Nina- Something random that happens, I decided to add Malik and Marik. I was kinda debating if they were here or in Egypt, but there at school with everyone else. And a large chunk of this chapter turned into malikxryou… which was completely unplanned. I had completely different ideas but this has opened my mind so if you have a couple you want, let me know. The only one not subject to change is Bakuraxyugi. All the others…its anyonexanyone until I make up my mind. Tell me what you want, trust me it does affect the final decision. Thank you guys for the reviews!!!!! They made me really happy. Sorry I didn't get a chance to update until now… Anyway, here are the review replies:

Kpizkool- I'm updating now! Promise the next one will be faster.

Tinkletimekelly- Sorry it's short, This one will be longer (especially since you had to wait for it). Oh yes, there will be drama. (mostly caused by protectiveness, to be honest)

Twilightserius- I probably will have to do that. XD

SilverHunteress- Bakura said he'd like to reply to your review himself. Bakura; DAMN IT !!! What the hell makes you think I care about that damned brat? And I should kill you for kicking me! You're lucky I don't know where you live…. Nina- Please forgive him… What he means is that he would love to comfort a needy Yugi. After all, secretly he loves romance and wooing people.

Chapter 3- Damn Obsession

A week passed, much in the same fashion. Bakura made certain to attend all of his classes at least once. More than once for the ones Ryou and he shared. And he found himself attending PE consistently. It took him that entire week to realize PE was the only class he shared with Yugi. Following that realization, he spent the next hour trying to convince himself that he didn't care this was their only shared class.

It was Ryou (as always) who pulled him out of his thoughts. "Bakura?" The albino called softly to his darkness.

"What the hell do you want?" Bakura growled, caught off guard.

"Class is over." Ryou informed Bakura with a soft smile. It wasn't often Bakura was caught unawares. It was kinda cute when he was though.

"So it is." Bakura replied. He watched the class leave, noting that this time Yugi didn't bother to stay behind, choosing instead to rush to his next class.

"Yugi looks kinda down, doesn't he?" Ryou commented.

"Go to class Ryou." The dismissal was poignant, but Ryou chose to ignore it. He had a tendency of doing that, ignoring the subtle (and the not so subtle) hints Bakura dropped regarding certain subjects. Ryou would never know how lucky he was that Bakura considered his light something of a little brother, otherwise, the boy would have been dead in a ditch right about now.

"He's been like that for at least four days… wonder what happened." Ryou reflected aloud.

Bakura resisted the deep urge to correct his light. After all, it was at least a week (at least that's when Bakura had begun to notice) and the cause was that damned Pharaoh. Instead, he said, "You're going to be late." It was enough to capture his light's attention. Ryou, after all, had to uphold his gleaming reputation.

"Oh shoot." Ryou pouted, gathering his books. "I do wish Yugi would tell us what's wrong. He won't even tell Jounouchi!" Finished protesting to himself, he began to walk away before turning back to Bakura. "Are you going to class?"

"Hell no. Not with that fucker." Bakura sneered, nodding his head in Yami's direction.

"Bakura, you really should go to at least some of your classes!" Ryou began to lecture. It was no use, Bakura had already left.

The next week passed in much the same fashion, at least it did on the surface. Yes, to an outsider, nothing had changed, except maybe, Bakura had begun actively seeking fights, and skipped even more class than normal. Malik, however, was no outsider. He had been gone for a while, to help his sister with some… issues at home, was the best way to put it, but he could still sense the changes within the group. It was splitting and Ryou and Jounouchi (but mostly Ryou) were stuck right in the middle of it.

It was obvious that Yami and Yugi were splitting. How and why, Malik wasn't really sure, but he did notice Yami inviting the extended group (Jounouchi, Anzu, Honda, Otogi, Ryou, himself, and occasionally Kaiba) out to places and not offer the same to his own hikari, much less Bakura, Marik, or Mai. Usually Bakura and Marik wreaked havoc somewhere (Malik preferred to not be near when he knew Marik was going to be doing something highly illegal, it was fun to watch him get in trouble with Ishizu), and Mai would usually find them at some club or bar when she decided she was simply tired of being alone. Mai, surprisingly, got along a lot better with Bakura and Marik than she did with the others. It was simply more comfortable for her. Yugi, more often than not, stayed alone, preferring to stay at home than to tag along uninvited with Yami and everyone else.

Ryou and Jounouchi found themselves wondering which subgroup they should go with. Jounouchi's loyalties were split between two ways. Malik had witnessed more than one occasion where Jounouchi would contemplate his two best friends before either accepting or denying one of Yami's many invitations. Ryou was truly split. Every time Marik and Bakura disappeared, Ryou would wonder if he should go find them to keep them out of trouble. When Ryou would see Yugi heading off alone, or with Jounouchi as his only companion, he felt compelled to ask if they wanted to play monster world, or try the brand new tea he bought or help him with something. Despite this, he still wanted a free life to do what ever he wanted, without worrying about others. Malik had no such worries. He would along with whatever Ryou decided. There was only two days this week they did not have to worry about the group's separation. Once, Ryou took it upon himself to invite everyone to his home, the other Jounouchi invited Yugi to go with Yami and the others. Surprisingly, Yugi accepted both invitations with a smile.

Then there was all the stress the group was under. Bakura was being rather testy lately. Malik really didn't know why, although Ryou told him Bakura was infatuated with someone (who, Ryou wasn't completely sure although he was pretty sure he knew). Marik became enraged whenever Bakura was particularly unhappy (Marik's obsession with Bakura scared Malik sometimes). Yugi would lapse into depressions, usually for short amounts of time, but he fell into one at least once a day. Jounouchi would constantly wonder if his friends felt abandoned because he couldn't always be by Yugi and Yami's side like he used to. Anzu mostly worried about how to get Yami to love her. Yami was mostly concerned with convincing Anzu they were just friends. Seto was worried his crush wouldn't see him as human. And Ryou was worried about everyone else's problems. Everyone came to Ryou for advice and he was happy to help them, and distressed when he couldn't.

This particular Tuesday, Malik watched as a tired Ryou sipped slowly at his orange pekoe tea. "And so Anzu comes over and asks me what she should do to make Yami realize she's serious. I couldn't honestly tell her, 'you should realize that other than a meaningless drunken fuck, you've probably gotten all that you can get out of him'. And as I'm thinking of something to say to her Jounouchi pulls me to the side to ask if he goes to the arcade with Yami today will he be abandoning Yugi. And then I realized that Bakura had disappeared, which is almost never a good sign. And Yugi still won't tell anyone why he's so upset. I mean I know that part of it is because Yami is distancing himself from Yugi, but I seriously think there's something more to it… You think I'm crazy for worrying about all this don't you?" Ryou finished his rant, looking warily at Malik.

"No. Worrying about others is your style. It's what I like so much about you." Malik proclaimed nonchalantly. "What I do think though, is that you need to relax. You've stressed yourself out about this and it's not really helping anyone unless you get clearheaded enough to think these things through."

"And how would you suggest I relax?" Ryou asked wryly.

Malik grinned before grabbing Ryou's hand and leading him to the living room. "Lay down on your stomach. And take your shirt off." He added as an afterthought.

"What are you planning Malik?" Ryou wondered, honestly confused by his friends request.

"Just do it. I'm going to steal some of your lotion." Malik replied without actually answering Ryou's question.

He was pleased to note that Ryou had complied when he came back into the living room. With everything he needed in place, he straddled Ryou's lower back, chuckling when he heard Ryou squeak. "Relax." He said softly as he began to massage Ryou's back. The massage had the desired effect. Less than 15 minutes later, Ryou was completely relaxed, letting out soft moans and shudders. Malik had to stop simply for his peace of mind, after all, Ryou could make some really sexy sounds.

Malik could tell Ryou was just about to fall asleep… when the door banged open loudly, of course. Bakura stepped in covered in blood. Ryou was awake instantly.

"Bakura! What- wher-" Ryou stopped himself mid-question, wondering if he truly wanted those answers.

"How much of that is yours?" Malik asked instead, not afraid of the answer to his question.

"Not much." He snapped before heading to the bathroom.

"See what I mean? He's so moody now!" Ryou complained, instantly tense again. "And he had to track blood all over the house again. God he could at least clean up after himself."

"I'll help." Malik offered.

"Thanks Malik." Ryou smiled.

Bakura had noticed himself developing a bad habit over the last two weeks. This bad habit could be summarized in two words. 'Watching' and 'Yugi'. He wasn't quite sure when it started, although he believed it was when he first noticed those changes in Yugi, although something told him it went farther back, but he constantly noticed his eyes straying to find the shortest light. Cutest too.

He shook his head roughly to rid himself of such thoughts. He was certain they were caused by this newly acquired habit of his. Although if he was completely honest with himself, it was something slightly closer to 'stalking' and 'Yugi'. Today had not been the first time he followed the light home to make sure he was alright.

Usually, though he loathed admitting it, the activity put him in a calmer mood. Today, however… It was all that idiot Gozoboro's fault. Bakura told that fool to lay off anything that was his. And that included Yugi even if it wasn't official yet. Bakura had to content himself that Gozoboro wouldn't be out the hospital for a month at least. He had, of course, taken care of Gozoboro after Yugi was out of sight. After which, he immediately went home to shower.

Yugi would never know. He couldn't know of Bakura's… obsession. Damn that obsession anyway. After all if he hadn't had that stupid fucking obsession, he wouldn't have bothered to approach Yugi that day and none of this would have happened.

Damn obsession.

Nina- as always PLEASE REVIEW!!!!