The Mythology Set

Stupid Cupid

"Seto? Can I have some of your hair?"

Seto frowned but didn't look up from his laptop. "Whyyyy?"

Mokuba sat down on the edge of his desk and sighed. "It's an assignment for school." When the brunet finally looked up at him and give him a pointed look, he grimaced. "I mean for cupidry. We're learning about compatibility and our assignment is to check our compatibility with our family members."

The brunet raised an eyebrow at him, then chuckled quietly and leaned back in his seat. "I remember that assignment. A boy in my class learned he was adopted and a girl learned that her mother cheated on her father." He chuckled again. "Ah, good times."

"…Why are you laughing? That's terrible," the younger boy exclaimed, glaring at him.

Seto blinked at him in surprise, then pulled down his shirt to expose the black wing tattooed on his left arm. "I'm a cupid of hatred, Mokuba. I laugh at others' misfortunes."

"…You're terrible," Mokuba muttered, scowling, even as he plucked out one of his own hairs and opened the cap to the compatibility capsule test he'd been given at school. He held it out for the older boy to place his own hair in it, then closed the capsule and shook it. "What compatibility do you think it'll be?"

"Seventeen, eighteen. Anything less than twenty-five but more than zero," the brunet replied, turning his attention back to his laptop.

Mokuba blinked at the number on top of the capsule. "…Seventeen and half. How did you…?"

"Because I did this test when I was younger, too, dummy." The brunet smiled and ruffled the younger boy's hair to take some of the sting out of his statement. "Unlike compatibility rates among unrelated people, our compatibility rates never change."

"Oh." Mokuba stared at the top of the capsule for a moment, then narrowed his eyes at the older boy skeptically. "Are you sure?"

Seto snorted and took a couple of the empty capsules his brother was holding from his hands. "Here. I'll put a hair in each of these. Test our compatibility every few days."

The younger boy stuck his tongue out at him and hopped off of his desk. "Fine! I will!" He began to walk away, then frowned, pausing in the doorway. "…Seto, have you…"

"Hmm?" The brunet looked over at him in concern. "Have I what?"

"…Have you ever… dated anyone?" he asked, peeking back at him curiously.

Seto paused. "…Define… 'date.'"

"…Have you ever liked anyone then?" Mokuba prayed that the answer was yes. Because he couldn't get help from his brother if he had no idea what he was talking about.

"…I like you," the brunet offered after a minute. "…If you're talking about the romantic sense, I suppose I have, but I was in third grade and she punched me when I asked her out. I haven't really asked anyone out since then…"

Mokuba quickly figured out that Seto would be no help to him with the problem he'd had for quite a few weeks now. "Okay. Just wanted to know."

"…Okay then. If you need any help with your essay, let me know," Seto replied, looking back at his laptop.

The younger boy frowned at him in confusion. "What essay?"

"…The… essay you need to write for your compatibility tests." The brunet blinked at him slowly.

Mokuba tilted his head, baffled. "I don't have to write an essay."

"WHAT? I HAD TO WRITE A TEN-PAGE ESSAY WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL! THIS IS TOTAL BULLSHIT AND COMPLETELY UNFAIR!" Seto roared, standing in outrage and slamming his hands down on the desk.

Mokuba fled before the brunet could get really angry.

.-.-.-.-.-.

Sighing quietly, Mokuba picked up a pebble from the pile he'd gathered and flicked it into the water. Seto was really no help. How was he supposed to know how to ask a girl out? Wasn't his older brother supposed to teach him that, since their father wasn't there to do it? So how was he supposed to learn these things if his brother was hopeless when it came to girls?

He flicked another pebble into the water and sighed again. "What do I do now…?"

"Mokuba?"

Mokuba turned in surprise when he heard the familiar voice, then smiled. "Hey, Joey. What are you doing here?"

The blond smiled at him brightly. "Got a part-time job until Yug' can convince Gramps t' hire me. More importantly, what are you doin' here?"

At that, the younger boy frowned again and looked back at the water. "…I'm just thinking. Had to get away from everything for a while."

"I dunno if the park is the best place t' do that, but okay." Sitting down on the dock beside him, Joey looked out over the lake and sighed quietly, happy expression fading into a content little smile. "Ya wanna talk about it?"

Mokuba hugged his knees to his chest and sighed again, brows furrowing together. "…I just… want to know some things, but Seto isn't the best person to ask. But… I don't know who else to go to."

The blond glanced down at him and raised an eyebrow. "And how do ya know that?"

"…Because I asked him if he'd ever liked someone and he said he liked a girl in third grade. She punched him when he asked her out and he's never really cared to ask anyone out after that." The younger boy frowned. "But he dates people. Or, well… he pays for dinner and then he sleeps with them."

Joey flinched. "Oh. Okay. I can see why askin' him might not be the best idea."

"Yeah…" Mokuba hid his face in his knees, voice becoming muffled so that blond had to lean in to hear him. "There's this girl in my class. I think she's really cute, and smart, and funny—and I want to ask her out, but I don't want her to punch me!"

The older teen frowned and scratched the back of his head. "Well… does she like ya, or are ya a prick t' her like your brother is t' me?"

The raven-haired boy looked up at him quickly. "Oh! No! I'm really nice to her! I mean, she's so nice to me, it would be rude if I was anything but nice in return, right?"

Joey raised an eyebrow at him. "…Okay." He tapped his chin thoughtfully as he looked back over the water, then picked up one of the pebbles the other boy had gathered and tossed it into the water to watch it sink. "…You could tell her that you really like her, and that you'd like t' take her out. Don't be rude. Just ask her if she wants t' go someplace simple, like a burger joint or the theme park. You can do the fancy, expensive shit later, once you've decided ya actually like each other enough."

Mokuba frowned and relaxed a little, resting his chin on his arms. "…I guess that makes sense. But what if she says no? What if she doesn't like me back?"

"You'll get over it," the blond assured, smiling at him. "You're a Kaiba. Ya always bounce back, and ya do it even cooler than before."

"…That's true…" The younger boy blinked. "…You think my brother is cool?"

Joey blushed a little, eyes widening in shock. "Uh—I—Ah—" He squeaked, biting his bottom lip, then hid his face in his hands. "…A little."

Mokuba blinked at him again, stunned, then tilted his head thoughtfully. "…You… think he's cool? Even with how much of a jerk he's been to you?"

"…I don't think he's like that because he chooses t' be," the blond answered after a moment. "I think he's like that 'cause he has t' be. I used t' be like that, too. The only difference is that I know how t' turn it off. I don't think your brother knows any other way of protectin' himself."

"…Oh…" The younger boy frowned, surprised that the former thug could actually be so insightful. "…So… what else do you think of my brother?"

Joey blushed and bit his bottom lip. "…W-well, it's not like he's a terrible guy. I watch all of the stuff he does for ya, and I can understand why he feels he needs t' protect himself. He gives ya everything he's got, and he would probably do that for anyone else that gets close. He'd probably be really hurt if he gave someone everything and they didn't appreciate it like you do." He picked up another pebble and threw it into the water. "I understand why he keeps everyone away, why he's so mean t' everyone. I just don't get why he's so mean t' me."

Mokuba frowned. "…You're the one that keeps coming back, Joey. He doesn't know how to get you away, because instead of getting scared and leaving him alone, you just get mad and in his face. So he has to be especially mean to you."

"Oh." The blond blinked out at the water slowly. "…I guess that makes sense. I really do wanna be his friend, though. I mean, he needs friends, and Yugi and I can take care of ourselves… so why…?"

"He's been alone for years, Joey. He doesn't know what to do with friends." The younger boy sighed. "I wish he had some, but he's so used to dealing with people much older than him for business, that he doesn't know how to go out for pizza or dancing. He unwinds with a glass of wine and a book at the end of the day, not videogames and ice-cream."

Joey tilted his head and frowned. "He probably just needs someone to teach him. I wouldn't mind that… I probably wouldn't mind some booze before bed either, though…"

"It's a glass of wine, Joey. Not a whole freaking bottle," the raven-haired boy teased. "You probably wouldn't like it anyway."

"I wouldn't? Why?" The older teen turned to raise an eyebrow at him. "I've had booze before."

Mokuba sighed. "Right." He looked up at the blond thoughtfully, unable to help a smile when he saw the playful glint in the other boy's brown eyes. "…If I have any more questions about girls, Joey, can I ask you?"

Joey smiled brightly. "Sure, as long as your brother doesn't think I'm steppin' on his toes or anything."

"…Okay." The younger boy managed a small smile of his own. "I will. You'd make a good older brother, Joey."

The blond's smile faded a little, the happiness giving way to genuine confusion. "…Mokuba, I'm already an older brother."

Mokuba raised an eyebrow for a moment, but then he remembered Serenity and slapped a hand to his forehead. "Okay, I'll admit it. I may have taken a stupid pill this morning," he mumbled, smiling a little when the older boy laughed. "Well, okay, you're a good older brother. You'd probably make a really good mom though."

"Yeah, well— …Mom?" Joey blinked at him. "…What-?"

"…I may have taken a couple stupid pills. I meant dad," the younger boy moaned, covering his face in embarrassment. He paused, then smirked up at the older boy. "Though you scream like a girl when you're scared, and Yugi told me you dressed up as a girl once—"

Joey promptly shoved him off of the dock and into the lake.

.-.-.-.-.-.

'If I do this, I'll probably regret it.'

Mokuba bit his bottom lip anxiously. He hadn't meant to pull out one of Joey's hairs—it had just happened! He'd been dunking him under the water and just suddenly—hair! Hair that could be tested! Tested for compatibility with his brother!

He cringed immediately at the thought. That hadn't been why Seto had given him his hair. He was abusing his brother's trust. …But Joey could answer all of his questions, and he'd told him he didn't really hate Seto, he just—he just gave as good as he got. And he understood why Seto was so… Seto. He needed someone he could look up to and trust, and Seto needed someone who understood him.

Joey would be the perfect person for both of them. He just needed to check for compatibility. They needed at least sixty percent compatibility.

Well, if Joey wasn't sixty percent compatible with Seto, he didn't even need to worry about it! He wouldn't even have to tell anyone! He'd just throw out the test and no one would have to know about it!

With that thought in mind, Mokuba steeled his nerves and dropped Joey's hair into the capsule, then popped the lid on and shook it gently. 'He probably won't have high compatibility with Seto, anyway.'

He took a deep breath. Then, steeling his nerves, he tilted the capsule to see just how compatible Joey and his brother were. He choked on his spit in shock.

Ninety-one percent. Joey and Seto were ninety-one percent compatible. It was rare for people to even get eighty percent, and here they were ninety-one? That was impossible!

Mokuba shook the test again, certain that it hadn't read the compatibility correctly. When the number still showed ninety-one, he sat back in his seat, stunned. Compatibility that high was only heard about in fairytales. It didn't make any sense, but… somehow, he'd found his brother's fairytale lover?

…If he let this opportunity pass by, he'd be a terrible love cupid.

Pulling out his text book ("Arrows: The Black and White of It"), he immediately opened it to the half on love. After skimming the table of contents, he cursed and just flipped to the index in back. He looked under L, for love, then carefully slid his finger down the indented line. Finally, he came across the page he needed and flipped to it quickly.

White arrows are the most powerful arrows of the love variety. They should be used sparingly and with extreme caution. They signify reverence, youthfulness, and undying love. For use on humans, one need only write the name of the target's affection on the shaft of the arrow and shoot. The arrow will vanish into dust before the target will see it, and they will only feel a short, sharp pain. Effects will be visible almost immediately.*

.-.-.-.-.-.

Joey fiddled nervously with his hands, frowning, and looked around the expansive living room. "Are ya sure this is okay? Your brother won't get too mad?"

"He said I could have a friend over. You're my friend. I choose you," Mokuba answered, shrugging, and pushed him over to the couch. "You sit here. I always sit on the left cushion when I game."

The blond grumbled a little at the younger boy trying to get each handicap he could and flopped onto his seat. He immediately sprang back up with a yelp, rubbing his rump as he turned to glare at the cushion. "What the hell?"

"What? Is something wrong?" Mokuba frowned in concern. "Are you okay?"

Seeing nothing on the couch, the older boy frowned and eased back into his seat, suddenly feeling much more nervous than he had before. "…Thought I sat on somethin'…"

"…I'm gonna go get us some soda," the raven-haired boy stated after a moment of blinking at him. "You want some chips?"

"Okay." Joey watched him go, then frowned again, rubbing the spot on his rear that he was certain had been stabbed by… something. "Damn, that hurt…" Then again, it could have been in his head. Perhaps he'd just gotten so used to being hurt by Seto that he'd just expected his furniture to hurt him too. Yeah, that was probably it.

…What sort of freak was he, thinking furniture would hurt him on purpose? Gah! Seto wasn't that much of a prick! …Right?

"What are you doing here?"

Speak of the devil.

Turning sharply, the blond blushed, and was immediately confused. He'd never blushed around the older boy before. Why now? And what was this sudden feeling of admiration? He'd always noticed that Seto was attractive (usually out of envy), but now he felt acutely aware of it. He even looked good in slacks and a simple button-down shirt! That wasn't fair!

Seto raised an eyebrow when the blond only stared at him, confused by the blush on his face. "…Right. I'll assume this is Mokuba's—fuuuuck!" Jerking forward in surprise, the brunet hissed and turned to look back at his thigh.

He saw something white shimmer out of sight and scowled. "Wha—" He paused, then turned and looked back at the blond. "…So. Mokuba's invited you here, right?"

Joey blushed again, eyes wide when he realized that the older boy hadn't said it with his usually cold tone. "…Y-yeah."

"…For videogames or something." Seto glanced around suspiciously, then looked back at the blond.

The suddenly very attractive blond that he had admitted long ago would be the one to break through to him on a personal level, if anyone could at all. He looked so innocent and scared, with his eyes so wide and confused. He wanted to protect that expression of vulnerability. He wanted to keep it all to himself. …Why did he feel that way?

"…I… I should go check on Mokuba," Joey stated breathlessly, breaking the awkward silence. He stood and began to walk past the older boy, feeling very aware of how close he was to him as he moved.

Seto reached up to cup his cheek before he could pass, frowning. "…You've never blushed before. Why now?" he asked quietly, even though he had to admit that the red coloring looked very good on him.

"…I… don't know—" he began, brows furrowing together awkwardly. He gasped as the brunet leaned closer and quickly glanced away.

"I think you know," the older boy replied, unable to help smirking. "So why don't you tell me?" When the blond bit his bottom lip, he snorted. "Unless you're too afraid to tell me."

Joey looked back up at him sharply, scowling. Gritting his teeth, he glared at the brunet before finally spitting, "I think I love you!"

"…You think you love me." Seto frowned, but he was beginning to understand. He watched the blond's expression quickly fading from anger to horror, though, and if what he suspected was true, he really didn't want to hurt the younger boy. "I—"

He hissed as he felt a sharp pain again, but he only remembered the thought that he was going to kill Mokuba before his lips smashed against the blond's in a deep kiss.

Joey mewed in confusion but allowed the brunet to kiss him, letting his eyes drift shut as a hot tongue slipped into his mouth and began toying with his own. "Mm… Mn!" He gasped as he felt the world spin for a moment, startled, and quickly broke the kiss. "K-Kaiba-!" He blushed as he realized the brunet had actually swept him off his feet.

"I love you—" When he couldn't recapture the blond's mouth, Seto began kissing his neck, laving it with his tongue and nipping lightly with his teeth. "I love you-!"

"Uhn! Fuu-! O-oh!" Squirming, the blond whimpered, still confused. "Why are ya—why am I—Ahh…!" He moaned helplessly as the brunet continued to kiss him and whisper multiple 'I love you's, slowly relaxing in his arms and turning his head to catch the corner of the brunet's mouth with his lips.

Taking the blatant hint, the older boy kissed him again as he stepped into his room and kicked the door shut. "Mm…" He placed the blond on the bed and moaned as he felt fingers digging into his hair roughly. "Ah…"

Joey panted as the kiss was broken and stared up at him with heavy-lidded eyes. "…Ya look kinda sexy with your hair messed up," he muttered, smiling awkwardly.

"You look sexy," Seto countered, smirking, then leaned over him possessively. Pressing a soft kiss to the blond's ear and smiling as he giggled nervously in response, he whispered, "I want to make love to you, Joey."

Joey shivered and bit his bottom lip, unable to help the tears forming from embarrassment. "M-make love-?"

"Yes. I want to make love to you." The brunet kissed his ear again, trailing his lips down to his jaw lightly. "I'll be so gentle, Joey. I'll make sure you enjoy it."

"…B-but we just—" He blushed as the older boy gently spread his legs and crawled between them. "Oooh…"

"Please, Joey. Let me make love to you." Seto pet his hip gently. "Please. I'll take care of you."

Shivering, Joey looked away, then nodded shortly. "Okay. It's been a while, though—"

"Good." The brunet kissed down his throat slowly. "Now I won't have to get too jealous." He slid a hand up the younger boy's shirt and purred. "I'm the only one who gets to touch you like this now."

"Oh! Nn, God…!" The blond squirmed awkwardly as he was quickly divested of his shirt, blushing under the intense blue gaze. "K-Kaiba—"

Seto placed a finger against his lips and smiled. "Seto. Call me Seto."

"…Seto…" Joey smiled shyly, then reached up to unbutton his shirt. When he remembered what Mokuba had said a few days before, though, his smile began to fade. "You're not gonna sleep with anyone else, are ya? I heard ya sleep with a lot of people…"

"No. You're the only one for me now," the brunet assured. "I promise."

"…Okay." The younger boy spread his shirt open as soon as he'd finished unbuttoning it and blushed again as he trailed his fingers over the brunet's toned torso. "Wow… I thought ya just sat behind a desk all day…"

"Sometimes. Not always. Sometimes I like to work out," Seto teased, smiling. "I don't stay thin just by having sex, you know how."

Joey giggled nervously as the brunet fumbled for something in the bedside table, reaching down to begin unbuttoning his slacks. "Well, I heard that it burns a lot of calori—Fuck! This thing is huge!" He blushed in embarrassment when the brunet laughed, unable to help admiring the sound of genuine amusement. "Shut up! I said it's been a while!" he griped, scowling, and jerked his head away.

The brunet cupped his cheek again and kissed him softly. "You're adorable. Don't worry. It'll fit."

"…Shut up…" the younger boy mumbled, and tugged on the hem of his slacks. "Take these off."

Seto rolled his eyes and stood to strip off his pants and boxers, then smirked and grabbed the legs of the blond's jeans. "I hope you don't mind if I do the same for you."

"GAH!" Joey yelped, startled, as the brunet yanked his pants off. "Jeez!"

"Hmm." The older boy reached out to gently stroke the blond's erection. "I'll have to remember that you like it a little rough."

"Shut up!" the blond exclaimed again, then turned his head away in embarrassment. "…I do not…"

Seto chuckled again, smiling, then popped the cap of the lube off. "I'll test that statement a different time. I promised to be gentle, didn't I?" Covering his fingers in the slick liquid, he looked back up at the younger boy. "Are you ready?"

"Jeez, I'm not a girl." Joey glanced up at him nervously despite his plaintive tone, hesitantly adding, "I-it has been a while, though." He glanced down anxiously. "…Since I left the gang…"

"So a few years. That's okay," the brunet replied, still smiling. "I'll start off slow. Alright?"

Joey bit his bottom lip and grunted as he felt a finger sliding inside him. "Ngh… I forgot how weird it feels…" He squeaked when the older boy immediately leaned down to begin kissing his neck, then moaned and tilted his head back, sighing when his teeth scraped over the sensitive skin of his throat. "Mm… Not so bad…"

Seto let his lips drift up the blond's jaw. "Is it okay if I add another one?"

"Yeah, just—Nyee!" Squealing in surprise when the brunet's free hand came up to play with his nipples, he barely even felt the second finger slipping inside of him. "No one ever did that-!"

The older boy frowned. "What?"

"It was just… sex!" Joey exclaimed, squirming. "No touching like that!"

"…You had a bunch of 'wham-bam-thank-you-Sam's." The brunet sighed and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling for a moment, then returned his attention to the squirming blond. "This isn't sex. It's making love. There's a difference, and I believe I just began showing you how different."

The younger boy gasped quietly as the brunet's fingers began pinching and pulling one of his nipples. "Ah…! Ha! K-K-Kai—Seto—I-!"

Seto chuckled and kissed him softly, then moved downward to give his other nipple a languid lick, enjoying the shiver he received in response. "So sensitive…" Catching the hardening nub between his teeth, he tugged on it lightly and slid a third finger inside of him.

Joey gasped again. "Ngh! Too much-! It's too much—you're going too fast-!" He grabbed the older boy's shoulders and moaned quietly. "That hurts…!" His breath hitched and his hips jerked upward when the brunet suddenly grazed that spot inside him that sent white fire up his spine to explode in front of his eyes as fireworks. "Oh God right there yes!"

"Mm, does that mean I've found it?" the brunet cooed. When the younger boy only sobbed and jerked down onto his fingers, he smiled and kissed him gently.

The blond mewed into his mouth, hips jerking up and down with each inward thrust. He panted quietly as the kiss was broken and moaned. "Ah… Yes… Nn… Feels so good…!"

"May I make love to you now, Joey?" Seto whispered after a few more moments of stretching him. "Are you ready?"

Joey looked up at him hesitantly, blushing a little when he saw the intense, passionate expression directed solely at him. No one had ever looked at him like that. Sex had always been quick, cold, and… boring. He didn't necessarily have to like his partner, as long as both of them got off. …None of his partners had ever asked him if he was ready before…

"Yes." He nodded and let his eyes drift closed with a disappointed moan as the brunet withdrew his fingers. "Ooh… Just… just please go slow… Please…" He bit his bottom lip nervously when the older boy frowned in concern, nervously explaining, "I-it's not that I'm not stretched enough. I just… I wanna go slow. I don't wanna just… blow through this and miss how makin' love is different from just… sex." He turned his head away in embarrassment.

Seto smiled a little and caught the blond's hand in his own. "Okay. I'm going to start now. Are you ready?" When the younger boy nodded, he leaned down to begin kissing his collarbone. "Take a deep breath."

Joey took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, relaxing his body as best he could. He moaned as the brunet began pushing into him, thighs twitching anxiously. "Mmn… So… big…" He whimpered as the brunet pressed in further. "Oh…!"

"Squeeze my hand if it hurts. I don't mind," the brunet whispered. "As hard as you need to."

The younger boy immediately took him up on the offer, squeezing his eyes shut tightly as he dug his nails into the other boy's skin. "Ah… Ah…!" He shuddered as the brunet come to a stop and bit his bottom lip. "Mmn…"

"I'm all the way in." Seto kissed his neck and shoulders softly. "I won't move until you tell me I can. Okay?"

"Okay," Joey whimpered, slowly becoming accustomed to the feel of his hard shaft. "Hmm… It's so hot…" His breath hitched as the older boy grasped his erection again and gave it a few short strokes. "Nn!" Lifting his free hand to wrap around the brunet's back, he slowly peeled his eyes open, unaware of the tear rolling down his cheek. "Okay. I'm ready. I'm ready now."

Seto leaned in to kiss his cheek, licking up the tear before it had a chance to trickle away. "Are you sure? It doesn't hurt?"

"…It still hurts a little." He bit his bottom lip. "But it's okay. I can handle it. I know it gets better." He smiled weakly. "Ya just need t' find that spot, right?"

"…Yeah." The brunet slowly untangled their fingers and slid his hands down to grasp his hips. "I'm going to move then."

Joey nodded, sighing quietly as the older boy began to move and gritting his teeth at the slight pain he felt. "Ah… Oh… Oh!" He gasped as the brunet slammed into him especially hard, arching his back with a startled cry as white fire shot up his spine. "Oh! Ah! How-!"

"One of the advantages of having sex so often is that you become adept at figuring out just where to aim," Seto muttered, then leaned his face into the blond's neck. "I love you, Joey."

The blond shuddered, hips jerking upward to meet his thrusts. "Fuck-! Oh, God, Seto…! That feels so good!" He groaned and cupped the older boy's cheeks, making him meet his eyes. "You feel good, Seto. Ya feel so good inside me… I didn't know sex could be so… so…" His breath hitched again when the brunet offered him a breathtakingly sincere smile. "…Much…"

"…Making love," Seto corrected quietly. "I'm making love to you."

Joey couldn't help the tears forming in his eyes. "Makin' love? …I like that." He smiled a watery smile that showed just how touched he was. "I never thought… I would… I love ya too, Seto."

The brunet smiled at him. "Say it again."

"I love ya—aaahhhh! I love y—Uhn!" The blond arched his back and moaned. "Oh…! I love you Seto!"

Seto kissed him softly, swallowing his gasps and mewls as he continued to thrust into him. "Mm…" He broke the kiss and tilted his head to nibble and lick the blond's jaw, reaching down to stroke his erection again. "I love you, Joey."

"Ngh-! Ah!" Joey threw his head back and groaned, hips arching up faster. "Nn! Oh! I'm gonna—I'm gonna come-! Seto, I'm gonna—"

"Love you," the brunet whispered in his ear quickly.

Joey screamed as he reached his climax, reaching up to dig his nails into the older boy's back and drag them downward as his toes curled with pleasure. "SETO!"

Seto grunted as the blond's tight channel clamped around his erection, the pain from the younger boy's frantic scratching seeming to just amplify the pleasure he got from continuing to thrust. "Nn, Joey… So tight…" He nuzzled against the blond's throat and groaned as he came. "Uh… Yes…"

The younger boy let his eyes drift closed and sighed, sliding his fingers lightly across the welts he'd caused. "…Wow…" He nuzzled the brunet's shoulder and sighed. "That was… amazing."

"Really?" Seto sat up a little and smiled at him, ignoring the tingles of pain from his back. "Just imagine what it will feel like once it doesn't hurt anymore."

Joey giggled nervously and bit his bottom lip. "Yeah. That'll be really good." He peeked up at the older boy again. "…Is it okay if I stay a little while?"

"If you think you're going to be leaving my bed after we made love, you're sadly mistaken," the brunet informed him. "Haven't you ever just basked in the afterglow?"

The blond glanced away again, frowning in embarrassment as he muttered, "…I don't know what an afterglow is."

Seto blinked at him slowly, then sighed and began pulling out of him. "I'll go get a washcloth to clean you up."

"Is that what afterglow is?" Joey sat up a little only to yelp as the brunet shoved him back down. "Ah!"

"Stay here. I'll bring it out," he ordered, then brushed the blond's hair off of his forehead to place a kiss on it. He paused, then quietly added, "I love you, Joey."

The younger boy smiled bashfully. "…I love ya too."

Seto smiled at him awkwardly, then turned to walk into the bathroom. He turned the water on to cover up any noise he might make, then turned and punched the towels hanging on the rack angrily.

When he returned to the bedroom with a damp washcloth, his smile was back in place.

.-.-.-.-.-.

When Mokuba walked into the dining room the next morning, he was surprised to find his brother reading the newspaper and smoking a cigarette. Reading the paper was nothing new, of course; Seto always read the newspaper in the morning, because he said it was the least bias thing he could get news from. It was the cigarette that made him nervous. Seto only smoked when he was really stressed, and he only smoked inside the mansion when he was really pissed off about it.

…It would be better to face him later, he decided.

"Mokuba."

Mokuba cringed, then pasted a smile on his face and turned to face his elder brother. "Seto! You look well-rested!"

Seto slammed the paper down on the table and stood to face him, looking absolutely murderous. "What. Did you. Do?" he hissed, glaring at him.

The younger boy cringed. "…Y-you already know, don't you?"

The brunet's voice was harsh and angry. "I want to hear you say it."

Mokuba looked out the window for a moment, frowning, then sighed and looked down at his feet. "…I… used love arrows on you and Joey," he mumbled softly.

"What. Color?" Seto glared.

The younger boy cringed again. "…W-white."

"White-? How the hell did you get a white arrow? Let alone three!" the brunet sputtered, stunned.

Mokuba ducked his head. "Just two. The last arrow I used on you was red."

Seto stared at his brother in disbelief, feeling hurt and betrayed and confused a million other things. But most of all, he just wanted to know… "Why would you do that?"

"…I…" The raven-haired boy didn't know what to do. He could have sworn he'd heard his brother's voice crack a little, but Seto was too strong for that. Right? "…I just wanted you to be happy," he began, then sighed in frustration. He told himself that those were not tears forming in his eyes. It was just from the smoke of his brother's cigarette. "…I wanted someone else to ask questions that you wouldn't know the answer to. I wanted someone that could draw you out of your shell, make you laugh.

"I wanted a family that functioned like everyone else's, with parents and their children. I know that you and Joey could never replace Mom and Dad. But you're the only one I have and I just… I just needed someone else to look up to. Joey said I could ask him anything I couldn't ask you. There are a lot of things I can't ask you, Seto—not because I'm uncomfortable, but because you just don't know. Like dating. You never could have told me about dating."

He took a deep breath, then sighed shakily, still resolutely ignoring the tears that were now rolling down his cheeks. "…I know I shouldn't have done it. But… but I tested your compatibility. You were ninety-one percent. Ninety-one. You and Joey are perfect for each other. I just… I just wanted us to be a family."

Seto stared at him for a few minutes, suddenly feeling crushed—emotionally and physically. "…But what about what Joey wanted, Mokie?" he finally asked. "What if he didn't want to be part of our family?" When the younger boy shrugged, he sighed and turned away, torn between breaking something—anything—he could get his hands on or just smoking his way through his entire pack of cigarettes as quickly as possible.

"…You didn't… Mokuba, you didn't read everything about the white arrows, did you?" he asked finally, not turning to look at him. He knew the answer though; he could sense his brother's confusion. "Mokuba, there's a reason only graduated, experienced cupids are allowed to have black and white arrows." At that, he finally turned toward him. "Mokuba, I woke up this morning and I didn't love Joey."

Mokuba blinked at him, confused and horrified. "B-but… but you loved him last night. I heard you tell him so!"

"White and black arrows only work on cupids if you strike them in precisely the right place," Seto explained, feeling drained. He sagged back into his seat and sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "The effects wore off because you didn't shoot me in the right place. I don't love Joey anymore. But he still loves me."

The younger boy frowned, still confused. "Why don't you just use a black arrow to cancel the effects then, if you dislike it so much?"

"It wouldn't make him forget." Seto took a long drag on his cigarette. "He wouldn't forget last night. He wouldn't forget the love he felt, or how I told him I loved him. A black arrow would only make him hate me, and anything that reminded him of me." He took another drag, then looked back at his brother and sighed. "…That would include you, Mokuba. He'd hate you, too."

Mokuba flinched, heart cracking in two at the thought. "…I don't want him to hate me…"

The brunet closed his eyes tightly, sighing again, then stubbed his cigarette out. "I know, Mokie."

.-.-.-.-.-.

"Uh… Ow…" Joey groaned and reached down to rub the small of his back. It ached like a bitch. He hadn't been this sore since his gang days after he'd been—

He gasped and sat up straight, immediately choking back a pained groan when his back throbbed. "Jesus on a bicycle-!" He bit his bottom lip and looked around, feeling somehow hurt that the brunet wasn't still in bed with him, then frowned and looked at the clock. "…I've gotta be t' work soon…" Spotting a couple of pain relievers and a glass of water next to the clock, he blushed. At least Seto was still thinking about him.

"…What was that last night…?" He took the pills quickly, then slid out of bed despite the ache and began gathering his clothes to put them on. "…How weird…" He wasn't certain what had happened, but he knew that he still loved him. He tilted his head a little. He couldn't recall feeling this strongly about Seto before…

…Seto had said he'd loved him too. That was equally abrupt, especially since Mokuba had told him that Seto didn't know what to do with friends. But it would explain why Seto was so adamant about keeping him away, why he always dismissed him so quickly. Perhaps he'd had those feelings for quite some time…

Well, in any case, he had to get to work, and he figured Seto had plenty of things to do at his own company. He wouldn't distract him from whatever CEO-ish duties the brunet had. He'd just go to work, and talk to Seto and Mokuba later…

Joey gasped. He had come over to play games with Mokuba. What if Mokuba thought he was just a pervert that had seduced his brother? Oh God! If Mokuba hated him, he'd never forgive himself! …Even if Seto really had instigated it, coming onto him and kissing him.

Biting his bottom lip when he heard quite voices in the living room, he hesitated before trying to tiptoe past it to the door. 'This wasn't nearly as hard to do when I was in the gang. I'm gettin' fuckin' soft.'

"…Joey?"

Joey turned quickly, startled, to face the two brothers. He blushed when he saw the expressions of confusion that just seemed to scream, 'are you serious?' "…Hi!"

"Hello," the two replied slowly. Seto continued, "What are you doing?"

"…Gotta go t' work," the blond mumbled nervously. "'m sorry."

The older boy managed an awkward smile. "You don't have to be sorry about going to work. Do you want a ride?"

"No! I can walk!" Joey exclaimed quickly, not wanting to impose.

Seto stood. "You won't have time for breakfast if you walk, though."

The blond's stomach rumbled, and he blushed and hurriedly crossed his arms over it. "…I guess, if it won't be puttin' ya out."

"It's fine. Mokuba has something he wants to talk to Yugi about, so we were already going out, anyway." The brunet reached out to ruffle his hair, then placed his hand on the small of his back to lead him to the dining room.

Joey blushed, then smiled and laid his head on the older boy's arm gently. "Hmm. I missed ya when I woke up."

"I've always been an early riser. I just laid there and watched you for about an hour, but then I had to get up."

The blond looked up at him and frowned. "…Some of the things ya say sort of creep me out…"

Seto smirked. "Get used to it. I've been told by a very reliable source that I'm creepy most of the time. Mokuba, come eat breakfast."

Joey turned to look at the younger boy and smiled a little. "We'll play videogames some other time, okay?" His smile faded when the younger boy only stared at him. "Did I say somethin' wrong, Mokuba?"

Mokuba forced a smile and began after them, carefully avoiding his brother's sharp gaze. "No. Everything's fine."

The blond glanced between the two brothers in concern. Somehow, he knew breakfast and the drive following it would be awkward.

.-.-.-.-.-.

Mokuba yelped as Seto slammed his hand down on the lock, keeping him from opening the car door. He looked up at him quickly. "Wha-?"

Seto glared at him and icily stated, "I just want you to know that when we get into Yugi's shop you will be telling him what you did and you will apologize and I will have Yugi report his white arrows stolen."

Despite knowing that Seto had every right to do those things, his jaw dropped. "But-! But-! I won't be allowed to graduate from cupidry for three years then!"

"You don't deserve to graduate from cupidry, as you obviously don't know enough, trying to get another cupid to fall in love against his will without knowing how." The brunet dug his nails into the leather. "Not to mention what you did to Joey, an innocent human, without thinking of the repercussions, and then thinking I could fix it with a black arrow. How dare you just assume that I'd clean up the mess you made?"

Mokuba flinched. "But… I just…"

"I love you, Mokuba. I know I probably don't say it enough, but I do love you, which is why I've covered for you whenever you've messed up and caused waves." The older boy narrowed his eyes. "But you'd never done something as incredibly stupid and selfish as you have this time. I can't just throw money at this and make it okay. Either Joey loves us or he hates us, and you don't want him to hate you. I don't like the choice you've given me.

"Not only did you not think about how your friend felt, you betrayed my trust. You shot me in the ass with an arrow regardless of whether I wanted the responsibility of a lover or not. I'm already overworked, and I didn't need the added stress. Why didn't you tell me before that you wanted a normal family? Why didn't you tell me before that you wanted someone else to go to for questions? Why didn't you just come to me and talk before you went and decided who your friend and brother would fall in love with?"

Mokuba ducked his head, fighting back the fresh wave of tears forming in his eyes. "…I'm sorry…"

"You're damn right you are," Seto snapped, then unlocked the door and opened it. He waited for his brother to step out before slamming the car door and then walking swiftly for the door of the game shop. "Don't drag your feet. You brought this upon yourself."

Yugi turned as the bell rang and smiled. "Kaiba! Mokuba! Hey!"

"Hello." Seto gave his brother a sharp elbow in the side. "Mokuba has something he wants to say."

Mokuba cringed as the older teen smiled at him unassumingly and felt even worse for betraying not only Seto and Joey's trust, but Yugi's as well. He bit his bottom lip and looked away, then sighed and looked back up at him. "I stole two of your white arrows."

Yugi blinked, smile fading. He stared at the younger boy for a moment, then quickly turned a horrified gaze on Seto. When he saw the brunet's grim expression, he knew immediately that they'd been used. And, knowing how impulsive Mokuba could be, he was terrified for his victims. "Who?" When the raven-haired boy cringed again, he slammed his hands down on the counter and glared at him. "WHO, MOKUBA?"

"Me," Seto cut in, and he watched his brother try to make himself smaller. "And Joey."

"…How… could you…" The King of Games mouthed at him wordlessly, then turned his gaze on the younger boy. He continued to gape, horrified that he would do something so… so completely irresponsible. "…To Joey? And your brother?"

"…I just wanted a family like everyone else…" Mokuba whispered, then ducked his head. "I know that's not the right reason. No reason is really good enough. But… but it made sense at the time." He looked up at the other boy hopefully. "Do you know anything to take it back, Yugi? Anything?"

Yugi stared at him, then glanced up at the brunet. When he received a small nod, he looked back at the younger boy. "I may have something that could help. It's a white book with black and red writing on the cover. It's in my room somewhere. Could you go get it for me while I get some details from your brother?"

The raven-haired boy nodded quickly and rushed upstairs. "I'll be right back!"

"…It will take him forever to find that book. I think it's in the attic." Yugi looked up at the brunet and frowned. "Kaiba? You know there's nothing to be done about it now, right?"

Seto sighed wearily and walked over to lean against the counter. "I know. Mokuba doesn't." He ran a hand over his face. "I'm so tired, Yugi. I don't know what to do anymore."

"…You could use a black arrow," the smaller boy began.

The brunet stared at him for a few minutes, and the younger teen saw in that moment just how much older he was—not because he'd been born a couple of years before him, but because he'd seen so much more, had dealt with so much more than he ever would have to. He looked tired. He looked sad. He looked resigned. And Yugi realized that Seto had always looked that way when Mokuba was gone from his side.

"No. No, I couldn't live with him hating Mokuba." Seto rested his chin on his laced fingers and sighed. "…That would be the opposite of what Mokuba was trying to do." He sighed again, then let his eyes drift over to the smaller teen. "…Do you have any more white arrows, Yugi?"

Yugi frowned and scratched the back of his head. "I have a few, but even if I didn't, I could just ask Grandpa for one of his… Why?"

"…I want you to find the exact spot on me to make the white arrow work. I want to love Joey." He offered a bitter smile. "To be honest, loving Joey last night wasn't bad. Besides, I don't think I could live with the fact that he'd hate me, thinking I'd taken advantage of him and slept with him because he said he'd loved me. For some reason, the thought of losing his respect is much more painful than it probably should be to me."

"…Is that really what you want?" the younger teen asked after a moment. "Kaiba, are you okay?"

Seto turned his gaze away, the bitter smile twisting his face into such a pathetic expression that Yugi looked away from him in embarrassment. "…What I want doesn't matter anymore. It hasn't mattered since we were adopted by Gozaburo. It was my fault we were put in such a bad situation. Mokuba's happiness comes before mine. And he'll be happy with Joey as part of our family."

Yugi stared at him. He wasn't happy about it, but he understood. "…Alright. I'll go get a tape measure. Take off your shirt."

Seto began unbuttoning his shirt and grabbed a pen off the counter to begin making the basic markings the smaller boy would use for his measurements. When the younger boy returned, he helped him to take the measurements necessary. Then, he watched Yugi carefully letter Joey's name on the shaft of the arrow.

"This'll hurt," Yugi warned, pressing the tip of the arrowhead to the one spot where it would actually take effect.

Seto sighed. "I've already been shot in the ass twice. This should be fine."

The younger boy looked up at him in confusion. "Twice? Why twice-?"

"…I don't think you want to know," the brunet muttered awkwardly.

Yugi stared at him for a moment, then shrugged. "Okay. On three then. One… TWO!"

"GAAAHHHHH! YOU SAID THREE!" Seto roared, glaring at him.

The smaller boy raised an eyebrow. "…I did? Silly me. I could have sworn I said two."

The brunet narrowed his eyes at him. "You're surprisingly devious when it comes to hurting people. I think you enjoy it."

"Well… Maybe I just enjoy hurting you."

Yugi's smile was so bright that Seto could honestly say it creeped him out. "Thanks… I guess…" He took a step back awkwardly. "…Stop smiling at me like that. You're freaking me out."

The smile stayed in place. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Seto looked away and frowned. "…Joey… Joey can never know about this."

"He'll ask about the tattoo. What are you going to tell him? You got it on a whim?" Yugi raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"…I'll tell him the truth if he asks," the brunet began thoughtfully. "I'll tell him I'm a cupid. I'll show him the things he needs to see for him to believe it. But… I'll tell him that I've liked him for a long time. I was just too afraid to get close to him because the side of emotions I deal with aren't really conducive for… a normal relationship." He smiled sadly. "The funny thing is… I sort of expected it would always be Joey if it was anyone at all. And Mokuba said we had ninety-one percent compatibility."

Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Ninety-one? Are you sure he did the test right?"

"No. I'm not sure of anything." He let out a bitter chuckle. "But I found myself wondering… if I'd had the chance… Would I have fallen in love with Joey on my own?" He sighed, then stood up straight and looked back at the smaller boy. "Yugi? Do you have a light pink arrow?"

"Why do you need that one?" Yugi scowled.

"I'd like it if Mokuba couldn't remember… this," he motioned at the measuring tape and the pen. "He'll figure it out."

"I could just put it away." He frowned as he heard an 'aha!' from his room. "I'll go get it."

Mokuba pounded down the stairs, holding the book up triumphantly. "Found it! Do you think it wil—" He paused at the counter, taking in the tape measure and the pen, the blank expression on his brother's face. After a moment of puzzling, he felt as if his heart had stopped. "Seto, you… You didn't…"

"I didn't have any other choice," Seto stated quietly.

"But—" the younger boy began.

Seto watched him suddenly flinch, then swoon and fall back in a dead faint. "…That seemed unnecessary."

"It takes two of these to cause admiration so strong that you forget what the person has done a few seconds before," Yugi muttered, catching the younger boy. "Unfortunately, it's usually so strong it knocks him out, too."

The brunet stared at him for a moment. "…Why do you know that?"

Yugi looked up at him and smiled awkwardly. "Grandpa still doesn't remember who broke his antique vase."

"…I have underestimated your deviousness for years."

"…Shut up. And take him home."

.-.-.-.-.-.

Joey groaned as he finally stepped out of the bakery, cracking his back slowly. "Jesus, standing for more than five hours is just torture…"

"Hard day?"

The blond yelped and jumped, turning quickly, and blushed as he found Seto leaning against a bright red sports car. "Seto?"

Seto smiled. "You want to go for a drive?"

"I didn't think ya'd pick me up, too!" He couldn't help feeling happy. The drive to work had been sort of awkward and tense. Apparently, it wasn't because of him. When the brunet held his arms out to him, he giggled and leaned into them, wrapping his arms around his neck. "That makes me really happy!"

"…I'm glad." The older boy leaned his face into the blond's neck and sighed quietly. He had no idea that it was all Mokuba's doing that they were in love. He leaned back. "I love you, Joey."

Joey smiled bashfully and turned his gaze on the brunet's throat instead. "I love ya too." He noticed the sad lilt of his smile and frowned in concern. "Are you okay? Ya look a little… down."

Seto twisted his face into a genuine smile at his concern. "No, I'm fine." He leaned in to kiss the corner of the younger boy's mouth. "I'm sorry. Just a little tired. I guess I didn't sleep well enough last night."

The blond turned his head to brush their lips together, then peered up at him skeptically. "Was it because I was there? I heard that sometimes having someone sleepin' with ya when you're not used to it makes it awkward and it gets hard t' sleep."

"That's true. I've never let anyone stay through the night with me," the older boy admitted. "You're the first one."

Joey blushed and hid his face in his chest, even though he did feel really happy about it. "And I'm the last one, right?"

"Of course you are." Seto kissed his temple, smiling a little, then glanced at his car. "Do you have any plans tonight?"

"Goin' home and nappin'. Why?"

"…Are you too tired to go out for dinner then?" He smiled as the blond immediately leaned back to glare at him. "Is that a no?"

"I AM NEVER TOO TIRED FOR FOOD." He suddenly smiled. "Let's get some food t' go. We can go for a drive outta the city and eat it. Like a picnic. We can swing by an' get Mokuba, too!"

Seto tilted his head a little. Mokuba was still sulking in his room and feeling guilty. He also had to write a research paper about every color of arrow—both for love and hate. It was his punishment for the theft and illegal use of the white arrows, and it was due a week from now. Mokuba had said he had no intention of going anywhere until it was finished so he could instead be on probation, rather than be held back in cupidry schooling for three years.

"…He's a little busy today." He flashed the blond a smile. "Are you up to a picnic with just me?"

Joey blushed again and nodded quickly. "Yeah. I'm up for anything with ya, Ka—Seto."

"Hmm. That's going to take a little getting used to, isn't it. I won't get mad if you slip up and call me Kaiba." He lifted a hand to brush the blond's hair out of his eyes, then chuckled quietly when the younger boy looked up at him in confusion. "Sorry. I just like being able to see your eyes."

"…I'm probably overdue for a haircut anyway." The blond smiled again. "Let's go, okay? And could we get something that isn't heavy?"

Seto nodded and waited until they were both seated in the car before replying, "We could get some sushi."

"Oh! And miso soup, too! And tempura! Oh, and gyoza," Joey added. "And some tsukemono. Something pickled sounds good right now."

The brunet chuckled. "Anything for dessert? Ice-cream is out of the question."

"Um… cookies, maybe? Chocolate chip?" Joey frowned. "What sounds good to you?"

"Well, we're getting mostly Japanese food. Why don't we get a Japanese dessert?"

"…Um, I usually eat cookies or ice-cream when I have dessert, so I don't really know much about them. I guess they're okay, but I like chocolate." The blond sighed and leaned his head in his hand. "Well, I've said a lot. Why don't you pick dessert." He blushed as the older boy wrapped his arm around his shoulders, relaxing a little when he felt fingers playing lightly with his hair.

Seto hummed. "How about mochi? The sushi shop I'm thinking of makes them with red-bean paste, green tea, and chocolate. I'll get more chocolate."

Joey beamed at him. "Okay. If ya tell me what my half of the bill is, I'll pay ya back on my next pay check."

"…Yeah," the brunet deadpanned. "You're not paying for any of it. And don't argue, because I could buy the entire shop and still have money left over, so buying dinner is no big deal." 'Even though the food you eat in one day could feed a small family for a week.'

"…But… you should let me pay for somethin'!" the younger boy exclaimed.

Seto scowled. "Abso-fucking-lutely not."

"Well ya gotta lemme do somethin'!"

"Pay for the drinks, Joey."

Joey narrowed his eyes. "…I don't know how we won't tear each others' throats out when you're such an overbearin' butt."

Seto tugged him up against his side. "Well, guess what. You're stuck with me, so we'll have to learn to deal with each other."

"…Whatever," the blond mumbled, nuzzling against his shoulder. "I'll figure out somethin'."

'You have no idea just how difficult that's going to be.' Seto sighed and held him tighter, leaning his cheek on top of the blond's hair for a moment. 'This isn't how it should have happened—how we should have ended up.'

He quickly buried his feelings of regret for what had happened and instead focused on the warm feeling he got whenever he thought about Joey. Thinking about his regrets would just make him bitter, and Joey didn't deserve that, especially when it wasn't his fault. Joey only deserved the love he was expecting. And Seto would be sure he got it.