Never fear!

Chapter 21 is here!

On another note:

Patrick Star... in a mankini...

I will never enjoy life ever again...

There were so many ways Joey could have reacted.

He could have pulled back and hit the asshole for all he's worth.

He could have run off.

Started raving like a lunatic.

Literally frozen in shock.

Heck, he could have fainted like a little girl.

But...

The moment the pale lips were on his, Kaiba's essence filled his senses and he'd responded in kind... because it was different.

Their first kiss had been needy and quick, as if to prove a point. Sparks flickered but didn't stay lit. The onslaught of new sensations had left Joey in a daze.

But this, this was new in an entirely different way.

Kaiba's mouth was hot on his. The contact shot tingles through his body. The brunette's tongue had only given his lips a quick swipe before plundering through and taking a taste of the blonde's mouth, still sweet form the fruity soda he had been sipping on earlier.

Joey pushed his body forward, enjoying the feeling of the thinly-dressed CEO against him. His arms held onto his taller companion while Kaiba kept one hand firmly locked in his hair and the other on his hip.

It was a passionate mess and certainly not short. It came to an end as the brunette pulled back and both sets of eyes flickered open. They remained close enough to exchange panting breaths. The racket around them appeared so distant.

Kaiba's expression was triumphant as he looked down at Joey. He let go of the blonde all too suddenly and stepped back. He ignored the bewildered expression he was sent as he picked up his tablet and fished a card out of his pocket.

"Here," the brunette said gruffly, thrusting it to Joey who took it on reflex.

"What's this?"

"The key card to my room," Kaiba stepped back towards him, loving the shiver that ran through the blonde as he leaned in to whisper in his ear. "If you want answers, be at my room at 8 o' clock sharp, tonight."

The tall brunette smirked and walked off, deciding to leave it at that. He didn't care to answer any of the thunderous questions or cries sent his way as he headed for the hotel.

That, unfortunately, left the frazzled blonde to the onslaught.

The noises around him were no longer distant as they came crashing around him all at once. Or more specifically, they came down upon him the moment he felt another's touch that he could distinctly pick up as not Kaiba's. He had a short moment of irrationality at the thought that he could pick out Kaiba's specific touch.

Tristan was shaking him.

"Joey! Are you okay man? Joey!"

The blonde pushed Tristan off of him.

Oh Ra.

Did he just...?

Kaiba and he...?

His face flashed red as his eyes darted around.

Oh Ra, they kissed in front of everyone!

Everyone!

People were making noise all around him. Kaiba's fangirls in particular were screeching something fierce.

And his friends...

His friends were all looking at him with wide eyes.

The blonde looked down.

It was too much.

He needed to get away.

So Joey did the first thing that came to mind... he ran.

Ran as fast as he could, head down, key card clenched tightly in his hand.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

"Did that... really just happen?"

Tea's question seemed to snap the others awake.

"I think so," Yugi murmured.

Tristan stared after the speck-of-a-blonde.

"We should go after him!" the pointy-haired brunette cried.

"No," Duke stated firmly taking the others by surprise. "We shouldn't. Just leave him alone for awhile."

Tristan rounded on him.

"What for?!"

Yugi shocked everyone by stepping in between them.

"Calm down Tristan!" Yugi cried out. His lavender eyes then fixed themselves on the raven. "Did you know about this?"

Duke took in their faces: Yugi's, Tristan's, Tea's. One incredulous face to the next.

"Yes," the green-eyed teen answered.

The nonchalant way Duke confessed caused Tristan to blow his top. He grabbed Duke by his shoulders and squeezed.

"Start talking!"

"Tristan! Stop!" Yugi yelled, trying to pull the taller teen off of the raven.

"Let him go Tristan!" Tea demanded, standing up.

"Not until he tells me what-"

Tristan was cut off abruptly as he was thrown off and stumbled backwards. Everyone stared at the albino teen in shock.

"Ryou," Duke breathed out in surprise.

The light haired teen stared at Tristan defiantly.

"Enough," Ryou demanded trying not to pant and hoping the pointy-haired brunette relaxed. It had taken all of his strength to push off the taller teen. "Don't pick on Duke. I knew about them as well."

"What?!"

The brunette looked like he was going to advance on the two of them.

"Tristan!" Yugi yelled once more, preparing to switch places with the Pharaoh if it came down to it.

"All right! All of you stop!" Tea bellowed throwing herself between each group of guys, Tristan and Yugi, Duke and Ryou. "Tristan, calm down and let Ryou and Duke explain just what is going on."

The pointy-haired brunette visibly deflated under her scorn. He stepped back, though there was still an edge to him. Everyone else let out an audible sigh.

"Thank you Ryou," Duke whispered.

Ryou pinked up and smiled cheerfully at the raven.

"It was nothing," the albino claimed, reaching up to scratch his cheek.

The raven smiled at the obviously flustered albino.

Ryou was pretty cu-

"Just explain already," Tristan huffed.

Ryou and Duke exchanged sympathizing glances.

"Joey told me in confidence," Duke said.

"I picked it up from watching them," Ryou put in.

"And?" Tristan pushed. "You haven't explained anything yet. Why the heck did Kaiba kiss Joey like that! Why would he try to humiliate him in that way!?"

"Have you forgotten already?" Duke put out, clearly irritated. "Joey's gay!"

"I know that!"

"So is Kaiba," Ryou finished.

"Wow," Yugi chipped in.

"Interesting," Tea remarked.

"Interesting?!" Tristan spluttered.

"They've been interested in each other for awhile now," Ryou cleared up.

"Wow," Yugi repeated.

'Joey and Kaiba, Aibou?'

'I know Pharaoh,' Yugi addressed inwardly. 'It's hard to believe.'

"I didn't know," Tea admitted, bringing a hand up to her mouth in shock.

Tristan's face only became more incredulous.

"What?!"

Duke resisted the urge to face-palm.

"Joey and Kaiba like each other," the raven clearly spelled out.

Confusion flashed Tristan's hazel's eyes.

"Joey and Kaiba! No way! Even if they're both gay..." Tristan shook his head. "Joey would have said something! He would have told us!"

"Well he didn't! Obviously!"

"Why would Joey not tell us?" Tea asked.

"Why would he tell you guys and not us?"

The raven just about grabbed the tall brunette. He itched to throttle him.

"What exactly is wrong with us?!" Duke spat, gesturing to Ryou and himself.

"That's not what he meant," Yugi tried to interfere.

Duke only repeated himself, growing angrier at saying the words a second time.

Tristan stepped up to the raven, causing everyone else to worry.

"We're," Tristan gestured to Yugi, Tea, and himself. "His best friends."

The raven grew livid at the way Tristan emphasized 'best.'

"And yet you know nothing real about him do you?"

"That's not our fault! He didn't tell us!"

"It is your fault!" Duke glared daggers at the tall brunette. "None of you pay enough attention! You literally need to have everything thrown in your face before you start to care!"

"I've known him longer than anyone else here!" Tristan roared. "Don't tell me I don't care! Stop acting like you know it all!"

"I know more than you! I'm his friend too!"

"None of us would have kept that to ourselves! We would have all tried to help him! Friendship sometimes means having to help a friend even if he doesn't want it! You obviously know nothing of what true friendship is! You're nothing!"

Silence.

Shock.

Hurt.

For a clear second, hurt was written all over Duke's face for all to see. Tristan immediately repented. He was just mad and worried about his best buddy. He hadn't meant that.

He hadn't.

"Duke, I- I'm so-"

The sound of bone pushing up against flesh made a resounding crack!

The raven didn't wait for a reaction, like Joey had earlier he turned and ran, unknowing Ryou made a split-second decision and followed after him.

Yugi, Tea, and Tristan were left watching after them, the later holding onto his cheek where Duke had socked him.

Hazel eyes found blue and lavender.

"I didn't mean it you guys."

Yugi smiled softly.

"I know Tristan."

The brunette cursed himself out. How did everything go so wrong?

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

He hadn't gone to his room. He knew the others would look for him there. The blonde wasn't all too sure where he was. He had run blindly, focused only on getting away. At that moment he was hidden away, up in a cluster of trees, in some random park, trying to quell his rapidly-beating heart.

Why had he run?

Joey felt so ashamed. His cheeks burned hot in humiliation (and partly from all the running).

He should have stayed. He was supposed to be better than this now! Why was he always running from everything!

Hot tears pricked his eyes.

He made a fist and slammed it against the tree trunk he was sitting on.

They deserved the truth... that he was a bigger mess than they thought.

And he deserved to know the truth as well...

Kaiba promised him answers. The same bastard he wanted to get away from is the one he liked.

Why?

Why him?

Joey closed his eyes, pushed the tears back.

He needed to get himself together. Take this moment to reign himself in.

The blonde jumped down.

Screw 8 PM.

Kaiba was going to talk, now.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

He had kissed him.

Oh Ra, why had he kissed him?

The teen glared at himself in the mirror with his piercing orbs.

He was stricken with the need to take it back.

Yeah, he was used to doing as he liked, even indulging impulses, but this was beyond impulsive!

The young business man gripped the edges of the sink.

What should he do now?

The person he'd kissed was waiting on the other side of the locked door. He owed it to the other teen to apologize, to explain, to seek forgiveness, to... something! But he couldn't move. He remained rooted to the spot.

'Get a fucken' grip!' he berated himself. His sharp eyes slid to the door, trying to imagine how the other teen must be feeling. But the thought only served to remind him of the soft gasp the other teen let out when his lips descended down.

Duke sighed heavily.

He hadn't meant to, but Ryou had looked so... so...

The pink blushes, the soft tone of voice, the gleam in the brown eyes.

The raven shook his head.

He was hurting and he knew it. Ryou had offered him comfort, which he took advantage of. Worst of all- he'd liked it.

Duke groaned. He didn't want to like it. He was still recovering from Tristan's rejection, and that heated argument now on top of it- he didn't want to add more rejection on top of that, even if it was just rejection of his advances versus that of himself.

The raven took a breath. He should just get it over with.

With only slight hesitance, he unlocked the door and opened it.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

Ice blue eyes locked with honey.

"You're early."

Joey ignored the blunt statement and pushed his way through. Despite trying to calm himself beforehand he could feel his nerves bubbling up inside of him. He tugged at the collar of his shirt as his eyes swept the expansive suite (he changed into his street clothes before coming up straight to the top). Save for the different decor it was similar to the one he'd walked into as Katsuya.

The blonde's hands twitched.

He hadn't forgotten what Kaiba had said to him when he was Katsuya. It was why he had to resolve this, now. His heart couldn't take any games, not when he was still healing.

"Take a seat Wheeler."

The statement startled him and he had to stop himself from turning around mid-motion. The conversation would probably flow much better if he didn't look at the teen CEO much. Not that that would last long but he'd try.

Joey sat down on one end of one of the couches, listening intently to Kaiba moving about. He exhaled a breath of relief when Kaiba came back and set a cup before him before seating himself across on the other couch instead of next to him.

The blonde grabbed the cup and took a long swig. Honey eyes took in the casual black turtleneck and slacks the brunette was wearing over the rim of his cup. So much for trying not to look.

"Are you going to keep staring or are you going to start asking questions?"

Kaiba took a sip of his own and smirked.

"Not that I mind if you keep looking, you're simply not the silent type."

Joey felt heat rise to his cheeks.

"You're the one who said ya had answers."

"Touche."

Silence once again passed.

"Fine then, why did you kiss me?" the blonde prompted.

The tall brunette outright laughed, unknowing that Joey took it as though he were laughing at him.

"You really do need to have everything spelled out clearly for you don't you?"

The blonde's grip tightened around the cup.

"Don't look down on me Kaiba," the blonde said, hating the way the brunette was smiling coyly at him.

"I'm only teasing you Wheeler. You make it too easy."

Joey couldn't keep his anger down. He stood up.

"Why don't you just answer the damn question!"

That wiped away any trace of amusement on Kaiba's face.

"If it makes you feel better then I'll be straight from now on, just relax."

"You know what, all I want is for you to stop messing with me."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed and he stood up himself.

"And just what makes you think I'm messing around Wheeler?"

Joey didn't flinch from the bite in the tone.

'My interests lie elsewhere.'

The blonde grit his teeth as the memory surfaced.

'With someone far better and far more worthy than you.'

"Trust me Kaiba, I know I'm only scum in your eyes."

The brunette winced, on the inside that is, his facial expression didn't give away much. He'd anticipated a reaction like this though it was certainly one of the ones he least hoped for.

"I know things have often been difficult between us."

"Understatement of the century Richboy."

Blue eyes found honey orbs at the use of the insult. How long has it been since he last heard it? How much time had passed since he himself referred to the blonde as mutt? He shook the thought away. The brunette had to remind himself Joey must be terribly confused. It was simply difficult not to rise and bait him. He liked teasing the blonde.

"It hasn't all been bad, has it?"

Joey unclenched his fists. The blonde couldn't really dispute that could he?

"That doesn't give you the right to mess with my head."

"For the last time, I'm not messing with you."

"Yes you are!"

"How?'

"How?!" Joey stepped up to the tall brunette. "You shouldn't go around kissing people you don't like for starters!"

Kaiba smirked once again.

"I don't."

The look the brunette gave him caused Joey to momentarily falter. He quickly regained his ground however.

"I know what you think of me."

"And what is that?"

Joey looked away. His hands were shaking. Kaiba's eyes narrowed at the motion.

"Enough of this," the brunette called as he took a hold of Joey's chin and tilted it to face him.

"I don't do things like that with people I don't like."

The blonde. unbelievably, missed the point.

"You only like Mokuba," Joey blew out.

'And that worthy someone,' the blonde's heart lurched at that thought.

"For starters I love my little brother," Kaiba emphasized. "If it wasn't for that damn teacher I'd be with him on the visit instead of being here."

A blonde brow rose.

"Visit?"

Kaiba studied him.

"We visit the orphanage we were once in every year."

It was a slow buildup.

'The orphanage... once a year...'

Joey felt ice fill him as horror was spelled in his eyes. He remembered the photo in Kaiba's room. That had to be the one he was referring to. That orphanage.

More memories surfaced.

The guilt, the horrible guilt- it was threatening to swallow him up.

The blonde toppled to his knees.

"Wheeler!"

The brunette reached out and grabbed him before he fell down any further. The blonde shook in his arms.

"Wheeler! Joey! What's wrong?"

Kaiba was worried. Joey was in a similar position to the one he'd been in when the brunette had saved him from rape. He brushed the blond bangs out of Joey's eyes.

"Joey."

The dimmed honey eyes slowly began to clear.

"Seto?"

The brunette's shoulders lost their tension.

"Yeah, it's me."

Joey pushed back the tears that tempted to slip out. He straightened himself up to his knees.

"Are you alright?"

The blonde shook his head, heart tight with dread.

"The orphanage," Joey whispered.

Honey... eyes... stilled.

It hit him all at once then.

"Mokuba!" the blonde burst throwing his hands out to catch Kaiba's shoulders. "We have to save him!"

"What?!" Kaiba called in disbelief. "He's in danger?"

Joey let him go and stood up on shaky legs.

"Call him up! Tell him to stay away from the orphanage!"

"I can't reach him by phone," Kaiba stood to his full height. "We leave them at home during the visit, always."

"Wait, you have security right?"

Kaiba grit his teeth.

"No, I gave them the day off."

Joey's face crumpled. It caused an uncomfortable sting in the brunette's heart.

"Your jet!" the blonde cried. "We can ride it back real quick right?!"

"Yes."

The blonde grabbed Kaiba and started leading him out the door.

"Is Mokuba there now? If he is how long will he be there? Can we get to him in time?"

Kaiba too a few long strides in order to take the lead. He closed the suite behind them and dragged Joey towards the end of the hallway. He slid his key card in to the end door and took the blonde upstairs to the roof where his blue eyes jet waited. The brunette opened the hatch, stepped up onto the foothold, and helped Joey into the backseat. He seated himself up in front, closed up the hatch, and passed back a headset.

"If I push it, we'll arrive about 20 minutes or so after Mokuba is due to arrive at the orphanage. Our visits usually run a few hours," the brunette replied as they strapped themselves in and he got his jet going. Due to having no runway on the roof he'll have to take off helicopter style and then pick up speed into the sky (I don't care that this is not possible, I'm not familiar with the inner-workings of jets and this is my fanfic so nyeh!).

The blonde tensed.

"Okay."

Kaiba focused on taking off before speaking again.

"Mokuba's safety isn't something I'd ever gamble on which is why I've yet to question you on anything but I do want answers Joey. You clearly know something I don't."

Joey fisted his hand in his jeans and looked out the window.

"You've probably heard rumors... I haven't led the easiest life."

Kaiba scoffed as he made a few motions and picked up speed.

"Divorced parents, you're separated from your sister, you're ex-yakuza, and your father is abusive to boot," the brunette's grip momentarily tightened on the controls. "Not the 'easiest life' isn't the way I'd describe it."

The blonde smiled grimly.

"Okay," Joey rolled his eyes tiredly. "Don't believe all the rumors. I was never yakuza. The gang I was in was mostly made up of wannabes, we were just kids. And my father wasn't so abusive as he was a messed-up drunk."

"The scars on your body, especially the ones on your back, tell a different story."

Shock permeated through the blonde before he shook it off.

"I'll admit some are my father's but don't make assumptions like that when you don't have all the facts. It was someone else who did the heavy damage."

Kaiba stayed silent for a few moments.

"Who?"

The blonde didn't respond.

"Who?!" the brunette pushed.

"A man," Joey relented. "The same man you're brother is to meet up with."

Kaiba's voice dripped down into a tone so dark it sent a chill crawling up the blonde's back, even though he knew it wasn't truly directed at him.

"Explain. Now."

The blonde nodded absently. He crossed his arms around himself hoping he wouldn't resort to shaking. He never imagined this to be the way he'd spill his deepest, darkest secret. There was a little comfort at least in knowing he wouldn't have to see Kaiba face to face. He wasn't sure he would have been able to handle the brunette's judging eyes.

"I once stayed at the orphanage Mokuba and yourself were in."

"That's impossible. There's no record of-"

"There wouldn't be a record," Joey interrupted, not in the moment to care that Kaiba had searched him up. "My father knew the director. I was there unofficially. It was only temporary. My old man didn't want to make a big hassle and the director owed him a favor."

Kaiba waited a beat.

"I was there when I was 8 years old."

"I was 7," Joey replied. "Maybe we just missed each other."

The blonde swallowed the lump in his throat as he continued.

"My father wasn't always... what he eventually became. He used to be a good man but he never made a lot of money. When Serenity got sick her hospital bills started mounting and father took to booze. He slowly became angry, and a dead-beat. My mother took Serenity and left us behind. She likened me to my father and told me I'd grow up to be a monster like him. I cried when I chased after her car, watching my little sister get further and further away until she was gone. It'd be 7 years till I saw her again."

Joey shifted uncomfortably.

"The divorce left my father flat broke. He decided to cash in his favor so I'd have a decent place to stay until he got himself back together. Back then, he really did care."

Kaiba ignored the feelings swimming in his chest. He opened up a holo map of domino city. He cursed himself for giving his security team the day off. Even if he called them up he'd be able to reach Mokuba faster (and he had to make sure for himself that he was okay). The orphanage was a little out of the way of the city, making for a close landing. He couldn't believe he'd allowed himself to be so lax, but he hadn't predicted Mokuba would be in danger at the orphanage. Fuck!

"The director was kind but he... Kiyoshi... he was something else."

Joey wavered.

"His name means purity... it couldn't possibly be further from the truth."

The blonde placed a hand over his heart, trying to calm the swell of emotions in his chest.

"I drew Kiyoshi's eye, and from then on he viciously tortured me during my 2 month stay. It all ended when he attempted to rape me."

The blonde said all this quickly and despite trying his best he could not keep from shaking. His breathing deepened and his eyes glossed over.

Furious anger rose up in the brunette, burning deeply in the pit of his core. He had a vague recollection of Kiyoshi, one of the caretakers at the orphanage. The man came off as simply polite. It angered Kaiba to learn what was hiding behind the mask. That man had tortured his blonde, could hurt his brother.

"Why have you kept this to yourself! Why did you never turn him in?!"

The blonde withdrew in on himself.

"Mokuba may be safe..." Joey whispered as a stray tear rolled down his cheek.

"What do you mean! You just admitted Kiyoshi abused you! Horribly!"

"But he only did that to me!" the blonde burst out, unable to keep the tears from rolling out. "He told me I was special. That he'd never liked a child before, until I came along."

"Why then? Why you?"

Joey choked up and clenched his fists in his lap.

"He liked my eyes... my v-voice..."

The blonde closed his honey orbs as pain tore through his heart.

"For all I know, I'm the only one he ever did that to... but, I can't be sure..."

He sucked back a sob.

"Mokuba might be safe, but without you there he could be in danger... maybe..."

"I won't take that chance."

The blonde nodded, feeling as though his soul were hollow. He'd never told this to a single soul before. His great shame. Kaiba was right, he should have done something about this long ago, but the fear... terror had always stunted any action, kept it all buried within him.

"Kiyoshi was careful not to get caught, but he also didn't seem to care if he did. He seemed mad. It's why Mokuba might not be safe. Even though he's your brother... Kiyoshi's mad."

Kaiba caught the blonde's reflection on the window pane and cursed. He couldn't off him comfort right now, flying at this speed required focus. Another look at Joey however had him cursing again. The blonde's broken expression poked at his heart. He couldn't deny he was starting to become soft.

A pale hand reached back.

"Give me your hand Joey."

The blonde blinked the last of his tears out of his eyes. Tentatively he reached out. Kaiba held his hand for a moment the gently pulled, keeping his other hand firmly on the controls. When the pull didn't stop the blonde got out of his seat and hunched over the back of Kaiba's. The brunette pulled him down until Joey's head came to rest on his shoulder, temples pressed together. The pale hand let go of the tan one and reached up to thread itself in the blonde locks.

"I'll take care of Kiyoshi. I swear it."

Joey felt a warmth spread throughout his chest, slowly pushing away at all the other emotions. His eyes glistened as he reached up with his own hand to place it on top of Kaiba's.

"O-okay."

And there you have it!

Things are finally shaking up!

But it's not over yet so keep with it peoples!