Disclaimer: Kairan Akiyama is not the owner YGO, that title belongs to Kazuki Takahashi (lucky bastard). Arigatou-hamster to Raven-san for beta-ing.
"…" – talking
italics – thoughts
… – emphasized
/…/ – hikari to yami
/italics/ – yami to hikari
-italics- – song lyrics (all songs are from "Fallen" CD by Evanescence)
"..." – flashback (Chap. 7 and 8)
SHOUNEN-AI, WHEE!
Enjoy the ride.
If I could say "I love You"
CHAPTER SEVEN: Itooshii Hito no Tame ni
YUUGI
"Ryou?" I stood outside his bathroom and knocked again. "Ryou, I know you're in there."
"Go away, I'm taking a shower."
I knocked again. "Ryou, open the door. And you're not taking a shower."
"Fine, just go away."
"Ryou…" I growled softly and knocked again. "Why won't you talk to me?"
"Because you look like him."
"What!" I just stood there, my eyes wide and my fist shaking. He won't even look at me because of Yami! I tried not to let my voice show my anger, but I knew I couldn't hide it. "I know you're mad at Yami for taking Bakura from you and Bakura for not noticing you, but you can't think of what you don't have, remember what you do. You have me, Ryou. I'm your friend, Ryou; I care about you…" I took a deep breath. "…and I… I love you."
The door opened and Ryou stood before me, his eyes shining with tears.
I still can't believe he did it.
-x-
RYOU
I don't know what I was thinking. I came out from the bathroom, hearing Yuugi's "I love you" in my head like a broken record. He… he loves… "Yuugi…" That's when I did it, and I have no regrets.
I took Yuugi in my arms and kissed him passionately, my tongue begging to be allowed in his mouth; he willingly complied. I explored Yuugi's body. And not just with my tongue. My hands became two separate beings; my left hand settled onto Yuugi's backside, petting that cute little ass of his, while my right hand caressed the left side of his face, my arm holding him up, lest he fall back. We finally broke the kiss to breath and stared at each other, breathing heavily. "Ryou, that was… wow."
"Too much?" I asked, leaning against the bathroom door.
I made a kind of squeal/squeak as Yuugi pressed against me, kissing me with as much ferocity as I had. "Not nearly enough."
I smiled and pulled Yuugi to my couch, sitting him in my lap as I laid down. "Ai'shiteru, Yuugi."
Yuugi cuddled against me and kissed my cheek. "Ai'shiteru, Ryou."
-x-
MALIK
After twenty minutes of going no where, I pulled my cycle up to Rainbow Paradise. I helped Mokuba off my motorcycle and walked up to the help desk, taking a white key card from Otogi. Mokuba and I stood in the elevator in awkward silence. Enjoy it, I though, glancing down at Mokuba, who cried silently and kept wiping tears away. I might not be here to help you next time. I slashed the key card through the lock in front of the white door once we were out of the elevator. Mokuba took in a small breath as the door opened. "Calm down, we're just going to talk." That's right, Mokuba's never been up to Crystal Point. Crystal Point was like a miniature house; sofa, chairs, kitchenette, bathroom, the basics. Its décor was rather bland, everything was white. Then again, one doesn't really focus on their surroundings when they're fucking like rabbits. "I think we have some ice cream," I said, taking the first step. "Any kind in particular you want?"
"Mint chocolate chip, please," Mokuba answered softly. He sat on the sofa and wrapped his arms around his knees, taking steady breaths between his knees.
I came back and tapped Mokuba gently, smiling as I handed him his ice cream. "Let's talk, Mokuba." I sat beside him, twirling the straw nervously in my iced tea. "I know it's hard, but you'll feel better."
"I don't want to talk," Mokuba replied. He made circles in his ice cream with his spoon before breaking down and crying again.
"Oh Mokuba…" I took him into my arms and rocked him slowly on my lap, petting him reassuringly and whispering comfort. "It's okay, Ryuu-chan, we'll get everything worked out with Seto, I promise. Do you want to stay here with me tonight?"
"Nii-san hates me…"
"That's not true, Ryuu-chan," I said strongly. "You're Seto's life, he could never hate you. You above all people should know that." It felt strange to hold Mokuba like that, I mean, we cuddled and kissed before; hell, I almost got into his pants once, but it was never like this. This was different… it felt almost like love.
Mokuba and I had a strange relationship. It started once Battle City was over and when Rashid, Isis and I began our new lives. We got an apartment in Domino and Rashid and myself got our first jobs. Rashid and I were working at Hot Topic. I was heading to the bathroom on my break when I heard all the commotion. I don't want to think about what might've happened if I hadn't shown up…
"You're a pretty boy, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I bet he has a real sweetheart waiting for him."
"I wonder if they'd mind if we took him for a spin?"
There was a crowd of street trash around Mokuba in the bathroom. They got him in a corner and made a path as the 'leader' came up. "Now now, boys. Is this anyway to treat our guest?" He came closer to Mokuba and touched his cheek. "Don't worry, gorgeous," he whispered. "It won't hurt that bad."
"Are you sure?" One of the idiots had leaned his lead pipe against the wall and I put it to better use: knocking Mr. Smooth out cold. "Anyone else want to try something?" I asked menacingly, standing between them and Mokuba. I spun the pipe like I did my Millennium Rod and kicked their leader in his jewels. "Well?" Let's just say, those thugs have great posture for people without spines. I dropped the pipe and kneeled in front of Mokuba, he was quietly sniffling. "It's okay now, little one… they're gone."
"I'm not that little," Mokuba interjected.
"Little enough," I replied. "Come on, let's go before sleeping beauty wakes up." I took Mokuba back to Hot Topic with me and got a wicked idea. "You know what you need, Ryuu-chan?"
"Ryuu-chan?" Mokuba inquired skeptically.
"You need… a makeover," I continued. "A new look. Something besides stripes, lots of black, maybe some eyeliner."
"You want me to look like Yami?" Mokuba asked.
"I didn't say anything about leather," I replied. "Come on, let me show you around." I took his hand and shoved him into the dressing room, tossing random pieces of clothes through the curtain. "Try these on."
"This isn't me, Malik," Mokuba protested from behind the veil. "And why are you trying to change my clothes?"
"Listen, everyone has their own style." I came in the booth with three more outfits tucked under my arm. "Kaiba is casual businessman, Jou is street punk, Yami and Yuugi are leather worshippers, and Ryou is a frickin' school boy. I am not letting you leave this store in your little-boy clothes."
"What about the customer always being right?" Mokuba remarked.
"I have the right to waive your judgment," I retorted, reaching for a shirt. "Now put it on before I force it on you." I, against Mokuba's complaining and fidgeting, got him out of his yellow vest and blue striped shirt. "Now for the other one…" I held a black tee out.
"Get that away from me!" Mokuba cried out.
By now, I assumed there was a crowd outside the stall, wondering what the hell all the yelling was about. And our shouting didn't help the situation.
"It'll fit, just hold still."
"No way am I letting you touch me with that thing!"
"Stop wiggling or you might tear it."
"Ow, stop pulling my hair!"
"Alright, let's try this then."
"LET GO OF MY PANTS!"
"Great Horus, it's not going to kill you."
"Stop doing that!"
"I didn't break anything."
"Get that off of me!"
"Stop being such a baby, it'll only get worse if you struggle."
By then, the mall security was called and they opened the curtain without a second thought. Let's just say, the crowd saw what they didn't expect.
Mokuba wore a black short sleeved t-shirt with navy blue fishnet underneath. Deep blue jeans accented his legs and his hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. I even gave him one of my earrings to wear (I pierced his left ear amidst the commotion). "So, how do feel, Ryuu-chan?" I asked, thoroughly pleased with myself.
"I… I…" He looked at himself in the mirror and beamed. "I love it!"
That's how it started. A simple wardrobe change blossomed into a relationship, or so it seemed. Mokuba and I were never really touchy-feely around each other; hand holds, snuggling before we went to sleep, which was quite often, but never anything this serious, this real. "It's okay, my dragon," I said, stroking his hair and comforting him as best I could. "We'll get this straightened out. I can't stand to see you like this."
"Thank you, Malik," Mokuba replied, his tears finally stopping. He lifted his head from my chest and looked so innocent and young, like an angel with a broken wing.
I still don't know what came over me, but I saw myself, like an out-of-body experience, hold Mokuba tightly and capture him in a kiss. Not one of our passing kisses, like a quickie before I dropped him off at school or went in for my shift, not a rushed one like he'd be late getting home, but a real kiss. I held onto him passionately and only broke the bond so both of us could breath. I embraced him tightly and he clung to me like a child after a nightmare. So this is what it feels like… what it truly is… I lowered my head to Mokuba's ear and whispered so softly, I barely heard my own profession. "I love you, my sweet dragon."
