Dogs Do The Silliest Things, by Dani Wheeler-Kaiba

Dedicated to the forces that first led me to watch Yu-Gi-Oh – and this chapter to everyone who's said to me, "WHERE'S OTOGI?"

Disclaimer: If the Yu-Gi-Oh world was mine, it would be on late at night and definitely not a show that you'd find appropriate for anyone who can't watch R-18+. Oooh, that'd be so cool though! I need a good lawyer that can help me find a way to own Yu-Gi-Oh…

Summary: SetoxJou. That should say it all. What started as a usual day of hatred between Seto Kaiba and Katsuya Jounouchi was completely turned around. Maybe it was just a spur of the moment thing, or maybe it was something more. I don't know as much about Yu-Gi-Oh as I'd like to, so please forgive any little mistakes I make.

…You know, I think I might FINALLY introduce that little character that we're all waiting for this chapter…I'm sure you know who I mean!

Read, enjoy, and review!

Ch. 15: The Calling Word

Jou returned to the lunch table, alone and flushed with excitement. Seto was still in the bathroom, having not yet dealt with the "problem" that their make out session had left him with. By now Jou had completely forgotten what had made him leave the table in the first place.

But Bakura instantly reminded him. "You were gone a while, Jou. You and Kaiba just have sex in a toilet?"

Marik snickered. "Like you've never done that?" Ryou blushed considerably, and Honda gaped at him.

"What, a school toilet?"

Yugi coughed loudly to indicate that he wanted to change the topic. "I don't want to hear about Ryou and Bakura's sex life!"

"Too right you don't," Bakura grinned. "We want to hear about Jou's sex life! Tell us, Jou. How was it? Your first time, right?"

Jou was too proud of himself to even be embarrassed. "We didn't do anything," he lied fluently (although, compared to what Bakura was thinking, he hadn't done anything). "But…well – I…"

"What?" said Yugi.

"I…"

"What?" said Malik.

A grin spread across Jou's face. "I officially just got myself a date!"

The others gasped and laughed, all extremely happy for him. And he was pretty happy himself.

Jou couldn't believe that two days ago he had been worried that they would take the news that he was gay and liked Seto the wrong way. What was he thinking? And now they were all here, ecstatic about the fact that he had asked Seto out. Could it get better?

Back in the bathroom, Seto stared at his slightly flushed reflection. Damn, he really needed to get a hold of his hormones; if he couldn't keep his hands off Jou every time they were alone together, they were bound to find themselves in some sticky situations – no double entendre intended.

So Jou had asked him out. A smile played about his lips; he hadn't expected the puppy to take charge like that. Even in something so small, being in control was Seto's job.

"Dogs shouldn't lead their masters," he murmured to his reflection.

"Well, that's what a collar and leash are for," a voice behind him said suddenly. "Or aren't you guys into that stuff just yet?"

Seto jumped, and whirled around. A boy with long black hair, held up in a loose ponytail, was standing there, smirking at him. Seto felt the heat rise up to his face, but he managed to keep his expression icily neutral.

"I know you," he said slowly, narrowing his eyes. "You're the creator of that game…"

"Glad to see one CEO recognises another," the other boy said, his jade eyes flashing in amusement. "Name's Otogi, but you probably won't remember it. Just like you didn't remember that you really shouldn't have sex in a public place."

Shit. "Were you – "

"No, thankfully. I was about to come in, when I heard some," Otogi's smirk returned, "rather strange noises coming from inside. It didn't seem safe, so I waited outside. Unfortunately for me, there's an echo in here so I heard everything anyway."

Seto was by now so red that it seemed all the blood in his body had rushed up into his head. He didn't remember ever getting embarrassed like this before.

"We didn't do anything," he defended himself weakly, causing Otogi to laugh.

"Don't I know it. "Seto, Seto, we can't! Not here!"" he said, imitating Jou (and, Seto had to admit, doing a pretty good job of it). "So it's true, you guys are a couple?" Seto said nothing. "I heard rumours that you two were kissing passionately at the gate this morning, but I didn't believe it."

Seto shook his head in disbelief as he turned away from Otogi, towards the mirror again. Honestly, spreading rumours had to be one of the stupidest activities on earth.

But the green-eyed boy wasn't done yet. "I thought Jounouchi was straight for sure. He never let on that he swung that way. What is that, everyone in their entire group gay now?"

"What's it to you?" demanded Seto, glaring at Otogi's reflection in the mirror.

"Just curious, Kaiba, just curious," he smiled. "Though if I did have some secret motive, I wouldn't be likely to tell you. It wouldn't stay secret very long. After all, I know for a fact that you're a very loud person."

Seto mentally cursed the boy behind him. Screw whatever motives he had. Just make him go away!

As if Otogi could hear his thoughts, he sighed overdramatically and walked towards the door. "Well, I can see when I'm not wanted. But I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again." He smirked one last time. "Good luck on that date of yours."

Gods, thought Seto, after Otogi left. Of all the annoying people that could come in…he had to be the worst.

Later that evening, Seto was, unsurprisingly, in his office at Kaiba Corp. Hard to believe, but even thought he now had not only a boyfriend, but a whole group of people treating him as a friend, he still had his company to attend to.

Stock, up…revenue, up…nothing interesting. For a brief moment, he wondered if it was worth telling his employees he was dating a guy just for something exciting to happen. Then he wondered if he was losing his mind.

Suddenly, his desk phone rang. Assuming it to be some associate businessman, he answered with the formal, "Kaiba Corporations. Seto Kaiba, CEO."

"Geez, Seto, ya gotta let your workers know that you've got a life outside of the office!"

He blinked. "Puppy?"

"I had ta argue with your secretary for fifteen minutes before she put the call through to you!"

"Why?" Seto frowned into the phone. He heard Jou snort over the other end.

"'Cause she didn't believe me when I said you were a friend from school! Soon as I said the word 'friend' she thought I was lying!"

Seto wondered whether he should tell Jou that he had fired his last front desk woman for putting a call through from a supposed 'friend' of his – who turned out to be a rabid fan girl. He decided against it.

"I'll inform her that any calls from you can be put through immediately in future. But why did you call? I assume it's not a business matter."

"Well, I didn't have ya home number, so I thought I'd be better off ringin' your office. Easier to find in the phone book," Jou explained. "But I'm callin' about our date."

Seto felt a pang of worry. Surely Jou wasn't having second thoughts already? "What about it?"

"Well, what are we doing, exactly?"

With an inaudible sigh of relief, Seto said, "I thought that was the asker's responsibility."

"Yeah, well, I suck at planning. You gotta help."

He smiled slightly. "Very well, puppy, I'll help a little…first of all, when? Thursday?" Thursday was three days later; an appropriate-sounding length of time away.

But Jou's voice sounded awkward. "Uh…not Thursday. Can't do Thursdays. Any other time."

Seto felt curious at the blonde's uncomfortable tone, but didn't inquire. "Wednesday, then? After school?"

"Yeah," Jou agreed quickly. "That's good. And – what're we doing?"

"That's for you to know and for me to find out, puppy."

"What!"

"You heard me, this is for you to plan."

"No fair, Seto!"

"All's fair in love and war," Seto said without thinking, then he widened his eyes and almost dropped the phone in realisation of what he had just said. No, it had just slipped out…he didn't know the implications of that…oh, gods, had he really just said that?

Had he just used the L-word?

Right across the other side of Domino, Jou froze. Had Seto just said what he thought he said? No…he can't have…even if he did, it was probably just an accident…nothing was meant by it…

Should Jou make a big deal of it? Had Seto meant that, or was it just a slip-up in words? Surely he didn't really…no, it was an accident…Jou would just have to pretend he hadn't noticed anything…

"A'right, Seto. You win. I'll think of somethin'."

A hesitant pause, then, "Okay, puppy. So – see you tomorrow, then?"

"Right. See ya." Guiltily, Jou hung up the phone. He felt bad for ignoring what Seto had said, but what else could he have done? He'd been backed into a corner, one that had very few escapes. Considering the millions of stupid responses he could have given, he thought pretending he hadn't noticed had been quite a good one. But if Seto had meant it…

Perhaps he shouldn't think about it too much. Stuff always sounds worse when it's played back in your head. Worry about it tomorrow.

He picked up the phone again, and dialled another number. After a few rings, someone picked up.

"Mutou residence." Jou started at the familiar voice that he hadn't heard in a long time.

"Yami? Is that you?"

"Jou?"

"Yeah! Hey, haven't heard from you in a while."

"I've…" Yami sounded hesitant. "…had other things on my mind."

Jou raised his eyebrows pointedly, even though Yami couldn't see him. "Ya mean, like what happened with you and Yugi?"

"…he told you?" The ex-Pharaoh's voice was worried.

"Yeah, he did. And you know, you can always talk to me about it too. Ain't healthy to keep things bottled up, you know?"

Yami didn't answer.

"Is Yugi there, Yami?"

"No. He and his grandfather have gone out to eat. I'm alone."

"Good, then you can talk to me now!" Jou wasn't sure why he wanted this, exactly – after all, it hadn't been his original intention when calling (actually, he wanted help deciding what to do on his date) – but what better way to take his mind off his guilt-inducing call to Seto, than by helping out a friend?

"…Jou…it's not that simple…"

"Oh, and my love life is? Have ya heard about what's happened in the last week?"

"Yes…Yugi told me. I'm very happy for you, Jou. But that still doesn't mean…"

"Come on, you think I'm gonna hate you for likin' Yuug?"

For a long time, there was no sound on the other end of the phone. Ten seconds…thirty seconds…a minute…before Yami gave a defeated sigh. "But I don't just like Yugi."

"What d'you mean?" Jou asked.

"I…I love him."

Jou internally cringed at the use of the L-word; twice, he had heard it, in such a short space of time.

Now Jou wasn't particularly sentimental – romancey stuff wasn't his forte. He'd never said he 'loved' anyone, except for his sister; hell, it was hard enough for him to admit he liked someone. Why make things harder by saying 'love'? It wasn't as though it meant anything. All it did, in Jou's opinion, was sound so long-term that it made commitment-phobic guys run away scared. And here Yami was, talking about it as though it was a really big deal.

"Okay," Jou said indifferently. "You think I'm gonna hate you for lovin' Yugi?"

"You make it sound so casual." He could tell from the sound of Yami's voice that the ex-Pharaoh was frowning.

"Why not? I mean, it's not like you're dying or anything, right?"

"In a sense."

In a sense? Jou thought, puzzled. What's that mean? Yami sure knew how to make it hard to help someone. Maybe it was best to stick to the cliches. "Okay…have you told him how you feel?"

"No." Jou was surprised at the firmness in Yami's voice as he said that. "I put him in a bad enough position just by kissing him. I'm not about to make it worse."

"But if it's how you really feel – "

"No." he repeated. "It's not worth making Yugi uncomfortable just for something that I want."

Woah. Talk about self-sacrifice.

"But if you love him – " Jou began.

"Then I won't pressure him into something he doesn't want."

"Yami – " Jou paused, as he heard murmuring in the background of the conversation. "Who's that?" he asked. Yami didn't respond straight away.

"…Jou, I have to go. Yugi and his grandfather are home. Thank you for discussing what I – uh – discussing – that. But my answer's final."

"Oh. Okay, then…see ya."

"Bye."

Jou shook his head. Two phone calls where the L-word had come into play…and he didn't know the first thing about it. He wondered if Seto had realised what he had said on that call, and if he'd take it back next time they saw each other. Or maybe he'd pretend it didn't happen…like Jou did.

And as for Yami's situation…well, to Jou, it seemed like a simple matter of talking things out with Yugi. But Yami obviously thought that by saying 'love' everything was a shade more serious. But it wasn't – was it?

Jou didn't think so. But then, he'd never been in love, had he?

Okay, I wrote the majority of this chapter REALLY late at night. When I'm tired, my brain doesn't function very well. But today's the last day of the holidays, and I told myself that I'd update by today, so…yeah…

Hehehe. You know, if you look at everything Yami says in the phone call, it sounds as though Jou's persuading him to sleep with Yugi. Seriously – "I won't pressure him into something he doesn't want", "I put him in a bad enough position just by kissing him, I'm not about to make it worse"…You can tell I'm tired, can't you?

Tomorrow's my BIRTHDAY! I will be officially 15. Unfortunately that means I don't get child price at the movies any more. Damn. Oh well, at least I get presents!

That was a pretty un-story-related comment, wasn't it? I seriously don't have anything to say about this chapter, except that Otogi is finally here…so far his part was a strange one, wasn't it? But do not fret, humiliating Seto wasn't his only role!

The review button's right there…