Part 1 - Coming Out: Yugi

Seto had just finished changing into the tight little dress he was going to wear that night for the clubbing event. He and Yugi were going out to the local gay club in town to dance their woes and worries away – however – Seto was very worried about being exposed. Nobody knew of him being gay. He was still closeted. Yet he didn't want Yugi to feel completely hindered in not being able to do anything with him, so this was the compromise: extreme drag.

Seto took a seat in a chair in front of a giant mirror in Yugi's room. Ever since they graduated high school 3 years ago, Yugi had taken over his grandfather's shop. However, business wasn't so great, and as such, asked Bakura to move in with him to help pay off the fees, through Bakura paying a slightly over-priced rent. Bakura had money, and felt he could use a little company. However this changed slightly after Marik had decided to return to Japan hooked up with Bakura. Yugi didn't mind the couple living with him – he needed the money to pay off the fees owed and he really could use the company. Also, he and Seto weren't quite at that stage yet of "living together."

Yugi entered his room carrying a large, black makeup bag, set it on the table in front of the mirror and opened it. He looked at Seto and smiled. "Ready?"

"Just let me know when it's over," Seto replied.

Yugi grinned. He started to rummage through the make-up bag and picked out a foundation that matched Seto's complexion, along with some loose powder.

"Yugi, I have a question," Seto said.

Yugi looked over at his lover with curious eyes. "Go on," he said as he was loosening the cap of the foundation and pouring some onto his hand.

"How did you...come out?"

Yugi paused for a moment with his foundation brush in hand, ready to load it. He smiled a little to himself. Seto was actually interested in his 'coming out' story, and this meant alot to him. It was like the right step forward in the relationship.

"You really want to know?" Yugi teased.

"If you're going to attack me with makeup, might as well keep me entertained," Seto replied in a flat monotone.

Yugi chuckled, and started to dab at Seto's face with foundation.

"Well, I officially came out as being gay about a year after the events of the Millennium Puzzle, you recall?" Yugi asked. Seto nodded. "The whole process started shortly after our return to Japan from Egypt. At the time I had a crush on Tea, as you well know, so I asked her out. I finally had the courage to do that, and she said yes to my surprise." Yugi smiled a little. "We started to do 'normal' dating things – go on long walks, see movies, play card games, all sorts of things. It wasn't until about three months into the relationship that things got a little bit weird." At this point Yugi frowned.

"How so" Seto asked flatly.

"Well at this point I was well under way of going through puberty. Of course, after a month of dating Tea and I had our first kiss. It was wonderful, mostly because I was so excited to be kissed by anybody. Yet I always noticed how I was never fully 'turned on,' by her, and I in part blamed this on the fact that my hormones hadn't kicked in yet, and Tea was understanding. So I waited, and, as I started to grow and transgress into being more of a man, these hormones that I was waiting for didn't quite go the direction I was expecting. I still wasn't turned on by Tea."

"Did she notice anything?"

"Of course. She was always sitting on my lap, she saw my growth spurts. She knew my hormones 'had officially come' thanks to these obvious changes. But it was around this three month mark where she asked me why I wasn't getting a 'hard-on' for her whenever she got close. I diffidently did not expect this question, I didn't even think she could notice such a small detail. However, to me it was important. I told her that of course I was attracted to her, and was 'turned on' by her...I was just more conscious about it and embarassed."

"Did she believe you?"

"Yes. She did. And I was glad. More time went on. However, as we went out, I started to notice myself...looking at guys. I didn't even realize I was doing it until some guy looked back, and winked at me...thank goodness Tea at the time didn't see the action, but it really got me thinking about my sexuality, and how it could possibly explain why I wasn't turned on by Tea. However, I wasn't ready to give up on her yet, I mean I pined after her for ages, and I really wanted to make it work. I wanted to convince myself I was straight. I wanted to convince myself I loved Tea."

"But you love me" Seto teased.

Yugi smiled and puckered his lips at Seto, "You know I do. But I'm not done with the story! Look up for me, would you?"

Seto hadn't realized that Yugi was ready to apply mascara onto his eyelashes, however, Yugi was telling a juicy story, so he obeyed.

"Not too long after did I try to go all the way with Tea. At this point I was desperate. I wanted to love Tea, I was sure I loved her. I mean, what would have changed between before and after puberty? The only thing would be these hormones kicking in and helping me be attracted to her. So I decided to test myself...we tried to go all the way." Yugi stopped and laughed a little. "Of course, it never happened. I never 'got up' if you know what I mean. I just simply wasn't attracted to vaginas."

Yugi finished the mascara and laughed a little more. He took out the blush and started to apply it to Seto's cheeks. "It was at this devastating moment that I realized that there was no way I could ever love Tea the way I wanted to. I was extremely embarrassed. However, Tea didn't seem to be offended. In fact, the next day she invited me over to talk about it."

"What did you discuss?"

"She sat me down and discussed sexuality with me, specifically homosexuality. My possibility at the time of being gay. She had noticed some of my odd behaviours, she knew I wasn't turned on, and somehow she knew I was struggling. It's amazing what some women know! I swear...anyways, she, being the good person she was, wanted to help me. We chatted, and as a result, by the end of the conversation, I walked away seriously considering homosexuality as a possibility. I needed to mull it over first before jumping to conclusions. It was in fact, a huge stepping stone in my life after all. You're all done by the way."

Seto looked in the mirror, shocked at his major transformation. He could not see himself as Seto in the mirror, but as his alter ego, Blaire Dragoon, staring straight back at him. "Thanks for doing that for me," Seto replied. He stood up, moved to Yugi's bed and sat down. He gestured for Yugi to come next to him.

Yugi followed and sat on his bed, next to Seto, curling into him. They had plenty of time before leaving, Bakura and Marik always needed to look extra-fabulous so they would take quite some time. "Tell me the rest of the story" Seto whispered into Yugi's ear.

"I went home that night, and laid in bed, thinking hard. And I came to a couple of conclusions. One being that the only reason why I liked Tea so much from before, was she fit what a stereotypical pretty girl should look like...pale skin, big boobs, skinny and kind. When I was younger I confused my platonic love and sexual love. I thought my platonic love could transform into sexual love at some point, but that never happened. Also, I wanted to fit in. Joey and Tristan were into girls, so I felt I needed to have a girl to, and Tea was just that. She was a girl I was friends with, and, viola. Platonic got confused with sexual...and the sexual never came. After this huge realization, I felt much more at ease, I felt better about who I was, and comfortable with why I wasn't attracted to Tea. Then I started to think about men, and the minute that happened, oh boy, did I ever get a hard on" Yugi giggled, and continued on, "and then I was more confident in my homosexuality. I didn't lie to myself when I said I loved Tea, of course I did, just not in that way. I needed a man. We broke up the next day, but it wasn't horrible as many think it should be, of course she and I are still great friends. In fact, after we broke up, she partially helped introduce me into the gay community. She was there for me when I got my ear pierced." Yugi touched his ear gently, where his reminder hung. He smiled. "Then came school."

"What happened at school?"

"Bakura."

"Hm?"

"Bakura had been out for quite some time apparently, and was the first kid to notice I had my ear pierced. He came right up to me, and asked if I was gay. I told him I was, being the second person I officially came out to. The moment I told him everything is just a huge blur, he dragged me to so many gay events, parties, I didn't even know Bakura knew that many people! It was like he was a completely different person in that sort of setting. In school, he was shy, studious and quiet. However, around the queer community, he is probably one of the best known people, and was definitely very loud and opinionated."
Seto chuckled at this. "Of course he is, he is that way now."

"That is because he doesn't feel he has to hide behind anything anymore. But he is a completely separate story. So through him, I came out to the queer community. But I still hadn't 'officially' come out. The last piece of the puzzle was coming out to my grandfather. For such a long time, I was afraid to, because he was old, and had some conservative views on the way things should be."

"And?"

"And he accepted me for who I was. I was so relieved, so thankful. I felt like I had officially, and completely come out of the closet. And now, I'm happier than I could ever be."

"Hm." Seto pondered. "Your story isn't too bad."

"No, not at all."

"It seems like almost everybody here that's 'come out' hasn't had many repercussions, you, Bakura, Marik..."

"Oh don't make assumptions Seto just because it appears that way. In fact, I believe Marik had the roughest ride of us all in terms of coming out. I feel so bad for him, he went through quite a slump."

"How so?"

Yugi sighed. "Well if you want to know...promise you won't tell him I told you." As Yugi launched into the coming out of Marik.