Author's Note: Ah…the second segment. This is the morning after "Iris". You may or may not pick that up from the reading. Just letting you know.

Musical Note: The song "Black Balloon" belongs to the Goo Goo Dolls and is their property. For the purpose of the fic, I had to change two lines.

Line 1: Changed her to him

Line 10: Changed womb to tomb

Warning(s): Just some cussing from Jou. Yes, he has an interesting way of expressing himself, but I think it's cute anyway.

Black Balloon

There are times in my life when I wake up in the morning and I have absolutely no idea how I got where I am. I'm not talking about getting totally drunk and waking up next to someone who you are positive didn't look that bad the night before…But at times this feels just as scary.

No, I'm talking about waking up next to someone and just kind of watching them sleep. You're only a breath apart and at times you think it's even closer than that. Our breaths mingle and for maybe a millisecond we both are breathing the exact same breath of air…Ah, yes, it's all good and romantic…and the truth is…

It scares the living hell out of me.

These are the kinds of things I think about when I lie here next to you in the morning. I can't believe that I am in bed with you. Seto Kaiba. The only person I have ever given myself to, and the only person I have ever wanted to. You big dumb ass.

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Baby's black balloon makes him fly
I almost fell into that hole in your life
And you're not thinking about tomorrow
'Cause you were the same as me
But on your knees

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I smile and continue to watch you sleep. I wished you snored, so that I could tease you about it at breakfast. You're always teasing me about being like a puppy. God, I really hate that. I wish I could find one little thing that would annoy the hell out of you and then I would do it ALL THE TIME.

Well, maybe not all the time. I still want you to like me…love me.

My mind flashes back to the events of last night. Dear god…what had gotten in to you? You have never acted like that before. You were…sensual. Yeah, we can both thank Ryou for teaching me that word before another one of those damn English vocabulary tests…

Truth be told though, I want to be the one in control sometimes…I want to be the one that you can run to if the world seems like it's going to come to a crashing end. I want to be the strong one…

I sigh and look at the clock on your side. Yes, we have sides and you know it. No matter how much I lay on yours. The clock says 4:30…On a Saturday…I have to get up. Normally if this was a school day we both sleep till 5:00, well I would sleep till 6:00, and then I would leave at about 7:00 and walk to school and you would leave at about 7:20 in your car. We're both unsure about what the others would think...

Who am I kidding?

I'm the one whose scared…Not you. I don't think you would care if all of them told you that they hated you. But their opinions matters to me, and you respect that.

Honda is the only one who knows, and for that I'm thankful. He refrains from bringing up and tends not to want to talk about it, but he's still my friend. And that's what really matters.

I get out of bed, slowly so as not to wake you up. I've just gotten you into a normal sleeping schedule, and I am not about to wake you up. I know you don't sleep when I'm not here. I'm the only one who will force you to go to bed. I don't beg.

Your eyes flutter open for a moment and you stare at me. Damn it, I hadn't meant to be so loud getting up. Your mouth is still frowning the exact way it does in your sleep. Yeah, I know. I yell at you for not sleeping, but I don't do it myself…Well, too bad. I'm allowed a few moments to look at you.

"Track?" The one word is all it takes for me to want to crawl back into bed with you and sleep the rest of the day away. But I need some time for me…I need to do some thinking.

"Yeah." I say as I pull on a pair of running pants and vainly look for my sneakers…

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A thousand other boys could never reach you
How could I have been the one
I saw the world spin beneath you
And scatter like ice from the spoon
That was your tomb

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A half-smile graces your face as you pull the covers over your shoulders. You're watching me again. It used to drive me crazy. I used to always think that you were like silently laughing at me or something. Weighing me…

"Under the bed." My head shoots up from where I was looking under your desk and I smack my head hard on the underside of the stupid thing.

"Ow!" That half-smile is back again, and I can't help but look at you and smile as I rub my head where a small bump is forming.

You sit up and the sheets fall to your waist and I have to think really hard about how much I have to get to the track before 6:30…God, you're gorgeous.

You shake your head as though to clear it and I realize how much I love how messy it is in the morning. It's sticking up in all directions and you look like you had a round with a weed whacker…

The sun is just starting to peek in through the window and through the blinds into your room. You're sitting on the bed and the light just seems to pool everywhere but around you. Like it's trying to leave you in the shadows…Like it won't touch you.

You must make a lot of people feel that way, too. You still aren't very social at school. The only thing that has changed is that you let me sit next to you at lunch…but only on Wednesdays. It's like a business meeting that happens once a week.

You go out and sit down beneath the same tree you always sit under and a moment later I sit down beside you. We never touch, we never talk.

It's good for both of us, I think. It's my weekly dose of thinking to make up for all of the rambling I know I must do, and it's your weekly dose of human contact in public.

I live for those Wednesdays.

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Coming down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Or are you someone's prayer

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Yeah, no one really talks to you. And you seem to like the fact that you're avoided like the plague. Everyone seems to steer clear of you. Except me…What can I say? I'm drawn to you.

I'm sitting on the floor putting the shoes on which, amazingly, were under the bed, and suddenly the sun is just high enough that it comes through the window and catches me right in the face. I blink and turn my head away from the window only to catch your eye. You're staring at me.

I'm sure I look really horrible…the same way I think you look sexy in the morning is the exact opposite of how I think I must look in the morning to you.

My hair is all fuzzy and messed up. It's hanging in my face even more than I normally let it, and I'm positive that I must look exactly like an un-brushed dog. Heh, no wonder you're always teasing me about that.

I finish tying my shoes and stand up, never once looking back at you. The way you look at me is so unsettling. That intense gaze that you have, the way your mouth is a perfect line, never conveying any emotions unless you tell it to.

I wander into the bathroom and brush my hair into some semblance of order even though I know by the time I get down the stairs it will probably be completely messed up again, and will remain that way for the rest of the day. Then I brush my teeth, ridding myself of my most likely horrifying morning breath, and give myself a once over in the mirror.

My rear is slightly aching, but when exactly was the last time we had ever felt the urge to do that twice in one night? I feel myself grow warm as my mind flashes back to the previous night again. You were so gentle and slow the second time. I remember waking up and feeling you move. And then I kissed you and that was all it took, because this tiny spark burst into full flame in my chest and I had to have you at that very moment.

You took it slow for a little while, but I wouldn't let you for very long. I need you to be passionate and rough. I need to know you want me just as badly as I want you. That you have to have me the same way that I know that I need to have you.

God, I'm getting romantic and turned on just by thinking about it. I take a few deep breaths in the bathroom before I come out and walk to the side of the bed. You don't look at me as I come out because you're staring through the partially open blinds and out the window. You're sitting up, holding your weight back on your arms…and those damn sheets are riding dangerously low over your waist.

You're beautiful, and smart, and you have this wicked sense of humor that you only use on me, and it all drives me insane that you won't show it to anyone else. Except me.

That may be the best gift I've ever received.

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You know the lies they always told you
And the love you never knew
What's the things they never showed you
That swallowed the light from the sun
Inside your room

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I move to stand besides you and I look out the window with you. It really is an amazing morning. The sun is slowly rising over the horizon and I can see the individual rays come creeping into the room. They illuminate the various pieces of furniture in the room. The light seems to dance and reflect off of all the polished surfaces, almost creating a bit of a mirrored-light effect and lighting the room more than it normally would.

I need to get out of here before I say or do something extremely stupid.

I place my hand gently on your shoulder and you turn quickly to face me with a bit of a defensive look on your face that softens when you realize it's only me.

You must have been thinking again. I wonder what about…

I lean in and kiss you. It was only supposed to be a kiss goodbye, but the moment I touch you I feel a wave of sensations strike my mind. How soft your hair is, how warm your body is, how good you feel.

I unconsciously deepen the kiss and I think I shuddered a little at the feeling of you opening your mouth to me. Ah, yes. The one thing that you let me dominate on…Kissing. I usually win in this area. Don't get me wrong or anything, I love it when you take control of that, too. But every once in a while I like to have you shivering in pleasure because of me.

Suddenly the kiss turns not just deep but passionate. I can feel your body responding and I know mine is right behind. Your hands are on my hips and you're pulling me into your lap. Dear God…I am so toast.

You're fighting against my mouth to take control when you think that we're starting to get serious. Unfortunately I have to get to the track…

I pull away as you gain entrance to my mouth. You're staring up at me with this somewhat surprised look on your face. I think you're in a bit of shock at both the way I acted and at how you reacted. It's not like me to act this way. You're usually the one calling the shots. I just like to go with the flow, right?

Well, what can I say? You're in my system now. I may never get enough of you.

I grin down at you and kiss your nose. I know that that must annoy you, and maybe even add to the embarrassment of the fact that I just kissed you like the world was ending and you didn't even try to stop me.

"Bye."

I turn and leave the room as quickly as humanly possible while trying not to look like I wanted to continue that as much as I did. I have to get to track, I have to run, I have to think…

I walk down the stairs and I see my jacket haphazardly thrown over the banister…Had we really been in that much of a hurry…? Again my mind flashes back to the night before. What am I going to do with you?

I grin. I love this. I really do. Acceptance from you was all I ever wanted, but your this? I had never thought it was possible. I think that I had accepted from the beginning of this relationship that you would tell me when you had had enough of me, and I knew that if you ever said that I wouldn't have the strength to argue with you.

I think it would destroy me.

Actually, I'm not quite sure if this intense joy I'm feeling right now isn't going to kill me either…

I can't stop smiling.

I pick up my jacket and lay it neatly on the couch in the living room. There, now you don't have to worry about the help finding it and asking questions…Not that you wouldn't just tell them to keep their thoughts to themselves…in that special way you would do it.

I walk out the door and the breeze catches my hair. It's cold out, but I don't really want to take my jacket. I'll be running soon anyway.

It's kind of like a vice. I run. It's what makes me…me. I guess that's the best way of putting it. When I run, I don't have to worry about anyone else. I can forget my father at home, and I can forget the fact that my mother and sister live a world away, and I can forget that I'm a nobody and a loudmouth.

When I'm with you I don't feel like a nobody. One word of praise from you is all it takes and then I'm soaring for the rest of the day. You're like a drug to me. All I need is you around and I feel safer.

And now I know…

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Coming down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Or are you someone's prayer

And there's no time left for losing
When you stand they fall

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I'm running around the track now…I can feel the rhythm in the pounding of my shoes. I count my breaths up to ten and then start over again. Just got to keep the rhythm. That's all.

I wonder if you know how much you mean to me…I would do anything for you. I really am like a puppy, not that I would ever tell you that. But I mean, it's there if you really care to look at it. Break it down. What is a puppy like? Trusting, loyal, friendly and has a great taste in personality. Yeah, I know. I rule. Heh, just kidding. But seriously, I always wonder what exactly drew us together. I never hated you…that much. Okay, I admit it, I wanted to beat your ass down on many an occasion, but you were completely asking for it!

And now I sleep in the same bed as you, wake up next to you, know your favorite foods, what hours you work, what your favorite subject is, why you can't stand most people. I may not agree with everything, but at least I know why you are they way you are.

And I can't help but smile, because you're all mine.

I up my speed and start to run as fast as I can. My arms are pumping and the pressure is building in my chest…I just want to make it around the next bend…

Our relationship is like that. I just want to make it to the next day. Everything is so fragile that I'm afraid to push you. I'm afraid it'll all fall apart in my hands. I worry that what I have with you today will be gone tomorrow and that if I screw this up I will never forgive myself. Everyday that goes by with you here is a good one. And I need to just focus on that.

That you're here with me.

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Coming down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder

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I force myself to stop and bend over trying to catch my breath. Leave it to me to forget that breathing is a somewhat important aspect to staying alive…

I lay down on the side of the track and stare up at the sky as I try and slow my rapid breathing. I need to let it go. I need to stop worrying about the uncertain future and just live life as it comes to me. Stop worrying about you leaving me…If you do, than you do. There would be nothing I could do to stop you.

Except maybe beg. But like I said. I don't beg.

Maybe for you I would make an exception to that rule…

"Forget how to breathe?"

Damn you…Damn you and your uncanny ability to show up when I know I will say something stupid.

I tilt my head up and look up at you. You're standing there with your hands in your pockets and are looking down at me. You're beautiful. I know I am going to say something so stupid…

"You know I care about you, right?" Oh yeah…Good job. Why don't I just ask you to leave me? Spare myself the poetic irony of embarrassing you and just draw up a contract to end the relationship. It would take so much less effort.

Your eyes widen slightly, but never leave mine as you weigh the situation at hand.

You sit down next to me on the grass and prop yourself up on your hands, letting your head fall back as you look up into the sky. "Yes, Jou. I know."

I think I may have sighed, because you look down at me with this small smile. I sit up and hold your gaze.

I have to know what you're thinking. "What?"

"Just thinking…"

"You do that a lot."

"So do you. More than you let on."

I blush. You seem to know more about me than I thought, and that scares the living hell out of me, too.

"Um…yeah, sure…whatever."

You chuckle darkly at my response. "Ah Jou, what am I going to do with you…?"

"I have a few ideas…" Did I just say that out loud? Oh my god…

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All because I'm
Coming down the years turn over
And angels fall without you there
And I'll go and lead you home and
All because I'm
All because I'm
And I'll become
What you became to me

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"Hmm…me, too."

Then you're kissing me. And I don't really want to think about anything else right now.

To Be Continued…

I think this segment came out better than "Iris", but then again I think I write Jou better than I write Seto. This may or may not be true. The sappy level goes down a bit with this installation, but the third is extremely angsty so be on the lookout. The third segment is in the past, right after the flashback in the first segment. *sighs/snickers* I'll explain more later.