A Fine Line

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Gold locks of hair swayed gently in the breeze, a certain brown-eyed teenager walking out the front doors of his school. This scene was out of place somehow though; perhaps Joey Wheeler just wanted some time alone? Whatever the reason, he was all alone. His eyes seemed heavier than normal, a thoughtful, almost nostalgic look on his face. He continued walking, not paying too much attention to where his feet were leading him.

Joey finally recognized where he was; he stood in the middle of Domino Park, a lone bench his only company.

Joey had always liked this park; it was in the middle of everything. Tall skyscrapers barred his vision of the ocean; then Joey the KaibaCorp building, its shiny exterior reflecting the sun in his face. His first instinct was to scowl, a mental picture of the smirking CEO blocking his thoughts.

"Damn Kaiba," Joey muttered under his breath, turning to take a seat on the wooden bench.

"Why is it you're damning me, Wheeler?," Joey heard behind him, his eyes going wide.

"Kaiba!? What the hell are you doing here?," Joey asked, getting to his feet and facing Kaiba.

"I was enjoying getting out of my stuffy office for a moment; at least, until the park reeked of dog," Kaiba smirked, Joey's cheeks flushing.

"Bastard! If it stinks so damn much, then why don't you leave already?," Joey made a very valid point.

"I have other reasons for being in this park, Mutt," Kaiba explained coldly, casting a stony glare in his direction.

Joey hadn't noticed, but Kaiba had been walking closer to him, the gap between them beginning to close. He then felt rough bark against his back, the thin fabric of his school uniform doing nothing to cushion it.

"Do you know what that other reason is, Wheeler?," Kaiba asked breathily, his eyes locking with Joey's Before Joey could respond, strong hands pinned his shoulders to the tree while hot lips made their way to his own. Joey made no protest, his hands finding their way to Kaiba's waist.

Kaiba pulled away, Joey suppressing a whine as his source of warmth retreated.

"You look like a lost puppy," Kaiba said lightly, his head tilted toward Joey's.

"I'm not a - ," Joey was firmly cut off as needy lips pressed hungrily against his own.

Oddly, a faint 'Joey' could be heard calling his name. Joey then looked up to Seto, Seto stepping back with a faint smile on his face.

Reaching out, Joey heard a louder 'Joey' call his name again.

"Mr. Wheeler!," an angry teacher glared at him, snapping a ruler on his desk. "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't fall asleep in my class," the teacher continued, walking back up to the front of the classroom.

Joey mumbled an apology, many snickers audible as he slumped down in his seat.

Finally, the bell rang and his math class was over. "What happened, Joey? Why'd you fall asleep?," Yugi asked, a concerned look on his young face.

"It's nothing, Yug'. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night," Joey replied sheepishly, a hand resting on the back of his neck. Suddenly, someone bumped unceremoniously into Joey, shoving him to one side. "Watch it!," Joey yelled, a fist in the air.

"You watch it, Wheeler," Kaiba's icy tone bit back, a glare directed in Joey's direction as he walked by. Joey's eyes then lowered to the ground, sad and defeated.

Several hours later, the final school bell rang, and the gang promptly exited the school.

"You guys wanna come to the shop? Grandpa said he wanted to give me something," Yugi explained animatedly, a large grin plastered on his face.

Affirmative answers assaulted his ears; at least, until Joey said, "Sorry, Yug'. There's something I gotta do."

"Oh. Okay. Maybe tomorrow then?," Yugi smiled, not wanting to press the issue. Yugi, Tea, and Tristan then walked away towards Yugi's home.

Joey sighed, looking fondly after his friends and running his fingers anxiously through his hair.

"Why do I keep having those damn dreams," Joey muttered to himself, shoving his hands into his pockets and walking out of the school gates. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Seto Kaiba walking towards his limousine.

For a brief moment brown eyes locked with blue; then Kaiba smirked, got into his limo, and drove away, leaving the blond breathless and seemingly depressed.

"Dreams aren't reality," Joey told himself firmly, shaking his head. "Then why do I feel like I just got stabbed?," Joey wondered aloud, putting a hand across his chest. Sighing, he turned and began to walk away.

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That evening was gloomy and melancholy, dark clouds blocking the passage of sunlight through Joey's small bedside window. Joey lay face down on his small bed, his face buried underneath his pillows.

He couldn't focus. The confusion about Kaiba swam endlessly through his mind, wishing the contents of his dream could become reality. He didn't dare tell his friends about this – who knew what each would do. Yuugi and Tristan would probably think less of him, and Tea would probably talk about some type of solution – as if this were a problem!

Not to mention everyone else – Serenity, Duke, Mai, Mokuba, his parents, and everyone at school. His sister would be happy for him – whatever made him happy was okay with her. Duke would probably tease him mercilessly, being suave with the ladies and all. Mai would . . . well, he wasn't quite sure how she'd react. She was, after all, his first crush, even if she did leave. Mokuba was like Serenity – anything that made Seto happy was wonderful; besides, Mokuba and Joey were good friends. His parents would not approve; Joey's dad drank often, and who knew what consequences might befall the blond. Kaiba would threaten the kids at school enough for them to leave the couple alone if anything were to ever occur.

As if we'd ever get together, Joey thought glumly, sad eyes now staring at the peeling paint on his wall. Thoughts such as these continued to obscure his dilemma, ultimately drifting into an anxious and uneasy sleep.

"Joey! Joey! Wake up!," a voice called faintly, strong hands shaking him out of his restless slumber.

"Ugh . . . what's going on?" Joey asked groggily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"You were yelling in your sleep. Some kind of nightmare I imagine," the concerned voice of Joey's dad broke through his thoughts.

"Oh," Joey replied lamely, yawning widely. His dad squeezed his hand comfortingly, smiled, then left Joey's room. Wow, I guess dad didn't drink last night, Joey mused, smiling to himself.

Glancing briefly at the clock on his end table, he noted how early it was. Six thirty? On a Saturday? "I'm just gonna go back to sleep," Joey mumbled incoherently, snuggling his pillow under the covers.

Several hours later, the sun was shining in the blond's eyes, a disgruntled groan escaping his lips. Wiping his eyes, he slowly climbed out of bed, his feet dragging him to the bathroom to clean up.

--

A mess of black hair resembling a rat's nest moved wearily, black eyes opening slightly.

"What's going on?" he asked the man standing in his doorway, a playful glare directed at him.

"Your brother called. He wants you to be up and ready by noon," the man remarked, his arms crossed in mock anger.

"Did he say what for?" Mokuba asked, genuinely inquisitive.

"No. He only said, 'Make sure Mokuba is ready by noon,'" the man replied, turning to leave.

I wonder if something happened . . . , Mokuba wondered, pulling clothes on quickly.

--

A sleek, black limo maneuvered through the crowded streets of Domino, a certain blue-eyed CEO nearly yelling into his cell phone.

"I don't care about your supply problems. Get them delivered on-time or find yourself another buyer," Kaiba snapped, clicking his cell phone off and sliding it into his pocket.

Such incompetence, Kaiba thought to himself, rubbing his temples. They all act like little children. Chaotic and disorganized, Kaiba finished his thought, shaking his head in disgust.

The morning at KaibaCorp had been nothing short of disastrous and hell on earth. Supplies were late in shipping parts, stock value was depreciating, and incompetent fools didn't know how to do their jobs.

Life in general for Seto Kaiba lately was hectic; his little brother was growing up before his eyes, schoolwork was piling up while the company suffered, and his emotions were starting to appear more frequently beyond his control. His brother growing up he could deal with – after all, he was determined to spend more time with Mokuba. He knew what the school was supposedly teaching him already, so instead he focused on his company, or tried to anyway. His emotions were getting the better of him, and that he couldn't tolerate.

Ever since that day Wheeler had fallen asleep in class and then acted even weirder than normal, Kaiba's focus had been cleanly split between Joey and everything else that concerned him in his life.

That look he gave me . . . I don't understand it, Kaiba thought bitterly, not liking the fact that he, Seto Kaiba, could not read Joey Wheeler, the boy who was supposed to wear every emotion on his sleeve. It unnerved Kaiba to no end, but he couldn't think of that right now. Now Kaiba's time belonged to Mokuba.

--

Tea, Tristan, and Yuugi were already waiting outside the video arcade, wondering where their blond-headed friend was and if he got lost again.

"I hope he's all right. He's seemed kinda off lately," Yuugi stated, looking up to his two friends.

"He's fine. He's probably just worrying about Serenity or something," Tristan answered, waving off Yuugi's concern. "After all, he doesn't see Serenity too often," Tristan continued, Tea and Yuugi nodding in agreement. Almost as if on cue, Tea's cell phone began to vibrate in her purse.

"Uh…Tea? Is your purse vibrating?," Tristan asked awkwardly, taking a step away from her and pointing.

Rolling her eyes, Tea reached into her purse and noted the caller ID before flipping the pink phone open.

"Where are you?!," she hastily asked, her free arm motioning, even though the caller clearly could not see her ostentatious gesture. "What do you mean busy? Are you sure you're all right?," Tea asked, her voice ranging from annoyance to slight disappointment. "Oh, well, all right. If you're sure. But we're still on for tomorrow, right?," she asked hopefully, a slight smile still on her usually perky face. "Okay, talk to you later then," she said, clicking the phone off and easing it back into her overly filled purse.

"Who was that? Joey?" Tristan asked, giving Tea a blank look.

"Yeah. He said something suddenly came up and he couldn't meet us today. I hope everything's all right," Tea told them, biting her lip nervously.

"Why are you so worried? Joey's strong, I'm sure he'll be fine," Yuugi assured them, not fully convincing himself of his own words.

--

Joey was sprawled on the lumpy, overstuffed couch in his living room, a hand slightly grazing the floor from where he had dropped the phone back onto the hook. I'm not in the mood for games today, Joey thought, turning over to face the back of the couch. Stupid Kaiba with his stupid company, Joey thought bitterly, unable to contain the soft smile coming over his features at the thought of his crush. At least Dad's out. I don't have to worry about any of his drunk friends coming over and making things even dirtier than they already are, Joey continued, sitting up and looking over the sorry state of the apartment he and his father currently shared.

The dilapidated excuse for a place to live had obviously seen better days. The wallpaper was chipping, if not entirely missing, in certain sections, the hardwood floors were covered in dust, dirt, and the occasional piece of garbage, clothing, or stained a now-dull red, and the room held a melancholy atmosphere, draining the happiness and sucking it seemingly away from its inhabitants.

What am I doing? Staying here and brewing all day ain't gonna help me none, Joey thought, stumbling to his feet before gaining balance. 'I shouldn't let the show off get to me,' he concluded, running to his room and throwing on a fairly clean set of clothing before checking his appearance in the mirror.

Random pieces of blond hair stuck out at odd angles, and his brown eyes looked hazed over. He then carelessly raked a comb through his unruly locks before leaving the bathroom and walking out the door of the apartment, in a surprisingly better mood than he had been in for the past few days.

--

Seto and Mokuba Kaiba lounged in their luxury limousine, arguing over a very sensitive topic.

"But Seto! That isn't fair! Why can't I go?," Mokuba argued, giving his brother a glare that actually reminded the elder of himself.

"The answer is no, Mokuba," Seto finished, his gaze shifting to the blurred vision of outside as the limo whizzed past the scenery.

Sighing, Mokuba continued to speak, "Whatever you say, Seto. But I did want to talk to you about something else."

"What?" Seto asked, his eyes not moving from their current position.

"You mentioned something about school the other day, something about Joey I think. And ever since then you've seemed more distracted with work. Is something going on, Seto?," Mokuba asked, thoroughly explaining all his reasoning and giving evidence to support himself.

Seto gave Mokuba a sharp look; "I can't afford to be distracted, Mokuba. Wheeler has been acting stranger than normal, I admit, but I have more important things to worry about," Seto explained evenly, waiting for Mokuba to rebut what he just got through saying.

"That's the point, Seto. You're not working your best because I think you ARE thinking about, Joey," Mokuba explained exasperatedly.

Groaning in frustration, Seto began, "Mokuba! I am not wasting my time thinking about the mutt, all right?"

"Whatever you say, Seto. But whatever it is that's going on with Joey, I hope you figure it out soon," Mokuba continued, leaning his elbow against the window and his chin on his fist.

Seto was left to gape, though he didn't actually gape…stoic CEOs do NOT gape…but his eyes were widened slightly more than usual and Seto couldn't help but wonder if Mokuba was right. Hell, the kid had a knack for perceiving things that even those who actually studied it up close couldn't explain. Seto wondered vaguely if that was a trait of kids, or if it was because Mokuba was just…Mokuba.

--

Joey ambled a couple blocks away from his apartment, a bright smile on his lips as he finally entered his destination: the site of his dream, Domino Park. A sense of nostalgia rushed through his veins, a small blush on his cheeks, as he continued through the park, inhaling the sweet scent of nature. Blinking suddenly, a sense of déjà vu haunted Joey as he turned in all directions, wondering what was causing this feeling. It's probably nothing, he tried to reassure himself, smiling and laughing sheepishly.

Suddenly, Joey backed into something, sending him flying backwards and landing in the dead center of Domino Park: the fountain. Gasping for air, Joey broke the surface of the foot deep pool, his legs still dry but everything else soaked to the core.

So much for my good day, Joey thought, laughing at himself.

"Ah. The mutt washes himself. Will wonders never cease?," an arrogant tone filled the air, a certain Seto Kaiba smirking and looking down at the soaked man in the fountain.

"Can it, Kaiba," Joey bit back, standing and shivering in the wind. "What are you doing here anyway?," Joey asked, glaring.

"That is none of your concern, Wheeler. Though, what were you doing in the fountain? The free dog washes aren't until tomorrow," Kaiba returned, crossing his arms over his chest.

Eyes widening in outrage and fury, Joey lunged at the blue-eyed CEO, causing them both to topple to the ground in a wet, angry mess of limbs.

"Seto! Seto! Set…Oh. Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt anything," Mokuba grinned, noting the two trying in vain to hit the other.

"This isn't what it looks like, Mokuba," Seto explained calmly, his lethal eyes staring down Joey.

"Of course not. I'm just gonna…go and leave you two alone for a minute," Mokuba stated gleefully, scampering off to another random part of the park.