Still Standing.

Authors Notes:

I'm really rather proud at this moment as I have two loyal readers who leave reviews frequently so 'Super Special Awesome' hugs to them… InsaneYGOlover and Shamise… unfortunately InsaneYGOlover is prolly gonna kill me after this chappy but it's needed for the story to progress so heart felt apologies to all.

Even though this story was published only about a week ago I already have nearly 400 hits so yay. Thankies to you all for taking the time to read it. :D

Disclaimer:

I don't own … so, don't sue, I am very poor.

Chapter 4: Falling.

Ryo would never fully understand the reasoning behind any of today's events. All he knew was that it was critical they got to the Game Shop… and fast. That was why he, Ryo Bakura; always calm and cynical Ryo, was panting wildly and running as fast as he could through the streets of Domino. He could see Yuugi up ahead of him, his pace slowing and his face twisting in pain, as he glanced to see where Ryo was. The young teen's foot clipped a long and deep scar in the pavement and immediately, Yuugi threw his other foot out to counter-balance himself as he stumbled from the safety of the sidewalk and attempted to dart through the heavy on-coming traffic, his pace still growing ever slower.

"Get across," Ryo gasped through the fire in his lungs. It was far too dangerous for Yuugi to slow now. "Don't stop, Yuugi! Don't look behind you!" He grabbed the other boys sleeve and pulled him around.

"I… I can't make it," Yuugi rasped, clutching his chest, his pace faltering.

"Yes! Yes you can," Ryo growled softly, his teeth clenched and grated in determination. He grabbed Yuugi's sleeve again and dragged him, forcing him to keep moving. "Come on. Come on!"

There was a sudden squeal of tyres and the strangulated shriek of a car horn behind them, and suddenly Ryo found he could run faster. The speeding car was ten feet from them, five feet. Two. A finial desperate burst and Ryo dove for the pavement, dragging Yuugi to safety after him. They tumbled as Ryo landed awkwardly; his foot shot out and twisted as he swallowed his yelp.

The driver leaned from his window, his face red and splotchy with rage, and the whites of his eyes showing in fear. "Damned, stupid kids!" he hollered. Then added, before speeding away. "What the hell are you trying to do?! Get yourselves killed!!"

Ryo blinked slowly. Adrenaline pumped its magic into his brain, making him feel groggy and lost. He heard the angry words but his mind, on too much of a terrified high right that second, could not and would not process them. He just sat there in a daze, staring at Yuugi, who sat beside him and looked as confused as himself. Finally the haze in Ryo's mind lifted and the images of what had just happened came crashing down around him, his face whitened when he realized what could have happened… what almost happened.

"For God's sake, Yuugi, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I… I wasn't thinking." Yuugi whispered. His voice unsteady. There were tears of complete and utter fear in his eyes as his own adrenaline fuelled mind processed his foolish actions. The mocking voice laughed cruelly from the darkest corner of his mind in vile triumph. "I… I just acted…"

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He had never been afraid of Jonouchi.

But this was a Jonouchi he had never seen before; his fine featured face was white and cold with dangerous fury, and there was a primal killing light in his usually soft brown eyes. Just that moment, there was absolutely no doubt in Yami's mind; he was in very deep and very real trouble.

Without even moving, Jonouchi emitted such anger and such menace that Yami found himself more frightened of the blonde teenaged boy than he ever had been of anyone else in his life, both past and present.

"When I first met you, I knew you had trouble with your temper," said Jonouchi. His voice was soft and cold and light, and somehow that unnerved Yami more so than if he had came flying at him, fists swinging. He grabbed Jonouchi's hands and tried to pry them from his shirt front, but they wouldn't budge. Those fingers curled themselves so securely into the delicate material; Yami was reminded of a rodent, held in the death throes of a viper. Jonouchi's movements flowed effortless, easy and precisely controlled as he backed Yami past the Game Store's front counter and Sugoroku, almost like he were leading him through a dangerous dance. "But, I had no idea that your control was this underdeveloped, this… lacking!"

Yami scowled and shifted his hands, gripping Jonouchi's biceps urgently. Rage twisted in his gut and fury shadowed his face. Sugoroku could only watch in dismay as the two teens shoved and shunted and wrestled with each other. Both trying to force the other back, gaining an inch or two of ground before being forced to yield it again a few moments later. "Boys! That's enough!" Sugoroku boomed as Yami squared his shoulders and shunted Jonouchi a step backwards. "There has been far too much fighting in this house today. Somebody is going to get hurt."

"That's the idea." Jonouchi muttered under his breath and snarled. Grasping Yami's upper arms now, as urgently as Yami was gripping him.

Sugoroku had a terrible, gut-wrenching feeling that they were about to start head butting each other. With a roar, Jonouchi ploughed forwards and almost forced Yami to his knees and trampling him. Then, while he attempted to steady himself, Jonouchi hit. His fist crashed against Yami's temple. Grey spots sashayed in his vision and he crumpled, the right side of his forehead bounced off a glass display case and the blow echoed through his skull.

He shook the grey haze from his vision. Fury frothed and bubbled in his chest. He scrambled up and stood panting; blood trickled from a small but deep gash on just above his right eyebrow.

Then he charged.

"I did warn you." Jonouchi grated and he dropped low, the sprinted.

Yami's breath burst from his lips in a bark as Jonouchi's arm caught him a glancing blow to his stomach and the two slammed through the shop door and out into the street. The two boys rolled and tumbled, clawing for a grip on the other. Shaking himself free, Jonouchi flung Yami away, used t he momentum as a springboard and was quickly back on his feet, sneering. This time Yami was slower in getting up. His temples thrummed, his vision swam in front of his eyes, and his nostrils flared; blowing like a frightened horse. Jonouchi drew his fist back, ready to strike…

"JONOUCHI!" a breathless and stained voice cried. "DON'T!"

He turned to see both Ryo and Yuugi limping towards the Game Shop, read faced and sweaty. For a moment he looked at Yuugi without recognition, his eyes so dark with anger, they looked almost black. Then understanding came to his face and some of the darkness faded from his gaze…

Yami slammed an elbow into Jonouchi's stomach, and the fury swept back over his face as he straightened from doubling up. He swung and landed a blow to Yami's jaw, knocking him back down. Yami's lip split. Something sweet and metallic, almost like tasting copper, seeped into his mouth.

"I swear, Yami, that was a very… stupid move." Jonouchi snarled, grabbing the ex- Pharaoh's shirt again and dragged him on to his unsteady feet, "Try something like that again, and I'll feed you your own balls through a tube!"

Yami turned his head and spat, blood flecked the pavement, crimson stained his teeth as he drew his lips back and snarled, "Thanks. But, I think I'll pass on your generous offer." His old, cocky tone crept into his voice.

Jonouchi's eyes burned in anger, "You're awfully cocky for a guy who's on the wrong end of a beat down."

"Old habits are hard to break, Katsuya, you should know that better than anyone else."

A flare in Jonouchi's face and Yami knew he was getting to him. Good. Jonouchi was stronger than himself so his strategy was to basically piss him off until he slipped up, then, run like hell. Yami was far from stupid, he was cunning. Cunning on the duelling field as well as in avoiding chores, and Omocha. And here was no different, he would do what he could to save face.

"Don't! Don't you DARE pretend that you're better than me!" Jonouchi roared in absolute fury. "Don't you compare yourself to me!" He raised his arm, his fist cocked.

"Pretend? I never pretend…" Then Yami yelped, 'okay, so a slight flaw in your plan' genius', he has to let go before you can really piss him off.'

Jonouchi raised his fist again, preparing for another blow. Yami closed his eyes and braced himself…

"STOP!!!"

Yami's eyes opened wide, he knew that shout. That voice. He knew the desperation in it first hand because, Yuugi had used that exact tone on him all those years ago.

Yuugi had fallen to his knees, tears streaming down his face and his head was thrown back as he howled. "Leave him alone. Please. Jonouchi."

The blonde froze. The pain in his best friend's voice chilled him to his very core. He let go of the silk material in his hand, his eyes blank and unseeing, he didn't even see the pain contorted in Yami's face.

"You know something, Yami?" he said. His voice deadened and hollow. "You're not worth it. And you don't deserve a friend like Yuugi."

Anger twisted on Yami's face, he roughly scrubbed the blood from his lips with the back of his hand and pivoted onto the balls of his feet, and lunged at Jonouchi, knocking him to the ground and pinning him on his back. His hands clutched the blondes' shoulders and his knees pinned his thighs.

"What is that supposed to mean? What the hell am I supposed to have done?"

Jonouchi scowled up at him, his voice sombre, almost childlike. "Like you don't know." He spat.

"Enlighten me!" Yami was snarling in Jonouchi's ear. He looked feral. Savage.

Jonouchi shuddered, silently admitting to himself he was scared, he didn't know a face could contort itself into a state this primal… this inhuman.

"You… you hurt Yuugi! Jonouchi grated.

The savagery drained out of Yami's expression, and he loosened his hold on Jonouchi. "What are you talking about-"

The blonde carried on, stubbornly speaking over Yami's words. "After everything he's suffered for you… everything he's suffered at your hands… you turned on him! You gave into your rage once more, even though you promised him you wouldn't. Look at yourself, Yami. You're no Great King of Egypt. You're nothing more than a spoiled brat with an attitude problem." And with his final word, Jonouchi slammed his knee up sharply into Yami's stomach.

Yami's slanted crimson eyes flew open in shock and pain and he crumpled sideways

"Next time, I'll hit you where it hurt's. You, bastard."

Jonouchi shoved himself to his feet and wiped his hands on his pant legs. Stepping over Yami, who lay on his side clutching his stomach, coughing and spluttering and wheezing, Jonouchi closed the distance to Yuugi and Ryo in two large strides. Yuugi still sat on his knee's, and Ryo's arms were around him in a comforting hold, tears now rolled slowly down his cheeks, he gave a soft whimper and buried himself deeper against Ryo's chest. Carefully Jonouchi reached for Yuugi's shaking shoulders. "Don't, Jonouchi," Ryo said softly, coldly. "I think it would be best if you left him alone for a little while don't you?"

Jonouchi's eyebrows puckered into a small frown at the silver haired teen. 'No, I do not think it would be best to leave him alone for a while. Especially not with him.' his mind snarled though Jonouchi said nothing and simply stood there, lips drawn tight and he flicked his eyes over to Yami. He licked his lips then parted them, "I'm sorry, Yuug. I guess I just kinda lost it there. I didn't want it to go this far. I just wanted you to see that you didn't deserve how he treated you." He said quietly.

"But did he deserve the way you treated him?" Yuugi asked. He scrubbed his tears from his face and gave Ryo a small nod, showing it was ok for him to lax his grip.

Jonouchi grimaced as he watched Yami trying to get back on his feet and falling back in the dirt, 'No… I guess he didn't.'

"' No one deserves to be treated like this,' wasn't that what you said, Jou?"

"I know what I said Yuug." Jonouchi said blandly. He squirmed. This was not what he expected to happen… but what did he expect? Did he think Yuugi would have smiled that big grin of his and hi-five him for kicking 5 shades of shit from his Other Self? He shook his head. "I didn't mean for it mean it to happen… it just kinda did…" Then it hit, Yuugi hadn't said anything about the row because it wasn't expected, it was a personal row that had just been blown out of proportion. Yami hadn't actively hurt him. He understood. And he had now screwed up royally. Without a word he wheeled and bolted, he had to sort the mess out in his head … then he would seek Yuugi's and Yami's forgiveness.

Yuugi looked up at Ryo and smiled a small smile.

"Thank you Ryo."

Ryo blinked. "Thank you? For what?"

"For everything. Thank you for wanting to listen to me. Thank you for following me here. Thank you for pulling me out of the way of that car… just thank you."

Ryo smiled the most secretive of his secret smiles… the one of just pure happiness. "Don't worry about it, Yuugi-kun. What are friends for if not for risking his life on the roads of Domino City?"

Yuugi chuckled. Then he stood up and glanced over at Yami who had finally gotten to his feet and, with the help of Sugoroku, was hobbling towards the Game Shop's front door. He had the warm glowing feeling that everything was going to be fine.

Waving goodbye, Ryo turned to head back to his own apartment where Bakura would be waiting, and probably gnawing hungrily on the refrigerators door handle due to Ryo not being home and his own stubbornness when it came to fending for himself well, feeding himself at least. Yuugi waved enthusiastically until he could no longer see the silver hair of Ryo streaming behind him. Then he turned and trotted after Sugoroku and Yami, following them into the kitchen where his grandfather was applying butterfly stitching to the still trickling gash above Yami' right brow.

"Another scar to add to your collection there Yami." Yuugi said chuckling softly. Yami growled and swung his face to meet Yuugi's eyes.

"That's it. That's right. Laugh it up. Are you satisfied now?" he snarled bitterly and flinched and Sugoroku pulled the skin tight before he added another strip of surgical adhesive bonding tape to hold the wound shut. "Was that what you wanted? To see me lying face down in the dirt. Humiliated?" There was no pride left in his voice. Only bitterness.

Confused Yuugi leaned to touch his shoulder. "Yami, I…-"

And to his horror Yami didn't pull away from his outstretched fingers, he slapped them away and near enough leaped to his feet. It was too much for Yuugi's tattered nerves to bare. Today everything had erupted in his face and he just couldn't take anymore. He wheeled and ran.

Sugoroku frowned at Yami. "You know. I think it's about time you two boys sat and talked about this whole mess, don't you?" He finished cleaning the dried blood from Yami's face and turned away.

Yami gingerly touched the stitches and winced. He stubbornly kept his mouth shut and stood. Quietly muttered his thanks and turned out of the kitchen…

…And straight into Omocha. She smiled spitefully at Yami who simply threw a glare back. "I suppose you want to add a cruel and nasty comment to Grandfather's words…" he sighed, suddenly feeling very drained.

Omocha beamed. "Oh, no. No. I just want to say I saw that whole fiasco from the yard. And I'd like to add my own thoughts. If, of course you don't mind."

Yami shrugged. "It's a free country."

He didn't really care what she had to say to him, and then he saw the cold in her eyes, and regretted his words.

"You got everything that was coming to you, the moment you laid your finger on my little boy." Malice oozed from her voice.

Yami glared at her and shoved past. "I don't have to stand here and listen to you." He growled.

Omocha shrugged off the rude sentence and smiled coldly after Yami. "That's true, you don't." she watched him begin to climb the stairs then said rather coldly and rather loudly. "You got everything that was coming to you. And I think you deserved everything you got!!"

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Okay I was evil there. I could have just let it end where Yuugi thought everything was all hunky dory, but where's the fun in that? Besides Yuugi hasn't unloaded everything off his chest to Yami yet and so there is no closure… not to mention poor Jonouchi. I promise it will ease up on the angst soon… maybe.

Oh and for those who don't know what butterfly stitching is, it's basically taping a tear in the skin together and you have a slightly less chance of scarring, I unfortunately scarred when I had mine done.

Until next time, please read and review… I'm a whore… a whore for the applause. Lol.