Rowan: I figured that since I posted the first half of this chapter, I would post the second half soon after.

Siran: Makes sense.

Rowan: Good.

Thank yous: Escachick: Yes, and there's more to come! AnimeObsessed: Glad you like!

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shonoun-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOCness in the story.

AN: Last chapter, the gang found out that Jou left for a job in America that would last six years. Honda and Otogi discovered that their feelings for the other was mutual, and Yuugi took a look into the future. Right now, Yuugi is trying to get Ryou and Bakura to apologize and get back together. Everyone is eighteen now.

A Love Denied

Chapter 7: Warm Welcome

---

Five Minutes Later

"Yami, please?" Yuugi begged.

Yami shook his head. "Sorry Yuugi, but I refuse to converse with the Tomb Thief! And I'm not about to help him with his love life!"

Yuugi sighed. "Alright, look. If Ryou and Bakura break up, then they won't get married and Jou may never come back. Don't you want to see Jou again?"

Yami blinked. "How'd you know all that?"

"The Millenium Tauk. About three years ago I used it to see the future. Jou was talking on the phone and he mentioned Bakura and Ryou getting married and him having to rush back here to see them."

"Where's Bakura? I must talk to him at once and get him to see reason!" Yami declared, rushing over to the former thief. "Bakura, we have to talk! Now!" Yami dragged Bakura by the arm into the house.

Yuugi grinned and walked up to Ryou. "Do you have a minute?"

Ryou nodded and looked over at Yuugi. (Did I mention? Yuugi's slightly taller than Yami, who has not grown at all.) "Sure, what is it Yuugi?"

Yuugi shuffled his feet. "Well, I noticed you and Bakura weren't talking. How are things with you two?"

Ryou laughed. "Oh, we just had a small disagreement and we've declared a silence battle! Nothing to worry about!"

Yuugi sighed inwardly. "Just a disagreement? Oh, good. What about though?"

"You don't want to know. Trust me."

Meanwhile...

Yami flung Bakura on the couch in Otogi's living room. "Now you listen to me Bakura! You go outside and apologize to Ryou right now! Also, you will promise never to argue with him! And you two will be happy and stay together forever and eventually marry and adopt kids and live a typical cheerful live! Understand?"

Bakura nodded. "Sure Pharaoh, whatever you say..."Bakura quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go out and apologize!" Yami ordered, pointing to the door. When Bakura didn't move, Yami stomped over and pulled him up by his shirt collar. The former ruler of Ancient Egypt then dragged him back to the party, flinging him right into Ryou's arms.

Bakura moved his face from where it was buried in Ryou's chest and mumbled humbly, "I'm sorry I argued with you earlier and I promise never to do that again. Will you forgive me?"

Ryou looked at his watch. "Twelve hours and seventeen minutes. I expected you to start talking hours ago! Of course I forgive you Bakura."

Bakura grinned and hugged Ryou fiercely about the waist. "Domo arigatou!"

Ryou smiled and pulled his koi into a chaste kiss. "Say, Otogi, the guest rooms are upstairs, right?"

"Yeah, on the right," Otogi replied.

"Good. You don't mind if we..." Ryou asked.

"Not at all!"

Ryou led Bakura up the stairs, giggling all the way.

Five hours later

Bakura pried his eyes open and glanced over at the adorable teen beside him. "Eion ni aishitero," he whispered. [1] His sleepy mind wandered back to what Yami had said earlier.

"Now you listen to me Bakura! You go outside and apologize to Ryou right now! Also, you will promise never to argue with him! And you two will be happy and stay together forever and eventually marry and adopt kids and live a typical cheerful live! Understand?"

'Marriage? That would be nice. There's no one I'd want to spent the rest of my life with than my Ryou. But would he want to marry me? I hope so.' Bakura smiled as the image of Ryou and him living a small cottage on a hill, just the two of them. Oh, but Yami had mentioned adopting kids...

'What would I want with a bunch of baby goats?'

~*~~*~

"I don't know if I can do this!" Bakura cried nervously.

Yami sighed. "Of course you can! You've been thinking about asking him to marry you for two years! You can do this! Besides, you can't return the ring anyway."

Bakura opened the box and examined the diamond. "Ryou'll like this, won't he?"

"As long as it comes from the bottom of your heart, he won't care. Now get going, you've spent way too much time in the bathroom! He's probably wondering what's taking so long."

Bakura peeked through the crack between the door and the frame, gazing over at a slightly impatient-looking Ryou. "All right! I can do this! I know I can!"

Bakura walked confidently back to his table. Yami sighed. "Yuugi, if it weren't for the fact that those two getting together will bring Jou back, I'd never have given Bakura that prep talk. I'd never have went with him to buy the ring either. Or staked out the perfect restaurant to pop the question. Or endured helping him practice asking Ryou the question. Or helped that tomb robber in any way, shape or form!" Yami sighed. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, you owe me big time."

Yuugi smiled cheekily down on Yami. "Don't worry, I'll think of something. But, Yami? Hasn't all of this gotten you to thinking? About you, and Anzu? Would you ever marry her?"

Yami shrugged. "I don't think I'm much the marrying type. And I don't think I'd really want to marry Anzu, unless I found it necessary."

Yuugi nodded. "Oh, okay."

Meanwhile...

Bakura sat down in his seat across from Ryou and grinned nervously. "Ryou, do you remember two years ago, at Otogi's graduation party?"

Ryou nodded. "Yeah, I remember..."

"Well, before I apologized to you, Yami gave me a short lecture and a small push, and, well, I've thought a lot about what he said."

"What was it that he said?" Ryou inquired.

"He told me to marry you and adopt kids and live happily ever after, and Ryou, I want to marry you. Will you marry me and raise baby goats?" Bakura asked, producing the ring.

Ryou gasped. "Oh Bakura! Of course I'll marry you! I love you, forever and ever!" Ryou's eyes shined as bright as diamonds as Bakura gently slid the ring onto his finger. "But...raise baby goats?"

Bakura nodded. "That's what Yami said!"

"Oh, Bakura, he meant children!" Ryou giggled.

Bakura's face fell as his mental image of him and Ryou living on a hill with their kids shattered before his eyes.

"Oh, but if you really want goats, I'm fine with that too Bakura!" Ryou said, taking Bakura's hands in his own.

Bakura smiled up at his fiancé. "No, children are much better!" He leaned over the table and kissed Ryou. "As long as I'm with you."

~*~~*~

Honda popped open a champagne bottle. "This calls for a celebration!" he yelled, producing glasses for everyone. "To Ryou and Bakura, may they find happiness in their future together as husband and...husband!"

"To Ryou and Bakura!" the others replied, raising their glasses high to the newly engaged couple.

Otogi quickly shook hands with the two white haired bishounens, then rescued the wine bottle from his boyfriend. "Uh, I think you like champagne a bit too much Hiroto," he observed.

Honda shrugged. "Perhaps," he said.

Yuugi smiled at the happy pair. "Have you two set a date yet?" he inquired.

"Er, well, no, actually, we haven't," Ryou replied,

Yuugi smiled. "Well, you'll wait for Jounouchi's return, right? He'll be back in a year!"

"But what if he doesn't come back?" Bakura asked.

"Why would you say that?" Yami, who overheard that comment, inquired.

Bakura shrugged. "What if he likes it in America so much that he wants to stay there?"

Kaiba, who was standing with his arm looped in Mai's, smirked at this. 'Not to worry. He'll be back in a year, they can count on it.'

~*~~*~ (Wonder what's been going on with Jou?)

Jou stepped off the plane and gasped at his welcoming party. He had expected Kaiba, Mokuba, and Mai, but what was Yami doing there?

Yami raced over to Jou the moment his foot touched the ground. "Jou!" he cried before hugging him fiercely about the waist. "Oh Jou, I missed you these long six years that you've been gone! And I realized that..." Yami trailed, not sure whether to continue.

"You realized that...?" Jou prompted.

"I realized that I love you Jou," Yami whispered.

Jou smiled excitedly and eagerly pushed his lips against Yami's. "I love you too Yami! I love you so so much!"

Yami let go of Jou's waist and knelled. "Jou, I'm so glad you love me. I've given this a lot of thought, and would be honored if you would-

Beep! Beep!

Jou rolled over in his bed and slammed his fist on the snooze button. The poor clock, it couldn't put up with much more abuse.

Jou lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. 'The same dream I had yesterday, and the day before yesterday, and the day before that! In fact, the same dream for six stinking years!' Jou sighed. 'Why is it that I can't get him out of my mind? I came to America to forget him, yet he's the only thing I can remember! Every corner I turn, I expect to see him. Every time the phone rings, I think it's him that's calling! And every night, he haunts my dreams! And no matter how much I immerse myself in work, I still think about him! Even when I've worked so hard and long, that heavy, dreamless sleep is the only thing that comes when I lay down in bed, he's still there! He's everywhere, and he always will be!'

Jou heaved a sigh and got out of bed. "Time to start another day," he said in a less than cheerful voice.

After he showered, changed, and went downstairs for breakfast...

Briiing! Briiing! Briiing!

Jou picked up the telephone. "Hello?"

"Hey Jou! It's me, Mokuba!"

"Oh, hey Mokuba! How're things?" Jou asked. Over the past six years, he had gotten to like the younger kid and treated him as one would a cousin or something. Jou never assumed a big brotherly relationship with Mokuba, not wanting to upset his boss.

"Things are good!" Mokuba replied bouncily. "I just asked this girl I really like out, and she accepted!"

"Good for you Mokuba!"

"Thanks!" Mokuba exclaimed, and Jou knew that the teen was smiling on the other end. "Yeah, Yuugi gave me some advice as to how to approach her and it really worked!"

"Oh, really? How is everyone? Is Shizuka still with Yuugi? And what's been going on with Ryou and Bakura lately?" Jou inquired.

"How am I supposed to know?"

"C'mon Mokuba! You may only be fifteen years old, but you must have some news!"

"Well, now that you mention it, I remember Seto saying something about Ryou and Bakura getting married."

"Really?! Ryou and Bakura are getting married? Since when?"

"Uh, a year, I think."

"A year? Why've they waited so long?"

"Seto said they're waiting for you."

"Oh, so they've been waiting on me? Thanks for the news Mokuba. Could you put your brother on the phone please?"

"All right, hold on one second." Mokuba placed the phone down and Jou waited. A minute later, Mokuba said, "Oh, I'm sorry, he's busy right now."

"Oh, he's 'busy' is he? Well, tell him that I'm coming back to Japan. I will not miss Ryou and Bakura's wedding."

"But you can't! The company depends on you staying in America!"

"I don't care if the whole world depended on me being in America! I'm coming back! If he's too busy with Mai to talk with me now, then it's his fault that I ruined his business plans."

"But the American branch is depending on you!"

"I wouldn't care if I was Atlas and the planet was resting on my shoulders! Ryou and Bakura are my friends and I'm going to see them get married!"

"I absolutely agree," a different voice replied.

"Oh hi Seto! Yes, yes I understand. I'll take the first plane back. There's a jet ready for me? Thank you and I'll be in Domino as quick as I can. Oh, I didn't interrupt anything, did I? Right, well, say hi to Mai for me!"

Jou hung up the phone and jumped in the air. He was going to see his friends at last! But then another thought occurred. 'What am I going to say to them?'

~*~~*~

Jou glanced out the window and down on the ocean. He remembered crossing it six years prior and how apprehensive he felt. 'Not much has changed there,' he thought.

Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, Jou fell asleep again.

Jou was sitting in a bar, four empty beer glasses in front of him. 'Why didn't I tell him? Why couldn't I have been selfish for once? Why oh why?'

He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to come face to face with Bakura. "What d'you want?" he asked, slurring his words together.

"I knew I'd find you here," Bakura replied. "Everyone's worried about you! They think you're upset by the news. They think you love Anzu. But I know better," Bakura said with a wink.

"Wha?"

"I've known since the day the Pharaoh and I got our separate bodies. I knew, because that's when I realized that I loved Ryou. That's how you knew about Ryou and I first, isn't it? Because you were in love, you could sense our love for each other too, couldn't you?"

Jou's head started to ache and he said so.

"Let's get you to the bathroom!" Bakura said, pulling Jou to the restroom and into a stall. Jou was very grateful to have Bakura there as he retched into the toilet. It was only later on that he wondered how Bakura was so familiar with the location of the bar's bathroom.

Jou woke up, shaken by his dream. 'What is with all these dreams?' he thought, anguished.

~*~~*~

"Hi Kaiba! Thank you so much for sending the jet to get me!" Jou exclaimed as he stepped into the airport.

"Not at all," Kaiba replied, walking over to help Jou with his luggage, Mai on his arm and Mokuba trailing behind.

"Hi Mai, so good to see you!" Jou said, hugging Mai.

"Good to see you too Jou. Though I'm sure Yuugi and the others will be equally as happy to see you, if not more so."

"Do they know I'm back yet?" Jou inquired as the party of four walked over to the limo waiting for them.

"Nope! We thought you'd like to surprise them. They're all at the game shop right now," Mokuba informed the blonde.

"I can't wait to see the looks on their faces!" Jou remarked.

Half an hour later

The limo pulled up along the sidewalk and Yuugi exclaimed, "Kaiba and Mai are here! Quick everyone, let's all hide and surprise them!" Yami, Anzu, Shizuka, Otogi, Honda, Bakura, and Ryou all hid behind the store counter. "Here they come!" Yuugi whispered as he joined them behind the counter.

The door opened slowly and the lights were flicked on. "Surprise!" everyone shouted, jumping up from behind their hiding spot. Then, they all blinked in shock. "Jou?" they chorused.

~*~~*~~*~
[1] Eion ni aishitero: I love you forever.

Rowan: Mwahahaha! Oh, I just couldn't resist! I was going to do that differently, but just the thought of all their shocked faces made me do it that way! So, what do you think?

Siran: Lengthy.

Jou: *pouts cutely* There was hardly any of me in this chapter!

Rowan: But at least you got to kiss Yami, right?

Jou: That was a dream.

Rowan: Whatever. Anyways, what did the rest of you think?

Bakura: Ryou and me fluff!

Rowan: ...Ookaay...Oh, BTW, I had some foreshadowing in this chapter...see if you can tell me what it is! There's one thing I'm looking for specifically, but if you give me a different example that's correct, that's okay too! First one to get it right gets the next chapter dedicated to them! If no one guesses, then oh well!

Siran: Well peeps, review! Or else you'll never know why Yuugi and the others wanted to surprise Kaiba and Mai!

Rowan: And you won't get any more Jou*Yami fluff!