Author's Notes:
Inspiration from a chat with a friend from two years ago spawned this fic (I just found the chat earlier). Wow, it's been a while.
I decided to use a different style than usual to make the lengthy-gigantically-long dialogue flow better! ...Or not at all.
Thanks to lapidary for being my beta and not writing the summary! (Okay, I'm just kidding about the last part). I absolutely cannot write a decent summary worth my life…goes to corner and mumbles incoherently
Summary: Ryou gets dumped by Bakura for reasons explained, and goes to Malik's house to seek consolation (thus, the title). Bakura/Ryou. Malik/Ryou (somewhat one sided).
--I tried. I really did.
Consolation
By mistdevil
He stands in the outside world, water running down his silver hair; looking lost with those eyes that shine dull light in its lusterless state.
Ding-dong.
The door squeaks open.
"Malik…I hate people. Let's hate people together, shall we?"
"Nice to see you too, Ryou. Why are you here at this hour? It's past your curfew, little boy."
"Whatever. Can I just come inside? It's raining pretty hard outside, if you can't tell."
"What's up with your face? You look like someone peed all over you."
"I don't know. I just feel crappy."
"Aw, Bakura gave you a pink flower instead of a red one?"
"I wish. All jokes aside, I dunno. I just want to find myself, and you're there thinking 'there he goes again.'"
"There he goes again."
"Thanks."
"Anytime."
"Hey, Malik…You and Yami Yugi still going at it?"
"Hm? Going at what?"
"I mean…not literally 'going at it.' It's a figure of speech."
"Yes, Ryou. We screw each other's brains out."
"Hah. I meant…sharing a 'relationship.' …Well, no. Don't answer that. It's not my business."
"Well, if you really want to know. I finally had a talk with him today."
"That's great! So you're happy because you got to spend time with him!"
"You're jumping to conclusions. Yami asked me to take him to the mall because he wanted those salamander boxers he saw on TV. I gotta get him off, it's not healthy. And quit that happy act, Ryou. It's annoying when you're obviously not. Want to tell me what happened, or are we going to play this guessing game until 5am?"
"I'm feeling like those crummy people who want attention again. Hey, Malik. Tell me, what's a tampon?"
"What the hell…"
"Don't laugh. Just tell."
"Look it up, man. Look it up."
"No. You tell me."
"Ah, alright, alright. You know, you're cute when you're angry. It just makes me want to snatch you away from Bakura."
"Don't say his name."
"Bakura?"
"I said don't! And in any case, you're with Yami, so don't…"
"Hm… that doesn't mean we can't have a threesome."
"Malik!"
"Oh, alright. I forgot you didn't take teasing well."
"Anyway, what's a tampon?"
"…"
"Fine. I know what tampons are. But people tend to find the more perverted meaning. Tampons are a two-headed drumstick for playing rolls."
"What the hell."
"This is funny…you look at the world now…and then in the 80's, and you're like 'what the hell happened?"
"Ryou…"
"And now, people can't even go down the streets without being paranoid of murder, or getting raped by Anzu."
"Only if you're Yami."
"What did happen to the world?"
"Ryou! Does that all matter?"
"I dunno."
"Can I say something?"
"Yeah, sure. Although I can probably guess what it is."
"You sound like a dying cow sprouting all its wisdom, which is in fact actual crap."
"…I didn't expect that."
"We're not old, bald, and ugly, yet. No one takes us seriously. We 'don't know anything' according to society. Anyone who says ignorance isn't bliss can go talk to Kaiba, and then they'd wish they didn't know anything. Me, with my exotic mocha skin color, can get anyone without being all philosophical. We're young, stop thinking so much."
"I know we don't know anything. No one knows anything. I don't know what I want anymore…and it's scaring me."
"I think you need Bakura. You should go home, instead of talking to me if I make you that depressed."
"….don't say his name."
"Why not? What happened?"
"What? You didn't know? I thought…well…never mind."
"Come on, Ryou, all this talk, and no confession of love for me?"
"I don't like you!"
"Well, that was quick."
"Bakura…we….we broke up."
"I figured."
"What! You knew?"
"From the time you walked in here, drenched with rain with that face, I knew something happened between you and Bakura."
"Then why didn't you say anything, you sadistic bastard!"
"Hey, now. If I did, I wouldn't have been able to control myself. You're so cute, even when you cry, Ryou, you know…Ow, that hurt…Okay, okay. I won't joke around anymore. Want to talk about it?"
"There's nothing to talk about."
"Oh, come on."
"I didn't think there was anything in the beginning anyway."
"What did he say?"
"He said it wasn't working out."
"He said what? Why?"
"I agreed."
"Do you really? What would you have done if he said it was working out? Agreed? You can't be this weak, Ryou, in these kinds of situations."
"These situations? I don't want these things anymore; they're too distracting in life. He told me that we weren't 'quite as his expected.'"
"You should rant out your feelings. You'll feel better, trust me."
"I don't want to."
"Why not?"
"Because I sure as hell know that it annoys the fuck out of other people."
"Wow. You dropped the f-bomb. Ryou, you must be really pissed."
"Shut up."
"I can't, this is my house. And if you think you can hold everything in, then you're weaker than I thought."
"Don't call me weak...that's what he called me. But I'm not holding it in. I just don't really care."
"Your apathy really scares me. Then scream and shout! Clean your room. Let it all out. Hit Bakura."
"…He'll hit me back. And throw me outside."
"Didn't he already throw you outside?"
"No, I came here after he told me that…that…"
"What did he say to you?"
"That we shouldn't be together anymore."
"For what damn reasons? What else did that tomb robber say?"
"Oh..this and that. That he was tired of being my darker half, and that I suppress him as his hikari because of my weaknesses…I don't remember some of it, but I didn't need to."
"I don't think you're weak."
"Malik, you just told me I was. Twice. Please, stop lying to my face like everyone else in this damn world."
"Hey, screw Bakura. Let's go out instead."
"Malik…"
"Ah, everyone's had a bad day except for me. I feel so selfish. "
"Aha. Sadly, I'll be feeling crap for another month or so. And I'll be another one of those attention seekers."
"I thought you said you didn't care."
"…"
"Ryou, it's okay, I'll listen. Just let everything out."
"I don't want to be annoying."
"For Ra's sake, Ryou! You're already here at my house at 2am- and you're here worrying about being annoying?"
"Well…Whenever people pour their ramblings on me, I get pissed. But maybe that's because I'm not such a good friend…"
"Don't say that! I think you're a great friend. I'm your friend…You know that saying 'Friends always listen to each other's problems.' Even though you're a cracked egg on the floor over there, I don't mind listening to your problems."
"Am I really a cracked egg?"
"Yes, now spill your egg yolk guts out at me. If you're not going to hook up with me, hook up with some hot dude, and then I can let you cry on my shoulder. See normally, I'd be like "what the hell you doing," but since my heart is so kind and caring…"
"That's not funny, Malik."
"Then why are you blushing? Wait…wha-"
Speechless, Malik touches his cheek where Ryou's lips had gently grazed them. Chocolate eyes meet violet ones, all playful teasing and joking forgotten. It did not matter, when their eyes meet, all thoughts other than those orbs in front of each other dissolves, and the desire to seek each others' consolation remains.
Malik pulls the younger man into a tight embrace, his bronze arms wrap around Ryou's warm shoulders.
The shoulder quivers ever so slightly. A single fluttering word from the other man's lips reaches Malik's ears… "Bakura…"
Malik winces, as if in pain. And so softly, quietly, gradually, he brings his lips towards the silvery hair, still damp, and breathes in the sweet fragrance.
'I can't make you forget about him
I can't tell you to stop chasing after pieces of his heart
So I'll accept your feelings, even if they're not for me
So that maybe one day, you'll see.
But now, your warm hands grip my waist as if clinging onto your life, and to me,
that is enough.'
-End.
Endnote: I was going for simplicity, but the last paragraphs killed it. Oh well, I hope you don't hate me for that doing that. :D
The ending screams sequel! Argh, it's so cheesy (cries).
But I'll definitely do one, if I have time.
