Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ If only for one moment, I could be like you... ❯ Chapter 34

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

“Stop your whimpering you pathetic little maggot!” Haga hissed, slowly cutting away a hunk of flesh from Ryou's arm. “I need these for study!” He growled as Ryou's face contorted into an agonized wail of pain. “Stop stop! Please it hurts! PLEASE!” Ryou pleaded smelling and tasting his own blood in the already reddened chemical filled water. He wanted to get away, to run, anything! But he couldn't even move because of the paralyzing agent in the water.

”Shut up fish! You don't get a vote!” Haga said jabbing the scalpel deeper into Ryou's skin, causing the pale teen to wail in agony and pant in frustrated pain. “Stop! Stop! PLEASE!” He shrieked, his voice becoming all the more raw. “You must stop!”

Haga pulled the loose piece of flesh away, ripping anything that hadn't been cut well enough. “Ahh now one more.” He chuckled looking at Ryou's tail. “Now hold still and stop your blathering.” Haga raised the scalpel again and Ryou winced as it was jabbed harshly back into his being. He hissed in pain as Haga roughly sawed away whimpering and sniffling, though no tears escaped his eyes.

`Marik...Marik...save me...'

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Haga chuckled while carrying a small sack. “Say Marik.” He chortled amusedly. Dear comrade what is your study this year? Another wonderful speech on plankton thought up on the last moment, when you found out you'd been copying me?” He sneered. Marik growled and stopped, not turning around to face his thieving pest of a fellow scientist. “Shut up Haga, you know you stole that work from me.” He said, straightening his glasses. “If you don't get the hell out of my circumference of reach, you will find yourself in a world of hurt.” He added cracking his knuckles.

“Tsk tsk, is that any way to treat a fellow pioneer in the great world of science?” Marik narrowed his eyes, turning to face Haga. “You're no pioneer of anything but other people's findings!” Haga smirked. “I disagree. I believe this year the only thief to be found, is going to be you.” He said boldly. Marik stared at him for a moment, before breaking into laughter. “You've had one too many sniffs of H2SO2 if you think that's in a realm of possibility!”

Haga sighed boredly, presenting a small bag to Marik. “I have discovered something so ground-breaking, that I do believe anything else presented will seem as infantile as dissecting a frog.” Marik glared, looking in the bag. He paled slightly; inside the small bag were four Petri dishes. One with what appeared to be a hunk of human flesh, the next with a hunk of flesh from a fish...another with a generous amount of scales, and the final dish contained a lock of white hair.

“I think that you agree, this is the biggest scientific breakthrough since electricity.” Haga said smugly. “I suppose you can keep those, there is plenty more where that came from.” Marik glared at Haga. “What do you want from me?” He growled before sighing in defeat. “Simple. I want you to publicly announce your theft of all my work, continuously, and your complete lack of respect for others work.” Haga chuckled putting his hands in his pockets. “If you agree, I might be persuaded to let this little discovery slip under my radar, and let you have your precious pet back.” Haga added turning and beginning to walk away. “He kept begging for you to save him too, seems I was out of painkillers...”

Marik growled and bit his lip. If he did what Haga said, he'd lose all credibility as a scientist; lose his funding, and even possibly his degrees, everything he'd worked his whole life to achieve. But Ryou...he couldn't just leave him. Marik ran a hand through his hair, sitting on a nearby bench. There wasn't any choice. He would have to do what Haga said, to save the one thing that needed him most. The one thing that couldn't defend himself, and was likely cold, frightened and injured somewhere.

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Marik sighed softly, walking up to the podium. This was supposed to be the day he presented something he'd worked months on...but instead he'd be humiliating himself, ruining his life's work, ruining everything he had. He looked up sadly at the council. Haga smirked at him from backstage, holding a small cardkey to where Ryou was surely being held.

Marik sighed again, closing his eyes. “To...today I was going to present something wonderful...but instead...I've a confession.” He looked to the side, wrenching his eyes closed. “Everything I've ever produced before this great society...was stolen.” Marik winced at the gasps that filled the room. “I...I've stolen it all, nothing was of my own work. I...stole everything from other...hard working scientists...” he mumbled as the shocked looks from the audience soon turned to hatred. “Marik, this is unacceptable. This sort of deception and theft cannot be tolerated in the scientific world. We must all work together, respect each other's work and above all, never take credit for other's work.” Marik nodded. “I'm afraid you leave me and the board of directors with no choice but to ban you from further gatherings...and...strip you of your titles and funding. Please pack your things and return to your home.”

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Haga chuckled as Marik walked away from the booing crowd and handed the card key to him. “Nice, have fun on skid row.” He sneered, taking his own turn at the podium, as Marik slowly left.

He sighed and looked at the numbers on the card, taking a cab he got to the room and opened the door, heading for the bathroom, where he found Ryou. “Ryou!” He said smiling sadly and picking the poor merboy up. “Hey Ryou...are you ok?” He asked hugging him and clinging to the only thing he had left.

Ryou smiled wearily and hugged Marik tightly, wincing. “Marik...I knew you'd come save me!” he said proudly. “That horrible man...he told me you wanted me to go with him to see you...” he explained wincing a bit at every movement. Marik smiled, hugging Ryou again and feeling relief wash over him. “Ryou...I had to give up something very important to me, to get you back...do you understand?” Ryou nodded a little. “I gave up science...and well...I might not be able to make enough to take care of you anymore.” Marik said after a minute. “So...if you want, I can...take you back to the ocean.” Ryou gasped softly, nuzzling into Marik's neck. “Marik...You didn't have to...” he said softly, sensing his mate's deep sorrow. “But, I won't go back to the ocean. We...we are mates, and I'll stay by your side.”

Marik looked at Ryou and smiled softly. “Ryou, if...that's what you really want, I'll be happy...to have you i/n my life.”

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The ride back to Florida aboard the train was long, and silent. Ryou winced softly as the train seemed to bump roughly every so often. Marik slept soundly, his face furrowed in sorrowful dreaming. “Marik...” Ryou whispered shaking his head. He leaned onto Marik's arm and sighed, taking in the scent of his lover. “Ahh...” Ryou groaned contented. His body still ached, despite Marik's medical expertise. Marik smelled so wonderful it was so earthy. He smelled so forbidden, and it was so sinfully sweet. He'd broken every imaginable form of the law of avoiding humans. He'd mated with the forbidden species. Somehow it made Marik appeal more, despite the good nature of Ryou.

Ryou giggled and shook his head. “I shall become human if I start relishing in my misdeeds.” He mumbled nuzzling into Marik. “I will love my mate, but I shouldn't be so proud that I broke the only rules set to me.” He said softly, looking over Marik's features, examining his mate more closely than he had over the past time spent with him. He had such a noble face, caramel skin, wonderfully sandy hair...Ryou gently pulled away the glasses Marik wore and folded them. He looked so stunningly handsome with or without the small framed glasses. “Marik...” Ryou said in an awed whisper.

Marik opened an eye and blinked at the slight blur in his vision. “Ryou?” He mumbled sitting up a bit and rubbing his eyes, catching sight of the stunned looking Mer-boy. “Ryou, can I have my glasses back?” He asked amused.

Ryou merely stared at the seductive and secretive indigo eyes. “Marik...your eyes...they're so beautiful...” Ryou whispered clutching the glasses. Marik felt his cheeks burn slightly. “Ryou...you had to remove my glasses to see them?” Ryou shook his head smiling. “I...was just curious what you'd look like without them.” Marik chuckled pulling his glasses from Ryou's hands. “I look the same.” Ryou smiled and snuggled into Marik suddenly. “You look charming. I'm glad you picked me.” Ryou whispered as the train pulled into it's final destination.