Thanks for reviewing this story.  It means a lot to me.  ^__^

And…I'm looking for some really sad song for later chapters…any ideas?  I was thinking something like…back street boys?  *gets pelted by stones* ahhhh!!!  Sorry!!  Preferably songs with themes like…losing someone special…

But anyway, on with the chapter.

Enjoy.  Please read and review

            Ryou glared at Bakura who sat opposite him at the library.  The room was filled with the hushed noises of people flipping through various books and magazines, with the occasional sneeze or cough.  The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife, if you'll excuse the expression.

            "When are you gonna stop staring daggers at me, sweetie?"  Bakura said monotonously, leaning his head on his arm.  Never had he set one foot inside a library, but Ryou insisted they meet here for the rest of the week because he did not want Bakura in his house, nor did he want to go to Bakura's.

"Why did you have to pick on Yugi?!  He's done nothing to you!"  Ryou finally whispered harshly, his chocolate eyes narrowing dangerously.

Bakura answered evenly, "With him on our team, we won't stand a chance against Checker High!"  and then quietly he said, "And how could I even hope for a scholarship if nobody even recognized Domino High…."

 "But he's a CANCER PATIENT!"  Ryou hissed loudly, deciding to ignore the last half of Bakura's excuse, causing the elderly librarian to waggle a finger at the pair.

"Sucks to be him,"  Bakura concluded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"YOU!"  Ryou growled, finally losing his self-control.  He climbed on the table and wrapped his hands around Bakura's neck in a choke-like manner.  "You have NO heart!"

Bakura smirked, wrapping his arms around Ryou's waist, drawing him nearer. 

"It does suck to be him," Bakura said thoughtfully, his facial expression softening, "So you think I owe him an apology, ne?"

"Yes,"  Ryou said, letting go of Bakura's neck, feeling a light blush spread across his cheeks as Bakura tightened his hold on Ryou's waist.  The taller of the two seemed to be contemplating whether to actually give in to Ryou. 

"Ok, then.  I'll apologize," Bakura said finally, letting go of Ryou altogether so that he toppled to the ground.

Ryou was too amazed that Bakura agreed to even react.  "You will?"

"Sure.  I'm not the kind of person who likes to beat on someone who can't properly defend himself."

Ryou stared at Bakura's retreating back.

"Oh, and by the way,"  the older teen paused, "I'm just borrowing it,"

"Borrowing WHAT?!"  Ryou asked bewildered.

"Your history homework."

Ryou looked down into his backpack and saw that, indeed, his homework was gone.  But…how did Bakura do that so fast without him seeing?

Ryou watched as the librarian verbally attacked Bakura for his earlier "violent hurling of another student into the floor."  Ryou smiled softly as Bakura growled at the gray-haired lady saying that he just shoved Ryou lightly, and that it hardly even counted as "violent hurling."

But that was just the thing, Bakura wasn't as violent as Ryou thought him to be.  Sure he was always picking fights at school came off as aggressive, but Ryou could sense something behind the cold and distant exterior.  Maybe Bakura wasn't such a bad person after all. 

***

            Tuesday morning came quickly and Yugi left his house, heading towards school.  He insisted on walking instead of having his grandpa drive him.  The Game Shop did not provide a lot of money for Yugi and his grandpa to live on, which was part of the reason Yugi did not receive extensive medical treatment for his cancer.

            The tri-colored hair youth tightened his scarf around his neck.  He had a doctor's appointment today after school.  He hated going to the hospital.  It was a constant reminder that he did not have long to live.  At his last check-up, his doctor gravely informed him that he had one month at best, even with corrective surgery.  That was the average life span of somebody with lung cancer that had spread through more than 40% of the tissue.  His mother's constant smoking was the cause for that.

            But Yugi didn't cry or fall into depression because of the diagnosis.  His mother had died from lung cancer a year before, and at her death, Yugi cried all the tears he had left.  The only thing he had regretted about his slow death was missing Ryou and his grandpa, and…never getting the chance to experience true love with someone he really cared about.

            "Yugi!"  A voice snapped the young boy out of his reverie.

            Yugi recognized the voice.  Bakura.  Oh, man….first thing in the morning?!  Yugi quickened his pace, his little sneakers padding across the ground in a rushed attempt to escape.

            "Wait!!"  Bakura broke into a run, and placed an arm on the short boy's shoulder.

            Yugi let out a slight "eep" as he turned around to face the man who was probably going to beat him to a bloody pulp for getting him in trouble.  Yugi cringed as Bakura held up a hand.

            Bakura frowned at the cringe.  Was he THAT scary?  "Don't worry, I'm not gonna hit you.  I want to apologize.  I'm sorry.  I didn't know…."  Bakura said, holding out his hand for Yugi to shake.

            "You're…sorry?"  Yugi stared back and forth between the out-stretched hand and Bakura.  Finally, the tri-colored hair teen shook it and smiled, "That's ok.  I didn't tell anybody so it's not your fault.  But I'm the one who should be saying sorry.  It's my fault you have to hang out with Ryou for the rest of the week…" then after a short pause, Yugi continued, "But Ryou is a really good friend!  He's really nice, fun, and…he…he's really cool once you get to know him!"

            Bakura chuckled and said, "Ya.  Ryou seems like an ok guy…"

            Yugi beamed in pride at having Bakura praise his best friend.  His violet eyes sparkled happily as Bakura went on to say how Ryou was truly a loyal friend.

            "Well…" the white-haired teen said, "I gotta go now.  But don't think we're friends or anything.  I'm still pissed at having to spend the rest of the week at the library with Mr. Sensitivity," But the last two sentences weren't spoken with malice, and Bakura smirked at his creative new nickname for Ryou.

            Yugi waved until Bakura was out of sight and continued on his way to school.

***     

            The bell rang at exactly 3:00 p.m. and the doors of every classroom practically came off its hinges as students piled into the halls, ready to go home and leave school behind.  Yugi was among them, searching the sea of blue-uniformed teens for a certain spikey-haired person by the name of Yami.

            Finally catching a glimpse of who he was searching for, Yugi politely tapped him on the back.

            Yami spun around, looking to his left and right, before looking down. [^.^;;]

            "Yugi?  I was just looking for you," Yami said slightly annoyed, "We going to your house again today?"

            "Ano…actually, Yami…I have to go somewhere today…so maybe you should go hang out with Bakura and Ryou."

            "Where are you going?"  Yami asked, his eyebrow raised. 

            "Uh…just a check-up at the hospital, nothing serious…"

            "I see.  Alright, where is Bakura now?"  Yami asked.  He was confused at why he was disappointed that he could not spend the day with Yugi.  But it was probably because he had planned to help Yugi improve his hand-eye coordination today.  Yugi had assured Yami yesterday that he really wanted to play football, that it was his greatest dream.  Yami normally would have scoffed at such a ridiculous goal, but…Yugi was special somehow.  Probably because Yugi had confessed how he idolized Yami and wanted to be able to play just like him.  Or maybe it was because Yami's dad had been diagnosed with cancer just last month and he felt some kind of connection to Yugi.  Whatever it was, it was bugging Yami. [1]

            "Bakura's at the library I think…"  Yugi answered quickly, pointing to the said building.

            "Ok, thanks," said Yami, heading out the glass doors of Domino High.

***

            Yugi sat restlessly in the waiting room with his grandpa.  He hated these waiting rooms with little kids who sneezed on you and slobbered on your shoes…

            He randomly picked up a magazine and began to answer the questions of an interesting quiz called "Are You In Love?"

            Question One:  Do you wish your crush was in love with you?

            YES!!!  Yugi shouted in his mind, blushing a little as he mentally made note that he had 3 points.

            Question Two:  If he/she fell off a cliff, would you jump after her/him?

            What the hell?  Why would Yami fall off a cliff?  Who comes up with these stupid questions anyway?  But Yugi's internal rant was interrupted by a blond nurse who called out, "Yugi Motou!"

            His grandpa nudged Yugi, "Hey, she's calling you."

            Yugi followed the nurse into a room where he was told to wait for a doctor to have a talk with him.  Yugi sat at the edge of the bed/table and dangled his feet over the edge, his ears perking when he heard the voices of his doctor, Mr. Kotana and his grandpa speaking softly outside the door. 

            After a hushed silence, Mr. Kotana came in, accompanied by Yugi's grandpa.  His grandpa was as white as a sheet and was trying his best to hold back tears. 

            "Oh, Yugi…" the elderly man enveloped Yugi in a gentle hug, "I'm so sorry, my boy…"

            Mr. Kotana took off his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose before saying grimly, "Yugi…I have bad news…"

Cliffie!  ^^;;  Please review.  It'd make me very happy.

[1] I know this seems like I'm making everyone have cancer, but it serves as a bond for the two boys…you know what I mean?  -^^-