I had this typed up last night, but couldn't get the chapter posted until this morning.
Enjoy!
Chapter 10- Promotions
Yugi woke up the next morning, and he instantly realized that he was not alone in bed, the arms around his waist a telltale sign that he wasn't. Quickly looking back, Yugi saw that he was looking right at Yami's peacefully sleeping face.
Sighing in relief, Yugi looked at the clock and saw that it was 0550. Knowing that he shouldn't even bother trying to go back to sleep, Yugi managed to wiggle his way out of Yami's arms without waking him up.
Yami just gave an unintelligible mumble before he rolled over and hugged a pillow before settling back down to sleep.
Yugi went into the shower connected to the room and took a nice, hot shower for the first time in a long time.
'Man. I've missed these hot showers.' Yugi thought.
After being in the shower for twenty minutes, Yugi cut off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping the towel around his waist after drying off.
Yugi walked back into the bedroom to find that Yami sitting up, rubbing his eyes.
"Yugi, what are you doing up so early?" Yami asked.
"It's the time that I'm used to getting up at, Yami, so it's not early to me." Yugi replied.
Yami looked at Yugi and saw that Yugi was only wearing a towel and not so innocent thoughts flashed through Yami's mind.
"Yami!" Yugi scolded.
Yami jumped and said, "Yes?"
"Get your mind out of the gutter." Yugi said.
Yami pouted. "That's because you wouldn't do anything last night." Yami said.
Yugi rolled his eyes. "Yami, I was tired from the long trip back, and I knew that I would be so tired from being with you that I would end up being late to that meeting and then I would be getting my ass chewed out, which would result in you going a really long time without any." Yugi said.
"Okay. I think that you made your point." Yami said.
Yugi changed into his dress uniform.
"You're wearing your uniform to that meeting?" Yami asked.
"I don't have a choice. I would be chewed out for that if I showed up in anything else." Yugi replied.
"It's going to take me a while to get used to all this military stuff." Yami said.
"Don't worry. We'll help you learn what all you'll need to know." Yugi said.
"Good. I think that Atemu and I would be lost otherwise." Yami said.
Yami decided to get on up, and he went to get a shower while Yugi went into the living room.
Yami got dressed and then joined Yugi in the living room.
A few minutes later, Atemu and Heba joined them.
It was now 0645.
"What are we going to do for breakfast?" Atemu asked.
"How about we just go and get something for breakfast?" Yugi asked.
"Sure thing." Yami agreed.
"Do you think that we should see if Malik and Ryou want to join us?" Heba asked.
"Heba, do you really see Marik and Bakura being as in control and understanding as Yami and Atemu where the first night back together is concerned?" Yugi asked.
"I see your point." Heba said.
"Do you think that they'll make it on time?" Yami asked.
"I'll call them when we finish breakfast and make sure that they're up." Yugi said.
The four walked outside of the apartment and were surprised to see Ryou, Bakura, Malik, and Marik walking out of their apartment at the same time.
"Where are you guys heading?" Yugi asked.
"We were planning to go to breakfast? Can I assume that that is where you guys are heading?" Ryou asked.
"Yeah." Atemu replied.
Yami noticed that Bakura and Marik seemed rather sullen and asked, "What's up with those two?"
"Oh, they're mad because they didn't get any last night." Malik said.
"I didn't think you would be able to fight them off." Yugi commented.
"Well, after I gave Bakura a sore wrist and Malik got Marik in a headlock, they backed off." Ryou said.
"Okay. Let's go to breakfast." Yugi said.
The eight headed off.
"Think that we should invite Seto and Jou along?" Yami asked.
"No. They have a routine when Jou comes back from deployment. Seto, Jou, and Mokuba always spend the first day that Jou is back together alone, so after this meeting, Jou will go back to the mansion and spend it with them." Ryou answered.
The eight headed to where they would eat.
After being seated, they all looked at the menus.
Yugi decided that he would have scrambled eggs, bacon, grits, toast, and pancakes.
Heba decided on an omelet.
Ryou decided that he would get biscuits in gravy and fruit.
Malik decided to have pancakes and sausage.
Atemu decided to have French toast and bacon.
Yami decided on the same thing as Yugi.
Bakura decided to have an omelet and pancakes.
Marik decided to have oatmeal, grits, and toast.
When the waitress came, she took their orders before going to place the order and get their drinks.
Bakura growled.
"I think he saw the way that she was looking at you, Ryou." Malik said.
Ryou rolled his eyes. "Calm down, Bakura. You know that I don't like women." Ryou said.
"She didn't have the right to look." Bakura grumbled.
"In any case, let it go Bakura." Atemu said.
"I've already seen several women starring at you and Yami, Atemu." Yugi said.
"Does that bother you?" Yami asked.
"No because I know that you're not going to go to anyone else." Yugi replied.
"I know that, too, and if you did, Atemu, I'd kill you." Heba said.
"Then I guess I'm safe because there is no one that would be able to steal me away from you." Atemu said.
Marik made gagging sounds. "I'm going to be sick from all this sappy talk." Marik said.
"Really? Would you leave Malik for someone else, Marik?" Yugi asked.
"Not a chance." Marik replied.
"My point is made. It's the same principle. They just say it in a more romantic manner." Yugi said.
It wasn't long before they were served their food.
The group started eating.
"What exactly is this meeting about?" Bakura asked.
"I don't have a clue. We'll find out soon." Yugi replied.
"I don't think that we have done anything to warrant being chewed out, so I think that we'll be okay." Heba said.
"We'll learn soon. No reason to worry about something that hasn't come yet." Yugi said.
"True." Malik agreed
The group continued eating.
After they finished and paid, the group left the restaurant.
Yugi looked at his watch and said, "We had better be going. We have forty-five minutes."
"Well, we'll be going." Bakura said.
"Bye." Marik added.
The tow ran off before Ryou and Malik could say a word.
Ryou turned to Yami and Atemu and said, "What are they going to do?"
"My guess would be that they're going to steal or cause some other kind of havoc." Atemu said.
"They don't." Ryou said.
"They can't." Malik added.
"They can, and they do." Yami replied.
"They are so dead next time that I see them." Ryou said.
"Well, I'd better be going to work. Bye, Yugi." Yami said, kissing Yugi.
"Bye." Yugi replied.
"I'd better be off myself. Bye, Heba." Atemu said, kissing Heba.
"Bye." Heba replied.
Yami and Atemu left the area.
"You two are lucky that you have two very understanding, very law-abiding boyfriends." Ryou said.
"I am thankful for that everyday." Heba replied.
"Come on. Let's get to the base. I'd rather that we not be late." Yugi said.
The four headed for the base.
Yugi paced the hall of the building, obviously upset.
"Calm down, Yugi. He's not late yet." Heba said.
"He's not dead, either, but if he is late when I specifically told him not to be, then he is a dead man." Yugi said as he continued to pace.
"Come on, Yugi. Jou's never let us down before, and he won't now." Ryou said.
"I am the CO of our unit, therefore if Jou is late, then it is my ass that is going to get chewed out, and if it does, then Jou is going to be in for some very fun-filled tasks when we come off leave." Yugi replied.
Heba, Ryou, and Malik knew that Yugi wasn't joking, and that Jou would be getting it if he was late.
Malik looked at his watched and said, "Well, he's got five, no, four minutes before he's late." Malik said.
Yugi got antsy as it grew closer for time for the meeting.
Jou came flying up to them. "Sorry. I was running behind." Jou said.
"You were this close to having a month of hell when we got back from leave." Yugi said, holding his fingers only inches apart.
Jou gulped and then nodded.
"Straighten your uniform. It's little off.' Yugi said.
"Right." Jou said and straightened up his uniform.
The group headed for the office where they would be meeting General Wilheim.
Marin, the secretary, looked up and stood up, saluting. She was a major, so she had to salute Yugi since he was a superior officer.
"At ease." Yugi said.
Marin relaxed.
"Major, we were told that we are to meet General Wilheim." Yugi said.
"Yes, Lt. Colonel. He's waiting in his office now. Let me see if he is ready for you." Marin said. She stepped into the office for a moment before she stepped back out. "General Wilheim will see you now." Marin said.
Since Jou and Malik were lower rank than Marin was, both saluted her. Heba and Ryou were senior officers because they had been majors longer than Marin had, so they weren't obligated to salute her.
The five filed into the office and saluted General Wilheim.
"General, as ordered, we here." Yugi said.
"Punctual as ever, Lt. Colonel." General Wilheim said.
"When a soldier is given an order, they are expected to follow it, sir. We are here as ordered." Yugi said.
"You're all good soldiers. At ease." General Wilheim said.
The five relaxed their stance.
"Please. All of you sit." General Wilheim said.
For the first time, the five noticed that there were five chairs set up in the office when there were usually only two in the office.
As ordered, the five took seats, but sat straight up as if they were still at attention.
"First off, I would like to commend you all for behavior while overseas. You had fifty successful missions in a span of ten months. It's a record. You also didn't lose a single man on the missions, which was more than successful." General Wilheim said.
"We were doing our duty, nothing more. We were able to execute each plan so that they worked to our advantage as well as put the enemy at a disadvantage." Yugi said.
"You and your unit have all been given commendations. Each of you deserves it." General Wilheim said.
"Thank you, sir." Yugi said.
"Now, there a few things that I would like to discuss with you." General Wilheim said.
"Of course, sir." Yugi said.
"Now, I don't want this getting out, but there had been talk of a possible armistice between us and the Ishmalians." General Wilheim.
"An armistice? I thought that we were years from reaching an agreement with the Ishmalian government." Heba said.
"We also that thought that we were, Major, but it would seem that the Ishmalians are just as tired of fighting as we are, so they have agreed to negotiations. It's still in the planning stages, so what I've said is not to leave this room." General Wilheim said.
"You have our word that it will not leave this room, General." Yugi assured him.
"Good. I'll let you know when any agreements have been made or not." General Wilheim said.
"Thank you, General. Is that all?" Yugi asked.
"No. This is actually the main reason that I asked you to come here today. You are all being promoted." General Wilheim said.
"We are?" Yugi asked.
"Yes. For your bravery on the battlefield, for your loyalty to your country, for saving many of your comrades from the enemy, and for having so many successful missions, I put you all in for promotions, and the orders just came through." General Wilheim said. He took several packets. "You are now a full Colonel, Mutou. Mutou and Bakura have both been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Jonouchi and Ishtar, you are both now captains. I would like to congratulate you on your new rank." General Wilheim said.
"Thank, general." Yugi said as they all saluted.
General Wilheim handed them the packets and said, "You can put on your new rankings now if you would like. The promotions are already final. Your increase in pay should show up on your next paycheck." General Wilheim said.
"Thank you, General. We appreciate all that you have done for us." Yugi said.
The five stood and saluted, and General Wilheim saluted back.
Yugi, Heba, Jou, Ryou, and Malik all left the office.
"Wow. That was definitely not what I was expecting." Jou said.
"I know. I was expecting bad news, but we were given great news. I can't believe that we were all promoted." Malik added.
"At least it was good news. Being promoted is always a good thing." Heba said.
"Let's go to the lounge and put on the new symbols." Yugi said.
They all agreed and went into the lounge to put on the new symbols of their rank.
Yugi's was a silver eagle.
Heba and Ryou's was a silver oak leaf.
Jou and Malik's was a gold oak leaf.
"Wow. I wasn't sure that I would ever make it to this rank." Jou said.
"Me and you both." Malik said.
"I knew that you would make it one day." Yugi said.
"Yeah. You just had to work hard at it. Let's face it. You guys did kind of goof off in your first year in the service while the rest of us worked hard to get to the point that we were at now." Heba said.
"Yeah. We know that we have no one to blame, but ourselves." Jou said.
The group left the room to find themselves facing O'Connell.
"Wow. You were all promoted. That's great, Colonel." O'Connell said, saluting.
"At ease." Yugi said. He looked over O'Connell and said, "This is a new look for you."
"I don't understand, sir." O'Connell said.
"You're in full uniform. I was used to seeing you in dresses." Yugi explained.
O'Connell grinned. "Now that we're home, I don't need to prove that I am a psycho." O'Connell said.
"Good. You will be on time for the debriefing." Yugi said.
"Of course I will, sir." O'Connell said before leaving.
"Say what you want. He may wear dresses while overseas, but he's an excellent soldier." Heba said.
"I know he is. I just wouldn't want a whole unit of just O'Connells." Yugi said.
"I think that that would be a total nightmare." Ryou said.
"Yeah. A fashion nightmare." Malik joked.
"All right. Let's get going. We'll have to be at the debriefing in fifteen minutes anyway, so we might as well go on." Yugi said.
The five headed for the room where the debriefing would take place.
Hope that you liked it.
Next chapter is about Yami, Atemu, Bakura, Marik, and Seto finding out about thier promotions.
The insignias that are listed for the ranks are the actual insignias. I looked them up.
The poll is still up, so you can vote if you haven't.
R&R.