Reikai Tantei Ryou

Me: Ok, well, it's almost time! What will happen? Ooh... Even I'm nervous!

Quatre: No you aren't.

Me: -_- You're just trying to get back at me for something, aren't you. When did you get an attitude?

Quatre: You rub off on me.

Me: There is not Ryou/Bakura, I was afraid that the way it was going, there would be. But no... They are just REALLY close. As in, right on that line... whoa, I think I discovered the line between love and friendship! Add that to my list of things supposedly impossible that I've done, right under defining love in one word!

Chapter 3-

Reunion

"It's midnight. We can begin the transfer." Koenma stated.

The three floated above Ryou's body. Koenma concentrated and a light seemed to come from his hands.

"There." He said after a little while. "By noon, your body will glow a golden color and your body will be capable of receiving life energy."

"Now what must I do?"

"You must tell the three people closest to you in a dream by showing them what you want them to do."

"Wait, I have to invade their dreams and show them themselves kissing me?" The thought was disturbing.

"Yes."

Ryou groaned. "Well, I should be able to get Mokuba-kun now. But my Yami..."

"We'll take care of that." Botan smiled.

"Ok then." Ryou flew through the walls until he reached Mokuba. "Mokuba-kun, this will seem really strange, but..." He concentrated on an image of the young boy kissing his still form.

The boy shifted uncomfortably and sat up, yawning. "That was messed up."

Ryou chuckled and floated back to 'his' room.

His Yami was roaming around, growling. "Listen, whoever you are. If you even try to touch my aibou, I will kill you."

"What did you do?"

"Appeared in my physical form and knocked the Ring."

Yami Bakura took the opportunity to sit in Seto's chair. Glaring throughout the room, he settled down. "Aibou... why? I mean, I know you love your Seto-kun, but is he important enough to die over? Why is it that you risk your life to save his? I guess I'll never know. No offense, but... I don't love you in that way." Yami Bakura chuckled a little. "I love you as I should my aibou.

"I know I've been cruel to you, hurt you. I-I'm sorry for it. Gomen... gomen nasai. Forgive me?" He hit his head back on the chair. "What kind of strength do I have? Only being able to ask forgiveness to someone who is supposedly dead?" Again, a chuckle and a shaking of the head.

"I think he's lost it." Botan commented, tilting her head.

"Yami..." Ryou smiled. He knew his Yami had a soft side. After all, everyone was plagued by the troublesome burden called emotions.

He watched as his Yami eventually dozed at about two in the morning.

"And here I go." He concentrated on his Yami, showing him the same dream he had to Mokuba, just Yami Bakura replacing the younger of the Kaiba brothers.

Yami Bakura didn't awaken, his head just tilted slightly as he let out a soft groan.

"And I would like to thank you... no, that sounds messed up." Seto deleted and re-typed the line.

Sighing, he reached for his coffee mug and lifted it to his lips. Scowling, he found it empty. Muttering, he got up and left the room to refill the cup. "Almost done and I run empty. Coffee better be warm."

"We need to find a way to get him to fall asleep." Koenma thought aloud.

"I can transform to my human state and knock him out." Botan volunteered.

"No!" Ryou intervened. "Don't hurt him! Plus, he's working on his speech to present to some people who are visiting from America about a merger or something like that. Can't it wait till after he's done? He's almost finished! And he gets pissed if something really interrupts him while on a train of thought."

"Ok then, it's your life."

"I know."

Seto came back in and started typing.

Six o' clock. They had been waiting around for four hours and the CEO didn't show any signs of relenting.

"Done!"

"Ok, now can I knock him out?"

"No. If I know Seto-sama, now that he's done and has drank multiple cups of coffee..." He snapped his fingers.

"Bathroom." Seto ran out of the room.

"Wow." Botan blinked.

"So, what to do now?"

"Perhaps I can help." A low voice said as a small form appeared.

"Hiei-kun?"

"Yes. Kurama asked that I deliver this, being able to move fast enough to evade human perception. It is a powder made from a plant that has the power to make a human fall asleep. One dose should last for at least half a day. He tried to make it less potent, but Makai plants have a strong effect on humans."

"Good. Can you poor it into his coffee?"

"Hn." Hiei did so. "I shall be off." He disappeared as quickly as he came.

Seto reentered the room. "Today's going to be a big day. Ryou-chan..." He smiled, and then yawned. "Coffee." He took a drink. "This tastes different. Did someone drug it?"

He fought at the sleepiness, but as Hiei had said, it was very potent. He fell asleep in his chair, snoring lightly.

"It's time."

Ryou nodded, and then floated down to Seto. "Seto-sama, listen to your dream."

A void, nothingness.

No, not nothing. A figure lying there, clothed in his regular clothes of jeans, a preppy sweater, and a light aqua shirt, white hair lying messily.

The boy was glowing a vibrant color.

Seto leaned down and held him in his arms. Sighing softly, he kissed the boy on the lips, enjoying it deeply.

Ryou-chan...

Seto woke up.

"He's up! After only two hours! He's amazing!" Botan awed.

"Ryou-chan... must get home. Ryou-chan... glowing... kiss. Must now." He trudged out the door and to the car.

"He's going to drive like that?!"

"Seto-sama, don't!" Ryou grabbed at his love's arm as he closed the door to the car and started the engine.

"Huh?" Seto's eyes seemed to clear. "Ryou-chan." He seemed to know exactly what he was doing now, no sense of sleepiness whatsoever.

"Wow! Is he human?" Botan asked.

"There's just a lot of adrenaline."

Somehow, he made his way to the house without crashing.

Seto defiantly made his way up to the room, but now sleepiness was dawning once again as adrenaline wore down.

"According to Hiei-kun, about ten more hours."

They entered the room. Yami Bakura was not present, so he must have made his way back to the Ring.

"Huh? My body's not showing any signs of glowing."

"It starts at the feet. The light won't reach your head until noon. It should be at your lower chest by now."

Of course, the sheets were pulled all the way up to his chin.

"Hm? He's not glowing. Was that just a dream?" Seto sank into the chair. "It seemed so real. Ryou-chan..." He dozed again.

"Hm..." Ryou sighed.

A figure appeared in the door. "Nii-sama?"

Mokuba walked towards his sleeping brother. "He's asleep? Why is he home so early? Did he have the dream too?" His gaze turned to Ryou. "He's not glowing. Maybe it was just a dream. But Ryou-kun said to listen to our dreams..." He shook his head. "I don't know. Plus, doing that would feel very uncomfortable..."

He turned and walked out of the room.

But this time Yami Bakura came out of the Ring. "Ok, Seto-kun's here. Ryou-kun's still in a coma." He sighed.

"Idea!" Botan binged and disappeared into Seto's body.

"Spirit..." Seto seemed to mumble in his sleep. "Bakura-kun... kiss him. The dream, listen..."

Yami Bakura's eyes widened. "Ok, this is freaking me out... I think I'll go make myself a sandwich or something." He ran off.

"Oh dear." Botan sighed. "I didn't mean to scare him off. That sure didn't work. Being a spirit, you'd think he could see us as we are now."

"Seto-sama will wake up at about six. Six hours after that. Hm, I think I'll go check up on my friends!"

"I must return to the Reikai. Paperwork..." Koenma groaned. The Prince hated paperwork.

"Um, I think I'll come too. Will you be ok on your own Ryou?"

"Yeah. I'll see you two later." Ryou floated out the room.

Yuugi sat there on his bed, flipping through his Duel Monsters deck only half-heartedly. Usually he would look at his cards, feel as if he was communicating with them. But now it was hollow.

Even when Yami Yuugi gave him a half-hug, Yuugi still sat around with his eyes hollow.

"Yuugi-kun..." Yami whispered into his aibou's ear. "I need to tell you something."

Yuugi was quiet.

Ryou wondered if he should be listening. This could be some type of confession that he shouldn't witness.

"I can still sense power from the Sennen Ring."

Ryou dismissed the confession idea.

Yuugi's eyes widened as he turned to face his Yami. "There's still power in there, like Yami Bakura?"

"Yes, he's still awake. That means..."

"Bakura-kun's alive!" Yuugi jumped up and stood on his bed, bowling poor Yami over. "He's really alive!"

He ran to the phone and picked it up. "That's why Kaiba-kun moved Bakura-kun's body! He knew all this time!"

The phone rang and Mokuba picked up.

"Hai?"

"Mokuba-kun! It's Yuugi."

"Seto's asleep."

"That's ok. Did you and your brother know that Bakura-kun is still alive?"

"Huh?" Mokuba asked. "How-how did you find out?"

"Yami can still sense power from the Item Bakura-kun held. Why didn't you tell us? Everyone would like to know."

"We didn't want you guys to get your hopes up."

"But they need to know. All of the others are letting their lives waste, as I'm sure Kaiba- Seto-kun was doing before."

Mokuba gave a 'hm' of recognition.

"May I tell them?"

"I can't stop you."

"Thanks for affirming it Mokuba-kun. D-do you think that there's any chance?"

"Yes Yuugi-kun, I believe there is."

They hung up. Ryou smiled.

Sighing, he started flying towards Jounouchi's house.

"He's alive?! And Kaiba-kun didn't tell us?"

"Well, they didn't want our hopes to get up in case... he didn't survive any longer."

Jounouchi grinned and wiped tears form his eyes. "He's actually alive! This is great! And here I thought Kaiba-kun just had very wrong problems when he kept Bakura-kun's body."

Yuugi giggled. "That was mean! Call Honda-kun and tell him, ok?"

"Got it, Yuugi-kun. Ja ne."

"Bakura-kun's alive?" Anzu's eyes widened. "How do you know?"

Yuugi told her the whole story.

"This is just great! The whole group can get back together and be happy!"

Yuugi nodded, smiling. "Hai!"

"Jounouchi-kun, if you're joking..." Honda clenched his hand into a fist. It was shaking very hard.

"Honda-kun, I'm not joking! I wouldn't joke about something so important!"

"So he's alive still?"

"Barely, according to Yuugi-kun."

"Shouldn't we go visit him or something?"

"Well, he's at Kaiba-kun's..."

"Good point. We'll have to get Yuugi-kun to arrange it."

"You just don't get it, do you?" Jounouchi groaned.

"It's about six..."

"If I know Seto-sama, he'll be very groggy when he wakes up. Since he hasn't eaten since yesterday, he'll go straight to the kitchen for food. After that, he'll finally remember. But right when he wakes up... he could run into a wall and wonder why his head hurts."

"How do you know all this?"

Ryou reddened. "He's fallen asleep in my presence. And he did run into a wall."

"Ah..."

It was only Botan and Ryou. Koenma had too much work.

At about ten after, Seto's eyes opened slowly. "Nani...?" He yawned. His stomach growled as he got up and went downstairs, bumping his arm into the doorframe.

He groaned sleepily as he hit the said doorframe.

"Well, another point goes to you."

Ryou didn't listen. He floated after his love down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"You know, he seems more groggy than usual."

"Hm, I have a theory..." Botan's face looked troubled. "I'll be back." She disappeared.

Seto finished the microwave dinner and headed to the first soft object he could find- the couch in the living room. Mokuba had obviously moved back to his room and Yami Bakura back to the Ring, neither noticing Ryou's glow.

He sat down and dozed.

"Come on, I look like a nightlight! Someone should have noticed."

Botan reappeared. "I know the problem! Hiei-kun gave him more than one dose!"

"What? How?"

"Well, his defense was that he told us one would knock a human out for half a day. And we told him to pour it in, so he did, no questions asked."

"How much was in there?"

"Two..."

"Two?! Kuso!" He tried to grab Seto's arm. "Seto-sama! Wake up!"

"That won't work."

"Yami!" Ryou flew upstairs and flew towards the Ring. He bounced back suddenly, unable to enter it. "Great, I think he's asleep. Mokuba-kun!"

Through more walls.

"Mokuba!"

Mokuba sat at his desk, doing homework.

"Who says only college students do all-nighters?"

Ryou had to agree with that, but this wasn't the time...

"Come on kid, go to sleep... I can give you the dream again..."

Mokuba took a sip of Coke.

"The whole world is working against me. I was warned to go against the system." Ryou sighed.

"We have two minutes."

"Until I'm trapped like this for forty-seven years. But then it wouldn't matter because my body would have been disposed of, Seto-sama would be happily married and almost dead, and everyone would have gotten over me."

Botan just sat there, not saying anything.

"Can't you control him and go talk to Mokuba-kun, or do something?"

"No, I can't make him get up and walk. I'm sorry."

"Kuso... and Mokuba won't come down. He'll fall asleep where he is, and that won't be till after midnight, knowing that kid."

"You do know a lot-"

"I spend a lot of time here, alright?" Ryou half-yelled, tears flowing freely. Botan was taken aback. "I spend a lot of time with Seto-sama and his little brother. I feel safe, whole whenever I'm here. I have a sense of belonging that I just don't get anywhere else. I was kicked out of my home because of my Yami. He's calmer now, so I may return, but there's still tension. T-this is my retreat to be with whom I love."

"Aw, that's all just cute." Botan wiped a tear. "Well, we have to try and do this." She put on a serious expression.

"Seto-sama, please wake up! Fight the damn herbs! I'm going to kill Hiei if I come back... Seto-sama! Seto-sama!"

Ten seconds. Botan thought to herself. He'd be a wandering spirit unless he could get him. But there was that miracle with Keiko... but Keiko wasn't asleep with Makai herbs. Botan bit her lip.

"SETO-SAMA!" Ryou embraced him.

Seto's eyes opened and widened as he realized the time. Eight seconds. "Ryo-chan!"

Damn, why is the house so big? Ryou-chan!

He dashed into the room with three seconds left. He saw his love on the bed, glowing vibrantly. Two seconds.

A tear rolled down his eye. "Ryou!" One. He ran at the bed, flung himself upon it, and pressed his lips to Ryou's as the clock chimed.

Ryou-chan, come back, please... Please...

Slowly, the lips under his parted. Seto pulled his head back and more tears fell. But then, slowly, he saw Ryou open his eyes slowly. He sat up and yawned sleepily.

"Ohayoo, Seto-sama." Ryou checked the time. "Just barely."

Seto smiled, more tears falling. "I think I was drugged." He mumbled.

"I am going to kill Hiei-kun for giving two doses of those herbs."

Seto didn't know what the hell Ryou was talking about. He just pounced upon him in an embrace, knocking him back. "Ryou-chan... aishiteru. I missed you..."

Ryou put a finger on his lips, silencing him. "I know you missed me, I know you love me. I can see it in your eyes. You don't need words to express love, words cannot do so anyway. Just stay with me, and I'll know." His own eyes reflected the same feelings and emotions.

Ryou extracted himself from the sheets and curled his body into the contours of Seto's, feeling a sense of wholeness in those arms. He lie there, in the embrace of his beloved.

Words cannot describe the feelings we share. So better leave ourselves silent than babbling to describe what no word can.

And they slept wrapped in each other's arms.

Gomen (nasai): I'm sorry. Nasai is added for politeness. Unless you're Ryou. Then you yell it in a very quick voice when a balloon boulder's chasing you.

Aibou: Companion, partner

Makai: Demon World

Chan: Usually added to the end of a female name, but also used for guys who are either related to you (i.e. son or brother) or, well, you love dearly

Nii-sama: Big brother in a respective way. Mokuba calls Seto this and it's kawaii...

Reikai: Spirit World

Ja ne: See you

Hai: Yes

Nani: What

Kuso: Shit

Ohayoo: Good morning

Aishiteru: I love you

Song of the Chapter:

When You Say Nothing At All

Alison Krauss

It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart

Without saying a word you can light up the dark

Try as I may I could never explain

What I hear when you don't say a thing

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall

You say it best when you say nothing at all

All day long I can hear people talking out loud

But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd

Old Mr. Webster could never define

What's being said between your heart and mine

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall

You say it best when you say nothing at all

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall

You say it best when you say nothing at all

Wildwolf: **fans self** Whew! I didn't know if he'd make it there!

Quatre: But you're writing this...

Wildwolf: Your point?

Aiden: you're starting to sound like PM-chan...

Michael: That's not necessarily a good thing.

Wildwolf: Neh, neh! Her fic is good! **threatens to bash her muses on the head**

Chibi-chan: Iie, Yami!

Yami: Huh?

Chibi-chan: I mean my Yami. Gomen. Anyways, Wildwolf-chan, don't hurt anyone! That's mean! **big chibi eyes**

Wildwolf: Hey. There's a reason you always get Yuugi on personality quizzes, and there's a helluva good reason I always get Se-sama.

Chibi-chan: Just work on the fic...