Author's Notes: Well when I finished Sunflower Samurai, lots of you asked me to continue and I was thinking of doing more that one more chapter but if I drag out a story it always ends up crap. So here, just for you my valued readers, is the final chapter to Sunflower Samurai

Sunflower Samurai

After It All

"Bakura…" he breathed. Bakura breathed heavily. Just grab his sword and kill him, that's all he had to do. But he just couldn't. He looked into those big hazel eyes and could see so much want. He breathed into the other's mouth and there lips were almost touching. He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill him.

He looked up into those grey eyes; those grey pools that held no emotions. They were just empty. How could they be so empty? They belonged to the mere shell of a former human, yet were worn by such a – in Ryou's opinion – beautiful person. So much he wanted to just clasp those lips with his own and show his love… if that was what this was.

They were still in the dirty alley, hidden in the shadows with Bakura's body firmly positioned over the others. The samurai gulped and grit his teeth. His fists shook, knowing they needed to grab his sword and kill the boy, but he couldn't.

"Bakura!" Ryou shouted this time and arms flung around the samurai's neck and held on tightly, as Ryou buried his face in the white hair. Bakura's cheeks flushed red, not expecting the sudden contact and he just stayed there, stiff as a rock. "Bakura, where did you go? I thought I was never going to see you again. I thought…" but Ryou trailed off when he realised that Bakura was tense; extremely tense. "What's wrong?" He let himself fall back to the ground and looked up at the samurai with worry in his eyes. Bakura was no longer looking at Ryou; his gaze was just blank.

Slowly and shakily, Bakura got to his feet and stepped over Ryou as if he wasn't even there. He had to get out of there.

"Bakura!" Ryou soon chased after the samurai and stopped in front of him, easily cutting him off as Bakura had only been stumbling away. He gripped the man's shoulders and shook him slightly. "What is it?" Bakura mumbled something inaudible and Ryou continued to stare at the blank face, slight traces of terror lacing both their expressions. "What?" Bakura took a deep breath and looked Ryou in the eye.

"I've been sent to kill you."

Ryou bristled and, although not believing his ears, took a step back from Bakura.

"W-w-what? W-why?" Bakura stepped forwards.

"My master commands it." Ryou stared wide-eyed, his eyes brimming with tears.

"What do you mean? I don't understand."

"Come with me." Bakura swiftly grabbed Ryou's arm and dragged him deeper into the alley. The whole time Ryou struggled and yelled to be let go. Bakura had half expected something like this after what had happened the day before.

He hurriedly turned into a deserted, wooden building and threw Ryou to the floor. He slammed the old door behind him and the only light were small beams from the cracks in the wood. Ryou huddled up against the wall as Bakura unsheathed his sword and his silhouetted body came closer. The boy couldn't stop shaking in shear fear of what was about to happen and could only watch helplessly as the sword was raised and then… nothing.

Ryou unscrewed his eyes and looked up to see something he hadn't expected: Bakura was stood there, using his sword to cut his own arm. He gasped and hurried to his feat.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy?" Bakura didn't stop until he had cut deep into the flesh and blood was trailing down the sword. Once the metal was coated in a thick layer of the liquid, Bakura pulled it away and threw his sword to the floor, then slowly sank to his knees. Ryou quickly grabbed him and eased him down into a sitting position. "W-what on earth are you thinking? I thought I was the one who was supposed to die?" Ryou jumped as Bakura's eyes darted in his direction.

"You really are a fool aren't you?" Ryou couldn't answer; he was in shock. "I don't want to kill you." The boy was clearly still confused so, with a sigh, Bakura looked away and closed his eyes, breathing heavily to try and keep himself awake. Normally an injury like that wouldn't affect him, but the drinking he had done the night before wasn't exactly helping.

His eyes snapped open again when he heard a tearing sound. He watched as Ryou tore his clothing to make a tourniquet to cover Bakura's wound. The second the material touched his skin, Bakura jerked away.

"Don't."

"B-but you're bleeding."

"I don't care." The samurai looked at Ryou from the corner of his eye. "And neither should you." Ryou looked taken aback, and something seemed to spark in those worried eyes of his. Something Bakura would never have imagined a kid like that to have.

"Well I do care so sit still while I put this round your arm and like it… please." That last bit made Bakura laugh, but it was more of a low chuckle than an out-loud laugh. Bakura sat still while the material was put over his wound and watched Ryou intently. This kid was strange. It was like he used to be a perfectly happy and confident person then everything just got taken from inside him and some scared child was put in its place. But Bakura didn't have any reason to not believe that: having your family, your entire world taken away from you would do that. He should know.

Ryou sat back against the wall, facing Bakura. The small beams of light cut across the samurai's face and the shadows made him look ghostly.

"So…" The boy mumbled. Bakura stared back at him. "I-"

"What do you want to know? Why I have to kill you? Why I haven't already done it? Or why did I sleep with you?" Ryou just blinked. He hadn't expected this.

"I… I want…" He took a deep breath. "I want the truth." Bakura smirked and chuckled deeply.

"Well, here's where the problem is." He closed his eyes, still with a smirk over his lips. "It depends on how much truth you want to know. That is… if you can handle it." Ryou blinked, before getting slightly angry.

"Just tell me everything!" The smirk left the samurai's face and he looked at Ryou with no expression.

"Fine. I have to kill you… because I killed your family." Ryou's eyes widened and he sat stiff. "Well actually I killed your family so I have to kill you to be more accurate. I was meant to do it then but you got away. Then I found you yesterday and decided it would be easier to kill you if I lead you into a false sense of security and then because of my hangover this morning I kind of forgot about it and then I came back and here we are." Ryou still hadn't shown any sign of acknowledgement. Bakura just sighed and lay on his back, arms folded behind his head.

"You… killed them." Ryou said through clenched teeth.

"Yup."

"My father…and my sister."

"Yup."

"YOU KILLED THEM!" Ryou screamed. Amazingly, and much to Ryou's annoyance, Bakura didn't even flinch at the sudden rise in volume. The boy got to his feet and made to attack Bakura, but one look shot his way made him stop in his tracks.

"It was my job. There was nothing I could do." Bakura said emotionlessly. Tears began to stream down Ryou's cheeks as he stood, shaking slightly.

"You could have left them. You could have let them live."

"It wasn't my choice." Bakura sat up and looked Ryou in the eyes. "If it were up to me I would have left them, but I was trained to kill whoever I was told to. There was nothing else I could do." Ryou's mouth opened and closed but no words came out. He was still shaking under the cold gaze of Bakura, and he couldn't seem to pull his eyes away. Something was wrong. Bakura just said all those things… about leading him into a false sense of security and coming back to kill him. But if that was true then why did he say…

"You said you didn't want to kill me…" Ryou murmured, his voice slightly broken.

"So?" Bakura retorted from his position on the floor, still watching the boy stood before him.

"So why… why did you lie?" Bakura just blinked.

"What do you mean 'lie'? Everything I've told you is exactly what's happened."

"Stop lying!" Ryou screamed. "You told me you had led me along! You said you came back to kill me!" Bakura opened his mouth to reply but as cut off. "YOU DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE! SO WHY NOT JUST TELL ME THE TRUTH!"

Bakura just sighed and lay back on the floor with his arms as a pillow.

"Well how do you know… I'm not telling the truth." Ryou frowned.

"I just do. I guess I have a kind of sense for it sometimes." Bakura smirked as Ryou slid to the floor and sat across from him. "Just tell me…"

He watched as Bakura's eyes slid open and looked at him. He stared back confidently, and waited for his answer. With a stiff sigh, Bakura sat up and leaned towards the boy.

"Like I said… I killed your family." These words made Ryou stiffen, even if he had heard them before. "But you don't know the full story. My master had done some… business with your father. He had come to collect his repayment and I was the one chosen to 'assist'." He sighed again. "It was not my intension to kill your sister… she just got in the way. Then when you appeared…" Bakura shifted uncomfortably. "I- I just didn't want to kill another innocent person. Then once I lost you I just went back and said you'd got away. I must say my master wasn't all too pleased but what could I do?" His gaze returned to Ryou and he continued. "Then yesterday I saw you and I sort of hoped I hadn't. You see, my master hasn't got off my back about losing you… And when I saw you in trouble… I guess I just felt sorry for you."

"But why did you look after me afterwards?" Ryou asked, he had been content with what Bakura had told him so far, even though he was sure he was leaving a few details out.

"Again, I felt sorry for you. And I guess for the other part I'd just got a little drunk and it was an accident." Ryou shivered slightly. He had almost forgotten about the events of the night before. He had just become so concerned with the stuff before that it has gone from his mind. Ryou jumped slightly as Bakura got to his feet, swaying slightly (most likely from the blood loss).

"Where are you going?" Ryou asked, not able to hide the hint of urgency in his voice. Bakura peered at him and held onto his wound.

"I have to leave… you should just get out of here before they find out I didn't kill you." The samurai kneeled down to pick up his sword and headed for the door.

"Wait!" Ryou yelled. He was on his feet, but unable to move any more. "I- I don't want you to go… don't leave me…" He couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself. This man had killed his family; he had ruined his life and left him with this strange feeling in his heart; yet Ryou longed for him to stay. Bakura smiled and laughed a little.

"There's nothing you can gain by staying with me. It will only end in your death."

"But I don't want to be alone." Tears streamed down Ryou's cheeks as he stared at Bakura's back. "I want to be with you." Bakura sighed as he sheathed his sword; the bloody had dried and made the steel look rusted.

"Why on earth would you want to stay with me? I killed your family and now… the only reason you're alive is because I…" But he drifted off. Bakura has never had this feeling within him. It hurt so badly yet filled him with warmth. It ran through his veins and caused him to shake. What was it?

"Bakura…" Ryou breathed. "I l-love you."

The boy watched as the samurai slowly turned and strode closer… and closer. Ryou couldn't help but step back: fearing what was about to happen. Eventually he backed into the wall and had nowhere else to run. Bakura came ever closer, until their faces were only inches apart. Ryou could feel hot breathe hitting him in the face and stinging his eyes. He had to close them as tears began to well up. A hand grabbed the back of his neck and his initial thoughts were of strangulation. He jerked forwards, and his lips became attached to Bakura's. Ryou snapped his eyes open and stared in complete shock. His limbs shook and he attempted to clasp his hand onto the wall, but could only scratch at the rotting wood.

He could feel Bakura's lips kiss him so lovingly, and he couldn't help but kiss back. Ryou's hazel eyes slid shut and it wasn't long before he could feel Bakura's hot tongue probing his mouth. Multiple shivers ran down Ryou's spine and his mind went fuzzy. He didn't even notice when the kiss ended; he just stood there, gawping into thin air.

Once his eyes finally opened, he was alone. The door had been opened and the light and noise from the streets entered the old building. Ryou ran through the door and quickly glanced up and down the alley before running to the street. Tears were once again in his eyes as he ran into the middle of the street and looked through the crowds to find him. He couldn't lose him again! He had admitted his true feelings and Bakura had shared them.

"Bakura!" Ryou yelled. He could see no mess of white hair, no beautifully tanned skin, nothing familiar. He ran down the street, praying that Bakura hadn't gone the other way, but his instincts were telling him to go this way.

After glancing down a few other roads and pathways, Ryou had given up. Bakura could be on the other side of town by now… he'd probably gone the other way too. Ryou sighed and took one last look around. Yet again he had nowhere to go, and no one to go to. The sun was beginning to lower in the sky and shops where beginning to close. There was a definite chill in the air as a cool breeze blew through the streets, and caused Ryou to shiver. He walked steadily down the dusty road, hoping to find some abandoned doorway he could stay in for the night; but not much luck. He had fallen back down to the gutters. Sure he had lived with it for a few years now… but when he met Bakura, he had hoped…

A strong wind unnerved the street, causing people to yelp in surprise and made the wooden shop signs knock about. Ryou huddle in on himself to try stop the wind cutting right through him. But the wind was strong, too strong; and it wouldn't stop. It wasn't long before he was knocked to the ground, and the wind stopped. Ryou sobbed lightly into the ground. Was this it? Was everything downhill from here? Why had Bakura left him? He was all alone again and with a slowly breaking heart. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and his sobs wracked his small body.

"Bakura…" He breathed through grit teeth. "Why did you leave me?" The sky darkened as the sun began to set, and the air became even colder. Goosebumps covered Ryou's skin and he shivered endlessly (he had never understood why the night was so cold while the day was so warm). There was a slight patting of footsteps, which sounded as though they were headed right for Ryou; probably just some random person walking past and getting a good look at the poor boy on the floor. But they stopped.

"Ryou?" The voice… Ryou gasped and looked up. Could it be? There, kneeling in front of Ryou, was Bakura.

"Bakura!" He yelled: lurching forwards to hug the samurai. But it was short lived as Ryou pulled away and punch Bakura's shoulder. "Why did you run away?"

Bakura sighed and looked Ryou in the eyes. Then slowly, a smile spread across his face.

"I'm sorry." He said silently. "I didn't mean to just leave you… but I still can't stay with you." Ryou looked up at him with watery eyes.

"Why?" He squeaked.

"Because if I do, they'll find out I never killed you. And then they will."

"But I don't care!" Ryou yelled, wrapping his arms around Bakura once more and hugging him tight. Bakura just kept still for a while before gently pushing Ryou away.

"But I do." The samurai stood, and pulled Ryou up with him. Both stared into the others eyes until Ryou blinked and tears began to run down his cheeks once more. He shut his eyes tight and shook his head violently.

"I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE!" He screamed, not caring if people could hear him. Bakura lifted his chin with his thumb and forefinger, and smiled as he looked into Ryou's eyes.

"You don't have to be. Leave this place and start a new life. You don't want to be stuck with me. With the work I do I'll probably be dead in a year or two. So just forget about me…" With that, Bakura placed a light kiss on Ryou's lips and began to walk away. Ryou blinked as he stood there in bewilderment. He didn't want this to happen: he didn't want to start again; he just wanted Bakura, to look after him forever.

"Wait!" He yelled, and Bakura stopped. The streets were empty and the sky began to fill with stars as the last light from the sun vanished over the horizon. "I love you." Ryou said silently, but Bakura still heard it. The cool breeze blew over both and ruffled their hair and clothes. Ryou couldn't see it, but Bakura was smiling. The samurai turned and looked at Ryou over his shoulder. The boy almost gasped at the expression on Bakura's face: he had never seen such a warm smile on those beautiful lips.

"I love you too." Was all Bakura said before waving his hand lazily and walking away. Ryou stood in the middle of the dusty street, hands clasped to his chest, as the breeze continued to mess his hair and clothes. Dirt and sand began to kick up in the wind and it wasn't long before Bakura vanished into the distance. With that, the remaining sun left the sky, and left Rou in darkness. Tears steadily ran down his cheeks but a smile was firmly in place.

Ryou's hands fell to his sides, and a strange clunking noise caught his attention. He moved his hand into the pocket of his shirt and found a fairly heavy sack, filled to the brim with coins. Ryou stared at them in wonder for a while before placing them back in his pocket and staring after the place where Bakura had been only moment earlier and he whispered:

"Thank you…" And that was the last he ever heard from his one – his sunflower samurai.

Author's Notes: Sorry if that was a little rubbish. I haven't written anything for a few months now so I think I've lost my touch a bit. Any way, I hope this was all you fans had hoped for so please review criticism is also appreciated seeing as I need to try and improve my writing skills.