13th September 2013
Heartbeat
Joey walks into the office together with Kaiba after another breakfast with him and the two kids. He really has to find the time to find an apartment for himself, so he can stop living in that wing of the Kaiba mansion. It's way too close to Kaiba. Joey stares at the back side of Kaiba, since there really isn't much else he can look at while walking through the doors after him. Much to Joey's dismay he has to admit, not for the first time, that the sight is really something to look at but he'd still rather not think about that. Ever since moving into the Kaiba mansion he started to notice that he had this strange feeling whenever he sees Kaiba. And whenever Kaiba isn't around, Joey wonders what he's up to at the moment. Why on earth does that freaking jerk hunt his thoughts 24/7 at the moment? Those damned flowers that Joey finds on his desk every freaking morning aren't much help either. All day Joey wonders about it and by the time Seto asks him what he'd like for lunch he answers, "I think I'll skip lunch."
Seto stares at Joey for a moment before saying, "Could you please repeat that? I think I heard that wrong."
"I said," Joey says extra slow and clear, "I think I'll skip lunch."
Once again Seto needs a moment to get past the shock. "Did you seriously just say that you'll skip lunch? Like in not taking free food and what's worse, not eating at all?"
"That's what I said." Joey says still looking at the paper he's trying to read but his thoughts keep going back to Kaiba. He hasn't done half the amount of work he's supposed to and seriously has to do some catch up and lunch with the source of his distraction surely isn't going to help.
"Okay." Seto says, "Who are you and what did you do to Joey?"
Joey looks up for a moment and blushes at the same time he finally realises how odd this might be for Kaiba. "I'm a bit behind on those papers and not feeling all that great, so I'd rather skip lunch. And yes, I do mean not eating at all. Now if you could let me get back to work please."
"You shouldn't over-work yourself." Seto warns, "You'll turn into a workaholic if you don't watch out."
"I'm not you." Joey replies, already looking back at that paper to force his eyes from the handsome brunet at his door.
"Fine." Seto replies slightly worried. "If you get hungry later just give me a call and I'll bring you something when I return from my lunch break. Or ask V to get you something later. I don't want you to starve yourself. My sister- in- law wouldn't forgive me if I'd let you go that far."
"Very funny." Joey grumbles. Once Seto leaves the room and closes the door Joey hears a mumbled conversation. Seto is probably talking to V about Joey's lack of appetite and Joey is happy not to hear too clearly what they say.
A little later there is a knock on his door and V walks into the room with a nice steaming cup of hot chocolate. "How are you doing?" He asks.
"I'm fine." Joey replies. "And thanks for the hot chocolate. Maybe I should skip lunch more often if I get that instead."
"You can have it on top but don't quit your lunches with Grumpy." V orders, "He'd be devastated."
"Was he devastated today?" Joey asks trying to sound ironic but actually wondering what Kaiba said to V about it.
"I'd say he was shocked that you of all the people in the world don't want free food." V chuckles before saying a little more serious, "He's really worried that he's putting too much pressure on you to learn all this. He said that you're way faster in learning it then he assumed and started to hope to have a proper Vice president by the end of the year, if he pushes you a little. But by now he worries that he pushed you too hard. I guess you can guess why I'm bringing the hot chocolate."
"Because he asked ya to find out if he indeed is putting too much pressure on me, right?" Joey assumes, "Don't worry, I doubt I'd learn it that fast. But I try my hardest and what doesn't work out simply won't work out. I don't let him pressure me. I learn what I learn and that's it." Joey shrugs, "This has nothing to do with why I'm not hungry."
"Then why aren't you hungry?" V asks, "I don't know you as well as Grumpy does but even I know that you're sort of a bottomless pit when it comes to grub."
Joey chuckles, "Usually yes, but I'm not hungry when my head is full."
"And here I thought the food goes to your stomach." V says, "It would explain why you can eat so much though if you fill both."
"Very funny." Joey grumbles slightly, "I mean that I have some stuff to think about and can't get it out of my thoughts and because of that I can't think about food and don't feel like eating."
"And what is bothering you?" V wonders slightly worried what problems might be bothering his friend, "Maybe I can help?"
"Promise not to tell Kaiba." Joey insists, certain that V will keep that promise.
"I swear." V says, "And now spill it."
"It's because of Grumpy." Joey tries to explain a little hesitantly, "I don't know, but I see him all the time at the moment and, well I don't really want to move away. I'm starting to get scared of it though. It's so strange to hear him talk to Joe when playing with her and she calls him Papy and when they talk about me she calls me Daddy. I'm just happy she doesn't do it when I'm around. I mean she wants us to get together but I can't do that. It scares me a little to be honest. By now my heart starts to beat faster whenever I think about it. It really is starting to scare me."
"Your heart beats faster when you think about Grumpy..." V says staring at Joey like he's a hopeless case, "And you think you're scared of being so close to him?"
"Of course I am." Joey insists.
"Grumpy was right when he told me you're stupid." V sighs, "I mean honestly, you're in love with him, that's why your heat is beating overtime when you see him."
"Yeah sure." Joey says rolling his eyes. "I got over that a long time ago."
"Wait, what was that?" V asks shocked. "You got over that? Don't tell me you used to be in love with him? Because I'm pretty sure you are."
Joey blushes after noticing the slip up. He never meant to say anything about that topic and so far never did give even the slightest hint to anyone. No one knew that he used to have feelings for a certain cold CEO, since he had given up hope a really long time ago. Joey looks a little sad at the thought how everything could be different, if only he and Kaiba had never started to fight. Back in high school, before Pegasus ever started his duelling competition Joey had a huge crush on Kaiba. He just never knew how to express his feelings, since Kaiba was so distant to everyone and Joey had no idea how to approach him and simply admired him from afar, hoping for a chance to one day interact with him.
The day came when Kaiba followed them all to the game shop that back then belonged to Yugi's grandpa. Yugi just wanted to show them a card that belonged to the old man and Kaiba suddenly came in. Joey had tried to use this chance as soon as the hot brunette showed his interest in duel monsters. He wasn't really prepared for the reaction though, never mind for the duel that followed right after that. The duel between his best friend and his crush. There was no way he could betray Yugi, not after what Kaiba had done to the old man, so he had to support Kaiba's opponent. On that day Joey had mostly given up hope to ever be with the cold man of his dreams. He still hadn't been able to stop his heart from beating faster whenever he was around though. It had taken a few years apart until Joey had finally been able to move on and find a boyfriend that he could love, even though his feelings hadn't been quite as strong as the ones for Kaiba.
"It doesn't matter." Joey more or less barks. Just thinking about the pain he felt when Kaiba told him how worthless he was, is enough to ensure that Joey refused to go back to that, "I don't love him now and I never will, so give it up."
"But you just strongly hinted that a long time ago you really loved the guy. So what changed?" V wants to know, hoping to find a clue how his boss could finally charm his puppy.
"He opened his big mouth." Joey grumbles, "That's what happened and now quit pestering me about it and don't you dare to tell him. It won't do any good anyway." Joey gave a sigh, "Now, please just leave me alone."
V watched the blond for a moment, certain that he was hurting. He clearly loves Grumpy but simply refuses to admit it. It seems like Kaiba must have really hurt his feelings at some point to scare him so deeply that he refuses to admit to his feelings, even now that he knows that he has a chance with the man of his dreams. But whatever happened, it seems like Joey really needs a moment to his thoughts, so V walks towards the door of Joey's office but before leaving he quietly says, "If you ever do want to talk about it, you know how to find me. And don't worry, I won't tell him."
Once outside V has to admit that Joey has a point, it really won't do any good to tell Kaiba about this. Knowing that once upon a time he might have had a chance and ruined it, so that Joey is still refusing him due to that, it would just upset Kaiba and who knew how grumpy he might get then. And it's not like Kaiba can undo whatever it is he said.
Once V was out of the room Joey wondered if V might be right after all, could he be in love with Kaiba all over again? Maybe he never really stopped to love him? Joey always knew that his feelings for his ex-boyfriend had never been as strong as it had been with Kaiba but still, he had stopped to think about Kaiba all the time. He hardly ever had thought about him until last New Years Eve in the snow. Even on Serenity's and Mokuba´s wedding he didn't feel the pain of not having his feelings returned and he didn't mind when Kaiba sat at the same table, nor when he moved to another to separate Joey's parents. No he can't have loved him all along, but maybe, just maybe those feelings have returned now that this hot guy actually showed some affection to him.
But what if they had? Should he give Kaiba a chance or not? What if he goes back to be that cold dick he was back then? Had he really ever changed at all? For all Joey knew he could have been nice to orphans and his employees all along, he probably even was. It was just him and his friends that he treated so poorly. What if he starts all that again? Joey had sided with Kaiba against Tristan in that discussion about alcohol during pregnancy on Mokuba´s birthday, but what if those fights continue and get worse? Joey doesn't want to lose his friends, what if he has to choose between Kaiba and them if he tries to date him?
By the time the day at the office was over Joey had just about managed to get half of the work done that he was supposed to do. "You're okay?" Kaiba asks when standing in the door to take him home.
"I'm fine." Joey replies halfheartedly. "I just finish this paper before going home. You can go ahead."
"I can wait for you." Kaiba says worriedly, "I doubt that it´d take that long anyway."
"I haven't seen Yugi in a while." Joey says with a blush, "I thought I stop by and talk to him for a while and you shouldn't let Joe and Seth wait that long."
"If you say so." Kaiba says with a sigh, "Don't be to late, Joe will be upset if she doesn't get a good night kiss from you."
"Then warn her that I might not make it in time." Joey replies, "I might go out with Yugi and Yami for a little."
"As you wish." Kaiba sighs and leaves.
The office door stays a little bit open and Joey can clearly hear V say, "Not your lucky day, I guess, but don't worry, tomorrow will be better."
"And why is that?" Kaiba asks.
"Easy, tomorrow won't be Friday the 13th." V says cheerfully.
"I'm not superstitious." Kaiba replies, "But I guess we'll see if it'll be any better at all."
Shortly after Kaiba left Joey also leaves and walks towards Yugi's and Yami's place to ask them for a night out. He doesn't want to talk about Kaiba, he doesn't even want to think about him. All he wants is to forget all about his problems, at least for a little while.
Authors Note: Thanks to theabridgedkuriboh, Angel Dove1, Violet-Eclipse, SailorDeathMoon, XxDeathShadowXx,
dancing elf, Cascade00 and sherabo for the kind reviews.
Next chapter will be up on the 21th of September and Joey will talk to Seto about his flirting again.