Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh. I own a ton of cards, but that doesn't count.

Here we are already at part 5/7. Does anyone have any suggestions for my next project after this? I'm planning to marathon the Egypt Arc over spring break because the plot bunnies just aren't breeding in this fandom.

I'm considering an everyone-in-the-afterlife fic, though, taking place after this and Deny thy Father, which is the companion to this. Thoughts?

Authors crave feedback. Otherwise we get paranoid and worry that our writing sucks. At least I do. It really means a lot that people enjoy my stuff. And I'm coming up on my 2000th review on so that means one lucky, wonderful reviewer is getting a gift fic!

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Ryou: endure, keep out (rain), stave off, tide over

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Today as the rain fell outside the apartment, making the steps up to his home slippery, he was writing to his mother.

There had been a scramble for the bus after school got out, Jou proudly saying he was going to procrastinate on the project until the night before it was due and Yugi pleading with him to get it done this weekend.

"No way! It's hard enough to survive being bored all day at school, I'm not wasting the weekend."

"You really should, Jou," Ryou had felt confident enough to say.

"Not you too!"

Ryou smiled at the thought. I have really great friends now, Mother. I'm sure you're happy for me, and you should be.

There have been some tough times, but everything is fine now. Well, Father is… Father, but I don't feel neglected.

He looked out the window. The sky was overcast, but he wasn't downcast. He was smiling to himself.

Money is tight, but if I'm careful it will last until the end of the month. I went a little over budget on the latest Monster World. I know you're about to say I'm too obsessive about that game, and maybe you're right.

But if I've learned anything from all this it's that games are important. Not quite as important as friends, though.

Yugi has been really wonderful. I'm sure you would have liked him.

I'm sure you were yelling at Bakura as soon as you tracked him down. Ryou smiled at the thought.

I hope you weren't too hard on him. In the end… he lost his family too. That is hard to take. He sighed.

It's been years now, and I still… oh, don't worry, I'm managing. My friends are helping. We have a lot of fun. Bakura helped, in his way.

I suppose fighting against him made me stronger. Even when I helped him, that was… it is all very complicated and I don't think either of us really understands what it was like. Yami and Yugi had a deep relationship as well.

Part of me is glad he put the people who used me in dolls. Part of me was really angry with them but I needed friends so I didn't let myself get angry.

I know, it's not good to keep everything inside. And I told you this before. Ryou laughed a little. Still, it really helps to write it all out.

He looked outside. Still raining. He needed to kill time until this evening, when he was going to duel Yugi over the phone. He would have gone over to Yugi's house like usual, but it was raining.

Still, it would be a shame to not see his face.

Thank you for listening to me, Mother.

Ryou.

He carefully folded up the letter and set it aside.

He might as well.

He took out another piece of paper.

Dear Bakura,

I just wrote to Mother. I've been writing to you so much I didn't want her to feel neglected. Have you met her yet?

Have you met your mother?

In any case, I hope you didn't scare her too badly. Ryou smiled slightly at the thought. She's always been overprotective. It was irritating, but not as much as not having her there.

It must have been hard to survive alone back then. At least I have Father. Although he has his work. He's not very good at being a father, but I love him anyway. I think Mother's death hit him harder than me.

But then, you know Father, you had him give me the Ring.

Were you just trying to get sent to Japan, or did you know he was my father? Were you looking for me? He wanted Bakura to have been looking for him.

I think I was special, otherwise you would have taken Jou as your new host. He was much closer to Yugi than I was, although now Mai is taking up a lot of his time.

You and me, Yami, or Atem I should say, and Yugi. It's just too strange that the two of us even have the same name, isn't it? I suppose it was destiny, like us looking the same.

I was so scared, even when you took away the memories I knew there was some danger somewhere, but now it's over and I feel empty.

No one understands but you and Yugi, and I suppose Atem. Could you say hi to him for Yugi? After all, Bakura had magic, right?

He might be reading these, even if his mother and Amane weren't. Probably.

Ghosts and spirits existed. They weren't in Items or monsters, but something lived on past death. He hadn't wanted to think of them going out like candles.

Bakura had given him fear and hope.

Yugi really loves Atem, you know. He said he was looking forward to when he saw him again. Not that he's suicidal! I suppose I'm looking forward to seeing you again. I have so much to ask you.

I knew you weren't evil, although at the time I was almost certain that was Stockholm Syndrome. Sympathizing with your captor. I read up on it, after I thought you were gone. After Monster World. I wanted to understand why I didn't hate you.

I really should hate you, most likely.

But I understand you too well to hate you, I think.

I think part of me always knew you, just like Yugi said he wasn't worried by all those memory blanks and was only afraid of Atem because he might lose his friends.

And then Kaiba.

I fought you to save them, like he fought Yami. I'm not sorry. Well, mostly not.

It's not normal. It's us, though. The way we are, spirit and host or reincarnation or whatever I am.

I wonder if I'll find out when I die? Will we merge?

I'm fine with waiting. But I am looking forward to it.

Sincerely, Ryou.