Ryou walked into the in-between classroom, on the way to his own, glad to be back in school. He missed going to classes, they had become the high point of his day. That is, after he had taken possession of the millennium ring, or rather it had taken possession of him. It was one of the very few times he could count on the spirit laying dormant. He had to put on a normal front for Yugi and co. But beside that, Ryou had enjoyed learning way before the spirit came along.

-Oh, come on. You're always so impersonal when you think of me. I have a name you know, landlord.-

-Yeah, so do I. What's your point, spirit? - Ryou returned, with a bored air.

Bakura, even though he was cooperative during school hours, tended to get bored, and kept up a constant chatter in the back of Ryou's head. Ryou had a knack for listening to two things at once, so he just focused most of his attention on the teacher. Once Bakura felt he was safe, and that Ryou was no longer listening, he sometimes would go into stories about his past or recite ancient poetry(most of it bloody and involving death of all characters or anguish beyond imagination) or occasionally even tell the atrocities he committed while Ryou should have been in bed sleeping at night. But if Ryou even once shifted his attention, just ever so slightly, Bakura would clam up and offer a snide remark at whatever Ryou was thinking about. Ryou was beginning to take it for granted that he had no privacy, even in his thoughts.

"Hey, buddy! You're back! Good to see ya well again!" Joununchi exclaimed.

"Ryou, are you feeling better? We missed you in class." Yugi asked softly.

"Yes, just fine. I missed going to class as well." Ryou felt jealousy, even anger towards Yugi sometimes. Why did he have to get the spirit that wouldn't go homicidal at the drop of a hat, that cared what he felt? Yugi would never have to wake up in the morning wondering whose blood covered his hands and how it got there.

-He's bloodthirsty enough. He just likes to pretend he can hide it, and act all civilized. Makes me sick. You can't deny your nature forever, pharaoh.-

Ryou thought he had gotten better at hiding his feelings, but there were no secrets kept from the voice in his head that pried open things that had been laid to rest, things better left in the dark.

"Did you get the 'Get Well Soon' card the class sent you?" Anzu asked. Being president of the class, she no doubt suggested, organized, and coordinated the effort.

"Yes, it was lovely. I swear, it made me get better sooner." Ryou replied. Anzu blushed lightly at the praise.

"Here's all the notes and homework you need from while you were out. I knew you wouldn't want to miss a single thing." She continued.

"Thank you ever so much. I must be getting to class now, before I'm late." Ryou started to walk away and suddenly felt a familiar sensation of lightheadedness wash over him. 'Not again...' was all he had time to think, before he hit the floor in a flat out faint. The sensation of smacking the floor awoke Bakura (who had started dozing quite peacefully, without Ryou realizing it) quite well, and his eyes snapped open to Yugi, Anzu, Tristan, and Joununchi standing over him. It took a strong effort of will to not to put a set of knives in their hearts right then and there, for being so close to him while unconscious. Once he realized what was going on, he sat up, careful to keep Ryou's appearance.

-This is the fifth time this month, little landlord. This is growing tiresome. I shall cover for you only this once. - Bakura said to the resounding silence in his head.

He flashed a timid thing resembling a smile to Ryou's friends. They chattered with worry, sounding like hens to him, until he made a better smile and profusely reassured them he was fine. He talked them out of escorting them to the nurse, barely. Bakura just hated having to make up cover stories for 'mysterious deaths'. There are only so many ways to explain a dead person that aren't suspicious. He finally managed to escape, and hid in a bathroom, waiting for Ryou to recover. In the meantime he switched over to his own appearance, to give Ryou a fright when he woke up.

-Sleepyhead, it's not good to fall asleep on you feet, you know.-

-What are you doing? Where am I? - Ryou's voice started off faint, but was getting stronger. He got a good look in the mirror.

-Oh no, no. What have you done this time! What happened to school being untouchable?-

-I bore of such things quickly. You'd better get to class now. - Bakura answered with a mental shrug.

Ryou hurried along out of there. How can I ever explain this to teacher, Ryou thought, sorry my evil spirit decided to take a joyride in my body, and it'll probably happen again?

-He'd never believe you, you know. And I'd have to kill him afterwards anyway.-

-Thanks, that solves all the world's problems, death.-

-A touch of sarcasm, little landlord? Anyway, the teacher won't remember you being late; I'll make sure of it. And a few other things he'll never remember again also. Did you know that you can strip a person out of somebody's memories, and leave all the rest of those memories still intact? It's just hilarious when they come home to a spouse, or child, that they no longer remember. - Bakura cackled his regular insane laugh.

Ryou hurried off to class before the spirit could upset him anymore.

Usually Ryou only needed a couple of hours of sleep to function normally, and he had adapted to even less once the spirit had come along. (Ryou refused to gratify him by using his name. It was too much like accepting him as a permanent resident.)

Today, though, he had even gotten himself a full night's sleep (he was fairly sure) and he just couldn't keep himself from nodding off. He figured that it was the spirit's newest form of torture. You see, because Ryou could not be physically harmed without raising suspicions, the spirit had to get creative with his 'punishments'. Ryou, as of yet, could not think of anything he could even possibly like less than the spirit's idea of creativity.

Ryou hoped vaguely that there wouldn't be a pop quiz on today's material, because the only thing he knew was that it involved elements and minerals. It wasn't helping that the lights were off because the teacher was doing something with the overhead projector.

'Last class of the day. Just a few more minutes. If I can just get through this...'

And with that Ryou slumped quietly down on his desk. It took Bakura a little while to notice that Ryou wasn't moving, at all, and that he couldn't hear Ryou's thoughts.

He focused in on Ryou and realized, with some considerable panic, that, even with his abnormally acute hearing, he couldn't hear the sound of Ryou's breathing.

At all.