Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Well, that's what my doctors say I have to tell everyone. I actually do own Yu-Gi-Oh but I have bad mental problems so I'm supposed to keep it a secret. And now that I've seen how many fangirls love Yu-Gi-Oh shonen-ai, I've decided to pair off all the guys and kill off any girls and have random kissing during the entire show. Who cares about the duel monsters game? It sucks anyway! … MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! …… …. …… ::cough cough:: If you believed that mumbo-jumbo, you have some serious issues. =P
Author Ramblings - ::Eyes sparkle:: Thank you everyone for the reviews! Waii! And for the 740 hits!! It makes me so very happy! Arigatou gozaimasu minna-san! n.n Yay! Well, I tried to get this out pretty much on time (from what I said on my bio page). I'm currently finishing up a Bakura/Ryou fluffy (and an EXTREMELY OOC Bakura) one-shot. So I took some time doing that. Hopefully that'll be posted around Saturday (I'd probably finish earlier but I'm real busy past Wednesday of this week).
Author Rants - One thing I want to rant and rave about for just a second here is the stupid formatting FF.net is doing to all my chapters! Gawds, they will NOT let me center anything (even with Quick Edit) or bold things! Not only that, they won't allow asterisks or 'at' signs or the double '/' to show Yami to Hikari talking! They totally messed it up!! . So after seeing my mistake last chapter with the Yami/Yugi talking, I replaced the '/' with '' and '' to show talking through the mind link. They also may stop letting me italicize things, so anything with ' and ' will be thinking. So excuse me if there are mistakes in the future relating to things like this. I will try to fix them immediately. =)
Enough of that!
EDITED KEY:
"Spoken words"
'Thinking'
Hikari to Yami
Yami to Hikari
NOTES: Yugi-tachi have graduated from high school. Just in case I didn't mention it before. I also changed genres if anyone didn't notice. I changed it from Romance/Angst to Romance/General since General covers a lot of different categories (I'm going for angst, humor and some drama as well so I just figured general would work.)
On with chapter four! n.n
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Title: Ai No Ejiki
(Victim of Love)
Author: Suki No Hikari
Rating: PG-13 (yay for naughty words!)
Recap: "What are you staring at?" Bakura scowled.
Ryou's head snapped back forwards again. "N-nothing!"
Bakura looked at his hikari's form out of the corner of his eye and gave a silent shrug. An awkward silence fell between the two for the umpteenth time that day as they headed for their snack.
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Chapter Four : Conspiracy
"Welcome to Jack's Frozen Custard, what would you like?" the cashier inquired to the four teens.
Yugi smiled at the girl behind the counter and gave all four orders. "One-scoop vanilla waffle cone, one hot fudge sundae, and two one-scoop chocolate waffle cones." The girl punched in the orders and looked up again.
"Anything else?" Yugi shook his head and the girl took a peek at the register again. "Five dollars and twenty-eight cents is your total," the cashier announced and gave them a cup with a number on it as Yugi handed her the money. "You will be served as soon as possible."
Yugi gave a polite nod and motioned for the others to follow him to a booth. The yamis and hikaris sat with each other and waited for their tasty treat.
"So what have you guys been up to the last, what was it? Two years?" Yugi wondered aloud. "I haven't heard from you two in ages! Not since you left Domino, at least. Are you going to college at all, Ryou?"
Ryou smiled, slightly. "Well, when I graduated from my high school a month ago, I decided not to go to college because I need to support Bakura and myself. So I figure I'll just get a part time job when fall comes around. But for now, I have enough money just to relax this summer. As for Bakura…"
Bakura grumbled. "I don't care."
Ryou shrugged, knowing well ahead of time what Bakura's answer would be. "And that's that!"
Yugi and Yami gave small smiles to Ryou. "I'm glad to hear that you guys are doing well," Yugi started but was cut off as a waiter holding a small tray, specifically designed for ice cream cones, placed their food on the table. "Oh thank you," Yugi declared politely to the waiter and picked up his vanilla cone.
"Ryou, you bought the chocolate ice cream cone right?" Yugi requested and Ryou nodded. Bakura grabbed the twin chocolate cone while Yami snatched his hot fudge sundae. Yugi handed Ryou his cone, making sure the white-haired teen had it in his hand.
Bakura started slowly licking his frozen yogurt, taking a peek at Ryou out of the corner of his eye. Now, Bakura would hate to admit this under any other circumstance at any other time, but lately things had been getting a little weird. That's an understatement. Very weird.
So, he had to use every ounce of his strength to hold back a smile while looking at the smaller teen's desperate attempts to lick his own ice cream cone. So, he wanted to laugh cheekily at the tiny chocolate goop on Ryou's nose. So, he wanted to admit that for some reason, when Ryou hugged his legs only a mere night ago, he had an urge to gather the small teen in his arms. That when he kicked him, he felt as if he kicked an angel. That this angel he wished he could join in heaven, wished he could warm up to, but couldn't. He knew the angel would feel warm in his arms…
But all at the exact same time, he wished that this angel would fall. That Ryou's, the angel's, blood would mark the ending of his own misery. So, he hated the kid, he could not and would not ever stand the fact that his own look-a-like could be that weak. So, he abused him and tainted him with cruelty. He couldn't stand it. The weakness. It just reminded Bakura of how weak he was so many years ago, when he became an inhabitant of the Millennium Ring, when fate had cursed him. Laughed at him. Mocked him. Then forced him to join with someone who ridiculed the mistakes he made so many thousand years ago. And he was just supposed to accept this willingly? Just as the Pharaoh had? No. He would despise everyone as if he would have five thousand years ago. The only emotion he had ever known, and will ever know – hatred.
Bakura let out a small sigh. He knew these were just words, made-up excuses; his mind telling him things he wanted to hear. His heart telling him things he didn't. All the while, a small white-haired angel dared to open his mind to his heart… and at the same time, a cruel mirror image of the angel, a devil, is daring to do just the opposite.
"Yooohooooooo! Earth to the lowly Tomb Robber! Are you just going to keep staring at your melting ice cream cone like the idiot you are?" Yami yelled, while waving his hand in front of the zoned-out face of Bakura. Finally seeing the movement, the yami blinked a couple times and looked down at his ice cream cone, now melting all over his hand.
"DAMNIT!"
Ryou couldn't help but chuckle as he paused in his (desperate) attempt to eat his ice cream to listen to his surroundings. He wished he could see, or at least distinguish, Bakura's expression. He sighed and looked back at his ice cream cone. Or at least the dark spot in his vision. He couldn't really see the cone. He brought the frozen custard near his tongue once again, hoping he was at least near the top of it. The effort was in vain, however, when he noticed that he had aimed to low, and the top of the ice cream smeared on his nose. Again.
"Do you want some help, Ryou?" Yugi's kind voice broke up the laughter. Ryou nodded, blushing slightly, thinking how embarrassing the situation was. Yugi set down his own cone and reached over for Ryou's. "Here, I'll help you eat this. Just stick out your tongue," Yugi commanded as the other hikari stuck out his tongue obligingly. Ryou felt the chocolate cone hit the tip of his tongue and he started to lick it.
Yami glanced over at his hikari's attempts to let Ryou eat his ice cream. Any passer-by might think it was cute; a couple helping each other eat. Yami involuntarily shivered.
Yugi?
Yes, Yami?
Could I talk to you for a moment?
No offense, Yami, but you kind of already are.
Yami's cheeks tinted pink. I mean, privately and not through our mind link. Umm, as in away from these two.
Yugi paused for a moment. Um, okay. Why don't we just say we have to go to the bathroom? I'll meet you over there.
Thanks, koibito. Yugi blushed brightly at the endearment. Take your ice cream with you. Don't ask me why right now.
"Umm… Ryou?" Yugi started. Ryou stopped licking his cone. "Yami and I have to go to the bathroom real quick. We'll be back in a couple minutes."
"Okay, but what about my ice cream cone? I mean, I don't want it to melt or anything…" Ryou informed them in a shy tone.
Yugi smiled and put the cone in Ryou's hand once again. "Just have Bakura feed it to you."
Bakura and Ryou coughed in tune with each other. Bakura looked incredulous. "What?!"
"You heard me. Bakura, you feed Ryou. Now nature is screaming so please let me go!" Yugi lied and headed off with Yami. (AN: Yugi… lying?! ::gasps::)
Bakura sighed as he watched the two tri-haired teens get up from the table and walk around the corner to the bathroom. He didn't notice that both of them took their ice cream with them. Ryou cleared his throat, in attempt to get the other's attention. Bakura turned and glared, before stopping and remembering it didn't really matter because Ryou couldn't tell what he did anyway.
"Err… you don't really have to help-" Ryou started but was cut off by a low growl from Bakura.
"Just hand me the damn cone," the yami demanded and Ryou flinched as he handed over the chocolate delight. Bakura snatched it from his hikari's extended hand. Ryou slowly stuck out his tongue again, fearing that Bakura might just go and rip it out. But to his surprise, and perhaps Bakura's as well, the cone was lifted to Ryou's tongue. The small hikari became practically frozen in shock.
"Well, are you going to eat it or not?" Bakura insisted impatiently and Ryou broke out of his trance as he started to lick the ice cream. The white-haired teen couldn't help his face from lighting up, a small grin breaking through. And for some reason, Bakura had the urge to return the favor.
Meanwhile...
"What's up, Yami? Why the sudden need for a 'private' talk?" Yugi asked, watching Yami occasionally peek around the corner at the other two teens. Yami shrugged. Yugi frowned and said, "No reason? None at all? Well, then lets go back!" Yugi began to move but stopped as he felt a tugging at his shirtsleeve.
"Shhh. Sorry, I have a reason," Yami told the shorter teen and pulled him back around the corner.
"What is it then?"
"That." Yami pointed to Ryou and Bakura and Yugi glanced at them. The first mentioned was practically smiling like an idiot while the latter wasn't scowling. Okay, no big deal right? But he wasn't glaring, growling, or glowering either. Bakura was just looking peacefully at the other adolescent. Peacefully is not in Bakura's dictionary. Yugi's eyes went large.
"Whoa, when did that happen?"
Yami smirked. "Right when you finished feeding Ryou and I stopped being jealous of it."
Yugi blushed. "I'm sorry. I didn't kno-"
Yami shushed the other. "Don't worry about it. I wasn't too jealous," he exclaimed playfully with a small wink and spooned himself some more of his sundae.
Yugi smiled in relief and took a lick of his vanilla cone, following the yami's actions. "So, are we just going to watch them? Isn't that a bit… rude?"
"Of course."
"But-"
"Yugi, stop fussing over it. How about we play just a tiny game of matchmaker before we leave? We only have two more hours here, you know."
"Yami! You've learned to read a clock!"
"Seriously, aibou, I was the former Pharaoh of Egypt. I'm not stupid." Yugi snorted. "Are you laughing at me?"
"No, it's just that you're so cute when you're pretentious."
Yami blinked. "I'm… what?"
Yugi chuckled. "Next time we see Grandpa, why don't you ask him what a dictionary is and tell him to show you that word, okay?"
Yami blinked again and Yugi couldn't help but giggle. "Seriously now, koi," Yugi enunciated the word and it was Yami's turn to go red. "What can we do to push those two together?"
"What? You think I have any ideas?"
Yugi face-faulted. "It was your conspiracy, genius!"
"My… what?"
"You seriously need a dictionary." Yami stared and Yugi shook his head, apologetically. "Well, I have somewhat of a good plan. It's nothing special, but it'll make them go nice and red. Listen closely."
Yami leaned in as Yugi began to whisper.
(AN: Should I stop? Naw…! =D)
Ryou finished his last bite of his ice cream cone, briefly wondering why the heck Yami and Yugi were taking so long in the bathroom.
Wait… bathroom… Yami and Yugi… excessive amount of time…
Ryou didn't want to know. Bakura grunted and interrupted Ryou's train of thought, thankfully. However, he couldn't get Bakura's recent behavior off his mind.
"Bakura… can I ask you something?" Ryou started and Bakura made a sound, not answering his question. "Why are you being so… well, nice to me?"
Bakura furrowed his eyebrows angrily. "I'm not being nice."
Ryou huffed. "Well, you're not being mean. I mean with you feeding me and earlier… it's just not like you."
"It's also not like you to be so straightforward. Why do you keep asking me stupid questions?" Bakura requested in a composed tone.
"They're not stupid and you know it!" Ryou defended. "I just… I want to know…"
Bakura became silent. "Well, I don't have a good explanation," he stated softly, stunning Ryou once again. He had never heard Bakura talk like this to him before. Ever.
"Umm..." Ryou tried to say something but was cut off.
"I don't have one now at least."
Ryou shook his head and smiled gently. "That's okay. I shouldn't have pried into your business."
Bakura sat noiseless and began to stare off into space, leaving Ryou wondering why he didn't say anything else. "Ryou…" he whispered, not intending for it to leave his mouth.
"What?"
Bakura realized what he had done and snapped out of his small trance. "Nothing, weakling. I didn't say anything," he growled and Ryou shrugged. Right now Ryou wished more than ever that he could glimpse into Bakura's eyes; he could always tell what he was thinking just by looking at them. Something told Ryou that Bakura was hiding some issues deep within himself and that Ryou was finally starting to uncover them. Perhaps an angel really was shining down on Bakura, why else would he become so open?
Ryou smiled to himself. 'Well, I guess a couple good things came out of being blind after all.'
#####
Ugh… cheesy… rushed… weird… not good… not good… bad… very bad… as you can tell, this author is not happy with her chapter…
I tried to get everything moving along, but then realized it was too rushed as I read it over. I didn't want to re-type it or anything because my time on my computer is limited. Well, maybe a few good reviews will cheer me up ::winks::
Flame me if you want! They will be used to make s'mores! But constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!
Bakura- Ugh, I acted disgusting!
Suki-chan- ::ashamed:: I know! ::sobs:: It was horrible! Gah. Well at least I made you confused in your little thinking speech thingy so it seemed semi-authentic.
Ryou – That was strangely deep too…
Bakura – You messed up author! I'm not supposed to be deep!
Suki-chan - ………………………. ::Cries some more:: I know! What was I thinking! GAHHHHH!!! …….. ::sniff:: Here's the thank you's… ::sniff::
Inu-luva : Gah! YOU DON'T NEED A THANK YOU! GO AWAY! STAY AWAY FROM MY REVIEWS!! EVIL NON-SHONEN-AI LOVER!!!!! ::mumbles:: Stupid Beth… I tried and tried and tried to make her like shonen-ai but nooooo! SHE EVEN WATCHED GRAVITATION… AND LIKED IT! . Baka!
Princess Kat : Yay for hyperness! W00t! Me loveth being hyper! YOU BROKE YOUR TWO RECORD!! ::gasps loudly and points a finger accusingly:: Well, anyway, I would use your idea about Ryou falling down the stairs but… er… I might get some weird comments off that one… O.o it'd be kind of… random… yus… lol. Here's some advice for next time you review… USE MORE SUGAR!! Muahahahahahahaha! Mmmmm… pudding… =D Thanks so much!
Carmen5-Nemrac : Yes I d0! L0l, thanks s0 much f0r the review! Ugh… that's hard to do when typing… I just automatically go for the 'o' and not the '0' ::sweat drop:: Thanks for your review!! It made me happy… again! Lol =)
snow-shadow-wolf : Hehe, I don't have a job… I just used my daddy's credit card without permission… heh… ::sweat drop:: I know what you mean! All the BXR-ers are gone!! ::gasps:: I, too, could read one each day but now they all went bye-bye! Don't worry because this is why I created my new FF.net account! I SHALL BE THY BXR SAVIOR! AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND SHALL BE HAPPY ONCE AGAIN! ::beams:: Seriously, I'm going down fighting with this account! Mwuaha. Thanks again for the review!!
Dark Magic 856 : Thank you so much for all three of your reviews!! They may me sooo happy! I hope you're liking the longer chapters =D
russle : Wow, I have so much to say to you! But since my sis is bothering me to get off and I HAVE to update this chapter, I got to keep it short …T.T How sad. Well, I LOVED your review. It made my braces blind someone because my mouth was so bright from smiling! I'm glad you found that funny, too n.n especially because I'm trying to lighten up on the angst and get it more humorous! Gah! I have to end it here ::is sad:: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEW!!! ::huggles::
DaughterofDeath : I shall. =D
Bakura – You're taking up too much worthless space with all that…
Suki-chan - ::still sniffling:: I know, I know… its bad… I'M A HORRIBLE WRITER! ::sobs::
Ryou – There, there…
Bakura – Don't encourage her, hikari! You know she's just asking for pity reviews!
Suki-chan – Meh! =P Meanie! I'm not!
Bakura – Yes you are, moron.
Suki-chan – Grr… ::locks him in a closet:: … wait!! ::throws Ryou in with him:: =3 Mehehehe…. Have fun you two!! ::pounding and shouted obscenities are heard in the background::
Thanks for reading this!! 100 hits alone for chapter three!! Yay! Please review. It'll make me update faster! =D
3 Suki-chan 3