softspokenlandlord | IC Inbox

[Ryou was about to agree that the scarf thing was probably more trouble than it was worth, and maybe try to gently guide this conversation in a different, less self-centered direction...but then Atem offers a different suggestion.

Ryou's gaze flicks down to the collar and. he blinks, because uhh. He's not quite...sure how to react to that, actually. He's never thought about putting a collar on, that was a thing Yugi did (and that by extension, Atem did), and maybe it looked cool and Ryou did have moments of wondering how it might feel, but...there hadn't ever been a practical usage.

He opens his mouth to opine on the whole thing and...]

...You have extras?

[That's not an opinion! That's also not a no, so...]

It'd get pretty dirty if I wore the same one every day!

[Even if he doesn't sweat anymore, being outside, wearing it around, it gets uncomfortable! Atem can feel when it's grimy. And washing it means it takes forever to dry out. Nope. He has to cycle them.

After eight months here without anyone to do it for him, Atem has finally figured out how to take care of his own dang clothes. Thank god that '80s mall popped up in April. Although, actually, working with leather straps isn't that hard when they're trap components, since he has the right tools...Atem could probably make some, if he really wanted.

But that's beside the point!

Yes. He does have extras.]

That makes sense. I just...wouldn't want to put you out over something selfish, you know? I don't really need something like that, but I don't...like what I see in the mirror.

[Ryou finds himself thankful every day that he has someone he can talk to about these kinds of things. Admitting that this scar badly affects his self-image was already hard enough, but if it's Atem...then he can do it. Anyone else and he'd have hidden it away, gone in circles trying to figure out an appropriate solution without bothering anyone else about it.

But...Atem isn't bothered, is he? He doesn't sound bothered.]

I'd try it. It doesn't bother you to wear it, right? Does it feel different?

[What if he doesn't feel comfortable? Then he's wasting Atem's time, isn't he? But it would be worse if he didn't try it. It was Atem's idea.]

Ah...reminders like that can be hard.

[He gets it.

Yeah. Okay. Time to go get the other collar. Atem heads back into his room, businesslike, talking as he goes.]

It doesn't bother me to wear it at all! Actually, it makes wearing the Millennium Puzzle a lot more comfortable...but Yugi always thought they looked cool.

[The sound of rummaging, from the bedroom--]

So, maybe this will help make it easier to face mirrors -- ah! There it is.

[Atem strolls back out with a very similar one in hand, nearly impossible to distinguish from the collar he has on. It's buckled, so he's able to casually twirl it around the forefinger it's looped around as he approaches.]

Edited 2021-10-08 18:00 (UTC)

They do look pretty cool...and I guess I never thought about the practical applications of wearing a collar to prevent chafing.

[Thinking back...the Millennium Ring was pretty heavy...but up until Battle City, it hadn't bothered him, because he wore sweaters and collared shirts. Then the Ring-Spirit had decided it was a great idea to wear it without a collared shirt on. But...long story short, the cord chafing was the least of his worries.

He waits for Atem to return, awkwardly rubbing his arm. There's a clatter as Tybolt tugs on the knob. He's trying, bless him, and Ryou thinks it's positively adorable, so he looks down at the lion cub with a bit of fondness until Atem returns, twirling the spare collar around one finger and...uhhh. His fingers curl inward, gripping at his opposite upper arm.

He's not sure why...but something about the ease in which Atem has brought the collar makes him feel...some sort of way. He's not sure what sort of way yet, and he's not even remotely interested in figuring it out at this time.

It's functional. Nothing weird about watching Atem twirl around something he's going to give Ryou to put around his neck. Nope.

...He should say something, right?]

It, uh. It really does look the same.

[Perfect. 10/10.]

Heh! There's other kinds at the mall people showed up at in April, if this style ends up feeling too heavy for you. But it should do for a trip outside.

[He says this because there's been a slight change in atmosphere; is Ryou having second thoughts about a completely ordinary fashion statement? Or is it just too much for someone who dresses in a pretty subdued way? They'd better see if he's up for wearing it out, then. Atem unfastens the buckle, pulling the leather strap free, and offers it up to Ryou.]

Try it on, see if it's comfortable.

[If Ryou's not comfortable in it, then it's no big deal, the scarf's probably going to be fine on its own. It's just less of a sure thing! There's not another option, is there? He wonders...]

[Ryou reaches for the collar, holding it daintily as if his claws might somehow damage it. This isn't his, it's...Atem's...he has to be careful.

Gently, he loops it around the scarred part of his neck, then fumbles with it a bit, trying to tighten it without seeing. He's by no means masterful about it since this is a new article of clothing that he's unfamiliar with, so it takes him a second, but he manages. The leather presses against his neck, but not uncomfortably. It's...okay. He thinks it's fine. But without a mirror, there's no way to know for sure, so he turns to Atem for an opinion.

Reflexively, he reaches a hand up and pushes aside a bit of his hair, as if it'll make it easier to see.]

H-how is it? Does it look okay?

[It's certainly covering the scar tissue pretty well! There's no ugly, lighter colored patch of skin to be seen.]

[...it wasn't weird a moment ago.

A moment ago, it was a practical solution, a borrowed accessory, a favor done for a romantic partner going through a difficult time.

Now that it's on, though...it hits Atem that that's a piece of clothing that's his, that Ryou's going to be borrowing, publicly. It feels a little bit like a class ring or a letterman jacket -- Atem remembers those from being Adam. There's definitely something romantic about it, something he likes.

He grins.]

It looks good on you!

[A playful wink.

It's a smidge off-center, though -- it's hard to get them on straight by feel if you're not used to it! So, Atem reaches up, gesturing for Ryou to lean down--]

Here. Let me see it.

[Once Ryou's neck's within easy reach, Atem will twitch the choker lightly a few degrees to the left so that the buckle's centered, a gentle correction. Something about the action puts a warm, satisfied feeling in his chest, possibly the closest Atem's felt to what it had been like to hold someone with a snake-tail since he lost the snake-tail in question. Probably just the whole seeing-someone-in-your-clothes thing.

That done, Atem takes another good look at it, now that the collar's straightened out.

With Ryou's shade-coloration, the black color isn't overpowering...this particular choker might be a bit much on a human Ryou without other clothes to offset it, but like this...]

Yes. It definitely suits you!

Edited 2021-10-09 02:45 (UTC)

[Ryou immediately smiles when he's complimented the first time and there go his ears, wiggling like they do when he's happy. Atem likes it. Atem likes him wearing the collar. Oh...but maybe it's not perfect? Not if Atem's asking to see. Ryou stoops down a little, so he's more within reach...

...and when Atem adjusts the choker, his skin tingles and his heart skips a beat. They're sharing clothing, they're so close, and Ryou feels so very warm and happy. He doesn't straighten up immediately, choosing to stay leaned down. That might be his undoing, because Atem has a clear view of the very obvious blush dusting across his cheeks.]

H...heh. I'm glad it looks okay. It feels okay too. Th-thank you, Atem. This is...better.

[Fingers reach up to touch the leather, then a thumb passes over the metal of the buckle. His eyes half-close as he thinks about how very comforting it is to be wrapped in something that belongs to his boyfriend. Secured. Protected. Good.]

[How's Atem supposed to not kiss him right now? Fingertips, no warmer than the air around them, touch the side of Ryou's jaw lightly, and a warm but brief kiss is initiated -- hopefully, shared.]

I know it's to help you, but it feels like I've just given you a class ring!

[He lets out a quiet laugh. As if there were any doubts about whether this was a steady relationship or not, before this!]

Borrow it as long as you like.

Edited 2021-10-09 03:34 (UTC)

[Oh there's absolutely no chance of Ryou stiffing Atem on a kiss. He hums against the cool lips pressed against his own, his eyes falling completely closed for it. Brief or not...he adores every kiss they share.]

Mmh. Well, I think I like it a bit better than a class ring.

[He grins a little, thoroughly pleased with this situation. He closes the distance between them once more, but uses the opportunity to kiss Atem on the forehead instead. Not that he wouldn't like an excuse to kiss him on the lips again, but Ryou is fond of Atem's whole face. Why constrain himself?]

Maybe next time you...you could put it on me.

[Spicy...?]

S-since I'm not great at it yet.

[Questionably spicy.]

[...okay, there's no reason for the idea of buckling Ryou Bakura into a collar to be doing this to him. It is just helping him, because Ryou's not used to wearing things like that, and trusts Atem to do it, and Atem likes that trust a lot, and he's got to stop thinking about that right now.

Atem's probably been drinking too much blood lately, does drinking too much blood make you sensitive to things like that? A blush is rising to his own face.]

I'll...help you with it as much as you like.

[He really doesn't mind.

Behind them, there's a clatter, as Tybolt gets part of the puzzle open, and some gross wet sounds and some snuffling as he tries to lick the meat out through the too-small gap.]

Yeah...um. Yes, I'd like that very much.

[Wait. Wait a second is...Atem blushing? Is he pausing between words? Oh???

Look the fact of the matter was that Ryou wasn't trying to be forward at all. But somehow it had come off that way, and now that he has this information presented dead center, right in his face...he's not sure what to do with it. Should he say something? What do good boyfriends do?!

F...flirt? Ryou's bad at that! He can't flirt his way out of a paper bag!

He is, thankfully, very much saved by Tybolt finding a tasty surprise. He glances at the little lion and laughs. It is...an awkward laugh that has a small percentage to do with how amusing Tybolt is being.

He straightens up, crosses his arms, and focuses on Tybolt's progress.]

Oh, look! H-he's figuring it out!

That's an intricate contraption. I didn't realize you were getting so good at these kind of things. Y-you built it, right?

[Whew, okay, it's very easy to cool off when gross animal noises are happening close by. Atem's not sure he could think about whatever weird trust thing he'd been imagining a moment ago with that going on over there. Head: cleared.

The flush on Atem's face fades, and he sticks his hands in his pockets.]

That's right! I might not care much for going to school, but learning useful skills is different...

He's almost there. He's just got to hold down that part on the side with his paw to get those slats out of the way.

[Tybolt is licking, and licking, his little tail swishing back and forth. Whyyyy, why can't he get itttt, he can smell it, he can get little licks of it, but he can't get itttt.]

[There's a vague thought in the back of Ryou's mind that maybe he shouldn't have let the opportunity go to waste...but he overrides it easily because Tybolt's licking noises are very distracting, and he looks so, so determined.]

Has he figured this one out before? You'd think he would remember if he has...

[Ryou shakes his head in amusement though, at the other thing Atem had said.]

Learning useful skills? Come on, there's useful skills in school. You just have to quit looking at the academic side and focus on the fact that high school was basically a bully hive that you had to navigate through. Even the teachers...

[Ryou's not saying this just because he was told stories of what the others had needed to deal with. Once upon a time, he had housed a pretty terrible bully, to put it as kindly as he could. And besides...]

The gym teacher...he wasn't very kindhearted was he?

[Ryou toys with the ends of his short hair a bit.]

Suppose he got a little bit of what he wanted after all, not that he'll ever know.

He has. But only once! He may not have realized it was important to remember...

[He laughs.]

I'm sure it'll come back to him. When it gets too easy, I'll have to raise the difficulty level!

[If this keeps up, Atem's lion is going to be able to, like, open safes. Disarm bombs. Rob tombs.

Atem looks away from the lion and up at Ryou. The gym teacher who threatened people he didn't like with crew cuts? Atem vaguely remembers the guy, though Yugi had avoided him pretty successfully after their first encounter.]

...no, he didn't. What he wanted was to make the way you wore your hair look less nice. So, the joke's on him, because that's not what happened at all!

[He's definitely overindulged on blood. Atem feels much too close to a living human teenager. Usually, he can give that kind of compliment with breezy ease, sincere but only so affected in the moment. But, right now, Atem's having trouble looking away. Between his collar and the hair-toying, it's...

...

...

Tybolt presses the lever. The slats keeping him from the meat retract, and horizontal spikes pierce the meat near the bottom, holding it in place so that Tybolt won't pull the whole thing out and drag a hunk of bloody human flesh all over the apartment.

Tybolt happily chows down into what had been Beauregard Perdue II, a hobbyist drug kingpin who'd pushed around youth shelters for the thrill of it. Get fucked, Beau.]

...oh, he got it.

[Ah, shit...that's a compliment. Not just any compliment, it's one on his hair. Ryou immediately feels a rush of heat rise up to his face. This is not how it's supposed to go, he misses his long hair but now...he's not terribly affronted that it's growing slowly. The way the ends curl due to their natural feathering, skimming just above his shoulder line...

Atem likes it? He...really does? Well, Ryou knows he does because he'd commented on it before, but hearing it every once in a while still has that effect on him, because his hair is something that's tied firmly to his self-esteem.]

Th...thanks. That's really, um. Nice of you to say.

[At any rate, being complimented is a fine distraction from the uncomfortable twist in his abdomen reminding him that he hasn't eaten a normal meal in a while, at least. Among...other things.

He glances at Tybolt just to break eye contact, but he's still obviously Very Affected by the nice words.]

H-haha. L-look at him go.

I mean it.

[This whole atmosphere is weird, not in a bad way at all but in a way where....where, something's going to happen, he feels, if he lets it.

So, Atem...Atem makes a decision. Casually:]

Now that he's got it, I'm going to go get cleaned up. It's nearly sunrise, and I still smell like the gambling-room of a theme park of death!

[Ha ha ha ha he's absolutely not going to get into bed smelling like this, with the lingering scent of blood, fear, smoke, and carnival bar still on him. He's gotten fussier about how he smells, since he came back from being a child. Smelling bad can be tolerated, but only when there's no other choice.]

[Thank goodness...Ryou swallows hard, then nods.]

Y-yeah that's. I should, uh. Go make the bed or something, I was resting earlier so it's a little disheveled...um. Also I have to make sure all the stuff I was working on is lion-proofed before...well. I mean...

I'll wait for you.

[A little bit of separation will help him cool his jets, and then they can go to bed. Ryou hadn't even realized how late it was, actually. The days blend when you decide against going outside and also live your life behind blackout curtains.]

[As Atem hits the showers, washing a night's worth of dark games, gambling games, sampling modern beer, and taking care of his people and his lion off of his skin and out of his hair, he considers the question of showing how he feels, so that the people he loves know, even when he doesn't have snakes...and not taking something that's meant to help and making it uncomfortable.

He can walk that line, of course he can, and not that the feeling he got from Ryou was discomfort, exactly, but...

He turns the shower water a little colder.

Atem thinks about other things, too, as he steps out into the bathroom, drying his hair with the towel. He thinks about how both Ryou and Tybolt have him in a more predictable rhythm than he used to have. The lion has to be fed and walked, and rest's become something to look forward to instead of a frustrating necessity. Even if Atem's out most of the night, it's nice to spend days in the same place, talking about what's going on, what he's seen.

He'll need to pick a time to ask Ryou for advice on getting Yugi to consume a soul. He's got until mid-month, Atem figures, before the meter's in the red. Another week left, before...

He shakes his head. Nope. Not going to think about that, not now. It's pushed aside, as Atem pulls on what he usually sleeps in, which is a compromise between Yugi-brain full pajamas and recently-restored-memory-brain why would you sleep in more than you had to. An undershirt and boxers is the most comfortable halfway point for him right now. Let's see, what else -- brush teeth, comb hair out so it dries right, this routine's gotten easier the longer he's done it but gosh it was a pain the first few months -- and he'll pick up Tybolt's empty puzzle tray and wash it out in the sink, give the good smart boy a nice little scritch on his cute little head, then head back into his room, ruffling his still-damp hair back into place with one hand. He'll drop his dirty clothes into a hamper, then head over to the bed to hang the Millennium Puzzle on the headboard, where it usually lives when Atem's asleep.

He's calm, he thinks. Cooled off from a shower and cleaning blood out of a cat toy. It'll be fine, he won't make a nuisance of himself if he isn't wanted -- he'll be able to approach with a level head.]

[While Atem's showering, Ryou keeps himself busy doing exactly what he said and lion-proofing his work area. Paint and brushes are put out of reach of Tybolt, or at least somewhere that he has no inclination of expending effort to get to. Papers and other important odds and ends are stored away. Keeping busy has been his only lifeline in all of this, which was why he'd been able to manage a quick turnaround for the gift he gave Mukuro. He's happy to do whatever it takes, honestly. It keeps his mind from wandering to places it shouldn't...even if it does happen anyway.

However, keeping busy while Atem is showering serves a different purpose this time--it gets Ryou's mind off of the fact that he's wearing one of his boyfriend's articles of clothing, and that his boyfriend was also eying him prior to taking a shower. The implications are certainly not lost on him.

Or...maybe that's just how he feels. Maybe he's just projecting, because ever since he'd revived and healed, he's wanted nothing more than to curl around Atem and not think about anything. When Atem's out and about...Ryou either works on his Monster World board, or lays in bed doing nothing. Nothing sucks, but...he's still having problems processing anything besides "nothing." It reminds him of when he felt no emotions after taking Atem's death, actually. Every emotion he put on now was like a veneer over what he was really feeling. Slightly noticeable, but mostly covered up.

But with Atem...the veneer was opaque. Thin as gossamer, and it wasn't just because Atem could read him. No, it was because Ryou genuinely felt happy around him. Even regarding Atem though...there was something hidden far past the surface, down into the core of his being. Guilt. Sadness. Hurt. Those were not emotions he touched or lent credence to until he was alone.

Like now. Because after making up Atem's bed...Ryou doesn't know what to do with himself. So while Atem's getting dressed, cleaning the Millennium Cat-Puzzle and loving on Tybolt...Ryou was in his own room, staring at everything and thinking. A terrible pastime, thinking. He shouldn't...because the thoughts hurt. The feelings hurt. The memories...are agony.

Once he's certain that Atem's wound down, Ryou finally shuffles from one room to the other. He doesn't poke his head in yet though, instead trying to lead with a little levity.]

Are you decent?

[Said as if he actually believes Atem would wander the apartment indecent.]

[As he's hanging the puzzle on the bedpost, Atem calls back toward the door.]

That's a matter of opinion!

[If Ryou is going to kid around, so is he.]

Ha ha.

[Ryou finally does enter the room. His outfit did not change because uh. He's been home all day. He did all the self-care stuff before Atem even arrived, and he's going to sleep in pants tonight.

~~What do you mean you can't sleep in pants? You can totally sleep in pants.~~]

If you weren't decent, I probably couldn't stand to be around you for as long as I have, to be honest.

[All of the negativity that had been swirling in his mind is pushed away as he moves in close behind Atem, wrapping too long arms around him and pulling him close. Ryou just...wants to be close right now, even if he's too tall and it probably looks and feels silly. Shh, boyfriend time.]

I know we've been living together for a while, but...it's still funny seeing your hair after a shower.

[Seriously. Can nothing hold it down?]

[Absolutely nothing. Not even being dunked in Domino Bay flattens it. All it does is make the bangs Atem's gotten pretty good at getting to stand up flop down in front of his face, like they did before Steve showed him how to fix them up in June. This hair isn't magic, just ridiculously thick.

He relaxes into the hold, one hand coming up to rest on one of Ryou's wrists.]

Living together means that you see a lot of things most people don't!

[Asking Ryou to move in with him...Atem hadn't realized how close they'd end up getting. It'd just been a logical move at the time. He guessed they'd get along, and live together well, and it'd mean Ryou wouldn't be crashing somewhere that wasn't good for him, something that mattered enough to Atem to act, after being friends in the other-Ryslig, and after their talk when they got back.]

What's funny about it?

It doesn't change shape, really. It stays in place, even when it's wet. Well...except for the bangs. But that's understandable.

[His fingers curl in a little, giving Atem a brief, gentle squeeze before finally pulling away reluctantly. He feels...warm. Not the same way as he had before Atem had freshened up. No, he just feels satisfied with the fact that they're coexisting in the same space.]

I'll admit that I always imagined it was product, not your actual hair defying gravity.

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, WhiteWizard. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 007.80.751.19 * WhiteWizard has joined 007.80.751.19 <WhiteWizard> Hello, this is Ryou Bakura! <WhiteWizard> Feel free to reach out to me if you need anything. :) <WhiteWizard>** I will get back to you as soon as possible.

IC Inbox | ryslig

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passes u 400 words of domestic garbage

cw depression...?

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