The night of the dance. I won't say it was a terrible dance. It was actually quite beautiful. The dancehall was decorated carefully, rice lights circling the room, twisting down to the floor around the pillars. The common multi-colored lights up on the stage. There was a band, and beside them a DJ. Probably for the band's breaks.

"Wanna dance, Yugi?" Tea asked, cheerfully.

Yugi watched Joey carefully, then smiled apologetically at his oldest friend. "Sorry, Tea... I think I should..."

"Nah, go ahead, Yuge..." said Joey, assuringly.

"You sure?" Yugi furrowed his brow.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Joey forced a grin. Yugi bit his lip, ready to decline, until he was lightly pushed towards Tea. She smiled, and grabbed Yugi's wrist, leading him out to the floor.

Joey sighed, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Knew I should've stayed home today..." he muttered.

I lightly tapped his shoulder, to remind him he wasn't alone enough to talk to himself. He blinked, and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, hey..."

"Hey," I smiled faintly.

"Let's hit the bar, huh?" he suggested, cocking his thumb towards a dimly lit room that was over to the right, away from the entrance and dancefloor. A modest little establishment within the dancehall.

I didn't drink, but I assumed Joey would have enjoyed a place to settle in. So I nodded, and we headed for the bar. Rather than take a seat at one of the booths, Joey sat up at the bar, and I sat beside him.

"What can I get for you?" the barmaid asked, cheerfully.

"Just an iced tea," I answered.

"I'll have a beer..." Joey told her. He then glanced at me, and smiled wryly, "you don't mind, do you?"

I sighed, and shook my head, "not really, I guess... but... what about Yugi...?"

"... I won't get hammered, I just wanna beer... settle the nerves, y' know?"

"Alright then... but I'm keeping you to that," I said, in a mock-threatening way.

A moment later, our drinks arrived. Joey was drinking his casually, while I barely touched mine. My chance to ask Joey's side of the story; I saw the opportunity the second Tea asked Yugi to dance.

"Joey..."

"Hm?" he lowered his glass, then glanced at me.

"... On the phone... you told me you and Tristan weren't on... speaking terms, anymore..." I said, slowly. "Can I ask... what happened?"

Joey frowned for a moment, then shrugged. "Not much to tell, Ryou..." he said, bitterness lacing his tone.

"Joey... please, tell me."

His jaw tightened, as he glared hard at the dark mohagany bar. With a grimace, he looked at me again, "it's stupid, Ryou..."

"I don't care, I want to know."

He laughed, but not in amusement. "Alright... where do you want me to start?"

"... When I left... you started noticing Tristan acting differently..?" I said, carefully.

He ran his hand through his hair, then rubbed his face, as he sighed wearily. "Well yeah. Alright then..." he muttered. "Like I said, it's stupid... after you left, Tris' went off to college."

I nodded.

"I tried to keep in contact with him, talkin to him, phonin him... uh, one day though, I musta got him on a really bad day..." Joey frowned again. "I dunno how it happened, but Yuge came up... and, uh... Tris' was a little... well, pissed. I dunno how or why, but Tris' started sayin all this stuff that I don't even like repeating... it's pretty harsh to Yuge, actually..."He smirked wryly. "I had no idea Tris' felt that way about Yuge."

I bit my lip, "he didn't... say..."

"No... nothin bad... nothin really bad... just stuff he noticed... our friendship came up, he tore right into it, callin me a lousy friend... and I-I didn't know what to say to any of that. I couldn't find any way to defend myself from what he said... and it kinda just confused me, for some reason. Yuge always considered me a great friend, and... there Tris' was, calling me the lousiest friend to walk the Earth."

I sighed slightly.

"Different points of view, I guess... I suppose Tris' had a point... I mean, Yuge was a great person to have in my life... I mean, he believed in me, encouraged me, and all... and Tris', well... he was a great friend to have, too... but, I just... I just wanted someone who could... not just be there for me, to watch my back. I wanted someone who'd help me... grow, y' know..?"

I had to nod. It sounded logical the way Joey could put it.

"I wasn't tryin to pick Yuge over Tris', or Tris' over Yuge... believe me, I wasn't... but, I dunno... it just... it's stupid."

"... And afterwards?"

He took a quick drink, before asking, "what?"

"Tristan and Kaiba, what happened there?"

"... I never talked to Tris' for a while, after that little argument... didn't mean to go and leave everything like that, but Tris' told me to... well, politely, he said to stay away from him..."

I had to force a smile.

"I think it was about 4 months since that argument. Walkin downtown, I saw Tris' with Kaiba... Uh, not somethin people saw everyday, Kaiba interactin with somethin that wasn't digital..." Joey's hands tightened into fists against the bar. "Kaiba... he, uh... kissed Tris'... I... I dunno, it just hit me kinda hard... and, I uh... kinda lost it, I guess. Right there, I started yellin at Kaiba, askin him what he was up to. Kaiba at least had some of the decency to look confused. It wasn't until I told Kaiba never to come near Tris' again that I... uh, saw stars the second those words came outta my mouth."

"Stars?" I asked, confused.

"Tris' punched me... in the back of the head, tellin me to shut up, and it wasn't any of my business..." Joey frowned deeply. "I asked what his problem was, he told me he wasn't gonna stay alone just to satisfy me. He and Kaiba were together for about a month when I saw them. I started sayin Kaiba wasn't good enough, he was a bastard, not worthy of havin anyone in his life. Tris' got pretty pissed, and kept saying I should just mind my own business, his life was his, and my life was mine. That we both agreed to stay out of each other's lives after Yuge came along."

My brow furrowed. Things did sound messy.

"I don't remember what else was said..." Joey smiled faintly. "It was good to know Tris' didn't lose his touch since he was in college... his kicks still hit pretty damn hard. I think I threw the first punch, not countin the one he gave me, since that one was just to make me shut up."

He sat up straighter, looking thoughtful. "I threw a right..." he held out his right hand, his arm in a strong arch, his hand closed into a fist, angled in a way after a punch was given.

"I connected, once he got his bearings back, he kneed me in the gut... and, uh... after that, everything else was pretty much a blur... it was kinda nice to know Tris' still had his moves."

Curiousity soon forced me to ask, "how long did it last..? The fight."

"... Dunno, a lotta hits were given though. So, it mighta been a while."

"Kaiba try to stop you?"

"... Don't think so..." Then Joey frowned slightly. "Actually... I... I'm not too sure, but after a while, some people came along, and started pullin us apart... I think I heard Kaiba... he was like, 'as much as I enjoy seein the puppy get what he deserves...'" Joey blinked, "hm, might've been Kaiba holdin Tris' back..."

"Hm... um, what happened after that?"

"Nothin... Kaiba and Tris' went their way, I went mine, back to Yuge's." Joey grinned slightly, "I wasn't in the best of shape... my ego suffered a bit, until I remembered I got Tris' a few times, too... Yuge was worried... I didn't wanna tell him what happened, because... it's stupid."

"Joey, you miss Tristan, don't you?" I asked.

Joey's brow furrowed.

"You were both best friends in high school."

"Heh, startin to have doubts about that..."

"Um, why?" I blinked.

"When I thought about it, that's when Tris' started feelin like he was... just there, and that's it."

I lowered my head, sighing almost guiltily. And perhaps a little thoughtfully, "hm..."

"The only time he seemed happy was when he was with you..."

My head shot back up, as I gaped at Joey, "wh-what?"

Joey smiled wryly at me. "I think while Tris' saw Yuge replacin him, you were takin my place with Tris'..."

"... Joey..."

"It's alright, Ryou..." Joey patted my shoulder. "You were great to have... it was good to know that Tris' could have someone like you instead of me."

"You were a wonderful friend, Joey."

"Heh, thanks, I think."

"You were..."

"Yuge says you 'harbor' some feelins for him," he grinned slightly.

"Whaa..? I don't..! I mean, I... I just... I don't think... I mean, I do... I just..." Oh Gods, now Joey knows too? I remember thinking. "Joey!"

Joey laughed.

Well, he was back to his playful self, that was good. I folded my arms, unable to keep myself from pouting. "Don't tease me..." I said.

"Sorry... but if you're Tristan's special... someone..."

I'm sure my heart skipped a beat right then.

"... Then Tristan should... be back to his old self... if he has you back in his life... and maybe things'll go back to normal, and Yuge's circle'll be... whole again, y' know..?"

"... Maybe," I murmured.

"He really cared about you, Ryou..."

I bit my lip again, my fingers twiddling.

"I think you'd both be good together." He grinned at me, "try to get back the way you were, make him happy again, Ryou, and let's have what we used to, huh?"

I had to stare at Joey in shock. Then I smiled back, and I nodded slightly.

oooXXXooo

It was kind of sad. A reunion, and I was practically glued to the bar. I was holding my glass carefully, staring into it, at the melting ice. Thoughts of me screwing things up kept bothering me. Sighing softly, I rested my cheek against my hand, while running my fingers along the glass' rim.

I had to assume Tea was having fun dancing with Devlin. I caught sight of them every now and then, dancing the night away. And Joey and Yugi were now sitting at a table, nice and quiet. I smiled, seeing Joey smiling and laughing again.

... Well, at least Joey seemed a little better after our discussion.

Only one day left, I realized. I was planning to head back to London tomorrow night; since there would be no reason to stay in Domino City.

... Well, I had a reason.

But that reason was still a very touchy matter. Tristan and Kaiba. Who would have thought? Seto Kaiba the one who was there for Tristan. Ice-cold Seto Kaiba. I laughed bitterly to myself. Maybe Kaiba was some sort of masochist, intrigued by the new Tristan, like Yugi said.

... No, that was a horrible way to think, I told myself. Kaiba probably got tired of being alone, and there they went. Maybe Tristan was just convenient at the time.

I winced slightly. Such horrible thoughts. It wasn't like me at all. But I couldn't help it. Kaiba didn't deserve Tristan. At least, to me he didn't seem to. But the new Tristan was cold, distant... and seemed to have a more demanding air.

Kaiba wanted that in a relationship?

"Nice evening so far?"

I looked up, then smiled. Malik. "Not really... you?" I asked, gesturing at the empty seat beside me.

Malik shrugged, and stepped up, sitting beside me. "Call me crazy, but you seem a little, well, depressed..."

"... You're crazy," I responded, simply.

"So you bought a drink just to play with the pretty glass?" he asked, smirking.

I laughed quietly. Then I examined my iced tea. My glass was... half-empty.

"... Hm, strange... I didn't know I was a pessimist," I murmured.

"What do you mean?" Malik asked, in mild confusion.

"... I just finished noticing that my glass is half-empty..."

Malik still looked confused, then smiled. "And you call me crazy."

"... Malik?"

"Hm?"

I glanced at him, feeling a twinge of nervousness. "What if..." I paused, biting my lip. Malik and I were never that close. But he seemed to know a lot. "What if... I told you that I... was in love... with..."

Malik's eyes widened, as he leaned a bit away from me. "Uh, no... wait..." he said, quickly. "Um, I'm flattered, Ryou... but, it... it could never work between you and me."

I stared at him in shock, "what..?"

"... You might... look like him... but... you're not him..." he paused, smiling apologetically, if not a little sadly. "I-I can't... just because you look like him..."

... Now I was blushing, since I could feel my face burning with embarrassment. "No! No, no, no, no, Malik!" I blurted quickly. "N-nothing like that! N-not with... not with you... I mean, y-you're nice and everything, but... but... I don't... mean you... I mean, I wasn't talking about you..!"

Malik blinked, looking confused again. Then he sighed with relief. "Oh... okay, good."

I snickered slightly, then a thought hit me. So I glared at him a bit, in mock offense, "wait, what do you mean by that?"

"Huh?" Malik was beginning to look nervous. "Uh, well, I... I, uh... I don't mean... like, 'oh good, the uncute Ryou doesn't like me..' I meant like, 'oh good, he doesn't...' I have no idea..." he trailed off, looking so very helpless. "Alright, wait wait wait! First I have to say I didn't mean the uncute part, because you are cute..! But I'm not saying I noticed, it's what everyone says, they all say 'oh Ryou's cute!' and I can't really argue there, because it's true..."

I blinked in confusion. Malik was officially rambling.

"Not saying that I disagree with the whole 'Ryou being cute' thing, but I'm not agreeing to like you... you are cute, I'll give you that, but... wait, lemme start over, that makes no sense. You are cute... and I'm not just saying that to get out of trouble, but I'm also not saying it because I think you're cute, since you are..!" Then he cringed, and rested his head in his hands, "oh Dear Ra, I'm just stepping into my grave, aren't I?"

Then I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing.

Malik blinked, waiting until I calmed down. Then while catching my breath, Malik was approached by the barmaid.

"Can I get you something?" she asked him, finally managing to get away from the rambling home ec. teacher, Mrs. Currovous; she was a sweet woman, who was... a bit of a drinker. I remember one rainy monday, she offered a passing grade to anyone who could come up with a decent 'drinkable' hangover remedy.

... It was Tristan, Joey, and Devlin who came up with a pretty good one.

"Uh, just a... coke, thanks," Malik replied, smiling. Then he glanced at me, "better?"

"Mm-hm, I'm fine..." I replied, taking a small drink of my iced tea.

"... So, who are you... in love with... if it's not me?"

I almost started laughing again. Malik had no idea how amusing he could be, without even trying. He was trying to glare at me, but I didn't want to acknowledge it. He made me laugh, that's all there was to it.

"Sorry..." I mumbled, smiling.

Malik cocked an eyebrow, "so, who are you in love with?"

I had to bite my lip. Typical Malik. He could always stay on track; so when he wanted answers, he usually got them. "No one in particular," I said, quietly.

"Sure..." Malik nodded his thanks to the barmaid, as he accepted his coke. Looking somewhat concerned, he glanced back at me. "Hey, I know you and I aren't... well, all that close, Ryou..."

I turned to him, "what?"

"... You and I weren't exactly close... uh, regardless of... my history with your other self, right?" Malik grinned faintly. Then turned serious a moment later, "but I do consider you my friend, and I make it a point to help my friends, if the opportunity ever arises."

I smiled again, "still so formal... and I thought I was bad."

"... Blame the upbringing," he joked.

I supposed I had to tell someone. Malik was very insightful at times. So I sighed, and plunged ahead, "it's Tristan..."

"... What about him?"

"I... well, things got pretty messy between us... that's all," I answered, slowly. Then I began to think. It felt like all my fault... sort of... but a very small sliver in my mind was saying it couldn't be all of my responsibility.

"What happened?" asked Malik, carefully.

"... I left, when he wanted me to stay."

"So...?"

I shook my head, and looked back at Malik, "Tristan and I... we were close... so close that I... I started to... feel something for him." How badly I wanted to hit my head against the bar right then. "Problem was, or is, that I wanted... well, I didn't know what I wanted then... and when I left, I found out what it was I wanted."

"... And what is it that you want?" he asked, calmly. Seriously.

"I want... to be in his life again..." I answered, softly. "But, I'm afraid... h-he shut out so many people, and I don't think... I would be any different."

"What makes you assume Tristan would shut you out?" Malik asked, confused. "From what I've seen, you two always seemed... closer than you let on."

"... Like I said, I left when he wanted me to stay."

"And why did you leave?"

"... I had to."

"Why did you have to?" Malik pressed.

"My father... insisted I go to London."

"You planned to come back, didn't you?"

For a second, I had to squeeze my eyes shut, and force my thoughts to calm themselves, then I turned back to Malik. "Yes, of course I did!" I said, quickly. "But things kept coming up, an-and I couldn't...! I did try, really... but, I just... couldn't, and... and I..."

"Whoa, easy..." Malik said, holding up his hand, and smiling wryly. "I'm not Tristan, so you don't have to try and explain things to me."

I bit my lip, and when I looked back at the bar, I could feel tears stinging my eyelids.

"... You seem to honestly want to fix things..." my companion commented, with an understanding tone.

"... I... I don't know why... he seems to be doing fine now..." I mumbled, then I looked back at him. "Why does it seem difficult?"

After taking a small drink of his coke, Malik tilted his head. "Well, simply put... you love him, and want to share that love with him again." He smiled at me, "it seems you've always loved him, Ryou... being there for him, being his friend... your small fear seems natural, considering this is love we're talking. You don't want rejection, which is why you're scared, but your need, desire even, to be with him is preventing you from running. Thus, confusion."

I'm pretty sure I was gaping at Malik.

"... There's nothing to be scared of, Ryou," he went on. "If this is love, and if Tristan is a good a guy as you believe him to be, he will hear you out, and he will understand. The worst that can happen is, he'll probably want to be friends again... nothing more, right?"

"... Y-yeah..."

"Then friendship should be enough... love means wanting the one you love to be happy, so friendship should be enough. If Tristan seems genuinely happy with his new outlook on life, then you would be happy for him. And I know you would be. So there's nothing to be afraid of, if Tristan's as great as you believe him to be, he should understand."

"... Th-that's the thing... he doesn't seem to understand..." I said, quietly.

"... Then he's not worth your time."

"Don't say that!" I blurted. "Malik, Tristan's my friend, and always will be! I'm not going to turn my back on him again! I want to be with him! If he is happy, that's fine, as long as I can be part of his life again!"

"... And what do you think he wants in return?" asked Malik, in a serious tone.

I froze, staring at him in shock. Was I expected to return something?

"Not everything is free, Ryou... Tristan is going to expect something in return."

What I wanted to return? There was nothing I thought he wanted. At least, I didn't feel like he wanted anything from me. I just wanted him to take me back. All I wanted was for Tristan to let me back in...

I must have looked confused, because Malik smiled wryly. "You want to be in Tristan's life again, because you want to be with him. If he does give you that, he'll be expecting something also... in a way."

How confusing, I remember thinking. "I just... want to be with him."

"... He lets you in, what will you give him?"

"Anything I can," I answered, softly.

"Then he should be glad to take you back..."

I smiled at Malik, in thanks. He claimed we weren't the closest of friends, but if that were the case, then he was a very helpful acquaintance...

oooXXXooo

I wasn't ready. Well, obviously I wasn't ready. My bag wasn't packed, my things were still laying strewn about. I pursed my lips, as I tossed a shirt towards the bag. It didn't go in, but it didn't bother me... I wasn't the neatest while stressed, which Tristan was once amused by.

... Strange, I noticed. All my thoughts always wandered back to him.

The phone on the nightstand then rang quietly. I looked at the clock: 11:07pm. Hm, I did leave that little dance thing right after speaking to Malik.

I'm not one for sneaking, but it was necessary. Joey would demand where I was going, Yugi would probably try to coax me into staying. And Tea, well she would have dragged me back in if she saw me.

Shrugging to myself, I sat on the bed, and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Mr. Ryou."

The deskclerk, I assumed. "Yes?"

"I have a phonecall for you. If you would like, I can transfer it to your room. Is that a problem?"

"... No, not at all."

"Thank you." Then he hung up.

Vaguely curious, I hung up as well, and waited. The phone rang again. And I suddenly grew nervous. Oh no, I thought. Please, instincts, be wrong this time... I shouldn't be nervous, I don't even know who it is, unless...

The phone rang again.

Nervousness rising, I hesitantly picked up the receiver again, holding it to my ear. "Uh, hello?" I mumbled.

"Bakura..."

I'm pretty sure I nearly collapsed with relief. "Yes, who is this?"

"It's Kaiba."

... I nearly toppled off the bed. Of all people..! "Uh, can I help you with something, Kaiba-san..?" I asked slowly.

"We need to talk."

... Why were abrupt people so difficult to talk to? The idea of declining the offer seemed foolish. Kaiba wasn't one to take 'no' for an answer. But then, effort was a good thing.

"I don't think I can, Kaiba..." I replied, dropping the suffix. "There's really nothing of importance for us to talk about, and..."

"Now." said Kaiba, shortly.

"What?"

"We need to talk, now."

... Kaiba must have wrote the book on abuptness, I remember myself thinking in bemusement. "I can't, Kaiba..."

"Tristan isn't with me, if that's the problem."

He was starting to sound annoyed.

"You're staying at the Ramada Hotel?"

... I don't know why I nodded, he couldn't see me...

"Be in the lobby in 10 minutes, I'll be outside." Then he hung up.

I blinked a few times, staring at the receiver in confusion. I actually wrinkled my nose in distaste, and briefly wondered what Tristan saw in him...

... Horrible, yes, but I couldn't help it. I could tolerate pushiness, but to Seto Kaiba's degree of pushiness, I got annoyed. But then again, who wouldn't?

Sighing to myself, I dropped the phone in the cradle, and grabbed my coat and roomkey. Why was I doing this? I grimaced, as I headed for the door.

Curiousity, I guessed.


A/N: Oi vey... (hangs head in shame) it feels kinda forced, but oh well... something was written, and it's not a one-shot, so whee..? I guess. Just reached juu-ni! Hah.

Was gonna keep going, but, heh. Sorry. Oh yeah, a little ahead of schedule, but Happy Birthday to Tristan, aka Honda! Hah haha... I dunno... seemed right oo;;