A/N: I already know I've lost most of my reviewers, which I'm sure is caused by my sudden slow updating. So, as a result, I'm finishing this fic as a dedication to the people who've stuck with me through thick and thin. You know who you are! I love you guys so much! Oh, and I'd like to make a personal apology to one of my reviewers:

Shy: I am terribly sorry for my slow updates! You are the only anonymous reviewer that's consistently reviewed every single chapter and, for that, I am eternally grateful. I hate disappointing wonderful people such as yourself. I'm so sorry! I hope to see your review for this chapter and the following ones. They mean the world to me. One thing that pops into my head every time I see your review is the fact that you aren't registered on this site. I'd like to get to know you more and a profile, plus an email address would be great. I know you're shy, which is too cute for words, but you needn't be around me. I'm very easy to get along with. Sorry this is so long. Again, I'm sorry for my slow pace. Thank you for your wonderful reviews. They always brighten my day.

Summary: My longest chapter yet! Jou gets confronted by his mom, who was waiting for him at home. The next day, Yami and Jou head for Kaiba Corp to carry out the next and final part of the plan. A whole lot of yelling and insults are exchanged between Seto and Otogi as they argue over their personal ideas.

Warning: Nothing really gets accomplished in this chapter. It's focused mainly on Jou's relationship with his mom and humor between the boys. Btw, I know that Jou lives with his dad in the original anime/manga, but I forgot about that while I was writing. So, just for the sake of my fic, Jou is living with his mom. I hope that's okay with everyone.

His mind was ready to be put to rest, but his body still yearned for more of Seto's heated touch. He was tempted to do a U-turn and head back that building where he had experienced his first act of intimacy, with the one he loved no less. He decided against it, though, knowing full well that extending his time away from home would only make matters worse. As he pulled up his driveway, he noticed that a light was on inside his house. He turned off the engine and rested his body against the seat, preparing himself for whatever might happen once he stepped inside.

I just hope she doesn't ground me. If she does, I'd have to sneak out in order to fulfill my part in the plan. Dammit! I shouldn't have let myself get carried away. He sighed as he opened the car door and slowly stepped out. He looked at himself in one of the rear view mirrors and tried to make himself look presentable. He straightened his shirt and combed his hair back into it's original state before walking up to the front door. One last breathe and the door was opened.

"Jounouchi Katsuya!"

The ear piercing yell could be heard from all the way across town and since Jou was only a few feet way, one can imagine the effect it had on his ears.

Rotating his pinkies in both ears, Jou spoke in an annoyed tone, "You know, mom, I ain't exactly on Mars. Was the outburst really necessary? I think I'm officially deaf in both ears."

A fuming woman stomped her way up to her disobedient son and eyed him narrowly, "Don't give me that attitude, young man! Where the hell have you been? I've been worried sick! Did you forget how to tell time? Why didn't you call if you knew you were going to be late?"

"That's the thing, mom! I didn't know I was going to be late. I got so caught up in what I was doing, that time seemed to just pass by. As for where I was, I told you that today I'd be working with Seto on the next part of my plan. I'm sorry I didn't call and I'm sorry that I'm really late coming home. I promise it won't happen again. Okay?"

The agitated and tired woman sighed and scratched the back of her head, "Jeez, what am I going to do with you?"

"Wrap me up in fancy gift wrap, then put me on someone's doorstep, hoping for the best?" Jou joked.

His mom couldn't help but laugh a little at her son's quirky personality, "Get your smart ass over here!" She grabbed him and held him in a tight embrace, which Jou gladly returned. "Just promise me you'll call next time, okay? I was really worried about you. Terrible thoughts kept running through my head as I waited for you to return. I got so scared." Tears fell down her cheeks, only to be absorbed into her son's white T-shirt.

Jou removed his saddened mother from his arms and wiped her tears away with his finger, "Don't cry, mom. I'm sorry for making you worry so much. I know I haven't exactly been the perfect son in the past, but I'm trying hard to change that. One day, you'll be confident enough to say that you're proud of your son. I'll make sure of that."

Ms. Jounouchi just smiled and lightly hit him across the head, "Idiot! I'm already confident enough. I couldn't be prouder, my son. I love you, Katsuya!"

"Love you, too, mom."

She kissed him on the forehead before pointing a serious finger at his face, "But, I'm not proud of your actions tonight! You were very irresponsible! Now you march right up to bed, young man, and I don't want to hear any "butts" from you! Got that?"

Jou smirked as he let an amused sigh surface, "Yeah, yeah! I'm going, General Loud Mouth!"

"And no back talking! Another one of those smart ass remarks will get you grounded, mister! Understood?"

"Alright already! Sheesh! Night, mom!" He began his assent up the stairwell.

"Oh, and one more thing, Katsuya..."

"What now?"

She slyly smirked at him, "If you don't want me to find out, next time wear some strong cologne or something. The smell of sex is all over you."

Jou's face went pale, "Wha-"

"Oh, and tomorrow, I want to know when you started dating Seto Kaiba, okay? Nite nite, son!" With that, she scurried into her bedroom with a giggle.

"Mom!" Jou's face was now red from both embarrassment and shock. He ran up to his room, slamming the door behind him. He collapsed on his bed and hid his head under a pillow.

How the hell did she know? I didn't know sex had a smell. Dammit! Now I'll have to explain everything! But, it'll have to wait until I'm done with the next segment of my plan. That, in of itself, is going to take all day. Plus, Seto will need time to make last minute touch ups. I guess he could do those with Otogi on the last day. I hope they get along.

Deciding that sleeping under his pillow would lead to an uncomfortable morning, he sat up, grabbed his blankets, and curled up for a much needed sleep. It was then he noticed a faint smell. Knowing it was close by, he sniffed his pillow, his sheets, and then his blanket, until he finally had a whiff of his shirt.

His head jerked back, "Oh crap, it's me!" He inhaled the scent once again; only this time, butterflies fluttered in his stomach, his heart skipped a beat, and his face flushed. "... Seto..." His eyes closed in ecstasy as he inhaled the reminiscence of his precious boyfriend. "I love you, Seto. I love you..." he repeated until he fell fast asleep.

Next Day

Yami looked over at his blond friend who's face seemed to radiate an undeniably happy glow. "So, I'm guessing Seto agreed to help, right? Is that where we're going right now? To Kaiba's office?"

Jou turned to him, smiled, then looked back at the road. "Yup! I convinced him last night, just like I said I would. It didn't take much, either. You just need to say the right things and show how much you really want something. After that, then there's no problem what-so-e-"

"You got laid last night, didn't you, Jou?" The pharaoh looked at him with a sly grin and raised an eyebrow.

"Huh? I..." Jou's face was a deep crimson as he panicked to find the right words to explain himself "...well, uh... you see, Yami... uh..."

The pharaoh raised a hand, "It's okay, Jou. You don't have to explain yourself. I'm really happy for you. You did it with the one you love and nothing could be more fulfilling than that." His words trailed off the more he reminded himself of his heartbroken aibou. Will I ever be that close with Yugi?

Jou noticed how sullen and melancholy Yami had suddenly become, so he decided to come clean, "Yami, Seto and I didn't sleep together."

Ruby eyes grew wide as he quickly looked up at his tall best friend, "Really?"

"Yeah! He just... you know... with the... you know..."

Yami raised a curious eyebrow, "No, sorry Jou, I don't know. Can't you tell me?"

Jou's cheeks became red once more, "Sorry, it's just... a little... embarrassing, you know? Um... he um... did... this..." he made the classic up and down motion with his hand near his pelvic area.

This time, Yami's eyes widened in acknowledgment, "Oh!" He then thought about it for a second, thereby making his face match the hue of his eyes. "...oh... that... well, g-great! I'm glad you guys have become... closer. Uh..." wanting desperately to change the subject, he quickly ran some ideas through his head, "...so, Jou, ... where exactly is the next part of the plan going to be held?"

Relieved at the sudden change in mood and subject, Jou regained his composure as his focus was, once again, on driving. "Well, I'm not too sure. Seto and Otogi have to decide on that."

"Then why do I have to be there? If all of this is going to be taken care of by those two, then I don't see the purpose of me getting in the way. And why did I have to bring my tailored outfit? I don't want to get it wrinkled or dirty."

Jou chuckled at Yami's behavior, "Don't worry your pretty little... I mean, big head. Everything'll be-"

Yami's temper flared, "I do not have a big head! It's my HAIR that's big! Not my HEAD! Sheesh!" He slouched in his seat with his arms crossed. A small pink hue could be seen on his cheeks.

Jou knew Yami would react in a similar manner, but not to that extent. Everyone knew how frightening the pharaoh can be when his temper rears it's ugly head, but all the knowledge in the world can't prepare you for the real thing. He attempted to calm the enraged Egyptian, "Come on, Yami! It was just a joke! A harmless joke! I didn't mean anything by it. Honestly! You know me. Please don't be mad anymore. We're almost there and I don't want any bad vibes when we walk in. Okay?"

Yami glanced over at Jou who was giving him his signature puppy dog eyes. He sighed while rolling his own, "Fine. Just don't comment on my looks anymore, okay? I'm very sensitive when it comes to that."

"Duly noted. Truce?" Jou smiled as he held out his hand. Yami reluctantly shook it, while still trying to keep up his stubborn facade. "Oh, cool, we're here! I'm really looking forward to this. This is the final stage of the plan. Hard to believe, huh? Just a short week ago, this whole thing was only a vision and now it's all coming true. Thanks for letting me do this for you and Yuugi, Yami. It means the world to me." He slowly reached over and embraced Yami.

Jou's kindness always seemed to have an effect on Yami's stubborn act. The pharaoh had a weakness for kind people and never could keep a straight face around them. Katsuya was no exception. The Egyptian's heart melted and he readily embraced the blond teen.

"I'm sorry, Jou. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"That's okay. I know you don't mean it when you say hurtful things out of anger. I'm just glad I won't be the one who has to deal with you 24/7. Poor Yugi. He must be stressed out every single day."

Yami was quick to defend, "HEY! I'm not that difficult to deal with. And you're no ray of sunshine, either!"

Jou laughed as he waved his hands in front of himself, "Okay, okay, Yami! Relax, man! This is what I'm talking about. You blow up at the smallest things. That temper is going to get you into trouble someday."

Realizing his faults, Yami quickly deflated, "Sorry, Jou. I'll try to be more aware of my actions. I need to be a more stable person for Yuugi. I don't want to be someone he'll grow to be ashamed of."

Jou placed a comforting hand on the pharaoh's shoulder, "You won't be. Don't worry so much. Let's just focus on what we need to get done today. Let's go meet the guys. I'm sure they're wondering where we are."

"Okay." As soon as Yami stepped out of Jou's car, his body froze in place and his eyes perked up in curiosity, "Jou, do you hear that?"

Katsuya looked in all directions, wondering what in fact he was listening for. "Hear what?"

Yami raised a finger, "Ssshhhh! Listen..."

Sure enough, faint yelling and smashing could be heard from a distance. Both boys looked up towards the location of the eerie sounds and found that they came from somewhere inside Kaiba Corp.

With just that little piece of info, Jou knew right away what was causing those disturbances. A small smile flew across his face, "Hmph! I knew this was going to happen. I can tell this is not going to be easy."

Yami, clueless as ever, frowned at him. "What? What is it? What's happening? Who's making those sounds? And what's not going to be easy? Come on, Jou, don't leave me in the dark!"

Jou waved his hand at the panicky pharaoh, "Calm down, Yami! Everything's okay... well, for the most part. Those awful sounds you hear are the result of Seto and Otogi not getting along. I'll bet they're about ready to murder each other by now. Poor Honda. He must be going through hell up there. I think we should quickly head up there and lend our assistance before those two find any sharp objects."

After the two raced into the building, and eventually into the elevator, Yami couldn't help but wonder about the situation upstairs. "Hey, Jou, do those two really not get along? I mean, I've never seen them interact, so I'm a little lost as to why they'd be at each other's throats."

Jou leaned against the wall of the elevator and stared at the numbers as they went up, one by one. "If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Both of them are hot-headed and don't like to give in. Not to mention the fact that they both are geniuses when it comes to technology. With that in mind, it's no wonder the two can't agree on anything. I'll bet you anything that, right now, they're arguing on who's idea is better. I think we can expect to pull an all nighter considering the predicament we're faced with."

Worry enveloped Yami's crimson orbs, "We can't waste time on petty disagreements, Jou. Need I remind you that there are only two days left before Christmas? If you knew teaming those two up was going to be a problem, then why did you bother?"

"Honestly, I wasn't thinking ahead. I was so excited and anxious about this whole thing, that I didn't think about the minor details or complications that may occur. I also didn't want to leave any of our friends out of the project. I've definitely learned my lesson, though. I'll never team those two up again. Oh, we're here. Be prepared for anything."

As soon as the elevator doors opened on the 9th floor, they were immediately greeted by a screwdriver flying past their heads.

"Your ideas suck! Man, I hate working with you!" Barked Seto.

Jou and Yami stood frozen in place, eyes wide, pupils dilated, with a big sweat drop on their backs of their heads.

"Jou..."

"Yeah?"

"Are we going to live through this?"

"Probably not."

"Do we dare to try and stop them?"

"Well, seeing that we're already here, I guess we have little choice. I'll try to get their attention." Jou put on a salesman smile as he walked into the wrecked room. "Hi, guys! We're here!"

"Jounouchi!" A very distraught and worn out Hiroto came running up to embrace his friend. "Thank god you're here! It's been terrible!" Tears of joy and frustration came streaming out of his brown eyes, "Those two have been ignoring everything I say! They just won't listen! Not even Otogi, and he's my boyfriend! Why are they being so mean? What should I do? Jounouchi, I wanna go home!" He held Katsuya close as he whined and cried like a kid having a temper tantrum.

Jou released himself from Hiroto's kung-fu grip, "Okay, okay, Honda! I get the idea. Go sit somewhere while Yami and I take over. You realize you sound like 5 year old girl, right? Here's a tissue and a lollipop. Go take a time out."

Honda's face fumed, "Shut up, Jounouchi! Oh, and hi Yami. I apologize about Seto and Otogi's behavior. They've been like this all morning."

Yami waved an understanding hand, "It's okay, Honda. It's not your fault they can't get along. Please go rest somewhere. You deserve a break."

Hiroto smiled as he walked off, "Thank you and good luck. You're going to need it. Oh, before I forget, remember to duck whenever you hear yelling. Chances are, something will be sailing past your head soon after."

Yami sweat dropped. "Thanks for the warning." He then turned his gaze towards his blond friend, staring at him in complete annoyance, "Dammit, Jou! This is all your fault! None of this would be happening if you hadn't have paired up those two lunatics. If I end up in the hospital, you're paying the bill."

Jou smiled warily, "I'm sure everything'll be just fine. Let's see if we can't talk them through this ordeal."

Though Yami knew how unrealistic that seemed, he walked over to the fighting pair, none-the-less. Without this part of the plan, he couldn't see the whole thing working out. This was all for Yuugi's sake.

"Dammit, you piss me off!" Seto growled at Otogi while pointing at a blueprint. "If the CG flower petals fell at an angle, it would look stupid and unrealistic!"

Otogi's face burned with frustration, "Unrealistic, my ass! If they fell at an angle, it would give the effect of a breeze. It's more romantic that way, dumb shit! But, I guess, you wouldn't know about that kind of thing considering you're the ice king."

Enraged, Seto grabbed the dice master's shirt and threatened, "Say that again and I'll send you to the morgue!"

With a happy-go-lucky smile on his face, Jou placed a hand on the two anger ridden teens' shoulders. "Okay, you two, that's enough death threats for one day. How about we all relax and get down to some real work?"

"Jou?"

"Katsuya?"

"The one and only!" Jou stated proudly.

"When the hell did you get here?" Seto asked, confused and shocked.

"Well, we just got here a few minutes ago. Don't forget, Yami's here, too. And, Seto dear, you can let go of Otogi's shirt now. I'm sure you've wrinkled it to the point it needs some serious ironing."

Realizing he still had a death grip on the raven haired boy's shirt, Seto slowly let go, sighing as he did so. "He started it."

Otogi huffed as he tried flattening his shirt with his hands, "Yeah right! You're the one who's too stubborn to admit that my ideas are far better than yours."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed once more, "What the hell did you just say? Do you really want me to kick your ass that badly?"

This time, it was Yami's turn to intervene, "Please, you two, this has to stop! It's already 2:30 in the afternoon and no progress has been made. There are less than two days left in which to complete this. You two can fight and bicker all you want after this is done. I'm begging you to please get along for the next 30 or so hours. That's my only request."

The bickering duo sighed, "Fine." Then simultaneously pointed at one another, "But that doesn't mean I have to like him!" After hearing an echo from each other, they proceeded to scowl in one another's faces.

Yami smiled at this amusing sight, "Yes, of course. Though, I don't see why the two of you can't get along. You have so much in common."

Otogi immediately put his two cents in, "He thinks he's so much better than I am just because he has a contract with Pegasus and his own business. If it weren't for the fact that I was running a little late for that meeting with Mr. Crawford, I would be sitting tall like this stuck up prick over here."

Kaiba smirked triumphantly, "Oh get over yourself. You're just bitter and jealous. My success obviously intimidates you. How pathetic!"

Once again, Otogi's temper rose, "You wanna run that by me again, shithead?"

Yami intervened, "Guys, please stop acting like a couple of jerks so that we can get some work done."

Irritated as hell, the two high strung teen boys darted off in opposite directions, "Alright, alright already! Jeez!"

Seeing that things were primarily under control, Jou decided that now would be a time to take his leave. He walked up to Yami and put a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, Yami, since things have calmed down a bit around here, I'm gonna head home."

Yami spun around in shock, "What? Why? You can't just leave me here with these two. I'll be massacred by day break!"

"Don't worry, Yami! You have a pretty good handle on things. I would stay, but I promised my mom that I'd set some time aside to talk with her. She found out that I'm dating Seto. She told me last night that she wanted to hear all the details. Since that'll take quite awhile, I figured I'd get it out of the way now so that I can be on time picking you up tonight. Is that cool with you?"

Though Yami had no clue as to how it feels to have your parents discover your sexual preference, he still sympathized with Jou's situation. "Sure, Jou, no problem. I had no idea that you had made other arrangements. Honda and I should be just fine, so go ahead and have a good heart-to-heart talk with your mom. I'll see ya later tonight."

"Thanks, Yami. I'll be back around nine, 'kay? I'll try to make it on time. Don't get yourself killed, okay? See ya!"

Before heading for the elevator, Jou had one last person to bid his farewells. He quietly sneaked behind his unsuspecting lover and quickly grabbed Seto's waist with one arm, while draping the other over his collarbone.

Surprised and annoyed by Jou's sudden action, Seto tried to look back at his perpetrator. "What the hell are y-" Heat rose inside his body as he felt Katsuya's tongue slowly trace a shimmering line from the nape of his neck to his earlobe. He flushed madly and, though he'd never admit to it, he was beginning to enjoy the concept of Jou taking the initiative.

Jou whispered seductively into his ear, "I'm leaving now, sweetie, but I'll be back later tonight to pick up Yami. I really want to continue where we left off last night..." he slowly moved the hand that was around Seto's waist towards his pelvic area, making the CEO quiver with anticipation. "... so once I drop him off at the Game Shop, I'll come right back here. Until then, you'd better be a good boy or else I might get turned off and head straight home. I don't think either of us want that. That's why I know you'll be here when I get back, ready and waiting for my return. This time around, though-" --his hand lightly traced the outline of Seto's dick on his black pants, while the other sneaked it's way into his shirt, feeling the soft flesh-- "-it'll be your turn to receive pleasure. I've got plans for what I want to do to you. Until then, Seto my love, be good."

With a nibble and a lick on Seto's ear, Jou released him from the seductive embrace, waved his goodbyes to everyone else, then headed into the elevator. The guys all stared at Seto in disbelief, flushed from what they just witnessed. Otogi was the first to break the silence.

"Wow, Seto! All along I thought you were more of the type that would 'top' in a relationship, but witnessing what just transpired sure made me think twice."

A deep crimson shade encompassed Seto's face, "Shut up! H-He just... caught me off guard. I'm still the one in control. He'll always be the mutt in this relationship."

Hiroto came walking up from where he was sitting earlier, "That may be, Seto, but you didn't put up much of a fight when he held you like that. On the contrary, from where I was sitting, it seemed like you were enjoying yourself... a lot!" He laughed at the notion.

Kaiba raised a threatening fist, "Are you lookin' to get your ass kicked, dickhead?"

Yet another scene that needed Yami's expertise. "Okay, guys, that's enough! We need to get to work. Time's running out."

Otogi smiled and sighed, "You're right, Yami! We need to hurry this up so Seto has enough time to play "master and puppy" with Jou."

Seto's face flushed once more out of embarrassment and anger, "Would you shut the hell up, dice boy! I am so sick of your mouth!"

Yami snapped, "Hey, hey! We're wasting time here."

All three boys sighed. Otogi walked towards one of the tables that had blueprints on top of it, while Seto made himself comfortable at his desk, where he began working on the CG layout.

Honda consoled the frustrated pharaoh, "Sorry about our behavior, Yami. For the rest of the day, we'll work our butts off on this project. We won't let you down." He gave a thumbs up and a wink.

Yami smirked, "I know you won't. I trust you guys. I just hope this whole thing is completed by tomorrow."

tbc...

Owari

Geez, thank Ra I'm done typing that chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed it. I'll try to update sooner for my next chapter. Reviews are very much appreciated! Love you guys! Ja ne!