Title: Tattoo
Song: Tattoo by Jordin Sparks
Genre: Romance/Angst
Rating: 13+
Pairing: Ryou Bakura and Malik Ishtar
POV: 3rd person
Summary: Bakura's gone. Ryou has no reason to keep troubling Malik. Malik doesn't deserve it.
Authors Notes: I'm sorry to those reading Vicious Cycle, but it's on hiatus. I won't be updating for at least a month, in the interest of ridding my mind of all these oneshot plotbunnies and improving my writing in the process. Back on subject, this is not only my first songfic but also my first Bakura-beats-Ryou and non-BakuraXRyou fic! My chavvy roommate kept playing this song, and although I complained, the lyrics got my inspiration cogs working on overdrive. I do hope you enjoy it, and of course I haven't permanently changed pairing, I just thought I'd add some variety. :3
Disclaimer: Yes, it's true. Kazuki Takahashi is actually a 13 year old girl living in Devon. And pigs fly at 3:42am across the world every Sunday, but no one ever notices. And I don't own the song either.
Ryou and Malik Written/spoken words
Ryou and Malik Description/Commentary
Ryou and Malik Song lyrics
On a coffee table in an apartment rented out to two teenage boys, there's a note.
Two sheets of neat, lined paper. Beautiful italic writing.
The note reads:
Dear Malik,
I've been keeping something from you for a while.
You've probably noticed that I've been avoiding you in the past month.
Ever since Yugis yami defeated Bakura, I haven't known what to do with myself.
Everything that kept me as your friend seemed to disappear.
No matter what you say about love
I keep coming back for more
Keep my hand in the fire
Sooner or later, I'll get what I'm asking for
The times when Bakura would beat me, and you'd treat my wounds and tell me the pain would soon end.
When I'd wake up to find that Bakura had taken control of my body again, and there would be blood under my fingernails, and you'd wash my hands and tell me I'd done nothing wrong.
When I'd not want to leave the house because people loathed me, you'd hug me and tell me things would change in time.
All these memories are so precious to me.
You always said there was no point falling in love, that being tied down to someone would bring only sadness.
I can't say that I agree with you, the love I've felt has been the only scrap of hope left in my life for quite some time.
By now you'll probably have worked out who brings that hope.
No matter what you say about life
I learn everytime I bleed
That truth is a stranger
Soul is in danger, I gotta let my spirit be free
You would always say 'life's a bitch', that you always have to wait for justice, and being a good person required patience and tolerance.
That's true, and if so, I think you must be a really good person.
I'll never know what made Bakura want to hurt me.
When he'd hit me I'd wonder, maybe be envied me? Maybe he was unnerved by me? Or maybe he just hated me as he did everyone else.
But I know I got to him somehow.
But that's not important now, he was a lost cause, and now he's gone.
To admit that I'm wrong
And then change my mind
Sorry but I have to move on
And leave you behind
I can't waste time so give it a moment
I realize, nothing's broken
No need to worry 'bout everything I've done
Live every second like it was my last one
Don't look back got a new direction
I loved you once, I needed protection
You're still a part of everything I do
You're on my heart just like a tattoo
I always valued your understanding, your friendship, and now I have to stop lying to myself.
I'm in love with you.
I know you'll never feel the same way for me, and that's fine, I don't want to be a burden.
That's why I'm leaving.
Now Bakura's gone, I can live for myself, I'm not a lost cause.
I can put everything behind me, and to do that, I have to leave you behind.
I'm sorry I became so close to you, and I won't forget you, that I can guarantee.
I'm sick of playing all of these games
It's not about taking sides
When I looked in the mirror, didn't deliver
It hurt enough to think that I could
Stop, admit that I'm wrong
And then change my mind
Sorry but I gotta be strong
And leave you behind
I need to stop kidding myself that I can forget everything and yet keep you in my life, you probably don't even want to know me anymore.
The idea of losing you scared me - hell, it still does - so bad that I wanted to stay in this confused state, as long as you were there with me.
But I can't do that.
I'm leaving tomorrow.
Thank you, Goodbye, I love you.
Ryou
Next to this note, there is another.
A yellow post-it note. Chunky capitals.
This one reads:
Ryou,
You were never a burden.
Being with you taught me so much.
Learning is fun.
I love you too.
Malik.
P.S: I'm on the balcony.
If I live every moment
Won't change any moment
Still a part of me and you
I will never regret you
Still the memory of you
Marks everything I do
On the balcony, the two stand, embracing eachother.
The smaller, paler of the two, is crying, shuddering in the others arms.
The taller, tanned one strokes the others white hair and whispers words into his ear.
"Just stay with me. I want you with me always. Like a tattoo."
He stops sobbing and nuzzles into the others sandy hair, and reaches down his back to finger the hieroglyphics engraved into his back.
Then he peers into his wild, violet eyes.
He smiles,
"I love you Malik."
"I love you too Ryou."
Just like a tattoo
I'll always have you
R&R darlings! :D