Disclaimer: I own nothing but the mold growing under my bed.
A/N: But, um, don't tell the mold I said that, or it might revolt. I have issues, yes. Be warned - yet again, this chapter is EDITTED! I think by now you know where to find the uneditted verion's link... (sniffle) Wah, this is the last chapter! So sad... (gets up on imaginary podium) I would like to thank my mom and dad, for kindly avoiding reading it, and all my friends, for reading it even though it probably rotted their brains, and, oh, my glorious reviewers, for being so absolutely, perfectly glorious :) (finally realizes that the podium is imaginary, and falls on her butt) Itai... Just like one of those strange American cartoons! Oh, wait, I'm American... Okay, fine, I guess I have to write something that actually makes sense now, huh?
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Chapter Eleven: Beautiful Night
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Ah, the stars... Would they look different where he was going? Maybe... Maybe it would help if he knew where he was going, too.
Bakura sighed. This song was too perky for the way he was feeling right now; he changed the channel on his portable radio.
All your fears are coming true and
This is the time, this is the time of your life
That defines you...
It was that song, he realized. The song he had caught the beginning of... that night... This must be a part he hadn't heard yet.
So raise your hands, raise your hands...
He winced, screwing his eyes shut. This song held bad memories now. If only things could have gone some other way... Then he opened his eyes again.
Under the stars I'm alone among strangers
Confused, disconnected, diffused and alive
Maybe the future will smile on us
Maybe the future is here tonight
...And there was Ryou...
Cause it's a beautiful night, beautiful night, yeah
Beautiful night, beautiful night to be here
The song ended as he stared. Ryou looked even more beautiful than usual, with his face framed by stars... He smiled slightly as Bakura switched the radio off.
"What's up?" he asked, with as much normalness as he could work in to his voice, as Ryou sat down next to him on the roof.
"The stars." He chuckled, but there was something a bit downtrodden to his voice, too. "So... You're leaving tonight?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
Ryou glanced sideways at him. "Do you know where you're going?"
"Yes," he lied smoothly.
He scoffed. "Sure." Then he handed him a slip of paper. "Here..." He concentrated on the city lights for a moment. "Because it really ought to be me, you know..."
Bakura stared at the check for a long time. It was practically all the money Ryou had left. "I can't take this," he insisted.
"Yes you can!"
He stared for a moment, wishing he could say 'If you'd just let me stay, I wouldn't have to.' But instead he just lay back again. "Ah... maybe you're right... of course you're right; you're always right..."
Ryou frowned lightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"
No, he couldn't help it; he scowled. "You would say something stupid like that! Fine, then, I'll tell you - you're too right for your own good! I don't want to go. You say you want me to leave, but I really don't think you do. What if I was some girl you weren't related to at all? Would you be happy then?"
He was on his feet now, shouting. Ryou was too stunned to move for a moment, but then he scrambled rather quickly to his feet. "I-I think you're crazy," he stammered, starting to leave. "I don't know what-"
Bakura gave up completely in frusteration. He grabbed Ryou's shoulders, spun him around and kissed him roughly. Ryou didn't try to push him away but just clung to his shoulders, most likely in shock, as Bakura forced his lips open with his tongue... So he was the one to back away instead, glaring fiercly.
"Am I just flatterring myself?" he demanded. "Doesn't that make you feel anything at all?"
After an infintely long time, when Bakura was just about ready to give up, Ryou said quietly, "No. Nothing."
And then he flung himself into his brother's arms, sobbing.
Bakura sighed, and inhaled deeply with his nose buried in Ryou's hair. "You're a mess," he declared.
"Me?" Ryou sniffled, managing to make even a sniffle sound indignent. "You're the one who's a mess!"
"No, I'm a sick bastard," he corrected calmly. "There's a difference. At least I know what I want."
Ryou nearly laughed, through his tears. "Oh. But... we... we're-"
"So?" he said haughtily. "It's not that much worse than just two guys, really. And in case you haven't heard, Yami and Malik are together." At Ryou's utterly scandalized expression, he nodded sagely. "And Malik claims there's something going on with Yuugi and Kaiba too now, though I don't believe it... he's too fucking short for him..."
Ryou really did laugh at that. "Well... But..." He shook his head. "No. No. That doesn't matter. It just won't work; don't you see that-?"
He was interrupted again. "You don't think?" Bakura grinned toothily. "Then why exactly are you letting my hug you? Who know what kind of lecherous-" Ryou squeaked and tried to pull away, but Bakura grabbed his wrists in one hand and lifted his chin up with the other, suddenly becoming serious. "Go ahead, then. Tell me that I disgust you, tell me not to ever touch you. Tell me to go away. Tell me you don't ever want to see me again, and you won't! If you can still keep saying that crap, then you're too much of an idiot for me anyway!"
Ryou stared, and didn't answer but simply started crying again. Bakura's expression soften, and he gently kissed him. When he made no attempt to get away Bakura let his hands drop to his sides, and kissed his tears away. Then he grinned again.
"So I guess I'm not so horrible after all!" he said, laughing.
Ryou wrinkled his nose. "You are horrible. You're foul-mouthed and filthy-minded." He sighed, laying his head against Bakura's chest. "And I guess I... love you..."
Bakura smiled, and tilted his face up for another kiss. While they kissed he slowly sunk down, bringing Ryou with him, until they were lying on the roof together. Ryou pulled away with a gasp when Bakura slipped a hand up his shirt.
Bakura smirked down at his twin's blushing, startled face. "What?"
Ryou looked back at him for a moment, then looked away in a haze of embarrassment. "...nothing..."
Bakura murmered into the flesh of his neck, "You know, if you're too uncomfortable, then we can wait... Just say the word..." He flicked his tongue over the other's pulse point, sending shivers down his spine.
"N-no!" he said, shaking his head obstinately. "I'm sick and tired of not... not..." Frustrated with his inabilty to put it into words, he pulled Bakura into a quick kiss.
I'm sick and tired of not letting myself touch you...
"Well, if you're sure."
Bakura kissed his lips, his face, his neck, while lightly trailing his fingers over his stomach. Finally, imboldened by the lack of protests, he reached up further and gently pinched one of Ryou's nipples; Ryou gasped and grabbed his shoulder weakly. But when Bakura started to lift up his shirt, he stopped him, blushing anew.
"But... I mean..." He looked up sheepishly. "...on the roof?"
He grinned. "Yeah?"
"Bakura!"
He held up his hands in self defense. "What? It's late, you know. Hardly anyone's out this late, in this part of town. And if they are, they're probably just the kind of sick person who would enjoy seeing-"
"Bakura!"
He snickered. "I guess we could go in, if you want," he conceded. "But you do know that our old man's in there somewhere, right?"
Ryou's blush worsened. If Dad heard... or even saw... uck... "The roof is good." Bakura laughed, and deftly pulled his brother's shirt over his head.
Ryou shivered momentarily in the cool evening air, but then Bakura hugged him close, burying his face in his neck. "You're beautiful," he declaired. "Delicious..."
Ryou flushed again, but forgot his embarrassment when Bakura started leaving small kisses and bites across his chest. Had he really wanted this all along, or had Bakura just talked him into it? When he stopped to think, if it felt so right, did it matter?
But when Bakura tried next to get a hand between his legs, Ryou had one last moment of seconds thoughts. He was so flustered that he nearly pushed him away and right off the roof, actually. "Make up your mind - are you okay with this or not?" Bakura demanded. He looked him right in the eyes. "...I... do love you, you know." And because he only looked just a little bit awkward, Ryou gave in...
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They lay together under the stars - on the hard, cold, gritty roof with the sweat slowly cooling off them - for a long time. Eventually Bakura said, "You really are beautiful, you know."
Ryou nodded sleepily. "I know. You mentioned." Bakura chuckled.
"We should go in now, I guess..."
Ryou cracked one eye open. "I can't get up."
"Why not?"
"You're laying on me..."
"Oh." Bakura hugged him close, and buried his face in his brother's hair again to hide his smile. "Then I guess we'll just have to sleep outside tonight. You're too comfortable."
As Ryou glowered good-naturedly and tried whacking him, yelling, and pulling on his hair in a futile attempt to get Bakura off, the screen fades to black.
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A/N: Say it with me now: aw-w-w-w-w! Hmm... Bakura was a bit forceful, I thought. But I guess that suits his personality fairly well, don't you think? . Wow, I can't believe it... It's finally done... (goes into shock) (brightens suddenly) My twenty-sixth finished story! That rox! I should throw a party! Now I can concentrate on one of those seven or so other stories I've got going at the moment, I guess... ... Review o-ne-gai-i-i-i-i-i-i?