Kimyo: Hello, all! Sorry it took so very long to update. I was focused on my Ring fic, since it is the most popular of my stories here. (probably 'cause it's my first story, and has been around the longest.) I couldn't help myself. I had to update this today. I played The Hours DVD to put me in the right frame of mind, and wrote until my hand cramped up. Then I took a break and came back to write some more.
You can check on the progress of all my stories and see future stories and plot bunnies on my profile page. I update that whenever anything noteworthy happens, so you can know what's up with my fics at all times.
Thanks to my kind reviewers!
Talk It Out, thank you for adding this story to your favs!
Pihorist, what Malik did will become clear soon.
Serenity Meowth, torturing Malik is fun, neh? You don't have to hate someone to torture them, if you're familiar with the sweet agony of sadomasochism.
Before I begin, one small warning: this chapter has a momentary hint of incest.
Teardrops and Forbidden Kisses
"I brought you a gift." Malik placed the small box in Ryou's hands. "Please open it."
Ryou set it aside, his smile more strained with each passing moment. "Sorry to be a bad host, but I've got a date and I need to get ready." He stood and walked to the stairs. "You know the way out. It was nice seeing you, Malik."
Malik jumped up and went after him. Ryou, wait. We need to talk." He dashed around and stood between Ryou and the stairs, arms spread.
Ryou frowned at him.
"You can't just dismiss me and not give me a chance to explain."
Ryou crossed his arms. "Get out of my house." He tried to hurry past Malik and go up the stairs, but Malik grabbed desperately at him. Seizing Ryou's arms, he moved the pale teen against the banister, holding him in place by pressing his body against Ryou's struggling form. His hands slid down Ryou's arms and pinned Ryou's hands to the cold carved surface of the railing.
"Does this remind you of anything?" He leaned and breathed his hot words against Ryou's neck, making him shiver. "Our first time, after that concert. I was so shocked when you pushed me up against the wall--"
Ryou thrashed and broke free, shoving Malik backwards. He stumbled down a few steps, but managed not to fall. After he regained his balance, he looked up and met Ryou's fiery gaze. He realized Ryou was waiting for him to speak.
"Ryou, I love you, I do..." Ryou's expression seemed to soften, but Malik wasn't sure. It could have been his wishing for it.
"... But I also love Shuichi, and Mariku--" Ryou stomped down the stairs towards him, intending to throw him out. "-- and Bakura."
Ryou stopped, his hand frozen in the middle of grabbing Malik's arm. They stared at each other.
"Ryou..."
"Did you try anything with him?"
Malik lowered his head and closed his eyes for a moment. "... I kissed him..."
"What did he do?"
"He punched me and told me to stay away from you."
Ryou closed his eyes, feeling the sting of tears.
He told Malik to stay away from me. He was being protective.
However, that was before...
He opened his eyes and a single tear fell down. Malik noticed, but didn't say anything.
"Did it hurt?"
"What?"
"Your hands. Did it hurt when you grabbed me?"
They both looked down at Malik's sloppily bandaged hands.
Ryou took hold of them, cradled them lovingly. Malik had so missed Ryou's touch. Looking up, he saw Ryou gazing intently at their hands, as if some vital truth laid there.
After a long time, he snapped out of it, and led Malik to the kitchen.
They found Serenity walking with a couple of girlfriends, talking and laughing. She looked up and was stunned to see Jouno running to her, arms spread.
"Serenity!"
Her smile brightened and she opened her arms. "Big Brother!"
Jouno scooped his sister into a tight hug. He lifted her off the sidewalk and twirled her around, making her laugh and hug him tighter. Kaiba walked up slowly, keeping his distance as he watched them.
He set her down and they looked at each other.
"I'm so glad to see you, Big Brother! Mother said you'd cancelled."
Jouno shook his head. "No way I'd ever disappoint you. Come on."
"Huh? Where are we going?"
"Wherever you want. Kaiba's got a jet."
Serenity stopped, shaking her head. "I can't. Mother told me to come straight home after school. If I don't, she'll worry."
"We'll call her and tell her where you are. Come on." He tried to pull her along, but she wouldn't budge.
"I'm sorry. I can't." She began to hurry away from him.
"Serenity, wait." He grabbed her arm. She'd been walking so fast that she was swung around and drawn back to Jouno, into his arms. He caught her, and they found themselves in an embrace, their lips pressed together. Serenity tried to pull away, but was shocked when Jouno held onto her, kissing her.
He pulled back and whispered huskily, his eyes searching her face. "Don't I seem better now?"
She broke away from him and stepped away, offering a perturbed glance before she turned and ran.
He didn't chase her, only watched her vanish around the corner. Ignoring the giggling schoolgirls passing by, he noticed that Kaiba was staring at him.
"What? What do you want?" Without waiting for Kaiba to answer, he turned and strode off in the other direction.
"Wheeler, you're going the wrong way!" He began to follow.
"Just leave me alone!" He sped into a run, and Kaiba did the same.
They wound up in a quiet backalley between residential streets. Over the tops of the concrete walls, only rooftops could be seen.
As Kaiba rounded the corner, he saw that Jouno had slowed to an amble. He approached quietly.
Jouno looked at the trashcan for a few seconds before digging into his backpack. He brought out Serenity's honmei chocolate and gazed at the box he'd placed it in, thinking about all the love that had gone into it. Then he tossed it in and walked off, wiping tears away. He didn't hear Kaiba closing in. When Kaiba grabbed the blonde's wrist, Jouno gasped and half-spun, looking at Kaiba with wide eyes.
"Let's go back, Wheeler."
Jouno tried to pull his hand away, but Kaiba's grip was too strong. "Let go of me."
"How are you going to get home? Walk? Hitchike, maybe?"
"That's my decision, isn't it?" He pulled away, struggling harder, but Kaiba wouldn't let go.
"I'm not leaving you here."
"Let go of me!" He finally managed to break free, but could only back towards the wall.
"It's time to go home."
Jouno's back thumped against the cool concrete, and his backpack slid down his arm to hit the ground. "Stop looking at me that way."
Kaiba regarded him questioningly.
"Everyone looks at me like I'm made of glass, and they think I don't notice. I'm sick of it." Jouno's head was down, and he was looking off to the side.
Kaiba didn't take his gaze away. He took in the sight of Jouno's blonde hair and the heartbreaking sadness in his eyes. He didn't think Jouno was fragile, but he couldn't fight back the fear he had yet to define-- fear of losing Jouno Wheeler.
He changed the subject. "Did you see anything today?"
Jouno chuckled. "This morning, I saw a figure on the street walking towards me. She had no face and seemed like she was made of black fire." His face shone with tears. "I don't think the meds are working."
Without thinking, Kaiba placed his hands on the sides of Jouno's face and wiped the tears away with his thumbs.
Jouno turned his head, forcing Kaiba's hands away. "Leave me alone."
"I can't do that."
Jouno tried in vain to push him away. "Stop! I can't take this anymore!" He stopped fighting and glared at Kaiba, who had managed to pin him against the wall. "Why do you keep doing this to me? You pull away, you make it so clear that you couldn't care less about me, and then you act like you're in love with me and I'm your property!"
Kaiba didn't say anything, but his eyes seemed to darken a shade.
Jouno suspected Kaiba's intentions when he saw the teen lick his lips, but didn't think Kaiba would actually do it and was shocked to feel Kaiba's bruising kiss.
He squeezed his eyes shut and took hold of Kaiba's shoulders, his fingers digging in. He parted his lips, inviting Kaiba to deepen the kiss, and a moment later, felt the euphoric caress of Kaiba's tongue against his. Jouno's knees buckled, and he leaned into Kaiba, clutching him even tighter.
After some time, they reluctantly broke the kiss and gazed at each other, catching their breaths.
Kaiba shocked Jouno twice more. First, Jouno saw tears dropping from Kaiba's eyes. Then, he heard Kaiba's deep, sensuous murmurr:
"I love you."
The blonde's breath hitched in his throat, but before he could respond, Kaiba's eyes widened, as if he'd snapped out of a trance. He let go of Jouno and backed away, eyes wide, as if disgusted with himself.
"Kaiba, don't."
Kaiba broke into a full run and disappeared, stranding Jouno.
There was a long counter in the kitchen lined with three barstools. Malik sat on one of these, facing Ryou, who was standing beside him. On the counter were fresh bandages, cottonballs, and a bottle of blue disinfectant. Ryou unwrapped the shoddy bandages he'd applied earlier.
Neither spoke for a while. When Malik finally said something, the suddenness of his voice was startling.
"I thought you were out of cottonballs."
Ryou didn't answer. Soon, he was finished. Only then did he look up and meet Malik's gaze.
Again, Malik was the first to speak.
"I've missed you." He reached haltingly, and Ryou allowed Malik to touch him. The backs of Malik's slender bronze fingers caressed the side of Ryou's face, luxuriating in the softness of his pale skin. They moved lower and found Ryou's mouth. Malik ran his thumb over Ryou's lower lip, feeling his shaky breath.
The phone rang, and they jolted.
"Don't answer it."
"It could be my father." Or Bakura. Malik watched him cross the kitchen.
"Moshi moshi. Oh. Lolly, I'm so sorry. Something came up, and I'm running late." He cast a side glance in Malik's direction. "I'll be there soon. Sorry again." He hung up.
Malik was standing beside him now. "Was that your valentine?"
"Just a classmate."
Malik smiled at him. "Don't you think we should talk?"
"I've got to be somewhere."
"I can wait. Ryou..." He pressed his lips against Ryou's in a tentative kiss. He didn't want to come on too strong and risk being pushed away again.
They parted and looked at each other, and, fighting back tears, Ryou could not stifle a nervous laugh. "I'll be back in a few hours."
Malik smiled broader than before. "I'll wait here."
Ryou nodded. "Okay."
He left in quite a hurry, not bothering to get himself ready to the extent he'd meant to before. Malik watched him walk away, unaware of all the confusion going through Ryou's mind as he disappeared down the street.
5
teardrops and forbidden kisses
finish
KimyouTeki: Yay, new chapter! Hope you liked it! Please review and let me know what you think!