Chapter 10
Beautiful Letdown: Visitor

Yami watched from afar as Yugi paced the floor. It was as if he was trying to make a hole in the floor. He was close to jumping up from the chair he was sitting on and grabbing the youth into his arms and telling him to calm down. Worrying does nothing. Absolutely nothing. However, no matter how much he tried telling Yugi that nothing was wrong the idea would not sink in. Yugi was persistant and worrisome.

Wouldn't he know if something was wrong? He is the one connected with the shadow realm after all, more than Yugi was even accustomed to.

Suddenly Yugi stopped pacing. Yami's heart leaped. What's he doing? Yami watched at Yugi turned to face him. Raising a brow the darker half waited. Was he going to say something? Infer anything? Yami nearly gulped, what happened yesterday flashed through is mind. The way he noticed Yugi… the way his body fit into his like a puzzle, it was, to put it simply, perfect.

Yami suddenly flinched, What the? What was he thinking?

"You're wrong."

Yami snapped out of his thoughts, "What do you mean—"

"You're wrong about Ryou. He's not acting like himself. A month ago he was happy, exhilarant. He wasn't like he used to be. Shy, haunted, afraid of leaving his house…" Yugi had trailed off. His eyes stared intently into Yami's until they fell to the floor. "Ryou's acting like he did before the duel. When—"

Silence took the room as both pondered the possibility.

"Maybe you are right." Yami stood up from the chair and took a few steps towards Yugi without thinking.

"What?" Yugi looked up instantly. Shocked at what Yami was saying. He was actually agreeing with him. For the past week in a half he'd been trying to convince him Ryou was acting strange. Now, out of the blue, he was right?

"Maybe you are right. Mabye something is wrong. Let's go visit Ryou."

"We already tried that."

"We could have missed something." Yami took a few steps forward; he placed a hand on his shoulder.

Yugi nodded in agreement. "Ok." It was then Yami mirrored back Yugi's small smile. But that didn't stop him from noticing the small twitch in Yugi's eyes.

He was hiding something…

For a split second, Yami thought he could feel nothing but the bones of Yugi's small frame. Where have I been? Yugi is whithering away in front of me, and I was too blind to notice? Yami removed his hand, he lingered longer than he meant to, "Let's go right now."

Before Yugi could even comprehend what was said, Yami moved past him leaving him in the room alone. He could hear his darker half seemingly shuffling through the closet in the hall to get some jackets for the cold evening air. Before Yami let go of his shoulder he could have sworn he felt lighter, almost as if he could float in to the air. His body temature seemed to rise a few degrees as the warmth seemed to seap from Yami's grasp into his body. It felt nice, comforting. Something he'd want all the time. If only...

It was then Yugi suddenly became distracted with Ryou while staring at the ground. He stood there silently lost in his own thoughts to even notice the noise Yami was making in the other room. Ryou, what if he's not ok? What if we go over there and find… Yugi gulped… no no… He couldn't be. It's nearly impossible... But what if? Before he cold comprehend what was going on, he realized Yami was helping him into his jacket, as he was already wearing his. Each little brush of Yami's fingers seemed to emit some kind of pulse into Yugi's body. His heart began to beet faster as he found himself wanting more, but not just on his extremities. He wanted it all over, the sensation was incredible, as if he was coming alive for the first time in weeks.

The vision of Yami taking off the jacket and then his fingers fingers slowly inching towards the hem of his shirt crossed his mind.

"Lets go Yugi." Without even thinking Yami grabbed Yugi's hand and began leading him out of the room.

Completely shocked, taken by surprise, and filled with panic, he yanked his hand out of Yami's as if the connection electrocuted him. Both stopped at the movement. Yami started down at Yugi questioning him with his violet eyes. Yugi's voice choked a, "Let's go," and walked past Yami into the hallway. Hesitating for a moment, Why did he--? Yami soon followed.

Yugi's hand tingled, Why did I have to yank it out?! He was just being friendly! Helping me out, trying to guide me out of the room! For a moment he completely forgot about Ryou and became frustrated with how much he wanted Yami to once again grab his hand and hold on tight… Never let go. He wanted it..

He stormed down the hall. The air hitting his back made it sting even more. Bakura cursed. It burns! Not even thinking of where he was going, he shoved open Ryou's bedroom door and started opening drawers of his dressers. Opening the one he needed, he dropped the towel from around his waist and began to change out of the dripping boxers into a pair of fresh ones with another pair of pants.

Ryou could hear the drawers of his dressers being opened and slammed shut. I fell on Bakura hard… I could see the gravel in his skin, it could get infected if it isn't treated. Gulping, he began to slowly inch up from the ground. Shaking, and heart thumping so loudly in his ears, he began his trek over to his room where Bakura was shuffling through his belongings.

Reaching the doorframe, Ryou peaked around the corner just in time to see Bakura drop the towel. Taking a deep breath Ryou vanished in refuge behind the wall again out of sight from Bakura. Oh my God…

Clenching his teeth he listened to Bakura's movements. Trying so hard not to envision every movement of Bakura's body trying to get off the wet cloth around his waist and slipping into something dryer… The flickering droplets on his body, dripping hair, and flexing muscles like a ripple in the water which were fluid movements rippling over his body in a rhythm.

And they were his clothes nonetheless: his boxers… his pants… Now on Bakura's body…

It was quiet.

Ryou sucked in some air and held his breath. The sound seemed like a roaring vacuum in the silence.

Before he could comprehend what Bakura might be doing, the doorbell shrilled throughout the house. Ryou's darker half appeared in the hallway faster than a bolt of lightening. His eyes narrowed at Ryou.

Ryou's heart seemed to stop. Who could that be?!

As if reading Ryou's mind, Bakura growled, "Yugi…" Clenching his teeth he began to take a few steps towards the stairs before Ryou's hand shot out and caught him in the chest to stop him.

Do not let him get to Yugi or Yami.

Whether Ryou could decipher if it was a voice or not, he listened.

"No!" Ryou's eyes pleaded into Bakura's eyes. "Your back!" His eyes searched Bakura's for any kind of recognition, any sign of emotion.

Bakura glared, but glanced down after a second. Ryou's hand was still on his chest. Noticing this, Ryou pulled back his hand, "…you aren't even wearing a shirt… let me go. I'll convince them I'm ok. I've had the flu…" Immediately, Ryou began to rub his eyes trying to make them appear red and shuffled up his hair.

Ignoring this, Bakura shoved Ryou to the side and began to strut to the stairs. Ryou leaped at Bakura, "Stop!" Ryou kept his voice at an audible tone not to alarm whoever was at the door. He had grabbed Bakura catching him around the forearm and yanked him backwards halting Bakura in his steps and a mere couple of feet from the top stair.

"You let me go…" Ryou knew better than to argue with the tone in Bakura's murdering voice.

"Iie."

Bakura was almost taken aback by Ryou's response. He'd never stood up for himself before.

"Baka." Bakura, instead of yanking back his arm, used his opposite to grab to Ryou's hair. "You let go of me now."

Ryou knew he was beyond angry, he was infuriated. He watched as his eyes turn from hard russet to black coals in a split second. He was to do something and fast. But what?

The slight pain in his head brought him back to reality. There wasn't anything he could do. This was Bakura we were talking about. Bakura… Ruthless, evil, demonic, someone who sabotages, blackmails, lies, robs and steals.

Do not let him get to Yugi or Yami.

Hearing what seemed like a voice for the second time, Ryou let Bakura's arm go. There has got to be something! Push him, kick him, anything! With this motion, Ryou let go of Bakura, "Know your place hikari or so help me I will—"

Instead of moving backwards out of Bakura's reach, he acted upon whim. Ryou launched at Bakura with his eyes clenched closed.

Bakura who was completely unprepared for anything, didn't know what was happening until it was too late. Both flew down the stairs. Pain erupted from Bakura's back as he felt the stairs dig into his flesh as he hit every other one on the way down. Ryou's body in between the stairs and him on occasion.

As soon as it had all started, it ended to a halting stop at the bottom of the stairs. Ryou's whole body ached, while Bakura continually hissed. Finally opening his chocolate eyes, Ryou's eyes came in contact with skin. Not moving he trailed his eyes over the position of what he was in. Legs entangled with Bakura's, his face in Bakura's abdomen, his left arm bend down toward his legs while his right was near Bakura's face.

"You have two seconds to get off of me," through Bakura's clenched teeth Ryou could hear the anger. The rage was going to burst from Bakura as Ryou noticed the two octaves lower in his voice. Without being told twice or waiting a half of a second, Ryou began to unwind his legs and utilize his arms to sit up. This was the moment he noticed Bakura's demeanor. His face was clear of emotion. Nothing, but his eyes seem to pierce into Ryou's soul as they held contact. Only six inches away from Bakura's face he could feel the heat radiating from his body. Ryou's eyes slightly traced the outline of Bakura's jaw. It twitched slightly.

Bakura was furious with Ryou's foolishness and idiocy. He ground his teeth together in anger and pain.

If it was even possible, Ryou watched as Bakura's eyes hardened even more.

What is he staring at? Ryou seemed to linger upon getting off of Bakura.

The pain in Bakura's back kept him from actually throwing Ryou off of him. The less movement, the less pain. There were probably stains from his back upon the carpet. It felt like every strand of carpet were tiny needles piercing his back and continually soaking up the blood as if it was in dire thirst. With his teeth clenched and glaring at Ryou, he began to open his mouth.

"What the? Ryou?" "Bakura!"

Both Ryou and Bakura turned in time to see Yami and Yugi standing within the doorway of the kitchen, both horrified at what they had found.

That is of course before a blinding light flashed throughout the room and Ryou's eyes rolled back in his head and fell flat on top of Bakura limp as a rag doll completely unconscious, this time not at the hand of Bakura.