I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, blah blah, you know the rest. I can't think of a good title for this chapter, if you have any suggestions, tell me!
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Ryou caught up with Bakura as he stalked down the hall. The older teen was fuming, cursing under his breath. He reached the empty courtyard and slammed his tray down on a table, spilling the contents of his plate.
"That idiot pharaoh and his dumb mutt, always thinking they're so high and mighty, I'll show them…" He noticed Ryou beside him. "Go eat with your friends, little one. I'll eat here." Ryou shook his head.
"I'd rather eat with you, Bakura." He slid into the seat next to Bakura and set his tray down. The door opened and Yugi came in, a little red-faced and out of breath from running. He sat down across from Ryou and Bakura.
"Sorry guys, I had no idea they were going to be so rude," he said, obviously embarrassed by his friends' behavior. Bakura snorted and Ryou shot him a warning glance. He looked back at Yugi.
"It's ok, Yugi, it wasn't your fault," Ryou replied. Yugi smiled gratefully at him, then bent his head over his soup, avoiding Bakura's gaze. There was an awkward silence before Ryou realized the problem.
"Bakura's my best friend, Yugi. It's all right." Yugi looked back up, blushing slightly. He opened his mouth, about to ask something, but Ryou answered his question before it came.
"I know you all think he's evil, but he really isn't." In his mind, he heard Bakura smirk. {Are you so sure, little one?} Ryou grinned. Of course! He felt Bakura chuckle, but noted that he didn't argue. Yugi, meanwhile, looked relieved.
"Oh. Ok, that's good." His eyes went slightly unfocused and Ryou realized he was talking to Yami through their mindlink. He sneaked a sideways glance at Bakura to see his reaction to Yugi. To his relief, the older boy didn't seem hostile; he merely looked bored, as he so often did around Ryou's friends. {Did you expect me to be angry, little one? I have no quarrel with Yugi, after all.} Ryou was about to respond when he noticed that Yugi had finished talking with Yami and was fidgeting with his spoon. Feeling Bakura and Ryou's gazes on him, he shrugged unhappily.
"Yami's being unreasonable again. I tried telling him that you weren't evil –" he looked at Bakura, " – but he won't listen." He flushed, but added hopefully, "I'll talk to him though, I'm sure he'll come around eventually. Joey, too." Bakura grunted, but Ryou flashed Yugi a brilliant smile.
"Thanks, Yugi! That'd be great." He grinned at Bakura. "I think you and Yami should stop holding grudges against each other. Five thousand plus years is a long time to stay mad at someone." Bakura looked skeptical, but Ryou and Yugi both looked at him pleadingly and he shook his head in resignation.
"Fine, fine, I'll try to get along with him and forget about the past. If that idiot pharaoh – sorry, Yugi – does his part, that is." Ryou beamed and wrapped his arms around the other teen's waist, hugging him.
"Yay! Thanks, Bakura, you're the best!" Bakura looked somewhat taken aback by Ryou's sudden display of affection, but put an arm around the smaller boy and hugged him back.
"Only for you, little one," he murmured, stroking Ryou's hair. Yugi, not wanting to intrude on the two, picked up his tray and sidled towards the door.
"Um, I'll just go talk to Yami now, 'k? See ya." He left quietly. Ryou snuggled into Bakura's lap, then looked up at him.
"Bakura?" he said, timidly. Bakura looked back down at him fondly.
"Yes, little one?"
Ryou hesitated, looking at Bakura. Sunlight glinted off the other teen's silver hair, brought out the gold specks in the other's eyes. His face had softened as he looked at the boy he held in his arms. Ryou found it hard to believe this was the same person who had hurt him so badly just a month ago, had driven him to attempt suicide. This was more like the Bakura of old, when they had first met. This was the person he had fallen in love with.
"Bakura –" Ryou faltered again. I love you, he thought. But he was too afraid to say it, afraid of being rejected, afraid of having his heart broken again if the other boy didn't feel the same, too afraid. He realized Bakura was still waiting for him to say something.
"Nothing," he whispered, burying his head back in the front of Bakura's shirt. "Nothing."
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Aargh! I can't seem to write angst anymore; that was way more fluffy than I was going to write it. Oh well, how did you like it? Please review!