The Rave

Thank you to all those that have read the story and have been patiently waiting for me to post the new chapter. I hope the chapter was worth the way. Huge kudo's go to Sherabo who is now my beta for my stories. With her help in the new year we will be putting out Diamond, once I get the other stories completed

Chapter 12


In the other room, Jou was becoming more awake, and feeling something steely against his stomach and lower extremities. At first he couldn't remember much of last night, but then he felt a shift and a smell of cinnamon overtake him and memories of the night before washed over him. With a shock to his muddled brain he remembered who was in his bed right now, and throughout the night. Fear or was it panic gripped him as he opened his eyes; he could see lapis lazuli looking down at him, a soft smile on his face.

"Good morning puppy." Seto said and then leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"Good morning Dragon." Jou answered back, his voice hesitant, yet unsure of himself. Last night was special and almost felt like it was out of reality. Now in the light of day, he didn't know what to make of things. He still remembered Seto constantly putting him down, and with his father’s previous actions...Well, he just didn't know what to do, or what should be expected of him.

"Don't regret last night. We will take is slow, but I am not going to pretend that I don't want to be buried inside you." Seto said, softly stroking Jou's hair as he spoke.

"I know Dragon. I don't regret last night, nor do I regret you being in my bed. But I do regret the circumstances. I don't like being teased, if you haven't guessed and they are going to be merciless when they get me alone. That alone makes me regret. If I could keep it between the two of us, then I would be happy." Jou said snuggling back into Seto warm embrace, not hearing that his best friend had walked in and heard the last part of the comment, making him remember so long ago what he had gone through. One of the other reasons, that they had kept Jou away from Seto.

"Jou, you know we would never try to make you feel uncomfortable." Yugi said quietly, regretting ever teasing him. He remembered his father's harsh words; one's that Jou never knew that he knew about them. Jou had always been an expert at dodging his father's insults, and the abuse.

"I am aware of that Yug' but that doesn't mean I like to be teased." Jou said, resisting the urge to hide. Fighting his instincts of preservation, he made himself still against the sheets.

"Pup, it is okay to be teased. Mokie does it to me all the time." Seto said still slightly unaware of how Jou's persona was at this present moment.

"That doesn't mean I do. I won't stand for that shit." Jou said, becoming more awake by the moment, and startling Seto. He remembered the glorious feelings from last night and up until five minutes ago; he thought he could pick up from last night. Now seeing Jou in a whole new light, like almost a different person, he was not sure of what was happening.

"Pup?" Seto said, slightly concerned. He had never seen Jou this upset, that he was slowly becoming and he didn't know what to make of it. He had only seen Jou of late as laid back, easy-going, and affable, and so incredibly hot. Even now, with Yugi in the room, he wanted Jou.

"I'm fine Seto. Look, I need to get ready for class." Jou said as he began to crawl over Seto in an effort to get out of bed. And he really wasn't that particular when it came to his best friend seeing him naked. Of which Seto placed a hand on him, to hold him in place.

"Motou, get out." Seto said, his possessive nature slipping out slightly. Of which Jou looked at him with such a pained expression, he wondered what was going on in the blond's head. It was very strange to him. Last night, nothing of his puppy’s past behaviour was present, now he was all piss and vinegar, which made Seto wonder what, brought this on.

"No problem Seto-kun. Jou, I will take care of coffee." Yugi said recognizing the expression and not wanting to further upset his friend. While he understood what was going on with him, he knew that Seto did not. Nor was it his place to say anything. Only Jou had the right to say anything, so as quietly as possible he closed the door on the two lovers and headed back into the kitchen.

Inside the kitchen, breakfast looked like it was in full swing and Tristan was sitting at the small corner table, coffee in one hand, the Wall Street Journal in the other as he was reading it. Atemu though was reading the society section of it as well as various other journals that Tristan and Otogi subscribed to. Seeing that both his and Jou's breakfast along with Seto's was already set up, he sat down and took off the plastic dome that had been keeping his food hot. Jou's and Seto's however was on a hot plate, leading him to believe that the other two Seme's knew that Jou wouldn't be out for a while.

"I take it, Seto is keeping him company?" Tristan said drolly as Yugi sat down and poured himself a cup of the hot chocolate that had been in the carafe that was on the table.

"Actually Tristan, I think something is wrong. Jou seems to be regressing again. Almost like before Serenity died. Do you remember how withdrawn he seemed?" Yugi said and watched as Tristan put his paper down and leaned back with a sigh.

"Yeah I remember. He wouldn't tell me what was wrong, but I suspected that it had something to do with his father. It is one of the reasons that if I thought I could, I would forbid Ben from having anything to do with him. He has always disturbed me." Tristan said about the elder Jounouchi.

"Jou is very cryptic when it comes to that man. I have sensed some things, things that I have always loathed to speak them, but I am very glad that Yugi was never alone with him." Atemu added, adding his own observations into his personality. He reminded him of the feelings he got from his uncle and it had never made him pleasant.

"I wish we knew what was wrong, but he refused to say anything about it." Yugi said looking downcast at the thoughts that were on his friend. He wanted to know what was wrong but Jou was not the most open person when it came to his own feelings and emotions, or his mind.

"I know. I think Serenity knew but she never said anything about it. She did say that he had been this way since he was young. If I remember, she had even hinted that it might have been one of the reasons he joined the gang. I only remember him being so sullen and withdrawn. And damn was he edgy. Gods, you could never get near him unless you warned him. One false move and he would have his hand around your throat and well...yeah. There were a few close calls." Tristan said remembering things from nearly 15 years before. They had been in the gangs since they were eleven and until just after they turned 15 that they had met Yugi and Tea was when they left.

"He has never really discussed what happened in the gangs. Was it really so bad?" Yugi asked as Tristan looked at him in wonderment. Seeing that Yugi was serious; he really didn't understand what went on in them, he slowly shook his head, letting him know that yes, it was that bad.

"There are days that I am glad that I got out of them, other days I remember the freedom I used have. Being with a gang, the freedom, and the family-esque environment is a very tempting thing. But it does something to your soul. Something irrevocable. I was lucky; I still had a fairly good home life, but Jou." Tristan said, and then broke off as he could see his best friend come into the kitchen, looking more pissed then they had ever seen.

"Continue Trist'. Go ahead and tell them. Tell them that I was worst of them worthless, less than trash! Tell them how much I hated life and wanted to die; anything to not have to deal with my father! Go ahead! I won't stop YOU!" Jou said, each word coming out harsher and harsher, till nearly at the end he was screaming.

"Jou..." Yugi said, his eyes welling up with sorrow for his friend.

"Don't. Just don't. It's over and done with. No one is going to be hurting me ever again. I won't let them. Now if you guys are done with the dirty laundry I have class." Jou said with Seto trailing after him. He heard most of what they had said, giving Jou his privacy in dressing, but only the thought that if he came in there he would break down was what stopped him. But seeing his fiery puppy in full defiance/defense mode was just as scary.

"Jou we need to talk about this. If that was all true, then let me help you." Seto said, not entirely ready to beg, but he knew that his immortal husband needed him. Grabbing him before he could bolt, Jou twirled on him and glared at him, giving him a look of near hatred, something that was in stark contrast from last night when he held him in his arms, or this morning when he woke to a naked puppy in his arms, the feeling of it so right and so wonderful.

"Where were you when I had to hold girls down to be raped?! Where were you when I had to cut people up for their lunch money? Where were you when my father decided that eight years old was old enough to be shown what sex was? You were not THERE! Now let me go." Jou growled at him, struggling to get himself out of his hands. And at that, they all gasped at the last statement and Seto just stared at him.

"Gods Katsuya, is that what you went through? No wonder you don't let anyone touch you." Atemu said his voice just over a whisper.

"Don't go there Pharaoh. I don't need you or anyone else. I am fine with my life. I don't want complications or upsets. I'm gunna be a doctor. Someone that can be proud: not worthless, not a mutt, and not a whore. So back off! All of you!!" Jou screamed and with that, grabbed his bag that had been near the door and tore off outside, his Dragon not far behind.

"Back OFF Kaiba." Jou growled at him, furious at his pushy and nosey friends and still rebelling at the feelings that Seto was garnering from him. He remembered from last night that he wasn't going to fight his emotions when it came to Seto, but right now, if his Dragon caught him, he was going to let out demons that he had chained down for everyone's protection. It was almost like someone had been picking the locks on his temper and he didn't like this. It was not him and he wondered what changed so badly between last night and this morning to make him snap like this. Now at the end of the hall, he pressed the button for the elevator, cursing that it had not arrived yet, as he could see the CEO had caught up and was glaring started to glare at him, willing him to stop running with those lapis blues at him.

"No, I will not back off. What is WRONG!" Seto said, partially out of breath. His little love could sprint walk like hell, and he was not entirely used to that anymore.

"You WOULDN'T understand!" Jou shouted at him, muttering curses at the door because it wouldn't open.

"Then MAKE me understand! By Set, TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG?!" Seto asked and followed Jou as the doors to the elevator opened and Jou had rushed inside. As the doors closed, Jou began to pace back and forth, getting more visibly agitated as the elevator moved. Seto watched him closely, as it almost appeared like he was about to become unhinged; which made him wonder what JUST happened. Even his friends were stunned at his behavior. It was so strange, like he was a different person or someone had ripped out his personality and inserted this one. And he didn't like it. He wanted his old love back and this change...or whatever it was was too different.

"I don't KNOW what is wrong? If I did, I could stop it. It's like something inside of me wants to tear everything apart and destroy." Jou said, still pacing back and forth, and getting more upset, his hands and arms literally shaking.

"Come here." Seto said opening his arms wide to accept the trembling man.

"Set...." Jou said, whatever storm was going through his mind and actions seemingly beginning to calm as he swayed into Seto's awaiting arms, his emotions now riding at an all time high.

"I may not have been there for you before, but I am here now. Come on, I am taking you home." Seto said already pulling out his Blackberry Bold PDA that worked like his cell phone. With it, he called to his limo driver that he knew would have been there for him.

"I got class..." Jou said, his voice beginning to drift off as the adrenaline rush he had was slowly dissipating, leaving him drained and vulnerable.

"Not today. One day will not kill you, and if you want I will arrange for someone to take a voice recording of the classes. You are not escaping me Katsu." Seto said in his no-nonsense voice, that Jou could tell would brook no arguments.

"Please...." he said his voice faint. It trailed off as Jou began to lose consciousness and slumped against the CEO. He wasn't sure of what he was saying please to but Seto wasted no time and leaned down and hooked his arms against Jou's legs and picked him up bridal style. Holding him close against him, he was reminded at just how light he was and wondered why that was. As the elevator came to a halt, he walked through the doors, and seeing the concierge there, the man rushed to open the door for the CEO.

With his bundle in his hands he could see the limo down the street, so he waited for the driver to arrive. As it did, the driver got out and held his hands out to hold Jou so that the CEO could get inside. But Seto was not having any of that, and with a dexterity that the driver would not have expected, slipped himself into the limo, Jou still secure in his arms. The driver closed the door, and Seto settled into the limo, content with his love in his arms. Looking down at him, he could see how fragile he looked. He didn't know what had happened this morning to make Jou's personality flip like that and if even the Pharaoh didn't know, then he didn't know who would.

This frightened him a lot.