Hmm... With all the reviews, I've finally come to a plot conclusion:

I'll stick with keeping it angst and not tradgedy, but I'll go with the longer version because I've kind of merged plots together to keep it going like this...

So, hope everyone's all right with that, and just for the heck of knowing. If the tradgedy plot was chosen, a certain Egyptian Yami would've returned, yet... Something else is on it's way seen as it is an angst fic ::wink wink hint hint::

Anywho... 9th chapter here for you happy-chans, nice and quick and seen as I'm ill and off school, got nothing else to do XD

Enjoy!

nine: Liar

Rain outside was pounding against the window of the living room, a bright flash of lightning and Ryou jerked his head from Malik's chest when he heard the knock at the door, "Wh... Who's that?" he questioned looking at the blonde.

"I'll, go and see," Malik said in a muffled voice as he stood up. That was quick Kura... the Egyptian thought to himself as he made his way down the hall, flicking the patio light on as he opened the front door to see a soaked Bakura, shoulders hunched and water dripping from his hair and lashes.

"Can I come in or am I staying out here?" Bakura said, clicking Malik out of his thoughts.

"Uh, sorry... Yeah, come in quick," the blonde motioned his hand for the Yami to follow him inside, where he took off his coat and hung it up to dry.

"Wh-"

"He's in there," Malik whispered, answering the obvious question the spirit was about to ask.

"Thanks..." Bakura replied with a soft, small smile.

Walking down the hall, the drenched spirit silently entered the living room to see his other half curled up on the couch, his body shaking from crying. Bakura stayed in the doorway for a moment, just watching his other half to see that Ryou's eyes were locked on the window. His stare narrowed slightly and he stepped back, turning to Malik behind him, "Why didn't you shut the curtains? You know Ryou's afraid of storms," he hissed in a whisper.

"Sorry..." Malik whispered back apologetically.

Rolling his eyes Bakura stepped into the living room, walking to the window and reaching out to pull the curtains across just when a very loud crash of lightning echoed and flashed.

A yelp of shock escaped Ryou when he realised someone was at the window and from the shock of the loud crack. His eyes clamped shut, hugging his knees tighter as the curtains were drawn.

"Ryou..." Malik ushered softly, going over to said teen.

The hikari whimpered softly in reply.

"Bakura's here..."

Chocolate depths instantly snapped open at the name, locking onto Bakura who was leaning against the opposite wall to the couch, his soaked hair still as perfect as ever, yet duller from the damp.

Ryou stared at his other half for a moment, his eyes merging with darker versions of his own, getting lost in the stare like he always did.

Silently getting to his feet, the hikari slowly walked towards Bakura, neither saying a word yet both knew what was happening. The Yami stepped forward, making the first move by pulling his light into a hug.

"Oh Bakura..." Ryou cried, wrapping his arms round Bakura's neck his hands brushing against the scratch that was now there from the earlier incident with the cat.

FLASHBACK

"Oh Bakura," his voice rang through said others ears, mockingly, "I suggest you do as told."

The white-haired Yami gulped, backing against the wall of Marik's room on the Battle City blimp.

"You'll do what I say Thief," the Egyptian mused, getting uncomfortably close to Bakura, "...Unless of course, you want that hikari of yours to pay," he added with a sinister chuckle causing brown depths to widen.

FLASHBACK FINISH

Bakura hissed slightly pushing back from Ryou, his breathing suddenly irregular and eyes wide.

"B... Bakura..." Ryou muttered, his voice hurt and confused to why his Yami had pushed him away.

"Bakura, what's wrong?" Malik asked with a concerned tone.

The white-haired teen just stood and stared at his Yami, did he hate him that much he wouldn't even hug him? No. It couldn't be that, could it? Ryou's eyes saddened as he sat back down on the couch, keeping his tearful eyes low and fixed to the ground as if he was ashamed of everything.

"Kura, what's the matter?" Malik asked, determined to get an answer from his friend.

"Nothing..." the Yami replied, rubbing his temples.

"You hate me now don't you Bakura-sama?" Ryou stated bluntly and suddenly.

Bakura's eyes narrowed at the name. His light hadn't called him that in years not since he was made to when the spirit hurt him. Why would he suddenly call him it now?

"Bakura, Ryou... And no... I don't," the fiend replied with a husky tone, and Ryou instantly picked it up, as well as Malik.

"Then why did you push me away?" Ryou asked, looking up at Bakura with dull eyes.

"Because I did..."

Malik looked from one to the other, already sensing the tension between the two Albinos' and he was starting to get very worried.

"Because what?"

"Just because, you don't need to know hikari," Bakura stated.

"Yes I do. Don't you think you've kept enough from me already?" Ryou asked, emotionlessly.

The spirits eyes widened slightly at the statement and he suddenly began to feel guilty.

"What did Marik do to you Yami?" Ryou asked, still gazing into the dark's depths.

Malik's stare shot towards Ryou, his worry growing even more.

"You know the answer to that," Bakura said, not wanting to talk about such things, especially seen as that just happened.

"No I don't. Tell me, please," the hikari asked, his voice timid.

"You do, you've seen the scars hikari. You know he... H-hurt me."

"And he, took something... Didn't he?" Ryou asked.

Bakura's eyes widened as he knew straight away that his lighter half now knew the whole story, Malik... he thought with a snarl.

"Malik... You've told him?" Bakura asked.

"Well... I you se-"

"Yes he did," Ryou interrupted, his eyes glazed over from the tears.

"Malik! How dare you! It was NOT your place to tell him something like that!" Bakura snapped bitterly.

"Bakura... I... I'm sorry," the blonde muttered. "Sorry?! You swore to me you'd NEVER tell a damn soul about that! Then you go and tell Ryou!"

"Kura please... Ryou, he asked, he was so sad and confused... I had to tell him to make him understand..." Malik said, keeping his voice low, fighting back threatening tears.

"Understand? Understand what?!"

"That you're not heartless and you can show more than hate," Ryou said quietly, averting his eyes back to the floor, "I'm sorry Yami... All those times I called you cold and evil... All those times I yelled at you for not letting me get close to you, all the while... Were you thinking about that?"

Bakura's sudden rage vanished as quickly as it came as he listened to Ryou. His lights words ringing through him like a gently melody and he simply nodded in reply.

Ryou stood up and reached out to Bakura, Malik instantly trying to stop him but was too late and Bakura flinched, backing away from the out stretched hand.

"You still don't trust me?" Ryou asked, letting his arm fall to his side.

"Ryou, it'll take time. Bakura does trust you," Malik insisted, trying to keep everyone calm.

"Malik's right hikari... I, I have to get used to it..." Bakura muttered.

"What? Used to me?" Ryou asked, hurt clearly in his voice.

Bakura cringed at the question, and it only made it worse that the answer was so obvious. He nodded.

Ryou bit his lip slightly when it started to softly tremble, his eyes closing from the sound of lightning and thunder outside, but he shrugged off his fear and sat back down on the couch, head in his hands.

"It doesn't mean I won't in time Ryou," Bakura said, sensing Ryou was very hurt, and Malik nodded in addition.

"You should have just told me in the first place Bakura, then all of this wouldn't have happened," Ryou said, looking back up at said spirit.

"I would've if I could Ryou and you know that already," the Albino replied.

"I know why you didn't... What I want to know is why you didn't anyway... You said you were protecting me because you cared, if you cared so much then why didn't you risk it and tell me?" Ryou asked, eyes still locked on Bakura.

The dark blinked a few times, frozen by Ryou's words.

"You say you were protecting me by not telling me, you say you were protecting me by causing me pain... But you weren't Yami... You weren't protecting me at all..." Ryou rubbed his eyes of the fresh falling tears, "... You only hurt me more."

Bakura's mouth fell open slightly to speak, but no words could get through. Ryou was right. Everything his light had just said was nothing but the truth. Hiding his feelings, not telling the truth from the start caused his light more pain his bare hands could ever do. And all that time, he was completely clueless; carrying on like it was the best thing to be doing. How wrong could he get?

"Ryou I..."

"You're a liar," the light stated bluntly, his voice shaking from crying.

"What?" Malik asked, shocked from Ryou's sudden comment.

"You're a liar. For the past year and a half you've been lying to me Bakura. All those times when you hurt me and made me cry you could've ended it all by just spilling the truth to me. But you decided not to," Ryou said, his voice getting harsher as he spoke. "Instead, you decided to keep hurting me thinking it was making everything all right! Why Yami? Why? Why did you think causing me pain would make it all better?!" the light's voice suddenly rose, lower lip trembling.

"I don't know all right!" Bakura snapped back, his mind plagued with too many thoughts.

"You never do!" Ryou yelled back, slamming his fists down on the couch.

"Ryou, Bakura please..." Malik pleaded, yet he went unheard.

"I know THAT Ryou! You keep telling me! I'm sorry all right! I'm FUCKING sorry! How many times do I have to tell you that?! You know what happened, you know why I did the things I did so why can't you just understand and forget about it?!"

"Forget about it?! Bakura! How the hell am I supposed to forget?! All of this is caused my you and your DAMN pride!" Ryou shouted.

"My pride has nothing to do with this hikari! I thought I was doing the right thing by not telling you!" Bakura sneered nastily.

Malik watched on helplessly. He had witnessed the two fighting before, but never this bad, and he hated seeing him so stressed and upset, yet there was nothing he could do about it.

"Oh really?! If it wasn't your pride then what was stopping you Bakura? What was stopping you from telling me?" Ryou asked.

"You were!" the Yami yelled at his other half.

"M-me?" he muttered, shocked by the answer.

"Yes you! Ryou you need to stop assuming things about me, and you need to stop now! You're meant to be my hikari y-"

"What's that meant to mean?!" the teen suddenly snapped, hurt by Bakura's comment.

"You're the one who's meant to understand me the most Ryou, you're my other half for fuck sake! Yet you're the one who hasn't the slightest clue!" Bakura blurted out, not really knowing what he was saying, and how harshly he was saying it until it had already sunk in.

Damn my temper... Bakura thought, suddenly going silent.

"Ryou... Bakura, maybe you two sh-"

"Malik can I stay here for tonight?" Ryou suddenly asked, though his eyes were glaring deep into the dull pools of Bakura's eyes.

"What?" the two said in union.

"Can... I please stay here tonight Malik?" Ryou asked again.

"Ryou, you're coming home," Bakura stated.

"No I'm not... Not with a Yami who doesn't even appreciate I'm their hikari!" Ryou snapped back.

"Fine! Stay here for all I care! Don't come back and see if I give a shit!" Bakura yelled at Ryou getting up from the wall he was leaning against.

"Bakura where are you going?" Malik asked, quickly getting up and following said Yami out of the room and down the hall.

Bakura suddenly stopped, turning on his heels causing the blonde to bump into him.

"Sorry..." Malik muttered.

"Keep him here for a while all right?" Bakura said, his voice calming yet it was obvious he wasn't at all in a good mood.

Malik nodded.

Bakura sighed; biting his lip as if he was struggling to say something but the silence remained and he took his still soaked jacket, pulling it on and stepping out into the stormy street.

Don't give up Bakura... Malik thought silently to himself as he shut the door.

9th chapter done and dusted! Mwaha!

Now my happy-chans, I left two tiny hints in this chapter about something, anyone pick up on them? If not, you'll realise when it all happens ne? XD

R&R

S4K