Koimonogatari
Warning(s) - Yaoi/shounen-ai, miniature cliffie. If you don't know what that means, you are strongly advised to leave. All flames will be publicly ridiculed at your expense.
Disclaimer - I don't own YGO, or any of the characters, not even Seto. Seto's too expensive to buy; he's worth more than Joe Millionaire, supposedly... but I know he'd give himself to me for free if he could.
[42] reviews? O_o
ryoubakurafan[mm.org] - yup... I'm making you wait till chapter fifteen. But look at it this way. I started the countdown at chapter 7, and look... we're already at chapter 11. Halfway there! By the way... what've *you* been smoking?! I lay no claim to Ryou, or Jou, but Seto's mine! ...and this is why: you called him a bishie, or bishounen. He's not. He's a biseinen. And he's *my* biseinen.
Also, the idea is *not* overdone... it may be *similar* to some other storyline, but I took the main conflict from the Greek classics, specifically, the myth of Eos (the goddess of dawn) who was in love with the mortal prince Tithonus. I doubt any other fic authors did this.
Seto & I: *stare down disdainfully at whoever dares to insult their intelligence*
Chapter 11
Mikomi no Koushin
mikomi no koushin - renewal of hope
He chuckled softly at the title. "Please, do call me Yami."
Ryou felt odd calling Yugi's yami by the same title by which he addressed his own yami. He nodded.
"Ryou," Yami began, pausing as if searching for the right word, "tell me what happened. Your link to Bakura is weak; I can sense it."
Ryou gritted his teeth, raising his defenses. "Nothing happened!" Yami said nothing.
Ryou looked through long lashes into Yami's eyes and saw that he was sincere. Yami truly cared for each and every one of Yugi's friends, and the concern showed through in his expression. Ryou knew that he could trust Yami.
"I love Bakura," he began, his cheeks reddening. He twirled a lock of pale hair in his fingers nervously until his voice cracked.
Yami gave him a small smile. "Any fool can see that. He loves you too, you know; he's only afraid to admit it."
Ryou brightened a bit. "He told me so; that he loved me." At this, he felt his ears warming. "But he truly doesn't, I know. He loves Malik, doesn't he? Tell me the truth; I don't want a lie to make me feel better."
Yami sighed. "They were lovers in the past, as you must have heard. Bed-partners, really; I don't believe either of them had feelings for the other apart from lust. I don't remember all that had passed at the time, but you may be assured that Bakura and Malik were not in love at the time and are likely not in love now. He loves you."
Ryou stiffened. "Then he is still in... lust... with Malik?"
Yami looked at him oddly. "Tell me what happened, Ryou," he repeated.
Ryou swallowed, and began at the beginning. "I guess everything started when Father got me the Sennen Ring when he returned from a dig in Egypt..."
He poured out everything that had happened, his voice catching at some points, becoming choked at others, and finally collapsing bonelessly on Yami's shoulder, sobbing. "And now I'm here... and you, and Yugi, and Ojiisan, and Malik have all been so good to me..." he finished, trailing off. Silence filled the room save the sound of Ryou's sniffles and choked breathing, and Yami's black shirt was drenched.
Yami threaded his fingers through Ryou's hair, stroking it lightly to calm the boy. He wanted the tears to stop but knew that he shouldn't; Ryou could only heal after he had had a long cry.
When Ryou's sobs reduced to hiccups and finally disappeared, he still clung to Yami's damp shirt. The tears stung his eyes and cheeks, but he could not bear to look into Yami's eyes.
"It's alright now, isn't it?" Ryou looked up at Yami, not meeting his eyes but staring fixedly at his full lips. "Just remember that Bakura loves you," Yami continued, "and that he would never lie to you." Ryou nodded.
Yami smiled. "Why don't you stay here for a couple of days or so, and I'll take you home myself when you feel you're ready to." It wasn't a question. Ryou nodded, unsure of whether he could speak if he tried.
Ryou wished his yami was a little more like Yugi's. He wished Bakura could be a little more understanding, and a little more patient. Talks like this one had never come easily for them; it fact, he and Bakura had never before had a long, intimate conversation as he had just had with Yami.
But Yami was like a romance novel, sweet but inconclusive, like a warm bubble bath. It wasn't he truly wanted or needed -- Bakura's all-encompassing fire, like strong liquor. He wanted it hardcore. He wanted the fire to be blistering, scorching, and the ice frigid as liquid nitrogen. Yami could offer him neither.
He caught Yami's eyes and watched reflected moonlight glint on his crimson orbs. The dark spirit was still smiling that ever-present half-smile that lingered in his eyes even when his lips did not curve. Ryou suddenly felt at home, as if all of his worries and burdens were lifted for one split second. It felt like Yami had somehow solved all of his problems without leaving his seat, though deep down Ryou knew it wasn't true.
Ryou extended a finger and took in his fingers a lock of Yami's blond hair that stayed in that impossible position. He had had a whimsical notion to compare in to Yugi's hair and Bakura's. Whose was it more like?
It was more like his own, he decided. Not quite like Yugi's fragile downy locks, and not quite like Bakura's coarse but silky strands. He hand moved naturally from the lock of hair to cup the back of Yami's head.
Threading his fingers through his hair as Yami had done with him, he drew him down, as if in slow motion. Neither made a sound as he pressed his lips to Yami's and clung to him helplessly as they shared a chaste kiss.
When Yami drew away, Ryou looked at Yami with horrified eyes. What had he done? He was almost as bad... no, he was as bad as Malik! Ryou began to babble profuse apologies, and Yami interrupted him.
"It's alright, Ryou, it is. You couldn't help it. Just don't let it happen again." Ryou nodded, but he could see in Yami's small smirk that Yugi's yami had liked their kiss as well. He supposed that this one accident might even things out between Bakura and himself.
Picking up the blankets that had fallen to the floor again, Yami straightened them and covered Ryou, tucking in the edges under Ryou's weight. Ryou shivered for a moment from the icy sheets but soon murmured in contentment as they warmed.
Yami took off the tear-drenched tank top and laid it neatly over the back of the couch. He slipped in behind Ryou, his arm securely around Ryou's waist. His bare chest to Ryou's back, Ryou appreciated the warmth and could feel Yami's heart steadily beat at his shoulder blades. Ryou listened once again to the ticking of the mantelpiece clock and to Yami's even breathing. This time, he fell asleep easily.
Author's Note:
heh heh... I know that mini-lime was uncalled for, but personally, I believe it compliments nicely the overall flavor of the fic, if you know what I mean. A secret ingredient, of course, is essential. But you won't know what it is until you taste it... in chapter thirteen, that is, two more chapters.
Fic's Statistics:
[4] more chapters to double lemon
[3.82] reviews average per chapter
Warning(s) - Yaoi/shounen-ai, miniature cliffie. If you don't know what that means, you are strongly advised to leave. All flames will be publicly ridiculed at your expense.
Disclaimer - I don't own YGO, or any of the characters, not even Seto. Seto's too expensive to buy; he's worth more than Joe Millionaire, supposedly... but I know he'd give himself to me for free if he could.
[42] reviews? O_o
ryoubakurafan[mm.org] - yup... I'm making you wait till chapter fifteen. But look at it this way. I started the countdown at chapter 7, and look... we're already at chapter 11. Halfway there! By the way... what've *you* been smoking?! I lay no claim to Ryou, or Jou, but Seto's mine! ...and this is why: you called him a bishie, or bishounen. He's not. He's a biseinen. And he's *my* biseinen.
Also, the idea is *not* overdone... it may be *similar* to some other storyline, but I took the main conflict from the Greek classics, specifically, the myth of Eos (the goddess of dawn) who was in love with the mortal prince Tithonus. I doubt any other fic authors did this.
Seto & I: *stare down disdainfully at whoever dares to insult their intelligence*
Chapter 11
Mikomi no Koushin
mikomi no koushin - renewal of hope
He chuckled softly at the title. "Please, do call me Yami."
Ryou felt odd calling Yugi's yami by the same title by which he addressed his own yami. He nodded.
"Ryou," Yami began, pausing as if searching for the right word, "tell me what happened. Your link to Bakura is weak; I can sense it."
Ryou gritted his teeth, raising his defenses. "Nothing happened!" Yami said nothing.
Ryou looked through long lashes into Yami's eyes and saw that he was sincere. Yami truly cared for each and every one of Yugi's friends, and the concern showed through in his expression. Ryou knew that he could trust Yami.
"I love Bakura," he began, his cheeks reddening. He twirled a lock of pale hair in his fingers nervously until his voice cracked.
Yami gave him a small smile. "Any fool can see that. He loves you too, you know; he's only afraid to admit it."
Ryou brightened a bit. "He told me so; that he loved me." At this, he felt his ears warming. "But he truly doesn't, I know. He loves Malik, doesn't he? Tell me the truth; I don't want a lie to make me feel better."
Yami sighed. "They were lovers in the past, as you must have heard. Bed-partners, really; I don't believe either of them had feelings for the other apart from lust. I don't remember all that had passed at the time, but you may be assured that Bakura and Malik were not in love at the time and are likely not in love now. He loves you."
Ryou stiffened. "Then he is still in... lust... with Malik?"
Yami looked at him oddly. "Tell me what happened, Ryou," he repeated.
Ryou swallowed, and began at the beginning. "I guess everything started when Father got me the Sennen Ring when he returned from a dig in Egypt..."
He poured out everything that had happened, his voice catching at some points, becoming choked at others, and finally collapsing bonelessly on Yami's shoulder, sobbing. "And now I'm here... and you, and Yugi, and Ojiisan, and Malik have all been so good to me..." he finished, trailing off. Silence filled the room save the sound of Ryou's sniffles and choked breathing, and Yami's black shirt was drenched.
Yami threaded his fingers through Ryou's hair, stroking it lightly to calm the boy. He wanted the tears to stop but knew that he shouldn't; Ryou could only heal after he had had a long cry.
When Ryou's sobs reduced to hiccups and finally disappeared, he still clung to Yami's damp shirt. The tears stung his eyes and cheeks, but he could not bear to look into Yami's eyes.
"It's alright now, isn't it?" Ryou looked up at Yami, not meeting his eyes but staring fixedly at his full lips. "Just remember that Bakura loves you," Yami continued, "and that he would never lie to you." Ryou nodded.
Yami smiled. "Why don't you stay here for a couple of days or so, and I'll take you home myself when you feel you're ready to." It wasn't a question. Ryou nodded, unsure of whether he could speak if he tried.
Ryou wished his yami was a little more like Yugi's. He wished Bakura could be a little more understanding, and a little more patient. Talks like this one had never come easily for them; it fact, he and Bakura had never before had a long, intimate conversation as he had just had with Yami.
But Yami was like a romance novel, sweet but inconclusive, like a warm bubble bath. It wasn't he truly wanted or needed -- Bakura's all-encompassing fire, like strong liquor. He wanted it hardcore. He wanted the fire to be blistering, scorching, and the ice frigid as liquid nitrogen. Yami could offer him neither.
He caught Yami's eyes and watched reflected moonlight glint on his crimson orbs. The dark spirit was still smiling that ever-present half-smile that lingered in his eyes even when his lips did not curve. Ryou suddenly felt at home, as if all of his worries and burdens were lifted for one split second. It felt like Yami had somehow solved all of his problems without leaving his seat, though deep down Ryou knew it wasn't true.
Ryou extended a finger and took in his fingers a lock of Yami's blond hair that stayed in that impossible position. He had had a whimsical notion to compare in to Yugi's hair and Bakura's. Whose was it more like?
It was more like his own, he decided. Not quite like Yugi's fragile downy locks, and not quite like Bakura's coarse but silky strands. He hand moved naturally from the lock of hair to cup the back of Yami's head.
Threading his fingers through his hair as Yami had done with him, he drew him down, as if in slow motion. Neither made a sound as he pressed his lips to Yami's and clung to him helplessly as they shared a chaste kiss.
When Yami drew away, Ryou looked at Yami with horrified eyes. What had he done? He was almost as bad... no, he was as bad as Malik! Ryou began to babble profuse apologies, and Yami interrupted him.
"It's alright, Ryou, it is. You couldn't help it. Just don't let it happen again." Ryou nodded, but he could see in Yami's small smirk that Yugi's yami had liked their kiss as well. He supposed that this one accident might even things out between Bakura and himself.
Picking up the blankets that had fallen to the floor again, Yami straightened them and covered Ryou, tucking in the edges under Ryou's weight. Ryou shivered for a moment from the icy sheets but soon murmured in contentment as they warmed.
Yami took off the tear-drenched tank top and laid it neatly over the back of the couch. He slipped in behind Ryou, his arm securely around Ryou's waist. His bare chest to Ryou's back, Ryou appreciated the warmth and could feel Yami's heart steadily beat at his shoulder blades. Ryou listened once again to the ticking of the mantelpiece clock and to Yami's even breathing. This time, he fell asleep easily.
Author's Note:
heh heh... I know that mini-lime was uncalled for, but personally, I believe it compliments nicely the overall flavor of the fic, if you know what I mean. A secret ingredient, of course, is essential. But you won't know what it is until you taste it... in chapter thirteen, that is, two more chapters.
Fic's Statistics:
[4] more chapters to double lemon
[3.82] reviews average per chapter