DISCLAIMER: Figure it out.
Couplings: Seto/Jou.

It's official. I have jumped aboard the bandwagon. I know this plot has been used before. And I know I'm not original. Gah. Don't rub it in my face.

The song is 'Sweet Surrender' by Sarah Mclachlan. I recommend it.

AND this is my first angst fic. HEY! DON'T RUN AWAY LIKE THAT!!! I SWEAR, IT'S NOT THAT BAD!!! COME BACK!!!

Jou: You're scaring the readers.

...oh.

Note: /anything in between here are lyrics/

+

Sweet Surrender

+

/it doesn't mean much
it doesn't mean anything at all
the life I've left behind me
is a cold room/

It was raining. And hard.

Jou sat at a bench, alone in the rain, soaked. His bangs dripped wet. Cold droplets of water slid down his face and he closed his eyes briefly.

He didn't mind. He liked the rain and he had nowhere else to go. Not home, definitely not home to his father. Jou needed a moment's peace, and he wouldn't get it there.

Home. Wasn't the word supposed to bring you comfort? Hmm.

He turned his face to his lap and swung his legs around, feeling very much like a small child. No worries, no problems.

/I've crossed the last line
from where I can't return
where every step I took in faith
betrayed me
and led me from my home/

Jou took a look at his wrists. There were small scars from when he cut himself. He picked at the scabs and tiny beads of blood collected at the surface. It stung. They mingled with the water and rolled down his wrist.

Sirens sounded dimly somewhere. The sky was an interesting shade of gray, depressing and bleak. Ironic. It was exactly what he felt like at the moment.

He wrapped his arms around himself. It was cold and he was without jacket, just a thin shirt.

Someone sat down next to him, making him look up. Who...

Piercing, cold blue eyes. Seto Kaiba.

/and sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give
you take me in
no questions asked/

"Hello, Jounouchi." Seto said, leaning back against the bench and looking at Jou closely, taking in how wet he was.

"What, no joke about puppies?" He said, looking at Seto warily.

"There'll be plenty of time for that. What are you doing in the rain? Aren't you cold?"

Jou shook his head, but his body rebelled against him and shivered. Damn. He was cold. And he was soaked through by rainwater. Hopefully, Seto didn't notice the shiver...

But he did and sighed, taking off his bulky black jacket, holding it out to the blonde. Jou stared at it blankly.

"Put it on, you idiot." Seto said irritably. Jou took it and shrugged it on, not knowing what to say.

Thank you would be a start, he thought. But he didn't say anything.

/you strip away the ugliness
that surrounds me
are you an angel
am I already that gone/

Jou stared at his lap, bangs falling down and covering his eyes. Seto reached over and brushed them out of the way, making the other look up and blink. He was met with a tiny smile.

"You should go home. You're going to get sick staying out in the rain like this." Seto said, something that sounded like concern in his voice.

"...I don't really want to."

"I see."

A wave of relief washed over him. He was glad Kaiba - no, Seto, didn't ask why he didn't want to go home. Jou tended to get uncomfortable around the subject and preferred to leave it alone.

"It started raining, and I just wanted to sit for a while."

"How long have you been sitting here, then?"

"...one hour?"

/I only hope
that I won't disappoint you
when I'm down here
on my knees
and sweet/

Seto raised an eyebrow at him, "...you could come over to my house. To dry off."

Jou managed one of his trademark grins, "Who are you and what have you done with Kaiba?"

"So I have a soft spot for wet, lost puppies."

"I knew that was going to come sooner or later." The blonde said and stretched. Seto caught a glimpse of his wrists and his eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing of them. Jou looked back to Seto and smiled weakly, "Anyways, thanks for the offer. But I think I'll just drop by at Yugi's. He usually has junk food."

"Not surprised that's all you can think about." Seto said as he stood up.

/sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give
sweet
sweet
sweet surrender
is all that I have to give/

Jou's face fell a little, "You're leaving." Surprising himself by how clear the disappointment was in his voice. He pretended it wasn't.

/and I don't understand
by the touch of your hand
I would be the one to fall/

"Leaving? Oh no. I'm going to escort you to Yugi's house." Seto said, holding out his hand for the blonde to take it. He stared at it for a while. Then he took it and Seto pulled him up from the bench with ease.

Jou's hand lingered on Seto's for a moment.

/I miss the little things
oh I miss everything/

They had arrived at Yugi's place a while later. The walk had been ..pleasant. There was no arguing, none of the usual fighting or name-calling. Jou and Seto stood at Yugi's porch, the leaves on nearby trees rustling from the wind. Water dripped from the roof and onto the ground.

The sky was now lightly blue-tinted, even though the rain was still going strong.

Seto decided to do the honors and rung the doorbell.

"In a minute, in a minute!" Yugi's voice said from inside and unlocked the door. "Jou-kun! You're soaking wet! Come in!" The telephone rang. Yugi rushed back inside after quickly telling Jou he could come in.

"I guess this is it." Jou said slowly, taking off the jacket.

Seto stopped him, "Give it back to me at school."

Their eyes met and both smiled. Jou moved to go inside, but the brunette grabbed him by the wrist.

"One more thing. Don't do this anymore." Seto said, tracing red lines that adorned the soft skin of the shorter boy's wrist. Jou tried to wrench his hand arm away, but Seto kept a firm hold on it.

He pulled Jou closer by the arm and leaned down to give him a soft kiss on the lips. It was short, but it meant so much. At least, Jou thought it did.

"Don't." Seto said, letting go of his arm.

/it doesn't mean much
it doesn't mean anything at all/

A question was left floating around in Jou's mind.

"Why do you care?" He called out to the other's retreating form. Seto looked back to him.

"Why can't I?"

/the life I left behind me
is a cold room/

+

*hyperventilates*

Jou: Breath, breath!

I finished it. And I think it's decent. Review, please.

Jou: Please.