Summary: Ah...college...those were the days. The days where you're still an awkward teen, growing into an adult, taking exams, and usually winding up in some rather compromising positions. Poor Ryou, Malik, and the others...It's time to get back to school!

The idea for having Malik and Ryou as roommates is being borrowed from Cloak*and*Dagger/Aisha Outlaw. If you wish to use this idea, ask them, not me!

This story is dedicated to Cloak*and*Dagger/Aisha Outlaw in thanks for the storyline! Thanks again!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to YGO nor do I claim to. Heck, I don't even own the story baseline!

Bakura = Ryou

Yami Bakura = Bakura

Marik = Malik

Yami Marik = Marik

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

-Blah- Emphasized words

"Blah" Speaking

'Blah' Thoughts

*~*~~*~* Scene Change

**** Flashback or Dream ****

//Bakura to Ryou//

/Ryou to Bakura/

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Those Were The Days

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Ryou turned the radio up and sang along to the song as the late August wind blew through his hair from the open window. He was on his way to Tokyo University; On his way towards his future. One thing that Ryou didn't have to worry about was having a job after he finished college. Seto Kaiba had came to him and offered him a job as the company's top computer technician and programmer as soon as he heard that was what Ryou was studying. Seto had said that he wouldn't trust the job to anybody but someone he knew, and he felt that he could trust Ryou with the job.

Ryou's father was happy and, even though he would never admit it, so was Bakura. Ryou's father had went out and put a down-payment on the SUV that Ryou was now driving the very second that he heard Ryou was going to Tokyo University and already had a job secured afterwards. Bakura was given a large amount of money, via Ryou's father, and was told to take Ryou shopping. Bakura had taken him shopping all right; The yami had taken it upon himself to completely re-buy Ryou's wardrobe and give him a makeover. The only thing that hadn't been touched was Ryou's mid-back length hair, and that was only spared when Ryou promised to wear it in a ponytail most of the time. All of Ryou's old clothing was thrown out, minus his pajamas, in which Ryou had to fight to keep, and was replaced with the things that Bakura had bought 'with' Ryou. But that's a story for another time...back to Ryou on his way to college...

Ryou's thoughts shifted over to his friends, most of which were going to Tokyo University with him. Yugi had enrolled Yami into school about 3 years before, and had made Yami attend Tokyo University with him, saying that Yami needed something to keep him occupied. Yami argued that he was perfectly occupied with Yugi, and Yugi blushed before signing the last of the papers for college. Tristen had gotten into the University on a scholarship for soccer, or football as Ryou called it. Remember, he's British...Joey had remarkably gotten accepted after getting a good score on the entrance exams. (Yami) Bakura had argued that the professors had made a mistake, and he was quickly running down the street after that remark, with Joey hot on his heels screaming about 'tomb robbers that should have been dead five thousand years ago.' Duke Devlin was readily accepted because of his popularity among the women, although Bakura had argued with that as well, saying that it wasn't the women, but the men who were attracted to his gayness...once again, Ryou's yami was being chased down the street with both a rabid Duke and Tristen on his heels. Seto Kaiba was attending to take the same courses as Duke, those being classes on business management and another course on computer programming. Tea, 'unfortunately' failed the entrance exams, and was stuck attending Domino College until next semester, but no one was complaining about that fact.

Ryou smiled and stuck his hand out the window to have it 'surf' the wind. The particular stretch of highway he was on right now was very scenic, and Ryou was content with the drive, even though it was long. He had started out on the road, after a teary good-bye to his father, and a small brotherly peck on the cheek from Bakura, who said that he would rather stay with Ryou's father than submit himself to 'the torture known as Ryou's mind in school' around 10 AM, and it was now about 1 PM.

He was getting close, he could tell because of all of the signs directing him towards the campus, and excitement was filling his stomach with butterflies. But those butterflies soon died and left Ryou with an upset stomach as soon as a stray thought about Malik snuck across his mind. Malik had left for Egypt with his sister three days after school let out for the summer. He had said that even though he passed the entrance exams, he would probably be attending Domino College after he returned sometime in January. He had only been gone for about a month and a half now, but Ryou missed him desperately. Ryou's pouting lasted throughout the rest of the ride, and continued on into his trek into the campus area.

*~*~~*~*

Ryou parked his blue SUV in front of the registration building and got out of the car sulkily. He made his way through the winding white halls of the building, looking for Ms. Ruby Scott's office. She was his counselor, and he was to report to her for his keys, schedule, and any other information he might need for the beginning of the year. When he located the office, he knocked on the door softly. After he heard a soft, "Come in!" he opened the door and stepped inside.

Ruby Scott was a middle aged woman with long black hair that was braided in the back. Her glittering green eyes peered out from over half-moon glasses, and she had a small, pleasant smile pasted onto her face.

"Ms. Scott, I'm a freshman, and I was told that I needed to report to you for my things."

Ms. Scott looked over her glasses and looked Ryou up and down. "Ah, yes, that's right. Freshmen arrive two weeks before the semester starts. Your name please?"

"Bakura Ryou." [1]

Ms. Scott shifted through a stack of folders on her desk and smiled broadly when she came across Ryou's. "I have a message for you as well. From a certain Yugi Mouto?"

"He's one of my friends attending his semester."

"Good. Now he wanted me to tell you 'to hurry on up to your dorm because we've got the whole floor.' Now, Mr. Bakura, run along." She smiled and shooed him out of her office.

Ryou smiled as he left her office and made his way back to his car.

*~*~~*~*

Ryou made his way slowly down the hallway of the third floor of the building where his dorm was located. There were only four dorms on each floor and, like Yugi said, their group of friends had the third floor to themselves. He tried to make it to his dorm quietly, so none of his friends would come out and tackle glomp him, but his attempts were unsuccessful. He ended up tripping over his own two feet, Yami Bakura was always telling him that he was uncoordinated, come to think of it, and the door to Joey and Kaiba's dorm was thrown open within seconds, and the gang, consisting of everyone mentioned in the above scenes, minus Malik of course, he's still in Egypt, at least that's where he's supposed to be, jumped out to wish him a happy welcome. Wow. If my English teacher ever saw that run-on sentence, she'd send me back to the 3rd grade. *Shudder* Oops...back to the story...They all welcomed Ryou, but after that, Joey opened his mouth and made the statement that that entire group was thinking.

"Damn, you look good, Ryou. What the hell happened?"

Ryou glared up at Joey from amidst his personal belongings that were now scattered out around him. Why was everyone staring at him like that? The only difference was the clothes...and the hair...and he now wore eye liner...and jewelry...and he honestly didn't know what was so different! He was only wearing a pair of black jeans that were snug at the waist, but became baggy as they went down, a black tank top beneath a white short sleeve button down shirt, eye liner around the edges of his eyes, and a pair of silver bracelets on his wrists that matched the black choker around his neck. His hair was up in a ponytail that was hanging out of the back of the red baseball cap that was upon his head. No reason to be shocked, now, was there?

"Bakura happened, that's what. Now will one of you help me up? I'd like to get settled into my dorm before school -actually- starts." Ryou was in a snappy mood. Why, you ask? Look at the above scenes. Can't find it? Here's your answer; His best friend wasn't going to college with him, and Ryou was missing him quite terribly. One could even go as far as to say that Ryou had a crush on Malik, but that's not true...nope, you don't see a snappy hikari sprawled out on the floor moping because his best friend isn't there, now do you? I thought so...

Ryou took Seto's offered hand and glared at Joey, who was looking him up and down. Ryou bent down to pick up his belongings, but that was the worst thing he could have done; The group, minus Yugi, started getting bloody noses [2], and Duke just had to make the comment that would send Ryou off the edge.

"Woah, nice ass Bakura!"

Ryou whirled up, raised his hand, and slapped Duke across the face. With that, he finished gathering his belongings before making his way over to his dorm room door and opening it. Placing his boxes on the coffee table in the middle of the living room, Ryou stalked back past his 'friends' and went to go get more boxes out of his car. Yugi followed, and Ryou smiled at him as they picked up some more boxes out of his car.

"I'm sorry about being snappy, Yugi. I'm still upset about Malik not being able to come, that's all." Ryou held the door open for his shorter friend and followed him up the stairs.

Ryou could hear the smile in Yugi's voice as he replied, "I understand, Ryou, and that was quite rude of Duke and Joey. But you do look nice."

Ryou laughed. "I've been getting everything from 'You look nice,' to 'Damn, Ryou, what the hell happened?' It's not the first comment. I guess it is a change..."

Yugi returned Ryou's door holding favor by holding the door to the third floor open for Ryou. "What brought about this change?"

Ryou rolled his eyes as he remembered his father and Bakura. "Dad thought it'd be cool if he gave Bakura money to take me shopping with. Bakura took it upon himself to give me a makeover. I was lucky I got out of that mall with my hair still long and my old pajamas in my drawer at home..."

Yugi winced as he sat the two boxes in his hands on the floor next to the couch. "I would hate it if Yami and Grandpa did the same. Yami has enough fun buying all the leather possible with his weekly paycheck for working at the Shop. He'd have a field day if Grandpa gave him a little extra and told him to buy me something..."

Ryou laughed and made sure he had all seven boxes out of the car before shutting the door. "You should see my wardrobe now. It consists of a lot of leather, many pairs of jeans like these," he motioned down, "and a lot of linen things. He said that I need to show off 'our great body' and loosen up a bit. I told him that if I loosened up, I'd become like him. He agreed with me for a moment before yelling. And he calls -me- slow..."

Yugi giggled. "Your yami isn't exactly Albert Einstein."

Ryou rolled his eyes and tapped his head. "Don't tell him that. He seems to think that he's the smartest man in the world. Of course, I did point out to him that he wasn't a man anymore, he was a spirit with a human form feeding off of my life energy, but he said that I had been watching to many sci-fi flicks."

Yugi smiled. "Sounds like my yami. You know, those two are so much alike that they know it and won't admit it? Yami was grumbling to himself just the other day about 'stupid arrogant tomb robbers who have nothing better to than to annoy almighty Pharaohs and/or their hikari's'. I didn't have the heart to tell him that he was annoying me, arrogant as well, and that he wasn't Pharaoh anymore..."

Speaking of almighty, arrogant, annoying Pharaoh's, Yami chose that exact moment to burst into Ryou's dorm tangled in a heap of Christmas lights. "Yugi! I swear! They attacked me! It had -nothing- to do with the water balloons Joey was throwing at me! I really, really mean it!" Yami tried to look serious, but the look was lost somewhere amongst the knots that Yami had tangled around himself.

Ryou burst out in giggles and gave Yugi an apologetic look that was returned. "You go ahead and save Yami from the Christmas lights. I'll be fine setting up on my own."

Yugi nodded, and started chiding Yami on their way to their dorm. "Why on Earth were you and Joey in the closet? I swear I put a lock on it before I left this morning..."

Ryou shut the door behind Yugi and giggled one last time. College life wasn't as different as their high school days, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of Ryou's mind that something was missing...

*~*~~*~*

Ryou was settled into his dorm within days, and quickly adapted to the odd noises that came from Seto and Joey's dorm next to his, and the water balloon fights that occurred in the hallways at least twice a day. Their dorm building was set deep into a set of woods, and was rarely checked on by the teachers, so Joey and Tristen, occasionally Duke would join in as well, took it as an open invite to bomb all the people from the dorms below their floor, and once in a great while, the floor above them.

It was Ryou's fourth day of living in his dorm, ten days before school resumed, when he heard the familiar cries of Joey and Tristen declaring a water war on the people below Joey and Seto's dorm room. The usual screams about cold water drifted up to Ryou's open window, but around fifteen minutes into the pair's water bombing, a string of Egyptian curses burst into Ryou's tranquil mind. He had been sitting on the balcony, looking out over the trees, when Joey and Tristen gave an in sync and, no, I don't mean the band, "Oh SHIT!" before slamming the window shut. Ryou looked down to see if it was a poor teacher that had been bombed, but smiled widely when he saw a very familiar, wet, bleach blonde head. Ryou gave a startled cry as his heart skipped a beat, and ran out of his dorm, determined to get to Malik before the others decided to greet him in a more civilized manner than throwing water balloons on his head.

Malik had looked up when Ryou cried out, and smiled when he saw Ryou bolt out of view and, most likely, towards him. He was prepared for the full 124 pound mass, also known as Ryou, that came slamming into his chest a moment later. Thin arms wrapped around his waist as Ryou launched into a murmured jumble of greetings, scolding, and questions, and Malik had to gently pry Ryou off of him and put a finger on Ryou's lips.

"One thing at a time, Ryou."

Ryou smiled broadly. "I've missed you."

Malik wrapped his own arms around Ryou's waist and squeezed. "And I missed you."

"I thought you'd be in Egypt until January."

"I was supposed to, but Isis left about 3 weeks ago, and called me to tell me that if I wanted to come back home here and go to school here, there was still time."

"You're here."

"I know."

"Where's your dorm?"

Malik smirked as he rested his folded hands on Ryou's lower back. "I was told by a woman at the office that I was registered to stay in dorm 323, with a certain Ryou Bakura?"

Ryou's smile widened, and he hugged Malik around the neck. "Let's go see the others." When Ryou pulled away and took Malik's hand, he wrinkled his nose when he saw his wet clothing.

Before Ryou could turn away fully, Malik grabbed his arm and made Ryou face him. "You look different." And before Ryou could reply, Malik was circling him like a hawk. "New hair style...eye liner...new clothes...My guess is that Bakura got a hold of you before you left?"

Ryou nodded. "I was lucky that he let me keep my hair long. But, as you see, I've been sworn to wear it in a ponytail..."

Malik shrugged and took Ryou's hand, urging the shorter teen to take him up to their dorm. "I'll get my junk later, just show me where we are."

Ryou grinned and tugged Malik forward as he marched up the stairs towards the third floor, where Joey and Tristen were huddling in the closet of Joey and Seto's dorm, afraid of the punishment that they were positive that Malik was going to give them...

*~*~~*~*

Ryou sat cross-legged on Malik's bed that same night, looking through a photo album of Malik's journeys through Egypt and around the world over the past years. Malik was hanging his clothing, and going about their shared bedroom arranging his things.

"Malik, where was this taken? I don't remember having you take that..." Ryou pointed to a picture of himself, staring up at a sunset with his hair blowing about his face.

Malik sat down on the bed and took the photo out of the clear plastic that was protecting it and looked at the back. In a messy scrawl, the words: 'Hikari, 4th year anniversary of getting Ring,' were on the back. Malik handed the picture back to Ryou, who looked at the back himself. "That's because I didn't. I think that's one of the ones that Bakura gave me when he was pissed at you a while back..."

Ryou sighed and placed the photo back before continuing to look through the album. "It's only been four days, and already I missed the jerk. Odd, isn't it?"

Malik shrugged. "I wouldn't know what it's like to miss my yami. Mine's been in the Shadow Realm for quite a while now. I didn't get a chance to get attached to him..." Malik mock sighed and placed a hand over his heart. "Oh, I feel so incomplete!"

Ryou shivered at the thought of Marik, and giggled as he watched Malik. "No offense Malik, but your yami scared the hell out of almost everybody around. I believe that Yami was the only one that wasn't afraid of him, but still, even the Pharaoh was wary of him..."

Malik flopped back on to his back and stared at the ceiling. "I'm glad that my yami came to me, even though I hated him."

Ryou looked at his friend as though he was crazy, which Malik was in a way. "Why would you be glad about something like that? You really must be the psycho that Bakura calls you."

Malik looked at Ryou and smiled. "If I never received my yami, I would have never met Bakura. And if I had never met Bakura, I would have never have met you. You're my best friend. Now why wouldn't I be glad about meeting you?"

Ryou placed a finger to his chin and looked at the ceiling in pretend thought for a moment before looking back down at Malik. "Good enough for me!" And with that declaration, he started a tickle war that lasted well into the night...

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[1] = In Japan, people usually end up saying their last name before their first. In example, if your name was Jane Doe, you'd be Doe Jane in Japan.

[2] = Japanese (?) theory that if you see something extremely hot or sexy, you'll get a nose bleed.

Well,...how did you like it? Did you hate it? Any ideas or comments about future chappies? REVIEW!

Next Chappy: All good things must come to an end, and, sadly, so must summer break. School finally starts, and things start to get more serious on the third floor of the White Lily Building where the gang's dorms are located. Tea pays an unwanted visit, and poor Ryou is stuck studying for an exam that's on Friday. Can Malik help him 'loosen up' ? Keep your eyes, ears, and noses open for the next chapter of: Those Were The Days!