Chapter 7

Pale and trembling, Joey watches as once again his former boyfriend accuses him of infidelity. Never outright, just carefully dropped phrases. Such as the latest. "Maybe it's my imagination, but when he saw an old friend suddenly I no longer existed. Just them and this tension that nearly burned. A touch which lingered too long, a hug that to me seemed far too intimidate. As his boyfriend, am I not allowed jealousy on some level? But, then again, perhaps I'm just over reacting." He cringes as Dimitri's sad, persuasive voice fills the room. How could he lie like that?

A quick glance towards the front gates shows him a pack of vicious reporters hoping to tear him to pieces. With wide orbs, he studies the bodyguards that push at those dumb enough to try to squeeze through the bars or scale the gates. Taking a deep breath and willing the tears in his eyes to stop spilling, he leaves the mansion. Stepping up to the fence, Joey flashes a pathetic smile. Too hurt, too betrayed to muster up his usual sensual mask. "I'm sorry. I truly felt Dimitri had split on good terms. He claims I cheated when it never even occurred to me to be with anyone but him. Countless friends of ours accused him of being unfaithful to me, yet still I stuck by his side. I don't understand why he wants to hurt me and defile my name. Haven't I suffered enough, Dimitri?" Squeezing his eyes shut, he is unaware of how heartbreakingly adorable he appears.

"Come along, puppy," Seto cajoles tugging the blond away from the television. Amazing how easy the boy allows himself to be lead away. The state of the younger male's health worries him. How much thinner could the blond possibly get? The feel of rib bones against his fingertips disturbs him. "Joey, you need to change clothes. It's bedtime. You've sat in front of that t.v. almost all day after one of my guards got you." Blank ambers gaze up at him as if waiting for something. Orders? Knowing that bastard Dimitri, then yes. Last night had been easy. He'd just stripped the male and tucked him into bed, but he'd rather not do that again. He doesn't want to risk his puppy thinking that he's just like that monster. "Take your shirt off." Disgust settles in his stomach as wordlessly the blond obeys. "Puppy, please, take off your pants," he pleads. He really would rather not touch the blond anymore than necessary, his self control is taxed enough as it is. Slowly the blond steps out of his jeans before crawling beneath the covers.

Whimpering Joey presses his chest against Seto's back craving comfort. "He never loved me, I was just some sort of prize. Something to conquer." Seto's hand finds and intertwines with the younger male's. Thankful lips press chastely against the CEO's shoulder blade. Nuzzling his cheek against the brunet's back, he breaths in deep and revels in the soothing aura around the blue eyed male.

"He never deserved you, puppy," Seto states tensing as Joey's body melds against his own. Vaguely he recalls Tristan joking about Joey's need for human contact when in dire distress even though the thought of intimacy bothered him. Shifting onto his back, he recalls bitterly how badly he had wanted to have someone just hold him after the accident. To remind him that he still lived. Tilting his puppy's head up, he brushes their lips together hesitantly. "I shouldn't have done that," he begins but pauses as lips crush against his own.

"Seto Kaiba never apologizes. He does what he wants, when he wants," Joey jokes with a lopsided grin. A smug smirk curves the business man's lips. The younger male cuddles against him drifting into sleep easily. Shortly after, he follows.

(Dream/Past)

"Run!" The blond slave either doesn't hear him or chooses to ignore his plea. "Please, run!" The male stands staring down his nemesis. His one time friend. Now, his enemy. "Don't just stand there, run!" Still his commands go unanswered. He's standing no more than a few feet away yet both men act as if he's invisible. Maybe he is?

"Bakari, move. I must go to him. He deserves the truth, not whatever lies you concocted," the slave commands.

"That I can not do. You make him weak. His power is too great for such weakness," Bakari responds cooly.

"What weakness is there in love?"

"You think he still loves you? After you bedded that criminal, you believe he'd accept you with open arms? You're a common whore, he can pick another like you easily."

"Then let me see for myself," the blond argues, golden eyes unreadable.

Unbearable hurt pulsates through him as the taller male nears the two figures with eyes of azure ice slashing them apart with their intensity. Joey watches helplessly as his near duplicate's steel spine begins to weaken, his eyes showing his hurt. "You betrayed the Pharaoh, you betrayed me. Do you deny the accusations against you?"

Smug satisfaction in Bakari's deep brown orbs as the older male backs the blond against a pillar.

"Tell me you did not let the thief go when his death was demanded, and I will let you go."

Bowing his head in shame, the slave shakes his head as he regretfully replies, "He was my friend. I couldn't bare to see them hurt him anymore."

"Do you sleep with all your friends? Sometimes I forget your rightful place, don't I? I thought you were special, but you're a vulgar whore."

"I know my place. He offered comfort when I felt most alone. What we had was different."

Betrayal flashes dangerously in sapphire orbs as the male hisses, "How so? You were sent to fill my bed. To grant pleasure."

"We cared about one another. Don't you remember?"

"I remember a whore with exceptional skills. Nothing more. As if I could ever love someone as low as you."

With pained eyes trained on the ground, the blond slave stumbles away. Laughter tumbles from Bakari's lips as the priest stalks away in the opposite direction. Why had he believed that Bakari could be trusted? By freeing his friend, he lost the one person that had loved him.

Craving a comforting touch, he succumbs to the golden arms that offer protection against the harsh winds. Broken sobs he held at bay finally escape. "I told you not to go." He looks up into eyes a warm cocoa with a hint of crimson.

"I couldn't help myself. He was so near. For the first time in months, I could see him without risking death."

"Why do this to yourself, Caleb? I can protect you. We wont go hungry, we'll have shelter when needed."

"I know, you're a great thief. The best. I still love him, is that so wrong of me?"

"I don't know. I know nothing of love. I miss your vitality, your warmth."

"Take his words away. Make the pain stop. Steal it for all I care. One day, you'll know the ache love leaves you with."

"I hope not. Love is a hinderance," the thief growls yanking the blond's head up and bruising his lips with his own.

"One day you'll know. Your soul will seek out it's counterpoint."

Then the sadness eased as a bold grin decorated the blond's face. At least he could do this correctly.

All the time, Joey stood in the shadows unable to leave and unable to separate their emotions.

(Dream/Past End)

Panting he awakens to feel his cheeks damp with tears he must have shed. Quickly he steals a peek at Seto to ensure he remains asleep. Too close. Scooting off the bed, he manages to make it into the bathroom before the shaking sobs begin. So much pain, too much heartache. He looks in the mirror and sees Caleb. No, not Caleb. He is Joey, no one else. And Seto's not that priest regardless of how alike they may appear. The intimacy he senses between him and the CEO can't be real, must be some hallucination due to these dreams. He wishes the easy intimacy was real, though.

Yet the dream felt entirely too real. He felt Caleb's emotions as strong as his own. He hadn't wanted to confront the priest. Hadn't wanted his former lover to turn away from him. Damn it, no! Caleb's not real! Just some figment of these reoccurring dreams. Nothing more. They're nothing alike. He couldn't use sex as casually, as recklessly, as Caleb had.

Once the sobs subside along with the heart wrenching agony, he resumes his place next to Seto. As if sensing how near he is, Seto reaches out to pull him tight against him. "Puppy," the older male murmurs in his sleep and instantly he relaxes. Not Seth, just Seto. The man that could never shun him the way Seth had Caleb.