A/N Um slight chance that there might be some angstshipping subtext here, (which is crazy because I don't even ship that), but only if you want to see it. This was intended as friendship. Just thought I should give you a heads up though! As always, your reviews are what keep me updating. This takes place post-series.


A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway. ~ Fr. Jerome Cummings


(Again!)

Ryou has gotten himself into it again. He doesn't know how, or why he's agreed to this (-yet he does, but the reasons are buried too deep inside of him, tangled up into something unfathomable, something to broken to fix-) because he has done this before and did not like it then either.

Their speed increases, Ryou tightens his grip on Malik's waist. The wind is blowing through his hair and the sensation is almost pleasant. (Almost.) Then Malik makes a sharp turn and all thoughts prior to that are replaced with nausea. And, again he wonders why he ever agreed to take this ride with Malik, wonders why Malik would even ask him at all.

But then he thinks (losing himself for a second to the open air) that Malik must have his own tangled reasons for asking him too. For Malik is just as broken as he as, just as guilty, just as exiled, just as condemned. Perhaps the worst thing (that's an exaggeration, not the worst, not even close) is that their isolations are self-induced. Regardless of what their others (and Ryou refuse to see them as anything but shadows, and they were not the other halves of their souls) did previous. They have chosen to accept their fate and live their lives like the shells they are. Even though they have never talked about anything close to the nature of these thoughts that are invading his mind, Ryou can see it. Mostly when Malik turns his head to give him a happy smirk and lavender eyes meet brown.

It's almost as if they're kindred spirits.

Their speed increases.

(And Ryou clings to him tighter.)