Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, I wouldn't need to write fanfiction.
Warnings: Shonen-ai, two guys in love, false information, uh.. that's about it.
Chapter One: A Shoulder to Lean On
Joey's POV:
I clutched my favorite green overshirt protectively around my body as a brisk wind blew through my already messy blonde hair. The trees on either side of me danced gracefully in the wind, as if to mock me while I struggled to keep warm.
I was almost positive I was the only one in the park. I saw noone and heard nothing but the soles of my sneakers thudding against the concrete path. Another cool wind blew past me, sending a chill down my spine. "Damn wheather..", I muttered as I continued my search for the park exit. I had been wondering down this path for what seemed like hours, needless to say with no luck in finding the exit.
Yet another rush of wind whistled past me, now threatening to pull off my favorite overshirt. I wrapped my fingers even tighter around the flimsy piece of cloth. Now, they were wrapped so tightly around it they were begining to numb. Damn this wind!
My thoughts (or complaints, that seems to fit better) were suddenly interrupted. A sobbing sound ecoed throughout the park as well as my mind. "What the-", I wondered aloud. I continued down the cement path, slightly picking up my pace. The mournful cry filled my mind, worry and curiousity caused me to break into a run.
My feet carried me rather quickly despite the wind pushing me in the opposite direction. The oddly familiar voice lead me to a stone fountain in the middle of the park. Plenty of benches surrounded the fountian, yet the only one occupying the space sat upon the fountain's stone edges. The tanned figure looked rather familiar. I instantly remembered once I could clearly see his soulder-length blonde hair and chained hooded cut off shirt.
"Ma.. Malik?!", my startled voice emiited through my lips before my brain could even let it register. This poor disdained soul couldn't possibly be the same psycho who forced me into a death-match with Yugi.. yet there he was, breaking down in tears right in front of me.
He lifted his head to peer at me through blood-shot amethyst eyes, his cheeks stained with tears.
"Hey, man, what's wrong?", the shock in my voice now replaced with worry. "What's with the water-works?"
"M-my life-!!", his voice cracked as he grabbed ahold of my over shirt and began crying into my chest.
I wrapped my arms around his tanned form in an attempt to comfort him. Tears continued to flow down the distressed egyptian's cheeks, his sobbing muffled. "Calm down", I soothed, stroking his long creamy-blond hair. "Everything's gunna be alright."
"No- I- you-!!", he loosened his grip on my shirt, only to wrap his arms around me for support. I let out a deep sigh as his ever-flowing tears continued to drench my clean white shirt.
Minutes seemed to turn to hours, his sobbing and tears gradually fadeing away. I glanced at my watch. Midnight already?! "Listen, I have to go. I've got school in the morning and-"
"You can't leave me here!", Malik shouted, tightening his grip around me. "Please.. I don't want to be alone.."
"Fine. You can stay at my place for a while." (Did I just invite a psycho into my own home that could probably control my mind and put me and my own sister in danger?) He nodded gratefully, still too upset to say anything.
I pulled away from him and started walking away from the fountain rest-stop. I looked back over my shoulder at the violot-eyed egyptian who hadn't moved from his original spot on the fountain. "Come on.", I called over my shoulder. Malik, who must have been in his own little world, instantly jumped off the fountain and ran to catch up with me.
We walked in silence for a while. It wasn't until we were out of the park and walking down a desolate road filled with sleeping town-houses and shops that I decieded to start a conversation. "So..", I began, averting my gaze to the side. "What are ya so upset about?" Probably not the best thing to start off with. "I mean, you know, I'll be a shoulder for you to lean on. But you don't have to, I understand if-"
"It's alright..", he said, his gaze focused more on the ground than on me. "You're kind enough to let me into your home after all I've done to you. It's only fair.." His voice started to trail off before starting again. "I guess I just can't deal with life. I've never even been able to see the light of day until recently. I had to escape to Japan, just to be free. That was, until my yami started to take control of me.. Now my life's just more miserable.." His eyes began to brim with tears again. Why do I get the feeling there's more to it than that? "It's just hard to share a body with someone who hates you.. someone who hates everyone.."
By now we were standing outside my apartment building. It was hard to tell apart from the others in the darkness of the night, but the numbers 9301 plastered on the outside signified that this was the place. I led Malik through the revolving door and to the elevator. He gawked at it, amazed by the technology. He backed into me as the doors slid open, taken by surprise. "What is this thing? And why does it want to attack me?"
I gave him a light push to get him inside. "It's called an elevator. It'll take us to another floor." I pushed the '3' button and it began to glow red. Malik immediatly had to inspect this as well.
"Why's it doing that?", he asked, a slightly confused look on his tanned face. "If I touch it, will it stop?"
"No, it won't stop until we reach the third floor", I replied, sleepily rubbing my eyes in a vain attept to keep myself awake.
"But what if-"
"Hey Malik? Think you can save it for the morning?", I snapped, slightly annoyed. He wasn't kidding about being locked up his whole life!
The eyes that were bloodshot not a half hour ago were now filled with disappointment. "I'm sorry.. There's just so many things here I've never seen before.."
A feeling of guilt swept over me. "Me too, I shouldn't have snapped at ya.." A bell rang, we had reached the third floor. Took long enough.. The doors slid open once again to reveal a hallway with a row of doors on both sides. I led Malik to a door with a golden '5' hanging from a nail. He tried the doorknob, only to find it locked.
"How do we-" I dug around in my pocket and took out a small silver key before he could finish his sentence. "That one I actually knew.." I chuckled to myself. He's just like a little kid, exploring the world for the first time. He's adorable!
Wait, did I just call another guy cute? Wait.. I used the word cute.. to describe.. another dude.. It's just late, my thoughts are clouded. Besides, I'm with Mai. Unless I'm bi and don't even know it.. nevermind.
I jiggled the key around in the lock until it clicked. "What an odd choice of colors..", Malik said absently, noting the dark green rug and light blue walls. The black couch in the middle of the living room didn't help much. Malik slowly walked in, taking in my whole apartment for the first time. "How.. unique.."
"Yeah, it uh.. came like that..", I said, closing and locking the door behind me. I took him down the hall to a small room, with a rather large bed with white sheets pressed against the wall. "You sleep here." I left to the room, to tired to give him a grand tour.
I dragged my feet back down the hall to the living room and plopped down on the over-cushioned black sofa. I let myself sink into it as I reached for the remote. I flipped through the channels until I came across 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'. It looked as if it had just started. Yay!
"I thought you were tired!", Malik's voice said from behind me. He sat down on the couch beside me, leaning against me.
"What do you think you're doing?", I asked, confused.
"Well, you said you were going to be a shoulder for me to lean on, right?" He looked up at me happily before taking my left arm in both of his. "So I'm leaning!"
"I didn't mean that literally!", the amethyst-eyed egyptain had already slid his eyelids closed, ignoring my protest in his sleep. At least I don't have to worry about him molesting Serenity..
Author's Note: Okay, my first fanfic. I know my wrting style sucks, I even hate it and I wrote it! My first fanfic, so go easy on me! Please..?