This is a deathshipping oneshot, as a present to Miss Macabre Grey – I wanted her to tell me her middle name, she asked what I would give her, so I offered deathshipping. It worked. I owe the plot of this oneshot to FanGirl16, who gave me a great idea, so thank you very much! Also, Yami Marik is called 'Kek'. For those of you who haven't read my other fics, 'Kek' is a name Miss Macabre Grey came up with, and I use it all the time because I love it. It means 'God of Darkness' and sounds like an evil laugh. I'm also spelling Ryou 'Ryo' because it makes Grey happy. XD

Warnings: Bad language. No smut, though!

Oh, and I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, Kazuki Takahashi does.

On with the oneshot, and enjoy! – Jem

Ryo watched with pursed lips, lying relaxed on his bed with his legs folded in front of him and his hands behind his head. The TV blared away in a corner but Ryo was barely paying it any attention, his mind tired from a day at work as he lay back on his bed, pillows soft under his mass of white hair. All he really wanted was to sleep. The room was darkly lit, curtains closed and only letting in the faintest crack of evening sunlight, but Ryo preferred it that way; he couldn't abide bright lights, much more comforted when lying ensconced in warm shadows. Especially when he was tired.

Ryo yawned, stretching both arms out behind him. He relished in the click the sounded from his back. The TV switched onto the news and Ryo considered flicking it off until the name of Domino City flashed up, accompanied by a very familiar face. Stabbing occurred just outside Domino museum. Eyewitness reports large man in purple cloak running from the scene. Police out looking...

Ryo rolled his eyes. With a loud sigh, he clambered clumsily off his bed, brushing long white hair back off his shoulders, before stepping over to the other side of his room and grabbing his keys and coat. In seconds he was out of the flat door, locking it firmly behind him. This routine was fast becoming all too familiar.

With measured steps and a confident pace, Ryou made his way through the ever-darkening dusk towards the museum, expression mildly amused. The streets were mostly empty, the pavements dark and slick with rain as the sun dipped towards the horizon. Ryou traced his path with quiet footfalls, making no move to hide himself – he knew there would be little point. Soon enough, his actions would be conspicuous.

Sure enough, it took barely twenty minutes of walking for a loud bang, several screeches, and a yell of "Fuck you!" to sound from somewhere ahead. Ryo grinned and increased his footsteps. He barely made it three more paces, however, before a vast, threatening figure rocketed around the corner, bag in hand and purple cloak flaring as it tumbled across the street. Ryo calmly watched it, measuring the distance perfectly before sticking one leg out at just the right angle; sure enough, the figure tripped, purple cloak whirling in the sudden rush as a loud crash rang through the alley.

"Fucking hell!"

The voice was low and terrifyingly dark, but comfortingly familiar to Ryo's ears. He chuckled to himself, drawing his foot back and extending an arm to the spiky blond head crashed out on the floor in front of him. "Perhaps if you actually paid attention to where you were going, you wouldn't get caught so often."

"Oh, it's you." The dark voice sounded roughly. Ryo's hand was grabbed and the tall cloaked figure hauled himself upright, dark violet eyes glaring out. "Please! I never get caught."

"Only because I'm always here to save your ass." Ryo pointedly nodded behind the cloaked man, gesturing to the hoards of police still scouring the alleys. Blond hair flared wildly as the dark man in purple spun around, cursing loudly when he saw the number of people on his trail. Ryo laughed. Turning on his heel, Ryo used his grip on the large man behind him to tug him forwards, literally dragging him along the pavements.

The man snorted, disgruntled. "I can walk for my fucking self, Ryo."

"Just follow me, Kek." Ryo ordered without ceremony, his grip firm on the tanned hand behind him. He led Kek back through the streets of Domino, letting him into his apartment and shoving him forcefully over to the sofa. "How bad are you this time?"

"There's nothing fucking wrong with me," Kek growled, but he rolled his eyes at Ryo's stern look. "Fine, fine, I might have got stabbed a little."

Ryo shook his head. "How do you get stabbed a little?"

"It's nothing!" Kek growled defensively, flopping down onto Ryo's sofa and sending him a dark glare. "I got in a fight, the guy got in a couple of good strokes, but he looks much worse."

Ryo snorted. He disappeared into the bathroom and retrieved the medical kit, returning with an almost-smile hovering about his lips. "And you left him out in plain sight for the police to see, hm?"

Kek stopped short. "No, I – he – well, they'll never catch me anyway! I'm here with you. You're not on their radar."

"God knows why I keep letting you in," Ryo muttered. He wandered back over to the sofa and perched on the end, keeping Kek still with a firm glare. "Where are you wounded?"

Kek blew a loud sigh between his lips and tugged up his black shirt, the cloak falling down around his shoulders. Ryo removed the purple material with businesslike actions, soon moving on to the tank top and beginning to tug it over Kek's head.

"I can do that myself!" Kek snarled, pulling his shirt off on his own and hiding a wince.

Ryo grimaced when he saw the wounds. There was one long, thankfully shallow cut that stroked right across Kek's stomach, from his left side round to his belly button, and another grim slash fell across his chest, just missing his right nipple. Both were weeping drops of blood. Ryo sighed and got to work, pulling out the antiseptic cream. "You know the drill. Sit still and don't complain."

Kek obliged with a hiss, turning his face away and growling. Ryo wiped the antiseptic carefully over the scratches, moving with calm strokes until the blood was gone and the wounds clean. He then reached for the bandages and lightly pushed Kek up; the brown man complied without complaint, knowing that Ryo was helping him and would not take no for an answer. The bandages were wrapped around and tied off in no time, and Ryo sent Kek a disapproving stare. "This should stop."

"You know it never will," Kek scoffed. "Where would be the fun in that?"

Ryo smiled a little and shook his head. "I shouldn't be surprised. Hey, scoot." He whacked Kek's legs, making him move up the sofa so Ryo could crash beside him. Kek rolled his eyes, wincing as he lifted one hand to brush over his bandages; the material felt stiff and unfamiliar beneath his thick fingers, covering up the weeping wounds in his chest. The pressure of them was painful, but Kek would never complain. Ryo, however, was observant, and one glance at Kek's grimacing face was enough to send him into the kitchen. He soon returned with a glass of water and painkillers, setting both down in front of Kek on the coffee table.

Kek glared angrily at them. "I don't need fucking tablets."

"Your angry face says you do," Ryo chuckled, nudging them towards the dark man with one foot as he curled back up on the sofa, catlike. His feet turned towards Kek, curling up under Ryo's body as he settled back comfortably against the cushions.

Kek continued to glower.

"Go on, take them." Ryou leaned over and dug his elbow into Kek's uninjured side, keeping up his insistent jabs until Kek finally threw his hands in the air, heaving a loud, frustrated sigh. He heaved his vast body forwards, lifting one massive hand to snatch up the tablets. He downed two, gulping the water down in two massive swallows. He sagged back down against the cushions with a grunt.

Ryo watched him, a half-smile playing about his lips. He furrowed his eyes a little at the obvious multitude of scars shooting across Kek's chest; the dark man got into fights far too often, and if Ryo wasn't there to clean him up then he wasn't entirely sure what would happen. Kek was careless in his crimes, often leaving evidence that the police could use to trace him, so Ryo made a point of going around after him, clearing up the blood and tidying up the mess.

Tracing the lines of the new, bandaged scars with his eyes, Ryo shifted a small amount closer, his cheeks warming a little as he placed one hand on Kek's chest. "What happened this time?"

"Fucking bastard was stealing something," Kek grumbled. His hand joined Ryo's on his chest, massaging around the bandages. "I found him in my alley."

Ryo's lips twitched. "It isn't your alley."

"I fucking use it!" Kek snarled. He growled threateningly at Ryo, although his dark violet eyes were dancing. "It might as well be mine."

Ryo just shook his head. He sidled further up the sofa, his hands stroking along the bandages. Kek frowned down at him, crossing his arms above Ryo's hands. "You don't need to get so touchy-feely. I'm fine."

"You're far from fine." Ryo pursed his lips, running his eyes once more over Kek's scarred form. "You need to stop getting in trouble."

"The fuck I do," Kek growled.

Ryo shook his head. "You're going to get caught or killed one of these days."

"Shut the fuck up." Kek softened his words with a casual arm, slinging it over Ryo's shoulders and pulling him closer. Ryo gladly curled up by his side, laying a careful head on Kek's warm, un-bandaged chest and allowing himself to rest against his friend. Kek's hand dipped down his arm, not affectionate exactly, more demanding than anything, but Ryo liked to close his eyes and imagine that Kek was holding him out of an emotion more than angry, frustrated gratitude. As they sat in the quiet, Ryo allowed his mind to dip into fantasies – of Kek holding him, moving him closer, hands caressing lovingly, lips meeting in passion...

Then Kek snorted, digging a sharp, uncouth nail into Ryo's side. "Oi. Turn the TV on, I'm bored."

Ryo pulled himself reluctantly out of his daydreams, sitting up and reaching for the TV remote. He flicked the machine on before passing it to Kek, letting him search through channels as he wished, watching with a sigh. He knew that his fantasies could only ever stay as that; dreams, not reality. Kek was dangerous, violent, and scathing, and although at times like this Ryo would see a softer side of Kek, they were few and far between and usually just a result of his misplaced gratitude. Kek thought that Ryo only cleared him up out of some warped sense of duty. In reality, Ryo did it because something about the tall, darkly handsome man had Ryo captivated in every single way.

Kek's stomach gave a loud grumble as he finally settled on a film channel. It was, to Ryo's surprise, a rom com; sappy music whistled out of the speakers as night settled over the apartment, the on-screen heroine trudging through a rainy night with tears streaking down her cheeks, quite obviously upset and sobbing. Ryo rolled his eyes a little. He would much rather have some sort of suspense or thriller on, but when his fingers twitched for the remote Kek merely shot him a dark glare. "None of your horror. I've had enough of blood and guts for one day."

"It's your own fault for getting stabbed," Ryo muttered, but he held his hands up in surrender at Kek's dangerous glare. Instead, Ryo settled for curling back up on his sofa, laying his head once more against Kek's still-bare chest. An arm snaked around his shoulders again and Ryo's eyes slid closed in contentment, his heart warmed by the simplest of touch. This was a stupid, dangerous crush, and he knew it was, but he couldn't stop the slight flighty fluttering of his fingers as they twitched longingly towards the dark man at his side.

Kek's stomach gurgled noisily again and Ryo sighed, propping himself up a little. He rested one elbow on Kek's lap and set his chin in his palm, glancing up into a dark violet gaze with slightly pursed lips; Kek's expression held the telltale strain of hunger.

Ryo sighed, sitting up fully and worming out of Kek's embrace, however much his hormones screamed at him to return. "You want to get takeout?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Kek didn't even look away from the screen, his eyes glued to the screen as the heroine wandered into a bar. Ryo heaved a pointed sigh, getting clumsily to his feet. He wandered slowly over to his phone, scooping up a menu on the way, but he couldn't stop his eyes from sliding back over to the handsome man currently ensconced on his sofa. He felt his cheeks warm again. Kek was sprawled out bare-chested on his cushions, legs still curled around the hollow where Ryo had been, his tanned arm curving over the head of the sofa as if he was just waiting for the pale man's return. Ryo bit his lower lip longingly, wishing that Kek could know of his feelings. How would it feel, to return to Kek now, knowing that they were a couple, in love and happy? How special would it be for Ryo to be able to claim Kek as his?

Mere fantasies.

"Pizza alright?" Ryo asked, his fingers already dialling the familiar number. These occasions with Kek always played out the same way; Ryo would patch Kek up, scold him a little, then they would curl up in front of a film and eat before Kek left to go back to wherever the hell he lived. Until the next time a news item would flash up, and Ryo knew it was time to go and play the rescuer once more.

Kek merely flipped a hand in response, still glued to the television screen. Ryo sighed and flicked the phone to his ear, ordering a large meat feast like usual before heading back over to the sofa. Kek had left his spot intact, Ryo was pleased to see, so it took Ryo no time at all to snuggle once more into the happy warmth of Kek's embrace.

Even though it didn't mean the same to Kek.

"Why are we watching this film?" Ryo complained quietly, his lips downturned into a slight frown as he watched the heroine being chatted up by the supposed hero of the plot.

Kek shrugged, not even sparing Ryo a glance. "There's nothing else on, and I could do with something light-hearted."

"It's dull," Ryo mumbled half-heartedly, more to try and gain Kek's attention than anything. Sure, sitting close to the dark man was nice, but Ryo liked it more when Kek's full body was turned towards him, those dark violet eyes gleaming with intent.

Kek growled. "The fuck it is."

"It is," Ryo defended himself, voice becoming a little more animated. "These films always end the same."

Kek shot him a glance, looking down at the mess of white cradled against his chest. "Yeah; happily. I thought you'd like that."

"It isn't realistic," Ryo grumbled without thinking. "Romance is just one series of disappointments after another. The 'happy-ever-after' doesn't exist."

Silence reigned for a moment as Kek stared down, genuinely surprised. Ryo had always struck him as a romantic at heart, but apparently, Kek had read him wrong; Ryo was staring in almost glum anger at the screen, as the heroine and hero finally shared their first kiss.

"Well, aren't you just a bundle of joy." Kek allowed mirth to seep into his tone. His arm curved back down around Ryo's back, pulling him slightly closer.

Ryo's eyes slid closed, the corners of his mouth upturning slightly. "I just don't believe these films. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Not at all. It's probably sensible." Kek shrugged, suddenly shooting Ryo a dazzling, wide grin. "But it's fun to pretend for a while, right?"

Ryo simply stared. With Kek's arm around him like it was, and Ryo's head so close to his chest, he was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate. The waves of heat that always seemed to stream off Kek's Egyptian body surrounded Ryo, warming his very bones and sending life back into his veins, shooting starbursts of warmth exploding behind his fingertips. And that smile... Kek's entire face seemed to light up. His usually shadowy violet eyes brightened into a dangerous gleam, the spiky blond hair becoming almost radiant, his brown skin glowing in the light from the TV screen as he gazed straight down at Ryo, pinning him.

Ryo had the irrepressible urge to lean forwards and kiss him.

In fact, to Ryo's mortification, his body seemed to be acting on its own. Before he could stop himself he was inching forwards, his fingers digging into Kek's sides as he moved closer, lips so close, noses brushing ... and he could swear Kek was moving forwards, too...

The doorbell rang.

Ryo cursed internally, screaming swear words in his skull as both of them froze. Their noses still touched, Ryo almost going cross-eyed as he attempted to keep Kek's glinting gaze in his line of sight, not wanting to lose this moment, not when they were finally so close...

"Guess the food's here," Ryo muttered sullenly, leaning back from Kek. He reluctantly disentangled himself, imagining to himself that he caught disappointment in Kek's expression until brown features schooled themselves back into their usual, angry expression.

"Go and fucking get it, then." Kek sprawled back out on the cushions, watching Ryo get to his feet. One vast brown hand darted forwards to swat Ryo away, waving him away from the sofa and towards the door, the strength in Kek's arm almost making Ryo fall over.

Ryo hissed at him, giving him a light shove on the shoulder on his way past the sofa. "Yeah, don't trouble yourself. In fact, just for that, you can get it yourself."

"What? Hell no!" Kek stared in anger as Ryo determinedly strode back around the sofa, collapsing back on the cushions. "You always get the door!"

Ryo sent Kek an insolent stare. "So you can get it this time."

Kek's brows furrowed.

Ryo arched a brow. "If you don't answer it, you're not eating."

The doorbell picked that exact moment to disrupt their little glaring match, so Kek grumpily threw himself off the sofa, striding over to the door exactly as he was. Ryo's eyes widened a little and he half-clambered out of his seat, fingers scrabbling for black fabric. "No, Kek, put your shirt back on ... first..."

Too late.

Kek flung the door wide open, crossing his arms sullenly as he thrust his chin out, feet planted firmly on the floor. "Have you got my fucking food?"

A pretty blond girl looked up at him. She ran her eyes over his bare, scarred chest, jaw moving, until she shifted her gaze up to his face and met his eyes. She looked impressed.

"One large meat feast," she acknowledged with a nod, twirling a strand of long blond hair around one finger. She lifted the box, offering it to him with a smile.

Kek took it off her without batting an eyelid at her stares. He made to slam the door but she stopped him, placing her foot in the doorway and leaning against the frame with a slightly alluring expression. When she spoke, her voice was a little husky. "You know, it's usually a good idea to leave a tip."

"For you doing your job? No fucking way." Kek made to slam the door again but the girl edged closer, her eyes practically smouldering.

"I'll make it worth your while," she purred. Before Kek could move, her hand dipped fluidly into her pocket, emerging with a pad of paper and a pen. She scribbled a name and number down before moving too close. Ryo watched with jealous brown eyes as she easily slid her hand forwards, slipping the paper down into Kek's back pocket. Her hand lingered for too long as she gazed sickeningly into his eyes.

Ryo's fingers tightened on the back of the sofa.

"Call me," she murmured, running her eyes indecently over his bare chest again before she reluctantly pulled away, tossing him a kiss over her shoulder as she wandered down the path, hips swaying.

Heavy silence fell over the apartment.

Kek broke it by bursting out laughing, slamming the door shut. He rested his back against it and cackled loudly, shoulders shaking, his dark peals of laughter echoing around the enclosed space. Ryo felt himself grow hotter and hotter with each laugh. His hands balled into fists.

"What was that?" Ryo practically snarled. His cheeks felt warm, too warm, and if he wasn't careful then Kek was going to realise that something was wrong, but Ryo was too wound up to care. "What were you thinking?"

"What was I thinking?" Kek managed to draw himself together enough to shoot Ryo an amused glance, his lips stretching wide.

Ryo jumped off the sofa, vaulting over its back and stalking towards Kek. His voice came out in a cracked, low hiss. "Yes, what were you thinking, letting her slobber all over you like that?"

"Slobber?" Kek's violet eyes gleamed with amusement as he regarded Ryo's advance; the pale man might as well have been a panda, with how threatening he looked.

"You could have just told her to get lost!" Ryo snapped. "You never usually have problems with being rude!"

Kek snorted. "She was funny. Maybe I will call her."

Ryo snarled and turned away before he did something really stupid, like punch Kek in the face. His pale hands remained tight fists as he stalked back to the sofa, throwing himself back onto the deep cushions in a fit of rage, his lips pursed and his chest rising and falling at an alarmingly rapid late. He could still feel his heart pounding and he was absolutely positive that his cheeks were flaming, but for the life of him Ryo could not calm down. The image of that girl, all over him ... and Kek just stood there and let her...

"Well, you're really pissed."

There was laughter in Kek's tone as he moved back around the sofa, falling onto the cushions beside Ryo. Ryo merely snarled at him.

Kek chortled. "If you don't calm down, you're not getting dinner."

"Don't want to eat," Ryo grumbled sullenly, but when he saw Kek open the box and smelled the pizza he forced himself upright, drawing his knees up into his chest. Ryo knew that Kek would have no problem with eating the entire meal himself.

Ryo begrudgingly took a slice, tearing into it with more vigour than usual. He could tell that his cheeks were still warm, and not for the first time Ryo cursed his too-pale skin. He tore savagely into the pizza, devouring it in a matter of seconds before reaching for the second, deliberately avoiding Kek's amused, quizzical stare.

"You don't need to get that wound up." Kek was still laughing, which only angered Ryo further. "After all, she isn't my type."

Ryo softened a little at those words. He sent Kek a dark stare over the edge of his current slice, lips pursed. "Then why didn't you just tell her to get out?"

"Because your pink cheeks are hilarious." Kek's eyes sparkled down at him. "Jealous, keh?"

Ryo's jaw clicked. He span away from Kek again, doing his best not to look, but for some reason his eyes kept flicking back over to Kek's handsome face. He couldn't stop his cheeks from brightening again, much as he uselessly tried to stop them.

Kek's expression twisted into amusement as he caught Ryo's constant staring, incredibly amused by how awkward his little pale companion looked. Kek lifted the slice of pizza to his lips, deliberately biting into it with a new, ravaging hunger, keeping his face trained on Ryo's face. As expected, Ryo's cheeks tinted a deep, bleeding red.

Well, this could get interesting.

Ryo couldn't tear his eyes off Kek. He remained curled on the couch, his knees still drawn into his chest, as he watched Kek devour the remains of the pizza, not even caring that he'd only managed to eat two slices before Kek took over. Ryo knew this was a mistake, because Kek had already guessed too much and his cheeks were still flaming, and now Kek had finished eating and he was leaning closer, much too close, and Ryo could feel his hot breath on his cheek, his warm palms as they landed on Ryo's knees, moving closer and closer until Ryo could hardly breathe...

"Someone is most definitely jealous."

Kek's loud cackles rang back through the room as he sat back on the sofa, releasing Ryo's knees again in favour of laughing. He fell back on the cushions, legs spread wide as he laughed with his head thrown back. Blond hair dripped down his brown neck, eyes shut as his shoulders shook at Ryo's expense, but Ryo didn't care. He wasn't thinking straight enough to be angry.

Suddenly, he had had enough of Kek's teasing.

Without a word, Ryo flung his small, lithe body forwards and fell straight between Kek's open legs. Kek's eyes flew open in shock, but before he could make any more than a small "Oomph!" of surprise, Ryo had crawled up his body and pressed their mouths together.

Ryo didn't think past the second he was living in, and this second was good because it had Kek pressed up against him, lips joined as their mouths moved together. Kek was trapped beneath him as Ryo had literally flung himself on top of him, placing his small body firmly in place to trap Kek down on the sofa cushions, refusing to let him escape as he finally did what his body had been craving the whole time they had known each other. Kek was, as ever, warm, and his lips were surprisingly soft, and also surprisingly willing, Ryo was only just coming to realise. They had been kissing for a good few minutes and Kek had yet to complain. In fact, now Ryo thought about it, he was almost positive that those were fingers digging into his sides, vast brown hands reaching around his back and pulling him closer. Kek was pressing them closer together, and then Kek opened his mouth.

Ryo's eyes widened and he jumped back in shock.

Loud panting filled the room for a few moments as Ryo tried to get himself off Kek, only to find those strong arms encircling him to hold him firmly in place. Kek was staring at Ryo with violet eyes glinting anew, something in them that Ryo couldn't quite fathom. He tried to sit up again, struggling, but Kek held him firmly in place, eyes narrowing into a glare. "The fuck are you leaving."

"Wh-what?" Ryo cursed the stammer that escaped his lips, his brown eyes wide and stunned as he gazed down at a sight he had only seen before now in his dreams.

Kek lay willingly under Ryo, firmly holding him and refusing to let him go. He was so incredibly warm that he heated every inch of Ryo's body, warming his very bones as he held him tightly, arms strong.

Ryo gulped.

"Explain." Kek's command was an abrupt order, no question to his tone at all.

Ryo stared down, tongue darting out to wet his lips. He could taste Kek. "E-explain what?"

"What the hell do you think?" Kek looked amused again, still refusing to let Ryo go despite his struggles. "How long have you been bottling that up, keh?"

"I haven't been bottling anything up!" Ryo knew it was a lie, his wavering tone and cracking voice really not helping his case at all. It was difficult to think, with Kek still lying so close to him...

Kek laughed. "Oh, sure. So I've just been imagining all those longing stares and wanton touches. I swear, if you'd looked at me with those Goddamn eyes of yours one more time, I'd have fucking jumped you myself."

Ryo stared.

Kek grinned, teeth glistening.

"You – you mean – " Ryo struggled to understand. "You – you've known, all this time, and – and you never – "

"I wanted you to move first." Kek's grin turned feral. "And you did."

Without another word, Ryo ducked his head and smashed his lips against Kek's once more. This time was rougher, braver, as both of them were less surprised and much more open with each other. Ryo could feel Kek opening his mouth, tongues flicking together as arms wrapped around each other. Kek pressed Ryo closer, enfolding him securely inside his arms as he attacked him with his tongue, and this time, Ryo wasn't trying to get away. Instead, Ryo gladly deepened the kiss, his own hands latching onto the back of Kek's head, playing with the soft blond spikes he had for hair. Their noses bumped as they shifted closer, both seeking more of the other as they explored each other, learning the taste, the scent, the feel of their bond. Kek's legs wrapped tightly around Ryo's hips, drawing him closer, and Ryo gasped when their hips brushed together, blood rushing down and heat pooling low in his stomach...

A shrill ringing sounded from the phone in the corner.

Ryo broke away from Kek with a snarl, attempting to disentangle himself. "Fucking leave it," Kek growled, clinging tightly onto Ryo and refusing to let him move, lips close to his ear and scouring along his jawline. "It can't be as important as this right now."

Ryo groaned, pressing closer to Kek for another second before forcing himself away. He shook his head at Kek's feral snarl, determinedly walking away from the sofa despite his wobbling steps, shooting a last, hungry glance at the prone form of Kek, stretched out on his cushions.

Ryo answered the phone with a disgruntled, "What?"

"I'll tell you fucking what!" came the angry, all-too-familiar voice on the other end.

Ryo sighed, rubbing his forehead with one palm. "What is it now, Bakura?"

"Now? I'll fucking tell you what! Your idiot of a criminal friend stabbed me in an alley!"

Ryo's eyes went wide. He turned to stare at Kek, surprise etched into every feature as he took in the bandaged wounds on his chest. "You were the one Kek was fighting?"

"Yeah, and he fucking deserved it," Bakura snarled. "Walking on my territory, thinking he could steal on my land..."

"I don't even want to know," Ryo grumbled, struggling to think through the hot haze of pleasure that was burning a hole through his gut.

"Fucking asshole," Bakura snarled. "Just tell that damn friend of yours to stay away from me."

Ryo frowned. "Wait, does that mean it was you that stabbed Kek?"

"Of course it was," Bakura growled, tone dark, although Ryo largely ignored his brother's anger. "He deserved all that he got, the bastard. Tell him to stay the fuck away from you."

Something close to anger grew in Ryo's gut at that. He held the receiver away from his ear for a moment, staring at it, before speaking loudly and determinedly into it. His brown eyes shot up to meet Kek's curious gaze, and Ryo gave a wicked grin.

"No, thanks," he began, voice firm. "I'm going to keep Kek with me for a very long time."

Ryo hung up without another word, dumping the phone back on the receiver before looking back over at Kek, blowing a strand of white hair out of his eyes.

Kek arched a brow at him, although his wide grin rather marred any semblance of anger his dark features might otherwise have held. "Who says I'm going to let you keep me?"

Ryo shrugged, advancing two steps closer, until he was hovering right beside the couch. "It's my apartment. I can always just lock you in. Although something tells me you don't really want to leave, anyway."

Kek grinned. "You guessed correctly. Get back over here."

Ryo's beam could have brightened the darkest of nights as he crawled back up on the sofa, pressing himself flush against Kek once again. He smiled when he felt strong arms around his back again, pulling him down, and Ryo's hands moved to cup Kek's tanned cheeks this time, cradling his face gently as he spoke again.

"Never," Ryo spoke softly, his breath warm and comforting over Kek's lips, "Stab my brother again. Got that?"

Kek's lips pursed. "He was in my way! What was I supposed to do?"

Ryo edged half an inch closer. "Never again. Ever."

"If I say yes, will you have sex with me?" Kek demanded, brows furrowed and heavy over his still-gleaming violet gaze.

Ryo smirked. "Only if you let me top."

"Little fucker -!"

Ryo silenced Kek's protests with another deep kiss, chuckling into his mouth when he felt Kek instantly calm beneath him. With every touch, every movement the two of them made, Ryo could feel his insecurities falling away. Kek was there with him, willingly pressing him closer, wanting to go further than Ryo had ever imagined as they lay together on the warm cushions of the sofa. Ryo lay in Kek's strong embrace, arms tight around his back as Ryo laid his head on Kek's bare chest, his white hair fanning out over lightly browned skin. Pale hands traced lazy patterns whilst Ryo lay in peace, held close by the man he had yearned after for so long. Kek's body was irrepressibly warm, like a sun had been trapped beneath his skin; it burned brightly all through the night, keeping Ryo warm even as he drifted in and out of sleep, dreams of warmth and comfort pervading his every thought.

This reality was better than any dream, though.

I never know how to end these things. ^_^ But, anyway, there it is! I hope you all enjoyed this little piece of deathshipping. I had fun writing it! Thank you all for reading - Jem