Thank you can for your kind reviews. I'm glad everyone is liking it. So I go on vacation in two weeks, one whole week of nothing but writing in my opinion sounds like a great time. We'll see if I can get through another Jou/Seto fic maybe something about longer. I just have to figure out a great plot. Anyway. Onward to the next chapter

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Chapter Three

Jou sat with his legs pulled close to his chest on his black love seat. He tried sleeping the night before after his night at the bar, but thoughts of Seto plagued his mind. He didn't know why he would talk to Seto out of all people. He was nervous about where Seto would bring him. He didn't fell comfortable going out in the world nor to an extravagate restaurant. He knew that the CEO wouldn't spend his entire day concealed behind the doors to Jou's apartment or his own mansion. Jou glanced at his watch and at the door again. He knew that Seto would never be late, but deep down he wanted the burnet to arrive just a few minutes late. Jou didn't feel he was ready for this.

A quiet knock came to his door. "Early," Jou thought, rising from his seat and over to the door. Opening the door revealed Seto in tight blue jeans and a short sleeve white shirt. Jou let out an audible sigh, glad that Seto wasn't dressed to go somewhere expensive.

"What's with the sigh?"

Jou shook his head, falling into his natural no talking personality. It was difficult to start talking to someone all over again. His throat was sore from the little words they exchanged a couple days ago. Seto didn't push, knowing that the blond would open up to him again. He talked to Yugi the night before, informing him that Jou was having trouble opening up to him, but he did agree to tell his story when Seto picked him up for the day out. It took Seto several hours to plot their day together. He knew that Jou wouldn't want to go to some expensive restaurant or even be in a place with a lot of people. Judging by Jou's lose fitting black jeans and red shirt, the blond didn't want to go anywhere that Seto would normally take his dates.

"Are you ready?" Jou nodded and reached for his keys and wallet that he left on the table by the couch. He walked back to Seto who politely waited in the hallway. Making sure the door way lock, Jou shoved the two items into his pocket along with his hands. His eyes naturally drifted to the floor while he walked side by side with Seto, down the stairs and into a white sedan. Clearly Seto didn't want to draw any attention to himself. Jou silently wondered if it was because he was ashamed to be seen with him or for Jou's own comfort. Jou figured it was the later more than anything. Seto wasn't bothered by any type of crowd around him and never cared what the press published about his private life.

Jou got into the passenger side before Seto could even think to opening the door for him. Seto snickered and got in himself. "I wasn't going to open that for you. Relax, Jou, I'm wouldn't treat you like a girl."

Jou smiled slightly. "Where are we going?"

Seto let some of his fear slip, finally hearing Jou's soft voice. He thought Jou wouldn't talk again, but he was wrong. "It's a secret, but no where that would make you uncomfortable. I want to hear your story with as little stress to you as possible." Seto pulled away from the curb and started back towards the neighborhood he knew well. A few blocks from his house was a quiet park that him and Mokuba used to go to. All the children would be in school and with the early morning hour, there shouldn't be too many people. Seto pulled his car along the outside of the mansion, knowing that someone would come out and put it back in the garage like he arranged.

Jou looked up at the large stone house, protected by a tall iron gate and stone walls. He knew that it was Seto's house, but when the man didn't drive through the gates, he wondered what was happening. Getting out of the car, Jou followed Seto down the street without question. He thought he would be going to a store or even a small restaurant down the street. What he didn't expect was for Seto to walk into a beautiful park. With the early spring air, all the flowers and trees were in full bloom. He walked side by side with Seto, pass the large stone fountain with an angel in the center and a small stream of water flowing from her hands. Jou stopped at the fountain and admired the detail to the stone statue. He had never been in this park.

Seto glanced back to see Jou dip his hand in the cold water. He smiled and sat down on the edge of the fountain. "Is here a good place to stop in talk?"

Jou sighed and nodded. He knew eventually he was going to tell Seto his story, but nothing could ever prepare him enough. He truly missed his old life. He sat down next to Seto and leaned back on his arms to look at the partly cloudy blue sky. "I don't want pity, but I know you don't like the unknown," Jou whispered. He never moved his gaze from watching the various clouds moving slowly along the sky. "I worked a lot while I was in high school. A lot of it was under the counter since there were numerous rules to underage working. I couldn't survive on one part time job. My father's bills and him unable to find work left it to me to find ways to keeping food in the house. A task that proved more difficult as he slowly drank himself into a deeper depression. In order to eat, I had to either hide some food in my room or eat out at night. Most of the time lunch at school was my only food, but I had no choice. We also didn't live in the best environment, only able to afford two bedroom apartment. I would do all the cleaning and cooking if there was food on the days I didn't have any job to go to. I tried every night to get my father to stop drinking, but it was never good enough. I could tell that not finding a job was killing him, but there was nothing I could do to help. After awhile he refused to go looking for work and stayed at home all day long."

Jou leaned forward and placed his hands between his knees. He still couldn't met Seto's gaze and the CEO knew that it was hard enough for Jou to talk about his past. He didn't pester Jou to look at him. He was glad that the blond trusted him enough to walk him through his past. "It was past midnight when I finally got out of my janitor job. I knew that walking home so late at night was dangerous, but they found me sleeping in one of the offices before so I had to chance it. It was only ten blocks from my house, but that was like walking through ten blocks of hell. I remembered that it looked strangely empty that night. Not even the homeless men or the prostitutes were out. I ran the whole way home, but it wasn't fast enough. I heard gunshots and tried to duck, but they were obviously a horrible shot. The bullet struck me in the neck, and the force of it crashed me into a nearby wall. I don't know if they were aiming at me or at someone else that was hidden in an alleyway as I passed, but that was something I'll never find out. I didn't even get a good look at the car, or the person shooting from the passenger side. I remembered having trouble breathing and moving, but not much after that. I don't even know how I got to the hospital."

Jou moved his hand up to massage the scar that Seto didn't notice before that was in a diagonal direction between his chin and his left shoulder. "I woke days to a week later by what the doctor said. They informed me that they were unable to locate my father, and when they called my mother she told them that she didn't know who I was. The bullet didn't hit my voice box but it came close to the point were there was extreme swelling. I wasn't allowed to talk until most of the damaged was healing. After I left the hospital, I returned to a condemn home. My father was no where to be found, and I refused to go to an orphanage. The next month I struggled to find a job that would pay enough to sustain my livelihood. All my old jobs fired me and refused to hire me back since I didn't show for weeks, and no one told them I was in the hospital."

Jou shifted again while Seto listened carefully to Jou's story. He felt horrible for all the suffering that Jou had to go through. "By the time I found a new job, talking became a pain. I would get sore throats easily, and I found no point to talking. It got me no where. After about two months and living on the streets, I landed the job at the bar as a bartender. They knew I was underage, but they agreed to look the other way if I did things for them without question. I was desperate, and the pay was enough to get me a new apartment. At first I was just the mute bartender. Then one night a couple of drunks tried playing a game to get me to make any noise. I refused and that got me a large tip from them. My boss saw this as an opportunity to get a lot of money off of me. He turned me into one of his entertainment and only sold me to the high society. He said that I was to make no noise and if a sound slipped, I wouldn't work there anymore. It was difficult at first not to make any sounds while these men and women did whatever they wanted to me, but after awhile, I stopped caring. It was a job, and it was paying my bills what did it matter. I managed to get the morning job as a back up incase I couldn't handle those people anymore. After awhile, I managed to file for early adulthood and was on my way to becoming completely independent. I even took my test to graduate from high school since I missed my final year. If it weren't for this job, I would truly be happy and able to go back to my friends, but I can't let them see me like this. Life is not how it used to be. I don't find any reason to smile I want to return to my old life where I was happy and enjoying time with my friends."

Jou cleared his throat. He hadn't talked that long for months, and his throat was starting to throb. Seto wrapped his arm around Jou's shoulder and held him close. He didn't know why he was doing this, but everything felt right with Jou this close to him. "I can offer you a way out," Seto finally whispered. "Come live and work with me."

Jou stared at Seto. He ignored the few people that walked by and stared at them. "Why would you do that for me?"

Seto fell silent for a few minutes. He could lie and say it was because Mokuba or even Yugi asked him to, but Jou was completely honest with him. He couldn't even consider lying to the blond. "I care for you. I didn't notice how deep it was until you were gone. I don't want to lose you again."

Jou smiled softly. He should have known that the cold-hearted CEO would hide his emotions. Jou contemplated for awhile. He didn't want to risk living on the streets again if Seto wasn't serious or if their first fight landed him back outside. He looked at Seto's sparkling blue eyes. "Are you sure about me living with you?"

"I wouldn't offer it if I wasn't sure."

"Alright, but if we have a fight you have to promise me that you won't kick me out with no place to go."

Seto frowned. He should have known that the doubt in Jou's mind was dug deeply into his emotions. "I would never do that to you, Jou. I promise. When can you move in and tell your jobs you quit?"

Jou chuckled. "I guess whenever you can help me find a moving truck."

"Moving truck? Ha! I've seen your furniture. You have none. Don't worry, Jou. I'll have everything moved to the mansion for you. Shall we go back to your new home for lunch. We can talk about your new job afterwards."

Jou smiled and got up. "What is for lunch anyway?"

"You'll see." Seto smiled to himself. He didn't get the chance to say the "L word" to Jou, but he was pleased that the blond agreed to move in with him. At least now, Seto could take things slow, and eventually he'll tell the blond how much he loved him. Seto and Jou walked quietly back to the mansion. "There's just one rule," he finally said after seeing that someone did move his car to the garage. "I want you to talk more."

Jou sighed and moved pass the gates that opened on their own. "I'll try. It is difficult to do after being so quiet for so long."

"As long as you try, but in you new job, you will have to talk." Jou figured that Seto would do that.

He nodded, but was whacked gently in the back of the head. "I mean yes. Jeeze, Kaiba, you really aren't giving me a chance."

Seto chuckled. "I warned you prior. And call me Seto. You'll be living with me. There's no reason for you to be so formal."

Jou smiled. "Only if you call me Katsuya. I'm starving, Seto," Jou said, whining the CEO's name.

"I wouldn't figure anything less." Seto nodded to the tall black haired man, opening the large wooden door for them.

They continued to the large dinning room that was lit by candles on the table and the candelabra was dimmed above them. On the table was various different sandwiches, fruit, and different types of items to place on the salad. "I didn't know what you would like or be in the mood for so I decided on a little of everything."

Jou laughed. "Of course you wouldn't ever plan anything small." Jou smiled before finishing with a more serious voice, "This is wonderful, Seto, thank you." The two enjoyed their meal together, and their small talk on what had be happening for the pass few years. Time slipped by and the two didn't move far from the dining room, only to the comfortable beige couch in the living room. They continued to talk and sip on their drinks while the television played a movie quietly in the background.

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Only two chapters left, sorry everyone. I hope you liked this one though. Thank you for reading please review.

Angel Dove