Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Stronger Than Before ❯ chapter15 ( Chapter 15 )

Stronger Than Before

by Dragondreamer and Yami Dragon

Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! If we did, we'd be rich. But we don't, so we're not.

Warning: This story contains shouenen-ai (guy/guy relationships) and yaoi (guys having sex with guys). It also contains coarse language and violence. If you don't like it, or become offended by such things, leave now! Don't bother flaming us, because we'll just laugh at you.

Note: /…/ Tristan's thoughts

[…] Joey's thoughts

{…} Seto's thoughts

[[…]]Yami's thoughts and mind link to Yugi

//…// Yugi's thoughts and mind link to Yami

`yak yak' (Artificial Intelligence) Sadie's voice

~*~*~*~*~

YD: This happened a lot faster than we thought.

DD: Well, we had half of it written months ago.

Seto: You do realize you two are going to be lynched by your readers.

YD: *shrugs* Meh…what else is new?

~*~*~*~*~

Tristan bolted for the door while everyone was still staring in shock at Bakura. He grabbed the first set of keys he saw. The keys to his motorcycle.

"Tristan! Wait!" Seto grabbed him by the arm. "I'll go with you."

"We're all going." Bakura yanked open the door and dragged Ryou outside, Yami and Yugi following.

By the time Tristan got his bike out of the garage, Yami and Yugi were already pulling out of the driveway in Seto's Explorer and Ryou and Bakura had their helmets on. Tristan fired up the bike, not bothering with a helmet.

"Just get us there alive, buddy." Seto said, climbed on behind him.

Tristan didn't reply as he tore out of the driveway, leaving Bakura to follow him.

Seto was mildly surprised when they made it to Master Kiotou's in record time with all of their limbs intact.

Yami and Yugi were just exiting their car when the two motorcycles pulled up. Tristan dropped the kickstand and jumped from the bike, leaving Seto to turn it off.

He was the first to the door. He was just raising his fist to knock when the door was flung open by Mrs. Kiotou, who grabbed Tristan and bodily dragged him inside and through the shop, jabbering at him in her native tongue.

"Mrs. Kiotou, I can't understand you." Tristan interrupted.

"She said Joey's hurt and he's asking for you." Seto came up behind him. He was the only one amongst them who spoke Korean.

Mrs. Kiotou stopped the group outside a closed door, turning to address Seto directly. "You stay by the angel's side. He's going to need you. Joseph…well, it's not a pretty sight."

"The angel?" Seto raised an eyebrow.

"Joseph's angel." She reached out and took Tristan's hand, placing it in Seto's. "My husband says you are the angel's anchor…"

She was cut off by a piercing cry from the other side of the door. It sounded like Joey.

Seto tightened his grip on Tristan's hand as his friend went pale. "I'm here, Tris."

With one last searching look at Tristan, Mrs. Kiotou opened the door and led them inside.

They found themselves in a large, sparsely furnished bedroom. Lying on the bed was Joey. He was pale and sweating, writhing and crying out incoherently.

"Joey…oh gods…" Tristan swayed, his vision darkening.

Seto pulled Tristan against him, holding him up, hearing Yugi burst into tears.

"Oh, sweet Ra." Bakura whispered, slipping his arm around Ryou, who could only stare at the blond, speechless.

"Tristan." Master Kiotou rose from his place by Joey's side. "Come. Sit next to him. Talk to him."

Seto led Tristan over to the bed, kneeling on the floor as Tristan sat down.

"Joey?" Tristan reached out to touch him. "Baby, can you hear me?"

The second Tristan touched him, Joey thrashed wildly, as if he was trying to fight someone off. His eyes were wide and blank, and a pitiful whimpering sound escaped him.

Tristan instinctively grabbed Joey's arms in a tight grip. Joey screamed, trying to jerk his left arm from Tristan's grasp.

Seto rose, pinning Joey's shoulders down, noticing Yami and Bakura holding down his legs.

"What's wrong with him?" Yugi sobbed, clinging to Ryou.

Master Kiotou was about to reply when he heard a strangled sound come from Tristan and Joey fell limp, unconscious.

Tristan released Joey's arm and held up his hand. It was covered in a blood tinged, yellowish fluid. His eyes locked with the herbalist's for a brief moment before he looked down to see Joey's shirt sleeve stuck to his arm with the substance.

"Sensei…"

Master Kiotou turned to his wife, speaking rapidly in Korean. She ran from the room, calling Yugi and Ryou to help her.

"Bakura…a knife, please." The elder held out his hand.

Bakura let go of Joey's leg and bent down, pulling up his pant leg and unsheathing a knife from his leg.

The old man took it from him without a word and immediately applied the razor sharp edge to Joey's shirt, cutting the sleeve from shoulder to cuff. A collective gasp was heard and Tristan began to cry silently, leaning against Seto.

Joey's arm was swollen, angry red streaks running up and down from weeping, infected track marks.

Tristan reached out and laid a hand on Joey's sweat beaded brow, feeling the heat of a high fever. "Joey…please wake up. Tell me what happened…please."

Mrs. Kiotou returned with Yugi and Ryou, bearing a large bowl of steaming water, cloths and bags of herbs.

"Tristan," The old man took a bag from Ryou, sprinkling some of the contents in the water. "I'm going to need you and the others to hold him down. And I need someone to make sure his arm is held still. Are you strong enough?"

Tristan nodded, knowing the man wasn't referring to physical strength. "Yes, sensei."

"Very well." The herbalist soaked a cloth in the water, wringing it out. "Prepare yourselves then."

Tristan pinned Joey's wrist to the bed with one knee and used his hands to hold down his upper arm and shoulder, leaning all his weight against the unconscious man. He nodded at Seto who did the same, noticing that each pair of light and dark were weighing down a leg.

Master Kiotou leaned over Seto and placed a steaming cloth on Joey's arm. The blond did little more than moan softly.

The old man frowned. "Something is very wrong. That should have caused him enough pain to wake him."

"The drugs."

Everyone turned to look at Bakura.

"It still should have woken him."

"Not if he's overdosing." Bakura stated flatly.

"No…" Tristan whispered, his eyes going to Joey's pale face.

"I cannot treat him," The old man's voice broke. "Unless I know what it is he has taken…and how much."

"Heroin." Yugi said, shrugging when the others looked at him. "It's a feeling."

"I agree." Master Kiotou nodded, tears sparkling in the wise, ancient eyes. "I have Seen it."

They loosened their grip on Joey. It was obvious the blond wasn't going anywhere.

Tristan looked at the old herbalist, his eyes filled with pain and fear. "He can't die…please, sensei…you have to save him."

"I will try my best, Tristan." Master Kiotou replaced the cloth on Joey's arm with a fresh one.

This time, glazed amber eyes fluttered open as Joey moaned. He focused on Tristan, biting his lip as his eyes filled with tears. "Not again. Please…why can't it be real? Tristan…I want to go home."

"Joey, it's me. I'm right here." Tristan reached out to him. "It's okay."

"No! Please, Keith! Don't!" Joey struggled against the renewed grip of his friends. "I can't help it! It's the drugs that make me see him! I swear!"

"Joey! Joey, look at me!" Seto demanded. "You're safe. We're all here."

Joey stopped struggling and looked up at Seto. "I want you to find me, Seto. But he won't let me go outside. Please, Seto…I need you to find me and take me home to Tristan."

"Tristan's right here." Seto nodded to his friend, who was staring at the blond incredulously.

"That's not Tristan." Joey whispered sadly. "It's Keith. He only looks like Tristan because I'm high."

Ryou sobbed out loud, catching Joey's attention.

"Ryou…I haven't seen you since I left…not even like this. I really miss you." He noticed Bakura, Yami and Yugi. "Gods…I wish this was real. I miss you all so much. Keith is going to be so mad when he finds out I'm talking to you. I hope he doesn't hit me too hard this time. I'll heal though…don't worry."

"Keith who?" Seto asked.

"You remember Bandit Keith. I fought him in Duelist Kingdom."

"You've been with him all this time?" Tristan asked. "Tell me where I can find him, Joey."

Joey looked at Tristan quizzically for a moment and opened his mouth to speak, when suddenly he went into convulsions, his eyes rolling back in his head.

They pinned him to the bed again, struggling against his almost inhuman strength.

"Master Kiotou," Yami addressed the herbalist, who had stood back, allowing the others to do the talking. "Can't you do anything for him?"

"Not until I know exactly what drug we are dealing with. The infection I can treat now, but I believe you need to find this Keith person who has given him the drugs."

"Tristan," Joey whimpered. "Please…hurts…c-can't breathe…Tris."

"I'm here, babe." Tristan fought to remain calm. "Tell me where I can find Keith."

"Graveyard." Joey continued to tremble violently. "The Graveyard. Tris…please come get me. I…I need you to come get me."

"The Graveyard?" Yami raised an eyebrow. "He's still hallucinating."

"No…wait!" Bakura tightened his grip as Joey began to thrash. "It's a bar. I saw it when I was looking for him. It's down on Waterside Road."

Any reply was drowned out as Joey screamed, twisting in their grasps.

"Hold him." Master Kiotou ran from the room.

He returned almost immediately with a bottle of small white pills in his gnarled hand. He put one in Joey's mouth, where it dissolved instantly. Joey stopped convulsing and went limp under their hands with a sigh.

"It is a very strong sedative." Master Kiotou said in reply to Tristan's questioning look. "It should keep him unconscious for an hour or more."

Tristan brushed Joey's long hair back from his face and leaned over to kiss him gently. "I love you, Joey."

"Where are you going?" Seto asked as Tristan rose and turned from the bed.

"After Keith." Tristan strode from the room without looking back.

Seto paused, torn between going after Tristan and staying with Joey.

"Go," Yugi nodded at him. "We'll take care of Joey."

Seto jumped from his place and quickly exited the room, Bakura following him after a silent communication with Ryou. He made it outside in time to see Tristan pulling away. Seto was calling out to him, telling him to stop.

"Come on!" Bakura yelled, jumping on his bike.

Seto got on behind him and they took off, trying to keep up with Tristan. After a few minutes, they lost him but they realized he was heading in the direction of his house, not downtown where the bar was.

{What the hell is he doing? I thought for sure he'd go right after Keith.}

When they arrived at Tristan's, they saw his bike sitting empty, still running, in the driveway. Before they could get off Bakura's bike, Tristan exited the house, heading back to his motorcycle.

"Tris! Wait!" Seto jumped from the bike and approached his friend. "What are you doing?"

"I told you. I'm going after Keith." Tristan's eyes were cold, almost black with his anger. "Get out of my way, Seto."

Seto was forced to jump back as Tristan revved the engine, leaving a streak of rubber on the driveway as he pulled out.

"Seto, get on the fucking bike!" Bakura shouted, noticing a tell tale bulge in the back of the leather jacket Tristan had donned. "We have to go after him. He's packing."

Seto shook his head. "Now's not the time for crass jokes, Bakura."

"I mean he's got a gun, you idiot!"

"Oh, shit."

"Exactly."

Bakura popped the clutch, tearing out of the driveway after Tristan, knowing there was no way he'd be able to catch the brunet. The bike he was driving was too powerful compared to his own.

They got lost once when Bakura turned onto the wrong street. Tristan had a good few minutes on them, and Seto could only hope that his friend didn't get himself killed before they showed up…or that he didn't kill someone else.

~*~*~*~*~

Tristan stepped into the dingy bar, his eyes narrowed against the dim light. He quickly scanned the crowd looking for Keith.

"What can I get you?"

Tristan turned toward the bar, his heart jumping into his throat. The man addressing him was the same one he had seen Joey with in the park. He quickly masked his emotions, regarding the man with supposed disinterest.

"Just looking for someone." He leaned against the bar, noticing for the first time that every guy there was at least twice his size.

"Well, I own the place. Name's Marty. If he comes here, I'd know him." Marty smiled at Tristan in a friendly manner, making Tristan want to punch him in the mouth.

"His name is Keith Howard."

"The Bandit?" Marty's smile widened. "You a friend of his?"

"Sort of. We knew each other years ago."

"He's over there." The bar owner pointed toward the back of the bar. "Don't know what kind of mood he's gonna be in for chewing over old times though."

"Why's that?" Tristan pretended to be curious.

"His boyfriend left him. Gave him one hell of a parting shot too."

Tristan raised an eyebrow, looking in the direction that the other man had pointed. Now that he knew where to look, he was easily able to pick out Keith. The man hadn't changed since he had seen him last…except for the fresh cut over his eye.

/At least Joey got a piece of him…instead of the other way around./

Tristan sized up the man he was bent on killing. There was just one problem. He was sitting with a group of men who all looked like they wouldn't have a problem taking him down.

/Shit. Maybe this is a mistake. Maybe I should have waited for Seto./

With that thought, he could somehow feel Seto approaching. He shook his head. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. All he knew was that the other was close. Very close.

The door to the bar opened and Tristan saw two very familiar figures enter.

He pushed away from the bar and approached Keith, knowing Seto and Bakura were right behind him. He managed to get within five feet before he was noticed.

"Tristan!" Keith smiled at him. "What are you doing in this neck of the woods?"

"Looking for you." Tristan said coldly, seeing Seto step up next to him out of the corner of his eye.

Keith's eyes widened when he saw Seto and Bakura. He exchanged glances with a couple of his companions before turning his attention back to Tristan.

"If you're still looking for Joey, I don't know where he is." Keith stood up, his friends rising with him. "I already told Kaiba's people that."

"Don't waste my time, Keith. Joey came back. I know what you did to him."

"Oh, really?" Keith smirked, pointing to several men in the bar. "Well, do you know what the little whore did to him? Or him? What about that guy?"

Tristan growled, shaking off the warning hand Seto placed on his arm. "What did you pump him full of, Keith? Tell me now, and I'll let you live."

"You'd kill me over that worthless little piece of ass?" Keith asked. "Of course you would. Gotta have someone to fuck when Kaiba's too busy for you."

Tristan felt a snap of anger from Seto and shook his head. "Leave him, pal. He's not worth it. You wouldn't want to dirty your hands on him."

"Fuck you, Taylor!" Keith snarled. "You two ain't so good, you know. If it wasn't for Becket calling me off, you'd be dead right now! Lucky for you. But hey, Plan B was even better."

"What was Plan B?" Seto practically growled.

"Get my hands on Joey. Take Tristan down that way and you'd fall apart." There was an insane gleam in Keith's eyes. "Best part about it was, not only did I get to fuck him, but he made me some money too, when he wasn't stoned too bad, that is."

Tristan finally snapped and made a grab for Keith, only to find his target surrounded by half a dozen guys.

Keith smirked. "It's not my fault if the little slut can't handle his heroin."

"You fucking bastard!"

Seto grabbed Tristan by the arm, holding him back for a minute. He could feel Bakura tense behind him. He quickly calculated their chances of getting to Keith and decided it was do-able. "Fine. We'll just go through them."

Seto's hand shot out and he grabbed the closest one, who also happened to be the shortest, and pulled him in, Seto's knee making contact with his groin. He fell, retching.

Two others rushed him, one circling behind. Seto quickly closed his left hand over his right fist and brought his elbow up to shoulder level, whipping around and catching the one behind him in the forehead, sending him down. He caught a quick glimpse of Bakura, hanging back, smirking, before his follow through brought him around, his foot connecting solidly with his other opponent's chest. That one flew back onto a nearby table and slid to the floor, moaning.

He turned to see Tristan going down under two of the others and grabbed one, pinching the nerves at the junction of his neck and shoulder, rendering him unconscious.

Tristan flipped over the other guy on top of him, pushing himself up and slamming his fist across the man's jaw.

Seto hauled him to his feet and they turned to face the one thing standing between them and Keith. And DAMN! Was he HUGE!

A couple of inches taller than Seto, it looked like he outweighed both of them put together. Thick arms, huge scarred hands, and seemingly no neck.

Seto was glad his life insurance was paid up. Yami and Yugi might well find themselves widowers after this one.

"Let me take him." Bakura stepped up next to Seto, putting a hand on his arm. "Shouldn't be too hard."

A sharp bark of laughter came from Keith, who was standing behind the behemoth. "You've got to be kidding me! You wouldn't stand five seconds against Butch."

"Let the little sissy try if he wants." Butch said.

Bakura's eyes darkened and he growled, clenching his hands into fists.

{Oh fuck.} Seto grabbed Tristan and pulled him out of the way. {This is going to get messy.}

Bakura backed away a step as the giant advanced. He took a swing at the white haired man and Bakura ducked, dropping down on all fours. When Butch regained his balance, Bakura sprang and landed against the bigger man's chest, wrapping his legs around his waist and fisting his hands into the greasy black hair.

Bakura yanked his head back and, with a snarl, attached himself to the man's throat, sinking his teeth in.

Butch screamed in pain, trying to pull Bakura off him. Bakura simply tightened his vice-like grip and sank his teeth in further. Blood began to pour from the wound, running over both combatants.

The other's struggles turned into a feeble pawing and the only sound in the room was Bakura's low growling and a sickening slurping. The big man's legs gave out and he fell to the floor, Bakura clinging to him like a leech.

Tristan was contemplating being sick when he saw Keith bolt for the door. He took off after him, leaving Seto to deal with Bakura.

Seto turned in time to see Tristan go out the door. The wind caught his jacket, lifting it in the back, and Seto saw a flash of black metal.

Post-fight adrenaline pouring through him, he reached down and pried Bakura off his victim. "Come on, Bakura! We've got to go after them!"

Bakura staggered a little as Seto let go of him and ran for the door. Running behind the tall brunet, he paused at the bar, grinning evilly at the bar owner through blood drenched lips. "You can bill us for the damage."

Marty looked like he'd rather sever his own arm with a blunt, rusty knife as Bakura turned and ran from the bar.

~*~*~*~*~

Tristan caught a glimpse of Keith ducking into the alley and followed at a run, his longer legs bringing him behind the blond before he could reach the back of the building. Instead of grabbing him from behind, Tristan passed him, whipping around and letting his weight carry the punch to Keith's face.

Keith stopped dead in his tracks, dropping down on one knee with the force of the blow.

Tristan grabbed the collar of his jacket and brought his knee up under Keith's chin; letting go as the bigger man's head snapped back and letting him fall to the ground. He pulled the gun from the waistband of his pants and grabbed Keith by the collar again, hauling him back up to his knees.

"How much did you give him?"

"Fuck you, Tristan." Keith spat at him. "He's a dead man."

Tristan growled, raising the gun over the opposite shoulder and bringing it down forcefully, smashing it across Keith's face. He kept hold of him, not letting him fall this time.

"Tell me, or I'll kill you." Tristan's voice was hard as he pressed the barrel against Keith's forehead.

"Tris! Don't do it!"

Seto and Bakura had arrived just in time to see Tristan pistol-whip Keith.

Seto was fighting the urge to knock the gun out of Tristan's hand. He didn't want to see his friend do this. If he did, he'd never be able to live with himself, no matter how right it seemed now.

"Listen to me…you don't want to do this!"

Bakura reached out through the link to check on Ryou, catching a glimpse of what was going on through his other's eyes, almost overwhelmed by his hikari's fear.

Joey was writhing on the bed, being held down by Ryou and Yami while Yugi helped Master Kiotou tie him down. He was screaming for Tristan, begging him to make the pain stop.

"Do it." Bakura growled. "Pull the fucking trigger now, Tristan. The reason that Joey may still die is lying at your feet. Do something about it!"

"Tris…please…" Seto began only to be cut off by the sound of the safety clicking off and a metal on metal snick as Tristan chambered a round.

"Tell me, Keith." Tristan began to squeeze the trigger. "If you tell me, I'll let you go."

"Okay! Okay! I'll tell you!" Keith's tone was pleading.

Seto was trembling, clenching and unclenching his hands, unsure if his best friend was about to commit murder or not. He spared a glance at Bakura when he heard the white haired spirit growling. Bakura was swaying slightly, like he was drunk. His eyes were glazed over, but not in the way Seto was used to seeing him when he was talking to Ryou through the mind link. Then he heard him giggling under his breath, a high pitched, nasal sound.

{Great…he's blood drunk. Fucking vampire.} *A/N: DD & YD laugh hysterically along with the wife*

"Three times his usual amount." Keith said. "Close to twice what he should be able to handle."

"Kill him." Bakura growled. "Do it or I will!"

Tristan hauled Keith to his feet, pushing him away. "Run, Keith…go on…let's see if you can outrun a bullet."

The blond's eyes went wide. He didn't know for sure if Tristan was serious, but he wasn't going to take the chance. He ran.

Tristan took aim at the broad back of the man that had hurt Joey so badly and pulled the trigger.

~*~*~*~*~

Ryou: OH GODS!! I WISH YOU'D STOP DOING THAT!! *runs crying to Bakurasgirl*

DD: *grins at wife* We did that so he'd run to you, you know.

Bakurasgirl: AAAAAAAWWWWWWW!! It's okay, Ryou *hugs naked crying Ryou*

Bakura: Damn, woman! Why do we have to be naked?!

Tristan: They like us that way.

DD: *hugs naked, bipolar Tris*

YD: *hugs naked, horny AND glaring Seto*

Seto: *rolls eyes*

Yugi: *butt naked* Please review!

Bakurasgirl: HIDE YOUR SHAME!!

YD: That word isn't even in my vocabulary, honey.