Yay! I like this story, Zane gets to be all 'awwww' this chappie! The bugger grows on ya'! Yay for people voting on the pairings :) Man Atticus loves his baseball bat... I have a hurl but it's just not the same TT

Disclaimer: Well, it's as I feared, I can't afford GX! not even 200 euro's can buy the rights to the many sexy boys that are in that anime! dang'nabbit!

Warnings: Contains close encounters of the yaoi kind, which means the usual boyxboy, swearing, and some limey scenes!

GintaxAlvissForever: is developing favorite reviewer syndrome Go you for the first pairing vote, one of which I would never have thought of!

(i.e: KenzanXsho; which is suprisingly adorable btw)

Akki The Angel Of Death: I wonder would tennis rackets be able to knock Aster out... hmmmm... splee

natat: they do make a cute couple! Bastion is so fun to write! did you see episode 96? drools

TsukiHime Masaki: Thankies jumps up down

Beautyheart18: :) Zane is uncharacteristically uke today! splee thankies!

Fallen Leaves

Chapter 2

Tactics

Zane Truesdale was standing in his well-decorated and elegant bedroom. He was admiring himself in his beautiful, full, length, brass mirror. Zane didn't like to openly boast or brag about himself but not even he could deny that tonight he was looking mighty sexy. The elder of the two Truesdale brothers was clad in a pair of classy black slacks, that were being held up by a black leather belt with a buckle that bore a large 'K' on it, to represent his duelling nickname, 'Kaiser'. He reached up and opened the top two buttons of his snow white dress shirt, he felt like showing a bit more skin than he usually did. Sitting down on his bed he pulled on a pair of shiny black Italian, loafers, a pair that he had ordered in via the internet. Checking out his appearance in the mirror once more, he decided that something was missing, walking over to his mahogany, wardrobe and pulled out a beautiful, leather jacket, slipping it on he checked himself out in the mirror for a final time, leaning forward, his face inches from his own reflection, he brought his hand to his beautiful teal coloured hair, and adjusted a stray, placing it where it should be, he turned and walked out his bedroom door.

Walking down the hall, he passed more than two doors before he reached the room that was home to one Atticus Rhodes. Rapping lightly on the door, he waited patiently for the Obelisk to open it. After five mintues or so of patient waiting Zane had began to get adgitated and started to tap his foot impatiently against the floor, slowly getting more and more pissed off the longer he waited. Eventually Atticus answered the door, looking rather sexy in a black shirt, and matching black jeans, stepping out of his room with the usual grin, he pulled out a key and locked the door. The elder Truesdale raised an eyebrow at this action, "why did you lock the door?" he said, his curiosity was aroused by this. "Uhm, no reason" the brunette said shoving the small silver key into his pocket before turning and walking down the hall, "you coming Kaiser" he said before turning the corner that led to the main staircase. Shaking his head, Zane walked quickly to try and catch up with his friend.

Having successfully caught up with Atticus, the two were now walking across the academy to where the large, shack-like building that housed two of the schools top duelists was located. As they neared the building they could hear some music that got louder as they appraoched the red dorm. Zane couldn't help but be impressed at the way Chazz had managed to decorate the dorm well. The outside of the building was covered in red chinese lanterns, and he had managed to root out what seemed to be a million fairy lights from who-knows-where to give the place an almost magical look. Walking into the Lunch hall the two Obelisks looked for Chazz, to thank him for the party. The black-clad Slifer was standing with Jaden, Bastion and Alexis, and of course Chazz was in fan-boy mode as per usual. Zane's navy coloured eyes were slanted as he scanned the room as he looked around, trying to find the unwitting object of his affections. Seeing no sign of the grey-haired teenager, he walked over to Chazz.

"Minna!"(1) The four underclassman turned to look at the rapidly appraoaching Kaiser. "You made it Zane" Jaden said patting the older male on the back, who nodded in response. "I thought that Aster would be here" he said rather quickly, Jaden looked up at him, "he's running late, he's has to talk to his stepdad" Jaden said as he smacked Chazz in the back of the head for getting a little too close to Alexis for his liking. "What are you so worried about Phoenix for anyway?" Jaden asked turning away from the angry Princeton. "Zane's in love" Chazz said turning to face the Obelisk senior, nursing a large lump on the back of his head. Chazz barely had the time to duck as Zane swung out and tried to punch him, "looks like I was right" the black-clad Slifer said laughing as he hid behind Jaden.

"Chazz c'mere for a minute Alexis said grabbing Chazz by the ear and dragging him away for a minute. The three that were left behind chose to ignore Chazz's pained screams as Alexis beat some sense into the now thoruoughly pummeled Slifer. The two re-entered the room and Chazz now had many large lumps gracing his his now blemished and bruised head and facial area's. When he saw that Alexis was still glaring at him he turned to face Zane, "i'm very sorry Mr. Truesdale and I will never bring up that subject again..." watching Alexis throught the corner of his eye, he whispered something to himself, before finishing, "ever, and if I do, I will be raised up the flag-pole by one Alexis Rhodes, and I Chazz Princeton will not fight back" he added frightened for his life.

Alexis nodded her approval, "well Kaiser, what do you thinkof you're 'pro-league' send-off party?" Jaden said as he put his arm around his bruised crush, Zane smiled, "it's great" he said, 'but it'll be better when Aster arrives' he added mentally.

Aleixs left Chazz and Jaden to go with Bastion to get a drink, tonight she planned to tell the genius of the yellow dormitory that she would like to start going out with him. He was nicer than most of the guys in the dormitory and he was easier to get along with, not to mention the fact that he was pretty good looking as well. The only problem that was left was that she would have to find a way to bring it up during the party.

Atticus was sorrounded by his usual flock of girls, and Ms. Fontaine who had recently joined the ranks of his fangirls earlier in the year. The elder of the two Rhodes siblings was well on his way to being drunk, having already downed some of the drinks Chazz had left out. He was slightly more than tipsy as he wandered off to the bathroom, Alexis was going to call him when Aster came so they could put the plan into action, but since he wasn't the most reliable of people he had directly disobeyed his sisters warning and gotten drunk.

Leaving the toilet seat up he wandered over to the sink to wash his hands, he picked up Chazz's soap, lifting it up close to his eyes he squinted trying to read the label, "lavender and chamomile" he read slowly. He squirted the liquid on his hands and cleaned them before he headed out to the party.

"I wonder where Zane-y is?" he said happily looking around for his friends dark blue head. Spotting some blue-hair on a sofa near-by, he slowly began to stalk toward it and when he was behind the couch he jumped onto the offending blunette. "Kyaaaaa!" was all that rang throughout the room as Atticus landed on someone who definitely wasn't Zane. Atticus looked up and it took a moment for him to realise that he wasn't looking up at Zane but at one Jesse Anderson.

Atticus being the rational drunk that he was, immediately jumped off of Jesse and brandished a clenched fist at the offending blunette, "you stole Zane-y's hair" he yelled grabbing the now freaked out exchange student's hair.

Zane's attention was drawn across the room to the couch in front of the fireplace, and he almost fell over when he saw his best friend attempting to rip the hair off of an innocent bystander. Atticus wasn't the best drunk, he had a habit of over-reascting, he'd often done the same thing to Syrus. Speaking of Syrus the Ra yellow student had just entered the room along with Hassleberry. Zane walked over to his brother and was about to greet him when he spotted Aster Phoenix enter the room. Running a hand through his hair he walked over to the silver-haired duelist, a strange swagger in his walk. "Hello Phoenix" he said leaning against a wall as he spoke to his crush. Aster turned to face the Obelisk and smiled, "good evening Zane" he said smiling at the duelist. Zane smiled right back at the duelist, glad to be finally able to engage him in a conversation.

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(1)Minna translates as 'everyone' in japanese, at least that's one way of translating it :)

Atticus is craaaaazy! lol! I mean if Jesse was gonna steal anyones hair he'd steal Jaden's, I mean that's some nice hair!

Don't worry, next chapter is when the fun happens, there's gonna be fun, the sleepover gets started! That and Zane's clausterphobia will set in!

Drunk Atticus gets crazier and let's just say that the pairings are starting to come together!