Jounouchi wasn't sure what he counted as more bizarre: the fact that a year had passed since he told Yuugi that he loved him, or that everyone seemed to remember except him and Yuugi. It was actually sort of embarrassing; they were caught off-guard when they found three cards in Yuugi's mailbox.
The first one was from Anzu: "Congrads! I'm glad Jounouchi finally got over himself."
Then one from Mai: "Happy one year, boys. Hey, Jou, I have a proposition for you: I'll show you my pictures if you show me yours." She drew a wink beside the message, probably just because she knew that it would make Jounouchi blush. And blush he did; he turned so red that he could have given a tomato a run for it's money. That was if tomato's had money.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yuugi asked. Jounouchi had never told him about his conversation with Mai, or any of that advice fiasco for that matter.
"Nothing," he stammered, thinking of the sticker pictures he still kept hidden in his dresser.
The third card wasn't a card so much a card as it was a black business card with "glad to see you still have both legs intact" written on it.
"Who sent that?" Yuugi wondered. "How strange."
All of their male friends were a little more covert about their congratulations. Honda called and invited them to a movie, slipping in his message of goodwill just before the conversation ended. Otogi sent them both e-mail conveying his good wishes. They didn't hear from Ryou all day, but his name was on the caller ID.
And of course, there was the same group of girls that flocked around Jounouchi and Yuugi like bodyguards at school. They brought baked goods and other various foods. Not that Jounouchi was complaining about free food, but he didn't understand why the girls were still so fascinated with them. At least they were nice girls… and they had food. Not to mention Jounouchi could officially say he had more fan-girls than Otogi.
"Jou," Yuugi called down the stairs, "is our fan club still here?" Girls squealed; they liked being called a 'fan club' for some reason that Jounouchi simply couldn't fathom. Personally, he would have found it insulting.
He covered his ears against the deafening, "Yes!" that was shouted for Yuugi to hear.
Yuugi laughed. "Well, ladies, can you send him upstairs?" Giggles and whispered filled the room until he continued, "I need help cleaning the bathroom."
There was a collective groan. One girl piped up, "That's such a mood-killer for your anniversary."
"Eh, it's not all sexy," Jounouchi admitted with a grin. "You should have been here when Jiichan said that neither of us could leave until Yuugi's room got cleaned."
"What happened?"
Yuugi answered, "He didn't leave all weekend; finally Jiichan stood in the doorway until we got it done." Jounouchi nodded wordlessly at the girls who gaped at him, and even smiled when they giggled. "Now we need to get this done or we're not going to be able to go out with Honda tonight," Yuugi threatened from wherever the hell he was upstairs. Jounouchi sighed and stood.
"Bye, girls," he said, a little sadly; he definitely preferred their company to cleaning the bathroom. They left, slowly but surely, and finally Jounouchi was forced to join Yuugi, who was in the upstairs bathroom. Jounouchi commented hopefully, "If that was an excuse to get them out of the house so we could be alone, it would make my day." Jounouchi got a rag - a clean one, he hoped - to the face.
"Nope," Yuugi said cheerfully. "Bathroom is filthy. Including with your dirty laundry. Do you go home anymore?"
"Yes," Jounouchi said defensively, dropping the rag into the sink and picking his laundry off the floor. "I have to prove that I'm alive at least once a week, otherwise my dad would probably try to collect life insurance on me."
Yuugi laughed, swatting Jounouchi's rear as the blond left to put his laundry in Yuugi's hamper. "You're so strange, Jou."
"That's why you love me," Jounouchi called from the bedroom.
"Who ever said I loved you?" Yuugi teased. When Jounouchi returned, he was bent over the tub, scrubbing at some ungodly mildew.
"You did," Jounouchi countered, leaning down to kiss Yuugi's cheek. "At least once every week."
"It's all a big joke," Yuugi said, sneezing as he sprayed some chemicals on the mildew he was desperately trying to scrub away from the tub. Jounouchi tried not to laugh as he sat on the toilet. He knew Yuugi was joking; he did all the time. For some reason, Yuugi thought the exchange was funny, probably because events were so reversed when he said stuff like that…
"It's a shame then," Jounouchi said, like he always did. "Because I love you."
Yuugi looked over his shoulder, grinning. "I know."
- author says -
Yea, the epilogue doesn't serve much of a purpose besides for a little fluff, and to show that small role reversal right there. I thought it was cute, and knew I had to slip it into some less-than-serious moment before the story was over.
Blue September (and anyone else who may have wondered): Yea, I think the note on Jou's locker was from Kaiba. Thought it was funny, if not a bit silly and out of character. ^_^U
Holy crap. Well, this be the end. v.v I thank everyone who actually read the story; this story is the one I've gotten the most responses for… ever. I mean, damn. You guys rock my socks.
Thanks!