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I Know You're Out There Somewhere	By : Firewing Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3536 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh!, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 22
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- 24
Chapter 23 The Secret of Your Beauty

Disclaimer: All I own is the plot�.
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Seto and Joey bombed out at the first couple of furniture stores they went to. The salespeople seemed to be of the rather mundane opinion that a bed was a bed. The third store they went to only sold bedroom furniture. Instinctively both teens knew that this would be their bed and that it should be something special. The salesman showed them around asking Seto what they were looking for. Seto shrugged lost in watching his Jou-pup bounce from one bed to the next.
�He does realize that the mattress and bed frame are sold as separate units, doesn�t he?�

The salesman frowned.
The puppy bounded back. �Seto, you have to check this out!�
Jou grabbed Seto by the sleeve of his blue trench coat yanking him forward so hard that the tall brunette stumbled. �Did you have a bowl of sugar for breakfast, Jou?� The bemused CEO asked.
�Check it out.� Jou said waving his hand toward the bed.
The cherry wood bed was a sight to behold. A clear high gloss varnish accentuated the natural deep red tones of the wood. Queen size with a twelve-drawer underbed dresser, a simple curved headboard had a winged heart carved into it, each corner of the bed rose into a squared off column to a mirror tiled canopy fitted with green velvet bed curtains.
Seto gaped at it and licked his lips. �We�ll take it.�
�It is a fine bed, sir, but very expensive.� The salesman warned.
Joey was bouncing on his knees in the center of the bed rumpling the quilted green velvet bedspread.
Kaiba handed the salesman a credit card and a business card. �Have it delivered to this address by 3 p.m. and there will be a bonus in it for you. My housekeeper will tell your delivery people where to set it up. We�ll take the mattress, bedspread, and curtains as well.�
The salesman looked at the credit card and then at the young man in front of him. �Yes, Mr. Kaiba, sir.� He squeaked and ran off to make the arrangements.
�Come on, Jou, we need to get some sheets for this monstrosity of yours and have them delivered with it.�
��..
They stopped at the same pizzeria Jou had taken Mokuba to the week before.
�What are you going to do about Pegasus?� Seto asked as they waited for their order.
Joey had known this was coming, but he would willingly admit to being utterly clueless on the subject of Pegasus. He was afraid that Seto wanted him to choose one billionaire or the other and he wasn�t sure he could do that.
�I don�t know.� He said after a long moment.
Seto sighed. �He found out you were his son a few days after the fire. He wants you to contact him. Jou, do you understand what this means? You are the heir of a nearly limitless fortune. You could eventually become the president of Industrial Illusions, create your own duel monsters, and own the game itself. Our relationship�it can�t really go any further until we work this out.�
Joey looked at him like he�d never seen the strange boy before and realized they didn�t really know each other that well even now. Their outlooks on life were so completely opposite. How could they ever hope to connect? Seto saw things in terms of dollar signs and concrete while Joey saw his life in terms of the faces who populated it-good and bad, those who were MIA and those he hoped would stay a lifetime.
�Do you really think any of that matters to me, Seto? Do you?� Joey hissed.
�No, actually, I don�t. But you don�t need me, Jou.� Seto sank against the back of the booth resigned.
�Who said I ever did?� Joey retorted.
This up and down crap of Jou�s was really starting to get to Seto. He really wished the blond would make up his mind about them and stick to it. Hurt and confused, all Seto wanted to do was walk away.
�No one.� He said in an oddly flat tone.
Joey reached under the table and put a hand on Seto�s knee. He leaned in as close to him as he could. �I want you, Seto, more than I�ve ever wanted anything in my life.�
Seto took Joey�s hand under the table. He felt impatient, wishing they were alone. He groaned a little in frustration. �Well, Puppy, I need you.�
Jou grinned. �Talk like that could get you molested in a public place. What happened to that celibacy agreement?�
�Aren�t we off the subject?�
�The subject of you spending the night with me in my pretty new bed?�
�Jou!� Seto could feel the heat rising in his cheeks.
The waitress brought the pizza, gave Seto a funny look, and left.
�What do you want me to do about Pegasus?� Jou asked with a smirk gracing his features. He was trying to be serious, but it wasn�t easy. Seto with a blush was more tempting than any pizza.
�I can�t help you make this decision, Jou.�
Joey took a bite out of a jumbo slice of pizza, eating it crust first. He wasn�t happy. Seto was pressing him for a decision on an issue he�d rammed down Jou�s throat in the first place. Every time he thought about it he got angry. It distracted him from thinking about the Pegasus situation clearly. Maybe his anger at Seto was causing him to avoid the real problem, but he still didn�t understand what the big rush was about. �Seto, I don�t get it. Why are you pushing this?�
Seto sighed. �I had a meeting with Pegasus shortly after I became CEO of Kaiba Corp. A couple years before that Pegasus approached my adoptive father about holographic technology for Duel Monsters. Gozaburo wasn�t the least bit interested, but I was. So Pegasus and I met again. I was fifteen at the time and trying to prove myself both to Kaiba Corp�s board of directors and the big shots of business. Pegasus gave me a chance. He wanted a demonstration of the holographic technology I had been working on for Gozaburo�s war toys. I obliged him. He challenged me to my first duel and walked me through the game step by step. He was incredible and I was instantly hooked on the game. Pegasus was my Duel Monsters mentor, Jou.� He paused and took a drink of water before going on. �But I could never bring myself to trust him. After I was world champion, Pegasus made a proposition to me of consolidating our two companies into one. My instincts were proven correct. He wanted to take over Kaiba Corp. I thought he saw me as an equal, but what he really saw was an easy mark. I refused him and then he tried to take Kaiba Corp by force by using Mokuba. He�s inhumanly cruel. But then you know that, Jou.�
Joey was silent. He thought of Pegasus� journal, of Cecelia, his young mother who was forever lost to him. Pegasus kept his true motives well hidden, but through his journal Jou had gotten a glimpse of a side of the man that few had likely seen. He thought about what Seto had just told him and the events of the Duelist Kingdom Tournament.
�Why is it so important to you that I make a decision about Pegasus now? I know I�m going to want to see him and talk to him eventually, but you act like it�s a matter of life and death.� Joey watched as Seto leaned back into the booth again with his eyes closed attempting to arrange his features into an �I don�t give a damn� expression. �You want me to choose him or you, don�t you, Seto?�
Seto said nothing, but his eyes bored into Jou�s like icicle spears, uncompromising and self-defeated. Joey thought he was going to be sick. �Uh, I�ll be right back.�
He headed for the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. Kaiba didn�t own him, neither did Pegasus. He was not property. His heart would be neither bought nor sold. A month ago, his biggest problem was worrying about when he would get to see his sister again. Man, he needed to see her now. He left the bathroom, snared a pay phone, and had the charges put on his debit card.
�Hello?�
�Hi, sis.� Joey grinned.
�Joey!� Serenity yelled. �How are you, big brother?�
�Oh, I�m okay.�
�You don�t sound okay.�
�Hey, I just wanted to hear your voice. Couldn�t wait another week I guess.�
She giggled. �I can hardly wait, Joey! We are going to have the best time. Nothing but sand, surf and sun.�
�And Tristan?�
�Well�that is kind of a bonus, huh?�
Joey could almost see her blushing cutely. Hearing how excited she was had done the trick. He had to get his idiot genius to see sense. He grinned like a fool, happy again. �Hey, sis, I gotta go, but I�ll see you in a week. Thanks for everything.�
�Okay, Joey.� She sounded puzzled. �I don�t know what I did, but you�re welcome. I love you, big brother.�
�Love ya, sis.� He hung up and headed back to his stony-faced seahorse who eyed him warily.
�What would you do if something happened to Mokuba?� Jou asked as he sat down.
�Why?� Seto snarled giving Joey his infamous death glare.
�If he died and you thought it was within your power to restore his life, would you do it?�

Joey was certain he knew the answer, after all that Seto had done to keep his brother safe.
�Yes.� The blue-eyed dragon master never hesitated, didn�t blink, didn�t have to think about it.
�Pegasus didn�t want Kaiba Corp, Seto. I think he tried to ask for your help and when you refused he resorted to other means.� Joey started tentatively feeling his way. He wasn�t too sure how he felt about Pegasus being his father, but if he was going to keep his options open he needed to get Seto to see Pegasus� true motives.
�You�re defending that soul-stealing, brother-snatching, company-grabbing crook!? How can after everything he did to Yugi? After everything he did to me? He gave you up! Abandoned you as if you were�you were�a dog!� Seto spat out.
Joey choked on his Coke, it fizzed up his nose and sprayed out over the leftover pizza as he snorted. He couldn�t help but laugh at the last part of Seto�s outburst. As soon as Seto was sure Jou wasn�t dying, he started to chuckle a little too, realizing how absurd what he had said was considering his and Jou�s history.
�Will you listen to me, Seto, and try to keep an open mind?� Seto nodded and felt the brink of disaster recede from him a little. �After Yugi won the Duelist Kingdom Tournament, Tea found Pegasus� journal. It explained everything he was trying to do. He thought he could bring my mother back to life.�
Seto�s eyes went wide in disbelief. �That�s insane, Jou.�
�Maybe.� Joey agreed. �But you just told me yourself you would do the same thing.�
Seto scowled. Joey had a point. �How did he intend to pull this off?�
�He wanted you to create a solid holographic body for her. He thought with enough power he could restore her soul with the Millennium Eye. He probably thought if he told you what he was really trying to do you would refuse.�
�And he would have been right. So what do you want to do about Pegasus?� Seto persisted.
�Man, you�ve gotta be the most hard-headed person I know!� Jou complained.
Seto raised an eyebrow. �The pot is calling the kettle black.�
Joey stuck his tongue out at his guardian. �We�re going to get Serenity next Saturday right? Maybe we could invite Pegasus to the mansion Friday for supper?�
Compromise was not going to come easy for the CEO. �You really believe it is possible for the three of us to coexist in peace?�
�Won�t know unless we try.� Jou smiled.
�I�ll call him as soon as we get home.� Seto agreed reluctantly.
�Oh, Seto, you�re the best big brother ever!� Joey exclaimed, doing his best Mokuba impression.
Blue eyes widened in horror at the implications of that. �I am not your brother!�
�Then what are you?� Joey teased loving his newfound ability to fluster the Ice Man.
��..
Jou insisted on doing a little quick shopping before returning to the mansion. When they got back to the estate, Joey drove around to the garage. He had to exercise every molecule of self-control he had to keep from jumping Seto then and there. But they made it into the apartment without a fuss. Seto went for the telephone and Joey for the bedroom.
�Duelist Kingdom. Kemo.�
�This is Kaiba. I want to speak to your boss.�
A moment later another voice came on the line. �Kaiba-boy, how nice to hear from you again.�
Grrr� �Pegasus, Jou would like you to come to the Kaiba Estate for supper on Friday.�
�Oh, how wonderful! I�d be delighted. Is the dear boy near by? I�d like to speak with him.�
Seto looked at Joey standing in the doorway of his new bedroom. �Pegasus, don�t try anything or I�ll send you back to that hospital in a coma or, better yet, a body bag.�
Pegasus chuckled. �Oh my, how I have missed being threatened by you, Kaiba-boy. Friday evening shall be so much fun! Shall we plan our little gathering for, say, seven o�clock?� Pegasus purred.
�Fine.� Kaiba snapped. He held the phone out to Joey who turned slightly green.
�Hello?� The blonde said uncertainly.
�Joseph, it�s been a while, has it not?�
�Um�yeah.�
�I�ve been catching up on the progress you�ve made with your dueling skills. Truly remarkable, Joseph.� Pegasus told him, trying to get his son to warm up to him.
�Uh�thank you, I guess.�
�This is rather awkward, is it not?�
�Yeah.�
�I am most grateful for the opportunity to meet with you, Joseph.�

Stop calling me Joseph! Joey yelled in his head. �Okay.�
�Until Friday?�
�Until Friday.� Joey agreed and hung up. He slid to the floor shaking, still annoyed with Seto for rushing him into this, but realizing, if left to his own devices, he might have avoided Pegasus for months. Pegasus would have still been there, like a wound that wouldn�t heal for both he and Seto. Better to get it over with.
�Jou?� Seto sat down beside him. Tawny chocolate eyes met sapphire.
�I�m scared.� Jou admitted and snuggled into Seto�s strong arms.
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I Know You're Out There Somewhere