20. But you're still hungry

"I really, really hated you. For a long time I hated you with all my heart." The Master crossed his arms and tried unsuccessfully to hold back a pout.

"I am sorry I made you feel like that." B. kissed his hair.

"Now… now we're snuggling like this."

"Yes. I'm glad things change."

"I don't know… I can't remember when I stopped hating you. I was straight, you know. You… you gayed me up!"

"I… gayed you up? Did you sleep with many women before I came along?" B. knew he hadn't.

"I don't… I don't have to sleep with someone to know my sexual orientation!"

"Oh, come now. You were a blank slate; you just didn't know what you wanted yet."

"I didn't want to get my ass fucked, that's for sure!"

"That's a common apprehension with virgins. Now you know how good it is."

The Master sighed. "Has anyone ever won in a discussion with you?"

"Forget about that. Do you believe me then? That you're all I want? That I love you and always have?" B. held one of the Master's hands between both of his while they snuggled, still sleepy.

He pouted again, contemplating his answer. "And I'm probably the biggest idiot in the world for doing so."

B. took the hand to his lips and kissed it. "Not at all. I'll say it until you understand. I loved you ever since I first saw you. Well, actually to be honest I think it was mostly lust at first, but… you're very easy to love, Joey Wheeler."

"Oh, you remember my name then? Never knew that. Alright then." He climbed over B. and kissed his neck. "Explain to me how did this happen."

"Mmm? How what happened?" Uh-oh…

"Yesterday you asked what you'd have to do to make me believe you, and I said there was nothing you could do. Now we're like this?"

B. crossed his hands around the Master's back. "Simple. You were just lying to yourself back then."

"…Maybe. But you did manage to convince me real easy."

"My hands are magical. While I was out, I found an old sage who managed to turn my hands into magical artifacts that would—"

The Master flicked him over the forehead. "Whatever happened to 'I won't lie to you ever again', huh?"

"What? This is true. It's called magical massage. If you don't believe me, turn around and I'll do it again."

"Umm… no. I'll just get all putty again, and I don't like being like that. I mean, I do but I don't, know what I mean?"

"I'd have to say… not at all again."

"It's like… I feel good, but also vulnerable. And I don't like feeling vulnerable."

"I… see." B. was silent for a moment, knowing that was exactly how he made him feel all the time back then, especially when he drugged and cuffed him. He felt deeply ashamed of himself. But still… it was the only way he knew how to keep that person who enticed him so much to himself. "If you want, you can… I mean… you have the right to, er…"

"Get back at you?"

"Well, yes."

The Master stared at B. for a while, then sat back, closing his eyes. "Done it already, haven't I?"

"What, when I got back? Was that enough?"

He thought for a full minute, then sighed. "No. I wanted to kill you for a while." B. just watched him impassively. "Then… then I just wanted to get revenge somehow, to make you go through everything you put me through, but… I felt so empty after I did it, and even… remorseful. And it's not like I haven't treated anyone poorly either, my old gang should know. So no, there's nothing to get back at no more."

B. took one of the Master's hands and kissed the palm. "If that is your wish."

"What I wish right now… is for some fruit tarts. What time is it? Is the cook awake yet?"

"The cook? You mean Tsunami? You used to remember your friends' names, you know."

"What are you bugging me for? I just… haven't spoken to him in a while and kinda forgot. Mako. Mako Tsunami. There."

"It's just… sometimes I think you miss the way things were in the past. I mean, not with us. But with them. I'm sure Muto misses talking to you."

"And why do you care about him all of a sudden?"

"I don't. He's the last person on my concerns list, believe me. I care about you. I just want you to be happy, Puppy."

"Still with the 'Puppy', eh? Do I look that much like a dog to you?"

B. kissed his nose. "Silly. I find puppies the most beautiful creatures in the world. What are you complaining? Dogs are awesome. I wish I could have 20 or 30 of them, but I'm allergic. The irony."

"Okay, okay. And maybe I do miss talking to him. But I can't just change things all of a sudden."

"You could if you wanted to. For instance, answer me this: wouldn't you like to have a clean duel for once? You know, with a regular, odourless deck?" The Master turned red, and B. couldn't figure out if he was embarrassed, angry or something else. "Oh. Is it taboo to talk about this? But I still think you would."

"You don't fear me at all, do you?"

"No. Not even a little bit. Because whatever you would ever want to do with me, I'd blindly accept it. I trust you. Well? What do you say? How about giving Mr. Fudo a fighting chance? He doesn't exactly seem like a good player."

"…I'll think about it."

"Wonderful! Now… there's one more thing I want to know."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Please, please, please don't bite your tongue. Do you love me?"

He didn't bite his tongue, but clenched his teeth as hard as he could. But the words still wanted to escape in some way. Before he could make himself pass out somehow, his head was nodding a 'yes'.

B. promptly hugged and kissed him. "Me too, I love you too; don't forget that, please."

"Why? What's going on?"

He got up from the bed, stepped away from the Master and took a deep breath. "Alright. Now this is the part where you get mad at me again. But please listen until the end before you kick me out."

The Master's eyes were already deadly serious. He learned it from the master after all, no pun intended.

"First of all, nothing that was said here this morning and last night were lies. You said it yourself, you had to physically stop yourself from speaking. And for that I apologize again. So everything you said, you really meant it. But bear in mind that I also didn't tell any lies. I do love you, I do trust you and my hands are indeed magical. Even if the sage was just an old fool, that's what he told me it was called. I had to do this or you wouldn't believe me, nor would you admit that you feel the same way. Think back to all we've talked about and remember it was all true. And also remember I told you everything. I used a device that not only made us incapable of lying, it also made us more compliant to say what we wanted to say, but couldn't or didn't for whatever reason."

"Where is it?"

"Taped behind the closet."

The Master dragged the closet and found the intricate device. It looked like two weird machines hooked together, full of wires sticking out and a bit of adhesive tape over a button. He instantly crushed it in his hands.

I hope Nice Me forgives me for this one.

"Is there anything more?"

"Please don't take too long to forgive me 'cause you know I can't live without you."

"Get out."

He did so, the tranquil fury in the Master's eyes much more unsettling than any stage of anger he'd ever witnessed.

B. leaned against the wall outside the room and slid to the floor, sighing. Well, it had to be done.

Yugi thought maybe he could get a decent paying job somewhere else; he didn't really have to stay there, did he? If he talked to the Master maybe he could get him to relieve him of his duties, in name of their old friendship. Yeah, he would do that later. For now, he had to take it like any other day.

"For god's sake. Put some clothes on, Kaiba."

oOo

Kaiba shook Joey. "Wake up. Play with me."

For once, Joey didn't seem to be having an inappropriate nightmare. "You know, that's a pretty excellent way to start the day."

"We're playing… 'Unstrip Poker'."

"Awesome! Wait, what? I thought you said… but you said…"

Kaiba ran a hand seductively along Joey's thigh. "Are you wearing any clothes? No. How could we play Strip Poker?"

"Yeah, but we—"

"Whoever wins, puts on an item of clothing."

Joey puffed. "That don't sound like much fun." He pulled Kaiba towards himself. "You're naked. Why would I want you to put clothes on?"

Kaiba started kissing Joey's neck and chest, then he got up and picked up the deck from a desk. "Well, if you want me to continue that way, you better win then."

Ten minutes later, Kaiba was fully clothed, wig and shades included, and Joey was still completely naked. "Geh— why can't I beat you?"

"Because I'm a better player."

"Snarky bastard."

"Don't insult me when you know it's the truth. Besides, for what it's worth… you're better than yesterday." He gathered the cards from the bed.

"Er… thanks. So, you think I can beat him?" Joey started putting his clothes on to get ready for breakfast.

Kaiba hesitated for a moment. "…You're better than yesterday." Joey let out a loud indignation noise. "You don't know how to bluff and you rely too much on luck."

"What, you saying you can read my poker face?" He was smirking now.

"Wheeler, the day you have a poker face is the day I lose to you. In either Poker or Duel Monsters."

oOo

The Master didn't join them for breakfast that morning, and B. was acting strange. It was almost like he was… sulking, which was very uncharacteristic.

Kaiba couldn't help bugging him. "What is it, trouble in paradise?"

"Agh, I hate it when you're snarkier than me."

"Why is everyone calling me that today?"

"I uh… accidentally got your lie detector broken. Destroyed actually."

"I didn't even know you had it." He just shrugged. "Whatever, if I need it I'll just make another one. What happened, you got the Master angry or something?"

B. sighed and got up from his chair. "Well, I'm glad you're not mad. Now excuse me, I have to… be wherever." He left the table, while Joey and Kaiba watched him, puzzled.

"What the hell?"

TBC

+ R.I.P Lie Detector and The Moe Machine of Dreams. We're all saddened at the loss.

+ Er… in case I didn't make it clear, B. linked the two gadgets and transformed them in… that thingy he said.

+ I don't know if there's such a thing as a magical massage. But I'd be pretty happy if there was.

+ I've already written some of the next chapter and will try to post it next weekend. I'm sorry it's taking so long, but there's like only four left, so bare with me. Thanks so much everyone for your support so far!