by Lethe
Chapter Eighteen: Plotting
"Shizuka? Do I really have to eat these?"
"Yeah, I think so. Vegetables are good for you. Although…" She grinned. "I don't like them either. I won't tell if you don't."
"All right!" said Mokuba happily.
Two weeks had come and gone. It was now a Saturday evening, and Seto and Jou had gone to the movies together. Shizuka had volunteered to baby-sit (or, as the Kaibas put it, 'hang out with') Mokuba.
"My big brother seems different lately," commented Mokuba in the middle of a forkful of spaghetti.
"Him too?" said Shizuka. "Katsuya has changed a little bit."
"But not in a bad way!" amended Mokuba quickly. "He's just… changed."
"I know what you mean."
"He's happier, for one thing…"
"I would've been surprised if he wasn't…"
"And he's more open now."
"Makes sense," said Shizuka. "Katsuya was always kind of open… I think he changed in a different way, though."
"Really?" said Mokuba interestedly. "How?"
"Well… He seems quicker." She giggled. "He uses bigger words."
Mokuba laughed. "It must be my big brother's influence!"
She nodded and leaned forward conspiratorially. "And they're always studying together…"
"You're right!" said the boy. "Wait… you're not implying…"
"You never know…"
"Ewwww!" Mokuba coughed. "Like what they did on that soap opera…?"
"They could be," said Shizuka ominously. Then she grinned. "Nah."
Mokuba sighed. "Right. Seto's not that kind of… um…you know.... he wouldn't…"
"Do inappropriate things that couldn't be described to anyone under eighteen?" suggested Shizuka.
"Yeah! Yeah, that."
"I don't think they have done anything, have they?"
Mokuba thought for a moment. "I don't think so… Seto hugs him sometimes, though, he told me so."
There was a glint in Shizuka's eyes. "Maybe it's time for us to help…"
"Ooh!" said Mokuba. "Are we going to come up with an elaborate plot?"
"Yup!" said Shizuka.
Mokuba bolted out of his seat. "I'll go make the popcorn!"
**
"Oh, darling, I have found you at long last!"
"I missed you so! It was so… so horrible…"
"Hah! You have fallen into my trap!"
"Oh no! King Scuttlebob!"
"Save me, Prince!"
Blaaaaaaaaaah. Jou shifted in his seat. There was no more popcorn. And he had made sure to get an extra-large tub, too.
He looked at Seto out of the corner of his eye. The boy was, as impossible as it seemed, totally wrapped up in the movie. He grinned. Who'd have known Kaiba liked this sort of thing?
Then he saw Seto's hand. It was nonchalantly placed on the armrest. The armrest in between Seto's chair and Jou's chair. If that wasn't an invitation, then what was?
Jonouchi looked back at the screen resolutely. No. Bad, Jou. There are people here and I don't know if Seto's okay with that or not.
Aw, damn, but he just put it there! That's a hand that's begging to be held.
I can feel my resistance slipping away…
But, reasoned Jou, it's all his fault anyway. He's too cute. He reached out and slipped his hand inside Kaiba's. Kaiba glanced at Jou for a moment, then smiled slightly and looked back at the screen.
**
"No, that wouldn't work," said Mokuba. He sighed. "It's no use."
"Unless…" mused Shizuka.
"Unless…?"
"What if… I know! It's perfect!"
"Huh?" said Mokuba. "What is?"
She took a sheet of paper and began writing. "See, what we do is…"
And from that point on, just about the only words spoken were, "Oh," "I see," and "Yesssssss!".
**
"We'd better keep quiet," cautioned Seto once they were at the door. "I don't know whether Mokuba is asleep yet or not."
"Knowing Shizuka, probably not," said Jou. "But hey, thanks. Today was fun."
"'Was'?" said Seto. "Today isn't over yet, Jou."
"I know, but how could it possibly get any bet-"
Seto had pressed a finger to Jou's lips. "I have an idea…" he said.
Jou leaned forward. "Yes?" he replied hopefully.
"We could play Scrabble," said Kaiba. "If you want to, that is."
"But…!" protested Jou. "You have a better vocabulary than I do! You know you'll win!"
"I'll make snacks," said Kaiba.
"Argh…" said Jou, clearly torn between his hunger and his pride. "I… uh…."
"Winner gets a kiss…?"
"Ooh, damn. But what about Shizuka and Mokuba?"
Jou knew that he had never, ever seen Kaiba grin that way before.