Chapter 26

It had taken a little bit of convincing, but eventually they'd managed to get Joey to leave them alone. Then it was the turn of Mokuba who, despite his more than obvious reservations, didn't take a whole lot of convincing. It probably helped that Tristan began gathering up the flowers, making a big to do about them needing to figure out exactly what was going on; demonstrating just how well he remembered how to placate this particular Mokuba. Once they'd escaped the room Mokuba was in with as many flowers as the two of them could carry between them, they made short work of finding a camera-less office to set up in.

The second they entered Tristan chucked the flowers he was holding in the corner and somewhat automatically Kaiba did the same. For a few long moments the two of them stood staring at each other, acting like a couple of insecure school boys.

'This is ridicules,' Kaiba half turned away, 'it's our fifteenth anniversary for crying out loud, we shouldn't...'

Before he could finish what he was saying Tristan's lips were pressed against his own.

'I can't stand this,' Tristan rested his forehead against Kaiba's the second their kiss ended. 'It makes me feel like we're doing something wrong; maybe we should just tell them.'

'And what if the very next instant we get sent back to our own time; you know as well as I do the people we are now...'

'I know, but... it might make things a whole lot easier for us. It doesn't feel right hiding who we are from them and it doesn't help that Joey's pretty much convinced something's going on; not to mention Mokuba...'

'I know,' Kaiba pulled away from him and began rubbing his face with his hands, 'don't you think I feel the same way about all this that you do? I have to be a jerk to my sisters for god sake,' he gave a muted laugh and shook his head. 'This situation has me so stressed I'm talking like Joey. You know I don't do that.'

'Maybe not often, but actually Seto you do do it,' Tristan frowned a little, 'so does Yugi, increasingly more so lately. But this is definitely the first time you've been aware of it.'

'Great, remind me to spend even less time with them than usual when we get back,' he folded his arms and smirked slightly.

'Yeah, because that's really going to happen Seto,' Tristan shared his smirk for a moment, before going over to the pile of flowers and picking one of the lilies up. 'You know we really ought to be doing what we told them we would be doing and try to figure this mess out a little.'

'True,' Kaiba pressed his lips together, 'I mean the sooner we figure out how we came to be here the faster we can work out how to leave, right?'

'I hope so,' Tristan's gaze was focused on the flower he was holding. 'Do you think she'd know?'

'Who, Catilin?'

'Yeah, I mean, Calicaccus have a wide and varied knowledge at the best of times, don't they? So, even if she doesn't have all the ins and outs, she still might know something, right?'

'Maybe,' he tilted his head in thought, 'if nothing else she'll know how to get hold of Jay and from there we can reach the Mistresses.'

'God it's so weird to think you're not one right now,' Tristan focused his gaze on him.

'You still love me though, right?'

'Of course, I didn't go through hell and back just because of Win's feelings you know.'

'I know,' Kaiba lowered his gaze, 'but being here...'

Once again Tristan cut him off with a deep and this time prolonged kiss. There was something about it which made him feel safe and wanted; just as he was certain Tristan intended.

'Hey, you've got to stop worrying, okay,' Tristan placed a hand on his cheek, 'I'm proud of you, of us, of everything we have and everything we will have; nothing's ever going to change that and you know it. Being here makes no difference. That's why I want to tell them.'

'I thought that was just to make things easier.'

'Can't it be for both reasons?'

'I guess.'

'You really don't like being him again, do you?' Tristan gave a soft laugh.

'Of course not, because he didn't have you.'

'Drake,' Hazelnut's voice was soft as she entered the room, 'your Mum told me you were hurt, I came to see how you were.'

'I'm fine,' he sighed moodily, turning his head away from her.

'I… I thought you were very brave to try and help Taylor like that, but…' she hesitated.

'But?' Curiously he glanced back towards her.

'But I don't understand why you did it,' her face filled with a doleful look. 'I mean, I know you couldn't stand back and do nothing, but why were you even there in the first place?'

'Arados called me.'

'Why?'

'Because Taylor loves me.'

'That must be hard,' she lowered her head, 'having someone like that in love with you. It was still nice of you to defend him though.'

'You act as though I shouldn't have.'

'Just because he loves you, doesn't mean you owe him anything.'

'What about if I love him?'

'But you don't,' her voice was as self-assured as the shaking of her head, 'you couldn't.'

'Why not?'

'Because… because you're meant to be with me.'

'Says who?'

A strange little laugh escaped her as she stared at him for a few long moments. It was pretty obvious it had never even occurred to her he could want anyone else.

'I've been patient with you Drake,' her voice was edged with something, but he wasn't totally sure what it was, 'I've been understanding, I've given you all the space you need, but you really need to stop pushing me away now. We're meant to be together.'

'Again, says who?'

'You don't love him,' there was no room for doubt in her voice, 'him telling you he loves you just has you confused. You don't love him.'

'You're wrong; I do.'

'You're lying.'

'I'm not,' he pulled himself into an agitated kneeling position, 'this is how I feel Hazelnut. I know it hurts, but you've gotta get any stupid idea you might have of us being together out of your head. I don't want you, I've never wanted you as anything other than a friend, but I love him and I am certain of that.'

'I'll tell your Mum.'

'And?'

'Don't you care?'

'Why would I care?' Drake remained calm. 'I love him and I will be with him, no matter what anybody says. And just as soon as I feel up to it, I'm going back to see him.'

'You can't,' she shook her head

'I can,' he mimicked her self-assured tone, 'just watch me.'