Why did they make it so that we can't do keydoodles NEmore? Like a sweatdrop or crying... It sucks... I hate it. But anyway, to my story. I know I don't update very often, and that's why I don't get many reviews, but the reasons for that are beyond my control and I am deeply sorry. -bows- But I hope this story is still good- in your opinion- and that you'll continue to read the last 3 chapters. -smile- Enjoy.

Teian no Kokoro- Chapter Eleven: Alternative

Kaiba stared disbeievingly at Joey. He glanced over at Marik, who was smugly smiling. "That bastard..."

"Let him have me, Set," Joey pleaded, "I can take it..."

Kaiba scowled as he stood. "No Joey, " he said quietly, "No one is allowed to touch you..."

No one but me.

He walked away from Joey, his back toward Tristan and Yugi. "Well?" said Yugi, "What is the proposal?"

"You don't wanna know, "said Kaiba, still glaring at Marik. "This little proposal of his is too sick to repeat." He spoke again, this time to Marik. "You're not getting crap, Marik. Not him or my company."

Marik's eyes lit up. (A/N: You know, how Pegasus' does?) Oh? Why say that?"

"Because I'm not letting your perverted hands touch neither me or Joey. "

"You know what that means, Kaiba," Marik said darkly, resting his head on his hands. "The Kaiba Corporation becomes mine, whether you like it or not. If I can't have Joey, then neither can you..."

Kaiba smirked. "Nope. You're not even getting that. Plus, I thought I proved that I'm not easy to take down."

Tristan walked up behind Kaiba and leaned in toward his ear. "What's the plan, Kaiba?" he whispered.

Kaiba paused before answering. "To tell the truth, I'm not sure myself."

"You're gonna get us outta here, right?"

Kaiba resisted the temptation to smirk. "My main concern is Joey. You decided to come, so I'm not worrying about you or Yugi."

"What about you?"

Kaiba's face dropped slightly. "As... long as Joey gets out, I don't care."

"Heh... Typical Kaiba. Whatever you think of genius, do it for Joey." Kaiba felt Tristan back away.

Marik smirked. "Done plotting?"

Kaiba gave a smirk that rivaled Marik's. "Of course."

I don't know what I'm doing, for the first time in my life... Why can't I think of anything that will get us out of this?

"So...? What's your plan, Kaiba?"

I need more time! Just take joey and run? He glanced over at said boy, to see that the chains were also connected to the chair. No. Hm. He most likely has a few Rare Hunters lingering around...

"Is the great Seto Kaiba at a loss of words? Could you be bluffing?"

I got it.

"No, I'm not bluffing, "Kaiba said arrogantly, "Just making a few more calculations before I put my plan into affect.

"I propose a duel. If you win, we go by your original proposal. If I win, then we, including Joey, get out of here unharmed. And," he paused, eyeing the treasure in Marik's right hand, "I get your Millennium Rod."

Marik sat back and laced his fingers together. "You always rely on dueling. I thought you learned from Pegasus that it doen't get you out of everything."

"Don't do this, Seto," said Joey, "You're gonna get killed..."

"I'm with Joey on this one, Kaiba," Yugi spoke up, "You've gotta remember thathe has two God cards."

Kaiba continued top stare at the Egyptian. "It least I'll try..."

I don't want him to die.

Marik smirked. "Fine. And I feel like being fair this time." He popped the Millennium eye out of its socket.

I don't want him to be touched.

"Can we duel here? I don't have of your wonderful dueling devices here, since I wasn't counting on a duel..."

"I don't mind."

And...

Without being told, Tristan went over a brought an empty box for them to duel on. Both opponents came to opposite sides of the box and glared at each other. Each brought out their decks to shuffle the cards.

I don't want him to grieve... for me.

Marik got his hand ready before Kaiba did. "Let's start this pointless duel."

iii (They duel for a while, but I don't know exactly what cards they have, so we're gonna just skip a bit... You know- over the boring stuff.)

"I sacrifice my three monsters to bring out Slifer the Sky Dragon," Marik said excitedly, putting te three monsters he had on the field into the graveyard and putting down said card. "And since I have five cards in my hand he has on attack power of five thousand!" Marik smirked evilly. "Try to beat that, Kaiba..."

Kaiba drew a card and looked at it. Sakuretsu Armor... That'll be helpful... He looked at the rest of his hand. I still have Obelisk...

"I send my three Blue Eyes White Dragons to the graveyard, and summon Obelisk the Tormentor. I also set down two cards, and end my turn."

Marik stared down at Kaiba's play. "How nice... You play the soon-to-be-mine card." He drew a card from his pile. "Okay... Let's have all three Gods on the field!" He laid down Monster Reborn first, then searched through his graveyard. His eyes lit up when he came to the card he wanted. Setting it down, he revealed it to be his Winged Dragon of Ra. Marik chuckled evilly. "Winged Dragon of Ra, kill Obelisk the Tormentor!"

Kaiba threw the 'dead' card in his graveyard pile as Marik placed thw Winged Dragon into his own. Shit... What do I do...? That was my most powerful card... Think! He closed his eyes. I'm sorry Joey... I failed you... He put his fingertips on his deck, ready to draw a new card.

Don't give up, Seto! said Joey's voice from the back of his mind, I believe in you... And...

I... I love you...

Kaiba drew the card and looked at it. His eyes widened at what it was. What the-? There in his hand sat Joey's card- the Red Eyes Black Dragon. How in the hell-! He looked over at Joey. He was looking directly at him with warm eyes and a soft smile on his lips.

I love you, Seto... So you can beat him! Beat Marik!

Kaiba turned over one of his upside-down cards. "I activate Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw three more cards." He drew three more, and smirked."I also activate this card," he said turning over another card, "which allows me to summon a monster without any sacrifices. So I summon the Red Eyes Black Dragon, and lay this face down." He smirked wider. "Your move."

Marik laughed. "How touching! Your lovers' card in you deck! It is for luck? Well, it won't save you, anyhow, because as soon as I kill it, this will all be over, and I win. Slifer, kill the Red Eyes!"

Kaiba wagged an index finger. "Oh no, Marik, you're not touching the Red Eyes." He flipped over a card. "Sakuretsu Armor. Kills the monster that's ordered to attack. Say good bye to your Slifer."

Marik scowled as he placed the card in the graveyard. "I highly doubt you'll be able to elude me again, Kaiba. I set a monster down in defense mode. It's your turn."

Kaiba kept himself from smirking. Oh yes I will... he thought as he drew another card.

"Careful Kaiba," said Tristan, "You only have four hundred life points left."

"I know," he replied, seting down the card he drew. "I summon Ryu-Kishin Powered."

Marik laughed. "Is that the best you can do? Heh, I'm not even going to draw. This ends now. I reveal Dark Elf, and attack your Ryu-Kishin Powered!"

Kaiba flipped over another card with lightening speed, showing that it was a Sakurestu Armor. "You're right, Marik, it ends now." He smirked. "Direct damage, and I win."

Marik backed away, staring wide-eyed at the plating field. "NO! This isn't possible! I had two Egyptian God cards!"

"It doesn't matter, Marik," said a deep voice coming from behind Kaiba. Yami stepped up beside the CEO. "Kaiba won. Unchain Joey, and give up your Millennium Rod."

Marik glared at him. "So, the pharaoh comes out. How nice to see you." He reached into his hoodie pocket, and threw a silver key onto the box.

"The Rod, Marik, give it up," said Yami.

Kaiba immediately snatched the key and jogged over to Joey. "I knew you'd win..." the blonde said as Kaiba went behind him to start unlocking the padlocks that kept the chain on him.

"I couldn't have done it without you," Kaiba replied quietly. He turned the key inside a second padlock, loosening the chains more. "I heard you..." He unlocked the lock at Joey's feet and began to unwind them off him.

"Heard me?" Joey asked as Kaiba pulled the chains off above his above his head.

Kaiba nodded, getting the chains off Joey's feet. "Yeah." The chains fell, and he looked up. "You told me to not give up, that you believed in me, and..."

Joey smiled. "You heard that, huh? So you also heard me tell you that I love you, right?"

Kaiba blushed but still managed to smile. "Yeah." He came up and brushed his lips against Joey's. "And your love is requited..."

Meanwhile, Yami and Marik were continuing to glare at each other. "Marik..." Yami said warningly.

Marik back away. "No... Forget it!"

"Give it up NOW!" Yami yelled, throwing out his palm.

Marik was blown off his feet, the MIllennium Rod falling from his hand. He hit the back wall hard, rendering him unconscious.

Tristan went over and gatered Kaiba's deck as Yami went over and picked up the fallen item. Kaiba picked Joey up bridal-style. "Could you hold on to those for me?" he asked Tristan.

He shrugged. "Yeah, sure."

Yami came up and held out the Millennium Rod. "Here's the second half of your prize."

Kaiba shook his head. "I don't want it. I was planning on giving it to you, anyway. Keep it safe."

Yami nodded once. "Of course. Thank you."

Joey slightly tightened his hold around Kaiba's neck. "Shall we?"

Kaiba didn't resist the faint smile that came to his lips. "We shall."

END CHAPTER ELEVEN

One chapter to go, then epilogue, and then it shall be COMPLEEETE! And then I can put up my Yami no Matsuei yaoi, then my Cliffie/ Albel fic... Sorry, thinking out loud.

I told you these chapters would be strange. Please don't flame me for the strangeness or that the characters are OOC, coz I know and I apologize. But if you must flame, I guess I won't mind- it'll still be a review! -smile-

Quote of the Chapter: This one comes from Yami no Matsuei manga 2. Tsuzuki: "Please. Don't. Yell. Defend me, Hisoka." Hisoka: "He says he was 'observing society' by bar hopping." Konoe: "Bullcrap! Tatsumi, start the briefing! Be loud!" Sorry, I wanted a YnM quote, and I couldn't decide which, so I went with a scene instead. "Shut up, Drinky."-Konoe. -laughs-

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! (If you review... you get cookies. SHH!) -bows- That is all.