The day starts out simple enough.

He is making preparations for the Ishtar's visit. Ryou spent all of the sun's hours in the museum making arrangements for the return of the Pharaoh's tablet. Ishizu had been so gracious to allow the Domino Museum to have it on exhibit yet again. She was flying in from Egypt tomorrow, along with Rishid. And Malik. Ryou had been especially happy to hear that Malik would be coming too (usually he was off on some far end of the world, occasionally Rishid would be with him) and now he spends the moonlight hours going grocery shopping. Just in case Malik wants to come over, he would have food.

Malik. It would be good seeing him again, it had been almost four years. They had kept in contact through letters but that wasn't the same as Malik exactly being there. But now, now Ryou could show Malik the ocean just like he promised.

Despite all the past they shared, Ryou and Malik had formed a sort of odd friendship during Ryou's short time in Egypt. Malik was abrasive to say the least; most of his time he spent being arrogant and vain. He was also sort of spoiled. But that behavior didn't bother Ryou. Amane had been a bit spoiled and full of herself too.

(Maybe that's why Malik calls him Ryou.)

He crosses the street and now is on a stretch of pavement that is only dimly lit by flickering streetlamps.

And that's when he feels it.

Thick, shadowy smog wraps itself around him, like a suffocating blanket. He chokes and remembers the feeling of ring tassels piercing his skin, remembers falling out of control, remembers laughter – . Ryou sputters and clutches onto his bags to keep them from dropping while the smog wraps itself tighter, tighter, tighter –

The lights around him go out.

Darkness.

(The darkness, his darkness, his shadow, his past…)

The bags drop out of his hands and their contents spill out onto the sidewalk.

Ryou runs all the way home.

-0-

When he awakes the next morning, he assures himself it was nothing.

The light bulbs all just burned out at the same time and it was such a weird coincidence that it freaked him out so bad he imagined things. Remembered things.

(Ryou traces over his chest and, thankfully, finds scars instead of a ring.)

After he gets dressed he locks all the doors and windows. Just in case. (Though, if it wasit probably wouldn't help anyway.)

He ignores the feeling of being watch as he walks down the street and walks towards the ocean.

Malik will be there.

-0-

"You feel it too." It is not a question.

Ryou shakes his head.

"Not it," he says, "him."

"I feel it," Malik insists, "They know I feel it too – Ishizu and Rishid. They don't think I can control it, they don't believe in me. Do you, Ryou? Do you?"

The waves rise and then fall only to rise again. A constant battle, one without a victory. Was that the fate he was doomed to else well? Constant fighting with a darkness his light couldn't even hope to extinguish?

"No."

Malik recoils, anger carved into his features. Ryou regards him with polite disinterest.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't believe in me either."

The burning in Malik's lilac eyes dim, and then the ghost of a bitter laugh appears on his face.

"You sound scared," Malik mocks.

Ryou pulls his knees to his chest.

"Last night, I felt something. Like he was watching me. I look out into the darkness and it felt like he was looking back at me. Just waiting in the shadows. I'm…afraid."

"Of what? Him or the darkness?" Malik scrutinizes.

Ryou tilts his head, puzzled, "They're the same thing."

"Ah." There is a degree of understanding in the Malik's voice which (like the waves against the shore) calms Ryou a bit.

And together they watch the ocean.

-0-

The phone rings.

Ryou, hasty as always, answers it.

"Hello?" he says.

"Bakura-kun!" Yuugi shouts from the other end, it almost sounds like he is crying, "He's back! You'll never believe this! I don't believe this. But Atemu is here! He's back!"

Yuugi says some more, but Ryou never hears it.

The phone receiver had long ago dropped out of his hands.

-0-

"It's only a matter of time."

"What is?" Ryou asks as the ocean waves crash against the shore.

"What do you think?" Malik snarls and his hands tremble.

"Oh." Ryou whispers softly and looks down at the distorted reflection the water makes.

(It stares back at him.)

There is even more silence, though there are plenty of words that need to be said – just none that want too.

Again, it is Malik who has the courage to speak.

"Have you gone to see the Pharaoh yet?"

"No," Ryou says and his voice betrays his shame.

"Neither have I," Malik snorts under his breath, "Ishizu and Rishid have but I guess – I guess seeing him would make it real. It's not just a bad dream anymore, Ryou."

His arrogant façade fades and Malik collapses into his hands.

Ryou stares. Then he wraps his arms around Malik's shoulders.

He does his best to give comfort when no comfort can be given.

-0-

There's a knock at his door.

Instantly, Ryou has to sooth his raging nerves. It's not him. It couldn't be.

He wouldn't knock.

Despite his desperate attempts to calm himself, his hearts still pounds of his chest as if it were trying to escape. Against all of his instincts, Ryou opens the door.

Yuugi is standing behind it, smiling warm and bright. Ryou almost cries from relief.

"Yuugi-kun!" He grins, "Come in."

"Hi, Bakura-kun. It's been such a long time since I saw you. Sorry! Everything has just been so chaotic since Yami just appeared…"

"It's fine, it's fine." (You're here now.) "Do you want something to drink?"

"Oh, no. Actually I wanted to talk to you, Bakura."

Ryou freezes, sensing something in Yuugi's voice. "About what, Yuugi?"

"Well um…Yam- Atemu thinks that…your other…came back too."

"He does?" Ryou asks voice thick with feigned naivety and hidden fear.

Yuugi nods and begins to itch his wrist; a habit he only does when he's nervous.

"Atemu thinks that he'll try to find you…if he hasn't already."

Ryou's eyebrow twitches.

"Hasn't already?" his voice is no longer so innocence, "What does that mean?"

"Well –," Yuugi is taken aback by Ryou's tone, "Atemu thinks that maybe, well maybe you too had a connection…"

"I hate him!" Ryou gapes, he couldn't believe his ears. The spirit of the ring tortured him, tortures him. "And what would he ever want from me?"

"Well, Atemu just thinks that maybe he tried to convince you of some things, that maybe you and him –"

"What? That we're working together? His not my friend…he never was. Yuugi! Why would I ever…?"

Yuugi takes a few steps back, almost afraid. Ryou was always so posed and serene – never frantic.

"It's just what Atemu thinks…"

"I don't care what the Pharaoh thinks!" He snaps and then his voice loses its bitterness. "Yuugi. I care what you think."

"I-ii- I," Yuugi stutters, too caught off guard to lie. Ryou turns away in disgust.

"I get it."

"No Bakura-kun is not that! It's just –"

"You can go now, Yuugi."

Ryou waits for another protest, but there is none.

(I just need you to mean it when you say you believe in me, Yuugi.)

"Alright," Yuugi says, defeated. Bile rises up in the back of Ryou's throat.

"And he hasn't by the way. Hasn't talked to me. Though I suppose," Ryou cringes, his back still turned to Yuugi, "It's only a matter of time."

("It's only a matter of time.")

"I don't know what to do…" he admits.

"We'll protect you. You know that right Bakura? You know you're our friend. My friend."

Ryou shakes his head and resists the urge to laugh.

(Oh Yuugi, you couldn't protect before. What makes you think you can now?)

"No. I don't."

"Bakura-kun," Yuugi's voice trembles.

"Just go…please."

He does.

Some part of Ryou hopes Yuugi will be back again.

(He ignores that hope as best he can.)

-0-

"I'm leaving."

"I know. You always do."

Ryou was beginning to realize how freely he spoke when he was in Malik's company. (And the ocean's.) He liked it. It was nice not to have to hide parts of himself, nice not to lie.

"Ha. Ha. Insulting me won't make me stay." Malik scoffs.

"I wasn't insulting you!" Ryou sounds honestly offended. "It's just the truth."

Malik rolls his eyes but sits down besides Ryou anyways. There is silence between, but it is peaceful.

"You could come with me," Malik whispers, so suddenly and softy Ryou almost misses it.

"No, I couldn't. My job's here, my home's here…"

(…Yuugi's here.)

"Quit, move. I know you're not that dumb."

"Why?" Ryou turns to Malik with wide, sad brown eyes.

"You know it's only a matter of time until he finds you if you stay," Malik says with a hint of a threat.

Ryou looks away, "He found me a long time ago."

Something sarcastic is on the tip of Malik's tongue, Ryou can tell just by his expression, but thankfully he says nothing.

The waves crash against the rocky beach, so the silence is not so empty.

"You know, I love the ocean. I always have," Ryou speaks to the waves, "When I was young my mother would take me and my sister to the Atlantic Ocean. My sister would always want to go swimming, but my mother and I would just sit and watch the waves. It was so soothing. My mother would tell me things about the ocean. 'The ocean grants you calm.' 'The ocean always brings what is lost back to you.' 'The ocean gives you strength.' I understand what she meant now."

"What are you talking about?" Malik sneers.

"I think…I think I'm going to stay."

(I'm not going to run anymore.)

Malik's face widens in shock and then he glares.

Ryou smiles at him, (gently, serenely, calmly) anyway.

"I'll always be here for you, Malik you're my best friend."

And if that's not the truth, it is at least the truest thing he has ever spoken.

Malik's face softens then, too.

"Good luck, Ryou." He means it.

"Goodbye Malik. I'll miss you."

He's not sure if Malik even heard him, because the Egyptian is already getting on his motorcycle and starting his engine. Ryou watches him go.

(It is always the same.)

Malik takes off on his motorcycle, bolting as far away as he can – from everything.

Even though so much time had passed, so much had stayed the same. Malik will always run and run, but he'll never get away. And Ryou will always hide, will always have to be shielded and protected, and Ryou will always be afraid.

Not anymore.

He is sick of the past. He (wants, deserves) needs a future. He won't run anymore.

So Ryou stays put (losing himself in the waves), waiting…just waiting for the inevitable. Whatever the inevitable may be.

Anyway, even if he wanted to run, he couldn't.

("It's only a matter of time…")

You can't run from your shadow.

A/N I know. The ending, I wanted it to be ambigious but...who knows. I hope you enjoyed it! I wrote this as a kind of what if scenerio. What if the Yami no Bakura and Malik were given bodies...but no humanity? And only one day late! School is hard. So hard.

Reviews are loved!