Onee-chan 1: Coming out a bit earlier than I expected. I just didn't want my few reviewers to have to wait when I already had this last chapter uploaded. Please enjoy. -smiles-

Chapter Six

Joey woke up the next morning, looking up into the ceiling of Yami Yugi's bedroom. He could tell it was in the Moto household because random Egyptian symbols were drawn on the ceiling. He wondered if Yami or Yugi actually drew it or if they got a friend or grandpa to do it.

"Joey!" Yugi's voice rang out. Joey sat himself up and looked toward the door. Just then, Yugi ran in and grabbed his hand. "You have to see this!"

Yugi dragged Joey to the window in his room and pointed out across the city. There, looming in the distance as though nothing had happened, was Kaiba Corp. It's reflective, possibly glass walls shown bright in the morning light. Joey smiled a sad smile.

"So he chose the right wish," he spoke quietly.

"Yea! Now everything should be back to normal!" Yugi cheered until Joey walked away and a voice spoke to him in his head.

'Yugi.' Yugi looked at Joey leaving when Yami spoke his name. He frowned. Oh yeah. Now Joey and Kaiba were a split couple.

"Joey?" Yugi asked hesitantly.

"I'm gonna head home, Yug. Thanks for letting me stay over." Joey gave him a big grin before hurrying from the house. Grandpa was sweeping the front of the store and waved goodbye to him as he left. Then Joey ran straight home, as fast as his legs could carry him.

– – –

Kaiba sat in his office, bouncing a small ball off his desk and up into his hand, over and over again. The ball had been a goof idea from Mokuba and Joey together. Mokuba liked Joey a lot too so Kaiba had gotten an ear full when Mokuba found out he broke up with Joey.

Mokuba even said the words 'I hate you' to Kaiba. He pretended not to care at the time but it had been almost a week since Mokuba had said anything nice or endearing to him at all. It had also been about a week since Kaiba found any joy in getting off work, going to that stupid high school, or anything besides working.

He furrowed his eyebrows, wondering what the problem was.

'I wish Kaiba Corp had died with your bastard of a father!'

Kaiba glared even more. He'd tried calling the mutt to see if he was okay that day but Joey didn't answer and he hadn't tried to make Kaiba reconsider either. Was he actually going to roll over and let Kaiba do as he pleased? That didn't seem very Joey-like. But perhaps Kaiba had finally knocked some sense into him.

'Hey Kaiba! So I was wondering about that dinner tonight.'

'Kaiba, I need help on this problem here.'

'Hey Kaiba! Come here! I gotta show you somethin!'

'Kaiba!'

'Kaiba!'

'Kaiba!'

'Hey Seto!'

Kaiba's eyes were drawn to his calendar where the word 'Anniversary' was still written. He hadn't replaced the calendar. With Joey's laughter still ringing in his ears, Kaiba ripped the whole month off the calendar.

'Beep'

"Mister Kaiba, your brother is here to see you." a female voice called over the intercom.

"Thank you."

Moments later, Mokuba entered the room with a big grin and a cheery greeting, the likes of which Kaiba hadn't heard in a week.

"Big Brother, guess what!?"

"I'm not sure, but whatever it was I'm glad you're talking to me again." Seto smiled at his brother in a way he could only smile to a family member he loved.

"I ran into Joey in the park! He looked like he was in a hurry but when I called his name, he stopped and we talked for a while. He hung out with me for a little bit and he said we could still be friends. Isn't that great?" Mokuba asked happily laughing.

So Mokuba had been upset because he thought that with Joey not dating Seto, he'd never get to hang out with his friend again. That was so like him.

"Good for you. Is that all you wanted to tell me?" Kaiba asked, sitting back down in his chair.

"No I-... Seto, what did you do to your calendar?!" Mokuba asked, surprised. The front page was in shreds, like an animal had clawed the front page off.

"Nothing. I just didn't want to look at it anymore," Kaiba replied simply and pretended to work, as he did every time Joey visited. There he went thinking of Joey again.

"Brother...Why did you break up with Joey?" Mokuba asked, being quiet and serious all of a sudden.

"What do you mean? You know why. He was in the way of my work," Seto spoke almost as softly, like it was a taboo subject.

"Seto, stop pretending to work and answer me. You don't have to act important and powerful in front of me. I want to know the real reason you broke his heart!" Mokuba slammed is hands on Seto's desk and half glared at his brother. His eyes were nearly pleading.

...broke his heart...

– – –

Joey hadn't gone much of anywhere in the last week. He had found the pictures him and Seto had taken in the other world. He half wondered why he still had them, possibly to tease him and taunt him. Why did god seek to torture him?

Joey set the table and lit two candles in the middle. Serenity had given him the candles as a random gift last month. She didn't visit often enough but when she did visit, she almost always brought a gift.

Joey decided that today was a special day, even if it was cut off. He started making some spaghetti, a dish he'd come to love thanks to Seto, and looked over at the clock. In 5 minutes... It would be exactly one year since Seto asked him to go out with him.

In truth, Joey should've been in school but he wasn't. He'd skipped out all this week, not wanting the possibility of facing Seto in the classroom.

There was a knock on the door and Joey removed his apron before answering it. He'd been embarrassed enough by wearing strange things, thanks. Joey opened the door and sighed.

"Yes?" he asked before freezing. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, in exactly two minutes and twelve seconds, there's an anniversary to be celebrated." the visitor looked at his watch and then at Joey. "Don't just stand there all day, stupid mutt. Let me in."

Joey moved out of the way and couldn't help the large grin spreading across his face.

"But I thought you broke up with me," he said, following Seto into the dining room.

Seto stopped. The table was set for two. He couldn't help but smile inwardly. Joey was setting up for this even though they weren't dating anymore. So he really didn't want to just roll over and take it... he just wasn't saying anything.

"I did. Momentary lapse of judgement. Wont happen again." Seto assured him and put his coat over the back of his seat. Joey noted just how good Seto looked without that on. Slim figure hidden under sleek black pants and a shirt that hugged him. Yummy.

"Then... Why?" Joey asked, going to check the spaghetti, Seto close behind.

"I... Joey, I wanted to apologize. I know I said some horrible things to you. The truth is actually the opposite. I was trying to set you free from me. I knew my work was interfering but I can't just quit running Kaiba Corp so I wanted to let you go to enjoy yourself instead of waiting for me."

Kaiba sounded like he'd been rehearsing this in his head and still hadn't gotten it quite right. But Joey heard the sincerity in it and smiled, although Kaiba couldn't see it. He turned off the heat on the noodles and drained them. He left the sauce on low so it didn't get cold and then took out two plates.

"Then I guess you'll have to make up for it." Joey handed a plate to Kaiba. "Because wild dogs don't like being tamed again."

"Again?" Kaiba asked with a entertained smirk.

"Again. Now get some food so we can start this anniversary dinner," Joey ordered. Just as he was about to grab the handle extending from the noddles, arms wrapped around Joey and held him close. Kaiba's head was in his shoulder.

They were silent for a moment but Joey could hear Kaiba taking deep, slow breaths. Seto had missed this smell. The smell of Joey's second hand detergent mixed with his shampoo and that little dash of gel.

"Kaiba... the foods getting cold," Joey half scolded. He liked feeling Kaiba's arms around him but... this was supposed to be their first date in a year. He didn't want the food to taste bad.

"Okay. Here, I have a present for you," Kaiba spoke softly and handed it to Joey. Joey looked down at his hand where he held a small, silver ring. Joey turned and looked at Seto.

"So you...?" he began. Seto smirked.

"A little birdie told me I was missing something." Seto held up a reel of pictures taken in a photo booth. Joey recognized them instantly because he had taken them and had the same pictures in his bedroom.

Joey smiled lightly and kissed Seto gingerly. Seto enveloped him in a hug and took control of the kiss. It was only when Joey nearly burned himself on the stove that they remembered the food and decided to eat.

Joey would end up buying a little silver chain and hanging the ring in a memoirs box he kept for the few small things Seto gave him. Joey wasn't sure where their relationship would go but, judging from the rest of that anniversary evening, he guessed it would go far.