You seem to be maintaining the status quo...well, that's not so bad. ~ Brain Age
"Hey, hey Yuugi-kun!" Ryou called out, running desperately towards Yuugi, Anzu, Honda and Jou.
"Wait up!" he stumbled over the sidewalk, almost falling flat on his face. Finally the four students turned around.
"Bakura-kun!" Yuugi exclaimed, a wide smile on his face. "Would you like to walk to school with us?"
Ryou just nodded, to worn out to say anything else. Soon they were all walking in stride, and the dull lull of conversation had begun again. Ryou nodded and smiled slightly at the appropriate times, but he had no idea what on Earth they were talking about. His mind was a bit distracted…
(There was a pain in his heart, like someone had a blunt knife and was twisting it deeper and deeper.)
Yuugi threw his head back in laughter, unconsciously cradling his puzzle closer. Ryou noticed Yuugi did this a lot, almost pathologically. Ryou did not like that at all. Yuugi's hands always blocked his view of the puzzle. The perfect, beautiful puzzle –
(Deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper…)
Yuugi turned to Ryou and smiled; a quiet laugh at Honda and Jou who arguing about something that was no doubt very trivial and not worth the effort both of them were emitting.
(…and deeper and deeper. Ryou had grown to love that feeling.)
He returned the smile whole heartedly. Ryou really did like Yuugi, despite everything. He was sweet and naive, like a newborn kitten.
(Just as easy to manipulate, too.)
Also, Yuugi always was something that was entirely Ryou. When Ryou thought of him (and him only, not the item that he cradled so delicately in his hands.) there were no traces of the spirit in his thoughts. That in itself was refreshing. The spirit seemed to becoming more intertwined with the undercurrents of his mind, so much so that Ryou struggled to notice it anymore. Not that that fact bothered Ryou. (How could it? The spirit, after all was inevitability.) It was just, refreshing to know that there was still a piece of him that remained untainted.
Jou and Honda were still arguing and it was getting worst. They might have been arguing with more heat for a while longer, but it had just caught Ryou's attention when Anzu stepped in.
Anzu always seemed effectively resolved whatever squabble Jou and Honda were having at the moment. Ryou had noticed (as he does with many things because when you are a shell there is not much to do but watch and notice) that Jou and Honda were very much like a seesaw. They were constantly teetering on the edge until Anzu would come and provide for the losing side, until balance was restored. In fact, Ryou had come to see life this way. Very fitting in a way, life was but one childish school game.
(And Ryou loved games very much.)
"So, how is the game shop doing?" Ryou said casually to Yuugi, whose eyes had glazed over for a second.
"Oh, it's doing great, business hasn't been better!" He gave another one of those smiles that were both full of happiness and compassion, but turned his head away signaling the conversation was over. He must have more important conversation to continue, Ryou thought without a trace of bitterness. And he too turned his head away.
Yes, despite the inevitability (of betrayal, instrumentality, redemption) Ryou did like Yuugi.
And despite the inevitability, Ryou would protect him.
(And him only.)
Ryou trailed along after Yuugi and his friends when they reached the hallways.
It was nice just being on the outskirts of their friendship. He had always known he was not truly part of their group (he, after all had a very keen eye and was good at observations) and never could be, no matter how hard he tried. That didn't bother him. Their friendship was like a bond fire, he was far enough away where he could still feel the warmth, but not too closed to where it burned.
(A perfect balance.)
And it had been so long since he had been given any warmth at all. He had frozen himself away from any type of friendship for a reason; he could not afford to lose anymore friends. That wasn't to say he didn't enjoy the figurines. Oh, no. Ryou loved all of them! He played with them still, even though some of them were quite old. It was just that there couldn't be anymore. His mother use to always say there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
("Remember Ryou you must always have moderation, a balance,")
To Ryou's great surprise, they were already inside the school.
Alas, Ryou had to turn away from Yuugi and his friends to retrieve the books from his locker, which was on the other side of the school. He had science for first period, and his textbook was a requirement. Leaving the warmth didn't matter that much because science was one of the few classes that he with Yuugi Anzu, Honda and Jou, so he would be seeing them in a matter of minutes.
Besides, he was getting spoiled. He mustn't walk with them tomorrow. Perhaps he wouldn't even go to school tomorrow and just let the spirit have his way for a day. Then maybe his body could get a good night sleep for once.
Ryou sighed loudly; he was never good at making decisions.
He quickly filed into the classroom, taking a seat at the far edge so Yuugi and his friend's could have the middle.
(Not to close, he remembered himself; he must not get to close. He just might get burned.)
Soon, Jou and Honda walked in spitting insults at each other, Anzu rolling her eyes and Yuugi was wearing that small smile.
He wasn't cradling his puzzle though. No, the puzzle was hanging free and unblemished against Yuugi's school uniform.
They sat down in the seats that Ryou had assigned them even if they were unaware of that fact. Tentatively, Ryou leaned forward to stroke Yuugi's puzzle.
"I can't believe you managed to put all those pieces back together, Yuugi-kun,"
"I know, neither can I," he laughed, but his chest swelled with pride none the less. Ryou still ran his fingers across the puzzle.
"Tell me again how you came to have it?"
And Yuugi happily told his tale, the words losing all meaning when they reached Ryou who was still caressing the puzzle.
(Ryou closed his eyes; savoring that delightful shock and the fantastic knife twisting that followed.)
The puzzle was cool to Ryou's touch, and very smooth like river stones. Soon, it would be his…
(Ryou eyes snapped open and he quickly retracted his hands back.)
I won't let you win, spirit.
("Hey, Yuugi would you like to come over to my house tomorrow?")
But I won't let you lose either.
A/N I have been meaning to write a story to the quote for forever. I seriously mean that. When I conceived this idea for this collection, Midnight Musings quote and this quote inspired me at the same time. So many lines in my head that I had been planning to use for this quote have ended up in other stories. I am just so happy that I finally wrote it! Reviews are a necessity, I want to know your thoughts on this story. ^^
