Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ If only for one moment, I could be like you... ❯ Falling ( Chapter 29 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Ryou blinked as Marik locked up the lab, turning off the lights and computers, not only there but all through his home. “...How are we going to get across the land? In the red monster you use?” He said pointing to the car. Marik chuckled. “No, California is too far to drive. We're taking a train.” He said opening the car door. “We'll drive to the train station. While we're there, you hold my hand, there are a lot of people who come and go there, and you don't want to get lost.” He said, putting his suitcase and Ryou's in the backseat.

“Ok...Marik?” Ryou said sitting down, and buckling his `seatbelt' like Marik taught him. “Yes Ryou?” Marik said starting the car, making Ryou squeal and clap, now used to the miracle of motor transportation, thanks entirely to Jono. “What's a train?” Marik laughed a bit, liking explaining things to Ryou. Ryou was the first person he'd ever met, who loved to learn, and cared what he said. Usually people just wanted an answer and didn't care to learn...Ryou though, loved to listen and hear.

“A train is a long snakelike car. It goes `woo woo' and rides along on special rails so that it wont hit anything.” Ryou blinked. “woo woo?” Marik nodded. “Or Choo choo.” Ryou grinned. “And it's not gonna eat me right? It's just like the red monster?” Marik nodded. “Yes, it's just like a car, only bigger.”

~~~~~

Ryou gaped at the large metal snake. “Oh my...it's so big!” He said following Marik inside to their booth in the car. Ryou sat down calmly, looking out the window as other passengers boarded the train. “Marik...it's not woo-wooing or choo-chooing...is it sick?” he asked after a moment. Marik laughed. “It's not sick.” The train let out a soft hiss, as steam escaped the pistons. Ryou jumped and looked near tears in fright. “It's angry! Lets get on a different snake-train...” he said trembling lightly.

Marik laughed and got up, sitting down next to Ryou, who'd been facing him moments before. He pulled the trembling boy into his arms and hushed him. “It's not angry; the hiss noise is the sound of hot water escaping from it.” Ryou whimpered as another hiss sounded lightly. Ryou nodded sniffling softly. “I still don't think I like this snake-train...” he mumbled as the final call was made for passengers.

Marik grinned, knowing what was coming next. Slowly, the train began to jerk forward. Ryou gasped and clung to Marik as the steady sound of chugging began. Then...suddenly. Ryou perked up immediately. “Marik! It made the woo-woo sound!” He giggled jumping up to look out the window as the land slowly began to fly by. “We're going so fast...” he said breathlessly.

Marik sighed a bit, looking at Ryou as he eagerly watched the land go by. It really was amazing, Ryou made Marik look at things he'd taken for granted so long, in a new way. The little merboy was awed by even the simplest thing. It really had Marik taking on a whole new perspective. In fact, he had to look at things that way, to come up with simple ways to explain them.

Ryou smiled as the land flew by and looked back to Marik. “You didn't tell me it sang too!” He giggled, stepping back to take his seat next to Marik. Marik blinked a bit from his thoughts. “Sings?” He asked calmly. “Who told you it sings?” Ryou grinned. “It does. Can't you hear it? Listen...” he whispered becoming silent, the only sound heard was the soft steady chugging of the train.

Marik slowly realized what Ryou meant. It did sound somewhat like a catchy traveling song. “That's not singing Ryou.” He laughed. “That's the train; it always makes that noise when it moves.” Ryou smiled and shook his head. “It's singing.” Marik smiled a bit to himself. “Alright, we can say it's singing, for just you and me.”

~~~~~

Marik yawned. Hours had slowly passed, and Ryou was curled up contently, head lying in his lap. At least he had time to think. Things were not progressing as he'd planned at all. Instead of Ryou becoming a lab rat, he was proving more and more that he wasn't just a fish, but a person. At first, despite appearance, he'd assumed Ryou was just another animal with relatively high intelligence. But it was becoming apparent that Ryou was a thinking learning being, not much different from Humans.

Not that it was surprising, after all humans AREN'T the master-race. There were some animals out there with rivaling intelligence, or learning capabilities, and half a million more that humans hadn't even discovered yet, so it shouldn't have been such a shock. Of course, thinking learning intelligent being or not, Ryou was his...and he wasn't intending on ever sharing.

Ryou was a piece of a dream, a lifelong dream since childhood for Marik. He'd wanted to become a marine biologist and scientist for the sole point of discovering mer-folk. Marik sighed, running a hand through Ryou's soft fluffy hair. Marik smiled a bit, inhaling the scent of the sea that clung to his little friend.

Ryou was so gentle and curious, he almost felt badly for keeping him, but at the same time...letting him go seemed the most impossible thing. Marik closed his eyes and breathed the sweet fragrance of the sea, gently petting Ryou's hair. Even if he finished studying mer-folk...could he let Ryou go? No...Even if he offered Ryou the chance to go...would he? It was something Marik had been wondering about. Did mating to him mean more to Ryou than it did to him?

...did it mean more to him now, than at the time? Marik smiled a bit. He almost hoped Ryou loved him. It felt nice to have someone depend on him...someone to talk to. He'd forgotten how much life had to offer, he'd been studying it so long alone, that he'd forgotten the simple pleasures of companionship...and couldn't help but become more than a little attached to the sweet merboy.

~~~~~

Ryou yawned, peeking open an eye and squeaking. “Marik?” He said softly, looking around. This wasn't the snake monster...this was a room. “Marik?” He mumbled getting up and wandering from the bedroom to the kitchen area of the hotel suite. “Oh! You're awake.” Marik said calmly. “You were sleeping so soundly, I figured it'd be easier to just call a cab and get you situated. I have to go to a meeting soon.” Marik said looking up from the television.

Ryou blinked and nodded. “Is `meeting' like `work'? Jono had to go to work...a lot.” He asked after a moment. Marik nodded. “A meeting is almost exactly like work, only I doubt I'm going to be getting paid for my attendance.” He said chuckling to himself. “Would you like to sit in the bath until I come back? I had this room reserved for us, because it had a large bathtub.” Ryou blinked. “You can sit in the tub while I'm at the meeting, stretch out your fins a bit, since you've been out of your tank all day.”

Ryou nodded. “Alright...” he said looking around quietly. Marik nodded getting up from his seat on the sofa and picking up a small case from the table near it, and walking to the bathroom, waving for Ryou to follow. “Alright, I'll run you some water, and get the chemicals right so you can be comfortable.” He said boredly, turning on the water in the large Jacuzzi tub. Ryou squeaked in amazement, as the tub filled quickly, thanks to the five water jets. Marik leaned over, testing the temperature with his hand, before beginning his tedious task of leveling out the chemicals.

“There.” He said proudly. “Perfect for you.” He chuckled. “While I'm gone you can play around in here, I'll leave some towels for you if you decide you are done stretching out and getting clean. You can play with the massage function. There's a button right here.” He said pointing to the button outside the tub. “It will make the water bubbly. I'll only be gone two hours or so, just wait in the room. Don't leave through the door with the gold handle ok?” He added firmly. Ryou nodded wide eyed. “Ok...I wont touch that door. I'd only get lost and confused...” he said biting his lip a bit. “I'll wait for you right here. Are you going to bring something to eat? I'm...getting a little…hungry.” Ryou mumbled sheepishly.

“I'll bring some back with me.” Marik said looking at his watch, gasping at the time and hurrying from the hotel room, shouting back only once “Be good and don't break anything!”

Ryou looked at the tub and stripped, climbing in and sighing contently, curling up underneath the water and looking at the ceiling. “Mmmm...warm...” he giggled hugging himself and curling his tail up a bit, tickling himself with his fins. “I wonder if I should...” he grinned pushing the button and squeaking when the five jets of water began shooting out airy water, tickling him to the point of sitting up in a fit of loud melodic giggles.