Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Yuugioh. I only own my ideas (and my YGO DVDs).

Pairing: Seto/Katsuya (kind of?)

Warning: Ficlet, Shonen-ai, very slightly OOC?

Timeline note: This ficlet is set about 10+ years after YGO:DM.

Author Note: I wrote this about one year ago, and at the time I had been reading some awe-inspiring fanfics that had put me in a mood to write some sort of angsty piece. So this was the result: a ficlet that is broken up into 3 parts! Hope you all enjoy~

Only For So Long

Part One

I haven't seen the man standing before me in over six years.

I thought that I would be angry, or at least indifferent, if I were to ever see this man again.

I thought that I had given up caring.

I was wrong.

Joseph Wheeler stands before me, drawn up to his full height. Which is now rivaling my own.

The blond's facial features still look young and carefree, like he hasn't aged a day. And I can't decide if that relieves me, or depresses me.

He looks to the side, rustles a hand though his hair and leans against the ornate marble railing. And then I notice it. His hair and clothes have changed. They have become richer in color, more refined, more put together. And more expensive. Totally opposite of what he used to look like. Totally opposite of what he used to wear, be. He almost reminds me of someone: me.

Also his skin looks softer and darker. And then on closer inspection his jaw seems to be sterner and more set than I could ever remember.

And all of this looks really good on him.

I silently curse to myself and close my eyes for a second, taking a quick breath. I could handle my ex-lover looking exactly the same. I would be able to reject anything and everything that would be coming from the other man if he looked the same. I would even be able to try to forget about him again.

But this new Joey was just that. New.

And as I open my eyes it dawns on me: This man was starting to intrigue me, the great Seto Kaiba, again. And more than I would like to admit. These changes are making me want Joey Wheeler all over again. And here I thought that I was done with him.

Even now, after all these years, Joey still has the same headstrong aura about him. But now he has everything else to back it up. He now has the money, the connections, the experience. Joey must be successful. He would not be able to attend this prestigious gala of businessmen if he wasn't one himself. But that makes no sense.

The thought of Joey rising to my range of status rattles me to my core. This isn't my Joey… my old Joey.

I know that the blond has it in him to be successful. After all, I dated the man for about four years and knew what he was capable of. And it doesn't hurt that Joey's intelligence or drive aren't lacking.

The thing that rattles me is the fact that I didn't know about Joey's climb to the top.

I put two fingers on my temple, quickly calculating.

If Joey was a successful businessman then I would have heard about it. I am up to date on all of the goings on of those who are important in the business world; national or foreign. So the fact that I, Seto Kaiba, renowned CEO of KaibaCorp, didn't know about this change of Joey's status bothers me.

Another change that upsets me was a set of looks in my ex-lover's eyes. I hadn't noticed them until now. Until I saw them in his golden eyes. They look at me with slight worry. Normally when my fingers meet my temple I either have a headache or I'm figuring out a problem. He knows this. And he is worried. But there is something else there in his eyes: Longing.

The blond man eye's seem to plead with me; asking me to sweep him off his feet; to make him fall in love with the me again.

But, as soon as these looks surface from underneath the golden orbs, they vanish. They were there for just a moment. And that fact tears at my heart.

Is he trying to forget how much I lov—used to love him?

I used to live for that look in Joey's eyes. The look that just screamed love and caring. A look that I had only ever received from Joey. Other than my younger brother, Joey was the only one to ever truly cared for me, loved me.

But now, it was just a ghost of a reality. Only to live on in my memory.

With the loving looks gone, their replacement was not something that I ever expected. Not from Joey, anyway. It is a look of even-acceptance; almost like Joey doesn't care either way if I'm here or not. It's new, yet has a ring of something that I'm used to. It is a look that the blond man had picked up from me. And one that he learned to perfect without me.

I want the first look back. The one I used to wake up to every morning. Love. I want it again. 'You never realize what you had until it's gone.' I don't believe in maxims, but I guess they do have some merit to them.

I step closer to Joey, and softly clear my throat in attempt to moisten it. This causes him to look over at me. And we continue to stare at each other for a few seconds.

I know that I, we, can take this staring contest only for so long before one of us breaks.

… I just hope it is not myself that ends up breaking. Again.

~Part One end~

A/N: And that's the end of part one! Just so you all know, these parts are meant to be short. I like the feel of it. ^^

Please review/comment or leave con-crit! Part Two will be uploaded in a few hours. So don't worry! :3