Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Origami Music ❯ Part 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Title: Origami Music

Chapter: 10/10

Author: Madyamisam

Rating: PG-13

Pairing(s): Joey/Seto

Spoilers: None

Disclaimer: Madyamisam doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Nor the lyrics `My Immortal' and 'Someday'

Summary: Two families, two children, two siblings, two friends… funny how an accident could make everything change…

---

Since the talk, things with Joey have progressed so quickly. The final exams are nearly over and we are to graduate this year. Everyone is talking about what they plan to do with their lives afterwards. Gardner is off to New York for her dance recital. Apparently she's got an audition and things are really looking up for her. Yugi has already been offered a placement in Domino University whilst Tristan is going to be offered an on-the-job training to be a mechanic. Mokuba is doing well in his studies, I of course, continue to work in my company and as for Joey…~ Seto paused his typing as he realised that he didn't know what Joey was planning to do after he graduated. He looked over towards the blond who was at the moment fast asleep on his bed. After the talk with Dr Gibson, Seto had come to understand the blond even more as the weeks went by and now it was second nature that the two should know what each other were thinking. Joey's hair, which had grown past his shoulders lay sprawled against the silk pillows, the rest of the bed was littered with paper cranes. Turning back to read his entry, Seto wondered if he should ask the younger boy about his future or to be more precise if `he' would be a part of that future. Once again, Joey's hair had strayed across his face and Seto brushed it from his eyes pulling away when the blond stirred and opened his rich and soulful amber eyes. The younger man sat up rubbing his bleary eyes of sleep and smiled at the CEO and instantly, Seto's heart melted.

Joey had opened up a lot more since he left the institute nearly a year ago and Seto admitted that the younger boy looked happier than before. He knew now from hindsight that Joey back then had never been truly cheerful, even before Serenity's death, the smiles and laughs merely covered it the same way Seto would appear cold and resolute. There had still been the stinging words of his own jealousy that Seto could never forget despite how much he wanted to. Everyone had just fallen off an emotional cliff; each of them hanging onto a ledge of their own and Joey was there, helping them climb up despite the fact that he himself had fallen down the furthest. The young CEO sat beside Joey as he gathered the cranes on his bed and placing them in a huge black bin bag.

“Are you ready?” Seto asked. Joey answered with nod hugging the cranes in his arms as they got up carrying the huge bags towards the limousine. Mokuba, Yugi, Téa and Tristan stood outside waiting all of them getting into the limousine. The drive had been short but as soon as Seto got out, he breathed the fresh sea air and staring out towards a beautiful sunset. The sky was painted in a mix of pink and orange whilst the calm waters reflected the brightness of the setting sun. He watched as the group of friends laughed and played in the sand whilst they set the fire going. Slowly, everything decided to settle down and everyone had fallen silent listening to the sigh of the ocean and the crackling of the wood in the fire before making their way towards the cliff above the beach. Tristan held a picture of Serenity, a white ribbon decorating the ebony frame, and stood the picture upon a rock overlooking the sea. A metal biscuit tin was placed before the picture and Jou fished out a handful of paper cranes from one of the black bin bags laying them inside the empty tin. A match was lit and the white wings of the cranes started to curl into black whilst the smoke filled the air. Seto glanced at the blond by his side staring transfixed at the fire. Soulful eyes seemed unfocused, as if he had entered into a dream and the brunet wondered if burning the cranes that Joey had worked on for so long was wise. Joey however, seemed insistent on it.

---

“She told me that if you watched a flock of a thousand white cranes take flight, they would take your troubles and sadness away with them. I never knew what was troubling her at the time. I guess I'll never know,” he had said finishing the last crane and sighed in satisfaction stroking the wings. “This will be my gift to her, just to say that she doesn't have to worry or be sad anymore.”

Slowly everyone began to dig into the black bags and fed the paper cranes to the steadily burning flame. For a while there was silence as they stared out at the sea and a beautiful sunset that contrasted with the shadowy silhouette of the watchtower. Seto knelt beside Joey as they watched the flames eat away at the paper.

“Joey, are you sure about this?” Téa asked staring at the delicate pieces of paper in her hand. A flicker of emotion flashed in the blond's amber eyes but he nodded with a smile as Téa added the cranes to the small fire. Ashes fluttered away from the small bonfire and danced with the cooling air of the sea chasing each other before they were carried out towards the setting sun. The flock of beautiful white and elegant cranes had turned black and took flight, never to return. The sun had disappeared in the horizon and the only light that remained was the lighthouse on the beach and a small lamp set aside next to the burnt ashes of Joey's paper cranes.

“Joe? Are you alright,” Tristan asked.

“It's getting late, I think we should go home,” the blond replied as he walked away the fire towards the limo. The others stood silent as a nightly breeze reminded them of the onset of a cold night ahead.

“It is getting late I guess,” Téa said. “Take care of him, will you Kaiba?” Seto nodded as the group emptied the ashes and headed home.

---

The journey seemed quiet and uneventful. Mokuba was fast asleep, Seto's coat wrapped warmly around him whilst the two elder boys stared out their windows watching the neon lights of the city flashing on and off as they waited patiently to get back to the mansion. The sound of horns barking from impatient drivers and the everyday crowds of people milling about the trying to get to where they wanted to go made the trip to the Joey's beach seem all that much more surreal that Kaiba had realised. The pungent aroma of the fire, the way the flames danced and the black and grey ashes flying away gave a sense of a huge weight lifting from everyone's shoulders when they left.

“It's been a year now since that day, hasn't it?” The suddenness of the statement took Kaiba by surprise and brought him out of his thoughts. He looked over towards the blond and noticed the deep sadness in the other's auburn eyes whilst a glistening trail of tears ran down his cheeks. Joey swiped away the offending tears away. `Don't cry' Seto could almost hear the haunting lyrics that must be going on in Joey's mind. It was a punishing thought and Seto knew he had to change things.

“It's ok to cry Joey,” Seto whispered wrapping his arms around the blond's waist, stroking the long blond tresses. Hearing the words from the brunet's was all Joey needed as he let the tears fall. He buried his face into the brunet's chest and cried his heart out. It a while before the sobbing had subsided and another had hour had passed before Seto realised that the blond had fallen asleep in his arms. He smiled sadly as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a clean handkerchief to wipe away the wet streak on Joey's cheeks. They had just arrived at the mansion and Seto carried the younger of his sleeping companions to his room and put him to bed. When he went back to Joey, the blond was already awake, out of the car staring at the stars. "Are you alright?"

"I thi- no…. I know I will be." Joey answered. They stood together in comfortable silence at the clear night sky.

"You know I was wondering about something" Seto began, finally mustering the courage to ask the question that would satisfy his curiosity. "You never told us what your plans were after graduation."

"Really?" it had out more of a statement rather than a question and the blond made no further explanation of his own future. It seemed Joey had no preparations for after graduation but had not wanted to worry his friends and thus kept quiet. With a flutter of hope in his heart, Seto stepped forward with his own little proposal.

"If you haven't really decided there is a job for a beta tester at the company and we do have plenty of living space… here" Seto trailed off, attempting to ward off the slight blush coming to his cheeks. "What I'm saying is that… I would be the happiest man if we stay together. I-" Before he could finish the final words, he felt Joey's arm wrap around him, his head against the brunet's shoulder. Seto was caught off guard by the sudden embrace but slipped his arms easily around the other's waist.

"Thank you," Joey whispered into his neck. Seto felt himself relax and revel in the warmth of the other boy's body against his. He buried his face into the other's golden hair. For that moment, Seto felt his life seemed perfect.

---

It was going to be a glorious day for the graduates of Domino High school and Seto, being the student with the highest marks in the entire school, naturally was called up to make his honour student speech. He looked at the crowd gathered around and seeking out the one person that really mattered to him among them. Joey was watching from the back of the large assembly a hall, a small smile on his face. His hair was cut short, very reminiscent to what it was before the incident a year ago. The speech came and went and Seto wasn't sure what he had said except that the graduates and teachers clapped and cheered when he had finished and he found himself shaking hands with the principal. Quickly, after a few quick words of praise from the older man, Seto refocused to the back of the room only to notice the empty space where Joey had been. Thinking that perhaps the younger male had stepped out to the bathroom but after meeting up with Yugi and the others confused faces, Seto suddenly felt quite unsettled. He returned home quickly looking along the streets in the hope that perhaps the blond had decided he wanted to walk home but he did not see a sign of him and it was only when he returned home to the mansion and noticed the small paper on top of the blond's stereo, Track 12.

He put the song on and listened to the soft rising and cascading scales of a piano. The first line of the lyrics to the piece struck him hard and he fell to his knees uttering a sob.

I'm so tired of being here.

Seto didn't want to listen anymore but he carried on hearing the piece.

These wounds won't seem to heal; this pain is just too real.
There's just too much that time cannot erase

It was at that point that the brunet switched off the stereo and allowed the words to sink in. A guttural roar suddenly emitted from inside him as he lashed out, grabbing the stereo tearing it away its stand and launched it across the room.

"Seto?" a small voice whispered to him at the doorway. The young billionaire looked up into the worried grey eyes of his younger sibling. "You loved him didn't you?"

"So what if I did? It made no difference," Mokuba swallowed and knelt beside his brother hoping that he could comfort the brunet.

"Shouldn't we look for him?"

"To do what? Drag him back and tie him down with a leash?" Seto muttered bitterly as a tear rolled down his face. "It was no wonder why he kept quiet about what he was planning afterwards; he just didn't want me to know where he was when he left. He doesn't want anything to do with me."

"I don't know about that big brother." Mokuba replied revealing a brown package. "This came in the post." Seto looked to find it was addressed to him. Tearing it open he noticed another piece of paper dropped along with the blond's signature paper cranes. He stared in confusion at the new CD. It was a different band this time and more importantly, it only had one song on it. He righted the stereo partially relieved that it was not broken and replaced the CD. The song was a stark contrast to the heavy gothic tones of what Joey usually listened to. The gravelly voice of the male singer and the melodic playing of the lead guitar brought a sense of hope to the brunet. It was when the song reached the chorus that the message struck Seto.

Someday, somehow gonna make it all right but not right now.

I know you're wondering when.

He reached for the single piece of paper and felt his breath hitched. He quickly wiped away any tears as he read the message.

Can you wait for me?