Millennium Hearts

Part 11; headaches, friendships, and rubber balls

   The man tightened his grip around the young boy's neck. "I asked you a question!" He growled. "Where is the pharaoh?!"

   The boy never answered. He only lay limp in the man's strong grip. He loosened it, only slightly. It's not that he felt bad for the boy, only that he needed the information before he actually killed him. "HEY!" The man used his other hand to smack Ryou's head. "ANSWER ME!" He glanced at the alleyway entrance to make sure no one paid any attention then looked back at the boy only to see dark, brown orbs glaring back at him. "Get our hands off me." He growled.

   The man chuckled and tightened the grip. "You wish. Now answer my –" He was cut off by a swift quick between the legs. The grip loosened enough for Bakura to pull away and throw a punch at the man. He gave another kick to the man's stomach before punching him again in the face, sending him to the ground. Bakura put a foot on the man's windpipe and pressed down hard. "Next time listen to me when I tell you to do something." Bakura released his foot and pulled out his favorite card – man-eater bug.

   Yami smiled faintly as he watched his aibou and Mokuba chase each other around the yard. Yugi was threatening to tickle Mokuba, and Mokuba said he could – IF he could catch him.

   Yami suddenly stood up and looked around. A small, but not quite threatening magic was coming closer. He saw Yugi  stop to look at him. /You aren't going to kill each other, are you?/

   No, little one, at least not today. I'm mearly going to inform him that Ryou was invited, not him. He felt yugi sigh and shake his head, but the conversation was done, seeing as how Yugi's concentration was back to catching up with Mokuba.

  Yami nodded to Seto who watched him curiously as Yami disappeared into the bushes.

   "Took you long enough,"

  "Why are you here?"

   "I'm warning you, pharaoh."

   Yami frowned. "What?"

   Bakura folded his arms. "He knows I'm here." He closed his eyes. "Or, rather, he knows Ryou knows you and he tried to get him to tell you."

   A brief panic filled Yami. "He doesn't know – does he?"

   Bakura scowled. "I said 'tried', didn't I?"

   "Is Ryou okay?"

   Bakura nodded. For a brief moment, he knew what Yami feels when he worries for his aibou. He had felt the evil presence as well, and was worried his own aibou and himself would face the same fate as Yami had, and deep inside, he was worried that he wouldn't have what it took to get to Ryou in time. "Ryou is fine."

   Yami smiled slightly. He chose not to comment, deciding to save Bakura's pride… for now. A silent agreement and understanding passed through them, something neither had had with the other before. Yami studied Bakura for a moment before turned to go back. When Bakura made no movement to follow him, he glanced back. "Are you coming or not?"

   "Aren't you going to wait for me to switch?"

   Yami grinned wickedly. "Won't it give both of them a heart-attack if I walked in with you, and neither of us harmed?" Bakura chuckled as Yami continued, "Don't think this means I trust you either,"

    "That doesn't mean I'm not going to try and steal your puzzle either."

   Yami shrugged and continued back to the party knowing that Bakura would follow him.

   tap….tap… tap… tap…

   Seto Kaiba dropped his pencil on the desk and rubbed his temple.

   Tap…tap…tap…tap…

  He quickly pushed his chair back and stood up. He moved from his work room to the room beside it. He shoved open the door and glared at its occupant. "Stop-"

  Mokuba looked up from his position of leaning against the bed. He hand was frozen midway in the air, and he could only watch in slowly motion as the ball had left his hand and sailed smoothly to the previously closed door.

  SMACK

  Unfortunately, Seto wasn't prepared to have a ball come sailing at his forehead. Mokuba jumped up from the floor and ran to his brother's aid. "I'm sooo sorry Seto! Are you okay?"

   Seto put a hand on his aching forehead and closed his eyes. "Mokuba," He said slowly, causing Mokuba to drop his worried hands and move back. "I'm going to go back in my room and finish my work." His hand was still in place when he picked up the ball with his other hand. "You are going to stop hitting the ball against the door and do something constructive like do your homework or play outside for all I care."

  Seto finally dropped his hand and moved from Mokuba's room toward the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Mokuba cautiously followed his big brother. "But Seto… its raining outside and I already did my homework."

  "Then… then go play with your video games just be quiet!"

  Mokuba's eyes lit up. He'd been grounded from the video games as soon as he was off crutches. Seto said this was his punishment for going out with an escort, he just didn't have the heart to punish him like that when all he had to do was lay around in bed all day. "REALLY?!" Mokuba shouted with glee.

  Seto cringed as his hand automatically flew to his head. "Please!" He groaned. Mokuba grinned sheepishly and ran to his brother to give him a big hug before running downstairs to give an equally big hug to his PS2.

      It was nine at night when Yugi Mouto sighed contentedly, closed his eyes and let himself drop on his bed. "That was so much fun, yami! Thanks for letting me have the party."

   Yami smiled fondly at his aibou and sat himself down at the edge of the bed. "You're quite welcome." He paused for a moment, causing Yugi to open his yes to study his Yami carefully.

   "…Yami…?"

  "I don't want you going to school tomorrow."

  "Why not?"

  "Yugi, The man who is chasing us, knows that Ryou is a friend of ours, if he spies on him and sees you with him, one look at you will immediately tell him who you are."

  Yugi's eyebrows drew together. He stood to his feet and unconsciously moved closer to the window. His worried gaze was focused on the world outside. "What about Ryou? And my other friends? And Mokuba, why'd they kidnap him in the first place?"

  "I am not worried about Ryou, Bakura will protect him." Yami ignored Yugi's raised eyebrow, "I do not think they will target your friends and as for Mokuba," Yami sighed, "I do not yet know why they captured Mokuba in the first place. They didn't seem to care about Kaiba."

   Yami watched Yugi shuffle his feet nervously, just thinking about his friends being in danger because of him…again…. Yami gently guided Yugi to his bed and helped him under the sheets. "You need your sleep, aibou, you had an exhausting day."

  Yugi only got out a nod before his eyes involuntarily closed leaving his mind at rest – for the moment. Yami remained awake, his own thoughts sending his mind reeling. He thought back to Yugi's question, why did they kidnap Mokuba? Yami had to ideas, first, maybe they were after yugi and had mistaken Yugi for him. Yami felt his anger rise at this thought, so he thought of his other idea, maybe, just maybe, Mokuba held the Heart.

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