Ok, ok, so I lied. I added another chapter. And there's more. I couldn't help it!
When the taxi had driven up to the mansion, which was absurdly huge, they were almost kicked out. Joey chuckled. Kaiba thrown out of his own home. Now that was something he'd have loved to see. Not because of how cruel that would be, but just to look at Kaiba's face.Throughout the car ride, Joey had allowed Seto to hold onto his arm. It was like having another appendage attached to him—or, well, another body attached to his arm. It was kind of endearing, for a while. But really, enough was enough; he needed to go to the bathroom. And his legs ached from their half bent position.
And as of right now, they were currently situated on the bed, with Joey half leaning over Kaiba's curled up body. In Kaiba's bed. In Kaiba's bedroom. In Kaiba's house. Joey shuddered to think what Seto would say in his lucid state. He just hoped he could get away before Kaiba woke up and murdered him with his secret stash of army knives under his bed—or something like that. Now that wouldn't be funny.
Joey shifted slightly, but to no avail. The pale, sleeping teen hadn't reduced his grip in the least. Joey rolled his eyes. Maybe he should just wake him up and then run. Peering down at the warm figure beneath him, Joey blushed. There was no way he'd be able to get out of this one. But he was definitely never telling anybody about this. He tried to ignore the warmth that crept through his body.
Bad Joey! He mentally slapped himself. He peered around the room listlessly for the fifteenth time, noting its simplicity and revolting neatness. There was nothing littering the thick, light blue colored carpet. Even the dark mahogany colored drawers displayed nothing of Seto's personality. The curtains were blue, the paint was blue, and the carpet was blue. That was about it. Joey's brows furrowed in confusion. It didn't even look like anyone ever entered this room. It was altogether too plain for his liking. And too blue. He personally liked red.
He couldn't help it. His eyes were drawn back to the sleeping teen. Like a magnet. How cliché. Joey reasoned that Kaiba was just more interesting to look at than the blue-ness. Much, much more interesting to look at.
He had never seen Kaiba like this before. No, it was usually the asshole Kaiba front they all saw. Dueling, yelling at his driver for coming a minute too late, insulting his friends and calling him a mutt, dueling, lugging his laptop around like he was married to it, arranging his deck for the millionth time, and dueling.
But there was obviously another side to the ice-king. Joey's lips tugged upwards involuntarily. He just looked so…innocent.
The normally neat mop of dark brown hair now caressed his cheeks and forehead. Joey bit his lip, and reached forward tentatively. He gently brushed off the bangs that covered his face. Kaiba's forehead was smoothed, his eyebrows relaxed. His nose was hidden by the hand that curled around his face. But his eyes…He envied the darkly curling lashes that kissed his crush's pale cheeks.
His gaze shifted downward. Kaiba would definitely murder him and hide his body in the attic if he woke up at this point. Joey bit his lip again. And slowly moved the fingers that rested on Kaiba's face with his free hand. The sleeping teen's lips were slightly parted in a small O. Joey leaned closer, bracing the weight of his body on his free elbow. He could almost feel Kaiba's breath on his face.
He leaned back. That was going too far. Never in his life would he have imagined that he would be in this position. If someone had told him that this was going to happen, he'd have laughed just as insanely as Malik, the evil cackle and all.
Joey smirked. He leaned back down and gently blew a breath across Kaiba's face. His nose scrunched up in irritation. Joey smiled, and did it again. Kaiba let go of his arm, and itched his nose. Success!
Joey scrambled off Kaiba's bed. He raced to the room adjoining Kaiba's. Which, thankfully, was the bathroom. Otherwise, Joey knew he'd burst right then. After relieving himself, he glanced about the bathroom, and stood in awe. Gleaming glass shone brightly in the soft light that hung from the ceiling. Tile and marble both sparkled. It was the size of his room back at home. It was huge. Joey stepped further into the bathroom, and found the hot tub. Lucky bastard. He shook his head.
He stepped back outside, wondering if he would be able to find the kitchen to placate his irate stomach. And before Kaiba woke up. But something was wrong. He could sense it. His eyes immediately darted to Kaiba at the other side of the room. His eyes narrowed and then widened as Kaiba tossed and turned on his bed, as though in agony.
Joey leapt to the other. Kaiba's body was curled up tightly, his legs bent up to his chest and his arms clutching his shoulders. His trench coat lay pooled beneath him, as though Kaiba had suddenly shrunk and was too small to fit into the huge garment. Some sort of pain contorted Kaiba's features; his eyes were scrunched up, his brows angled sharply downward, and he was biting his bottom lip it paled. His breathing had become shallower and had quickened.
Joey stilled at the sudden change. He hesitantly shook Kaiba's shoulder, hoping it would snap him out of whatever mental turmoil he was undergoing. But it didn't. He shook him harder, panic rising in his chest.
"Kaiba! Kaiba! Wake up, it's only a dream!" He shouted hoarsely, now shaking Kaiba's shoulders hard. "Kaiba!" Joey frantically prayed that Kaiba would wake up from whatever trance he was in. "Kaiba!" he begged. His breath hitched as Kaiba's palms began to bleed. He looked around the room, as though he'd find something that would help him. Nothing sprang out at him.
He looked down at the figure on the bed, now struggling to breathe, and instantly made a decision. He jumped atop the writhing teen, and wrenched his arms above his head, forcefully uncurling his fingers and intertwining them with his own. He sat down on the struggling teen's hips and pushed his knees downwards, so that Kaiba would be able to breathe properly again.
A shock of molten lapis lazuli stared back at him in sheer panic. Joey couldn't look away. That gaze. Those eyes that could reduce even the strictest professor to tears stared back at him, clouded with anguish. They sparkled brightly, Joey registered in his numb brain. They almost seemed to shimmer, and cling to his own honey colored eyes. He couldn't look away. He didn't dare look away. He was entranced.
He couldn't even move from his position atop the CEO.The suddenness of the situation rushed up to him. Joey could feel Kaiba's heated breaths on his cheeks from their proximity, and knew that he could feel him breathing just as hard. His heaving chest lightly touched the other's equally heaving chest. He could feel the slickness between the skin of their palms. His forearms tingled pleasantly as they crushed Kaiba's down to the bed. He knew Kaiba could feel his skin against his arms. He could feel Kaiba's hip bones underneath his, and knew Kaiba could feel his. He could feel his soft body, and it felt good. Heat from both bodies intermingled, warming both to an unbearable degree.
Joey finally lifted his gaze to assess the rest of Kaiba's face. Sweat dotted the other's forehead, which was still scrunched up in alarm. His hair lay damp across his temples. His gaunt face was paler than it had been only minutes ago.
"Get off!" Kaiba roared. Joey could feel the vibrations in his chest—and in his ears. He blinked stupidly, and then licked his lips. He locked gazes with Kaiba again. Pure fury shone through the icy exterior.
"No, tell me what that was about," he stated stubbornly, trying to shift his weight so that he wouldn't collapse on top of the other.
"Why should—GET OFF!" Kaiba struggled to remove his hands from Joey's tight grip. But he couldn't move. Joey smiled back at him triumphantly. He squeezed his legs together, and held his hands tighter.
"Tell me," he repeated. He was going to find out what had been troubling Kaiba so terribly. He knew that when Kaiba recovered, he would definitely murder him, bury him, and let his body rot in some room, but he didn't care at this point. He needed to know what had hurt his crush so badly that it haunted his dreams.
"I. Said. Get. Off."
Kaiba thrust his hips upwards, trying to dislodge Joey from his position above him. But his plan backfired. Wonderfully, Joey thought. He gasped as pleasure rushed through his body. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth. What the hell was Kaiba doing to him?
But his eyes immediately shot open when he heard it. He heard something strange. He would never have guessed it came from the CEO. But he had feltKaiba's chest shudder slightly as he spoke. And now he could feel the tremors from his body...
He searched Kaiba's face frantically, but it was utterly closed to him now. Kaiba had shut his eyes tightly, but he seemed to yield underneath Joey's tense body. He stopped struggling, and lay limply on the bed.
"P-please?"
Seto…
Did he just--
Joey couldn't think.
Was Kaiba begging him? Was Kaiba really whimpering? He could feel the vibrations in his chest, but refused to believe them. No, there was no way possible. The world would freeze over, but there was no way in hell…
Joey's mind raced at a thousand miles per hour. His head pounded dizzily.
He gasped again as the other teen opened his eyes slowly. He held his breath.
Tear filled crystalline blue eyes. There was something behind them.
Beautiful. Beautifu; absolutely, unbearably, enticingly, so utterly breathtaking. But broken.
Shards of emotion glistened in his eyes, sharply piercing his mind. Ache and anguish clung to his irises, coating them with impenetrable and shockingly deep pain. Joey's mind reeled with shock. He had never seen so much pain before in someone's eyes. He opened his mouth—
BANG!
Joey scrambled off of Kaiba, and promptly fell off the bed to a heap on the floor. He rubbed his head where he had hit it on the bed post. What the hell?
"SETO!"
Joey peered upwards from his position on the floor, and his eyes widened in surprise. The younger Kaiba looked positively demonic.
Kaiba winced. His head pounded more than ever. He really needed a vacation. Somewhere far, far away from a cute little puppy that he had almost revealed his nightmares to. Somewhere with just an endless supply of black coffee, an outlet, his laptop, and a desk. Somewhere, he thought rubbing his wrists, and closing his eyes, where he could work in peace, for once, without being disturbed by his lovable—yet irritating brother—and exponentially more so that puppy whose curiosity rivaled that of Mokuba. Irritating, not lovable, he thought irately.
Mokuba's shrieks pierced his ears. He opened his eyes, only to find his brother stalking very, very slowly towards his bed. His grey eyes were narrowed almost to slits, and his hair fizzed above his head, crackling with angry static electricity. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides.
Kaiba scowled. Not again. And not in front of the mutt, for god's sakes! He glared at Joey, as though he were some sort of fungal infection. He hated that he had found out about his weakness.
He look up at Mokuba, and opened his mouth. But he could feel the anger radiate out from Mokuba. Not a good thing. He hadn't seen his brother this angry since Kaiba had accidentally slipped spinach into his dinner a few years ago. His ears still rang from the yelling.
"Mo—" he began.
"Where were you?" Mokuba hissed.
"I was at home, Mokuba." He stared defiantly at his younger brother. Which wasn't saying much. And besides, it didn't work. His brother was a Kaiba, after all.
"I asked Roland where you went." Kaiba groaned at his stupidity. He had forgotten to order the staff not to tell Mokuba. Who was incidentally glaring at him with a glare very akin to his very own. He would have to congratulate Mokuba on his success. Later. Right now he had to deal with his stupid, stupid mistakes. Stupid cold. He cursed in every language he knew.
Joey was still peering up from the side of the bed. He still couldn't process Kaiba's actions from only moments before. His mind raced to rationalize the situation. He shook his head. He couldn't. So he merely settled for listening to the brothers. His head swiveled from one brother to the other as they argued.
"Mokuba, I had to—" Kaiba began.
"You told me you wouldn't go." Mokuba continued to glare down at Seto, at the other side of the bed. Seto sat up slowly.
"I—"
"And I told you what I would do if you went, Seto," Mokuba smirked. At the back of his mind, Seto thought that he'd have to congratulate his younger brother on the Kaiba smirk. He finally had it down. But back to matters at hand.
"I—"
"What should I do first?" Mokuba tapped his finger on his cheek.
"Mokuba!" Seto growled.
"Maybe I'll start with the laptop—"
"Mokuba, don't you dare—"
"And I'll go from there—"
"If you touch my stuff—"
"Because if a certain someone had just listened—"
"No more games for a week—"
"Then he wouldn't be in house arrest—"
"What! There's no way—"
"I'm going to tell all the staff—"
"You can't. The company—"
"I can take care of it—"
"You're too young—"
"And you're too sick—"
"I'm not I swear it! Mokuba, you—"
"That's it! I'm locking you in here—"
"You can't do that—"
"Oh yea, Seto? Watch me—"
"I'll order the staff to unlock—"
"I'll tell them that you're delirious—"
"I'll show them that I'm lucid enough to—"
Joey cleared his throat, and stood up.
Mokuba's face immediately brightened. All traces of anger faded away to pure joy.
"Joey!" Mokuba launched himself onto Joey, who patted the younger boy's forehead. He would never understand Kaibas. They were like emotional chameleons, they were…
"How are ya, kiddo?" Mokuba peeked out from underneath his ebony fluff of hair.
"Good!" Mokuba smiled, and then turned to glare at Kaiba, who was just as shocked at Joey at Mokuba's instant change in demeanor.
"Hey, listen Mokuba, can I talk to ya outside for a bit?" Joey would get things cleared up.
Mokuba nodded, and led Joey outside, casting one last incensed glare at Seto, who merely stared back dazedly. What could the two most stubborn people in the world want to talk about?
He gulped.
Oh.
Him.
"Listen, Mokuba," Joey began, leaning against the wall in the hallway. "Is there somethin' botherin' your brother?"
Mokuba instantly sobered, and looked up at Joey with pain-filled eyes. "He's so sick, Joey, and he won't listen to me."
Joey clasped the younger Kaiba's shoulders reassuringly.
"Don'cha worry, Mokuba, I'll take care of everything." Now that just slipped out. Joey rushed to correct his mistake, but Mokuba beat him to it.
"Oh, you will? Thank you Joey! Thank you so so so much!" The younger latched himself onto Joey's midriff. Joey sighed. Yep, there was no way he was getting out of this one anytime soon.
"Now, Mokuba, can ya tell me about Kaiba's nightmares? Do you know about them?" Joey peered down at Mokuba.
Mokuba looked up at Joey, scrutinizing him. He wondered how much he should tell him. Joey had agreed to take care of his older brother, even though he knew that Seto would insult him like a broken answering machine. And he knew that Seto wouldn't be too overjoyed that his "annoying little puppy" was going to take care of him. He knew that Seto would definitely take away his gaming privileges at the very least. But in a surge of affection for his brother, he didn't care.
Seto was wrong. Mokuba couldn't keep it a secret. He couldn't help him like an older person could. And even he knew that Seto was slowly dying on the inside.
It was time to tell someone.
"Joey, it's like this—"
"What are you two—"
It happened so fast, Joey wasn't sure he'd actually seen what happened. But what he thought happened was this: Kaiba peeked out from the doorway sleepily, and Mokuba had reacted with speed. He had shoved Kaiba back into the bedroom, and clicked the lock into place. Joey heard some pounding from behind the door. He stood uncertainly behind Mokuba, and was a bit unnerved by the satisfied smirk on the younger's face.
"It's like this," he began, nonchalantly ignoring the protests at the other side of the door. "Seto's always had these nightmares, ever since I can remember." Joey nodded. Mokuba continued. He found that once he had started, it was easier to keep talking. "He never tells me what they're about, but I can hear him at night, screaming in his sleep sometimes."
Joey shuddered. If he had heard Serenity like that, he didn't know what he'd do. How did little Mokuba react to such a horrible thing? Had the brothers really been through so much?
"And he never tells me anything. It's not like I won't understand. But maybe you can get him to understand. And maybe he can talk to you…" Mokuba trailed off, peering hopefully up at Joey.
Joey hesitated. What would he tell Yugi and his friends?
He was only helping Yugi and Yami's greatest rival yet…He mentally groaned. What to do? What to do?
Mokuba sensed Joey's indecision. He was so close. He couldn't let this opportunity slip. If he did, no one else would be able to help his older brother. And he'd continue to suffer. And Mokuba hated watching his brother bury himself in his work because he couldn't handle the pain anymore.
"Please?" he whispered softly in the hallway. The only sounds coming from the room were the slight creaking of floorboards.
Joey started at the plea. He stared into Mokuba's eyes, instantly reminded of the scene that had transpired only minutes ago. That same cry for help, echoing in both brothers. Did they really need his help that bad? What would he be able to do? He looked around the hallway. Empty. There was nothing in the mansion but staff and the two. Lonely. He knew how lonely felt. He knew how it felt when there was no one to help, and it felt like the world's burdens became suffocating.
Hell with it. He'd help Kaiba. If not for his crush's well-being, then his younger brother's.
He nodded. He would not let this slip by his fingers. He would help the Kaiba brothers. No matter what happened at the end.
Joey held Mokuba in his arms. He would help them. He would try his very best. He didn't know how, but it would come to him in time. And right now, he had a sick older brother to take care of.
"Mokuba? Would ya mind getting me to the kitchen?" His stomach rumbled loudly, and he was sure Kaiba would want something small, too. And he knew just what.
"You can stay here, you know."
Joey choked on his sandwich. Mokuba whammed him on the back. Joey grimaced.
"What?" he stated, dumbfounded.
"You can stay here," Mokuba repeated, finishing off his own sandwich. "Seto doesn't have to know."
"But what if he finds out?" These words were not the ones the rational part of his mind was trying to send to the nerves of his motor cortex. No, it was telling Joey quite the opposite of this subtle acceptance to Mokuba's offer.
"I'll deal with it." Mokuba stated simply.
"Hey, what did ya mean when you said you'd do somethin' ta his laptop?" Joey asked, interestedly.
"Oh, it was nothing. All I said was that I would throw it into the toilet." Joey looked up at Mokuba wide eyed. The younger smiled mischievously. "Don't worry Joey, I wouldn't really do it. I'd just re-set all the passwords or something so that he wouldn't be able to work on it."
Joey quirked an eyebrow. He had to give him credit. The younger was obviously stronger than he had ever suspected. But then again, he was just the younger brother of one of the most ruthless men around.
"Just say yes Joey." Mokuba added in an undertone, "You know you want to…"
Joey's head jerked upwards at this comment.
"Whatdidyousay?" Joey colored slightly, and took another bite of his sandwich. He flattened his palm against his cheek, trying to cover it up.
Mokuba instantly caught the look. He smirked inwardly. Perhaps two good things might come out of this arrangement.
"Nothing," he answered innocently, sipping his orange juice. He took his plate and Joey's plate to the sink.
Joey chugged down his own juice. He was sure the younger had said something…
Ten minutes and two full stomachs later, Joey and Mokuba walked back upstairs. Joey carried a tray that held chicken soup and a small glass of orange juice.
"I'm going to unlock the door slowly, but let me go inside first. He'll probably tackle you or something," Mokuba added as they slipped into the hallway. Joey chuckled quietly. Yes, that's exactly what he'd do at this point.
Mokuba slid the lock out of place, and slowly opened the door. When no deranged older brother came jumping out at him, Mokuba walked inside quietly, anticipating his brother's antics. But he found Seto sprawled across the bed, still in his outside wear. He hadn't even changed into his pajamas. Mokuba rolled his eyes, and beckoned Joey inside.
Joey confidently strode in, trying not to show his nervousness. But he smiled slightly and colored as he noted Kaiba's form on the bed again. He rolled his eyes. Kaiba had no idea how much rest he needed.
"Wake him up," Mokuba stated and turned to leave. "Oh, and when you do, tell him that if he doesn't behave I'll kick him where it hurts." Mokuba left. Joey stared. What the hell?
He turned and set the food on the table in the room. He crept up to Kaiba, and pondered how he should wake him up. He could bet on it that things would be awkward between them, especially because of Mokuba's admission that Kaiba needed his help. And maybe also because Kaiba had woken up to find Joey sitting on top of him. And also, maybe because he had almost explicitly told him that there was something wrong with him.
Yea, things might get a little awkward, but Joey wouldn't let that get him.
"Hey, Kaiba?" Joey shook Kaiba's shoulder, and was happy to find that he instantly awoke with a glare on his face. Not. "Uh, Mokuba brought you some food…" He trailed off as Kaiba sent him another death glare. He cleared his throat. "And you're gonna eat it. Here." Joey stated calmly, inwardly cheering as Kaiba stared at him confused. Obviously, he thought that Joey would run off. Nope. He wouldn't.
Seto felt something warm pressed into his hands. Why didn't they understand? He didn't want to eat and he continued to persist—
The smell wafted up to his olfactory senses. Oh, fine. Maybe just this once. He sent another glare towards Joey, who leaned casually against the wall.
"What are you still doing here?" Seto choked out. The soup was still hot. It was so good, though, and it made him feel good enough for his favorite past-time. Pick on Joey.
"Makin' sure ya don't choke. Ya alright? There's some juice," Joey walked over worriedly, and handed the glass to him.
"I can do it myself!" Seto snapped. He hated it when people looked down at him with pity. He loathed that feeling with intense passion. He growled when Joey sat at the chair next to his bed. "Who said you could sit there? Learn to obey your superiors, mutt." Surely Joey would rise to the bait? But his face fell as Joey shrugged and stood up.
"Should I ask Mokuba for another chair?" He asked quietly.
Seto inwardly seethed. Joey knew he had an advantage over Seto. And he didn't like that feeling. He merely glowered. Joey sat back down, and watched Seto finish his meal.
"Water." Joey handed him the glass of juice. He sipped it, feeling oddly satisfied. And sleepy. Why was he so sleepy?
Panic overrode his senses for a moment.
"J-Joey?" he stuttered, panic shining brightly in his eyes. Joey found his hand and grasped it. Seto squeezed back, unaware of his actions.
"Shh. It's only Ni-Quil." The last thing Seto saw were warm dark colored eyes that kept him anchored although the world spun madly. He tried to fight it. He didn't like the dizzying feeling that accompanied the stage between consciousness and unconsciousness. "Go to sleep Seto," he heard Joey whisper. Everything turned dark. He couldn't see. He felt his eyes slide shut. But he trusted that voice. And he trusted the strong hand that held his. And he trusted the achingly cool fingers that brushed the hair off his burning forehead. And he felt safe.
Ni-Quil is cold medicine. Which totally knocks you asleep once you take it. One of my friends took it once during the day. She said she'd never repeat the experience ever again.
Liked it? Hated it? Leave a review before you go : )
Thanks so much for reading!
Thank you everyone who reviewed. You made my day! HUG you're all so sweeeeet!!!
Journeymaker--I hope this fit your expectations.
kaiba.berry--And here's the chapter!
Mythrillia--I'm glad you liked it!
Chibi Chib--here's da update:) glad you liked it!
dragonlady222--was Mokue mad enough? hehe
casaragi--thanks for FAV'ing it!
HARPGO--thanks for pointing that out :)
Peach Wookie--yes! got mokue in canon!