Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! There would be a lot less children's card games if I did.

"Hey, Kaiba?"

"What do you want, Mutt?"

Joey glared at the brunette, who was seemingly ignoring his presence, except to insult him.

"I am not a DOG." Joey spat, not even receiving an acknowledgement that he had spoken this time. The two were sitting in class, not doing anything, because they never do ANYTHING in school these days. Joey sighed, really wishing that there was someone else in this class to talk to. ANYONE else. Even Duke would be better than Kaiba. ...Maybe. Well, at least Duke would talk to him. "Hey, Kaiba?"

"What do you want, Mutt?"

Joey chose to ignore the dog comment, settling for a string of curses under his breath, before asking "Why don't you ever smile?" Joey vaugley remembered seeing Kaiba smile maybe once in the entire time he'd known the guy. Yugi told him that every time Kaiba smiled a puppy died. Maybe that was why he never smiled, Joey chuckled to himself under his breath.

"Why do you care?"

"Just wonderning." Joey laughed again, a little louder this time.

"What the hell are you laughing about?" Kaiba snapped, looking over at the blonde for this first time all period, and glaring.

"Oh nothing..."

[Inside Joey's Head]

"Nooooo! Kaiba don't!" Yugi screamed, running all slow-mo like.

"I can't help it! It's gonna happen!!"

"Think of the innocent lives!!" But it was no use -- KAIBA SMILED. AND A PUPPY DIED. "Nooooo!!!" Yugi fell to his knees, screaming at the sky.

"Shit! I did it again!" Kaiba smacked himself in the forehead, going back to frowning like a grumpy old man.

[Back to Reality]

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Joey said, rubbing the back of his head, where Kaiba had smacked him.

"You were laughing at nothing. It annoyed me."

"I was laughing at SOMETHING. It was just...in my head, is all." Joey explained, tapping his temple with his index finger.

"I'm sure." Kaiba mumbled, turning his attention back to the oh-so-interesting window. Joey scowled, sticking his tounge out at the CEO. After a few minutes of sitting in relative silence, Joey lightly singing and tapping his foot, he looked back over at Seto.

"Hey, Kaiba?"

"For Ra's sake, what do you want, Mutt?"

"You never answered my question."

"And what was that?"

"Why don't you ever smile?" Kaiba shrugged, still staring dejectedly out the window. Joey waited, but still no answer came. "Is it because a puppy dies every time you do?" That got a reaction, Kaiba turning to look at Joey like he was insane.

"Excuse me?"

"Yugi said you should never smile, because every time you do, a puppy dies." Joey said, smiling at the look on Kaiba's face. After regaining his composure, Kaiba shook his head.

"That is utterly absurd."

"So, if that's not is, then why don't you ever smile?" Joey asked again, leaning his elbow on Kaiba's desk, and propping his head up in on the palm of his hand. After a moment of Joey looking at him, Kaiba shrugged again.

"Maybe I just don't want to risk it."

"Risk what?" Joey asked, blinking innocently. ADORABLY. Kaiba glared.

"Maybe I just don't want to risk smiling and having my puppy die." Kaiba elaborated, still glaring at Joey.

"You have a puppy?" Kaiba nodded, still glaring. "Woh, that's weird. Never pegged you as a dog person." Joey said, trying to imagine Kaiba doing anything related to owning a dog, and failing miserably. The idea was unfathomable. Kaiba just smirked, standing up as the bell rang, signaling the end of class.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Mutt." Kaiba stated, running his fingers through Joey's mop of blonde hair. Joey stared after Kaiba, as he walked away.

"I AM NOT A DOG."