Chapter 31, Piece 8 * * * * * * * *
The aquarium was crowded, which gave them time to move slowly from exhibit to exhibit. Conversation was awkward when it wasn't about the fish swimming in front of them.
Kaiba found that he had no idea how to broach the subject of them being friends, much less a more intimate relationship. Nothing in his life had prepared him for asking someone out. And it was quickly becoming evident by the way Jounouchi was looking at everything but him, that the blond was not interested in Kaiba.
Jou, for his part, was finding it harder and harder to look at Kaiba and not think about seeing him naked. Moneybags would kill him if he knew. And there wasn't any point in remembering it. Kaiba was probably arrow straight. Besides, he was being even less social than usual; even if Kaiba was bi, he wouldn't look twice at a 'mutt' like Jou.
Eventually, they went back to the inn.
"Kaiba-sama?" The innkeeper called out. "This fax arrived for you."
"Thank you." He took the papers and studied them, frowning. "This is not what I agreed to. Innkeep, may I use your office again?"
"Of course..."
Kaiba was walking away before the woman could agree and she hurried to keep up with him.
"Great spendin' a day with you too," Jou snarked. "Gotta do it again some never."
"Jou!" Honda came up behind his friend and dropped an arm around his shoulder. "Where you been? You didn't get stuck with Kaiba all day, did you?"
"Coulda been worse," Jou sighed.
"Man! Your day must have reeked! Come on! We got one of the baths to ourselves." Honda leaned closer. "And Bakura scored a bottle of sake!" he whispered.
"Yeah, I could totally go for some of that!"