Lookie, fast-ish update! yay!

anyways. I'm still having keyboard issues (I have no idea when that will get fixed...) and now more keys are joining the I-Hate-Roxy-And-Will-Not-Type-Correctly legion. I'm very sorry.

Again, I don't own YGO or its characters, sadly.

Passion's A Prison
Chapter 3: The Taste of Innocence

Ryo and Shizuka entered the house again and Ryo told Shizuka to sit down on the couch. She nodded and headed for the living room. It was a reasonably sized, cozy room. It had a deep blue carpet, like the rest of the house, and starkly white walls. The house had a simple, home-like feel to it. It was easy to be comfortable here. The sitting room windows had simple blue curtains, just a shade lighter than the carpet. They were drawn back slightly, revealing a stunning view of the full moon outside reflected in the lake behind the house. In the far corner there was a slightly shabby upright piano, upon which were several photos. The largest of these depicted a breathtakingly beautiful woman with long, silvery-white hair; the exact shade of Ryo's, if sleeker and less fluffy. Her deep brown eyes were exactly like Ryo's as well. She was holding a young boy who could only be a much younger Ryo, smiling blissfully up at the camera.

"That's the last picture she have of her," said Ryo's voice from behind her. She looked at his face, which showed an emotion she couldn't quite place. "Bakura's destroyed the rest."

"Your mother," Shizuka said softly. "I'm so sorry, Ryo. You must miss her terribly."

"I do," Ryo said, smiling sadly.

"She was beautiful."

Ryo nodded. "Beautiful, very talented, marvelously intelligent, and exceptionally kind."

He picked up another photo, this one showing a young girl with long black hair and shockingly bright blue eyes. She was holding a guitar, smiling brightly.

"This is my sister," he said softly. "They both died in a car crash when I was little."

"I'm so sorry," Shizuka said again, wishing she could say something else.

"Everyone always says that," Ryo said, a hint of remorse in his soft voice. "But you never really know when they mean it."

He set his sister's picture back down and gazed at the floor as his beautiful calico cat rubbed against my leg, purring.

"She usually doesn't come to see new people," he said. "I expected her to be hiding somewhere."

Ryo shrugged and reached for the blankets he had carried in. He withdrew from their folds a slim case, which she recognized as a DVD.

"Jonouchi once told me," he said, opening the case, "that you always watch this movie when you're upset. I thought you might want to watch it now."

"I'd like that," she said truthfully.

He put The Princess Bride in the DVD player and pressed play. He sat down and reached for his cocoa, handing hers to her as he did so.

About ten minutes into the movie, a familiar song erupted in the room.

I really miss your hair in my face

And the way your innocence tastes

And I think you should know this

You deserve much better than me.

Ryo pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and answered it.

"Hello?" he said. "Yeah…Yeah, she's here, she's fine…Okay." He looked at her. "It's your brother. He wants to talk to you."

Shizuka took the phone. "Hello?" she said.

"Shizuka, are you okay?" said Katsuya. His voice was cracked with fear; he was obviously worried out of his mind.

"Yes, Kat," she said calmly, "I'm fine. I got a few cuts, but Ryo took care of them for me."

"Okay," he said, starting to calm down. He took a deep breath. "Okay. Don't come home, the guy's still there, and he brought friends. I'm at Mai's, so call her house or my cell if you need me, 'kay?"

"Alright," she said. "Are you okay, Kat? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," he said soothingly. "I'm okay, Shizuka, don't worry."

"Good," Shizuka said, and paused before saying, "I'm staying at Ryo's tonight."

Katsuya hesitated. Apparently, he did not approve of her spending the night with a boy, particularly after the events of that night.

"Katsuya," she said with a hint of impatience. "Don't worry. You can trust Ryo, you know that. He's taken perfectly good care of me so far."

"Jonouchi," Ryo said, taking the phone from her. "Shizuka will be fine here, I promise...she'll take my bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

Shizuka made a face.

"You don't have to give up your bed, Ryo," she said. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"Shizuka," Ryo said softly, placing an icy hand on the side of her face so he could look her in the eyes. "I'll be fine. Sleeping on the couch for one night will not hurt me."

She smiled at him and sighed, taking the phone back again. "Katsuya?"

"Yeah?"

She paused, not sure what to say. "I love you, Kat."

"I love you too, Munchkin. And I'm so glad you're okay."

"You too. Goodnight, Katsuya. I'll see you soon."

"Sweet dreams, Shizuka."

She hung up and handed the phone to Ryo, who was singing under his breath:

I really miss your hair in my face

And the way your innocence tastes

And I think you should know this

You deserve much better than me.

"So," she said, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. "What does innocence taste like?"

He set down his cup and faced her.

"I don't know," he said, looking into her eyes. "Let me find out."

We leaned toward each other. He wrapped his arms around her and ran his pale, thin fingers through her hair. Their lips met, and every worry about the night's events vanished from her mind. They sat there, entwined, for several minutes. Or was it hours? Or perhaps several moonlit days. She couldn't be sure.

Finally they pulled apart, but she longed for the connection to continue. She loved the way his strong, gentle hands caressed her, loved the way his lips met hers.

He looked into her eyes again and said, "Hot chocolate."

She smiled and rested her head on his chest. Ryo pulled a blanket over them and wrapped his arms around Shizuka's slight form underneath it, his cold hands on her waist. They faced the T.V. just in time to see Wesley and Buttercup sharing their fateful kiss.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Jonouchi hung up the phone and sat down next to Mai.

"Is she okay?" Mai asked anxiously.

"She's fine," he replied. "She's with Ryo."

Mai looked concerned.

"Mai," Jonouchi said calmly. "Ryo's a great guy. Seriously. He wouldn't hurt a fly. I trust him. You should too."

"You're right," said Mai after a brief pause, "I think my sister-in-law is safe with him."

She wrapped her arms around Jonouchi and kissed me on the cheek.

"You didn't tell anyone," she said. "Did you?"

"No," he said calmly. "And I won't until you're ready."

"You're the best," she said, kissing him again.

"And don't you ever forget it."

I do not own The Princess Bride or the song Better Than Me. I just love them (:

I still don't think Ryo and Shizuka's kiss is quite right. Like the timing of it, ya know? It still feels off to me.

Anyway, what do you think so far?