I want to thank all of the people who read the 1st chapter for even looking at the story! I hope you liked it because here's chapter 2! Thank you reviewers! You all seemed to like it and want more, so I guess I'll keep writing.

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or anything that is related to it nor do I claim to. Please do not sue!!! I also do not own any of the songs that are used in this song based fic.

Thank you kaouru for the tip about Ryou's name. The two words sound alike so it's not that big of a problem for me anymore!

Now the song that I use for this chapter isn't the whole song. I decided to take the chorus out because it really didn't fit well with the story line. Other than that this is the complete song.

Bakura = Ryou

Yami Bakura = Bakura

This story contains Yaoi, don't like then don't read!

~Lyrics~

"Blah" Speaking

'Blah' Thoughts

*~*~~*~* Scene Change

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

Slowly Drifting Chapter Two: It's easier to run

Wound so deep they never show, they never go away

Like moving pictures in my head for years and years they've played- It's easier to run - Linkin Park

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
~It's easier to run Replacing this pain with something numb~

Ryou ran as fast as he could make his legs move. He ran in fear from the smirking Bakura that he had only just left the night before. Fear. That was the only thing he could feel at the moment. Solid fear and anxiety. His breath and heart, along with the rhythmatic pounding of his feet were the only thing that his ears acknowledged. He had no idea what had snapped, but whatever it was would have to wait until he was as far away from Bakura as he could get. Dimly aware of anything beyond his running, Ryou could barely hear the sound of someone following him before whoever it was grabbed his wrist. Ryou's body tensed up in fear before he forced himself to turn. Ryou nearly fainted in surprise and relief when he saw that it was only one of the body guards Seto had sent with them. He was tall and muscular, but looked friendly none the less. His small round blue eyes had a kind light and Ryou was cursing himself for being so frightened of this man. As Ryou was about to say something, the man opened his mouth to speak.

"Your friends told me to follow you. Would you please come back with me? That man wanted to talk to you before you bolted."

Ryou's eyes grew big as he turned to run again. He just couldn't be near Bakura yet. He was still quite afraid of him. Ryou only got a few meters away before his breathe hitched in his chest and he blacked out.

~It's so much easier to go Than face this pain here all alone~

*~*~~*~*

Soft and slightly muffled voices reached Ryou's ears before his amber and brown eyes opened. Blinking things into focus, he could make out the faces of Seto, Mokuba, Joey, Yugi and Yami along with a woman that Ryou didn't recognise.She had blond hair that was tied into a bun in the back, along with sparkling green eyes. She had large black rimmed glasses sitting on her small nose and was quite small and skinny. He was staring at the wall trying to figure out where he was when the woman spoke to him.

"Mr.Bakura, you should be alittle more careful next time you go running somewhere like you did. You collapsed from exhaution."

"How can that be? Ryou's perfectly healthy." That was Yugi's concerned voice. "It's possible to wear your self down emotionally and that can effect one's physical health. Have you been under any stress lately, Mr.Bakura?"

"It's Ryou, and yes I have, sort of."

"Well, you'll be ok with a few days rest and relaxation. Just be sure not to emotionally exert yourself alot in the near future. It would help if you maybe took a small vacation somewhere. I hear the beach is quite nice this time of year."

Ryou smiled. "Now Mr.Kaiba, I want this boy to stay resting. I do not want you and Mr.Wheeler planning anything that would have alot of people around. If it would be possible try to get this boy out of the house and to the park or something. Lots of fresh air and peace will do the trick. Good evening everybody." With that said, she picked up her bag and left the room.

Ryou's eyes flickered over everyone's faces, noting they all had the same expression. They all looked like they had something to tell, but were to afraid to say anything. Finally Yugi spoke up.

"Joey told Yami and I, Ryou. I hope you don't mind that we know about everything that's going on."

~Something has been taken From deep inside of me ~

"I don't mind Yugi." Ryou smiled a bit before leaning against the burgandy pillow behind him. "Ryou," Seto spoke softly. "Bakura wanted me to give you somthing."

Ryou nodded after shivering a bit. Seto opened his blue over coat and pulled a small white envolope from the inside pocket. It was the envolope that Ryou had addressed to Bakura the day before. He handed it to Ryou, who with steady fingers, opened it. The letter that Ryou had written to Bakura lie inside against another sheet of paper. Instead of a name being written on top, the words 'Your secret will not be forgotton' were scrawled across the front. Ryou unfolded the paper and read aloud,

"~* How wonderful of you to tell me this. You were right about me though. I do think that emotions are weak AND that I hate love. But you were wrong about my secrets, little Ryou. They ARE kept hidden for reasons. Reasons that your naive mind wouldn't be able to handle. My past isn't something that was fun or easy. And my present isn't something to toy with. I'll tell you one thing though, I will be playing with my new finding or rather, your unveiled emotion. This gives me an upper hand. I know your most precious secret, now Ryou, do you know mine? You've gotton yourself into a nasty game, and tell me. Do you feel like you can win? I WON'T let you be the winner, with that said, let the game begin.*~"

Ryou looked up from the letter to his friends. They looked mildly surprised as Ryou handed them the paper to see the words with their own eyes.

~A secret I've kept locked away No one can ever see~

Inside himself, Ryou could feel anger boiling up. His emotions were not weak. They were something that he could not let become a toy. He wasn't a game that could be brought out to play whenever the player wanted to enjoy themselves. He wasn't about to let himself become one either. His eyes grew hard and cold as his mind was made up, he was going to win this game. Even if it meant having to stamp out the love he felt for the other.

"It's time to begin."

They all looked at Ryou curiously, wondering if they heard correctly. Yami asked, "Time to begin what Ryou?"

"It's time to play this game. One way or another, Bakura will see that emotion is not weak. I've dealt with him long enough, and now it's time he deals with me."

~Wounds so deep they never show They never go away~

*~*~~*~*

Hours later, after constant bickering about Ryou being out of bed, Ryou looked like a completly new person. He had Joey go out and buy a highlighting kit and highlighted his silver tresses with black. He had changed into the leather flared pants with the flames on it and the dragon shirt. His hair was tied up in a high ponitail and his wrists were adorned with the many bracelets bought earlier. Upon his neck was the choker Yami had made sure they had bought and around his waist was the chain belt, hanging loosely against his side. Ryou looked him self over in the mirror and smiled in satisfaction. He looked like a new person and felt like it too. His eyes didn't change all the way to amber and were still swirled. They were cold and angry. Just the way he felt at the moment. 'I'll show him who is a game. He's gonna be the one to learn this time.' As he looked himself over, Ryou remembered bits and pieces of times where he and Bakura were arguing over something.

****Ryou stood against the doorway, blocking Bakura's way out. The said yami was glaring at Ryou as he gathered some things in a bag. "I am going there whether you like it or not!"

"BAKURA! You have to stay here! Father will be home and he will not be happy to see that your not here! He likes you!"

"I could care less! I hate that little human almost as much as I hate you!"

With that, Bakura shoved Ryou out of the way and left the house.****

With each glance and turn came a new flashback.

****The front door slamed as Bakura entered the house in a fit of rage. He was glaring and growling at anything that got in his path up to Ryou's room. He stormed up the steps, barely keeping himself from yelling himself hoarse. He roughly pushed Ryou's door open to reveal the smaller man sitting at his desk doing homework. "WHY DIDN'T YOU COME TO PICK ME UP?"

Without turning from his homework Ryou replied, "You don't deserve to be picked up. You got yourself drunk. You deal with it."

"THAT'S NO GOOD REASON! YOU LEFT ME THERE FOR TWO HOURS!"

"I was busy. You couldv'e called someone else."

"SOMEONE ELSE?! THERE ISN'T ANYONE ELSE I COULD CALL!"

"Go lie down Bakura, your drunk, angry and annoying me."

"ANNOYING YOU?! I'LL SHOW YOU ANNOYING!" He grabbed the chair and turned it around. He grabbed Ryou's wrist, hauled him up, and smacked him. That had been one of the few times Bakura had ever hit him, so it startled Ryou quite a bit. Ryou was shaking as he moved his turned cheek to glare at Bakura. Bakura glared back and huffed as he dropped Ryou's wrist. "You're not worth the effort, weakling."****

That was one of the more painful memories. It was one of the very scarce times Bakura hit him, and when he did, he was either drunk or really angry about one thing or the other. No, afraid of being beat was not the reason Ryou feared his yami. He feared him because of the dark shadow powers that had been used against Ryou only once. That one time was enough to scare Ryou to death along with the other things Bakura could do to him mentally. Ryou's mind was like an open book to the spirit. He could read it and manipulate it in any way he wanted.

~Like moving pictures in my head For years and years they've played~

Ryou stopped turning and stepped over to his large window. The others were out on the balcony waiting for their stubborn friend to get finished so they could all go out to dinner together. He pushed open the glass door and waited to be acknowledged. To say the least, they all were a bit surprised.

"Whoa! Dude, what happened to the ol' man?!" Joey was walking around Ryou in circles, smiling widely. "Do you guys like this?"

Joey stopped circling. "Like it? It's like someone kidnapped the shy little Ryou and replaced him with Biker boy Ryou!" "It does look different, but I like it. Somehow it feels right." Yugi nodded at Ryou's statement. "But there's one thing that needs to be changed." Yugi reached up to Ryou's face and brushed some bangs out of the ponitail, so they framed Ryou's face. "You look really weird without bangs." They all laughed and turned to leave the balcony. Ryou followed them out of his room and out to a wonderful evening with his friends.

*~*~~*~*

Bakura huffed as he plopped himself down on the couch. He was silently cursing himself about forgetting to put in his letter that Ryou's father had written. He had said he would be home next week and hoped to see the two boys for a while before having to go back. 'Little runt's dad. Oh joy, I hate him just as much as the weakling. Why did he even tell his father about me? He knows I hate most of these foolish humans. Why would his father be different? Now I have to go find the runt and explain to him his daddy is coming home to visit. I should just leave and not tell Ryou his dad's coming home. When did I start to care? I shouldn't have to go out and find him. He should be here, where he lives. He should be at home and making me food. Just like a good little servant.' His stomach growled. "That reminds me," Bakura growled as he grabbed his coat. "I'm hungry. Mine as well go out." He grabbed the keys to the motorcycle Ryou's dad bought for Ryou and left, the engine roaring as he sped down the street to the nearest resteraunt.

*~*~~*~*

The group, excluding Mokuba, laughed as they entered the doorway of the resteraunt. They had chosen a small place, just around the corner from Yugi and Yami's house. Ryou's mood had brightened completly and he kept confirming to the others that he didn't feel tired or anything. Quote Yugi 'After all, the docter did tell you to rest. We're only worried about your health.' They were seated a large booth in the corner of the resteraunt, Yugi, Yami and Ryou on one side. Seto and Joey on the other. They were halfway through their meal when the door jingled as another customer entered. No one paid much attention to the person until they spoke up, telling the waitress they were alone. As soon as they spoke, Ryou's head shot up and glared. It was Bakura. Ryou would know the Egyption/Brittish accent anywhere. Only his yami had that unique combination voice. Ryou was still glaring when Seto spoke to him. When Ryou didn't reply he looked up, followed his gaze, and glared as well. Ryou's hands clenched into fists, his nails biting at his palms. Yugi placed his hands over Ryou's fists and tried to calm him down.

"Ryou, remember. The docter said no emotional stress for a while. We don't want you to pass out again."

Bakura stopped in front of the booth he heard Yugi's voice come from. He smirked as he leaned over the table.

"Oh little Ryou. Daddy wrote home. He'll be home next week and he hopes to see both of us. Now should I write back and tell him you don't live at home anymore? Or should you do it?" He smirked wider, and leaned back to follow the young woman to his table.

Ryou stared at his back in shock. "My father? He doesn't know I left! I can't tell him either. It would make him ask me why, and then I would have to explain everything that has been going on."

"Why don't you want to tell him?" Seto asked. "He doesn't know how I feel for Bakura. He once told me he didn't like people who are like me too much."

"Like you?"

"Gay." Yugi's eyes widened. "I thought your father knew about all of us!"

"I didn't ever tell him. He would have forbidden me to see you all. Then he wouldv'e taken the Ring away, saying it was part of the cause. My father is very religous. He belives gay people are a crime against nature."

Nobody spoke much after that. After they finished dinner they got up and left, not even looking back at the spirit of the Ring who was smirking at his table.

*~*~~*~*

Ryou shivered as he snuggled deeper into the covers. His mind was racing with questions, 'What should I do? Should I tell Father or should I just go home for a while? If I go home that means I would have to deal with Bakura. In a way that could be good or bad. Good as in me getting the idiot to understand, bad as in he could get ticked off and send me to the Shadow Realm once again.'

~Sometimes I remember The darkness of my past~

Ryou shuddered at the thought. That place was terrifying enough the first time. Cold, dark, and alone. Three things in life that Ryou hated most were the cold, dark and being alone. He was so releaved when Yami had retreaved him, that he couldn't even put his relief into words. He just held onto Yami and cried his eyes out for an hour.

~Bring back these memories I wish I didn't have~

Ryou sighed as he glanced over to the clock on the table beside him. The digital red letters read 2:27 AM. He sighed once again and pushed himself off the bed and grabbed his robe that was lying on the bed. He shrugged into it and went over to the large window. Pushing it open, he smiled as the cool night air blew against his skin. He walked over and leaned onto the iron railing to look at the beautiful backyard. From where he stood Ryou could see a perfectly carved water fountain. The statue in the middle was a rose with the water falling from it's petals. The calming sound of splashing water seemed to soothe him as he closed his eyes to listen more. He was surprised when he heard someone speak behind him.

"You shouldn't be out this late, Ryou. You'll get sick."

Ryou turned to lock eyes with Seto. "I couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind."

"Like what?"

"Like what I'm goind to do about this situation. If I stay here while father's home, he will suspect something and ask about it. But if I go home I take the risk of not getting my point across to Bakura and being sent to the Shadow Realm again. Once was enough, Seto. You have no idea how scary that place is."

~Sometimes I think of letting go, and never looking back Never moving forward so there would never be a past~

"You're right. I have absolutely no idea what that felt like, but I do know one thing. Your stronger now Ryou. You can handle the pressure of this game your playing. Bakura isn't aware that your soul and state of mind has changed so drastically. You radiate calm and strength. Just go home for a while and if things get to bad tell your dad your coming over here for a while. Remember, your always welcome in my home. And anyways, yuo did say that you had something to prove to the little demon, right?"

Ryou grinned. "Your right. I did say it's time he learned." Ryou walked over to Seto and gave him a small hug. "The matter's settled. Thank you. Now if you don't mind, get out of my room. I'd like to finally get some sleep." The two chuckled as Seto left the room. Ryou lied back down onto the bed and let sleep finally claim him.

*~*~~*~*

The next two days went by uneventfully. Seto wasn't around much because of work and Joey had gotton himself sick with the flu. Mokuba, Seto and Ryou were staying as far away as possible, trying to keep themselves healthy. Ryou was pacing back and forth in his room trying to gather his thoughts before he packed some things in a duffel back for home. 'Oh prepare yourself Bakura. It's time to play.' Ryou sounded frighteningly calm, even to himself. But at the moment frightening was a good thing. He gathered his things and left the Kaiba mansion, walking home rather than taking the limo Seto had prepared for him.

*~*~~*~*

Ryou knocked on the hardwood door, leaning casually against the doorframe waiting. He didn't have to wait long, because in a moment, he met eyes with the amber eyed yami.

"Why look at what we have here. Little Ryou came home to play!"

"I'm not little, yami. But I did come home to play. No what was it you said about me getting myself into a nasty game?" Ryou's swirled eyes narrowed, "Who shall win? The cowardly yami, or the so called pathetic hikari, because let me enlighten you Bakura. I'm not pathetic anymore."

"Oooh. I'm shaking here," his words dripped with sarcasm. "You wanna play? Fine then. Let the games begin."

Ryou's gaze didn't waver for a moment. He was going to stand like a stone and win this battle if it was the last thing he did. He felt strong, but a part of him asked, 'What happens if I lose?' He quickly brushed the thought away. Now was not the time to ask questions.

~Just washing it aside, all the helpessness inside Pretending I don't feel misplaced, it's so much easier than change~

No, now was not the time to show fear. He was already in too deep, too fast and it looked like there was no way out.

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YAY!! Chappy 2! I had so many nice reviews I wanted to get this out as soon as possible. Now I'm not sure what song I will use next. I have to listen to my collection before I make a desion. I hope you enjoyed this!

~*Fire of the Angel 9:39 pm 5-5-03*~