- author thoughts... -
You know... I'm not so sure if I like how I handled this story. I like how it turned out, but the way the events went... don't know, I think it could have been done better by someone else... but in other news, I do love the ending. ^_^
Oh! By the way, the italics in this case denote e-mail. *sigh* If only everyone had a nice internet English...
The Verdict
Otogi was sore and exhausted the next day. He had just about had it with this dating thing; dating was work that he simply was not used to. Not to mention his couch made a shitty place to sleep. He had fallen asleep some time in the middle of the second movie he put in. When he woke up in the morning, Jounouchi and Honda were gone. They left behind a note that said: "Sorry! We changed the sheets. - Honda"
Otogi's final date was with Honda and Ryou. He didn't have any method or reason for that choice other than the fact that they were the last two he had let to go on a date with. Unfortunately for him, he didn't have a damn clue what to do with those two…
The phone rang, and Otogi was quick to answer. "Ryuuji Otogi."
"Hi, Otogi." It was Honda, and Otogi smiled at how nervous the other teen sounded. "Look, we're really sorry about last night. I didn't think-"
"I'm not angry," Otogi interrupted smoothly. "So, what's up?"
"Right. Well, uh… Thing is, I'm going to cancel on our date tonight." There was a pause, and Otogi could hear someone talking in the background. Honda continued, "Actually, Jounouchi and I are going to drop out of this whole thing altogether…"
Otogi almost dropped the phone in surprise. "You mean you and Jounouchi are…?"
"Yea," Honda said sheepishly. "You're not too pissed, are you? I mean, hell, we were bitching are YOU for this sort of thing…"
Otogi blinked. He hadn't counted on THAT happening. Oh well; he wasn't the sort who cried over spilt milk. "That's terrific!" he said enthusiastically. "Congrads."
"Thanks." Honda sounded relieved.
"Anytime. Look, I need to prepare for… Damnit! Honda, do you know that kid's name, the one with the white hair?"
"Uh, Ryou."
"Good! Full name?"
"Ryou Bakura."
Otogi repeated it to himself. "Thanks. Tell me all about what you guys did on my bed later, okay?"
Otogi could tell Honda was blushing when he said, "Uh, sure. Bye."
"Bye." Otogi hung up the phone… and laughed. He sort of felt like cupid. It didn't matter too much that Honda and Jounouchi decided to see each other; after all, perhaps it was meant to be, and the whole thing was Fate's way of hooking them up… Wait, Otogi didn't believe in Fate. Maybe he was just good like that. Yea, he liked that scenario better. And Otogi still had Seto, Yuugi, and… Ryou.
Never mind that he hadn't heard from Yuugi or Seto in nearly two days.
For once in his life, Otogi didn't want to go out. He called Ryou and suggested that they just do dinner at his place; Ryou agreed, and they set the time for 6:30.
Otogi decided he would make spaghetti. Partially because it was one of the few things that he knew how to cook, and partially because he had a strange craving for garlic bread, and - by lucky chance - he happened to have a box in his freezer that was just begging to be made.
At 6:15, the table was set, the food was nearly done… and there was someone knocking on his door. "Come in!" Otogi shouted before thinking that maybe that wasn't the best idea… He wondered exactly who he had just invited in.
Until he heard Ryou say, "Sorry I'm early." Otogi glanced over his shoulder… and froze, staring. Ryou was leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen doorway, looking at Otogi. Was it just him, or was Ryou… a lot hotter than usual? He certainly didn't look any different, just the everyday jeans and a t-shirt. "You need some help?"
Otogi shrugged to himself and turned back to the food. "Now what kind of date would I be if I made you help?" he joked.
"One that might not have noticed that the oven timer is beeping."
"Oh!" Damn, was he that distracted? Nah, cooking just wasn't forte… Before he could find the oven mitts Ryou gently pushed him aside, grabbing the mitts from the counter and removing the pan with the garlic bread from the oven. Otogi smiled. Handy person to have around.
"Go get dressed," Ryou teased, and Otogi realized sheepishly that he was still wearing a pair of old pajama pants and a tee shirt; it was the most comfortable thing he had found in his laundry basket, and that had been his only means of clothes the night before. "I can finish up here."
"Thanks."
Otogi returned to find food at the table and dished out. Ryou stood proudly next to the table. "Sit."
"Looks great," Otogi said as he sat down. Ryou laughed.
"That should be my line; all I did was dish it up."
"And save the garlic bread," Otogi added, taking a piece from his plate and biting it. "That's the whole reason I made spaghetti." They didn't need to talk about the fact that Otogi couldn't cook. Dinner was silent for a little bit before Otogi asked, "So why were you there the day that everyone demanded I choose someone? Doesn't strike me as your style."
"It's not," Ryou answered with a grin. "But they cornered me with the idea, and I figured it would be fun to watch."
"Oh." That was slightly embarrassing; he had never been someone's spectator sport before. Then he cheekily added, "So you like to watch…"
Ryou snickered. "Bad jokes don't suit you."
"Worth a shot," Otogi said with a smile. He was working up something else to say when he heard a familiar noise from his computer. "E-mail," he explained as Ryou looked at him curiously. "I should probably make sure it's not work…"
"Wouldn't they call your cell?" Ryou asked.
Otogi shook his head. "I turned the cell phone off. Damn, I knew I forgot to turn SOMETHING off…"
"Go." Ryou smiled.
Otogi felt slightly guilty as he went to his computer, and even more when he recognized that the sender wasn't anyone important, just Yuugi. Still, the subject "Wow!" was compelling… he might as well read it while he was there.
"Hi! Bet you can't guess where I am. Kaiba's house. Still."
Still? Otogi's raised an eyebrow. Was THAT why he hadn't heard from Yuugi or Seto in a while?
"Sorry I haven't been able to properly thank you for the other night; it was terrific! The stars were beautiful… but you missed the best part. I never would have guessed how great Kaiba could be… in more ways than one! He can be really nice… and he has great lips. Hands. Ass. Eyes. Did I mention lips? He's got to be one of the most interesting people I've met when he's not obsessed with dueling me. But he did get this crazy idea the other night…"
Otogi read on as Yuugi rambled on and on… and on about Seto and what they had been doing since Otogi had to go to work the other night. Otogi shook his head and grinned. Apparently his own less-than-honorable intentions had chosen someone for him… He leaned back in his chair, glancing through the doorway to where Ryou was sitting at the table, idly playing with his noodles.
Otogi didn't mind… not one bit.
Still grinning, he replied:
"You're so smitten, it's pathetic. Congrads! I made my choice. Call Jounouchi or Honda and ask them to tell you all about our date yesterday. Speaking of dates, I have one here that I need to get back to. Tell Seto I said hi. By the way, after what you just told me, I want to say you're probably on that list of people who gets to use his first name. Try it on for size. Pervert.
"PS: you really want to watch Seto squirm? There's this spot on the back of his neck that's really sensitive. Have fun!"
Otogi sent the e-mail and returned to dinner. "Miss me?" he asked playfully.
"Of course," Ryou answered just as light-heartedly.
When dinner was done, the two settled down in the living room to watch a movie… which lasted all of 10 minutes before had a horny Ryou sitting in his lap, kissing and playing.
"So," Otogi said, interrupting Ryou's kisses and eliciting a pout from him, "how do you feel about this whole 'one partner' thing?"
Ryou looked at him quizzically for a moment before he smiled and asked, "Is this a request to go monogamous with you?"
Otogi nodded. "I'm just about done playing cupid. I'll leave it to the fat kid with wings from now on."
"I'm okay with monogamy… but you need to remember my name if we're going to pull it off."
"Ryou," Otogi said proudly. "Ryou Bakura."
That made Ryou laugh. "Good job." He leaned down and kissed Otogi again. "So, I'm ready to say to hell with the movie and drag you to the bedroom. You?"
Otogi chuckled. He shook his head and said, "Here'll work." He moved, pushed Ryou back onto the couch.
Oh yea… he could do the whole monogamy thing.
- final author thoughts... -
So I chose the pairings almost randomly. Almost. When I was planning the story out, I decided that in the end it would be Otogi & Ryou because it was unusual (at least I haven't seen a whole lot of OtogixRyou). That left Seto, Yuugi, Jounouchi, and Honda, and since I decided to do something other than SetoxJou, it was pretty easy from there. ^_^
Also, one of the reviewers mentioned that I should have brought Malik into it in the beginning... which I think I considered it, but in the long run decided not to. In all honesty, I can't remember why. ^_^;