'Totally a Bromance' (Markedshipping)

Chapter 5: Just a COUPLE of Bros.

AKA 'No Homo' - the chapter.

After a long, hearty night's sleep, Crow woke to a feeling a freshness - something he had lacked after the usual all-nighters at work.

He stretched his back, rose from his bed, and grabbed his work jacket in preparation to head out. A single piece of toast was enough to eat before rushing out, so he jogged to the toaster, until...

"Crow! What're you getting your work jacket for?" 
Yusei, adorned with a pale pink apron, held a spatula in front of Crow's face to halt his rush.
"Yah, Y-Yus?! I'm... Heading to work? With my jacket?" 
Yusei chuckled, tutting and wagging the spatula. 
"No, not today. You don't have work today."
Crow, flabbergasted, tilted his head. Before answering, a strange burning smell coerced Crow to turn his head to his right, and the billowing smoke, fizzling oil, and clearly blackening egg in the frying pan called his attention.
"Yus... It's burning!" Crow leapt past Yusei to turn the stove off, removing the burn pan and flopping the charcoal egg onto the plate Yusei had left out.
Sighing, Yusei drew toward Crow, untying and setting his apron on the counter in shame.
"I tried cooking you breakfast, since you're always cooking us stuff and you deserved a break. But... I don't know how to."
Crow picked the charcoal slate from the plate up, pinched in between his index and thumb. 
It crumbled under gravity and became dust on the plate.

"You... You should stick to bikes and duelling. You excel in that. This..." 
He wiggled the remains, and it completely shattered into nothingness.
"This is not your calling, Yus."
Yusei agreed, wiping his forehead.
"It, it was really nice of you!" Crow tried to salvage the situation. "But you shouldn't feel the need to give me a break like that - you do more than--" 
He was interrupted by the unsuccessful chef. Yusei wrapped a hand around Crow's waist, tugging him in.
"No, Crow. You do tonnes around here - work constantly, cook, clean; you deserve a break. That's why... I convinced Jack to get a job for this week."
Crow couldn't respond. No - he shouldn't respond. Yusei was seriously lying about this - Jack getting a job? Inconceivable.
"It's nothing major mind you..." Yusei added, noticing Crow's disbelief. "It's a quick job with Carly, to help promote the newspaper. I convinced him by promising to work mostly on his Duel Runner this week, to make it better than ours. Oh, and I promised he could keep most of the money for himself, to spend on clothes or food or whatever, so long as he left us with something to survive on."
Crow could now believe it, to a certain, minute extent. 
"Ah... B-but Yusei, why? Why give me this break, you... You need a break too!"
Yusei nestled into Crow's neck to whisper.
"I'll be relaxed if you're around, Crow. And I don't need to work all the time, we can go out and relax together." 
Crow blinked, hands shivering whilst holding Yusei. 
"Yusei... I, I love you." 
Yusei faced Crow to kiss him, hugging him after. 

-

After they ate (Crow cooked a simple meal to share, not trusting Yusei's skills), Yusei took Crow into the City, walking through the streets whilst holding his hand. Crow was clearly uncomfortable initially, eyeing every passerby for their reaction. But Yusei had assured him that no one would care nor suspect anything above a bro-handhold, something absurd to Crow at first. After a few hours of walking, talking, and minor shopping, the couple sat on a bench and rested their feet.
"Yus,  I'm really enjoying this day... With you." 
They shared a glance, and Yusei hugged Crow in response. 
Walking up the path to the bench, Jack and Carly noticed the pair,  and Carly's shocked screech pulled the pair apart.
"C-Carly? Jack?" Crow exclaimed.
Jack was clad in a seller's apron and hat, carrying a basket of newspapers and additionally wearing a grumpy frown. 
"Wh-wh-wha-wha-wha-what are you two doing~!" Carly began freaking out, seeing the two Signers and teammates holding hands, embraced on the bench.
"Carly, can we just sell these goddamn papers? I need ramen and coffee. STAT."
"We're just hanging out... As bros." Yusei blankly stared, squeezing Crow's hand in acknowledgement. Crow smirked.
Jack huffed once more.
"Oh.... Right." Carly realised who they were looking at. "You look like a couple though!"
Crow's eyes widened, shocked that Carly noticed. Then again, he and Yusei were pushing the boundaries after getting comfortable.
Jack snapped, fed up.
"Carly, can we go?! They're not a couple, if they were kissing and doing luvey-duvey couple stuff, I would rip their heads off. Now. Go." Jack grabbed Carly's hand and dragged her away, grumbling.

After they were far out of sight, Yusei turned to Crow. 
"Sorry, I didn't know what else to say-"
"It's ok Yusei, we just can't tell anyone. You heard what Jack said, he wouldn't wanna see us like that, it's weird."
Yusei shook his head, but knew Crow wouldn't argue. Yusei tightened his grip on Crow's hand, and ran his hand on Crow's jaw, turning his head softly to face Yusei.
"I love you and no one else's opinion will matter. Everyone already knows we love each other, of course... Not like that..."
Crow chuckled, blushing. 
"Yeah, that's the issue."
Glancing around desperately, to find total emptiness in the park they were sat in, Crow quickly pressed into Yusei's neck and kissed, nuzzling him.
"C-Crow, that's brave!" Yusei froze, startled.
"I know, but it feels right. I just hope we can be hidden, whilst also being able to act kinda like a couple because... It feels nice..."
"A couple..." Yusei trailed off.
Crow stood, tugging Yusei up with him. Yusei was about to lean in and kiss once more, but Crow grabbed Yusei's spiky head, pulling him down and trapping his head in a headlock whilst giving Yusei nuggies and grinning cheekily. 
"A COUPLE OF BROS! Right, Yusei!?" 
Mumbling under Crow's arm trap, Yusei made prodding motions with his finger in Crow's waist, making Crow flinch in a pressured tickle.

"Mmf, Crhowh, mmf. Ah cwouplh uf bruhs."