3. In which that one word is repeated a lot…

After the obviously successful experience with the parfait, Joey continued making desserts and any other food that he thought counted as sensual. He even read a book about it. Oysters, asparagus; even eggs were on the list. Kaiba would always eat everything he made innocently licking his lips and moaning discreetly. He could be the poster boy for the expression 'orgasmically delicious', if such expression existed.

One day Joey accidentally dropped a whole pan of sauce on himself while distracted by a Kaiba walking around in an open shirt. To his luck, he had just lit the fire a few minutes ago, so the sauce wasn't that hot yet. But he still needed a bath. Kaiba called him a useless idiot and even yelled a little about his kitchen floor being all sticky now, but the way he was looking at him after he took off his dirty shirt left him unsure as to whether Kaiba was hungry for the sauce or… Maybe he should drop food on himself more often.

Kaiba lent him some clothes and he took a shower, while happily singing a song about rabid wolverines in his underwear. The fact that he was completely off-key didn't bother him in the least. Kaiba passed by the door and listened to the crazy song, wondering if the weird lyrics were the only thing that was making him smile.

Later that night after dinner, Kaiba sat beside Joey on the couch, instead of across from him like he always did. He crossed his hands behind his head and put his feet on the centre table. "You're very naïve, aren't you?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, while I do appreciate the meals, I figured by now you'd be trying something else."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I mean… something more physical."

Joey could feel cold sweat running down his back. "Oh. I… I didn't think you'd let me."

"Why don't you try?"

And then Joey's head exploded. But not really. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak; he was wondering if he had been hit by a tranquilizing dart, when things started to fade around him.

The last thing he wondered before he passed out was since when was he that weak.

oOo

From somewhere far away, he could hear a voice telling him to get up slowly, or he would pass out again. Suddenly there was a glass of water in front of him, and somehow he was drinking from it.

"Wh…"

"It's okay, you don't have to push yourself." Joey felt an arm around him, and a hand lazily drawing circles on his back.

"Gah! Wh-what happened?"

"The only explanation I can think of is that you got way too excited by what I said. I didn't know I was that good."

"Huh. Me neither."

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Good. But if you're going to pass out with every little innocent thing I say, then forget the whole deal. That's just… weird."

"No, no, I'm fine. Embarrassed out of my wits, but fine. And to prove…" He released himself from Kaiba's more-or-less embrace, looked him in the eye and kissed him.

On the cheek.

Kaiba was paralyzed, with a blank expression.

"Oh good. Now you're the one who's acting strange." That broke the spell, and Kaiba looked at him with a flabbergasted expression. There was no other way to describe it; he was flabbergasted.

"You—you— why did you do that?!"

"Wha—"

"I have no idea why you decided being all cute today, but that's taking it too far! Just for your information, I don't like cute."

"Cute? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb! A kiss on the cheek? Who does that?"

Joey's face reddened and he lowered his voice and his head. "I… well… I… you didn't like it?"

If he starts twiddling his fingers like Hinata, I'll punch him. "Look, just stop with the cute thing farce. You think you're sly as a fox, huh? A… a c-cute fox like Shippo or something."

"But… but… I don't understand. I ain't…" He started putting the tips of his index fingers together but Kaiba grunted and slapped his hands. "Wait. You watch anime?"

Kaiba covered his eyes with one hand, ignoring the question and trying to find a way to understand what was going on. Not finding one because he was just as lost, he took Joey's face in his hands and kissed him. On the lips, of course. His tongue searched for entrance, but didn't find it.

"Open your mouth."

"I-I-I don't remember how to do that."

"You're speaking, idiot."

"Oh yeah."

Joey's light-headedness didn't cause him to pass out this time. Committing this moment to memory was more important than any faulty reaction he might have. Kaiba's assault on his mouth tasted like chocolate truffles, their dessert that night. If he didn't remember that for the rest of his life, he'd never forgive himself. He felt his face heating up, but that wouldn't stop him. Kaiba had one hand on his face while the other messed with his hair. He wasn't sure what to do with his, so he just put them around him.

Minutes later when Kaiba stopped, Joey kept his eyes closed for a moment, mesmerized by such a mind-boggling first kiss, but opened them when Kaiba accused him of being cute again.

"Aren't you an ex-gang member? Ex-gang members aren't supposed to be cute!"

"How do you know about that? And I keep telling you that I am not cute! I have lots of fight scars and… and… my hair's… greasy! Yeah! Because I don't use hair conditioner!"

Kaiba tussled the hair he was touching just moments ago. "It's softer than mine."

"Okay, you got me. I do use hair conditioner, and a bunch of other stuff. But how do you expect me to keep—hey! Does… does that mean that I… did it? You…"

"Please, Wheeler. Be slower."

"Uhh…"

"If you're asking if I'm in love with you, the answer's still no." Before Joey could add 'disappointed' to his arsenal of ridiculously cute faces, he continued: "But keep trying. It's not like I'm disliking this."

To make his point, he kissed him again, following him when he started to sink in the couch. The deeper the kiss got, the further Joey disappeared. Kaiba stopped with an annoyed look that was close to become his default expression that day.

"Is the couch eating you? Is that what's happening? I didn't know my couch ate people."

"I… no! You… you know I like you… I don't know why, but since before I fainted, I've been feeling real shy for some reason."

"Something's not right here. I know for a fact that you didn't used to be cute before. Kind of hot, yeah, but not cute."

"Right back at you. Only substitute cute with… sexy." And kind of hot with freaking smoking hot. Bastard.

"Stay here. I wanna check on something."

"No, I'm coming with you."

"If you die, it's not my responsibility."

"Wh… what are going to do?!"

"Just… just stay here. I'll be right back."

"Don't say that! It's a jinx!" Doesn't he watch horror movies?

"Oh, shut up."

Kaiba left the room and disappeared through a door Joey had never noticed before.

"Huh. Has that always been there?"

He tried the door knob, but it was locked. So he returned to the couch and sat, thinking about the past few minutes with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Hehehe. We're kissing now."

TBC

Joey's face: think Shuichi on the subway after Yuki kissed him for the first time in the Gravitation manga.

On a funny note, try typing ''orgasmically" on Word. It'll be regarded as an incorrect word, but there'll be a suggestion to correct it. Read that suggestion and think about it. (Uh… if your Word doesn't work like mine, and you still didn't get it, just let me know and I'll tell you.)

~Omake~

Joey invited his friends to a party at the Kaiba mansion. Kaiba grabbed a piece of cake and sat on a corner.

Kaiba: *Munch munch* Hmmm this stuff is delicious! Hmm *licks lips* hmmm *nom nom nom* wow! *licks fingers* Ahhh~~

Duke stared with his mouth agape, while Joey brought him some soda.

Duke: I'll have what he's having!