House of Cards

Hello everyone, sorry it took so long to get this done.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> No real excuses, other than I used to write
during JoJo's Circus, but now my computer is in the same room as the TV.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> And having Seto sing, "Hey JoJo what do
you say, we would like to know what you learned today..."style="mso-spacerun: yes"> doesn't quite work.

Thanks again to all of my reviewers.

*******

Jounouchi knocked on the door to Yugi's room.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> "Yug, I'm leaving for work.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> You need anything before I go?"

Yugi turned over and yelled, "No, go away," at the
door. In the back of his mind, he heard
Yami sigh.

*You aren't being fair, Aibou.*

*Yeah, well life's not fair. I should know.*

*Jounouchi doesn't want to hurt you.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> He's just worried about you.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> As am I.*

*I'm fine Yami. I
just...hurt. I just bring disaster
wherever I go. I don't want to do that
again. I don't want to do it to my
friends. I don't want it to happen to
me aga

*Yugi, you don't.*

*Yami. Just leave me
alone.*

*Aibou...* Yami was
interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

"Hey, Yug, Gramps is here. I gotta run."

"Yugi? Can I
come in?" Yugi's grandfather asked
before pushing the door open.

"Ok," Yugi
responded, wishing with all his might that he wouldn't stay long.

Sugoroku entered the room and sat down next to his grandson
on the bed. Yugi turned to look at
him. He gathered the young man into his
arms and held him. After sitting like
that for a few minutes, he pulled Yugi away from him and looked at him.

"Yugi. I miss
having you with me at work. The game
shop is busy this time of year, and I would like some help.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Do you think you're almost ready to come
back?"

"Grandpa, I'm scared." Tears rolled down his face, and he buried his eyes in his
grandfather's chest. "I'm so
scared."

"Yugi, I'm not going to push you.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I know that you will come back whenever you
are ready." He switched subjects
suddenly. "Did I ever tell you why
I named the shop after a turtle?"

Wiping the tears from his face he looked at the gray-haired
man, and giggled despite himself.
"Huh? I always thought it
was because it was in the shape of a turtle."

"Because a turtle can teach us a lot about life."

"To only lay eggs on one beach?"

Sugoroku chuckled.
"If a turtle wants to go anywhere, he has to stick his head
out. If he leaves his head in his shell,
he won't be able to eat, or grow, or move."

"What if the turtle is afraid of danger, and can't put
his head out?"

"Then the turtle will starve."

"Grandpa, I understand, but I...I'm not ready."

"I know. I'll
be there when you are." He
wrinkled his nose. "If you promise
to bathe first. When was the last time
you took a shower?"

Yugi looked down at the shirt he had been wearing the last
few days. "I...um..uh...a
week?"

"Then I shall let you take a shower, and I will go back
to my home. Yugi, if you want to talk
to me..."

"I know Grandpa, I know."

*******

It had been two weeks since Sugoroku visited Yugi.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> For a few days, Yugi had seemed a little
better, and then he had fallen back into his depression.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> He hardly moved, save to use the bathroom,
and occasionally eat. Jounouchi was at
his wits end with his best friend. If
Yugi wouldn't listen to his grandfather, who would he listen to?

Jounouchi put his head in his hands and rubbed his
eyes. He tried to think of someone who
could be just as stubborn as Yugi was being.
Jounouchi slapped his head, he knew who it was he should call, and he
couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier.

*******

Yugi's door opened, but Yugi didn't turn to see who it
was. "Go away, I'm sleeping."

"Get up."

Yugi turned towards the door. "What?"

"Get up."

Yugi blinked at Seto.
"Kaiba, what are you doing here?"

"At the moment, I am here telling you to get up."

"I don't want to.
I'm tired."

"Bullshit, Yugi.
You've been in bed for months for the most part.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Get up."

"No."

Seto went up to the bed and pulled the covers off the
smaller man.

"Go away! What
do you care if I get up or not?"

Seto slapped him, hard.
Then said through clenched teeth, "Get up.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Now."

Shaking, Yugi got up.

"Now, you will
take a shower."

Yugi bit back another response, and rubbed his sore
cheek. He shuffled off to the bathroom,
followed by Seto. "Can I have some
privacy?"

"Do I have your word that you won't do anything
stupid?"

Yugi's eyes widened.
"Y...yes."

"Then, yes, you may have some privacy.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> You have ten minutes.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Now, take a shower."

Yugi got into the shower.
He had never been so afraid of Kaiba as he was now.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> He turned the water as hot as it would go,
and started scrubbing himself raw.
There was a knock on the door, and Kaiba gave him a two minute
warning. Reluctantly, Yugi turned off
the scalding water, and pulled a towel around himself.style="mso-spacerun: yes">

He called out to Kaiba, "I forgot to bring in
clothes."

"Then come out in the towel."

Yugi covered himself with the towel.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Tears streamed down his face, and he walked
out of the bathroom. Seto stopped
outside of the bedroom, and told him to get dressed.

Yugi pulled on a black shirt and pants, and pulled a navy
blue jacket on over his shirt. He put
the buckle around his neck, and left the room.
Looking at Kaiba, he asked where they were going.

"You'll see."

*********

The Turtle thing comes from my choir director and friend,
Paula Baack. The woman has an obsession
with turtles, and that’s the reason.
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> So, thanks Paula for the idea.style="mso-spacerun: yes"> (Even though I know she won't be reading
this.