Author's Notes: Okay here's the next part. I'll try and get one more chapter up before Christmas, but it looks like the rest might get posted Christmas morning itself.

Anyways, thanks for the reviews so far. I'm really enjoying writing this and I hope you're enjoying reading it!

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Chapter 3: This is My Christmas Wish

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"I can't believe I did that…" Jakotsu muttered to himself as the warm water ran down his body.

It had been a couple of hours since Bankotsu had left, the power had been restored and Jakotsu had decided that a nice warm shower was just what he needed to get his mind off things. Much to his dismay, it only proved to be making the thoughts worse.

"Why did I have to say I was joking? I mean if I like him…then I should tell him I'm not joking so he'll know. But no, as usual it's just an annoying joke to him and he probably hates me for it."

Sighing and running his fingers through his damp hair, Jakotsu leaned against the wall of the shower.

"But…what do I feel for him?"

His mind thought over all their encounters in the past. The times he would come up behind Bankotsu and wrap his arms around him while he was trying to do homework. The sly, teasing innuendos he would lace into the little things he'd say. The way he'd sometimes just sit watching the other man until his usual irritated reaction of 'What?!' broke through the silence.

The light smile faded as his memories brought another question to his mind. Eyes widening, he tensed at the realization.

"Have I…what's the word…subconscious? Yah, that's it…Subconsciously…have I…been…" He took a deep breath, as if even admitting it to himself was a challenge, "Have I been flirting with him all along?"

And as if to reinforce his suspicions, his mind pulled up a choice memory for him to reflect on.

"Well I guess I have been kinda obvious…" Jakotsu remarked as he recalled the instance in which he'd walked in on Bankotsu once in the shower.

He could picture the bathroom much like it was at that very moment; the mirror fogged from the steam of the shower and the melodic rhythm of the water humming throughout the small room.

Jakotsu had been planning on taking a shower himself and on hearing the sound of the water running, he couldn't help but go and see if he could join his roommate

The door swung open as Jakotsu sauntered in, pulling his shirt and pants off quickly before Bankotsu realized there was an intruder in his midst.

Pulling back the shower curtain nonchalantly, the younger man gave the expected reaction.

"Jakotsu?! what in the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Hey," He said casually as he let his eyes trail down Bankotsu's figure, "Can I join you?"

"No! "

In a flourish, Bankotsu turned around hoping his lengthy hair would cover his backside.

Ignoring the answer, Jakotsu invited himself in anyways.

"You can wash my back and I'll wash anything you might need… or want…me to."

Bankotsu started at the hand on his shoulder, and turned around quickly. His defense reflexes kicking in, he pushed Jakotsu back against the wall, pinning him effectively by a vice-grip on his neck.

"Jakotsu…" He seethed, "I said no."

The taller man smirked as he somewhat revealed in the light pain the pressure on his throat caused.

"Well, you're the one going all BDSM on me."

At that, Bankotsu immediately released him and turned away once more and hoping that Jakotsu didn't catch sight of the blush staining his cheeks.

"Get. Out."

"Fine, I'm going, I'm going," Jakotsu said as he retreated, then with an impish smirk he added, "And by the way," He allowed himself to slip into a more seductive tone, "You have a gorgeous body."

Jakotsu smiled to himself as the memory faded, "And then he threw the shampoo bottle at me and refused to speak to me the rest of the day."

Sighing, he shook his head at his own antics, a light laugh working its way into his voice.

"Though I guess it was worth it to see him all wet, naked and feisty."

Thoughts halted as he realized what he'd just confirmed, there was something there- towards Bankotsu and it felt…weird.

"Mou… now I can't that mental image out of my mind."

Shaking his head in hopes to dislodge it, Jakotsu paused on hearing a light knock on the front door.

"Who in the…"

The knock came again, this time louder.

"Well perhaps a nice, hot repairman come to see if the power's working all right in all the apartments will get my mind of this…"

Stepping out of the shower, he quickly wrapped a towel around his waist.

"I'm coming. Just a second!"

Glaring at the mistletoe hanging above the door for all the trouble it had caused; Jakotsu pulled the door open and before he could say 'Hello' or anything else, his mind registered just who it was outside the door.

Eyes skimming down the shorter figure, he brought himself to speak.

"Ba…Bankotsu?"

He swallowed hard, his mind racing into overdrive. Every little part of his senses was telling him to jump the young man and think later, but his logic quickly killed off all lustful desires by reinforcing one minor detail.

"What the hell are you thinking?! This is Bankotsu- you know, your best friend?!"

Bankotsu didn't notice the strange expression on Jakotsu's face, his eyes having been quickly diverted the second he noticed his companion's lack of attire- save one rather small towel.

"I…I somehow left my blanket here. I was just coming to get it back."

Confusion replaced the other emotions on Jakotsu's face as he glanced over his shoulder towards the bedroom.

"I could have sworn I saw him carrying it out. Then where in the…" Tracing the path they'd walked earlier, he now noticed the waylaid blanket near the doorway, "He must have dropped it when I…"

"Oh…here it is…" He began to bend forward to pick it up, but Bankotsu moved in quickly and snatched it up.

"Thanks. I've got to go…" The braided young man rushed out as he quickly fled back to his apartment, door swinging closed behind him.

"Great. He's still mad at me…Just, great."

Tapping his forehead in thought, he decided that once dressed in more than a towel, going to speak to Suikotsu might be the best idea.

"That is if he's not having a bad day as well," Jakotsu thought to himself bitterly as he headed for his bedroom.

Throwing things left and right from his haphazard dresser drawer, he managed to find a pair of purple boxers and slid them on.

"Okay, so…what am I supposed to tell Suikotsu? 'Um, hi. I just kissed Bankotsu and liked it, what am I supposed to do.' Oh yah, that sounds so…so…"

He sighed as he flopped down on the bed.

"But…was I just imagining things earlier? Or is it just wishful thinking on my part that Bankotsu might like me…like that?"

The silence of the room offered no answers to his pending questions and so Jakotsu decided that before seeing Suikotsu, a few things needed to be sorted out first.

Reaching over to the nightstand and rummaging around in the bottom drawer, he finally unearthed the round black ball. The number eight on the one side had faded a little over the years, but it still worked and that was all that mattered.

Holding the Magic 8-ball against his chest, he sighed as he lounged back against the pillows.

"Bankotsu gave this to me as a gift for Christmas a few years ago. He said, 'Here, ask this thing about the guys you're always talking about instead of asking me. It'll probably come up with a better answer than I can.' And well… much to my luck, or lack there of, it's always been right too. Then again, I suppose predicting whether guys are straight or not isn't hard. What's the percentage of us gays anyways? Less room for error."

Rolling onto his side, he noticed the picture sitting on top of the nightstand. It was a group photo taken last year with all seven of the friends in it. Well, Kyoukotsu was mostly in it… but that's not what Jakotsu was focused on at the moment.

In the center was Jakotsu and Bankotsu, their arms draped around each other's shoulders and smiles on their faces. And that happiness, that chance that there might be something more, was enough for the young man to turn his problems to the 'all-knowing' ball in his hands.

"Okay- first question. Am I in love/lust/whatever with Bankotsu?"

He shook the ball and the murky blue water slowly faded away until the words shone through.

Without a doubt.

Jakotsu frowned, "Well thanks for making me feel like an idiot for just now figuring it out. Okay, question number two: Is Bankotsu gay and/or interested in me as more than a friend?"

Another hearty shake and the ball revealed the answer.

Concentrate and ask again.

Sitting upright and taking a deep breath; he channeled all his thoughts about the possible hints towards this and gave it another shake.

Better not tell you now.

Blinking, he tried to decide if that was good or bad. Figuring it would be best to keep trying other angles, he offered it a third question.

"Okay, question three: Is my day going to get any better?"

A few shakes and the answer appeared.

Outlook not so good.

Flopping back on the bed, he sighed.

"Great, even the 8-ball thinks it's hopeless. I am doomed to die a virgin in both bed and romance."

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Meanwhile, another black-haired young man wasn't fairing much better in the neighboring apartment.

Much like his companion, Bankotsu was sprawled on his bed; his mind trying to sort through the thoughts that plagued him.

"Why did he have to answer the door in nothing but a damned towel?"

Rolling over and burying his face in the pillows, he grumbled to himself.

"He is trying to drive me insane, slowly. That's got to be it."

Ever since he'd left Jakotsu's apartment that morning, Bankotsu couldn't get his mind of the other man and it was beginning to worry him.

"First I wake up in bed holding onto him, then that kiss…"

His thoughts trailed off as he took a deep breath, "And I'm mad at him…not because he kissed me, but because he said he was joking. Just…damnit."

Standing up in a huff, he took his frustrations out on a nearby pillow. But as much as he tried to suppress it, a small little voice piped up from deep inside his mind.

"You don't want him to joke anymore do you? You want him to kiss you for real."

At that realization, he slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.

"The jealousy, that dream last night, and…this…"

The last visual of Jakotsu came to mind, and he instantly regretted it. His mind having etched each detail of his friend dripping wet in nothing but a towel into his memory, much to his dismay.

But even more irritating to him was his thoughts on said mental image.

"And," He thought, adding to his list of things, "And I seem to…think that…well, he doesn't look unattractive. I guess he's…"

Cutting his thoughts off before they could even consider venturing in that direction, Bankotsu's wide blue eyes reflected the revelation that had finally come upon him.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly whispered it aloud.

"I think…that…that I might, quite possibly, just perhaps, have….have some sort of…crush on Jakotsu."

Then as that fully sank in, he drug a hand down his face.

"Now what the hell am I supposed to do about it?"

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Chapter 4 Preview:

Seeking out advice is often a good idea, but sometimes, your friends might not know what to do when they realize that the problem is as simple as love.