Can You Love Me?

YRE: *grins sheepishly* sorry it took so long to update...*sweatdrops* kinda got caught up in the other fic...then bombarded w/hw & tests *_* but at least I updated!!!

Ryou: *smiles* Okies, let's see...YRE does not own YGO...well, at least until she takes over the world, but let's get a car first hmmm?

YRE: *eyebrow twitches* Cute, Ryou...real cute...

Bakura: *pouts* I don't even know why I'm here...I'm not even in this chapter! But anyway...it's yaoi...always will be...

Yami: though there's no real action *looks at Ryou*...yet...

Ryou: O_o;;

YRE: *grins* Ok!

~Thank you IsIs ^_~ !! I personally don't think I can write, but thanks for boosting my self-esteem & for reviewing in general ^_^.
~LoL...jee, I'm guessing you'd like this to be a Yami&Ryou fic Elle-Fate2x1...^_^ hope this chapter fits what you'd like to see! There will be more 'interaction' with them later ^_~.
~It's cute? *grins* Thank goodness it's coming out that way (even though it'll probably get a wee bit evil in the future *cackles*), so thankies Temptress Nagisa, wouldn't mind keeping in touch w/you either!
~Thanks for reviewing this one too Dreamseer! I'll always try to update when I can, -_-;; So apologies to all if I ever take too long.

Oh yeah! Just incase it isn't clear, anything in single quotation marks 'blah blah' are Ryou's thoughts...after reading it over I thought it might be possible to get confused ^_^;;

Now, on w/the fic!!

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Silence, the house resounded with nothing but gentle breathing. The passing of the night brought no change; one slept buried amidst the folds of warmth and security, the other slept curled in loose comfort, his unfinished book slipping from his lax fingers aluttluttering to the carpeted floor with a soft thud.

The other boy was startled by the sudden noise, his heart pounding rapidly against his small chest, eyes peeling open at the sight around him. ‘What!’ he looked around and flung the now stifling blanket off; his mind racing and his body aching. The room was vaguely familiar, memories flickering at the back of his mind like a candle just about to go out. The sofa, the living room…the ever-present smell of something sweet…Yet, where he was and how he got there scuttled far and away from his mind.

The sunlight blinded him as he stared out the window, the boy’s head muddled with confusion, fright, and annoyance. Was this a dream? Some sort of cruel joke his mind had decide to play on him for oversleeping? For eating too late into the night? For watching a scary movie? The boy could not decide on one or another because he could not remember whether he had ever done any of those things. He could not tell if he had done anything other than sleep for the past few years because his mind came up blank as he thought back, a whitewashed wall was his past, vacant of every thought, every judgment, every moment he had ever had or made, that is if he had ever done so.

He sighed sadly, but whether it was because he had lost those memories or because he somehow unconsciously knew what they were, he was not sure. His eyes scanned the area once more, coming to rest on the sleeping form of a tricolor youth he had not noticed earlier. Curled up in the sofa, the other looked relaxed, lost in the serene mist of dreams, but he also looked…

The smaller did not know what he felt, but he had an urge to get closer to the other. Although he was confused, he tried to stand slowly, wincing as all parts of him protested the movement. It became too much and he doubled over, falling back into the sofa in pain and yelping as his very sore bottom made rough contact with the soft cushion.

The tricolor boy gave a slight jolt as he awoke from the deep sleep and looked at the other who was in pain. The taller’s eyes widened in concern. And my, what beautiful eyes they were! Pain forgotten, the smaller boy stared in wonder as the other crept over to him with worry marring his godly face.

“Ryou!” The tricolor youth gingerly laid a hand on the other’s, “Are you alright?” He peered at the numbed smaller with those deearlearlet eyes, highlighted beautifully by his gold, black, and scarlet tipped hair.

He may have had no idea who this ‘Ryou’ was, but the boy felt his face flush at receiving such attention, his heart tugging toward the scarlet-eyed stranger. He swallowed slowly and found his voice “Uh…um…W-who’s Ryou?” he whispered meekly.

Those beautiful scarlet jewels widened further at the other’s words and a concerned, yet cute, look over took his features. Before he could say anything though, the smaller quietly asked “Who *are* you?” in shy wonder.

The other’s hair bobbed as he nodded silent understanding, he sat on the other end of the sofa, as he was unsure as to how comfortable the boy would be with who he now knew only as a stranger. “My name is Yami…I am one of your friends.” The scarlet-eyed teen smiled warmly at the other, his hand extended in gentle greeting.

“Yami…” the delicate voice savored the name, tongue rolling over the taste, and allowed his hand to lay in the other’s. A tingle ran up his arm and made his heart fuzzy and mind swirl with a rush of emotions. The smaller gasped at the feelings washing over him; there was a strange mix of promised comfort, startling determination, and a twisted darkness…focused on the demise of another…someone familiar…someone close…Him?!

The smaller pulled away and nearly tumbled onto the floor, Yami took hold of the other’s arm and carefully eased him back into the seat. “Ryou! What’s wrong?”

The kitten trembled and couldn’t wrench free from the hold on his arm. His eyes widened in fear anars ars welled up, rolling down his pale cheeks as he began to sob. “P-please! Don’t hurt m-me!” The dark possibilities of Yami’s revenge had terrified the smaller considerably.

Yami gently pulled the frightened other into his lap and began to rock them both, shushing and wiping away the tears as he comforted and reassured the smaller that no harm would befall him by Yami’s hand.

The younger sniffled and peered up sheepishly after a few moments “I-I’m sorry…” His pale hands clutched the taller’s shoulders and tiny bruises flowered as he tried to hold onto the only person he now knew. “Yami?” his voice wavered, hope and uncertainty mixed in his anxious voice.

“What is it little one?” Yami snuggled closer, his deep, soothing voice sending shivers through out the other’s body.

“Yami…I don’t remember anything, n-not even myself…” fresh tears sprang to his eyes, swallowing the lump in his throat, the younger continued. “I’m scared, Yami…not because I don’t remember, but because I don’t know what to do!” The tricolor youth eased the other’s head to rest against his tanned chest, the tears tracing warm paths as they fell. “What am I supposed to do? How can I go out into the world when I don’t even know who I am?!” Small shudders over took his body as his muffled words spilled out and Yami could do nothing but let the other ride out the emotions he knew were only expected from such a situation.

“Please don’t cry, Kitten…I’m here, I’ll help you through this.” He cooed quietly in an effort to calm the other, and apparently, it worked as the smaller looked up and blinked back his tears.

“You promise? You won’t leave me, will you Yami? You’re all I have now!” Yami could only smile in answer as he gave the smaller a tight hug, pressing them both so close that any tears that could have been shed were gone. The smaller sighed contentedly and buried his face once more in the taller’s chest, reveling in the warmth and security he felt. “Thank you…” he murmured, his pale lips tickling Yami’s chest and his warm breath making the tricolor boy shiver, several emotions toying with the taller’s mind and heart.

There was a soft rumble that Yami both heard and felt because he was currently so close to the other. He smiled and tenderly spoke to the boy “If I’m going to care for you then first I must feed you, ne?” The smaller blushed as he looked up, nodding as his stomach let out another call for food.

Yami carefully helped the smaller stand, pain gripping his heart as he watched the boy struggle just to take a step. Slender arms lifted the slightly surprised other and carried him upstairs, “Yami?! What are yo-”

“Hush Kitten, we must clean you upperlperly before you can eat…” Yami smiled and carefully took one step at a time when he noticed that even the slightest movement disturbed the other.

“Um,…Yami?” The scarlet eyes glanced at the younger, slight amusement flickering across his face as he watched the one in his arms blush, the features streaked with bright red as he continued to speak. “Y-you can call me Ryou…I mean, if that’s my name it’s only right…and…” The smaller flushed a brighter shade “A-and you can call me anything else as well…”

‘Call me Kitten again…I’ll be your kitty! I’ll play with a piece of string, curl up in your lap, purr into your ear…nuzzle against your chest, your soft, warm chest…I’ll do what ever you want Yami…just let me be your Kitten, your pet…I need you, I need you to tell me what to do…tell me when I’m wrong…I need someone strong, someone who can take away this empty pain…I don’t even know where it’s from, it’s just there…This gnawing, growing, nasty pain…It feels as though I’m missing a part of me Yami…I don’t know whether it’s just my memories or something more, but you have to let me be yours…You have to take me and show me what it is I forgot…And I promise I’ll repay you! In anyway I can, in anyway you wish…I’ll do anything Yami…just let me be yours…just let me be yours to conquer…I don’t know why, I just know I need another half.’

Yami chuckled softly and carefully opened the washroom door, watching in concern as Ryou’s face paled to a deathly color. “Ryou! What is it?”

The younger shuddered violently as he looked around; the sink…the tiled floor…the mirror. All of it, it scared him. “Y-Yami…something bad happened here…I feel so sad, alone,…guilty…” Ryou’s voice shook and he tried his best to choke back his tears as he shut his eyes and hid his face in Yami’s neck.

The taller didn’t know why the other felt that way, he just knew Ryou would remember on his own, with out being pressed for answers. “It’s ok Ryou, I can assure you nothing happened here…This is my house, I brought you here after I found you.” The smaller looked at Yami and thousands of questions flitted across his eyes before he just nodded and allowed himself to be set upon the sink’s cold porcelain, his butt tensing and causing tears to spring back into his eyes when pain laced up his spine.

“Y-Yami!” His voice strained as fire seemed to fill him “I-It hurts!” Quickly the taller slid one arm under Ryou’s and kept him from putting so much weight on his lower body. The boy breathed in deeply as the pain subsided and leaned on Yami a bit more. “Why does it hurt so much Yami? Especially there? What happened to me?” He peered up at Yami and clearly saw the internal conflict tearing the other apart. What ever it was that had occurred hurt Yami just as much as it hurt Ryou…just in a different manner. “It’s alright Yami…You don’t have to tell me.”

‘I don’t want to hurt you Yami…I’ll do what ever you want if it makes you happy…’

The scarlet boy’s face was washed over with relief, Yami knew he would eventually have to tell Ryou the state he had found him in…but now just didn’t seem like the time, nor place if he took into consideration that something more had taken place in the other’s washroom…something more than likely related to that low life tomb robber. “Thank you Ryou…I promise I will tell you, but not now…It’s for the best.” Yami smiled weakly at the other and bid him take off his shirt.

Ryou blushed furiously as he slowly peeled away the large shirt, wincing as his arms stiffly refused to do as told. He managed, somehow, to turn a shade brighter when Yami helped him, the taller’s pale fingertips sending tingles throughout the boy’s body when they made contact with the delicate flesh. He saw a flash of sadness and anger in Yami’s eyes when he looked him over, curious, Ryou leaned away from Yami to see what it was that was wrong with him…What it was that Yami found unappealing.

‘I’ll fix it Yami! If I’m ugly or anything, I’ll make myself look different if you don’t like what you see, I need your approval, I can’t afford to lose you…I’ll fix it, I promise Yami-‘

Ryou stared in awe at what he supposed was his reflection. He was pale, not horribly so, he just looked so frail…so delicate that he might break. His eyes were a deep brown, wide and filled with hidden pain, lost joy, and desecrated dreams. His hair laid lightly around his shoulders, fluffy and white, puffs of clouds and freshly fallen snow all at once. Layered in thick tendrils, he gingerly touched one that hung just above his eyes and felt the silky strands as they laced his fingers. “That’s me?…” he peered closer at the mirror, afraid perhaps that he had been staring at another, but when his petit nose tapped the smooth glass, he smiled and looked back at Yami. “I’m cute!” he giggled and watched himself some more.

Yami couldn’t help but laugh, never in a million years would Ryou ever had said such a thing! “Yes Kitten, you are very cute…”

Ryou’s heart skipped a few beats at Yami’s words, whirling around he leaned against talltaller and purred quietly. The scarlet teen was very surprised at the other’s actions; when before Ryou had hesitated to shake his hand, now he willingly came to Yami’s arms. “Um…Ryou?…”

As much as Yami would have liked nothing more than to hold the smaller in his arms forever, he knew that Ryou needed other things like food, perhaps he was too weak to know that? It would explain his behavior…he’s delirious…Yami sighed sadly, yes…that’s what it was. Ryou was too hungry to know what he was doing. “Come on Kitten…let’s get you fed.” The scarlet-eyed boy gently lifted up the other, after washing their hands and face, and carried him down to the kitchen.

Ryou, a blissful grin plastered across his pale face, snuggled further against Yami. ‘Thank you Yami…See, I’m not afraid of you…I’m yours, now and forever…I’m your Kitten, I’m your pet…and no one can come between us…’

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YRE: My, this was a longer chapter than usual...plz don't get used to this length ^_^;; I just had time is all...and we all know time doesn't like to stick around

Ryou: Is it just me, or am I a bit OOC in this fic?

YRE: Ah, yes...but only cuz you don't have your memories, which I personally think are what shaped you to be ...well, you! ^_^

Bakura: *pouts* Can I PLEASE be in the next chapter?

YRE: Of course! Doesn't the last line forshadow your reappearance? *evil grin* Anyway...Thanks to all who read & even more thanks to those who review!! (*grins* does that count as being biased?)

~Yami Ryn Enjeru