O____O So many reviews!! Thank you! *glomps* And also thanks to SSCherry Blossom II and for your lovely lyrics.

I love this root beer can! There's Legolas on it. ^^;; I will forever treasure this can. *huggles it*

Sorry it's been forever since I've updated. .

And by the way! I'm listening to this really cool music by B'z! It's so cool!!!!! I think I'm addicted to j-pop. Lol. ^____^; I wish I had more of their songs. -,-

(if you pay really close attention to this fic, you can tell I rushed the last part) LOL!!! Sorry!!!!! T______T

Please read and review! And if you don't, I'll be forced to tell bad knock- knock jokes. XD!

~*~Chapter 9~*~

Bakura stared for a moment, his eyebrows contorting in a confused, hurt look. He stood still, as if frozen in time, his gaze traveling slowly to Ryou's face. And, sensing another's presence, Ryou turned as well. Trembling pools of warm chocolate met with deep chestnut.
"Bakura?" Ryou whispered, taking a step away from Yami, who also looked to where Bakura stood.
Bakura's smoldering, brown eyes darkened slightly as he turned away, moving quickly down the street.
"Wait!" Ryou called after him, breaking into a fast-paced sprint, his sneakers thudding hard on the pavement, echoing the sound of his own beating heart.
Yami watched, slightly confused, as both white-haired teens disappeared around the corner.

***
"I said 'wait'!" Ryou yelled, clasping his hand over Bakura's shoulder, causing the taller of the two to come to a stop. Bakura turned to face the other white-haired teen.
"What?" he asked softly.
"Um...about earlier...." Ryou started, "I just...Yami and I weren't doing anything." He looked up at Bakura, a soft blush gracing his cheeks.

"I know that."
"You...do?"
"Yeah...." Deep in his heart, Bakura knew his best friend would never do anything behind his back like that. "But what were you two talking about that made you so sad?"
The relieved smile on Ryou's face suddenly disappeared. "...I just found out about Yugi....and..." Crystalline tears began to fill Ryou's eyes. "I....I...."
Ryou was unable to finish his sentence. Instead, he wiped in vain at the tears that had collected in the corner of his eyes....
The sun was setting behind them, bathing both teens in a warm, lemony glow. The contrasts of light and dark played with the shadows on Ryou's face, his tears reflecting the light as they trembled in his eyes. A soft breeze blew through the trees, the sound of rustling leaves breaking the crystal silence.
"I'm sorry...about Yugi..." Bakura finally murmured, already knowing full well what Ryou was referring to. He moved closer to Ryou, putting his arms around the smaller teen.
Ryou looked up startled, their eyes meeting once again. "Wait....I..."
Bakura cut him off by slowly lowering his head, gently kissing away his tears. "Please don't cry."
Ryou gasped softly at the delicate touch. "Bakura..."
Bakura pressed his index finger against the other's lips. "Shhhhh....Let me see your beautiful smile."
Ryou blushed deeply, a small smile gracing his features.
"There we go...." Bakura said, tucking a lock of Ryou's hair behind his ear. "You're always so beautiful when you smile."
He bent over, placing a soft kiss on Ryou's lips just as the sun disappeared behind the hills, the last brilliant rays of gold streaming in through the trees, streaks of crimson splashing into the azure sky.

***

Yami flopped tiredly onto his bed, turning on his back so he could stare blankly at the ceiling. No matter what he did, he could not get Yugi out of his head. The frightened look on Yugi's face, the way the little one touched his lips and flinched...
He didn't mean to hurt Yugi....
Yami ran his hands through his hair in frustration, tugging lightly on his golden bangs. Why did he have to go and screw things up? He took a perfectly good friendship and crossed the line by following his stupid emotions...
'I'm falling for him...'
Yami's heart began to beat faster. The feelings he always got whenever Yugi was there...the emotions that caused a constant battle within...the way he felt when Yugi flashed his soft smile...the way he could get lost in the little one's mesmerizing, violet eyes....
Shaking his head stubbornly, Yami leapt up from the bed, walking out onto the terrace where a light breeze was making the white curtains billow softly. Leaning against the rail, he let out a deep sigh. It was no use denying it...he had fallen for Yugi. And fallen hard.

***

Sugoroku came into Yugi's hospital room for what must have been the tenth time today. He watched with sad eyes as he saw that his grandson had still not awakened yet. He stared at his watch. It was already three in the afternoon. It was a gloomy day; it was snowing outside and the glass of the windows were covered in a delicate frost, distorting the reflection of the elderly man standing over his sick grandson.
Ever since Yugi had arrived at the hospital, Sugoroku knew Yugi was getting weaker..but now his grandson could barely stay awake for long periods of time. He had not noticed at first, but besides being overly exhausted, Yugi had begun to slip in and out of consciousness. And this was alarming Sugaroku to no ends.
A knock on the door broke the elderly man out of his reverie and he turned to see a sheepish looking Yami poke his head through the door.
"Hello, Mr. Motou," he said with a slight bow.
"Hello, Yami. Yugi's not awake right now, so..."
"That's ok," the tri-color haired teen said, stepping fully inside. "I just wanted to talk to him alone...even if he isn't awake."
Sugoroku raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off. He walked past Yami and out the door.
Upon hearing the door slam shut, Yugi began to stir and mumbled, "Grandpa?"
"Uhhh....no, its me..." Yami said uneasily, walking over to the bed.
"Y-Yami?" Yugi stuttered, now somewhat awake, propping himself up on his elbows. He looked paler than the last time Yami had seen him.....
"Yeah...look, I'm sorry about yesterday..." the taller of the two said quietly.
A light blush came across Yugi's face. "You don't have to apologize...I..."
"No, really. It was...an accident...." Yami lied, covering up for himself. Inwardly, Yami flinched. He didn't mean for it to come out like that....
"Oh...." Yugi sighed, disappointment overwhelming him. He lay back down against the bed, suddenly tired again. He closed his eyes for a moment. 'It was just an accident...' But even if it was an accident....it didn't change what Yugi was feeling for Yami...it didn't change what was in his heart.
"I had a dream...." Yugi said softly, his eyes still closed.
"Uhh...ok...." Yami said, the random change in topics catching him off guard. Was this Yugi's way of forgiving him?
Yugi continued, "In my dream...I didn't have cancer anymore ...and Coach let me play football again."
Yami couldn't help but smile faintly. "So it was a good dream, then."
Yugi slowly shook his head from left to right, finally opening his eyes. "No...something was missing."
Yugi knew he was dying. It was only a matter of days.... 'I have to tell him...It's now or never.' The little one's eyes regained some of their enchanting sparkled as tears formed along the side. He turned his face to Yami, a crystalline tear trailing down one cheek. "The one thing missing...was you."

A/N Please review? Thank you so much....this chapter was one of the hardest things I ever had to write and reviews would make it so worth all the hair-pulling. ^_^; I think I'm half bald now. Hahaha.

Oh my god...I just realized that Yugi's down to two days. O_o;;