Disclaimer: Hello, everyone! It's time for the next chapter, and so, uh,
here it is! I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, even though I tried to. Oh,
well.
Saturday. Malik watched as Starling's sporty yellow convertible pulled up in front of him. Ryou was already in the car, sitting quite comfortably in the back seat. Malik joined him as the car pulled away.
"Are you okay?" Malik asked. Ryou looked even paler than usual. When he heard Malik, a wan smile crept across his face.
"I'm fine," he told him. "Just-a little nervous I suppose."
Malik knew exactly what he meant, but said nothing. The car pulled up to Ashley's front door with a rude screech. She came out haughtily in a low- cut pink mini-dress and marched over to the car as if she owned it. "Oh, Malik," she said. "You should sit up front so that I can sit next to Ryou."
Malik glared at her nerve. "I sit where I please," he growled. "You sit where there's room." He didn't add that with her huge tits, it was a wonder that she ever found room at all. Ashley huffed at him, but slid into the front seat, contenting herself by glaring at the dashboard. The car started, and the two boys held their own conversation, ignoring Ashley completely.
When they reached the house, all sour moods dissolved. It was a big, many- sided house with beautiful mahogany paneling and a stained glass door. A flag-stone path led to a pool and jacuzzi, and beyond that, a pier where a yacht and two jet skis were moored. The landscaping all around was tall grass and cheerful flowers, with stone tortoises staring out from between them.
Inside, there was white plush carpeting and burgundy velvet upholstery on the chairs and sofa. A glass coffee table sat proudly in the center of the room, its black iron legs curving elegantly to the ground. A grand, iron- railed spiral staircase led past circular windows to the upstairs. All four of the teenagers stood in the entrance, utterly impressed.
Malik, having been there before, was the first to speak. "Want to see the upstairs?" he asked. As he led them up the stairs, he heard Starling mutter to herself.
"You know," she said. "I may just enjoy myself after all."
* * * * *
The four of them sat in the jacuzzi, letting the warm water massage them. A strange, exotic type of wine had been in the cellar, and now four goblets of it ringed the tub. Neither of the boys were used to alcohol, but Ashley went on and on about how certain wines she'd tasted were better, and how she loved being drunk, despite hangovers. Starling said nothing, but that could mean anything.
Ryou had taken to teasing Ashley by having her verify her trail of rumors. "Did you really have a crush on the geometry teacher?" he asked.
"No," she lied. "He had a crush on me."
"Did you really make out with Andy Makarios?"
"Are you kidding? We covered all four bases in one night!"
Starling shivered. "Are my rumors like that?" she asked fearfully. Malik laughed.
"Half the school thinks you're a lesbian," he told her.
Starling cocked her head to the side. "Good God, people are stupid," she remarked. "I've had a crush on Duo Maxwell since fourth grade."
Malik turned to look at Ryou and Ashley. The albino's glass was empty, and his smile didn't look happy at all. Ashley also had an empty glass, and she giggled as she chewed on the garnish. She was staring at Ryou in that soppy way that tells you the word "love" will appear in the next twenty seconds.
Malik stared at Ryou. The light gently illuminated his face, and his eyes seemed to glow. He peered out from between his dripping locks of hair and his eyes connected with Malik's. The two boys exchanged a look of such intense energy that it felt as though they could see into each other's souls. Ryou's smile became relaxed and content as he looked down into Malik's heart.
Then Ryou looked back at Ashley, who had put her arm around him. He slid his arms around her and drew her closer. It took Malik a few seconds to realize that they were kissing.
A single tear rolled down Malik's cheek. Part of that tear was sadness. Sadness that Ryou was hiding his true self. Sadness that he was kissing Ashley instead of who he really loved. Sadness that Ryou was so afraid of the consequences that he had to hide himself, smother his identity. The rest of the tear was for beauty.
It was beautiful to see Ryou, his long hair dripping over his bare, lightly muscled shoulders, his arms resting just exactly the way they should. His lips pressed ever so delicately against another's, his eyes closed serenely.
A beautiful boy in a beautiful kiss.
Saturday. Malik watched as Starling's sporty yellow convertible pulled up in front of him. Ryou was already in the car, sitting quite comfortably in the back seat. Malik joined him as the car pulled away.
"Are you okay?" Malik asked. Ryou looked even paler than usual. When he heard Malik, a wan smile crept across his face.
"I'm fine," he told him. "Just-a little nervous I suppose."
Malik knew exactly what he meant, but said nothing. The car pulled up to Ashley's front door with a rude screech. She came out haughtily in a low- cut pink mini-dress and marched over to the car as if she owned it. "Oh, Malik," she said. "You should sit up front so that I can sit next to Ryou."
Malik glared at her nerve. "I sit where I please," he growled. "You sit where there's room." He didn't add that with her huge tits, it was a wonder that she ever found room at all. Ashley huffed at him, but slid into the front seat, contenting herself by glaring at the dashboard. The car started, and the two boys held their own conversation, ignoring Ashley completely.
When they reached the house, all sour moods dissolved. It was a big, many- sided house with beautiful mahogany paneling and a stained glass door. A flag-stone path led to a pool and jacuzzi, and beyond that, a pier where a yacht and two jet skis were moored. The landscaping all around was tall grass and cheerful flowers, with stone tortoises staring out from between them.
Inside, there was white plush carpeting and burgundy velvet upholstery on the chairs and sofa. A glass coffee table sat proudly in the center of the room, its black iron legs curving elegantly to the ground. A grand, iron- railed spiral staircase led past circular windows to the upstairs. All four of the teenagers stood in the entrance, utterly impressed.
Malik, having been there before, was the first to speak. "Want to see the upstairs?" he asked. As he led them up the stairs, he heard Starling mutter to herself.
"You know," she said. "I may just enjoy myself after all."
* * * * *
The four of them sat in the jacuzzi, letting the warm water massage them. A strange, exotic type of wine had been in the cellar, and now four goblets of it ringed the tub. Neither of the boys were used to alcohol, but Ashley went on and on about how certain wines she'd tasted were better, and how she loved being drunk, despite hangovers. Starling said nothing, but that could mean anything.
Ryou had taken to teasing Ashley by having her verify her trail of rumors. "Did you really have a crush on the geometry teacher?" he asked.
"No," she lied. "He had a crush on me."
"Did you really make out with Andy Makarios?"
"Are you kidding? We covered all four bases in one night!"
Starling shivered. "Are my rumors like that?" she asked fearfully. Malik laughed.
"Half the school thinks you're a lesbian," he told her.
Starling cocked her head to the side. "Good God, people are stupid," she remarked. "I've had a crush on Duo Maxwell since fourth grade."
Malik turned to look at Ryou and Ashley. The albino's glass was empty, and his smile didn't look happy at all. Ashley also had an empty glass, and she giggled as she chewed on the garnish. She was staring at Ryou in that soppy way that tells you the word "love" will appear in the next twenty seconds.
Malik stared at Ryou. The light gently illuminated his face, and his eyes seemed to glow. He peered out from between his dripping locks of hair and his eyes connected with Malik's. The two boys exchanged a look of such intense energy that it felt as though they could see into each other's souls. Ryou's smile became relaxed and content as he looked down into Malik's heart.
Then Ryou looked back at Ashley, who had put her arm around him. He slid his arms around her and drew her closer. It took Malik a few seconds to realize that they were kissing.
A single tear rolled down Malik's cheek. Part of that tear was sadness. Sadness that Ryou was hiding his true self. Sadness that he was kissing Ashley instead of who he really loved. Sadness that Ryou was so afraid of the consequences that he had to hide himself, smother his identity. The rest of the tear was for beauty.
It was beautiful to see Ryou, his long hair dripping over his bare, lightly muscled shoulders, his arms resting just exactly the way they should. His lips pressed ever so delicately against another's, his eyes closed serenely.
A beautiful boy in a beautiful kiss.