Brrr it is so blasted cold!! Right now I'm wrapped up in a blanket and typing with gloves on. And we're out of hot chocolate!! sob

Thank you to all my reviewers! I positivily adore you all!!

Warning: This fic contains YAOI which is BOY/BOY if you have a problem with that DO NOT read this!! Go on...scamper away!

Disclaimer: I own nothing! sob....by the way, is Nagasaki the name for some anime or manga character? It sounded so familiar...um, if it is, I don't own that either (He's the principal ^_^)

"spoken"

'thoughts'

*** character switch, time lapse, you get the picture

Chapter Eight

Katsuya had his back straight and shoulders squared, a forced smile on his face as he sat in the chair in front of his principal's messy desk. He tried to appear angelic and attentive, knowing full well that it wouldn't work with Mr. Nagasaki; Katsuya had been in trouble too many times. But he figured he should make the effort anyway.

"Well hello, Jounouchi." The old man pushed his large glasses up the bridge of his nose and looked at Katsuya sharply over the files, books, and various picture frames that littered his desk. "I thought I made it clear that I did not want to see you in my office again."

He grinned impishly. "Yeah, I know."

Mr. Nagasaki nodded as his eyes scanned the paper in his hand, his lips were tightening at every line. "You told your teacher to shut up?" He asked in a low voice. "What would possess you to say that?"

"I didn't say it her!" Katsuya yelled. Mr. Nagasaki jerked back and leisurely tugged on his ear. "Sorry." Katsuya murmured before becoming defensive again. "But I wasn't talking to her! I swear I wasn't!"

The man leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. "Then who were you screaming it at?"

No answer.

"Jounouchi?" Katsuya avoided his eye. The old man sighed loudly. "It was him, wasn't it?"

"It's not my fault!" said Katsuya. "He just acts like such a jerk sometimes! And he was-"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT HE WAS DOING!" The man cut in, jumping to his feet angrily. Katsuya's jaw dropped. Mr. Nagasaki had never been that angry at him before. But then again, it was the same old story.

Mr. Nagasaki took in a deep shuddering breath to calm down then started to pace behind his desk. "Look, I know you two don't get along. I'm not sure why and though I'm sure you could spend hours enlightening me on the subject, I honestly don't care that much. I don't care if you scream at each other, insult each other, beat each other into bloody pulps...whatever, just do it outside of the premises. All I care about is how you both conduct yourselves within the confines of this building because as long as you are in here you are my responsibility." He eyed Katsuya warily. "Now I know you won't like to hear this, but Kaiba really is being mature about-"

"MATURE?!" It was Katsuya's turn to leap to his feet. "How is he acting mature about this?! He's the problem! He's the one that's constantly taking digs at me! He's the one who started the whole thing! All the time its, 'Puppy, your stupidity amazes me' or 'Grow up, mutt' or-"

"Right. You can't stand him. I got that!" The man snapped, rubbing his temples. Katsuya felt a little sorry for him. He had been dealing with his and Seto's tiffs for the past few years.

"It's not like that..." Katsuya said slowly. "He makes me so- he's just..."

"Him?" Mr. Nagasaki suggested casually.

Katsuya smiled shyly. "Yeah...he's him."

"Well, I suppose with a little rearranging we could fix the prob-"

"Huh? Rearranging of what?"

"Your classes, of course. We can make it so you and Kaiba have nothing together."

'No Seto? In any of my classes?....ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!'

"NO!!!" Katsuya blurted out. "Don't change the schedules! I don't mind being in the same classes with him!"

"Jounouchi, I am becoming very confused," He admitted tiredly. "You can't seem get along with him, so I suggest taking him out of your classes. I was under the impression that you hated him."

"I-I don't hate him..." Katsuya blushed.

"Fine." He growled. "I'll keep the schedule as is. But if I hear one word, just one word, about the two of you disturbing class again, you're separated. Got that?"

Katsuya nodded, trying to contain the wide grin that was threatening to appear.

Mr. Nagasaki looked at him oddly. "May I ask why you want to keep him in? I mean, you're always at his throat. It just doesn't make sense..." He cocked his head to the side and looked at the blonde curiously. "It's almost like you have a crush on him."

Katsuya's throat tightened, his face was growing hot and his heart hammered in his chest. "C-cr-crush?! Heh heh...wh-what would make you say that?!"

Mr. Nagasaki smiled sweetly at him. "I'm just kidding, Jounouchi."

"Oh! Right! Of course you are!" Katsuya tried to smile back, but it didn't quite work.

The principal coughed politely into his hand. "Right then. Go back to class, and remember what I said, Jounouchi, no fighting. I mean it."

Katsuya flashed him two thumbs up and a grin. "Can do, sir."

As Katsuya was walking out the door into the hallway, he could just hear Mr. Nagasaki question his assistant in a secretive tone, "Do you think that Jounouchi kid could have a thing for boys?"

Katsuya nearly fainted.

***

Seto held his head in his palms, his elbows resting on his knees which had been drawn up to his chest. He was no longer leaning against the heater. The hot metal began to feel uncomfortably warm against his skin, so he opted for the wall beside it instead.

Seto didn't know how long he had been in there contemplating his thoughts on Katsuya, and truthfully he didn't want to know. He didn't want to know how confused he really was. But he wasn't confused, not entirely at least, and this little fact scared him most of all.

'I enjoy seeing the puppy become riled up because of something I said. I enjoy knowing that he's watching me to see what I will do next. I want his attention on me. I don't care about anyone else paying attention to me, actually, I don't like it when others do. But he's different.'

Seto sighed. 'Just how different is he to me? I like it when his eyes flash, and I like it when he smiles, and I like it when he looks at me...but does that mean I like him?'

He let his eyes slide closed in concentration. He drew a mental picture of the puppy his mind, complete with expressions and voice. He could see Katsuya's cheeky grin, his excessively confident swagger, his tough attitude, and then suddenly changes into the shy, blushing Katsuya who nervously giggles and refuses to bring his stunning honey hued eyes to meet Seto's. Then the image shifts again, this time into a Katsuya that makes lustful eyes while biting gently on his bottom lip and steals secretive glances when he thinks no one can see. And it alters once more, into the calm, serene, sleeping boy that he held in his arms at Kaiba Corp, whose dark eyelashes caress his soft cheeks with all the tenderness of a butterfly. His chest rising steadily with each breath and his heart beating evenly, the sound filling and echoing inside Seto still.

This was Katsuya.

Not just one of them, but all of them. At varying degrees depending on the moment. Seto had at one time made the mistake of deciding that Katsuya was only one of the temperaments; the cocky, headstrong, big mouthed temperament.

But now...

Seto shook his head. He couldn't have misjudged the puppy anymore than he had. There was more to him than Seto had been originally willing to admit. But now that he was, he realized something. There was even more to be found. There were more smiles, more laughs, more flushed giggles and more playful teasing.

His mental picture shifted to his first dream of Katsuya. The boy withering beneath him, kissing him as passionately as he could, all his emotion thrown at Seto in a whirlwind. Katsuya's hands exploring his body in a curious fever and gazing at him with lust clouded eyes. Small moans of pleasure erupting from the back of Katsuya's throat.

He then thought of his second dream. Holding the puppy, kissing him softly and honestly while running his fingers through the golden hair.

It could be his.

Katsuya could be his.

All he had to do was say he wanted it. It was so simple it almost made Seto laugh. But at the same time it was immeasurably difficult. To trust someone so completely... to give all of yourself and allow them the ability to raise you up or to make you plummet into your own self created Hell.

Seto had never given anyone that. At least not in the intimate way Katsuya wanted.

And Katsuya was so...

Seto only had to reach his hand out and pluck what he desired and hold dearly to it. He could do it. He knew could. And if he couldn't, at least he would get to experience what he could grasp on to for a brief moment.

***

Katsuya pushed back the door and stepped into his classroom. As expected, every student pulled their focus away from the teacher and onto him. He smiled disarmingly at them and made his way to his seat before a girl in the front row spoke up.

"Where's Kaiba?" She asked.

A few of the other girls who had now noticed that Katsuya had returned without the class heart throb pounced on him about this as well.

"Yeah, where is he?"

"Did he get called away for a meeting?"

"Is he in nurse's? He wasn't feeling well this morning..."

"Is he undressing in the locker room?!"

At this statement the girls stopped talking and stared expectantly at Katsuya, not bothering to hide their hopeful looks. He decided he should talk. "Um, no, he left me once we got to the office."

Their faces noticeably fell at lack of confirmation. A few of the boys grunted in disgust and rolled their eyes, only to earn a collective glare from the girls and a couple, "You're just jealous!" as well.

One girl, a usually perky blonde, turned to Jou and glowered accusingly. "If he left when you got there then he should be back by now. You did something to him, didn't you Jounouchi?!"

"What?!" Katsuya gaped at her. "I didn't do anything to him!" Many girls began nodding in agreement with her and ignored Katsuya's protests of innocence.

"YOU'RE SUCH A JERK, JOUNOUCHI!" One girl shrieked at him. He turned to her in attempts to make her understand that Seto was probably just wandering around somewhere, when he was hit in the back of the head with a wad of paper. His eyes narrowed and he snapped around, only to be struck once again, this time on the forehead.

"You're inciting riots now, puppy?" A voice sneered behind him.

Katsuya instantly blushed. Being pelted with wads of paper by the females of the class wasn't his ideal way of being seen by Seto.

"Shut up, Kaiba." He said in a harsh voice. "Your fans thought I did something to you." He had spat the word 'fans' like it was curse.

"Fans...?" Kaiba questioned. A few of the girls smiled brilliantly at him and flicked their hair back. Their eyelashes began fluttering madly in some sick attempt at seduction.

Katsuya could feel anger building inside himself.

Seto shot them a cold glare and walked back to his seat. Katsuya followed, but never once took his eyes off the girls who were still staring at Seto. He didn't like it.

Fortunately for him, once the teacher started her lecture back up the girls' focus was back on her. Katsuya took a deep breath and leaned across the narrow strip between his and Seto's desk to whisper to the other boy. "What took you so long?"

"Nothing. I wasn't gone that long." Seto replied out of the corner of his mouth.

"Yes you were...you were gone for at least two hours."

Seto's eyes widened momentarily but fell back into their usual cold detachment.

"What were you doing?" Katsuya continued. Seto still refused to speak. Katsuya couldn't help the hurt feeling that silence had caused to him. Somewhere in his mind, he had acquired the notion that he and Seto had grown closer over the past week. He thought that Seto trusted him, even if it was just a little. The blonde boy dropped his voice even lower and leaned in more. "Why won't you tell me?"

Seto gave no reply.

***

The cafeteria was filled with hungry students speaking amicably to each other about the Holidays. Katsuya and his friends were no exception. Only, Katsuya didn't speak very much. His mind was preoccupied with something else. Or rather someone else.

Katsuya's eyes darted around the large room as his friends began rehashing their vacations. 'Where is he?' Katsuya thought. He couldn't see Seto anywhere in the room and really wanted to speak to him...or just stare at him. It was freezing outside, so he must be eating somewhere indoors. But where?

"You guys should have seen the snow man Yami and I made!" Yuugi exclaimed in a giddy fashion. "It was so much fun! After we made it we back inside and he made me hot chocolate." Yuugi made a face. "Or at least he tried to make it. He ended up melting part of our toaster. .. I have no clue how he managed that." His face brightened again. "But I finally made it and we spent the rest of the day on the couch."

Honda raised an eyebrow in question, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Yuugi blushed, and turned to Ryou, eager to change the subject. "So how about you Ryou?"

Ryou sniggered. "Bakura tried to send snow to the shadow realm."

Yuugi stared at him wide eyed and began to giggle. "Really?"

"Yeah, I woke up and caught him swearing loudly and trying to banish it."

Honda piped in. "Hey, did he manage to get rid of any of it? Maybe I could have him do my side walk..."

"It didn't really work." Ryou frowned. "But I do think he got a few carolers."

"I was wondering why it was so quiet on the streets this year." Yuugi said with an undertone of worry, then turned his attention to Katsuya. "And speaking of quiet, what did you do, Jou? You haven't said a word."

Katsuya snapped out of his Seto-induced daze. "Uh, nothing much. Put up decorations, got a job at that pizza place..."

'Got snowed in with Kaiba and had to stop myself from jumping him...same ol' same ol' ' he mentally added. His friends continued to stare at him.

Yuugi cleared his throat. "Um...what about Kaiba?"

Katsuya blanched. Had he said that aloud?! "Wh-what do you mean?"

"I don't know, you two just seemed to be acting...different." Yuugi shrugged. Jou felt a wave of relief pass through him. "I didn't really notice until Ryou pointed it out."

Ryou smiled but was looking at Katsuya closely, as if he expected the boy to admit to something. 'Heh heh,' Katsuya thought. 'Now I'm just being paranoid.'

"Nothing happened with Kaiba." Katsuya lied smoothly.

Ryou didn't look convinced. Yuugi appeared a little skeptically as well but obviously decided his friend would tell him when he was ready. Honda didn't notice any of this, he was too busy gawking at some girl in an overly tight red sweater. Katsuya glared at her as he recognized her as one of the girls who would flirt shamelessly with Seto.

"Um, so Ryou," Katsuya hoped his nervousness about Ryou's doubtful eyes didn't show. "Your father came home for Christmas, didn't he? How is he?"

Ryou sighed and seemed to forget his suspicions concerning Katsuya. "No. He was supposed to but they found a new wall of hieroglyphics in one of the tombs -- I guess it had been hidden -- and he stayed to study it."

"So, it was just Bakura and you for two weeks? All alone?" Yuugi asked with his eyes glinting.

Ryou didn't seem to notice. "Well, yeah."

Yuugi nodded, his face twisting into a full blown smirk that looked quite amusing on him. "I was wondering why you were limping today."

"It's a wonder you're not bedridden with a sore lower back." Katsuya added solemnly.

Katsuya knew about Bakura's demanding sexual appetite. A few times while talking on the phone with Ryou, the pale boy would suddenly gasp and shakily ask him to hold on a moment. Then, despite the fact Ryou would muffle the receiver with his hand, he would hear the boy hiss at Bakura that it wasn't the time. Then he would hear Bakura chuckle, followed by a sultry, "But I want you so badly...". Katsuya would hear a few more uttered protests by Ryou, each one weaker than its predecessor, until he got back on the phone and hastily made his farewells.

Katsuya could never say good bye back. He was usually laughing to hard by then.

"Sh-shut up!" Ryou stammered his face turning bright crimson.

"Aw it's okay, Ryou." Katsuya said, patting the boy's arm. "It's perfectly natural to have needs."

Ryou swatted at the hand, his face getting even redder.

"It's not your fault Bakura's so insatiable." Yuugi nodded. A year or so ago, Yuugi wouldn't have even known the word insatiable, but since Yami came into being...

"Would you two be quiet?!" Ryou pleaded in a quiet but embarrassed voice. "It's not like you-" Ryou suddenly stopped talking and his eyes widened then returned to their normal size just as quickly as they had fluctuated, the only thing that wasn't normal was his now heavier breathing. He snapped to his feet. "I...erm...bathroom, yeah- see you later!" And he practically sprinted out of the cafeteria.

Katsuya and Yuugi watched his retreating figure with amusement. "Think Bakura wanted to replay some of the vacation moments?" Katsuya smirked.

"Either that, or Ryou wanted it." Yuugi smirked back. "After all, he was the one who seduced Bakura."

Katsuya jerked his head towards Yuugi in surprise. "Ryou...?!"

The smaller boy blinked a few times. "You didn't know?"

"No! I always assumed it was Bakura!"

Yuugi giggled. "Yeah, that would make sense. But turns out it was Ryou all along. Surprised me too when I found out."

Honda stood up and flashed a charming grin at his friends. "I'm going to go ask her out on a date!" He announced happily and strolled off to meet with sweater girl.

Katsuya watched as Honda put his hand on the girl's table and smiled at her as he began to talk.

'Be successful for once, Honda!' Katsuya mentally willed his friend. 'Keep her away from Seto!'

"That girl...her name's Yume, right?" Yuugi asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah, I think." Katsuya replied, his focus still on what was happening at the other table.

"She's always flirting with Kaiba, isn't she?" Yuugi asked cautiously.

Katsuya darted his eyes to Yuugi. "How the hell should I know?!"

Yuugi put his hands up and smiled. "No reason to get so defensive, Jou."

"I wasn't getting defensive..."

"I just thought you might know...neither of you seem to be acting like yourselves." Yuugi said.

Katsuya's mind was soon pulled completely away from Honda and the girl in the sweater and began to focus once more on Seto. 'Yuugi said that he seemed to be acting differently. Is Seto acting like that just because I'm acting differently around him? But I'm not really acting all that different, so it must be him!' Katsuya sighed and took a large bite of his sandwich, chewing slowly. 'I know how I feel about him...but what about his feelings? This morning he seemed so concerned when he asked if I had gotten into a fight. And that thing in the hall...I could have sworn he was about to kiss me. I really, really need to talk to him. I can't stand this anymore.'

"Huh? Where are you going, Jou?" Yuugi asked as Katsuya stood up, his eyes flashing with determination.

"I'm just gonna walk around a bit, I'll see you guys in science, okay?" Katsuya smiled disarmingly and walked off.

***

The irritating noise from the cafeteria reached Seto's eardrums as a dull hum of commotion. He could never stand eating lunch with his classmates. Their incessant chatter drove him insane. He couldn't concentrate with them around, so he would often slink off to his own space away from them for his lunch. In warmer weather, he would sit beneath a large cherry blossom tree in the school courtyard, his back pressed against the cool bark. At times he would tilt his head back and just stare at the blossoms and the flecks of blue sky visible between them.

But there were no pretty blossoms now, the branches were quilted with snow and dangled of icicles, so instead of his relaxing beneath his tree, he was stuck inside in some empty classroom he had found. He didn't want to eat lunch in his own classroom; the girls in the class would sometimes filter in there during lunch to retrieve make-up or some magazine from their book bags and Seto had no desire to deal with their tittering giggles and vain attempts at flirtation. Besides, he was reading and he hated to be interrupted when reading.

Just then the door creaked open and Seto could hear soft, hesitant footsteps make their way in. Seto glanced over his book, mildly surprised to see Katsuya standing there in an obviously forced casual way, frowning at him with his cheeks flushed. "You're reading? Again?"

Seto's eyes held the other boy's gaze for a moment before returning them to his book. "Yes, puppy, some of us enjoy books."

Katsuya didn't seem convinced. "Uh huh. I bet." The boy paused. "Did you eat anything?" His voice was tinted concern. Seto pointed lazily at the trash can next to where the puppy stood. "A yogurt? That isn't a lunch! Sheesh, it's no wonder you're a twig."

Seto flicked the page, a small smirk forming on his lips. "This coming from the boy who was swimming in my shirt?"

"...Shut up." Katsuya replied. So Seto did just that. He tried to read his book, but found Katsuya's very presence a distraction. No matter. He would just ignore the puppy...he still wasn't sure what he would say to him.

Seto could hear Katsuya shifting nervously foot to foot and tapping his palms on the side of his thighs rhythmically.

For seven minutes they did that. Seto pretending to not take notice of Katsuya, while he was mentally noting everything the boy did. And Katsuya fidgeting around. Seto could feel the furtive glimpses being cast his way.

"You're still here." Seto stated, not looking up from his book.

"So? There's nothing wrong with me being here. You don't own the school, Kaiba." Katsuya said in a haughty tone.

Seto frowned slightly. 'He's trying to start a fight with me...he must really feel uncomfortable for him to slip into that again.'

"What do you want?" He asked in an uninterested voice, but it was still gentle.

"I just wanted to ask if - Kaiba would-I mean, do you...what I'm trying to say is...uh-"

"Just say what you came to say or get out." Seto snapped coldly.

Katsuya took a deep calming breath and began to talk rather quickly. "If I was to ask you to come to the park with me tonight and listen to some music at that one pavilion, would you? It's all these different instruments and they're really good musicians. And even though Christmas is over the decorations are still up and we could walk through it and then-"

Seto's eyes flickered off the page he hadn't been reading and fixed on to Katsuya, glittering with suppressed amusement. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"NO!" Katsuya blushed all the way to his hair line. His eyes had gone wide and his shoulders were tense. "I said IF I asked you. If! It's one of those hy-hopy...er..."

"Hypothetical?" Seto offered, giving the boy a blank stare.

Katsuya snapped his fingers. "Yeah! That's it! It's one of those hypothetical questions!"

Seto regarded him quietly before replying. "I see." And returned to his book.

The silence set in again and with it came the mounting tension.

"Well?" Jou ventured after a few moments.

"Well what?"

Katsuya sighed impatiently. "What would you say?"

"I wouldn't say anything, puppy. I don't answer hypothetical questions. There's no point to them and thus a waste of my time. Unless..." Seto looked up at Katsuya evenly, a smug smirk flickering across his face. "This isn't as pointless as you would have me believe."

Katsuya just stared at him. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but thought better of it and closed it again. Seto went back to making it look as if he was reading the book.

"Kaiba?" Katsuya asked in a defeated tone.

Seto flipped to the next page in his book. "Hm?"

"Would you go out with me tonight?"

The book snapped shut and Seto stared hard at Katsuya, his face lacked all emotion which only seemed to further unnerve the blonde boy. He seemed as if he wanted nothing more than to dash out of that room away from Seto. Katsuya had begun to bite his lower lip and play with his hands, his head was tilted so he was looking at Seto through bangs and eyelashes. Seto found it very attractive.

Seto got to his feet leisurely, reveling slightly in Katsuya's apprehension. He put the book into his bag and looked back to Katsuya. He shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose I'll go. I have nothing better to do, anyway."

Seto held back a snicker as Katsuya's jaw dropped and the rest of him fell lifeless. At least he wasn't squirming anymore. He made his way to the door when a hand grasped onto his upper arm tightly.

He turned to see Katsuya staring in disbelief at him. "Really?!"

Seto glimpsed at the hand stalling him and raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think you're a bit eager, puppy?"

Katsuya blushed and let go. Then he immediately became indignant. Crossing his arms and rolling his eyes he said, "I don't care if you go or not."

Seto blinked. 'Is he trying to imitate me?'

Seto simply pushed his hair back with his hand and sighed. "Well, if you don't care I guess I'll just stay home."

A horrified look passed over Katsuya's features.

Seto chuckled at him. "I'll pick you up at seven." He reassured Katsuya.

As he walked smoothly out of the room, he caught Katsuya's transparent reflection in a window pane just opposite the door. The other boy was jumping up and down excitedly, shooting his fists in the air and mouthing 'YES! YES!' over and over again.

*

*

*

Chapter done! It was kinda, um, blah, I guess. But they're finally going out! Yay!! As for that last scene, with Katsuya jumping after Seto left, I seriously could see him doing something like that. Next chapter: first date! In about two weeks or POSSIBLY LONGER, sorry ;_;

I'm thinking one, maybe two more chapters.

I'm leaning toward an implied lemon for later in the story, what do you all think? The whole reason I may have anything lemonish in this story is for this one line I thought up. Yep. One sentence spawns the need for a lemonish thing. Or maybe I'll put that in one of my other stories...hmm...this requires thought.

What did you all think of the *very* small segment about Yami/Yuugi and Bakura/Ryou?

P.S. If you have ideas, don't be shy. Tell me them. I can't promise that I'll incorporate them into this story, or into any other, but if my mind can spawn ideas from them, I may write fic about it. But I make no promises, kay? ^_^

Love it? TELL ME! Despise it? TELL ME!