Warning: this might be a bit OOC and was inspired when I had to go to the dentist. I'm scared like hell of him since I was hurt really badly by one. Just like Joey in this one...at least the torture master who did that to me is retired now.

Anyway…I hope you'll like it.

Fear

Joey walked around his own office. The Kids were at school and he had some time to get a bit of work done. But today his mind refused to focus on that, it was filled with something that he would never admit to even know and he had to find a solution for it. The easiest way would be to use his work as an excuse but his stupid dragon would just love that.

Joey sat down on his chair and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. His work couldn't be an excuse, unless he wanted the last fight between himself and his dragon to erupt all over again. They had fought for days, because his dragon wanted Joey to be a full time mom. Like that would ever happen. He loved his three adorable kids. His twin boys Jaden and Seth and his adorable little daughter Josephine but he sure as hell didn't want to quit working, if he could still come in while the kids were at school. What else was he to do all morning? Clean the house? Like that was even necessary with a bunch of maids running around, the place was always spotless even with three kids in the house. Kaiba had so many, just to make sure that everything would always run smoothly even when some were sick, that the maids sometimes didn't know what to do already and Joey knew that he would be bored out of his mind, if he had to stay home all morning with nothing to do.

Joey had even dared to ask Seto why he was the one, who had to quit the job, but of course Seto had the perfect answer: "I'm your boss and can replace you but no one can replace me." It really felt great to be that replaceable, Joey thought bitterly after remembering him saying that. After noticing what he had done, Seto had excused this by saying that he only meant replaceable as a head of security, not as his husband of course, but it still stung a little. Joey had to show now that work wouldn't get in the way of his duties as a parent and that the kids also wouldn't interfere with his work. But how was he to get out of this now? He had to get Seto to take them there because he couldn't. Joey looked at the paper that Seth had brought back from school. The dentist had been in school and Joey shivered at the mere thought of having to bring his poor little boy to another dentist because of a little hole in his tooth.

He knew that it was nothing and the hole was probably still really small and as long as Jaden went now, it wouldn't be a big problem, but Joey simply couldn't make himself to set one food into that house of torture. The memory of the last time was still to strong, even years after it had happened. The feeling of being utterly helpless, while going through the worst pain he had felt in his entire life.

It was long before he started dating Seto. Long over five years ago, that Joey had been to the dentist. But he remembered it like it was yesterday. It hadn't been too bad when he went there. There was just a little hole in one of his teeth. Or rather a big one. A filling had fallen out and he needed to go, to get it fixed. It wasn't sore though.

Joey remembered the smell when he walked inside and the sounds of the drill. Someone was already treated by the dentist, while he had to wait. Joey didn't mind the wait and read a bit in the magazines about cars, until one of the girls there asked him in. Joey had sat down there comfortably with his legs up. He used to love those chairs back then because it was easy to fall asleep on them. But that was only until the dentist came and looked into his mouth.

"That tooth is more than dead." He had said and Joey still remembered the sound of his voice, as he said that ridiculous line. He was right though. He didn't need to give Joey anything, because during the time he drilled, he didn't feel anything. At least not at the start.

Joey wasn't sure what it was that changed it. If he got too deep and hit a nerve or if he had drilled into the flesh surrounding his tooth, he only knew that he suddenly felt the worst pain he had felt in his life. He moaned in pain and tears filled his eyes. He still remembered the taste of a lot of blood in his mouth.

The memory alone was enough to make Joey shiver. He had tried to make the dentist stop by making some noise and moving his hands but the guy had just said: "We're nearly done, just a moment."

Joey felt so helpless. He couldn't even close his mouth because the drill was still inside. Hitting the dentist wasn't a good idea either because he would just move the drill wrong again then and Joey was sure to just get hurt even worse. Joey had started to shiver, afraid that the pain would get worse again, while he lay there. Unable to do anything, totally helpless while that master of torture kept saying: "It's almost over."

Joey had let the dentist finish, just because he didn't want another dentist to have to start over again. But ever since Joey had walked out of the dentist on that day, he hadn't been in again. And he sure as hell wasn't going to start now. Joey didn't even care that his teeth hurt a little every now and then but he refused to let anyone know and definitely wouldn't go to the dentist.

Joey was looking at the note again. Jaden had to go and someone had to take him there before the hole got worse. Just while Joey looked at it, someone knocked and walked right in. Whoever it was started to ask something but Joey just screamed at him "GET THE HELL OUT." He wasn't in the mood to deal with anything. He wanted to find someone else to take Jaden, without having to admit that he was terrified of anything.

It was the third person Joey had screamed at today. And a few moments later someone else walked in. That person didn't even knock. Joey screamed again, without looking up. "GET OUT!"

"Why?" Joey looked up in the blue eyes of Seto Kaiba.

"I'm busy." Joey said and wanted to groan.

"What's wrong?" Seto asked. "I heard you screaming around all day. They´re more scared of you than of me today, so tell me what the hell is wrong with you."

"Nothing." Joey lied and thought about a way to get Seto to take Jaden to that god damn house of torture.

"And now honestly?" Seto asked and already walked around the desk to see what Joey had been looking at. Something clearly was making his wolf more than a little cranky. He noticed that everything but one paper had to do with work and must pass Joey for years everyday. But the one slip was nothing but an information that Jaden needed to see the dentist. Seto didn't understand where the problem could be.

"Are you having trouble juggling work and kids?" Seto asked, surprised that something this small could set Joey into such a mood.

"Shut your hole." Joey said and Seto was once more surprised to hear him this cranky. "It has nothing to do with work, I can do both with ease."

"Then what is your problem?" Seto asked.

"Nothing." Joey said. "Leave me alone."

"Not until I know why you're upset." Seto asked. "I mean, it can't be because Jaden needs to see the dentist…" Seto stopped talking after seeing Joey flinch at the word "dentist", like he was a helpless kid that was about to get slapped. "By the way, when was the last time you went to the dentist?" He asked and was surprised to see a look on Joey's face like he was terrified. Joey never was terrified. At least hardly ever. But now all the colour was drained from his face and his hands shivered a little. Seto had never seen him like this. Usually Joey would get pissed if something made him a little afraid but he had never looked so helpless, as well as scared. "Are you afraid of the dentist?" Seto asked incredulous.

"I'm scared of nothing." Joey said, still shivering but didn't sound as convincing as he wanted to.

"Would you like me to bring Jaden to see the dentist?" Seto asked. It wouldn't be good to let the kid see Joey this scared. He might just get afraid, too.

"Yes, please." Joey mumbled. "But I'm not scared.

"When's the last time you went?" Seto asked again and saw Joey moving a hand to cover his mouth and a few tears started to fill his eyes. Seto leaned down and said: "Don't worry, I'm not going to make fun of you or anything, everyone is afraid of something." Seto saw Joey looking up at him and cuddle against him. More submissive than he had ever been before and Seto truly enjoyed it to hold his wild little wolf like this. "Joey, you do know though what can happen if you need to go to the dentist and you don't go?"

"I don't care." Joey said, sounding more like a stubborn child than ever. "And no one can make me go."

"Fine." Seto said and thought what he could try to do, to make him go to the dentist in case he needed to.

And by the next day Seto was sure that he needed to go. Unfortunately his wild little wolf refused to even look at him, since he knew that. Seto had dared to make a surprise attack during kissing and suddenly moved his tongue over his teeth. Joey had nearly bitten his tongue of and refused to talk to him at the moment. Seto already had an appointment for Jaden and talked to Joey whenever he could, explaining that if the bacteria's that cause cavity get through his teeth and into his blood and can possibly course infections and even heart attacks or such and Seto didn't want to loose his beloved husband for something as trivial and easily fixed as bad teeth. And it would only get worse, the longer he waits.

But first Seto took Jaden, a few days later and already made an appointment for Joey as well. He would have to talk Joey into going there. Joey's appointment was about one week after Seto had found out about the only thing that probably really scared his blond beauty but he only had told Joey that he needed him to come along to a business meeting. That way Joey would have time and Seto was sure that he wouldn't freak out days ahead or try to find an excuse that he couldn't go.

On that day Seto drove with Joey in his limousine. He wanted his hands free, in case Joey would try to make a run for it the second the wheels stopped. It would be easier to stop Joey when Seto's arm was already around his waist.

To Seto's surprise Joey was braver than he had assumed. He just asked: "What are we doing here?" When he saw the sign that clearly gave away where Seto had taken him.

"We´re at a dentist." Seto simply said. "You need to see one Joey, just let him have a look. I'll be there and make sure that nothing happens."

"NO." Joey said and shivered but at least he didn't run.

"Joey, just let him look how bad it is. Please." Seto said "You´ll get candy when you're good." This had worked with Jaden, who also had been a little nervous.

But no matter how alike those two were, it didn't work with Joey, who was much more afraid after his bad experience. "I won't, not for all the candy in the world."

"Joey," Seto pleaded again. "He'll just look into your mouth once. Nothing else will happen today, I won't let him hurt you."

Seto saw Joey looking into his eyes and knew that he was fighting with himself. He hated being afraid of the dentist and Seto was sure that he hated even more that Seto had found out about it. After thinking it through, Joey gave a little nod and mumbled: "But you'll stay, won't you?"

The blush Seto saw spreading over Joey's face was unbelievably cute and he took his hand and said: "I swear, I won't let go of your hand."

They walked in together and Seto felt Joey shivering the whole time, while he did all the talking. Joey didn't complain anymore but just looked around the place for a moment, before hiding his face by cuddling it close to Seto's neck. Seto just moved an arm around him and whispered: "Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen."

Joey's fears only got worse when they walked into the room and Joey had to sit down on the 'chair of torture', as he called it now. He seemed unable to fight the tears any longer and clearly was embarrassed by them. Joey just whiped them away with an angry expression on his face, while he was still shivering.

"It's okay," Seto whispered to him, "You're still my strong wolf, nothing is going to change that. Everyone is afraid of something."

"You're not." Joey mumbled and it was getting harder to understand him the way he shivered and cried.

"I am." Seto whispered, "I'm afraid to lose you."

They didn't have to wait long til the dentist walked in and the second he did, Joey nearly freaked. He could hardly breathe anymore and closed his eyes, trying to think of something else and imagine himself somewhere else. He completely ignored the dentist, who tried to calm him, telling him again and again that nothing was going to happen. Seto already had warned them beforehand that Joey was a bit afraid of the dentist but even he hadn't expected his fear to be this bad. To everyone's surprise he did open his mouth though without complaining, but he shivered so badly that the dentist couldn't have done anything if his life depended on it.

After that, the dentist just informed Joey that they still were doing some x-rays and then they would talk about what would need to be done. At that part Joey nearly fell off the chair, because he jumped a little and moved closer to Seto and away from the dentist. The dentist said he needn't worry because that won't happen today.

"I'm not going back here." Joey mumbled the second the dentist was gone and he and Seto followed one of the girls, so he could get x-rayed.

"We'll see." Seto whispered. "But don't worry, nothing is going to happen today. And I wouldn't let anyone hurt you."

"Quit babying me." Joey mumbled and let go of Seto's hand. Seto could see that he really hated feeling weak or less manly but just couldn't fight this overwhelming fear and Seto wished he knew why he was this terrified.

But Joey refused to ever talk about the feelings he had all those years ago. The same feelings that he remembered and that made him shiver in fear, while the dentist had been in the room. He would only feel worse if Seto knew how weak, defenceless and vulnerable he felt in here. It was embarrassing enough as it was already.

Joey didn't want Seto to baby him too much and tried to go through the rest on his own. After all getting x-rayed wasn't so bad and as long as he didn't need to open his mouth again, he should be fine. But no matter how often he thought about this himself, the smells and sounds around him still made him shiver. He just couldn't run from that fear, no matter what he tried.

After the x-rays, Joey and Seto were led back to the torture room but Joey refused to sit down there for a second. The dentist had said he wouldn't do anything and Joey didn't see a reason to bother sitting down there again. He just wanted to get out as fast as he could.

After a short while the dentist came in and Joey instinctively pressed himself as close as he could to Seto, who put his arms around him.

"Don't worry, Mr. Wheeler, but we need to do something." Joey had to fight the tears again but once more didn't have a chance and angrily wiped them away as soon as the came. "But I could give over you to do it under general anaesthesia. So you'll be sleeping the whole time and won't feel a thing. You'll just get a little injection and then you sleep and when you wake up everything will be over."

"Really?" Joey asked suspicious. He wouldn't have any control over the situation either but at least he wouldn't feel anything. No pain, no feeling of helplessness, just a peaceful sleep. That sounded great. "Okay." Joey said without thinking about it any longer. Nothing could be worse than having to sit on that chair again and actually be asleep.

"Great, then we´ll make a special appointment for that, there should be one soon. Just ask at the front for it." The dentist said and Joey grabbed Seto's hand and just about managed to say bye to the dentist before he fled the room.

"Told you nothing would happen." Seto said and hugged his little wolf. He was still shivering but at least he didn't look like he was cornered by a bunch of lions anymore.

Seto had to do the talking once more, while Joey stood at the door, ready to leave as soon as Seto had organized an appointment and gotten papers that Joey would have to sign. He´d gladly do it, if it meant that he could get around another painful visit at the torture master.

Joey was glad when he could finally walk out of that house of torture and asked: "Did you know they could do that here? I mean, let me sleep through it all?"

"Yes." Seto said. "That's why I chose this dentist. They´re supposed to be good with people that are afraid, because they can do that here. I didn't tell you right away because I wasn't sure if your fear was bad enough to make you choose it or if you would prefer to know what's going on."

"The less I know, the better." Joey mumbled and was just glad when he was in the limousine and the distance to that torturous place was growing again.

During the next few days even the kids noticed that Joey was a little unsettled. He couldn't sit still for long, because he was still nervous about what was going to happen. He didn't even fill out the papers. He just signed them and left it to Seto to write everything down, even though he did ask Joey a few things he hadn't known for sure, like if he ever had a general anaesthetic before.

Seth was the one who, on the evening before the dentist appointment would be, asked Seto: "What's wrong with dad? He's been strange for days but today it's even worse."

"He's a little nervous." Seto said. "He has to do something tomorrow that he's a little afraid of."

"Liar," Jaden said. "Dad's never afraid."

"Everyone is afraid of something." Seto said, glad that Joey wasn't in the room and brought Joe-Joe to bed. He would be upset, he knew that Joey told the twins that he was afraid of something but Seto wanted them to understand why Joey was strange and Jaden to see that it wasn't embarrassing to fear something. "And if he wasn't afraid, how could he be brave? Bravery means to overcome your fears and Joey is going through what he fears the most and doing everything he needs to do. And that's what makes your dad brave. Not running around, fighting off goons, that he can fight with so much ease that he's still bored. It's facing his fear what makes him really brave."

"I agree." Seth said.

"Yeah, maybe." Jaden said, before adding with more excitement: "But fighting off goons and still be bored is what makes him cool and really strong."

Seto smiled. "Yes, it does. But do me a favour and don't talk to your dad about it. He doesn't like being afraid or that anyone knows about it. And go easy on him tomorrow. He'll be really sleepy then and probably a bit fuzzy."

"If he doesn't want you to tell us." Seth said and had a scary death glare on Seto. "Then you shouldn't have told us."

"Go easy on him, bro." Jaden said grinning. "He loves dad, I bet it's fine."

"Still." Seth said. "It isn't right to tell such things, if dad didn't want him to."

Seto gave a sigh. He had gotten much closer to Joe-Joe and Jaden since they adopted them. But Seth was still closest to Joey and a bit distant towards Seto. "I love him, Seth." Seto said and tried to sound as genuine about it as he truly felt "But I love you two as well and think about it Seth, don't you agree that Jaden needs to see that being scared doesn't mean that you need to be embarrassed about it?" Seto saw the boy thinking about it and gave him a moment, before he added: "And I know that for Joey you three come first, too. He'll understand and will forgive me, even if you tell him that I told you."

Seto could still see that Seth wasn't happy about doing something that might upset Joey, but Seto hoped that his words had at least saved him from an attack of the little genius in the house.

During the next night neither Joey nor Seto got a lot of sleep, because Joey was moving around restlessly all the time. He just woke up again a few times and Seto held him and tried to comfort him, so he could fall asleep again. "It's all your fault." Joey mumbled once during the night, just half asleep.

"What is and why?" Seto asked, Joey had agreed to go there the next day but Seto knew that he had started it all. But someone had to get his little wolf to go there.

"I'm scared and it's all your fault that it's this bad." Joey mumbled. "You turned me into a crying and scared little puppy."

"I wish." Seto said with a smile. "No one could turn you into a puppy my little wolf. Your much too brave."

"Where?" Joey asked and looked up into his dragons eyes.

"You went into that room and you opened your mouth, even though you´re afraid. That's brave, my love. You faced your fear and you´ll do it again tomorrow. And I'm really proud of you. And anyway, it is just the dentist that you're afraid of. You´re not scared of anything else and always fight and you're strong. If you were a puppy, you wouldn't be able to be the dragon rider in the house."

Joey chuckled a little after hearing that. Ever since Joey had talked to Seto about the book Eragon, Seto had started to call Joey his dragon rider when they were alone and in bed. Joey cuddled closer to him and said: "Thanks for cheering me up. I owe you a treat for that."

"Now it's me who gets the treats?"

"You´ll see." Seto said. "Only a wolf can talk about giving a dragon a treat, instead of trying to get one from his dragon."

Joey chuckled again a little, before he fell into a more peaceful sleep, glad that he had his dragon by his side.

The next morning his fears were taking most of that comfort but the knowledge that he would sleep through it all was a great help. He walked in on his own and talked to the guy who gave him anaesthetic, who told him that he would feel a little mushy afterwards and that he wasn't allowed to go out into the street for the next 24 hours. He put a needle into his hand and then applied the anaesthetic. He asked Joey a bit but Joey could hardly answer, he already felt a little strange. After answering two questions, feeling more and more fuzzy in the head, he mumbled one last "This feels cool." Before he looked into the light above him one last time and fell asleep.

The next thing he remembered was someone helping him to walk over a small hallway and lay down onto a nice couch. Moments later he heard Seto's voice. "How is he?"

"He's fine. But he needs to rest for a while before he can go home." Someone else said. Joey couldn't recognise the voice and still felt funny.

"I'm hungry." He mumbled, as soon as he felt Seto's hand on his hair.

"Half an hour before he can eat something. "A third voice said. Another one that Joey couldn't recognise but he didn't care. His head was swirling and his lip felt strange but he didn't really care, as long as his dragon had his hand in his hair.

"There is some water." Seto mumbled.

"Better than nothing." Joey mumbled and stretched his hand out, noticing that the needle was still in there.

"It's for gurgling his mouth and cleaning it again." One of the strange voices said but Joey didn't give a damn. He was starving and something had to go into his stomach, even if it was just a bit of water. "There is a bucket where he can spit it in."

"You're not supposed to drink it." Seto said but was already too late. The second Joey had the little plastic cup in his hand, he drank.

"I don't care." He mumbled once it was empty. "I'm starving here."

"You do realise that most people feel a little sick after this?" Seto asked. "You slept for over an hour."

"Hungry." He mumbled but his eyes fluttered close and he noticed that he indeed was feeling a bit funny. Maybe it was too soon to drink but he was still starving. "I wanna go home, my dragon."

"In a little while, my big strong wolf." Seto said and Joey still felt him ruffle his hair. He wasn't sure how long he kept doing that but enjoyed the feeling for a while, before he slowly set up and cuddled against Seto. His stomach was feeling even more strange and he knew that he might throw up if he ate or drank any more but he still was hungry, too. It really was a strange feeling. After a while he really got sick and all the water came back up and ended in the bucket. Seto held him a little while, he threw up and felt even more embarrassed but was just done and mumbled again. "I'm hungry."

"You just threw up." Seto stated surprised.

"Gees, thanks for stating the obvious." Joey mumbled. "And guess what, now my tummy is empty again." He hadn't been allowed to eat for 6 hours before he got there and even though it was early in the morning and he only had to skip breakfast, he still was starving now. He had never felt this hungry before.

"You're a strange little creature, my wolf." Seto said and Joey felt his lips on his neck and cuddled closer for a moment, before he lay down again sleepily.

"How is he doing?" Joey heard someone asking after another while. "Is he still sleeping?"

"He sat down a moment ago and was a bit sick." Joey heard Seto say.

"I'm fine. I wanna go home." Joey said, eager to get away from the dentist that probably was lurking somewhere to torture him some more.

"You still have a needle in you." Seto pointed out the obvious once more.

"Then get it out." Joey said. "Problem solved."

"You might still need it." The stranger said and Joey noticed that it must be the nice anaesthetic guy that had let him sleep through the torture.

"I wanna go home." Joey mumbled.

"Not until you can stand and walk." The guy said.

He didn't need to say that twice. Joey sat up and was on his feet in the next second. He hardly felt his feet but he wanted to get out, no matter how much his body was still moving back and forth. "He felt Seto's hands on one arm and the hands of the antistatic guy on the other arm to steady him, just before he fell back. "You see, I´m standing. Now let me out of here."

Joey saw him looking to Seto and hoped his dragon would be on his side. "Fine." Joey heard him saying and smiled, feeling once more that the top left side of his lip felt more than just strange. It felt strangely numb. He saw a bit of a white cotton roll pressed where the needle went into his hand and heard the other saying: "Press that down for about 5 minutes."

"Fine, just let me out of here." Joey mumbled again.

Joey felt Seto walking with him to the front and then making another appointment. "No, I'm done." Joey complained.

"I´ll explain later, my love, don't worry. Nothing is going to happen." Seto said, trying to comfort the blond, who walked like he had a few drinks too many. "Let's go home now."

Joey saw that he got two drugs from the girl sitting there but was glad when Seto finally led him outside of the building. Seto walked with Joey to the limousine that was waiting for them and Joey cuddled against him, mumbling once that he was sick on the way back but a few times that he was hungry.

Once he was back home, Seto guided him to their big bed and Joey fell on it and slept in peace. His worries gone for now and he still felt fuzzy. By the time he woke up again with a growl in his stomach, he heard the voice of his little Seth. "Is he really fine?"

"I'm starving." Joey mumbled.

"I´ll get you food, daddy." Joe-Joe said.

"Wait Joe-Joe, you're too small. I´ll help you." Jaden said.

"Can he eat already?" came Seth's worried voice, once his siblings had left the room.

"The doctor said he could and he was hungry for a while now. I just hope he won't get sick again." Joey heard Seto explaining and sat up.

"I'm great." He said. "Don't worry, kiddo." Joey smiled at his little son and was disgusted, once he saw what the other kids brought him up. "Man, I need more than a bit of soup."

"Go easy at the start. You'll get more if that stays down." Seto said with a smile.

"You'll get me more, won't you?" Joey asked Seth but already started to eat the soup, too hungry to wait for more.

"No." Seth said. "Paps is right."

Joey stared at the child, he had never called Seto paps before. Josephine and Jaden did already adore him, just as much as they adored him, especially Joe-Joe loved him for all the nice presents she got from him and cuddled against him again, as soon as she was back from getting the soup.

"Since when do you two agree on something?" Joey asked but smiled at the boy. He was glad that Seth was warming up to Seto as well. So far he only adored Joey and was very protective about him.

"Since today, I guess." Seth said. "He is right and you need to take it slow now and I guess he knows better what's good for you than you do."

"Oh great." Joey mumbled, "Now my kid is babying me."

"Only till you're better, dad." Seth said.

"I'm great." Joey said loudly, followed by an "ahh." And moved his hand to his lip and looked at Seto. The numb feeling was fading and it felt a bit funny when he had said that last part. Like something was pulling on his lip, or rather right behind it.

"Yes about that." Seto said. "That's why you need to go back, he wants to look at the stitches. I don't know why you have them but I guess one tooth was a bit too bad. The infection in the nerve wasn't treated for too long."

"Stitches?" Jaden asked with a laugh. "Is daddy a shirt that needed to be fixed?"

"Very funny." Joey said. "Don't tell me he needs to get the stitches out again, and what the hell did he cut me open for anyway?"

"Of course he'll need to take them out." Seth said. "I assume they'll stay for a week at least though."

"We´ll ask him tomorrow." Seto said.

"Only if I go." Joey mumbled.

"Don't tell me you really are scared, daddy?" Jaden asked shocked. No matter what his paps had said, he hadn't believed it possible that his dad could be scared of anything.

"Everyone is scared of something." Seto said. "I told you that, but Joey still was as brave as a wolf and I know he'll be just as brave tomorrow and when the stitches are removed."

"Sure I'll go." Joey mumbled, now that he was forced to go. "But you're in heaps of trouble, dragon." He was sure that Seto only told them to force him to go to the dentist. He could never bare to look this afraid in front of his little Jaden.

"Why?" Seto asked.

"You know why." Joey said. He was sure that Seto could guess why he was upset at him. He had already talked about this with the kids and he now used their knowledge to force Joey to go to the dentist.

Seto smiled at him and said: "And I know you'll forgive me. You still owe me a treat, remember?"

"I had a better one in mind." Joey said and eyed the kids for a moment. He would have to be a bit cryptic now but hoped that Seto would still get what he meant. "I don't think I'm up to the task of playing Eragon."

Seto stared at his wolf, while Jaden and Joe-Joe looked confused and even Seth seemed to ponder about the meaning. "Do you mean a treat that you're too sleepy to fight, or is this the heaps of trouble I'm in?" Seto asked, still unsure if that meant what he hoped or that he wasn't going to get anything for at least one night? Which would be bearable. Since they have three kids in the house, they hardly have some grown up play time with each other anyway.

"Don't know yet." Joey said. "That depends on what kind of food I get. I'm starving."

"You get whatever you want and as much as you want." Seto promised. "As long as you forgive me."

Joey gave him another kiss and then mumbled "Then I treat you, I guess."

"What treat are you talking about?" Jaden asked curious.

"I don't know brother but I have a feeling that you don't want to know." Seth said, hoping that he had misunderstood his new parents. He wasn't sure what that was about but he had a feeling that it had something to do with sex. And he sure as hell didn't want to know about them doing that.

Joey couldn't believe it when he looked into the mirror. He looked like someone had been capable of giving him a black eye. "Stupid dentist." He mumbled while Seto walked up behind him.

"Are you alright? That looks painful." He said after one look at his swollen cheek and the slightly blue line under his eye.

"It's hell." Joey mumbled. "Do you have any idea what people will think when they see me? They'll think I got beaten up, that's what they'll think."

"Is that the only problem?" Seto asked astonished. How could this man be afraid of pain at the dentist, when he clearly didn't care about the pain that he must have from the infection he clearly had gotten? Seto just hoped that it wouldn't get any worse. The swelling had started the previous morning. Two days after the appointment, where Joey had gotten those stitches. The morning the dentist had checked on him, he was fine and now he hadn't gotten anything against an infection. "I'm going to bring you to the dentist to have a look at you."

"Nah." Joey said. "I bet it's not as bad, I mean I'm absolutely fine. It doesn't even hurt."

"Have you looked into the mirror?" Seto asked. "It was only slightly swollen yesterday and now you're eye is getting discoloured. You need to be checked out."

"Overprotective fool." Joey mumbled. He knew that Seto had a point but he really didn't want to go. It was Saturday and Joey knew that Seto would probably not be able to bring him to the same dentist and now that Joey knew that he could sleep through the worst, he really didn't want to go to some other dentist. "I'm fine." He said again.

"Joey, you look terrible." Seto said again.

"How charming of you." Joey said and smiled at Seto, trying to persue him to leave him alone with his problem, but like every time he smiled, he felt the pulling of the stitches and stopped. It sort of hurt when he did that and he made a face. "Okay, I'm not going to another dentist. I'll survive the weekend without."

"Do I need to say to Jaden that you're afraid?" Seto asked.

"I'm not afraid." Joey said. "I'm lazy. I don't even feel a thing, so why should I go? It isn't nearly as bad as it looks, so chill out."

"How about we make a deal?" Seto offered. "I get my private doctor to have a look at it here? He can at least prescribe you some drugs against the infection."

"Fine." Joey mumbled upset but let Seto have that much, it might meant hat he didn't need to go to a dentist right after the weekend.

Less then an hour later a doctor was there and said, just like Joey thought he would, that it was normal to have a bit of an infection after such a treatment but got some drugs prescribed to help with the infection.

Joey was more than happy that Seto got them for him and he could start using them right away, hoping that the infection was gone by Monday. During the weekend, Joey noticed that Seto was really protective and wouldn't leave his side for a second. It was sort of annoying but at least he didn't baby him otherwise and Joey could play a bit with the kids in the garden.

He was even more happy when by Monday morning most of the swelling was gone. He felt much better now that he didn't looked like someone had beaten him up.

The only thing that was still troubling him greatly, was that the annoying stitches were pulling whenever he smiled, talked or laughed and he had a really strange feeling there. Even when he kissed Seto, he could feel it and it was annoyingly distracting. He wished dearly that it would just be over with and the strange feeling gone for good.

On Friday Seto went back to the dentist with Joey, who was feeling a bit less afraid, now that he knew that the worst was over. He couldn't find a single hole in his teeth and the infection was gone completely. The only thing that needed to be done was getting rid of those annoying stitches and after being in a gang in his teens, he knew that removing those was nothing much.

But still, the second he entered the building, he could smell the same things he had on the day it had hurt so bad. And once he was out of the waiting room and sitting in that stupid chair, his heart started to race. He felt stupid that his body reacted that way to the familiar surroundings, even though he knew nothing bad was going to happen. Joey knew that the dentist wouldn't need to drill or anything but still the second the dentist walked in, Joey had to fight tears again and while the stupid annoying dentist was looking inside of his mouth, Joey already had to focus on his breathing. He didn't want to look all scared, while he knew that it was ridiculous himself. The dentist put some spray on the stitches, to slightly numb the area not as fully as with an injection but enough for Joey to feel the change soon. Once that was done, he cleaned it off again and removed the stitches very carefully. Joey hardly felt the pulling and was glad that the dentist had numbed it, even though he knew that it was nothing much anyway. Joey was also very happy that the dentist was a fast worker and within less than two minutes he was done and he told Joey to come back in three months, to make sure that everything had healed well and the bone was reconstructed, because the dentist had needed to cut into the bones of his upper jaw, to work on the nerve there. But at least he could leave. He was in such a hurry to get out of there, once the dentist was done explaining that, that he didn't even notice that his mobile phone had fallen out of his pocket and was still lying on the chair. Seto picked it up for him and was grinning. "Are you in a hurry, my love?"

Joey just gave him an angry look and said: "Just shut it or you're not getting any, never mind another treat."

"I won't even dream of getting that again." Seto said with a loving smile, "No matter how much I enjoyed being on top, I bet you won't let it happen again soon."

"Probably at around the time where pigs fly, especially with such talk about me being in a hurry to get out of here." Joey said with a slight blush. He was still embarrassed by the fact that he was afraid of the dentist but it just couldn't be helped.

Seto might have been nice and supportive, while Joey was still terrified but now he was grinning and making jokes throughout the day. It was really annoying but to Joey's big pleasure that only lasted for two days. And on the third Seto was hardly eating and holding a hand on his right cheek more often than not. Joey watched that for another day, noticing how restless Seto was, even throughout the night and how many pain killers he started to take.

Joey waited till the next evening, during dinner where the kids would be present, until he said: "By the way Seto, when was your last visit at the dentist?" Joey will never forget the terrified look on Seto's face or Seth's amused tone, when he said: "And don't forget pap's, it isn't embarrassing to be afraid, as long as you're bravely facing your fears."

"I'm not scared." Seto said. "I simply don't need to go."

"Great." Joey said. "I bet then you won't mind that I got an appointment for a check up for you tomorrow?"

"No can do." Seto said with a superior tone. "I´ve got a business meeting."

"At five, I know." Joey said with a wicked grin on his face "But the dentist opens till eight for people that are working till later and I got one for you shortly before that, after all I know your schedule. So there is nothing stopping you from going."

Of course Joey would be there for him for the next few days but he sure as hell will also drop some comments right after, just like Seto had done. After Seto was feeling better again, he still owed him for helping him through this and he would never forget that, but it was just too much fun to mess with Seto to not use this, just like he did. They would always enjoy their fights, but they would also always love each other.

And thanks to everyone who's still reading this.