When the Sun Goes Down

Okay so I know I'm not good at writing a summery for any of my stories but if you're reading this then thank you for at least giving me a chance. I have no beta so any mistakes are purely my own. I'm sorry in advance. I don't have all the couples worked out yet so hey feel free to give me your input. Inspired by an older song. S Club 7's Natural.

'talking' = Yami to Hikari or Hikari to Yami
italics = thoughts

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In his own twisted way it was possible that Bakura cared. After all it wasn't like he was an easy person to read. He would laugh like a maniac while doing awful things to Ryou's friends but he also had moments of what could only be described as quiet thoughtfulness.


So it was possible...just not very likely.


That wasn't what mattered though. What mattered was that Ryou would do anything for the darker half of soul. He couldn't explain why. It was as if something in his DNA was coded to respond to Bakura's every mood. After much debate, mainly with himself, Ryou had come to the conclusion it was a built in self preservation method. He couldn't decide which side of his soul was being protected though.


If it wasn't for the fact he got the giddy rush he did whenever he did anything that got attention from the yami he'd say it was to protect himself from his mind breaking under the strain of having to deal with Bakura's sometimes violent acts.


He didn't think that was the reason though. Because if he hadn't discovered when he did that the link he shared with his other did in fact work both ways he would have ended it all and swallowed the handful of pills he had laying on the bathroom counter. So maybe the reason all he wanted to do was please Bakura was actually to protect the yami. After all in theory if Ryou died Bakura ceased to exist.


The world swam as Bakura's thoughts broke though the flimsy mental block Ryou had tried to construct.


'What are you doing?'


I need to sit down or I'm going to fall.

Ryou had gotten used to his dark ripping into his mind to find information he needed or wanted but the fact that they could actually talk using the same connection was a new experience.


'Did you hear me or are you ignoring me?' It was amazing how even without hearing the words out loud he could tell the slightest change in tone. For instance right now Bakura was bordering on pissed.


'I'm sorry. I was just...thinking. Was there something you wanted me to do?' Ryou leaned over the sink staring through his bangs at his reflection in the mirror. The boy in the mirror stared back with big chocolate eyes framed by snow white hair.

Stupid genetics. I look like a pixie.


'I'm hungry' came the frustrated reply. 'I'm hungry and I'm bored and your stupid-unimportant-nothing-to-do-with-the-Pharaoh thoughts are distracting.'


His head snapped up in a panic. 'You could hear that?'


'No. It's more like...like having someone sitting there with their finger right above your skin. You know it's there even though you can't feel it. I don't like it


I like it. I like it a lot.

Ryou tried not to laugh in relief. 'I'm sorry Bakura. I'll come make you some food and try not to think so loud.'


'Whatever.'


And the light was alone again with his own thoughts.


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Yugi stretched onto the tips of his toes and reached onto the top shelf of the cabinet. It wasn't that he was short. It was more like the world just was built too high. 5 foot 4 inches wasn't a bad height.


"If you're a girl who doesn't have Yami around putting popcorn bowls on the highest shelf in the house. YAMI! JOU! HONDA! SOMEONE! ANYONE! HELP!"


Honda peeked over the top of the couch and laughed. "Man you look like Anzu. You ever think about going out for dance? I bet you'd look real good in tights."


"Help or shut up." Yugi's fingers brushed the bowl which only succeeded in pushing it back farther. He growled in the back of his throat. If someone didn't help him soon he'd be forced to jump for it. Socks were not made to jump in. He had discovered this the hard way once before.


Jou grinned and got up to wander over to his friend. He reached up and grabbed the bowl easily. "Here ya go half stack."


"Oh go to hell." The next thing Yugi knew he had a bright blue bowl sitting upside down on top of his head. "You're worse than a kid."


"I try. Where is Yami anyway?"


Bright purple eyes went distant for a moment. He knew it creeped the others out but if he didn't focus he couldn't always find a strong link. 'Yami? Are you coming down?'


'I don't think so. You three have fun. I have some research to do.' Distracted. Way too distracted.


'So let me get this straight you're leaving me along down here with one sexually confused guy and one horny guy and you just expect me to defend my honor all alone?'


Laughter. 'When you put it like that then no. I'll be down in a moment. After all it would be horribly disappointing for one of your friends to violate you while I wasn't there to watch.'


Yugi blinked his surroundings coming back into focus. Including Jou standing less than a foot away from him biting his lower lip. "What?"


"Nothing." Bright blonde hair was tossed back in the way only males could do with a quick shake of his head. "Just wondering what it's like."


Yugi turned and pulled the bag of popcorn out of the microwave and set about getting it in the bowl. Butter and salt. Very unhealthy and very good. Unless there was a popcorn fight again. Then it tended to leave grease stains on bad places. Like the ceiling. That had been a pain in the ass to clean. "What do you mean?"


"What it's like to have someone besides you in your head. Not like I had but someone real. Even if it is a dead guy. To have someone."


Jou rarely talked to the others about his past. Honda said it was because he didn't remember much of it but Yugi wondered sometimes.


Yami stood in the doorway between the stairs and the kitchen his blood red gaze fixed firmly on his light. It was amazing how often he did that. Sometimes even if Yugi was only sleeping. Many nights he had sat on the edge of Yugi's bed and counted the smaller males breaths. Not that his other half knew. Sometimes Yami wondered if the boy knew the effect he had on him. It was almost instinct to keep his little one as close as possible. This time however Yugi knew he was being watched.


"It's...I'd do anything for him Jou. He's the other half of my soul."


Jou had a guarded look in his amber eyes. As if Yugi was trying to lie to him. "Yeah. I get that but why?"


"Why not?"


The blonde stumbled back not expecting to hear the answer in stereo. "God damn it! Don't do that! Swear you're trying to give me a heart attack. I'm going to get you a bell to hook to that damn collar you always wear."


Yami gave a deep chuckle. "I apologize my friend."


"Hey!" Honda yelled from the other room. He crawled dramatically to the end of the couch before flopping over the armrest. "Where's my food? I'm starving to death."


"One could only hope." Yugi stuffed a handful of popcorn in his mouth before handing the bowl to Jou.

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"Big brother, Otogi's here. He said you were expecting him. I left him in the study. That's okay right?"

Mokuba stood in his brother's home office twirling his raven hair nervously. 18 years old and Seto still made him feel like he was 10. He didn't think it was on purpose but still. The elder Kaiba just had that aura.


"It's fine." Click click click. Don't lift your fingers from the keyboard. Typing 101. It made it faster and when you typed as much as Seto did you needed to type fast. Besides his mind was constantly going. Usually with several thoughts at once. If he didn't type quickly he might forget something. Then he'd have to start over.


Mokuba stood in the middle of the room for a while longer. "Seto? I could tell him you're busy. If you want."


"That would be best. Tell him I'll call him tomorrow." Click, click, click.


Mokuba nodded and turned on his heel. It wouldn't be the first time he had told Seto's one and only friend that work came first. Otogi understood. He ran his own company after all.


Seto didn't look up as the office door closed. He needed to get this out before he could go to sleep. Looking up wasted time.


I didn't feel bad then and I don't feel bad now. I shoved him out the window because it was what needed to be done. It made sense for the business and for my family. He was dangerous. Like a fire that would consume everything in his path and leave only ashes behind. I wonder if my father felt the flames that burned him or if the impact killed him before then. Kiaba-Sama used to shove me to my knees then hit me. Called me a flirt. I didn't understand it then but now I do. And I think about who I would get on my knees for. I wonder if they know. I wonder what it would be like if mom and dad hadn't died. I wonder if Mokuba ever knew I blamed him. If he hadn't been born mom would still be alive. Can't tell. Secrets and secrets.


Seto stopped and glanced at the clock. It was late. He really should make sure Mokuba had eaten something. Sometimes he forget. Long fingers flew over the keyboard password locking his file.


"Mokie? Little brother?"


"Hmm?" The younger stood up. He waited outside the office door whenever Seto was typing late. Just to make sure the other remembered to get some sleep.


"Are you hungry?"


No.

Dark blue eyes met light blue. "Yeah."


You killed her.


Big brother...why do you look at me with such hatred now. You didn't use to.


You killed my mother.


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Mai rolled her eyes up to watch as yet another stupid person did yet another stupid thing hoping to win money. "I'm telling you this now. You wouldn't catch me wearing a frog costume being pushed around in a barrel for what doesn't even amount out to enough money to pay for the frog costume in the first place."


Anzu tied off the blonde hair she had been braiding with a laugh. "I agree."


"Looks good. Hey, what do you the boys are doing right now?"


"Nothing interesting."