A/N: Damn I've been lazy… Well, here it is at last! I've even started to work on some fics I haven't worked on in a long time, such as TDEL and this one fic I'm writing just for shits and giggles. I think the chapter could be better but it got a bit out of hand and the scenes got longer and longer. To prevent this chapter from being a gigantic one, I cut it down a little and decided to put the rest into the next chapter. The bad thing about that is that now this chapter is somewhat crappy.

Shattered Crescent

Part Nine

Caught under Bakura's stare, Ryou felt stupid for coming. Why had he run to Bakura when they barely knew each other? He should have gone to Honda. Ryou knew Honda wanted him to open up, to tell his worries, and, in many ways, Honda deserved to know what was going on. The knowledge did nothing to encourage Ryou, instead making things more difficult and complicated. It made Ryou feel guilty.

He should have just gone home.

Bakura hadn't stopped looking at him yet and Ryou wondered if his eyes had somehow stuck that way. Was the other waiting for Ryou to say something first? In that case, he would be waiting for a long time as all the words Ryou had learned, had disappeared. Bakura looked so serious; nothing was left of the grin he had showed Miss Ishtar. Which was the act?

The elevator slowed down as it neared the bottom level, and as if realizing that this was his final change, Bakura pulled Ryou close. Ryou, too surprised to react, just raised his hand to push the other away but the movement was cut short and the hand left limp against Bakura's chest. What..?

The 'gling' told them that time was up and Ryou was released from the awkward embrace. He stared as Bakura straightened his back, flipping his hair behind his shoulder, and walked out looking as unfazed as one can be. Ryou wasn't so well off and it took the other's grip on his arm to drag him out of the elevator. Despite his confusion, the hug had made him feel better. In a strange way, it had been almost motherly… Not a quality one would associate with the man walking beside him now.

"It's a pity I couldn't invite you in," Bakura spoke, glancing at Ryou with a smirk. "But I needed to get away from that nosy woman, and the place is a bit of a mess."

Ryou frowned at the statement but decided that if Bakura didn't want to talk about the elevator, he wouldn't bring it up. "Oh… That's ok." But it wasn't like he hadn't seen a mess at Bakura's apartment before… "What… I mean, you don't haveto tell me but, why was Miss Ishtar there?" The other kept walking, facing the street, and Ryou followed. He didn't know where they were heading but he was too occupied by other things for it to bother him.

They passed the building and it was almost as if Bakura hadn't heard the question. "She seemed to know you."

Ryou shrugged in what would have been a careless gesture hadn't it been so stiff. "I work at the police station and her brother is missing, we met once." How could he forget that meeting when it had been so strange? "She acted kind of weird, gave me her number for… some reason." Ryou didn't feel like sharing that particular conversation. He saw Bakura smirk and hoped he could somehow find out what the other was thinking. Ryou couldn't just observe him for a while and tell what kind of a person he was, nor could Ryou predict what he would say or do next.

"I doubt you came here to talk about her." The street no longer held Bakura's attention; Ryou did. "Or did you cry in joy when you were reunited?"

The question earned a sharp look. "That was uncalled for. What if something serious happened?"

A white eyebrow arched. "It was obviously serious if it made you so upset. I never took you as someone who cried over nothing."

"And yet you joke about it. You're so insensitive…" Though, Ryou wasn't sure if that was true. People who didn't give a damn didn't comfort others, and he was hell bent on believing that the hug was meant for him, not for Bakura's hormones. But Bakura was right; he hadn't run here to talk about Miss Ishtar nor had he come here to argue. "Thanks for being a bit interested, at least, though." He gave the other a smile as a peace offering. Bakura accepted it with a nod.

"You're quite welcome."

Ryou realized the silence that followed must have been meant for him to start talking. Spilling his heart out wasn't his strongest point. Perhaps this was the perfect time to practice. "Something happened at work," he started but found it difficult to continue. He glanced at Bakura who seemed to be concentrating. Ryou was a bit inclined to think that the other was focused on keeping his mouth shut so no frogs could jump out. That was a terrible thing to think about someone ready to listen but not too far from the truth.

Trying to figure out how to continue, Ryou frowned at the pavement, as if it was its fault he wasn't sure what to say and how much to tell. A hand settled on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. Ryou blinked at the street, surprised by the gesture but it prompted him to keep going.

"You see, there was this… girl who said something, lived by the train station, and, her father had been… cut." He didn't dare to look at the other, concentrating on walking, determined not to let the hand distract him. It was heavy and warm.

"Cut?"

"Hm, his leg was missing," Ryou stated and the hand slacked a little. "Not that disturbing in itself, or, I mean of course it is but," he took a deep breath to clear his mind. Since when had missing limbs become a normal, every day occurrence? "That's not what bothered me the most."

"But something the girl said did?"

Ryou nodded. "She asked me if I could bring her father back." It was easier to talk now when his voice wasn't the only one. Bakura snorted but Ryou took no offence as the other didn't know the full story.

"That's just stupid."

"I guess…" He agreed half heartedly, pausing to choose his words. It had been a while since he had last spoken to anyone about the matter. "She reminded me of… my sister, or of what she was like, once, after mother's accident." Amane had, with all her childish innocence and blind faith in her big brother, believed that Ryou could do anything. He had never felt as powerless as on the pedestal he had done nothing to deserve. "She died."

"Your mother or your sister?"

Ryou found himself smiling at the question. The smile was small and forlorn, and he let his hair fall on his face to cover it. Now was indeed the time to spill. He hadn't expected Bakura to be sensitive enough to add anything like "if you don't mind me asking" and that wasn't a problem. Ryou didn't mind him asking. "Both."

The hand moved from Ryou's shoulder, past the hair and to the back of his neck, the thumb soothing the skin there. Ryou felt something wet fall down his cheek and hurried to wipe it off with his sleeve, finding some comfort in the odd gesture Bakura seemed to be so fond of. If Bakura had a thing for necks, Ryou wasn't about to question it.

"You know…" Ryou trailed off for a bit, frowning. Another tear was wiped away and Ryou was reminded why he didn't talk about his family. "There was something strange about the murder this time." He didn't check if Bakura was 

still listening. "It was… just sloppy. I mean it wasn't as neat as it… should be." For once, talking about the more morbid side of his work made him feel better. "Some of my coworkers noticed, too."

"That obvious, huh?"

A small laugh escaped him, "Heh, yeah…" The thumb had stopped stroking his skin, and after making sure he was no longer crying, Ryou dared a peek at Bakura. The man looked so serious, almost glaring at the air before him, and Ryou was left staring. As if sensing the other's stare, Bakura turned his dark eyes on Ryou, his mouth tilting into a smirk.

"Do you think it was done by the same person?" Bakura asked, his voice matching his expression. The hairs on Ryou's arms stood up as a shiver ran through him. The more time Ryou spend with Bakura, the more he realized how little he knew about the man. He had discovered some new sides of Bakura's personality but none of his finds had made him feel this nervous, a hair's width from scared.

"N-no, I-I…" This was a bad time to stutter. Ryou wetted his lips and tried again. "There are some people who don't want to believe it's done by someone else. They're scared." It didn't help matters that the man had worked for KaibaCorp. and the press would be even less eager to overlook the murder.

Bakura stopped, pulling Ryou to a halt with him. He guided Ryou to face him, pulling the other closer and clearing away the rest of the veiling hair.

"I don't care about that. What do you think?"

The eyes bored into Ryou's, intense and curious. What was the question again? It took some effort for Ryou to think straight. "I-I think?" That question should have been a statement and for a moment, Ryou wondered what the answer was. Right now, it was a definite 'maybe'. "I, um…" He wished he could close his eyes and take a few breaths but knew that once his eyes closed, he would lean forward and his answer would be lost to memory. "I don't think it was him. This may sound stupid to you but he's more skilled than that and… and…" Ryou tilted his head a little, drawn in. The first real kiss between them had been initiated by Bakura and had been too chaste. "…the way it was done this time was just… disgraceful," he whispered against Bakura's lips.

Hiroto slowed down long before he reached Ryou's building. He was sure that was where he would find his friend, locket up in the small apartment. Where else could Ryou go?

As much as Hiroto wanted to make things right, the truth was that he was no expert in dealing with emotional people. Back in the day, he had punched a few to get them together but that didn't seem like the ideal method in this case. He wouldn't be able to bring himself to hit Ryou either way.

He had learned other ways of making people feel better but that didn't mean he wasn't awkward about it. His most used method was just sitting there making sure the other didn't do anything stupid or self-destructive. Sometimes he would bring food or take Ryou out to eat. The idiot often forgot to eat when burdened by worries, work, or his personal favorite, work related worries.

Hiroto knew Ryou was made of tougher stuff than most people but lately the other just seemed fragile. Maybe it was the new case, maybe the lifestyle of work and next to no social life. Hiroto believed it to be a mixture of both and that loneliness played a big part in it. Ryou knew a lot about people, especially about the darker side of them, but he had trouble getting to know people, as in befriending them.

Though, Hiroto supposed that the latest addition to Ryou's life was a good thing. If that artist guy, Mikazuki or whatever, could make Ryou crawl out of his shell, he couldn't be all that bad, despite how Ryou had described him as "annoying". Hiroto had had no idea Ryou found being annoying an attractive quality… Whatever made the other happy, he guessed, but if the bastard hurt Ryou he would be in for some ass-kicking.

Turning a corner, Hiroto shoved his hands in his pockets, his gaze traveling to the pavement. He didn't know what he would do or say when he got to Ryou. He didn't even know what the problem was and he would only find out if Ryou felt like sharing. Caring about someone sure was difficult.

His eyes rose at the muffled sound coming from somewhere in front of him. What was meant as a short glance turned into a surprised stare when recognition tapped him on the shoulder. Was that Ryou pressed against the wall while having his face sucked off? It had to be. Hiroto had never witnessed Ryou being intimate with anyone and now that he did, he didn't like the feeling it welled up in his chest. What to say was no longer a problem as a yell came out before he could think it through.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

The pair broke apart but it seemed to be just because Ryou pushed the other off. Hiroto ignored Ryou's blush and startled look while he took a good look at the unknown male. He could guess who it was but seeing the self-satisfied smirk, he took back everything positive he had thought about the guy. Ryou had been right; this person annoyed him already.

"H-Honda?" Ryou choked out, drawing the attention back to him. "What are you… why are you… Are you angry?"

The question Ryou settled on was rather stupid. "What are you doing, in the middle of a street? I thought you were sad or distressed or… something!" Maybe he was being a bit unreasonable. He should be glad that Ryou was ok but the bastard still had a hand up his shirt! "Stop trying to molest him while we're having a conversation!" The outburst got no reaction, the damnable smirk never fading.

"You came looking for me?" Ryou asked, like he hadn't been expecting Honda to come, and, getting rid of the hand, moved farther away from his companion, the blush starting to fade.

"Well of course I did!"

Ryou flinched and Hiroto felt a bit bad. He had thought that Ryou was troubled and might need his help but instead he had found his friend making out with that guy, without a care in the world. Though, if he looked more closely, he could see that Ryou's eyes were a little redder than usual. He looked away from Ryou so he wouldn't have to see his face, focusing on the third one present again. The guy glanced at Ryou before narrowing his eyes at Hiroto. The glare wasn't appreciated.

"What are you looking at?" Hiroto demanded but when the other's lips curled up to reveal a set of teeth in a grin that would have made a lesser man run, he lost some of his demeanor.

"I would appreciate if you stopped yelling." The two final words were hissed and Hiroto could swear that some of those teeth were sharper than they were supposed to be. Great, his friend was dating a vampire.

"I-I don't care what you 'appreciate'…" Hiroto managed but it came out much weaker than he would have liked. The grin settled down to a smug smirk, and as much as that irritated him, he was also grateful.

"Of course you don't. I'm sure Ryou wouldn't mind talking things through, whatever your problem is." The male pocketed his hands, the glare from before turning into some unique brand of casual mockery. "Really now, I'm surprised that you didn't barge in banging your chest with your fists while throwing sticks at Me."

Hiroto could feel his blood starting to boil, the only thing keeping him from kicking some arrogant ass was the malicious look burned into his memory. That, and Ryou stepping in.

"Please, Honda, Bakura, don't fight." Ryou gave both a look. Ryou wasn't aware he had one but the look had a hint of pleading mixed with something stern that, more often than not, made people do as the soft spoken male requested. "I'm sorry I made you worry, Honda, but that's not Bakura's fault so please, don't take it out on him." Ryou smiled a bit as quilt showed on Hiroto's face, "And don't let him get to you, he'll just enjoy taunting you more."

"You would know," the annoying one threw at Ryou with a smirk, earning a muttered "shut up".

Hiroto watched the exchange. Now that the initial anger was gone, he felt a bit awkward and out of place. He had never heard Ryou tell anyone to 'shut up'. "So um…"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot this is the first time you've met," Ryou piped up, clearing his throat. "Honda, this is Mikazuki Bakura," he made a gesture towards the one in question. "Bakura, meet my friend Honda Hiroto."

Hiroto nodded, trying not to let Mikazuki's unending smirk get to him. "I've heard so much about you."

"Oh? Interesting how I've heard nothing about you, isn't it?"

Hiroto clenched his teeth, hissing out a curt "Indeed."

The arrogant ass ignored any tone Hiroto might have had. Why did Ryou even like the guy was beyond him. Did Ryou like the overconfidence and the lack of manners? He guessed the male was good-looking and successful but he didn't think Ryou was that shallow. Hiroto had seen some of the guys Ryou had dated before and whenever he had asked about them, the answer had been about the same.

"You are? So… What's he like, then?"

"Oh he's nice."

And that's what they had been; nice. Ryou had said many things about this Mikazuki Bakura and none of them had been "nice". In times like this when Ryou was troubled but didn't talk about it, not to him, Hiroto wondered he was just "nice", too.

"Your friend seems nice."

It was loud for a whisper so Hiroto could hear it and he was sure he was supposed to. His eyes focused on the pair in front of him. Ryou frowned at the whisperer whose attitude was too damn condescending. Hiroto pocked his hand so he could clench it into a fist without Ryou seeing. If Ryou liked this guy, he could deal with it.

"Bakura," Hiroto addressed Ryou, throwing the other "Bakura" a dirty look, daring him to react. The look was left to its own value, which was next to nothing if the reaction was anything to go by. Hiroto decided to play ignorant, too, keeping his attention on Ryou instead. "If you want to talk about what happened…"

Ryou started to fiddle with his sleeve, looking all around uncomfortable. "Actually… if neither of you minds, I'd like to go home now…"

Hiroto was about to speak, to ask why, when he noticed the first frown on Mikazuki's face he had seen. The smirk was but a memory and there was something on his face that Hiroto almost mistook as worry. There was no way it could be worry. Wanting to know how the man would handle this, Hiroto shut up and watched.

"Do you want Me to come with you?"

Ryou shook his head a little. "No, that's alright. I'm… I'm a bit tired, so…" He looked down. Hiroto's eyes narrowed. This was the kind of awkwardness Ryou showed when he was lying. Hiroto glanced at Mikazuki to see if he noticed anything off.

"Hmm, I'll let you get away with that lie just this once, Ryou-muffin, but the next time you won't be so lucky."

Judging from everything, he had. 'Ryou-muffin', though?

Ryou blinked, turning pink. "You called me that just because Honda is here, didn't you?" he asked, accusing. "And I really am tired, just so you know." He turned to Hiroto next. The corners of his mouth tilted upwards but didn't stick that way for long; faking it must take a lot of energy. "I'll see you tomorrow at work."

"But Ryou, you-!" Hiroto moved to stop his friend from just walking out on him but he was yanked back. He had forgotten for a second that there was a third person present and now the fact just pissed him off. "What are you-?!"

"Running after someone who wants to be alone isn't the best idea," the other told, sounding harsh compared to his former way of talking. The hand holding Hiroto back had strength to it that he hadn't expected to be there. The way the other held himself gave him an image of power but Hiroto had thought that it was all show kept up by someone whose chosen weapon was a paintbrush.

"What would you know?" He jerked himself free but didn't go after Ryou who had disappeared from view. He would never admit on taking the advice even though that was what he was doing.

"I know a lot of things," the artist told with a shrug. "But I also have stuff I need to go do. It was wonderful meeting you, Ryou's friend."

Hiroto tried his best not to get annoyed again. "Honda." Whatever irritation he might have showed despite his efforts got waved off as the other walked away to do "stuff". The stuff just happened to be in the same direction Ryou had gone to.

"Damn."

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