Rowan: Oh dear, I haven't updated this story in a while!

Sakura: And you just noticed?

Rowan: I've been busy!

Sakura: Doing what?

Rowan: Writing other stories!  And besides, I've had writer's block!  I didn't know what to write!

Sakura: So why are you now?

Rowan: Because I'm not in the mood to update any other story and Ryou-Bakura1's review just kinda reminded me that this story still exists!

Sakura: You're right, it does exist!  And I was hoping it was just one huge nightmare!

Rowan: Why'd you want to think that?

Sakura: You put Yami and Anzu together, that's why!

Rowan: Oh, well, they won't last.

Sakura: Really?  They won't?

Rowan: Nah.  They'll break up eventually.  But, you see, I've got ten more chapters for this story, including this one, so…

Anyways, on with the story!

Disclaimer: It's necessary, so I'll have to admit that I don't own it!

AN: So sorry for the huge delay!  But I'm finally updating, so that's a good thing, right?  Well, won't hinder your reading any longer; enjoy!

First Love

Chapter 5: First Friends

Bakura walked hesitantly into the classroom.  It was different without Ryou, for now he had to bear the accusatory stares alone.  He sat down quickly into his desk and glanced forlornly at the empty desk next to him.  'If only Ryou were here,' he thought sadly.  Bakura sighed and opened his agenda to record his homework.

Once he had written down the calculus assignment, rearranged his binder, color coordinated his pens and pencils in his case, Bakura was left with nothing better to do than stare around the classroom.  His eyes immediately fell on Yuugi Motou and his friends.  They were all grouped together, laughing and having a good time.  Anzu, sitting next to Yami, cackled gleefully at something her boyfriend had said, and by the looks on his face, whatever it was, he hadn't meant it to be funny.  Suddenly, the brunette's sea blue eyes fell on the lone spirit and her face grew hard, icy.  She whispered something to the others and they all stopped talking and looked at Bakura as well, all with the same cold expression.  All but Yuugi, that is, who got up from his seat and approached Bakura.  When he reached his desk, the spiky haired boy smiled and asked, "Where's Ryou today, Bakura?  Is he sick?"

Bakura nodded, puzzled.  "Yes, he woke up with a fever of almost 100o .  Why do you care Yuugi?"

Yuugi looked hurt by this comment.  "Ryou's my friend, Bakura.  And I was hoping you were too."

Bakura regretted snapping at the smaller teen.  "Oh, right.  Even though he and I are a couple?"

"Why would that make any difference?" Yuugi asked innocently.

"It seems it makes a difference with your other friends," Bakura noted, nodding towards Anzu-tachi. 1

"Oh, don't mind them.  They'll come around eventually.  Anyway, I just came over to say hi and see how Ryou was.  Um, see you later Bakura." Yuugi turned and walked back to his desk, where the others immediately started bombarding him with questions.

---*---

In the afternoon, when Bakura arrived home, he wasn't alone.  Yuugi, along with Honda, Jou, Yami, Anzu, and Ryuuji, who joined them at the last minute, were all behind him.  Yuugi had forced them to come to check on their friend and see how he was.  Yuugi had even bought a Hallmark Get Well card, which everyone signed.  It seemed Yuugi was very persuasive.  After all, he was hardly intimidating.

Ryou sat propped up in his bed, looking much better than he had that morning.  He smiled brightly when Bakura walked in, and his eyes widened when he saw everyone else.  "Hi guys!  So good to see you all!  I'd make you all tea, but Bakura would kill me if I got out of bed."

The reluctant visitors milled around the small room, the only one looking like he was enjoying himself the little light.  "That's okay Ryou!  I'll go make some!"

"Thank you Yuugi!"  Ryou grinned.  Gesturing to the dining room he said, "You guys can take the seats in there and sit.  Make yourselves at home!"

//Hikari, why are you being so friendly to them?  They weren't very nice to you. //

/Maybe they've changed their minds!  Besides, Yuugi's nice enough to me. /

//That's Yuugi.  These others, // Bakura said pointing with his nose at the other guests, //they aren't accepting of us. //

/Treat others as you wish to be treated.  I'm treating them nice, so maybe they'll be nice in return. /

//Doubt it. //

"So, what happened in school today?" Ryou asked politely, trying to get a conversation going.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Yuugi was peering around the room waiting for the water to boil.  'A watched pot never boils!' his grandpa often said. 

Yuugi spotted a piece of paper on the floor, near the front door.  'Wonder what this is?' he thought as he picked it up off the floor. 

It was a letter very similar to the one Ryou had found earlier that day.  Yuugi scanned the letter quickly.

Dear Bakura,

On second thought, I won't kill you.  I'll simply take you away from Ryou.  I don't see why I ought to dirty my hands by murdering you.  So, to put it simply for your simple mind, leave or I'll make you leave.

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                        Ryou's tr- oh, forget it!

                                                                        Denoma Amoned 

Yuugi blinked in surprise at the letter.  'Denoma Amoned?  Who's that?  And why does he want Bakura to leave?  Maybe I should ask him and Ryou about it.'  Yuugi slipped the letter into his pocket.  'Later though, when Ryou's feeling better.  Don't want to upset him right now.'  Yuugi then was distracted by the whistling of the finished water and he busied himself with making tea for everyone.

In Ryou's bedroom, there was little conversation.  Honda was staring at the floor with a very bored look.  Anzu was shooting Yami pleading glances, begging for him to come up with an excuse to leave, Ryuuji was standing awkwardly against a wall and Jou was watching everyone with a very confused expression on his face.

Bakura and Ryou were sitting on the bed, hands intertwined and silently speaking to the other.  Luckily Yuugi came in with the tea and a very happy disposition.  "C'mon guys, we didn't come here to mope about!  I bet Ryou's just dying to hear about our day at school!  We all know how very boring it is to be sick in bed!"

Ryou stiffened slightly at the mention of death, but quickly pushed his fear aside.  'Think about that later.  For now, just forget about it!'  He shot Yuugi a grateful look.

Anzu glanced at her watch and then leaped out of her seat.  "Well, I'd love to chat, but I just realized!  I've got a dance rehearsal in twenty minutes and Yami's gotta drive me there!  Can't be late!  See you later!"  She headed for the door, dragging Yami behind her. 

Honda soon followed on the pretenses of needing to 'help his dad wash the car.'  Jou blinked, puzzled, at his friend's departure.  "I coulda swore he washed it yesterday!"

Yuugi shrugged.

Ryou sighed.  "I suppose you three have somewhere else to be as well and will be 'regretfully leaving now', huh?"

Yuugi glanced over at his ill friend.  "Why would you say that?"

Jou seconded Yuugi.  "Yeah, I'd much rather stay here with you guys than be at home with my dad."

Ryou glanced over at the silent green-eyed teen.  "What about you Ryuuji?"

"Well, my shop needs looking after, I'm currently working on a new arena design for DDM, and I have a social gathering to get to this evening, but I'd prefer to spend time with my friends, especially if one has a fever."

Ryou smiled.  "Thanks guys."

They started talking about lots of things: school, Yuugi's Grandpa's shop, college (which was an entirely different subject from 'school') and many other things.  Soon they found themselves discussing absent friends.

"Say, guys, I noticed that Mai hasn't been in school since September.  Where is she?" Ryuuji asked.

"On vacation somewhere," Yuugi answered vaguely.'

"The Bahamas," Jou elaborated.

"How'd you know that Jou?" Bakura asked.

Jou blushed.  "Oh, she wrote me a postcard from there.  Said she'd be back next Monday."

"Jou's got a girlfriend!" the other four taunted.

"No I don't!"

"Sure you don't!"

"I don't!"

"We believe you Jou!"

"No, really, Mai's not my girlfriend!"

The others just chuckled.  Jou glared.  "She doesn't like me like that!  She likes Ryuuji!"

Ryuuji gaped at him.  "She likes me?" he whispered faintly.

"Yup!"

"But how could she like him?  She barely knows him!" Yuugi protested.

"Well, she likes what she's seen so far," Jou countered.

"How did you find that out Jou?" Ryou asked.

"She told me.  She said that she trusted me with that secret!"

Ryou, Yuugi, and Bakura laughed.  "Well, obviously she was wrong!" Ryuuji was still in too much shock to say anything.

"I think she told me because she knows that I am a loyal friend!"

"Loyal as a puppy!" Ryuuji couldn't help but remark.

"Nobody calls me puppy but Kaiba, and not even him!" Jou said heatedly.

"Jeez, sorry Jou!  Didn't mean to offend you!"

"That reminds me!" Yuugi cut in.  "I heard that Kaiba Corps expanding to America!"

"Do you think Kaiba'll be going over there?" Jou asked.

"I don't know, I guess so," Yuugi answered.  "Why do you look so upset Jou?"

Jou blushed.  "Nothing!  I'm not upset!  Why would I be?"  Jou laughed nervously.

Ryuuji, Yuugi, Ryou, and Bakura gathered closer to Jou, trapping him in a circle that he couldn't escape.  "Something's up, Jou, and you're not leaving until you tell us," Ryuuji said.

Jou paled.  "C'mon guys, it's nothing!  Really!"

"His hands are shaking," Yuugi noted.

"His eyes are very shifty," Ryou added.

"Alright Jou!  Tell us now, or would you like us to take this to the Shadow Realm?" Bakura threatened.

"Is this anyway to treat a friend?" Jou asked.

All he got for an answer was a faint glowing from Bakura's Millennium Ring.  That got Jou talking.

"All right, all right!  I'll tell!  Seto and are a couple and he didn't tell me about America!  There, happy?"

Silence.

Crickets.

Large intake of breath.

"Well," Bakura finally broke the quiet.  "You're a man of many secrets Jou.  I only want to know one thing: what else are you hiding?"

Jou let out a sigh of relief that at least one of his friends was taking his news well.  "Oh, probably many other things that I can't remember at the moment," he replied jokingly.

Yuugi and the others then broke through their shock and the shorter teen grinned.  "Congratulations Jou!  I'm glad to see that you and Kaiba have overcome your differences!"

"Thanks Yuuge."

"So, how long has this been going on Jou?" Ryuuji questioned.

Jou thought.  "About a year now.  Yup!  Our anniversary's next week!"

"Good for you Jou.  Wow, and to think none of us noticed!" Ryou remarked.

"Yeah, it was very difficult for us to hide it, but we pulled it off pretty well, don't you think?"

Bakura looked slightly put off about something.  "Jou, why did you and Kaiba hide your relationship?"

"Well, you see, Seto has a public image to uphold.  If the media found out about us, his business would be severely damaged!  And his company is the only thing supporting him and Mokuba."

'Bull crap,' Bakura thought irritably, but didn't verbalize this view.  Instead he said, "So, have you and Kaiba…?"

"What?  Have we what?"

"You know, engaged in physical contact?"

"Well, we've kissed…"

"I'll take that as a 'no' then."  Everyone else looked confused at the yami.

/Bakura?  What are asking? /

//Just wondering if they've done it. //

/'Done it'? /

//Never mind.  I guess your virgin mind can't comprehend what I'm implying. //

Ryou's eyes widened.  "Oh," he said in response.

"What is it Ryou?" Jou asked.

Ryou laughed nervously.  "He wanted to know if…if…"

"If you're still a virgin," Bakura finished for him.

Jou reddened incredibly.  "Oh, that type of physical contact."

All eyes were looking unblinkingly at him.  "Well, are you?" Bakura finally asked.

"I plead the fifth!" Jou said.

"This is Japan, Jou!  You can only plead the fifth in America!" Yuugi replied exasperatedly.

"Well, let's go to America then!"

"Just answer the question Jou," Ryuuji ordered.

Jou mumbled something under his breath that sounded awfully like a 'no'.

"Eh, what's that?"

Jou repeated what he said a little louder.

Bakura leaped up with a wide grin on his face.  "Ah ha!  Knew it!  Kaiba and Jou did it!  Ha ha!"

Jou blushed profusely.  "Just shout it out to the world why don't you?"

"Why don't you and Kaiba do that instead?"

Jou paled.  "Uh huh!  No way!  It's bad enough you guys knowing without everyone else knowing too!  By the way, you guys won't tell anyone, will you?"

Ryou smiled kindly at the blonde.  "Of course not Jou.  Not unless you want us too."

"Yeah, you're secret's safe with me!" Yuugi added.

"Parenthetically, when did you two, you know, do it?" Ryuuji asked.  He got four very bewildered faces staring at him.

"What the hell does parent-something-or-other mean?" Jou asked.

" Parenthetically' and it means by the way, incidentally, etc."

"Well then why don't you just say that?"

"I have a very wide vocabulary and like to make use of it!  Now, are you going to answer my question or not?"

"Right.  We, um, did it, um…it was my birthday!  Yes, I remember now!  Seto took me out on a very romantic dinner and when we got back we-" Jou was interrupted by a pale hand covering his mouth.

"No details!  There are virgin ears here!" Bakura said, distressed.

Jou glared at the spirit.  "Like I was gonna give details anyway!"

"Anyway, perhaps we should change the subject?" Yuugi suggested.

---*---

They didn't stop talking until half past six, when Ryuuji, Yuugi, and Jou realized that they had to go home.  Bakura walked them to the door and quietly said farewell to them. (Ryou had fallen asleep.) He smiled a genuine smile as Ryuuji got into his Volvo and drove off, with Yuugi in shotgun; he had offered to drive the spiky-haired teen home.

Bakura took Jou aside to have a last word with him.  "Now, I know it's not any of my business, but I'm gonna tell you anyway.  I think that if you and Kaiba truly love each other, you won't care what anybody else thinks and will show affection in public and not keep your relationship hidden.  Take Ryou and myself.  From the very first we let everyone know that he belongs to me as I belong to him.  I know neither of us are the CEO of a huge corporation, but still, you should think about it.  Well, see you in school tomorrow Jou."

"Yeah, see you too Bakura.  I hope Ryou feels better in the morning.  And I will think about what you said, I promise."

Bakura waved as Jou walked down the street and around the corner.  He walked slowly back inside and kneeled beside the bed.  He smiled down on his angel.  "Well, it was good that your friends came over and brightened your face, but rest is best now.  Sleep on, little Ryou.  Sweet dreams."

Though Bakura was right in that sleep would help Ryou be rid of his fever, and though indeed it did go down, his friends' visit had livened his spirits and helped his health much more than rest did.

---*---

The moment Jou entered his house, he picked up the phone and dialed a very familiar phone number.  "Seto?  It's me, Jou.  I've been thinking…"

-----*-----*-----

Rowan: Wow, that chapter was totally unexpected!  I so did not see that coming!  When I first wrote this story, Seto wasn't even part of it!  Well, I truly hope you all liked that chapter!  It was much longer than last, but then, the wait was longer too.  Well, please review and tell me what you think!  Hopefully next chapter will come out sooner too!  But I need reviews in order to do that!(hint hint!) Well, bye for now!