Title: Morning People

Summary: In which Team Yu-Tagonists gear up for action. Kind of.

"Ah," Astral said, staring bemusedly at the incredibly rare sight. "Good morning, Judai."

Judai mumbled something into the small table in their kitchenette which sounded a lot like either 'gurhermornghhh' or 'gohfckkoffff'.

"I... see?" replied Astral. He was saved from further awkward conversation when Yugi and Atem staggered into the doorway fully suited up but looking bleary-eyed and spotting rather frightening bedheads.

Yugi chuckled and gave Astral a tired looking smile as Atem mumbled a greeting and made a beeline towards the coffee-maker. "Good morning, Astral-kun. We normally don't talk to Judai-kun until after he's caffeinated," he advised kindly. Astral nodded, mentally cataloging the fact away as Yugi poured himself a bowl of cereal and began crunching away mechanically.

At the sound of the coffee machine whirling into action, Judai seemed to perk up. With his head still pillowed on an arm, he reached out with the other in a strange, grasping motion. "C'fee," he said.

As the coffee brewed, Yuma dashed in, barefoot and in his pajamas with a toothbrush hanging from his mouth. "Astral!" he said accusingly, "You were supposed to wake me up!"

Astral sighed. "Yuma," he said with a patience that was somewhat legendary, "I did. You were awake when I left our rooms."

Yuma paused in his tirade and blinked. "You did?"

"If it makes you feel any better," chirped Yuya who had arrived just in time to catch the tail-end of their conversation, "Yuma-senpai almost made it out of bed before falling asleep again. I just helped him along a bit." Apart from Astral and maybe Yugi, he was the only other one who looked remotely ready to be awake.

Yuma shot him an unimpressive glare as he slumped into a chair. "You didn't have to tip me out," he grumbled. Yuya only gave a beatific smile and plopped down beside him.

With a clink, a mug of steaming hot coffee was set in front of Judai who pounced on it and began guzzling, somehow managing not to sear his mouth. Atem smiled fondly and circled around with his own mug to sit next Yugi.

Bowls and a box of cereal were passed around the table until Yuma asked, "Is there any milk left?"

A thoughtful silence met his query as the majority of the table tried to work up the brain power needed to answer.

"Speaking of which," said Atem thoughtfully, "Has anyone seen Yusei at all this morning? We're to be at the hangar in twenty minutes."

"His sheets were folded this morning," Judai volunteered, setting down his mug and finally looking like a human being.

"Which could either mean he's up and about or he never went to bed last night," Yugi finished for him with a sigh.

After sharing resigned looks, the six of them reluctantly climbed to their feet and trotted towards the door. Luckily, in their small bunker, there wasn't a lot of ground to cover. They eventually found Yusei passed out in the lounge in front of his laptop which upon a closer look was displaying a fifty-page word document which was neatly titled 'Mission Report'. They then exchanged glances with varying degrees of guilt.

"We should let him sleep for a little longer," Atem said quietly as the other boys nodded in unanimous agreement. Yugi, Judai grinned sheepishly at each other as Yuma, Astral draped a duvet over the sleeping boy's shoulders and Yuya slid a throw cushion beneath his head.

As the boys tiptoed out of the room, Astral concluded that he could get used to mornings like this.