A/N: I'm sorry for not replying to your reviews, guys. I'm really grateful for the reviews, seriously. I was in a seminar, see, and I couldn't access my mail from there so I'm really, really sorry. Anyway, here's the next part. Thank you for reading! Oh. Don't worry, by the way. I'm finding time to work on Photo Effect and Blood is Red. Thanks again! ^^


Part IV

As expected from all last classes, Ecology was fairly boring. Yami stared absentmindedly outsidet the window as he leaned on his hand. The teacher continued to talk about the principle of the subject without noticing, and for that Yami was innately glad. He hadn't been listening since the class began, after all, and he didn't want to answer any of the teacher's questions. He sighed.

"Pay attention," Seto's breath tickled his ear and he grinned, glancing at the brunet. Seto was inclined towards him, an elbow on his desk. His textbook was closed and his notebook, empty. Seto wasn't apparently listening as well. Yami's grin, if possible, widened.

"Hypocrite," he teased, poking Seto's shoulder playfully.

"At least I'm discreet," the brunet defended, responding with a an amused quirk of his lips. He had been staring at Yami for a time now and knew instantly that while the subject had the potential to be interesting–potential, being the keyword– it still bored them out of their wits. If given a pen, he figured Yami'd have doodled like the rest of the class was already doing.

Yami stuck his tongue out childishly, "Hush," he mock-chided before pretending to listen. He felt Seto go back to his own seat and he shook his head, exasperated at their childish behaviour. Just as the teacher distributing the hand-outs for their next activity, Yami gaped as a note was passed to him. He turned to Seto, an eyebrow quirked.

Seriously? He tried to say non-verbally.

Seto smirked.

Of course. "Read it," he mouthed and smiled when Yami complied.

The note read:

Date, you and me tomorrow. Pick you up at 7 p.m.

Y/N

- SK

(P.S. You better pick 'yes'.)

Yami chuckled before, as the teacher turned her back, pulling Seto close. Surprised, Seto didn't react when Yami kissed him boldly in class, nor did he notice the ex-spirit deftly stealing his pen. It was only until Yami pulled back with a mischievous smile and his silver Parker pen that Seto's eyes widened in realization. The other boy circled the 'Y' on the note and handed both note and pen back to their owner.
"Thanks," he whispered.

"Mr. Mutou, would you like to tell the class what interests you so much there at the back?" The teacher finally cried, glaring daggers at him as he calmly stood up and smiled accomodatingly.

"Of course, sensei. I was only asking Kaiba-san here if business and ecology can work together, without one being superseded by the other," Yami lied ever so smoothly.

"Interesting," was the bland reply, "However, I advise you to inquire loudly next time, dear child."

"Yes, sensei."

The class proceeded and Yami glanced at the clock. Fifteen minutes left. He shifted his gaze at Seto who was staring at him as well, and grinned when the CEO shook his head.

"You're hopeless," Seto muttered.

"You're adorable."

Seto glared at him and for the remaining minutes in class, Yami fought the laugh that threatened to slip his lips. Notes were passed and all throughout, the teacher never noticed that her two students at the back weren't really paying any attention to her. Or her subject.

They were the last ones to stand up as the bell rang. The teacher dismissed them soon afterward. Ironically, Yami was as disorganized with his stuff as he was organized with his strategies in card games, and he spent a few minutes looking for scattered sheets of paper a classmate had written notes for him. (Being a new kid seemed to have benefits.) Seto hadn't said a word since their sensei left and it went by unnoticed until Yami heard the door slam close.

"I'm not quite ready to be locked in a classroom on my first year in school, you know," Yami teased, rolling his eyes as Seto stalked towards him. He was still stuffing his book into his bag when he felt Seto's hands on his face, framing them gently as he looked up. Seto smiled and dipped his head, kissing him softly.

Despite Yami's uncertainty when it came to his feelings for the brunet, in a week, they've gone out once and stole kisses in the corridor. It wasn't so farfetched, what with one of them managing to catch, and find innate pleasure in, the other by surprise. He met Seto's smile with his even as the brunet deepend their kiss.

When they pulled back, Yami's cheeks were red and Seto was smirking ever so smugly.

"I can't find my notes," Yami commented randomly, staring at him.

"You can always read the book. It provides in-depth explanations," Seto replied nonchalantly.

"I know. I've read it," he returned, flipping the book as if to prove his statement. There were highlighted sentences and notes at the margins of the pages. Seto laughed before grabbing his bag.

"Let's go. I'll drive you home."

"Thanks."

The corridor was empty when they got out. They walked to the parking lot in comfortable silence, both in thought. That was, until–

"There you are!"

It was Jou.

Yami's eyes widened when he realized who the owner of the voice was. He turned around, stopping before he sat on the passenger seat. Jou was jogging towards him, disheveled hair and natural childish enthusiasm at finding someone they were looking for bright in his eyes. Yami sighed even as Seto remained quiet, avoiding one of those 'unnecessary' arguments with the blonde. There really were better things to do with his time.

"We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"I told Yuugi I have class with Seto today," Yami reasoned.

"'Seto'?" Jou asked in disbelief, gawking. "Since when do you call moneybags 'Seto'?"

Yami stared at him, scowling with disapproval. "Since we've gotten close?" He answered sarcastically, trying not to be blatant about the fact that they were going out.

"Close? But Yami!"

Yami glared at him, "Jou, while your intentions are good, I really couldn't care less. I'm fine so you can stop worrying," he replied instantly. Seto's hand fell to his back and he bit the insides of his cheek to stop the smile that threatened to grace his lips. "Tell Yuugi I'll be home later."

"Yami–"

"Jou, just go." Yami sighed and watched the blonde grasp the meaning of his words. Finally. Jou stared back, shock barely masked, before nodding shakily. He scurried away and left the couple behind, not sparing a glance. Not daring to. The sight reminded Yami of a cowed dog with its tail tuck underneath after having been scolded by its master.

The ex-spirit shook his head.

Yami jumped as a hand fell on his shoulder. He turned to Seto and smiled sadly, "Sorry," he muttered, hugging the brunet, who tipped his head and kissed him softly.

"Aren't you sweet, going defensive and all that for me?" Seto teased.

Yami laughed, mood instantly lightened as he pushed the brunet playfully away. He stuck his tongue out childishly before getting in the car.

The drive to the Game Shop was fairly quiet and they were comfortable with it. Seto concentrated on driving and tried not to run past stoplights as he had been accustomed to while Yami was deep in thought. Sooner or later, his friends were going to intervene and from Jou's reaction, he doubted they'd like what was happening. When Seto parked the car in front of the shop and placed an arm behind Yami's headrest, Yami turned and looked at him, waiting.

Seto smiled, meeting Yami's slightly widened eyes before kissing him softly. He caressed Yami's cheek, brushing his bangs away before leaving another kiss on Yami's temple. "Good night," he bade warmly.

"Good night, Seto." Yami blushed under the brunet's gaze and saw Seto smirk. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yami?"

As Seto sped away, Yami turned, shocked to meet Yuugi's disbelieving stare.

"Aibou!" Did he see anything?

Yuugi gaped at him, opening his mouth to say something before closing it eventually. He saw the sillhouette of Seto leaning towards his yami and he wondered if it was as it had appeared. What was going on? Yami's cheeks were red and his lips were swollen. Yuugi didn't have to be a scientist to know what those could mean.

"Y-you and Kaiba-san…?" He asked.

Yami sighed, "Let's talk about this inside," he invited, opening the door for the both of them. Grandpa was thankfully spending the week, starting today, with his anthropologist friend so they had the building to themselves. Yuugi sat down on the couch and looked at the ex-spirit expectantly.

"What's going on?" He finally voiced the question that's been bothering him.

Yami looked at him.

"Yami?"

"We're dating."

"S-since when?" They hadn't seen Seto since Yami got his body months ago and classes had barely on those rare times that Seto answered their phone calls, it was to give permission for them to borrow books from his study. They were barely into the first week! So how in the world could this possibly happen?

"A couple of days ago," Yami mumbled.

"What?"

Yami sighed and met his aibou's gaze. "We bumped into each other on our way to class," he narrated, sitting down beside the other boy, "Remember when you went ahead on the first day of school? During lunch period, I fell asleep in the courtyard…"

He shrugged, telling Yuugi the story before slumping dejectedly on the couch. "I'm sorry for not telling you, aibou."

"It's okay," was the reassurance. Then, "Do you like him? Kaiba-san, I mean?"

"Yuugi!"

Yuugi laughed, gladdened that the mood had somehow been alleviated. "It's a perfectly normal question to ask, Yami!" He answered defensively before grinning at the former monarch and elbowing him playfully, "So… you like him, right? Did you go out on a date already? Oooh… you didn't even tell me!"

"Wait, wait, wait…" Yami stopped and looked at him. This was so hard to follow. That was it? No issues about how it was Seto Kaiba and all that? "What are we talking about?"

Yuugi hugged him, "Nevermind," he replied, "You didn't answer my question. Do you like him?"

"What?!" Yami blushed, flustered at the question as he groped for the answer in his head. Did he? He thought back to how catching Seto smile at him instantly made him smile back, and how Seto simply looked handsome when his hair was messily tousled and his tie slightly was attraction. It was hard not to be attracted to the brunet, but what about his seemingly involuntary urge to want to be close to Seto as humanly possible? Yami shivered and met Yuugi's gaze.

"Yami?"

"I don't know," he confessed. Yuugi stared at him and he tried to explain, "I'm attracted to him… and it's comfortable… staying with him… He isn't even aware of how good he looks when he's not being the CEO of a company, Yuugi…"

Yuugi kept his gaze and Yami reddened, wondering why he was even rambling in the first place. But Yuugi made some weird hand gesture that told him to keep talking.

"In conclusion…" Because he needed to stop rambling like an idiot. "I think… I'm starting to?"

"That's great!" Yuugi exclaimed, hugging him tight.

"What's great?"

"You liking him!"

"I like him?"

Yuugi stared at him, exasperated.

"I do?"

"Yes, Yami, you do," Yuugi explicitly stated. He didn't understand his dark's incredulity. It was nice to hear that Yami liked someone. Wasn't it?

Yuugi chuckled to himself. Mokuba would be happy to know about this.

"Enough, enough," Yami finally said, standing up. "Let's have dinner so we can work on our homework after that." He wasn't going to work on anything, but those needed to be said.

After dinner, they went to their respective rooms under the pretense of doing homework. Seto called a few minutes after he had buried himself under the covers of his bed and they had talked until way past midnight. Apparently, the brunet wasn't in the mood to work as well.

"We should go," Yami said, lightly chuckling as Seto scoffed. "We really should."

"Then hang up. I'm not forcing you," Seto dared.

Yami rolled his eyes, letting the grin slip throughy. "Good night."

"Night, Yami."

"Night, Seto."

There were a few minutes of awkward, static silence before they broke into laughter again.

"This is insane. We really should hang up."

"One minute," Seto bargained.

Yami chuckled before sobering, remembering his dilemma. "Seto, how did you know that you like me?"

"I just do," Seto playfully quipped.

"Seto!"

He heard the brunet sigh from the other line and he waited patiently for the response.

"When I realized that there wasn't anything else that I'd rather do than make you happy," Seto whispered, as if he didn't want his confession to be heard. His face flushed red and he stared at the ceiling, the covers kicked to the far end of the bed. He wasn't going to sleep yet anyway. "And when I suddenly can't stop thinking about you…"

Yami's mouth hung open at the admission, remembering his own realizations and his eyes widened.

"Yami?" Seto asked uncertainly.

Yami panicked, what was he going to say?

"Yami?" Seto tried again.

"I… I need to go," Yami started to pull away, wanting to hang up.

"No wait, what's going on?" Seto's worry clear in his voice.

Yami stood up and walked towards the window, opening it to let the cold air in. "I… Seto, I like you," he said, half-amazed and half-disbelievingly. It took him this long to figure that out? He held the closest thing he could grab, a pen, nervously.

"Yami–"

In a bout of klutziness, he dropped the pen as he leaned towards the window and in an attempt to catch it, he absentmindedly dropped the phone. The sound of the phone crashing to the ground one storey below was loud in his ears and Yami gasped in horror.

He just wrecked their home phone… after he told Seto that he liked him.

This was not good.