Gravitation

Disclaimer - I don't own them. But gods, the dreams I have : )

Reader Review Responses - Yep . . . I figured it's time to do some. So here we go 0.0

To Terry, Arainaina, KitsuneNagisa - Thank you for reviewing. I hope you continue to enjoy the fic.

Acidburn - Hey hun : O Glad you like it so far. As for being one of your favorite authors . . . I couldn't ask for a bigger or better compliment. *bow*

Dai-Nemesis - Trust me, there is definitely going to be a threesome in here. Actually, I'm working on writing the scene now, but it won't be for a few
chapters yet. There's a whole lot of ground to cover before Yami will let them get close enough to him to do anything . . . but you'll see. Hope you can
hang on long enough : )

princessohtanhtanddarkness - Glad you found it hot. So did I . . . sleeping became very difficult after that.

courtney - Oh yeah, there is going to be a threesome ^.^ That's actually the whole reason this story is getting written, but I just couldn't do a PWP . . . it's
not my style. As for Malik . . . well, you shall see *rubs her hands gleefully*

Keishi - *hands Keishi a dish of sexual tension* Hehe . . . the main course is on it's way. Enjoy your desert first ^.^

Meg - Hehe, don't need editing, but thank you for the offer. You may find me emailing you just for the hell of it : ) Of course, you can feel free to email me
too . . . just make sure you let me know it's you : O

Author's Notes - A little bit of storyline/character background this chapter, setting up for things to come. Also some issues dealt with. Hope it doesn't
disappoint. A lot of what is being written here comes from my reflections on life in general . . . I can't stand people who don't have an open mind. I face
this kind of thing myself . . . no, I'm not gay, actually I'm happily married to a sexy man with two children. But I happen to be a practicing Wiccan, and
people are just as bad on the religious aspect sometimes as they are on the sexual aspect, and it drives me nuts. So . . . *shrug* Well, enough of me
prattling on . . . on with the story.

Chapter 4 - Emotional Hangovers

The next morning dawned way too bright and early as far as Yami was concerned. He opened his eyes slowly, and nearly puked as the room spun around
him . . . upside down. He was laying half on, half off his bed, his head dangling from the side, the empty bottle of Vodka not far from him.

"I drank that whole damn thing?" he murmured, and winced when his voice was too loud for his ears. "Fuck," he whispered, dragging himself up onto the
bed and pulling a pillow over his eyes. His room looked like a tornado had hit it . . . testament to his telekinetic abilities once again getting out of hand.
'Good thing I locked the door,' he thought hazily.

A knock on the door set him to gritting his teeth as if hammers were going off in his skull.

"YamYugiYugi called from the other side of the door. "Duke, Jou, and Tristan are here . . . they want to see you."

"Coffee . . ." he groaned. "Must . . . have . . . coffee." He staggered out of bed to the door, opening it to face a bewildered Yugi, who stared up at him, his
amethyst eyes wide.

"You look like shit," the short teenager said bluntly. Yami grinned weakly at him.

"Why thanks, hikari. I feel like it too," he murmured. "Please tell me you have a pot of coffee made." Yugi nodded.

"Of course."

"Thank the gods," Yami muttered, staggering down the hallway. He paused in the kitchen door as he came face to face with the two bouncers and his
fellow bartender, who were chatting with Ryou. Shrugging, he made a bee line for the coffee pot, pouring himself a cup before taking it back to the table
and slouching into a chair.

"Damn man . . . what'd you do? Come home and go on a bender?" Jou asked. Yami snarled at him, taking a sip of his coffee. Finding it slightly cooler than
he had expected, he chugged the rest and got a second cup.

"Why are you guys here?" he asked as the coffee started making him feel human again.

"We were worried about you. You are our friend, after all. We want to know what happened last night." Yami smirked and nodded his head.

"Sorry, dumb question," he murmured. Jou, Tristan, and Duke had been his friends even before they all started working at Gravitation . . . they'd all hung
out together in highschool as well. "Well, since you guys are here, maybe you can give us a hand this morning." They looked at him questioningly. "We
need to get Ryou's stuff out of his dorm room." He quickly explained everything that had happened, with Ryou adding short comments. The guys all
nodded.

"Yeah, we can do that," Tristan murmured. Even though he was straight, he had no problems with his friend's and their choice in sexuality. He'd actually
been tempted to join Yami a couple of times . . . but he was strictly a ladies man since Jou had introduced him to his sister, Serenity. He knew that he
would have more than Jou to deal with if he hurt the girl . . . Yami looked on her as a sister, and had even paid for the surgery that had restored her eye
sight to her a year ago. Tristan had seen Yami mad once . . . and that was more than enough for him. Bad enough if Jou got mad at him . . . if he touched
off Yami's temper, he was heading for the hills quickly and as quietly as possible. He looked sideways at Duke to see if the ebony haired man was going to
let Yami get away with changing the subject.

Duke didn't disappoint him.

"Yami, what happened last night? You've never backed away from anyone, and yet you came home after your run in with that new dancer and his
bodyguard. What did they do?" Yami sighed, staring into his coffee for a moment before replying.

"They didn't do anything, Duke. I made a stupid mistake and let them get too close. They invited me home, and my mind finally caught up with my body.
That's all." Duke looked skeptical.

"That doesn't cut it, and you know it. I know you're interested . . . I could see that plainly enough last night. So what's the hang up?"

"It's the ex," Jou said. "He's a psycho, and he still thinks Marik belongs to him. Yami just doesn't want any trouble." Yami nodded his head in agreement,
not refuting Jou's statement. His friends knew about his 'abilities' . . . hell, they'd even seen them get out of hand once . . . but what his friend's didn't
know was what could, and would, set them off and let them get out of control. Or, for that matter, the fact that they had been growing stronger and more
hard to control recently, especially when he was running off of a strong emotional response to something.

"Joey's hit the nail on the head," he said quietly. "I don't need that kind of trouble right now . . . I've got enough on my hands as it is." He sighed, sitting
back in his chair to stare up at the ceiling. "My luck just keeps getting worse . . ." he growled.

"Cheer up, lover," Duke said, rising to stand behind Yami and massaging his shoulders gently. "Things will work themselves out . . . you've got the luck of
the devil himself in that department." He leaned down to lay a teasing kiss along Yami's jaw line. "Besides . . . you know I'm always up for some 'tension'
release." Yami smiled and smacked him upside the head playfully.

"Not in front of the little ones," he said. Yugi giggled.

"Aww . . . and here I was hoping to get to see the 'legendary' Yami in action," his cousin said, smirking. Yami shot him a glare, but couldn't keep it up as
Yugi turned his big amethyst eyes up full volume.

"Damn it, Yugi . . ." he grumbled, but dropped his gaze. "Just what I need . . . my cousin is a voyeur." The others laughed, Ryou laughing right along with
them, relaxing finally in the presence of all these strangers. "All right . . . let me grab a shower and a couple of aspirin, and we'll get over to the college and
clear out Ryou's dorm room."

"Can I join you?" Duke said smartly. "Joking man . . . geesh," he squeaked, raising his hands in surrender as his coffee mug rose up in the air while Yami
glared at him. The coffee mug settled back onto the table quietly as Yami walked out of the room. "Gods he freaks me out when he does that." Yugi looked
at him calmly.

"I don't think he really did that on purpose . . . he's hung over, and you know how his 'abilities' get when he's been drinking." The others nodded. They
didn't go out drinking with Yami anymore . . . they'd all learned first hand why he didn't drink in public the first and only time they'd managed to talk him
into going. The damages to the bar had been enormous . . . and completely unexplainable. Yami had payed for them out of his pocket anyway, and gained
partial ownership in the process, but it was still a vivid reminder of just how carefully he kept a reign on those 'gifts' of his. They also knew how much
Yami scared himself when shit like that happened. He'd nearly shut them all out of his life the last time . . . it was only through their sheer determination that
Yami had come around. They didn't want to contemplate what would happen the next time . . . but they all hoped desperately that there would be no 'next
time'.

*-------*-------*-------*-------*

The scene that met them as they drove into Ryou's dorm parking lot was not a pleasant one. Dozens of kids stood outside the dorm, holding signs saying
'Fag go home!' or 'You are a deviant and God will punish you'. Ryou sobbed quietly in the back of the car as Yami pulled up beside them on his bike,
Yugi clutching the back of his leather jacket.

"Well . . . this will make things less enjoyable," he murmured, taking off his helmet and shaking out his hair as his crimson eyes studied that gathered mob.
"Yugi, you and Ryou stay in the car, and keep the doors locked. Let us deal with this." He slung one black jean clad leg over the bike after putting down
the stand, helping Yugi off the bike and into the car as Duke, Tristan, and Jou got out. He reached in and shook Ryou lightly. "Ryou, we need your keys."
The boy handed them out to him shakily, wide, shimmering brown eyes staring out at the students that were gathered.

"Some of those people were my friends . . ." he murmured, hiccupping slightly. Yugi gathered him into a hug, smoothing a hand through his white hair.
Yami reached in and ruffled his hair lightly until the boy looked back at him.

"Then they weren't very good friends, little one," he said. "You have real friends now . . . and family, remember that." Ryou nodded shakily, a watery smile
gracing his features for a moment as he met the serious crimson gaze. "All right . . . let's do this," he said to the others, Ryou's keys firmly grasped in one
hand. "We're likely going to need to make more than one trip through this crowd . . . let's keep our hands to ourselves. Don't swing unless someone else
swings first, and try not to hurt any of them . . . just incapacitate them." The others nodded, forming a loose half-circle behind the spiky-haired young man.

Getting through the crowd the first time was easy enough . . . trouble started when they were on their way out with the first load of Ryou's things.

"Hey . . . that belongs to the fag!" one student shouted. She was a tiny blonde with a good set of breasts, dressed in a white angora sweater and expensive
designer jeans. The group ignored her . . . until she stepped right into Yami's path. "Where you going with that, huh? You Ryou's fuck buddy?" she
hissed. Yami simply looked at her, one eyebrow raised elegantly. "Well, come on . . . or did you lose your tongue to some fag disease?"

"What's the matter, miss thang?" Yami drawled finally. "Jealous cause he wouldn't fuck your thin ass?" The girl gasped, staring at him in shock as he
walked around her and deposited his load in the car.

"I recognize you . . . you're the bartender down at Gravitation!" one guy said as they walked back towards the entrance. "The others work down there too
. . . what is it, fag central? Man, I'm never going near that place again."

Tristan stopped to stare at the student when he fell silent, Yami and Jou stopping a few steps behind him.

"For your information, buddy . . . I happen to be straight. So's Jou, the other bartender. But at least we have open minds and don't try to force our
opinions on other people," he growled before walking into the building, assuming Jou and Yami were still with him.

"Last load," Duke said as he got to the door. "The furniture belongs to the school . . . hey, I thought Yami was right behind you?" They turned to look out
the door, and swore as all hell broke loose. "Shit. We better get the rest of the stuff and get out of here."

Out in the parking lot, Yami was holding the blonde who had first assaulted him verbally by the arms, keeping her from raking her nails down his face.

"I don't hit women," he growled in her ear, "but you are seriously pushing your luck." He pushed her away and ducked a punch from a burly guy nearby
before planting a fist in the guy's groin. "How in the world do I get into this shit?" he muttered to Jou, who was finally at his back.

"I don't know man, but you sure seem to attract all the wrong attention sometimes," Jou nodded, grabbing an arm and twisting. The guy who'd tried to
punch him howled in pain as his shoulder popped.

"Watch what you're doing, man," Yami growled as he kicked another opponent in the stomach, his steel-toe boots causing the breath to whoosh out of
the guy.. "Bad enough I'm going to be paying for the hospital bills of the ones that I hurt . . ." He watched Duke and Tristan get to the car with the last load
of Ryou's stuff, and nodded. "That's it then . . . time to get the hell out of here." Together, they broke off and headed toward their waiting friends. Duke
was already on Yami's bike, revving the engine. He jumped on behind the ebony haired man, wrapping his arms around his former lover. "Hit it!" he
growled into one dice-laden ear, keeping an eye on the approaching mob.

They peeled out of the parking lot, angry shouts following them out onto the street. Yami glanced over at the car beside them, giving Ryou a thumbs up as
the boy stared at him through the window. He got a grin in reply, and turned his attention back to the road. 'Another member of the ever growing family of
friends,' he thought, and smiled. Who said family had to be blood related? Somes ths the best family were the ones you picked yourself.

*-------*-------*-------*-------*

Bakura watched the group make their getaway, smirking to himself as he waited for Marik to finish his class so they could head home and enjoy the night
off. He never would have thought Yami was a good Samaritan . . . but he'd obviously been cleaning out someone's room for them, and he'd handled the
crowd quite well. He shook his head, white hair waving gently down his back.

He wondered who the boy was that had rode in on the bike behind the young bartender. A relative was likely the answer to that riddle . . . the boy had
appeared too old to be a son. Possibly a brother or a nephew . . . either way, it explained a bit about Yami's reaction the other night.

Yami wasn't stupid . . . he had to know Malik would be after Marik still, and likely to go after anyone who got near him. Bakura wasn't worried . . . he
could handle Malik any day of the week with one hand tied behind his back . . . but Yami had people to protect apparently. Marik would be happy to hear
about this . . . he'd been up all night worried that he'd done something wrong.

He drew out of his thoughts as he spotted Marik heading his way. The blonde was still depressed over last night . . . he walked slowly, his head down, his
back hunched as if under a heavy load.

"Got some good news for you, Marik," he called out. Marik raised his head, one blonde eyebrow raising in question as he came up to the Viper.

"What?" he said, climbing into the car and dumping his book bag in the back.

"The reason why Yami reacted the way he did."

"Oh . . . you mean besides the fact that he's obviously not as interested as I'd hoped he was?" Marik growled as Bakura started the car and put it into gear.

"He's interested all right . . . he's just got other people to think about." Quickly he filled Marik in on what he had observed in the dorm parking lot nearby.
"The way I got it figured, he's playing it cautious." Marik grinned, heaving a sigh of relief as he settled back in the seat.

"That's great, Bakura," he murmured, and then sobered. "But what about Malik? Yami's got it right . . . it's not safe to be around me right now." Bakura
huffed.

"Malik will be taken care of soon enough. You've got that restraining order going through on him now . . . it should only be a few weeks before he can't
come near you again."

"Yeah . . . but I don't think I can wait a few weeks. Especially not when I have to see him every night. Bakura . . . gods, I want him so bad it hurts! I
haven't felt like this in ages . . . hell, I don't think I've ever wanted someone this bad."

"For once Marik . . . I've got to agree with you. I've got it just as bad. He's had me hotter than a house fire since that first night he stood up to me." He
sighed, his fingers tapping against the wheel to the beat of Mudvayne's 'Not Falling'. "Gods I hope this shit gets worked out soon . . . I can't take much
more of this."

*-------*-------*-------*-------*

Wandering the mall that afternoon with Ryou and Yugi laughing and talking animatedly, the morning's mob scene seemed like a distant bad dream.

It had been hard on Ryou, when they finally got back to the huge house that Yami had been left with and what had happened had really dawned on him.
The boy had been sobbing, unable to understand how people who he had thought were friends could turn on him as they had. Yami and Duke had sat
down with him in the living room as the others took his stuff to the room he and Yugi had picked out the night before. It had been a long, serious talk, but
at the end Ryou had once again been comfortable with his decision. Duke had shared his own experiences with his family's reaction over his choice with
the boy. Yami knew it had been hard on Duke . . . the emerald eyed young man had come from a wealthy family much like Yami, and his family had
summarily disowned him. Even to this day, he was not known to any of his younger brothers or sisters. To his family, it was like he had never existed.

Duke had come to terms with that, however . . . especially after meeting Yami on the streets one cold October day. Yami had been cruising on his Harley
out of boredom when he'd seen the young man, clad in barely anything, standing on a street corner. Duke had been trying to make a living out of selling his
body for nearly two weeks at that time, but because he didn't have a pimp, he had frequently been a target for theft and violence.

Yami had taken him out for some food and something warm to drink. After hearing his story, Yami had set him up in his own apartment and with enough
money to get him through until he could find a decent job. They'd become fast friends after that . . . and soon after, lovers. There had been nothing but
friendship in the relationship, and after awhile they had decided to move on to other people, but had continued to turn to each other for comfort when the
need arose.

Duke had spoke of all of this as Ryou sat, a hunched, shaking bundle on the couch, still in shock at the sudden turn around of his whole life. He had finally
stopped shaking and some semblance of hope had entered his chocolate eyes.

So now, here they were, shopping for the new addition to his family. He smiled as he looked at the two younger boys. No matter what happened to him, he
always had his friends . . . his chosen family . . . to turn to, and that number got bigger all the time. He couldn't help himself when people like Ryou showed
up in his life . . . the memories of his childhood dimmed every time he helped someone else find a new path in life. By surrounding himself with people he
cared about, he found that he could forget the lack of love his parents had given him, among other things.

"What are you smiling about?" Jou asked beside him, an arm coming across his shoulders. He turned to smile up at the blonde.

"Just thinking how some things are better when you choose them instead of getting handed them," he murmured.

"Family again, huh?" He smiled at the shorter man, shaking him lightly. "Well, we're happy to have you too, bud."

"Yami!" Yugi called from up ahead. Yami looked up. "Ryou saw a bed in here that he loves. Can we get it?" Yami nodded.

*You have the credit card, little one. You know you don't have to ask.* he sent.

**I know . . . but I wanted to ask anyway, for Ryou. He's still nervous about this whole thing.** Yami heard as Yugi thought it at him.

"Don't you ever worry that the money is going to run out, Yami?" Duke asked from behind him. Yami shrugged.

"Not really . . . my parents made good investments while they were alive, and the firm I have handling the majority of the funds keeps reinvesting it." He
snorted, a demonic grin crossing his face. "I would love to see what Kaiba said when he found out I owned more than thirty percent of Kaiba Corp." He
looked around at the stunned faces of his friends. "What?"

"You . . . OWN over thirty percent of Kaiba's precious company?!" Jou asked, stunned.

"Well . . . yes, actually. Kaiba Corp is one of the fastest rising companies around . . . who wouldn't buy their stock?"

"Yami . . . man, you are full of surprises," Tristan murmured. "But you're right . . . I would love to see Kaiba's face. He's wanted to fire you forever now .
. . the only reason he doesn't is because he knows how much of a problem it would cause at Gravitation. He's not likely to find another totally hot guy
who's a great bartender to boot." Yami chuckled dryly.

"You're telling me? How do you think I get away with as much shit as I do?" He paused as Ryou and Yugi came running out of the furniture store.
"They'll deliver it, right? I really don't think my bike or Tristan's car could handle an entire bedroom set." Ryou looked startled . . . Yugi merely laughed.

"Yeah . . . they said they'll deliver tomorrow, first thing in the morning. You shouldn't be eavesdropping, you know."

"I couldn't help it small one . . . you were so excited that you 'leaked'." Duke chuckled behind him, Tristan nearly choking on his soda. Yami was puzzled
for a minute before he ran the comment through his head again. "You pervs! I didn't mean it like that!"

"We know, Yami," Jou said comfortingly. "You can't help that you have a one track mind." Yami looked indignant as the group laughed.

"The people I choose to hang out with . . ." he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "What a bunch of perverts."

Author's Notes - Please Review. While I'm not actually writing this to illicit reviews, they do let me know how I'm doing and feed my desire to write more.
756 hits and 15 reviews . . . I want more reviews, dang it *grin* Oh well . . . until next time : )