Chapter 45: The Binds that Tie

After we discussed Hianko's birthright with Mokuba and - via speakerphone - Noah, Anzu and I called my High School's Headmaster.

I wanted him to be Headmaster of the new academy. "I do more good helping students that are not smarter than me." He laughed. "I fear a whole building full of students like you would be more than I could manage." He did agree to assist Anzu in establishing the school's charter and in finding faculty.

After that, I wound up going to the office for a few hours and then to our facility in Yokohama. It was after 8pm by the time I returned home, tired and preoccupied.

I was greeted by a butler and informed that dinner was waiting for me in the dining room.

"I'm not hungry." I sighed. "Have something light brought to my study."

"Uh, sir. I was asked to escort you personally."

"By whom?" I snapped.

"Bakura-san, sir. He said to say 'your spouses', but it was Bakura-san who gave the instruction."

I literally ran to the dining room. I had actually forgotten they were back. I feared that I'd never be able to function without them at my side and ten minutes after they were out of my sight, I forgot them altogether!

It wasn't possible – how could anyone maintain a relationship and run a corporation as large as KaibaCorp?

I skidded to a stop a few feet from the door, pausing to catch my breath and straighten my clothes. I walked in trying to appear composed, but fell apart as soon as I saw them. "I..." Everyone was there – Honda, Anzu, Mokuba, Ryou, Otogi, Joey, Pharaoh. " ... can't." I left the room and went to my study.

It won't work. It can't. There isn't enough magic in the universe to make me the kind of man who could truly love – and truly be loved.

I turned on my computer. There was always work to be done.

"My poor Priest." Pharaoh said softly from the doorway. I hadn't heard him enter. Apparently, I'd forgotten to lock the door behind me. "So unwilling to accept any truth he cannot touch."

"He can touch me." Joey said. "I'm true."

"But to touch us, he'd have to admit that he wants to."

"You don't understand." I said, logging in and not looking at either of them.

"What's to understand?" Joey scoffed. "You're here, we're here, roll credits, happy fucking ending."

"If it were that simple, Joey, everyone in the world would have a happy life."

"So let it be that simple, Tak."

"I will add simplifying the world to my to-do list."

"You do not have to simplify the entire world, my Prince." Pharaoh's hands began rubbing my shoulders. "My Priest." They slipped upward and moved my hair. "My Love." He kissed my neck.

"Stop." My will was quickly turning to jello. "I don't have time for this."

"Yes, you do." Joey said. He reached past me and turned off the computer. He nudged my chair and Pharaoh helped pull me back from the desk. "You're home now. Work is done."

"Work is never done." I groaned as Joey's lips mirrored Pharaoh's. "You don't understand."

"Then explain it." Pharaoh whispered.

"Kaiba comes first." I sighed. It was impossible to think with them both peeling my shirt off slowly. "People ... counting on me."

"Out there, yeah." Joey murmurred. "Not in here."

I was quickly reaching the limit of my ability to resist. "It will only lead to heartache." I moaned as Pharaoh kissed the weak spot on my neck and Joey's hand caressed less subtle pleasure zones. "Oh god, don't do that!"

"Priest, you cannot deny us. You cannot defer us." His breath sent shivers down my spine. "We need you as much as you need us."

I reached up and captured Pharaoh's head, pulling him down and kissing him deeply. With my free hand, I caressed Joey's cheek and neck – promising that he was next. Passion swept through me and the only things I could focus on were Pharaoh's nipples, Joey's shoulders, the hand caressing my ass, the cock rubbing against my lips.

It was a puzzle discovering how to give and take pleasure from both of them at once. Relearning each other's hot spots and responses. I found I knew a few new tricks and surprised them both at least once, but then they suprised me once or twice as well.

I took Pharaoh, lying on his back and opening his arms and his heart to me. Joey took me and we all moaned with the thrill of it.

The world fell away. For a moment, I thought I was hallucinating. Then I recognized our Shadow Realm aspects. All of my senses seemed heightened. As if we were more than simply touching. I could feel both of their heartbeats with mine, within mine. Joey's strength, Pharaoh's skill, my passion – all blending, pulling us together.

And exciting my libido far beyond anything I'd ever imagined. Pharaoh and Joey shared a fiery kiss over my shoulder. Then Joey shared one with me.

I could still feel my study floor beneath us – even needed to shove my chair aside at one point – but I could see our aspects making love as our bodies did. I could feel the ethereal power of the Shadow Realm surrounding us.

We switched positions and put Joey between Pharaoh and I. I could feel the lines of power shifting. I could hear my cell phone ring.

Out of habit, I reached toward it.

Joey laughed. "Oh shit, dude! What does it take?"

Pharaoh pinned me with an engulfing kiss. "Touch that phone before dawn and I'll have you drawn and quartered."

I had to laugh. "Just to turn it off."

Joey slipped from between us and found the offending device. He pushed a button then casually tossed the phone across the room. "There. Now your turn, sexy." He coaxed Pharaoh closer to me then settled behind him. "The two of you together are so unbelievably hot."

"Odd." Pharaoh mused. "I was just thinking the same about the two of you."

"It must be a matter of perspective." I suggested. "I find it strange that I'm not jealous at all seeing the two of you together."

"Yes! Ordinarily, I am quite against sharing anything that is mine and yet with both of you, it seems quite natural." Pharaoh pulled us both closer. "I think I enjoy seeing you together as much as I love being with you."

"And it's more convenient." I added. "When one of you is exhausted, I can use the other."

"Fuck you, Tak." Joey grinned at Pharaoh. "I say we exhaust him."

"Agreed." Pharaoh said, looking serious. "But it's not a simple matter. It will take time. And effort."

"So lock the doors and pin him down until he cries 'uncle'." Joey replied evilly.

Pharaoh gestured toward the study door. I felt the power lines twist and heard the click of the lock.

"You promised you would refrain from such acts." I reminded him.

He and Joey both grinned at me. "I'm sure you will think of a way to punish me for my misdeed."

We thought of several. I was thoroughly exhausted when we finally ran out of ideas several hours later.

We were comfortably tangled on the floor dozing when someone banged – loudly and continuously – on my study door. "Ignore it." I said when Joey started to get up. "They'll go away eventually."

He chuckled as he kissed Pharaoh and I. "Gotta drain the lizard anyhow." He got up and opened the door. "Yeah? Oh hey – shit!" He suddenly moved and cowered behind the door. "Anzu! Warn a guy before you bring the kid up! Geez!"

"Don't we have slaves to handle the child rearing?" Pharaoh groaned quietly.

"Servants." I corrected him. "And not yet. But I assure you, we will soon. I do not intend for all of our trysts to end with a child."

He chuckled warmly. "That would be somewhat inconvenient."

I kissed him softly and sat up. Joey's shirt was relatively close to me and he was still using the door as a shield. I tossed it to him.

"Ok, Anzu!" He sounded stressed as he put the shirt on. "Thanks. Give us a sec to get, you know, civil and we'll be right down." He crouched down. "I guess we've got a lot to learn about this 'father' stuff, don't we? Sorry, kid. We haven't seen each other in a long time and we kinda lost track of time."

"It's ok." I barely heard Auset say.

"It is not ok." Anzu admonished, actually angry. "This is shameful! She's been here two days and you three have been locked in here..."

"Wait, wait, wait! Hold on!" Joey threw a mystified look at Pharaoh and I. "Two days?"

"The Realm?" I asked Pharaoh softly.

He looked as stunned as I felt. "We must have slipped in."

"How does one 'slip in'?" I asked, incredulous.

"Skill, power and luck." He said with a shrug.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Anzu was peering around the door, scowling at Pharaoh and I. "Is this what you all have been doing?" Joey, Pharaoh and I exchanged a somewhat guilty look. "Children! You're like a bunch of hormone-addled adolescents!" She yanked the door from Joey and slammed it shut.

"Whoa. Remind me not to piss her off again." Joey said as he raced to the bathroom.

I sighed deeply. "I fear this is the beginning of the difficulty not the end." I stood up and found my clothes.

Pharaoh lay back and looked thoughtful. "Our joining creates a tremendous amount of power. Even now I can still feel it." He reached toward me and I felt the power lines he refered to as he used them the tug my shirt out of my hands. I concentrated and 'cut' the line. The shirt fell to the floor.

"You swore you would stop such things."

"The power is in us, Priest."

"Yeah, you and power. Me and alcohol. Tak and work." Joey came out of the bathroom, stretching. His shirt was on, but open. "Things that need to be avoided." He kissed me deeply. "Do I want to know what the fuck happened or should I let you guys figure that shit out?"

"Your language is appalling." I said as he kissed Pharaoh and helped him stand. "Please do not speak that way in front of Auset."

"Yeah, right. Anzu's pissed enough at me as is!" He laughed. "She catches me swearing in front of the kid she'll probably yank my dick off."

"Well we certainly can't have that, now can we?" Pharaoh draped his arms around Joey's neck and kissed him deeply. "I think we should explore this phenomenon more deeply. This could become a revolutionary new way to use the Realm."

"No." Joey freed himself with far more restraint than I could have mustered. "You two are a pair of sex fiends." He remarked as he bent over to pick up his pants.

"I can't imagine why." I sighed, looking at his perfect ass. I picked up my clothes and dressed. "I do have a number of issues I need to address." I turned on my computer.

"Hang on." Joey stepped between me and the screen. "We need to discuss that."

"We need to discuss what?"

"Your addiction to KaibaCorp." Pharaoh was dressed and primping in the mirror. "Obviously, you need to work, but I will not tolerate being second to anything."