Todo: ::nibbling on Pocky sticks:: Yummy…::looks up:: eh? Oh…um…hi…ehehe…well…here's the next chapter! Bye! ::runs off::

Kaosu: ::shakes head:: She just had had to write that last chapter didn't she? Now the readers are after her blood and her to get the next chapter out…looks like this story will be longer than the seven chapters that she originally planned. Hopefully…she won't pull another big twist or she won't live long enough to finish the story. Any who…thank you for the reviews and here's the chapter…there's a bit off OOCness as usual…beware…she might have added a minor twist out of pure evilness and death wish - -;;;

Tsuki: Todo doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but she does own this fic.

Warning: Shounen-ai and Yaoi

More Than You Realize: Resolution

The next month went by excruciatingly slow. The two Egyptian spirits avoided each other as much as they could.

Bakura had become quieter, speaking less and commenting less on the stupidity of things in the modern world.

Yami had changed, but his change was drastic and more evident than Bakura's. He no longer joined in conversations or hung around 'the gang' a lot. He was often off by himself somewhere. Yami had lost interest in things he once loved to do, Duel Monsters included. He was more withdrawn. Yami's normally caring nature had given away to cold indifference.

These changes were not good for their hikaris. Yami and Bakura had refused to tell Yuugi and Ryou about anything that had happened that night three weeks ago. This did not bode well for Jou and Seto for when Yuugi and Ryou were worried, they were forced to be too.

"Yuugi, they can deal with this themselves. They're capable people." Jou sighed watching Yuugi pace around Ryou's living room.

"I hate to say this, but Jounouchi's right, Ryou, Yami and Bakura can deal with this situation themselves." Seto said as he sat next to Jou, watching Ryou pace around the room with Yuugi.

The two hikaris each shot their lover a glare.

Jou and Seto gulped simultaneously.

"You guys don't get it! These two are so stubborn! They'll never get anything done by themselves. Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Yuugi groaned in frustration.

"Yuugi's right. My Yami's stubborn and tends to do stupid things. I don't know what happened three weeks ago, but whatever it was, I have the feeling that Bakura did or said something extremely dumb." Ryou said calmly.

"Well, what can we do about it? The two of them don't want to talk to us. And we can't get them to talk to each other. They won't go near each other." Jou said.

"I don't think you guys have to worry about having to get them near each other. Look." Seto pointed to the window.

Yuugi, Ryou and Jou looked outside.

"Can this be good?" Yuugi asked.

"We'll have to see."

Yami strolled along the street, staring at the ground, not caring about what was going around him, letting his legs lead him.

And where they led him was the one place he least wanted to be.

Yami looked in front of him, realizing he was standing in front of a tree. Not just any tree, but the tree in front of Ryou's house.

He cursed to himself lightly. But when he turned to walk away, a soft voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Yami."

He turned on his heel, coming face to face with the face that had been haunting him for so long.

"Bakura."

They stood there silently, staring at each other.

Emotions flashed across their faces at speeds unheard of.

Yami settled on indifference, something that had become normal for him.

"I didn't see you there, Bakura. What can I do for you?"

"Yami, I apologize. I'm so sorry about what happened. I was stupid to say all those things. I…"

"Leave it, Bakura." Yami said coldly.

Bakura promptly flinched.

"What happened to you, Yami?" Bakura was shocked.

"You happened, Bakura. You happened." Yami turned around to leave.

Instinctively Bakura grabbed Yami's wrist.

"Don't keep doing this to me, Yami. You can't avoid this forever. Listen to me for once without walking away." Bakura nearly yelled, but kept himself in check.

"What if I don't want to listen to you? What if I don't care anymore? What if I hate you?!" Yami yelled turning to face Bakura.

"You don't." Bakura said confidently, but inside he wasn't so sure.

Inside, Yuugi banged his hand on the windowsill, "Grrr…if Yami messes this up, I swear, I will hurt him so bad!"

The hikari growled threateningly at the unaware Yami outside.

The others nodded their agreement and looked back outside.

"How do you know?" His voice was so steady, so icy.

"You're eyes tell it all Yami. You have a good game face and can lie up a storm when needed, but when it comes to lying about your emotions, you're bad at it." Bakura said quietly.

"No Bakura, I'm not lying, I don't love you. You don't love me. We're not friends, we're rivals. That's all we are. That's all we were and that's all we'll ever be, Bakura. Nothing more. Only less." Yami started to walk away.

"You're wrong, Yami." Bakura's voice was sorrowful, thick with emotions, "I do Yami…I do love…"

Yami shot around, glaring at Bakura through tears. "Don't you dare tell me that! Don't you dare, Bakura! You'll be lying. Don't lie about loving me just to make me feel better or because our hikaris put you up to it! Cuz in the end, I'll be the one hurt again. Just leave me alone Bakura! I don't want to hear anymore of your lies!" Yami turned away and ran.

"Damn it! I'm not lying, Yami! I really do! It took me so long to realize and accept it, but it's true, I love you. More than anything!" Bakura cried, falling on his knees in tears.

Yami stopped running, frozen in his step, his breath hitching in his throat.

Bakura shut his eyes tightly, soft whimpers escaping from his lips.

He jolted when he felt a warm hand touch his wet cheeks for a millisecond.

Bakura opened his eyes. Yami had crumbled on the ground in front of him, crying, "Ra, don't let this be a lie. Just please don't tell me this is a lie, Bakura. Please! I don't think I'll be able to deal with it."

Bakura reached forward and hugged Yami, whispering softly, "No…it's not a lie…I love you so much."

He leaned his forehead against Yami's, brown eyes and red ones locking. They're tears mixing as they wept.

"I love you too."

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End….of….what?

Kaosu: Should this be the end of the story or do you want another chapter? They haven't even kissed in the story yet. All they've done is hug. Todo really is evil...

Bakura: Where is that baka author?

Yami: Gr…wait til I get my hands on her.

Kaosu: - -; she's off somewhere. Well, review please everyone…have sympathy on these two ::points to Bakura and Yami::

Bakura & Yami: REVIEW PLEASE!

© Todokanunegai 1-15-03