Yami kept him in that embrace for some time, hushing him, trying to get him to calm down enough to say what had happened. Of course, he didn't want to push the matter if Jou decided he didn't want to talk about it, but Yami was really hoping for some answers.
-End Flashback-
The others were waiting for Jou to say something, but instead, he just sat down next to Tristan and gave him a goofy smile. He felt that he was making his friends worry for no reason, so he decided to push his father aside for now and just enjoy the time he had to spend with his friends. He didn't know when they would get to do something like this next, so it was best for all of them, including him, to make the most of this picnic.
Jou lost himself in conversation, talking to his friends about absolutely everything that popped into his mind. There was a subject change almost every 2 minutes, though the others were glad to see the old Jou back, so they didn't mind so much. They couldn't help laughing at the way he carried on in conversation, as if nothing had been wrong in the first place. However, it didn't stop any of them from worrying about him internally. Each of them were thinking the same thing, that they needed to get him away from his father, and soon.
Jou decided to spend that night at Yugi's, wanting a break from his father. Yugi was glad to have him over. He hadn't had a friend sleep over for some time, so Jou was welcome to spend the night by both him and his grandfather. The blonde didn't mind that Yugi and Yami typically cuddled while they slept. They made an adorable couple, and they had yet to do anything besides cuddle and kiss. Had it been Ryou and Bakura, that probably would have been a completely different story. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to stay a night at their house.
That night, he followed the other two boys home and waited with Yami while Yugi made sure that Sugoroku didn't mind him staying. After a couple of minutes, the shorter teen came back with a huge smile on his face. His grandfather had agreed to Jou staying the night, and so they made their way upstairs to Yugi's bedroom and sat on the bed, gathering around and playing card games for the entire night. This was what Jou loved about spending the night at Yugi's house. He could get lost in the games they played and have not a care in the world. The punishment he received tomorrow for not being home on time that night would be more severe, but it was well worth it to have a night away from all of his issues.
It was 1 am when they all went to sleep, Jou passing out while sitting on the floor. Yami smiled, picking him up and carrying him over to the futon that was generally reserved for guests. After that, the taller teen made his way over to his hikari, a devious grin on his lips as he gently sucked on Yugi's neck. The smaller boy let out a small moan, closing his eyes. After a moment, he pushed Yami off, point over at Jou. Yami nodded and instead, snuggled up next to him in his bed.
Jou was the first of the 3 that woke up the next morning. He was still tired, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. He looked at the other two and smiled a bit, that is, until an image of him and Kaiba cuddling like that popped into his mind. He had often dreamed of being in Seto's arms, but he was about 1000% sure that he would never be good enough. Being with Seto Kaiba would always be a dream, and one that he would never make known to another person. It was his deepest secret, and only Yami knew it. Yami had sworn never to tell a soul.
Jou decided that while the other two slept, he would go down and cook breakfast, something that Yugi's grandfather had given him permission to do some time ago. Jou was an awesome cook, and it was something that he had always enjoyed. Baking was his specialty, but he was almost as good at cooking, and breakfast was his favorite meal. He got to be creative with it, and there were many choices for him to pick from.
When Yugi and Yami arrived downstairs, they could smell the food that Jou had cooked, and boy did it smell good. Jou usually made American food, and this morning, he had chosen chocolate chip pancakes, which was Yugi's favorite. They all sat around the table and ate happily, albeit quietly. Once Jou was done, he eyed the other 2, giving them a knowing smile. Now that they were all up, they would more than likely play a couple more rounds of DuelMonsters and then head to the arcade for video games.
There was no way that Jou could have guessed that their plan would be foiled by a simple knock at the door. Yugi looked at them and shrugged, then headed over and pulled the door back to reveal a police officer. Jou suddenly had a really bad feeling in his gut, and it was reflected in his expression, which Yami noticed almost right away. Yami's greatest fear was that Jou's father had sent the officer to find his son. He could tell by the expression on the blonde's face that he was thinking exactly the same thing. This couldn't be good.
"Jounouchi Katsuya," the officer spoke up. Jou nodded, looking up at him a bit nervously.
"I have come to inform you, Mr. Jounouchi, that your father is dead." Jou's eyes widened as he looked up at the officer, barely believing his ears.
"He committed suicide yesterday afternoon by hanging himself." Jou nodded, not sure what to say now. His father was… dead… A mixed array of emotions washed over him as the words fully processed in his brain. His father had killed himself less than 24 hours ago. Jou had been at the park at his time of death. Why hadn't he noticed anything out of the blue then?
Suddenly, Jou remember the rotten feeling he had gotten when he had gone for his walk and landed back at his house. That was why he had felt that there was something off. Jou hadn't realized it then, but the feeling he had gotten was one of unanticipated relief. It had twisted and curled his stomach in the strangest way, making him feel sick. Now, the sick feeling was gone, relief being one of two strong emotions felt about his father's demise. He also was a little sad, because no matter how many bad things had been done to him by that man, he was still Jou's father. Jou still had to love him even a little bit to have put up with everything he did over the years. The officer placed a gentle hand on Jou's shoulder, grabbing back his attention.
"I'm going to give you a day or two to get over the initial shock of your father's passing, and then I will come to get you and escort you to the apartment so that you may gather your belongings. I'm sorry for your loss Mr. Jounouchi. Good luck, and good day to both of you." With that, the officer left. Jou would have fallen back from the shock if the other two boys hadn't been there to catch him. They both looked worriedly at him, not knowing what to think, do or say. Yami could sense the relief emanating off of the blonde, and at the same time, Yugi could feel grief overtaking his best friend. Apparently, Jou had no idea what he should be feeling.
Jou stared down at the ground, waiting for the reality of the situation to become clear. He no longer had anyone, or at least anyone that wanted him. Even when his father had been raping him, hitting him abusing him in all aspects, Jou could still cling to the fact that someone wanted him. It might not have been a healthy lifestyle, but at least he knew that he was somehow important. He had meant something to his father, even if it was just a good fuck.
He had just lost that, and he wasn't dealing so well with it, though he hid that fact well. He smiled at the other two boys, a fake smile, a façade that he had used often to keep others from getting in. Jou was quickly becoming lost in the darkness, consumed by a lifetime of hurt and disappointment. He looked around, not seeing his friends, or the apartment he had stayed in the night before. What replaced it was one of the dark rooms that Yami had once experienced. Inside lingered many shadows, most of gruesome monsters that embodied the memories of Jou's dark past. There were bars before the blonde, making him feel claustrophobic, as if he was suffocating. He needed to get out, but he was trapped within.
Without even thinking about what he was doing, Jou collapsed to his knees, sobbing loudly. The fake smile from seconds ago had completely gone, replaced by an expression twisted in anguish, hurt, and defeat. He was becoming more miserable with each passing thought, a misery that no teen should ever be subjected to. The others watched as he cried his heart out, his past finally winning him over. They had never seen Jou cry before, not even when Serenity had needed an eye operation that he couldn't afford.
Yugi knelt down beside his friend to comfort him, unable to believe the absolute pain and grief that Jou was feeling from his father's death. In that moment, Jou could have died from the amount of sadness he was feeling, and possibly even taken the others with him. It was such an overpowering flow of emotion, something that Jou hadn't really been ready for. He had been subjected to much pain and suffering, but had come through it so far. This time, though, he wasn't so sure that he would survive. It was a huge blow to him to know that his father had permanently left him alone. He didn't need to abuse that his father had exposed him to for so long, but he needed the assurance of knowing that in some way, he was needed. He no longer had that feeling of importance, only emptiness and regret.
Almost instantly, Jou had begun to blame himself for the suicide. He had been cold to the elder Jounouchi the day before, not believing in his father's vow to try and change. He had shaken it off as if it was nothing more than empty words, because that was what he believed that the old man really had to offer him. He had never thought that his father would actually try to change for the better. Jou had firmly believed that all the alcohol had fried his brain, making him pretty much useless. He had always been good at wasting money on booze, as well as making sure that Jou was thoroughly broken.
When he had heard his father talking about changing the day before, something had definitely been different. Jou hadn't realized it then, but as he remembered, the change became clear. There was remorse and defeat in those old features, lined not only with age, but also regret. His eyes had reflected deepest sorrow, something that Jou had never before seen. He had apologized sincerely, and his son had just shrugged it off. But now Jou knew the truth. His father was apologizing for a lifetime of hurt that he had caused for the blonde, for all the wrong he had done to him, and for not being strong enough, for leaving him alone.
His father must have already premeditated the suicide in order to have delivered such words. He hadn't hurt Jou either. That was something that had slightly confused the teen, and he just decided to take it as a break from their sessions. He had noticed that a lot of the behavior that he was experiencing from his father that day was completely out of the norm. So why the hell hadn't he realized it sooner? Why hadn't Jou seen the signs?
Seto had enjoyed his little run in with the dweeb patrol, that is, until Jou had caught his eye. The dream that he'd had the night before with the blonde in his bed had quickly come racing back to his mind. Seto had closed his eyes, trying to block out the vision of the gorgeous body that had been beneath him, the sounds that the blonde emitted each time Seto teased him with a gentle touch. The brunet shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts from his head. Then he got an idea to try and aid it along.
He began picking on Jou as he usually would, but was surprised when the blonde was, for the most part, unresponsive. Jou always argued back with him, even if he wasn't really in the mood to. It had to have given the blonde some sort of sick and twisted pleasure, because he always seemed like he was in a better mood afterwards. It wasn't often that Seto saw a real smile on Jou's face, something he had almost instantly known. The mutt didn't smile often, even at his friends. He had this fake grin instead that said that everything was all right, even when it wasn't. Seto knew that grin very well, as he himself often made use of it.
Finally, he gave up on picking on Jou, feeling that anything he tried was simply a lost cause. No one knew what he was actually trying to do, so they glared at Seto as he teased, all tempted to rip him to shreds. And they probably would have if Jou had not spoken up at that particular moment. Instead, they all stayed rooted to their seats, feeling that Jou was a big boy and could take care of himself. Seto sensed that now was a good time to go, and so he departed with one last glance at the mutt. That last glance was all it took to bring back memories of that damned dream.
He walked off towards the limo, back facing to the gang. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Wrong. Jou was still on his mind, and he was going to be sticking around for a while. Mokuba, who had been walking next to his brother, looked over and had to laugh. His brother was apparently aroused by something, more than likely Jounouchi. The younger Kaiba had known about his brother's crush long before Seto had become aware that Jou had existed.
Even now, he could tell that Seto was thinking about Jou. He had a look on his face as if Jou had just confessed his eternal love to him, though Seto knew that he would never be that lucky. The blonde was everything he had ever wanted to be, and had all the characteristics that the brunet would want in a lover. He meant the world to Kaiba, though he would never admit that. Mokuba already knew the truth, and he was the only person that the elder didn't mind having that information.
Seto pushed Jou to the back of his mind as he walked with his brother back to the area where the limousine was parked. There were more important matters that he had to deal with right now. Soon he would have to appear in court due to the accident that he had caused not so long ago. He was glad that it was just a small accident that he would receive a punishment for, as he was sure that he could handle anything that the courts threw at him. Seto Kaiba could deal with most anything, the only exception being people. He had never really been good at interacting with others. He was almost certain that the courts would simply have him pay a fine and be on his way.
The date was coming faster than the teen had anticipated, having only a week left before he would have to go. He would have to see the girl that had been in the accident with him again. It was going to be an easy appointment, though it was still irritating because it simply wasted his time. He would prefer to be at work or spending time with his brother, seeing as they barely ever got to see each other. Mokuba was understanding about it, but it didn't make Seto any less annoyed.
He looked around himself, feeling like there was someone following him, although there appeared to be no one there. He didn't know why he was getting this feeling, but it stayed with him for about 5 minutes. He was glad when they entered the limousine to head home, as it had been a grueling day. He didn't think that seeing that stupid mutt again would have such an effect on him, but he had quickly been proven wrong. His ordeal with Jou had mentally and physically exhausted him, and suddenly, the CEO felt the need to lay down and rest. Tomorrow he had school, so he was going to need every bit of energy that he could get.
The driver was quick about getting them home, and Seto felt immense relief at the sight of the mansion. He opened the door himself and made his way in, his brother following him through the large oak doors. Kaiba mansion had never seemed so welcoming in all Seto's time there. He looked down at Mokuba, who was giving him a worried look, and smiled. It was so typical of the younger brother to worry about the brunet.
"I'm going to get some sleep Mokuba. I haven't been sleeping well, I'm exhausted, and I have to be up early tomorrow." Mokuba nodded at his brother, understanding that Seto was very fatigued.
"All right, good night Seto. See you tomorrow!" He watched as his older brother made his way up the stairs and turned a corner. When Seto was out of his sight, he let out a loud sigh, almost collapsing where he stood. Fatigued was not the proper word. Seto needed as much rest as he could get, and he needed it soon. He supported himself against the wall as he made his way into the bedroom. There he took off his clothes and immediately fell into the bed. He only allowed himself to pass out for the night once he had pulled the blankets up over him.
Curled up under the comforter, the brunet stirred slightly every now and then as he dreamed. It was another strange dream, one that he wasn't really sure he understood. Again, the Blue Eyes and Red Eyes had returned, and he stared in wonderment as each looked down upon him. The Blue Eyes didn't look very interested in Seto, she was actually looking over at something else, sneering. The Red Eyes had also noticed it, and he was watching every movement that the Blue Eyes made.
She looked as if she was ready to attack the other presence, which Seto could not see because her large body was blocking it. Whatever it was though, it was making her very angry. Her nostrils flared as she shot white lightning in the general direction that she had been staring in. The Red Eyes was quick to act, moving to block the attack. He let out a loud growl as he bore down upon her, his eyes now glowing in rage. She looked somewhat frightened, but was retreating as he had intended her to.
The meaning of the dream quickly became clear to Seto, as if he had known the whole time. In the corner, now in his line of view, was a blonde boy who looked absolutely miserable. Seto, who had been laying in his bed just a moment before, got up and walked over to the boy, squatting in front of him. He was chained to his corner, his head hung low. His body was far thinner than normal, and the light in his amber eyes had gone.
The dragons that Seto had been dreaming about represented the two boys and their suffering, their arguments, and the desire to destroy the grief that they were feeling. That was why the Blue Eyes kept on trying to attack them. However, the Red Eyes seemed to also sense their suffering, and wanted to help in a different way. Instead of destroying them, he wanted to comfort them, to help them feel that everything would be okay. The dream was symbolic for their emotion towards everything.
Seto's eyes fell once more on the chained figure. His expression was completely downcast, as if he had finally been defeated by something. Seto couldn't imagine what might have the blonde looking so depressed, but he felt an urge to help, and so he did. Slowly, he moved closer to Jou, grabbing one of his hands. Jou looked up, the darkness in his features never yielding. Seto let out a quiet sigh and twisted his face until it was lit with a smile. As he looked upon the blonde, Jou's face brightened, a smile becoming visibly present after a moment. In that smile there was hope, something that both boys had lost, but seemed to be gaining back.
Seto leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on the other pair of lips, licking them a little and noticing that they tasted of honey. He had expected no less from Jou, seeing as that was what the blonde had always reminded him of. Jou had a personality that could be described perfectly by the word honey. He was warm, sweet, loving, as well as loved by others. He was thick skulled and stubborn, but it never dulled his personality. As a matter of fact, Seto felt that it was the perfect touch to his puppy.
He didn't know when he had started thinking of Jou like that, but he wasn't planning to stop anytime soon. He would allow his feelings to manifest if that was what was meant to happen, but he would never tell Jou the truth. Seto was far from good enough for the one that he desired. The mutt deserved someone that could show him all the love he really deserved, that could always be there for him, and that could love him like a real lover would. Unfortunately, that person was not Seto Kaiba, and he knew it.
Even so, in his dreams, he was allowed to have anything that he desired, and that was Jou. He took both the blonde's hands in his own, kissing each one. Then, he grabbed the key from its hook and freed Jou from his chains. The other boy's arms instantly wrapped around him, as if he was clinging to Seto for life. The older teen couldn't help smiling at his puppy's actions. He enjoyed the warmth of Jou's embrace, as well as the sweet taste of the blonde when they kissed. To Seto, this meant the world. To him, nothing could have been more perfect. To Seto, this would always be a strong desire, one that he could never fulfill.
Seto awoke in a cold sweat, looking around the room. It took him a few moments to realize that he was in his own bedroom within Kaiba mansion, and Jou was not laying next to him. Even though Seto could play out his desire in his sleep, dreams of Jou were futile. They reminded him of what he could never have, and Seto Kaiba always got what he wanted. However, Jou was just out of his reach, and would remain so for the rest of his life. It was better for the CEO to turn his attention to more realistic goals.
Seto's eyes widened as he realized that his blanket was wet and sticky. The brunet looked down and blushed when he had confirmed his suspicion. Apparently Jounouchi had aroused him to the point that he had released. This wasn't the embarrassing part though. The embarrassing part was the fact that he wasn't even having a wet dream, but he had still gotten so damn worked up over that idiot dog. No one ever made him feel so… Seto didn't know what word was appropriate to describe it. He was becoming very passionate about the blond, often dreaming of those amber colored eyes. He was beginning to desire the other boy's touch more and more.
However, what Seto felt went beyond passion and desire. He really wasn't sure what it was called, because Seto Kaiba did not remember what it was like to love and have someone love you in return. He had long forgotten what love was. The unconditional love that he felt for his brother was different. Mokuba was his family, his flesh and blood. His younger sibling was one of the few things that kept him sane. He could never stop caring about Mokuba. The emotion he felt for Jounouchi was far different from that of blood ties. It was a bond between lovers.
With a sigh, Seto got up and brought the blankets to the laundry room. It was embarrassing to think that he had soiled them from such a dream, and he was not about to let his staff find out. He set them inside the washer and turned it on, then turned away without giving them anymore thought. They would be waiting for him tonight in the laundry room. He had somewhere to be now, and Seto had no intentions of being late for work.
He slipped on his trademark black, long sleeved turtleneck and well-fit pants. Seto grabbed a comb and stood in front of the mirror, only taking a minute to comb out the brown locks. He looked in the mirror, deciding that he looked as sinister as was required when it came to Seto Kaiba, and then exited the bedroom. He made his way down the stairs and into the dining room where his brother awaited him. A gentle smile quickly became visible on Seto's face, on display for none other than the raven haired boy.
He had far too much to get done, and his court date was today, so he needed to be sure that he had plenty of time to get there. Seto paged the driver, letting him know to be outside the mansion in 10 minutes. As much as he would never admit it, Seto thought of his driver as a good, loyal employee. He was always there when Seto asked him to be, and Seto had confided in him, albeit unintentionally, a few times. He could never admit his crush on Jou though. That would be the equivalent of committing suicide.
Kaiba stepped onto the sidewalk and turned toward the KaibaCorp building, hearing his car take off from behind. He entered and looked at the young redhead sitting at the front desk. She had a pair of somewhat thick, black frames that brought out her brown eyes just slightly. He had never been attracted to the opposite sex, but if he had, he could have easily seen her as attractive enough to date. They had chatted a few times, and Seto had grown to enjoy her company. He didn't often make small talk, but she was one of the few human beings that he could stand to be around. It might have also had to do something with that deadly gaze, which could easily match his when she became infuriated.
Unfortunately, he did not have time to stop and talk with her this morning. He had far too much to get done. Instead, he gave her a nod and a small half smile as he walked by her. She returned it with a smile of her own, acknowledging his greeting, and at the same time letting him know that she understood that he had a busy schedule. He was thankful that she knew what his schedule was like, and that she wasn't one of those girls that you had to fawn over in order to get her to like you. It made their working together that much more pleasant.
He made his way to the elevator, heading up to the top floor. As he exited, Seto made a quick mental note of who was in their office. Someone called out sick every day, and he did his best to keep a record of the employees that called out quite frequently. They never lasted long. Soon, he stopped in front a door with his name on it. Pushing back the door, Seto looked around the office that he had come to know so well. Everything was just the way he had left it.
Working through the day was hell, but Kaiba had no time for breaks, so he did not eat. This was a common occurrence, which was why the brunet was so thin. He didn't have much time to eat during his work day, so he usually put it off until nighttime, sticking with breakfast and dinner for his daily meals. He had already decided that he was going to go and pick something up before his court appearance so that he would not be arriving on an empty stomach.
Seto was glad that he had the foresight to come in early. A couple of errors had occurred that would have made him late if he had arrived at the usual time. He stood up now and stretched, then glanced down at his paperwork. His secretary had a way of always knowing where things needed to go, a reason that he kept her around. His eyes traveled to the clock, and he let out a sigh of relief. He had plenty of time to get to the courts, so he really had no reason to be nervous. Punctuality was key for Seto, so he told his driver to be out front of the building in 10 minutes.
He exited not a minute too soon apparently, as his driver had just pulled up. Seto didn't great him with anything other than the normal scowl. His driver was used to it, and he didn't mind. He smiled to himself as he heard his boss emit a sigh from the backseat. He always worried that if Seto kept working himself like this, he was going to work himself to death. He never expressed his concern for the younger man though, knowing that Kaiba Seto would think it was wasted. Seto was the type that didn't like having others worry over his wellbeing. He could handle it on his own. What was meant to be just was. Many people that spent time with him knew that he had a dark sense of humor. He would crack sarcastic jokes about even the worst of situations in order to help him accept it.
Seto didn't bother putting up the divider. He turned his attention to the plate of sushi that had been set up for him. Normally he wouldn't eat before such an important meeting for fear of making a mess of himself, however he was extremely hungry. He grabbed up the chopsticks that had been laid out with the plate and ate a couple of pieces of sushi before putting it away. The reason that he was so thin was because he didn't eat too often, and when he did, it wasn't much. It was another thing that made his employees worry about him.
Relief washed over him when they came uon the courthouse. Seto looked up, feeling dread spread through him. The last time he had personally shown up in court was when Gozaburo was adopting them. He never wanted to think about that day again, but he wasn't given much choice, seeing as this was the very same court. He would never forget the chess game that had sealed their fates. If Seto had known that he would end up this way, he never would have cheated. It was the last time he truly smiled.
He entered the courthouse with the same scowl that he'd wore during the ride there, and quickly found where he was supposed to be. He was obviously early, as he had intended to be. Kaiba sat outside, waiting for the judge to be finished, and waiting for the young woman to arrive. He was not used to having to wait for anyone, but he wasn't about to barge in when they were already in the middle of another case. After all, he really didn't feel like being stuck in jail for the night on account of contempt.
Patience was something that Seto really needed to practice. He let out a small huff when the young woman he had hit finally appeared. The room was emptied and they were let in. Seto was well aware of how things worked. She had already looked over the case and decided on his punishment. He was well prepared to pay the fine. After all, he wasn't exactly short on money. And so, he waited to hear what she had to say. It took her a moment to find the right file, and then she looked down at them both from her seat. Seto quickly decided that he didn't like the grin on her face.
"Mr. Kaiba, I had just started looking over your case a few nights ago, but the perfect punishment quickly came to mind. Anyone in this city is aware of the fact that you have money, so paying a fine seems somewhat pointless. You wouldn't have to work at it, so I've come to a different conclusion." Seto decided that this was really bad, but kept his mouth shut to wait for her ruling.
"In the next 2 months, you will be performing community service. You will be counseling troubled teens at the Domino Center. I sure you know where that is. You will report on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If you don't show up, I will know. The head of the department will be reporting to me, letting me know about the progress you make. So long as the work you've done with the teens is satisfactory, you will only need to attend for 2 months. If not, I will see you back in my courtroom at the end of that time, and we will decide on further punishment."
Seto felt a headache coming on. She wanted him to do community service? He already had a company to run. This was the worst day he'd had in some time. He had expected things to go his way. They usually did. But once the judge made her ruling, he knew that there was no arguing, which pissed him off to no end. He wanted to argue, and so he had opened his mouth to when she put her hand up to silence him. He looked thoroughly annoyed now.
"Mr. Kaiba, my decision is final. Do not argue with me." She looked at them both from over her glasses. "Ma'am, do you feel that this is reasonable?" The young girl nodded, a sweet smile on her face. If Seto could, he would have smacked that silly smile off her face. He couldn't belief that this was really happening to him. How was he supposed to work when he was stuck in some fucking detention center with teens that would probably want to rob him a gunpoint. Peachy, just peachy.
He huffed and exited the room in a fit of rage. The judge and the young girl smiled at each other. They were both hoping that perhaps working with others his age that were like him would pull that stick out of his ass. Of course, what no one knew at the time was that he already knew the boy he would be counseling very well. At the moment, Seto was trying to find some loophole around this community service crap he was being forced to do, but he was having no success.