Paladin: Here you go ice-dragons! It took me forever, but I have finally answered that challenge! Now, off to work on ASTAE...

Ira: It's about time!!

Warnings: Character death/ slight language

Nobody's Listening

Section One

It had started raining early that morning. The sound of the raindrops is what brought him out of the deep sleep he had been enjoying. He remembered thinking, Maybe it will stop by the time I get to school.

It hadn't.

And of course, all his classes were located in buildings that were located in different corners of the campus. So by the time one thirty rolled around, Yugi was thoroughly drenched. He had even stopped trying to fight with the umbrella he found this morning under the bed. The breeze that had picked up made it useless anyway.

Breeze. Heh. The fucking rain is blowing sideways.

He walked across the campus with umbrella tucked under an arm, drawing strange looks from the other students he passed. Maybe, just maybe, this evening would be better.

Section Two

The rain beat against the windshield in an almost hypnotizing rhythm. Against Yami's wishes, a cigarette had been lit and smoked and another was almost gone. Yugi figured what his boyfriend didn't know wouldn't hurt him too much.

Yami had asked him to stop smoking, told him to stop, threatened him if he didn't stop, bribed him...but he had not quit. It was hard. He would follow the advice for a day or two, get stressed out and start smoking again.

That evening hadn't been any better.

"Yugi Motou. You are late again!"

"I know. My road was sort of washed-out."

"Sure. If it happens again I have to write you up."

Yugi just grinned. It was really perfect. He yawned. It was after midnight and still raining.

Staring at the road in front of him, something caught his eye. It was a person, walking along the side of the road. Their hair is what stood out. It was long and silver, and shone brightly in the occasional lightning flashes. Lightning flashed as Yugi pulled over, rolling down the window.

This was another no-no according to Yami. Strangers are bad.

"Hey, do you need a ride or something?"

"Sure." His voice was low, sad almost. Yugi caught a glimpse of red eyes as he opened the door and got in.

Red eyes?

"Hey, don't I know you?"

"Maybe you do. I don't know." Then it occurred to Yugi.

"You were in the band room the other day."

Section Three

Yugi needed the extra credit. That's why he had went to the studio. His music teacher decided a good assignment would be to make her students interview a current band. The recording studio had been empty, however, as had the auditorium. Yugi was about to give up on finding anyone when he heard the sound of music. He followed the sad melody and came around a corner, behind the stage to find this young man, alone, strumming absently on a guitar. He sat on the floor, legs crossed, back leaned against the wall, staring into nothing , playing the same six notes over and over again.

Something about him made Yugi not want to interrupt, so he had slowly backed around the corner and left.

Section Four

"Yea, so?"

"You can play really well."

"Thank you." Yugi shrugged and pulled back onto the road. That wasn't it. He had seemed familiar then too. Where else had Yugi seen this young man?

"Where are you going on a night like tonight, anyway?" Yugi asked as lightning lit up the sky and thunder pealed.

"Nowhere." he replied sadly. Yugi glanced over at him. He was staring out the window, wet hair clinging to the black leather of his jacket. The scene reminded him of something, and suddenly it clicked.

"Your name is Bakura. I do know you." He looked over, a little startled.

"How do you know me?"

Section Five

Years ago, freshman year of high school to be exact, a new kid moved to town. He had trouble adjusting because of his odd accent and silver hair. Yugi, being somewhat of an outcast, quickly befriended him. They were best friends until the middle of their sophomore year, when he had moved back to his hometown. Yugi had only heard from him once or twice since.

Section Six

"So, how is Ryou doing? We haven't spoken in years." Bakura shook his head, giving Yugi a pained look.

"Well, it depends on how you look at it. He finally got rid of me, so better, I guess." He said the last part more to himself than to Yugi.

Yugi wasn't sure what was going on, but he didn't want to pry. Not really. It wasn't any of his business. He had only met Bakura, Ryou's partner, once or twice a long time ago and he hadn't even seen Ryou in ages. However, something about this felt strange, and Yugi's curiosity was roused.

"What happened between you two?" He asked hesitantly. The worst that could happen would be Bakura would tell him to mind his own business, right?

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Surely you two can work it out. Especially if you've been together all this time."

"I don't think so, no, I know we can't. It's not happening."

"Why not?" Bakura turned to look at him, eyes glinting in yet another flash of lightning.

"Because he won't listen to me anymore." Yugi sighed. He knew how that felt.

"Sorry. But if I remember Ryou, he always said and did things he never really meant when he got emotional. You should go back and talk to him. I'm sure he would listen if you asked him to."

"Probably."

"So why don't you? Where are you staying?" Bakura sighed and told him.

Section Seven

It finally stopped raining as Yugi pulled into the driveway of the small house. He dropped his hands into his lap and turned to face Bakura, raising an eyebrow.

"Well? Go on."

"I don't want to go in there." He was nervous, tense. His pale hair glowed.

"Just talk to him."

"No. I want to leave."

"Oh, Bakura. Fine, I'll go."

Yugi opened the door and climbed out. There were a few lights on in the living room, Yugi noticed as he sloshed his way up to the steps. He intended to knock when he reached the door, but he stopped.

It was open.

The door stood open a crack.

Section Eight

Suddenly, fear shot through Yugi and he placed a hand on the door and pushed it the rest of the way open. "Ryou?" He called. "Are you here?" Something about this was strange.

He stepped inside, walking down the entrance hallway, stopping dead still in the doorway to the living room. Yugi had his mouth open to call for Bakura when he saw something that caused his words to die in his throat and his blood freeze in his veins.

Ryou lay in the floor, facedown, hair spread over the carpet in a fan shape. He could have been sleeping, if not for the black puddle he lay on.

Yugi brought his hands to his mouth to stifle a scream, and didn't have time to react to the explosion behind his ear.

"Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?"

Paladin: Ha Ha!! Do you have whiplash from that last twist, ice-dragons? What do you think?

Yay! Finished!

Thanks for reading!