Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Journey to Heaven ❯ Betrayal ( Chapter 4 )

WARNING: LANGUAGE.

Kat: Mmm….Marik bondage…..Later, Kat…later…

Marik ishtar 77: *hands stick* Poke him endlessly with this. Yami: *blink*

Black Butterfly: Aria and Aten get into fights several times. This won't be the last.

Shadow of Light: Yami kill Glenn? *tries to look innocent*

Aspiker: They will never stop trying to pursue Yami.  *hands Good Yami plushies*

Shadow Mistress: Hey, I didn't know you had an account here!  Aku was the one controlling Malik in the Shadow Realm.  Aten never knew this. 

Beysie: Everyone is going to think Marik did it.  This is the whole purpose.

Motje: Wow! Long time no see!  Yami will eventually see that Yugi has moved on, but until then, on with evil Yami!

Lady Elfskye: Even through all the crap they face in this story, their bond remains tight.

Tari Helyanwe: They'll both have the courage to tell each other. I have the right place to have them say it, so they will…promise.

Crazy Kins: I have a special time when they admit that they love each other for the first time. 

Broken Time: Glenn's a good guy.  I can see him getting along with Otogi.

Betrayal

Aten brushed his hair and yawned.  After doing his morning offerings and prayers, he raced to shower and get dressed.  His mother knocked on the door.

"Breakfast, sweetheart?"

"I'll just have a bowl of cereal with some grapefruit, mother. I don't have a lot of time."

Ryou smiled as he carried his cup of tea.  "Okay, dear.  Aria, honey!  What do you want for breakfast?"

"Waffles, pancakes, toast, and an egg! Oh, and a blueberry muffin! And coffee! Lots and lots of coffee!"

Ryou blinked. "Umm…okay, Aria…umm… I can start that."

Aten raised an eyebrow. "Sweet Isis….I'll have a hard time finishing my grapefruit."

Aten looked at himself in the mirror and noticed how much he had matured. His hair draped over his shoulders like his mother.  His features resembled Ryou down to the jawbone.  His eyes were shaped like his father and had the slight Egyptian tilt to them. 

He shook his head. "I could stand to gain about ten pounds, but I can't gain anything because of my heart. Stupid heart condition."  He looked at the clock. "Oh darn!"  He grabbed  his schoolbag and textbooks.  Aten grabbed his Algebra, his Physical Science book, his Latin text, and his copybooks. He shoved all of the books into the bag with a few Arabic curses.  He dashed out of the bedroom and knocked into Aria wearing tight jeans and a pink shirt that went to her neck.

/Ra only knows what you are hiding on your neck./

//Nothing, Aten.  Dad won't be able to see the hickey Umi left on me.//

Aten snickered as he ran down the stairs.  He dropped his books on the couch and ran to the kitchen's medicine cabinet.  He opened his pill bottles one by one and filled the pill bottle he needed for school. 

Aten put seven pills at his seat for breakfast.  Malik put a glass of water and Aten's breakfast on the table.

Ryou mixed the pancake batter. "Aria, dear, you won't have time to eat all that you want before you have to go to school."

Aria grabbed the bread and peanut butter and made herself her lunch.  "Oh. Okay. I'll just have the pancakes then."

Bakura walked into the kitchen.  "How are you two this morning?"

Aten grabbed his handful of heart medications and chugged them down with the glass of water. "Can't complain."

Aria stood up straight, trying to mask her sore body. 

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

Marik staggered into the kitchen. "Morning, everyone. Need coffee."

"How do you feel this morning, father?"

"I can't find my Rod," the spirit moaned.

Malik snickered. "I'll help you find it later, Marik. Don't worry."

Aten wrinkled his nose. "Hey, I'm eating over here!"

Aria rolled her eyes. "Firstborn within earshot, Malik!" (Bart made that comment on the Simpsons, so they get credit for that comment.)

Bakura snickered. "Have you tried Otogi's purse?"

Marik groaned. "We haven't seen Dice-Boy in a while.  What makes you think he has my Rod?"

"Maybe you left it in his vagina," Bakura laughed.

Aten shook his head as he looked down at his bowl of Cheerios, suddenly not hungry anymore.

Bakura turned on the radio to listen to the morning news. [Another victim of the radical group, The Crusaders For Moral Decency, has been found in Domino Park.  The group has claimed responsibility for the murder.  The victim was identified as fourteen year old Thomas Wayans, a freshman at Domino High School. He is the latest victim in a string of vicious murders involving young gay teens.  The victim's body was discovered bound, gagged, and naked.  He was executed by a gunshot to the back of the head.  Four other bodies have been found, all killed in the same fashion and all of the victims are between fourteen and eighteen years old.]

Aten covered his mouth. "Tommy?"

"Do you know him, Aten?" Ryou asked.

"He was in my Remedial Algebra class.  He was a really nice kid, too. I didn't know he was gay.  He was a nice kid, though."

Aria looked up and saw her worried mother's face.  "It's okay, mom.  Aten never goes anywhere alone.  He's always with someone."

Ryou flipped the pancake in the pan. "I know, honey. I'm still worried."

Aten stood up and went to his mother. He gave him a kiss and a hug. "I'll be fine, mother.  Don't worry about me."

[In other news, police are searching for the suspect who reported broke into the Domino Museum last night.  At twelve thirty in the morning, a tall man carrying a golden object in his hand was seen murdering a scholar in the Library.  Hidden security cameras caught the suspect on tape. The man was approximately twenty five years of age, purple eyes, blond spiky hair, and was most likely a person of African descent.]

Aten turned to his father. "Father!  Did you hear that?  You didn't break into the Domino Museum last night, did you?"

Marik held his head. "No, I was in the Shadow Realm…wandering.  I remember opening my eyes to you last night and that's the last thing I remember."

"He fell asleep when you left, Aten," Malik said.

Marik gulped his coffee. "I didn't break into the museum last night!"

Aria put her sandwich in a brown bag. "Well, Daddy Marik, something must have happened last night."

Marik groaned. "I'm not awake yet."

Ryou put Aria's pancakes on the table with the syrup.  He watched as she drowned her pancakes in syrup and butter.

Aten shook his head as he looked at the plate. "Just looking at it is enough to clog the arteries."

Aria bit ravenously into the pancakes as Aten picked at the grapefruit slowly.

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

Robbie knocked on the door and Aria opened the door. "Hi, Aria!"

"Robbie!  All ready for that speech in history class?"

Robbie yawned. "I stayed up all night to finish it.  Didn't get much sleep."

Aten came from behind his sister and smiled. "Aww…poor Robbie."

Aten hugged his friend and kissed him on the lips.

Robbie kissed back.  "I'll be okay, Aten.  You two ready?"

Aria grabbed her schoolbag and Aten grabbed his and winced as the weight of it loaded him down.

Aten kissed his parents goodbye. Aria waved.

"Have a good day at school, kids," Ryou said kissing both of his children. 

"Chibi Yami, no sending teachers to the Shadow Realm!"

Aria sighed. "I'll really try not to today."

"Mr. Aegus was not too thrilled when he saw the Battle Ox," Malik commented.

Aria laughed at the memory. Mr. Aegus had given her a "C" on a project on which she had worked hard.  She sent him to the Shadow Realm and found him running away from the attacking Battle Ox.

Bakura walked up to her. "Let's see that growl!"

Father and daughter growled at each other menacingly.  "You're getting good at that."

"Aria!  We're going to be late!" Robbie said looking at this watch.

The three teens walked to school.

"Robbie, you're always in a rush to go to school."

"Hey, I like school.  Chemistry is a pain in the ass, though."

Aten shook his head. "I'm having a hard time with Remedial Science.  I don't get it."

"Advanced Chemistry is no picnic either."

Aria grinned, her canines showing. "Next year, we have Biology.  That means dissecting dead things!"

Robbie raised an eyebrow. "You have a thing for pulling dead, raw things apart, you know that, Aria?"

"Nothing's wrong with that."

They stopped at Gabby's house to pick her up.  Gabby came out smiling and hugged Aria tightly.

"Hello, Aria!  It's so nice to see you!  I'm so not awake this morning.  Are you tired? I'm tired.  Why do we have to go to school, anyway?"

Robbie blinked.  "So this way you become a productive member of society and are able to advance yourself socially and economically?"

Gabby blinked. "Oh.  That makes sense…I guess."

The teens continued to walk together.  Aria and Gabby chatted behind Aten and Robbie.

"Did you hear about Tommy Wayans?"

"No. I was too busy enjoying my waffles to care about the radio."

"He was found dead in the park. He was killed by that hate group that's been killing gay teens."

Robbie gasped. "He was found dead?!  Tommy?"

Aten nodded. "Why would somebody do that to someone else?"

Robbie wiped a tear away.  "Tommy was a good person."

"Yeah, he was."

The teens arrived at school.  Aria and Aten had adjoining lockers. 

"I'll see you in homeroom, Aten," Aria said as she kissed her brother on the cheek.

Rhonda laughed as she passed Aria.  "Talk about fashion nightmare, Aria!  Where did you get those awful jeans?!"

Aria narrowed her eyes. "I have to go," Aria said as she followed Rhonda.

"Love you, Aria.  See you in homeroom."

Aria left and Robbie approached Aten. 

Down the hallway, they saw a girl crying by Tommy's locker.  She placed flowers at the base of the locker.

Aten put his lunch in the locker and closed the door. 

The Egyptian teen found himself shoved against the locker with a hand on the back of his neck.  The hand pressed him to the metal of the locker.

Robbie was shoved against the locker beside him.

"Hello…..faggots," a voice said behind them.

"Eric!  Jason!" Robbie growled as he struggled against Jason.

Eric laughed. "Did you hear about Tommy?"

Robbie and Aten nodded. "Yeah, we did."

Eric spun Aten around and pressed himself against him. "You two butt-fuckers are next on their list."

Jason spun Robbie around and shoved him into the locker.  The back of Robbie's skull knocked hard against the metal.  "When they get done with you, not even your own mothers will recognize you."

Aten pushed against Eric. "Eric, get off of me!"

"What's the matter, Aten?  Don't like the feel of a REAL man?"

Aten froze and his eyes widened.

Robbie struggled against Jason.  "Leave Aten alone!"

Jason slammed him into the locker again.  "You better watch it, Robbie Morgan, or you will join Tommy Wayans!"

"Stop this instant!  Boys, get your hands off of them!" the principal demanded as she approached the boys.

"Nothing's going on, Principal Gansey," Eric said removing his hands from Aten.

Gansey narrowed her eyes. "Mr. Barnes, we keep our hands to ourselves.  Is that clear?"

Eric snickered. "I don't have to keep my hands to myself!  My dad is now the Police Chief of Domino!"

"That does not excuse you, Mr. Barnes. You'll be in my office for Detention today after school for assault!"

Eric growled. "That's bullshit!"

"Two days of Detention!"

Eric kicked Aten's locker in fury. 

"One week of Detention, Mr. Barnes!"

Eric growled and walked away with Jason.

Aten breathed heavily with his back to the locker.  Robbie turned to the principal. 

"Thank you, Mrs. Gansey."

"That Eric Barnes!  Are you two boys okay?  Aten?"  The woman stepped in front of the Egyptian.  "Aten?"

Robbie turned to Aten, his face pale and his body shivering.

"Aten, why don't you go to the nurse?"

Aten shook his head and swallowed hard. "I'm okay…."

Mrs. Gansey looked at Robbie. "The next time those boys give you a hard time, you come see me, Mr. Morgan."

"Yes, ma'am."

Gansey walked away.  Robbie watched her leave. 'Gansey is a good person. Maybe I should talk to her about Aten.'

"Come on, Aten. Let's get you calmed down."

Robbie took Aten to the boys bathroom. Aten splashed cold water on his face to calm himself down.

Robbie rubbed the back of his head. "Jason and Eric are both punks, Aten.  Don't pay any attention to them."

Aten's hair concealed his face as he leaned over the sink. 

"Aten?  Say something."

Aten turned to Robbie, his eye completely black.  "I want them dead."

Robbie stepped back as he saw Aten stand up.  His hair spiked. "Yami Aten, you can't kill them!  As much as they deserve it.  Besides, we're in school."  Robbie had seen Yami Aten on several occasions.  He knew Aten had a yami side, but it didn't reveal itself as much as his sister's yami, which revealed itself on a regular basis.

Yami Aten walked to Robbie, his mouth foaming with rabid fury.  "They deserve a punishment worse than death!"

Robbie raised an eyebrow. "They deserve to be put in Algebra class?"

Yami Aten seethed. "Now is not the time to make jokes, Robert.  They. Deserve. To die."

The first bell rang.

"Aten, we have to get to homeroom."

Aten's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Robbie put his hands on Aten's shoulders.  "Look, I know you want your revenge, Yami Aten, but now is not the time nor the place."

"There's always time to bring death and chaos."

Robbie pat Aten's cheek.  "Aten? You in there?  I know you want to bring death and chaos, but it's time for class. Causing death, destruction, madness, and chaos can be done after school."

Aten leaned forward and put his head on Robbie's shoulder. His hair fell limp and the teen hugged his friend. "I'm sorry, Robbie."

"No, don't be, Aten. You've done nothing to be sorry for.  Now you have to get to your homeroom. I'll see you in English class."

Aten pulled back from Robbie, his brown and purple eyes glistening.  "Okay, Robbie."

Robbie leaned in to give Aten a kiss. "See you then."

Aten watched Robbie leave.  "Bye, Robbie."

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

Seto crossed his legs as he raised an eyebrow.  The man stood in front of him with a smile.

"Do you think this would be profitable?"

"Oh, come on, Kaiba! This will be fun!" the Dice Master said with a cheer. "This will be a smash!

The Dungeon Dice-Duel Monster Collesium!  We can expand both of our companies and neither of us have any presence there!"

Seto touched a few keys on the keyboard in front of him. "This will take about two billion dollars to build."

Otogi laughed. "Seto, you make that in your sleep!  I'll give you half the funds as per our agreement."

Seto's jaw dropped. "Where did you get that kind of money? Bake sales?  Avonparties?"

Otogi laughed. "No, Silly Buns!  My company can afford it."

"It's going to cost you more than your half, Ryuugi," Seto said with a grin.

Otogi's smile faded. "What more do you want?"

"I'll knock off five thousand of your half if you do something for me."

Otogi snickered and started unbuttoning his shirt. "Okay!"

Otogi hopped on the desk and danced.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"You…you didn't want me to dance naked?"

Seto cringed. "Frankly, I can't look at you shirtless.  I keep seeing you with breasts."

Otogi laughed. "I don't have breasts, Seto. I have nipples though! See?? Nipples!"  Otogi gave his nipples a little pinch.

Seto cringed as he reached into his desk drawer for his medicine. "I'll pay you five million dollars if you never do that again.  Besides, you've got more estrogen in you than Miranda!"

Otogi jumped off of the desk. "Well, what do you want to take off five thousand dollars off of that price?"

Seto swallowed the stomach medication.  "Otogi, I wish for you to help with my wedding."

The Dice Master squealed.  "Your wedding?!  I'd be tickled pink to help out!"

"Just…nothing pink….or feathery…or lacy…or…..Ra forbid….feminine."

Otogi clapped his hands with a big smile on his face. "This is going to be so much fun!"

Can you cook your Angel Food Cake, too?  Seeing as Aten and Maxine's son can't have sugar, it will be a safe treat for them."

"Can't have sugar?"

"Xiao-Shen is diabetic."

Otogi nodded. "I can make Angel Food Cake. I can make my veggie medley."

"We want something good like Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo and a Caesar salad.  For appetizers, what about making your stuffed mushrooms with cheese and spaghetti sauce?  I always look forward to that."

"Umm…exactly how many people are going to be attending?"

Seto looked at the screen on the computer. "About….three hundred people are coming to the reception.  The wedding is going to be strictly family."

Otogi sat in the chair staring blankly at Seto. "How can I find the time to cook for three hundred people?!"

Seto stood up and walked around to Otogi. He pat him on the back. "I know you can do it, Otogi."

Otogi sighed. "I guess so.  What do you say about the Coliseum?"

"We'll start planning immediately."

"You won't regret this!" Otogi cheered and ran around to Seto.  The Dice Master threw his arms around the other CEO and hugged him tightly.  "We have a lot of work to do!"

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

Mrs. Gansey looked up as a knock sounded on her door. "Come in!"

The door slowly opened and Robbie peeked his head inside her office. "Umm…Mrs. Gansey?  Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure, Robert. Come in."

Robbie carried his schoolbag into the principal's office and closed the door behind him. 

The woman in her thirties looked up from her paperwork.  "Hello, Robbie.  How is your schoolwork coming along?"

Robbie smiled at the African American woman smiling back at him.  "It's going well."

"If those boys give you and Aten a hard time again, you come right to me."

"I will.  Mrs. Gansey, I have a problem.  There's someone that I….really love and I want your opinion as to what I should do."

Gansey smiled. "Aww…Robbie Morgan has a sweetheart!  Well, show her a good time. Flowers are a nice surprise."

Robbie shook his head. "It's another guy."

Gansey bit her lip. "Sorry, Robbie."

"It's okay.  I love Aten.  I really do.  We've been together since we were three."
"Are you afraid Aten will reject you?  Aten's a very sweet boy."

Robbie nodded. "I know he is.  He's sweet. And funny. And….And I really love him."

"Well, Robbie.  You have no reason to be nervous about what Aten will say.  Tell him how you feel.  I always see you together and it's not hard to see that he cares for you, too."

Robbie sighed. "I want to be with him, Mrs. Gansey.  But something happened to him and he won't tell me what it is.  He gets really nervous when I touch him sometimes."

Gansey brushed her hair out of her eyes. As the principal, she was well aware of Aten's history with his grandfather, but she was prohibited from discussing it with anyone other than the school counselor.

"Well, Robbie, it's best not to rush anything with Aten.  Just be there for him when he needs it.  I know you help him with his English.  He's coming along quite nicely."

Robbie smiled. "He's been working very hard at it. Mr. Jensen's being pretty tough on him.  Aten's water pills keep him running to the bathroom and the pills start working during class, so sometimes he has to get out of class at least twice."

Gansey nodded. "I'm well aware of Aten's heart condition and his medical needs.  Let me ask you something, Robbie.  What are your thoughts about all this?"

Robbie lowered his head. "I….I don't want to live without him."

"I'm well aware of Aten's terminal condition.  It must be hard for you both.  But, Robbie, if you really have feelings for Aten, I think it's a good idea for you to tell him.  Let him know how you feel.  Aten's a good kid. Robbie, sometimes you never get a last chance to tell someone that you love them." Gansey smiled. "Trust me, Robbie. I know what I'm talking about."

Robbie looked at his watch. "I have to go. Aten should be getting out of Orchestra class now."

"Robbie, do what you feel is right. If you need to talk to me, you are always welcome here."

"Thank you, Mrs. Gansey.  It's nice to talk to someone who won't judge or criticize me."

Mrs. Gansey shrugged. "My office is open to anyone, regardless of sexual orientation."

"Have a good day, Mrs. Gansey."

"Bye, Robbie."

Robbie walked down the hallway and found Umi and Aria talking in the hallway. 

"Umi, I really enjoyed our time together last night."

Umi blushed. "So did I, mermaid."

"Do you want to go to the park tonight?  It's really nice when the stars come out."

Umi hugged her. "Sounds good, beautiful. I'll be there around 9-ish."

Aria sighed. "No, let's make it 7-ish.  My dad won't let me out so late at night.  I can always sneak out, but I can only do that so many times before he'll get suspicious."

Robbie walked up to the couple. "Hey, guys."

"Is Aten with you?"

"No, umm…I needed to go….get something from my Chemistry teacher."

Aten carried his violin with a smile. "Hello, guys! Hi, Robbie!"

"Hi, Aten."

The group walked down the hallways towards Aten's locker.   On the locker was taped a piece of paper.

Aten pulled the paper off of the locker.  He opened it up.  A smear of blood was covering the piece of paper.  In large red letters was written: DEAD FAG.

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

Aten scratched his head as he looked at the diagrams in front of him.  His mind was distracted.  He was not thinking about boiling points or incline planes.  His mind wandered to the note found on his locker.

Bakura came into the room and heard the pitiful confused whimpering of the teen at the kitchen table.

"Are you okay, Chibi Marik?"

Aten threw his pencil down. "I don't understand this!  It's too hard!"

Aten looked up at the clock and grabbed his pills that were sitting beside him.  He swallowed them quickly as Bakura stood beside him. 

"We'll have to get Malik in here. He'd understand these modern formulas."

"Father Bakura, something happened at school today.  I got a note on my locker today that really scared me."

Bakura reached into the refrigerator. "What did the note say?"

"'Die Fag.'"

Bakura spit out the water from the bottle. "What?!"

Aten froze as he looked at Bakura's angry face. "Umm…nothing."

"Aten, did you tell someone?"

"You."

Bakura took a towel and wiped the water he spit out off of the stove.  "Marik and I will go to the school and talk to Mrs. Gansey.  Aten, I know this is rough for you, but don't let anyone else rule your life for you.  Don't let anyone tell you what to do.  We will handle this." The thief walked up to Aten and hugged him. "You're safe, Aten.  We wouldn't let anything happen to you." Bakura kissed the teen's forehead. 

Aria called from the living room.  "I'll be back in an hour, dad!"

Bakura walked out of the kitchen. "Where are you going?"

"Gabby's."

"Okay, honey," Ryou said with a smile. "Be careful." Ryou climbed the stairs to straighten up his room.

"Bye, Sekhmet," she said as she pet her dog.

Aria left and Bakura walked to the phone. "Gabby?"

[Hello, Mr. Bakura!  How are you?]

"Good. Is Aria coming over?"

[No, she's meeting Umi in the park.]

Bakura gripped the phone angrily.  Not LIED to him!  He growled. "Thanks, Gab."

[No problem, Mr. Bakura!]

Bakura hung up the phone and growled. He dialed Seto's phone number.

[Seto Kaiba.]

"Moneybags, Aria is going out with Umi tonight."

[So, didn't she go out with Umi after the party at Peaceful Harmony Hospital?]

"Yes, but something feels strange, moneybags.  Aria told me she was going to Gabby's."

[Where is she going to be?]

"Gabby said that Aria was meeting Umi in the park.  I don't like it when she lies to me and I just want to make sure she's okay."

[Okay.  I'll bring Donny and Kendall.  If anybody tries to put the moves on her, we'll make sure they stop pretty damn quickly.  Nobody hurts Aria and gets away with it!  See you at the Park Gate.]

Bakura left the house and ran towards the park.  This hadn't been the first time that Aria was meeting a boy in that park.  He caught Aria and some of her previous boyfriends by the park.  They were kissing or holding hands.

All of a sudden the two teens would find themselves tackled by Seto and his "Public Relations" people or Bakura. 

He met Seto at the gates of the park.  Donny stepped out of the limousine and cocked the gun hidden in his jacket.  Kendall stepped out of the limo and opened the door for Seto to emerge.

"Who is she meeting?"

"Umi."

Seto turned to his men.  "Don't fire unless you have to.  Donny, I am looking in your direction."

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba."

Seto and Bakura lead the two other men into the dark park.  The men used the shadows to hide as they searched the park. 

They found Aria and Umi by the river looking up at the stars.  The couple were laying on a blanket.

Bakura narrowed his eyes, his vision being clouded by burning fury.  Seto curled his lip as he saw Aria cuddle up to Umi.

Umi turned and looked at Aria.  "You look so beautiful in the moonlight.  You are so special to me, Aria."

Aria smiled. "You're special to me, too, Umi."

Umi closed his eyes and leaned over to Aria. 

Seto growled. "Get him."

"WATCH OUT, ARIA!" Donny growled as he and Kendall threw themselves and piled on top of Umi.

Aria screamed and tugged at Kendall. "Get off of him!"

Bakura stepped out of the shadows. "Aria Kanika Itemri, you march your ass home this second!"

Aria jumped to her feet. "What's the big idea?!"

"Why did you lie to me? You said you were going over to Gabby's!"

Aria pushed her father back menacingly. "You never let me go out and have fun!  Anytime I want to meet someone or go out, you always hold me back!"

Kendall and Donny pulled Umi to his feet.

"Hey, guys!  I was just going to kiss her!"

Seto stepped in front of Umi and grabbed the teen's collar. "Umi, I don't appreciate you putting your hands on Aria."

"What?  I wasn't hurting her."

Aria turned and slapped Seto's hand angrily. "And you!  Why are you here?"

"Because Bakura called me up and told me that you were meeting Umi here without our knowledge!"

Aria pushed Seto back violently. "And what gives you the right to patrol me?  You're not my father!"

Bakura grabbed Aria's wrist. "No, but you are MY daughter!  And I don't appreciate things going on behind my back!"

The girl's hair spiked and she raked her fingernails across Bakura's cheek, making him bleed. "You get your hands off of me!  I just came out to watch the stars with Umi!  That's all we were going to do!"

Bakura covered his cheek with his palm.  He licked his palm clean of his own blood.  His hair spiked and his canines sharpened.  He felt a dizziness starting to cloud his judgement.

 "Don't you ever raise your claws to me, young lady!  You get home now!"

Umi struggled with the two security men.  "Let go of me!"

Aria pulled her arm away from her father.  "You do this to me everytime I want to go out with a boy! No wonder I only have Umi as a boyfriend!"

"You should praise Ra that I am letting you have him!"

Aria growled. "'Letting me?'  Since when did you have to 'let me' have a boyfriend?  I want to choose whom I go out with!"

Bakura growled.  "You're damn lucky I'm not arranging a marriage for you!"

"I wouldn't go through with it anyway!"  Aria said, growling at her father.

She turned to Donny and Kendall. "Let him go!" Aria kicked Kendall in the leg.

The two men released Umi.

Aria wrapped her arms around Umi.  "You both should be ashamed of yourselves!  I'm trying to spend some time with Umi!  I know I lied, dad, but everytime I want to do something like this by myself, both of you come running to my rescue!  I don't want anyone running to my rescue!  Need I remind you both that I'm fifteen years old and I don't need to be watched like an infant?!"

Bakura crossed his arms. "I'm just worried about you!"

"Bullshit, dad!  I don't see you 'running to Aten's rescue' when he's out with Robbie!  And Uncle Seto, where were you when Aten and Robbie went to the movies the other night?  Did you run to save him?"

Seto stepped back.  "Aria, I don't want any of the wrong types to take advantage of you."

"Wrong types?  You guys have known Umi since we were three!  Since when has Umi tried to hurt me or take advantage of me?  The other guy friends that I have met here never tried to take advantage of me!"

Seto turned to Umi. "Did you know she met other guys here?"

"Yeah, I knew.  It was okay with me at the time."

Bakura growled. "Go home, young lady!"

"When will you both see that I don't need you two anymore?!"

Seto staggered back, feeling the cold, icy tone in Aria's voice.  The tough CEO felt his heart shatter in tiny pieces inside his chest.

Aria narrowed her eyes at Seto.  "I can't believe you betrayed me, too.  Some uncle you are!"

Aria turned to Umi. "Bye."

The girl walked away, her blue dress flying in the night wind as she walked away.

Umi lowered his head when Aria had disappeared.  "I wasn't going to hurt her, Mr. Bakura."

Bakura growled. "Nobody puts their hands on my little girl, Fish-Boy.  You're lucky you still have all of your limbs intact!"

Umi swallowed hard. "It's not right to not let her live her own life, Mr. Bakura."

Bakura snarled. "I hardly think you have any right to say anything regarding how I raise my daughter!"

Umi looked up at Bakura. "I love your daughter."

Seto threw himself between Umi and Bakura. "Bakura, no killing!"

Bakura growled. "Let me at him, moneybags!"

"No, Bakura!"

"She's  too young to get wrapped up in romance!"

Seto pushed Bakura into a tree and leaned into his ear.  "Correct me if I'm wrong, Bakura, but aren't you the one whom I found raping Ryou when he was fourteen years old?"

Bakura growled. "That was different! That wasn't love!"

"No, but you claimed to love Ryou when he was fifteen.  How can you say she is too young to get involved with romance?"

Bakura pushed Seto off of him and growled. 

"You can't answer that, can you?"

"Take Umi home."  Bakura turned and left angrily.

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

Aria's POV

My father thinks he can run my life?!  Why can't I love whom I want to love?  Why does everyone I want to date have to meet HIS standards?

It's not fair!

Why can't I be with Umi? He's nice.  He doesn't give anyone problems!

Hmph….

I love Umi, but my father won't let me be with him.

He's so worried about me getting involved with someone with someone who would use me or hurt me.

Well, if he won't approve of my relationship with Umi, then he won't approve of any relationship I have!

So why does it matter if I'm with anyone? 

I'll show dad that he can't boss me around!  I know he'll hate anyone I bring home, so why does it matter if I'm with someone who loves or hates me? 

Well, my dad is not going to boss me around anymore!  I'm going to find the most lowlife scumbags and bring them home!  If my dad is going to complain no matter whom I bring home, it doesn't matter whom I bring to my house.

I'll go out with someone he hates just to spite him! To prove that he'll hate any guy I'll bring home, naughty or nice, I'll go find the scum of the earth. I'm sure there are lots in Domino.

I can find someone.

I'll find the scummiest guy in Domino. I'm going to do what I want.

And my father is not going to stop me!

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

The next day, Aria walked up to Umi at his locker. The teen reached out for her and held her shoulders gently.

"Hello, Aria. Are you okay after yesterday?"

Aria nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay.  Umi?  Can we talk for a moment?"

Umi leaned against the locker. "Go ahead, mermaid."

"Umi, I….I think we should see other people."

Umi's jaw dropped. "W-What?"

"Umi, I really think dad is right. Maybe we are too young to get wrapped up in this kind of stuff."

The boy looked into his girlfriend's eyes in shock.  "But, Aria….I really love you. I really care for you."

Aria stepped towards him and pat his cheek.  "I care about you, too, Umi.  I do love you."

Umi turned his head away.  "Did I do or say something for you to want to leave me?"

"No, Umi. It's not you.  You're a great friend.  But I think we should keep our options open."

"Oh….okay."

Aria smiled. "I'm glad you understand, Umi.  We can still be friends."

Umi took a deep breath and exhaled. "Okay, Aria. If that's what you want."

Aria kissed him on the cheek. "I know you'd understand, Umi."

Umi watched Aria walk to Gabby's locker nearby.  He gathered the rest of his books for class and made a quick run to the boys bathroom.

He ran into a bathroom stall and buried his face in his hands. "Aria……I love you.  How could you do this?"

The toilet flushed beside his stall.  He heard someone knocking on the door.  "Umi?  Is that you in there?"  an Egyptian-English accent asked concern filled in the voice.

"No, Aten. I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

Umi sniffled. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Umi opened the door and hid his eyes from his girlfriend's brother.  He splashed some cold water on his face. "It's just…stuff got in my eye.  I think I scratched it."

Aten tipped Umi's head up. "Let me see."

Aten looked into Umi's blue eyes and shuddered.  "They look fine, Umi.  No harm done."

///Why did you look into his eyes if you knew it would frighten you?///

/Hey, Umi's my friend.  I wanted to make sure he was okay./

///You love to torture yourself, don't you?///

/I'm okay, alright?!/

///That trembling hand tells me different.///

Aten looked down and noticed his hand shaking.

"You okay, Aten?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Umi dried his face. "Did your doctor get back to you about your heart?"

"Mother said he called yesterday and said that there is a severe shortage of donors.  They probably won't have a donor for a long time." Aten snickered. "At least I don't have to take Gym next year!  Robbie can't take Gym because of his foot, so we get to choose an elective course or Study Hall."

Umi threw the paper in the trash. "What are you going to take?"

"Renaissance Artists, I think.  I think that would be perfect for this painting I want to do for the art gallery!"

The bell rang.

"I better get to Homeroom before I'm late," Aten said.  "Have a good day, Umi."

Aten left the bathroom and Umi looked in the mirror.

"What did I do wrong?" he asked his reflection before creeping out of the bathroom.

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

Robbie waited by Aten's locker after school.  Aten arrived a few minutes late.

"Mr. Jensen wanted to talk to me about my English report," Aten grumbled.

"What did he say? I thought you did a great job."

Aten grumbled again. "Well, he said that my continuity was off and that I was not expressing myself thoroughly and clearly enough."

Robbie rolled his eyes. "I know you tried hard."

Aten growled at the locker. "You can't please some people."

"Nope, you can't please them all, Aten.  No matter how hard you try."

Aten arranged the text books in his locker and grabbed his plastic cup. "Fill that with water, can you, Robbie?  I have to take my medicine."

"Which ones?"

"Oh, my Digoxin, Captopril, and my Ziac."

"Ziac?"

Aten nodded as he put three pills in his hand. "It controls my Angina.  I also have to take my Ziac at bedtime because the pressure in my chest gets too much."

Robbie filled the plastic cup full of water and handed it to Aten.  The Egyptian threw the medications into his mouth and started drinking the water.  He gulped down the water quickly.

"Damn dry mouth.  Sometimes these medicines make me so thirsty!"

Aria passed by. 

Aten turned. "Sister!"

Aria turned. "What?"

"Wait for Robbie and I!"

"Umm…I have somewhere to go after school, Aten.  I'll catch up with you later."

Aria turned. "I'll be home before dinner."

"Aria?  Do you think when you get home we take a study break and have a duel?  Just you and I?  We'll duel in the backyard like we always did."

Aria shifted uncomfortably as Umi passed by her quietly without saying a word.  "I'm sorry, Aten.  Maybe another time."

Aten sighed. "Okay.  If that's what you want…."  Aten continued to dig in his locker.

Aria turned and left. 

Robbie saw Aten's shoulders sag.  "Aten?  What's wrong?"

Aten sniffled. "She doesn't even know I exist sometimes.  We don't do anything anymore."

"Maybe you should talk to her about it."

Aten watched his sister turn the corner. "Maybe I will."

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

Aria walked down the street looking up at the stores which lined the street.  Her eyes scanned the banners and blinking signs.  She looked up at a sign with a Chinese red dragon on it.

"The Red Dragon Inn."

Aria opened the door and looked inside.

Some people were sitting at the bar and eating at the restaurant area.  In the corner, she saw two men dueling.  One wore a green shirt with what looked like a bug on it.  His dueling partner wore a red cap with spiky brown hair.

"I kicked your ass again, Rex!"

The other man growled. "I'm going to stomp you out of existence!"

"You just try it, Dino-Breath!"

Her eyes shifted to the corner where a green-haired man was silently humming.  "I predict that you are going to have a romantic encounter….with me!"

The woman groaned and stood up. "In your dreams, Esparoba!"  The woman left.

The man sighed. "Rejected again.  Why didn't my cosmic forces tell me about this?"

Aria saw a tall, muscular man sitting at the bar.  She sat at the table and crossed her legs.  She hiked up her dress just a bit so the dress hung off of her knee. 

She smiled at the man at the bar.  The man tipped down his sunglasses to look at her.

"Hello," she said with a smile.

The man grabbed his beer and grinned. His heavy boots sounded as he approached her.

"Hello," he said with a grin.

His chin looked recently shaven.  An American Flag bandana was tied around his head. 

"What's a pretty little girl like you doing in a dump like The Red Dragon Inn?"

She brushed her spiky white hair behind her shoulder.  "Just…checking out the action."

The man grinned. "I'm all action, baby!  I can guarantee you that."

She smiled. "I bet you are, Mister….."

"Don't call me 'mister'.  I don't go for all that formal bullshit."

"My name is Aria Kanika Itemri," she said, flipping her hair behind her shoulder.

The man removed his sunglasses and gulped down his beer, slamming it on the table with his large hands. "The name's Keith. Bandit Keith."

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