Gardenias

Gardenias

Hato chiisai

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

If you’re a fan of my fics, you already know that this story is YAOI

As per my promise in Tearing Down the Sky, each chapter of this fic is dedicated to the winner of the “Guess Who The Four Are” Contest. The answer was the Four Arch Angels, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel.

This chapter is dedicated to Nights Child

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Chapter 12

Carnation

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In the morning, Akiko went in to wake his two foster sons.

“Hiro. Wake up, time to get ready for church.”

“Uuurrrgh….. yeah… k, dad…..” The boy grumbled, and Akiko looked up onto the top bunk.

“Ryou? Come one, time to get up.”

“Uuunnnhhhh……” Ryou moaned, and curled up into a tighter ball.

“Come on, Ryou, time for church.”

“Hmmm?” Ryou said, rolling over. Akiko frowned at Ryou’s flushed face. He reached out and felt the boy’s forehead.

“Hmmm…. On second thought, you stay put. I’ll get the thermometer.” He said, and left the room. Hiro peeked over the bed at Ryou, who had his eyes half open. Ryou slowly blinked at his room mate. Hiro blinked, then shook his head and went to get dressed. A moment later, Tamaki came in and slipped a thermometer into Ryou’s mouth. She smiled and gently pet his hair. Ryou sighed and let his eyes fall closed. This woman was very kind, but… he could never call her ‘mother’. But for now, Ryou simply relaxed. His head felt like it had been wrapped in tight bandages, and he felt dizzy whenever he moved his head.

“Okay…” Tamaki said, taking the thermometer. “Hmmm…. 102.3. I don’t think you’ll be coming with us today, honey…” She said, smoothing Ryou’s sweat-dampened hair from his face. She then went to the door. “Akiko! He has a fever! He can’t go! I’m going to stay home with him, okay?”

“Alright!” Akiko called back, and Tamaki moved back over to the bunk.

“Ryou, honey, why don’t you come downstairs and rest on the sofa so I can take care of you.”

“S’okay…” Ryou mumbled. “You can go. I can take care of myself.”

“I’m sure you can.” Tamaki said in a soothing tone. “But you’re not living alone anymore. I’m here to take care of you. Humor me, okay?” She said cheerfully, and Ryou couldn’t help but to smile.

“Okay.” He said, and slowly sat up, holding his head.

“Akiko! Come give Ryou a hand down the stairs, okay?” Tamaki called, and Akiko came in and helped Ryou off of the top bunk. Ryou felt kind of silly in nothing but his boxers, but he didn’t worry about it that much, finding most of his concentration going into keeping his balance. Soon enough, he was lying on the couch, and his foster mother was tucking him in. He heard her bid her family goodbye, and then come and ask him if he needed anything, but Ryou was too tired to answer, and his eyes fell closed as he drifted to sleep.

He woke to a soft hand stroking his hair, and a gentle voice calling his name.

“Ryou? Ryou? Come on, Ryou, sweetie. Wake up….”

“…nnnnh….. ‘Togi?” Ryou mumbled, and opened his eyes. Tamaki was smiling down at him. Ryou blinked and glanced around, seeing the red sky outside, and he blinked again; it was evening. He had slept all day!!

“Togi?” Tamaki asked.

“Oh… What time is it?” Ryou asked.

“Seven thirty.” Tamaki answered. “You slept all day. Open up.” And she poked a thermometer into Ryou’s mouth. Ryou sighed and turned onto his back, closing his eyes lightly until the thermometer was removed. “100.1. You’re getting better. How about some soup?”

“That would be nice, thank you.” Ryou said, offering the woman a small smile.

“Alright.” She said, beaming at Ryou. She hopped up and left to make the soup.

“Hey, Ryou!” Akiko said, coming into the room. “Feeling better?”

“A bit, thanks.” Ryou said, smiling slightly at his “father”.

“You, uh, wanna play a game, or something?” Akiko offered, and Ryou blinked.

“Umm… ok.”

“What’s your favorite?”

“Well, all I really play is Duel Monsters…..” Ryou said softly. “But my deck is at home.” Akiko blinked.

“That’s just as well.” He said, firmly. “Such things are not permitted in this house.” He explained, and Ryou thought it just as well that he NOT tell the man that he ran an Occult Deck.

“Well, umm… I play chess…..” Ryou offered, timidly.

“How about something we can play as a family?” Tamaki offered, pulling Miaka and Hiro in by the hands. The pair looked very reluctant. Ryou blinked, then slowly looked down.

“Well…. I really don’t feel much like playing a game…” He mumbled. Akiko sighed as Tamaki left the room again, only to return with five bowls. She set them down, then came in with a large thermal pitcher. She poured tomato soup into all of the bowls and Ryou blinked as the family settled down around him. He stared down into his bowl.

“Ryou, tell us something about what you do for fun. Aside from gaming.”

“Well…. That’s about it, really. I read. Sometimes I go out with my friends.”

“What did you do with your girlfriend?” Akiko asked. Ryou jerked slightly.

“Yeah, what was her name?” Tamaki asked, and Ryou let out a weary sigh.

“I… I don’t have a girlfriend.” He said.

“Yes, you broke up, we know.”

“No, I mean I’ve never HAD a girlfriend. Ever.” Ryou said slowly.

“But you said….” Akiko began, but trailed off as he saw Ryou fidget.

“Yeah… About that…..” Ryou mumbled, and decided he may as well get it over with. “HIS name is Otogi.” Jaws dropped. “I never had a girlfriend. But Otogi was my…. Boyfriend. Sorry. The forms they had me fill out never asked for sexual preference.” Ryou quickly looked down at his soup, and felt his eyes prickle with tears beginning to form. He could feel them staring at him in disgust and horror. “Sorry.” He said again, and Tamaki finally cleared her throat.

“Why?” She asked.

“Huh?”

“Why did you choose to like boys?” She asked, and Ryou blinked.

“It’s not something I chose.” He said, looking her straight in the eyes. “It’s just the way I am. I’ve never been attracted to girls. EVER. But boys….” He sighed and shrugged. “Trust me, if I had a choice, it would not have been this one. It’s hard to be who I am, because people don’t accept it.” And he looked down at his soup again. “May… may I go? I’m not hungry.” No one answered him. Instead, Tamaki turned to her husband.

“Akiko, maybe we could find a psychologist, or something, and—“

“What?” Ryou gasped, looking up, then had to turn aside as he coughed. “I’m not sick!! Well, I mean, I am, but, my sexuality is NOT a disease! It can’t just be CURED! I, I…. I think that maybe it would be better if I didn’t stay here.” He said, and slowly set the soup aside and began to get up.

“No.” Tamaki said, quickly, and took Ryou’s hands. “No. We made a commitment with you, Ryou. You’re here to stay. I’m sure we’ll work things out.” She said, and Ryou shook his head.

“No….” He said softly. “I, I just wanna go home….”

“Ryou….”

“Can… can I make a phone call?”

“To whom?”

“To…..” Ryou thought. “To Yugi.” He blinked and smiled when he was handed the phone. “Thank you.” Ryou said, and dialed.

“Hello?”

“Yugi!”

“Ryou! Hey! What’s up!”

“Yugi, it…. it’s a long story.”

“Oh? Does it have to do with the weird number on Caller ID?”

“Umm…. Yeah… Yugi…”

“Ryou, you sound upset…..”

“Hey, is that Yami?”

“Huh?”

“Well, get him on the line, too, huh?”

“Ummm…. Oooookay…..” Yugi said, and turned away from the phone.

“Yami, pick up the phone. It’s Ryou. Something doesn’t sound right.” Yugi said, and Yami blinked, picking up.

“Ryou?”

“Hi Yami!” Ryou said.

“What’s going on?” Yami asked. Ryou glanced up at his “family” who were watching him. He had to be quick. He switched to Egyptian, speaking it as quickly as he could, and could only hope that Yami understood the butchered words.

“” Instead of freaking, his foster family just stared, bewildered.

“Are you okay, Ryou?” Yami asked. Ryou smiled and relaxed.

“Yeah. I just miss Bakura.”

“What about your boyfriend?”

“…… Otogi and I… aren’t together anymore.”

“…………… What happened?”

“I’d rather not talk about it.”

“I see. Alright Ryou. I’ll tell Bakura right away. Here, Yugi.”

“Ryou, you aren’t with Otogi?”

“No… he, he threw me out.” Ryou said.

“Why!?”

“I’d rather not talk about it. Oh!! Yugi!! Tell Yami to tell Bakura to get Daisy from Otogi!”

“Daisy?”

“My puppy.”

“Alright, Ryou.”

“Thanks…. I should go. I’m not feeling well.”

“Okay, Ryou.”

“Thanks Yugi. Bye.”

“Bye Ryou.” And Ryou hung up.

“Thank you.” Ryou said to Tamaki.

“Ummm… what was with the gibberish?” Akiko asked.

“Oh. Yami’s first language is Egyptian. He taught me some.”

“Oh. What did you say?” Akiko asked. Ryou sighed.

“I told him that Social Services took me away and to tell Bakura so he won’t worry when he comes home and finds me gone.” Ryou said. Hey, it wasn’t a TOTAL lie.

“I see.”

“Bakura tends to worry a lot about me.”

“Ah.” Tamaki said. “Well, eat up, Ryou.” Ryou nodded, and began to eat.