Author's Note: This is a one shot I've been thinking about doing for a while. And it's based off a story I made up in my head that is based off the song "City of Devils" by Yellowcard. It's about how Tristan is a very underrated character, despite how awesome he is. And how I always thought of him as the one to hide his feelings from the gang, so they wouldn't worry about him. Also, I own nothing! Enjoy!
She found his body yesterday morning...
She told me...they told her he had overdosed on prescription pills...
I could have stopped it...
"We were on the phone...I had talked to him that night...I should have known..."
"Duke..." Joey said to me, placing a hand on my shoulder...I could hear the tremors in his voice. Somehow, he was sadder than I was, "You can't blame yourself..."
"But, Joey..." I whispered, "If I...If I had kept him talking..." I could feel my eyes begin to fill with burning tears as I stared into Joey's equally burning eyes... "Then maybe he'd still be alive..."
"It's not your fault..."
"He's dead. Joey..." I felt the tears begin to drop from my eyes as the words escaped my mouth, "He's gone...and it's all my fault!" I couldn't help it anymore...I began to sob. I just didn't care anymore...Tristan's gone...he's dead...how the hell were we supposed to know he felt this way!?
"You think I don't know that!?" I heard Joey shout at me through my sobs. I could hear the tremors again...they were bigger now...was he crying, too...? "He's my friend, too! He was my best friend!"
I could hear it better now...he was crying, too...
"I hadn't seen him in a few days." He began, trying to conceal his tears, "I was going to go by his place to check up on him today...because I couldn't go yesterday...but then..." I looked up a little, just as Joey dropped to his knees, tears pouring from his eyes, "But then my little sister found him dead in his bedroom!" Joey's sobs were agonizing to me...he was so strong...but...with Tristan gone...
I went to him, and kneeled down next to him...sobbing along with him...that was all we could do...how could Tristan do this...? Why didn't he talk to us..?
"...Hello...?"
his voice was soft, and weak...I had never heard him sound like that before. He was always so strong...and happy...
"Hey, Tristan."
"Oh...hey, Duke..."
"How've you been..? It's been a while since we've seen you.."
"Oh...really...?"
"Yeah. Are you okay..?"
"...Yeah..I'm fine..."
I had known he was lying...why didn't I stop him...If I had...
"You don't sound fine...Is something bothering you...? Do you wanna talk...?"
"...No...I'm okay...really..."
"Are you sure...?"
"...Duke..."
"Yeah...?"
There was a moment of silence between us...it was horrible...I could hear what sounded like a pencil...he was writing something...
"I've never been any help to anyone..."
"Tristan..."
"I even almost got you killed..."
"But we lived, Tristan...it's not your fault..."
"I'm no use to anyone...I'm only a burden to you all..."
"Tristan..." I was very worried now, "What are you saying...?"
There was another silence, and sounds like a pencil being put down...
"...Goodbye..."
The next morning, Serenity went to his house, everything seemed so normal, and quiet...but then...
She found his body.
She called 911, and all of us...
When we got to his house, she was completely catatonic...and they let us see him...one last time...
Tea couldn't take it...she immediately began to sob...
Joey was only angry...he blamed himself for all of it...
I didn't know what to do, I dropped to my knees and started to cry...I knew it was my fault...If only I had done something, anything...
Bakura only turned away, he couldn't look at him...he didn't want to see him that way...
The Pharaoh was in denial...he tried to convince us...and himself...that he was still alive...just that his soul was gone, he didn't want to face the truth...that Tristan was dead...
And Yugi...he tried so hard to be strong for us...but he couldn't...he clung to Tristan's cold, lifeless form...and sobbed...he too...didn't want to believe that he was really gone...
None of us did...
And then...
Serenity handed Joey...his suicide note...
"Please..." The Pharaoh said quietly...looking to Joey, tears lining his eyes, "What did he say...? Why did he do this...?"
Joey took a breath, and began to read the note to us...
"If you're reading this, then that means I'm dead...I'm sorry..." Joey began...tremors in his voice, "Whoever finds this note...please...tell Serenity...I love her..." Serenity looked at Tristan...and soon began to cry...she loved him, too...she loved him so much,"I know you're all sad...I know you miss me, and...I miss you, too..." I could see tears enter Joey's eyes as he continued... "But I...I'm only a burden to you all...you're better off without me...everyone is...all I am is worthless..."
Tea's sobs grew, and she too fell to the ground...she didn't want to hear anymore...
"I've been hiding my feelings from everyone...I didn't want you all to worry about me, there's no point in that...I'm just a waste of time...a waste of space..." Tears fell from Joey's eyes, he couldn't bear to read anymore... "I'm of no importance to anyone...I asked myself why? Why...have I been here so long...? I've never contributed much to the group. While Yugi and Joey dueled to save the world, all I've ever done is just stand on the side, unable to help at all. You all have done so much more for us all than I could ever dream to..and I-I just..." Joey couldn't read anymore, the Pharaoh took the note and finished for him...
"I just...don't belong in this world anymore..."
Yugi clung tighter to Tristan's still form...as if he would never let go...
"I know...you'll be better off without me..." The Pharaoh too, began to cry...
"May we meet again...in a better life..."
He had to force himself to finish through his tears, as he read Tristan's final words...
"Goodbye..."
Five days later...we went to Tristan's funeral, everyone came...even Kaiba and Mokuba...everyone was there. it was a beautiful service, really, it was...But now we all knew...he wasn't coming back...it finally sank in...we knew, but...we couldn't accept it...
A few days later, Serenity and I went to visit his grave...
...It was his birthday...
She never stopped crying...
Together, we put flowers on his grave...and said our final goodbyes...
"Goodbye, Tristan..." I said quietly, "May we meet again...in a better life..."
R.I.P.
Tristan Taylor
"In another few hours, the sun will rise."
The End