Youth of the Nation

By: Neko-chan



A/N: Arigatou domo to everyone who reviewed! I'm just literally and completely floored at all the amazing, sweet, and flattering reviews that I've been getting. You guys are the best! And that's why this chapter is going to be dedicated to you guys. I hope you don't mind. *^_^*

Bakura: *rolls eyes*

Yami: *mutters* Pathetic...

...*sighs* And the yamis are at it again. Urusei or I'll take a page out of Yo Xi Wang's book and make you both take off your pants and shirts to say the disclaimer. You wouldn't want _THAT_, now would you? *raises eyebrow and smiles charmingly*

...*crickets are chirping*...

Yup, thought so.



WARNING: This story will contain YAOI and SHOUNEN-AI. If you don't like either of these things, then please don't read this story! Thank you. The main pairing will be Yami/Yuugi. Second pairing is Bakura/Ryou--which we finally established last chapter. Other pairings will be showing up within the next three chapters. Hopefully, one--if not both--of my pairings are gonna be unique. ^_^ *shrugs* Oh, well. Just as long as rotten veggies aren't thrown at me, I'm happy. (And it's still gonna be a while before Yami and Yuugi 'come to their senses'!! Remember--I'm trying to make their get-together as realistic as possible. And that means that I DO have to take my time in pairing them up, 'kay? AND THAT MEANS NO THROWING ROTTEN VEGETABLES WHEN YOU READ THIS!!) ^______________^

IMPORTANT!!! READ!!!--CHAPTER ELEVEN WILL BE RATED "R" BECAUSE OF BAKURA'S FOUL LANGUAGE!!! (Yup, he has a potty mouth in this chapter. ^_^) This chapter will contain NO Y/Y whatsoever! BUT it WILL talk about it...in a way that you wouldn't expect. Just remember that I'm trying to develop Yami and Yuugi's relationship further and when I DO finally pair them up--YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! *nods* 'Kay? 'Kay. Also, this chapter will have fluff in the beginning, but it'll get serious REALLY fast. (But this is also something I have to do, 'kay? It's _needed_!) I promise that I'll make it up to you next chapter because...IT'S THE DANCE! *happy hyper genki dance*

DISCLAIMER: Neko-chan does NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh!. Now put back those lawyers!!!





Chapter Eleven

He was warm. Comfortable. Safe. When was the last time that he had felt all three of these things at once? A long time. Too long. But he was feeling it now and that was all that mattered. Slowly but surely, Bakura left the world of dreams, making his way into consciousness. While he had been a prisoner inside of the Sennen Ring, he had floated in a state that was half-wakefulness and half-dreaming. It had been a time full of nightmares and memories that he had wanted to forget. If only he could just forget...even if it had just been for an instance. But... That had all changed when Ryou had found the Ring. The nightmares had stopped. Bakura didn't know _why_ they had stopped; he was just relieved that they had stopped altogether.

But he would never tell his hikari that. It was something too personal.

Bakura awoke, drifting in and out of sleep, the world a sleepy haze of pastels and whites. After several minutes of just lying there, perfectly content in his bed, he finally opened his eyes--and the first thing that he saw was white. Not as white as his own hair and skin, but porcelain--shining and smooth in its perfection. The spirit of the Sennen Ring smirked to himself and pulled Ryou tighter against his body, burying his face and his nose in his hikari's hair. 'He smells like rain...' Bakura thought. 'So fresh and so cool; a signaling of the start of a new day and a new chance at everything. Like spring--the few times that spring actually came to Egypt. He smells like...growing things. Alive.'

The spirit closed his eyes and buried his nose deeper into Ryou's hair.

His eyelids fluttering, Ryou slowly awakened, smiling at the sight of his yami. It hadn't always been like this--Bakura showing a softer side. In the beginning, Bakura did wake him up with punches and kicks. Eventually, though...something had changed. This wasn't a loving and poetic Bakura...but a Bakura that was at least kinder, though not more gentle. He was just as fierce and as cold as ever...but somehow different.

Ryou yawned sleepily and reached up, twining his arms around Bakura's neck. "G'morning, yami," he whispered, leaning up and giving Bakura a quick good morning peck on the lips. Bakura answered by tightening his grip on Ryou and burying his nose even further into Ryou's hair.

"Mine. Always and forever," Ryou could hear Bakura growl softly, crushing his hikari against him.

Ryou smiled softly. Bakura could not say 'I love you'--his past prevented him from allowing himself to become that vulnerable. It _was_ in Bakura's past to become extremely possessive of the things that he cared for the most. And so Ryou didn't mind that Bakura could not say 'I love you.' He knew that it was true and even if Bakura never did tell Ryou that he loved him...it didn't matter. In his heart, Ryou knew that Bakura loved him---and that was all that mattered. Nothing could change that fact. Nothing.

And so Ryou's smile softened and he clung to Bakura's neck tighter, burying his own face in the space where neck met shoulder. He placed a gentle kiss at the juncture and rested his cheek on Bakura's chest. "Yes, Bakura. I am yours. Always and forever. _Beyond_ always and forever."

Bakura stilled, silent and unmoving. He stayed that way for several minutes until he reached down and tilted Ryou's chin up, placing the gentlest kiss Ryou had ever received on his hikari's lips. That, more than anything else, told Ryou how his yami felt. No words were needed.

No words were ever needed.

'He's changing,' Ryou thought when Bakura finally drew away. 'I don't know if it was because he got to know me or because Yuugi has this influence on everyone he meets, but... He's still cold and cruel sometimes, but he acts different around the people closest to him. He's even...a little...somewhat...been nicer around Yami. Why? Is Bakura finally becoming the person he could have been if his past hadn't changed him so? What's changing him so?'

'You, aibou. Only you. Only you and always you,' Bakura mind-whispered to Ryou. The smaller boy blushed at this---Bakura wasn't supposed to 'hear' was he had been thinking---and Bakura smirked, tilting Ryou's face up for yet another kiss. Ryou smiled against Bakura's lips and twined a leg around his yami's, happily pulling the spirit into a more clinging embrace.

And it was then that the sun rose, bringing light to the darkness.

* * *

Yuugi absently munched on his Pop Tart, his chin resting on a propped-up hand, and his gaze unfocused as he watched Yami putter around the kitchen, making Yuugi's lunch (he had only been allowed to do so when he signed a contract stating that he wasn't allowed to go within ten feet of the microwave, oven, stove, and toaster; he had been put-out, but he had signed the contract in the end), and generally cleaning up. The spirit of the Sennen Puzzle washed the dirty dishes by hand, carefully avoiding going near the dishwasher, a look of extreme unease (dare I say fear???) flickering across his face.

The one time that Yami had attempted to clean the dishes by using the dishwasher, he had put in a little too much soap. If by a little you mean that he had put so much soap into the dishwasher that it had exploded from the pressure of the bubbles forming on the inside and had splattered across the dining room, kitchen, and living room for about two weeks, then yes---he had added just a little too much soap. (The dishwasher was another appliance that Yami wasn't allowed to go near. The washer, drier, vacuum, and stereos were counted along in that list, too. The list actually went on for fourteen more pages, but we won't get into any more detail.)

He finally finished after several more minutes and plopped himself down into a chair with a sigh. Yuugi, gaze still unfocused, worried his lower lip and broke his Pop Tart in half, giving Yami the bigger half. Realizing that Yuugi wouldn't notice, Yami smiled and switched the two halves, taking the smaller one for himself.

Yuugi suddenly blinked and bit into his Pop Tart, his gaze refocusing and becoming clear again---not realizing that his was the bigger half of the Pop Tart. Yami hid a smile by biting into his own half. "Yami..." Yuugi began, still worrying his lower lip. "Yesterday I got a letter from Bakura-san...Ryou's father. I don't know if you know this or not, but Grandpa and Bakura-san were really great friends. They both studied archaeology and they both dug in Egypt. Well, in the letter, Bakura-san gave his condolences for... For Grandpa's death, but then he asked something of me. And it's something I KNOW you're not going to like."

Yami raised an eyebrow---the 'Dignified Eyebrow' returning once again. "Oh? And what is that, aibou? It can't be all THAT bad, can it?"

The smaller boy winced. "Well...hai, it can. Bakura-san told me that he was uneasy about leaving Ryou alone for so long---he has to remain there for another half-year, and if the dig continues to go the way he thinks it is, he's going to have to actually stay there for another _year_---and since I'm all by myself now, he wondered if Ryou could move in with me. If I agree to it, he would pay for three-fourths of the bills and rent. But...he wrote that he promised Grandpa that he would look after me...and he doesn't like leaving either of us alone."

Pharaoh paused and looked thoughtful. "Will the Tomb Robber no Baka be coming to stay, also?" He braced himself, for he already knew the answer. And it was one that he wasn't going to like...but how could he possibly say no to his hikari? That question, also, he already knew the answer to. He _couldn't_ say no to Yuugi. He just...couldn't.

Yuugi winced and nibbled some more on his Pop Tart. "...hai, Yami. Bakura would be coming to live with us, also. After all, he IS Ryou's yami. But I can't possibly say no to Bakura-san, though! Ryou will be all alone with Bakura... And... Bakura has changed a lot since the beginning, but Ryou is one of my best friends and I... Well, I want to look out for him. Please, Yami? Will you please say yes?"

Yami sighed and broke a piece off the Pop Tart, chewing on it thoughtfully as he frowned into the distance. Swallowing, he gave another sigh and smiled brilliantly down at Yuugi. "It's alright, aibou. Write to Ryou's father and tell him that Ryou can come and live with us. I... I promise to try not to instigate anything with that Tomb Robber, but I can't promise anything definite. But I also know that whatever fight he and I get into, you and Ryou can most certainly divert us. That's why you two are our hikaris. Sweet and gentle and calming... But, yes. They can come and live with us, Yuugi."

The smaller boy grinned and jumped up from his spot, hugging his yami tightly, then running upstairs to get dressed and get ready for school. He had been so worried about Yami's reaction to Bakura-san's letter that he had completely forgotten to take a shower. And they were already fifteen minutes late. But it didn't matter. Not anymore.

Ryou and Bakura were coming to live with them!

* * *

Bakura was not happy. He was seriously not happy. In fact, he was pissed.

Five minutes before he and Ryou had left the house for school, his hikari had received a phone call from Yuugi telling him the 'good news'---that he and Bakura could move in with him and that Pharaoh no Baka. (Like he would actually _WANT_ to live with that idiot, anyway. As he heard the American actors on TV say: As if.) And so now they slowly meandered their way to school, slowing purposely so that they could walk with Yuugi and the Pharaoh to school. Bakura didn't want to, but...

Ryou had done his puppy eyes. And how could a single person resist that expression?

So there they walked, slowly, waiting for Yuugi and the Pharaoh no Baka to come out of their house...the one which they were going to move in later that night. He checked his 'watch' again. (If one could call the sun a watch, that is.) Yes, they were going to be late. And that meant that the teachers would yell at him _again_. Why did those old buzzards always have to pick on HIM, anyway? All he ever did was try to make his classes more interesting. Sure, he was banned from using the chemicals during Chemistry, but Bakura was almost positive that the teacher would eventually forget about all the explosions that he had created. At least, he hoped so... AND WHERE WERE THAT STUPID YUUGI AND HIS DAMN PHARAOH???

Bakura was not happy. He was seriously not happy. In fact, he was VERY pissed.

Finally Yuugi and Yami walked out the door, Yuugi pausing in his conversation to lock the front door behind him. Yami smiled down at his hikari and folded his arms behind his head, looking up at the blue sky above them. He didn't notice the look of complete adoration that Yuugi gave him when the smaller one was done with his task. The Pharaoh didn't notice how Yuugi continuously closed the distance between him and his yami, getting so close that their hips sometimes brushed. And the Pharaoh didn't notice how Yuugi's expression brightened when he looked down at his aibou and said something, smiling gently.

Bakura's eyes narrowed in fury.

Now, normally he didn't care about what the stupid Pharaoh did or did not do. But (and this was a _big_ but), there were certain cases were he did decide to intervene. This happened to be one of those cases. It didn't happen often, and it would _never_ happen often, but Bakura knew that this time he had to step in. _Why_ he was going to do so... Well, he would explain everything to that idiot of a Pharaoh.

"Ryou..." Bakura began softly. Ryou blinked and looked up at his yami, smiling softly. "I want you and Yuugi to go on ahead. The Pharaoh no Baka and I will be following at a distance. We just have something to...work out. I promise that we will not be far behind."

Ryou looked worried for an instant. "You won't get in a fight, will you, Bakura?"

In the past, Bakura would have slapped Ryou for such a question. Now he only frowned, eyes narrowed in anger and exasperation. "No, aibou. I promise not to get into a fight with him. Our subject matter may upset him, but it's something that _has_ to be talked about."

Ryou continued to look worried. "What are you planning on discussing with Yuugi's yami, Bakura?" He had a bad feeling about this...but, then again, he had a bad feeling whenever Yami and Bakura decided to get together (whether it be for good or bad) to 'converse.' This time, the bad feeling was stronger than ever.

"On how he loves Yuugi and Yuugi loves him...but he's too stupid to realize it."

The smaller boy sighed and shook his head. 'Yes, my bad feeling came true...once again.' He felt like crying. Instead, he spoke. "I'll do what you ask, Bakura. Just...please, whatever you do, please don't use those exact words. Try to... Oh, I don't know. Try to soften them up a little bit before you say them, alright? And...really and truly try not to get into a fight with Yami. Please?"

Bakura laughed, but it was not a pleasant laugh. "I promise," he said while leaning down to press a kiss against Ryou's forehead. Yami and Yuugi, who had been about to call out to the pale-haired duo, stopped dead in their tracks, amazed at what had just happened. There was silence for several moments until Bakura's mind-voice spoke in Yami's mind. 'Pharaoh, wait for a minute. There is something that I must speak to you about and the hikaris can't be around to hear. Tell your hikari to go to school with mine. Tell him that we'll follow at a distance. After all, our talk won't take long.'

Yami blinked and slowly shook his head, clearing the last of Bakura's mind-voice from his mind. "Yuugi..." he said softly. "Go on ahead with Ryou. Bakura and I will follow along. Just start on without us, alright?"

Yuugi sighed and bit his lip. Like Ryou, he had a bad feeling about this. But what was he to do? He paused for a minute and finally the answer came to him: He could do the only thing he _could_ do...and that was to start on without his yami, allowing Bakura and Yami to 'talk.' He only hoped that they didn't end up killing each other. "Alright, Yami... I'll do what you asked of me. Just don't start anything with Bakura."

And with that, Yuugi left Yami to walk over to the pale-haired boy. The two shot each other worried looks, but did as their yamis bid and left for school. Each did not know what would happen (really and truly happen, anyway) after they left; they only knew that both yamis would probably return to them covered to bruises, wounds, and blood. It happened every time. And it wasn't until the two hikaris were out of sight that Bakura finally spoke.

"You're a fucking idiot."

Yami blinked and stared at Bakura in surprise. "What did you say?" It truly hadn't been something that he had been expecting. Punches, yes. Kicks, yes. Magic, yes. But this? ...no. In the beginning, Bakura had cursed a lot. But, like everything else, that had eventually changed.

"I said that you're a fucking idiot. You don't remember ANYTHING of when you were a Pharaoh. You don't remember that you lived a life of luxury---you had anything and everything you wanted. All you had to do was ASK and it was given to you. In fact, every blasted thing you asked for was given to you on a silver platter. But you're such a damn idiot that you can't remember a single thing from your past life. But it's now, more than ever, that proves that you're a fucking idiot."

All Yami could do was stare at Bakura with narrowed eyes, the Eye of Horus slowly glimmering to life on his forehead. "It's not my fault I can't remember anything about myself when I was alive," he growled to the spirit of the Sennen Ring. "I miss those memories and wish that I had them so I could cherish them. But they don't matter so much anymore because of my aibou. He's changed so much about me. I know that I was probably given everything in my past life, but I can't remember any of it---and that's why I cherish my Yuugi so much."

Bakura's already narrowed eyes narrowed even further. "And that's why you're such a fucking idiot. You say that you cherish Yuugi, but you don't realize that you more than cherish him---you love him. And you're an idiot because you don't realize that HE LOVES YOU. And that you're hurting him every single time he looks at you with love shining in those eyes of his...and you don't notice a fucking thing." ... 'And I'm only telling you this because it hurts my own hikari every single time you don't notice Yuugi's love for you,' Bakura thought to himself, glaring darkly at Yami.

Once again, Yami blinked in surprise. And, slowly but surely, the Eye of Horus faded away. He gave a little laugh---one that had no mirth or humor in it whatsoever---and looked at Bakura with wide, crimson eyes. "Ah. But you're wrong there, Bakura. I don't know why I'm about to tell you this, but I am. I know that I more than cherish Yuugi. I love him with all my heart, soul, and body. He is more than just my hikari---he is my soulmate and I know that we were meant to be together. I think that I've always loved him. I know that I always will love him. And... I will tell you a secret, Tomb Robber. I see those looks that Yuugi gives me. But... But I'm scared. Yuugi has lost Sugoroku and the one person that he has crushed on since his early teens. But his grandfather died and Anzu doesn't like him in that way. I'm scared that the looks that Yuugi gives me... That the looks that he gives me are because he is lost and lonely and I'm the only one that he can turn to."

Bakura sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Pharaoh, I don't know myself WHY exactly I'm telling you this. I don't like you. I've never liked. And I don't think that I ever WILL like you. But I will tell you this---Yuugi has given you those looks for a very, very long time. And you've been too blind to notice them. Yuugi loves you. He's probably loved you for as long as you've loved him. And, once again, you've been too blind to notice."

Yami looked down and said something softly under his breath. But Bakura could still hear what the spirit of the Sennen Puzzle said: "I'm so scared, though... I'm scared that you might end up being wrong. I'm scared of the fact that you might be lying and that all my hopes will come crashing down... And I'm scared to see if the emotion shining in Yuugi's eyes is true... And I'm scared to see what will happen if it's not."

Bakura growled and started to walk away. But, before he could get too far, he turned around and spoke to Yami's down turned face. "You're more of an idiot than I had originally thought, Pharaoh. You're also a coward." He bowed mockingly. "Your _Majesty_," he sneered. And then he walked away.

Yami stood alone, staring down at the pavement. He glared and frowned, gnawing on his lower lip as he thought deeply. Bakura had given him much to think about---in some ways what Bakura had intended. And in some ways...not. But what did it matter?

'I'm not a coward,' Yami thought to himself. 'Bakura was wrong. I know that for sure. At least, he was wrong on that instance. There is nothing wrong with being scared of what might happen if your love might be rejected. But the key word in that is "might." It's "might"...and not "will be." And that's were my hope lies. In one small little word. "Might." Could Bakura possibly be right, though? Has Yuugi really and truly loved me for a very long time? I hope so. Oh, how I hope so. But...I just don't know. And I love him so very, very much. What can I possibly do? I'm not an idiot, Bakura's wrong on that instance, as well. But...what _can_ I possibly do?'

I guess, in the end, all I do is continue to hope.

And continue to love.





A/N: Well, there goes another chapter! Personally, I think it's coming along nicely. The plot line is developing rather nicely (though you can't really see it as of yet) and the relationships are going the way I planned. True, people want to see more Yami/Yuugi stuff---but I can't do it yet! But you will not regret it when I finally DO have Y/Y! *happy dance* 'Sides, I'm doing the dance chapter one chapter early to make all of you happy. ;-p So there.

Yami: Neko-chan, you DO realize that you're going to get yelled at for this chapter? *raises eyebrow*

Pffft to you. I needed this chapter. 'Sides, there's Bakura/Ryou fluff in the beginning and some understanding moments between Bakura and Yami. *smiles evilly* It may not be shounen-ai, but do I detect a hint of...*pauses and smirks*...friendship?

Bakura and Yami: *stare at each other* Hell, no!

Awwww, come on, you know you want to admit that you're becoming friends. ^_~

Bakura and Yami: *look murderously towards Neko-chan*

... *coughs* ... Anyway, time to switch subjects! *smile smile...nervously* I do hope you liked this chapter and can at least see WHY I needed it. True, it ends on kinda a bittersweet moment, but I PROMISE TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU NEXT CHAPTER! (And I'll also include the play that was mentioned in Drama class later on in the story. Deal?) So, read, review, and please don't kill me... x.x;;



~~~Thank you to every single person who reviewed! (AOL is being a pest, so I can't thank each person and I'm REALLY sorry about that!) You guys ALL rock and you're all amazing. Huggles and glomps to all!! ^_~