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Disclaimer: I do NOT own YuGiOh or anything canon. That all belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. I make NO money off writing this fic.

000

Joey was only a little surprised to see his seat was taken at the bar. He briefly recognized the guy from school and turned to go the other way. He didn't want people seeing him here. It wasn't that he was ashamed to be in the bar, just he didn't want people seeing him and ruining his style. Style being used very loosely. With a sigh, he noticed that all the seats at the bar were full. He'd likely have to go to a booth, go on the dance floor, or leave completely. The thought bugged him for reasons he didn't understand. There was suddenly a hand on his wrist and he turned to see who it was. One of the bouncers stood behind him, black shirt taught and tight over his muscular form.

"Uh…something the matter?" Joey asked.

The man gave him a small smile and handed him a VIP card. "For you." He nodded up towards the VIP section. "Enjoy."

"Uh…thanks…?"

The man nodded and released his wrist before going off to return to work. Joey took the time to look over the card in his hand. It was black with gold lettering announcing the name of the club and "VIP". There was no hint as to who it came from, but he somehow had a feeling that he knew. What the hell was Kaiba playing at? First, he bought him a drink, then he was a prick. Now he was having a guard give Joey an exclusive VIP pass? None of it made sense. They had already established that the eldest Kaiba was into men. But was he into Joey? The thought made the New Yorker laugh. There was no way. He was just trying to fuck with his head. That's all it was. With a sigh, Joey turned the card over in his hands a few times. What would it hurt to go upstairs? There were other people there. He'd thank Kaiba for it, but that was likely the only interaction he'd get with the brunette. Kaiba could find someone else to spend time with, and so could he. He practically forced his way through the crowded floor to the stairs to the VIP section. The guards there looked ready to stop him, but he flashed the pass and they waved him up. It felt like years to reach the VIP floor, but when Joey got there, he scanned the area as quickly as he could for Kaiba.

"I didn't think you'd have the balls to come up here." A voice whispered in his ear.

"Eagh!" Joey faltered, leaning on a guardrail for support. "What the hell, Kaiba?" He glared.

Seto smirked. "I'm surprised you came up here."

"Yeah, well, thought I'd thank ya for the invite." Joey rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't intend on staying long, though. Just would be interesting to see how the other half lives, eh?"

Seto shrugged. "Whatever you say, Wheeler. Enjoy yourself, then."

"Thanks. I think I will." Joey inched away from him and disappeared into the slightly thinner crowd of the section.

The redhead Seto had been talking to earlier sidled up next to him.

"That's the guy?" She asked, sipping from a champagne glass. "Not your normal type."

Seto shrugged. "I wasn't aware I had a type."

She giggled. "Don't get so defensive, Seto." She ordered. "Want my advice? Be a little nicer to the guy. You don't insult the person you wanna take home."

"I don't want to…"

"Oh, please. You bought him a drink, brought him up here. You like him and you're trying to make a good impression."

"I'm only fucking with his head. It's a hobby of mine."

"Bet you wish you were fucking with a different head of his."

He glared as she walked off to talk to a couple more girls on the other side of the floor. Seto sat on one of the plush chairs while he watched Wheeler attempt to mingle with other people in the floor. Someone whispered into his ear, making the blonde flush and laugh. Seto's nails dug into the arms of the chair. Why the hell was he so jealous? This was ridiculous. The girl, Maeko, was right. Joey wasn't the type of guy he normally messed with. The guys he normally messed with would flirt with him, hanging onto his arm a bit too much for comfort. They'd attempt to follow him home, so he'd make up something about getting his car and have his driver meet him around the corner. He'd never see the guy again and, if he did, he'd be too embarrassed that he was duped to bother Kaiba again.

But Joey…plain ignored him. He thanked him for the gifts, at least, but then he'd give a snarky remark and make Kaiba wonder just why he was bothering. But seeing other guys flirt with the blonde was just driving an ugly feeling up into his throat that he could only describe as pure jealousy. It was ridiculous. He didn't even like Wheeler. Then again, he couldn't deny that the blonde was descent looking. He dressed well enough for the club, and his jeans clung tightly enough to that shapely ass of his to draw Seto in again and again. It was pathetic. Kaiba looked into his drink as he swirled it just to avoid watching another girl latch onto the mutt's arm. Ugh that ugly feeling dancing about the pit of his stomach was back again. He took a sip from his glass, not caring who saw him staring right at the blonde. Well, as least he seemed to turn the broad down. Great, she nodded at Kaiba, so now he had to play like he wasn't watching or confront the problem head on.

"So…er…Kaiba…?" Joey asked, suddenly appearing at his side and rubbing the back of his neck. "Why exactly did…er…" He cleared his throat. "The girl thinks you invited me up here for a reason…I told her she was full of it but, nyeh, you know…"

Kaiba glared at her before turning his stare back to Joey. The blonde was flushing a deep red, still nervously rubbing the back of his neck while his other hand cluing tightly to a long-necked bottle of root beer.

"As I told her. It's nothing."

Joey leaned his back on the railing behind him, setting his drink on a small table and folding his arms across his chest. He stared down at the sleeves of the denim jacket covering his arms as if he was avoiding looking at Kaiba. Did the Principal's eldest son make him that uncomfortable? Normally Joey was a prick and gave it back to Kaiba as good as he got when…his friends…were there…

Maybe his bravado had been false from the start.

"If you have something to say, Wheeler, say it."

"Yeah, I do." Joey tapped his fingers on his arm. "I'm just not sure how to ask it, alright? Gimme a minute here."

"I've given you several."

Joey rolled his eyes, looking over the railing at the others on the ground floor. He felt out of place amongst Domino City's rich and famous. Not that he recognized anyone really famous, but it was the principle of the thing.

"Do you always have to be such an asshole, Kaiba?" Joey wondered.

"Pardon?" Seto cocked an eyebrow, tapping his fingers on the side of his glass.

"Seriously. I don't know what this two personality Two-Face, Jekyll and Hyde thing you got goin on is, but either way, you're still nothing but a self-centered prick. Don't you have another setting?"

"Watch it, Wheeler." Seto ordered, smirking at the blonde. "I bought you a drink without being asked to and helped get your ass up here. I don't think I'm entirely self-centered, do you?"

"I just don't get why. Do you get a kick out of confusing me? Do you get a kick out of being a pain in my ass?"

"Maybe I just felt like being nice."

Joey laughed, tossing his head back. "You're hilarious, Kaiba." He stated. "You're never nice to me."

"You're not exactly the epitome of sunshine either where I'm concerned."

Joey shrugged one shoulder. "Yeah, but at least I don't buy you drinks and act like we're best friends. If this is some kind of courting process, you can forget it. I'm not…well…you know."

"Something tells me that's a bold-faced lie." Kaiba stood, feeling his face flush crimson. "There's no courting going on here. Just a bit of boredom." He made a gesture with one hand as if waving off the discussion as he handed his drink to a server walking around the floor. "Won't happen again."

He turned to leave, but a hand grasped his forearm. He sighed and turned, surprise to see that the hand belonged to the American.

"What?" He brushed it away.

"I…er…I'm not comfortable up here…thanks for the invite, but I belong…down there…" He nodded at the over-crowded dance floor and even more over-crowded bar.

"You're telling me why?"

"Didn't want you to think you scared me off or something."

"You'd be rather pathetic if you'd run off just because I'm being an asshole."

"And you don't go for people who are pathetic…right?"

"What are you asking me, Wheeler?" He was getting a bit ticked off.

It's not like he'd admit he had a thought here and there about the blonde if he was asked, but at least the kid could have the courage to say something instead of staring and dancing around the issue like a fool.

"Nothing…forget I even asked…"

"Believe me, I'll try to."

Joey glared at him. "At least I know you're feeling like yourself, being a prick just for the sake of being a prick and all."

Seto snorted, not dignifying that with a response.

"Do you honestly hate me that much or something?" Joey wondered. "Because if that's the case, we don't need to interact."

"I was bored."

"So you don't hate me then."

Seto's lips pinched into a line, but he didn't answer the question.

"Heh, it's okay." Joey smirked. "Hate me or not, the fact that I piss you off enough to warrant your attention is entertainment enough."

"How about you just piss off." Seto offered, yanking his arm back. "I don't know why I bother."

"Bother what? Trying to be friends or some shit?"

Seto rolled his eyes. "As if I'd sink so low to have you as a friend."

"Ouch, that stings." Joey rubbed where his heart was. "Seto Kaiba, Grade A Prick Extraordinaire, doesn't want to be my friend. How will I ever survive in this world knowing that?"

"You could drown in your tears, that would solve the problem."

Joey laughed. "I guess you do have a sense of humor there, Kaiba. Where's it been hiding all these years? Up your ass?"

"Would you rather it be up yours?"

Joey stopped laughing, face and ears tinting pink. "Man, that barely made sense and I'm embarrassed by it."

Seto shrugged. "Good night, Wheeler."

"Yeah…good night, Rich Boy…"

Joey walked past him and out of the VIP section. He cast one last look up at Kaiba, who was watching him over the side rail. He gave the brunette a small smile and a flick of his wrist as he made his way back to the bar.