Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ How Do You Like Me Now? ❯ Chapter 6
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.15.2004 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 382 | Status: Work In Progress
"Yeah, neither have you," Joey said, collecting his cards from the table. "That sure brought back some memories."
"Sure did," Tristan nodded. "Man, I forgot how fun it is to watch Joe get his ass handed to him."
"Shut up," Joey snapped. Tristan and Duke who was standing beside him snickered softly.
Yugi chuckled. "You two certainly haven't changed either. Still bickering like kids." He finished putting his own deck back together and put it off to the side of the table. "Wow, it's already 8:30. Time to close up the shop."
Duke glanced at his watch. "Geez, it got late fast. I'll help you."
"You two can go upstairs and wait," Yugi told Joey and Tristan. "This won't take long. We'll be up there in a minute. Just make yourselves at home."
Joey smiled at the smaller boy. "C'mon Tris, let's check out what's in the fridge." Tristan laughed and followed his friend up the stairs to the second floor of the building. They looked around, seeing that it had not changed much over the years, and filed into the kitchen.
"This is great," Tristan sighed, relaxed as he rummaged through the refrigerator in the corner. "Old friends, good times, great memories."
"Yeah," Joey agreed. "It's been forever since we've been here. Didn't realize how much I missed it."
Tristan nodded, reemerging from the fridge with nothing. "He ain't got much. Just some… vegetables." He made a disgusted face.
Joey laughed. "Yeah, you never were one for the greens, huh?" He heard a door open in the other room. "Sounds like Duke and Yug finished. Let's go out there."
"Sure thing," Tristan said. The two of them walked together out of the kitchen and into the spacious living room. Duke and Yugi had just come up the stairs and smiled a greeting when they saw the two of them.
"So what're your plans for the evening?" Yugi asked everyone in the room.
"Nothing, actually," Tristan admitted. "It's been forever since we've been here last. Like we'd remember where everything is."
"Good point," Yugi conceded. "Well, how about a movie? The plaza's still open late."
"Sounds good," Tristan nodded. "What's playing?"
"Not sure. We could go downtown and check it out and just loiter till it starts," Duke replied. "Just like old times."
Tristan nodded. "Yeah, let's get a move on then. What d'ya think, Joe?"
Joey looked up at his friends. He did really want to hang out with them after so long of being away, but he suddenly felt rather ill. The discussion of Seto Kaiba from earlier was still circling in his head and he remembered quite clearly a few nights he had spent at the plaza with none other than the blue-eyed CEO. He was not entirely sure that he would be able to go back there without breaking down and crying like a reprimanded child on the spot.
"Y'know…" Joey began. "I think… I'm gonna go back to the hotel. It's been a long trip, I think… I wanna just relax, get some sleep. You guys mind?"
"No, that's fine, Joey," Yugi replied, but with a concerned look on his face. "Are you feeling all right?"
"Yeah, just tired," the blonde nodded. "Don't worry about me."
Tristan was looking at him strangely. It made him a bit nervous.
"You gonna be okay walkin' back by yourself?" the brunette asked him.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Joey responded. "You guys go and have fun. I'll catch up with ya later."
"See ya, Joe," Duke waved, as did the others. Joey returned the gesture before he climbed down the stairs to the shop and to the outside. The cold night air stung his face and he silently cursed himself for letting Tristan tell the limo driver to leave. It was a good ten blocks from there to the hotel and his light jacket provided little protection against the bitter evening air. And besides, he would have to walk alone. In the dark. In a strangely familiar city.
He walked on for a few blocks, hugging himself close, trying to keep warm against the cold air. This time of year it always seemed to get dark early. And when the sun went down, it took its warmth and light with it. He shivered as he walked alone in silence. The streets were uncommonly empty and it gave him a strange feeling. It had been a long time since he had been in a city as small as this one. True, it was a large city but not compared to Tokyo, New York, or Los Angeles.
And then he noticed a figure approaching him. It was a tall, dark figure, silhouetted against the whiteness of the moon. The figure walked slowly, the face turned down to the sidewalk and shoulders hunched over. Still, the figure walked in a familiar gait, its long legs taking steady, graceful strides, and as he drew nearer, Joey began to make out familiar features on the face.
"Fuck," the blonde muttered. "Kaiba...?"
The figure looked up at the sound of the name and came to an immediate stop. Joey bit his bottom lip as he gazed at him, examining that slender body he used to know so well. But Kaiba's frame had slimmed and Joey could swear he could count very rib on him, even through his clothes. The handsome fine-toned face he once knew had paled immensely and the cheek bones had sunken in, giving him an almost skeletal appearance. He looked so thin and sickly, Joey could not help but wonder how the hell the man was even standing.
"What the fuck happened to you?" the blonde asked.
There was no answer. The brunette simply stared forward, a strange, unfamiliar emotion reflected in his eyes. Joey thought it might have been fear. Or, dare he think it, shame? He held his breath. They stared at each other for a long, long time. Joey soon felt his lungs stinging from lack of oxygen and was forced to draw another breath before he collapsed onto the sidewalk.
"Wheeler?" Kaiba could hardly believe his eyes. There in front of him was the most beautiful golden man he had ever seen. His blonde hair was longer, brought back in a ponytail that hung down to the middle of his back. His clothes looked expensive and fashionable, loose, black material hanging from his lean frame and a pair of dark sunglasses resting on top of his head. His black studded belt reflected the light from the street lamp, throwing sparkling fragments all around. His black boots came halfway up to his knees. God, he was beautiful. Just as he remembered him.
"Kaiba, it's me," Joey said. The brunette remained still, staring at the other with that strange look on his face. Joey realized that he would have to make the first move. He took a few steps forward and was surprised when the brunette fell to his knees and slumped over in a heap.
"Kaiba!" Joey exclaimed, rushing to his side. "You okay?" He grabbed the former CEO by the shoulders and attempted to lift him from the ground. But the brunette shoved him away.
"Get away from me!" Kaiba snarled. "Get the fuck away from me! Don't look at me!" There was a sharp intake of breath and Joey would have thought it was a sob if he did not know Kaiba so well. But then, the Kaiba he knew would never let something like this happen to him.
"Kaiba, relax!" Joey said, laying a gentle hand on one of his trembling shoulders. "It's okay. I ain't gonna--"
"Get away!" At this, Kaiba leapt to his feet, knocking Joey to the sidewalk. The brunette faltered a bit, almost falling himself, until he recollected his balance and began running. Joey watched him go, sprinting at top speed into the darkness of the shadows. The blonde stared, millions of thoughts flying through his disheveled mind.