The Flame of a Candle
The flame of the candle flickered and swayed. Beautiful in its own light, but put to shame in any other light. That's how their relationship was. Beautiful in its own way, but ugly to the world. The world didn't want them, didn't accept them. They were frowned upon, spit upon, and discriminated against.
In another way their relationship was like the flame of a candle. The slightest breeze would blow it out. The heat forever gone, but not forgotten. It could last long, or for only a few seconds. It depended on Seto's mood. Some days Joey was sure of Seto breaking it off, but then he would be surprised when Seto merely walked away.
Joey thought all this as he sat admiring the small candle and its light that shone in the dark room like a tiny lighthouse. He was alone in the large Kaiba mansion. Mokuba was at a friend's house and Kaiba was working late as usual.
Why did he do this? Why would he sit in this big house all by himself waiting for someone who probably wouldn't get home until tomorrow anyway. Why did he let Seto treat him like this? For love, his mind fought back. He loved Seto and Seto loved him, right? Seto never acted as if he loved Joey. Joey always tried to put himself out there. He was always the one risking his heart, and somehow every time he did Seto got close to breaking it.
A door slammed far away in the mansion. Moments later the door to the room Joey was in opened.
"What are you doing?" Seto said in a slightly harsh voice.
"Thinking," Seto snorted at that. "About us." Seto froze in the middle of the room. Joey could not see his face, but if he could have, he would have seen a look of terror.
"What are you thinking about us?" Seto said quietly.
"I was thinking about how our relationship is like the flame of a candle." Seto huffed as though he had never heard anything quite so ridiculous. "I was thinking also about why I am sitting here, and if you care."
"Why are you sitting there?" Seto said after a moment in a soft voice.
"I was waiting for you." Joey said studying Seto's countenance. "Do you care?"
Silence
"You know what, fine, I understand. I get it. I was just some fun little toy you could yank around. I understand now." Joey said near tears. "I'll just get out of your way. You were probably getting bored with this toy anyway." As Joey ran out of the room, the small flame of the candle went out.
"What have I done?" Seto said as he sat in the chair Joey had sat in for five hours waiting for him.
As Joey reached the front door, he stopped for a moment. Then he threw open the door and flew down the street. Once he was far enough from the house, he stopped running and tried to catch his breath. Maybe Seto will come after me, he thought. Who am I kidding? He is probably going about his business normally, and tomorrow he will find someone else to toy around with.
Where could he go? Yugi and his Grandpa had left for Egypt three days ago and they would not be back for another two weeks. His father had kicked him out. The cold by now had started to bite into him. Wishing he had grabbed his coat, he walked around the park he had run to. Sitting down on a park bench, he started to cry. He was going to freeze out here because of Seto. He would lose his one true love and his life in one night. The tears began to freeze to his face, and he had to wipe them away quickly. In the silence, he heard a car coming closer and closer. Fear began to overtake him until the car in question came into view. It was a sleek black limo. Joey's heart nearly stopped in his chest. Was Seto here to merely give Joey his stuff or . . . he could not stand to get his own hopes up too high.
Out of the limo stepped Seto. Joey hastily wiped the remnants of tears from his now very cold face.
"Joey," Seto said looking at him with softness; he had never known Kaiba could possess. "You gravely misinterpreted my silence." Seto said gently.
"Oh yeah," Joey said trying to put up a tough guy attitude, but failing dismally because of his teary voice.
"I was silent because I was afraid. I was afraid that, I don't know, I was afraid you would laugh or something." Seto said putting his head down as he uttered this. "I love you Joey." Joey stared at him with something akin to shock. Before Seto knew what was happening Joey had launched himself at Seto and was covering him with kisses.
"Oh Seto I love you too! How could I ever laugh at that? I can laugh at a lot of things, but never that!"
"Joey please come back, I couldn't bear myself if I lost you." Seto said burying his face in Joey's hair.
"I wouldn't dream of anything else." Joey said happily.
They shared a passionate and loving kiss, and a beautiful kiss it was.