Paladin: Here is a two-part-one-shot that demanded to be written one day. It features three of my original characters that I created for my original story, Bond, that I hope to start on fictionpress soon. They belong to me, and if anyone has the guts to steal them, beware my wrath because Hell has no fury like mine(and that goes for my original song lyrics too, which happen to be copyrighted in my real name). Anyway, the pairing I start out with is YYxOC but will change to ygo characters shortly.

Warnings: AU, some cursing, maybe OOC-ness, OCs, and...uh...rock music

Wonderwall

The crowd roared when they stepped onstage. Yami ignored them and took his place, throwing the thick guitar-strap over his shoulder.

He opened with the haunting lullaby as usual. It was a variation on a lullaby a half-forgotten lover used to hum when he was nervous. His fingers moved deftly, stroking the strings and opening the new album with his dark melody.

The music faded into the silence, and the band was ready to play now that Yami had introduced them. Yami glanced over the members of the small band that was steadily becoming one of the most popular in the rock genre.

Cari, lead singer and back up guitar, smiled at him through her bright purple-streaked black hair. Her dark eyes glittered with the adrenaline of a hundred people screaming her name. She wore about a hundred black gel bracelets and two or three thick silver necklaces. Jake, his black hair highlighted with a bright green that matched the color of his eyes, was busy with the strings on his bass. Yami stopped to look him over more thoroughly. He looked tired; the only jewelry he wore was the silver armband Yami had given him at the start of their relationship. Jake noticed Yami's gaze and flushed. Tobias was grinning wildly behind his drums and twirling a drumstick with one hand. His blond spiky hair was askew, and his blue eyes gleamed. He looked like he knew everything and was begging someone to test his knowledge. Tobias saw Yami looking at him and smirked. The later looked away with a roll of his eyes. Yami didn't care for Tobias all that much. He was too much of a smart-ass. Toby, as Cari called him sometimes, was the last to join the group.

They were all dressed in black, which Yami hated. It was so cliche and depressing. He usually liked for them to dress in different colors to represent the different attitudes that come together to create the songs that made the lists.

Yami kept his eyes on Jake as they started. It really turned him on to watch the way his fingers played over the strings, and the perfect notes that issued. It was hypnotic in a way, and eventually Yami had to look away to keep his mind on what he himself was supposed to be playing. Instead, he concentrated on Cari's voice and tried to suppress his urge to drop his instrument and carry Jake backstage.

Then came the song. It was one Yami wrote especially for Jake to sing. Jake was shy; very shy. He had a beautiful voice, but he had to be pushed to use it. Yami had used a little bit of blackmail to get this performance out of Jake, and he smiled a little to himself remembering the reason Jake wore his high-necked black tee shirt tonight.

"I've known you for a long time," his voice wavered out through the music as if it were a part of it. Yami took a step closer, unable to stop himself. Jake just naturally had a sad and tragic look to him, coupled with the lights and music, it almost brought tears to the writer's eyes.

"I know you'll never look my way,

though your always on my mind.

Your love is unreachable and so far away...

I've memorized every highlight in your hair,

I've followed every quirk

but you don't even know I'm there,

Even though I love you so much it hurts.

Sometimes I wonder,

If I should keep trying,

But when I allow myself to ponder,

I discover another part of me dying.

Oh, how I wish you were mine,

But I know I should stop wasting my time."

As his voice faded to a whisper, and the music stopped, the crowd erupted. Yami couldn't take his eyes from Jake. He noticed this and blushed.

----------

"I really like that song, Yami, but I still think it should be slower." Cari said as she loaded equipment into the back of her car.

"Well, maybe we can coax an acoustic performance out of Jake."

"Yea, right! I'm surprised you got him to perform the other night." Yami smirked as he closed the trunk.

"I have my ways. So I'll meet you guys at the hotel, okay?"

"Alright. Hey, Yami, " she added as they closed the trunk and he turned to go. "This is going to sound strange, but, do you...have feelings for my little brother?"

The question took Yami off-guard. He had tried to keep them a secret for Jake's sake, and that of their band's growing spotlight. Of course, it was hard, and someone who knew Jake and Yami could probably read into the looks and words they shared. Yami wasn't sure if they were in love, but he liked what they had.

"Because if you aren't, please, break it off now, before either of you get hurt."

"Cari, I really don't think it's any of your business." She shook her head.

"It's not really, but if he gets hurt, it becomes my business." her dark eyes sparkled and Yami grinned.

"Now I remember why I'm glad I'm an only child. I guess I better make sure he doesn't get hurt, then, huh?"

She returned the smile. "You better."

"Can you not tell anyone? I don't care, but Jake-" Yami shrugged and Cari nodded.

"No problem. Are you sure you want to walk? It looks like rain." She looked skyward, and held out a hand as if expecting a raindrop to fall on cue. Whenever they visited a new town, Yami liked to take a walk around, just so he could see the sights. It was the only thing he enjoyed about being on tour.

Yami laughed. "No it doesn't, there isn't a cloud in the sky. You know I like to get the feel of a new town."

"Yeah, yeah. Go tell Jake and Toby to get their asses out here. I'm not waiting forever." She punched him in the arm.

"Yes, ma'am!" He mock-saluted her and she swung at him again, but missed as he ran into the building laughing.

----------

Yami entered the studio and blinked in the sudden darkness. A cool breeze caressed the back of his neck as he set off down the hallway. There was a small room to the right which controlled the lighting of the stage. Toby had wanted to speak with the operator about a light being in his eyes and wanted to get it fixed before tomorrow night's big concert.

Something caught his eye through the door's small window. He looked in on instinct, and his mouth dropped open. Inside, he saw Jake and Tobias, pressed firmly together, lips locked, hands exploring. Yami just stood there, lost. Not really knowing what to do, he turned and walked back outside. Suddenly it didn't look so bright anymore.

Yami was just wondering about this when someone grabbed his arm.

"Yami? Are you okay?" It was Cari, concern showing in her eyes. He realized he was on the sidewalk, heading downtown. He blinked, realizing there was tears in his eyes.

"Don't hurt him, huh?" he whispered bitterly. He broke away from Cari and ran.

"What? Yami! Be careful!!" He heard her yell, but he wasn't paying attention.

----------

He had tried his best to outrun his problem, but hadn't succeeded. He ended up on the other side of town, in a small resterraunt, sitting in the booth in the corner farthest away from the door. Maybe I should have burst through that door, beat the shit out of Tobias and demanded an explanation from Jake. He thought as he traced invisible patterns on the table with his fingers. The more he thought about it, the better it sounded.

He was just about to leave to carry through on that thought, when he heard a sound like something breaking. The door to the kitchen burst open, and the teenager who had waited on him stalked through.

"I've had it with this fucking place!" He had long white hair pulled back into a ponytail and brown eyes, was a little short, slim, and very beautiful in his anger. Yami noticed a little guiltily. An older man followed, red in the face, just as furious as the younger.

"Then get out of here! Don't come back this time, either!!"

"Don't worry! I'll starve before I ever work for you again!" He threw back as he flew open the door and was gone. The man shook his head, and after apologizing to the few customers, dissapeared back into the kitchen.

Yami hesitated, then followed him outside. He didn't see the boy on the street, so he decided to let it go and find the hotel room where everyone else was staying.

Unfortunately, he got lost. This was not an unusual thing, though, so he wasn't too worried. He could usually find his way after he wandered around for a while. Besides, he could always just ask for directions.

It was pure chance that he found the park. He rounded a corner and there it was. He knew he should be getting back, the sun had started to set, but something urged him on.

The park was quiet, most everyone had gone home already, Yami noticed as he started down a walking trail. Soon he came upon a bench. He recognized the white hair immediately.

"Hey, are you alright?" He looked like he had been crying, but it might just have been the light. It was shady here, and night was approaching quickly.

"Yeah. Oh, sorry about that back there." He grinned sheepishly. "I kinda lost it."

"It's okay. Actually, that's exactly how I quit my last job." Yami grinned. The boy scowled.

"Oh, great! What have I done?" he groaned, dropping his head into his hands. "My brother is going to kill me."

"It's not that bad. It could be worse." Yami said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. It was getting chilly.

"Oh, really? How?" He looked up, eyebrow raised.

"You could be a really long way from home, lost, and heartbroken." He nodded.

"I guess it could be worse. Possibly." He grinned. "My name is Ryou."

Yami smiled back and said. "I'm Yami."

"Hm. Your parents named you darkness? That's weird."

"How do you know what that means?" Yami asked.

"My father was an archaeologist. We lived in Japan for a couple of months when I was smaller."

"Oh, well, um, actually it's just a nickname."

Ryou shrugged. "It's still weird." He smiled again, and Yami wondered how he could have such an evil grin, yet still look so innocent. The sun had set now, a streetlight came on above them, casting a strange light over them. His hair seemed to glow suddenly, his eyes sparkled.

"Lets go do something." he said. Yami laughed at his mood change. He reminded him so much of his first lover, but he refused to think about him.

"Like what?" he asked instead. Ryou just smiled.

----------

They ended up going back to Ryou's house so he could change out of his old work uniform. He led Yami to an apartment building downtown, up a flight of stairs and down a long hallway to the apartment he shared with his older brother.

"Everyone just calls him Bakura, but he's not here right now, and won't be back till tomorrow." The apartment was small, and messy, but it was nice at the same time. It had a good atmosphere. "Sorry about the mess, it wasn't my turn to clean this week, and, you know." Yami was amused at his modesty. "You can just wait here if you want, I'll just be a minute." He motioned towards the couch and fell through a door down a short hall, closing it behind him.

Yami had just sat down when his cell phone started vibrating in his pocket. He jumped. He had forgotten it was there. He answered it darkly.

"Hello?"

"Yami!" It was Cari. Oh, great. "Where the hell are you?"

"I'm okay, don't worry."

"That wasn't what I asked you!" Yami scowled. She sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried."

"Cari, you don't have to."

"Yami, you're like a brother to me. Come over here and lets talk about this."

"So you know?"

"Yes. Jake told me everything." Yami wanted to ask her why he did it, if Jake felt anything at all for him, but he couldn't. He couldn't face it just yet. "Yami, I know how much you're hurting right now. Don't go and do anything stupid."

"Thanks, Cari." He didn't want to lie to her by saying he wouldn't.

"Are you coming here tonight?"

"No." He made the decision without thinking about it.

"Okay. If you need me call, promise?"

"I promise." They said their goodbyes and hung up. Yami sighed deeply, laying his head on the back of the couch.

A slight noise caused Yami to turn to see Ryou leaning against the wall. He wore a pair of dark girl's jeans and a white tee shirt. His hair was brushed back, his bangs where still in his eyes, though. Yami smiled sadly. "Is she mad?" Yami glanced at him quickly."I could hear her all the way down the hall."

"Well, yeah. That was his sister." Ryou looked confused for a moment, then it occurred to him what Yami meant.

"Oh." Yami felt like he was going to cry. "Are you alright?" He asked as he came to sit beside him.

"I don't know." Yami answered truthfully. He didn't know if he was angry, sad, bitter, or all of those at once.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

Yami shrugged. "It's a long story."

Ryou smiled, drawing his legs up beneath him. "I have nothing better to do."

Ok, so there it is. I'm not sure of how I want to finish it though. I had it all figured out when I started writing it, but then I took too long and another possibility came up. I could just do them both though...

Thanks for reading everyone!