Kaiba slowly woke up, blinking in confusion to find himself in his bed. The last he could really remember, he had been in his office, working on his laptop. He sat up slowly, putting aside the slightly ragged teddy bear that had been in his arms with distaste. He looked around, pushing down the dizziness he got from the motion. He'd have to get a light meal before he went back to work.

Bakura was there. Why was his sometime playtoy in his room when they obviously had not been having sex and he thus had no reason or right to be there? He started to get up angrily to remove the other boy, but paused when he nearly passed out from dizziness.

He frowned. Perhaps he'd been overdoing it a bit. He moved more slowly, then noticed an oddness about how the movement felt. Looking down, he saw that he wasn't wearing any pants.

He freaked quietly, searching frantically for his pants and ignoring his dizziness and mild nausea.

"Here..." Bakura said softly, holding out the black material as he looked at Kaiba with concerned eyes.

Kaiba grabbed it away, stuffing his legs into the pantlegs. After quickly making sure he was wearing a shirt, he pulled on his trench, fists clenching in the material almost as if he were hugging himself.

The paler boy was hesitant a moment before speaking. "You should eat something. I made some soup while you were asleep, I can heat it up for you," he offered.

"I'm not hungry," Kaiba grated out, despite knowing his words for a lie and knowing that he should eat. "I have work to finish."

"No," Bakura said firmly. "You haven't eaten in at least the two days you were asleep and I doubt you ate much before then. You need to eat before you do anything. Mokuba's handling the work."

"I was asleep for 2 days?" Kaiba asked in a distracted tone, internally aghast at himself.

Bakura nodded.

"Then I have too much to catch up on to waste time eating." Kaiba went to rise, but was kept from it by the IV that was still in his arm. He threw it a confused glance, not sure why he hadn't noticed it before.

"Not 'wasting time' eating and sleeping is what started this mess, Kaiba-kun!" Bakura exclaimed. He paused a moment, trying hard not to smile softly at the remnant of Kaiba's sleepy self. "You should eat. You can start your work again after you eat."

Kaiba glared at him, but leaned back against the headboard. "Fine."

Bakura blinked a moment, surprised at the lack of further argument. "I'll go get the soup. Will you be here when I get back or shall I bring it to you elsewhere?"

"I'll be here," Kaiba said sullenly.

Bakura nodded and exited the room.

Kaiba curled his legs to his chest, hugging them as he tried to remember what had happened to get him in bed with an IV in his arm. He glanced over to the side as he rested his head on his knees. And with a teddy bear. He hadn't had a teddy bear since not long after his parents had died. Another boy at the orphanage had stolen it from him and he hadn't been able to get it back.

But that wasn't going to answer the question of how he had gotten to bed without pants on. As he thought, he started to remember bits and pieces and he buried his face in his knees. He had made an idiot of himself in front of Bakura. No wonder the other boy was talking to him as if he were a child.

"Kaiba-kun? May I come in?" Bakura called from the doorway.

Kaiba quickly rearranged himself to be sitting properly before gruffly calling out that Bakura could enter if he wanted to.

The paler boy slowly walked in, carefully balancing the tray. "It's mostly broth and I brought some crackers and juice," he said, setting it down on the desk. "And you can take out the IV, the doctor said it was only needed for when you were asleep," he smiled.

Kaiba practically ripped out the IV, not managing to hide a slight wince. He looked at the food coolly. "What kind?"

"The soup's chicken and the juice is orange. I can get different ones, I made a batch of vegetable soup as well yesterday."

"Why?"

"I wanted to have it ready if you woke up."

"Why?" Kaiba insisted, voice harsh. "What do you want from me this time."

"I want you to get better," Bakura said truthfully, looking at the taller boy with compassion.

Kaiba glared and sat up straighter. "I don't love you," he said clearly, intending the words to hurt so that Bakura would leave him alone and stop complicating his life. "Sometimes I find you amusing to play with. That's all."

"I know," Bakura smiled softly.

Snarling, Kaiba took the spoon and began to eat the soup, knowing enough not to eat it too quickly incase he choked.

"Mokuba edited what you were working on so it was presentable," Bakura told him, sitting down. "And he sent all the staff away so they wouldn't bother you."

Kaiba smiled slightly, face softening. "Of course he did."

Bakura was quiet a moment before speaking. "He was worried about you," he said softly.

Kaiba glared at Bakura. "Do not tell me how to run my life," he warned.

"You're not taking care of yourself," Bakura pointed out. "Someone has to...."

Kaiba glared, rising slowly to tower over Bakura.

The boy trembled slightly, but met his eyes, trying to keep his breath calm.

"I will do what I want," Kaiba said, eyes blazing. "No one - NO ONE - will tell me how to live my life."

"I'm not telling you how to live it. I'm trying to show you how to STAY living it," Bakura countered.

"Get out," Kaiba ordered, pointing at the door.

Bakura looked at him a moment more before getting to his feet. "There's more soup in the main refrigerator," he said. "Do you want me to tell Mokuba you're awake?"

"No. Just leave." Kaiba threw the teddy bear at him. "Get out of my house and my life."

Bakura caught it and held it closely before turning and leaving the room.

Kaiba struggled to control his breathing, smashing the glass of juice against the door behind Bakura although he wasn't sure if it was for arguing with him or for giving in. All he knew was that he was through having others tell him what to do. Through! Now he told them. And that was how it was going to stay.

He struggled for control. Bakura had gone. That was as it should be. He was alone again.

Alone.... Fighting off the twitch that came to him when he thought that word, he sat and picked up the spoon again. The soup was good. Just because Bakura made it didn't mean he should stop eating it.