Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Friends and Lovers ❯ Chapter7 ( Chapter 7 )

Friends and Lovers

by Dragondreamer and Yami Dragon

Tristan: Who brought the cookies?

DD: Our husband was baking today.

Bakura: Oohhhh! Chocolate chip!

YD: Save some for us you guys!

DD: Settle in gang. This chapter's kinda long. Lots going on.

Joey: Pass the cookies.

Yugi: These ladies don't own us, by the way.

Yami: Stop hogging the cookies tomb robber!

Note: /../ Tristan's thoughts.

~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 7

~*~*~*~*~

"Hey Joey." Tristan lowered himself down on the lawn next to the blond, trying to still the trembling in his body.

"Hey Tristan. That was something, wasn't it?"

Tristan glanced up at the now dark sky, watching as the stars winked on. "Sure was."

A loud crash came from the maze along with Yami's deep laughter.

"Damn you Pharaoh! It's not funny!"

Joey chuckled. "You'd think the two of them would know better."

Bakura and Ryou's inability to solve the simple maze was a constant source of amusement for their friends.

"Joey?"

"Yeah?"

"There's something I need to tell you."

"What's that?"

Tristan's stomach churned. / Just tell him. Tell him now before you lose your nerve./

Gathering his courage around him like a cloak, Tristan looked Joey straight in the face.

"I love you Joey."

Joey grinned and punched Tristan lightly on the arm. "I love you too buddy. I thought after everything we've been through you'd know that."

Tristan resisted the urge to slap a hand to his forehead. / Seto's right. Couldn't spread melted butter./

"No Joey. I mean…I love you. I have for years." He leaned forward and brushed Joey's lips with his own.

Joey pulled back, startled. Even in the dim light, Tristan could see his face was flushed a dull red.

"Tristan!"

"I'm…I'm sorry Joey." He mumbled, starting to rise. "Just forget it, okay?"

Joey grabbed Tristan's arm and pulled him back down. "Wait."

Tristan stared at his hands, unable to meet Joey's eyes for the fear of the censure he might see there.

"What about Seto?" Joey grabbed his shoulder, forcing Tristan to turn to him. "I thought you guys were together."

"We're just friends."

"Oh." Joey's hand left the other's shoulder to drag through his hair.

Coming from the maze, Yami saw them together. He also saw the blush on Joey's cheeks. He exchanged glances with Bakura and Yugi. They both nodded in understanding.

"Come on Ryou. We could both use a shower." Bakura led his hikari into the house while Yami and Yugi joined Seto on the veranda.

Meanwhile, Joey was trying to find something to fill the increasingly uncomfortable silence.

"Um, Tristan, I don't know what to say. I've always seen you as a friend." He was still blushing and now he was the one who couldn't make eye contact. "I need some time to think about this."

"Okay Joey." Tristan got up and made his way back to the mansion, tears blurring his vision.

He walked past the others and into the kitchen, not even glancing their way. Seto caught up with him in the foyer.

"Tristan?" Seto reached out a hand to stop him

Tristan turned and what Seto saw broke his heart. The tears had escaped the soft brown eyes to course down a pale face. Tristan let out a small sob and Seto wrapped his arms around his friend, holding him tightly against his chest.

"Tell me?"

"I need to be alone Seto. Please."

Seto pulled away and looked down into the pain ravaged face. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Tristan pulled from the other's grip and turning, headed into the living room.

Seto stared after him for a moment. A look of determination replaced the worry in his eyes as he headed back outside. Whether Tristan liked it our not, he was going to talk to Joey.

~*~*~*~*~

"Is he okay?" Yugi asked as Seto passed them.

"He just wants to be alone for a while."

He strode across the yard until he came to Joey who hadn't moved since Tristan left him. He lifted his face from his hands when Seto sat down next to him.

"We need to talk Joey."

"We do?" Joey looked confused and Seto could see he was still in a state of shock.

"Yes, we do."

"Um, about what?"

Seto rapped him, none to gently, on the top of his head with his knuckles.

"About Tristan, you dunce!"

"I'm sorry!" Joey rubbed his head. "I'm just...it's that...he…SHIT!"

Seto couldn't help but smile. "Confused, aren't you?"

"Brilliant observation genius." Joey replied sarcastically.

"Joey," Seto pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs. "I have a hard time believing you're so blind that you didn't know Tristan's feelings went beyond friendship. The rest of us saw it."

"Well, I didn't."

"What's got you so flustered puppy?"

"He...kissed me." Joey whispered so low Seto almost didn't hear him.

"Never been kissed by another guy before?"

"Never been kissed before, period." Joey mumbled.

"Hey," Seto gave Joey's arm a squeeze. "That's nothing to be ashamed about."

They sat in silence for a while.

"Do you love him?" Joey suddenly burst out.

"What?!" Seto was surprised by the tone of his voice. He sounded angry.

"Do you love him?"

"Not like that. We're friends. That's all."

A look flashed in Joey's eyes that Seto thought looked a lot like relief, but it was gone too quickly for him to be sure.

"How do you feel about him Joey?"

"I'm not sure anymore." Joey ran his hand through his hair, betraying his agitation. "We grew up together. He's always been there for me. Now I have to look at him differently. Things have…changed."

"For the better, I hope."

"I don't know. It's a lot to take in."

Seto gripped his shoulder as he stood. "Take your time with this Joey. I don't want him hurt."

"Neither do I."

~*~*~*~*~

Seto could hear Tristan snoring before he got to the living room.

"Oh gods."

Tristan was sprawled out on the couch, out like a light. A bottle of scotch and an empty glass sat on the coffee table. Seto knelt next to him and gently shook him awake.

"Seto? S'matter?"

"What's the matter is you've been into my scotch. How many glasses did you have anyway?"

"Dunno."

Seto eyed the bottle. "Enough to give you a nice headache come morning I'm thinking." He pulled an unsteady Tristan to his feet. "Come on. I'll put you to bed."

It took them a while to get upstairs. When Seto reached for the doorknob to his room, Tristan grabbed his hand.

"No. Wanna sleep alone."

Seto looked Tristan over critically. He was swaying slightly and he looked like he was about to pass out. Seto nodded.

"Okay buddy. You can sleep in the room next to mine."

He led Tristan into the next room and helped him undress.

"Thanks Seto. You're a…" Seto grabbed him before he collapsed, easing him on to the bed and covering him with a blanket. Setting a garbage can next to the bed, Seto dimmed the overhead light and left the room.

~*~*~*~*~

Seto was just shutting down his laptop when there was a knock on his bedroom door.

"Come in." He called, expecting to see Joey.

He was surprised when the door opened to reveal Yami and Yugi, dressed for bed in silk pajama pants similar to the ones Seto had on. Identical golden puzzles hung down bare chests.

"Everything okay?"

"We wanted to talk to you." Yami replied, closing the door behind him.

"Sure." Seto got up to put his laptop on his desk. "Grab a seat."

With his usual exuberance, Yugi flung himself on the big bed, burrowing into the pillows while Yami sat cross-legged by his side.

Seto sat back down, leaning back against the headboard.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"That." Yami said with his usual bluntness, pointing to Seto's bruised shoulder.

"Seto please. We're worried about you." Yugi reached for Yami's hand. "We care about you and we want to help."

"I know Yugi, but it's hard for me to explain when I'm not even sure myself."

"Are you willing to talk about it?"

"Do I have a choice Yami?"

"There's always a choice Seto. But to delay talking about it will only make it harder to deal with in the end."

Seto rubbed his temples wearily. "I'll talk, but I don't even know where to begin."

"How about trying to explain to us why?" Yugi asked. "You said it gets to be too much. What gets to be too much?"

"My life. Being so in control all the time. Always being the one who has to be strong."

Yami's gaze flickered over Seto's injuries before locking with his bright blue eyes. "So you give up control to Tristan."

"Yes. It's like a release, of sorts."

"But why this?" Yugi asked, lightly touching the mark below Seto's collarbone.

"Because it's the ultimate control Aibou." Yami answered instead. "The control over pain."

Seto met Yami's crimson eyes and saw understanding there. He smiled slightly.

"I still don't understand." Yugi fiddled with his puzzle.

"It's as if by letting Tristan take control for a while, I can get it back without having to fight so hard."

"But do you enjoy it?" Yami asked, claiming his attention again.

"No. But it's the only thing that helps." Seto's voice dropped to a whisper. "If I had someone I trusted completely, someone I loved, I don't think it would be this way."

"Really?" Yugi's look was contemplative.

"Yes. I mean, I look at you and Yami and I see something I want very much. You have each other. You can let go, and it doesn't get all bottled up inside."

"I think we should tell him Yami."

"Tell me what?"

"Some time ago, Yugi and I were forced to face feelings that have redefined our relationship."

"I don't understand."

Yugi leaned up and kissed Seto softly on the lips. "We want you to be with us."

~*~*~

YD: HEEHEE!!

Everyone:*mouths hanging open*

DD: Didn't see that one comin', did ya?

Joey: But you can't just LEAVE it there!

YD: Oh yes we can! Author's prerogative.

Ryou: Please tell me you guys are writing tomorrow?!

YD: Maybe…

DD: I'm toast...pass the cookies Yami.