Hello again! Yay I can update again! Thank you so much for all of your reviews. I have been working so hard to make this story as true to the spirit of Carrie as possible while still keeping my characters in line. Thank you for noticing-makes me feel good! :) And just for you, this chapter holds a little * GASP!* At the end! So go read now! Disclaimer: Nah.
Inner Conflict
" So......would you, Yugi Mutou, like to go to the prom with me?"
Yugi could only stare at Yami, his fear, wonder, hope and happiness all mixing and blending together to form an emotion stronger than all of these. An emotion that made his head spin and his heart stop and leap about in his chest all at once. ' Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes...' His mind was on only one trail of thought, and " Yes" just about summed it up for him. But like water to footprints in the sand, the image of his father's face washed all of these delusions away. No...he couldn't do it. ' Father would murder me!' Oh, yes. Just the notion that he would want to mingle in the crowd with the sinners ( As Father might say) and unbelievers: That alone would might very well give his father a coronary. But the fact that he might be going with another BOY...... Father would not have it.
He constructed his face in to the perfect mask of calm, his eyes hard and guarded as he stepped back from the object of his fantasies and shook his head. " I'm sorry, Yami. But I can't." Both could hear the sincerity in his tone, and this small announcement seemed to bring out something in Yami. Something fierce-like a lion being forcibly awoken.
" Why?" Yami shook his head in confusion as his eyes pierced right in to Yugi's own imploringly. " If you're still worried that this might be just a trick-"
" No...I can't." He sighed heavily as he pleaded silently with his eyes for Yami to undersand. " I want to, really I-"
" Then say yes." Now he was becoming frusterated. God Yami was so stubborn! His mind raced frantically, grasping for anything he might say to discourage the young man. If only he didn't have to! If only he had the right to say ' Yes' like everyone else. ' Damn you, Father to hell!' Tasting the bitterness on his toungue Yugi voiced a truth that he was sure to send Yami running.
" You know they'll be laughing." He needed no emphasis. The school's most popular boy going to the prom with the shool freak...? A danferous smirk formed on Yami's lips and Yugi could have sworn he saw a mischevious glint light up his eyes.
" No one would dare. As long as we're together...you can count on that." The confidence, the assurance and the undarlying tone of grim promise made Yugi's heart flutter and his spine tingle pleasantly. It was becoming increasingly difficult to worm his way out, for it seemed to him that Yami would only counter his reasons with a stronger one of his own. He took the moment he had to consider all of the possibilities at hand here: On the one hand, he might just say ' No' again and spare himself the humiliation of the crowd, the embarassment he was sure to bring down on Yami, and worse-the wrath he would have to face at Father's hands. Or he could take that bold step forward and say ' Yes' to Yami. That in itself was filled wih more possibility than the No was. Yami had said that they would spend time together before prom, so maybe this was his chance! This could be-no, he knew, that this was the only chance he would ever have to make his dreams and fantasies so much more than they had ever been.
He could have a real relationship with Yami! Not just another wishful thought...and maybe, just maybe Yami was right when he said no one would laugh. If They could see himself and Yami together at the prom...dancing, laughing...maybe they would see that he was more than ' That strange religious boy' but a person. No different really from any of them. This might be the chance he needs to finally erase that red circle around him. He could be......normal. He looked back up in to Yami's eyes, so full of promise and hope. Yugi felt at that moment that all he needed to do was believe in Yami and to for once, do what he, Yugi, wanted to do. He allowed a small smile to grace his lips as his heart hammered in his chest with the adrennaline rushing though his veins. " Okay. I'll go."
A breathtaking smile broke free from Yami's lips and he nodded firmly. " Alright, it's a date then." For a moment they shared their smiles, the possibilites ahead making them ever more excited about their date. The shrill ringing of the bell broght them both back to the present. Taking a bold step forward Yami reached out and gently cupped his hand on Yugi's cheek, making the younger blush lightly. " I'll see you tomorrow, Yugi." Fighting down the nerves attacking his system Yugi managed to find his voice.
" Y-Yeah. See you." Smiling once again Yami let go and with a graceful turn walked out and left he library-and Yugi-in a state of shock. Unknown to them, two rows away Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood had watched the scene with disgust and disbelief. Yami Asano and Yugi " Yucky" Mutou were together?! " No. Fucking. Way." Was Rex's sentiment to the unbelieveable occurence they had just witnessed. Beside him Weevil giggled insanely. Not wasting a second Weevil grasped his boyfriend's hand and dragged him away.
" Valon is soooo never going to believe this!"
' The detective eyed Anzu with a blend of suspicion and curiosity as they sat across from each other at the metal table. He had learned alot from their previous discussions, but now their conversation was going to take a turn: From Yugi Mutou, to the ones that had done him wrong. By now Tristian was certain that Anzu Mazaki knew every detail to all the questions the DPC had to answer to the public. What really happened that night? During their discussions Detective Taylor found that Anzu was what very much what he might call an " Unfortunate witness." The term meaning only that she was one of those people who however unintentionally, had contributed to an event that had led many to a tragic end. Had she known then what convincing Yami Asano to take Yugi to prom would really do, she may have never even brought the subject up in discussion. They wouldn't even be here now.
Not to say that he thought that she was completely blameless either. You know the old saying, " You are who you hang out with." From the school's past student records and his talks with Anzu the Detective knew for a fact, that Vivian Wong was a bitch. Although she didn't seem like the type Anzu was still a friend of hers, meaning that they at one point actually got along very well with her. That and the fact that she had confessed to taking part in the shower incindent and many other acts to humiliate or discredit Yugi Mutou gave Tristain more than reasonable pause to her testimony. Was he really supposed to believe that she woke up one day and decided to be nice to Yugi and practically give him her boyfriend? No, if Tristian Taylor had learned anything during his time in the police force it was that human nature did not change so easily. The number one person on your list is you, and when the time calls for it it's important to make yourself look good-especially in bad situations.
The fact that she had their answers-ones that could most likely incriminate herself...yup, she was in a bad one. And people can be convinving liars when they want. It would be wonderful to believe that Anzu really did want to help Yugi, and that she really was just a witness. But things like this were never that black and white, and this beautiful illusion definitely made her look good. Still, the good Detective could see the genuine regret, or the sincerity in her words when they had spoken of these things. This told him that her behavior was born from one of two things: Either she was a much better actress than he thought, or she knew something. Something important enough to really cause this supposed change of heart and genuine care for Yugi Mutou. Right, down to buisness then.
" So...you and Vivian Wong. Friends until the end?" He asked, smirking in an amused kind of way. One thing was for sure, Vivian was the best infliction anyone would need for a headache. Catching his smirk Anzu retalliated with one of her own as she shook her head slightly.
" I wouldn't say that eactly."
" Then what would you say?" Anzu leaned back in her chair and shrugged.
" You mean other than she's a wench who should go to hell?" Tristain chuckled lightly and propped his chin up with one hand as the other lay lazily on the table.
" Yeah. That statement's not one we can really use for record, y'know?" She nodded knowingly and looked down to the ever-present charm bracelet on her wrist, fiddling with the accessory as she searched for the words she needed to say.
" We had our differences." She admitted.
" Differences about Yugi Mutou?"
" Differences about alot of things."
" Like?" He pressed. Smiled calmly as they talked about her former friend.
" I love to dance, she would love the attention the dancing would give her. I like to work with people, she liked to work with their emotions. She's a backative friend, I'm a friend to back. That should be enough example, I think." Detective Taylorturned around to look behind him, sharing an amused smile with the young officer whom was tape recording for their entire session. Mazaki certainly was forward, they could give her that. Turning back to her Tristian folded both hands on the table and leveled his gaze with her's.
" Do you know a girl by the name of Mai Valentine?"
" Yeah, I knew Valentine. She gave one to every boy in the school." Tristian raised a single brow at the sarcasm in her voice. Judging by Anzu's tone Mai had done much more than give the boys a holiday's love card. He cleared his thoat a little, subtly reminding her about the root of their topic. Catching the hint she sighed lightly and dropped her smile. " She Moved to Rhode Island in junior year. What about her?"
" Well, " Tristian pulled out one of the files from the small pile on the corner of the table and quickly flipped through the pages. " According to this file she recieved an e-mail from Vivian about four days before prom." Now it was Anzu's turn to raise her brows, the mildest of surprise swept over her face.
" She did? What did it say?" Tristian looked down at the folder in his hands and read the small pasage aloud.
" Dear Mai Minx," He did not miss the way Anzu rolled her eyes at the pet name. " So I'm out of the prom, but they're not gonna get away with it. I don't know exactly what we're going to do but I garuntee you everyone will get a big ( Decimal two) surprise." After he finished this he gently closed the folder and bore his gaze directly in to Anzu's cerulean eyes. " So what do you make of that?" Anzu leaned forward and crossed her arms on the table.
" That Vivian is definitely the one to blame for prom night."
This was wrong. He knew it was. By moral standards, integrity's, God's, his mother's and anyone else worth mentioning! He sat on the leather seat of the car with hunched shoulders, his shirt dangling uselessly from his hand. His jeans felt almost uncomfortably tight in the hot veichle, having only put them back on moments ago. His back was turned from the other person there, the sound of clothes russling and the occasional groan of the leather seats being the only sounds in the car. He suddenly tensed as a sly had made is way up his spine, then snaked around his shoulder, then traveled down his arm to rest on one strong bicep. The touch both enthralled him and repulsed him-and yet still had him craving for more. " Why so tense, Mutt? You didn't enjoy yourself?"
He turned around to glare in to colbalt blue eyes, the handsome face housing them harboring an almost sinister smile. The teen shook the chestnut brown bangs from his eyes and rested his chin on his lover's shoulder. The man shut his eyes tight and tried to fight against the profanities just begging for release from his mouth. He hated that name, but he knew his young lover only ever used it when he was upset or annoyed at him. And he couldn't blame the younger. Though the sex they'd had was almost too incredible for simple words, his guilt and frustrations had bled though and, as a result, had impared his own performance. Something that had obviously not gone unnoticed by the other. " I can't keep doin' this, Seto."
" Doing what?" He nearly flinched at the sharp tone the boy had used. He roughly shoved Seto's hand off his arm and turned around to face him, his honey irises clashing with eyes the color of a stormy sky.
" This!" He grabbed his lover by the shoulders and glared harshly at him. " It's wrong, Seto! I can't keep seein' you like 'dis! It's gone on long enough!"
" It's been three weeks!" he retorted sharply. " And it's not enough for me, Mutt!"
" Don' call me dat!"
" Don't start making demands, Wheeler! I'm the one calling the shots here!" If only that were not so true. Three weeks ago, one night at a bar, one run-in with a stranger, four bottles of beer and one stupid mistake later, and Joey Wheeler had found himself in the worst predicament of his life. He had met Seto Kaiba, young billionare and head CEO of a major technology corporation at that bar. They had started off as mere strangers, with light banters and flirtatious foreplay as their start. He had been admittedly, much drunker than the other, but Joey had still taken him to his apartment. There they had shared in something as amazing as it was forbidden to them.
Such a shame that the coach had to walk in to his gym class three days later to find that same boy waiting for him. Seto Kaiba had been attending the school for a few years now, and before, Joey had never paid much attention to the boy. He had always been just another student. But apparently Seto had been paying very close attention to him. He had tried to do the right thing then, to break off whatever ideas that Seto might have of any future with him. But one night was not enough for the young billionare. He had exploded on Joey, threatening to tell the school board that he had kidnapped Seto, then rapped him for his own pleasures. As horrifically un-true as that was, Joey still knew that due to his wealth and connections ( Which more than likely explained how he got in to that damned bar), should Seto ever tell such a story he could just kiss his job good-bye.
And with all of the debts he had to pay because of his father and the expense of taking care of both himself and his younger sister, losing his job was not an option. So they had continued to see each other again, and again, and again. Joey hated to admit this...but seeing his student always brough him incomprehensible joy. The sneaking around and the forbidden passions they shared had brought an element of excitement to his life. It wasn't until reccently that the coach had begun to realize that he was in fact, developing feelings for this boy. Feelings that should have never been there to begin with. No, this wasn't right. He, a twenty-nine year old man was in love-making love-with a child! The boy was barely eighteen now!
" Seto...'dis...can't go no further anymore!" Joey's desperation showed painfully on his face, making the other frown. " 'Dis isn't good for you, or for me. I care about you, Seto. But...I can't just-" He couldn't even finish, the guilt and sadness was choking him up so badly. Unable to stand the other's eyes he lowered his own, suddenly finding his knee very interesting. He closed his eyes as if her were in pain as Seto brushed his bangs aside to kiss his forehead. The younger's hands stroked his face as he lowered his head to kiss the corner of his teacher's lips.
" I'm sorry, Joey. I don't want to bring you any more pain, and I know this is wrong." Then he gently lifted Joey's face so that he could look at his. Even in the darkness of the ar Joey could still see the burning in Seto's eyes. He demanding tone of his voice, the finality of his words made Joey' will crack." But I just can't let you go." And he leaned forward to claim yet another kiss from the teacher's lips, who at that point could not and did not fight back.
So he gave in. Again.
Done! Whew! Okay, so Yugi said yes-YAAAAAY! Oh, and did you like the puppyshipping at the end? See? I told you this story was going to be different. Now don't read too much in to this part, I was just trying to add my own little twist to things here. The main pairing of the story is still YamiXYugi, but we all still like a little puppy love every once in a while, ne? And yes, believe it or not this does play a part in the story. I know this chapter is a little shorter than usual, but I promise the next one'll be longer. Much. So next chapter Yami and Yugi start getting to know eachother, and Yugi's powers show up again...uh-oh. Please R&R!
