Fish Out of Water

Epilogue

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Author's Note: Cuz I just had to treat you all one more time : 3

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Have you ever heard of that thing called love?

I never used to think abut it, really.

I always thought, 'Hey… I've got time, why think long term now? Just have fun while you can and make the best of what comes along with it.'

Well…

He reached down, slipping his arms under thin shoulders as he had done so many times in the past. Smiles and kisses were exchanged, a few hugs here and there.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

It has been nearly two months now since their relationship had blossomed and it was still flowing smoothly. Of course they had had a few arguments here and there, but that was to be expected. They both felt something strong for each other and they knew it.

That couldn't be changed.

"I want to show you something different tonight."

"What is it?"

Bakura grinned, shaking his head slightly as he shifted the merboy in his arms to be carried more comfortably. His eyes were still covered by his black sunglasses, as they always had been.

"You'll see."

Ryou nestled himself against the bare chest as he was carried across the sand, placing a single hand against the toned flesh. He smiled up at the human, wondering what his lover was planning. Barking caught his attention and the happiness on the prince's face grew, his arms reaching out to pat the two german shepherds that came bounding down the stairs towards them.

"Hi guys!"

His giggling voice always made Bakura smile when he heard Ryou talking to the dogs. He stopped though, the duo jumping up on their hind legs to lick at any part of the merboy they could reach, their tails wagging in the air all the more quickly.

"I know, I know, I missed both of you too!"

Bakura maneuvered himself around the animals, laughing a bit himself as they continued to bark and yip excitedly, following him back up the stairs and nearly tripping him. He pushed past the short door with his hip, careful of Ryou's hanging tail.

Usually, they stayed by the pool for the three days they were together, but not tonight. He wasn't saying that he didn't like the pool, don't get that impression, no… he had even dragged out a cot he had found in the closet in his room to use instead of thatthin lawn chair.

Geeze had he been questioned about that.

A lawn chair was understandable, but a cot? Well, I guess the maids found that a little past strange. But, it was still his house for the summer, so damn it; he wanted a cot by the pool, end of story.

He was climbing the winding staircase up to his room now, following the halls past one of the bathrooms, a few closets, the extra rooms… and finally, into his room. He really only used this room when he wasn't spending his nights with Ryou, so it was still moderately clean as far as seeing the carpet went, though some of his clothes did seem to have found their way onto the floor, a desk chair, and random doorknobs.

Placing Ryou down on the end of his bed, Bakura took his glasses off and placed them on the bridge of the boy's nose, their eyes meeting for a moment before green vanished behind black -tintedglass. As soon as the elder straightened with a small smile, Ryou's attention was immediately taken by the two dogs.

Ryou seemed to have a thing for his sunglasses.

It was kinda weird, but cute at the same time.

Leaving the three of them alone for a moment, Bakura slid open the glass doors that led to his balcony, a breeze washing over him as soon as he did so.

Backtracking out of the room, the white haired teenager trailed down to one of the spare bedrooms and walked in. Making a line straight to the fluffy-looking bed, he began gathering the blankets against his chest.

"Bakura?"

He stopped his movements, "Yeah?" He called back, listening for an answer.

"Where did you go?"

"Hang on." He pulled the large bundle of material against himself and turned towards the doorway, slowly making his way back to his room by memory, considering his view was blocked by the burgundy mass.

Ryou gently pulled the glasses from his eyes as he watched as his human companion carefully made his way back into the room, a large ball of blankets bundled against his body. He stifled a laugh at the sight and placed the accessory back into his hair as he had seen Bakura do so many times before, eyes widening as Kai left his side, only to dance around Bakura's legs.

"Stupid… dog, move!" A bare foot kicked lightly at the animal, only to find that Kai came right back, making his current master lose his balance and fall forward into the blankets he carried. He stayed still for a moment, before his head lifted to give a very annoyed look to the brown eyes that grinned back at him. Kai licked his cheek and, with a touch of his cold nose, jumped over him to sit back in front of a giggling Ryou.

"Aww, 'Kura, he loves you so much!" The smaller male laughed, flashing the elder an innocent grin.

Shaking his head again, Bakura raised himself back to his feet and began gathering the blankets once more. Transferring them a bit more gracefully this time to the balcony, he stepped back into his room with another breeze blowing through his hair. Looking towards the merboy still sitting on his bed, he moved forward with a smirk, catching the merboy's attention as he gently straddled his red lap, pressing him back into the soft sheets.

Interlacing their fingers, Bakura grinned down at the slightly blushing boy, pressing their noses together in an affectionate gesture. Tilting his head, he pressed his lips down onto a waiting pair, slightly parted for easy access.

I've been thinking a lot lately…

He kept the kisses simple at first, as he always had; waiting with the unnatural patience he had developed for Ryou to fall comfortable. His tongue was quickly pulled into play by the younger, sending a shiver up his spine as it was gently sucked on.

Bakura pulled away all too reluctantly, burying his face in the snowy locks of the merboy and inhaling deeply, groaning softly as his scent caused the wheels in his mind to momentarily stop. Gathering his senses back, he gently nipped at the pale throat next to him.

Maybe… I was wrong…

"I've gotta move you for a minute, 'kay?"

A small whine answered him, along with the fingers unlocking from his own and wrapping around his neck.

He smiled.

I've never smiled so damn much…

Pulling himself up from the bed, the aquatic male came up with him as he stood, soon being placed back down into a velvet chair, that sunk under his weight. Ryou watched as the blankets were taken from the mattress he had previously been resting against and were dragged out onto the balcony as well, soon followed by a good amount of pillows. Removing the sunglasses from his hair and placing them on the desk behind him, he asked:

"'Kura, will you tell me what you're doing?"

Bakura looked up towards the sky for a moment, before grinning back at the prince, "Yeah, in a minute."

Moving out of view for a moment, the human soon returned to Ryou's side, lifting him up and minding not to trip over the dogs that had gotten up off the floor to follow them. Walking out onto the rounded balcony for the final time, he carefully placed the merboy down into the mass of blankets that covered the left corner. Taking a seat next to him, Bakura relaxed with a heavy sigh, his head tipping back into one of the pillows. The thin body curled partially on his chest and he draped an arm around Ryou's shoulders, holding him close to his form.

"You've been practicing, right?"

"Practicing wha-… oh. Oh, yes, of course, I have!" Ryou quickly remembered what Bakura was talking about. His father, of all merpeople, had told him a few weeks back that his family was known to have a special trait in their bloodline. He had asked what it was, only to find out that he had the ability to take in and retain water within his scales, allowing him to be out of and away from water for an extended period of time. All he needed was to practice.

"Good… I don't want you drying out on me. I'd shoot myself if that happened." He chuckled slightly, rubbing the smooth skin on the other's back.

They both watched as the two dogs found spots around them to lie down, Kai stepping over Bakura to curl up in the open space between his outstretched legs and the plaster railing, while Sai hunkered down against the curve in Ryou's red fin. The smaller male buried his fingers into the brown fur behind him with a small smile, feeling the body moving as she panted happily.

"Did I tell you?" Bakura's voice caught his attention this time.

"Tell me what?"

"I was accepted."

Ryou craned his neck to look up into the mahogany that gazed back down at him after a moment, "The college place? Really?"

Bakura nodded, a smile slowly growing to match the size of the merboys, "Yeah… I keep forgetting to call my uncle and tell-- "

A loud tune suddenly pierced the air, though muffled by the rough material of Bakura's shorts. Blinking in surprise, Bakura looked down and Ryou sat up slightly, the two dog's ears perking up, but keeping their heads lowered to the blankets. Reaching into the pocket halfway down his thigh, a cell phone was withdrawn, the music playing louder now that it was free of its prison. Flipping it open with his thumb, Bakura settled back into the pillow as he put the small device to his ear, placing his arm back around Ryou's shoulders.

"Yeah?"

Ryou laid back down against the human's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and feeling the vibrations as he spoke.

"Oh, hey Ken, what's going on?" Ryou heard the waves of the ocean far below them in the gaps of silence, "Yeah, I got accepted, I was gunna to call you earlier, but… forgot… what? Why's mum there?"

Bakura sighed in aggravation after a short moment, closing his eyes as he waited for his mother to be put on the phone. Ryou took this moment to shift his position around to face the human, sitting up to try for a small kiss, only to be gently pushed away as dark eyes opened and his head tilted away, "Hello, Mother… no… no…"

A pout crossed Ryou's pale features for a moment, before he changed his mind. Okay then…

Lowering himself back down, the prince opened his mouth again, letting his tongue slip out to graze over the slightly darker skin under him. Bakura shifted slightly but continued to answer his mother's never-ending barrage of questions, paying little heed to Ryou's wandering mouth. He jumped though, when a shiver racked his body, a hot tongue toying with his nipple.

"Jesus, stop that!" He hissed, though Ryou knew he didn't really mean that, considering that there was no movement to push him away again. "No, mum, there isn't a girl here with me – no… no! Geeze, I was talking to the dog."

Ryou continued, soon leaving his chest and making his way up onto his neck, nipping and kissing softly at the skin, making Bakura tilt his chin up.

"No, the college starts in November and Uncle Ken said – he said…" He was going to lose focus on this conversation, "He said that I could stay here if I got accepted… yeah, okay, put him back on... I love you too, bye."

Lips immediately met his as soon as he finished speaking, which he accepted all too easily. Hearing another voice in his ear, Bakura tilted his head again, slightly breathless, "Yeah, what is it? ...Okay… okay, yeah, that's no problem… see you."

He closed the phone and pocketed it, accepting the the kisses being offered from the body on his again. Pulling back after another moment, he said, "Look, you're gunna to miss what I brought you up here for."

Satisfied, heturned over again and settled down into his original position, Ryou's eyes following Bakura's finger, which was pointing out towards the ocean. A smile spread across his moist lips at the sight, taking in the sun melting down into the turquoise water, making the sky around it brilliant hues of red. A few birds squawked as they flew over the ocean, disappearing into the waves, before shooting back up with a fish in their beaks.

"Nice, huh? I thought you'd like the view from up here."

Ryou nodded, nuzzling down against Bakura's side, "Thank you, it is beautiful."

I am thinking long term…

Bakura nodded as well as his arms pulled Ryou closer, staring out at the water through the white posts of the railing.

After a small silence, the merboy spoke, "You're not going away, right? Your uncle… he's not making you leave, is he?"

"Nah, but there is a small catch for staying here longer."

"What's that?"

"I have to let my family visit on occasion… so… that means I'm going to have to drain and refill the pool sometimes with chlorine." He gently shook the aquatic boy leaning against him, "So, you're going to have to practice extra hard at that retaining water thing, alright?"

Ryou giggled softly and nodded, "Okay… as long as you're not going anywhere."

…And it's all because of this one kid…

Bakura shook his head again, feeling another smile coming on, but tightened his hold on Ryou instead.

"No… I really don't think I am."

So, you still remember that thing called love?

Well, I've been thinking about it more and more often.

And, you know what I think?

I think I found it.

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Okay, the serious End.

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Cloaked Vampire: Yatta! A much better ending, don't you think? I tied up all the loose ends (I think), my own sad, sad attempt at a little bit of humor and, uh… yeah. I think that's about it. I'm very happy with this, compared to my last attempt at an ending… I shouldn't rush :o Please tell me what you think! Encouragment brings new stories : 3