Bakura woke early the next morning to the smell of something burning. He rolled over and found himself falling off the couch. He climbed sleeply from the floor to his feet, and followed the smoke trail to the kitchen. His light was standing there half dressed trying to cook what he figured would be breakfast if it hadn't burnt.
"Good your up. Would you watch this please we're going to be late?" Ryou asked pushing Bakura infront of the stove before running out of the room. Bakura studied the brown, black, and yellow pile in the pan.
"What the hell is this?" he asked out loud to no one in paticular. He stared at the pan watching it like he had been told to."Why am I even listening to Ryou? Why am I talking to myself?"he pulled up a chair and sat down. Searching his mind for answers to his questions. Ryou stormed back into the room frantic but dressed.
"Yami! The eggs. I asked you to watch them there burnt now. Black!" Ryou half screamed. Bakura was jerked out of thought by his lights out burst. "I'm sorry. I am just a little rushed this morning." Ryou appologized as he turned off the stove and put the burnt eggs in the trash can. Bakura sat still watching Ryou run about the kitchen putting the dirty dishes in a stack in the sink and sweeping the floor. Bakura relized Ryou was about in tears, he couldn't understand what was going on. Bakura hadn't beat him or even talked to him this morning. It was to early for anything to have happened, but the great Theif King wasn't going to show worry about his other half untill there was an obvious reason for tears to flow.
"I need to get dressed do we have clothes for me?" Bakura asked ignoring Ryou's pleading glances to ask what was wrong.
"Yes, in the bathroom."Ryou said sniffling slightly. Bakura nodded and went to get dressed.
**********
Lilly lay awake it wasn't that late, but Matt had just left so there was really no reason to stay up. She listened while her older brother talked on the phone to his girl friend, her little sister did the dishes, and her parents talked well more like argued about the boys that would come the next day. Over dinner her mom had given a long list of things she had to do so Lilly had to go get the new kids.
Excuses. That's all this is. Not wanting ot leave Serena and Matt home alone. I wasn't born yesterday. I know for a fact that Justin could cancle his little plans, to go get these rodents.
Lilly's thoughts were broken by something hitting her window. She jumped out of bed and yanked open her window. She knew it would be Matt on the other side of the glass. He had crawled through her window a hundred times before normally to sneak up on Justin.
"What do you want stable boy?" she asked teasing more than anything.
"Well misstress Halse, I happened to notice that you weren't yourself at dinner tonight what's up?" Matt asked. His blue eys twinkled still teasing as always though his voice was serious and full of worry.
"Nothing. Mom wants me to go pick up her new 'projects'." Lilly said shutting the window and going back to sit on her bed. Matt stood still."Sit you bafoon." she said justering to the desk and chair behind him. Matt sat down with a grin.
"Want me to come along?"
"Yeah, but she's making me take the forsaken truck." Lilly stated bitterly.
"I never thought I would see the day that Lillian Halse would rather be with me than two perfect strangers." Matt smirked.
"Shhh Mom will kill me if she finds out I let you in my window. And Don't ever call me Lilian, Mathew." Matt pulled a offended face when his full first name was used. Lilly smirked satisfied with her work."So what did you really want?"
"Am I not aloud to check on my favorite Miss Halse?" Matt asked in a sugar coated voice.
"No, your aloud to check on me anytime you like. But there is this new thing call a telephone. You should use it, not sneak in my window."
"You never minded before. Besides you know Mandy is on the phone talking to Justin. I'd never get a word in. She's daddy's lil girl." Matt said scornfully.
"Before we were ten and you just wanted in to paint Justin's face or pour water in his bed to make him think he wet the bed."
"That was always fun." Matt laughed. Lilly gave him a rare smile before she jumped up.
"Matt, you got to go. Someones coming. I'll see you tomorrow morning." Matt nodded as he climbed back out the window. Lilly shut it quickly behind him just in time for Serena to walk in.
"Hey Sis. I thought you went to bed." Serena said closing the bed room door.
"I did but I wanted to get a report done up for the new steer." Lilly lied as she flitered through the stacks of computer printouts on her desk. Serena nodded. Lilly was glad for once that her sister was dense. Serena grabbed her p.j.s and left the room to go take a shower.
*************
Ryou had called a cab, packed all the lugage in the car, paid for it, and got him and Bakura through the air port and Bakura hadn't asked why he was so upset. Nor had he even acted as if he had noticed. This didn't suprise him one bit. Yami and Yugi seemed closer than he and his yami were. As far as Malik and Marik went they were both off their rockers one just more than the other but it was often hard to tell which one that was. Bakura was amazed by everything on the plane though he didn't say it. Ryou had learned to read his yami. It had been hard at first, but after a while he just understood him with out questions.
"Dears, would you like anything?" a blonde flight attendent asked.
"No, thank you ma'am." Ryou answered her knowing it best not to let Bakura do alot of talking if he wanted to make it through this trip with out big problems. The woman nodded and continued on her way down the row. Ryou fell in and out of sleep during the 6 hour flight. When he was awoken by the same attendent that he had talked to earlier.
"I'm sorry honey but were there and there's a nice young lady waiting for you on the other side." she said straightening up.
"Thank you miss."
"Just doing my job." she said walking off. Ryou then turned to wake Bakura. He grabbed their carry-on bags and exited the plane. There was indeed a girl waiting for them. She couldn't have been much older than he was if she was older at all. She looked every aggitated.
"Hello. Please tell me your the Bakura brothers." the girl said a pleading look flashing in her green eyes.
"Yes, we are. I'm Ryou and he prefers .to be called by our last name." Ryou stated holding out a hand. The girl shook it.
"I'm Lilly Halse. Mom had somethings to do so she sent me to pick you up." the girl said with drawing her hand. Ryou noted how caullased her hand was and that it felt more like a man's hand then one of a girl. Besides the size he would have sworn other wise.
"It's okay." Ryou said. Bakura gave a small nodd toward the girl, who did the same back. Ryou knew this wasn't going to be easy, and it didn't seem like this girl was going to let it be any easier.
Lilly helped Ryou with the bags and led them out of the building to a beat up old pick up truck. Ryou couldn't decide if it was red or orange but it was every rusted. Lilly threw their bags in the back of the pick up, before climbing into the cab and unlocking the doors. Ryou got in and sat between the two. The ride was mostly high ways and passed by slowly seeing as no one could decide on a radio station. Lilly didn't say anything untill they got on back roads that kept crossing over dirt roads.
"You boys ever been to the country side?"
"No, not really." Ryou said truthfully.
"Pity, I hear the English countryside is amazing."
Once they pulled in the drive way Ryou realized exactly what he had gotten himself into. The house was small made of stone and logs it had an almost cabin like look to it. There were at least three barns that he could see and a long empty streach before a shoadowy line of trees apeared. He was stuck for a year in the middle of no where, with his abusive yami, and a family of farmers.
"Com'on its not so bad really."Lilly said jumping out of the truck before climbing up in to the bed and tossing their bags out."I'll take you in show you to your rooms and while you get settled I'll find Matt. His is the only car here."she said nodding to a small white car.
*********
Lilly took them inside the house and up to their room. She left them there unpacking and went down to the kitchen. She wasn't surprised to find a roast in the oven and a note on the table for her.
"It pretty much says that she and Serena had to go watch the hellians, I'm in the barn, one of the horses is lame so I'm tending to it, and your father and brother are where they always are." a voice said behind her. Lilly turned around reconizing the voice at once.
"Thank God. Who is lame?" Lilly asked Matt.
"Uhh Chip. I swear that horse is more troubble than he's worth."
"Yeah, well its the only one Serena will ride. When should Mom be home."
"Don't know. Their dad is working late so that really means he didn't want to go home sober and their mom had a very important appointment with the shrink."Lilly smirked.
"It could be hours. Okay, then I'll work on dinner. Mom's new projects are in their room if you wanna go meet them."
"I'll do that. I want to see what all the fuss is about."
Once Matt left it was only a matter of minutes before all three boys were in the kitchen.
"Com'on Sis lets show them around. Mom won't be her for a while." Matt said putting his arm around Lillys shoulder.
"Sis huh? Not by a long shot Mathew. But yeah lets show them around better now than listen to Mom yell later."
"He's your brother?" Ryou asked.
"No, this is Matt he gets paid to hang out here."she said shrugging him off and jumping out of the way when he tried to hit her.
"I do more that 'hang out'." Matt protested sounding every bit like a toddler.
"Yeah. Yeah. What do you wanna see first? Theres the woods, animals, pond,...am I forgetting anything?" Matt shook his head.
"We are a long way from home." Ryou said as they stepped out the back door.
"Good your up. Would you watch this please we're going to be late?" Ryou asked pushing Bakura infront of the stove before running out of the room. Bakura studied the brown, black, and yellow pile in the pan.
"What the hell is this?" he asked out loud to no one in paticular. He stared at the pan watching it like he had been told to."Why am I even listening to Ryou? Why am I talking to myself?"he pulled up a chair and sat down. Searching his mind for answers to his questions. Ryou stormed back into the room frantic but dressed.
"Yami! The eggs. I asked you to watch them there burnt now. Black!" Ryou half screamed. Bakura was jerked out of thought by his lights out burst. "I'm sorry. I am just a little rushed this morning." Ryou appologized as he turned off the stove and put the burnt eggs in the trash can. Bakura sat still watching Ryou run about the kitchen putting the dirty dishes in a stack in the sink and sweeping the floor. Bakura relized Ryou was about in tears, he couldn't understand what was going on. Bakura hadn't beat him or even talked to him this morning. It was to early for anything to have happened, but the great Theif King wasn't going to show worry about his other half untill there was an obvious reason for tears to flow.
"I need to get dressed do we have clothes for me?" Bakura asked ignoring Ryou's pleading glances to ask what was wrong.
"Yes, in the bathroom."Ryou said sniffling slightly. Bakura nodded and went to get dressed.
**********
Lilly lay awake it wasn't that late, but Matt had just left so there was really no reason to stay up. She listened while her older brother talked on the phone to his girl friend, her little sister did the dishes, and her parents talked well more like argued about the boys that would come the next day. Over dinner her mom had given a long list of things she had to do so Lilly had to go get the new kids.
Excuses. That's all this is. Not wanting ot leave Serena and Matt home alone. I wasn't born yesterday. I know for a fact that Justin could cancle his little plans, to go get these rodents.
Lilly's thoughts were broken by something hitting her window. She jumped out of bed and yanked open her window. She knew it would be Matt on the other side of the glass. He had crawled through her window a hundred times before normally to sneak up on Justin.
"What do you want stable boy?" she asked teasing more than anything.
"Well misstress Halse, I happened to notice that you weren't yourself at dinner tonight what's up?" Matt asked. His blue eys twinkled still teasing as always though his voice was serious and full of worry.
"Nothing. Mom wants me to go pick up her new 'projects'." Lilly said shutting the window and going back to sit on her bed. Matt stood still."Sit you bafoon." she said justering to the desk and chair behind him. Matt sat down with a grin.
"Want me to come along?"
"Yeah, but she's making me take the forsaken truck." Lilly stated bitterly.
"I never thought I would see the day that Lillian Halse would rather be with me than two perfect strangers." Matt smirked.
"Shhh Mom will kill me if she finds out I let you in my window. And Don't ever call me Lilian, Mathew." Matt pulled a offended face when his full first name was used. Lilly smirked satisfied with her work."So what did you really want?"
"Am I not aloud to check on my favorite Miss Halse?" Matt asked in a sugar coated voice.
"No, your aloud to check on me anytime you like. But there is this new thing call a telephone. You should use it, not sneak in my window."
"You never minded before. Besides you know Mandy is on the phone talking to Justin. I'd never get a word in. She's daddy's lil girl." Matt said scornfully.
"Before we were ten and you just wanted in to paint Justin's face or pour water in his bed to make him think he wet the bed."
"That was always fun." Matt laughed. Lilly gave him a rare smile before she jumped up.
"Matt, you got to go. Someones coming. I'll see you tomorrow morning." Matt nodded as he climbed back out the window. Lilly shut it quickly behind him just in time for Serena to walk in.
"Hey Sis. I thought you went to bed." Serena said closing the bed room door.
"I did but I wanted to get a report done up for the new steer." Lilly lied as she flitered through the stacks of computer printouts on her desk. Serena nodded. Lilly was glad for once that her sister was dense. Serena grabbed her p.j.s and left the room to go take a shower.
*************
Ryou had called a cab, packed all the lugage in the car, paid for it, and got him and Bakura through the air port and Bakura hadn't asked why he was so upset. Nor had he even acted as if he had noticed. This didn't suprise him one bit. Yami and Yugi seemed closer than he and his yami were. As far as Malik and Marik went they were both off their rockers one just more than the other but it was often hard to tell which one that was. Bakura was amazed by everything on the plane though he didn't say it. Ryou had learned to read his yami. It had been hard at first, but after a while he just understood him with out questions.
"Dears, would you like anything?" a blonde flight attendent asked.
"No, thank you ma'am." Ryou answered her knowing it best not to let Bakura do alot of talking if he wanted to make it through this trip with out big problems. The woman nodded and continued on her way down the row. Ryou fell in and out of sleep during the 6 hour flight. When he was awoken by the same attendent that he had talked to earlier.
"I'm sorry honey but were there and there's a nice young lady waiting for you on the other side." she said straightening up.
"Thank you miss."
"Just doing my job." she said walking off. Ryou then turned to wake Bakura. He grabbed their carry-on bags and exited the plane. There was indeed a girl waiting for them. She couldn't have been much older than he was if she was older at all. She looked every aggitated.
"Hello. Please tell me your the Bakura brothers." the girl said a pleading look flashing in her green eyes.
"Yes, we are. I'm Ryou and he prefers .to be called by our last name." Ryou stated holding out a hand. The girl shook it.
"I'm Lilly Halse. Mom had somethings to do so she sent me to pick you up." the girl said with drawing her hand. Ryou noted how caullased her hand was and that it felt more like a man's hand then one of a girl. Besides the size he would have sworn other wise.
"It's okay." Ryou said. Bakura gave a small nodd toward the girl, who did the same back. Ryou knew this wasn't going to be easy, and it didn't seem like this girl was going to let it be any easier.
Lilly helped Ryou with the bags and led them out of the building to a beat up old pick up truck. Ryou couldn't decide if it was red or orange but it was every rusted. Lilly threw their bags in the back of the pick up, before climbing into the cab and unlocking the doors. Ryou got in and sat between the two. The ride was mostly high ways and passed by slowly seeing as no one could decide on a radio station. Lilly didn't say anything untill they got on back roads that kept crossing over dirt roads.
"You boys ever been to the country side?"
"No, not really." Ryou said truthfully.
"Pity, I hear the English countryside is amazing."
Once they pulled in the drive way Ryou realized exactly what he had gotten himself into. The house was small made of stone and logs it had an almost cabin like look to it. There were at least three barns that he could see and a long empty streach before a shoadowy line of trees apeared. He was stuck for a year in the middle of no where, with his abusive yami, and a family of farmers.
"Com'on its not so bad really."Lilly said jumping out of the truck before climbing up in to the bed and tossing their bags out."I'll take you in show you to your rooms and while you get settled I'll find Matt. His is the only car here."she said nodding to a small white car.
*********
Lilly took them inside the house and up to their room. She left them there unpacking and went down to the kitchen. She wasn't surprised to find a roast in the oven and a note on the table for her.
"It pretty much says that she and Serena had to go watch the hellians, I'm in the barn, one of the horses is lame so I'm tending to it, and your father and brother are where they always are." a voice said behind her. Lilly turned around reconizing the voice at once.
"Thank God. Who is lame?" Lilly asked Matt.
"Uhh Chip. I swear that horse is more troubble than he's worth."
"Yeah, well its the only one Serena will ride. When should Mom be home."
"Don't know. Their dad is working late so that really means he didn't want to go home sober and their mom had a very important appointment with the shrink."Lilly smirked.
"It could be hours. Okay, then I'll work on dinner. Mom's new projects are in their room if you wanna go meet them."
"I'll do that. I want to see what all the fuss is about."
Once Matt left it was only a matter of minutes before all three boys were in the kitchen.
"Com'on Sis lets show them around. Mom won't be her for a while." Matt said putting his arm around Lillys shoulder.
"Sis huh? Not by a long shot Mathew. But yeah lets show them around better now than listen to Mom yell later."
"He's your brother?" Ryou asked.
"No, this is Matt he gets paid to hang out here."she said shrugging him off and jumping out of the way when he tried to hit her.
"I do more that 'hang out'." Matt protested sounding every bit like a toddler.
"Yeah. Yeah. What do you wanna see first? Theres the woods, animals, pond,...am I forgetting anything?" Matt shook his head.
"We are a long way from home." Ryou said as they stepped out the back door.