Creamshipping (Bakura Ryo/Jonouchi Katsuka/Thief King Bakura/Yami no Bakura]

. . .

Jonouchi didn't say a word about it—and for that, Ryo didn't think there were words in the world to say how grateful he was.

The boy didn't even mention it, barely even reacted. When Ryo stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, his words stopping halfway through his sentence as his eyes glanced over something—he couldn't quite remember what it was, it might have been the glint of light off of a bike's spokes, but it made him think of the glitter of the Ring dangling from his fingers and his heart had burrowed up into his throat as two leering faces seemed to come out of nowhere and hover over him, jeering and whispering and making him feel like he was about to choke—

Jonouchi didn't say anything. He just quickly, gently, wrapped an arm around Ryo's shoulders, drawing him gently across the sidewalk to a bench, lowering him down and sitting beside him. Ryo just let himself slump down with his head against Jonouchi's shoulder—he had bony shoulders, and it dug into the side of Ryo's head, but somehow it was a comforting feeling. Jonouchi's hand was warm against his other shoulder, holding him against the other boy, and it felt real, more real than anything.

But theywere still there, staring at him, not even talking anymore, just...just smiling at him, waiting for him to crack.

In the end, Jonouchi did say a few words about it.

"Are they botherin' you again?" he whispered.

Ryo swallowed through a tight through, and tried not to look up into the twin, twisted grins.

"Yes," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

Jonouchi squeezed his shoulder.

"Should I punch 'em for you?"

Ryo choked on the nervous laugh that squeezed out of his throat.

"J-Just don't let go," he mumbled. "U-until I can breathe again."

Jonouchi nodded silently, and squeezed Ryo a little tighter. Ryo burrowed his head into the side of Jonouchi's neck and gripped his shirt with one hand, waiting, waiting, waiting for the ghosts to leave him again.

At least, until it happened, he had something—someone—to cling to.

. . .

A/N: Poor Ryo, always having panic attacks in my stories. Next is Covetshipping (Atem x Set x Mahad).