cont.

Sad, how short my chapters are, isn't it? This one was about 570 words, last one 970 WITH all my notes. Very very sad. Anyway, Chapter!

Yay! I got a 1:7 chapter to review ratio! Awesome! That's good! I got eight reviews last chapter! Yay!

Thank you: Vixenia (Yay, an update!) Loathed Wolf Spirit (Yay, more chapters!) Dark Magician Girl Hikaru (Yay, I wrote more!) T lei (Yay, an- Um, a confused Bakura) Satine89 (Yay, a confused Ryou!) Ruler of Dark and Light (Yay, ANOTHER CHAPTER!) Asaake (Yay, an update!) AnimeLoverAngel (Yay, I kept going!) Silverwitch07 (Yay, I wrote more!)

YAY! A STORY! WITH RYOU AND BAKURA! AND ROMANCE! AND ANGST! AND-

Voice: Shut up.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yugioh, or Everything You Want.

Warnings/notes: Shonen-ai, and angst. Lots of angst. Yami no Bakura, for the mostpart, is just called Bakura.

Summary: Yami no Bakura loves his hikari, of that much he knows.That's how he knows when it's time to step out of the picture. Yami no Bakura/Ryou

Forever and After 8- Deny all you want

((But under skinned knees and the skid marks
Past the places where you used to learn))

"Hey Pharaoh, got any new cards?" my yami asked as we entered the gameshop.

Yami's typical reply came back as, "Like I'd tell you, Tomb Robber."

I frowned slightly, but Bakura just shrugged. "No harm in asking, ne?"

"Yes there's harm," Yami, former pharaoh, hissed across the counter at my darkness.

I had to intervene before anything erupted. "Any new cards arrive?" I piped. This was the only thing that came to mind. My darkness merely snorted, rolled his eyes, and strolled over to a rack of gaming magazines.

"Yeah," Yami replied smoothly. "Shipment came in today. I'm not allowed to unpack until tomorrow though, but I could still get you a few if you want," the ancient spirit offered.

Bakura's page flipping grew silent. "Ano…" I mumbled slowly, not wanting to say yes and hurt my yami's feelings, or say no and hurt Yuugi's yami's feelings.

"Oh this blows," my darkness announced suddenly, slamming his magazine shut. "Are we just going to stand around here? Everyone should be at the arcade already. Let's go, Ryou," he commanded, walking over to the door.

"Hey, my shift ends in half an hour, alright? When Yuugi's grandpa comes back, I'll be going. Can't you just wait for me?" the pharaoh snapped.

"Alright," Bakura snorted derisively. "That's good for you, but I'm still going now. Ryou, are you coming?" Yuugi's Yami and mine both looked at me expectantly.

I shook my head. "Ano… it just doesn't seem nice to leave Yami alone." I couldn't look either of them n the eye. Instead, I folded my hands and set them on the counter, staring hard at them.

I heard a ringing of bells that announced the entrance/exit of a person. I looked up to see that Yami and I were the only ones in the shop. I looked out the window to see Bakura's form stalk angrily by. I realized that I wanted to run after him and apologize or something.

I wanted to do that, but I didn't.

"You like him."

Startled by this blunt accusation, I could only stare at the spiky haired spirit. "Wh-what did you ask-k?"

"I didn't ask anything," Yami said, checking his nails. "Merely pointing out that you seem to like him."

"I don't!" I protested in shock. Because I didn't, right?

"Mm-hm…." Yami snorted. "I remember doing the same exact thing three thousand years ago, denying my feelings, that is. Not for the tomb robber, of course. Anyways, you want the cards? I can get them for you when the group gets together tomorrow."

"But I don't want my yami to know I came to you for cards." I instantly clapped a hand over my mouth.

Yami laughed and patted my white hair. "Deny all you want, Ryou, but you like him. Might as well give these cards to him. They're all occult, so it'd fit good in his deck." I nodded silently, not bothering to protest again, knowing that Yami'd only laugh.

((You howl and listen
Listen and wait for the
Echoes of angels who won't return))

tbc