The Day of Silence

Warnings: None really.

Pairings: Implied Yugi/Yami, implied Seto/Jou, implied Anzu/Honda, and implied Ryou/Bakura.

Notes: I got this idea from a true story and the fact that The Day of Silence was yesterday for me. I participated, and what the card says in this story is what it says in real life.

Thanks: To the nameless man who started this silent protest in Washington D.C.

~*~

Yugi sighed dejectedly, staring at the small pink card in his hand and going over the black words once more. He said nothing as he sat by himself, his extra spirit, or his lover watching and listening curiously from inside the golden puzzle around the boy's neck. School had just started, and as the kids around him continued to yell and shout and generally ignore today's meaning, Yugi only grew more depressed. No one seemed to care.

He stood with his pack in hand, slipping it to his shoulders before pocketing the card and heading out of the cafeteria. He didn't know anyone in his first hour, because he was the new kid here at Salem High School, but it wasn't like he could talk anyway, he had vowed to abide by the rules that had been set for this day. He took a seat in the back corner after showing his teacher the card that he carried and kept his eyes pinned to the front of his desk, trying to ignore the people that obviously had no idea why he was being so quiet. He shifted uneasily in his seat when two rowdy cheerleaders sat next to him, their high-pitched voices rather annoying and ringing in his ears. But that's not what caught his attention.

It was a third cheerleader that sat down with them, looking as if she were restraining laughter and trying not to talk. Yugi furrowed his eyebrows but did not do anything else as he watched the stranger with slightly uneven brown hair and light blue eyes. He did, however, hear one of the girls call her Anzu.

The rest of first hour went by fast, the teacher compassionate about Yugi's reason for being silent, and the boy quickly found himself walking towards his Biology class. He noticed that the girl Anzu was also in this same class, but what was interesting was that she sat down with a taller young man with straight chocolate hair and icy blue eyes, who also said nothing, but nodded in greeting. It perplexed Yugi momentarily, before he just decided that he was seeing things in his search of blind hope.

He watched the same two people all hour, noting that they kept passing notes between themselves, smiling at times and catching themselves before they could speak. It fogged Yugi's mind with false wishes as he tried to convince himself that they couldn't possibly be fighting for his cause.

He was the last one out of the room after that, and ran into the same two people from his second hour, standing with one other now. This one was also a boy, light brown hair like the other two almost, except with black tips and hazel eyes. He was smiling and chuckling silently, holding this Anzu's hand as the tallest of the group shifted his silver briefcase, looking for someone in the crowds. Before Yugi was completely out of range from seeing them, he saw the tallest whip his head around to nod at someone who had called to him. His name was Kaiba, and Yugi remembered hearing that the CEO Seto Kaiba did indeed come to this school now.

Yugi sighed again, deeper now at the conflicting emotions he had about these strangers, how they were acting. He had been positive no one would recognize this particular holiday, and since he had pretty much influenced himself of that it seemed impossible that he had seen these three particular teenagers not saying anything, not even laughing. He drooped in his desk, watching the short, balding teacher scribble Calculus on the chalkboard with blind eyes. Kids continued to talk behind him, his desk for this period being in the front, and he took a chance and glanced over his shoulder.

Yugi frowned slightly when he saw Seto Kaiba sitting in the back, taking notes boredly, but repeatedly looking over to a blonde boy sitting next to him. This young man had almost bleach blonde locks, but obviously his natural hair color, and bright amber eyes that glittered at the billionaire next to him. Yugi furrowed his eyebrows further when Seto passed the boy a note like he had done with Anzu earlier, and the boy covered his mouth for some reason. Around all the loud chatter in the room, these two silent ones in the back confused Yugi greatly.

When the tone went off to signal that the class was over, Yugi waited until the two in the back had gotten to the door before standing directly behind them. He would prove to himself that they were talking today, breaking the almost forgotten code of silence. He followed them down the halls, not once hearing a word, but noticing the repetitive smiles and the affectionate way their fingers were intertwined. He stood a ways off, not really believing his eyes when he saw Seto Kaiba place a chaste kiss on the lips of the shorter blonde, and gasped inwardly. Of all people Yugi would never have guessed someone like Kaiba was gay. Before they walked off though, Yugi noticed something fall from the blonde's backpack, and picked the paper off the floor slowly. It didn't look like anything important, the date proving how old it was, but the name was interesting. It read, Jounouchi Katsuya [1].

Fourth hour had to have been the slowest of the day thus far, but Yugi was not concerned with such a trivial thing as time, and took a desk in the back once more. This period was Practical Law, a subject he absolutely loved, but it also seemed that he was not the only one. A pale, thin boy just two seats ahead of him and one over bounced where he sat, silver locks moving with him as bright auburn eyes scanned the room. Although enthusiastic, the boy remained quiet, smiling or nodding at people who said something to him. Next to him, Yugi saw Jounouchi, and next to him he saw Anzu.

Once again, the room seemed to swirl around him and these selected people, their actions twisting poor Yugi's mind out of proportion. He was positive he was not thinking straight when the three began to pass a single note of conversation between them, and nearly jumped out of his seat when Sensei Wysocki yelled his name. It was obvious she had called him more than once. Everyone in class spun to look at him when he raised his hand, signaling that he was here. The instructor sighed and pointed to her book, saying something about him explaining the courts and how she had already taken attendance, but Yugi was quicker, and reached into his pocket for his beloved card. He stood slowly and walked towards her at the front, holding up the brilliantly colored piece of paper for her to read. The elderly lady smiled kindly and nodded, before letting the short boy return to his seat.

Yugi did not miss the way the same three that had mystified him were all looking at him, and then back between themselves.

Next was lunch, and Yugi immediately walked over to an isolated tree in the middle of the yard, situating himself on the surface of a flat bolder purposely placed next to the oak. He ate his lunch without thought; watching everyone else from afar and quickly located the people he had been observing the entire day. Jounouchi, Seto Kaiba, Anzu, what looked to be Anzu's boyfriend, and that one boy that looked almost albino, all sitting wordlessly together at one picnic table closest to the building. Yugi was almost tempted to join them, if only to find out what he knew couldn't be true.

Yugi flinched however when his Puzzle got a fraction warmer and then disappeared, and nearly fell off his perch when a person identical to the albino appeared out of thin air. Without asking Yami, he knew that the boy held a Millennium Item, and that the boy was also sharing a deeper bond with his spirit as said ancient soul wrapped an equally pale arm around the hikari's shoulders. Yugi couldn't help but grin cordially, before letting it fade and returning to his small meal.

He was jolted back to reality when the bell sounded for the end of lunch, and he proceeded in gathering his things for fifth period.

Nearly falling over from shock, Yugi sat down in his appointed seat next to Anzu, seeing almost everyone he had seen at that picnic table in this same room with the exception of Jounouchi and the albino. Seto Kaiba and that other boy were on the opposite side of the room. The boy's name would come to be Honda, per-say this hour's sensei.

Yugi, again, said nothing to anyone, but did try to smile weakly back to Anzu when she threw him a friendly grin. He was most surprised though, when she wrote him a note. It read: "What's your name?" and Yugi replied, sending it back to her, to which she merely nodded, still smirking, and looked back to pay attention to Sensei Rei.

Still baffled, Yugi left that class for the last hour of the day, reluctantly finding himself yet again, alone at his lab table with five seats to spare. He had gotten to this class early, not having anyone to meet with or any reason to go downstairs to his locker when he would just have to come back up anyway. Anzu would soon join him, hand in hand with Honda once more, and Yugi would smile and nod at her shyly, trying to avoid Honda's curious gaze. The last thing he needed was an enemy for something he didn't do, but he jerked a little when a hand rested on his shoulder, and he met the boy's hazel eyes when he shook his head and laughed silently, an invitation of some kind that Yugi accepted. He would soon be joined by Seto Kaiba and his partner Jounouchi, and then lastly by the albino.

They all looked at him for a long while, before Seto moved first, digging into his pocket and drawing out a little pink card.

Yugi's eyes widened, and then turned as every single person at that table pulled out the same thing from various places. Without questioning they all flipped their card over to show handwriting on the backs, each card reading a name. Yugi looked at everyone's noting that he knew all their names already, but paused to read the albino's perfect cursive. 'Ryou Bakura'.

Yugi looked at everyone, then blinked before a little too quickly searching for his own card, writing his name on the back and showing it to the people who were now his fellow supporters.

It seemed like forever after that, but by the end of the class, through a series of notes, Yugi had made five of the best friends a guy could find, mutely. And as they stood to leave, Jou stopped him with a long fingered hand gripping his elbow. Confused, Yugi looked back as Jou bent down, picked up a rectangular shaped piece of paper, and handed it to him. Yugi took the dropped card gratefully, and Jou smiled brightly, letting Seto link their fingers once more as the little group moved off the school grounds and walked home.

In the distance, a cry sounded, soon followed by loud laughter and new voices, a small boy's dreams come true as he was finally accepted. The group grew further away, the couples excitedly clinging to their respective mates as two ancient spirits appeared besides their hikaris. It was a calm day, it would be a calm night, and tomorrow everything would be a bit louder.

On the ground though, forgotten but not forgotten, lay a small pink card, the delicately printed words reading:

~The Day of Silence Project

Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I support everyone's rights. People who are silent today believe that laws and attitudes should be inclusive of people of all sexual orientations, race, and gender. The Day of Silence is to draw attention to those who have been silenced by hatred, oppression, and prejudice. Think about the voices your not hearing. What can you do to end the silence? ~

~*~

Owari

~*~

Sorry about this being so random and completely lacking lemons, but hey, I am a strong supporter of this cause and the Day of Silence Project. It was on April 9th, and it will always be on this day. Remember this and always respect people's emotions and civil rights.

*Magenta Horror