Authoress here.

I am so. Sorry.

I realize it's been about a month or more since I last updated, but seriously, folks, I've been so busy I do believe that I have good excuses.

Anyways, this here chapter does contain some material that makes this ficcie earn its rating. I do believe that none of you will have qualms with that, so I shall carry on with my business and hope that no one flames. Besides, if you hate the story so much, why waste your time by saying mean things? That doesn't do much for the story- it just makes you vindictive.

Without further ado, here it is: the next chapter!

Changes Made
Chapter Eight: Secrets, Secrets

His footsteps slapped wetly against the cracked and drenched pavement. Jou flew out of the narrow alleyway leading to his apartment building, and into the thick rain. It stung his face, but he ran heedlessly on all the same. Anything to get away from those penetrating blue eyes.

He felt personally violated. True, only his father's privacy had been compromised by Seto's intrusion, but Jou felt sick to his stomach. He had seen that awful emotion- that horrible pity- intermingled by surprise on the young CEO's face, and Jou couldn't bear to see it again.

It wasn't that Jou was ashamed of his father- he had made his fair share of mistakes, like today- but Jou couldn't help feel that Seto wouldn't see past his first impression. An old, blind man setting fire to sheet music after lighting up with an illegal drug was not an impressive first meeting.

And then, Jou thought miserably, Seto would think that Jou needed pity because he had a drug-addict of a father, because he worked at a place where only a queer bastard would dare to go, because he had all of damning weaknesses.

The rain had turned from a warm, pre-summer shower to an icy cold downpour. The cheap side of the city had been blurred into a hulking black hell as Jou ran through it blindly. By now his clothes were soaked, but either he didn't notice or didn't care.

Bright headlights swept through the gloomy sheets of rain as the Kaiba limo sung around the corner. Seto had bolted after Jou, had flung himself into the front seat and was searching the sidewalks for Jou's fleeing figure.

"Stop!"

As the limo skidded to a halt on the wet pavement, Seto leapt from the vehicle and dashed after Jou. Being taller and faster, he caught up quickly and grabbed the smaller man about the shoulders.

"Leave me alone!" Jou screamed, the words ripping painfully from his constricted throat.

"I'm not going anywhere." Seto growled, voice muffled by Jou's hair. "We need to understand each other, or I know I'll never see you again."

"Get OFF!"

"You need to get out of the rain."

"Are y'deaf?-! I said get the hell offa me!"

Without further ado, Seto forcibly twisted one of Jou's arms around behind his back, making him double over in pain. Using the arm as a tool of temperance, Seto forced Jou towards and into the awaiting limo.

Once again wondering why his driver was so compliant, even while on stalking and kidnapping missions, Seto settled into his seat and slammed the door. "To the mansion."

"Yes, Kaiba-sama." The driver doffed his hat in the rearview mirror, and wordlessly put the partition up between driver and passengers, a hint of a grin on his face.

Jou sat sullenly the entire ride to the Kaiba mansion, his silence betrayed only by the frequent sneezes and sniffles. He followed Seto quietly until they reached the main hall of the expansive Kaiba family mansion.

"You friggen' kidnapped- achoo!" Jou sneezed violently, interrupting himself. Seto gently took his arm and guided him towards the elevator. One glance from the steel-hard eyes told the servants that any interruption meant expulsion.

Two stories and one hallway later, Jou found himself in a spacious bathroom. One entire wall was a mirror, small hinges and stainless-steel handles the only sign of the many medicine cabinets hidden behind it. A smoked-glass window lined the top of the next wall, skies dark behind the clouded panes. A large hot tub was worked beautifully into the stainless steel décor, and a shower stall matching the smoked windows stood in the corner. There was a small, functional-looking chair in front of the sink, and Seto wordlessly directed Jou to sit.

"I'll have a maid bring you some dry things." Seto selected a cabinet with practiced ease and opened it, drawing out a cylindrical container. This he tossed to Jou, who caught it unconsciously, stifling another sneeze. "Put this on, I'll wait outside."

Jou eyed it warily. "What is dis?"

"Vapor rub."

"Huh?"

"You put it on your upper chest." Seto informed him, one hand on the door handle. "It will clear up your sinuses."

"HUH?"

"Oh, take off your shirt, you moronic mutt." Seto snapped. At Jou's incredulous look, Seto glared at him. "Don't make me do it for you…"

Grumbling and cursing under his breath, perfectly audible to the CEO, Jou stood up and yanked his drenched tee shirt over his head.

Seto Kaiba never blushes. Especially not at a naked man's torso.

Because this was most certainly a fact, the warmth spreading across Seto Kaiba's face was NOT a blush that was NOT inspired by Jou's bare, toned, tanned, water-flecked chest.

Of course not.

And because Seto Kaiba was NOT turned on by a teenage male chest, he found absolutely nothing strange in squirting a generous amount of the vapor run oil on his hands and smoothing it over Jou's upper chest. He performed the same actions whenever Mokuba was congested, but Mokuba was his baby brother, not Katsuya Jounouchi.

Jou stiffened under Seto's hands, making as if to step away but deciding to remain still. "Seto, whatchya doin'?"

Seto continued to spread the oil over Jou's collarbone. "This will make you feel better."

"I don't feel any better." Jou's voice was choked. "An' you're not helpin' at all."

"Katsuya-"

"No!" Jou did take a step back. "You don't get it! It's not fair! Every little weakness I got y'know about! I hate dis!"

Jou's breath was coming quickly, and he glared at Seto through rapidly-filling eyes. The teen CEO felt his heart constrict.

"You've got eveythin', Seto! You don't got no weaknesses! And I hate it when y'pity me!"

In an instant, Seto had pinned Jou's arms to his sides, and had spun Jou around to face the mirror. Over Jou's shoulder, Seto's blue eyes burned into the shining honey-brown ones.

"I have nightmares all the time; I can't sleep more than four hours without them waking me up. I have to get medication so I can even sleep that much at night. My brother and I were abandoned, and our stepfather was a tyrant. I've had six panic attacks in the last year. There have been two attacks on my life, three kidnapping attempts on Mokuba, and I have to have my mail checked for bombs and poison. I hate bananas, I have an awful sweet tooth, my psychiatrist has had to get counseling of his own and-" Seto drew a deep breath- "and I don't like seeing you unhappy. There. My weaknesses. Better?"

Jou stared at Seto in the mirror, one tear over spilling and running down his face.

"Now you look at yourself." Seto instructed, his voice soft yet still compelling. "Your turn to see what I see."

Jou pulled his eyes away from Seto's and locked gazes with his reflection, mind tumbling.

"You've got the confidence of someone who has experienced half of what you've gone through. You bounce back from negative situations better than anyone I know. You're an enigmatic, eclectic man. There are things about you I'll never understand, or know about, and I don't care." Seto drew in another deep breath. "You put up with me, even with all of the shit I give you."

"I-I'm sorry, man; I didn't know."

"No one knows," Seto said softly. "Only Mokuba. And you."

"I didn't mean t'freak out on ya, man." Jou turned slightly in Seto's arms to that thir faces were inches apart.

"I know."

"So… Now what?"

"You tell me."

Jou hesitated. Seto realized he was still holding Jou close and loosened his arms quickly. However he shouldn't have bothered. Jou stayed as he was; his breath hot on Seto's mouth. "I'm gonna do somethin' I think I'm gonna really regret."

Seto could only swallow.

Slowly inch by fraction of an inch, Jou leaned forewords.

The CEO stiffened.

Jou crushed his mouth onto Seto's with fervor unexpected. His entire frame, lean as it was, was pressing onto Seto's with a force that propelled them back until Seto was trapped against the wall. The shorter man made use of his height by wrapped a hand around Seto's neck, pulling his head down for easier excess. Seto's hands flew up and gripped Jou about the sides, pressing his palms into Jou's ribs, holding him fast.

The sudden realization of their actions, combined with the need for air, made the pair pull apart with delicious slowness. The moisture from their lips made the soft skin stick together until the last possible second. There, in that dangerous and alluring pose, Seto whispered roughly; "Did you regret that?"

Brown eyes stared hotly into blue. "No."

End Chapter

Authoress here.

HAH! So… the story thus far has been predictable, cheesy, fluffy, and everything that makes a stereotypical squee-ful tale. I must say- it's kind of fun to write.

But, alas, only one chapter remains. So, until then (can't say when 'then' is, school is still in full-ish swing) I bid thee review.

Authoress gone.