Title: Brothers

Rating: K+

Notes: Ryuuto might be out of character here, sorry about that.

Summary: Ryuuga and Ryuuto finally met, but the reunion does go as well as one of them had hoped.

The two starred at each other, their eyes carefully taking in every feature of the other, every feature which was uncannily similar his own; the tanned skin, the amber eyes and the white hair with the red streak. The obvious difference was the age, the younger had the innocent look that the elder had lost long ago, his own amber eyes cold and cruel.

Right now though both pairs of amber eyes held disbelief, not knowing how it was possible and yet knowing full well the one in front of them was real.

"B… Brother?" The younger said quietly, unsure if he was right, his vague memories of a childhood from long ago tended to come and go like the wind.

The elder just nodded slowly, his golden dragon crown shone in what little light came down into the cavern; "Ryuuto," He finally said, acknowledging that he remembered him.

"Ryuuga," Ryuuto said happily walking towards him, almost ready to give him a hug, but he held back noticing something was off; "What…" His amber eyes looked him over once more, but this was more than just looking at his brother's physical traits, he noticed that something was off; " What happened to you?"

He had felt joy soar in his heart, thrilled to meet up with his long lost brother, who he remembered and yet he always found himself grasping at thin air trying to remember how he looked, what he had been like. One thing he could remember, the brother in front of him wasn't, couldn't be the brother of his past.

Ryuuga looked at his little brother carefully, smirking slightly; "Does it matter?"

The two were both searching for the same thing; Ryuuga was searching for power as he had heard rumours that there was an ancient scroll about L Drago; while Ryuuto was there to find it, more for the treasure aspect than to learn anything.

"Yes, it does," The younger replied, a brief flicker of memories re-enacting before his eyes, the day his brother was taken away from him, when everything had fallen apart; "Who was that man who took you away?"

Ryuuga just stared at him, remaining silent, but found that day playing before his own eyes as well.

He could clearly see a young version of Ryuuto crying and calling out, screaming for his brother to return. He had wanted to, he tried to get back, but given that it was Doji who held him tightly, taking him away into that car and ended up making Ryuuga block all the memories of his past due to sheer guilt of that day.

He clenched his fists; I should have gotten him good before… Falling off a cliff was too easy.

"I told you, it doesn't matter," Ryuuga replied, not willing to bring the past up. He wanted to forget everything that had happened, to move on with his life and the past had no place there.

"You're my brother," Ryuuto argued back, not sure why his brother was keeping him away; "Of course it…"

The younger brother trailed off, seeing the anger in those amber eyes and found himself unsure of what to do or say.

"That man found potential in me, to master a legendary bey. He used me as some pawn in his plans," He growled out, but his rage and anger weren't directed to Ryuuto, he could never be angry at a brother who had never known what his life had been like. He was angry with himself.

All those times I could have escaped and returned to him. Instead I stayed where I was because of the promise of L Drago. The knowledge that I could master such a bey… He thought to himself with disgust, he had always wondered about the 'what ifs' back then, before he claimed L Drago as his own and before L Drago began to slowly take over his being.

"Why are you here?" Ryuuto changed the subject, not liking how his brother could snap so easily, how the self-hatred appeared in those amber eyes and nothing he could do or say would help him.

We are strangers now. We've grown so much without each other, how can we even think of acting like a family? Ryuuto thought to himself but also knew something else; How could I think we would go back to the way things were? It's been so long…

Ryuuga smirked once more, but didn't challenge the topic change; "Tch, I heard the rumours, that there is information here about the legendary bey's," He then continued to walk down the cavern with his brother following.

"You might be hoping for a lot," Ryuuto said with a smile, but he never noticed the withering glare that Ryuuga sent him; "That was just a rumour. The scrolls are meant to help a blader become stronger, but the information is well known now… but no one has ever been aware of the origin!"

As the younger brother spoke it became clear that he was excited, the thrill of this adventure was making him giddy, the challenge that awaited him gave him a glow and Ryuuga was glad to see it, although he would never allow it to be known.

"That's it?"

"Well… Yea," Ryuuto looked over at him, noticing that his brother had stopped walking and then had suddenly turned on his heel and went back the way he came; "Hey! Wait! Where are you going?" He cried after him, not sure why the other would come all this way and then just leave.

"I don't have time to waste on a stupid treasure hunt," He replied, never looking back and never stopping.

"Yea?" Ryuuto felt his blood boil, pure hatred towards his brother; "Well it's not stupid to me!" He yelled back and prepared to launch his bey when Ryuuga had quickly turned back to face him, L Drago ready for any assault; "Ah…"

"What's wrong?" He smirked maliciously; "I told you, I have a legendary bey. I was trained hard in this sport; I know when anyone is ready to launch their bey,"

Ryuuto looked away first, backing down, but he was still angry and so glared at his brother; "You are nothing like me," He snapped at him.

Ryuuga nodded slowly; "Neither are you," He was about to walk away once again when Ryuuto spoke;

"No, but I remember when we were kids," Ryuuto informed him, his amber eyes full of conflicting emotions but were clear for Ryuuga to see; anger, fear, sadness and the one's that lingered in the background, that he refused to acknowledge; "My brother was never as cold or unfeeling as you. Who ever that guy was, he sure did a number on you,"

Ryuuga looked at him, his eyes narrowed, which Ryuuto would have taken to be a warning sign but he ignored it and continued on; "You tried to protect me from the bullies, you had said…" He trailed off and shook his head; "But who cares? I know you don't,"

"You can't change the past," He said simply and turned his back on his once more, this time he knew that he would walk away and never look back.

"But you can learn from it!" He cried out and almost grabbed his arm; "Come on, it might be fun,"

Ryuuga just looked at him with indifference. That was the moment that Ryuuto realised that his brother wouldn't go with him, knowing too well from that look that the brother he knew from long ago was gone. The brother that he could just remember was nothing more than a faded memory, the brother in front of him no longer had the same capacity of emotions and feelings to be regarded in the same way.

To Ryuuto it was almost like he was looking at a different brother, that his older brother of his childhood had been kidnapped and this imposter had replaced him, but was doing a very poor job of it.

He's not the brother I used to have… He thought to himself sadly as he watched his brother walk away from him, never looking back and Ryuuto felt a piece of his heart crack and crumble; How did this happen Ryuuga?

He turned to walk down the path he had chosen for himself, deciding that he no longer needed the memories of the past to keep him going. He was going to continue on his own.

The two brother's parted and it was unlikely that they would meet up again.