THE FALL OF ICARUS IS MY MOST REVIEWED STORY!!!!!  I LOVE YOU GUYS! I know I can’t stop saying it!

NO LEMON IN THIS CHAPPIE!!!!!!!!!!!  BUT THE NEXT ONE………THE CHAPPIE AFTER THIS WILL BE THE LONG AWAITED-UNINTERRUPTED LEMON BETWEEN BAKURA AND RYOU!!!  SEE NOTES AT END OF THIS CHAPPIE FOR ANOTHER REVIEWER VOTE!!!!

In keeping with tradition: *Ryou hugs reviewers and Bakura will actually rub my back while I give review responses *

Aino Bakura: That squirrel was so funny!  I couldn’t believe I wrote that when I did.

Negacat: *hands tissues *  I died laughing at that chappie!  It was so much fun!

Moonymph: Malik and Marik are fun!  It’s fun harassing them, but not as much fun as harassing Anzu and telling her bees needs friends!

Diamond: I’ll keep going!  Keep reviewing!  *hugs *

Randalberzerker:  Chainsaws are cool.. Are you going to update crippled?  I really like that story!

Dragondreamer Yami Dragon:  Getting sick on purpose?  Well, depends how you look at it.  He’s been through a rough time.  He’s probably so tense, he can’t see straight.  His dad, on the other hand, puts too much pressure on him and his self-concept is so rooted in what his dad thinks of him, he doesn’t see himself as worth anything.  So, yes and no.

Anigirl 15: I don’t plan on ending the series.  Like my Star trek novels, I continue to draw out a series, but there are always new twists.  Wait until you see the one I pull on Cinetti later!

Prince Ian: Next chappie..promise.

Stupid kid 4 and blah: I love the broad sword!!! Use that against Cinetti for me later! Personally, I prefere the Marasume.

Anaki: You know, I watched Anzu today on Yugioh and saw why she annoys me….because she is Anzu.

Ssjgoddesschico: I loved Yami’s cry “OH FOR THE LOVE OF RA, DEAR NO!” was classic!

Digi: Poor Malik and the squirrel.  The squirrel was in a lucky place, but…poor Malik.

Liz: Glad you like! Makes me happy to know you are enjoying this. Ryou’s love for Bakura carries him through.  Aww….

Melokitty: well, I’m a poet, too, actually.  Don’t worry. This fic is no where near finished yet. This will be my longest story! I want to continue this series and any suggestions are welcome at any time!!!!

Lunara Moonbeam: Lemon coming up!!! Thanks for your review!  I wuved it!

The Hunted

Bakura looked down at Ryou snoring quietly on his chest.  Malik’s head was on his yami’s lap.  Ryou’s head was also on his yami’s lap.  Malik and Ryou’s backs were skin to skin as they slept peacefully.  Bakura carefully lifted Ryou’s hand and looked at the scars that looked like bite marks.  Seto was reading Chicken Soup for the CEO’s Soul while Joey and Tristan were still playing volleyball.
Marik looked over at Bakura.  “How long are our lights gonna sleep?”
Bakura shrugged.  “Looks like they’ll be here for a while.  Too much excitement for them.”
Malik’s hair fell in front of his eyes as he slept.  Marik brushed them away.  “What’s the matter, Bakura?”
Bakura lifted Ryou’s hand.  “His hands.  What do these marks look like?”
Marik squinted.  “Teeth marks.  Bites.  Why?”
Bakura turned his head to Seto beside him.  “Seto?”
Seto looked up from his book.  “What?”
“Did Cinetti or his father bite Ryou’s hand or scratch it?”
Seto blinked and closed his book.  “No. Why?”
Bakura looked at Ryou’s bony wrist.  “I’ve never seen marks like this on him.”  Ryou took his hand back from Bakura  and he flipped on his other side wrapping his thin arms around Malik’s shoulders.
Marik laughed as the two hikaris slept side by side.  “There’s a sight, Bakura!  I think Ryou is coming onto mine!”
“They’re just tired.”  Bakura looked up at the sky turning reds and oranges as the sun began to set.  “I kept Ryou out too long.  That’s why he’s tired.”
Marik still chuckled as he rubbed Malik’s rising and falling shoulders.  “I dunno, Bakura.  They look kind of cute together, don’t you think?”
Bakura looked down at his white haired hikari twirling his finger around the blond hair of Malik.  Ryou smiled as he cuddled up against Malik.  Malik returned the contented smile on Marik’s lap.
“I think Malik is enjoying this.”
Bakura ran his hand through Ryou’s hair.  “I’m worried about him, Marik.  I’ve never seen Ryou so…quiet.  I mean, Ryou’s always been quiet, but I don’t know. He seems distant and I want him to talk to me.”
Marik sighed.  “Well, he has been to hell and back these last few days.  Our lights depend on us to take care of them.  All you can do is be there for him when he needs it.”
“He knows I am there for him.”
“Ryou knows that.  He loves you to death, Bakura.”

Seto stood up and began to pack up his grill.  "Hey, puppy! We're leaving!"  Joey sighed  and helped Tristan pack up the net and said goodbye to his friends.

Marik watched Joey and Seto leave.  "We better wake these two up.  It's getting late," Marik suggested rubbing his hikari's arm.  Bakura gripped Ryou's shoulder lightly and whispered in his ear.

"Ryou, wake up. Time to go."  The hikaris opened their eyes and realized the position they were in.  Ryou gripped tighter smiling.  Bakura and Malik were the two he felt most comfortable with being close to.  Malik and him always hung out at home watching movies or listening to music while their yamis prowled around enjoying mischief.  Malik's body was warm and inviting and Ryou didn't want to let his security blankets go.  "Is it really time to go?  Can't I get another ten minutes?"  Malik smiled in agreement and looked at his yami with big puppy-dog eyes.  "Give me more time?" Malik asked of his yami.  The yamis smiled.

"Just for a little longer," Marik said watching Malik rub his cheek on his yami;s thigh.  Ryou flipped around and wrapped his arms around Bakura's leg.

"Where are you going after this?" marik asked.

"We have to go to that pet store again.  His dad cracked the fishbowl so badly, it's irreparable." (*cough * symbolism, people *cough *).

"We'll come with you.  We don't have anything planned."

Bakura helped Ryou off the ground, but Yami and Yugi wanted to stay longer.  Thankfully, Anzu decided to stay with Yugi to give him an hours long recitation on why her day was so friendly.

            Malik and Ryou looked at the candy and clothing store windows.  The next birthday was Marik's and Malik was trying to decide what to get his yami.

"My Bakura gives the best presents!" Ryou boasted.

"My gifts to Marik keep on giving even after the first time," Malik said proudly.

Ryou smiled, something that Bakura was happy to see, "We all know what your yami gets you! 'It's in my pants!'" Ryou laughed at the memory of Malik and the squirrel.  Malik pushed Ryou gently.

"Are you girls done yet?" Marik said impatiently tapping his feet on the ground with his crossed arms holding the Millenium Rod.

Malik and Ryou turned quickly to face their yamis.  "Don't hate us because we're beautiful, Bakura," Ryou said brushing his hair back mockingly placing his hand on his hips.

Malik grinned at Ryou's example, "Marik, you couldn't keep up with a girl!  Besides…no one knows how to please you better than me." Malik ran his fingers behind Marik's ear watching him melt into his hands.  Malik pulled his hand away teasingly as Marik began to purr.  "See?"

Bakura turned to Marik, "Your sensitive part is your ear?  I didn't think it would be that."

Bakura walked away before Marik could question him.  They entered the pet store and bought a new fish bowl.

They left the store and walked down the block as the street lights illuminated the street barely.  Four men jumped behind them and grabbed Malik and Ryou and pulled them into an alley kicking, punching, and screaming for their yamis.

"Malik!" Marik growled and unsheathed the dagger hidden inside the item.  Bakura threw off his attacker and spun around punching him.  The other man fighting Marik also pulled out a dagger.

"Come on, boys!  Think you can take me?" the man asked.

"Bakura, go get Malik and Ryou!" 

The man pointed his dagger at Bakura.  "You are not going anywhere!"

"Who sent you?"

"Someone very close to your lover…very close."

Bakura growled as he heard Ryou cry out to Malik.  "Steven!"

The sounds of a struggle emanated from the alley.  Bakura leaped onto the man with the dagger wrestling it from the man's hand with an audible crack.  Marik raised the rod and hit the other man knocking him to the ground unconcscious.  The man with the broken wrist ran away.

Marik kissed the Rod.  "This little baby has saved by butt more times than I can count."

Bakura ignored Marik's affection for his rod (* laugh *) and ran to the alley.  A man had Malik pinned to the wall by his neck.

"Mike!" Ryou said pinned against the wall by another man.  "Don't hurt Malik! Please!"  Ryou cried from the grasp of the other man.  "Carl, why are you doing this?"

"Ryou, who are these losers?" Bakura asked angrily.

"Friends of my father!"

Carl turned to Bakura.  "You're the one who hit my Jessica?"

"She was touching what rightfully belongs to me alone!"

Carl grinned.  "So you are a jealous lover, huh? Don't like people touching your things?"  Carl crashed his lips against Ryou making him scream into the kiss.  Marik ran beside Bakura and watched the hikaris struggle against their captors.  "Malik!"  Mike turned around and Malik kicked him in the groin making him clutch onto him tighter and fall to the ground pulling Malik with him.  Malik gasped for breath as his yami helped him up. "Thank you, Marik."

Carl grabbed Ryou and covered his mouth running away.  Bakura chased after him.  Marik sheathed his dagger and threw it at Carl hitting him in the back.  Dropping Ryou, he fell to the ground.  Marik and Malik helped Ryou to his feet.  Bakura hovered over Carl.

"Where were you taking Ryou?"  Bakura demanded picking up Carl roughly.  Bakura punched Carl.  "I will not ask you again.  Where were you going to take him?"

"We're gonna bail his dad out of the slammer."

Ryou clutched onto Malik with one hand and covered his mouth with another.

"Bust him out if you want, you worthless ass, but I am not going to leave Ryou!"

Carl's mouth trickled with red.  Bakura grinned with satisfaction.  "So, you like to kiss little boys,  huh?  Interesting…because you hate what Ryou and I stand for.  Maybe you want to kiss me." Bakura crashed his lips and forced his tongue into Carl's mouth lapping up the coppery liquid.  The man's eyes opened wide and he went pale.  Bakura pulled back from the kiss licking his now red lips.  "It's been a long time since I tasted human blood."

The man quivered as Bakura streaked Carl's cheek with a line of his own blood.  "Now you are mine," Bakura snarled.  "Touch my Ryou again and you will have more than a streak of red on your pretty little face."

"You…What are you?"

"I, my friend, are your worst enemy if you cross me.  I am evil itself.  I am a stealer of souls….and I would love to add you to my collection."  The man screamed as he tried to break away from Bakura's grasp, but failed. 

Marik turned to see people gathering and screaming.  "Fight!" "We found them!"  "The hunter's found his prey!"

Malik turned behind and gasped grabbing onto Ryou.  Ryou screamed and gasped, "Bakura!"

Bakura recognized the leader of the group: Cinetti's son.  The group grasped bats and pipes banging them against their hands threateningly.

"So you think you could get rid of my dad, huh, Ryou?"  Malik and Ryou backed away slowly, sweat falling from their faces. 

"Malik, there's got to be twenty of them!" Bakura dropped Carl who ran away from the crows.  Bakura stepped beside Marik.  "Ryou, Malik, run. Get out of here," Bakura said taking out his dagger.

"Bakura, please, you can't all these people down!" Ryou pleaded.

The group advanced with their weapons.

"Marik, please! Let's go!" Malik said tugging on Marik's shirt.

The group began to charge at them waving their weapons angrily.  Ryou picked up the fishbowl and ran away with Malik.  The fleeing hikaris watched their yamis stand still as the angry mod advanced on them.  "Bakura…" Ryou cried as he fled.

"Marik and Bakura will be fine…I hope.  Ryou, move faster!"  Malik held Ryou's hand as they ran through the dark streets.

Malik lifted the Rod snarling like a rabid beast.  "You're out for blood?  Two can play at that game!  CONTROL THEIR MINDS!!!"

The angry mob stopped in their tracks.  "You think it's fair?  Two against twenty?  Well, you are all the enemy! Chasing down people and injuring them because they are different!  You are enemies to each other!"

The group began to hit each other with their weapons when the yamis heard the piercing sounds of sirens.  "Come on, Marik! That's our cue to scram!" 

Bakura and Marik ran down the alley disappearing from view.  It wasn't far away they found Ryou kneeling on the ground with Malik patting his hair.  Bakura kneeled beside Ryou.  "Can't…..run…long."

Malik and Ryou wrapped their arms around their yamis.  The yamis let their hikaris hug and kiss them in relief. 

"We were so worried!" Malik clutched onto Marik.

"They didn't scare us.  We took care of it," Bakura assured Ryou. 

The police sirens were heading near them.

"We can't stay here, Ryou. Come home."

"I'm taking Malik home."  Marik grabbed Malik's hand and ran away. 

"Can you walk, Ryou?"  Ryou nodded.

Bakura let Ryou set the pace for their escape.  Considering his condition he was moving somewhat quickly.  "You must be feeling better."

"No," he panted, "I don't want to be in a jail cell with my father!"  Ryou opened the door to the house and ran inside.  Bakura slammed the door behind them.  Ryou wrapped his arms around Bakura's neck kissing his neck as the police sirens came closer to the house.  Both of them held their breath for the cops to pass.  When the police sirens finally passed the house, Bakura could feel Ryou's breath hit his neck.  When the sirens died to a whisper, Bakura turned on the lamp on the table by the door.  Ryou pulled back from Bakura and looked into his dark eyes.  In those eyes he found concern and relief.  Ryou's hands explored the back of Bakura's neck feeling the soft skin.  Bakura brought his hand to Ryou's cheek stroking it softly. 

For a few moments, the couple stood silently running their hands over the other's skin taking pleasure in the contact.  

Bakura and Ryou went upstairs together.  Both of them wanted to wash up and get dressed.  Both of them brushed their teeth and gargled.  Bakura finished first and returned to the kitchen to put the fish in its new fishbowl.  He fed the fish.  He heard the patter of bare feet on the floor and turned around.  Ryou stood there with his long nightshirt on.  Some of his hair fell in front of his face as he looked at Bakura.  

 Bakura led Ryou to the couch. Bakura sat on the couch and let Ryou settle in between his legs leaning against him. Ryou's back leaned against Bakura's stomach as he rubbed his side now a little tender from his exertion. 

"How do you feel?"  Bakura asked lifting Ryou's shirt a bit to rub the thinning side of the teen.

Ryou smiled and sighed.  "Better…now that you are here."

Bakura wrapped his arms around his lover.  Ryou sighed deeply taking in the pleasure of being loved…the pleasure of being desired...the pleasure of being special to somebody.  Ryou could feel Bakura's fingers tingle with excitement and his heart rate already racing. 

Ryou turned his head to look at Bakura's face.  "If Carl bails my father out of prison, what are we going to do?"

"I don't want to talk about your father, Ryou.  All I want is to be here with you." Bakura kissed beside Ryou's eye.  Ryou moved his arms to bring Bakura's mouth to his.  Bakura moved his hands from Ryou's side to his chest as he pushed his tongue into Ryou's mouth wrapping his tongue around Ryou's tongue which curled around his.  Bakura moaned into the kiss as his hands traveled lower to Ryou's thin stomach tracing the lines of muscles.  Ryou whimpered into the kiss as he pulled his yami's mouth closer.  Ryou  turned around and pressed all his light weight on Bakura.  Bakura gasped as Ryou pulled up his shirt and began to kiss his yami's chest. 

Ryou's kisses ran up Bakura's chest to his chin and to his lips capturing his lips with another whimper.  Ryou began to lick and suck on Bakura's ear gently.  Bakura kissed Ryou's shoulders and kissed his lover's neck.  "Aishiteru, yami."

Ryou crawled off his yami already panting from Ryou's kisses and caresses.  Ryou pulled Bakura off the couch and captured him in another kiss.  Bakura gathered Ryou into his arms and carried him up the stairs

Next Chappie:  NEXT SCENE LEMON SCENE!!!! LEMON SCENE NEXT CHAPPIE!!!  QUESTION, GUYS: should Ryou or Bakura put Seto's birthday gift to good use?  If so, who will be the one to wear it?