A/N: Wow, you guys blew up my phone with this one thank you :) This was one of my favorite songs growing up, my friends and I would sit at the lunch table and debate whodunit for weeks after we first saw it... anyway I hope you take the time to check it the song, it's an oldie but a goodie! Thanks to Kichona Cho and Andy Nadal for favoriting and following this story, and I hope you continue to enjoy it! Anyway, r+r!
Bakura stretched out on the couch, flipping aimlessly through the stations. It was just past 6 o'clock, which meant Ryou should soon be home from his job at Yugi's Game Shop. His hikari had made quite a name for himself on the dueling circuits in the years since High School, and when he wasn't out competing in tournaments he kept himself busy helping out Yugi's grandfather.
Bakura had managed to get himself a job, working security for a local bank. A few months ago he had foiled a huge plot, which had gained him national attention. Unfortunately, it had also gained him the attention of the local police department, mostly a Detective Rowan who began to dig into his past, convinced that Bakura had been in on the action himself, and had only turned on his friends when they tried to cut him out.
Of course, it wasn't true, but still the cop persisted, getting to the point where he was following Ryou in his car to point out holes in Bakura's past.
The yami frowned, shutting of the tv abruptly. The key was turning in the door, and there was Ryou, dumping the mail on the table before coming to find him. Bakura smiled brightly at him, scooting over for Ryou to sit next to him. Ryou thanked him, plopping down on the couch and groaning.
"Long day?"
Bakura asked, resisting the urge to start running his fingers through that soft while hair. Ryou had firmly told him that he was not interested in pursuing a romantic relationship, which Bakura had forced himself to accept so he wouldn't be kicked out.
Instead, he placed his hands in his lap and listened as Ryou prattled on about a group of customers that had come into the shop right before closing, looking for a specific card for a birthday present. Ryou had managed to find it for them, which had caused them to stay past closing telling him how wonderful he was.
When he was done, Bakura stood up and walked into the kitchen. He reappeared a moment later carrying a cooler and a giant red blanket.
"I know you're tired, but I made us some sandwiches. I thought we'd go down to the river and relax for a bit."
Ryou nodded, sighing.
"That sounds like a plan to me Bakura, let me go change and grab my camera so I can take some pictures!"
"You mean more to add to the sunset collection?"
Bakura asked, waving a hand to indicate the wall next to him. Ryou playfully stuck his tongue out at the other before going into his room.
"Hey, have you seen my camera Bakura?"
He asked, sticking his head out the door.
"Yea, it's on the counter."
"Thanks."
Ryou came back out, buttoning his shirt.
"By the way, Malik called, he is going to be in town next week, I thought we could all go out for dinner or something."
Bakura nodded, frowning to himself a little. Malik and Ryou had had a brief relationship before he had come back, and while both swore they were over it, Bakura still got nervous sometimes. He shook his head slightly to dispel his feelings, handing Ryou the camera before the two boys left the apartment, getting into Ryou's car and heading off to the river.
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Detective Rowan glanced at the clock at the precinct, then back down at the pile of papers at his desk. He had gone through every local gang member he had a relationship with, hoping that someone would have some sort of story to tell about the man who had overnight became a hero.
No one knew a thing about him, or had heard of him before he had gotten that job. None of the references that he had given the back panned out, and when questioned, the bank manager had admitted that he had given him the job passed on the recommendation of his top client Seto Kaiba.
The hospital had no physical documentation of his birth records, only one on the computer which could have been hacked into and placed. No school records, no shot records, nothing.
"It's like he just appeared out of thin air."
He muttered, looking back through his paper. Normally, he would have left his investigation there, but something kept nagging at him to keep going at it, keep trying until something came up.
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Bakura hummed to himself as he left the store, placing the bags into the car. Ryou had gone off for a couple of days with Yugi, and had offered to leave his vehicle behind so Bakura wasn't stuck at home. Malik was coming over for dinner the next night, and Bakura had decided to make some traditional Egyptian food for him. He went to bring back the cart, only to see Yami staring at him from the store window.
Staring back, he frowned, waiting for the former Pharaoh to say something. Yami held up one finger, turning to speak to the clerk who was checking him out. Once he was done, he walked outside and approached his former enemy, eyeing him warily. Even though they had both been free for a few years now, they two rarely talked to each other without someone else being present.
"What are you doing here Bakura?"
"I was picking up some stuff. Malik is coming into town tomorrow, and he's going to stay with Ryou and I for a few days."
Yami shifted a bit at that remark, which Bakura quickly called him out on.
"Nothing, it's just… Malik is already in town, he's been staying with me and Yugi since Wednesday."
Yami admitted, knowing that any lie he came up with Bakura would figure out anyway.
"Oh, well, maybe he felt a little uncomfortable around me since Ryou wasn't in town, I don't blame him after everything… why don't you guys come over and we can all do something."
Yami shifted again, frowning.
"Actually… he's not at the house at the moment. Yugi came home last night, but Ryou and Malik decided to hang out for a bit longer."
Bakura froze at that, looking over at Yami in shock. The former Pharaoh looked apprehensive, as if he wasn't enjoying relaying the news that Ryou and his former lover were alone together. Bakura backed up, looking around like a wild animal before running to the car and speeding out of the parking lot, leaving Yami standing there cursing at him.
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Bakura made it to the river, staring at the water's edge. He thought about all the times he had taken Ryou there, trying to prove that he had in fact changed, that he wasn't going to be the person that they all feared him to be.
"Why bother, even after all this time, they still judge me."
He stared out at the water, lost in thought on what to do next. After a while, he became aware of a soft giggling noise somewhere to his right. He looked around, wondering where it had come from. His years of tomb robbing had sharpened his senses, and he swore that voice sounded familiar. Walking along the edge of the river, he remembered there was a small clearing ahead before the path abruptly fell off of the waterfall.
Approaching there now, he saw a flash of white, and knew. Grounded to his spot, he watched with narrow eyes as Ryou and Malik kissed underneath the same blanket that Ryou and Bakura used for their picnics, the same cooler full of food next to them.
Malik paused, his hands already under Ryou's shirt when he looked up and locked eyes with Bakura, stiffening as soon as he saw him.
"Malik, what's wrong?"
Ryou arched his neck back, seeing his yami standing there flabbergasted.
"Bakura!"
Ryou shouted, pushing Malik off him. The sound of his name snapped Bakura out of his trance and he backed up, looking around wild-eyed for a second before taking off, not answering his former friends as they cried out his name.
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Ryou stood in front of his apartment building crying silent tears, wrapping himself tighter in the blanket he had. He was afraid to go in, knowing how much he had hurt Bakura with his actions. Malik had insisted on coming with him, but Ryou refused, not wanting to drag another person into the fight that was sure to come. He stood there, trying to work up the courage to open the door when he heard his name.
"Hello Ryou."
Detective Rowan said, walking down the sidewalk. Ryou eyed the man suspiciously, not knowing whether or not he should talk to him. The detective extended his hand, and Ryou, who had been raised with impeccable manners, had to shake it.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I was actually looking for a friend of yours. Malik Ishtar. I heard he was in town, and I have a couple of questions for him about some robberies that happened when he was here a few years ago."
Ryou's eyes widened slightly, realizing that this detective must have heard about things that had happened during Battle City.
"I'm sorry detective, but Malik isn't here right now. He was supposed to be coming over tomorrow but I'm not sure that will happen now."
Ryou looked back at his apartment door, wincing a little. Detective Rowan followed his gaze, understanding clicking in his mind. The young man in front of him was obviously in trouble.
"Ryou, do you need help? Is everything alright?"
Ryou quickly nodded, backing up from the intense gaze of the older man.
"I just remembered, I need to go get some milk. Bakura and I both hate it when we have dry cereal in the morning!"
He turned on his heel and walked quickly away, both the detective and Bakura (who had opened a window when he saw who Ryou was talking to) watching him leave.
