.....well, here we go, another chapter. .
First off, the usual, HUGE thank you to those of you who reviewed! Luv ya! .
(points above to rating) Just to remind you guys, this IS a PG-13 rated fic. This is NOT an out right yaoi; there is NO sexual content or kissing or romance of any kind. This fic focuses more on emotions and close bonds of people-be it romance, friendship, or kinship. However, Bakura and Yami are naked, as in the previous chapter. No, there is kissing or anything of that nature going on; just alot of emotions.
I put the nudity in because nudity is symbolic with vunlnerability. Being naked is the ultimate expression of openness; there's nothing to hide you, nothing to shield you. Everything's out in the open. It's raw and open, and that's what I want this fic to focus on; raw, open emotion, and having Bakura and Yami naked seems to help establish the whole emotional thing-
yam: do you realize just how stupid you sound?
-.- shut up.
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Bakura rocked Yami as he cried into his bare shoulder; he could feel Yami's hot tears on his exposed, slightly tanned skin. The tomb robber rubbed Yami's back through the scratchy light blue blanket and rested his chin on top of Yami's towel-covered head. He'd taken his own towel off a while ago, and his thick silver hair hung in heavy and damp about him, sticking to his neck and cheeks.
Bakura sighed; he had no words of comfort. He didn't know what to tell Yami; comfort and solace had never been his forte, and he was usually the reason someone was seeking them. He'd lost count of the number of times he'd made Ryou cry.
Ryou......Bakura sighed again, wishing he had a very potent bottle of pure Russian vodka, not the imitation st they made here in the States. Pure, genuine Russian vodka, brewed and bottled in Russia, that would knock him out senseless for a few days. From the sounds of it, Yami could use some, too, though he never knew the tri-colored teen to drink. Bakura sneered a bit; that probably was from sweet little Yugi's influence.
He felt Yami's hot pants as the boy was struggling to calm himself down, but it wasn't working. His slender, naked body, wrapped in just the old, itchy blanket, shuddered. Physically, Yami was beyond exhaustion, yet his soul continued to scream in agony.
Bakura wished for a moment that he could be like him; that he could let his own pain flow. The bigger boy's lip curled and he snorted. He could never be so open as that; it didn't have much to do with the male ego, but more to do with the fact that he'd been through hell and back. Egypt had been no picnic; he'd survived an abusive father, struggling for food, surviving on the streets, running from the law, numerous fights, numerous killings.......Yes, Bakura's soul was bitter and black indeed. His mangled heart had run out of blood to bleed long ago.
Yet there had to be a drop or two left in that little, twisted black mass for him to watch over Ryou, and for him to be here, right now, holding a weeping and broken pharaoh. Bakura tightened his arms around that slim body when Yami gave a dry sob. The boy was going to cry himself to death.
Bakura snorted, pulling himself out of his inner thoughts. The only sounds in the house were the pounding of rain and rumble of thunder outside, the tick tock of a clock somewhere, and Yami's sobs and labored breathing. And yet, no matter how shattered he was, Bakura grudgingly admired Yami. While Bakura had been supporting Ryou, Yami was overboard with Yugi. He took care of his hikari constantly; he was always, always at Yugi's side, and the hikari spent most of his day in Yami's arms. Bakura spent the majority of his time in Ryou's hospital room with him, he didn't hold him in his arms and soothe him.
Yami might as well have Yugi staple gunned to his a--, Bakura thought with a slight scowl and held Yami even closer still, crushing him against his chest when he shivered some more. Bakura didn't want to look at him; didn't want to see him so broken. He was as broken on the inside as Yugi was on the outside. So Bakura looked about the room, looking at the dark shadows of the night, at their soaked clothes, which had formed a puddle on the carpet, in the bright lamp light, to the sofa, chair, and coffee table, which were littered with things-cds, video games, plates, garbage- and other clutter he'd failed to put away over the past few months. Yes, the house which had once been so neat, orderly, and tidy was falling into disarray, under Bakura's care, or lack thereof.
Bakura's dark chocolate eyes widened in surprise when one of Yami's sobs turned into a gagging cough. He quickly looked down and thumped Yami soundly on his bony back to help him stop choking. The smaller boy gave one last cough, shuddered, and went limp. Bakura looked down, turning Yami so he could see his face. "Yami?"
Yami looked up at him, tears shimmering in his bright ruby eyes which were staring at Bakura as if they didn't even see him. The tomb robber's fingers trembled as he reached up and caressed Yami's soft, pale skin and brushed back the jagged golden bangs.
Yami whimpered and Bakura lowered his head so their foreheads were touching. "Shut up." But the gentleness of his voice took away the harshness of the words. "I've got you; you're okay, Yami."
Yami shook his head, whimpering again and pushing weakly at Bakura's chest. "Y-yugi..he...he n-needs me..."
Bakura let out a low growl and forcefully tightened his hold on Yami, making him cry out in pain as his ribs started to give way. Bakura smirked, letting Yami know who was stronger and who was in charge right now.
Yami's head lolled forward in defeat, and he let out a strangled sigh. "B- but Y-Yugi-"
"Isn't currently damp and naked in my arms after having been running in a torrential downpour. He's probably safe and warm in bed, not catching his death of cold right now." Almost as if saying the word 'bed' made him tired, Bakura yawned. His lean muscles were starting to cramp up from being in one position and holding Yami so long.
Bakura's yawn triggered one from Yami, and the former pharaoh blushed, but his eyes were still full of sorrow. The silver haired boy suddenly laid back and Yami squeaked in surprise as he was taken with him. His slender, thin body lay atop Bakura's built one, and Bakura's strong arms still crushed Yami to his chest. The majority of Yami's nude body was still under the covers, but the shifting of their nude bodies caused some of his pale limbs to become exposed to the cool air, and he shivered. Bakura pulled the slightly damp blanket over both of them, and Yami merely lay his head on Bakura's shoulder, breathing softly and his mind racing.
He needed to get back to Yugi; he'd been gone a lot longer than he should've been. He didn't want to leave his hikari alone, but it had just been too much at the moment....and he felt so good, so safe here in Bakura's arms.....but what if Yugi needed him? Yami whimpered and pushed against Bakura's chest. "I ..need ...to...check ...on...Yugi..."
Bakura was half way asleep. He'd always been good at handling his liquor; he was no light-weight, but if he consumed enough alcohol, then he got sleepy. He'd been out drinking earlier, and after riding the emotional roller coasters of Ryou and Yami, the former tomb robber was ready to fall asleep, and he didn't care where. Right here, buck naked on the floor with another boy on top of him didn't bother him a damn bit. Bakura's dark chocolate eyes had just drifted close when he felt Yami squirming and struggling to get loose.
The bigger boy snorted in agitation and wrapped both arms tightly around Yami, feeling the smaller boy tense as he was ruthlessly crushed against him. Yami made a funny little half squeak, half gasp as the air was knocked out of his lungs and his vision blurred for a moment. When he was released from the iron grip, he collapsed against Bakura. Yami's already weakened, exhausted body couldn't handle the extra stress.
Bakura smirked as he felt Yami's hot, swift little pants against his neck. "Now, shut the (beep) up and go to sleep." He growled, rolling over and pinning Yami partway beneath him. Yami, his body too exhausted to cooperate with him in fighting Bakura, lay trapped in an entanglement of limbs and blanket, staring at the ceiling with blood shot ruby eyes until his racing mind finally keeled over in exhaustion.
tbc......
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well, review please! pretty please? holds up ryou and yugi, both with big chibie eyes and if you've already reviewed, you're more than welcome to review again! double the kisses from these two cuties if you do!
and, i bet the reviewers of chapter 6 think i forgot 'em...well, i didn't! .
meowblecat: i get a kitty if i don't kill the hikaris off? hmm....i'll hafta think about it.... well, since you said hikaris, i'm assuming you won't mind if something utterly tragic were to befall yami and he died.... just joking! (blinks) at least, i think i am...
mimiheart: thanks. i agree; there is too much angst in this story. i never intended it to be this angsty, but the story just kinda wrote itself...evil muses...
hikari lunar: i'm taking the middle-road and going with a half and half thing; it can be seen either as just a really deep bond between friends or the beginning of romantic feelings. so, it's not yaoi, but it is. (blinks) now isn't that confusing?
chicary: (blinks) i never looked at it like that; yours definatly was an interesting review!
russle: i think this story is going to be more of an emotional one than a romance...i've just been dying to do a bakura x yami romance, though....as for the terminally ill part...yesh, poor ryou ish sicky pooh and yugi's crippled...but miracles do happen....
inuyasha0001: angsty stories make me cry, too! .
cloud1-3-5: i can't see bakura being gentle, either. i hope i don't make him too OOC; though i'm sure i've done that to yami by now. -.- i try not to, but....you know my weakness for a uke-yami! As to whether or not Ryou lives or dies.....i don't think i'll tell......i dun wanna ruin the ending!
