Tegami

Tegami*

Summary: Ryou has another break down..but gets happy
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh. If I did…*begins to laugh evilly*
Warning: Just some really sad type things about our favorite white haired hikari.

Happy is Little by Little*

Ryou sat up counting what was left of his money. It was five a.m. On a Saturday morning. Though school was only a half day today, he knew no one else would be awake this early. No one ever was.

The white haired boy bit his lip and started crying as he realized he wouldn’t even have enough to the new school shirt he’d been looking at.

Five thousand three hundred seventy three yen! That’s all I’ve got! That’s only twenty seven pounds! Only fifty dollars American… His mind rattled off the various conversions as he tried not to sob too loudly.

There was a knock at his door and the boy shoved the money under his mattress.

“Yes?” he called sweetly, not facing the door.

“Oy, Ryou…can I have some pancakes for breakfast?”

Ryou wiped his tears hastily. “Marik, we only have waffles. Sorry. Go back to sleep. I’ll wake you at seven.”

“Hn.”

Ryou listened to the Egyptian yami shuffle off and put his hand over his mouth as a sob ripped out of his throat.

What am I going to do? Father hasn’t sent his money yet, he said he’d only be giving me about sixty pounds…I can’t do anything with sixty pounds! Not here in Japan! Ryou fisted his thighs, trying to get control of himself.

It’ll be okay. It’ll be okay. You’ve just got to get clever. You’re clever Ryou! You’ve always been clever!


Later, when everyone was awake and moving around, Ryou was back in his room.

They shouldn’t complain. I left them breakfast… He sat trying to finish algebra problems, his mind very aware of the clock. I should’ve done these last night, last night! But I was so tired –that’s just an excuse. Why’s everything so bloody hard? He pounded his fist into the book and saw the edge of a lavender colored envelope.

The letter… He picked it up and smiled. It smelled like lavender too.

He suddenly felt a little guilty for not reading it right away and opened it carefully. He picked out the creamy yellow stationary and smiled. Someone knew he liked pastels and warm tones.

Dearest Ryou,

How you favor me with your smile. You seemed very joyous today, I can only imagine why. I hope you will smile again for me tomorrow.

I happened by the bookshop on my way home and thought of you and your loss. I hope you don’t think of me as too forward. Wonderful people deserve wonderful gifts.

Even as I write you this letter, all I can think of are you eyes. They are like two points of never ending warmth. I wish to lose myself in them as I stare into your face and caress your alabaster skin. One day I’d like to know if your lips are as soft as they look, if they are as soft as the pink rose petals they match.

One day perhaps, but not now. I have a sheet of pastel blue stationary and it’s calling to me. It says ‘Write Ryou’ and so I will, right after this letter.

I hope you don’t think me forward by saying this next thing, but it is absolutely true and I wouldn’t be saying it unless I believed it were so. I believe that I’m in love with you Ryou and cannot get you out of my mind. I wish for you when I wake up and dream of you as I retire. I admire you as one does the moon, I long for you as one does the stars.

One day, I wish to have you if you will have me. I am the Lonely King and you are the day dreaming Commoner that awakens my heart.


Yours Everlasting,

And again it wasn’t signed.

Ryou sat at his desk, his math problems forgotten, his mind in another place. His eyes slid closed and he held the letter to his chest, his lips parted ever so slightly, a blush gracing his cheeks.

I’m being wooed. And he’s even read my favorite book, why else would he call himself after the Lonely King?

He sighed and held his cheek even as the pounding at his room door grew louder.

Suddenly, Bakura burst in, looking alarmed. “RYOU!?”

The boy turned and smiled. “Yes Yami?”

The thief rolled his eyes. “Let’s go Bambi. Stop staring into space.”

****

Ryou glanced nervously at the high jump set up in the gym. It was bad enough they were asking him to perform athletically, but the gym had three other classes in it. Whose idea was it to combine classes?

Yugi and Malik were cheering him on from the sidelines but Ryou just stared at his shoes. The teacher came up to him.

“What’s the matter son?”

“Coach…you know I can’t do this. Everyone’s just going to laugh at me.”

“Well, if you weren’t such a fuck up, that wouldn’t happen. Now jump the damn poll Bakura. We don’t have all day.” He turned his attention away from to Malik who was jumping up and down. “This ain’t the cheerleadin’ club Faggot. Settle down! Moutou, if you wanna run you keep makin’ that face!”

Ryou sighed and stared at the structure.I only have to jump it…right? He began running and let his mind wander. “I admire you as one does the moon, I long for you as one does the stars.

His heart felt like it was going to burst as he leapt. When he opened his eyes again, Yugi and Malik were jumping up and down, looking ecstatic.

“NEXT!” the coach bellowed. “SENIORS! GET YOUR LAZY ASSES OF THE BLECHERS AND ON THE FLOOR!” the man looked at his clip board. “DARTZ! Get your rich ass up and jump this pole. If Bakura can do it so can you!”

The tall, long haired teenager took his time getting over to the floor, staring the coach down. He eyed the pole and sighed. “I guess I can waste my time doing this.”

“Shut your mouth fairy boy or you can run for the rest of the afternoon!”

Dartz tossed his hair and began running for the pole. He looked over briefly where the sophomores were and grinned. With a single leap he cleared the bar and many people clapped.

Malik started cheering again. “God…Dartz is so cute. I dunno why he hates me…”

Yugi laughed. “Because you’re like a cheerleader on crack?”

Malik looked at his make shift t-shirt pom-poms. “You know…you maybe right…”

Ryou laughed and took one of Malik’s pom-poms. “Quite clever actually!”

Another senior went up to jump and Malik started cheering. Ryou cheered with him and soon Yugi was calling out cheers.

Five minutes later, all three of them were running around the gym.

“Thanks a lot Yugi…”

Ryou giggled. “I thought it was fun!”

Malik was still upset. “I’m gonna be all sweaty when Otogi comes to get me!”

Yugi rolled his eyes. “You two are freaks.”

“Um, I didn’t screw my boyfriend on Kaiba’s pool table.”

Yugi squeaked. “Who told you that?”

Malik smiled and ran ahead. “Hikari/yami privilege!”

“DAMN IT MALIK!” Yugi chased after him, leaving Ryou laughing and jogging along at a good pace. He was unaware that he was being watched.


“Just go ask him to fuck!”

“I’m not. I have class.”

The boy laughed. “Whatever. I got me a hot date tonight!”

“You mean an all night booty call.” The other boy watched the boys run around the gym. “That coach needs to be taught a lesson. He’s biased.”

“Meh.”

“I love having conversations with you. You’re so verbose.”

“What’s that mean?”

The other boy laughed and relaxed on the bleachers.


****

Ryou looked around the school parking lot a little puzzled. Where had Bakura parked. He got out his cell phone and pressed a few buttons. He soon got an answer.

“Bakura?”

“Ryou? Holy shit! Ryou!”

“Bakura, where are you parked?”

Ryou listened to the boy cursing and fumbling around. “Ryou, I’m so sorry! I skipped then Seto picked me up from home –”

The hikari hung up right there. He tried to control his breathing but couldn’t. He pressed another button.

“What?”

“Marik, have you left school yet?”

“Comin’ to get Yugi. What? You need a ride someplace?”

“No, sorry to bother you!” Ryou hung up again and looked around. People were leaving school fast. It seemed like they were leaving faster than usual. Panic started to rise in his throat and Ryou shook his head.

It’s not what you think! You’re not being abandoned! You could still ask Yami for a ride –Yami doesn’t like you anymore! The boy nodded and gripped his head, trying to get the world to stop spinning.

He ran behind the school and into a sports equipment shed. Anyone who would have come by now would have heard an angry scream followed by sobbing.

****

Bakura came home, tossing his jacket on the coat rack feeling relaxed. He’d spent plenty of quality time with Kaiba and now just wanted to sleep and or smoke cigarettes. When he saw Marik and Malik sitting in the living room not watching tv or harassing each other, he figured something was up.

“Hey Bitches, what’s up?”

Malik looked at him, the boy was in tears. “Ryou didn’t come home! He won’t answer his cell phone!”

Bakura swore. He immediately tried to reach Ryou through his link and got nothing. “I’m going to check by the school!”

Marik got up and pulled a hysterical Malik with him. “We’re coming too.”

**

Ryou sat in the darkened classroom staring at his cell phone by moonlight. He’d missed twenty-five calls.

I guess since there was no dinner they’re freaking out.

The boy’s eyes were red from crying and his face was tracked with tears. Since the heat was off he was sitting around in his coat in his English class, wondering what Miyazawa would think of his plight.

After crying for half the afternoon in the shed, the janitor found him and told him to beat it. All he did was sneak into the building and hide in the bathroom til the man was gone. Then he’d gotten his things and gone to a class room.

He’d cried over his Algebra, wept over his biology, sniffled over his English, and bawled over his History.

They just left me here! Sorry Ryou! We all have lives so, sucks to be you!

He hiccupped and ran his fingers over another letter. It was in a crisp white envelope with a red bow sticker over the seal. It had his name on it this time. “Ryou” was written in perfect cursive. It was in English for once. The other letters had been in Japanese.

He smelled the scent coming off the letter. It was a sugary vanilla. The boy wiped his eyes for the millionth time and opened the letter with care.

He wouldn’t want me to cry…

Dearest Ryou,

I saw you achieve the greatest heights today. I knew you could do it. That coach is a bastard and one day he’ll wish he never messed with me or you.

Have I told you yet that the school’s gym uniform has never looked so lovely when it is on your form? The shorts hug you in all the right places if you can forgive my innuendo.

Half days are the worst. They seem to give you much more homework don’t you think?

I saw you at lunch again. I was also reading the same novel again, just as you do. How can you stand all the noise I perceive from your table? I could never read at a place like that, although, my friends do give yours a run for their money.

Today, after school, I have much to do. Expectations are hard to meet and even harder to meet when you have Calculus home work and environmental science. I’d much rather study mythology. Have you studied Atlantis? Very beautiful place to imagine.

I shall leave you to your latest reading, my Love. I will hold your smile in my heart until Monday.

Yours Everlasting,

Ryou smiled and put his head down. He stared outside at the moon and noted how he couldn’t see the snow here on the second floor. He imagined it in his mind so perfectly.

It would be a full moon and he would meet his admirer in an open field. The wind will have stopped and the only thing for yards and yards would be the two of them.

I’d ask his name…and he’d tell me. Then he’d tell me all the wonderful things he’d wrote to my face. And he’d hold me in his arms and kiss me on my lips…and all my misery would disappear, like so many fallen flakes of snow…

His cell phone tinkled angrily and he picked it up.

“Hello?”

“RYOU?! What the fuck where are you oh my fucking god we’ve been looking for you for hours I will kick your ass when I see you I’m coming to get you stay there!”

“I’m at school Yami. I’ll be outside…” Ryou hung up before the yami could respond and gathered his things.

He’d finally get his ride home from school.


When Bakura roared into the parking lot, Ryou simply started walking towards the car. He got in, clutching his pack to his chest.

“Are you fuckin’ crazy Ryou!? How come you didn’t take the bus or something! Yami was here you could’ve asked for a ride! What’s your fuckin’ problem lately! Damn!” The yami put the car in a violent reverse and left the parking lot.

Ryou barely listened while Bakura essentially cussed him out for staying at school. He was smiling to himself.

I’ll hold your smile in my heart…

****
*Tegami means “Letter” in Japanese. *Courtesy of All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku
*How many chapter so far…four? Let’s wrap it up in eight maybe?
*Not only am I the SUPER BEST FRIEND OF Futile Faith , Yamimi Next to Shadow of Light Is the most prolific reviewer! She read my fics twice over! Wow wee!
*GOOD NITE! *ish 3 am*