A Mutt and A Dragon

Chapter Three: Panic and a Look into the Past


Seto slammed open the bathroom door panting slightly from running up the stairs. Seto stared at the naked body of Joey Wheeler; he blushed and mumbled a sorry. Joey grabbed a robe that was quickly hanging on a hook in the bathroom pulling it on to cover himself up. He followed Seto into the bedroom, “Seto what’s the matter?” Joey questioned as he took a seat on the fluffy bed. Seto sighed running his hand through his hair as he leaned up against the wall across from where Joey sat. “Nothing, I just got a little nervous when I came in here and didn’t see you right away.” Joey could tell that Seto was lying because there was no way he could be panting that much from just running to the bathroom door from the bedroom door. “Seto?” Seto looked up from the ground when his name was called. “What really made you panic?”

“I got a call from the hospital, that’s all.” Again Joey knew he wasn’t getting the full story. He got off the bed and stood before Seto glaring at him, “Full story now.” Seto sighed he was hoping not to tell Joey but the mutt wasn’t going to let this go. “The doctor called to warn me. Apparently one of the nurses didn’t know who caused your injuries, so when . . .” he paused for a moment before sighing and continuing, “when your father showed up at the hospital after we left the nurse told him that I was taking you back to my home.” Joey was shaking slightly as different thoughts entered his mind. ‘He knows where I am! He’s gonna could get me, he’s going to hurt me again. . . I can’t take it I’ve got to get out of here!’ Joey’s thoughts were interrupted by Seto calling his name.

“Joey clam down!” Seto shook Joey slightly to snap him out of it. “S-Seto I’ve got to go. I can’t stay here; he’ll hurt Mokuba and you too!” “Joey no one’s going to hurt me or Mokuba or you here. This place is surrounded by guards with guns; he’s not getting in here.”

Seeing that Joey was still shaking slightly, he decided to carry Joey back to the bed to get some rest. “Joey?” Seto started as he placed Joey on the bed. “Hm? What?” Seto paused not knowing if this was a great idea or not but decided to continue with his question anyway, “Joey, I was wondering if you’d like to talk about so of the things you’ve been though, you know to get it out of your system since you’ve been hiding it for so long.” Joey looked shocked at Seto, ‘He wants to know, about me?’ Seto turned his head slightly mumbling, “If you don’t want to talk about it its fine. I know I’m not the best person to talk to, I mean. . .” Seto was cut off by a small chuckle form Joey. “What’s so funny mutt?” “Nothing, it’s funny when you ramble like that. Anyway I talk on one condition, stop comparing me to a dog and especially stop calling me a mutt!” Seto raised an eyebrow in question but nodded anyway, “Fine, agreed.”

Joey sighed lying back against the pillows trying to think of a way to start. “Um well I guess I’ll start from when my parents got divorced.” Seto nodded in response as he too lay back onto the pillows. “My parents used to fight all the time and finally my mother got fed up with it. She took my sister and left me with my father.” “Why didn’t she take you,” Seto questioned. “She said I reminded her of him.” Seto knew without explanation that ‘him’ referred to his father. “Anyway, after my mom left with Serenity, my father started to drink a lot more then he used to. It started it with him yelling at me calling me useless, but as the drinking increased his violence level increased. I remember the time when the worst started clearly, I had just got home from school, I was twelve. . .

----------------------------Warning Child Abuse and Implied Rape Skip of you want-------------------------

*Flashback* (In Joey’s POV)

Walking into the house I could smell the cheap liquor that my father drank every day. ‘Great’ I thought, ‘He must be home passed out somewhere.’ I walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water only to find that the water had been shut off. ‘Fantastic he didn’t pay the bill and used the money for booze, again,’ I sighed out loud as I made my way out of the kitchen to the living room finding my father wide awake watching TV. ‘Shit’ I muttered in my head.

I tried to tiptoe past without being noticed, but tonight didn’t seem to be my night. Just as I put my foot down on the first the step which made a creaking sound alerting father to my presence. “That you boy” came the drunken voice from the couch. I debated whether or not to speak up or try to drift silently from the room, but before I could move or speak up I found myself face to face with the drunken man. “There you are you little fuck.” I winced slightly back up against the wall, “Father.” I suddenly felt a blow to my stomach. I collapsed to the ground clutching my stomach in pain.

The dark shadow of my father leered over my hurt body. “Dumb fuck! Get up!,” he yelled at me. I tried to get off the floor but froze half way when a shot of pain ran through my body, ‘Shit that hurts!’ I groaned in pain. He got angrier and I felt myself fall back to the floor by a kick that landed on my back. “I said get up you lazy mutt!” I turned and glared at him, “I would get up if you didn’t push me back down!” After I yelled I regretted it, ‘I need to learn to stop talking back.’

Rage traveled throughout my father’s body as I saw his face turn red in color. “How dare you talk back to me you little shit?!” That’s when I felt my head practically spin and a loud crack echo throughout the room. ‘He slapped me?’ I felt dizzy and disoriented as I was pulled up from the floor and dragged up the stairs. Half way I blacked out hearing my father continuously calling me names.

Later I awoke to find myself locked in my room with a chain from my wrist to the radiator keeping me there. “What the hell?!,” I yelled as I yanked at the chain. Giving up I looked around my room to notice that most of my possessions are gone except my bed, an empty desk, and a barren closet. “Where’s all my stuff?!” Slowly I got off the floor to walk around the room, well walk as far as I could with the chain. Looking over my desk I noticed my picture of Serenity was missing and began to panic, “That’s the only photo of her I have!” I began to tare through the desk throwing the drawers on the floor forgetting that he was still downstairs.

The door to the bedroom slammed open and I froze in the middle of my search, ‘shit’. “You little fuck you woke me up!” I begin to shiver violently as my father walks toward me looming closer. I back up to huddle in the corner against the wall. My father started to smirk at me as I looked up at his face, “Aww look at the little coward hiding.” I was so scared that I pissed my pants and it made him angrier. He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and throws me on the bed, “Look at what you did! You’re like a fucking mutt!” he screams.

I shivered on the bed as he started hitting me left and right screaming at me, “You fucking dumbass little shit!” I start to cry and beg, “Please stop! I want you to start.” Blood runs down my face. After what felt like a century he finally stopped and slowly backs off. “Look at you getting blood everywhere such a terrible son. I think you need more punishment.” He smirked at me sadistically as my tears mixed with my blood, “Please no.” I sounded pathetic and weak. Slowly he advanced back to me smirking, “Maybe if you please me I stop for today.” I shut my eyes tight and screamed for the rest of the night…..

*end of flashback and end of Joeys POV*

-----------------------------------------Safe to read now!--------------------------------------------------

Joey sat clutching Seto’s shirt as he cried endlessly. Seto wrapped his arms around the wounded teenager, ‘Shit no wonder he’s so afraid of his father.’ Seto tightened the hold, ‘I promise no one will harm you again puppy.’

Joey lifted his head slightly to look Seto in the eye, “Do you hate me now?” He questioned giving Seto a wounded puppy look. ‘So cute,’ Seto thought. “Why would I hate you Joey? None of that was your fault.” Joey sniffled before he spoke, “B-but I let him do that to me!” Seto sighed realizing there was going to be a long talk later about self esteem issues even though he’s not one to talk. Seto grabbed Joey’s chin making him look into his eyes, “Joey you need to get it through your head it is not your fault and stop thinking that it is.”

Joey and Seto stared into each other’s eyes before Seto slowly moved forward. Joey held his breath waiting for the feeling of Seto on him but was cut short when the lights throughout the mansion went out.