Well, all I can really say is.. TITLE CHANGE!! …*sighs* a sucky one at that… so… here's an idea! If anyone wants to suggest a title, do so! It may become the future title! *happy dance* …

Aerik: Hi, I'm back… maybe…

Toad: *is stupid* *has a boyfriend now* *his name is Kaeru*

Kaeru: …hi…

Aera: CUTE! *kills Kaeru*

Toad and Aerik: O.O…?

Aera: Anyways.. This is a LAME ass chapter… LIKE ALWAYS!! Its really short too… too short… its… "gross" in my opinion which is not worth much…

Aerik: I wonder how long before I have to take another unexpected "vacation"..

Toad: When does Toad return to Hell?

Kaeru: *dead* X____x

Aera: Stay out of this Kaeru… grrr

Kaeru: ,,X____x,, *crying kinda…*

Aera: Mving on! Thank you to: Zeiyuki (you are a very good speeler, and very intelligent. ^^ hahaha), Smarty1, Molly-chan, BarbedWire23, and FREAK014 AND anyone else I STUPIDLY forgot. -__-;; gomen nasai!

Sorry if anyone had trouble finding the fic again… sorry!

I don't have much to say anymore… except… watashi wa LAME-O desuyo!

One more thing, I FINALLY AM GETTING OVER THE WEEK!! The whole story so far has taken place in September on some week, but now I moved up to week 3 or October. I just want to get this clear with everyone. I was tired of staying in one week, so yeah, plus I couldn't think of anything. -__-;; Watashi wa lame…

Title: LAME ASS! …um.. the whole long thing… don't wanna type it…

Author: IMA_DUMMASS! …*coughs* Aera-chan

Update date: 4-11-04 (11:18 PM)

Chapter XVII: A day too early…

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"Ryou?" Bakura asked knocking on his bedroom door. He opened it slightly, peeking his head in.

"Yeah?" The younger boy was stretched out on his bed doing his math homework.

Bakura smiled. "Its good to have you home…"

He walked over and sat down on the bed, taking Ryou into his arms. He planted soft butterfly kisses on the exposed skin of his shoulder.

"You wanted to do something?" Ryou asked quietly. He ran his hand up Bakura's arm slowly.

"Cant. I feel bad but I have to work late tonight. But the boss was hinting at a promotion so I don't want to miss out on that. I'll be making more money and then I'll buy you something nice okay. I know it wont make up for tonight," He ran kisses down his back. "or any of the other nights, but we'll do something fun."

"Like..?"

"Like I'll take you out. Dinner, movie, dancing… the works."

"Anything else?" Ryou asked smiling mischievously.

Bakura caught on quickly. "Nothing like that if you're wondering. I told you when, and I know you can wait. You're really a strong person Ryou… even if you don't believe it all the time, you are and I know you can wait for something like this…its only two years…"

"…yeah…"

"Believe me, if you wait, it'll be great… the most wonderful thing you ever did, especially if its with someone you love."

"But I love you.."

"But you're so young, what if you change your mind, then you cant give them your most precious gift…"

Ryou felt his throat tightening. "…I ..understand.." he choked out.

Bakura stood up and walked to the door, he paused. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always here. It may seem strange but I am your guardian until you're 18. And I do care about you more than anything in my life…I do love you…"

Ryou blinked back a few escaping tears. He nodded quickly, looking down at his homework, pretending to do it.

The door closed signaling Bakura's departure.

'…I messed up…oh Bakura, you shouldn't love me, I'm such a whore…but I do love you. I just, I don't know why I do it… it doesn't even feel good…I'm so sorry."

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Hair? Silky, shimmering, running down the small back. Soft tresses drawing soft lines across milky white skin.

Nails? Shimmering, glossed, light coral pink.

Lips? Glossy, delicious, scrumptious, succulent.

Perfume? Fine, expensive, elegant, and sexy.

Face? As beautiful as ever.

Dress? Skimpy, attractive, flaming.

Bust? Firm, soft, welcoming.

Legs? Waxed. Soft as a baby's skin.

Lingerie? Oh, a special treat for the few lucky ones… those few… with the most…

Necklace? Lustrous sparkling diamonds, fake… like its wearer…

Eyes? …soft… sad… broken… ashamed…

Duke paced around his room. He had of apologize to Tristan, or at least talk to him.

`All I have to do is call him, just pick up the phone, dial his number, and talk.. This sucks.'

Duke dialed the number slowly.

"Hello?"

"..Hi..its Duke.."

There was a pause. "..Hi... what's up?"

"We, we need to talk."

"Oh... yeah.. should I..come over?"

"Yeah... my mom, she's out.."

"Okay..um, I'll just grab my jacket. Be there.. soon. Bye."

"..yeah, bye."

Talking...

..what did he have to say to him..?

'Tristan.. I tried.. but.. I don't know anymore. it was great, you're great, but, we cant... I cant...'

"You damn little brat, apologize to sister now!"

"..I'm sorry.. Mokuba.."

"NOZOMI!"

"I'm sorry Nozomi.."

A light slap to his head before he was returned into the darkness.

Everyday, darkness. Cold, damp, lonely darkness.

The warm summer's wind passed by slowly, leaving behind a ghost of its presence. Each day grew shorter, darker, pulling the town of Domino closer into its lazy winter slumber.

October brought along with it Halloween, and Halloween was just another lame excuse for an all-school dance.

"School dance? How lame.." Joey said growling slightly as he shrugged his backpack onto his shoulder.

"It wont be that bad, its Halloween so we get to dress up-"

"Really? That's so cool! I guess it wont be bad after all! Hmm, what to go as.." 

Yugi laughed. "Joey, you're so weird sometimes."

"Kaiba'll have to be my bitch this year, wont he?" Joey said laughing out loud.

"Kaiba?" Tristan asked feeling a little left out.

"Um, yeah...a joke..?" Joey said blushing. He forgot that he didn't tell Tristan, Duke or Ryou.

"Oh, yeah.. interesting."

"You know I'm only joking! Jeeze Tristan, how desperate do you think I am? Jeepers... that creep, never." he punched Tristan in the shoulder playfully. "Kaiba's such a jerk and a creep, ewww! I bet he.. he's probably asexual, he never goes with any girls or guys. He probably plays around at night wishin' for someone to walk into his life, someone blind maybe." Joey added a fake heavy laugh. "I heard he's psycho... goes all crazy and cuts himself. That's where he got those bandages on his head... what a freak.."

Yugi was ashamed.. Why did Joey deny his love for Kaiba? Tristan was gay, he would understand. Why was he so ashamed of Kaiba? Kaiba wasn't a bad person. Kaiba didn't deserve to have Joey talking about him like this. He could even sense that Tristan was uncomfortable with him talking like this.

"Joey!"

"What? Its all true.. Kaiba is the most disgusting, vile-"

"Joey!" Yugi glared at him. He said Kaiba was disgusting... this, this was vulgar, this was disgusting.

"Yug, I don't know what's crawled up your ass.. we can say whatever we want about Kaiba, its not like he'll-"

For some reason, he was compelled to look over his shoulder, to make sure that Kaiba wasn't able to hear. Turning, he found that mounting fear to be true.

"..K-Kaiba.. you're.. here.."

Kaiba's eyes were dark. He looked away from Joey.

"Good morning Yugi. Tristan. ...Wheeler.." Kaiba adjusted his briefcase. "I'm sorry I cant engage in any conversation this morning, there is.. something I must attend to. Until next time."

Joey felt his face pale considerably. Kaiba.. wasn't meant to hear any of that.

"Oh my god... what am I going to do..." He felt like throwing up. Why was he so fucking stupid all the time.

"Sucks to be you Joey, looks like Kaiba heard.." Tristan said amused. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Joey smacked his hand against his head several times. "I'm so fucking stupid Trist."

"Its just Kaiba, its not like it'll make much of a difference, you guys always fight. 24/7. Its always a fight. I'm surprised that you guys haven't killed each other yet."

"Feel like killing myself right now..." Joey said quietly.

"What the big deal?"

Yugi was about ready to jump Joey. How could he have said all that?

"Joey, that was so mean. How could you say things like that about him, Joey.." his eyes grew sad. "Why are you so ashamed?"

"What's going on? Joey, what's between you and Kaiba?"

"Nothing, I hate him.." He wanted to hurt himself. He couldn't admit to anyone his relationship with Kaiba. "He's a real creep-"

Smack.

"Stop Joey. If you're ashamed of him, then you don't even deserve his love." Yugi said hotly, his hand still close to Joey's face. He turned and walked away.

It was never in his place to walk away from his friends, especially when he knew they needed him the most. He was just... disgusted.

Tristan looked down at Joey. "..his.. love? Joey are you and Kaiba.."

"Yeah, we're in love, or.. I don't think he likes me very much anymore.. I said some nasty things.. no, they were horrible. I like him so much.. I'm just so scared about what others think..."

"Then you are ashamed of him.. Or yourself."

"What?"

"You shouldn't care about what other people think about who you love. If you love them, its no one else's business. You understand?  Even if you were afraid of what I thought, you didn't have to lie about it. Just say it out loud. You love Kaiba. My opinion is my opinion. My thoughts should matter to you, but not to the point where you deny your feelings."

"Tristan..I.."

"I understand you were scared, but even I would never say anything that low about someone I love..."

"..like Duke.."

Tristan was quiet for a moment. "..yeah, like Duke."

"You love Duke, don't you? He's your sunshine, sappy as it may sound."

"Hn, yes, my sunshine... Joey, I messed up with him, kinda like you, but not really.  I don't really know what I did, I just, its been weird between us. He doesn't let me touch him anymore. He's shaky all the time too, like I'm gonna hurt him."

"Hmn, I wonder why. Does it have anything to do with that day he ran off from your house and then you went missing?"

Tristan didn't say anything for a little bit. "I suppose everyone knows about that then."

"I guess. I heard it from Yugi. News does get around fast."

"I suppose."

Joey picked the string on his bag's strap. "So.. what'd you do? Try to jump him in his sleep?" Joey asked laughing.

Tristan laughed slightly. "No, but he practically did that to me in the bathroom."

"Oooh, that's juicy. Tell me about it."

"Well, I went to apologize to him, and- hey! I don't want to tell you about our... personal lives!"

"I don't see what's the big deal... after all.. you guys seem.. distant lately."

"Shut up, I don't want to talk about it." Tristan said tiredly.

"...sorry, I shouldn't have said anything about it."

"Don't worry about it..."

"Well, about me and Kaiba," Joey laughed. "quick change of subject! Yeah, I messed up.."

"Yeah, you did."

"Yugi's mad at me."

"Yugi's not mad, not really. He just doesn't know what to do or say. He's just frustrated. You know he loves ya, not really like that, but you know. He loves Kaiba too. He loves all his friends. You just really really crossed the line with all that crap you said.."

"Yeah, I get it. But Trist, I don't want to sound rude but, cut the friendship shit. You're starting to sound a lot like Tea when she couldn't stop with that whole friendship 'phase' she was going through."

Tristan started laughing. "I guess you're right."

"Duke honey, guess what." his mother said to him over the small roast they shared. It was a Thursday evening.

"What?"

"Well,  its been a rough year, its also been dry as you know."

'What are you getting at mom?'

"Yes, I understand that. What's going on?"

"Well, we don't have a lot of money, but.. I feel that we have enough to share."

"With who?"

"Tristan.." he sobbed. "oh god... Tristan... help me..." He felt blood trickling down his legs. He felt so dirty inside.

"Well, your uncle's farm hasn't been doing well, especially during this fall harvest. He's low on money and he needs a place to stay.."

It felt like his stomach was destroying itself from the inside.

'No..no! God no!'

"We don't really have anywhere for him to sleep, you know I don't feel comfortable having him sleep in my room.."

'No, not there..'

"You have a double bed.."

'No please no...'

"Can he sleep in with you?"

He bowed his head low, hiding his face. Closing his eyes, he could feel tears trying to surface below them.

"..yes..." Anything for his mother. There was no room for selfishness... his mother tried so hard for him, she worked so much. He couldn't be so selfish now.

"You're such a sweet boy. Thank you so much."

He nodded.

"I.. um, thank you for dinner mom, I'm sorry but, I don't feel very well, can I just do the dishes tomorrow?"

"Oh, of course. Don't worry about it. You always help me, I'll be just fine. You just lay down, there's some medicine in the bathroom if you need it."

"Thank you." he said quietly. He walked back to his room at the end of the dark hallway.

He lied down on his bed and shook. His whole body shook.

"Oh god... no..please no.. why?"

He felt tears choking in his throat, working their way through his body, shaking every part of him.

He didn't understand what he was doing. He was touching him like Tristan would. How only Tristan should.

 

He felt him running his hands between his legs, grazing a hand over his being.

He wanted to scream, to kick, bite, yell.

..but he was terrified. He was confused. Beyond confused.

'Why?'

He was sobbing hysterically.

The man above him completely dominated him. Every inch of his body was restrained.

He couldn't escape.

He couldn't do anything... so he let it happen. He tried to stop him.. but he knew it was worthless... he was done.

Nothing calmed him but his own tears. They lulled him into a restless sleep.

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Friday came and reached its ominous fingers through the curtained windows, Duke opened his eyes.

He wished he never had to, never had to leave his bed...

..but soon he'd never want to return to it..

He crawled out of his bed and stumbled to his dresser. He didn't feel like getting dressed, he didn't feel like going to school. He didn't feel like really living at the moment.

'So selfish... you're so selfish. Mom works so hard and all you do is complain about your own petty problems. So what.. that's in the past, just cause he-'

His throat started to tighten on its self.

'I don't want to think about it anymore... I don't want to remember anymore.. I just want to get rid of them.. I hate him so much..'

He felt his chest rising and falling in short breaths. He didn't want to start crying again. He felt so weak all the time.

'..I just want to ... drill them all out! ..drill them out with a power drill or something!'

He didn't want to cry.

He didn't know what he should do, he wanted to just take his mind off of it. He ran into his bathroom and quickly stuck his finger into the back of his throat.

Making his stomach roll, he threw up all that was left in his stomach, which wasn't much.

He gripped the cold porcelain, his knuckles turning white.

His mother heard his moaning and poked her head in. "Duke! Are you alright? Are you sick? Do you need to stay home today?"

He didn't want to be selfish anymore, but... he was so afraid. "Yes."

"I'll call the school." She frantically grabbed a robe and wrapped it around his shaking body.

'So selfish...'

He felt his body shudder again and coughed up the rest of his stomach.

'I hate it..I hate being here, its so damn fucking stupid..'

He wiped his mouth off with some toilet paper and flushed his stupid excuse down the toilet.

He walked into his room slowly and fought the urge to slam his head into his wall until he knocked himself unconscious. 

Laying down, he slowly began to tap his forehead against the wall. He continued with this until he could hear his mother coming down the hallway.

"Oh I feel so bad that you're sick today.."

"No its okay.. don't worry about me, just go to work.."

"I don't really want to leave you here alone.."

"I'm fine, I just need to rest."

He could feel her hesitancy before she got up and left.

He felt his eyes starting to close again.

He could hear her dialing someone on the phone, but it didn't concern him at the moment. His head was pounding, and he could barely keep his eyes open.

When did he get so tired? Maybe the throwing up and taken something out of him. That was most likely true since there was really nothing in there to throw up in the first place.

Finally, he felt himself falling away from the world, into a peaceful and disturbing realm of dreams.

It felt like forever before he woke up again. His headache had retreated and his stomach felt better.

He looked at the clock.

11:18

The rest of his friends were probably having lunch at the moment. Feeling his stomach growling, he slowly slid out of his bed and landed on the floor.

He rubbed his eyes and laid his head down on the carpet.

'Maybe another little nap.'

He laid there for another ten to fifteen minutes.

Hunger growing beyond his ability to ignore, he finally mustered up enough energy to get to his feet and walk to the kitchen.

As he opened the door, he thought he heard the TV in the living room on. He walked out slowly, he would feel so bad if his mother stayed home just for him. Peeking around the hallway corner, he found the room empty, but the TV was on and blaring.

He picked up the remote and was about to turn it off when he heard a gruff voice behind him.

"Hey, I was watchin' that boy."

He nearly flipped over the coffee table and right into the TV. He turned quickly.

It was like everything was on mute now,  everything was paused.

"Hello boy, your mom called me and had me come up a day early. Guess we're roommates now." the gruff man said chuckling.

Duke had to fight the urge to throw up again.

He donned a fake smile. "Yeah, guess so."

To be continued…

Yeah, how nice of me…

I got called a sadist and a masochist today… how lovely… AND it was by one of my BEST friends… oh well.. I was laughing.  (something about being an animal sadist… hurting animals… WHICH I DON'T do! (we almost hit and ran over a robin bird today… dumb bird, it would have been fun if we did ^^ then we almost hit a crow and another bird… damn birds were on crack or something.. take notice of my hypocrisy )

I stayed up for 2 days… no sleep… I was at Zeiyuki's house, we watched movies… I drank too much Pepsi… couldn't close my eyes @___@ quite literally! Caffeine + Me = BAD! …a two liter of Pepsi can keep me awake that long? Weird…

I COMMITTED…GERBACIDE!! …just kidding… I committed chibicide though! Hehe

Yeah, please review and tell me your opinions. Oh, feel sorry for Duke, I got a hold of him.. Poor poor boy.

-yo, Aera