AN: Hola everybody!

Thanks for the reviews for the first part. Enjoy this second and last part. Sorry it's a tad late! =)

Disclaimer:

Still don't own anything.

Serendipity

Part Two:

Dying To Be Him

Italics = flashback

Ryou likes the way his feet tap ceaselessly against the cobblestone walkway of the back gardens.

He likes the way the air is always crisp and fresh here at the manor, no matter what, and he likes how, when he breathes, he inhales sweet, juicy scents and his eyes take in bright, shining colors everywhere he looks.

He pauses in his walking for a moment to just enjoy what's around him.

When everyone arrived at the manor, they marveled at the front gardens. He thought those were immense and mind blowing.

It wasn't until, just yesterday afternoon, when he stepped out onto his room's balcony and caught sight of the vast, seemingly endless back gardens did he really have his breath taken away.

The grounds of the estate were filled with everything ranging from exotic blooms to classic lilies of the valley, or from the orchard of apple and pear trees on the far fields to the tricky maze of tall bushes to try and maneuver through. There was magnolia and sunflowers and lilacs and daises and when all of the guys first went out to explore the lovely sights, every single person found their favorite flower, no matter how seemingly rare it was to find.

Ryou's now taken a break from reading a novel by in the library to clear his mind and take a stroll in the gardens.

At the moment, he's walking through the tall maze of dark green bushes, trying not to get lost and trying to make it over to the lovely, vast orchard that he knows lies beyond the labyrinth. He starts up walking again, and takes a right turn, then a left, trying to remember the way through.

To his dismay, the next thing he sees is a dead end.

All of a sudden, a voice causes him to jump and he flies around.

"Need some help?"

Bakura stands there, eyebrow raised, with his hands tucked in his jacket pockets.

Ryou smiles sheepishly and lets out a nervous laugh.

"You scared me," he explains, and then he lifts his arms up in a stretch, exhaling heavily.

Bakura smirks a little, and Ryou listens as he walks up next to him.

Bakura is staring at the dead end in front of them. "Well, you clearly do need my help."

Ryou scoffs. "How did you know I was back here, anyway? Did you follow me?"

"Yes."

Ryou smiles at Bakura's straightforward answer and shakes his head. He takes a breath in and says,

"Okay, fine, I'm lost. If you know how to get from here to the orchard, please help."

Bakura actually did know the way to the orchards quite well (apparently, he'd studied the maze when he got bored, which was quite often, and figured out the turns to get to the grove), and the journey was short and mostly quiet with the exception of occasional small talk.

Finally, the immense, bright green field filled both boys' panorama, and for a moment, they were silent.

Neither of them had actually been back here yet, but Ryou had marveled at the beauty from the balcony many times. And up close it was just…mind blowing.

Ryou inhales deeply.

He's never felt more peaceful or happy in his life.

The field isn't completely flat. There are dips and hills and it goes on so far and huge, medium, and small sized trees dot the healthy landscape. They rustle in the breeze with their blossoms and green leaves, and the sweet scent carries over to the two young men and it's beautiful.

Bakura looks up.

The sun's started to set.

The way Ryou's standing, the sun is lowering right behind him, and it's shining on him in such a way that he looks like he's glowing.

He's smiling, and it's that smile. That "Ryou" smile that everybody adores.

Bakura swallows.

This is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen in his life.

The field they were on is resting atop the highest hill in the orchard, so he gets a perfect view of the gorgeous landscape.

The giant, bright orange sun slips slowly below the horizon and the sky is coated in pistachio green, turquoise, and rose pink.

The giant mansion stands heavy in the distance, its majesty illuminated by the shadows from the dimming sunlight.

The many trees have the light slipping through their leaves, and they each have perfect shadows beneath them, growing as the sun shrinks more and more. The entire world is bathed in a stunning tangerine-pink glow, and Ryou plops down on the grass, just sitting in awed, content silence at the sight.

"It's breathtaking, isn't it?" Ryou smiles.

Bakura sits by an old apple to his right, hands on his lap. His face is set on the sunset and landscape.

"Mmm," he mutters in agreement.

Ryou puts his gaze on his friend. Bakura feels it, and turns to look at Ryou, as well.

The sun breaks through the tiny, pink apple blossoms that surround his best friend, and it all casts him in such a wonderful light so that Ryou finds himself breathless for a little bit.

Then, Bakura whispers,

"It's a bit disappointing that none of these apples are for eating."

Ryou chuckles a bit.

"Yeah, well, maybe next time," he says, and he really does hope that there will be a next time. This place is far too gorgeous to never see again.

The sun is almost completely gone now, and Bakura sighs. There's silence for a moment until—

"Come on, there's something I want to show you."

Then, Bakura's stood up started walking down the hill. Ryou blinks once or twice and feels disappointment well up inside of him.

He was kind of hoping this moment would never end.

But slowly, he sits up with a grunt, stretches himself out a bit, and tries to snap back into reality.

He scampers after his friend as soon as he can.

Once he finally makes it to the end of the field, he sees Bakura standing at the entrance to the garden maze, hands in his pockets.

Ryou runs up, breathing heavily.

Bakura looks up and starts walking into the maze. Ryou takes a deep breath in and follows after.

As soon as he's standing next to Bakura, he asks, breathlessly,

"Where are we going?"

Bakura smirks. "Wait and see."

Ryou doesn't know if he should be excited or nervous, so to occupy his anxious mind, he looks up at the now darker sky. He sees a single star out, and closes his eyes to make a wish.

He's not really sure what he even wished for in that moment.

He thinks it was something along the lines of, "Let me be happy like this forever." Suddenly, he hears Bakura stop walking. His eyes shoot open, and he turns to his friend, eyes wide with curiosity.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

Bakura raises his eyebrows. "Look."

Ryou will never forget the first view of that garden.

He looked forward, and in the fresh darkness of the night, his eyes took in the sight of a rose garden with the backdrop of the starry night sky.

A large, white terrace stood in the middle of the grounds, and on it climbed vines and vines of sunshine yellow roses.

A small waterfall-fountain rested in the corner, the water cascading out of it oh-so gently, splashing softly into the stone pool below.

The ground itself was made of white stone, and a giant rose decorated the middle of the circle.

Then, of course, there were the flowers themselves.

Bushes and bushes and vines hung and grew in every part of the garden, and the atmosphere exploded with the heavy, wonderful scent of the blooms.

Soft white, gentle pink, creamy peach, hot pink, and bright yellow roses surrounded Ryou as far as he could see.

He feels embarrassed suddenly, because there are tears in his eyes.

He shakes his head.

"Bakura…how did you find—?"

"I've never been to the orchard before, but I've explored the gardens."

Ryou feels joy and gratefulness well up in his heart.

"It's beautiful," he whispers out, and he hates himself, because his words will never do the beauty of this place justice.

But the one thing that makes Ryou wonder a bit is that there are no red roses that he can see. Red roses are the most magnificent in his opinion, and he would think the gardener would have the right mind to plant—

"Ryou?"

Ryou snaps out of his trance and looks.

Bakura stands in front of him, holding a single stem red rose.

Ryou stares.

Out of all the roses Ryou has ever seen in his entire life, that is the most phenomenal one.

The stem is a deep, rich green, and there aren't but one or two thorns on it. A single, tiny leaf hangs near the top. The flower is huge, the petals are delicate, (Ryou can see their silky softness from where he's standing), and the bloom itself is the most daring, mind-blowing crimson red.

He can't believe its perfection.

Bakura holds it out to him.

"For you."

Ryou's mouth opens, but no words come out.

Shakily, he reaches forward and wraps his long fingers around the stem. He pulls the gift close to his chest, and dips his face down to inhale the scent. It's rich, wonderful.

Bakura is looking at him.

Ryou thinks he must look like a total idiot, standing there, eyes wide in unbelievably grateful shock.

Bakura carries on staring.

"I know it's your favorite flower."

Ryou still can't say a thing.

Bakura continues.

"When I first found this place, it was the only red rose I saw. I knew I had to give it to you."

Ryou flies forward and pulls Bakura into the biggest hug he's ever given in his entire life. (He's careful not to crush the rose.)

Bakura returns the embrace, wrapping his arms around his best friend, and he whispers,

"Please, please tell me what's wrong."

Ryou feels his stomach drop.

His eyes widen.

His breath hitches.

He pulls away.

Bakura stands there, and suddenly, the rose garden doesn't seem so perfect.

Ryou swallows.

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

Bakura walks forward and carefully reaches out to Ryou. Ryou steps back and tries to ignore how the concern in Bakura's eyes grows.

He doesn't even want to think about his own pain, let alone talk about it with the one person he never wants to trouble. And then, of course, to know that he's been showing his depression enough to worry Bakura kills him, because that's the one thing he's always tried so hard not to do.

Bakura frowns. He starts speaking, his tone attempting comfort.

"Ryou…I'm not stupid. I see that you're depressed, and I'll pretend to know why. But I want you to know that I'm here for you, okay?"

Ryou feels his heart pounding.

"Don't bother."

Ryou's heart feels like it gets squeezed deathly hard as Bakura's expression falls in utter rejection and shock.

But Ryou can't let him worry about him. He can't. His friends are too amazing; Bakura's too amazing. They don't deserve to be worried with the burden that is himself.

"Bakura, seriously. I'm fine. I don't know what—" Ryou starts replying, laughing bitterly and trying to shrug it off, but all of a sudden, his best friend's face narrows into a look of pure fury, and he cuts him off.

"Stop it, Ryou. Just shut up."

Ryou feels his breath hitch in his throat. His fingers tighten around the rose stem in his thin hands.

"I know that you're not `fine', Ryou," Bakura snaps, "Before we came here, you sat in your house all day doing God knows what. You never left, and you never called or e-mailed or anything."

Ryou feels the thorns cutting into his soft skin. (He savors the pain.)

"You were exhausted, and I saw your puffy eyes. You must have cried so much Ryou," Bakura continues, now stepping a bit closer to his friend.

Ryou's bottom lip begins to quiver, and he knows Bakura is only going off on him like this because he cares, but right then and there, Ryou decides that he hates the whole "tough love" thing.

"Your friends all saw it too! Tristan's mom even saw it and tried to talk to us to find out what was wrong with you and we had to tell her that we had no idea!" Bakura shouts, leaning forward for emphasis.

"So we tried so hard to help you feel better."

Ryou feels the tears welling up in his eyes, and he's shaking.

Bakura's face holds rage and disgust as he pauses to watch Ryou's reaction.

"There! You see?! You're crying again!" Bakura yells, and now the tears are freely pouring down Ryou's pale cheeks. "Ryou, we have tried. We have tried. And then we get here, and the first thing Kaiba said to us is, "What's wrong with Ryou?" And then, like magic, you find the library, and somehow a room full of books can lift your spirits but not your friends who have tried for the past half a year to get you to smile. What is wrong with you?"

Ryou squeezes his eyes shut and hates how he the tears keep coming.

"Today was the happiest I've seen you in so long. But I know I shouldn't get excited because I know that you're not really happy, and I know that as soon as we go back home you'll retreat into your own world again and we'll be back to square one! So, tonight, I give one last attempt to help you, and you freak out!" Bakura stops his ranting for a moment and heaves a deep breath in, fury and adrenaline pumping through his veins.

He pauses and feels his heart break into a million and one pieces as he watches his best friend in front of him.

There's nothing but the sound of Ryou's sobs as the poor boy shakes, his thin frame wracking with cries. His head is down, his hair hanging in his face, shielding his dripping eyes from view.

His hands are still clutching the red rose.

Bakura hesitates.

"I just can't stand you, sometimes, Ryou."

And then he walks away before Ryou can hear his sobs.

The rose garden is quiet but for Ryou's sniffling and heavy, shaky breaths as soon as the one person that means more to him than anyone else in the world leaves.

Ryou wants to say something.

He wants to look up and scream and wail and run forward and tackle Bakura to the ground and hug him and cry and sob and tell Bakura about all the pain and worthlessness he's been feeling.

He wants to tell Bakura about the countless nights he's stayed up in his bed staring at the dark ceiling with tears rolling down his cheeks wondering why.

He wants to tell Bakura that sometimes the only thing that finally gets him to sleep is the thought that suicide is possible.

He wants to tell Bakura that there have been so many nights that he just stands in front of his medicine cabinet and debates over and over whether or not he should pick up those anti-depressants and just shove them all down his throat to let it all go away.

He wants to have Bakura cry with him and hug him back and tell him it's going to be okay and that he does mean something to someone and that he is loved and that he's not alone.

He wants to run to Bakura and just let it all out.

But he doesn't.

He stands there, in the middle of the beautiful rose garden, with blossoms bursting around him. He stands there like a coward and let's the one person he needs to talk to more than anyone else in the world walk away.

The tears are still falling like a waterfall, and he's sniffling and swallowing and trying so hard to just breathe.

Finally, he gently looks up.

He looks up and longs to see his best friend's smiling face, but he doesn't.

Instead, he sees an empty rose garden, filled with ghosts of perfection. The phantoms of perfection that are slowly eating him alive. Haunting every part of his heart, soul, mind.

Ryou shivers because he's alone with those ghosts, with nothing but a red rose blossom hanging gently in his hand.

"You're crying."

Ryou opens his eyes.

Slowly, so slowly, his hand raises to his cheek and his fingertips lightly brush the wetness that cascades in rivulets down his pale skin.

He frowns.

"I am."

Yugi swallows.

The thunder crashes outside.

The boy sighs and adjusts his position a little bit, turning away from Ryou thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry that happened to you," he whispers.

Ryou nods robotically.

"He didn't talk to me when I came back. I didn't even see him. I ate dinner, went up to bed, and he was already sound asleep," he tells, and the tears fall more and more.

Yugi is watching him carefully, purple eyes filled with understanding.

Ryou shakes his head slowly.

"You're my closest friend, Yugi. I've known you for half of my life. You knows me; I know you. But Bakura…"

He pauses.

"Bakura is my best friend. He's the best friend I've ever had. And I can't understand why I just can't let him help me…" The last few words of Ryou's previous sentence break as his voice comes out in a strained cry, and he lets his head fall and more tears come.

He's ashamed.

So ashamed.

Suddenly, Ryou feels Yugi close to him. He lifts his head up a bit, and looks. Yugi is smiling gently at him, and Ryou's bottom lip quivers harder.

"Ryou, you and I…we…we're different," Yugi starts softly, and Ryou lets out a sob.

Yugi's smile falls a little. "What I mean is…we're not like them. We're not like Yami or Bakura. We love them. I still love Yami after what he said to me—I always will. He's my best friend. And you—you still love Bakura. So we still love them, but we're not like them."

Ryou stops all movement suddenly.

He suddenly understands what Yugi is saying to him.

What he hasn't really understood for the past year and a half of his life.

He begins talking, his voice a whisper,

"We're quiet. We like to sit at home and be by ourselves rather than go out with others and party, and because of that, we're often the most level-headed."

Yugi's smile grows.

"We're shy. But we know exactly what a person is like the first time we meet them. We take in everything around us."

Ryou looks up.

"We're smart. We take in as much information as we can, and we spurt it out at all the right moments."

It starts, back and forth. The two speak truths about themselves—each other—and as they do their smiles grow and their tears cease.

"We're unique. It makes people think."

"We hate the spotlight. We're humble. People love us for it."

"We hold up the ones who long for the spotlight. We try and make their lives as good as possible, even if that means holding pain and misery inside us because we don't want to bother them with it. We help them because we love and care about them, and even if they're jerks sometimes and don't realize it, they will accept it and understand that we'll come around in our own time, in our own way."

And in that moment, Yugi and Ryou look at each, and the perfect words come out of both their lips together, and it's a beautiful sound to hear.

"We're us."

The record player suddenly clicks.

The piano and violin have stopped their sad song.

Bakura walks down the hallway, his anxious feet tapping against the carpeted ground.

He throws looks all around, his heart pounding, looking for one person and one person only.

"Ooomf!"

Two young men find themselves sprawled out onto the floor in a split second.

Bakura rubs his head and mummers something like,

"I didn't need that at 7AM…"

Then, the two look up at each other simultaneously, and without words, they both know that the other is feeling the exact same emotions and is in the exact same situation.

Bakura smirks.

"Watch where you're going, Yami."

Yami scoffs, and then they stand up, brushing themselves off. Bakura takes in a deep breath.

"Have you seen Ryou?" he asks, his tone going from faux-intimidating to anxious.

Yami shakes his head. "Have you seen Yugi?"

It's Bakura's turn to say no. There's silence.

Bakura looks ashamed, and Yami watches wordlessly, knowing that Bakura's going to explain soon enough.

Finally, the other male speaks, his tone soft and regretful.

"I...said some stuff to Ryou last night that I shouldn't have. I woke up this morning, and he was gone. No trace at all. No one else has seen him and I'm afraid he might have done something bad," he whispers, and at that last part, he clenches his eyes shut, trying not to imagine all the ways Ryou could have hurt himself because of something stupid he said.

Yami sighs. He walks over to Bakura. "Bakura, I bet Ryou's fine. He's probably just in the—"

Suddenly, both of their heads snap up in realization. Their dark eyes are wide, and they know exactly where to go.

The library.

As soon as they arrive, they throw open the door.

The fresh, post-storm, morning sunlight streams through the windows and illuminates the two people they were looking for so that they shine like angels or newly found treasure.

Yugi and Ryou sit in slumber, their backs leaning against the side of an oak wood desk, legs sprawled out.

Around them a record player lies, and several records or record cases are scattered about.

Ryou's blanket is wrapped as best as he could get it around both Yugi and his shoulders, and Yugi's head rests atop Ryou's as Ryou's rests on Yugi's shoulder.

Their faces are etched in peaceful sleep.

Yami and Bakura lean on separate sides of the doorway, taking in the wonderful sight, smiles on their faces.

"I went to apologize to Yugi," Yami whispers. "But I couldn't find him. Now I know where he went."

Bakura's eyes don't leave the men in the library.

"You know, we're so blessed," Yami says softly. "I think about that every day. They're so amazing, and I can't figure out how two people like us ended up with them. They're our better halves. I love Yugi to death, and I just want him to be happy."

Bakura nods.

"Same with me. Sometimes I don't understand him, but that's when I just have to step back and tell myself that it's just Ryou. He is who he is, and he really is special."

And Bakura and Yami don't notice it, but on the faces of Yugi and Ryou, two small, small smiles appear.

Ryou feels that empty spot in his heart start to fill.

Goooosh, that was so fluffy, I was almost embarrassed writing it haha. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to R&R =)