Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Across the Border of Popularity ❯ Smoke ( Chapter 5 )

My first `angst' filled chapter for ATBOP (Across the Border of Popularity)! Enjoy!

~ Across the Border of Popularity ~

~ Chapter Five: Smoke ~

~ One Month Later ~

Jou sighed as Konbunji-sensei droned on and on about some pi thingie. He was about to fall asleep as a folded piece of paper landed squarely on his desk. He brightened considerably as he read the message from Yami.

Hello Jou,

Konbunji-sensei sure is dull, isn't he? Seto and Yugi are throwing a slumber party in two weeks, (yet again they choose to alert us in advance.)

Jou smiled at Yami's comment.

Bakura's actually gone crazy from all of this planning ahead, so Ryou has bought him a schedule to keep track of his plans. I've looked through it though, and Bakura hasn't written anything in it yet. I bet that the only reason he hasn't chucked it down the drain is because Ryou gave it to him. So, what do you say? Can you make it to the sleep-over? Seto's hinted that it's going to have a dare game, and some other ones that he hasn't told me, but from the malicious look in his eyes, I doubt they'll be good, clean, wholesome fun. I hope you can, Jou. By the way, for the writing report, let's meet outside the library today around when school gets to work on it. Or we can go to your house. Talk to you later, or reply by letter.

Love,

Yami

Jou pulled out a piece of scrap paper, and scribbled a quick message onto it:

Probably can make it to Seto and Yugi's party, talk more after class.

Your puppy, (because you won't let me forget)

Jou

He flicked it onto Yami's desk, savoring the look on his lover's face as Yami read the note.

"No homework, tonight," their teacher called out, amidst the stamped of teenagers running out of history class.

"Where on earth did you get the name `puppy' to call me?" Jou asked Yami, as the two finally made their way out of the classroom.

Yami smiled, giving Jou a quick kiss. "I think it suits you," he replied. "So, can we start working on our literary project so we don't hold it off like last time?"

Jou shrugged. "I kinda liked how we did it, last time."

"Oh, so I guess you like working your ass off at the last minute, completing a worthless writing assignment, eh?" Yami arched an eyebrow at Jou.

"All right, I admit, the rush was annoying, but… I enjoyed the time we spent together. Besides, did you see how hard Ryou was working Bakura when he found out that Bakura hadn't even begun his part of the project?"

Yami laughed, picturing a very flustered Bakura and a nagging Ryou. "Yeah, remember Malik and Marik's presentation?"

Jou burst out laughing, as the image of Malik and Marik's clueless face when they had to present to the class the history project they had procrastinated on danced around his head.

The two stopped at their lockers, grabbed their stuff, and headed outside.

"So, your place or the library?" Yami asked Jou, heading down the steps.

Jou shrugged. "Why not yours?" He paused, surveying Yami. "Y'know, I've just noticed that I've never, in the one month that we've been together, been to your house."

It was Yami's turn to shrug. "Anyway, how far are you on your math homework?"

Jou stopped, and turned around to gape at Yami. "Math homework, tonight? Are you serious?"

"Konbunji-sensei only mentioned it about a million times, Jou." Yami sighed softly, and pushed Jou towards school. "C'mon, I'm coming with you."

"Why are we heading back to school?"

Yami fell over. "To get your math book!"

Jou laughed, running ahead. "I knew that, Yami!"

Yami rolled his eyes, catching up to Jou. "Sure, you did. Anyway, you go on inside. I'll stay out here."

Jou nodded, and ran inside. As Yami turned back, he saw smoke wafting near the bushes. Before he could check on it, the smoke spread, engulfing him. He managed to recognize a few words, before everything went blank. Jou…stay away…Anzu…forget…everyone…

************

Ryou hummed softly as he and Bakura walked towards the school.

"Come on, Ryou, why can't I borrow your math book?" Bakura pouted, unable to glare at his lover.

"Because, Bakura, if you keep forgetting things, you'll be unprepared. And being unprepared is not good. I don't like unorganized people."

Bakura patted Ryou's hair, smiling. "That gets me every time."

Ryou grinned. "And so does everything else I do."

"YAMI!"

"What the hell was that?!"

Ryou spun around towards the source of the sound. "Dear Ra, that sounded just like Jou!"

Bakura pulled Ryou, running towards Jou. "And it sounds like something bad happened to Yami!"

Bakura and Ryou turned a corner, and saw a sandy-haired teen. "Jou," Ryou said, breathing hard. "What happened here?"

Jou turned around to look at his friends, his eyes blurry from holding back the tears that threatened to spill. "I went inside to get my textbook, and when I came back…" He gestured feverently at Yami, who was lying on the ground, his eyes closed. "He was like that when I came back… I can't wake him up…"

Ryou hugged Jou, looking up at Bakura. "'Kura, what should we do?"

Bakura picked Yami up, and turned to Ryou. His eyes were troubled, as he spoke to Ryou. "We'll take both of them to my apartment-"

"Why not my house, Bakura?" Ryou looked at Bakura.

Bakura shook his head. "No. If this what I think it is, we'll be easier to find at my place."

"Easier to find? Wha-"

Bakura silenced Ryou, and gestured towards Jou. "Think you can get him to come with us?"

Ryou nodded.

"Then let's go."

**********

Propping Yami up against the front door of his apartment, Bakura fumbled for his keys.

"Bakura?! What are you doing here?!" Malik and Marik asked in surprise. Marik was carrying what seemed to be an unconscious Seto, and Malik was comforting a crying Yugi.

Bakura's door finally swung open, and everyone piled inside. "Here," Bakura said, laying Yami on one couch as Marik lay Seto on the other. Ryou and Malik sat Yugi and Jou down, giving each other looks of worry.

Bakura turned to Marik. "What happened to Yugi and Seto?"

Marik shrugged. "I dunno. Malik and I were walking when we heard Yuig cry out, and we found Seto lying on the ground. Then Yugi told us that-"

"He had gone somewhere else and when he came back he found Seto lying on the ground," Bakura finished for him. "Jou told us the same thing."

"But I also remember seeing smoke," Yugi whispered, clutching Seto's hand as if seeking comfort. "There was smoke surrounding the front of the building, where Seto was." He buried his face in Seto's arm. "I don't know anything else…"

Ryou rubbed Yugi's back, soothing the short teen.

Bakura and Marik exchanged significant looks. "Those three…"

"Who?"

Just then, Yami stirred, opening his eyes.

"Yami!" Jou cried out joyfully. "Thank Ra you're okay!" He reached to hug Yami, but the teen shrugged him off.

"Who are you?"

Jou laughed. "Come on, Yami. Stop fooling around. It's me, Jou!"

Yami's face contorted with rage.

"Uhh…Something wrong, Yami?"

Yami turned away. "Get away from me."

Jou looked at him stunned. "But, Yami, it's me, don't you remember?"

"Of course I remember you. Perfectly, to be exact. I hate you."

"Wha-?"

Yami headed towards the door.

"Wait." Bakura stood in front of it, narrowing his eyes. "Do you recognize me?"

"Of course not." Yami paused, then his eyes flashed dangerously. "I see now. Jonouchi has hired you all to kidnap me, eh?"

Marik gaped at him.

Yami brushed past Bakura. "I'm leaving this place. It's very unruly, anyway." He sneered at Bakura. "Aren't you due for a haircut?" The door slammed behind him.

"Yami, hates me?" Jou asked, more to himself than anyone. "He hates me?"

Malik tried to comfort him, but Jou pulled away, hunching into a small ball, shoulders shaking slightly.

"Where am I?" Seto sat up groggily, surveying Bakura's apartment, face blank.

"Seto!" Yugi cried out joyfully, hugging the CEO's arm.

Seto shook it away from Yugi, looking disgusted. "Get away from me, shrimp."

"But, Seto, it's me, Yugi!"

"So? You're just a wimp." He straightened his collar, standing up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've better ways to spend my time then waste it hanging around with a bunch of people I've never met, and that urchin over there." He smirked at Yugi.

"Wait." This time it was Marik that blocked Seto's way. "What other ways of spending your time?"

Seto surveyed Marik, and brushed past him. "Ishizu, who else?"

Yugi broke into tears when Seto had left.

"Not them," Bakura groaned, sinking into a sofa.

"Who, Bakura?" Malik asked, soothing Jou.

Marik's face looked worried. "The three most awful bitches in the world."

"Anzu, Ishizu, and Mai." Bakura looked troubled.

"Who are they?" Ryou asked, hugging Yugi.

"The three people that can turn your life into a living hell." Bakura snapped his fingers. "Just like that."

~ End Chapter Six ~

Yami: I don't believe it.

Bakura: Believe what?

Yami: She combined so much hate into one chapter!
millenniumspirit: *is eating ice cream* So?

Seto: Now you'll have to update soon, or else everyone will push you into it, using intimate objects.

Yami: Like pans.

millenniumspirit: Lay off! I'm already being nagged to death by my friends and reviewers to update `My Brother and I' I don't need my muses to nag me! Check out that fanfic too, please!

Yami, Bakura and Seto: Who said we were your muses!?

millenniumspirit: Well, you always hang around after each chapter, so I'm assuming…

Yami, Bakura and Seto: No! Get her!

Ryou: Please review! ^_^

millenniumspirit: Hey, you can be my muse, too!

Yami, Bakura and Seto: We are not your muses!

millenniumspirit: I wasn't talking to you, this time!

Ryou: *sweatdrops*