Disclaimer: This is a complete work of fiction. There's no resemblance to actual persons, places and / or events. If so, it is utterly not intended. We do not claim to own Yu-Gi-Oh! or anything to do with it at all. Character exposure in this story is completely non-profit and just for fun. We own nothing but our own plot-bunnies. Thank you.

Summary:
Tristan Taylor sticks up for someone in particular and develops an intense crush. How intense? Well... it has him buying gifts and making his affection known. However things would probably go much smoother if he was a better gift giver. M-Slash!

Warning(s):
Coarse Language, Sexual Themes, M-Slash

Genre(s):
Romance, Hurt/Comfort

Pairing(s):
Tristan x Ryou - Protectshipping

Rating:
T - M

Author's Note:
Hi everyone! CreativeWritingSoul here. DanoR1392 and I have collaborated on this short story and we felt it would be awesome to share it with you guys! Please enjoy and let us know what you thought. I will do my best to update as often as I can, but I often forget so bare with me!

Chapter One

A pale teen bit his lip for the hundredth time that day, his shoulders so tense they were nearly up to his ears. He gripped his books tight, his locker in sight. Soon he would be able to go home, soon he'd be free of this place. Well until tomorrow anyways.

"Fucking queer." He flinched, tripping over someone's foot, stumbling into the lockers. He heard the laughter and closed his eyes. 'Almost there, just keep going'. He repeated the words again and again. Finally his fingers touched the metal lock… which was on backwards. He sighed out of irritation and easily did the combination. He knew it better backwards now anyways.

"The fuck?" He stiffened. He knew that voice. He glanced behind him, the man linked with the vocal outburst looked at him and glared. His fist collided with a locker angrily. He tossed the note to the ground, keeping his eyes locked with Ryou. The white haired teen flinched back when they passed him and he watched the jocks leave. His eyes darted to the note. He knew he shouldn't, that curiosity was always a downfall. He quickly went over and grabbed the note, shuffling back to his locker. He opened it and grabbed his backpack and blanched, slamming it shut.

"Oh gods." He held back a gag and stuffed the bag in the trash, shuddering. He decided to carry the needed items instead. He closed the locker and re-locked it. Not that it mattered. He bit his lip and glanced down at the paper, most of the students gone. So he decided to read it.

Dear moron bullying the only openly gay boy in class,

I dare you to lay a finger on him.

Sincerely, the quarterback with two AMAZING dads.

Before Ryou could turn he heard steps behind him, shoving the note into his pocket, he momentarily panicked. "H-hi," the male was tall, brunette, broad shoulders and slender figure. He wore typical bright red converse and school uniform. "did you uh, need a hand with anything?"

"Who, me?" Ryou glanced around. Of course him, no one else was nearby. He blushed and cleared his throat, shifting the mass amount of supplies from his locker. He usually brought everything home every night. Plus there was a rancid smell coming from his locker now thanks to what he found in his bag. "I-I'm okay." He avoided eye contact. Last thing he needed was another person to owe a favor for, or worse, another fake friend.

Tristan had to admit, the smell was very questionable. But even that didn't give him the desire to leave. "Oh, well... I, alright. I suppose. Let me uh, get rid of this. Anything in it that you, needed?" The bag did seem quite dead, or it certainly smelled like it. He would be willing to sift through it if need be.

"No, at least nothing I can't replace." He cleared his throat. "Sorry about that." He nodded to the bag.

Tristan tied up the garbage bag with the backpack in it, hoping that would mask the smell slightly. "That's, well, not good but - okay I suppose."

Ryou shifted awkwardly, glancing back behind him. Less than 50 meters was the door. Then he'd just have to survive the twenty minute walk home. He cleared his throat, shifting his things. Damn his arms were already getting sore. "I ah, I should go. Thanks for taking care of it for me."

Tristan's cheeks blushed as he watched the other leave. 'Lame! Shit Tristan, you're so lame. Should've just asked him out, or kissed him. Damn it all, lameness.' He thought to himself bitterly. He sighed, moving the garbage can to the other side of the hall before deciding it was time to head to practice, before the coach neutered him.

Ryou was approaching the school doors, when he found they automatically opened for him. He paused a moment, his hand still outstretched, a new, well old backpack from a couple years ago, slung over his shoulder. "Uhm, thanks." He slipped into the hall, leaning away from Tristan as he passed. He saw his locker and a moment of fear hit him. What if they put another dead rat in there?

Tristan followed closely, he couldn't explain it but there was something about this boy. He just wanted to look at him and beat up anyone who tried to damage him. But little did he know, the majority of damage was long done. He stayed close by, awaiting the same thing Ryou was, opening the locker.

Ryou scrunched up his shoulders anxiously. Did he have to follow him like that? It was creepy. He opened his locker. It was empty. Well except a note. He let out a relieved breath and picked it up. A note he could handle.

Hey you little shit. What'd you do? Pay the brainless oaf to fight your battles for you? Won't be long until he bails on you too. No amount of money in the world could buy you friends, even fake ones

He flinched and crumpled the note, his head bowed. He hugged his books close.

The only thing he saw whilst on the other side of the hallway at his own locker, was the short teen bowing his head, crumpling up paper. It pissed him off so badly, why did people have to waste their time and put so much effort into bullying? It didn't make them cool, it made them idiots.

It was about time that he received something nice in his locker. Tristan had it in mind to order flowers and have them delivered, which he'd put into Ryou's locker. He only saw the combination once and already had it memorized. He wanted to show him that he liked him, hopefully the flowers would do a better job of talking than Tristan himself did. He could only hope.

Ryou sighed heavily and tossed the note in the garbage, heading to class. He'd just bring his bag with him. Last thing he needed was to buy another bag. How could he possibly pay someone to help him when he didn't have money for a new bag? No, that was a lie. His family was rich, they just didn't give a crap about him.

He slipped into the classroom, placing his disheveled backpack on the floor between his feet. Half the students were already in, but no teacher in sight yet.

Tristan entered the classroom and sat in the back, in perfect ogling distance of Ryou. He had been researching, with 'google' being his preferred search engine, how to show someone that you liked them, or cared for them. It wasn't very helpful, but it gave him a couple ideas. Such as the flowers, which he'd already ordered. His father always used this floral shop, he'd have flowers sent to the house for his other father, for as long as Tristan could remember.

His two fathers had a very romantic, loving relationship. They were very close and with Tristan as their only child, they wanted to show him what a relationship was supposed to be all about, with a man or woman, whichever he would choose, they would be okay with.

No one had ever turned his head like Ryou did, before him, Tristan didn't give a shit about anyone. But now, he was Tristan's object of affection, or the attempt of anyhow.

Ryou placed his needed books on his desk and tried to relax. A student walked past, knocking the neatly arranged book onto the floor.

"Oops." He snickered and Ryou frowned. He went to reach for it, watching the burgundy item shoot across the floor instead. He closed his eyes and tried to control his breathing.

"Awe, what's wrong?" He leaned down close. "Gonna cry?" Laughter filled the area from the surrounding students. Ryou sat up straight and took out a second notebook, keeping a good grip on this one. He wouldn't give them the reaction they wanted.

Tristan felt the textbook hit his foot, he picked it up and walked over to the trouble-causing student and in a swift move hit him with the heavy textbook. In the face and then upside the head. He pulled out a pocket sized bottle of sanitizer, spritzing a little on the book. "Don't want douche-bag all over this good text book." He set it on Ryou's desk, never ceasing his glare towards the other student as he sat back down.

Ryou stared at the book and slowly looked back at the brunette. He quickly looked away when their eyes locked. His cheeks went bright red. His tormentor was rubbing the now sore spots on his skull, sending a glare at Ryou. Finally the teacher walked in.

Tristan didn't mind what-so-ever, it was now a full period he'd have of staring at Ryou. He didn't need to pay attention today, he was passing this class. It might have been barely, but he was still passing. He was only in need of paying attention when he was close to failing. No pain, no gain.

Ryou sighed and started to his locker. He always hated opening it. He reached out and did the combination, letting out controlled breaths. Nothing was going to jump out. It smelled… strong… almost like perfume… He furrowed his brows and opened the locker.

He stared for a long moment. They were beautiful, the flowers. All warm colors, all wonderfully bloomed. Only problem?

Achoo!

He pinched his nose, closing the locker quickly, a sneeze attack starting. He dropped his books in the process, his head spinning from the force of the sneezes, the smell starting to bother him.

He'd taken off to the bathroom by the time Tristan walked by, expecting an impressed Ryou to be swooning over the flowers, only his books were on the floor and he was no where around. Tristan picked up his books and arranged them perfectly, just as Ryou would do himself. He checked the flowers for bees or something but there weren't any.

Maybe he didn't like flowers? Damn it all he should've asked. But would it still have been considered a surprise if he had asked? He somehow doubted it.

Although the locker did smell much better today than it did yesterday...

Ryou spent a good ten minutes in the bathroom, groaning and splashing his face, trying to get his irritated eyes to let up. Finally he blew his nose one last time, washed his hands, and headed back out. He paused mid step. He was there again… that jock… holding his books. He hesitantly walked over, clearing his throat but not planning on saying anything.

He gave a big, yet awkward smile as he held out the books. "Here," His voice almost shrunk, in volume, in masculinity, in everything. "I um, I piled them exactly the same way you do... they were on the floor... here you go."

"Yeah, thanks." Ryou said slowly, taking the items from the other, he leaned away. Did he sack himself or something? He glanced at his locker. "Oh, hey, do you know what asshole put flowers in my locker? I have one hell of an allergy to them." He resisted the urge to rub his nose at the mere thought of those flowers.

'It's no wonder he ended up with a rat in his locker, if flowers don't impress him... yikes.' Tristan shook the thought away from his mind as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I - I don't know who did that! What a dickwad..." he glanced at the pretty looking flowers. "let me uh, get rid of them for you." Again he found himself throwing something out and tying up the garbage bag so the scent wouldn't bother Ryou. They did cost a pretty penny, but apparently they weren't very liked. He should have asked.

"Thanks. Y'know, pretty much everyone knows I'm allergic to flowers. And it's just so frustrating! It's like… like they're trying to make me sick!" He sighed heavily. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this." 'You're just going to laugh at me later like everyone else does.' He thought to himself. He bowed his head, gripping his backpack tight, hugging it to his chest.

Tristan tilted his head slightly, looking down at him. "I care to listen. You can talk. It's fine with me." He told the other softly, maybe it was just time to tell the truth? That might be the better option, he'd remind himself not to have anything to do with flowers anymore.

Ryou looked at him skeptically. "Right. So you can tell your friends what they don't already know? Please, I've been down this road before. First you friend me, then you try to get in my pants, when you do, you tell the school. Been there, done that, not going there again." He pushed past, walking quickly.

Tristan stood there, rather dumbfounded. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want in your pants... but, I just want... a relationship." He sighed heavily, he wanted to make it up to Ryou somehow. He wasn't sure how, but he would do his best to try. For now, he'd have to go the rest of the day with the troubled teen on his mind.

Finally, school was over and Ryou couldn't wait to get home. He'd lugged his backpack around all day and was about to leave when he'd passed his locker and noticed something taped to it. Instead of ignoring it, he sighed and walked towards it. Discovering a chocolate bar taped to the locker, with a post-it note that simply said, 'I'm nuts for you'.

His eye visibly twitched. He nearly growled and threw the treat out. Were they trying to kill him? This school was as bad as the last one! He noticed his… follower looking stunned, and crossed his arms defiantly. "Someone taped a chocolate bar with peanuts to my locker…" He noticed the others puzzled reaction. "I'm allergic to nuts."

'What isn't he allergic to?! This is getting frustrating. Just ask him out! Do it!' Tristan shooed his thoughts away, trying to take in why Ryou was upset. "I, I see. Well, it's the thought that counts, isn't it?"

Ryou raised his brow. "And what thought is that?" He glared at the other, tapping his foot impatiently.

Tristan had the perfect answer in his mind, but he had extreme difficulties speaking those words. "Uh, well... that you might have been, hungry?" That was it, he should just walk away right now. It would probably save him the humiliation.

"Right. I'm so hungry I'd eat my allergy. I'm not that skinny!" He glared and stomped on Tristan's foot, walking off, the school doors flying open with the force.

Tristan shook his foot lightly, he hadn't felt much. Almost as if there was little to no force at all, despite it looking like Ryou gave it his all. "I suck at gift giving..." he sighed and glanced at the treat in the garbage, he felt the temptation to grab it and drown his sorrows in it, but he decided against it. He had practice anyway and better get going before he'd be yelled at for being late once again.

:: Yu :: Gi :: Oh ::