I woke up with two kittens curled on top of my feet, one balancing on my hip, and I'm pretty sure it was Hamyaa trying to eat my hair. I shoved him away, and the movement startled Diabound VII, which made her claws sink into my side so she could keep her balance.
"Morning," Marik exhaled in a half-asleep voice.
"Why am I the only one getting swarmed?"
"It's because you're so damn cuddly." Marik flipped on his other side and pressed our bodies a little closer together.
"Diabound," I hissed when I felt her claws sink into my hip again. She jumped down into the space between my and Marik's legs and formed into a ball.
A few minutes latter, Kek shuffled down the hallway, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. All four cats raced toward him, mewling and running figure-eights around his feet and ankles.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I could feed you quicker if you got the fuck out the way- Asshole!"
Hamyaa climbed up Kek's sweatpants. He grabbed the kitten by the scruff of the neck and dropped him to the floor, but Hamyaa leapt back to Kek's leg and clung to him.
"Ha! I finally get a break. They've been using me as furniture all morning long."
"I know. I was enjoying the peace and quiet." Kek continued to walk one akward step at a time to prevent tripping over any of the little bodies or tails that kept slipping beneath his feet. Hamyaa tried to climb up Kek's bare back. Kek cackled at the claws as he snatched the kitten and held him up in the air. "I swear to the gods, Asshole. Why are you like this?"
He plopped the kitten on top of his head. Hamyaa peaked above the spikes and enjoyed the ride to the kitchen from the higher view.
"It's karma." Marik snickered.
Kek grunted at Marik's comment with a tone that suggested that they shouldn't talk until Kek had some coffee. Thinking about it, I wanted some coffee as well. I kissed Marik's shoulder and vaulted over him, beating Kek to the kitchen door and holding it open so Kek and his furry caravan could get through.
"They definitely know who their meal ticket is."
"I should eat them. Kittens are made out of protein, right?"
"I think cats are made out of fur and magic." I grabbed the coffee while Kek grabbed a bag of kibble.
"Magic is probably a carbohydrate, so I guess I'll let them live." Kek filled up four small bowls and was free to walk back to the cupboard to put away the food without kittens tripping him up.
He stood beside me, and we watched the coffee drip into the pot for a moment without speaking. He bumped into my shoulder, grinning as I had to catch my balance. I tried to bump him back, but he was too solid to really move.
"Damn bastard, don't be so big and strong. I can't knock you over." I slammed into him harder, but he only teetered.
"Get stronger then."
"The fuck you think this is, Dragon Ball Z?"
"If it was, I know exactly what I'd wish for." Kek propped both elbows onto the counter, resting his chin against his fists as he watched the last of the coffee brew.
"Is it a date with me?" I grinned, leaning on my side to get in his line of sight.
"Something like that." He mimicked my grin.
"I don't know about the Dragon Balls, but maybe you should wish for a date with me. Who knows? It might come true."
"Bakura, are you trying to take me out somewhere?"
"Well there's a fight on television the weekend after next, right? And we always go together."
"Yeah, we always went together. Have you talked to Marik about it?"
"I am a thief and a stealer of souls, not a bitch and a breaker of homes- of course I spoke to Marik first. Actually, it's because of him that we're going. He wants to hang out with Ryou, and I'm getting us out of their hair so they can have some one-on-one time."
"Wait, he wants to spend time with Ryou?" Kek stood up. "Are they going out on a date too?"
I scratched the back of my head. "Not exactly, but maybe sorta like… a pre-date? Chill time to see if maybe he'd want to go on a date? I suggested he not call it a date, and he thought that was a good idea so he didn't feel forced to make any big decisions afterward."
"I'm still really excited for them." Kek pressed both hands over his mouth, as if he were holding in a scream.
"Yeah." I found myself laughing. It kinda was exciting to think about. I'd been trying not to think about it for that reason.
Marik pushed into the kitchen with a yawn. "Why are you two in such a good mood when the coffee pot's still not full?"
"Bakura told me we're going out to watch the game in a few weeks."
Marik smiled at that. "Yeah, I already told Ryou and we're going to stay here and watch a movie or two that night."
"Watching movies with Ryou is a blast, just don't let Hamyaa jump into the popcorn- he will dive-bomb it if he gets a chance."
"Thanks for the warning." Marik grabbed the pot of coffee and stole the first cup for himself.
I poured one for myself one next, looking around the kitchen. "Is Ryou not up yet?"
"No, and I'm not waking him up. Cook your own damn breakfast. He's been working too much lately and deserves to sleep in on his only day off."
Marik started laughing. "Hey, you guys want revenge?"
"Yes. Always. I don't even need context. Gimme." I smacked the table before Marik had a chance to explain himself.
"I don't know… the last time I tried to do something in the name of vengeance- I ended up having sex with Bakura." Kek blew me a kiss.
I assure you I did not blush at his flirty nonsense!
Not that he would be able to see it thanks to me being in my original body- but I didn't do it anyway, so -
The more I thought of it, the more I realized that Kek actually made a pretty good bard.
"Well, this sort of involves getting into bed with Ryou, so close, right?"
"We're getting into bed with Ryou? Okay, I like this plan so far." Kek chugged his coffee and stood up.
"I mean to record him on one of our cellphones." Marik smacked his forehead. "Since he's always filming everyone else."
"That's a pretty funny idea. Let's drop kittens on top of him." I grinned.
"Bakura, if you drop a kitten onto Ryou's head and he wakes up in a bad mood, I'm going to hit you upside the head with a chair."
"Let's just go get breakfast and put that next to him so he can wake up to food. That seems like something he'd enjoy," Malik said.
"Marik's idea is better." Kek stuck his tongue out at me. I pretended to snap at it with his teeth, but that only made him wiggle it and we all started laughing.
I finished my coffee and changed back into my clothes before we headed out. Marik made us stop at a pharmacy for overnight toiletries that we could keep at Kek and Ryou's place for the next time we stayed over after gaming. It felt weird to buy a toothbrush to keep at my own apartment for when I was a guest there, but what the hell, my life has always been weird.
Domino is not the best place for take-home restaurant breakfast, but we did find a bakery that sold muffins and cinnamons rolls. We loaded up a box and left the store satisfied with what we'd chosen.
"God, it's like you guys personally hate me." Kek inhaled the scent of cinnamon rolls and then sighed. "I have to go home and eat oatmeal."
"Just eat one," Marik said.
"Just eat one steak with Bakura for dinner tonight." Kek scowled.
"That's not the same."
"Because the steak has better macros?" Kek raised an eyebrow, but his sardonic question went right over Marik's head. "Anyway, I want to stop at the flower shop."
"So you can eat the flowers instead?" I asked.
"Not enough protein."
We detoured to the flower shop and Kek bought three dozen white roses for Ryou- which was all they had. And I was kinda pissed off because watching him get giddy about surrounding Ryou in roses like some fucking sleeping fairy tale princess was making me want to go buy Marik four dozen flowers just to be an even bigger show-off. Schemes to possibly revisit later.
Kek's excitement was contagious, and by the time we all entered the apartment, we were in fit of hushed giggles. I think everyone wanted to see Ryou's face when he opened his eyes and saw roses and cinnamon rolls. What better way to wake up after a week of overtime?
We tiptoed down the hallway and peaked into the room. Jason was sleeping next to him, almost as if to guard him. Ducati and Daibound were sitting at the foot of the bed and grooming each other. Ryou was oblivious to the entire world.
Marik grabbed his phone and started the recorder. I waited for Kek to arrange the flowers. He'd ordered them loose to make it easier to surround Ryou with them. He lifted each one out of the box, careful of the thorns, and arranged them in a circle around Ryou's curled figure. Then I opened the box of baked goods and placed it close enough to Ryou's face that he'd be able to smell the cinnamon.
We stepped back and watched… and watched… and… watched…
"Wake up, asshole." It was a whisper, although a loud one.
"Bakura." Kek smacked my shoulder.
"Come on, we can't wait on him forever."
"Bakura has a point. The video won't really work unless he wakes up."
"Go kiss him awake," I said. "That's how they always wake up the cursed princess in the movies."
"You and your fucking rom-com fantasies, Bakura." Kek shook his head.
"You're the one that made a magic circle of flowers for him."
"Will you two shut up. One of you two go kiss him awake before I go and do it myself."
Kek and I both grinned at that, but Kek was the one to turn toward Marik. "I'm calling your bluff."
"What?" Malik looked instantly guilty the moment Kek said it.
"I'm calling your bluff. Go kiss him yourself."
"That would be a little hypocritical of me."
"Don't say it if you don't mean it, then."
"Okay, I was bluffing." Marik focused on his camera frame instead of us. "I thought it'd make you hurry up if I said that."
"Surely that was the only reason and nothing else." Kek snorted half a laugh as he walked to the bed. Once he reached it, he bent down and stole a soft, sweet kiss from Ryou's lips. The perfect fairy tale kiss. We couldn't have staged it better.
Which is why is was so fucking hilarious when Ryou shoved Kek's face away and rolled over to his other side, barely avoiding the wall of roses around him.
Jason ran off at the movement. He knew it was time to bail for safety reasons, and the other two followed him under the bed. I laughed so hard I had to brace my hands onto my knees. Marik was pressed against the wall, trying to hold up his phone, but near doubled over with laughter himself.
"Ha, ha. It's a fucking laugh-riot." Kek scowled.
"Go away," Ryou growled as he shoved his pillow over his head.
"Get up! I'm trying to be romantic!" Kek shouted at him.
"I don't want to romance- I want to sleep." Ryou's voice was still sleep-clogged and temperamental. "And take those other two laughing idiots with you. You three are like the damn hyenas from the Lion King."
"Did he just drag all of us at once?" Malik's mouth dropped, but he looked a little delighted. I realized that Marik had never seen just how brutal Ryou could get when you fucked with either his food or his sleep.
"Oh yeah, you think he's a little cream puff and- well, yeah, he is, but get him on the wrong side of the bed and he's as insufferable as Bakura."
"You two really don't know how to do anything, do you?" Marik laughed as he walked up to the bed. He took one of the rose stems between his fingers and tickled the bottom of Ryou's foot.
Ryou sat up, slamming his pillow into his lap. "Bakura! I will stab you with a rusty- oh, good morning, Marik. I'm sorry for being rude."
I was laughing my ass off but Ryou was blushing, embarrassed as he gave a little bow of apology to Malik. I don't think Ryou realized how much he code-switched around Marik.
"What about being rude to me?" Kek pretended to pout.
"I can apologize to you later." Ryou laughed, then gasped as he woke up enough to see the bed around him. "Kek, you bought me flowers?"
"The other two laughing idiots brought you breakfast, but the flowers were my idea."
"This is so nice." Ryou rubbed his eyes.
"Don't cry-" we all managed to shout at the same time as we swarmed the bed.
"Don't worry. I'm just really happy right now." Ryou laughed, even as he kept rubbing his eyes. "They're so beautiful." Ryou grabbed a rose and brought it up to his nose to sniff it. Then he grabbed a cinnamon roll. "This breakfast looks delicious!"
"Can I have a bite or am I still in trouble?" Kek leaned over the rose barrier protecting Ryou and brushed his nose against Ryou's.
"Calories don't count when you share, right?" Ryou held out the roll for Kek.
"Pretty sure that's true."
Kek took an enormous bite, but Ryou only laughed and wiped the excess icing off of Kek's mouth so he could suck it off of his own finger.
"And cut." Marik snapped his phone shut and stuck it into his pocket. "That turned out better than I expected."
"You were recording all that?" Ryou laughed. "I guess I deserve that, don't I?"
"We thought we should get back at you for all your home movies." I smirked.
"We nothing, it was my brilliant idea."
"Well, I wouldn't start a game I'm not willing to play, so I don't really mind. I'm still sorry for calling you guys idiots. Here, help me gather up these flowers and we can eat the pastries together."
Kek made instant oatmeal while I grabbed some vases we had stashed in the kitchen. Malik made a fresh pot of coffee and we all ended up sitting in a circle on the bed and talking as we ate our improv breakfast and held our coffee cups in our hands.