Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Stronger Than Before ❯ chapter30 ( Chapter 30 )

Stronger Than Before

by Dragondreamer and Yami Dragon

Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! If we did, Dragondreamer would own Seto.

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

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

~*~*~*~*~

DD: Okay, I know we said this was the last chapter before the epilogue, but Lexi got cute on us.

YD: And yes, you MAY squish her if you wish.

Tris: Can I?

DD: Ummm…*scrolls down* Okay.

Tris: *squishes Lexi*

Lexi: PAPA! DOAN! X.X

~*~*~*~*~

Tristan had brought Lexi up to his office to have lunch with her and had just finished wiping her hands and face, sitting at his desk with the little girl in his lap, when Teddy stuck his head in the door.

"Tristan, your mother is here."

Tristan's head snapped up. "What?!"

"Your mother. She's asking to see you."

Tristan looked down at Lexi, happily oblivious, playing with a Celtic Guardian action figure that Yugi had given her. /What the hell does SHE want? I haven't heard from either of them in six years and she suddenly shows up?/

"Tristan?"

"Show her in."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to take Lexi?"

"No, that's okay, Teddy." Tristan said. "Stay close though."

"Will do." Teddy replied with complete understanding.

Tristan steeled himself as Teddy opened the door all the way. His mother walked into the room, her eyes going immediately to the child sitting in her son's lap.

Tristan caught Teddy's eye, nodding minutely, as he shut the door. "Can I help you?"

Mrs. Taylor looked at her son. The last time she had seen him, he had been a teenager, just eighteen, tall, lanky, still very much, in her eyes, a boy.

The man who sat in front of her now was not the teen she remembered. This was a man full grown, powerfully built, handsome, with a maturity she knew she had no hand in creating.

"You're looking well, Tristan."

"I'm sure." Tristan replied coldly.

Lexi looked up and, seeing the woman, smiled and held up her action figure. "Hey-doe, wady! Tee Lexi Telpic Tarty-tan? `ugi gabe Lexi diz!"

Mrs. Taylor's eyes widened at the sight of the child's hazel eyes. "So it's true then."

"What's true?"

She met Tristan's eyes, almost identical to the child's, only cold.

"She IS yours, isn't she?" Mrs. Taylor demanded.

Tristan frowned. "What do you think gives you the right to walk in here after six years and ask that?"

"Tristan, I'm your mother and…"

Tristan's harsh laughter cut her off and he stood, Lexi in his arms. He moved from behind his desk and around his mother, setting his daughter down.

"Go to Teddy, baby girl." He kissed the top of the little head. "Have him take you upstairs to Uncle Seto."

Lexi took a step toward the door and then turned back, looking at her father's mother. "Papa? Who da wady?"

"No one of importance."

Lexi looked confused, but turned back toward the door. "O-tay, Papa. Lexi doe a Tebby a tee Set."

As the door closed, Tristan turned back to his mother. "What do you want?"

"You could have told me, Tristan. You're father was shocked when he found out."

"Shocked, or worried what your neighbors would think?" Tristan's hands clenched into fists as he tried to control his anger.

Seeing it, Mrs. Taylor noticed the scars on his arm, fully visible thanks to his short-sleeved shirt. "What happened to your arm?"

Tristan drew himself up to his full height and glared down at her. "That's none of your business. As a matter of fact, everything that's happened in my life for the last six years is none of your business!! Who the hell do you think you are walking in here like this?! You and Dad gave up ANY right to question me the day you kicked me out of the house for the simple reason that I was in love with Joey!!"

Mrs. Taylor stepped back, scalded by the venom in Tristan's voice. "Tristan…"

"Don't." Tristan beat back his rage. "Don't say a word. Just get out. If you had come here to find out what was going on because you cared, I may have been willing to forgive you. Instead, you came in here with assumptions, jumping to conclusions and demanding answers."

"Your father and I deserve an explanation for your behavior!"

Tristan brushed past her and sat down, ignoring her last comment.

"If you don't mind, MOTHER," He said bitingly. "I'm extremely busy. Leave."

Mrs. Taylor opened her mouth to retort when the door opened, revealing Seto, Lexi in his arms and a file folder in one hand. He stopped when he saw who was standing in his best friend's office.

"Mrs. Taylor." He acknowledged her.

"Seto." She replied coolly.

"My mother was just leaving." Tristan said, giving the woman no other option.

"We're not through discussing this, Tristan." She muttered, stalking out the room, slamming the door behind her.

Tristan called Teddy in, asking him to take Lexi back down to daycare and promising his daughter he'd see her soon.

The second the door closed behind them, Seto held out his arms. Tristan hesitated a heartbeat before throwing himself at the taller brunet, burying his face in his neck.

"Gods, I didn't need that right now." Tristan mumbled.

"Neither did I." Seto replied, rubbing his temple. "I have something that'll make you feel better though."

Tristan pulled back slightly, his gaze going to the file Seto still had in his hand. "Bakura?"

"Mm-hm."

"What is it?"

Seto grinned. "Pay dirt."

~*~*~*~*~

Joey dropped his text book on the coffee table and got up from the couch when someone knocked on the door.

A huge grin lit up his face when he saw who it was. "Otogi!"

"Hey, Joey." The green eyed man smiled. "I just came by to see how your first day back at school went. Up for some company?"

"Sure!" Joey stepped back, allowing the other man to enter and leading him into the living room.

He grabbed Seto's guitar from the couch, propping it up on the end table and dropping back down onto the couch. "It's great to see you, man. You haven't been around for the last few days. I was starting to miss you."

"Yeah, I missed you too." Otogi replied as he sat down, an almost sad expression in his eyes. "Well…I brought you something."

Joey raised an eyebrow as Otogi handed him a brown paper bag.

Opening it, his puzzlement grew. "Jelly beans?"

Otogi nodded. "Sugar helps with the cravings."

"Really?"

"Yeah." A wicked grin flashed. "I gave up crack only to become addicted to peppermints."

Joey snickered. "Well, at least you can't get arrested for trafficking candy."

Otogi laughed, but it was quickly cut off as Joey threw a friendly arm around his shoulders.

"Thanks, Otogi." Joey said seriously. "I don't know what I would have done without you. It's really helped a lot to have someone around who stands first hand what it's like."

"No problem." Otogi shifted under the weight of Joey's casual embrace, desperate to change the subject. "Do you have time to give me a guitar lesson?"

Joey looked at his watch. "Sure. Tris won't be home for over an hour and I don't usually start supper until then. Why don't we go outside?"

"Okay." Otogi stood, waiting for Joey to rise and grab the guitar.

Once outside, they settled on the grass side by side, legs crossed.

"Do you remember what I showed you the last time?" Joey asked, putting the instrument in Otogi's lap.

"I think so." Otogi brought his hands up.

Joey sat next to the other man, offering corrections and encouragement, until Otogi got stuck.

"My fingers just don't bend that way, Joey." He complained.

"Here." Joey moved around behind Otogi, his legs on either side of the dark haired man and his chest pressed up against his back. "Try it like this."

Otogi froze as Joey's arms came around him, one hand resting on the top of the guitar while he placed the fingers of his other hand a couple of frets below Otogi's.

"See? I know you can do this."

Otogi's breathing became shallow, feeling Joey's warm body so close against his own. He knew Joey had no idea what that closeness was doing to him. Like Tristan, such unconscious physical contact amongst their friends meant little to him.

"I think I need a break." Otogi said, glad the blond was sitting behind him, unable to see the blush staining his cheeks.

"Sure." Joey moved away. "Why don't we go sit on the patio?"

"Yeah…ummm…okay." Otogi stood up, clutching the guitar, acutely aware of the loss of Joey's warmth.

Joey took the guitar from Otogi once they reached the patio. "Grab a seat and I'll get us something to drink. I've got a bottle of white in the fridge."

"Sounds good." Otogi sat down on the bench, watching the blond as he went into the house, his face carefully expressionless.

Joey was quickly back, a glass of wine in each hand. He handed one to Otogi and sat down next to him; a little too close for the raven haired man's comfort.

"So, how'd your date with Robbie MacLeod go?" Joey asked.

Otogi shrugged. "He's a nice enough guy. I don't know what possessed Tristan to set us up though. He's not really my type."

"Yeah," Joey chuckled. "Yugi told me he asked Tristan out. I told Tris I really couldn't see the two of you hitting it off. I think he was trying to make it up to him for turning him down."

"Great." Otogi rolled his eyes. "Does Tristan think I'm desperate or something?"

"Otogi," Joey was suddenly serious. "Can I ask you something?"

Otogi looked up to meet curious amber eyes. "Sure."

"Is there someone?" Joey fiddled with the stem of his wineglass. "You know, someone you want to be with, but can't?"

This time, he could hide the blush from the blond. "Why would you ask that?"

"I don't know." Joey shrugged. "You just seem so sad sometimes. You always get real quiet whenever you see me and Tristan kiss or something. I just thought that maybe…I dunno…you were wishing you could be with someone like that but you think there's no chance."

"There's not." Otogi said quietly, staring into his glass.

"So there IS someone."

Otogi didn't reply, swirling his wine around in his glass before lifting it to his lips.

"Come on, Otogi." Joey laid a hand on his arm. "You can tell me. It's not going to help keeping it bottled up."

"Don't play psychologist with me." Otogi said, somewhat defensively.

"I'm not. I'm your friend and I want to help."

Otogi looked up, seeing nothing but honesty in the other man's eyes. "It's not just one guy."

"Well, if you can choose, why don't you think you have a chance?"

"It's just…well…one of them I've been attracted to for a long time…years really. And the other…I don't know….the more I'm with him, the faster I find myself falling."

"So? What's the problem?"

Otogi looked Joey in the eye, taking a deep breath and putting everything on the line. "They love each other so much there's no room for anyone else."

Joey's eyes widened. [He's not talking about…he can't be!]

Otogi saw the shocked look on Joey's face and the light went from his eyes.

"I have to go." He quickly stood, setting his glass on the bench and turning away. A hand on his arm stopped him.

"Otogi…I…I'm sorry."

Struggling to hold back his tears, Otogi shrugged Joey's hand off and fled.

~*~*~*~*~

"Gods." Tristan closed the file folder and dropped it on his desk. "Where did Bakura get all this?"

"I have no idea." Seto replied. "It's probably better we don't ask."

"So, how do you want to do this?"

Seto looked down at Tristan from his usual spot, perched on the top of Tristan's desk. "I say we just show up at her office. Take her by surprise."

Tristan nodded. "I want her gone, Seto. Either she leaves the country or I hand this over to the media. She's not well liked. They'll tear her to shreds."

"Can't we just do that anyway?"

"No. We need the leverage. It'll keep her from ever trying to retaliate."

"Good point." Seto stood. "Let's go get the kids before Lexi comes looking for you."

"I'm still trying to figure out how she memorized my security code." Tristan threw the file into his briefcase.

"Tris, have you guys talked about getting her some help?"

"Yeah. Joey wants to send her to a speech therapist."

Seto held the door open and let Tristan precede him to the elevator. "What about her hand?"

"We made her an appointment with a specialist for next week. Master Kiotou said they shouldn't have any problem separating her middle finger."

"That's good." Seto said as the elevator doors closed. "She was getting really frustrated yesterday when she was coloring with Justin. She couldn't keep a grip on the crayon."

"Yeah. I know. We've been trying to get her to use her left hand, but she doesn't want to."

The doors opened and Tristan and Seto found Lexi standing outside the elevator.

"Hey-doe, Papa! Hey-doe, Set!"

"Lexi!" Tristan scooped her up. "What are you doing here?!"

"Lexi tame a fine Papa."

"How did you get out of daycare THIS time?"

"Lexi wen to de ay-war-dent."

"You went through the air vent?" Seto tried not to laugh. "Let me guess…Uncle Bakura showed you how."

"Yah-ha." Lexi smiled brightly at her uncle.

Tristan sighed. "I DEFINITELY have to have a talk with Bakura."

~*~*~*~*~

"Da-ee! Lexi a Papa home!" Lexi ran in through the door ahead of Tristan and straight to the kitchen, knowing she'd find her other father there.

"Hello, my girl!" Joey grabbed her up into his arms, kissing her. "Did you have a good day?"

"She broke out of daycare again." Tristan said, entering the room.

Joey grinned, leaning into Tristan momentarily as the brunet stooped to kiss him. "I guess Bakura's finally found the ultimate practical joke, huh?"

"Not funny."

"Dinner's almost done." Joey said. "Why don't you pour us a drink and I'll take little miss here upstairs and get her into something more comfortable?"

"Okay, love." Tristan smiled as he watched Joey carry their daughter from the kitchen, hearing her chattering away to him about her day.

He had just finished setting the table when he heard Lexi shriek and she came running into the kitchen, Joey chasing her.

"Papa!" Lexi ran around behind Tristan, clutching his legs. "Tave Lexi! Da-ee no det!"

Tristan turned around, grinning down at her. "And what makes you think you're any safer hiding behind me?"

He grabbed her, swinging her up into his arms, tickling her stomach. Lexi squealed and grabbed his hand in both of hers, trying to make him stop.

"Papa!" She gasped. "Papa, peas! Doan!"

"Okay, you two." Joey interrupted. "Dinner's ready."

Tristan sat Lexi down in her booster chair and the little girl clapped her hands as Joey set her plate down in front of her.

"TIPPIE! Peas a torn!" She squealed happily. "A tay-rots! Lexi LOW tay-rots!"

"Don't." Joey said, seeing the look on Tristan's face. "Let her eat first. You can squish her later."

Lexi looked up at Tristan. "Papa no quish Lexi."

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna." Tristan grinned.

"Lexi tinnish tup-er tirst. O-tay, Papa?"

Joey snickered. "Use your spoon, Lexi."

"O-tay, Da-ee."

"How was your day, angel?" Joey asked, setting their plates on the table and sitting.

"Great. Until my mother showed up."

"What?!" Joey was shocked. "Are you serious?! She just…showed up?!"

Tristan nodded. "Just like that. Seems she's been reading the collected works of Rita Adams."

"And she was looking for answers."

"Demanding them was more like it."

"Tris," Joey looked over at Lexi, who was trying to get her peas to stay on her spoon. "Have you ever thought that maybe you should try to make amends with your folks?"

"Are you crazy, Joey?!" Tristan slammed his wineglass down so hard; Joey was surprised it didn't break. "Not a chance!"

"I just think it would be nice for Lexi to have grandparents. My mom's a foregone conclusion."

"No." Tristan said flatly. "I don't want our daughter subjected to that kind of bigotry. You know they've never accepted us, Joey. /And after next week, there'll be even less chance./

"With two gay men for parents she's going to come up against it at some point, Tris." Joey stated.

"I know that. But it's not going to come from her family."

"Okay, okay." Joey held up his hands. "It was just a thought."

"Bakura found what we need to bury Rita Adams." Tristan said in an effort to change the subject.

"Really?!" Joey smiled. "That's great! What did he find?"

"You're not going to believe it."

Tristan told Joey, in minute detail, everything Bakura had dug up on their nemesis, interrupting himself periodically to remind Lexi to use her spoon.

"That's incredible!" Joey was wide eyed when his lover had finished. "So what are you going to do?"

"We're going to her office tomorrow. I've got enough to force her to leave the country." Tristan reached for Joey's hand. "Before the day is out, it'll all be over."

"I'm glad, angel." Joey stood, bending to kiss Tristan.

"Yeah! Da-ee low Papa!"

Joey laughed. "Are you done eating, Lexi?"

"Yah-ha." Lexi looked at Tristan. "Papa low Da-ee?"

"Very much." Tristan replied, smiling at Joey.

"Tiss Da-ee!" Lexi demanded.

Tristan stood and, deciding to make a show of it, wrapped his arms around Joey, tipping him back and pressing their lips together. Joey clutched at Tristan's shoulders to keep from falling over backwards, hearing Lexi squeal happily.

When the brief kiss ended, Tristan grinned down into Joey's flushed face. "Hmmm…someone liked that."

"You nut!" Joey smacked the brunet in the chest.

Tristan straightened, tightening his arms around Joey as the blond swayed, the blood rushing back into his head.

"Maybe we can pick this up later." Tristan rubbed against his lover suggestively.

Joey bit back a moan. "Not in front of the kid."

Tristan let go of Joey with a smirk, turning to pick Lexi up out of her seat. As she stood up in her booster chair, half her dinner fell from her lap.

"Ewww…Lexi." Tristan grimaced at the mess on the floor. "We should have put down a drop cloth."

"Lexi tow-ee, Papa. Lexi no tan hoe a poon dood." Big hazel eyes filled with tears as her bottom lip trembled.

"It's okay, baby girl." Tristan kissed a rosy cheek. "I'm not mad at you."

Lexi breathed a sigh of relief. "Tank-too, Papa."

Joey frowned. "Did someone get mad at you for making a mess when you ate, Lexi?"

"Yah-ha." Lexi nodded. "Ab de oh-pon-egg."

"Who?" Tristan asked, though he was pretty sure he already knew.

"Miz-tiz No-wes." Lexi's voice quavered. "Tee touted a Lexi. Tee ted Lexi a bad dir-well."

"You're not a bad girl, Lexi." Joey reassured her. "You're a very good little girl."

"Daddy's right." Tristan ruffled her hair. "You're our little girl and we love you very much."

Lexi reached up, grasping Tristan's shirt and, pulling him down, kissed him. "Lexi low Papa a Da-ee toe mush."

Tristan hugged her, looking up at Joey. "Couldn't imagine our lives without you, baby girl."

Joey smiled, silently agreeing.

"Tell you what," Tristan said, untangling himself from the chubby arms. "Let's get you out of those dirty clothes and you can go play while Daddy and I clean up."

"O-tay, Papa." Lexi held her arms up over her head.

Tristan pulled her shirt off, snickering as a few carrots fell out. He quickly had her pants off, leaving her in her diaper and her white, ruffled socks.

Picking her up, Tristan walked to the doorway of the kitchen and set her on her feet. "Go play. When Daddy and I are done, we'll get you in the tub."

As Lexi ran into the living room, Joey came up behind Tristan, putting his arms around the brunet's waist. "Told you you'd make a great father…Papa."

Tristan grinned, turning around and dropping a kiss on Joey's lips. "You too…Daddy."

~*~*~*~*~

They were just about done cleaning up the kitchen when Lexi came back in.

Joey fought not to crack up, elbowing Tristan in the ribs and calling his attention to their daughter.

Lexi was walking past them, totally ignoring her parents, wearing nothing but her socks. Her diaper was in her hand. She marched up to the garbage can and lifted the lid, throwing her diaper inside.

"Ummm…Lexi?" Tristan asked, struggling with the urge to grab her and squish her into next week. "What are you doing?"

Lexi turned toward her fathers, her hands going to her hips in a triumphant pose. "Lexi tow d'wiper inda bar-bouche."

"Okay, that's it. I can't take it anymore." Tristan grabbed her up, wrapping her arms his arms around the naked little body and squeezing, covering her face with kisses.

"AH! PAPA!!" Lexi shrieked. "Top! Lexi no tan breave!"

Laughing, Joey went over and pried Lexi from Tristan's grip. "Lexi, honey, why did you throw your diaper in the garbage?"

"De-tuz…de-tuz…" Lexi panted, trying to catch her breath. "De-tuz…Lexi wan doe poddy wike big tid."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Yah-ha."

"Why don't you take her upstairs, baby?" Tristan said. "I can finish up here."

"Okay." Joey tickled Lexi's bare belly. "Let's go give it a try and then we can give you a bath."

"Yeah!" Lexi clapped her hands. "Lexi nee duct-ee Ree gabe!"

Not two minutes after Joey left the kitchen, Tristan heard Lexi squealing upstairs.

"TIPPIE! Lexi doe poddy! YEAH!"

He heard Joey turn off the water and a few seconds later a loud splash, followed by an insane giggle that sounded WAY too much like Bakura for Tristan's comfort.

"Da-ee aw wet!"

/She's certainly in a mood tonight./

Figuring he'd better go find out what was going on, Tristan went upstairs, going into the bathroom to find Joey kneeling next to the tub, shirtless, wiping water up off the floor.

"Papa!" Lexi squealed, holding out her arms. "Lexi doe poddy!"

"Good for you, baby girl." Tristan bent down to kiss her.

Lexi hooked her wet hands into Tristan's shirt and yanked him down, catching him off balance. Tristan flung his arms out, gripping the sides of the tub and barely avoiding falling on Lexi, who nuzzled into his chest, thoroughly soaking his shirt. He pushed himself upright, mock-scowling at Joey's snicker.

"Ooohhhh! Papa aw wet!"

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Tristan asked as he removed his dress shirt.

Lexi just grinned.

Tristan knelt next to Joey, picking up a bottle of shampoo and beginning to work some in to Lexi's wet hair.

Lexi poked Tristan in the chest. "Papa tum big." She turned to Joey and poked him in the chest. "Da-ee no big. Ow tum?"

Tristan shrugged, rinsing Lexi's hair. "That's just the way it is, baby girl. People are different. I'm bigger than Daddy, Uncle Seto's taller than me, and Uncle Ryou has white hair."

"Oh, Lexi det it. `ugi had cay-zee hay-war, Jut-in no tan tee dood an Lexi had tunny han." Lexi held up her deformed hand.

"You're hand's not funny, baby girl." Tristan said. "It's just…different."

He looked to Joey for confirmation, only to see the blond sitting quietly on the floor, an odd expression on his face.

"Baby? Are you okay?"

Joey shook his head. "Flashback."

"Go on." Tristan said quietly. "I'll take care of this."

Joey nodded, leaning over to kiss him before getting up and leaving the bathroom without a word.

Tristan's brow furrowed as he watched his lover leave. Joey had been having flashbacks over the last few days…nothing serious, but disturbing none the less.

"Papa? Lexi ditting winnie-kel."

Tristan turned his attention back to his daughter, putting a smile on his face for her benefit. "Okay, out you get."

~*~*~*~*~

Tristan had Lexi out of the tub, her hair dried and in her pajamas by the time Joey came back.

"What do you want for a story, Lexi?" Joey asked.

Lexi ran to her bookshelf and pulled down a couple of books. She held up one in English and one in Japanese.

"Da-ee tan weed diz an Papa weed de otter."

"Sounds good." Joey picked her up and sat on the bed, putting the child in his lap.

Tristan sat next to them, struggling to read the foreign words along with Joey. Joey had begun teaching him to read English and he was having a hard time with it.

"I thought "bill" meant like…a check at a restaurant or something." Tristan said when Joey was finished.

"It is. But it's also a duck's beak." Joey replied.

Tristan shook his head. "I'm never gonna get it."

Joey smiled. "Why don't you read Lexi the other one and tuck her in?"

Lexi looked up at Joey, puckering her lips. "Tiss Lexi nigh Da-ee."

"Good night, sweetheart." Joey kissed her and gave her a hug before removing her from his lap. "I love you."

"Lexi low Da-ee." The little girl said, climbing under the covers and reaching for her bear.

"I'll be outside when you're done." Joey said softly as he stood, bending to kiss Tristan's cheek.

"Okay, baby."

~*~*~*~*~

It was over half an hour later when Tristan joined Joey out on the patio.

He stood a moment, observing his blond lover, seeing the tension in his posture as Joey sat stiffly on the bench, his head tipped back, looking up at the stars.

"Tell me, baby." Tristan put his arms around Joey as he sat down.

"It wasn't much really," Joey laid his head against Tristan's bare chest…it was a warm night and neither man had bothered to put a shirt back on. "Just when Lexi said that about you being bigger than me…I was suddenly at The Graveyard with Keith. Then it was gone…just like that."

"I don't understand."

"He got mad at me that night for not eating again. He called me worthless and scrawny."

Tristan cupped Joey's chin in his hand. "You're not worthless, baby. And as for scrawny…well…it's just going to take some time for you to put on some weight."

Joey sighed and leaned up, brushing his lips against Tristan's. "But I'm eating like a horse, and I've only put on a couple of pounds…I haven't been this skinny since I was twelve."

"This is really bothering you, isn't it?"

Joey nodded. "It's just that…you look so good. And I'm…scrawny."

"Maybe you should go see Master Kiotou." Tristan said. "He can probably help you."

"I just wish I wasn't so skinny." Joey said, frustration plain in his voice.

"Hey." Tristan caught Joey's eyes. "I love you. It doesn't matter to me."

"You keep saying that…I guess I'm just having a hard time believing it."

"Believe it." Tristan reached for Joey, drawing him against his chest. "No matter what…I think you're beautiful."

"Prove it." Joey looked deeply into Tristan's eyes. "Take me to bed. Make love to me and show me how much you love me."

Without a word, Tristan stood, slipping one arm under Joey's knees and the other around his back, lifting him. If Joey needed proof right now, then so be it. He'd show him just how much he loved him.

And tomorrow he'd put a stop to Rita Adams. She was the reason for all this…everything. It was going to take every ounce of willpower he had not to kill her with his bare hands.

~*~*~*~*~

Otogi sat on the hardwood floor in the bare room at the back of his house.

He looked at his reflection in the floor to ceiling mirror running along one wall. He had been dancing…trying to forget that he had made a complete fool of himself to Joey this afternoon.

"Gods, why did I do that?" He moaned, burying his face in his hands.

He had tried to distance himself from them both, but he just couldn't.

Thanks to the contract he had with Kaiba Corp., he was in closer contact with Tristan now than he had been before. Seto had handed the introduction of DDM into Kaiba Land over to Tristan. It was hard spending that much time with the one person he wanted the most, but couldn't have.

And Joey…Otogi just couldn't avoid him. The fact that Joey understood him…how difficult it could be some days not to give in to going back to the drugs…how hard it was to keep up the fight…he needed him. How could he not fall in love with Joey? He was so open, so easy to love.

And Otogi was lonely. He had had other relationships, sure, but there had never been anything there…nothing he wanted to hold on to. They had been mostly about sex, never any real feeling.

The closeness that Joey and Tristan had with their friends was something Otogi had wanted since he was a child. Even when his parents were still together, there hadn't been the sense of family that he saw Seto and the others sharing.

Otogi was so envious of Seto. He had everything. He was able to have a life with the two people he loved. And from the looks of things, he had Tristan too. Otogi still wasn't sure what that was all about, but from what he had seen, it was more than a simple friendship.

Suddenly, Otogi was overwhelmed by a need for the pipe. A craving like he hadn't felt since the early days of his recovery.

"No way." Otogi stood up. "I'm AM NOT going back there."

He walked over to the stereo system, shuffling through his CDs until he found what he wanted. Something with a heavy beat, sure to wear him out…so hopefully he would sleep tonight.

He moved to the center of the floor, waiting for the music to start. When it did, he began to move, sinking into it, allowing it to wash his mind of all thought and taking him to a place where he could forget he was all alone.

He just hoped it would last beyond the end of the song.

~*~*~*~*~

Otogi: Oh, just GREAT!!

YD: Well, we love you.

Tris: That means they get to torture you.

DD: Please review. Next chappie…Tris and Seto take down the Adams bitch.

Everyone: YEAH!!