This chapter took me three days to type. I am proud of myself. I am hitting my stride. Frickin' awesome.

Chapter 7: A New Man

Jounouchi woke up not feeling any different than he did before he took the magic potion. He was the same person that he always thought he was. It was strange. Did that mean that the potion didn't work? That made the blond mad. He paid 20 bucks and what he wanted didn't happen.

The blond sighed. It was irrelevant now. Better get ready for school, he thought. He knocked on Shizuka's bedroom door. Jounouchi got no response. He opened the door and saw that her bed was already made. Most likely, she had already left.

It was strange. As Jounouchi was eating breakfast, he thought about Kaiba. He didn't feel the pangs of longing for him or the strain of revilement. Did that mean that the potion worked? All of this was too confusing for the blond. And so, he didn't think on it.

His bags were packed, his uniform presentable. Jounouchi Katsuya was ready to go to school.

The air felt the same as he walked to school. Everything felt as they were yesterday and the day before. It was an odd comfort Jounouchi found in that. There was no rush to go to school. He knew that he would get there when he did. So what was the point of running?

Jounouchi entered the school five minutes before the morning bell. It was strange. He had never gotten there that early without running. Was this the start of becoming a new man? He saw Yuugi and the group standing outside the building, most likely waiting for him. Yuugi turned around and waved at him.

"Jou-kun" Yuugi waved. "How are you doing?"

"I feel different." The blond smiled. It was a brilliant smile, one from the bottom of his heart.

"You must be different if you made it to school without being out of breath." Honda ribbed. Everyone had a laugh on the blond's account. Jounouchi laughed as well.

"That's not fair, Honda." the blond whined in a playful manner. "I can get here on my own without having to run and be late. I just didn't want to run today."

Yuugi smiled but inside his inner world, he felt a bit bad over what happened yesterday. Yami, behind his back, decided to play matchmaker and try to get Jou-kun and Kaiba-san together. Although he did approve of the fact that those two should be in a relationship, he didn't like the way that the spirit handled it. Hopefully, it will work out for the best.

The morning bell rang and it was time for all of the students to head inside their homerooms and embarked on the learning adventure. Jounouchi calmly walked to his homeroom class which he shared with Yuugi and Honda. Anzu had a different homeroom class.

Kaiba Seto pulled up in his limo as soon as the morning bell rang. Exiting the long vehicle, he remembered the bet with Yami. He had 14 days to make the mutt fall in love with him. Simple. Jounouchi Katsuya was a very simple person. Kaiba knew that he would be able to break down the blond's defenses with ease. After all, it was because of him that they were up in the first place.

To sweep Jounouchi off his feet, Kaiba needed to first establish communication. When that step was complete, the first of the blond's barriers would be destroyed. It was just like playing chess. The first move always determines how the game is going to play out. Kaiba was an aggressive player, so all of his moves were very devastating. In order to win the affections of the blond, he had to be the aggressor.

So that was the plan. Persuasive communication would be the first step to winning the bet. Kaiba smirked. Look out, Jounouchi Katsuya, he thought. Here I come.

Jounouchi's second period was math. This class he usually hated. It wasn't because he hated the subject or the teacher. It was because he sat next to Kaiba. However, today he didn't dread this class as he usually did. Normally, he would steal looks at the brunet and sometimes Kaiba would catch him staring. Those gorgeous Prussians staring back at him made him feel all floaty. He loved and hated this feeling.

Jounouchi entered the classroom and noticed that Kaiba was already in his seat, an air of superiority around him. The blond sat down next to him without acknowledging him.

Kaiba smirked. Normally, the mutt would make a face, a cross between contempt and longing, whenever he came into the classroom. But today, it was like he was avoiding him. It was totally amusing. He always figured that the blond had a thing for him but to hear it confirmed by his former lover made it all too sweet. It was perfect. Jounouchi was like a ripe fruit and now it was time to pluck it.

The teacher came into the room and began his lesson. Jounouchi looked like he was intently taking notes but when Kaiba looked over, he was actually doodling in his notebook. Quite amusing. It looks like the blond had a short attention span. However, it did fit well with his plan.

Knowing that Jounouchi wasn't a good student academically, Kaiba planned to 'tutor' him after the first of his defenses were broken. By doing so, he would allow the mutt to be comfortable in his presence. It was just so simple. It almost seemed to be not worth it but Kaiba was intrigued by the aura that was Jounouchi Katsuya.

The school bell rang, telling students to head to their third period classes. Jounouchi collected his stuff and started to leave when he felt someone grab his arm. The blond turned around and found his amber eyes staring at cold blue ones.

"Mutt." Kaiba called him. The teen smirked inwardly, knowing what the response was going to be.

But something was different. Instead of getting angry, Jounouchi grinned. It was a small one, sure, but it was a grin nonetheless. "My name is not mutt, Kaiba. It's Jounouchi." There was a playful edge to his voice.

This was strange to Kaiba. Wasn't it just yesterday that the guy wanted to hit him? When Kaiba kissed Jounouchi the other day, he got a nice reaction. The blond was fuming and wanted to hit him. It was amusing to see that on him. But this blond was different somehow. Kaiba couldn't put his finger on it.

Jounouchi looked at Kaiba. "Was there something you wanted, Kaiba?" He asked.

Kaiba was stunned, although he didn't show it. There was no spark that was common to this guy. Strange. Never mind. Better continue to win this bet. "It looks like you weren't paying much attention in class today." It was strange, Kaiba thought. Why was there hesitation in his own voice? "I saw you were drawing in your notebook."

"Yeah, I'm not that good at math." Jounouchi told him in an even voice, scratching his head as he talked. Wasn't this the part where Jounouchi burst in anger? It was strange and confusing

"I can help you if you want." The words just spilled out of Kaiba's mouth before he had the chance to think. What he actually wanted to say was 'Figures you would be as dumb as you look.' The teen planned on Jounouchi exploding at him, saying something along the lines of 'Not everyone can be as smart as you.' That would leave the seeds of a promise to tutor him later in mind.

But Jounouchi confused him by being dispassionate about this conversation. There was a whole plan that he worked on last night to get Jounouchi. But this threw a wrench in those plans. The blond wasn't exploding in righteous anger today. It was like someone turned the off switch to his anger. What did that mean? Did that mean that Yami was right and Jounouchi liked him? If that was the case, he just might win this bet quicker than he thought.

"What did you have in mind?" Jounouchi asked. Before Kaiba could answer, the warning bell sounded. "Sorry, Kaiba. I have to go to history." He smiled.

"Yeah, I have chemistry." He deadpanned, unable to come up with a response.

"Yeah, you have that with Yuugi. Have fun." The blond waved and left the classroom. Kaiba followed soon after, confused.

Jounouchi smiled to himself. When Kaiba grabbed his arm in history class, he didn't feel anything. He didn't feel love or hate, anger or fear. It was amazing the potion did its job. His heart didn't flutter when the uptight teen talked to him nor did his ire make him spit out indignant remarks. That potion was really worth the 50 bucks that the magician was normally selling it at and the blond would have paid that amount to get this feeling to go away. That Jounouchi got it at a discount made it all the sweeter.

Kaiba was in his chemistry class. They were working in groups, something about brass reactions or something. Kaiba could care less. Kaiba was paired with Yuugi on this assignment, but he was only half-heartedly working on it.

The exchange with Jounouchi Katsuya was complete off from what was the norm. This Jounouchi didn't get mad when he called him a mutt. Truly strange! In fact, he smiled when he did. This was just bizarre. It was like the fire that usually surrounded the blond was instantly extinguished.

As he was working on the chemistry project, Yami appeared next to him. Apparently he took control of the body that they shared. Although, he could manifest his own body, sometimes the former Pharaoh would share Yuugi's body. Kaiba didn't know how that worked and really didn't want to know.

"So, how is it going?" Yami smirked, wanting Kaiba to dish.

"Don't worry about it." Kaiba grounded.

"Do you really think that I'm going to let it go that easily?"

"If you must know, it seems that my own estimation of when I'll sweep him off his feet might be exceeded." It was strange. Kaiba could feel no satisfaction from that. It was just too simple. Jounouchi wasn't resisting as he'd imagine he would. In fact, he was completely the opposite of what he should be.

"Really? How come." Yami was curious. He knew that Jounouchi, even though he admitted to him that he liked Kaiba, wouldn't be easily fooled by Kaiba's romanticism, however the CEO tried to initiate it. So it was a shock to hear that Kaiba might win the bet quicker than he'd imagine.

"Is the mutt sick or something?" Kaiba asked

"Why would you say that?" Now this was strange. Kaiba asking that Jounouchi was sick was strange.

"It's like he didn't resist me." Kaiba felt strange confiding in his former lover. However, he didn't know why Jounouchi acted the way that he did. So he figured that Yami would know.

"How so?"

"He didn't explode when I called him a mutt."

Before Yami could give a response, the fourth period bell rang. Kaiba had study break. Yuugi was suppose to head to math. So Yami allowed Yuugi to take control again. Yuugi looked at Kaiba. "You better not hurt Jou-kun." Yuugi threatened. It was a stretch for the diminutive duelist as the height different was disparate. However, the glare that he emanated said something of his character.

Kaiba didn't say anything in response. He left, remembering that Jounouchi had P.E. at fourth period. Perhaps a bit of observation would reveal what happened to the blond.

Jounouchi's group was running track outside today. Apparently, his friend, Honda Hirito, was in the same class as well. Kaiba, from his vantage point on the school roof, looked down on the blond. He seemed the same. He was laughing with his friends. It was like he was the center of attention. So nothing seemed out of the ordinary. In fact, the blond seemed … there was no word for it but shiny. It was like the blond exuded this energy. He knew that Jounouchi was passionate with whatever he did. In fact, even when he was fighting with him, he was passionate, full of life and that's what drew him to Jounouchi. Looking down at the blond, he knew that nothing really changed. But when Kaiba talked to Jounouchi in history class today, it was like something changed.

And when Jounouchi changed, it messed up his perfectly calculated plan. And worse yet, when Jounouchi disarmed him without anger, it was Kaiba who faltered. He didn't want to give his services as tutor this quickly but …

It was irrelevant. Jounouchi would be his by the end of the two weeks. But it seems as if it might not even take one.

Jounouchi had lunch after P.E. which was good because he was exhausted after that class. Lunch gave him time to recharge. The cafeteria was serving pizza, sweet, greasy, artery-clogging pizza. It was the lunch of champions. After taking his two slices, some soda and an apple (hey, he was trying to eat a bit healthier), the blond sat down next to his friends at a table. Anzu was discussing what happened to her in history class. One of the girls got hit by a spitball. As she was describing every slimy detail, Jounouchi laughed with a richness in his soul. After taking that potion, it was like the weight of the world had unshackled itself. It was amazing. He didn't feel the need to hide his feelings anymore. When he confessed to Yuugi that he liked him and he was rejected, Jounouchi felt as if his world had shattered. To make matters worse, Kaiba was confusing the hell out of him. He was in a hell and that potion from that magic shop was a godsend.

Yuugi looked at Jounouchi intently. The aura around the blond was intense, like he was truly happy. From what he gathered from Kaiba when he talked to Yami, the brunet claimed that Jounouchi wasn't acting like himself. But to see the blond truly happy was a weight off his heart. Perhaps this was a Jounouchi unburdened by the pains of unrequited love. It was a brilliant aura.

Jounouchi finished his lunch. Since his class after lunch was study hall, he felt no need to hurry to the library. He saw Kaiba on his way from the library. Most likely, he spent his lunch there. The blond felt great. He felt nothing towards Kaiba. It was sweet.

Jounouchi waved at Kaiba. "Good afternoon, Kaiba." He smiled.

Kaiba looked at the blond, confused. What the hell changed from yesterday and today that made a complete overhaul of the blond? The brunet prided himself on being able to read people. When he first met Jounouchi, the blond's face was like an open book. But now, even though the mutt was smiling at him, there was nothing that betrayed his actual feelings. Even before, Kaiba knew that the blond had something of a crush on him. He could always see the faint trace of a blush whenever he teased the blond. But there was nothing now.

"What are you doing, mutt?" Kaiba grounded.

Jounouchi smiled. "I thought I told you, I'm not mutt. My name is Jounouchi."

There it was again, Kaiba thought. The old Jounouchi would have been angry and told him that same sentence. But this Jounouchi....

Then a thought came into Kaiba's head. What if the blond was trying to hide his feelings? Perhaps the blond did like him now but was trying to pretend that he didn't. Okay. He could play this game too. This Jounouchi is going to have to take a different approach to claiming him as his own. Fine! The best things in life require the most work.

"Never mind that." Kaiba smiled. "I did promise to help you study."

Jounouchi normally would have been perturbed by the smile but the potion did its work and quashed whatever feelings he had for the brunet teen. "We were discussing before how that was going to happen." He told Kaiba.

"That we were. Are you free afterschool tomorrow?" Kaiba asked

"I am. Are you going to tutor me then?"

The blue-eyed teen smirked inwardly. Oh I'll tutor you alright, he thought. "Yes. I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon from school."

"I'll be waiting." Jounouchi smiled.

The warning bell sounded and Yuugi and the group left the cafeteria. What they saw as they exited was something that could be considered strange. Jounouchi was talking to Kaiba. When I mean that they were talking, I mean that they were not yelling or fighting as they normally would. It was completely strange. The blond was even smiling. What the hell was going on here?

Kaiba walked away as Jounouchi waved at the retreating figure. Honda raced to his friend and put a hand on his forehead. "You don't feel sick." Honda noted.

Jounouchi smiled playfully. "Why would I be sick?" He asked

"Because you weren't late for school for one." Anzu told him. "And now you are talking to Kaiba like you are old friends."

"Kaiba volunteered to tutor me in math." The blond told the group.

"He did what?" Yuugi asked, very shocked at Kaiba for taking the initiative with this.

"Tutor me, Yuugi." Jounouchi answered.

"But you guys hate each other." Honda reminded.

"I've given up my hate." Jounouchi smiled.

Now that shocked the group. Jounouchi Katsuya has given up his hate of Kaiba Seto? What the hell kind of topsy-turvy world was this?

"I find that it's easier to smile than to give him what he wants. When I smile at him, Kaiba becomes confused. It's like magic." When he said that, Jounouchi was reminded of the magic potion that he consumed last night. He wondered how long one bottle would last. This feeling of being nonchalant when he was next to Kaiba was bliss. Not only did it confuse Kaiba, it gave the blond a sense of satisfaction and maturity by giving up the hate.

Yuugi was confused. He wasn't there when Jounouchi confessed to Yami that he liked Kaiba but he knew it was yesterday. What could have happened between yesterday and today that could have a dramatic change in the blond? He reminded himself to have a talk with Yami later.

Kaiba sat in history trying to draw up a new plan on how to seduce Jounouchi Katsuya. The first plan didn't work because Jounouchi didn't act the way that he normally would. But if the blond is going to play hard to get, then Kaiba will play as well. He was going to devise a new strategy between now and tomorrow to get the blond's affection. Victory would be sweet.

Wow. These updates are coming like manna from heaven. Sweet.

Anyways, this is chapter 7. Now the dynamics of the Seto/Katsuya relationship have changed. Oooooh

So please leave me a review. Tell me what you think. Please? Don't make me a sad panda.

Oh, and the order of the updates is as follow:

Only in My Dreams (Chapter 7) -- Dearly Beloved (Chapter 9, hot threesome edition) -- Once More, With Feeling (Act IV) -- This fic. So keep with that.

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