Smile
Part Two
by Lethe
Chapter Eight: I Shall Catch You
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Once, in English class, I was working on a class project with my partner, Nano. I got to cut the paper. I instead ended up giving myself a nasty cut – well, not really a cut, because it didn't bleed, but the blood was just under the skin and I could see it!
I thought that safety scissors weren't able to puncture anybody!
Sure, Nano had a good laugh, but I still think they should be called safety scissors for a reason.
::coughs:: Erm, I don't think this chapter turned out very well. I hope you can forgive me – it'll get better next chapter, promise…
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"I can't believe," said Jonouchi, "that you think a ninety-seven is the end of the world."
"It is!" argued Seto. "It's the worst grade I've ever gotten!"
"What about the English project we did together?" said Jonouchi with a smirk.
"I blame you for that one," said Seto. "Jonouchi, the one person this side of Asia that can get himself stabbed by a pair of safety scissors…"
"Hey, the blood gave the poster a rather attractive quality…"
"Attractive to whom? Mosquitoes?"
"And don't forget those punks…"
"Whatever," said Kaiba with a groan. "What I meant was, I have never done so badly on an individual assignment. Happy?"
"I'll bet you never got below a hundred," said Jonouchi.
"Correct," said Kaiba. "And I never intended to, either."
"Well…" said Jonouchi. "Look at it this way. What you were doing before was monotonous. A hundred after a hundred after a hundred. There was no variety! At least now you got a grade you'll remember. So doth the CEO make his life a bit more interesting."
Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Did you just say 'doth'?"
"Damn," said Jonouchi. "I definitely spend too much time with you."
"Even I don't say 'doth'!" said Kaiba, laughing.
"You just did!" said Jonouchi childishly. "So there!"
Seto tackled Jonouchi onto the bed – they had been studying, no quotation marks, in his room – and pulled Jonouchi into a headlock. "You know what?"
"What?"
"I'm still not used to your hair. If I had done this back when it was longer, it would be getting in my way."
"Great," said Jonouchi. "So now you have easier access to my neck-" He tried to break free, and only succeeded in making Seto tighten his hold.
"Say mercy," said Seto, grinning. "You know I could do this all day, and still not break a sweat."
"How exactly does one break sweat?" said Jonouchi.
Seto shrugged, causing Jonouchi to give a small 'eep!'. "No idea."
Then Jonouchi moved suddenly, slipping out of the taller boy's hold and rolling on top of him. "I've got you now," he said.
Seto looked up at him. "Actually, this is quite comfortable," he observed.
With a slight blush, Jonouchi realized just where he was and began getting up.
"No… stay," said Seto, reaching out and pulling Jonouchi back down. "I told you it was comfortable."
"If you say so," said Jonouchi. "I thought I would be crushing you by now, all the junk food I eat…"
"No," said Seto. "I'm not that weak, and you're not that heavy."
"All right. So… I'm here," said Jonouchi.
"Yes, you are."
"What do people generally do when they're in this position?"
Seto raised an eyebrow. "It depends on who the people are. Are you talking adult videos or Disney movies?"
"They do that in Disney movies?"
"No, Jou…"
"Man, maybe I should watch some!"
"I said no, Jou."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I have Mokuba, you know."
"Darn."
"You have a sick mind."
"Don't I really?"
"What do you think we should do?"
Jonouchi looked down into Seto's eyes and smiled. "What do you want to do?"
"We could study for the test coming up," suggested Seto. "I'll quiz you."
"All right," said Jou with a small sigh.
"Conjugate 'study'. In English."
"I study, you study, he, she, or it studies, we study, you all study, and they study," recited Jou.
"Correct," said Seto. "On to the next one."
"Wait, don't I get a prize or something?"
"Do you?"
"Yeah. I should be rewarded if I get one right."
"Fine," said Seto, leaning up and kissing Jonouchi lightly. "Good enough? The more you answer right, the better it gets…"
"Well, then, hurry up!" said Jonouchi.
-
"Oh my," said Shizuka. "What are they doing in there?"
Mokuba giggled. "I have a good idea…"
The two had their ears pressed against the door to Seto's room. They had been listening to the various thumps, rustles, and words that had been coming from the door for the past hour or so.
"Ssh, they're talking again!"
"They plays?"
"No, they play. Too bad, Jou."
"Aw," said Jonouchi. "Come on, Seto!"
"Not until you get one right,"
said Kaiba.
Then they heard a loud rustle, followed by a muffled sound of surprise from Kaiba. Mokuba and Shizuka's eyes widened and they doubled over, trying not to laugh.
"I think I'll quiz you," they heard Jonouchi say.
"That sounded wrong," said Shizuka.
"Ew… it did… Are their clothes on?" said Mokuba.
"No clue. Hey, I have an idea!" whispered Shizuka brightly.
"What?"
"On the count of three, we go in – you want to ask Seto a question about dinner – and 'accidentally' discover what they're doing in there. Then we'd know for sure!"
"…Isn't that invasion of privacy or something?"
"Probably."
"Okay! Are you going to count, or am I?"
"You go ahead."
"Got it. One… two… three!"
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"I could've sworn that it was a noun," said Kaiba. "I'm going to check."
"Can't you just admit that I'm right?"
"You're not right!" said Kaiba.
"I'll bet you a kiss," said Jonouchi hopefully.
"Fine. Ah, where'd I put that textbook…"
The door burst open.
"Seto, what's for-" Mokuba stared at the two. "…dinner…"
"Mokuba! Shizuka! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" cried Jonouchi, breathing quickly.
Jonouchi was sitting on Kaiba's bed, hair untidy, but otherwise normal – his clothes were on. Kaiba, on the other hand, had somehow gotten the first two buttons of his shirt undone, and had been rummaging through his bookshelf at the time of Mokuba and Shizuka's arrival.
Shizuka blinked. "What are you guys doing?"
Both boys turned an interesting shade of crimson. "We were studying," said Jonouchi.
"Studying what?" said Shizuka.
"English," said Seto, finding the book he had been looking for and pulling it off the shelf. "I think I'll order pizza for dinner, if that's all right."
"Yay!" said Mokuba and Jonouchi at the same time. "Thank goodness," added Jonouchi cheerfully. "Seto's not cooking."
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"Ah, that was good," said Jonouchi with a contented sigh.
Seto rolled his eyes. "Good thing I ordered a pizza just for him, hm?"
Shizuka nodded. "And that you bought more ice cream."
"With whipped cream," added Mokuba.
"And nuts."
"And those little cherry things."
"And-"
"All right, knock it off," said Jonouchi. "I didn't have that much!"
"Compared to what?" said Seto. "The diet of an elephant?"
"Don't they eat bananas or something?" said Jonouchi. "I don't."
"Well, whatever they eat, they eat a lot of it, and that was the point I was trying to make," said Seto. "Every time you come, you clean out my refrigerator."
"Not that that's a bad thing," said Mokuba. "We can afford plenty!"
"So," said Shizuka. "Will you two be 'studying' after dinner as well?"
Jonouchi glanced at Seto.
Seto threw an odd look at Shizuka and Mokuba. "You two…"
"Uh-oh," whispered Mokuba.
"We'd better go save that game you were playing, Mokuba!" said Shizuka quickly, jumping up and grabbing the boy. They dashed out of the room.
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"I was right! It is a noun!" exclaimed Seto triumphantly. "I win, Jonouchi!"
Jonouchi placed his hands on each side of Seto's head, leaning forward and pressing their lips together.
A moment later, they parted. "What was that for?"
"I bet you a kiss, remember?" said Jonouchi.
"…Oh." Seto paused. "Do you want to play again?"
"Let's."
And, meanwhile, Mokuba and Shizuka sighed as they realized Kaiba's basement was soundproof.