Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Daze of Paradise ❯ Recovery ( Chapter 15 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Authoress' Notes: This is it! It took a lot longer than planned, but Kali and muses present to you the final chapter of Daze of Paradise! I hope you all enjoyed the fic and I hope you'll continue to enjoy this trilogy (see endnotes for details)! Thank you all for your patience and sticking with it! Without further ado…
Disclaimers: *yawns* It'll be another 5,000 years until I own it. Until then I write fanfiction and pretend…
Warnings:The usual.
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Chapter 15 - Recovery
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“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.”
— Hippocrates, Precepts (460 BCE - 377 BCE)
“Like I said, I'm an asshole for how I've handled…everything.” Kaiba looked off toward the door, unable to meet Joey's eyes which were trained intently on him as he spoke, listening and watching.
Joey said nothing. He simply made a noise of agreement and sipped his soup quietly.
“I did what I always do when something happens that I don't want to acknowledge or don't want to believe happened - deny it and pretend like nothing happened at all.” Kaiba crossed his legs in a defensive kind of gesture as he sat beside the blonde on the edge of the bed, arms still folded over his chest - but more like he was holding himself than the authoritative way he usually did. “I didn't think before I spoke, Joey. I just acted. And for that I am truly sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair in agitation. “As for…as for…”
Joey put the spoon down and clasped his hands in his lap, blushing faintly but this time keeping his gaze on his long-time rival. “As for…what? Kissing me and engaging in the hottest make-out session I've ever, ever experienced?”
The High Priest's winter-blue eyes snapped up and his head whipped around to meet Joey's own molten, honey-brown eyes in shock. “Yeah.” He managed to get out in a thick, scratchy voice. “That. You…really?” Now he was blushing furiously, but he couldn't help feeling smug and kind of…awed when Joey nodded shyly. “Seriously? I mean…not even…Mai?”
Joey laughed, pushing the tray away. “I don't think I can eat anymore, right now.”
Kaiba picked it up, deposited it on the small table near the door, and went back to sit beside the blonde again. “Joey? You didn't answer me.”
“What do you want me to say?” Joey rolled his eyes. “Being with Mai was…wonderful. Don't get me wrong. We would have broken up a long time ago if it wasn't good - though I'm not saying that's why we stayed together, either.” He was blushing madly and babbling at this point. Kaiba snickered and interrupted before Joey had a fit.
“I get it. Relax.”
“No. I want to…I want you to understand, Kaiba. I want you to get what made me so mad and confused.” Joey pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them, remembering his time with Mai, and then the incident in the elevator with Seto Kaiba. “With Mai…everything was warm. Friendly. Comfortable. Being with her felt good and it was fun…”
“But?” Kaiba could hear that word and wondered at it, despite how much he didn't think he wanted to hear about Joey's past sex life.
“But you…in the elevator…you kissed me and it wasn't warm - it was hot. It wasn't friendly - it was demanding and commanding at the same time.” His eyes were growing darker by the second as they burned into the older man's unwaveringly. His voice grew husky, and Kaiba didn't even notice that he moved closer to the blonde as he continued to speak. “Not comfortable but intense and edgy.” Joey licked his lips and saw Kaiba's eyes follow the movement, gaze narrowing. “You kissed me, Seto Kaiba, and it wasn't good or fun…it was terrifying and thrilling, and it was so fucking fantast-mph!”
It was like their mouths were magnets of opposite poles, because neither thought that they could have stopped the inevitable even had they wanted to. Seto's kiss didn't burn this time - it scorched, and Joey turned into a melted mass of nerves and energy, kissing back with a passionate fervor that rapidly consumed them both.
Seto made a deep, moaning sound in the back of his throat and thrust his fingers into Joey's blonde hair, fisting a handful and holding his head in place while he proceeded to plunder that hot, wet, willing cavern that was Joey's mouth. His tongue met and tangled with Joey's, neither of them giving an inch in the ensuing struggle for dominance. All thought fled from their minds and Joey whimpered in delight when Seto pushed him back into the pillows and covered his body with his own, still kissing the squirming blonde under him with lustful abandon.
Joey wrapped a leg around one of Seto's, one hand burying itself in his hair at the back of his neck and kneading encouragingly while the other clutched desperately at the taller man's shoulder. Finally, Seto found he needed to breathe or he'd pass out, and broke none to gently away from the delectable taste of his puppy, panting heavily.
With a shudder and a near purr of Joey's name, he ducked his head and buried his face in the curve of Joey's neck and shoulder, one hand still in his hair and the other resting on the pillow next to them. He felt an arm curl hesitantly around his shoulders and the other of Joey's hands slowly slide down his spine, the thin material of his shirt the only thing separating it from his bare back.
After a moment of gaining his breath back, Seto also regained some of his rational thought processes. He stiffened in Joey's arms at the horrible realization that he'd nearly molested the blonde - a still injured, vulnerable Joey.
Joey opened his eyes and looked down at the top of Seto's head when he felt him stiffen, fighting back a bubble of panic. “Set…Seto? You're not…you aren't going to freak out and run away on me again…are you?” He asked in a small voice. Then he felt a pair of lips press against the still speeding pulse in his neck and stay there for a full minute before they were pulled away and the brunette pushed himself up so he could look down into Joey's wide, fearful eyes.
“No. I'm still here.” Seto brushed a few stray locks of blonde hair out of Joey's face and dipped his head to kiss him again, this time in a soft, reassuring sort of way that was down right chaste compared to the fiery intensity of the last few kisses. When he pulled back, he let his thumb rub back and forth across Joey's full, slightly swollen bottom lip. “I'm sorry I did that before.”
There was a sigh of relief and he felt Joey relax under him. “It's okay. You just reacted like you, and I shouldn't have gotten all bent out of shape over that, I suppose.” He met Seto's eyes with a small smile. “Can you forgive me?”
“I'd say we're even.” Seto replied, stealing a quick nip at Joey's lip, ignoring the voice in his mind that wondered why it felt wholly natural to be so…affectionate this way with the younger man. “I just got a bit, ah, concerned that we…” he turned red. “You're still recovering, and we were…”
“Making out like the horniest two young and gorgeous men on the planet?” Joey snickered at Seto's indignant expression. “Sorry! I'm sorry. Couldn't help it.”
“Ra…” Seto scowled at him, though it lacked any of his usual formidable annoyance. “Your lack of…modesty is astounding.”
Joey stuck out his tongue and settled back comfortably into the pillows, idly stroking Seto's back through his shirt. “It's just the truth as I see it.” His face morphed into a serious expression that Seto wasn't used to seeing yet. “So…what does this mean? Are we…have we started…shit, I don't know!”
Seto sighed. “Look, I don't really know either, Mutt.” He shifted, making sure Joey could feel the hard length of him still confined and now pressed against Joey's hipbone. “That speaks for itself. I can't really deny that I want you - not anymore. If I tried it would be pointless and stupid.”
“Uh…yeah.” Distracted, Joey shook his head to clear away the pleasant fog that and immediately clouded his ability to think at the brunette's movement. “Damn. Quit wiggling around like that, please!”
“Sorry.” Okay, so he didn't sound particularly apologetic. “I do want you, Joey, but for more than that…for a relationship…I don't know what to say or do…”
Joey lifted his hands and settled both palms against Seto's cheeks, smiling a little. “That's okay. I think we both need time, right? There's no rush to declare anything, after all. We can just…”
“Take it one step at a time.” Seto finished, sounding very relieved. “Thank you, Joey.”
“No. There's no need for that. I'm going to need some time to get used to you just as much as you need it to get used to me.” Joey yawned, suddenly remembering how tired he was. Seto smiled a little, sympathetically, and made to get up, but the blonde grabbed his upper arms and refused to let go.
“Joey…Mutt, let go. You need your rest.”
“I will, but…don't leave me alone? Please?” Joey whispered, his eyes closing unwillingly he was just so tired. Seto stared at him then gave in. He was exhausted, too, and decided it didn't matter if he got some sleep here or in his own room down the hall.
Though the bed was only a single-person one, and really wasn't meant for two fully grown men, Seto settled down next to his golden puppy as comfortably as he could get and let himself drift off.
He didn't even stir when Joey cracked an eye open, smiled softly, and snuggled up against his chest with a tiny purr of contentment before dropping off once again into oblivion.
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Kaiba was up and gone that morning before either Mokuba or Serenity were awake to find them together. He wasn't quite ready to deal with that particular scenario just yet, though he admitted to himself that waking up next to Joey in the morning was…nice.
So it was that when the blonde woke up he was disappointed but not really surprised. Serenity was curled up in the chair next to the bed, doing her homework, and he shifted, sitting up properly so he could see her better. She noticed the movement and looked over at him, a huge smile of relief and happiness falling over her features.
“Joey! You're awake!” She cried, dumping her books on the floor and hurrying over to the bed to sit next to him, grabbing one of his hands and clasping it tightly. “I've been so worried about you, big brother! You really scared me this time! How do you feel? Can I get you something?”
“Whoa, Serenity!” Joey grinned and tugged her into his arms, hugging her gently. “I'm okay, sis. And I'm sorry I scared you.” He kissed her on the forehead and wiped away her tears with a smile. “Hey, you don't think a little thing like that would keep me down do you?”
“You idiot.” Serenity hugged him back and let her head rest over his heart, listening to the strong, steady, reassuring sound with a sigh. “Mokuba will be so excited to see you, Joey. He's been just as worried about you as I have. Kaiba said you woke up last night sometime, but he didn't want to wake either of us up.”
Joey made a sound to show he was listening, fighting off a wild blush. “Yeah. Well, you need the rest. I wasn't going anywhere anyway.”
Pulling away, Serenity sat up and patted him on the knee under the covers. “Do you want something to eat? Kaiba told me to just tell his staff what we needed and they'd get it for us.”
“Ah…well, that would be good, too. But first…” he scratched his head with a sheepish grin. “I could use a bath.”
“Oh! Of course! Why didn't I think of that?” Serenity stood up. “I'll go get it ready, then help you to the bathroom okay?”
“Thanks, little sis. You're the best.” Joey watched her hurry off, and when she disappeared, he collapsed back against the pillows and looked around. He noticed a piece of paper folded neatly and sitting on the nightstand next to the bed on the other side and reached out to pick it up.
Unfolding it, he smiled when he saw Kaiba's neat, precise handwriting and read through the note quickly. Good morning, Mutt. Sorry I couldn't stick around until you woke up. I had to go to the hospital to make the rounds to see the other injured parties from the accident, and to go check on the rebuilding of the VR room. I'll be home sometime this afternoon, so try not to get too bored before I get back. Rest up, Joey. That's an order. - Kaiba.
Snorting, Joe crumpled the note up and set it on the table again just as Serenity returned. She gave him a curious look.
“What was that about?”
“Just a note from Kaiba ordering me to rest.” The blonde rolled his eyes and tossed the covers off himself, swinging his legs to the side of the bed. “Like I take orders from him.”
Serenity sighed and helped her brother to his feet. “I know you two don't get along very well, big brother, but he's been very kind and generous to us both since the accident. Please don't start a fight with him.”
“I'm not starting anything, Serenity.” Joey frowned at his legs' apparent unwillingness to work properly as he leaned heavily on his sister and made his way slowly to the bathroom. “And Kaiba and I had a little chat last night. I think we worked out a couple of things so I don't expect any down and dirty squabbling again - for a while at least.”
Serenity smiled and sat him down on the bench that was near the bathtub. “That's really great, Joey! I'm glad to hear you two will finally make an effort to get along.”
Having nothing to really say to that, Joey just shrugged and watched her gather up towels and soap.
Serenity left him to have his bath (since he insisted he could handle that much on his own). While he did that, she went down to the kitchens to ask the Kaibas' cook to make up something for them both to eat.
After they'd eaten, Joey took another brief nap while his sister finished her homework. When he woke up again, he felt almost completely normal again, and Kaiba had returned, sitting in the chair reading a newspaper. Serenity and Mokuba were sprawled out on the floor with a normal deck of cards between them, playing a game of crazy eights.
Joey sat up in bead and grinned, looking around at them all. “Haven't you all got better things to do than hang around in here waiting for me to wake up?” He asked, teasingly. All three glanced up and it was Mokuba's turn to hurry over and throw his arms around Joey's neck in glad excitement.
“Joey! How are you? Is your back okay? I can't believe what you did!” A steady stream of questions, exclamations, and sniffling declarations poured out of the dark-haired teen, and Joey hugged Mokuba to his chest, rubbing his back soothingly. His eyes met Seto's briefly, and Kaiba gave him a slight smile before going back to reading his newspaper.
“Hey, Kuba! I'm fine! No need to worry about me!” Joey gave him one of his grins and brushed the tears away from Mokuba's face. “I'm just glad you didn't get hurt, too.”
“Thanks to you.” Mokuba sniffed and accepted the tissue Serenity handed him, blushing in embarrassment at having been seen crying like a little kid in front of a girl. “I'll never be able to thank you enough for what you did, Joey!”
Joey waved that away. “Mokuba, you're my friend, and I think of you as a little brother, too. So just forget about it, okay?”
Mokuba nodded and gave him a big smile of his own. He glanced at his brother and asked, “Can I show Serenity the library, Seto? I promised to let her borrow a book or two if it was alright.”
“Whatever.” Kaiba didn't even look up from his paper. “Go ahead.”
“Yay!” Mokuba cheered and pulled Serenity out the door. “Come on, Serenity!”
“Okay…bye, Joey!” She waved over her shoulder and let herself be dragged from the room.
When they'd gone and the door closed behind them, Joey stretched out the kinks and looked over at his…whatever they were now.
“So how're all the other injured people doing?” He inquired. “And the rebuilding?”
“All but John and Kyle have been released from the hospital. John had some burns that still need more treatment, and Kyle had a bad head injury from the explosion. But the doctors tell me he'll be okay in a couple of weeks.” Kaiba set his paper down and folded it back up neatly. “Clean up's done and the techs are trying to figure out what happened. They tell me that they suspect there was a power surge that overloaded the VR computer's circuitry.”
Joey closed his eyes with a shiver, remembering the explosion and the screeching of this shattering glass from above. “Well…I'm glad everyone will be alright.” He said quietly. He felt the bed shift and opened his eyes to see Kaiba sitting next to him again, an unreadable expression on his face.
“What?” Joey asked self-consciously, fiddling with the sheet.
“Nothing. How do you feel?” Kaiba asked. Joey shrugged.
“Good. Almost like new. I could probably take Serenity home tonight and get out of your hair…” he replied, trailing off as Kaiba leaned forward until he was nearly nose to nose with the blonde. He made a questioning noise, since he couldn't seem to find his voice anymore. Seto pressed his lips lightly to Joey's briefly, then backed off enough to speak.
“Just making sure I wasn't dreaming last night.” The brunette licked his lips and smirked at the faint blush that painted Joey's cheeks. “You're welcome to stay another night, Joey. I'm not going to kick you out just like that.”
“Ah…” the blonde fought to think clearly again and sat up a bit more, leaning in to return the kiss with a small groan. “If you're sure it's okay…” he managed to rasp after a moment, resting his forehead against Seto's.
“Hmm…you probably shouldn't go anywhere until Yugi gives you a clean bill of health.”
“Okay.” Perfectly agreeable, Joey raised his arms to curl around Seto's neck as his mouth was captured once more. They kissed slowly, deeply, savouring every sensation and the lazy burn of passion swirling through them. Seto wrapped an arm around Joey and pulled him closer, taking advantage of the gasp that followed and delving past Joey's lips to duel the blonde's tongue with his own.
It was all still so new to them. Despite the heat and passion, there was still an amount of hesitancy that held them back. Neither wanted to push the other over any lines that the other may not be ready to cross. And they were both wary of somehow screwing this up - again.
After several minutes of burning kissing and teasing caresses, Seto finally broke away reluctantly and sat up beside the blonde. He was almost panting - Joey was - and he lifted a shaky hand to run his fingers through his own somewhat mussed chestnut hair.
With a contented little sigh. Joey relaxed into his pillows and smiled goofily. “I will never tire of those, I don't think.”
“Of what?” Seto glanced at him, puzzled. Joey opened one eye, grinned, and reached out to squeeze the CEO's knee.
“Kisses like that. Anytime I need to be reminded that you're not an ice cube, please kiss me.”
Seto scowled - half-heartedly, admittedly - at his puppy and lightly rapped his knuckles on Joey's leg. “If I did that, then we'd never stop.”
Heavy-lidded honey-brown eyes gazed at him and a smirk spread over Joey's face.
“Now there's an idea.” He winked and Seto flushed.
“You must be feeling better.” The familiar voice of the duelling Prince interrupted, startling both men to the point they both jumped in surprise. “If Joey is flirting, it means he's healthy.”
Blushing and refusing to meet Seto's inquiring raised eyebrow, Joey laughed a bit anxiously and greeted his best friend. “Hey, Yugi! Glad to see you!”
Laughing, Yugi approached the bed wearing an expression of relief. “So am I, pal. So am I.”
“As are we all.” The ever-regal voice of the Pharaoh announced, following his hikari closely. “Yugi and I have been very worried about you, Joey. How are you feeling?”
“Actually, I feel better than I did before the accident.” Joey shrugged, his face taking on that uncharacteristically serious expression that Kaiba still wasn't used to seeing on the blonde. “I can't ever thank you or repay you enough for what you did, Yug. I know it must have been really hard on you, not to mention the energy it must have taken…”
“Stop, Joey.” Yugi held up his hand, eyes glistening with tears. “Don't you dare thank me or try repaying me. After all we've been through…all you've helped me get through…” he paused, having to swallow back a sob. “Just don't.”
Joey reached out and took Yugi's hand, squeezing tightly. Then he nodded, giving a small smile of compliance.
Yami brought his hands down on Yugi's shoulders and rubbed soothingly. “Good. Now, would one of you please enlighten me as to why Joey suddenly feels so free to flirt openly with Seto Kaiba? And why Kaiba is letting him?”
Kaiba snarled a warning in ancient Egyptian that Joey hastily cut off. “Okay, yeah. I suppose you guys would be confused. Relax, Seto. He's not teasing you.”
“Much.” Yami smirked and Kaiba tried glaring him to death, his face and even his ears blushing bright red.
Yugi gave his darker half a mental nudge. {Keep that up and we'll never find out what happened, so knock it off!}
Yami just kept smiling, though he didn't say anything more.
Keeping one eye on his…significant other, and the other on the yami/hikari pair, Joey outlined the talk he'd had with the CEO - leaving out the parts they didn't need to know, of course.
“So after we talked, we came to the mutual agreement that we're going to see if things work out at all, and if so…well, we'll see.”
Kaiba, still pink but significantly less flushed than earlier, crossed his arms over his chest in a defensive, almost defiant manner, and stared at Yami hard, daring him to comment. Yami simply looked back neutrally, a soft smile beginning to creep over his features as he watched Joey's hand unconsciously tighten its grip on Kaiba's leg.
“That's great! Wow, guys!” Yugi bounced up and down, grinning widely and practically sparkling all on his own with joy. “I'm so glad you two are finally getting along - and it's just a bonus that you're trying a relationship, too!”
Kaiba rolled his eyes and stood, moving around the bed toward the door. “I'm assuming you're both staying for supper? I'll go inform the cooks that there will be two more guests, and…” he stopped with a small grunt of air as Yugi suddenly glomped him with a squeal of pure delight - and didn't let him go immediately. “Urk! Ah…Yugi…”
The expression on his face must have been a good one because Yami chuckled behind a hand, and Joey just outright laughed. Looking down at the petit duellist helplessly. Kaiba did the only thing he could.
His arms came up slowly and hesitantly wrapped loosely around Yugi in a hug, returning the affection with a few confused pats to the shoulder and back.
Feeling his entire life had just finally paid off - next to Yami's return and the Osiris binding ritual, of course - Yugi grinned foolishly and let the taller man go, skipping back to his Pharaoh's waiting arms.
“What was that for?” Kaiba managed to ask, blinking in complete stupefaction. Yugi - and now maybe Joey - were the only ones other than Mokuba that could get away with doing something like that and live. That, however, didn't mean Kaiba understood it at all.
Joey, still sniggering, mouthed, “Later.” and started laughing again when Yugi collapsed onto the bed next to his best friend in a fit of giggles, Yami looking on with eternal patience and fondness.
Shaking his head, Seto Kaiba walked out in a cloud of confusion and vague embarrassment. After the door closed, Yugi let out a gasping, “Ra! I love doing that to him! Did you see his expression!?”
“We're so mean!” Joey wiped away the hysterical tears that had welled up from laughing so hard. “We shouldn't be laughing at him like this. He's…ha ha…not used to affection.”
“Yeah, I know.” Yugi sucked in a deep, calming breath and accepted the handkerchief Yami handed him, wiping his eyes and blowing his nose. “Thanks, love.”
“It's something you'll have to work on, Joey.” Yami said, hiding a grin of his own at the blush and sort of dreamy glaze that passed over Joey's eyes. “I think you're just the one to teach him.”
“So…this is alright, with you?” Joey cast an inquiring look at the tri-haired duelling King with a hint of apprehension. “Seto and I, I mean?”
Yami blinked, surprised. “Of course it is. Not that I have any say in yours or Kaiba's personal lives. You don't need my permission to date, Joey.”
Squirming uncomfortably under the royal pair's twin gazes, Joey flushed and his shoulder jerked in a shrug. “I can't help it. I just…feel like its something I need to know - to make sure of. Next to Yugi and Tristan…you're like, one of my best friends, you know? Not to mention being the Pharaoh…and I'm sort of one of your subjects, and then Kaiba's like, your cousin…kinda…so I'm sort of asking the head of the family permission to, ah…”
“Whoa! Okay, Joey…calm down.” Yami couldn't help chuckling. “You're babbling. First off, I understand what you're getting at, and if it will put you at ease then I give my full permission - with all my heart.”
Visibly relaxing, Joey managed a grateful smile. “Thank you, Yami.”
He waved that away. “I echo my aibou: don't.” Yami's hand absently found Yugi's arm and brushed lightly over the golden armband. “Secondly, yes, I am a Pharaoh, but even in the past my people - well, not all of them, at least - had to ask my permission to have relationships.” He shuddered a the mere thought. “Ra, but that would have bored me to death…”
Yugi snickered and leaned back into his lover's touch.
“And, lastly, Kaiba is my reincarnated cousin, Seth. However, even then he didn't require my permission for much of anything, let alone in regards to relationships.” Yami pursed his lips thoughtfully. “He never did take orders very well, come to think of it.”
Joey sighed dramatically. “Some things never change.”
“How true. But some things do change, and there in lies what makes life worth living. I guess what I am trying to say, Joey, is that neither you - nor Seto Kaiba - need ask me if you can pursue whatever relationship you end up desiring.”
“And you have our full support.” Yugi added, letting his head rest against Yami's shoulder as an arm slid around his waist to hold him close. “You'll probably have a few bumps and bruises along the way, but…”
“No doubt.” Joey chuckled. “It's in our nature to argue.”
Seto returned at that moment, declaring, “Supper is going to be about half-an-hour or so…” and stopping when three sets of eyes landed on him - two of which were mildly threatening and one that was amused and glad to see him. “What did I do?”
“Nothing.” Yugi assured him, getting up and clasping Yami's hand in his own firmly.
“Then why am I getting the distinct impression I'm being told to watch my step?” Kaiba arched an eyebrow in Yami's direction.
“Because while I may not have any issues over you and Joey dating or anything.” Yami drawled, his voice edged with razor-sharpened power. “Should you break his heart I will be quite happy to break you.”
Kaiba blinked, momentarily shocked, then glared hotly in budding anger and insult. “What the hell, Yami?! You think I would be so cold and absolutely despicable as to do something like that on purpose?!” He growled, stalking up to the shorter man with flashing ice-blue eyes. “Try saying that again, Pharaoh!”
“I don't have to. And you've just proved to me how true your own feelings are.” Yami smoothly side-stepped the furious High-Priest and continued walking toward the door. “Maybe, gods forbid, things won't work out but it wouldn't be intentional on your part if you hurt Joey. I just needed him to know that for certain. Come, aibou. Let's go make use of the duelling arena in Kaiba's game room before supper?” He held out a hand and Yugi hurried over to grasp it and follow.
“Sure. Let's work up an appetite. What are the rules, love?” Yugi waved over one shoulder and the two disappeared, leaving a stunned Joey and seething Seto behind.
“Why I ought to…”
“Don't let it bend you out of shape, Kaiba.” Joey sweatdropped at the two, who even now managed to ignite each other's tempers with little effort. The blonde swung his legs out from under the covers and over the edge of the bed, stretching lazily. “He's just being protective, that's all. And you know if he had any belief that I would do something like that to you it would have been me getting that speech and the evil eye - so to speak.” Joey shuddered. “No thanks. Not worth it.”
Subsiding slightly, because he knew there was truth in Joey's words, Kaiba ran a hand through his hair and turned to go back over to the bed, sitting next to Joey on the edge of it lightly. “Yeah well…he still manages to insult me and piss me off easily enough.”
“And everyone thinks I have a short fuse.” Joey teased, nudging him in the side with an elbow. “Sometimes I think that's debatable.”
Scowling, though surprisingly not as offended as he thought he should have been, Kaiba shrugged. “Make up your mind, Mutt. I'm either cold and unbearable or I'm hot-tempered and…”
“You're just you.” Joey hastily interrupted, not wanting to wreck the fragile start to their relationship so soon and over this little ridiculous argument. Intending to distract him, Joey crawled onto Kaiba's lap, startling the brunette as the younger man basically straddled his body with a knee on either side of him. The blonde brought up his hands to lightly rest one on Kaiba's shoulder and the other on his cheek. “I wouldn't want you to change who you are, Seto.”
The corner of his mouth twitched helplessly into the faintest hint of a smile. “Get off me, Mutt.” He put his own hands to Joey's waist, moving to lift him off, but Joey growled playfully and leaned in to a brush a quick kiss across Seto's lips, grinning at the tiny intake of breath.
“Nuh uhn.” He refused, stubbornly staying right where he was and curling his arms around the older man's neck loosely. “I like it right here.”
“Damn puppy…” Seto grumbled half-heartedly, leaning in to capture those way too tempting lips with his own. His hands pulled the blonde closer as they kissed leisurely, this time slow and achingly sweet. It was exploration and a need to discover what the other liked or didn't like. Oh, the restless heat was still there, pulsing along as an undercurrent to the rest, but it wasn't in control this time.
Joey didn't mind one bit. He would kiss Seto like this 24/7 if it were possible. He let out a soft sigh and whimper of protest as Seto broke away to breathe. Seto, unused to all the new sensations and emotions running through him, shivered slightly, a bit dizzy from it all. It didn't stop him from leaning back in for more, however.
But before they could start again, there was a knock at the door, followed by Mokuba's voice.
“Hey, Joey…and Seto, if you're in there…supper is ready! Come downstairs, okay?” The younger Kaiba informed them - followed by a muffled set of giggles and footsteps.
Laughing at the expression of consternation on Kaiba's face, Joey got off him and tugged the brunette to his feet.
“Come on. I'm hungry.”
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Authoress' Notes: Well, folks! That's it for Daze of Paradise! Thank you all so much for all your comments and reviews! It has been very much appreciated! Keep an eye out for the final piece of my “Daze” trilogy, The Daze of Our Lives. Seto and Joey continue to try out this new-found and highly volatile relationship, while Malik and Marik work out their issues. Coming to a fic site only a few clicks away! But for now… Please R/R!!!!