JC: I was writing the last parts of the story while chatting with people online at the same time. They were bugging me to Cosplay as Jaden in the next convention in our little city. I'd like to go as a girl, but they said that crossdressing is better for me. I guess this is because I went as Ryoma Echizen (Prince of tennis) in the MCTV Otaku Fest 2011 held last month, though I was a judge there. I wasn't exactly playing as 'male' Ryoma. I was more like portraying a 'female' version of Ryoma wearing the Seigaku Tennis uniform. But my friends said that I can pull of the crossdressing well. I don't know if I could do Jaden. I think there's gonna be an event in December. There's still a lot of time to decide which character I'm going as. The chapter was supposed to be longer, but the chat went on and on and I could peel myself off. Well, at least I can put a lot of ideas in the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, people, or its characters, but the plot is mine. All rights belong to Kazuki Takahashi.

White Vow

Turn 10: Pervasive Feelings

Capturing her mouth, Jaden gave her a kiss that sent hot, fiery passion through her veins. He stole her breath, making her mind grow hazy with a rush of staggering delight. She froze on the spot, completely surprised and unprepared for the potent sensation of his lips moving against her own. His mouth was soft; his kiss demanding.

"Jaden…" Her breath soughed fast between her lips. Her knees grew weak, but Jaden held her strongly. "Wait…"

"Let me have you…at least for now…" he said, tugging her even tighter.

"Jaden…"

As if the sound of his name on her lips broke through some voluntary control, he devoured her lips, kissing her with an aggressive tenure. Her body grew hot. Her heart thundered. And it became more intense the instant his tongue swept inside when she parted her lips.

With an unsteady gulp, she forced herself to break away. "J-Jaden, w-why…?" He laid a hand against her face and touched her lips. She quivered, blood throbbing in her temples, her skin turning hot beneath his touch. "Jaden…"

Pulling away, he lowered his head in shame. He knew it was wrong to force a kiss on her. But the moment he'd touched her, he'd been unable to control himself. His longing for her was stronger than he expected. "S-Sorry!" Without giving her the chance to respond, he turned and ran off.

DAMN IT!

He ran blindly down the hall, bumping into Atticus along the way, but he didn't stop. He kept going even when Atticus called out his name.

"What a coward... You think running away will solve anything," Yubel, the card spirit inside him, spoke up, as Jaden left the mansion. "The first move was yours. You have to see it through to the end."

"I know…" he muttered, leaning his back against an oak tree in the back garden. Everything was still clammy from the rain. The air was cold, yet Jaden felt warm all over. Never before had he done such a bold thing to a woman. It was as if a ferocious rush of possessiveness roared through him back then. He slid down to the ground, palming his face. "I'm pathetic. She has someone she likes and yet I…I kissed her! How am I supposed to face her now?"

"What a fool…You're as gullible as ever, Jaden."

"I don't need this shit right now, Yubel!" His chest squeezed. "I have no idea what came over me. I acted out on impulse. I've never felt this strongly towards someone before…and I'm really glad to be in love with her. But…she…"

"Is she truly what you want?"

There was a brief silence before he spoke. "Yeah…I want her," he declared, staring up at the sky. "I love her."

She had fallen onto her knees the moment he left her room. Her mind was blank the whole time until Atticus came. She had gazed upon her brother with confusion lighted in her hazel eyes. She had never felt so vulnerable, so helpless before. It wasn't like her. She had always been strong and confident, yet what just occurred between her and Jaden made her self-conscious.

Her brother had helped her to the bed and had given her time to relax. Contrary to his carefree attitude, Atticus was rather perceptive. He could tell how troubled she was.

Recalling the fresh memory of their kiss, Alexis touched her lips with her fingertips.

Atticus placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What happened?" Sensing her slight stiffening, he murmured against her temple, "You can tell me, sis…" And she was burning up.

She couldn't hide the signs of how Jaden affected her. She felt delicate, but rather than breaking down, she held her tears. "He kissed me… I was about to confess, but he kissed me."

"Alexis…"

"Why? What does it mean?" She played back the scene in her head again only to make her dizzier and hotter. "Why did he…?" Her vision blurred. "Jaden…why?" She fell into her brother's arms as she lost consciousness.

Touching her temple, Attics sighed. "A fever, huh?" He laid her on the bed and tucked her in. "Seeing you like this is making this big brother real worried. You've experienced a lot today." He bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Rest up, Alexis."

He left the bedroom then, closing the door behind him, and encountered his mother in the hallway.

"Is my little Lexi all right, Atti?" Mrs. Rhodes asked.

"She came down with a fever," he replied. "But she's sleeping now."

"Oh, my…I better go check on her." She walked past her son and paused at the door. "Atti, did something happen between her and Jaden? I saw Jaden running off to the garden. He seemed troubled."

"I'm not really sure." He peered over his shoulder and gave the mother a reassuring smile. "Gotta talk to him to find out."

"They're in love with each other, aren't they?"

Atticus gave a quiet laugh. "And these guys need a little more push from the Love Master!"

A Duel Disk was thrown on the soft patch of grass beside Jaden.

"Someone's in a foul mood," Atticus said, walking casually up to Jaden. A Duel Disk was strapped to his arm. "At times like this, you should just let yourself go and duel!"

Jaden's frown deepened. "I feel like crap. I don't feel like doing anything."

"So not like the Jaden I know…" A sigh escaped from Atticus' lips as he crossed his arms. "Why? Because you kissed my sister?"

Jaden grew hot just thinking about the kiss. No doubt about it. He had only himself to blame for setting up the barriers between him and Alexis. Since Alexis was the first girl he ever loved, he hadn't known what to expect.

Atticus eyed him. "Hmm…Well, just for the record, how many times have you two kissed?"

"The other times were just accidents…" Jaden replied, his cheeks flushing red. "But what I did a while ago…was…" He then spilled the beans to Atticus about all the times and all the places they'd been more or less intimate with each other. It was deeply embarrassing to talk about these things, especially to the brother of the woman you love. Love and romance—the whole thing was so new yet so wonderful to him. He was glad to be in love with her, a fact he admitted to Atticus, and he wanted to be more than friends with Alexis. However, he regretted forcing himself upon her and claiming her lips. It wasn't right. And he wouldn't blame her if she started hating him for it.

Once again Atticus sighed and walked until he was inches away from Jaden. "You're an emotional wreck. I'm sure a duel will fix you right up." He inserted his deck into the slot and activated his disk.

"Huh? But I—"

"Stop being pathetic! DUEL ME, JADEN!" Atticus demanded.

Jaden flinched. He had never seen Atticus get that angry before. Hesitantly, he picked up the Duel Disk on the ground, strapped it in, and activated it by inserting his deck. Looking up at Atticus, Jaden found intense heat flaring up in his dark eyes. "Umm...I don't think this is a good idea…" he murmured.

Narrowing his eyes dangerously, Atticus drew five cards from his deck. "You know, my tolerance level had just gone down to zero, Jaden." He drew the first card for his turn and called out Enraged Battle Ox (ATK: 1700) in attack mode. He then inserted a trap into the spell/trap card zone. "I throw a facedown and end my turn. Come on, man, get your act together. You were never this wishy-washy."

The younger brunette took an involuntary step back and swallowed. "She told me…She told me she has someone she likes. Where does that leave me now?"

Atticus raked a hand through his hair, shaking his head in dismay. "How slow can a person be? Honestly, you're making things more complicated, Jaden."

"Huh? What do you—"

"Do you need me to spell it out for ya?" Atticus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Anyway, it's your move."

Jaden's mind was in complete disarray. What was Atticus trying to tell him? What did he need to realize? He already knew he could never be the special guy for Alexis. She was in love with someone else, which hurt on his part.

Cursing under her breath, Alexis tossed the blanket aside. She had passed out for a good one and a half hour. So far, her fever hasn't gone down one bit. Walking to the door with a sprained ankle was no easy feat, but she had to see Jaden. After finally descending the stairs and heading outside, she'd walked to the garden, feeling a little faint. She had put much will and she wasn't going to stop. Seeking out the big oak tree, where she used to play Duel Monsters with her brother before, she crossed the garden path.

Her lips parted on a sudden inhalation when she saw Jaden and her brother dueling. And, much to her surprise, Jaden was losing badly. He had 300 life points left, while her brother had perfect points. Her brother also had Manticore of Darkness out in ATK mode. The Beast-Warrior Duel Monster with the head of a lion and dark feathered wings let out a ferocious roar. It was ready to attack.

Disappointment glazed over his features as Atticus deactivated his disk. He refused to deliver the finishing blow again to a Duelist whose heart was never in the Duel in the first place. "Losing thrice in a row—what a big waste of time," he said, turning his back at Jaden. "I mean, come on!"

A quiver traced over her skin at the sound of her brother's strong, stern voice.

Jaden fell to his knees, balling his hands into hard fists. "I…I could hardly focus," he murmured.

"Your heart wasn't in it," Atticus said.

Heart pounding hard, Jaden looked up at Atticus. "Because it kept screaming her name…It's telling me to be with her."

"You're not the only one who feels that way," Atticus added, walking up to him and kneeling down to his level. "Jaden, this isn't the start of unrequited love."

Jaden blinked in surprise. "You mean…?"

Her knees weakened as she approached them, her hand tightening against her chest. The two had turned their attention to her, but her eyes only held Jaden's. Jaden had the face of an innocent boy that it was so cute—his cheeks stained in red, his eyes pure and brown that had the power to make her melt. "Jaden…" she muttered under her breath.

"As your bro, I should be scolding you right now for leaving the room in your condition…But I wouldn't dare go against fate," Atticus explained dramatically. "Okay, guys, no more hesitating!" He gave Jaden a pat on the shoulder before taking his leave.

Now it was just the two of them…ALONE…

A flurry of sensation erupted in her chest and her head pounded. There was also a stinging pain in her ankle. It was so unfortunate to have a fever and a sprained ankle.

"Alexis, I have something to tell you," Jaden said in a low voice, scratching the back of his head. His face was flushed red.

She drew a few shallow breaths in hopes it would stabilize her for a bit. "I have something to say as well." It was hard to concentrate on keeping her breathing slow and steady.

But Jaden began to notice the perspiration dampening her skin. "You don't look too well there, Lex. Maybe we should go back to your room."

"No…I need to tell you…" She couldn't continue for her knees gave up on her. She sank to her knees and lifted a hand to her head. "Not now…" She sensed Jaden kneeling down before her. But he didn't touch her. Resiliently, she held back the tears, trying to find the strength to struggle to her feet.

A hand reached for the side of her face. "Let me help," Jaden said in a soft, caring tone, tipping up her chin. With her eyes locked in his, Jaden smiled.

She had barely gotten to her feet when she found herself being lifted by him bridal-style. "Don't bother," she said. "I can—"

"No need to act cool with me, Lex," he said with a dismissive tone. "You're obviously sick."

Taking the path back to the mansion, he carried her into the house and up the stairs. Leaning her head against his chest, she closed her eyes for a moment and let herself savor his warmth. Without any signs of weariness, he took her straight to her bedroom and laid her gently on the bed. "Thank you," she said.

He smoothed a hand over her hair. It was quite a surprising action to her, and she liked it. "You're not allowed out of bed until you're all better, okay?" he told her.

"Okay, MOM," she replied, slightly giggling.

His fingers tipped her chin upward, forcing her to look at him in the eye. "Now what were you gonna say?"

Drawing a deep breath, she said, "Not sure…Why don't you tell me first?"

Withdrawing his hand, he sat down on the bed next to her. "Um…well…How should I say this?" He scratched the tip of his nose, letting out an awkward chuckle. "Alexis…I…" He looked away, ducking his head, messing up his hair in frustration. "Oh, man, I can hardly breathe! When I look at you, I feel so…so…" For the space of several heartbeats, Jaden just stayed silent, not certain of how he'd confess. "Um…I should probably apologize to you first…for k-kissing you all of a sudden…"

"Jaden, you once told me that I should confess my feelings to the person I like," Alexis said.

He straightened and turned to her. "Right…And I should take my own advice." He grasped the round of her shoulders and stared straight into her hazel eyes. "Alexis, I…I…I love you! I don't care if you're in love with someone else. I just love you."

"W-What?"

"I've fallen for you real hard," he declared firmly. "I'm really glad too." He paused as a small smile settled on his face. "I've been having a hard time keeping it all inside."

She smiled back, touching one of his hands on her shoulders. Loving warmth seeped through her body. "Me too…" She felt like crying. "I'm glad…"

"Alexis?"

She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, she pinched Jaden's cheek hard, as if it was an elastic rubber band.

It was kind of painful. "Oww….What did you do that for?" he asked, rubbing his now sore, red cheek.

"How slow are you at picking up hints?" she teased, giggling sweetly, as Jaden shrugged. "You had no idea that the guy I was talking about was you."

Jaden blushed beet red in embarrassment. "Okay, so I'm slow…I admit it. But I'm not just a Dueling fool anymore."

"I guess not. Still surprises me though."

"You made me realize that a guy like me can fall in love." Reaching out, he drew her closer and embraced her in his arms. "Alexis, I really love you," he muttered under his breath, pressing her gently to his chest.

She froze at first but then relaxed her head against his shoulder. "Jaden…" She enfolded him in her arms and whispered in his ear, "I love you too…"

They held each other in silence, minutes passing without their knowledge. They were contented to be with one another, so very comfortable to be in such position. They didn't want to let go.

"Alexis…" Realizing she was falling asleep, he carefully laid her back against the pillows. "You still have a fever, so get some rest." He picked up the blanket and spread it over her.

Snuggling into the warmth, she sighed with satisfaction. "Thank you…" she murmured, closing her eyes.

A wonderful fluttering sensation whirled inside him. His heart has yet to calm, but it was beating in excitement, in bliss. A note on the bedside table caught his eye and he picked it up to read. It was a note from Alexis' mother, saying that she needed to drink the medicine she brought when she awakens. However, judging from the untouched capsules, Jaden knew Alexis had ran out to find him the minute she jumped out of bed.

Alexis was already slumbering peacefully and it would be a shame to wake her up. "But she needs the medicine… How will I?" Then one of Atticus' bold ideas came into mind, which made him warm all over. "No way!"

Shivering, Alexis winced in pain and muttered his name.

His heart skipped a beat. "But she needs it." He plopped one of the capsules into his mouth and filled it with a good amount of water. Brushing his fingertips across her cheek, he bent down to claim her mouth. He wasn't sure if he was doing it right, but he effortlessly made her drink her medicine. When he pulled away for air, he swore that it was one of the most intense things he had ever done. "Is she gonna get mad when she finds out?"

Straightening, he gazed at her for another long moment, and then sat down on the bed. "I don't think she'll be too keen about the bet though…" He sighed. "What if she'll hate me?"

"She won't hate you. I'm sure of it."

Mrs. Rhodes' words echoed in his mind, and then a small smile formed. "Pretty reassuring… I should really stop being hard on myself. This isn't me…" He entwined his hand with hers. "I'll do my best to make everything work for us, Alexis." And it was a vow he swore to keep.

"Looks like the real fun starts here," Atticus said, peering himself away from his sister's bedroom door. He had heard everything, especially the confession, and he was indeed happy for them. But the smile immediately left his face when he saw his father heading his way. "Came to check up on Lexi? Sorry, no visitors allowed at the moment."

"So, it seems Jaden Yuki is with her," Mr. Rhodes said, utter disgust in his tone when he mentioned Jaden's name.

"The two are in love, so leave them be," Atticus said, crossing his arms.

"He is not the right man for Alexis."

"I beg to differ."

"Your opinion doesn't matter. Alexis will agree to my terms soon enough."

Atticus narrowed his eyes. "Now don't start playing dirty, dad. This isn't like you."

With a heated glare, the man turned on his heel. "I will separate them, no matter what the cost," he said in a cold harsh tone.

A complacent, confident smirk was carved on Atticus' face. "Not gonna happen," he told his father.

Mr. Rhodes shrugged. "Opposing me won't do you any good, Atticus."

"And making your daughter cry isn't cool at all, you know." Atticus leaned his back against the wall. "Look, I'm a big brother. It's my job to look after my little sister. I'm not about to let anyone trample on her happiness, which includes you, dad."

Mr. Rhodes did not say anything in return and simply walked away.

To be continued…

JC: Pardon the fluff, but I love it. I was dying to write sweet scenes like that and I'm glad I pulled it off with Jaden and Alexis. The two finally confirmed that their feelings matched. They're more than friends now. Surely there's no need for them to act in front of Mr. Rhodes anymore coz they're the real deal. What do you think will happen next? Please send in the reviews. I love them! I hate flaming though. Don't bother sending flames.