Diz: Still in the contest. Wrote this in 30 minutes. Tendershipping. Enjoy.

Standard disclaimer applies.

Tender is the Night
Tendershipping ( Y. Bakura x Ryou Bakura )
Authoress: Dizzy Loser

You,

I've loved many things and gotten them all -- except one. You. I don't expect you to understand this last line, but if you do...

You haven't tried. I finally died. What else is there to say?

Ryou

---

With a quick glance over the note titled to no one but meant for that someone, the note was folded and tucked into a crisp envelope.

Slender hands sealed the envelope and carefully laid it propped up on a desk.

Dark eyes glimmering with sorrow glanced at the clock and took on a deeper level of anguish.

"He'll be home soon..." A tiny mouth frowned as feet carried the body out of the room.

---

A door opened and slammed shut, giggling and deep laughing quickly following.

A murmur of, "Shh..." and two bodies made their way up the stairs and into a bedroom.

Rough carresses resulted in heavy sighs and groans as two heads collided against the other's lips.

Words of mutual hatred passed through two sets of lips as they both ground against each other heatedly.

"I hate you." All hints of the previous giggling were gone from the woman's lips as nails drew new, deep, red lines down her back and opened up old ones.

"Likewise. Now shut up." A gutteral growl resounded throughout the room as the pair of bodies moved in perfect synchronization, almost as if it were rehearsed.

---

Tears slowly slid down a pale face, the tears passing softly over quivering lips.

Lithe hands clasped over ears that heard the explicit sounds leaking, no... Bleeding through the walls.

"Soon, soon..." The fragile voice whispered, but was drown by the pleasure-induced sounds of the next room over.

---

Silence aside from heavy breathing and two steadily beating hearts filled the stuffy air.

A tangled mass of sweat-glistening bodies lay connected on the bed.

"Alright, get out." The man's voice spoke as the man disentangled himself from the woman spread lazily across his torso.

"With pleasure." The woman replied, sneering as the man got up and began pulling on clothes.

"Indeed, it's always about pleasure with you, Kujaku." The man smirked at the middle finger waving in his face.

"Shut the fuck up." The woman spoke, her voice taking on a menacing undertone. Purple eyes gazed around the room before landing on an envelope with delicate handwriting titled to "You."

"It seems the little postman named Ryou made a delivery in your absence." The woman's voice called gleefully.

"What the fuck are you talking about now, Kujaku?" The man came walking out of the bathroom, toothbrush hanging out of his mouth.

"This." The woman told him, swinging the envelope around by a corner. "Beautiful penmanship. A love note, I presume?"

"Mind your own business and get out." The man replied, staring at the envelope.

"Indeed. Same time and place tomorrow?" The woman asked, pulling on her clothes.

"Get. Out." The man answered back, rolling his eyes.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"You should take that as a, 'Get the fuck out of my house.'" The man told her.

"Testy, testy. I'm leaving." The woman told him, adjusting her hair with a quick glance at the mirror and walking out.

"I'll never know why I put up with her." The man told himself, before smirking as he spoke his answer. "She's a good lay."

He laughed a deep laugh before opening the envelope and reading the contents.

"Hmm..." A quiet, thoughtful noise slipped through the man's lips. Dark eyes widened considerably as they took in the meaning of the note. "He's... in love with me?"

Snowy-white hair swayed back and forth as the man shook his head. "He can't. I'd ruin him." As he spoke this truth out loud, his lips turned into a deep frown.

Heavy footsteps resounded off the wall as the man made his way out of the room and down the hall. His feet carried him to a room next to his. Hands gently rapped on the door. "Ryou...?"

No noise came and the man frowned at the door as he tried again.

Still to no avail, the man opened the door to the dark room and allowed his eyes a minute to adjust.

Scanning the room, eyes soon focused on a lump on the bed. "Ryou."

The lump shifted to the side and the man walked closer to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Ryou." The man spoke softly. "I'd ruin you, Ryou. I'm not a good person. Although I may be nice to you, it doesn't make me a saint. I'm not someone I want you to love. I'm not someone you want you to love."

"I'm already ruined, Bakura." The covers slid off the boy's face as he sat up to look at the man. "You think I can't see the cruelty of reality? Do you think I only see good? No, Bakura, I know you're a bad person, but I like you regardless. No, you're right, I don't want myself to love you, but I can't help it. I'm not a saint either, Bakura."

"You're wrong." The man replied slowly.

"About what?" The boy asked angrily.

"Everything!" The man roared. "You're a fucking angel compared to me!"

"An angel, am I? Tell me how I got on earth then, Bakura. Please, I want to know."

"You've just fallen temporarily." The man whispered.

"No, Bakura." The boy contradicted. "God took away my wings because I fell in love with the devil. The devil has the power to give me my wings back, though. And the wings he can give me will be much better than any wing God can offer me."

"Ryou." The man started. "A relationship between us would never work. I barely like you and I sure as fuck don't love you. I love nothing. There's a big chance I'll always love nothing."

"I know, Bakura. The devil loves nothing." The boy nodded his head.

"You'd get into a loveless relationship with me, even though it might never work out? The man asked, his eyes growing soft as the boy nodded his head.

"I would." The boy replied. "May I have my wings back?"

"We'll see." The man said, gathering the boy in his arms.

"That means no more Mai or anyone else." The boy stared hard at the man.

"...We'll talk about it." The man replied before capturing the boy's lips in a tender kiss as the night flew on in Ryou's new wings.

Owari