Chapter Six

A few days had past and Ryou was appearing to do better. He was eating a little more, the pale cheeks started to retain a bit of color, and now and then a smile would cross his lips. Not as often as it had in the past, but least it was a smile. Bakura was still keeping a careful eye on the boy and put the knives in a more… 'secure' location. The sick feeling from all of the blood Ryou had lost was almost gone and Ryou had started to go back to school.

That was where the British boy was now while Bakura laid back on the couch, mind not really focusing on the crime show it was showing. His dark brown eyes kept glancing on the clock in the kitchen until he grew so annoyed with himself, he threw a pillow at it to knock it off the counter. He was getting sick of being worried about the light. Ryou was better so he should be able to get life back to normal… right?

The hall clock stroke 6pm and informed the Yami that he was wrong. Ryou should have been home two hours ago. Since Yuugi and his so called friends had decided to shun Ryou, he'd been home right after school day after day. Bakura got up and flipped the TV off. It wasn't good at keeping his mind preoccupied like he had hoped it would. So with an annoyed sigh at himself, Bakura grabbed his jacket and slipped a pair of shoes on. He'd just go find the boy, drag him home, and that was that. So with a grunt at the cold air that greeted the Yami, he shoved his hands in the pockets of the hoodie and walked towards Domino High.

I walk the allies in the dark, I leave the door unlocked. I'm weaving a rope and running all the red lights. Did I get your attention? 'Cause I'm sending all the signs. The clock is ticking and I'll be giving my two weeks. Pick your favorite shade of black. You'd best prepare a speech. Say something funny, say something sweet. This sickness has no cure. Already lost grip; best abandon ship.

Bakura cursed the fall weather has the cold wind blew his hair around his face. It didn't help that it was already in the evening so the sun was starting to go down. Luckily the High School was in sight so Bakura stopped when he saw the gates. They were closed and locked, dismissing school for the weekend. That of course meant none of the students were in there. The way he took was the route home Ryou took so he should have ran into the light if he was in the process of going home. So where the hell was he?

Sighing annoyed, Bakura pulled the jacket around himself tighter and looked around as if searching for some sign as to where to go next. His feet took him toward the market Ryou bought food and such at, but the boy wasn't there. He could tell. Ryou stuck out with his charming looks. Girls seemed to follow him so no cluster of girls meant no Hikari.

The sun was almost gone now and Bakura was staring to grow more annoyed. He also found himself getting worried. Not that he would ever admit it, but it was true. "Damn it Ryou. Of all the days, you had to pick the coldest fucking one." The Yami shivered a little, quickening his pace. He told himself it was because he wanted to hurry and get home, but Bakura knew that wasn't the real reason.

A yellow building with a green roof caught the man's attention and he stopped, eyes narrowing on the red letters spelling out 'GAME'. Bakura knew Ryou wouldn't be inside this place. The boy didn't have the courage to go around people who didn't want him there. Still he was starting to get desperate. The sun was gone and it was getting late. If worse came to worse, he could knock some sense into the idiot 'King of Games' then get back to his search.

So Bakura forcefully pushed the door open and looked around, dark brown eyes staying narrow. Suddenly a patter of feet came down and the familiar multi-colored hair midget appeared before the thief king. "Sorry but we're clos- Bakura?" Yuugi blinked up at the Yami, eyes wide. He'd only seen the thief a few times since the Pharaoh had left and never expected to see him again after the falling out with Ryou. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"Funny. I was going to ask you the same." Bakura glared, resisting the urge to grab the boy and shove him against the wall. "Never did figure out why you weren't banished into the shadow realm. Guess Marik didn't try hard enough."

The conversation got the attention of the others and soon Honda, Jou, and Anzu were also starring wide eye at the Yami. Jou spoke first, moving in front of Yuugi. "Get lost Bakura. We ain't done nothing to-"

"Ah I beg to differ. You see if that were the case, then my former host would have someone other than myself to talk to." His eyes moved over the group, falling on Yuugi. "And the last person I'd expect this from would be you."

"Ryou walked away from us Bakura." Honda said, moving up with Jou to defend Anzu and Yuugi if needed.

"Yeah so why don't ya get lost!"

"Oh I don't intend on staying any longer then need be. I was seeing if by chance Ryou had wondered in here. But I see Hikari is finally smart enough to see he doesn't need idiots like you as 'friends'. Quite honestly I'm rather happy you did what you did. Makes life a lot simpler when I don't have to put up with you four."

This time Anzu spoke up, blue eyes focusing on Bakura. "We tried to help Ryou! We tried to get him away from YOU!"

This earned her a death glare from the Yami. "You tried to help him? Do you know what your 'help' did onna? Thanks to you he feels alone!"

"Ya the one who made him alone Bakura!" Jou spoke again, hands bawled into fists. "Or did ya forget what all ya did ta him?"

"Oh I'm well aware what I did to him. That's what makes us different. I'm trying to find him while you idiots are content letting him kill himself!" With that Bakura turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

No one sits with him, he doesn't fit in. But we feel like we do when we make fun of him. 'Cause you want to belong, do you go along? 'Cause his pain is the price paid for you to belong. It's not like you hate him or want him to die. But maybe he goes home and thinks suicide. Any kindness from you might have saved his life.

"What the hell was that about?" Jou looked back at his three friends, getting just as confused expressions.

"Yeah. The guy walks in here, throws a fit, then leaves. Whats up with that?" Honda sat back on the counter as Jou leaned against a wall. "And what did he mean 'we're fine letting him kill himself'? What does that mean?"

"Who knows? It's Bakura, remember? The only thing you can trust him with is that he'd kill you first chance he got." Anzu sighed. She felt bad about what happened to Ryou and them. It wasn't really his fault Bakura wouldn't leave. Well at first. But it seemed he wanted Bakura to stay with him.

Yuugi hadn't said anything. He wasn't sure what to say honestly. He never wanted to leave Ryou alone. It wasn't right and he felt awful about it. What Bakura had said was running through his head. Suddenly his eyes winded and this got the attention of his friends.

"Yug? Ya okay buddy?"

"Guy's I think… I think Ryou tried to kill himself." This got his friends to mirror his wide-eye shock and a small gasp from Anzu.

"Kill himself? Why would he do that?" Honda spoke now, a little disturbed by that.

"Think about what Bakura said. Ryou felt he only had him to talk to, he said that he felt alone, and not to forget that 'killing himself' bit… Guy's I really think Ryou did feel alone and tried to take his life." The boy looked up at his friends, his lips turned into a frown. "And if I had to guess, Ryou's gone. That's why Bakura came here. I think he was looking for him."

"Yuugi do you know how crazy that sounds? Ryou's like the happiest guy I know! No way he'd ever try that." Jou said, shaking his head.

"Yeah and like Anzu said. You can't trust Bakura."

"Well I'm going to help Bakura. Ryou's still my friend and friends help each other out no matter what. I'd do the same for any of you." With that the shorter boy grabbed his coat and ran out to go see if he could assist the Yami.

"Y-Yuugi!" Anzu frowned a little. She looked back at the other two boys then grabbed her own jacket and ran after him.

"Anzu you can't really trust Bakura too can you?" Jou and Honda looked at her, doubt in their eyes.

Anzu looked back at them and shook her head. "I don't care for Bakura anymore then you guys do, but Yuugi's right. Ryou was our friend and we shouldn't have left him like that. Even if Bakura's lying, we owe it to Ryou." With that she turned and ran off, not seeing the annoyed grumble and run the other two males did.

"Wait up you guys!"

Wrapped in all the promises that nobody seems to keep. He no longer cries to himself, no tears left to wash away. Just diaries full of empty pages, feelings gone astray. Walking through life unnoticed; nobody seems to care. Too consumed in their masquerade, nobody sees him there. Burning down lies, burning my dreams. And all of this pain, I'll burn it all down.

Bakura stopped when he heard yelling and glared back at the four following him. "What the hell do you mortals want? I have more pressing matters then to beat you brats senseless!"

"We just want to help Bakura." Yuugi looked up at the man who looked similar to Ryou, only darker.

"Oh so now you want to help? Well don't. He doesn't need your pity nor does he want it. So just get lost!"

"Just shut up already! We're here ta find Ryou and not fight!"

Bakura sent his ice cold glare at Jou, canine like teeth showing. "I'll say it slowly. I. Don't. Need. It."

"Then do you know where Ryou is?" Anzu spoke up, frowning when Bakura didn't meet her eyes.

"Please Bakura. We really are worried about Ryou. We want to find him and apologize. You need our help." Yuugi spoke up, trying to convince the Yami he was right.

Bakura glanced at him but turned and went off. He didn't say a word which made Yuugi smile a little but they quickly followed, searching for the boy who was God only knew where.

Another night and I bleed. They all make mistakes and so did we. But we did something we can never turn back right. Find a new one to fool. Leave and don't look back, I won't follow. We have nothing left; it's the end of our time. We can't cry the pain away. We can't find a need to stay. There's no more rabbits in my hat to make things right. Tell them the fairytale gone bad.

Bakura was running out of breath and he couldn't remember the last time he ran this much. The city was pitch black and the only life was the birds that would fly off disturbed by the human's awake. Behind the Yami he could hear the faint cry's of 'Ryou' given off by the other four members of the search and Bakura had to stop against a wall to catch his breath.

That's when it hit him.

A very faint smell but he knew this. Kul Elna, his life in Egypt, and the murderous Yami he was trained his senses and he picked up the bitter-sweet scent he had smelled days earlier. "Fuck not again!" Bakura stumbled over his own feet as he shoved off the wall and ran down the alley. His heart rate sped up but not from the running. Panic consumed the thief and it only grew when he shoved a trash can out of the way to reveal the pale boy he'd been searching for this whole night.

"Ryou!" Bakura quickly fell to his knees and grabbed the boy by his shoulders, tipping his chin up to see Ryou's eyes. The usually light brown eyes were shut and his head dropped back down. Panic flowing through him, Bakura quickly grabbed one of the bloody arms and felt around until a faint 'ba-bump' was felt but it was slow. "Ryou you idiot wake up!"

This time Ryou had a dark circle around one of his eyes and the blue school uniform was torn in many places by knife and hand. There was a deep wound in Ryou's lower waist not to mention the many covering his upper arms and cheeks. There was a wide cut going to his right arm and many smaller ones that were self inflected on his left. "Damn it Ryou why? Wake up and answer me!" The light didn't move, sending Bakura back to the first day he found Ryou huddled in his room. Something stuck itself in the thief's throat but he shoved it away, grabbing Ryou's shoulders and lightly shaking him.

Behind him Yuugi and the others had found them, starring in horror at the sight. "Ryou please! I'm right here! You're not alone anymore! I swear to you I'm here! Just wake up!" No response was given and Bakura put his hands on either side of the light's face, trying to get some sort of reaction. "Ryou I order you to open your eyes and look at me! You are NOT allowed to leave this world do you understand me? WAKE UP."

Slowly milk chocolate eyes opened, looking into Bakura's darker ones. "B-Bakura…"

"Ryou you idiot! What were you thinking?"

Ryou winced, body shaking. "Don't ask what you already know Bakura… Please just leave and let me die here."

"No." it was the only firm response Bakura got and he went to pick the boy up only to be shoved away, Ryou slumping back against the wall.

"Bakura just go. I'm not doing anything to you so just please leave." He coughed, blood spilling from his pale lips.

"I'm not leaving you and that's that."

Ryou opened his eyes, the movement taking more effort than it should. "Would you just please leave? I'm not hurt-"

"I do not take orders from half conscious boys." Bakura said sternly, a frown setting itself on his lips. He was getting annoyed of Ryou resisting and worried at the amount of blood spilling out of the boy.

"Then maybe you'll take it from a weakling. After all that's all I am isn't it? Some weak little boy you used to get what you wanted? Now just go. We all know you'd be better off without me."

"The hell I would be!" Bakura said, those last few words angering him more then they probably should have. He looked Ryou in the eye as best he could with the light not being able to focus.

"And why is that?" Ryou did the best he could at glaring, trying desperately to make the older male go away. He wanted to die and Bakura was making that difficult. His words were annoying the Yami and he pressed harder, trying to make the man leave.

"Because I love you!"

This took the boy by shock and he wasn't the only one. The four on lookers in the alley starred at the couple in front of them. Had Bakura just said what they thought he had?

"You-…What?"

"I love you, you idiot!" Bakura frowned, looking into Ryou's eyes. "That's why you can't die. That's why I won't leave you. That's why I haven't."

Ryou was speechless at that. He bit his lower lip, eyes falling downcast as tears slipped down his cheeks. "Bakura would you please… just leave me. Lying only hurts worse. I-… I just want to go. Please sto-"

"I'm not lying Ryou!" The former tomb robber jerked Ryou's chin up, and forced the boy to meet his gaze. "I don't know when it happened, but it did. Would I be out here in this Ra-awful weather with the friendship squad I can't stand looking for you in the dead of night if I didn't?" Bakura frowned, his voice growing softer from its usual gruff tone. "I love you Ryou."

Ryou quickly shook his head. He was starting to believe him. God he wanted to believe him. He wanted so badly for Bakura to love him. Wanted it more than he ever had wanted anything else. But there was no way that could happen. Bakura was telling him what he wanted to hear and that's all there was to it.

"Fine." Bakura placed his hands on either side of the lights head and shut his eyes, pressing his lips against the lights pale cold ones. Ryou's eyes winded, as did the onlookers in the alley. More salty tears fell down his face as he gave in and kissed the Yami back. Even if Bakura was lying and he didn't love him, he was still trying to save Ryou. And if he didn't care, why would he bother?

After a few more seconds, Bakura pulled away and looked down at his light. Ryou looked back at him then shut his eyes tight and threw himself into Bakura sobbing. The thief put his arms around the boy and slowly picked him up. He needed to get him medical attention before the boy died of blood loss. As he walked out of the alley, he didn't even give the red-faced spectators a second glance as he held the light in his arms.

I will never let you fall. I will stand by you forever. I'll be there for you through it all. Even if saving you sends me to Heaven. It's okay. 'Cause you're my true love, my whole heart. 'Cause I'm here for you. Please don't walk away. And please tell me you'll stay. Use me as you will. Pull my strings just for a thrill. And I know I'll be okay even though my skies are turning grey. I will never let you fall. I will stand by you forever. I'll be there for you through it all. Even if saving you sends me to Heaven.

NOTE: Oh hai der. Yes I know. Corny songs are corny and sappy. But I picked them (if you hadn't figured it out) to explain sort of what was happening to Ryou while Bakura searched for him. Yeah… ANGSTY LOVE. But I don't want this thing to be like…. Mega super stretched out so it had to end. So I really hope you liked it! :D And in case you're wondering, the songs (in order) are as followed: "I'm Still Breathing" by Katy Perry, "Hero Too" by Supershic[k], "Everything Burns" by Anastacia, "Fairytale Gone Bad" by sunrise Avenue, and "Your Guardian Angel" by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Obviously I don't own ANY of the songs let alone Yu-Gi-Oh!. So chaya. Don't sue me kplzthx.