Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Daze of Paradise ❯ Needs ( Chapter 10 )

Authoress' Notes: So I'm finally giving you the first real, big, Seto-Joey moment! Hurray! Of course, I'm not making it easy for them to get there or afterward…'cause then I'd have no story left, right? *shrugs* Anyway, read on!

 

Disclaimers: Caitlin and I don't own Yu-Gi Oh! I think lawyers everywhere have better things to do than trying to sue a student (and her hikari) living below the poverty line, yes?

 

Warnings:The usual.

 

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Chapter 10 - Needs

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“Jeder nach seinen Fähigkeiten, jedem nach seinen Bedürfnissen.”

(From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.)

— Karl Marx, Criticism of the Gotha Programme, 1875.

 

One week after Joey's impromptu interview at Kaiba Corp., he got a phone call telling him he was hired. Ecstatic, and still a little nervous, since he really didn't know what to expect, the blonde went to his first day of his new job feeling much lighter in spirit than he had been feeling only a week or so ago.

After he'd gotten his first pay-check, he told Serenity an eye out for available apartments that had a reasonable rent and were close to both the university and Serenity's high school. As places came available, Joey and Serenity, and sometimes Tristan, would go together to check out apartments. When they found one that Joey and Serenity agreed was suitable - actually, they both had jumped up and down for joy after signing the rent agreement - Joey asked for a weekend off so that he and his little sister could move out and into their new home.

Yugi, Yami, Malik, Marik, Tea, and Tristan all appeared on Mai's doorstep the day of the big move.

“Hey, Joey! We thought you and Serenity might want a little help!” Yugi grinned at his best friend's surprised expression when he answered the door. “Think you can find something for us to do?”

“Uh, wow, you guys!” The blonde smiled and let them all troop in. “I don't know what to say…”

“It's a big thing to be moving out into your own place, Joey. We're here to help and to celebrated, too.” Tristan winked at him. “So put us to work, pal!”

“Alright. That I can do.” Joey nodded and motioned them to follow him upstairs. “The moving truck should be here soon. Tristan and Tea, you guys could help Serenity finish packing her stuff and carry the boxes downstairs.”

“Sure. Where do you want us to leave them, Joey?” Tea asked.

“Just pile them near the living room entry way. That way they'll be out of the way when they moving guys haul out the furniture.”

“Got it!”

“You guys could help me, if you want.” Joey said, turning to Yugi, Yami, Malik, and Marik. “I'm mostly packed, actually. There's just a few things in the closet and some pictures and stuff left to pack.” He led them into the bedroom he'd been occupying since his return from Hawaii.

“Hikari, why are you making me do manual labour?” Marik grumbled, scowling petulantly at the room in general. Malik rolled his eyes and shoved his Dark toward a stack of boxes.

“You might as well use those muscles of yours to help out a friend, rather than trying to seduce me every ever chance you get.” Malik replied. “We'll start taking these downstairs for you, Joey.”

“Okay. Thanks guys!” Joey waved at them in assent and walked into the closet - a huge walk-in one that was looking bare and cavernous at this point. Yugi and Yami followed him.

“You must be really excited, huh, Joey?” Yugi said, picking up an empty box.

“Excited? Yeah, I suppose so. More relieved and happy, for once.” The blonde duellist replied, quietly. He shrugged and took another of his shirts off a hanger to fold and place in a box carefully. “Things just haven't been the same between Mai and I since we broke up. It makes me wonder if things would have ended up this way at some point anyway, if we'd stayed together.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not.” Yami leaned against the door frame and folded his arms. “Dwelling on the `what-ifs' will not change anything, and doing so only prevents one from continuing on with life and moving forward. You have a great deal of moving forward to do, now, Joey. Believe me when I say to you not to let the past and the endless possibilities of what has already happened hinder your future.” Yami glanced at his soulmate and smiled softly. “I've learned that lesson all too well.”

Yugi smiled back and said nothing, simply picking up a pair of Joey's jeans and folding them to place in the box.

“I know. And you're right, Yami. I guess…I'm a little bit regretful. But I'll get over it!” Joey grinned his famous grin and gave his friends a victory sign. “Besides…this is going to be too much fun to be moping around feeling sorry for myself, isn't it?”

“Damn right!” Malik popped his head into the closet. “Hurry up, you guys! The moving van just pulled up outside.”

“Yikes!” That sent Joey into a flurry of activity. Even Yami got into things, packing boxes and hauling them downstairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It didn't take long for Joey and Serenity to settle into their new apartment. A week after they moved in, the whole gang stormed in for a house-warming party, much like the one they'd thrown for Tea. Ryou and Bakura had returned from visiting Ryou's dad, and even Seto Kaiba showed up - at Mokuba's iron insistence.

Not that Kaiba would ever admit it, but the reason he'd tried avoiding the party and resisting Mokuba's demands that he at least try to be sociable wasn't because he didn't really want to attend a function such as this (since he was beginning to get used to the idea that these people were his friends - kind of - and that he didn't mind them as much as he thought he did - sort of). It wasn't even because he was anti-social and felt awkward in these situations. Oh no. What he couldn't admit to was that he didn't want to go because of Joey.

While, if anyone had known the real reason for his protestations, no one would have been surprised - seeing as how everyone did believe he despised the blonde on principle - they would have gotten a huge shock to discover that it wasn't because Kaiba hated Joey. Truth be told…Seto Kaiba was beginning to fear that he was developing some unknown emotional attachment to the Mutt.

He'd begun to suspect something was wrong with himself not long after he'd had that uncharacteristically serious conversation at Kaiba Corp. with Joey. Kaiba found himself making frequent trips down to the product testing department, under the pretence of wanting to keep a close eye on the development of his latest duelling technology, when in reality it was to see his former nemesis at work - or play, as the case often was. After the first seven or so visits in less than five days, Kaiba had to admit - at least to himself in some dark, secret depth of his mind - that his opinion of the blonde had not only improved but had taken a drastic turn toward an area he'd never have thought it would go.

Great Ra. Seto Kaiba was mortified to realize he was starting to have romantic inclinations for someone who was not only male, but was someone whom, not a few years ago, he'd often wished would drop off the planet.

The gods, he'd decided, had a warped sense of humour.

But, in the end, he'd given in and allowed Mokuba to drag him to the party at Joey's new apartment. Walking into the building, he hadn't been that surprised to find that it was one of the many apartment buildings and complexes Kaiba Corp. owned.

He'd made it through the evening - barely - and was actually the last to leave. He just hadn't had the heart to tear Mokuba away from the deep conversation he was currently engaged in with Serenity - about books, believe it or not. Kaiba knew it was a rare thing for his little brother to be able to spend time with people close to his age who had the intelligence to match Mokuba's own so that he could have meaningful conversations. As much as Kaiba often wished it wasn't necessary, he knew Mokuba needed other people in his life other than his big brother.

So, for Mokuba's benefit, he'd decided to stay much, much longer than he'd have liked. Of course, now that everyone else was gone, he had no one to be a buffer between himself and Joey.

If he hadn't been…well, him, he might have had a panic attack the second the apartment door closed behind the last of the group to leave (Yugi and Yami, incidentally - wearing twin, mysterious smiled of knowledge, much to Kaiba's apprehension and annoyance).

Aware that Kaiba was standing in the hallway a few steps behind him, Joey locked the door (out of habit, more than anything) and then paused, unsure of what he was going to do about this situation. Once again, he was being thrown together with Kaiba, without a buffer, and Joey had no idea how to deal with it.

First thing's first. He decided, straightening his shoulders in a sudden burst of determination, turning and walking slowly toward the brunette and the general direction of the kitchen. Play host and offer him something to drink, then go from there.

“Can I get you something to drink, Kaiba? Tea? Coffee? I think there's still soda left from the party in the fridge…” Joey rattled off the possibilities as he walked past. Kaiba, who'd been watching the blonde all night (though mostly unnoticed, thankfully), shook himself mentally and followed Joey to the kitchen.

“Just a glass of water, thanks. Any more coffee and I'll never sleep tonight.” Kaiba replied. Not that I will anyway. How is it possible that the mere thought of the Mutt works better at keeping me awake than ten cups of coffee?

“Sure.” Joey went to the cupboard to dig out a glass. Nearly all their dishes were brand new, since they hadn't needed any before, living with Mai. He filled it with water from the distiller on the fridge. “By the way, thanks for coming tonight. And for bringing Mokuba.”

Kaiba sipped, allowing himself time to think up something to say in response. He felt a strange, heating-sensation in his stomach at Joey's words and voice, and it threw his mind off somewhat. “Yeah, well, Mokuba insisted.” He finally managed to say, with a grunt Joey took as feigned annoyance.

He knew, after all - and perhaps better than anyone - just how much Kaiba loved his little brother, and that he would do anything for the kid.

Joey laughed a little and leaned on folded arms on the counter casually. “Still, thanks. We don't get to see him that often and he is a part of the group. So are you, like it or not.”

“Hn.” Kaiba frowned. “I know. I'm still not sure how I feel about it, though. Don't start expecting things out of me as you would the others, Mutt. I'd be a supreme disappointment.” He warned.

“Believe me, Kaiba, I never know what to expect out of you.” Joey rolled his eyes. “You're an enigma. But that's fine. None of us are that much alike, really. You're just another unique individual among the rest of us with your own personality and quirks. We're used to it, in case you hadn't noticed.” He blinked, then snickered at the consternation on the CEO's face. “What?”

“You're `used to' me? That means I've become predictable.” Kaiba scowled, more at himself than what Joey had said. “I can't be predictable! It's bad for business!”

“Oh, hell no. I didn't say that, did I?” Joey, strangely, had a need to reassure him. “I never know what you're going to do from one moment to the next, Kaiba. I think your business prospects can safely continue to quake in fear of you.”

“Now you're making fun of me.”

“No, I'm not.”

“Are so.”

“Am not!”

“Whatever.” Kaiba hastened to get out of what was degenerating into an argument between two four-year-olds. “As long as I'm not predictable, then I have no worries.”

Joey just stared at him. “You are so weird.”

Kaiba couldn't help smiling a little at that. “Thank you. I try.”

“I give up!” Joey raised his hands in mock-surrender. “You win! I cease trying to figure you out, Kaiba. How your way-too-busy brain works is beyond me.”

“I knew that a long time ago, Mutt.” Kaiba smirked, having unwittingly fallen into a kind of comfortable zone with the blonde by now. Joey groaned in defeat and suddenly smiled at Kaiba, a curious expression crossing his face.

“Do you realize this is the second time in a few months we've been around each other, and not tried either murdering one another or at least arguing?”

“Yes. Maybe you've finally grown up, Wheeler.” Kaiba suggested, taking another sip of his water to hide the laugh that bubbled up in his throat at the blonde's indignant expression.

“I'm not even going to respond to that. Insult me all you like, Seto Kaiba. It ceases to bother me anymore.” Joey crossed his arms defiantly, daring the brunette to say or do something that would prove him wrong. Kaiba merely raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

“Fine. It won't stop me from telling you you're a moron when you're being one though.”

“Whatever. Tristan and Yugi do that all the time. Coming from you won't be any different.”

“I guess not. Seems strange though. You always were a pain in the neck.” Kaiba, shrugging, could remember all the times Joey had gotten in his face about something, or gotten in his way, or just plain gotten on his nerves with crystal-clear recollection. He wondered if Joey remembered all those times as he did.

The blonde duellist blinked at the Duel Monsters champion, having caught something in his last statement that made him wonder… “`Were?' Does that mean you don't find me annoying, loud-mouthed, etc., etc., anymore? Gee, Kaiba, does that mean you're starting to like me?” He couldn't help the smirking, teasing tone of his voice, not this time, and not with the young man who had been his bitterest rival and nemesis for so long.

Kaiba's blue eyes went wide as he momentarily started panicking, thinking that somehow Joey had figured out - from one simple word that had slipped out by accident - that he really had begun to like Joey, and in a way he wasn't sure either of them would be comfortable with, too. Then he realized in the next instant that he was being ridiculous. Of course he hasn't. Kaiba scolded himself. He's observant, but not that observant. Get a grip, Seto.

Still, that uncomfortable, wary, insecurity began to creep up on him again, and he decided it was probably time to go. Before I say something that really would give me away. He thought.

“I didn't say that, did I.” It came out as a statement rather than a question. He made a show of looking at his watch and setting his glass aside with a little stretch. “We should probably be going now. Early morning meetings and all.” Kaiba pushed himself off the stool and turned to take the few steps that would carry him to the living room.

Joey put the glass away in the sink, deciding to clean up dishes and stuff in the morning. Kaiba returned from the living room, younger brother in tow, and followed by Serenity.

“I'm going to walk downstairs with Mokuba, Joey.” She said, handing the Kaiba brothers their jackets from the coat closet.

“Uh…okay.” Joey looked a little startled at that, but recovered enough to continue, “I guess I could use a bit of a walk. I'll come to, and stretch my legs.”

Serenity rolled her eyes at him and walked out at Mokuba's side, the two younger teens reaching the elevators before their brothers did. Their elder siblings didn't make it to the one the younger two had gotten on, and were forced to wait for the next one.

“I take it you drove yourself, this time?” Joey observed, running a hand absently through his golden locks as they waited.

“Yeah. I didn't know how long we'd be, and I just felt like driving myself, for once.” Kaiba crossed his arms, staring at the floor numbers as the lit up, one by one. The elevator pinged and they got onto it when the doors swished open for them. Joey, being closest to the panel, pushed the button for the main floor lobby.

“I was considering getting a small car for Serenity someday. But I'm not sure if she'd even want one.” Joey commented.

“Does she have her license?”

“Not yet. She has another year of treatments for her eyes until we know for sure that she won't go blind until she's old and grey. It's too much hassle to get her license with the state of her eyesight as unknown right now as it is.”

Kaiba nodded. “I see. Well, after all you've done for her, Joey, I'm sure she could care less if you bought her a car or not. If she does want one, she'll tell you.”

“I suppose.” Joey leaned against the elevator wall beside the brunette. “Say, Kaiba?”

“What?”

“In all seriousness, when you said `were,' before…do you really think I've changed?”

Kaiba tensed up at the return to the previous conversation, and forced himself to relax. But before he could answer, a strange grinding sound was heard, right before the elevator suddenly came to an abrupt stop and tossed them both off balance and to the floor. The lights flickered then went out completely, and the emergency light came on a few seconds later, illuminating the interior in a soft, reddish glow.

“Ow.” Joey rubbed his backside and winced. “You okay, Kaiba?”

The CEO grunted and pushed himself to his knees to sit up. “I'm fine. You didn't break anything important did you?”

“You mean my head? No. I landed on my butt.”

“I meant a leg or an arm or something, actually. I thought it was impossible to even dent that thick skull of yours.”

“Har har. What do you suppose happened?”

“The elevator obviously has broken down, with us in it.” The situation made Kaiba cranky, and when he was cranky, he tended to take it out on whoever was unlucky enough to be in his vicinity with extreme sarcasm. Joey scowled at him, but shoved the automatic retort he'd been about to blast him with away.

“Thank you for that brilliant observation.” He replied mildly, crawling over to the panel to check the emergency phone. “Fantastic. It's dead.”

“Huh.” Kaiba dug out his cell phone from his jacket pocket and speed-dialled Mokuba. Joey stood up and listened in. “Mokuba, go back into the building and wake up the manager, would you? The elevator Joey and I are on seems to have malfunctioned.”

“You mean you're trapped?”

“Basically. Find out what happened and get us out, please.”

“We're on it, big brother! Serenity and I'll have you guys out in no time.”

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba hung up. “Brat. He loves playing the hero.”

“Heh. What kid doesn't?” Joey resumed leaning against the wall. Kaiba got to his feet and joined him.

“He'll never let me live it down, I know that.”

Joey grinned at the affection in Kaiba's voice. No matter what he might say, Seto Kaiba loved his little brother. “Of course not. Little brother's prerogative.”

After a moment of silence, Joey cleared his throat and once again brought up the subject Kaiba really wished he'd drop. “You never answered my question, Kaiba. We keep getting interrupted.”

“Ra, you're persistent. What makes my opinion so damned important to you, anyway?”

“Because you've never liked me, never respected my skills as a duellist until recently - kind of - and because you have no reason to be anything other than honest with me.” Joey told him, beginning to lose his patience. “So…?”

“Alright, yes. You've changed a little. Well…not so much changed as matured.” Kaiba answered, turning to face Joey while still leaning against the wall by one shoulder. “I suppose I can't really call you `puppy' anymore.”

Joey laughed, shaking his head. “You know, I always wondered what your fascination with canines was and why I always got pegged as one.” He turned his head to the side to glance at Kaiba. At that moment, the air seemed to grow charged and heavy within the confined space of the elevator, as the blonde realized just how close he and the brunette had gotten to each other. Physical proximity aside, there was something in the pair of ice-blue eyes that met and held his own, captivating and ensnaring him, that made a bolt of heat gather at his centre and build slowly. Joey recognized that sensation, and while it scared him a little, he was more concerned with hiding that sudden knowledge from Kaiba. He had to fight the flush that was creeping up his neck to paint across his face, and just when he thought he'd gotten a hold of himself, Kaiba spoke.

“I like dogs.” The High Priest said, his voice sounding unnaturally low and quieter than usual. “I always wanted one as a kid, until I ended up in the orphanage, and then living with Gozoboro Kaiba put that idea to rest for good.” Joey pressed himself back against the wall even farther (if it were possible) as Kaiba - who really wasn't sure if he'd lost his mind or if his mind even knew what it was doing anymore - moved in front of the golden-haired young man and slapped a hand to the wall on either side of Joey's head, trapping him there.

“And me?” Joey sucked in a sharp breath, caught up in the moment totally, and raised his eyes to meet Kaiba's head-on, challenging him, inviting him. Kaiba raised his other hand to traced Joey's features, softly stroking his cheekbone with a thumb as he spoke again, his voice coming out husky and dark.

“You, Joey, are the puppy I could never have.” He said, sliding his hand back to grasp the back of Joey's head, fingers tunnelling through his blonde locks, and tilting his head just enough to meet the angle of Kaiba's mouth as he dipped his own to capture Joey's in a heated, daring first kiss.

The contact was electric, and sparked a current of pure lust in them both. Completely wrapped up in the moment, everything of their past history fell away between them for that single instant in time. The wariness, the rivalry, the mutual aggravation…all of it disappeared until they were left with nothing but the sound, sight, taste, scent, and feel of one another.

Joey's arms came out, one curling around Seto's neck, the other wrapping around his broad shoulders, fingers sliding through Seto's short dark hair and digging into the fabric of his jacket. The taller man shivered at the acceptance and kneaded the nape of Joey's neck in response. Joey's lips parted on a gasp and Seto took the opportunity to suck on that full bottom lip, plying his lips apart and letting his tongue plunge inside to explore the rich cavern of Joey's mouth.

A low, growling sound rose up from deep in Joey's throat, and he cupped Seto's face in his hands, thrusting his own tongue against the brunette's with equal passion. He was all-too willing to let Seto do whatever he wanted with him, but it didn't mean he wouldn't put up a fight. That much of their rocky acquaintance, at least, had remained.

Never let it be said that even in this would Joey Wheeler roll over and submit to Seto Kaiba - at least not without a fight. If he was going to go down, he refused to make it easy for the High Priest.

All of which was just fine with Seto. He responded with what Joey vaguely took as an approving groan, before he found his senses being overloaded and his mind going blank in the hazy fog of pleasure as Seto dragged his lips away from Joey's back along the sharp line of his jaw to search out his ear, and as he pushed the long, lean, front of his body against Joey's. The blonde let out a whimpering moan, feeling the hardness Seto was rubbing against his pelvic bone quite clearly through the material of both of their clothes. He grasped at Seto's shoulders desperately in an attempt to anchor himself in reality and his head fell back against the wall with a thud.

Taking advantage of the now exposed expanse of Joey's throat, bared to his every whim, Seto kissed the pulse beating frantically there, listening to the wonderful, sexy little noises that were coming from that throat. He shuddered as one of Joey's hands slid down his arm from his shoulder then found its way inside his jacket to splay across his stomach, rubbing and grabbing a handful of the material of his shirt. With sudden impatience, he left off kissing and sucking on Joey's neck to re-capture that mouth, finding immediate greeting and resistance from the blonde when he did. With a growl of his own, Seto pried a hand out of Joey's hair and grabbed him by the hip in an effort to hold his wriggling, squirming puppy still.

Letting the wall take both their weight and support them, Joey leaned back fully against it, pulling Seto with him. Still kissing feverishly, Joey lifted one leg to curl it around Seto's, the inside of that leg rubbing against Seto's thigh. With that, they were suddenly both wearing too many clothes and Kaiba broke the kiss long enough to shrug out of his jacket and let it drop to the floor, then yank Joey upright so he could get his jacket off to join Seto's. Then he latched back onto Joey's mouth, their arms wrapping around one another once more as each tried to quench the thirst they had for the other, nearly forgetting to breathe.

Seto's hands roamed over Joey's back and shoulders as he continued hungrily doing his best to ravish the blonde's mouth. With a low growl, his hands found Joey's butt and gripped, earning a husky moan from his puppy. Joey's arms tightened around Seto as his knees began to go weak and threatened to give out from under him.

Soft sounds of pleasure filled the elevator; whimpers and moans, growls and groans banished the silence that surrounded them, and just as hands began discovering new territory to explore and tantalize underneath shirts, the main lights flickered back on and the elevator lurched, moving once again - and again they were catapulted to the floor.

Kaiba just barely managed to keep from letting his entire weight fall on top of Joey, though he still ended up staring down at the blonde with an expression of confusion, shock, and frustration mixed together and giving him a look that Joey found quite endearing.

Or at least, it was until the full weight of what they'd been doing - let alone what would have happened had the elevator not started again - came crashing over him and his amber eyes snapped up to stare back at Kaiba in near horror.

“I…you…what?” he stammered, voice raw and raspy still from their make-out session.

The brunette never moved so fast in his life. He scrambled up off Joey, face burning in pure shame and embarrassment. Joey got up a little slower, unsteady on his feet and mind still fuzzy from what he figured was the absolute best make-out session he'd ever had - minus the embarrassment and the fact that the person he'd been happily snogging with was Seto Kaiba, and who would probably murder him for real this time.

It didn't matter that Kaiba had been the one to start it in the first place. He was pretty sure life was going to be really short for himself.

Kaiba, oblivious because he was too busy mentally consigning himself to the Shadow Realm, grabbed his jacket from the floor and hurriedly put it on. He flung Joey's at him with a strangled order that came out sounding, Ra help him, like a desperate plea.

“This…never happened. Got it, Mutt?” Kaiba swallowed hard and fought for composure, completely missing the hurt, resigned look that flashed through Joey's eyes as the elevator came to a stop and the doors swooshed open.

Clutching his jacket, Joey watched Seto Kaiba stride off and out the lobby doors, Mokuba on his heels looking concerned. Lost in his own emotions and thoughts, he nearly jumped out of his skin when his sister laid her hand on his arm and asked, “Joey? Are you alright? What happened, big brother?”

“Huh? Oh. It was nothing, Serenity.” Joey patted her hand, in a gesture meant to reassure, and plastered a smile on his face (though inside he was joining Kaiba unknowingly in damning the brunette to the Shadows). “Nothing happened.”

“Well, if you're sure. Let's go back up, okay?”

“Yeah. Oh, and thanks for getting the elevator working again.”

“Of course!” She smiled at him. “I wouldn't just leave you in there, silly.”

“I know.” He gave her a one-armed hug and kissed the top of her head fondly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The second Kaiba walked in the door of the Kaiba mansion, he turned and headed for the stairs, barely tossing a “goodnight” over his shoulder to his worried little brother before quickly making his way to his bedroom.

Locking the bedroom door firmly against his brother and any wandering household staff (though he knew none should have been still around that late anyway), Kaiba leaned back against it and released a steady stream of curses and expletives in as many languages as he could.

He didn't even notice that every single one was aimed at himself and not Joey for once.

Furious with himself and his hormones, feeling humiliated and shameful, Kaiba began stripping off his clothes as he strode purposefully toward his private bathroom, with the intent of having a very cold shower. The thing that overshadowed all the rest of his emotions at the moment was the frustration and un-assuaged lust still coursing through his blood, and if he was ever going to be able to think straight again, he needed to deal with that somehow, first.

He stepped under the cold spray with a hiss of air, blown out between his teeth as the chilly water doused his seemingly overheated skin. It helped…but not much.

Heaving a deep sigh, Kaiba resigned himself to his apparent fate.

It's going to be a long, tortuous night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Joey, it was pretty much the same thing that night. His anger fuelled him enough to send him into a cleaning frenzy, and within an hour, the entire apartment - save Serenity's bedroom, was spic and span.

While he'd expended most of the burning energy that had filled him earlier, he still had that pit of need in his groin to deal with, not to mention the conflicting, confusing emotions that were giving him a headache.

He, too, took a cold shower in an effort to calm his boiling blood. And he, too, found it wasn't working so well.

It was a good thing he didn't have to go to work in the morning, because he didn't think he would make it though the day.

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Authoress' Notes: Told you I wasn't making it easy on them. *sweatdrops* I'm so mean to the characters, sometimes. *sighs* Oh! And before I forget, this update is a part of the massive updating I'm accomplishing with all my WIPs, which I'm affectionately calling the `Chaos wave.' So tell me what you thought of this, and perhaps go read the others, too! Please R/R!!!!