Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Common Ground ❯ Chapter 2

Several of the high priced lawyers that worked for the Kaiba Corporation arranged the paperwork that would lead to Mr. Wheeler's arrest. While they worked, Joey regained his strength in the safety of the Kaiba Mansion.

The first day he arrived to school with Seto in his limo, all of his friends gathered around with stunned expressions. Seto went into the classroom.

"You rode with, Kaiba? You sick or something, Joey?" Tristan tried to feel his companion's forehead.

Joey pulled away. "I'm fine.. Seto's just lettin' me move outta my dad's place an' stay with him from now on."

Knowing the abusive nature of his father, but not to the full extent, they all were happy for their friend. Though still quite shocked.

"That's great, Joey. It's really nice of Kaiba to do that for you," Yugi smiled up at his blonde friend.

"Yeah. This is just want I needed, ya know? I don't think things have ever been this good fer me before."

Seto still remained silent and standoffish to the others, but Joey was in no hurry to push him into his circle of friends. He figured the CEO would warm up eventually.

Through the rest of the day, Joey stayed close to his new brunette acquaintance. He sat beside him in class and even excused himself from his other friends to sit with Seto at lunch.

The darker haired youth worked at his laptop quietly, but both seemed appreciative of the other's company. Joey devoured his lunch that the servants had packed for him and continued to rant about how delicious everything tasted. If anyone looked carefully enough, they would have seen the uncharacteristic smile curling at the corners of the icy teen's mouth.

Once school was over, Seto took Joey to his limo to head home. While they were in the car, he decided to break the news.

"Joey. I want you to know that I am pressing charges against your father for what he has done to you. I know it's going to be hard, but when the trial comes, you'll need to testify."

The fair-haired boy had a look of utter shock upon his face. "You're doin' what? I-I can't get up an' tell people what he did to me! I just can't do that."

"You need to do this, Joey. He'll pay for hurting you for all those years. I know it seems hard, and I won't deny that it is, but you will still have to go through it."

Joey shook his head hard, "No! I just can't!"

Seto grabbed the blonde's arm. "Yes you can.. And I'm here to help you through it. You can do this, Joey, and Mokuba and I will be there to support you."

The shorter teen's mouth was agape at he stared at the other. There was genuine concern in the CEO's eyes and something else that he could not place.

The brunette was not sure, but he began to realize feelings that were developing for the boy. He honestly cared about him. Mokuba had been right. He was growing rather fond of Joey.

".. Ya mean it?.."

"Yes, Joey. And you know now that you can confide in me if you'll allow me the same privilege.. I have never spoken to anyone about my past before, but the heavy burden it left feels as if it's being lifted from my shoulders now that I have confessed to you."

The blonde duelist tried to hide the faint blush that was rising into his cheeks.

"Sure thing, Seto.. Just quit lookin' at me like that. Yer givin' me da creeps."

Seto smirked a bit and let the boy's arm go before all seriousness returned to his face.

"There's one other thing, Joey. Since you are going to live with me, we're going to stop by your house in a few days to gather your personal belongings. But I will be there with you, so you do not have to worry."

"Of course I hafta worry! Ya don't know what my ol' man is capable of! It doesn't matter if there's two or twenty-two, he's still gonna go ballistic when he sees me again! Just forget about my stuff. I don't need it."

"He's not going to lay a finger on you while I'm there. My bodyguards will be waiting outside for us and they have taken down even the most skillful assassins for me before. You'll be safe."

Joey forced a nod, but gave a forlorn gaze at the floor.

`I just hope yer right..'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As promised, the Kaiba limo pulled up in front of the Wheeler's dilapidated home a few days later. Broken windows were covered by duct tape and the lawn was overrun with a jungle of weeds. The front door looked ready to fall off its hinges at the slightest breeze and Seto could clearly see the patchy holes in the roof. He clenched his fists tightly at his side as he felt his blood boil.

`So this is where it all started..'

Seto's bodyguards waited in the car. Joey looked around nervously as he kicked a few broken bottles out of his way to the door. He tried the knob, but found it was locked. The boy let out an audible sigh of relief and turned back to the brunette.

"Da door's locked. He only locks it when he's gone out ta get more booze. We've got time while he's out."

Picking carefully through some long broken pottery shards and dirt remnants of a potted plant, Joey produced a rusty key and quickly unlocked the door.

Both's noses were instantly assaulted with the horrid scent of cheap liquor and body odor among other things. The shorter youth did not seem to mind much and calmly walked inside past the numerous discarded beer cans and trash that littered the floor. Seto followed behind after a moment, but tried to inhale through his mouth.

He took notice of the peeling wallpaper and areas that had embedded stains upon them. There was very little furniture. Only a threadbare sofa with the stuffing coming out of the cushions lay in the living room in front of a dirty television set.

Joey tried to make light of the situation even though he felt the shame down in his bones.

"Guess ya don't really wanna take da grand tour then? Just don't touch anything 'cause ya really don't wanna know what's there.. We don't have any pictures on da walls. All da 'art' on there is from thrown bottles. See that one by da door? That would be da 'Get me some fuckin' dinner before I whip yer ass for Christmas '93'."

Seto's eyes narrowed. "Let's just get your things out of here, Joey."

They made their way into Joey's room. The blonde grabbed the old pillowcase from his pillow and started to gather everything that he wanted to take with him. Seto helped by gathering the handful of clothes he found in Joey's closet and laying them onto bed. The bed consisted of only a mattress and an old blanket for a cover.

"Let's see.. My Duel Monsters deck, picture of Serenity and me, clothes, schoolbooks.. I think I got everything I really need. Just take all da clothes with ya. I'll pick through them later."

They went back out to pack the limo up when Seto's cell phone rang. He answered it and quickly informed his companion that it was an important business call. Joey nodded.

"I'll just give one last check ta make sure I got everything."

Seto nodded and proceeded to continue his phone conversation while Joey stepped back inside and looked around for anything else of importance that he may have missed. Most of their things had been pawned off to pay for their bills or to keep his father's alcohol addiction satisfied.

The blonde swore he felt a sudden chill that raised the hairs upon the back of his neck before a blunt object connected with his head. He fell to the floor, feeling dizzy and looked up to see his father standing over him.

"You little fucking whore.. Where have you been? That your new boyfriend waiting for you outside you filthy faggot? Well, your cocksucking boyfriend is pressing charges on me. Did you know that? I wonder who could have put him up to that."

A sharp kick to the stomach sent the wind out of Joey's lungs. He gasped for air and tried to block the assault as another kick landed in the ribs, his side, his face, and his back. Anywhere he tried to move to get away, he received another blow.

"You remember what I told you if you told anyone? You're gonna wish I killed you a long time ago when I'm through with you, you whore!"

Joey coughed and clutched his stomach as he tasted blood in his mouth. His nose hurt like hell and he was fairly certain that it had been broken. The unmistakable sound of a belt clearing belt loops came to his ears before he was whipped across his back and shoulders. He make a strained cry, trying to call for help, but unable to make much of a sound.

`He's gonna kill me.. Just like he said.. I'm gonna die in here and Seto will never know I was in trouble!'

The beaten youth was yanked to his feet roughly by his hair and throw into the kitchen where he crashed into the sink and hit his head upon the corner of one of the cabinets. Blood started to pour from the gash instantly and ran down the side of his face.

He tried to press his hand over the wound, but his father threw him over to the card table they used for the kitchen table. Joey struck the side of the table in his middle and coughed blood out across the surface.

"So you like taking it up the ass like the little faggot whore you are? Then why don't I give you a present, Joseph?"

Joey's eyes widened as he tried to push himself away, but his father's body mass held him in place. He tried to fight back his tears as his pants were ripped down his thighs and a filthy hand clasped over his mouth.

The boy's voice was once again renewed as he felt the familiar pain of his back entrance ripped open by the man's erection. He could only give a muffled scream as he was thrust into roughly.

Hot tears flowed down his cheeks past his closed eyelids. He pleaded mentally as loud as he could for Seto to save him, but he knew that he was distracted by the phone call.

A sudden crash, followed by a pained howl from his father, made Joey's eyes shoot open. The hand left his mouth and the member pulled out of his broken and abused body. He fell to the floor in a heap and saw Seto holding a broken bottle in his hand. There was a look a pure hatred burning in his azure eyes as he stared the man down. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"There isn't a word for someone like you.. If you only knew how much disgust I have right now. This is your son after all.. Jail isn't enough of a punishment for what you've done to him.."

"Just who the fuck do you think you are?!" Joey's father roared.

"It doesn't matter who I am. You'll never see me or your son ever again. But once my bodyguards are finished with you, I doubt you'll ever forget my face."

As if on cue, several uniformed men came and forced the attacker roughly to his feet before hustling him out the door. Seto instructed him that he did not care how far they went, but was confident that Mr. Wheeler would most likely never be heard from again.

The brunette's poise of dominance drained as soon as they were gone and he remembered about Joey. He rushed to his side.

"Oh my god.. Can you hear me, Joey?"

Two honey eyes rolled groggily around in the boy's head, blinded by the blood coming from his head wound and broken nose. ".. Se.. to?.."

"Joey, stay with me. We're going to get you to a doctor," Seto carefully scooped the now limp body into his arms and rushed out the door into the limo.

One of his guards helped him place the unconscious blonde into the back.

"GET HIM TO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY!!" he ordered in a scream to his driver.

In milliseconds, they were roaring towards Domino City Medical Center as the accompanying bodyguard called in the incoming emergency. Seto held Joey's hand tightly and tried to make the boy regain consciousness.

"Joey, wake up!.. Dammit! Open your eyes!!"