Kaiba left country after that. He left to heal, to get away from what he was forced to endure, he didn't even take his little brother with him, instead he left the kid in my care. Said something about how he could trust me, about how he needed Isono with him, that he had no one else to leave his little brother with. I was honoured, not burdened, the fact that Kaiba now felt he could trust me, that this guy, who had been beaten, used, abused, and just about everything under the fucking sun, found it in himself to trust me with the person he held most dear.

It was an honour.

When he came back a month later there wasn't a trace of what had happened left, not on him, not in the media, and not in the rumours at school. It seemed as though just about everyone forgot about what had happened to him, as if no one cared anymore.

Thinking now, it was all as it should have been. Kaiba didn't deserve the pity he would have been given for it, he didn't need it, nor did he want it. All was best that everyone forgot about it. Everyone but the two of us I suppose.

Mokuba never brought it up, nor did any of my friends, it was as though the entire city of Domino decided to do Kaiba Seto one huge favour and forget. How they all did that so easily was beyond me. It had been a month and I still felt as I had the moment I figured out. I wanted to curbstomp that girl into next year, but there was nothing left to be done about it.

When Kaiba returned, he was back to his normal everyday self. He dished out his regular insults, refused to pay attention in class, showed up about an hour early for school to get work done, the works. He was back to his normal douchey self. All was right in my little universe.

Yet he seemed a bit different, he was playful, towards all of us, those of us who had helped him, Yugi and the rest of us. His insults weren't as serious, they were more affectionate. Maybe we had all earned his trust? Maybe he felt indebted to us? Maybe, maybe, maybe. Maybe he just felt guilty for all his words after all this time, after all we had done for him.

All these maybes and yet nothing solid, nothing stuck.

That is until he pulled me aside, asked me all these questions. Asked me how his brother was doing, everything, his brother had returned home already, but it seemed he was still concerned about the month he had spent without the runt by his side.

I answered all his questions like clockwork. I had never seen him worry like this, it was nice to see this side of him, only once before have I seen it, and even then it was only because of his little brother.

However, he suddenly switched topics, asked me if there was anything he could do for me. Claimed that I deserved something in return for my efforts to help him and his brother. Before giving even a second of thought I refused, told him I did not expect anything in return, that my actions were solely that. Yet he continued.

"Surely there's something, you've saved my life."

"There's nothing," there was something.

In my heart of hearts I knew full well that there was something left to be gained here, that there was something I truly wanted. Yet I could not bring myself to ask it of him. It seemed like far too much, especially after all that had just happened. I felt nothing but guilt over my own desires, how was I to voice them if I could hardly face them myself?

"I know you want something, Jounouchi."

He used my family name to address me, I wasn't used to such respect from him.

"But you don't know what, and that's enough for me."

"I can give you anything in the world," he would say.

"What I want can't be held."

"Jounouchi."

I thought on it for a few seconds, went over every possible outcome in my head. I would lose his trust, after all, who would want to continue any sort of friendship with someone like that? I bit my tongue, decided to take my chances.

"I would like a kiss, but I'd be willing to settle for your number."