New Years in Los Angeles

Series: Yu-Gi-Oh!

Characters: Joey, Yami, Yugi, Bandit Keith, and Pegasus

Warnings: Contains boyxboy relationships

Pairings: Dragonshipping (JoeyxYami)

Summary: Takes place directly after my story, Christmas in America. Joey and Yami get "persuaded" by Pegasus to postpone their trip back to Japan and they are now in L.A., California. Yugi finds out about what Joey and Yami did during Christmas and is royally pissed.

Note: When they are talking in parenthesis they are speaking in English.

oOo

Today was the day they had to leave Brooklyn. Joey and Yami were both sad to leave, and glad to get back home to Domino City in Japan. As planned, they had their Christmas dinner before leaving for the airport. It consisted of a whole turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, a green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie. Come to think of it, it was the same things you would have for Thanksgiving.

Joey ate quite a lot, his grandma kept urging him to eat more because there was no way she was going to be able to eat all of the leftovers by herself. Yami ate quite a bit as well, but not nearly as much as Joey. He regretted it afterword and felt like he was going to explode.

All too soon they had to get to the airport for their flight. Joey's grandma stayed and waved at them until they had to leave and enter the plane terminal. "(Come again!)" she shouted at them before they were out of sight.

Just as they were about to enter the plane, two burly men in dark suits and sunglasses intercepted them and led the two boys to a much smaller plane and hustled them onboard. Joey and Yami were confused and protested, but fell silent when one of the men pointed a gun at them and told them to sit down. The flight lasted for quite a few hours and the entire time neither of them had any idea what was going on. Both of them were scared and clung onto each other for comfort. They had stuck to each like glue after what had happened to Yami and neither of them let the other out of his sight.

Finally they landed. The first thing they noticed as they stepped off the plane was that it was a whole lot warmer here than it had been in Brooklyn. They knew for sure they weren't on the east coast anymore when they saw palm trees and the ocean, its waters shining brightly in the warm sun. "Where are we?" Joey asked, his hand still tightly linked to Yami's.

The two men didn't answer, just hustled them into a sleek black limo and drove them to an unknown location. When they finally stopped, they were at what could only be described as a mansion. It was mostly white, with some red trimming, and the yards were manicured to perfection. A gorgeous fountain sat out front, bubbling away. It reminded the boys of something out of an English fairytale and they wondered if England had palm trees.

The car stopped out front and they were urged into the house, where they were met by none other than Maximillion Pegasus himself. "What the hell, you bastard, why did you bring us here?!" Joey couldn't hold back the anger he felt towards the man. After all, it had been his fault that Yami had been raped by Keith.

Pegasus ignored Joey's outburst. "Welcome to sunny California, boys." He smiled broadly, spreading his arms wide in a welcoming gesture. "This is my house, well, one of them. I hope you enjoy your stay. Your room is this way." He started to walk down a long hallway, looking behind him when they didn't follow. Yami and Joey just stood in the entryway, glaring at him. "You do want to share the same room, correct?" He looked down at their hands, which were still clasped together.

Both boys blushed and let go of each other's hand, looking profusely embarrassed. How did he know? Well, it was kind of obvious if they were holding hands like that. "Haha, nothing to be embarrassed about, frankly it's adorable." He let out a chuckle that made both of them cringe.

Joey followed him down the hall, glaring up at him. "What do you want with us? Haven't you already done enough damage, you sick bastard?!" He was shouting now, his hands in tight fists.

"My, my, you aren't going to make many friends with an uncouth attitude like that, my blonde friend. And what is it that I did that upset you so? I only invited you to my house." He had stopped in front of a room.

"You don't even have the decency to come out and say it?! You had my friend raped!" He was about to punch Pegasus when Yami grabbed his arm, holding him back. There was no real point in getting into a physical fight with the man; besides, who knew where those goons of his were and whether they might pop up.

"Oh my, how horrible; but I had nothing to do with it, I assure you." His handsome face looked genuinely honest.

Yami glared up into his eye, and for Pegasus it truly was a single eye. His left eye was covered in a curtain of perfect, silver hair. "I just want to know one thing: why? Why did you do it?"

"But, Yugi boy, I didn't do anything."

"No matter how much yous deny it; we're not going to believe you, bastard." It was even harder for Yami to hold Joey back. He wanted to make Pegasus pay. To see that confused, innocent expression knocked off his face. But he didn't want Joey to get hurt, so he held him back. There was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that maybe, just maybe, it hadn't been Pegasus's fault and Keith had acted on his own.

"Here's your room, boys." Pegasus opened the door to a room and they stepped inside. It was spacious with very plush medium green carpet, a king sized bed that was themed in white and blue, a mahogany vanity, and a door that they assumed led to a bathroom. "I hope you enjoy your stay here. Now where is that boy with your luggage? He should be here." Pegasus had taken the liberty of getting their suitcases from the airport as well as the boys.

Only seconds after he said this, a boy who looked to be about the same age as Joey and Yami, quietly entered the room carrying their things. He had chestnut brown hair and strikingly green eyes. He set the suitcases on the floor, gave a small bow to Pegasus, and left the room as quietly as he had entered. "Forgive him. I just hired him and he's still in training." Neither Yami nor Joey could see what the boy had possibly done wrong, but they didn't say anything.

"Tell us why you brought us here, you kidnapping bastard!" Joey demanded.

"Kidnapping? I prefer to look at it as graciously escorting. I'll tell you why I invited you here at dinner, which will be in about an hour's time. I'll send Gregory, that boy who was in here earlier, to get you when it is time. See you then." Without another word Pegasus left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Joey immediately checked the door to see if it had been locked. He found that it was not, but didn't leave the room. "Geeze, that guy is a creep."

Yami flopped down on the bed, all energy leaving him. He was admittedly still in pain from his ordeal on Christmas Eve, but tried to hide it so Joey wouldn't worry. Joey joined him, cuddling up next to him. "I wonder why Pegasus brought us here. I bet it won't be for anything we'll like…"

Yami didn't give a coherent reply; just muttered something and dozed off. Joey found himself drifting off too and the next thing he knew a voice was speaking near him. "(Sirs, it's time to get ready to go to diner.)"

Joey blinked and sat up. It took him a bit to wake up enough from his nap to see who it was. It was the boy who had been in there earlier, Gregory, wasn't that what Pegasus had called him? "(Hmm, whadda ya want?)"

"(Mr. Pegasus told me to give you these to change into before dinner.)" He held out two stacks of clothes.

"That damn bastard expects us to just do anything he tells us to?" Joey spat out. He said it in Japanese and Gregory stared at him, not understanding a word of what he had said. He tilted his head to the side, confused. "(Come again?)"

"(What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?)" He rethought the question when he looked down and saw that he was wearing blue jeans that had a hole in one knee, sneakers that had seen better days, and a long sleeved shirt that was too big for him. "(Nevermind. Gimme those.)"

The boy handed one of the stacks to Joey. Joey set the stack on the bed and stripped off his shirt. When he started to unbutton his jeans the boy let out an "eep" and, what could only be described as scampered, out of the room. "What's his problem?" The boy seemed far too shy and stiff to Joey, he needed to loosen up a little.

The stack of clothes contained tan slacks, a white button-up long sleeved shirt, a short sleeveless vest that was chocolate brown in color, and brown dress shoes and a brown leather belt to go with it. Joey had to admit that it looked pretty good. He decided that the shirt would look better tucked in and fixed that.

In his hast to exit the room, Gregory had dropped the other stack on the floor. Joey picked it up and went to wake up Yami. He gently shook him by the shoulder, looking down at his sleeping face. He looked so much younger and more innocent when he was asleep, a lot more like Yugi. Joey wondered what Yugi's reaction would be to all that had happened over the last few days; after all, he had been in the Puzzle the entire time and didn't know about any of it. Little did Joey know that he would react in a way that he would never have expected.

Yami's outfit was the same style as Joey's only smaller, of course. Though the slacks were light blue, and the shoes, belt, and vest were dark blue. The shirt was still white. Yami changed into it and Gregory appeared at the door, leading them to the dining hall.

It was a very large room, likely a ball room that was just being used for dinner at the moment, with a long table with a red table cloth set up in the middle. Pegasus was seated at the head of the table, a wine glass in his hand. "Ah, glad to see that you boys are joining me for dinner. Please, sit." He motioned to two seats on either side of him that had been set with plates and silverware. "I'd offer you some wine but you're too young to drink. Dinner will be out here shortly."

Neither of them sat, they just glared at Pegasus, standing back with their arms crossed. "Okay. It's dinner time. Now tell us why we're here." Joey said.

"But wouldn't it be so much more pleasant to discuss that while we eat?" Both Yami and Joey gave him death glares. "I take that as a no. Very well." He snapped his fingers and Gregory appeared from seemingly nowhere, waiting expectantly for a command. But Pegasus didn't tell him to do anything, only came up behind him and placed both his hands on his shoulders. "Seeing as how you boys don't appreciate the finer pleasantries, I'll just come out and say it."

"Finally," Joey said rolling his brown eyes.

"The reason I invited you boys here, is to ask Yugi boy to help promote a Duel Monsters tournament I have planned to take place just after New Year's. He doesn't have to compete in it; that would be unfair as he is more than likely bound to win. All he has to do is duel the American Duel Monsters Champion. He doesn't have to win, or lose for that matter, just give us an exciting duel that will make people interested in competing."

"What's the catch?" Joey asked. It sounded so simple, and not dangerous and sinister like he had been expecting. "Last time we entered one of your tournaments it was only because you stole Yugi's grandfather's soul."

"Always the skeptic, aren't we, Mr. Wheeler. There's no catch; I think you'll like this part. A large sum of the proceeds that come from the tournament, from the registration fee, sales of cards and Duel Disks and the like, will go to help local orphanages." This entire time he had been slowly kneading his hands into Gregory's shoulders. The boy had become as stiff as a board, his eyes wide in terror. He was obviously as creeped out by Pegasus as Joey and Yami were, especially when he kept touching him like that. It didn't help that they were all speaking Japanese and he didn't understand them.

"That's where Gregory comes in. He was once an orphan at one of the local orphanages. He just recently turned 18 and therefore is a legal adult and no longer a ward of the state, so I hired him on as a butler. He's still in training, and oh he needs so much training." Pegasus was now running his hands through the boy's chestnut-colored hair, oblivious to the fact that he was as white as a sheet and looked about to faint. "He also has two younger sisters that live in the orphanage I got him from and I'm sure he'd greatly appreciate your help."

So that was Pegasus's ploy. This boy looked so shy and innocent that you just couldn't help wanting to help him and his sisters. "I will do it," Yami said. He couldn't help but have his heart go out to the poor kids and want to help them. Pegasus's idea didn't seem too evil so he decided that he would do it. And even though Pegasus hadn't openly threatened them, there was a nagging suspicion in the back of Yami's mind that if he refused there would be dire consequences; not only to him, but even worse, to Joey.

"You sure, Yami?" Joey asked. "We don't have to let this guy push us around." But he had to admit that he had the same suspicion that Yami had; that if they didn't they'd be in big trouble.

"Yes, I am sure," Yami said with more confidence than he felt. "Just let that boy go, I think he's going to die if you keep stroking him like that."

Pegasus looked down at Gregory. "Oh, oops, of course." He let Gregory go and he ran as fast as he could from the room, nearly tripping over his own feet on his way out.

"Just one thing," Joey said, "Let us call our family and friends so they know we're okay."

Pegasus handed Yami a wireless phone and he dialed the number for the Kame game shop. "Hello, Grandpa?" Yami tried to make his voice higher and softer and more like Yugi's voice. But he doubted that Yugi's grandfather knew the difference between them anyway. "I just wanted to let you know that we decided to stay longer in America." He was pretty sure that if he told them the whole story, that they had been kidnapped, Pegasus would have a problem with it. It was true that they were staying longer in America, so it wasn't a lie, just not all of the truth.

"Oh, okay, Yugi, have fun. Bring back a souvenir or something. How much longer are you staying? Is Joseph still with you?" He didn't sound concerned at all; but he didn't know that anything was wrong.

"Oh, until right after New Year's. And Joey is fine. Tell everyone that we are okay and that we are staying longer, okay? I do not want anyone to get worried."

"Sure, but are you okay, Yugi? You sound a little depressed."

"I am fine, Grandpa, I just come down with a small cold. I am almost over it." It was a lie, he hadn't gotten sick. Yami really was feeling a little depressed. He couldn't help it, after all that had happened. But he again kept it a secret so no one would worry about him. They said their goodbyes and he hung up the phone, handing it back to Pegasus.

"I didn't know that you had a cold," Joey said, looking a little concerned.

"Oh, only a very slight one, it is almost over." Yami continued his lie.

"Excellent! I'm glad that you agreed to help me," Pegasus exclaimed. "In the mean time you boys can do whatever you like. There are many different things to do around here. We have horses that you can ride if you wish, an indoor pool, and rooms for dueling with either fencing or Duel Monster's. But now," he pointed at the table, which had had food placed on in while they were talking, "We eat."

They ate the food, neither of them very hungry after the big meal they had had earlier, and then went back to their room. Yami looked at the large, comfortable looking bed, longing to flop down on it and just sleep. But he went over to his suitcase instead. There was something that he had to do first. He pulled the Millennium Puzzle from where he had wrapping it in a shirt at the bottom of the suitcase to keep it safe. He made contact with Yugi's mind, leaving his body to enter the Puzzle. The soulless body collapsed on the floor.

Joey was a little alarmed at first until he realized what Yami had done. He sat down on the edge of the bed, watching and waiting for either Yami or Yugi to come back out. What he didn't expect was for Yugi to suddenly jump up and forcibly throw the Puzzle at the wall, making several pieces fall out. "HOW DARE YOU? HOW DARE YOU?! I WAS A VIRGIN!" Yugi screamed at the top of his lungs at the shattered puzzle.

Yugi haven't taken it well at all when Yami had told him what had happened. He was shook up when he heard that Yami had been raped by Bandit Keith, but he exploded when he heard that Yami had had sex with Joey, his best friend. Yami had tried to reason with him, but nothing would get through to the enraged boy. Yugi didn't get angry often, but when he did all hell broke loose.

"Yugi, what's wrong?" Joey rushed over to Yugi, trying to calm him down by giving him a hug.

Yugi slammed his small fists into Joey's chest. "Let go of me, you rapist!"

Joey looked hurt, not from the fists, but from what Yugi had said. "I didn't rape you. It was consensual. Actually Yami pretty much commanded me to do it."

"I didn't give permission for you to do it. And it's my body. You raped me, get away from me!" He punched Joey in the gut and ran from the room.

"Yugi, wait!" Joey chased after him, holding his stomach where Yugi had hit him. He found Yugi at the end of the hall. He had climbed up on a window sill and was looking out the open window as the curtains on the window flapped gently in the breeze from outside. Joey ran as fast as he could when he saw that Yugi was going to jump. "Yugi! Don't!" He lunged for Yugi, missing grabbing his leg by inches.

"Yugi, don't jump…" He looked down and out the window, afraid of what he might see. He let out a sign of relief when he saw that they were on the ground floor and the window was only a few feet off the ground. Yugi was running into the night, unharmed. Joey contemplated chasing after him, but decided that he needed some time alone to think and, hopefully, to calm down.

It hurt Joey to think that Yugi thought he had raped him, like his own father had done to him and like Keith had done to Yami. He'd never do that. Yugi was just very confused right now and needed some time to think it over, he'd come to his senses, hopefully.

Joey went back to the room by himself, crawling into bed and eventually falling asleep. Sometime in the middle of the night he felt Yugi crawl in with him. He had come back, after having paced about in the spacious garden in the back of the mansion. He didn't want to be around Joey right now, but was tired and didn't know where else to go. He curled into a little ball, crying softly into his pillow. Joey heard his sobs and yearned to comfort him, but knew that he'd just push him away again so he didn't and pretended to still be asleep.