Chapter 3

Rebecca didn't have to look for very long to see how pissed off Yugi was today as well. She had to admit, Yugi had been awfully ecstatic the last two days after that singer's little 'visit', so much it had begun bothering her. Now though, she regretted ever having thought those things, preferring Yugi's happy humming over his angry flaring double time. Just like last time when he was angry, he walked around the counter and with a loud, deep sigh signed the attendance list. Immediately after, he began reorganizing everything again if only for the sake of reorganizing.

"Concert sucked?"

"Don't even start."

Their conversation was very much like last time, so Rebecca decided to uphold the entity of its familiarity by continuing her installment in the cookie section again, putting away the last boxes on the shelves, leaving Yugi to clean away his agitation both physically and mentally.

And, just like last time, a customer barged in, yet this time with movements more hassling, and placed another styrofoam cup of coffee on the counter that Yugi was, one again, busy cleaning.

"Why the fuck does everyone keep doi –"

Upon looking up, violet locked with crimson red again, and yet Yugi's eyes looked more bloodshed than Yami's. "What the fuck are you doing here?! Get the fuck out!"

"Calm down, Yugi," Yami answered and responded with a reassuring motion of his hand, looking around him to see if anyone in the store had heard Yugi's frantic yelling.

"What the – you don't come in here and tell me what to do, you prick! Now leave before I call the fucking cops!"

"Please, Yugi, just let me explain."

"Explain?! You wanna explain to me how you were about to fuck that slut right in front of my own eyes?!"

"I was drunk."

"No shit, Sherlock! You drank an entire bottle of whiskey in less than half an hour!" Yugi pinched the bridge of his nose, trying hard to ignore the puppy-like eyes Yami was sending him, stating that at this rate, their conversation wasn't going anywhere. If only he wasn't so damn handsome, Yugi thought while he whined a muffled groan in his hand before lowering it, glaring back hard. Finally given the opportunity to speak, Yami swallowed a giant lump down his throat that he hadn't noticed was there before. He had to admit Yugi had quite the impressive allure over him, even if he was scolding him at 10 am after another hangover.

"I wanted to apologize."

Yugi's brow raised considerably. He eyed the rockstar in curiosity while intercepting the many signals of remorse in Yami's behaviour. "Apologize," Yugi repeated after him, half-heartedly, rolling the word over his tongue before accepting it and perhaps give the singer one more chance, if only to get rid of those enormous, melting puppy-eyes that stared him to the ground and made his knees go numb.

"I was a jerk."

"Yes you were."

"And I shouldn't have done that."

"No you shouldn't."

"And I want to make it up to you."

Yugi grew silent. His defensive stance changed drastically as he lowered his crossed arms and focused all his attention on the frontsinger, paying the complaining customer who had been waiting to buy a pack of cigarettes for five minutes no mind. He grew lost in those large, dark brown eyes that shone bright crimson in the light, seeing the other one's guilt in them. There was something off about Yami that he could not quite place, or perhaps he hadn't noticed the last time he came here to buy coffee because they were too busy fucking. No, if he payed close attention, he noticed the insecure stance with which Yami stood, back bent forth slightly, eye-lids half closed and troublesome, a quiver in his lips that only became evident when continuing talking.

"I-I want to show you I'm not like this. Well, normally, when I'm not – you know. I, I'd like to show you the real me."

"Why?" Yugi asked, more disdain than he intended. It was rather out of curiosity that he asked the question.

"Because I like you."

At that, Yami's worrying face seemed to brighten considerably. He's lips twitched into a wry smile as if careful to approach the teenager with any more familiarity, concerned to be utterly rejected again. He hadn't been dating anyone since he had dated the all too famous fashion model Duke Devlin, and what had happened between them was something he wished to put behind him for good.

Yugi seemed nice. He was snappy, but warm and inviting. Yami had seen it in the smile when he presented himself last night again back-stage. Yami had actually been worried he wouldn't 've showed up, seeing as he had had his part of Yami and perhaps sex was all he had ever wanted from him. But he had been there, because apparently he had wanted to see Yami again, and that made Yugi nice. It made Yami like him even if the brief conversations they had shared were rather arguing than chatting. From what he did remember from last night, he remembered he had thoroughly enjoyed talking to the teenager and the kid had managed to make his heart flutter. Then again, Yami had always been a sucker for love. He fell way too quickly.

"One night," Yugi responded before the singer had any chance to continue his reasoning, in no mood to hear any more.

Despite Yugi held up his finger as if lecturing a child in class, Yami could not suppress the joy that glistened through his eyes when hearing Yugi's answer. But before he could express that, the lecturing finger stretched out to point back at him.

"However," Yugi's glare shifted from forgiving to weary, his finger but inches away from Yami's nose, who was briefly remembered by his mother scowling him after he had done something bad after school. "No alcohol."

The demand was brief and straightforward, but Yami respected it, listening with only one ear as Yugi announced the date and hour of their get-together. He smiled like a child getting his ice cream, the innocence of his emotions turning Yugi red. He had to admit Yami could be rather cute if he tried, which was strange because if he only quirked a brow he would go from adorable to smothering.

Yami's smile curled up to his ears, a hint of pink colouring his caramel cheeks while walking backwards, his eyes still lingering on Yugi's form. While doing so, he bumped awkwardly against the glass door and turned around, noticed the door and figured he'd have to open it of course, walking through it and looking back again, still seeing Yugi watching him with an odd stare that screamed 'what the fuck is he doing'. He waved enthusiastically at the cashier, waiting until the teen waved back, satisfied that his crush did so, and then walked away with a dumbstruck expression on his face like a girl in love for the first time.

'That,' Yugi thought, 'was fucking awkward.'

To think that it had only been a week since Yami had fucked him on this table. Now that Yugi thought of it, it was pretty odd to get dressed in the room where they had had sex for the first time. But he had to get ready somewhere and this week's shift was evening for Yugi so he only got out at eight. And if he'd have to get home and get ready there, he'd only be ready at nine. That, and he wasn't really keen on the idea that Yami would know where he lived. He'd rather keep that private for now.

So he changed in the staff room instead, fixing his hair with some gel and even putting on some eyeliner, if only for the sake of making himself believe that it made him look slightly more attractive. He looked over his outfit again, still unsure if it would suffice for tonight but then again, it was the only outfit he had brought with him. It wasn't a suit, Yugi didn't really have money for that, but it were a pair of slackers and he also wore a dark purple shirt with a tie. If only he'd have different shoes from the four pair of sneakers he always wore at school. These just didn't match his outfit at all!

"Yugi, there's someone waiting for you," Rex blazed, indifferent to the fact that his colleague was being picked up by a world-famous rockstar in a limousine. Rex didn't care about anything at all really. It was a surprise that he cared enough to serve the customers and operate the cash register.

The teenager walked out of the room, adjusting his tie once more, his eyes turned as wide as dinner-plates as, indeed, he was being picked up by a ridiculously large limousine. And there he stood, beside the car, leaning against it while tugging his hands in his pockets, waiting for his date to show up. His appearance was a surprise to Yugi, but in no way negative. It was probably the first time he had seen the rockstar in a suit, since he usually wore those black tank tops and ripped skinny jeans on interviews and during concerts, but damn, it looked good on him. Of course it looked good on him, it was fucking Yami Sennen.

While waving Rex goodbye, receiving an unbothered shrug back, Yugi walked out of the store towards his date. Yami immediately noticed him, his worried frown from before turning into a delightful smile upon witnessing Yugi. He stood straight to greet his companion, taking his hands out of his pockets to show him the proper hello he deserved. Yugi halted in front of him, looking up at the taller singer, waiting awkwardly for whatever it was that should happen now, although it seemed both of them didn't know what that was. Yami's smile turned into an awkward pinch of his nose, looking side-ways to cut the staring-contest short, realizing he had been checking out his date way too long and finding himself with a swollen tongue.

So, now what?

"You erm- you look great," Yami tried to start up a conversation, waggling his toes nervously upon waiting for a response. He didn't really know how this was supposed to go. Duke had always been straightforward and rather blunt about these things, he did most of the talking while Yami usually just listened or answered. He had no idea it could be so hard to take the lead.

"Thanks," Yugi responded, the discomfort in his tone apparent.

They remained standing for a full two minutes, awkwardly glancing over but immediately looking away as soon as the other had noticed.

"Let's go."

"Right!" Yami exclaimed as if shooting awake, and he opened the door for Yugi to enter the car.

The ride to the restaurant was everything but pleasant, however Yugi did register the opportunity to remember what a limo looked like from the inside out. He was usually one of the many people who watched in envy as a celebrity in limousine drove by across the street, so actually being inside one was a nicer turn of events.

Yami's gaze however, drove Yugi absolutely insane. He stared at him non-stop, whenever Yugi looked back he was just smiling awkwardly at him and then lowering his gaze as if he hadn't just been watching him all along. It lasted until they arrived at the restaurant, where Yami got out and took the leisure of opening Yugi's door for him, which was in fact quite endearing, so much that Yugi's entire face turned red when a few people passed by in awe. He was heating up and sweating profoundly by the careful effort Yami put into this date, withdrawing Yugi's chair and seating him and afterwards seating himself. And that's pretty much how things remained. Until, finally, a waiter came along and passed them the menus.

Yugi grimaced at the booklet. He barely recognized any of these ingredients. Most of the words were a foreign language to him which he had never heard of. What in Ra's name were 'coquilles' and 'chevre chaud'. The only word he did recognize were oysters and he didn't even like those.

Defeated, he lowered the card to have a look at Yami, whom skimmed through the menu with a soft expression on his face but not that eager either. While doing so, the teenager glanced around to notice the company in which he found himself, feeling ultimately underdressed and uneducated. They seemed to be enjoying their food and handled with the necessary etiquettes expected in this high-class restaurant, etiquettes that Yugi had never learned. The only real restaurant Yugi had ever been to was an Italian, on a date with a guy that turned out to be a complete waste of time, and even in that place they ate their pizza with their hands.

Startled when the waiter had made a sudden appearance at their table, Yugi listened as Yami mentioned the course he wished for and returned the card, staring bewildered at the waiter who was now waiting for Yugi to order too. Dumbstruck, he shook his head and blurted out the only thing that did make sense to him. "Same as his."

"Very well, any refreshments?"

Refreshments?! Now the guy asked for something else too?! Bloody fucking refreshments, just some water or a coke was fine for him! As long as he didn't have to answer!

"A bottle of wine, please." Yami was quick to respond, and the waiter nodded and walked toward the kitchen. Their customers always expected them to pick out the perfect wine to accompany their dinner, no matter the price. He would return with a bottle of the finest French or Spanish wine in five minutes, and it would match whatever they were having, that was just how expensive restaurants worked.

"Wait a minute," Yugi gawked and suddenly, as if something hit him on the back of his head, remembered what the fuck he was doing here and with whom, "we agreed, no alcohol." His voice was dry and calm, but expressed an urgency that Yami picked up but brushed away nonetheless.

"Just one bottle, we'll share, it's not that much, right?" He smiled sympathetically, and turned Yugi's demeanor around. With a smirk like that it was impossible to be mad at him. "Besides," Yami continued, "I want what's best for you. You only deserve the best."

If he stares at me with those eyes any longer, I think I'm going to explode'. Yugi was having an arduous time controlling his emotions while Yami looked at him like that. He was absolutely endearing with such an honest smile and those bright, glistening eyes. Even if the entire situation felt a bit awkward and both didn't really know what to say, Yami seemed sincerely happy to share his evening with Yugi, and for the life of him, Yugi could not figure out why. Most people would consider their date a disaster up till now, it almost looked like they were high-school kids going on their first date ever.

Yugi sighed. He was overthinking the whole evening. Perhaps, if he would just allow himself to relax, they'd be able to have a nice chat and a great evening, without too much hassle.

So Yugi tried his best to have some small-talk. He was surprised how timid Yami actually was since he did most the talking, but Yami always listened eagerly and seemed to enjoy the many stories and thoughts his date shared with him. After a small appetizer with weird black pearl-like shit smeared on some toast, of which Yugi still didn't know the name, their talking quickened in pace along with their enthusiasm. Yami seemed to get along with the conversations and they shared a glass of wine or two before their main course would arrive. Yugi savoured every moment in which Yami started loosening up and eventually told stories about himself, such as school-life in Egypt and songs about their latest CD. The teenager was drowning in the moment, and also in Yami's beautiful crimson eyes, a smile so large that it curled to his ears. He had never enjoyed a date so much in his entire life.

Everyone was looking at them. Everyone. Yugi couldn't remember the last time he had been this embarrassed in a public place, least we forget the most expensive restaurant in the entire city!

Remember that one bottle they were to share? So, Yami just had to buy another one while Yugi went to the toilet, and he had pretty much finished the entire bottle on his own well under half an hour. The main course had finally arrived and Yami was plastered. So drunk that he demanded another bottle, took out a one-hundred dollar note and threw it at the waiter's feet. He was roaring awfully load with laughter for things that weren't even funny, and accidentally poured half of the third bottle of wine next to his glass. When the wine spilled on Yugi's lap, he rose from his seat and had had enough.

Annoyed, he looked up at Yami who was trying to keep back his laughter but failing miserable, turning Yugi on edge. "What?!" He snapped, realizing the entire restaurant was watching them but not caring anymore.

"It's just," he bit back, trying to keep his face straight, 'You look like you peed yourself."

'Haha', Yugi thought, looking at nothing in particular before Yami exploded in a full-blearing laughter for the whole room to hear. It surprised him they hadn't kicked them out yet.

"I'm getting out of here." Yugi turned his heels, on his way to the door and about to search for his own jacket, but was stopped by Yami's yelling.

"Where the fuck are you going?!"

"The fuck away from you!" He yelled back. Walking out of there, he halted and inhaled deeply, trying to come back to his senses. His response had surprised himself. He preferred remaining composed aside from some snappy comments that he had learned to use in high-school to deflect bullies. Behind him, he heard the bell of the restaurant jiggling again signaling that Yami had followed him, so he inhaled one more time before preparing himself for this conversation.

"What the fuck was that?! No one walks out on me, backstage-boy –"

"Don't fucking call me that! I'm not your backstage-whore, Yami Sennen. I'm leaving, I'd appreciate it if you'd never contact me again." He pinched for a cab to pull over, walking towards the car while doing a good job ignoring Yami's insulted face. Opening the door, Yami shut it closed in front of his face, and Yugi looked up to meet him with a deadly glare of himself.

"You are the fucking epitome of a stereotype fangirl, you know that?!" Yami spit back, fire broiling in his eyes, but Yugi wasn't afraid of his little performance. He'd known better than talking to a drunk Yami, and he knew Yami better than this. This, whatever he was now, was not Yami. "You get a good fuck, you get a fancy dinner, and then you fucking leave and tell every fucking tabloid about it for money!"

If Yugi hadn't been so tired, he'd probably talk back with more insulting remarks, but he just wasn't in for it. The way Yami changed from a shy gentleman to a complete drunk asshole was incredulous. Instead, he reopened the door to the cab again and got in this time, but opened the window and tossed out enough money to cover more than half of his share of dinner. "I don't care about the money. Treat yourself to another bottle of wine."

The money remained where Yugi had dropped it, on the street, and Yami's trembling pupils remained glued to his face until it disappeared behind the window again and the cab took off. He watched with swallowed tongue as the taxi drove away with his date in it. In his last endeavor, he picked up a rock and tossed it towards the car, but missed by any chance and instead tumbled to the ground from his effort. Yami kept lying on the stone ground, flipping off bypassers who wanted to help him, too angry to get up or do anything in general. There was only one thing that he wanted right now, and that was a fucking drink.