Alone Together

11: The bed was cold

Melvin wanted to cry, but couldn't. Why did Ryou have to look just like him?

It was never about you, Mel. Everything seems pretty crystal clear.

Then why the hell did you even bother to talk to me, Bakura?

The image of Bakura with another man made Melvin feel like he had been thrown against something and shattered into a million pieces.

Why did he even invite me if he was just gonna ditch me?

It wasn't fair. It was stupid and it wasn't fair. No—Melvin was stupid. He was dumb enough to think he actually mattered to someone for once.

Fuck—I should've known.

Of course Bakura didn't want to be held, not by Melvin. There were different people that affection was reserved for, and Melvin was not one of those people. Even if he did agree to be so vulnerable with someone.

I was being used this whole fucking time.

He felt that feeling again, like he was being suffocated. Like the air grew thinner and he couldn't breathe.

I can't believe I was excited to see him again.

Melvin clutched the pillow to his chest, refusing to let any of the tears building up behind his eyes escape.

What was he supposed to do now? Bakura was all he had. He was the only person who actually got close to him, talked to him, kissed him.

Bakura didn't care about Melvin at all.

Melvin wasn't rejected—he was never part of the picture to begin with. He didn't matter. He never did.

He flipped over and buried his face into the pillow, shaking. He wanted to push these feelings out of his body, to just pretend they weren't happening, that he could just stop feeling them.

Then there was Ryou.

"Similar boats my ass!" he said, curling up and gritting his teeth. Ryou had a mom, that he just talked about, all freely and whatnot. He probably had a family somewhere, probably some friends he could've ordered a pizza for, so he could shut the hell up about his similar boat.

There had to be a catch. Ryou was probably plotting a way to get back at him for what happened in the morning.

Bakura had started off kind for no reason. Ryou was probably no different.
They could be the same person—they already looked like it. Melvin could be falling for the same scheme.

Not if Melvin has anything to say about it.

He was about to stop a disaster before it happened.

***

When Melvin woke up the first time, there was someone moving about.
He had no way to check the time; all he knew was that it was way too early for this.

He heard something sizzling, and even smelled something really good cooking in the kitchen.

It was enough to get him out of bed.

Melvin looked around, taking in that last night really did happen. He yawned and opened the door, seeing Ryou flipping pancakes and cooking bacon and sausages.

"Are you usually up this early?" Melvin asked him, making Ryou turn and smile.

"Good morning!" He said as he scrambled some eggs. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Yes."

Ryou looked down and served himself a plateful of a little bit of everything. "Would you like some?"

Melvin ignored him and asked, "What time is it?"

He checked his phone. "6:30."

"What the hell? Why are you up?"

"I have to go to work," Ryou told him as he poured a glass of orange juice. "I have to start walking soon."

"You walk? Why don't you have a car?"

Ryou shrugged. "I've never had one, there's really no need. Everything's in walking distance." He gestured to the extra food on the table. "Do you want some? You don't have to eat it right now, of course. You could warm it up later if you'd like to go back to sleep."

Tired and staring at the table, Melvin said nothing. Could this be part of that trust he was trying to build? The bait that would lead to his undoing?

"What?" Ryou looked at the food, trying to figure out what he was staring at. "Do you not like pancakes?"

"I'm going back to bed."

Then he turned around and walked back inside the bedroom, where he curled back up under the blankets. The food looked delicious but he would not fall for it. He stayed there for a few minutes until he fell back asleep.

When he woke up a second time, he felt some of the sun through the thin curtains of the room shine on his face.
He breathed in and before he opened his eyes, he felt around the bed for something he could recognize. Something that could make him feel somewhat at home, and comfortable.
His phone? His keys? His cape?

...Bakura?

But he found nothing.

Melvin was lost and alone.

The bed space beside him was empty and cold.

And that's how it would stay.