Written by: HikariRiku July 3rd, 2005 YES JUST TODAY! I had to write the whole thing...

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugi-oh, or any of it's characters...sadly that includes Seto and Joey...Cries

It's the fourth of July! meaning, that it's Independance Day! Well...if you live in the USA it is anyways...and this...this is my fourth of July Yugi-oh fic. Inspired by the Holiday as well as tradition. At our park each year we hold a HUGE fireworks display, and the thing lasts for a while...which sometimes can be annoying, but the point is I go every year, or would normally, but I won't be going this year due to cercumstances...SO I just decided to write this fic. I'm not sure when I learned about that whole Make A Wish thing...but I did in some point and time and decided to use it! So...I hope you all enjoy this fic, even if you're not a big fan of the holiday.

Warning: Yaoi Seto/Joey. Well Ithink it's Yaoi I'm not sure...maybe it's shonen-ai...I don't really know the difference that is...if there is one. but whatever it's nothing serious just 'hint hints and kissing...' Anyway enough blabbering! ON WITH THE FIC!

"What's with this stupid holiday anyway?" Seto Kaiba asked to no one in particular, as he sat on a bench in the middle of the local park. Watching his little brother run around in circles while holding some sort of stick with pink and green sparks flying from the end.

Though he was glad his brother was having fun, it was a tad-bit annoying having to hang around with his brothers chosen company.

"It's the fourth of July, here in America." Joey Wheeler stated, as he lit the end of a sparkler and handed it to a kid that was waiting in line.

"So?" Kaiba said rolling his eyes, "What's so important about that…?" He asked, "It's just a stupid date." He said this rather loudly causing several people to stop and stare at him, and a few to send death-glares his way. However, they had no effect on him, since his were usually a zillion times worse.

Joey sighed and handed another kid a small glowing stick, then turned to Kaiba "It's Independence day." He stated "The day America gained its Independence and became a free country."

"……" Kaiba looked at him "Why are you so passionate about this mutt, you're from Japan aren't you?" he ask, though thinking about it, Joey really didn't look like he came from Japan, since what Japanese person had blond hair like him? No one that's who.

"I lived here for a while, before I moved to Domino." He replied staring off into the distance, while lighting more sparklers, and handing them out as well as several blue light up sticks, and strange bags of white balls that made loud noises when they hit something with enough force. "Besides…My mom's part American."

"Oh that explains it…" Kaiba said to himself, making sure Joey couldn't hear him. Then stopped when something occurred to him. "Wait a minute mutt. There are so many different races in this place how do you KNOW when you're American?" he ask eyeing the blond confused, this Holiday wasn't something he really cared about, and it utterly bewildered him to no end.

"Well…that's hard to explain." Joey said as he handed a blond haired little girl an orange glowing stick

"Why don't you give it a shot mutt?" Kaiba said, and another thought occurred to him, he had been calling Joey a mutt for a while now, and Joey didn't seem at all angry about it.

"Alright." Joey said, "Well…I guess when you're not Japanese." He put on a goofy grin to say he was joking, and then returned to handing out 'Fireworks' and souvenirs

According to Joey, who had dragged Kaiba down to this park, with the help of Kaiba's little brother Mokuba, they were going to watch a huge fireworks show, but the actual fireworks hadn't started yet, and according to Joey wouldn't actually start until it was completely dark outside. It was 7:30 now, and the sky was darkening dramatically, at present it was bordering on nightfall.

Of course, Joey also made them come because he had volunteered to hand out souvenirs, and fireworks. Which according to him, he'd been doing every year until he moved to Domino Japan with his father. (Not a drunkard this time! YES!)

Which turned out to be the truth, since the moment he arrived, a strange tall old man, who apparently worked for the city and was one of the people who organized this little event, approached him.

The man had been so surprised to see Joey that Kaiba was sure he would have a heart attack. Thankfully, he was need elsewhere and headed off before that could actually happen.

Kaiba hadn't realized it, but he'd been staring at Joey in a sort of trance, until it registered in Kaiba's mind that Joey had suddenly vanished from view.

"Huh…" Kaiba said very intelligently blinking and looking around, suddenly he realized someone sitting really close to him, and he turned around to see Joey staring at him with a curious expression on his face.

Kaiba jolted backwards and fell off the bench and onto the ground, in surprise; Joey had been so close to him their noses were practically touching.

Kaiba looked up to see Joey leaning over the bench staring at him with a confused expression on his face, before suddenly smiling and bursting out laughing.

Kaiba blinked, and scowled "What they heck were you doing mutt!" He snapped picking himself up off the ground "Trying to give me a heart attack?"

Joey stopped laughing and looked up at him; he abruptly turned around and lowered his eyes to the ground.

Kaiba blinked and stared at him, Joey seemed hurt for some reason. "…" Kaiba was trying his hardest not to growl, "Aren't you supposed to be handing out those little souvenirs?" He ask

Joey looked back at him "They're all gone." He said pouting cutely almost like a child who had eaten every frosted animal cookie from the cookie box without realizing it, and then wondering what happened to them.

"Oh…" Kaiba said simply sitting down on the far side of the bench well away from Joey.

"Hey Joey! Seto!" Mokuba said running up to them, his long raven colored hair flying wildly behind him, while his purple eyes shown brightly with complete bliss. He was holding a small American flag, with Red and white stripes going down it, with a little blue square in the upper left corner, filled with tiny golden stars. "You know what that old man told me?" He asked giddily practically skipping in circles.

"No what Mokie?" They both ask in unison, grinning at the ten-year-old boy in front of them. While glancing over at the old man, Mokuba had been talking too. Which they found to be the same old man that had approached Joey when they had arrived

"Mr. Morgan," Mokuba started "That's his name…" He quickly added incase his big brother didn't know, "Said, that at the end of the fireworks show, just before the last light goes out, if you make a wish it'll come true!" Now he WAS skipping "I can't wait to try it!" he exclaimed sitting down on the bench in-between them.

Mokuba turned his head to Joey, and then to a confused looking Seto, "What are you both going to wish for?" He ask excitedly

Joey laughed "Well…" he started then stopped "It's a secret Mokie." He said, "If I tell you, it might not come true."

Mokuba seemed a little disappointed at Joey's words and the gleam in his eyes faded briefly, but then, as if he had had a sudden epiphany, they sparkled even brighter "Good point Joey!" He said, "Whatever it is I hope it comes true!"

"Well Mokie, I hope your wish comes true to." Joey said smiling down at the younger boy, who beamed then turned to Kaiba, who was still staring a little dazed by all of this.

"Hope your wish comes true to Seto!" He said hugging his brother, then his face got serious "You ARE going to make a wish aren't you big brother?" He ask,

Kaiba stared down at him, and knew by the look in his eyes, that he was expecting him to make a wish, and that if he did not he would probably be very upset. Kaiba smiled and nodded "Course I will Mokie." He said, he'd make a wish, even if he didn't think it would come true, as long as it would keep Mokuba happy, he'd do it.

"Thanks Seto!" Mokuba said letting go of him, and running off across the park again, waving his flag in the air.

Kaiba sighed and sat back, then found himself absentmindedly staring in Joey's direction, at first it didn't register in his mind that Joey's ebony brown eyes were staring into his own cerulean colored ones.

That is until Joey suddenly seemed to think that he was giving something away, or perhaps realized that Kaiba was giving something away, and jerked his head down rather abruptly, to stare with great interest at the cracks in the ground.

"Joey…" Kaiba found himself saying, though he didn't know why. Perhaps it was because his puppy's strange behavior was disturbing to him. Wait…HIS puppy? Where had that come from? Joey wasn't anybody's puppy let alone his.

"Yea?" Joey asked lifting his head to stare at Kaiba as he pondered the strange thoughts that had entered his head.

Kaiba closed his eyes and shook his head a little trying to force the thoughts out of his head, but that didn't seem to be helping, in fact, it only seemed to make things worse.

"Hey you guys!" Mokuba's voice could be heard coming towards them, Kaiba's eyes snapped open, and Joey turned his head to the boy. "The fireworks are starting!" He exclaimed pointing excitedly at the sky.

Just when had it gotten so dark? Kaiba wondered to himself, it had been light only moments ago hadn't it? He glanced down at the lighted screen of his watch, and blinked. It read almost 9:00, but that wasn't possible was it? How could nearly two hours have passed? He wasn't THAT absorbed in his thoughts was he?

Maybe it didn't have anything to do with his thoughts…maybe time had went by because he was busy staring at Joey. After all, he'd been doing a lot of that this particular night, though he didn't know why.

No…that was a lie, he knew why, he just didn't want to admit it.

"Something wrong Seto?" Joey asked, breaking him from his thoughts. Kaiba looked over to see Joey staring up at the sky, he didn't appear to be paying attention to Kaiba, and Kaiba started to wonder if Joey had actually said anything.

'Probably just imagined it…' Kaiba thought to himself 'After all he'd NEVER call me Seto, besides…he looks like he's in some sort of far away place. I wonder what he's thinking about?' Kaiba ask himself, as he continued to absentmindedly stare at the blond, and admire the way the colors from the fireworks lit up the blond's features, and especially his eyes.

After a moment, Kaiba realized once again what he was doing and turned his head towards the sky, to watch the fireworks.

A small whistling noise could be heard from farther off, and a small light shot through the air, before exploding into a bright blue and red ball, followed immediately by a pink and green one, then an orange one, and then a strange golden colored one that reminded Kaiba vaguely of a willow tree. He found out later that that's what it was.

They watched for what seemed like forever, and was quite possibly an hour, until their was a slight pause in the fireworks, and a huge white, gold, blue, red, and yellow fountain of sparks erupted high into the sky. Kaiba had to admit that it really was beautiful.

Mokuba squealed with delight "It's the 'Finally'!" He said happily "Don't forget to make a wish!"

Kaiba smiled and nodded, 'What am I supposed to wish for?' He asked himself, then sighed inwardly 'the one thing I can't have…' he thought depressed and a tad bit bitterly looking over at Joey who continued to stare at the sky.

The 'Finally' lasted almost ten minutes itself, and Kaiba watched as the last light flew into the air, Kaiba smiled and made his wish, as did Joey, and Mokuba. None of them realizing how much their wishes sounded alike.

"That was great!" Mokuba shouted once the three of them were in the car and driving down the road, heading towards Kaiba's mansion. (It shouldn't EVEN be surprising that he has houses in America should it?)

It had been about a week since they had arrived in America, for there summer vacation. Normally Kaiba would not have allowed someone to go with the two, but Mokuba had pleaded to let Joey come, saying how everyone else was going on trips and Joey would be all alone.

Kaiba had pretended that he didn't care, and at first, it had been easy, mainly because he was convinced that he didn't care, but it seemed a lot harder now to hide his emotions for the blond.

When Mokuba had first ask him, he had refused instantly, and for a few days, he'd been able to, but Mokuba got the better of him at last and he'd reluctantly agreed. However, he had also agreed because he really DID want the mutt to come along…

"That was SO FUN!" Mokuba said running circles around Joey, who was smiling just as much as the little boy.

"Glad you had fun Mokuba." Joey said, "Hey come on! Let's go light our own fireworks!" He said, and Mokuba and Joey ran off towards the back yard.

At Joey's request and Mokuba's pleadings, Kaiba had agreed to let them by fireworks, so long as they didn't burn the house down.

However, when Joey had asked, he had sneered and made rude comments about how maybe it would help Joey learn a new trick. But really…it was Kaiba who needed to learn the new trick.

He walked down the hallway slowly, and followed the two out the back door; somehow, they had already managed to light four sparklers two for each of them, and were spinning in circles, causing blurs of bright purple, and red around Mokuba, and bright blue and yellow around Joey.

Kaiba rather liked these sparklers, though he wasn't so found of those 'poppers' or the 'Smoke-bombs' Joey had. Though they were somewhat pretty, it was a little hard to see not to mention breathe if you got to close to them.

Not to mention that Mokuba had decided to be mean, and throw a popper at Seto's feet and scare him out of his mind earlier that morning.

"Big brother?" Mokuba's voice said interrupting his thoughts, Kaiba turned to see Mokuba standing right beside him with a worried expression on his face, "Are you okay?" Mokuba ask, looking at him, then at Joey who was still spinning in circles, and then back at him again.

Kaiba realized that he must have been staring at Joey again, and mentally slapped himself for being so stupid.

"Are you upset?" Mokuba ask, sitting down next to his brother and giving him a questioning look.

"No Mokie why would I be?" Kaiba ask smiling trying to reassure his little brother that he was all right, even if he wasn't.

"Maybe because you want something you know you can't have?" Mokuba ask, in a knowing sort of question, glancing over at Joey causing Kaiba to flinch a little and turn his gaze back to Joey as well. Who was lying on the ground apparently exhausted from spinning in circles so long.

Kaiba turned back to Mokuba and furrowed his eyebrows questioningly at his little brother 'Did he really just say that?' he ask himself 'Could Mokuba really have realized that I like Joey?'

"Mokuba…?" Kaiba started but was cut off by the sound of a whistling noise across the yard. He and Mokuba looked over at Joey who was lighting off small shooting stars.

"Pretty sparks huh?" Mokuba ask eyeing his brother expectantly waiting to see what his brother would say.

Kaiba nodded slightly "Yes, very much so."

Mokuba grinned "Yea…" He said slyly "But they're not the sparks you're looking for are they big bro?" He asked, causing Kaiba to nearly choke on some invisible thing in the back of his throat.

"Mokuba!" Kaiba hissed out trying to sound angry, but the small raven-haired boy wasn't fazed a bit.

Mokuba laughed and ran off across the yard to help Joey light fireworks, leaving Kaiba to fall into his thoughts again.

Kaiba became so absorbed in his thoughts he didn't notice that Mokuba and Joey were glancing at him suspiciously, and whispering to each other.

"Here Kaiba." Joey said holding something out to the burnet, a little while later.

Kaiba looked up and saw Joey standing in front oh him smiling, and holding a small American flag out to him. "It's a souvenir." Joey said, as Kaiba cautiously took the flag, and Joey plopped himself down on the bench/swing thing, (what are those things called?) next to Kaiba grinning like mad.

"Thanks…" Kaiba muttered under his breath, turning to look at Mokuba who was lighting fireworks of his own now.

"Having fun?" Joey asked titling his head to the side to get a better look at the CEO beside him.

"I guess so mutt…" Kaiba said, leaning back and looking up at the night sky.

Joey sighed, and Kaiba glanced over at him. The blond had his head down, staring at his hands, which were pressed together between his legs, with a sort of sad expression plastered on his face.

"Something wrong mutt?" Kaiba ask, eyeing him strangely, making sure to keep at least a LITTLE bit of agitation in his voice, so the puppy wouldn't get suspicious of it's master.

Kaiba held in a groan of annoyance at that thought, once again he had referred to Joey as his though not quite in the same way he had before, but still…it aggravated him, that Joey wasn't his. Nor would he ever be. Joey wasn't some sort of object or place that Kaiba wanted, and could just BUY. He was a person, and Kaiba couldn't make him do or feel anything tat he didn't want to…

"Am I really just some dog to you?" Joey asked, turning his head. As his eyes met Kaiba's, a small ache tugged in the CEO's chest. Joey's eyes shown with deep sorrow, and something else…was it longing? But for what? Kaiba wondered.

'For me maybe?' he ask himself, then shook the thought away 'NO! Joey couldn't possible want me…not with how I treat him…he…he hates me.' Kaiba told himself then realized that he hadn't answered Joey.

He sighed and closed his eyes for a minute, fighting with his pride; he wanted to tell Joey, that he wasn't just a dog, that when he called him those things it was only because he couldn't admit that he liked him. And that he really didn't hate him, he wanted to tell Joey, that when he called him a dog, or a mutt, or a…puppy, that he really didn't mean it as the sneering and hurtful remark he always made it out to be. He wanted to…but he couldn't. Or could he?

Joey sighed "Figures…" He muttered under his breath, only just loud enough for Kaiba to hear

"Why does it matter? Unless of course there is something else you'd rather be?" Kaiba ask before he could stop himself. Part of him was hoping that Joey wouldn't realize that question's hidden meaning, while another part of him was hoping that Joey would, and say he felt the same way about Kaiba, as Kaiba did about him.

Joey didn't say anything he just stared, and Kaiba suddenly felt very nervous. He needed to get away from Joey fast.

Kaiba quickly stood and started for the back door, but just as he was about to reach it, he heard Joey stand, and call after him, then felt a hand wrap around his wrist bringing him to a stop.

Kaiba turned to see Joey staring up at him, a strange emotion in his honey-brown eyes. "Kaiba what…? Why did you…? I mean…I…" Joey couldn't seem to finish his sentence, as Kaiba stared down at him confused.

Finally, the blond balled his left hand into a fist in frustration, then without warning to Kaiba, closed the (Already extremely small) gap between them, and their lips met.

Kaiba couldn't move, he just stood, his eyes wide with shock. After about a minute Joey pulled back, and released his wrist putting a good three feet between them.

"Kaiba I'm sorry!" He said almost panicking "I didn't mean to do that…I just…well I…" Again, he couldn't seem to finish his sentence, as Kaiba just stared at him, for a moment.

After a minute of listening to Joey stutter, and try to babble out his explanation, Kaiba walked forward, and pulled a slightly shocked Joey into another kiss. This one definitely better then the last in both their opinions.

Kaiba and Joey eventually broke apart, because of the ridiculous need for oxygen.

Kaiba looked down at the blond in his arms, and saw him with his head buried in his chest, panting and gasping for air. 'He really does look like a puppy…' Kaiba thought smiling to himself

"Joey…?" Kaiba said, once he had fully regained his breath, the blond looked up at him, eyes shining, happily.

"Yea?" Joey ask, and Kaiba noted that this might just be the first time he'd ever heard Joey talk to him, without there being some sort of angry, or sad, or joking tone in his voice. One thing was for sure though, and that was that this was definitely the first time Joey had ever sounded truly happy around him.

"I…" Kaiba started smiling at the slightly confused blond, his eyes sparkling like sapphires. "I love you Joey Wheeler." Kaiba said, suppressed a laugh of joy, at having finally been able to say those words.

Joey rested his head back into Kaiba's chest and smiled contently, closing his eyes. "I love you too Seto Kaiba." He said

Mokuba, who had witnessed this whole event from across the yard, was having a rather difficult time holding in his childish squeals of glee and sheer happiness. 'TOOK THEM LONG ENOUGH!' He thought to himself, once again practically skipping.

Mokuba smiled uncontrollably, grabbing another sparkler and lighting it. The sparkler burst into red and blue sparks and he smiled even more looking at it. It was blue, like the Blue Eyes White Dragon, Seto's favorite card, and red, like the Red Eyes Black Dragon, Joey's favorite card…

"Perfect…" He whispered to himself, and went back to lighting more fire works, he figured he'd give those two some alone time.

"Hey Joey?" Kaiba ask, as they sat on the swing, a little while later watching Mokuba run in circles with one to many sparklers to count.

"Yes Koi?" Joey asked his head on Kaiba's chest, listening to his steady breathing.

"I was just curious puppy…" He started, "What…what was it that you wished for?" He ask

"Wished for?" Joey repeated, and then apparently realizing what Kaiba was talking about asked, "You want to know if my wish came true?"

Kaiba nodded "Yes." He replied, he had a strange feeling that Joey had wished for the same thing, he had, and quite possibly the same thing Mokuba had.

Joey smiled "Yea," He replied, "It did." Joey seemed to pause "What about yours Seto?" He asked, "Did your wish come true?"

Kaiba let out a small laugh "Yes," He said, "Mine did."

"And what was it that you wished for?" Joey asked, though Kaiba was sure he knew the answer.

"Me?" Kaiba ask smiling "I wished for a blond puppy."

Joey closed his eyes, smiling contently, and drifting off to sleep.

Kaiba smiled down at him, and then looked at his watch; it was nearly 11:00. 'Mokuba really should be in bed by now…' He thought to himself, and looked out across the yard, but didn't see the purple-eyed boy.

"Mokuba?" He called in a hushed whisper, so at to not wake Joey.

"Yea big brother?" Mokuba said from beside him. Then let out a yawn, and Kaiba gave him a knowing look.

Mokuba groaned "Oh all right…" He said, looking down at the sleeping Joey in Kaiba's arms "Time for bed." He said, and walked across the yard. After he'd retrieved the bag of left over, and spent, fireworks he walked back over to Kaiba, who carefully stood up and gathered Joey into his arms.

They walked back into the house quietly, and Mokuba headed off to his room, where he placed the fireworks down by his dresser and crawled into bed, almost immediately falling asleep.

Kaiba smiled, after he'd checked to make sure Mokuba was actually going to sleep, and walked back to his room, where he'd placed Joey on the bed.

Smiling again, he turned off the light and crawled into bed, putting his arms around the sleeping puppy.

Joey stirred "Happy fourth of July Seto." he murmured sleepily, cuddling closer to Kaiba, who smiled.

"Happy fourth of July puppy."

OWARI

Please forgive any weird words that don't make sense, or mispelled words, or something...My spellchecker was trying to do things that it didn't really need to...like chaging words around without my permission GRRRI fixed most of them, but I may have missed a few...

Also, This muse (My Yami actually) Is banging me in the head with a frying pan right now...so in a few weeks (hopefully) I'll post this story again, but in Joey's point of veiw, since incase most of you didn't noticed MOST of this story was in Kaiba's point of veiw.

Anyway as usual reveiw if you can spare the time!

BTW: Feel free to correct me if I screwed something up, and you feel it threatensthe balance of yourvary existance okay? Thanks!