Author's Note: Oh. My. God.

I have never been so disappointed in my reviews as I was last chapter. I worked so hard on this story, and suddenly we get some smut and you guys are excited for more? Did you not notice that Seto didn't necessarily want to do it? Did you not notice that he was doing it to make Joey happy? Did you not notice the emotional struggle Seto is going through? Things are not all good just because they have some sort of sex.

That's why I didn't answer last chapter's reviews. :| I'm sorry; I was just much too upset.

Chapter 6

Serenity let out an angry screech. "What are you doing?"

Joey jerked upward and fell out of bed. "Ack!" He covered himself with a blanket frantically and blushed, hurriedly getting to his feet. "Serenity! Get out!"

Seto sat up and glanced between the two siblings, then turned and hid his head under a pillow. "Mmph."

The blond looked at his mate in concern, then turned his attention back to his sister, wings flaring outward. "Get OUT!"

The red-haired girl huffed but turned and stormed out, slamming the door shut behind her. "Fine!"

Joey glared at the door for a moment before turning back to the bed, frowning. "Seto? Are you okay?"

"I'm not leaving this bed until she's gone," Seto replied quietly. "You and your sister take as long as you need. I'll just… take a nap, or something."

The blond's brows furrowed together in concern. "Seto, it's your castle. Ya shouldn't hafta be stuck in here if ya don't wanna."

"I'm willing to wait here until you and your sister are finished with whatever you're going to do." The brunet curled his tail around to wrap around the smaller boy's waist and gave him a small squeeze. "…Maybe, when you get back, you could… rub some of that almond oil on my scales?"

Joey gasped. He'd wanted to many times before, but the older boy had never allowed it, saying that he was not interested in smelling like food or having him baby him—and his scales did not need the extra moisture like the blond's did, thank-you-very-much. So why was he allowing it now?

"…Are you bribin' me, Seto?" the blond asked quietly, brows furrowing together.

Seto stayed silent for a few moments before slowly nodding his head. "Yes. Is it working?"

"I don't wanna—Seto, ya can't just—" Joey sighed loudly in frustration. "Fine. But I'm rubbing that oil on more than just your scales," he stated firmly, then leaned down and dragged his tongue over the brunet's spine, giving his ass a quick squeeze.

The older boy couldn't help a startled squeal. "Oh, you naughty little dame!"

The blond stuck his tongue out at him as he pulled on his pants and began toward the door. "Yeah, you better believe it! I'm quite the ardent lover in the winter, and sometimes I just dunno what t' do with myself! I suppose my sire will just hafta help me with that!" He paused in the doorway to glance back at the other boy.

Seto let out a growl as he looked up at him. "Ra, I love you. I don't want to say hurry back, but I can honestly say that I'm almost horny enough that I might mount you."

Joey smiled brightly. For weeks, after they'd gotten intimate with each other, he'd been longing to have the brunet inside him, but the older boy had only used his hands and mouth. He had asked, had pleaded, had threatened, but Seto had always shied away from actual intercourse, even from getting on top of him and humping against him, and had tried to satisfy him with everything else. To know that Seto was secure enough to try mounting him—with or without actual intercourse—even with his insecurities about hurting him, made him feel warm and happy.

"You better go before your sister storms back in," Seto mumbled, shoving his head back under the pillow. "I'm not dealing with her."

"What? Right. Oh," he whispered, frowning in concern. Serenity must have been one of the reasons he hadn't wanted to have sex with him; she was the one still calling him a rapist to his face. "…I'll be back soon. I promise."

"Mm. Take all the time you need. If I get bored in here I'll just avoid the room you're in."

Joey scowled as soon as the door shut. His sister was one of the reasons Seto had at first been timid in his love-making. Now, she was the reason that Seto couldn't comfortably walk about his own home. On top of that, she refused to mate with her Other simply because he was related to Seto, and that also caused Seto endless pain.

His baby sister was beginning to piss him off.

Stomping into the entrance hall, he hissed softly as he found his sister eyeing one of the brighter tapestries. "Serenity. What the hell do ya think ya were doin', stormin' into our bedroom? Hell, while we're at it, what are ya doin' just stormin' into the castle? We were taught to knock and wait politely!"

"I did knock, and I did wait politely—at least for a little while. Then I got worried that your… mate… might be holding you against your will or raping you again, so I let myself in." She turned toward him and scowled, placing her hands on her hips. "I just don't see how you can stand to share a room with him, let alone a bed! Isn't this the same man who raped you!"

"Yeah, and I'm pretty close t' rapin' him myself," he snarled. "You're one of the reasons he won't have sex with me. You know how horny we get in the winter; I need more than his mouth and hands! I can't see how you're not goin' crazy without a mate!"

"I keep doing obstacle courses," Serenity replied flippantly, then scowled again. "And if you think I'm going to mate with Mokuba while that rapist is still alive, you're insane!"

"…Get. Out," Joey growled, hands clenching into fists. His little sister's disregard for her Other's feelings shocked him—and infuriated him.

He'd wished desperately to find his Other, even after Seto had forcefully mated with him, and he still felt badly for withholding his love and affection from his poor mate when all he wanted was a kind word or a smile. He'd never imagined that his feelings for his Other could be so intense—doubly so for Seto, who had been originally starved of both love and physical affection and hadn't had any idea what to do when they'd come up and slapped him in the face. For Serenity to know that someone was her Other and was simply disregarding his feelings because of a grudge that he'd already worked hard to get past himself made him burn with fury at her callousness.

She frowned in confusion at the sudden dismissal, then scowled again. "I shouldn't have to—I'm here to see my brother, after all!"

"Your brother doesn't wanna see ya, ya selfish, spoiled little brat!" he roared, and his wings slapped together loudly. "I can't believe how much ya don't care about your Other! Mokuba had nothin' t' do with Seto and me! I didn't even know Seto had a brother until he came to get the rest of his inheritance! All he wants is t' make ya happy and ya won't let him because of somethin' Seto and me have already worked past! So stop comin' here and dredgin' up Seto's guilt! At this rate, I'm never gonna get laid! Get out! GET OUT!" His wings slapped together again as his tail began lashing back and forth.

Serenity took a step back nervously. She'd never been afraid of her brother before, but then he'd also never slapped his wings at her. Here, he'd slapped his wings at her twice. She decided it was in her best interest to flee before he actually lashed out at her.

Joey watched his sister go angrily, then let out a growl. If she hadn't mated with Mokuba by the end of the month, he was going to go tell his brother-in-law to forget about her and set his sights on someone else, no matter how much it hurt. His sister was a jealous, over-protective person by nature, so his attempts in courting anyone else would rile her up and she'd come running—pissed as hell, but when she saw how rundown and emotionally exhausted Mokuba was, she'd go into motherly-mode and begin to baby him.

He shivered a little and turned to make his way back to the bedroom. He was already beginning to get cold. He'd never realized how cold he got before; that was the downside of having a mate, but it was quickly made up for with the fact that his mate would be glad to warm him up again.

He frowned in confusion when he saw Seto standing in the hallway nearby, hand against the wall as he stared down at his feet. He'd gotten up. Why? "…Seto?"

Seto's hand slipped down the wall, and he slowly lifted tired, sad blue eyes to meet his. "…I haven't been satisfying you?"

Joey blushed. "W-what are ya doin' here?"

"I thought I'd make breakfast for you while you were talking with your sister, because I got tired of just lying in bed. …I… I haven't been satisfying you sexually?" He frowned, brows furrowing together; he'd thought he'd been doing so well, and now he was learning that his mate wasn't fully satisfied with him.

The blond blushed a little more and glanced away, twisting his fingers anxiously. "W-well, I like what ya do, but it… it's not enough. …I… I want ya inside me."

It wasn't enough.

He was a bad mate.

Seto turned his gaze back to the floor and began to walk past him. "I'll go make your breakfast."

"Seto—Seto, wait—" Joey reached out to grab his arm, but he seemed to slither from his fingers every time he caught him. "Seto, it's not that you don't satisfy me, I just—I need more! Seto!" He rushed around him to cut him off and hurriedly grabbed his shoulders before he could leave again. "Listen t' me!"

"…I don't want to take you," Seto stated quietly. "I took you against your will the first time; I don't want to take you again."

The blond frowned. "…Never?"

"…Maybe never," he affirmed, then pushed him away gently. "I'll keep using my hands and mouth. …You won't have to worry about doing the same for me."

Joey bit his bottom lip and turned to watch him go, tears filling his eyes as he realized he'd hurt his mate again. He thought he didn't like to return his touches—to please him. He liked nothing more than seeing his mate purring and grinning like an idiot as he licked him or stroked him. He loved knowing that he could make the white dragon squirm. Now… Seto probably wouldn't let him even if he saw that he wanted to.

He was such a fool.

Scampering after him, he wrapped his tail around the brunet's and nuzzled into his shoulder. "Seto, please—let's talk about this—"

"You could have just told me I didn't do enough for you," Seto growled, trying to twist his tail free. "I would have found some way to help you."

"You don't need to find a way, Seto! Ya already know! Ya just won't do it!" Joey exclaimed in frustration. "You know I want ya in me but ya do everything else and pretend ya don't know that I want ya t' pound me into the sheets! So let me make this clear for ya: I want your dick up my ass!"

"I don't want to have sex with you!" the brunet snarled, spinning toward him. He let out a growl as he saw the hurt expression on the younger boy's face and jerked his head away angrily. "…It's not that… It's not that you're not attractive. There are so many times I've wanted to, but I just… I can't… touch you the way you want me to." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "…I try to, but I can't… I just keep remembering the first time and I don't want to hurt you."

The blond reached out to brush his hand against his shoulder timidly. "But… but I could show ya. I could just show ya where you can touch me."

The white dragon let out a high-pitched whine as the blond reached for his hands. "I don't want to hurt you again."

Joey frowned and looked up at him pleadingly. "Seto, ya won't hurt me! Just, please—" He blushed as his stomach suddenly rumbled, voice dying in his throat as the brunet's face twisted into an amused little smile; that sound was definitely not conducive in seducing his mate. "…Don't look at me like that!"

"I believe we should put something in here—" Seto poked the blond's stomach playfully. "Before we even think about putting something anywhere else."

"But—"

Seeing that he wouldn't be swayed that easily, the brunet rolled his eyes. "Joey, you're grumpy when you're hungry. Could you just do me a favor and eat something so you don't end up biting my head off in frustration?"

Joey sighed and leaned his head against his shoulder. "…Fine."

"Thank you." Seto ruffled his hair for a moment before leaning down and placing a kiss on his forehead. "I promise we'll talk after breakfast."

"Okay. …You said you'd let me rub almond oil on you!" the blond exclaimed, smiling up at him brightly. "Remember?"

"That was only if you got back before I got up," the older boy replied, turning to walk away. He waited for a moment, then smirked as his mate let out a frustrated screech.

.-.-.-.-.-.

As soon as Joey had shoved the last of his pancakes into his mouth, he turned and looked at the brunet expectantly. "So?"

"So what? –Oh." Seto frowned and scratched back of his head, then sighed and scooted back from the table, holding out an arm and motioning for his mate to sit in his lap. "Over here."

The blond settled himself on the older boy's lap, then laid his head on his shoulder and sighed. "I love you."

"I love you, too." The white dragon took a few moments to kiss his exposed throat, then leaned their foreheads together, smiling as the blond lifted his head just enough to brush noses with him. "So. Make your case."

"I want ya t' put—" Joey blushed and ducked his head a little. "…I want ya t' use… That is… I need more than your mouth and hands. I like when ya use your mouth and hands!" he added quickly when he saw the brunet frown. "It's just… it's just not enough sometimes." He ducked his head again in shame. "I know ya don't wanna. I get that. But… but I need more!"

Seto lifted a hand to begin carding his fingers through the younger boy's hair, then hugged him tightly, sighing in frustration. "I want to touch you. I want to be inside you. But every time I try, my body just freezes up, and I don't know whether I'm allowed to touch you that way or not. I've never seen mates intimate with each other and my parents weren't alive long enough to teach me those things. I know you like it when I stroke you and use my mouth, but… but I don't know what else I can do, considering that I forced myself on you the first time and you refused to have anything to do with me."

Joey nuzzled his neck quickly, mewing as he pressed little kisses against his jaw. "Oh, Seto! You can do anything ya want t' me!" When the brunet let out a confused rumble, he sighed and laid his head on his shoulder again. "Do ya want me t' show ya where you're allowed t' touch me?" He smiled as the older boy nodded and kissed his cheek. "I'll show ya tonight when we go t' bed. You can show me where you think you're allowed t' touch me, and then I'll show ya where if I think ya missed some spots, okay?"

The brunet nodded again and held him tighter. "I just don't want you mad at me again. I don't think I could go through that pain a second time—especially after knowing what it feels like to have you love me back. Don't make me go through that again, Joey."

Flinching at the reminder of his own cruelty, the younger boy began to nuzzle the white dragon's neck and pet his shoulders and chest. "I'm sorry, Seto. I didn't mean t' hurt ya. I'm sorry." He whined when the brunet grabbed one of his hands and began kissing it, then lifted his face to place little kisses along his jaw and chin.

Eventually, their lips met, and Joey gently stroked the brunet's cheek as he slid his tongue into his mouth. "Mm…" He squeaked quietly as the older boy held him tightly, as if afraid he might run away, then whined into the white dragon's mouth before breaking the kiss. "I'm not gonna go anywhere. I promise, Seto. You're my Other."

Seto rumbled quietly, brows furrowing together, then hugged him again and nuzzled his stomach. "I'm just so afraid you'll hate me again if I do the wrong thing. I don't want you to hate me. You smile at me and you kiss me and touch me and I like it. No one else has ever made me feel as loved as you do. Don't take it away. I think I might die."

The blond whined quietly, tail twitching. His mate was still terrified that he'd leave him… He'd been hurt too badly in the past to trust his words completely, no matter how much he wanted to. "Seto, please believe me. I wouldn't ever hate you like that again—"

The older boy let out a pained roar as the blond's tail scraped across his lower leg when it began waving more violently in agitation. "Son of a bitch! WHY ARE YOUR SCALES SO DRY?"

Joey looked down at his leg and winced as he saw the bloody scratches. "I don't know—I try t' keep 'em lotioned up—"

"They're so pretty but they're so painful!"

"Seto I'm so sorry!" the blond exclaimed, covering his cheeks in embarrassment. "I-I don't mean to! I'll go ask Yug' for somethin', okay? Just—just calm down!"

"Ra. It must be something with the climate…" Seto sighed loudly, then frowned, reaching out to grasp the younger boy's shoulders. "I know you don't mean to do it, Joey. I'm sorry I got so mad." He brushed his thumbs up the blond's neck and sighed. "It must be that it's not as humid up here. I'm sorry I yelled. It just… really hurts when my skin is grated off."

"I'm so sorry!" Joey repeated, covering his face. "I don't mean to! I'm so sorry!"

The brunet growled quietly in frustration. "Stop apologizing. It's not your fault that your scales dry out quickly."

"It's just—It's just that ya do so much to make sure they don't dry out and stay healthy and then I just hurt ya with 'em!"

"…You don't mean to, though, Joey, and that makes it okay." Seto slid his hand down the blond's tail a few times, then looked up at him and frowned, biting his bottom lip. "…If you… want… I'll let you rub your almond oil on me after I lotion up your tail."

"Really?" Joey squealed, looking up at him and clasping his hands together in delight. "You'd really let me rub almond oil on ya?"

The brunet had a feeling he'd really regret this, all of the sudden. "…Yes…?"

"Oh, Seto, you'll love it, I promise!" The black dragon rubbed up against him and cooed. "I'll make it so good for you!"

"…Oh… Goodie…" Seto sighed and turned his gaze away. "I suppose that's fair. I won't promise I'll like it, but I'll promise not to squirm too much."

Joey frowned at him and tilted his head. "…Why are ya so against me rubbin' oil on ya? Ya rub lotion on me all the time—'nd not just my scales."

"…Nobody… ever… just touched me, growing up. Mokuba was always so active, running around everywhere and traveling with my parents so much… And my parents were gone so often, too, that I can barely remember being held and hugged and kissed." The brunet closed his eyes and leaned his head against the smaller teen's shoulder. "During challenges for my treasure, the only touches I got were painful. And then after the challenges, the people trying to become my mate only touched me because they wanted something from me. If I let you touch me like that, I… I don't know what it means."

The blond sighed and began to stroke his hair. "Oh, Seto… It doesn't mean anything but 'I love you.'" He paused to nuzzle his ear. "Just like when ya rub lotion on me. Ya don't hafta, and I don't need ya to 'cause I can do it myself and you know it; ya do it anyway because ya want to. I just wanna do the same thing for you."

Seto looked up at him skeptically, then slowly nodded his head. "All right. …I'll try… not to act like too much of a kit."

"Aw, but you're so cute when you squirm…" Joey cooed, pinching his cheek playfully, only to let out a startled yelp as the brunet slapped his ass with his tail. "Ack!"

The older boy scowled at him. "Sometimes, Joey, you just ask for it."

"Nyooo! So mean!" the blond mewed, rubbing the spot that the ribbed tail had slapped.