Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Family By Choice ❯ chapter7 ( Chapter 7 )

Family By Choice

by Dragondreamer & Yami Dragon

Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! If we did, the boys would be running around naked all the time and we'd never get ANY work done.

Warning: This story contains shouenen-ai (guy/guy relationships) and yaoi (guys having sex with guys). It also contains coarse language and violence. If you don't like it, or become offended by such things, take off already!

Note: /…/ Tristan's thoughts

[…] Joey's thoughts

{…} Seto's thoughts

[[…]]Yami's thought and mind link to Yugi

//…// Yugi's thoughts and mind link to Yami

{{…}} Otogi's thoughts

*…* Mokuba's thoughts

`yak, yak' Sadie's(AI) voice

~*~*~*~*~

DD: There's some serious humor in this chappie.

Seto: *snicker* Poor Bakura.

YD: Just tying a few things together here.

Tris: Hey! When do Joey and I get a lemon?

YD: Next chapter.

Joey: Cool!

Justin: What's a lemon?

~*~*~*~*~

Joey stood up as Tristan shut the office door behind the real estate agent.

A smile lit his face as he crossed the room, putting his arms around his husband and cuddling close with a contented sigh. "We have our own home again."

"Has it bothered you that much, baby, staying with Seto?" Tristan asked, hearing the relief in the blond's voice.

"Well…I love being with them, but…I'm just glad we have our own place again." Joey grinned. "Though we may have some trouble prying Lexi away from Justin."

"She'll be fine." Tristan kissed the top of Joey's head. "We can't move in until Seto upgrades the security system though. I'm not taking any chances with your safety."

"Tris? Did the cops find out who broke in to our house yet?"

Tristan drew Joey over to the couch and sat down, pulling him down next to him. "Yeah, they did. Concerned Citizens for Family Values took CREDIT for it. They seem to want to make me and Seto their new pet project."

"But…" Joey's look was incredulous. "Why haven't they done anything about it?!"

"They said that unless they can find out who's PERSONALLY responsible, they can't lay charges."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Don't worry about it, love." Tristan took Joey into his arms. "Bakura's looking into it. But until he finds something, I want you to be careful."

"I will."

"I mean it, Joey. Don't go anywhere alone. These people are cowards. Chances are, if you're with somebody, they'll leave you alone."

"I promise." Joey reached up and clasped Tristan's face in his hands, pulling him down for a quick kiss. "We're going to have to go shopping. We have a whole house to furnish."

"Mmm." Tristan replied noncommittally, his hands burying themselves in Joey's hair.

Joey molded himself against Tristan as the brunet took possession of his lips. He moaned softly as Tristan's tongue tangled with his own, both of them missing the sound of the door opening.

"YEAH! PAPA LOW DA-EE!"

They broke apart just in time as Lexi flew across the room and threw herself at her parents.

"Lexi," Tristan pulled his daughter into his lap. "What are you doing here?"

"I found her with Gina." Seto was standing in the doorway, his arms folded over his chest and a smirk on his face. "And if you two are done sucking face…you said you'd meet me in the VR lab, Tris."

"Sorry." Tristan grinned. "I got a little…distracted."

"I bet you did."

Joey shook his head and turned his attention to Lexi, noticing that she was clutching something in her deformed hand. "Whatcha got there, little girl?"

"Bip-tick." Lexi held up a tube of lipstick. "Tee? Deena gabe. Is tink. Tink Lexi pay-per-tet tuller."

Tristan bit his lip, fighting the urge to squeeze her until she stopped breathing.

Seeing the familiar look, Joey stood, scooping the child up into his arms. "Pink, huh? Better hide it. Pink's Uncle Bakura's favorite color too."

Lexi's eyes went wide as Tristan and Seto snickered. "Ba-ra no teal Lexi bip-tick."

"We can always hope." Tristan commented dryly, standing. "Let me see Joey off and take the little escape artist back to daycare and I'll meet you, pal."

"Sounds good." Seto stepped back to let Joey, Lexi still in his arms, exit.

"Da-ee?"

"Yes?" Joey looked down at his daughter.

"Da-ee low Set?"

"Sure, I do." Joey grinned, knowing what was coming.

"Tiss Set." Lexi demanded.

Joey turned to Seto, leaned up, and kissed him.

"Gross." Seto wiped his cheek. "Dog germs."

Teddy, sitting behind his desk, snickered. "Oh, Tristan…before I forget. The hospital called. You and Joey have an appointment with the surgeon on Monday at two o'clock. He said to bring Lexi. I made sure your schedule was clear. Sorry, Joey, I didn't know if you were busy."

"That's okay." Joey replied. "I'm pretty flexible."

"Too much information, pup." Seto said, deadpan.

/Seto!/

{What?}

/Not in front of my kid!/

Seto laughed, bending down to kiss Lexi. "I'll meet you downstairs, buddy."

~*~*~*~*~

Joey sat in the backseat of the car, shivering, as it pulled out into traffic.

"Everything okay, Mr. Wheeler?" Tim, his driver, asked. "You look a little spooked."

"No. No, I'm fine." Joey mentally shook himself. [It couldn't have been him.]

Brown eyes, framed in the rearview mirror, looked skeptical. "Where to, sir?"

"The clinic, please." [It couldn't have been Bobby. I'm seeing things.]

Joey's hands clenched into fists, nails biting into palms, as he tried to calm himself. He could feel it coming…couldn't do anything to stop it.

/FLASHBACK/

"Bobby…stop!" Joey tried to push the other man off him. "You're not supposed to touch me!"

"Keith owes me." Bobby growled, pinning the blond to the bed. "I took a fall for him. I spent six months in jail because he didn't speak up. He owes me, and you're going to pay his debt."

"Stop…please…"

"Be a good little whore, Joe."

Joey fought not to gag as Bobby kissed him, forcing his tongue into his mouth. Cool air hit his skin as his shirt was ripped open.

"KEITH!!"

/END FLASHBACK/

"Mr. Wheeler?! Are you alright?!"

Joey flinched, whimpering, as a hand touched his knee.

"Mr. Wheeler…Joey! Joey, look at me!"

Joey opened his eyes to find that Tim had pulled the car over and he was turned in his seat, his hand on Joey's leg and worry etched on his face. "Tim…"

"It's okay, Joey."

"I'm…I'm sorry." Joey buried his face in his hands, trying to stop the shaking.

"Do you want me to take you home?"

"N-No…I need to go to the clinic. Please, Tim…just drive."

Tim nodded, turning back around and pulling the car back out onto the road.

Joey put his feet up on the seat and hugged his knees to his chest. [Gods. I never thought I'd ever be grateful to Keith for anything. If it wasn't for him…Bobby would have raped me. He barely came near me again after Keith beat him up. Except for that one time…down at The Graveyard. He told me he'd have me…just to make Keith pay.] Joey forced back the tears. [It couldn't have been him watching me from across the street…it couldn't have been.]

~*~*~*~*~

The sword cut through his opponent's body with no resistance, blood spraying everywhere.

{That's not right.} Seto whirled around to face the man behind him. {Not so much as a muscle lock. Gotta fix that.}

Metal flashed, taking him by surprise and he turned slightly, taking the blow on his leather armor. It staggered him and he dropped to one knee, raising the small shield strapped to his left arm. He pulled his sword arm back and drove the edged steel into his attacker's stomach, the impact jarring his shoulder as if he had hit a brick wall.

{What the hell..?} Seto stood as his adversary disappeared. {Gods, what do I pay these people for?}

He dropped his sword into the sand at his feet, rubbing his shoulder and arm through the leather. He frowned. His armor didn't look right either. It wasn't thick enough in the crucial spots and it felt stiff against his legs, not supple, like it was supposed to be.

He checked his weapons. Dagger strapped to his right hip…fine. The sword that lay in front of him was supposed to be of BLACK metal, NOT silver. His shield should have been another two inches in diameter.

"This is going to set us back a couple of months." Seto grumbled. "Incompetent assholes."

Tristan appeared in front of him suddenly. "What's going on?"

Seto shivered slightly. It was…odd to have Tristan standing in front of him and not be able to feel him. For some reason, their bond didn't follow their minds into the virtual world.

"The program's all screwy." Seto said, picking up his sword. "Look."

Tristan frowned, drawing his own sword and dagger from their sheaths. They were black…they were supposed to be silver. "Weird."

"The battle modes are off too." Seto stepped back. "Computer, reload the last sequence."

The two figures reappeared, one in front of Tristan, one behind. The dagger immediately left his hand, passing completely through the attacker's throat. Tristan's eyes widened and he whipped around, sword coming up in a move that should have removed his opponent's head from his shoulders.

There was a loud, metal on metal clang, and Tristan dropped his sword, cursing and grabbing his wrist.

Seto told the computer to stop the program and turned back to Tristan. "See?"

"What happened?" Tristan asked as he went to retrieve his dagger. "It was working the last time."

"I don't know." Seto sat down in the sand and motioned for Tristan to join him. "They were cleaning up the safety protocols and they must have bugged something up."

"You didn't ask me here to talk about this, did you, pal?"

Seto shook his head, leaning against Tristan. "I needed to talk to you privately…where there was no chance of being overheard."

"What's up?"

"It's…" Tears suddenly welled up, spilling over to scorch hot trails down Seto's face.

"Seto…" Tristan threw his arms around his friend.

Now he knew why Seto wanted to meet him here. Whatever it was had him so upset that he couldn't hold back the tears…and he didn't want anyone to see him this way. He had known that Seto's smile and banter earlier with Joey was a front, but he had respected the other's privacy and hadn't pried.

"It's Justin. He…they can't…oh, gods…" Seto clung to Tristan, burying his face in the leather covered shirt, his voice dropping to a bare whisper. "He has cancer."

"What?! Cancer?!" Tristan's grip tightened on the other brunet.

"It's his eye. His left one." Seto shuddered. "They…they can k-keep it from spreading, but…oh gods…he's going to lose his eye."

"Seto…I'm so sorry." Tristan kissed the top of Seto's head. "Have you told Yami and Yugi?"

"No." Seto shook his head. "I haven't had the opportunity to get them alone to do it. This is going to kill Yugi."

"Is he going to have to have chemotherapy?"

"Probably, just to be safe. But they're pretty positive that if they…" Seto's breath hitched and Tristan pulled him closer. "…take his eye, that'll be the end of it."

"Seto," Tristan tipped the other's face up and looked into his eyes. "He's going to be okay."

"I know. It's not like he's going to die. The doctors said it was highly unlikely that it would spread, but…I'm overreacting."

Tristan leaned in and kissed his friend gently. "Hey, when it's your kid, you're allowed to overreact. Tell you what. Joey and I will take the kids out tonight so you and Yami and Yugi can be alone to talk about this."

"Thanks, buddy."

Tristan untangled himself from the taller man and stood, helping Seto to his feet. "It's going to be okay, Seto."

"I know." Seto gave Tristan a brief hug. "Let's go. I want to tell Tom what's gone wrong with this program."

"Don't fire him." Tristan grinned.

"With the mood I'm in, he'd better not say anything but `yes, sir'."

"Maybe we should go down to the gym." Tristan suggested. "You look like you could use a few rounds."

"I could. What about Lexi?"

"Bakura stopped me on my way here and told me he was going to take her out."

"Well, let's get out of here then." Seto draped an arm over Tristan's shoulders. "We'll grab our gloves and head out. Prepare to be thrashed."

Tristan rolled his eyes. "I'll go easy on you."

~*~*~*~*~

"Joey? Are you okay?" Gwen's voice reflected the concern in her eyes as she moved out from behind the desk.

Joey shook his head. "I had a flashback on the way here. It really spooked me."

"Why don't you go see Jack?" Gwen put her arms around the blond, giving him a motherly hug. "I know he doesn't have anyone with him right now."

"I have to meet Josh. He's expecting me."

"I'll tell him you're going to be a little late." Gwen said. "I don't think he'll mind. He received some mail this morning that got him pretty excited."

"Okay." Joey squeezed the woman before letting her go. "You know, it's almost worth the flashback just to get one of your hugs."

Gwen smiled and smacked at him. "Go on with you."

Joey cracked a grin as he turned to leave. Gwen could always make him feel better. Sometimes he felt like she was the mother he never had growing up.

"Joey?" Gwen stopped him. "Anytime you need a hug, I'm here."

"Thanks, Gwen." Joey smiled at her.

He made his way to Jack's office, trying to keep his hands from shaking. It wasn't working too well, he noticed, as he knocked on the door.

Receiving permission to enter, Joey opened the door and walked in, his eyes immediately locking with Jack's.

"Gods, Joey! Are you okay? You're white as a sheet!"

Joey dropped down in the chair in front of the other man's desk. "I…I had a really bad flashback on the way here."

"What was it about?"

"Bobby."

"The man who tried to rape you." It was a statement.

Joey nodded. "I tried to stop it, but I couldn't. It was so real. Even more so than the others."

Jack leaned forward, crossing his arms on the top of his desk. "Keith saved you from him, didn't he?"

"Yeah." Joey nodded again. "He pulled Bobby off me and beat the hell out of him."

"What did he do then?"

"He…he held me until I calmed down. He was gentle." Joey bit his lip.

"You feel grateful to Keith for that, don't you, Joey?" Jack asked. "And it bothers you."

"Yes." Joey whispered. "I hate it that I feel grateful. After everything he did to me…it was his fault that I was in that situation in the first place."

"But that doesn't mean you can't be thankful he saved you from being raped."

Joey's eyes widened. "What?"

"The way I see it…you're too loving a person NOT to have feelings of gratitude to anyone who would extricate you from something like that." Jack shrugged. "Why not just be grateful for that one instance?"

"I never…I never thought about it that way." Joey frowned. "Makes sense though."

"What brought it on?"

Joey shivered. "I thought I saw Bobby. I was getting into the car outside Kaiba Corp. and there was someone watching me. He looked so much like Bobby."

"Do you think it was him?"

"Gods, I hope not! I've got enough to deal with right now. I don't need any of THEM coming around."

"What are you going to do if it was?"

"I don't know." Joey looked down at his hands. "Tris told me not to go anywhere alone, you know, because of those people who broke into our house. If I tell him about this, I'll probably find myself with a bodyguard."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think that's a little much?"

"I don't know." Joey shrugged. "He just wants to keep me safe."

"You don't think he's going possessive on you again?"

"Maybe. But it's for a good reason." Joey pointed out. "If I found myself face to face with Bobby, I know I'd freeze up. I wouldn't be able to defend myself."

"Point taken." Jack replied. "Are you going to try to find out if it was him?"

"How? He was across the street. There's no way."

"Maybe you should tell Tristan." Jack allowed the concern to creep into his voice. "I don't want to lose one of my best psychologists."

Joey grinned. "Don't worry, Jack. It couldn't have been him anyway. Now that I think about it, I know I must have been seeing things."

~*~*~*~*~

"Ba-ra? Tee Lexi bip-tick? Is tink." Lexi held up the tube.

Bakura looked at her, strapped into the car seat, in the rearview mirror. "Very pretty."

"Deena gabe. Ba-ra?"

"Yes, Lexi-girl?"

"Da-ee tay tink Ba-ra pay-per-tet tuller."

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Daddy was kidding."

"Ba-ra no wike tink?" Lexi pouted.

"Not the pout." Bakura growled quietly. "Anything but the pout. She's worse than dice-boy."

"Ow tum, Ba-ra?"

"Oh, I like pink." Bakura tried to sound convincing.

"Where Ba-ra tak-ting Lexi?"

"We're going back to Uncle Seto's to get you changed and then we're going to the park."

"TIPPIE!!" Lexi bounced in her seat. "Jut-in tum too?"

"If he wants." Bakura replied, thinking to himself the only way the boy would come was if Yami or Yugi came as well. Things still weren't going well between him and Justin.

Under a steady stream of chatter and questions from the little girl in the back seat, Bakura drove to the Kaiba Estate. He was somewhat relieved to see the closed gates come into view.

He rolled down the window, waiting for the inevitable question.

`Please state your name.'

"Bakura. Now let me in before I yank out your motherboard."

`Very odd last name you've adopted, Bakura.' Sadie stated dryly as the gates swung open.

"Ba-ra be nize a Tadie." Lexi said indignantly.

Bakura bit back a growl, pulling to a stop in front of the mansion. He was highly pissed that Sadie had caught him the last time he tried to sneak into Seto's house. It was Ryou's fault, really. If he hadn't been so clumsy and tripped over that pot on the patio…

He got Lexi out of the car and took her into the house, carrying her upstairs to her bedroom.

"Lexi wan tee Jut-in, Ba-ra."

"Let's get you changed first and then we'll go find him."

"O-tay. Lexi nee doe poddy." A pause. "Not aby more. Lexi nee d'wiper now."

Bakura cringed, beating back the urge to go find Yugi and make him do it. He'd never hear the end of it if he didn't do it himself. He stood her up on her bed and pulled her dress over her head.

"It o-tay, Ba-ra." Lexi laid her hand on his arm, her tone sympathetic. "Lexi tan tange d'wiper."

"Very funny, midget."

Lexi giggled and pulled the tapes on her diaper, taking it off. "S'o-tay. Weel-wee. Lexi no poop-ded."

Bakura shuddered, feeling his lunch trying to crawl back up his throat. Lexi burst into peals of laughter at the look on her favorite uncle's face.

Making a face at the child, Bakura put a clean diaper on her and dressed her in jeans and a tee shirt.

"Lexi, where are your sneakers?" Bakura asked, turning around from the closet.

Lexi was standing in front of the free-standing mirror in the corner of the room, the tube of lipstick in her hand and pink smeared across her face.

"What are you doing?"

"Lexi put on bip-tick."

Bakura sighed and crossed over to the bed, taking some tissue from the box on the bedside table. "Your papa's going to freak if he sees that."

Lexi grinned as Bakura knelt next to her, wiping the makeup off her face. "Ba-ra show."

Bakura looked askance at the offered tube. "Show you what?"

"Show Lexi put on bip-tick."

"Lexi…"

"Peas?" Big eyes and a pouting lip accompanied the request.

"Ra damn pout of yours. I swear..." Bakura plucked the lipstick from her fingers and turned toward the mirror.

Lexi watched intently as Bakura applied the bright pink makeup to his lips. When he was done, she squealed, clapping her hands.

"I knew it."

Bakura whirled around to see Yami leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed and a smug smirk on his face.

"Wook, `ami! Ba-ra tum pity!"

Yami's smirk grew. "He sure is."

Bakura scowled, grabbing the tissue and scrubbing his lips with it.

"Sadie, tell me you got a picture of that." Yami snickered.

`I did, in video form actually. And it's already been emailed to Seto, Tristan, Joey, Otogi, Ryou, Tom, Bruce, Alan…"

"Enough!" Bakura bellowed.

"I must say, Tomb Robber, pink goes well with your hair." Yami finally gave up trying to hold in his mirth and doubled over, laughing and holding his stomach.

"'ami!" Lexi scolded, hands on hips. "S'not tunny! Ba-ra berry pity wif bip-tick!"

Yami straightened, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry, Lexi. Bakura's VERY pretty."

"Shut your mouth, Pharaoh." Bakura growled.

"Ba-ra? Lexi doe a park now?"

"If the Pharaoh will stop braying like a jackass and tell me where your sneakers are."

"What's a jackass?" Justin asked, appearing in the doorway.

"Your father." Bakura said.

Justin turned to Yugi, who was standing in the hallway. "Pharaoh's a jackass? I don't get it."

"I'd rather you didn't, little man." Yugi replied, chuckling.

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Can we just go to the park now?"

Yugi shook his head, smiling. "Poor Bakura. Feeling a little beleaguered, are you?"

"Yes! Can we go?!"

"I'll go get Matthew from Claudine." Yugi bit back his laughter.

Bakura turned to Lexi, picking her up. "Thanks, midget. I'm NEVER going to live this down!"

~*~*~*~*~

Joey put his feet up on his desk, thinking about the flashback he had had that morning.

[It was my imagination. What would Bobby be doing there anyway? Maybe it was one of those people from Concerned Citizens. It's really not worth worrying Tristan over.]

He glanced at the wall clock. Josh would be there any minute. [I think I'll call Otogi when I'm done. See how he's doing. I knew it was the fever talking the other night. He'd never say that in his right mind…that he loved me, that he loved Tristan. I know he wants both of us. What I can't figure out is if it's just a physical thing or not. I don't think it is. I've seen the way he looks at me sometimes. He tries to hide it. Gods, just yesterday he had that look on his face when he looked at Tris and I SWEAR I heard his heart breaking. Maybe I SHOULD talk to Tris about it. Find out how really feels about Otogi.]

His musings were interrupted by the door opening. He removed his booted feet from the polished surface of his desk and smiled as Josh walked in.

"Hey, buddy." Joey greeted the boy. "What's that?"

"I got this in the mail today." Josh held up a large ivory colored envelope with a logo on it Joey recognized. "It's from Seto Kaiba!"

Joey didn't comment as the teen opened the envelope, spilling it's contents across the desk. There were easily a dozen duel monsters cards, along with a note in Seto's handwriting.

"Look!" Josh picked up one of the cards. "It's Magic Cylinder! It's really rare!"

Joey smiled at Josh's enthusiasm, glad to see him getting excited about something. He picked up the note and read it.

Dear Josh,

It's nice to hear that you're taking

such an interest in Duel Monsters.

These should make a nice addition

to your deck. They should help you

kick the mutt's mangy butt.

Have fun.

Seto Kaiba

Joey rolled his eyes, dropping the note back on to the desk. "Looks like you've got some good cards there."

"But…how does Seto Kaiba know about ME?" Josh asked, confused. "And who's the mutt?"

"I'm the mutt." Joey shook his head in mock despair. "It's a pet name."

"You know him?!"

"Yeah. He's my husband's best friend. I've know him for years."

"Your…" Josh's eyes widened. "Your HUSBAND?! You're married to a GUY?!"

"Mmhm." Joey nodded. "Does that bother you?"

"Well…I guess…umm…no." Josh stuttered. "It's just…well…you don't LOOK, you know…gay."

"Always wondered what gay was supposed to look like." Joey joked. He turned around a picture of him and Tristan and Lexi that was sitting on his desk. "That's Tristan. HE doesn't look gay, does he?"

Josh blushed. "Umm…no. He doesn't."

"I'm just ribbing ya, Josh." Joey grinned. "Don't worry about it."

"Who's the little girl?"

"Our daughter. We adopted her about six months ago." Joey decided it was time to change the subject. "Want to duel?"

"Yeah!" Josh pulled the deck Joey had bought for him out of his pocket.

Joey watched as Josh added the cards Seto had sent him to the deck and began to shuffle it. He had been dropping things about his personal life to the boy in an effort to win his trust. It seemed to be working. There was only one more thing he planned on telling him.

He hoped that if Josh knew he wasn't alone in fighting his battle against the drugs that he might finally open up.

Joey was hoping and praying it would work.

~*~*~*~*~

"Sorry about that, pal." Tristan reached out and gently touched the bruise on Seto's cheekbone.

"It's okay. I should have been paying more attention." Seto threw his bag in the trunk of Tristan's car. "Should have known that left was coming."

"I should have pulled it." Tristan unlocked the car and got in, waiting for Seto. When Seto got in next to him, Tristan laid a hand on his leg. /He's going to be okay, pal./

"I know." Seto pushed his hair out of his eyes. "It's just…we had such high hopes that we could save his sight."

"What about his other eye?"

"Laser treatment. The specialist said he should have perfect vision in that one."

Tristan reached out and grasped Seto's chin in his fingers. He turned his friend's face toward him and kissed him softly on his bruised cheek. "It's going to be okay."

{Just keep saying it, Tris. Maybe after a while I'll start believing it.}

/Believe it. I know he's going to be fine./

Seto bit his lip to keep it from trembling, looking into Tristan's hazel eyes. {I'm scared.}

/It's okay to be scared./ Tristan trailed his fingertips over Seto's face. /He's your son./

"No, it's not. I need to be strong. For Justin, and…and Yugi."

/I think you're more scared about how Yugi's going to handle this than anything else, aren't you?/

Seto nodded miserably. {I'm afraid that he's going to lose it. You know how he can be. I know Justin's going to be fine. The specialist assured me he would. When I first told you, I just had…a weak moment.}

/Hey, you're allowed to have those. Especially with me. If you can't break down in front of me…that's what I'm here for. Did the doctor say that he knew for sure the cancer wouldn't spread?/

{He's handled cases like this before. He said when they catch it this early, it's usually not a problem.}

/Just tell Yugi everything you know. Maybe you should all go se the specialist together so he can answer Yugi's questions./

Seto reached out and put his arm around Tristan, momentarily burying his face in the bigger man's neck. "I will. Thanks, Tris…for being here."

Tristan didn't reply, just let what he was feeling flood their bond, comforting Seto as best he could.

~*~*~*~*~

Becket watched the two children run for the swing set, followed by Yami, Yugi and Bakura.

His eyes narrowed as he listened to the children laughing. Taylor's deformed brat and Kaiba's half-breed. His lip curled into a sneer. He had been following them around, trying to establish if the children had a set routine. It seemed they didn't.

He had promised the Taylor's he would find a way for them to get custody of their granddaughter. The only problem was, he had no idea how he was going to do it.

For now all he could do was watch, and plan. He had something brewing that would help. Something that could very well see Taylor behind bars for the next twenty years.

Becket smiled as he turned away. Enough watching for now. The child would be there when he needed to get to her.

~*~*~*~*~

"Tatch Lexi, `ami!"

Yami held out his arms, catching the child as she slid down the slide. He swung her up into the air, making her giggle. He set her on her feet and she ran away laughing, calling for Yami to chase her.

Bakura shook his head as he watched the Pharaoh running across the grass after the little girl. Who would have thought the mighty monarch would be brought low by a bunch of pint sized mortals? Then again…

He looked down at the blanket he was sitting on. Matthew looked up at him, cross-eyed, and gurgled. Bakura smiled back and reached out to wipe the drool off the child's face before picking him up.

"I think you've put on weight already, little man." Bakura brushed his cheek against the baby's.

"Hey, Bakura!" Yugi yelled from the swing set where he was pushing Justin. "Can you put Matthew's jacket on him? It's getting a little cool."

"Sure thing." Bakura called back.

He crossed his legs and laid the baby down in front of him, reaching for the diaper bag. "Don't go anywhere, monster."

It took him a minute to find the required piece of clothing. When he looked up, he discovered that Matthew had rolled off the blanket.

"Get back here, you." Bakura grabbed the infant around the middle.

Matthew started giggling as Bakura laid him back down, tickling his sides. Bakura had to admit, at least to himself, that there was nothing as cute as this kid's laugh.

He pulled Matthew's arm through the sleeve of his jacket and lifted him slightly, pulling it over in the back. He laid him back down and grabbed his other arm to put it through the other sleeve. Matthew laughed and rolled over on his stomach. Bakura grabbed his hand again and tried to get it into the jacket. Matthew rolled over on his back, still laughing.

After repeating this process a few times, Bakura threw his hands up in frustration. "I give up!"

"Problems, Bakura?" Yugi asked.

"He won't hold still for me!"

"Hang on." Yugi stopped pushing Justin and came to help. He dropped down on the blanket, smiling at Matthew. "Is Daddy's boy giving Uncle Bakura a hard time?"

Matthew gave his father a lop-sided smile and drooled on himself.

"Are you hungry, baby boy?" Yugi asked, easily slipping Matthew's arm into his jacket and leaning down to kiss him.

"How do you DO that?" Bakura shook his head as Yugi reached into the diaper bag for a bottle.

"You just have to distract him." Yugi replied, picking the baby up.

Bakura's reply was cut off as Lexi came running across the park and threw herself into Bakura's arms. She looked up at the white haired man with a smile, little fingers reaching up to his mouth.

"Ba-ra ab tum bip-tick on." She said, wiping it off of the corner of his mouth.

Yugi's cough sounded remarkably like a laugh.

"Shut up, Yugi." Bakura growled.

"Watch how you speak to my light, Tomb Robber." Yami warned, coming over with Justin. "Or should I say Tomb Robber-ess."

"That's it." Bakura lifted Lexi off his lap, kissing her first, and stood. "I'm going home."

"But why?" Yugi asked.

"Because I've had enough of this day and I need to have sex with my light."

"What's sex?" Justin piped up.

Yami clamped his hands over Justin's ears. "What have I told you..?"

"Whatever." Bakura growled. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He dropped another kiss on Lexi's head and left, grumbling to himself.

"Ba-ra in bad mood." Lexi observed. "May-de Ba-ra no wike tink bip-tick."

"Maybe not." Yugi grinned. "Maybe he should try red next time."

"Screw you, Pharaoh's light!" Bakura called over his shoulder.

"Daddy?" Justin sat down next to Yugi. "What's `screw you' mean?"

~*~*~*~*~

Bakura walked into the apartment to find Ryou already home.

"Finally!" He grabbed Ryou and pulled him against his body. "Something RIGHT'S happened today!"

"What's wrong, love?" Ryou asked, stroking his yami's cheek. "Are you having a bad day?"

"Yes." Bakura replied shortly, taking his lover's lips in a vicious kiss.

Ryou melted into the embrace, moaning as Bakura's hands sank into his hair. Bakura broke the kiss, using his grip on Ryou's hair to pull his light's head back so he could attack his neck.

The lighter half felt his legs go weak and he sank to the floor, Bakura's body covering his own.

"I need you in the worst way, Ryou." Bakura said, grinding their hips together.

"Oh, gods, love…yes." Ryou reached up and ripped Bakura's shirt open and then flipped them over so he was on top.

"Aibou…" Bakura groaned as Ryou sat up and began to rock against him.

"Do you want me, yami?" Ryou ran his hands over Bakura's chest. "You do, don't you? You want me to ride you…make you scream."

"Yes…Ra, Ryou." Bakura pulled Ryou's shirt over his head. "You're so fucking sexy when you talk dirty."

Ryou stretched out on top of his dark, lips ghosting over the side of his face, his breath hot in Bakura's ear. "And you're so fucking sexy when you scream. Do you want me to ride you right here, love? Right here on the floor where anyone could walk in? Wouldn't that be something…Tristan, Yugi, anyone…walking in to see us like that? Does that excite you, `kura?"

Bakura moaned deeply, thrusting up against Ryou. "Stop talking about it and do it!"

Ryou squirmed on top of Bakura, feeling the yami's erection, hard and throbbing, press against him. He smiled, his hands going to the button of his pants.

Then the phone rang.

"Where the hell are you going?!" Bakura demanded as Ryou rose.

"I'm sorry, love, but I have to answer it. I'm expecting a call from the conductor of the Royal Symphony. I auditioned for the lead violin."

Bakura rolled over on his stomach and ground his face into the carpet.

Ryou smiled sympathetically, sitting down at the desk and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Ryou…it's Otogi." The raven haired man's voice was choked with laughter.

"Otogi? What's going on?" Ryou looked at Bakura, staring up at him with a "get back here or you're in trouble" look in his deep brown eyes. The pale haired hikari shivered in anticipation. "Umm…I'm kind of busy right now."

"I just…oh, gods…" Otogi broke up again. "I just wanted to call you and…*snicker*…offer you my condolences."

"I'm sorry?"

"Don't tell me you didn't get the email?"

"Email? Just a second." Ryou turned to the computer.

"Ryou!" Bakura rose from the floor. "Don't!"

Ryou slapped Bakura's hands away. "You mean the one from Sadie?"

"That's the one."

Ryou opened the attachment, over Bakura's protests, and promptly burst out laughing. "Oh…sweet…GODS!!"

Bakura growled, and strode from the room. Ryou heard the bedroom door slam.

"Oh, dear." Ryou winced. "Otogi, I have to go."

"Okay, Ryou." Otogi snickered. "I'll talk to you later."

Ryou hung up and rose from the desk, heading for the bedroom. He knocked on the door, hearing heavy breathing coming from within.

"Bakura? Yami? What are you doing?"

"What the hell do you think?!"

Ryou opened the door, feeling himself instantly harden at the vision that greeted him. His breath caught in his throat.

"Don't bother, Ryou." Bakura growled. "I'll take care of it myself."

"Oh, love…" Ryou went to the bed and laid down next to Bakura, reaching out to take over what the yami was doing. "I'm sorry I laughed at you. Let me make it up to you."

Ryou turned to the bedside table, biting the inside of his lips to keep from laughing. Sometimes he swore their friends lived to crucify Bakura.

"Here, yami." Ryou handed his dark a pair of handcuffs. "Let's play."

"Now THAT'S more like it!" Bakura growled, tackling Ryou back onto the bed.

~*~*~*~*~

Bakura: Why me?! Why must you pick on me?!

YD: Because it's fun!

DD: Ryou made you feel better.

Ryou: *blushes* I would never talk like that.

Yami: And the Tomb Robber says Yugi's the sex-crazed light.

DD: Please review! There's one HOT lemon in the next chappie.