For once, Jonouchi didn't find himself the first to wake up. He was still comfortably asleep until he felt the bed shift, and someone was touching the hair on his face. Squirming, Jonouchi made a face and batted the hand away, turning around before trying to fall back to sleep again.

He was really tired. Still exhausted, but it felt like emotional exhaust more than anything physical. His body felt fine, and besides the uncomfortable sensation around his groin, he didn't have anything to complain about. The bed was comfortable, and the comforters were heavy. The Kaiba Mansion was frequently drafty, but lying next to another person under so many covers, Jonouchi hardly noticed the chill.

But he did notice warm hands sliding down from his shoulders to his hip, and becoming irritated, Jonouchi tried slapping the hands away blindly.

"Knock it off, I'm trying to sleep."

"What happened to you being a morning person?" Kaiba murmured, hands still in place.

"Not right now..."

Usually he felt motivated to get up out of bed first thing in the morning, but since Jonouchi didn't really have anywhere to be that day, he felt no inclination to go springing out of bed while his body still felt wiped out. It didn't help either that the first thing that came to mind as he gained consciousness was the fact that his father had ran off to the other side of the Pacific.

Jonouchi would have to go apartment hunting. That would be a pain in itself, but there was also having to let Shizuka know and dealing with whatever crap his mother decided to pull since she'd inevitably find out like she always did.

It was too much to deal with in one day, but Jonouchi wasn't going to continue living in that ghetto another day longer and he didn't want to bum out at Yugi's place anymore, either. He appreciated the help, but that wasn't his home.

He felt a hand brush between his shoulder blades. "Come on, the day is passing us by…"

"What time is it?"

"Quarter past eight."

"It's not late until ten, now go back to sleep."

And falling chest first into the mattress, Jonouchi laid on his stomach, lying his head over his arm as he tried letting his mind zone out before feeling light kisses on his back. His skin tickled and he could feel himself shuddering from the warmth. It felt strange, and Jonouchi had half a mind to smack Kaiba's face away as he grumbled in irritation, but he stopped himself.

"Any other day, I would've been up two hours ago…"

"Fine," snorted Jonouchi, "get up then, I won't stop you. But I'm going to enjoy my beauty sleep for as long as I can."

He heard a loud, exasperated sigh and then the bed lurched from what he supposed was Kaiba rolling away and flopping back against it. Jonouchi could feel Kaiba getting agitated, and it made it difficult to fall back asleep under that pressure, but just when he'd started to drift off, the mattress dipped again. "Fine. I'm going to take a shower," Kaiba announced, rising and throwing off the sheets. His sudden movements caused a gust of cold air blow underneath the covers, snapping Jonouchi's eyes open as his entire backside was assaulted by a sharp decrease in temperature.

"Why is your bedroom so fucking cold," asked Jonouchi as he whined, rolling onto his other side to peer at Kaiba, who was putting his boxers back on over his hips, "Kaiba?"

Kaiba cocked an eyebrow at him. "It's always been like this. Probably thanks to those," he pointed at the series of floor-length windows next to the bed. "I thought you were still sleeping."

"Now that you exposed my body to a rush of freezing cold air, I don't think that's going to happen," answered Jonouchi, "and just because of that, I'm going to stay right here and make you shower all by your lonesome self."

"Suit yourself," Kaiba said, walking over to the bathroom, "You can build yourself a cocoon of cold sheets while I enjoy my hot shower."

Jonouchi's face fell. Apparently Kaiba wasn't going to take the bait, and dumping his chin into the pillows, he just narrowed his eyes slightly before rolling them and trying to fix his hair. It felt greasy, which wasn't very usual for Jonouchi. The bed was also soiled from all the perspiration they'd created the night before, and his skin smelled. He felt like he'd gone to the gym and went to bed without a proper shower.

"Yeah, you go and do that, then," mumbled Jonouchi under his breath.

He wasn't even sure why he was being obstinate all of a sudden. Kaiba hadn't done anything offensive, but Jonouchi was going out of his way to be obnoxious, anyways. Still messing with his hair, he didn't feel comfortable enough to actually try analyzing himself. Nothing good would come of that.

"If you decide you've had enough of the cold, well, I'll keep the door open," Kaiba teased, disappearing into the bathroom.

Jonouchi cocked an eyebrow but said nothing. Now Kaiba was baiting him. He didn't know what would happen if he actually did join him, though. Would they end up doing anything or would they be responsible adults and get their morning going before the world continued without them? Stomach growling, he quickly became aware of his desire for breakfast, and knowing that there had to be food waiting for him downstairs, Jonouchi jumped out of bed shamelessly naked, going into the master bathroom just as Kaiba stepped into the shower.

It was a huge room. Jonouchi hadn't noticed the first time around, having been too preoccupied puking his guts up, but his bedroom in his shitty apartment was as big as the bathroom, if not actually a little smaller. There was a huge walk in shower with the foggy glass, and a giant tub with multiple jets that intrigued Jonouchi as he looked around.

Everything was modern. White and clean. It looked more like Kaiba than most of the house, and turning his attention to the sound of water coming out of the shower head, Jonouchi paused before grabbing the door handle and stepping in.

"Is your resolve that easy to break, or did you just miss me too much?" Kaiba was scrubbing water over his face and through his hair, but the hint of amusement was unmistakable.

"Missed you, a little," Jonouchi admitted as he turned his back to Kaiba and grabbed a washcloth for himself, "although I don't miss that smart mouth of yours."

"Oh really?"

Jonouchi nearly yelped when he felt lips against his neck, and in his surprise, Kaiba managed to snatch his washcloth away.

He stared at the tilted wall for a second, his mind blanking from the surprise before his head finally turned and his face scowled at Kaiba.

"Give that back."

Kaiba was rubbing the cloth together, working up bubbles from the soap. He reached out and grasped at Jonouchi's wrist, and before Jonouchi could react, he was tugged forward underneath the shower head. Wet bangs obscured his vision, and then he felt the heaviness of the cloth against his chest, moving in small circles.

Jonouchi frowned.

"I can wash myself, you know."

Before Kaiba could react, Jonouchi snatched the cloth back and whipped his hair, splashing Kaiba in the face.

He didn't feel comfortable with the idea of having someone else bathe him. Jonouchi didn't even know why he went into the shower with Kaiba in the first place. It wasn't like sharing bathing space was weird or different; Japanese men had been doing it for centuries. Public bath houses made an art of it, but doing it with someone Jonouchi slept with was something else entirely.

And besides, men didn't typically harass each other while trying to wash.

"Besides," he added for dramatic effect, "I could have slipped and died when you dragged me over there."

Kaiba snorted as he poured shampoo onto his hand. "I was holding onto you. It was hardly a recipe for your early demise."

"You could have slipped and died, then."

He quickly washed out his hair after that, stealing some of Kaiba's shampoo before lathering up and rinsing off. It took him very little time to finish up, and he'd gotten out before Kaiba did, already brushing his teeth when Kaiba finally stepped out. Towel around his waist, Jonouchi watched from the corner of his eyes, leering a little before he spat out the toothpaste and rinsed out his mouth.

It was Saturday. Thankfully for them both, they didn't have engagements and Jonouchi could try getting a hold of Shizuka since she wouldn't be in school past noon.

Kaiba moved freakishly quiet. Jonouchi hadn't even noticed that Kaiba had sidled up next to him behind his shoulder until he felt Kaiba's hand over his, plucking the toothbrush away. "Getting you your own toothbrush is going to have to be a priority," he said with a grin, rinsing it underneath the faucet.

"And putting a bell around your neck is going to have to be mine," said Jonouchi as he nearly tripped over himself trying to move out of the way. Kaiba wasn't directly behind him, but he was enough so that it was awkward trying to move without rubbing against him, and fighting back the embarrassment, Jonouchi grabbed onto his towel and walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Kaiba was in a strangely good mood. Friendlier than he ever had been, and Jonouchi sat down on the bed contemplating it before the sound of the door opening broke his spell and he rushed to get his clothes on.

"Why are you being so weird?" he blurted without thinking. "You're not usually so... touchy."

Kaiba blinked, pausing mid-stride in the doorway. Droplets fell from his hair, soaking into the carpet. "I'm not allowed to touch the person I'm in a relationship with?"

"You aren't normally like this."

"We're at home. In private. What does it matter?"

"It doesn't matter," Jonouchi sighed, "but that doesn't mean I'm used to it. What happened to the tsundere Kaiba from months past, hmm?"

"I can play hard to get, if that's what you like," Kaiba snickered as he made his way to his closet, "but it doesn't seem worth the effort since you already caught me."

"It's what I'm used to."

"Then readjust your expectations," Kaiba said simply as he threw clothes on. "Learn to be flexible."

"Easier said than done," mumbled Jonouchi under his breath.

He wasn't going to argue with Kaiba over it. Clearly, he wasn't being taken seriously. Kaiba seemed stuck on cloud nine, and frowning, Jonouchi straightened out his clothes before finding his keys in his pocket and taking off again out the bedroom door.

Sure, Jonouchi knew he was being rude, but his stomach was lurching uncomfortably and he needed to get out of that suffocating room. He could no longer think of eating now, and he needed to go find somewhere else to live. Sugoroku would probably allow him to hole up in Yugi's room for however long he needed until he had his situation figured out, and Jonouchi had more than enough money to pay off another two months rent until his lease ran out. He could talk to the manager and finally get rid of that place and move out, if he hurried.

Cursing himself, Jonouchi realized he left his stupid motorcycle at the garage. He'd have to call Isono to drive him back to the Game Shop, and he'd take the bus to his old neighborhood to clear out.

Hearing heavy footsteps, Jonouchi turned to look behind him. Kaiba was chasing after him, hair still wet and tugging the hem of his shirt down. There was a strange look on his face - on any other person, Jonouchi would have recognized it as panic, but this was Kaiba. He didn't panic.

"Where are you going?"

"Home? Since when did I need permission to leave this place?"

Kaiba stopped a few feet from Jonouchi and frowned. "You don't. But you could at least tell me you're leaving instead of just clearing out like that."

"Okay fine," replied Jonouchi, as he turned away to face the main door and crossed his arms against his chest, "I'm leaving. I need to go apartment hunting."

The frown on Kaiba's face only deepened. "Why? I told you that you could stay here."

"I don't think that's a good idea. How long have we been seeing each other?" asked Jonouchi as he moved close and poked Kaiba in the chest directly, "A month, if that, right? What makes you think we could live together indefinitely without killing one another? Besides, your brother is here, too."

By this point, Kaiba was outright scowling. "You're not some stranger, Jonouchi. I wasn't kidding about what I said last night, but it's like you didn't hear any of it. We're together. You need a safe place to live. It just makes sense."

"It doesn't to me. I mean look at yourself, you're already mad. You'd kill me in a week!"

Kaiba opened his mouth and immediately snapped it shut, the anger on his face dissipating but the frown still remaining. "That's not true."

"I think you're letting the sex get to your head," continued Jonouchi as he mimicked Kaiba's frown, "I don't think you're thinking this entire thing through. I mean first of all, have you ever lived with another person before? Do you really want me sharing a bedroom with you? I don't think so.

"And second, you're my boss. How would that look if someone found out? Maybe you don't care, but I certainly do. I don't have billions of yen to cover my ass with if a giant scandal breaks out..."

He also didn't want to just admit that he didn't want to live with Kaiba. Jonouchi liked his privacy. Sure, he also liked being around people, but Kaiba had a difficult personality and they were good with time apart. He wasn't an easy-going guy like Honda.

Kaiba's normally pale complexion was becoming flushed - if he wasn't angry before, Kaiba's temper was certainly showing itself now. "I'm not just with you for the sex, Jonouchi. Don't assume things about me. I wouldn't just leave you to the wolves - if something were to happen, I'd protect you." He stepped back and pinched at the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. "I don't think you listened to a word I said last night. It's like it didn't even happen."

"I did listen last night, you moron," growled Jonouchi as he stepped forward and forced himself into Kaiba's personal space before smacking his hand away from pinching his nose, "You have feelings for me. I get it. But that doesn't make your grand plan a good one.

"And I'm a grown-ass man, I don't need protection. I've been taking care of myself for years."

"So am I the only one with feelings here, or have I been mistaken this entire time?" Kaiba bit back.

This time Jonouchi's face turned red, and he immediately hid his face in his hands before his face was burning up and he lost the desire to care anymore. Bringing his hands down, he snapped, shoving Kaiba hard on the shoulders before trying again and getting his arms grabbed still, "Stop trying to push your damn insecurities on me, Kaiba. I already told you how I felt about you, so lay off it already. For someone so smart, you can have such a damn thick skull!"

If his hands were free, Jonouchi would have tried to smack the back of his head for emphasis, but Kaiba probably wouldn't react too well to that.

"Then you could start acting like it!" Kaiba nearly exploded, shaking Jonouchi before releasing his hold and backing away.

"What the hell are you expecting? I'm not some girl, Kaiba, I don't hug and kiss and do that romantic crap. If that's what you want, then you need to start looking at women for a change or something. I'm not doing that."

Kaiba's eyes were bright, almost fevered, and his fists were clenched into tight balls by his side. "You could at least act like we're dating. You're the one who suggested it in the first place, so take some damn responsibility. I'm not asking you to fawn all over me or some silly shit, but you could at least give me the common courtesy of not just leaving without saying anything, or act like you want to be in this relationship."

Holding his arms and staring at the ground silently, Jonouchi felt his face flush again. He didn't know what to say. Expressing himself had never come easy, and he could feel his eyes start to burn before he blinked them and wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

"Okay fine, you're right. I shouldn't have run off like that. I'm sorry."

Kaiba unclenched his fists, the blood slowly returning to his fingers. His shoulders sagged minutely, exhaustion replacing his anger. "I...shouldn't have yelled like that. I don't want us to be like this."

"I really don't like you hanging all over me, that's all," explained Jonouchi, who glanced Kaiba's way, looking in his eyes briefly before looking down at the floor again. "It's weird. I'm not used to it. You usually aren't all touchy-feely, and I liked that. I need space to breathe."

"I don't think I'm being overbearing. I don't really know how to explain it. I just want to be close to you," Kaiba replied softly.

"That's really gay."

One of Kaiba's eyebrows lifted, but his expression otherwise remained unchanged. "That's because I am gay. Get used to it."

"It's hard to," said Jonouchi as he pained himself trying not to laugh, "I got used to you being a certain way and you're throwing me for a loop right now."

Kaiba's other eyebrow rose to join the first one. "You didn't like the way I used to be. You wanted me to change. I don't even think the change is all that drastic, all things considered. But I'm trying to be better to you, and it's as though you don't even want that."

"I didn't mind you before, when you weren't being mean." responded Jonouchi as he sighed dramatically, "I wouldn't have continued talking to you in the first place if there wasn't anything likeable about you before, Kaiba. I don't get it."

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Kaiba inhaled, holding his breath before releasing it. "Then if you liked how I was before, how is it bad now? I'm not - worse."

"You're different."

"And that's bad?"

"I'm not used to it," Jonouchi replied neutrally, "I don't mind you being flirty, but all this romantic stuff is weird to me."

Kaiba closed his eyes, running a hand through his bangs and pushing them back. It was odd to see him with his hair slicked back like that, haphazard as it was. Odd, but not unappealing. "It's new to me, too. It's not like I'm like this with anyone else."

"Then why do you do it?"

"I think that's pretty apparent," Kaiba said incredulously, peering up to stare at Jonouchi, "You know how I feel about you. I can't help it."

"Hmm." Pausing, Jonouchi felt his stomach flip before he turned a little and faced the door. "I don't really see why you even feel that way. I'm not that nice to you."

"If I knew why, my life would be a hell of a lot easier. But it seems as though your illogical nature has extended itself to me," Kaiba sighed. "I just do. I can't get rid of these feelings or just ignore them." He grew quiet, nervously looking away before turning back. "You're just different. You get to me," he nearly whispered.

Jonouchi was silent. He didn't have a smart answer for that. Instead of speaking, he turned his attention back towards the main entrance door and sighed, feeling the tension in his shoulders finally relaxing away before he turned back to look at Kaiba again.

"I really gotta go, but we can meet up tomorrow," offered Jonouchi with a small smile, "you could buy me dinner or something, how about it?"

"Alright." Kaiba didn't appear completely placated, but Jonouchi didn't know what else to do.

"Do you want to?"

"Yes. I'll talk to you later, then."

Kaiba seemed so put out with him. Feeling a sudden rush to fix that, Jonouchi berated himself before grabbing Kaiba's shoulders and holding still long enough to kiss him. And when he realized what he'd done, he immediately froze before running off again, his face on fire as he ran out the door.

Sunday came upon Jonouchi quickly. He had paid off his shitty apartment lease and after searching all day with Sugoroku for a new place, he had a plan to look at several promising locations in Bakura Ryou's old neighborhood. It was affordable and the area was decent. His apartment wouldn't be that much larger than what he already had, but at least Jonouchi wouldn't have to live in fear of being jumped all the time when he was out past night.

He had taken the time to call his sister, as well. The conversation had been an uncomfortable one.

"What do you mean he left?"

"He's gone, Shizuka," sighed Jonouchi as he slumped over the table in Yugi's kitchen, "I checked it out. Dad's left to Los Angeles and I don't think he'll be coming back."

"You know she won't like that."

"Yeah, I know. I've been reading her letters. Tell her she'll still be getting her money."

"Nii-san, you shouldn't enable her."

What else could he do? It was easier just paying her off. His mother wasn't asking for that much money, really, and if it was going to helping Shizuka, Jonouchi felt it was his duty then to help out. College would be expensive, and he figured he'd never be going himself, anyways.

For the first time in his life, Jonouchi had opened up a bank account and got himself a credit card. Sugoroku warned him not to use it unless necessary, and hiding the piece of plastic into the confines of his wallet, Jonouchi tried to put it out of mind.

He had plenty of cash now, anyways.

Accomplishing everything on his to-do list took longer than expected. Winter was fast approaching, and the days kept getting shorter and shorter. The sun was already low on the horizon, and after bidding Sugoroku goodnight, Jonouchi set off to meet up with Kaiba.

Reluctantly removing a hand from his coat pocket, Jonouchi scrolled through his contact list and hit dial. It only took two rings for Kaiba to pick up.

"Hey, how about that dinner?"

"Where are you now?"

Stopping mid-stride, Jonouchi looked around. "Um, I've just left the game shop. I'm only a few blocks away from central."

"Good. How about we meet up at the plaza in twenty? I'm just finishing up here."

"Sure," Jonouchi agreed, starting to walk again, "It'll take me about that long to walk there, anyway. Wait. Don't tell me you're at work on a Sunday."

The other end of the line went silent for a few seconds. "I had things that needed to get done."

Snorting a little, Jonouchi picked up his pace, the temperature rapidly cooling as the sun disappeared. "It's a miracle that a guy like you hasn't had his hair turn gray yet. When will you take a rest?"

"Maybe when I get my first gray. Then I'll consider it. I'll see you soon."

Rolling his eyes, Jonouchi hung up and pocketed his phone. There was no point in even complaining about it. Kaiba was married to his work. He'd said so before. It was pretty clear that if he wasn't busy with Mokuba or Jonouchi himself, he was going to be glued to his computer doing work for Kaiba Corporation.

Jonouchi thought it had to be a rather boring existence, but Kaiba seemed content with it. The idea of crunching numbers all day and worrying about all sorts of political business crap didn't appeal to Jonouchi at all. He could hardly tolerate being in his office, when it was required of him, and speeding up his pace, he started kicking random stones on the sidewalk as he bypassed people on the street.

It started to occur to him that he probably wouldn't be going back home after dinner. It was likely that he'd go to Kaiba's place, and realizing that, Jonouchi felt his face begin to burn again, the tell-tale sign that he was blushing, before he chided himself for being so immature.

They were dating. That's what people did, when they were seeing each other, wasn't it? Honda did the same thing with his girlfriend, which was probably why they barely saw each other anymore.

Girlfriend.

Jonouchi was beginning to feel like one. The night before last had been bizarre, and he could remember the entire thing. What started out as comfort sex had quickly turned into something else entirely, and while Jonouchi knew in his gut that he'd enjoyed it, he also felt afraid.

Why would he let Kaiba do that to him? Again and again. They were like some couple out of Anzu's stupid ero manga she collected, and making a face, Jonouchi grabbed the bridge of his nose before shaking his head.

If that was the case, he was stuck as the uke, wasn't he? Some girly shemale who cried through sex and enjoyed waving his butt around guys faces. Jonouchi didn't like seeing himself like that. He was manly, for one, and while he'd never topped before, that didn't mean he couldn't do it. Maybe if Kaiba wasn't in control of every time they'd been together, their sex would play out differently for once.

Jonouchi wasn't a girl. A catcher, as his old gang buddies like to call certain kinds of people. A receiver.

His head was beginning to hurt. It didn't come natural being so introspective, and quickening his pace, Jonouchi ended up sprinting down the street and around the corners before reaching the plaza, taking a seat by the fountain as he tried catching his breath.

He'd just regained some semblance of normalcy when Kaiba showed up, his familiar metal briefcase swaying in his grip. He seemed surprised to see Jonouchi there, his eyebrows raising before furrowing. Pulling back his coat sleeve with a gloved hand, Kaiba checked his watch and frowned. "You're here early. Were you waiting long?"

"No. I ran."

Fighting back a laugh, Kaiba's lips pulled into a smile. "That eager to see me? Or just too hungry?"

"I had stuff on my mind," explained Jonouchi as he rolled his eyes, "running helps with it. So, what are you going to buy me for dinner?"

"I thought we could do something different," Kaiba began as he looked around the area. The plaza was beginning to fill with young couples and guys cruising for girls. "Do you want to watch a movie? I figure since you sat through that opera, I should take you to something you actually want to see."

Jonouchi shook his head. The sentiment was appreciated, but he didn't want to subject Kaiba to something like him screaming through a horror movie. "I can't really talk to you in a theater, you know," he answered, "wouldn't you rather just grab dinner and hang out afterwards?"

"Sure, if that's what you'd rather do. Take your pick, then," he motioned to all the shops and cafes around them. "I haven't eaten all day, so I don't really care what we have as long as it's edible."

"Uhhh..."

Options. There were so many options available to him, since price wasn't a restriction. Jonouchi knew Kaiba would pay for anything he wanted.

"I want yakiniku."

"Lead the way."

Jonouchi blinked, but did as requested. He took a turn towards the street full of restaurants, looking at the signs and reading the boards that sat before the buildings and dining windows. For once, he knew exactly what he wanted, and he didn't stop until he saw a sign that pictured a huge display of well-marbled meat and a price that went way beyond anything Jonouchi could have afforded... or could still afford, since he wasn't that well off yet.

"That looks kind of expensive," mumbled Jonouchi under his breath, "beef is pricey enough, but Kobe beef on top of that?"

Kaiba laughed as he skirted around Jonouchi, entering the foyer of the restaurant. "Are you really concerned about price, when I'm buying?" he teased before approaching the hostess for a table for two.

Jonouchi made a face. He wasn't sure if he should be amused or insulted. "I'm sorry for trying to be thoughtful," he said under his breath, "I'm not some gold digger."

"I know," Kaiba replied as they waited, "and I appreciate the sentiment, but I did promise to buy you dinner. I didn't set a spending cap, either."

"We'll be eating like, a twenty thousand yen dinner, just as a 'date'," sighed Jonouchi, "and I don't think I could afford to pay you back. Sorry, but it makes me a little uncomfortable. I thought I could find some place reasonable. Anzu used to go with Yugi, and it wasn't this damn pricey..."

Everyone around them looked dressed up, too. Jonouchi thanked every deity he knew for the new clothes he had; for once in his life, he didn't appear out of place.

"Jonouchi," Kaiba said patiently, "it's fine. I don't expect you to split the bill or pay me back."

"I know, but still."

He didn't have a chance to argue further. The hostess had called Kaiba over, and Kaiba subtly tugged on Jonouchi's elbow before following after her to their booth. Removing his wool trenchcoat, Kaiba hung it on the booth's hook before sliding into his side of the table. Two menus were left, and the hostess lit the charcoal grill between them before leaving.

Jonouchi felt like he was shrinking in his seat. Kaiba was distracted by reading his menu, and looking around, Jonouchi frowned as he examined the people around him; couples, business men, and more couples. Men taking their girlfriends out for dinner. It made his stomach lurch.

"What did you do today?" Kaiba asked, shocking him out of his discomfort.

"I called my sister," replied Jonouchi automatically, "and you can only imagine how well it all played out when I told her our dad went out of town without telling any of us. She wants me to come see her sometime soon, and I think I'll try to when the holidays come around."

Kaiba nodded, giving his menu a cursory look and then pushing it aside. "Will you be able to, with your mother around? Wouldn't it be easier for her to come here?"

"Maybe," replied Jonouchi as he cleaned his hands with the napkin that was offered to them before getting a bowl of miso soup to drink, "I thought about having her over, but not until I have my own place. I'd like to have her around New Years, but I don't think our mother would approve of it, and she always gets her way. Shizuka is a giant doormat, you know."

"She's still young, and she's had an overbearing mother condition her to act that way," Kaiba said as he meticulously cleaned each finger. "How goes the search?"

"I found some places I'm going to check out next week."

Looking down and across the table, Jonouchi watched briefly as Kaiba cleaned himself. His fingers were long and smooth looking, and his nails looked maticulate. He couldn't determine if Kaiba was just careful with them or if he had them professionally done.

"Why? I thought you disapproved of my apartment hunting?"

"My offer still stands," Kaiba said, leaning forward a little and looking directly at Jonouchi. He thought he felt a foot brush against his under the table, but Kaiba made no indication whether it was intentional.

"I know," Jonouchi answered, "but I think that's rushing things a little. You'd hate me after a month, trust me."

Besides, Jonouchi didn't like the idea of moving into Kaiba's place. His boyfriend's place. Like he was some silly girl who couldn't be trusted to take care of himself. Isn't that what girls often did? Moved in with their more successful boyfriends before getting married and giving up their jobs?

Did Kaiba think he was like some silly girlfriend? He was beginning to wonder.

"What happened between you and that girl you dated years back," blurted Jonouchi, "you were vague about it."

Kaiba blinked at the abrupt shift in conversation, but he recovered quickly, his features melting into amusement. "We just didn't work out. I determined I liked men more, and she was with me for all the wrong reasons, anyway. I didn't care much at the time, but I wasn't that invested in the relationship anyway."

"Then why did you date her?"

"She was beautiful and persistent. I liked that she was driven. Things were fine, but they never really extended beyond just 'fine.' It got boring, and by that point, I'd become more of a means to an end for her."

"But you had sex with her," Jonouchi added, as he leaned closer to the table, "didn't that mean something to you?"

"I wasn't some lovestruck teenager," Kaiba replied, "Sex didn't have to have some grand meaning."

"Then what was the point?"

"Physical gratification. Curiosity."

"That's surprisingly shallow of you."

Kaiba quirked an eyebrow, but he didn't seem bothered by Jonouchi's judgment. "It's not like anyone got hurt. There's nothing wrong with two adults doing adult things."

"Not when you're using someone like a science experiment," mumbled Jonouchi under his breath.

Sighing, Kaiba crossed his arms tight against his chest. "I wasn't using her. At least not as much as she used me. It doesn't even matter. Call it an experiment, but how else are you supposed to know about yourself if you don't try."

Jonouchi made a face. Maybe Kaiba was right, but the callous kind of tone he put to it didn't settle well in Jonouchi's gut.

It wasn't even callous, just... utter indifference. Sure, his first relationship and only relationship with a girl had been an utter failure, but he didn't think it was meaningless. He had liked his girlfriend and he tried to make it work out, but it just wouldn't.

He certainly didn't consider his sexual goof-ups as "experiments".

Thankfully, Jonouchi was spared having to answer as the waitress reappeared and Kaiba turned his attention to ordering dinner.

Soon a huge platter of meat appeared at the table, alongside vegetables. Hungry and slightly put out, Jonouchi distracted himself with cooking immediately, using his chopsticks to place the strips of beef onto the hot plate as Kaiba sighed heavily.

"It's not meaningless with you," Kaiba said, his face surprisingly unguarded.

"That's a relief."

"I mean it. Jonouchi, you can't be mad at me over a relationship I had in the past."

"Maybe, but you shouldn't be telling me how I should feel about it, Kaiba. Or anything else, for that matter.

"I want to talk about something else already. I don't care about your ex-girlfriend."

"You asked. I answered," Kaiba replied evenly.

"Well, now I'm done asking you questions..."

He was ruining their dinner. Their extremely expensive dinner Kaiba bought to appease him, and now he was being a bit of an over sensitive jerk... like some bratty girl who had no control over her feelings.

"What do you want to talk about," asked Jonouchi as he finally brought up his eyes to look Kaiba in the face, "since I'm picking all the wrong topics."

Uncrossing his arms, Kaiba set his palms upon the table and rolled his chopsticks back and forth, ignoring the food entirely. "I do believe you've earned yourself a little fan contingent in the office since your last tournament. Eguchi in particular seems quite smitten."

"I find that hard to believe. I don't think that woman likes anyone, not even you," answered Jonouchi before he laughed at himself a little, "I don't think she even cares about dueling."

"She normally doesn't," Kaiba said, finally picking up his chopsticks and prodding at the meat on the grill. "I caught her today watching a news video about you - she was actually smiling for a change."

"And did you ask her about it?"

"No, I let her be. It's best not to upset the backbone of your company," Kaiba responded with a small laugh.

Jonouchi just snorted.

"Does she ever get excited watching you duel or am I just the lucky one she decided to like all of a sudden?" he asked.

"I suspect you're a special case; she's never inquired over my own record unless it pertained to something she was working on."

"She must not like you that much."

Kaiba snorted, picking up a piece of beef and placing it on Jonouchi's plate. "Eguchi's stuck around ever since the beginning, so she must at least tolerate me. She can be intimidating in her own manner; I suppose we level each other out in that regard."

"Yeah, because you're the one with the money," Jonouchi pointed out before snatching the slice of beef on his plate, "anyone with some sense in their head isn't going to go and antagonize their boss... unless they are me. But I don't have sense in my head, so..."

Jonouchi promptly shut his mouth, dumping more food onto the grill. He could hear Kaiba snorting across from him and he couldn't help but smile a little at that.

"How does this work exactly, since I do technically work for you?" asked Jonouchi before he ate a pepper. "We never worked that out exactly."

"How does what work?"

"You're my boss," Jonouchi pointed out rather loudly before he hushed himself, "and we're sleeping together. You and I both know that's breaking a whole bunch of rules."

"This isn't the military; my company doesn't have rules against fraternization," Kaiba smirked, "And it's not like you're my secretary or anything. I'm your boss at work and your boyfriend all other times. It's that simple."

"I don't think it's exactly simple, but whatever."

Kaiba was used to making up his own rules about things. Jonouchi decided to just let it go.

He tried to keep the conversation light for the rest of the evening. Jonouchi didn't feel like bringing up anything that might end up being some buried landmine, and he sincerely wanted to enjoy his date. Kaiba was trying to be amiable, which was appreciated, and the food was excellent. It shouldn't have been so difficult to have a good time doing something like eating expensive beef, which Jonouchi usually enjoyed.

But for some reason, he felt disconnected. His feelings waved back and forth like a tide, his heart switching from light with happiness to heavy with resentment as the night continued on. He didn't know why. Jonouchi wasn't sure how to explain himself, and he focused on sipping his tea whenever the strange feelings overcame him.

It started to take a sharp hold when they got into Kaiba's car and instead of asking where Jonouchi wanted to go, he just assumed driving to the mansion would be okay. Jonouchi's stomach made a strange flip; he felt his organs tie into uncomfortable knots as Kaiba turned onto the highway, speeding along until they finally reached the gates of the Kaiba mansion.

"You didn't even ask if I wanted to stay the night," mumbled Jonouchi under his breath as he rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

"Why wouldn't you want to?"

Kaiba's face looked impassive. He either didn't see the face Jonouchi made in the darkness or he didn't care.

"Maybe I wanted to spend the night alone," suggested Jonouchi, "maybe I wanted to sleep in my own bed for a change."

"You mean Yugi's bed," Kaiba corrected rather curtly.

"Kaiba, you shouldn't assume things."

"You've stayed over night before," said Kaiba as he flashed his ID card to the security surrounding the giant iron gate, "I don't see why you're making a big deal of it now."

"I'm not making a big deal of it," said Jonouchi under his breath, "I just think it was rather rude of you."

"Would you rather I turn around and drive you back then?" asked Kaiba sharply as his dark eyes flashed dangerously in the darkness of the sport's car.

Jonouchi felt his body go cold, a strange numbness flowing up from his tailbone up through his spine until it reached all across his limbs. He wasn't sure how angry Kaiba was, but shutting his mouth, Jonouchi folded his arms and shook his head no.

"Good. Next time, say something before I get on the highway."

The tension just continued on after that point. Jonouchi rushed up the stairs and immediately locked Kaiba out of the bathroom, taking his sweet time brushing his teeth and preparing himself for bed before coming out and dumping his clothes in a pile before getting under the sheets.

Kaiba had been working on his laptop. He looked genuinely surprised when Jonouchi laid down, his mouth frowning before he finally spoke.

"I thought we were going to hang out."

"I changed my mind," answered Jonouchi.

"...You seem to do quite often," responded Kaiba as he worked on putting away his laptop, "about a lot of things."

Stay flexible. Not responding, Jonouchi just shut his eyes and hide his head under the comforter. He didn't want to talk about it anymore. Allowing it to drag on would only lead to a fight.

"Sometimes I wonder if you even like me at all," said Kaiba softly as he shut himself in the bathroom.

Once the door closed, Jonouchi turned around and opened his eyes to the darkness of the master bedroom. It felt cold. The shadows seemed to hide in every corner, like they were planning to reach out and snatch him from the safety of his bed, and Jonouchi tried ignoring the feeling of being watched until Kaiba reappeared.

He was now undressed and got into the bed. Jonouchi moved away from the center, creating considerable distance before settling at the side of the mattress.

"I do like you, Kaiba," answered Jonouchi after a few moments of tense silence. He wasn't even sure if Kaiba was still awake or not. He was quiet when he slept.

"Then why are you being so difficult?"

"Because you're difficult," stressed Jonouchi as he turned around, his dark brown eyes shining across the mattress as Kaiba stared back, "You are too intense about everything. You won't stop rushing me into feeling the same for you when I'm not there yet. I need more time to figure things out, but you won't give me any breathing space."

"Oh I'm sorry," snapped Kaiba as he rolled onto his back before giving Jonouchi an angry looking side glance, "I'm sorry I care too much, because apparently that's a problem to you."

"It is when you try telling me how to live my life and who I should live it with."

There was a pause before Kaiba snorted. "Your father was a terrible man and left you," he said coolly, "and your mother is just as horrible. You can't seriously be upset with me because I want to take care of you since no one else would."

"It's not your job to," pointed out Jonouchi, "I'm a grown-ass man. I can take care of myself."

Kaiba's face fell. His eyes quickly went from cold and chilly to something similar to sadness, but Jonouchi couldn't quite place a name on it.

"I understand that, Jonouchi," he answered softly, "but I'd like to help. Do something."

"I don't want help. From anyone. You used to berate me for relying on Yugi too much," pointed out Jonouchi, "and I resented that, but it was true. Now I'm finally on my own and you want me to live with you... I can't do that. I need to be alone and learn to count on myself."

"If that's how you feel about it, then I'll respect your wishes."

"Thank you."

There was a loud sigh from Kaiba's side like he wasn't quite finished with the discussion but didn't feel like pressing it further. Jonouchi was glad for it. He was tired of fighting. He wanted things to be easy again, but things with Kaiba were never easy.

"... Do you feel like I'm emasculating you? Is that the problem?"

Jonouchi's eyes fluttered as he groaned internally. Apparently Kaiba wasn't done.

"Kaiba, I don't want to talk about this anymore. I want to go to sleep."

"It's a simple question, Jonouchi. All I need is a yes or no."

"Yes," Jonouchi answered, and then he shut his eyes again and snorted.

There was a moment of stillness before Kaiba took a breath. "...I'm not trying to," he murmured through the darkness, "it's not my intention to make you feel that way."

"But you do regardless, so how else am I supposed to feel?"

"Feel?" said Kaiba loudly, "You should feel like I care about you, because I do. You should feel like I want you and yet you constantly push me away like I'm doing something wrong or bad to you. I'm not good with people in close relationships, I get that, but you don't help things one bit, Jonouchi. I think we'd come to some sort of understanding of each other, like last time we were intimate, but then you decide that something must be wrong and we come to an impasse again.

"Well, I'm frankly sick of it. You told me you wanted a relationship with me, Jonouchi, but all you seem to want to do is fuck and leave."

"You don't understand what it's like to be me, from where I'm standing," pointed out Jonouchi.

"No, clearly I don't."

"None of this is easy for me."

Kaiba chuckled darkly, grabbing at his hair before releasing a breath loudly, "And you think it's easy for me? Every time I try to do something nice for you, you either reject me or take it as an insult. How am I supposed to feel about that? Or after sex, you try running off in the morning like you have something to be ashamed of..."

Looking away towards the darkness, Jonouchi didn't answer. His stomach lurched and he grabbed at his hair roughly before letting it go and turning onto his stomach. Pressing against the mattress hard, he felt air escaping his lungs before Kaiba spoke again.

"... You do feel ashamed. That's the problem here, I can tell."

"We can't all say fuck it to the world like you do, Kaiba," answered Jonouchi back sourly, "sorry if I disappointed you."

"I'm sorry, too."

The words stung, but Jonouchi didn't know what else to say. He was exhausted, emotionally. The food had left him heavy. Kaiba laid a distance from his side of the bed, and the room was cold. Almost downright frigid. Jonouchi wasn't sure if the cold fall air was the only thing to blame, and shuddering from the chill, he sank deeper into the blankets before finally feeling somewhat comfortable.

Closing his eyes, Jonouchi could picture Kaiba on the other side, arms tight across his chest with his jaw tense and mouth a thin, straight line. His eyebrows were probably furrowed and Jonouchi frowned at the thought. It wasn't what he wanted. For someone so detached from people, Kaiba was surprisingly sensitive. If he felt offended or hurt from Jonouchi's words, Kaiba wouldn't allow himself to express it, so Jonouchi could only lie there feeling guilty.

Guilty for not being tactful in expressing himself. But he meant what he said concerning their relationship. Kaiba was too controlling. And Jonouchi felt emasculated. Feeling like the girl during sex was one thing, but feeling that way all the time even when they weren't sexual was unbearable.

And the constant push, for Jonouchi to catch up with Kaiba's intense feelings, just made everything that much worse. They hadn't been together long, but Kaiba was so sure of how he felt.

Jonouchi did not.

Kaiba had been right, Jonouchi realized with a depressing sigh. They were stuck at an impasse.