A Simple Gesture of Kindness

Ryou: Ryou here. I just wanted to let you know that Bakura didn't write this story. She had someone else do it while she was busy wrapping Christmas presents.

Bakura: I had no help with this story and you know it!!!!

Ryou: What will you do to me then?

Bakura: First, I'm going to take your stick…

Ryou: Hey that's not mine! It's Marik and Malik's!

Bakura: O.O!!!

Ryou: Oh quit that. You know what I mean.

Bakura: You're no fun Ryou. I remember when we used to play that really kewl game with those little silver things and the fake money. That was fun.

Ryou: Monopoly?

Bakura: Yeah! Whatever happened to that game?

Ryou: Yami got mad one night and ate all the money. Then we tried using Seto's money out of his wallet and Tea stole it all, saying something about America and we haven't heard from her or Seto's money ever since.

Bakura: When did this happen?

Ryou: When you went on one of your cough syrup vanilla ice cream power trips and locked yourself in your room and watched Harry Potter over and over again.

Bakura: Oh. Anyway, I do not own Yugioh, Christmas, the "stick" line from The Lion King, Monopoly, America, Seto or his money, or Harry Potter, but I do own the cough syrup vanilla ice cream recipe. MMMM, Cough syrup vanilla ice cream. Oh and I do not own The Simpsons or Monty Python.

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"Please…stop." I weakly said as the three guys I had run into at the bar I was at still punched and kicked me. "Heh, that'll teach you not to sit in our spot." They left and went back into the bar, leaving me sitting on the wall in the alley they beat me up in. I knew I was bleeding heavily, enough to go to a hospital, but I didn't have any energy to even stand up. I had no idea how I was able to shed any tears that refused to stop leaking out of my eyes.

I started getting dizzy, my eyes blurring and my body growing numb. I saw a flash of light appear before me. I looked up into the person's face. Even though my vision was fading, I saw pale skin and pure white hair, much like my own. With my last ounce of energy, I managed to utter one word, the name of my savior. "Ryou…"

I opened my eyes. It was hard to open them. They seemed swollen. They probably were. I looked around the room. It was mine, the room I had abandoned three years ago. Everything looked the same as it did back then, and everything looked like it had been taken care of. I slowly got out of bed. My clothes had been changed, into pajamas that fit me. I walked out of the room into the hall and then into the bathroom. After doing my business I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. A pale figure was by the stove, cooking something in a pan.

The figure looked up. Spiky, white hair covered the left side of his face but he still looked the same as he did when I left. "Ryou." I said softly. "Good, Bakura, you're up." Ryou said smiling. I walked over to him. "It's good to see you again, Ryou." I said. I reached over to brush the hair out of his eye. His hand stopped me. "No Bakura. I have to keep my hair like this. Please understand." His voice sounded sad and forlorn.

"Ryou, what's wrong?" I asked. "Nothing." he replied and turned away from me. "Ryou, look at me." I said, almost demanding. "No." "No! I'll show you no!" I yelled and flung him to the ground. He had grown slightly, but I could still pin him down. I pinned him down with one of my hands while wiping his hair out of his face with my other hand. What I saw made my stomach churn. The left side of his face was severely burned and his eye was could barely be seen. My mean misdemeanor softened as I cupped his injured cheek in my hand. "Oh, Ryou. I'm so sorry." Tears filled my eyes.

"Please don't cry, Bakura." Ryou said. "Ryou, how…how did…?" "It happened three years ago, the day after you left. I got jumped by a gang of guys who knocked me out and set the building I was in on fire. I was lucky that Mokuba was in the area, solving a problem with a Kaiba Corp building. He saw me and pulled me out. He got a few burns, but not as bad as mine. He paid for all of my surgeries and hospital bills and has even supported me for the last three years. I haven't left the house very much. I only go out to pay my respects to my father. He died two years ago when a tunnel collapsed in Egypt. I'm grateful to Mokuba and Seto. They pay all my bills and bring me food and company. Seto even got my schoolwork, before we all graduated. If it wasn't for those two I would be living out in the streets."

"Schoolwork? But with me gone, you could have gone." "I…I was ashamed of myself. Self-pity I guess. I didn't want anyone to see me. Not that anyone cared." Ryou added on a soft note. "But what about Yugi and the others?" I asked him. He sighed and got up sitting in a chair. "No one came by or called and I guess just went on with their lives. I would have liked to see them. But now the only people who do are the Kaibas. I guess I found out who my real friends were."

"I should have been there for you, Ryou." I said softly. "It was my stupidity and arrogance that did this to you." I looked down at the blue and white tile. "I didn't save you and you saved me. Why did you?" I asked. Ryou gave me a half smile. "It wasn't by choice. If I hadn't had needed some cough syrup real badly, I would have never walked past that bar. When I saw your hair, I knew it had to be you. No one has hair like ours. I just couldn't believe that you would have gotten yourself beat up like that. Your injuries were really bad and I couldn't leave you lying there. So I brought you home and fixed you up."

I looked at my hikari, a mournful look on my face. Ryou still stared at me. "What?" I asked. "Nothing, it's just good to have you home." Ryou said softly. "But nothing's stopping you from leaving. You can go anytime you want. Just say goodbye before you do." He added the last part very softly, so it was just a bit above a whisper. He quickly looked down at the table.

"Ryou." I stood up and walked over to him then bent down so I was facing him eye to eye. I brushed the hair out of his face. "Listen, I know I was a jerk in the past. I've beat you, called you horrible names I don't dare say anymore, and caused you so much pain, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Three years ago, I thought I didn't need to be here with you, because I thought you were too weak for me. But I was the weak one. While I drowned myself in self-pity, you stayed here, not getting on with your life, waiting if I would ever return. It takes strength to survive all you have been through and even though it may be too late to say this, I love you. I really do, and I don't ever want you to suffer ever again. I don't want to leave, but if you want me to, I will and I will never bother you again."

I stood up and started to walk to the front door. "I don't want you to leave." Ryou said. I stopped and turned to look at him. "But if you don't want to be with me, I understand. I'm too ugly for anyone to love me." I walked back to him and stood him up and wrapped my arms around him. It was the first hug I believe I ever gave him. "You're not ugly, Ryou. You're the most beautiful angel I have ever seen and I don't want to give you up." I noticed that I was crying again but this time I didn't care if I did. I didn't want to leave my sweet Ryou all by himself.

He returned the hug, crying as well. "Bakura, I love you too." he said. "I have always wanted to tell you that." We stayed in the kitchen, hugging and crying for what seemed like an eternity. We were two broken souls that were now fixed.

************************************************************************************************Yami: Uh that sucked.

Bakura: HOW DID YOU GET INTO MY HOUSE!?!?!?!?!?!

Yami: The front door was open.

Bakura: Grrrr. Just shut up. I was planning on making a sequel to this story anyway so just go away and leave me alone.

Yami: Ooooh so you can go watch Harry Potty again.

Bakura: DO NOT MAKE FUN OF HARRY POTTER!!! HE COULD KICK YOUR ASS ANY DAY BAKA PHARAOH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yami: I'm sooo scared.

Bakura: Avada Kedavra!!!!!!!!!!!

Yami: Hey, what's happeni… (falls over X_X)

Yugi: Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! You killed Yami!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bakura: No I didn't.

Yugi: He's not breathing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bakura: He is NOT dead. He is just unconscious.

Yugi: YOU KILLED…

Bakura: HE IS NOT DEAD!!!!!! HE IS A SPIRIT THAT IS ALREADY DEAD AND YOU CAN'T KILL PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY DEAD SO THEREFORE HE IS NOT DEAD!!!!!!!!!!

Yami: What happened?

Bakura: See?

Yugi: But…but…

Bakura: Say this and I won't do it again. Or kill you.

Yugi: (sniff) But…I…

Everybody in the Yugioh world: Get on with it!!!!!!!!!!

Yugi: Meep! Please review.