Just Friends

by AllisonWalker

After one chance Duel takes a bad turn, Kaiba finds himself becoming obsessed over the one person he'd refused to acknowledge years before. At first, Kaiba desires revenge, but the more they spend time together, the more he finds himself spiraling into something close to friendship...or maybe much more. Kaiba/Jonouchi post-canon. Co-written FINISHED

28. Chapter 28

Laying still in the giant mess of sheets and comforters that was Kaiba Seto's bed, Jonouchi thought in silence. The window curtains were pushed back enough to reveal snow falling down outside and putting fingers through his hair before sighing, Jonouchi suddenly realized that Christmas was soon approaching. He hadn't celebrated the holidays much as a child thanks to the lack of financial means and his cynical father, but this year, he thought about making an effort.

Well that, and he'd never had a relationship before really. He'd seen Anzu and the other girls gush over Christmas before in high school. Just from listening, he got a solid idea of what the entire thing involved. Silly gifts and chicken dinners with family, boys giving girls teddy bears and other cute crap and cards being exchanged between close friends. Jonouchi's father had disapproved of the entire thing, calling it a "mockery", but Jonouchi wasn't sure if he agreed with his father's assessment. Then again, he'd never seen Christmas celebrated anywhere else besides Japan.

It was only two weeks away.

Looking back behind his shoulder, Jonouchi could see Kaiba still sleeping behind him. His nostrils rose and fell each time he breathed and his long eyelashes curled against his face as he slept. It was strange watching him so relaxed, since usually Kaiba had a rather strained expression while awake, and Jonouchi couldn't stop himself from smiling.

Things were getting better between them. Jonouchi was making an effort, and he could tell that Kaiba was, too. The conversation between himself and Mokuba still echoed in his brain whenever Kaiba did something that pissed him off, "I don't think Nii-sama means anything bad by it; he's been programmed that way. He has to be right, or otherwise very bad things could happen." His behavior wasn't going to change overnight. Jonouchi understood that. Kaiba was so used to taking charge of situations and reacting quickly to things that he probably didn't realize when he was doing it.

It had taken a lot out of Jonouchi not to flip his lid when Kaiba snatched the phone out of his hands. He felt disregarded, at first, but once the initial bad feelings had dissipated and he was allowed to cool down at the party, he understood that Kaiba had meant well by it. He thought he was doing the right thing. Probably heard enough of Jonouchi's conversation with his crazy mother to get that the argument was going around in circles and no one was budging. Jonouchi certainly didn't want to be a doormat to his mother anymore, and he was sick of being guilted into giving up money for Shizuka's benefit.

Especially since Kawai was now remarried. It wasn't like she didn't have any money.

There was no pleasing the woman. No matter what Jonouchi did, he was still an ungrateful son who disappointed everyone and Jonouchi could see now that his mother's outlook on him would never change. She would hate him probably until the end of her life, just because he reminded her of the failed marriage she had with a foreigner.

Kaiba had successfully managed to shut her up, probably for good. Unsurprisingly, Jonouchi didn't receive any text messages when he checked his phone on the beside table, and that was a great relief. He didn't want his family straining his relationship with Kaiba any longer.

"-all I can say is if it feels right and makes you happy, then why not just go for it? Different isn't a bad thing; it's just different. It almost sounds like you aren't allowing yourself to be happy."

He still had Mokuba's words stuck in his head. The more he thought about it, the more it all made sense. Sure, Kaiba got on his nerves, a lot. Sometimes he was bossy and needy and pushy and it all became overwhelming, but Jonouchi knew he wasn't perfect himself. He could be loud, brash, insensitive, and sometimes would throw tantrums when he got angry. It wasn't a good way to treat someone he cared about, and Jonouchi decided to make that effort to change. Even when Kaiba was being ugly, he didn't deserve that kind of treatment and Jonouchi didn't want anymore stupid fights erupting between them.

It was time to become more honest with himself. He cared about Kaiba a lot. More than that, he couldn't see how he'd be able to function without Kaiba if the relationship was to fail. Being alone again was a terrifying prospect. Kaiba made him happy, and more importantly, the relationship was the most secure thing Jonouchi had had in a long time. Sure, dealing with the societal ramifications of a taboo romance with another man was daunting, but Kaiba seemed to think Jonouchi was worth it.

Maybe it was time that Jonouchi felt the same way.

Kaiba was still fast asleep. Jonouchi shifted, laying his head back into his pillow as he felt Kaiba's nose dig into his hair. The arms caught around his waist only tightened and half of Kaiba's body was laying down across Jonouchi's back and ass. He didn't mind it usually, though. The room was drafty thanks to the giant windows that surrounded half the walls of the room, and Kaiba kept Jonouchi from freezing at night.

Waking up to the feeling of morning wood pressing against him was sometimes awkward, though. Jonouchi had laughed the first time it had happened, but now he just felt irritated and using his elbow, he bumped Kaiba a few times to wake him up.

"Your junk is annoying me."

Kaiba merely mumbled incoherently, shifting and pressing closer to Jonouchi, still obviously knocked out. There were a few quiet seconds where Jonouchi thought that maybe Kaiba was starting to wake up, but then he heard a soft snore from behind him.

It didn't feel comfortable at all, and losing his patience, Jonouchi turned around and tried moving away before actually smacking Kaiba hard on the forearm. "Get off," Jonouchi grumbled, "snuggle time is over."

"Shit," Kaiba grumbled equally in return, rubbing at his forearm. He was bleary-eyed and disoriented, and faintly scowled at Jonouchi. "What are you, some heathen? That actually hurt."

"I told you to move and you wouldn't," snapped Jonouchi as he shifted away and turned to lay on his back, "so don't get mad at me for waking you up. Now, I'm hungry. You should get me breakfast."

Popping his head up, Kaiba scooted towards the nightstand, flung an arm out, and fumbled around. He tossed his phone over towards Jonouchi's direction before flopping back down onto the bed and settling back in. "Dial three. Get whatever you want."

"That's not very romantic, Kaiba."

"Neither is slapping me awake." He sighed, rolling onto his back. His eyes were open now, and he stared at the ceiling. "It's my only day off; I don't want to be up this early," he groaned. "And besides, you'll have to start getting used to the staff since you'll be living here."

Jonouchi pouted. He didn't exactly like the sound of that, but what could he do about it? The house had staff, as strange as that was for Jonouchi. Kaiba was probably right in getting used to it.

"That doesn't mean you can't try at least being more suave about it instead of throwing a phone at me," sighed Jonouchi. He looked at Kaiba, who appeared to be ignoring him. Moving to his side, he sat his head on Kaiba's shoulder, his eyes begging for attention. "I thought you liked me."

Kaiba's eyes shifted to the side, staring at Jonouchi blankly before a puff of laughter escaped him. "Don't try that on me," he said, a small smirk playing on his lips, "it won't work." He reached across and gently tugged at a lock of Jonouchi's hair, rubbing the strands between his fingertips.

"Please," Jonouchi asked softly, "I want you to order for me."

"Have you forgotten I raised a teenager?" His smile betrayed his reluctance, though, and he plucked the phone from Jonouchi's grasp. Holding the phone up to his ear, he looked down at Jonouchi as he spoke, his hand still idly combing through Jonouchi's hair, "Yes, a traditional breakfast. Make two. No, bring a cart up." Tossing the phone back onto the nightstand, Kaiba briefly stretched his entire body as he lay. "It'll be ready in thirty."

"That wasn't so hard."

"I hope you don't mind. I couldn't stomach anything heavy after all the crap from last night."

"That's fine," said Jonouchi as he pulled himself up from the bed, "I don't want to get sick, either. I'm gonna take a shower. Don't miss me too much."

He wasn't so quick to jump out of bed, since his body was achy still from the night before, but Jonouchi still was able to walk quickly into the bathroom before shutting the door behind him. Although he wasn't a very modest person, Jonouchi liked to remain somewhat dignified, if at all possible. Usually it wasn't, but he liked to dream.

Dignity was hard to maintain or even fake, considering his rather colorful history. But Kaiba had always managed to appear so, even at his worst. Letting the hot water fall over him, Jonouchi wondered why that was - how they could be so similar in ways, yet intrinsically different.

Perhaps it really did come down to family. Jonouchi's own - at least his parents - were always bringing him down, while Kaiba had shed his past, excepting his brother, and never looked back. He had done what he needed to to survive, keeping his head held high the entire time.

Perhaps that was the difference - the shame that permeated Jonouchi's life. His roots, his upbringing, his gang history. He'd been a crappy student and a crappy Duelist, but he'd worked hard to fix the latter. But even when something good had happened - possibly the best things that might happen in his life - Jonouchi's shame had threatened to push that away, too.

He was starting to get over it. It didn't feel as strange as before. He thought he probably should have felt more anxious the previous night, when he and Kaiba had bordered on obvious, but at least Mai hadn't said anything outright if she noticed. If Jonouchi's instincts were right - and they usually were - then Mai knew and didn't care, probably accepted it and would want the details later. The overwhelming feeling of acceptance made his eyes prickle, and Jonouchi scrubbed at them fiercely before hurrying to finish the rest of his shower.

Kaiba was completely awake by the time Jonouchi emerged from the bathroom, having made the bed and thrown on a pair of charcoal pajama bottoms. He'd apparently collected a few items from his office while Jonouchi had been away (Jonouchi was getting the feeling that he'd never break Kaiba of his workaholic habits): Kaiba was hunched over his laptop, a few small packets lying on the bed beside him. They were curious - regular white mailing envelopes that didn't look like they had anything to do with work, but Jonouchi decided to mind his business and refrain from asking.

"I thought this was your day off?"

"The media begs to differ," Kaiba replied, closing the lid of his laptop. "I was just trying to preempt work for tomorrow."

"I know it's cold outside and all, but we could still go do something together," suggested Jonouchi as he pulled out a pair of boxers and fumbled trying to put them on gracefully, "I mean, if you want to. I'll brave the cold to go out and do something fun."

"Do you have any suggestions? Remember, I'm the student when it comes to fun," Kaiba teased as he scooted the computer away. There was a short knock on the door, and Kaiba lept up to answer, returning with a sizeable cart full of covered platters. Jonouchi had a brief moment of panic when he realized that Kaiba had gone to the door while he'd still been half-naked, but by the time the door had opened, the outside hall had been empty.

"Oh, I don't know," replied Jonouchi as he quickly got a shirt on. He didn't want to risk anyone catching him unawares and still half-naked. "We could go to the mall. I'm sure you'd at least enjoy clothes shopping, right?"

Pulling the trays from the cart, Kaiba carefully set them on the bed and uncovered them, a soft billow of steam rising out. "I guess if that's what you want to do. You don't have much in way of winter clothes, anyway."

"I'm pretty sure I have enough still from that giant load I got when you first hired me on, but if you feel like spending ridiculous amounts of money on me buying designer clothes, I won't stop you," joked Jonouchi.

He approached the cart, taking a tray off from the top and sitting down on the bed before joining Kaiba in sipping his miso soup. There was also rice, fruit, salmon, poached eggs, and green tea. Jonouchi wasn't sure what to taste next.

Kaiba tapped the edge of his soup bowl twice against his lips before downing the rest of it and setting it aside. "I guess we'll have to start thinking about how to move your stuff in here, and where you'd like to keep it."

"Yeah, eventually," replied Jonouchi, "but we should go do something fun now. It's your day off and you're just sitting there in bed doing work and whatever else with those letters. Don't you want to go out?"

"About that…" Kaiba mushed his poached eggs around in their tiny bowl, the innards congealing around his chopsticks. "I didn't know when to bring this up, but I don't want us to start off with secrets, either."

"What are you talking about?" Jonouchi cocked an eyebrow before setting his food down. "What secrets?"

Kaiba reached behind him, collecting the four nearly-identical envelopes and offering them to Jonouchi. "These are yours. They arrived at the office while you were out these past two weeks."

Taking them, Jonouchi noticed the foreign postage immediately. It was addressed from the United States, and he felt his heart sink immediately. Jonouchi knew who was mailing him before even trying to translate the name on the envelope. It was his father.

Ripping open the closest one, Jonouchi only skimmed through the contents before wrinkling up the entire thing. At least the old man had the decency to write in kanji. Jonouchi could barely make out English. But he didn't have to read much before understanding that his father was asking for money...again.

"I can't believe this," Jonouchi muttered," after disappearing on me and not saying a damn word. He is unbelievable. I tried to give him a chance, and he just keeps doing this shit to me..."

Getting up quickly, Jonouchi stomped out of the room and into the office nearby. He was on a mission, not even hearing Kaiba walking behind him as he opened the door and ran to the shredder, taking all four of his father's letters and cramming them through until it was nothing but a pile of shavings.

"There. I'm done."

It had felt good. The release wouldn't be as good as saying that in the man's face, but Jonouchi had to settle with what he could get. Destroying the letters would have to be enough for him.

"You're sure?"

"Yeah." Jonouchi was a bit surprised to find Kaiba standing behind him, still in just his pajama pants. "I don't want to see anything by him again."

"I'll notify mail services to refuse correspondences from that address, then." Kaiba gently laid a hand on Jonouchi's shoulder. "Come on, the food's getting cold."

They didn't reach the city center until well after noon. Breakfast had been taken at a leisurely pace, the mood somewhat dampened by Kaiba's revelation. Jonouchi had retreated afterward, roaming the many halls of Kaiba Mansion on his phone, trying to work out the details of breaking his apartment lease and scheduling meet-ups with Honda and Sugoroku to retrieve his belongings. Mokuba had tossed Kaiba a curious look upon Jonouchi's third loop around the house, but Kaiba merely shook his head silently, busying himself with work.

Shopping, though, had been a success. Domino City didn't have quite the upscale selection that Tokyo did, but Jonouchi had insisted that the local mall was fine, even when Kaiba had offered to call in some special orders. It had been nice to just spend time together, going up and down the aisles and pausing whenever something had caught Jonouchi's eyes, and Kaiba was surprised at how relaxed he felt alongside Jonouchi, even though the latter still seemed a bit... off.

Kaiba could tell, even though Jonouchi was trying to hide it. He would alternate between over-enthusiasm and sullenness, retreating into himself before attempting to shake it off with a burst of unbridled energy. Despite Jonouchi being resolute in his decision, it was evident that the whole mess with his father still tore him up inside.

But there was nothing Kaiba could do about it, so he simply stayed quiet and let Jonouchi be, riding along the current of his shifting moods.

One parka, a pair of gloves and a scarf, three pairs of jeans, five sweaters, and a pair of winter boots later, it was nearly six in the evening. Time had contracted in that tiny shopping mall, neither of them noticing its passing or that they had wandered the shops and corridors without even breaking for lunch until Jonouchi's stomach had interrupted their spree rather vocally.

Too drained and overloaded with shopping bags to bother with going to a proper restaurant, Kaiba and Jonouchi commandeered a booth in the food court, stuffing the many bags into the corner of the seats. The food seemed to revive Jonouchi markedly, and as Kaiba sipped the shoyu broth of his ramen, he wondered how it came to be that half a year ago, he'd been sitting in this very food court spying on the man across from him, bent on screwing him over, and here they were, eating together amicably.

Willingly.

Kaiba wasn't one for expressing thankfulness verbally - that trait had been beaten out of him by Gozaburo long ago. But in this parallel moment of revised history, Kaiba swore to himself that he would do everything in his power to protect this sliver of happiness.

"I want to drink tonight," Jonouchi announced abruptly, dolloping a spoonful of chili paste into his bowl. "How about it?"

It was an unexpected - although not unwarranted - request. They (or at least Kaiba) had drunk a respectful amount the night before at the launch party, and alcohol had led them down rather messy paths in the past.

"Alright," Kaiba agreed, "there are a number of bars in the area. It's cold out, anyway, so a few drinks would be good for warming up before we head home."

"Any bar in particular that you'd like to go to?" asked Jonouchi. "I'm not really that knowledgeable about the more trendy places in town, so you'll have to show me. I just want to chill out a little."

"I've been to a few for business," Kaiba replied, taking a bite of his narutomaki, "but they were all pretty rowdy places. There's a jazz lounge up the street, but I don't think that's really your speed. I just usually end up drinking at the hotel, since they know how I like my drinks.

"But I don't care. We can go anywhere."

"Surprise me!" Jonouchi laughed before shaking his head, "I might like a jazz bar, you know. It could be cool. I don't care where we go, as long as you promise to have some fun with me tonight."

Kaiba shook his drink cup, stabbing at the ice with his straw. "Hmm...finish up here, then. I think I have a place in mind."

Jonouchi was quick to finish his ramen. It was apparent to Kaiba that he didn't want to waste their night eating, for once, and grabbing his bags, Jonouchi quietly followed Kaiba out to the car before stuffing everything in the backseat. There wasn't much room, though, and Jonouchi seemed amused at that as Kaiba rolled his eyes. Probably thought little sports cars were ridiculous, but Kaiba didn't care.

The sun was completing its descent past the horizon, painting the sky in shades of dark purple smeared with glowing pink. The days were becoming shorter and shorter, and as Kaiba drove through the city, he found he couldn't remember the last time he'd watched the sun set.

Jonouchi turned to him with a curious expression when they pulled into the basement of Kaiba Hotel's parking garage, but Kaiba answered him with a grin, "Don't worry, we're not going inside. We'll have to walk a little to get there, but this is the closest place to park."

"I wasn't worried," replied Jonouchi as he got out of the car. His face still looked a bit confused, however, when he walked behind Kaiba, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jacket.

"Hey Kaiba," Jonouchi said after a few minutes of silence, walking through a crowd of people in varying levels of sobriety, "do you like celebrating the holidays at all? Christmas and New Years are coming, you know."

"I've never really done it," Kaiba admitted, "They've always occurred around the end of the quarter, so I've always been preoccupied with work, and Mokuba never pressed the issue. So I can't really say I like it or dislike it." They turned a corner and trekked uphill, keeping close to the streetlamps blinking on overhead.

"Well... would you be interested in trying with me? It's not like I could afford to do much, years past, but it could be fun."

"Sure," Kaiba said as he secured his scarf tighter around his face, "I'll leave the planning to you, then, since I don't know a thing about it."

"What." Jonouchi snorted before shaking his head. "Christmas is supposed to be like, romantic couple shit and stuff. I thought you'd be better at that sort of thing than me."

"I wine and dine you all the time," Kaiba laughed as he reached for the knob of a rather worn-looking door, "I'd like to know what I'm missing out on."

"It's supposed to be special. Like... I don't know, I haven't done it before." Jonouchi's face scrunched up as he started power walking to keep up with Kaiba's brisk pace. "Think of it as an excuse to have more sex with me, how about that?"

Kaiba snorted, pulling the door open and being assaulted by a blast of heat. "Do I ever need an excuse?" he teased, holding the door as Jonouchi stepped through.

The place couldn't even be called a proper izakaya. It was small and dark, an old bar with stools extending along the back corner, tattered leather booths along the side, and a small number of tables sprinkled across the remaining open space throughout. The floor underfoot was faintly sticky in areas, a large heating lamp by the entrance radiating its warmth into the room.

Still fairly early, the bar was sparsely populated: an old man was perched on one of the end stools, a trio of salarymen crowded around a table to the left, and a rather rough-looking woman touching up her makeup in a booth by herself. Kaiba looked around, eyes catching the barkeep's.

Making his way towards the back, Kaiba took a seat on one of the stools a distance away from the other occupant's space. Jonouchi took the seat next to him, bouncing his knee repeatedly as he looked around the place.

"It's kinda dingy in here. You've been to this place before?"

"Mm, it's where I go when the hotel bar's too crowded," Kaiba answered as the bartender approached. "Hanabusa-san," he acknowledged as the man unceremoniously dumped two large steins of beer in front of them.

"Kaiba-sama," Hanabusa returned with a grunt and a nod before retreating back to his corner seat.

Jonouchi traced the rim of his glass of beer, his eyes staring at the condensation that was beginning to drip. "Why?"

Kaiba drew one of the mugs closer, playing with its handle. "The proprietor, Hanabusa," Kaiba tilted his head towards the gruff bartender; he was short and somewhat stocky, the build of a retired fisherman, and wore a twisted hachimaki around his shaved head. "He's a man of few accommodations and even fewer words," Kaiba continued. "He serves your order, and that's it. He doesn't try to engage in empty pleasantries, or psychoanalyze you, or push drinks so that you'll spill your secrets. I like that."

"...Is this the place where you go to sad drink, Kaiba?" asked Jonouchi innocently.

"I don't sad drink," Kaiba scoffed lightly, taking a sip from the large mug, "I stress drink."

"Whichever. It still makes me a little upset to hear that you were doing that all alone."

"I didn't really mind at the time," Kaiba said, leaning onto the bar with his elbow, cradling his cheek in his hand and observing Jonouchi, "It was hard to feel lonely when you didn't even realize it - when you didn't feel connected much to anything."

"Things couldn't have been that bad," offered Jonouchi, "your life was more interesting than mine."

"That's debatable. My life was my job; in many ways, it still is. I didn't have much to work towards. It was the same thing every day, and things only got worse when a rebellious teenager was thrown into the mix." Kaiba looked down as he spoke, drawing abstract shapes with the condensation collecting on the bar top. When he put it into words, his life really did seem depressing. He looked up. "At least you had something to work towards. A fledgling career. A day job you found fulfilling…"

"Yeah, and I was constantly worrying about being able to afford my apartment, among other things," sighed Jonouchi. "It wasn't that great. I'd rather be bored and comfortable than being excitedly poor. I mean, it wasn't so bad when I first got out of high school, but yeah...

"Didn't you at least get to go to America? I thought you and Mokuba took off there after you blew up the Duel Tower."

Raising his mug to his lips, Kaiba took a long swig, enjoying the way the beer fizzled and burned down his throat. "America was a good distraction, but ultimately it revolved entirely around the business. A minor escape."

"Well... What was it like?"

"Open," Kaiba began. "It's nowhere near as claustrophobic as here. Large roads, and even larger expanses of nature. The people are all very open, too, and curious. Inquisitive, even. And loud. It was different in ways I can't describe. Their mindset is completely different. Americans value collaboration and potential; it's not like here, all hierarchical. I think you'd probably like it there."

"Really? Are they all as loud as I am?" asked Jonouchi as he slumped over slightly on the bar top and sipped his beer.

Kaiba laughed, taking another gulp - his glass was already halfway done. "You've met some of them; what do you think?"

"I think it depends on the person, but they are pretty loud," Jonouchi replied, "I mean, the ones I've run into. But not too many foreigners in general come to Domino, so I don't know. I've only met a few in the Dueling circuit. You'd know more than I do. The only American I know really well is my father, and I don't want to believe that everyone over there is like him."

"No, I wouldn't say so. On the whole, I'd even pin them as generous. Some will bend over backwards to help a stranger. But I think you'll find people cut from the same cloth as your father anywhere…"

"I guess." Jonouchi went quiet for a moment before drinking more of his beer, sighing a little. "But he wasn't always a stupid drunk. When I was younger, before Shizuka got so sick, he used to take me to baseball games. He'd buy me model kits and showed me how to fix a bike. He was actually a normal father until things turned really bad.

"I don't know if he was even normal, actually, compared to how other dads here are like. I know Anzu's father didn't spend much time with her... I've never even seen Yugi's before."

Kaiba twisted in his seat, crossing his legs and readjusting his balance against the bar. Behind him, a roar of laughter erupted. "I didn't really know my own father," Kaiba mused. "He was around sometimes, but he worked a lot. My mother was the one who cared for me. When she died, my father became even more distant."

"That's really unfortunate." Jonouchi frowned before squinting his nose, "I mean, I'm glad I at least knew mine before he turned ugly. At least that's something."

"At least that's something," Kaiba agreed, raising his mug and finishing it off. Another materialized in front of him before he'd even set the empty one back down. "Were you able to work out everything with your almost-landlord?" he asked, changing gears. Dwelling on family matters would only perpetuate a depressive night.

"Yeah. I got things figured out. He wasn't happy, but whatever."

Jonouchi went silent for a while before finishing off his own beer, looking around at the other guys in the bar before glancing back at Kaiba.

"...You were seeing someone back in America, weren't you? A bartender? I couldn't imagine that."

"It wasn't anything serious," Kaiba said, "for either of us."

"Still. Tell me about it, I'm curious."

Kaiba's voice was colored with amusement, "What's there to say? I was alone in a foreign land. My days were spent at work, and instead of wasting my nights away in my hotel room, I wandered from bar to bar until I found one I liked. He was attractive and didn't expect anything."

"Didn't he know who you were," inquired Jonouchi, "I mean even there, they must know about you. It's not like you're not a little famous."

"If he did, he didn't let on. I appreciated the anonymity."

"Hmm..."

Pausing, Jonouchi barely noticed his empty beer being replaced with a full one. He blinked before shaking his head and smiling at Kaiba, "What did he look like?"

Kaiba regarded Jonouchi from behind his beer mug, sipping slowly. He felt uneasy withholding information now that their relationship was on more solid ground, but he couldn't quite figure out where Jonouchi was going with this, either. "Does it matter?" he asked lightly.

"Come on, Kaiba, just tell me."

"He was tall. Broader than you. Dark brown hair and darker eyes, a perpetual five o'clock shadow. Tanned, but I think it was his natural coloring."

"Why didn't you go any further with it then? Was he not interesting enough?"

The front door snapped open, a gust of cold air accompanying the two older salarymen who entered and beelined for a table near the heater. "I wasn't looking for a relationship, and neither was he. It was a way to pass time with tolerable company."

Kaiba knew it sounded harsh, but it was the truth. Before, if he found someone interesting and agreeable enough, he could allow himself to indulge in a simple fling. Merely bodily maintenance, with as little feelings invested possible. That part had always been easy.

"Was he the only guy, then?"

"No."

Jonouchi smiled before laughing. "Tell me about the rest of them."

"You act like I had a whole laundry list," Kaiba laughed. "There were only two others. One was a one-night stand with a potential investor. It was after a party, we both were drunk, and he had been making eyes at me the entire night. He disappeared right after - he was pretty well-known, and I think the reality of a possible gay scandal freaked him out. The other was the son of a business partner. We saw each other off and on, but it never went anywhere, and then it ended when his father arranged a marriage."

"A potential investor!" laughed Jonouchi loudly as he drank more of his beer, eyes nearly popping out of his skull. For a moment, he forgot himself. "Hahahaha, I never thought for a million years you'd be that ballsy and do something like that. Oh my god, were you like trying to give him a deal he couldn't refuse?" Jonouchi broke into loud laughter again, "I guess you didn't quite convince him."

Snorting, Kaiba drank more of his beer, the drink sloshing up as he banged the glass back against the bar top. "I think I convinced him a little too easily, that was the problem. Whatever. I didn't give two shits in America over how they perceived me. I don't really care much here, either, but I don't want to unnecessarily burden Mokuba or my employees, either."

"Ohhhhh," laughed Jonouchi before he grinned even wider, "so he was American, too? Tell me, Kaiba, have you ever fucked a Japanese person and enjoyed it, or just foreigners?"

His own grin spread across his face, "I'm looking right at him."

"I guess, although my father liked to remind me plenty of times that I still wasn't one of them," Jonouchi pointed out. "I only count for half."

"You were born and raised here. You share the mentality of the people here. I'd hardly classify you as foreign just because one of your parents happens to be."

"I don't feel so special anymore," snorted Jonouchi.

"Special can be overrated," Kaiba said. He was starting to feel warm, the edges of his vision going soft. "If it's any consolation, you're special to me," he grinned, leaning forward a little.

"That's because I'm one of only a few who can put up with you," laughed Jonouchi. "So you've only been with three people before me, huh? I guess that's not so bad."

"Three men," Kaiba corrected. "But you're the one that matters…"

"We're not talking about me," pointed out Jonouchi. "Are you drunk already?"

"Not yet," Kaiba hummed. "Why can't we talk about you?"

"Because... I don't want to talk about me." Jonouchi smiled easily before drinking more of his beer. The glass was almost empty now. It had been replaced before Jonouchi could finish it. "It's embarrassing."

He was already on his third tall beer. The noise level in the room had elevated, a steady, jolting vibration, but not yet to the point of rowdiness. "Then we can continue talking about me," Kaiba offered, grinning devilishly. "What is it about me that you like?"

Jonouchi's eyes widened again before he spoke. "Uhhh... I don't know," he answered after a pause. "You warmed up on me, don't ask me questions like that after I've been drinking. I can't come up with coherent thoughts, you know? You try answering a question like that...

"I just do. Isn't that good enough?"

"For now," Kaiba replied. A pleasant buzz occupied his head, spreading down his body. Somehow his drink was already at the halfway point. "Can I expect an answer when you haven't been drinking?" He sighed, his vision flickering from Jonouchi to across the room and back. "I guess it doesn't really matter, although it would be nice to know what I'm doing right."

"Maybe."

He didn't expect an answer, in all honesty. It had taken so much for Jonouchi to even admit he had deeper feelings for Kaiba. For him to dissect those feelings, put them into words...Kaiba wouldn't hold his breath. Just knowing would have to be enough.

"Are you drunk yet?" Kaiba asked, returning Jonouchi's own question from just moments earlier.

"A little bit." Jonouchi sipped at his glass again, smiling underneath the rim. "Why?"

"No reason," Kaiba murmured. "Do you want to be?"

"Do you want me to be drunk?"

"Drinking was your idea. Surely you had a point of intoxication in mind," Kaiba teased.

"Not really," snorted Jonouchi as he played with the rim of his glass. "I was going to drink until I didn't feel like drinking anymore. If you're done, you can always feel free to just watch."

Tipping his mug back, Kaiba drank until it was empty. "No, I'll continue. Like you said, drinking alone isn't so fun."

"I used to drink a lot with my friend Honda," mused Jonouchi. "When his dad and mom would go away for the weekend or whatever, we'd use our fake IDs to buy cases of beer and drink it all before they'd come back. Back in the day, I used to think that was great shit, but now it's just so boring. I guess once it becomes legal, the fun starts to fade away," mused Jonouchi. "Did you party at all in America, Kaiba?"

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. He tugged his scarf loose and felt a sudden coldness by his elbow - a fourth beer. "You've seen me at parties. Do I look like a partier?"

"I don't know," laughed Jonouchi, "you didn't look like a playboy to me, either, but apparently you have more game than I first thought."

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba replied exasperatedly, "I'm experienced, but that doesn't make me a playboy."

Did it? He didn't think so. Sure, sex before Jonouchi had been an empty, meaningless venture. Exciting at times, but certainly without depth or emotional attachment. He hadn't been seeking that, either.

Not even with Jonouchi. Everything just happened of its own accord, Kaiba submitting reluctantly to what apparently had been an inevitability. Somehow he'd fallen in love, like it or not, and there had been no changing it.

"I bet you wished you were a playboy," teased Jonouchi as he finished his glass and waved his hand drunkenly, "back in the day, with all your money and fancy-ass clothes. It's no wonder you were so busy before meeting me, huh?"

Four people wasn't really that much, but Jonouchi apparently wasn't going to spare his teasing anytime soon.

"Were you at least nervous with the first guy you fooled around with?"

"Not really," Kaiba answered, watching the tiny bubbles in his drink float in streams to the surface. "The male body is more familiar; if anything, I felt more confident. I was too drunk for any nerves to set in, anyway."

"How could you not be nervous?" Jonouchi sighed as he looked down at his fingers, dragging one slowly across the polished wood of the bar, "I was always nervous. No getting around that."

Sometime along the night, the bar had filled to half-occupancy. All of the booths were taken, as well as most of the tables. Kaiba and Jonouchi were the only ones remaining at the bar itself, the older man at the end having left at some point. Kaiba hadn't even noticed the change. "Sex, when considered from its physical basis, is easy. You perform certain acts to achieve a desired outcome. There was nothing to be nervous about.

"Intimacy is different," he continued, "When emotions become involved, that's when things start to become muddled."

"How about this," added Jonouchi, "I get nervous because I don't want to mess up. That's all there is to it."

"Performance anxiety," Kaiba assessed. "You're overthinking things - it's a self-fulfilling prophecy."

"Whatever... performance anxiety. I'm not even the one doing most of the work. It can't be performance anxiety."

"Then is 'not wanting to mess up' really all there is to it?"

"I don't know..." Jonouchi mumbled as he played with his glass some more. "How could you not ever get nervous? You're not perfect, you mess up sometimes."

Kaiba reached over and swiped a line with the pad of his index finger down the side of Jonouchi's glass, dragging it across the countertop to the edge of his own. He watched as it slowly evaporated. "It's not something I worry about. As long as both parties come out satisfied, what difference does it make? Sex is messy; it's unpredictable - you're in the moment. I try not to think of other things when I'm enjoying someone's company in that way. It would be a waste."

"So... you've never messed up before in the moment?" asked Jonouchi.

"If I did, no one ever complained."

Sighing, Kaiba picked up his mug and swirled it around, watching the tiny cyclone inside dissipate before drinking. "The bartender," Kaiba said, staring down into his glass. His reflection rippled in the pale yellow liquid. "I'd had too much to drink one night, and the most important part, shall we say, had its own problems 'performing.' Being around alcohol so much, he was used to it and just amused. Even offered to fuck me instead, but I refused. I ended up passing out anyway. He just laughed it off the next morning, but I didn't find it quite as humorous."

"You couldn't get it up, so you passed out at his place after he proposed to screw you instead?" gaped Jonouchi. "You trusted him to let you sleep it off? You're a braver man than I am, Kaiba, I would have freaked the hell out."

Snorting, Jonouchi rubbed his nose before sipping at his glass again. He wasn't going to have any more, though, since he could hardly keep his attention on any one thing as Kaiba spoke to him.

"At least the guy didn't care. I would have been mortified."

"Tactful as ever," Kaiba deadpanned, finishing off the fourth. He held his hand up briefly, declining a refill - he could feel the beer heavy in his stomach, sloshing around and waiting to be absorbed. "I wouldn't call it a matter of trust; I had been beyond inebriated and obviously made a questionable decision to go with him. Luckily for me, he was a respectful person and quite used to dealing with drunks."

"I thought alcohol killed sexual desire," laughed Jonouchi. "But you came to him for a booty call regardless?"

"Alcohol is a peculiar substance," Kaiba replied, eyes trailing from Jonouchi's glass to around the bar, staring at its other patrons, "It removes inhibitions and encourages the seeds of desire, yet at the same time often thwarts the parts that require doing the action." He smirked a little, finally finding the humor in the absurdness of that night once he thought about it. "It only happened that one time."

"What if it happened again," mused Jonouchi as he smiled a little and played with the hair at the back of his neck, twirling it in his fingers, "would you just sleep it off and leave me disappointed? I guess you can't really help it if your dick doesn't want to cooperate."

Snorting, Kaiba leaned in close, so close that he could feel the heat rising off of Jonouchi's cheek and lips nearly touching his ear, and whispered, "Maybe I'd let you fuck me." He laughed as he pulled away, snatching Jonouchi's still-mostly-full mug and taking a sip.

It was as though the soul left Jonouchi's body. His eyes grew wide, and Kaiba couldn't even see his eyebrows, they had risen so far up underneath his thick bangs. His mouth had gone abruptly slackjaw before he snapped it shut and leaned back, squinting at Kaiba as though he had just sprouted a second head.

Then his face broke out red across his cheeks, neck, and ears. Jonouchi must have noticed, because he quickly hid his face in his hands, making a grumbling noise as he did so.

Kaiba laughed out loud, a hand slapping against the bar top. It was almost endearing how embarrassed and shocked Jonouchi looked, and Kaiba couldn't help but take advantage of that. He leaned in close again, staring up at Jonouchi's shielded face and pressing the toe of his shoe against Jonouchi's calf. "I know you've thought of it…"

"Not in any kind of serious way," mumbled Jonouchi through his hands as he fidgeted in his seat. "Maybe a curious thought once or twice, in passing. But that's all."

Shaking his head, Jonouchi finally uncovered his face and put his hands through his hair before sighing. "You can't be serious about the offer. You're drunk. We should probably head back, anyways, before I fall off this bar stool or do something else just as equally stupid."

"Heading back would be an impossibility," Kaiba declared, his fingers crawling along the edge of the bar. "There's no way I'm driving tonight. We'll just have to stay at the hotel...if we can make it there." He pushed the half-full stein away, reaching into his coat and retrieving several thousand yen bills and dumping them between their glasses. Testing his weight on his feet, Kaiba rose and stood, bracing himself against the bar as the sudden movement sent his vision spinning.

He looked back down at the bar. Those mugs had been much, much bigger than he remembered.

"Yeah, your hotel isn't that far away, Kaiba," bemused Jonouchi as he waggled his finger, "we walked here, don't you remember?"

"Yes, but we also drove here," Kaiba insisted. "I remember everything. We're not going home tonight. We're-" Kaiba shook his head, started for the door. He was likely going to feel miserable tomorrow and absently chided himself over not having eaten more before a night of extended drinking.

"Can I be right for once?" asked Jonouchi.

He started laughing loudly when they left the bar, entering the chilly night with it echoing in the sharp air. It was so crisp outside, it nearly took Kaiba's breath away. They both emitted little puffs of ice each time they exhaled, and Jonouchi seemed most impressed by it, blowing into his hands like a kid, his eyes all wide as he smiled to himself.

"It smells like snow again," Kaiba remarked, breathing in deeply. It had snowed earlier in the morning, but not enough to stick, melting by the time they'd left the house. "If this keeps up, maybe you'll even have a White Christmas."

"I didn't think it'd really make a difference. I'll be hiding inside anyways."

Kaiba smirked, "I would have thought you'd appreciate that sort of thing. Are you that averse to the cold?"

"When it begins to freeze my face off, yes!"

The sky was dark, and even with the street lights on and giant TV screens glowing on the buildings that surrounded the downtown area, the sense of lateness fell on them heavily. Jonouchi was walking quite quickly, and for once, Kaiba found himself working to keep up with him.

Didn't help that he was drunk, too. He tripped over his feet several times against the grating on the sidewalk as he cursed himself for being so clumsy.

"Have you ever stayed at a love hotel?" asked Jonouchi quite out of nowhere.

"What? No," Kaiba blinked, a bit taken aback by the question.

"You want to?" grinned Jonouchi. "Could be fun."

Overtaking Jonouchi, Kaiba continued down the hill, focused on getting one foot in front of the other. "Absolutely not."

"Oh why not?"

Jonouchi stopped in his tracks, looking down an alley. Kaiba kept walking on without him, but at some point he noticed the stillness, and turning around, he was surprised to find Jonouchi not by his side.

"Jonouchi, I own my own hotel. Why would I waste money at some filthy rat hole and pay by the hour when I can stay in a clean room for as long as I like?" Besides, Gozaburo had frequented the establishments. His suits would reek of cheap antiseptic and air freshener after.

"They're not all rat holes, you know," said Jonouchi as he rolled his eyes and sighed. "You can be such a damn snob, but whatever. Have it your way then."

And picking up the pace, it was clear that Jonouchi was annoyed as he stalked off towards uptown.

"Oh? So do you have some experience with them then, since you seem so knowledgeable," Kaiba snickered, catching up with Jonouchi. He knew he was being uptight, but whatever. He was drunk, but not drunk enough to want to get caught stumbling out of some run-down hookup spot the next morning.

"Yes."

"What." Kaiba stopped dead, unbelieving.

"I didn't fuck anyone," laughed Jonouchi as he shook his head and grabbed the bridge of his nose, "Love hotels are cheaper than normal hotels. I'd rent a room when I didn't want to go home. How could I not? I mean come on, the rooms are bigger than my old place, my old man can't just barge in, and the porn is included."

He grinned before continuing on up the sidewalk.

Kaiba rolled his eyes, resuming his pace next to Jonouchi. "How adventurous," he said flatly. But really, even being vaguely aware of Jonouchi's sexual history, he was unreasonably relieved that Jonouchi hadn't had any trysts at one.

"No one asked for your approval."

Ignoring the comment, Kaiba focused all of his energy on clearing the base of the hill without falling on his face. The many streetlights and shop signs glowed brightly, lighting up the main drag almost violently compared to the shadowed side street they had just left, and Kaiba had to pause momentarily, almost swaying, before his eyes adjusted.

Walking on level ground was exponentially easier. Kaiba felt inwardly thankful that he naturally earned a wide berth from other passerby wherever he walked - weaving through tightly-clustered crowds just was not an option given his current condition. He looked to his side, at Jonouchi who seemed entirely steady on his feet, and at once felt bewildered and slightly jealous. They had consumed just about the same amount of beer - why didn't Jonouchi seem as outwardly intoxicated as Kaiba felt? Normally, drunk Jonouchi was a loud, stumbling mess.

Multicolored reflections cast across Jonouchi's pale face, a moving canvas as they ventured back to Kaiba Hotel. Jonouchi had lost a bit of his tan with the change of the seasons, but he still was darker than most Japanese, and Kaiba had to wonder if Jonouchi's father took the credit for that. Kaiba was half himself, but he had always been just a couple shades darker than porcelain. The moon hung overhead, a few days short of complete fullness, its soft white light illuminating Jonouchi's fair hair to the point it almost looked ethereal. His sharp features, combined with the colors and the lights, nearly transformed Jonouchi into some kind of mythical creature, daring the mortal world to spirit Kaiba away.

"What are you staring at?" laughed Jonouchi as he stopped in his tracks, arms folded as he directed all his attention back at Kaiba before shaking his head, "Jeez, you are drunk."

"Yes," Kaiba admitted, disrupting his stride long enough to hook an arm under Jonouchi's, "so let's get to the hotel already before you have to carry me there." If he was going to be spirited away, at least he would go willingly.

"Yeah, let's. I'm a bit drunk myself," reasoned Jonouchi, "and I'll fall if I have to carry your dead weight back home."

Jonouchi led the way, and Kaiba noticed that he didn't try breaking his grip as they walked through the crowds. Either he finally didn't care, or he was too drunk to care. Regardless of which answer it was, Kaiba was pleased. He tried to hide it from his face, but it was probably evident from the slight soreness around the corners of his mouth that he was smiling way too hard about it.

There was hardly anyone in the main hotel lobby, but Kaiba finally let go once they stepped into the building. He knew better than to make his staff start talking, and they all snapped their heads and bowed when he crossed the room, sending off their pleasant greetings as Kaiba stumbled across the room, trying not to trip on the rug, before nearly falling into the elevator.

"You're so graceful," snickered Jonouchi as he punched the floor number, "I wish your brother could see you now. No one would believe me if I told them..."

"Good. They don't need to know…" Kaiba replied as he slumped against the wall of the elevator. The metal was a cool relief against his burning cheek.

"Not even your dear brother?" Jonouchi just grinned as he rolled his eyes, "He won't break if he gets to hear about you being an actual person every once in a while."

"Especially not my brother," Kaiba sighed, turning to face Jonouchi. "He'd just use this as ammo for the next time he wanted something I disapproved…" He wrinkled his nose at the thought; he loved his brother beyond words, but there was no denying Mokuba could be an insufferable brat when he felt like it.

The doors opened. Jonouchi stepped out first.

"I swear, Kaiba, sometimes you can be no fun at all," he laughed, "I need someone to talk to about your crazy antics. Come on, I don't want you falling in there and passing out on the floor."

Latching onto Jonouchi's elbow, Kaiba allowed himself to be guided down the hallway as he tossed his wallet to Jonouchi to rummage for the key card. "I'm still learning. Remember? 'Sensei.'" He broke into choked laughter, almost breathless as Jonouchi shuffled them into the suite and turned on the lights.

Jonouchi rolled his eyes again, helping Kaiba out of his coat before taking off his own. He took off his shoes too, putting them in place before going into the closet to hang their things. Kaiba stood watching, silent, a grin fighting against his face once more. It was starting to hurt, but he couldn't help it.

"I'm tired, so you must be, too," said Jonouchi as he spoke out loud and looked at no one in particular, "I'm about ready to pass out."

He led Kaiba to the master bedroom, crossing through the foyer and up the small spiraling flight of stairs until they reached the hallway and Jonouchi opened the door. It was pitch dark before Kaiba stepped inside, and he fumbled trying to turn on the lights before Jonouchi suddenly pulled back the curtains on the windows.

"Kaiba, look!"

He ushered him over, his face lit up once more.

"It's actually snowing!"

"I thought you weren't all that excited over it," Kaiba mumbled, watching Jonouchi more than the falling snow.

"Well, I'm inside now, so it doesn't matter. And it looks so pretty. Come look!"

Kaiba stood there, watching the slowly drifting flakes sail against the dark backdrop of the sky. Far below them, Domino City twinkled like a tight cluster of stars. They seemed so far removed from the rest of the world in this singular room, and Kaiba had to close his eyes before he started to feel too faint.

Grabbing Jonouchi's hand in his own, he lightly tugged Jonouchi back to the bed. "We can leave the curtains open. Let's go to bed."

Jonouchi nodded his head, following behind before sitting on the edge of the bed. He undressed quickly, tossing everything into his designated hamper before skipping off into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Instead of stealing one of Kaiba's, he made a point to take one of the disposable ones, smirking as he tore off the plastic wrapper before putting toothpaste on and putting it into his mouth.

It was strange. Jonouchi's eyes were burning, almost, and the corners of his mouth turned into a kind of sly grin as the toothbrush entered, his lips closing slowly before he started jerking the thing back and forth inside his mouth.

Suddenly, Kaiba felt a trickle of blood flowing down his right nostril.

"Shit," Kaiba hissed, a hand flying to cover the bottom half of his face. He leaned over and stole a handful of tissues, holding them against his nose and pinching.

"Kaiba, are you okay?" asked Jonouchi in a more serious tone, his smile fading into a concerned gaze. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's this weather," Kaiba answered around the wad of tissues, his voice slightly distorted. Just fucking wonderful. He sighed mentally before gradually easing back the tissues, testing whether the blood had stopped.

"You get nosebleeds?" asked Jonouchi incredulously. "So you are a real human being!"

He broke out laughing as he continued brushing his teeth.

"Very funny," Kaiba grouched, tossing the tissues into the trash and grabbing for his own toothbrush. A sudden wave of lightheadedness hit him - shit, the nosebleed combined the the copious amount of alcohol really might make him pass out.

Finishing quickly, Kaiba unceremoniously stripped out of his clothes. He almost fell over twice, and several articles hung off or completely missed the hamper.

"Having trouble?"

Jonouchi grinned as he turned off the bedroom lights and got under the covers. "I don't think Kirin agrees with you so much."

"No. I'm fine," Kaiba said pointedly, an almost petulant edge to his tone. He was finally successful in removing all of his clothes (if not so successful in properly putting them away, but whatever) and crawled under the sheets until he was close to the center of the bed. Scooting up on his side next to Jonouchi, Kaiba stared at him through the darkness, his features hard to make out against the city light seeping in.

"Hi," spoke Jonouchi, his smile easy as he pressed the tip of his index finger against Kaiba's nose. "Time to go to sleep now."

Kaiba scrunched up his face at the contact. "I'm still awake."

"Close your eyes then," suggested Jonouchi, "and count how many cards you own. That should help."

He snorted, but he didn't do as told. Instead, Kaiba continued to study Jonouchi, his eyes straining to make out his face. He looked relaxed and content, and Kaiba felt a warmth spread through him that he knew he couldn't attribute to the alcohol.

"Did you want to?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Huh?" Jonouchi blinked before dropping his chin into the palm of his hand. "What are you talking about?"

Kaiba leaned over and gently pressed his lips to Jonouchi's. They were warm and soft, and Kaiba felt a little self-conscious over how chaste it seemed. He pulled back, and Jonouchi was staring at him curiously, but then he shut his eyes as Kaiba tilted in for another kiss, pulling Kaiba closer to him. This time it was Jonouchi who deepened the kiss, encouraging Kaiba to open his mouth with his tongue. He slid his arms around Kaiba's neck, tiny sighs escaping him as the tide of control ebbed and flowed from Kaiba to him and back again.

Drifting an arm down Jonouchi's side, Kaiba trailed down the smoothness of Jonouchi's ass, cupping him at the small of his back and sliding a knee between his legs. He felt hands in his hair, and all of the shifting unbalanced them. Kaiba could feel the mattress suddenly against his back, Jonouchi more or less sprawled across him, but after a short burst of laughter, Jonouchi was upon him again, hands holding Kaiba's wrists at his sides.

Kaiba finally opened up himself. Jonouchi had noticed. He pulled back, breathless and panting, staring down at Kaiba half-lidded and glassy.

Kaiba looked up at him, one hand reaching up to caress Jonouchi's cheek. Jonouchi sighed and leaned into the touch, closing his eyes contentedly.

"Did you want to?" Kaiba echoed his question from before.

Jonouchi's eyes slowly opened, the hazel a bright contrast against the room's darkness. "That's the second time you asked me," he smiled lazily, "Be more specific."

"Fuck me," Kaiba breathed. An offering. A small, amused smile of his own found its way upon his face. "I would let you," he murmured, fingers extending out to thread through Jonouchi's hair, dragging through his scalp.

"But do you want me to?" asked Jonouchi with a tinge of nervousness, "you've never seemed interested in that before."

"I'm invested in this particular outcome," Kaiba was slurring his words as he tried pulling Jonouchi closer. "I want to try this."

The words just came out; Kaiba wasn't thinking straight when he grabbed Jonouchi's shoulders and aggressively pulled him into a kiss. It was sloppy. They were both so drunk. It tingled each time their lips met, and Kaiba could taste that bitter sting of alcohol, but he was too far gone to care. He didn't have much coordination, either, when he tried to get Jonouchi's boxers off. His actions seemed hesitant at first, but eventually Jonouchi stopped seeming so resistant and continued on like before.

It was rather clear from the beginning that they weren't sure how to go about doing it. Time seemed hazy; Kaiba's mind was foggy when he finally felt Jonouchi pull away before he returned again.

His face felt warm and his breath hitched. Eyes closed, he could feel lips on his face, hands massaging his scalp as another stroked his inner thigh. Body twisted in the sheets awkwardly, Kaiba tried concentrating enough to relax. Maybe it was thanks to the alcohol, but it didn't take as long to let go and eventually Kaiba found himself just laying there, allowing Jonouchi to do it for him.

The room was dark. Reactions dulled and senses slow, Kaiba fumbled around trying to find a condom, but he knocked the box over just as Jonouchi finished getting it on.

"Are you sure you're fine with this," he asked again, bumping Kaiba's face with his nose once, "I wouldn't want to take advantage of your inebriated state, you know."

"I'm fine," lied Kaiba as he fixed himself straight on the mattress, "this was my idea."

Jonouchi shook his head, but he didn't argue with it. Whenever Kaiba had made up his mind about something, nothing could change it, and sighing as their bodies pressed together, he sucked in a breath before finally releasing, feeling that inescapable pressure building as his stomach erupted into butterflies.

There was sweat dripping off his brow. Kaiba didn't have much time to think about it; Jonouchi was still, kissing him all over his face. It took some effort to kiss back, and Kaiba could feel their bodies damp with perspiration as they began to mold together, Jonouchi's breath shaky as he felt him.

It was comfortable. Kaiba found himself relaxing into it. The feeling was pleasurable. More than he thought it could ever be.

And then it ended rather abruptly. Jonouchi collapsed as Kaiba, in shock, almost opened his mouth to speak, getting up on his elbows to move, but before he could, Jonouchi kissed him deeply, forcing him back down onto the bed. Kaiba closed his eyes, sucking in a breath as Jonouchi pulled away from him, biting along his neck and chest before trailing down his abdomen. Still in a daze, Kaiba tried blinking to see what he was doing, but he couldn't keep his eyes open, and he felt the blankets pull away, his body chilly, before his legs were spread open and he felt sudden warmth come over him before moaning out loudly.

When he opened his eyes to look down, he could see Jonouchi's hazel ones flashing back up to meet him, and shuddering, Kaiba collapsed back down onto the bed, his legs shaking uncomfortably.

His excitement came back full force and it took a lot out of Kaiba not to move too much. He tried closing his eyes, focusing on his breathing and letting out quick puffs of breath. Kaiba didn't dare watch. Everything happened quickly, intensely. Before he could stop himself, he felt his breath catch just before grabbing onto Jonouchi's hair and letting out a loud cry, his entire body collapsing on the bed. All the tension poured out of him, and boneless, Kaiba laid still, not even watching when Jonouchi got up from the bed and disappeared into the bathroom.

He was just barely awake enough to be giddy. It took a lot out of him to roll onto his side, pressing the sheets over his shoulders, and he felt Jonouchi next to him when he returned to the bed. Kaiba lacked the coherency to do much besides close his eyes, and feeling arms around his waist, he quickly fell asleep.