With Your Love

Screwin' Up Cause It's Cool

Joey finally looked up from the blank stare he'd been giving his fingers as he and the rest of his so called gang sat around a roaring fire. They had been done eating for quite some time and if it hadn't been for the fact he hadn't eaten all day then he probably would have noticed the tension right away. However, he had been noticing it for about ten minutes as no one spoke. The only action from any of them during this time had been their eyes moving back and forth awkwardly between each other.

Joey didn't get it. He'd known Tristan for his whole life. He was a hard guy, he had to be. Especially now, which he understood. But to turn your back on your best bud because you think you have a crush on him was just silly sounding. He had been publically gay for a very long time and had a crush on Duke. The latter was still a secret, but either way, it didn't make him hate the guy. Sure Duke and him had – lack of better words — duked it out on occasion, but he'd never turn his back on him. He loved him!

Nonetheless, Joey was surprised to not feel as much jealousy as he once thought he would. He had been in love with Duke for years and now that someone else had an interest in him, shouldn't it have made him angry? Upset? Something? But it didn't. And that was puzzling. His blond eyebrows furrowed and he looked back down at his fingers with little interest. Things had changed. He was technically still engaged to Seto Kaiba and he was a fool to think that the King of Pious hadn't had an effect on him. He wasn't in love with the guy, but he did have a different perspective of him now that he was away long enough to really think about it without Seto breathing down his neck every turn.

"Can't we go back to the way it was?" Yugi's voice broke the stiff silence and Joey looked up at him curiously. His violet eyes were downcast and his feet were shifting in the dirt below him. He was a poster child for uncomfortable. Yugi was never okay with confrontation and it was evident in his voice and the dusty rose on his cheeks that he was attempting to play mediator to hold his friends together despite feeling troubled.

"No," Tristan's harsh and surprisingly gruff voice answered. "That bastard over there still thinks he can hit people when they try to save their lives."

Duke's emerald eyes were held on Tristan's face with disbelief when Joey regarded his crush's reaction. "It was an accident Tristan. I've told you that before. And I've also said sorry," Duke stated before exhaling dramatically. "I'll say it again if it makes you stop hating me."

Tristan only huffed and looked away from them all, clearly deciding on pouting instead. Joey rolled his eyes. Typical Tristan. "Look dude, Duke's saying sorry. It was an accident, can you just forgive him so we can enjoy tonight?" Joey asked the spike haired boy. "I've just gotten back from Kaiba's and I was lookin' forward to hanging out with you guys."

Tristan threw a dark glare at Joey. "I'm sorry! Where were you when all of this was going down? Oh yeah, you were screwing around with Kaiba. So shut up Joey. You don't know what you're talking about."

Joey couldn't stop his temper from flaring and he was on his feet immediately, glowering down at his muscular friend. "Screwin' around – You don't know what you're talkin' 'bout Tris! I was forced to go there and you know it! You're being an asshole! Get over yourself and stop actin' like a pansy and man up!"

Tristan was now on his feet and standing a foot away from the angry blond, his own glare firmly in place. "Did you really just call me a pansy?"

Joey's eyes widened in shock as the atmosphere suddenly grew cold, despite being around a large fire. Red faced, Joey couldn't believe what just came out of his supposed friend's mouth.

"Take that back Tristan. Joey was just trying to help," Duke stepped between them, his green eyes flashing with wrath. But Joey didn't need his help. If Tristan wanted to act like an asshole, then he'd be treated like one.