Apricot Roses
Chapter 14
By Larien Nolatari

Summary: A teenager with a dark side, a cheerleader surrounded by popularity, secretly in love with each other, will their true feelings show?

Genre: Romance/Humor/Angst

Pairings: RyouxAnzu / BakuraxIsis

Warnings: Fluff…heh heh…language…

Happy Ending

Ryou walked Anzu up to her door and gently kissed her goodbye on the cheek…and waited for her to go in before he left.

Such a gentlemen, Ryou sped off into the night and went home only to find Bakura, Malik, and Marik having an after party…with Yami. Wait a sec?

YAMI!

Ryou blinked and yes, Yami was still there…whatever, he'd confront Bakura tomorrow, right now, he was too tired…

This was the most wonderful Valentine's Day I've ever had, Ryou thought sleepily as he changed out of his tux and collapsed on the bed before drifting off into a deep peaceful slumber.

Meanwhile at the Mazaki household, Anzu too was still off in her romance land and hardly could think of anything but her wonderful night with Ryou…

I'm so glad I got to spend it with Ryou…and I'm so glad that Yugi…has…found…his new girl…, Anzu sighed sleepily…

-Monday-

The whole school was abuzz with news from the Valentine Masquerade, especially about a certain three things…

One, how Selina tried to give an officer a blowjob to seduce her way out.

Two, how Kaiba had gotten a date with a girl no one had ever heard of named Larien, who was now mysteriously appearing at his side all the time…

Three, how Anzu and Ryou made the perfect couple…

It wasn't that bad on how Kaiba got a girl, that didn't bother Anzu nor Ryou, it was quite funny about Selina, but what bothered them was the whole "perfect couple" thing…why?

Because Anzu wasn't ready to announce it to the world, that's why…Anzu hid her head in hideous embarrassment as she walked around the entire day…she didn't know if Ryou was ready to announce it, but she certainly wasn't…but as she saw Ryou in Calculus, she understood, he wasn't ready either, he didn't look comfortable at the guys bombarding him with questions, or the girls cooing over him…in fact his look was almost pleading at Anzu to get him out of this mess…oh dear…oh deary dear…how was she going to do that? Anzu sighed and did what she thought was best, she kicked her way into the mess and pulled Ryou out, then ran with him to the janitors closet…

(Oh…kissy kissy! Hahaha…JK.)

Once they were safe inside the janitor's closet, Ryou took a deep breath and said.

"I DON'T THINK I'M READY TO ANNOUNCE OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORLD!" Ryou said.

"Seriously though, Anzu, I think it should be kept private for awhile…well not that it is private anymore, but prevent it from letting more people find out…like let's pretend to break up and see each other secretly so everyone will shut up about us being together." Ryou said.

Anzu started laughing.

"Hahaha…Ryou Bakura! You're such a joker!" Anzu fake laughed.

"I'm serious, Anz, I really think it should be like this." Ryou said quietly.

"RYOU BAKURA! Tell me you are joking!" Anzu said.

"I swear I'm not, I think it's for our own good…" Ryou said.

"RYOU! I thought we'd stick it till the end, like you meant…even if rumors spread…but you're telling me we should 'pretend' to end our relationship because of some stupid publicity that you can't handle!" Anzu said ticked off, "I thought you were like your name, whole, complete, understanding…but I can see your conceited and have a huge of an ego as Yami Bakura! Only thinking about yourself"

Anzu huffed out of the janitors closet and slammed the door…

By Ra, what was I thinking?

Ryou remained quiet for the rest of the day…refusing to open up, not to Yugi, nor Malik, not even Yami or Bakura…no one could get him to open up…except for Serenity…

"Ryou-kun! C'mon, you can't keep it inside forever." Serenity persisted.

Ryou relented and spilled everything…

"I see, what happened Ryou." Serenity said after everything was finished, "What you need is a pick-me-up."

Serenity had a devilish look in her eyes…as she inched closer and closed the gap between her and Ryou…

Ryou couldn't resist…her sweet strawberry lips were too good to resist…until he moaned, and it wasn't "Serenity" or "Shizuka" that came out of his mouth…it was "Anzu"

That was it…

Serenity broke away…

And slapped him…

"ANZU! I wanted to give you so much more and all you can say is ANZU!" Serenity yelled.

"Gomen nesai…" Ryou said as he got up and walked away.

Unbeknownst to both of them, Anzu had seen the whole thing…and she had tears in her eyes, not because she was mad or anything, it was because of what Ryou said…Anzu…her name…

And just for that, Anzu was going to forgive him…and find out what was really troubling him…

-

Ryou sat on the bench and just gazed at the cars roaring by…he didn't need to go home, nor did he want to…he was content…just to sit here…then he felt a movement, someone had sat down by him.

"Ryou. Why?" Anzu said softly.

"Why?" Ryou said quietly…his mind flashing back images.

-Flashback-

It had been all sudden, he grabbed Ryou and held up the chloroform to his face…

"Don't move, boy. Or I will kill you." The voice said.

Ryou didn't need to be told twice, no struggle ensued as he blacked out. Awhile later, Ryou woke up in what looked like a backroom or storage room of a supermarket, aisles of unopened boxes of food decked shelves…and his vision was slightly blurred…he could make out blonde hair and that was it.

"Stay away from the lady…hear me?" The voice said, and left.

That was all and Ryou was left there till someone found him after what seemed like hours later.

-End Flashback-

"I cannot say." Ryou said softly.

"Why Ryou? I need to know!" Pleaded Anzu.

Ryou shook his head and walked away leaving Anzu there with tears in her eyes…

Later that afternoon around early evening, Ryou finally went home…and saw Bakura and Ishizu on the couch watching "Mona Lisa Smile"

Yami seems to have fallen hard, Ryou said trying to stifle a smile.

Ha…I heard that aibou, Bakura said back and resumed watching and cuddling with Ishizu.

Ryou didn't pay heed as he fixed himself a light supper and went upstairs to do homework…halfway through his Calculus homework his cellphone rang.

"Hello?" Ryou said, the number didn't show, it said 'Restricted'…maybe it was father checking up on him…Ryou picked up and before he said hello and voice spoke.

"I saw you today, punk…keep away, or you and the lady gets it." The voice growled then hung up.

"But…I…wait!" Ryou was too late, the call had ended, the line was dead…and all he had was a dial tone…not much help if you ask me.

Ryou let his pencil slip on the floor and roll away as he buried his face in his hands…

Now what? I've already hurt Anzu, and I'm hurting myself more…what do I do?

And as Ryou contemplated, he soon drifted off into a deep sleep…unaware that someone…had heard all his thoughts and worries and that someone was rather worried too…

Downstairs Bakura was also deeply thinking…who would come after his hikari? His hikari didn't have much, heck they were pretty much poor…they lived mostly by their father's monthly one hundred dollars that he sent and Bakura stealing things…they couldn't have come for money…but Ryou had said something about Anzu…maybe they after Ryou for Anzu? But that didn't make sense…if they wanted Anzu, why not just go to Anzu?

(Haha…poor Baku…sometimes so dense)

Bakura sighed, all this thinking had made his brain frazzled, Ishizu had gone home a long time ago…maybe a nice steak would help…Bakura stood up and went to the kitchen only to find there was no meat in the house…yes…no meat…no chicken, pork, fish, seafood, beef, no meat! Only those distasteful veg-e-tables…Bakura trudged to the pantry and began looking for something…aha! Beef Jerky! Just what he needed…and so Bakura proceeded to eat Beef Jerky and ponder his thoughts away…

(And since the authoress is evil, she shall end the good ending here! BWAHAHA)

-And Into the Sadness of Endings-

Ryou and Yugi were still dueling and Yugi had ended up getting slashed on the face and chest numerous times…unbeknownst to everyone, Bakura was helping out Ryou…controlling some movements of the sword when there was opportunity to strike, the King of Thieves had been a prime swordsman in his days and now he was passing it along to his hikari.

Inside another one of Domino High's students were dancing…another song was being dedicated…a pretty girl named Juanita, who had long brown hair and a beautiful light green dress with a butterfly shaped mask was having a song dedicated to her from her boyfriend, Karuma. The song was called Heart of Sword and everyone was enjoying it…

(Bishounen Lover, I added you in, and please, no more spur of moment requests! From now on the PROM REQUEST is CLOSED until I put up a new want thingie for characters!)

-Cue Music "Heart of Sword" (Rurouni Kenshin End Theme)-

Outside Ryou was still fighting Yugi, Yugi's hold on Anzu getting weaker by the minute…she was beginning to be able to move her legs and arms a bit, to whisper words, to actually walk a few steps on her own…she had to get to Ryou…she needed to…please…

But Yugi wasn't dumb, he knew what was up, he needed to keep a hold, a strong one, and his was currently breaking. With a blast of energy, in a split second, Yugi stunned Anzu as she fell limply to the ground…Ishizu gasped and ran over to Anzu's side and without thought, began chanting healing spells, none seemed to work. Marik and Malik and Yami were using all their energy to tap into Yugi's thoughts, souls, everything. But nothing seemed to penetrate the dark barrier around Yugi. Then, Marik lit up.

"Stop your stuff, bakas, we're not going to penetrate it, no matter how hard we try." Marik said.

"Huh?" Malik asked confused.

"Yugi's soul is lost in a deep place, within shadows and the only thing that can get through to him is love or some crap like that. We have to go into the Shadow Realm." Marik said calmly.

Yami looked terrified at the idea but still conjured up a warp path, they called a good bye to Ishizu and went on their way.

-Shadow Realm-

At first there was nothing but darkness, all of them could sense the lost souls in their path. Flying around restlessly, looking for a way out…they had no monsters, nothing to protect them, so they could only carefully go on. Marik couldn't sense any soul belonging to Yugi, neither did the others, but Yami wasn't one to give up hope, he wouldn't stop till he found his hikari, his little innocent Yugi.

-Swordfight-

And they fought on, they didn't stop, not to breathe, it seemed like eternity, before Anzu finally got up and weakly whispered.

"Stop it. Don't torture him, leave him alone, Yugi, and kill me instead." Anzu whispered hoarsely yet sharply.

And Yugi took her word for word…summoning a dagger and sending it straight at her…it hit her squarely in the chest, so dangerously close to her heart…

"NO! ANZU!" Ryou roared…into the dark night.

But Anzu did not stagger, she did not faint…she just spoke again.

"Yugi, I swear, if you do not stop, I will take this dagger out, and hit you with it." Anzu said.

And everyone knew, she was true to her word, she was on the archery team…she danced…how could she not hit him.

"NO! Anzu! If you hit him, you'll die."

"And I'll be happy, because I know you loved me."

And with that, Anzu ripped the dagger out of her flesh and with a burst of energy, flung it at Yugi stabbing him square in the back. Blood pouring out on both sides, Yugi disappeared in a cloud of smog…while Ishizu chanted more ancient spells as Ryou lifted Anzu up and ran as fast as he could, Ishizu hot beside him.

"Don't die…live because I love you." Ryou whispered.

And Anzu faded more…her energy was being used up…slowly…quickly…

And she was fading…and Ryou couldn't help it…he could hear the sirens…all too far away. Too Far Away…

--

Bwaha…I've finally finished Chapter 14! Gomen nesai for making you wait so long…review responses will be on our new site…go to our profile then click homepage for it…kk? Stupid review rules…mutter mutter. Gee...I know the happy ending doesn't sound too happy but seriously...it will be...can't help but feel a bit sorry for Serenity...