Title: "Until My Heart Stops"
Author: Uke
Rating: PG
Pairing: Ryo x Edo (Zane x Aster)
Genre: Romance, fluff, and slight angst.
A/N: Hehe, I REALLY shouldn't be writing this fanfic…x3;; I'm such a procrastinator. Right now I have a another fanfiction project that I'm working on which is a request from someone, and I also have to write the next chapter for my story School Project which I honestly haven't even STARTED yet. But of course instead of doing what I'm supposed to do I get a random ficlet idea and I decide to write this instead. XD Next week I'm off for Winter Break, though, so hopefully I'll be able to get the stories done then that people are actually waiting for!! But either way I hope all of you will like this story too and please R&R!! This story takes place between episodes 137-145.
Warnings: Shounen-ai (BOY x BOY relationships), spoilers for the later episodes of season three, and bastard!Ryo. If any of these things offend you, please do not read.
Disclaimer: Yeah…I don't own Yugioh GX…you know the drill.
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"You're an idiot, you know that?" Ryo said as he folded his arms, leaning against a tree for support. Edo simply just smirked, his usual reaction. "Maybe I am." He decided, "But I'm happy this way. And that's all that really matters, right?"
Ryo couldn't help but smirk too as he glanced over at the younger teen. It had been a few days now since Edo had asked that priceless question. Ryo remembered just how amusing it was to him to see the silver-haired teen's cheeks flushed as he demanding that Ryo would be his boyfriend while stating all of the things that he wanted Ryo to do. Ryo loved the look on Edo's face when he hesitated with his answer…Edo looked nervous and started blushing more, his glaring slowly fading away. But of course Ryo agreed and that's what brought them to be the way they were now.
Ryo's true feelings had been made apparent to Edo some time before, from all of the non-stop flirting and occasional seductive kisses that the bluenette would surprise the teen with. But that wasn't enough for Edo; he wanted something steady, something solid that he could hold on to…and that very thing was giving a title to him and Ryo's relationship.
"If you say so…" Ryo responded with, looking directly at Edo now, a blank expression on his face. "But I never would've guessed you out of all the people were naïve. Heh, asking me out…you have no idea what you're in for." It was these words that caused Edo to smile, as he looked away, looking up at the starry night sky. "I have a basic idea…I mean…it is you that we're talking about." Ryo's expression remained emotionless, "What's that supposed to mean?" Edo laughed slightly and stuck his tongue out at Ryo playfully. "Well…you're Hell Kaiser. I know plenty about you, believe me. You find someone…you're with them for a while because you just can't say no to a cute boy…and then you leave them. It's the same all the time." Edo laughed again but then looked down, looking sad though it was obvious to Ryo that he was trying to hide it. "And…I'm just like them…I know that…" He shook his head, "Not that it matters…I'm just doing this for fun."
Ryo knew he couldn't deny what Edo was saying. The stories about his past relationships…they were all true. Ryo just couldn't get himself to get close to people. Even if he tried to open up to them, eventually he would just automatically close himself off and turn completely cold; usually to the point where either he or the other would have to leave to end it all. It was shocking enough to Ryo that he managed to keep friends such as Fubuki and Judai, and Ryo still didn't understand to this day why his little brother Shou would always act so close to him.
As for all of the other people who tried to get in…though Ryo didn't understand it, he just accepted it. Everyone wanted to get in Ryo's Marufuji's pants, and Ryo couldn't help but agree to some of them. First of all he pitied them…out of all the people in the world they went to him…Ryo felt sorry that they would actually stoop that low and so he'd agree to go out with them, to humor them at most. And deep down inside Ryo DID want to feel close to someone. He knew that his body's defense system from past heartbreaks would always kick in and stop this from happening, but the want to be normal…to actually care about someone and love them was always there. With each and every person that came around that silent question was asked; would he be the one?
Ryo sighed, looking away from the teen once more. "If you know that already then…why even try? Why me?" Edo blinked at the question but then smiled playfully. "Because you're the one I want. And if I want you I have to at least try…am I right? I guess I'm just like the others…I wanna win a date with Hell Kaiser!!" "But…you said you were just doing this for fun." Ryo said, reminding the silver-haired boy. Edo nodded, "I did, and this IS just for fun." Ryo sighed, "So…I could treat you like shit and you'll still be happy just because you could say that you got with Hell Kaiser?" Edo shrugged, "Well…I'd rather you not treat me like shit, but if that's what makes you happy…"
Ryo couldn't help but laugh slightly as he shook his head. "Pathetic…" He mumbled. He then walked towards Edo, lifting his chin to stare into Edo's beautiful sapphire eyes. "You're a strange one, Edo…" Ryo whispered with a smirk, "You're really…different from everyone else." Edo couldn't help but blush lightly at the closeness of the older teen, but he managed to smirk back anyway. "Is that what you tell everyone?" He asked. Ryo shook his head, leaning in even more. "No…believe it or not, you're the only one I've ever said that to…" Edo started blushing more but shook it off with a laugh, "W-wow, so I'm special now, huh? Getting compliments from Ryo Marufuji…lucky me!"
Ryo was now inches away from Edo's lips, and the smaller boy couldn't help but shiver at the teasing heat from Ryo's breath. "I sense sarcasm…" He whispered as he closed his eyes as if he was about to kiss Edo, pulling away from him just at the last second. Edo pouted but quickly shook it off, not wanting to show Ryo any weakness. "Edo…you do know that this isn't going to last, though…don't you?" Sadness shined in Edo's eyes for a moment but it was quickly covered up by a fake smile, "I know…you say I'm different than everyone else but the truth is I'm just like the others. You'll play with my heart for a while and then get tired of me…just like you got tired of everyone else."
Ryo laughed slightly and smirked at him, "When you put it that way I really do sound like a bastard…" Edo rolled his eyes, "You are a bastard, Ryo-kun. You're a bastard in every sense of the word." Ryo was amused now, "I still don't get you…you know my story, you know what will probably happen with us, and you know that I'm a bastard…and yet you're still here. You're not ready to leave yet?" Edo smiled and looked away, as if to tease the taller boy. "Nope! Not yet…and I have a feeling that I won't be ready for that for a VERY long time." Ryo just shook his head, looking away from him once more. "You think that now…but you'll see soon enough." Edo looked directly at Ryo now, his eyes slowing narrowing into his trademark glare. "What do you mean? Are you planning on starting to beat me or something to push me away? Real mature, Ryo-kun…hitting a boy that's smaller and younger than you."
Ryo glared then too. "Please. Not all the things you hear about me are true…I never hit anyone. And besides, that's not even what I mean." Edo tilted his head to the side questioningly, "Hm? Then what?" Ryo looked down, his hair hiding his expression. "I…don't have much time left." Edo tried to study Ryo's expression, trying to get a clue of his emotion at the moment, but couldn't find anything to help him figure it out. "Not much time left? What the hell are you talking about?" Edo's eyes flashed with curiosity as well as a hint of slight worry.
Ryo didn't answer for a while, something he became famous for when it came to Edo, and when he finally looked at him a smile was shown on his face. The smile was different from the others that Edo had seen so far…it wasn't a playful smile or a smile of amusement. Rather, there seemed to be love present in the smile as well as a touch of sadness. Somehow this one single smile caused Edo's heart to beat faster, emotions for the bluenette slowly becoming stronger by the second. "It's…hard to explain." Ryo finally said, barely even beginning to answer Edo's question, "You'll see soon enough and when that time comes…you'll be able to forget about me." Edo remained silent, "B-but…" His words quickly faded. Edo couldn't even try to answer.
Ryo, of course, was talking about his heart. The underground duels had taken such an extreme toll on him that his heart was giving out a little more everyday. The pains from it were harder to hide, and every single time he fell asleep he became almost completely sure that his heart would stop beating in his sleep and he'd die that way and never wake up. Ryo was no way at all afraid of dying. He wasn't suicidal, but life…it was something that he didn't particularly care about. What did it matter, anyway? People claimed that he was "important" to them, but if he dropped dead right now would anyone even notice? What was his true purpose?
Ryo sighed and then smiled, gently lifting Edo's chin again and kissing him lightly on the cheek. "Never mind." He said, his expression once again completely unreadable. Edo pouted, looking down. "Weirdo." He mumbled, "Maybe I don't know as much about you as I thought…you really are so impossible to read." Ryo smirked, "So are you going to give up now?" Edo's response was just a smile. "Never." Ryo then wrapped his arms around the silver-haired teen's waist and started to lean down, as Edo wrapped his arms around Ryo's neck, standing up onto his tippie-toes. Ryo's eyes began to close, "Edo-chan…I love you…" He whispered as his lips came closer and closer to Edo's. "Mm…love you too…" Edo whispered back as the rest of the space between the two boys vanished, and their lips locked into a long and passionate kiss.
Did Edo believe Ryo's words? Ryo would never know for certain. Ryo's best guess would be that Edo didn't…too many people had the same result with Ryo, so Ryo knew that Edo was probably expecting the same thing with him. But what Edo didn't know was that what Ryo told him before…about Edo being different…that was the actual truth. To Ryo, Edo was different. He would never know what it was…but he knew it was true. When Ryo said that he loved him, for the first time, he actually meant it. Edo was the one he wanted to be with. Edo was the one he wanted to hold and protect. And though he still had problems opening up and caring about someone…he was going to try his hardest. This time he wasn't going to give up; because he knew if anyone could change Ryo and make him love…it would be Edo Phoenix.
And though his life was becoming shorter, and he wasn't exactly sure if Edo would still be there when Ryo's time was up, he wasn't going to give up, even then. He promised himself that he'd stay with Edo. And he would love him until his very last breath.