Lethe Notes: Oh my God. Oh my Goddddddd.

I TRIED TO WRITE A SMEXY SCENE AND THIS IS WHAT CAME OUT.

…So, yeah, sorry about that. XD It's so weird making them kiss and still trying to keep them in character. Maybe I should give up trying now. Maybe Kaiba's actually Pegasus in a mask or something.

Actually, that's scarier…

Anyway, I guess the thing I want to say is, see… in Cursive (cheap plug!), Jou was all like OMG ANGST RUN AWAY! but I didn't feel like doing that again. So… (sweatdrop) Anyway, you'll find out, won't you?

Here we go.

Appeal

Ten: Blind Spot, Double Plot

"Hey, Mokuba?"

"Hmm?" Mokuba's eyes didn't leave the screen. Two little ships exploded into white dots.

Kosuke glanced around. "What happened to your brother and that guy, anyway?"

"Oh," said Mokuba. He looked like he was stifling a grin. "I think they just needed a break. But don't try anything - we still have security guards watching the cameras."

"Cameras?" Bleached Hair looked up, interested. Five more ships burned out.

"Yeah. Didn't you notice?" Mokuba lifted a hand to point. "Up there, and there, and in that corner there, and a few other places."

Takato oooohed. "Wow, you're right! I guess that's why they're not too worried about us."

"It must be really annoying, though, to have cameras in your room," mused Kosuke. "I don't think I could live with it."

Mokuba shrugged. "You get used to it. And besides…" He glanced around and grinned. "There's a blind spot."

"Seriously?" laughed Bleached Hair. "Sweet."

The last ship went down.

Mokuba sighed and let go of the joystick. "That's one strategy I'll never use again…"

Kaiba pulled back slowly, examining Jou's reaction. The boy was still as a stone, and quiet as one too – strange and almost amusing.

A silence passed. Jou wet his lips. "Ah… is there something I should know?"

Don't mess up now. Don't let me lose it all now.

"I… don't know how to say this," Kaiba said. He touched Jou's cheek and let his hand linger. Jou let out a hiss of breath. "You…"

Suddenly, Jou met his eyes. "Take off your coat."

"What?"

"Take off your coat."

Kaiba stared at him. "…All right." He gingerly laid it on one of the chairs and turned back to Jou. "Well?"

Jou grinned. "Wow, you really are skinny."

"Are we pretending that didn't happen, then?"

"Ah, not yet," said Jou. "I'm thinking."

"We're going to be here all day, then," grumbled Kaiba. "Not that that would be a bad thing."

"I'm not sure whether to feel complimented or not," said Jou.

"Then do."

"Yeah, I guess it's not every guy who gets to be … kissed … by the great CEO-dude, huh?"

Their eyes met. There was a spark.

"Nobody else, as a matter of fact," said Kaiba.

"I see. I'm an experiment," joked Jou after a moment. But Kaiba saw the way his cheeks reddened a little bit, and the tiny sparkle that appeared in his eyes.

"A very good experiment, if that's the case."

A useful one, too.

Kaiba placed a hand on the wall behind Jou. "Are you done thinking yet?"

"If I say yes, what will you do?"

"Ask you what you were thinking about."

"And I might tell you."

"Then, depending on your answer, I might kiss you again," murmured Kaiba. Their breaths were mingling.

At least he doesn't smell like a dog.

"This is weird," laughed Jou. "Honda would kill you."

"Honda's not here. And he most certainly would not."

"Oh, right, you've got your goonies." Jou rolled his eyes.

"I am offended."

Jou grinned.

Kaiba smiled.

It didn't take as much effort as it had at first.

"What were you thinking about, Jou?"

"How incredibly skinny you are," joked Jonouchi.

Kaiba kissed him.

"What were you really thinking about, Jou?"

"How I'm the only person you've ever kissed."

"Is that all?"

"Well, there was a bit of personal exploration and stuff, but nothing really important." Jou reached up and took the folds of Kaiba's shirt in his hands. "Let's try this thing."

There wasn't much talking after that.

"See, right here," said Mokuba, pointing to a corner at the side of his bed. "The cameras don't quite catch this area here."

"Ah," said Takato. "That's pretty cool."

Bleached Hair grinned. "So, can you guys think of anything we could do here?"

They looked at each other.

"…Nope."

"Not a thing."

"Can we play Twister now?"

"We should probably get back now," said Kaiba finally, removing his fingers from Jou's hair. "They'll start to wonder."

"Mm," mumbled Jou. "That's a thought."

"A good thought. Up," Kaiba commanded.

Jou groaned and stretched. "So… what does this make us, anyway?"

"What do you want it to be?" said Kaiba. "You might regret it tomorrow."

"I might regret it now. But I don't. It's funny," said Jou. "It's like all the time we've known each other... like it's been leading to whatever the heck it is that just happened."

Jonouchi Katsuya, a romantic? I wouldn't have guessed.

"Not that I won't still beat you one day."

"Sure," said Kaiba, smirking. "Although we might have to up the ante now."

"Ooh, damn," said Jou. "Do we really have to check up on the kids?"

"Five more minutes," conceded Kaiba.

"Five it is."

Jou let go slowly. Their mouths made a wet pop. It wasn't gross, really, just different. Weird.

It was too simple. It all made sense.

Kaiba had been planning it from the beginning.

Jou had never pegged Kaiba as the sort of person who would chase after anyone, especially when it might affect business. Jou was open-minded, sure, but not everyone was. Even if Kaiba was into guys, he wouldn't do anything about it.

Unless the benefit was greater.

What does he want?

Well, Jou wasn't one to back down from a challenge.

Besides, it didn't feel half bad.