Cain: ragdoll is in a very sad mood right now so she won't be talking much...but this will probably remain a one-shot. She wrote it because she hasn't updated anything in a while. She has been having a lot of problems lately and doesn't feel like herself. She keeps saying that she probably won't finish Bohemian Rhapsody, despite my complaints. Therefore, if anybody out there wants her to finish that, please say so through e-mail or a review. Yell at her. Trust me, it will make her do it. She says she is sorry to everybody.
To treana: Amber wants me to thank you for sticking with her. She says she doesn't know what she did to deserve a friend like you, but she thanks whatever fate brought you to her a thousand times over... or something like that. She says to mention the countless times you have listened to her oh so many rants and never complained about it once and that you always put up with so much drama. She thanks you for giving her a chance and supporting her no matter how bad she may be at it. You should now that you really brighten up the darkest of her days, I can tell all the time. Now she said that I should go on with the story now because I made this sound mushy...
Cain: ragdoll does not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, Roger Smith (or his quotes), or any other song/book/ or movie that may have inspired this.
She says that you should also know that there will be slight shonen-ai (Seto and Ryou sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g...) maybe some rude words, a Halloween Party, bad writing, and a depressed writer...
Rain
"We have choices. Some people like to stand in the rain without an umbrella. That's what it means to live free." -Roger Smith (The Big O)
This mask is itchy.
"I'm glad I asked you to come with, Ryou. I'm sure you'll have a great time," I nodded my head dully as my father continued his one-sided conversation from the driver's seat of the car.
Translation: "You had a choice, but you chose to come. So don't complain."
Sure, choice. If you call an offer to go, a guilt trip when you begin to deny, and an already purchased outfit for such occasion a choice, then yes this was my own choice and fault. However, I call this my father's attempt at a father-son relationship when he isn't home ninety percent of the time. But I guess it's all the same in the end.
Which explains why I am currently dressed in a blue tuxedo and being forced to wear a masquerade mask of the same color. And it's itchy.
Stop complaining. It's getting on my everlasting nerve! What did I ever do to deserve a whiny host like you?
Oh yeah, that...
Shaking my head slightly, I set my gaze at the gray sky overhead. Suddenly, the car came to stop as I noticed my father leave the car with the crown that completed his costume of a king. Calling for me, he made his way towards the lavishly decorated lawn where many disguised people already stood in herd-like groups. Debating on whether I could get away with sitting in the car without being noticed, I pulled the mask back over my face and stepped out of the car.
Deciding it would be the best to humor my father, I approached the ever-progressing Halloween celebration with my hands twisting among one another. I walked through the iron gates that opened up to wide area that held everything from a complete orchestra to a table of unidentifiable foods that looked like they belonged on the bottom of somebody's shoe. Sensing somebody's eyes on me, I blushed lightly and made my way to an unoccupied corner where a small bench sat. After brushing some of the confetti off of the top of it, I sat down on the hard surface that I'm sure will make my back side regret doing so later.
The party seemed to consist of mainly adults over the age of thirty, but I guess that makes sense. After all, this is one of those "elite" parties where only the rich or popular people were invited. Honestly, I don't think my father would have even been invited if it wasn't for the fact that he just returned from a rather successful dig that allowed him to contribute many artifacts to the museum. Every once and a while, I could see a string of children run through the crowds, laughing and playing among one another. But besides that, the party seemed to mainly contain people that I couldn't hold a conversation with even if I tried. I felt so much like an alien.
I'm an alien. That has a nice ring to it...
The sky progressively became darker as time passed on. After thirty minutes of sitting on the hard bench, I decided to stand up and try to stretch my legs. The air had become heavy and damp, causing my mask to become even more itchy than it had been before. Searching through the crowds to see if any other person had yet to remove any part of their costume, I cautiously began to remove the mask. However, after collecting a few odd stares and even a glare for what would seem my lack of costume with the mask gone, I replaced it back on my face before turning to go back to 'my' bench.
However, after I had maneuvered my way back through the many crowds, I notice an occupant sitting on 'my' bench. He wore costume identical to mine, but opposed to blue his suit and mask were black. Beside him, a young boy in a very simple devil costume(1) tugged on his arm and appeared to be whining. After several seconds, the young boy seemed to give up before sticking his tongue out in a very mature way and stomping off from the boy.
"Excuse me," the devil-boy chirped as he brushed against me.
"Of course," I replied on habit.
"Bakura? Hey! What are you doing here?" Obviously sensing my confusion, the boy removed the red mask to reveal his face. "It's me! Mokuba!"
"Oh, hello Mokuba. How are you?" I asked pleasantly surprised. He grinned up at me before tilting his head in the direction of my stolen bench.
"I came with my big brother, but I don't think he's having a good time. Says he doesn't have time for this or something... Oh well, I'm off to find something to eat! Goodbye Bakura!" Mokuba finished with a shrug before running to the general direction of the table of 'food'.
I looked over at Seto Kaiba who still sat rigidly on the same bench, staring blankly at the party in front of him. Since I valued my life more than to go over and bother the CEO, I opted to migrate to the left where a dense row of shrubbery was decorated with fake spiderwebs. I reached up to scratch up my mask again, but soon felt a wet spot splash against the hand that was brought up to my face. Soon, I felt another upon my cheek. Then another, followed by another; soon, the the entire courtyard was covered in a heavy shower of rain that had been threatening to strike all night. In a blur of bodies, the entire party was hurriedly escorted into the nearby mansion.
These people act as if the rain would melt them. I'm actually rather fond of the rain... Silently, I followed the group of people into the building to spot my father assisting some lady to move a large table out of the room. It didn't take long for the entire party to become back in order and for me to become an alien again. I don't know why I even bother being in here. I looked out of a nearby window to see the rain was coming down even harder now. What could it hurt? I mean, no one would notice...
After checking around several times to ensure that my father (or anyone else for that matter) would see me, I slowly opened the door and stepped out onto the covered walkway that led to the courtyard: my freedom. As soon as the door was safely closed and I felt it was safe, I pulled the irritating mask of my face and shook my hair free from it's previous restrained position.
"I thought it was you under there," a deep voice spoke from behind me. I spun around quickly to see the familiar figure of Kaiba leaned up against the building with his eyes calmly watching the rain.
"H-hello Kaiba. It's pleasant seeing you. I just spoke to your brother as a matter of fact..." I trailed off, feeling dumb. Why him of all people? Can't anyone just cut me a little bit of slack?
"So, do you enjoy getting sick? Or is this some kind of ritual?" he questioned sarcastically while motioning his head towards the rain.
I felt my face heat up at the look he was giving me before I dropped my gaze and continued to look at my shoes. "No. I just like to sit in the rain sometimes. You know, live a little," I shrugged slightly before continuing, "Don't you ever just want to let everything go and live your life the way you want to?"
He gave me a funny look before giving a hollow laugh. "I'm too busy to live."
"Too busy to live?" I felt myself echo despite my wishes to remain quiet.
A cross look spread across his handsome features before he decided to enlighten me. "Yes, too busy to live. Have you ever ran your own company at the age of eighteen?"
"Err... no."
"My point exactly," Obviously finished with making his point clear, Kaiba closed his eyes while remaining in the position he had yet to move from.
"Oh..." I allowed the silence to settle among us before I got up the nerve to talk again. That, or I had a sudden death wish. " So I guess that means you've never just sat in the rain for no reason," I looked over at him expectantly to see him shake his head exasperatedly. "Well... do you want to?"
"Excuse me?"
"W-would you like to sit in the rain with me?" I responded slightly louder this time, sounding braver than I felt.
He gave me another peculiar look before (in my opinion) deciding I was not sane. "Not really..."
"Oh... okay. Well...Goodbye, I guess..." I turned around and stepped into the pouring rain. Having a destination in mind, I made my way back towards the courtyard. I took one last look back to see Kaiba in the same position before I disappeared behind the shrubbery.
After a few minutes of walking and splashing in the rain, I approached my bench. I really like it, despite the fact it's uncomfortable. I should ask my father about getting one... In a swift motion, I wiped the small puddle of water from the top before sitting down allowing myself to calm down. I'm such an idiot. I should have known better than to talk to the Seto Kaiba, but no. That would only make it appear as if I were half-sane. We can't have that, now can we. And now I'm carrying on a conversation with myself. At least I'm alone now... I wonder how much longer I can get away with being out here without being noticed...
I opened my eyes to look up at the pouring sky. I can't explain it, but the rain always seems to bring a change of pace. It's like it washes everything down to the gutter so it can start as something new. But I guess you have to make the choice of whether you can start again. I would start over again, even if it meant things were to get worse. At least I would feel a lot better.
Any time it rains I feel a lot better.
"You know, this is only going to get you and me sick." I looked to my left to see Seto Kaiba sitting beside me, completely soaked. Slightly startled as to when he actually showed up, or more importantly, why he showed up, I simply shrugged my shoulders.
"So what? A little cold can be good for you every once in a while," I remarked while trying to sound careless.
"If you insist..." he answered uncertainly. He took off the mask that had been sitting atop his head and placed it in between us on the bench.
I also placed my mask down aside his. The blue and black seemed to contrast each other so much, but matched perfectly. Shaking me head slightly, I looked back up at his face. "You know, a little fun can be good for you too. Would you like to join me?"
"And do what, may I ask?" he questioned sounding skeptical.
"Play in the rain," I answered easily. He looked down at me as if I had grown a third arm before shaking his head.
"No."
"Please?" I pushed on. "Every time I see you, you're always working or doing something for work. I've never seen you do anything but work. Are you sure you don't want to join me?" I finished in a quiet voice. My gaze was back down at my hands that were twisting in my lap.
We both remained silent as the rain continued to pour down. I glanced at Kaiba from the corner of my eye to see his brow furrowed and his eyes unfocused on a puddle. Quickly, I diverted my gaze as he spoke once again. "It's not going to happen."
"Okay..." I answered defeated. The silence broke upon us once again as the rain continued it's parade down form the sky. Almost unconsciously, I began to hum lightly while I swung my legs back and forth. This awkward silence is driving me crazy... Sighing dejectedly, I jumped up from where I sat and began to play in the rain. I jumped form one puddle to another, causing my once blue pants to become covered in thick mud.
"Exactly what are you doing?" Kaiba questioned in a bored tone of voice. However, when I allowed his stare to meet my eyes, I could see a small amount of amusement evident. I smiled softly to partly myself, partly to him.
"I'm dancing," I answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"You call that dancing?" his voice was no longer cold an monotone. It was more like... teasing. Like he was playing a game with me.
Deciding to play along with the game, I frowned slightly. "And what's wrong with my dancing?"
"Well, for starters, this." he answered while standing up and bowing to me mockingly. I smiled softly as I held my hand out for him to accept as if it were tradition. "Your steps are all off. And your count is even worse." he began to guide me around the mud puddles as he counted softly under his breath. I blushed crimson every rare occasion we would make eye contact before lowering my eyes back to our feet. There's so many things running through my head right now. Why is he here? Why is he doing this? Why am I so happy?
Suddenly, Kaiba stopped moving and lifted my hand, instructing me to spin slightly in a way that reminded me of a ballerina. I did so with surprising grace, especially for me, before he bowed once again and letting a deep chuckle break through the silence.
"I knew you could have fun," I spoke softly, breaking the silence.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" he questioned with his old smirk back in place.
"Err, nothing... It's just that you're so unpredictable. You turn down my offer to come with me, but then you suddenly show up as if it's nothing. I just don't know what to expect from you. It's... unsettling," I finished quietly with my stare set back down at my feet.
"You don't know me. I don't like to do what people expect me to do," he answered with a careless shrug of the shoulders."Well then, tell me one thing about you," I kept my face tilted down, but allowed my eyes to wander up to where he stood in front of me. I stood still, waiting for the rejection that I was so sure was about to come.
"I don't like fish," he said suddenly.
"Fish? Umm... okay... is that all?" What a disappointment. I mean, I actually get the guy to talk to me and all he has to say is he doesn't like fish.
"Pretty much. I don't like fish, I think it's gross. What? Where you expecting me to tell you something personal?" he had crossed his arms across his front and was once more giving me a look only Kaiba could produce. I blushed once again while keeping my hands busy with the buttons on my coat.
"More like hoping."
"Hmph, how quaint. Well I told you something about me, so now you tell me something about you." he said condescendingly with that ever-familiar smirk in his face.
"Okay..." I chewed on my lip while trying to come up with something that wouldn't make me appear like too much of an idiot. I think I had that area under control as it is. "Well... I wish I could fly."
"To fly? A bit cliche, don't you think?" I looked up at him just in time to catch a rain drop fall from the end of his nose. He gave me a wry smile and lifted his eyebrows as if waiting for an answer.
"So? I don't care, it's true. I want to fly. Fly very, very far away." I spread my arms as if to emphasis my point. "And just get away from this all..." I dropped my arms unceremoniously before plopping down into the mud. I lifted my head up to stare up at the rain to see Kaiba towering over me. He looked down at his pants that were now covered in mud before shrugging to himself and sitting down next to me in the mud.
"Care to explain?" he questioned while bringing his gaze up to the sky as well. I let out a dejected sigh, shaking my head.
"Not really. As for you?" I asked raising my eyebrows as well.
"Okay, I have another secret..." I let out a mocking gasp before turning to look at him in a facade of shock.
"No way! You mean to tell me that you have a secret that doesn't have to do with fish? I would have never guessed..." I mocked uncharacteristically. I think my yami is beginning to rub off on me.
Don't insult me like that.
I grinned as Kaiba splashed some mud towards me before rolling his eyes. "Fine, I just won't tell you then."
"No, no I'm sorry. Go on..."
"Okay... I wish... I... never mind I changed my mind." He turned to start to get up before I grabbed his wrist.
"Please," I tried to pull out the old pouting trick, but I don't think it had any effect on him. After all, he did have a younger brother; I'm sure he has some kind of immunity to something as weak as that.
"Don't beg. You look like a dog.(2)" He rolled his eyes before sitting properly again. "Okay, I hate the name Kaiba. I prefer Seto. Okay, are you happy now?" I sighed before laying back into the mud, getting my pale hair doused in mud. "Oh come on, don't tell me you were expecting me to open my life to you," he mocked before rolling his eyes and laying down in the mud with me.
"You're crazy, you know that?" This guy never ceased to amaze me...
"I'm not the one that pulled us into the rain. Come on, a cold's one thing, but pneumonia isn't something I really look forward to." He stood up before offering his hand down to me. "Let's go." Accepting his hand, I stood up and shook my hair free of the mud. Kaiba, no, Seto rolled his eyes once again, muttering the word "dog" under his breath before turning back towards the path to the house. I began to follow him, but stopped to run back after the two masks that had been forgotten on the bench. After retrieving the two accessories, I ran to catch back up with him. Smiling, I handed him his mask as I placed mine upon my head. He shook his head and continued walking. Soon, the mansion came back into view. The area was littered with people all saying their goodbyes and climbing back into their expensive cars.
"You're a mess," I commented looking him up and down. "What are your precious fans going to think?"
"Oh, and you're one to talk," he answered critically while picking up a piece of mud stained hair. I gave him an innocent grin before a familiar sound rang throughout the area.
"Setoooooooo! Where were you? I'm soooo hungry! They didn't have real food like you said they would! It all looked icky and fancy and wouldn't have filled me up even if I did want to eat it! I want some pizza!" Seto sighed slightly before we both turned to see Mokuba standing in the doorway with a stern pout in his face and red devil mask in hand.
Rolling his eyes, he led me towards the door that Mokuba stood in. "What happened to you?" Mokuba questioned suddenly before biting on his lip to keep from laughing, but still managed to allow a small giggle to escape.
"Nothing. You'll be fine, kiddo. You just ate before we got here. We're going home right now anyways." Seto said lovingly, ruffling the kid's hair slightly. Mokuba scowled at him and moved his hand form his hair.
"Fine, but when I die of starvation, you know why... I was hungry,(3)" Mokube replied in complete seriousness. I suppressed a laugh as Mokuba pouted and crossed his arms. Seto nodded his head in agreement.
"Of course you will. Go to the car, I'll be there in a minute," Mokuba sighed as if he were the most abused child in the world before stalking off to were I assume the car was. I blushed slightly as Seto turned to me while brushing his bangs out of his face.
"You know what? You're not the only one who's has wanted to fly. Thank you, Ryou Bakura," Seto whispered before leaning down to kiss my mud covered cheek. He turned and walked down the walkway out into the rain. I felt my face burn bright red before I touched my cheek.
Smiling to myself, I pulled the itchy mask back over my face.
(1) Think like Lock's costume from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I love that movie. It used to be able to fix all my problems ((sigh))... (Cain: She's feeling sorry for herself, excuse her.)
(2) Cain: Umm, some movie said this. I think it was that Jennifer Lopez movie 'Enough'. Yeah, that sounds right... I don't really like her or that movie, but ragdoll said that quote reminded her of Seto...
(3)Cain: Yeah, ragdoll's sister said the same exact thing in the same exact tone. I think she about died form laughing at her. Her sister tends to not be the brightest sometimes... Funny, yes; but not too bright...
Cain: Hi! Look who crawled out of her hole in a wall room! It's ragdoll! ((pulls out ragdoll by her arm))Yeah... it's me, ragdoll... hi... I wrote this to let everybody know that I'm not dead... at least not yet... that and it's been written in shorthand for a long time now... yeah... I don't like it... too OCC... Oh well... I'm going to go and crawl back in my hole now... bye...
Cain: ((sweatdrop)) Hey, it's a start... But she says that she may or not continue this. It's up to you guys! If you even like it, tell her in a review! And if anyone out there wants her to continue Bohemian Rhapsody, you're going to have to tell her in a review or e-mail. Yell at her, it's the only way she'll do it. Umm, she says to apologize to everyone about not doing anything lately. You have to understand she is going through some really hard times. Poor dolly... Please review and make her feel better. I'm all out of ideas on how to cheer her up. I've given her favorite picture of Elijah holding a cupcake, made her desktop background a Seto/Ryou picture, and even read her all her FAKE mangas while she lied in bed. And it didn't work. So please review!
Hi treana! ((pulls out ragdoll)) Yeah... Hi... ((heart)) This was for you...
Toodles