Rowan: As I was typing this, I realized how un-Jounouchi Jounouchi is in this chapter. He like practically cries twice, becomes completely choked up, in front of all his friends- Jou is incredibly OOC in this story!
Jou: You just noticed?
Rowan: Hey, you want to write this story?
Jou: Sure!
Rowan: Well, what would you write?
Jou: This. 'Jou proclaimed his undying love for Yami and found it to be reciprocated. So Yami dumped Anzu, married Jou, and together they overtook Kaiba Corps and became multibillionaires! The end.'
Rowan: Uh…maybe you should stick to acting.
Jou: Wait…this is all acting! This isn't real?
Rowan: No it's not real. Sorry, Jou, there's no such thing as Santa Claus.
Jou: No Santa Claus? Nooo!
Sakura: Now you've done it! You've destroyed every little kid's belief in Santa!
Rowan: Hopefully everyone here's not that little of a kid.
Sakura: Oh, good point.
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.
Rowan: Hey look! It's in the warning too!
Jou: Congratulations genius.
Rowan: Look who's talking!
A Love Denied
Chapter 8: Secretive Soul
---
Otogi was the first to shake out of his dazed surprise, walking around the counter and greeting the blonde in the doorway. "Jounouchi! Long time no see! And you arrived on the perfect day too! We're holding a party at my house for Mai and Kaiba's fourth year anniversary! You'll come, won't you?"
Jou blinked at the black-haired inventor and smiled. "I had almost forgotten how much you talk," he joked.
This small exchange broke the spell over the others, who all rushed over to greet their long-lost friend.
"Jounouchi, you're back!"
"How long are you staying?"
"Where are you staying?"
"Jou, we missed you so much!"
Jou grinned widely, tears in his eyes. "I missed you guys too!"
Shizuka frowned at her Oniisan. "Jou, do you know how worried you made us?"
Jou looked down guiltily. "I'm sorry Shizuka. Well, at least I'm not leaving again. I-I really missed you guys these past six years."
Yami patted Jou's shoulder. "As did we. By the way, what made you come back? I know it said in your letter that you would be back in six years, but we were starting to have our doubts!"
Jou smiled half-heartedly. "Ah, well, you had good cause to doubt my return. Only thanks to Mokuba here," and Jou gestured to the teen behind him, "I never would be here right now! When he told. me . that…"Jou trailed off, his eyes moving slowly to look behind him, only to discover Seto, Mai, and Mokuba in the doorway, having crept through the door while the others talked. "Gah!" Jou yelped, jumping into the air and practically into Yami's arms. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" he yelled shrilly.
Seto chuckled, while Mai and Mokuba held their sides in silent laughter. "Su-surprise!" they gasped to everyone when they caught their breath.
Jou frowned at the three. "Y'know, it wasn't all that funny," he said, pouting.
Seto shook his head. "Oh, we're not laughing at that, though you were funny. No, we were just laughing at the expressions on everyone's face when they found you in the doorway instead of us! It was priceless!"
"I wish I had brought my camera!" Mai chimed in.
"I did!" Mokuba piped up, holding up the picture-taking apparatus.
"Oh, you'll give me copies, right?" Mai asked excitedly.
"Sure!" Mokuba acquiesced cheerfully. Under his breath he added, "It's your camera."
"But going back to Yami's question," Anzu interjected, "what did make you come back?"
"Oh, well, I found out from Mokuba that Ryou and Bakura were engaged but that they were waiting for my return to get married. So naturally I had to come!" Jou replied.
Bakura, who stood to the back of the crowd of welcoming friends, upon hearing Jou's explanation, glanced over to Yami, then to his hikari, who proudly donned his Millennium Tauk. His eyes widened in revelation.
"Say Jounouchi, where are you staying?" Ryou inquired, breaking into his lover's thoughts and bringing him back to the world of the living.
Jou scratched his head in thought. "Y'know, I have no idea!"
"He's staying with us of course!" Yuugi answered, him and Shizuka standing hand in hand beside their close friend.
"No way! He's staying at my house!" argued Otogi.
Anzu and Yami stared the raven-haired man down. "He's staying at our house!" they declared.
Jou looked around in a panic, certainly not wanting to stay with Yami and his girlfriend.
"You know, he came for our wedding," Bakura began from behind. The group as one turned to see the speaker. "He came to see us get married, so it is only fitting that he come to stay at our house. And since after the wedding Ryou and I will be on our honeymoon, Jou'll have the place to himself. So, if you all don't mind, Jou, Ryou, and I are leaving now so Jou can get settled in his home. We will see you all in a few hours. And if you have any complaints, my Ring will take care of it." Bakura then led Ryou through the others to the blonde. Taking the suitcase from him, Bakura inquired about any other luggage, to which he got a negative response. With a warning flash of the Millennium Ring, Bakura, Ryou, and Jounouchi left through the front door, leaving the place in utter silence.
~*~~*~
"Welcome Bakura, Ryou, Jounouchi!" Otogi greeted, ushering them inside his semi-mansion. "You're the last three! Mokuba's bringing Kaiba and Mai later, so we can surprise them again."
"You mean make up for earlier?" Jounouchi asked.
Otogi nodded. "Well, yeah. Didn't really go the way we'd planned, if you know what I mean! Anyway, the others are in the backyard right now. Jou, would you do me a favor and pry Hiroto off the wine bottles?"
Jou raised an eyebrow at Otogi's use of Honda's first name but simply replied with a "yeah, sure", before going out back and searching for his best buddy. It only took him a moment, espying the brunette standing at the refreshment table, a wine glass in his hand. Jou shook his head and made his way over to the other man. "Hey Honda! Y'know, all you need is a obnoxious pink suit and you'd be the spitting image of Pegasus!" Honda, upon hearing Jou's remark, dropped the glass to the ground. "No, seriously, I've been gone for six years pal! I could use an update! What's been happening while I was gone?"
Honda and Jou started to walk across the lawn, the brunette talking all the while. "Well now, let's see. You left when we were fifteen. So…well, y'know, we graduated from high school and Yuugi went to college in Tokyo, but he's back because it's the summer and all. Oh, and when Shizuka graduated a year later, she moved into the game shop. Oh, you do know Yuugi's jiichan died a few years ago, right? Well, he did and-"
"Whoa, whoa, wait a sec [1]!" Jou interrupted. "Okay, just wanted to make sure I heard correctly. Shizu moved into the game shop with Yuugi?"
Honda nodded. "Yup!"
"You don't think they…that they've ever…" Jou trailed off, unwilling to finish his thought, knowing Honda would get what he was saying.
Jou was correct, as Honda nodded in comprehension and answered, "Well, they've been dating for well over six years and have both been of legal age for two. Not like that stopped Bakura and Ryou from getting some beforehand. By the way, how'd you know they'd been…you know, sleeping together? Did you walk in on them or something?"
Jou shook his head. "It was something I just…knew. I mean, I noticed Ryou and Bakura constantly looking at each other, or more like Bakura looking and Ryou blushing. It was actually rather obvious, if one took the time to watch for such things. I'm surprised I was the first one to know!"
"But how'd you know they were, you know…" Honda persisted.
"Well, when Ryou started limping it became pretty obvious, right?" Jou exclaimed.
"Yes, that makes sense. Now what I'm curious about is how'd you know?" Otogi said, popping beside the two out of the blue.
Jou's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Know what? What are you talking about?"
"Well, in your letter from six years ago you told me to tell before it was too late! How'd you know I had a crush on Hiroto?"
Jou's eyes widened in surprise. "You liked Honda? I never knew that!"
"Did you also not know that I was planning on asking Mai out the next day?" Honda asked.
Jou shook his head. "I never knew! I was only told by…" Just then the door opened and out walked Mokuba, Mai and Seto. "Kaiba!" Jou finished.
"Kaiba!" the brunette and the black haired man repeated.
"That makes sense actually," Otogi remarked. "Just a week or so before he had found out I had a crush on Hiroto!"
"Same here! I dropped my agenda and he probably saw that I was planning on asking Mai out!" Honda added.
"But why would Kaiba help us?" Otogi mused.
Jou shook his head and smiled. "I've been asking myself that question for six years and I think I finally see the answer. I mean, why would he make me the semi-CEO of the American Branch of KaibaCorps?"
Honda and Otogi looked at Jou expectantly. "Well?"
"Well, the reason he did that, and gave me the advice for Otogi, is one amethyst eyed blonde beauty, Mai Kujaku!" The three looked over to the four year couple, hands clasped together and eyes gazing lovingly into each other. "He found out that you, Honda, were planning on asking Mai out and beforehand he had learned that Otogi really liked Honda! So, why not tip you off, right Otogi? But why should you listen to Kaiba? It'd be better if it came from a friend. And Kaiba had to get rid of me because when he found out I like Ya- liked someone else, and that person not being the same sex as Mai, he realized that the two of us might pretend to be dating anyway simply so neither of us would be single. And it just wouldn't do if Kaiba was going a girl who was seemingly taken already. So he did all that just for love! Who'd of thought?"
"Yes, love does funny things to people," a voice from behind the three said. Spinning around, they came face to face with none other than Seto and Mai. "Oh, komban wa Kaiba, Mai! How are you both?"
"Fine, and you?" Seto replied amiably.
"Oh, great!"
"Never better!"
"Top form, wot!"
"Been reading Redwall I see. What a surprise Jounouchi." Seto remarked.
"Hey, I ran the American Branch of KaibaCorps pretty damn well these past six years, thank you very much!" Jou retorted heatedly. "Not saying I didn't have help," he added under his breath.
"It was a joke Jounouchi! You took great care of that portion of my company!' Seto assured. "Not like it was that big of a portion anyway," he amended softly, for his ears only. "Well, talk to you later! Oh, and Jou? If you're looking for anything to read, I recommend Gone With The Wind. I think you'd enjoy it!"
Seto and Mai then turned and walked over to Yuugi and Shizuka. When they were out of hearing distance, Jou faced Otogi. "What happened to the 'surprise'?"
Otogi fell over, an anime sweat drop forming at the back of his head.
~*~~*~
"I feel alone, so alone. And young. So young and alone. Yup, that's me. Young and lonely Jounouchi." Jou sat at a small round table in Otogi's karaoke(sp? My Word spell check sucks) bar, elbows on the wood and chin cupped in his hands depressively.
"Shall both of us young and lonely bachelors sit together?" a voice behind the blonde asked. Jou looked over to the source of the question and was met by big grey eyes and a mess of raven hair.
"Go ahead Mokuba. We might as well stick together, right?"
Mokuba nodded. "Yup!" he chirped as he pulled out a chair and sat down.
Jou emitted another sigh as his eyes gazed around the room at all the couples. Yuugi and Shizuka, Honda and Otogi, Bakura and Ryou, Seto and Mai, and last, but certainly not least in Jou's mind, Yami and Anzu. Everyone sat at individual tables, cuddling with their significant other. It was enough to make Jou gag. That or turn green with envy. Either way, Jou turned a shade of green. 'They look so nice and happy together. I wish I could have that with someone. I mean, look at them! They've been together for four or more years, and still in love! Of course, that means that they've definitely done it, which would make me and Mokuba the only virgins in this room. That's a kind of sad thought, come to think about it.' Jou shook his head. 'Enough with these depressing thoughts!'
Jou stood up from his seat. "Y'know, we're in a karaoke bar, so we might as well sing, right?"
"So sing Jou!" the others replied. "Sing something from America!"
Jou scratched his head. "But what?" he asked.
Seto stood up from his seat beside Mai and started towards Otogi's song collection. Jou and the others watched in curiosity as he started to flip through the songs. "Ah ha! Found it!" Seto declared as he inserted a song into the machine.
"Eh, found what?" Jou asked, walking up to the brunette.
"The song you're going to sing. Now go ahead, get moving!" Seto said with a push. Jounouchi glared at him. "Oh don't worry, it's a good song, an American oldies." Seto leaned in and whispered in Jou's ear, "You can change all the 'she's to 'he's if you want." (AN: That means that I'm giving you the version Jou will sing, with he's instead of she's. Also, I do not own the following song, Gene Pitney's 'It Hurts To Be In Love.')
Jou stepped up to the microphone and the music started to play. Almost instantly the words appeared on the screen and Jou understood why Kaiba had chosen that song.
"It hurts to be in love when the only one you love
Turns out to be someone who's not in love with you.
It hurts to love him so when deep down inside you know
He will never want you no matter what you do."
"And so I cry a little bit.
Ah, I die a little bit.
Day and night, night and day, it hurts to be in love this way."
Jounouchi was surprised to find that the lyrics were just how he felt. Each word, each syllable, Jou had felt that, still felt like that. For a moment Jou wondered whether Kaiba had planned this, or if he had simply heard it on the radio and recognized Jou's sorrow in it. Jou didn't know. But he was grateful that Kaiba had forced him to sing the song, for it gave Jou a chance to finally say how he felt, without having to worry whether Yami, or anyone else for that matter, knew who he was talking about.
"How long can I exist wanting lips I've never kissed?
He gives all his kisses to somebody else.
He thinks I'm just a friend, though it hurts I must pretend
The only way to keep him is keep 'im to myself"
"And so I cry a little bit
Ah, I die a little bit
Day and night, night and day, it hurts to be in love this way."
It was the second verse that got Jounouchi choked up, making the chorus difficult to sing, tears starting to form in his eyes. Six years of bottled up love finally popped open in a rush of pent-up emotion. Jou didn't understand why he was acting like this. He loved Yami, he knew that, but he had always thought it a very silly crush, however deep it felt. So why should Jou be acting like this? His mind certainly had nothing to do with it, was it his psyche, crying out in misery from being kept from its soulmate? His heart, not being able to relieve its heavy burden of love and affection and lust?
Whatever it was, it was making it very hard for Jou to finish the song. As a good friend should, Yami jumped up ad finished the song for his best friend, surprising Jounouchi to no end.
"And so I cry a little bit.
Ah, I die a little bit.
Day and night, night and day, it hurts to be in love this way."
Maybe hearing Yami singing the words that had been resounding in Jou's heart for two thousand one hundred ninety days and more gave Jou a little false hope that Yami meant every word he sang. Maybe he had found a way to soothe his heavy heart and miserable soul. Maybe he just decided to pull himself together. Whatever it was that Jounouchi thought or did, his high tenor mixed with Yami's rich baritone in the final lines, the two voices weaving together in perfect harmony, as if made to sing together, never alone nor with anyone else.
"It hurts to be in love, day and night, night and day.
It hurts to be in love, day and night, night and day.
It hurts to be in love, day and night, night and day."
Jou and Yami turned and smiled at each other and Jou felt a pressing desire to leap at the former Pharaoh and completely and totally molest him on the spot. But six years of working for Seto must have rubbed some of the famous Kaiba coldness and composure into Jounouchi, for not a single emotion of lust, passion, or love for Yami showed on his face. Jou simply shook Yami's hand, pulled him into a between-friends kind of hug, and patted him on the back, before going back to his seat at Mokuba's table.
~*~~*~
Jou had been in bed for hours, and yet had not gotten any rest. At first, Jounouchi had Bakura and Ryou to blame, for even after six years plus, their nighttime activities were as loud and passion-filled as their first time together. Of course, it could have had something to do with the fact that for Bakura's birthday Ryou had given him a nice little picture book called the Kama Sutra (cookies to anyone who knows what that is!) and that Bakura had found it to be his favorite piece of literature, 'reading' it almost habitually every night.
But finally around two o'clock in the morning, Jou found the house to be quiet at last. And yet Jou still did not go to sleep, being kept up simply because he found Gone With The Wind to be such a good novel. Though Jou couldn't help but notice parallels between the book and his own life. 'That Kaiba. I know he must think my life is like this book! Of course, I am Scarlett O'Hara, and Yami must be Ashley Wilkes, making Anzu Melanie Wilkes. But who in hell is Rhett Butler? Kaiba fits the bill quite nicely for that role. Of course, if memory serves me, Scarlett ends up in love with Rhett…that would mean I would end up in love with Kaiba!' Jou shuddered. 'Never mind, my life isn't that similar to this book after all!'
Jou closed the book and put it beside the bed, then rolled over to get some sleep. He had stopped just before the part where Ashley Wilkes is about to leave for war once more, having visited Scarlett and Melanie for Christmas. And the events following in the upcoming days would give Jou no time to continue reading the novel. The next time he would pick up his Gone With The Wind, Jou would discover that maybe his life was more similar to the plot of the story than he had thought.
~*~&~*~&~*~
[1] Just something I noticed: Besides the common phrases of, "Let's duel!", "I play this card," and "Yu-gi-oooh!", "Wait a sec," must be number four. I swear, they say it a lot! Oh, maybe not. I forgot "noooo!", which is more common than "wait a sec,", but anyways…Like, in the episode where Bakura and Malik are dueling against Marik, when Anzu wakes up she goes, "Where am I? Did I fall asleep in Bakura's room? Wait a sec…where's Bakura?" Then later, after Yuugi and Anzu searched the entire blimp for the missing white haired hottie (sorry, couldn't help but add that!), Yuugi goes, "Wait a sec!" when he remembers the top of the blimp. And it's never "Wait a second," only "wait a sec,". So anyway…yeah, really random, but I thought you all ought to know.
Rowan: Plushies to anyway who can guess what is going to happen next! Of course, you'll have had to have read Gone With The Wind in order to know what I'm talking about. But plushies to all who guess! And the next chapter, which is called Mistaken Misery will be dedicated to the thirtieth reviewer. That way I'll need to get 30 reviews before I write (or post) the next chapter. And sorry for the four month wait, I was busy, and needed a breather on this story. I was getting kinda bored, but now I'm interested again! So I hope to be getting positive reviews from you peeps! And one day I will reply to your reviews, I promise! Just not today! Oh yeah, Happy Belated New Year! And Jou's birthday is on the 25th of January! Happy Birthday Jou!
Jou: It's not for another two weeks, idiot.
Rowan, Well, with attitudes like that I don't see why I should update soon!
Jou: I'll tell you why you'll update soon; because it's either this or Life's Little Treasures, also featuring me, or First Love.
Rowan: First Love doesn't feature you.
Jou: Eh…forget I said that.
Rowan: Please review! Though next chapter isn't the greatest, I hope you are all anxious to read it anyway. Oh, and be prepared to sign some documents.
Sincerely with love,
Rowan and Sakura