These fics are written, not because I wanted to, but because I had to, and they have now been smashed together in one story. And there are several reasons for it.

Reason 1 :: My sister's friend wrote a story for me, so I had to repay the favour. Her Shadow x Shun's grandpa fic was the highlight of my day (though I thought of the idea … but I didn't have to … I just happened to open up a dictionary to the page that said 'merry', and it just came to me).

Reason 2 :: She's paying me. Twenty bucks. I know. It's sad. But Christmas is coming and my money was stolen (by my younger sister, I believe). I have to buy my stepmother's gift -___-;; I don't know what she wants …

Reason 3 :: … I've always kinda wanted to write a Shadow yaoi …

My sister's friend was kind enough to think up an elaborate system in which to pick who to pair Shadow up with, for I can only stretch my brain power so far as to think up the story without a plot.

I had to pick a number.

Technically, my little sister did, 'cause she shouted out a number, and my sister's friend went with it. I'm glad she didn't go with my number though. I would've ended up doing Shadow x Ace. Frightening image, huh?

Disclaimer :: I don't own Bakugan Battle Brawlers and I never want to. NEVER.

The first time Shadow Probe had laid eyes on Gus, he thought he was a girl. A girl with really big eyebrows. And a flat chest. A very flat chest.

There was also, at that moment, the urge to run his fingers through those lengthy, wavy locks. To let them slide between his fingers and tickle the sensitive skin.

Gradually, after a few weeks, Shadow began to understand all the differences. There was the deeper tone of Gus' voice, the swagger in his stride, the way he didn't cry as easily as the Darkus Brawler thought the opposite gender did. Minus Mylene of course…she was just frightening.

And so, his urge left. So he led himself to believe.

The rest of the Vexos had grown a disliking for the blue-haired boy. Naturally, Shadow followed their lead, laughing along with them as they teased Gus, behind his back or to his face. They called him a slave, a tag-along, a dog.

And what a dog he was.

Disgust would well up in his stomach every time he saw a head of bright blue hair trailing after the large feathered coat of their leader, like a lovesick puppy.

There was also the jealousy.

Mixed in with the tacked-on hatred was envy, seething just inside his skin. Shadow told himself it was because he wanted the great Spectra's attention, he wanted to be noticed. He wanted to be the dog.

He knew that was too stupid to be true.

Gus called him an idiot, scum, worthless. "Useless," he would say in a cold voice.

Those simple words would pierce right through his thin clothing and lodge themselves into his skin, sending the chill in the tone down his spine and into his limbs.

On the outside, he would grin as he normally did, tongue hanging out of his mouth and dancing around, failing to make Gus feel as he did. The other Vexos members would roll their eyes and tell him he was being immature. A moron.

Spectra, as uncaring and selfish as always. Mylene, with her austere words and scorn. Lync, bearing a smirk and childish insults. Volt, in all his threatening glory.

He could handle it. He was strong. He wasn't afraid of anything.

"Not afraid of anything?" Lync would say everytime Shadow insisted on this. A devilish smile would light up his eyes, and his head would tilt slightly to the side. "Just wait~. I'll prove you wrong~."

The small, pink-haired Satan could think up the most horrible dares, grinning and teasing and smug, but Shadow completed them all without a second thought, leaving Lync to pout and cross his arms stubbornly, denying his failure.

"I'm only getting started."

Then came that one fateful day. And Shadow hesitated.

This dare wasn't like the others, in which he would risk his life for pride. This dare would do nothing for his pride.

It squashed it.

His dignity would be thrown out the window.

But he hated the fact that Lync was giggling, triumph glowing in his azure eyes. No, he was not going to lose.

With confident steps, he made his way to Gus' side, grabbed the boy's shoulders and pushed their lips together, ignoring the shocked cry that escaped his lips.

Shadow was pleased to hear the sound of shattering glass as Mylene dropped the drink she held in her hand. Pleased to hear Lync's enraged gasp of defeat. Pleased to see, out of the corner of his eye, Spectra freeze, watching the two behind that unreadable mask. He was also pleased to hear shortly after that Volt had actually looked up from his video game long enough to seem to care.

But not so pleased with the feeling that had erupted his stomach.

After a few seconds, Shadow had pulled back, grinning widely at Lync. "Told you you'd lose!"

He walked away with a pouting Lync at his side, laughing and pestering, leaving the undeniable lust in verdant eyes to go unnoticed.

And so it ends … thank God … XD I'm not too proud of it … originally it was just going to be a oneshot about all the differences between Gus and Shadow and how they would lead up to something … but it turned into this. It doesn't matter though. It's not like I care much for the show anyway.

By the way, I must request a book to the people who read this. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I just finished it. If you don't like books about WWII and the holocaust then you might not like it … but it's more interesting then most of the books I've read.