YUGIOH

MP: Aftermath

Chapter 9.

"That's it!!" Joey snapped, moving over to the table. "I am not going to sit here and watch this, you hear me??"

"Joey? What are you doing here??" Mai asked, in disbelief.

Kaiba shook his head, saying, "I happen to mention our date to Yugi in our duel, yesterday. I should have known that loser couldn't keep his mouth shut."

"Don't call him a loser, Kaiba....Yugi happens to be my best friend! And it doesn't matter how I know anyway, I'm not letting you two do this!" Joey snapped.

Mai stood, sticking her finger into Joey, saying, "Joseph Wheeler, you have some nerve coming in here and disrupting my date!"

"Listen, you two aint right for each other, and you both know that. I aint gonna just stand here and let this happen!" Joey said.

Mai snapped back, "And what makes you think you can come in here and tell me who to date, and who not to date? Okay, I don't remember exactly what we used to have together, but that doesn't give you the right to tell me who to be with!"

"Mai, you're gonna thank me later, cuz I'm doing you this favor. You shouldn't be dating this guy, he's all wrong for you!" Joey said.

Kaiba was doing all in his power to keep from smiling....this was perfect. The waiter then came over, saying, "Excuse me, you are upsetting the customers, sir. You are going to have to leave."

"No way! I aint leaving until one of them leave." Joey insisted.

Mai grumbled something, threw her napkin down, and said, "Fine, this date has been ruined, anyway. Kaiba....until you two get Joey's macho attitude problem taken care of so this doesn't come up again, I'm not going on another date. I'm taking a cab home."

"Wait a minute, you don't have to do that....we can have Wheeler thrown out of here!" Kaiba said, making it seemed like he was physically upset by it.

Mai called back, "Forget it. Fight over me elsewhere, but not while embarrassing me in front of this crowd." Mai said, trying not to smile, as she thought about the fact that she had two men fighting over her, one of them the richest man in Domino City. 'Well....life can't get much better than this.' "Taxi!" She called out, waving for a cab.

Kaiba threw money down for the wine, then joined Mai and helped her into the cab, saying, "I'm sorry Mai....I'll take care of it." She waved to him after he paid the taxi driver, and let the car drive off. Kaiba then turned to see Joey leaning against the outside of the restaurant, looking all pouty and upset. Kaiba sighed, saying, "Well, come on....I might as well take you home, now. I hope you're satisfied."

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They got into the Porsche, and Kaiba began driving Joey home. Joey said, "Okay....I'm sorry. I wasn't gonna come, but I couldn't help myself. I just couldn't bear to think of you two together like this! It aint right!"

"To be honest, I didn't realize you felt that way." Kaiba lied, as he continued to drive.

Joey looked over, saying, "You didn't? Is that why you did this whole setup, to find out?"

"Setup?" Kaiba asked, glancing towards Joey.

Joey smiled, "Yugi told me you set the thing up. I know I was being baited, but I still couldn't stay away. I didn't think you'd take it that far, though. I mean....when I saw you two kissing, I....couldn't stand it!"

Kaiba pulled the car over, and asked, "Is this your house?" Trying not to look horrified by the neighborhood.

Joey nodded, "Yeah, that's it. So....what are we gonna do about this? You two gonna stop?"

Kaiba paused looking at him, seeing the intensity in his eyes. 'He really has a thing for her, doesn't he?' He thought. Kaiba smiled, and nodded, saying, "I know when to bow down, Wheeler....if you really feel that strongly, then it wont happen again. But make sure not to let your friend get away a second time."

Joey smiled happily, saying, "I'll keep that in mind. And thanks, man....I knew you'd come through for me." He then brought his head over, kissing him on the lips, surprising Kaiba.

Kaiba pushed Joey back, surprised from Joey's actions, asking him, "What the hell was that for?"

"What?" Joey asked. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean, what's wrong? You're interested in Mai!" Kaiba paused, suddenly beginning to go through what happened tonight. "Well, aren't you?"

Joey looked at him, asking, "What are you talking about? Why would I...." Then it hit. "You thought I was jealous over Mai? No....you don't get it. I was jealous about you with her, not her with you!"

Kaiba's eyes widened, beginning to ask, "You're trying to tell me that whole scene was for....??"

Joey smiled and nodded. "Sorry, I kind of blew up, back there...."

Kaiba didn't expect that, as his plan instantly began to crumble around him. He had been expecting Joey to remember his times with Mai and try to get back with her....not this! "But....but you used to date her!"

They both froze, as Joey asked, "Wait a minute, how did you know that? Are you trying to tell me you were trying to make me jealous of her??"

"Well, why the hell else would you be there??" Kaiba exclaimed, frustrated.

At that, Joey just laughed. "You know, I thought we got this part all figured out at the hospital. Yeah, you were right....I once had a thing for Mai. But after being with you, she became a thing of the past. I don't care who she's dating, but I didn't like you being with her." He smiled, and once again brought his lips to Kaiba's.

Kaiba hesitated but pushed him away again, nervously looking around the neighborhood. Joey pulled on his shirt collar, saying, "Don't look at them outside, look at me. In this neighborhood, no one's gonna care. They're all homeless and drunks, anyway. Now, why ya doing this? I wanna know."

"J-....Wheeler, we...." Kaiba began, but Joey cut him off.

"Uh-uh....you were saying it right the first time. The name's Joey." Joey insisted.

He looked down at Joey, who's eyes looked sternly back up at him, and Kaiba slowly repeated with the correction, "Joey....I can't do this."

"And why not?" Joey asked.

Kaiba looked at him as if it should be obvious, as he spat out, "Because it's not normal."

"Normal? What, you too worried someone might look at you, or think about you wrong? You know, I never knew you, the great Seto Kaiba, being the type that's too scared to do what you want." Joey said.

Kaiba hesitated for only a moment, before the anger built up in him. An instant later, his fist connected with Joey, squarely in the jaw. "You're an idiot, you know that? Maybe you should try looking outside of your so-called world, for a change. I could careless what a few people think about me, but I'm not going to risk everything I've worked for, over some stupid fling that never should have been in the first place!"

"Ow...." Joey muttered, rubbing the side of his face, looking hurt. "Was that necessary?" He turned away, saying, "That's a load a shit. You're talking Kaiba Corp....you know how big that company is? No matter what they say about you, it aint gonna affect a thing That place is untouchable."

'Moron.' Kaiba thought. He could think up a few very popular faces even now who had thought themselves too big to be touched by anyone. They too made a few small mistakes, and had been crucified by the media because of it. But then, how could he expect someone as simple as Joey to understand. Besides, Kaiba was still convinced that the machine had made him feel this way, and it wasn't really how he would react, if that transformation never took place.

"I dunno if you noticed." Joey muttered, stretching his neck out a bit to show him the dog collar he had on him again, complete with the little tag that read 'Fido' on it.

Kaiba was actually quite shocked, assuming he threw it out as soon as he realized who Krysonna was. After all, when he saw him that time at Charujin, Joey wasn't wearing it. Not that he would have been looking, to notice or anything....

"You....you still have it." Kaiba said, as his delicate long fingers reached out to touch it, but stopped and hesitated, as the hand slightly trembled in mid-air.

Joey shrugged, "Yeah, well it's just a stupid dog collar anyway, right? It's nutt'n like that expensive necklace that you gave to Mai...."

Kaiba smiled, saying, "Yeah, but yours has sentimental value...." And gasped, putting his hand over his mouth, not believing he just said that to Joey.

"You mean that?" Joey asked, turning to look at Kaiba, who had just turned red after realizing what he had said.

Joey instantly considered what Kaiba had just implied. Even though Mai's gift was obviously far more expensive, the item Kaiba gave Joey was a gift from the heart. Just looking at Kaiba, he realized what he just accidentally blurted out was true. He slipped big on that comment, and knew there was no way of taking it back.

'He does care!' Joey smiled, now once again reassured, ignoring the bruise left on his face. With a mischievous smile, Joey leapt back over, practically landing on top of Kaiba, kissing him deeply.