---And now a lesson in Karma, kiddies!

If all you're friends get sick because they unearthed something that should have been left dormant while helping a friend move. Don't brag that you didn't catch it because you were stuck watching the heathens... I mean children.

Because Ra WILL smite you. And you will catch the sickness too.

Good thing it did most of its ravishing on my roommate and Jeffery. I was only sick for a day or two! ---

Of You And Me:
Chapter Six

Tuesday.

"Other me?"

The bright morning sun streamed through the curtains, blinding his crimson eyes when he opened them. He immediately closed them again and placed his arm over his face, he was still too tired to deal with this light. With a groan, he rolled over and realized that he hadn't been sleeping in the comfortable bed he was used to. The former Pharaoh finally sat up and saw that he was still on the couch, and Yugi was standing over him with a very concerned look on his delicate boyish features.

"Good morning," Yami yawned, trying to seem nonchalant.

"What are you doing here?" the counterpart asked, "I got scared when I saw that you weren't in bed."

"I'm sorry I worried you, Aibou," Yami said standing up from the couch, stretching his arms, "I must have been more exhausted then I thought."

"It's alright, other me," the boys face beamed brightly as he gave the former Pharaoh a hug, "Just as long as you're safe."

Their mind link fluttered with happiness. Yami smiled softly down at the boy in this arms. Yugi finally pulled away, looking up at the former Pharaoh with large eyes.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for school?" Yami asked, poking the boy's juvenile PJ's he was still wearing.

"I know! I know!" Yugi giggled as Yami continued to poke his ticklish sides, "I wanted to make sure you were alright first!"

The teen laughed and squirmed and finally got away from his taller counterpart, scuttling off to the bathroom to get ready for the most dreaded rituals of a teenagers life... school.

Yami headed to the room he shared with his counterpart. He stripped off his PJ's and slipped on a black sleeveless shirt and tight black pants he picked off the floor. Since Yugi was occupying the bathroom he'd just throw on old clothes for now, he'd shower and change while Yugi was away.

The Pharaoh laid down on the bed and got swept away by the slow music that was emitting from the clock radio on the night stand. The dreams and thoughts of the night before revisited him and he was hit with a tidal wave a guilt. Malik was with Ryou, and he had to be here for Yugi... He couldn't be fawning over another boy like this.

Time slipped away from Yami once he was lost in his thoughts and before he knew it Yugi had returned from the bathroom. A towel hung loosely from his waist, clear drops splattered down his ivory skin when he shook his head. For being almost sixteen he still had a very youthful build. Yami constantly had to remind himself that the boy in front of him was a young adult and not a child, like he looked.

Yami vaguely watched his counterpart out of the corner of his eye. The towel slide off his hips and unto the floor where it was forgotten. The boy had never been shy about being naked around the former Pharaoh. After all they had once shared a body, and they were both guys so it wasn't like there was nothing he hadn't seen before.

Yugi glanced back at Yami, and caught a glimpse of the clock on the night stand. He noticed that he was now running a bit late. Yugi quickly threw on his school uniform and rushed out of the bedroom. Yami blinked, looking between the door and the clock. He then stood and followed his counterpart downstairs.

In the kitchen Yugi rushed around packing a lunch for himself. Yami stood in the doorway watching him. Yugi scurried out of the room and back in with his school bag. The teen finally rummaged a pack of Pop Tarts out of the cupboard and was ready to go.

"Have a great day at school, Aibou," Yami said giving the boy one last hug.

"You too," Yugi smiled, "I love you."

It pained Yami to hear that. He loved the boy, just not in the way Yugi had meant it. Yami's lips tugged sadly as he whispered, "I love you, too."

---(--)---

Wednesday.

Malik had only been going to school for three days and each day got more boring then the one it followed. He was starting to wonder why he decided to waste his time like this. The school hours seemed to drag on longer and longer as each day passed.

Or maybe it just seemed that way because Malik was anxious to see the Pharaoh again.

In the morning on his way to school the blonde would smile and think; today, today will be the day Yugi invited me over and I'll get to see him again. And, thus far, he would return home that late afternoon, head hung low. Disappointed once again that a day went by without contact with the wonderful, beautiful, perfect Pharaoh.

Malik could have always asked to hang out. But he felt it would be rude to just invite himself over to someone else's house. Maybe it would give away that he liked the Pharaoh. No, no, can't do that, especially in front of Yugi. And he was afraid that if he invited Yugi over to his house that the Pharaoh wouldn't come.

Malik found it hard it enough to deal with the immature teens at school, let alone his house.

So he had to wait. Wait patiently until he was invited over again. Wait patiently until he could be with the Pharaoh.

Currently, the blonde was at lunch, sitting at the picnic table in the courtyard. Malik spent a lot of time at this table. He met up with everyone here before school if he wasn't running too late, he ate lunch here, he spent the nights here with the spirit of the Ring. He had the idea sometimes to carve his name into the wooden table top, pitch a tent over it, and just live here.

But then he would conclude that the idea was just absurd.

"Hey Malik, are you ok?"

Ryou whispered to him, the blonde was brought out of his thoughts of tent pitching and back to the real world of teenagers and their talk of a different kind of tent pitching.

"Porn doesn't judge you, it's just there," was the first thing Malik heard Jounouchi say when he came back to the conversation. He quickly ignored that and turned his attention to Ryou, who was sitting next to him. Worry painted on his soft face.

"Hm?" Malik blinked.

"You look tired," Ryou said quietly.

"Oh, yeah, I haven't been getting that much sleep lately," Malik said, it was half true. He had been napping during the day.

"Bakura hasn't been keeping you up, has he?" the white haired teen asked.

Malik shook his head, "He comes to visit me, but it's no big deal."

"Ok, just wanted to make sure you were alright," Ryou said, "And let me know if Bakura keeps you up too much. I'll tell him to stop."

Malik laughed silently, "Will do, thanks."

Ryou smiled. That sweet smile that could kill you... with rainbows and puppy dogs. Malik's lips almost formed themselves into a smile too, if it wasn't for the horrible, disturbing feeling twisting deep within him. He screwed his face into the best smile he could muster and quickly turned his attention to the rest of the group. Urging the twisting inside him to stop.

Ever since the first night with Bakura, whenever Malik focused too much attention on the white haired teen this feeling would wash over him. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, this twisting feeling he felt inside him scared him. He hadn't felt anything like that since... no, it couldn't be. He wouldn't let it be. Never. Never again.

As long as he stayed away from thinking about Ryou the feeling wouldn't crawl inside him.

Not thinking about someone is quite difficult, however, when they are all over you.

Bakura was right about Ryou being madly in love with him. Malik found that Ryou always sat, or stood, next to him in group. He linked arms with the blonde a lot in the hallways of the school. Malik noticed that the boy twitched shyly sometimes, looking as if he was going to ask Malik a question... but then never does.

It was all very cute.

Malik never asked Ryou out like Bakura had told him to do. He didn't want to be with Ryou. He wanted to be with the Pharaoh. He never stopped the white haired teen from being clingy, though. There was nothing wrong with being friendly, right?

---(--)---

Thursday.

"What did one snowman say to the other snowman?"

"What?"

"I smell carrots."

Malik shook his head at the spirit with a smile, "You are so lame."

"I like jokes," Bakura shrugged, flicking the butt of his cigarette out of his hand. It skipped and jumped over the concrete in the courtyard. This had become the nightly ritual for both the former tomb robber and his blonde haired friend. Sitting in the courtyard of the school, talking idly and smoking till some oh-my-god-hour in the morning. The moon was waning slowly, making the night air darker with each visit.

Little did Malik know that former tomb robber was using this time together to watch him like a hawk. They might not have spent that much time together, but the two had clicked from the beginning. Bakura knew when the blonde was acting weird... different. And that night, four nights ago, was one of them.

Given Malik's past, the spirit just thought it would be best to keep a close eye on him for the time being.

Bakura wondered if he should tell his hikari about what happened the first night he went to see the Malik, but then decided he didn't want to worry the boy. Besides, if need be, the spirit could always check Ryou's memories and feelings through their mind link. No, Bakura could survey the matter just fine on his own.

"How's that school thing going?" Bakura asked, just making small talk.

"Boring as hell," Malik sighed.

"Sounds like a load of bull shit to me," the spirit said, leaning back on the support of his arms on top of the table. "Didn't have any of this back in my day and I turned out just fine."

"Says the spirit of a murderous grave robber who got trapped in some gold jewelry," Malik laughed, "Now, there's a joke!"

Bakura shot the blonde a glare, "I'd watch it."

"Oh puh-lease! Back in my day," Malik mocked, "You sound like an old man."

The spirit glared harder.

"Oh no! Stay off Grandpa Bakura's yard! He'll get angry and beat you with his walking stick!" the blonde almost fell off the picnic table he was laughing so hard.

"I'm gonna beat you alright," Bakura grumbled.

Malik sat up and stuck his tongue out at the spirit, "Don't threaten me with a good time."

Bakura smirked, just what he expected from the blonde. Perhaps, maybe, the first night was just a fluke.

---(--)---

Friday.

Malik's heart pounded loudly in his chest. His stomach fluttered almost sickeningly. The ground below him seemed to disappear as if he was walking on a cloud. He felt lightheaded, drunk with happiness. All because of one simple question.

"Hey Malik, wanna come hang out with us after school?"

Yugi had finally asked him the question he'd been longing to hear all week.

"Of course," Malik had answered, fighting back the happy dance that bubbled up inside him. This was not the time, nor place, for a happy dance. Seriously, who gets that elated from being invited to hang out?

And here he was, walking with the other teens in their group of friends towards the Turtle Game Shop. Malik didn't have an excuse this time to go home and prettify himself for the former Pharaoh, so they all walked together in their school uniforms. It was always nice to feel belonged, to feel a part of a group. But it was hard to focus on the topic at hand when your mind kept wanting to wander off. He did his best to stick with the train of thought, but boy was it hard.

It didn't take the teenagers long to reach the Game Shop. They were welcomed warmly by the old man behind the counter. Smiling, the group exchanged quick hello's before thundering up the stairs.

Malik's heart skipped several beats when they entered the living room and saw Yami.

"Are you not helping in the shop today?" Yugi asked as everyone took up space on the assorted chairs in the room, Malik remained frozen in the doorway.

The former Pharaoh shook his head, "I knew you had company coming over, so I was tidying up for you."

"You're the best, other me!" Yugi beamed, wrapping his arms around the taller version of himself.

Anger instantly boiled up in the pit of Malik's stomach as he watched the Pharaoh lovingly embrace his counterpart. No, keep a straight face. Keep control.

Why? Why!?

Why does Yugi get to be with the Pharaoh? My Pharaoh...

"Hey Malik, are you ok?"

Blood was pounding in the blonde's ears, he barely registered that he was being asked a question. He didn't even realize that he had fallen to his knees, fist clenched in his long locks, trembling.

"Malik?"

He took a deep breath, followed by two more before he was calm enough to look up again. Yami was kneeling in front of him, a comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked him straight in the eye, his insides thrashed violently.

"What's wrong?" Yami asked sternly.

Malik looked away, "Nothing. Just... got a really bad headache all of a sudden."

The blonde stood up, holding his head. He didn't look at anyone else in the room, but he could feel all their eyes burning into him. He shook even more.

"I-I gotta get going," Malik choked out. He staggered back out of the room and down the stairs.

"Malik wait!" Yami called, following.

But by time he reached the stairs the bell on the front door to the Game Shop tinkled with Malik's hasty exit. And by time Yami reached the door the blonde was halfway down the street, running as fast as he could.

---I think this story is giving me carpal tunnel. Seriously, I haven't written this much in like... ever!

Or at least not sense my Sophomore year of High School. O.o;; ---