Heyhey! Look at this super-speedy update! I wrote it all in one sitting last night. My Dad yelled at me to go to bed, so I just unplugged the laptop and wrote it under the covers. MUAHA! LANA SHALL WRITE FOREVER! Hehe. Nah. XD

BTW, this isn't the last chapter. I changed my mind. There was too much stuff, and this seemed like a good place to end the chappeh.

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Ryou gasped, almost jumping in shock as he heard a knock on the front door. Malik swallowed deeply, and closed his eyes. The pair of teenagers were sitting on the couch, both awkward and confused. For the first night in a very, very long time, Ryou had spent the night on the couch, but his sleep was fitful, interrupted by nervous, fearful dreams. He had lain awake for hours, listening to Malik toss and turn in his bedroom. Sick fear rose higher in Ryou's stomach as the Egyptian got up to answer the door. Oh my goodness. Oh my bloody goodness. This is not good. Not good...

"Ryou," Malik said softly, pausing and turning around to look at the whitenette, who was near tears. "It's going to be okay. You have to realize that. He won't be angry at you, Ryou. He'll be angry at me. I kissed you, not the other way around." Ryou paused.

"Y-Yeah, I-I suppose." He whispered, drawing his knees to his chest. I really am going to be sick... Oh Goodness, I am. O-Oh no… Malik bit his lip as he opened the door for Bakura, who kicked off his shoes and shrugged off his coat, heading into the lounge to sprawl out on the couch. He muttered a quick grunt to Malik in greeting but smiled briefly at Ryou, who looked nothing short of terrified.

"Ryou? Are you okay? You look-"

"I think I'm going to be sick." Ryou stood up and fled towards the bathroom, feeling his stomach churning. Malik swallowed, as Bakura looked strangely at the white-haired teen. He made to stand up and followed Ryou, but the Egyptian placed a hand on his arm, pale and cold.

"B-Bakura? I-I have to talk to you." The demon raised an eyebrow, but shuffled over slightly to make room for Malik, who sat down rather shakily, his hands twisting in his lap.

"What is it?" The spirit demanded in usual harsh, cocky voice. "Is this about Ryou being sick? What did you do, cook him food or something?" Malik shook his head, blinking desperately. "Well then what? Come on, Malik…" The Egyptian almost started crying.

"L-Last night." He whispered, keeping his eyes downcast. "I-I did something stupid. Really really stupid." Bakura frowned.

"What? What is it… What the hell did you do to Ryou?" Bakura now glared at the Egyptian who shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. "Malik!"

"I kissed him!" The blonde blurted out. He froze, lavender eyes wide in fright. Bakura sat very still, crimson-mahogany eyes narrowed. Malik's breath quickened in his fear, his limbs trembling. "I-I-"

"What?" Bakura's voice was poisonous, deadly. "You what?" Malik shook harder, aware of how dangerously stiff the yami's jaw had grown.

"I-I'm so sorry." Malik felt saline water push at the back of his eyes. "But… He was sitting so close to me, and I didn't know what I was doing, and-and-"

"You idiot!" Bakura hissed. Malik actually wished that the demon would yell at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I-I don't know, I-"

"You promised me your feelings for Ryou wouldn't get in the way! I thought that you could just be Ryou's friend! I-" Bakura let out a long moan of frustration. "You stupid idiot." Malik swallowed.

"Y-You're not mad at Ryou?" The Egyptian inquired meekly. Bakura snorted.

"Why the hell would I be mad at him?" Bakura growled. Malik swallowed, his lavender eyes lowering back to his hands. "I cannot believe this!" The demon stood up, and began pacing back and forth. "He looks up to you as a friend, Malik! Not as a fucking lover! All he wanted was someone to confide in, not to have some kind of affair-"

"Bakura…" Two sets of heads, one blonde, the other silver, turned towards the doorway. Ryou swallowed, leaning weakly against the white-painted doorframe. "B-Bakura, please don't be mad at Malik." The teen walked rather shakily over to Bakura, his face slightly green. "I-It was my fault… I was just… I don't know."

"Did you kiss him?"

"N-No…"

"Then how the hell is that your fault?" Ryou gulped, and took one of Bakura's hands. He squeezed the pale digits gently, nibbling on a lower lip.

"Please, can you stop?" The teen whispered. "Please, yami. I'm sorry…"

"Why the hell are you sorry?"

"Bakura, stop it!" Malik interjected. "Look, please man, I honestly didn't mean to do it! I know Ryou is yours and you love each other. Please, Bakura, don't get pissed at me. I-I really didn't mean to…"

"Ryou, go get your clothes." Bakura wrenched his hands away from the teen and turned away. "I'll meet you downstairs."

"B-Bakura-" Ryou whimpered, but the demon walked away. Both of the teens winced as the door slammed shut with a bang so loud the windows rattled.

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"You're angry with me."

"No, I'm not. I'm angry, but not at you. At that stupid fool Malik." Ryou sniffed, bending down to unlace his shoes. He placed his sneakers circumspectly beside the door, while Bakura merely kicked his off and left them in a heap. Ryou lined them up carefully, and followed Bakura into the kitchen, where he promptly reached in and opened a can of beer.

"Don't drink too much." Ryou warned, leaning against the kitchen counter. Bakura rolled his eyes, heading into the lounge. He slumped into the couch with his legs spread, his left arm snaking along the back of the chair.

"I won't." Bakura promised, taking a sip of the amber liquid. "You nag too much, Ryou." The whitenette giggled. "Come here." The spirit gestured with his head towards the empty space on the cough. Ryou grinned, and jumped into the vacant seat, snuggling comfortably into Bakura's side.

"I was so scared." The teenager murmured, dark brown eyes half-lidded. "I thought you were going to be angry at me." Bakura frowned and looked down, observing the small tears that clung to long dark lashes.

"Silly." Bakura sighed, wrapping his free arm around Ryou's shoulders. "Why would I do that? You're the most naïve sixteen-year-old I've ever met, Ryou. Malik was dropping so many hints, even when I was around, and you never realized. It was actually quite amusing."

"What, so you find my ignorance humorous?" Ryou cast a slightly hurt look up at the snowy-haired demon. Bakura sighed, and rolled his eyes.

"Ryou." Bakura placed a soft, but firm kiss on pale, perfect lips. "You're an idiot, did you know that? A clumsy, stammering idiot who trips over their own words, and their feet." Ryou blushed deeply. "But do you know what else? You're funny, and smart, and beautiful, and innocent… Look. One tiny kiss that you had no way of knowing it was going to happen, let alone stop it, isn't going to make me stop loving you. Ryou, nothing is going to make me stop loving you."

Ryou smiled.

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"Jou, a-are you all right?" Ryou frowned as he looked up into coffee-coloured eyes. "You're strangely quiet today. Did… Did Kaiba leave you alone for once?"

"What? Oh. Nah, Moneybags was his usual arrogant self." Jounouchi muttered. "I just… I'm feeling a little bit off today. Must have been something I ate at lunch. I knew meatloaf isn't supposed to be that colour…"

"Jounouchi." Ryou stopped in his tracks. The blonde frowned, and turned back to look at the younger teen. "I know what this is about. This is about what I said yesterday, isn't it?" Jou opened his mouth to speak. "This is because I told you about me and Bakura, right? And you think it's really wrong."

"Well…" Jounouchi couldn't lie. "Yeah. Bakura, I kinda do think it is. I mean, this is the spirit of the ring! Aside from that, it's a guy! And you're a guy –I think- And it's just… Ugh." The older teen shivered. "Sorry Bakura, I just don't see how it could be right?" Ryou shrugged, trying to pretend that he didn't care that Jounouchi thought he was a sick freak, but Jounouchi could tell by the way his rounded shoulders slumped even further, and he hurriedly wiped at his eyes. Remorse stabbed at his heart, and Jou gently placed a hand on Ryou's slumped shoulder. "Hey, Bakura… It's okay. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, I know it wasn't cool of me."

"I-It's okay, Jounouchi." Ryou's voice sounded funny, as though he had a cold, and Jounouchi felt a fresh wave of guilt burn his insides. "I-I mean, it's how you feel, and you really speak your mind. I'm actually really jealous of that, you know…" Jou's shoulders slumped as Ryou at his eyes again. "Ugh…"

"Come on, Bakura." Jou said softly, wrapping an arm around Ryou's slim shoulders and giving the smaller boy a quick squeeze. "Look. Shit, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for it all to come out, please Bakura, don't cry."

"I-I'm not crying." Ryou swallowed, unable to suppress a sniff. "I-I'm okay, Jou. Really. I-I've got a pretty thick skin on after all of these years. I-It's just… A friend's never really said that before." The blonde made a face, as the knot of guilt in his stomach felt more and more like an extremely heavy rock.

"I'm sorry." Jou muttered again. "Bakura, I really am. I-I just find it a bit… ick, myself, but if it makes you happy, then that's what really matters, isn't it?" Ryou wiped at his eyes again. "Look, let me make it up to you somehow…What are you doing right now? I got paid today, how about I get you a cheeseburger or something? You didn't eat lunch today Bakura, you must be hungry." Jounouchi forced a smile, trying desperately to try and mother the guilt and remorse in his insides, rising up to make his cheeks flush. Ryou sniffed again, wiping at his nose as he looked up at the blonde. Jou was genuinely sorry for what he said, and was trying to apologize… What Ryou didn't understand was that Jounouchi was merely trying to quell his guilt, but he smiled, blinking away the last of his tears.

"I-I'd love a cheeseburger." Ryou's shaky smile grew with his self-confidence. "Th-Thank you, Jou."

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"You're late." Bakura remarked as Ryou closed the door behind him. "I didn't know you had orchestra on Mondays." The younger whitenette grinned.

"I don't." Ryou set his school bag down in the room the pair shared before heading into the lounge, shedding his royal blue school jacket. "Jou and I got talking on the way home from school, and he treated me to a cheeseburger." Bakura raised an eyebrow, looking up from the screen of his laptop. "What?"

"I didn't picture the pair of you being bosom buddies." The pale demon remarked, turning around in his chair. Ryou shrugged, and opened the fridge door, frowning in thought. "I mean, Jou? The ex-gang basher? And you? Resident feminine gay guy of Domino High?" Bakura chuckled.

"You be quiet." Ryou mumbled, closing the door, and leaning his head against the cool metal, painted white. "He felt guilty because he said some pretty mean stuff to me." Bakura frowned, closing the lid of the laptop.

"What kind of stuff?" The demon asked carefully, already plotting ways he could murder Jounouchi and distribute the body. Ryou let out a long sigh, and pulled open the pantry door.

"I told him about how we were together." The whitenette explained. "Which of course, came to a complete shock for him. I mean, he didn't even know I liked guys." Bakura snorted in laughter. "Yami!"

"Wh-What?" The demon chuckled. "You? Not gay? Hah! But you're all girly and wear sweaters and cook and stuff…" Ryou frowned, and placed his hands on his hips. "There!" Bakura pointed. "Look! Perfect woman pose! Stamp your foot and pout and you'll look just the part."

"Bakuraaa…" Ryou whined, and he actually almost stamped his foot. "That's not helping. Please, can we be serious about this?" Bakura's laughter faded.

"About what?" The spirit frowned. Ryou let out a long sigh, walking over to the demon and sitting in his lap. Bakura wrapped his arms around Ryou's waist as he leaned into the elder's chest, staring thoughtfully into space.

"About telling people. Malik is okay with it –Although he would be much happier if we were in a threesome-" Bakura opened his mouth. "No, yami. Jounouchi knows, and he promised not to tell anyone, but he thinks that it's really wrong. I know Yugi will understand, he sees the good in everyone, even Kaiba."

"So do you."

"That's not the point." Ryou murmured. "The point is, what about Yami? What about Yugi's darkness? What is he going to think about all of this?" Bakura growled.

"And what makes you think that the foolish Pharaoh is going to know about any of this?" Bakura whispered into Ryou's neck, his breath shifting a few stray hairs of silver. The teenager bit his lip, closing his eyes.

"H-He's going to find out sooner of later." Ryou tried to reason. "There's no way that Jounouchi is going to keep quiet about this forever. I mean, 'Ryou Bakura, confirmed gay.' That would be the biggest bit of gossip of the school year."

"You just don't want to lose your fan club."

"Bakura, stop changing the subject." Ryou looked up into the demon's unique eyes. "The point is, do we tell Yugi, or not?" Bakura stared off into space for a long time, looking very deep in thought. Ryou sighed, snuggling into the crook of the yami's neck, and closing his eyes.

"Yes and no." Bakura finally murmured, his lips in the lights hair. "Tell him that I've stopped hurting you after what went down in the hospital –That mutt must have told him that- And that we're getting along okay. That way, the pompous Pharaoh will leave me alone, and you won't seem like a total freak." Ryou smiled.

"My boyfriend, the genius." He teased, looking up into Bakura's eyes. The spirit scowled, but Ryou could tell by the way his mahogany eyes with a tint of crimson were lit up with happiness.

"My boyfriend, the idiot." Bakura retorted, placing a soft peck on Ryou's nose. He laughed.

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Bring!

"I got it!" Ryou looked up from his homework later that night, calling out to Bakura who was currently in the shower. "Don't worry Bakura, I got it!" He shoved his Geography textbook to one side, and shoved the chair away from the table, running to the cordless phone in the living room. "Hello?"

"O-Oh, Um hi Ryou."

"Malik! How are you?" Ryou smiled, taking a seat on the fluffy white couch. "Are you okay?" The whitenette frowned at the nervousness in his friend's voice.

"U-Um, not really. Ryou, there's something I have to tell you."

"Oh?" Ryou frowned, absentmindedly twirling a lock of hair around one finger. "Well, fire away Malik, I'm listening."

"Well… Ryou, you remember how Isis and Rishid were going away to Cairo for a few months, right?"

"Yes, they on Saturday, didn't they?" The frown on Ryou's face deepened in suspicion. What was Malik talking about? What did this have to do with anything?

"Well, actually, no." The blonde sighed on the other end of the phone. "There's been some delays… A baggage handling strike or something. Either way, the extra time has given me an opportunity to think." Ryou frowned. Think about what?

"Think about what Malik?" Ryou repeated his thought out loud. Malik sighed, and when he next spoke, he was nearly in tears.

"Ryou… I'm going to go with Isis and Rishid."

"What?" Ryou nearly dropped the phone in his shock. Tears almost immediately stung the back of his eyes, and there was a burning ember forming in his throat. "Y-You're going with them?"

"U-Um, yeah." Malik sniffed. "They're already found a house-sitter, so we won't have to worry about packing or anything, and Isis got me an extra ticket this morning."

"Malik…" Ryou whispered. "Malik, no…"

"I can't stay Ryou." The Egyptian murmured, in tears himself. "I can't be around you. Every time I look at you, I just want to… To… Look, I can't stay here Ryou, I can't."

"N-No." Ryou's voice was hoarse with his tears, feeling a wave of sobs threatening to escape his throat. "Y-You can't…"

"I-I'm so sorry." Malik was sobbing in emotion, the sound like salt to Ryou's torn, broken heart. "I-I c-can't stay…"

"I-It's five months." Ryou breathed, hiccupping from his efforts to suppress his sobs. "F-Five whole months…"

"I-I'll e-mail you." Malik said hopefully, but the intended happiness was lost in his sobs. "E-Every day, I p-promise."

"Five months…" Ryou clutched at his shirt, sure his heart was crushed inside his chest. "I wont see you for five months…"

"I-I can't Ryou." Malik almost wailed. "I can't just be a friend to you. I tried and I tried, but I kept slipping up. Like the time when Bakura was in the hospital, and then when I helping you with the sunscreen… I can't stop looking at you and touching you when you're around me and it's driving me crazy!" The blonde let out a sob. "I can't stop thinking about you Ryou. About how I kissed you and I want it to happen again so bad." Ryou closed his eyes. "I want to love you so much, a-and I can't, I can't. And seeing you with Bakura, with someone I love almost as much… I can't do it Ryou, please don't make me do it." Ryou was crying now, shaking his head from side to side as sobs wracked his frail, slender form.

"N-No Malik." He whimpered in protest. "P-Please, you can't go, you can't. You have to stay here. I need you here, not in Egypt, please, you can't go, you can't do this…"

"I-I have to." Malik whispered. Ryou was sobbing into the phone, tears trickling down his porcelain face.

"I-If you loved me, you wouldn't hurt me so much." Ryou protested weakly through his sobs. Malik was crying just as hard, guilt tearing at his insides, guilt that he had caused so much pain.

"It's because I love you that I'm doing this." Malik swallowed a sob. "I can't stay here with you so close. I can't keep being so near you, being able to touch you like I am. I can't Ryou, the temptations too great. Wh-what if I go one step further Ryou? What if I do more than kiss you? I-I could never live with myself if I hurt you like that… I-I can't… I know it's been almost a year since I lost control, but with me feeling like this, and Rishid so far away, it could happen again Ryou… I can't take that risk."

"Malik." Ryou whispered in one final plea. "No… Please no…"

"I-I'm sorry Ryou." Malik finally murmured grimly. "I-I can't talk anymore. Even hearing your voice is just…" Ryou closed his burning eyes as he heard his best friend cry. "I can't do it. I can't."

"B-But, when are you leaving?" Ryou demanded wildly. The pain in his chest was making it harder for him to breathe, and his sobs showed no sign of slowing down.

"T-Tonight." The blonde managed to choke out. "At nine. L-Look Ryou, I-I'm so sorry…"

"T-Tonight?" Ryou wailed, the phone almost slipping through his fingers a second time. "M-Malik, C-can I even come over to say goodbye?"

"Th-This is goodbye." Malik sobbed. "We're leaving for the airport in twenty minutes. D-Don't come see me Ryou, please. I-I don't want to see you… I can't."

"M-Malik, no!" Ryou moaned, whimpering from the crushing pain of his insides, particularly his heart. "I-I don't want you to go… You're my best friend Malik… The best friend I ever had. Please don't go, please, please don't go…"

"I-I'm sorry Ryou." Malik whispered, sobbing as hard as Ryou. "I'm so sorry. This… I… Goodbye Ryou. I-I love you."

"Malik no!" Ryou screamed desperately. "You can't leave me! You're my best friend Malik, you can't-"

Beep.

The phone slipped from shaking ivory fingers, and tumbled to the soft cushion of the sofa. Ryou was sobbing so hard he was almost screaming, slumped into the soft white couch. Rejection, pain, and a cold sense of loneliness tore at his heart. Malik was going to Egypt for five months. Malik was leaving him…

Malik was gone.

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-sniff- Wahh... I cried so much when I wrote that. TT.TT

R&R?