Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ A Pair of Problems ❯ Ryou & Bakura- Prologue: Switched ( Chapter 1 )

A Pair of Problems: Ryou & Bakura

Prologue: Switched

~~^~*~^~~

"Hey. Bakura-san, wasn't it?"

Ryou blinked up from his book at the tall boy above him. The boy had a well-tamed mop of black hair and piercing black eyes. His skin was slightly tanned, and bare arms showed large muscles. His uniform jacket was slung over his shoulder, due to the heat, and his white shirt was almost totally open. "Yeah..." Ryou mumbled cautiously. Long experience with school bullies and his abusive yami had taught him that caution.

The guy grinned. "Wanna go out for something? I'd like to get to know you."

Ryou blinked, shocked. As usual, he was glad that his darker half was sleeping. "Uhm, name?" He questioned.

It was the other's turn for shock, then embarrassment. "Uh... Yeah... Anyway, I'm Jeorge, Harlt Jeorge. I just transferred." Ryou was silent. "I'm in your class." Jeorge added, almost pleadingly.

Ryou felt sympathy for the other, having moved to Domino from England a little under two years before, himself. "Why pick me, Harlt-kun?" Ryou questioned, using the other's last name, as Jeorge used his.

Jeorge blinked. "I like how you act, and..." He paused, nervous. "...and look..." He was blushing a bright red.

Ryou shrugged. "I can't show you around, but you'll have to find a different boyfriend."

Jeorge's face fell. "Okay... Thanks..."

Ryou rolled his eyes, mostly at himself, and stood. "Harlt-kun, trust me, it's not you. It's me." He forced a smile. "Any place you really wanna go?"

"Uh... How about that western joint on Main?"

Ryou's smile turned genuine. "Western? You mean the McDonald's?"

"Yeah..." Jeorge made a face.

"That's not western, it's just American. Lived in Japan your whole life?" Ryou joked, starting out.

"Moved here from Korea." Jeorge mumbled.

"Did you like it there?" Ryou inquired.

"It was okay." Jeorge shrugged. "How about you? Where are you from?" He glanced at Ryou. "With your unusual looks."

"I've traveled some. I lived at least half my life in England, then moved here. Other than those two permanent residences, I've been just about everywhere." Ryou shrugged.

"Wow... Why'd you travel so much?" Jeorge asked, awed.

"My papa's an archeologist. After haha died, he didn't trust me home alone. When we moved here, he finally caught on, I think." Ryou chuckled.

"Your okasan's dead?" Jeorge asked as they entered the McDonald's.

"For years." Ryou shrugged. "I got over it."

"Ryou?!" A surprised call made the two companions look up. They were faced with a blonde woman with somewhat revealing clothing.

Ryou relaxed. "Konnichi wa, Mai-san. This is Harlt Jeorge. Harlt-kun, this is Kujaku Mai." He introduced.

The two nodded to each other politely, then Mai looked Ryou over critically. "I haven't seen you lately. Jyou says you've been distant lately. Is something wrong?"

"Come again?" Ryou couldn't help but stare. He was shocked that the older girl cared enough to ask, not to mention Jyou's speaking to her about it.

Mai rolled her eyes. "You heard me. Is it Yami Bakura?"

Ryou startled, but he forced himself to calm down. "Ridiculous. What ever gave you that idea?" He rolled his eyes. "Come on, Harlt-kun." He moved toward the counter.

Jeorge shrugged in Mai's direction, then hurried to catch up to his guide. He'd wait to ask about this Yami Bakura. ~Might this be Bakura-san's reason for not having a boyfriend?!~ Jeorge realized.

"Hey, Harlt-kun!" Ryou called again, waving his hand before Jeorge's eyes.

"Nani?" Jeorge blinked, pushing his thoughts aside for the moment.

"Food?" Ryou rolled his eyes and the employee taking their order hid a smile. "You here?"

"Oh! Gomen!" Jeorge smiled sheepishly. "A number five, onegai."

"I'm paying." Ryou warned, handing Jeorge his cup. "Go fill your cup." He pushed Jeorge towards the drink machines, then turned back to the counter.

Jeorge sighed and went to do as Ryou had said. He watched Ryou easily talk with the girl getting their order. The girl was flirting with Ryou, but the boy either ignored her advances, or didn't realize she was making them. ~He's dense.~ Jeorge decided, turning away.

"Wanna go out?" The girl asked as Ryou took the tray.

Jeorge looked back, listening intently. Ryou smiled. "Nope."

"Why not?" The girl looked like she was about to cry.

Ryou sighed. "I prefer guys, dear." He informed her before turning and walking to Jeorge. The girl let out a screech, her face red. Ryou grinned at Jeorge and handed him the bag with his food in it and turned to get his own drink. "Shall we eat at the park?" He inquired.

Jeorge grinned back. "Sure."

"Freak!!" The girl shouted after them as they left. Ryou just chuckled.

~~*~~

Bakura woke up at the shout. He quickly looked over his hikari's thoughts to figure out what was going on and smirked. **Well, well...** He thought to Ryou through their mental link. **Spunk. Not bad.**

He felt Ryou shiver. *Leave me alone.* He whispered.

**Spunk is bad when it's aimed at me, and you know that.** Bakura's mind voice was chilled.

*I'm trying to do something!* Ryou complained.

Bakura let out a growl. **Is that so?** His anger radiated through their link, scaring Ryou.

*I... Bakura-sama -- onegai, gomen...* Ryou stumbled. In the physical world, he stopped walking, shaking in silent fear.

"Bakura-san?" Jeorge glanced at the other questioningly.

**Oh, look, he's worried about you.** Bakura teased. **Or maybe it's me he's worried about.** He mused, pointing out Jeorge's use of Ryou's last name, and his own given name.

"Uhm..." Ryou took a second to compose himself, then refocused on Jeorge again. "Call me Ryou, would you?" He mumbled, dropping his head and starting to walk again.

"Uh..." Jeorge blinked and hurried to catch up to Ryou, who had left him behind. "Alright, but you have to call me Jeorge, like friends." He smiled at Ryou brightly.

**Oh! He smiles so brightly! It's too bright!** Bakura snickered, covering his eyes in his soul room. **Watch out, Ryou! He has an evil smile! He'll do you harm!**

*No, that's you.* Ryou snapped, angered by his yami's teasing of his new friend. *Go blow up some squirrels with Marik and leave me alone!* He slammed his soul room door in his yami's face, locking it.

**Excuse me?!?!** Bakura shouted to Ryou's closed soul room door. Try as he might, Bakura couldn't open the door, so settled on cursing and breaking things.

~~*~~

Ryou smiled, satisfied that his darker half would leave him alone. He could still feel the anger of the yami on the other side, but ignored it. He sat down on a bench and opened his bag of food as Jeorge plopped down beside him. "Well, this is the city park." Ryou mumbled.

Jeorge glanced around him at the trees. On another bench a ways down a young man with brown hair sat, watching a group of children play chase in a small field One of the kids said something and all of the others laughed and chased him. Jeorge chuckled. "Kawaii..." He said softly.

Ryou glanced over and grinned. "Oi! Seto-san!" He called, waving at the young man watching the kids.

The brunette, Seto, turned and smiled at Ryou. "Konnichi wa, Ryou-kun! Ogenki desu ka?" He called across the distance.

"Hai, genki desu." Ryou stood and looked at Jeorge. "Come on." Jeorge stood and they walked over to Seto. "Seto-san, Harlt Jeorge. Jeorge-kun, Kaiba Seto." Ryou introduced.

"Kaiba?!" Jeorge gasped. "Of Kaiba Corporation?!"

Ryou and Seto rolled their eyes. "Un," Seto sighed. "Kaiba Seto, CEO of Kaiba Corp." He glanced at Ryou. "What brings you here, Ryou-kun?"

Ryou shrugged and sat next to Seto on the bench. "I'm showing Jeorge-kun around."

"Humph." Seto glanced back at the younger children playing. "Mokuba begged." He explained, before Ryou could ask why he was there as well.

Ryou frowned. "Normally you'd have one of your guards bring him."

"Maybe begged isn't the right word..." Seto mumbled with a grimace. Ryou chuckled, then motioned for Jeorge to sit. The other boy did, reluctantly. "Anyway, what ever happened to that insane yami of yours?" Seto rose an eyebrow at Ryou. "Marik was here looking for him a couple of minutes ago."

"I yelled at him. Last I knew, he was still cursing and throwing things." Ryou shrugged.

Seto gaped at him. "You yelled at Bakura?!"

"Uhm..." Ryou ducked his head. "He was annoying me."

Seto snickered, knowing how difficult it was to get Ryou to lose his temper, especially at his other half. "I wish I could have seen it!"

"I almost wish I hadn't. I'm dead when I get home." Ryou groaned.

"You know you're always welcome at the mansion, and I'm sure Yuugi-kun would say the same thing about the Gameshop." Seto pointed out softly.

"I know, I know. Just, don't tell Yami-san. He'll kill Bakura." Ryou begged.

"Again." Seto rolled his eyes. The Pharaoh's idea of killing tended to consist of sending the victim to the Shadow Realm, which did nothing for Bakura. "My lips are sealed."

"Arigatou, Seto-san." Ryou sighed. Then he turned to Jeorge. "Let's go, if you wanna, that is."

"Nai..." Jeorge shrugged and stood. "I've got stuff to do at home. I'll see you in school tomorrow."

"Un." Ryou nodded, then watched Jeorge disappear from his site before standing himself. "I might see you later tonight." He warned Seto.

"I hope not." Seto crossed his fingers.

Ryou smiled. "Un. Sayonara." He turned and started off.

"Sayonara. Ganbattene!" Seto shouted after the albino-haired boy. Ryou replied with a wave.

~~*~~

Ryou closed the door behind him softly, as if hoping Bakura wouldn't know he was home. He barely had time to drop his bag on the floor before his nearly identical yami had him pressed against the wall, purple eyes narrowed angrily. "So, you think you can turn me off? Think you won't regret it later?" Bakura hissed.

Ryou bit his lip. He was tired of letting Bakura get the best of him. "Maybe I don't regret it!" He cried, voice quivering. "Maybe that one moment of power proved how much better I am!" He swatted at Bakura's restraining hands. Bakura, in a state of shock, let his hikari go, stepping back. Ryou picked up his bag and turned back to Bakura, eyes narrowed, and tossed the Sennen Ring. "Go. I never want to see you again." Ryou hissed before turning and stalking off into the house.

Bakura watched after the boy until he disappeared, then left the house, Ring around his neck. **Good-bye, Ryou.** He sent through the weakening mental link before closing his lighter half off.

~/*\~

Bakura left Domino City that night, using money from an account he owned, and not telling a soul where he was going.

~~^~*~^~~

~~A/N: Totally random idea during one of my classes. This looks like it'll turn into a full-blown fic. Chapter 1 is written, just not named or typed up, and it's really short. Chapter 2 is in the works, but started.

Note: there are a lot of hints of the future to come in this chapter. I hadn't realized it until I started typing this up, but I've been working on this fic for almost a month now, so that's to be expected. I think some of the things coming up may surprise you. You'll see what I mean!! *smacks her troublesome yami for giving her this fic idea*

DISCLAIMER: YGO! Not mine. Bakura and Seto are total bishies, but I don't have the money to buy them. (SHIMATTA!!!) McDonald's. Not mine. Jeorge is mine.(Well, the character is. I took the name from this guy who sits next to me in Earth Science cause I think it's a cool spelling!! ^_~)

Note: Bakura and Ryou's eye colors are taken from the first season. Yami's eye color will probably be the same, but he looks better with red eyes anyway.... Everything else will, probably, be from the second season, unless I say otherwise.

Another Note: Marik is Yami Malik. I hate typing out Yami Malik everytime, so I'll refer to him as Marik.

One Last Note for Disclaimer: Any OOCness is apologized for, but I'm placing this about one year AFTER the show(so far). I realize the Kaibas and the Bakuras(I think) go to America after this season. I also realize that the Ishtars go back to Egypt. Guess what... SCREW THAT ENDING!!! This is, hereby, an AU fic. This means it takes place in an alternate universe. Excuse that. I'll try and keep the OOCing to a minimum, though.

Ja!

KJ