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Yu-Gi-Oh! Dragon Slayer	By : Smenkhkara Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 5745 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of its characters. Yu-Gi-Oh! is the trademark of Kazuki Takahashi. Nor do I make any money from the writting of these stories.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Chapter Six

   Joey woke later that morning with a long, satisfied stretch. There was a silly little smile plastered to his face as he realized he'd never felt so…happy. Yes, happy. That was definitely the word for it. He felt like he'd been filled to capacity with an unlimited amount of energy and if he really wanted to, he could accomplish just about anything.
   The blond had to chuckle to himself as it occurred to him that Kaiba was the one responsible for that renewed sense of self. After all those years of dragging him down and making him feel like the worthless Mutt Kaiba had always accused him of being, now the brunette was the cause of his newfound sense of purpose. Joey almost choked on the paradox.
   As he pushed the thought aside, daily routine had the blond looking for the alarm clock and he turned his head to the right. When his eyes registered the reality of the neatly formed numbers, he gasped and bolted into an upright position.
   “Fuck!”
   Ten o'clock!
   Serenity was going to kill him!
   He was suppose to have breakfast with his sister at nine.
   Joey quickly jumped out of the bed and started grabbing for his clothes. Hastily he refastened the buttons of his dress shirt and zipped up his pants, then he shrugged into his suit jacket and, clutching his tie in his right hand, slipped on his shoes and made a bee-line for the front door.
   The blond took the long corridor at a run. As he rounded the corner of the huge hallway and headed for the stairs, he reached into his left-breast pocket and withdrew his cell phone. Flipping open the electronic device, he pressed the number one and hit 'send' immediately connecting him to his sister.
   “Hello?”
   “Sereni’y?” The blond huffed as he took the stairs two at a time. “It's me, Joey.”
   “Joey! Where are you? Are you alright?” A sweet, feminine voice cried.
   “Yea’, 'm fine, sis.” He sighed, hating himself for making the teenager worry. “Jus' runnin' late is all.”
   “What happened?” She asked, her tone still laced with concern.
   “Not’in'. Jus' gawt a liddle side-tracked dis morning‘,” Joey replied evasively as he reached the bottom of the stairwell and cut across the Grand Foyer.
   Just as he was about to open the front door and leave a large hand came out of nowhere and rested heavily on his left shoulder. Completely lost in his conversation with his sister, Joey jumped at the unexpected intrusion and screamed, almost dropping his cell phone as he spun around and came face-to-face with Kaiba's Personal Assistant.
   “JOEY!” Serenity's shout could be heard clearly over the line.
   “I apologize if I startled you, Mr. Wheeler.” The massive bodyguard replied as he rose to his full height and folded his hands behind his back. “But Mr. Kaiba asked me to return to the Manor this morning and offer to drive you anywhere you wish to go today.”
   “Geez, Roland, dat's cawl. Bu’ did ya 'ave ta scare de shit outta me while ya's was at it?” The blond exclamation as he placed his hand over his chest and tried his best to slow his rapidly beating heart.
   An amused smile crept over the guardian's face and he apologized again. “I'm sorry, Mr. Wheeler, but I wanted to catch you before you left.”
   “Yea’, dat's alrigh'” The blond accepted as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
   Just as his pulse was finally starting to return to normal, Serenity's shrill voice emerged from the receiver and broke the silence. “JOEY! Are you still there?”
   “’U’? O', righ', I forgo‘. 'Old on a sec, woul’ ya?” The blond requested with an extended finger as he raised the cell phone to his ear. Roland acknowledged his appeal with a slight nod, waiting silently for Joey to finish his conversation. “'Ey, sis, sorry 'bout dat, I was startled by…a…friend.” 'Yeah, that was it.' Joey thought not quote ready, just yet, to explain where he was or what he was doing, especially to his little sister. The blond locked eyes with the Personal Assistant and gave him a pleading look when the towering brunette raised a quizzical eyebrow at his stilted excuse.
   Roland's stoic expression fell back into place and he remained silent as he listened to the blonds' sister demand an explanation. “What friend? Where are you? Is everything okay? Joey you're starting to scare me!” Serenity cried.
   “'Ey sis, its cawl.” The blond soothed trying to calm the younger girl's fears. “'M alrigh'. I was jus' taken by su’prise dat's all.” He answered, effectively side-stepping her questions.
   “Are you sure?” She asked, looking for conformation.
   “Yea’,” Joey affirmed and decided it was time to change the subject. “Sa, ‘bout breakfas’…,” He began. “Are ya still at de café?”
   “Yes.” Serenity replied. “I've been waiting here for almost two hours.”
   “Yea’, 'm sorry.” Joey apologized again. “Wadda ya say ya wait a bit longer an' 'ave lunch wit’ me, instea’.”
   “Okay. But you know I have class at one.“ The red-head reminded her brother.
   “Brunch den?” The blond ventured and received a girlish giggle for his effort.
   “Sounds good.” Serenity agreed.
   “Good.” Joey countered, happy that things had worked out in his favour. “I'll be dere in…” Not quote sure of his travel time he risked a questioning glance at the towering brunette and waited for a response.
   “I can have you there in twenty minutes, Mr. Wheeler.” Roland replied.
   Joey nodded in recognition and returned to the phone, “…twen’y minu’es.” He finished.
   “Alright, I'll see you then.”
   “Gawt it. 'Til den, sis, love ya.”
   “I love you, too, Joey. Bye.” She replied and broke the connection.
   With another sigh, the blond closed his cell phone and placed it back in his pocket, then he turned to the bodyguard and said, “T'anks again, Roland, ya've been a real pal.”
   “The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Wheeler.” The Personal Assistant acknowledged with a slight bow as he moved to open the front door. “Now, if you please,” He gestured towards the waiting limousine. “It sounds like we're on a tight schedule.”
   Joey smiled as he stepped out of the Mansion and into a beautiful, sunny day, heading straight for the long, sleek-looking, black car and reaching for its silver handle. Before he had the chance to wrap his fingers around the polished chrome, Roland's voice sounded behind him.
   “Let me get that for you, Sir.” The brunette offered graciously.
   Joey stepped back from the car and waited for the Personal Assistant to open the door. Once the back seat was accessible, the blond climbed inside and buckled his seat belt. As soon as he was comfortable, Roland reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a tiny, white envelope.
   Handing Joey the stationary he simply stated, “Mr. Kaiba asked me to give you this.”
   The blond suddenly felt like a real jerk. He'd completely forgotten all about the stoic CEO in his haste to speak with his sister. Wondering, for the first time, what the brunette was up to and how he was doing, Joey looked at the imposing guardian and asked where he was.
   “Mr. Kaiba is at work, Sir. He had a very important business meeting this morning.” Roland replied and closed the passenger door.
   A moment later the driver-side door opened and closed and the Personal Assistant slipped the keys into the ignition and started the car. He pulled the seat belt across his chest and waist and snapped the buckle into place, then he glanced in the rear-view mirror and fixed his steady brown gaze on the young blond. “Where to, Mr. Wheeler?”
   “De Pen’uin Café.” Joey replied.
   “Yes, Sir.” Roland acknowledged as he put the sleek, black limousine into motion.
   As soon as the car had cleared the Main Gates, Joey's attention reverted back to the plain-looking envelope he was holding. His fingers gingerly brushed over its smooth, unmarked surface as he turned it over and over in his hands. He silently wondered what it was. Obviously, it was a message from Kaiba but what did it say? Was it a 'Thank you for a great evening, now, get the fuck out of my life' letter or was it something else? Guessing there was only one way to find out, Joey took a deep breath and, forcing back his anxiety, tore open the stationary with shaky hands.
   Thankfully, no fancy greetings welcomed his uneasy state. No adorable-looking puppies or soft-looking kittens appeared to add to his tension. Just a simple, plain, three by five inch piece of card stock. He carefully pulled the stiff paper out of its casing and unfolded it. The message simply read:

           'Joey;
               Call me after one o'clock.
               555-2358
                           S'

   The blond released a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and reread the note several times. His fingers gently caressed the artistic flowing script and a tiny smile danced across Joey's sculpted lips. He had to admit, Kaiba certainly had beautiful penmanship. He closed the card and placed it back in its envelope, then meticulously tucked the note inside his suit jacket. Finally, he turned to stare out the tinted windows of the limousine. He was so deep in thought, his mind never even registered the sights of the city as they drove past.
   So, what was next? Where did they go from here? Was Kaiba his boyfriend now? Were they even in a relationship? Joey couldn't remember that actually being decided or agreed upon and just because they'd had sex a couple of times didn't mean they were dating.
   With that last thought, Joey's eyes grew round with fear. The idea of entering into a serious commitment with the stoic CEO began to make the blond sweat. Was he even capable of living up to the expectations that a position of that magnitude warranted? He wasn't even sure if he was even in love with the guy, for that matter. He knew he cared about him, knew that when something went wrong or they argued it hurt but was that love or just his pride getting in the way? Before Joey had the chance to deliberate any further on the matter, they arrived at their chosen destination.
   Roland pulled the sleek, black limousine up to the curb in front of the café, effectively taking up three parking spots, and shifted the car into park. By the time Joey had unfastened his seat belt, the Personal Assistant had climbed out of the vehicle and opened his door. The blond thanked the massive brunette for his continued assistance and tried his best to make himself look presentable for his sister.
   “Once again, Mr. Wheeler, it has been my pleasure.” Roland replied and closed the passenger door as he reached out to help Joey straighten his suit. He refastened the top button of his dress shirt and asked the blond for his tie. Once that article of clothing was firmly in place, Joey stepped back and ran his fingers through his mused-up, golden locks.
   “'Ow da I look?” He asked cautiously.
   “Very handsome, Mr. Wheeler, considering.”
   “Consi’ering wha'?” The blond asked self-consciously.
   “Considering that you are showing up to have lunch with your sister in a suit and tie you wore for dinner the night before.” Roland replied in an even tone.
   “Awe, shit.” Joey cursed as he realized what he must look like. Maybe he should have asked the Personal Assistant to take him home so he could change first.
   The decision was taken out of his hands when a heartbeat later the door to the café burst open and Serenity came spilling out. She flew into his arms, with surprising force, and almost knocked him off his feet, then she buried her face in his suit jacket and gave him an affectionate hug.
   “Wow, take it easy dere, sis, o' ya gonna bowl me o'er.” The blond chided.
   “Oh Joey, I was so worried about you!” The teenager cried. “And then when I didn't hear from you, I thought something bad had happened.”
   “I tol’ ya, Sereni’y, 'm alrigh'.” Joey soothed and raised his right hand to ruffle his sister's mane of flowing red hair, trying his best to lighten the mood. When she raised her face and looked at her big brother, with doe-like eyes, the blond added a wink and a charming smile to the mix just for good measure.
   Not at all happy about the fact that he had to disturb the charming scene being played out before him, Roland cleared his throat and drew the attention of the two young siblings.
   “Oh.” Serenity cried as she finally noticed the huge man standing beside them.
   “Forgive the interruption, Mr. Wheeler, but I need to be leaving.” Roland explained.
   “Yea‘, righ'.” Joey acknowledged and disentangled himself from his sister's hold. Once he was free from her clingy embrace, he turned to the imposing guardian and offered the older man his hand. “T'anks again fawr everythin'. Ya've been grea‘.”
   For the first time in years, Roland broke protocol and accepted the handshake. He rewarded the blond with a genuine smile and replied. “You're welcome, Mr. Wheeler.” Then he dropped the young man's hand and reached inside his suit jacket. Pulling out a rectangular piece of paper, he handed the plain, white business card to the blond and added, “If, at anytime, you should find yourself in need of my services, please, do not hesitate to call. It would be my honor to assist you in anything you desire.”
   With that said, the towering brunette turned on his heel and rounded the front of the car. A moment later he was back inside and pulling away from the curb, leaving the blond alone with a slightly confused sister.
   Joey risked a tentative glance at the stationary and noticed it was printed with nothing more than a phone number. No company logo, no name, nothing personal to identify its donor, just a number. He didn't have any time to contemplate the Personal Assistant's parting words as he was drawn from his musings by the sound of a steadily tapping shoe connecting with concrete.
   Honey-brown eyes turned to the right and he slowly took in the sight of a seriously irritated red-head. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Serenity looked at her brother, then down at the business card he was holding in his hand. Finally, her vibrant-green eyes took in the clothing his was wearing and she levelled the blond with a deadly stare.
   “Okay, Joey. Do you mind explaining what that was all about?” She asked as her foot continued its unending beat.
   “U’, nawt really.” He answered as he tucked the business card inside his jacket.
   “Oh, I think you're going to.” She countered. “Starting with why you're wearing a suit and ending with why you're late and why you showed up here in a limo chauffeured by Kaiba's personal bodyguard.”
   Joey groaned inwardly as he realized there was no getting out of this particularly sticky situation completely unscathed.

   Inside the Penguin Café, Joey chose a booth in the very back corner as far away from the hustle and bustle of the busy restaurant patrons as possible. He had a feeling he was going to need it. After the waitress had taken their orders and the two siblings had placed their menus back on the table, Serenity speared her brother with another stern look.
   “Okay, Joey, spill it. I want the whole story.”
   The blond shifted uncomfortably in his seat and ran his fingers through his silky, unruly locks. Doing his best to avoid eye contact, he tried to dodge the awkward circumstance by replying, “Dere ain't naw story ta tell.”
   “Sure there is.” Serenity countered. “And you're going to give it to me.”
   “Awe sis, come on.” The blond begged and finally relented when the red-head's features wouldn't soften. “It ain't dat big a deal.” He concluded.
   “Not that big of a deal?” The teenager almost shrieked. “Joey, I know that guy. I remember him from Battle City, I know he works for Kaiba.” She leaned across the table and added in a whispered hiss. “So what were you doing in his car?”
   “'E was givin' me a ride.” The blond answered with a shrug.
   “And?” She emphasized, searching for more of an explanation.
   “An'?” Joey refuted. “'E was givin' me a ride.” He stated, absently toying with his silverware.
   “Joey?!”
   The blond set his fork back on the table and looked at his sister with pleading eyes. “Sereni’y, p’ease.” He implored, sighing when he realized he would get no peace until he enlightened her with details.
   So Joey began by explaining his version of dinner Wednesday evening, leaving out the details of how him and Kaiba had ended their meal. He gave her an account of his review Saturday morning and chronicled the events of his phone conversation with Mokuba that night, adding information about the invitation to dine at the Kaiba Estate. By the time their food had arrived, he was giving her a rough draft in regards to last night's events. Again, leaving out the parts where he had decked the handsome brunette, argued with him and spent the night in his bed. He simply implied that the two men had discussed the unusual circumstances behind Mokuba's absence, then spent the remainder of the evening enjoying each other's company. “An' den it was really late sa Kaiba asked me ta stay an' offered me a place ta sleep.” Which was a true, if not, evasive statement. His narration came to an end as he popped a ketchup covered French Fry in his mouth and began to chew, allowing for an uneasy silence to fall over the small table.
   Throughout the entire exchange Serenity had listened intently to her brother's extraordinary tale as she poked at her salad. With a half-hearted effort, she speared a cherry tomato with her fork and popped the bright-red vegetable into her mouth. As she chewed, the red-head quietly reflected on her brother's words.
   Serenity wasn't buying any of it.
   She knew her brother too well and was acutely aware of his surly past with the stoic CEO. The two boys had been hated rivals for as far back as she could remember. Now, all of a sudden, they were best friends and Kaiba was inviting Joey to spend the night at his house, then offering to drive him around the city the next day. It was just too much coincidence to take in all at once. There was definitely more to Joey's story than he was letting on.
   With an exasperated sigh, the young red-head slide a tiny carrot around the perimeter of her plate before catching it with the prongs of her fork and snapping at it with her teeth.
   At her harsh treatment of the innocent plant, Joey risked a tentative look at the delicate teenager. “Some'in' de madder, sis?” He asked, ripping a huge bite off the end of his dill pickle.
   Completely fed up with the blonds' vague tactics, Serenity tossed down her fork and sighed again. The silverware clattered loudly against the solid white plate and finally came to rest with a resounding clang against the black and white, checked tablecloth. The noisy deed gathering the attention of several of the restaurant patrons before they realized there was nothing happening and they returned to their meals.
   Joey casually surveyed the customers of the eccentric café, making sure the two siblings still retained their privacy before turning back to face his irritated sister.
   “Sereni’y?” He questioned cautiously.
   Genuine annoyance spread across her delicate features before piercing, green-eyes shot her brother another levelled gaze. “I'm not buying it.” She admitted as she daintily folded her hands in her lap. “You and Kaiba have been at each other's throats for years and now, all of a sudden, you two are bosom buddies. No,” the teenager continued with a shake of her head, tossing her bright-red hair. “There's more going on than you're telling me and I want to know what it is.”
   “I never sai’ we was bosom buddies.” Joey admonished. “'E was jus' bein' nice ta me, dat's all .”
   Ultimately at the end of her tolerance, Serenity wiped her tiny, cupid's bow mouth with a black cotton napkin before tossing it down on the table in front of her. Unable to look her brother in the eye, the red-head turned to the right and began to gather her things. As her delicate fingers curled around the handles of her purse, she rose to leave . Before she had a chance to take two steps, Joey's hand reached out to stop her departure.
   “W’ere're ya goin'?” He asked, completely thrown off by her reaction.
   The red-head took a deep breath as she turned and threw over her shoulder, “Home.”
   “W’y?” He demanded, dropping her hand and moving to stand beside her.
   “Because I'm not going to sit here anymore and listen to you lie to me.” She admitted sternly.
   “I ain't lyin' ta ya, sis.” Joey pleaded as he tried to calm his sister's aggravated state.
   “Maybe not.” The teenager conceded with a shrug. “But there's more to your story than you're letting on and I want to know what it is.”
   “Sereni’y.” The blond whined, wishing his sister would just drop the subject.
   Another sigh escaped her dainty lips and she crossed her arms in annoyance. “Either you tell me what I want to know or I'm going back to school and you can visit mom alone tonight.”
   Wheeler was at a loss for words. He knew his sister could be the most stubborn, pig-headed thing in the world when she wanted her way but he'd never seen her go this far before. Risking a cautious glance around the café, Joey realized he had to do something quick. By this time, most of the people in the establishment had now turned to watch the sibling's domestic squabble and the blond knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Kaiba would kill him if word of them got out because he and his sister had made a public scene in a cheesy restaurant.
   Deciding his best course of action was to leave and find some place quiet to talk, Joey finally conceded to his sister's demands.
   “'K, sis, ya win.” The blond relented, hanging his head in defeat. “I'll tell ya wha's goin' on. Bu’ nawt 'ere.” He added, shuffling his feet nervously. “Jus' lemme pay fawr de check an' we'll find somew’ere's quiet ta talk. Dat alrigh' wid ya?” He finished, raising soulful honey-brown orbs to look at his sister's face.
   “Fine.” The red-head agreed, relaxing her stance and suddenly feeling very ashamed of herself. The defeated look in her brother's eyes was almost too much to bare. A sense of foreboding fell over her diminutive form and Serenity was immediately on the alert.
   She watched as Joey shuffled over to the counter and paid for their meal. Stuffing his wallet back in his suit jacket he turned, with shoulders slumped, to escort her out of the building.

   The two siblings walked in silence for a good ten minutes before Joey finally got up the nerve to say what was on his mind. The blond stuck both hands in the front pockets of his dress pants and hung his head, suddenly finding the sidewalk very interesting, and using the toe of his polished black leather shoe to kick aside a pebble he felt was in the way. Finally, the blond heaved a deep sigh and began to tell his tale. The red-head's concern became immediately apparent when she noted that her brother's tone had turned low and quiet.
   "Dere's a couple o' t’ings I wan'cha ta knaw 'fore I start tellin' ya wha's goin' on." Joey began, slightly raising his chin and starring straight ahead. It was as if his gaze was fixed on something really important, yet he wasn't seeing what it was he was looking at. “Firs' off, I ain't gawt all de answers, sa don' ga askin' me a bunch o' stupid ques’ions, 'k? Secon’, I ain't sure wha' de deal is o' if dere's any deal at all. Dis jus' star’ed an' I don' knaw if Kaiba's even figured it ou’ fawr 'imself yet."
   At his words, Serenity's apprehension consumed her. She was terrified something was wrong and she was terribly worried for her brother's safety.
   "Wit’ dat said, I wan'cha ta knaw wha' I tol’ ya back in de diner was true, every bit o' it. Wha' I didn't tell ya was dat las' nigh' I spen’ de nigh' wit’ Kaiba."
   "You did mention it back in the restaurant, Joey.” Serenity countered as she clutched her hands in front of her to keep them from trembling.
   Reluctantly, the blond closed his eyes and shook his head. "Naw, Sereni’y. I don' t'ink ya're gettin' wha' 'm tryin' ta say. I sai’ I spen’ de nigh' wit’ Kaiba." He repeated as he stopped in his tracks and starred at the back of his sister's gorgeous red hair, waiting breathlessly for this new information to register.
   As innocent and naive as everyone took her to be, Serenity was fifteen and she was no longer totally ignorant in the ways of the world. It still took a few moments for her brother's declaration to sink in but when it did, the red-head was unable to suppress the shocked gasp that escaped her delicate lips.
   "Oh my God, Joey!" She cried as she turned around and stared straight at her brother, her right hand flying up to cover her wide gapping mouth. "Are you telling me that you slept with Kaiba?"
   At his sister's question the blond turned six shades of red and he began to shuffle his feet, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.
   "Oh my God!" She cried again. By this time her eyes had grown as huge as saucers and her hand still rested over her mouth as her mind tried to process this new information. "We're talking about sex, right?" She hissed through her fingers.
   "Sereni’y, p’ease." Joey begged as his hands sank lower in his pockets hunching his back and shoulders. The nervous blond could feel the heat of his flushed skin rise another notch and he could have sworn he was about to burst into flames from complete embarrassment. The last thing he had ever wanted to do was admit to his sister that he was gay.

* * *

   At the heart of Domino City, located in the massive structure that housed the day-to-day operations of Kaiba Corporation, the stoic CEO could be found seated behind his ornately carved, ebony desk passing and receiving files to and from his Corporate Secretary. Quickly, Kaiba scrawled his signature across some forms and passed the documents back to the mousy woman standing on his left. She placed the newly signed paperwork in another folder and passed him a huge portfolio that must have been at least an inch thick.
   “And this is the entire Activity and Expense report for the KaibaLand project in New York, to date.” She informed the brunette as she set the enormous dossier in front of him with an audible thud.
   Kaiba had to work extra hard to suppress a deep sigh. Instead, he simply raised the cuff of his silk shirt and risked a quick glance at his Tag Heuer. It was almost two o'clock. Repressing another sigh the stoic CEO inclined his head towards his secretary and said dismissively, “That will be all, Miss Rhodes.”
   “Yes, Mr. Kaiba.” The young woman replied with a nod and turned to walk across the office, closing the heavy wooden doors behind her as she left.
   Setting down his pen, Kaiba leaned back in his white leather chair and crossed his long, muscular legs. Placing his hands in his lap the brunette swivelled around to stare out the windows of his executive office.
   He had expected Joey's call by now, secretly hoping that the blond couldn't wait to speak with him again. But one o'clock had come and gone and Kaiba hadn't heard a word.
   Before he had left for work that morning, the handsome brunette had penning the short but thoughtful note, giving Joey the number to his personal cell. The only other person, besides Roland, who possessed that information was Mokuba. So, if the phone rang, it could only be one of two people. Now three.
   And although the meeting he'd presided over earlier had been an important one, the ascetic businessman had only listened with half an ear, his eidetic memory replaying the events of the previous evening over and over again in his mind. He had whiled away the time by planning out details in preparation for another enjoyable night, glancing at his watch every five minutes until he was sure to hear the blonds' deep, sexy voice again.
   Now that time had long since past and Kaiba was beginning to think Joey didn't want to speak with him. He was afraid his emotional break down, the night before, had scared the blond off and once again the stoic CEO cursed himself for his weakness. Reluctantly, the brunette could clearly hear his adoptive father's cruel words echo through his mind.
   'You're pathetic Seto, you're weak! You'll never have what it takes to run this company and rule the world. I don't know why I bother wasting my time with you.' then the resounding echo of a vicious slap rang through his ears.
   Kaiba visibly flinched at the recollection and he could almost sense the back of Gozaburo's hand striking his smooth, flawless cheek. Those events had occurred more than half a decade ago, yet Seto could still feel the sting of his merciless beatings.
   Lost in the silent horrors of his dark past, Kaiba visibly jumped when his cell finally rang, announcing the much anticipated phone call. Slowly, he swung around and reached across the carefully polished desktop to pick up the electronic device. The brunette took a deep breath and tried to relax, letting the phone ring twice more before answering it. He didn't want to appear too eager.
   “Kaiba.” The stoic CEO said into the mouthpiece.
   “'Ey dere, 'ow's it goin'?” Came the unenthusiastic reply.
   Joey's voice sounded so dismal that Seto's heart skipped a few beats. He knew it, he'd scared the blond off. 'Well, so much for that.' Kaiba thought as he braced himself to continue.
   Taking a deep breath and forcing himself to relax, Kaiba replied with a simple, “Fine. And your day?” He added, hoping to direct the conversation away from himself.
   “It's all good.” The blond answered with an audible sigh.
   For a few moments an uncomfortable silence passed between the two young men, neither one sure of what to say. On the other end of the line Joey took a deep breath and slowly released it. Kaiba sounded so…distant was the best word the blond could use to describe it. And he still wasn't sure if their relationship was going to lead anywhere or not. All he could do was hope for the best and see where his optimism would lead him.
   Ultimately choosing a course of action, Joey continued the conversation with the only comfortable solution he could think of; small talk.
   “Sa,” he drawled, trying not to sound too ridiculous. “Sorry I was late gettin' back ta ya,” He added. “Bu’ I've 'ad a long day.” The blond didn't elaborate but he felt the need to get the last part in. Silently hoping the brunette would understand that Joey hadn't been trying to avoid him.
   “That's fine.” Was all Kaiba could managed to utter. After his curt and emotionless response silence, once again, reared its ugly head and the stoic CEO could have sworn he heard Joey fidgeting on the other end of the line.
   “Was dere some'in' ya wanted?” The blond finally asked.
   “Not really.”
   Joey sighed. Another stilted reply. Maybe he'd been hoping for too much and this phone call was just another way for the brunette to torment him. But that didn't make any sense. Not after everything the two boys had been through. This couldn't possibly be another one of Kaiba's games. Refusing to back down or admit defeat, Joey decided to try one more time to break through the ascetic businessman's emotional barriers.
   “'K,” The blond started, taking another deep breath. “Wha'cha up ta tanigh'?”
   “I was going to ask you the same question.” Seto reiterated, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the cell phone tighter. His chest felt constricted and he could barely breathe with the hope that he'd been wrong about the blonds' intentions and maybe Wheeler really did want something more to do with him.
   “Well…” Joey faltered, asking himself if he really wanted to get into his family issues. Although, he didn't see a problem with it as long as he kept things vague. “I was gonna pick-up my baby sis’er la’er an' we was gonna ga visit my ma. W’y,” The blonds' breath caught expectantly. “Ya wanna da some'in'?”
   Kaiba's own breath caught in his throat when he heard the hopeful tone in Wheeler's voice. Maybe he'd been wrong and it was just his imagination conjuring up illusions to protect himself from heartbreak. Whatever the case, it was time for the stoic CEO to take a chance. After all, what did he have to lose, except his pride.
   Carefully exhaling, the brunette threw caution to the wind and replied, “Would you care to join me for dinner?”
   “I'd love ta!” The blond squealed, jumping all over the invitation without hesitation before he finally remembered an all too imposing reality. “Bu’ me an' Sereni’y won' be back 'til late.” He admonished with disappointment.
   “How late?” The brunette inquired as a tiny smirk graced his lips from Wheeler's initial response.
   “'Bout ten.” Joey replied.
   “Perfect!” Seto exclaimed all too eagerly. “It'll take me that long to finish with work.”
   The blond had to suppress a chuckle as he realized Kaiba was just as excited to see him as he was to see the brunette. “'K. W’ere da ya wanna mee’?” He asked, happy that the doubts had finally been laid to rest.
   “I'll have Roland pick you up when you're finished with your family.”
   Almost immediately Joey's hesitation returned. The last thing he wanted to do was get into another long discussion about his problems. And having Kaiba's Personal Assistant pick him up at the dance treatment centre in Chiba would definitely open way too may doors. The talk with Serenity, earlier that day, had been more than enough for one lifetime. Although she had inevitably accepted her big brother's sexual orientation and his choice to pursue a relationship with the stoic CEO, the red-headed teen had been concerned with regards to Joey's welfare. She was terrified that Kaiba was only using him and she had spent the remainder of their walk making her brother promise that he wouldn't allow himself to get hurt. As with his other friends, Joey felt that it would just be easier to leave the brunette out of his personal life, for the time being.
   “Um…” The blond wavered, trying to find a delicate way to refuse the offer. “Nawt dat I don' 'preciate de offer an' everythin' bu’ I'd rat’er mee’ cha's somew’ere. If dat's alrigh' wit’ ya?” He added quickly, hoping he hadn't offended the young CEO.
   For a handful of seconds the brunette faltered. Was it his imagination or was Wheeler trying to distract him from something? “Very well then.” Seto regrouped. It was definitely time to find out what was going on in the blonds' life and why he was always so evasive, especially when it came to his family and his finances. “We can meet here at the office.”
   “Good,” Joey sighed, relieved that Kaiba hadn't decided to push the issue. “Jus' nawt sure wha' time I'll be dere, is all.”
   “Anytime will be fine.” The brunette countered. “Just call me when you're on your way and I'll have someone meet you downstairs.”
   “Sure t’ing, Kaiba. See ya den.”
   And with the blonds' final salutation the line disconnected and the brunette flipped his cell closed. Tossing the phone back on the desktop, the stoic CEO reached for the transmitter on the lapel of his suit jacket.
   “Yes, Mr. Kaiba?” Came his Personal Assistant's ever present response.
   “Roland, I have two things I want you to take care of for me.”
   “Yes, Sir,” was the expectant reply.
   “First, I have a list of grocery's I'd like you to pick-up and take to my Private Loft. Second, I have someone I want you to watch for me.”
   “Mr. Wheeler?” Roland inquired, knowing full well that's who his employer wanted him to follow.
   “Yes.” The brunette confirmed. “I want you to find him and follow him for the remainder of the day. Report back to me by ten o'clock this evening.”
   “As you wish, Mr. Kaiba.”
   As soon as Seto's instructions were complete and he'd finished giving Roland the list of grocery's to purchase, Kaiba switched off the transmitter and swivelled back towards his wall of windows.
   He spent the next few minutes replaying his conversation with Joey back over in his mind. The blond had definitely been evasive when the discussion had steered its way towards his family. Not that Kaiba blamed him. The brunette was just as protective of his little brother and their personal life as anyone else would be. And keeping secrets was a way of life for the stoic CEO. But not when the secrets were being kept from him.
   Sitting up straight, Seto turned around and reached for his keyboard. It was time to find out what had been bothering the brunette since this had all started. The reason Kaiba's path had crossed Wheeler's that faithful night at the Dark Realm.
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Yu-Gi-Oh! Dragon Slayer