Thanks guys:

Short Stuff: Don't worry the hate will flare again soon XD

Dante-Gene: Thanks for the uhmmmm "interesting review" oh strangest of brothers

baz_aka_cloud_1_3_5: *tackle glomps* the tent wasn't as smelly as last time I hope. Have you washed your socks like a good boy. One hot soapy Ryou coming right up ^_^

A Fire Quenched Still Burns

Ryou awoke from a restless night. He had been searching the house and the local neighbourhood for Bakura. His search was not fruitful. He awoke in a cold sweat, his black silk pyjamas sticking to his skin. The usual bold dragon's head on the front was drooping with the weight of Ryou's perspiration. He had been visited my old nightmares. The kind the have when you're very little and the lights go out. Normally Ryou's eyes would have dazzled in the dim light but this morning they still had a steely look to them. A ring of fire could be seen dancing in the iris outlining his large dark pupils. He sat upright on the bed for several minutes letting the previous day's events flood over him.

"Aghhhhhhhhh" he screamed before falling limply back to the bed.

"Where could he be?" he muttered to himself, "I checked everywhere, the pub, the cinema. Even that cheap brothel he always looks at when we walked past."

Ryou shuddered as he remembered what an old guy had said to him outside the brothel. It was something about staining his lovely white hair.

"Eughh!" Ryou cried as he reached up and felt his hair. Its normal shine was gone and it was sticking to his head in horrible matted clumps. He jumped out of the bed, throwing the covers into the wash basket. He hurried down the hall hoping no one would see him before ducking into the bathroom. Turning on the power shower Ryou leant back against the bathroom door, he rubbed his eyes and sighed loudly. Ryou walked across the bathroom and pulled open the shower door. By playing with the controls he got the water to that perfect setting, the one he could stand under and let his troubles literally wash over him. Sighing again as warm moisture filled the air, he flicked back his hair and undoing his pyjamas let them fall to the floor.

Ryou looked over his shoulder at the full length mirror hanging on the door. He admired the way the morning sunlight played red and gold shadows on the small of his back. The sweat reflecting the sun off his shoulders and his toned buttocks. Pinching his own bum he giggled like a high school girl and moved away from the door. He turned slowly and spreading his arms like a gymnast he looked at his reflection. He smiled while looking himself up and down. His body, although not big, was by no means wiry. His muscles stood out proudly from his chest and as he puffed in air he could see his chest swell. He then felt something he hadn't felt before. When Bakura had been everything to him he was always overshadowed in his presence. Ryou realised for the first time in his life that he was something. Something to be proud of, something to be respected. He was something people should look up to.

"No that's not it" thought Ryou his brow creased in thought.

He smiled and then looking into the mirror, his nose almost pressed to the condensation riddled glass, he screamed.

"I'M GORGEOUS"

Ryou hugged and kissed his reflection before jumping into the shower and whistling a happy tune under the pulse of the water. For today at least his thoughts would not be about Bakura.

But Ryou would soon be brought back to earth. Yugi could be heard calling out to Yami.

"Yammmmmmmi! Yammmmmmmmmi? I know it's a day early but I couldn't wait, plus we have the house to ourselves tonight. Happy Valentines Day!"

Yami blushed as they exchanged gifts. Yugi was a face of smiles as he watched Yami's jaw drop upon opening his gift. Yami held the studded pink posing pouch up to the light, his face turning crimson before keeling over backwards and passing out cold. His head thumping off the floor as he fell.

"Yami? You OK? Yami?!"

Yugi bent down to see if Yami was OK. Seeing that he was only unconscious Yugi cuddled up to his aibou and fell asleep on his chest purring like a well fed kitten, the posing pouch tight in his hand.

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I promise 'kura will be brought back in the next chappie. Needed to build suspense and get you wondering folks. Till then………..