Stalker of mine, this is not an update for real, but a message to you. I want to talk to you. And I don't think it's stupid to still be wrapped in Yugioh 18 years later (2002 was when I first watched the show). For someone to stalk me across three websites, find me, and communicate with me when I was at my worst…. Damn, I want a way to talk to you. Tumblr? Facebook? Email? Snapchat?

This is where I dither in writers' block. This chapter isn't permanent. But the text is part of my Insignificant writings.

Chapter Holder for Stalker: [23]

Bakura arrived at the Kame Game Shop the next Monday, promptly after school. He followed the route Yami, Yugi, and Marik took to the bus stop, then rode the city bus to the closes bus stop, gratefully when it finally came to a screeching halt and he could get away from Marik's penetrating concern and Yugi's inane attempt to involve him in the conversation. It made him miss the comfortable silence of his walks home with Ryou.

"Hello Bakura," he called, sounding more cheerful than he had the last time Bakura was near Yugi's grandfather. Bakura muttered a greeting. Solomon led him through the shop, into the back room, which Bakura was glad to note the inclusion of color so it wasn't as plain as the one he had been detained at last week.

"I don't think you're a bad kid," Solomon said, as he arranged a couple boxes on a cleared off table. Bakura arched a brow, but let the older man speak. "I think you're confused. Just like Marik." He gestured to the seat closest to the boxes, so Bakura sat, curling his fists on the metal seat, preparing for the onslaught of Marik's miraculous chrysalises.

"It was a rocky start, yes," Solomon said as he handed Bakura a clipboard. Bakura accepted it, uncurling one hand to grasp it. He glanced down at the boxes of descriptions. "I need you to take note of how many packs of Duel Monsters' cards came in," he explained.

Bakura nodded, unhooking the pen from the metal clasp on the clipboard. Solomon walked to the front of the shop at the sound of the bell announcing a customer. He lingered at the doorway. "You'll figure your way, just like Marik and Yami." He left the room, and Bakura breathed out, relieved.

He spent the next hour or so working on the tedious and mind numbing assignment Solomon had tasked him with. He made messy piles on the table, one for each of the five types of booster packs. His stomach turned at the ever present reminder of each of his dueling matches for the Millennium items, each of which he lost in the end.

The ease of the task granted his mind the freedom to wander and dwell on the darker and more depressing thoughts. Finally, all packs sorted, he fanned one type of pack, totaling up the amount of packs, thankful for the distraction. He jotted down the number, tossed the packs into the box, and started on the next pile.

"Good system," Yami said, leaning over Bakura. Bakura glanced up at Yami's chin above his head. He shook his head and finished counting, before deigning to reply.

"It's not hard," he commented. Yami pulled up a seat across the table. He toyed with one of the packs that Bakura had already finished sorting.

He flipped the pack over in his hands. "The first time Grandpa made me do this, I tried to count them before sorting them. Made it hard to keep all the numbers straight." He let out a small chuckle.

Bakura lowered the fan of cards he was counting, slid them up like a deck of cards with his opposite hand, and thrust the bulk into Yami's face up palm. "Count them," he growled. He picked up the second to last pile, glaring at Yami through his black fringe. "Since you made me lose count, fix it."

Yami fixed Bakura with an ugly sneer, but when the thief simply counted his pile in silence, Yami started adding up the number of packs in his hand. He grabbed the clipboard away from Bakura's side of the table, and wrote down the number next to the coinciding description. He handed it back after a moment, then picked up the last pile and proceeded to count them.

After the afternoon/evening crowd thinned out, Solomon ventured to the back room to relieve Bakura from his task. He stopped short at the sight of the two once enemies seated at the same table, counting other types of games, Yami teaching Bakura the basics, pointing out where the item was on the inventory sheets.

He made no mention of their interaction, when he announced, "Well, Bakura. Thank you for your work today. I appreciate your help."

Bakura placed the last game board in the box he had placed on the table a few minutes earlier and unearthed the clipboard. He returned it to Solomon, mumbling, "Goodbye."

…

A/N: I'm definitely changing the end of this scene. But. Sorry it's not a real update. And someone wanted to write a doujinshi for this at one point? Sure. Just link it.