Chapter 44: If One Sows Trees, One Reaps Forest

There was always work to be done. Designs to review. Contracts to revise. New projects to consider. I was being very open to new ideas; anything that was scientifically sound, I was approving for short-term funding. Long-term backing I would give after some time and effort yielded signs of results. Thus far, the tactic had been reasonably successful with some unlikely concepts developing some useful benefits. Two were unintentional and one was, in fact, the opposite of its intended goal. But that was part of the fun of science. The unexpected.

By the time I'd done enough real work to feel productive, the house was silent. I stepped out of my study and onto my balcony. It was quiet, apart from crickets and dark, aside from moonlight. I made a mental note to apologize to Mai and went to take a shower.

When I came out, I could hear raised voices in another room – a testament to how loud they were. I couldn't identify whose voices, but they were arguing and it was escalating. I grabbed a robe, put it on as I left my rooms, and went next door to chastise such rude guests.

I did not bother to knock. "Was it your intention to wake the whole house or –" my voice stopped as my brain registered what I was seeing.

It looked as if Joey and Pharaoh had been about to make love before the argument started. Joey was in nothing but an open tuxedo shirt. Pharaoh was wearing his black silk house pants – the ones he never wore anything under. They both looked at me – Joey surprised, then amused; Pharaoh annoyed.

"So Yugi is my replacement?" He drawled.

"Excuse me?" The statement hardly made sense.

"I can't think of another reason you'd be nude apart from wearing his robe." Pharaoh rolled his eyes.

But Joey chuckled. "I guess you got Honda to fill in for me?"

"I have no idea what either of you are inferring. Honda and Yugi stayed in my rooms this week, yes, but I have not had a lover in months." They both laughed.

"No lovers," Joey smirked, "just a string of two-legged tissues."

"Vulgar." I commented.

"Accurate." Pharaoh countered.

"Do not presume to judge."

"Fuck this." Joey grabbed a pair of pants from the floor. "I'm out!"

"Sit down, Joseph!" Pharaoh snapped. "You are still in no condition to go anywhere."

"Oh, and you're gonna stop me like you stopped him?" He pointed at me. "That'll work!"

"What do you propose I should have done, strapped him to a bed?"

"You are being childish, Joey."

"And you, Priest, are being selfish. You are the reason he drinks."

"How am I responsible for his weakness of character?"

"Yeah, Tut, don't blame him for my bad habits."

"You left him when he needed you most!" Pharaoh hissed at me.

"I left him with you to care for him."

"I swear!" Joey nearly screamed. "You are the stupidest fucking asshole I have ever met! I want you! I love you! I'm stuck with him because – shit! I love you too, Tut! I don't know, this whole bonding thing. But, Tak, I fell for you." He stopped and looked helplessly at us both. "Atemu, I love you, really, and I don't want to live without you. But I can't live without you, Seto. Life doesn't mean anything to me. I'd rather be dead."

Pharaoh and I both crossed to him, both held him. I heard someone weeping before I realized it was me. "I could not bear it again, Joey. I could not live knowing you were gone."

Holding them, both of them, was magical. It was as if the ache in my soul was suddenly healed. The pain was gone. The void filled with life.

"Please stay." Someone whispered.

"Yes." I replied. I could not say no.

We did not make love, but only held each other tightly through the night as we talked, and cried, and laughed, assuring each other and ourselves that it was not a dream.

Mokuba awoke us the next morning.

More precisely, his retreating voice woke us. "FOUND HIM!" He shouted loud enough for the entire estate to hear.

"I think that was our brother." Pharaoh sounded amused.

"I think that was my fucking head." Joey slurred. "What kind of cheap white wine was that, Tak?"

"Dom Pérignon, 1990." I replied. "I do not serve cheap wine in my own home."

"My brain feels like it's pounding out of my skull."

"I did warn you." Pharaoh kissed him softly, then leaned a bit further and kissed me. "He'll be fine after breakfast."

"I suppose, then, we should go down and have some."

"You guys go." Joey whined. "I'll stay here."

"Never." I whispered, kissing them both. "Never again." I didn't know how I would manage to be with them 24/7, but I knew I needed to find a way. The first part was easy. "We will need to move you two into my rooms today. Perhaps we should have this wall removed and expand the suite."

"There's another thing I gotta do." Joey was already beginning to sound more alert. "We were kind of planning on coming back to Japan, but I gotta fix my citizenship."

"Fix it?" I asked.

"Yeah. After you turn 20, you can't be duel American-Japanese."

"That will be simple enough." I nodded, planning our day. "We can go to the Ministry this morning. You need to select a new name, don't you?"

"Yeah. That doesn't make the Japanese come off as xenophobic at all." Joey rolled his eyes.

"Hence, why I refuse to deal with them." Pharaoh sat up. "You will forgive me if I retain my heritage."

Joey laughed. "Get this, Tak! Tut over here actually got those Egyptian idiots to declare him part of the royal family! The kicker? They don't even use a monarchy any more!"

Pharaoh shrugged. "I was able to demonstrate knowledge that only a Third Dynasty Pharaoh could have." He changed the subject. "Do you still have that shower large enough to fit the entire royal court?"

I smiled. "Come. We'll bathe and then eat. I'm sure Mokuba – and a few others – are waiting for us."

The hallway was clear as we went back to my rooms. I could see what must have worried my brother – the doors were open, my bed untouched.

"Whoa!" Joey gasped when he saw the size of my private bathroom. "I thought your condo was way too much! Look at all those jets! And all pointing the wrong way." He snickered. "Your body's nowhere near as filthy as your mind."

"I think I should resent that remark."

"I think you mean 'resemble' that remark, Priest."

"This from a man that once suggested sexual congress during a funeral."

"Oh, he's a slut too. You both have gutter minds."

"You should talk." Pharaoh helped Joey take off his shirt. "If I didn't keep you on a leash, Dragon, you'd have befouled half of New York with unclean acts."

Joey's shoulder wouldn't turn the full arch. With the shirt off, I could see the two holes where the bullets had entered, but not exited, his body. Two scars on his otherwise flawless back; his chest and abdomen were a mass of scars. I traced the bullet holes with my fingers. Pharaoh's fingers joined mine. I felt a spasm of fear as I remembered seeing the marks the first time. Feeling the bullets hit him. Joey dying...

Pharaoh's hand closed around mine. "I know." He whispered.

Joey turned around and placed an arm around each of our waists. "Guys, come on. It's ok. I knew the risks I was taking."

"You should have told me." Pharaoh's voice cracked.

"Yeah, but I didn't." He kissed our love's cheek. "You can't blame yourself for this."

"You saved his life." I reminded Pharaoh.

"Only because of your skill, Priest."

"Guys!" Joey smiled slightly. "Are we doing this shower thing or what?"

Pharaoh smiled – smoldered – and let us both go. "I imagine the water is hot enough now." He stepped out of his pants.

I had never seen both of them naked at the same time – not in the Natural Realm at least – and the effect was exhilarating. Oddly, I couldn't stop the mental comparison. Pharaoh was lean and sleek. Very much like a cat – lithe and deliberate. Seductive. Joey was a retriever. Wider, bigger. More obvious, but in some ways more fun. Open. Honest.

I wanted them both. I dropped Yugi's robe on the floor and was flattered when both my lovers looked me over with undisguised lust.

"Still killer, Tak."

"So glad you approve." I stepped into the shower and closed the door behind us.

"Excuse me, Priest." Pharaoh turned me to face himself. "I believe you owe me a kiss." He pulled my chin down and claimed it.

It was everything I remembered and more. I was breathless and literally aching with desire. I felt Joey press against me, his arms around my body, his lips nipping my neck in just that right spot. I could not stop the low moan that escaped me.

There was very little washing done over the next hour, but a great deal of rubbing, squeezing, groaning and gasping. The hot water ran out, which was the first time that had ever happened to me at home. We left the bathroom laughing and dripping and still kissing.

"Maybe we should forget about breakfast." I sighed.

"I want to see Yugi before he leaves." Pharaoh smiled. "You should eat; you're going to need your strength. Come, Dragon. I think we should dress more formally than this."

"What wrong with towels and skin?" Joey asked with exaggerated innocence.

They both moved for the door and I had a mild panic attack. "Wait!"

"What up?" Joey paused with his hand on the doorknob.

"Give me a moment." Shirt, pants, briefs; I yanked open drawers and flung hangers as I ripped clothing off them.

"Tak, we're just going next door."

I looked at them and Pharaoh must have seen the truth in my face. "After breakfast, we'll move our things." He said gently.

We dressed in their room quickly – Joey was hungry – and went down. I still had several guests milling around the property, but our circle of friends were lingering over coffee at one large table with three empty chairs.

Honda, Yugi and Mokuba stood and applauded our arrival – complete with whistling. Joey bowed as I rolled my eyes and took a seat. Pharaoh ignored them and greeted Mai and Anzu with a kiss on the cheek each.

"Hey, where's Bakura?" Joey asked. "And where's the coffee?"

"Ryou and Ryuji never get up before lunch if they have a day together." Anzu chuckled. "They act more like newlyweds than the newlyweds."

"I want to get my hair cut before we leave." Mai said simply. "And Seto's stylist isn't free until after lunch."

A staff member brought coffee and juice and a tray of pastries. He took our breakfast orders as well.

"So are you guys settled?" Honda asked. "This going to be hard enough to explain to Hian so I don't want to go through it if this is just a one night thing."

"We're settled." I said, happy for the first time in a long time. "It may require a bit of construction to make us all comfortable, but we are settled."

"Hey, if we're doing construction anyway, can I get a hot tub?" Mokuba asked.

"Don't be absurd." I said, sipping my coffee. Although I could expand my balcony and have one put in.

"How about making that swing set out back permanent?" Honda asked. "Hian and the rest had a ball climbing that thing."

"And covering themselves with dirt." Anzu observed. "We'll need to put something under it."

I began making notes on the table.

"Seto!" Anzu yelled. "You're as bad as Hian!" She buzzed the staff to bring a pen and notepad.

"Dude, you write on the table?" Joey laughed.

"That's why we used paper table covers at informal meals." Mokuba chuckled in reply. "Dad did it too."

"Yes, but he stopped, and this isn't paper." Anzu fussed. "You promised to help set a good example, Seto."

"Motherhood suits you." Pharaoh smiled. "One daughter and three sons."

"Five if you two are moving in." Mai pointed out.

"Oh. My. God!" Anzu moaned as several others laughed.

A servant arrived with supplies – and breakfast – and I gave orders to keep several pens and pads around the house.

"There, 'Mother', I can be reasonable." I copied over my notes and made a few more.

We needed to see to Joey's citizenship, which would likely mean a trip to the Ministry of Records for his birth certificate. I needed to call Yamada in case we needed any legal work done. He also needed to update my estate. I'd need to get a contractor out to the manor. Rather than remodeling my suite, I'd prefer to take the whole east wing and move Mokuba to the west – with a hot tub of his own. Anzu and Honda should have enough space in the West cottage; with six bedrooms, it should take them a few years to use them all. We could construct a new guesthouse on the edge of the southern garden...

"SETO!" Joey yelled in my ear, shattering my concentration and my eardrum. Around us, everyone at the table was laughing. "Geez! Dude! Work on your own time; you're home now."

"There are things that need to be done if we are expanding our household. Especially – oh, yes. Mokuba, right after breakfast, I need to meet with you and Mazaki in my office."

Mokuba rolled his eyes. "Yes, Nii-sama. Kaiba never sleeps."

"Mama!" We all looked up to see Ishtaaru arrive with Hianko and, to my surprise, Auset.

"Baby!" Aznu swept the child up and I noticed we all wore the same sentimental looks watching them. Mother and daughter went through a morning checklist – teeth, hands, hair – and then she handed the girl to Honda.

"So how come you don't do all that?" Joey asked me, teasing.

"Do all what?" I replied.

"All that affection stuff."

"Why should I?"

"Well, you know..." He looked confused. "Isn't –" he glanced at Auset then leaned close to me. "She's yours, isn't she?"

I had time for my jaw to drop before Anzu gasped. "Auset! Oh, sweetheart, come here!" She gave the child a hug. "I completely forg- uh ... We just had so much going on yesterday! We need to get you back to the home, don't we?"

The child shrugged and Joey looked back and forth between her and me.

"But... !" He seemed at a loss for words.

I pointed out the obvious question. "How could I possibly have a child?"

"Ooo! Ooo! I know that one!" Mokuba waved his hand as if in class. Yugi and Honda joined him. I ignored them.

"Dragon, what even gave you that idea?" Pharaoh asked.

"Her name is 'o-set', she looks like Tak, she acts like Tak, she's smarter than hell, she duels like a pro, she..."

"When did you learn all this?" Anzu and I both asked him.

He smiled ruefully. "Last night when I was supposed to be taking a walk and sobering up, I found her and we got started talking. We dueled for a while."

"With a child?" Pharaoh sounded incredulous. "A bit inequitable wasn't it, Dragon?"

"Is that where you vanished to!" Ishtaaru huffed. "I nearly had heart failure."

Anzu smiled a little sadly at Auset. "Did you have fun last night, sweetheart? I'm sorry we didn't get you home."

"It's ok." She said quietly.

"Why don't you and Hian go play outside for a little while, ok?" Ishtaaru took both children and Anzu sighed deeply. "Thank you gentlemen." The sarcasm dripped from her tone. "That was just the discussion she needed to hear."

"What's wrong?" Joey looked confused again.

"She's an orphan." Anzu shook her head. "I know she seems fine, but that is a very depressed little girl. That was possibly the most thoughtless discussion I have ever witnessed."

"Oh." Joey looked contrite. "Sorry. She didn't tell me that."

"It's not something she wants to discuss."

"So why don't you guys adopt her?" Yugi suggested, looking at Honda.

"No." Honda's voice was flat. His sharp tone made all of us look at him. "Besides," he tried to laugh, "it's your turn."

"Not anytime soon, it's not." Mai answered before Yugi could.

"Ok, so we'll adopt her." Joey said causing me choke and Pharaoh to spill his tea.

There was some snickering around the table that I ignored as I cleared my throat and realized that Joey was serious.