"I can't let him hurt my friends." Ryou ran downstairs after his mischievous yami, but found the scene deserted. Every day, Bakura made a routine of drinking his morning coffee, which Ryou felt he really didn't need, and reading the advertisements in the paper. But today, no morning paper sat on the kitchen table, and the coffee pot was cold. Without his yami mucking about and causing havoc everywhere, the place seemed empty. "Bakura where are you?! Bakura!" He shouted, but his calls only echoed off the walls of his empty house. Ryou bowed his head, feeling oddly alone and defeated. Something definitely felt very very wrong. Anxiety sharply struck him and he clutched his light violet hair between his fingers in panicked frustration. "How could I let him leave like this?! I don't know who he's targeting this time… Jonouchi maybe? He hasn't done anything to him in a while… or maybe Anzu? He always talks about how annoying she is… or… Yugi?"
"Yugi is the weakest of my friends… of course he will target him." Tears of agony and concern glistened in his eyes and he ran out of the house, disregarding the dull nighttime clothes he was wearing. "I can't… can't let him hurt my friends… I can't let him hurt Yugi."
He arrived at Yugi's abode out of breath and disheveled. In a panic, he burst through the door without knocking, calling out Yugi's name with fear. "Yugi! Are you here?! Yugi!!"
The spiky haired boy ran down the stairs with slight confusion and concern in his eyes. "Ryou? It's so early… what are you doing here? Is something wrong?"
"I lost track of Bakura and I thought that he might have… that you…" Unable to find the right words, he let Yugi talk for him.
"You though that he might hurt me?" Yugi nodded in understanding, but surprised Ryou by giving him a smile. "I am happy that you care about me this much, but you don't have to worry about me Ryou."
"But Yugi, if he came here…" he began, but stopped again when he was interrupted by another familiar voice.
"Then I would make sure nothing happened to Yugi." Yami strolled casually out of the kitchen, munching on a breakfast bar. Tossing another one to Ryou, he smirked. "Oh, and Happy Birthday Ryou."
When Ryou raised his eyebrows, confused at the gesture, Yami laughed. "Your look is precious! Don't tell me you believed that was your present. Yugi has your real gift upstairs, but I think it still has to be…" Yami glanced at Yugi, giving him a sidelong wink. "… wrapped first. Yugi?"
"Yes, happy birthday Ryou." The spiky haired boy nodded with a shy smile and ran upstairs. "I'll be back with your present soon!"
"My birthday…" Ryou murmured beneath his breath. With the sudden events this morning, the thought had completely escaped him. "You remembered…"
"Of course I remembered, how could I forget with Yugi counting down? 50 days till Ryou's birthday, 27 days till Ryou's birthday, blah blah blah." Yami raised the pitch of his voice, mimicking his hikari, but it was all in fun. If it made Yugi happy, it was good enough for him too. He almost smiled thinking about it, but then he remembered what he had meant to do. His countenance grew somber, and he grasped Ryou's hand, drawing him into the kitchen.
"What is this Yami? What are you planning?" Ryou asked with an innocent demeanor, though he knew just how devious Yugi's Yami, or any Yami, could be.
"Sadly, it's not what you think. This may come as a shock, but there is something I need to tell you." Yami paused.
"Really? What a shock." Ryou giggled mirthfully, not knowing what Yami had in store for him.
"Ryou… this is not a laughing matter." He lowered his voice so that he was certain only the two of them would hear his words. "I heard your conversation with Yugi, in fact I've heard many of them whether you realize that or not. I've noticed a trend with you and Bakura. You always speak of him with fear and dread in your voice, always concerned that he would have or already had harmed someone, usually you. Is what I gather true?"
Hearing Yami's words, the smile slowly faded off of Ryou's face. He nodded with shame and sadness and muttered softly, "It's true."
"This isn't normal, but you know that already, don't you?" Yami waited until he saw the boy's small nod and sighed, "I really hate bring this up again, especially on your birthday, really I do. I just wanted you to know that if he gives you, or anyone else, any more trouble then you can always give me a call. I'll take care of it, anytime, any day." He smiled warmly and gently caressed Ryou's cheek. "Yugi cares about you, and so do I."
"I…" The boy stood somewhat expressionless for a moment, trying to figure out what he should say or do next. His eyes darted around the room hopelessly, panicked and confused not by Yami's openness, but rather by something much deeper, something that had remained hidden inside him for a very long time. After a few rapid quivering breaths, he pushed Yami's hand away. He adverted his gaze downwards, and after a long deliberation, he faced Yami again. "Thank you Yami, I know I can trust you. I appreciate your hospitality, but I should go now... there's something I need to do. Please tell Yugi that I'm sorry for leaving so soon."
Yami nodded, noting Ryou's silent, uneasy demeanor, and showed him the way out. As they reached the door, Yami placed something into Ryou's hands and whispered to him, "I know what you mean to do. You are braver than I assumed."
Shrugging off Yami's ominous words, the boy took the item and walked briskly away without another word. The pharaoh's adept intuition still scared him, and this time, it made his stomach lurch with queasiness. How could he know what his cruel intentions were? Maybe he didn't. Perhaps for once, the all-mighty pharaoh had guessed wrong. Ryou chanced a glance at what Yami had given him and sighed with dismay. Then again, maybe he did know.