Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Paradise City ❯ Mid-morning Priorities ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: Again…do you believe that Kazuki Takahashi would write yaoi? Yeah…didn't think so. Yu-Gi-Oh is all his…as well as whatever companies have signed on in its mass production. Yep…lucky bastards.

Paradise City by: Angela (orangeaura868)

All A/N will be kept till the end.

Chapter 6: Mid-morning Priorities

[o][o][o]

Mornings in Egypt were like any other morning in any other place in the world. That is, when you were accustomed to them. Ordinarily the sun would shine brightly upon the settlement and the warmth would be something you could bask in. The rays would be so strong that it would seem merciless if you stayed to long out. While the sun itself did not make things completely unbearable the rest of the job was left to the humidity. The air was thick and nearly solid if you were to attempt to breathe it. Add a varying degree of change than anyone should be used to and you had an Egyptian morning, and the torturing conditions that came with it.

Today it was no different and the inhabitants of the city had expected no different as well. Everyday, day in and day out, it was this way unless it was a winter. In all actuality it was nearly one of the only bearable times of the year aside from the fact that it was cold. Ignoring all hopes that the weather would suddenly turn, no one cared about the morning. It was not the morning they were worried about.

The mighty sun effortlessly reached down in an effort to fill every crevice and leak through every house and wake up the people so they would greet it. Light filtered through the blinds in one particular room hoping to see somebody wake up relishing the warmth. The sun was quick to please in Egypt and often went into over-kill when it raced into the room as a dog would to its master. It waited eagerly for the people to wake and come outside where it could see them, watch them, and maybe stand a chance compared to what the moon has seen in the night. It, however, would be denied the satisfaction of waking up the individual as he was already awake, even if he was still sitting, unmoving and sorting out everything that has happened.

He wanted the sun to be away and to stop shining so horribly bright that he could not bare to look up and hid his head in his arms. Hellish, foolish sun…given far to great a gift for it to understand.

[o][o][o]

Ryou stayed huddled together and trying very hard to block out anything remotely related to the outside world. He wanted to simply be alone, to be left in the dark where even if he did not know what was happening then at least he was at peace. Ryou wanted to feel that strange warmth again that lifted him in spirit. The sun did not nearly meet up to his expectations being only able to dance with heat across his pale skin. He felt shameful knowing that he could not bare the cavernous sense inside him knowing that it was only a dream, knowing that he was alone again.

Alone could be described in so many ways. It could be when you honestly have no one and when no one cares, or simply when you feel like amongst all of those busy people out wandering the world none of them would understand. Understanding was so wonderful a gift…if someone were to say that they understood you, no questions asked, and you believed them that they would, would the feeling not be worth more than any random office position or sum of money?

Loneliness can be understandable, especially for Ryou when every one in an entire city was new, never met, and most likely never will in his current state of mind. Where had that feeling of friendship gone? Where was the understanding? Where was Malik?

He groaned as the sun persisted and the red light could be seen despite having his eyes closed tightly. Eyelids can only block out so much. It would just be a matter of time before you see again, and Ryou chose now to throw the thin blanket from around him and walk lethargically into the bathroom.

His things were already there and seeing them made him remember how late he was up last night unpacking things half-heartedly while also going over and over the thought of his old friend. Ryou looked at himself in the mirror and saw only the drowsy eyes and disheveled hair and the wrinkled shirt that he had on from the night before. He felt irritable, unrest, and so unbelievably tired.

Ryou unbuttoned his shirt his fingers slipping carelessly over the smooth pearls and stubbornly not unbuttoning. He frowned at them for a moment before also giving up that, it was too tiring even to frown. Smiling was said to use less facial muscles as frowning, but he was not going to bloody smile right now. It was completely unthinkable. His face remained passive as he worked at the remaining buttons knowing to not be a nuisance if they wanted to stay on the shirt. There have been rather unpleasant mornings when all he wanted to do was scream at how unfair things were. An orphanage did no better to house his morning temper.

Slipping off his pants as well he turned to the shower and hoped to feel at least presentable when he met his `housemate.'

Wait a tick…

Rewind…

…damn…

Curse his memory and the absolute chaos that it worked in. Ryou started his shower finding he needed to be at calm now more than ever. The steam appeared slowly but surely and mixed with the Egyptian morning the feeling was completely unbearable in the thick fog and heat. Ryou ignored the cotton-like air in his throat and focused on washing his hair. His favorite strawberry scented shampoo was with him and he drowned himself in the sweet essence of strawberries.

He needed to finish some forgetting.

[o][o][o]

Yami traced small spirals in Marik's chest lazily spinning his finger in never ending circles. His eyes were half-lidded and focused intently on going over non-existent circles, circles, and more circles. He was busy thinking however and somehow became lost in thought. The morning silence was surprisingly tranquil yet all the same unnerving. Yami spoke up.

"So you were with Bakura last night, huh?" he asked with a silken voice.

"As if you didn't know already." Answered Marik still groggy but somehow managing to think straight. "You seemed set on inviting him just last night."

"So you were with him then?" replied Yami still idly tracing his circles on Marik's tan skin.

"You were the one who advised me to see him in the first place."

"Natana's opening was a long time ago." Yami answered again growing used to the conversation. None of the answers answered anything and none of them could be understood in the way they were so scarcely linked. The two of them understood each other perfectly whether it be from fondness or force of habit.

Marik rolled off the bed suddenly tired of it as he usually was bored from things. He put on a clean pair of khaki pants and a black muscle shirt with a careless taste that complimented his capricious personality. Yami laid back on the bed sitting up on his arms and looking on.

"Must you wear so much jewelry?" he asked simply. Marik turned to meet him with a confused or amused glance.

"You're one to talk." He replied gesturing over to the leather belts, silver cuffs, and a golden pyramid scattered on the nightstand.

"What should we do with that new kid?" Yami asked. Marik was now very amused, yet it was irrefutable that Yami was good at changing subjects. Not at all underhand, yet you could not possibly call his bluff. In the way he planned things there would be no way for you to catch him if he had no wish to be caught. While he was very clear on changing subjects and avoiding things…Marik had to agree that the new situation could not be procrastinated.

Damn he's good.

"Realize that he's priority?" Marik answered back fully intent on giving the other hell. Yami had already heard the tone of his voice and maneuvered around it.

"Yes, actually and I think you should be responsible for once and deal with him." Yami smartly replied.

"You're saying I'm not responsible?" Marik questioned.

"Oh not at all." Yami replied in a mock innocent voice. "I'm just saying you lack in practice."

"Cut the innocent act out, you know only Yuugi does it right. Besides which…it doesn't matter much. He's the new guy and we'll deal with him as such…Otogi fits in just fine now." Marik scoffed.

Yami chuckled finding something very amusing. "I still believe you lack in practice, and just for that I'll make you befriend the new guy all on your own."

"Your arguments are poorly founded." Marik said curtly.

"Oh really?" Yami answered knowing he was in the right. "Just then you said `we'…never been much of a solo person, hmm?"

Marik growled deep in his throat the previous comment hitting a nerve "Fuck you."

"I know you want to."

[o][o][o]

A/N: Yay! Another update! Now I don't feel completely guilty. All this month was practically a guilt trip on how I should be updating. Damn conscious is wonderful at guilt. Following the majority of the reviews I'd like to again repeat that this will have multiple pairings. Other than that I apologize for another `almost' filler chapter. I'm still reviewing how I should write out the meeting between Ryou and the Perverted Freaks. (That sounds like a band!) As for the reviews…25, I feel loved! Oh…I also have to say that I do in fact know what the ending pairing will be…in fact it'll be so unimaginable that you'll read it twice to believe it! (And if you actually believe a word of that then I pity you.) Yeah…sure…I know how it'll end…right I do.

Yeah…thanks to all my reviewers!

Crazy-lil-nae-nae: blush Thanks! Hope you liked this chapter too!

Maruken: You read that too?! I know…I absolutely loved the more emotional parts in that. Sorry that it sounds so familiar. I was hoping for originality! Anyway, hope you like the chapter!

Dark-anime-lover: Btw…your name kicks ass! Moving on though…I've sort of answered your question. Thanks for the review!

Elle-Fate2x1-2: About that…I don't know actually. It depends on what I want to do. For now it will remain Ryou pining away for Malik while living in a city with hot guys. Poor Ryou. Hope that's all right with you! I actually do plan to do a lot with this. It's in drama for a reason. Thanks for reviewing!

Keisan: Thanks for the praise. My beta-readers/friends were squealing and stuff. Very amusing! Hope you liked the chapter!

Lavender Insanity: It's actually quite all right. Sometimes I get delayed as well in reviewing. As for referring to oneself in third person…I started a `refer to yourself in third person' day at school. No one really does it except for a few phrases here and there. I hope you liked this chapter!

Also thanks to my Mediaminer reviewers! (I'm really sorry to not have replied to any review so far. Please note that I usually write for ff.net and most of the author notes have been adapted as such.)

BlueMonkeyCrossing: Gladly takes plushie and stabs it with a Spork. I hope you like the update!

MysticDarkFairy: You'll just have to find out! Winks. And as for any questions on pairings…I plan to do a lot with this!

DMG/H: Glad you found me here as well!

PROTOTYPE Uber Rei Model 00: Yeah…I thought the pairing was cool as well…I hope you like the update! Thanks for reviewing!

Bishojo_shadow: I hope you like this anyway! ^_^

xxx_Maliks_love_xxx: Thanks for the suggestions, and for the review!

Gemjewel: Ok! You'll find out even more on his housemate soon… And thanks for the update!

Michew: Thanks! ^_^

Please be nice and send me on a guilt trip…review! (How this works is simply if someone reads what I write and I don't update I get this horrendous guilty feeling and eventually I just get it over with and type! REVIEW.