A/N: So first things first: I really, really have to thank all the wonderful and loyal readers. Especially the ones who send me 'update please' after I've been kind of...not writing for a while.

You guys are the kind of readers that make me really excited. Because to me it means that there is someone out there waiting. So thank you so so much for supporting this story, and waiting every so patiently. You guys are the best, and I would give you all the cookies in the world if that was possible. Really.

Now, I have an update. Isn't that so amazing. I will work on this story as quick as I possibly can, but working 50 hrs a week doesn't always leave time...I sleep a lot. X3...But I will do my best, because I know there are people out there waiting.

Once again, with all my heart, thank you so very much for being loyal.

Without further ado:

Chapter 23.

It hardly surprised Jou that, when he woke up, Kaiba's side of the bed was empty. He got up, picking his underwear up off of the floor and pulling them on. Momentarily, he peeked into the master bathroom, but it was empty. He hoped Kaiba hadn't gone to work.

As he walked, he had no real destination through the austere halls. All of his brainpower was focused on thinking of the night before. Jou tilted his head back, feeling the pull at the base of his neck where Kaiba had yanked with force great enough to have likely taken a handful of blond hairs with him.

Even if Jou hadn't taken the brunt of the force, his body was still racked from aches and pains. He wasn't sure if it was from the beatings he had taken, or the sex from the night before. As he considered both, he found it almost laughable that he was unable to distinguish one pain from the other. Wobbling his feet over each other, he had to stop, lightheaded, and lean against the corner where the hall met a room. In the distance, he could a short exchange of voices.

"…please, Kaiba-san, if you would be so kind…"

It was a voice that was faintly recognizable. Jou stepped out, but realized that he was still in his underwear and hardly presentable for whatever it was that Kaiba was doing. Turning back, he went into the room that he called home over the weeks and grabbed clothes off the bed that had been freshly laundered.

Rushing through the halls, Jou nearly tripped over his jeans as he tried to hop into them and fasten them while he went. Turning a corner, he stopped short of ramming into a maid. The voice was coming back into range.

"It does seem like you have an ample amount of service help."

"I am away. Things fall to the wayside." Finally, he heard Kaiba's voice. It made blood rush into Jou's ears.

"Though the living conditions are a part of this, I am more concerned about his well-being, you do understand?"

The voices drew closer, and Jou could hear the gentle 'click, click, click' of the crutches as Kaiba tottered along, paced, likely trying to stay ahead of the social worker. Jou remembered meeting her. What was her name?

"So am I." He replied.

The noises stopped, and Jou could see their shadows where they had stopped just short of the hall. Instinct told him to press against the wall. "What's down this way?" she asked.

"Bedrooms. Mine, and two guest, one of which is occupied."

"By whom?"

"Katsuya Jounouchi." For the most part, Kaiba was clipped in his tone. He shared enough of a polite voice to not come off as cross, but there was not an ounce of pleasure in any of his words.

"And who is he?" she asked.

"I prefer not to say," Kaiba said. There was silence, but Jou's heart rate plummeted. Preferred not to say? What did that mean exactly? Parting his lips, Jou almost yelled out loud, but couldn't muster the voice. All of the air was taken out of him, like he had been socked in the gut.

"If there's something you're…private about, Kaiba-san, I understand. But understand, in turn, that much of this is important to the prefecture's decision about Mokuba-chan."

There was an impressive silence, and ice seemed to grow from the floors. Before letting his blood pressure plummet any further, Jou listened intently.

"You are correct. My life is mine; it is private. But let me tell you, that I am not refraining from some sordid secret. If there was something hiding in my home that could harm Mokuba, then I would take him from this place. You're looking for the negatives; there are none."

There was a pregnant pause. "Kaiba-san, I'm trying to make this simple."

"I find that hard to believe." He sneered. "Katsuya Jounouchi is my nurse; I admit that I am not in full health."

"What kind of nurse?" she asked, void of tone.

"The aiding kind," Kaiba replied, sarcasm dripping like acid from his tongue. They started walking again, going past the bedroom and down the hall the curled over into the parlor and towards the upstairs. That was when Jou decided to show himself for the first time.

For several yards, Jou was following the pair into the parlor, but he noticed where the woman had stopped and was looking up the stairs. She marked something on her clipboard, giving a curt bow to Kaiba. "Thank you for your time, Kaiba-san. We will be in touch with you shortly after the determination is made."

Kaiba was erect and wordless, but his eyes followed the woman as she walked out the door. "I can hear you."

"I know," Jou said. "I wasn't tryin' ta hide."

Kaiba's shoulders dropped the slightest. "I'm surprised you're up."

"Yeah well...can't sleep all day." Jou said, walking closer to where Kaiba was standing, watching the front door like he was expecting someone else to come through. "Moki at school?"

"Yes," Kaiba was curt, going over to a couch and sitting. "A wonderful time for a social worker to drop by."

"What? She not believe you?" Jou asked. He sat down across from Kaiba.

"She believed me." Jou tilted his head to the side, knowing the Kaiba was looking beyond to the door. "Say whatever it is you want to say."

"No," Jou said. "I don't want us ta argue."

"We won't."

Jou chortled. "Yeah…right. That's all the fuck we know how ta do."

Kaiba rolled his eyes and grabbed the crutches, standing up again. "That's not all we know how to do Jou…" he seemed dangerous and just a bit smoldering at the same time. The blonde felt his cheeks go hot.

"Kaib'…"

The CEO started tottering away from the door. "Are you offended by what I said?"

"Why do you care?" Jou asked. He had hopped up from the couch and was following Kaiba now, acutely aware that the CEO was making up for all the time he was immobile by doing his stuttered pacing on the crutches. "What the hell's it matter...?"

"Because I'm supposed to," Kaiba said, and drew in a deep breath, holding it.

It made Jou take a step back. "Who the hell are you and what did you do to my boyfriend?"

Kaiba let out a signature smirk before turning away and tottering on. Without any words to back it up, Jou was left to shuffle and stumble to catch up to Kaiba once that whole situation sank in. Before he knew it, they were standing in the kitchen for no more reason than it was a different place in the house.

"Is there…something you want to talk about?" Jou asked. He was keeping a steady distance from Kaiba, as though if he got closer, he would make the CEO run away.

"Mokuba." He said. "I don't know what to do about Mokuba."

Jou cocked a brow. "What's that mean?"

"He's been at the side of all this," Kaiba said, tottering up to a window and gazing out, looking at the backyard ever so pensively. "He told me something a while back…I'm just getting it now."

"What's that?"

After several tense moments of silence, Kaiba lowered his chin to his chest. "Nothing. It doesn't matter."

"Kaib'…c'mon, I know you ain't into the whole openin' up thing, but ya can trust me; I've seen ya at yer worst…this ain't nothin'."

Before Jou had finished his sentence, Kaiba was already shaking his hair, a small air of laughter coming from his lungs, however morose it sounded. Jou didn't like where this was going—and he was confident that it was going to start an argument.

"You've never seen me at my worst. You couldn't imagine what it's like to just…tremble every day, while hiding it behind a straight spine."

Jou got in close, in case Kaiba was cracking up again; in case this was something that he could stop and calm. He was trying to think of what to say, his hand extended.

"I know life ain't dealt ya an' easy hand. That's what I'm here for…'cause I care about your feelings too, believe it or not. I'm here ta help whatever ya need."

It seemed to quell the oncoming tirade, and Kaiba took in a deep breath once again. "Well said."

Jou shrugged. "I come up with a few gems e'ery now an' then. But I ain't jokin'. Ya need me, I'm there. I know ya got my number."

The brunet was leaning against the island, the crutches to the side. From behind, Jou came up and rested his hand on Kaiba's, being as affectionate as he could for what Kaiba needed. "I think that may be why I love ya," he said. "Right? 'Cause I'm about the only person with a thick enough skull ta deal with all your stuff."

"Don't push it, pup."

Jou snickered. "Ya know what…? Shush." His fingers slipped between Kaiba's and they were holding hand, squeezing. "An' I don't care what ya tell other people we are neither. Jus' as long as you can look me in the face and tell me what we really are. That sound fair?"

"It does. But I'd like to amend it," Kaiba said. When he turned and looked out of the corner of his eye, he could see where he had caught Jou off guard. The blonde's eyes were wider, and his expression was almost blank. "We've been dancing around this all too long."

"What's that mean?"

"All the media…"he said. "All the things that my assistant was leaking."

"Kaib'…that's kind of irrational. Look, we don't gotta do somethin' like this. It won't change anything."

Sighing, Kaiba leaned further against the counter, releasing Jou's hand. "This is something that has been coming for some time now. I'm the only one that's holding it up."

"Not only you!" Jou said. "Me too!"

Kaiba bit his lip and seemed to sink lower, almost pressing against the island and flattening out. He still wasn't fully himself, Jou surmised, and that was part of why he was being so protective. Part of Kaiba was still missing. As if the CEO were simply looking in a mirror and copying what he saw. "Jou…"

"Listen to me…"Jou said. "This ain't nothin' we gotta be mixed up in. I'm okay if that means tellin' people I'm a…fuckin' live-in nurse, a body-guard, a chew toy. Whatever the hell you have ta tell'm so they'll leave us alone. I know you better'n this Kaib'. There ain't no way I'm letting you run ta the press."

Kaiba's hands formed fists, and he raised them as though ready to slam them on the counter top, but his hands were shaking. All he could hear was Yami's voice in his ear, again and again, like a demented mantra:

Admit to yourself what you are. Admit to yourself what you are. Admit to yourself what you are.

Why was it that no matter how many times he told himself he had feelings for Jou, that he had lusts for Jou, that he could tell deep within himself that he was not out there looking for some heiress, but someone like Jou that filled his opposite, that understood him in the strangest ways. Someone who was masculine enough to take what he dished out, and then dish it right back in their face? Why couldn't he feel any different?

That was why it made sense to him. That was why he was feeling better simply at the notion that the rest of the world was aware of what he knew deep down.

"You don't understand what it will mean."

"That yer givin' in?" Jou asked.

Kaiba closed his eyes, frustrated. "Forget it; it can't be explained."

And at that, Jou gave up. His shoulders dropped, and his mouth curved into a larger frown the longer that he looked at Kaiba. Just like he was ready to punch Kaiba square in the face, and was holding it back with every ounce of his being.

"Yer sellin' yerself out," he said. He walked away from Kaiba after that, disappearing into the bowels of the house, cursing himself for running away. They were right at that tipping point again; he couldn't risk them arguing, or Kaiba having any sort of relapse.

It had been three hours, and Kaiba hadn't moved.

Once he got himself on the couch, he hadn't moved from his place except to pull out his phone and stare at it. Just a piece of machinery, that connected him to the one thing that could make his whole plan possible. Three missed calls in that time—even more texts. Now that his staff knew he could be contacted, they weren't afraid to call the line.

Was he cracking up again? Was that it? No. He could still move his body. He could still flinch his fingers along the edges of his phone.

When Kaiba started searching through the contacts, his finger hovered over the name of his PR woman, but only hovered, never touching it. The door opened. The distraction was exactly what he wanted. Setting the phone on the table, Kaiba heaved himself up with one crutch and limped towards the door. Mokuba closed the door.

"Oh…hey nii-sama. How are you?"

"I'm fine."

Mokuba shrugged off his bag and set it on the floor. He pulled off his shoes, and started to unbutton his uniform. "That's cool. Have you been to work today?"

"No…I've been settling other matters."

"Good…'cause I was about to go. I just wanted to change."

Kaiba stepped closer. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask Mokuba what he thought about all of this. His little brother would have the best insight on this situation. Then, he thought about how tentative Mokuba had been when Kaiba told him how he felt about Jou. It also made him recall telling Mokuba that he had no interest in making it any kind of PR campaign.

"Is something wrong, nii-sama?"

"No." Kaiba nodded, but thought of something else to say. "I think you shouldn't go to work. Go relax."

Mokuba gave his brother a look of confusion. "Nii-sama…someone's gotta stay on top of it."

"I've been handling it," Kaiba said, interrupting his brother. "You've been at this too much; it's too much pressure on your just yet."

Mokuba shrugged. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Kaiba nodded, looking back down to his phone. "I've been getting calls all day. I'll be going in tomorrow for a few hours."

The raven haired boy came up to his brother, staring at him for a few moments, and then suddenly hugged around him. He was very tight, as if Kaiba had been called for a draft and he was afraid that his brother was never coming home. Kaiba set his chin on Mokuba's head, sighing and rubbing the boy's back.

"I'm going to go work on homework," he said, pulling away. There was a small grin on the boy's face. The same kind of grin that Kaiba remembered when Mokuba was small and his eyes would get wide, his little fists clenched.

Shortly after, Mokuba ran off and up the stairs.

All the while, Jou had been busying himself, mostly tidying up and pacing to himself about everything. How he was supposed to approach Kaiba again? The last thing he needed to do was be a prick. Really, all Kaiba was saying that instead of being pestered to death about their relationship…they were going to be pestered to death about their relationship. Which was about where his thought process stopped.

He was in luck; the phone decided to ring.

"Moshi moshi." Jou had reduced to just pacing. "Hey Mai."

"Hey Jou. How are things?"

"Same as usual," he said. "This and that, you know." Mai gave an indistinguishable noise.

"Not what I was hoping to hear," she said. "I've seen enough TV to figure that after prison you two would end up doing the dirty."

Even though she couldn't see, Jou ducked his head to hide the blush. "Mai…! If that's all you wanted, I'm hangin' up."

"Jou! Don't be so embarrassed. It's healthy," she said, reassuring. "Besides, no, that's not all I wanted to know. I didn't want to know anything. Just making sure you were okay."

"Not much has changed, alright?" Jou said. "Kaib' sees it one way, I see it the other…'cept now we're on different sides."

Mai was quiet. "How do you mean?"

"He used to be all hush hush about this shit. Now he wants everyone to know. Thinks that'll make him feel better or somethin'. Like that's gonna work. I can see the psych ward in the future." He finally sat down on the bed, his foot hopping against the ground. "I dunno what to do."

"And you think it'll be okay to not let anyone know?"

"I think Kaib' doesn't realize that he's still a few marbles short," Jou expressed, leaning forward. "I don't wanna think 'a him like that, but it's true. He's still kinda…quiet but he ain't thinkin', just starin'. He's havin' these like…episodes…panic attacks…whatever they are. He's gonna go over the edge."

"Don't you think that you're being a bit too protective?"

Jou sighed. "Geez, back to the bad guy thing. I don't do somethin', I wanna do somethin'. I don't know what there is to do anymore…"

"Hun," Mai had quieted to a soft, mothering tone. He could almost feel her arm draped over his shoulders. "You're doing your best. But you have to trust him. That's part of the relationship."

"So is compromise!" he argued. "Ain't it! That's what all the chick flicks say."

"Jou, I'm giving you what I've got. Take it from someone whose had a lot of fucked up boyfriends, okay?" she said. "If you don't want my opinion, then we'll talk about something else."

Jou pinched his lips and sighed. "Sorry Mai."

"It's okay."

"So…what?" he asked, and started biting at his nails.

"Focus on being a couple. Do that kind of thing. Go to a movie…have a game night. Don't worry about what to call it, just you know, enjoy the relationship. He wants to define it, you don't. Eventually, if you treat it like what it is, then it'll become that."

"Yeah…but finding somethin' ta do with him…"

"That's where the compromise comes in. And if he wants to say to people 'hey look at this' then you guys'll go out to dinner."

Jou nodded, but was biting his lip thinking that while she was smart about it, he was perfectly afraid of any of that. And now that he thought about it, what could he do together with Kaiba? Because so far the only thing they had down was the sex, and that wasn't exactly a consistent facet.

"Okay. Thanks so much Mai."

Mai was laughing, softly, and before Jou could ask why she said: "Why don't me and you hang out a few nights from now? Maybe bring Anzu or Shizuka. We could make it a girls' night."

"Hey!" he was blushing again. Mai's laughter increased ten-fold. And then Jou started to laugh a little bit too.

"See, there you go. That's what I want to hear out of you. Now, yes or no?"

"Mai…"

"Never mind, I've decided. Two days from now…I'll pick you up, alright?"

"Yeah…"Jou said, knowing that no matter what he said, he really wasn't going to have a choice. "Yeah, sure. But I'm going to like it."

"Well think of it like this: two lovely ladies on your arm. Everyone will be envious."

They both laughed at it, and said good-bye. Once those were finished, Jou sat simmering on the information before going back downstairs and finding Kaiba in the kitchen, sitting at the table with his laptop open. The phone was also on speaker, and he listened as another man was talking to Kaiba. He didn't say a word, only sat down adjacent to the brunet and laid his hand over top Kaiba's stroking the knuckles.

After talking with Jou, Mai was far from finished. The next part, she figured, was going to take far more finesse than it was to get Jou to agree to something. She'd been friends with Jou for long enough that she could finagle practically anything out of him, but calling Mokuba…that was a completely different story.

She called the next day, feeling almost awkward to be calling the boy even though she had had his cell number since the whole fiasco had started. When he didn't answer, she left a brief message and waited, checking her phone as if she wasn't going to hear it chirp. Almost two hours later, when it rand, she nearly dropped the phone on the floor trying to answer.

"…Mai?"

"Yes, hey, Mokuba," Mai said. She showed her nervousness, tucking a hair behind her ear. "Look, I know this must be strange and I'm going to be as brief as possible."

"Okay…"

"This has to do with your brother and Jou and…"she stopped, listening to where Mokuba almost sounded like he was humming. "Is something the matter?"

"No…not really."

"Mokuba…I know there's been a lot going on. And I promise that this isn't some stupid stunt. It's not going to hurt anyone."

"I want nii-sama happy," Mokuba said. "And to be better."

The words almost stung. Like the idea that maybe Jou wasn't helping as much as she thought he was. "Mokuba," she said his name carefully. "This is just something small. Friends, okay? Me, Yuugi, Yami, Anzu, Honda, all that. I figured you'd want to come over, and I've already talked to Jou, he's going. What do you say?"

It took Mokuba far longer to say 'yeah' or 'nay' than Mai would have liked. "I don't want nii-sama there."

Mai stiffened. "O-okay," she took in a deep breath. "But still, it's friends. Have a little fun, hm?"

"Why hasn't Jou said anything yet?"

"I just sorta started this idea a little bit ago." She said, expecting that to be the explanation. "If you don't want to, it's okay."

"No, it sounds fun. Really seeing everyone again," he said. "It's okay that I leave Seto out of it though. You didn't have any plans?"

"No," Mai said. "I know he's busy all the time anyways. That one was a long shot. But it would be rude not to ask." The longer they were quiet, the more Mai worried about being rejected.

"Okay. So when?"

"Just come by the Kame Game Shop around six tomorrow. If that's doable."

"Yeah…totally. Sounds like fun." Mai was relieved when hearing Mokuba lighten up for the first time in the conversation. "I'll make sure to be there. I'll bring my deck, maybe we can get into a game or something."

"Yeah, sure. Sounds great. I'm gonna get off, can't wait to see you." She said, making herself chipper right before she hung up. After, a heavy sigh washed through her, and her body could feel all the tense pressure that had built up just speaking to Mokuba.

At least the deed was done.

The second night was better. Far better. Even though Kaiba was paranoid and wondering what to do about the media, it didn't seem to deter either of them as they lay in bed, Jou's arms pinned close to his body, hands on Kaiba's hips very gently. The brunt was still trying to catch his breath. His body glistened with sweat in the moonlight; his hair tussled over his forehead.

Kaiba turned to face Jou, looking him in the eyes, the lust still deep in both of them. Their cheeks were red, though it was slowly fading. "I'm…going to do that to you, too."

Jou smirked. "Sure ya are."

They kissed briefly, Kaiba stopping to catch his breath before kissing again. Being tender with Jou was almost forgotten, just because Jou didn't spare any expense in making Kaiba suffer if only because it heightened the pleasure. As they kissed, Jou was rotating his hips against Kaiba slowly, rhythmically, hoping it was only a gentle nudge and Kaiba hardly noticed it. They hadn't gone twice in one night before, and Jou was getting hopeful.

The more he ground, the more he could feel Kaiba getting aroused. Kaiba was doing all the mouth-work, at the very least, and Jou let him have that pleasure. All he was concerned about was getting Kaiba aroused again, and he moved out of Kaiba's range, straddling him, pressing his hips down onto him just enough. Their breathing had straightened out, that was good enough.

Moving back, Jou craned his head down, starting with a kiss just on the tip, seeing what happened. The brunet made no fuss about it, and Jou continued, creeping his tongue up from base to tip. Kaiba was wriggling, making soft grunts that Jou couldn't precisely decipher.

"Jou," he called. "Jou…pup! Stop….stop!"

The iciness in Kaiba's voice made it all cease immediately. Jou pulled up, wanting to look Kaiba in the face, but the CEO had turned over into the pillow. His eyes were closed, and nothing was particularly apparent except for the discomfort.

"What?" Jou asked. "What's the matter? What did I do wrong?"

Through shaky breath, Kaiba said: "Nothing…go to sleep."

"Kaib'…let's just talk about this…"

"Goodnight."

Defeated, Jou got out of the bed and grabbed his underwear. He figured it would be easier not to deal with Kaiba while he was like this.

Now, Jou was almost excited for the next day. He didn't know if it was bad that he wanted to get out of the home and away from Kaiba. Either way, it was happening.

A/N: Lots of shit going down next chapter. Just a warning. But, curious, what do you think Mai's up to, and what do you think is wrong with Kaiba in the end? Well, hope you all in enjoyed.

As always, KenSan out!