Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Love Signs ❯ End ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi, and is being used in this fanfiction for fan purposes only. All situations, opinions and characters not belonging to Kazuki Takahashi are the intellectual property of Alecto Perdita.

The party was crowded, loud, obnoxious, and hot, all of which Kaiba hated with a passion. If he had been Otogi's neighbor, he would have called the police the second he saw the swarm of teenage locust at Otogi's door. But of course, Otogi was rich, not as rich as Kaiba, but rich enough to have a big enough house to host the most extravagant gathering of teenage hormones Domino had ever seen.

Kaiba wasn't sure why he was here again. This party was the only thing most of the seniors at Domino High could talk about the past few weeks, including Jounouchi. The blond boy had also been ignoring him the last week the same way Kaiba had done so earlier. Jounouchi simply acted as if he didn't exist. Then that Nosaki girl had approached him with an invitation. Not an invitation per say, since it was a free-for-all, but verbal nudge in her favor.

He might have been there because of Jounouchi. He would never admit it to himself or anyone else. He'd swallow his own tongue and die first. So instead, he was lounging in his dark corner, watching his peers have a good time and kill brain cells at once. Kaiba had to wonder what lapse in judgment the Diet [1] had, or what drug(s) they were on, when they passed no legislature to enforce the age limit [2]. Even Americans were sensible enough to do so and Americans were almost never sensible in Kaiba's opinion.

He had already been approached by Yugi, Mazaki, Otogi, that ape Honda, and Nosaki. Jounouchi had been nowhere in sight for the last few hours or so and Kaiba was beginning to tire. He had nowhere else to go really. Mokuba had gone to see a movie with his friends. He no longer had as much work as he used to. Kaiba Corporations was no longer a fledgling company in a new market. He had more than enough time to take a break, as his overly motherly secretary insisted most of the time.

He moved toward the food table for a drink. He would probably get a better view of things there also. Either luck was with him or not, Kaiba found Jounouchi loitering there with Yugi. Kaiba did a double take. No, it was the other Yugi. He was staring at the drinks suspiciously. Kaiba had already seen Yugi down a few cups of the questionable liquid hours ago.

"Come on, Yugi. Give it a try. It's not like you never had a beer before." The blond shoved a cup to the spirit manifested in flesh.

"I don't know, Jounouchi-kun. This isn't beer." The shorter boy continued to glare at the cup as if it would start talking and answer his questions.

Jounouchi threw his head back and gulped down another cup. "Yep, it's a hell of a lot better than beer."

Kaiba had long discarded his trench coat because of the heat. He was still dressed in a relatively conservative black shirt and slacks. Jounouchi, on the other hand, had come dressed for the occasion. His tight t-shirt, though the sleeves were so short it could be considered a sleeveless, was torn very slightly and strategically on the left side of his chest to show a hint of a dusty nipple. His low hip-hugging jeans were frayed and worn. Jounouchi was sweat-glazed from either the heat or the dancing. Kaiba tried not to stare but was failing desperately. How could he look away when Jounouchi looked so…hot, for lack of a better word.

Crimson eyes flicked over to him. A slow smirk spread across the other Yugi's lips, one that Kaiba was all too familiar with, though there was something much more feral about it. "Hello, Kaiba. I never thought I'd see you in a place like this."

Jounouchi twirled around. His face was flushed from the alcohol he had consumed. He wasn't drunk but he certainly looked tipsy. "Hey, Kaiba."

Before Kaiba had a chance to reply, Kawaba barged in and dragged Jounouchi away, babbling about "this hot guy you just have to meet" from St. Valentine Private Academy. The other Yugi had thrown Kaiba another "look" before wandering off to find his and Yugi's girlfriend.

Kaiba stared at some of his peers dancing to a collection of techno and rock in the middle of Otogi's den for a few seconds. He growled under his breath and set out to find Jounouchi once again. He still could not believe he was here, much less seeking out the blonde…

Midori was right, Shinobu Masahi was hot. Uber hot as Midori put it. He was two or three inches taller than Jounouchi with a strong and broad build. He also played American football. He was the epitome of the type labeled "tall, dark, and dangerous." He was fun though. He knew how to laugh, joke, and flirt. He wasn't like a cold fish like someone else. Yet Jounouchi felt no spark…no connection.

Masahi leaned in over Jounouchi. Jounouchi wrinkled his nose at the reeking scent of alcohol. Masahi was also drunk off his ass, or at least near it. Drunkenness was a definite turnoff for Jounouchi. While Jounouchi liked a few drinks in a while, his father's alcoholism had put him off to serious drinkers.

"Want to dance?"

Jounouchi nearly gagged at the reek but plastered on a silly grin. It was impolite to leave someone you had just been introduced to without spending a half an hour with him/her. Or at least, he wasn't sure what Midori would do to him if he ditched Masahi. "Sure."

Masahi led him out onto the crowded dance floor. Midori threw him a thumbs-up from where she was lounging by the DJ's table. The beat of the song picked up and made a smooth transition to the next, one that sounded suspiciously like trance. Jounouchi rolled his eyes. Midori knew he loved fast beat songs like these.

Masahi swayed slightly on his feet as he tried to keep up with the rhythm of the song. Jounouchi smothered his laughter at the awkward dancing of the bulkier boy. He was at home here on the dance floor. Clubbing was a favorite pastime he enjoyed with Anzu. He closed his eyes and threw himself into the beat of the music.

Jounouchi never understood some people's need to take drugs. You could get perfectly "high" after about hour of dancing, followed by the good kind of exhaustion. The world pulsed around him in a maddening way. Otogi did know how to throw one hell of a party.

Masahi grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. It only lasted a second before they toppled to the ground. Masahi had passed out. Jounouchi sat up and blew the bangs out of his eyes. That certainly had not been what he had in mind. Masahi's buddies stumbled onto the dance floor and hefted the body up. With a quick apology to Jounouchi, the uncoordinated group left the floor and the party.

Jounouchi threw Midori a look that said "what now?" Midori simply shrugged. Jounouchi shook his head in disappointment and left the floor as well. It was getting too hot anyway. He placed himself down on a couch to the side. He threw his head back against the couch and closed his eyes.

The next thing he knew, he felt something cool against his forehead. He opened his eyes to see a pale hand carefully balancing a cup on his forehead. He reached up and gripped both the cup and the hand and moved it away. He was now looking into the frigid eyes of Kaiba. He raised an eyebrow.

"Water." The other boy grunted simply.

Jounouchi drew the cup to his lips, never letting go of the Kaiba's hand around it. Kaiba was forced to comply with his movement, leaning over until his chin was resting on top of Jounouchi's hair. He took a few sips and savored the cool feeling on his tongue. Most of all, he savored the feeling of Kaiba's body draped over his.

"Thank you."

Jounouchi released Kaiba and waited for the older boy to pull away as quickly as he could. Kaiba stayed there for a few moments, arm draped over Jounouchi's shoulder and around his neck. He moved away but slowly, almost as if he didn't want to. Jounouchi smirked.

He patted the seat next to him and smiled at Kaiba. "Sit?"

Kaiba stared at the spot for a while before sitting. Even in a heated environment such as this, Kaiba still radiated a kind of coolness. Jounouchi itched to feel it. Jounouchi waited for inevitable scathing comment but it never came. Maybe they could finally have a civilized conversation for once.

"So what are you doing here, Kaiba? I never knew this was your kind of scene."

The other boy frowned deeply. "Nosaki was…very insistent."

Jounouchi smirked. "That's hardly an excuse. You could just pin one of those patent death glares on someone and they'd be running for the hills before the conversation even begins."

The frown deepened further, if that was even possible. "They don't seem to working quite as well as they used to."

"Maybe you should practice more than. Either that or people have finally started to develop an immunity to them. You know, sort of like bacteria and penicillin."

Kaiba tossed him a strange expression. "Glad to know I'm likened to bacterial infection."

Jounouchi burst out into laughter. "What do you expect? We're sitting here, discussing your death glare for god's sake. At a party where we should be dancing, getting drunk, or making out."

Kaiba leaned in until his face was just centimeters away. He rested a hand on the arm of the couch next to Jounouchi, trapping him. "Since the first two are out of the question for me, I guess you'll have to settle for option number three."

Jounouchi's breath was caught in his throat. Did…did Kaiba just respond to his advances? Hell, he hadn't even meant it in that way! His mouth opened and closed uselessly. His voice was stuck there right with his breath.

Kaiba didn't wait for an answer and closed the distance between their lips. Jounouchi froze as he felt those cool appendages against his own. A spark… He felt that spark… Kaiba's tongue brushed tentatively at his lower lip. Jounouchi moaned and grabbed a fistful of Kaiba's shirt and pulled him closer. Kaiba didn't complain as he plunged his tongue into Jounouchi's mouth.

Jounouchi's head swam. God, that astrology book was right! Kaiba may have an emotional scale of zero but sexually… This was something he could really get used to. He planted a hand on Kaiba's shoulder and weaved the other into those chestnut locks. One of Kaiba's hands was braced against the arm of the couch to hold himself up while the other found his nipple through that tear in his t-shirt.

Jounouchi gasped. Blood had long left his brain in favor of another place down south. Something equally hard and delicious dug into his side. Jounouchi pulled away. His chest heaved to catch his breath. His face was more flushed than ever. Kaiba watched him with that inscrutable expression again. No! He was so close.

Jounouchi brushed his lips tenderly against Kaiba's. Never moving away, he breathed, "So...your place or mine?"

Sunlight crept through the crack between the curtains. The light fingers crept up the black sheets to caress the bare shoulders of a golden-haired boy. A slight breeze played with the curtains, allowing more rays to steal into the dark-hued room.

Jounouchi cracked an eye open to stare at the door of the bedroom. He snuggled into the pillow, well aware of the arm draped around his waist and the body against his back. At the risk of being romantic, and Jounouchi was never romantic, he breathed in the scent that was distinctly Kaiba. One of vanilla, of all things.

He sat up in the bed, careful not to awaken the person next to him. As much as he enjoyed last night, Jounouchi just wasn't ready to deal with what Kaiba would have to pull this morning afterwards. When he came in last night, he hadn't had a chance to examine the room carefully. He had been too busy trying to work that darn belt around Kaiba's waist.

The room was large, the size of his and Shizuka's room combined. Yet it was only sparsely furnished. There was a desk to the corner by the French window with a computer. There was what appeared to be a walk-in closet on the other side of the room. Another wall was covered entirely in books. Several paintings hung on the walls. The four poster bed was naturally Jounouchi's favorite.

He smiled despite himself. It was true that he had succeeded in his goal but it felt like there was more to be done. Jounouchi didn't know anymore. He didn't know if he ever knew from the start. Had he only meant for this to be a one-night stand? Or something more? Jounouchi wanted to get to know Kaiba better. He wanted the chance to get to know the other boy the way no one had and he doubted anyone had so far.

He looked back at the still sleeping Kaiba. Kaiba looked…softer… Jounouchi guessed you couldn't wear that kind of expression 24-7, even if you were Kaiba Seto. He reached down to touch that soft hair. Running a hand through the locks, Jounouchi wore a content smile. He certainly hadn't felt this content in a long time, not even when his parents got back together.

The dark horse… A relationship worth investigating, worth pursuing… Maybe there was a possibility of something more…

A vice grip closed around his wrist, holding him in place. Jounouchi almost laughed. Expected typical Kaiba reaction. He leaned in for a kiss. "Good morning." The lips were unresponsive.

Kaiba pulled away and rolled out of bed. He wouldn't even look at Jounouchi again. He simply untangled himself from the bed sheets and made his way over to the walk-in closet. Jounouchi watched the sunlight play across the flawless pale skin. His eyes drifted down to that tight ass. He was quite disappointed when Kaiba pulled on a pair of boxers and pajamas top.

Jounouchi propped himself up on his elbow and continued to stare at brooding back of his new…lover? "Come on, Kaiba. Don't give me the cold shoulder."

Kaiba twirled around. His face was once again blank of all expression. Jounouchi had come to hate that blank stare more than any sneer or glare. It meant that Kaiba had something to hide but wouldn't relinquish it without a fight to the death. Kaiba walked over to Jounouchi's side of the bed. He picked up Jounouchi's clothes from the night before and threw them at him.

"Get dressed and get out."

Jounouchi stared at Kaiba in shock. "You're kicking me out?"

"You heard me the first time."

Jounouchi threw the sheets off and marched up to Kaiba. He didn't care if he was as naked as the day he was born. This was not the time to be shy. He grabbed Kaiba's face and pulled his lips down to his own. Kaiba stood still, like a statue. Jounouchi pulled away and examined that face again. Nothing…

"You think you can just kick me out like that? What the fuck is wrong with you? I'm not a fucking one night stand. I'm not something you can use and just throw away when you're done."

"What about you? What were you thinking when you first started this whole charade?"

Jounouchi couldn't answer him. He didn't have an answer to give.

"What? Nothing to say?"

"Why can't you just accept things as they come? Sometimes things just happen because they happen. Can't we-"

Kaiba cut him off and turned away. "I've heard enough."

Jounouchi waited and waited but there was nothing more to be said. "Fine!" Jounouchi quickly and messily dressed. He slammed the door behind him. Whatever could have been had been shot down even before it had a chance.

Jounouchi stumbled over his own two feet when he felt a sudden force slam into his back. He turned around and glared at the offender. Kaiba looked down at him in an impassive manner. Kaiba didn't even apologize. He simply stepped around Jounouchi and right on Jounouchi's book bag that he had dropped.

Jounouchi glared at Kaiba's retreating back. If possible, Kaiba had become even more of an ass ever since they screwed each other. The other boy had found all sorts of way to harass him in the last week. Jounouchi had all kinds of bruises from the last week or so, courtesy of Kaiba's good will.

"He's still beating up on you?"

Jounouchi bent down and picked up his book bag. He sighed and finally turned around to face Otogi. "What do you want?"

Otogi smirked and twirled a strand of those spring black locks. "So how was he? I've been meaning to ask."

Jounouchi frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Come on, I saw the way you two were going at it last Friday."

"I really don't know what you're talking about?"

"Did you top or him?"

Jounouchi turned abruptly and walked away.

Miho stepped out from behind the door she had been listening. She slapped her boyfriend's arm. "What the hell was that? How is that supposed to help the two of them get better?"

Otogi slung an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, Miho, give me a bit more credit. I was just revving him up for Bakura. He should be ready to spill everything out to Bakura. That'll help him think things through. Kaiba's getting tired of waiting for him to come around on his own."

Miho gave her boyfriend a peck on the cheek. "Wow, who knew you were that thoughtful?"

"Shut up. What if other people hear?"

"I don't know what the hell I did in my last life to deserve this! That's not the worse part. Everyone keeps on bugging me about it. I swear if Otogi wags his eyebrow at me one more time, I'm going to rip that pretty little head of his off."

Bakura nodded in a sympathetic manner. Jounouchi was eternally grateful for the other boy. Though he knew his friends cared, but none of them were exactly gay so they didn't understand in the same way. Plus none of them were in a relationship with an egotistical and power-hungry head case. Okay, so Malik wasn't exactly that but he came pretty close a year or two ago.

Bakura patted Jounouchi back. "Just let it all out, Jounouchi-kun."

"I don't know what to do now." Jounouchi buried his face in his hands.

"Jounouchi-kun, it's very simple. Do you care about Kaiba-kun?"

Jounouchi looked up at the white-haired boy. "How is any of this simple?"

Bakura sighed in exasperation. "Just answer the question."

"I guess…"

"Was it just a one-night stand?"

"I'm not sure."

"Had you ever considered dating him? Not just screwing him?"

"Yes."

"Do you think there's even the slight possibility of that?"

Jounouchi was silent for a few seconds. "I don't know honestly but I had hoped there was…"

Bakura stood and Jounouchi looked up at him in confusion. "That's it then. You don't need to worry about anything else. If you want a relationship with him, you're going to have to work for it. Kaiba-kun was never someone easy to get along with. If you're really sincere about this, you should be with him and not me. Just think, you slept with the man a week ago and after he kicks you out, you don't even attempt to approach or talk with him. What do you think he's going to think?"

Jounouchi smiled bitterly. "That would be so like him, to think he would test me. Him and his twisted sense of things…"

"Then it's settled. Go find Kaiba-kun and set his twisted sense straight."

"Thanks Bakura."

Kaiba didn't look up from his work when an intruder barged into his office. Two seconds later, his security tackled the aforementioned offender and brought him to the ground.

"Damn it, let me up. I have to talk with Kaiba!"

The two guards hauled Jounouchi to his feet before hastily addressing their boss. "We're so sorry, Seto-sama. We hadn't expected him to fight back. We'll take him away now."

"We need to talk about last Friday!"

Kaiba regarded his computer screen carefully. "Really? I wasn't aware there was anything to be discussed."

"Just because you think we can just scr-"

Kaiba cut the blond boy off. "That's enough. You can leave him, I'll take care of them."

The guards were hesitant to obey his orders but finally nodded, bowed, and closed the office doors behind them. Kaiba refused to face Jounouchi just yet. He continued to stare at his screen.

Jounouchi crossed his arms. "What? Can't bear for people to find out about our sordid little affair? It's not like half the school doesn't know already. Anzu's, Miho's, and Midori's not-so-subtle gushing."

Kaiba stood and made his way around his desk. He leaned against the table and scowled. "Whatever you have to say, just say it and leave me in peace."

He watched as Jounouchi tried to straighten his posture. The boy ran a nervous hand through his messy hair.

"I think we should give this a try."

Kaiba blinked. Whatever he thought Jounouchi would say, this wasn't it. He had almost expected some type of sentimental outburst from Jounouchi, not this one surprisingly simple but sincere line. "Excuse me?"

Jounouchi held his head high. Kaiba could almost admire him for his guts for coming up to his office. "You heard me. I think we should give us," Jounouchi pointed at Kaiba and then himself. "A chance."

Kaiba blinked again. "You're on something. You must have hit your head somewhere. That's the only reasonable explanation." Kaiba turned away and reached for the phone. He pressed the button for his secretary. "Rena, please-"

His words died on his lips. He felt Jounouchi reach around him and lay a hand over Kaiba's resting by the phone. Jounouchi pressed his body against Kaiba's back. "Just hear me out." Kaiba shuddered at the breath against his neck.

"Cancel that, Rena."

Beep.

Kaiba turned around, to find himself trapped against his own desk by Jounouchi. He wasn't sure if he liked being in such a compromising position or not. "Do you mind, Jounouchi?"

Jounouchi smiled at being addressed with his name. "Nope, I think this is rather comfortable." He rested his head against Kaiba's shoulder.

Kaiba rested a hand on the small of Jounouchi's back. Since he was leaning against his desk, they were about the same height now. "I have work to finish."

"So? You're not complaining." Jounouchi lifted his head. "Why are you not complaining? I thought you would put up more of a fight."

Kaiba smirked. "You passed the test."

Jounouchi was flabbergasted. He slapped Kaiba's shoulder. "You bastard, you really do have a warped sense of security!"

"I needed to know if you were sincere or not."

"You are such a head case!"

"I believe that should be sarcastic head case whose favorite pick-up line is hi."

Jounouchi was shocked yet again.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "What? You think you're the only one who read that book?"

"Love on a Rotten Day?"

Kaiba nodded.

"You read that?" Jounouchi squeaked.

"Mokuba has a copy. I think he was reading it for Rebecca."

Jounouchi shook his head and chuckled. "So I passed the test, now what?"

"I can think of a few things the book suggested. Activities that Aquarius like yourself may find interesting."

Before Jounouchi could give some half coherent reply, Kaiba bent down and captured those tempting lips. After all, nothing more needed to be said.

*Owari*

[1] The Diet is the Japanese legislature.

[2] Although the age limit of alcohol purchase and consumption is 20, it is not enforced. Alcohol can be easily bought from vending machines that don't require any type of ID. Public drunknness is also not regarded as a crime there as it is here, as long as you don't hurt anyone anyway.

The books mentioned, Born on a Rotten Day and Love on a Rotten Day, are written by Hazel Dixon-Cooper. All quotes from inbetween the scenes were taken from either book.

This fic is dedicated to Bunny! Not only did she buy the books that inspired this fic, she also beta'ed for me!

Oh my god, took me all day at home to get this done... Last time, I pull a stunt like this...

All reviews are appreciated. *chocolate given as prop* Thank you ahead of time.