Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Fragile ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 2 )

:: Kitzaku-san ::

Authoress Note: Hey, wow everyone who re-reviewed this. I did some research and it appears I'm not the only one who got deleted. I mean, someone got deleted 6 times! If I were them, I'd just stop with the lemons and run off to something else. I mean, what can you do if you're at the mercy of a bunch of Kindergarten teachers?

Disclaimer: Otogi: Kitzaku owns nothing, I tell you... NOTHING! Except maybe my dice earring. Which literally sucks because it looks way better on me.

::Fragile::

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?"

Chapter 3

Jou wasn't at school the next day. It was as simple as that. To some people that didn't mean a thing to them. Others were a little concerned. Some people thought to stop by after school and check up on him. And there was that select few that constantly worried every moment. Wondering if they should leave then and there to see if he was OK.

And Seto Kaiba was one of those select few.

He pined over Math problems, his mind poured out answers to Chemistry exams. But all the while, in the furthest recesses of his mind, was the lasting image of Jounouchi in the bathroom less than 24 hours ago, where he so cautiously tended to his wounds. It stood there, bright and standing out in front of all his memories. Trying to shroud even that with Mokuba. Truth be told, he wouldn't go away.

Seto, perhaps the only person who knew how to help Jou, felt powerless just then. He, sitting safe at school, with the only danger being if his pen exploded his in eye. Whilst Jou was probably on a last string somewhere in his home, lying forgotten on the ground.

Images swirled in his mind. One right after the other of sick and twisted scenes he'd so often heard tales of. Scenes of his own past tried to mingle in. They tread their own footsteps along side those of Jou. They almost matched in places. It wasn't long before worry turned to burning hatred for Jounouchi's Father. That was inevitable.

But yes, Jou was not at school and Seto was worried to death.

Ask any student and they will tell you. One of the sweetest memories of school is that last bell at the end of the day. But nothing compared to the relief it caused Seto. He'd been pondering to rush out of school, complain of a meeting and then check up on Jou, but the time never came and it was too late for that.

But that last bell rang, sweet and melodic through the hallways and Seto rushed out, taking long strides. Why he didn't use his limo that was so conveniently placed outside to escort him? One cannot draw attention to matters such as these. Just imagine, if Jou's Father was home and saw a limo parked outside with a CEO emerging? The results may not have been pleasant.

~Seto's POV~

I can't really say why I'm so worried about Jou. It's been getting harder and harder to hide any feelings about him that I have. And to see that someone has been beating him just rips something inside of me apart. I'm sure you could say it was my heart.

No one, and I mean no one touches Jounouchi without my consent. Call me obsessive, I don't really care. He is mine. Though, I suppose if he's mine, I should remember exactly which house he lives at. These common slums have houses that are all alike. Though, I guess I have a sixth sense about some things because this ugly white house looks to be about right.

It's rare that the great Seto Kaiba is ever nervous. And I'll only admit to myself that I am. But I've been fully trained in the 'Arts, and I've dealt with men like Jou's father before. I mean, I had a father like him once myself. That was, before I pushed him out a window. But that's just a whole other story.

I knock on the door once. Twice. Three times. Is no one even home? Finally I hear some yelling and the breaking of glass. But still no one comes to the door. Frustrated I go to the window.

I can make out the silhouette of Jou's father and Jounouchi's own shadow as well. His Father has something in his hand. Is that a broken beer bottle? He brings it down towards Jou again and I can hear a loud whimper escape the boy's lips.

I can't take it anymore. I should just rush in and stop all of this now. But something is holding me back. What could possibly be holding me back?

"And what are you doing snooping around here?"

Oh. That.

I throw Honda's arms off of me. "I'm going in!" This was followed by another scream from Jounouchi. I cringed. "Why can't I go in?"

Honda hesitated. "He has a gun."

"HE WHAT?"

Honda gulped and brought me out of sight of the window. "Jou's Father keeps it close to the door. If anyone catches him beating on Jou, then he'll shoot. And by the way things are going, I don't think he's afraid to do it either."

Shit. Shit. Shit. What should I do now? If I go in there, both my life and Jou's are in danger. But if I stay out here, Jou would continue to get beaten. I hate having a conscience.

~ Normal ~

Honda snuck around the front of the house again, and ran down the street. He either realized that there was nothing he could do, or he was a chicken. Seto figured it was the latter, but that's exactly how he thought.

Seto stayed in his position underneath the window, cringing every time he heard a yell from Jou. His eyes were shut tight and with every passing second, another stab felt like it was panging at his heart.

But then the yelling became louder, and Seto could have sworn closer. Then the door opened wide.

"And I don't want to see your face again tonight! You figure out how to get in the garage tonight. If not, sleep outside!" Jou's father's face was red and a vein was throbbing in his neck. He kicked Jou's limp body out the front door, and the blonde collapsed on the ground, hugging himself tightly and covered in blood and tears.

As soon as the door closed, Seto was at Jou's side.

"Jounouchi! Can you hear me?" Cuts from the broken glass pierced fresh skin and mangled with the scarred tissue of formerly abused skin. Jou was a sorry mess, and Seto picked up his head and set it gently in his lap.

"Don't... touch..." Jou whimpered before breaking out into heaping sobs. "Don't hit... me!"

"Shh..." Seto rocked the blonde softly, stroking his hair away from his face. "It's just me, Seto."

"Seto?"

"Yes, and it's alright...I don't want to see you hurt anymore. You're staying with me." The CEO helped Jou sit up straight and wiped his face with a cloth.

"But Father will... he'll be angry with me." The blonde sniffed, his tears forming to a close.

"But I won't let him get you. Come on."

~ Jou's POV ~

It's amazing how much someone can change. I mean, you think you know a guy and then WHAM! He's someone completely different. He's almost... likeable you know?

Anyway, that's how Seto's been acting. He took me home after helping me down the block and calling up his limo. My whole life of knowing the guy, I had it figured that he was this ruthless CEO with no heart at all.

And I hate being proved wrong. But at least he's getting me away from him.

I can hardly remember how things started with Father. I mean, he never used to hit me so much. It was just before Mother left that everything started happening. And who knows another 16 year old that gets as pummeled as I do by their Father? Most teenagers I've heard have parents that don't pay attention to them. They're so lucky.

You would think I'd be used to the pain by now. And I am. But ever since Seto showed me compassion in the bathroom yesterday, I can't stop crying at anything. In the limousine, he tends to my new wounds that Father made with that broken beer bottle. I think it's amazing the way Seto's hands can be so tough and hard when he has his dark profile at school. But here and now, he's like an angel.

So what can you do when an angel is caressing you? Fall into the depths of sleep, so I think that's exactly what I'll do.

TBC

Ending Notes:

No, reviewers, that's not the end. I've still got some peculiar ideas that I might want to get down. Though, I'm a little surprised at how calm Jou's acting inside about all of this...

Yugi Muse: You need to write a humor fic. BADLY.

Eheh ^.^;;;

Yami Muse: R&R!