Aura sat at the bar sipping her drink, she normally didn't care much for these kinds of places but she needed to relax a bit. Just then, a white-haired man entered, his head hung low. A black trenchcoat was wrapped tighter over his shivering body and flakes of snow from the cold winter night were speckled in his hair. He made his way past Aura and sat next to her, the only open seat available.

Taking another sip she glanced over at the man who sat next to her. She grumbled softly but didn't move, then looked back over at him, "cold outside?" she asked then mentally kicked herself for the crappy hello line

He turned to her, piercing crimson eyes staring her down as he opened his mouth to speak. "It tends to be when there's snow outside, no?"

She couldn't help but chuckle, "yea I suppose so." her eyes shifted to the window to see it snowing and she sighed.

He turned slightly and pounded his fist on the table in front of him suddenly. A server came over and the white-haired man gave his order in a low, gruff voice before the server ran off.

She looked away grumbled shifting her glance from the man and took a bigger sip, 'oook' she thought, while the man drummed his fingers on the table impatiently, his gaze set on the window outside.

Slowly, she looked back over at him and knew she was gonna regret opening her mouth but she did anyway, "everything alright? You seem upset."

He turned back to her, the noise of her voice drawing him out of his trance. "Peachy," he muttered, his gaze still not lifting from the window. "And you?"

She grumbled looking away, "sorry for bothering you." she muttered wishing for a stronger drink

Finally, he turned away from the window to see a beer dropped before him. "You didn't respond to me," he said to Aura after he took a huge sip of his drink.

"Hmm?" she looked over at him. "Oh, yes sorry, I'm fine." she finished her drink and ordered something stronger.

"You don't seem very fine," he said, thinking about her drink order. He took another sip of his beer.

"Petty problems, nothing serious." she took a drink and her face twisted slightly, it was stronger than she expected.

The crimson-eyed man chuckled. "Too strong, huh?"

She grumbled, "I forgot how strong they make them here."

He nodded. "What's your name, girl?"

She looked over, "Aura, and you are?"

"Bakura," he grunted.

She took another sip and sighed, "Pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Bakura replied, sipping his drink as well. A phone started to buzz suddenly and he pulled it out, frowning.

Glancing over at him as he pulled out his phone and she looked away feeling a bit awkward

He cringed slightly as he shut the phone, sipping his beer until the glass was empty. "Look, I need a favor," he told her suddenly.

She looked over at him confused about to take drink but set it down instead, "a favor?" she echoed 'strange'. "What is it?"

"I need you to take my trenchcoat, not touch anything in it, and drop it off at a certain address." He glanced outside before turning back. Bakura started smoothing his hair.

"uh..." she trailed off it seemed fishy but she didn't care, "sure?" she muttered turning towards him.

He nodded almost frantically, smoothing his hair faster now. He took of his coat and handed it to her. "Don't touch a single thing in there," he warned her. He handed her a slip of paper with an address. Outside, sirens were heard.

She took the jacket and the paper then looked at them, she considered putting it on but slung it over an arm instead, "alright." she said nervously then turned to walk out the bar taking one last glance at him before dropping money on the table and walking away

The coat was a lot heavier than it originally appeared, dragging her down. Outside, about four or five police cars were parked and a few officers were running out and aiming their guns at the bar.

She was about to leave the bar when she saw the police there and froze glancing back at Bakura, "um..." she trailed off not sure if she should go outside or not.

Bakura glanced outside, muttering curses. "How the hell did they find me so quickly...?" He gave a final pat to his hair, then smoothed his clothes slightly. He turned to Aura. "Go through the back entrance. Don't even try the front," he told her.

She looked at him questionly but nodded and quickly slipped out the back of the bar then down the alley way glancing at the address, "suppose I should call a taxi then?"

Bakura slipped through the front, head down. He managed to slip past the police who, shortly after his departure, stormed the bar. He raced to the place listed as the address.

She found the place wasn't far from the bar and when she arrived there she stepped up to the door and knocked, waiting, now nervous. 'I didn't think this through' she thought

The door opened and the boy who answered looked almost exactly like Bakura. However, his eyes were a deep chocolate brown, his features softer, and his hair much tamer. "Who are you?" he asked her in a cautious tone.

"Um," she paused looking at the boy, "I met Bakura at a bar not far from here. He told me to bring this," she raised the jacket slightly, "to this address."

The boy shivered. "D-did you say B-Bakura?" he asked quietly. Looking around, he motioned her inside.

She narrowed her eyes on him but nodded stepping inside, "um, what's going on?" she asked not sure if she would get an answer or not

He closed the door quickly behind her and took the jacket, almost dropping it in the process. He set it down on a table a few paces away. "I'm so sorry you had to do that," he started, frowning.

She noticed his movements, he was nervous or afraid, or something to that effect. "Hey, are you alright?" she asked moving towards him, worried.

He shook his head. "N-Not really." Slowly, he began opening and dumping the contents of the jacket on the table. There was jewelry, cash, and other assorted items.

Her eyes went wide as he dropped the contents of the jacket on the table. 'great now I'm an accessory to his crime' she thought and became worried for this boy, "forget the items for a moment, what's wrong with you?"

The boy didn't answer as he sunk down into a chair nearby. "It's a lighter haul than usual..." he muttered.

She didn't know what to say to do, "um, are you two brothers or something? You both look allot alike."

"Something like that..." He muttered. "So, who're you? His next little crime helper?" The white-haired boy stood.

She sighed, "I guess now I am yea. I just kinda met him at a bar not too long ago, we only exchanged names before he asked me to bring that here." she felt a bit worried now but was more worried for him

The boy bit his lip and nodded, then stuck out his hand almost hesitantly. "I'm Ryou," he told her. "What's your name?"

She took his hand and shook it lightly, "Aura, it's nice to meet you."

"Aura, that's pretty," he told her. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?" Ryou headed into another room, no doubt the kitchen.

She followed him, "some water would be nice," she rubbed her forehead, she was a bit more intoxicated than she thought.

"Okay!" he told her, now smiling. "It's been so long since I've had company," he chirped as he grabbed a cut and started filling it. "Not too many people stop by here these days."

She smiled back, though she was still worried, "well I'll make it a habit to swing by and see you more often. Or you can come by my place, either way. If that's alright, that is."

He turned to her, grinning larger than a child on Christmas Day. "Really! You'd actually come back to visit me!" he asked excitedly.

She smiled, "sure, why not? You seem nice." 'he seems too nice to be hanging around Bakura.' she thought

He smiled larger, handing her the glass of water. "You promise? You swear?"

She took it and nodded with a bigger smile, "yea of course! Promise!"

"I like you!" he announced out of the blue. Ryou stood on one of his counters and pulled out a partially eaten loaf of bread. "Do you want some?" he asked her.

She giggled, "I like you too, and yea, I'd like some." she said, she really didn't want any but it would help with the alcohol that was going to her head.

Ryou turned the bread and held it out to her, smiling. "A lot of people don't like me..." he murmured. "It's surprising to see someone different."

"aw, I don't see why not, you're sweet." she took a piece of the bread and began eating it

He took a huge bite of bread as well. "Well, I try to be. Bakura's not very nice though. He scares people often, including me..." he ended at a mumble.

"Scares?" she frowned taking another bite, "he hasn't...hurt you...has he?"

Ryou didn't speak. He stared at the floor, gripping his slab of bread tightly.

She scowled her face and moved forward placing a hand on his shoulder, gently, "why do you stay here with him if he does hurt you?"

Ryou shivered under her grasp. "I can never leave..." he said just barely above a whisper.

Aura frowned, "I don't understand, why can't you, you shouldn't have to put up with abuse, I mean I can't do much but..." she trailed off not knowing what she could do

Ryou shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. "He's everywhere..."

Her hand pulled from his shoulder for a moment, and for a second her heart stopped, "everywhere?" she echoed, "w-what do you mean?"

Ryou's eyes suddenly widened and he gripped his chest in pain. "Y-You should g-go."

"No, Ryou, what's wrong?" she asked moving closer to him placing her hands on his arms trying to console him

"N-No... G-Go away..." he whispered to her, gripping his shirt tightly.

She didn't know what to do something inside her told her to run like he said, but she felt the urge to stay and help him as was too confused to move. "N-no." she stuttered pulling him into a hug, "whatever he's done to you I know you can be stronger."

He shook his head, shoving her back and standing. Ryou let out a horrid, pained scream that echoed through the house as a bright light surrounded him and blinded Aura.