Author's Note: You remember that theme I did a long time ago, at the very beginning? Actually, the first one. The very first one, Chores. Yeah, I like that theme; I'm expanding on that theme.
Shit it's Tuesday I know it's Tuesday I'm still trying to figure out days with my work schedule sorry.
Farm
Seto was surprised to find that the farm he'd been coming to for months seemed totally abandoned. The barn door hung open, but there was no joyous whinnying or the sound of hooves on packed dirt. He would have been concerned about looters if rumor hadn't spread far and wide that the farm was under his protection. He thought the farm abandoned for a moment, but then he saw thick curls of smoke coming from the chimney of the blond's home.
He burst in without knocking and looked around, heaving a silent sigh of relief when he saw the younger man sitting on his small couch, blanket wrapped around his shoulders. "Joey, what happened? Where are your horses?"
Joey shrugged, staring sadly into the fire. "The king took 'em."
"Why?!" Seto exclaimed, too shocked to be angry—he could be angry later, after he comforted the blond. He jumped over the back of the couch, ready to pull him into a hug, only to let out a surprised choking sound when he saw the blond's arm in a sling. "What happened?"
"I don't know," Joey snapped, turning to glare at him. "Atem just showed up, sayin' he knew you'd be around eventually, and he didn't want me helpin' ya. He took the 'corns and said if I wanted 'em back, you hafta go get 'em."
"…But he'll make me stay," the brunet mumbled, perhaps a touch petulantly. "He'll make me actually be a prince."
The blond snorted. "That's why I'm not askin' ya, idiot. I'll just… I'll find somethin' else t' do," he said, voice cracking. He ducked his head in embarrassment. "Once my arm heals up."
Seto frowned and cupped his cheek to tilt hid head back up. "How did that happen?"
"Tried t' calm one o' the 'corns down 'cause it was scared," the younger man mumbled, blushing a little. "I came from behind. I knew better—I know better! But I came up behind it and it kicked me." He reached up to give his shoulder a squeeze, wincing a little at the reminder of how grotesque it had looked, hanging out of its socket. "Just lucky it didn't kick me in the head, I guess."
Seto thought about all of the unicorns, the oldest ones lovingly bottle-fed until they grew into beautiful studs and dames. Joey had bought the scrawny foals that hadn't even been noted as unicorns at auction and had raised them himself, so they'd all become very fond of him. They'd probably been terrified, being led away from the only true home they'd ever known.
"…Joey," Seto said quietly, cupping his cheeks again and leaning their foreheads together. "I'll make this up to you."
Joey smiled sadly, looked down at his lap. "Yeah, okay."
"I will," the brunet insisted, leaning in to kiss him lightly. He felt the younger man's lips twitch, like he wanted to kiss back, but he was just too overwhelmed by how sad he was to put any effort into it. He leaned back and sighed, frowning. "I'm sorry about this, Joey."
"Yeah," the blond whispered, his watery smile finally fading. "Me too."
Seto wanted to go steal those unicorns back that very instant, but he knew that it would come back and bite him in the ass. Joey didn't need his unicorns taken away again, and Atem would most likely penalize him even more for 'helping' his felonious cousin.
He smoothed the blond's hair out of his teary eyes and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Neither of them felt better.
