What will become of my dear friend?

Where will his actions lead us then?

Although I'd like to join the crowd

in their enthusiastic cloud

try as I may it doesnt last

It was a few days later that either of them were able to even leave the infirmary, and the nurse made sure of that. No matter how many times Chazz tried to sneak out, she would drag him straight back in again and threaten to handcuff him to the bed.

Fortunately before she made good on that promise, they were free, and Jesse took Chazz to meet up with the gang again, before he could wander off and do something else really stupid. Jaden quickly commented on the fact that Chazz was wearing an eyepatch, and a fast dodge was the only thing that prevented the Slifer from getting one as well.

"Just because I was shoved down a well doesn't mean I still can't beat you slacker!" He yelled as he chased his rival around. Jesse supposed that was their way of making sure the other was okay, since that attitude made up for a majority of their interactions. It was hard to tell, not knowing either of them, but Chazz hadn't acted this animated in all the time Jesse was there with him and Jaden looked a lot happier as well.

His feet were light again, and so was his mood. This was all he needed, to be back with his friends again, both real and spirit kind. Smiling he broke into the fight, attempting to pry Chazz off of Jaden's head and ending up a giant tangled mess.

"Well thats certainly a great way to start off the day." Alexis stared at them all, the smirk on her face clearly showing they were all idiots.

"Ahaha, sorry, it's not my fault Chazz is so affectionate!" Jaden laughed it off. He gained another cuff to the head for that remark.

"Affectionate, my foot! I'd send you down these stairs if I could!"

"Please Chazzy, you couldn't if you try!"

"WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY THAT TO THE FLOOR?"

By that time Jesse had finally managed to pry Chazz off of his friend and they went all their separate ways. His heart started speeding up when the two of them were alone, though he couldn't figure out why.

Jaden's constant visits were one of the reasons Jesse could stick through his hospital stay so well. It wasn't unlike that time they spent on the roof, when he felt so warm on the inside. They were both masters of saying a bunch of things without talking at all, and it filled up the silence between them so easily. So easily in fact that he could barely remember their hands brushing together, the feel of the skin, and perhaps wanting to lean in closer, to find out if he was a warm as his spirit…

But it wasn't the place for it. Jesse shook his head and paid attention as well.

"…but Crowler went and sent me to detention anyway, even when I said I hadn't done it! I mean come on. I know he has it in for me but he doesn't have to try so hard!" He huffed.

"Well maybe you should stop giving him excuses." Jesse said.

"Yeah right, he'd just find a way anyway."

"Suit yourself."

They walked in silence for a little while longer, Jesse growing more and more tense. It wasn't that he was scared of Jaden, but something else. Something he'd never felt before and swore he wouldn't. Besides, its just a friendship thing, no use ruining it for something like..that. He'd seen what it had done to Chazz and wondered what the appeal behind this brown-haired duelist that could strike up such a chord in anyone.

Would you be willing to stick around and let me find out?

Jesse stopped suddenly. "Look Jaden, I have to tell you something, okay? But um…tomorrow. I'll tell you tomorrow, you got that?"

He suddenly rushed off before he could take back those words, leaving a very confused Jaden in his wake.

Why, why WHY, did he do that?

It was so dumb, no matter how much his crystal beasts reassured him he would be fine and not being an idiot, Jesse couldn't imagine what possessed him to think about saying something like that.

Ha, maybe I got possessed by a spirit just like Chazz….

If it were that simple, he would take it. Jesse sat down and dragged his fingers through his bushy hair. It was dark out and he could barely see, but the fresh air was good for clearing ragged and confused minds.

"You're real pathetic sometimes, you know that."

He looked up slightly, and who else would it be other then the duelist in the tattered jacket. "There a reason you're being rude?"

He thought they had a moment where they understood each other, but clearly he was mistaken.

"You just gonna prance around like that, or do I have to kick you again?"

"What are you talking about?"

Chazz's one good eye glittered in the night. "You know perfectly well what the hell I'm talking about. I know what you two are LIKE."

"I-you got the wrong-"

"Do I?!" He leaned down close to Jesse's face. Uncomfortably close. He backed up into that rock thing on the school grounds.

"What's gotten into you, Chazz? Did you get possessed again, or something?"

"Ha! That wouldn't change shit if I was. Guess you are a coward. You do love playing tricks after all." Chazz glared at him a little longer, as if trying to pick out the exact spot on Jesse's face that made him so angry, and then stood up with a rustle.

"I'm done wasting my time here. Go back to your worthless pondering." A swish of a coat later, and Chazz had all but blended into the darkness.

Jesse sat there for a second, stunned by the sudden appearance. Now he got why Jaden was so confused by the rival duelist: he'd never met anyone who was so incomprehensible in his mannerisms. What even was the point of all of that, except to spur Jesse into anger?

Wait a minute…

Jesse scrambled up, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Are you really content on playing the villain?"

If he squinted hard enough, he almost saw one of the moving shadows pause, and then continue on.

Jaden was waiting for him there the next day, just as planned. Jesse's stomach was on a clear line to eat itself right there and then, but if it hadn't been for his nightly encounter, the teal-haired duelist was unsure if he'd be able to be here.

And yet there he was, in the radiance of the entire sun, as casual and carefree as he wished they could be, and Jesse looked down at his hands again. "Will we ever…end up together…."

There was only one way to figure it out.

To tell the truth, Chazz didn't know why he'd said all of that last night to Jesse. He'd just been having a peaceful stroll-in the middle of the night, in the back alleys of the campus-and had happened upon the idiot.

It was easy to tell what was on his mind, what with all the stupidly meaningful glances between them. Really, for anyone but those two, it was easy to see what was going on, and it was only a matter of time.

Which is why he had dragged that drawing out again.

The silly one he had made when he was distracted. The one where he adorned him and his rival with horrible, secretly delicious hearts. (If hearts could describe this feeling, anyway.) Maybe, in some dregs of his mind, it was a good idea to shove it towards the slacker and hope he finds it.

He had no idea how these things worked.

Chazz looked up and saw a flash of brown and red through the slight mess of students. Quickly now, he had to get there before Jesse gathered up the courage to do anything. He slowly walked, getting faster as he went closer. With his gaze entirely focused on Jaden, it was no surprise that an Obelisk student came straight out of nowhere and decked him.

His deck and duel disk went flying as he crashed over onto the ground. The Obelisk student started yelling at him, only to figure out who he'd knocked down. Chazz swept away any apologies the student had with a few choice swear words and desperately started gathering up his cards again.

His duel spirits let him know very clearly how much they were displeased, so it wasn't that hard, but time consuming, like playing 52 card pickup where each card was able to yell at the volume of a small air horn.

"There, you're back, now shut up!" He whispered, his fingers closing around the last one. The cool piece of metal secure in his hands, he looked up, only to fall back in horror, when he saw what was happening over at where Jaden was hanging out.

Jesse was already there and they were talking, their voices too low to make out. But it wasn't bad, they both were smiling and he saw expressions on both of their faces he'd never seen anywhere else.

Truthfully, did you ever like me?

I guess not, if you can't ever look at me that way, or bother to see if i was.

His feet stayed frozen in place as he saw Jesse ask something in a low whisper, and Jaden respond by pushing closer, awkwardly, so slowly, and finally kissing.

The look of joy that spread over their faces. The way their hands linked and clasped together, wanting more and more to touch each other.

The way the world melted away around them.

Had you not spoken to him...

The two of them had heard a sound of a large scuffle over to their left, and broke away to see who had caused it, but when they had gone to look, nothing was there.

Is there a reason you came back?

"It's all my fault, isn't it, you dumbass? Had none of that happened, had I not been STUPID enough to talk to him, don't you think it could've ended differently?" He was beyond words, and beyond anger at this point.

I did nothing more then finally allow you to express your rage.

You poor child. Had you not seen how this was going to go earlier?

I pity you.

"A stupid spirit in a well, and you're the one who pities me? How fucked up are you?!" Chazz kicked a few stray pebbles in the well, for it would do nothing but alleviate some suffering.

"Do you even know anything? I was going to. I was going to do it, but I can't!" He fell softly onto the ground, nails digging and making tiny welts in the dirt.

Do you truly feel that way?

"You're the spirit, you know what I felt."

True. But now, what do you feel?

"Nothing."

Silence.

"It's scary."

I know.

Pieces of paper slowly drifted down into the seeping darkness. If he tore these hearts up, would it be enough to make him feel something?

"Why can't I feel anything? I hate everything about both of them."

Perhaps you don't define yourself by others feelings for you.

Or perhaps you're like me.

"How so?"

You've lost that part of yourself after too much trouble.

The silence could cut skin if it wanted to.

It's scary.

The final piece laid in his hand, a delicate little thing. Chazz slowly tipped it over and watched it drift down to its resting place.

"I know."

No I think not

it's never to become

for I am not the one