Wow

Wow. This is like… 12 word document pages long. SO LONG. Not really.

ENJOY!

Or as they say in a certain small populaced college in Pennsylvania: ROCK THE AWK!!

Which totally applies in this chapter, btw.

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Chyaputa 7: If you could forgive me, for being to brash

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"Yo! What's up?" A beaming, and unexpected, Egyptian crashed into Yugi and Ryou Bakura's table. The two of them had just been having the most innocent conversation about pencils vs. pens when Malik arrived.

Of course, Yugi looked importantly at Ryou Bakura, watching for a reaction from the white-haired boy as his crush suddenly appeared at his side. But Ryou Bakura looked as placid as ever. More so, probably.

"You, evidently," Ryou Bakura responded with a casual smile. Oh he was good.

Yugi, trying to seem inconspicuous, vaguely voiced. "Nothing much."

"Fantastic," Malik claimed, rubbing his copper hands together. "Sooo… Ryou, my most dearest friend, and might I mention the sexiest sexbot in the land, might you have the notes for English?"

Ryou stirred his potatoes, the picture of innocence. "The class you skipped this morning?"

Malik gasped. "Oh you clever studious student you." And the boy, to Yugi's amusement, stretched out his arm and lounged it upon Ryou Bakura's shoulders. "Please, I know I am the utmost horrible, not to mention ugly, person in the universe compared to your grandeur, but I'm sure you can find it in your bright heart to grant mercy upon me." Malik nuzzled the side of Ryou Bakura's head. "Besides it wasn't my fault! My yami had me all preoccupied all this morning."

Ryou Bakura shrugged, eyes still focused upon his food. "Alright." And he handed over his notebook.

Malik leapt with delight. "Oh you godsent wonderful boy!" And he swooped down and, to Yugi's shock, clasped Ryou Bakura's gently by the chin and kissed him on the cheek. "You shant be disappointed in me again. And I will repay you, in any way possible. Just say the word, my creamy muffincake!" Then the over zealous Egyptian ta-ta-ed them and frolicked away.

Bakura remained in his seat, looking unaffected. His eyes didn't even flicker off his lunch during their entire conversation.

Yugi could have squealed for his friend if he wasn't so in awe of Ryou Bakura's composure. "You certainly can keep a straight face. You didn't even blush!" Yugi shook his head. "Sometimes I don't think your human, Bakura-kun."

Then Yugi realized it wasn't composure that kept Bakura still, it was something else. As the boy continued to stir his potatoes he muttered. "Preoccupied by his yami, huh?"

Yugi closed his mouth, actually nervous now.

Ryou Bakura looked up, not to meet Yugi's eye but in pure thought. "I wonder if they all want us preoccupied."

Yugi wasn't quite sure what his friend meant.

Ryou Bakura released his fork. "Makes you wonder if we're supposed to be gay."

"Sorry?" Yugi asked.

His question must have broken Ryou Bakura's train of thought because the boy shook himself, eyes refocusing. "Does your other half show inclinations toward you as well?"

Yugi's shock was so sudden that he squeaked with out meaning to. "What?" There was heat under the collar of his school uniform.

Ryou Bakura watched his reaction with an intuitive eye. And Yugi knew that he had already guessed, or knew, it was creepy how Ryou Bakura did that sometimes.

"Well… yeah, I mean," Yugi stumbled, becoming short of breath. "I love him."

But those would hurt nowadays. Yugi loved his other half. He loved him like no other. No other.

Ryou Bakura did not giggle at Yugi's claim of love for his other half because this Bakura was reasonable guy, and Yugi blessed him for that. Instead the pale boy turned back to his food without another spoken word. It was awkward for Yugi for a few seconds, not for Ryou Bakura though cause the guy was so secure in everything that he did. It was almost, well, it was scary.

"Hey, Bakura-kun," Yugi began.

Ryou Bakura met his look. "Yeah?"

Yugi grinned. "You ever going to wash that cheek now?"

"Hm… Never…" And Ryou Bakura closed his eyes and smiled in remembrance, like a cat purring. "Lilac sleeveless. Must be Tuesday."

Yugi laughed. "I nearly fainted for you."

But, as usual, Ryou Bakura was too lost in his own thoughts. "Just as I imagined… like coffee."

"He is a friendly." And Yugi was giggling, but it was stopped short but a snort of disapproved.

Yugi opened his eyes to find a disgruntled Yami no Bakura glaring at him out of Ryou Bakura's face. His black eyes were the picture of fury. "Don't encourage him."

"Who? Malik or Bakura-kun?" Yugi asked pleasantly.

Yami no Bakura's ribs swelled. "You know very well."

"Don't worry," Yugi assured him. "It's harmless."

"Quite," the thief scoffed.

Yugi rolled his eyes. "He loves you."

Yami no Bakura was not appeased. "That never stopped a hikari from wandering before."

Ouch. That had hurt. "Ok, then talk to him about it," Yugi said with secret pleasure. He knew the thief would never talk to his other half.

As he had predicted, Yami no Bakura barked, "I shouldn't have to. Is loyalty too much to ask?"

"You're hardly one to talk," Yugi commented, examining his carrots.

"Everything I do is for Yadonushi," the thief recited, as he did often. "This fraternizing with Malik serves no purpose."

Yugi chewed a vegetable slowly, even after it was already mush. "I think it makes Bakura-kun happy."

Yami no Bakura had nothing to say to this. It countered all his points perfectly. It was amazing how Yugi, dim as he was, sometimes stumped the mater strategist. Yugi accepted this victory by enjoying his lunch in silence for a few seconds.

"Would it be so bad if Bakura-kun and Malik got together?" Yugi asked, genuinely curious.

"Yes," Yami no Bakura growled, scowl increasing.

"Why? You can't keep him all to yourself forever."

Yami no Bakura exhaled loudly; his patience was being tested. "Besides the obvious complications, he's Malik."

Yugi thought this was rather unfair. "What have you got against Malik?"

Yami no Bakura gave Yugi a deathly obvious look. "You don't have to be oblivious all the time. He's Malik. He holds the Sennen Rod."

"And you have the Sennen Ring," Yugi argued.

"He has a jealous homicidal yami barely an inch away from his consciousness who has already attempted to murder me in my sleep more than once," Yami no Bakura reminded him fiercely.

Yugi had forgotten about that. But Malik always seemed so… in control. "Wasn't that after you slept with Malik?"

"Exactly," Yami no Bakura finished, his point proven for him. "And if Yadonushi is alone with Malik, what do you think will happen?"

"But you'll be there," Yugi said. "Nothing can hurt him when your there."

Yami no Bakura released a crude smirk. "Thanks."

"You've got to let him go sometime. At least let him try, this is what he wants," Yugi pointed out.

Yami no Bakura scoffed. "Yadonushi doesn't know what he wants."

Yugi was taken aback. "Bakura-kun has his own brain, you know. Not just his own personality. He's smart."

"I know he's smart," Yami no Bakura snapped. And there was something odd in his tone, something about the way he turned his head away from the table and out to the window that made Yugi pensive… depth…? "That's not what I meant," the ancient spirit admitted grudgingly.

Curious, Yugi leaned in. "What do you mean then?"

The thief was reluctant. "Yadonushi is confused."

Yugi didn't believe him "I'm sure Bakura-kun knows if he's gay or not."

Yami no Bakura glared at Yugi. "Does he? Tell me then, why Malik?"

Yugi shrugged. "I don't know, I suppose he is attractive…"

"I had sex with Malik," Yami no Bakura reminded him.

Yugi felt instantly uncomfortable. "Yeah. I know. But what does that…" Then Yugi got it. "Malik was your first lover. The first sexual memory you… shared with Bakura-kun?"

Yami no Bakura's jaw was clenched. "I tried to erase him, I was as thorough as possible." He was angry, with himself this time, not at Yugi.

Yugi was horrified. Was that true? Even if Yami no Bakura, an expert at memory modifying, erased Malik from the memory, had Ryou Bakura still been affected by the slightest scent, a single flash of color…? Is that why Ryou was so attracted to the Egyptian?

"Is that what we are?" Yugi asked, settling back down into his seat.

Yami no Bakura didn't look back at him. "What?"

"Lovers?"

The thief flinched, flinched. It was an unfair move on Yugi's part since Yami no Bakura was being so nice. Then he turned and met Yugi's eye across the width of the table.

"I don't think so," Yami no Bakura answered.

Yugi sighed. "Why?"

"Because we are not romantically connected."

Yugi stared "Since when do you acknowledge romance?"

Yami no Bakura put on his superior face. "It has never had to do with any of our transactions."

Yugi folding his arms on the table, leaning forward. "So what do you count as romance then? It's not all candy boxes and roses."

Yami no Bakura did not turn away from Yugi's challenge. "Caring for the other person."

"I care about you," Yugi argued.

Yami no Bakura rolled his eyes. "There's a difference."

"Between what?"

"Between caring if the other is alive and enjoying their company."

"I enjoy your company," Yugi replied.

Yami no Bakura was getting angry. "There is a difference between love and caring."

Yugi shrugged. "Obviously." But he had used the L-word and that made Yugi grin. "So what would you call us?"

Yami no Bakura's stare was blank.

"If we're not lovers then what are we?" Yugi explained.

"Colleagues," Yami no Bakura answered easily.

Yugi was perplexed. "As in a business transaction?"

Yami no Bakura was immovable. "Exactly."

Yugi sighed, "Don't you think what we do is more important than a business transaction?"

"The amount of personal investment is the same," Yami no Bakura replied, picking at his nails.

Yugi felt his lips pout. He would like to think that he and this Bakura had become good friends. They talked didn't they? The thief had confided in Yugi about his doubts about Ryou! Didn't that mean anything?

"Though it is significant, to both our lives."

Yugi's head jumped up, he hadn't been paying attention to what Yami no Bakura had just said. "What?"

The thief looked bad tempered. "Nothing," he snapped.

Yugi was sure Yami no Bakura had just said something positive about their… 'relationship'. And that made Yugi smile, even if he hadn't caught the words.

"I know I'm thankful for it," Yugi mentioned, stabbing some vegetables on his plate.

Yami no Bakura's brow wrinkled. "Thankful for what?"

Innocently, Yugi sighed. "Nothing."

This was awkward, but Yugi was enjoying it. There was a type of softness to the creases around Yami no Bakura's scowling mouth that Yugi hadn't seen before. It was nice, how Yugi could freely examine the ancient spirit's face without being snapped at, without being glared at, with Yami no Bakura just… letting him… look.

"Oops."

And just like that their moment was ruined.

Malik had come to return Ryou Bakura's book. "Looks like I'm interrupting something." The glowing grin on his face was just about as comforting as Yami no Bakura's furious glare.

Yugi was panicking. "Wh-what do you mean Malik?" The flush was blood to his face was not helping the situation at all.

Malik's teeth were shockingly white against his copper skin. "Oh? Do you normally talk to Spiky at school without death threats or the subject of world domination coming up?"

"But I'm n-" To Yugi's further shock, when he turned back to look at his table companion, Yami no Bakura was still sitting across from him. Surely he would have changed back into the other Bakura by now. After all, neither of them wanted anyone to know that this ancient spirit was hanging around at school. Did he not care if Malik saw him? Was Yugi about to witness a violent confrontation between Malik and the ancient spirit?

Malik was so cheerful it hurt, as he slid down onto the bench next to the thief. "Say Spiky, let your other far more pleasant self out for a sec? I need to return his notebook."

Yami no Bakura looked about as happy as dried meat. "No."

Malik pouted his best teasing pout. "Come now. I just want to tell him how gorgeous he is."

"No."

Malik sighed. "Fine. I'll wait. I don't mind. Anything for an innocent excuse to talk to him."

And although the situation was still awkward and Yami no Bakura was glaring at the windowsill like he was trying to set it on fire, Yugi perked up. "Do you like Bakura-kun, Malik-kun?"

Malik was startled, his attention jumping onto Yugi. "If by Bakura-kun you mean that adorable fluffball of cuteness, then yes. But this guy," Malik jabbed his thumb at Bakura's darker personality, "Then hell no. Great in bed but I can't stand his gloominess." The Egyptian cocked his head wickedly. "More for you then, eh, Yugi-kun?"

Yugi was too shocked to comprehend. "I-ah-not sure what you mean…" He tried to laugh it off but it was very obvious that he was faking.

Malik grinned again and it was like knives in Yugi's side. "Now, now, don't be so coy," and he nudged Yugi's paralyzing arm across the table, "Isn't his egoistical nature attractive? The spikiness of his dangerous locks? His cold eyes? Doesn't the sharpness of his tongue drive you wild?"

Yugi was utterly frozen.

'How does Malik know…?' he wondered. Perhaps the Egyptian didn't know, perhaps this was all a misunderstanding. 'Did Bakura tell him?'

"I…" But that was all Yugi could manage.

'Bakura shouldn't have seen Malik since… Bakura couldn't have told him.' Yugi shook his head. But if Yami no Bakura hadn't said anything to Malik… then who had? 'Mou hitori no boku?'

"That's enough, Malik," Yami no Bakura growled. He had still not moved an inch since the Egyptian had arrived.

Malik cooed, "What's this? You sticking up for someone else? I had no idea that you two had gotten so serious!"

Yugi was just as confused. This whole situation was… impossible. Malik was not supposed to be here. This 'relationship' whatever it was, was only supposed to exist between the two of them, no one else was supposed to know, not Malik, not Ryou Bakura, not Yugi's other half… No one. It was a secret, practically its own reality.

"But I am curious," Malik continued, although neither Yami no Bakura or Yugi had prompted him. "How the surly other Yugi is taking this?"

It had taken a while, and a lot of Yami no Bakura's non-supportive mental coaching, to convince Yugi to put the Sennen Puzzle back on. For some reason Yami no Bakura did not want Yugi to keep it off permanently. Yugi couldn't fathom why. Maybe Yami no Bakura, being a Sennen Item spirit himself felt that it was an abomination to keep a spirit boxed up like that.

"Spiky and I both know, first hand, how angry my yami can get," Malik mentioned mildly, leaning into Yami no Bakura's elbow. "I can't imagine the other Yugi is very happy at the moment."

And now that Puzzle was hanging around Yugi's neck, though that was as far as their connection went these days…

This conversation could not be happening. Malik wasn't supposed to know… Did he not understand that this was a forbidden subject?

"I mean, I can hardly believe it. Yugi, little innocent Yugi, turning out to be a littler pervert like the rest of us. Our own little nymphomaniac doing it with big bad Bakura, seriously? Doesn't really make any sense. Yugi's poor yami must be so confused, rejected? Unless Yugi and him take turns with you-"

"Malik," the warning in Yami no Bakura's voice was clear.

The Egyptian took the challenge turning completely on the thief. "Why then should you be allowed to fuck around with Yugi? Yugi! The guy's like a freaking kid. He barely has enough strength to speak up for himself and yet Ryou-"

The bench scraped out behind Yami no Bakura stood in the fury of his movement. "Don't call him that!"

"Ryou has more sense than anyone!" Malik argued standing too. And his face was surprising passionate. "He's smart! He knows you're the one who fills his head with that pathetic crap every night! He knows about-"

Yami no Bakura was like knife. "Shut it."

Malik gulped, but only hesitated for a moment before continuing again. "I can protect him."

Yami no Bakura turned away. "Fuck you can. Your other personality is not like…" Then the thief shut his mouth.

Malik's eyebrows rose. "Like who? Like Yugi's yami who silently broods like a worm inside his guilt and does nothing while his light whores himself off to a sad sod like you-"

Plastic smacked against the metal cafeteria table. Yugi jumped, even though it was him who had knocked the cup over. And Malik's eyes were on him now, wide and almost round. And Yami no Bakura wasn't looking at him. There was even a tightness in his throat, suggesting that he was refusing to look at Yugi.

Fear was thick, pressing Yugi down into his seat. "Sorry," he squeaked and then he was standing too. "S-sorry?" He left. He had to leave, that was his only option. And he dashed across the room without looking at anyone.

Yugi was terrified. He was out of the cafeteria, and the hallway was, thankfully, blissfully empty. There was no one to observe Yugi's sweaty face or his panicked breathing. When he finally stopped running, Yugi collapsed against the lockers, moist palms sticking to the cool metal. And all the while Yugi had to remember to breathe. He couldn't very well think of anything else.

A few torturous moments later and Yugi did not feel like his nerves were disappearing. Malik's words were jammed painfully into his head, smashing into his brain. The weight of the Puzzle was hurting his neck. He was not getting calmer. This aloneness was not helping.

"Yo."

With too much relief, Yugi turned to find Yami no Bakura, all dark-eyed and white-haired, approaching him in brisk strides.

He stopped, towering over Yugi, wild hair framing that dangerous expression.

'He came after me,' Yugi dared to think. For thinking was a risky thing. But there was no reaction from the seemingly-innocent looking Puzzle so he assumed no damage had been done. The mental block was stronger than diamonds nowadays…

"H-hi," Yugi greeted through barred teeth that should have been in a nice convincing smile. But he couldn't help being terrified at that moment.

Yami no Bakura looked stern. "You're going to puke."

"No."

"You're going to cry."

Yugi swallowed. "Yeah."

"Fine," Yami no Bakura had no patience. So he grabbed Yugi's arm and without warning or curtsey yanked him off the wall, passed the lockers… and then shoved him into an oddly convenient janitor's closet. Or Yugi assumed it was a janitor's closet. He didn't really have the time or the energy to look around. Cause when that door slammed shut behind them, Yami no Bakura turned onto Yugi, clutching him by the shoulders and shoving him against the wall. Shirt fumbling started soon after that.

It was a good distraction. And it should have worked. But as Yugi placed his dry lips on Yami no Bakura's neck, sickness pained his stomach.

The Sennen Puzzle. Yugi hadn't taken it off yet. And they were, and they were…

Yugi pulled his body away from Bakura's so that he could shake off the metal chain that connected him to his other half. It landed on the floor with a dull thud and that signaled Yami no Bakura's return, his teeth descending once more on Yugi's ear.

It was odd, how none of it seemed to help, cause it usually did. It was usually a very good distraction. Today just sucked. But Yugi didn't have the heart to tell Yami no Bakura to stop so he just stood there and let the thief's actions continue, that rhythmic groping.

"He-" choke, "He- likes to take walks."

Yami no Bakura teased his nails under Yugi's shirt, pulling the clothing up. "Does he."

Yugi flinched as the thief nibbled his way cruelly down to his partner's chest. "At night." Yugi fell back against the wall, legs quivering. "He- he takes the body and walks." Yugi gasped, but it wasn't due to Yami no Bakura's skillful fingers. "We don't talk about it."

"Naturally."

And Yugi squeaked because Yami no Bakura was actually biting his skin. He was squeezing Yugi's wrists too hard.

"He- we don't speak to each other anymore. And each night he comes back later and later…" Yugi choked. He tucked his head into Yami no Bakura's neck, while the other had been struggling with Yugi's belt. "I can't even imagine what he's doing…"

There was an unexpected growl before the hand that had been greedily tugging at Yugi's pants stopped. Then a sigh, and the body Yugi was leaning against relaxed. "Perhaps he has his own fuck-colleague."

Yugi stopped. He just stopped, like his brain had hit a snag. That idea… that thought had never occurred to him. He couldn't even… comprehend…

"No," Yugi blurted into the ancient spirit's shirt. He couldn't, he wouldn't… "No, he- he… can't…"

Yami no Bakura did not feel the need to move. "Now whose being a hypocrite?"

Yugi was.

"He's not," Yugi insisted, gripping handfuls of Yami no Bakura's clothing just to hang on. "That's not his style. He's too-"

"Noble? Arrogant?"

Yugi closed his mouth.

"And when he already knows about your encounters with me…"

"He doesn't know," Yugi protested. Yami no Bakura's musk surrounded him. He was breathing. He was breathing in his scent- "Mou hitori no boku wouldn't do that to me."

But Yugi had fallen into a trap. The rebuttal to Yugi's last words were shinning like treasure on the tip of Yami no Bakura's tongue: What? And you would?

Yugi almost willed him to say it.

Yami no Bakura sighed, his body deflating further. And an arm snuck around Yugi's back, holding him in place. "You're right."

Yugi was short of air. So he breathed.

Yami no Bakura wasn't supposed to be kind like this. It made Yugi too uncomfortable.

It was too dark in the closet to see anything so there was silence for a moment. Then the silence lengthened and it became impenetrable. Yugi let his limbs bring him to the floor and Yami no Bakura, surprisingly, followed, arm still around Yugi's back. When the bell rang to signal the next class, neither of them moved. It was odd and strange and Yugi wasn't sure if he liked the two of cuddling together in the dark.

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Umm… This chapter is so cute! Its like everyone is getting along. Or a bit at the beggining anyway.

I LOVE smart Ryou. He's such a smarty. I could do dirty things to that boy. And I have. In my stories.

YAY! Bakura has a heart. A little shriveled heart but a heart nonetheless. So you could say he's not Heartless. Hehehehe. I amuse myself.

Next chapter's kinda… intense. Even for me. Be careful. (hides)