"Please, stop yelling, this is a hospital..."
Jounouchi said quietly to the tall man that was standing in front of him. The older blonde took a quick glance around. "I don't care where we are... I just need to make sure you are coming back home."
Jounouchi straightened his back and fixed his pillows, ignoring the sting of fear in his chest.
"No, dad... I am not coming back home."
There was a minatory gleam in his father's eyes.
Jounouchi swallowed hard.
"I am signing my discharge note tomorrow... and I'm not coming back home. Well, not yet, at least."
Katsuya senior pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and threw it on his sons's bed. The young blonde took it in his hand- it was the final notice for the rent.
"You need to come back and start looking for a job, kid..."
Jounouchi shook his head. "I'm not in the condition to work for at least three more weeks, dad... or so said the doctors."
"Well, tough. The rent won't pay itself." he said, shrugging.
Jounouchi stared at the floor for a few moments. "Go to my room and lift the mattress... there's a small box there. The money in it is more than enough for the rent..."
The older blonde looked at him. "Why are you hiding money under your bed...?!"
"Because I was planning to rent a small apartment..." he said, fixing his dark brown eyes on the floor.
"What...? You were planning to leave, boy?" the man growled, taking a step forward.
"No dad... I AM leaving. This is the last money you'll take from me."
He finally met his father's eyes, even though he was still scared that the man would see the fear in his eyes. "In fact... I should have done that years ago."
"I'm going to-" the man took a few steps forward, approaching his son's bed in a threatening way... but then he remembered that there were many pairs of eyes looking at him.
"Come back home and try to get your stuff so you will leave, boy. I'll fucking kill you."
The soft sunset colors were touching the man's face... but that wasn't enough to cover the wrath in his eyes.
He turned around and left the room as fast as his intoxication allowed him. Jounouchi felt shivers running down his spine.
He didn't think this man would have the nerve to come see him in the hospital... after all, he was the one that had sent the boy here in the first place.
But then again... someone needed to pay the rent. And of course... he couldn't do that himself. His main occupation was wasting his son's money.
Fullfilling as it sounds... it never ends well.
Jounouchi lied back on the pillows and closed his eyes. Well... he was lucky his friends weren't here. They wouldn't allow Jounouchi's father to talk; they would get him before he had the chance to breathe a word.
**********************************************************
As the tall forty-year-old leaved the hospital, he didn't notice there was a young man following him.
The brunette followed Katsuya senior from a safe distance. His cerulean eyes were fixed on the man's back.
Seto followed the blonde in a narrow alley. Bingo.
Jounouchi's father noticed the shadow of the one that was following him and turned around suddenly, putting his hand in his pocket, apparently planning to pull out a knife or something.
Seto was faster. He pushed the man aside and shoved him on a wall on his right side. He took his gun out of his coat and put it on the man's forehead.
The older man widened his eyes. "If money's what you are looking for, I have none."
Seto gave the man a depreciatory look. "I don't need your money... All I need from you is that you listen closely."
"Yes..." said the man.
"I am really upset about what you did to your son... and I have no qualms about pulling the trigger." he said quietly. "Instead, though... maybe I should offer you a little deal."
He grabbed Katsuya's hand, as the man was trying to take something out of his pocket. After he pushed it away, Seto put his hand in the man's pocket and pulled out a pocket knife.
"You are pathetic, you know..." he said, looking disgusted.
The man stared at him with his widened dark eyes. "Hold on a second... you are... that rich kid... Seto Kaiba..! A word about this in front of a camera and-"
"...And then it's your word against mine. Let me see. We have a middle-aged drunkard who recently sent his quite famous son to the hospital... and, well, Seto Kaiba. If you really think you have a chance, you're also stupid, other than disgusting and pathetic." he tilted his head slightly, smirking. Anger was dancing in his cold glance.
"What do you want from me...?" the older man asked quietly. His voice was cracking.
"Simple. Touch another hair of your son's head... and I will be very... very mad." he said, pushing the gun on the man's forehead. "Even if he comes back home, for whatever reason, you will stay away from him."
"What's it to you, rich boy?" the man smirked. A smirk that soon turned into a grimace of fear, as the cold mask fell and he saw the burning hatred in Seto's eyes.
"Touch him once again... and they will never find your body." he growled.
The man nodded fast, feeling the gun's barrel softly rubbing against his forehead as he shook his head.
Seto pulled back slowly. "Now... off you go. And be a good boy..." he said, still holding his gun tightly in his hand.
The man slowly walked backwards, his eyes fixed on the gun... and then he turned around and started running.
Seto put the empty gun back in his pocket.
Yes, it was empty.
Of course, Katsuya senior didn't know that.
The hospital room would have been empty, if it weren't for the young men that were sitting side by side on a bed. A brunette, with a long, white sleeveless coat and a blonde with a green jacket.
Jounouchi was holding his discharge note in his hands, staring at it. Seto's eyes were fixed on the floor.
"So... what now?" Jounouchi asked, finally raising his eyes to look at the CEO.
Seto looked at him and smiled softly. Hell, he was gorgeous when he smiled. "The plan is, I take you to my house and have my own doctors take care of you until you are completely healed. That is... of course... if you want." he said, turning his head away.
"...I already said "yes", didn't I?" Jounouchi smiled. Putting his hand on Seto's chin, he made the brunette look at him.
"Yes, you did... But I would understand if-"
"Seto. No. I don't want you to understand. I told you... your words were painful but... I think it's time to put this whole incident behind us and go on with our lives... Preferably together..." he said, whispering the last part.
Seto stroked the blonde's hair. "I promise, I'm not always that much of a jerk."
"Sometimes you're a bit less... sometimes you're a bit more... The whole deal." Jounouchi smild cheerfully.
Seto gave him a mock-angry look and got off the bed. Jounouchi stood up fast- the piercing pain on his side caused him to make a small puppy-like noise.
"Puppy..." Seto said in a worried tone.
"I'm not completely healed yet, remember?" Jounouchi said, forcing a smile. The pain was slowly subsiding.
"Don't worry, puppy... I will take care of you." he said, as he wrapped his arm carefully around Jounouchi's waist, putting the blonde's arm around his shoulders.
"You know, I am still a bit unsure of this... I mean, who wouldn't want to stay in the Kaiba mansion as part of their... healing process... but I would owe you so much and-"
"You know, for a puppy, you talk too much." Seto said, his lips almost touching Jounouchi's.
"I've been told."
**************************************
The limousine stopped right outside the flat Jounouchi shared an apartment with his father.
"I figured you would want to pack a few things." Seto said to Jounouchi, who gave him a wondering look.
"Well... normally, yes... but..."
"Don't worry about your father. He won't be an issue." Seto said plainly, stroking Jounouchi's hair.
He opened the door and helped the boy out.
Two small duelists were waiting right outside of the flat. The tri-colored haired boys ran towards them.
"Normally, I would jump on you, but I don't think you can take it." Yugi said, smiling.
"...And I would sit here and watch you try to handle my little hikari." Yami said.
"Why are you two here?" Jounouchi said, putting his arm around Yugi's shoulders.
"To help you pack, of course." Yami answered.
Jounouchi gave Yugi and Yami a worried look, that luckily went unnoticed by the former Pharaoh. "Well, you see, I-"
"It's okay. I promise; your father won't be a problem." Seto whispered in Jounouchi's ear softly. Jounouchi looked at him for a few seconds and then, with a sigh, he lead the three of them in the flat.
Seto waited in the small, messy living room while Yami and Yugi were helping Jounouchi pack. His father was nowhere to be found.
"Sorry for the mess..." Jounouchi said when they came out of his bedroom. "My father is not one of the most tidy people." he said, smiling bitterly.
"Don't worry. Perhaps you want us to rest before returning to the car...?"
"I'm guessing by "car" you mean the huge limo outside..! And no, I can handle myself. I just can't bend... and when I relax, I have this... stabbing pain for a while." he said, shrugging.
Seto moved closer to the shorter male and put his arms gently around his waist. He kissed Jounouchi's forehead softly. He stroked his lips with his own, but Jounouchi pulled back.
"Wait... Are we supposed to have a... thing now?" Jounouchi said, giving Seto an awkward smile.
"Relationship." Yami explained.
"You... don't want us to have one?" Seto asked in a reserved way.
"Please, don't say no..." Yami translated.
Jounouchi looked at his tri-colored haired friend and then Seto. "I... do. Insanely."
"Good. You may kiss the bride." Yami again.
"Oh, shut up!" Seto said.
"Actually... no. I don't want our first... official kiss to be in this dump." Jounouchi whispered on Seto's lips.
The brunette gave him a half smile, that only Jounouchi saw. "Then we should get out of here. Did you get everything you need?"
"In the backpack on Yami's back." Jounouchi said.
Yugi was the first to leave the apartment, followed by Jounouchi.
"You know..." Yami's voice stopped Seto from exiting as well. "I am glad that Jounouchi's father is... "no longer an issue", as you said... but I would still like to know what did you do. Because you did something."
"You're just irritated that I got to him first." Seto said.
"Well... yes. I would love to get my hands on the bastard." Yami growled.
"Don't worry, Yami. He won't put his filthy hands on Jounouchi again." Seto said.
"He'd better not..." Yami growled again and followed Seto out of the small apartment.
***********************************************
"Your doctor is annoying." Jounouchi said, as he got under the blanket.
"He is the best in Japan. He has every right to be." Seto said, smiling.
"Will you come under my blanket...?" Jounouchi said, smiling at Seto.
It had been about half an hour after the happy idiot-squad had left. Anzu couldn't thank Seto enough for everything he had done, Honda was just shaking his head in approval. Yami and Yugi were responsible of getting Anzu away from Seto when she got too annoying. After they left, Seto had his doctor examine Jounouchi.
Mokuba had just gone to bed...
And the puppy was waiting for Seto to lie next to him.
Seto got under the warm blanket and leaned on his shoulder, stroking the blonde's chest softly.
"How will I repay you for everything, Seto?" Jounouchi asked quietly.
"I don't want you to repay me about anything, puppy..." Seto whispered.
"You are giving me-"
"Don't finish that sentence..." Seto said, rolling his eyes.
"Well.. is there anything I can do around here...? Anything useful...?"
"Can't you just sit down and let me cuddle you?" Seto asked quietly, still caressing the blonde's chest.
Jounouchi smiled. "That will be my reward. There must be something-"
"Can you cook?" Seto asked.
"Yes... Yugi and the others love my cooking...!" Jounouchi said.
"Good... then, if you really have to do something, you can be my new cook... After you get better, of course."
"Care to tell me what happened to the old one...?" Jounouchi said, arching an eyebrow.
"I fired him." Seto said calmly.
"Why?!"
"Because I don't want incompetent fools in this place." he said, looking extremely amused by his puppy's expression.
"Sheesh, Seto... We need to work on your employee skills...!" Jounouchi said quietly.
"Stay away from my employee skills." Seto arched an eyebrow.
Jounouchi laughed. "Oh... Seto?"
"What is it, little one?" he said softly. He was still waiting for that... official kiss.
"Why were you so sure my... dad wasn't an "issue"..? I mean... did you know he wouldn't be there, or did you-"
"He won't bother you again, Jou."
Jounouchi stared at the handsome brunette for a few moments. "What did you... do?"
"Nothing, puppy." Seto's fingers trailed down Jounouchi's stomach. Oh, if he wasn't hurt, the things he would do to him in that bed...
"Speak, you sly old fox." Jounouchi said, chocolate eyes meating cerulean ones.
Seto laughed. "Don't worry, Jou. I just had a friendly chat with him."
"Friendly... Oh, my... Is he alive?" Jounouchi asked, widening his eyes.
"Barely..." Seto whispered in his ear, making him shiver.
He caressed his cheek with his lips... and found his way on Jounouchi's. Their kiss was deep- it held feelings they had been holding inside themselves for a long time.
"Thanks for everything..." Jounouchi whispered, when they broke the kiss.
"Thanks for... well... you being... you." Seto said. "But don't let it go to your head..."
"Head...? It's way over my head already..." Jounouchi said, caressing Seto's face.
After a few hours of endless talking and some painkillers, the blonde fell asleep in Seto's arms.
Before falling asleep, Seto stared out the window.
Spring was coming.
The rainy season was over.
The storm had passed.