Chapter Twenty:

Things were swinging wildly from good to bad. Yugi was home, healthy as could be expected, and the three of them seemed to have fallen back to the same pattern of comfortable friendship from before, as if they hadn't been separated by a year's time of stress and pain. But on the other hand, there was still his obligation to Kaiba, his and Joey's job that Yugi must soon learn about, and Yami's new suspicion that there was something going on with Joey lately was beginning to weigh on him.

It had started the previous night. Thus far they hadn't had to tell Yugi what sort of club it was they worked at as Yugi quickly tired out during the day and wasn't up for accompanying them to work like he wanted to do. The luck wouldn't hold, but both he and Joey were grateful for it while it lasted. In the meantime, they'd been looking for other jobs, hoping that they could get others and quit the Fire Room without even having to tell Yugi about it at all, but there hadn't been any luck in that.

Last night, he'd stayed up late, reading through the literature that had finally arrived in the mail from the center about the chip-procedure Yugi wanted. Much of it was hard for him to understand, going in depth with technological phrases that no one but a tech would understand, but the procedure itself he was getting the gist of. He could have waited until the next day to read it, but after going to bed, it had itched at him until he'd gotten up and gone downstairs into the kitchen to start on it.

******

Now it was after one in the morning and he'd finally finished. Laying the thick pamphlet book down, he rubbed the bridge of his nose. It still sounded dangerous, but he knew that Dr. Ashford wouldn't attempt it if he thought the risk was too high.

The front door opened. Yami opened his eyes and waited in the kitchen as the door shut. He knew it was Joey; he could sense his presence with the aid of the Puzzle. What was he doing out so late?

"Ah!" Joey yelped when he came into the kitchen and saw Yami there. "What?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Did something happen?"

Joey's eyes shifted away from him to the fridge and he walked over to it a little stiffly. "No. I just like my walks anymore, you know? Good way to clear my head."

Yami really wanted to believe that, but he knew in his heart something was wrong. Joey was not a good liar. His face was far too open for that and he knew he was lying right then. He got up and walked over, slowly pushing the refrigerator shut. Joey straightened up and turned towards him with the obvious air of someone who didn't want to do that.

"Joey, what is going on with you? This is not the first time you have disappeared in the middle of the night. That is not a normal time to go out walking."

"Well, it is for me--"

"What is this?" Yami reached into Joey's shirt pocket and pulled out what had been sticking out. It was a small wad of money, mostly fifties and twenties. Joey tried to snatch it back but Yami moved his hand back. "What is it?"

"N-Nothing. Money. It's for paying the bills, you know that."

Yami looked up at him, frowning. "We pay the bills with checks."

"I-I've paid a few with cash. Look, it's really late, I should be going to bed."

Yami watched as Joey snatched the wad of money out of his hand and started out of the kitchen. Joey hesitated a moment, glancing back at him.

"Look, Yami, it's nothing to worry about."

Yami folded his arms and frowned at him. "You keep saying that. Joey...is it drugs?"

"What? No!" Joey came back over to him, looking down at him. "Yami, come on. I'm not on drugs, or selling drugs, or anything like that. I promise."

When Joey said it like that, it could be nothing but the truth. But that didn't change the fact that there was something else going on. Looking up at him silently, he just watched as Joey left the kitchen and headed upstairs. He turned back to the table and picked up the pamphlet. He wasn't innocent himself, but that didn't change the fact that he didn't want Joey getting into anything illegal just to make this work.

******

And their luck had run out earlier this night. Yugi had finally pressed for details about their job while they were cleaning up from dinner.

"I think it would be really neat to go see the bar," he said cheerfully, putting his dishes in the sink.

"Um," Yami glanced at Joey for help.

"Actually, Yug', that's probably not a good idea."

"Why?" Yugi asked. "Oh...are there stairs?" His expression fell.

"No," Yami said hesitantly. "It's just...what we do--"

"Yug', Yami and I are strippers," Joey said with all his usual finesse. He was just doing what they both wanted to, and just get it out and in the open.

"I--What?" Yugi looked between them, his automatic smile fading. "Y-You're joking...right?"

"No, Aibou. I wish we were, but we aren't."

"We had to, it was money for the center."

"So this is my fault?"

"What? No! Yug', that's not what I..." Joey broke off helplessly, looking at Yami.

"Aibou, nothing is your fault and there's no fault at all. Joey and I took the employment because it paid well and we needed the money. It is not...a bad job. And now that you are here home, we are looking for other jobs. It is no big deal."

"I...really need to think about this."

He wheeled backwards and turned around towards the rest of the apartment. Joey looked really upset. He came around the table, trying to stop him.

"Yugi, please, don't be upset. It's really nothing."

Yugi looked over the edge of the wheelchair, looking like he was trying to smile. "I know. I'm not mad at you. It's just, you know, weird."

He wheeled out of the kitchen and they heard the hydraulic of the elevator going up. Joey returned to the table, sitting down in one of the chairs with a thud and a sigh. Yami sat down as well, putting his head in his hand. He knew they should be happy it hadn't been worse, but he still hated this. Yugi was upset, no matter what he said. He could sense it.

//Aibou, please, do not blame yourself for anything. Nothing is your fault and--//

/I know, Yami. Really. Goodnight./

******

That had been the night before. Yugi had been still awkward over breakfast, but he hadn't ignored them. Neither he nor Joey pressed him to talk about it, knowing that it was best for him to think it through himself first. Hopefully he would come to grips with it.

"Goodbye, Yug'! I'll see you later tonight!"

"'Bye, Joey, 'bye, Yami!"

Yugi was upstairs with his rehabilitation nurse, Ai. Thanks to their hectic schedules, neither he nor Joey had the time to help Yugi with his rehab themselves, so the nurses still came by to do it themselves. They seemed happy enough to see him and the reverse seemed true as well, so Yami was happy to pay for it. Since the last check Kaiba had given him hadn't gone immediately to the center, they had quite a bit in the bank waiting to be used. As Yugi's chip-procedure was still on the horizon, he knew it wouldn't last.

It was time for he and Joey to be at the Fire Room. They were pairing at first, then Yami was on alone, pulling what was considered a 'double-shift'. Joey would come back to help Yugi get dinner after Ai left. They had tried to get their schedules done so one of them was at home with Yugi at any time.

At the Fire Room, he and Joey got dressed in their outfits. Joey had a new act for the two of them and he was dressed in a solid black outfit except for WildFire stenciled in scarlet on the back. Yami was in pure white with Shadow Flare in black. It was a switch from their usual deal of Yami in dark clothes.

Getting their props, they headed out onto the stage. The music started and they started their dancing. Yami, in the white clothes, acted more shy compared to Joey, in the dark clothes, like the act went. To balance it out, Yami had a chain in his hands, which he swung over his head while he swayed to the music. He whirled it over his head with one hand, working off the buttons from his shirt off with the other hand, then shrugging it off his shoulder. He switched the chain to his other hand, shrugging the shirt off from his other shoulder and letting it his the floor. Then he wound the chain around his naked torso, caressing his hands along his skin.

The customers of the Fire Room were cheering as usual. Yami looked at Joey, who was also bare-chested and had his own prop--a whip. He was cracking it, garnering a lot of attention. He suddenly turned to Yami, mimicking him and winding the whip around his body, coming forward. Yami met him and turned his back to him, beginning to grind against him. He raised his hands over his head, dropping down to his knees before coming back up, running the full of his body against Joey's.

Joey grabbed his waist and spun him around to face him, grasping his rear-end and jerking him up against him. More cheers that they both ignored. There was a bright light in Joey's eyes and he was grinning. He caressed his hands along Yami's ass before putting his hands against his chest and pushing him. Yami walked backwards until he hit the pole.

Joey unwrapped the whip from around his torso and grabbed Yami's hands, tying them together to the pole above his head. The cheers were the loudest yet.

"Joey..." Yami hadn't been expecting this. "What are you doing?"

"Improvising, Shadow."

He turned his back and, like Yami had earlier, began to rub his ass against Yami's pelvis. Grinning over his shoulder at him, he raised his hands over his head, mimicking him. Yami grunted softly, closing his eyes as the friction ran up his spine. Joey reached back to grab Yami's hips backwards, holding him steady.

"J-Joey, I d-don't think this is the right place--"

Yami's protests fell on a deaf ear. His pants were getting constricted by the erection he was failing to suppress. Joey gave him another wicked grin, beginning to grind against him in a series of jerky movements, mixing up the movements.

"Joey," Yami rasped desperately, his hands tightening into fists. "Stop."

"No way," Joey said. His eyes were manic. "Come on, Yami. Stop resisting."

He tilted his head back and kissed Yami hard on the mouth. The whistles and catcalls were thunderous, but Yami wasn't interested in that. His mouth invaded and the constant rubbing pushed him over the edge and he groaned muffedly, coming hard in his pants. Joey rumbled in answer, slowly stopping his movements, but not pulling back, only turning around without breaking the kiss and bringing his hands up to cup Yami's face.

Joey finally drew back, grinning to himself. Yami's hands slowly uncurled and he opened his eyes, his body thrumming. Catching his breath, he glared at him, though he was hard-pressed not to smile. Joey untied his hands, letting him free from the pole. His legs trembling, Yami stepped forward, letting Joey take his hands and turn him, putting him back-to-chest with him. Running his hands over Yami's chest and along his thighs, he walked with him towards the back of the stage to loud clapping.

Yami turned towards him and glared once they'd gotten behind the curtains, though Joey's wide smile didn't lessen a fraction.

"Head spinning?"

He laughed as Yami pushed him out the way so he could get cleaned up. Joey changed into his street clothes, watching as Yami changed into his outfit for his second dance in fifteen minutes. He bent forward and kissed his cheek.

"See ya, Shadow. I'll be back to pick you up when you're ready."

"Where did that come from?"

Joey shrugged his shoulders, putting on his jacket. "What was it you said a little while ago? Forget for a while?" He grinned and pecked the end of his nose. "See ya."

Yami shook his head as he watched Joey leave by the back door as usual. As he had fifteen minutes, he wandered out from the backstage and went to the bar. Dana wasn't working, so he just sat by himself and drank some water. Since his last episode of heavy drinking when he'd gone to steal the earrings, he'd not had another sip of alcohol. His hand had healed from the cuts, but it was Yugi's horror and concern of him arriving home drunk and bloody that had done it. He'd bought the falling down with Kaiba seeing and bringing him home story, but that only made Yami feel guiltier.

"Hello, Shadow Flare."

Yami just stopped himself from groaning and turned his head to see Sentoryou standing beside him, smiling down at him. He returned it reluctantly.

"Hello, Sentoryou."

"That was quite the show."

"Thank you." Yami took another drink of water. "I, ah, have another in a few minutes."

"Yes, I know." Sentoryou sat down on the next barstool. "I know you think I'm stalking you, but a good businessman never lets up easily."

"Until he gets that deal."

"Now, now, let's not be mean. That makes you sound cheap. Come on, Shadow Flare. What's one date? I might be the best boyfriend you'll ever have."

Yami wasn't sure exactly what to say to that. He smiled jerkily and took another drink of water and got to his feet. Sentoryou didn't try to stop him.

"I'll...think about it."

Sentoryou smiled brightly and got up as well. "That's all I can ask. See you in a few minutes."

Yami nodded and watched as Sentoryou walked away. He raised his hand in what looked like a greeting and Yami settled back at the bar to finish his water before his dance began. He started to look away, but then he saw the table Sentoryou had been heading to.

He swallowed his mouthful quickly and set the glass down, getting to his feet to make sure he was seeing it correctly.

Sentoryou was talking with the man who took the stolen items from Kaiba.

tbc…