Hi! This is used-to-be Empress Mara. I changed my name to MaraHeart, because I outgrew Empress Mara.

Umm, so how many of you hate me right now? I have been away from FanFiction for a very long time and if you're looking for excuses, check them out on my profile. But if any of you deicde to actually read this story still, Thank You and I apologize deeply. Like grovelling deeply. So, read on . . .

Ranch Matchmaking 6 --- This is All So Confusing

You wanna know something amazing? After that . . . conversation . . . with Seto I actually fell asleep. Still in my towel. Still high off the drugs he injected in me through lip-on-lip contact. Still wanting him. And also amazing, I didn't dream about him. I didn't dream about anything.

Do giant cheeseburgers and a lake full of strawberry milkshake count as nothing?

Heh. So I was hungry when I fell back asleep. Sue me. Go on, dare you. Well, okay, don't. I'd rather not go through the hassle. Seeing as, after all, I'm currently jobless.

God dammit. I really have to do something about that problem soon. Maybe today.

As I rolled over on my bed, I glanced out the window. The sun was shining bright, the sky was unclouded blue. So unassuming and unconfused. Can I fly away now? Not a possibility. I have Seto to deal with, and I know that no matter where I fly away to, he'll always find me. His resources are unlimited. And Scott would probably team up with him, so I'd be doomed before I even started.

Ah, man. Why on earth did I ever have to go and kiss a guy like Seto Kaiba? Why on this forsaken plane of existence did I have to like him?

Because he's hot, sexy, rich, sexy-as-sin, has a voice as smooth as chocolate, is hotter then hell-

"And is just the freaking guy you were so not looking for." I murmured out loud, turning onto my back. "Only I found him, so now what? What am I supposed to do now?"

Part of me wanted to fight it like most religions fight gay marriages. Part of me wanted to flow with it like salmon going up stream . . . whoops, wrong metaphor. I laughed at myself. Even when I'm alone and being serious, I'm acting like a blond. What I meant was, part of me wanted to flow with it like a flower released on the wind.

Struggling was futile anyway. When have I ever won against the guy? He is always one step ahead of me. Always at the top of the food chain; the lion to my gazelle. Damn, I don't need any images of him . . . eating . . . my gazelle. God! Help meeeeeeeeee!

Yay, whiny me. Where have you been all my life? Ah, above my heart, below my brain and right next to my insanity. Sanity, I meant, insanity. Oh, hell. This isn't good.

Slowly sitting up like a zombie rising from the grave, I stare straight ahead of me. The wall is an interesting shade of Chris. Wait, Chris isn't a shade.

Ah, it's the person Chris. That makes no more sense then before. How in the hell did he get in here without opening the door?

"It was open, Joey." Chris states. I tilt my head to the side, eyes half closed, trying to understand him. I know I closed it. I know I did. I think I did. Did I? Yes, I nod vigorously, I definitely did. So WHY IS IT OPEN?!

"Joey? Why do you look like you just ate a bad burrito?" Chris asks, edging backwards. I think he's afraid I'm going to explode. I might. This is all so unsimple! Yes I did mean unsimple! What? It's my word. "Joey?"

Just then, dear, sweet, Seto decided to poke his head into my room. "That's only his thinking face, Chris." he smirks. Geesh, could he at least try and look affected by what's happening between us? Unless, nothing really is. Agh!

"Go the hell away, Kaiba!" I bark. I know I barked. I know I called him Kaiba out loud and Seto in my head. I know I'm not making any sense. But I feel as if I've been on a drunk for two weeks and am just waking up from it. Not a good feeling. Good news, I don't have the headache or stomach ache. What I do have is butterflies trying to escape my stomach and I don't know how they got in there. I also have a gorilla playing bongos with my brain. Why the gorilla is playing the bongos with my brain, I don't know. Ask big old DK yourself.

"What ever you say, puppy," he mock bows and leaves. I stick my tongue out in the five year-olds equivalent of 'screw you,' then threw my towel after him. In the process I-

"Cover yourself, Joey!" Chris shouts, clasping a hand over his eyes and staggering backwards.

Mm-hmm, I move the only thing that is blocking me from improper exposure. Quickly I move a blanket into my lap and blush beet red all the way from my toes to my face. As my mature uncle runs screaming to his boyfriend that I've "scarred him for life," I fall back onto the mattress and pull the sheet over my head. This is so not going to be my day.

Or a very good one for that matter.

After that very rough awakening times two, I decide that even though it is only eleven o'clock it's time gracefully leave my bed behind and head out into the big wide world. If you're wondering, yes, I did it dressed and not in my plucked-chicken suit. Besides, it's only fun to scare your uncle for life the first oh, million times.

Really, right now I don't want anymore hassles than I already have. Seto Kaiba is one tangled mess that I have to sort out, my uncle's threatening boyfriend is another, and the pile of crap that is my career is one I don't want to think about until my uncle's boyfriend stops threatening me.

Heh, any guesses as to when that is going to happen?

Uh-huh, the end of summer. When Money-bags packs his money in his bags and returns to the metropolis he owns, and I return to worrying about paying the rent on time. Or, at least relatively on time. I am not known for my punctuality. Honestly it's a wonder I still have a place to call home. I need to shape up my life. I'll make a mental note of it and file it in my mental filing cabinet. Oh crap! Where did I put that thing? Anyone seen it? It's big, hulking, dented, neon orange and stuffed full of sticky notes about the things I have to do . . .?

I slap my forehead in irritation with myself. I. Am. A. Walking. Disaster. Hurricanes can't top me.

Note: I am currently walking down the steps to the first floor of Chris's house.

Note: I am note paying attention to where I am going.

Note: My jogging pants are baggy.

Note: Gravity hates me.

Tripping over the last few steps, I land on my knees. Ironically–cause my day can't possibly get any worse–at Seto's feet. Gravity isn't the only thing that hates me. So does life in general. Possibly, fate might as well.

He smirks at me and walks into the kitchen, not offering to help me up, not even looking in the least bit sympathetic. What a jerk. I hate him. I hate him. I hate him. I don't hate him.

Looky over there, a nice hole for me to crawl into a die.

So, ignoring the hole, I slowly get to my feet and, using the door frame as support, finally stand up. Just in time to hear the very intelligent remark Chris makes,

"He isn't naked is he?"

Angry now. I stomp into the kitchen and glare at all three of them. Chris for 'eep'ing and hiding his face in Scott's chest, Scott for laughing at me and cooing in his ear that it was alright, I was perfectly clothed, and Seto for just being Seto. And because even when he's mocking me I still want him.

"Ha ha." was my intelligent come back. Seeing as how they aren't the most supportive people in the world, I left the room. I went right back upstairs. Right back into my room. Right back . . . no not back into bed. Back into a naked state, which I traded in for jeans and a t-shirt and a plaid shirt left open over that. Then I stomped back down the stairs and stormed outside. I fumed all the way to the paddock, and up to my favourite horse. She shied away from me and I immediately felt guilty.

"Shhh, it's okay. I'm calm now. Everything is calm." Ragdoll herself calmed down and trotted close to me. I rubbed her white nose, my eyes looking over her painted body. "What do you say we go for a run?" I asked her. She snorted and walked off. I sighed dejectedly, when her winny caught my attention. She was standing in front of the door to the barn, paying at the ground. My grin grew ten fold. I swear to god, that horse never let me down. Following her, I was instantly uplifted.

How the hell was I supposed to know it was about to rain buckets and storm like never before?

TBC

AN: Okay . . . so, this wasn't exactly what I would call my best work. I wanted to get something typed up for this while I had a chance. Sorry for any inconsistencies to previous chapters. Yeah, I know, it's my own story, I should be able to keep things straight. But if you went a couple years without writing a story, had no inspiration for it, then started writing it again, you'd probably have forgotten alittle as well. Please forgive me.

Oh and the style might have slightly changed, I don't know. I have no clue how I wrote the first five chapters like I did. This is a laugh. I'm trying to immitate my own writting. Lol. Anyway . . .

Even if y'all hate me, please review anyway. I promise not to let this go about two years again!!!