Notes (FEEL FREE TO SKIP!):

Kaiba's getting caught up in his own little games, it seems (IMPLIED KAIBA-ATTEMPT-AT-ANGST!), and we hear a bit from Jou. Sorry if this chapter isn't quite up to scratch. I've been writing it in bits and pieces, rather than in one big chunk o' spare time, like I'd really like to. I really, really hope that this isn't becoming OOC. …Well, I know the fifth chapter was pretty out there.

About my life (and that's when you know you can skip the Notes!) - school will be out in a few weeks, and I'm a bit nervous (I'll be a senior next year!). I took the SATs recently, which was fun - after a year of sitting around in a Precalculus Honors class, you'd enjoy the math section too (I understand this! Yesss!)!

And (this is particularly directed to MotherCHOWGoddess,loves!)-The one-act I mentioned last chapter went well. We were recieved well, I think. :3 I auditioned for the Advanced Theatre class, and I heard that we may find out who has been accepted very soon. I know that I have very little chance of getting in, but I'm hoping anyway. If not, it's on to Theatre II. Sweatdrop.

I received a, um,certificate and little silver medal thing"for outstanding performance in the National Latin Examination"(I'm in Latin III), which is pretty cool. My birthday's in nine days.

WE ARE DOING NOTHING IN MY AP CLASSES. AT ALL.

This concludes the Notes.

Five Replies (which were written at different points in time, and thus, under vastly different levels of sanity/sleep deprivation):

radiany: Wow. What you said makes sense, and I wish that I had thought of it! Although the 'secret admirer' bit did spark an idea… And, yeah, I had too much fun with the kitchen scene. I knew it was pretty out-of-character, but couldn't bear losing it… I'm hoping not to ramble on for too long (gotta get this chapter written!) but thank you so much for your time and well-thought-out criticisms.

Director J: I hope that you do go back to writing fanfiction! It would be a shame if you didn't. I should be able to get a few more pages up soon, what with summer break and all.

Lothwen the Harpist: Why, thank you very much! But don't put yourself down. I mean, Jim Davis had to label his drawings as a kid, and look where it got him – now he has an entire staff drawing things for him. Sweatdrop. Wow, I'm inspiring.

ChibiSerenity3: Yes, I agree that it's moving a bit slowly. I'm just afraid that I'll move things along too quickly if I try to correct it – wouldn't want this to end up like Smile. Oh, you found the radio scripts? How cool! I was sad when I heard that he had died as well. The movie ought to be interesting. (edit: was very interesting. Marvin was so … cute. :O)

Hiccup: I love you. XD

Appeal

Six: Let's Bond!

What a jerk.

Jou stared moodily out of the tinted window, taking no pleasure in the gawking pedestrians (what, like they haven't seen a limo before? in Domino?) as he brooded. Can't he just be patient for once? I mean, it wouldn't kill him, would it?

…Then again, maybe it would. He held back a snicker, reminding himself that he was currently brooding and was therefore in no mood to snicker. Streetlights left green imprints on his vision as they blurred past. Finally, the limo pulled up to a tall, iron gate. Jou watched with interest as the driver stuck his head out of the window. A small device attached to the brick wall clicked, sending a thin laser directly into his eye. He didn't even blink.

"Welcome back, Isono," rang a mechanical voice. The gate swung inward, and Jou let out a whistle. Nothing less could be expected from the great Kaiba.

…Doesn't mean I'm not still pissed at him, though.

Soon, Jou was walking down an expansive hallway, eyeing elaborate paintings and statues as Isono's monotone drifted in and out of his attention.

"…Always defer to both Kaibas, as few receive the honor of being their guest. Currently, the master is finishing up some business. I hope that you will not mind waiting for a while." Isono stopped at a gilded door and opened it, revealing a tastefully decorated home office.

Jou blinked. "You mean, that guy called me over here and he's busy?"

Isono slowly raised an eyebrow.

"…Er, Kaiba," Jou corrected awkwardly.

"Yes. I apologize for the inconvenience," said Isono dryly. "Please wait in here and do not let your curiosity get the better of you. Things are closed for good reasons." He gave Jou a curt nod before exiting.

Jou flopped into the squashy desk chair with a loud sigh. What… a… jerk. How long was Kaiba going to take? Knowing his work ethic, he probably wouldn't even show up before morning.

Might as well have fun while I'm here.

He sat up and looked around. There didn't seem to be anything particularly interesting. He flipped up the chair's arms. No little button for a hidden bar? Damn. He had thought that every good multimillionaire CEO was supposed to have one of those. Maybe it's in his work office. Then something caught his eye: a drawer of the desk was partially open, its visible contents in disarray – as though they had been hastily returned.

Kaiba wouldn't do that.

Jou paused for a moment, hand already extended to the drawer handle. …It's Kaiba's own fault for not making sure it was closed, he reasoned.

He opened the drawer slowly, glancing around out of habit. A messy stack of paper greeted him. What's this?

"So predictable," Kaiba murmured, a corner of his mouth twitching upward. By the look of things, Jonouchi hadn't even considered that there might be a security camera in the room. Or two. He watched as Jou carefully removed the stack of papers and placed it on the desk.

All right, look through them…

Jonouchi hesitated and then picked the stack back up, turning again to the open drawer.

Kaiba hissed. Of all the times for Jou to gain a conscience, why had he had to choose now?

This isn't right.

Jou put the stack back in the drawer and closed it. It wasn't Kaiba's anyway – Kaiba would never do that – and Jou didn't want to intrude on anyone else's private belongings. It was probably Mokuba's. Mokuba was a good kid.

Unless.

Unless it was Kaiba's. But Kaiba was too smart to just forget to close a drawer.

Kaiba wants me to look, Jou realized. "What kind of idiot does he take me for?" he muttered.

A damn curious one.

What could possibly be on those papers that was so important for Jou to know? Was Kaiba trying to catch him in some sort of twisted trap?

…No. Jou was just blowing things out of proportion. It was probably Mokuba's homework or something. Yeah.

Well, it shouldn't be any problem to just take a peek.

And it wasn't like he had anything else to do.

Jou reached for the handle, and then snapped his hand back. He stood up and rubbed his head. Kaiba groaned quietly. Then Jou glanced back at the drawer. Yes. Come on.

Jou reached for the handle again.

Do it, Jou.

His fingers curled around it.

You know you want to.

He opened it.

"Oh my God," whispered Jou, staring down at the sheets of paper now spread across Kaiba's desk. "These can't be Kaiba's…"

They're beautiful.

A child – Mokuba? - staring out a window, watching the rain.

A young woman standing alone in a crowd, waiting for the train.

And – Jou's breath hitched – him.

That's the table we were at.

There was the graceful drape of vines – the water glass that caught the light so nicely – even the tissue that Mokuba and Honda had been playing tic-tac-toe on at one point while they were waiting for their meal!

And at the focus of it was Jou.

Grinning. Laughing. Making a wild gesture, bangs swept across his forehead. So real.

Yet…

Only sketches.

Precise sketches, to be sure. Drawn by a sure, meticulous hand.

But hasty. Too quickly drawn. As though – yes, as though there was no time. It gave a strange feel to the pictures; they were covert snapshots, hurriedly taken and then stashed away. Never seen again.

They were Kaiba's.

Why had Kaiba wanted to show him this?

Footsteps down the hall.

"Shit!" hissed Jou. He hastily replaced the pictures, being careful to leave the drawer just a sliver open. Just as he leaned back in the chair, trying to appear innocent, the door swung open.

"I hope that you've been able to keep yourself amused," said Kaiba wryly.

Jerk.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," said Jou with a small, sardonic smile. "I'm amused by pretty much anything, you know." Like you. Why are you still wearing that ridiculous jacket?

"Being polite is much easier if both parties are making an active effort, you know," was Kaiba's reply. "Here, let me show you to your room."

"I'm not sleeping with you?" Jou regretted the words the instant they had come out of his mouth. But that was the way things had always worked when he slept over at Honda's or Yugi's.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to?"

"No!" shot Jou quickly. "I just … I … well, that's what usually…"

"This house has many rooms, most unoccupied. If it makes you more comfortable, you can take the room next to mine." Kaiba turned to leave. "Come."

Jou followed.

His plan had certainly affected Jonouchi, Seto noted discreetly. Whenever Jou thought that he wouldn't be noticed, he would steal a glance over at Kaiba. Jou's cheeks were almost flushed.

It looks like I'm making progress.

When would he be able to move on to the next step? When would he know that Jou had fallen for him? It wasn't a matter of whether it would happen, to the ever-confident Kaiba, it was a matter of when, and how long he would have to delay the release of the game.

"…So, it's pretty late," Jou began. "Think we'll be able to get the project done?"

"More than likely," said Kaiba. "It doesn't seem too difficult."

"It wouldn't to you," grumbled Jou.

Kaiba resisted the habitual smirk. "Then you should be glad that we're partners. In any case, I'm sure that you'll be able to add some … creative spark … to it."

Jou looked at Kaiba, openly now; his eyebrows had risen into his bangs. "Say wha?"

"Don't do that. I'm trying to be polite. And you look like a monkey when you do that."

Jou laughed despite himself. "You're really succeeding, huh?"

"Yes, I think so. Look here – what do you want to do about this?"

"Um," said Jou, leaning closer to Kaiba and peering down at the page being pointed out. "Uh. Well, I guess it would go well with that other thing we were talking about."

"There is such thing as too much, though. Would including it truly enhance the presentation?"

"Well, it depends on how we're gonna do it. Give me the paper," ordered Jou. Kaiba did so, making sure to oh-so-very-casually brush his fingers lightly against Jou's. "Great. So, anyway, if we- you know, something to write with would be good too."

Kaiba chuckled quietly, proffering the instrument.

"Anyway," said Jou, beginning to sketch loosely, "this is what I'm thinking. If we divide the poster like this, see, and then you… um… what are you looking at?"

"…Nothing," said Kaiba. "Continue."

"Okay, um. Uh," said Jou, having been thrown off his train of thought. "Well, if we di- oh, if we divide the poster like this, and then put the one segment here-" He sketched it out- "-then we can use that over here, and if we do it right, it could be really effective, you follow?"

"I see what you're getting at," agreed Kaiba. "However."

"Man, you and your howevers."

"Just listen, mutt- Jonouchi. Jonouchi. This might help." Kaiba reached over and plucked the pen out of Jou's hand, leaning close to edit the sketch. "Look at this."

Jou tactfully ignored Kaiba's slip. "Hey, that kinda makes sense. But what if…" He took the pen back. They had been pulling closer and closer to each other over the last half hour without realizing it. "See, check this out! You could put that part over he-"

"But." The pen changed hands again. The paper was becoming messier and messier, and the discussion quicker and more enthusiastic. Kaiba scribbled in his precise manner, correcting Jou. "If you do that, then this side will become unbalanced. Move it to that section."

"What about this part? You forgot about it! Fix it now or I'm taking the pen back."

"Like you could." Kaiba changed what he had written anyway. Jou smirked as he watched over Kaiba's shoulder.

And at that moment, something began to shout in the back of Jou's mind.

The way Kaiba was writing-

Kaiba's writing reminded Jou of those pictures.

Which meant there was a message that Kaiba wanted to convey to Jou, without actually telling him.

But … what?

And when had they gotten close enough to each other that he could feel Kaiba's breath?