"BAKURA!"
Jou sat straight up in bed.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
Jou rubbed his eyes and padded slowly out into the living room. Bakura was staring Yami off. "I was trying to make coffee..."
"Why?!"
"Because I'm DRUNK! And I thought Ryou and Yugi would enjoy it before work. I have a headache, so SHUT UP!"
Jou raised his eyebrow when he got to the kitchen. There was coffee beans and cream everywhere. He sighed, shaking his head. "With all that screaming, Ryou and Yugi won't *need* caffeine to keep them awake. I'll make the coffee..."
"Do you even drink it?" Yami asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No..."
"Then you'll make a bigger mess than Bakura," Yami concluded.
"Wrong. I make it for Seto all the time." Jou scooped up a handful of beans from the counter, putting it in the grinder.
"OWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!" Bakura screamed above the noise, clutching at his head.
Jou shook his head and put a filter into the coffee drip. "Baby..." he muttered.
"MY HEAD!" Bakura sobbed.
Jou and Yami turned to look at him, startled. Tears were falling down his cheeks and his breath kept catching in his throat. Jou stopped the grinder. "I'm sorry Bakura..."
Bakura shook his head. He fell onto the couch, clutching at his head.
"Yami, do something..."
Yami timidly sat down next to Bakura. "You...you okay?"
Bakura shook his head, then laid his head on Yami's lap.
Yami raised his eyebrows. "Uhhh...I wish I could help..."
Bakura whimpered into Yami's leg. "Pharaoh? Do you really hate me?"
"I...um..."
"Okay..." Bakura whispered.
"No, not I don't. You just threatened my aibou, Bakura. You hated me."
"It's more than that," Bakura sobbed, clutching at his head again.
"Then why?"
Bakura shook his head. "I wasn't drunk enough last night and I'm not hung over enough this morning. I'm never telling either of you imbeciles," he mumbled. Yami sighed, standing up. Bakura's head fell against the couch and he moaned again. "Where's my coffee?" he grumbled.
Jou sighed, too, and started the drip.
~~~
Bakura sipped at his coffee. "This is terrible," he muttered.
Ryou sighed and passed him the sugar. "Try that."
Bakura dumped about a cup full of sugar into his mug, then took a sip. "Much better," he murmured.
Yugi came in, clutching his bathrobe to him. "`Morning everyone."
Ryou wrapped his arms around Yugi and kissed him good morning. "Would you like something to eat, Yugi?"
Yugi shook his head and poured himself a cup of coffee. "How's everyone this beautiful morning?"
Bakura grumbled, but nodded at Yugi.
Yami nodded at Yugi, but stayed quiet.
"Jounochi?"
Jounochi was sitting the farthest from everyone, leaning his head on his fist, hair in his face. "Fine," he mumbled. "Do you think it's too early to call Seto?"
Yugi looked at Ryou. "I..."
"I'm going to call him." He stood up. "Can I use your phone?"
"It only works on speaker," Yugi murmured. "Bakura messed with it."
Bakura gave himself a self-satisfied smile.
Jou dialed the number. "Moshi-moshi?" came Kaiba's mumbled sleep-filled greeting.
"`Morning, Seto."
"Katsuya?" Seto burst out, surprised.
Everyone flinched, even Bakura. That didn't sound good.
"Yeah, I...good morning. How are you?"
"Uh...fine...why are you calling?"
"To...to...I..." Jou shot everyone a pleading look. He obviously hadn't arranged what he'd say. "You're usually up before now," Jou murmured.
"Yeah, well..."
"Can I come home?" Jou finally cut to the chase.
A long sigh. "What part of 'get out' don't you understand, Katsuya?"
"I am out. And I want to come back. Home. With you."
Another sigh. "Katsu, we need some time apart."
"I don't want to be apart from you, Seto..."
"I need time to think."
"About what?" Jou nearly sobbed.
"Just...about us...about me..."
"What about? Can't I come home?"
"You should come over while I'm at work and pick up some of your stuff."
"My stuff? Why? Why Seto?"
"I have...just...just do it."
"I'm confused, Seto. What's going on?"
"I'm cheating on you, okay?! What part of that's so confusing?"
Jou stepped back from the phone, then fell to his knees in front of it, as if it was Kaiba himself. "Seto...it doesn't matter...I can come home and...it will be like before. I promise..."
"I don't want it like before! Don't you understand?! You're a guy! I can't be married to a guy! Will you just...just leave me alone..."
"Kaiba Seto! What the hell are you talking about?!"
"I want a separation, okay? That plain enough for you to understand?!"
Jou blinked several times, then a sob erupted from his throat.
"Katsu--" he began apologetically.
"Shut up! I hate you! I fucking hate you!" Jou slammed his fists on the table, then bolted from the room.
Kaiba sighed. "Katsuya? Katsuya..."
Yugi walked over to the phone. "Kaiba?"
"Yugi, I--"
"What's going on?"
"Nothing," Kaiba mumbled. "Is Katsuya staying over there?" he asked, trying to hide his concern.
"Yeah, he's here. Why isn't he there, Kaiba?"
"Just...we're spending some time apart."
"Why? He sure seems miserable."
"I...miserable?"
"He went out for drinks last night with Bakura. He has to be awfully miserable if you ask me." He turned to Bakura. "No offense."
Bakura waved his hand dismissingly.
"He had a nightmare last night, too," Yugi continued. "You're being stupid and you know it."
"Don't tell me what I am, Yugi. If Katsuya wanted to divorce me, you'd let him without another thought, right?"
"Not if you were this miserable, Kaiba. And what this about a divorce? I thought you only wanted a separation."
"I just...I just need some time to think, okay?"
"Then what?"
"I'll see where my thoughts take me."
"I know you still care about him, Kaiba. Why--"
"I have to get ready for work," Kaiba mumbled. "Good bye, Yugi. I'll cover any costs it takes for Katsuya while he's over there."
"Don't bother. I care enough about him. It doesn't matter." Yugi clicked off the phone. "That...asshole..."
Ryou raised an eyebrow. It wasn't every day Yugi swore.
Yugi sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't open the shop today. I bet Jounochi could use some company."
"I'll take him," Bakura said suddenly.
Yami raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were hung-over."
"I'm a spirit, we don't keep physical pain for very long. Besides, I have a few things I need to do today and I need a mortal with me. It's no trouble at all."
"You promise you won't kill him or hurt him in any shape way or form?"
Bakura rolled his eyes. "I promise from the bottom of my heart and to the great Hourus. I'll go fetch him hither." Bakura skipped off.
"Keep the Shakespeare from him, Ryou," Yugi mumbled.
He pushed Jou out in front of him, slipping a shirt around his shoulders. "Come on, blondie, I have things to do."
"I dun` wanna go nowhere."
"Good, I was afraid you didn't want to go ANY where." Bakura picked up Jou's shoes and pushed Jou into a chair. "Get ready," he commanded.
Jou shook his head, sighing. "Where are we going?"
"If you get ready, you'll find out soon enough. Come on, jake ass."
"You mean jackass," Jou muttered.
Bakura picked Jou up and tossed him over his shoulder. "You take too long. Lets go."
Jou cracked a smile. "You're going to carry me there?"
"Yes, I plan to."
Jounochi sighed and relaxed. "Just don't drop me on my head."
"Promise," Bakura grinned.
Jou sat straight up in bed.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
Jou rubbed his eyes and padded slowly out into the living room. Bakura was staring Yami off. "I was trying to make coffee..."
"Why?!"
"Because I'm DRUNK! And I thought Ryou and Yugi would enjoy it before work. I have a headache, so SHUT UP!"
Jou raised his eyebrow when he got to the kitchen. There was coffee beans and cream everywhere. He sighed, shaking his head. "With all that screaming, Ryou and Yugi won't *need* caffeine to keep them awake. I'll make the coffee..."
"Do you even drink it?" Yami asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No..."
"Then you'll make a bigger mess than Bakura," Yami concluded.
"Wrong. I make it for Seto all the time." Jou scooped up a handful of beans from the counter, putting it in the grinder.
"OWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!" Bakura screamed above the noise, clutching at his head.
Jou shook his head and put a filter into the coffee drip. "Baby..." he muttered.
"MY HEAD!" Bakura sobbed.
Jou and Yami turned to look at him, startled. Tears were falling down his cheeks and his breath kept catching in his throat. Jou stopped the grinder. "I'm sorry Bakura..."
Bakura shook his head. He fell onto the couch, clutching at his head.
"Yami, do something..."
Yami timidly sat down next to Bakura. "You...you okay?"
Bakura shook his head, then laid his head on Yami's lap.
Yami raised his eyebrows. "Uhhh...I wish I could help..."
Bakura whimpered into Yami's leg. "Pharaoh? Do you really hate me?"
"I...um..."
"Okay..." Bakura whispered.
"No, not I don't. You just threatened my aibou, Bakura. You hated me."
"It's more than that," Bakura sobbed, clutching at his head again.
"Then why?"
Bakura shook his head. "I wasn't drunk enough last night and I'm not hung over enough this morning. I'm never telling either of you imbeciles," he mumbled. Yami sighed, standing up. Bakura's head fell against the couch and he moaned again. "Where's my coffee?" he grumbled.
Jou sighed, too, and started the drip.
~~~
Bakura sipped at his coffee. "This is terrible," he muttered.
Ryou sighed and passed him the sugar. "Try that."
Bakura dumped about a cup full of sugar into his mug, then took a sip. "Much better," he murmured.
Yugi came in, clutching his bathrobe to him. "`Morning everyone."
Ryou wrapped his arms around Yugi and kissed him good morning. "Would you like something to eat, Yugi?"
Yugi shook his head and poured himself a cup of coffee. "How's everyone this beautiful morning?"
Bakura grumbled, but nodded at Yugi.
Yami nodded at Yugi, but stayed quiet.
"Jounochi?"
Jounochi was sitting the farthest from everyone, leaning his head on his fist, hair in his face. "Fine," he mumbled. "Do you think it's too early to call Seto?"
Yugi looked at Ryou. "I..."
"I'm going to call him." He stood up. "Can I use your phone?"
"It only works on speaker," Yugi murmured. "Bakura messed with it."
Bakura gave himself a self-satisfied smile.
Jou dialed the number. "Moshi-moshi?" came Kaiba's mumbled sleep-filled greeting.
"`Morning, Seto."
"Katsuya?" Seto burst out, surprised.
Everyone flinched, even Bakura. That didn't sound good.
"Yeah, I...good morning. How are you?"
"Uh...fine...why are you calling?"
"To...to...I..." Jou shot everyone a pleading look. He obviously hadn't arranged what he'd say. "You're usually up before now," Jou murmured.
"Yeah, well..."
"Can I come home?" Jou finally cut to the chase.
A long sigh. "What part of 'get out' don't you understand, Katsuya?"
"I am out. And I want to come back. Home. With you."
Another sigh. "Katsu, we need some time apart."
"I don't want to be apart from you, Seto..."
"I need time to think."
"About what?" Jou nearly sobbed.
"Just...about us...about me..."
"What about? Can't I come home?"
"You should come over while I'm at work and pick up some of your stuff."
"My stuff? Why? Why Seto?"
"I have...just...just do it."
"I'm confused, Seto. What's going on?"
"I'm cheating on you, okay?! What part of that's so confusing?"
Jou stepped back from the phone, then fell to his knees in front of it, as if it was Kaiba himself. "Seto...it doesn't matter...I can come home and...it will be like before. I promise..."
"I don't want it like before! Don't you understand?! You're a guy! I can't be married to a guy! Will you just...just leave me alone..."
"Kaiba Seto! What the hell are you talking about?!"
"I want a separation, okay? That plain enough for you to understand?!"
Jou blinked several times, then a sob erupted from his throat.
"Katsu--" he began apologetically.
"Shut up! I hate you! I fucking hate you!" Jou slammed his fists on the table, then bolted from the room.
Kaiba sighed. "Katsuya? Katsuya..."
Yugi walked over to the phone. "Kaiba?"
"Yugi, I--"
"What's going on?"
"Nothing," Kaiba mumbled. "Is Katsuya staying over there?" he asked, trying to hide his concern.
"Yeah, he's here. Why isn't he there, Kaiba?"
"Just...we're spending some time apart."
"Why? He sure seems miserable."
"I...miserable?"
"He went out for drinks last night with Bakura. He has to be awfully miserable if you ask me." He turned to Bakura. "No offense."
Bakura waved his hand dismissingly.
"He had a nightmare last night, too," Yugi continued. "You're being stupid and you know it."
"Don't tell me what I am, Yugi. If Katsuya wanted to divorce me, you'd let him without another thought, right?"
"Not if you were this miserable, Kaiba. And what this about a divorce? I thought you only wanted a separation."
"I just...I just need some time to think, okay?"
"Then what?"
"I'll see where my thoughts take me."
"I know you still care about him, Kaiba. Why--"
"I have to get ready for work," Kaiba mumbled. "Good bye, Yugi. I'll cover any costs it takes for Katsuya while he's over there."
"Don't bother. I care enough about him. It doesn't matter." Yugi clicked off the phone. "That...asshole..."
Ryou raised an eyebrow. It wasn't every day Yugi swore.
Yugi sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't open the shop today. I bet Jounochi could use some company."
"I'll take him," Bakura said suddenly.
Yami raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were hung-over."
"I'm a spirit, we don't keep physical pain for very long. Besides, I have a few things I need to do today and I need a mortal with me. It's no trouble at all."
"You promise you won't kill him or hurt him in any shape way or form?"
Bakura rolled his eyes. "I promise from the bottom of my heart and to the great Hourus. I'll go fetch him hither." Bakura skipped off.
"Keep the Shakespeare from him, Ryou," Yugi mumbled.
He pushed Jou out in front of him, slipping a shirt around his shoulders. "Come on, blondie, I have things to do."
"I dun` wanna go nowhere."
"Good, I was afraid you didn't want to go ANY where." Bakura picked up Jou's shoes and pushed Jou into a chair. "Get ready," he commanded.
Jou shook his head, sighing. "Where are we going?"
"If you get ready, you'll find out soon enough. Come on, jake ass."
"You mean jackass," Jou muttered.
Bakura picked Jou up and tossed him over his shoulder. "You take too long. Lets go."
Jou cracked a smile. "You're going to carry me there?"
"Yes, I plan to."
Jounochi sighed and relaxed. "Just don't drop me on my head."
"Promise," Bakura grinned.