I'm so confused. There's a serious review war going on. (What does "spazz" imply, anyway? A hyperactive child? I don't understand.) I'm exaggerating of course. There has been no war. Just this silly person named "Con-Crit Perkele". You can read his/her review on the Review Page if you want; it's entertaining.

I'm not even going to address Mariku's OOC status anymore. I'm tired of justifying myself.

Read this long chapter. Because no one reads the author's notes, obviously. I mean, you aren't. (yes, YOU. I'm talking to YOU.)

By the way, I love PSYChOtiC-teNdencieS, for the record. That person is one cool cat.

-((14))-

Chyaputa 14: Love Notes

-((14))-

"Yugi's on his way," Ryou said to the rock star on his couch as he hung up the phone.

Atemu nodded, gut aching. He would see Yugi in a few moments, however briefly. His journey into the outside world had not been totally in vain. "Thanks. Thanks a lot, Ryou."

Ryou shrugged. "I couldn't have left you there on the street, now could I?"

Atemu nodded. The conversation topic passed, followed by awkwardness. Atemu's mouth twitched. There was a block of silence build between them. A new subject of conversation was needed. But what did the two of them have in common? There were only two answers to that question. Yugi and Bakura. And the latter was a death trap.

"So…" Atemu commented, looking around at the dinky apartment. "This is where you live."

"It's no million dollar estate," Ryou responded and Atemu wondered if that was a slight at his wealth but the rock star let it go.

"It's… small," Atemu observed. "And empty." That was followed by more silence. Atemu rushed to put more words between them. "You don't decorate?"

"No time, or resources," Ryou answered, finally sitting down in a chair at his kitchen table. "Besides I'm hardly ever here."

"Oh yeah," Atemu recalled. "Your job. Yugi told me."

Ryou's head jerked up. "What did he tell you?"

Atemu told the truth. "Ah, that you had a job. He didn't tell me why. Said it was your business."

Ryou leaned back into his chair in acceptance, his gaze drifting.

Atemu eyed the white haired teenager. "He also said that he was worried about you."

Ryou shrugged. "That's Yugi."

Atemu allowed himself to grin. "Yeah… Yugi." Then he pulled himself out of his day dream and leaned forward. "I used to live in an apartment like this."

Ryou looked questioning. "I find that hard to believe."

"I wasn't born into royalty," Atemu corrected. "Before our big break, we lived in this horrible district in Tokyo, on the top floor of our building and our landlord didn't care enough about his residents to fix the elevator."

Ryou was still looking at the floor. "Sounds hard."

"We couldn't help it. We had no money. Being an unknown musician doesn't pay as well as you would think," Atemu reasoned matter-a-factly.

"Who's we?" Ryou asked curiously.

Atemu hesitated. But Ryou had asked for it… "Me and Bakura."

"Oh," Ryou spoke flatly.

Now that the topic had been brought up… "It was hard. Sometimes we couldn't pay the rent and sometimes Bakura would mysteriously get the money. I thought he was into a sketchy business, like selling drugs or something but it turned out that he was stealing."

Ryou did not move a millimeter. His chest did not even expand to breathe.

Atemu inhaled; he had to at least try to make this average teenager understand. "Sometimes I think Bakura misses it, our life like that."

Ryou made an odd sound in his throat that Atemu couldn't translate.

"The freedom, I mean," Atemu clarified. "He hates being bossed around, having a scheduled life."

Ryou offered nothing to the conversation. He was staring, staring at his mucky carpet with hard eyes.

"I'm not saying that's an excuse for what he did…" Atemu continued.

"It's not about that," Ryou said suddenly, still not looking.

Now something was happening. Atemu eased into the conversation. "Then… what is it?"

Ryou shook his head, hair rustling. "He's greedy. He should appreciate what he has."

Atemu paused. He couldn't deny this. Perhaps Ryou understood Bakura's character better then he had thought. Still… Atemu had to try. "He's never acted this way with anyone else."

Ryou rolled his eyes. "I'm sure no one else has rejected Bakura of the Descendants of Ra."

"It's not that," Atemu insisted. "He's not like that-"

"Look," Ryou stated calmly. "I would rather not discuss this…"

And then the door bell sounded. Atemu collapsed back on the couch. He had tried to help Bakura that was more than the fool deserved. At least he would be able to see Yugi now.

Ryou got up and approached the door. He peered through the spy hole. "Oh… that's not good," Ryou spoke.

"What?" Atemu questioned.

"It's not Yugi. It's my friend Honda," said Ryou.

"Ah," Atemu understood. "I'm… where should I…?"

Ryou pulled open a side door to what was probably a coat closet. "In here. I'll make sure he doesn't open it."

Atemu rushed in and was confronted by the strong stench of mold. Ryou closed the door after him. Atemu wobbled onto his knees and then cracked the door open the slimiest of fissures to peer out on the scene. He saw Ryou open the front door.

A tall teenage boy, Atemu recognized as one of Yugi's friends from Burger World, stood in the doorway with slouched shoulders, his brown hair gelled into a spike in the center of his head.

"Hi, Honda," Ryou greeted tiredly.

Honda flinched into an upright position, his stance rigid and uncomfortable. He gulped obviously. "R-Ryou."

"As glad as I am to see you, this really is a bad time. Can you come back later?" Ryou asked, hand still on the door and already inching it closed.

"Wait!" the brunette gaped and slammed his own hand on the door to stop its progress. His brow was shiny with sweat and he took two unwelcome steps into Ryou's apartment. "I- I got something to say to you."

That was when Ryou spotted the bundle of red roses behind his friend's back.

"Ah… Honda…" Ryou mumbled but was too stunned and bewildered to decide what to say at the moment.

"Listen, just listen, ok?" Honda rambled and he brought the roses in front of him and began to fumble with them as he talked. "I've- I've been thinking… for a while now and really, well. You're a- ah- a real swell guy, Ryou…"

Ryou took a step back. "…Honda."

But the brunette wasn't done. "I'm worried about ya, well, all the guys are worried about ya but me too- me especially, and I thought, well… you've always sat in front of me in class…"

Ryou took another step back. "No, Honda don't think…" It sounded like he was pleading.

Honda was sweating and his face was flushed. "Look, Ryou, I like y-"

"Honda! No, don't say that," Ryou squeaked and swerved around so that he wouldn't have to look at the brunette.

Honda lurched forward, the roses held out to Ryou like a peace offering. "Just a dinner or a lunch. That's all I'm asking."

Ryou paced across the apartment as though trying to get as far away from his love-struck friend as possible. "Honda, no, I can't. I- I- I got a job and rent and-" Ryou was breathing rather loudly as though trying to expel all his problems from his lungs.

But Honda was persistent. "Please, Ryou. Just once, I promise if you don't have any sort of feelings for me after that then I'll never ask you again. Please."

Ryou was shaking his head repeatedly, hand combing his hair in nervous strokes. "Honda, I can't."

"Here, just take these, " Honda thrust the flowers into Ryou's hands.

"No, Honda, I don't-"

"I bought them for you," Honda pleaded. Ryou was so startled that his hands unnoticeably closed over the plants.

Then the doorbell rang.

Ryou charged at the door, eager to get Yugi into the apartment so there would be no more awkward conversations. He was so panicked that didn't think to look through the spy hole before he opened the door.

Ryou saw Bakura standing at his door. With his cool stance and his smirk and those dark eyes.

And then Ryou slammed the door in the rock star's face.

"Who was it?" Honda asked, confused at Ryou's strange behavior.

"Nothing! No one!" Ryou announced shrilly. "I'm just… going to… excuse me." And then Ryou slid so fast out the door that Honda couldn't see who was on the other side.

Bakura scowled when Ryou appeared in the hallway.

"You have dazzling hospitality," Bakura commented dryly.

"What are you doing here?" Ryou hissed. "Are you stalking me again?"

Bakura smirked, cruel eyes twinkling. "Are those for me?"

Ryou was confused till he noticed the dozen roses that were still in his hands. "No! They're- they're from-" Ryou was backed against the door and was so numb that he could not stop the flowers from being snatched right out of his hands.

"Hmm…" Bakura lifted the roses to his nose breathed in their scent. "Don't worry. I'm not naïve enough to think that you would get me flowers," he explained smoothly. "Besides, you had no idea I was coming…" Bakura plucked a small white card from amongst the flowers with nimble fingers. "Well, well, 'To Ryou. A sweet and super cool guy. From Honda.'" Bakura's face hardened.

Ryou's face was glowing with humiliation. "It's none of your business," he stated, jaw tight.

Bakura's eyebrows rose. "Really? You think so?"

Ryou's face brightened. "I can take care of this myself," he insisted.

"Can you?" Bakura cocked his head to the side, severely examining the door behind Ryou's back. "He's in there isn't he?"

Ryou flattened himself against the door, arms spread wide. "You are not going in there."

Bakura leaned forward, cornering Ryou against the door. "Can you stop me?"

And Bakura was very, very close and both teenagers knew the answer.

Ryou's expression tightened as he tried to ignore the smell of Bakura's breath and the heat radiating off the rock star's skin. "Please, Bakura, don't…"

"Hm… don't do what?" Bakura asked, eyes half closed and his hands on the wood of the door on either side of Ryou's face.

Ryou turned his head away, jaw trembling.

Bakura snorted. "I suppose this isn't the time for that, right?" he mused with a sigh. "No matter." And Bakura turned the handle to open Ryou's apartment.

Ryou stumbled backwards into his home as the door he was leaning against gave way from behind him. Bakura side-stepped the confused white haired teen. The rock star's eyes targeted the awkward brunette within a second.

Honda's jaw dropped like a brick. "B-B-Bakura!" he exclaimed.

The famous rock star ignored this comment. "You Honda?" he questioned gruffly.

Honda's eyes popped like corn. "Y-yeah! But you're- you're, shit Bakura! The Bakura! I can't believe- How do you know me?" Honda gaped in delirious astonishment.

Bakura grinned but it looked more like a leer. "We have a mutual acquaintance."

"Bakura, don't do this," Ryou implored.

"Ryou! You know this guy too? Wow," Honda claimed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Ryou tugged at a stray white lock of hair. "I told you Honda. I told all of you Bakura stole my backpack. You guys didn't believe me…"

Honda's expression wilted, but only slightly. "Ah well, sorry about that but, god, Ryou! You know Bakura! The Bakura! That's amazing!" Then Honda proceeded to further embarrass himself by rambling senselessly. "Aw man, I am your biggest fan! I was at your last concert in Domino, you know! Man, you were amazing! You are awesome!"

Bakura's leer crinkled. "Were you the purchaser of these?" He threw the bundle of roses on the carpet. Loose petals scattered onto the floor.

Honda, who finally seemed to sense there was more to the story, looked confused. "Aaaah, yeah, I did."

"Bakura, please. I can handle this," Ryou insisted.

"And did you, by purchasing them, hope to work yourself into Ryou's more intimate graces?" Bakura alluded harshly.

Honda rubbed the back of his head, a stupid smile on his face. "Ah, I was asking him, yeah."

Ryou turned away and put a hand over his eyes.

"I see," Bakura remarked. "Then," the rock star paused menacingly to scrape his ear with a pinky, "we have a problem."

Honda's silly grin wavered. "What do ya mean?"

"Let's say, you're encroaching upon my territory," Bakura took a casually step forwards and his foot just happened to land on the bundle of fallen flowers. The plants crunched and their wrapping crumpled. "And you wouldn't want to be stepping on my toes, now would you?"

Honda paused. His brain worked as fast as molasses. "I'm not sure I understand…"

Bakura scoffed. "Rather dim, are you? Then let me be perfectly clear." With one clean motion he spun around, hooked an arm around Ryou's waist and tugged the white-haired teen to him. "Ryou's taken. Get it?"

Ryou's face, still turned away, contorted at Bakura's touch.

Honda's mouth opened. His disbelieving gaze jumped from Ryou to Bakura to Ryou again Then he choked, "Ryou… is this true?"

Ryou swallowed but did not speak and did not move.

Bakura's grin broadened. "There you have it." The guitarist ran a hand through Ryou's hair and that gesture shook Ryou's senses enough for Ryou to finally push the rock star away.

Honda watched Ryou take a couple steps away from both of his suitors.

Bakura's grin was now a bitter smirk. "Aren't you going to leave?" he snapped at Honda.

Honda hesitated, eyes looking longingly at the back of Ryou's head, then he left, slamming the door behind him.

"Well," Bakura commented turning to Ryou, who was still had his back to the room, "I guess it's official."

"What are you talking about?" Ryou questioned.

Bakura approached Ryou from behind and placed a hand on Ryou's hip. "That we're dating." He planted a kiss on the side of Ryou's neck.

Ryou shoved the rock star away, storming off to the other side of the small room. "Nothing like that was ever decided."

Bakura shrugged the rejection off. "You didn't speak up when your friend asked."

"Because I wanted to let him down easy," Ryou explained quickly.

"So you don't mind if people think we're dating but won't actually commit?" Bakura asked patronizingly.

Ryou glared at the rock star. "Exactly."

"That's ridiculous," Bakura demanded.

"Say whatever you want," Ryou commented lifelessly.

Bakura's lips twisted then curled once again into a smirk. "But you wouldn't go out with that idiot anyway, even if I wasn't here. You're not attracted to him," Bakura noted authoritatively. He took a step toward Ryou, then he took another.

Ryou stood there, not moving. Eyes burrowed themselves into the dirty, crumb-filled carpet. "Yes."

Bakura took another step, smirking. "Unlike me."

Bakura heard, Ryou's breath hitch. He stepped forward, now quite close. But Ryou had not moved. Bakura knew that was a good sign.

"Right?" Bakura prompted. Ryou's eyelashes were very dark against his pale skin.

"Yes," Ryou admitted. Bakura hadn't expected Ryou to confess this. Maybe that was a good sign too. Bakura's breath ached in this throat and that too was something he had not expected. Why did this boy have to effect him so?

One of Bakura's hands rose, aimed for Ryou's face. "Then it's decided."

Ryou turned sharply, discarding Bakura's reaching hand. "I told you, nothing has been decided."

Bakura was getting annoyed. Ryou had just confessed, hadn't he? Why was he still resisting? "You just said-"

Ryou groaned. "Yes! I am! I am attracted to you but it makes no difference! Nothing has changed."

Bakura scowled. "What are you talking about? You want me, I want you. Isn't that enough? What else is there?"

Ryou swerved around and faced the rock star like a spooked cat. "And how long will that last? How long will your interest linger?"

Bakura scoffed. "This is still about that dammed necklace, isn't it? You still on about that fucking trinket?"

Ryou shook his head in a way that Bakura knew this conversation was already lost. "You don't understand at all."

"What? Damn you! What do you fucking want?" Bakura cried. He was pissed and his hands were cramped with sweat. Ryou just stood there shaking his head.

Then the ordinary, white-haired teenager, charged across the room and slammed open a closet and Atemu fell out into an awkward heap on the floor. He had been pressing up against the door of the closet, listening to their entire conversation. But Bakura didn't care. He was fucking pissed. And fucking frustrated.

Ryou strode passed both famous people and hastily held the front door open for them. "You can leave now," he said. He told them like it was a proven fact.

Bakura stood there and Ryou stood there. Bakura was glaring at Ryou with such fiery intensity but the other didn't seem to care. Finally Atemu got to his feet and he walked over to Bakura.

"Come on," Atemu urged his childhood friend as he placed a hand on Bakura's rigid shoulder.

Bakura took a second, held it, glared at Ryou as though attempting to bend the boy's mind to his will, which was partly true, then he shook off Atemu's friendly hand and charged out the door, feet stomping.

Atemu paused just long enough to say a rushed, "Thanks again for saving me," to Ryou but the ordinary teenager gave no reply and Atemu had not expected one. Atemu found his guitarist slamming his fist against a rotten wall of the stairwell.

"Walk it off," Atemu advised. "Let's go."

((14))

"So, let me get this straight," Jounouchi began, stirring the straw in his soda absentmindedly. "You found out that the guy you had met over the internet was Atemu, the Atemu, and you… ran away?"

Yugi bit his lip. "Yeah. That's what happened."

"How odd," Malik commented, chewing on his cupcake.

"Who'd think Atemu would go bawling all over a runt like you," Mariku spat.

Yugi's purple eyes widened. "He… cried? Over me?"

Mariku sucked his teeth. "Yep, bastard got snot all over Malik's lovely shirt."

"But he called you afterward, didn't he? So he was alright," Malik reassured, patting Yugi soothingly on the back.

"I can't believe you ran away!" Jounouchi cried, exasperatingly. "Man, if that had been me, I woulda, I don't know, probably died and gone to heaven."

Yugi sighed. "A lot was going on at that time. I was just so confused…"

Malik nodded. "I can understand that." Mariku glared at his cousin for sympathizing with an average teenager.

"So after he called you what happened?" Jounouchi questioned, excitedly and hanging desperately on Yugi's every word.

"Well, we talked and then we made up and then he asked me to lunch," Yugi remembered.

"A date!" Jounouchi cried, rolling back on the couch cushions in an overly dramatic gesture. "God, Yugi! You're killing me! Don't you know you're totally living the dream right now!"

Yugi smiled awkwardly. "I guess I am."

Mariku scoffed. "He guesses."

"And how was the date?" Jounouchi asked slyly, nudging Yugi in the side.

"You should know. You were there," Yugi said.

Jounouchi gaped. "What? Really? When?"

"Yami? Remember Yami? In Burger World?" Yugi helped.

Jounouchi gasped, hand flying to his forehead. "That was him!?!"

"You met Atemu already?" Malik asked curiously.

"I didn't know it was him!" Jounouchi exclaimed. "Ah…" Jounouchi's mouth grew very small for a second. "Ah… shit!"

Yugi let out an ironic laugh. "I'll say."

Malik blinked. "What?"

"I talked about Atemu to Atemu! Shit!" Jounouchi realized. "Oh… oh… I totally asked him out, man! Shit!"

"Oooo," Malik sympathized.

And then the door opened and Atemu entered in all his glory and handsomeness. Yugi's composer melted as their eyes met after years of separation.

Yugi jumped out of his seat just as Atemu leapt toward him. They collided and Yugi was thrown backwards onto the couch with a thump that shook the room.

"Atemu!" Yugi cried, his arms wrapped around Atemu's body. His chest was exploding with joy, or maybe that was Atemu squishing his lungs. "Ouch! You're going to crush me!"

"I don't care," Atemu stated defiantly and squeezed Yugi tighter. "I spent so long looking and looking and I couldn't find you…"

"Atemu, I can't breathe!" Yugi squeaked. He was being smothered by the rock star and couch cushions but he didn't mind that much. At least he had Atemu… on top of him…

Atemu nuzzled Yugi's neck. "Hmm… I missed you."

Yugi's face bloomed red. That skin Yugi had been longing for nestled into him and sent pleasurably shivers down every part of him. It also made him highly aware of all the other not-him-or-his-boyfriend people that were observing their transaction of warmth and longing. "Atemu, there are other people here!" he insisted.

Jounouchi was desperately struggling to restrain himself, being so close to his idol. Malik put a hand of reminder on his head. "Let them have their moment."

Mariku rolled his menacing eyes. "Where's the albino?" he questioned.

Atemu lifted his head up from Yugi's neck. "Moping."

"With no help from you," the said white-haired moper cursed. He had slid in the back of the room unnoticed. His eyebrows were knotted in severe irritation and loathing.

Atemu turned to Yugi again. "His meeting with Ryou didn't go too well."

Yugi sighed. "Does it ever?"

Atemu shrugged then squeezed Yugi some more and kissed his cheek. "You're so cute."

Yugi blushed. "Atemu!"

Jounouchi sniffed. "Damn, you two are so cute."

"They are," Malik admitted mildly.

Mariku sneered from his sprawled position on the floor. "You still think so even though that midget stole him away from you."

Malik frowned. "You are disgustingly tactless."

"You're revoltingly desperate," Mariku countered nastily.

"Hm, and you're not getting any tonight," Malik taunted mischievously.

Mariku bolted upright. "I was getting something!"

Jounouchi turned to Malik. "I didn't know you two were giving each other anything. Aren't you guys related?" the blonde asked conversationally.

"We're second cousins once removed," Malik explained.

"Isn't that when your great-grandfather and his grandfather are the same?" Jounouchi asked.

"Actually his great-grandfather is my great-great-grandfather," Malik corrected logically.

"Ah, that ain't so bad I guess," Jounouchi decided.

"Thank you," Malik appreciated.

"How much am I getting?" Mariku inquired hungrily.

Malik examined his nails. "Nothing, as of now."

"Are we leaving any time soon?" Bakura growled harshly.

Horror enveloped Yugi's senses. Atemu voiced his dismay. "But we just got here," the rock singer moaned, snuggling with Yugi on the couch and not caring who in the room could see.

"If you wanted, you guys could stay for dinner," Yugi suggested, pulling his head up above Atemu's cuddle. "Once the shop closes, Mom's going out with friends and grandpa will be at bingo night."

"I like that plan," Atemu said and pecked Yugi's cheek again.

"I wouldn't mind staying," Malik suggested.

"I would," Mariku announced flatly.

"Why?" Malik questioned slyly. "You've got nothing to look forward to when we get home." Mariku glowered viciously.

"Do you mind if you guys stay a little while, Bakura?" Yugi asked considerately to the depressed guitarist in the back.

Bakura did not turn to look him or anyone in the room. "Do what you want," he cursed.

Yugi looked concerned but Atemu shook his head at his boyfriend. "Don't worry, Bakura will get over it. He doesn't want to be bothered right now anyway."

Yugi sighed with one more worried look at Bakura. "I suppose… as long as you think he'll be alright."

Atemu grinned and kissed Yugi repeatedly on various parts of his blushing face. "I missed you."

Yugi squeezed Atemu back. "I missed you more."

"Impossible," Atemu stated and smuthered his boyfriend with his lips. Yugi couldn't bring himself to care about the other people around him.

"Sweet! A party! Let's order pizza!" Jounouchi cried.

"No fucking way!" Bakura snapped.

((-14-))

Lots of fun in this chapter. Ryou's still in denial and now Bakura's afraid of pizza. Poor Bakura!!! (sobs) And Honda was ruthlessly rejected! YAY!! Oh, sorry, I mean- (clears throat) poor Honda… (cough, cough)

I apologize, once again, to any Honda fans out there. Sorry. I don't actually hate him, really.

Sorry I lied about Atemu jumping out of a window… (shame) I didn't think people would take it seriously. But if it will help:

Atemu: I'll save you, my love! (jumps out of a window) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! (lands on a mattress (aka: no injures))

Yugi: (is saved) My hero! (rewards with steamy kisses)

Bakura: (rolls his eyes) I'll give it a 6

Malik: 8

Mariku: (is disappointed because there is no blood) 3…

TAKE THAT FOR AUTHOR'S NOTES NO ONE CARES ABOUT!!

I started a new story last week. It's called Kletoshipping. Hahaha. (inspired by tinkle-time-kelly) I'm having fun with it.

NEXT CHAPTER!!! (all true unfunny, not joking facts) Jounouchi sucks at being secretive so he, Yugi and Ryou come up with a plan. Bakura is still sulking. (duh)

REVIEW!!!!!!!!!

I love reviewers, seriously. Even the little flamers (who I actually haven't had a lot of, lucky me) Sorry if my author's notes are obnoxious… (shame)

REVIEW!!!