Cursive

by Lethe Seraph

Seven: Date

Author's Notes

I have no idea where in the canon universe this story would take place…

Let's see. Usual comments: I hope this isn't too out of character! ZOMG, I keep on trying and trying to get it right, but it's all so mushy and crap. I hope you guys like this, I'm sorry it took so long, thank you for sticking with me, and … um … please don't kill me for the ending? XD Please?

Also, the formatting is beginning to irritate me (which is hard for anything to do). Chances are, if you see a mistake, it's fault. No, I'm not just blaming the site. I really mean it. Sigh…

There was one thing to be learned from this experience, decided Jou, groaning as he hefted his purchases into the trunk. And that was:

Never go shopping with girls. Ever.

After a moment, Jou refined that statement.

Never, ever go shopping with girls. Especially not Anzu.

Hours and hours staring at the exact same thing! Honestly! Racks and racks and racks of overpriced coats, shirts, and – oh, God – ties. Ties were evil. They were nooses worn as fashion statements. He did not intend to wear a tie to a freaking movie. And he said as much to Anzu.

"Anzu, I'm not gonna wear a tie to a freakin' movie!"

"But you're going to a classy restaurant afterwards, and besides, you should at least own a tie," was Anzu's response. "Wouldn't this one look great on him, Honda? I think it brings out his eyes."

Like his eyes had sunken into his skull, right.

"Yeah," laughed Honda, who had found the proceedings hilarious. You'll get yours, Honda. Just you wait. "You look very gentlemanly, Jou."

Jou shoved the memory out of his mind as he entered Anzu's car. He didn't want to do that ever again. And especially not for the sake of one Seto Kaiba, who couldn't afford to be embarrassed in public by certain people who hadn't owned a tie until they were seventeen, and even then, had no idea how to put it on.

An amber-and-honey silk tie.

It was pretty icky-looking, in his opinion.

"Anzu, are you sure that you're okay paying for all of this?" he said as she revved the car – actually her father's, on long-term loan – and backed out of the space. "I mean, it's a heck of a lot, and fancy at that."

"It's all right!" she assured him. "For the millionth time. My mom has a good discount on this stuff, and besides, your birthday is coming up. It can be your present."

"From me, too," piped Honda.

"What did you do?" said Anzu, raising an eyebrow.

"I was, ah, moral support."

"Moral?"

"Yeah, he looked like he was about ready to strangle that one sales lady. You know, the one with that fake accent?"

Jou burst out laughing. "Do you think she's married? Does she talk like that at home?"

"Hey," said Anzu. "It's not nice to talk about people like that."

"She was a jerk," argued Honda. "Ex-cuuse me, but will you be buying that?" He mimicked her haughty expression. "Or are you just … how do you say … window shopping?"

"Not even the proper use of the term," added Jou.

Anzu sighed. "She could just be very shy, and has to use the accent to loosen up."

"That's lame," Honda and Jou said in unison. They grinned at each other.

"So, anyway," said Anzu, "looking forward to the big date tonight?"

"It's not a date!" protested Jou. "Mokuba's gonna be there."

Anzu smiled. "Say what you want. What are you going to wear?"

"Um… I'll figure it out when I get home. You bought way too much, Anzu."

"Pfft! You look great in all of them."

"She liiikes you," sang Honda.

"Shut up!" Anzu laughed. "Or I'll kick you out of the car."

"Yeah, her heart belongs to the little guy."

"The taller little guy," quipped Honda. He smirked as Anzu turned red. "What do you see in dead people, anyway?"

"Oh, look, Honda!" Anzu said quickly. "We're at your house already!"

Honda stepped out of the car. His parting words merited a glare and slap. They weren't even worth repeating.

Have a great night, sure. Jou would have a great night alone with his game consoles after their outing – not a date! – was over. Rrgh.

He was kinda looking forward to it, though.

The rest of Thursday, and the first of Friday, hadn't passed quickly enough for Jou's liking. He was looking forward to the movie that Kaiba had named – though, from what he had heard, not nearly as much as Mokuba was. Kaiba, in what had now been established as 'routine,' met Jou at his locker after school.

"I'm picking you up in an hour and a half," Kaiba began, standing behind Jou.

"Sounds good," said Jou without turning around. How quickly people could become accustomed to things. "Movie, then dinner, then what?"

"I thought that, if it wasn't too late, you could come home with us. Play some video games with the kid, or raid the fridge."

"Raid the fridge?" said Jou, brightening up. Then he laughed. "I've never heard you say anything like that before."

"Oh," said Kaiba. "I blame Mokuba."

He was going home with Kaiba.

Dammit, he didn't want to wear fancy clothes that long!

Hey! Back from the big date! How'd it go?

Urrrgh. Don't ask me that.

Okay, can I ask why you're at my place?

I wanted to crash here tonight. Just because.

Oh, you wanted to talk. No problem! Tell your big brother all about it.

No way. I'm the big brother here.

Haha, right, my big brother-in-law.

Not if I have something to say about that.

But, seriously, how'd it go? What did you guys do?

Well… it started off all right…

"Actually on time? I'm surprised."

"Well, I wouldn't want to make your bro late to the movie. He in there?"

A smaller head poked out of the limousine's window. "Hey, Jou! Long time no see!"

"Hey, kid!" Jou ruffled Mokuba's hair fondly. With the other hand, he held up a bag. "Oi, Kaiba, is it okay if I change into this crap afterwards? I don't wanna wear it at the theater."

"Ah," said Kaiba with a small smirk. "Perfectly all right."

"Well, you gonna let me in or what?"

"That might help," said Mokuba, grinning as he moved back to his seat. Kaiba opened the door and scooted – no, he was Seto Kaiba; he didn't scoot – to the middle.

"Seatbelt, Mokuba."

"Yeah, yeah…"

As Jou put his own seatbelt on, he couldn't help but discreetly eye Kaiba.

The guy looked good.

Jou figured it came from seeing him in business outfits (ridiculous ones, honestly) every tournament, and on the news and stuff, but Kaiba looked natural in his simple suit. Jou had tried on his own outfit before condemning it to the Bag; he had looked, well, like an overdressed and awkward puppy.

Yeah, Kaiba looked natural.

Naturally hot.

Jou shook his head, forcing his gaze out the window. I am so not thinking like that for the entire evening.

But then his mental image of Kaiba came back, and he realized something. Being Jou, it was out of his mouth before he could stop to think. "Hey! Your neck isn't covered!"

The brothers stared at Jou. Their reactions were entirely different, though.

Mokuba burst out laughing.

Seto's eyes widened slightly and his hand twitched in the direction of his neck.

Crap. Jou flustered. "But you look good. It's different. Cool."

"He noticed!" whispered Mokuba loudly enough for Jou to hear, nudging Seto with his elbow.

"Mokuba! Hush!"

Eh?

Mokuba grinned and directed his attention back to Jou. "Shouldn't he do it more often, though? I helped him pick out his clothes tonight!"

Seto stiffened.

Jou laughed, trying to ease the tension. Sure thing that Kaiba, if he was a normal person, was pretty embarrassed by this point.

But why would Mokuba have to help his brother … unless … he wanted to make sure that Seto was impressive tonight?

Whatever. Mokuba probably just wanted to make sure that Kaiba relaxed tonight – no screwing with those crazy coats in crowded places where people would trample them and strangle their owner.

Jou wondered if that had ever happened before – and, if not, how it could possibly have been avoided.

"Anyway, where are we going to dinner?" said Jou.

"You wouldn't know the place. It's small, but excellent," said Kaiba.

"Small enough that Seto won't make a scene," added Mokuba with a smile.

"I don't make scenes," said Kaiba. "They make scenes."

"Ah," said Jou. "Your fangirls?"

"And fanboys," Mokuba laughed. "They're always coming after him to get autographs and stuff. Sometimes they even chase me down."

"I've told them many times to stay away from him," said Kaiba protectively.

Jou laughed. It had always been weird for him to see Kaiba and Mokuba together.

Made him think of Shizuka.

As though reading his thoughts, Mokuba piped up. "Oh, how's your sister? The operation and everything didn't have any bad effects or whatever, right?"

"Yeah, she's still doin' good." Jou reached over Kaiba and patted Mokuba's head. Kaiba let out a small noise of disapproval. "Thanks for asking. Want me to tell her hi for you?"

"That would be great! Thanks!" Mokuba beamed.

There was a silence.

Jou fidgeted.

"Don't touch the buttons," Kaiba commanded.

"How did you know I was gonna-"

"You've been staring at them," said Kaiba. "Don't think I didn't notice. You have no subtlety whatsoever."

Well, I have to have some, because you didn't seem to mind when I was looking at you. "But why can't I?" Jou glared.

"I don't want you breaking anything."

"I won't break anything!"

"You don't even know what the buttons do."

"That's why I wanna touch them!"

Mokuba giggled.

"What?" Jou turned to Mokuba. "Don't tell me you're old enough to think like that! Is he old enough to think like that?"

"Unfortunately," said Kaiba. "It's terrible being a single parent."

"Well, he's turning out okay so far, I'd say," said Jou. "Except that he's a dirty old man on the inside." He poked Mokuba's side – again, leaning over Kaiba.

"I get it from Seto," Mokuba stated.

"That's quite enough out of you, young man," said Kaiba with a slight, self-mocking smile.

"Aw, but Pa…"

Jou laughed. These guys were great. Tonight would definitely be fun.

Let me guess. That's where it was all shot to hell.

Dude, how did you know?

Jou, that's so old. You should know by now – never say things like that. Don't even think them. Because otherwise-

You're screwed, right?

Or, in your case, not screwed.

Hey. Ew. Don't say that.

You've been thinking a lot more about Kaiba's appearance; have you noticed?

Yeah, it kind of creeps me out. …But I admire good-looking actors, too, so it can't be all that weird, right?

Right?

"Oh, God! Not you, too, Jean!" the blonde cried, clutching at the fallen man's shirt and sobbing heavily. The motion made her overexposed womanparts ride up and down. Not that Jou really noticed.

Kaiba's shoulder was touching his.

Had Kaiba realized that? Was it just because there was an armrest there, and they had to share it? Why couldn't Mokuba be the one to sit in the middle? Why wasn't Kaiba using Mokuba's armrest instead?

Jou shook off the questions. He had wanted to see this movie, and by damn, he would remember what it was about. He stared at the screen, eyes losing focus again after a moment. That shoulder was burning into him. He stole a glance at Kaiba.

He seemed pretty into the movie.

Okay. It was okay, then.

He'd pay it no mind.

"Marianne… please, promise me that you will … promise that you'll …"

Have hot sex with me before I die?

"…take care of the farm. And… tell Christa…"

"Oh, Jean, don't say things like that! Not yet! You won't die!"

"Just listen to me, Marianne." Jean coughed up blood. "Please. Tell Christa…"

That I had hot sex with you before I died.

"Tell her that I lo-" He coughed again and promptly died.

"Jean! Nooooo!"

Unfortunately, Marianne had forgotten that she was behind enemy lines, and when people screamed like that, they tended to be heard rather easily.

How was Mokuba taking all of this? Jou looked over at him.

…Whoa. The kid was intense. His eyes were gleaming as he leaned forward; his lips moved silently. Jou could have sworn he caught a 'not Marianne, not Marianne' out of him.

And Kaiba's shoulder was still touching his.

It was kind of warm.

That's it. It's time to do something. For all I know, he thinks it's my shoulder touching his.

Jou edged away under the pretense of snatching popcorn out of Mokuba's bucket. Mokuba hissed, but didn't do anything to stop him.

All right. And now, just watch the movie.

Just watch the movie.

And that wasn't even the half of it. I mean, I still have to tell you about dinner – and his house.

Oh, wow. He's doing more than I expected.

What, you think he did it on purpose?

He's Seto Kaiba, remember? We've had this conversation before.

But ... but we haven't been friends for that long, and he always told me I was an idiot and stuff before that.

Well, pride, I guess. Besides, he might have liked how you reacted to his insults. You probably wouldn't have had much contact otherwise, right?

That's really stupid, man.

If you say so. But I think from what you told me so far, you guys are kind of … well …

What?

Into each other.

It's not like that! I don't like him like that at all. He was the one who kissed me!

…What?

Oh, shit.