Summary: The meeting isn't the beginning; the parting is not the end… Witness how a simple friendship blooms into love. And prove to yourself that no matter how far your feet go, your heart will take you back to the Cherry Road.
Disclaimer: I own this story and its title, not the characters, not yu-gi-oh, not even the PC I used to upload this!
Hunter K: I did some revision last chappie. Please read the later part. I added some 700+ words on it. And it was really… YAY:shrieks: FLUFFY! Sorry for the late update, Flame. Please don't kill me. I have better reason this time. I won't have it detailed but, YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO IS TRYING TO KILL ME, MY INSTRUCTORS ARE ALSO TRYING THEIR BEST 0.0 :Tasukitte kure: Anyways, my surprise is, previous chapter was edited :smiles widely: And there was FLUFF! WHOOHOOO:shrieks madly: . And this chapter is looonnnggg too! Hope that was enough reason to keep you from killing me :sweat drops: R&R please!
Warning: Shounen-ai! RyouxMalik
Last Chapter: Malik got his earring back at the cost of Mr. Karita's job. Ryou didn't find it amusing, but Malik proved he did the thing for Ryou…
The Cherry Road:
where souls meet and part
By Hunter K
Chapter 5: Too deep for friendship
…-…- Still a flash back -…-…-
Ryou stared at his friend, still shocked at what he did. He almost thought the world stopped revolving the very minute it happened. He never felt a kiss before, not from anyone who's not blood–related to him in anyway, and add the fact that it had been just three days since they met.
Malik shook him. "Hey! Still in there?" Ryou just gazed at him blankly. "I was just kidding. That was just a friendly kiss. Nobody saw us. Promise.", he raised his right hand.
Ryou snapped at the statement. He felt a little upset, but he didn't know why. He didn't know how to react so he just pouted on his seat, looking away from Malik.
…-…-…-…-…-
The two didn't talk the whole day. Ryou tried his best to avoid Malik. He even walked home alone. He was walking along the cherry-bordered track when he noticed someone he knew, sitting on a bench. He pretended not to notice. He just walked pass the boy when he heard Malik say, "I'm doing sketches for our art class. Mind to accompany me?" Ryou grew curious and sat beside Malik, peeking at the canvas Malik was scribbling on.
Ryou gasped upon seeing the picture. It was he, laughing heartily with eyes curved, his right hand trying to cover his lips. His hair was flowing with the invisible wind and the falling cherry blossoms. He stared at Malik who was adding extra detail on the hair with his charcoal. "I didn't know you're good at drawing…"
Malik smirked placing his charcoal and canvas down, "and I didn't know you're good in writing". He held a small light blue covered notebook.
Ryou's eyes widened. "That's my diary!" He tried to grab the pad from Malik. Malik smiled and started to piss Ryou again. He stood on his heels over the bench and waved the note out of Ryou's reach, "get it if you can" Malik teased while Ryou was jumping to get hold of his stolen diary. Desperately, he scurried at Malik, only to fall on thin air. Malik escaped by jumping off to the nearest, lowest cherry branch he can reach. "I still got your diary!", he waved the blue note on the air. He sat himself on the said branch to browse the notebook, "Let's see…"
"Malik!", Ryou seethed in anger, pulling a stone and throwing it at Malik, "Give my diary back!"
"Ah! This is my fave part!", Malik smirked, pretending to eye the book yet he ogled Ryou clandestinely. He didn't know why he loved to see Ryou's face flushed red or see smoke fume from his ears in annoyance. Maybe he's just cute when he does. Or perhaps he enjoyed the attention Ryou gives him when he pisses. "March 3, Friday." Malik started to read.
Ryou's eyes widened. Malik was about to start with the contents when water began to fall from the dark skies in small scanty droplets.
'Hoo! Saved by the bell!', Ryou thought while he ran with his friend to his house for it was nearer than the other's. The rain droplets had grown big and dense, that they end up all soaked when they reached Ryou's apartment.
…-…-…-…-
"Ha-Hachu!", Malik let out a small, cat-like sneeze, making his head bang forward, most of his wet hair covering his face. He was cocooned in a fluffy green towel. Curled on Ryou's comfy sofa, he incessantly eyed a smoking cup of hot chocolate on the table in front of him while waiting for his friend.
Pair of pajamas and pj tops is thrown beside him. Malik stared at the light blue cottony clothing before looking at the one who threw them. Ryou gestured him to the room where he can wear them while he blushed, remembering that he wore nothing but the big towel Ryou gave him before he disappeared to his room. He followed suit, wearing Ryou's light blue pj's made Malik's bronzed skin standout. Ryou chuckled at the sight.
"What's so funny?", Malik made a face, still quivering under the slightly undersized pj's he wore. Ryou just giggled more, curling on the corner of the sofa as he clicked the television on. The tanned Egyptian jumped his best friend on the couch, tickling him until he was on his back, laughing his breathe. "Tell me what's funny!", Malik asked while he continued to attack Ryou's sensitive waist
"Nothing… Pl-please stop!", Ryou tried to utter in-between his uncontrollable laughs. He tried as much to stop Malik by kicking his feet on the air only to end up falling off the couch along with Malik. The boys panted heavily, lying sprawled on the velvety white carpet of the living room.
…-…- some time passing . -…-…-
The harsh wind made howling noises outside, tree branches creating screeching sounds against the room's windowsill. The downpour making a steady melody against the roofs accompanied by the seldom thunderclaps. It frightens Ryou. But Malik frightens him too. That's why he made the other sleep on the couch instead of sharing his bed.
Ryou snuggled under his quilt, thinking how the other was being too close for comfort. Every time Malik draws his face near, he can feel his breathe hitch; whenever he feels Malik's touch, his body trembles; and each time he feels the radiant heat of the other's body, his heart raced. He doubted himself that what he was feeling for Malik was going far beyond friendship, and he loathed it. 'He wanted Malik as his best friend, nothing more', his head dictated, but his heart had something else to say.
Ryou was thinking of averting the said emotion. He was almost half-asleep when he yelped, stirred by the sudden darkness. Power failure. He hated darkness. He felt lonely, sad, and afraid, feeling that all dreading emotions lurked in darkness. He grasp for the flashlight he always kept under his drawer in case of storms like this one. He quickly lit it open as long as he got hold of it. He was sitting with arms around his knees when he heard noises outside his room. "Malik," he whispered, peeking outside his door, "Malik, are you still awake?"
Silence.
He made his way to the kitchen where the clatter came from. He moved the flashlight across the dining room and back. Seeing a half-conscious Malik lying halfway under the table, he put the flashlight down and sat beside his friend. "Malik, are you okay?", he asked, trying to move Malik in a sitting position.
Seeing a swirling image of a confused yet concerned Ryou, Malik asked, "Where did the lights go?", dizziness evident on the sound of his voice. Ryou just chuckled at the remark while helping Malik up. It was then when Ryou noticed the oddly high temperature of his friend's body. He touched Malik's forehead with his palm. 'He's feverish', Ryou thought. Malik tried to walk but failed, leaning on Ryou for support.
Ryou tucked Malik underneath his comforter to lessen his friend's shivers. He decided to share his bed after he learned that the tanned boy was sick. The white-haired teen lay beside him, hugging him in a warm embrace to comfort his quivering form. Ryou didn't feel alone in the dark anymore; in fact, he found it comforting. 'How sarcastic!', he thought, as he fell asleep staring at Malik's naive face.
…-…-…-…-
Birds chirped on the windowsill and on the wet branches outside, seemingly celebrating after the storm has passed. The sun was partially spreading its rays, flaring smudges of magenta across the grayish-blue sky. Only the dews on the tips of the plants leaves and the low hanging fog are left on the evidences of the previous storm.
Malik opened his sleep-hazed eyes, blinking it several times to make the blurred image of Ryou clear. His friend's angelic figure lies snuggling close to him. His silvery locks going astray in all directions, long lashes resting just above his ashen cheeks. His steady breathe accompanying the gentle rise and fall of his chest. And his pinkish lips partly open, seemingly inviting a kiss.
When it came to him, Malik wondered why he was at Ryou's room, lying next to him and holding him. All he remembered was he went to the comfort room and everything went dark. Malik shook his head. He even tried to pinch himself to prove he wasn't dreaming. "Ouch!", he muttered under his voice. He was awake after all.
Malik studied Ryou's face, fingering some of his locks. Malik thought they're soft, soft like that of kitten furs. His hand journeyed down his face, letting his thumb brush the smooth porcelain skin lightly. Leaning closer, he took in Ryou's scent which he thinks as strong as vanilla and as light as the cherry blossoms. He absentmindedly held Ryou's chin, bring their lips in a feathery kiss. He felt jolts ran down his spine, a sense of pleasure that sent electricity to all the cells in his body, making him fragile and asking for more. Quenching his thirst, he brushed his lips against Ryou's pale ones, once more, and again. He held the sleeping angel in a chain of gentle kisses.
Malik stared at the resting angel for almost like eternity. He loved looking intently at that face. The more he gazed at that innocent face the more he thinks that the friendly bond turned out to be a sudden obsession. Malik decided to end his fantasy. But before that, he held Ryou's face once more, placing his very last kiss. A deep, passionate kiss. Moving through the partially parted lips, he tasted Ryou's sweetness, exploring every inch of him. Breaking the seal, he gently opened his eyes to see his sleeping angel once more. But what he saw was not what he expected. Doe brown eyes fluttered their thick lashes open, glimmering in the morning sun as it stared widely at him… Certainly not a figure of a sleeping angel…
…-…- ends flash back for now -…-…-
...- Tsuzuku- ...
K:grins evilly: will Ryou give in? Or will he smack Malik and send his head rolling on the ground? Pick your bet! O.
Malik:glares: you made me into a pervert! I hate you:aims a dagger at K:
K:shrugs: An addition to my collection of people who wanted to kill me. You :turns to reader: Why not be one of them?
Malik:Throws thousands of daggers at K: I hate this story! I hate you! Go Die!
K:lays down and dies: -.-
Malik: Ooooppsss... O.O R 'n R buddies... He might raise from the dead if he finds out there are plenty of reviews...