Okay- finally... my bad writer's block is finally over! I sat myself down
and finished this chapter with no problem- just kinda imagining I was there
in the scenes and thinking "what would the characters do?" So... before I
ramble, replies!:
HYATT INSOMNIA: Was it just you or was Ryou acting like his yami? Well... I'm not quite sure- I think I'm gonna make Ryou's masochistic behavior more on his own... more like yes- his yami may have given him the ideas, but the innocent ones are always the much more naughty ones, ya know? I dunno- it makes an odd sense to me... And the part with Seto was sorta sad... I mean- it was a short lemon, but I think I got my point across. I think..?
CHIBI-CHAN: What's Bakura gonna do with Jounouchi? Well- I guess you'll have to guess, ne? I don't wanna spoil it! You have either- a. Bakura being much more extremist than Ryou is.... or b. Bakura being traditional. Guess!
LUPUSDRAGON: Yes- go Ryou indeed! But it's gonna be strange to make Ryou like that all the time... well- hope you're not disappointed!
BASTET: Of course it's gonna have some J/R... and yes- plenty of Bakura to throw into the mix. How could I forget HIM? Tsk tsk!
RENEE THE RABID SQUIRREL: Of course I would read the Romeo and Juliet spoof- that's funny as hell- why would I miss it? And The Seekers was awesome, hun- I can't wait for the next two parts. [nods and gives the thumbs up] You're a great writer, hun!
OXBEACHFLIRTX01: It's hard NOT to imagine the hikaris as masochists, ya know? They're much too innocent for their own good! And you wanna see if Bakura works at the club, too? This chapter should explain that... and Seto and Jounouchi.... yeah- Seto can be such an asshole, but I don't think he's doing it on purpose...
GENERAL: I'm so sorry for not posting this chapter sooner! Really- I am! I've barely gotten out of this damned blank stage and finally plotted out exactly everything that's going to be in future chapters- and I think the story should turn out satisfactory. Anyway...
DISCLAIMER: I don't own YGO. Nor do I own the glass cups that are used in this chapter- they're on loan from Wall Mart because I can't afford to buy my own. So don't sue!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
/.../ Thoughts
There's More to Me Than You: "The Night is Young But is Alone"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The teenager eagerly tapped the circle button on the PS2 controller as he bit his bottom lip. /C'mon... c'mon.../ A smile was spreading on his clear face as Cloud Strife started to win the wrestling game he was playing.
"Alright...! Two GP for me!" Jounouchi chuckled as he watched the blond pixilated figure pin the wrestler. "Who's the man- who's the bomb...?" He started to dance somewhat childishly in front of the big screen television- but the entire Kaiba mansion was silent except for his small victory cheer and the sound of the Gold Saucer amusement park music; there was no one there to share his little burst of happiness.
This had been the tenth time he'd played Final Fantasy: VII- but he wasn't about to start saying that he was bored of it. In reality, though, he was sick and tired of playing all the games in the mansion. Granted, being the lover of one of the world's most inventive 3-D game console makers had its advantages, after a while he just couldn't stand games anymore. But still- little victories like winning the arm wrestling contest in Gold Saucer were enough to put a content smile on his face.
The teenager reached forward and turned off the console, laid down on the carpeted den, and just starred at the dim light fixture hanging from the ceiling. He'd done just about everything that COULD be done there- and asking Yuugi and Yami to come over was out of the question. The guards at the gates had been given orders to turn away the two Motous on sight.
/What to do...? What to do...?/ He stood up, dusted off his jeans and loose blue shirt, and looked around. /Ah.../ The stereo needed to be dusted off, but other than that, was still in working order. The teen smiled to himself, walking up to the stereo and flipping it on to the radio. The settings included everything from classical to hard rock, but nothing was really on his mind that evening. He settled for an alternative station before figuring out that nothing he'd listen to would get his mind on ANYTHING.
A sudden knock made him look up from the boredom of the room- a short old man was standing there at the door, the butler. "Two young men claiming to be friends of yours are here, Katsuya-san." Jounouchi blinked and stared.
/Who'd come and visit me?/ He glanced at the time on a decorated grandfather clock on the nearest wall- 7.30 pm. "Oh- Um... alright- I'll be there in a minute." The butler bowed and turned, leaving to go and see the guests. /Who the hell...?/ The young man looked around to the nearest mirror, arranging his hair to it's usual messy neatness before giving himself a small smile. /Whoever the hell it is- at least I'll have someone to talk to./
Jounouchi walked out to the main hall, following it until he came to the front door where two young men stood- both with long silver tresses that fell to the middle of their back. "Oh! Ryou and Bakura!" Both males looked up from where they had been looking at a somewhat odd painting hanging near the dark mahogany door. /What are THEY doing here?/ He waved and smiled.
Ryou seemed to react in his usual manner, smiling broadly and waving as well. Bakura nodded and slipped his hands into his jeans pockets. "Hi, Jounouchi!" Ryou's eyes seemed to sparkle and the blond teen was forced to remember the differences between seeing him a week before in leather and black makeup and seeing him in his usual comfortable- but obviously classy wardrobe.
"You guys really shocked me by coming here!" The blond laughed lightly, scratching his head as he smiled at the two. /I probably shouldn't mention that place Ryou works at.../ "What brings you here?"
"Ryou wanted to come." Bakura's tone was boredom and Jounouchi immediately related- the entire Kaiba mansion was extremely boring.
"Don't lie, yami." Ryou looked at his other half from the corner of his eyes then smiled. "Yes- I wanted to come, but so did Bakura."
"Wow. It's interesting to see both of you... um... I mean- together here... at the same time." Jounouchi nodded and bit his tongue. /Oh- that sounded great./ "But don't just stand there- do you guys want something to drink?" He motioned for them to follow out of the main hall and towards the dining room and kitchen.
"Just water for me, thanks." Ryou smiled as he looked around at the imported furnishing and paintings, following with quiet steps.
"Bakura?" Jounouchi asked.
"This place looks boring." His tone relayed the same message and the blond couldn't help but look down with a small frown.
/Yes- it's boring- I know... thanks, Bakura./ "Oh."
"It's empty." The yami stopped in the middle of the hall and looked around. "Don't you ever have guests?"
"Not really..." The three stopped and Jounouchi could feel the two sets of chocolate eyes studying him. /Don't act weak in front of him- he'll eat you alive!/ "Seto and I live here- so it's not empty. But... Seto's been at work a lot lately. So- just me."
"You're here by yourself, Jou-chan?" Ryou asked softly, following again as the blond started walking again towards the kitchen.
"Yeah- but it's no big deal. I have a lot of stuff do to." They entered the large dining room, walking to the furthest end of the room and pushing one of the swinging doors open that lead to the large kitchen. The entire place was pilled with stainless steal and literally felt cold.
"You've got butlers and maids, right?" Bakura hadn't seemed to change his sharp words and questions in the years Jounouchi hadn't seen him.
"Yes."
"So then what do you have to do?" The blond was taking three glass cups from the cupboard and stopped midway before setting them on the counter, his eyes blank and suddenly expressionless.
/Stop asking me, please?/ "Um... just stuff." And it seemed Bakura took this as a cue to stop his relentless stern questions. "So..." He moved to the large silver refrigerator, opening it to pull out a jug of filtered water, pouring it into clear cups. "You never told me what brings you here." He picked up two and handed them to the Bakuras before taking a gulp from his own chilling glass.
"Hmph..." Ryou took a small sip and smiled. "I just wanted to come visit, that's all. Ever since I saw you last week, I was wondering how things were going with you. Bakura would have come to see you that night at the club if he wasn't having to deal with some of the interviews with the new security guards."
At this Jounouchi blinked, eyes darting to the yami who was frowning and starring down at the tiles on the ground. "Malik really has bad taste when it comes to picking out his Rare Hunters or whatever the hell he wants to call them. If they don't have the credentials to be working as bouncers, then I don't want them anywhere nearby as security."
"So you guys both work at...-" /So Bakura DOES-/
"Of course we both work at The Cow. Malik's cousin owns the place and it seems like I run the place more than he does." Bakura seemed to be gripping his glass cup a little too tightly for comfort. "That lazy son of a bitch... It'll go up in flames if I don't do something soon about how the place is run. Ryou and I'll be out of a job and I'll be damned before that happens."
Despite the glass of cool water Jounouchi was gulping down, his throat was unmistakably dry. "Why- why do you guys work there?" He looked at the two males for some sign of approval to his question.
"We need money." Ryou shrugged indifferently which was coming as nothing but a shock to the blond.
"Oh."
"Well- either way I need to sort out all the bills of the club or else we won't be getting anymore money." Bakura was speaking bitterly between gulps. "See how lucky you are, Katsuya? You don't have to worry about getting a job- you have everything you want." Jounouchi looked down, sighing lightly.
/Lucky? You have no fuckin' clue./
~*~*~
After the two Bakura's had left for the evening, the teenager's preference in refreshments went from water to vodka and he was soon laying atop his bed, starring at the skylight that adorned the master bedroom of the Kaiba Mansion, drunk. The stars were sprinkling beautifully in the night sky and they were innumerable to his numb mind and eyes.
The conversations of the evening were replaying- little phrases were resurfacing hazily as his eyes opened and closed sleepily.
"So then what do you have to do?", "You have everything you want."- only a taste of the conversations the three had had. But they were vague- only reminiscent conversations of things that had happened during the course of their high school lives. Things certainly had changed and Jounouchi couldn't tell the difference between good and bad changes anymore. He was merely following the day to day path he'd been given and it made little difference what he thought anymore. Or at least that's what an alcohol induced stupor had convinced him. What difference did it make anymore?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No updates till 33!
NEXT CHAPTER: Ryou and Bakura's thoughts on the evening and what they do about it!
HYATT INSOMNIA: Was it just you or was Ryou acting like his yami? Well... I'm not quite sure- I think I'm gonna make Ryou's masochistic behavior more on his own... more like yes- his yami may have given him the ideas, but the innocent ones are always the much more naughty ones, ya know? I dunno- it makes an odd sense to me... And the part with Seto was sorta sad... I mean- it was a short lemon, but I think I got my point across. I think..?
CHIBI-CHAN: What's Bakura gonna do with Jounouchi? Well- I guess you'll have to guess, ne? I don't wanna spoil it! You have either- a. Bakura being much more extremist than Ryou is.... or b. Bakura being traditional. Guess!
LUPUSDRAGON: Yes- go Ryou indeed! But it's gonna be strange to make Ryou like that all the time... well- hope you're not disappointed!
BASTET: Of course it's gonna have some J/R... and yes- plenty of Bakura to throw into the mix. How could I forget HIM? Tsk tsk!
RENEE THE RABID SQUIRREL: Of course I would read the Romeo and Juliet spoof- that's funny as hell- why would I miss it? And The Seekers was awesome, hun- I can't wait for the next two parts. [nods and gives the thumbs up] You're a great writer, hun!
OXBEACHFLIRTX01: It's hard NOT to imagine the hikaris as masochists, ya know? They're much too innocent for their own good! And you wanna see if Bakura works at the club, too? This chapter should explain that... and Seto and Jounouchi.... yeah- Seto can be such an asshole, but I don't think he's doing it on purpose...
GENERAL: I'm so sorry for not posting this chapter sooner! Really- I am! I've barely gotten out of this damned blank stage and finally plotted out exactly everything that's going to be in future chapters- and I think the story should turn out satisfactory. Anyway...
DISCLAIMER: I don't own YGO. Nor do I own the glass cups that are used in this chapter- they're on loan from Wall Mart because I can't afford to buy my own. So don't sue!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
/.../ Thoughts
There's More to Me Than You: "The Night is Young But is Alone"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The teenager eagerly tapped the circle button on the PS2 controller as he bit his bottom lip. /C'mon... c'mon.../ A smile was spreading on his clear face as Cloud Strife started to win the wrestling game he was playing.
"Alright...! Two GP for me!" Jounouchi chuckled as he watched the blond pixilated figure pin the wrestler. "Who's the man- who's the bomb...?" He started to dance somewhat childishly in front of the big screen television- but the entire Kaiba mansion was silent except for his small victory cheer and the sound of the Gold Saucer amusement park music; there was no one there to share his little burst of happiness.
This had been the tenth time he'd played Final Fantasy: VII- but he wasn't about to start saying that he was bored of it. In reality, though, he was sick and tired of playing all the games in the mansion. Granted, being the lover of one of the world's most inventive 3-D game console makers had its advantages, after a while he just couldn't stand games anymore. But still- little victories like winning the arm wrestling contest in Gold Saucer were enough to put a content smile on his face.
The teenager reached forward and turned off the console, laid down on the carpeted den, and just starred at the dim light fixture hanging from the ceiling. He'd done just about everything that COULD be done there- and asking Yuugi and Yami to come over was out of the question. The guards at the gates had been given orders to turn away the two Motous on sight.
/What to do...? What to do...?/ He stood up, dusted off his jeans and loose blue shirt, and looked around. /Ah.../ The stereo needed to be dusted off, but other than that, was still in working order. The teen smiled to himself, walking up to the stereo and flipping it on to the radio. The settings included everything from classical to hard rock, but nothing was really on his mind that evening. He settled for an alternative station before figuring out that nothing he'd listen to would get his mind on ANYTHING.
A sudden knock made him look up from the boredom of the room- a short old man was standing there at the door, the butler. "Two young men claiming to be friends of yours are here, Katsuya-san." Jounouchi blinked and stared.
/Who'd come and visit me?/ He glanced at the time on a decorated grandfather clock on the nearest wall- 7.30 pm. "Oh- Um... alright- I'll be there in a minute." The butler bowed and turned, leaving to go and see the guests. /Who the hell...?/ The young man looked around to the nearest mirror, arranging his hair to it's usual messy neatness before giving himself a small smile. /Whoever the hell it is- at least I'll have someone to talk to./
Jounouchi walked out to the main hall, following it until he came to the front door where two young men stood- both with long silver tresses that fell to the middle of their back. "Oh! Ryou and Bakura!" Both males looked up from where they had been looking at a somewhat odd painting hanging near the dark mahogany door. /What are THEY doing here?/ He waved and smiled.
Ryou seemed to react in his usual manner, smiling broadly and waving as well. Bakura nodded and slipped his hands into his jeans pockets. "Hi, Jounouchi!" Ryou's eyes seemed to sparkle and the blond teen was forced to remember the differences between seeing him a week before in leather and black makeup and seeing him in his usual comfortable- but obviously classy wardrobe.
"You guys really shocked me by coming here!" The blond laughed lightly, scratching his head as he smiled at the two. /I probably shouldn't mention that place Ryou works at.../ "What brings you here?"
"Ryou wanted to come." Bakura's tone was boredom and Jounouchi immediately related- the entire Kaiba mansion was extremely boring.
"Don't lie, yami." Ryou looked at his other half from the corner of his eyes then smiled. "Yes- I wanted to come, but so did Bakura."
"Wow. It's interesting to see both of you... um... I mean- together here... at the same time." Jounouchi nodded and bit his tongue. /Oh- that sounded great./ "But don't just stand there- do you guys want something to drink?" He motioned for them to follow out of the main hall and towards the dining room and kitchen.
"Just water for me, thanks." Ryou smiled as he looked around at the imported furnishing and paintings, following with quiet steps.
"Bakura?" Jounouchi asked.
"This place looks boring." His tone relayed the same message and the blond couldn't help but look down with a small frown.
/Yes- it's boring- I know... thanks, Bakura./ "Oh."
"It's empty." The yami stopped in the middle of the hall and looked around. "Don't you ever have guests?"
"Not really..." The three stopped and Jounouchi could feel the two sets of chocolate eyes studying him. /Don't act weak in front of him- he'll eat you alive!/ "Seto and I live here- so it's not empty. But... Seto's been at work a lot lately. So- just me."
"You're here by yourself, Jou-chan?" Ryou asked softly, following again as the blond started walking again towards the kitchen.
"Yeah- but it's no big deal. I have a lot of stuff do to." They entered the large dining room, walking to the furthest end of the room and pushing one of the swinging doors open that lead to the large kitchen. The entire place was pilled with stainless steal and literally felt cold.
"You've got butlers and maids, right?" Bakura hadn't seemed to change his sharp words and questions in the years Jounouchi hadn't seen him.
"Yes."
"So then what do you have to do?" The blond was taking three glass cups from the cupboard and stopped midway before setting them on the counter, his eyes blank and suddenly expressionless.
/Stop asking me, please?/ "Um... just stuff." And it seemed Bakura took this as a cue to stop his relentless stern questions. "So..." He moved to the large silver refrigerator, opening it to pull out a jug of filtered water, pouring it into clear cups. "You never told me what brings you here." He picked up two and handed them to the Bakuras before taking a gulp from his own chilling glass.
"Hmph..." Ryou took a small sip and smiled. "I just wanted to come visit, that's all. Ever since I saw you last week, I was wondering how things were going with you. Bakura would have come to see you that night at the club if he wasn't having to deal with some of the interviews with the new security guards."
At this Jounouchi blinked, eyes darting to the yami who was frowning and starring down at the tiles on the ground. "Malik really has bad taste when it comes to picking out his Rare Hunters or whatever the hell he wants to call them. If they don't have the credentials to be working as bouncers, then I don't want them anywhere nearby as security."
"So you guys both work at...-" /So Bakura DOES-/
"Of course we both work at The Cow. Malik's cousin owns the place and it seems like I run the place more than he does." Bakura seemed to be gripping his glass cup a little too tightly for comfort. "That lazy son of a bitch... It'll go up in flames if I don't do something soon about how the place is run. Ryou and I'll be out of a job and I'll be damned before that happens."
Despite the glass of cool water Jounouchi was gulping down, his throat was unmistakably dry. "Why- why do you guys work there?" He looked at the two males for some sign of approval to his question.
"We need money." Ryou shrugged indifferently which was coming as nothing but a shock to the blond.
"Oh."
"Well- either way I need to sort out all the bills of the club or else we won't be getting anymore money." Bakura was speaking bitterly between gulps. "See how lucky you are, Katsuya? You don't have to worry about getting a job- you have everything you want." Jounouchi looked down, sighing lightly.
/Lucky? You have no fuckin' clue./
~*~*~
After the two Bakura's had left for the evening, the teenager's preference in refreshments went from water to vodka and he was soon laying atop his bed, starring at the skylight that adorned the master bedroom of the Kaiba Mansion, drunk. The stars were sprinkling beautifully in the night sky and they were innumerable to his numb mind and eyes.
The conversations of the evening were replaying- little phrases were resurfacing hazily as his eyes opened and closed sleepily.
"So then what do you have to do?", "You have everything you want."- only a taste of the conversations the three had had. But they were vague- only reminiscent conversations of things that had happened during the course of their high school lives. Things certainly had changed and Jounouchi couldn't tell the difference between good and bad changes anymore. He was merely following the day to day path he'd been given and it made little difference what he thought anymore. Or at least that's what an alcohol induced stupor had convinced him. What difference did it make anymore?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No updates till 33!
NEXT CHAPTER: Ryou and Bakura's thoughts on the evening and what they do about it!