Author's Note: I just had surgery, but don't worry, I'm not dead. Thanks for helping me get this off the ground.

I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or any of the characters in this fanfiction.

There had been a fiery discussion on whether or not Joey would be wearing women's clothes as his casual attire back at the mansion. It was the first argument Seto had lost, although he felt like he had actually just given it to Joey, as the blonde had said that if he were made to wear women's clothes, Seto would BE a women by the next morning.

And the brunette did not like the sound of that. So he felt, that in order for his relationship to improve and for him to be able to enjoy it, he would give the argument to Joey.

At that moment, Joey was throwing the clothes down onto the bed as he stepped into the guest bedroom that he used. Most of them tumbled out onto the bed covers but Joey was more preoccupied to notice, and frankly, he didn't mind his clothes being on the bed, in the drawer or on the floor. If they were in reach, what did it matter?

He flipped out his cellphone, flicking it open with his thumb. Earlier that week he'd promise to go down to the gamestore and meet up with Yugi and Yami. He'd call down there, speak with Yugi and get a time to head over.

But as he pressed the memorized number into the buttons, a voice grasped his attention from the doorway, "Hey, mutt."

Joey turned to give Seto a nasty look while placing the phone to his ear, "I don' have time for ya, Moneybags."

"Make time," Seto replied calmly. He walked into the room, unfolding his arms from in front of his chest. "I have something I need to talk to you about, so hang up the phone."

"Can it wait a minute, Moneybags?" Joey hissed, already listening to the third ring in his ear. What's HIS PROBLEM? He'd never get off da phone for me! And as Seto neared him, he stumbled to back up and keep the phone in his possesion, "I said wait!"

"Hello-" A small, soft voice answered in the phone, cut off when Seto snapped it shut and threw it over into the pile of clothes laying on the bed with surprisingly good aim for a business man. An aim one could never possibly gain from spending all day in the office.

From the shock of having his cellular speaking device ripped from his grip and thrown almost square across the room, it took Joey several seconds to react so in the time he was processing he wore a stupidly stunned face.

"SETO KAIBA! What th'HELL was dat for?-!" He finally shouted, his eyes burning with furious fire. "Don' go takin' things from m'hands like dat, who do ya think ya are?" The words were less of a question and more of an accusation. In his blind anger, Joey thrust out one hand to shove Seto to the side so he could once again, try to call Yugi.

"Joey."

The blonde grunted as he was pushed up against the wall quickly but with a restrained force; Seto didn't quite want to hurt him. Yet. I thought that this conversation would be hard, but just getting this dog to speak to me is a hard trick to teach. Seto tightened his grip on each of Joey's arms, his fingers rubbing against the soft fabric of the blonde's newly acquired T-shirt.

"Calm down," Seto ordered simply, making eye contact that Joey didn't quite want to keep, "If you can't listen to the Master of the house, you'll get punished." And before Joey could utter a word of protest, Seto said, non-chalantly at the least, "Its about your dad."

The expression that Joey's face shifted into was one Seto almost couldn't even begin to describe, let alone capture. A terrified, shocked yet faintly sad glimmer washed over the honey brown eyes the brunette had been trying so hard to grasp and Joey, with a nervous hesitance, rubbed the back of his head. But the look that had flashed through his eyes was gone as fast as a snake bite. A sharp pain, quick and effortlessly obvious yet the aftermath is what kills.

"What about him? Did he come here?" Joey let out a small, yet desperate laugh as he gave an apologetic smile, "Ah, 'm so embarrassed." The anger had gone like a fast thunderstorm, but that didn't mean either of them were out into the clearing.

"No," Seto answered, "He didn't come here, he hasn't called. I wanted to ask you when you wanted to go get your things, your belongings, from his home."

"Its my home too..." Joey mumbled, slumping slightly against the wall in a gesture of being cornered. And once again, his eyes darted away, breaking eye contact. Fear and concern lined his features.

He still won't come close enough, Seto let a small frown adorn his features, "Its not your home anymore. Your home is here, with Mokuba and me. The faster it gets done, the more time you get to spend with your little clown gang."

Joey let his head hang barely, his eyes locked onto the ground. Seto had given him some room, so talking wouldn't be difficult. The brunette was taller, and the closer he got the blonde, the more he loomed over him. His back looked frail in the thin t-shirt, a skinny mutt, but his clenched fists gave away his hidden strength.

"I don' wan' to."

With a short blink, Seto demanded with a frustrated yet sharp, "What?"

Joey slammed himself away from the wall, shouting up into Seto's face, "I don' wan' to!" And he effectively used the surprised pause from the brunette to weave around him, grab his jacket and make his way out the door.

Fast walking his way to the open door, Seto yelled after the mutt, "Get back here! Joey Wheeler!" He watched the small back of the dog who had just bitten him disappear into the stair way. If he hadn't quickly yanked back his hand, and become agitated, would Joey still be here?

Like a stray dog, Seto had been feeding, taking care of and becoming attached to as though he were his own, Joey would retract and run away when he felt danger prickle across his skin. As much as Seto would hold out his hand, he couldn't quite get Joey to come close enough to collar him. To keep him.

My stray puppy has run away again.