(Yo! Cod-face here. Just a heads-up--this is an experimental thing, mostly in style and portraying Kaiba. So if it's too dry, too boring, blah blah bleh, I apologize and I'll work on it. And, as always, this website killed the paragraph formatting. I tried to fix it, but... Pssh. And now I present--da da daaan--The Mutually Unrequited Love of Opposite Personalities from One of the Gayest Non-Gay Series Ever. -drumroll-)

Sailing Downstairs to the Northern Line, or The Endless Coloured Ways

by Cody Saoyrn

--

Know that I love you

Know I don't care

Know that I see you

Know I'm not there

----Nick Drake, Know

--

It was the same ritual every day.

Toss his bookbag onto the hooks hanging off his desk.

Head to the back of the classroom and chat with his friends.

Fail to jump into his seat before the bell.

Scowl upon hearing Seto Kaiba's derisive snort and refuse to look over, in dread of what he might see.

-

Jonouchi propped up his chin with his right hand, idly twirling a pencil with the other. Gazing out the window, he smiled to himself as he began planning his summer vacation.

Eventually, he became sure that somebody was staring at him; Jonouchi could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prickling, and he bit the inside of his cheek.

-

It happened in every class. There would be the regular boredom of being trapped inside, being forced to half-listen to something he wasn't interested in.
And after a while—maybe it was always the same amount of time, he wouldn't put it past that bastard—Jonouchi would sense a pair of eyes drilling into his back.

He knew who it was, naturally. Who else could it be, who else would have the guts to try and rile him in the middle of a lecture?

-

Kaiba frowned to himself. Once again, there was no obvious response from the other boy.
Was the subtle tensing a result of his attention, or was Jonouchi merely oblivious and in need of a brisk stretch?

Writing a few sentences in his notes, Kaiba narrowed his eyes and calculated how long it would take for Jonouchi to give up and snap at him.

He knew what he would do then, what he always did.

-

Hissing out a sigh between his clenched teeth, Jonouchi leaned back and ran his hands through his great mop of blonde hair.
If he turned around, that would be giving in. So he wouldn't do that.
But if he tried to keep ignoring Kaiba's steely gaze, he'd probably end up gibbering and be hauled out of the classroom in a straitjacket.
So there went that plan.

Maybe if he looked over quickly enough, he'd be able to catch Kaiba in the act. But then what? He shook his head.

-

A smirk began to inch its way across Kaiba's face as he noted the telltale signs of frustration. Five more minutes at the most, and Jonouchi would lose it, he had to.
If it was a simple glare, Kaiba decided, he would just keep his eyes on the teacher.
If the mutt jumped up, eyes on the paper.
If Jonouchi said something aimed at him, time for a sneer and prepackaged insult. If he was confronted directly, silence and a haughty expression should do the trick.

-

Under no circumstances, Kaiba intoned mentally, should he allow Jonouchi to find him staring. After all, that might give the kid the wrong impression. You know, like maybe he was in love with that idiot or something equally foolish.

Which wasn't the case, of course.

--

(End.)