Thieves have hearts too

Chapter 1- Introduction

"So this is Domino? For a capital city it doesn't look too impressive," the cloaked rider said as he gazed out over the silent city towards the palace that was back dropped by twinkling stars.

His companion on the horse next to him laughed. "That's because nothing ever impresses you, Bakura."

The first rider pulled back his hood to reveal a wide smirk and a mane of messy white hair. "You're right Marik, I am hard to please," Bakura said as he turned towards his friend.

Marik also pulled back his hood to reveal his mischievous lilac eyes. "You're also grumpy, uptight, conceited, inconsiderate-"

"Marik, that wasn't a cue to name all my flaws," Bakura growled as he glared at him.

"I wasn't going to name all your flaws – that would've taken hours to do," Marik replied, grinning cheerfully.

Bakura growled and punched Marik's arm. "Asshole," he muttered under his breath.

Marik glared back as he rubbed his abused arm. "I'm adding 'overly sensitive' to the top of your list of flaws."

Bakura just rolled his eyes and went back to looking at the city. "This place doesn't look much different from any of the other cities we've been to. The only reason it's special is because King Yami lives in that big old castle."

Marik looked over at him curiously. "Then why did you decide to come here? Bandits don't usually go to the places where there are more soldiers hanging about. There must have been something that brought you here."

The corner of Bakura's mouth turned upwards – the closest thing to a smile he could manage. "Marik, have you ever had a dream that made absolutely no sense but you decided to go along with it just to see what would happen?" Bakura asked quietly, still staring out towards the stone castle.

"No," Marik answered slowly, wondering where this was going.

"I had a dream that told me to come here, so I did." Bakura closed his eyes and sighed, his head coming down to rest on his chest.

Marik was starting to worry. Bakura was never normally this quiet and distanced – he was always either being cocky or sarcastic – the only times he was usually quiet was when he was royally pissed and plotting how he could get revenge on the person who had offended him.

Bakura opened his eyes and turned to face Marik. "That's not the only reason I decided to come here though," he said, a smirk beginning to form.

"Oh? What was the other reason?" Marik asked cautiously.

Bakura's smirk grew wider. "They say that the bars round here serve the best booze in the country. I wanted to test that statement out."

Marik grinned and pointed down towards the city. "Then onwards to drinking, dancing, and degrading the common folk." With that he flicked the reins and his horse shot off down the hill towards the city.

Bakura shook his head as he watched his partner race on ahead. Marik always got excited at the prospect of having a drink. Then again, he wasn't exactly any better but…

Bakura looked back towards the castle. There was something about that place that give him a weird feeling. He'd seen the castle in his dream – that was how he'd known which city to go to. Bakura wasn't sure what this strange feeling was; he only hoped that it didn't mean that something terrible was going to happen…

Across the city, in Domino castle, the thing that was giving Bakura that strange feeling was currently panicking. "Malik we can't go into town! You know the rules – no leaving the palace grounds after dark, except in an emergency!" a boy with soft white hair exclaimed, as his friend rummaged through his wardrobe.

Malik stopped rummaging and turned to look at his friend. "Ryou this is an emergency. You're sixteen and you've never had a drink!"

A light blush tinged Ryou's cheeks as he said (almost sulkily), "I've had wine at banquets before."

Malik waved his hand in dismissal. "That doesn't count."

"Why not?"

"Well for one it's not a real man's drink, and for another you only ever have a small sip – hardly enough to make you even slightly tipsy." Thinking the argument won, Malik went back to hunting through Ryou's closet.

Ryou wasn't ready to give in just yet though. "Malik, it's bad enough you going out, you're only a servant, whereas I'm the prince and heir to the throne. My brother would kill me if he found out."

"Yami won't kill you," Malik replied, still searching.

Ryou sighed. "He might not kill me, but he'll give me the whole 'I'm disappointed in you, I thought you would know better,' speech and make me feel totally guilty.

"You'll get over it," Malik replied, head still stuck in the closet.

"Malik! Everyone around here knows what I look like. As soon as we set foot in the tavern Yam's guards will drag us right back to the palace," Ryou said desperately, trying to convince his friend to change his mind.

"That's why you'll be wearing a disguise," Malik replied, eerily calm.

Ryou didn't like the tone of Malik's voice and when Malik turned round he liked the look on his face even less. Malik was grinning from ear to ear, but not in a friendly way, and when Ryou looked down at what Malik was holding he knew why. In one hand Malik held a dark blue headscarf and in the other a long-sleeved black dress.

"Malik, I refuse to wear a dress!" Ryou shouted, his face turning red.

"Oh come on Ryou. No-one's going to know that it's you," Malik begged. "If we meet anyone I can just say that you're my new girlfriend and no more questions will be asked. Oh come on Ryou, do it for me." Malik then proceeded to make his eyes wide and watery, his lip trembling slightly.

Ryou automatically felt guilty. He hated it when Malik did that – he was never able to say no, even though his common sense told him to just ignore his friend. "Fine, I'll come along, but do I have to wear the dress?" Ryou said, defeated.

Malik smiled mischievously. "Let me put it this way Ryou: it's either this, or that very lacy and revealing one that Lady Mai gave you for your birthday."

It took Ryou a whole two seconds to make up his mind. "Just give me the dress."

Please Review!