Sand Lover

by Ykarzel

Seto takes his little brother on vacations to a beach, only to discover that Joey is a lifegaurd. Somehow he finds himself entangled in the lives of Joey and Joey's roomate Jason. Yaoi. Lemons posted elsewhere. Complete.

2. Part Two of Two

Sand Lover

By Ykarzel

Part Two of Two

Joey reluctantly pulled himself out of sleep and into awareness. Jason had his arm wrapped around him. Joey snuggled back into the warmth, and for a moment just let himself enjoy it. Then, reluctantly, he opened his eyes. He was facing Jason, who was still sound asleep despite Joey's movement.

Joey chuckled at the red head, who's mouth was hanging open and hair was all over the place. Reluctantly, he turned over to look out the window. He had to work double shift today. He saw the water still streaming down the window and knew that Emily was gonna smack him silly for getting out of it. Flipping back over, he snuggled more into Jason.

"Jay, it's raining, I don't have to work."

Jay grunted and shut his mouth, swallowing a few times before answering. "Mom is coming today," he said.

Joey groaned and hid his face in Jason's neck. "You had to remind me. I was excited for a minute."

Jason sat up and blinked, glancing at his wrist watch which had somehow managed to stay on him. "Actually, she said she'd be here in a half hour, and you know she likes to be early, we better get up."

Jason tried to sit up but Joey clung to his arm. "But we always fool around on rainy mornings."

Throwing his legs out of the bed, Jason stood up, pulling Joey out of bed in the process. "I'll make it up to you later. Hurry up and get dressed. Take a pillow out to the couch and make it look like you slept there."

Grumbling, Joey pulled on a pair of sweat pants and a tee shirt then grabbed his pillow. Figuring the best way to make it look like he was sleeping on the couch was to actually do it, he chased Sabrina off and laid down, pulling the blanket off the back and covering up with it. Sabrina jumped back up and curled up on Joey's stomach, purring contently and kneading the blanket.

Jason emerged fully dressed from the bedroom a few minutes later, presumably after having removed any evidence of the night before. He rolled his eyes at Joey's snoozing, and started the coffee so it was hot before his mother arrived.

The door bell rang and Joey groaned, putting his pillow over his head.

"Guess that means I'm answering it," Jason said, scratching the top of Sabrina's head on the way past, causing her to purr louder and dig her claws into Joey's stomach.

"Hey Ma," Jason said as the door opened, bending down to give the short woman a hug. She returned it, and another set of arms wrapped themselves around Jason's waist. "Hey Mattie, I didn't know if you'd be coming along or not." He removed one arm from his mother and wrapped it around the even shorter girl.

"I missed you!" she exclaimed, hiding her face in Jason's side.

"Come on in, you guys. Joe, look alive."

"I'd love to get up and greet them properly," Joey called over the arm of the couch. "But Sabrina has decided to insert her razors, and digs when I try to move her."

Jason laughed, pulling a chair from the kitchen table into the living room while his mother took the easy chair. "Sabrina!" Mattie squealed, coming over to stroke the cat. The calico purred appreciatively, arching into the girl's hand and curling her toes and claws into Joey's stomach.

"Arg!" Joey cried, his eyes clenched. Mattie giggled. "Oh, you think that's funny?" Joey asked her. She nodded, and Joey grinned at her. "C'meer kid, gimme a hug." She abandoned Sabrina and hugged Joey's neck. Sabrina jumped down off of Joey in favor of rubbing against Jason's ankles. He reached down and picked the offending feline up and sat her in his lap, where she settled immediately.

His stomach no longer being held hostage, Joey sat up, pulling Mattie up on the couch beside him and hugging her tightly. Joey and Mattie got along wonderfully. It was his only saving grace in her mother's eyes.

"Don't you have to work, Joseph?" she asked from her position in the chair, watching Joey through suspicious eyes.

Joey put a hand behind his head. "Actually, I was supposed to be working second and third shift today. But the rule is if it rains before first shift is up, the beach is swim at your own risk."

"Lucky you, then."

"Oh yes ma'am," Joey replied as earnestly as he could. "This is my second day of luck." She'd once given Joey permission to call her Miss. Nancy, but he'd never referred to her as anything besides ma'am.

"Anybody want coffee?" Jason asked, hoping to break the possibly awkward direction before it was followed.

"I'll get it," Joey said, jumping up as soon as his mother his answered affirmative. "Did you bring your suit with you Mattie?"

"I did, are we going to the pool?" she asked. "Cause it's raining hard."

Joey started pouring the cups. "A, friend of mine is up here from my home town," Joey said, having to force the word friend. "His little brother Mokuba is here with him. He's your age. I think you guys will get along."

When he walked the coffee over Mattie looked skeptical. "You'll still be there, right?" she asked.

Joey smiled at her. In a way, he was glad it was raining to spend time with Mattie, even if it did mean having to put up with her mother's disapproving glances and haughty comments. "Of course I will be."

"And what of this, friend, of yours?" asked Nancy, putting an emphasis on friend that meant she had taken Joey's need to force the word a different way.

"You could hardly call us that, ma'am. Actually, we merely tolerate each other. But I've been friends with Mokuba for a few years now." Jason sent Joey a sympathetic glance, knowing that talking about his relationship, or lack thereof, with Kaiba, wasn't easy.

"What of you two?" she asked, taking a sip of her coffee. "Are you two still, friends?"

Joey choked on his coffee, turning away in a coughing fit.

"It would be hard to share such close quarters if we weren't friends, Ma," Jason answered.

"And you're still sleeping out here on the couch?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at Joey.

He tried not to look at her for more then a moment at a time, because her eyes saw right through him. "Yes'm," he answered through coughs. "Couldn't kick Joe out of his bed if I tried. I don't mind. Except when certain felines decide to sleep with me." Hoping to be convincing, Joey glared at Sabrina, who ignored him.

"What if one of you decided to have somebody over?" she persisted, staring Joey down. Jason wanted to help, but could do nothing more then watch Joey apologetically.

Joey laughed nervously. "Well, it hasn't become an issue yet, and I'm moving out in exactly a week, so I doubt it will become one."

"You're leaving?" Mattie cried.

"I've gotta go home, Atty. There are people there that love me and miss me a whole lot. And unlike your big brother, I'm not out of school yet."

Mattie clung to his arm. "But I'll miss you, and I love you a whole lot"

"I won't be gone forever. You're like Jay. He seems to think just because I don't live here you'll never see me again. I'm not that easy to get rid of." Mattie giggled at him when he ruffled her hair.

"I wasn't aware that you were still in high school, Joseph," Nancy said, setting her coffee mug down on the coffee table, probably the first time it was actually used as such and not as a foot rest.

"This'll be my last year, Ma'am. Not really sure what's going to happen after that. I might end up back out here, but perhaps not."

It took Joey three cups of coffee to handle the time it took Nancy to finish one. He knew she was deliberately sipping it slowly to draw out his agony. When she finally did finish, Jason was actually the first to jump up, putting Sabrina down on the ground. "I'm ready to swim. How about you Mattie?"

"Yeah!" she said, jumping off the couch. She led the way out, Joey hardly having enough time to change into his suit before she was dragging him out the door. Joey held her hand while they walked. Not that she wasn't old enough to walk on her own, but walking with Mattie gave him an excuse not to converse with Nancy.

When they reached the pool, Jason waving at the door man on the way in, Joey excused himself. "I'm gonna go let Mokuba know that we're here."

The moment the elevator doors closed Joey collapsed against the wall, letting out a deep sigh. Dealing with Nancy was a ballet on a cluttered floor; dance around everything while avoiding a fall flat on your face. He was so relieved to be away from her, that he was actually looking forward to a confrontation with Kaiba.

He knocked at the door without hesitation. Mokuba would be expecting him if he remembered that Mattie was supposed to be there today. When the door opened, it was Kaiba behind it. He stared at Joey for a moment. Just long enough for Joey to take in his mussed hair, his lack of shirt, and his panting.

Flying through the air from the right came Mokuba, who crashed into his brother and took him down to the floor in a series of yells. Kaiba went down fighting; trying to roll over and pull his brother off of him.

Joey watched for a moment in shock tinged with horror, as the brothers wrestled for the upper hand. Mokuba exclaimed loudly, holding his hand up in triumph. "Got it!" he shouted, attempting to pull himself off his brother. But Kaiba wouldn't have it. Grabbing Mokuba by the forearm and yanking him back down, he pinned him in one swift move.

Kaiba stared at Mokuba expectantly, pinning his wrist down, until Mokuba sighed and unclenched his fist. "Why'd you have to go and do that Seto?" The brunette didn't answer and stood, offering his hand to his brother. "He would have let me won," Mokuba said, turning to Joey who was still standing in shock at the door. "But I guess he doesn't want to lose in front of you."

"What were you fighting over?" Joey asked, thinking it had to be something really important to cause two brothers who loved each other so much to fight like that.

"Oh, it's a button," Mokuba said with a shrug. He held out his hand, and Kaiba dropped the said button into it, for Mokuba to hold out to show. Joey looked down at it. It was just a large plastic white button. There wasn't anything particularly special about it.

Kaiba was pulling back on his shirt, his back to Joey. The blonde glanced between the two, not understanding. "It's just a game," Mokuba said, smiling. "We wrestle for the button."

Joey didn't want to try to understand, so he changed the subject. "Mattie is downstairs."

Mokuba's eyes lit up, and even Kaiba turned around expectantly. "Really? I can meet her?"

Joey put a hand behind his head and looked down. "Yeah. I'd wait for you, but I've got to get back down there. If I'm gone too long, Nancy will lecture me or, something."

His shoulders sagging, he turned around. Mokuba was slightly disturbed by the complete lack of Joey that had been in the person he'd just spoken to. He shut the door and turned to his brother.

"We better hurry and get down there Seto. I don't think Joey can handle too much longer on his own."

"I'll go change," Seto responded, walking into his bedroom. Mokuba grinned. They were making progress; Seto hadn't made a smart comment about how the mutt deserved it.

When Seto and Mokuba reached the pool, a short squat woman was in the middle of elaborating to Joey why high school kids today were incompetent to take on the roles of their elders. It was obvious, however, in just the few moments that Seto heard, that she meant Joey when she said "high school" kids. Jason, Sarah, and Mattie, who looked like a mini Sarah, must have gotten their red hair from their father. Nancy was a brunette, with brown eyes that didn't match the blue of the others.

Joey jumped up upon seeing them. "Attie, Ma'am, this is Mokuba Kaiba and Seto Kaiba. They're from my home town."

Nancy stood up and Seto stepped forward to shake her hand. He already had her type pegged. Mokuba gave a small wave to Mattie, who smiled brightly. "Nice to meet you," Seto said, smiling at her. Joey glanced at him warily. The Seto Kaiba introducing himself to Nancy was not the Seto Kaiba that Joey knew.

"Seto Kaiba of Kaiba Corp?"

"One and the same," Seto said with a nod.

He took the last chair at the table for four, while Mokuba followed Mattie to the pool. Joey turned so that he was facing them, using the fact that he was a lifeguard as an excuse to turn his back on Nancy. It meant he had to face Kaiba, but he could see Jason across the table out of the corner of his eye.

Joey listened as Nancy proceeded to ask Seto various questions about his work and his life. Kaiba answered them all with detail and a smile Joey could hear but was afraid to look at because it would creep him out. This had to be how cold, impersonal Seto Kaiba used "people skills". The falseness made Joey's skin crawl.

"Jason is in training to become a chef," Nancy added, switching the direction of the conversation. Joey glanced over Jason who looked just as surprised as he was.

"Joey said something about that," Seto answered politely.

Nancy turned proud eyes on her son. "He has a very bright future ahead of him. He makes me very proud."

Joey blanched involuntarily. She was attempting to interest Seto in Jason. He saw Jay hide his face in his hand. At least Jason wasn't encouraging it.

"Speaking of food," Seto said standing. "Joey, would you give me a hand? They're going to be hungry after swimming for that long."

"Sure Kaiba," Joey said, standing instantly.

"Mattie, Mokuba, get in the shallow end while Joey's gone." The two grinned at each other then raced towards the other side. They, at least, were having a good time. Mattie won the race and Mokuba tackled her for it.

Joey walked beside Kaiba in silence until they were in the elevator. Only once the door closed did Joey sag against the elevator wall again, pressing his forehead onto the cool surface in order to alleviate the headache that lingered.

"Thanks, for that, Kaiba," he said awkwardly, though he was obviously grateful.

Seto didn't respond to the gratitude. He leaned up against the back wall of the elevator and crossed his arms. "Is she always like that?"

"Every time," Joey groaned, shifting to press his other temple against the wall. "You'd swear I was drugging him and forcing him to worship the devil the way she talks about me."

"You are corrupting her only son," Seto replied with mild amusement. Joey glared at him, but it's effectiveness was lost in the way his face was pressed against the wall.

"Trust me, if there's any corrupting happening, it's not on my part." Joey snapped his mouth shut after that, feeling that he'd said too much. The silence that followed was awkward, and the ding of the elevator gave Joey a start.

They made several sandwiches, the silence only broken by the rain. Slowly though, it started to feel less awkward. Less like they weren't speaking to each other and more like they just weren't speaking.

Seto noticed Joey working slowly, and smirked to himself. He obviously didn't want to go back down there. Which Seto could understand. He'd met mothers similar to her at business dinners. They constantly told him about how wonderful they daughter was, despite the fact their daughter was attending with a date. On the bright side, at least Nancy was targeting the right gender.

With and audible sigh Joey closed the bread, then blushed realizing he'd broken the silence. The resulting silence was again awkward, as if they should be speaking and weren't. Seto cursed him for breaking that.

"Maybe she won't talk with food in her mouth," Seto said, turning around to put the meat back in the fridge. Joey laughed, almost too loudly just out of shock that Seto had made a joke. "I was being serious," Seto said, glancing at Joey. That just made Joey laugh more as he followed Seto back out of the apartment.

When they reached the pool again, Mattie and Mokuba were out of the pool and in Seto and Joey's chairs. They grinned up at them and refused to move. Seto set the plate down on the table while Joey grabbed two chairs from a nearby table to pull over.

Nancy, it seemed, had taken a warming to Mokuba too, and was questioning him about school the same way she had Seto about his job. Relieved, Joey munched on one of the sandwiches and made eye contact with Jason. They were having a very amusing silent conversation when Nancy's attention shifted again.

"I'm very impressed, Kaiba, that you've managed to accomplish so very much at a young age."

Seto looked up from the paper he was reading and gave his fake smile again. "Thank you for the compliment."

"So polite too," Nancy said, puffing up with pride as if Seto was her own son. "Some young men would do well to follow your example."

Joey focused on his knee, not trusting himself to look up. Mokuba looked questioningly at Mattie, who rolled her eyes and discreetly twirled a finger around her ear. The pair giggled at their shared joke.

Seto couldn't believe he was missing this opportunity. He had a chance here to mock Joey and prove that he was better, and he wasn't utilizing it. But there was something, unsatisfying, to have somebody help him. He'd never wanted to make Joey feel bad about himself, just make him angry. He knew that with Nancy and Mattie here, Joey wouldn't get angry. Even if he did, he'd be mad at Nancy too.

'All this time, the only reason I've been trying to make him mad is so I have all his attention,' Seto thought to himself, with a sardonic mental smile.

Three more not-quite-jabs at Joey, and Jason stood up. "I'll be back," he said, smiling at his mother. "There's somebody I want you to meet."

Mattie and Mokuba got up too, both heading back to the pool. Seto and Joey reclaimed their old seats back, Joey once again turning his back on Nancy to face the pool.

Seto sensed the danger in the way Joey slouched and looked even more defeated. Now that Jason was gone nothing was going to hold Nancy back. Just as she opened her mouth, Seto cut in with a question of his own. "So what is it you do for a living? We've talked plenty about me."

She shut her mouth on what she was about to say and smiled. "I was a full time mom until my husband died seven years ago. Since then I've been working at the local library."

"That shows remarkable resilience," Seto said, ignoring Joey's appreciative glance. "To start working again like that."

"I had my babies to support. I'm sure you felt something similar when Mokuba came under your care. They were the most important thing."

Jason rushed back in at that moment, dragging behind him a young man by the hand. "Mom, I want you to meet Ashton, he's going to be taking my place at the hotel so that I can move back into the kitchen."

Nancy glanced at their hands, which were still together, and her eyes narrowed. "Aren't you a bit young to be working there?" she asked.

Ashton blushed red, but didn't pull his hand away from Jason's. "I, I look a lot younger then I am. I'm eighteen, nineteen soon."

Nancy smiled. "That's nice. So how long have you and my son been, friends." The pause before the last word made subtly an afterthought rather than a mask.

Ashton blushed harder, his cheeks and ears flaming a bright pink. "Well, I started working about two weeks ago, we met a few days before that." Ashton couldn't say that they weren't friends, so therefore had no way to correct her incorrect assumption. Jason grinned, it was working.

"Well, it was nice meeting you Ashton," she said with a smile. Then turned her attention back to her son. "Jason, I owe you an apology. I should have believed you when you told me that you and Joey were just friends. I promise to trust you more in the future."

Mattie, sensing that they were going to be leaving soon, got out of the pool and wrapped up in a towel that Mokuba handed her. She dug a pen out of her mom's purse and started to write on Mokuba's hand.

"It was nice meeting you too, Mr. Kaiba," Nancy said, giving him the same smile she had granted Ashton. "I'm sure we'll see you again soon, Joseph." Joey plastered a huge fake grin on his face and waved. Seto knew he was angry she'd apologized to Jason but not to him. However, he did bend over and give Mattie a huge hug. "Come on Mattie, let's go visit your sister."

"I'll walk you to the door," Mokuba exclaimed, holding his written-on hand up in the air as if he was afraid to touch it to anything. "I have to go up to the room. But I'll be back, Seto."

Joey, Jason, Seto, and Ashton stood silently as they watched Nancy and Mattie exit, escorted by Mokuba. Only after the door was firmly shut did Ashton yank his hand away from Jason.

"I can't believe you would do that," he said, in a voice so deeply angry and disappointed that volume wasn't needed.

Jason's eyes widened as he took in Ashton's death glare. "What? What is it?"

"That you would abuse my feelings for you like that to get your mother off of Joey's case. That you would take advantage of me that way, so you can be with him."

Jason's mouth fell open. He was shocked that quite, adoring Ashton was actually angry with him, and not afraid to tell him about it either. Guilt followed with the realization that something done without thought was in reality, wrong. Yet, he hadn't meant it in the self serving way that Ashton was taking it.

"Ashton," he started when the shock wore off and the guilt forced him to speak. "I didn't mean to take advantage of any feelings you might have-"

"Save it Jason. It's irrelevant, any that I had are gone now." Ashton turned and stormed out of the room, tossing his apron on one of the chairs and exiting out the door that led to the outside rather then to the rest of the hotel.

"Wait, Ashton, I didn't!" Jason called, running after him.

"Jason, Ashton!" Joey shouted, starting after the pair. He nearly tripped when his arm was grabbed and Seto held him back.

"I highly doubt your presence will help matters."

"But," Joey protested, attempting to pull away and watching Jason's figure disappear through the glass. All at once he stopped resisting, figuring Seto was right and allowing his arms to fall to his sides in defeat. Seto let go instantly, not touching him a moment more then necessary. "Shit," Joey said with passion, turning back around and kicking at the chair he had been sitting in. "This is all my fault."

Seto didn't agree, but felt that he had interfered enough and remained silent.

Joey kicked the chair again, this time back out, and fell into it. Seto too sat back down. Several moments later, Mokuba had still not returned and Seto began to wonder if he was coming back at all. Still, Joey was waiting for Jason to return, and even though he felt awkward waiting with him, it would be even more awkward to get up and leave.

It took several long silent minutes, in which Joey continuously displayed his frustration on the table or chair legs. Seto didn't understand why Joey was so involved in this, but knew that if he continued to watch he'd figure it out eventually.

Joey flew out of his seat before Jason even opened the door; he'd been watching through the glass for the red head to appear. "What happened?"

Jason sighed and accepted the hands that Joey held out to him. Seto kept quiet, remaining the observer and attempting to fade away. He felt he was succeeding; they were acting in that natural state they only had when they thought he wasn't looking.

"I managed to convince him that I wasn't trying to use him so you and I could be together. He only believes me because I reminded him that you were leaving next week. But I can't give him a reasonable excuse for wanting him to meet my mother."

"Why don't you just tell him the truth?" Joey asked, his eyes glued to Jason's in a type of urgency. The last thing that Joey wanted was for everything to fall to pieces for Jay right before he left. "That you wanted to give her that impression because it's true."

Jason squeezed Joey's hands. "But Joe, we only have a few more-"

Joey cut him off with a finger against his lips. "Jay, it wouldn't matter if we had a day or a month. We promised we'd never get in each other's way of a real relationship." He removed his finger and leaned forward, giving Jay a quick kiss. "Last kiss. Your shift with him starts soon anyway. Go home, shower, get ready, make him tie your tie, and tell him how you feel. I'll be moved out of the apartment before your shift's over. That way he'll know you're serious."

"Joe, you don't have anywhere to go."

"I'll call Em and see if I can sleep on her couch tonight, and then after your Mom goes home Sarah will let me stay with her. It's only a few days."

"But," Jason started, and Joey cut him off with a huge hug.

"No buts. Good luck. I'll be by tomorrow morning to find out how it went."

"Thanks Joe," Jason relented, squeezing him back.

"Joey, you can stay at our place," Mokuba said from his spot by the door. Jason, Joey, and Seto whipped around, none of them hearing the boy come in. "We have two couches. And we're going home the same day you are."

Joey was about to protest, but Jason pinched his side, and caused the blonde to change his mind. Jason's silent message was right; this was an opportunity. "Kaiba? Do you mind? I hate to ask, but,"

Seto's attention moved from his brother, to Joey, who was still wrapped in Jason's arms, then to the pool. "That's fine,' he said, standing in order to keep from looking at any of them. He picked up the remnants of their luncheon and started for the door.

"I have to go," Jason said, hugging Joey again. "If you become a stranger I'll never forgive you."

Joey laughed. "I'm staying in this hotel. You'll see more of me now then you did before."

"Thanks for helping me, Mokuba," Joey said, following behind the boy who was carrying one of his bags.

"It's cool that you'll be staying with us Joey. I'm surprised you managed to pack in an hour."

Joey laughed, closing the door to the Kaiba's room behind him. "Well, I've been getting ready to go for a week now. So it didn't take much."

"Dinner's in the kitchen," Seto said, walking past the two and into his room. Mokuba stuck his tongue out at his brother's back until the door shut.

"Is something wrong with him?" Joey asked.

"Nothing that sex won't cure," Mokuba responded, dropping Joey's belongings in the corner.

"Mokuba!"

"What? It's true."

"Even so, you shouldn't talk about your brother that way."

"I'll stop talking about it as soon as you cure him, kay?" Mokuba called as he walked into the kitchen, leaving Joey with his stuff.

Joey, unable to think of a response to that which would be appropriate to shout into the other room, remained silent. So Mokuba was onto this too? He should have known Jason had a conspirator.

A few hours later, Joey pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and was reminded of the beginning of this summer when he'd first started living with Jason, before they shared a bed. Behind him he heard one of the bedroom doors open, and instinctively knew that it was Kaiba still awake and about. Or perhaps instinct was knowing that Mokuba had fallen sound asleep an hour ago.

The footsteps paused, as if he had just remembered he wasn't alone in this room, then continued to the kitchen.

Joey smiled and sighed, getting comfortable on the couch. Staying here would be interesting.

Seto dressed before he went out to start the coffee, not wanting to be seen by Joey in what he usually slept in. When he did reach the kitchen, though, Mokuba was eating a bowl of cereal, the coffee was already made, and the brothers were alone.

"Where's Joey?" he asked before he could stop.

"Went to see Jason to find out how things went with Ashton, and then he's going to work. He has morning shift for his last week. He made you coffee."

Seto paused in his pouring of the coffee. It hadn't really occurred to him that Joey was still working; he always acted like he was on a vacation. "Are we going to the beach then?"

"Are you still pale?"

Chuckling, Seto sat down beside his younger brother.

Joey unlocked the apartment door and it didn't occur to him until after he was inside that maybe he should have knocked. After all, he didn't live here anymore, despite the fact that he still had a key.

Jason wasn't up yet, so Joey went over to start another pot of coffee this morning. Just as he turned the machine on he heard the bedroom door open and turned around. The red head was stark naked, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Morning Jay."

Jason looked up, surprised. "Joe? What are you doing here?"

"I told you I was going to stop by to see how it went." At that moment, Ashton walked out of the room. He, at least, was wearing boxers, but he still went wide eyed and red when he spotted Joey. "Oh," Joey said, "better than I thought."

Jason rolled his eyes and moved toward the kitchen. "Are you making coffee?"

"Yeah, it's started," Joey said, using his arms to lift himself onto the counter. "So," he grinned cheekily at the pair of them. "How'd it go?"

Jason walked over and pulled the coffee pot out from the machine and stuck his mug under it, waiting until he had a few sips before replacing it. He sucked it down black and completely ignored Joey's question.

"I'm gonna go clean up and get dressed, Ash, don't let him get to you."

Still blushing and avoiding eye contact with Joey, Ashton sat down at the table. Jason walked back into the bedroom and shut the door behind him.

"If I had known you'd be here," Joey said after a moment, "I would have at least called first."

Ashton didn't look up but he smiled and hugged his arms to his bare chest. "It wasn't exactly planned. And, what you did was really sweet, so, thanks." He looked up for a brief moment on the last word, then down again.

"Here," Joey said, tossing something at Ashton. The boy looked up and caught it as it was flying at him. Opening his hand too look at it, he realized it was the apartment key. "I officially don't live here anymore, so you'd better take that for me."

Ashton blushed again, but smiled. Joey watched in amusement. He already like the kid, which was good, because he wasn't going to be around to kill him if he wasn't good to Jason.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened last night, or am I going to have to drag it out of Jay?"

"He cornered me back in the kitchen," Ashton replied almost too quickly, as if he wanted to tell somebody badly and was holding it back. "And asked me if I was doing anything after work."

Joey put the back of his hand to his forehead and pretended to swoon. "So romantic."

"Hey!" Ashton defended, glaring.

Joey held his hands up in defense. "I'm only teasing you Ashton. I couldn't be happier for the two of you, honest."

Ashton's glare cooled instantly. "Sorry, I just," he paused, "well, I feel like I have a lot to live up to. You and Jay are so, close."

Joey nodded. "That we are." He jumped down and patted Ashton on the shoulder on the way to get a cup of coffee. "But Jay and I are just really close friends. Really close, but still just friends. You and Jay will be very different. It'd be like an apple trying to live up to a banana. There just isn't a common ground to compare them."

"Except taste."

Joey smirked at him over his coffee rim. "I'm sure you taste just fine."

Ashton hid his face behind his hand but still laughed. Jason came back out, this time donning clothing. Joey walked over and hugged him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Joe, you're making Ash jealous."

Joey mock gasped. "I would never want to do that." He walked back over to Ashton, bent down and kissed him on the cheek too. Ashton was caught between shock and laughter; Jason, too used to Joey to be shocked, just laughed. "Alright you lover birds it's been fun but I'm working morning shift. I get paid today, Jay, do you still want half the rent?"

"Are you still living here?" Jay asked, coming over to stand beside Ashton. Joey watched as Jay snaked an arm around Ashton's neck.

"No, but I was for most the month."

"Don't worry about it Joe. Besides, Ash is gonna take over for me today, I'm moving back to the kitchen tonight."

"Congratulations, Jay. Well, I'll probably see you both around the hotel."

"How did that go last night?" Jason asked as Joey headed for the door.

"If something happens you'll be the first to know," Joey promised, closing the door behind him.

Jason headed over to get a full cup of coffee this time, and noticed Ashton spinning something silver on the table. "What's that, Ash?"

"Joey's key," Ashton said, smiling shyly up at Jason. "He thought I might need it." Laughing, Jason bent down to give the brunette a kiss.

Joey glanced down when he heard Mokuba run back to Seto from the water. Sunday through Tuesday had been bright clear days. Now, Wednesday, Mokuba had still not had enough beach.

It was doing Kaiba good, though, Joey could tell from up in the chair. His skin had finally absorbed some color and the hallows around his eyes were long gone. Seto glanced up at Joey, and for a long moment the two made eye contact. Then the brunette looked away again, back down at Mokuba.

Joey sighed as he turned his attention back to the water. For the past three days it had been that way. Eye contact held a moment too long to be normal, conversations that went one step too far, physical contact that was sustained a breath longer then necessary.

Kaiba was interested. Joey knew it now. It could have been those little signs that proved it, or proving it making him aware of those little signs. It might have been Jason assuring him that Kaiba didn't hate him that allowed him to notice these things, or just living in the same place and being around him so much.

It was all very frustrating. If they were fighting, well that was one way to release the frustration, one that had worked for a long time. If they were fucking, that would be an even better way. But now they weren't doing anything except look at, touch, or talk to each other just a bit too much to be normal.

He was so intent on the water and his own thoughts that he didn't even notice when Mokuba walked over and climbed up on the chair. "Almost done Joey?" he asked.

"Soon as Emily gets here to take over Mokuba."

"She's late," he said, tugging on Joey's foot.

"I'm never late," Emily said, ducking around the other side of the chair and making Mokuba jump. "I'm just on my own time."

"Almost on mine," Joey said, jumping down and picking her up by the waist to lift her into the chair.

She laughed at him and patted him on the head. "We're gonna miss you Joe." He squeezed her hand once before allowing Mokuba to drag him over to where he and Seto had a blanket laid out.

Joey fell down onto it, letting out a sigh as he spread out on his back. "Aren't you coming down to the water Joey?"

"You go ahead, I'll be there in a few minutes." Mokuba sped off, not wanting to deny the blonde a chance to be alone with his older brother if he asked for it.

Seto glanced over at Joey, quickly, and noted his eyes were closed. When he looked over again a moment later and Joey's eyes were still closed, he allowed his gaze to linger. He didn't know how Joey could manage to sit in the sun for hours everyday and not burn. Only with sunscreen and careful, timed, rotations had Seto managed to avoid turning bright pink, and even so his shoulders and the back of his neck were starting to tinge. But Joey's skin was anything but pink. Seto let his eyes roam down the blonde's chest, his tan skin glistening in the sun.

He allowed himself a slow, visual feast down and back up Joey's chest. The smooth, bronze shine of his skin. The fine trail of sun bleached blond hair that started just below his belly button and continued down past where Seto could see. The dips and peeks of his abs which moved with each breath. The slightly darker coloring of his nipples, relaxed in the warmth of the sun. The hallow that dipped between his collar bones. His wide shoulder and strong neck that begged to be kissed and sucked on.

Joey's eyes ripped Seto's away from his neck. Seto realized he'd been caught. Joey kept their gaze locked. His eyes, a warm dark brown accented with golden honey, offered Seto a challenge.

There was no way to deny it now. Joey knew that Seto wanted him. And Seto knew Joey returned the feeling. The only question now was what were they going to do about it.

Joey reached a hand out to Seto. The brunette took it without thinking. Joey used it to pull himself up into a sitting position, and used the leverage to jump up on his feet. Without a word to Seto, he turned and walked toward the ocean.

Seto saw the challenge to follow; it was as obvious as if Joey had verbally dared him to do it. Yet, he hesitated, and decided not to accept. Sitting with his arms resting on his legs, he watched the blonde's butt as he walked down the beach.

Somehow, on the way back inside, Mokuba had ended up being carried by Joey in a piggy back. They seemed to be in a hurry, which Seto didn't understand, but he followed behind them. Joey practically danced as they waited for the elevator to come down. He glanced at a clock and then at the stairs.

"Don't you dare," Seto said before he could help it. "Not with Mokuba at least." Good cover. That made it sound like he was worried about Mokuba's safety, not Joey's when carrying Mokuba up several flights of stairs.

"Good point," Joey said. "Down you go." He leaned back to let Mokuba off, then turned and bolted up the stairs. Seto wanted to ask, as he was sure Mokuba knew, but he refrained himself.

By the time the elevator arrived on their floor, and really there were only two suites on the floor; the other was vacant so it was theirs, Joey was waiting to get on the elevator. He was already changed, his hair brusquely dried, and dressed in better clothing the Seto had seen on him yet.

"I'll see you guys later," he said, patting Mokuba on the head, and grinning at Seto. The brunette kept his mouth in a straight line, trying to pick up on any clues as to his destination.

"Have fun, Joey. Say hi to everybody for me."

"Will do. I'd bring you along, kid, but," he grinned, "I don't think I'm going to be old enough so I know you won't be. Don't wait up!" he called through the closing elevator doors.

Mokuba snickered and walked toward their door, waiting for Seto to fish out his key. Seto figured it had to be some kind of party, one that probably involved alcohol. He thought on that a moment as they went in. Everybody would probably mean Jason, Ashton, Emily, Sarah, and anybody else that worked at this hotel or with Joey. Perhaps this was a goodbye party for Joey.

Pleased with his ability to surmise as much from two sentences, he unlocked the door and let Mokuba in ahead of him.

When the door opened, Seto refrained, with years of refined self control, from looking up. He kept his eyes glued to his paper, reading the same sentence over in his head but still not understanding it.

"Kaiba?" came Joey's voice. He was surprised, no doubt, to find Seto still awake at three in the morning, and sitting in the living room at that. "What are you doing?"

"Searching for a loop hole in this contract," Seto answered in a bored statement. In reality he was reading a report on last month's finances, but there was no way Joey would know the difference.

"Why are you still up?" Seto didn't answer. Joey walked into Seto's peripheral vision, and Seto watched him stumble and nearly fall onto the couch.

"Are you drunk?" he asked, setting the paper down and looking up to stare at the blonde. Joey was sprawled out on the couch, his hand to his forehead.

"They made me take a shot for every minute I was late."

"How late were you?"

"Fifteen minutes."

"What was in them?" Seto asked incredulously, fearing slightly for Joey's safety.

Joey laughed. "No idea. Couldn't have been too bad though. Jay'd never let me do something dangerous."

Seto relaxed, realizing he should have already known that. "Did you drink besides that?"

"Some," Joey answered, wondering why Seto was acting like a mother hen.

"You don't sound drunk," Seto said after another moment.

"I never do," Joey answered, sitting up slowly with the aid of the couch arm. "My speech and mind are completely clear." He looked up at Seto, then pressed a hand against the side of his face as if to steady it. "Except there's two of you, and I know I'm not going to be able to walk to the bathroom without stumbling."

"You act more sober drunk than sober," Seto said, crossing his arms.

Joey laughed, the action causing him to fall back over into a horizontal position. "You know, I always told Tristan I thought more clearly when I was drunk and he never believed me."

Seto smiled, very slightly. This was comfortable. Some how, Joey's intoxication took all the pressure out of interacting with him. He stood, and walked over to the blonde. "I'll help you to the bathroom," he said, offering his hand. He was reminded suddenly of earlier on the beach.

"Great," Joey said, reaching for it. "I need a shower so badly, I'm gonna make the whole place smell like booze."

When Joey took his hand, Seto tried to pull him up at the same time he tried to lift himself up. The result was an overcompensation for Joey's weight, and the blonde stumbled and fell onto Seto, who just barely managed to keep his own balance.

Seto held Joey steady. Joey laughed at his own fall, gripping onto Seto's forearms. Seto didn't laugh, and his silence eventually quelled Joey's laughter.

But Seto's silence was not because he felt it wasn't humorous, but that he was suddenly very aware of Joey's body pressed against his, of holding Joey against him. Slowly, he snaked his arms further around Joey, pulling him closer and tighter.

That cut off the rest of Joey's laughter, and he became aware of their proximity all at once. He froze, his mind starting to run too fast and for the first time actually making him feel drunk. Perhaps he wasn't as sober minded as he had thought, because he couldn't think this through.

Seto eventually had Joey held against him in nearly a hug; a steady, comfortable, supporting way. Joey found himself looking over Seto's shoulder, unable to see him, but able to feel everything.

Seto bent his head down until his face was buried in Joey's neck. He inhaled deeply, because under the alcohol he could smell Joey's aftershave or cologne or deodorant or maybe shampoo; whatever it was that made him smell as good as he did. As he exhaled, it came as a sigh that allowed the tension to flee from him, causing his body to meld better against Joey's.

Seto's sigh caused Joey's mind to stop the circle it was running in, and brought back his ability to think. He tightened his hands on Seto's forearms. He waited a moment more (because it felt so good), then used them to push Seto back and keep himself steady at the same time.

"Come on, Kaiba, stop," Joey said, not looking up but putting as much distance between them as he could without letting go. He didn't want to look Seto in the eyes because his will power was already taxed enough by the large amount of alcohol in his system. "Right now, I just, need a shower and to sleep this off."

Seto pulled away all at once, and Joey nearly fell face foreword, but managed to stop himself. Before he'd even taken two steps in the direction of the bathroom he heard Seto's door slam shut.

Sitting in the bright sun, on the loud beach, with a hangover and four hours of sleep, was not Joey's favorite thing to do. Nonetheless, tomorrow would be his last day of work, so he had refused to call in, and had decided to make the best of it.

"Hey Joey," came Mokuba's voice from below him, and Joey glanced down only momentarily because the sun made the sand bright and it hurt to look at.

"Hey, kid. Where's your brother?"

"He said he didn't want to come and that I'd be fine on my own," Mokuba answered. "He seemed pretty pissed off, I think something happened at work. I just wanted to let you know I'm here." He took off down towards the water as if he'd been burned.

Joey cringed. Even though Seto had never been awake before he left for work, something this morning was ominous about the closed door, as if Seto could have been out there and refused to be. Now, Seto didn't want to come down to the beach. Somehow, Joey had screwed up last night.

Luckily, Emily was due to be there any minute. Seto probably expected Joey to stay with Mokuba, which would be the only reason why he would be allowed to go the ocean by himself. But Emily was a very good lifeguard, better than Joey, and he trusted her to watch him.

The walk back to his, now old, apartment took ten minutes if he walked, and five if he ran. Standing in front of apartment thirty two, he spent a whole thirty seconds fishing for his key before he remembered that he no longer had one.

Instead of knocking, he started to bang the door rhythmically, knowing that Jason would recognize this "knock" right away from the one time he had locked himself out of the apartment.

It took longer then he would have expected, before Jason threw the door open. The redhead looked flustered, and as usual was wearing little clothing. "Joe? What is it?"

"I need help," Joey answered, and Jason opened the door to let him in. "I screwed up, Jay," Joey started right away, automatically falling into the track he often paced, as he had the night they'd come back from watching Mokuba.

"What happened?" Jay knew better than to try to calm Jay down; that the best course of action would be to sit and allow him to walk his energy off. He sat down beside Ashton on the couch, who had his face hidden in his knees and was shaking with either laughter, anger, or tears.

"When I came back last night, I was smashed, you know. He was, he was waiting up for me. He had to be, because he was working out on the couch, which he never does. He always stays in his room you know?"

Jason made an affirmative sound and reached an arm out to draw Ashton closer to him. Ashton relented completely, falling over and hiding his face instead in Jason's lap. Jason ran his hand up and down Ashton's bare back in a comforting gesture.

"I came in, and, he started, mothering me. He was really, concerned, that I was drunk. And I was, but I remember it all. He was comfortable, and nice to me. As if, because I was messed up he didn't have to be, so, so,"

"Distant?" Jason supplied.

"Exactly," Joey said, turning to look at him and noticing Ashton for the first time. His initial reaction was how absolutely adorable Ashton looked curled up on Jason's lap. Then he took in several aspects, such as the flushed color of Ashton's skin, Ashton's state of half dress, because with Jason it was a normal occurrence, and the way both were taking long, deep breaths. "Oh, God," he said, his eyes widening in horror. "I am so sorry."

Jason snickered. "Don't worry about it Joe, just keep going. What happened next?"

Joey's shocking realization seemed to take the energy out of him. He quit pacing and fell down into the easy chair. "He was going to help me walk to the bathroom. He helped me up and I fell against him. He just, held me. He wasn't cold, or stiff."

Ashton started giggling, muffled slightly by Jason's thigh. Joey glared at him even if Ashton couldn't see it. "That's not was I meant and you know it, pervert."

"Keep going Joe," Jason coaxed, pinching Ashton's side to make him stop.

"I knew what was happening, Jay. So, I pulled away and I told him to stop."

"Why?" Jason asked incredulously. The ending he had been expecting was that Kaiba had given a little and Joey had overdone it, gone too far. Not the opposite.

"I was drunk. I, I just didn't want to be drunk the first time we, you know." Ashton started snickering again. "Not that!" Joey defended. "He was going to kiss me. I know he was." The disappointment and regret evident in Joey's voice shut Ashton up before Jason had a chance to pinch him. The brunette sat up, finally getting an idea of the seriousness of the problem.

"So, what's wrong now?"

"He's avoiding me," Joey said, pulling his legs up to his chest. Ashton got up and walked over, sitting down on the arm of the chair and wrapping an arm around Joey. The blonde was slightly surprised, but then realized Ashton had probably been going through about the same thing a week ago and related better than Jason really would ever be able to.

"Look, Joe," Jason said, leaning forward. "He probably took you stopping things last night for rejection. And he's one of those types that nobody rejects, so his defense will be to pretend it never happened, and you don't exist."

Joey groaned, and let his head fall onto Ashton's leg. "We're all the way back to square one."

"Nah, this can be salvaged," Jason said thoughtfully. "Just not by you." Joey looked up. "Stay here, I'll be back in just a bit."

"What are you going to do?" Joey asked. "Don't, mess it up."

"Joe," Jason said, pausing in putting on his shirt. "Haven't I always taken care of you before?"

"Works both ways," Joey said, crossing his arms.

"Trust me, I know his type. Don't hit on my boyfriend." Jason shut the door behind him, leaving Joey and Ashton alone. Joey looked up at the brunette, who was staring at the closed door with wide eyes.

"What is it?"

"He's, never called me that before," Ashton said, fighting a huge grin.

"Huh," Joey said, crossing his arms and turning to look at the door too, as if they could both still see the red head. "I'm actually a little jealous. He never called me that."

Ashton, finally starting to understand when Joey was joking, laughed and gave the blonde a shove on the shoulder.

The coffee had long grown cold, but Seto continued to stir it in a counter clockwise motion. He'd pulled the blinds, and sat with the lights off. He didn't want to be in the sun today, attempting to better fit society's views of healthy. He wanted to sit in the dark and brood.

The knock at the door didn't startle him; in a state of indifference nothing is surprising. He thought for a moment. Both Mokuba and Joey had a key, so it would be neither of them. Perhaps it was a maid. But he knew that the hotel kept careful track of when he left so they knew when to clean, so he doubted there'd be a mistake. He'd half decided not to answer it, when the knock came again and he found he was standing and heading for the door before he'd really thought it all the way through.

Somehow, it wasn't surprising to see Jason on the other side either. That didn't feel like an effect of the indifference. "Joey's not here," Seto said shortly.

"Joey's back at the apartment," Jason said, pushing the door further open and stepping through it.

Seto turned around and walked away, as Jason was obviously going to come in, invited or not. He walked back to seat at the table and sat down, returning to stirring his cold coffee. He didn't ask Jason to sit, so the red head stopped at the edge of the table, resting his hands on the back of the chair.

"Look, I love Joey," Jason started.

"Ashton will be crushed," Seto replied, staring into the black of the mug.

"You know what I mean. Joey's only lived here a few weeks, and he's already become the best friend I've ever had."

"I'm sure the sex helped with that."

"Damn it Kaiba!" Jason said, slamming his fist down on the table. That caused Seto to look up, meeting Jason's sharp blue eyes that glared down at him. Perhaps it was that Seto was sitting while Jason was standing, but he suddenly became aware how much bigger, stronger, and older Jason was than he. His mouth snapped shut.

"In two more days, Kaiba, I will lose my best friend. I want to know that he'll be as happy back home as he was here. And you have a chance to give me that assurance. The fact that you're about to throw that opportunity away, therefore, infuriates me. So, I want you to do something about it or I will."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Last night."

"Nothing happened."

"You're damn right nothing happened," Jason said, finally lifting his fist off the table. He kept Seto's eyes glued to his through sheer will. "And not for lack of desire on either part, Kaiba. But because Joe wanted to make sure that he was sober for your first kiss."

Kaiba pressed his lips together to resist a retort, and stared Jason down with a will of his own. For a moment more Jason stared, then turned on his heel. He paused for a moment in the doorway that led to the living room, but didn't turn around. "Joe likes to be petted," he said slowly, as if it was something he'd rather not share. "It really doesn't matter where, he just, loves constant contact." Waiting just a moment more as if debating to say something more, Jason started walking again. Only when Seto heard the door shut did he push the coffee away in disgust.

Joey stopped by to pick Mokuba up at the beach, under the pretense of getting lunch, before he headed back to the apartment. In reality he just didn't want to go back alone. He tried not the be nervous; but Jason had refused to tell him what he'd said to Seto.

Mokuba was chatting away about, well something. Something Joey didn't really have to listen too because Mokuba was doing all the talking. The apartment was still dark; the curtains were all closed. But the light in the kitchen was on, so they both naturally went in that direction.

"Whatcha making, Seto?" Mokuba asked. "I'm starved."

Joey was surprised to see the brunette. Somehow he still expected him to be locked in his bedroom. But instead he was standing in front of the stove, his back to both of them.

"Just soup. Simple, but I figured you'd both be hungry after baking all day in the sun."

The use of the word both in that sentence told Joey that everything was okay again. Jason had managed to undo what Joey had done last night.

"So Joey," Mokuba said with a grin, as Seto put their lunch on the table. "How was the party?"

Joey looked down at his soup, careful to keep Seto completely out of his range of view so there was no chance that they'd make eye contact. "It was a lot of fun."

"What time did you get back in?"

"Late," Joey answered, feeling his cheeks warm.

"Oh, come on Joey, I'm not a little kid. Tell me about the party."

Joey let his head rest on his left hand and picked up his spoon with the right. "Never drink, Mokuba."

"Joey," Mokuba groaned. "I already have a big brother. Save the lectures."

"I had a great time at the party, but for one night of fun I may have sacrificed something I've wanted for years. And I regret it."

Mokuba was thoroughly confused now, but by the was Joey was carefully avoiding looking at Seto and the way Seto was staring silently at his own meal, told him something had happened. Joey, however, was proud of the confession. It had allowed him to apologize without the awkward act of doing so. He excused himself from the table and went into the family room.

Joey had gone over to Jason's and Ashton's for dinner, as Jason wanted to practice some of the dishes he would have to prepare from now on. But they hadn't eaten until Jason got off, which was late, and conversation afterwards ran even longer. So Joey was later getting back then he intended.

He opened the door quietly, and had to stand beside it for a few moments to let his eyes adjust to the dark of the room. He blinked until he could sort of make out the furniture, at least avoid running into things. He made his way over to his stuff and stripped down to his boxers, tossing the clothes inside the open suitcase.

He made his way to the couch slowly, nearly tripping on the rug he'd forgotten existed. He swore to himself, more for a break from the silence than actual frustration. He sat down on what would serve as his bed with a sigh, grateful to be away from the hazards.

"You should be more careful, Jou," came a voice, causing Joey to jump and nearly squeal.

"Kaiba!" Joey hissed. "What the hell? Don't do that to me!" Seto was sitting in one of the chairs, which was completely in shadow. Joey couldn't see him at all, even squinting. But he didn't have to see Seto to know he was smirking.

"Sorry to have startled you," Seto replied smoothly, his voice deep enough that it wouldn't carry, so he didn't have to whisper.

Joey laid down, giving the pillow a punch to avoid lashing out at Seto. "Stupid couch," he mumbled, kicking in order to get situated.

"Are you comfortable?" Seto asked.

"Yes," Joey answered cautiously, his frustration suddenly disappearing. This situation was different, something was up.

"Are you lying?"

"Yes."

Joey could hear Seto stand up, and once standing he could see his silhouette through the dark. Seto reached his hand out, the light color of his skin easier for Joey to see. Feeling a frightening sense of déjà vu, Joey reached out and took it.

Seto pulled him up, and this time both managed to keep their balance. As was the norm in the past few days, their hands remained together a breath longer then necessary, then were dropped quickly. Seto started to walk away, and the challenge to follow was implied again.

Joey took a moment too long in making up his mind to accept; he couldn't see where Seto was going. "Kaiba, wait, I can't see."

Seto's hand appeared in the darkness, it's color once again giving it away. Joey took it with both of his. He followed Seto's arm until he was right behind him. He held Seto's hand against his abdomen with his left hand, and held Seto's upper arm with his right, insuring that he would follow directly in the brunette's path and avoid running into anything.

They moved slowly across the room, and Joey let his eyes fall shut, as he couldn't see anyway, and enjoyed the feeling of Seto's cool hand on his stomach.

When he heard Seto's door open, his eyes flew back open. Once inside, Seto stopped short, and stared at the single window with one curtain open, leaving in enough light so that Joey could see his facial features for the first time. Somehow, he knew that wasn't part of the plan. The plan was darkness. Without alcohol to take away the awkwardness, Seto planned darkness. A single curtain betrayed them.

Joey didn't want to lose this, not again. He dropped Seto's hand and crossed the room, closing the curtain in one swift motion, plunging the room into darkness. What little night vision he'd had was destroyed now. Unable to see, he stood there, waiting.

He heard Seto breathing before he felt the hand on his waist. He held stock still, afraid to do anything that would interrupt this. A moment later, a second hand mirrored the first. Slowly, inch by inch, the two hands moved to meet each other in the middle of his back. He wanted to reach up, to warp his arms around Seto's neck, but fear kept him still. Not of something happening, but of something not happening.

Gradually, so slowly it made Joey want to cry and laugh, he was pulled closer. Seto's arms came around him, to hold him. Joey still waited to move, waited to respond. For a while they stood there, silent, Joey held cautiously in Seto's arms.

Joey had never been so aware of his own body before. He fought nerves to hold still, ignoring the way his legs suddenly ached from being locked in place. He carefully monitored his own breathing, self consciously not wanting to sound like he was out of breath, though thinking about it only made it harder to control. He tried to breathe down, so he wasn't breathing in Seto's face. For some reason he couldn't seem to breathe through his nose.

Slowly, his eyes were adjusting, and he could make out Seto's outline. In a moment, they'd be able to see each other.

Seto leaned forward, and Joey's breathing stopped altogether. Just as he had the night before, he buried his face in Joey's neck, and Joey recognized the test. They continuously challenged each other, like two little kids daring each other to climb trees and jump off walls; the dare its self was rarely completed, it was in the daring they enjoyed themselves. This was a dare to push Seto away again, to back out now and pretend it hadn't happened.

Joey reached up and grabbed Seto's forearms again, mocking the night before. He felt Seto's breath hitch, perhaps afraid Joey would stop them. Joey pulled the arms around him tighter, causing Seto to hold him closer and their bodies to be pressed firmly against each other. Then he let go, and wrapped his arms around Seto, locking him there. Bending his neck, Joey could smell Seto's shampoo in his hair. It had a mint quality to it

They were holding each other. Slowly, their grips became less tight and more comfortable. It was solid, soft, and warm.

Joey was the first to pull away, but not enough to separate their bodies. Only enough so that Seto was forced to look him in the eye.

In the dark, Seto's blue eyes were gray, his pupils large. His eyes didn't look wide, like a deer trapped in the headlights, as Joey was sure his own did. Suddenly self conscious, he closed his eyes and leaned forward so that their foreheads were pressed together. Their breath mingled between them and Joey was reassured to realize Seto's breathing was stilted too.

Joey knew what was about to happen a heart beat before it did because Seto's breathing stopped. Seto's lips came up against his bottom one, and instantly he closed his mouth to kiss back. Three breaths later, Seto pulled back, not just from the kiss but entirely away from him. Joey reached out instinctively, managing to grab one hand to keep from being deserted. He then blushed at his own dependence, but didn't let go.

In three steps, Seto led Joey to the side of the bed, then let go of his hands, and walked around to the other side. Joey understood, and nervously crawled onto the side Seto had assigned him. Never before had getting into bed with someone been so nerve wracking.

Were they getting under the covers or on them? Should he undress, or stay clothed? He stalled until Seto got in first, and as the brunette hadn't stripped and had gotten under the covers, Joey took a cue.

He laid down on his back, trying, once again, to calm his breathing enough that he could use his nose. He stared at the ceiling, trying to think things through as fast a possible. Seto was a control freak, he knew that, so he should probably refrain from taking any of that control away. Which didn't bother him yet. For now, he didn't mind allowing somebody else to call the shots.

A minute later, when nothing had happened, Joey glanced over at Seto. The brunette was laying on his stomach, his head turned away from Joey. The blonde stared for a long time, trying to figure out what this meant. He had no way of knowing if he was asleep or not, though somehow Joey doubted it.

For a moment, he seethed in silent anger. Seto thought he was rejected last night, how was this supposed to feel? He weighed his options. If he made a move, Seto would probably resent him for it, because Seto was supposed to be the leader. He couldn't call out to him, speaking would make this too real, and this couldn't be real until it was over or it would become too awkward and collapse. If he got up and left, which in his angry state he wished sourly he could do, Seto would take his departure for rejection again.

He felt cheated. As if Seto had been obligated to kiss him once, but that was all that he had to do.

Slowly, his frustration cooled. Studying the brunette, he could tell in the stiff hold of Seto's shoulders and his short, quick breaths that he was not only awake, but terrified, though he'd probably viciously deny it.

Before he had any time to debate his own daring, Joey reached out and grabbed Seto's hand, pulling it toward himself. Seto allowed his arm to be moved, though Joey could see his shoulders tense.

Joey placed Seto's hand on his abdomen again, silently communicating with Seto more than words could say by repeating the action from earlier. Once again Seto's hand felt cool against his skin. He threaded his fingers between Seto's, holding his the hand in place. He liked contact. If Seto was going to get away with running, he would at least give Joey contact.

Seto's shoulders relaxed, the tension visibly fleeing. He squeezed Joey's hand ever so slightly, causing the blonde's heart to jump. Finally both able to breath normally, sleep soon claimed the pair of them.

Joey's mental clock was set to wake him early, he was working first shift. Usually the faint lightening in the sky would manage to ease him awake. But when he came into awareness all at once, he knew something was wrong.

His mind caught up quickly, and he realized the reason he hadn't been eased awake was the curtains were pulled closed to block the light. He couldn't imagine why Jason would do that. All at once, he realized the body pressed against his wasn't Jason's.

He went first cold, then very warm, at the realization that he was curled against Seto Kaiba. But he didn't have long to bask in the feeling. Today was his last day of work, and if he waited any longer he was going to be late. He pulled slowly away from Seto's heat, hoping that he slept at least as soundly as Jason did. The last thing that Seto needed was to be losing sleep.

Once free from the tangles of the sheets, he looked back down to find Seto very much asleep, and breathing softly. He lingered a moment more, just looking. Never before had he seen Seto sleep. There wasn't anything particularly different about how he looked asleep rather then awake, except maybe more relaxed. But just the idea, that he'd been trusted enough to bare witness to Seto's most vulnerable state, made him smile. So what if nothing had happened. Nothing needed to.

He left reluctantly, rushing through the morning chores he'd assigned himself upon moving in. Making the coffee, set out the stuff for Mokuba's morning boy of cereal. As if thinking of the boy had summoned him, he padded out of his room still half asleep, his hair a disaster and eyes unfocused.

Joey said a quick good morning before running into the bathroom to finish getting ready for the day. As usual, he was leaving before Seto was awake, though he'd held a secret hope that maybe today Seto would wake up early.

He wasn't used to the lack of alarms, clocks, phones, and other various machines that somehow managed to interrupt his sleep every morning. He couldn't slowly move from asleep to awake. When he awoke he did so as he did most things; completely and efficiently.

Sometime during the night he'd flipped over, which was also unusual because once he asleep he normally didn't move. He looked to his right, but Joey was gone. Logically, he knew the blonde had gone to work. Emotionally, he felt cheated.

He didn't let himself think about it too long, and walked out of the room. Mokuba was sitting at the table, as usual, eating his sugar coated candy in milk. Mokuba gave him a goofy grin. "What?" Seto questioned.

"I know." Mokuba said with a smirk.

"What are you talking about?"

"Joey tells me everything."

"Is that so?"

"Mmm hmm," Mokuba taunted, giving his brother an evil smile. Seto chose not to respond. "Seto has a boyf-"

Seto cut off the rest of the taunt with a hand over Mokuba's mouth. He couldn't say that word. Not that he was at all afraid of Mokuba or anybody else hearing or saying or thinking or knowing it. He was afraid of hearing it himself. Hearing it aloud would make it too real. "He slept in my room, that's all."

"I knew it!" Mokuba exclaimed, pulling his mouth away and jumping out of his seat.

Seto realized he'd been tricked, and narrowed his eyes at his brother. "How did you guess?"

Mokuba, who very rarely succeeded in outwitting his brother (and half those times he was pretty sure Seto let him), gloated shamelessly. "I came out to go to the bathroom last night, or early this morning, and Joey wasn't on the couch. I knew he was home, the clothes he wore were on the floor. At first I thought he was in the bathroom and I nearly cried because I had to pee so bad, but he wasn't. And since I could see he wasn't in the kitchen, I knew there was only one other place he could be."

"Sneak," Seto admonished.

"Clever," Mokuba corrected, crossing his arms and sticking out his chin. "I didn't do anything wrong. So, tell me everything."

"Why?" Seto asked, crossing his own arms to mirror his little brother. "You never feel the need to bless me with information on your romantic interests."

"So now he's a romantic interest?" Mokuba said tauntingly, not allowing Seto to turn the conversation on him. "I thought you had better things to do with your time?" he said, throwing Seto's words back at him.

Seto, for once, was caught off guard. The thought of Joey not being worth his time was so preposterous it was laughable, and yet a week ago he'd said exactly that. "We kissed once," he admitted, defeated.

"And?" Mokuba prompted.

"That's it."

"What do you mean that's it? I'm old enough to take it, big brother, tell me what happened."

"Nothing," Seto said, almost regretfully. Mokuba realized he was telling the truth.

"You mean you slept with him and nothing happened? Jason is going to kill you."

"How do you know about that?" Seto exclaimed.

Mokuba smirked like a cat who'd just reviled the fact he'd stolen all the cream. "A common cause can make two unlikely close friends."

"It's a conspiracy."

"Joe, are you sure?"

"Jay," Joey said patiently, opening the door, "he lives five minutes down the road. You live four hours away, and I leave tomorrow. I've already compromised with you by bringing you here. Now shut up and let me enjoy your company."

They walked into the apartment, and headed straight to the kitchen as they were carrying dishes of hot food. Far too much food had been made in the restaurant this evening, and Jason and claimed the excess. Ashton had respectfully declined the invitation to join them, understanding it would be their last night together.

"You know," Jason said, setting the dish down. "A week ago I planned to tie you to the bed tonight and make sure you never forgot me."

A clink of a dish made them aware of another in the room, and they spun around to see Seto standing at the counter they'd had their backs too. Joey wasn't sure whether to groan or snicker. Jason smacked a hand to his forehead, berating himself for not knowing better.

"A week ago Ashton didn't have you wrapped around his finger," Joey went on, attempting to pretend there was nothing wrong with Seto hearing what Jay had said. "Hey, Kaiba, we've brought food. Mokuba around?"

"Napping," Seto answered. "Spent all day at the beach and he wants to stay up all night."

"I'll get him," Jason offered, leaving the room before either could protest. Joey glared at his retreating back. He knew what Jason was trying to do, and in a way he appreciated it. But when it came down to it, he was leaving tomorrow, and wouldn't see Jason again for an indeterminate amount of time. He didn't want to sacrifice what time he had left for the little progress he might or might not make with Seto.

"I didn't realize you were working today," Seto said mildly. "On your last day."

Joey knew instantly the point of the statement was that Joey had not been there when Seto woke up, not that Joey had needed to work.

"I wouldn't have if I could have helped it," Joey said. "I'm glad I didn't wake you."

There it was, the very first verbal acknowledgement that something was going on. In the light, when they could see clearly, and there was no alcohol involved. Seto raised an eyebrow at him, as Joey had just raised the stakes of their challenge. But Seto said nothing; didn't meet his raise.

Jason came back in at that moment, Mokuba following in his wake. Joey moved to him immediately, half because he missed being with Jason, half because he wanted to punish Seto. Jay was slightly surprised when Joey took his hand and wrapped Jason's arm around himself, but didn't push the blonde away. He figured Joey knew what he was doing.

Seto's face was a mask of impassiveness through out the entire meal, though Mokuba chatted with them amicably about what he would miss when they went home tomorrow.

As a matter of course they moved into the living room after the meal. Jay sat down on the chair, hoping to allow Joey and Seto to sit together. Joey had nothing of it, and crawled immediately into Jason's lap.

He smiled contently, knowing as well as he knew himself that Jason would not refuse him. It felt good to be held again; just a week and already he missed touch. When Jason reached up and started to run his hands through Joey's hair, the blonde turned to goo and couldn't be moved for lack of substance.

Most of the talking occurred between Mokuba and Jason. Seto was, as he tended to be, stoic and silent. Joey was too busy clinging to his last bit of Jason to pay much mind to what was going on around him.

"Joe, it's probably time I get home."

Joey's protests were physical rather than verbal, clinging to Jason's arm particularly hard. Jay shook his head, and stood despite Joey's presence, standing him upright. "You'll survive without me, I'm sure."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it," Joey said stubbornly. "You'll come to see me off tomorrow?" Jason didn't miss the me instead of us. Joey was taking parting pretty hard, which Jason could understand. The only thing that was easing this for him was knowing that when Joey left tomorrow, Ashton would be ready and willing to comfort him. Joey didn't have such a luxury. Jason spared a heart beat to throw a heated glare at Seto.

The distance between them closed in a hug, tight, hard, and slightly desperate. Jason kissed the top of Joey's head, being taller, and tightened the squeeze before parting. "We're being stupid, we'll see each other tomorrow."

"You're right," Joey agreed, leading Jason to the door. They hugged once more.

"Joe," Jason said seriously, looking him straight in the eye. Now that he allowed himself to see it, Joey could tell that Jason's eyes were a slight shade darker than Seto's. "If something goes wrong," he started, in a volume that would be just enough for the other two to hear if they were listening for it. "Remember you'll always have a place with me. Not just for tonight, but always."

Joey caught the threat behind the meaning, and was touched, again, by the depth of Jason's friendship. Not that his own didn't run just as deep.

"Ditto, Jay." They kissed just once, short and chaste, but meaningful. It carried with it that little bit more than friends bond that they shared. The knew, despite tomorrow, this was their real goodbye. Jason refused to put it off any longer. He opened the door and left, Joey closing it behind him.

Upon losing his friend, Joey felt something like depression settle around his shoulders. He could have shaken it off, but he didn't want to; he wanted to be upset.

"I'm gonna go to bed," Mokuba said suddenly, jumping up.

"I thought you were going to stay up all night?" Seto asked.

"Too tired," Mokuba called, as his door slammed shut.

Joey looked at Seto, who stared back. Seto was sitting on the couch that Joey normally slept on, and right now, he just wanted to sleep, and be depressed. But Seto showed no signs of moving.

"You should follow him," Seto said after a moment of silence.

"That," Joey said, walking over to his suitcase and stripping down to his boxers, despite Seto's presence (hoping it might give him the idea that he was ready for bed), "is that last thing I should do." Joey saw it for what it was, and he wasn't going to take the bait. Seto was going to try to rationalize an end to their heretofore nonexistent relationship before it began using Jason. "It's going to be hard enough to leave. Besides, Ash will probably be waiting for him."

"I doubt that would stop him," Seto observed sourly.

"I know it wouldn't," Joey confirmed. "It wouldn't stop me if the situation was reversed. It's in the rules."

"The rules?" Seto questioned, his sour tone lost to his confusion.

"The rules. Soul mates first, lovers second is the first rule. The next is one always has first claim over the other. The third is to never utilize the second." There it was, and Joey stood facing Seto with his hands on his hips. It was a term, and Seto was going to have to accept it. That was another rule. If you couldn't understand the bond, you couldn't stick around.

"That's it?" Seto asked, obviously wanting to know if there were any more rules.

"That's all that's numbered," Joey went on impatiently; he was cold and upset, and Seto was on his bed. "The rest are implied in the rule of only never."

"Elaborate," Seto asked, trying to feign only faint interest but intently studying Joey and his answers.

Joey barely managed to suppress a sign of exasperation. "Only Jay has the right to demand anything of me. Jay would never demand anything of me. Only Jay has the right to betray my trust. Jay would never betray my trust. Only Jay is allowed to tell me to leave a relationship. Jay never would. Only never."

"It hardly seems useful to be granted those rights and never use them," Seto countered, his eyes narrowing.

"I don't think I'm capable of explaining it to you, Kaiba. Now, I'm cold, I'm tired, and damn it, I'm upset. I'd like to go to bed and sleep so I don't have to think about being alone."

"And?" Seto taunted, crossing his arms across his chest.

"You're sitting on my bed."

"I'm doing no such thing." Joey mouth fell open at that, not sure how to respond to something so illogical. In his momentary shock, Seto stood and closed the distance between them, wrapping his warm arms around Joey's chilled chest. "You don't sleep out here anymore."

Joey fell limp against him. Seto had met his raise, it was acknowledged and real. His eyes closed without his consent. Seto's warms tightened around his waist in order to hold him up. The next thing hew knew, Seto's lips were against his. Three heart beats later, he hadn't pulled back yet.

In that instant, the depression and emotional tangle Joey had put himself in dissipated, and he was thinking clearly. He had to be careful he didn't manage to screw this up again.

He yielded completely to Seto, knowing instinctively that, right now, showing any form of dominance would scare Seto away. Seto's right hand moved up to cup the side of Joey's face, and when he moved to make the kiss deeper, Joey let him instantly.

Vaguely, in the part of his mind that wasn't completely focused on how to keep this going, he wondered where Seto had learned to kiss like that. There was a brief moment where he had to calm himself enough to breathe through his nose. Slowly, Joey reached up and wrapped his arms around Seto's neck like he had last night, angling his body to Seto's more, which allowed the kiss to deepen further.

Seto's hand moved from the side of Joey's face to the back of his head, threading his fingers through Joey's hair. Before he could even begin to think whether or not it was a good idea, Joey moaned into Seto's mouth. He couldn't have helped it even if he'd thought about it. Not when Seto's hand was in his hair.

Seto pulled away, and for one terrifying moment Joey feared he'd messed up again. But Seto's eyes met his and chased away that doubt. Seto's normally bright blue eyes were gray, not due to darkness, as the lights were still on, but with smoldering desire. That one look inspired a longing in Joey that went so far beyond merely sexual there was no comparison. The need was so strong that it physically hurt; as if something inside his chest and the back of his throat was trying to force it's way out.

When Seto took a step back, that pull inside his chest forced Joey forward. Three steps later Seto's progress toward his room was halted when Joey grabbed and clung to him, hiding his face in Seto's chest. Seto couldn't have gotten away again even if he'd wanted to. So they moved slower, and more awkwardly, as Joey would not give Seto an inch of space. But it hardly mattered.

A new fear had risen in Joey; that of last night. Seto had awakened something inside him that he'd never known existed. And if last night repeated itself, he knew he wouldn't be able to take it. He'd do something he'd regret. Seto couldn't back out of this, because Joey wouldn't be able to.

Joey had no idea his fears were unfounded. Seto wanted Joey so badly that the intensity frightened him. But not enough to stop him. Whatever had gone wrong last night hadn't the slightest chance of happening again.

Getting into the room proved difficult. Seto had the hardest time convincing the door knob to turn, and a harder time still convincing Joey to turn so they would fit through the doorway. Once inside with the door shut, however, Joey seemed to be able to let go. The space between them made the three steps to the bed easy.

Seto caught Joey in a kiss again, before sending them both down in a controlled fall onto the mattress. For some time neither moved, caught in the kiss. Joey shifted slightly, rolling onto his back and pulling Seto half on top of him, never allowing their lips to part.

Some of Seto's nerves calmed with the action. At least he wouldn't have to fight Joey for control. With reluctance, he pulled away from the flaxen haired boy's lips. Joey kept his eyes closed, taking deep breaths. Seto spent a moment just looking at him. In a way, he almost looked scared.

Joey's eyes flew open and met Seto's with anything but fear. They were near black with need. Black and grey caught each other and held as they both were realizing this was real despite their silence.

(Ykarzel: Missing right here would be the climax of the story, pun intending. Seriously it loses its meaning completely without this lemon. I beg you to go check it out.)

A few minutes later, Joey's began to become aware, and blinked dazedly at Seto. He reached out with both arms, whining like a child, until Seto came to him. Joey clung, unable to think whether or not their relationship was ready for this or if it would bother Seto. He buried his face in Seto's shoulder, and clung.

After a stiff moment of attitude, Seto relented, and pulled Joey even tighter against him. Joey nuzzled sleepily and began to relax, now that he was held. Seto found his eyes drooping too.

Staring at Joey's already sleeping figure, he reflected that the amount of emotions the blonde caused in him was astounding. Moments ago it had been desire so strong it was painful, and now it was almost a motherly need to protect and guard. Exhaustion prevented him from contemplating it any further, as his mind began to shut down.

Rather than awake all at once as he usually did, Seto slowly eased away from the dream world. The first thing that he noticed was his nose felt wet and cold. He twitched it to try to figure out why without opening his eyes, and heard a giggle.

That caused his eyes to fly open, and land on Joey, who smiled innocently, then reached out with the tip of his tongue to lick Seto's nose again. Seto blinked twice, as his mind caught up with where he was, why he was there, and who was with him.

Joey snuggled closer before Seto had any chance to respond to the licking, and nuzzled Seto's neck. "Morning," he said, though it was muffled.

An early morning, half awake bout of fear hit Seto, and he pulled Joey to him and held him there, as if he would disappear or leave. Joey responded by covering his neck in butterfly kisses.

Seto found his voice. "Are you always like this in the morning?" he asked.

Joey snickered. "Only after I've been screwed senseless." He shifted so their lips were even and kissed Seto slowly. Seto responded sluggishly, still caught half in sleep, and his hand came up to cup Joey's cheek. Joey pulled away and smiled. "I like you this way. Half awake and vulnerable."

Under normal circumstances that comment probably would have bothered Seto, but right now he was more concerned with better uses for Joey's mouth than talking. He pulled him back into a kiss, and relaxed into enough he could fall back to sleep, something he never did.

Slowly, Joey removed himself from Seto's arms and untangled himself from the blankets. At first Seto adverted his eyes, but then thought better of it and turned to appreciate Joey's body in the daylight. The blonde was unaware of Seto's eyes, as he searched around the bed for his boxers.

"We need showers," Seto observed, noting the way Joey's hair stuck up in several directions.

Holding his located boxers in one hand, Joey walked back over to Seto and took his hand. He pressed it up against his stomach. Under his palm, Seto could feel a small earthquake. "First, we need food," Joey said, laughing. "I'm starving." He stepped into his boxers and pulled them up. Seto sat up, modestly remaining under the blankets.

Joey crossed his arms. "You better get some clothes on, because I am not going out there to face the kid without you."

Seto groaned. Joey laughed and went over to Seto's mostly packed suitcase. He threw a clean pair of boxers at Seto, then stole a white tee shirt to wear himself. It was a little big on him; Seto's shoulders were wider, but that only made him smile. When he turned back around, Seto was out of bed and clothed.

When they walked out of the room, Joey made a beeline for the kitchen, and Seto followed. Mokuba was sitting at the table, eating a bowl of cereal, and didn't look up at them. However, he had a huge grin on his face that made Seto groan and Joey blushed.

"Morning," Joey said, reaching for the box of cereal.

"Good morning," Mokuba said through his smile. "Sleep well?"

"Shut up," Joey said, kicking the boy under the table, making Mokuba laugh. The dark haired boy passed Joey the milk, and said nothing more.

Seto sat down beside them, the paper opened in front of him so his face was visible to neither his brother nor Joey. Under the table, however, his leg linked around Joey's ankle, causing Joey to smile. Now he was ready to go home.

End of Part Two

Sand Lover

By Ykarzel

Epilogue

Walking in, Seto tossed his keys on the table by the door, because by tomorrow, that would be the only place he would be able to find them. When they clanged against another set of keys, he smiled. Joey was here.

That caused his head to lift and back to straighten, despite his exhaustion. For the past week everything at the office had been murder, and in school finals were coming up. Not that school took up much of Seto's time, but Joey was terrified of failing a class, and as a result, not being able to graduate.

Soon, though, the semester would be over and they'd all have a break for the holidays. Part of the reason everything at Kaiba Corp was so hectic was that he was planning to take off for the entirety of winter break.

He took the stairs slowly, hoping to sneak up on the blonde. Once on the second floor, he could hear Joey's voice down the hall, which meant his door was open.

"Jay, you don't want to back out of this. It's probably time you did it, even if you don't want to."

Intrigued, Seto paused outside his door. He was interested to see what Jason had gotten in to that had Joey concerned enough to be on the phone this time of night.

"Oh, don't be stupid. They raised Ashton didn't they? They can't be that bad. Besides, he's met your mom, you owe him."

Seto leaned against the wall, and waited. He felt no guilt for eavesdropping, because it was Jason on the other side, who loved to eavesdrop on him if he could convince Joey to go along with it. It wasn't that he particularly disliked Jason. Over time, he'd gotten used to the daily phone calls and e-mails, and being constantly updated on Jason's life. The fact was, however, that Joey told Jason everything. Jason knew things that Seto wouldn't admit to under torture. He didn't really like the thought of anybody but Joey having that much potential blackmail.

"Oh, no, I don't. It's at home. I'm at Seto's. No, don't worry about it, he's not here yet. He's at work. It's been a hell of a week, I just miss him."

Seto smiled. Despite Joey's ease in saying things like that, it never got old hearing them.

"Yeah, I'm feeling a little bit better with psychology class now. Math is still scaring me, but there's not much more I can do about it any more. As long as I pass I'll be fine." Despite Seto's aid, and hours of studying, Joey was still having problems in his math class. It was hard for Seto to understand how to help somebody in something that came so easily to him.

Joey groaned. "Jay, don't talk about it, I don't want to think about it. It was so easy before. I wasn't going to go to college, I was going to come live with you and work at the beach." Joey's voice was getting further away, and Seto realized he'd walked into the bathroom. He moved into the room, anxious to hear what Joey was saying.

"I know, Jay, and it'd be cool, but I can't leave Seto any more than you can leave Ash. I don't know what I'm going to do. I'll probably get my own apartment around here. I'm tired of living with the old man." Joey paused, and Seto sat down on his bed, taking off his shoes. "Huh," came Joey's voice again. "I don't know, I hadn't thought about it. Ashton hasn't moved in with you yet." Joey paused, then snorted. "You actually think anybody believes that? Everybody in the hotel knows you guys fuck on days that end in y. Seriously, it was different living with you. I wasn't dependent on you, I wasn't in love with you."

Seto smiled again. Somehow, hearing Joey talk about being in love with him, when he had no idea Seto could hear him, meant even more than being told. The moving in thing might have been a new idea for Joey, but Seto had been thinking about it for over a month. It seemed more practical than visiting each other. It wasn't as if there was a lack of space; Joey could even have his own room so they both had their own space. But it had never seemed appropriate to bring it up. For once, he was grateful for Jason saying something before he did.

"I don't know, Jay. I mean, that's a really big step." Joey laughed. "Alright, you've got a deal. You go home with Ashton for Christmas and meet his parents, and when summer gets closer I'll bring it up to Seto. Agreed?" Joey paused. "Did he really? Let me talk to him."

His shoes off, Seto laid back on the bed, and loosened his tie. He knew better than to take it off; Joey would be upset at being denied the privilege.

"Hey Ash. Code it if he's still in the room. I talked to him about your parents, and he's gonna go, alright?" Joey laughed again. "No problem. Call me if you ever need him manipulated again." There was another pause. "Hello love, miss me? Oh, I see how it is. Soon as the hot boy walks in with a willing ass you don't want to talk to me anymore. Fine, I don't need you. My boyfriend is coming home to me." Joey laughed. "Love you too Jay. Have fun."

Seto heard Joey's cell flip closed, and he walked into the room. "Hey!" Joey said brightly, upon seeing Seto laid back on the bed. He crawled on to it and grabbed Seto by the tie, using it to pull him up for a kiss. "Surprised?"

Seto smirked. "I knew you were here as soon as I saw your keys."

"Mmm, how was work?" Joey asked between kisses.

"It was work. Were you waiting long?"

Joey grinned. "I've been here since school let out utilizing your internet. I was studying psych. Mokuba and I ordered pizza."

Seto laid back again, pulling Joey with him. "You might as well move in," he said, grinning.

Joey blushed. "I wondered if you were out here for that." He shrugged. "Maybe later in the year." Using Seto's tie again, simply because he loved the control it gave him, he pulled Seto into another kiss. "We can talk about it later, when I'm not using you for stress release."

"Oh, that's what you're doing?" Seto asked, as Joey's hands set to unbuttoning his shirt. "I'm being used?"

Joey laughed and nuzzled Seto's neck. "I missed you."

Seto reached up wrapped his arms around Joey, and pulled him into a tight hug. "Ditto."

End

Dedicated to Ben, my Benniepoo.

Ykarzel: Okay, so, that took about a year more than it was supposed to. ::shrug:: It's novel length though. I ought to change the names and publish this one. Now, I have an inkling, for a prequel, about how Joey and Jason came to be as close as they are, but I didn't want to write it first because, well I didn't know Jason yet. So upon request, I might do it, or it can just stay in my head.