Ah… the final chapter- what can I say? I liked this story- for the most part ^_~. There were some tough points- and there were some pretty fun chapters to write as well- but I guess I liked it overall. So- knowing this story is at a "conclusion" is sorta depressing- but there is plenty of true yaoi I wanna write… so this ending opens up a lot of doors ^_^.
Replies!:
RENEE THE RABID SQUIRREL: Tear
worthy? Huh? [laughs]
DARK LADY SETSUNA: It better
be long? Well- it's sorta long. And it's not the end… just read the general
note later on- and um… there's also "Just Let Me Be in Love"… so it's not the
END.
ANI-COOLGIRL: Kizzu? Guess you'll be pleased.
PRINCESS STRAWBERRY: A
Yami/Yuugi story? I've been thinking about it… they're not my personal fav- but I've been thinking about it. The two seem like
masochists- and I tend to like that sorta thing… so the chances are high- just
keep an eye out on my stories!
XING@FANFICTION.NET: You
hate me? [sniffles] don't say mean things like thaaaat! And yeah- the songs are mostly pretty good…
FLUFFCAT: Plot development?
^_~. I like the wording right there! You signed up for Malik-mail? Well- just
e-mail the webmaster account if you're having any problems… I'm thinking about
changing the logo- but I'm not sure if I can color my chibi
picture on the computer that well…!
RYOUBAKURAFAN013: You want
the story to go on forever? Don't say that! Everything has to come to a
conclusion...! Yes- Ryou doing the thing that he did before… Well- I couldn't
just drop that completely from the picture, ya know? I mean- it happened- he
stopped for a while- but I guess it could be related to stress? Bulimia is a
mental illness and all and Ryou never got really treated… And
3x4? I've decided to please you- I've written the first part of the
story you suggested, so check my profile to read it. I think its very short- it's
the first part after all- but hopefully it'll please your GW fan fiction
appetite, k? Don't worry- I'll make it a good shonen ai, just for you! Gosh…
everyone hated Emiru… she wasn't meant to be hated! ((besides-
if she ever shows up again, I'll try and make her so that she's not buggin' anyone…!)) And yeah- I understand about your end "dilemma"
and stuff- I feel that way sometimes about really good fics…
but don't worry- I'll keep writing YGO fics as well as
a few GW ones and everything ((And since I finished watching Ayashi no Ceres [sniffles] I'll write some of those too- I
think you'd probably like that show))
YAMI BAKURA KIA: Lol- you're a big crossover fan, ne? But yeah- I understand
what you're saying about the C-Genomes… it sucks what they do at the end… [cries]
ALYIA: There's all ready a
sequel up, ya know? I sorta wrote it at the same time… but I haven't updated it
in a while! . I need to use yaoi in digression!
FIREDRAGON97: Yey! At least you were one of the people who didn't HATE
her!
Alright- here's the last chapter;
please be nice in your reviews! It's very toned down because of the nature of the
song- but I think it's a good ending for a shonen ai story. The story SORTA continues
in "Just Let Me Be in Love"- as a Ryou/Bakura/Jounouchi fic-
but if you don't like that threesome- deal, then it ends… here.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Gi Oh!- or the rights to the CD "Left of the Middle" by Natilie Imbruglia- because if I owned
the two of them, Yu Gi Oh would have a lot of yaoi, and Natilie's CD would have
a lot more tracks to please Ryoubakurafan013! ^_~.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
*…*: song lyrics '…': thoughts
Left of the Middle: "Left of
the Middle"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
*End
of the third round
As I put the phone down
Chasin' the same lines-
Over the old ground*
Bakura's dark eyes continued
to follow the road in front of them; Ryou had fallen asleep an hour before and
was now curled in his seat- sweater off and covering his chest and thin
shoulders. He listened to the ringing tone on the end of the cell phone he had
pressed against his left ear.
"Moshi moshi?" A teenage voice answered.
"Malik- you remember the
proposal you gave me?"
"Um-", there was a
pause. "Oh, yeah.
What about it?"
"Ryou and I are on the road-
I need you to make sure it's fine we go."
"How long
until you get there?" Bakura's
eyes shifted to the young man who shifted lightly before yawning and slipping
further into his dream state.
"About
another hour."
"Damn- you must have been
driving for a while now, huh? But yeah- I'll make sure it's cool. Good luck,
Bakura. Ja."
"Ja." He
clicked the pale blue cell phone off, setting it on his lap as he switched
lanes to move from behind a slow moving old woman who seemed to have a problem
with her brake lights.
'I guess this is it.' He bit
his bottom lip gingerly in a pensive sort of way. 'I guess this is when I have
to stop being a coward and actually do something…' The familiar feeling of
train of thought was wanting to return- the familiar questions of why?- would it work?- did he want him?- was it fair?- all of
them were about to be replayed in his mind. And when they were finished being
answered, he'd be no further in trying to decide what to do. But- he knew it
was time.
*I'm pushin'
zero-
Where is my hero?
He's out there somewhere-
Left of the Middle*
He sat alone and quiet in
the white room- the marble on the ground felt slightly cold to him, but Ryou
didn't move. His soul room was unbelievably quiet, but he didn't mind. He knew
he was asleep in the real world- but for now he could at least think about his
"crimes."
Bakura was taking him
somewhere- and Ryou wasn't worried. If anything, he felt he was in good hands.
But that still didn't take the internal want to have the yami there with him go
away. He wanted arms to wrap around him there and say that the breakup with
Emiru had been only for him- and that he'd be able to rest against his yami's
protective chest.
Ryou sighed- at least he could
imagine that in his soul room… and he could fantasize about Bakura's kindness
meaning something… The hikari smiled lightly, bringing his knees to his chest
and hugging his legs. He would always have that part of his mind where all his
shonen ai thoughts could be stored and where Bakura was the only one.
*And your world falls down-
And you're there callin' out…
But it's something I can't say….
Though it seems the only way.
But it's a game that I can't play…
Not today.*
He had to recall all of it.
All the events in the past year seemed to have gone on an eternity. His light
had gone through so much- did Bakura have a right to be selfish?
It had started with the
beatings… the endless beatings that only ever resulted in his other half being
painted in bruises that remained on his flesh for weeks. And all the while… all
the while the hikari had cut himself- starved himself… all in an attempt at
easing the pain and finding some inner salvation. It had all been because of
Bakura's selfishness… and the fact that he'd been a coward and didn't know how
to act or express himself…
Bakura blamed himself for
all of it- he was the root of everything his hikari went through. Ryou had
finally had enough- he was trying to protect himself and what was left of his
abused body- and Bakura had left. He'd left the young man without protection-
he'd left him for a woman who had nothing but her selfish wants in mind. And because he'd left…
Tears were starting to brim
at the yami's eyes- tears of anger more than anything else. He was chocking
back all he could- but self loathing was inevitable. He hadn't been there to
stop the men who had made his other half feel tainted… Yet Bakura could only
really see Ryou as pure…
But he'd tried- he'd tried
his hardest to change for Ryou. And… he felt Ryou trusted him at last… at least
a little… Bakura couldn't understand it though… he'd left Ryou vulnerable and
he hated himself. But… it wasn't the time for that. He might feel that any
positive feelings in return he didn't deserve… but it was the only way he would
able to finally forgive himself for everything he'd done. Ryou had somehow
taken it all with dignity- he'd asked for help- and now it was Bakura's turn to
respond.
*I got my ticket-
And I got a straight road.
But I'm passin' the same signs-
Over and over.*
The two stepped out into the
crisp spring air- Bakura had been driving all of the night; Ryou was starting
to get slightly worried about school that morning- he knew he wouldn't go and
he had tests to worry about.
The yami sighed, suddenly
walking from the car- and after a few paces, he looked
back at his hikari who was watching a little in confusion.
"C'mon,
Ryou." Bakura said in a slightly
more demanding tone than he wanted- but the hikari didn't seem to notice because
the two were soon walking across a pasture where green fields stretched in all
directions.
'There's no turning back
now…' Bakura shoved his hands in to his pants pockets; the sky was starting to
slowly light- but it was nothing in comparison to what it would look like at
sunrise. He quickened his pace, Ryou doing the same. The two would have to
hurry if everything was to work as he wanted.
It was somehow still
irresistible- turning back and going into the car- driving back to Domino and
nothing would have happened, but Ryou was starting to give him odd looks. Old
memories of him were making striking Ryou across the face a curiosity- almost
as if they were testing him to see if he really had changed.
But he had- and he was
determined to prove it.
*And my world falls down-
And I'm there callin' out-
But it's something I can't say…
Though it seems the only way.
But it's a game that I can't play…
Not today.*
As they neared a rising
pasture, Ryou noticed that he couldn't look beyond it- and Bakura had stopped.
Ryou did the same, looking around once again. The solitary moment was
comforting to the young man- they had walked for over 20 minutes- over other
hills as well- and now they were standing near the edge of a valley that
looked- plain yet extremely soothing; there was a light breeze sending the
smell into his nostrils.
Ryou pushed a strand of his
silver locks over his ear as his gaze fell to Bakura who seemed thoughtful. The
yami turned- his expression unreadable.
"Don't say a word, Ryou." Bakura
spoke softly, pulling a white handkerchief from his back pocket which he folded
into a blindfold. Walking to the hikari, he fastened it around his head,
stopping all vision completely.
"Bak-" Ryou started- but he felt a finger press softly against
his lips for silence. The finger disappeared, and the hikari could hear the
steps of his yami walking away.
"Follow me, Ryou." The
yami's voice sounded distant- but Ryou followed nonetheless. His body could
feel the incline as he made his way up the hill that had stopped his vision
before.
'Please, Bakura…' He
whispered internally. 'Don't be mad at me… I love you… don't leave me in the
dark like this…' He felt a hand on his shoulder- apparently the top of the
hill. 'Bakura- please let me see you… I want to see your face… I want to hear
you tell me you're not mad…' The other male started leading him slowly down the
hill; Ryou could distinctly smell the scent of flowers. It was therapeutic to
some extent, calming his pleas.
He felt a pressure in the
middle of his back, pushing him forward through the now flat land; the pasture
felt sort of… fluffy. Ryou didn't mind though- he felt Bakura close to him… but
he felt lonely.
*And my world falls down-
And you're there callin' out…
But it's something I can't say-
Though it seems the only way.
And it's a game that I can't play-
Not today…*
Bakura stopped in his tracks, Ryou accidentally taking a step forward. The yami had stopped because they were in the center of it all- and now it was the final decision. The hikari turned in his spot, facing him- and Bakura could only stare at the small, blindfolded young man who's silver locks contrasted with the purple and pink sky- and the sakura trees around him. The yami closed his eyes; he was almost unaware that he had slipped their mental link open; his thoughts and emotions now threatening to be exposed to the two.
Bakura knew that his world had always been hanging on a thread… his feelings barely being held back by his stubborn pride. And all the while his hikari had been there- following him patiently and taking all of his anger and violence without a second thought. And Ryou… had been hurting himself… and the yami cared- and he needed to know that Ryou could always trust him no matter what- that their bond was much more than yami and hikari- but in the deepest parts of their heart as well.
Not only was the yami unaware of the open mind link- but of also the clear crystals falling from his chocolate eyes, sliding down his cheeks in beads that reflected the purple inked sky.
'I… Ryou, I…' Bakura pleaded mentally- wishing his hikari could hear him- and not laugh in his face.
But Ryou wasn't laughing- he could feel the warmth from his other half just as strongly as he could feel the warmth from the rising sun against his back.
'Ryou… I…I want to be with you… I don't want you to hurt yourself… anymore… please- don't…' Bakura continued; he was still unaware of the attentive teenager in front of him. '…I'll do anything- anything to see you happy… Anzu- Emiru… they're nothing compared to you… they aren't you… I only want you…' His knees went weak beneath him and he fell to the ground, wrapping his arms around his body. It seemed as if for the millionth time during the trip he would relive the past events of the year internally. 'It was all because of me… you did it because of me… I'm… I'm horrible… hikari… I promise- I won't let you ever be in pain… because…-'
The movement above him almost startled Bakura who's tears were falling freely from his closed eyes. He hadn't noticed Ryou had been crying as well- and now Bakura could see he was pulling a tearstained blindfold off his head, dropping the cloth by his side. A soft breeze passed by the two, pushing the hikari's hair over his shoulders, cherry blossoms falling around him in the wind.
"I won't let you be in pain because of me, Bakura…" Ryou whispered, a small smile starting to play upon his lips, his deep chocolate orbs glistening. "I won't let you be in pain because…-"The yami stood slowly, pushing a strand of silver hair away from the young man's face- the way he did when the hikari slept… when it was alright.
Closing the gap between them, Bakura took Ryou's hand in his, entwining their slender fingers together. The two young men's hearts were beating painfully loud- they could hear their echoes from each other's minds. Ryou was unafraid- he'd forgiven everything Bakura blamed himself for; Bakura was lost- in what his heart wanted to do and in what his mind was commanding.
*I need to tell you-
Trying to get through…
It's not always easy… Left of the Middle…*
It was almost as if he
couldn't breathe- looking at Ryou who was smiling up at him, beads of tears
streaming down his delicate face. His hikari was waiting for him…
The tears running down
Bakura's solemn face seemed to increase as he slowly leaned forward- almost
shyly- and took Ryou's velvet lips into a soft kiss that the hikari didn't
object to. Ryou felt the compassion he'd always craved and Bakura felt the
forgiveness that had always seemed so distant- all within the kiss that seemed
to infuse their feelings into one.
'I won't let you be in pain because… I love you…'
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Alright- I've decided that if I get enough requests, I'll write another part to this particular fic… it'll be NC-17 and everything- and it won't be hosted on fanfiction.net, but on my website. IF I get enough requests, I'll insert another chapter at the end of this story with replies to any reviews I get- and also to provide the link to where I have the next part…
But- Thank you for reading "Left of the Middle"! [blows kisses to all her readers] Hope you enjoyed it!