A/N: I do not own Yu Gi Oh, it belongs to Kazuki Takahashi.
Yugi Mutou was the owner of the Millennium Puzzle. When he received this mysterious object he immediately started to assemble the pieces. As he did so, he made a wish on the Puzzle that he would finally make some friends. His wish came true. Not only did he meet the enigmatic spirit trapped inside it, he also befriended Téa, Tristan and Joey.
Malik Ishtar was born the son in a long line of tomb keepers, waiting for the arrival of their Pharaoh. He longed for freedom of the darkness. When he went through the initiation ceremony and had the secrets of the pharaohs carved into his back, his pain and hatred of the Pharaoh for making him spend his life underground became a separate entity, an evil side if you will. His fervent wish for freedom came true - though in a twisted way - as the evil spirit seized the Millennium Rod and killed his father.
So then, Ryou Bakura looked sadly down at the Millennium Ring hanging around his neck. Why do I not get my wish?
His yami laughed at him. Foolish boy, the only reason you came into possession of the Millennium Ring was so that I have a suitable host. The Millennium Ring does you no good; you cannot even harness its power for yourself.
Ryou's eyes filled with tears. His mother and sister had died long ago and his father, seeing too much resemblance between his wife and his son, never came home from his research trips in Egypt, lest his wounds of grief be reopened.
When his father gave him the Millennium Ring, he cherished it, thinking with some fierce semblance of hope that his father still cared about him, still loved him.
Love.
That was he all he wanted in the world. Someone to tell him that he was still wanted, needed. He had made friends with Yugi and his group, true enough. But he always felt somehow separate. Perhaps it was due to the dark spirit lurking in his mind.
Ryou stood up suddenly, wiping viciously at his tears. "It's all your fault!" he hissed at the darkness.
His yami materialised in front of him in spirit form. "What is?" he asked interestedly.
"You're why I have no one!"
Bakura blinked, feigning innocence (not that anyone would ever believe he of all people was innocent!) "You're blaming me for your family's death? Really, hikari, that was one thing I didn't do. And besides," he suddenly grinned, "Am I no one?"
Ryou stared at his yami. Whenever Bakura was grinning like that, he was planning something devious. "What do you mean?" he asked finally.
"Well you still have me, don't you?"
"Like that does me any good." Ryou suddenly broke down again and fell to his knees. "I just want someone to love me, yami!"
Bakura glanced down at his crying hikari. It's rather pitiful, he thought. The people of this modern age are much softer than they used to be. I never needed anyone else but myself when I was alive. However, he grinned again, fangs flashing. I guess it's too much to expect everyone to be as strong as me.
He solidified and knelt down to take Ryou in his arms. Ryou burrowed his head into Bakura's chest and stayed there, glad to be held.
"I know you don't really care, Bakura, but thank you for acting as though you do," Ryou mumbled.
Bakura looked down, surprised. "You're my host aren't you?" he asked. "I care about all my possessions."
Ryou looked up. "Is that all I am to you? A possession?" He pushed himself free of Bakura and sat up, looking hurt.
Bakura sighed. If he wasn't so pretty… "What more do you want? Me to act like Pharaoh does?" He shuddered. "Wishful thinking there, hikari."
"No. Just for you to actually care about my wellbeing. Is it really too much to ask for? Is there really no one capable of-"
Bakura, deciding to interrupt his rant before he really got himself into a state, leaned forward and pressed his lips to Ryou's.
Ryou let out a shocked gasp before melting into Bakura and kissing him back.
Seeing that he'd successfully shut Ryou up, Bakura made to pull away but Ryou wouldn't let him. However, Bakura was much stronger than his hikari and easily overpowered him, backing out of Ryou's embrace.
Ryou looked at him disappointedly, but instead crawled forward and leant his head on Bakura's shoulder.
Bakura allowed this, but was surprised at his normally shy host's sudden boldness. He decided it was better than him falling into the downward spiral of depression, after all he was always complaining that his host wasn't assertive enough.
"I do care," he murmured, stroking Ryou's hair, and an odd thrill went through him as he realised it was true.
Ryou smiled up at him, brown eyes full of trust. Has my wish come true?
Bakura leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, completely at ease. Certainly.
A/N: So that's my first ever attempt at a one-shot. I'm fairly happy with it, but I think they both changed moods and attitudes a bit too quickly. I'd appreciate reviews, if only to know that my work has actually been read. Thanks for reading!