The Indian Cafe seemed a little crowded for Jonouchis taste but that didn't stop him from spotting Kaiba as soon as he entered the cafe. He was dressed down a bit more than the last time they spoke. If he wasn't wearing his trademark white jacket of doom he would look like a slightly vulnerable co-ed. If. The jacket seemed to be like his armor giving an 'untouchable' vibe.

Jonouchi snickered to himself, rules were made to be broken. It did make Jonouchi want to lower his guard a bit too since he couldn't really dress down. He was wearing another variation of his new suit oriented wardrobe. Choosing his outfit had been easy but bittersweet, he looked good but he had nothing in his closet to chose from anyway.

Again he marveled at how bold he was being, sure he had always wanted to do this, but it had never crossed his mind to try it. Rejection didn't scare him in the least now, not with so little to lose. If anything he thought he could relate to Kaiba a bit more now. Protecting his sister, his new stressful jobs, school, didn't leave him much inspiration to be very social overall with people who didn't understand. Wait. Did that mean he thought Kaiba understood? He shook the thought away as Kaiba approached him after being pointed out by a waiter. He had killed his father, no one could understand that. It was unforgivable. Best to live this new life of darkness with no regrets.

"Great, you made it!" Jonouchi smiled, while he stood and offered Seto a seat.

"I never miss a meeting." Kaiba started a little coldly. "Especially this one." he added after a moment, taking the offered seat.

"Of course. Well, you know the saying, business before pleasure." Jonouchi stated as he pulled a small file from his new dark satchel before placing the stack in front of the CEO. This had to be gotten out of the way or everything would be tainted by it. By what it represented.

Seto looked at the documents over carefully before signing them with a sigh and handing them back.

"So now that is out of the way, how have you been?" he asked the CEO as he tucked the documents safely away.

"As well as can be expected. I should be asking you that question. Sorry about your father."

"Yes, well. Me too." Jonouchi mumbled as he looked down, not really sure how to answer, before steeling his gaze as he had been practicing.

"My father died too. Actually both of them. My real one in a car accident when Mokuba and I were quite small and my step father a few years ago."

Seto was sharing with him? Well that is what he wanted, but he didn't think it would actually happen. He had two fathers?

"Oh. Sorry." Seto waved Jonouchis sympathy away.
"I hated my step-dad. Didn't deserve the name father really. A bastard who hurt both myself and Mokuba. When he died, several people thought I did it."

'What?!" Jonouchi cried but before he could continue a waiter appeared and ran off with their drink orders.

"Surprised? I just wanted you to know its okay to be alright when a bastard who made your life miserable dies." Alarm bells went off in Jonouchis head. He knows about my past, not all of it but enough. Since when did Kaiba volunteer personal information? Never, thats when. Is he trying to get me to open up?

"What makes you think I had problems with my dad?"

"You've been acting differently and if I had to guess, I would say it was some kind of guilt."

"Do you really consider yourself that sensitive? (He thinks for a moment) Emotionally astute?" He chuckled.

"Well no but I'm trying to be as far as you're concerned."

Jonouchi leaned forward in surprise.

"As far as I'm concerned?"

Seto smirked in response.

"What? Is it that surprising that I see potential in you as well?"

"A little."

"I'm all or nothing so I like to think about the situation before I commit myself, whether it's financially, emotionally, or physically." He looked into Jonouchis eyes with meaning.

The blond felt kind of dazed. Sure he had wanted a relationship with Kaiba but he thought he would have to act cold and intimidating to get one and it would've been only physical probably. Here was Kaiba offering more and that sort of scared him.

"Of course, " the CEO continued, "I expect the same from whoever I'm with. Can you do that?" He leaned forward inches from the boys lips, a kiss the unspoken reward depending on the blonds answer.

The breath of Seto Kaiba so close made the well outfitted young man before him want to agree to anything. Somewhere in the back of his head there was a voice not caught up in the moment yelling warnings. Reminding Jonouchi that trusting the CEO with everything was a foolish idea. Trying to stir up the feeling it would be a mistake to let Kaiba get too close. However his lips looked so soft and inviting.
"I'd love that." He replied in a whisper. Seto smile and leaned forward to connect the kiss. Closer. Closer.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Jonouchis' new cell phone alerted him to a call. A call by the only person who had this number. What would Lyric do if Kaiba became a part of Jonouchis life? He would at the very least have someone elses life to play with if he didn't do the tasks he was assigned. At the worst Seto could stumble across what Jonouchis true job was and he'd be ordered to silence the CEO. He pictured for a moment that day, where in his mind he and Seto were friends and lovers spending the day with each other and getting a call. Having to look his love in the eyes as he shot him. He couldn't do that to Kaiba. Or himself.

Jonouchi looked up from his thoughts. The CEOs lips were brushing his, the cell phone still beeped urgently, and in that moment he made a decision. With all his might he shoved the CEO back away from him and into his chair. The look of hurt surprise etched on his face didn't suit Kaiba at all and made Jonouchi feel like crying. To remedy the situation he backhanded him hard across the face.

"I'd love to but I can't. I won't. " He explained coldly without apology to the boy whose face was growing a red hue still in a bit of shock. He pulled out his cell and answered it.

"Yes? Nothing to worry over. Right now? But what about...oh okay. No I don't need one for that. Yes, I'm sure. Okay if you think so, I'll pick it up. Now. Where are you? Okay."

He sighed as he hung up, it was the kind of call he had been dreading, and looked to his date. Setos eyes were filled with an emotion he couldn't read but his lips looked cold and angry. He felt a wave of sadness. Being with Seto had made him forget for a few precious moments. Made him see what would have been possible if he had been a little braver weeks ago. Then again, if he and Seto were together then Seto could have been the one he was forced to...no he couldn't think like that. Not now. His eyes were open. No more fantasy. If he gave in and did "whatever he wanted" in his new life he would just be dragging people into his hell. Enough.

Jonouchi opened his wallet and threw down a few bills.

"Listen thanks for today. It's probably for the best if you go back to hating me and calling me names. Sorry about your face, got carried away there. Anyway, work calls so I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow." He didn't wait for a reply just turned on his heal and exited in one swift motion, donning his glasses as he went.

Seto noticed how tight the blonds features had become as he left, thinking Seto wasn't looking. He raised his hand to his burning cheek. The bastard had slapped him, had shoved him away. Who did Jonouchi think he was fooling? He wanted that kiss as plan as day. Thinking about who was on the phone had made him change his mind. Well Seto Kaiba didn't give up that easily. Seto Kaiba didn't back down when there was something he wanted.

The CEO picked up his cell and after a few pushed buttons got connected to the detective.

"Follow him." Seto flipped the phone closed and picked up the menu. Tomorrow he would know what was so urgent, what scared Jonouchi away from his kiss. Oh yes, the game was on.