Jade j.j.: And that, dear Jade, is what a fluff fic is all about; love, love, and more love! Glad you're still with the story, keep reading/reviewing!
Taito-kisses: Ooh, give me some of that! cuts off voodoo doll's head There, no more Tea! That was her last appearance at any rate, just because I can't stand her! Glad you liked the fluff, there's more where that came from!
randomasdf: Heya, glad to see you again. OMG, I so didn't know maladyrancor was your sister! Thanks for putting me on your favorites, that's really encouraging! The confession theme just came out on its own; I had nothing to do with it, really! The humor was spur-of-the-moment too actually, I thought it might have been too trite, but you're the judge! Thanks again for the confidence boost, and don't worry, the chapters should keep rolling at a good pace!
daisy: Sorry to disappoint you guys, but Bakura and Ryou might not be getting together for a while... I think I'm going to maybe start on them next chapter, but I'm not promising anything! YAY, Tea's dead! But those poor cannibals; all that silicone.... must have given them indigestion! Yeah, I have a habit of writing sad fluff before the ppl get together, but the important thing is that they usually do! Enjoy this chapter (and sorry nuva, but there's fluff!)
Chisa and Neko: 0_0 beautifully written piece of art...? Thank you!!!!! glomps Chisa and Neko I'm sure you could write amazing stories too, though; it's all about the heart you put behind them, and you seem to have plenty of heart with that busy life you just described. Thanks for taking the time out to read and review, and I hope your life settles down to a more comfortable level!
Princess Strawberry: Oh. My. GOD!!!! One of my all time favorite authoresses just reviewed MY story!!!! kisses the ground at Princess Strawberry's feet Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I'm so glad you think it's kawaii; trust me, that's high praise from someone like you. I love Peaches and Chocolate! By the way, I reviewed it under the name 'Rogue Agent', but I haven't read a lot of it...hides head in shame I know, I know... I'll get around to it soon though, I promise! Thanks again for reviewing!
Neko Hikari(Chelsea): Heya, a first time reviewer! Thanks so much for your kind comments! As you can see, I am continuing, so don't worry! I hope you continue reading! Enjoy! (oh, and glad you think it's not too sappy!)
Assassin of the Shadows: Yeah, I thought so too, especially with his sister or Seto! I'm so happy you're still reading; as long as I have my loyal reviewers, I'll keep writing!
Thank you once again to all my wonderful reviewers. I might write the story, but you guys make it happen, since I never would have written chapter 2 without a few good reviews! Let's see, warnings... well, depending on how hentai you are, there might be sexual undertones in the dialogue, and Joey and Seto do wind up in bed together (no, the rating is STILL PG-13!), and major fluff!
Disclaimer: If I owned this, there would actually be new episodes, and they would all end with hot yaoi make-out sessions while Red-Eyes and Celtic Guardian roasted Tea on a spit! Uh.. yeah... I don't own them.
Chapter 8: Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
By 11:00 that night, the rest of the guests had taken their leave from the Kaiba mansion, leaving only Joey, Seto, and Mokuba, who had gone to bed extremely early, even for him, when he had accidentally walked in on the romance movie marathon. The look on the younger Kaiba's face had been priceless, Joey remembered; a cross between a scream and a gag. Beyond that, he hadn't paid much attention; it was the sappiest confession scene in the history of moviemaking, and he couldn't tear his eyes from it for long.
At the moment, he was sprawled across Seto's lap, the brunet stroking his hair, talking about nothing in particular. "You think Yami and Yugi are together yet, Set?" Joey murmured as he nuzzled further into his love's protective embrace.
"Probably," replied the other boy evasively. "I don't think even Yami's so pigheaded as to delay it for too long, although it's possible."
Joey sighed. "Why don't you and Yami get along? I know you're dueling rivals, but still, you could try to be a little less insulting in everyday life."
"All right, puppy, I'll make an effort. I'm not making any promises if he starts it, though." Seto's hands through his hair felt amazing, and the blond stretched languidly.
"Thanks, Set. You're the best." he yawned. "I love you."
"Love you too." Seto sighed, looking at his watch. "It's getting kind of late. You know we have school tomorrow morning?"
Joey grumbled, rolling over onto his side. "But I'm so comfy..." he complained.
"Well, it's not like you have to leave," Joey felt himself being drawn up gently, then familiar lips on his neck. "We could have a sleep-over, if you want."
"Sounds like a plan," Joey laughed into Seto's mouth as he tilted the brunet's face a few degrees upwards. Ten minutes later, the two teens somehow managed to extricate themselves from each other. "So, let's see the guest room."
"Which one?" Seto quipped.
"There's more than one?" Joey was mildly surprised, but soon recalled just how big the mansion was.
"Try fifteen." At the blond's stunned expression, Seto shut off the long-neglected television set and went upstairs. Joey followed close behind.
* * *
The guest rooms were immaculate, and beautifully furnished. Joey spent the better part of half an hour just wandering around them, touching objects that he would probably never be able to afford. Through all of this, Seto watched his boyfriend amusedly. It struck him suddenly that neither he or Mokuba appreciated the mansion as they should. Watching Joey stare at closets larger than most people's living rooms like they were portals to the Shadow Realm made Seto vow to himself never to take anything for granted again if he could help it.
Finally, they got to the master bedroom, beside which all the other rooms paled. Blue carpeting covered the entire floor. The dresser, bedside table, and four-poster bed were all made of a dark wood that Joey recognized vaguely as mahogany. With a barely restrained cry of excitement, the blond leapt onto the bed, sinking immediately into the nest of pillows and satin sheets. Sighing comfortably, he stared up at the chandelier that hung in the center of the ceiling, upon which a Duel Monsters mural had been painted. The light reflected off the elaborate crystal ornament, and into the glittering form of a Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon so perfectly wrought into the woodwork that it took Joey's breath away.
Sitting up on the bed, the shorter of the two boys let his eyes trail around the room. Antique bookcase, desk, laptop computer, cell phone, stereo, TV... and in the middle of it all, Seto, standing with his arms folded and a grin across his handsome face. "I take it you like it, puppy?" he chuckled, and Joey blushed as he realized how foolish he must have looked. (A/N: What's the blush count now?)
"Sorry, Set, it's just so beautiful. Must have cost a fortune!" The blond slid off the bed and back to his feet.
"Good thing I have several fortunes to spend then, isn't it?" The billionaire was still grinning, and Joey thought he bore a striking resemblance to the proverbial Cheshire Cat.
"For sure." Without warning, a wave of exhaustion washed over the other boy, and he yawned widely. "I think I'm going to hit the hay, if that's okay with you?"
"Fine with me. Which guest room do you want?" Completely serious, Seto moved away from the doorframe he had been leaning against and closer to Joey. "If none of them suited you, my bed's more than big enough for both of us. You may sleep here if you desire."
Joey's blood turned to ice water. Seto couldn't have been offering what he thought he had... could he? "Set... what'd you just say?"
Sheepishly, the ex-CEO shrugged, and tried desperately to explain himself. Oh God, now he thinks I'm too forward. Nice going, Kaiba, you just blew it! "Well, I thought... because you seemed to like this room so much... bed's big enough and... more comfortable than the others..."
Although he was enjoying seeing Seto squirm immensely, Joey cleared the distance between them, let his hand trail down his love's cheek, and kissed him sweetly. "Thanks, Set. I think I will take you up on your offer. Have you got any pajamas or anything I can borrow, and do you mind if I grab a shower before I turn in?"
Now it was the taller boy's turn to be stunned. He had never expected Joey to accept an invitation to share his bed, made on impulse more than anything. Now, he faced the prospect of spending a night next to the endearing teenager... What have I gotten myself into this time? Suddenly, he noticed Joey standing there, his head cocked slightly to the left, waiting for an answer to his question, and sprang into action, fishing through the middle drawer of the dresser.
"Knock yourself out, mutt," Seto gestured to the adjoining bathroom. "I'll have something for you to sleep in by the time you're done."
The blond was already halfway to the bathroom door. "Thanks a bunch, Set. Don't worry, I won't take too long." With the cutest of winks, he was gone, and a few moments later, Seto heard the shower running. Grunting angrily, he hit his head against the wall lightly and cursed himself for acting like such a dork. All things considered, it was surprising Joey hadn't laughed in his face and left right then. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself.
Once he'd fished out a pair of green silk nightclothes that might just fit the shorter boy, he pulled out a similar pair for himself, these in royal blue, and changed hurriedly, lest Joey catch him before he was done. Not that that would be entirely bad, thought the brunet to himself as he turned the sheets down and got into bed, picking up a book from the dresser as he passed.
He got about three pages read before Joey came out, still slightly wet, wearing a towel around his waist and using another one to dry his hair. (A/N: drooling again) Seto's breath caught in his throat at the vision before him; flaxen locks all over the place, a fine sheen of water covering his love's tanned, defined body, and a sinfully short towel the only barrier to the billionaire's lust-filled gaze. Seto was suddenly thankful for the sheets covering his lower body.
Oblivious to what he was doing to his poor boyfriend, Joey took the pajamas that Seto had left out for him, disappeared into the bathroom just long enough to change, and then slid right into bed next to the other boy, wrapping his arms around him tightly. Seto's book fell to the floor, forgotten.
"Missed ya," said the shorter boy as he rested his head on his love's shoulder.
"You were gone ten minutes," rationalized the other.
"Yeah, but it was a long ten minutes." Joey's head sank lower, down to his love's chest. "Night, Set."
"Night, Joey," Seto replied, sliding further down under the covers and draping one arm across the blond protectively. Somehow, they actually fell asleep like that. (A/N:Kawaii!!!!)
* * *
Seto was awake at the first sign of daybreak, actually feeling rested for the first time in what felt like forever. Silently, he slipped out of bed, and Joey curled up against a pillow in his absence. The frown that formed on his love's face told Seto that the other boy didn't think it a satisfactory substitute, but he slept on just the same.
The brunet padded down to the end of the hall and walked out onto the third floor balcony. He would always watch the sunrise from this place whenever he could, which hadn't been very often recently. The balcony overlooked the entire city of Domino, and its eastern exposure made it the perfect vantage point for watching the birth of a new day. With an ironic smile, the ex-CEO sat down in one of the two chairs he made a point of having left out. Sometimes Mokuba would join him, and that was why there were two chairs instead of only one.
The person who slid into the chair next to him, though, wasn't his little brother. Joey had arrived just as the sun crested the smallest of Domino's buildings, and the sunlight playing over his near-perfect form lent him an illusion of divinity. "Never expected you to be the introspective type, somehow," he whispered, as though they were witnessing some sacred event. Perhaps we are, Seto reflected.
"I'm full of surprises." the billionaire smiled over at the other teen.
"Maybe," the blond's eyes were cast down to the floor, and the sunlight reflecting in their amber depths revealing what Seto recognized as a deep-seated sadness, "or maybe I just don't know you as well as I thought."
Seto rose from his chair and knelt before his boyfriend's. "Even if you didn't," he said with heartfelt emotion, placing Joey's hand over his heart. "you've got the rest of our lives to learn all you need to."
Joey brightened considerably at this remark, and Seto kissed him, the sunrise's beauty completely lost on him. No matter how serene or poetic, nothing could ever compare to the man in his arms again. And I'm going to make damn sure you know it, pup, the brunet vowed as he deepened the kiss.
* * *
Okies, short chapter, I know, but I hope it was okay! School's starting to get on my nerves, but I'll try to update sooner rather than later. Enjoy, readers, and I'll see ya when Chapter 9 rolls around! Review please!
