Joey stood in front of the hospital, shuffling his feet nervously. He was alone, no Mokuba, no Kaiba. The light that had started to form in his eyes during his time at the Kaiba house was lost for the moment. This was his reality. He thought back to his morning.

Joey had made breakfast, a simple one, in which him and the Kaiba's were sitting around the table eating. Things were silent between Kaiba and Joey, a deeper silence than just words. Joey kept a smile and spoke to Mokuba happily, even with the day before hanging over his mind.

After he hung up the phone, he had told Kaiba he needed time to think, and hadn't spoke to him since. Kaiba complied easily, not being a feely person.

When Mokuba left the kitchen to play his video games, Joey spoke up to Kaiba.

"You can go to work today." He said cheerfully. Kaiba raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" He replied with a smirk. "I didn't realize you controlled that."
Joey laughed.

"Well no, I just tend to keep you home. What I'm saying is I want you to go to work."

Kaiba nodded, knowing why.

"I should be getting ready now." He stood, leaving the room. Leaving Joey alone to think.
Joey, after minutes of staring at his feet, finally found a will to move and enter the hospital. He walked up to the front desk to check in.

"Hello, um-" he started, before being cut off by the receptionist.

"Hello there Joey." She said waved him off. "The doctor's been waiting to talk to you." Joey nodded.

"Do I just go to his room, or...?"

"Yep, I'll send him down. His rooms down the first hall, third door on the left." She said and continued typing. Joey nodded and walked down to the directed room. He stopped in front of his fathers room door. He took a breath before taking hold of the doorknob and opening the door wide.

He saw his father sitting up, all in hospital garb, looking somewhat frailer, but his skin had a less grey color from not drinking for the time he'd been in a coma. Joey, though getting so nervous around him, felt like it had been forever since he'd seen him last. He doubted the man would approve of his recent choices.

"Hey Dad..." He mumbled, sitting down in the chair next to he bed. His father looked up and blinked at him, registering the moment.

"Oh." His father said quietly, missing the slurs that Joey was so used to hearing.

"How have you been, Dad...?" Joey asked, fidgeting a little in his seat. He and his father shared a few words, but it was just a good feeling to see his father sober and awake for at least a little while, however it was certain that he was to get drunk as soon as he got back to his dingy apartment building. Joey began to speak freely however, carefully to his father, as he was the only family that was close by, and it was just a miracle to see the man sober. It was a well needed talk for sure.

Suddenly the doctor walked in.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Wheeler, Joey," he nodded to each of them.

"So doc, what's goin' to happen with my dad?" Joey directed over his shoulder with his thumb to Mr. Wheeler. The doctor flipped through some papers on his clipboard.

"Well, it seems he's made a speedy recovery, and he should be ready for discharge in a few days." The doctor flipped through some more papers, nodded, then made his leave. Joey followed shortly after.

He stood in front of the hospital with his hands shoved deeply in his pockets. He let out a short sigh.

"I'm gonna have to go live with him again. He can't live alone, he needs me..." Joey mumbled under his breath. He have himself a quick nod, and made his leave from the all too familiar place, back to the place he never minded getting familiar with, the Kaiba mansion.

He wasn't surprised to see that the Kaiba's weren't home from the company yet, and set collecting his things. He figured he could get home, clean up, get ready for his fathers return and leave the way he had before, through a note.

With a frown, he set the note on his- the guest bed, a solemn look on his face, and set out to the place with too many scars to count.

It wasn't until hours later that the Kaiba boys got back to the mansion, the older carrying the younger, sleeping boy to his room due to the lateness. After setting him to bed and tucking him in, he left the room to retreat to his own, but stopped in the hallway. He didn't hear the obnoxious breathing from Joey when he sleeps, the noise that could usually be heard down the other end of the hall, he thought he might check on him, or maybe he was still out.
Kaiba let out a sigh and made his was to Joey's room, and knocked of the door with the back of his hand.

"Joey?" He said in a lightened tone. "Jooooey..." He stretched his name. He was in fact eager to see his dog after a long day at work, he couldn't wait for Joey to lighten the mood, be just a lovable idiot, or best of all, to curl up at Kaiba's side like occasional nights. In fact, he might even be up for one of Joey's famous massages.

When he didn't hear an answer, he grasped the knob, and opened the door, and whispered, "Joey?" But with no response, he turned the light on, to see his bed perfectly set as the maids had left it, but there was a white sheet of notebook paper on the bed. He crossed the room in anticipation with long strides, and snatched the paper from the poor sheets. His eyes scrolled the paper, and crumpled it up, and threw it a the wall in anger. He sat down on the bed.
"Why do you insist on these things..." He mumbled, laying his head on the pillow. He laid there for awhile, the pillow smelling of Joey, and before he knew it, he fell asleep.

The next few days had passed quickly enough. Mokuba had been upset that Joey left-again- but understood why he felt he needed to do it.

Joey had gotten his father home, who proceeded drinking, though his mind hadn't fully drowned in alcohol yet, and abuse wasn't much to worry about. Though the house felt emptier than before, he'd grown so used to the Kaiba's. He also decided it was best to not mention the certain feelings for the elder Kaiba, or talk much to his father at all.

About two weeks into his relocation, Joey decided to take a visit to Kaiba Corp. He knew the times he would be in, and so he waited a bit to walk there. Right outside the office door, he got nervous, for reasons in which he didn't understand. After a moment he knocked, to be replied with a grunt that could only be a positive answer from Kaiba. He opened the door and Kaiba didn't even look up.

"What is it?" He asked, grumpy as usual. Joey inwardly chuckled at this.

"Just checking up on you." Joey said, closing the door behind him. At this the brunette looked up, anger flashing in his eyes, for but a moment.

"Oh?" Kaiba questioned. Joey walked up next to Kaiba's desk, peeking over at his computer, only to see business gibberish.

"How many days have you worked this week?" The blond asked.

"Not enough. So, how's your father?" Kaiba replied before going back to his typing. Joey rolled his eyes.

"He's good, just as long as I keep my mouth shut, it should all go smooth."
Kaiba raised his eyebrow.

"What does that mean?" Joey chuckled.

"I don't think he'd approve of my new friends." The way that Joey spoke those words insinuated his newfound feelings for Kaiba. Kaiba just shrugged and continued working.

"I think it's time for you to take a day off." Joey announced, cheerfully.

"I think it's time for you to leave and let me work." Kaiba grumbled. Joey scoffed and grinned at the other boy.

"C'mon, Seto, you look like you've been working non-stop for the last two weeks, I think it's time to take a break."

At this, something erupted in Mt. Kaiba. He stood and pushed his chair back, walking towards Joey, who proceeded to step back every time he got closer.

"That's because I have been working non-stop. For once in these past couple of months I'm finally getting things done, but all I have is you on my mind. Mokuba has been moping about, missing you. I've had to hire a new cook, but it doesn't taste the same."

Kaiba spoke angrily but didn't raise his voice as much as Joey thought he would. Soon the blond was backed up to the wall, with an angry Seto Kaiba in front of him.

"And lastly you didn't even have the guts to tell me in person. Again." He said, raising his voice slightly. Joey stood his ground and stared Mt. Kaiba in the eyes.

The brunette suddenly lifted his hands up to Joey's neck and held it gently before crashing his lips upon the other's. The ferocity of the kiss startled Joey, and he stumbled over their feet, and fell to the ground, dragging the both of them to the floor. Their eyes widened, but Kaiba being the stubborn cow he was refused to let go. Rolling around on the floor and leeching at each other's mouthes drained breath quickly. They detached, and gasped loudly and greedily for air.

After a few moments to breathe, Kaiba pressed his lips against Joey's again, and parted his lips slightly to run his tongue alone the blond's lower lip, and then proceeded to nibble on it. This caused Joey to open his mouth just wide enough for a Kaiba to slip his tongue in and deepen the kiss. Both boys fought for dominance, but in the end Kaiba won the right to explore every taste and touch of the blond's mouth.

Soon enough, their breath ran out and they had to pull away. Kaiba stood, and smoothed his coat out. Joey soon followed, and let out a small cough.

"Sorry..." Kaiba mumbled, remembering they were in his place of work.

"Yeah... Hormones.. Heh heh..." Joey scratched the back of his neck, and swallowed.

"Um, yes, well I should probably get back to, um, work..." Kaiba's sat himself in his chair once again. If he weren't the owner of this business, then he'd have fired himself. Joey excused himself, and darted down the hallway, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He breathed out, not expecting so much passion in a visit to Kaiba. He shook his head and walked home.

Meanwhile, Kaiba read the same business ledger 3 times over until he just stopped. He hadn't meant to get that way, it just kind of happened. He sighed, it was the first time seeing his puppy in two weeks, and if that's how he gets with that amount of time, he didn't want to know what would happen with longer.

Joey had gotten back home, finding his father drunk on the couch. He went and looked in a mirror and saw his lips were slightly bruised and swollen. Though embarrassed, he liked the thought, and went to bed shortly after.

After he awoke, it felt like it might be a really good day. He got up and brushed his teeth, fixed into relatively clean clothes, and happily walked into the disgusting living room- that is until he saw his father. Red splotched the man's nose and cheeks, and the air stunk of heavy liquor. He stumbled nearly into Joey without noticing him at first, but then realized he was standing there.

"Was' the meanin' of thish, boy!?" He slurred, slapping a magazine in Joey's face.

"Wha...?" Joey said, surprised. The headline was clear: 'Young CEO of Successful Business Revealed'

"Ya liddle faggotsh..." His father continued. Joey looked down at the photo of his and Kaiba's deep make out session from the previous day.

"But I..." Joey stumbled with his words.

"I raised ya better than thash, ya liddle gay faget..." Suddenly Joey felt sharp pain in his jaw, and realized that his father had slapped him across the face.

"But how did they...?" Joey wondered out loud, paying no mind to the slap he'd just received from his father. The man moved over to grab another swig of his cheap whiskey , but Joey grabbed his arm, knowing full well that the man would no doubt swing at him.

"You don't wanna end up in the hospital again, do ya?" Joey said, heated. He didn't want to deal with this right now. He just wanted to go out, have a good day. His father ripped his arm from Joey's grip, spilling his whiskey in the process, and took a large gulp.

"Don't toush me, ya fag!" He yelled, swinging his bottle at Joey, landing a hit on his temple, a small welt forming immediately, and causing Joey to see stars for a moment.

Joey took a step back, knowing this routine far too well, but he wasn't feeling as weak and useless as he used to.

"At least I have someone..." Joey mumbled, just loud enough for the drunk to hear. His father's eyebrows furrowed, realizing what his son had just said. He swung at Joey again, and Joey backed up, hitting the wall of the small room, causing him to curse under his breath.

"Ya fuckin' bitsh!" the older man said before landing a fist into Joey's abdomen, and another square in his nose, causing a crunch similar to walking in cereal.

Meanwhile, at the Kaiba household, Mokuba had pleaded for him to take a day off. Though Kaiba just used this to work from home. He was typing away, before Mokuba walked in. He looked up to pleading eyes.

"Hey big brother, can we go out? Pleeaase?" The raven-haired boy asked. Kaiba sighed and swiveled in his chair to face his brother.

"Where to?" He asked, ruffling Mokuba's hair. The younger sibling's face broke into a grin.

"Yay! Let's walk to the park and get ice cream!" Mokuba exclaimed, jumping up ecstatically, and Kaiba stood and followed.

It wasn't long into their walk that the eldest Kaiba noticed the stares and whispers. When they reached the park, he got Mokuba an ice cream and they sat on a park bench, where the brunette took the time to listen in to a few girls talking and staring.

"He's so handsome, I can't believe he's gay." One of the girls whispered.

"It's so cute though! I had heard that he had, like, no feelings at all." The other whispered back, giggling.

"I've never seen the blonde one around before though, it'd be so cute to see them together!" The other whispered back. It wasn't long before Kaiba realized they were talking about him and Joey, and that this was the reason for the stares and whispers during the walk.

"Mokuba, sit here a moment, I'll be right back." He said to his brother, before standing up and walking to the two girls. The giggles stopped as soon as he approached.

"Um... Hi..." One said, nervously.

"How do you know about that?" He asked simply. The two girls looked nervously at each other and pulled out the magazine with the front cover being Kaiba and Joey's passionate kiss. He frowned, and thought back to the conversation they had before that.

"He's good, just as long as I keep my mouth shut, it should all go smooth."

"I don't think he'd approve of my new friends."

A frown formed on the young CEO's face, and the girls looked at each other. Kaiba went back to Mokuba.

"Mokuba, let's go home, and I'll be going out straight after." Kaiba told his brother. Mokuba nodded and so they went.

Joey sat in the bathroom, examining his body in a mirror. His shirt was covered in blood from his no doubt broken nose and discarded in the corner. He held a wad of tissue paper to his nose, and a bag of ice to his bruised and swollen temple. His body, covered in scars from both being in a gang and living with an abusive father, was now red, forming bruises of various colors and sizes. His father had at some point just passed out, leaving Joey to examine and check for major damage. He found nothing too concerning, but his body just felt worn and sensitive.

With his wad of tissues and ice, he went into his room and changed his clothes. Suddenly, his phone went off. He glanced at caller I.D. to see it was Yugi.

"Hey, Yug! What's up?" Joey answered cheerfully.

"Hey Joey! I saw that magazine article, we all have." Yugi replied, suddenly serious.

"Oh..." How's Tristan taking it?" Joey gulped, he knew his friend never liked them hanging out so often.

"Well, when he found out, he stormed back to his house, and I hadn't seen him since, but don't worry, Joey, I'm sure he'll pull through."

"I hope he does, Yug, I'd never know what I'd do if he didn't accept us. "

"Yeah, I know how you feel, Joey, but it'll be alright, I promise."

"Thanks, buddy."

"I have to go now, but hang in there, were all at your side."

He hung up and sighed.

"At least I've got my friends on my side."
Joey found himself thinking about the tall brunette, the place he'd lived for the past few months, before dozing off.

He woke up to hear his father's slurred words.

"Get the door, fag. At leas' be good fer somethin," he yelled to him. Joey rubbed sleep out of his eyes, before getting up. He walked up and opened the door to a certain CEO, who looked at him strangely. It dawned on Joey that his temple was welted, and his nose was crooked, dried blood covering it and his shoulder from falling asleep while stifling the blood flow. Joey immediately turned away, trying to hide, though he knew it was too late.
Kaiba grabbed his wrist, keeping him from walking away.

"He did this to you, didn't he?" Kaiba whispered low and dangerously in the blonde's ear. Joey nodded slightly.

"Who tha fuk's at the door?" Joey's father said, hobbling over with a bottle of cheap alcohol. Upon seeing, and mostly recognizing him as the boy his son was kissing in the magazine.

"What the fuk are ya doing 'ere you fuckin' manwhore," he yelled, throwing his not yet empty bottle towards the door, and hitting the wall next to it. Joey looked at over at Kaiba, who gently took Joey by the waist and pulled him out into the hall. Joey's father continued slurring insults and anger, but Kaiba took Joey away from that place, and all the way back to his mansion, ignoring every stare and whisper. He didn't even stop to tell Mokuba he was home! He went straight to his room.

Joey sat on Kaiba's bed silently, while the other was getting the medical kit. He sat next to him, and took a warm wet rag and gently cleaned away the dried blood. He lifted Joey's shirt off and threw it and examined his bruised body.

"You're never going back there." Kaiba stated solemnly, and Joey replied with a nod. After doing all he could to help him out, they both stayed silent for several minutes.

"There must've been paparazzi somewhere around the office." Kaiba mumbled. "Trying to get a story on me."

Joey chuckled. "And they expected to find more than a steely-faced workaholic?" Kaiba raised his eyebrow.

"Most of the time, they would."

"Hey, Seto?" Joey said quietly, looking at Kaiba pleadingly. Kaiba looked over.

"Yes, Joey?"

"Can we get a dog?" He asked.

"I already have one."

"Hey!" Kaiba chuckled

"Maybe."

"It's not a no!" Joey smiled. The sight tipped the brunettes lips upwards. Joey noticed this, and breathed out before pulling the other into a kiss. Kaiba kissed back, and gently brought the shirtless boy closer to his chest, being careful of his bruises. They parted for breath after awhile, gasping as their lips lost contact.

"But what about..?" Joey asked, insinuating the paparazzi, no doubt on the prowl for the two. Kaiba shrugged before leaning in and kissing Joey again, knocking him over onto the bed and leaning carefully on top of him. His tongue begged for entrance to Joey's mouth, wanting to memorize each crevice. Before long, they needed air once again, and broke away, strands of mixed saliva stretching out, filling the gap between them. Kaiba then kissed Joey's nose, and moved to his temple, and his lips moved down, lightly touching every bruise and scar on his torso. Soon his lips found their way back up to the blonde's lips, and his hands ran through Joey's surprisingly soft blond hair, and ran along his face.

Finally their lips parted, not just for quick breaths. Both boys were blushing a deep shade of red.

"Damn it." Kaiba grumbled, sitting next to Joey. Joey, who allowed himself another moment to examine his nose, looked up and chuckled.

"What?" He asked the grumbling CEO.

"Self-control doesn't come easily around you." He admitted angrily, and Joey just laughed, before curling up on Kaiba's bed.

"I'm gonna take a nap," he declared. Kaiba looked over and sighed, before curling up next to him, his arm limply wrapped around the other boy's waist, and he finally was able to sleep for the first time since his puppy had lost his sense of the word home.