Author's note: Haha, hi. XD;
Uh, I don't have a lot to say, except that Magda and I are very appreciative of all the reviews we've gotten for the fic; it means a lot. And this chapter is eight pages; longer than the other two by far.
It's also the last chapter, so the end. Beware, it's angsty. ..
Pairing: Yami no Bakura x Ryou
Disclaimer: We no own Yuugiou. -angsts-
Warnings: Adult themes, language, sexual references.
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Jaded
Chapter three - Follow You Down
Ryou regripped his bookbag, glancing up at the dark sky. If he hurried, maybe he could make it home before it started to rain... Thunder rumbled in the distance and he quickened his pace as the black clouds swelled threateningly.
Bakura was standing in the doorway of Ryou's soul room; arms folded over his chest as he monitored Ryou's every move carefully. There was nothing about what Ryou was doing that was exactly irritating him; it was more the fact that he had allowed Ryou to be in control for an amount of time that Bakura wouldn't ever allow - and he was irritated with himself for that.
Ryou let out a sigh of relief as he came to the main doors of the apartment complex, glancing at the sky one last time before unlocking the door. He checked his mailbox for what seemed like the first time in weeks, pausing to sort out the junkmail from the actual letters and bills.
Realizing that he was on thin ice where being in control was concerned, Ryou hurried up the two sets of stairs up to his floor. Tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear, Ryou fumbled with his keys, mail balancing precariously on a raised knee. The apartment door opened with a quiet click, revealing the slightly disorganized livingroom. Ryou hadn't had time to clean up everything yet, and but at least the main room was presentable.
Bakura smirked ever-so-slightly as he watched Ryou moving about almost hurriedly, leaning against the doorframe of the boy's soul room, amused.
Ryou flipped on the lights, setting the mail down on the coffee table. He briefly considered changing out of his school uniform, but he knew he wasn't going to be in control of his body forever. Instead, he picked up the letter from his father, opening the envelope with a small smile. It was funny how you started to appreciate all the small things when someone else made all your choices for you...
Bakura's response to this was an arched brow and a smirk as he decided Ryou wasn't going to read the letter from his father. He pushed through the barriers of Ryou's mind, slipping smoothly into control of their body once again before he glanced down at the paper that was in his hands.
Ryou suddenly found himself in his soulroom, white walls glaring down at him. It took him a few seconds to realize what had happened, and another few to realize he couldn't do anything about it.
Bakura skimmed over the letter silently, a callous smirk playing at his lips as he slowly, deliberately tore the letter in two, watching it flutter to the ground.
Ryou didn't bother trying to see what Bakura was doing. He sat down on the bed, closing his eyes. ...I...
You what, yadonushi? You mortals are all so pathetically emotional. Bakura's tone held scorn, eyes flashing with annoyance as he snapped his fingers and watched the two pieces of paper burn to ashes in mere seconds.
Ryou opened his eyes, looking towards the door. ...What did you do...?
Bakura sneered, I disposed of it. I highly doubt you'll need it in the coming weeks, weaker half, and moved to the front door of the apartment, opening it swiftly and making his way down the stairs.
Ryou paused, absorbing this information. ...But that was from father!
And do you think he honestly cares about you? That fool's letter was a mere attempt to distract you from the truth.
Ryou stood up abruptly, fists clenched. That's not true!
Bakura smirked in amusement as he briskly walked out the front of the apartment building, paying no heed to the lightly drizzling rain and overcast skies that gave the city of Domino a gloomy setting. Care to prove that theory?
H-he... Ryou stopped. His father had been the one who had brought him the Sennen Ring in the first place... Granted, he hadn't known about the spirit, but... ...He...
Exactly my point, yadonushi. Bakura's hands worked their way into the pockets of his jeans, his trenchcoat snapping about in the breeze behind him.
Ryou sat back down, biting his lip lightly. ...Where are you taking m-- Where are you going...?
Bakura chuckled. Is it really relevant? He continued on his way, though he had no destination in particular in mind - he was simply provoking Ryou.
Ryou was one of the most patient, mild-mannered people you could ever meet. But he found himself getting more and more irritated each time Bakura did something like this. Where are you going? he asked, again.
Ryou's barely noticeable irritation was slipping through the link, Bakura noting that he was getting to his host. Smirking lazily, he came to a halt in the middle of the street, standing with his head tilted upwards, allowing the lightly drizzling rain to trickle over his skin. Is there a real destination for your life, prey tell?
Ryou's eyes drifted to the few framed pictures on the otherwise blank walls of his soul room. "...Not with you in it," he replied, quietly.
"Oh?" Bakura enquired aloud, a brow raised in skepticism. "And what life do you see without my help?"
I... Ryou looked towards the door of his soul room. ...Without you... He wouldn't have to worry about his friends getting hurt... He could be like everyone else, his mood riding on the amount of homework he had, instead of how long it had been since his body had gotten any sleep.
"Without me, your life would be nothing - and you know it. Don't you understand that in this world the strong flourish and the weak die?" Bakura's words were icy and sharp.
Ryou fell silent. Bakura was right. He was always right... Ryou sat down on the floor, back resting against the edge of the bed. Was there any point in fighting anymore?
Bakura smirked lightly at the silence from Ryou, running a hand through his now-soaked silver tresses, freeing them of tangles and moisture. It didn't do much good - the rain was now coming down in sheets, cold and like thousands of tiny pinpricks against his skin. "Give up already?" he purred silkily, lowering his gaze to the ground again.
Ryou hugged his knees to his chest, eyes on the floor. ...It doesn't matter...
"Come now, yadonushi... You won't fight me just this once?"
...Why do you want me to...?
"Because I don't get the satisfaction I desire from controlling you without at least some protest from you." Bakura gave an overexaggerated sigh, brushing his shoulder free of rain droplets melodramatically.
Ryou rested his forehead on his knees. ...Are you ever going to go away?
"Never."
Ryou closed his eyes, almost wishing that when he opened them again, the Ring and the spirit would be gone and everything would be normal. ...Oh...
Bakura smirked, abruptly flickering, allowing Ryou control of the body again, as he reappeared in his soul room, though he had no intention of leaving Ryou alone just yet. "Learning to fight would be wise."
Ryou shivered, slowly taking in his surroundings. His clothes were completely soaked, but he pulled the trenchcoat tighter around himself all the same. ...Where am I...?
"In the middle of nowhere." Bakura chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting in the inkiness of his soul room.
Ryou brushed his dripping bangs out of his eyes, considering the situation. He might as well start walking. He'd run into something he recognized eventually... He sighed; starting back the way he thought Bakura had come.
Bakura smirked devilishly, flickering once again, to appear directly in front of Ryou, his mostly transparent body nothing solid for the rain to fall upon. He tilted his head with a slight snicker, looking down at Ryou. "Going somewhere?"
Ryou's eyes widened and he stopped, taking a small step backwards in surprise. "...N-no...?"
"Clearly, you were." Bakura's hand ghosted over Ryou's cheek, his touch barely one at all.
Ryou took another step back, hand covering the cheek Bakura had touched. "...Why did you let me have control, if you were just going to do this...?"
"Because this is the way I like to see you," Bakura purred, closing the distance between their bodies again. He closed his eyes for a moment, briefly concentrating on materializing completely, until he was in full body again, thick eyelashes, laced with droplets, fluttering.
Ryou watched Bakura with wide, amber eyes. "...See me...?"
"I see you - you are me," Bakura murmured, his now-solid hand moving to Ryou's face again. He traced the boy's lower lip with his thumb, eyes on his mouth.
"I'm me," Ryou corrected him, quietly. He waited, heart pounding. What did Bakura want...?
"We are one and the same. Do you not see that?" Bakura frowned slightly, his eyes drifting up slightly to lock with Ryou's.
"We're not the same," Ryou mumbled, looking down.
"Hn." Bakura's fingers trailed to Ryou's silver locks, those akin to his own. He gave one of the tendrils a slight yank, his own silvery bangs falling in his eyes. "What do you call this, then?"
"Mine," Ryou whispered, under his breath. He kept his eyes on the ground, unable to force himself to meet Bakura's gaze.
"Ours," Bakura corrected in a harsh whisper, forcing Ryou's face upwards again.
Ryou met Bakura's eyes hesitantly. "...What do you want...?"
Bakura smirked lightly, ignoring the stinging onslaught of rain, as well as the brief crackle of thunder in the distant, overcast skies. "I want you to understand."
Ryou glanced up at the sky, and then looked back at Bakura. "...What's there to understand?"
Bakura tilted his head slightly, the look in his intelligent eyes calculating. "Me. You."
Ryou blinked slowly, frowning. He should just walk away... But he couldn't.
Bakura hid a smirk, knowing he had Ryou exactly where he wanted him. He leaned in a little closer, brushing his rain-moistened lips against Ryou's, his damp shirt beginning to shape his lithe figure.
Ryou surprised himself, returning the kiss almost eagerly. The rain didn't bother him anymore, but he was still shivering. He moved closer to Bakura, a shiver running down his spine.
Bakura purred lightly, raindrops trickling down his cheek slipping between their lips, gradually making the kiss wet. One of his hands was tangled in Ryou's hair, drawing the boy deeper into the kiss, his free hand tightly fisted in Ryou's shirt.
Ryou parted his lips, giving Bakura complete control of the kiss. His hands went to the spirit's hips, wet body pressing up against Bakura's.
Bakura's tongue tangled with Ryou's, his lustful purrs soft and pleased as he drew Ryou closer. He felt the rain falling harder, pricking his skin as he pressed up against the smaller boy.
Ryou found himself fighting for control of the kiss, tongue rubbing against Bakura's in a rhythm that he knew only they could understand. His hands shifted, slipping around the small of Bakura's back. Ryou couldn't have stopped now if he'd wanted to.
Bakura purred at Ryou's attempt at dominance, his tongue twining with the other's. After a few moments longer, he eased from the kiss with a faint smirk, his lips only a breath away from Ryou's, his wet bangs dangling in his eyes.
Ryou gazed up at Bakura, water running down his face and dripping off the tip of his nose. "...How will this work?" he whispered, afraid that if he spoke too loudly the spirit would disappear.
Bakura gazed down at Ryou, his eyes flashing with uncertainty. He stroked Ryou's back unusually gently, leaning in to press their foreheads together, his hair acting as a shield for their eyes from the rain. "Who said it has to work?"
"I'd like it if it did," Ryou murmured, forcing himself to look away from Bakura's eyes.
"Oh?" Bakura raised an eyebrow at that, mild interest flicking across his features.
"...I don't like feeling alone," Ryou admitted, quietly.
"You can't truly be alone, yadonushi. I've always been with you, have I not?" Bakura's slender fingers ghosted over Ryou's cheek, his usual smirk slipping back in place.
Ryou lifted his eyes, scanning Bakura's face carefully. "I said 'feeling', didn't I...?"
Bakura's smirk vanished, a slight frown taking its place on his features. Ryou had indeed said 'feeling', not being alone physically... "No, you didn't," he murmured, his eyes strangely unguarded.
Ryou looked back down, drawing away slightly. "...I just..."
Bakura smirked lightly, dropping a chaste kiss on Ryou's lips. "You don't need to say anything, yadonushi."
Ryou closed his eyes, shifting closer to Bakura and resting his head against the spirit's shoulder. "...I don't want to be alone..."
"Thinking you're alone is only a state of mind," Bakura muttered darkly, slipping an arm around Ryou's shoulder and drawing him closer.
"So are you," Ryou whispered, voice muffled.
"What, non-existent?"
Ryou didn't reply, face still buried in the crook of Bakura's neck. He was confused as to what Bakura really was... He knew the thief wasn't just a figment of his twisted imagination, but that only ruled out one of a countless number of possibilities.
"I'm real, yadonushi." Bakura sighed heavily, stroking Ryou's soaked silver hair.
Ryou lifted his head slightly, dripping bangs falling in his eyes. "...You feel real..."
"Of course I feel real," Bakura muttered, smirking broadly. "I made you scream for me, didn't I?" He toyed with one of Ryou's bangs idly, watching the other's eyes.
Ryou turned red, turning his head away from Bakura. "...I..."
Bakura's smirk only widened at this. He leaned in a little more, capturing Ryou's lips briefly, before grinning.
"...We should get home," Ryou mumbled, finally, still a light shade of pink. "...It's getting cold..."
"Perhaps so, yadonushi." Bakura drew away, the solidness of his body ebbing away. "By the morning, you won't remember any of this."
Ryou's eyes widened, staring at the fading figure in front of him. "What?"
"Ever heard of a psyche, little host?" Bakura's voice was growing distant, his vanishing outline barely visible in the drizzling rain.
"Don't go," Ryou said, quickly, reaching out to grab Bakura's arm. "Don't leave..."
Bakura's smirk was faint and barely visible, Ryou's hand going right through his nearly transparent body. "You said yourself that you wanted me gone, yadonushi."
"I didn't mean it!" Ryou made another attempt to get a hold on Bakura, but the spirit was disappearing by the second.
"I won't be gone when you wake up tomorrow, but you won't have remembered any of this," Bakura muttered, before leaning in to press a ghost of a kiss to Ryou's lips.
Ryou's hand slowly moved to cover his mouth, almost as if it were trying to keep the moment stored away somewhere it wouldn't ever be forgotten. ...Bakura...
Bakura felt something stir deep within him at the mention of his name, but he forced it away with a last, faint smirk at Ryou. "You'll always have another conscience, yadonushi. Don't let the knowledge escape you." And with that, he faded from sight, his voice echoing in the surrounding, dense air.
Ryou Bakura was left standing out in the rain in a trench coat that was two sizes too big, lost, wet, and cold. He didn't want to go home, not when he would have to wake up feeling the same as he did every other day, oblivious to the fact that he wasn't alone. Amber eyes turned to the clouds, the feeling in his heart conveyed almost perfectly by the pouring rain. "The skies are crying for me," Ryou decided, quietly, turning to leave.
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A/N: Well, that's it. XD; Hope this was a fanfic you enjoyed reading, and thanks for any and all feedback. -bows-