AnzuFan :) Your review was anonymous so I couldn't respond :( Don't worry; you'll get your wish ;D~!

~IA

Yami showed up at six o'clock on the following day. Ryou, who had been taking advantage of the Sunday to sleep in, was suddenly awakened by a loud thump at his front door.

Ryou groaned, instantly having second thoughts about his new roommate. "I thought you said you'd be quiet," he mumbled, throwing back his blankets.

He suddenly became aware of the fact that he was wearing a pair of purple and polka dot pyjamas. It hadn't mattered whilst living alone.

Frantically, he fumbled with his draws until he found a pair of jeans and his favourite blue and white striped shirt. There was another knock.

"Hang on, I'm coming!" he shouted, irritated, pulling off his shirt. "Just give me a minute."

He had just finished zipping up his pants when Yami called out. "Are you okay in there?"

Ryou stormed over to the door and yanked it open. "What the hell, Yami?" he demanded. "It's six o'clock in the morning."

Yami frowned. "I always get up at half past five."

"On Sundays?" Ryou whined. He wasn't really angry; just upset at having had his sleep in ruined. "You know what? Never mind. Just…yeah, never mind. Um…make yourself at home."

Yami entered the room. Ryou couldn't help but notice that the only thing he was carrying was a backpack and a laptop bag. "Is that all your stuff?"

Yami nodded. "Yep; it's all I need."

Ryou frowned. "Hm. Okay, then. I guess this'll be easier than I thought. So…you can go put your stuff away and get settled. I'm going to finish waking myself up."

Leaving Yami in the lounge room, he made his way into the bathroom. He almost died when he looked in the mirror. The front of his hair fanned out around him in a thick bush of white spikes, whereas the back was lying totally flat. His fringe has set itself hanging rattily down in front of his eye. Ryou pushed it aside, wondering how he had even been able to see.

And he had greeted Yami looking like that.

Ryou grimaced, grabbing his hairbrush.

Once he had managed to get it back to its usual fluffy bounce, he left the bathroom to get his shoes.

He took a detour on the way to his own room to investigate Yami's. It was still empty of furniture; Yami's backpack looked ridiculously insignificant, alone in the middle of it. Ryou went to the next door and stuck his head into the study. Yami had set his laptop bag on top of the desk, and he was now looking through the books on the shelves. Most of them were novels.

Yami looked up when he came in. "There's hardly anything worth reading here," he commented.

Ryou bristled. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you!" he exclaimed. "I wasn't aware that it was my job to provide you with-"

Yami grinned. "Calm down; I was joking. Matthew Reilly is a great author. You have good taste. Lots of blood and gore."

Ryou put his hands on his hips. "That's not funny, Yami." He paused. "But, um, I'm glad you like him too."

Yami reached forward and ruffled his hair. "You're cute when you're angry."

Ryou felt his face flush. Not wanting to be a pushover, however, he kept up. "In that case, maybe I should just be angry more often!"

Yami smirked. "Go ahead."

Ryou had no comeback for this. Eventually, he just changed the subject. "Um...I'm sorry; I hadn't expected you to have so little stuff. There's no bed in your room."

Yami shrugged. "It's fine; I'll just sleep on the couch."

"What? No way; I'd feel horrible otherwise."

Yami frowned. "Why? You're the one who bought a bed. I could never be bothered to."

"But..."

"Ryou, listen; I hate sleeping in beds. They're too big. I would rather sleep on the couch anyway."

Ryou bit his lip. "Well, at least let me lend you some spare bedding. I've got a blanket and pillow handy." He suddenly hesitated, wishing he hadn't spoken.

"What's the matter?"

"There's...only one problem."

"Ryou; don't worry. I love Star Wars."

"But I've had this since I was about eight years old! You can't use Star Wars blankets; it's too...weird. Not to mention Darth Vader's head glows in the dark. It terrified me; why do you think I don't use it anymore?"

"Wait, you mean you'd be using this if it didn't?"

Ryou was holding his prized Star Wars blanket and pillow case. "I didn't say that!" he muttered.

Yami sighed. "Ryou, please. If I get too scared of Darth Vader, I'll turn the pillow case inside out. You don't need to worry on my behalf." He grinned, and Ryou knew he was teasing.

Ryou looked downcast as he reluctantly handed over the bedding. He refused to admit it, but part of the problem – aside from the fact that simply offering it to Yami could be taken as a great insult – was that he was still somewhat attached to it.

"Thanks, Ryou."

"I'm going to buy you something else tomorrow."

"No you're not. You're not putting yourself out because of me."

"But, Yami! Star Wars? What if your friends see it?"

Yami's face suddenly darkened. "I don't have any friends."

"Oh." Ryou didn't know how to respond. "Well...what about that friend who liked the chocolate straws?"

Yami looked away. "I told you; we haven't spoken in a while."

"But you're still friends?"

He sighed, and nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. It's more complicated than that."

Ryou wanted to ask more, but he got the feeling that Yami didn't want to answer.

"Well...what about me? I'm your friend, aren't I?"

Yami looked at him, an expression of mingled gratitude, sorrow, and – Ryou could have sworn – guilt. "Yes, of course you are. We're flat mates now. But that's different; it's your blanket."

Ryou suddenly remembered how they had gotten onto such a topic. "Oh, yeah." He paused. "Well, if you're sure..."

"I am. Star Wars is cool," Yami assured him.

Ryou wasn't an expert on second-guessing, but he knew a white lie when he saw one.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much else he could do. "Okay..." He sighed. "I'm sorry; I hadn't really thought of how childish some of the things I do are until now."

Yami grinned and tucked the bundle of bedding under one arm. "You remind me of a saying, Ryou; we never grow up, we just learn how to act in public."

Ryou blinked. "I...kind of like that."

While Yami went to put the bedding on the couch, Ryou finished putting his shoes on. He sat down on the foot of his bed, already needing a break.

He was amazed at how much Yami was putting up with; Star Wars bedding, flavouring straws. That wasn't even including the dinosaur shaped spoon, the polka-dot pyjamas, or Ryou's Snuggie collection, which Yami had yet to discover. Was it that secretly, everyone did all that? Or was Yami just very tolerant?

He had already started to like Yami. He couldn't quite place what it was about him that Ryou was drawn to, but he did.

He was strange, though; what kind of person moved into a new home with nothing but a relatively small bag, and a computer? Why did he keep looking sad whenever his friend was brought up?

Ryou could understand that; if they had been close, and were now not speaking, they must have quarrelled. That would make him sad.

His thoughts returned to the look on Yami's face when Ryou had asked if they were friends. What reason would Yami have to feel guilty?

Pushing it aside, Ryou went out into the lounge again. Yami had been living with him for barely half an hour, but it already felt like he had been there for years.

Matthew Reilly FTW XD And Snuggies. And Star Wars. And milk flavouring straws. And dinosaur shaped spoons. And polka-dot pyjamas. XD I would have put Yu-Gi-Oh cards in too, but...