A/N: ...Yeah. I don't have anything else to say. Sorry.
Slushie Blu: Thanks! I'm still thinking about the wedding crasher episode, but I am jotting some plots on it though. Ya know, it's not a good story if you don't tie everything up at the end!
FireieGurl: Thanks! I tried!
Jenn120: Thank you!
MiddiKnowles: Awesome's one of my fav words!
Kuro-Konton: In this chapter, I try to make Bakura's character realistic, tell me if I did good or not! Yea, I'm evil. I've been sued twice on account of that too.
Dragonlady222: I agree. Monique says 'Thank you!'
Growing Pain: Yea, I'm trying to put the wedding crasher chapter together, cuz' I don't know what to do once Jou makes it in time. So I added a 3-part side story on how Jou sees the different sides of his friends' relationships while identifying his own with them. So you guys don't get bored waiting while the climatic chapter is under construction. Plus, a lot of my friends at school wants me to add some of their favorite pairings in my story. Who am I to refuse?
Hai-chan: Yea, not the best of my works. I try to make it less confusing, but love is difficult to understand in the first place. It's good that you did understand. Makes it less hard to explain.
LP-lova210: Yea, not as dramatic I agree. I did work a bit hard on this chapter though.
Firewielder: Your wish is my command! snap snap
bleedingchaos: Thanks! I love it too!
BakuKurasAngel: Hello! Thanks for enjoying my story! Just doin' my job!
Bluerosety: Thank you!
Kerajeir: I know, what I wouldn't give to make Jou happy—wait! I can! Muwawhahahaha!
Amyrose300: (hands you a bottle of water) That's sweet! Thanks!
Chapter 16: Needing Some Solid Trust Part 2 of 3- Everybody Needs It Once In A While, Right?
After Jou had told the famous dueling duo his predicament, Yami and Yugi agreed to help him no questions asked. Though, the mastermind in this showdown decided to tell them their orders after they recovered Ryou, Bakura, Malik, and Marik. He didn't want to bring Anzu into this for fear of her speeches, and Honda decided long ago that he wanted to move to Shizuka's town to rekindle their relationship. It was obvious Otogi followed him as well, but probably for a different reason than Honda's if you know what he meant.
When Yugi and Yami declared their eternal love for each other, Jou felt something warm around his neck that had sent him into a state of euphoria of love for his significant other.
A special warmth, something that was his only.
He didn't know what was this warmth, but it was there. It had disappeared shortly after they left Kame Game Shop to pursue the white haired duo, Ryou and Bakura. Jou sat quietly in his seat, wishing for this warmth to return...
...sadly it didn't.
Anyways, Jou felt that he needed the strength of the rest of his friends. Not just for encouragement, but he felt that they'd somehow help him save Seto from whatever force that drove him to separate the two duelist's relationship. And a voice nagging him in the back of his head said that something wasn't right. Like supernatural not right. Or, maybe it was his involvement with all those Shadow Games and such messing with his head. He was probably used to blaming things on the supernatural because of his wayward years being sucked up into ancient Egypt and being used as a pawn. He only followed what was in front of his eyes, and he saw supernatural visitations and even embraced it's existence.
Seto never did though. Even if it was blinking in front of his eyes.
Jou widened his eyes a little. Seto...
Did Seto actually WANT him to save him? Was his cold words the truth. The real reason why Seto had told him to get out cruelly was because he discovered Jou's worthlessness?
Or was it besides what's in the box? Why would Seto do something so drastic to someone he proclaimed he loved in such a short amount of time? Was it business?
But when he looked at him...there was something strange in his eyes...
Was it...?
"We're here." Monique proclaimed, her words on the edge of wariness after driving so long. Jou snapped out of his important thoughts, almost inhumanly, and automatically forgot what he was thinking of. Jou didn't remember what he was so worried for other than stopping that wedding.
It was around 8pm when they arrived. They were nearly at the edge of Domino City for Ryou and Bakura lived in an old Victorian styled house that spanned next to the sea.
The group emerged from the car and proceeded to walk through the strangely opened front gate. As they drew close, they heard the sound of things being thrown around and the crashing of expensive items. They heard the sound of screams and shouts almost automatically.
"What the hell's going on in there?" Jou asked.
"Redecorating?" Monique put in as a half-joke.
"Is that thief hurting Ryou!" Yami growled as he ran first up the steps.
"Ryou!" Yugi chased after Yami, worried for his young alabaster haired friend. Jou and Monique followed after.
When they reached the front door, a body slammed into them and they all fell backwards down the steps with the sounds 'ahhh!' 'gahhh!' 'ugh!' 'hiya!' and 'shiiiiittt!'. Landing on the last step, they were piled on top of each other, Jou on the way bottom.
"I'm dying!" Jou whimpered in melodrama.
"Whose crushing my leg!" Monique yelled.
"Sorry." Yami replied apologetically.
"I think I can crawl out!" Yugi explained while shuffling his body out of the crowd. There was a shifting and shuffling sound and Jou yelped.
"Yug! You almost kicked my crotch!"
"Sorry!"
"Would you all just get off of me!" A voice bellowed.
Yami rolled his eyes at the sound then realized something. "Bakura?"
"Yeah, ya gotta problem with that Pharaoh?"
"You bet I do!"
After they were freed with each other, they jumped in surprise when Bakura tried to hi tail it out of here. Yami and Jou caught him in midjump.
"Get the hell off of me!" Bakura yelled.
Yami tightened his hold. "Why should we?" "We need to talk to you and Ryou!" Jou grunted trying to avoid Bakura's feet which was kicking all over the place.
"What's going on Bakura?" Yugi asked.
Bakura stopped momentarily to look at Yugi as if he had never seen Yugi before in his life. "Why don't you ask the crazy one?"
"You ARE the crazy one." Yami answered somewhat serious. Bakura snorted. "The kid's crazy. Just let me through while I'm in one piece!"
They all turned their heads when Ryou appeared at the front door carrying what seems to be a bunch of laundry in his arms. He then threw it out the door right on the group.
"I don't ever want to see you in my life ever again, Bakura!" Ryou yelled angrily.
"That's too bad!" Bakura egged on. "Cause you won't be able to look into the mirror anymore once you stay true to your word!"
Ryou didn't seem fazed. He then looked at the four others then blushed considerably. "Yugi? Yami? Jou? Um...?" He stared at the young woman.
"Monique." She corrected for him.
"Right. Sorry." Ryou seemed to return to normal, but his cheeks were still a bit red from yelling.
"Can we come in?" Jou asked then looked at the valuables littered around. "That is, if you're in the middle of something...?"
Ryou moved from the door almost immediately his gentleman side returning. "Of course come in."
One by one, they went in, but Ryou stopped Bakura. "You're not coming in."
"Why the hell not?" Bakura growled.
He looked at him directly in the eyes. "I'm through with you pushing me around. I don't want you around me anymore. You're possessive, you dictate what I do, and you also fool around on the side."
"You have no proof!" Bakura defended. "I told you before! I never slept around!"
"Trust me, I have the proof." Ryou finished. He was about to close the door when Jou stopped him.
"Come on, Ryou. Give the guy a chance. Besides, I need to talk to the both of you."
Ryou seemed to contemplate this, and reluctantly opened the door further for Bakura. Bakura walked past him but stopped momentarily to console with Ryou by touching his face. Ryou recoiled back and saw a foreign look to Bakura's eyes as he shrugged it off and went inside.
But Jou saw that look and immediately recognized it for it was the same look Seto gave him when he told him to leave.
He was about to identify that look when his mind was wiped out at the moment. He blinked and wondered as well what was going on. Why did he forget something important every time he was close to discovering it? It didn't make any sense.
Shrugging it off and believed it was just a trick of the mind, he proceeded further into the grand living room with the others.
Everybody sat down on the comfortable sofas and love seats while Ryou sat down on a chair so Bakura would have no room to try and sit with him. He settled for the farthest seat in the shadows.
"So what's going on?" Ryou asked.
"Actually, I'd like to find out what's going on with you and Bakura." Jou replied back leaning forward a bit.
Bakura snorted again. "And who do you think you are? That Dr. Phil character I've been seeing on TV for the past THREE months!" He glared at Ryou. "Forcing me to watch such pathetic drivel when I believe it's idiotic!"
"Well, you won't have to put up with me anymore, Bakura. After tonight, you won't have to whine about me doing something for your own good. You can do whatever you want once you leave this house and out of my life." Ryou answered back with an eerie calmness that made the rest of them shiver. Bakura's glare somewhat softened and turned the other way huffing.
"What did you do THIS time, Bakura?" Yami growled at him menacingly. "You never did keep a good relationship with that mouth of yours."
"Kiss my ass, Pharaoh."
"Not likely."
"You guys!" Yugi pleaded.
Monique had a look on her face as if she was trying not to laugh. And Ryou was seemingly ignoring what was going on. Jou dropped his head down.
This was going to be longer than expected.
"He never gave me my space, and scared my other friends away with that look of his. Then, as if the irony was funny, he turns and sleeps around." Ryou said slumping in his seat.
"I never slept around!" Bakura repeated indefinitely. "Whoever told you that said a lot of bullshit!"
"Oh, no!" Ryou challenged back, his eyes glassy from unshed tears. "She's the perfect alibi. Especially since she was one of the people who you fooled around with!"
"Now we're getting somewhere!" Bakura taunted. "Whose the bitch who told you that!"
"Hitonaka Shiru!" Ryou yelled and choked back a sob and buried his head in Yugi's consoling arms. "She told me with a flourish with what you've done and–she put it into details! Details! She had the nerve—!" He sobbed into Yugi's arms.
The rest looked at Bakura and looked astoundingly at Bakura's blank expression.
"Did you really—?" Yami left his jaw open.
Jou blinked. "Hitonaka Shiru?" He and Monique exchanged glances as if they required the same deja vu feeling. Was Kisara's family an entire Nazi army!
They jumped when Bakura jumped up and let the chair crash on the floor, wrenched Ryou out of Yugi's arms and dragged Ryou into the kitchen.
Yami was about to protest and chase after them when Jou stopped him, put a finger to his mouth and leaned his body against the kitchen door to listen.
Yugi wanted to follow and do the same, but Monique stopped him. "This is between Bakura and Ryou," she explained. "They need to sort this out on their own."
"But Jou—" Yugi pointed at Jou eavesdropping and she shook her haid. "Jou needs to listen. Maybe, he can sort out his own relationship with a few pointers from you and your friends."
They all waited silently for the other two to come out.
"You'd listen to her?" Bakura inquired dangerously while clutching Ryou's wrist. "Than you would believe me?"
Ryou tried to wrench away, but gave up. "You're not really the type who'd tell the truth."
"Oh? I thought there was supposed to be trust in a relationship?" Bakura mocked in a hurtful manner.
The younger one sighed warily and gently forced Bakura's hand from his wrist. "We never actually HAD a relationship. It doesn't count."
Bakura gritted his teeth. "So it didn't matter to you? You don't know how much I've changed for you, Ryou! I tried to express my want for you, but you shy away like I'm a plague! But I've...what the hell do you people call it these days...abstinence? I've been abstinent this whole time, maybe believing that you would take me seriously and start something with me! How could I have been fooling around when I've been staying away from sex this whole time!"
"And being gone every night seems normal to you! How am I supposed to trust you if you never tell me where you're going every night!" Ryou defended back.
"You would've known if you'd just asked me! Why can't you just suck it up and ask instead of suspecting the worst!" Bakura yelled. "Tell me!"
"—Because I'm scared!" Ryou matched his tone. "Are you happy! I'm scared of you! Do you think that what you did to me all those years ago would go away once you grew a backbone and gave up the past! I'm scared of you! Scared that you'd go back to the way you were and trap me in the darkness again! Make me feel pain all over again!" Tears streamed down his face. "I don't want to go back to the darkness! I really don't! And you left me there all alone!"
As Jou listened to Ryou's confession, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He knew that Ryou loved Bakura with all his heart, but he was scared that Bakura would not only possess him but throw him back into darkness like what happened a few years back.
And he thought he had it bad with Seto...
Seeing Bakura become silent, he wanted to know something. "Did you like it? Being with her?"
Bakura's head snapped up. "What the hell?"
"Because she told me," Ryou whispered pacing in front of Bakura. "She said that if I want to keep you, I had to satisfy you. No matter what. Even if I'm not ready to do so. She said the only way for you to love me was give myself to you unconditionally, and let you do whatever you want to me."
Bakura didn't like the sound of this especially when Ryou practically slumped into his arms and especially when he felt Ryou's mouth close in on his neck. "What...the hell are you...doing?" He felt his insides burn as he tried to keep control of the situation. But it's been so long since his contact was made by another.
Ryou pulled even closer to him. "It's okay. You can do...whatever you want to me. I don't care anymore."
As much as the temptation was incredulous, Bakura knew from experience that doing this just led to more heartache, even if all he wanted was take him this instant. But maybe, doing what he was planning to do now might even SAVE this non-existent relationship...
Jou gasped. No way in Hell! Would Ryou really give himself to Bakura? No, no...this was a test for Bakura only. That is, if he can pass it. But, Ryou does trust him to do the right thing, otherwise, he wouldn't do this in the first place...
...would he?
So if Jou can transfer this bit of information into his predicament, the questions would be this:
1) Did Seto trust him to believe that something was wrong in the first place?
2) Was Seto trying to tell him something while in the midst of him telling him to leave?
3) Why would he go from 'I'm so in love with you, my golden puppy' to 'I hate you so much, I want to hurl, you mangy mutt!' in such a short amount of time?
4) Does he even want Jou to save him from the wedding?
5) Why the hell was he setting up questions like a pop quiz?
Jou shook his head. And returned to the door.
Carefully, Bakura detached himself from Ryou and held his shoulders. "Ryou," he whispered warmly. "You don't want this."
Ryou widened his eyes. "But...?"
"Hush." Bakura warned softly. "You're not ready. And..." he found it hard to say this. "We should take this slowly. The only reason I'm gone at night was to lash out my anger somewhere else than in your presence. Did you actually think I have no clue what I did to you all those years ago? When you throw off my advances, I leave the house to do something destructive to vent it all out. I think Marik taught me how to do that. And that Hitonaka girl, she was pissed because I told her that I wasn't interested in her ugly ass when she tried to get me in bed with her. She was bitter and probably found out where to find you for revenge. But I promise not to hurt you ever and I promise not to send you back into the darkness when you resist. You can trust me."
Jou smiled from beyond the door. He did the right thing.
Bakura was surprised when Ryou smiled, his tears finished. "Okay...then. I trust you."
He didn't know what this feeling was blooming in his chest at the sight of Ryou's smile. And maybe he'll figure out in time.
As long as it was with Ryou by his side.
"And I didn't cheat."
"I know. I didn't believe her at all. But, I wanted to prove to her and myself that you can change. You're attitude might not, but that's just who you are. And I always put up with it anyways." Ryou smiled.
Bakura glared somewhat gently. "You got jokes."
Ryou laughed and Bakura got that warm feeling inside of him acting up again, but fell when tears came out of Ryou's eyes once again.
"You're crying again?" Bakura asked incredulously especially when Ryou encircled his arms around his neck and nestled his head against his chest.
But Ryou's smile never wavered. "These are tears of joy, Bakura."
Bakura snorted. "No such thing. Crying is crying."
"Bakura. Don't ever change too much."
Jou had heard enough and leaned against the door, closing his eyes as a smile spread on his lips. Whatever the reason Seto had, he wasn't giving up. Seto never did. And he trusted him.
Just like Ryou and Bakura. They trust each other.
He'll need those answers to the questions and Seto was the only one who can find an explanation for it. Seto is going to find out that Jou CAN carry as much burdens as he can on his shoulders. Now, he was the one who will vie for his attentions, prove his trust to the one he loved.
Almost immediately, he felt that warmth around his neck, possibly even stronger than before. He felt the thoughts he had lost in the past return to him. The look on Bakura's face when Ryou recoiled from his touch was pain for his love...
...the same look Seto had given him!
Immediately, he believed that Seto needed him, Mokuba needed him. His family needed him.
He only hoped that Seto would trust him...
...to get them through this all.
A/N: Is this a bit more dramatic than the last one? I was sorta rushing the last chapter, but I did put a lot into this one. What do you think?
Next chapter is about Marik and Malik...see ya!