Rowan: Well, I found company! Siran, my muse, will help me with my fic!

Siran: Hi everyone!

Rowan: Thanks to Escachick, cool, and demonicangel 3 for reviewing! Glad you like so far!

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, a brilliant person created an amazing anime/manga called YuGiOh! It went on to become extremely successful and made this person very rich. Unfortunately, that person is not me.

Not me: That's right! I created it! I'm a genius!

Rowan: I meant that I, Rowan, did not create it!

Warning: Um, some shonoun-ai, which is boy/boy fluff and such. If you don't like, I suggest you leave now. And if you don't (leave even though you don't like), well, don't say I didn't warn you. Also, there may be some OOCness in the story.

A Love Denied

Chapter 2: Thorough Thoughts

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"Jou! Jou, guess what?" Yuugi asked, running up to his best friend.

Jou gathered the last of his books and closed his locker. "What is it Yuugi?"

"I just heard that the next dance is this Friday! Isn't that exciting?" Yuugi announced, bouncing up and down in anticipation.

"Yeah, that's wonderful! Who you gonna ask to it?"

Yuugi looked down at the floor. "Oh, I dunno. I thought I might ask, um, Shizuka? If that's okay with you, of course!"

Jou smiled down at his friend. "You better ask her quickly, before Honda or Otogi do," he replied.

Yuugi beamed. "Really? You don't mind?"

"Yuug, you're the only person I don't mind dating my sister."

"Thanks! Well, see you around Jou!" Yuugi soon got lost in the stream of teenagers moving through the hallways.

Jou sighed. 'I hope Yuugi asks Shizuka before anybody else does. He's the only one I would trust my little sister with.' Jou walked slowly home, thinking about the upcoming dance. 'I wonder if I should ask Yami to the dance. It'd be the first one he's gone to since he got his own body.' Jou's eyes clouded over as he thought dreamily, 'And what a body! He's gotta be the hottest thing since Tabasco sauce.' Jou smiled wistfully. 'Oh, if only he were mine.'

Jou was so caught up in his daydream about Yami that he didn't realize that he was about to walk into someone until they were sitting on their rears on the sidewalk.

Jou shook his head out of the daze it was in and looked over at the person he had knocked over. He gasped in surprise, then quickly scrambled up on his feet. "So sorry Yami! Are you okay?"

Yami nodded as Jou helped him up on his feet. "That's alright Jou. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I didn't hurt you, did I?" Jou asked with concern.

"I'm perfectly alright, really Jou. Just surprised me is all."

"Well, you surprised me!" Jou replied.

"You must have been deep in thought to not have noticed me."

Jou blushed. 'If only you knew what I was thinking about!' "Yeah, I was," he admitted.

"Oh, and what exactly were you thinking?"

'How cute your ass is,' Jou thought silently to himself. "Well, Yuugi told me about the next dance being this Friday."

"Really? Interesting. So, are you planning on asking anyone to it?" Yami inquired.

"Actually, yes, I was."

"Oh, who?"

"Umm…er, y-"

"Yami! There you are! Why didn't you wait up for me?" Anzu asked as she ran up to the two teens.

"Oh, hi Anzu!" Yami turned and smiled at the brunette.

Jou plastered a smile on his face and said calmly, "Hi Anzu! How was your day today?"

Anzu grinned. "It was great! I just heard that there's a dance this Friday, and I was wondering, if Yami, would you like to go with me?"

Yami nodded. "Sure, I'd love to Anzu!"

Jou felt a tearing pain in his chest and knew it was his heart shattering like glass into a million tiny pieces. 'No! Not fair! I was just about to ask him! Somebody up there really must not like me.' Jou felt a lump growing in his throat and knew any moment that he was going to cry. 'No, not in front of them. I can't cry in front of Yami or Anzu! I'd rather cry in front of Kaiba before that happened!' "E-excuse m-me. I h-have t-to go," Jou stammered, and ran down the street and around the corner. Jou was overcome with grief and sat down against a building, letting his tears of sorrow and heartbreak course freely down his face.

Jou had been sitting there crying for about three minutes when he heard footsteps rounding the corner. He quickly wiped his face clean, well, as clean as possible, and stood up. By then, he could see the other person walking towards him. They were wearing a large trenchcoat and the head seemed to be slightly pointy…

Jou's eyes widened in fear. 'Honda! I can't let him see me like this! He'll ask questions!'

Jou glanced around him for a way to escape, but unfortunately he was standing in a blocked off alley.

The person walked nearer and nearer until they were standing five feet from Jou and Jou finally got a glimpse of the person's face. He didn't know whether to laugh or glare, but one thing was for certain, the person was far worse than Honda.

~*~~*~~*~

Rowan: Bet you're all wondering who it is!

Siran: Who is it? Tell me? Please?

Rowan: Nope.

Jou: Rowan, you're very cruel, you know that right?

Rowan: Yup!

Jou: And she admits it openly!

Siran: Just be comforted with the knowledge that in the end, everything's gonna be all right.

Jou: But when's the end?

Siran: Not sure! But look on the bright side! Rowan's really dedicated to this story, so you and Yami'll be together in no time!

Jou: You're incredibly hyper and optimistic. You remind me of someone. Who?

Rowan: Anzu maybe?

Jou: Yeah, that's right! And right now I'm incredibly jealous of her!

Siran: That mean you don't like me?

Jou: No…

Siran: Oh joy!

Rowan: I'll give you joy…or, more appropriately, reviews from nice reviewers will give you joy!

Siran: Are you hinting something?

Rowan: *sarcastic * No, not at all.