Well, here is installment number 4. Only god knows how many more. This story is kind of building itself. The muses and plot bunnies have been striking recently and I had to bribe them with carrots and tulips to get this chapter out.

Anyway, Kudo points to Wingstar for getting the song I was going to do next. This really was the one that I had planned for next. One of my many favorite songs, and it really does sound like Seto talking about Jou, doesn't it?

Warning(s): Jounouchi and his mouth again. Some citrus. The mention of such a thing as "Pancake Day".

Dizzy

Sunlight bursts through the curtains that I forgot to close last night. Come to think of it, I forgot to do a lot of things last night. Namely getting dressed for bed, as I notice that I'm still wearing my clothes from yesterday. And that's when I remember.

Last night…I brought you home…with me…

We stopped kissing, and you pulled away from me. I let you go, and that was okay. You didn't run from me. I could feel it though. The anger. You were still mad at me and probably at your father.

Then you grabbed me and I held you. It was only for a few moments, but it felt like it was longer. You're just a roller coaster of emotions at times. One minute angry, the next happy, the next completely and utterly insane. You pulled away and turned.

"Night, Kaiba."

I remember reaching out and grabbing your wrist. Not harsh, just enough pressure to stop you. You turned and I told you we were going to my place. You must have known that I was just giving you a place to sleep, and then you came willingly.

And now I am quite positive that a certain unkempt, rude, loud-mouthed canine is sleeping or even snoring on my downstairs couch. You had basically plopped down on it when we walked in, and I had snorted softly. You sighed, leaned back, and that was about all I hung around for.

"Extra blankets are in the cupboard down the hall on your right."

"Thanks…"

And then I went upstairs and collapsed on my bed. I don't think I've ever slept so hard in my life. I growl and grab a pillow, covering my face with in an act of mock asphyxiation. I want to shoot myself for this. Why the hell did I tell you to stay here?

My dress shirt is wrinkled, and that means I'm going to have to have it dry-cleaned. I hate having my things dry-cleaned. I hate it when people touch my things. I hate it. I sigh into the pillow, which I'm sure doesn't appreciate it. I throw it to the other side of my bed and get up.

I need to take a shower and then I'm coming downstairs and kicking you out of my house.

Christ, when did I go all soft…?

After the shower I throw on some clean clothes. Nothing special, it's Sunday, and the office is closed for the day. Though I will probably end up doing some work, throwing it on a disk, and taking it over there at about 5:00 in the afternoon, because I got bored.

Mokuba is probably still asleep. It's only 5:30 in the morning. I can expect him up at around 11:00. At least he acts like a normal teenager. One of the many things I am envious of.

I walk down the stairs into the living room, making no attempt at quieting my steps; in fact, I'm walking harder than normal. I'm hoping this will wake you on your own and I won't have to do it myself. You don't even stir.

You're snoring, like I predicted, but softly. It's more of a heavy breathing than anything—

"Hey! That's my pizza!"

I take a step back in confusion and then glare at you. You are dreaming about pizza…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You're cynical and beautiful
You always make a scene
You're monochrome delirious
You're nothing that you seem

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You settle again and murmur things about extra cheese and I want to throttle you. How can you dream about food with a bruise the size of a small province on your face? Your father beats you and you dream about a pineapple and ham pizza. You make no sense at all, Jounouchi.

I walk to the side of the couch and kick it. Not you, but the couch. I'm proud of myself for the small act of restraint. You snort and blink your eyes open. And then you yawn. I'm torn between laughing and being intrigued at the size of your yap.

You sit up and then look at me with this half-awake kind of smile.

"Mornin'…"

"Get up"

Instead of the heated reply I was expecting, you yawn again and slump back down, throwing a pillow over your face. I have to listen closely for your next few words.

"You wake me up how early and you're grumpy? I don't think so…"

I stare. It's almost as though my feet have taken root in my own carpet. Who the hell do you think you are? And then I think 'Well, he does have a point.' I take a deep breath and try to think rationally about this. I invited you. I can't very well get all hot and cold with you and throw you out before there's even any light out.

I turn and take a seat in an armchair across from the couch. Fine, I'll wait another hour or so, and then throw you out. I can be hospitable when I want. I sigh and look around the room for something to do. It's moments like these when I realize that, while my house it huge, it is utterly boring.

I find one of Mokuba's magazines laying on the floor. It's a Duel Monsters magazine, with such things as "Improve Your Fire Deck With These Helpful Hints" and "The World's Top Duelists". I flip to the one about the top duelists and almost drop the magazine. I'm looking at a 2 by 3 inch picture of you and an article, a page away from another one sporting a picture of Yugi Mutou.

I scold myself a moment later at my surprise. Of course you would be considered a top duelist. You came in second at the Duelist Kingdom competition right behind Yugi. I toss the magazine aside. I really don't want to read it anyway. And besides, now I'm thinking about you again.

The problem of your father is nagging at me. He beats you, but you seem okay with it? No, that's not right. I'm missing something. There is a piece to the puzzle that I haven't found yet. I'll ask you about it when you get up.

No! I am kicking you out when you get up!

I growl and glare at the ceiling, right as I'm smacked upside the head with a pillow.

I snap my head back and glare at you. I will kill you…

"Jeez Kaiba, you're the only person on the planet who can actually give fuming a sound. Well, you win; I'm up." You say as you stretch and stand up. Your clothes are wrinkled and your hair is sticking up in all directions and I think in a way it's somewhat endearing.

Christ, I kiss you once…well three times, and I suddenly think you're cute? I need to sleep more.

It hits me that I'm being a total ass. I invited you stay the night here for a reason. To give you a break from your problems at home. The last thing I need to be doing is making your life any worse. You're standing there with your hands on your hips, glaring for all your worth (which isn't much judging by the glare).

"Go take a shower."

You looked as shocked as I feel. What the hell made me say that? Well, I take a shower every morning, and you look rumpled, and I always feel a bit better after a shower, and this place does have nice bathrooms, and Christ! Will you stop looking at me like I just asked you to promenade around the house in your underwear and go take the damn shower!?

Except you don't know where it is…Okay, I need to start thinking clearly again.

"It's upstairs, second door on your right. Nozzle on the left is hot, nozzle on the right is cold, pull the tab up to take a shower. Simple enough?" I ask, making my voice as impassive as I can manage.

You just nod at me, still shocked. But at least you turn and leave. You tromp up the stairs like an elephant and I wonder if it will wake up Mokuba until I remember that he sleeps just as hard as you do.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I'm drowning in your vanity
Your laugh is a disease
You're dirty and you're sweet

You know you're everything I need

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You turn on the water and I find myself in the kitchen, replaying the events of last night. I came after you last night. It wasn't the other way around. I sought you out and that makes me the one who is terminally mad. Not you. Well, you are a bit deranged, just not for the same reasons as I am.

I make myself a cup of coffee and go back out into the living room. I sit for a few moments before an idea strikes me. Whether I am doing this to amuse myself or to help you, I'm not sure. Either way, I head up the stairs, leaving my coffee on a side table downstairs.

The bathroom was designed in a not-so-traditional style. The room is shaped like an "L", so when I open the door all I can see is a sink and a corner. The shower and separate tub are located around it. Like a typical person your clothes are piled in a giant wad on the floor. I snicker quietly as I grab them.

What kind of a host would make his guest wear his dirty clothes out of the shower?

I slip out of the bathroom and down the stairs to throw the clothes into a washing machine. There is no help around the house, not because today is the traditional 'day off', but because I don't have any. This is my house and I am more than capable of keeping it orderly, making mine and Mokuba's food, doing our laundry, and generally keeping things clean. Once a month or so a single interviewed maid will come in, and for a large sum of money, give the entire house a scrub down from top to bottom. Other than this, I take care of just about anything else.

I snap the washing machine shut, trying to hold back a half smile. They won't even be done washing before you get out, let alone drying. You'll have to walk around in a towel for about an hour…

Oh god.

I slap my forehead and glare at the washing machine as though this entire situation is its fault. And in my anger at my stupidity I think that it may as well have invited Jounouchi over, as it would have made no difference. I'm not sure how long I glared at the washing machine, but it must have been a while.

"Kaiba!"

Heh, well, at least I can enjoy this moment before brooding over the fact that I've prolonged your visit. I walk from the washing machine to the base of the stairs and look up and stop dead.

You're glaring at me with one of my towels slung very, very low around your waist. Typical guy fashion, I know, but I still didn't expect what I saw. Instead of the weak, scarred, and bruised Jounouchi I expected to see, I was greeted with a well fed, tanned, muscular, boy who obviously played sports at school and had earned the reputation of holding his own for a very good reason.

"You are a fucking schmuck!"

I shake my head at the comment, realizing that I've been staring. I need a comeback.

"Is that any way to thank me for doing your grimy laundry?"

You glare. "My laundry, my ass. Where did you hide my clothes, Kaiba!?"

I shake my head, this time in frustration. I can't have you yelling while Mokuba is trying to sleep.

"Come on, I have something you can wear." I really do live for that surprised face you make.

I brush by you on the stair landing and continue down the hallway towards my room.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Everything you are
Falls from the sky like a star
Everything you are
Whatever ever you want

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We're in my room and I'm rummaging through my dresser looking for something for you to wear. I pull out a black T-shirt. What? I can't dress for the office all the time. Anyway, I hand it to you and you just kind of look at. It's a little loose on me, so you should be fine.

You pull the shirt on and I swallow. It's tight. Way tight. You sigh and look at me as though I did it on purpose.

"You are way skinny, Kaiba."

I open my mouth to make a retort but shake my head and throw some pants at you instead. I am 'skinny' as you so delicately put it.

"Way skinny. I mean, you're what? Two, three inches taller than me? I probably weigh 20lbs more than you. I mean you are way—"

"That's enough."

You shut up and I turn away, granting you a bit of privacy as you put on the pants. Turning, I take you in, realizing that I hadn't given you any underwear to put on… I swallow. I leave the room and you follow me, almost skipping along behind me. I stop and turn.

"What are you doing and why are you so happy?"

You laugh and shake your head amused.

"Man, look at me. I slept on Seto Kaiba's couch, I used Seto Kaiba's shower, I am wearing Seto Kaiba's shirt, and I even used Seto Kaiba's toothbrush."

I look at you with a mixture of confusion and anger.

"You did what?"

You grin and brush past me, clomping down the stairs again and head towards the couch. You fold the blanket and put it away along with the pillow that lay near the armchair still. You come back from the hallway and plop down and the couch.

I follow intent on kicking you out before I remember that your clothes are still washing. They're probably done right now, so I turn down the hallway and change them into the dryer. Coming back I find you lounging on the sofa. You're sitting with your legs Indian-style and staring at my ceiling. I'd always found it interesting as well.

I take a seat in the armchair again and look at you, weighing what I could say. I could attempt to broach the subject gently and with some tact…

"I want to know about your father."

Or I could just barge in like bulldozer without a speedometer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I wanna kick at the machine
That made you piss away your dreams
And tear down your defenses
Till there's nothing there but me

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You snap your head at me and frown. "What about him?"

"Why does he hit you?"

"Uh…he gets drunk?" You're looking confused.

"How often?"

You snicker. "Whenever he gets drunk."

I growl. "Jounouchi, this isn't something to joke about. This is serious—"

Your laughter breaks through my tirade. What is so funny, I think as I glare at you. You stop after a moment and look at me, before falling back into another peel of laughter.

"Ha! You think—You think that he—" You're laughing so hard that I debate coming over and smacking you so you can concentrate.

"Heh…no man, it's not like that. He's an old man. Rough life, hard work, comes home and smacks his kid around, right? Wrong. That's how it used to be, Kaiba. Not any more. I'm as big as him now, and when he starts something I finish it." You say with a small but proud smile on your face.

My eyes are wide. You…fight back?

"I mean, don't get me wrong, Kaiba. I get depressed about it, but there's always that little voice in my head that reminds me that while I may be sporting a bruise or two, the old man is gonna have a hangover and a busted face. You know?"

No, I don't know.

"Hey Kaiba? You okay, man?" You say and come over to stand in front of me. You fight back. Years of abuse at the hands of my father and I took it. But what does the puppy do? Heh. You fight back. I'm almost envious that I didn't think of it first.

"Kaiba?" Your hand comes out to shake my shoulder and I grab it. Pulling you down almost directly into my lap, I wrap my arms around you.

"Hey!" Is the only reply you can make.

I nuzzle behind your ear and smell your hair. I recognize the scent of my shampoo in it, and breathe deeply. You squirm for a minute in my arms and I loosen my grip, letting you turn a little so you can look at me.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know."

"Well then, why are you doing it?"

I think for a moment, and look at the faint bruise on your cheek and want to laugh. I came running in yesterday like I could be the hero, and you don't need one at all. I don't know what I'm doing and I definitely don't know why I'm doing it.

You bend down and brush your lips across mine. I tilt my head and catch them again as you start to pull away, deepening it. You're hands come up and grab my shoulders, digging your nails into them for a moment.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You're angry when you're beautiful
Your love is such tease
I'm drowning in your dizzy noise
I wanna feel you scream

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I'm content to drown in you for a few moments. I wonder where this will go and what these actions will dictate for the future. There's an attraction here, I think as I fell you shift to straddle my waist. You press down sharply and I growl.

You snicker and break the kiss by pulling away slightly. You're panting and grinning. And for the first time in a long time I want to grin back. I refrain.

You bend down and nip at my neck above the collar of my shirt and I close my eyes to relish the touch. This is something I can get used to. Someone to hold, to touch, and who wants to give it all back. I want to laugh at the small kisses that make their way back up my neck to my jaw. Who would have thought that I was susceptible to being somewhat ticklish?

You whisper words against my ear.

"What are we doing?"

"I don't know."

A small snicker. "Is that your answer for everything, Kaiba?"

"Right now? Yes."

I watch you smile and then lean down to kiss me again, deeply. Well, it seems that you can be quite the dominant kisser when you want to be. I lean back under the pressure of your mouth and let you take control. What can it hurt to lose control for a few moments, I muse.

"Seto!"

I inhale sharply at the voice, and you tense. Mokuba is awake.

You stay still for a moment, not breaking eye contact with me. Waiting for me to tell you what to do. Is now the time? Should anyone know about this? Or is there even a 'this' to tell anyone about?

"Seto, where are you?"

I don't break eye contact with you when I answer.

"In the living room downstairs."

You smile and place a chaste kiss on my lips and get up from the chair quickly. You grab your shoes and jump the back of the couch using your arm as a vaulting lift. You disappear down the front hallway just as Mokuba starts to descend the stairs.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Everything you are
Falls from the sky like a star
Everything you are
Whatever ever you want

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mokuba runs over and bounces for a moment by the side of the armchair, and for a second I think that maybe he saw us doing…what we were doing. He grins and just keeps looking at me.

"Am I forgetting something?" I ask him.

"It's Pancake Day, big brother! How could you forget?!" His tone is happy and amused and I know that he doesn't really care if I remember or not so long as I'm actually there.

He yawns and stretches. I half listen for the opening or closing of the front door.

"Well, I'm going to get started, Seto. What kind should we make today?"

My thoughts jump back to breakfast, and I realize that I really am hungry and that Mokuba and I have plans today, though I have again forgotten them, but he'll be more than happy to fill me in on them later.

"Buttermilk."

Mokuba laughed and shoved me playfully in my seat. "You're so boring, Seto."

I crack a half smile at him as he starts to walk away.

"Let's go get started, I'm going to get the stuff out of the pantry. You coming?" He says turning to regard me.

"In a minute, I need to go check on something."

Mokuba frowns. "It had better not be something to do with computers. You always forget about everything else when you start to work on one."

"It's not that," I say. "Something else. I'll be there in a minute."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Everything you are
Falls from the sky like a star
Everything you are
Whatever ever you want

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Once Mokuba leaves into the kitchen, taking with him the cold coffee that I left on the table this morning, I get up and walk towards the front hallway. You're leaning against the front door with a small smile on your face.

"I thought you were going to go have buttermilk pancakes for breakfast, Kaiba." You say with a slight mocking tone.

I almost answer that I would rather have you for breakfast, but refrain. You're the vulgar one; not me. Plus, I do have to get going. But something feels unfinished here.

"What are you waiting for?"

You look at me and raise and eyebrow.

"My clothes are still in the dryer. And I'm not about to walk out of your house in your clothes. One of two things would happen and with my luck both. One, you would call the police and say I stole them, and two people would start to talk." You wink at me.

"You can always come back and get them later."

You smile and cock your head to the side.

"Convenient."

I reach forward and force you back against the wall. I can't help wanting to touch you sometimes. It's weird, and I'm not entirely sure I'm okay with whatever the hell this is between us. Something's here, though.

"Yes, it is."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Everything you are
Whatever ever you want
Whatever ever you want
Whatever ever you want

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

You smile and tilt your head up to brush your lips lightly against mine. You pull away.

"Oh, and Kaiba?"

"What?"

"I was kidding about using your toothbrush."

I raise an eyebrow and lean down to kiss you again. I start to deepen it, but I feel you pull away and I open my eyes. You've slipped out the door and are running across the lawn or rather stumbling as you attempt to replace your shoes.

"Seto? What are you doing?"

"Nothing, I'll be there in a second." I close the door and walk towards the kitchen. I'm slightly comforted in the fact that even if this doesn't go anywhere, you still have to come back for your pants in my dryer.

~ ~ ~ Owari ~ ~ ~

Well, this one was definitely one of the harder ones to write for me. Seto is a bit harder to keep in character, and I spent half the chapter trying to keep him from appearing bi-polar. I do go by the Seto in the manga and Japanese episodes more than by the Kids WB ones, just because they have butchered his character so badly. He's not nearly as mean in the subs.

Eh, it's sappy, but I'm allowed to give them moments, right? No fear people, this is not (hopefully) your traditional Seto/Jou. So be prepared for many, many more angsty things. Well, that's it for this installment, sorry about the wait. Next one should be out in a little while.

~Artemis