How you remind me, chapter two: Which to bury, us or the hatchet?

And seriously, if you want to understand some stuff, read the notes.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own the band "Reliant K", either. But I do love their songs. A LOT.

Their songs will be used a lot in this fic. In fact, almost all of the songs will be Reliant K's. Look, if I owned Reliant K, I would be in my own band. All of you would know my name. But some day...some day, YOU SHALL! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Dedicated: To my sister, who makes me feel this way more times then I can count. Some day, I hope she'll stop thinking of me as that "baby-sitting monster" that towers over her with watchful eyes.

Note: The lyrics will be in bold. If the lyrics have someone's name before them, that is the person I imagine singing that part of the song. They are not -actually- singing it unless they actually step up to a mic in the story. It is merely symbolic. However, I may have one of the characters say a part of the lyrics as something they say in the story.

Sorry, last note here: I changed mental speech. Mental speech is now ((In these things)), got it? If there's only (one though), that's a note that had to be put in the story. (Maybe not had to, but you know.)

Ryou watched his darker for a lingering moment. The spirit turned and walked out.

((...I'll see you at home.)) He heard over the mind-link. Bakura's voice sent a chill up his spine. His voice was perfectly icy...reminding one of Seto's. Practically emotionless, but in a harsh way that seems to cut just about anyone to the quick.

"...He's just going to leave?" Malik asked, thinking that Bakura probably did say something to Ryou...just over mind-link.

"He's going back to the house." Ryou murmured...feeling a bit numb.

Malik looked very concerned at this statement. "Do you need me to stay with you...?"

Ryou shook his head, still feeling the same numbness. "No...it's okay. Just drop me off."

"You sure?" Malik refused to leave Ryou until he was sure he'd be okay. They were best friends. Ryou and Malik had always understood each other's pain...loss of family, the difficulties of having a Yami, a tainted past...and how they would both go insane without the other's help.

"Yeah..." Bakura wouldn't actually kill him or anything. Right? No...Bakura would never...no. Of course, he had never intentionally made Bakura mad before. Some people have limits...but those can be passed.

Malik nodded, grabbing their stuff. This was officially over. With how he was acting, he was sure that Ryou had enough for now. And certainly enough to deal with.

The ride home was quiet. Malik almost didn't have enough heart to do a wheelie. Almost. And he only did one.

As the rode up to the small, but once cozy, blue and white house...Ryou saw a light on in the living room. Malik got off the bicycle with him, and turned to him with honest concern still very visible in his lavender eyes.

"Ryou...if you ever need to get away, for whatever reason, you know our door is always open to you." Malik suggested softly.

"Thanks, Malik...but with Marik and Bakura being friends and all..." Ryou trailed off.

Malik nodded. "...Yes. But...if you ever need my help, I'll do whatever I can."

"I know." The ring holder gave the rod-holding teen a soft hug to reassure him, and gave a small whisper of thanks before heading inside...where a shadow was waiting.

"Bakura: I think you know what I'm getting at, I find it so upsetting that...

the memories that you select, you keep the bad, but the good...you just forget!"

Bakura's POV

I hear Malik's motorcycle drive up. ...I still don't know what I'm going to say. Normally, of course, I would just punch Ryou, or something akin to that...the boy would apologize, I would be merciful.

...However, something tells me this shall end differently.

I am angry, of course. ...To my surprise, at the back of my mind, I am wondering why exactly I am so angry. He insulted me. Disrespected me. Publicly, for that matter. That should be reason enough.

...Somehow, it isn't a good enough explanation. Not this time.

I hear Ryou sigh in his mind, before he opens the door, and prepares to face me.

End Bakura's pov.

Ryou pov

I walk in, and go no further then one room before seeing my darkness before me. He's sitting in dark brown lazy-boy chair that matched his eyes, waiting for me...he stands. He stares at me. Merely staring, for now.

There is that same edge in his eyes that would normally make me flinch...perhaps even plead with him not to hurt me this time. This time, though...I do not move. I do not flinch. Amazingly, I stare back at him.

I do not know why I do the things I do...I cannot explain this fire that I suddenly feel. But it will not let me cower any longer. I attempt the same edge in his eyes, still not knowing what I am trying to prove.

His eyes physically widen; his eyebrow raises in slight surprise. His eyes stay locked with mine for a few more moments, before he scowls. I expect a hit...wait for it...but it does not come. He turns, and goes to his room. I hear the door slam, but that is all.

My own eyes are wider then I have ever recalled them being in my entire life...even when I was a child.

'He just...left?' I ask myself incredulously in my mind. Bakura didn't hit me? But he was clearly furious with me. Whenever he was angry, even when it wasn't at me, he always did -something-. He never walked away.

...Maybe he's planning for later...

What should I do?

What to do...?

I've realized something...I think...I think I need to leave. Even if it's just for now. I need to sort out what on earth is going on with me. And, maybe Bakura will cool off? Well, I can hope.

...I just have to get away from him.

"Bakura: And even though I'm angry I can still say...

I know my heart break the day,

when you peel out and drive away.

I can't believe this happened!"

End Ryou's POV

Ryou went over to the phone, still a little shaken from this whole night. Who should he call? Malik was right, that Ryou could come to him. His yami, though...was another matter.

Not that Ryou didn't think he was probably not so horrible in his own rights...but as he mentioned earlier, Bakura and yami Marik were friends. Bakura spent most of his time hanging out with yami no Marik, so getting away from him wasn't an option.

He had to call someone he knew, trusted, and who had a millenium item. There was obviously, only one person to call.

Shadi!

...No, actually...Yugi. (Hehe...sorry.)

He didn't exactly want to burden the sweet boy...or his ever-present dark side. However...he could merely politely ask, no pressure...and if they said yes, then he would go. If not, maybe he could find a hotel or something.

He picked up the phone and dialed the number to the game shop, not sure how else to reach the tri-twins.

"Hello?" A cheerful and vibrant voice answered.

"Good evening...sorry for calling so late." Ryou said softly, embarrassed because he had just realized that Yugi might have been asleep.

"Ryou-chan! No, it's fine. I don't mind at all. What's up?" Yugi absently twirled the phone around his finger as Yami listened in the background, leaning against one of the walls in a dark brooding manner.

However, one couldn't be sure if he could lean any other way.

"Well...I...would it be okay if I came over? Only if it's not too much trouble, of course. I shouldn't have called on such short notice and all...but..."

"That would be great, Ryou! We'd love to have you over. To spend the night?"

"Yeah...if it's okay with Yami and Solomon-san."

"Oh, I'm sure he won't mind, and Grandpa is out visiting with Professor Hawkins. Come on over."

Ryou shrugged. "Okay, thanks." He put the phone back in its cradle carefully. That went...well.

"...What exactly wouldn't I mind, aibou?" Yami asked, eyeing his hikari with interest as he put the phone back.

"Ryou coming over. He wants to spend the night." Yugi chimed as he picked up a few scattered things in the kitchen.

"...What for?"

Yugi blinked, raising a perfectly formed eyebrow in an oh-so-adorable manner. "I dunno. He didn't say. Does it matter?"

Yami shrugged, frowning slightly. 'I'll bet this has something to do with the tomb robber. I don't like this...true, he's Yugi's friend. Ryou is a nice guy, and I suppose I can trust him if Yugi-chan can...but still...'

Ryou went over the things he'd need in his mind, pocketing his keys. ...Bakura probably wouldn't like this. Scratch that, if Ryou told him that he was going over to the Pharaoh's, all hell would probably break loose.

"Both: And all this time I never thought,

that all we had would be all for not."

'Let's see...I also need my black duffel bag, but...oh no...I think it's in Bakura's room.' The doe orbs, which reflected his illuminated soul suddenly widened in the recognition of his difficult situation.

Upon reaching the top of the off-white colored stairs, however, he found the very object he had been distressed about. And...it was completely packed? Indeed. It held every single item Ryou had listed in his mind.

Ryou felt someone's eyes on him, though he had no need to turn and see. However, he could not keep his ever-curious eyes from wandering to the dark corner of the hall...where his shadow was leaning against the wall with a piercing glare trained on him.

Bakura stared at him again for a lingering moment, before a snort what seemed like disgust or disinterest...and turned to leave to go into his room.

((Bakura...?)) He should have known full well to not say anything. He should have known to never ever disturb a brooding yami. But he wanted to know.

((You want to leave? Then get out. I'm not stopping you, kasuka baka.)) Bakura sneered.

"Bakura: No, I don't hate you!

Don't want to fight you!

Know I'll always love you,

but right now I just don't like you!"

The thief king's room was now completely and utterly immersed in dark purple and jet-black shadows created from his aura. It was a reflection of his soul room at the time...dark, shadowed, mysterious, cold...just like him.

He sat down on the bed; still glaring at the wall with an intense anger that turned his murky brown eyes almost red.

Ryou was relieved because of his freedom and well being and at the same time, it cut him to the quick. ...So that was that.

"Ryou: No, I don't hate you!

Don't want to fight you!

Know I'll always love you,

but right now I just don't like you!

...'cause you took this too far...too far..."

He picked up his bag, grabbed his tennis shoes and coat, and headed out the door. He didn't know how long he would be gone, but he just had to get away.

"Bakura: Make you decision and don't you dare think twice!
Go with your instincts along with some bad advice.

"Ryou: This didn't turn out the way I thought it would at all..."

"Bakura: You blame me but some of this is still your fault!"

"Ryou: I tried to move you, but you just wouldn't budge...
I tried to hold your hand but you'd rather hold your grudge!"

Ryou slung his midnight colored bag in the back of his car, and gave another look at the house. Who knows what it'll be like when and if he comes back? No...he didn't know what he was doing. But for now, he couldn't make himself care.

"Bakura: I think you know what I'm getting at...
you said goodbye and I just don't want you regretting that!"

The thief king created a dartboard from the shadowed mist around him, and idly threw daggers at it for darts. ...It felt good to concentrate on something else, not to mention when he imagined his enemies being the board.

...Was he...hurt?

...Maybe. Though he would rather slit his own throat before he EVER admitted such a thing. It would be much less painful, after all.

'Stupid brat. Stupid weak emotional crybaby brat. With those doe-colored teary eyes, that feathery hair, that cutesy face...stupid little brat.' Bakura growled as a mental image of his hikari slowly surfaced, and for a moment, Ryou's face smiled at him brightly...something Ryou hadn't done in so long.

And then, Ryou's gentle eyes narrowed in anger, glaring at him accusingly.

Bakura threw another dagger. It landed with a loud "thwack!" For some reason, he missed the bull's eye again. His concentration was failing him.

"Ryou: And wisdom always chooses...
these black eyes and these bruises,

over the heartache that they say...
never completely goes away! (X2)

I just can't believe this happened
and one day we'll see this come around..."

Ryou jammed the key in the ignition and slowly began to turn it. His arm froze for a second, disobeying the order his mind gave it. It just didn't want to turn. Because if it turned...there would be no turning back.

"Bakura: What happened to us...?
I heard that it's me we should blame..."

Bakura sighed, and then scowled at the sound, which had come from his own lips. Why. should. he. even. CARE! ...It was the weakling's fault! It was his fault that this whole thing had happened!

...No...

It really wasn't, was it? Gods, this was so annoying. Now he remembered why he hated having emotions...they were always getting in the way. And they hurt so much...

"Ryou: What happened to us?"

"Bakura: Why didn't you stop me from turning out this way...?

And know that I don't hate you...
And know that I don't want to fight you...
And know that I'll always love you!

But right now I just don't..."

"Good bye, my shadow..." An angel murmured to the night air, as he turned a key...the key to his future.

Talk about drama, huh? Well, I managed the second chapter...how 'bout a little love, ne? Not the bishes. v.v;;; I MEAN, from YOU people! Review, OKAY?

Bakura: ...I love him?

L.W.K: ...Well, eh, you kinda have to. Or this wouldn't be a BXR, right?

Bakura: ...And I don't like him...? That's an oxymoron.

L.W.K: The band "Reliant K" specializes in irony, which could be why I love their songs so much. And Baka-ra, who knows? Maybe you'll get to...-Gets whacked-

Bakura: Don't give anything AWAY, stupid!

L.W.K: -Sigh- right, right.

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Translation:

Kasuka: faint (an), dim, weak, indistinct, hazy, poor

Baka: Fool. (Stupid, idiot, exc.)

Aibou: If you don't know what this means, I am -supremely- disappointed in you as a fan. Go watch the Japanese series or look it up. And for heaven sake, don't forget it.

Chan: Someone close to you, like a family member or friend. It also refers to someone who is cute.

(Ps: If all the Japanese annoys you, please learn to deal with it. I have to have some form of amusement.)

-This may be stupid of me, but okay, review replies: (Lord have mercy if the rumors are true)

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Hikari SkySong: Ahh...the first reviewer. -Bows- Thanks again. Well, you have your wish. -Grins-

StormySkys: A long review. Love it. My beta-reader thought it was funny too, along with the semi-jumping thing. Me too, totally. Which is, naturally, why I enjoyed writing it. My friend says he's developed a backbone in this fiction, so...you'll be seeing a bit more of that.

Browneyedalbino: Love the name. In fact, here's a Ryou plushie for the name. Of course he will. Or this wouldn't much of a BXR, now would it? Of course, there's always killing them off dramatically. In fact...that sounds like a lovely idea. Muwahaha.

HappyDevil: -Snicker - Your name reminds me of someone. -Stares at Bakura- Yep. Definitely reminds me of someone. Thank you, and your wish is my command. -Bow -

REVIEW.