'Totally a Bromance' (Markedshipping)

Chapter 7: Baffling

As the heat settled from Jack's outburst, Yusei and Crow finally shared a glance.
"I'm sorry, Yus." Crow said, slight in tone.
Yusei tilted his head, questioning, "why are you sorry?"
"I should've listened to you. You said yourself that Jack would accept our... Thing. And yet I didn't listen, and now he thinks we think he thinks we're weird."
Yusei blinked at Crow's confusing apology, but shook his head after the words clicked.
"No, Crow. Don't apologise for that - it was fair to feel uncomfortable about telling our close friends that we're... Not... Just... Friends."
He reached into his pocket, fishing his phone out and tapped away on the screen. Crow sighed, still feeling guilty, and headed out towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Yusei asked, looking up from his phone after finishing typing.
"Out."

With his blunt tone, Crow slammed the door coldly and left Yusei alone, phone in hand.
Yusei could tell Crow was putting himself down, and he was prepared to chase after him.
But Yusei had a better plan in mind, to resolve everything.

After all, their worries, their relationship - it was all dependant on the whole... 'Coming Out' story. And Yusei was taking that stress on his own tan shoulders.

-

Sulkily sauntering through the streets of Neo Domino, Crow's distracted gaze flickered past the Blue Mountain Café, glancing over the sternly hunched figure of Jack Atlas, still in a mood from his outburst just minutes ago. He was waiting for a coffee, presumably, but Crow took the opportunity to apologise directly.

Hearing hesitant footsteps approach, Jack turned his scowling eyes towards the slumped Crow, and winced.
"What, come to shame me more?" He spat, words stinging like poison.
"No." Crow's voice was broken, as was his spirit in his guilt.
"I came to say sorry, and that it was my fault."
Jack raised an eyebrow.
"Y-Yusei thought you'd be fine with u-us, and yet I thought you'd still think it was weird, whar with you're hatred of couples and lovey-dovey stuff... I'm sorry for thinkin' of you like that. I feel... Shit."
Crow's cowering voice was like ice cracking under heavy boots, his whole mood just seemed to shatter with every word he uttered.
Jack noticed, listened, and sighed.

"Crow, don't apologise." He stood, ignoring the waitress' excited calls to him about his coffee order.
"I guess, if anyone should, I should say sorry."
Crow looked up with dampened eyes.
"I get that you feel awkward about your new relationship with Yusei. And I shouldn't be making things worse. You guys have been like bros ever since I knew you, which was also ever since you knew each other. So I know you're amazing for one another. I fully support it, I was just pissed you couldn't tell me straight - er, I guess straight isn't the right word for this, huh."
Jack had put a hand on Crow's shoulder, compassionately. Crow smirked at Jack's concluding words, sheepish and glad.
"Thank you, man. I'm glad you were the first we told. Man, though... I have no idea how to tell Aki or the twins, or anyone else..."
As if by some omniscient miracle, Jack's phone buzzed with a resounding call. He paused Crow, picking it up and putting it to his ear.

His eyes widened, he smirked, looking down at the confused redhead.
"Wh-what was that?" He asked as Jack slipped his phone away. Jack was still smirking.
"Crow, have my coffee - I have to go somewhere."
Before Crow's stutter could even attempt to form into a reply, Jack hopped on his bike and fled the scene, leaving the waitress frozen with Jack's order at the table, and Crow baffled in his steed.