All right, I'm back with Chapter 6, readers! ducking rotten fruit I said I was sorry for the angst already! Anyway, this is a pretty long chapter, but I think it's my best. You guys be the judges, though, okay? On to the thank-you's!

Taito-kisses: My only review for chapter 5? It must have really sucked!! cries Thank you for reviewing, Taito!!! At least I know one person understood the dream sequence. Thank you also for the compliments! About Joey stomping on ppl... I prefer to think that he's just not afraid to say what he thinks when he thinks it! shifty eyes Yeah, that's it... Anyway, enjoy chapter 6, if you're still reading!

Warnings: FLUFF!!! Seriously, major fluff ahead! OOC, I think, but no more than pervious chappies. I prefer to say that their love is making both Seto and Joey change, and not that I totally botched their characters.... well whatever! Yaoi warning, and Tea bashing (Tea herself does appear, but not for very long, thank God).

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them!

Chapter 6: Back To Me

Two hours after having left Yugi's place, Joey smoothed his school uniform down for the last time. He looked exactly the same as he had Friday morning, just another disgruntled teenager getting ready for school, but the blond knew he had changed irrevocably during the course of that one weekend. He had loved unconditionally, felt loved in return, and lost it all in the space of less than twelve hours.

The shadows under the eyes, the nearly invisible traces of red that rimmed them, would go unnoticed by everyone else but Yugi and Yami, who would be on red alert, Joey knew. He was overjoyed that his friends cared about him so, but sometimes he just wished that they would pay more attention to their own lives instead of being so eager to mess around in his. Maybe there was more truth to that dream than I imagined, Joey thought, but thinking of the nightmare inevitably brought back memories of Seto, and he could ill afford that right now. The only way he would ever make it through today would be to distance himself as much as possible from the brunet, and that included in his thoughts and imagination alike. Stonily, he hefted his backpack and set out to meet the gang outside the school before classes started. With any luck, they wouldn't ask too many questions about his mood.

* * *

On the other side of Domino, Seto had just finished his third cup of coffee, caught up on four homework assignments, and finished up some important business pertaining to Kaiba Corp, which he had his chauffeur take over to the board of directors right away. He planned to drive Mokuba to school himself today.

Glancing at his wristwatch, the CEO rubbed his eyes once, hard, and went to the foot of the stairs. "Come on, Mokuba, let's get going!"

"Coming, big brother!" In the blink of an eye, the younger Kaiba was sliding down the main staircase's banister, landing on his feet before Seto, his backpack slung over his shoulder. Quizzically, Mokuba cocked his head. "Where's your briefcase, Seto?"

The taller boy flipped his car keys off the hook near the door and shook his head. "I'm not going to school today, little brother."

"Too much work at the office?" At this, Seto smiled ironically.

"Let's go, Mokuba," was all he said, and the short black-haired boy growled in frustration as Seto packed him into the car and drove down toward the school.

* * *

Anonymity was completely impossible with Tea around, Joey soon learned, as the caffeine-high brunette spotted him a block away and didn't stop screaming and waving until he got over to where she waited with Yugi, and Tristan. Ryou hadn't arrived yet, and Joey suspected that Yami was watching from the Puzzle.

"Hiya, Joey!!" God, Tea was too perky for this time of the morning, and on a Monday no less.

"How was your weekend?"

Oh, just great. First I confessed my love to Seto, then we had half a date, then we had a fight because some slut came on to him, and now I think we're broken up, even though I'm still head over heels for him. Not sure yet, though. Get back to me about my love life's current status after second period. "Fine." was all he actually said.

"That's good!! Friends are happy for each other when things go well, you know?" Tea had that telltale gleam in her eyes again, that could only mean one thing. "I spent the whole weekend coming up with a new friendship speech! Well, actually, I was writing in my diary, and..." While Tea rambled on in the background to Tristan, who had been caught in her sights when she had started gushing, Yugi motioned for Joey to follow him. Once they were safely out of sight, the short boy closed his eyes and Yami emerged from the puzzle.

"How are you today, Joey?" asked the spirit politely.

"Hangin' in there," replied the blond.

"I was worried about you, you know," Yugi's violet orbs showed just how true that statement was "Why did you leave so suddenly? I thought you were planning to hurt yourself, or worse...".

Joey smiled, stooped down so that he was at eye level with Yugi, and hugged the other boy affectionately. "Thanks for worrying about me, Yug, but I'm okay." He turned to Yami. "Didn't you try to talk some sense into him?"

Yami rolled his eyes. "Of course I did, but you know how he gets."

The other boy smiled sadly again, ruffled Yugi's spiky hairdo, and rose to his feet. "Yeah, but his humanity is just so darn endearing, huh?"

Yugi hunched his shoulders in embarrassment. "We're getting off topic here," he stated, "Are you sure you'll be okay today?"

No, but I'll be a whole lot better now that I've been reminded you two are right there with me. "I'll try, okay, Yug?"

Those impossibly wide eyes blinked happily, and a smile spread across Yugi's face. (A/N: Kawaii!!!) "All right then, let's get back before we're late, or Tea notices we're gone."

Yami went back into the Puzzle, and the two remaining teens went back to their friends. Soon thereafter, the bell rang, and Joey entered his homeroom class, expecting to see Seto sitting in the back of the room reading as always. Strangely, the classroom was empty. Once Yugi caught up and saw what had so stunned his best friend, he bit his lip nervously and looked up at the blond, who slipped back into the school hallway.

"Oh my God, Yug, what if he transferred out? What if he moved away? What if... oh Yugi, what if he's killed himself? What if I never see him again?"

A sharp noise filled the hall as Yugi's open palm connected with Joey's cheek. The blond blinked three times in succession, but said nothing. Both boys ignored the stares from other students around them. "Will you control yourself?" Yugi hissed, his narrowed eyes looking suspiciously like his yami's. "I find it highly unlikely that Seto did either of the first two things, and if someone like him committed suicide, don't you think we'd have heard about it?" A nod. Good, thought the tricolor haired boy, we're getting somewhere. "He's probably just come down with some minor thing. You know, Joey, I don't think he's come out of this unscathed either. Maybe he's hurting as bad as you are, and he figured he could afford to miss school." Yugi sighed. "The point is, you have to stop jumping to conclusions. If you like, Yami and I will go visit him with you after school."

Joey thought on this speech for a moment, then shook his head. "Man, Yug, I don't know what I'd do without you. I think you have something about going to see Seto later, but I'm going to go alone. If you and Yami don't mind, that is." He laughed. "Don't want an insulted pharaoh on my case. Got enough to deal with right now."

Yugi's face melted back into its usual smile. "Don't worry about Yami. He'll understand your need to have a one-on-one with Seto perfectly."

The blond gave his friend a thumbs-up sign, and together they walked into their classroom.

* * *

School days were generally slow, but by the time the final bell rang, Joey was getting ready to burst. He didn't know how he'd lasted through the boredom of Math, History, and Biology without making a hasty escape out the window and taking off for Seto's place, but if it hadn't been for Yugi and Yami, he certainly would have cut every class after recess and rushed down to the mansion then.

Impatiently, he waited for the cross-town bus, which just had to take the long way to the higher-end district of Domino, and ran the mile and a half to Seto's front door. Panting heavily, he leaned on the door frame and pressed the doorbell gracelessly.

Not surprisingly, one of the servants answered. "Is Seto home?" Joey gasped out. The maid took one look at him and would have slammed the door in his face, had her employer not intervened.

"It's all right, Annie. I've been expecting him." Seto's voice after what seemed like a millennia was heaven itself to Joey, and once the maid had gone, they just simply stared at each other for a while.

Seto stood in the middle of the grand staircase, several feet above Joey. He wore a navy blue dress shirt and his usual dark green pants. He also didn't look sick in the least, unless you counted the extreme fatigue that had stolen the glint from his eyes. The blond ran a hand through his already tousled hair and let out his breath in a rush.

"You planned this, didn't you?" he accused, but all the strength was gone from his voice.

"I thought you might come rushing over here, yes." Seto glued his eyes to the marble floor of the foyer. "That wasn't the reason I stayed home, though. I'm not that manipulative." The ghost of a smile on those perfect lips. "Not with you, anyway."

Joey growled. "I don't believe you! Here I am, thinking that you're sick, maybe dead, maybe gone for good, and you can just stand there like I'm some annoying neighbor, come over to borrow a cup of sugar!" His fury restored his former energy, and Seto smirked at his love's exuberance.

"Don't you want to know why I wasn't in school today, pup?" His blue eyes caught the light perfectly and bore into Joey's soul. The gaze was hypnotic in itself, and Joey was aware of thinking that Seto was like some beautiful drug, one that he would never be free of again. The blond wasn't even sure he wanted to anymore. "After all, isn't that why you came?"

Joey nodded warily, and Seto began descending the staircase, slowly. "I only just finished straightening out some business at the office." he replied. "Namely, my resignation."

Resignation? Can't be, I must have misheard, thought Joey, even as Seto continued speaking. "I've officially quit as CEO of Kaiba Corp. Control is in the hands of the new board of directors until Mokuba reaches age 15, upon which time he'll have a choice whether or not he wants to run it in my place. I, however, am completely free of any corporate responsibility." The brunet's dress shoes clicked on the foyer floor as he cleared the staircase. His love stared at him, speechless.

"Why?" was all Joey could get out.

Seto smiled, and Joey saw his eyes go from neutral to soft and caring. "I realized that wasn't who I was anymore."

"But... your life's work..."

"Kaiba Corp is Kaiba's life's work." Seto stopped five feet from the blond. "Seto's life's work..." he spread his arms out, "..is us. If you'll still have me. I promise, no more hiding in the shadows, no more girls coming on to me, and no more wondering if you're second best. You'll always be first prize in my book." Joey hesitated from shock, which Seto misinterpreted as indecisiveness. "Please, Joey. I can't live without you. Don't make me try." Two crystalline tears, possibly the first of Seto Kaiba's life, hit the marble floor, and he made to lower his arms.

With the boundless energy of a child on Christmas morning, Joey dashed forward and vaulted into his boyfriend's arms. Now, it was Seto's turn to be stunned, as Joey's lips traced the outline of his jaw with feather-light kisses before moving to his mouth and sucking the breath from him in a rush of pure, unadulterated love. "Yours forever, my love," the shorter boy committed himself, "or as long as you'll have me."

Seto snickered before pulling his puppy up by the shirt collar. "I don't think the first one'll be too hard to manage, my love." he said before sealing Joey's lips in the firmest of kisses.

* * *

WHOO!! They're back together!!! Did you guys think this chappie was good? Send a review! Thought it sucked? Review anyway and say why! Ideas are good too! A good reviewer is an authoress' best friend!

Anyway, the next chapter is going to be mainly focusing on getting Yami and Yugi together, but there'll still be some Joey/Seto, just not totally about them. Clear? OK!! Ja ne, and review!!