Nickey: Wassup bishes! :D

Yami: What... What is wrong with you?

Nickey: I HAD COFFEE! AND, I HAZ EGG NOG! :D

Kitty: Gross. I can't stand egg nog.

Yugi: Something is wrong with you, Kitty.

Nickey: Anywho! :3 It's chapter 9, and that means Kitty wrote it!

Yami: I just don't understand why she put someone who had three damn cups of coffee in charge of an intro and outro!

Kitty: Yami, I'm too lazy.

Yugi: And it would be out late. Kitty's a procrastinator.

Nickey: And besides, I told her I'd do it, so shut up, Yami! Anyway! It's chapter 9...

...

That's all I got... :3

Yami: *sighs* -_-' You never have anything... We hope you all enjoy the chapter anyway...

Kitty: Yami, be nice.

Yugi: Bye, guys! *puts in tape*

The Abused and the Bullied

Chapter 9

Questioned

"I'll help you out," Yami said, waving me towards a random room. "We had to take them out of their cages and put them back here because we're redoing the store," he added.

"You renovate your own store?" I asked, confused as to why he would do that. I knew a lot about being the owner of a store since my grandfather owned a game shop back in Tennessee when I was younger and I had worked in it. Doing your own renovations wasn't a part of it.

Yami seemed to chuckle. "It's not my store. The owners want it redone and asked if I would help. I know a little bit about everything, so I said yes. And they offered to pay me a little extra, so..." he said before shrugging. "I'm not greedy or anything, but it's my own money."

I laughed. "Didn't really picture you as the greedy type either," I said. It was true; Yami seemed to be the type of person to not except help or anything from anyone willingly and wanted to work for his money. I could honor that in a person.

He opened the room, and when I entered, I saw a bunch of cats, and even though I wasn't a cat person, I had to coo at the kittens. "So kitten, right?" he asked as I looked around.

"Right," I said, inspecting the kittens. There were all sorts - from calico to black to white.

"Any particular color or..." Yami hesitated before saying the last word, for reasons I still don't know. "Gender?"

"Female," I said without hesitation. "And she likes black cats..." I laughed to myself as I remembered the first time I had realized some people considered black cats bad luck and asked her why she liked "bad luck kitties." "Um... 'Rasu is a really happy, kinda mellow person..." I added after a minute of thought. I didn't know if that would help Yami, but...

Yami stopped for a moment, almost as if he was trying to decide which cat to show me. He looked around before he spoke. "How do you think your sister would feel about a black and white cat?"

"I mean... She likes cats, so she'd probably love it the same..." I said with a shrug. Yami pulled a cat out and put it in a box while we continued talking about it. Her name was Tiki, and Yami had said she was a sweetheart, but I wasn't too sure about that as I remembered my last experience with cats - other than Midnight, of course. She really was a sweetheart.

After that, Yami led me around the store and grabbed everything he thought I'd need - a lot more than I had expected for a cat - and then walked me home, where he met my mother - God that was embarrassing. He kissed me on the forehead before he left, and Amaterasu came in.

"Who was that?" she demanded as the door shut behind him. I was going to lie and say it was a random person from school, but she glared at me. "And don't you dare lie to me, Yugi Moto. I will hunt him down and ask him who he is myself if you don't tell me right now who he is," she added.

I shivered, knowing she would do just that. "Um... that was... a friend... from school..." I replied, blushing.

Amaterasu glared at me again. "Which friend?" she demanded, walking the rest of the way down the stairs. "Didn't I meet them all?"

"That was Yami, Amaterasu," my mom called from the kitchen, where she was probably baking something. She had told me that Kitty and Nickey were coming over for lunch.

Amaterasu's eyes brightened. "Really?" she asked with a smile on her face. "And why, exactly, did he kiss you?"

I blushed again. "Um..." I muttered, trying to think. Had Yami actually meant what we had said or was he messing around? "He may have... asked me out... I think..."

"What do you mean, 'you think'?" she asked. "He either asked you out or he didn't. Which was it?" Her arms were crossed, and she had a determined look on her face, letting me know she wouldn't back down until she had her answers.

"Well," I said, beginning to retell the story. "I bumped into him, and he helped me out with something then asked me something. I told him I wanted to be his friend. He asked if I meant best friend or boyfriend, and I asked which he'd prefer. Then he kissed me and said boyfriend... I think that classifies as asking me out," I said.

Amaterasu squealed. "I'll have to ask him some questions before you go on your first date," she shouted, entering fangirl mode before running into the kitchen. "MOM, YUGI HAS A BOYFRIEND!" she shouted. I heard crashing and figured mom had dropped her stuff before I ran to my room and locked the door. I happened to have forgotten to put Tiki down before then, so I laid the box on my bed, and she jumped out. When she did, she hissed at and swiped at me, scratching the back of my hand.

"Ow!" I shouted. "What the hell was that for?!" I demanded of the cat. She hissed at me again and jumped on my face. I screamed, and called for my mom, forgetting the door was locked.

When I finally got the cat off of me, I glared at it before going for my iPhone 6S - I would have had the 7, but it doesn't have an earbud place, and I liked blowing my ears out with earbuds while listening to my music - and sent a text to Yami's number. I thought you said she was a sweetheart! This cat just freaking attacked me! On the face and hand! I said, not expecting a response anytime soon since he was at work.

I unlocked my door to see my mom standing there. "Um... Hi, mom..." I said with a blush. She grabbed my ear, and I screamed as she dragged me down the stairs to the living room.

"What did you scream for, Yugi Moto?" she demanded. "That is unacceptable! I was worried you were dying!"

I blushed. "Gomen-nasai," I whispered, using our native language to soften her up. "The kitten I got for Amaterasu scratched me and then clung to my face..." I explained, and she softened up.

"Well, go get cleaned up," she said. "Kitty and Nickey will be here soon, and I don't want them to see you in your running clothes."

I nodded and ran upstairs. Looking through my closet, I pulled out a white shirt with the quote "WTF Where's The Food" written across his chest. I grabbed a pair of slightly tighter jeans and pulled off my tennis shoes to put them on before putting on my black combat boots.

I sat at my desk and started reading a poem for English while I thought about my own poem to write. What would the poem be about...? I wondered. I sighed before coming to a decision. I had always wanted to write a poem about gaining someone's trust, but it had always been difficult. I rolled my eyes at myself. In all honesty, I could have just looked in my notebook. That would have given me a couple of poems that no one had ever seen and that I had written, but would that have been cheating? I then decided against it; the poems in that book were too personal to share with a classroom of strangers.

I shrugged my shoulders and opened one of my favorite books to the page I had stopped at and started reading until someone knocked on my door. I said to come in and was suddenly caught in a hug. "Amaterasu said Yami asked you out!" she squealed. "That's sooooo cute!"

I blushed. "Uh... huh?" I asked. "Yeah, I guess... How did you know I was gay...?" I was suddenly scared she wouldn't like me anymore, but by the way she was hugging me, she was totally fine with it.

Nickey spoke from somewhere in the room, presumably by my door. "It's kind of obvious," she said. "At least, it is when you notice things the way I do."

Kitty let me go and smiled as I turned around. "Nickey noticed how you're always staring at Yami whenever he's in sight, and we both agreed that you're not straight. Maybe bi, but not straight. It was decided that we would let you come out to us in your own time, but Amaterasu told us and then -" Kitty squealed, obviously excited. "Oh I'm just so excited for you!"

I laughed. "Um... Thanks, I guess..." I replied. "You're being very... open minded about this," I added a moment later.

Kitty nodded. "Well, if you don't befriend those of every sexuality, then you're missing out on a friendship with some of the best people in the world. And besides, the first question you ask someone isn't if they're straight. I hate people like that," she said before going into a rant.

A few minutes into Kitty's amusing rant, mom called us for lunch. I smiled, knowing what the chef had made for us. "How do you feel about hamburgers with fries and chips?" I asked.

Kitty looked up and stopped her ranting. "Yugi Moto, you had better not be messing around with me. Hamburgers are the food of the freaking gods," she said.

I smiled. "Finally! Someone with a brain!" I joked. "I've been telling my family that for years, but they don't listen to me!"

Kitty laughed. "Sounds like my family," she said before we walked down the stairs. While we were eating, I got a text on my phone from Yami. Who is this?

I rolled my eyes before telling him who it was and received a text back a minute or two later. Oh. Well, she's never done that before. When I get off, I can come over and check on her if you want...

I smiled. That would be fine as long as you don't mind my father questioning you a million and one times. He's super protective of both me and Amaterasu, especially since she started fighting for me when they found out I was getting bullied. He's going to want to make sure you won't beat me up, but you've earned my mom's trust. Dad's shouldn't be too hard since he basically follows whatever mom says... I replied before sending another text after remembering that my dad had guests that night for dinner. Would you be able to stay for dinner? My dad will be having some friends from work over and hates when I invite people over around dinner and they don't stay when these people from work are here.

My mom was shouting my name at that point, causing me to look up. "Well, it's about time. Who are you texting?" she asked.

Kitty looked over my shoulder from her seat to my right. "Yami," she replied. "He's actually kinda cute, y'know? In that 'he's dating one of my best friends and I hope he's as good a person as he looks' type of way," she added. "Anyway, where's your father, Yugi? I haven't met him yet..."

I shrugged. "He's probably at work today. He'll be off around dinner, so he's bringing them here," I said before looking at mom. "By the way, I invited Yami over. He said the thing for the thing isn't usually so mean, so he's gonna make sure the thing is alright."

Mom smiled. "That's great, Yugi," she said. "Your father is going to have a few questions and we will be setting a curfew for you."

I nodded. "Yeah... I kinda figured..." I said before Amaterasu changed the subject.

"So, Kitty, is that your real name or a nickname?" my sister asked as she sat in her seat across from me.

"Oh, it's just a nickname. My real name is Katerina, but our father picked it, and I don't like it. Mama agrees that it's a pretty bad name and let me start using the name Kitty instead," she replied. "It's actually a really good way to have a memorable name. You won't forget someone's name if they're named after an animal, y'know?"

I nodded. "You also can't forget a name from a foreign language," I said. The twins looked at me, Nickey appearing vaguely interested and Kitty downright curious. "Yugi is a Japanese name. It means game, which suits since I have always loved games. Back home, I won every gaming tournament held and became known as the King of Games. That's my bit of fame for the family, but it's not nearly as interesting as 'Rasu's," I answered the unanswered questions.

Amaterasu gave me a look that said that she would kill me before she smiled at Kitty who was asking about her fame. "I was a minor singer back home," she said. "There was this place that I sang at every weekend with a few of my friends playing instruments. It was nothing amazing, but it made me my own money when Daddy wouldn't give it to me."

Kitty nodded. "I've never been interested in singing for money," she said, "but I like to think I'm alright."

I smiled at her, noticing that she was trying to be modest and decided to praise her. "Actually, Amaterasu, Kitty's an amazing singer!" I said. "You should have heard her in choir today. Her voice sounded like an angel's!"

Kitty blushed. "It wasn't that good, Yugi..." she said. "I didn't even realize I was singing out loud..."

I smiled at her, and we continued lunch. Afterwards, I got a text from Yami saying, Sorry. Had to go do something and got stuck inside my mind for a bit. Um, yeah that's fine I guess. I didn't have any plans for dinner.

I smiled and sent a response before going upstairs. I laid on my bed and wrote a poem for the school, but I wasn't finished with it yet. I was glad that it wasn't due for about two months, since you can't just write that type of thing whenever you want. When I wrote a couple stanzas, I turned to my clock and saw the time. It was about 2:00, and dinner was around ten since my dad had to work late, which I had told Yami. He would be there around 9:30, he said, so I had about seven and a half hours to kill. I decided to turn on my 64" flatscreen TV and catch up on my Disney. Yes, I still watched Disney when I was a junior.

I was in the middle of an episode of KC Undercover when my doorbell rang. A moment later, Amaterasu was bringing Yami into my room. "Hey, 'Rasu. Out, 'Rasu," I said, getting up, pausing the show, and shutting my door in my sister's face after I pulled Yami in. I smiled at him. "She tends to get creepy when I have friends over since all of my past friends have ended up being jerks," I answered the unspoken question in his eyes.

He nodded. "That's cool," he said. "Where's Tiki?" he added. "She was just fine when I brought her here and she's never scratched anyone before..."

I shrugged before motioning around my room. "Look around. I don't know where the little heathen went," I said.

He looked at me in what looked like shock. "You're letting me search through your room...?" he asked, sounding almost horrified.

I shrugged. "Yeah, why wouldn't I? I mean, it's not like I've got anything to hide," I replied, looking into his blood red eyes.

"A room represents the most ... secretive parts of a person," Yami replied. "You're not supposed to let just anyone go through it."

I tilted my head. "But you're not just anyone," I replied. "And you already know the most secretive part of me..."

Yami shrugged. "What would that be?" he asked as he walked up to me. "Because I don't think I know anything about you that would classify as a 'deep secret', to be honest."

I swallowed, noticing that he was just as close as he had been when we were at the pet store a few hours before. "Um... my... uh... my sexuality...?" I said, although it sounded like a question to me. "I've been picked on numerous times because of it... it isn't deep so much as it is a cause of bullying..."

Yami hummed before pulling away with a nod. "Anyway, I'm willing to bet Tiki was scared and that's why she -" he stopped as he looked at my hand. "What happened?"

I shrugged. "Nothing, Tiki just scratched my hand when I first brought her in. I'll be fine. Midnight accidentally scratched me all the time when she was still here..." I said, sighing at the memory of that lovable black cat.

"Who's Midnight?" Yami asked as he looked around. "Very nice room, by the way," he added.

I smiled, looking around at the large room. It held my TV, two dressers, a brown desk with a black chair, my king-sized bed, and a bunch of shelves filled with games. The walls were a cream color, but I was hoping to paint them within the next couple of months. The floors had a gray carpet that we were going to change to hardwood eventually, and it was already littered with games and clothes even though we'd only been there for a couple of days. "Thanks," I said before moving to sit on my bed and answer his question. "Midnight was my sister's cat. We found her in an alley outside our school when I was in third grade. We were walking home, and Amaterasu heard a cat, so she went and checked it. The poor creature was skinny, dirty, and alone." I let a single tear drop for the cat. "I um... I really connected with the girl. She became my cat more than my sister's, and when she passed... She had cancer..." I said.

Yami pulled me into a hug. "Hey, it's okay..." he said. "But I'm glad you got Tiki. I've been worried about her for so long. What if she was taken into a family that didn't take good care of her? What if she was abused? I know you won't do that," he added, changing the subject a little.

I sniffed and wiped my eye. "Why... why do you care so much for this cat?" I asked. "When you were picking a cat for my sister, you immediately thought of Tiki..."

Yami shrugged. "She reminds me of myself is all. She gets me," he said. "We were both basically abandoned by our parents and left to take care of ourselves..."

"What do you mean abandoned?" I asked. "Don't your parents pay for your schooling?"

Yami tensed up. "Um... well, I mean... I just don't see them very often... Sometimes it's like we don't even live together... You know, not literally abandoning me," he said.

It was clear he was lying, but I let it slide since he seemed uncomfortable talking about it. "That's sad," I said. "Mine have always been here, although there are times when I feel like a disappointment..."

"Why?" Yami asked, looking at me and going around the room, trying to find Tiki. He shouted when he found her and started playing around with her. "She seems fine..." he muttered.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe she just doesn't like me," I said with a shrug. "It wouldn't be a first. Mittens hated me too. But I have to get good grades -" my speaking halted for a minute and I thought of an idea for a poem before I continued speaking "- or they look really disappointed, mama especially... It's just weird..."

Yami nodded. "Look... About what you said the other day..." he began. I tilted my head to the side, wondering what he was talking about. "When you told me you weren't disappointed with me..." Oh... That thing. I blushed; I rarely thought out loud like that... "I just wanted to say thanks. You really made my day..."

I smiled and blushed. "Um... You're welcome..." I said. "I... I rarely actually think out loud like that unless I'm in my room working on poetry... It probably sounded a bit creepy..."

Yami smiled before setting the cat down as my mom called for dinner. "Coming, mom!" I said, feeling my cheeks cool off until Yami kissed one, and they warmed up again. "Gee, thanks," I muttered to him as we left the room. I slid down the staircase to get down them faster and rolled my eyes when Yami took the stairs. What was with him being so proper...?

He smiled at me, and my thoughts moved to how good he looked as I led him to the kitchen, having him sit beside me. "Mom, dad, this is Yami," I said before introducing Yami to the other six or seven people in the room.

Dad held his hand out for Yami to shake. "Hello, my name is Zachariah Moto, this is my wife Akira Moto," he said as Yami took his hand. "You met my daughter, Amaterasu Moro, and, obviously, my son."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Moto," Yami said.

My mom laughed. "Don't be so formal, child!" she exclaimed. "The day you saved my baby boy from those bullies, you became a part of the family. And now that you're dating our son, you don't need formalities. Please, just call me Akita and my husband Zachariah. We don't like feeling old," she said.

I groaned. "Mom, you're doing it again..." I replied before smiling up at Yami. "Don't worry about her; she isn't usually like this. I don't know what's gotten into her unless..." I stopped, looking at my dad. "Daddy dearest," I called him with a mock innocent tone, "how many cups of coffee did mom have before dinner?"

My father sighed, not even bothering to try to lie since I would have pulled the Puppy Dog Eyes of Doom, as my sister had named them (PDED for short), out on him. That was probably the same trick mom used to get him to let her have some coffee. "Um... three or four...?" he answered.

I sighed. "Dad, you know she can't have more than one! She'll never let Yami go home!" I shouted. At Yami's horrified expression, I laughed. "Figuratively, Yami, figuratively. She won't literally keep you here forever."

Yami sighed as our salads were served. "So, Yami, tell me about yourself," Dad said. "For instance, your name is Japanese. You obviously aren't of the nationality. Care to explain?"

Yami chuckled. "It's just a nickname," he said. "I'm Egyptian, but my friend Joey had a weird determination that the love of my life would be Japanese and gave me a Japanese nickname. I prefer this one to my full name, to be honest. It's a much easier way to keep my parents' identity secret since they're Egyptian and Yami is Japanese."

Dad nodded. "Where will you be taking my son for your first date?" he asked. "No clubs until Yugi is 18, unless they're teen clubs with a large group of kids your age. No bars whatsoever."

Yami shrugged. "We haven't talked about it... I was thinking a picnic in the park then a walk, but we can do whatever Yugi would prefer," he said.

Dad's face lightened up a little. "What time will you have him home by?" he asked.

Yami shrugged. "I don't know, sir. By the time you tell me to have him home," he answered.

Dad smiled. "Yugi, this one's a keeper!" he shouted. Dinner went on, and Yami left after it. I went to bed with a smile on my face, glad they were accepting of my new relationship. I smiled at that as I fell asleep.

Nickey: Wasn't that adorkable! Tiki is lovely.. And oops, Yami almost slipped up a bit there XD

Yugi: No, she's a demonic little heathen! She tried to kill me!

Kitty: I have to say I agree with Yugi here. She tries to kill me everyday!

Nickey: Nah, she's great :D

Yami: You need to go do laps or something...

Kitty: Nah, she's fine.

Nickey: It's okay, it's not like I can get any more hyper... Right? I thought about making brownies later...

Yami: YEAH! BECAUSE YOU NEED THAT!

Kitty: BROWNIES! I tried to make those last night... Neighbors need a new stove...

Nickey: Anyway, we'll see you guys and gals next time! CIAO! :D

Yami: See ya!

Kitty: Bye bye! Also, Tiki and Midnight are my actual cats. Don't take them... And Midnight isn't dead, nor does she have cancer. She is my baby, though...

Yugi: And that's all! See you guys later! Also, don't forget: SHOULD THESE TWO REPLY TO REVIEWS IN CHAPTER OR NOT?