Words Are All I Have

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh

Summary: '"He was a wonderful person. His importance to me is beyond words, and yet words are all I have for him. This is our song. Aishiteru, Ryou."' A short follow-up of 'The Call'. Angsty Seto/Ryou one-shot R&R!

A/N: I decided to write a sequel to 'The Call' and it's short and angsty

Warning:

ENJOY!

---- Words Are All I Have ----

"I remember him asking me once: 'what would you do when you're hanging off the edge of a cliff and you've got nothing to hold on to except the most important person in your life and you've got no hope of living?"

The question was answered by silence throughout the whole church. Everyone present was sombre and grieving, clad in black and dabbing at their eyes slightly. Malik, at the podium, bit his lower lip to stop the tears threatening to spill from his eyes as he continued on with his story. Ryou was his best friend.

"Naturally, I did not know how to answer him. I - I was speechless. But he only smiled at me and said quietly: 'I would either smile or pull a funny face to make them smile. My greatest wish is for the people around me to smile at my funeral.'"

There was no stopping the tears then. Malik gripped the sides of the podium tightly so that his knuckles went white, whole body shaking with suppressed sobs. He lowered his head and turned away from the people present in the church, fighting for control of his emotions. His best friend was in a casket of pearl white and gold in front of the altar, looking as if the tears and grief in the church didn't affect him.

Standing next to his hikari, Marik gripped his shoulder tightly and led him away. The two Egyptians went back to their seats beside Ishizu, whose eyes were downcast and melancholy. On their other side were Yugi and Yami, both dressed entirely in black for the occasion, with the smaller boy leaning on his yami and silent tears streaming down his face.

But no one's grief and pain could compare with the person who stepped up to the microphone next. The black trench coat rippled and came to a rest near the heels of its owner's polished black shoes, blending in with the slightly lighter black business pants and the black shirt worn. Sleek black shades hid the eyes from view and above that was the perfectly combed, golden brown hair.

"Kaiba-kun . . ."

"Ryou-chan was always gentle," Kaiba Seto said quietly, voice quivering with hidden emotions. "He would never slam doors, never raise his voice and never ever raise his hand against someone. He was patient and forgiving, willing to overlook mistakes made and had an admirable sense of compassion and love.

"He was a godsend. There was no one who could break through the ice around my heart like he could, except Mokuba. He taught me how to laugh at my own mistakes, how to relax and enjoy life and that there was more to existence than power. I had forgotten that, but he and Mokuba made me remember. The most important lesson Ryou-chan taught me was never to hide or to shy away from my emotions."

With that, Seto reached up and took of his shades. His Copenhagen blue eyes were red and bloodshot, filled with countless tears and a haunted grief. Everyone looked at him and felt his pain. He was shattered.

"I never saw it coming," he continued. "I guess I should have, but I didn't. In the last few moments of his life, Ryou-chan asked me if I had heard the spirit's call. I hadn't - because I didn't pay enough attention to him, to the fact that he was dying. But when he finally went, it was peaceful and I was holding him in my arms. Then I heard it - the spirit's call. Like a bird's, only more from the soul and ethereal."

He stopped to gather his emotions. Kaiba Mokuba took a step forward from where he stood beside Ryou's coffin, but Seto motioned him back. He was in the middle of his longest, most emotional speech in his entire life and he was doing it for his deceased lover. He didn't want his longing for Ryou to get in the way of his final gift to him.

"He was a wonderful person. His importance to me is beyond words, and yet words are all I have for him. This is our song. Aishiteru, Ryou."

The music played throughout the church, adding a bit of life to the people present. Seto could have easily afforded to hire the original singers to perform, but Ryou had always told him he had a good voice. He wanted to sing this for him - a final tribute.

[Maybe I don't wanna know the reason why

But lately you don't talk to me and darling I can't see me in your eyes

I hold you near but you're so far away

But let your love flow back to me, I can't believe I let this feeling die

[You alone are the living thing that keeps me alive

And tomorrow, if I'm here without your love, you know I can't survive

Only my love can bring you high above them all

[Don't throw it all away, our love, our love, don't throw it all away (our love)

Don't throw it all away, our love, our love, don't throw it all away (our love)

[You can take the darkness, make it full of light

But let your love flow back to me, I can't believe I let this feeling die

[This happy room will be a lonely place when you are gone

And I won't even have your shoulder for crying on

No other one's love could be as true, I'm begging you

[Don't throw it all away, our love, our love, don't throw it all away (our love)

Don't throw it all away, our love, our love, don't throw it all away (our love)

[Oh you changed the world, you made it ours to hold

But dreams are made for those who really try

This losing you is real, but I still feel you here inside

[Don't throw it all away, our love, our love, don't throw it all away (our love)

Don't throw it all away, our love, our love, don't throw it all away (our love)]

His voice faded and the end of the music followed moments later, leaving his audience speechless. No one would have thought that a mere teenage boy, barely into university, could have such an impact on the untouchable Kaiba Seto. Within the four years they had been together, Ryou had changed Seto so rapidly, his actions and attitude were hardly recognisable. Not only had his mask practically dissolved in public, he was so much more gentle, much more caring and now was on good terms with Yugi-tachi.

"He was the one who told me never to hide my feelings from people," he said, voice now firmer and surer of himself. "He told me, when I was afraid of being left alone, that I had more than what I know. And he was right. Aishiteru, Ryou-chan."

--------

Seven years later, Seto lay down a bouquet of white roses on his beloved's grave. As he knelt in front of the tombstone, he reached out and traced the photograph of the beautiful, smiling face with tentative fingers and smiled. Beneath it, he caressed the engravings lovingly, as if caressing Ryou himself. He traced the gold words.

Kaiba Bakura Ryou

'My angel,' he thought fondly. 'My beautiful angel.'

There was a shuffling in the bushes nearby. Ryou's grave was in a secluded area of the cemetery, on a little hill underneath the huge oak tree he loved. Flowerbeds and bushes surrounded it. Everyone knew better than to ruin the flowers and face Seto's wrath. He was very protective of Ryou's final place.

"Who's there?" he called.

"Sumimasen," a child's voice squeaked.

A little boy with silvery white hair and dark blue eyes came out from behind the tree, wearing a cream coloured sweater and faded jeans. His feet were bare. In one hand, he held a pair of worn sneakers and in the other, he was holding a single, white lily. Seto sucked in his breath and held it. The child looked so much like Ryou . . .

"Kimi dare?" he asked carefully.

The child blushed, the pinkish tinge spreading across his face and delicate nose.

"Boku wa Ryou desu," he replied shyly. "I don't have a last name, gomen nasai."

"Why don't you have a last name?"

"I'm an orphan," the child Ryou said. "Sensei says that no one knows who my parents are. Do you know this oniisan, who has the same name as me?"

Seto smiled distantly, thinking back to how cute Ryou himself was when they were together. This boy was coincidentally named Ryou as well and they looked so much alike. Perhaps his angel had returned to him. Seto held out a hand to the child, who dropped his sneakers to take it willingly.

"Yes, I do know him. Ryou was a very beautiful and special person."

"I know," the boy said, nodding. "I come here often because I live in the orphanage nearby. Sensei tells me that this oniisan was a very special person and that he named me after him because I was so like him."

"Who is your sensei?"

"Malik-sensei," Ryou said proudly. "He says that Ryou-oniisan was his best friend."

"Indeed." Seto was struck by an idea. "Ryou-chan, how would you like to come live with me?"

"As in as a family?" Ryou asked excitedly. "Yes of course! But . . . who are you?"

Seto laughed softly. This Ryou reminded him, in every way, of his Ryou. The same trusting eyes and caring, trusting nature and gentle soul just radiated from his slight frame. He was also as cute as Ryou had been when he was confused and excited.

"Ore wa Kaiba Seto desu." He let the little boy lay down the lily next to his bouquet and pick up his sneakers from the ground before leading him down from the hill.

"Let's go find Malik-sensei!"

---- End ----

A/N: how was it? Did you like it? I think it was a tad corny, but anyway......

Little Ryou is so KAWAII! I love him . . . and purposely made him like Ryou, only chibier and cuter! Also, he's supposed to be seven years old, which is exactly the same time gap as when Ryou died, so he's basically Ryou's reincarnation.

REVIEW!

Relinquished