Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Origami Music ❯ Part 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Title: Origami Music

Chapter(s): 3/?

Author: Madyamisam

Rating: PG-13

Pairing(s): Joey/Mokuba (brotherly only) Joey/Seto

Beta: Lola

Spoilers: None

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or Imaginary by Evanescence.

Summary: Two families, two children, two siblings, two friends… funny

how an accident could make everything change…

Extra Note: There will be a time lapse between chapters because as

you should all know the healing process takes time.

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[It's been two months since Mokuba agreed to the programme to help Wheeler to recover. I, myself only accompanied him once or twice just out of worry but I found that I usually just stood there either feeling bored or working on the company's budget. For what it's worth his grades in school had returned to his original standards. I could say I was proud that he had taken on what I had said to him that day but I could still see the guilt in his eyes whenever he thought he was alone… I knew there would be scars no matter what he did but…]

Kaiba sighed as he stared at the flashing cursor; he pursed his lips hesitantly before backspacing the last sentence to begin afresh.

[…alone. I wonder what goes through his mind a lot especially when I come home from work to find that he's not in the mansion but at the institute tending over `him'. Sometimes he comes home later than I do, exhausted from the programme, usually feeling frustrated or irritable. I ask him what's wrong but he tells me he's too tired to talk about it and would go straight to bed. Of course, he'd come in smiling once or twice. Last month he told me he had talked to him for the first time that day... He had helped him on his math homework… I wanted to laugh at the idea that the mutt had that kind of capacity with arithmetic equations… but then… Mokuba hardly talked to me about what he did at school anymore… let alone show me his homework… ]

Kaiba swallowed as he read over his entry of the journal before typing a little more. [Sometimes… I think... I feel that he…] Kaiba struggled, brushing his brown tresses stressfully unwilling to type out the thoughts that troubled him to something that may never be read by another anyway. He growled and glared at the screen to just type it for him before he saved it unfinished and switched it off just as his little brother came into the room, his backpack from school was still on his shoulders. Mokuba smiled at him, a rarity nowadays but nonetheless welcome in Kaiba's eyes.

"Hey…" Mokuba whispered.

"Hey…" Kaiba replied. That was about the only thing they said to each other nowadays too. Today however, it seemed Mokuba wanted to say something more but was reluctant to talk to his brother about it. Kaiba immediately seized the opportunity for a conversation rather than a quick hello/goodbye. "How's Wheeler?" he asked just before Mokuba turned around to go to his room. Mokuba turned back to him in surprise. It was unusual that Kaiba would be asking him about the blonde duellist but Mokuba was grateful that his brother cared, even if it was just a little about Joey's well being.

"He's doing great. Dr Gibson said if he keeps progressing like he is now. He maybe able to be admitted out of the institute and get to go home in the next two weeks" he replied with a smile, which was followed by an awkward silence. "Seto?" he finally said.

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering… neither of Joey's parents has come to see him since two months ago when Mrs Wheeler you know… and Tristan… well he… he still feels kind of uncomfortable with me around the gang… even though the doctor said… I just…" Mokuba fidgeted muttering the last of it.

"Spit it out Mokuba" Kaiba said almost seething. Mokuba swallowed, took a deep breath.

"If anything happens… and if in case Joey doesn't have anywhere else to go… can, can he come stay here?"

Kaiba blinked hesitantly much to Mokuba's unease about the situation. He knew how much he didn't particularly like the blonde in their affairs let alone come to their house. It was a big request and Mokuba knew it but his unease was easily overridden by the need of redemption and the responsibility he felt he held over the blonde. He stared silently pleading for his brother despite knowing that Kaiba would do anything for him. Though he seemed as indifferent as he had always been, Kaiba trembled inside and nodded, his only reward was the overjoyed smile and the tight hug from his brother. Kaiba wrapped his arms around the boy and dreading the day that Joey Wheeler will be well enough to leave the institute.

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"Minus…" Mokuba looked up realising the blonde was staring at his finished math homework scattered on the cell floor.

"What?"

"You forgot… the minus…" Joey said pointing at one equation. Mokuba plucked at the sheet before looking over the question briefly.

"Oh yeah…" Mokuba chuckled before getting out a pen and correcting his mistake. "Since you pointed it out to me best check the rest too" Mokuba replied as he looked on the next few equations and evidently leaving Joey to his own devices. The blonde seemed to go back into his little world briefly before silently taking a sheet of plain paper that Mokuba had in his backpack.

Gibson stared at the interaction and noted with a smile that Joey was progressing again. He watched as the blonde began folding the paper, tearing then folding and reshaping the white sheet into a fluttering paper crane where the wings took flight when the tail was pulled.

"I think I've got everything right on that-"Mokuba stopped mid-sentence as he watched the blonde pulling the bird's tale and making it fly. "Oh Joey… wow, that's so cool" The blonde placed the finished origami and began working on another creation with a fresh sheet of paper. This time he had a larger audience as both Gibson and Mokuba watched him shape the paper into another bird. Mokuba excitedly took a sheet of his own and resided to copying the blonde but frowned in frustration when he his paper crane started turning into a crumpled mess. He growled to himself and prepared to screw the paper into a ball before a hand stopped him. Joey stared intently at the unfinished origami and gently folded the piece slowly in front of Mokuba's eyes and although it looked a little crumpled, the crane flapped weakly as Mokuba tugged gently on its tail. Joey resumed to making more cranes and eventually the session ended with the paper birds littered across the floor. There was a creek of the door.

"You've got more visitors Joey" Gibson stated as his friends entered. Yugi smiled to Mokuba before kneeling down next to the blonde whilst Tristan seemed to look indifferent to the boy's existence or not. "Well I'm glad to say that from tomorrow Joey will be able to go home"

"Really doc?" Tristan exclaimed with vigour. Dr Gibson nodded.

"Oh thank God…" Yugi whispered hugging Joey who was as still playing with his paper crane. "You're ok now Joey. We can go hang out at the arcade like we use to" Téa was too busy crying to talk about it.

"There is a slight condition…" the psychiatrist added. The three friends looked. "At the moment Joey is well enough to get out of the institute but to maintain his progress and hopefully helping him to move on; I strongly advise that Mokuba spend as much time with him as possible. He has after all contributed a lot to the rehabilitation." Mokuba stared up at the teenagers as if asking for absolution. Yugi and Téa smiled and nodded.

"Of course… what's past is past" Yugi said. "Besides, right now Joey seems to get better every day ever since you started looking after him Mokuba… That's all we all would want right?" Mokuba smiled from the acceptance from the older teen but noted the tense and clenched fists from the brunette next to him. Mokuba cringed slightly from the almost threatening gaze by Tristan and despite acceptance from Yugi and Téa the painful reminder of Serenity's death still lingered like a bitter after taste in his mouth.

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"YOU CLUMSLY LITTLE BASTARD! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" there was a loud painful thud as Joey felt the fists of his drunken father pound into his body as he tried to gather the few scattered possessions that hadn't been thrown out by the man. Mokuba gasped hearing the commotion even from the safe confines of his limo. He dashed up the stairs ignoring the stink of vomit and alcohol into the apartment. Shards of glass nearly gouged into his eyes as the bottle flew at the door. He saw the blonde's bleeding brow and ignoring the painful shards of glass imbedded in his own arms he flew his arm around the blonde.

"STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!" He screamed up at the man whilst he shielded the teen with his body. There was a loud roar and Mokuba braced himself from getting hit when he was shoved to one side. There was a painful grunt as the man fell back and landed on his backside. Joey's father whimpered before curling into a ball from the pain. Mokuba blinked unsure of what had happened before Joey knelt by his side and gently took his scathed hand and examined the bits of glass that had imbedded inside. "H-hey… are you all right?" Mokuba whispered as Joey drew himself up and stumbled to a cupboard. He searched through the first aid kit and carefully plucked the shards of glass in the boy's arms before nursing them gently with a bandage.

Mokuba trembled as he tried to inspect the disfiguring gash just above the blonde's right brow. A thin trickle of blood had crawled down his face like a teardrop.

"Go home…" Joey whispered taking the boy by the hand and leading him downstairs outside the apartment. Overcoming his shock Mokuba pulled him by the arm before he went back inside.

"Come with me…" Mokuba said tugging at his arm. He bent down to gather Joey's possessions. "Look this is all your stuff right? Don't worry about clothes Big brothers got plenty… just… please don't stay here anymore Joey…" Mokuba sobbed quietly tugging at his arm. Joey glanced over the man passed out on the floor. His father had gone into a drunken rage as usual and Joey had accidentally tripped over spilling an expensive opened bottle of whisky on the floor. "Please…" Joey looked down at the eleven-year-old and wiped the single tears from the boy's eyes before they fell and reluctantly followed him into the limo. The driver looked a little stunned from the injuries both of them sustained and immediately went about to having the wounds bandaged up. "Drive us home" Mokuba ordered and the limo driver complied. Joey stared out the stained window and at the apartment that he used to call home. There was silence between the two like the many days that they shared during Joey's time in the institute. Mokuba glanced over at the blonde and the plaster over his brow smiled briefly.

"Master Kaiba it'll take a while to get to the mansion. There's large traffic congestion up ahead"

"That's ok" Mokuba replied delving into his bag and ripping out some paper. "Hey Joey, why don't we make some more paper cranes? I'm getting quite good at it…" Joey looked down at the paper handed to him blinked a few times before turning back out towards the window. Mokuba stared glumly and the folded up sheets of paper lay forgotten on the leather seat interior.

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Seto looked up from his computer as he heard his brother come in early from his trip to visit Joey's apartment. He had insisted in coming with Mokuba but the raven headed boy insisted that he stay because of Kaiba Corp's latest software problem. Seto cursed the company he ran as he forced himself to concentrate on the meaningless task. He had been in such a bad mood that day he had fired some of the workers, some of whom had been long term employees in his company since his foster father's days. He was surprised that his brother had in fact came home so soon but was shocked to see that he had company both nursing some pretty ghastly injuries. He glared at the blonde as Mokuba told Joey to make himself at home before Mokuba looked at his brother.

"Mokuba, what happened?" he stroking gently at the bandaged forearms.

"Oh… erm… we hit a bit of a snag with Mr Wheeler at the apartment. So I thought it was best if Joey stayed here… You said you'd allowed it" Seto frowned but nodded reluctantly before casting a scathing glance at the blonde who was staring at the marble borders of their mansion. "Great!" Mokuba said as he grabbed Joey's hand and led him upstairs. "Don't worry I'll handle it, I promise we won't be a bother Seto… Come on Joey I'll show you your room" Seto sighed staring at the two noting the large smile on his brother's face, a smile that he hadn't seen for a long time. He shivered slightly and wrapped his arms around himself as he stood alone on the mansion hallway.

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"Erm… it's the smallest room in the mansion but it also connects to mine. So if you needed anything you could just knock" Mokuba said as he removed the white dusty sheets from the bed and opened the window to let out the musty smell of the room.

Despite it being the smallest room it was certainly still a big one in Joey's standards where the entire one bedroom flat was only half its size. There was huge double poster bed, a chest of draws, a wardrobe and table with a desk lamp and chair. The walls were a simple white but it was bathed in orange from the setting sun outside through two large windows and a small sitting area jutting out like a balcony against the window. Joey sat down on the bed, which groaned from the lack of use. He opened the wardrobe to find that rather than clothes in its place was a large TV and a CD player underneath it.

"Why don't you make yourself comfortable downstairs while I get the maids to sort out the dust in here?" Mokuba asked but Joey ignored him and started sorting through the small collection of CD's he managed to grab before leaving his apartment and placing one of them into the CD player. "Or not… you can stay here for a bit and get used to it if you like…" Mokuba said awkwardly. He stared at the blonde and sat down on his heels realising that despite everything he had never saw the blonde smile once. Then again he never cried once not

even when he watched his sister die. The guilt shot through his heart like an arrow and he made a move to go get the anti-depression pills that the psychiatrist had prescribed him. Joey sat staring at the CD player before pressing the skip button a few times to find the song that he wanted.

~I linger in the doorway

Of alarm clock-screaming monsters calling my name

Let me stay

Where the wind will whisper to me

Where the raindrops, as they're falling, tell a story~

~In my field of paper flowers

And candy clouds of lullaby

I lie inside myself for hours

And watch my purple sky fly over me~

Joey leaned against the window pane listening to the song. He didn't notice the cobalt eyes staring at him in the doorway or how the way they seemed to look at him with surprise. The orange light illuminating face half in shadow, half in light made him seem almost ethereal. Seto hadn't seen Joey for a while and seemed a little

awestruck from the physical changes over the blonde. Now that he had proper look at the blonde he found he was a lot leaner than he used to be, almost to the point of sickly considering that Kaiba thought him as a little scrawny before the accident anyway. However, it made his cheeks more prominent and seemed to make him more sleek and graceful rather than cumbersome and clumsy. His hair was evidently longer and less wild, the long fringe that he used to have was grown out to the sides and exposing his forehead and further more his eyes. Soft ochre orbs graced with a long heavy lashes framing them. It was a few moments more before Seto realised that Joey was staring at him from his seated place.

~Don't say I'm out of touch

With this rampant chaos, your reality

I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge

The nightmare I built my own world to escape~

~In my field of paper flowers

And candy clouds of lullaby

I lie inside myself for hours

And watch my purple sky fly over me~

The long tresses ran past his neck and was draped over his shoulder whilst the exposed eyes looked wider than Seto had ever seen them before. He wondered why Joey didn't grow out his fringe in the past. He clenched a few fists at the puppy dog staring at him and gritted his teeth as the song in the room sang on from the CD.

~Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming

Cannot cease for the fear of silent nights

Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming

The Goddess of imaginary light~

~In my field of paper flowers

And candy clouds of lullaby

I lie inside myself for hours

And watch my purple sky fly over me~

Seto turned away from the blonde, his trench coat flaring out beneath him like it always did as he stormed away from the room that he now hated and loathed.

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Sam: Ah… the tension is mounting… I think that'll do for this chapter… Thank you all so much for the reviews… I just love your support on everything. (bows) thank you…