DISCLAIMER: Holy crap I'm running out of mean things to say...damn it! Oh well, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Tsuki: And we continue on with our story. Just when you think things are better, they get worse. Anyway let me give you guys a basic rundown. This chapter involves Ryou exposing Bakura to more things and then focuses on Halloween and Thanksgiving. (I don't know if they have those in Japan but oh well) Oh yeah, don't forget the angst.

Bakura: Ya know that seems to be the entire plot of your story.

Ryou: You're just now noticing?

Bakura: Leave me alone...

Yami: Yeah, remember he only has the education level of a fifth grader. *Snicker*

Neko: *smack* Bad Yami, leave him alone!

Yugi: *blink blink* I thought you were on Yami's side Neko-chan.

Neko: *whispers to Yugi* If I don't stand up for him and punish Yami my hikari thing will cry.

Yugi: Oh...

Tsuki: okay peoples, lots of POV switches. Oh and grab a bag of chips and a soda, it's gonna be long.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryou's POV

"Why am I coming with you again? They're your friends, not mine."

I sigh, shaking my head. "Why don't you like them?"

"Because they don't like me."

"That's a stupid excuse, and they do like you."

He shoved his hands in his pockets, an annoyed expression on his face as we walked. Maybe I'm pushing too much again. I mean, he and dad are just now beginning to really get along well. I worry about these kinds of things. He's been mood swinging lately. I mean just yesterday he went totally off.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Aibou calm down, so what if you lost, everyone loses against Yami."

"That's not the point! He doesn't have to rub it in my face! And like that!"

"You're overreacting Bakura."

"I am not overreacting! I have not gone soft! I am not weak! And the Pharaoh has no right to say that I am!"

"I know he didn't mean it that way."

"You just don't understand do you!"

With that, my angry yami disappeared into his soul room.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Of course he came out later and apologized to me. He's been yelling a lot lately, punching walls even. That's why I'm worried.

"So where are we going?"

"To the arcade."

"Oh, and who's going to be here again?"

"Just us guys with yamis and Tristan and Joey are coming too. Why?

He sighed, looking at his shoes as he walked. "Just wondering."

We all met up at Yugi's house and continued on our way to the arcade. Bakura and Yami trailing behind the rest of us, Tristan and Joey holding some weird conversation about dirt. I tried to keep the fact that I was worried about Bakura to myself, but I guess I wasn't doing good enough.

"Ryou?"

I looked over to Yugi. "Hai?"

"Is everything all right?"

"Of course it is why wouldn't it be?"

"You seem worried, and Bakura is edgy. Ryou, he isn't...hurting you again is he?"

"Yugi don't say that. You know I would tell you if he were."

"I'm not so sure you would."

Bakura's POV

"Problems Bakura?"

"Some."

"Like what?"

"Yami since when did you care about my well being?"

"Because I don't see you at the scum-on-the-bottom-of-my-shoe level anymore. I have to admit it, you've done better than I expected."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Besides, us Ancient Egyptian Spirits have to stick together."

"So you want to know about my problems?"

"Hai."
"I don't know, I've been having nightmares of my past and they make me..."

"Edgy, mean, withdrawn."

"So you've noticed."

"Hard to miss. Especially after yesterday. I really didn't mean for you to take it so hard."

"Yeah, well I overreacted. The lack of sleep has been getting to me too."

"Did you tell Ryou?"

"Iie, I don't think he needs to know."

"He has the right to."

"Look, he may be the other half of my soul, but he knows enough about my horrible, miserable past."

" He's eventually going to ask, and you'll have to tell him sooner or later."

"For Ra's sake, why?"

"Because he's your hikari, you're obligated to."

Ryou's POV

" What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well you didn't tell me before when he was beating you, though it was obvious."

"So what was I? The poor beaten child to all of you?"

I sped up a little, frustrated about Bakura and I couldn't believe what Yugi was saying.

"Ryou, everyone could tell."

"Well can you tell now? Does it look like I'm covered in bruises and walk with a limp?"

"Iie, look Ryou, I just worry about you. You're my friend, and I thought you would tell me if something were wrong."

"Sure, whatever." I shoved my hands into my pockets, and sped up a little more. Yugi stared at his feet the rest of the walk.

Bakura's POV

I suddenly got a rush of emotion from Ryou, I looked at him, and he seemed quite pissed. I looked back to Yami who also seemed to be getting some bad vibes from his aibou as well. Yami looked back at me, worried.

"What's wrong with our hikaris?"

"Let's find out."

We ran up past the bakas, each of us on one side of our respective aibous.

"Hey guys something wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Perfectly fine."

I looked back to Yami who only shrugged. When we got to the arcade, moods got no better. Yugi hung out with Yami playing something called air hockey, Ryou had secluded himself in the corner, playing the pinball machine thing, and well Idiots One and Two were hanging around and bothering me. Needless to say, I wasn't enjoying myself. So while these two bakas near me babbled about some electrical accidents they had, I kept an eye on Ryou while polishing my copy of the Millennium Ring with the edge of my shirt to keep myself entertained.

"What do you think Yami B?"

"Huh?"

"About Joey sticking a fork into the toaster to get his toast out. Would you do that?"

"First, don't call me that. Second, if I properly knew what a toaster was, I would give you an answer. Excuse me."

Ryou's POV

Bakura came over to me, leaning on the wall. "So...What's up?"

"Playing pinball." I really didn't want to be messed with right now.

"Yeah well, that's obvious enough. What's wrong with you and Yugi?"

"I told you it's nothing."

"Tell me."

"Iie."

"Oh lighten up." My aibou crossed his arms, hitting the side of the pinball machine, causing a tilt.

"Bakura!"

"Nani?"

"Why are you always hitting things!? It freaks me out! Next thing you know you'll hit me again!" With that I turned my back on my aibou, leaving the arcade.

Bakura's POV

Okay, that looked bad. Next thing I know I have Yami, Yugi, Joey and Tristan crowded around me, all of them looking none too happy. "Uh, guys, personal space."

"Tomb Raider have you been hitting that boy again? I know that you've been irritable but that's no reas-"

"Hey now, I haven't hit him. Walls hai, Ryou iie."

"Then why did he say that and then leave?"

"Probably so we wouldn't ask to see the bruises."

"Well I'm going after him."

Yugi turned, leaving the rest of us in the arcade.

"So how long have you been doing it this time Bakura?"

"Back off Wheeler, I've done nothing."

"Come with me Bakura, we'll have a talk."

Ryou's POV

I was leaning against a light pole, hands in my pockets, looking down at my shoes. That probably looked really bad, I totally overreacted.

"Hey Ryou, you okay?"

Just great, the person that I don't want to talk to right now. "I'm fine."

"You wanna show me?"

"Show you what?"

"The bruises, you said he hit you."

"I didn't say he hit me."

"We all heard you."

"Look, I said he's been scaring me, lay off Yugi. He's just been irritable lately. That doesn't mean he hit me."

We both looked over to see Yami pushing Bakura away down the sidewalk. Yugi turned back to me, he looked at his shoes.

"Ryou, I don't mean to pry, but you're one of my best friends. You and Bakura, you two have just gone through so many bad times. I just want to know you're safe."

"I am. Bakura looks out for me."

Bakura's POV

"Okay stop shoving Pharaoh!"

"Tell me the honest to Ra truth Bakura!"

"I'm not hitting him!"

"All right then, I believe you, now calm down."

"Iie! All of you always accuse me of beating on him every time something goes wrong."

"Look, we all just worry about him."

"Yeah you all worry about Ryou, everyone worries about him, well guess what, I do too!"

"And I know that, and we also worry about you as well."

"Fuck off Yami! Protecting him from myself is just too hard! No one knows when I might snap! Not even me! Just seal me back into the fucking Ring! What were you thinking when you didn't do it the first time you saw me!?"

Yami glared at me, then swiftly backhanded me across the face, stopping my ramblings.

"Is that what you want Bakura? Running away from Ryou, that's what you'd be doing, You're supposed to protect him, not run from him."

"I can't protect him from myself."

"You have yourself so convinced that you'll hurt him again that you're just plain scared!"

"I'm not scared! Being scared is a weakness!"

"Everyone has a weakness Bakura, hell I admit that even I do. If being scared is a weakness to you then face your fear and don't be afraid anymore!"

"You don't understand! You never will understand!"

"Yes I do! I've hit Yugi before!"

Ryou's POV

Yugi and me sat on the curb, still talking.

"You know Ryou, it's not all perfect between Yami and me either."

"What are you talking about?"

"Once before, Yami...he...uh he hit me."

"Yugi stop trying to make me feel better. Yami doesn't hit people, especially you. Sure he mind crushes them occasionally, but he doesn't hit them."

"Iie, really, when we first uh 'met' he got angry and slapped me, saying "You worthless trash, you bow in the presence of the Pharaoh.". It scared me, I still get scared when I think about it."

"Hikaris..."

We both looked up at Yami.

"We should talk."

And we did. We talked about Yami's rough start with Yugi, how Bakura was having nightmares and how he was still scared he might hurt me again. Yugi apologized to Yami for telling me their secret, and I told my aibou that he needed to stop worrying about hurting me because I knew he wouldn't. He was still angry with himself, and he never told me what him and Yami were talking about. We all went back into the arcade, pretending nothing had happened and resumed our day. We walked home soon after, not really talking to each other.

"Gomen for the way I've been acting Ryou."

"Iie, it's all right, I understand Kura."

He stopped, looking at me strangely. "What did you just call me?"

Was I wrong to call him that? Maybe he didn't really hear me. Yeah, don't upset him Ryou, just tell him something different. "I called you Bakura, it's either that or aibou. What else would I call you?"

He reached out and put his hand on my shoulder, stopping me. "Iie, you called me Kura."

I bit my bottom lip slightly, my hands fidgeting with the Ring. "I-is it wrong that I called you that?"

He smiled at me, then put his hands in his pockets and continued to walk. I continued after him, noticing his somewhat spaced out expression.

"A-aibou? Daijobu ka?"

"Daijobu hikari. I was just...remembering."

"About?"

He smiled a little. "Back in Egypt, when I was really little, maybe about three years old, my mother and my friends called me Kura. I even referred to myself as Kura."

"W-well if it makes you sad, t-then I won't call you that."

"Iie, iie I like being called Kura, I guess it sort of makes me feel secure in a way. If that's what you want to call me, well then go ahead. And onegai don't be nervous about it."

"Nervous? W-ho says I'm n-nervous?"

"You're stuttering, you do that when you get nervous or scared. I guess it's a normal reaction around me by now."

"Iie, it's not. So what were you like as a kid?"

"A lot like you, but I'll tell you later, I'm kinda hungry right now."

"You're always kinda hungry. Come on I'll make some lunch then teach you how to play my Play Station so you won't be bored when I'm at school."

"Your what?"

I took off running, laughing happily.

"Ryou wait up!"

"Hurry up Kura Kura!"

%%%%%% Don't you just love the time jumps ^_^ %%%%%%%%

Bakura's POV

"So you dress up as things you aren't, get candy, eat the candy and get sick, and party for only one night?"

"Hai, that's basically what Halloween is all about Kura, and you're coming to Yugi's party with me."

"Oh come on, don't make me dress up, Yami will be there."

"It'll be fun, besides Yugi is making Yami dress up as well and I'm sure you two will pick at each other all night long. Now doesn't that sound fun?"

"Damn it, it does."

"Good, so what you going as?"
"Uh me?"

"You can't go as you. That defeats the purpose."

"So I'll go as insane me, that's scary."

"Exactly why you can't go as insane you. Insane you scares me so you can't go as insane you."

"That's a mouthful. Fine then, what do you suggest?"

"Well, I have an idea, a simple one since you don't really want to dress up, but we'll have to dye your hair black."

%%% Just a small hour one%%%%

"It's still a bluish color..."

"Nothing another box won't fix."

"News flash, we've been through four boxes already."

"I let you watch too much TV."

So after six boxes of hair dye that my hair was violently reacting to, I had jet-black hair. Okay so we or rather Ryou had decided that I was going as a sort of semi-human demon thing. Easy for me because my pale complexion and now black hair fit that description perfect. So I dressed in all black and now Ryou was trying to talk me into letting him put these little pieces of plastic called 'contacts' into my eyes to change their color. What will these modern mortals come up with next?

"Come on, they won't hurt and they're not prescription so it's won't screw up you're vision."

"Per what? For Ra's sake use the little words that my low education level allows me to understand."

"Just shut up and let me do this."

"Look, last time I checked it was wrong to poke yourself in the eye with a piece of plastic."

"Times have changed."

"Ra have I found that one out the hard way."

"It'll make you look bad ass and probably allow you to freak Joey and Tristan out more, and don't deny it, I know you like scaring the living hell out of them."

"Fine."

Ra I trust him too much, he got me to sit down and proceeded to try and stick these things in my eyes.

"You have to keep your eyes open."

"How can I when you're sticking your finger in it?"

"Just stare straight ahead and don't blink."

"I'm insane for letting you do this."

So we finally got those in, which changed my brown eyes to blood red. Ryou was going as a vampire, fangs and all. I was informed that Yugi was also going to be a vampire and Yami was what else, a Pharaoh. Oh this should be a night to remember. We were coming early to help Yugi set the party up. We were soon on our way over there.

"Stop rubbing your eyes, they'll settle and get comfortable."

"Plastic things in your eyes will never be comfortable."

"But at least you look bad ass."

"Quit sucking up."

%%%%And it's a 15 minute walk to Yugi's house%%%%

Ryou's POV

The door opened to a smiling vampire Yugi and an annoyed looking Pharaoh Yami.

"Hey guys!"

Bakura stared at Yami, Yami at Bakura, both not saying a word. He hasn't laughed yet, something's wrong.

"Uh aibou?"

// Hush Ryou, I'm trying to restrain myself here and it is very hard. //

Yugi tugged at Yami's cape. "Hey, anybody home in there?"

Yami finally broke out into a fit of laughter, making my own aibou narrow his eyes.

"You look so damn stupid like that!"

"This is why I wasn't born with black hair like normal Egyptians, I would look stupid. Then again, you on the other hand, you seem like you would just love to catch the first boat back to Egypt and command a pyramid to be built."

"Hai, and I know exactly who would build it you low life tomb rai-"

"Aibou!"

"You're not Pharaoh, so don't even think you can comm-"

"Both of you stop."

"But he looks so-"

"Hush."

"At least I'm not trying to relive my past, stupid Phar-"

"Kura, we've only been here five minutes don't make me take you home."

"What am I? A child?"

And of course Yami was sent into another outburst of laughter over Bakura's nickname.

"What's so funny now aibou?!"

"He called him Kura!"

"Drop it idiot Pharaoh."

"Yami go inside, come on guys."

"Ha Kura, that's a great one."

We followed Yugi inside and into the kitchen.

"So it's Kura now?"

"Iie, only Ryou is allowed to call me that. It's still Bakura to the rest of you."

"Okay, Bakura." Yami said as he was sent into another fit of laughter and my aibou again narrowed his eyes. That makes me feel privileged to call him that I guess. So I helped Yugi with the food as he sent Yami and Bakura to set up the DDR. (A/N: Ah DDR. Japan without DDR is a sin! I myself have DDR dance pads ^_^)

"You know I can't believe you talked Bakura into doing this."

"It was easy, I told him he could pick at Yami, Joey and Tristan."

"That's one way to convince him."

"You're sure they can set up DDR without killing themselves or each other?"

"They'll be fine. Yami has the instructions."

"Hope you have enough money to buy a new Play Station then."

%%Okay so about now, the party is in full swing. Ya know the whole, DDR, candy, and punch stuff%%%

Bakura's POV

Okay, I admit it, Halloween isn't as bad as I thought it was. Food, humiliation, spiked punch. Wait a minute, spiked punch? Oh well, guess tonight will be more fun. I thought I saw Joey doing something suspicious.

"Hey Tomb Raider, does this punch taste funny to you?"

"Of course not my dear Pharaoh. Why would it?" Yup, loads of fun. I give everyone ten more minutes, maybe three.

"Didn't we have something like this back in Egypt?"

"Yeah, a festival for Osiris and Anubis, excluding the costumes and DDR of course."

"Well at least one of us remembers..."

"Oh yeah that's right, you don't remember. Well it was fun as hell."

"Go on."

"What do you mean 'go on'? What do I look like your memory bank?"

"Look, I'll deposit five dollars."

"Fine, fine. Everyone partied, you had to attend of course and sit and look regal, and well not party."

"Sounds like fun..."

"Iie, seriously, you weren't allowed to party. People wanted you to though. I swear by Ra, beautiful women in revealing clothing begging to be in your bed surrounded you."

"Oh really, and what did you do at these festivals?"

"Well my friends and me raided all of Egypt's tombs while your idiot guards got drunk and well, partied with the rest of us."

"How come I wasn't allowed to party!"

"Pharaohs can't have fun."

"Fuck you, you're making this up."

"Really, it was quite sickening and-"

Just then something bumped into me, violating my personal space, I looked behind me and down a little to see not my aibou, but the Pharaoh's, smiling weirdly and might I say drunkenly up at me. Yup see, drunk already.

"Ohayo aibou."

I raised an eyebrow at his statement.

"Yugi you feeling okay?"

"Uh, that's your aibou, not me." I pointed to Yami and the boy stepped between us, looking back and forth at us.

"Wow! You two could pass for brothers!"

And with a cheerful laugh, hiccup and slight stumble, he ran off to join his friends once more.

"Well that's a sickening thought."

"I'll agree with you on that one. Was he drunk?"

"They all are, look at them."

"And you knew this?"

"For about a half hour now."

"And you didn't tell me?!"

"A little alcohol never hurt anyone."

"But hangovers do."

"So they'll cry and puke a little in the morning then fall asleep again."

"Yeah, but you have to take Ryou home."

"Damn it, you're right. That's the second time someone has talked me into something tonight."

"Shut up and help me break up this party."

"You're no fun."

I stood there for a while, watching Yugi and Ryou run around the room, Tristan passed out on the couch, Joey following Yami around, asking stupid questions. In fact the little hikaris were so drunk, they ran smack into each other, both falling on the floor only to laugh and get back up.

%%%%%%20 minutes later, after Yami and Bakura have broken up the party%%%%%%%

Okay, I learned a new lesson tonight. Drunk people punch really hard. I haven't had a nosebleed in what three thousand and something odd years? So now here I am, carrying a drunk Ryou home. He shifts every now and then, giggles from some alcohol-induced dream. Good thing his father isn't home, he'd kill me for letting him get drunk. Was quite a sight to see though. So maybe hanging out with Ryou's friends and letting people past my defenses isn't such a bad thing. Of course I would never admit that to anyone, that would make me wrong. Ra must he squirm so much?

New idea, I put him in his soul room and take control of his body. Alcohol infused blood rushed through me, instantly giving me a slight buzz, just enough to make me tipsy. I stumbled along, trying to keep from falling as I fought off Ryou's blood. Now I can hold my liquor pretty well, and his blood has me stumbling, he's smashed. Oh by Ra is he smashed. Funny thing about alcohol, it makes me think too much. Things that I'd rather not remember, and things that brought tears to my eyes. They won't fall of course, I won't let them. I've come too far to cry over the past anymore.

I finally made it back to the house, can't recall how long it took me. I made my way up to Ryou's room and relinquished control of his body back to him, helping him into bed. Oh he'll have a fun morning.

%%%%%%%%%%Time Jump! November! %%%%%%%%%%

Ryou's POV

Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays. Why? Because Dad is home and stays until after New Year's. It's gonna be different this year though. This year, we have Kura with us. I remember back when we weren't...how should I say...on good terms with each other. He used to watch us celebrate holidays through my eyes, but he never truly understood them. I think he still doesn't. Anyway, I bet I'll be explaining that to him too, but explaining things to him is kind of hard. Okay, okay it's really hard. Dad and me are sitting in the kitchen, eating lunch, talking about the up coming holiday. We've decided it'll just be the three of us this year. He wants to include my aibou. Kura comes into the room, yawning and stretching, obviously he's just woken up from one of his many naps. I swear that man sleeps like a cat does, he 'power naps' all day long and is up half the night.

"Power napping again Bakura?"

"What else am I supposed to do?"

"You used to go for walks."

"Yeah and then I learned about the autumn thing and it got chilly and windy and so I don't really like it outside anymore."

"It's that Egyptian blood of yours."

"Dad, quit making excuses for him."

"So what's all this planning and thinking going on?"

"How do you know about that?"

My aibou tapped his temple. "The mental link Ryou and I share, we can hear each other's thoughts when we don't control it. And I must say hikari that you think very loudly."

"Oh, gomen Kura."

"Of course I don't understand a word of it but I'm just going to smile and nod and try to play along."

"Let's see how can I explain this to you?"
"Let me Ryou. You see Bakura, Thanksgiving is like the festivals that were held back in Egypt for the Goddesses Heset and Renenutet."

" Oh well that makes things crystal clear then."

"Yeah, but now I don't understand."

"Heset and Renenutet were our patron Goddesses of food, drink, and the harvest. So essentially during their festivals we feasted and partied. One of those eat, drink, and be merry things. And quit writing down everything I say." He looked at Dad who was in fact, scribbling down what Kura was saying.

"Gomen, I'm an archeologist on Ancient Egypt, I can't help myself."

"Dad, no work, remember?"

"Right, no work at all. Even if Bakura rambles about Egypt."

"I don't ramble, that's the Pharaoh's job."

"He's referring to Yami right?"

"Hai."

Hai, Dad knew about Yami. He bugs him about Egypt just as much as he bugs Kura. The funny thing is, he's perfectly fine with all of this like Yugi's grandfather is. Go figure that. Well since I don't have to explain that to Kura I guess I can worry about tomorrow then. I have to cook. Why me? Because Dad is used to only cooking TV dinners and well Kura...he can't even boil water without making a mess or hurting himself or screwing up. How that's possible I have no clue, I have to ask him that.

%%%%%%%%%%Another one! Next Day!%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bakura's POV

Oh by Ra why can't I wake up like this every morning. Well I think it's morning. I poke my head out from under the covers, sniffing at the air. Yup Ryou's definitely cooking. He's the only one put of the three of us that can, so it has to be him. I threw off my three comforters and grabbed my leather jacket, pulling it on. I hate cold, and they won't let me turn the heat up. I made my way downstairs, slinking into the kitchen. Food jackpot.

"Don't you touch anything aibou."

Damn it, caught. "I wasn't."

"Then get your hands away from the food. In fact put them in your pockets."

"Who are you? My mother?"

"Don't be cranky just because you can't eat and you're cold."

"Quit picking at me."

"Morning guys. Bakura do you have the extra comforters?"

"Hai, of course I do."

"Where else would they be Dad, all he does is complain about the cold."

"Well excuse me for being Egyptian."

"Okay you guys that's enough."

So the day pretty much went smoothly, well I think. Ryou made me go sit in the living room and watch TV. When it was time for dinner we all sat down and ate. Ryou's Father was right about it too, it was just like our festival for Heset and Renenutet. Plenty of food, not to mention alcohol.

"You sure you don't want any son, I'm actually letting you this time."

"Uh no Dad I think I'll pass."

I stifle some laughter, I know why he doesn't want any. He wouldn't after that hellish morning. I had woken up to the sound of Ryou retching. Obviously he was having a private party in the bathroom with his hangover. No wonder he didn't want anything to do with alcohol.

"It's not like you'll get drunk off of one glass."

"I know, I uh just don't like the taste really."

"Cool, more for me."

"Iie, not more for you."

"Why not? I'm twenty-one. Okay, I'm over twenty-one."

"Tough luck, as long as you live under my roof, you follow my rules."

"I hate that line."

"Just drop it Kura, you won't win."

"Have a glass of wine and I'll stop."

"Oh fine."

"All right then a toast. Ummm, to family, friends, and food."

"And heaters."

"And to change."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tsuki: Knocking back chapter eight. Feels good.

Neko: It should, you took so long...

Ryou: She has an excuse though.

Yugi: Yeah school.

Yami: That's not an excuse.

Bakura: Hai it is, it's just a bad one.

Tsuki: Anyway review guys, ja ne till next chapter! ^_^

Yugi: Review ^_^

Neko: Okay cut the happy off.