Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Fragile ❯ Refuge ( Chapter 2 )

:: Kitzaku-san ::

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Gi Oh... sadly. I don't even own Jou's dad. Which is a MAJOR relief...

Authoress Note: Kitzaku-san is back with the second chapter to Fragile... FINALLY! Gomen ne, minna-san! I've been wrapped up with schoolwork and especially: BAND. I know everyone who's in Marching Band would see what I mean. X.x But never fear, I've taken the time to sit on my butt and write!

And I want to thank everyone who reviewed! Especially Fire Tears, Moonchild DJ, Vera, Blue Lagoon Loon, Yami Megami, Falcona Skywolf, Joey Rose, Ieyre and Ozark the MoonHead (you'd better update again soon, Ozark- Your story kicks!)

Thanks for the suggestions and the questions about the story. It gives me ideas! Especially since Writer's Block is nearing. I can feel it. I always go back and forth between Writing and Drawing. And I've been drawing a lot so my writing is diminishing. Must... start... writing!

:: Fragile ::

"Fine." Seto shrugged. "I'm not helping you. But you are mine and you're obligated to tell me what I want to know."

Jou sighed. Seto's cold personality may just be the thing Jou needed to take to survive his own father's beatings. Could Seto possibly know how to help him after all? He did say that there were other children at his orphanage that were abused. Jou stared at the ground for a brief moment before clenching his fists and looking straight into Seto's eyes.

"My father."

Seto only looked surprised for a brief moment. So brief in fact that he didn't even realize it himself. But afterwards, he only sighed and even that was as invisible as his expression. "I should have known."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means exactly what I said." Seto scoffed. "Who else could it be?"

Jou looked sidelong to the ground. The school bell rang but neither of them paid it much mind. They both stood in the empty hallway for a moment in silence. Then, Anzu had rounded a corner and marched right up to them. She was wearing a hall monitor sash and her arms were folded.

"You two had better get to class and-" she had noticed Jou's gash. "Oh my god! What happened!" But along with Jou's gash, she noticed Seto standing there as well. "Seto! What have you done to him! Ugh! I'm reporting you! Why don't you ever give it a rest?"

Jou's mouth opened to protest, but a glare from Seto forced him to shut up and sink back closer to the wall.

Anzu looked back and forth between them and tutted. "Come on you two. Jou, you're going to the nurse and Kaiba, I think you need to talk to the Assistant Principal."

If Jou wasn't already against the wall, he would have taken another step back. "No, that's alright. I-I'm just fine." Truth was, if he went to the nurse, she would notice his other wounds as well. And that meant he'd have to spill everything out and things might only get worse instead of getting better. Once they got to his father, he might be out for blood.

"Joey!" Anzu cried. "You're bleeding from a giant hole in your head! You're not just fine- wait!" She gasped. "Oh my god... he's probably delusional. You'll have to see that nurse!"

Seto carefully stepped in-between Anzu and Jou. "There will be no need to Jou going to the nurse."

"What are you talking about?" Anzu tapped her foot impatiently. "You should be on your way to the Assistant Principal! You've got to control your temper if you're going to take it out on Joey!"

"And you should learn to keep your nose where it belongs." Seto leaned in close to her face. "I will clean Jou up. He obviously does not need to see the nurse."

Jou blinked a few times. He was getting a little dizzy from losing so much blood. His shirt was already a different color than it was when he'd left the house that morning. But was Seto actually sticking up for him?

Anzu looked flabbergasted (Authoress: XD don't you hate that word?). "You're both crazy! Listen Seto, you really need to learn about friendship. Friends try to help each other when they see someone in pain! I can see that Jou needs professional help. And you do too, though mentally not physically!"

Seto laughed and carefully took a hold of Jou's arm and began leading him down the hallway towards the bathroom. Anzu was screaming after them.

"I wasn't done yet!" But a teacher opened a door to a classroom and held a finger to her lips. Anzu looked sheepish, but kept quiet. (Authoress: For once.)

Meanwhile, Seto led Jou to the bathroom and dampened a paper towel. Carefully, he brought it to Jou's head and began to clear the blood away. Jou winced lightly when Seto rubbed over a still-tender bruise.

"Seto..." Jou whispered lightly.

"Hm?"

"Why're you... doing this?"

"Because." Seto got a new paper towel. The old one had gone red. "I don't want you bleeding all over the school. Albeit Anzu is already talking of how I 'beat you up'."

Jou remained silent for a while. Seto must have known that his secret couldn't get out. But would he realize what would happen if everyone though that Seto had done this to him? He must have, but it puzzled Jou when Seto didn't care. And he was so gentle in cleaning up the blood, that Jou began to feel more relaxed around him. Soon the blood had clotted and Seto had cleaned up his face.

"You don't have to do this." Jou murmured. "I've been through much worse."

Seto raised an eyebrow, but brought it down immediately should Jou take note. "Worse than this?"

"Much worse." He stated like it was nothing.

Seto frowned. Not even the children in the orphanage had it bad. Sure, there was a bit of bruises scattered around them. Their hands had chemical burns on them and they had this constant look of fear in their eyes. But that appeared to be all that was wrong. What did Jou's father do that made it all so much worse? But first of all, should Seto even ask? He didn't want to break what little trust the blonde had in him already.

Jou began to peel off the shirt that was covered in blood. Some blood had already dried and it hurt to pull it off. Seto gasped when he saw the state of Jou's chest. Beside the pink bloodstains, horrible black and purple bruises were spread out across his upper chest. Deep cuts ran down his arms and there was an innumerable amount of scars and new cuts on his back.

Without thinking, Seto blurted out. "Jounouchi, what has he been doing to you?"

Jou hadn't minded taking his shirt off, but when he realized how abnormal he must look to someone, he raised the shirt close to him, to hide. "Who? You mean Father?" Jou laughed forcedly.

"Yes. Your Father." Seto got ready to dampen another paper towel. "Who else would I be talking about?"

A sudden wave of embarrassment flooded Jou and he sank to the floor. "No, no, this wasn't him. It's from... fights. Yes, that's it. I get in a couple fights now and then."

Seto looked sideways at him. "Fights?"

"Yes."

"With who?"

"Oh..." Jou trailed off. "You know, people."

"Yugi mentioned you stopped fighting a long time ago." Seto brought the paper towel over to him.

"He... did?"

"Stop lying, Jounouchi." His hand advanced towards a shoulder to wipe the bloodstains away, but Jou pulled back.

"Just... stop it."

Seto paused for a moment. "Jou, it's all right..." And he advanced once more, this time touching Jou's trembling skin. But the blonde pulled back again and shrank to a corner. Seto frowned again, but did a double take. Jou was trembling?

He took the opportunity to look at Jou's face. His eyes glazed over like he was crying, but there were no tears evident. He took note of Seto staring, and pulled his knees to his chin and hugged himself. "Don't come near me..."

"Jou, stop being ridiculous. I'm not hurting you. I haven't yet."

"Just don't try to help me! You don't understand!"

Seto looked confused. Only moments ago, Jou seemed to trust him only moments before. What had he done to make him so hostile? Seto stopped thinking. Why did he care if Jou got hurt? Because you were supposed to do it. Wasn't that a little odd to want to be the only one who hurt someone? You wanted him to notice you. Well he's noticed him alright, but not in a particularly good way. Jou and Seto never got along. At all. Or was it the other way around? Jou never got along with Seto. And Seto's approach to Jou was completely wrong.

"You're afraid of me, aren't you." Seto stated calmly.

"No. The only person I'm afraid of is..." he trailed off.

"Your father."

"SHUT UP!"

"Sorry."

Jou's eyes widened and he looked up. Seto... apologize to him? What was up with that? He blinked a few times, trying to get a few things straight. Seto hated him. He'd always hated him. And all Jou wanted was to be a friend to him, since he obviously had a lack of that. But things never turn out the way one plans them. Jou's attention lately, had been ripped from Seto now that his Father's beatings were getting worse.

Seto noticed his folly, and silently swore to himself. "Listen, Jounouchi. I don't know what's going on in that thick skull of yours, but you're getting the floors of the school dirty. Now let me clean you up and I'll leave you alone." For now, he added to himself.

Jou gave in, quietly allowing Seto to cleanse his wounds. For a long time, neither one spoke, or even thought about anything.

That day seemed to go by too fast. Days at school were always like that for Jou. School was the only time when he actually felt accepted. For the rest of the day, Seto kept his word and stayed away from him. But he was always there, not too far away, keeping a close watch on the blonde, like a bodyguard.

Occasionally, Jou would look around just to see if Seto was watching. It didn't give him a creepy feeling at all. Rather, it gave him a sense of security. But what would Seto do once Jou came home? He wouldn't confront his father, would he? Jou shuddered at the thought.

Honda was walking home with Jou, as he usually did. Seto, much to both their disappointment had had a mandatory executive meeting for KaibaCorp and was unable to watch Jou that evening.

"So, did you talk to Seto?"

Jou raised an eyebrow. "About... what?"

"You know what I'm talking about." Honda said. "Don't think Seto is the only one who knows. I'm here to help too."

Jou stopped. Had Seto leaked the secret out? Who else knew? Subconsciously, he glared at Honda and his own heart tried to fill with sudden hatred for Seto. The brown haired teen raised his hands in defense.

"Oh no no no! I'm the one that let Seto know, Jounouchi." Honda tried. "You've been scaring me to death, and I hoped Seto might help."

"You... thought Seto would help me?" Jou stared at him blankly. Before today, the whole school knew that Jou and Seto did not go together. How could Honda have possibly known that Seto would even think to help him?

"Well... he knows a lot about those types of things..."

True. "And you told no one else?"

"Not even Yugi."

They were at Jou's doorstep. He sighed and gripped the straps of his backpack tighter. "Good."

"Jou do you want me to-?"

"No, it's alright." Jou forced a smile in Honda's direction. "He's not home yet, I'll survive. See you in school tomorrow."

"Well alright..." Honda looked a little scared of standing even in front of Jou's house. And he left rather quickly. Jou stepped inside, and the usual smell of stale beer swept him over. It was amazing that no matter how much Jou's father forced him to clean up enough that the chemicals burned at his hands, the house always appeared as a mess.

Jou sighed and placed his backpack on the couch and took off his shoes. He was about to sit down when a voice hissed from the kitchen.

"Welcome back, boy."

Jou's eyes widened with shock. His father's beat up old truck wasn't in the driveway! He couldn't have been home!

"I've got a little surprise for you." The voice hissed again. His father came out of the kitchen and stood before Jou, his breath reeked of cheap beer. "I did a little rearranging today." Jou gulped, still not saying anything. His father broke what little silence there was by pointing to the garage door. "Have a look."

Hesitantly, Jou walked towards the door. His father hit him hard on the head, yelling at him to hurry up. Head swimming, Jou managed to grip the door handle and step into the garage.

There was his father's truck, there must have been enough space that he could park in there now. But in the corner was a tiny space with a scraggly blanket, a pillow and a box full of clothes.

"Home sweet home." And he pushed Jou in the garage, and slammed the door shut.

Jou stood for a moment, trying to sort things out. This couldn't be his room... could it? He went to his 'room' and stared at it for a moment. Then, as suddenly as he had decided to stop years ago, tears ran down his face. Things became clear to him once more. His father had thrown away everything he owned. All his precious belongings that allowed him to stay sane through the years were now reduced to a blanket, pillow and a box of clothes.

It was a good thing he'd had his deck of Duel Monsters and his portable CD player in his backpack. That was just about all he had left.

The tears stung his cuts with their salt and try as he might he couldn't stop them. He collapsed on his 'bed' and burst into heaping sobs. The first time he'd cried in years.

Before he cried himself to sleep, however, his mind threw out a phrase that not even he caught.

"Seto, where are you when I need you most?"

TBC

Ending Notes: ... Oh man... I would die if all I had was just those few items left...

Yami Muse: -cries in his pancake batter-

Otogi Muse: -pats Yami's back- It's OK. ^.^ -gives him a Sno-Globe-

Yami Muse: Eh? You're not Malik! Where's Malik?

Otogi Muse: Erm... Kitzaku-san traded him like... a week ago. Where've you been?

Yugi Muse: o.O; Obviously he hasn't been here. Anyway, sorry about no R&R Food Fire Tears! Yami's... crying in it.

Yami Muse: T.T Shut up!

Otogi Muse: But I've got R&R Sno-Globes! ^.^ Perfect gifts for the holiday season that's coming like.. two months early.