sglily

Kuro, You better not be a lurker! Or I'll have to punish you with the infamous "sperm" icon with the whip! (But... if you're anything like Bakura... you'd like that...) Holy crap! I, honest to God, just saw this one! It's perfect for Ryou! (Perhaps you'd prefer this one, hm?) Ah, my... don't mind me. It's been one of those mornings! Don't fret about missing Chapter 7 much. It sort of cropped up from out of nowhere. And, acutally, for you, (except for the prospect of having to spend longer reading all in one swoop), you might like it better that you get the entire Ryou bundle of angst out of the way... how it had been orginally intended - as one MEGA CHAPTER! (Did you hear my BIG ANNOUNCING VOICE take over?) Now we are all caught up from Ryou's standpoint... next, it'll be on to what one Mr. Lusciousness will do when he realizes his wildcat has amscrayed. Hope you like the twins! I truly did have a fun time developing them. You'll have to let me know what you think... Thanks for taking the time to say HEY! And, sorry about the above. I think I need another cup of coffee... Much love, sglily

Let’s take Ryou Bakura indeed… (Good choice, by the way!) You hit the nail on the head. Although I am not that well versed in any of the other fandoms (except, perhaps, another one on the decline, Gundam Wing) but there is always the buff, “macho”, tall, trash talking, sex-walking-on-two-legs stud who is cast as The Guy in the male/male relationship. Then you’ve got the girly girl, slight in build, meek, soft-spoken, effeminate to the max, “giggles” a lot, bashful, and somehow, has hips (and sometimes can have, gasp!, babies without having females parts to do so) cast as The Girl. Maybe it is because (and I am assuming) it is typically women who are the ones doing the aforementioned casting? Because they are typically the ones doing the male/male writing of this type of genre? Because there needs to be a connection with at least one of the characters, and who better to connect with (even if they don’t have generally the same body parts) than the fem of the two? Because chicks write about the chicks “job” in a relationship better than any man ever will – truth, cliché, or sexism? You pick! You know, an innocent Ryou is fun to write, though. However, it is even more fun to write about an innocent Ryou that can turn into a very, very horny Ryou… when properly motivated… and turned on. I think it is a hoot to write (or read) about that type of dynamic. Sugar and spice. Clap on, clap off. We wanna see a Ryou with some balls, a little dirty Ryou who is willing to speak up in the bedroom and tell – no, demand from Bakura what he bloody well wants! Why is there a dynamic? What makes them innocent? Are they brought up in a rigid household, a byproduct of divorce or domestic abuse, were they locked in a room for most of their lives, or are they just body and emotionally shy? What makes them go from choir boy to rent boy in 0 to 60 in 3.3 seconds? Is it a touch, a scent, a kind word, the promise of love eternal, or a good spanking? Inquiring readers wanna know! Ooooooh… Who wouldn’t want to read about an innocent Ryou with a dirty little secret… a closet filled with adult toys? And who he shares them with… Well, my dear, you picked the biggest cliché of them all, the girly bottom boy. You touched on another, usually the girly bottom boy who has to be saved from some kind of harm. Sticking with Ryou, you’ve got the demoralized girly bottom boy – beaten, sexually abused, emotionally tormented, starved, bullied, friendless… that about covers it in a general sense. In Gundam Wing, I’ve seen where Zechs Marquise is the girly bottom boy often enough to Treize Krushrenada even though Treize is shorter in stature by a few inches; however, Zech is younger… perhaps more effeminate looking, has the classic long whitish blond locks, and in that series, Treize is the authority figure… although Zech is a pilot and a trained… warrior?... for lack of a better term at the moment. I don’t know . I think it depends on the characters that are paired, too. For example, after reading many fanfics about Zechs and Treize, I prefer them as equals… where one isn’t the natural dominate and the other isn’t pigeonholed into the more submissive of the two in the relationship. Look at the YGO darks and lights… the dark side is taller, ahem… darker, sinister of sorts (yeah, even Atemu wasn’t so much the golden child in that first episode when he appears and takes down the school bully for Yugi), crazier of hair… well, with the exception of Yugi… unless you say Yami/Atemu’s is bigger and crazier than his light's. The lights have big doe eyes, softer of voice, are slighter of build, kinder. I guess they all sort of fit into an overall pattern. That’s where it is fun to play with it… have them deviate from the norm. So, those are just some ramblings and thoughts on (and off of… sorry!) the subject you brought up. Perhaps some more discussion? I'm game.

Guest Ahny, Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. Today, after posting the newest update to Ghosts was the first I saw your message in the Forum. Thank you for reading my stories and your kind words. Whether or not it makes a difference in the explanation, Ryou’s whole perspective was supposed to have been one chapter, but I ended up breaking it down into three. Yeah, the lack of dialogue, naturally, is because the past two (that you’ve read) and the newest one, are mainly delving into Ryou’s thoughts and exploring his emotional turmoil. Did anyone really need to know all that Ryou was going through? Maybe, maybe not. That’s just how it chose to express itself at the time. There’s a lot of angst and a lot of self-flagellation going on in Ryou’s poor head. The middle chapter is kind of like the middle (original) Star Wars movie… information is in it to keep the plot moving but very little action. It was difficult to find the best place(s) to divide the one huge chapter up. The first one works well. The second and third should really be a single chapter… but Part three was nearly 50 pages in Word alone. See the dilemma? You’ll get to see Bakura’s reaction to Ryou’s departure in the next installment. You aren’t the only reader who is less than happy with Ryou leaving! But then there wouldn’t be much of a story to tell. And, the whole purpose behind the “filler” chapter and the newest update where Ryou’s boys make an appearance is to give a lot more background into why Ryou felt he did the right thing by leaving Bakura. He’s also trying his hardest to talk himself into believing he did the right thing, for both their sakes. I’m not so sure it worked out the way he thought it would. Good luck with your own writing! Bakura liking Tim Burton… that’s strange and… totally Bakura, dark and creepy… sort of like Burton’s partner in crime, Danny Elfman. I think you’ve got something there! And, what’s not to like about Starbuck’s? Except their prices… but the brew(s) are fine, trendy, and it’s a great place to meet people. Thank you for the compliments about my characterizations of Ryou and Bakura. I am very flattered by that because for the longest time, especially when I first got interested in the fandom, Ryou was depicted as a spineless whipping boy – Bakura’s whipping boy, in particular. Ryou was oftentimes raped, starved, ignored, beaten, emotionally tormented… anything one could do to demoralize a human being, poor Ryou, for whatever reason, was the one chosen to bear that (or any number of) burden(s). Bakura, on the other hand, was depicted as an uncaring psycho, bent on his light’s ultimate destruction, and was more than likely the one abusing Ryou in the ways mentioned above. I hated it. Got tired of it. Read a few stories that offered an alternative twist to one or both characters personalities, and decided to try my hand at making Ryou a stronger individual with a goal in life – something other than making it through the day without a fat lip or broken bone. To me, Bakura needed to remain hardheaded and a prick, to most people at any rate, but most of all, I wanted him to want Ryou in more than just a sexual manner – I wanted him to make Ryou happy while keeping the tough guy image. I have had a few writers ask me if they could write a story based on my characterization of Ryou and Bakura have come about. I don’t necessarily have a problem with that. I appreciate that I am being asked first. But, I do stress that it would be nice to take some aspects, turn them around, tweak them, whatever, and then own them… make them the new writer’s own. That would be ideal. I also have to stress that as much as I would love to own Ryou and Bakura… I still basing my characterizations on characters created by someone else. Besides… in my world… Ryou owns Bakura’s ass…. But, shhhhhh…. just don’t tell His Royal Darkness that. ; ) Have I seen Ryou and Bakura characterizations written by other writers that “copy” my style? Aside from the example I mentioned above where the author asked permission, (and it almost seemed like more of a blurb/continuation of one of my stories that that particular author decided to write about), I really can’t say that I have. Maybe I am not reading the same stories? Honestly, there’s been such a decline in the popularity of the series that I don’t see that many new stories period. And of them, even fewer are based solely on Ryou and Bakura. I typically don’t go out to FF anymore. I never posted there because of the mature content of my stories… it would have been against the site rules (of the time anyway). And, I doubt it’s changed. MM has had its own issues for the past several months. It has been impossible to update a story without getting an error. Doesn’t look like it’s going to get fixed anytime soon either. Regardless, I really didn’t realize I had a following at all in the FF community. As I said, I don’t post there. I read there on occasion, but not often anymore. That’s flattering, that my stories are being read and appreciated. I also think it is flattering that my writing style is being emulated. No, I would not appreciate it much if it was downright plagiarism. But, I do not have a problem with other writers taking what they like and trying to make it better… or to play with it and see if they can come up with something of their own style. I think that Saiyamaru gave you the right advice in regards to the post you made – I assume on FF. Some of what she mentioned, I have touched upon in my reply here. Most of all I have to agree, that if the current trend is for authors to write about a loving relationship between Ryou and Bakura, we are all better off for it. While I appreciate your concern, I have to agree it is not worth getting into a verbal war that cannot be won. However, as I mentioned above, cutting and pasting bits or just flat out claiming an entire work of my fiction as another’s own, that would be worth getting upset about. Yeah, that would be an entirely different story. I don’t know… we all, in a way, emulate something (or many things) we like. The trick is to make it your own in some fashion. I just think it is kind of cool that people love something I have taken a shine to, and perhaps, taken to the next level, and they in turn are trying their best to own it. We all have to remember, Ryou and Bakura own each other… and are ultimately, owned by Kazuki Takahashi. ; ) Sincerely, sglily P.S. I do have one thing I would like to ask of you and anybody else who happens to read this, please, from now on, here, in the Forum or anywhere outside of it, no more personal information randomly thrown into the mix. Please.

Hi Everyone! Wow! An update… and it’s only been TWO months! WooHOO! Yes, Chapter 8 is now available to read. This is the last in the three part series of explaining Ryou’s actions after his little reunion/affair with Bakura. This is also the one where the twins are introduced. I am really interested in hearing what you readers think of them… are they what you expected? Any surprises? Disappointments? I’d really like to know. This chapter is also my personal favorite. It took me forever to get it to the point where I was happy with it. It also really got expanded upon more than expected. The little glimpse into Ryou and Bakura’s past being a surprise even to me! That was fun to explore, too. But, I think, it was writing the boys and developing their characters that took the longest. Children are hard to write. It’s difficult to determine sometimes how much they will comprehend, words they would be able to say and use in context at the age they are supposed to be, and even how they will say some words (or mispronounce them). I also wanted to try to stay away from the typical cliché – of the mini-Ryou and mini-Bakura clones. I think Beau (who is supposed to be more Ryou-like) came across as a bit of a stronger character than I had originally planned. So, maybe, in that respect, he has become a mini-Ryou-according-to-sglily’s-rules? Regardless, as much of a pain-in-the-rear-end they were to get down on “paper”, to get as close to right as I could make them, they truly are near and dear to my heart. Currently, I am finishing up the chapter after Bakura’s reaction to Ryou’s disappearance. Yep, Bakura makes his reappearance in the next update (Chapter 9). That’s another chapter that I am anxious to see if it goes over well… or not. Also, thank you to those of you who have been reading and commenting on my other stories – most of which are finished. It does make me feel good that they are still being enjoyed. Best wishes… sglily Review Responses for Ghosts of Christmas Past – Chapter Seven: Gantaeno: Ah, the story was never forgotten, trust me! And, you have an update a lot quicker than I have been able to get them out in the general past. That’s good for you and for me, eh? Glad you liked Azizi in Naughty or Nice… and here’s to you enjoying Beau and Kura just as much… or even better. I’ll take either! Thanks for the kind comments… Lbrylady: Glad you thought the chapter was worth the wait. I don’t know what I would do without all the lovely readers who stick with this and my other stories that remain unfinished. (I do plan on finishing them all someday.) And, I do so appreciate the comments and encouragement… it does spur me on and makes me want to wrangle out the next few scenes. I guess I do love to put my Ryou and Bakura through emotional torture… but they learn and grow from it in the end… I suppose! Yeah, one would kind of expect a pissed off Bakura on the warpath being frisked and hogtied at the local airport for showing up with both barrels loaded bear, but “only” hunting for his wayward, silly wabbit Ryou… Let me just say this, Bakura has some issues (and insecurities) of his own. How he chooses to handle the latest crisis to his personal life (aka blow to his ego)… I’ll have to let him show you in the next update. Hopefully, it will not disappoint. See, some people pay attention! Kudos to you for catching that one! I love getting in those little zingers that sort of tease about Ryou and Bakura’s “normal” relationship in the YugiOh! World and scheme of things. Thanks for the lovely comments! Enjoy the newest update! Saiyamaru: Yes, you are just quite the young lady ‘bout town, aren’t you? ; ) I think we will have to both stick to this site and only this site for a while. MM ain’t lookin’ too healthy as of late. I guess the middle chapter (7) didn’t go a whole lot of anywhere but to me it was necessary. I guess it sort of didn’t help either that the “one” chapter got that huge that it had to be chopped into 3 more manageable pieces. I didn’t purposely draw it out to get the kiddos in there. In fact, in the original version, their part was quite a bit smaller and definitely not as involved. I really liked how they turned out. I hope you do, too! And, yeah… Ryou fantasizing and… showing… excitement… yeah, that wouldn’t be too funny for him (but, man, oh, man…does that come back to haunt him later on!) but we do get some sick sort of enjoyment out of it, eh? When was the first time (in Rings) Ryou came face to face with Big, Bad, Bakura Demon? Well, you’re right… Cat and Mouse doesn’t have The Big Bad in it. I guess Bakura sort of goes demonic when he takes out George at the construction site. That’s when Ryou offers himself to Bakura in the restroom of the restaurant (same one as in Wicked by the way…) because he knows Bakura needs release… and that opens up that whole lovey-dovey scene between them. (One of my favorites.) Yeah, Bakura goes all Big Bad when he sucks the darkness out of his suffering light. I wouldn’t be surprised if Big, Bad Bakura makes another appearance by the time Rings is said and done. Did I answer your question? Sorta kinda? You know you can pester me for a better answer if need be!

Saiyamaru, Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you here... but you know how it is! I still don't know exactly what is going on with MM but I finally broke down and went out into their forums to find some answers and apparently there are a lot of people facing the same issue - unable to upload new stories or new chapters - and it looks like there is a lack of system support there. It's been going on for months. It's a shame because I still get reviews from readers on that site who are looking for updates. I have them, just can't post them. Well, I just posted the newest update to Ghosts a little earlier this evening so you will get your first "real" glimpse of the twins... hope you love them as much as I enjoyed writing them and coming up with their personalities! Beau kind of surprised me. He is not going to be the little wallflower I sort of imagined, the real backwards kind of little Ryou. He's almost (if not) as fiesty as his big brother. But, there is definitely a distinction as to who is who. I only hope that reads that way. And, yes, the NEXT update will be Bakura... or the Wrath of Bakura, more like it. I sort of can't wait for that one to be up either! Much love, love! sglily

Yami Bakura Itemri, Damn, you are something else! (What... I'm not quite sure... ) But, I do appreciate your efforts, of course, to get here! Funny thing is, I don't think one needs to be a member of the forum any more in order to be here... perhaps it isn't as locked down as it was previously. Regardless... thank you for making the effort! I wish there were an update notfiier for this site. It sure would make it so much easier on everyone involved. Star Trek? So, that's where you have strayed to? Ah! That is too funny! But, it better not completely replace your need to get a Ryou/Bakura fix! Yeah, what Ryou did (leaving Bakura on the sly), you knew it had to happen that way... right? We gotta build up the angst and other good/bad emotions to the point where everything just goes KABLOOEY! And, hopefully, in the aftermath, we'll see that the two lovebirds just can't live without each other... and from there on it, they'd have to be surgically removed from one another... or something. Well, we hope so, right? One can only dream... ahem. The next chapter is the continuation of Ryou's exploits since leaving Bakura in the dust. I hope that you do enjoy the rugrats when they make their appearance in the next installment. It is a LONG one... and I will not be cutting it up... anymore than it already has been. With spacing and whatnot, using Word, it runs over 40 pages. So, hopefully that will make up for any long period of time that goes on in-between all the updates... and me getting bitched at for not updating more. Oh, and yes, Bakura's reaction... well, it ain't gonna be pretty, huh? Here's to a riled up, hot under the collar Bakura on the rampage, baby! Oh, and here... Had to add it. At first glance, I thought it was a sperm... sperm... whip...tail... thingie... I'm sure you can see where I'd get confused... Thanks for stopping by! sglily

Hi Everyone! Recently, I was contacted by someone who was inspired by "Hazy, Hot, and Humid" and who created a beautiful drawing of Ryou and Bakura sharing a relaxing, very intimate moment on a swing built for two. The gorgeous artwork is entitled "Fireflies", and if you are at all familiar with the story, you'll know exactly where the scene from which the title was taken from. The artist, is the lovely and very talented Nightmaker, and the artwork can be seen on Deviant Art by using the following link: http://nightmaker.deviantart.com/art/Fireflies-Tendershipping-186419373 Please take a look, and if you have the ability to do so, please, by all means, leave Nightmaker a review/comment. As I told Nightmaker, it is very humbling to have created something that in turn inspired someone else to take one's vision a step further. I believe the look on Ryou's face is priceless... I also believe that that look was placed there by none other than The Dark One, Bakura himself, who no doubt just whispered something scandlous (yeah, dirty as hell!) in his ear, being the Man-Pig that he is. Quite frankly, I'm surprised Ryou's poor ear hasn't shriveled up, blackened, and fallen off by now... Regards, sglily

You surprised me being here like this! A very nice surprise indeed... About the MM.org thing... I still don't know what is going on there. At least now I can get into the site. For the past two days, I've been trying to upload the new chapter to Ghosts but it keeps failing. I'll keep trying as I think about it. Hopefully it is just a temporary glitch in the system. We'll see... Oh... if you love the twins now, wait until you get a'load of the next chapter... the one that is my favorite, thus far. I think you will enjoy it... at least I hope you will! And, yes... it would probably be best to read the chapter dedicated to Bakura's reaction to Ryou's desertion from a safe distance away from anything combustible and/or flammable... probably one in the same. It would also be safe to say that if Bakura really did exist in our world today, the entire East Coast of the US would be incinerated, a charred smudge on the map of the Earth. So, I really don't think I am giving anything away there. It's not like His Royal Bastardness would go, "Oh, well! C'est la vie! Guess my wildcat wasn't interested. Onto the next!" Uh... no. That is sooooo not Bakura, Mr. Possessive Gotta Have My Own Way. We all know there will be a confrontation of some kind. Whether or not both parties make it out alive, well, who knows? Thanks for joining the party! Much love, sglily

Hi Everyone! I know it has been a while since this story was last updated, but it is not forgotten. In fact, I’ve been kind of on a roll with it as of late. That’s a good thing! Trust me… There is one more chapter to follow that will finish up explaining all that Ryou is feeling since leaving Bakura’s place. It is just amazing to me that there was supposed to be one chapter (count’em, my friends… ONE) that encompassed all that – Ryou hightailing it, and how he dealt with the aftermath of his decision to bolt. Well, as you can see, if you’ve stuck with the story, it became too much of a monster to keep all nice and tidy in one chapter. In fact, the third and final part of the “Keeping It Together” series is still sort of too big… but it really needs to be presented all at once. Hopefully, that fact will be appreciated when I get that bad boy uploaded! Personally, that last one is my favorite, the one that took the most time to get right. Currently, I am finishing up Bakura’s reaction to Ryou’s disappearance from his bed – which is chapter nine. Hopefully, I can get cracking on what happens after that so an update will be in the near future… instead of the distant future. Also, thank you to those of you who have been reading and commenting on my other stories – most of which are finished. It does make me feel good that they are still being enjoyed. Best wishes… sglily Review Responses for Ghosts of Christmas Past – Chapter Six: Iasae abyss: Thank you! Glad you find the story, characters, and how the characters interact of value! To me, there is nothing sexier than tons of foreplay… These guys are the masters of it! Enjoy! Captain: Here you go

Hi! Took me a while but I happened to remember this fic (parts were truly hilarious, eh?) and I think I found the author/story you are searching for: It is called Hellraisers II: Lights, Camera, BAKURA? by MarikIshtar77 and can be found here: http://ygo.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=544174663 Enjoy! sglily

Well, I'm a butthead! You did comment on the previous chapter (that had been posted so long ago) but I failed to include yours and a few others in the original posting of this thread in the Forum. I will correct that shortly! Glad you enjoyed the chapter! I also forgot to mention that Chapters 6-8 are all just one huge-ass chapter all from Ryou's perspective. It didn't start off that way... believe me. As I was editing it, it just kept growing... and growing... and growing... until it got to the point that I had to break it down into 2 chapters... which eventually made it to 3. I am getting too wordy and whatever in my old age! Actually, the next two chapters (again, all of Ryou's part) are finished. Maybe I have to touch up the ending of Part 3... (I work better if I throw something at the page and then walk away, come back and read it/fix it a few days later.) I just started the next chapter - which will be all Bakura. When it's complete, I'll update. That schedule sort of works for me. Thanks! sglily

Oh, that cracked me up! You nailed it. Ryou definitely has some thief in him... (and earlier in the evening, that could have been taken very literally... twice, in fact! In two very different positions! ha ha ha!). Even though there may not be the "usual" Ryou/Bakura YGO style relationship between the two in this story, I still love to throw things into the mix to still reference those missing elements... like when Ryou was contemplating the ridiculousness of sharing a mind-link with his (ex-)lover in a very early chapter. And, in this particular instance you brought up, there was a (maybe not so subtle) line that Ryou was preparing to leave Bakura "like a thief in the night". Lame, yeah. But fun to work in all the same! sglily

Hello! First off, I have to say that I feel really... knobby?... for doing this, as in, it feels a little too self-important to me; however, I did want to make an effort to reply to those readers who do take the time to review and offer their opinion - which is so very appreciated and means a lot (A LOT!), who might have questions, or any other number of things in regards to this story (or any other stories I've written, I suppose). I guess this is the new arena to do all of the above since review replies are now frowned upon within the body of the story. Thems the [new] rules. Thems the breaks. I'm just trying to comply. And, hey! It could be fun! Link to story: http://ygo.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=600101464 ******************************* So, here are replies to reviews I received since the previous posting... that would be for Chapter Five: Yami Kuro Ookami Hatake: Bakura may come off as a bumbling idiot at times, and believe me, it is intentional on my part! Some of this stuff needed to happen - that Bakura says and does things that, in Ryou's mind anyway, could be taken a certain way... and not necessarily in a good/happy light... or in the right way. Ryou got burnt by this butthole, big time, many years ago. Ryou is also mortified because he still harbors feelings for someone who, basically, took him for a ride and dumped him. There are a lot of hurt feelings that have not been properly dealt with. Unfortunately for them, there will be more feelings trampled on before it is all said and done. I loved your solution to the problem... where you thought/would like the story to go. You'll just have to wait around see where I take it! Thanks so much for the lovely comments! NiteNite: Emotional drama between Ryou and Bakura... yes, that's what I love about these two! There is so much (more potential) drama... and angst... and unresolved feelings... oh, my! The list goes on! I'm also glad that you (and Bakura) enjoy the wild(cat) side of Ryou... I like to make him say things in the heat of the moment that he more than likely would not (could not) do otherwise. At times, he is just as much of a Man-Pig as the King of Man-Piggedness himself... Bakura. And, yes, a possessive as hell Bakura... well, there is nothing like knowing the guy you are bopping (or in Ryou's case being popped) wants you that much. Wow. Drool. These two just need to talk... and air out a lot of their dirty laundry. Will they get the chance? Well, we'll see... Will Bakura get to meet the twins? Well, again, we'll see. Chances are that if the story wants a happy ending... yeah... there would have to be some "meet and greets" in R/B's future. Won't that be interesting, eh? Let's hope that Ryou hides the knives and forks because in your scenario... that is just downright scary! Poor Bakura, attacked by two rabid, rug-rats... You want Ryou in another thong? Hmm... Anieme: Lemons did abound in that chapter, eh? And, what was that crack about not being divided "into 3" chapters??? I'll remember that! (Especially since the next chapter is basically Part One of Three... author payback time...) I stopped sending out update notices because most of the email addresses I had kept bouncing back to me. It became rather senseless. Anime-fan Meepa: You were working on fanart? That's so sweet! OMG! Two errors??? I did look back at the one you mentioned - when Bakura sees the Santa pic of the twins: "Even though both boys were clearly identical twins with the same long mop of whitish blond hair flecked with deeper highlights of spun gold, the same sparkling blue eyes, the same button noses, and same slim build like their dad, there were subtle differences beside the mannerisms that pointed out which child was who." The sentence was supposed to read that the last part (same slim build) would be the characteristic shared between the boys and their dad. The other aspects, the blond in the hair, blue eyes, button noses were just shared between the twins. We all know that Ryou has pure white hair and those lovely milk chocolate eyes. I can see where the confusion would take place and it should have been punctuated and worded better. Thanks for pointing it out! I'm glad that the story cheers you up. I suppose it could go either way, eh? At times, anyway. As far as being creative with different words, descriptions, or what have you for certain body... ah... parts... I don't know. There are some "terms" that grate on my nerves and that I think disrupt the flow of a story. I also don't like to repeat a word... I also think it has a better flow that way to mix it up. Yeah, it can get rather humorous (and trying at times) attempting to come up with analogies that will work... especially since Bakura is the cruder of the two who loves his "F" word! ************************************ Please enjoy the latest offering of the story! And thanks for taking a look! Sincerely, sglily ************************************ In my rush to get this Forum thing up, I forgot a bunch of review replies that I had written (back in October). Yeah, I'm a butthead! Sorry for leaving them out... Chickigirl: Thank you for your kind words! And, I really wish I would/could update more often as well. Lack of time and sometimes motivation has a lot to with it. Plus the fact that I am horribly anal (and getting worse) when it comes to getting a sentence right… hell, sometimes just a single word. Wicked is one of those stories that I have not forgotten but it really is not speaking to me. It will get done but it is low-man on the totem pole right now. Ghosts has been my top priority. Rings was updated a few hours after Ghosts as well. Thanks again for the encouragement! Honestly, having a beta/proof reader would not speed the process along. One has to write stuff in order to be able to proof it… ; ) EmeraldRains: Good fic withdrawal… I know what you mean! I think there has been a huge lull in updates across the board. Regardless, I am honored that you consider this stuff good! And, it seems it was well worth the wait? Even better! Delis: Thank you! Glad you enjoyed even if it took for-freakin’-ever for the update to appear! Kitteh: Thanks! Ah… we’ll see if your “prediction” will come to pass… Kitten: Many thanks! Ah… maybe? You’ll have to wait and see… Captain: I’ll one up you… it took me about 3 months to write! ; ) Hope you enjoyed! Yami-Bakura-Itemri: So the boyfriend is a fan of the tigers? He’s OK in my book! Those tigers (quite possibly the same tiger in study, I suppose) are simply gorgeous… even if they were not of the pure white variety… ; )

Oh, my! Yes! "DanceDance" is hot, Hot, HOT! One of my faves! One of these years, when I get around to that point, Ryou is going to have his way with Bakura in "Rings that Bind". Of course, when that time does come, no one will care!

Well, not to be unoriginal but... ...here's another vote for Ryou and Bakura! It's been several years since the hey-day of this fandom but, I don't know about you guys, I'm still obsessed!

This question was posted so long ago... I do think I know what story you are talking about. It was called "On to Shaky Ground" by Rachel Dracon. This was the one where Malik had been harboring a huge crush on his friend, Ryou, for years. One night, Malik is walking Ryou back to Ryou and Bakura's house when Malik takes a chance and kisses his friend goodnight. That sort of starts it all - Ryou considering the implications and starting to think of Malik as something more than just a friend. Bakura and Marik are construction workers and end up in a relationsihp of sorts. Ryou is the one beaten up and put in the hospital after he and Malik are jumped after school. Unfortunately, this story and several of this author's other multi-chapter stories were never completed and were all deleted from both AFF and MediaMiner several years ago. The author had mentioned (before pulling the stories) that she would send out updates to the stories to those readers who had requested them - but that didn't happen either. It was a shame because I, for one, really enjoyed all of her fiction - especially since a majority of it centered around Ryou and Bakura. I particularly enjoyed "Unknown", which was the angel one where Ryou (a "lesser" angel) had a thing for a higher angel, Bakura. Hope that helped... and more importantly that you see this after many, many months of no replies. I also wish I had better news if this author/story is the one you were looking for... sglily