Well, this is for Compy's contest....again.
Warnings: Include explosions, connections that make no sense, plot-less-ness....and poor British swearing. ^^
Pairing: This is EUROshipping ((Ryou x Kaiba)) for Compy's contest....so yeah. -.-

In a gargantuan explosion of fire and dust and ice, the Earth, the solar system and a good chunk of the galaxy blew up. And in the resulting silence, all that could be heard was a sheepish, "Oh... bugger."

Kaiba frowned, turning around to see what his lab partner was complaining about. "Can't even keep Styrofoam balls from exploding…" he mused. Apparently Ryou hadn't been lying about being abysmal when it came to science.

Since their project doubled as a final exam, Ryou's incompetence would be…problematic. Kaiba winced as the rest of the solar system model – the metal coat hanger stubs that had escaped the majority of the blast – disintegrated. Ryou smiled sheepishly. Kaiba shook his head. This was going to be a long two weeks.

"I think it's – oh, bugger!"

The brunet didn't bother turning to look. It was easy to guess that more of the model had collapsed. "You should probably get to work cleaning that up," he suggested coolly. Behind him, he could hear Ryou's scattered mix of British cursing and surprised exclamations. Kaiba turned a page of his book, his brow creasing as he attempted to ignore the transfer student's incompetence.

"You do…realize…this is supposed…to be a…group project?" Ryou squeaked, flopping down across the table from the brunet.

Kaiba glanced up. "I'm waiting until you stop destroying things to begin," he replied, returning once more to his book on mathematical formulas. Ryou's indignant glare went ignored. If he hadn't been absorbed in reading, perhaps he would have had to cover a smile; Ryou resembled a fair-haired copy of Kaiba's younger brother.

"Are you done fooling around yet?" the brunet asked casually, turning another page. Ryou's sigh made Kaiba look up. The British youth seemed incredibly put-out by something. "What is it?" the billionaire asked. It was one thing to suffer from inabilities, quite another to be forced to deal with sulking on top of that.

"I wanted to be useful," Ryou whined.

Kaiba winced, closing his book. "If you're quite done, I'll be doing the rest of the project myself," he replied, avoiding the fair-haired young man's pleading gaze. "You've put in quite enough time, I think, and destroyed a good chunk of the basement." He wasn't exaggerating either: Ryou's other failures had rendered the downstairs chunk of the Kaiba mansion rather…different than it had been intended. The solar system had been the last of a trio of projects Ryou had had planned, and that had fallen through.

If the young man hadn't attempted the solar system last, Kaiba mused, ushering Ryou out, it might have worked out. Chemicals left over from the volcano experiment had somehow migrated over to the Styrofoam, and sent them into some sort of…reaction.

"Are you sure I can't help?" Ryou asked. There was hope in his voice. Kaiba glared at him, without speaking. If the kid had been a cat, his ears would have drooped. As it was, Ryou simply looked as though he'd drawn the short stick one too many times. His shoulders slumped, and he went out the door. Kaiba closed it gently, but firmly, behind him.

Now…to do the project himself.

He had a plan of action – something Ryou had been missing – and a method of execution – another missing concept in the British student's preparation – and finally, also possessed the proper materials. That was the only place where the British exchange student and the billionaire had been on the same page.

XXX

It was the work of hours to get the foundation of the rocket structured properly. The math book had come in quite handy with setting up the equations. He wanted a proper explosion, but nothing as earthshaking as to accidentally bring down the school, since these projects would be shown inside. From earlier manuscripts of work Gozaboru had insisted he complete, he'd compiled a smaller list of possibilities, then combined them to form the most interesting combination by far – a rocket that was small enough to fit into the palm of a hand, but which also had the capabilities to blow up several different size structures.

He was pleased with the work. A few more days of straight sessions like this one would yield the perfect project. Not only would it fulfill the mediocre requirements Sensi had given, but it would also be enough to annoy the Mutt. It had been bragging about building the "world's best" science project for the past few days. Kaiba planned on heartily shutting it up.

Now…just to figure out where to hide the completed foundation; he did not want Ryou to come in the next day and destroy all his hard work.

XXX

The door bell rang. "I'll get it!" Mokuba screeched. Kaiba backed out of his brother's way as the black-haired ball of energy raced for the door, nearly tripping over himself with enthusiasm. "Hello!" Mokuba chirped brightly. "C'mon in – Seto's in the living room."

Kaiba winced. Mokuba knew about the science project, hence the invite in. It had to be Ryou. The brunet stood up, brushing off some invisible lint which had collected rather indiscriminately across his lap before fixing his icy gaze onto Ryou.

"Are you ready to work?" the British student asked uncertainly.

Mokuba chimed in with an affirmative before Kaiba could say anything. Seeing no other way around it, Kaiba nodded. "Downstairs."

Wordless, the two descended into the inner recesses of the Kaiba mansion. Once downstairs, Ryou looked around, and confusion settled across his face. "I thought you said you were going to –"

Kaiba cut him off with a wave of his hand. "I have," he answered, voice clipped. "Which leads me to wondering why you are here. I thought we agreed that your part in this was done." He crossed his arms, assessing the way Ryou's brown gaze dropped to the floor. A foot scuffed across the basement cement.

"I…I wanted to help." The foot traced patterns on the ground; Ryou's hands were locked behind his back. "Since it was supposed to be –"

"A group project," Kaiba finished for him. "I know. However, seeing your brilliant abilities at explosion producing has not convinced me that this group can pass with your help." He smirked. "Go relax and do British things; I'll take care of the important end."

Ryou stubbornly stood his ground. Kaiba pinched the bridge of his nose, letting his eyes close. He counted to ten, slowly, before opening them again, and fixing his icy stare on those shining chocolate eyes. "Ryou – get the hell out."

It was Ryou's turn to cross his arms. "Not until you tell me what your awesome project is," he growled right back.

"It's a rocket, all right?" His voice was raising. He paused to calm himself down. "Now, you know, I know you know, and you can leave. The door is that way." Kaiba pointed, smirk back in place.

There was hesitation from the fair-haired male. He seemed indecisive, as though he would have liked to leave, but something – or someone – was making him stay. Kaiba didn't like that. He snarled the order once again. This time, Ryou blatantly defied him.

"No!"

This was getting redundant. "I'll tell you anything you want to know about the project later, but I need to work on it, and your presence is not conducive to a productive atmosphere."

Hurt flashed through Ryou's eyes. Kaiba did not care. He reaffirmed his desire for Ryou to remove his presence. Once more, the youth defied him. Kaiba was becoming fed up. If he had to physically remove the British student, he would do so! With a growl and warning step forward, Kaiba finally managed to get his message across. Ryou meeped in surprise and fled back up the stairs. Satisfied, the brunet put all thought out of his mind and retrieved the project to begin work on it. He'd wasted enough time already.

XXX

Two hours later, as Kaiba ascended the steps, he heard voices coming from the living room. Mokuba's voice he recognized. The other voice –

"Oh, bugger! I'm sorry –"

He also recognized. Unfortunately.

"Didn't I tell you to go home?" the brunet questioned, walking into the living room. Mokuba launched himself from the couch at his brother, hugging him soundly. Kaiba absently petted his younger brother's hair.

Ryou was sprawled across the couch, his arms crossed. A small smile flickered across his face. "No. You only told me to leave – I assumed you meant the room, not the house." A small triumph, perhaps, but he seemed content with it.

However, Kaiba was not. He disengaged from Mokuba. "I told you already – leave. So, now…leave. This house, this property, and go back home. I'll see you in school tomorrow."

"Nii-sama – don't make him go." Surprised, Kaiba looked down to his brother. "I like Ryou-kun!" Mokuba announced, completely ignoring the fact that the British boy was older, Kaiba noted with some amusement.

Well, if that was Mokuba's wish… "Keep him entertained, then," Kaiba instructed. "I'll be downstairs. Ryou – don't come down unless the house is on fire." Knowing the fair-haired youth, his mere presence could make Kaiba's project simply vaporize for no law known to man.

The smile of victory vanished from Ryou's lips. Kaiba turned on his heel and disappeared once more, leaving the British student and the youngest member of the Kaiba household together. He planned on returning in an few hours, figuring that by then Ryou would have become tired of Mokuba, and exhausted of waiting.

A few hours turned into a stretch of time more, and that in turn extended itself to more than half the night. Haggard, circles carving themselves below his eyes, but completely satisfied with the skeleton of the rocket, Kaiba once more entered the main frame of the mansion.

He discovered that Mokuba had gone to bed on his own; the lights upstairs were off, and his brother's door was slightly opened. Mokuba always left his bedroom door closed unless he was inside, sleeping. Just something left over from their days with Gozaboru – something to ensure that Kaiba could check in whenever necessary…a code.

Kaiba was not ready for sleep himself. He wandered the house for hours sometimes, waiting until his body was too exhausted to fight off the call of sleep. He did so now, stalking down the steps, letting his feet carry him where they would. There was a set pattern to his steps, taking him where he thought he needed to be the most.

Kitchen, dining room, back through the kitchen, up the stairs, into spare bedrooms, back downstairs, through the kitchen again, into the living room –

Ryou was on the sofa, curled up, asleep.

He considered waking the British student up to send him home. Then he wondered about Mokuba – had he really gone to sleep on his own, then? There was always a distrust of authority figures, left over from their past. He could hardly imagine anyone making Mokuba go to sleep. There was no way.

"K-kaiba?" Ryou's voice, soft and unassuming. The fair-haired youth pushed himself up, rubbing at his eyes. Even in the dim lighting, Kaiba could see Ryou. His skin seemed to cast an unearthly glow, as if he was an apparition.

The brunet was disinclined to reply, simply staring, his mind painting a different young male on the sofa, one with dark hair instead.

"Kaiba?"

Again his name, again soft, again… And Ryou stood, reaching out, his pale hand ghosting across Kaiba's arm, startling the brunet who had been thrown into the past. "Kaiba – are you all right?"

He could remember another voice, asking the same thing.

Nii-sama – are you all right?

Night wore away the defenses. Night collapsed resolve. Night was dangerous.

It was when the memories came back at their strongest, when nightmares he thought forgotten haunted him from the very corners of his waking world. Darkness cast all into shadow, and from the shadows rose something frightful.

He enveloped the ghostly vision in his arms, pulling him in close. "It will be all right," he promised, speaking to an echo of the past. "It will be all right."

Maybe in the morning he wouldn't remember what he was saying, or who he was talking to. Maybe the next dawn would see him upstairs, sleeping in his room. Maybe Ryou would wonder constantly the next week and a half about the exchange, and wonder if Kaiba remembered it at all.

But Kaiba wouldn't. And Ryou wouldn't mention it.

But the two of them would get a brilliant grade on their project. Just…not for the rocket. It would be something else entirely…

XXX

"Ryou…'xactly how did ya make it snow in biology?"