Chapter One

"Hello?"

"Hey Kaiba! So I was wondering about that dinner tonight. You said..."

"Sorry, I can't make it." Kaiba's voice seemed slightly agitated.

"But...Kaiba, you do this all the time!"

"I'm sorry, but there's work to be done."

"I know, I know. I've heard it all before."

Click!

Joey sighed and rubbed his temples. He covered his eyes and made sure he wouldn't start crying. He wasn't typically the kind of guy to cry but... You'd think after dating for a while, your boyfriend would at least put aside SOME time for you. Some day where you meant more to him than his stupid job.

"Dammit, Kaiba!" Joey threw the phone to the ground and kicked over a chair in the dining room before storming out the front door. Serenity frowned at the rampage. She felt sorry for her brother.

Joey cursed as he kicked a rather large rock on his way into the forest across the street. So he didn't have money. So he didn't have a good job. And yea, he didn't understand what was so important about working at Kaiba Corp. Maybe he did act like a girl over the 'small' things like missed dates or forgotten promises, but to Joey they weren't small!

A year ago, Kaiba had asked Joey to date him and Joey had accepted because of a recent eye opening experience with Kaiba involving school showers. A year ago, they went on two dates. A dinner on Saturday and a movie the next Saturday. However, Kaiba seemed to loose interest after that and, although he'd kiss Joey when he was leaving from school to work, he hardly interacted with Joey at all.

Every once in a while, maybe once a month, Kaiba would invite Joey out to dinner and half the time Kaiba, himself, canceled. It was driving Joey insane. Because of the time he'd spent with Kaiba before he'd been asked out, he loved the son of a bastard and he couldn't tell him to piss off and leave the relationship.

Joey kicked at grass, at leaves, rocks, and innocent animals crossing his path. Soon, he slumped onto a big rock and rubbed his face.

"Stupid Kaiba," He sniffled. "Asshole moneybags," he continued, his voice getting louder. "Rich slime ball! Rotten brat! No good C.E.O.!"

Joey stomped his foot and felt something solid and small smack back at him. Calming himself down, he looked under his foot. A small silver ring, covered in dirt, was stuck to the bottom of his shoe. He pulled it out and dusted it off. Upon closer inspection, the ring had carvings in its sides.

'Wishing Ring?' he asked in his mind. He blinked and, suddenly, he couldn't read the markings anymore. 'What? Well that's odd.'

Oh well. Joey slipped the ring on his finger, figuring it looked nice enough. He could try to make himself believe Kaiba had given it to him. Damn Kaiba.

Joey ran a hand through his hair as he stood outside the door to Kaiba's office. The guards had recognized him from the year of his relationship with Kaiba.

Joey knocked and entered the room. Kaiba was sitting behind his laptop, as always, looking through papers and typing things in.

"What do you need now, Joey?" he asked, not looking up.

Joey froze. He had a reason. A very good reason too. Their anniversary was coming up. In just two weeks, it would be exactly one year since the day Kaiba asked him out. But Joey doubted Kaiba would break away from work long enough to spend it with him. To Kaiba, every day was just like any other... a day for work.

"Well you should know what I want, Kaiba. Or is your calender not big enough?" Joey asked snidely, leaning slightly to his right.

"Excuse me?" Kaiba glanced up at him, not appreciating that rude comment, especially from Joey.

"You heard me." Joey walked over to the large calender Kaiba kept hanging on the wall. He whipped out a black marker and wrote, in big letters, 'Anniversary!!' on the Friday after next.

Joey spun around to face Kaiba. He capped the marker and lightly tossed it at his boyfriend. Kaiba caught it with a confused glare. Did he ever stop glaring?

"Friday. Dinner at my place. My treat, so you can't wiggle out of it," Joey smiled, ready and able to forgive Kaiba for all his asshole mistakes.

"Joey...," Kaiba sighed in aggravation. "I've been wondering when I could see you to talk..."

"Anytime, Seto. I have all the time in the world. You're the only one with any issues."

"Wheeler, listen to me for once!" Kaiba actually stood up. Joey froze. Wheeler? How long had it been... since he'd been called that by Kaiba? This... This couldn't be good.

"W-What?" Joey asked, feeling his heart crack at the simple use of his last name.

"Joey, I don't think this relationship was meant to last," Kaiba began.

Joey could almost hear the crack that time.

"I think..."

No...

"...it's about time.."

Don't say it.

"...that we end this masquerade."

You're lying.

"I know you don't really like me."

Joey clenched his fists, crushing his new ring into his hand.

"What I'm saying is, in simple terms for you, I want to break up."

"What?" Joey hated how his voice squeaked.

"I don't love you anymore, Wheeler. It's over between us," Kaiba sat down, business-like, seemingly feeling nothing for the mutt whose heart he just ripped out. He went back to work.

"Don't... love me anymore?" Joey asked, skeptically.

Kaiba glanced up at Joey, curious. Was the mutt really that dumb?

"You lying bastard!" Joey yelled, lunging at Kaiba. Kaiba jumped up, knocking his chair over, and beat Joey back. Joey hit the wall hard and slid down to a sitting position, hair hiding his expression.

"Don't be stupid, Mutt. Go home and don't come back here... Ever," Kaiba glared and spoke harshly. "I'm sick of you trying to put yourself above Kaiba Corp. Go find someone else who can live on the streets just to make you number one."

Joey coughed, holding back a sob. He clenched his fist, feeling the ring. Wishing ring? Bull crap. Didn't love him anymore? Bull crap. Don't come back?... Bull.. Bull crap!

"God dammit.. I wish...," Joey mumbled.

"What was that?" Kaiba asked.

"You heard me," Joey set a fierce glare on Kaiba, causing the C.E.O. to stumble away from him. "I wish Kaiba Corp had died with your bastard of a father!" Joey yelled. "Then maybe you'd have something to replace that God Damn black heart of yours!"

Joey jumped up and ran out of the office, out of the building. He kept running until he got to his house. The phone rang, almost instantly, but he ignored it. The caller I.D. read 'Seto Kaiba'. Calling from his cell phone? Wow. So he was actually going to take time to apologize? Well Joey didn't care. He wasn't going to forgive him this time. He wouldn't lick at his heels forever, waiting for his treat. He... He wasn't just some dog Kaiba could give away or release into the wild.

"God dammit!" Joey punched the wall beside him, covering his face to hide the tears.

In the kitchen, Serenity quickly went to make a cake or cookies to give to Joey when he had calmed down. Her treats were his medicine and she hated seeing him down like this.

– – – – – – – –

Joey woke up the next morning, stretching in bed. He closed his eyes to avoid the sunlight in them. He didn't like mornings. The blonde quickly rolled over to hide in the covers and the pillows. He felt an arm wrap around his waist from behind him. He smelled the distinct scent of icy pineapple. He knew that scent because Kaiba always used that shampoo that reeked of it.

Joey lifted his head, looking behind him to see just who was snuggling into his back. He saw unbrushed brown hair, a peaceful smile, and ordinary street clothes. Whoever it was hadn't even changed into night clothes before climbing into the bed. He swore he knew who this was but.. It couldn't be, right?

Tired blue eyes cracked open when Joey pulled out of the other male's arms. They blinked twice before looking around. They landed on Joey and the owner smiled.

"Morning."

"K-Kaiba?" Joey asked.