Shattered

Shattered.
By Lady Jade

Disclaimers:
Warnings: I don’t own Yugioh. Damn. Anyways, I’m not making any profit off this, and my hat is off to all the talented ppl who worked so hard to make Yugioh successful. If you sue me, all you’ll get are my student loans. Have fun. This is Yaoi boys and Girls. Boy boy interaction. (TxJ) Explicit stuff. NO kiddies or ppl with heart conditions. Swim at your own risk!
Please review.
All flames will be used to line the cat box. Don’t waste your breath J Please review. It works good for me, helps me get some feedback as a writer. Thanks everyone, hope you enjoy.

A/N: This is a continuation, more really of an Add on, to Bittersweet Goodbyes. Set before the death of Yugi’s grandfather. It’s really a “part two” of the series. Anyways, there is a lot of violence in this. Joey’s father beats him. If that upsets you, Please don’t read. In a way, this fic is my tribute to teens and kids everywhere who have ever been abused by their parents. Its not just a Yaoi fic, this is also a way to make know to everyone that family violence exists. Consider it my small soapbox. But don’t worry, it’s going to be a good Yaoi too. I promise.
- Wataris_Girl

~*~
Joey woke slowly in the morning sunlight. He felt like shit. He tried to turn his head to see where he was, and felt a sudden need to be sick. Definitely like shit. He could not help the moan that seemed to come of its own accord, and made his throat burn and his ribs scream. A hand clenched his as he reflexively grasped for something to take his agony out on.
“Joey?”
“Yami?” Joey whispered. Where the hell was he, and why was Yami here?
“Good, You are awake.”
“Yami, what’s going on?”
“I am watching over you while Tristan sleeps. He was very worried about you, it took Bakura’s Yami and my Aibou just to calm him and get him to rest. Kaiba is not doing much better. Bakura’s Hikari slept beside him on the couch last night to calm him. Both worry.”
He looked up into those ruby eyes, and saw true worry there as well.
“And you were worried too, huh?”
Yami nodded.
“Don’t be, I’ll be ok.” He tried to put on his best smile and found that all he could do wmirkmirk really nicely. He could feel the swelling on the side of his face.
“How is the pain?” Yami asked gently, not even remotely fooled.
“I feel like somebody dropped a pyramid on me. But other than that. Lovely.”
Yami was silent, stoic even, he had something to say. Joey waited.
“Why did you not say something to my Aibou, to me even? Joey. You could have died.”
“I couldn’t ask for help, it seemed like something I should deal with on my own.”
Yami shook his head, making a sound of disapproval in the back of his throat.
Joey tried to move his hand to push his bangs back out of his eyes; instead, he reminded himself why he was holding very still.
“Ahh…Hell!” He hissed as his arm cramped under the splint he had failed to notice; he arched back unconsciously away from the pain of torn and abused tendons, setting his ribs off into a spastic fit that made him feel like white hot flame was running rampant inside his lungs.
He was proud that he did not scream. But he did whine. Pathetically.
Yami reflexively stroked the now sweat dampened hair back out of Joey’s eyes, whispering something gentle in Egyptian while waiting for Joey to relax back down to the bed.
“The pain is bad, isn’t it?” Yami whispered as Joey slumped back to the mattress, closing his eyes to hide the tears.
“Yeah.” Joey swallowed, his breathing coming in tiny gasps.
“You are very brave.” Yami murmured, pressing a kiss to the pale forehead that would normally have been sun bronzed gold.
“I wasn’t so tough last night.” Joey whispered.
“You are very safe here Joey, we will let no more harm come to you ever.”
“Yami?”
“Mhh?”
“Thanks.”
The pharaoh nodded, smiling reassuringly at his friend.
There was a knock at the door that made them both jump. Without so much as a hesitation, Seto breezed in, giving a semi-peaceful nod to Yami, and took in the whole situation.
“Oh, so your awake puppy?” The burgundy locks fell forward over his icy gaze as he set a bottle of soda on the side table; but for a moment, Joey swore he saw tears in Seto’s eyes. The red head perched very carefully next to Yami on the soft mattress, careful not to rock the bed in the slightest and blinked a few times as though his whole world had become blurry.
“I got you some soda, we were out anyways, and here;” the dragon duelist wrestled the childproof cap off a bottle that he took from his pocket. “This is for the pain.” He set a large blue pill on the side table. “And…doctors orders, take two of these pink ones. Antibiotics, he’s worried about the chance of infection because of your cuts.”
Joey grunted an affirmative; he had already figured out that moving was dangerous and nodding a worse idea.
“Puppy?”
“Yeah?”
“You scared me last night, please, it does me good to see you awake and looking a little better; so maybe it would help if…well…would you coax Tristan to come lie next to you, if you can bear it?”
“Tristan?”
“He will not stop sitting on my couch and bawling. Even Yugi can’t comfort him. Please?”
“Yeah, of course.” Joey stuttered, his brown eyes suddenly worried. “And …Seto?”
The redhead flinched at his first name being used. Joey hadn’t called him that since the breakup.
“Sorry…Kaiba?” Joey apologize “Please don’t worry, it’s all ok…and thanks, for taking me in last night. I’m really sorry about this whole mess.”
“Don’t be.” Kaiba shook his head.
“Yami?” Joey asked. He had the immediate, intense, complete attention of those ruby eyes.
“Can I ask you a favor?”
Yami nodded.
“Could you go get Tristan for me?”
Yami sighed and nodded, getting the distinct feeling he was being gotten rid of. But guessing it was for a good cause, he went. Besides, it would be a challenge worth of the king of games, trying to remember how to get back to the living room.
As the door shut, Kaiba gently grabbed a second pillow from the foot of the bed.
“Sit up so you can take this medicine. It should help with some of the pain.”
Joey nodded, and was surprised at how easily Kaiba helped him slide upright, and with such little discomfort. Kaiba cracked the soda for his “mutt.” And then handed the three pills over. Joey downed them in one handful, but winced as he swallowed past the bruises in his throat. Kaiba looked frozen as he watched Joey. Joey didn’t quite know what to say.
“I don’t have long puppy, but I just wanted to tell you something.”
“Yeah?” Joey asked, fearful and weary in the same breath.
“Tristan loves you very much, and, for what it’s worth, I approve of him. He can give you what I never could. His heart. And I know he will take excellent care of you. I wish you both luck, and love…and if you can ever forgive me. I would like us to retain our friendship. You are still my truest friend, and…despite it all, I would still like you, and Tristan, in my life.”
If Kaiba had struck Joey between the eyes with a hammer, he couldn’t have stunned him more.
“It’s ok puppy, there’s not much you can say to that other than the obvious, but that is really up to you. Think about yes?”
Joey made a verbal assent that sounded more like a gurgle of disbelief.
“I’m glad to know I can still leave you speechless.” Kaiba chortled as the door creaked open a hair and someone knocked quietly.
“Hey.” Tristan’s voice sounded weary to Joey’s ears. “Can I come in?”
That was Tristan, unlike Kaiba’s ‘knock and open’ method for doors, the tall duelist always respected everyone’s privacy.
“Hell yeah ‘Tris, come on in.” He was trying for enthusiasm, but fell a little short.
Joey shared one more small glance with Kaiba, part of him wanting to wince and cry, the other part wondering why he was starting to feel so fuzzy.
“It’s the pain medicine pup. Now get some rest, yes?”
God was Kaiba ever psychic. Or maybe he was going cross-eyed, that could be it too.
Kaiba stood carefully and then guided a frightened looking Tristan to the bed where he had just been sitting.
“Go ahead, crawl in next to him.” Kaiba urged, no malice in his expression. “Go on, its alright, you won’t hurt him, and I bet he’ll feel a bit safer with you beside him.”
Joey was about to argue with Kaiba that he felt plenty safe, but thinking again, found that it wasn’t really the truth. He wanted and needed Tristan next to him. He craved the warmth of another human being right now more than anything.
“Joey?” Tristan asking for permission. Funny, he sounded so pathetic. So unlike Tristan.
“Yeah, come on in man.”
Tristan shared a searching look with Kaiba, that ended with Kaiba nodding approvingly, and then shooing Tristan towards Joey.
“I have to go to a meeting, I will be back later tonight. I will be expecting you to be ready to eat something by then pup. And if you don’t, I will force-feed you. The doctor says you are not getting enough to eat.” And with small pronouncement of doom, the red haired CEO was gone.
Tristan knelt on the edge of the bed and kicked his slippers off, then, being ever so careful not to rock the bed, he lifted the sheet and scooted in next to Joey. Joey kept looking at him, like there was something funny with him, or maybe he just looked tired to him? But what could he do. He wanted to be next to the blonde in the worst way, and he wasn’t sure how to ask, really. Small tears formed in the corner of Joey’s eyes as Tristan watched. He’s watching my expression. He knows he looks rough because of the way I’m looking at him…shit…awww…man, common…don’t cry…Tristan mentally begged. Joey broke the silence first.
“Tristan.” Big honey brown eyes, wide and lonely.
“Yeah?”
“Will you please let me cuddle with you.”
“Yeah…uh… that’s fine.” Tristan stuttered, completely floored by the look of vulnerability and fear in Joey’s eyes.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” Joey whispered, looking defeated.
“No, no that’s not it.” Tristan backpedaled. “Its just that I don’t want to have you hurt yourself, should you even be moving that much?”
“Please, it hurts more to lay on my back…” Joey pleaded.
How could Tristan say no to the look?”
“Yeah, Jo, I’d really like that then.”
Tristan seized a free floating pillow, rolled over on his back as close to Joey as he could get, and waited for the blonde duelist to decide where he wanted to be and what he wanted him to do.
“Thank you” Joey whimpered as he rolled onto his side slowly, making small whines of pain as he went, until he had draped his broken wrist over Tristan’s chest and with a lot more care, had arranged a pillow under his side. Slowly, he threw one leg over Tristan’s, and let the taller duelist rest a one gentle arm around his shoulders. Tristan nudged and wriggled here and there, helping Joey get more comfortable, until at last with a sigh, Joey was as curled around Tristan as he could get.
“Better Jo?”
Joey just whimpered and started to cry.
“So much better…so glad you’re here… ‘Tris…so humiliated…’Tris it hurts” Were a few of the repeated phrases that he could make out between the blonde’s sobs.
“Jo, I’m here, I’m right here.” The spiky haired duelist reassured as he let his fingers comb the still dirty and sweat stiff blonde hair. Joey was a feverish warmth against his stomach and through his shirt, well; he was bare except for bandages and Kaiba’s sweats. Must be it. Tristan reasoned,
“Jo, look, It’s all gonna be ok, not right now, but later, ok? I promise. I’ll be here for you; we’ll be here for you. Its gonna get better.”
“It hurts though.”
“I know.” Tristan wanted so badly to take Joey’s pain away. He knew the blonde meant more than the physical pain. He wondered vaguely which was worse for his friend.
“Hey Tris?”
“Mhh?”
“How’come I’m soooo sleepy?”
“The pain medicine probably, and you are exhausted.”
“M’not.” Joey slurred rebelliously.
“Are too!” Tristan laughed.
“Ya’right. M’sleepy.”
“Me too. So go right ahead, I’ll join you really soon.”
“T’rissn?”
“Yeah?”
“’S’anks.”
And then the blonde was dead weight in his arms, soundly asleep. Tristan spent a moment, watching the slow even breathing, feeling the steady beating of Joey’s heart, and feeling immensely thankful. Thankful that Joey had not died, thankful that Joey was in his arms. Just thankful for the blonde. He thanked whatever deity had answered his prayers. Joey was safe, curled up on his chest, and he was not letting him be anywhere or anyway else.
“I love you Joey.” He whispered into the hair that he knew would be as soft as silk once it was given an official washing. He nuzzled into it, and despite the smell of bandages and cigarette smoke and stale alcohol, he could smell Joey. A tiny bit of his minty cologne still clung to his skin, and, for some reason, that was what launched Tristan over the edge into tears.
Eventually the afternoon sun framing them through the window, and the soft sound of Joeys breathing lulled him into sleep, sleep where he didn’t have to worry, sleep where he knew his love was safe. He had been up all night. And he was tired. His last thoughts as he fell into slumber was the he hoped he didn’t roll over on Joey.

~*~

A/N: Woah am I tired. I know how Tristan feels. I am so whipped, finals and being overseas, and just, living. It’s been a mad mad week, I’ve written three essays in the last two days, and I am very tired. This story’s been my saving grace. This I enjoy writing. If things seem kinda slow, its cause I’m up to my armpits in finals week. I will try and keep up with the updates though.

Thanks much to those who review and read, and please keep reviewing.
Cheers!
- Lady Jade