Hello everyone~!

Today is a very important day- my day off! Which means you all get the update you've been waiting for. I have to say, this chapter was so hard to write. Mostly that was because my plot bunnies wanted to change direction. I refuse to let that happen! I do have something else I'm working on because of the bunnies but I'm not going to post it until this one is done.

Anyway, thanks for the reviews! I was like jumping up and down when I got them. I want to give a shout out to: lady Alexas, ilovemanicures, Tranquil-Chaos, FormerV, RyouandBakuraforever, Yugi-Sora13579, and Sezthekitty. You are all amazing and because of you this story is going to get better and better you just watch.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The new book reference belongs to the author that I gave credit to in the story. Are you happy? Good.

The song is The Exit by Forgive Durden from their album Razia's Shadow.

Enjoy the fic!

The Exit

Ever since he was a child, Ryou always wanted to be a writer. Mostly it was because he had a love for books. He would get lost in a book as one would a great movie. That morning he got up and began to look over his work. He was working on something he hoped would be his first novel. The majority of the story was done. He was just missing that final push. The problem was he was lacking the inspiration. He cursed underneath his breath but then decided to just get dressed and get breakfast somewhere. Maybe he would get inspiration there. He also thought he should take someone from the apartment with him. So he got dressed and found that Malik was awake.

"Morning," Ryou said.

Malik looked over and smiled, "Good morning. What's up?"

"Do you want to get breakfast with me?" He asked softly.

The Egyptian thought about it, "Sure. We can bring everyone doughnuts or something."

Ryou shrugged at got the keys to lock the door. Malik and he knew this one pastry shop that had breakfast. They walked in and ordered what they wanted. They knew the owner well so sometimes he gave them something free. This time it was Malik coffee and Ryou's tea.

"Okay, spill it," The Egyptian said.

The white haired boy looked at him, "What?"

"Your thinking about something," Malik said.

He smiled sheepishly, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit," Malik answered sharply, "You look preoccupied. Why is that?"

He sighed, "I've been thinking about those guys we met yesterday…"

"Those assholes?" Groaned the boy, "There not worth even a second of your time."

Ryou frowned as he pulled out a book and pen, "I was just thinking…well they looked like they have money. Whoever they are."

"So?" He lifted an eyebrow.

The other went on as he began to write, "Don't you just wish you had a life different then the one you have?"

"Sometimes but then I think about you, our friends, especially Kira," The Egyptian answered, "In another life we may not have met. Or if we did, I doubt we would be as close as we are now."

Ryou blinked, "You do have a point there."

"I mean, don't you think there is a reason we are all friends? Something big is going to happen to us," Malik said smiling, "I can feel it."

At that very moment something did happen. Bakura, Marik and Atem walked in the same pastry shop. The three boys were dressed down today. They blended in more. They placed their order and paid. It wasn't until they sat down did Marik even notice the other boys sitting at a table across from them. He smiled.

"Look Bakura," He said.

Bakura looked in that direction, "Oh looks like the Rabbit had a day off."

"He looks like a nice person," Atem said, "Was the other one there yesterday too?"

The two nodded.

"Maybe you should go say hi and apologize for your behavior yesterday," Atem kept going.

Marik shot him a look, "Like hell Bakura is. Right?"

"I'm not going over there because I want to see what Rabbit is doing," He answered swiftly.

Sure enough the other two looked and they saw Malik enjoying his coffee while Ryou was writting. After what felt like an hour, the younger boy stopped writing he had a satisfied look on his face.

Malik saw the smile, "Did you finish?"

"Yes! This was a bit harder to finish but I only had just a little bit left," Ryou answered happily, "I know this one will never get published but if a publisher ever did like it, it would be a miracle."

The Egyptian then said, "Well do you want to stay here or do you want to go somewhere else."

"The park please?" He answered with puppy dog eyes, "I'm want to read my book with the wind blowing in my face."

This made the other boy laugh, "Of course you do."

They got out of their seats and went to the counter and ordered various pastries and left with the bag in hand to the park. When Bakura saw this, he almost jumped out of his chair.

"We're going where they're going," He said.

Atem sighed, "Seriously?"

"Yes," He answered.

The tri-colored one groaned, "I'm not even done with my coffee."

"Chug that thing then," Bakura looked at him.

He shot the other a strange look, "Your not serious are you?"

"Of course I am," Bakura answered, "Now hurry up and chug that coffee."

The Egyptian loved coffee but he sure as hell wasn't going to chug it. It was hot and he could burn the inside of his mouth. He wasn't stupid like his companions. He saw Marik chugging his coffee and hid a laugh. Yup definitely not stupid like that one. They stood up and followed the two boys. Once they realized the destination Atem rolled his eyes.

"A park," He said, "We're at a park?"

Marik smiled, "I like parks. You can scare children and steal wallets from old people. You can also convince people you are psychic and they'll give you money. It's funny to see their faces when you say they'll die in seven days."

"What?" Atem looked at the other.

He looked back at him, "What? I didn't say anything."

"Yes you did," Atem said exasperated.

Marik covered his mouth, "Shhh."

"Get off," He shoved the other away.

Marik smirked, "Not here were in public."

Bakura ignored his friends and kept his eyes on the boy. He was dressed rather casually. Of course he could tell that his clothes were worn. But that part didn't seem to matter. The boy was good looking enough to make up for it. He also gave points for him knowing how to dress himself. He hated when people didn't know how to dress. Wait? What did he just say about that kid? He didn't mean it like that honestly. He watched as the boy read a worn out paperback novel. After a while he would pause and look at the people in front of him then go back to reading. At one point, he kept his eyes locked on something for longer than normal. Bakura looked in the same general direction as Ryou.

It was a family.

A mother was holding a small girl in her hands while she watched her husband play a game with their son. They looked so happy. Bakura tried to get a good look of Ryou's face. He saw…longing? Everyone has a family. Even that kid should have one. If not then why didn't he? This only made Bakura's curiosity about the boy grow. Of course he was felling like a stalker for doing this. In the background he heard Atem yelling at Marik for scaring a young child. Sometime after Atem was chasing Marik from stealing an elderly couple's wallet. His friends will never change.

Ryou felt like he was being watched. He would look around but no one would stick out. He just shrugged it off and kept reading. It was when he heard laughing so he looked up and saw a family having fun. He wanted to have that again. He missed his parents and his sister but he knew he could never go back to that. So he smiled softly and kept reading. He was too into the book to notice anything around him. After a while he looked at his phone and noticed the time.

"We should get home," He said as he stood up.

Malik nodded, "Ok! They are going to be excited to see the pastries. Especially Yugi."

Upon seeing them leave again, Bakura insisted they follow them. Secretly, Marik wanted to follow them too but he wasn't going to say that out loud. Plus, he didn't want to be there when the elderly couple looked in their wallets to notice their money was gone. The walk was long but the three boys didn't mind. They liked walking. It meant exercise and that meant a better body. And a better body got them laid. Not that they ever had that sort of thing right? Right. Anyway, the place they went to next was a house. It was old and not updated but it was a house. Obviously there were people inside because they could hear music coming from it. Plus there were about five cars in the driveway. The two boys walked to the door and were about to unlock the door when it opened and revealed a short boy with tri colored hair. Atem perked up as soon as he saw the new boy.

"That was the boy I was talking to yesterday," He said.

Marik looked at the boy jump up and down for some reason, "Your telling me that little shrimp runs the gift shop?"

"That little shrimp, as you call him, was the nicest person I have ever met," Atem said, "Isn't he cute?"

"The Egyptian one is more my type," Marik said, "He was wearing earrings…"

Atem rolled his eyes, "Is that all you care about? Earrings?"

"He might have piercings in other places, " Marik sniggered.

Atem face-palmed, "From what you told me, he's a cook not a prostitute for heaven's sake."

"If he was a prostitute and I would buy him," Marik purred.

Atem grabbed him, "Time to go back to the hotel."

"But I don't want to go home," Marik said.

Atem ignored him, "Too fucking bad."

Bakura was about to follow his friends when he saw something on the floor. It was a book. He picked it up and examined it. His eyes widened. It was the book he saw Ryou reading when he was at the park. He opened the cover and sure enough, there was neat handwriting. He thought about giving it back to him but why do that when you could look at it? He took the book with him so he could read it when he got home. Hopefully it was any good.

It was nighttime when Ryou began looking for the books he had taken with him. He found the one he was writing in at the pastry shop but he could not find the second one. He was panicking now. His search was becoming frantic. He could not lose that book. It meant too much for him to not have it with him. When he finally got it in his head that it wasn't in his room he slumped over and took a deep breath. After a while he got up and left his room. His friends were playing twister. It was odd walking in on Shizuka and Malik in a compromising position. Jou was taking pictures and laughing his ass off. Malik was blushing but he smiled at his friend.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

Everyone turned and looked at Ryou. It made the boy so nervous to have people looking at him. He smiled sheepishly and then sighed.

"I can't find my book," He said.

Shizuka spoke first, "A book?"

"It was a book my mother was reading before she…you know," He answered.

She gasped, "Oh my."

"I hate to say it," He said, "I'm so stupid. Why did I lose it?"

Kira pulled him in a hug. "Look, things like this happen. It's not lost forever okay?"

"I know but it was so important to me," He said.

She nodded, "I can see on your face that it was important. I have things I brought with me from the motherland. I know if I were to lose one of those things, I would be lost. Now do you need us to help you look for it?"

"No thanks, it's late and it'll turn up. I know it," He said.

She kept holding him close, "By the way, what book was it?"

It was at night when Bakura looked at the book. He saw the cover and made a face. Why was that kid reading this shit? He was glad he went to boarding school in England because this book was written in English. Was that kid English? He remembered hearing him talk but he wasn't speaking in English. He thought about it more. He did have as light accent didn't he? Yes he did. He eyes were on the book again. Just to entertain himself he opened it to the last paragraph of the last page. It was a thing he did. He always had to read the last paragraph of a book. If it got him interested enough, he would begin to read it.

"It would have made a nice painting, were someone to choose something as lowly as that to study. Another story, a story written in oils rather than one painted on porcelain. But to be most effective, the faces of the children would need to be painted in a blur, the way all children's faces truly are. For they blur as they run; they blur as they grow and change so fast, and they blur to keep us from loving them too deeply, for their protection is also ours."

Bakura was instantly hooked as he read that part. It was too good not to pass up. He turned it to the first page and began reading Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire. He didn't find who he was in the story yet for some reason, he couldn't help but imagine his rabbit in the part of Clara. Such a beautiful thing such as him should be hidden…wait what? Nevermind.

The next morning, Bakura woke up earlier than his friends. It was only Thursday. He groaned at that thought. He wanted to leave already. But then his eyes went over to the book he had read. He enjoyed the first two chapters. It was rather fun to read. He began to dress for the day. Today he had on a red shirt and some jeans. He walked out of his suite and walked down the hallway.

He went to Marik rooms and knocked on the door. He was greeted with a groggy Egyptian. After the boy got dressed they went to Yuri's room. The Belarusian was dressed and ready for them. So they went to Otogi's room. Otogi had just finished working out. He got out of his room and walked to Atem's room. Atem was asleep so they banged on the door until they met with a rather angry Egyptian. He glared at them and cussed them out in his native tongue. After that, he got dressed. Then they went to Seto's room. They all were banging on the door and making noises to get the brown haired boy up. Seto answered the door looking rather pissed off. He was already dressed but he let them wait for him because he was reading something on his laptop.

"So Bakura what were you doing last night?" Marik asked.

He shrugged, "I was reading."

"More?" Atem asked.

Seto looked up, "You can read?"

He glared, "Yes Seto I can read. Can you?"

Seto gestured to the laptop, "What do you think?"

"Ha! I win the bet Yuri!" Otogi said.

Yuri pulled out his money, "Fine how much was it again?"

"Five hundred," Otogi said with his hand extended.

Yuri gave him the money, "There. Happy?"

"Very," Otogi answered.

Seto cleared his throat, "Anyways Bakura what were you reading?"

"Remember when Atem, Marik and I went out yesterday?" Bakura asked.

The three other boys nodded. That was when Bakura pulled out the book.

"This is what Rabbit dropped," He said.

Atem looked at him, "You didn't think of returning it?"

"Nope and I still don't," He said, "I'm reading this."

Seto began to type on his laptop, "It's not yours to read."

"You have to hear it," He said.

Yuri eyed the book, "Why?"

"It's a good book," He said.

Otogi then said, "Okay. If Bakura says it's a good book then it must be."

"I doubt that," Seto said still typing.

Marik rolled his eyes, "This is coming from the guy that like giant rocks."

"I was five! Give me a break," Seto had what looked to be a light blush on his usually stoic face. [Insert fangirl squeal here.]

Otogi spoke up again, "Okay! I want to know what the book is about so shut it!"

They all kept their mouths closed and looked at Bakura who simply looked at the book cover.

"I'll read you the prologue and if you like it we can read the first chapter and if you still like it I can read the second chapter with you," He said as he opened the book, "Ready?"

Yes you have a very evil authoress for leaving you with a cliffhanger. I'm famous for these. Hehehe. Don't worry you'll find out what happens next. And just to let you know, chapter four might just be the longest chapter yet.

Anyway what did you think? Let me know~

I also want to give thanks to everyone who has this story on their favorites and those that have this on alert. Most of you are the same people who review but for those you who have yet to review please do.

Reviews=Love

Sincerely,

SanguisRubeus