A/N: Well, my first trip back into this fandom in a long while! Hope you enjoy!
Warnings: Very mild shounen-ai, you really have to look to see it.
Disclaimer: No, I don't own any of the characters you see here. I also make no money from writing this. If you sue me, pocket lint shall be your only reward.
Dedicated to SilverAffection, who is the muse that inspired this piece.
Someday
"Someday, my son, you will be a great thief, just like your father," his mother said, her voice carefully gentle as she spoke to her only child. She brushed back his white, spiky hair. The dark-skinned child puffed his chest up proudly, smiling confidently.
"I'll be even better 'n dad!" he proclaimed loudly. "I'll be... I'll be the king of thieves! I'll steal all the best treasure, even from the Pharaoh!"
His mother laughed, ruffling his hair again.
"Someday, I hope you'll learn that not all treasure is made out of gold," she said, eyes taking on a somewhat dreamy look. "The 'best treasure' can be found anywhere, but I don't think you'll find it in the Pharaoh's palace."
The little boy scowled and turned his head to get out from under his mother's hand. He folded his arms and stared at her stubbornly.
"Treasure is gold and gems. The Pharaoh has the best stuff," he insisted. His mother smiled.
"One day you may think differently."
Bakura scowled down at Ryou's unconscious form. The Battle City finals were going to start soon and he needed his host's body in order to participate.
His scowl darkened. Trust his landlord to always fuck up his plans.
Ryou groaned lightly in his sleep and shifted, his head turning towards Bakura. Ryou's expression was one of discomfort and was becoming rapidly more distressed as Bakura watched silently.
Bakura's scowl softened, though only a little, when Ryou's tossing became more agitated. Bakura didn't know which nightmare it was that was visiting his landlord right now, but there was something about his host's distress that never failed to cause a nagging feeling in the back of Bakura's mind. He shifted, suddenly restless.
"No... no..." Ryou sounded just pitiful when he was whimpering like that.
Scowl deepening again, Bakura glanced around the room. It was empty, save for his own disembodied spirit, and the distressed figure of his host.
Bakura stepped forward, stopping only at the edge of the mattress. He stared coldly down at the bed.
Ryou was getting more agitated by the minute.
With a soft noise of exasperation, Bakura moved one of his almost incorporeal hands to Ryou's forehead. The faint connection that had formed between them the moment Ryou had become to owner of the Millennium Ring would allow Ryou to feel something, even if Bakura still couldn't make physical contact with concentrating.
"Calm down, landlord," Bakura said. "I still have need of you. Nothing will hurt you while I still need your body - I won't allow my host to be damaged beyond use. I'm not that stupid."
Ryou's tossing quieted a bit, but there was still that damn distressed expression on his face. Bakura's eyes narrowed.
"Cut it out. You're beginning to irritate me," he said.
Ryou began to shift again, letting out another pitiful whimper.
Bakura looked around the room again, narrowing his eyes into the most dangerous expression he could muster just in case someone happened to be watching. The rest was still empty save for the two of them.
Bakura turned his gaze back to the bed. Ryou must be deeply asleep, if his tossing and pitiful moaning didn't wake him up.
Bakura slid his hand back into his landlord's hair. He concentrated and began carding his fingers through the smooth locks effortlessly. With focus, he could be just solid enough to gently tug at the strands. It was just a small thing, but it did the trick. Ryou's expression began to calm and his shifting settled until he was once more lying peacefully asleep.
Bakura ran his fingers through Ryou's hair three more times and then gently pulled free of the silk-like strands. He turned away from the bed abruptly, disgusted by his own show of weakness.
Just taking care of the body hosting him did not entail... comforting his landlord when Ryou was troubled by nightmares. He knew that.
'Not all treasure is made out of gold. The 'best treasure' can be found anywhere.'
Bakura scowled. He knew that too.
He turned his head to look at his sleeping host, some of the rough edges of his scowl softening.
Maybe someday... he'd tell Ryou.
End
A/N: Short and somewhat bittersweet. I may be writing more tendershipping in the future and will probably revise my old fics. My old fics are kind of crappy. _ I hoped you all enjoyed - please let me know what you think, especially if you intend to Favorite this.