Disclaimer: Uh… Do I honestly have to write this every chapter? Isn't it a little obvious the only thing I own is the plot to this story? No Yu-Gi-Oh ownership here!
Review Responses:
Santurion2- No problem! hands you a lollipop Sugar! blushes Aww, do you really think my story's fantastic? Yay! Someone appreciates me! Thank you so much for reviewing kindly every chappie! Wo ai ni!!! Glad you love me too! Horray!
Cattypatra- You're absolutely right. I make you people wait too long for way too little reward. I promise to try and make the chapters longer. Last chappie was cute? Heh, I try! Yes, we must convert the world into Joey/Malik fans!!! Sorry I haven't gotten around to reviewing your fics yet, my computer refuses to let me online half the time and my mommy kicks me off a lot. That'll change soon, we're getting DSL!
Yami Songo- I remember you! You're the one with the kewl Joey/Malik fic! Yay! I'm glad you like it so far! More confuzzled Malik on the way!
USA Tiger- Do I know you? You are new! Nice to meet you! Yep, Shampoo is one of my favorite Ranma ½ characters, so I decided to chuck her in there.
Bitterchoco20- I need to get around to e-mailing you! Are there any other web sites you know of with Jou/Malik stuff? I love it too, but I've seen only about three fics total about it! I was looking for "MARRIAGE MISHAPS" on ff.net, but I couldn't find it! WAH!!! I NEED THE JOU/MALIK-NESS!!! Oh well, I'll get around to finding it… eventually…
AmethystDragonflame- Long reviews are happy! Me likey long reviewses! hands you a lollipop You've done well, soilder! Anyway, I'm still working on reading those fics, I'm just too busy and my computers just too slow! Or my internet service really sux… that's getting fixed, don't worry, I'll read them soon! I'm so glad I made you a fan! Tell your friends, we need more Malik/Jou fans!!
Author Notes: Hey! I only got six reviews last chapter!! Is that because I took so long to update? Wah!! I feel sad! I guess a couple people just missed the update or something… COME BACK KIRA-KURA AND WOLF!!! Pchan can't get to a computer, so I'll forgive her this time. I can't be too disappointed… I gained Yami Sango and USA Tiger… For those that reviewed last chapter… hands reviewers chibi Malik plushie You people made me happy! Horray! Hopefully the others will come back this chappie to claim their Malik plush-plush! Okay, enough of this mindless dribble. On with the fic!
Chapter Five- Rehearsal?
Joey's POV:
Malik's violet eyes seemed permanently instilled with excitement as he gazed at the passing inhabitants and gawked at the vast structures of Domino City (aka buildings). A genuine smile seemed to be embedded in his Egyptian features, happy to be out after being in the apartment all day.
Our waitress's comment obviously had no effect on him. Why would it? I did tell him we were on a date, after all. Well, maybe my carefree blond didn't care, but the people around us seemed to. Since that moment people have been staring at us rather awkwardly, causing me to sink in my seat to avoid their gaze. Maybe if I concentrate on my adorable Egyptian, things won't seem so bad.
The before mentioned boy had obviously gotten bored with the sights and turned his attention back to me. "Um, Joey…" he started, lowering his head slightly to avoid eye-contact with me. "If you and I are on a date…" Every pair of eyes from every outside table at the Cat Café (and even some from the people just walking by) was now locked on us. Malik's cheeks were now stained with pink, the shade growing deeper and deeper from every word that poured from his mouth. "…then does that mean we're in love?"
A blush rose to my cheeks as well, only it wasn't the cute pink kind like Malik had on. It was more like the deep red kind that tends to fill your whole face, not just your cheeks. "We-well, uh- I don't know-uh…"
"Meal here!" Our waitress plopped our food in front of us. "Here check, too." She handed me a slip of paper. "Enjoy!" She bounced off to another table. At least that got me out of answering the question…
"Joey? I couldn't understand you…" Malik said, still not making eye-contact. (Or not…)
"Uh… that depends…" my voice was now calmer without all those people watching, but still cracked. "I uh…"
"Never mind…" he picked up his chop sticks and started with his noodles. "Let's try another question. Is it possible to be in love with two people at the same time?"
"Sure it is." Finally back to normal! Just look at me, Malik. I love you and Mai. Not like I would ever tell you that…
"Are you in love with Mai?" he asked timidly.
"Well, yeah…" Can he read my mind?
"But it is possible to love more than one person?" he asked, just to make sure. I nodded in response. A warm smile played once again on his lips. "That'll have to do for now than." Why do I feel like he can see right through me? I think he knows all about my secret attraction towards him by now. And so does everyone else around us, for that matter. They all had returned to their food or conversations with each other. Malik and I were probably main topics among these conversations.
But it doesn't matter. Just to see that smile shining brightly on Malik's beautiful tanned face was worth all the humiliation in the world. I watched him as he slurped his meal down. He had completely abandoned his chop sticks. He had now lifted the entire bowl to his lips, pouring the broth down his throat. Reminds me of my own normal eating habits!
I looked back down at my food. Malik is more entertaining… In fact, I don't think I even need to eat anymore. Malik is all the nourishment I'll ever need, forget food!
But since it's there… Instead of dunking the pieces of chicken into the sauce like most people do, I grabbed my sauce and poured it over the chicken pieces, then proceeded to pick up huge pieces of chicken and stuff them in my mouth.
"You disturbing peace!!" The waitress was now standing over me with a large wooden mallet. She held the mallet high over her head and swung it down, causing it to collide with my head. "Now be good boy and eat right." And with that she left.
"A little late, huh?" Malik said, glancing at my plate which was wiped clean by now.
"Yeah..." I said, rubbing the back of my head. "Owy…"
"Should we go, then?" His ramen bowl was now empty, also.
"Yep." I laid some money on the table for the waitress to pick up, lifted myself from my seat, and got up to go.
"Joey, will you help me up?" Malik asked, his voice sweet and innocent.
"'Course." I loaned him a hand and pulled him to his feet, walking off with him side-by-side.
By now it was dark and everything from street lights to lights peeking through apartment windows was shining down on us. People down the street continued to stare at us uneasily. "Wonder what their problem is…" I said, speaking more to myself than Malik.
Malik simply cleared his throat and glanced at our hands, which were locked together. "When did that happen?" I said, slightly blushing.
"It's been like that since we left the restaurant…" he avoided my gaze once again by looking off to the side. "You didn't seem to notice, so I didn't say anything. I didn't think it would bother you…"
I gave his hand a soft reassuring squeeze. "No problem there!" His eyes lit up as his smile shone brighter than ever.
And that's how the rest of the walk went back to my apartment. It wasn't until we were right outside my door that either of us had said a word. "Doesn't something happen at the end of a date?" Malik asked, breaking our silence before I reached in my pocket for the key.
"You mean like…" I blushed for a minute, thinking of what he might mean. What happens on a date with Mai? Usually we kiss or something… Is that what he wants? "…a kiss?"
"Yeah… that's what you're supposed to do, right? And this is a date, so…" Malik avoided my gaze by staring at the floor.
I thought it over for a minute. Technically, I shouldn't do this. It'd be wrong, I'm with Mai! I couldn't kiss someone else, especially not another guy! That's what my brain says. My hormones say otherwise.
I placed a hand under his chin, tilting his face upwards towards mine. I drew closer to him, our faces now inches apart. "Are you sure that's what you want?" I asked.
He nodded. So with that I placed my lips on his, my tongue running across his lips until they parted, leaving me to infiltrate his mouth. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer to me as I continued to penetrate his mouth. It was odd… I've done the same thing with Mai billions of times, but somehow this was… sweeter… He tasted sweet, like candy. And candy is easy to get addicted to, as I've found out from the past five seconds.
"Hi Joey, and- Malik?!" British tones rang from behind us as we quickly pulled away from each other. Ryou had obviously been a witness to our act and was now staring at us, demanding an explanation. "What are you two doing?"
"Uh… rehearsing for a play!" I rushed the words a little to fast for my albino friend to believe.
"Really? Joey, I happen to know your acting is atrocious." He sighed in disbelief, narrowing his chocolate-brown eyes at me. "Look, I don't care if you're gay. Just don't lie about it."
"Yeah! Joey and I just got back from our date!" Malik announced, happy to brag about it to someone. A certain heat just refuses to leave my cheeks tonight, doesn't it? New subject!
"Looks like you've been pretty busy, too!" I said, pointing to a red spot on my white-haired friend's neck. The red showed up quite nicely against his fair skin.
Ryou pulled up the collar of his light blue shirt in an attempt to hide my little discovery "Okay, I get it! I won't bother you about it any more!" Finally, someone else's turn to blush! "You were just acting kind of weird today in school, and since your house is on the way back to mine I thought I'd check up on you."
"Back to mine from where?" I asked curiously, though I know full well where he was. I loud honking noise rang through the entire building, making my headache about ten times worse. That answered my question, a horn the annoying could only come from one place: Kaiba's limo.
"Um, I should be going. Bye Joey, nice seeing you, Malik!" Ryou said, waving as he rushed into the elevator.
Malik looked up at me in confusion. "Why was there a red spot on Ryou's neck?"
"I'll give you a hint, there was a reason Kaiba was waiting for him."
"You mean, Ryou… and Kaiba…? Kaiba did that to him?! He hurt Ryou!!"
"Yeah right!" I laughed. "Ryou was probably having just as much fun as Kaiba!"
"I don't get it… how'd the spot get there from Kaiba?"
The angels have blessed me! How could I not take this opportunity to show my affection for my adorable confused Egyptian? I took him in my arms and pinned him against the wall with a thud. "Wanna see for yourself?" I asked, leaning closer to his neck.
His expression changed from confusion to fear, feeling helpless against me as he struggled against my strength. "Joey… you're scaring me… please set me down…" The pupils in his amethyst orbs were now as small as they had been the night he was describing his yami to me. His shocked expression sent guilt trip after guilt trip through me, his expression practically begging for me to set him down.
I relaxed my grip and let him go. "Sorry... I don't know what came over me…"
"It's okay, I just don't want you doing that yet." He smiled at me. "You can't do that while you still have your girlfriend. That would be cheating."
"Malik, I get the feeling you know a lot more than you're letting on." I said, shooting him a suspicious glance.
"Uh… In you go!" He said as he shoved me through the door. (Guess it wasn't locked after all…)
End Note- Wow, what the heck was going on in my head when I wrote this? Joey, don't rape poor Malik!! He won't like you very much! But anyway, there. I think that was longer than I've been doing, right? I hope. If not than I'm sorry!! It looks a lot longer on Microsoft Word than it does on fanfiction.net! Am I putting too much kissy-kissy stuff in or not nearly enough? Was this chapter long enough for you people? (somehow I doubt it) and did I update quickly enough? (I doubt that too, then again I doubt anyone even reads this part!) I'm running out of ideas here, people! I'm open to suggestions! Please review! poofs into a stuffed animal Think warm and fuzzy! Chance likey the warm and fuzzy!