Thank you!!! Um sure, I'd love to read a story of yours since it sounds interesting. If you, or anyone else wants to get a hold of me, you can instant message me with AIM or AOL at Chaosgal1. You can also mail me there, since its AOL. Anyone who actually tries to get to know me will probably end up having me rant to them till all hours of the AM, but you'll also help me by suggesting ideas if you'd like. I'd love to incorporate any ideas that you guys have (they come in handy when my mind goes blank occassionally).

Everything around Ryou suddenly started to darken at the edges, and everything before him slowly faded out to black. His eyes were closed when he came back into focus a few seconds later and he opened them. Now he was back in Bakura's room. Bakura had his knees tucked to his chest and his head buried in between his knees.

"Bakura..."

Bakura's head lifted and he turned to Ryou. Ryou was expecting him to have at least been emotional, but he showed nothing. Sadness was evident in his eyes, despite the rest of his emotionless expression. Ryou saw through Bakura's usual facade, and past the eyes which eerily didn't even seem to have any pupils. The death warmed over look that road kill animals usually have.

"Ryou..." he said in a soft voice, "I've moved on, I don't... linger on memories. I can't change the past, but I insist on moving foward to at least... avenge the death of my people."

Bakura turned his head so he didn't have to look at Ryou's shocked, scared, pitying, innocent eyes anymore.

"They killed more than 99 people, they couldn't stop themselves. Then to complete their spell they created the Millennium Items," Bakura's eyes narrowed and he continued in his monotone, "They melted down a large pot of gold and mixed into the gold the required 99 sacrfices... When it all had melted down and stopped oozing they poured it into the molds... You see, my light, the Millennium Items were created by the death, and even made from, at least a hundred innocent people that were slaughtered... My people, Ryou, my people!"

"My people!" he shouted again, clenching his fist, "I want the items back... what good it will do, I don't care, I want them back! I want to put them back so I can release all the trapt souls... Everyone just thinks I'm an evil bastard who wants to release the dark powers that the items "sealed away." And in putting those souls to rest, yes, that's exactly what I'll be doing. But I don't care!!"

Bakura felt a hand on his shoulder and he calmed down.

Sighing, he started up for a third time, "They created the Millennium Items to prevent a dark power from consuming the Earth, at least, that's what they thought. They thought creating the damn things would stop it. Oh, but no... you can't escape fate. I AM the very darkness they were trying to prevent! The world was perfect before me Ryou, perfect but stupid! I either never should have lived, or none of it should have ever happened! I don't know which... but its not fair... its not fair..."

Ryou scooted closer and wrapped his arms around Bakura. Bakura leaned back against Ryou and stared blankly at the wall. So many emotions he had locked up inside of him, so many he refused to let out. He felt the weakness they could cause, he didn't want emotions let loose to wreak havoc unto him.

Ryou stroaked Bakura's hair, and held his head under his, holding him. Comforting the dark was the only thing Ryou could think of to do... he didn't know what he would have done... had any of Bakura's past, had happened to him.

"Ryou... I went to them, in Thebes. I asked them for the items and they turned me away. So I waited, Ryou, I waited... Another rebellion came by... the priests with their items summoned their guardians and slaughtered the rebels as well... but not without suffering casualties," Bakura smiled, "Pharaoh Akunamaten was dead. The pharaoh who'd signed away the agreement to let his priests kill my people..."

"Why didn't they give the items back when the war was over?"

"Because they'd forgotten... the priests, most of them at least, died mysterious deaths. The items were passed on to their teenage sons and daughters. And they would not give them back either. All I ever wanted, Ryou... was to have lived a normal life. I couldn't anymore, but I refused to give up. If I could not get what I wanted, then I would take what I wanted, and I would make their lives miserable as well...."

"Did you succeed?"

"Yes... but it left me broken... and... now I've been bound to the Millennium Ring. I can't die Ryou... I can't even die to be with my family in the afterlife... I"m doomed Ryou. I can't escape my fate, I can't change the sands of time..."

A tear slipped down Bakura's cheek onto Ryou's hand. Ryou gasped, and Bakura growled at started to rub at his eyes, cursing in Egyptian.

"Bakura... Bakura, stop that..."

"Leave me alone, Ryou!"

Ryou grabbed Bakura's wrists stubbornly and tried to pull them away. Bakura pulled free and smacked Ryou hard across the face.

"Leave! Me! ALONE!"

Ryou didn't move. His face began to swell, and he stared at Bakura with an emotion Bakura couldn't even begin to figure out. And he faltered.

"I-I'm sorry, Ryou," Bakura's eyes shot across the room and he looked away.

"Bakura... I forgive you. I will always forgive you..."

Ryou placed his hands on Bakura's knees in a pleading act, looking for an answer.

"When... was the last time you cried..."

"Crying is a weakness..." Bakura stated simply.

"You didn't answer my question..."

"In the Ring... I cried... because no one could see me..."

"Bakura..."

Ryou reached out and turned Bakura's head with his hand so Bakura would look at him, but Bakura refused to make any eye contact.

"Bakura... It's okay to cry... Its okay to cry around me, I love you... I want to understand you, I want to be here for you... Please let me, don't push me away."

Bakura shifted his eyes back to Ryou, "I'm sorry I've hurt you."

"I've already forgiven you for that, my love..."

"I feel sorrow now... I have not forgiven myself."

Ryou sighed and hugged Bakura.

"I love you... do you love me? Do you feel love..."

"I don't know love..."

"Then let me help you... Let me take the pain away, I'll help you find love..."

"Momma... s-she always said she loved me..." Bakura teared up, "All I ever wanted... was to be... happy..."

Bakura started shaking and Ryou hugged him closer and rubbed his back. How good it felt, to Bakura, to let lose the swirl of emotions he'd rarely let go of... He still had a heart, no matter how hard he tried to kill it.

"Shhh... I'll take care of you, now... everything will be okay..."

Outside, the sun began to set. The snow had not given up yet, and the more it snowed, the more it piled up. A few inches had turned into two feet. Tomorrow was Monday... and school was the last thing on Ryou's mind as he comforted the once cold-hearted spirit of the Millenium Ring.

Whee, angstyness. -wipes away a few more tears-The story will continue till Christmas their time... Short, but I can't help it. I have relatives coming over in the morning to open presents. I wish everyone Merry Chrismakuh!!