Blah, this has got to be the longest lapses between updates. How long? 3 weeks? Jeeze I'm so sorry about that. Too many things happening. Sorry.

Thank you to all who reviewed. (just because I'm so desperate to get this up, I'm not going to check all the names to write down thank you's to, maybe next time… gah… tired)

This is a very short and lame chapter, sorry bout that, everyone's waiting and this is all I can produce. ^^;;

Oh, if any of you guys had questions last week I'll answer them next update, which I am hoping is back on track. (this is supposed to be weekly updates! =__= grrr!)

Blah, well, okay, here it is. Hope you enjoy!

Unexpected Surprises (this is going to change in the near most likely since it doesn't really fit the title anymore. I just want everyone to know this so you can find it in the future)

Author: Aera-chan

Date: 2-26-04 (10:38 pm)

Series: Yugioh!

Rating: R

Chapter XV: Separation of Body and Mind

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So icy hot, burning his flesh.

He screamed.

Kaiba sat up quickly. He grasped his shirt with his hand trying to slow down his rapidly beating heart.

Calming finally, he laid back down.

'Yami..'

Tristan pushed himself up from his bed. He sat there for awhile.

He didn't really want to go to school today, he really didn't want to look at Duke. He would be so angry.

Sitting on his knees he looked over at his alarm clock. He still had a few minutes before it would go off, but he might as well get up. He couldn't not go to school again today, he didn't yesterday, so today he had too.

He got up slowly and walked over to his dresser. Shower. He needed a shower

Yesterday he felt so dirty. He needed a shower.

The water over his body felt good. It wasn't too hot, more cold.

He swiped the water out of his eyes but only managed to get soap in them.

"..damn it…" Groaning he tried to rinse it out with the water.

Finally feeling a tad bit cleaner, at least his body felt better, he got out and wrapped a towel around his waist.

He looked out through his olive green eyes to stare at the boy in the mirror. He was tall, a little on the thin side, and he had brown hair. Brown hair that looked so different after a shower than how it was normally.

He pushed some of his bangs out of his eyes. Seeing his face, he pushed them back.

'I cant even stand to look at myself.' He held his hand over his face. 'What did he ever see? He should have said no, then I wouldn't have had a chance to ruin his life.'

He wanted to smash the mirror in front of him, it held his face in it, it was bad.

'Dad was right… everyone was right… I am nobody…'

Duke blinked up at his ceiling. He sighed.

"No."

He closed his eyes again. Not today.

"Kaiba's not here today… I wonder if he stayed home sick.. Oh yeah, his doctor said to stay home. I guess I'm flying solo today."

Joey picked up his bag and headed off to first period.

"Good morning Joseph."

He turned around. Mrs. Shima.

'I have nothing… to say, to you.'

Joey turned his back on her. There was nothing he could say. There was nothing he wanted to say.

He sat in his desk and quietly stared out the window.

'Kaiba… stupid idiot. What the hell did he do to himself the other day? Just go psycho crazy or something?' Joey let his head hit the desk. 'What the fuck is the matter with him? Is it.. Cause of Yami? Dammit Kaiba, that was like a year ago…' He groaned. 'Goddammit Yami! Do you even know how you fucked with him? Do you even understand what you did? Damn damn damn!'

Joey closed his eyes tightly.

"Yami.. Make it right… or as God as my witness.. I'll make you feel what he felt." he said quietly, his eyes narrowing in sudden contempt.

Kaiba rubbed his eyes, one of his hands running over the coarse bandage.

'That's great, a day to actually sleep in and I wake up from a nightmare… great, just wonderful.'

He sighed tiredly as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

'Another day… more work… even on a day off I cant escape it. Its inevitable. Its always there.'

He stood up slowly and stretched his arms over his head.

'Might as well get started on it… another day cant hurt.'

He sat down at his desk and opened his sleek black laptop. As he pressed the on button to start up the machine, he heard his door slam the wall behind it.

"Mokuba? Why aren't you at scho-" Kaiba started to say before he was cut off.

"Your supposed to be sleeping Big Brother! Its your day off, sleep!"

Kaiba began to protest but he wasn't quick enough as Mokuba grabbed the computer out of his hands.

"Sleep! Now!" Mokuba said firmly pushing his brother back into this bed.

After Kaiba had gotten comfortable in his bed, he looked at Mokuba with a serious look. "Why are you still here? Its-" He glanced at the clock. "9:10. You should be in school."

Mokuba rolled his eyes. "If I had gone to school you would have worked the whole day away, its good that I did stay home."

"Mokuba, your education is important-"

"And so is the health of my big brother that I care about more than anything." Mokuba said in response. Kaiba was silent.

"Fine." Kaiba said after a elongated spell of silence and a long hard stare from the darker haired of the two. "But, I understand that you didn't go to school yesterday. What's your excuse?"

Mokuba kicked the floor nervously. "Illness..?"

Kaiba smirked. "Illness? You could do better than that, but I'll give you credit for its being believability, unlike all your other sick day excuses." Kaiba paused and sighed. "What have I taught you? Lying? Deceit? What kind of parent am I?"

Parent?

"The best… father Seto." Mokuba leaned down and hugged his brother. "Go to sleep, and if I catch you up again-" Mokuba warned. "I'll pop you so hard it'll make your head spin."

Kaiba laughed. "I'm sure"

"Oh you better count on that Mr. Seto." Mokuba said walking to the door. "Cause I'll be watching you." he whispered in a low, mock threatening voice.

"Sure." Kaiba said throwing a pillow at the door as Mokuba closed it.

Yami stared out the window quietly. He really wasn't paying attention to what the teacher was saying, but he knew he should though.

'School, what the in Ra's name am I doing here? I've had the best scholars as teachers… but I guess that was so many years ago. I don't even know how to operate half of the things in our home.' Yami had to concentrate hard so he wouldn't laugh out loud. No use getting in trouble. 'It would be good to know how to actually do something… and Yugi. I have to graduate so that I can support Yugi.'

Yami quickly glanced over in Yugi's direction.

'His grandfather isn't going to be around forever to support him, and.. now that I have a body, I don't have to either… but he was my first real friend.'

He smiled at Yugi, the other not seeing.

'We've always been there for each other. It wouldn't be right to walk away now, I may not need his body to house my soul any longer, but I need his heart to house mine… for our hearts still seem to be connected. Our body's may be parted, but our souls are still bound.'

Yami sighed happily. His eyes fixated on Yugi's back.

'He's my…'

Yugi turned suddenly, he blushed as Yami waved and smiled back at him.

'…best friend.' 

Ryou splashed the cold water onto his face. He sighted deeply. It felt so nice.

He looked up into the mirror and played around with his hair.

'Mess.. Like always. Its just like… I don't know, an animal, a furry little animal that sits on my head and just has a mind of its own.'

//Animal?//

"Kura!" Ryou yelped loudly.

Bakura's deep voice in his head had made him jump. He let his defenses down, now Bakura was in his mind.

\\Kura! You scared me!\\

//Well, I was listening to your little conversation about your… 'animal' hair piece..? and I just couldn't help but make a comment on that.//

\\Oh be quiet. Well, look at it, its all messy. I look horrible!\\

Ryou knew perfectly well that Bakura could see everything around him, it was one of the side effects of their bond. Along with possession. Bakura could possess his body at will, as long as their mind link was open.

When Bakura's soul was literally ripped out of his body and transferred into his new host body, Bakura had made sure that their connection could not be terminated in the experience.

//I think… you look good..//

Ryou blushed, much apparent in the mirror for Bakura to see. \\..oh…thank you.\\

He jumped when the door swung open harshly. He turned around quickly.

Bakura could sense his hikari's fears. //Ryou, who are they? Do they hurt you? Do you want me to take care of them?//

Ryou knew what Bakura meant. Do you want me to take care of them merely translated to: May I possess you?

Bakura wasn't allowed access into his inner body and soul anymore.

\\No.\\

Ryou could feel Bakura's thoughts. He was angry, not at him though. The other boys, they were almost on top of him now. One even dared to touch his side.

//Ryou, don't let them touch you like that! Do you need my help? I can get you help! Just allow me a few moments, nothing is going to happen Ryou.//

Truth was, he was afraid of Bakura possessing him. Terrified. The temporary possession would allow him to share his body again, allow him to access things better left hidden at the moment.

\\No, just.. Let me handle this okay.\\

//Ryou!//

Ryou could feel his body starting to drain of feeling. Bakura was pressing for possession.

\\I said no!\\

He closed his mind. Bakura… was locked out.

He sobbed, his whole body shaking with violent tears.

"Bak-kura… Bakur-r-ra…! Bakura!" he choked out loudly between sobs. "Bakuraaa--" he cried.

His chest felt like it had been sliced through with a large knife. His heart gored out with a dull blade. A pain driving down into his soul, cutting him everywhere it hurt.

"My B-Bakura!"

He didn't know how long he laid alone on the cold stone slab before he felt warm arms carrying him.

"Quiet child. Be with your other now."

He couldn't control the seemingly endless convulsions in his chest. His body shook against the tall robed man.

He buried his face into the long white cloth and bit down on the fabric. His chest hurt so much, the pain nearly unbearable.

Shadi.

Shadi separated Bakura and him.

He felt sudden anger pool around in his stomach.

How dare he separate him from his soul mate!

"Silent your angry heart my child. Your lover of your souls waits here. See now."

Ryou opened his eyes slowly and looked over to the silent body resting on another slab of rock.

"Bakura?" he choked out desperately. Was he… dead? Alive?

Bakura slowly opened his eyes. He smiled at Ryou, a very tired smile. Ryou squirmed in the Egyptian's hold trying to get to his lover.

Shadi slowly lowered Ryou into Bakura's arms. He snuggled his head deep into Bakura's chest. Something he had never done before, a feeling he never felt before.

"Ryou… oh Ra…I missed you… I missed you so much.. Ryou I thought- I thought I was dying, I needed you so much. I thought I was going to die without you." Bakura said, his voice low and husky. A hint of breathlessness in accompaniment.

"I need you Bakura! Don't ever leave me again! I-I-I love you!"

He felt Bakura's body go rigid, then relax slowly.

Ryou couldn't help but smile. Bakura's body was functioning properly, his muscles were slowly developing.

"Ryou….I love you too…"

To be continued…

Alright, so what did you think? Sorry about the lameness this week. Hopefully next week will be better.

So, please review. And if you have any questions please ask, I'd love to answer them for you! (as long as its not, "what happens in the end?" or something like that, ^^ sorry, no spoilers… okay I admit some people *coughs* Smarty1 *coughs again* knows more than all of you guys… *sighs* don't get me talking, I have a big mouth sometimes…-__-;;, but NO more!!)

…blah, bai, see you next week! *waves*

-Aera-chan