A/N: This can be considered my reasoning as to why Crow isn't around at the start of the series. I also wrote this at least a month ago, shortly before any of the flashback episodes aired although I was still irrationally shipping Kiryu/Crow even then.

It's the sound of someone banging around in the darkness a few feet away that wakes him. Yusei twitching into an edgy sort of alertness and squinting into the shadows, groping around blindly for something that he can use for a weapon until a low, muttered string of, "Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!" makes it quite clear as to who is lurking around.

"Crow?"

A moment's silence, then a murmur of, "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you," and despite himself Yusei smiles. Flicking on a nearby lamp to reveal Crow hunched over by the workbench with an open knapsack and the slight smile touching Yusei's lips immediately shifts to a frown.

"I hope you haven't taken to stealing from me all of a sudden."

"No! Of course not. I'm just... packing up my stuff."

"And does the sudden urge to pack have anything to do with where you were all of yesterday?"

"Sort of." Silence falling as Crow shuffles around the room, picking up what few possessions are his and jamming them into his bag.

"Crow...."

"I'm putting together a D-wheel, okay?" Crow finally snaps, looking Yusei in the eye. "Like yours. Except this baby is gonna be the best damn one Satellite has ever seen. It's just getting the parts."

"You can get the parts without stealing them." Yusei unable the help the censure that creeps into his tone and the irritated frown crossing Crow's face turns into a vicious sort of grin.

"Sure. But then it wouldn't be the best damn D-wheel around, now would it?" A sigh. "I might have had a... run in with Security. I spent most of yesterday hiding out in the tunnels until I figured it would be safe to come out and get my shit together."

"So you're going to bail."

"I don't want to. These damn markers put everyone near me at risk and I don't want to drag you or Rally or any of the others down with me. And don't even think," Crow quickly adds as Yusei opens his mouth to speak, "about spouting some trite line about me behaving myself. Because you know that's not going to happen. They treat us like dirt out here, so I'm going to take what I can from them. It's that simple."

"Fine. So... goodbye?"

"Not for good. Just until I get this done. I'll be back in no time. If only because it'll be hell keeping my hands off of you." Crow moving in close to plant a quick kiss on Yusei's lips, one that is deflected to the corner of his mouth by Yusei turning his head. "I'll miss you."

Yusei simply murmurs slightly in response and Crow can't help but continue. "And you'll, what? Think about me every so often? A little bit less than you think about Jack but...." His voice trailing off into a hollow laugh as Yusei shoots him a stricken look of guilt. "It's okay. I've always known. Hell, I'd have to be a blind idiot not to know. I know you loved me as much as you could, just like I loved you as much as I could. I just managed to pull it off a little more, that's all. And we had fun, right?"

"I suppose."

"You only 'suppose'? I was way better in bed than that!"

Yusei can't help but laugh at that, all tension melting away in the face of Crow's false indignant fury and once again Crow leans forward for a kiss. This time managing to catch Yusei full on the mouth before pulling back, grinning widely. "So. I'll see you later then."

And just like that, with one simple sentence, a vague sense of uneasiness once again creeps its way up Yusei's spine. "Crow, be careful. Okay? If Security catches you...."

"Don't worry about it. Nobody knows these tunnels better than me."

Then he's gone, melting into the darkness, knapsack slung over one shoulder, and Yusei sighs. Trying (unsuccessfully) to get back to sleep.