Yay! I'm finally uploading stories on a regular basis!

Pairing: Tendershipping (Bakura/Ryou)

Warnings: Minor cursing, OOCness

Ryou to Bakura: /Words/

Bakura to Ryou: //Words//

I wish Bakura and Ryou were mine. It would make my inner fangirl very happy :)

The sky was grey and dark, the ominous rumble of thunder breaking the silence every now and then. Rain fell mercilessly, the cold drops pounding on the pavement below. A small, shivering figure made its way across the street to a string of apartments, trying desperately to reach the front door of a particularly familiar door.

Nearly giving a cry of shock as a beam of lightning lit up the sky for a heartbeat, the quivering figure finally opened the door and threw himself inside.

Immediately, the warmth of the inside air clung to him, already setting to work of drying up the drops of water that clung to every part of his body. Snow white hair was released from the soaking hood and slapped against his equally soaking jacket. Soggy shoes were then removed as well as the jacket that seemed so fit to cling to his small form. Once he had removed his outer layers, he slipped silently into the main room. Looking at the couch, he noticed that there was a lump under the sea of sheets, a white, fluffy head poking out of it.

'I hope he's not awake…' the white-haired figure thought silently to himself. Of course, only a few seconds later, he jumped when the otherwise quiet snoring suddenly rose a notch.

'That answers that.' He thought wearily. He really was in no mood to deal with his…housemate tonight. He was rather adorable when he slept though. Normally flashing crimson brown eyes were closed peacefully and the mouth, which was usually twisted into a smirk, was now relaxed and pursed. Ragged white hair cocooned itself around his head and the smaller white-haired boy couldn't help but smile softly.

Ryou, the smaller figure, then made his way to his bedroom…well, his shared bedroom he should call it. After all it was the only one in the whole apartment. Too drowsy and tired to shed off the remainder of his clothing, he collapsed on the bed, his soaking body snuggling into the forgiving warmth before sweet darkness overtook his senses.

"…stupid hikari…"

What?

Ryou groaned softly as he slowly came to full wakefulness. The first thing he realized was that the sheet underneath him was completely soaked. His clothing was damp and sticking to his body, normally soft white hair sticking in numerous directions.

"Oh for the love of Ra…"

Was that Bakura?

"Hikari! Get up!"

Yep, that was Bakura.

"Hikari! Idiot, walking outside in the rain. At night no less!"

…Rambling Bakura…

Ryou turned over so he could face the other brown-eyed male in the room, Bakura. Said spirit of the Millennium Ring was clearly annoyed, his eyes half-lidded and a frown graced his lips.

"B-*cough* Bakura…" Ryou trailed off weakly, another spasm of coughs erupting from his throat.

Bakura grimaced as his little hikari whimpered when his coughing fit subsided. The idiot must have gotten sick. Stupid…

"Why were you outside last night?"

Sniffing loudly, Ryou said, "I-I was coming home *cough* from Y-Yugi's"

The spirit of the ring growled. "Little brat. You should have stayed there. Now your as sick as hell."

Ryou timidly blinked into the yami's eyes. "I-I'm not *cough**cough* t-that si-*cough* sick."

"Oh please Ryou. You can't even get yourself off the bed."

The white-haired hikari did his best to glare at his yami but his nose soon wrinkled and without any warning, a soft sneeze erupted from his mouth. Blinking his eyes open, Bakura almost smirked at the quite adorable expression on his face.

No. He had to be annoyed with Ryou. The little pain in his side had gotten sick and he was the reason Bakura was so annoyed. Yet, the concern he felt when he saw Ryou wasn't home when he should was still fresh in his mind. He remembered thinking of the worst possible things that could have been happening to his defenseless little hikari. It was sickening.

Stupid mortal feelings.

He turned his attention to said hikari and saw how his body was shaking uncontrollably. Hadn't he thought about changing last night?

"B-Baku-*sneeze*-ra." Ryou whimpered.

"What?" the spirit put out rather harshly. He mentally winced as he saw his hikari flinch, a soft, fearful whimper in his throat. Bakura sighed heavily. He had to be a good yami now, taking care of his sick little hikari. After all, where would he be if Ryou was gone?

Less annoyed, that's was for sure.

"What?" he asked a little softer, mentally wincing again at how out of character his voice sounded. Ugh! Stupid controlling feelings!

"C-Could you m-maybe h-h-h *sneeze* help me u-up?" Ryou shivered, his small shoulders quivering.

Bakura studied him for a minute. 'He must be out of him mind, trusting me this much when he is so vulnerable. Too trusting. Still, at least were on better speaking terms now.' Without thinking too much anymore, he placed one hand on either of the small shoulders and, as gently as he possibly could, lifted the shaking frame to a sitting position.

"You should probably wash. Hot water will help, I'm sure." Bakura said, a little awkwardly.

Ryou's doe brown eyes blinked, haze covering them. They became half-lidded and a tipsy smile soon appeared on his face, his entire form swaying back and forth. Overall, he looked like he was completely drunk, not sick. He then nodded drowsily before he began to tilt backwards.

Bakura, acting on impulse, quickly grabbed his hikari's shoulders again, pulling him upright. "Come on little one, stay with me here." However, Ryou's head soon tilted forward till it collided with the spirit's shoulder and then…silence.

'Damn it to hell.'

Bakura rolled his eyes, an agrivated sigh escaping his lips. Looking at the fluffy white head that was resting against him, he slowly relaxed as much as he could.

"Poor little hikari…"

/B-Bakura…/

The spirit of the ring nearly jumped when he heard his hikari's voice through his head. The mind-link? They hadn't used that in months. Perhaps Ryou was too tired to talk outside the mind link.

//What is it hikari?//

/M-m-m-my voice really h-hurts./ the small one's voice whined painfully and Bakura sighed. He was correct, his little hikari was too weak to even talk.

//Hikari, you must go warm yourself up. It will help.//

/…nhhh…Kura…/

//Yes Ryou. Yes.//

Much to Bakura's amusement, doe brown eyes snapped open at that. Ryou knew that when his actual name flew from his yami's mouth, either said yami was dead serious about what he was talking about or he was in trouble.

Guess this could count as both…

/…C-carry me Kura…/

He's delusional.

/P-please?/

But, hes sick.

Finally, the white-haired yami sighed once more in irritation and slipped his arms around his hikari and carried his over to the bathroom. Kicking the door open, he plopped Ryou on the toilet and stood back.

Ryou whined when he realized that the warmth he had felt when he was nuzzled against Bakura's chest was gone. Oh sweet warmth! Why was his yami so cruel?

Blindly reaching out for Bakura, the hikari whined, "B-B-Ba-Ba…" He was silenced when a slender finger was placed on his lips, stopping him from talking.

"Hush little one. No more talking. Understand?" Bakura knew that talking would only increase the pain in his delicate little throat. The mind-link was a much better way to communicate for now.

//Clean yourself off, hikari. Get warm and then you can sleep.//

Ryou whined a little as he stood up on shaking legs but complied with his yami's demands and reached over to turn the shower on. The spray from the shower head briefly sprinkled on the hikari's face and a squeal soon followed as he tripped backwards in surprise.

Bakura chuckled as Ryou soon yelped when he saw he had fallen right on his yami. Trying to straighten up, the white-haired hikari blinked at his yami when a cream white hand slowly began to rub his back.

"You're such an idiot hikari."

Ryou blinked again, a hint of hurt present in the chocolate brown orbs. What was it about being sick that made him even more emotional?

/W-What?/

//You're my little idiotic hikari.//

/B-But…I'm sorry I got sick but I didn't want to…/

The white-haired yami smirked at his hikari's stuttering before he pulled his hikari up by his underarms, holding his sides so he didn't fall over. "Go warm up." He said again, pushing Ryou towards the warm spray. Before said hikari could turn around, he swiftly made his way out the door.

Ryou sighed softly. Idiot? Was he really that moronic? He didn't mean to be…

The little shivering hikari sighed softly before stepping inside the warm, steam surrounded shower and cooed in pleasure when he felt the warm spray caress his skin gently, washing away the cold…and the confusion.

/Oh Kura…/

//What was that hikari?//

/…nothing…nothing important./

Ryou was so preoccupied with his own thoughts he didn't catch the hint of confusion and hurt that escaped from Bakura's side of the link.

Ryou smiled a relaxed smile, happy he was now surrounded by warm pajamas and equally warm sheets. His fluffy white hair was still sticking in odd directions but he didn't mind this time.

He had curled up on the couch after his warm shower, breathing in what was left of Bakura's presence from the previous night. It was heavenly.

The spirit of the ring watched his hikari from the other room, his brown eyes solemn and gloomy. What had Ryou wanted to say earlier?

Sighing softly, he walked over to where the white, fluffy head was and cleared his throat. Doe brown eyes met his harsh ones and a small smile played on his hikari's face.

/Would you like something Bakura? Are you hungry? I could make food for you./

//Not in your condition baka hikari. You just rest for now. I can survive without food for the time being.//

Ryou nodded his head and lowered his eyes submissively. Another stab of hurt flashed through Bakura and he cursed in Egyptian. How the hell could he escape from these stupid mortal feelings! They were driving him insane! He had to stop…get away from Ryou for a bit. Yeah, stay as far away from his hikari for as long as he could…

"Would you like me to sit with you?"

What the hell? Far away, not closer than usual!

Ryou blinked at him in surprise but nodded shyly, opening the blankets to let the yami in.

'No…no! Get away from him!' Bakura growled low in his throat and made his way pointedly to the other side of the couch, still a safe distance away from his little light.

/B-Bakura? What's wrong…/

//Shut up Ryou.//

Hurt and confusion passed through Ryou's side of the link and Bakura cursed again. Was there no pleasing this child? Looking over, he saw a glassy eyed hikari staring at him.

Oh no. Not crying. No, that would get him to break…

//Don't cry Ryou.//

Sniff.

God, Ryou please don't cry.

/O-Okay. I'm sorry./

Whimper.

He's crying. Damn it. Score negative one for the pissed off tomb robber, score ten for the little hikari.

Bakura sighed loudly before he crawled over to the side of the couch where Ryou was, lifting the sheets and blankets off the quivering hikari, knowing he was quivering from more than the cold this time. Scooting over, nestled under the blankets, he plucked Ryou from his spot and placed him in his lap.

The white-haired hikari looked at his dark in surprise. Two streaks of tears were falling down his face, but they looked like they were stopping. Bakura sighed softly before placing one hand on the fluffy head and placed it on his chest.

/B-Bakura?/

//I though I said be quiet, little one.//

Relief was replacing the sadness. Perfect. Bakura looked down at the hikari and was shocked when said hikari soon looked up at him, brown eyes gleaming with gratitude.

/Thank you Kura./

//It's n-nothing hikari.//

Ryou looked at his dark in surprise before an amused grin was on his face and a cute giggled bubbled in his throat.

/Did the great Bakura just stutter?/

The yami nearly blushed. God damn feelings. Stupid…going soft…

//Hush up Ryou.//

The light giggled again before he placed his hand on the dark's stomach. Bakura tensed when he felt a small hand touching the quivering muscled tummy.

/Well thank god I didn't fix you anything to eat. Your getting fat!/

Wait…what?

//I am not fat hikari!//

/Yes you are! Look at all this chubby fat!/

Bakura nearly snorted when he felt Ryou pinch the soft areas on his stomach. Since when had he been sensitive there? Swallowing a peal of something that could be some sort of a snicker, he grabbed his hikari's wrist so he would stop.

//Well what about you?//

/I'm not fat Bakura./

//No, you're too skinny! Look at this! I can see your ribs through your skin!//

It was true, the little hikari was rather skinny. Lifting the hikari's shirt up, he placed his cool hand on the warm skin, feeling his hikari shiver.

//Look at this! All skin and bones…// Bakura said through the mind link as his let his fingers trail across Ryou's stomach, caressing his ribs in delicate touches.

/No Bakura, don't! That tickles!/

More giggles erupted from the hikari's side of the link and Bakura smirked. He had finally made his hikari smile and laugh at the same time. It was a new record!

//Your just too sensitive hikari.//

/Kura!/

The yami chuckled out loud, causing his hikari to in turn giggle out loud. Bakura then stopped, not wanting the little hikari to tire himself out. Ryou glared at him.

/Bakura!/

//Ryou!//

Bakura smirked and chuckled as the little hikari huffed. He didn't not like being mocked but it was oh to fun to see his little nose wrinkle in annoyance like that.

/Your mean!/

//Your annoying.//

/Your evil!/

//Your pathetic.//

/Your dense!/

//Right back at you there, little one.//

/Your…your manipulative!/

//Really? You're just figuring this out? Oh my Ra Ryou, you sure are slow.// Bakura said, twirling his finger deep inside Ryou's bellybutton.

/No! Bakura! I told you to stop!/

Ah, how Bakura loved to hear his hikari giggle. It was a very amusing and very cute sound. He was absolutely addicted to it.

Too bad for Ryou.

Still, the poor little hikari was sick…

//Alright, I'll stop.//

Retreating his hand from his hikari's torso, he placed it on the flushed face and chucked in amusement when the hikari gasped and then cooed in delight, rubbing his cold hand all over his warm face.

/Mmmm…Kura…/

//Go to sleep if you must hikari.//

/Will you be here when I wake up?/

Bakura felt guilt pinch his soul. Would he? Of course he would, he would be a protective yami to his little vulnerable hikari. He would follow the stupid Pharaoh's example, as much as it pained him.

//Yes…I'll be here for you, my little one. I won't leave you.//

Happiness and relief flowed like crazy through the link again and Bakura almost smiled when he felt Ryou snuggled closer to his chest and close his eyes.

/I love you Kura./

The yami's eyes widened at that. Love? Ryou loved him? How the hell was that even possible? Love was for the weak and the good, not the strong and evil like him…he could not, would not love. Never.

Ryou yawned cutely and buried his face in his yami's warmth, his little arms curled against his chest like that of a cat.

Oh what the hell…

"I love you too Ryou."