AN: Ah! I'm a day behind! Here's the chapter!

Thanks to… (I'm sorry if my replies are rushed. I'm not supposed to be up at this hour, but I had to update! Sorry it's late!)

dragonlady222: Yay! Go Ryou! And yes, I agree with you about Bakura. Thanks for the review!

Tails7651: Lol, why thanks! And thanks for the review!

casaragi: Hehe. Thanks for the review!

Kaysblue: I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the review!

FlyingShadow666: Okay! Thanks for the review!

ONIX-21: I think you'll like this chapter. Thanks for the review!

The Vampire Prince: Glad you noticed! Thanks for the review!

AnimeNymph: Hey, I'm glad it made you laugh! I thought I was the only person who thought that about the yawning scene. Thanks for the review!

Chapter Five: What It All Means

Ryou's cheeks were flushed as he ran toward his elementary school, his feet pounding against the paved walkway. Please don't be late, please don't be late, he silently prayed, but knew it was in vain. Waiting in front of the school doors was his teacher, scolding another third grader for being late. Wincing at his bad timing, Ryou quickly bowed to his teacher and murmured his excuse. While the teacher was warning him about tardiness, Ryou glanced back at the school gates and immediately brightened. For a moment, he forgot about the teacher and wholeheartedly started to wave.

Leaning against the gate was Bakura, who was grinning and panting like the child. As Bakura waved back, he saw the teacher frown. The teen couldn't help laughing as he began to walk away, knowing he had to get going soon or he would be late to his own class as well.

"Have fun today, and stay out of trouble," Bakura muttered. He knew that the words were wasted since the kid couldn't hear him, but a blessing couldn't hurt, right?

Slowly, Bakura's breathing became even again as he leisurely made his way to the high school. Crossing street after street until a large, brick building appeared, the student pushed past the crowds in the schoolyard as he scolded himself for taking his time. It was five minutes before the first bell, and he was probably going to be late. Used to showing up at least half an hour early every day, Bakura couldn't help growling in annoyance at the packed hallways and ever-shifting groups of people that blocked his path.

As predicted, he was late to his first class, History. Cursing the stupid people who stood in the halls to talk to friends for two more minutes because they couldn't stand not being able to chat with them for the next hour and a half, Bakura slammed himself into his seat and glared straight ahead of him as his teacher handed him a detention pass.

"You'll have to stay an hour after school in the library."

"After school?"

"Did I not make myself clear, Mr. Teishin?"

Bakura clenched his jaw when his sensei snapped his father's despised surname. I swear, as soon as I'm old enough, I'm going to discard that bastard's only link to me. The teen exhaled as he ran a hand through his hair. "Could I come in early instead?" he asked heatedly.

The history teacher, Sorin Nolson, clicked his tongue. "What do I look like, an evangelist?"

As the man strolled back up to the front of the room, Bakura fought the temptation to break the pen he held in his hand.

What the hell did I do to deserve this?

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Ryou happily skipped to his school cubbie, gathering his treasured bento box into his Blues Eyes White Dragon backpack. He didn't know when Bakura had found the time to make onigiri for his lunch, but the thoughtfulness had left him in incredibly high spirits for the rest of the day. He couldn't wait to tell to his brother thank you.

Shouldering his bag, Ryou quickly made his way outside to the under-cover area and impatiently waited for Bakura to pick him up. At first, the child's excitement made the time pass by quickly. However, the boy started to notice the mass of children was thinning out. It was getting late, or maybe he was just imagining it? Either way, Ryou became sick with worry.

Why wasn't Bakura here yet? Did something happen to him? Was he okay? Well…he doesn't have to pick you up. Pouting a little, and trying to keep himself from throwing a fit, Ryou shoved the thought out. Already his excitement had all but died, and irritation was starting to settle in. If the teen wasn't going to pick him up on time today, he should have told him! Why did Bakura always do this? Pretend to be nice, then become mean again?

As Ryou looked up to see how many kids were left, he saw his teacher coming toward him with concern written all over her face. I don't need this right now, the child decided, knowing full well that Mrs. Deluz was going to ask him where his 'guardian' was. Like he knew!

The boy quickly turned away from the teacher and made his way to the only entrance of the under-cover area, the staircase at the east end.

"Ryou, wait a minute!" Mrs. Deluz called.

This only spurred the child to go faster. He was so mad, so frustrated, that he didn't want to take the chance of speaking to anyone for fear of screaming at them.

Just as he arrived at the stairway, Ryou couldn't believe his eyes when a white-haired teen started to make his way up the steps.

"Bakura!"

The said teen looked up, his eyes widening in surprise as Ryou glared at him from atop the stairs.

Bakura froze, frowning as Ryou rolled his hands into fists. The child started to shake, feeling irritated beyond reason. He couldn't speak, he couldn't voice all that wound up fury reveling in his system. What infuriated him further was the way Bakura was looking at him, as if asking what was wrong.

The sound of hurried footsteps caught Ryou's ears, and he immediately started down the stairs. He didn't need the teacher butting into his personal affairs, not now. Somewhat angrily, the child brushed past Bakura without a word and just plowed ahead.

Bakura stared after the child for a few seconds before stuffing his hands in his pockets and following the seething boy. "What the heck is his problem?" Bakura muttered under his breath.

Fifteen minutes later, upon arriving at the park, Ryou ran ahead of Bakura and headed for the abandoned swing set. He threw his bag off to the side and settled on a swing, gripping the vertical handles so tightly that later his hands would smell of rust.

Soft crunching told Ryou that Bakura was walking toward him. Choosing to ignore him, Ryou glowered at the ground as he swung lightly from his seat.

There was an uneasy silence as neither of the boys said a single word. Then, a little irate, Bakura asked, "What are you so furious about?"

The swing stopped. Ryou scoffed, incredulous to Bakura's seemingly ignorant attitude. He tried to say something, anything, to express the disappointment and anger boiling inside of him. Finally, the only thing he could shout was three simple words.

"I hate you!"

Bakura was quite clearly caught off guard. Before he could say anything however, Ryou vehemently continued. "I can't believe you! You're worse than all my previous foster parents! You pack me nice lunches and hold my hand on the way to school, but for what? As soon as school's over, you don't love me anymore! You make me stay in your room all night, with that stupid music on so loud. You always say mean things to me at home, and leave me out of everything! If you don't love me, that's fine! Quit lying to me! It's just cruel! If you're going to be nice, then be nice! Quit messing with me! It hurts!"

Despite all his defenses and efforts, Ryou started to cry. It was all too much, too big. He was so confused! Why would anyone trick him like that? Trick him into thinking that they loved him? Was it pity? Was it kindness? Was it malice?

Bakura was at a loss for words. He wanted so badly to yell back at the child, scream at him…What more do you want from me? You have no idea what I have to put up with every day and night because of you! But he knew better than that. No matter how much he wanted to act like a child, act his age, act like a teenager, he knew saying such words would destroy whatever naiveté and innocence remained in the boy.

"Why don't you just hit me instead?" Ryou angrily said, sniffling as he wiped the tear trails on his cheeks.

The teen's jaw stiffened. "What?"

Ryou swallowed hard, and met Bakura's eyes squarely. "It would hurt just as much, but you wouldn't have to waste your time pretending that you care. Isn't that what our father does?"

Bakura lost his temper. He grabbed Ryou's shirt collar with both hands and yanked him forward. Through gritted teeth, he muttered, "That man has not laid a hand on you, and he never will." Then Ryou saw Bakura look away as heat rose to his face. "I never meant to pretend, I never meant to hurt you, either," Bakura heatedly murmured. "But Ryou, if I didn't care, would I walk you to school every day? Would I even bother to make you lunch?"

Ryou felt Bakura release his shirt, and slumped back into the swing. He was completely worn-out, and realized that his older brother was, too. Why hadn't he noticed how tired he was?

A hesitant hand placed itself behind Ryou's head, and the child felt himself being pulled into an embrace. Ryou knew he was crying again, but he couldn't help it as that familiar warmth enveloped him. This feeling, this happiness – it was something he cherished the moment he had first held his brother's hand.

As the child clung onto his brother, who held him close, Ryou heard Bakura softly say something.

"I…I'll try harder. I promise."

It was then that Ryou realized just how selfish he had been.

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AN: I'm sorry it's a day late! The next chapter will be up by Tuesday or Wednesday night. Please review, and thanks for reading!