I know it's so upsetting, but I think we can all agree, that it was time for this to come to an end. It's been an amazing 2 years. Thanks to everyone who's been able to handle my hiatus and willing to be my fan through and through. It means so much to me! I know there were some parts in the story that made you laugh, cry, and go, "I am so bored", but aren't all stories like that? See you in my next project! Here is the conclusion of It Means I Love You.

Chapter Fifteen – Say it

The reporters didn't know about Kaiba and Jou. Apparently, they had been more interested in Kaiba's affairs with Germany. "How useless can you get?" Kaiba muttered to the police officer when he appeared. As the police shooed the paparazzi away, Kaiba rolled his car into the estate. He thanked the officers and parked in the garage. He watched as the squad cars exited the driveway. He waited until the gates closed before opening his trunk. As the door opened, Jou stuck his head out, taking a large gulp of air, "Ah! I thought I was going to die in there!" he panted. His cheeks were red and a slight sweat had gathered on his forehead.

Kaiba took out a handkerchief from his pocket, dabbing it on Jou's forehead, "Sorry. It took a while for them to leave."

Jou swatted his hand way, using the sleeve of his t-shirt to wipe off to rest of his sweat. He sat back on his heels in the trunk, "We made it." his lips spread into a wide smile. He sighed in happy relief and looked up at Kaiba, "I can't believe it."

Kaiba couldn't help but grin either. He held out a hand for Jou to take. Jou subconsciously accepted and let Kaiba pull him out of the trunk. As Jou's sneakers touched the floor, he suddenly felt his cheeks getting even more flushed. It was something about the way Kaiba's hand felt. It was warm and soft. His fingers were strong, but cradled his so gently. Jou looked up and saw Kaiba's face was so blank. He looked away and cleared his throat, "We should probably go check on Mokuba and Shizuka."

"Right."

As the two entered the rest of the manor, there was a something not right. Jou took a step into the kitchen, the echo of his step seemed to vibrate in his mind. The buzz went through his ears and he took a shaky breath. He glanced over at Kaiba and called out, "Shizuka?"

There was nothing. Jou wandered briskly through the house asking for his sister, "Shizuka!? Sis?"

Kaiba was at his heels, "Mokuba!" he ran up the stairs, his hand sliding up the banister with a harsh grip, "Mokuba, answer me right now!"

Jou flung himself into every room, glancing around for any sign of the two teens. He searched all over downstairs. He checked both parlors, the bathroom, the laundry room, and the smoke room. He approached the dining room with no hope. He stood in the doorway and gasped. There was a place setting for two with candles and covered serving platters. Jou saw a large bouquet of assorted red, white, and pink flowers. He bit his lip and smiled. It was the most romantic thing he had ever seen.

Kaiba's voice carried, "I found them!" he said as he walked up to Jou. He stood behind Jou in the doorway, "They were up in the libr-" he stopped still, his voice trailing, "What?"

Jou grinned, "They made us lunch." he walked inside and lifted up a lid from the platter, "Aw man! It's peanut butter and jelly." he laughed.

"I don't understand. Why did they make us lunch?"

"Duh." Jou said, lifting up the other lid and seeing that there was also a pile of brownies for dessert. He snagged one and nibbled, "I think they were thanking us. Shizuka's always thinking about other people." he leaned over the table and inhaled the scent of the flowers, "Oh they're real."

Kaiba laughed. Jou glared, "What?"

"Girl."

"Shut up." he snapped.

Still chuckling a little, Kaiba walked over the table, pulling out a chair, "Well, I have to admit I'm hungry."

Jou arched an eyebrow, "I hope that chair is for you."

"Just sit down." Kaiba said, rolling his eyes.

Clucking his tongue, Jou sat, letting Kaiba push the chair back towards the table. He reached over and grabbed a sandwich. He watched Kaiba sit and they both smiled at each other as they dug into their simple meal. They ate in silence until dessert. Jou gnawed on another brownie and Kaiba stirred cream into his coffee. Jou wondered, "I thought you drank it black."

"Sometimes." Kaiba said, "Depends on how frustrated I am. There's times when I just wanted to drink the damn coffee and get back to work."

Jou nodded, "Work really does run your life."

"Yeah, well, this place doesn't pay for itself."

"Well, why don't you get a smaller place? Get a regular teenage job."

Kaiba took a sip, "I don't know if you've noticed, Jou, but regular teenage things don't really apply to me."

"I know. You're so grown up." Jou said, pouting into his lemonade.

Kaiba sat there thoughtfully. After a pregnant pause, he said, "If I could go back and change my life, I think I would."

Jou blinked, "Eh? Really?"

"Of course." Kaiba said, "Hell, if I could live in a little apartment and be like you, I think I'd be happy."

"You don't want to be me." Jou immediately replied, "I'm always in trouble, don't have any money, and my apartment...well, you've seen it."

"I'd rather have that than people in my face all the time, sleepless nights trying to get work done, still having the go through the boredom of high school drama." Kaiba rolled his eyes.

Jou grinned, "It wouldn't be so boring if you were normal."

Kaiba laughed short, staring into his coffee, "I suppose it wouldn't." he added, "So, I need you to write a list of things I have to get you."

"For what?"

"Well, I assume you'll want to have your clothes and school supplies, and all of that. I guess you'll be tutored as well, so I'll have to get you a new one of those too."

Jou blushed, "You don't have to do that. If anything, I want you to stay away from my house. They probably have ninjas guarding it or something."

"I'd be buying you new things, of course."

"Oh!" Jou gasped, "No, no, you really really don't need to do that."

"Yes I do." Kaiba said, finishing his cup of coffee, "I want you to be as comfortable as possible. Oh," he said, "I should get a room ready for you." he stood from the table.

"Stop!" Jou cried, "Please, you don't need to do that for me."

Kaiba frowned, "Maybe, I want to. I want to help you, Jou."

"I got into all of this because of you." Jou pointed out, "I should have just lived with the fact that I'd never see my sister again."

"You shouldn't have to!" Kaiba insisted.

"Yes I did!" Jou cried, leaping from the table and burying his face in his hands, "I've been so stupid!" he sobbed, "I've been playing with fate. I can't change my life, Kaiba. You were right." he looked up, "There's nothing we can do now. I'm going to have Shizuka turn herself in and we can all go back to the way it was supposed to be!"

Kaiba shook his head, "You can't do this. It's foolish."

"It's what I need to do." Jou said, a determined look shown through his tear streaked face. He sighed, "Thank you, for everything, but I can't pretend that real life isn't happening."

"But I want you to stay here." Kaiba mumbled.

Jou clutched his blonde bangs, shaking his head, "This is too much!" he hiccuped, "I can't keep playing this game with you."

"You think I would play?" Kaiba snapped, "I don't have time for games." he placed his palms flat on the dining room table and stared Jou down. "I've been more than honest about everything to you. My feelings, my intentions, what more could you want? I..." he sighed and lowered his head, "can't fathom this anymore."

"We've been over this!" Jou shouted, "I'm not interested in men! I can't be..." he shuddered, "gay. There's just no way, I could ever be in love with you." he left the dining room, his feet stomping down the corridor. He shivered as he traveled, feeling colder as he got closer to the door. He hugged himself, unable to find the courage to turn the knob on the door.

He slowly turned to see Kaiba at the other end of the hall, standing tall, completely undefeated. His eyes went wide as Kaiba said, "But you are, aren't you?"

Jou bit his lip. He nodded, knowing very well what Kaiba desired. As the two met in the middle of the hallway, he sighed out of his nose. He looked right up at Kaiba, recalling how things used to be. Before kidnapping Shizuka, before his custodian work, before life was completely upside down, Jou remembered what it was like to look in Kaiba's eyes. There was animosity and rivalry. Now, as they got even closer, the only thing Jou felt... he felt...

"I'm so confused." he lowered his head, his shoulders slumped.

Kaiba lowered his head as well, taking a deep breath, "I understand." he said, "It's alright. I just...I just want you to know how I feel about you."

"You've never really said it, Kaiba." Jou pointed out, lifting his head with a bit of a shine in his eyes, "You keep saying that I know, but I'm blonde, so maybe I'm just making everything up in my head." he gave a half hearted grin.

It was the first time Jou had ever seen him look so uncomfortable. Kaiba cleared his throat, looking over Jou's head with his eyes unsettled. Kaiba snapped, "You know."

"Say it, Seto." Jou bit his lip again. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as the name escaped his mouth. As quickly as his heart was pounding, his vision was seeing everything happen in slow motion. He witnessed Kaiba wrap one arm around his middle, pulling him closer. It was as if he was a feather in the wind. Kaiba swept him up and suddenly, the drowsy pace was gone. In an instant, their lips had connected.

Jou completely surrendered. He wrapped his arms around Kaiba, his hand gripped onto the brunet locks and his chest tightened from the lack of air that was in his lungs.

As they parted, Jou didn't move too far. He was barely far back enough to look at Kaiba fully in the face. He blushed and smiled sheepishly, "What was that for?"

Kaiba sighed and grinned a bit, "Because it meant more than anything I could say. You know how I am with talking to people."

"At people." Jou chuckled, "No, I know. I... I can't really say what I want to say ever, either."

As they pressed their foreheads together, it seemed as if everything was going to look up. No matter what the future held, it would pass with a positive attitude, because they were finally together. As the walls between them crumbled, and they stood physically and emotionally connected in the long corridor in the Kaiba estate, they said what they had always wanted to.

"I love you."