Gardenias

Gardenias

Hato chiisai

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.

If you’re a fan of my fics, you already know that this story is YAOI

As per my promise in Tearing Down the Sky, each chapter of this fic is dedicated to the winner of the “Guess Who The Four Are” Contest. The answer was the Four Arch Angels, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel.

This chapter is dedicated to Digital Diary

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Chapter 3

Baby’s Breath

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After what felt like hours after he had checked the clock last time, Otogi opened his eyes only to find that it had only been seven minutes.

“Oh, for the love of God…. This is stupid!” He muttered, sitting up. He turned and looked down at the other figure in the bed with him and smiled, trailing his fingers through Ryou’s hair. The boy slept quietly, and for that, Otogi was grateful. He sighed and ran a hand through his own hair, which was down for the night and fell almost as long as Ryou’s hair, which went down to the hikari’s waist.

“Ryou….” He breathed softly, as if just to hear to the name of his lover. Ryou made a pouting face in his sleep, which brought a slight laugh to Otogi’s face, as he watched his lover curl up only to put on a bitchy scowl. The boy then wriggled closer to his raven-haired partner and cuddled into his side before relaxing and sleeping on, a slight smile on contentment on his face. Otogi smiled and nuzzled Ryou’s cheek slightly. He had learned through experience that Ryou always cuddled up to something, whether it was his boyfriend, his yami, another friend that happened to be within the sleeping boy’s grasp, or a pillow if there was nothing else available. Otogi had even seen pictures of a two year old Ryou cuddled up to a table leg, and had seen Ryou find his way to curl around the nearest potted plant down in the living room when they fell asleep watching a movie on the floor. Otogi thought it was adorable, and loved it when it was he that his lover was cuddled up to. He had even seen to it that Ryou was given an extra pillow in the hospital.

The thought of the hospital made him think of why Ryou had been there, which made him think of his problem, which made him remember that he was tired and couldn’t sleep. And this, of course, made him cranky. Trying to relax, he lay down and let Ryou promptly snuggle into his chest, and he gently held the boy in his arms, burying his face into Ryou’s hair and inhaling the soft scent that closely resembled Gardenias, but was still distinctly Ryou. He fixed his green eyes on the little Gardenia bush that Ryou had lovingly watered and placed on their bedside table behind the little digital clock.

“Otogi?” A sleepy voice murmured. “Are you still awake?” Otogi blinked and looked down into blurry brown eyes.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I’m worried about you, love.” He said, and Ryou blinked his eyes into what resembled being awake but wasn’t quite there yet.

“Why?”

“Nakazawa.”

“… oh. Don’t. I won’t have you losing sleep over me, Ryuuji Otogi.” Ryou said, in a mock fierce tone that made the taller boy laugh slightly.

“Sorry.” He said, kissing Ryou’s nose.

“Please sleep.”

“I’ll try, Ryou. I really will.”

“Hmmph…. You should take something.”

“No. I need to get up in, uh, four hours.”

“No. Take the day off, love.” Ryou said.

“I can’t.”

“Please?” Ryou whined, and Otogi sighed.

“Ryou, as much as I’d like to, I have to go in.”

“No. You are staying home and relaxing. And that’s final.” Ryou said firmly. Otogi blinked, then smiled.

“Alright. I’ll stay home. Now go to sleep. I don’t want your head worse.” Otogi said, kissing Ryou softly. The boy smiled and snuggled up to the other boy, drifting off almost immediately.

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Ryou was quite upset when he woke up in the morning to find that Otogi had snuck off to work. But after he had calmed down, he headed up to his lover’s office himself with some lunch from a nice place called Café Max. He walked in the front door, smiling and acknowledging all the cheerful ‘good afternoon’s he got from the employees who recognized him, and several ‘How’s your head doing?’ to which he answered “Fine, thanks.”

He nearly giggled at the spat out “What?!” that he received when he knocked on Otogi’s office door. Ryou poked his head in, finding his lover ready to scream in frustration over his paper work.

“You lied to me.” Ryou said, and Otogi stopped his work and looked up, eyes wide.

“Ryou! What are you doing here?!” He gasped and stood immediately, going over to the door to relieve his boyfriend of the plastic bags in his hands.

“I thought we could have lunch together, so I brought us some Café Max.” Ryou said with a smile. He saw Otogi’s eyes sparkle at that, but the smile he offered his little lover was regretful.

“Ryou, that’s so sweet of you…” Otogi cooed, kissing Ryou’s cheek. “But I can’t… I’m really busy right now and—“

“And you lied to me about taking the day off, so you WILL take your lunch break, and that is final!” Ryou said, grabbing Otogi’s wrist and dragging him out of his office and to the lounge where the workers took their breaks.

“Hmm, I really should get them some new sofas….” Otogi mused as Ryou shoved him down onto a sofa, making his albino lover giggle.

“Hey, Otogi?”

“Yes?”

“Was Bakura angry with you the other night?” Ryou asked as he set out their lunch.

“No, actually.” Otogi said, spearing some chicken salad onto his fork before Ryou could slap his hand away. “I’m beginning to think that he likes me.”

“He always liked you!” Ryou laughed, finally settling down beside his lover to eat, and immediately going for the seafood salad. “He just likes to intimidate you.”

“He’s also really protective of you. He and Marik both.” Otogi said, munching some Caesar Salad thoughtfully.

“Yes… I’m not quite sure why Marik is infatuated with me like that. Oh well…” Ryou trailed off as he beat Otogi to an especially big piece of chicken, then yelped as Otogi poked him playfully with his fork. “You know… I’ve been thinking.”

“Hmm?”

“Police Chief or not, why don’t we go to the cops?”

“Ryou… I’ve tried.”

“You have?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“That’s when he drew up those false documents.”

“Oh… I see. So whom can we go to?”

“I don’t know. I tried to go to those higher up that the police chief, but…”

“But?”

“Remember that explosion that killed several of my employees?”

“Oh no! Otogi, it was him?!” Ryou gasped.

“Yes. And now that he knows about you, well… I don’t want to think about who will die next time. He said it would be people close to me. As in…”

“Me. And the guys? Yugi, and Yami and the others?”

“Right. No, Ryou. I can’t take that risk. I won’t lose you all. You mean too much to me.” Otogi said, and looked down as Ryou leaned into him.

“What can we do?”

“I don’t know.” (AN: I was so tempted to make this a cross over right here and send Omi and the others after the guy, but that would just be goofy ^_^() But I may give Weiß another guest appearance for Otogi and Ryou to get their gardenias from)

“Well, there must be something….” Ryou said, and Otogi sighed and nodded.

“I hope so. Y’know, maybe you should move back in with Bakura and Marik. For your own safety.”

“No. We’re in this together.” Ryou said, pulling the coveted seafood salad out of the reach of Otogi’s fork and poking his hand.

“You are so stubborn sometimes.” Otogi sniffed, and crawled over Ryou to finally attain the seafood salad, only to find his chicken stolen away from him. Ryou smiled and leaned on Otogi, eating his chicken.

“You knew that when you asked me out and asked me to move in with you.” He pointed out, and Otogi grunted. They ate silently for the next few minutes until they were interrupted by a few people on their lunch breaks, coming in to eat and use the microwave. They cheerfully greeted their boss, and the ladies cooed over Ryou, who took it all cheerfully and with an adorable smile and blush that made Otogi snicker. After a bit, one woman came in, and froze, seeing Ryou and Otogi there. She chewed her lip, looking back and forth between them. Ryou looked up and saw her, and sat up.

“Oh! Michiko-san!” He said. “I forgot!” He turned and looked at his boyfriend and pulled him off of the sofa. “Otogi, this is Michiko Shiratori! She’s in Customer Service!” Otogi blinked and nodded at his employee, who looked mortified that Ryou had brought her to the boss’s attention. “Her boyfriend proposed!”

“Congratulations.” Otogi said with a smile and a nod.

“She was wondering how much time she could have off for a wedding and honeymoon.” Ryou said, and Otogi blinked, then frowned at her. She looked afraid now.

“Is there a reason you talked to Ryou instead of coming to me?” He asked, and Ryou grinned.

“Because I’m not the boss. I’m the overly-cute boss’s boyfriend!” Ryou said, and Otogi quirked an eyebrow.

“Riiiiight….. Shiratori-san, I don’t want you to be afraid of me. I’m your boss, but you’re the one with a college degree.” He grinned and winked. “If you ever need anything, I want you to come straight to me! And again, congratulations on your engagement. I know weddings are stressful. How about this; When you set a date for your wedding, let me know. I know getting those things put together can be stressful. You can have the week before the wedding off, and up to two weeks for your honeymoon, and getting settled in your new home. And you’ll still get your paycheck for those three weeks. Consider it a little wedding gift.” Otogi said, and the girl’s mouth fell open in shock.

“See?” Ryou said to her, latching onto Otogi’s arm. “He’s really a big softie!”

“Don’t tell them that!” Otogi cried in dismay, and Ryou giggled and cuddled into his chest, making the darker boy flush slightly.

“You’re blu-shing!” Ryou sang, cutely, and Otogi blushed darker as his employees started laughing at him.

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For the third time, Ryou was in Otogi’s office, awaiting the arrival of Nakazawa. He was sitting on the sofa, curled up to Otogi, who looked exhausted.

“I think I’ll go make some tea.” Ryou said, standing, and Otogi nodded tiredly. Ryou went to the break room and made some hot tea in coffee mugs, then went back to Otogi’s office. And Nakazawa was there.

“He IS here!” Otogi was whimpering, the collar of his shirt clenched in Nakazawa’s hands. “He went to, to….”

“To what?!” Nakazawa demanded.

“Tea.” Ryou squeaked, from the doorway, and Nakazawa released Otogi upon seeing him. “I just went to make some tea.” Nakazawa glared, as if disappointed to see Ryou.

“Hmmph. Fine. The money, Ryuuji?” He demanded, and Otogi gave him the envelope.

“What can I pay you….” Otogi said, suddenly. “To forget about Ryou?”

“Forget?”

“You never saw him. You don’t know he exists. How much do you want for Ryou to be out of this, completely? I’ll still pay the $2000, but—“

“But you want him not to accompany you anymore.”

“Yes. I am willing the buy his safety.”

“You already are. As for not bringing him, no, I will see him every night. If I don’t, you are going to jail, and will no longer be able to buy his safety. Of course, if you would like to buy his safety with something other than money…”

“….. I’m listening.”

“NO!” Ryou screamed. “Stop talking about me like I’m not here!” He put the mugs down and ran to Otogi. “Don’t listen to him. Don’t ever give in! I won’t stand for it!”

“Ryou…..” Otogi gasped, and watched as he little lover turned and stalked right up to Nakazawa, glaring at him.

“I know what you want from us…” He snarled. “And you are never, NEVER getting it. Do you hear me?!”

“Ryou!” Otogi gasped, moving forwards.

“Stay there.” Nakazawa barked, and Otogi froze. “Let him speak. Anything else?”

“You may have power over us now, but it won’t last long.” Ryou growled, glaring. “I guarantee it.” And he turned and picked up his tea, plopped down on the sofa and sipped it calmly.

“He’s quite fiery, Ryuuji…..” Nakazawa chuckled.

“Since when……?” Ryuuji whimpered more to himself. Then he mentally shook himself and blinked. “You have what you came for. Now go.” He snapped, and Nakazawa left, chuckling to himself. He was finding Ryou more and more appealing, almost as appealing as he found Otogi….

“Ryou! Why do you have to keep doing things like that! You’re gonna get yourself killed!”

“I won’t let him push us around.”

“If you don’t knock it off, I’m going to call your yami.” Otogi threatened, and Ryou choked.

“YOU are going to call MY yami?!” He gasped.

“Yes, your yami.” He said, and Ryou blinked, then giggled.

“Well, that’s quite a switch.” He said, and continued his laughing. Otogi blinked, then caught the little joke and sat down next to Ryou with his own tea.

“I suppose it is, isn’t it?” He said, and smiled when Ryou cuddled up to him.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

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