***posting early because I'll be apartment hunting Tuesday***

Oh, and fyi, if you haven't checked out my ao3 account yet, there are a few one shots (thiefshipping) over there that aren't here (since it's so much easier to post over there).


Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

I've never done anything so stupid in my life before. Why did I even…

I buried my face in Kek's shirt as he whispered into my hair. My fingers dug into his shoulders. I was trembling against him. I was so mad at myself. How rude! To kiss him without asking. That's something stupid Bakura would do- not me.

Hmphthe only difference is that he'd get away with it somehow.

Not that it mattered. I was supposed to be more sensible than that.

"Come on. Come on," Kek whispered.

He kissed the crown of my head and lifted me up into his arms, carrying me to our bedroom. He set me down, shut the door, and dropped a kitten into my lap. I rubbed my face with the sleeve of my shirt. It took me a moment to realize I was holding Diabound VII. I was still sniffling, my tears winding down but lingering on my eyelashes and tickling my cheeks, but I couldn't help but smile at the little ball of fur in my lap. A few head scritches was all it took to have her purring and spiraled into a little cinnamon roll shape in the center of my lap.

"I'm sorry," I exhaled. The kitten had me calmed enough that I felt like I could speak without fresh tears. "I fucked everything up, didn't I?"

"If we were going to fail, I'm glad it was with a kiss and not with Marik and I fistfighting ourselves over a cliff."

"No offense to Marik, but I don't think he'd last more than 12 seconds in a fight against you."

"Oh yeah, I sorta forgot I can box now." Kek sat down next to me, carding his fingers through my hair.

"I'm sorry." I leaned against his shoulder.

"Stop apologizing, Ryou."

"You probably think it was because of the video. That I got hot and bothered and then just went for it because Marik was sitting beside me, but no, it had nothing to do with trying to seduce him. I wasn't… really thinking. He was sitting there laughing, and looked so happy, beautiful, at that moment that it- it was instinct, I guess."

"You don't have to explain." Kek bumped me with his shoulder. "I know better than anyone about subconscious impulses. I used to be little more than emotion and impulse."

"For a moment, I was afraid you'd hit him back."

"Had it been anyone else I would have left them broken on the floor, but Marik's… a special case, and I knew how he'd respond when you kissed him. I should have warned you." Kek sniffed, working the corner of his eye with the heel of his hand. "It's sad though, I really like Marik. At first I thought it was some stupid other-half bullshit, you know how that works."

"Yeah, I know."

"But, Monster World was so much more fun when he played with us. And watching movies. And sitting on the couch together." He held the sides of my head, kissing my forehead. Kek brushed his thumb over the cheek Marik had slapped. "Are you okay? Did it hurt?"

"The only thing he hurt was my heart." I tried to laugh, although I felt like I was full of rocks. My cheeks flared up. "And my pride. I've never been rejected before. Usually I'm the one turning other people down."

"Marik doesn't know what he's missing. You're the best."

I shook my head to disagree.

"Don't argue with me. I know what I'm talking about." He kissed my forehead again. We lay back in the bed, holding each other. Diabound settled into the space between us. Kek sighed after a long, uncomfortable silence. "They're going to leave now, aren't they?"

"Probably," I admitted.

"The kittens are going to be upset when their group is broken up."

"Me too. We didn't even get a chance to get to know Marik well enough, and it's my fault that we won't have the time to."

"It probably wouldn't have worked out anyway. We knew that."

"Yeah. I guess our plan wasn't thought through very well. It seemed light hearted and fun at the time, but, hmmm..." I blew out a slow breath, fingers lost in Diabound's fur. "It's just complicated instead."

I heard scratching from under the bed, and a moment later Marik's kitten climbed up and jumped beside Diabound. Kek reached out and rubbed behind the brown kitten's ear. I imagined the other two kittens running around the apartment somewhere. The fact that they were swapped with their owners somehow made it all the more depressing.

"I still love you," Kek whispered like it was a secret I shouldn't know. "I'll never stop. Those other two are going to be missing out, but I'm looking forward to all the moments I'll have with you all to myself."

I stopped petting Diabound so I could tangle my fingers into Kek's hair. I grinned and pressed my forehead against his chest. "Right back at you, Kek. I love you so much." I sighed. "I'll have to apologize to Marik later, once everything has settled down a bit."

"Ryou?" Kek asked, his eyes glassy from holding back his own tears.

"Yeah, Kek?"

"Can we still watch some of our videos?" He asked again, his cheeks darkening a touch with the question. "I… they're comforting, you know?"

"Okay, but my laptop's in the living room."

"I'll get it." He kissed the tip of my nose and left.

I sat up and leaned against the headboard. Diabound crawled back into my lap, but the other kitten chose a spot next to my feet. Kek appeared a moment later with my laptop.

"They're still talking in the kitchen. At least Marik isn't screaming and ranting, that's good, right?"

"Did he sound upset?" I frowned. I knew he had every right to be mad, but I hope I didn't upset him too much. I hated to think of Marik being upset because of something I did to him.

"I can never really tell when he's talking to Bakura. He always sounds a little short-tempered." Kek sat next to me again and put the computer in his lap. The screen was still up with a video of Kek trying to learn how to braid hair. It was a few weeks after his bout. He practiced until he was almost as good as Bakura with the tiny braids.

"Did you want a different one?" I asked. "I picked that one because Bakura was playing with your hair, but I have some of our gaming sessions taped."

"This one's great. You should let me braid your hair tonight."

"Ha, okay." I gave a single laugh, trying to smile for Kek's sake. "That'll take all night thought."

"Good. We don't have anywhere to be."

He kissed my temple and I turned to kiss his cheek. It turned into a quick back and forth kiss-match until we were both giggling. I leaned my head against his shoulder and he rested his cheek on the top of my head. A thick ache clogged my chest. Bakura was going to leave. Marik was going to leave. And it didn't dull the pain, but having Kek beside me still was the greatest comfort I could ask for.