A/n: I'm going to talk about the story and stuff for a sec, but you can skip this if you want.
I really should be working on my other fic, Ka, but I just had to write this down. I have a cold and nothign better to do anyways... exepct important things. This takes place post-canon. Most of it is my musing and ramblings. I mostly got this idea after reading a fic by echochoas, called "Happy Birthday to Me". It a simple fic, but its not horrible. (I really like her other story, Balance too.).
Sorry if the there are any stupid typos, I have a tendency to make them. Like, during the rough draft, I wrote "Malik" instead of "Milk" at one point. If any one seems OOC they just changed over the years! Either that, or I'm horrible at characterization.
About the line break: Waratteru is japanese for something along the lines of "I smile/I laugh" or "I can smile/laugh now" I'm horrible at translating though, so... yeah. I thought of using it as a line break when listening to Taya Soune's "Dolls". God he has a sexy voice D:
Also, Disgaea is a real Japanese turn based SRPG made by Nippon Ichi. I know, I own the DS version of the first game. I image Marik becoming a gamer for some reason... Oh that's reminds me! Marik= Good Marik/Malik, hikari Malik ect. Though I think he's still crazy and still has DID, but hey, what do I know.
This could be considered angstshipping if you really want it to(or squint hard enough) but it originally wasn't meant to be. I may use this as 'canon' (fanon?) for any other stories I make with Ryou. Possibly.
If have any questions, feedback, flames, ect. Review or PM me! I'll (hopeflly) answer back!
Ryou yawned, stretching his arms. He played with his spoon, watching soggy cereal and milk fall off it. The white haired man was tired. As of late, he had unfortunate fate of having his sleep plagued with nightmares. Nightmares he all too well, as they had been real events.
Sighing, he finished his breakfast. At least he had something to look forward to, today. He didn't have to work, either!
Ryou stood up, and put away his dishes in the sink. He'd wash them later, as he had much more important things to do then be a neat-freak.
He rubbed at his sleepy eyes, in a way a young child would. He picked up a picture, that sat on his apartments kitchen counter. He grinned, in a similar way that the two children in the photo did.
In the photo were two albino twins, both were jumping in the Autumn leaves. At first glance, they would both appear to be girls, but that guess would be wrong. The one on the left, who was quiet obviously a girl due to the skirt she wore, had her side bangs braided. She bore a smile the stretched over her full face. She had be photographed in mid-air, her slender, leotard covered legs behind her.
The other one, this time a boy, was doing something similar. He had a grin, albeit not as big and hard to see because of a scarf, and looked like that day was his happiest ever. And just might as well be, because of the necklace he wore foolishly around his neck.
The Millennium Ring...
Ryou shook his head. There was no point about getting all nostalgic of the ring right now. Not today, any day but today. Today was Amane's Birthday!
He sat the photo back down on the counter. The man cherished the photo, as it was one of the few he didn't burn nor put in the attic, after her death. He wasn't sure why he liked it so much, he just did. His smile turned grim. If Amane was still she would of been about 21 now. She would have been a beautiful woman, too, he thought. But fate had another idea for her. Instead she died, in the same accident as her mother, less then a week before her eighth birthday.
Ryou pushed back those thoughts. It wasn't time to think of the bad and depressing things, it was time to think of the great things. Just like his aunt had told him.
He picked up his bus pass. "I'll have to head down town to get some flowers, then head to the cemetery." He murmured to his self, moving some of his old occult stuff out of the way, looking for his wallet.
"Maybe I should head to Domino for a bit tomorrow as well..." He added. After university, Ryou had moved to a different city in Japan. He worked at shop that should a lot of things, including art and game pieces. He helped with cashiering, as well as with sculptures, something he loved doing(he even made some of his friends.)
He felt a bit sad about leaving Yugi and everyone else, but at least Domino was only a two hour drive away.
Though if felt odd, living so close to the home where he and Amane had spent their last days together. At least he was able to talk to her, and give her the letters he wrote, instead of hoarding them. But alas, due to his work he couldn't write them as much as he would of liked.
Deep in thought, he made his way to the entry. After fishing out his house key, he slid it into the lock and turned. The albino pulled open the door, and was greeted by a familiar face. Marik stood in front of him, looking like he was about to knock. The blonde blinked dumbly. "That was convenient." He stated.
Ryou rolled his eyes at his friend's stupid statement. Marik, as well as Rishid and Ishizu, had moved to Japan after the Pharaoh had gotten his memories back. Apparently Egypt had too many bad mermories for them to stay there. Not the he minded, he liked them.
Marik had apologized and tried to befriend everyone who he hurt during Battle City, even Ryou, who himself was used to being forgotten about. This also came as a bit of a surprise to the albino, since he and the blonde hadn't get along very well when they had first met. But it made sense, given the circumstances at the time.
Either way, Ryou did enjoy his company, even if he did have a habit of bringing up the Spirit...
When Ryou snapped out of his thoughts, he was greeted by tan fingers snapping in his face. "Could you be stop that?"
"Sure, sure." They lapsed into a strangely peaceful silence.
"You know, Ryou, if one thing has stayed the same about you though all these years, I'd say it's the fact that you always seem to space out. Always..." The blonde said this with an oddly bemused look in his eye.
This time it was Ryou's turn to blink dumbly. He didn't quiet understand what his friend was trying to say. Confused, he changed the subject. "Marik, is there any specific reason what you're here?"
"No, not really. It's just..." He averted his gaze. "Ishizu kicked me out, saying I needed fresh air and to stop playing my Disgaea Game. Plus it's almost your birthday, isn't it?"
The white haired man raised his eyebrow. The sides of his lips twitching. "Hey! Stop that, it's not that funny, Ry!"
Another silence. This wasn't new to the two, as it happened often. Ryou smiled. Marik and his pet names, at least he didn't say "Ryou-boy" or anything. The albino felt a shiver go up the spine. He didn't like thinking of Pegasus...
"Well," Ryou eventually said. "I was just going to get some flowers, and stop at a few other places, so do you want to come?"
"Sure, I guess. Who are the flowers for, by the way?" The Egyptian winked, as the two made their way though the hallway. Ryou's face flushed a faint pink-red color. "Wha... No...! It's not like that Marik!" He said hastily.
Marik raised his eyebrows in a rather suggestive manner. "No really! There for my sister, you sicko!"
The blonde gave a cheeky grin. The grin was soon replaced by a more serious look. "You're sister...? She isn't sick or anything, is she?" He half-whispered as they got out of the elevator.
"No, It's just her birthday. Hey, I should introduce you to her!" Ryou beamed, looking up to the taller man.
"Sure, sure."
-Waratteru-
After a short trip around the city, the two made their way toward the local cemetery. Marik never asked why they were going there. Bakura had offhandedly mentioned the albino's mother was dead a few years ago, to him, so he just figured Ryou wanted to visit his mother's grave.
The second- and oddly smaller- bouquet of roses, which was sat snug between Japaneses man's arms were to say anything, his guess would be correct. They sat beside a bouquet of iris and orchids.
Ryou looked the happiest Marik had seen him before. The albino had gone in and out of depression as of late, not that he blamed him considering... well, everything. Either way this made the Egptian feel horrible, to see Ryou like that. It was nice seeing him happy. Scratch that, he was practically beaming.
"What's you sister's name, anyways, Ryou?"
"Amane."
"Amane..." Marik listened to it as it rolled off his tongue.
"Yep, it means 'heavenly sound'."
They turned, away for the hustle and bustle of the city, to the deserted graveyard. The smile on Ryou's face lessened, but didn't completely disappear. He looked creepy, smiling so much in a place that was filled with the scent of death.
Marik followed the other man, as he weaved in and out of the graves. Finally, Ryou stopped, in front of a few not-so fancy looking tombstones. He sat the roses in front of one. Ryou turned and walked a few meters before stopping in front of another grave marker. The blonde followed, reading the inscription on the first one as he did. Ms. Manami Bakura.
Ryou sat the flowers slowly on the ground, as though they were made of fragile glass.
"Wait, weren't those flowers for you're sister?" Marik said, dumbfounded. Then it dawned on him. Ryou sister was dead, wasn't she?
"Yep!" He replied, a crazy, Bakura-like grin on his face. It was doubtful Ryou was trying to look like that purposely, but it was just as scary. It was kinda jarring how much he was starting to look like the Thief with each passing day. He stuck his hand out, palm facing upwards, pointing towards the stone.
"Marik, meet Amane!"
He dug though his pockets in his autumn jacket, pulling a letter. Ryou bent down, carefully sticking the letter into the arrangement. On the envelope was the name 'Amane'
"... You still write to you're sister... ?" Marik murmured. 'He must of really loved her...'
"Yes. Why?"
"You know she can't read them, right? I don't know much about your religion, but..." He trailed off, unsure if he should continue.
Ryou's face became more serious, but he was still smiling. He looked to the sky. "I believe she can." He said that one statement with the most honesty Marik had ever heard. They lapsed into a silence, but this time it was more tense and less peaceful.
"Ryou... you are so... creepy."
The albino's face fell. He looked like a hurt child. "What...?" Tears brimmed at his eyes. He wasn't usually an overemotional person, but... that had hurt. It was a statement he had heard before, from bullies in his childhood.
He turned to face the Egyptian. Said male was grinning, not a smirk or a grin of malice, a real, honest grin. Ryou blinked stupidly, for the second time that day. He was confused.
"But..." Marik continued, turning to face Ryou "That's one of the things I like the most about you." Sincerity dripped off of his voice. He wasn't lying to make him feel better.
Ryou smiled, once again. Marik, now a days reminded him so much of her... "Thank you..."
"Both of you."
(Yay for procrastination?)
