Note: This chapter happens seven days after the previous chappie.

*review responses next time*

Going Home

Aten was sitting up in his bed, eating his grilled chicken hungrily.

Robbie was watching Aten eat his lunch ravenously, shaking his head. “How can you eat that stuff?”

Aten chewed. “Hungry.”

Robbie raised an eyebrow. “I see that.”

Katie came into the room. “Good morning, boys! Robert, how are you doing today?”

Robbie shrugged. “Doing a little better. See? My hand is steady. No shaking.”

“That’s great! I bet you’re happy about that.”

Robbie nodded. “Yeah, I sure am!”

Katie went to Aten. “And how is Pediatrics’ most handsome patient?”

Aten smiled and winked at her. “How is Domino Hospital’s most prettiest nurse?”

Katie giggled as she changed his IV’s. “You are a sweet-talker like your father.”

Aten closed his eyes as a fit of coughing wracked his body. He reached out and gripped Katie’s hand.

She held his hand and rubbed his back until his coughing subsided.

“You still have that deep cough, Aten. You feeling okay?”

Aten laid back on the bed and took a deep breath from his congested lungs. His eyes closed tiredly.

Aten nodded quietly.

Katie changed the IV needle.

Robbie cringed. “Aten, how can you let her do that?”

“Do what?”

“Give you a needle?”

Aten opened his eyes and turned his head to Robbie. “Katie’s always taketen good care of me.”

Katie smiled. “Aten’s always been a great patient. This may sting,” Katie said as she slipped the IV needle under the skin on Aten’s hand.

Aten winced as the needle slipped in.

Katie smiled. “There we go.”

“Thank you, booty-ful.”

The nurse chuckled. “Aten, it’s ‘beautiful.’ Not ‘booty-ful.’”

Aten smiled. “I know what I say.”

Katie shook her head. Aten had just began to speak English on a constant basis. Every now and then some Arabic would creep into his sentences.

“Zira should be in soon, Aten. Finish your lunch.”

Aten yawned as the medicine trickled into him slowly. “Katie?”

“Aten?”

Aten looked at Katie with large chibi eyes. His brown and purple eyes went wide. “Can you ask the kitchen if I could have another cup of applesauce? I love this stuff.”

“Did you eat your green beans?”

Aten held up his tray. “All gone!”

“Okay, Aten. I’ll see if the kitchen can bring you another cup of applesauce.” Katie left and Aten chewed on the chicken.

“Aten, how can you eat this stuff? I’m so tired of hospital food! I’d kill for a good cheeseburger right now….with ketchup..and mustard….and pickles…and cheese…lots of cheese.” Robbie’s eyes closed in bliss. “And smothered in mayo. Mmm…mayo.”

Aten curled his nose. “Pittles? Eew….I get sick with them.”

“Oh, my mom makes the best pancakes! I miss them so much! Dripping in maple syrup…..butter….pancakes.” Robbie grinned and licked his lips. “I miss my mother’s cooking.”

Aten sighed. “Yeah. I miss my mother’s grilled chicken. Nobody cooks like my mother.”

Robbie turned to Aten. “How could you eat the green beans?”

“It’s veg-tables. They’re good for my heart. And, if it gets me another cup of applesauce, it’s worth it!”

“I can’t wait until I go home!”

Aten sighed into his chicken. “I can’t go home yet. My heart’s not well enough yet.”

Robbie turned to him. “But you’re awake! You should be able to come home!”

“It doesn’t work like that for me, Robbie. My heart has to be healthy before I go home. I’m not there yet. My heart has to get better.”

Robbie shook his head. “But you have to get out when I do, Aten!”

Aten coughed hoarsely. He leaned back against the bed and gripped the railings as the pain spread through his chest. Sitting up had helped him relieve some pressure off of his chest. Breathing caused the heart and lungs to rub against the infected sac surrounding Aten’s heart, which made it uncomfortable for him at times. The boy whimpered in his bed.

Robbie watched Aten afraid.

Dr. Zira walked in. “Hello, boys. Aten, that doesn’t sound good. You still having chest pains?”

Aten nodded as tears rolled down his eyes. “Yes.”

Zira used the stethoscope to listen to Aten’s heartbeat. “Your heart sounds good. We’ll have to do another scan of your heart and chest. With your Pedicarditis, we have to watch out for dissection of your aorta.”

Robbie gasped. “Oh, no! Not Aten’s butt!”

Aten snickered. “No, Robbie! Not my ass! My aorta. It’s a main artery!”

“I know, I was just kidding!”

“And we have to watch your esophagus and make sure these lungs don’t collapse on you. Have you been feeling numb on one side?”

“No.”

“Good sign there. If you feel numbness on one side of your body, weak, or have big pains in your chest, call the nurse, okay? We did discuss heart attack signs, right?”

Aten nodded. “Yes. I know what to do in case I feel a heart attack.”

Zira pat Aten’s head. “Good boy.”

Robbie shifted his gaze between the two. ‘How can Aten be so calm?? A heart attack is something serious!’

“If the fluid is putting pressure on your heart, Aten, I’m going to recommend a pericardiocentisis. I put a little----.” Zira saw Robbie listening in and could see the boy’s face white and pale. Zira stepped closer to Aten. “I’ll use a needle to drain some of the fluid from your chest. I am concerned that some of that fluid is putting pressure on your heart, Aten.”

Aten sighed as he cut more of his chicken. “One more needle shouldn’t hurt anyway, I guess.”

“You know I numb you well, Aten. I can’t do anything without your parents’ permission.”

Aten nodded. “Okay. Dr. Zira? Can I have more applesauce with my lunch?” The little Egyptian boy gave his doctor large chibi eyes and a smile. “Please?”

“What is it with you and giving all my nurses those eyes? It doesn’t work with me, little Ishtar.”

Aten’s bottom lip trembled as he kept the chibi eyes full and pleading. “Please?”

Zira sighed. “You’re doing this on purpose. You know it gets the women around here to get you anything you want.”

Aten batted his eyelashes at Zira. “Please?”

Zira sighed. “Oh, bloody hell……fine. I’ll be right back.”

Aten laughed when Zira left. “It works every time!”

“Aten, how can you be okay with all this?”

“With what?”

Robbie gripped his bedsheets. “You’re okay with him sticking needles in your chest?”

“Robbie, I do what I have to do to stay alive, and this is what I must do. I’ll be fine. I’ve done these chest scans so many times, I sleep through them. They’ve gotten boring and repetitive. But if I want to stay alive, I have to do these things.”

Robbie blinked and looked down at his tray. “I don’t wanna eat. I’ve lost my appetite.”

“Robbie, don’t be like that. I’ve had heart failure since I was nine years old. My mother said they never expessted me to live past five! At least I’m here, right? I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Dotor Zira.”

Robbie folded his arms. “I don’t wanna talk about you dying, Aten! You are not going to die on me!”

Aten looked at his friend. “Robbie….when I was in that alley….with those pills and that knife….all I could think about was you. Nothing else mattered to me at that moment. I couldn’t leave you alone. When I heard you crying in the basement at that house…..I…I wanted to come down and rescue you. But…..but…..I…I was afraid. No matter how much I tried, if I heard you getting hurt down there, I would have ran down there to save you.”

Aten took a careful breath. “When we were brought here, all I could hear was my mother crying and holding me in his arms. They almost lost me, Robbie.” Aten wiped a tear away that was sliding down his cheek. “I should have died in there, Robbie. I died on them about three times. My heart wouldn’t start. I kept going for you….Robbie.”

Robbie’s narrowed eyes widened. “You….you what?”

“I kept going for you, Robbie,” Aten repeated, wiping away more tears. “I didn’t want to leave you alone. I couldn’t leave my sister. She needs me and she will need me when we get older. It’s destiny, Robbie….that’s what drives me on. I couldn’t leave you, Robbie. You’re….too important to me for me to leave you.”

Robbie smiled. “Really?”

Aten smiled and nodded. “Sure are! You’re my bestest friend, Robbie. That will never change between us.”

“I don’t ever want us to stop being friends, Aten.”

“That will never happen, Robbie.”

Robbie reached out to grab Aten’s arm. Aten leaned over slightly and reached out.

The two boys strained to touch each other’s hands. Their hands were spread open as they struggled to touch each other.

Robbie shifted over and grabbed Aten’s hand. ‘Boy, is it good to touch him again!’

Aten smiled. ‘I miss laying next to him. I wonder if I’ll be able to do that tonight.”

Zira and Katie came in with cups of applesauce.
”Aten? Did you get both of us to get you applesauce?”

Aten released Robbie’s hand. “YEAH, APPLESAUCE! GIMME!”

Zira and Katie shook their heads. “Aten’s getting back to his old self,” Zira said.

“Without a doubt,” the nurse replied. “A sweet-talker like his father.”

“Who? Me?” the chibi asked with an innocent look.

Zira shook his head, knowing the boy was anything but innocent.

***************************

Seto and Joey walked into the hospital and visited Aten and Robbie. Robbie was sitting on the edge of his bed. Aten’s tray table was between their beds. Aten and Robbie’s cards were laid on the table.

Both boys were staring at their cards.

Robbie grinned. “Machine King in attack mode! End turn.”

Aten picked up a card from his deck. “Ultimate Obedient Fiend in attack mode!”

“Hello? Aten?”

Aten turned his head. “Unkie Seto! Unkie Puppy!”

Seto and Joey walked into the hospital room. “Hello, boys!” Seto hugged Aten and Robbie. Joey hugged both kids, giving them kisses on their cheeks.

“How are you boys doing?”

Robbie smiled. “Dr. Zira said I can leave tomorrow.”

Aten shifted the cards in his hand. “I have to stay another four weeks. My chest still hurts, though.”

“Did Dr. Zira do another chest scan?”

Aten nodded. “Yeah. I’m just waiting to see what he says.”

“Are your parents coming today to see you?”

“My parents are coming to see me today.”

Joey looked at Aten’s cards. “Have them call us to let us know how everything goes.”

Aten nodded. “I will.”

“Go for it, Aten! Enjoy your duel, boys,” Seto said.

Joey followed Seto out of the room and into Hayden’s room. Dr. Zira was checking Hayden’s pulse. “Hayden, you’re pulse is looking good and you look clear to go home with your fathers. Isn’t that great news?”

“Ah…..”

Zira turned to the CEO. “Hayden will need to be back here every day for physical therapy. We have to help him get on his feet and get around. He’ll also need speech therapy to help him speak normally again. Dr. Chapman will come to KaibaCorp three times a week to see him.”

Joey sighed. “I’ll be there to help Dr. Chapman.”

Zira looked at Joey’s hands. “Are you okay, Joey? You look…shaky.”

Joey hid his hands behind his back. “Nothing.”

Zira raised his eyebrow. “Did you stop drinking?”

Joey nodded. “For Seto, Hayden, and Jaimen. Yes. I just stopped a week ago….Today is a good day. Yesterday I couldn’t get out of bed.”

“I’m taking good care of Joey, Dr. Zira,” Seto said putting his arm around Joey’s waist. “Hayden is ready to go home? Is there anything we should know?”

Zira nodded. “Hayden is still not using the bathroom. You have to get him disposable diapers.”

Joey held onto Seto. “Oh no….”

“How long will this go on?” Seto asked.

“We don’t know, Seto. I thought it would end by now, but we’ll just have to ride this out.”

Seto took a deep breath. “Okay. He can’t walk on his own now, right?”

“I’m afraid not. I’ll give you a wheelchair until we can get him back on his feet.”

Joey sighed. “I guess that will have to do for now. Hayden won’t use it for long. I’ll have him back on his feet in no time! Just you w-wait!”

Seto held Joey up. “Baby, maybe you should wait in the car. Karl and I can get Hayden out of here safe and sound.”

“Joey, do you need help getting out of here?”

Joey shook his head. “No…I…I should be able to go back to the c-car by myself.”

Seto kissed Joey on the lips. “Go back to the car, Joey. I’ll take care of Hayden.”

Joey walked out of the room, wringing his hands nervously.

Seto helped the nurses put Hayden in the wheelchair.
Hayden flailed his arms as everyone tried to hoist him off of the bed. With a quick motion, he slapped Seto across the face, making the CEO shudder and wince. It would not have been the first time he felt a hard slap on that cheek. Gozuboro left his mark there long before this.

“Hayden, don’t slap, son,” Seto said calmly.

They finally placed Hayden in the wheelchair and Seto breathed a sigh of relief.

“Is this wheelchair necessary? Hayden is perfectly…or should be…perfectly capable of walking!”

“Seto, your son has the mind of an infant now. He can’t walk or talk or feed himself. He can’t let you know when he wants to use the bathroom.”

Seto groaned. “So, this means I have another infant in my house to care for?”

“It’s either you care for him or you’ll have to put him in an institution. Hayden is severely mentally disturbed. I urge caution, Seto. Don’t leave anything lying around the he could use as a weapon.”

Seto ran his fingers through his brown hair. “I guess I have to put my twelfth century Samurai swords higher on the wall so he can’t reach them. I’ll also have to hide my collection of medieval Italian daggers, too. The kitchen will have to be secured with a lock from now on so he doesn’t get to the knives.”

Zira put a hand on Seto’s arm. “Be very…very careful, Seto. Hayden is dangerous.”

“My son is not dangerous, doctor. He’s been through some cruel shit and with Joey and I looking after him, he’ll be up and running in no time! You’ll see! He’ll be playing with his toy cars in no time and then we will be a family again. Thank you for your help, doctor. Joey and I will take it from here.”

“If you need me, call me, Seto. I won’t hesitate to come in. Please be careful.”

Seto narrowed his eyes. “I will be.”

Seto wheeled his adopted son out of the hospital. Karl struggled to bring Hayden out of the wheelchair with his boss. Hayden sat in the limo and wrapped his arms around himself. Seto sat between Hayden and Joey, his arms around both of them.

Hayden and Joey rocked with their arms wrapped around each other.

‘This is going to be a long night,’ Seto thought.

****************************************

Jaimen saw Hayden being wheeled out of the elevator and his jaw dropped. He cocked his head to the side.

‘Is that…..Hayden?’

The boy ran up to Hayden with a smile. “Hi, Hayden! It’s so good to have you back!”

Jaimen hugged Hayden and the red-haired boy let out a scream. Jaimen jumped back at the piercing shriek.

“Jaimen, Hayden isn’t too…comfortable with hugs right now.”
”Why? Hugs are good! You know, you don’t miss hugs when you never had ‘em. Since I came here, I couldn’t go a day without a hug. Come here, daddy! HUG ME!”

Seto hugged his son, feeling like Jaimen was being neglected. “Hi, son. Let’s get Hayden settled and then you can play with him a little if he feels up to it. It may help him.”

“Help him what?”

Joey leaned down. “Jaimen, Hayden can’t speak right now. He can’t feed himself either. He’s still pretty sick. Have patience with him, okay?”

Jaimen nodded. “Okay. I will, Other Daddy. I’ll see if he wants to play when we get settled.”

“Run along, Chibi Seto,” Joey said, patting the child on the back.

Jaimen ran down the hallway, squealing happily.

Seto and Joey took Hayden into his room.

“Here we are, Hayden,” Seto said.

Joey wrung his hands nervously. “Seto…I can’t stay here. I’m going to lay down.”

Seto put his hands on Joey’s shoulders. “Are you….feeling okay?”

Joey’s bottom lip trembled. “I cannot stay here. I have to go lay down.”

“Okay, love. Go on.”

Seto kissed Joey and Hayden let out a scream and started flailing his arms wildly trying to fight Seto’s attempts to hug Joey.

“Joey, go lay down. I can handle this. I’ll need you later when we have to change Hayden.”

Joey nodded. He left the room.

“Hayden, do you want to go for a walk?”

Seto stood in front of Hayden’s wheelchair and held out his hands. “Take my hands, Hayden. I won’t hurt you.”

“Urgh,” Hayden grunted, slapping at Seto’s hand.

“Hayden, you have to learn to walk again.”

“Urgh!!!! Ehh! Na!”

Seto sighed in defeat. “Hayden, are you hungry?”

“Na..Na!”

“Let’s go for a little walk, then. Jaimen is looking forward to playing with you. You remember him, right? He’s my son?”

Hayden leaned forward and began to drool over himself. Seto took a handkerchief and cleaned Hayden’s chin.

“There you go, Hayden. Let me take you around.”

Seto wheeled Hayden out of his room as Jeanie left Mokuba’s room. “This is Jeanie. You remember her.”

“Hayden! I’m so glad to see you back!” Jeanie opened her arms to hug him.

Hayden flailed his arms in front of himself to protect him.

“Hayden, don’t hurt Jeanie. That’s not nice.”

Jeanie sighed. “I hope you feel better, Hayden. I’ll be back soon, Seto. I’m going to the ultrasound and see Dr. Peters at the hospital.”

“Are you doing okay?”

Jeanie snickered. “Yeah, I’m okay…but my breasts hurt so much! I feel like I have weights attached to my nipples some days.”

Seto looked at Jeanie blankly and blinked.

“Seto?”

“……….”

“Are you okay?”

Seto shook his head. “Jeanie, can you not go into detail about your……breasts?”

Jeanie snickered. “I only do it because I know it drives you insane, Seto. Now I’ll see you later for dinner. Tell Mo-by I’ll be back before dinner.”

Jeanie walked to the elevator. Seto shook his head.

‘She’s getting big. She’s not supposed to be showing that prominently yet.’

Seto saw Jaimen run out of his bedroom and towards he and Hayden.

“Hi, daddy, what are you doing?”

“Taking Hayden around to see the place. I’m hoping it will stir up some good memories for him.”

Jaimen followed Seto and Hayden to the Study. “Remember in here, Hayden? We used to play with our toys! I played with my planes and you played with your cars. Remember? We had lots of fun! You’re like the big brother I never had. We used to have lots of fun when I first arrived here. Remember?”

Hayden closed his mouth and moved his lips without speaking. Jaimen ran behind the chair in the corner and grabbed some of Hayden’s toy cars. He ran back to Hayden and showed him the cars.

“See this blue car? This was your favorite. Here…do you want it?”

Hayden looked at the blue car in Jaimen’s hand. He reached out and took it in a tight grasp. He looked at the car sitting in his palm. He shoved the car into his mouth.

“Hayden!” Seto called as he moved to Hayden’s front. “Don’t swallow! Spit it out!”

Hayden leaned forward and spit out the car, making it crash against Jaimen’s shirt.

“Eww…spit!” Jaimen groaned.

“Hayden, don’t swallow that stuff. It’s dangerous to swallow your toys!”

Hayden waved his arms in front of him, making Seto and Jaimen step back.

“Hayden, don’t hit.”

Jaimen stepped back. “Why does he wanna hit me like mommy?”

“Hayden doesn’t know any better, Jaimen.”

Jaimen sighed as Seto wheeled Hayden to the Library. “We spent a lot of nights here, Hayden. You would play in your corner and Joey and I would read. We used to hold each other and watch you play. Do you remember that?”

Hayden’s eyes widened. Seto was right…..Joey and Seto held each other on the couch. Images flashed in Hayden’s mind. Seto and Joey were cuddling and kissing….Joey was sleeping against Seto…Seto was stroking Joey’s cheek.

Hayden let out a loud whine and cried.

“Hayden, what is it?”

Hayden wrapped his arms around himself. Affection was wrong. Two people hugging and holding each other was wrong….even if it was good.

“Hayden? Is there something you wanna say?”

Hayden lowered his head and Seto wiped Hayden’s chin again.

Seto sighed and pushed Hayden to Joey’s art studio. He showed Hayden Joey’s paintings.

“Joey’s been working hard since you left, Hayden. He’s trying to get ready for another show in two weeks. I guess Aten won’t have his paintings in there this time. He’ll be trying to get himself together.”

Hayden didn’t react.

Seto sighed. “Well, Hayden, I have some work to do in my office. Do you want to come in with me? You don’t have to see my desk or sit by it. But you can look out the window. Do you want to come into my office and keep me company?”

Hayden cocked his head to the side and open and closed his mouth.

Seto sighed in defeat. “Let’s go, Hayden.”

Seto pushed Hayden’s wheelchair to his office.

Hayden looked out of the office window as Seto worked through his paperwork.

************************

Family eats dinner

Seto brought over Hayden’s dinner. He made sure that he cut it up small for Hayden. Joey took the plate.

“No, Joey. Let’s see if Hayden can do this on his own. It’s your favorite, Hayden. See? The cook made it especially for you.”

Joey ate his dinner as he watched Hayden stare into his spaghetti. “Aren’t you hungry, Hayden?”

Jaimen took a bite out of his meatball. “See, Hayden? This is really good! Yum!”

Hayden watched his plate intently, staring into it.

“Mokuba, how is your dinner?”

Mokuba turned his attention away from Hayden. “Umm..it’s good.”

Jeanie entered the Dining Hall and walked beside Mokuba, giving him a little kiss. “Sorry I’m late, guys.”

“I’ll get your dinner,” Mokuba said as he stood up. He pushed Jeanie into the table as she sat on her chair. He ran to the kitchen and emerged with his girlfriend’s dinner.

“Hello, Hayden,” she said. “It’s nice to see we’re together as a family again at the dinner table.”

Joey took a deep breath and dropped his fork. Seto lifted his head.

“Joey, you okay?”

Joey nodded. “Yeah…just a little shaky.”

“Eat what you can, Joey. Don’t force yourself.”

“I won’t.”

Seto watched Hayden, the boy still staring at his spaghetti. “Hayden? Your supper’s getting cold.”

“Uhhh……”

“Go eat, Hayden. Dinner’s very good,”

Joey sighed and grabbed Hayden’s plate. “Come on, Hayden. Time to eat.”

Joey put some spaghetti on the fork and put the fork in Hayden’s mouth. The spaghetti sauce dribbled from between his lips. Joey wiped Hayden’s mouth.

“Messy boy.”

Hayden shuddered and started crying.

“Hayden! I’m so sorry! Stop crying, Hayden. I’m sorry!”

Seto left his plate and walked beside Hayden, rubbing his back. “Joey didn’t mean it, Hayden.”

Hayden let out a cry and a shriek. “UHH!! NA….CHA—CHA!”

“Hayden, we want to help you!” Joey said as Hayden let out a scream.

Jaimen and Mokuba watched as Hayden knocked the dish from Joey’s hand. The plate of spaghetti was flung into the air and shattered with a loud CRACK to the ground. The spaghetti spread out on the floor.

Jeanie jumped when the plate shattered.

Mokuba covered her hand. “It’s okay, Jeanie.”

Joey and Seto backed away. Hayden stopped screaming.

“I’m sorry, Hayden. We’ll try feeding you later.”

Seto looked around and wrinkled his nose. “What is that stink?”

Jaimen sniffed and covered his nose. “It smells like poo!”

Seto and Jaimen looked at Hayden with a sigh.

“It looks like we have to change Hayden’s diaper.”

Seto and Joey shrugged. “We have to do it, Joey.”

“We’ll be back,” Seto said, wheeling Hayden out of the Dining Hall.

Seto took Hayden to his room and Joey opened the package of adult disposable diapers.

“Seto…do you know how to put these things on?”

“Grab the wipes, too. I changed Mokuba’s diapers when he was an infant. I know how to do this. Hayden, daddy and I have to get you on the bed.”

Seto and Joey took Hayden’s arms and picked him up. Hayden struggled with his fathers, trying to pull his arms away.

The two men put the teenager on the bed.

“Hayden, we have to change you. We won’t hurt you, we promise.”

Hayden clenched his fists and took a swing at Seto. Seto pulled back.

“Hayden, look at me,” Joey said calmly. “We are not going to hurt you.”

Hayden growled and spat in Joey’s face.

“Hayden, we don’t spit at each other,” Seto ordered. “Joey, you hold him. I’ll take care of this.”

Joey caught Hayden’s wrists when he tried to fight Seto back. “Hayden, we’re not going to hurt you.”

The teen let out a shriek as his pants here wrestled free from his body. His attempted punches and kicks grew more violent.

Seto changed Hayden while ducking his punches and avoiding the kicking legs.

“Hayden, let Mr. Kaiba do this. He’s only trying to help you.”

Hayden leaned up and bit Joey’s wrist.

Joey screamed loudly as he felt Hayden’s teeth dig into his flesh. Joey released his grip and Hayden grabbed Seto’s brown hair.

The CEO held himself up by his hands as Hayden tried to force Seto’s head down.

“Un---cle Cha-----da!”

Seto kept his body propped up, growling. “Joey! Little help!”

Joey looked up and saw the teen trying to force his father’s head down on his flesh.

“NO, HAYDEN! BAD!”

The blond took Hayden’s shoulders and pushed him back on the bed. The CEO fell forward, landing on top of Hayden.

The red-haired boy sunk his nails into Seto’s scalp and let out a scream.

“Joey! Ow!”

The blond hated to do this, but he had to free Seto, who had turned white as a sheet. The blond slapped Hayden’s hand hard.

“HAYDEN, NO!”

Hayden released his grip and Seto pulled himself to his feet.

The blond gripped Hayden’s arms and held them to the bed. “Go on, Seto. I’ve got him.”

Joey straddled Hayden’s stomach as Seto changed Hayden. This was most likely the worst way of handling the situation, but Joey could tall that Seto had enough.

Very few things made Seto go white like that.

The brunet had a job to do. And Seto Kaiba never ignored a job or a responsibility.

Seto placed a flannel pair of pajama bottoms on Hayden. Joey crawled off of Hayden.

The red-haired teen curled up into a fetal position and sucked his thumb.

The CEO took Joey’s wrist. He ran his fingers over the bite. “Come, puppy. Let’s clean my pup-sicle up.”

Seto brought Joey into Hayden’s bathroom. He grabbed some peroxide and a Q-tip. “This may sting, baby. Just hold still.”

“Ow!” Joey exclaimed as Seto cleaned his bite. “Is this necessary?”

“Don’t be such a baby, Joey. I want to make sure it doesn’t become infected.”

Joey looked up into the sapphire eyes focusing on the injury. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah….that isn’t the first time I fought back, Joey. Don’t worry about it. It’s just…it’s just the first time I fought back and won.”

Joey reached up to stroke Seto’s face, but the CEO winced. “Sorry, baby.”

Seto shook his head. “He couldn’t bring my head down on him if he tried, Joey. I’ll…I’ll be okay. There we go. All sterilized. You’re good now.” The CEO leaned down and kissed just above the bite.

Joey opened his arms and wrapped them around Seto. “It’s okay, Seto.”

“I know,” Seto said as he rest his head on Joey’s shoulder. “I know.”

Seto wrapped his arms around his lover as he felt his lover start to shake again.

********************************

Joey’s POV

Seto removed his clothes and slipped into bed behind me. My lover shifted closer to me so that he pressed against me.

Seto’s arm draped over me, his hand resting against my stomach.

His hot, gentle breath glided across the back of my neck. I closed my eyes, enjoying how my lover felt as he pressed himself against me.

Since his encounter with Hayden, he spent the entire night in my arms. We didn’t watch the news. He didn’t want to watch the financial news. Seto! Seto…did not want to watch the business news.

Something was wrong.

His touch seemed different now. It was childlike….curious.

Seto clenched his fists and opened them, letting his fingers drift lightly over my belly.

I just let Seto do what he wanted. We both could use the cuddle right now.

Seto’s hand drifted over my right nipple. I let out a contented moan as his fingertips brushed it.

My body gave a twitch. Damn withdrawal.

“Seto….”

“Shhh….Joey. Don’t say anything. Just lay here with me.”

I closed my eyes as his touch became more arousing with each passing moment. The feel of him pressing against me…his breath….his touch. It was better than heaven.

Beyond that bed was a void. With Seto behind me, I had my universe. I had all I could need.

Seto planted a kiss on the back of my neck. It was gentle.

My body twitched again and I gave a whimper of pain. I wouldn’t let that stop me.

Seto held me against his body. “It’s okay, Joey. I’m here.”

“I kn-know.”

Seto nuzzled his cheek against me and held me.

I don’t know how long we stayed together in bed cuddling.

It wouldn’t last long.

We heard a piercing shriek come from the other room.

Seto and I hopped out of bed and threw on our bathrobes.

“AHHHHH! AHH!” shrieked the voice in Hayden’s room.

We ran in and saw Hayden thrashing around on the bed. His arms were stretched out as if he were tied and his legs were spread wide on the clean bed.

“Hayden! Hayden, it’s okay. It’s a bad dream!” I told him.

Seto gently shook Hayden. “Hayden, it’s time to open your eyes. You’re home safe!”

Hayden thrashed around and screamed as if he were being murdered. Hayden opened his eyes, but I don’t think he saw us.

He struggled against Seto and I.

We were aware this time to avoid his hands which either grabbed our hair or slapped us across the face.

Hayden opened his eyes, but he still continued to fight us.

Jaimen walked into the room. “Is Hayden okay?”

“He’s fine, son. Go back to bed,” Seto ordered.

“Okay, dad,” Jaimen said with a yawn as he left the room.

It took Seto and I two hours to finally calm Hayden down to the point where he could sleep.

Seto and I returned to our bed, now both too tired to continue our bonding time.

We both got into bed and crashed without realizing it.

Updates: Friday