Kat: Reminder of where we left off: Ryou felt...odd...the world was...it was distorted, spinning...something was not right...

He passed out just as Bakura arrived home.

Yami Kat: We still don't own Yu-gi-oh, blah blah blah. So now on to the story: is Ryou…dead? I have been known to murder main characters before! O.o I guess you'll have to find out!

RYOU'S P.O.V.

I woke slowly, feeling groggy and dizzy. Where am I?

I sat up stiffly, and opening my eyes to a room I hadn't seen before. It looked like...a hospital room. There was something itchy on my wrists.

As my gaze dropped to see two gauze pads covering my wrists, memory came flooding back. The shard of glass...blood turning the bath water to ruby...I must have cut deeper than I thought and passed out. But then how had I gotten here? I lay back onto the over-soft pillow, groaning. Clearly sitting up had been a bit ambitious; the room was tilting crazily in my mind's eye.

I realized though I was weak and had a pounding headache, I felt much better than I had in days, though still not nearly as happy as I used to be. That was odd. Maybe just being away from everything? I sighed, and gave up thinking. Sleep claimed me again quickly.

The next day I woke up for good. A nurse entered and asked me how I was feeling. She was neat and nondescript, but nice enough. I answered that I felt fine, and was surprised to realize that it was true. As long as I tried not to think of the last few weeks, I didn't get too dispirited. I still spent quite a bit of time thinking about Bakura, but mostly I was just bored. I actually felt pretty sheepish about what I'd done. I saw that no matter how bad things seemed, death wasn't a real option, more of a weak way out.

About three hours after I had regained consciousness, the nurse returned and announced that I had visitors. She smiled at me and steppe out again as five people filed in.

"Hi," I said lamely. There was an awkward chorus of 'hey' and 'hello', and everyone was silent for a moment. Yami looked unsure, Yugi and Tea looked worried, and Joey looked sheepish. Tristan just looked blank. None seemed to know what to say.

"Ryou, what were you thinking!" burst out Yugi suddenly. "We were so scared!"

"Yeah, you really made me worried! I felt so bad," exclaimed Tea. "You should have talked to us! I could have helped. We're your friends Ryou. You can always count on us if you need someone to listen."

I looked down. "I don't know what I was doing," I mumbled. My spirits had sunk again. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate their coming, but I had hoped for a different visitor...

Just then the door opened again. It was Bakura. Suddenly my heart was pounding and I felt like I was floating. Bakura was here!

"Go away, you five," he snarled at the others.

"Aw, that's not fair," complained Joey.

"You watch yourself, Tomb Robber," added Yami. "We're his friends too, you know."

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "Yes? Well, I think that as his yami I outrank you. Go on, scram!" He made as if to reach for the Millennium Ring around his neck, and they all flinched. He laughed scornfully.

Joey left hurriedly, followed closely by Tea, then Yugi. The Pharaoh looked mutinous, but Yugi turned back and said, "Come on Yami, give them a few minutes. It won't kill you."

Bakura kept smiling, and slammed the door behind them. He turned to face me. Throughout the exchange I had tried to keep my eyes off Bakura. He was so beautiful when he got imperious...but now he was kneeling by the bedside. I fought to stop myself from giving in and gazing at him, but he reached out and captured my chin, startling me and forcing me to gaze directly into his dark eyes.

That was it; I was caught. His eyes were so deep. They seemed to go on forever, rich hues layered upon each other, conveying emotion across to me. And right now they looked...strangely tender, and a bit...searching, full of feelings I had never expected to see on those haughty features.

"I...was it you who...found me?"

He nodded.

"I didn't mean for it...I mean, I wasn't trying to-"

He silenced me with a finger pressed to my lips. "I know. But still, you really scared me. I should have known something was badly wrong...I'm sorry."

I blinked. That was the second time he'd apologized to me recently, though he had never done it before that, and I was swamped by a wave of love for him. Suddenly I felt so fed up with myself and my timidity that I just blurted it out.

"Bakura, I love you!"

I stared at him for a moment, anxious to see his response. Emotions chased across his face too fast to follow, and abruptly he pushed himself onto the bed so that he was sitting next to me. Before I knew what was happening, he had pulled me close to his body...

And placed his mouth over mine.

NORMAL P.O.V.

Ryou was so surprised that for a split-second he just sat there, taking in the impression of his dark's warm body against own, the strong arms finally around him as he had wished for countless times before. Then he came to himself again and opened his mouth shyly to Bakura's questioning tongue.

At first the hikari was a bit worried. He had never kissed anyone. Ever. But that ceased to matter as Bakura expertly brought all his pent-up emotions to the surface, and he found that he was responding hungrily to the touch. Bakura's arms were around his waist and Ryou's arms had migrated to Bakura's neck.

Bakura was exploring the inside of his mouth, causing him to shudder involuntarily. They pulled apart for a split second, then Bakura began to kiss down along Ryou's neck, eliciting strangled moans from his inexperienced hikari. Bakura loved how much he was in control, loved every little gasp, loved the way Ryou was so vulnerable...

Somehow he was on top of Ryou, but they hardly noticed. Bakura gave Ryou's neck a small nip, lost in his light's reaction to him and his reaction to his light. Ryou moaned more loudly, and grasped Bakura closer, hands raking through his wild hair.

Both abandoned control over their mind link, and they were wide open to each other. Ryou felt Bakura's deep love for him as well as his lust, and Bakura clearly discerned the infatuation Ryou bore him for the first time. There was no need for words. Words were inadequate, fleeting. This was real.

Ryou was completely lost, but Bakura was held by caution. He knew that his young hikari was not ready to go as far as he himself was. He also clung to the knowledge that they were in a hospital room...they were better off exploring their new feelings at home. Regretfully he pulled away from Ryou. Ryou opened his eyes, looking at Bakura with an almost scared expression on his face. Of course; he hadn't known he possessed such raw energy.

Bakura smirked. He could think of a lot of things he wanted to teach this unseasoned boy. However, for now, the rest of Ryou's friends were waiting outside the door.

"Ry, Aibou...I love you too. But we've got to wait, we've got to let them in first. And then...and then we'll see."

Ryou nodded, still in a daze, but content. Bakura squeezed him tightly for a moment, then sat up. He ran a hand through Ryou's hair and adjusted his shirt, then got up and did the same for himself. He smiled at his slim hikari, then strode over to the door and opened it.

"All right, come back in, you lot." He scowled at the Pharaoh as he marched past, then returned to sit next to Ryou and slung an arm about his waist. Ryou blushed.

The rest stared, but made no comments.

It was Yugi who broke the silence. "Er...so, how are you Ryou?"

"Hungry, but good," replied Ryou happily. And it was clear that this was true. Everyone (except Joey) had a pretty good idea of what had passed in this room while they were outside.

As though summoned by his words, an attendant appeared at the door with a tray of food items. They didn't look particularly appetizing, but Ryou was so hungry he didn't care. He proceeded to wolf the food down and talk to his friends at the same time, feeling better than he had in weeks.

The hospital psychiatrist wanted to keep him for at least a week or two. Attempted suicide was no laughing matter. However he was forced to conclude that Ryou just seemed...happy. There was a boy, with long white hair so similar to Ryou's that the psychiatrist was sure they were brothers, who visited every day and seemed to keep his spirits high, and the other kids visited once more. In the end Ryou was released a mere two days later, just in time for the weekend.

Bakura came and picked him up on his motorcycle. Ryou had never ridden it before, but felt safe as long as he kept tight hold of Bakura's waist. When they got to the house, Malik and Marik, unusually docile, threw him a party. Marik did get a bit rowdy after several glasses of an unidentified substance (think…beer), but Ryou merely sheltered in Bakura's arms. He was home, in more ways then one.

Ryou smiled drowsily. Everything was perfect. Soon he had dropped of to sleep, so Bakura carried him gently upstairs and laid the slender boy on his own bed, then crawled in after him. Best to let him sleep. After all, there would be another night tomorrow, and another after that. Bakura grinned wolfishly, remembering their kiss in the hospital, and how much had been left undone. As much as he was in love with this boy, he was still Bakura. Some things never change, and Bakura could think of many things he wanted to introduce his light to.

But not tonight, he yawned, draping one arm over Ryou and caressing his hair. Not tonight.

Soon both boys were soundly asleep.

Kat: aww, kawaii! 'lil Ry isn't dead, and its all fluffy and sweet!

Yami Kat: 'Cept for Bakura wicked grin

Kat: You hush, silly. Now the question is, is this the end of the story? Should I keep going for another chapter or two? Or should I start a different story? Hmm. Please help me decide!

Yami Kat: Indeed, review or I shall bite your head off! :)