Joey scanned the auditorium as he entered to see if he could spot him but either he hadn't gotten there yet or he was hiding somewhere, because he wasn't anywhere visible. He walked across the back of the room and then down to the stage as the teacher tried to get everyone to sit down and listen. As he passed the emergency exit a pair of hands grabbed him and pulled him through the door.

"I don't want to be seen talking to you so hurry up," Kaiba said pushing him against the wall. Joey winced as he hit the wall hard and pushed him away.

"Calm down. What's your problem?"

"Nothing, what's yours?"

"This." Joey held out his copy of the new ending scene. "What happened? One minute I'm freaking out and the next you are. Right after you gave me the whole ' I'm just trying to respect the writer' speech. Now I know you wouldn't just..."

"It's none of your business why I do anything so just leave it alone. And I don't want you talking to my brother anymore." He opened the door and went back inside. Joey sighed and followed a few minutes later. He was getting tired of all this but he wasn't about to give up. He noticed that everyone had gathered on the stage and were setting up for the first scene. He walked over to the teacher, who was telling two of the kids where she wanted them to stand. She looked up at Joey as he approached.

"Can I talk to you a minute?" he asked. His friends stopped what they were doing and watched as the two of them walked away from the group a bit and Joey lowered his voice. "It's about the last scene," he started. She took a deep breath.

"I already changed it," she said. "Didn't you get your paper?"

"Yeah, yeah. That's what I want to talk about. I don't know what Kaiba told you but we're not changing it." She gave him an annoyed look.

"You guys can't just keep changing your minds. I know it only involves the two of you but I need to know what to expect and what to set up for. So make a final decision?" Joey looked at Kaiba who was reading again in a corner away from everyone.

"We won't change it again." She gave in reluctantly.

"Fine." She raised her voice. "Class, there's been another change." She walked over to the stage so they could hear her better. "Throw out the papers I passed out today. We're keeping it the way it was." Yugi's eyes widened knowing what that meant and he looked at Joey for confirmation but Joey was watching Kaiba for a reaction, which he didn't seem to have. He just kept reading his book as if nothing had happened. Joey shook his head and hopped on the stage with the others. Yugi went over to him.

"Joey, what's going on? I thought you didn't want to kiss Kaiba," he glanced at Kaiba and lowered his voice when he said the name. Joey just shrugged.

"Forget about it Yug'. It's not about what I want anymore." He walked over to Tristan and Duke who were laughing at the shape of one of the forest trees.

--------------

Kaiba didn't look up as the teacher made her announcement that the play was changing back but he couldn't help the anger that grew inside at the words. What was the mutt doing? He'd told him to stay out of it and now...he'd gone and done the opposite. He wasn't very smart for someone who knew exactly what Kaiba was capable of. But there was nothing Kaiba could do about it right now.

One Week Later

"If you will help keep house for us, cook, clean, wash, sew, and keep everything orderly, then you can stay with us and have everything that you want."

"Yes," Joey responded sounding grateful. "I'll keep house for you. I'll do it with all the thankfulness in my heart." The lights faded in that section of the stage and lit up another. Kaiba watched the rehearsal from the back row, waiting impatiently for the final bell to ring.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the fairest of them all?" Yugi asked standing before the piece of glass that covered up Ryou.

"You, my queen, are fair it's true, but Snow White is a thousand times fairer then you," Ryou delivered his line. Kaiba glanced at the clock on the back wall wondering how much longer he would have to submit to this. ' Who's stupid idea was this anyway?' Already knowing the answer didn't stop him from thinking it. The teacher had decided at the beginning of the week that it'd be easier to do the dress rehearsals at the end of the day just in case it took longer then it was planned for. His only comfort sitting there was knowing that the last scene would never be rehearsed. After failing at convincing the teacher to switch it back again, he'd managed to get her to agree to letting the rehearsals be up to them. Her only condition had been that they stay after one day before the play to show her that they weren't going to ruin the play. Kaiba had agreed reluctantly.

"Snow White shall..." Yugi lowered his voice so the next word was inaudible and then raised it again. "...Even if it costs me my life."

"Yugi. I need you to have more feeling in your words. You're supposed to hate this girl with ever fiber of your being. And project EVERY word," the teacher instructed from the front row. Yugi pouted and crossed the stage to the fake house in the woods. He was dressed in an old cloak and carried with him a basket of apples. Kaiba smirked. Even though he wasn't happy about the way things had ended up, he found amusement in the fact that he wasn't the only one who was uncomfortable. Seeing Yugi play a role that seemed to 'hurt' him, if that's the right word for it, gave him a sick kinda pleasure. That and seeing Joey dress and act like a girl. Joey was seated in a chair by the front window, looking out while Yugi knocked lightly on the door.

"I'm not allowed to let anyone in. The dwarves forbid it," Joey responded to the knock. Kaiba's smirk faded. Seeing Joey wasn't even that amusing anymore because Joey was actually pretty good when he stopped complaining and concentrated. And even Kaiba wouldn't spite a good actor. He'd actually even developed an admiration for him. He'd never seen the blonde have so much heart, especially since he didn't like the part he was playing.

"That is alright with me. I'll easily get rid of my apples. Here, I'll give you one." Yugi went to put the apple down in front of the door but withdrew when Joey spoke.

"No. I can not accept anything." Kaiba stood up and exited through a back door.

"What? Are you afraid of poison? I'll eat one half and you can have the other. I just want you to taste the perfection of these beautiful apples I've grown." Joey stood up as the door closed behind Kaiba. There hadn't been one word spoken between the two of them since he'd changed the play back. Not even a derogatory comment or dog reference. He was still trying to decide whether that was good or bad. He knew Kaiba had made some deal with the teacher about the rehearsals but he didn't know what and he was running out of time to find out.

"Joey?" Yugi asked concerned. The bell rang before Joey could reply and the teacher dismissed them all, saying they'd finish up tomorrow. Kids all around him scrambled to get their costumes off and gather their books for the walk home.

"I'll catch ya later Yug'," Joey said hopping off the stage and heading toward the door Kaiba had used.

"Joey! Your..." Yugi was too late, "cos...tume..." Joey was already out the door.

"Kaiba!" Joey called watching the brunette get sucked into the crowd. He kept sight of him and sped up, not even aware of the strange stares he was getting from kids not in his class. "Hey Kaiba! Wait a minute!" he yelled as he got closer. Kaiba pretended not to hear him. Joey finally caught up and grabbed his arm. "I said wait," Joey said sternly.

"I heard you," Kaiba returned giving Joey's hand a look that could kill an army. Joey released him immediately.

"We need to talk," he said.

"About what?"

"About the play."

"I'm busy," Kaiba said starting to move away from him. Joey grabbed his arm again, this time not letting go.

"I know but I just need a minute." Kaiba shook free of the hand and crossed his arms, facing him.

"Talk," he said in an orderly tone.

"What are we doing?"

"What do you mean? I thought you were in control."

"I only did what you were afraid to. I know it's what you wanted."

"How could you know what I want?"

"A, because you told me," Joey said a little rudely. "I respected your decision to value the author's work. I thought it was noble. What changed?"

"I don't have time for this," Kaiba started away again. Joey followed.

"You can either accept that we're doing this and give it your best or be angry and immature about it. Either way, in three days...we're on. And you better have a better line then, ' I don't have time for this.'" Joey stopped the pursuit, saying what he'd needed to and leaving Kaiba with his own thoughts. Kaiba chose to ignore him at the moment and just continue on. He wasn't ready to confront his fears yet. He wasn't sure if he ever would be.