"You need to understand that you don't have bad mental health - you have mental illness."
Malik didn't teach Bakura how to love himself, but he was the bridge that helped him get there.
[ Credit for cover: samael_dire on Instagram ]
[ MLM, Thiefship...
Heyo! I finally updated on time for once! Ey!! I've sent off two of my essays now so hopefully they'll go well. I might post my creative writing pieces here at some stage as fanfiction but I'm not entirely sure just yet. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!
CW: Depressive spiral, dissociating, mentions of sui/ideation/self harm, pills
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"Come on, Bakura."
Bakura grunted and rolled over in his bed, still scrolling through Instagram. He wasn't sure why he had let Malik convince him to get it, but he liked the memes that always came up in his recommended section. Plus Malik occasionally posted some gorgeous selfies. He liked the one that he passed; one of him with the fairylights in his hotel room, hair a touch messy, kohl on point.
Ryou huffed and tried to pull the blanket away. "Malik's going to be here soon - you need to get ready."
Bakura shook his head. "I don't want to," he mumbled. He didn't want to get out of bed. He couldn't move. He flicked down past a photo of Yugi kissing Atem's cheek, then flicked up and reported it as spam.
"Don't do that," Ryou sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed beside him. "His followers will just get mad that a homophobic asshole did it."
"I'm gay as shit."
"So you're going to tell them that you reported it because...?" Ryou shook his head, and Bakura didn't bother to respond. Ryou sighed. "You need to shower, Bakura. You haven't gotten out of bed since Monday."
It was only two days, but it was apparently long enough to make Ryou worry. "I've been in bed longer before."
"Not since spring." Since Malik got to Japan. Ryou crossed his legs, his right ankle resting on his left knee. "What's going on?"
Bakura's throat felt tight, like something was trying to push its way up, but he wasn't fucking going to cry. "I don't know," he muttered, not looking away from a photo of Tristan's dog. "I'm just tired."
Ryou shook his head. "Come on. Shower at least and see how you feel. I can make you some food - what about pizza? We have some from last night." Bakura hummed. "Okay, fine. I'll just tell Malik not to come over."
"No, don't do that." He meant to sound a bit more forceful, but there was nothing in his voice. "Let him come over."
"But what are you going to do?"
"I'll go to the zoo with him when he comes."
"He'll be here in fifteen minutes." Ryou sighed and leaned on his leg. "You need to get ready."
Bakura kept staring at the photo of the dog. He couldn't look away. "I can't."
Ryou reached over and took Bakura's phone from him. Bakura twisted to get it back, and Ryou yanked the duvet off him. "Get ready, and you can get it back."
