Red Dragon Inn

Joey’s POV

What do I say to him? I want him to love me. I want to be with him. Seto saved me from more than he thinks.

I hardly remember the time when me, my parents, and Serenity were together as a family. I remember my mom playing in the backyard with me and my sister.

But all that had changed when I was seven. A drunken fit by my father caused my mother to leave and take my sister away. That was the saddest day of my life.

I miss my sister and my father had always forbidden me to speak of her and my mother under penalty of a severe ass-kicking. I spoke about my mother once.

Once.

After the bruises healed, I learned my lesson.

Never speak about family.

Family is nothing.

Being part of a family is about exploitation, fighting, abuse, and hatred for one another.

There’s nothing else I know about families.

Do I want to be a Kaiba family member?

Joseph Wheeler-Kaiba?

Sounds good, but could I be part of a family?

“What do you say, Joey? Do you want to be part of my family?”

I love Kaiba. I really do. I want to love him the only way I know how. It’s not easy to go from ‘love is a condition’ to ‘love is unconditional.’

Now, I don’t know what to believe. I like Seto’s love. It’s good…but it isn’t what I’m used to.

Well, I lost my father as a family. Maybe I can gain another family with Kaiba.

Seto leaned into me slightly. “Do you want to stay with us, Joey? It’s…It’s not easy for me to say this, but….you’re too special to me to lose, Joseph. Without you, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get that rod out of my ass.”

We both gave a chuckle. “Yeah,” I agreed, “You were pretty tense, Seto. It’s good to see that you relaxed a little bit.”

“Only around you, Puppy. Well….you and Ryou. I don’t have to worry about being another person around the two of you.”

“Well, Seto, I…I want to…I want to be with you.”

Seto grinned. “Will you be part of my family, Joey?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

Seto leaned into me and smiled. He stroked my face.

“Welcome to my family, Joey Wheeler-Kaiba.”

Seto leaned into me and pressed his lips to mine. He kissed me slowly, his hands reaching up and stroking my cheek.

I took a deep breath, inhaling his musky scent. My entire body almost melted into his body.

But, my injuries made me wince a little. What little I do remember from last night, was nothing out of the ordinary. It was standard procedure for when I was returned home by the police. I’d be kept in that basement for a day and I would usually be able to get out the next day and go home to my alley.

Man, hangovers are a bitch! Luckily for me, withdrawal hadn’t hit yet, but I felt its ugly face approaching.

Kaiba leaned back and smiled at me. “You are going to rest today, Joey. I want you to heal.”

“When my father caught me, I had bought some really nice stuff and he took it away from me. Can I have your credit card or some money to replace the stuff?”

Seto reached over into his dresser. “Take my debit card. Just don’t go nuts, okay? My pin is….”

Seto gave me his access code. He stroked my cheek again. “Don’t strain yourself, Joey. Do you want Jacob to go with you? Or Donny?”

I shook my head. “No. I’ll be okay.”

“What if your father comes near you?”

“I’m not going down to my neighborhood. I tell you what, I’ll be home by noon. Okay? Then we can have lunch in the library and relax. Sounds like a date?”

Seto nodded. “Sounds good….love.”

My jaw dropped about twenty feet as Seto kissed my cheek.

“I love you very much, Joey.”

Seto shifted off of the bed and went into the bathroom to shower.

******************************

I went to another adult toy store not too far away and bought our new toys again. I managed to find everything I had lost to my father.

My father did a good job of cleaning me after using me last night. Seto would not have guessed that my father had touched me again.

I didn’t want him to find out about it, so I hid the limp as I was trained to.

I went and bought some flowers for Seto. I figured that he would enjoy something to decorate that bedroom of ours.

Then, I passed a familiar place.

Red Dragon Inn.

It was a nice little tavern. It sold cheap whiskey and cheap Jack. I stayed out side of the tavern for a long time.

Seto wanted me to be part of his family.

What is a family?

As I said before, drinking was always part of my family. So, why stop a family tradition? Why stop a good thing?

I can stop.

I can stop anytime I want.

Besides, I went three days without a drink before.

One drink won’t hurt me.

I can quit.

Just one more.

If I give into my temptations, I’ll be a happier person. Then Seto will be happy. Mokuba will be happy. Everyone will benefit!

How could I lose?

I may need to hide a bottle in my old room. I’ll have to stash it somewhere Seto won’t find it.

He’ll never know.

If I keep myself happy, I can keep the family happy and then Seto won’t leave me.

I opened the door to the Red Dragon Inn and walked up to the bar. I bought a bottle of Jack and hid it in my bag. I became the master of hiding a bottle in the last while. Besides, it’s a good thing that it is cold outside. Winter jackets made it easy to sneak bottles into KaibaCorp.

I bought a glass of tall beer and sighed as the frothy head met my lips. I gulped a mouthful and felt its suds slip down my throat and into my stomach.

Oh hell, yeah.

I heard quite a commotion in the corner.

I turned around and saw two guys making out in the dark corner in the bar.

One had spiky blond hair and one had spiky white hair.

Bakura and Marik? Am I seeing this or is this another scary alcohol-induced vision?

No…it’s real.

Marik had Bakura pinned to the wall of the bar. I could see Marik with his teeth dug fiercely into the side of Bakura’s neck. Both of them growling and clawing at each other like a couple of mad dogs in heat.

Ryou and Malik were sitting at a lit table with their hands folded on the table.

I went over to them. “Hey, guys, what are you doing here, guys?”

Ryou looked over at Malik. “Our yamis wanted to…umm….meet up.”

A loud moan came from Bakura as Marik’s hand went up his shirt. Bakura threw his head back with a snarl.

Normal POV

“Why are you four guys here?” Joey asked.

Malik and Ryou exchanged glances as they saw Joey’s pupils. Ryou sighed sadly.

Joey had slipped again. Most people who were coming off of alcohol dependency fail a number of times before success is possible.

“Joey,” Malik said. “There’s only two of us.”

Marik came over to Malik and grabbed his shirt roughly, picking him up. “How can I screw with Bakura if you speak?! Shut your fat lip before I shut it for you, hikari!”

Marik threw Malik back in his seat and the hikari shivered.

“Sorry, sir.”

Marik pointed the Millennium Rod at Malik’s throat. “Don’t piss me off, Malik! You know better than that!”

“Yes, sir, I do. I’m sorry, sir.”

Joey started to laugh. “You called him ‘sir’ twice, Malik!”

Malik lowered his head submissively. Ryou lowered his head as well.

Bakura came over to his hikari. “You don’t find this funny, do you, Ryou?”

Ryou shook his head. “No, master.”

Joey laughed hysterically. “I call Seto that, too, Ryou! We’re buds!”

Joey slapped Ryou on the back hard, making the white-haired boy jump.

Bakura snickered. “What’s the matter, Ryou? JUMPY?”

Ryou jumped in his chair at Bakura’s raised voice. “No, master.”

Joey laughed. “Hey, Bakura! Ryou told me yesterday, that he thinks you are a big dough-head and you like to wear ladies clothing!”

Bakura’s hair twitched with fury and he sneered down at Ryou.

“Bakura, I never said that!” Ryou pleaded, falling on his knees before Bakura and wrapping his arms around Bakura’s legs.

Joey laughed. “Yeah, Bakura! Ryou said you wear pink, frilly, lacy women’s panties!”

Tears fell from Ryou’s eyes. “Joey, please stop! You don’t know what you are saying!”

Joey turned to Marik. “Oh yeah! Marik! Malik told me something that you may want to know!”

Malik dropped to his knees and bent over forwards, bowing in front of Marik. “Oh, dear Ra! Don’t listen to him! He’s lying!”

Marik reached down and pulled Malik up by the hair. “What have YOU been saying about me, slave?”

Malik sobbed. “Please, yami!”

Joey laughed as he reached into his bag and brought out the bottle of Jack that he had hidden. “Malik told me something about you!”

“Osiris, take me now!” Malik pleaded.

“Malik told me you enjoy humping with dogs and anything with four legs! Is that true?”

Marik growled down at his weaker half. “Oh, really? Well, I know a certain little dog whose going to get more of his share tonight! If you think you are going to have one moment’s rest tonight, Malik, you are sorely mistaken! Trust me, by the time I get done with you, more than your ass is going to be sore!”

Ryou reached for Malik. “Malik!”

Joey laughed. “Yeah, Marik! Malik thinks your Rod is a pussy rod! He called you a self-righteous, cruel, sadistic, old impotent bastard who has to jack himself off for an hour just to get going!”

Malik gripped onto Ryou’s hand tightly before Marik pulled Malik to his feet by his hair.

“We’re going home, Malik! I’m going to make you regret those words dearly!”

Marik held tightly onto Ryou. “No! Ryou! Don’t let me go home!”

Ryou clutched onto Malik as Bakura pulled Ryou to his feet.

“You are seriously fucked, Ryou!” Bakura growled as he pried Malik’s hand away from his friend.

“RYOU!”

“MALIK!” Ryou cried as Marik pulled his hikari out of the Inn.

“Joey, tell Bakura I never said that!”

Bakura grinned, showing his canines. “Thank you for telling me about my hikari’s tongue, Joey. Let’s see if we can put that tongue to better use tonight, Ryou!”

“NOOO!!! JOEY!! GODS, NO!”

Joey laughed. “Hey, Ryou!”

Bakura stopped pulling on Ryou’s arm.

“Seto told me to tell you something important!”

Bakura growled. “Hurry up, Wheeler!”

Joey staggered up to Ryou. “Seto told me to tell you to stay the fuck away from him. He told me he was sick of you because you wouldn’t fuck him. I wanted to tell you earlier, but I forgot.”

Tears welled up in Ryou’s eyes. “I have no where to go,” Ryou whimpered as Bakura pulled him out by his hair.

Joey snickered and hid the bottle in his bag.

“Time to go home to my….family.”

****************************

Joey hid the bottle in the bag and entered KaibaCorp. He walked through the door and went into the elevator. The guard at the door acknowledged his presence with a nod. After placing his new toys under he and Seto’s bed, he grabbed a paper bag and

entered the library. Mokuba was sitting in front of the fireplace reading a book. He swung his little legs back and forth as he laid on his stomach.

“Hello, Joey!”

Joey sat down on the chair in front of the fireplace and held onto a brown paper bag. Joey nodded and drank from the paper bag.

Seto entered the library and crossed his arms. “Mokuba, can I have a moment to talk to Joey alone?”

Joey stood up and removed the bottle of Jack from the bag.

Seto stamped his foot. “I knew it! Joey! I thought you were supposed to quit! You were doing so good!”

Joey shrugged. “So? Isn’t this a normal family? I can be a good lover…I’m already great in bed, right, Seto?”

Mokuba gasped. “I think I better go.”

Joey jumped in front of Mokuba. “Oh, yeah! Run away like a little sissy!”

Seto growled. “Don’t talk to my baby brother like that! Mokuba, let me handle this.”

Joey turned and grabbed his crotch. “Handle THIS, Seto!”

Mokuba started to whimper and he tried to run. Joey grabbed his wrist and slammed the bottle down on the table.

Broken glass shattered around Mokuba and Joey. The booze in the bottle sprayed over Mokuba, Joey, and the furniture.

Seto dashed for Joey holding onto Mokuba. Seto broke Joey’s grip and Mokuba ran to the door.

“Get out, Mokuba!” Seto screamed to his brother.

“No, Seto! I can’t leave you!”

Joey held the sharp end of the broken bottle at Seto.

Seto stepped back. “Joey, why are you doing this? This is not what family is all about.”

Joey sneered. “I am part of your family, Seto! Just like I’m sure Ryou is part of your family!”

Seto raised an eyebrow. “Ryou? Why did you bring him up?”

Joey laughed. “You fucked Ryou, didn’t you? You pounded him into the oriental carpet, didn’t you?”

Seto shook his head. “No! I never slept with Ryou! Joey, this is not how family members are supposed to treat each other! Damn it, I trusted you!” Seto backed away as Joey advanced on him. “Joey, I know that your father beat you. I know that you are drunk off of your ass. We are not being a family right now, Joey. Family members don’t attack each other.”

Joey narrowed his eyes. “Admit it, Seto! You wanted Ryou!”

“I already told you I wanted Ryou, but I would never sleep with him! I love him, but I’m not going to sleep with him! Joey, family members love each other!”

Joey lunged at Seto. Seto grabbed Joey’s wrist that held the broken bottle.

“Joey! Give the bottle to me!”

“No! I won’t let you stop! I can’t stop! I don’t want to go through the withdrawal again! I can’t do it! If I get rid of you, I can keep going! I can continue to live my life the way I want!”

Seto gripped the wrist. “Joey, do you really want to live your life this way? Do you want to be miserable? Alone?”

Joey narrowed his eyes. “You don’t know what you are saying! Jack keeps me company!”

Joey stamped on Seto’s foot and slashed the broken bottle across Seto’s chest.

Joey’s clothes were sprayed with red. Seto grabbed his chest. Mokuba screamed and ran out of the room. The CEO panted as the glass cut into his skin. A trail of red slipped between his fingers.

Sweat covered his face.

“Joey, I’m not going to give up on you! I love you too much to give up on you! This is not how family members are! My step-father beat me and Mokuba! He god-damned took me on his own desk! When I killed him, I pledged to myself and my brother that we would never live like that again! I promised to protect Mokuba! To love him! To care for him! I pledged to raise him the way that I wasn’t! I won’t let you ruin that for Mokuba! I won’t live under my step-father’s thumb anymore!”

Seto fell to his knees in front of Joey, his hands over his heart as blood continued to seep.

“Joey? I love you. I don’t know what I can say to convince you that I love you. Every fiber in my body is telling me to give up. Every part of me wants to give up! But you know what, I WON’T! I REFUSE TO GIVE UP ON YOU, JOEY!”

Seto wavered unsteadily. “But, Joey, you have to want to change. I want us to be a family. I want us to be a happy couple. Joey, I love you more than anyone else. If you don’t feel the same way, I’ll understand. I have to live for my brother. My life will be empty without you, Joey. I don’t care what you do to me. I don’t want my little brother to suffer more than he already has.”

Joey lowered the bottle and dropped it. His bottom lip trembled.

“I don’t want my little brother to suffer, Joey. Look me in the eyes, Joey, and tell me if you love me.”

Joey dropped to his knees and buried his face in his hands. “Seto…..forgive me.”

Seto watched Joey cry for a moment and shifted closer to him. His hand over his heart, he pressed himself against Joey. “I love you, Joey.”

“Seto…I’m so sorry.”

“Joey, we’re a family now. We love each other and watch out for each other. I love you and Mokuba and I would walk through hot coals at your request! I don’t want to see my family or my friends hurt. I love you so much, Joey! I want to help you, Joey. I know you’re confused because you never really had a family…all you had was an abusive bastard who didn’t give a shit about you! But you know what, Joey? I love you!”

Joey shivered. “I love you, too, Seto. Please don’t leave me!”

“I can’t, Joey. I can’t leave someone I love so much.”

Joey looked down at Seto’s injury. “Gods…Seto…I..”

Seto shook his head. “Don’t say anything, Joey. Just…please help me to the bathroom so I can clean myself up.”

Joey helped Seto to the bathroom. Mokuba crept towards the bathroom.

His eyes were wide and teary. “Are you still angry, Joey?”

Joey kneeled down to the chibi. “No. I’m sorry, Mokuba.”

Mokuba ran into Joey’s arms. “I don’t want you to leave, Joey. Please don’t tell me you’re going to leave.”

Joey hugged Mokuba tightly. “Never.”