Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Koibito Yami ❯ Darkness Falls ( Chapter 8 )

Koibito Yami

(Dark Lover)

Hato Chiisai

NOTE: This is rated R for violence, language, sex and rape. THIS IS A YAOI FIC! That means male/male relationships and male/male SEX!

If you don't like that kind of stuff, then make it easy for every one and DON"T READ IT!!!!

Ryou x Bakura, Yugi x Yami, Ryou x Original Character (rape)

(Even a Ryou x Bakura x Yugi x Yami Later!!!)

Disclaimer: Hey, I'm a poor college student. I DON'T OWN A DAMN THING!!!!

Chapter 8- Darkness Falls

Ryou and Yugi were sitting in the living room, channel surfing, while their sugar craving yami's were in the kitchen, attempting to make brownies. Finally, Yugi, who had the remote control, gave sigh, and flipped the television off. Ryou looked up.

"I want to surprise my dad, and put up Christmas lights, outside." He said. Yugi looked at him. "But he would never approve of me on the roof."

"Oh." Yugi said. "Darn it. You had my hopes up."

"Mm."

"Hey! We can have Yami and Bakura do it!" He suggested. Ryou blinked, then, slowly, smiled. Yami walked in the room.

"You called?" He said, curiously. Ryou and Yugi giggled. Yami was licking chocolate off of his fingers, his hair was full of flour, an his face and black leather outfit was powdered with it, too. But what the two lights found to be the most amusing, was the fact that Yami was wearing an apron, with little gingerbread people dancing around on it.

"Shimatte! Pharaoh! Get in here!" They heard Bakura scream, and Yami turned, showing Ryou and Yugi his backside, which was covered in flour. Ryou giggled.

"I'll bet Bakura did that!" He snickered to Yugi.

"Iie! If you want to make them your way, fine, but I'm not helping to create that, that, sad excuse for brownies! You need to follow the written recipe, not make up one of your own!" Yami shouted, and turned back to Yugi and Ryou, who fought to keep a straight face. Ryou jumped up, and ran to Yami, throwing his arms around his neck, startling the spirit.

"Ryou?" He asked.

"Yami-kun! I need a favor!" Ryou said, releasing the yami's neck, and seizing his wrists. "You see, I want to surprise my father by putting up Christmas lights, outside, but I'm not allowed on the roof. Could you and Bakura do it? Please! I'll make you some real brownies!" Ryou squealed. Yami blinked.

"Wait. You want me to put up Christmas lights, on your house, on your roof, with Bakura?!?"

"That's about it." Ryou said. Bakura walked in.

"You better not be talking about me." He snarled. He, too, was powdered with flour, though you couldn't really see it in his hair, and he was also wearing an apron, this one with a bunch of little fuzzy forest creatures in scarves and earmuffs, decorating a pine tree. Yugi immediately ran to Bakura and through his arms around Bakura's waist.

"Bakura-kun!" He squealed, and the tomb robber blinked.

"Pharaoh, get your Hikari off of me." He snarled

"Will you get your Hikari off of me?" Yami snarled back, as Ryou had put his arms around his body, pinning his own arms to his sides. Bakura blinked.

"Ryou! Get off of the Ra forsaken Pharaoh, all ready!!!"

"Yugi! You do realize that that's the Grave Robber you're hanging on, right?" Yami barked.

"Bakura," Yugi said, looking up at the confused dark. "Yami needs your help!"

"I do not!" Yami shouted.

"And why would I help the Pharaoh?" Bakura asked, smirking at Yami's annoyed tone.

"Well, you'd be helping Ryou, too."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah! Would you help Yami put up Christmas lights outside?"

"Nani? Iie!" Bakura shouted, and Started to struggle. Yugi used his secret weapon.

"Pleeeeeease?" Bakura stared down, and groaned. Yugi was giving him the big pleading eyes. Ryou made like Yugi, and gave Yami the puppy eyes. Yami's eyebrows twitched.

"Get him off of me, Pharaoh!!!" Bakura whined. Ryou and Yugi looked at each other, and released the yami's then switched, going to their own darks.

"Yamiiiiiii……" Yugi whined. "Pleeeease!!!!" Yami groaned, as Yugi gave him the pleading eyes. Bakura, knowing what was coming, tried to run, but, to his surprise, Ryou tackled him, and sat on his chest.

"C'mon, Kura." Ryou said, his voice dripping with honey. "Pleeeeease?" Bakura moaned.

"Ohhhhh, fine! Fine!" Bakura shouted. Yami heard this.

"Well, if he will, I will."

"Arigato Yami-chan!"

"You're the best, Bakura!"

**************

"Dark Magician, in attack mode."

"Aww, man…." Ryou whined, when Yugi played his favorite card. He looked through his hand, and drew a card, then grinned. They had played two rounds of duel monsters, which Yugi won, and were on their third. Bakura and Yami had been on the roof for an hour, and the two lights listened to their darks footsteps on the roof.

"Change of Heart, Yugi." Ryou said, playing a card. "And I take your Dark Magician, and attack Gaia, destroying him." Yugi frowned, and put the card in the Grave Yard, then drew a card. He smiled.

"I play Summoned Skull, and, I equip him with Sword of Dark Destruction. And he attacks Dark Magician, destroying it." Ryou pouted, and placed the stolen Dark Magician in Yugi's Graveyard.

"I play a card in defense mode, and one magic card." Ryou said. Yugi drew a card, and frowned.

"Summoned Skull attacks your defense card." Ryou flipped it over, and Yugi groaned; a Morphing Jar. They sent their hands to the Graveyard, and drew a new one. Yugi grinned. Ryou placed a card in defense mode, and Yugi slapped down a card.

"Monster Reborn, and I bring back the Dark Magician, and I Equip him with the Book of Secret Arts. And now, I'll play Stop Defense, forcing your card into attack mode." Ryou frowned and flipped the White Magical Hat into attack mode. "And now, I attack with-"

"Tomb Robber!!!" They suddenly heard Yami scream, then a funny shuffling noise on the roof. Then, Yugi gasped.

"Yami!"

"Yugi! Nan desu ka?!" Ryou said, seeing a horrified look on his friend's face. Yugi pointed over Ryou's shoulder. Ryou turned, and gasped. Yami was outside his bedroom window, dangling upside down, a strand of Christmas lights wrapped around his ankle. Ryou and Yugi dashed down stairs, an out the front door. Ryou groaned. Half of the street had come outside to see what the commotion was. Yami was still dangling, and Bakura was on the roof, gritting his teeth, and holding onto the other end of the strand, keeping Yami from falling.

"Yami!" Yugi shouted. Ryou stared at Bakura.

"Bakura!" He called. "Hold on!" He looked at Yugi. "What do we do?!?"

"Anubis take you, you Ra damned good for nothing Soul Stealer!!!" Yami howled.

"I heard that!" Bakura groaned, and then, grinned.

"Bakura, don't you dare!!!" Ryou shouted. But it was too late. Bakura let go, and with a yelp, Yami fell, and sank into the snow. Ryou and Yugi, ignoring the shocked neighbors, ran to Yami, as he sat up.

"I never thought I'd be happy about snow, but…." Yami muttered, and Yugi and Ryou smiled. "Oh, well, we were almost done, anyway." Yami said, stumbling too his feet. Yugi took Yami inside, while Ryou stormed to the sidewalk so he could see Bakura. The dark was sitting on the edge of the roof, swinging his legs, and looking very proud of himself.

"What is the matter with you?!?" Ryou screamed, and Bakura looked at him.

"Nani? I owe him!" Bakura called, grinning.

"Oh, finish the lights! You can't come in until you do!" Ryou screamed, and stalked back inside. Bakura sighed, and looked at all the neighbors, staring at him.

"What are you looking at?!?" He roared, and worked on the lights. It was another two hours before he finished, and knocked on the front door. Ryou answered.

"D-d-d-d-done." Bakura chattered, freezing. Ryou stared, the dragged Bakura inside.

"Kura! Are you all right?!?" He dragged the damp snow covered clothes off of his dark, leaving him in boxers, and dragged him into the living room, where there was fire in the fireplace. Yami and Yugi looked up, when Ryou sat Bakura on the sofa, nearest to the fireplace.

"Yugi, get some hot chocolate." Ryou said, and dragged a blanket over Bakura, sliding in as well, and pulling his shivering dark into his arms. Bakura clenched his teeth, trying not to chatter, and put his pride on the shelf, curling up, and letting Ryou hold him. Yami smirked at this, but didn't say anything. Yugi came in, and handed Bakura a mug of hot chocolate.

"D-d-domo arigato g-gozaimasu." Bakura chattered. Yugi nodded, and sat down with Yami, and watched the two pale boys. Bakura sipped the hot chocolate, his head on Ryou's chest, while his light stroked his hair, and rubbed his back, trying to warm him up.

"Y'know….." Bakura said, finishing the hot chocolate, setting the mug on the coffee table.

"Nani?" Ryou asked, and Bakura looked up at him.

"This makes it all worth it." Bakura said, and kissed Ryou gently, before relaxing, and closing his eyes. Ryou smiled, and buried his face into Bakura's hair. Yugi and Yami glanced at each other, smiling.

"Time for bed, Yugi." Yami said, and the two went upstairs, leaving Ryou and Bakura sleeping on the sofa.

**************

Ryou, Yugi, Bakura, and Yami sat around the kitchen table, bored out of their minds. Bakura had dueled Yami, and lost, six times in a row, and Yugi had dueled Ryou, and won, six times in a row. Yugi then dueled Yami, and lost, spectacularly, while Bakura creamed Ryou. They then channel surfed for an hour, and were now sitting around the kitchen table.

"Oh, I don't care what my Dad said!" Ryou finally shouted. "If I don't get out of this house, I'm going to go crazy!" the others agreed with him.

"I suppose, if we all stay together, it would be all right." Yami said.

"Let's go to the Park!" Yugi said, excitedly. "We can skate on the pond!"

"Yeah!" Ryou said, and went to get his ice skates. "Yugi, you left your here after we went last week!" Ryou called from the closet. "So did Yami! Bakura should fit in my dad's." Ryou said, bringing the four pairs in. The four boys got bundled up, and started walking to the park. No one was there, so they had the whole pond to them selves. Or so they thought. A pair of dark eyes watched them from the bushes. The owner of the eyes had already been there for fifteen minutes, and had prepared a little surprise for the four boys.

"I've never done this, Ryou!" Bakura whined, as Ryou skated on to the ice, with practiced ease. Ryou spun, and smiled at Bakura, eyes shining, his breath coming out in little clouds.

"It's, not, that, hard!" Yami panted, as he followed Yugi onto the ice, struggling to keep his balance. Bakura watched Yami for a moment, then sighed, and stepped onto the ice. His legs flew out from under him, and he crashed to the ice. Yami started laughing, and immediately crashed to the ice next to Bakura, which made Bakura start laughing. When the two tried to get up, Ryou and Yugi started laughing. They helped their Yami's to their feet. Ryou took Bakura's hands, and started to skate backwards, coaching him as they made their way across the ice. Yugi skated slowly, and Yami followed, hesitantly.

"Ryou! Slow down!" Bakura shrieked. "You're going too fast!"

"Haibokusha!" (AN: Loser) Yami said, as he skated by Ryou and Bakura as they inched along.

"what was that Pharaoh?!" Bakura shrieked, and shoved by Ryou, and skated long after Yami, who squeaked, and sped up, skating by Yugi, followed by Bakura. Ryou skated up next Yugi, grinning.

"Fear and anger can be great motivation, huh Yugi!" He said, as they watched their yami's slide across the ice. Yugi and Ryou giggled.

"Bakura's catching along much faster than Yami!" Yugi said.

"Well, you know Bakura." Ryou said. "Uh oh, we should probably go rescue Yami." The two lights skated over to the two darks. Yami had fallen, and knocked over Bakura. The two were now flailing their fists, trying to hit each other. Ryou, the better skater, got their first, and pulled Bakura back. Bakura kept fighting, and tripped Yugi, who fell on Bakura.

"Ouch! Yugi Mouto, when I get my hands on you, even the Pharaoh won't save you!" He screeched, hurling Yugi off of him, and allowing Ryou to help him up, then shoved his light back and went after Yugi, who, to his fury, and to Yami and Ryou's amusement, stuck his thumbs in his ears, and wagged his tongue at Bakura.

"you'll have to catch me first, Grave Robber!" He sang, and glided out of Bakura's reach easily. He turned, and sprinted down the length of the pond, then looked back. Bakura hadn't gotten very far. "C'mon, Bakura!" Yugi called. "I'm waiting!" Bakura screamed in fury.

"Stop taunting the Tomb Raider, Yugi!" Yami called, through his laughter. Yugi skated backwards a bit, smiling at Bakura. The dark eyes watched Yugi, and a smirk appeared below them.

"C'mon, Yugi. Just a bit further…" Yugi slid back on the ice.

Suddenly, he hit a rough patch, and fell back.

"Oww…" He whined to himself, and slowly stood up. He froze, when he heard a thin, crackling sound. He looked around nervously. Suddenly, the ice shifted under him, and he panicked.

/"Yamiiiiii!"/ He screamed. Bakura, Yami and Ryou looked up.

"Yugi! Iie!" Ryou screamed, and took off across the ice. The ice under Yugi cracked, and broke apart, and Yugi screamed, and fell into the frigid water. The cold hit him like knives, and he sunk under the water, too cold to move. The cold even numbed his mind.

/Yami…/

//Yugi! Iie! Where are you?!//

/……../

//Yugi!// Yami called to his other half, as he and Bakura kicked off their skates, and ran to where Ryou stood, fifty feet from where Yugi went through the ice.

"Yameru!" Ryou said. "The ice is unstable! We can't go farther!"

"Iie! Yugi-chan!" Yami screamed, panicking, and tried to go anyway, but Bakura and Ryou held him back.

"Hold him Bakura!" Ryou commanded, and kicked off his ice skates, and lay down on his stomach. He slid across the ice to the hole. The pair of eyes narrowed from where they watched the scene. Suddenly, the tables turned for Bakura and Yami, and Yami was holding Bakura back.

"Ryou! Iie!" Bakura screamed, as Ryou took a deep breath, and slid head first into the water.

"Bakura! No! You can't swim!"

"Neither can you!"

"Exactly! Ryou's the only one who can save Yugi!"

"But who's gonna save Ryou?!"

Beneath the water, Ryou put up his shields against Bakura, so he wouldn't be distracted. He had to keep his mind clear if he was to save Yugi… and live. He couldn't see a thing.

/Ring, give me light!/ He thought, and the Ring flashed, and began to glow. He still didn't see Yugi. Then, he got an idea. /Ring, fin the Millennium Puzzle!/ Ryou thought, and to his relief, the five points of the Ring began pulling him. He swam in the direction the Ring was pulling. /Oh! Yugi!/ Ryou gasped, mentally, as he saw his friend, slowly drifting to the bottom of the pond. He sized Yugi under the arms. He was running out of breath. He began to swim to the surface but froze. The Puzzle wasn't on Yugi's neck, it was sinking to the bottom. Ryou only hesitated a moment, then turned away from the sinking puzzle, and swam up to the hole in the ice.

Bakura and Yami had gotten onto their stomachs, and slid over to the hole.

"Ryou!"

"Yugi!"

They both gasped, when a large amount of air bubbles appeared, and then, Ryou's head broke the surface, followed by Yugi's. Bakura and Yami grabbed Yugi, and pulled him over away from the hole, Ryou after them.

"He's not breathing!" Yami gasped, and Ryou shoved by. He tilted Yugi's head back, covered Yugi's mouth with his own, and exhaled sharply. Bakura and Yami watched, helplessly. Ryou breathed for Yugi, in and out. Finally, Yugi couched, and spewed water out of him mouth, opening his eyes.

"Yami!" He gasped, and Yami held him. "Yami! The Puzzle! I can't hear you! Where's the Puzzle?!?" Yugi gasped, panicked.

"In the pond." Ryou said, and turned.

"Ryou!" Bakura screamed, as Ryou slid back into the water.

//Ryou, what are you doing?!?//

/Getting the Puzzle! Ring, point me!/

//Ryou….//

Ryou followed the pull of the Ring, swimming as deep as he could. The water was black and cold. Ryou could hardly feel his body. He could hardly think. He felt a fog shrouding his mind, and knew he was oxygen starved, not to mention had lost a lot of blood in the past twelve hours. He began to feel dizzy, and his head started pounding. His ears popped under the pressure, as he reached the bottom of the lake. He followed the Ring's pull.

/I found it!/ He sent to Bakura.

"He found it!" Bakura told Yugi, and Yami. Ryou put the Puzzle around his neck, and kicked off from the bottom, swimming desperately. Finally, when he thought he'd pass out, he erupted from the water, and gasped for breathe. He felt strong hands seize him, and drag him from the water, and across the ice. Ryou felt light headed, and knew he'd been in the water too long. He was slowly losing consciousness, and Yugi didn't look much better. Ryou smiled weakly, and handed Yugi the Puzzle.

"Ryou-chan… Arigato gozaimasu." Yugi said, and passed out, Ryou right after him. Yami and Bakura looked at each other.

"We have to get them home." Yami said, and Bakura nodded. The Ring and the Puzzle glowed, and Yugi and Ryou disappeared, Yami and Bakura sending them to their soul rooms. The two then sprinted home.

The dark figure came out of the bushes, and watched the two spirits run. He did an angry little dance, before storming out of the park, swearing, under his breath, that next time, they wouldn't be so lucky.

***********

Ryou and Yugi came too wrapped in blankets, fresh out o the bathtub, and set in front of the roaring fireplace, in their yami's arms. Yami and Bakura gave them steaming mugs of hot chocolate.

"Ryou." Yami said. "That was very brave. You saved Yugi's life, and the Puzzle. I am forever in your debt."

"Arigato Ryou." Yugi said, softly, and sneezed.

"Uh, you father called." Bakura said. "I had to tell him. Yami and I didn't know what to do. He told us to give you a warm bath, wrap you up, stick you in front of the fire, and give you some hot soup. He wasn't happy. He told us we can't go outside any more." Ryou giggled slightly, but that turned into a cough that wracked his entire body. "Calm down." Bakura said, slapping Ryou on the back.

"Th, thanks." Ryou wheezed, once his coughing stopped. He sipped his hot chocolate again. "Yugi, what happened? It was a pond! It shouldn't have been thin. If one area was thin, the whole pond should have been thin." Yugi frowned.

"I hit a rough patch and fell. That must have cracked the ice. Don't ask me, I'm not the ice expert."

"Neither am I. I just have a feeling, that all…" Ryou said, and cuddled closer to Bakura, staring into the fire. Yami stood, and went into the kitchen, coming back with hot soup. He smiled, Yugi had cuddled up to Bakura, with Ryou. Yami gave the boys their soup, and sat next to Bakura, transferring Yugi to his own lap. Bakura flipped on the television, and went to the TV Guide Channel.

"Oh, there"! Yugi said. "The Muppet Christmas Carol!" He said, and Bakura obliged. Before the movie got started, Ryou explained to the two yami's the concept of Muppets, so they wouldn't be alarmed by the strange little creatures that would inhabit the movie. They got through most of the movie all right, but the Ghost of Christmas past crewed Yami out, and Bakura shuddered at the Ghost of Christmas Future, saying that it reminded him of the Reaper of the Cards, and he then proceeded to give Yami a glare. Yami just shrugged.

"You deserved it Bakura, after what you did to Yugi and the others. And especially Ryou. Your own light."

"Hey, you think I'm proud of that?" Bakura snapped, though he sounded hurt, and clung to Ryou a little tighter. Ryou gave his hands a comforting squeeze, and kissed the tip of Bakura's nose. Bakura smiled. After taking a dip in freezing water and ice, Ryou now felt surprisingly warm.

"I'm sleepy." He mumbled.

"Me too." Yugi whined. Bakura smiled, and Yami chucked.

"It's only two in the afternoon!" He said, smirking at Bakura, who smirked back, and shrugged. The movie started rolling the credits, and Yugi relaxed against Yami, closing his eyes. Ryou did the same, curling up into little ball in Bakura's arms, on the sofa. Yami and Bakura exchanged amused glances, before making themselves comfortable with their lights. Yami reached out with the power of the Puzzle, and linked to Bakura.

/It's going to be a very lazy day…./ He commented, and Bakura snorted.

//It's going to be a lazy few days, if I know Ryou.// Yami smirked, and agreed.

/Yugi's the same way, Bakura./

//Heh. I'm not surprised.// Bakura said, and both were silent a moment.

/Friends tend to be like that./

//Yeah. I guess they are, really good friends, huh?//

/Hai. I think Joey is Yugi's best friend, but, in Ryou, he has someone who understands him more that the others ever could./

//What do you mean?//

/Ryou understands the burden of having one of the Millennium Items, not to mention a darker half./

//I see. Yes, you're right.//

/Friends often drift apart, but I think that because of you and me, Ryou and Yugi will always be close./

//I agree. An it's good to have someone who understands the pain you're going through.// They paused again.

/What about us, Bakura?/ Yami asked, after a moment.

//What about us, Pharaoh?// Bakura snapped, automatically putting up his defenses. Yami sighed, and, feeling that Yugi was asleep, gently shifted him, and stood up, beckoning Bakura to follow him. Bakura hesitated, then rolled his eyes, and shifted out from under Ryou. He followed Yami out the back door, and into the back yard. The snow was falling thickly. After a moment, Yami turned to look at Bakura.

"Do we forgive each other?" He asked. Bakura blinked. "Do you forgive me for trapping you in the Ring?" Bakura looked down, scowling. He glared at Yami, and started to say something, then stopped, a look of confusion on his face. Slowly, he started to smile, softly, but not at Yami.

"Yes. I do forgive you, Pharaoh Yugioh." He said, and looked up at Yami, who looked relieved. Then he frowned.

"Doshite?" He asked.

"If you hadn't sealed me into the Ring, I never would have met Ryou." Bakura said, smiling at the thought of his gentle Light. Yami nodded.

"I understand."

"Do you forgive me?" Bakura asked.

"For what?"

"For, I dunno, everything. For trying to hurt you, and Yugi, and the others, and, for just being an ass."

"Bakura, I forgive you. You are what you are. You can't help being an ass." Bakura smiled.

"Thanks. I," Suddenly, he glared at Yami. "Did you just call me an ass?!" He noticed that Yami was trying hard not to laugh. "You did, didn't you?" Bakura scowled, then smirked, as he got an idea.

Yami stared as Bakura scooped up a handful of snow, and hurled it at him. Yami shrieked, and ducked. Bakura laughed.

"You scream like a girl, Pharaoh!" He crowed in amusement. Yami glared, and scooped up some snow himself.

"You wanna repeat that, Grave Robber?!" He shouted, and hurled the ball at Bakura, who ducked, and hurled one right back at him. The two were soon engaged in an all out snow ball war. Yami ducked behind the oak tree while Bakura leapt behind the wood pile. The air was thick with snowballs for the next twenty minutes, though Yami called it quits when Bakura's started exploding on impact, saying that they shouldn't blow Ryou's backyard to bits. Bakura laughed, and accused Yami of just being mad that he didn't think of putting spells on the snow balls in the first place. They then ended up arguing, then wrestling, until Bakura found one of Yami's sensitive spots, discovering that Yami was ticklish. They ended up collapsing onto each other, gasping for breath, and staring up at the sky. Yami sat up on his elbows, and looked at Bakura, grinning. Bakura grinned back, and Yami flopped back into the snow. He frowned.

"Hey, Bakura."

"Hai?"

"Isn't there a fire in the fire place?"

"Hai."

"Then, shouldn't there be smoke coming out of the chimney?"

"Hai. Doshite?"

"Well, there isn't."

"Nani?" Bakura yelped, sitting up, and staring at the quiet chimney. Both yami's glanced at each other, then leapt up, and ran to the house. Bakura wrenched open the door, and black smoke came billowing out. Bakura started coughing, and pulled his shirt up over his mouth and nose. He ducked into the house, followed by Yami. They got down on their hands and knees, and crawled under the smoke.

"Yugi, Ryou!" Yami called.

"Why isn't the smoke alarm going off?" Bakura asked aloud.

"That's why!" Yami said. Bakura looked. The smoke alarm was on the floor, smashed.

"Oh, Ra, this is no accident. This was intentional!" Bakura gasped, and sprinted to the living room. Yami followed, opening all the windows he could find. They ran into the living room. Ryou and Yugi were curled up on the sofa, asleep. the smoke hadn't sunk to their level yet, so they were breathing fairly easily.

"Turn on the fan!" Yami called. Bakura did. Ryou and Yugi woke and Yami's yell, and looked around at the smoke filled room, panicked.

"Yami!" Yugi called, scared.

"Right here, Yugi!" Ryou, coughing, slid off of the sofa, and over to the fire place, turning off the gas that was fueling the fire. He reached into the fireplace, ignoring the heat, and felt the floo.

"Something must be blocking the chimney!" He called.

"I'm on it!" Bakura said, and ran out the door. He climbed one of the trees outside, and leapt to

the roof, and slid to the chimney. He looked into it. There was a wadded up piece of cloth. He seized it, and tore it out.

"Nan desu ka!" Yugi called. Bakura looked down, to see Yami, Yugi and Ryou watching him. He leapt back to the tree, and slid to the ground when the smoke began to escape the chimney again. He looked down at the cloth in his hands, and shook it out of its wadded up state. All four boys stared at it. Ryou and Bakura paled, and Ryou fell to his knees, shaking in fear. Yami swallowed, and pulled Yugi closer to him. It was Ryou's torn and blood stained clothes, that they had left behind in the warehouse, when they had rescued him from Ketsueki. Bakura dropped the clothes, and stepped back, staring at them.

"He was here." Bakura gasped. "He was here, and we left them alone!" He screamed, at Yami, pointing to Ryou and Yugi.

"Get rid of them." Ryou whimpered, staring at the clothes. Bakura helped Ryou to his feet, and put one arm around him, and one around Yugi, guiding the two Hikari's inside, while Yami scooped up Ryou's clothes, and followed.

"Burn them." Ryou said, and Yami tossed them into the fire place. The house was fairly aired out now, so he went through each room, closing and locking the windows, an thoroughly searching for intruders, while Bakura stayed with Yugi and Ryou. He finally came back, and found the three of them curled up on the sofa, Ryou looking ill, Yugi looking scared, and Bakura looking very grim. All three looked at Yami.

"All clear." He said, and Yugi relaxed slightly.

"It was him Yami." Bakura said. "You know it was him. Not just now, but at the pond. He must have been there. He must have weakened the ice." Yami stared, pale, and slowly sank into a chair. "He's trying to kill our lights." Bakura said, holding Ryou and Yugi tightly. Yami put his head in his hands.

"This is getting out of hand." Yami said. "I've had enough. He could kill them."

"He wants to kill them."

"If he keeps going like this, he will kill them."

"We have to stop him."

"Bakura, we're lucky that h didn't get Ryou, the other day. When you, y

`know, scared him. Ryou went out alone."

"Oh, Ra. You're right. He could have grabbed Ryou."

"Could you stop talking about us like we're not here?" Ryou complained.

"Gomen, tenshi aisuru." Bakura said, kissing Ryou's cheek. He looked up at Yami. "What do we do?"

"We don't leave them alone. Not for a second. We accompany them everywhere."

"Even the bathroom?!" Yugi squeaked.

"Yes. In the Millennium Items, if you insist, but we will stay with you. And, we could use some extra eyes."

"What do you propose?" Bakura asked. Yami pulled out his duel monsters deck. Bakura smiled, and nodded. Yami drew the top card.

"Ryou, is there just the front and back door?"

"Uh, no, there's one more, in my Dad's study." He said, and Yami nodded.

"Dark Magician!" He called. The Dark Magician sprung to life with a flash, and knelt. "Celtic Guardian!" the Celtic Guardian knelt next to the Dark Magician. "Silver Fang!" the wolf appeared. Bakura pulled his deck.

"Neo, the Magic Swordsman!" He called, and the warrior appeared. Yami stood, and Neo turned to look at him.

"There have been attempts on our lives." Yami said. "We need your protection."

"You shall have it, Master Pharaoh." The Dark Magician said. Yami nodded.

"Silver Fang, you are to guard the front door. Neo, take the back. Celtic Guardian, the study." Yami said, and the three moved to their posts. "Dark Magician, stay with us." Yami said, and the Dark Magician stood, and nodded. Yugi smiled at him, an he smiled back to Yugi, then at Ryou and Bakura. Yami looked at Bakura.

"Now may be a good time to tutor them." He said, motioning to Ryou and Yugi, on either side of Bakura. Bakura nodded, and stood.

"In that case, to the Shadow Realm." He said. Ryou and Yugi squeaked, when they were pulled into the blackness. Bakura looked at Ryou. "You did it once. Think you can do it again?" He asked. Ryou swallowed, and nodded. He sighed, and relaxed, standing. He held his hands out in front of him, and got in touch with the Ring. He sensed the power, and began to focus it, as Bakura had instructed him. Yugi stood, and watched closely. This time, the flash of energy appeared quickly, and grew, just as quickly, to the size of a baseball. Ryou opened his eyes, and stared at the energy ball, then looked at Bakura, who smiled and nodded.

"Get it a big as you can, but don't release it." Bakura said. Ryou began channeling the energy into the ball, and it grew. Yami smirked, and glanced at Bakura, who was smiling proudly. "That's it Ryou. Not too fast, you can't go faster than your body can take. Slowly, allow the Ring to channel energy into you, replacing what is being lost. You go too fast, and you'll lose control of the energy, and lose it, it will be wasted, and you will be left weak and defenseless."

"Are you listening, Yugi?" Yami said. Yugi nodded, hanging onto Bakura's every word. The energy ball in Ryou's hands had gotten very large by now, with a three foot radius. Ryou started to sweat, and strain. Bakura nodded.

"Good. Now, draw the energy back into your body. All of it." He said, and Ryou grit his teeth, as he tried to do that. Slowly, the ball shrunk, as Ryou reabsorbed it. The ball disappeared. "Good!" Bakura said, and Ryou smiled at the praise.

"Your turn, Yugi." Yami said. Yugi swallowed, and moved a few steps away so he could have room, while Ryou ran to Bakura.

"Should we teach them how to get into the Shadow Realm?" Bakura asked Yami, who chuckled.

"Let's teach them how to get out of the Shadow Realm first."

"Good idea." Bakura said, also chuckling. "Oh, there he goes." Both turned their attention to Yugi, who had managed to start an energy ball, but was having trouble keeping it alive.

"Use the Puzzle, Yugi!" Yami said, and the energy stopped flickering, and grew steady. "Now, feed it." Yami called, and Yugi began to do so, slowly. Yami and Bakura nodded, despite the fact that Yugi's eyes were closed and he couldn't see them.

There was a sudden ripple in the Shadow Realm, and the Dark Magician appeared.

"The Little Master is doing well," he observed, then looked at Yami. "There's a funny object making an irritating noise on a table, Master Pharaoh." He said.

"Oh! The Phone!" Ryou gasped. Yami pointed to Ryou.

"Take him back." He ordered, and Dark Magician placed a hand on Ryou's shoulder, transporting him back to the living room. Ryou pounced on the phone.

"Moshi moshi?" He said.

"Ryou?"

"Dad!"

"Genki desu ka?"

"Daijobu. A little tired, but…"

"Bakura told me what you did for Yugi, Ryou. I'm very proud of you, that was very brave."

"Thanks, Dad."

"How is Yugi?"

"Fine."

"And Yami and Bakura?"

"Fine, Dad."

"Everything going okay?"

"Uhhhh….. Yeah. Fine."

"Ryou…."

"Hai?"

"You're a lousy liar." Yaten said, and Ryou sighed.

"He came back, Dad. Ketsueki was here. He stopped up the chimney, trying to smoke us out, I guess. And, Bakura thinks he's the one who broke the ice where Yugi fell in. He's trying to kill us, Dad."

"Call the police."

"It's all right. Yami, enlisted some help from the Shadow Realm."

"How so?"

"Uh, well, right now, Silver Fang is guarding the front door, Neo the Magic Swordsman is at the back, the Celtic Guardian is in your study, and I'm standing next to the Dark Magician."

"Oh. Uh, right. Okay, well, if Yami thinks that the Dark Magician is enough, well, I trust him. Can I talk to him?"

"Who, the Dark Magician?"

"Uh, Yami."

"Oh. He's in the Shadow Realm with the others, Dad. We're practicing using our Shadow Powers."

"Uhhh… Riiight…… Okay, well, be careful, Ryou. I'll call back later, son."

"Okay. Love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Ryou. Bye." Ryou hung up, and the Dark Magician took him back to the Shadow Realm.

Yugi was making progress, his energy ball was as big as a beach ball. Yami was satisfied, and was telling Yugi how to reabsorb it. Bakura looked at Ryou.

"It was Dad. I think he's a bit wierded out that there's a Celtic Guardian in his study, but other than that, he took the news rather well. He trusts you and Yami." Bakura nodded, and put an arm around Ryou's waist, an watched Yugi. Finally, Yugi relaxed, completely reabsorbing the energy.

"Now?" Bakura asked Yami, who nodded.

"Now. Ryou, Yugi, this time, you bring us back."

"Nani?" the two boys gasped. Bakura and yami exchanged looks, and began to explain how to get out of the Shadow Realm.

**************

Ryou and Yugi collapsed on the sofa when they finally managed to pull themselves, and their yami's, out of the Shadow Realm. Yami smirked at the exhausted boys, and picked up the phone.

"Chinese okay?" He asked, and Bakura voiced his approval, before going to check on Silver Fang, Celtic Guardian, and Neo. Ryou picked up a book, but found it hard to concentrate. Yugi was fidgeting as well. Bakura came back, giving the `all's well' announcement, and the two Hikari's relaxed slightly. Yami hung up the phone.

"Dinner should be here in half an hour." He said, and sat down on the sofa. Bakura sat in the armchair. Yami, Yugi, and Bakura all stared into the fireplace, while Ryou tried to read his book, but none of the words made sense. Yami shifted, uneasily.

"Master Pharaoh," the Dark Magician said, making all four boys jump. "No harm will come to any of you while I stand guard. Relax. Rest." Yami smiled slightly, when the Dark Magician put a hand on his shoulder. Yami covered the Dark Magician's hand with his own, expressing his gratitude.

"Arigato. You have always been a loyal friend."

"I am but you slave, Master Pharaoh." The Dark Magician said, humbly.

"No, you're not." Yugi said. "You're our friend. We've always seen you as a friend, never a servant."

"Thank you, Little Master." The Dark Magician said, smiling. Ryou sighed, and looked up at Bakura, on the chair. He got off of the sofa, and, to everyone's surprise, crawled into Bakura's lap. Bakura blinked when Ryou curled up between his legs, wrapping his arms around his legs, and pulling his knees up to his chest, letting his head fall to Bakura's chest.

"He was here." Ryou said, quietly. "He was here, and he wants to kill me." He snuggled up to Bakura, who wrapped his arms around the smaller boy.

"He won't lay a hand on you, Ryou." Bakura said. "I won't let him, and you have the powers of the Shadow Realm."

"I'm still scared."

"It's only natural." Yami said, from the sofa, while Yugi made like Ryou, and climbed into his lap. Yami held him, comfortingly. "Bakura and I won't let anything hurt either of you. I will protect you as I would Yugi, Ryou."

"I will protect Yugi, as I would Ryou." Bakura said, in agreement with the Pharaoh. Ryou looked over at Yugi.

"Wow. They're getting along." He said, and Yugi nodded.

"I know. That's a first. Weird, huh?"

"Yeah. It's like, the Twilight Zone."

"Or, maybe it's a miracle."

"What have we done to deserve it?"

"I dunno. I haven't exactly been well behaved recently."

"Hah. Me neither."

"What do you mean? You're always well behaved."

"Maybe it's a sign."

"Yeah. The end of the world is near."

"All right, that's enough, you two." Yami scolded, though there was amusement in his voice. Bakura rolled his eyes.

"Stupid sarcastic Hikari's"

"Stupid psychotic yami's."

"Urusai, Ryou." Bakura snarled, and Ryou cuddled against Bakura, pouting. The Dark Magician smirked.

"What has brought this, er, Change of Heart, Master Pharaoh?" He said, with a smirk. Yugi, Yami, Bakura, and Ryou stared at him. Yugi laughed.

"Hah! The Dark Magician made a joke!" He shouted, and started laughing hysterically. Ryou started to giggle too, and Yami chuckled. Bakura just rolled his eyes again.

"Let's just say, Bakura and I had a talk. Settled our differences, forgive and forget." Yami said.

"Not all our differences." Bakura said, and gave Yami a meaningful look, though only Yami got the meaning, and nodded. "After all, the first thing Yami did after we, forgave each other, was call me an ass."

"you deserved it."

"Did not!"

"Yes, you did, and then you, as I recall, said that I scream like a girl."

"you do scream like a girl!" Bakura said, over Ryou and Yugi's giggling. "and you threw a snowball at me!"

"You threw one first!"

"So?"

"And then, you put spells on them so they exploded!"

"Ah, you're still mad that you didn't think of that first."

"I am not!" Yami shouted, and Ryou put his hands over Bakura's mouth to shut him up before he could say anything else.

"Don't Bakura." Ryou said. "You know Yami has to have the last word."

"I do not!" Yami cried, insulted. Yugi covered Yami's mouth.

"All right, you don't. Now that you've had the last word, shut up!" Yugi said, and Ryou giggled at the annoyed look on Yami's face. The two Hikari's took their hands away from their yami's mouths, and they immediately started yelling at each other, so Yugi and Ryou put their hands back.

"Yeep!" Ryou squeaked, and jerked his hands away, when Bakura nipped him. "Don't do that!" He whined, and slapped Bakura upside the head. At that moment, Silver Fang loped into the room.

"Master Pharaoh," he said, in a deep throaty growl. Ryou, Yugi, and Bakura blinked, not knowing that Silver Fang could speak. "A human approaches." Yami nodded, and stood, transferring Yugi to the sofa.

"Probably the Chinese food." He said, and followed Silver Fang to the door. They heard it open, and heard a brief conversation, an Yami came back with two plastic sacks with Chinese lettering on them. He set them out on the coffee table, and Yugi, Ryou, and Bakura slid to the floor around it. Yami started passing things out. "Fried rice, egg rolls, almond chicken, broccoli and beef, sweet and sour pork, lo mein…"

"Here, Ryou." Bakura said, piling a bit of everything onto a paper plate. "Eat up. You need to put on some weight. It's not healthy." Ryou smiled, and picked up his chopsticks. Bakura piled rice onto his own plate, and crammed an egg roll into his mouth.

"Do you want something?" Yami said, looking up and the Dark Magician.. The Dark Magician made a face. "I'll take that as a `no.'" Yami said, amused, and picked up his chopsticks. Yugi heaped Sweet and Sour Pork onto his plate with steamed rice, and made a face, as Bakura inhaled his food. Ryou stopped chewing, and stared at Bakura as well. Yami blinked, and swallowed, and even the Dark Magician raised an eyebrow. Bakura looked up, and looked around, noodles hanging out of his mouth.

"Whuh?" He asked, and Ryou rolled his eyes, disgusted.

"You have no manners, Bakura." He said. Bakura shrugged, but blushed slightly. He slowed down his eating, and tried to mimic Ryou, but finding Ryou's dainty eating habits too difficult to copy, he just copied Yami.

**************

As soon as they finished dinner, they four boys grew sleepy, and sluggish. Yami and Bakura reluctantly cleaned up dinner, at Ryou's insistence, then came back into the living room. Ryou had dragged out sleeping bags, since none of them felt like dragging themselves upstairs. Yami and Yugi took over the sofa, while Ryou and Bakura fixed up a bed in front of the fire place. The Dark Magician sat down in the armchair, to Ryou's amusement.

"What did I do with that camera?" He muttered, and left the room. He went to his father's study, and stared at the Celtic Guardian. The Celtic Guardian was sitting in his father's chair, and was amusing himself by spinning around, and rolling across the floor. Ryou leaped out of the way as the Celtic Guardian came hurtling at him. He bumped into the wall, and looked up, staring at Ryou. Ryou fought not to laugh at the guilty and embarrassed look on the Celtic Guardian's face. The Duel Monster was blushing.

"Oh, Master Ryou, I,"

"Don't bother." Ryou said, giggling. "I do that all the time."

"You do?!" The Celtic Guardian asked. Ryou smiled, and nodded, as he searched his father's desk. He found the camera, and smiled, loading a new roll of film. He turned as the Celtic Guardian went flying across the room again, a look of childish delight on his face. Ryou picked up the camera, and snapped the photo, grinning. At the flash, the Celtic Guardian yelped, and tried to stand, while the chair kept moving, and ended up crashing to the floor. Ryou grinned, and snapped another picture of the undignified Duel Monster. Yami came running into the room, the Sennen Eye on his forehead.

"What was that?!" He gasped, then yelped, as Ryou snapped another picture. He looked at Ryou, then down at the Celtic Guardian who was blinking rapidly. "What are you doing?" Yami asked, completely baffled.

"There was a flash." The Celtic Guardian said, getting to his feet. "I thought it was a threat. What has happened! I'm seeing spots!?!"

"It was only a camera." Ryou snorted, and Yami gave him a look. Ryou shrugged, and left the room. He returned to the living room. The Dark Magician had put Yugi and Bakura in the corner, and had his staff raised, ready to attack, as Ryou walked in. Bakura looked past the Dark Magician.

"Ryou! What happened?!"

"Nothing. Celtic Guardian just fell out of my dad's chair, that's all." The Dark Magician snorted, and relaxed, and Yugi ran to Yami as he came in. The two settled down on the sofa, and the ark Magician sat down in the armchair again, the pulled a magazine out from under him. It was an issue of Cosmo Girl that Tea had left behind. The Dark Magician stared at it, confused, and looked at a lipstick add. Ryou couldn't resist; he raised the camera, and snapped a photo. Everyone jumped as the magazine went flying, and the Dark Magician leapt to his feet, thrusting his staff at Ryou, ready to attack. Ryou stared at the staff under his nose, and gulped. The Dark Magician stared down at him and blinked, confused.

"Ryou!" Yami cried, exasperated. "Dark Magician, back down. It was only a camera."

"A what?" Dark Magician asked, lowering his staff. Ryou showed him the camera.

"It, it takes pictures." Ryou squeaked, and the Dark Magician blinked.

"Never mind." Yami sighed. Ryou turned, and looked at Bakura.

"Smile!" He sang, and Bakura looked at him, confused. Ryou snapped the picture, and Bakura yelped, and covered his eyes. Ryou smiled, and put the camera down. Bakura rubbed his eyes, and glared at Ryou. Yugi giggled, and snuggled down into the blankets on the sofa, and Yami joined him. Bakura, still glaring at Ryou, crawled into the two sleeping bags that they had zipped together to make one giant sleeping bag. Ryou cuddled in next to him, and closed his eyes.

***********

Yeah, okay, that last scene was really random, but hey, I was in a random mood! Next chapter, is the one you've all been waiting for! The much anticipated Yami/Yugi/Ryou/Bakura! Also, a very startling development with Ryou and the Millennium Ring…

Next Chapter: Fate of the Soul

PS. Thanks so much for all your reviews on I Hate It. I Crave It. I had a lot of doubts on how well it would go down with you guys. And if I keep getting reviews requesting it, I might write a sequel, of Ryou getting Bakura back. But should Bakura treat him better, or should he treat Ryou the same? You guys tell me. Okay?