Friday – three days to go

Coel: I thought you were going to upload this next week?

Heva: I was but I don't know when I'm free next week. Monday is the street fair; Tuesday, well I'm not sure; Wednesday I'm busy apparently, well my mum says I am; Thursday I'm cleaning; Friday I'm picking my brother up from school (three hours there and three hours back!); Saturday relatives descend on the house and I have to listen to 'Oh my hasn't your brother grown' and get carried around by my fourteen year old cousin. He finds it hilarious to pick me up so my shoulders are level with his because I'm about two feet off the ground then. He also steals my hat and puts it on his head because if I want to get it back I have to jump.

Coel: How horrible of him. Are you done complaining yet?

Heva: I've barely started but I'll just get on with the story anyway. Oh I just remembered this chapter has a bit of a lime in it, well not a very detailed one and it is all in Joey's mind.

Coel: Heva wrote that bit sat in her form room during tutor time when she was meant to be doing school work.

Heva: Enjoy the story and sorry if I don't reply to reviews, I'm busy next week as you should be able to tell from my ranting.

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Friday – three days to go

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Joey awoke with his alarm clock, he'd forgotten to switch it off yesterday. His headache had reappeared with a vengeance and the incessant beeping was intensifying it. The pillow failed to muffle it but it went silent as his hand knocked it to the floor, a satisfying crash muting the sound. He grinned and snuggled back into the covers.

Before sleep could reclaim him his dad knocked on his door.

"Are you awake, Joseph?"

"Yeah." His dad pushed open the door so that he could walk in and sit down.

"I got a phone call last night after you went to sleep from work saying I would have to go away until next Wednesday at least. I'll try and phone as often as I can."

"When do you have to leave?"

"In a few hours. I thought that in the mean time we could have a talk." Joey groaned and pulled the covers over his head.

"It's not the sex talk is it? Because we've had enough of that from our school teachers."

"No, but it's still about relationships."

"Do we have to?" he complained as his dad chuckled.

"No, we don't have to, but I thought it might be a good idea, plus I wanted to know a bit about your boyfriend." Joey pulled the blankets down to reveal a blush covering his face.

"He's not my boyfriend, and discussing it with you would just be weird."

"Why would it be weird? I just wanted to know what he's really like; your magazines by the sofa weren't very helpful."

"You read my magazines?"

"I thought that I ought to find out what he's like, just in case I end up having to talk to him when you bring him home." Joey noticed the suggestive smirk on his dad's face and felt his cheeks darken.

"This is why it's weird, and I'd never bring him back here because you'd start making comments like that."

"I promise I won't if you bring him home, as long as you promise me that you will ask him out before the end of your work experience with him next week."

"What?" Joey almost shouted as he sat bolt upright.

"Just ask him out, Joey," his dad said as he got up and left the room to go and pack his suitcase. Joey lay back down in bed to go to sleep with only one thought on his mind, how did his dad know he was doing work experience with Seto?

--

Seto woke up at five thirty, as usual on Fridays. He sighed and considered just staying in bed. It was an option he could use, but it was also a bad idea as it would mean that the paperwork he'd be missing tomorrow would continue to increase and he'd probably be unable to see his desk by Monday. Pulling himself upright he yawned and began trying to persuade his body that getting out of the cosy warmth was the right idea. As he felt his muscles waking up he managed to get out of bed and walk over to his bathroom.

His morning routine appeared slow but it was meticulously worked out to minimise the time he took to get ready, whoever knew his OCD would come in handy. Unfortunately it still took him half an hour to have a shower and get dressed.

At six o clock he was downstairs opening the cupboards to fetch out what he needed for scrambled eggs on toast. As the kettle boiled for his morning coffee, Seto broke three eggs into a bowl and put a little butter into a saucepan which he placed on the stove. The butter was fizzing quickly and Seto poured in the eggs before finding the bread and placing it into the toaster.

The sleepy form of Mokuba appeared in the doorway as Seto placed the toast onto plates and began buttering them.

"Morning Mokie."

"You sound far too cheerful."

"It's the coffee," he told his younger brother with a smile as he sipped the steaming mug. The smile was returned with a groan as Mokuba slumped in a chair at the table. He stared at Seto as he busied himself with cooking the scrambled eggs.

"I thought we were having bacon this morning?" he complained as Seto put the plates on the table.

"If you want bacon you cook it," Seto replied as he sat down opposite his brother and picked up his fork.

"I didn't say I didn't like scrambled eggs," Mokuba said as he began to eat. Seto snorted as he continued eating. Although most people assumed he was anorexic he was far from it. He loved food and ate a lot of it at home, just not at school or work because he forgot. It could be considered that he only ate when he remembered to do so, but after a few years of not eating regularly you tend to loose your appetite.

They took fifteen minutes to finish the meal and tidy away the plates. Mokuba hurried back upstairs to get dressed into his school uniform. It was only six thirty when they left the house in Seto's car, Mokuba starting to fall asleep again in the front passenger seat.

Arriving at work Seto managed to drag his sleepy brother over to the lift and carried him into his office. This was a typical Friday morning; Seto going to work for an hour and a half before school, with Mokuba asleep in his office for a good portion of that time.

Seto placed the completed paperwork into the out tray on his desk and glanced over at his little brother snoozing on the couch. They'd purchased the sofa a few years back for two reasons, the main one being for Mokuba to sleep on it when he had to come to work with Seto, but the second reason was for when Seto had guests in his office. Joey would probably end up sitting on the couch for a fair amount of time next week. Seto smiled at the thought of having Joey sat in his office, have him that close.

Mokuba groaned and rubbed his eyes as he woke up, disturbing Seto from his thoughts before they could fall into the gutter. Seto smiled at his younger sibling as Mokuba yawned.

"How long?" he asked as he stretched to release the cramp from his muscles.

"About fifteen minutes more and we'll get going. I just need to finish reading this."

"Fine. Can I watch TV?"

"Of course."

It was less than a minute before Seto asked him to turn down the volume. Mokuba cooperated and reduced the sound as the programme finished. He began channel hopping, glancing at Seto periodically to see his reaction. It usually only took five minutes before he would be told just to settle on a channel or switch it off. Today however something must have been wrong as no such comment was made. Mokuba wondered if his brother had just given up with telling him off, but Seto wasn't even looking at the TV, usually he would at least glance up to see what was on. Mokuba stopped on a channel that was showing the morning news, a programme that Seto always looked at if Mokuba put it on. Today was different, Seto didn't even give it a cursory glance in the full two minutes Mokuba left it on.

Seto eventually sighed and put his pen down on his desk.

"Ready for school?"

--

Joey woke from a rather vivid dream about dragons that was almost definitely fever induced. The apartment was silent as he pulled himself out of bed. His pyjamas were sticking to him and Joey decided that a shower was most likely the best option. He grabbed his dressing gown as he meandered his way along to the bathroom. A letter was stuck to the door, addressed to him in his dad's handwriting, and he decided to read it later, after his much needed shower.

The warm water felt delightful on his skin as it cascaded down and Joey couldn't help but groan in appreciation. He squeezed the shampoo onto his hand and began massaging it into his hair, imagining it was someone else's hands; those long, thin, feminine fingers instead of his shorter, more masculine ones. The shampoo was making bubbles which slid down his body to drip onto the bottom of the shower with the water.

Joey began to run his hands down his body towards his awakened erection. The pace was slow as he had no reason to rush this experience. One hand eventually encircled his aching need as he imagined the skin was softer instead of his rough palm. He jerked his hand a couple of times before closing his eyes. A pair of crystal blue eyes with a familiar smirk appeared in his mind as an imaginary Seto began to move his hand again. The blue eyes twinkled as the imaginary person dropped down to their knees and replaced their hand with something else.

Joey choked out a groan as the warmth of the water and texture of the soapy shampoo in his hand aided his imagination. His second hand pressed against the opposite wall to hold himself upright.

In his mind Seto was sucking and running his tongue around Joey's member before relaxing his throat to take all of Joey into his mouth. To help this Joey pushed his hips forward, possibly choking his imaginary companion, but it wasn't as if his imagination would complain.

Joey's eyes flew open when he eventually came, his seed splattering against the wall of the shower. This jerk back to reality revealed a lack of Seto in the shower with him which, although if he had appeared it would have been quite scary, was fairly disappointing.

Joey felt himself go red with embarrassment as he noticed the wall he had been facing. He managed to splash water against it, washing away the evidence of what he'd done. The lack of his dad around the apartment was a relief as he wouldn't have to explain why he was in the shower so long that the water had gone cold.

He stepped out of the shower after shutting off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist.

--

Registration was boring, as usual without the blond there to disrupt it. Fridays always brought out the best side of Joey, well the most hyper side at least. Seto let out a sigh as Yuugi told their tutor about the missing pup. He would get the mutt's address from the friendship group at sometime today and drop round after work to see how he was. He was sure that some kind of excuse would occur in his mind before lunch, even if he did have to ask Georgie for some help.

As the teacher began talking about work experience next week Seto thought through his timetable today. Physics this morning after the hour long tutor time in which they would discuss their work experience, followed by double maths with the same teacher Joey had, with a lecture from the lab technicians this afternoon that masqueraded as preparation for practical science exams. If he told the teachers that he was working with Joey next week they would give him the work he'd missed, and if he had the work then he had an excuse.

--

Daytime TV was dull and monotonous. Joey had resorted to some kind of talk show with a group of people more or less bitching about each other. The basic idea was that one of them wanted to sleep with the other guy's uncle. Joey was zoning in and out of consciousness as the mindless drivel filled the apartment with noise. The host of the show came on the screen a moment later announcing an ad break which would be followed by the 'exciting conclusion' of this argument. Despite the host's enthusiasm Joey began channel hopping again and found a far more entertaining programme on one of the news channels. The reason for his interest was the people being interviewed not why they were there.

On the news room sofa sat Pegasus and Seto with the two interviewers. The young female interviewer was chatting quite animatedly about the topic they were discussing, her eyes never once leaving Seto. The young CEO appeared to be listening to every word and was even nodding to a couple of her statements.

"Although the prototype is currently still in testing it should be ready to go into mass production next month and be on the market by the middle of December."

"Although I have the upmost confidence in Kaiba-boy's designing I think that the best estimate of the start of sales is the beginning of the school holidays and I ought to point out that your statement of a month is wrong for the viewers as this isn't going out on air until next Friday, due to someone scheduling this interview so that they didn't have to miss school." Seto sent a glare at Pegasus and Joey grinned as he saw Pegasus smile happily back, completely unfazed by the cold stare from those beautiful blue eyes.

The camera turned back to the two interviewers and the male one started saying thank you to the guests for agreeing to come on the show and telling the viewers to look out for the new duelling systems that were being launched this winter. The female interviewer had moved from the screen and as the shot panned back to the two guests it was shown that she was now sat next to Seto. Joey growled as he noticed the hand she had on Seto's leg as she leaned towards him, but what annoyed him the most was that Seto was cooperating. Seto was letting this tart hit on him in such an obvious way! He was letting her touch him whilst on TV! He was letting someone that wasn't Joey be close to him.

'It's not like I own him. I've not even told him that I like him. For all I know he might be dating her.'

The regular newsreaders were back on the screen saying that the interview was being repeated on the six o clock news on another channel but Joey wasn't really caring, he didn't want to see the slut hitting on Seto again.

--

Physics was highly entertaining as they were discussing moments in collisions and were doing a practical with crashing cars together. Seto had been put in a group with the two girls and was quite quickly put in charge of setting up the light gates to measure the speeds of the toy cars. Georgie was carrying the planks needed to make the runway for the cars while the second girl, Klaudia, was busy decorating the cars with biro after she'd been told to put some kind of mark on each of them so they could be told apart.

"There's the runway set up," Georgie said as she placed the second plank in position across the tables. "Are you two ready?"

"The light gates seem to be working."

"I've finished the cars; this one's the designer car and this one's the fake designer car." Seto resisted the urge to ask what was wrong with just labelling them 1 and 2 as he'd promised Georgie that he'd be nice.

"Doesn't that mean the second one will just fall apart?" Georgie asked with a stern glance at Seto to make sure he didn't make a comment.

"They're from our school physics department, they'll probably both fall apart."

"She's got a good point," Seto agreed. "Who's going to write down the results?"

"Do you want to, Kay?" Georgie asked.

"Sure, let me just go get some paper," she bounced off towards her folder.

"What do you see in her, Georgie?" Seto hissed quietly across the table.

"What do you see in the mutt?" Georgie shot back.

"Point taken, but she's obsessed with designer clothes and," Seto tried to think how to sum up Kay's attitude, "she's just so girly." Georgie almost laughed at Seto's defeat which resulted in his use of the word 'girly'.

"She's coming shopping with us tomorrow," Georgie told him as Kay returned holding a pad of lined paper triumphantly.

"Why do you look so shocked, Seto?" she asked as she sat down on the stool next to Georgie as the usual emotionless mask hadn't been put back in place in time.

"I was just telling him about those shoes I was looking at that were £110.00 (Heva: that's US220.00 but I don't know any other conversions). Being a guy he just doesn't understand about shoes."

"You can't put a price on comfort and looking nice. We'll have to try and educate him tomorrow when we're out shopping, Georgie," Kay told her. Seto looked back and forth between the two rather disconcerting smirks, suddenly extremely apprehensive about tomorrow.

--

Lunch time came around slowly for Seto as he was sat next to a rather too cheerful Georgie in maths. They were both taking further or advanced maths as a course this year and Seto had first made an acquaintance with her through this class. Nearing the end of the lesson, when most people were chatting, Seto decided to ask for his favour.

"Georgie?"

"Yes, Seto?"

"Can you get the mutt's address for me?" Georgie turned to look at Seto with her eyebrows raised.

"Sure, but why don't you just go and ask one of his friends for it?"

"Can you really see one of them telling me?"

"Point taken, meet me at the lockers after school and I'll give it to you if I can get hold of it. Don't get your hopes up, the office staff get a bit suspicious if I start looking up the personal information of people."

"Just tell them that you need to send his work that he's missed to him."

"I might be able to use that," Georgie said with a shrug before glancing at Seto's worksheet. "Are you planning to do any work today or just sit there? Don't tell me you've come down with the same flu as your mutt?" Seto glared at Georgie as she put a hand on his forehead. The glare was returned with a grin before she removed her hand and left Seto alone to do his work undisturbed.

--

Joey glanced around the flat's empty fridge and cupboards, trying to work out what he could eat for lunch. He sighed as he realised he needed to go out shopping or at least order takeout. Joey pulled a menu of a local pizza place that delivered from under the magnet on the door of the fridge. He glanced at the list of options they did and walked back to the hallway to grab a phone. Dialling the number he ordered the desired food and replaced the phone on the holder. It would be half an hour before the pizza arrived so he went to find where his dad had left the money for him to buy food whilst he was away. This was when he remembered the note that had been left on the bathroom door. Now where had he left it?

The bathroom proved to be empty, no sign of it anywhere.

He checked his bedroom next, having gone in there after his shower to put his dressing gown back and drop his pyjamas in a pile of to be washed clothes. The note wasn't under his dressing gown or in the pile of clothes. Joey wasn't able to see it anywhere in the room so he decided the kitchen was the best idea.

The kitchen, like the bathroom, was also empty so he left to go and find his own small supply of change in his room to pay for the take out.

By the time he located a small handful of notes he heard the knock at the door.

Opening it with the chain still on he saw the familiar outfit worn by the local pizza shop employees. He undid the chain and pulled the door fully open.

"Thanks, there's the money," Joey said taking the box in one hand and handing over the few notes he had.

"Enjoy your pizza," the delivery boy replied after counting the money. He was about to turn round and walk away when Joey stopped him. Maybe this was a stupid idea but he needed to know and this was the best way his fever clouded mind could think to find out. The guy was pushed up against the wall as Joey pushed his lips against the other's. Feeling the guy push against him in an effort to get free Joey pulled away. Before the shock had worn off the poor delivery boy Joey had slammed the door and bolted it. He leaned against it, his breath leaving in sharp pants. What on earth had possessed him to do that? Sighing he let his head hit the wooden door as he heard the delivery boy stand up on the other side.

"You know I'm used to at least diner or a movie first, and tips are usually either advice or money." The boy chuckled lightly. "I'll look forward to your next order, the name's Toboe by the way." The foot steps died away as Toboe walked back down the stairs.

'I just kissed the delivery boy', Joey thought, 'and I felt absolutely no attraction.'

--

Seto looked down at the address on the post it note Georgie had given him after school. He'd stuck it to his Sat Nav (Heva: a Satellite Navigator for those of you who might not know. I've always pictured Seto as one of those people who have one even if they don't use it or end up hitting it with a hammer out of frustration) once he got into his car. He decided to drop off at it before work as he'd be there before any of the friendship crowd could be if they decided to visit and it would mean he wouldn't talk himself out of it whilst at work.

This part of town Seto recognised from part of his life he'd rather forget. The orphanage was nearby and he remembered the gang hanging out in these streets. Breaking into the apartments and taking whatever food they could carry. Him and Tsume had stolen more than their fair share of things in an effort to provide comfort and food for those most important to them. A brief wonder of what had become of Tsume and his younger brother caused Seto to nearly drive past the apartment block he was looking for. To any passerby the forbidding grey block looked identical to the others surrounding it but the nameplate hanging to the side of the entrance told Seto that he'd reached his destination. Grabbing the bag in the passenger seat he got out of the car and locked it. A second later he unlocked it and grabbed the Sat Nav before putting it into his bag. He may hate the electronic gadget but he'd rather it wasn't stolen, he knew the type of people that hung around these places all too well.

--

Joey lay on the sofa as he heard the knock on the door. He pushed the pizza box with half the pizza still left in it onto the table, wondering who would be calling on him at this time. A glance at the clock showed it was only twenty minutes after school ended so none of his friends would have been able to turn up yet. He wondered if they would decide to visit later.

Whoever was at the door knocked a second time and Joey grumbled as he stood up.

The third knock was impatient and Joey decided to take out his current frustration on them. He'd been in a bad mood since seeing the interview this morning.

"Just give me a chance to get to the door, what's the rush anyway?" he grumbled as he walked to the door and pulled it open. The frustration was replaced with shock as he saw who was standing on the doorstep. A young CEO dressed in their school uniform with his trademark white coat nowhere in sight, Joey was quite stunned. Joey considered slamming the door and putting up with Seto's annoyance next week to prevent him seeing the state of the apartment, but the damage had probably already been done. Closing the door slightly to stop Seto being able to see inside the hallway Joey looked up at Seto's face for a reaction.

"I've got the work you've missed over the last couple of days," Seto said calmly, handing over a folder of papers. Joey took it, wishing that he could tell what Seto thought of his surroundings.

"Thanks," he replied. "You could have just waited until Monday, you know."

"I needed to give you a copy of the contract you'll need to sign on Monday to read through over the weekend. I've also included a copy of the company dress code and the working hours you'll be expected to stick to, I don't like lateness, mutt. Also I'll give you a lunch pass on Monday morning for the canteen." Joey glanced down at the thick folder he'd been given, wondering how much of it was this contract he needed to read.

"Thanks for all this, moneybags," Joey replied, unable to really think of much else to say.

"I need to get to the office," Seto said quickly as he turned and began walking away down the stairs. Joey narrowed his eyes at the retreating form of his once-rival, wondering what had made him first come here and then leave so quickly without a single comment on the mutt's apartment. A tall man with white hair and wearing black leathers walked along the landing after the CEO as Joey shut the door.

--

"In charge of a multinational company, a very successful one if the tabloids are anything to go by. I always said that you'd do well, SKF." The man said as he slid into the passenger seat of Seto's car.

"Everything comes at a price. What have you done after you left the orphanage?" Seto asked as he started up the engine and turned the car round to drive towards his office.

"Working at a local store; and the runt's a delivery boy now."

"Sounds like you're both doing quite well then."

"Reasonably, we've got an apartment and are keeping up with all the bills. How's Mokie?"

"Fine, he's doing well at school and I'm sure he'd enjoy seeing you and the runt again."

"That's good to know."

"Tsume?"

"Yes, SKF?"

"Are you busy Monday night?"

--

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Heva: The plot thickens. Who is this mysterious man, Tsume?

Coel: A guy Seto knew at the orphanage.

Heva: Shut up Coel. I'm trying to build suspense and make the readers wonder about it.

Coel: You said earlier on in this chapter that Seto used to hang out with Tsume whilst they were at the orphanage so it's implied that they were at the orphanage together.

Heva: I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter and feel like reviewing it too. I'll try and reply to your reviews when I get the chance and put up the next chapter in just over a week.