She's a Pistol: Favorite. Comment. Ever.

~Jem's POV~

As I drove I fought with myself. I didn't want to leave, I wanted to stay. I had waited far too long for this. There was nothing appealing where I was going. Jude did this without me all the time, he would be ok if I wasn't there. I made a decision.

"Phone," I began. The screen lit up, showing it was listening. "Text my brother and tell him that I left. I forgot about a homework assignment that I need to finish for Monday." I didn't know how else to explain it to Jude. The phone dinged, signaling it had sent the text, and the screen turned off. Best homework assignment, ever, I thought as I settled in.

I drove straight to the hotel we were at, knowing he wouldn't be back. I collected my things from my room, and turned around.

Within a half hour the cottage was in view again, but it was not as lit as it had been in the rearview mirror when I left. I went ahead and parked anyway. I opened the car door, then slid the seat back, making it easier for me to get out and presumably easier for him to get in.

The small rocks on the driveway ground against one another under my feet, making it a little hard to walk in my heels. Finally, they clicked on the wood outside the door.

I knocked, standing back and wrapping my retrieved sweater around myself as the wind whistled, my bag hanging off my shoulder. Only the waves and the crickets in the tall grass across the way answered. Still, I tried the door and found it unlocked. The house seemed mostly shut down, the lights now very dim. I entered tentatively. "Seto?" I called.

Then I heard a thud on the stairwell and Seto came around the corner from where he had disappeared earlier, except this time he was dressed for bed. The minimum slack of his clothes seemed so different from what I had seen before, but was almost refreshing. "The door was unlocked-"

"I know," he cut me off. "I left it that way, assuming you'd make the right decision." I was taken aback. He had anticipated me. "What are you waiting for, now?" he prompted, irritated.

That was when I knew he had no second thoughts, that he truly wanted me there, and I didn't wait any longer.

Swiftly, I went right to him, and he welcomed me. His arms opened slightly to trap me in them and his lips met mine. I kissed him, over and over, as though I was trying to make up for all the kisses I had wanted before. He allowed this, and I allowed his hands to wander.

I only drew away when my muscles began to tire from holding myself to him. I settled down, but stayed close. He looked at me, and grinned ever so slightly and smugly before raising his voice to say, "Lock all exterior doors." The smile Mokuba wanted to see...

"Outside doors locked, Mr. Kaiba," responded the house with accompanying clicks. Then he took my hand, keeping me close as he led me upstairs through the dim house.

His room in the cottage was not the same as back in Domino, but it was still exceptional. Everything was not white, but consisted of greys and dark blues, and though there were plenty of windows, they did not make up an entire wall. Instead, they sat higher with a bench running along the wall below them. There was a big bed on the other side of the room, the lavish sheets having an overflowing effect. It was cozy, but the most intriguing part was the boy it belonged to.

~Seto's POV~

I went to return to my bed, but then felt a tug and glanced back over my shoulder. Jem had stopped, looking around. I almost didn't want to offer, but asked, "Do you have clothes to sleep in?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I also wanted to brush my teeth."

"There's a bathroom there," I directed. She looked over at me, standing and waiting for her, then turned and went. I looked back at the bed. I had a chronic case of insomnia and had failed to fall asleep yet. I had thought of her, if she was safe, her idiot brother, but mostly, how I had felt when I awakened on New Year's Day. This only frustrated me after she left, wanting that same composure she had given me before. But now I was content, getting what I wanted all along.

I heard the door open and turned back to see her drop her bag by the door, then look at me. Her hair was wound back in a high bun with a few shorter, loose strands. With this and the combination of her camisole and tiny shorts, there was more of her than I had seen yet displayed. She looked up to me with those eyes, but now they were even more captivating, hinting at a curiosity and deep affection behind them.

Slowly, she came to me, resting a hand on my chest as her eyes looked to mine. Without her shoes I now had to bend more to catch her soft lips. I kissed her anyway, placing a hand on her cheek to bring her closer to me. She complied, kissing me back and leaning towards me. She raised herself up a bit, trying to meet me part way, but I was done with that.

I lowered myself just a bit more, then grabbed her and hoisted her up. I startled her, and though she didn't stop kissing me, I felt her desperately cling to me, not wanting to fall. I liked her tight hold on me, it affirmed that she wasn't going anywhere. I could tell she was slightly nervous, probably never been picked up before, at least not in a good way. I didn't care, I knew I wouldn't let her fall.

I walked with her in my arms, then dropped her to the center of the bed. I was sure to fall with her, catching myself to trap her between my body and the sheets. I broke the kiss for the fall, drawing back a little to look at her.

As she hit the bed, her grasp on me lessened, though she still held onto me. I slid her further up on the sheets before letting my body settle to one side of her. Then I went straight back to kissing her. I had never cared to share any sort of physical contact with another, but found this contact with Jem very enjoyable, so I took as much of it as I wanted. She complied nicely, and I felt her hand wander up my arm, then chest, then neck before finally resting on my jaw, her fingers slowly weaving into my hair.

I had never allowed people to touch me, but I now welcomed hers, and only hers. It was gentle, with a strange mix of hesitation and submission. I would have preferred pure submission without hesitation, but I understood that I was intimidating.

I kept my body pressed against hers, but now had one hand free. I brought it to her waist. However, as I kissed her, I wanted more. I slid my hand down, feeling the curve of her hip and down her leg until I reached her knee. I then pulled, bringing her closer and her leg up alongside me.

I held her there for a moment, but decided this was enough. She, like everything else, was a game for me to win. I knew how apprehensive she could be, and how slow she was to warm up. This was just the start, and I didn't want to push her too far. I was satisfied with what I had taken tonight. I slowed my lips, starting to pull back. I let her leg back down and began to twist my body away.

I eased back to look at her, and she stared up at me with those eyes. I knew there was something behind them.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I'm happy to be here," she replied.

"Good," I declared. "Maybe next time you'll listen to me the first time."

She looked at me, her eyes smiling. Then came her soft voice, "Next time?"

I stayed with her, but rolled to my back. She, in turn, shifted with me, gently resting her head on my shoulder. I kept one arm around her waist, holding her to my side and closing my eyes.

"Lights off."

Believable?

Next Chapter: Awake

She again leaned her head back, looking at me. "So what are you going to do with me now?"