Stinging Beauty

Everybody say hey!(hey!) This chapter contains a song, ‘Don’t Cry’ by none other than(drumwhirl) Guns’n’Roses, yaaaayy!^^ As usual, I don’t own zip, save for a copy of their ‘Use your illusions l’ album…so awesome!

Have fun and please remember to review.

Arigato!^^

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39. Pepper and blood

Within the hour, the helicopter had overcome the two-hundred-and-something kilometers from Domino to Toyohashi.

The fact that Kaiba piloted it himself only gave proof to his concern.

Mokuba watched his brother closely, the entire flight an ’I told you so’ expression on his face.

There was a short, radioed argument, because the hospital refused to let Kaiba land on the roof.

Finally, they agreed to permit him a place on the parking lot.

Kaiba was out the vehicle, even before the rotor blades had slowed down, and raced for the main entry, forcing Mokuba to run as fast he could to catch up with him.

“I am looking for Jounouchi Ka-“

“Kaiba-sama, over here!”

The CEO turned his head direction the voice and saw Gokasho rushing towards him. Bowing, Hiroyuki greeted the taller brunet respectfully, before he nodded to the nurse:

“It’s ok, he-they’re with me. This way, please. ”

Walking the Kaiba brothers towards the staircase, the student explained:

“I’m not really sure, what happened. As far as I know, Jou had returned earlier from work and then decided to celebrate his birthday. ”

At this, Kaiba stiffened a little.

“So, we went to a bar next to campus, Jou had a..couple of cocktails, I’m not sure how many, because I had..stepped out and then made a phone call. Still, I couldn’t have been gone for more than ten minutes, but, well....”

The CEO nodded.

“I know how fast Jounouchi can consume a drink. ”

Hiroyuki gave a wry smile.

“So desu, you, however, I brought him home-sort of-and just as I closed the door, I heard him..uhmm, being sick. So, I went back inside and…he was shaking-literally-with a fever, although his body was cold. He started hyperventilating, sweating, babbling, frothing at the mouth-everything. I was..terrified, called the ambulance and they brought him here. They said, they wanted to keep him here until tomorrow -luckily for him, we got Saturday, so at least he won’t miss any lectures. ”

Stopping at a double bed room, Hiroyuki sighed:

“While rinsing out his stomach et all, they found out that Jou had barely eaten the past few days. He lost a lot of weight and is in a really bad condition. Try not to upset him too much, ne?”

Despite the warning, Kaiba was shocked at the sight he met:

Jou’s usually plush cheeks were hollowed, dark bags circled the closed eyes and his normally tanned complexion had taken on a pale, sickly-yellowish hue.

Seto couldn’t believe it, the last time he had seen the blond, eight days ago, he had seemed fine, if not somewhat tired.

A punch, a very soft one, but a punch nonetheless to his left side shook him from his trance.

Mokuba glared at him, blue-grey eyes brimmed with tears.

Never tearing his sight from his angry outoto, Kaiba rasped:

“If you would…give us a moment in private, Gokasho-“

“Mochiron*, take your time. Come, young Kaiba-san, let’s see if we can find some breakfast, ne?”

Mokuba followed the student out the room, but not without a last, warning stare at his nii-san.

Seto gazed at the closed door, then took a deep breath.

“Why did you come?”

Gingerly, Kaiba pulled a chair next to Jou’s bed and, seating himself, stated:

“Hiroyuki informed me. My private number is listed among the emergency case numbers in your address book. ”

Jou shifted a little, never opening his eyes, then croaked:

“Guess, I have to update my address book then. ”

It hurt. Not that he didn’t deserve it, but still..it hurt. Clearing his throat, the CEO asked:

“Now, would you tell me why you tried to kill yourself by drinking? If this is about your birthday, I apologize. It has been a long day, and it simply slipped-“

“Don’t bother. That was only the tip of the iceberg. ”

Amber flashed, and Seto gasped at the accusation burning in Jou’s eyes.

“You used me. You never once cared enough about me to think how it made me feel, when you told all those lies to me. There was no need to..seduce me into helping you, I would have done so happily, if you would have kept it on a strict business level. You-“

“I was concerned about your health, the less you knew, the less you were-“

“-endangered, arigatou gozaimasu, Seto, but I figured that out on my own, and you know that’s not what I’m talking about!” yelled Jou, not caring if anybody heard him.

“You could have just said ‘Listen Jounouchi, I need those information, they are of tremendous importance to me, and if you do not comply, I will have you fired within the hour. Do not ask questions, I am not willed to provide you with answers for your own safety. I trust you to fulfill your mission according to my expectations. ’”

Seto gawked at the perfect imitation the blond had made of him, but before he could comment, Jou snarled:

“Instead, you used all those filthy little tricks, the looks, the caresses..you knew, I couldn’t resist you, when you turned on your charm, and you had your fun, enjoyed every second of it, knowing you held so much power over me. That’s what it was for you: a game, a play to test out your supremacy, watching me squirm and break under your hands…”

Swallowing hard, the blond rasped:

“Did you enjoy it, watching me fall? To shatter my heart piece by piece and throw the shards back into my face? Was that all I ever was to you, a plaything? Because that’s how you made me feel, every single time, as if I were some..tool. ”

This time, he couldn’t stop the tears, and Kaiba reached out out to wipe them away, only to have his hand slapped away.

Forcing himself to remain calm, he mumbled:

“You know very well, it is not like that, Jou. I might have been angered about your..unfaithfulness,” he stopped Jou’s coming intervention with one raised hand,

“but I never promised you anything, whether my forgiveness nor that we would be together again. I did not deceive you. ”

The blond only snorted.

“If your actions had been correct, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Now get out. ”

“Pardon me?”

Kaiba couldn’t remember the last time he had used such an icy tone with the blond, but he was starting to get mad.

Jou pulled the blanket over his shoulder, as he turned away from the CEO.

“You heard me. Fuck off. ”

Crossing his arms, the brunet hissed:

“Not before you told me the truth about what happened that night at the club-“

“I tried to tell you every single detail over and over and over again, but you just didn’t bother listening, because you were too soaked up in your own hurt pride to pay attention to what I told you!” exploded the blond.

“It’s always the same with you, Seto, you see something, you want it, you get it, and then you want to keep it forever! That’s not how it works, you have to let go of things, and most of all, people! We’ve been at this point several times, and still you don’t get it! You can’t own people, and least of all me! And I’m sick and tired of you always being so obsessive and oppressive and, and…”

Sobbing, Jou clutched the sheets, tears streaming down his face.

“I..can’t. I’m sorry, Seto, but I can’t take this anymore. Not now, not ever. Onegai. ”

The CEO couldn’t even speak.

Every single one of Jou’s words had cut into his heart like a knife.

Was he really so evil, such a monster as his former koi described?

For a moment, Mokuba’s hurt gaze came to his mind, and he realized that probably, the perfect man had made the perfect mistake.

Tenderly reaching out with one hand, Seto tried to pat Jou’s shoulder, but the crying teen shied away from the touch.

Had he been uncertain of where they stood before, he now knew for sure that it was over.

For good.

With a silent goodbye, Seto left Jou on his bed and alone with his pain.

“So, basically, there would be an eighty-five percent-Kaiba-sama!” exclaimed Hiroyuki, who had explained Mokuba the differences between various kinds of flashlights.

The raven-haired teen shot up from his seat, relieved to have escaped the torture..when he saw the look on Kaiba’s face.

“Seto..?” he asked timidly, but his elder brother only shook his head.

Facing Hiroyuki, he bowed slightly and said:

“Arigatou gozaimasu for informing me, Gokasho-san. I am certain, you will take good care of Jounouchi-san, ne. ”

The astonished, shorter brunet nodded fiercely, even as Kaiba turned to his younger brother and sighed tiredly:

“Ja, Mokuba. Let us go home. ”

And don’t you cry tonight

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Weeeeeee, I’m so happy, I always wanted to use this song for a fanfic, but never wrote anyone fitting. To see it now here, imbedded into this novel, is a little dream come true, heheheheee…^^(Hey, it’s important to take joy in the small things in life..!)

* Jap: certainly