Our Life So Far

sorry for the wait

Party of the year was the understatement of the year. The entire ballroom had been rented out and decorated in white, silver, and blue. The theme, of course, was Seto's famous blue eyed dragon. Everything was being handled by the best decorators, caterers, and party planners money could buy. Joey would strategically wait until latter that night when Seto was throughally sexed up to tell him that he footed the bill.

The blond wanted to show everyone the ballroom before everyone else showed up. They all met in their tuxes and gowns before any other guests were scheduled to show up. Kaiba was the only one missing due to last minute business at KaibaCorp in preparation for his week long vacation for his anniversary.

The group of friends gathered at the guest of honor's table because Tea had to sit down. They pulled chairs from other tables in order to get up to speed with each other's lives.

Duke introduced Megumi to everyone and they immediately recognized her from the cover of Vogue. She recognized Tristen from the cover of some racing magazine when he showed off his motorcycle collection. It wasn't a huge collection but having ten vintage bikes at age twenty-three it was impressive.

Being the youngest Mokuba and Heater stuck to soda as everyone else ordered drinks from the bar with the exception of Tea. It was a great thing that they all were living great lives with fulfilling careers. Duke had dungeon Dice Monsters, Tristen had a couple of motorcycle supply stores, and Mokuba would be going to school and running KaibaCorp on the side. Tea couldn't dance but her husband's computer programing job kept them comfortable. A baby was worth more than any dancing would ever. She had a great couple of years but now looked forward to a family.

Finally at seven o'clock the guests started arriving. The ballroom quickly filled with chatting people in suits, tuxes, and dresses. Most of them were business associates of Seto's. Sprinkled here and there, looking lost, were friends from school. Most of which knew Joey only given the limited social contact the brunet had in school.

"When is his majesty getting here?" It was the second time Bakura had asked and about the fiftieth time someone in the room had asked. "Late for his own anniversary party what an asshole." Ryou quickly intervened and took his yami's third drink away from him.

"He's probably going to make a dramatic entrance." The blond explained noticing everyone starting to take their seats for the dinner. If he waited any longer Seto's entrance would be dramatic whether he wanted it to be or not. "There was last minute work he wanted to do. Personally, I don't think he's taking today very seriously."

Ryou and Yugi immediately noticed the sadness in the blond's voice and wrapped their arms around him. Bakura snorted at the display and clapped him one on the shoulder. "He'll be here and he knows how much this means to you." Yugi reassured his friend then looked around. "Where's Yami?"

After some frantic head turning, the ex-Pharaoh was spotted at another table talking to, the until now missing, Seto Kaiba. "That sneaky fucking bastard." Joey growled and marched over to him. "When did you get here?"

Seto looked over from his conversation with Yami to smile at his lover. "Oh I don't know about ten minutes ago." He gave Joey and the rest of them an innocent smile as he adjusted his tie. Yami scuttled away from the brunet slightly eyeing his own lover. Joey looked about ready to blow and he didn't want to get caught in the crossfire.

"You're late, late you bastard, to your own party." His voice slowly raised attracting the attention of the crowd. "You know how hard I worked for the night to go on with out a hitch and you still show up late on purpose because you don't like people."

Kaiba watched his lover carefully waiting for an opening. When it presented itself he rose slowly and pressed his lips tot he blond's. The fight left the shorter man as he melted into the kiss. Unfortunately it didn't last as long as he wanted, Seto pulled away. "Everyone is sitting and waiting for food. You are making a scene. This party is your baby and I am here now and will be on my best behavior for the rest of the night." After another kiss they took their seats and ate with their guests.

When the dishes had been cleared glasses of champaign started to appear at everyone's places. Even after some prodding from Joey Mokuba was allowed to have some. The conversations at the other tables started to slow down or soften to whispers. At the main table conversation had stopped altogether. Glances at the blond and a constant nudging from Mokuba went unnoticed to the brunet. Finally common noise rose among the guests that drew Kaiba's attention. They were calling for a speech and Joey stood silencing them.

The blond cleared his throat. "Usually it is Seto who makes the speeches around here but I think that's going to be quite difficult by the time I'm done." He took his attention from the room for a moment to run his fingers through Seto's hair. "All through school moneybags here was nothing but an ass to me but that all changed after graduation." Snickers ran through the crowd and Seto's face started to become pink. "Five years later we sit before you just as much in love now as were were back then. This is a special day that I am proud to spend it with my lover, my family, my friends and all of you." A pause allowed the crowd to cheer the blond's speech. Instead of sitting he silenced everyone down again.

"Now to my lover." He turned to Seto taking his left hand in his own and cupping his cheek. "I love you more than my own life. Our relationship has survived public ridicule, bad health, and the mixed feelings of those close to us. Even if it was not the way it is now we have always been together." The blond squeezed the hand in his own watching Seto's eyes widen in shock and the object pressed into his hand. "I can't picture either one of us with anyone else and I don't want to ever have to. I want us to be together always." He pulled Seto to his feet wrapping his arms around him. "Marry me Seto Kaiba." Nobody but Seto heard the last words whispered in his ear. The rest of the table grinned like morons having known about this since Joey came up with the idea. A thunderous applause sounded throughout the room.

Joey expected many reactions; tears, stunned silence, or even 'no' but he didn't expect the one he got. Seto tore away from him and scrambled backwards. On the way out he caught himself from falling when he tripped on his own chair. Without a second thought to the crowd he followed his scrambling lover out of the ballroom. He found Seto sitting alone on a small sofa in the hotel lobby. The brunet was hunched over holding his face in his hands.

"Seto," Joey whispered approaching his lover. In response Seto curled a little more in on himself. He reached the small sofa and sat with him not touching him. Soft sobs racked slim shoulders.

"I can't believe you had to do that in front of everyone. I know, because they weren't surprised, that your friends knew." Tear drenched blue eyes met his own. "You know how I feel about my private life and you do something like this." He buried his face again.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you. All I wanted was to show you how much you mean to me." Reaching over he grabbed Seto's hands. There was a small struggle at first but eventually Seto allowed his hands to be pulled dawn. "Nobody knows about the ring or heard the last part. We can stay just the way we are now. I don't care as long as we are together." The words broke his heart but if this was what it took to keep them together then so be it.

"Yeah right and how exactly do I face your friends after that display." Joey felt tears welding up in his own eyes. Seto pulled his left hand from Joey's and uncurled his fingers. The gold ring with three diamonds sat in his palm. "It's beautiful. I didn't know you knew," he sniffled and whipped away some tears, "you knew anything about jewelry."

"The ring is my grandmother's and Mokuba worked with the jeweler to pick the cut for the diamonds." He picked the ring up.

"I thought you got that for the necklass?"

"I did but I got it for this as well." Before he began his explanation he took a deep breath and knelt between the brunet's feet. "My grandmother's mother gave her this ring on her eighteenth birthday when her husband died after seventy years of marriage. My grandmother held onto it like a good luck charm and has remained married to my grandfather going on fifty-three years now. She had planned on giving it to my mom but just didn't feel right about it when she introduced her to my father. Ten years after they were married my parents got divorced. After that the plan was to give it to Serenity. Through letters I told her all about you and she said, 'I don't even know him and I already love him.' That was really important to me."

"I guess me being rich and good looking would have anything to do with it." Seto joked.

Joey simply laughed and continued. "Six month ago I told her about my plan for today. I hate to mention money but I was heart broken at the fact that I would of had to use your credit card to buy you a ring. I cried when she insisted that I get her ring" Cool fingers cupped his chin and brought his honey eyes to meet blue. "I felt bad about Serenity not getting it, so the necklass." Seto nodded his understanding. "Whether we call it married or not I want you to have this ring and so would she.

The brunet took the ring from his lover and really looked at it. Joey watched intently as Seto noticed the faint inscription on the inside. "'May Our Love Live Always'" Seto read the words out loud knowing that Joey was awaiting his answer. There had already been too many words between them already so he let his actions do the talking. Slowly he slipped the ring on his finger. It fit like it was made to be worn by him and no one else. "Yes I'll marry you but I'm not going to become Seto Wheeler."

Joey, ignoring the insult, gathered his lover, no, his fiance in to his arms kissing the breath out of him. Finally pulling away from the panting brunet he ran back into the room yelling to everyone's applause, "He said YES!"


The End?

Happy Ending Yeah!

My computer broke over six months ago but I have access to one so I decided to finish this story since the final chapter was finished. I still do not have a computer of my own so I won't be posting anything else for at least a couple months but I am looking in to buying a new laptop so look forward to more.

There might be a sequel to this some day but as of now I have almost five other stories I'm working on because even though I don't have a computer I do have inspiration.

Speaking of inspiration this story actually came to me because of the line

“May our love live always”

I'm a huge scaredy cat so I have to find courage to read reviews. Eventually I do read them.

To anyone and everyone who reviewed whether it was a flame, begging for more, or a simple “I like this story” I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

See you at the next story. Bye