Sealed Lost Home

Outcasted

Xavier hates feeling pitiful for someone, because it usually comes for someone who hates the idea of pity. He usually doesn't find himself being able to be of much use anyway, so he keeps himself in the background of everyone's dilemmas. Unless it's Amira, Gabe, or Louis, no one thinks of Xavier as their first line for help. He is honestly fine with this, as personal values tend to succumb his mindset and make everything worse.

When it comes to Bakura, for example, Xavier feels an odd sense of relation with him. A disconnect between where he is and where he feels he belongs is something he feels everyday of his life. A shadow amongst a prestigious society can feel just as big as entering a whole other dimension, Xavier thinks.

His household (aka his parents) are both outgoing and ambitious people, being able to be persuasive to any other higher up or manipulate lower class people into thinking they are worth working for. While they may be good parents, Xavier can tell that the disconnect between them personality wise effects their relationship from ever growing stronger than just "good".

Then there is the current school his parents applied him to, Bextor High. It is a large private school specifically for affluent families to have their children prepare for enrolling in the best universities. With no sort of ambition to go off of, Xavier was a prime target for invisibility. While he may have met friends like Amira, Gabe, Louis, those three can blend in with the high hitting expectations that the school places on them. The only other exception Xavier can think of is Lana, who would rather spit on the face of authority and live life to its fullest rather than using her advantages as someone from a rich family.

As of right now, Xavier chalks up Lana's attitude as someone from a rough home life. But once again, pity is something that is frowned upon here.

Evening falls and the sky shines a beautiful dark orange as the sun falls behind the walls of Lake Creek. Gabe's house is almost empty, with just Xavier and Bakura. Jack in the Box need both Gabe and Louis to come in for shifts and Amira's grandparents want her to babysit her younger sister. The atmosphere almost feels cold despite the sunny warm weather outside. The day felt long and excruciating due to all that went down between himself, his friends, and this new figure apparently from some alternate dimension (or so he claims). Now, the hours feel like they are at a triathlon for which of them zoomed by quicker. 

With each passing minute, Bakura is the same. Laying on the couch, his side pressed against the couch cushions and his face buried in more cushions. He is trying unsuccessfully to make a shell for himself at the moment, gripping onto the trims of a nearby blanket using two of his fingertips. Xavier gets up from the couch, scurries to Bakura, and wraps him up in the blanket like a mother would do for their infant child.

Bakura can only murmur something indistinguishable in return and snug his hands to the safety of his Millennium Ring.

Xavier: Hey, Bakura...

Bakura: (no response. Not even a stir. Just pure stillness)

Xavier: (sighs) How can I say this without being awkward... B-Bakura, I... I take you're not okay...?

Bakura: (a slight gust of breath comes from Bakura's mouth, not enough to muster as a sigh)

Xavier: I get it... This is probably very confusing, and all that happened probably just made it worse... I don't know you all that well, but I... I'd like to...

Bakura: (he stirs a bit, positioning his face from one couch cushion to another)

Xavier: . . . I don't really know what else to say... Maybe just... I relate to you?

Bakura: (snickers as he flips his body around to show his face) You? Relate to me? If anything, you're more similar to my host than anything else. Wherever... he is...

Xavier: Well, what's your host like?

Bakura: Ryou... He was pathetic. Shy, a basic shut in actually. He liked those nerdy things that you and your group seemed to like, manga and these pins... He was a perfect disciple for manipulation because I can easily play with his insecurities~ You're like that yourself.

Xavier: Y-You think I am easy to manipulate?

Bakura: Of course! You're probably more insecure than he is! I see your fear right now~

Xavier: I... (He finds himself unable to utter more words, either due to his tongue being tied or actual, legitimate fear of Bakura)

Bakura: That fool had to keep switching schools because of my collection of souls in the Shadow Realm! (Cackles) And no matter what he does to the ring, I'll always be back! But you...

Xavier: Me...?

Bakura: You, Xavier... You'd probably pick up the ring yourself because you'll feel lonely without me! You seem like the type.

Xavier: I-I'm not... that lonely... ish... I-I mean, I still have my friends!

Bakura: (raises his eyebrows and grins with mischief) See? You're already trembling. You don't really fit in with them, don't you? Like how Ryou doesn't with... you know who?

Xavier: I don't know who but... I-I don't know. Maybe? I don't really fit in... I mean, I am bi, so that's one thing. But that's fine, Louis is trans and Gabe is probably pan. (Widens his eyes) Wait, no, I- shit-

Bakura: Pfft. Stop yammering so much. I'm a stealer of souls, not a homophobic.

Xavier: O-O-Okay... A-Anyway, I guess it's mainly about our upbringings. They all know what they want to do with their lives, and are working to get there in the future. And... (his mouth clamps shut again)

Bakura: Tch. You're very much like Ryou... He never knows what he wants these days... He's very path-

Xavier: I know what I want! I want to be able to fit in! I want to be able to have a dream, make people proud, do something important! But I... I can't do it... I don't know where to start...

Bakura: . . . You know you have people who probably care about your issues more than me. Why just tell them your sob story?

Xavier: That's the thing. You don't care about me at all...

Xavier's eyes feel wet, as if they are leaking hot tears each second. His fears, his insecurities, have all been spilled out over a villainous archetype who can easily expose them to the entire world if he wanted to. At the same time, however, the fear of being exposed is overwhelmed by a weird sense of relief. Xavier hates to admit it, but he probably shared more with Bakura than he did with practically everyone just then. He ponders over why all the while more tears pour in. Was it a heat of the moment situation? Did he felt more comfortable opening his dreary closet to him? He only met Bakura today...

Then Xavier realizes that he answered his own question... Bakura doesn't give a shit about Xavier's own problems. Therefore, he wouldn't feel too hurt over anything Xavier says... This is made even more apparent when he makes a sob more audible than he would've liked and Bakura does not even bother to look away from the television.

Bakura: Netflix... You had this, too. What is it?

Xavier: Uh, N-Netflix? (Sniffs) It's a streaming service... You can w-watch movies and television shows there, some of which are N-Netflix originals... You wanna watch something on there?

Bakura: Hm... Do they have good horror movies?

Xavier: Y-Yeah, they do! Oh! They have Pan's Labyrinth on there! I love Guillermo del Toro's works! This is probably my favorite!

Bakura: (raises his eyebrows) Is it anything worth watching?

Xavier: Of course! It's dark, yet so beautiful and profound. It has to be seen in order to understand its horror and beauty!

Bakura: . . . Fine, whatever.

Pan's Labyrinth, although it has been most likely the fiftieth time Xavier has seen it, is still an experience that Xavier can be at awe about and be reduced to tears. Bakura is another story. Of course, he'd laugh at inappropriate moments such as the fairies being eaten by the Pale Man. Gabe and Louis also come on by from work and add their own humor and colorful commentary. By the end, however, all is silent. No one can say anything...

To Xavier, it adds to the beauty of his possible favorite flick. The raw silence...