Hey, guys! Basically, I was sitting at the computer today, and it suddenly occured to me that my fanfiction 'birthday' happens sometime around now, so I checked and sure enough- I've officially spent two years on fanfiction as a registered author! Yay, I'm a true fanatic! XD!

So I decided to post something as a little present to myself on that count. It's been a pretty amazing two years! *hugs everyone* :D

This is a very short angsty piece, but I really want to turn it into a collection of angstshipping oneshots (that will be unrelated to each other). So do tell me if I should continue it, because if there's no interest then I obviously won't!

Hope you enjoy the angsty weirdness! Written in about two hours, as a result of late nights, insomnia and the need for fanfiction related stress relief. And because I haven't written Ryou-angst in what feels like ages (probably about a month actually!) so I thought I should appease the angst plot bunnies that have invaded my room.

"Hey, Ryou, you okay?" Yuugi asks, smiling as he shifts his schoolbag slightly, while the pair walk through the school gates.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing.

The shadows are lingering. (But only Ryou can see that.)

He smiles back, softly. "Yes, thank you, Yuugi. I'm fine."

Yuugi grins and runs ahead to catch up with a waving Jou, who, judging by his excited gestures, has just bought a new Duel Monsters card.

Ryou's smile falters and dies.

He feels the Ring digging into his chest and hears the spirit's laughter ring in his ears.

He's not fine. He's not fine at all.

"Hey, Ryou, you okay?" Yuugi says with a tired smile as they settle into the plane that is carrying them home from Pegasus' island.

The sun bleeds across the evening sky to form beautiful streaks of sunset that are mirrored into the sea. They are flying above the clouds, above everything. It feels like they are free.

(Ryou's not, of course. The shadows are still there.)

Ryou's smile slides onto his face from force of habit. "Yes, thank you, Yuugi. I'm fine."

He tries to ignore the slightly wary looks he is getting from the others.

"Hey, Ryou, you okay?" Yuugi smiles, worriedly, as Ryou prepares to leave for his empty home when they get off the boat after Battle City.

It is sunset again, just like the last time. For some reason Ryou thinks that is important.

Ryou can see the smaller boy's eyes flicker towards his bag where he's keeping the Ring (Ryou can't see the point, it'll just find its way back to him in the end anyway) and he wants to cry.

"Yes, thank you, Yuugi. I'm fine," he intones, dutifully, finding some pleasure in the hopeful smile that flashes across Yuugi's face. He still believes him.

Of course he does, the Voice mocks, in an almost sympathetic tone. He always will. Stupid trusting fool.

There's nothing wrong with being trusting, Ryou argues, wearily.

The Voice doesn't reply. Ryou hopes it's because the Voice knows he's right, but that might be too much to ask.

Malik shoots Ryou a brief smile over Yuugi's shoulder as he leaves. Ryou's heart twists and breaks.

(The Voice laughs- whether mockingly or bitterly, Ryou doesn't know.)

"Hey, Ryou, you okay?" Yuugi whispers, as he sits tentatively on Ryou's bedside. Ryou can tell from the gentle rocking that they're on a boat- and then he remembers why. The final resting place. The Pharaoh (and the Thief) was gone.

The afternoon sunlight filters in through the thin curtain, and makes everything seem brighter. (But what is the point, when the shadows are still there?)

He must have fallen asleep. They must have put him to bed.

But it wasn't falling asleep, it was fainting at the sudden overwhelming pain of having the other half of his mind ripped out and the dark, dark space that he had left…

Ryou gazes sadly at Yuugi, and knows that he understands.

"Yes, thank you, Yuugi. I'm fine," he bows his head and murmurs the answer, staring at his hands twisting together in his lap.

Ryou doesn't even believe himself anymore.

"Hey, Ryou, you okay?" Yuugi bounds up behind him joyfully as they walk down the street, chattering on about 'had he heard?' and how 'wonderful' it was that they had all returned, and how 'everything was going to be great' from now on.

The autumn winds scatter leaves at their feet, a myriad of reds and yellows, the watery sunshine beaming across the town. The shadows seem weaker today, somehow.

Ryou breathes deeply as they turn down his street, and he sees the lone, brooding figure lean against his gate.

Fear, anticipation and something he doesn't understand flood him.

He's so confused.

"Yes, thank you, Yuugi. I'm fine," he manages to choke out, uncertainly. Yuugi watches the white-haired figure too, fear flickering across his face for a split second.

It reassures Ryou that Yuugi is confused too.

"Hey, Ryou, you okay?" Yuugi grins, with a slight blush, as he tries to ignore the fact that he has just walked in on his friend kissing another boy.

Malik smirks and gets up from his position wound around Ryou to grab Yuugi a drink from Ryou's kitchen, which he has pretty much taken complete control of by now.

Ryou smiles faintly. "Yes, thank you, Yuugi. I'm fine."

(And seriously overwhelmed by all of these… feelings that he doesn't understand, but Yuugi doesn't need to know that anyway.)

The other white haired boy (he used to call him the Voice, but that doesn't seem appropriate anymore) wanders into the room, and merely grunts to acknowledge their presence, before grabbing a book off the shelf and settling into a chair. Yuugi grins slowly at this.

Rain starts to patter against the pavement outside, and Ryou can't help but feel like the shadows are vanishing.

"Hey, Ryou, you okay?" Yuugi laughs as the pair dash into the school, soaking wet from the rain that pours down, while thunder clashes and lightning splits the black sky in two.

(Isn't it ironic that the shadows should be gone when the weather is like this, but not all those times the sun shone so beautifully? Ryou finds that slightly amusing.)

Ryou nods, and grins at the sandy-haired teenager that has followed him in, the one that can stop Ryou's heart with his smile and is shaking his head ruefully to get rid of the rain and muttering something about 'wouldn't happen in Egypt.' Then Ryou turns to watch the other white haired boy (maybe 'Bakura' would fit best?) stand in the rain watching the sky with a sort of childish curiosity, as if a thunderstorm is a totally novel experience for him- which it sort of is.

"Yes, thank you, Yuugi. I'm fine," Ryou smiles back.

And he means it.

So should I continue? I love angstshipping to bits so the likelihood is that I will, but I'm always happy to hear your opinions! :D

Thanks very much for reading!

Bookworm