Joey sat down on his bed and dumped the contents of the backpack Kaiba had given him. Three large binders toppled out. Joey sighed, knowing how much extra work Kaiba had dumped on him. He opened up the first binder, writing notes as his skimmed along looking for numbers. When he finished, about three hours later, Joey had taken two and a half pages of number notes. He had major calculations ahead of him thanks to his dickbag partner.

A numbing sensation swooned through Joey's head so he laid back, taking deep breaths to relax himself. Despite his pounding temples, he thought about taking a well deserved nap. Ten, deep breath, nine, deep breath, eight, deep breath, seven, deep breath- three sudden bangs came to the door. Joey got up quickly propelling himself to the door. He opened it to see his father.

"Your friends need to stop calling here. I'm sick of answering this God-damn..." Joey's father slipped into incoherent mumbling as he handed the phone off to his son.

"Hello?" Joey scratched the back of his head.

"How's our assignment?"Joey heard Kaiba asked in low gravely voice.

"Got through the first of three binders and..." Joey picked up his notes and continued "I have two pages of number notes"

Kaiba sighed. "Well, you're going to be hopping into a car that's waiting outside your apartment right now so I can double check all of your work."

Joey grumbled as he heard the other end go silent and his phone began to beep. "Asshole..."

.

Ryou held up a pair of straight leg pants, "Are these alright?"

Duke slapped his forehead in disappointment, "No Ryou, you go baggy to look manly and skinny to look sexy. And sadly, skinny jeans just make you look like a chick, so we must go manly."

Ryou sighed and looked at the clock. He'd only been there for five minutes and he already wished that he brought his picture of his mother for comfort during these trying times. Usually by channeling the picture, he could get an idea of what his mother wished for him to do or what she would have wanted him to wear. Suddenly a hand connected with the back of his head.

"Get your head out of the clouds and your ass into the dressing room!" Duke shoved him in the direction of the men's dressing room.

"How many," the man behind the dressing room counter said.

Ryou turned to count the clothing items in Dukes arms, "Oh! One, two, three...-"

"Seven items," Duke said quickly grabbing a number and shoving a helpless Ryou into an open and empty dressing room.

"Time to get you in style," he said. His eyes looked possessed with lust. His wandering hands found their way to the bottom of Ryou's shirt. Ryou squeaked as Duke's long fingers lifted up his shirt up over his head. Hands still trapped by the fabric, Ryou let out a gasp. "Do you want it?" Duke asked in almost a whisper, "Do you want them all?" Duke's tongue flickered under Ryou's ear.

"Ah!" Ryou winced as he felt the shadow of Duke's tongue. With the release of the trapped air in his chest he let out a soft moan that only Duke could hear. "Yes, give it all to me."

Duke pulled off Ryou's shirt and went to work on his style.

.

Kaiba led Joey to the study. A fireplace, a cherry wood desk, oriental rug, creepy paintings- Why does every house that isn't his look haunted to him? Well, Yugi's house was nice an cozy and lived in. But Kaiba's stuff... who decorated? The Addam's family?

"Sit down. I'll go get us some snacks."

Joey nodded and sat down. He pulled out the necessary items from the backpacks to continue his assignment. So much math, Joey thought. He continued working despite the dauntingly large numbers on his paper.

Joey looked up at the clock. It does not take twenty minutes to get tea.

Joey rolled his eyes. He got up from Kaiba's desk. He took a deep breath before going to the door; the corner of which caught his foot and he began to fall. It was only about halfway through the fall that Joey noticed that Kaiba was right in front of him. A large crash, spilt tea, crackers and cheese everywhere; and the biggest shock of all was the Goddess of Luck not being around to bless Joey with her grace once more.

Joey immediately pushed himself off of Kaiba. Joey rubbed his mouth with the vigor of a child. Kaiba stood up.

"Shi-"

"Go," Kaiba said in a dark tone.

Joey went to collect his things but two guards stopped him in his tracks.

"What gives? I just want-"

"Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave the property as Mr. Kaiba has just demanded that you leave the property at once."

"But my stuff."

"Mr. Kaiba will return your things at a later date."

"Tsk," Joey turned and exited Kaiba's mansion as quickly as he could. As he reached the outer gates a driver offered him a ride home but he turned them down. He didn't want a Kaiba handout. Not after the bullshit he just pulled. A breath escaped the depths of his chest. He had a long walk ahead of him.

.

On his way home he saw Ryou and Duke standing outside the mall. Oh crap, Joey thought. He veered to the left but out of the corner of his eye he could see Ryou and Duke running up to him waving their arms. Ryou tripped and nearly fell in the middle of the crosswalk. Joey gave up on the idea that they would leave him alone if he just kept walking. There was no way out of it.

"Hey," Joey turned and gave a weak and stilted wave towards the two boys running after him.

"Hey Joey!" Duke said, "What a great time to see you, me and Ryou were just talking about you." Duke gave his hair a twirl.

Ryou finally caught up to Duke. He was breathing heavily. "How do you keep these pants up anyway?"

Joey gave Ryou a weird look but looking down he saw Ryou's pants. They were sagging nearly down to his knees. It wasn't his style at all.

"Got a girl you are trying to impress?" Joey said with a chuckle hanging in the back of his throat.

"Something like that," Ryou blushed and turned away shyly.

"I don't see why you would have any issues getting girls but, if you want to change up your style..."

Duke slapped Joey on his back, "So when you coming by for more lessons?"

"Ugh..." Joey began to sputter. He wanted to say 'never'. But, somehow, Joey knew Duke wouldn't take that for an answer.

"How about now? You got time right Ryou?" Duke said looking over his shoulder.

"Yeah! That sounds great! If it is alright with you Joey," Ryou said with a chipper smile.

Joey looked to either side of him.

"I'll take that as a yes! So lets all go to Ryou's!" Duke said grabbing Joey's arm and pulling him in the direction of Ryou's house.