Disclaimer: I do not own, not am I associated with, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX

Author's note: Alright get ready for some rivalshipping! It's about time honestly :) this chapter was also originally much longer, but I decided the ending was better off on it's own, so know that part of the next chapter is written as well and the it should be out soon. I don't have much else to say, except happy holidays to all of you, and thank you all so so so much for the reviews and follows and favorites!

The days following Chazz's confession were filled with hugs and secret glances.

I'm public, Chazz kept his distance. He showed no more affection towards Jaden than normal, and in return Jaden did the same. He understood that Chazz was very self-conscious about what the other students would think if he was overly affectionate with Jaden- even though in his heart he knew people weren't paying attention to the black haired boy. They had other things to worry about- grades, duels, love lives- that pushed the snarky ex-Obelisk from their minds.

For Jaden, it wasn't as hard. Encouraging Chazz to sit with them at lunch or walking with him to class wasn't out of the normal. It had been a regular occurance since Chazz had come to the Slifer dorms- since Jaden had noticed he didn't have many, or any, people he could consider friends. And even if Chazz wasn't keen on accepting the offers to sit with Bastion and Syrus and the other at lunch, everyone knew Jaden at least out the effort in. Only difference now was that Chazz was, slowly, giving in to Jaden's requests.

"So how's your day going, Chazz?"

Jaden shut the door to Chazz's room as the black haired boy shrugged off his jacket. Classes had just ended for the day, and as was becoming normal, the two had returned to Chazz's dorm to talk.

"Not bad, kinda boring in class today though." He threw the jacket on the bed and turned around to see Jaden standing inches away from him. He made a halfhearted groan of protest as Jaden smiled and wrapped him into a hug- something that had become quite normal, not that he was complaining.

And not that he'd say that out loud.

"Oh yeah? Why? Did you already know what was being taught?"

Chazz made an annoyed noise and laid his head on Jaden's shoulder. "Obviously. Spell card basics? I learned that back in baby prep school."

"I wouldn't exactly call them basics, Chazzy."

"...shut up, Slacker."

Chazz smiled against the red clad shoulder, and he knew Jaden must have felt it because he laughed and pulled Chazz tighter against him.

"Look at that, I'm making Chazz Princeton smile. Never thought I'd see the day."

The smile stretched wider. He pushed Jaden away to arms length, and was planning on responding with one of his famous comebacks. At least, until he looked up.

Jaden was running his fingers through his hair in that casual, trademark way of his. One hand rested sheepishly behind his head, and his eyes were squinted shut from the grin he was wearing. He looked so cute. So good that Chazz wanted nothing more than to hug him and never let go. Something pulled at his stomach, something fluttery and foreign and in that moment he forgot what he had been planning to say.

"Uhh, Chazz? You okay there buddy? You're looking a little pale." Jaden stopped his concerned look to scrunch his nose up in confusion. "Well, paler than normal, I guess. You're pretty fair to begin with. But no, no that's not the point. Is there something wrong?"

And the only thing Chazz had to respond with was an unintelligible "uhh, what?"

Jaden frowned and leaned forward. "Are you sick? Is there something bothering you?"

"N-no, no Jaden, I'm fine. I just, uhh, just got a little dizzy for a second, that's all." The last half of his sentence was slurred, his voice teetering out on the last word so much that Jaden had to lean even closer to catch it. Deep red flooded over his cheeks, and Chazz immediately felt his embarrassment skyrocket. Jaden seemed to believe the lie though, but it only took him a second to decide that wasn't such a good thing.

"You need to sit down then, Chazzy. And you're so red, are you sure you don't have a fever?"

Jaden cupped a hand around Chazz's elbow and pulled him closer. He put one hand on Chazz's shoulder, wrapping part of his arm around to gently cradle the purple sweater around the base of his neck as if he was keeping the boy from falling. Jaden's other hand rose up to Chazz's forehead and brushed a strand or two of the dark hair back before coming to rest on his skin. Jaden was looking up, slightly over Chazz's shoulder, in concentration as he tried to determine whether or not he felt Chazz was, indeed, sick.

If there was anything Chazz was unprepared for, it was definitly this. He gasped, and reflexively flinched backwards from Jaden's hand. The movement knocked him backwards, and he barely had enough time to throw both hands behind him and catch himself on the edge of the dresser. The picture of himself with Jagger and Slade clattered against the wood.

It only got worse when Chazz saw that Jaden had fallen as well, not being able to get his hand away from the back of Chazz's neck in time. His hands were splayed against the dresser as well, and his legs were spread wide as an attempt to catch himself. He was leaning over Chazz, eyes wide and so close that their chests were almost touching, catching his breath from the surprise.

Jaden's eyes were so dark. Like the color of the wood in Chazz's childhood bedroom. They were filled with concern-concern for Chazz, and wasn't that a little uplifting, to know someone cared- and something that Chazz couldn't quite place.

But somehow he knew his eyes held the same thing.

"Chazzy, are you ok? What happened? I'm not going to hurt you, if that's what's got you so scared. I would never, I promise."

Jaden hadn't moved away, hadn't switched their positions one bit. The worry in his eyes increased, deepening the colors and making Chazz's heart ache just that much more.

Chazz whimpered. A needy, strangled sound. It wasn't from fear, like Jaden thought, but from the fact that the brown haired boy was right there. So close and so much more perfect than Chazz had ever imagined.

Chazz looked down at himself, embarrassed by the idea that Jaden thought he was scared of him. He mumbled something unintelligible, tempted to bring his hands to his collar like he tended to do in stressful times, before realizing that doing so would mean falling flat on his back and humiliating himself even more.

In his moment of insecurity, he didn't notice the way Jaden leaned closer. The way one hand left the table and the way Jaden's head tilted ever so slightly to the right.

He only noticed when the hand fluttered at his chin and when the soft, breathy "Chazz" floated through the air.

He most definitely noticed, when he lifted his head, the way his head automatically tilted to match Jaden's and the way two pairs of chocolate brown eyes slid closed.

He would most definitely never forget the first time they kissed.