Graceshipping (Bakura Ryo/Ishizu Ishtar)
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((post series; Ryo is a graduate student in London and Ishizu is temporarily staying with him while she runs an exhibit.))
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"Ryo, are you absolutely positive you're not going to go to sleep tonight?"
Ryo looked up blearily from his papers. He had to blink several times before he was able to see the clock on the table beside him—was it already two in the morning? He groaned, kneading the heels of his hands into his temples. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Ishizu leaning against the doorway with her arms folded. She raised an eyebrow at him, smiling slightly.
"I know you're in pretty deep with this thesis of yours, but you know, sleep is a good thing."
"I was...just about done with this bit," Ryo lied.
"Until you fell asleep sitting up, right?"
She laughed softly.
"I know how you feel; I was a graduate student once too."
She pushed off of the door frame with her shoulder and walked into the room. Despite the hour, she was still dressed in that thick black turtleneck and slacks from work.
"But I also know that trying to decipher pages you wrote while sleep-deprived takes even moretime. You need a break."
Ryo really, really, wanted to argue, but he sighed, letting his head drop down towards the table.
"I guess I'll sleep right here," he mumbled as a joke. "I think my butt put roots into the chair."
"At least let me get you to a recliner," she said with a small laugh.
She briefly massaged her fingers against his shoulders before helping him stagger to his feet.
"Want some chamomile before? I just brewed a pot."
"That would be amazing," Ryo said. "Thank you, Ishizu-san."
"That's what roommates are for," she said, smiling. "I have to do something to repay you for letting me stay here while I'm in London."
It took a few minutes for Ryo to stumble sleepily alongside Ishizu to their little kitchenette. The kettle was already steaming, and Ishizu led Ryo to the table and eased him to a seat before attending to the tea. She returned with an absolutely lovely mug full of steaming chamomile tea, and Ryo smiled thankfully at her as he cupped it between his hands, letting the heat stain his palms.
Ishizu slid into the seat across from him with her own mug. She brought it up to her lips to blow on it gently before taking a tiny sip.
"So the thesis is going well, then?"
"Yeah, thanks to you," Ryo said. "Not every day ancient studies majors can get some primary sources."
She laughed, her breath stirring the steam of her tea.
"Again, it's little trouble what with you letting me stay here for so little rent," she said. "It's been nice, being out here in England. I thought the weather would get to me, but I'm so comfortably busy I don't have time to notice the lack of sun."
"Same," Ryo said. He took a thin sip of the tea, letting the warmth wash through him. "I do...miss Japan sometimes though. Despite everything."
She smiled, her eyes softening in that way that always made him take a breath, that way that always made him look twice.
"I miss home too," she said. "I guess that's one thing that doesn't change...no matter what you leave behind, part of you will always miss it, right...?"
Ryo looked down into the dark pool of tea between his hands. For perhaps the first time in a long time, his mind didn't drag itself back to things he didn't want to remember. Here, in this moment, sitting across the table from the quiet woman with the soft eyes, warm tea in his hands and a quiet world outside, he felt...peaceful.
And the memories that came to him were not the ones that stabbed and ripped and hurt.
Instead, he remembered the smiles. The cherry blossoms blooming in the front courtyard of his run down high school. The warmth of a million people walking up and down the streets of a crowded city. The sun sparkling across the harbor waters.
He looked back up to see her eyes were also distant, and he wondered what she was remembering. Judging by the smile that pulled at her lips, they were as happy memories as his.
"Ishizu," he said. "Thank you."
She blinked out of her reverie, and reached back to push some hair behind her arm, a smile crinkling her ocean eyes. She didn't ask him what he was thanking her for.
"No," she said. "Thank you."
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A/N: Surprisingly cute! I actually found some really good art for this ship in the tags of Tumblr, you should totes check it out :3 Next is Gothshipping (Ryo x Kotsuzaka).
