Show Me the Way from Crazy
Nine
Having Someone

(a.n. – Gah! I'm so sorry that I'm so horrible with updating. And this will be my last update for 2 weeks [not that I would have updated in two weeks anyway, but that's not the point]. I am going on vacation. Yes, that is correct. I actually have something to do this summer. ^_^;; I will be gone from July 26th to August 9th. I will be writing lots up there, considering how there is absolutely nothing else to do, so when I get back, expect lots of crazy great stuff. Until then! The reason why I didn't update tomorrow or something [Friday] is because my dad is being weird and wants to get all the hardwood floors re-done. Therefore, the computer will be unplugged and being in the downstairs. T-T So sad . . .)
Disclaimer: Urm . . . me no own na no da!
Note: This is completely AU. Nothing in the series has happened in this. Well . . . kinda. Everything up to Battle City has . . . I guess. But besides that – nothing! Heh heh – just to clear up confusion . . . Oh! And another thing, I will be switching the point of view every chapter (don't worry – only between two people) because well, it's better to get everyone's perspective, right? Heh heh – and this is shounen-ai . . . if you have a problem – why the hell are you reading it?

Review replies:
Wow . . . 130. Never thought I'd ever get this far with any fic. Thanks to everyone who reviewed; you guys are the greatest.
Sarith McGregor: Heehee. ^_^;; Sorry if I made you go all "fetal position". I didn't mean to; honestly! *Straightens halo over head*
The Merciless Torturer: Heehee. First time with shounen-ai, ne? Well, then I apologize if my story was so "I don't know." I really didn't mean to do that either! Damn. I'm really being a bitch lately, huh? Ah well; welcome to The Wonderful World of Yaoi all the same. Maybe sooner or later you'll get used to it? Ne? Ne?
Kilandra Yamitea: Heh. I postponed the dad-coming-home thing for a chapter. Just had to get this stuff done and away with. ^_^
BlackRose: Maybe this chapter's what you've been waiting for? *Hint hint wink wink nudge nudge*
onlyHAUNTED: Damn. I wouldn't do THAT to everyone. I'm not incredibly cruel. Keep that one in mind, love.
aznstarangel: Hah! I wish that I made up the quotes. Nope – I'm just a quote-snatcher. Something I do in my spare time. Yes, I am fully aware just how pathetic I am.
Yay! Lots of review replies that time. Keep them coming, please? *Chibi eyes*

"Love is having someone, life is having no one. Love comes to those who need it most, while life haunts those who beg to leave it."

Malik's POV

            Ceiling. White. Malik. Baka. Ryou. Perfecton. I was currently sitting in my room, laying on the bed, and staring at the ceiling. So far I had counted ten cracks, and a hole in the corner.

            I wonder what Ryou is doing now. Maybe he's thinking about me? Nah, I doubt it. I hate not telling him this. It hurts me so much to keep all of these thoughts and feelings inside me; I've never been one who's good with keeping secrets. But then again, if I tell him how I feel, just how much my heart aches for him, I might end up causing myself more pain.

            I flipped over on the bed and sighed, now gazing at the wall. The wallpaper was pretty. All blue with white swirls. Ugh. I need to distract myself somehow. This is hopeless. I'm hopeless.

            Maybe . . . maybe it would easier on everyone if I just left. Yeah, it probably would. I took out my bag from where it was located under the bed, and opened up the wooden closet door. My clothes were all hanging there, and I took them all off the coat hangers and stuffed everything in my blue bag.

            When everything else that I owned was stuffed into the bag – into which it barely fit – I sat down cross legged on the comforter atop the bed and looked around. Should I go and say good-bye to Ryou? No, that would only make it harder on me.

            Finally, I decided that I would write him a letter. Pulling out a piece of paper from a notebook in my bag, I began.

Ryou,
I'm sorry that everything had to come down to this. I'm sorry I've been a burden on you. We only agreed to try this for a little bit, and I don't want to really do this, but I think it would be best for everyone if I just left. I'm sorry and . . . I love you.
                                                                                    Malik

            There. Short and sweet. Once my pen had left the paper, I noticed that I was crying. Some words on the paper were smudging. When did I become such a mess?

            I placed the note on the dresser and attempted to stop the flow of tears falling from my eyes. Key word: attempted. I couldn't help it. I met someone who accepted me, who didn't expect anything from me, and now I was leaving. I might get over this.

            There was then a knock on my closed door. Ryou? No, it was too loud to be his. So then . . . it must be Bakura.

            Hurriedly wiping my eyes on my sleeve, I opened the door, and sure enough, Bakura was standing there with a stupid grin on his face.

            "So . . ?" He asked expectantly.

            "So what?" I questioned bitterly. I really just wanted him to leave me alone.

            "Did you tell Ryou?"

            "No."

            He then looked at me more closely. Then his eyes traveled from me to the open closet door. "What's wrong?"

            Crap. I forgot to shut the door. "N-nothing."

            His eyes then wandered to the dresser, and before I could do anything about it, he was there – reading the note.

            When he was finished, he looked up at me in shock. "You were planning on leaving?"

            "I am planning on leaving." I corrected him.

            "Why?" He asked incredulously, "I just got used to the fact that you and Ryou were going to be together."

            "He doesn't like me." I sighed discontentedly, sitting on the bed.

            "Did he tell you that?" Bakura raised an eyebrow and put the note in its previous spot.

            "Well – no. But why would he?"

            "I have no idea." Bakura seemed to be agreeing with me, so I glared at him. He could be at least a bit sympathetic. "No worries though, him and I don't usually agree on things, and I know he likes you."

            "Did he tell you that?" I mocked him.

            Now it was his turn to glare. "No. But unlike you, I happen to share a mind link with him. Most of the time I can read his emotions."

            "Well . . . you don't understand anything about me. Even if he did, I'm not sure it would be the best thing for him."

            "You said that before," Bakura said, somewhat to himself as he sat down next to me. "Care to explain?"

"No."

            He growled a bit. "Tell me anyway or I'll make Ryou come in here and give him the note while you're still here."

            "You're pure evil, did you know that?"

            "I try hard. Now talk."

            "Well," I started. Where the hell to begin? "I really don't know how to explain everything."

            "For starters – where are you from?" Bakura asked, and I suppose my darkly tanned skin was a dead giveaway that I wasn't from Japan.

            "Egypt."

            "Then how the hell did you get all the way here?"

            "A plane." I rolled my eyes.

            He sighed. "Okay. Why the hell did you decide to come here?"

            "It was the furthest place I could get away from home with the money I had."

            "What did you want to get away from?"

            "You sound like a therapist."

            "Answer the question."

            This was such a hard question to answer. "I was running away from . . . well, myself I suppose."

            "What did you do?"

            "I did nothing, and yet people were scared of me."

            Bakura blinked a bit. "That doesn't make sense."

            I sighed. "I – I have . . . a yami. Like you, only different."

            Bakura didn't seem too fazed by this. "Interesting . . ."

            "Why don't you seem shocked?" I questioned.

            "When you told me your name, when you first came here, I recognized your surname. Ishtar . . . the grave guardian. But how the hell did he come back? You have a Sennen Item?"

            "Well – yeah . . . but that's not what he came from. He was . . . born of my anger; when I was younger. And I – I can't seem to get rid of him. He killed people back home and . . ." I eventually trailed off; the memories being too painful.

            "And that's what you ran away from?" He asked and I nodded. "Oh . . . what item do you have?!" He asked excitedly.

            "The Rod . . ." I said, pulling it out from the bottom drawer of the dresser and unwrapped it from the cloth that it was hidden in.

            "Ooooh! Shiney!" Bakura cried, and I saw instant item lust – or whatever the hell you would refer to it as – in his eyes. Then he coughed, and seemed to take control of himself again.

            Being a bit scared of the psychoticness, I wrapped it back up in the cloth and then shoved it in my backpack this time. I was surprised that Yami hadn't made a "guest appearance" yet. He was actually being quite quiet during the whole conversation.

            "So . . . you gonna leave still?" Bakura asked finally, killing the silence that was enveloping the room.

            "Do I have a choice?" I asked, thinking that he was going to make me stay.

            "I'm not going to make do anything," Bakura commented, seeming to have read my thoughts somehow, "But Ryou would be heartbroken and depressed if you do go."

            I sighed. I doubt he would, but then again, Bakura did seem to know more about Ryou than I do.

            "I – I don't know what else to do . . ." I admitted, feeling worthless and vulnerable.

            "Tell you what," Bakura said in a kind voice that I had never heard before. "If you stay, I'll try and help you control your yami with my Sennen Ring. Sound good?"

            I nodded. I suppose that fixes everything that I was worried about. I don't know how powerful he was, but for now, I have no reason not to trust him.

            I nodded again, slowly, "That would work."

            "But," He added, his notorious, mischievous twinkle back in his eyes, "You have to do something for me."

            Oh gods. Here's the catch. "And what do I have to do?"

            "Tell Ryou how you feel."

            Meep. Maybe I shouldn't stay. "Do I have to? I'm . . . well, I'm scared." I admitted.

            "Yep. You have to do it. I suggest doing it now, before you worry too much over it and then are scared shitless when you go and finally talk to him."

            "But I've already worried about it way too much."

            "Well . . . then you've got nothing to lose – go for it."

            I glared. I seem to glare a lot when I'm around him. How the hell does Ryou stand him?

            "I suppose I should . . ." I sighed, finally giving up.

            "And if he says no, I'll make things easy on you and kick you out!" He grinned. Man, this guy can really be an ass. But then again, if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be doing this right now. Don't know if that's a good thing or not . . .

            "Shut up." I said icily and trudged out of my room and went up to Ryou's closed door.

            I was about to bring my hand to connect with the mahogany wood that made up the door, but couldn't bring myself to do it.

            "Go on, you stupid wuss!" I heard Bakura's incredibly loud whisper from down the hall.

            Slowly, I knocked at the door inaudibly at first, but then eventually got louder.

            "Come in!" I heard Ryou's melodic voice from the other side of the door. He didn't seem to be too with it, however.

            I opened the door and poked my head in. I noticed that Ryou was reading a book, and that he wasn't looking up. He flipped a page lazily and continued reading.

            Then I went fully into the room and closed the door behind me. When Ryou heard the click of the door shutting, he looked up. When he saw me, a big smile graced his face and made him shine.  

            "Hey Malik!" He chirped happily. Oh, how I would hate for him to be depressed.

            "Urm . . . hi Ryou." I said shakily. How the hell do I start this?

            Ryou must have noticed the worried look in my eyes. "What's up?" He asked as he patted the spot next to him on the bed as a gesture for me to come and sit down.

            I obeyed, and soon found myself sitting inches away from him, staring into his endless pools of mocha color. Damn. I wish I could just jump on him right now.

            "Well . . . I – I . . ." I started, still stuttering. I might as well be blunt and get it over with, right? I mean, there's really no use in hyping things up to be more than they are. If he says no, that's okay, and we can just go out on our separate paths. Sure, I might cry over him, but I'm sure I'll get over it. That's the absolute worst that could happen, right? I wish telling your crush these things didn't have to be so damn hard. Everyone should just be open about their feelings and not worry about hiding them. Oh. Now I'm being a hypocrite.

            I had been looking down at the floor during my whole thinking process, and when I looked up; I noticed that Ryou was staring at me expectantly. Right. I never finished my sentence, did I?  

            "I – um - oh hell . . ." Actions speak louder than words, ne?

            So with that, I took Ryou's face in my hands, pulled him close to me, and kissed him gently. There. I did it. Now no one can call me a wuss.

            When we both pulled away - and I was happy to know that Ryou didn't pull away before I did and that he actually responded – I just stared at him, hoping for any emotion to flicker across his flawless face. There was a slight blush that was growing, but that was all.

            "Ryou . . . I love you. I've never truly met anyone like you before, and my life would be incomplete now if you weren't in it. I know this might sound a bit lame, but – go out with me?" After that, I took a deep breath. No regrets, right? Only lessons learned, ne?

            A smile spread across Ryou's face - in what seemed to me - slow motion. This was a good sign, right? Or was he just laughing at me?

            "Malik," He said breathlessly as he attached himself to me, "I've been waiting for you to say that for so long, because I've been too shy to."           

            I returned his embrace and just held him there. So this is what happiness feels like, huh? Happiness . . . combined with love; the ultimate "natural high."

            Ryou. My angel. My angel with the snow colored hair. Yes . . . my snow angel.

"The best things in life are not things."

(a.n. – WOOT! Nine completed. This is a record for me. And not to worry people, this is nowhere near being completed. ^_^ I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I made it longer than the rest of them [hopefully] to make up for the fact that I won't be here for two weeks [not that I update that fast, but that's not the freaking point – once more.] So yeah, please read and review. I'd love to come back home to great reviews. ^_~ Happy rest of summer to everyone! o0o0o – and if anyone is wondering why this might be uber-fluffy. I have been going Gravitation-obsessed the past couple of days; watching and such. So . . . yeah. That might explain some things. ^_^ Great show. CHECK IT OUT!)