This is a strange one. The inspiration for it was too tangential to really lay out, so I guess it would just be best for me to let the chapter speak for itself. I think the message is clear enough. Sort of.
Incidentally, though, if you like this series, and if you like the original "Paved with Good Intentions" on which this series is based, you might want to check out my newest project. "Lightbringer" is a side-story that I've been working on for a while, and I think I've finally gotten enough written out that I can start posting it without feeling rushed.
The first chapter's up now, so take a look if such is your inclination.
Catch you next time, folks.
Joey came into the shop dressed in slacks, a button-down shirt, a tie slung over one shoulder and a blazer over the other. He'd combed out his wild hair, and he'd shaved particularly carefully that morning. Yugi and the others grinned and commented on whether he was working for the government or not. For Mokuba, who was on any given day surrounded on all sides by an ocean of suits, the outfit was about as formal as lunch out of a paper sack.
There was something…glazed about the way Joey looked at them. His brown eyes trained on Mokuba after a while, and he quirked an eyebrow. "Hey, kid," he called. "You got a minute? Wanna talk to ya 'bout something."
Mokuba stood up, curious, and followed Joey out into the parking lot. There was a faded white basketball lying just outside, and the blond picked it up and started tossing it up into the air. Mokuba shut the back door behind him. "What's up?"
Joey pushed the ball toward the black-haired boy; it bounced once against the concrete. Mokuba caught it, bounced it a few times, then tossed it back to Joey. "Went 'n saw my dad," he muttered. He looked straight at his young friend like he was squinting against the glare of the sun, though it was hanging somewhere behind his right shoulder. "Out at the cemetery. Y'know. You remember yer dad, Mokuba?"
Mokuba shook his head. "No."
Joey tossed the ball. "Know how he died?"
Mokuba caught it, bit his lip and tossed it back. "…Car crash."
"Don't sound like you believe that." Joey spun the ball on his left index finger, staring at it as if mesmerized.
"Niisama doesn't talk about it. He doesn't think I know anything about it. But he thinks Dad killed himself."
Joey sighed deeply. "Ma, she thinks the old man got mugged." He shook his head, looking disgusted. "Wrong place, wrong time. Buncha shit. Idiot went 'n drank himself stupid, pissed off the wrong psycho in the wrong fuckin' bar."
"…You're angry."
"Betcher ass, I'm angry. Dumb son of a bitch." He threw the ball toward Mokuba, harder than before. Mokuba grunted as he caught it. "My mom leaves a beer with the flowers, whenever she shows up to visit 'is grave. Says she forgives 'im for everything. Goddamn liar."
Mokuba blinked. "Joey?"
"If she fuckin' forgave him, she wouldn't still look at me like I'm a goddamn cockroach." Joey scoffed and turned away, kicking at the concrete. "Anybody ever tell you, oh, it's so sad your parents left too soon?"
"Yes."
"Whatcha think o' that?"
"I think…maybe it is. I wish I could remember them. But I'm okay. Niisama looks out for me."
Joey smiled, but it was a bitter expression that would have looked far more natural on Seto's face. "He does, don't he? Busts his ass for you. Always has, I bet. Woke ya up in time for school if yer alarm didn't work? Took ya to the bus stop, made yer lunch? Took ya to the park? Took care o' ya when you were sick? All that stuff?"
Mokuba nodded. "Uh-huh."
Joey nodded back, wistfully. "Yeah. Me, I never got that. Far as my folks were concerned, I fucked up their lives. Ended the honeymoon. Made 'em wake up and see what a coupl'a assholes they really were. Had a kid 'cuz that's what they're s'posed to do. Realized hey, this shit's hard. Screw this. Guys like Kaiba? Who just…man up 'n get it done? Guys who up 'n drop everything, no matter what it is, 'cuz their kid's in trouble? Rare. Too fuckin' rare."
Mokuba smiled. "Listen to you. Saying nice things about my Niisama."
"Your Niisama," Joey repeated, softly. "Yeah, well…guess my point in all this ramblin' is…sorry, kid. Got it wrong. Pegged 'im for the wrong kinda asshole. I mean, don't get me wrong. I still think yer Niisama's a raging dick. But…so'm I, half the time, so whatever. But…y'know…where it matters? All that stuff you been tellin' us since the beginning? You were right. So…yeah. Just wanted ya to know that, I guess."
"I've known that for weeks. You're not as smooth as you think, Joey. You think I could spend my whole life with a guy like Niisama and not pick up some stuff? You've been softening up for a long time. So has he. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were friends."
Joey chuckled. "Man, shut up. Don't know nothin'."
Mokuba tossed the ball back. "You keep thinking that."
