Disclaimer: I do not own any/ all fictional entities in this segment; they belong to Kazuki Takahashi. I rented them.

...Honestly, I dunno why I wrote this. I think I'm taking too much Chicken Soup for my Soul.

GROW BACK

Ryo and Fubuki hadn't seen each other for roughly a year since that duel on the mountaintop, nor had they spoken. That's why it crossed Ryo as a mild surprise when the fool visited his hospital room on one mild afternoon.

Moments before he appeared, Ryo woke up to the sound of voices murmuring from the other side of the door. "Fubuki, I don't know about this," said a voice faint with doubt that somehow plucked a string in Ryo's memory. "He probably doesn't even remember me, especially since--"

"Nonsense!" a more mirthful tone boomed over that plucked five strings in his memory. "I welcomed you back; I see no reason why he wouldn't. Besides, he needs us both, more than ever."

Swish!

Even though they were nowhere near a ski lodge, Fubuki wore a ski mask over his face, but his twinkling chocolate eyes betrayed his identity. Right behind him tagged a second gentleman, noticeably shyer than the first, but whose identity was also concealed by a ski mask. Yet, something about the fellow's indigo eyes told Ryo that he had known him from sometime before.

"Ryo, how long's it been?" cheered Fubuki. "No, wait, don't answer that. What really matters is that we're together again." He took a seat by Ryo's right flank, while his companion settled into a chair to his left.

The spontaneity of the situation threw Ryo off by a bit; only Fubuki had the power to catch him off-guard. Heaven could only guess why he and the other had come in wearing masks. But he couldn't just sit there and not say a word. "...Fubuki...it's been awhile."

The Blizzard Prince gestured to the boy across the bed. "Ryo, you remember Yusuke, don't you? Or am I going to have to duel you to make you remember?" he chuckled.

At the mentioning of that name, a spark ricocheted back and forth through the valves of Ryo's battered heart. Yusuke? Fujiwara Yusuke? The boy he and Fubuki used to have study hall with? The one who had disappeared all of those years ago as Fubuki had? He examined the stranger up and down through widened eyes.

"...Yusuke...?"

Yusuke took a deep, hesitant breath as he grabbed the top of his mask. In one effortless tug, he pulled it off. Sure enough, it was the exact same Yusuke that Ryo remembered from his earlier years: same indigo eyes, same reserved disposition, same uniform...

The only thing that was different was the lack of his characteristic clump of kelp-tan hair. Indeed, nothing remained on the top of his head but a thin layer of fuzz, as though he'd shaved off his hair.

"Yusuke? Where've you been? And...what happened to--"

Yusuke looked down at his feet, his cheeks burning a bright pink. "I-It's good to see you, too, Ryo. As for where I've been...it's a rather long story. But it's not the reason I look like this. This was Fubuki's idea..."

"Ta-DAH!" As if on cue, Fubuki ripped off his ski mask, to reveal that his sleek, brown mane had also been reduced to fuzz, the grin on his lips as broad as Dark Rabbit's. "We heard everything from Sho," he explained. As he cupped a hand on Ryo's shoulder, his eyes seemed to dim with sadness, as his grin ran away from his face. "It's tragic, really; I haven't really been there for you since the last time we met. If only I had heard about this sooner..."

But just as quickly as they had dimmed, his eyes set a-twinkle, once again. "That's why Yusuke and I decided to make it up to you. It's probably not much, but we just didn't want you to feel alone."

Ryo raised an eyebrow. Tenjoin's heart was in the right place, but sometimes he wondered if he could say the same about his mind. "But Fubuki, I don't have cancer. I haven't lost my hair."

Fubuki nodded. "We know, but we couldn't cut our hearts out. Besides, our hair will grow back. And so will your well-being; all you have to do is give it time and a little tenderness." He leaned forward to squeeze Ryo around the torso; he never did make the effort to refrain from hugging people, nor did he ever stop saying such corny things. Still, even though Ryo was by no means sentimental, somehow he found Fubuki's sentiment comforting. Yusuke reached out to touch the bedridden duelist's shoulder, his lips curling into an awkward but hopeful smile.

In spite of himself, Ryo lightly patted Fubuki on the back, a rare and tiny smile playing at his own lips. "Thank you," was all he replied. He turned to Yusuke and nodded. "Welcome back, Fujiwara."

As Fubuki pulled away, he each took Ryo and Yusuke by the hands. "Ha-ha, do we have a heap of catching-up to do!"

END