Wishful Thinking

A/N: Sage: Well, welcome to another edition of a ficy by Sage Kaley! In this chapter we'll have the usual does of drama, love and Ai.

Kaley: Gomen nasai minna-san…I know it took forever to get this chapter ups.

Bakura: Stop acting like you can speak Japanese!

Kaley: I can speak a little bit!

Sage: Oh really? Like?

Kaley: Watashi wa Kaley desu ^_^

Bakura: Ohh, a whole sentence, bravo…

Kaley: Anata wa baka to dame desu…

Bakura: What?

Sage: You're an idiot, a useless idiot…

Bakura: -_- get to the damn story!

Kaley: Right! So back to the reviews…didn't get as many for chapter 8 as I hoped but still the fic must go on! Ok, snow shadow wolf, let's see…it's hard to say about Ryou's father, he might be drunk might not be but in the world of fanfiction anything goes! Ok and also you mentioned something about Yugi getting the Sennen Ring…which is hard to say but I pretty much read the new issues of yugioh as they come out (the ones in Japanese, very hard to read but I can somewhat) And that hasn't happened, to my knowledge. Right now though, Malik came back into the plot line! Yay!! Also Yami figured out his name…anyways, I've talked enough!

Sage: That you have, now…

Bakura:…I'm not saying it today. You guys are mean to me…

Sage: (sighs) Fine, ahem, then without further ado, continue the story.

Bakura: Gah you suck at it!

"Benten, we've called you here today for a grave reason." A large man with a rounded figure and deep voice said. Many others like him stood nearby, eyeing the gentle love goddess with distain. Ai felt nervous, but tried her best to at least sound calm.

"Yes sirs, I know…" She said, her voice only just audible. "But if you look in my report, it's clear that-"

"It's clear that you are not doing your job." A man on the left said. "This, report you called it? Ha, hardly worth being called paper…this report only shows that you are becoming…outdated."

"Outdated?!" Ai cried, her inner pride breaking through her fear. "I am many things but certainly not outdated! I know exactly what needs to be done in the case of Ryou Bakura and if you would give me more time-"

"Time? Time? We've given you more time than any deity would need!" One of the men interrupted again. "If it was in their destiny to be, then only a day or two in your presence would have sent them into a passion ignited bliss!"

"Yet you've been there for longer and still they seem to be only mildly closer than before!" Shouted another of the men.

"You just aren't cutting it Benten…" The leader sighed. "I am sorry but…" His voice trailed off but by now, Ai was too angry and hurt to care what he had to say. She marched forward, through the eerie darkness that surrounded the Holy Sen High Council and straight up to the Judge's chair. She slammed her fists on the table, jolting everyone's attention to her.

"Sorry?! Sorry?! You're sorry?! No!! No sirs but I'm the one who's sorry! Sorry that I ever thought you emotionless bastards could understand love!" Ai screamed, her shrill words ringing through the utter silence. "Love isn't something simple! I can't just show up on earth, yell 'Hi, I'm a love Goddess!' and poof I'm doing a marriage ceremony just like that! No, it doesn't work like that! Did you even read my report?! Ryou and Bakura are in love! Bakura can't accept love and Ryou's afraid of it! Don't you get it?1 IT'S-NOT-SIMPLE!!!" Her throat was starting to hurt from how badly she yelled but she didn't care. Every time she left Ryou, she'd come back here and report to the council. Every time they'd tell her it was looking grim. She was sick and tired of listening to them. It was time they listened to her.

"Benten! This racket you're making isn't going to change our minds!" One of the less intelligent men said.

"No, this is my case and it's a good case! If you'll remove the ban that says I can't appear to the other lover then I'll show you! I'll show you all but you must let me appear to Bakura!" Ai shouted, a few tears forming in her eyes out of pure frustration.

"Take off that ban?! What are you daft girl?"

"Such a foolish request!"

"That ban has been in place since you became a love goddess!"

"There's no way we can lift it!"

"Besides, what good would it do?"

"Exactly!" Benten growled. "You guys think it's a pointless thing so grant my request! Let me appear to both of them! I can do a much better job then!"

"…Alright, prove us wrong then." The leader spoke again. "I grant your request but should any other human besides them see you…"

"I understand!" Ai grinned and quickly left the dark abyss of the council, heading straight for her home away from home, Ryou's house.

-_-_-_-_-_--_-_-_-_-_--_-_-_-_-_--_-_-_-_-_--_-_-_-_-_-

"Help me with my bags Ryou…" A man with graying brown hair and green eyes said, handing a few suitcases to the boy. Ryou frowned before heaving the bags up the stairs, into his room. Bakura's room was uh, inappropriate for his father and the sofa was fine anyway. The yami's room had various things he'd stolen, clothes, food, trash scattered everywhere and weapons covered the walls. Plus the whole thing was a wreak that Bakura refused to let anyone else touch. So Ryou would bunk on the sofa.

"So how was Egypt?" Ryou asked, deciding to start off on the right foot.

"As usual, it was hot but it was a good dig. We found some amazing finds really. Next week I'll be negotiating a deal with the London Museum about selling off a few of them." Ryou's father said. "I did bring you something though. I'll show you it later." He hesitated, taking off his hat and coat and hanging them up. "So did he leave?"

"Bakura went up to the store…" Ryou began but stopped from the look his father gave him. He hated hearing Ryou call his dark side Bakura.

"Must you call him that?" He sighed with annoyance.

"Well, it's his name. He doesn't remember his real one very clearly but he told me it was close to Bakura so that's what I call him…" Ryou explaining, keep his patience.

"Yes well, I think we should talk about him later as well." The man shook his head and helped Ryou carry his things up the stairs and also took the time to unpack. It was about this time that Ryou heard the front door open. He took a deep breath. At that moment, he really wished Ai were with him. Sure, she was an oddball but she seemed to really care for him and she did really want to help him…even if her 'help' wasn't the best…

"Hey Ryou…" Bakura swung around the doorway, his eyes instantly narrowing as they locked in on Ryou's father. "…Taka…"

"It's Takashi…please if you must call me by my first name call me by the whole thing…" Ryou's father groaned.

"Why should I? You don't call me by my name so I shouldn't call you by yours."

"I call you by your name."

"You call me Spirit. That isn't my name."

"And neither is Bakura. So we are even."

"Why are you here anyway?"

"I could ask you the same thing now couldn't I?"

"I belong here."

"No, I do. You shouldn't be here."

"You're the one who's outta place Taka!" Bakura shouted. Ryou put his face in his hands. He hated this part. Just once he wanted them to get along or at the least shut up. He couldn't take much of this so he simply left the room while they threw insults. He went downstairs and sat on the couch, listening with only mild interest to the pair. Ryou could hear them through the ceiling.

"You look down…and what's with that racket?" Ryou didn't even jump. He barely even looked next to him at the love goddess.

"Hey Ai…" He muttered. "That's Bakura and my father…they hate each other…so when he is around they fight. All the time…usually Bakura just leaves though but he's not leaving this time…"

"Oh well…wait, your father's here?" Ai frowned. "Damn I still have to hide then…"

"You'd have to hide anyway because of Bakura…"

"No, I checked it with the other Gods and they said I could let Bakura see me, since then I could give you two relationship counseling…" Benten sighed. "And I was looking forward to that too…" The Goddess stopped when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. "And I'll see ya later…" She disappeared as Bakura came tromping down the stairs, his hands jammed into his jean pockets.

"Err, things not going well?" Ryou asked. Bakura glared at him, flopping down on the couch.

"Why'd he have to come back? I was hoping he'd have died in some accident." The yami growled. "Or maybe one of my accidents could still happen…"

"Bakura!" Ryou snapped, causing the thief to glance up. "He may be a bastard sometimes but he is my father. He doesn't like you because you aren't civil with him and yes I know he's mean to you too but that's no reason to fight fire with fire!" Ryou stood and walked into the kitchen. "Benten and I are going to make dinner and if you want to date me then you'll be civil to my father at least while you're at the table!" He shouted back, his face burning red. He couldn't believe all that he'd just said.

"Whoo, nice job!" Ai appeared, sitting on the kitchen table with a big grin on her face. "I bet that just shocked the words right outta Bakura."

"Did I really just say that?" Ryou asked nervously. Ai nodded but quickly disappeared again when Bakura peeked his head into the room.

"Uh…um, hikari, did you just say 'If you want to date me?'" He leaned against the wall, a curious smile on his face.

"Well, err…I hadn't really thought about my words much but…" Ryou chewed lightly on his tongue as he thought. "But…"

"Hey, if you hold to your word then I'll hold to mine." Bakura groaned. "Damn, that means I have to be nice to Takashi…"

"Huh?!" Ryou stared at the man, his mouth hanging open. "Really?!"

"Well, I guess if dinner goes well then I get a new play toy…" Bakura smirked, "Don't forget Ryou, you promised…" He sang before leaving the kitchen. Ryou blinked many times.

"Uh, Ryou?" Ai teleported in front of the boy, waving her arms. "Heaven to Ryou, are you there?"

"Ai…" He whispered, a smile spreading across his face. "Bakura said he'll go out with me…he likes me after all…he really does…oh Ai!!" Ryou threw his arms around the Goddess, hugging her tightly. "Yes yes yes!! This is great!"

"Oh Ryou, it's not over yet…not until you two say I love you…"

"And we will, after dinner!"

A/N: Sage: Stupid chapter? Maybe…

Kaley: I thought it was good.

Bakura: But how will dinner go?

Sage: This story is almost complete, so hang on everyone as the last few chapters get wild…