A/N: Heartshipping, requested by Fallenangel13x? Maybe. I dunno. I can't read my own handwriting on the request sheet and if that isn't right I'm sorry. Also, sorry for any typos in advance. It's 3:28am. *explodes*
Chapter Who Even Knows Are We In the Thirties Still idk: Heartshipping
"Laguz reversed warns against over reach, excessive striving, a council against trying to exceed your own strength or the to operate beyond the power you possess."
"In other news, Yuugi Mutou still seems to have retired from the spotlight. Few have reported even seeing him out of his home since he returned home from Egypt in the spring…"
The tv cut off abruptly. He assumed someone in the room had done it. He didn't so much as glance up from his bowl.
"When will they let it go?" Someone grumbled. "People retire all the time. Let it go… Let it go…"
The voice faded and Yuugi untensed. Why did the world still bother to talk of him? It was never really him out there winning those battles, was it? No, It was Atem. Always big, strong Atem.
He closed his eyes, body falling slack against the chair. Pain crashed through him. He clenched his teeth against the onslaught of memories.
"Enough." He mumbled, standing and moving toward the stairs.
"Yuugi?" Anzu craned her neck to better see him from her spot on the couch. "Where are you going? Are you okay?" So worried. Everyone so worried. He wanted to tell them to relax, that he wasn't going to kill himself. He just needed time. A lot of time.
"I… Need to lay down." He mumbled. Just the simple sentence felt like it had drained him of any energy he'd started the day with. Which, of course, wasn't all that much.
"But you only just got up." Anzu was at the foot of the stairs then, poised like she was ready to go after him. Her eyes were wide and concerned and it hurt Yuugi even more to know that she was hurting too. That Atem had left a considerable hole in her heart too.
And he couldn't even bring himself to comfort her. He wished he could tell her to come with him. He wished he could at least hug her. But he couldn't, and that made him even more sad.
"I'm fine, Anzu." Actually, she hadn't asked. But she wouldn't point that out, just like she wouldn't point out Yuugi's fatigue or his snippish attitude or the way his usually heart-shaped face was drawn and slightly gaunt.
"Of course you are, Yuugi." She forced a tight smile that felt like it would tear her face open. Because that's who she had to be for Yuugi. She had to let him know that she was okay. That she would always be okay. He had to be able to put his faith in something.
Yuugi nodded and turned from her. His feet dragged as he pulled himself up the stairs, away from her bright eyes. He collapsed on the bed, thoroughly exhausted even though his day had only started.
~l~l~l~
"Yuugi?"
Yuugi's felt fear slice through him. No, he wasn't ready to leave yet. Not yet.
"Pharaoh, they're coming for me. They want to take me away." He buried his face in his other half's chest, desperately clinging to the other man's jacket. He wasn't really there. Somewhere Yuugi knew that. He knew his other half was gone, but that didn't stop him from clinging to the shred of him he had left: his dreams.
"Yuugi." A slight tug on the leg of his pants. He whined quietly and rolled over, burying his face in the pillow. "Wake up, Yuugi."
He blinked open one eye, squinting in the late afternoon light. When had he fallen asleep? He remembered being tired, and he remembered his half-assed conversation with Anzu.
"What?" He blinked up at the figure hovering over him. Ryou Bakura wore the same expression most wore around him these days: one of worry.
"Your grandfather said you slept through dinner. I… thought you might be sick or something. You look… I mean, are you?" Ryou sat on the edge of the bed, looking at ease despite his obvious worry. It shocked Yuugi. He was used to everyone skirting around him now, always careful. No one wanted to break his heart further.
"Oh. No. I mean, no I'm not, thank you for asking." He forced a smile and swallowed. Ryou didn't move. Why wasn't he moving? Didn't he know that Yuugi wanted to be alone? Wasn't it obvious?
"I brought you food." Ryou handed a bag over, eyes on Yuugi. Had his stare always been so unnerving? He felt like Ryou could see past his façade. Actually, he was sure of it. "So you could eat. Since, you know, you missed dinner." It was a challenge. He didn't expect Yuugi to take the food. He expected him to turn it down.
So Yuugi did the opposite. He took it with a gracious smile. "Of course."
He forced the food down as well as a drink. Actually he had been quite hungry…
"Hn. How have you been? You don't ever return my calls." Ryou's unnerving gaze stayed on him. Why did that make him feel guilty? Ryou hadn't blamed him. He'd merely stated a fact. Yuugi barely spoke to anyone, let alone called them.
"I… I'm sorry." And he actually found he was. He leaned against his headboard. "I haven't much felt like talking since Atem left. I actually… Haven't felt much like being in the spotlight or anything. Really, what's the point anymore? No one is in danger. Nothing needs fixing and no one needs saving." He looked at Ryou for the last part. Ryou grinned in response and relaxed a bit more, which in turn made Yuugi relax some.
"I understand. Even Seto has backed down, hm?" Ryou laid back. Yuugi moved to hug his legs to his chest, so his feet wouldn't be in Ryou's face. The other boy turned his face toward him once the danger of a toe to the eye was gone. "I suppose it had to happen sometime." He shrugged lightly.
"Really? You aren't going to tell me to dust myself off, get back out there?" Yuugi raised a brow. He was so used to hearing the pep talks. He was used to everyone telling him he would get over it and continue to be the King of Games.
"Why would I?" Ryou lowered his eyes and his voice. "I know… How it feels. Like something is missing, right? Even I can feel it. I hated him, but he was still a part of me. I don't miss him. I just feel his absence. So I know it must be harder on you, with how close you and Atem were."
Yuugi swallowed hard. So someone did understand. Of course Ryou would understand. Why hadn't he thought of the boy sooner?
More importantly, why had he allowed himself to sulk for so long? He'd prided himself in his newfound confidence. Where had that gone?
"I didn't mean… I mean, if I said something I shouldn't have." Ryou was sitting up, eyes on Yuugi once more. Yuugi shook his head, a calm smile taking over his face.
"No. You said exactly what I needed to hear." Yuugi had only wanted someone to understand, and not just see him as a pouting child. "Thank you."
Ryou blinked, obviously thinking that he hadn't said much. But he shrugged and allowed Yuugi to lay next to him without trying to speak again. Ryou had always been that way. He knew when silence was the best answer.
~l~l~l~
It was the silence that let Yuugi know they had just been talking about him. He sat down at his old lunch table with a polite smile.
"Hello." He began unpacking his lunch, focusing much harder than he needed to to avoid the curious stares.
"Hi, Yuugi." Anzu was the first to answer. He felt her leg brush past his on its way to kick Jounouchi in the shin. Jou jumped and muttered a hello and everyone else fell in line. He hadn't been to lunch in months. It was no wonder they were surprised.
"Hello, Yuugi." Ryou's voice was the only one that did not sound shocked in the slightest. He smiled easily from across the table. Yuugi decided to fix his gaze on him.
"So what's up?" Yuugi took a big bite of sandwich, shocking the group into further silence. Ryou picked at a pizza slice before answering.
"Same old. We were just planning a trip to the Spring. Weren't we?" Ryou turned his eyes on the group and they all jumped back to life.
"Oh, yes!" "Oh, won't you come?" "I heard it's supposed to rain." "Get over it, don't be a bitch, bitch."
Honda smacked Jou across the head for the last comment, going on about how rain and swimming could make for a very sick group teenagers. Jou mocked him which ended up in another mini war. Yuugi found himself laughing and slipping back into the old swing of things.
"Yeah, I'll come. Some sun could do me good." He grinned and gulped down what was left of his soda. Jou snorted.
"Seriously? You're paler than Bakura." Ryou rolled his eyes at the comment but didn't disagree.
"Oh, hush, Jounouchi. I think he looks fine." He smiled brightly at Yuugi, encouraging him. Yuugi felt his face heat at the compliment. Something flashed in Ryou's eyes but he didn't comment and Yuugi allowed himself to be swept back into the wave of conversation.
~l~l~l~
"Are you scared?" Ryou stood behind Yuugi, voice teasing. Yuugi sighed and swallowed, looking down at the spring. Looking way… way… way down at the spring. "It isn't even that high."
Yuugi begged to differ. The diving board in the center of the Spring was extremely high. Why had he let himself be talked into this? "I'm not scared." he insisted. Ryou laughed lightly.
"Then jump." Oh, of course that was the answer he got. He closed his eyes, stomach doing flips. He felt Ryou come closer with that strange sense all humans possessed. His hand grabbed for Yuugi's. "We'll go together."
Yuugi turned and looked at him. Ryou looked understanding. Yuugi nodded and scooted forward on the board until he and Ryou stood at the end. He hesitated.
"I won't ever let you get hurt." Ryou's lips were at his ear. Yuugi felt his heart pick up but for an entirely different reason just before he felt Ryou pull them off into the expanse of space between the board and the water.
Ryou never once let go, even after they'd gone under.
~l~l~l~
"They're glad you're back." Ryou spoke softly from the table, hair still slightly damp. It was late.
"I know." Yuugi sat beside him, free hand wrapped around a mug of steaming tea. Ryou grasped his other hand, thumb sweeping across the back of it. It felt comfortable.
Ryou dropped it and looked at their joined hands. "I guess everyone just needs to see that they aren't alone in a situation, mm?" He looked up at Yuugi, pupils dilated due to the low light. Yuugi nodded silently. Ryou glanced at the clock. "I should be going soon."
Yuugi bit his lip. "Won't you stay?" He looked back at Ryou in time to catch a small smile and a nod. Yuugi relaxed and finished his tea. Once he had, he rinsed his cup and set it in the dishwasher to be dealt with in the morning. He felt Ryou come up behind him and turned his face slightly up, eyes searching the other's. Ryou's hand slid down the arm that Yuugi had resting on the counter as he bent down to press his lips to Yuugi's.
The soft pressure of Ryou's lips on his was nearly sweet. Ryou wasn't asking for anything. Ryou was giving him something in that moment. Yuugi kissed him back just as innocently until Ryou pulled back. The other was smiling easily again.
"Shall we make our way to bed?" No innuendo hid in the words. No unspoken request. Ryou was tired and he wanted a bed. Yuugi nodded and let himself be led to his bedroom. He went to the bathroom to change and came back to find Ryou already under the covers.
He felt a hand pulling him closer until he could fit against Ryou's side comfortably. He held his breath, expecting the hand to dip lower, to become demanding. But it never did, and soon Ryou's breathing evened out.
~l~l~l~
Yuugi sat between Ryou's legs, resting against his chest. He listened to the banter around him with a lazy smile. Anzu was arguing with Jounouchi over whether or not bras were destructive to a woman's body. Why Jounouchi thought he had a dog in the fight was beyond Yuugi's comprehension.
"Do you have boobs? No! So how would you know?!" Anzu shoved Jou back into Honda, who immediately retaliated by shoving Jou into the nearest table. They continued to bicker about it until they left, and even then Yuugi could hear them from outside.
"They sure are an interesting bunch." Ryou had come up behind him. He rested his chin on his shoulder as he wound his arms around his waist. Yuugi sighed happily.
"Yeah, they are." He turned in his hold, arms wrapping around Ryou's neck. "But they're accepting and hilarious. They're… They were all I had for a long time." He smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to Ryou's lips. The other smiled beneath his kiss.
"I think it's wonderful that you all have each other." Ryou hummed and pressed light kisses to Yuugi's neck. The latter sighed and tilted his head.
"Grandpa won't be back until tomorrow morning." He whispered. Ryou's arms tightened slightly as Yuugi leaned into him more intimately.
"I can't help but feel that you're hinting at something…" Ryou grinned as Yuugi pulled him up the stairs, all the while facing him. They kissed at the landing, and at the top, and in the hall, and at Yuugi's door, each time growing more insistent.
Yuugi whispered his name against his lips as Ryou lifted him against the door frame. He felt Ryou's arousal beginning to form against his stomach and it made a low whine of want erupt from his swollen lips. They stayed that way for several moments, moving against each other and whispering their wants.
Finally, Ryou laid him on the bed. Their shirts had been lost somewhere along the way. They moved their clothed erections against the other's, moaning quietly with each movement. Ryou's hands worked Ryou's body in a way that showed he was familiar with it. Yuugi's own hands disappeared inside Ryou's jeans. Ryou made a soft noise of want when Yuugi's petite hand wrapped around him and pumped.
"Hurry." Yuugi whispered. He kicked his own jeans away and took Ryou's too, making the other laugh at his need. Yuugi huffed softly but was cut off when he felt Ryou at his entrance. "Oh~"
Ryou sighed against his neck as he pushed in, lube making it easier. Yuugi couldn't remember him grabbing for it but he didn't care. His eyes closed in bliss as he wrapped his arms and legs around Ryou, bringing him closer.
He didn't ever recall how long they moved together. He only came back to himself when his back hit the sheets again, and Ryou was trembling above him. He felt the other's unsteady breathing against his neck and he ran a hand down his back lovingly.
"I love you." Ryou whispered after a time of silence. Yuugi nestled in for the night, head resting gently on Ryou's shoulder.
"I love you too."
A/N: Laguz is a rune and READ THIS SHIT: I have several things to clear up:
-I never said "tell me the plot". I said "tell me pairings, tell me ukes and semes and settings." Do not try to give me an exact plot. If you have an exact plot, write it yourself. I go on my own plots.
-If I write your request, review it. Lately, I've been writing and the requestee (?) hasn't been reviewing and it pisses me off. I take time to write these long ass mother fuckers. You can take time to review it. Otherwise, I won't write for you again.
-Don't make multiple requests in one review, please. I don't have time. I will pick my favorite ship from your review and move on. If you make another request AFTER I have written a pairing for you, that is fine. (Ruby of Raven is a perfect example.)
-Do not keep asking me when I will get it done, because I won't do it at all. I do have a life.
I think that's all. I'm sorry if that sounded harsh. I just had to clear it all up. So anyways, review and whatnot.
~Nightingale.