What I Expect

The Preface to Christmas

This chapter wasn't originally going to be about this. It was going to be about 1,200 words and end on a nice moment with Marik and Akefia hugging. Well someone pissed me off and insulted someone very close to me, so that's not happening anymore.
⚠️ Potentially triggering content ahead. Suicide, abortion debate, misogyny. ⚠️

With Christmas so close, I don't know what to do. I don't have enough money to visit Egypt or even send Ishizu a present, but we've made a promise to text her all Christmas Day. My birthday is the 23rd, but I haven't told anyone here. I don't intend to because nobody cares. Akefia might, Hell he probably would want to get me a present, but I don't want to burden him with that. I don't feel like putting that on anyone since we're all poor-ass students and the burden of Christmas is enough. "We should make plans to do something this year, since the house is full," Yūgi offers one morning we're all helping in the Game Shop.

"Like what?" Melvin asks, chewing on a pen. "And not something boring. It'll be hard enough convincing Kefi to join in!"

"Still, we'll plan to include him," Yugi decides. "I'll ask Grandpa what we can do, if he's up for maybe buying proper Christmas we can all have together?"

That actually sounds great, but I'd need to know how we're all paying. And decline if we're buying our own. I don't know what to get Akefia. Something special. I've decided to give my Christmas Eve tips to Yugi and to cover Melvin's shifts from Boxing Day to New Years as his present. As for Mai, I have no idea, we'll probably talk frankly about it beforehand. But Akefia is special, and no matter what I need to show him I love him. It's like a burning desire to give him the appreciation he deserves but doesn't get off anyone else.

I go upstairs to Akefia's room and surprisingly, there's someone else here. That Bakura person is sitting on his bed. "Evening, Marik isn't it?" They grin past the mountain of unhealthy food on their lap.

"Yeah, hi," I say quietly, but they don't even acknowledge me. Just turn back to Akefia and continue the conversation like I'm not even here.

"Nope, they say I need to gain weight for my surgery or they won't do bugger -all," they complain. It irks me to be ignored, but my psychology brain is itching for more information about Bakura. It's like I'm invisible, when I'm ignored. People don't see me as a threat so they just expose themselves by talking freely. Actually, Akefia is the first person who didn't treat me like that. But of course Bakura does, like everyone else. "I don't even have an A-Cup yet, dammit. So hopefully with this-"

Bakura grips a handful of empty sweet wrappers and some old Taco Bell takeaway bags.

"- I'll gain the 12 pounds they need me to and get an A-Cup,"

"But wont you get fat?" Akefia asks, unwrapping chocolate for himself. He bites loudly and talks with his mouth full. "Like, shouldn't you be trying to eat well and gain muscle?"

Bakura shakes their head again. "I don't have enough fat, that's the bloody point. Besides, estrogen is stored in fat cells so hopefully the effects will improve if I actually have some of those," they grin.

"It's been working well so far," Akefia muses. It's fun to watch him talk with other people. He seems to adjust his personality a huge amount depending on who he's speaking to. Even I can't do that. He reaches out and starts squishing Bakura's cheek. "Your skin is soft as shit, Kura,"