How We Meet

Me: "I read my previous story and was hit by the need to improve upon it." Hypersqueal

Lisa:muttering "bout time…."

Me: glares

Disclaimer: Think about it- if I did own Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters, would there not be lots of kinky sex? Yes, yes there would. Sadly all I own is Aunt Rose…. and Lisa.

Chapter one: Of Fire, washing machines and footsteps

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Ryou Bakura stared at the smoking ruins of his previous home, admiring the way the smoke was scattered lightly in the breeze. He sat by the charred remains for over an hour, one question tormenting him… Why?

As cars pulled over to inspect the damage, he furrowed his brow, deep in thought and oblivious to the rest of the world.

He was unaware of the men pulling him away, unaware of the picture frame falling from his grasp. A single memory preserved in a burnt photograph, Ryou Bakura and his smiling parents. The only reminder they had ever existed.

Less then two hours ago Ryou had been walking home, carton of milk clutched in his hands. As he sat in the back of the silver car, taking him to his only relative, he relived the moment, his expression of horror, the milk bursting on the ground, Forgotten. A single tear rolled down his cheek, leaving a faint trail along his ash tinged face.

After three hours of uncomfortable silence the silver car pulled over. A Gruff voice interrupted Ryou's thoughts. "Mr Bakura…" a hesitation, "We have arrived." Ryou nodded numbly, smiling falteringly at the driver. "Arigatou," was the mumbled reply.

Ryou walked along the narrow brick path, stopping before an average house, wrinkling his nose in disgust. The displeasure he felt was centred around a small wooden plaque, slightly to the left of the door. Carved on the plaque in an intricate design were the words: Miss Rose, number 24. Ryou hesitated, and then rapped his knuckles gently on the door.

After Ryou's parents demise he had been sent to his closest relative, Cadence Rose, an unpleasant woman by all accounts. Upon first meeting his distant Aunt Rose, at the tender age of five, he had commented on her slight moustache, asking rather loudly, "Mummy, what is it?"

Ryou was still pondering this rather unfortunate first introduction when a rather large woman answered the door. With a shock Ryou recognised his Aunt Rose, and realised she hadn't changed very much at all in the past eleven years. Hell! She still even had her moustache! Her thin, blonde hair had been pulled up in a strict bun and her small, grey eyes narrowed as she recognised Ryou.

"Ryou Bakura?" Her voice was deep and sharp.

"Hai," was the meek reply as he realised with a sinking heart she had not forgotten the event so long ago.

"Dead, huh? Thought they would offload you onto me." She studied him briskly, taking in his snow-white hair and green eyes sceptically, " How old are you then?"

Ryou flinched at the bluntness of the question. "Sixteen last month, Aunt Rose."

"Hm." She turned around and walked inside, calling over her shoulder, " Wipe your feet and close the door."

" Rose no baka." Ryou muttered angrily, doing as she asked and following her into a small living room.

" Do not talk unless I ask you a question. You will be going to Domino high whilst you live with me and you will buy the required school items tomorrow. Any questions?" She said all this rather quickly, sneering slightly at him.

" Where will I be sleeping?" Came the equally swift reply, he would be damned if he let Aunt Rose get to him.

She frowned in thought, " In the upstairs room, third door down the hall. Go settle yourself in whilst I do things that need attending to, I will call you down for dinner."

Ryou muttered angrily as he dragged his suitcase up the stairs. Thunk " Rose no baka." Thunk " Stupid cow" Thunk.

Ryou dragged the small suitcase along the polished wooden floor, hoping half-heartedly that it would scratch.

Ryou stopped in the doorframe, his face etched with disbelief. The baka had given him easily the smallest room in the house, cluttered with items from previous marriages. He groaned slightly at the grotesque floral patterns adorning the walls.

Dragging his suitcase into the room, he sat on the bed and started emptying his bag. Saying it wasn't much was an understatement. He had saved what he could from the fire, a few ash coated clothes, a stuffed toy rabbit (which he would later state never existed), and a couple of slightly burnt photographs.

Ryou sighed and placed his only clothes in the washing machine, choosing a pair of black cargo's and a white t-shirt to wear. He blinked at the dials; he didn't think you could fit that many options on a washing machine. Chewing lightly on his lip, he carefully re-adjusted some of the dials, and, crossing his fingers, stepping away. When he realised it wasn't going to explode white bubbles all over the place comically, he sighed in relief.

"Ryou!" He winced as the shrill voice echoed up the stairs.

After eyeing the washing machine mistrustingly once more, he walked downstairs, rolling his eyes. With a voice like Aunt Rose's he was positive he would have a headache in record time.

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After dinner and a lecture for letting it get cold whilst he played about in the laundry, Ryou had escaped back to his adopted bedroom.

Ryou yawned and flopped on his bed clumsily. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a small book in a box labelled ' First marriage.' He chuckled at the misfortune of the poor guy; anyone who had anything to do with Aunt Rose was an unfortunate soul indeed in Ryou's eyes.

He rolled of the bed and knelt by the box, lifting out the dust covered book carefully. Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody (1). Intrigued, Ryou lifted himself back onto the bed, flipping open the cover.

Ryou could hear heavy footsteps making their way up the stairs. He regretfully closed the book and slid it under his pillow, just in case he shouldn't have taken it from the box.

The door opened and Aunt Rose poked her head in "Lights out!" She barked, slamming the door shut.

Funny, He could still hear footsteps. He crept to the door, pressing his ear against it. There was a muttered conversation, but he could only hear dribbles of it, most of it in a deep, husky, male voice. "Hm. Drunk? Figures" came Aunt Rose's shrill voice. "Whatever," The male voice replied.

There was a clinking noise that sounded like keys and the footsteps echoed back down the stairs. Ryou scrambled back to his bed and feigned sleep as Aunt Rose flicked on the light and peered in sharply. The light went out and Ryou opened his eyes. Although he fell asleep soon after, it was a restless dream full of unknown faces, male voices and the ever-echoing footsteps.

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(1) I was named after one of the characters in this book!

Me: "That's it for now"

Alliora: "The next one's about Bakura!" Squeals

Me: "please review and tell me what you think!"

Lisa: "What she means is: Review or I swear to Ra I will hunt you down and cut off…"mmph

Me: Sweatdrops, holding hand across Lisa's mouth. "Arigatou!"