Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Sing Down the Moon ❯ Sing Down the Moon 02 ( Chapter 2 )

A/N: ::sniffles:: ::hugs reviewers:: You guys are great! I got a lot of reviews………I was so excited! ^_^ They gave me the motivation to write more. Domo arigato gozaimasu! I got so many wonderful suggestions and wow! ^_^ I'm really excited now. LOL

Oh yeah, I meant to mention that this was sort of AU. ::blushes:: Since I'm not really sure what's going on with Malik during Battle City. I just watch the dub (::gags::) on, I think, Kids WB. They just stopped right in the middle of the season and started replaying Battle City from the beginning. SO, I've decided Malik is still going to own the Sennen Rod, but Battle City isn't going to happen. Or something around those lines. But Bakura and Malik are definitely going to know each other. (Sorry…just try to bear with me) Sorry for any confusion and inconvenience I've caused! Oh! And I have more stuff to talk about at the bottom………

But until then………on with the fic! ^_^

Sing Down the Moon - Chapter 02

Luckily, the bell hadn't rung before Malik and Ryou got to their classroom.

"A-ano………arigato, Malik-kun," Ryou said shyly. He thought for a moment and added, "Maybe………we could………hang out sometime."

Malik smiled and held the door open for Ryou. "I'd like that. Maybe you could come over to my house tomorrow, if you'd want to."

"Of course!" Ryou exclaimed as he stepped through into the room. He couldn't help the grin that plastered itself on his face - after all, it wasn't every day that so many good things started happening to him!

"Well, I guess I'll talk to you later than?" Malik asked hopefully.

The silver-haired boy nodded enthusiastically and walked off to find his friends.

"Ryou-kun!"

Ryou made his way to the back of the classroom.

"Ryou, where were you this morning? I was looking all over for you! Are you okay? I waited for you by the water fountain for what seemed like forever but you never came. Are you all right?" That was Yuugi. Always so worried about other people, even when he should be worrying about himself.

"Gomen nasai, Yuugi. I was running late and I just barely made it to school on time. I'm sure you understand."

Yuugi smiled brightly at his friend. "Hai. I'm just glad you're okay. I was worried because you're never late and I figured you were either really sick or something bad happened."

"No, I'm fine." Ryou paused for a moment before he remembered the good news he had to tell Yuugi.

"Oh!" Ryou nearly squealed. "You won't believe what just happened to me!"

"What?"

"Malik-kun invited me over to his house tomorrow!!!"

Yuugi had to laugh at his friend. He was sure if Ryou had said that with any more emotion there would have been dozens of tiny pink hearts flying around the room.

"Congratulations, Ryou-kun," Yuugi said. "Wait. When did you say you were going?"

"Tomorrow. Why?" Ryou asked, a little confused.

Yuugi's face fell and he responded half-heartedly, "I guess that means you won't be able to come to my birthday party tomorrow, ne?"

The silver-haired boy sunk down in a chair next to his smaller friend. "Yuugi, don't be sad. I forgot all about your party - believe me, if I had remembered, I would have told him we could have hung out another day. Yuugi, you understand, don't you? I -"

"It's okay, Ryou. You and I both know that you wouldn't have turned down Malik for anything. It's a once in a lifetime chance. After all, it's not every day that the most popular boy in school wants to hang out with you, right?" Yuugi gave Ryou a weak smile, which was all he could muster. "I hope you have a great time, Ryou. I'll miss you since you're not going to be able to make it."

Yuugi turned his attention back to a piece of paper he had being absently doodling on before Ryou appeared. He seemed hurt. No, Yuugi was truly and definitely hurt. And it was all his fault. Ryou felt more than guilty. The feeling he felt was something akin to helplessness. And he vaguely wondered who felt worse: Yuugi or him?

Ryou faced forward in his chair so he wouldn't have to deal with seeing Yuugi looking so down. He shouldn't have done it. Kami-sama. Honestly, what was his problem? He knew that Yuugi had spent so long planning his party. In fact, he had helped Yuugi with all the rearrangements; from sending out the invitations, to buying the decorations, and even making the cake! Yuugi had been so excited about it all………he couldn't believe that he was finally going to be turning sixteen.

He had told Ryou he wanted it to be special, so he would always remember it. He said that not only would he remember the actual party itself, but all the fun he had putting it together with his best friend. But now what was he going to remember? How his so-called best friend wasn't even at his party? Why? Because Ryou was too busy hanging out with Malik, who was his god. He'd rather spend time with someone who, until now, hadn't given him a second glance than be with his best friend.

Yuugi tried to hold back his tears with all his might. Still, he couldn't stop one lone tear that trailed down his face.

-=*=-

After what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang, signaling it was time for their next class. Ryou hurriedly gathered up his books and rushed out of the classroom.

He didn't want to dwell on what had happened with Yuugi. It just made him feel more horrible. Besides, why spend time feeling guilty when he could thinking about Malik instead?

But that was wrong, right? But then again, he might never have an oppurtunity to be with Malik again. Who knows - maybe if Ryou hadn't been late, he would have never even talked to Malik. Was it destiny or did they meet by chance? He'd like to think it was the first of the two, but in reality he knew it was just a mere coincidence - he was at the right place at the right time. Nothing more, nothing less.

Almost dreamily, Ryou walked off to his next class, which happened to be Math class. Maybe if he was lucky he could get there fast enough to snag a seat by Malik before the fabid fangirls slash stalkers hogged them all. Unfortunately, by the looks of it, he wasn't sitting within ten of Malik. Every day, those girls would sit in the desks so that there was only one open and they were totally surrounding it. Then they would call to Malik in their obnoxious high-pitched voices and would give loud, dramatic sighs when he looked at them and they would pretend to be interested in every word he said when really they weren't paying attention at all.

Grrrrrr.

Ryou felt jealousy rise up in him. He couldn't compete with any of those girls; he didn't stand a chance. He was a boy. All Malik would ever see him as was a friend, because he couldn't give him what a girl could.

Now in a bad mood, he stalked over to the other side of the room, sitting as far away from that one desk he knew Malik would sit down in. Plopping down in the uncomfortable wooded chair, he threw his books down on the desktop, causing several students to jump. Acting a bit immature, Ryou crossed his arms over his chest and pouted, waiting impatiently for class to begin. He closed his eyes and listened to what was going on around him.

Faintly, he heard the loud chatter of those girls, then the time when they paused as Malik walked into the classroom, then erupted in a bout of giggling and chitchat once again.

"Oh Malik! Come and sit with us!"

"Malik, sit by me!"

"Where are you going, Malik?"

If Ryou had had his eyes open, he surely would have rolled them.

"Is anyone sitting here?"

Ryou tried once more to shut out the babble that just seemed to get louder.

"Is anyone sitting here?"

Ryou realized that maybe someone was talking to him. Opening his eyes, but not looking up, he just shook his head.

"Well then, Ryou, can I sit here?"

His head shot up.

"Malik, don't sit by him, sit by us!"

"Sure. I don't mind," Ryou replied, searchingly gazing into the taller boy's eyes. "How come you're not sitting by them? I thought you were best friends with all of them."

Malik glanced over his shoulder momentarily then snorted.

"Who? Those girls?" he asked. Ryou nodded. "Kami-sama, I'm lucky if I can get away from them for three seconds. If there were no guys bathrooms here, I don't know what I'd do."

Both of them laughed at this.

"So what you mean to say is, you don't really like being popular?" Ryou inquired timidly, after their laughter had died down.

Malik just shrugged in an uncaring manner. "It's good an all, but it's almost like you're living up to everyone's expectations. Like you have to be perfect. Then there's always people who follow you around and worship the ground you walk on like you're a freakin' god or something. I mean, sometimes I just wish people would treat me like a normal person, not someone better than them.

"I think that's why I like you, Ryou. You don't bow down at my feet like everyone else does. You treat me like a best friend; how I want to be treated."

Ryou blushed a little and smiled a little. Malik was everything and more than he had dreamed of. Sweet, kind, friendly, handsome, funny. Every thing he always wanted and more.

After a few moments of silence, Ryou spoke.

"So what are you doing after school today?"

Malik shrugged again. "I don't know. Depends."

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my house after school and maybe have some ice cream and play video games or something." As an after-thought, he hastily added, "But only if you want to!"

"Sugoi! I love ice cream!" the blonde chuckled.

Ryou let out a relieved sigh. "That's good………I'll meet you by the big tree out in front right after school, okay?"

The taller boy nodded and as the teacher began to talk, both turned their attention to the front of the room.

-=*=-

For Ryou, the rest of the day drug by tauntingly slow. By the time the dismissal bell rang, he didn't think he could have waited any longer. He was both nervous and excited about going to get ice cream with Malik. But if he wanted to get to know him better, now was a better time than never.

Ryou lingered behind a bit so that it would be easier to spot Malik. And sure enough, just as he had told him, Malik was standing beneath the huge, old tree Ryou had told him to wait by.

Malik, seeing Ryou, met him halfway.

"I was starting to wonder if you were ever coming. Always late for everything?" Malik teased, grinning.

Ryou blew a raspberry. "No. I was waiting so it would be easier to find you."

"Ah, sensible and shares my love of ice cream and video games. I could get used to you, kid."

"I sure hope so!" the smaller boy said indignantly, holding his head a little higher as they walked down the sidewalk.

Malik laughed and held his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, you win!

"So, do you live pretty close to school?"

The mahogany-eyed boy nodded. "Hai. Just a couple of blocks. We should be there in just a matter of a few minutes."

"It must be nice living so close to school. My house is about twenty minutes away and I have to walk because Isis has already left for work and there is no way I'm riding my motorcycle to school!"

"You own a motorcycle?" Ryou breathed. "Sugoi~!"

Malik laughed and nodded. "Yep."

"And I take it Isis is your sister?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"So why doesn't your mom or dad drop you off at school?"

Malik kicked a rock and kept his eyes glued to the ground. "My parents are dead," he managed quietly.

Ryou wanted to smack himself. He felt so stupid! He just met the guy and already he's bringing up subjects he probably wouldn't want to discuss! He did know that for a fact. His own mother passed away when he was just a toddler.

"My mother died when I was a little boy. My dad's an archaeologist and he's never home, so I really don't have any parent figures in my life, either. I know how it feels, believe it or not."

"I guess it's not that bad, because I never really knew them. My mom died in childbirth and my dad was murdered when I was a kid. After that, Isis just kind of took care of me. We lived in Egypt until about a year ago, when we moved here."

"Wow………you lived in Egypt? A few years back my father was there for a dig. He told me all about it and I've even done a little research on it myself. It's so………intruiging. I've even gotten a necklace from Egypt. It looks more like a big ring, but it's a necklace all right. Would you like to see it?"

Malik's eyes widened. Could he be talking about………the Sennen Ring? He highly doubted it. Nevertheless, it wouldn't hurt to check, would it? Enthusiastically, he nodded his head. "I'd love to see it. It sounds very interesting."

"Okay, I'll show it to you as soon as we get inside and get our ice cream," Ryou agreed as they stopped in front of what must have been his house.

It was a quaint little home, cozy nontheless. It matched Ryou's taste perfectly, from the rows of flowers planted along the front of the house to the "welcome" doormat. The inside was the same. Expensive paintings adorned the walls and expensive oriental rugs graced the wooden floors. The rooms were filled with oversized chairs and couches, all of them comfortable enough to fall asleep in.

"Ah, this is it!" Ryou beamed. "Why don't you go sit down and I'll get us some ice cream. The dining roon is down the hall, first door to the right."

Malik smiled and shuffled through the small corridor, and into the appointed room.

He gasped. Inside stood a boy that looked exactly like Ryou but a little older, who was putting china plates into a cupboard high above the shelf. The boy stopped midair when he heard the noise. He slowly turned around and it was the boy's turn to gasp.

The delicate saucer slipped from his shaking hands, shattering into a million tiny pieces on the floor.

"Malik?!"

-=*=-

A/N: Hey! StrawberryPocky here again! ^_^ Ah, so there we go. I'm not sure if I like this as much as the first chapter. Not a lot seems to go on. The Yuugi thing was totally unexpected. But of course I had a lot of things I took out………Ryou thinking naughty thoughts about Malik during Math class was one of 'em. ^.~ I was going to have Ryou and Malik get their books mixed up when they fell and Malik's would have a paper in it with 'Ryou' written all over it, or vice-versa.

But yeah………forgive any spelling and grammar mistakes. It's four in the morning right now. ~_~ I have to get up in two hours, so I probably won't even go to bed. Oh the things I do for you people! LOL You guys deserved it with all those kind reviews………you sure do know how to spoil a girl! LOL So as I promised: ::hands reviewers some pocky:: ^_^

Now remember, please review! ^_^ Signing out………

~StrawberryPocky

A/N: T_T I'm back. I apologize for not updating for so long. Things have been so hectic. I've been totally stumped on this, then we've been studying for finals and getting ready for school to end (we're not out yet!). I have lots of ideas for other fics though, so keep your eye out for 'em. ^_^ I appreciate you guys waiting for so long…you can send your death threats to StrawberryPocky@tatsuha.zzn.com. ^_~ Hey…I'd appreciate the mail anyway! lol

Well, here it is…the long-awaited (~_~) Chapter 3.

Sing Down the Moon - Chapter 03