Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Warmth of Another ❯ One-Shot

  Couldn’t help doing this one shot! It’s depressing and short, but oh well! Just to tell you the one referred as ‘he’ in this fic is ‘Bakura’ and ‘the man’ is Ryou’s father. Hope you like and don’t forget to review! ^^   The Warmth of Another

Darkness. Everything was covered by the shadows. It was the only thing he could see for miles and miles if there was such a word here. He tried to reach out to touch the elusive color but found he had no form. He didn't exist anymore. He could not touch.

A light appeared in the distance. Just a small flicker. Nothing to big. He thought nothing of it, for that light had appeared many times before.

But this time it was different.

The light engulfed him, tearing away at the cold darkness and he could feel himself being pushed into the warm radiance. As quickly as the light had appeared, it was gone leaving him in a narrow hallway where two doors resided.

A grin came across his face as he stalked down the corridor. He had known the man had bought the item but it hadn't been enough. The man had to place the item upon his neck for it to truly activate. This is what he was waiting for.

He immediately materialize next to what he assumed was the man, but was thoroughly surprised when he saw a boy. Placed upon the kids neck was the item that brought the salvation he so sought.

He could tell that the kid was only around six or seven. The boy had long, snowy white hair and big brown eyes. A wide smile was placed upon the child's face as he lifted the pointers on the item up and down.

The boy giggled and poked the item from the side, watching as it and its pointers swung back and forth. The child stuck one of the pointers in his mouth letting out more giggles.

He watched the boy play with the item - his item - with a frown. How could that boy treat the item with such carelessness? He opened is mouth, ready to tell the boy to stop it when he was interrupted.

The man who had bought the item came inside the room where his son played, tears threatening to fall. The man let out a sob and walked over to his son and picked him up, embracing him in a warm hug.

He closed his mouth, confused at the scene in front of him. Despite himself, he walked closer to the two as the man began to speak.

"I-I'm so sorry Ryou," the man sobbed to his son, holding the boy tight as if he let go the child would disappear. "They-they didn't make it. I'm so sorry."

He watched as the man put his son on a bed and whispered comforting words to the child. After only several minutes, he disappeared from the room again eyes red from the tears that had been shed.

The boy, Ryou, just sat on his bed staring at the ground with his big eyes. He no longer laughed or played with such carelessness. No more would that smile appear.

He just stood there, staring at the boy. Something was bothering him, deep down in his stomach. Something just wasn't right. He didn't feel right. Looking at that boy, he betrayed himself allowing the emotions he kept so tightly sealed lose. He didn't want that boy to be sad; he wanted the boy to smile and play with item like he had done before.

He walked over to the boy and sat down on the child's bed staring at him intently. "Ryou is it?" he questioned.

The boy nodded, not paying much attention to the spirit beside him.

"What happened?" he asked.

"My-my mom and sis." Ryou choked back a sob. "They were in a car accident. They-they didn't make it."

He swallowed. Deaths always were hard. He knew that. But he also knew he had to help this boy. "They're in a better place now. A place where they can watch over you."

Ryou turned toward the spirit, eyes watering. "Ca-can I see them? Can I see them one more time? Please?"

He shook his head and he felt his stomach drop when the boy turned his head away, tears starting to fall. "You can't see them now, but you will some day. Until then you have to be strong for them."

"When can I see them?" Ryou questioned, looking back up at him.

"When your older," he replied, reaching out to touch the child to comfort him but found he still could not touch. He could never touch. It was his curse.

"I don't want to wait," the boy sobbed, covering his head in his hands. "Why can't I see them now?"

"They aren't ready to see you," he replied, bringing his hand back to his side. "Just as you aren't ready to see them. You have to become stronger. You have to live your life. Then, you can see them."

"St-stronger?" Ryou mumbled, looking up at him with his teary eyes. "But how do I become. . . stronger?"

He paused for a moment, truly thinking of a way to explain it. "You have to accept that they're gone," he finally spoke. "That they won't come back. No matter how much you cry or beg for them to."

"But I want to see them again," he cried, tears falling even faster down his face. "Why won't they come back?"

"They can't," he replied softly. "If they could, they would be here. They would tell you that they loved you and wouldn't want you to cry over them. They would tell you that they want you to be happy. To play once again with that stupid smile on your face. They would tell you to live your life to the fullest and regret nothing." His voice disappeared and he looked down. "They would tell you that they will always be there for you even if you can't see them."

The boy stared back up at him. "Are-are they here right now? Are they watching me?"

He nodded at the boy. "Yes, they're watching you."

The boy turned toward the air in front of him with a determined look. "I won't be sad anymore. I'll become stronger so I can see you when I'm older. I promise." He wiped the tears from his eyes and sniffled his last sniffle.

He didn't know why he did this for that boy. He didn't understand what propelled him to make this one little boy feel better. He never felt this way before and certainly never felt this feeling before. What was this feeling inside of him?

The boy turned toward him with that same big smile on his face. The sadness that had filled his eyes only moments before were gone, replaced with the innocence he carried within him. With a cry of happiness, the boy jumped at him in attempt to hug the one that had helped him through his time of misery.

Expecting the boy to go right through him and fall off the bed, he was stunned when he felt the boys embrace. The child had not gone through him like he had expected but was now hugging him. An act he could never remember receiving in his lifetime.

He touched the boys hair, letting his hand ran through the white strands. The curse was lifted by this boy. He could touch with his own skin, his own hands. He could feel the warmth of another. He could touch.

The boy nestled his head in his chest, holding him with his small arms. "Thank you mister," he said as he closed his eyes, allowing sleep to conquer him.

He let himself hold the boy, watching the child sleep. He would make this child forget about him for now. The boy wasn't ready to know about his existence. Not yet.

A small smile came across a face that had long ago forgotten the meaning. "No Ryou," he whispered. "Thank you."