I don't get paid enough for this, Roland mused to himself, for maybe the hundredth time since he first began working for the Kaiba family. Dealing poker to three drunk teenagers was hardly what he would have chosen for his Saturday night, but as long as Master Kaiba needed him, he would be at his command.

"Deal," his employer instructed, hand over his eyes as he slumped against the poker table, still trying to stay upright.

"The bottle is empty, sir." Roland laid a hand on the large bottle once containing an expensive vodka. "You said the game would be over when the bottle is emptied."

"Oh thank god, we're finally done." The blond pushed back his chair and stood, leaning heavily on the table. "C'mon, le's get outta here."

"What's the final count?" His hand dropped and piercing blue eyes turned to Roland, already angry because he knew the answer. The stacks of shot glasses in front of him needed no special interpretation.

The rules of the game had been simple: the winner of each hand of poker took a shot. The winner of the game had to not only be skilled at poker, but skilled at holding their liquor as well.

"Joey Wheeler won nine hands, Yugi Mutou won seventeen, and you, sir, won fourteen."

Kaiba swore under his breath, his eyelids sliding closed.

"You can forget the poker next time, Kaiba," the spiky-haired teen said as he stood from the table. He was more unsteady than Joey, stumbling into the blond and grabbing hold of him for balance, but his voice was clear and unwavering. "I'll drink you under the table any day or night." He stretched out his right arm, unbalancing himself as he pointed directly at his archrival whose eyes had reopened at the sound of his challenge. "That's a promise."

"You may have won this time, Pharaoh," Kaiba sneered, infinitely vexed that his scheme to beat Yami at something had failed. "But next time, you won't be so lucky."

"Shut up, both of you," Joey grumbled, one hand still braced against the table as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm already hungover."

Kaiba laughed, loud and scornful as he managed to straighten himself somewhat. If it impaired his vision or sense of balance, he didn't let it show.

"Why am I not surprised, Wheeler?"

"Shut up," Joey repeated with a glare, trying to pull his friend away from the table. "And good luck working from your fancy office with your own hangover tomorrow. You're gonna need it."

"Get out of my house!"

"Go to hell!"

"I'll see you there!"

The teenage executive said no more as he watched Joey and Yugi hobble their way out of the room, arms around each other as if two drunks could combine to create one balanced person. When the door closed behind them, he sighed deeply.

"What do you need from me, sir?" Roland asked, faithful in his duties even now.

"Make sure they get off my property," were his instructions. "Then come back and help me to bed. I don't think I can stand right now."

"Yes, Master Kaiba."

Kaiba's limo and driver deposited the two teens in front of the Kame Game Shop before it sped off into the night, its occupant as eager for rest as its previous passengers were.

The teens stumbled up to the front door, grasping at each other for support like they had earlier.

"Solomon!" The Pharaoh slammed his fist against the locked door three times, his whole body swaying with the force of the motion. "I require entrance!"

"Yug, your keys," Joey muttered, reaching into his friend's jacket pocket.

"Ah yes, thank you, Joseph." Yami reached into his pocket as well, and after some awkward rummaging, the two managed to pull out the keys.

Using them on the door was Joey's accomplishment, though; the Pharaoh's mind seemed clear, but his own hands were beyond his control.

After much tripping and swearing, they made it to Yugi's room, where the Pharaoh promptly passed out on top of Yugi's bed, still fully clothed. Joey still had the sense to shimmy out of his clothes and pull a blanket off the foot of the bed before falling asleep on the floor, unprepared for what the next morning would bring.

"Why does it hurt so much?" Yugi whined, his eyes closed and head sandwiched between two pillows. The curtains were drawn and the lights were off—that was Joey's doing—as the teen struggled against his first hangover.

"C'mon, pal," Joey urged as he sat on the edge of his bed, nudging the sleeve of crackers closer to his friend. "You'll feel better if you eat something."

"What the hell did you and Yami do last night?"

Yugi didn't often swear, didn't often feel the impulse to swear.

"You mean you don't remember? Kaiba invited us over for poker and shots—you know, the Kaiba version of those things."

"I remember telling you that it was a bad idea…" Yugi closed his eyes, trying to reach out to the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle to seek out an answer.

"Yeah, but then you started calling me Joseph, so I figured the Pharaoh had taken over, but I still thought you were there, pal." Joey scratched the back of his head and put down the sleeve of crackers, reaching for the water bottle instead. "Here, at least drink some water."

Yugi obeyed, taking small sips after freeing his head from its pillow sandwich.

"Next time Kaiba invites us to do anything with alcohol," Yugi says, fixing his friend with a hard stare. "Please, please don't let the Pharaoh participate."

"I'll do mah best, Yug. You can count on me!"

Yugi winced.

"Not so loud!"

"Right, sorry." Joey grinned sheepishly. "I'll go ask yah grandpa if he's got anything that can help ya."

Joey left and Yugi immediately reached for the Millennium Puzzle, cradling it in his hands and closing his eyes.

Pharaoh, can you hear me?

I'm here, Yugi , came the deep, soothing voice of the ancient king.

If you want to drink and play poker with Kaiba in the future, I won't tell you not to, but you're the one that has to suffer through the hangover.

Of course, Yugi. In the future, I'll be more careful. And I do plan to repeat last night's activities with Kaiba. It's important to teach him a lesson.

Yeah, I'm sure your intentions are pure. Yugi wanted to roll his eyes, but he feared the action would make his headache worse. He didn't wait to aggravate it while waiting to see if his grandfather had a miracle cure.

"Yugi."

"Hello, Kaiba," Yugi said into his phone.

No matter how Kaiba spoke to him, Yugi always tried to be polite.

"I have a new challenge for the Pharaoh, if he's brave enough to accept it."

"What's the game?" the Pharaoh asked, his interest piqued.

"I'll tell you when you arrive."

Kaiba's superior smirk was audible in his voice.

"What time?"

"My place at 9. Don't you dare be late."

"I wouldn't dream of it."