Rebirth
by Ceresi

Rating: R

WARNING: There are spoilers for the HP books in here. I know, it's crazy. Also, slash, and one racy little R scene. ALSO. This is still, for all intents and purposes, a rough draft. I've had it betaed and edited it several times myself, but I'm working on a sequal, and some changes might be necessary.

Want more notes? See Chapter One.

***

Joey was stretched out lazily, lean body covered by blankets. His eyes were closed, but opened occasionally to check on Seto, as if to make sure he was still there and all right. If he noticed that Seto watched him intently, he didn't mind.

Seto brushed his fingers against Joey's chin. Joey ducked his head to kiss them and asked, voice muffled, "Wha' happened?"

"You weren't paying attention? Sorry, pup --"

Joey flung an arm over his hips and gave him a pinch. "Y'know what I mean."

Seto let himself be tugged close and said, "Mokuba and I fought again."

"Over what?"

Seto had to think to remember; the events were vague, blurred, especially after everything he'd just done with Joey. Slightly embarrassed, he said, "He was late getting home from school."

Joey opened his eyes and looked at him appraisingly. "How late?"

Seto shrugged stiffly. "Does it matter?"

"Thirty minutes?" Joey guessed.

"Twenty."

Joey rolled his eyes, grinning. "Kaiba, you are a mother hen. Quick, alert the press."

"It's not funny." Seto rolled onto his stomach and propped himself on his elbows. Joey stayed on his side, watching Seto's face. "Something could have happened to him."

"Like what, twenty minutes of make-out time?"

"For the twenty minutes that he was unaccounted for," Seto said coldly, "I had no idea where he was."

Joey ran his hand through Seto's hair. It was a soothing motion, one Seto despised. He wanted to stay angry. "There's no danger," Joey said quietly, comfortingly. "Not anymore. You don' have any reason to be worried."

Seto sighed. He supposed it had been unfair to keep things from Joey at all, even if it was to stop him from worrying.

"There is danger," Seto said softly. Joey started to reassure him that wasn't the case and then paused, catching the look on his face. "Someone's been trying to take over my corporation," Seto murmured. Joey stiffened. "By force, and using people with old grudges against me. There have been three attacks on research posts in Egypt, and two . . ." he sighed. "Two here."

Joey's hand came to rest on his shoulder, pressing too much to be relaxed. "Attacks on you."

"Yes."

Joey sat up, drawing away from him. "Were ya ever gonna tell me? Or were you just hopin' I'd figure it out magically?"

Seto managed not to laugh with cynical amusement. "I didn't want you to worry," he said.

"No, you're just stubborn." The bed shifted as Joey turned to look at him. "Did ya even tell Mokuba?"

"No."

"Dammit, Seto! Tell him -- he'd understand a bit more if you just --"

"Don't tell me what he'd understand!" Suddenly furious, Seto pushed himself upright, glaring intently in Joey's face. "I'm not under any obligation to tell him things --"

"Bullshit you aren't," Joey fired back, right in his face, not even slightly intimidated. "He needs to know if he's in danger. He needs to know if you're in danger."

"-- and I shouldn't have to! He should understand that he has a responsibility --" this earned him an eye roll and a snort "-- that he needs to keep himself safe either way! Even if there is no threat!"

Joey shook his head, dark eyes narrowed contemptuously. "You're impossible," he said. "Just impossible."

Four years ago, Seto would have hit him. Now, he pushed Joey violently into the blankets and stared down at him, a little childish and bitterly angry.

Joey's chest rose and fell with his breath. Finally, he sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Why didn't ya really tell me?"

Seto looked at the wall, the window, anywhere but at Joey. "I wanted you to figure it out."

"Why?"

He was tired of always being responsible and in charge. "I don't know."

Joey sat up suddenly and hugged him, pulling him close beneath the blankets. Seto sighed and leaned into him, weak all over. Joey kissed his hair, nuzzled his neck.

"'m not that smart, Kaiba," he muttered. "You've got to tell me these things."

Seto said nothing.

Joey kissed his ear, his cheek. "I don't wanna fight," he said quietly. "Not with you."

Seto pushed him gently into the blankets and kissed him slowly, before settling down with chin on Joey's shoulder. Joey sighed happily and they laid like that for a long time. Seto felt really and truly calm, for the first time in days. Damn, it was good.

When he finally sat up, Joey was fast asleep, mouth open slightly. Seto smirked and nudged it shut for him, creeping out of bed and finding clean clothes.

He needed to check on Mokuba . . . maybe even talk to him if he was still awake . . .

~

Daisuke was sleeping. Mokuba was not.

He was lying on his side and staring at the wall. Their fooling around had always left him loose and sleepy. He'd assumed that sex would, too.

But he'd been wrong. He was wound tighter than a spring -- and deep down inside, he knew that part of it was guilt.

He carefully slipped out of bed, found his clothes. His shirt had gotten a bit ripped, he noted, and his underwear was . . . really gross. His hands kept shaking.

He didn't want to look at Daisuke. Every time his thighs ached, his bowels twinged, he felt a rush of hatred. He was afraid that he might attack him or something, no matter how peaceful he looked.

He left without waking Daisuke. And at the moment, he didn't care if he was going to be worried. In fact, he was hoping he would be.

It only took him about an hour to reach the mansion. Before he was even halfway there he knew something was wrong -- helicopters. Far too many. And police cars.

There were quite a lot of them around the mansion when he slipped in through the garden. Fed up with trying to avoid the damn things, he snuck closer. Had there been some kind of warning or alert?

Paranoia lanced him. Or an attack?

He eavesdropped easily on a conversation between an officer and his superior via radio. "Any sign of the missing Kaiba?"

"No, sir." The officer scanned the area like he expected Mokuba to materialize.

"Keep an eye out."

"Yes, sir."

The officer clicked off his radio as Mokuba slunk away.