AN- ahh well even though it's summer I'm now taking extra classes for credits plus I may start volunteering so it may take longer to update. Sigh but I will do my best !

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A groan fell from a pair of dry chap lips. A pair of eyes blinked open bright light flooding them. His body lied still as he blinked his eyes adjusting to the lights. The beeping noise annoying him he spoke up. "Someone turn that off..." he groaned.

"Hmm well sorry but that would only stop if you were dead." replied a light voice that giggled. Bakura looked up to see a young nurse checking the machine that monitored his heart. He looked around the room and was disappointed to see that the white room only had him and the young female nurse. He looked down at himself seeing his upper half wrapped around with bandages. His mind now took note of how each breath hurt slightly. "W-what happened ?"

"You were shot. The bullet hit you right under your collarbone."the nurse replied" Once you had gotten here you were unconscious and had lost a lot of blood. I honestly didn't think you would wake up. Its been 3 days ..." Bakura nodded relaxing into the bed as much as he could. He noted that his whole body felt stiff and heavy and his mind felt slow and foggy. He felt like he was forgetting something. He looks to the side starring at the white wall counting the tiles in his head. The while room was so plain. White.

"Where's Ryou ?" Bakura asked not realizing he spoken aloud or that the question even passed into his mind. He only noticed after the words had passed his lips. Once the thought had come he began to panic slightly. The safe feeling slowly disappearing thanks to his foggy mind. The longer the nurse took to respond the more not so safe he felt. Only 3 seconds had passed before she responded. "Ohh you mean the male that kinda looks like you ? He left this morning. He's been staying here ever since you got here. Well contact him to tell him your up. "

Bakura nodded his anxiety not leaving him at all. Not having a familiar face with him had him feeling vulnerable. Much to vulnerable. He pulled the thin blanket closer to himself. The movement caused him to noticed the IV drips that were connected to his arm. He growled tugging at them slightly hating the restricted feeling they caused him to have. Even with that though he closed his eyes and willed himself to fall asleep.

Bakura awoke when he felt a slight brush on his cheek. He jumped flinching away from the touch as his eyes flew open. Brown frighten eyes met a softer mirrored eyes. "B-Bakura ?" Ryou asked softly pulling his hand back. His face looked worried as he scanned the other males face. Bakura relaxed noticeably as he looked at Ryou. "How are you feeling?"

"Stiff. My shoulder hurts a bit. " Bakura comment though in all honestly he felt whatever was suppressing the pain was wearing off. He looked down at the bandages wrapping around his bare upper torso. With a sigh he layed his head back. The silence was becoming unbearable for Bakura especially as Ryou studied him so carefully. "Why did you stay?" Bakura asked moving his head up. Struggling he lifted himself up sitting. A small his escaped his lips as he moved the pain increasing steadily as the meds wore off. "I'm sorry..." Ryou said noting the pain on Bakura's face " I was worried." Ryou's voice was so soft Bakura thought he hadn't heard him. Bakura looked up at Ryou narrowing his eyes slightly. He opened his mouth to say something but Ryou beat him to it. "Why ?

"Why what ?"

"Why did you stop him ?"

Bakura blinked. He lied himself back down and stared at the ceiling. He turned over the question in his head a few times. He wasn't sure. He knew he had meant to protect Ryou. That was his main priority. /"I didn't want you to get hurt"/ Bakura answered quietly through the mind link. He waited for a response but got none. When he lifted his head and looked at Ryou only to see his hikari eyes filled with tears he felt his heart clench. "Ryo-"

"You didn't want me to get hurt ?" Ryou asked softly almost a whisper. /"Then why did you hurt me ?/ Ryou moved forward closer to the bed. He looked over Bakura's face realizing that the other seemed to not know. Bakura looked confused. He felt even worse. Bakura had no idea how to answer without sounding pathetic. But he had to. "I'm sorry Ryou. I... I didn't know what else to do. " Bakura whispered not realizing his eyes were watering. "I didn't know how ..." Bakura stopped. He closed his eyes blinking back tears. 'Damnit. Get a grip...' Bakura thought mentally cursing himself for acting so weak.

"Bakura ? Why are you crying ?" Ryou asked reaching over to wipe Bakura's cheek unconsciously. He pulled his hand back back when Bakura flinched slightly. A small blush crossed his face when the other looked at him questionly. "I am not..." Bakura said turning his face away. Ryou sighed. He needed to talk to Bakura, and this may be his only time until Bakura either locked himself away or reverted back to his old self. The thought made Ryou still slightly. Would Bakura really go back to how he was ? "I should go..." Ryou said backing away figuring it would be best to give the other time to rest.

"No !" Bakura nearly shrieked sitting up too quickly. He hissed through clenched teeth and fell back onto the bed with a gasp. The beeping from the near by machine speed up as did Bakura heart. "Don't leave ..." he said quietly trying to steady his near rapid breathing and working to ease the pain. He lifted his head to look at Ryou. Ryou was looking at him his face in pure shock.

Taking a step forward Ryou lifted his hand for Bakura to see so he wasn't surprised and didn't jump when he grabbed his hand. Ryou though was surprised when Bakura didn't pull away and even squeezed his hand lightly. "I won't go. But why do you want me to stay ? I mean I thought...I thought you hated me." Ryou's voice dropped to a whisper at the end. He looked away but left his hands holding Bakura's. He felt the other pull on his hand to make him look back. The sight then of Bakura looking at him had him freeze on the spot.

Bakura's face looked regretful and he didn't meet Ryou's eyes. He stared intently on the blanket as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. "I don't. " he said breaking the silence that had fallen between then. A slight gasp passed Ryou's lips that caused Bakura to look up. "Then be honest" Ryou said taking a huge leap of faith." How do you feel ?"

Bakuras eyes widen a fraction and then he looked away scowling slightly. Was he ready to admit everything he had been hiding ? But it was now or never. "You know what... Damnit" Bakura sighed "I'm in love with you Ryou"

Silence. That what fell after Bakura said those six small words. He still didn't look at Ryou to worried to see his reaction. But the silence was killing him. He looked backed around to see Ryou was smiling softly with tears in his eyes. Ryou squeezed Bakuras hand a bit moving closer so his face was about 10 inches from his other half. "I love you Bakura" he said softly a small whisper that he could only let Bakura hear.

Bakura looked at him studying him as if he was lying. He didn't, no couldn't believe Ryou loved him. But yet when he looked into Ryou's eyes all he could see was the adoration and caring he had been missing his whole life. "How?"

Ryou shrugged smiling softly before moving forwards about 90% of the way leaving an inch between their faces. He wasn't going to move any further. And once Bakuras breathing picked up he pulled away a blush staining his cheeks. "Sorry" He said noticing the rapid breathing from the other. "And I just do... I love you because I just do."

Bakura calmed avbit and mentally cursed himself for panicking. He wished he would stop being so jumpy and just get over it. /'I'm acting like a scared little girl. Damnit.'/ Bakura thought not realizing he had let their mind link slip open. He heard Ryou sigh and then looked over him to see the other shaking his head.

"Don't expect it to be so easy Bakura. It's going to be awhile. But ... I'll be here for you. " Ryou spoke quietly a smallish smile on his lips. It calmed Bakura to at least know Ryou would be there for him and for know he didn't want to question it. He was perfectly fine with lying down holding his Hikari's hand and acting for now that everything was okay.

AN- Uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhgggg -_- Damn shortness of it all. Sorry but this was all I could think of. My brain is fried and I'm overwhelmed a bit with things. I wrote about a paragraph in my spare time when I was lucky. Sigh...

Anyways besides the tinyness of this chapter (*Sobs*) I hope you enjoyed it !

Sadly for those of you who like tis story the next chapter will (most likely) be my last for this story T^T

Anyways as usual.

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