"It's been eight months, you know..."
Marik's voice was still in his head. He shut his eyes tightly. "Shut up..." he whispered.
"I never expected it to last so long..." a cheerful, sandy-haired boy was whispering in his mind.
Jounouchi lay back on the bed, fixing his eyes on the ceiling. "Enough..." he said, louder than before.
"I never thought I would say this... but I'm pretty sure Kaiba is head over heels with you..."
That was Anzu's voice, sneaking in Jounouchi's memory, only to torture the blonde boy.
He lay on his side, holding back his tears.
"You must be very happy... he had said, his eyes wandering in the room, looking anywhere but Marik's eyes.
Oh, yes... very happy...
I'll miss you...
That was his voice... Those were HIS eyes caressing Marik's face. He gave his boyfriend a soft kiss. He held Marik, before he entered the limo, all set to go to that business trip.
He didn't spare one look for Jounouchi, who was standing there, miserable companion for Marik, who couldn't stand returning home alone after he would have said this bittersweet goodbye to Seto.
A goodbye not meant to last.
"Mutt..."
He burried his face in his pillow.
"Mediocre duelist..."
Those were possibly the kindest words Seto ever used to adress him.
Not anymore, though. His relationship with Marik had somehow... changed him. He was more quiet, more relaxed... more tolerant. In the few cases he got to see Jounouchi, he would simply nod to him, without saying a word.
And the blonde would catch himself hoping the name-calling would come back. That way... Kaiba would pay at least some attention to him.
He chocked his sobs back, behind a bitter smile. So pathetic... hoping the brunette would curse at him again... just so he would hear the sound of his voice.
In the end, Kaiba was right. He was weak. He was weak... and pathetic...
Why did the memory of them kissing kept coming back in his head...?
He burried his face in his pillow again, unable to hold back the tears anymore.
"I honestly thought Kaiba couldn't love..." Honda was whispering somewhere in the back of his head.
Oh, yes, he can. He can love. He can love the handsome Egyptian... with all his heart.
Look at him... crying over that boy. That boy that wouldn't be caught dead laying his eyes on him. That boy that never belonged to him. That boy that loved someone else.
How is it, Marik...?
How is it to know you can always run back to him in the end of the day...?
How is it... to know nobody can take him from you...? Because he belongs to you... because his heart beats for you...?
I am happy for you, Marik.
I really am.
Don't let go of this. Don't let go of him.
All he could hear now was the sound of his sobs.
Pitiful reminder that his love would remain unrequited...