Torn Apart

I thank everyone who has stuck with this story and I hope this chapter is more to your liking. ^_^

Big hugs for all the reviews.

Enjoy.


“You fainted!” Haruka exclaimed as soon as she entered the room, her fiery eyes directed straight at Seto. “You actually fainted!” Mokuba had watched her come in from his brother’s bedside. “I rush over here, worried out of my mind because I got a call saying you were in the hospital and all because you fainted!” She collapsed into the chair next to Mokuba’s. He could see that she was panting slightly, she must really have rushed over here. “Why can’t they tell you that at the time?”

“I’m fine. Thanks for asking.” Seto dead paned from his bed. He was not happy to be here, Mokuba could tell…in fact anyone within a mile radius could probably tell his brother mood at the current moment in time.

“Hey take it easy, he’s still in the hospital after all.” Mokuba said. Was there really need for her to react like this?

“Sorry, I’m just showing my relief that it’s not something more serious.” She said to Mokuba before switching her gaze back to Kaiba. “And anyway I’m shouting at you for being stupid.”

“Excuse me. You’re acting like this is my fault.” Kaiba said no curbing his sour demeanour.

“But it is! C’mon Seto, you don’t eat probably, your not sleeping well and you spend all your time working. You need to look after your body, you’re not a teenager anymore, you can’t be expected to get away with it.” Mokuba could see from his brother’s face that he knew she was right. Ooh he must be hating this! Mokuba had to agree with her too, but of course would never admit to it out loud while Seto was in the room.

“I’m afraid the young lady here has a fair assessment of the cause of your sudden collapse Mr Kaiba.” Their doctor, Dr Kanazawa, had entered the room. Dr Kanazawa had been their doctor since Mokuba had been 10 and now that they were back in Japan it was no wonder Seto had chosen to go back to him. Mokuba had always liked him, he was never afraid to tell his brother anything, even something’s he may not have wanted to hear. Dr Kanazawa walked over to the foot of his brother’s bed and picked up the chart hanging off the end. “It’s that same problem Mr Kaiba. Your body just can’t keep up with you.”

“You didn’t really expect him to have changed, did you?” Mokuba had to chime in.

“No, not really.” Dr Kanazawa chuckled softly. “It’s nice to see you two back again, it’s a shame it couldn’t be under better circumstances but has a doctor I rarely get that opportunity.” He replaced the chart. “Now if you two don’t mind stepping out for a few moments, I need to give Seto a quick examination. You’re more than welcome to come back when I’ve finished.” Both Mokuba and Haru got up and left, promising they’d be back later.

“Do you think they’ll keep him in?” Mokuba asked when they were outside. Nothing. “…hey…Haru?” He questioned looking to her when he didn’t receive a reply. Her attention was fixed down the corridor, as if she was staring at something. “Haru?” he said again, tapping her on the shoulder.

“Hmm?”

“Are you listening?”

“Oh…sorry. I just thought I saw something. Anyway, never mind. What were you saying?”

“I was asking if you think Seto will be kept in overnight.” Mokuba repeated unable to keep the irritation from his voice. He hated not being listened to. He was a Kaiba after all.

“I would have thought so.” Haru replied normally, not picking up on Mokuba’s mood or just ignoring it. “I think we all know that if Seto goes home, he’s not gonna be resting.” They sat in silence for a while outside in the hallway.

“Haruka?” Mokuba said, breaking their silence. “Do you care for my brother?” Haru seemed to contemplate the question before letting out a long breath.

“It’s not gonna happen Mokuba.” He looked over at her and saw sad understanding look in her eye.

“Huh?”

“This idea you have of a little happy family. It’s just not gonna happen.”

“But…the other night…didn’t you…?”

“That was a mistake.” Haru said firmly cutting across him. “A stupid mistake that is never going to be repeated.” She ran her fingers across her temple. “I forgot I get all touchy when I’m drunk.” she added as if to herself.

“It really was not my intention to get drunk.” She exclaimed suddenly, like it had been gnawing at her for a while. “I really did just want him to…you know…unclench a little. I guess it went a little too far.” She leant forwards, resting her head in her hands, staring at a spot in the floor. “Besides I think we both had some one else on our minds that night. So to answer your questioned, yes I do care about Seto, I just don’t think it’s the way you want me to.” She smiled at him apologetically and Mokuba sat there thinking, ‘oh to have a normal family.’

===@===

Seto woke up, still in the hospital. He didn’t know when he had fallen asleep. He didn’t even remember doing so. Hell he must be a lot more tired than he thought. His eyes wondered to the window. It was getting dark outside.

“It’s about 6:30pm if you’re interested.” Kaiba’s eyes swung round from the window to rest on Haru sitting by his bed like she had been earlier.

“Where’s Mokuba?” He asked sitting up.

“He went home. There didn’t seem any point in both of us being here since visiting hours are over soon. I just didn’t want you to wake up and wonder where everyone was.” She explained watching him calmly.

“So have you just been watching me sleep?” There was something ever so disturbing about that thought. Sure he had spent time watching Wheeler sleep but that was the only time when he was ever quiet. He had liked to take time and enjoy those brief moments. However when it was the other way around it only put him on edge.

“No I’ve only just come back in. I’ve been talking to your doctor.” She replied with a smile.

“Oh and what did he have to say?”

“He said you should stay in for at least tonight, that way you might actually manage to get some rest.” Kaiba groaned. He really didn’t want to be in here anymore, there was nothing wrong with him! “Don’t make that face. You know he’s right. You go home now and you won’t. It’s best of you stay here with no distractions.” Kaiba rolled his eyes. It didn’t matter if he was right, he still wasn’t gonna like it.

“It’s gonna drive me nuts.”

“You’ll survive, it’s only for one night.” Kaiba sighed. He knew this was for his own good but he just couldn’t stand the thought of not doing anything. Even if it is only one night, one night was one too many. He was trying not to get angry about it, after all they weren’t doing this to annoy him, they were just worried about him, for what ever reason.

“I don’t understand…” He said finishing his thoughts out loud. “…why people worry about me. I just don’t get it.”

“We worry because we care.” Haruka said as if explaining that one and one made two.

“Yes…but why do you care? It’s not like I’ve ever done anything to deserve it. I’ve even gone out of my way to be a complete bastard most of the time but it still didn’t make any difference. I just…it puzzles me.”

“What’s there to understand?” Haru answered after a slight pause, a frown creasing her forehead. “You don’t have to have a reason for liking someone Set. Sometimes it just happens. They’re probably just as confused as you.” No matter how many times he had had it put to him that way he still had problems with it. There was something in his mind that refused to accept it. “Haven’t you ever liked someone and had no idea why?” That stopped him in his thoughts. He guessed he wasn’t completely detached from this problem then.

“Mmmm.” He hummed in a way as an affirmative response. It wasn’t like he could deny it. Haru was staring at her hands lying in her lap. She looked like she wanted to say something else but was in conflict about whether to or not.

“It’s Joey, isn’t it.” She said finally, phrasing it as a question but stating it like a fact. ‘Huh!’ Kaiba had to put all his business training in not betraying the shock of her statement on his face. He had a feeling he was failing though. He’d had never have thought that that was gonna come from her mouth. She was watching him closely, daring him to deny what she had said.

“…I don’t…?”

“Seto, I’m not stupid.” She cut across him. “I do not spend an entire evening being grilled by the guy and not think ‘this is a bit weird.’” Kaiba groaned, trust Wheeler.

“Idiot.” He muttered under his breath.

“Can I also assume that this idiot is the person you left behind when you came to America?”

Kaiba moaned, leaning back in his bed. “Yes.” Why bother denying it now? Haru suddenly got up from her chair and stood looking down at him.

“Seto what I do now, even though you ill, is for your own good.” Kaiba didn’t even have time to ask what before she slapped him hard across the cheek. Kaiba lay there stunned, no one had ever laid a hand on him like that.

“What is wrong with you!?! Why the hell didn’t you tell me!?!” she shouted, seemingly forgetting that they were in a hospital. “My god Seto! If you had said you were gay we never would have had to do this!”

“I wouldn’t have but what about you!?” He replied back finding his anger.

“What does it matter about me, I’ve got nothing to do with this.”

“Yes you do. Do you think I’m so heartless that I would just walk away when I learnt who the other man your father had in line for you to marry.”

“Hunter.” Haru said the name as if it left a bad taste in her mouth. “Yeah I wasn’t such a fan of that idea either.” She shuddered.

“Exactly, you deserve better than that and well that might not necessarily be me, at least I would give you the freedom to find who was.”

“Yeah and I was hoping to extend you the same curtsey. You should have told me about Joey, I would have understood. I mean Set, the poor guy, you haven’t told him a thing have you? He spent that whole evening looking at me like an abandoned puppy dog. He doesn’t have a clue what’s going on. And now you’ve made me look like the bad guy. Like I’ve stolen you away or something, it’s not fair. I haven’t done anything wrong.” Haru drew a long breath, settling in her chair again. “You say you’re not heartless but how could you treat him like that?”

“You make it sound so simple, but it’s not.”

“How isn’t it? You love him right?” Kaiba didn’t know what to say. Why was it that every time this question he could never just answer? It was like something in his brain was stopping him.

“I…I don’t know…”

“For God’s sake Seto, just say yes! It’s not gonna kill you to admit it.” Again it was that look, daring him to contradict her words. Kaiba couldn’t help the heated response rising in his chest at being seen through so easily. He had seriously underestimated her perception.

“Alright fine, I do ok! I do!” He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know how that moron did it, but he managed to weasel his way into my head and refuses to budge.” Kaiba let out a soft sigh. It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. “There isn’t a day that goes by without him entering my thoughts…it irritating.” He added, trying to sound more like myself. It didn’t matter, Haru was still looking at him as if he was a cute little kitten.

“Aw…that’s so sweet.” Kaiba growled low in his throat. He had never been looked at this way before and he didn’t want it catching on.

“Doesn’t it bother you?” he spat out, trying to rid that smile from her face.

“What? You being in love with another guy? Why would it? Although…”Thank god, that grin had gone. “It would bother me if it was another woman, I think. I’m not sure why really. Maybe because with a woman I would be like “What does she have that I don’t.” but with a guy…” she smirked again, “…it’s kind of obvious. So you and Joey I don’t mind. I really don’t mind at all.”

“You…wouldn’t happen to…like this sort of thing, would you?” Kaiba asked tentatively.

“What!” Her voice came out a little breathlessly, the tip of her ears going red. “Oh so it’s okay for men to like the idea of two women together but when it’s the other way round that’s weird!? Typical.” She snapped defensively. “Look you, just go see him when you get out alright and just hope that he forgives you.” Joey forgive him? Yeah right. Like that was gonna happen.

“I…don’t deserve it.”

“No, I dare say you don’t. But this is something you’ve seem to have forgotten. It’s not just about you. Right now, I’d say the ball is officially in Joey’s court.” She got up stretching her back. “Well, I’ll be leaving now, you are supposed to be resting after all.”

“Wait…” There was one thing he needed to ask. “I know Wheeler gave himself away but how did you know about me?” Haruka rubbed her neck pondering the question for a moment.

“I guess the fact that you didn’t want me hanging out with them was a good clue. But I think the big give away was…ah…” she sighed. “You’re not gonna like it.” Kaiba didn’t respond to that. There wasn’t any part of this conversation he had liked. Taking the hint Haru continued. “You talk in your sleep.” Kaiba could feel his eyes go wide before he could control himself.

“No I don’t.” he said quickly, probably a little too quickly.

“Seto, you’re asleep, how the hell do you know that you don’t? You were doing it earlier.”

“You said you weren’t watching me sleep.”

“Yeah, I know, I lied.” She laughed doing nothing to hide it. This really was turning into his worse day ever. It wasn’t right. How could this have happened? How could he suffer from something so…so…idiotic! It wasn’t fair. His sleep was something he had no control over, it wasn’t fair to be found out this way. His mind started to race. Had he always done it? Even when he was with Joey? Though it wasn’t like the blonde would have noticed. He had always been the type to fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and had been able to sleep through a thunder storm. Haru was right, he didn’t like this at all.

“What did I say?” He asked through gritted teeth. Haru took a moment to compose herself before answering, attempting to look like she was taking this seriously.

“Puppy.” She admitted finally. “It wasn’t exactly hard to figure out who that was.” Some of her earlier words come back to him. “Like an abandoned puppy dog.” It was like she had said it on purpose, so he knew she wasn’t lying now. God this was mortifying. Even now he could feel his face begin to burn. “Aww, I’ve never seen you get embarrassed before.” She reached out with her hand but Kaiba slapped it away. “Oh come on Set. You’re only human. Can’t you at least see the funny side of this?”

“Weren’t you leaving?” He shot her a venomous look.

“Alright, alright, I’m going.” She picked up her bag and coat and headed for the door. “Get some rest Seto, oh and…” She stopped just sticking her head round the door. “…you look really cute when you blush.” Kaiba hurled his pillow at her but missed. It thudded against the door as she hurriedly closed it behind her. There was no way he was gonna get any rest in here.

===@===

Joey was chastising himself for his cowardice earlier that day when his doorbell sounded. Dragging himself to the door, he opened it to find a very sombre Haruka, wrapped in a heavy coat and scarf, on the other side. She really was the last person he wanted to see right now.

“Why are you here?” she asked before he could get a word out.

“Um…answering the door.” He said lamely. What did she think he was doing?

“No why aren’t you at the hospital?” Joey stared straight at her. She knew! How did she know? Did Kaiba actually tell her? “You came today didn’t you? I saw you…well…I saw a blonde blur disappear round a corner and before you deny it, I know full well it was you.” Joey stared at his toes. Why was this happening? “I’m sorry.” The soft change in her voice caught him unaware. She was looking at him with such a pained expression on her face. “I didn’t know. I really…I didn’t know anything. The last think I wanted was to come between Seto and someone he actually cared about.” Haru paused collecting herself for a moment. “Our marriage was arranged by our parents…well really just my father and Seto’s step father.”

“…arranged?” Jou managed to pick out. Wait…did that mean?

“Yeah, so it’s not like we had a lot of choice in the matter. Not that that’s a good enough excuse for the way you’ve been treated…” Joey’s mind wasn’t really listening to what she was saying. All it registered was “arranged”. That meant it wasn’t Seto’s idea, he hadn’t found some one else. He could feel the happiness swell inside him at this simple fact. He suppressed it. So what if this was an arranged marriage, it still didn’t change the fact that Kaiba had kept silent about it for years. Why couldn’t he have told him about this? Did he think he wouldn’t have understood? “…so you should go see him.”

“What?” He blurted out catching the end of her sentence.

“Well he’s in the hospital now, it was nothing serious by the way, so you’ve got the perfect opportunity to go visit.”

“W-wait…I can’t…” Jou stuttered, suddenly panicked.

“What do you mean you can’t? You two! You’re as bad as each other. You want to see him don’t you?” Joey begrudgingly nodded his head. “Well then, you have to go now because he’s been left alone for a good half hour now and if he isn’t already checking himself, even though he’s not supposed to, he’s bloody thinking about it. Now go get your coat.” She took a step towards him, pushing him into his house.

“But…hang on…”

“No buts. Hurry up. You know better than I do that he’s not gonna stay somewhere he doesn’t have to. Now hurry up. I’m not leaving until you do.” She stood in his doorway, arms folded. Giving up, Joey grabbed his coat and keys. Haruka stepped aside as he came through and locked the door.

“Your not coming with me are you?”

“Why? Do you need somebody to hold your hand or something?”

“No.”

“Good, didn’t think so. Well…go then or I’ll or I will.” Having his mind made up for him Joey sprinted out of his apartment building and along the street. Oh man, this was insane! What was he gonna say to him? No, it was Kaiba that had all the talking to do. Joey wanted…needed answers and Kaiba was going to give them to him. Good anger…Kaiba was always much easier to deal with when he was angry. He caught sight of the hospital ahead and with it a pang of nervousness. He tried to shake it off as he entered the building. Jou headed to the ward he had gone to earlier in the day, when he had chickened out on seeing Seto. He wasn’t going to do that this time. He was gonna see him. Jou made it to the inpatient reception.

“Hey…um…”Joey panted heavily after all that running. “Hi…can I…please…I need to see Seto…Seto Kaiba…please…”

“Oh, um,” The lady at reception started. “I’m afraid it looks like you’ve just missed him. Mr Kaiba has checked himself out.” Joey almost collapsed himself. Damn that bastard! Why couldn’t he stay in one place for more than 5 minutes! Restraining a groan, Jou thanked the woman and headed back the way he came. ‘Just left! What are the odds that I’ve just past him?’ Jou thought bitterly has he sprinted back out of the hospital. Kaiba had only just left, he still might be able to catch him. He might have done if he hadn’t slipped on ice as soon as he made it outside. His feet came out from under him and he landed with a hard thud on his butt. He groaned loudly but didn’t get up. Man he was pathetic. He’d been given a perfect opportunity to get near to Kaiba and he had blown it.

“Stupid mutt.” Jou froze. It couldn’t be, not now. Not while he was sitting in the street, feeling like shit and with a numb ass. Hell he had probably seen him fall too. Bracing himself, Joey slowly looked up. Even though he was sure he would be standing there, seeing it for real sent a jolt straight through his heart. He saw that arrogant amused smirk that he had been on the receiving end of so many times before on that gorgeous face. Only today it was different, it was in the eyes, those azure blue eyes were looking down on him with a longing that he had never seen before. “I have to be sick before you’ll come see me.” he said crouching down, offering his hand to the blonde.

Joey stared at it for a moment and then looked away. He had been so close to just taking it, wanting so much to touch those hands again. But that wasn’t right. He should be angry, he should hate this man who had trodden on his heart so thoroughly, so why was he so happy to have the CEO finally acknowledge him like this. Joey got up on his own, completely ignoring Kaiba’s hand. Jou didn’t know what to do, what to say now that he had the brunet next to him.

“Joey.” He heard Kaiba say softly. Jou screwed his eyes shut against the other’s voice. He didn’t want to give in. He wasn’t going to give in. He wanted answers. He wanted to know why Kaiba had treated him like he had. Why he had endured 3 years of hearing nothing from the man he loved. He deserved that, didn’t he? Joey turned towards him, trying his best to be angry, to show on his face that even though he was here, he hadn’t forgiven him yet. It would have been a good plan if it had worked but that crumpled as soon as his gaze rested on the brunet. Uttering a sorrowful sound Joey throw himself into Kaiba’s arms, wrapping his own around the brunets neck. Tears formed in his eyes when he felt Kaiba pull him close, the CEO holding him just as tight as he was.

tbc

Yay back together again!! It's the only reason why you break them up so you can do the reunion. XP

yaoirose: Ahh yes does Tristan love Duke? Tricky one. I'm afraid it's back to Seto and Jou now, so that one will have to wait.

Cody_Thomas: You get the prize for being right about Haru and Kaiba! Jou and Seto finally get some talking done in the next chapter, you'll have to wait till then, sorry.

BlackVirgin17: Of course they do, they're my favourite couple after all.

Plz R&R