Disclaimer: I do not own YGO, Kazuki Takahashi does. Bleh

Era: shut up. I'm trying to meditate!

Esther: Oh yeah? Then get off my computer chair! I'm trying to write!

Due to the new rules, I have moved the lyrics into the Author notes for viewing. Hopefully, you'll see where the breaks should be.

All by myself

Ryou sighed dejectedly. Yugi and co. were somewhere, some amusement park again. And where was he? At home, bored to death. Oh, why couldn't it have been like several years ago?

There had been no one special in his life, nobody. His mother and Amane were dead, and he hated his father with almost every fiber of his body. He had never been hurt, always the polite one, the calm one, and the emotionless one.

He had dated a few girls just to have a good time with them and they had both understood it was just a time to have a little fun, no real feelings behind it. Why couldn't itbe like that again? No one to care for, no one to matter. Those were the good times.

The door opened.

"Ryou?" Bakura shouted up the stairs. "I'm back!"

Ryou sighed. He had Bakura to care about too. As much as he hated his father, he loved Bakura just as much. So much, in fact, it hurt. And he hated himself for it.

"HI Bakura!" he yelled back, clomping down the stairs.

Bakura grinned at the sight of his little hikari but quickly covered it with a smirk.

"Took you long enough." He leered, hating himself for scaring his beloved so much. Yes, he loved Ryou and despised himself for ever learning how to love again. Stupid cute hikari, stupid little adorable Ryou, dumb Bakura. Damn that sweet smile, those doe-like eyes, the friggin' way he runs his hand through his hair, damn sweet voice.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

"Help me put everything away." Ryou smiled softly, causing Bakura's stomach to transform into a thousand li'l butterflies.

Ryou sighed. He was getting lonely. He turned on the TV. Nothing but annoying punks trying to kill each other. He snickered. They were pathetic. Bakura could teach them a lot about fighting.

He clicked it off and dialed the phone to talk to someone, anyone. The phone rang and rang, but nobody answered. Malik was in Egypt, understandable. Yugi was probably getting kissed senseless by Yami. Not so understandable. Anzu? Please, he didn't want a friggin' headache from hearing her talk about friendship. Blah blah!

Nobody was home. Nobody at all.

Bakura swooped out of his soul room, feeling Ryou's despair. When he hovered above a now sleeping Ryou, he saw the tear that made its glistening way down Ryou's face, into his hair. Bakura smiled almost sadly and disappeared.

-

Ryou sobbed into his knees. He was so tired of being so neglected, so lonely! Nobody could ever know the pain he felt. To help and listen to a 'friends' sorrow, but to never receive anything in return. He wept completely bitter tears, not caring if anyone heard.

His thin frame shook as sobs wracked his body. Burning tears made their way down his face. He was tired Ra- Damnit! So damn tired of being by himself, so tired of living in his own little world.

So tired of defending his yami when they insulted him. Bakura would shrug these off, them not being worth his time, but oh, Ryou could never ignore them. He loved his Yami to death and back, how could he ever really let these go?

His haunted eyes glistened as he listened to the song. So insecure. How could he be secure? No one ever bothered to listen to him, no one bothered to compliment him.

He sank down against the wall as his tears continued to run loose.

Bakura would never love him, never love one so weak as he. He'd never, should never have to pay any attention, waste any care on him.

His dry and cracked lips parted as he sang along to the song, his voice steadily rising in strength.

"All by myself
Don't wanna be
All by myself anymore
All by myself
Don't wanna live
All by myself anymore" he sang, completely at ease, losing himself in the torrent of words and music. His voice was beautiful. It was like the angels had blessed his lips and voice. He sighed and let the rush of hot tears overcome him once more.

Bakura sat outside of his hikari's soul room, listening to his thoughts, listening to the heavenly singing. Was that what Ryou really thought? That Bakura should never care, that he never loved Ryou? The strong grief that hit Bakura tided him over like a tidal wave. And the singing. Bakura could listen to him for hours on end, never tiring. Yes, Bakura loved his little light. He had been in denial for the past few months but not anymore. It was he that was worthless, he that was unworthy of Ryou's attention. Yes, Bakura knew of his worthlessness.

He pondered over the words of the song. Did that song voice Ryou's loneliness? No matter. It was time that Bakura made his presence known.

He opened the door and walked in to see a sobbing Ryou. He knelt down beside him. "Ryou?" he asked gently. "Come on, stop crying." Ryou lifted his tear-streaked face towards his yami.

"Bakura?" he asked.

Bakura smiled grimly. "Is that truly how you feel Ryou?" he asked. "That I don't care for you? That you are unworthy of my time? That you are merely a small insignificant piece of the world I live by? That you are so weak?"

Ryou gasped and blushed. "You heard?" he asked slowly.

Bakura nodded. "Is it?"

Ryou looked down. "Yes Bakura, I do." Bakura let his breath out slowly.

"Baka." He said simply. "You are not even close to being worthless. You have stood by your friends and they ignored you, yet you kept your faith in them, no matter how hard it was. I do care for you Ryou. You idiot, I do care." His voice shook slightly. "You are what keeps my world spinning."

Ryou's eyes widened. "B-but why?"

"Because I love you Ryou. I love you more than anything now, or in the afterlife. "

Ryou's eyes pooled with tears.

Bakura frowned. "Why do you cry now, Ryou?" he asked.

"Please- please don't toy around with me Bakura." Ryou whimpered. "I understand if you hate me, but gods, don't be so cruel. "

Bakura sighed. "You think I am playing with you? Let me prove it." He said. Ryou looked up.

"Ho-?" he was cut off by Bakura's lips crushing against his own. He closed his eyes and let his tears flow as Bakura continued to pour his love, his passion into the kiss.When he broke off, they both gasped for breath. He embraced Ryou, hugging him to his chest.

"You are beautiful Ryou." He whispered into the younger boys' ear. "And you sing just as beautifully. You will never be alone again." Ryou choked on a sob that made it's way up his throat.

"Yami?"

"Mm?"

" Ashiteru."

Bakura laughed throatily.

"I love you too, my little angel." They stayed like that, in each others embrace, far into the night.

Ok, this is a two shot so, yeah. There'll be another chapter that's sorta an aftermath and what happens after that. Yeah, I kinda made Ryou OOC cause he's bitter and so he's in something like a depression. Bakura is a bit OOC cause he is a little soft. But that's from being around Ryou too much.

PLEASE REVIEW

When I was young
I never needed anyone
and makin' love was just for fun
those days are gone

Livin' alone
I think of all the friends I've known
but when I dial the telephone
Nobody's home

All by myself
Don't wanna be
All by myself anymore
All by myself
Don't wanna live
All by myself anymore

Hard to be sure
Some times I feel so insecure
and love so distant and obscure
remains the cure