Palace Rebel!
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Chapter Thirty-Seven
Its A Secret
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Mariku sighed ruffling up Ryou's hair, they had chosen not to speak about Ryou's attempted suicide…Marik had been slightly confused when Mariku came home still partially drenched in the middle of the night with Ryou on his back…But he didn't question…
Ryou was happily smiling now though and it had only been a week, but he smiled as if nothing happened
Mariku sighed walking down the street with Ryou…he had said he loved him…but now it seemed like it wasn't the same love as he felt towards the pale teen…Ryou was acting as if it never happened and it didn't bother him, the albino actually seemed happier…
"Mariku?" Ryou stopped smiling and practically stopped all together, "you know what happened last week? What I said?"
"Um, yeah?" Mariku shrugged forcing the pale teen from the path and off the side somewhere more private
"You saved me…" Ryou said quietly, "but…I just wanted to say, I still don't know how I feel about you sorry…I can't say openly I love you, because I'm still confused…I know I said it…but…"
"Shhh, Ryou," Mariku quickly stopped the other teen as his eyes started to go puffy, "its ok really…its just nice to know you haven't forgotten, that you still like me in a weird way…I don't mind if you don't love me yet," Mariku smoothed down Ryou's hair calmly, "as long as your safe and happy…"
"I don't deserve you Mariku," Ryou sniffed slightly, "you deserve someone better than me who can't even figure out how I bloody feel and tries killing myself…"
"Hey, hey hey…Ryou, I wouldn't dream about loving anyone else, and trust me its not the first time I've dealt with attempted suicide…me and Marik have both tried one time or another when he were little…Isis and Rishid were still with us then and stopped us…"
"You don't truly think Father would hurt me?" Ryou looked at Mariku, "you lied to me before…tell me the truth…"
"Look Ryou, I can't say without lying to you that I believe he won't hurt you and he loves you," Mariku sighed, "I don't believe that and you know it…he has already hurt you…I don't want to make you upset, but you told me not to lie…but I believe he would hurt you…"
Ryou sniffed slightly, "thankyou for telling me the truth Mariku…" he couldn't care less if he cried right now…he had always tried to convince himself his father would stop if he knew he was truly hurting him…But Mariku said he believed his father was capable and would hurt him past breaking point…
"Don't cry Ryou," Mariku carefully held Ryou's non-scarred cheek and whipped his thumb along it to wipe the tears away with it, "it's probably just in my head because of my own father I think this…so please don't cry…"
"I'm not crying…" Ryou sniffed, "I don't know…I try to think around it…that he wont hurt me seriously, but I know deep down I don't really believe it either…I've never really believed it, why else would I let the doubt constantly consume me?"
"It's ok Ryou," Mariku smoothed quietly, "he's not here now…"
"But…even though I have these thoughts Mariku…I know he will hurt me, if only just a little…Why is it I still think about returning to the palace? To him?"
"I don't know…but please don't," Mariku sighed, "he doesn't deserve you…" Mariku quietly just held Ryou in his arms as he waited for the teen to calm down before pushing him away slightly and leading him out off the alley way they had hidden themselves in, he clutched Ryou's hand firmly as he lead him through the crowded streets
Ryou blushed slightly as Mariku held his hand dragging him through the streets…it was mostly just the fact Mariku was holding his hand and it send butterflies through his stomach and it felt nice…
Nice? Was that the best word he could come up with?
Seriously?
He didn't want to let go off the tanned hand either as he clutched it tighter
"Hey did you want to go to the library? Katio should be reading today?" Mariku smirked slightly as he felt Ryou's pale hand slowly tighten in his tanned one, like saying don't go…don't worry Ryou, he had no intentions of leaving…
Ryou nodded slowly as Mariku slowly dragged him towards the library…it wasn't far…Mariku was first to push through the door and let the cool air hit them as they entered the room filled with books, he smiled as Mariku lead Ryou over to where Katio had already begun telling stories she smiled sweetly as the two older teens sat down in the back quietly…Mariku slowly released the pale hand in his grasps as they sat, but Ryou obviously had other plans as he clung onto the tanned hand and looked up the front listening to the story intently…Mariku smirked slightly gripping back onto Ryou's hand and looking up the front at Katio again
Once Katio finished her stories and dismissed the kids she walked over to the two standing up the back, "Bakura!" she smiled happily hugging the albino fondly making him let go of Mariku's hand out of pure shock, "Mariku was worried sick about you! I'm so pleased he found you!"
"Mariku was worried sick?" Ryou glanced up at the tanned teen, whose cheeks were slowly tainting a pale pink
"I just needed to check you were ok?" Mariku tired to sound tough, "I was pissed you left without me asshole!"
"You guys are the cutest!" Katio smiled taking a step back, "but Ryou," she smiled leaning in just so Ryou could hear and not Mariku, "he was worried sick about you…keep him close…"
Ryou flushed slightly, for two reasons…one the girls face was to close and he could feel her breath and secondly…Mariku was worried about him? and also! Keep him close! What was that meant to mean!
"Anyway! I'm so glad your back now!" she smiled pulling away from Ryou and clapping her hands together despite the way the Egyptian teen glared at her in annoyance…
"What did you just say?"
"It's a secret~" Katio giggled looking at the Egyptian teen check over Ryou protectively
"Mariku!" Ryou flushed even deeper as Mariku started to check him over, plus he could tell Katio was watching and smiling…She knew? Didn't she?
Mariku liked him…and she knew it
"I'm fine Mariku…" Ryou shivered slightly as Mariku dragged him closer
"Then tell me bunny~" Mariku moaned, "what did she say!"
"She likes pears…" Ryou shrugged, smiling cheekily
"I do like pears," she smiled happily
"That wasn't bloody it!" Mariku growled, "what was it!"
"That was it," Ryou shrugged
"Prove it!"
"How am I meant to prove it Mariku?"
"Um…just prove it! Stop lying!"
"I told you the truth…"
"Please bunny!"
"You have no evidence that wasn't what she said and if you had of heard what she said, you would of heard these words, 'I like pears!' " Ryou giggled slightly
"She didn't bloody say that! Thats a stupid thing to whisper! No one would whisper that!"
"I would," Katio smiled
"Arg! Just bloody tell me!"
"But we did Mariku~"
"No you bloody didn't!"
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Thankyou for reading…