Legal Stuff: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh!, I be rich and not be making Fanfics...why does that sound scary to me? ._.

WARNINGS!: Child Abuse, Horrible, horrible nightmares, lots of death, mentions of Sex, and Male Relationships.

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Chapter 9

Sparks and Snow

~Domino, Japan-Ryou's Apartment: 10:30 P.M.~

It was becoming winter time in Domino. Everyone was enjoying the cool weather, and waiting for vacations to start. Everyone was happy and healthy...

Except for one person.

"A-choo!" little Akefia sneezed. He was lying in bed, while Ryou took his temperature. He looked at the thermometer, and shook his head, "It's official. You have a fever, Akefia."

"F'what's a v'ever?" Akefia asked through his stuffed nose. Frickin Kuja just sneezed right in his face one day in class. Boy, did Diabound teach him a lesson... "It's a sickness that can easily be cured, Akefia" Ryou replied, smiling, and tucking Akefia back into bed, "So, you just rest up, and I'll get you some medicine to help you".

"O'tay..." Akefia said, already feeling sleepy from the illness. So far, he hated being sick, (except for the fact that he got sweets when he was feeling a bit better). When he was lightly dozing, Ryou quietly left the room, and shut the door.

"How is Akefia, Ryou?" Diabound asked from the stairs. He wore a black shirt, along with matching black pants that had a silver snake on the right leg. Shiro Hebi rested over his shoulders. Ryou smiled at Diabound sadly, "He has a fever. What exactly happened at his school?"

"...I promised him I wouldn't say..." Diabound said, looking away, guilt ridden. He wished to tell Ryou, but he didn't want to disappoint Akefia, either.

"I see..." Ryou said, while walking towards the kitchen, "Well, when Akefia is ready to tell me, I'm sure he'll tell me."

Diabound smiled, while replying, "Yes, I'm sure he will."

Entering the kitchen, Ryou saw Touzoku feverishly making dough and mixing sugar at such speed, it's a wonder that he wasn't making a mess, "Um...what are you doing Touzoku-samma?" Ryou asked, standing in the door way.

Said man turned to Ryou, and replied with a upset face, "I cook when I'm mad...or worried"

"So, you're worried about Akefia, then?" Ryou asked while getting a canned soup from the cabinet. Touzoku nodded, "Yeah...I know you told me you can cure fevers now today...but before...it wasn't like that..."

Ryou walked over to the distressed Thief King, and laid a hand on the man's shoulder, "Don't worry. Akefia's gonna be fine. And I'm sure he'll love all the sweets you're obviously making for him."

Touzoku gave a soft smile, "Yeah...he's tough" he replied, while working on the sweets again. Just…less worried. Ryou got a microwaveable bowl and put the soup in, and started cooking it. While that cooked, he went and quickly got the kid medicine from the bathroom.

Touzoku finished up the last sweet thing he was creating, and packed them away for later. At that moment, Ryou came back, and went to grab a cup for Akefia to drink water from. Touzoku was grabbing for the same cup, intending to just give it to Ryou...

And both of their hands brushed against each other.

Touzoku and Ryou blushed lightly, while pulling their hands away, embarrassed.

"S-sorry..." Touzoku muttered, while walking towards the living room to watch some T.V. His favorite cooking show was coming on...kinda...sorta. Ryou watched him go, his blush still on his face as well.

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[~The next day]

Touzoku's eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the light. Like Akefia, he also got up before the sun rose. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes sleepily, he looked out the window near his bed...

And nearly had a heart attack.

'W-w-what in the name of Ra!?' Touzoku thought. Still freaking out, he got up, and quickly made his way to Ryou's room. He didn't run, because he didn't want to wake or worry Akefia. When he got to Ryou's room, he quietly opened the door, and went inside. He quickly went to Ryou, and started shaking him awake, like Akefia did on his first night here.

"Ryou! Ryou! For the love of Hathor, Ryou, wake up!" Touzoku said, while shaking Ryou still.

"Ugh, it's too early, Touzoku" Ryou said, his eyes squinting open, "Go back to sleep..."

"But, but, the outside!" Touzoku stammered, "It-it-it-it turned completely white!"

"...huh?" Ryou asked, confused. He got out of bed, and walked to his window, and opened the blinds. When he saw what Touzoku was talking about, he started laughing lightly.

"Touzoku, that's just snow" Ryou said, turning back to the man, who now looked confused, "It happens every winter."

"...so the world isn't ending?" Touzoku asked, skeptically. Ryou shook his head, and Touzoku sighed in relief, "Thank Ra for that!"

After a few minutes of silence, they heard Akefia running down the hall, (despite being sick), screaming, "Ryou Thdy! Ryou Thdy! The world is gone!"

Touzoku and Ryou laughed.

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[~Somewhere in Domino City]

Out in the snow, far away from Ryou's place, a lone figure with a black trench coat, and long silver hair was trying his best to stay alive in the weather.

Shivering slightly in the cold, the person looked up with his blood red eyes, and whispered out one name, "Ryou..."

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Lol, don't you just love Akefia?

R&R if you like to. But no flames! I only accept Constructive Criticism.