Title: Sugar and Spice (5/7)

Author: Satanic Mechanic

Rating: PG-13

Pairing(s): Seto/Jou, slight Otogi/Honda

Beta: Jennie

Spoilers: None

Summary: A baking contest turns Domino High into a competitive frenzy.
What effect will this have on everyone's favorite CEO and a certain
underdog in the competition?

"What time do you have to be at Seto's tonight?"

"Um, 6:00, why?"

"I just got the greatest idea. Yami thinks it stupid but…" Jou heard Yugi trail of on the other end of the line, mumbling something as if he were talking to himself. "Come on! No one deserves to be alone on Christmas," Yugi whined, and although Jou wasn't there to see, he was almost positive that the boy was using his infamous puppy-dog eyes of doom.

"Uh, I never said they did," Jou replied, but Yugi seemed to be off in his own little world at the moment.

"Yeah, it's true he does have Mokuba…" Yugi sighed dramatically, "Look, I don't care if you think he's a stuck-up pompous ass…Yami! Don't be so vulgar!"

"Uh, Yugi? You still with me?"

"Oh sorry. It's Yami," Yugi sighed tiredly.

"Well, can't you just stuff him back in the puzzle or whatever if he's being a jerk?" Jou asked awkwardly. Not having first hand experience with spirit possession, he still found it odd to be having these types of conversations with his friend.

"I couldn't do that!" Yugi giggled. "Oh, and Yami says he heard that, too." Jou groaned.

………

"So, what do you get for the guy who already has everything?" Jou grumbled from his current position in the middle of Domino Mall. Yugi's brilliant plan was to buy Seto some Christmas presents, and say they were from the both of them. Otogi had been unknowingly roped into the whole thing when Yugi called him up for a ride, not explaining exactly what they were going to be doing at the mall.

"I still say a prostitute would be a good idea."

"Otogi!" Yugi choked on his hot cocoa.

"I'm just saying…it's obvious the guy needs to get laid."

"It has to be something that fits in his mailbox. There's no way I'm showing up on his doorstep with some scantily clad guy with a bow on his head," Jou snorted.

"Wait…what made you say guy? Is Kaiba gay?" Otogi's face lit up with amusement and curiosity.

"No!" Jou snapped, "I mean…I don't know! Why should I know? Who do you think I am? Instructor of Kaiba 101?" Jou spoke quickly, and Otogi raised his eyebrow at how defensive the blonde had suddenly become.

"Yeah…yeah it all makes sense. Kaiba's not an obsessive, totally anal, bitchy straight man…he's just gay!" Otogi explained. "Wow. That clears a lot of things up. Like that wardrobe for example; all those damned gaudy trench coats mixed with a pinch of bondage gear."

"What's wrong with bondage gear?" Yugi stammered.

Otogi rolled his eyes at the chain hanging around Yugi's neck and the various leather belts. "It's tacky."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure dice earrings are all the rage," Jou shot back, effectively defending Yugi's honor.

"Hey, let's go in here!" Otogi exclaimed as they passed a lingerie store, letting Jou's insult roll off with practiced ease.

"Why?" Jou raised an eyebrow as he looked at the displays in the windows; all female models wearing lacy barely there outfits that looked completely uncomfortable and unnecessary. The blonde was sure that if he ever had a girlfriend, he would never ask her to parade around in that stuff. It was totally not hot. And, just because that sort of thing didn't light his fire, it didn't mean that he was gay either, Jou reassured himself. He was just a considerate straight man. Yep. Chicks really dug that kind of thing too.

"They have some adult toys in here as well, and since you guys won't let me get him a prostitute, I want to get him the next best thing," Otogi explained, only to receive blank, and somewhat cautious, stares from Jou and Yugi. "A blow up doll!" Otogi exclaimed, rolling his eyes as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"Well…lord knows Kaiba is full of hot air," Jou trailed off and followed Otogi into the store.

………

Jou grunted as he tried to jam the six presents into the Kaiba Estate mailbox without ripping the bright red and gold wrapping. Sure, he could have just handed them to Seto when he went inside, but then that might give him the impression that the gifts were all Jou's idea, which they most certainly were not. It wasn't really that he didn't want Kaiba to think that he cared, because he had to agree with Yugi that no one deserved to be alone on Christmas. He really just did not want to be there when Kaiba unwrapped Yugi's present and promptly smashed it to pieces. He was sure the last thing Kaiba wanted was his greatest rival offering him sympathy.

"Jounouchi, what on earth are you doing?" Jou jumped as he heard a voice right next to his ear. Turning, he saw that there was a speaker connected the mailbox he was currently filling.

"Um…I was just doing…" As Jou tired to search for an answer, he noticed a small camera positioned on the top of the mailbox. He should have figured Kaiba would have cameras, even out here. Poor, paranoid bastard; was he afraid that even the mailman was out to get him? "You know….that thing."

"Mutt…just come inside…and bring the packages you were trying to sneak in. We have work to do," Seto sighed in annoyance.

Jou hung his head glumly at having been caught as he marched up the steps to the front door, where he was sure certain doom awaited him. "Here." Jou shoved the six boxes in Seto's face when he opened the door before he could say anything; each stacked on top of one another. When Seto stood there staring at him like Jou had just asked him to do the Macarena. Jou groaned. "It's not a bomb, okay? Just take it!" Seto took the packages in his hands and narrowed his eyes as he read the tags.

"What is the meaning of this?" Seto asked, his voice darkening as he saw not only Jou's name, but he greatest rival and…the creator of Dungeon Dice Monsters?

"It's something called a Christmas present. Actually, it's six Christmas presents; three for you and three for Mokuba, in case you couldn't figure that part out," Jou explained, slightly annoyed. He realized that Kaiba was probably not used to receiving these sorts of things from anyone other than Mokuba, so it was natural for him to be a bit skeptical. It was also natural for him to be an all around ass to Jou, and he had been expecting this response from the get-go.

"Why are you giving these to me?"

"You know…me, Yugi and Otogi had nothing better to do after the parade…so yeah, enjoy," Jou bluffed; Kaiba didn't have to know that it was all part of Yugi's elaborate scheme to make friends with him, and torture Jou in the process. "But you can't open them now!" Jou scolded as Seto prodded the rather large ribbon on top of Yugi's present. "You have to wait until Christmas morning."

"I can hardly contain myself," Seto replied dryly and set the gifts down on a near-by table. "Come on, we still have a lot to do before the competition tomorrow," Seto said and Jou followed him to the only room in the house he had learned to get to without getting lost; the kitchen. He almost needed to take some bread crumbs with him last time he tried to find a bathroom.

………

"Well there goes that batch…" Seto sighed while Jou snagged a kitchen towel to wipe his nose, glaring down at the tray of dumplings that the blonde had just sneezed all over.

"We can…charge them for the extra topping?" Jou tired to joke, but only received an irritated grunt from Seto as he took the tray and scraped its contents into the garbage. "Look…I'm sorry. I think I'm getting sick."

"Then you should go lay down and stop ruining my product."

"Yeah, I guess your right…" Jou reached around to untie his apron, as he was never one to pass up an opportunity not to work. Then he realized something. "Wait…your product? What do you mean yours? We've been working together!"

"Of course, when you weren't burning everything or trying to sneak tastes of everything yourself," Seto sneered, as he began to take out the ingredients to replace what Jou had previously blown snot all over .

"Dammit, why do you have to…" Jou shook his head in annoyance as he quickly pulled off his apron. "You know what? Never mind…I am going to go lie down," Jou stated, wanting more than anything to get out of the room and fighting the urge to drown Seto in a bowl of batter. "But not because you told me to do it…because I want to."

"Sure," Seto replied, not looking up from what he was doing, going about his business in a mechanical fashion. Jou frowned; Seto said 'sure'. Was that a 'sure, go ahead and do what you want' or a 'sure, whatever you say, you idiot' kind of sure. Deciding that he was too frustrated to even want to know, Jou threw up his hands and walked out of the kitchen.

………

"Jou? Why aren't you cooking with Seto?" Mokuba looked up from his spot on the couch as a grumpy and sniffly blonde walked into the large family room.

"I'm not feeling well, so he told me to go lie down," Jou sighed heavily and threw himself down on a nearby couch, nuzzling into the fluffy cushions contently. "I think he just wants me out of the way."

"Probably."

"Gee Mokuba, thanks for having so much faith in me."

"It's not that. Seto likes to work by himself, he hates to share."

"Even when that person is only trying to help him?"

"It's all about control," Mokuba sighed. "Brother thinks he needs to do everything by himself, or else it won't get done right. Sometimes I wish he'd just let other people help him though…" The boy trailed off and Jou frowned at the depressing tone in Mokuba's voice.

………

"Here…do something with these." Seto handed his brother the six presents Jou had brought in earlier, watching as Mokuba's face lit up at the sight.

"See! I told you Jou and his friends were nice!" Mokuba happily took the gifts and huddled underneath the Christmas tree. Seto couldn't help but smile as he watched his brother try to arrange them around the already existing packages, shaking a few as he tried to figure out the contents. When he was done, Mokuba stood up and admired his work happily, grinning up at Seto who was standing behind him.

"Alive?" Seto prodded the blonde boy who was sprawled out on the couch like he owned the place. He raised an eyebrow as he realized the blond was talking in his sleep; something about 'brown sugar'. "Wake up." Jou grunted and blinked open his eyes, looking rather flushed. Must have been some dream he was having, Seto thought.

"Seto?" Jou gasped out, in a tone that Seto had never heard before, one that made his stomach do somersaults. Seto scowled at his body's own reaction before placing a bottle on the coffee table a bit harshly.

"Take this." Jou took the bottle and squinted to read it through sleep-hazed eyes. "Nyquil? I've never taken that one before. I usually take Dayquil."

"Well, this will help you sleep better tonight. You'll need your rest for the competition tomorrow," Seto stated, not because he actually cared for the boy's well-being, but because he needed him as an asset in the competition. Yes, a temporary partner and nothing more, Seto reminded himself. After tomorrow he wouldn't have to worry about speaking to the blonde ever again if he didn't want to. He also wouldn't have to worry about how adorable the blonde looked while he was sleepy. He would have to worry about some serious counseling for ever considering the blonde to be adorable though.

"I see. So like…would Dayquil cancel out the effects of Nyquil?" Jou asked, and Seto blinked, not sure if that was meant as a joke or not. When Jou sat and stared up at him waiting for an answer, Seto sighed in exhaustion.

"No, because Dayquil isn't negative 10 alcohol."

"Oh." Jou twisted off the top and downed a gulp of the syrupy liquid. "Mm, how'd you know cherry was my favorite flavor?" Jou grinned.

"Why didn't you use the measuring cup? Now I could get your cold if I wanted to use that," Seto scowled.

"But…wouldn't you already have a cold if you were going to use it?" Jou asked, puzzled, and Seto faltered for a comeback to his own mental miscalculation.

"Just…go back to bed. I still have a few more things to finish up," Seto ordered.

Another hour had passed when Seto came back into the living room, finally satisfied that everything was in order for tomorrow. He found the room mostly abandoned; Mokuba must have gone off to bed without being told for some strange reason. It was quiet and the only light in the room was from the fireplace crackling at the other end of the room. Seto probably would have completely forgotten about Jou's presence had he not almost sat on him.

"Shit…" Seto let out a whispered curse, feeling the warm body underneath him, standing up just in time to avoid crushing him. Jou stirred slightly but didn't wake up, and Seto breathed a sigh of relief. He reached up on top of the couch and pulled down a comforter, draping it over the boy's quiet form, resisting the urge to brush away the fine blonde hair that had fallen across the boy's face. If that wasn't the biggest, stupidest cliche ever, Seto thought as he snorted at his own actions. Nevertheless, he had to admit, Jou was tolerable like this; pleasant even. He had expected someone like him to snore, but the boy was complete silent, save for a few mumbled whispers of whatever was currently going on in dreamland.

"Aww…I wish I could take a picture. It'd make a good Christmas card." Seto was snapped away from his inner musings as he turned to see his brother sanding in the doorway.

"Excuse me?"

"That was really cute how you went out of your way to tuck Jou in," Mokuba beamed.

"First of all, I wasn't going out of my way. Second of all, I'm not going to let anyone freeze all night when there is a blanket right next to them, especially if they're already sick, and third of all…" Seto trailed off, seeing his brother's amused expression.

"…third of all?"

"Go to bed."

"M'kay." Mokuba hopped off and started humming a tune that sounded something like 'I saw Seto kissing Jounouchi Claus…' as he went up the stairs, leaving Seto silently fuming behind him.

Chocolate flavored dango

Coconut namagashi

Sembei rice cookies