School started and everything was back to normal, Joey was hanging with Yugi, Tristan and friends and Seto was sitting in his seat, reading a mystery book. But he wasn’t paying much attention to the book since he was listening to a certain blonde.
“Why do I care about the mutt? It’s none of my business what he is getting into and isn’t! Then again the situation with his father… Maybe I should care?” He contemplated over the issue.
“Kaiba? Yo Kaiba!” The brunnette snapped out of his train of thought and turned his expression to his usual scowl seeing it was Joey who called him.
“What is it, mutt?” Joey ignored the comment, just this once.
“Uhm, well,” He paused hesitantly, “I wanted to thank you for letting me stay at your place.”
“Just don’t get used to it puppy.” Seto said the sentence with a certain soft tone that Joey picked up on, but ignored it knowing very well he would deny everything and it would result in another argument about if he cared about the blonde or not.
The thought of Seto actually caring made Joey smile and blush a little.
“Why am I blushing? I guess it’s just unusual that Seto would care for anyone other than Mokuba and if it was me…” The bell ringing for lunch snapped him out of his thoughts and he grabbed his bag, calling for his friends to hurry or there won’t be any food left.
During lunch Seto noticed Joey kept pulling down his sleeves, he found it rather odd knowing Joey isn’t very self-conscious person.
“What is the puppy hiding?” Seto wondered.
After lunch Seto used the free period to pull the Blonde aside.
“What’s going on Kaiba? Why did you pull me away from my pals?” Joey asked confused.
“I want to know what you’re hiding Wheeler.”
Joey tensed slightly, he didn’t want Kaiba to know about what he was hiding. Not even Yugi or Tristan knew about it.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Kaiba.” Seto saw through him.
“Don’t lie to me Wheeler, what are you hiding under your sleeves? I saw you constantly pulling them down at lunch!” Seto glared down at the blonde.
“Why the hell do you care?!” Joey countered.
Seto had enough of Joey trying to avoid the topic and grabbed his arm with a firm grip, making said blonde flinch and he tried to free his hand, but it was too late! Seto pulled up the sleeve of his blue jacket, revealing scars, some old and some fresh, some reopened even!
“Joey did you do this to yourself?!”
“N-no! Only half are my doing alright, you freaking happy moneybags?!” Joey retracted his arm and pulled the sleeve back down, looking away from the brunnette in front of him.
“No Joey, I’m not. You said half were yours, the other half is your father’s doing isn’t it?”
The blonde looked up at the taller male in shock, how did he know?
“I repeat, ‘why the hell do you care?’ Oh wait, I get it, you probably think I’m weak cause I freaking cut myself and want to laugh about it later! I fucking get it!”
“No Joey I don’t. I understand because my own father was an asshole, I want to help you, believe me. I heard you and Mokuba last night, I,” He paused hesitantly, “frankly; I’m worried too, I don’t know why but I am.”
Joey looked at him surprised, Seto actually did care?
“No this has to be a trick!” The blonde thought, “But then again, what if he isn’t pulling my leg?”
“Well you shouldn’t care, worry more about Mokuba. I’m not worth it, never was and never will be.”
“That’s not true Joey. Look at Yugi and Tristan they freaking love you!”
“To what use am I to them though? All I ever do is screw up.”
There, Seto saw it again, that small ash that was once his puppy, that look of helplessness and rejection, that depression and sadness that flashed across his eyes. Seto pulled the shorter closer to him and embraced him in a hug.
“Seto is… hugging me?” The shocked blonde stood there, frozen.
“You are of use to them Joey, that I know.”
Joey felt his face burn bright red, he hesitantly hugged back. Seto allowed it for this time, his puppy was hurting really bad on the inside.
“Thanks Seto. I appreciate it, I really do. Guess you’re not as cold hearted as I thought.”
“Just don’t go spreading that around got it?”
“Sure thing.” Joey smiled and actually felt wanted for the first time in his life.
YOU ARE READING
Fire and Ice
FanfictionSeto starts to notice things about a certain pup, and slowly starts realizing things about himself he never thought possible as well as learn about the pain in his side known as Joey Wheeler. How will things turn out for the both of them?
