This story was based off a short RP between me and Miss DNL. a small thing that we knew needed to be more for the message it conveys. I recommend listening to watch?v=jq8nDimS5_A When Ryou asks "Why" ((you'll know when))

((this is NOT a yaoi!))

It had been a few months since Akefia had basically been forced to moved in with Ryou Bakura; mostly due to having nowhere left to go. Despite the initial turbulences of fear and anxiety stemming from troubles of the past, things had gone over very well for the both of them. Both had found stable ground in understanding each other on the plain of loss and tragic loneliness; something they both shared and understood well.

On those grounds alone, the two slowly began paving a cautious friendship and began to open up to one another more and more, despite small notions of occasional annoyances and frustrations, the process saw to heal them both of past scars. In time both became grateful for the simple gain of something neither had ever really had… a companion and, in time, a brother. Someone they could trust and depend on.

All couldn't have been made better.

Ryou drew a rough sigh as he headed down the hallway to confront Akefia, whom he had called out to only moments ago after his newest discovery.

A week and a half ago, a trip to Egypt had seen to Akefia locating and retrieving his old possessions, which by some miracle had remained untouched in 5000 years. Needless to say of the Thief's delight, he had taken all of it back with him… which had proved no small amount. Coins and other trinkets of gold and silver were everywhere in the apartment currently… which was to be expected.

Ryou hadn't really complained at first, but soon the sheer amount came to be a bit over the top, "How much do you have?!" he had cried when he came home from school one day just to be met with a mountain of coins carpeting the floor.

Akefia had merely hummed and pondered a moment before simply responding, "A few million coins and miscellaneous items, why?"

The response had been so ridiculously simple that Ryou had found he had given in on the spot; he had simply wondered how Akefia planned to keep it all in their living area…seemed the Thief had found ways… But this?! This was ludicrous!

"Akefia!" Ryou called again, only to run into the taller male as he turned into the hall,

"Hm? What is it Ryou?" Akefia inquired looking down at the younger boy somewhat placidly.

Ryou looked up at Akefia and sighed shaking his head as he held up a gold coin, "I found some in the bathroom! IN THE SHAMPOO BOTTLE!" he said just as disbelievingly as when he'd found it and quite a few others.

Akefia tilted his head as he looked at the coin. It was true he had stuck a few in stray shampoo bottles, amongst other things. They had been empty anyway, might as well put them to use. He couldn't well keep any more in his room which now looked like a medieval dragon hoard. As such he had to find places to put it until he found a bigger and better spot somewhere out of the apartment and out of the way.

Looking past the coin, Akefia found himself feeling somewhat impish as he observed Ryou's befuddled and mildly annoyed expression. It was a rare sight to see Ryou annoyed for any reason, and something about the situation seemed to press him to pick at that a bit, "It sooths me," He grinned a bit as he stroked back his choppy white hair, "And how do you think I get THIS shine?"

Ryou deadpanned a moment at the response and facepalmed; not exactly the response he anticipated. Despite being stubborn and temperamental, he knew Akefia had his moments; it was one of several reasons he looked up to him. Still he continued, "Then the avalanche in the hall happened…" he groaned. That afternoon he had opened the hallway closet to put away the towels when he was assaulted by a flood of disturbed gold. Lucky for him, he had been standing to the side and had avoided being buried.

Akefia couldn't help but grin as Ryou explained; Akefia admitted that his hoarding was pushing the boundaries of what little space was available in the apartment, truthfully his hoard wasn't even finished importing yet. Still, the many lengths he had gone to get most of it out of the way had led him to have a thin walkway in his room for his bed, none of his dressers were available anymore; which was fine by him as they had been bare to begin with. The bare space beneath his bed and closet was gone, as were various other places in the apartment. Any nook he could locate he had made use of, and he couldn't help but grin impishly inward as he decided to toy with that fact a little,

"Yeah… Which reminds me." he hummed thoughtfully rubbing his chin as if in thought, "You don't need your closet do you? I've already stuffed your dresser…"

Ryou twitched visibly as Akefia finished his sentence, gripping the coin in his palm as he looked up at him clearly irritated, "THAT'S MY ROOM!" he shouted, clearly agitated that his personal space had been invaded. Not so much his room itself, but more so his… Ryou paused, "What did you do with my clothing…?" he inquired.

Akefia shivered a bit excitedly, giddy with how his teasing was raising such reactions from him, "The closet." He replied simply.

"Put my stuff back where it belongs… please." Ryou replied with a sigh; at least he hadn't thrown it out or something.

Akefia hummed and quirked a brow at him, "Ah? Where do you expect me to put my hoard?" he inquired, half truthfully.

Ryou shrugged somewhat tiredly at him as he tossed the coin in his hand into a corner with others as he began to walk passed him to the living room; The space of the house wasn't exactly important so he couldn't really get too upset with the piles, both neat and not, there. But personal space was another thing entirely, "Anywhere but my room!" he paused ever so slightly before adding, "And don't even think about my game room!"

Akefia paused and a devious look flashed across his face; Ryou's Game Room. The one place in the apartment that usually went completely untouched, "Damn…. About that..." he replied sheepishly rubbing his neck as he turned to face Ryou.

Ryou froze in place; had he just…?!

Immediately and whipped around to look at Akefia, a clear look of pure anger on his face that reflected in his shaking voice, "What. Did you do….?" he asked slowly as if dreading the answer as he looked to the taller male, who shifted in place,

"Partially emptied the cases…" he replied, still rubbing his neck in a sheepish manner; inwardly thrilled with Ryou's reaction.

"Which ones…?" Ryou replied stiffly. If he touched his models….

Akefia licked his lips and then gave a sheepish grin, "Erm… All of them."

Ryou's eyes flashed and constricted suddenly, a massive pocket of long since buried and repressed anger erupting at once so much so his body was visibly shaking to the point that he threatened to throw off his own balance, "AKEFIA!" he roared furiously, "I WORKED HARD ON THOSE FIGURES! FOR DAYS, WEEKS, EVEN FOR A MONTH ONE TIME! THAT GAME ROOM WAS MY SANCTUARY FOR YEARS!"

Akefia actually felt himself reel at the sheer force of Ryou's outburst, but remained standing firm as he screamed his rage at him. Once he was done, Akefia stuck his pinky in his now ringing ear as he spoke, repressing his amusement at the reaction as he spoke, "Ow… Got some air in you don't you?" he chuckled, Ryou twitching angrily in response, "Relax little brother… You think I'd harm your figures? They're still in there…," he chortled inwardly, unable to stop himself, "Just a bit elevated."

Ryou however remained in place, still in pure anger to the point his stomach began churning, "Put them back… I'll take you messing with my room but NOT MY GAME ROOM!" he yelled again, the thought inflaming his still bursting rage even more, "HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK OF DOING THAT!?"

Akefia watched his adopted brother's rage explode once more, the initial thrill fading a bit. He'd poked him enough, "Hmmm… You're right, that was thoughtless of me." he began, assuming an apologetic face, "Very well. Consider it done, Ryou."

Ryou felt himself settle considerably at the offer, although his body still trembled from the aftermath of his rage, "Thank you…" he managed as he rubbed his forehead, suddenly feeling the exertion of his outburst, "We'll figure something out, but I need a nap or something…" he muttered, as he headed to the couch.

Akefia, still to giddy to notice Ryou's condition, merely laughed, "Hahah. You do that, in the meantime, I've got work to do."

Ryou simply flopped onto the couch, grumbling exhaustedly, "My head hurts…."

"Be careful little brother… your hair could turn grey~" Akefia chuckled as he headed down the hall.

Ryou simply grumbled irately, not really caring if he was heard for feeling so drained, "Not in the mood Akefia…" With that, he simply fell asleep, spent of energy.

Some thirty minutes later, Akefia returned to the living room with a piece of garlic after removing everything he had stuffed into Ryou's bedroom, pausing as he noticed his sleeping brother on the couch. Humming to himself, he took up a blanket and tossed it over him before heading to a chair and began eating his garlic, still grinning to himself at the results of his little game, "Well…Something does ruffle his feathers. Who knew?" he chuckled aloud lightly, "Like I would actually touch his room; That's defensive~" he chuckled as he finished his garlic.

Ryou, not sleeping restfully, was awakened by Akefia's muttering, "Mnn? Say something?" he muttered drowsily.

Akefia merely chuckled lightly, "Nothing at all Ryou… Go ahead and take your nap." He offered, still reclining lengthwise over the chair.

Ryou lie there only a moment before he noted the time and slowly sat up, rubbing his eye in an attempt to wake himself, "But I need to make dinner… Shouldn't nap right now…."

Akefia shifted at the mention of food and stood up stretching out his legs, "Hmmm…. Right. Need anything?" he inquired.

Ryou sat in place an mulled over what they had only a moment before shaking his head, "No, we should have everything…" he replied as he blinked a few times, trying to shake the unrestful sleep off of himself.

Akefia gave a small laugh and straightened, "Very well. By the way… I've moved my stuff. So no worries about that."

Ryou bristled at the mention, now recalling why he was so drained. Taking a breath he gave a curt nod, "Mn, thank you." He muttered as he entered the kitchen, "Beef or pork?" he inquired listlessly.

Akefia noted Ryou's irritated tone and huffed, his amusement having waned considerably. Time to let it go, "You can settle down, Ryou. I didn't harm your game room." He declared as Ryou began to reach into the fridge.

"I'm go-" Ryou froze, hand halfway into the fridge when he acknowledged what had been said. Slowly, Ryou looked to Akefia, who still stood looking at him in a way he now noticed seemed expectant, "You never put anything in there?" he managed.

Akefia simply tilted his head as he spoke, "Of course not. I know what that room means to you… I wouldn't disturb it." he then hummed and grinned in an amused manner as he continued, "I was screwing with you, although I admit it was cruel of me to anger you like that. For that I apologize to you." He finished simply, still grinning as he looked up to Ryou. He felt his grin falter as he caught sight of Ryou's expression.

Ryou just stood in place, his face blank, mind racing and body numbed as he observed Akefia as he simply stood there explaining what he had done as if it was nothing, "Why?" he managed stiffly, "Was it funny?" He inquired disbelievingly; something within feeling like it was being crushed… he couldn't understand it. Grinning as he told him he'd harmed the one place that had given him peace and sanctum? It had been a game to him? A joke he found amusing? He shook his head in mortification, "No, no… I'm not taking your apology!" he choked as he tore his gaze away from Akefia.

Akefia's grin died immediately and was replaced with a look of shock as he watched Ryou suddenly look away from him like he was a monster. It was then he realized he'd done something very wrong, "Ah?! What… No. I- no it wasn't funny…I didn't mean it like that…" Akefia stopped and cursed inwardly as he began rubbing the back of his neck unsure of the situation. This hadn't at all been part of what he'd intended, "I didn't mean it Ryou… I-"

Akefia stopped talking as Ryou looked back at him; the look in his eyes made him recoil. He was hurt. He'd hurt him… Akefia stared back at him for several moments hearing his pained unspoken words in the heavy silence that enveloped them both and then bowed his head, "….You're right… That one was out of line… even for me." he tore his eyes away, unable to bare the pain in Ryou's eyes.

Ryou stood watching the former Thief King as he struggled to speak. For a moment, Ryou felt a pang of regret that he'd caused him such distress before the reason he'd done it arose once more and sent the pang of betrayal through him once more. Caught in the tangle of the two contradicting emotions, he looked away, unsure of what to do. What could he say? What should he say?

Had the Thief really taken such pleasure in his distress even for a moment? Did he enjoy seeing him angry? Did he enjoy doing this to him?

Ryou looked back to Akefia, his voice weak and barely more than a whisper, "Just tell me why…"

Akefia continued to avert his eyes from looking at what he'd done, blinking slowly as Ryou weakly put him on the spot; the tone so weak it felt like they were dying words. The thought made something within feel like it was being stabbed with a dagger… What could he say? What should he say?

What excuse did he possibly have for what he'd done? Was it not meant to have been a simple joke? A little harmless prank?

Akefia stood in place, his normally tall and proud posture marred as his shoulders hung low, his head bowed in shame, his eyes unwilling to meet back with the young boy who had actually looked up to him, "….Maybe in some part of my mind I was trying to play with you." He muttered weakly, "I've never had much interaction with anyone besides a more serious or "getting" approach…" he managed thinking over the lonely life he'd lived, huffing as he thought about his own words, "That's no excuse though…I saw you getting upset and I should have stopped." He managed as he looked up at him, eyes sullen, "the last thing I wanted to do was upset you like this…"

Ryou stared back at Akefia as he spoke. Although he was fighting hard, he could hear the strain in Akefia's voice as he tried to keep it level, strained with pain. Ryou felt his anger dying in the light that Akefia knew he had hurt him, and in turn… he'd hurt him too… he looked away from Akefia's wounded gaze; Akefia tensing at the motion before reluctantly letting it go defeatedly…. Crestfallen.

The tension hung in the air around them like a thick poisonous cloud from the Shadow Realm itself, threatening to destroy them both. Ryou, unable to take it any longer, bit his lip and in a few quick strides stood hugging Akefia, "Brother…." He managed weakly.

Akefia, taken by surprise looked down at Ryou in confusion, trying and failing to understand what was happening as Ryou buried his face into his chest, his eyes beginning to glisten as he poured out his pain, "I don't want to be angry anymore…." He whimpered.

Akefia's face softened as he looked down remorsefully at the now sobbing boy before he hugged him back tightly, "I'm sorry…." He managed, his voice choked as he himself began to tear much to his own surprise, "I didn't mean it Ryou… I promise I'll never do anything like that to you again… I promise…"

Ryou held tighter to Akefia as he listened to his sorrowful apology, feeling a distinct pang as he felt the pain of his words, "I forgive you brother." He managed grievously.

Akefia simply stood holding Ryou for several long moments, simply absorbing Ryou's words before slowly smiling as the dagger-like pain lifted, "Thank you, Brother…"

Slowly the tension within the room fell away as if being washed away by a cleansing rain and Ryou looked up at his brother smiling once more, his pain gone, "Heh, let's move on." He offered brightly, "Want to go out to eat?"

Akefia smiled back sincerely and nodded happily, "Sounds like a plan to me."

Ryou brightened, and put his shoes on quickly, and with that; the two headed out the door together…

The foundation of their brotherhood now unyieldingly stronger in the wake of the storm of adversity.

I hope you enjoyed:)

While writing this, i couldn't help but think how often this happens to us all at some point or another MANY times. It starts off as a harmless prank or a joke, be it by you or at someone else's expense. You could be the best of friends, but that ONE thing. that one thing that was so harmless... turns out to be deadly and you find yourself at the precipice of devastation; To lose the trust or bond itself to the afflicted.

The question is. How strong are your bonds... and can they endure such times unscathed?

Comments appreciated and thank you kindly for reading:)