The Reason That The Sun Sets

-

Disclaimer: I own Bandit Timeaka Howard, not Yu-Gi-Oh. Get it right.

A/N: So. I figured that it's time to update since I've been so busy with Kiss Daddy Goodnight. Hey, if you guys like 'outcast character' stories, you really should check out My Shadow In The Dark/Kiss Daddy Goodnight, which is a Haga centered story with the second main character being Ryuuzaki. Yep. Um, anyhow, to stop advertising my other fics…Here's the update!

-

"Mai, are you on crack?" Bandit went to stand up and suddenly fell back on the bed, gripping the edge of the bed while she looked cross.

"Bandit!" Mai howled in utter terror. Keith began toward the bed, but Mai beat him to it, placing her hand on her forehead and slapping Bandit's cheek. "Honey, are you okay."

"My head," She mumbled, laying back slowly on the bed. "Fucking a, man…"

"Mai," Keith grabbed her arm and looked at her. "She can't live here; this isn't the life for a teenager. Hey, if you wanna live in this shithole, fine! I am not letting my daughter live in a place like this. I'm not letting her live your life, I'm not letting her sit here with a fucking concussion!"

"Fuck you, Keith! You show up and all of a sudden, you want to play super dad? You're a loser, Keith, that's all that you've ever been and all that you'll ever be. No matter how bad ass and perfectly amazing that you think you are!"

"I'm not trying to one up you, Mai, but I know my responsibilities when I know them. It seems like you can't take care of your responsibilities, but if it's my responsibility, too, then I'll take care of it for you!"

A loud echo ran through the hotel as Mai's hand flew across Keith's face, leaving a bright red mark.

"You know, Mai, you haven't changed. You're still the ignorant little girl that you were fifteen years ago."

"So then leave me be! Go! Take my fucking daughter, the only thing that I have."

"You have your tricking." Keith stated solemnly, looking at Mai's expression of awe. He stood and walked to the door, glancing back over his shoulder as he heard the bed squeaking. "Bandit…Are you coming?"

As Bandit sat up, she glanced from Mai to Keith, rubbing her head painfully.

"Well, Bandit?" Mai asked impatiently. "Do whatever the hell you want, I really couldn't care any less."

"I don't want to live in a god-damned hotel." Bandit muttered, slowly making it to her feet. She slowly headed to the door, and Mai grabbed the pillow, throwing it across the room as she watched Keith exit the hotel room, followed by Bandit.

"FINE! LEAVE! I don't need you anyway! I don't need either of you! Extra expenses, extra stress! Good riddance! I hate you! I fucking hate you…" Mai fell down and began sobbing into her hands, the door creaking loudly as it closed, leaving her all alone.

-

Bandit sat on the hospital bed, twiddling her thumbs and she laid her head back, staring up at the ceiling. "So, Keith, tell me why you really came back?"

"To see your mother." He said in a strained voice. "But apparently, she wants nothing less than to see me suffer, knowing that I still have feelings for her. I mean, hell, kid, if I had known that you were around, I would've come around so much sooner."

"That would've been a relief."

"So…I know this is probably gonna come out the wrong way, but you ain't a trick, right?"

Bandit started laughing, and she stretched her arms out, looking over at Keith. "She tried to get me to – she said that we needed the extra money. Only I said no, cause I knew that I didn't wanna be in her predicament, ever."

"Oh." Keith said softly, nodding. "Well, that's good news, I suppose. Any vices?"

"Vodka and Russian Roulette."

"At fifteen?" Keith looked over at her. "The drinking I understand."

"Well, I can't find any other way to gamble. Russian Roulette is a gamble, and so far, I've lucked out on every trick. Everybody puts wagers, you know? Winner take all, and I'm always the winner."

"So where does all that money go?"

"I have a college savings' account. I don't got too much money in it, but I'm trying."

"So you're a smart one?"

"Not yet. But I'm tryin'."

The doctor walked into the room, flipping through a few slips of paper. "Timeaka Kujaku?"

"Hai." Bandit muttered, looking over at him.

"Good to see you again." He turned to Keith. "And you are?"

"Father."

"Bandit, I didn't-…" He suddenly stopped, looking from Keith and Bandit and froze. He turned to Keith. "Well, it's affirmative, she's got a concussion here. There's generally nothing that I can prescribe for concussions, however, she does need to drink lots of fluids, and she must be woken up ever two hours while in slumber."

"Mm'hmm…" Keith looked over at the doctor and nodded with a look of disinterest. "That's it?"

"Pretty much." Bandit stated, hopping off of the bed.

"Bandit," The doctor continued, looking her up and down. "How will you be paying this time, consider the absence of your mother?"

"I'll be paying," Keith announced, standing up defensively.

"Right then." The doctor muttered, looking down at the papers. "That'll be seventy-eight dollars."

"Great." Keith said, shoving the doctor and hundred dollar bill. He turned to Bandit and gestured away. "Let's go home."

"Home." Bandit whispered to herself, following Keith out the door.

-

Rika: I'm so cool. Another transition chapter – gag me!

Keith: No reviews. What a pity.

Rika: Oh well. We'll go sit in a corner and cry…Together!

Keith: …Spaz. I've gotta slap Rika, all! See ya soon! Ja ne.