Doragon no Kokoro

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Romance/General

Pairings: Seto/Bakura

Warnings: Shounen ai, language

Plot: Yami no Bakura had lived a dirty, hard life in ancient Egypt, even as a child, before becoming a tomb robber. What if he met a certain High priest and became friends with him?

Disclaimer: You know, Takahashi-san doesn't know me, so I won't get a birthday present from him... can you buy it offa eBay? I also own none of the songs listed here.

Notes: This is the prequel to Yami Ryuu, Shiro Tenshi and Akutenshi. It's basically how Yami no Bakura met Seto in ancient Egypt and yeah. It kinda conflicts the series info, but I had this planned out long enough ago so that I didn't know about a lot of the stuff- and I can't read kanji, so I can't tell what's going on...! @_@ Plus, I put Mokuba in here, and we all know Mokuba wasn't there in Egypt, right? Or was he? Dunno.

This started after much research... yes, research over when in the 18th Dynasty Yami no Yuugi could have ruled (yes, it was 3000 years ago and was the 18th dynasty (which was actually about 3,500 years ago...), if you don't just depend on fan-subbed subtitles and actually listen to the Japanese dialogue...). Aiya... @_@ studying timelines makes people dizzy... and this is what I plan on doing with my life?! But if you want proof on how it was not 5,000 years ago and was closer to 3,000 years ago, both series-related and historically, I'll send it to you! I have it all!

People of high bearing have long titles...

The song insert is an excerpt of Ashita Moshi Kimi ga Kowaretemo from the Yugioh season one soundtrack.

Chapter 1-

Lonely Heart

Lonely heart

Moteamasu kokoro

POKKARI ana ga aita you da

Jibun wo osaekirezu nanika ni iraira shiteta

Lonely heart

Feelings beyond my control

It's as if a wide hole has opened

Unable to control myself, I become irritated at something

Between the reigns of two pharaohs of the 18th dynasty, there is a large gap of unrecorded history. The unrecorded time, lost grains in the illustrious sands, saw a game played with magic and monsters, where only the strongest survived.

This game was Duel Monsters.

But this particular story does not have to do with this game of Duel Monsters, rather, a renowned Duelist and his affair with an infamous tomb robber.

"Seto, why...? Why must you accept this?" He asked, voice quivering.

"Because." They High Priest in front of him answered in a calm, unwavering voice. "The Pharaoh and the four other priests have sealed away with the Sennen Items and the monsters. It is my duty."

"I don't care!" The other boy yelled, bursting out with emotions suddenly. "Just because of your rank. The Pharaoh is dead; you don't need to listen to his orders anymore!"

"But it is my duty-"

"I just don't care anymore. I never cared about your rank, because I..." He turned his head away in frustration. Letting a couple of tears only dot his eyes, he turned his back from the priest and kept his head lowered, tears threatening now to spill over.

"Bakura." Seto said in a calm voice. "I will be buried with the Sennen Items. The Pharaoh is gone, so I must be the one to protect them. The world's fate depends on me." With that, he turned and left, holding his Sennen Rod in hand and clenching it with a deadly grip.

"Seto..." Bakura whispered after the priest had left. "I don't want to you to die." Why can't you just give up your position? I realize I'm not one to understand the laws and everything, but you never let laws stop you before. Laws forbid us to even be friends. Just disobey them once more. I never got to tell you everything about me. I never got to tell that that-

"I love you."

"Bastard!" Bakura yelled, falling to the ground and wiping his mouth for the blood that flowed from a cut lip.

He had a group of assailants, one of which had a dagger. Blood trickled down a cut on his arm and dripped to the ground next to his foot as he stood back up, groaning.

"Pay up." The one with the dagger taunted, licking the blood from his blade.

"I've already paid my debts."

"I think not." The one with a knife threw it up in the air and caught it, toying with the blade.

Another slash to the cheek, more blood spilt. His consciousness started fading into a blurred and fuzzy image.

A sudden yell of surprise came from his opponents, but he couldn't see why. He just knew that suddenly, their taunting made no difference.

He stood firmly in front of the unconscious boy. He had knocked out one of the guys and nearly snapped the wrist of the one with a dagger, but one of them was still able. That one grabbed his partner's knife and held it close to his own body, smarter as it seems.

"Leave this boy." He stated clearly, as one with a high status would.

"Who are you to tell me what to do? Stay out of this!"

"If you do not step back, you will leave me with no choice."

"What are you gonna do?" The other taunted.

There was a streak as the hood flew off of the unknown entities head, revealing semi-tamed brown hair and shocking sapphire eyes. The streak grabbed his opponent's arm and planted a blow into his gut.

The person who had the knife groaned as he slumped over. "Who the hell are you? You fight as a demon of the god Set."

The brown-haired boy with sapphire eyes stood tall, proud with regal bearing. "I am Seto, high priest in the temple of Amun Ra, both scribe and personal friend to his Majesty, the Pharaoh Yami." He unsheathed his Sennen Rod for show.

Having dealt with the problem at hand, Seto turned and picked the unconscious boy with long white hair in his arms.

"H-hn?" Bakura groaned, opening his eyes slowly. The whole world was fuzzy.

Automatically, he felt the ambivalence of physical comfort and mental insecurity. Where was he? This was a rich place, judging from the craftsmanship, but how did he get here? Was he captured by someone? Where were those bastards who nearly killed him?

He tried to move, finding his body rather reluctant to get up from the fine linen and silk that encased him. No, he wasn't captured. No captor would waste such good materials on a prisoner, unless they were just stupid.

"Hello!" A childish face appeared above him, giving him a sudden start. "I'm Mokuba, what's your name?" The boy had large violet eyes and long black hair. He had on clothes of a wealthy person, so he was definitely not a servant. The son of the household's owner, possibly?

I can kill him and escape, given the need. Bakura told himself as he started to sit up, supporting himself on his elbows. As the sheets slid down, he noticed the bandages wrapped around his chest and stomach, where his assailants had kicked him and tried to carve him up a few times.

"Don't move! Seto told me to not let you move until he got here."

"Who the hell is-" He was cut off as a person entered the room. Bakura was taken aback by his features. The tall height, brown hair, built frame, and cold blue eyes...

"Seto!" Mokuba ran to him and hugged him.

"Mokuba," Seto bent down to him, "go tell his Majesty, the Pharaoh Yami that I will be with him shortly."

"Ok!" He scampered off.

"And watch your manners!" Seto called behind him, smiling at his antics.

Bakura watched with interest, inferring that the two were brothers. But they looked so different... Mokuba had black hair, tanned skin, and violet eyes while Seto was brunette, had paler skin (though still not as pale as his own), and blue eyes. But hey, stranger things had happened. After all, he had white hair as a natural born color.

"What is your name?" Seto asked Bakura, sitting next to the bed. It wasn't in an interrogative way, but in a nicer, friendlier way. It was certainly the first time a stranger- or possibly anyone- had spoken to him like that.

"Why should I tell you?" Bakura asked. One rule of being a tomb robber meant that you gave no clues, and a name was a clue.

"To show at least a little gratitude for my brother and me taking care of you and your wounds." Seto's eyebrows furrowed.

"I didn't ask you to." Bakura snapped back.

"Would you have rather me let those guys kill you?" Seto asked.

Bakura suddenly took up an interest in the architecture. "First, who are you? And why did you save me?"

"I am Seto, high priest to the temple of Amun Ra. That's the short version." That would explain the wealth. "I saved you because you looked as if you needed help. As an official, it is my duty to be sure that I stop any violence that the peoples are creating."

Bakura said nothing, just lowered his gaze to his bandaged arm. The sound of Seto standing made him look up again.

"I must go bathe and perform afternoon rituals in the temple before seeing the Pharaoh. I will be back later and do intend upon furthering this conversation. Do not attempt to leave, there are guards. And if you desire anything, just ask." He left Bakura in awe.

Bakura scratched his arm in nervousness and frustration. Want anything? Hell yeah! To leave and get out of this place. Maybe 'borrow' a couple of things while he was at it, if you use the term 'borrow' loosely.

He tipped his legs over the side of the bed and stood, looking around. He still had his dirty garments- a small skirt, unlike all those poor fools who were stuck in loincloths. He had stolen it, granted, but still.

Small, quick footsteps approached and Bakura was hardly surprised to see Mokuba running back in. "Hi! Do you need anything? I could ask someone to draw a bath or fetch some food and new clothes."

"Sure..." Bakura just blinked at the boy's utter innocence.

Fifteen minutes found Bakura on the verge of purring in warm water and various flowery-smelling soaps. Maybe rich life wasn't bad, even though he knew he shouldn't get used to it. He'd be out of here before Ra fell below the horizon of the dead tomorrow, one way or another.

He scrubbed through his hair once more and finally saw its true whiteness. Dirt and caked blood washed away with ease as his pale skin shown brightly. The only thing that seemed to remain unchanged about him were his dark bronze eyes.

Eventually, he did get out and dressed in clothes that surprisingly fit him. Just another convenience, he supposed. Walking back into what he now called his room, he say a plate of figs, fish, dates, bread, and other foods with a glass of wine with it.

"Wow." Bakura mused to himself. This was certainly different.

He sat on his bed and ate and drank until his stomach was content. Had he ever been truly content? The normal Egyptian was well enough off, able to fill their stomachs. But Bakura had always been on the run, bumming shelter and food from people, never settling down lest he was caught.

Feeling rather lazy, he laid back down with his head on the support block. Often he housed with Malik, but neither of them were rich enough to have gotten the headrests. But now he referred back to his old ways and put the block aside, deciding rather to go without the wealthy comfort and just lie content in the Egyptian linen. Yeah, he could get used to this.

Chibi: Yes, yes. A short first chapter. But originally I intended for this to be one chapter and somewhat short. It still will be a short fic compared to some others, but oh well! Hope you enjoyed reading this and keep up with the story! I tried to intertwine my limited knowledge of actual ancient Egypt, but it's hard! Such as how the only slaves were criminals or prisoners of war... and the people who built the pyramids were actually pretty well taken of, medical treatment included... gomen, I'm sore on the subjects...

Wildwolf: **goes running past** I have Kharl's watering can!

V-chan: Give me the watering can!

Kharl (Dragon Knights): Give me my watering can!

Chibi: Well, ja mina~!