Is anyone still out there? Ah, well, I at least know there are a couple, so I apologize profusely to those who have been waiting so long for the next chapter. I've had an absolutely amazing amount of crap happen to me, which hasn't really cleared itself up, so this is only the first half of the chapter. I figured I'd post what I have so far, so at least you could have something. I know… I'm a terribly mean author.

To my wonderful reviewers:

major-rocket-fan: Thank you for the hugs, I definitely needed them.

XabunaiX: I always finish what I start, so be sure that I won't leave this fic unfinished.

Time-Again: Yeah, that's addressed a bit in this chapter. I know I kinda made it seem really back and forth. And thanks for reviewing along the way, I like to see how people's opinions of the story progress as they move to the next chapter.

Kewie: Thank you very much! Yeah, I laughed pretty hard while picturing Bakura's hair too… I'm so glad you like my writing style, although I think it has sort of shifted over time, but oh well. Yay for cookies!

Relinquished: Wow, people are recommending this story to others? Thank you!

Neflanthir: Heh, heh… evil-friendship-thing.

Chibi Nao-chan: Yay, more cookies! Yes, I have been thinking about more in the future, but I have a different one-shot story I want to write first.

And thank you very much to Yami's Chan, trekkie-54, Linzy, Akisame, Aramis-chan, nobody, nOnymOus-19, dragontiger1, fatlazikat, Kiharu-sama, Lyn/Lin, and everyone else who read but didn't review.

Chapter 25

Alone in the Woods

"I can't believe you talked me into this…"

"I can."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I roll over on the soft grass, turning to face him.

"It means that you're pretty easy to convince or manipulate." Yami says as he rolls to his side as well. His typical smirk is even visible under the faint moonlight.

"I am not."

"All I had to say was one sentence and you gave up."

"But it's not fair. You said that 'it mattered to you' that I came on this idiotic camping trip with you and your friends. How was I not supposed to feel guilty if I said no after that kind of a line?"

He slants his eyes and moves closer to my side. "Always with the whining… Face it. You're just getting soft."

"How can you say that? You're the one who is still afraid of telling his friends about us! Between the two of us, I am certainly not the one who is soft."

"I am not afraid! Besides, you're the one who wanted to come out here and look at the stars with me. Doesn't seem like something a ruthless Tomb Robber would want to do."

"I just wanted to be alone with you for a while, since it's hard do that while trying to keep this ridiculous secret." Yami glares at me through the darkness and sits up in annoyance, with his back to me.

"It's not ridiculous. I will tell them eventually, when I'm ready."

"No you won't. It's been how long, Yami? How many times have you said that you would tell them? I think you like deceiving them, that it's some sort of adrenaline rush for you."

"I'll admit, there have been a few times when it has been fun, but there have been others… that weren't as amusing, if you'll remember since you were there for a few of them."

"So, why not tell them here?" I sigh and lay back in the grass with my arms crossed underneath my head. "It'd be perfect. Out here, in the middle of nowhere, where there would not be any distractions. Of course, if something went horribly wrong, we are stuck out here with them, though."

I hear Yami take in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He has to be just as tired of keeping this secret as I am, doesn't he? Or am I the only one who is annoyed? I know I said I would wait as long as he wanted and not interfere, but this is becoming absurd. I don't want to force the issue, but maybe that is what Yami needs at this point.

"There's an easy way to solve this, you know. Remember our little bet from a while ago?" I hear a small laugh from Yami.

"I was hoping that you had forgotten about that particular incident."

"I think if they saw that, they'd get the idea pretty quick. Maybe you should do that tomorrow while everyone is around. It's not like they've never seen Ryou and Malik kiss, it wouldn't be that different."

Yami laughs loudly this time. "Not that different! We're supposed to hate each other, according to the others. Somehow, I think there will be an entirely different reaction to our relationship than there was to theirs. Doesn't it bother you at all?"

"No and it shouldn't bother you either! Think of how many people already know about us. There are only three people on this stupid trip that don't. They are even outnumbered by the ones that do! Your other friends aren't going to hate you for this, so there's no reason to be worried."

"What happens when they find out that others were told before them, though? I'm afraid that they will feel, I don't know… less important."

"They are less important."

Yami turns around quickly, moving to lean over where I am still lying. "What!"

"I'm sure that they already understand the fact that Yugi is more important to you than them. And it's only natural for Ryou to have been told, as well. It was only a matter of time before Malik found out, considering the situation. I guess Kaiba is the exception to that though." Yami starts to say something, but I cut him off, already knowing his typical reply. "Don't give me that crap about all your friends being of equal importance. It doesn't work that way. It's obvious that Yugi is more important to you than Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda combined, but at the same time, it's only natural for that to be the case."

"You could be right… but I'll never admit to it." He smirks and leans back a bit. "So, where do you think you fall in your hypothetical little hierarchy?"

I sit up, not expecting the shift in questioning, though I know he is just trying to tease me. "I'd damn well better be at the top!"

Yami smiles devilishly, sending a shiver down my back. "Don't you think you're being a little too overconfident, even for someone of your personality type? How do you know you are more important than Yugi?"

"Because I am." I state plainly, not wanting to give in to his little mind games.

Yami moves closer and starts to poke me in the side. "But I've never told you as much, so how do you know?"

I sit up and grab his shoulders, pushing him to the ground, much to his surprise. "Then I'll just have to make you tell me!"

"You've never been able to force me into anything! Besides, how would it look if someone of my stature gave in to the lowly demands of a thief?" He smirks at me, letting me know that he is not about to lose this debate.

"Keh! That doesn't count any more, not in this time period anyway." Yami moves to sit up, but I don't want him getting away just yet. Before he can get very far, I casually plop down on his stomach, much to his dissatisfaction. "You're not going anywhere."

Yami gives me this indignant sort of pout and starts to punch my exposed sides. "Get off of me. You're heavy!"

"I am not. You're just scrawny. Besides, muscle weighs more than fat anyway, so I can't help it." I grab his fists and switch my position so that I am straddling his stomach.

"Get off of me or I'll scream." Yami tells me, almost laughing as he does. I love it when he makes threats that even he thinks are funny.

"Go ahead. I think it'd be quite entertaining. But I'm not getting up until you say it." He smirks, narrowing his eyes to let me know that he's not going to budge a single millimeter.

"Smug bastard…" I mutter aloud.

"And you aren't one as well?"

"You are certainly more full of yourself than I am."

"I'd say that there is considerable evidence to the contrary."

"You're such a stubborn ass, you know?" I tell him with a bit of a growl.

"What? Would you like me to just let you win? I don't think you'd like that very much." He levels his voice a bit. "It wouldn't be as satisfying."

"I hate you."

"Ah, but I'm right." He smiles a little wider. "As usual."

I lean down closer to his face, my hair falling to frame his face. "Well, since it is obvious that I can't win at this sort of game, I guess I'll just have to satisfy myself by winning a different one."

Yami's eyes widen a bit having realized my insinuation. "You wouldn't. Not out here in the woods! What if someone heard… or saw us?"

"But doesn't the risk make it more fun?"

"You're being ridiculous."

"Aw, and here I thought that the great Game King had more of a backbone than this."

"That's not going to work."

"You're no fun." I ease back away from him a bit. I guess my suggestion was a little too risky for him. "So, you're just going to hold out on me, then?"

"That's right." There's a complete lack of sarcasm in his voice that kind of startles me. Of course, he's probably purposely trying to freak me out.

"Sadist."

"Masochist."

"Arrogant Pharaoh!"

"Stupid Tomb Robber!"

"Egomaniac!"

"Drama Queen!"

"What are you then?

Somewhere in between the name calling, I vaguely notice a rapidly paced rhythm running along the soft grass. Yami suddenly stops and this look of confusion and then fear overtakes his once playful expression. I fall silent as well, immediately realizing that the sounds are approaching footsteps. We both freeze, holding each others gaze for a fraction of a second until my attention turns to a form emerging out of the darkness.

In a matter of seconds, much too short for me to react given my current situation, there is immense pain emanating from the side of my face and I am thrown from my position atop Yami.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to Yami, asshole!" Unsteadily, I rise from where I landed on the ground, searching for the owner of the voice.

Figures, it would just have to be our luck that Jounouchi would happen to find us out in the woods. Unexpectedly, Kaiba emerges from the woods behind him as well, looking entirely unconcerned about the situation, of course.

Thoroughly enraged, I stand up straight and face Jounouchi. "I've been waiting for a chance to beat the shit out of you and this seems like the perfect opportunity."

I take a step towards him, but he does not back down one bit. "You'd better put your tail between your legs and run if you don't want to end up in a hospital."

Still nothing. Well, no one can say I didn't give him a chance. "Fine."

I race towards Jounouchi and he blocks my first punch but my second lands hard right in the middle of his chest, knocking him back a few feet.

Before either of us can move again, someone grabs my wrist and I turn to see Yami standing there, rather pissed off looking. "Why did you do that!"

"Why not? He punched me first! Besides, you could have stopped me before if you were so worried about him."

"I didn't think you'd actually hit him!"

"You should know me better than that, Yami! Nobody attacks me without facing some sort of consequence." I pry my wrist out from Yami's grip and take a couple of steps away from all of them.

Jounouchi stands upright once again, looking very confused. Kaiba actually looks like he might laugh, how odd.

"If you were around, why didn't you stop Jounouchi?" I ask Kaiba, letting him know that his presence has not gone unnoticed.

He smirks and takes a step towards me. "The thought of you getting your ass kicked was much too entertaining to pass up."

Yami moves so that he in between the two of us, knowing that due to that last comment, a fight is likely to occur.

Yami turns to a still puzzled Jounouchi and quickly changes the subject. "What are you two doing out here at this time of night anyway?"

Jounouchi moves closer, while rubbing his chest. I hope he has a nice bruise tomorrow, the bastard. "Um, well, I woke up and I was going to get some things from outside our tent, when I heard faint voices from the woods. Out of curiosity, I followed them until I recognized that it was you two and then I realized that you were arguing, so of course I came to stop you two from fighting."

He turns and points at me. "I don't know what the hell you were trying to do to him though."

"Well, if you must know, I was trying to have my way with Yami." I say with a sly grin, much to the horror of Jounouchi and Yami.

"Ra, Bakura! Don't say things like that! You're only making things worse." Yami comes over and drags me into a small circle with the other two.

"What? I was only telling him what he wanted to know."

Yami sighs aloud. "You always have to make things more difficult than they have to be, don't you?"

"It's more fun that way."

Yami takes another long breath and faces Jounouchi. "Bakura and I weren't actually fighting. We were just… playing."

Jounouchi still looks utterly baffled. I have to try hard not to laugh. "Playing? Wait a minute, what's really going on here?"

"Um…" Yami pauses for a moment, searching for his next words. "Ah, well, remember a couple weeks ago when you guys asked if I had a boyfriend?"

Jounouchi nods slowly.

"Well…" Yami reaches over and laces his fingers in between my own.

There's a brief silence. Click. And there it is. Jounouchi's brain has finally pieced everything together. He takes a step back in shock, his eyes wider than I have ever seen them. "But… You two… Together! So then…?" A wave of realization passes over his features. "How … How did this all happen? …How long?"

"It's a long story, one that is somewhat personal."

I turn and glare slightly at Yami. No one else needs to know exactly how this started. "Somewhat?"

"Don't worry." He says softly. "As for how long… I'd say almost six months now."

"Six months!" Heh, maybe Jounouchi will pass out. Then I can kick him all the way back to the campsite.

Jounouchi turns to Kaiba, still in complete shock. "Why aren't you surprised by all of this?"

"I knew." Kaiba says simply.

Another pause. Then, Jounouchi makes this very odd sound as if he is in pain and brings his hand to rest on his forehead. He then turns and stumbles back in the direction of the campsite.

The three of us watch as he disappears back into the darkness. I turn to Yami and smile. "I think that went well."

Yami rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

"You know he's going to go back to the campsite and tell everyone else about this." Kaiba says matter-of-factly.

"That's alright." Yami tells him. "By the way, why were you out and about at this time of night?"

"Mokuba snores... loudly." Yami narrows his eyes skeptically, but says nothing more. "I'm going to head back. I'm sure everyone will be awake by the time I get there. That is, if Jounouchi hasn't stumbled off of a cliff or something to that effect."

Kaiba turns and walks back the way he came, leaving us by ourselves once again. Yami does not move, so I physically turn him towards me. "Are you okay?"

"That wasn't exactly a positive reaction."

"He was just surprised, that's all."

"… I don't know."

"Come on, we have to go back sometime." He doesn't look any happier about all of this. "Whatever happens, happens. Just don't worry about it."

"I suppose you're right."

"See, I can be right every once in a while." I start heading back through the woods. "Let's go back."

To be continued-

Next chapter is being written as you read this… It's all just a matter of finding some time to sit down and write! Once again, thank you for reading and leave a review to let me know you're still out there! The next chapter should be longer too!