Xiaolang's Ying Fa: SAD!! Hardly any reviews for this fic!!! I thought you guys loved me! SAD!! Now I'm sad!! Oh well…I thought you guys deserved a treat so I updated to Mou Issho if y'all would like to go read that instead…Erm…I'm really trying to update to Masquerade…Really I am…It SO hard! I only have like three days to write the party AND a lemon! Now that's SAD! Oh well…Enjoy my Christmas fic, be looking for another one mmkay?
**********************Last Time************************
Jou smiled and stepped into his bedroom. After he had unpacked, putting his belongings in drawers, closets and on tables, he crawled into the lavishly blanketed bed. He looked up at the ceiling, thinking back fondly on his first day in America. He had a lot of fun and was especially glad Hikari spoke his tongue…It would help a lot…and while Hikari taught him English, he could teach Sakari Japanese. For the first time in at least six months, Jou slept peacefully, without thoughts and nightmares or death or the night angel that plagued him. For the first time in ages, he was at ease and happy.
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**Sakari**
~*~Next Morning~*~
"TASKETE! TASKETE!!! IIE!!" Sakari woke with a start.
"Jou?!" she leaped out of bed and ran down the hallways with
lightning speed. Hikari jumped out of her room at hearing the ear-piercing scream as well.
"What's going on?!"
"I don't know!"
"AHHHH!!!" Hikari and Sakari raced into Jou's room, seeing him in his bed, backed away as far as he could be. He was pointing with a shaky finger at the floor. Hikari giggling a bit.
"Saka-chan, you forgot to tell Jounouchi about—"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU HAD A PET?!" he screamed, pointing at a shaggy black dog.
"We don't!" Sakari laughed. "He's a stray that wonders in every four or five days, so I feed him and give him a bath."
"Sakari calls him Scruffy." Hikari said, making a disdainful face and Jou could tell she'd rather the dog not be here as much as him. Don't get him wrong…he liked puppies, but really, he was more a cat type person. "Why were you so afraid of him?"
"What would you do if you woke up in the morning with a huge black dog panting in your face?!" Sakari giggled and Hikari murmured something about shooting it with a bebe gun. Still giggling, Saka knelt down.
"Hey, Scruffy, how ya doin' boy? You hungry? Come on!" Sakari got up and walked off, Scruffy at her side. Hikari walked with a now calmer Jou.
"He's one of the nicer dogs I've met…Although, my history with dogs goes back many, many years…So don't take my opinion of them to heart. He's Saka's dog, I won't have anything to do with him." Her voice was laced in ice, and Jou could tell she'd went through some hardships.
When the two had reached the kitchen, Scruffy was scarfing down a bowl of dog food. And Sakari was setting the table. Hikari started on her pancakes with Jou's help.
*Dog scene altered by Xiaolang's Ying Fa for personal reasons*
After breakfast, Hikari looked up from her dishes.
"Hey, Jou? There's an awesome mall not far from here. It's got about two hundred stores. And…" Kari paused dramatically, "The famous Kaiba Seto from Japan is opening a way cool tech store there! You wanna go?"
**Sakari**
**Hikari**
To both Hikari and Sakari's surprise, Jou froze, his eyes widening and turning to a dull, dead brown. His face paled and he looked like he was going to be very, very sick. Hikari gently set her hand on his shoulder.
"Are you alright, Jounouchi-kun?" she asked, she had begun to call him Jounouchi instead of Katsuya because it was respectable. When they'd first met, they didn't know his first name had been Katsuya. Jounouchi nodded solemnly.
"Yea…" he said, turning his head away. "Sorry…I just…" Jounouchi trailed off. Saka and Kari looked at each other, both wondering what they had said to make him so upset. They drew a blank so they tried again.
"It's alright. But, would you like to go to the mall with us? They have a lot of anime stuff there! We can go to Suncoast and Hot Topic!" Hikari informed happily. Those were her favorite stores. Jounouchi looked up, confused.
"Does our school have a dress code?" he asked. A while ago they had decided Jou would attend their college.
"Kind of, girls can't show half their stuff and guys cant walk around with their pants down to their knees." Sakari said. Jou nodded.
"So no uniform?" he asked. Sakari shook her head.
"Nope! We're free!" she said. Jou smiled a bit.
"That's great. I thought I'd have to spend another three years in a god damned uniform…My last one was horrible enough!" he said. Hikari giggled, happy that Jou was back. Something suddenly dawned on her.
"Hey, do you know a boy named Bakura Ryou?" she asked, smiling widely. Jou nodded, his smile growing.
"Yes actually, he's my…or…he was my boyfriend for about two months one year ago. He's one of my best friends!" Jounouchi said. Hikari smiled.
"I grew up with him!" she nearly screamed.
"Really?"
"Wait a minute…boyfriend?" Sakari asked. Jou turned to her, as did Hikari, she apparently hadn't heard that part.
"Ya. He was my second boyfriend before he finally confessed his love to another boy named Bakura." Jounouchi said, unknowing of the girls' dismay.
"You're yaoi?" Hikari asked. Jounouchi nodded.
"That too. I'm bi-sexual. Most people in Japan are." He murmured. Hikari sighed audibly.
"I had a feeling you were yaoi…That is so cute! I love that!" she squealed. Jounouchi blushed.
"Me too!! ^_^" Sakari said.
"So…you guys don't have a problem with it?" he asked.
"Nope." Hikari said. Saka shook her head.
"Nope." She said as well. Jounouchi sighed, they had just quelled one of his biggest fears. His first was his undeniable bloodlust.
"Have you guys heard of Gravitation?" he asked. They both squealed.
"HAI!" he smiled, this was going to be a good relationship after all.
~*~Later~*~
"I'm driving!" Hikari called. Sakari pouted.
"No! I'm driving! We're taking my car!" she said. Hikari shook her head.
"Na uh! I'm taking us out to eat so I get to drive!" she called. Sakari fumed.
"Just because I don't have money to throw around doesn't mean you can shove it in my face!" she screamed out to Hikari who had already disappeared down the hall. Jounouchi stopped in front of Sakari.
"She's got a point though, besides, what does it matter? I'll ride in back no big deal!" he said laughing. He had never been happier, he hadn't laughed like this since…since he left! Jounouchi didn't let that get to him though. He turned and chased Hikari down the hallway to the garage. Hikari shrieked as Jounouchi caught up with her. "Gotcha!" he said, trying out American slang. Hikari laughed. Japanese accents did not sound well attempting American slang.
**Hikari**
**Sakari**
"Lemme go, Jou-kun!"
Sakari came up behind the two of them. "Okay, you lovebirds, let's go, already!"
Blushing slightly, the two ended their onslaughts and the three piled into the car. As the trip went on, Jou, Kari and Saka talked and laughed. Jou was happy to be at ease again, to be able to talk to people without sounding depressed, and having friends again. His obsession with his own blood seemed to be at bay for the time, and, to top it off, no uniform. For Jounouchi, this was almost as good as it could get.
Finally, they arrived and found a parking spot. Heading into the building, Sakari was excitedly throwing ideas.
"Ooh, we have to take him to Camp Snoopy and get him on the mighty axe!(Ying Fa: *is not sure if Camp snoopy is only a Minnesota thing…* Um, its an amusement park inside of a huge mall. -.-, gomen if you have no idea…) And we gotta get a whole bunch of those gumballs where there's a jillion different flavors and…"
"Settle down, we'll do that later, right now we're going to the food court, remember?" Hikari yelled. Sakari sweatdropped.
"Oh yeah."
**Sakari**
**Hikari**
Hikari turned to Jou.
"Would you like to eat some American food or do you want some sushi?" she asked. Jounouchi thought for a moment.
"I think I'll be brave. I want some Amerika-jin food." He said. Hikari let out an exasperated sigh.
"Thank god! I hate sushi! ^_^" Jounouchi smiled.
"Is there a foreign currency shop here?" he asked.
"Um…I think so…on the second floor. We'll go there first."
"Good, I have my Japanese money with my so I need to get it switched with American money. My dad gave my access to my college fund and I've already paid for it while I was back in Japan. American school don't cost that much, do they?" he asked.
"Nope, we're cheap! He-he." Hikari and Sakari said together. Jou laughed. His dad…Just saying those words made him miss his old man. Sure he hadn't been the father of the year figure…and he wasn't always home but…he was his dad. And he loved him. His dad had supported him, actually suggested him to move from Japan. He saw how bad Jounouchi was sinking in…the best thing to do was get him away from the place that hurt him so bad. As Hikari and Saka chatted away while getting food, Jounouchi sank deeper and deeper into his thoughts. He thought about his school, his dad, his sister…But most of all, he thought about the last conversation he knew he'd ever have with his best friend.
~*~Flashback in Normal POV~*~
"Jounouchi!" a surprised looking Yuugi cried out, walking from behind the Game Shop counter to stand in front of his formerly forsaken friend.
"Hai, konnichiwa Yuugi." He murmured, not liking the idea of ever having to talk to his backstabbing friend after all he had, or was it hadn't, done to him. Yuugi looked at him evenly, as if he should have to pay to be in his presence.
"Well? What do you want?" he asked, turning back around. "I'm a busy person, Jounouchi, I don't have all day." He muttered, waving his hand nonchalantly. Jounouchi bristled in anger before he pushed it down.
"I'm moving to America. I came to say good bye." Gods, Jounouchi hoped Yuugi would react. He loved him so much as his friend…but ever since he and his yami became intimately conjoined to the hip, Yuugi began to disappear more often…He was snappy to everyone, even Jii-chan. Up until his death Yuugi was almost never out of his soulroom. Jounouchi figured that's what saved him. It was horrible to think that it took everything to try and make him realize…but it was his grandfather's death that surely made him understand.
"So what? After Kaiba left you went invisible anyway." He said. Jounouchi's heart broke. His last friend…After Honda moved to England with Ryou…he didn't ever think Yuugi would do that same…His parting with Honda had been earlier that year…that was more emotional than he would've imagined. He loved them both…Even loved Ryou that way once too…it was incredibly difficult. Honda had been his best friend since before he could even remember. He never thought Yuugi would desert him…That way he looked at him…like he was nothing.
"Well?" Yuugi continued, "Are you just going to stand there or what? I hardly notice you anyways, just go, maybe you can find someone to bone you there doggy-boy." Yuugi's voice cut daggers through Jou's already broken heart, ripping the mending pieces and tearing the vulnerably places. He turned, unable to say anything to his once best friend. He was alone now…there really wasn't anything left for him in Japan. Empty memories…That he hoped would soon fade away. The last thing he saw, Yuugi's piercing amethyst eyes digging holes into his skin as he left more depressed that when he had come.
~*~End Flashback~*~
**Hikari**
**Sakari**
Jou sighed as he tried to shake the thought from his head. That was ancient history…He'd get over it.
"Here we are!" Hikari told him, breaking him from his thoughts.
**Sakari**
**Hikari**
Jou's eyes widened. It was the biggest food court he'd ever seen in his life.
"Wow, I don't thing I've ever seen so many restaurants in one place…" he murmured, as he was looking around he could have sworn he saw the familiar swing of a familiar blue trench coat on a man with familiar shaggy brown hair. He blinked and shook his head, seeing nothing when he looked a second time.
"Daijoubu yo? Jounouchi-kun?" Hikari asked. He faced her blankly.
"You looked real sad all the sudden…" Sakari murmured. Jounouchi shook his head.
"Gomen, gomen…I…just thought I saw somebody for a second…" he said smiling lightly.
"An old friend?" Hikari asked.
"An old boyfriend?" Sakari goaded. Jounouchi flushed. Him? Jou's boyfriend? Nah. Gee, that sounded convincing…what exactly did he feel for the man?
"No…just an enemy." He said. Kari and Saka shrugged.
"Oh. Well, no use in dwelling in the past! C'mon! Let's go get some food!" Hikari said as she pulled Jounouchi toward the Arby's.
"Here we go again…" Saka muttered, shaking her head.
"What?" Jou questioned.
"Hikari-chan's fetish for Arby's roast beef sandwiches…and loads of Arby sauce. Then she claims she hates barbecue sauce…*sigh*." Hikari pouted.
"Well, there's a difference! BBQ is gross! Arby sauce is way better!"
"Sure…" Saka muttered.
"I don't care…" Jounouchi murmured. "As long as we eat!" he said happily.
**Hikari**
**Sakari**
~*~Later~*~
"Boy oh boy…" Jounouchi murmured. "That was good, surprisingly good!"
"Sakari was just polishing off her beef and cheddar when she decided to comment. "Yeah, well…its an improvement over sushi…" Jou grinned as Hikari turned partially green.
"Uh…right." She mumbled.
"Now, who's ready to go shopping?!"
On their way out, they saw an ad for 'Remember the Titans'.
"Hey, isn't that the one with the blond gay guy?"
**Sakari**
**Hikari**
Hikari shrugged.
"I dunno, I never saw that movie…" she mumbled, still feeling a bit full. They stepped out of the food court and faced Jounouchi.
"How come all the hot guys are always gay?" Hikari asked suddenly out of nowhere. Jounouchi blushed.
"I suppose that's a good thing for me…" he said, smiling a bit. His stomach made an odd noise and he turned away. "Is there any bathrooms nearby? I think I had too much soda." he said laughing hollowly. Kari and Saka didn't buy it…they knew there was something wrong with their newfound friend…
"Yeah." Hikari nodded. "C'mon, we'll show you."
The three reached the bathrooms and Jounouchi looked almost apologetic. He walked into the male bathroom and looked around, glad to see it empty. He turned into one of the stalls and closed it behind himself just in case. He hated this…he hated how that man effected him…he couldn't even properly hold down food anymore…he was sinking deeper and deeper into the shadows and he didn't know if he would ever be able to get out…He fell to his knees beside the toilet bowl and reached his hand up to his mouth. He still hadn't got this technique accurately mastered, he still had to have the help of his finger. He reached down his throat with his index finger, pushing roughly against his gag reflexes, causing himself to lurch and spill his stomach's contents into the toilet. He repeated this method a few more times until he was sure his stomach was empty. Tears flew down his face as he wiped a bit of blood from his mouth along with his juices. It hurt more each time…Thinking of him…Amber eyes poured salty tears, relentlessly. Why? Why did it have to be this way? It shouldn't have to be this way…Ice blue eyes…
**Hikari**
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Ying Fa: Well…that was kinda short…I'm trying really I am! We're at page like 60 in our notebook and to type all that up is…such a bitch…Arg…Oh well. Please review and don't be too angry if the dates are screwed over because of my lazy ass. (so many stories to type up…uhgnngngg….) I;'m sorry I couldn't thank the few reviewrs right now! O will later k? Oh! Someone wanted key…Erm…If I can find them all here ya go
Wakarimashita: Supposed to mean nice to meet you but I don't speak Japanese don't hold me to it…
Atashi: 'I' for girls
Ore ga: 'I' for boys…
Kawaii: Cute
Gomen: Sorry, Gomen ne sai: I'm sorry, really sorry, something like that…
Daijoubu yo: Are you all right
Hai: Yes
Iie: No
Taskete: Japanese slur, real way of writing it: Tasuke: Help
Utsuru toki o osorenai de: Beats the hell out of me! It's from a song and I'm way too lazy to go and look up the lyrics.
Urg…Is that all? I dunno…Please remember to review!!!