Song: Apologize
Singer: Justin Timberland feat. One Republic
Shipping: Forgottenshipping (Arisu/Ryou)
Requestee: Kira-chan (Akira The Wolf Girl)
Disclaimer: Tek-Tek in no way owns Yu-Gi-Oh!GX, the song, or Daitofuji Arisu; Akira The Wolf Girl does :D

Ropes… They symbolize binding, confinement, even restriction. Once upon a time ago, Arisu didn't mind being roped – bounded – to Ryou; they were friends, childhood sweethearts, even. Every Valentine's Day, they would exchange gifts and even a kiss or two. Every Christmas, they'd "accidently" stumble upon each other under the mistletoe. Every New Years, Arisu would shyly kiss Ryou, claiming that it was only for the moment of celebration and for good luck. But Ryou knew: at midnight, on New Years, you kiss the one dearest to you to ensure your affection and ties will continue throughout the next twelve months. He'd smile and kiss her - their first kiss for the new year.

Arisu didn't mind being roped together with Ryou; she actually enjoyed it.

… So why did it all have to end? That rope that once bound them together – it was wrapped around Arisu's neck, suffocating her. The more she struggled with the ties, the tighter they become – tighter around her neck. They had it all, right? It wasn't all in vain, right? If so, they why won't Arisu accept Ryou's apology?

"Judai, wait up!" Arisu laughed, racing after the brunet Osiris.

"Catch me if ya can, Ari!" Judai grinned back at Arisu, dashing into the forest. Before the black-haired girl could follow, though, someone grabbed her arm.

"Hm?" Looking back, Arisu felt her heart leap painfully. "Oh… Ryou…" She could feel that rope tightening around her neck. She felt like she couldn't breathe as Ryou's steely gaze stared down at her, trickles of what looked like pain reflecting back into her brownish-red eyes.

"I'm… sorry," Ryou breathed out, tilting his head to the side slightly and frowning. "Can't things go back to how they were?"

How were things, Arisu wondered. All they did was goof around with each other's feelings, and yet, Ryou forgot - abondanded - her. How could he? He promised he wouldn't, didn't he? (No, Arisu, he made you promise not to forget him!) But Arisu knew Ryou, she knew he was stubborn. He was going to keep apologizing unless Arisu did something about it.

What was she to do? As much as Arisu hated to admit it, she needed Ryou – like a heart needed a beat. But did she need that rope around her neck tightening and suffocating her?

"It's… too late to apologize." Arisu could barely say his name; in fact, she didn't. Instead, she pulled away from Ryou, turning her back to him. This may be the last time the two talked like this – heart to heart. Was there anything else she wanted to tell him? Anything Ryou needed to know?

"Arisu…" He sounded like an angel, breathing her name out slowly. An angel… Arisu's angel.

'No.' Arisu once loved Ryou, her love for him burned like flames, but now, those flames were dying out. 'He left you when you needed him the most. Dueling means more to Ryou than you do - or ever could be!'

"It's too late to apologize, Ryou." Arisu surprised herself by saying his name. "I've… I've found someone more… retentive than you." With that, Arisu ran off, away from Ryou, away from the memories, away from the pain…

So why didn't that rope loosen around her neck?

Tek-Tek fails D: She knows it ;~; Sorry, Kira-chan, if this came out suckish Dx